《Agriculture Escape: Ultimate Boss Has A Space Pocket!》 Chapter 1 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Bai Wutong slowly opened her eyes and immediately saw a turbid river in front. Suddenly, she regained consciousness. She sat up in the water and was relieved to find no zombies around. The moment she lowered her head and saw her reflection in the water, she was immediately stunned. She was just as she had been, but six or seven years younger. What shocked Bai Wutong the most was that she was wearing a gorgeous dress and had a head full of pearls. She clearly looked like an ancient heiress! Had she traveled from the apocalypse to ancient times? Why didn¡¯t she have any memories? As she tried to recall, she felt a pain in the back of her head. She reached out and felt a huge lump. She lowered her hand and there was blood. She understood. Whatever memories she had were probably gone when she hit her head. Still, she was happy. In this world, there was no need to constantly guard against being zombies. Moreover, she had a lot of jewelry on her. If she sold them, she should be able to find a place to settle down for the time being. She had just made up her mind when a ¡°corpse¡± floated past her. It had been a long time since she had seen her own kind. Her gaze faltered and she jumped into the water with a splash and scooped the person up to the shore. She pressed down hard on his chest and opened his mouth to perform CPR. ¡°Cough, cough, cough~¡± The man spat out water several times and slowly opened his eyes. Bai Wutong was delighted to see him awake and wanted to ask him about what was going on. The man blinked with his dark eyes. His confused gaze made Bai Wutong feel that something was wrong. The man¡¯s beautiful thin lips spat out a shocking word. ¡°Mother~¡± His tone even sounded aggrieved. ¡°¡­¡± What a big son I have! Bai Wutong had a bad feeling. She couldn¡¯t have saved a fool, right! She was about to test if the man was in a daze from unconsciousness when his eyes rolled back and he fainted again. ¡°¡­¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s eyebrows twitched. Was he intending to extort her kindness? ¡®He looks like a decent human. I don¡¯t think so.¡¯ She patted the man¡¯s cheek. ¡°Hello? Hello? Wake up?¡± His forehead and cheeks were burning. After confirming that the guy was really unconscious, Bai Wutong had to check what was wrong with him. She ripped open his top to find his bandaged chest soaked in blood. This person had been seriously injured before he fell into the water. Bai Wutong also found a bloody hole in his head that also needed emergency first-aid. But she had not bandaged even herself, so how could she treat him? If only she¡¯d had the RV. It had a first-aid kit. As soon as she finished muttering, Bai Wutong felt the weight in her hand. She looked down and was stunned. The first-aid kit was actually in her hand. ¡®What¡¯s this all about?¡¯ She remained calm and thought for a moment, then another box of cookies appeared in her hand. Her heart started beating fast. She wasn¡¯t dreaming after all. Her RV in the apocalypse had turned into a portable space and followed her into this world. What surprised her most was that she could still take anything out of the RV at will. The RV had been bought with all the money her grandparents had left her before the apocalypse. There was only 15 square feet of space but it was complete with a washer, refrigerator, television, toilet, bedroom, storage room, and so on. For her own safety and security, Bai Wutong¡¯s RV was filled with all kinds of weapons and supplies. Other than the place where she slept, it was filled to the brim. However, because of these things, she had managed to survive the zombies several times. The RV had followed her into this world, which Bai Wutong had never expected. If she didn¡¯t have to save someone first, she would have jumped up and screamed in excitement. Bai Wutong¡¯s grandfather was a doctor in the village. Bai Wutong had been influenced by him and could deal with basic illnesses. After struggling to survive in the apocalypse for a few years, she was even more familiar with external injuries. Removing the gauze from his body, the hideous wound was immediately revealed. After being immersed in the river water for a long time, the wound was already inflamed. She gave him a shot of anesthesia first, then cut away the white flesh on his chest before stitching him up. After she had carefully treated the wounds on the man¡¯s chest and head, Bai Wutong simply bandaged the wound on the back of her head. Then, she immediately put the first-aid kit into the RV. Her body felt sticky. Bai Wutong glanced at the man who was still unconscious and took off all her clothes. Then, she quickly took a set of undergarments and a linen dress from the RV and put them on. If someone suddenly appeared, nothing would seem particularly odd. She had wanted to take the clothes to the river to wash them, but one look at the murky water had completely dispelled that idea. There was a washing machine in the RV. She wondered if it would function. Taking a chance, Bai Wutong stuffed the clothes into the RV¡¯s washing machine and pressed the start button. The washing machine started spinning at once. Bai Wutong was shocked. Then elation followed. Then she quickly checked the other appliances. Apart from not being able to connect to the Internet, everything else could be used. The confusion of her arrival in this world was instantly washed away by the surprise that the RV space had given her. With the washing machine, the clothes were quickly washed. She added detergent, so not only did they smell good, they were dried. Bai Wutong changed into her original clothes and arranged some important items and food in her backpack. Before long, she realized with alarm that someone was coming towards her. From the sound of the footsteps, there were two of them. If they didn¡¯t have any bad intentions, they would appear openly. But, they didn¡¯t. Her eyes darkened as a sharp axe appeared in her hand. Soon, two middle-aged men, one tall and one fat, appeared in front of Bai Wutong. The moment they saw Bai Wutong, they revealed expressions of greed. Having lived in the apocalypse for a few years, Bai Wutong was very familiar with this kind of gaze. The hand on the axe tightened. The fat man said fearlessly, ¡°Old Li, we¡¯re going to be rich. This beautiful girl¡¯s items are worth at least 500 taels of silver.¡± Old Li¡¯s wretched gaze stopped on Bai Wutong¡¯s face. ¡°Fourth Brother, let¡¯s rob her and play with her. I¡¯ve never played with such a delicate woman.¡± Fourth Brother smiled even more wickedly. ¡°What a pity. If we wouldn¡¯t be caught upon returning to Lin¡¯an, we would definitely make a lot of money selling her to the brothel.¡± ¡°However, it¡¯s worth it for her to meet us before she dies.¡± Old Li took a step forward with a smile on his face. ¡°Little lady, as long as you¡¯re obedient¡­¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s expression was grim. Just as she raised her hand, two leaves shot out from behind her like meteors and pierced straight into Old Li and Fourth Brother¡¯s throats. There wasn¡¯t even a scream. Two men who¡¯d wanted to do something to her had died right in front of her eyes. ¡®¡­?¡¯ Bai Wutong turned and met a pair of dark eyes. ¡®When did he wake up?¡¯ ¡®Did he see me conjure an axe out of thin air?¡¯ ¡®If he does¡­ should I silence him?¡¯ Still, the guy¡¯s physique was amazing. An anesthetic could knock someone out for at least two hours. He¡¯d been awake after only an hour. After looking at each other for a while, Bai Wutong carefully probed, ¡°You saved me, and I saved you. Then I¡¯ll shall make my leave first?¡± Hearing the word ¡°leave¡±, the man, who was like a god just now, suddenly opened his mouth and said in a pitiful voice that was completely different from his noble and extraordinary face, ¡°Mother~ Don¡¯t go, don¡¯t go¡­¡± He even reached out his hand to grab Bai Wutong. Chapter 2 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡®Mother? Are you sure?¡¯ Bai Wutong¡¯s entire face was frozen. ¡®He¡¯s not really a complete idiot, is he?¡¯ Bai Wutong rolled her eyes and took the opportunity to ask, ¡°When did you see those two people?¡± The man blinked in thought. ¡°When they were talking.¡± Bai Wutong heaved a sigh of relief. He probably hadn¡¯t seen her conjure up the axe. Bai Wutong planned to slip away before the anesthetic wore off on his lower body. As soon as she lifted her foot, Bai Wutong remembered something. She took out an apple and a few biscuits from her bag and placed them on the ground. When she met with his delighted gaze, she said, ¡°You eat first. I¡¯m going out for a walk. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± The fool picked up a biscuit and nodded obediently. ¡°Tianbao will wait for Mother to return.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Tianbao? What a ¡®dignified¡¯ name! Bai Wutong suppressed an inexplicable sense of amusement. She picked up her backpack and walked away from the man¡¯s gaze without looking back. Bai Wutong walked in the direction where Fourth Brother and Old Li had come from for more than half an hour before she finally saw a dirt road. When she came out of the forest, she saw many commoners who were accompanied by their huge families. They were all heading in one direction. Most of them were emaciated and had worried faces. They looked like they hadn¡¯t eaten enough. Bai Wutong was dressed in gorgeous satin. Even without any accessories, her jade-like appearance was still especially eye-catching. Sensing the people around her secretly sizing her up and even harboring ill intentions, Bai Wutong suddenly realized that the outfit she thought was low-key was actually not low-key enough. Bai Wutong mixed into the crowd and asked a kind-looking old lady, ¡°Madam, where are you going?¡± The old lady gave her a surprised look. ¡°You are escaping the country alone?¡± she asked in surprise. Escape? Bai Wutong raised her eyebrows and quickly reacted to it. ¡°No, my mother and brother are waiting for me in the woods. They asked me to find out how long it will take to reach the next city.¡± The old lady nodded to show her understanding. ¡®I knew it. How could such a pretty girl be on her way alone?¡¯ ¡°We¡¯re still thirty miles from Lin¡¯an. If we walk fast, we¡¯ll be there before dark.¡± Bai Wutong asked calmly, ¡°There are so many people. Can we all enter?¡± Even if she had not personally experienced a refugee escape, Bai Wutong had seen many cruel scenes of a refugee escape in books. In order to prevent refugees from entering the city and causing trouble, they could only linger in front of the city gate and wait for the officials to provide them with porridge. The old lady shook her head. ¡°Let¡¯s take it one step at a time. We¡¯ll only starve to death if we go back.¡± Bai Wutong beat around the bush a little more and finally sorted out her thoughts. She was in the Yan Kingdom. Not only was there a severe famine, but there was also a muddle-headed, cruel, and licentious emperor. Two months ago, the king of another family used the slogan of enforcing justice on behalf of the heavens and took the opportunity to start a war. He occupied more than ten cities in the Yan Kingdom and established the Ling Kingdom. The commoners were terrified and uneasy. They also heard that the commoners who became Ling Kingdom could be properly settled and did not have to worry about food and drinks. The citizens of the Yan Kingdom were starving and had to pay heavy taxes and serve in the military, forcing people into a corner. In contrast, more and more people were looking for hope to seek refuge in Ling Kingdom. Lin¡¯an City was the only way from Yan Kingdom to Ling Kingdom. However, even if the Yan Kingdom had lost more than a dozen cities, it would still take them a few months to travel from Lin¡¯an City to Ling Kingdom¡¯s current territory. The people of the Yan Kingdom had already lost their faith. It was only a matter of time before their country was destroyed. It was best for her to head to Ling Kingdom and settle down. The food in the RV could only last a month. She had to go to Lin¡¯an to replenish her supplies. Bai Wutong bade farewell to the kind old lady and quickly returned to the forest. She found a hidden place to hide. Bai Wutong¡¯s grandmother was a tailor in the village and Bai Wutong had inherited her good skills. She found a few old clothes from the RV and quickly made them with the mini sewing machine. She put on the refugee clothes that looked tattered but were actually very comfortable and convenient for moving. She took out her makeup tools again and smeared over her face for a while. After a while, a hideous person with dark skin, a face full of black spots, a blind eye, and yellowed teeth emerged from the woods by the road. The men around her looked and glanced away in disgust. No wonder she dared to travel alone. No one would want such an ugly woman even if she were given to a ghost. Bai Wutong carefully paid attention to their expressions and realized that they were all taking the initiative to stay far away from her, afraid that they would have anything to do with her. Bai Wutong was secretly delighted. It was not in vain that she had spent so much effort to find a usable white contact lens from the RV. ¡®It saves too much trouble.¡¯ Her current body was really too weak. She had walked for more than four hours for 30 miles. The moment she saw the city of Lin¡¯an, she felt the blisters on her feet burn. Fortunately, Lin¡¯an City did not stop the refugees from entering the city. Bai Wutong wanted to exchange for some silver, so she found a pawnshop. When the shopkeeper saw her, he waved his hand to signal the staff to chase her out. Bai Wutong took out a golden hairpin and placed it in front of the shopkeeper. ¡°This is my family heirloom. I want to exchange it for silver pieces.¡± Not only was the golden hairpin of Bai Wutong exquisitely made, but it was also decorated with rare rubies. The style was so novel. How could it be a family heirloom of a countryside woman? ¡®It must have been stolen!¡¯ The shopkeeper rolled his eyes and smiled sinisterly. He said to a few tall and burly shop assistants, ¡°How dare you steal my golden hairpin? Capture her and throw her out!¡± Bai Wutong did not expect that a legitimate pawnshop could do such a thing in broad daylight. The moment her heart sank, she grabbed the shopkeeper and pressed the sharp golden hairpin against his throat. ¡°If you want to cheat me of my family heirloom, go to hell with me.¡± Fourth Brother and Old Li were not the only people who wanted to rob and kill her. However, they were all dead. Fortunately, she had put in the effort to disguise herself. After killing them, she was not afraid of being found by the officials. Bai Wutong¡¯s ruthless gaze stunned the shop assistants. The shopkeeper forced himself to calm down. He narrowed his eyes and threatened, ¡°The magistrate is all my people. Even if you take the silver, you won¡¯t be able to leave Lin¡¯an City. If you know what¡¯s good for you, let go of me. I can still consider letting you off.¡± Bai Wutong did not waste her breath on him. With a little force, the golden hairpin pressed into the shopkeeper¡¯s throat. The pain made the shopkeeper panic immediately. He hurriedly said in a trembling voice, ¡°Spare me, heroine. Don¡¯t, don¡¯t stab me anymore. I¡¯ll get someone to prepare money for you now.¡± Bai Wutong said solemnly, ¡°I know how much silver this should be exchanged for! Don¡¯t play tricks. If there¡¯s a missing silver piece, I¡¯ll cut off one of your fingers.¡± The shopkeeper nodded in agreement, but gave the shop assistant a knowing look. Bai Wutong glanced around. The moment she lowered her eyes, she stomped on the shopkeeper. Immediately after, a sharp dagger was pulled from her waist. With a whoosh, it was nailed to the ear of the shop assistant who wanted to run out and call for help. It even cut off a strand of his hair. The shop assistant turned his head and saw the sharp dagger on the back of the door. He remembered that he had almost lost his life just now. His legs went limp and the smell of urine immediately came from his crotch. Everyone in the pawnshop was stunned. Chapter 3 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Bai Wutong came out of the pawnshop and quickly entered an alley. She put her silver taels and golden hairpin into the space and took out cosmetics from her bag. In a moment, the extremely ugly woman disappeared and was replaced by a young and ordinary girl. The shopkeeper struggled to get up from the ground and immediately covered his bleeding neck with a handkerchief. He shouted at the magistrate officer on the street, ¡°An ugly woman with a blind left eye robbed my shop of 150 taels of silver and a golden hairpin. Send someone to capture her immediately!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The magistrate officer actually spoke respectfully to the pawnbroker. Bai Wutong saw this from the shadows and shook her head secretly. The roots of the Yan Kingdom were completely rotten. Bai Wutong walked into an inn and asked the waiter, ¡°Are there any more rooms?¡± The waiter said indifferently, ¡°There¡¯s still the high-class, low-class rooms, and the common beds. Where do you want to stay?¡± Bai Wutong said, ¡°I want a high-class room.¡± The waiter sized her up. ¡°Five taels of silver a night for a high-class room.¡± Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°I¡¯m taking the high-class room.¡± The waiter immediately beamed with joy. ¡°Ma¡¯am, this way please. You can check in after registering.¡± Bai Wutong thought that she could check in after paying and recording her name. Who knew that she had to register with her household records? Seeing her hesitation, the waiter deliberately said, ¡°It¡¯s chaotic outside. If you don¡¯t have a household register, you can¡¯t stay anywhere. It¡¯s best for you to apply for a new household register.¡± Bai Wutong thought for a moment, took out a tael of silver, and stuffed it into the waiter¡¯s hand. ¡°Where can I apply for a household register?¡± The person who was making the household register could definitely create a fake one. The waiter was obviously adept at this business. Sure enough, the waiter beamed like a blooming flower when he received the money. He said happily, ¡°Ma¡¯am, please wait a moment. I¡¯ll take you there immediately. It¡¯s just that it¡¯s not easy to apply for a household register. You might have to spend more effort.¡± Bai Wutong understood and took out another tael of silver. ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to trouble you to spend more effort.¡± After receiving another tael of silver, the waiter was so happy that wrinkles appeared on his face. He brought Bai Wutong to the government office and muttered to the magistrate officers he knew. After spending 20 taels of silver, she was casually registered under a village in the Yan Kingdom. Holding the freshly printed household register, Bai Wutong heaved a sigh of relief. She was now a person with an identity in this world. There was a long queue at the door of the food rations store. The food rations were frighteningly expensive. One tael of silver could only buy 10 catties of fine rice. In other words, 2,000 yuan could only buy 10 catties of high-quality rice. Even if the coarse rice was cheaper, one tael of silver could only buy 100 catties of it. It was twice as expensive as before. Now that the famine was becoming severe, food would only become more and more expensive. The refugees would do anything for a bite of food on their journey. No one was dumb. They would buy as much as they could. With silver in hand, Bai Wutong did not hold back. She asked for 100 catties of fine rice, 300 catties of coarse rice, 10 catties of white sugar, 10 catties of salt, 50 catties of oil, and 10 catties of soy sauce. She spent 30 taels of silver in one go. Afraid that it would arouse suspicion, Bai Wutong directly lied that she was a maidservant buying on behalf of her owner¡¯s family. After paying, she asked them to send the items directly to the inn. 100 catties of rice was enough for her to eat for 300 days. Now that there were 400 catties of rice, it was definitely enough for her to find a place to stay for long. Apart from food, Bai Wutong still lacked a lot of things. She went to the textile shop to buy some ready-made clothes and a few bolts of durable cloth. The weather was hot. By the time she reached Ling Kingdom, it would probably be winter. Bai Wutong took advantage of the cheap cotton clothes and bought a few more sets. Although she had very warm cotton clothes in the RV space, they were definitely not suitable in this world and would easily attract attention. As long as it was something she needed daily, she would buy everything as the ones in her RV space were not suitable. She carried her things and went out. Soon, she entered another medicinal store empty-handed. Her experience in the post-apocalyptic world informed her that food, medicine, and weapons were the three main elements of survival. Especially after the famine, it was easy for an epidemic to break out. The medicine in her RV space was potent, but not much. When the apocalypse arrived, the pharmaceutical factories had already stopped production. The medicinal store was packed. Bai Wutong queued for a while before it was her turn. She knew many recipes for daily ailments that were more economical and effective than those prescribed by doctors. She directly asked one of the young staff to take out a lot of medicinal herbs for colds, fevers, diarrhea, headaches, pain relief, and prevention of plague. She also took a few bottles of medicine for external injuries and bleeding. With these many herbs, it cost her 50 taels. Seeing that she had bought so many kinds of herbs, the doctor frowned and said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to see a doctor?¡± Bai Wutong thought of the bump on the back of her head and said, ¡°I hit my head. I can¡¯t remember some things.¡± The doctor took her pulse and nagged for a long time because he wanted to prescribe her expensive herbs. Bai Wutong was a little disappointed and waved her hand. ¡°I¡¯m here to get the medicine for my master.¡± The doctor¡¯s enthusiasm vanished. He didn¡¯t even bother to look at her afterwards. The horizon was already red when she left the medicinal store. Bai Wutong wanted to hitch a ride from the escort agency. After asking around all the way to the escort agency, she explained her intentions to the escort. However, the escort waved his hand and said, ¡°Go, go, go.¡± Logically speaking, now was a good time for the escort agency to earn money. There must be a big problem if they were unwilling to take the escort. Bai Wutong produced a five- tael silver ingot and placed it in the arms of the escort, who frowned and was about to refuse. Bai Wutong said, ¡°Big Brother, I¡¯m really afraid to travel alone. I just want to find out some things. If the road ahead is too difficult, I won¡¯t look for my family.¡± The escort¡¯s expression softened a little as he tucked the silver ingot into his jacket. ¡°Ask away.¡± Bai Wutong got some more information. She still had to pass through Beiyun City, Jiangyuan City, and Fengming City to reach Ling Kingdom. In these three cities, not only were bandits rampant, but the groups of refugees were even more ferocious. Even if the goods from the escort agency were spared from the bandits, they could not resist the waves of desperate refugees. Moreover, the closer they got to the Ling Kingdom, the more sensitive the authorities were. If the refugees seemed any suspicious, they would be treated as spies and killed. Lin¡¯an City was probably the last city they could enter. After receiving the silver, the escort advised her, ¡°You should think of a way to stay in Lin¡¯an City alone.¡± Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°Thank you, Big Brother. I understand.¡± It wouldn¡¯t take long for Lin¡¯an City to become chaotic. Without the escort agency, she would still have to set off as soon as possible. Bai Wutong returned to the inn and packed all the food that had been sent to her room into her space. She decided to set off the next morning. After drawing water and washing up, she turned off the lights and lay down on the bed to rest. As she was in a daze, she heard a slight sound outside the door. Bai Wutong snapped awake and hid in the corner of the bed, gripping her axe. Someone picked the lock and two men in black crept in. They were holding two large shiny knives in their hands. They went straight to the head of the bed and slashed at the soft blanket. In the moment of shock, Bai Wutong appeared from behind. Once and twice, they were hit. The two of them fell to the ground almost at the same time, their eyes still wide with fear. They did not seem to expect this outcome. Bai Wutong did not intend to kill anyone, but if others wanted her life, she would never show mercy. She pulled off the face masks on two of them. They were the waiter and the magistrate officer who had helped her with the household register. Chapter 4 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Bai Wutong lowered her eyes and searched them. Not only did she find the silver she had given previously, but she also found 12 taels more. Unfortunately, the newly established household register could not be used. Now that the city gates were closed, she couldn¡¯t leave the inn. Bai Wutong dragged the two corpses under the bed and lay back to take a nap. She had to rest. No matter how strong she was, she couldn¡¯t take the fatigue. Before dawn, she dressed herself up anew. This time, she used a hair dye. She dyed her hair yellow and painted dark circles and spots, making her look like a malnourished little girl. The kind that would definitely be forgotten when thrown into a sea of people. Bai Wutong came out of the inn with an inconspicuous bag on her back. She had only taken a few steps when someone grabbed the hem of her dress. She turned around abruptly and met a pair of deep-set starry eyes. The man she had coaxed smiled foolishly. ¡°Mother~¡± ¡°¡­¡± Why was he here? How had he recognized her when she was dressed like this? Lin¡¯an City was so far away. How had he found her? Bai Wutong looked puzzled. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Mother, you didn¡¯t come back, so Tianbao has come to look for you! Tianbao has been looking for you for a long time.¡± He smiled happily, but his extraordinarily handsome face was that of a fool. Bai Wutong said sternly, ¡°You¡¯ve got the wrong person. I¡¯m really not your mother.¡± Regardless of whether it was before or now. Tianbao blinked and said aggrievedly, ¡°You¡¯re clearly my mother!¡± Bai Wutong covered her face. She really wasn¡¯t his mother! Who would rush towards someone to be their son? Bai Wutong had no choice but to coax him again. ¡°Tianbao, wait for me here for a while. Mother will be back soon, okay?¡± However, this fool actually learned. He shook his head firmly. ¡°I¡¯ll go wherever Mother goes!¡± He tugged at her on the street, but she couldn¡¯t shake him off. Passers-by kept looking at them strangely. Bai Wutong was speechless. Thinking of the two corpses under the inn bed, she had no choice but to drag this guy into an empty alley. Bai Wutong looked him up and down. The wounds on his head and chest were open and oozing blood. He was covered in mud and looked as miserable as a beggar. But his gaze at her sparkled as if she really was his mother. Bai Wutong frowned and thought for a long time. ¡°Are you really going to follow me?¡± Tianbao nodded profusely. ¡°I¡¯ll go wherever Mother goes. We¡¯ll never be apart.¡± If he was really a fool, good at martial arts, and obedient, he could stay. When Bai Wutong figured it out, she reached into her bag and took out medicine and bandages from the RV space and out of her bag. When others saw this, they would think that there was medicine in the bag. Bai Wutong said, ¡°Squat down. I¡¯ll change your dressing.¡± He was almost 1.9 meters tall. Bai Wutong was not extremely short but she barely reached his shoulders. Tianbao squatted down obediently. Bai Wutong quickly took off his clothes and removed the bandage. Fortunately, the wound had only opened a little. A simple treatment would take care of it. ¡°Rumble rumble~¡± Tianbao held his stomach and blushed. ¡°Mother, I¡¯m so hungry.¡± Bai Wutong took out two large steamed buns from her bag and stuffed them into his hands. While Tianbao ate, Bai Wutong changed his dressing. After changing his dressing, Bai Wutong frowned at his tattered clothes. She took another set of clothes from the RV and held it in front of his eyes. ¡°Put it on.¡± Holding the clothes, Tianbao said pitifully, ¡°Mother, I don¡¯t know how to.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s eyebrows twitched. She really wanted to pry open his brain and ask, ¡®If you can kill people, why can¡¯t you wear your own clothes?¡¯ However, there was no need to stoop to the level of a fool. And there was no need to waste time here. As Bai Wutong dressed him, she reminded him, ¡°I¡¯ll help you this time. Next time, you have to wear it yourself, understand?¡± Tianbao nodded with a red face. ¡°Okay, Mother.¡± Bai Wutong glanced at him and was satisfied. He was quite obedient. Something fell out of his shirt with a clunk. Bai Wutong picked it up. The word ¡°Chu¡± was engraved in the middle of the jade tablet. Bai Wutong asked, ¡°Is this yours?¡± Tianbao nodded. ¡°Yes, I think so.¡± ¡®What do you mean you think so!¡¯ ¡°Your name is Chu Tianbao, then?¡± Tianbao thought for a moment. ¡°I think so.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Bai Wutong was speechless. She suddenly smiled and said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll keep it for you first.¡± Such a big piece of jade was worth a lot of money. If she ran out of money, she could even pawn it and spend the money. ¡®Think of it as payment for his meals.¡¯ Chu Tianbao smiled foolishly. ¡°Okay, Mother.¡± Bai Wutong frowned. He should be in his twenties. Her body only belonged to a teen¡¯s. If he was a few years older, he could even be her father. It was really not appropriate to call her mother. Otherwise, she would have to acknowledge this cheap son. Bai Wutong thought about it and requested Chu Tianbao, ¡°Call me wife.¡± In any case, she had no intention of getting married. Reputation was not important to her. He was her husband in name. Not only would they be able to settle down in Ling Kingdom, but he would also save her a lot of trouble. The more she thought about it, the more she liked Chu Tianbao. Chu Tianbao stared at Bai Wutong in confusion. ¡°Why should I calling you my wife?¡± Although he was a little dumb, he understood that a mother was different from a wife. Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t be bothered to explain and directly threatened, ¡°If you want to stay, call me wife.¡± Chu Tianbao was terrified. He grabbed the sleeve of Bai Wutong. ¡°Mother, don¡¯t leave Tianbao behind.¡± Bai Wutong was determined. ¡°Call me wife.¡± Chu Tianbao corrected himself aggrievedly. ¡°Wife.¡± He looked timid and obedient. Bai Wutong smirked. ¡°Now that¡¯s right.¡± What a good thing it was for him to earn a beautiful wife who could provide food and accommodation for free. When they reached the city gate, a few soldiers immediately came up and stopped them. Bai Wutong looked calm on the surface, but she was panicking in her heart. They shouldn¡¯t be able to discover her so quickly! The leading soldier pointed at Chu Tianbao and said, ¡°The emperor has issued a decree. All men who have reached 12 years old have to join the army. Now, follow me!¡± There were some ugly people among the refugees. He had taken a fancy to a strong man like Chu Tianbao from afar. Bai Wutong¡¯s expression suddenly changed. No wonder they were letting the refugees into the city. They were forcefully trying to recruit more soldiers into their army. Chu Tianbao tugged at Bai Wutong¡¯s sleeve and said nervously, ¡°I don¡¯t want to be separated from Mot-, Wife. Wife, don¡¯t chase me away.¡± The burly man grabbed her clothes and spoke in a disgusting manner. The soldiers had looks of disdain on their faces as they imitated Chu Tianbao in a strange manner. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be separated from my wife~ Don¡¯t chase me away~ Hahaha~¡± ¡°Bah! You disgust me.¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s dark eyes had the reflection of Bai Wutong inside. His innocent appearance made him look especially easy to bully. Displeasure flashed across Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes. They were soldiers, but they did not dare to act rashly. The two officers smirked and nudged Chu Tianbao. When he touched Chu Tianbao¡¯s wound, he gasped and shouted at Bai Wutong, ¡°Wife, it hurts.¡± Although Chu Tianbao called her his wife, Bai Wutong knew very well that he still treated her as his mother. He reached out pitifully for comfort. Chapter 5 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios There was a burst of loud laughter. ¡°Wife~ It hurts~¡± ¡°How lucky. I don¡¯t even have a wife yet.¡± After saying that, some people¡¯s lustful gazes landed on Bai Wutong. They hadn¡¯t realized it previously, but now that they looked at her, although this silly woman was a little ugly, she had a good figure. A cold glint flashed across Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes. She glanced at the many soldiers at the city gate and held Chu Tianbao¡¯s hand tightly to comfort him. ¡°Be good. It won¡¯t hurt later.¡± The leading soldier glared at Chu Tianbao and threatened him fiercely, ¡°Coward! How can a soldier not suffer? You can¡¯t even take this? You will definitely be the first to run away in a battle. If you dare to act like a sissy again, I¡¯ll break your limbs and hang you on the city gate for three days and three nights.¡± The man who had been forcibly grabbed heard this and glanced at the city wall in horror. Any thoughts of escape were extinguished. Bai Wutong pursed her lips and suddenly said, ¡°Sir, my husband doesn¡¯t want this to happen either. It¡¯s just that he encountered bandits and was seriously injured in the head and chest. He¡¯s not in the right state of mind now. Even if he manages to go to the military camp, his days are numbered. He will only implicate you.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can look at my husband¡¯s wound and see if I¡¯m lying.¡± ¡°He really can¡¯t join the army now. He¡¯ll only waste food if he joins.¡± The leading soldier did not listen at all. His face darkened and he pointed his saber at Chu Tianbao. ¡°Cut the crap. Believe it or not, I¡¯ll kill this fool now.¡± The emperor had set a quota for every city. They had to capture enough men to expand the army. Who cared if they were injured or stupid? As long as Chu Tianbao was able-bodied, he had to go to the military camp. Bai Wutong held Chu Tianbao¡¯s hand tightly as her gaze landed on the city gate dozens of meters away. She considered the possibility of rushing out of the city gate with Chu Tianbao without using modern weapons. Was there a need to risk so much for Chu Tianbao? Suddenly, someone stared at Bai Wutong and smiled wretchedly. He said solicitously, ¡°Boss, our battalion still lacks a few female caretakers. Why don¡¯t we let her go to the army with us? She can take care of her silly husband and serve our army. She¡¯ll definitely be happy to do so.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s head exploded, and the anger in her eyes was almost impossible to hide. Although they said that she would become a caretaker, everyone knew that their plan was to forcefully kidnap innocent women to become prostitutes. The leading soldier rubbed his chin and thought for a moment. His lecherous gaze wandered over Bai Wutong and he chuckled. ¡°Who dares to disobey the laws serving the country?¡± He waved his hand and ordered, ¡°Take them all away.¡± The surrounding citizens hid far away, afraid that they would be implicated. The soldiers had been waiting for him to say that. They rushed to take advantage of Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong lowered her eyes and reached into her sleeves. Before she could pull out the knife, Chu Tianbao, who had been bullied like a coward, had already twisted the necks of two soldiers in the blink of an eye. The smiles hadn¡¯t even left the soldiers¡¯ face before they fell to the ground one after another, dead. The soldiers stopped in their tracks. When they looked up, they realized that Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes were cold and terrifying, like a ferocious beast that could kill without batting an eyelid. The leading soldier was surprised. His expression instantly turned ferocious as he shouted, ¡°They¡¯re traitors. Kill them!¡± The soldiers swarmed forward. Bai Wutong did not hide anymore. She pulled out her sharp dagger and slit a soldier¡¯s neck with lightning speed. The soldier¡¯s eyes bulged, and his body went limp, bleeding all over the floor. It was a ghastly sight. They did not expect this woman to be so powerful. The soldiers raised their sabers and Chu Tianbao¡¯s powerful leg swept down. They flew out with their sabers. The leading soldier was even more convinced that they were traitors. If he caught them, he would definitely be promoted. He shouted urgently to the soldiers guarding the gate. ¡°Close the gate. Don¡¯t let them get away.¡± Bai Wutong lowered her eyes and grabbed Chu Tianbao¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s rush out of the city now.¡± The city gate was very huge and cumbersome to move. It would take more than ten people to close it together, giving them some time. Chu Tianbao was even stronger than Bai Wutong had imagined. Without any weapons, he opened a path with his bare hands. They were about to escape. The leading soldier narrowed his eyes and ordered at Bai Wutong, ¡°Kill that woman first.¡± He could tell that Chu Tianbao treated Bai Wutong like it was his eyeball. If he captured this woman, Chu Tianbao would definitely surrender. The number of attacks aimed at Bai Wutong suddenly increased. She was not good at using daggers, and this body was weak. Seeing that a large saber was about to land on her back, she did not have time to dodge. At the critical moment, Chu Tianbao quickly grabbed her waist and squeezed the blade tightly with one hand. Scarlet blood flowed from between his fingers. Chu Tianbao didn¡¯t care. Instead, he forcefully pulled the big knife out of the soldier¡¯s hand and held it with his knee. While Bai Wutong was stunned, Chu Tianbao had already slaughtered a large group of soldiers like melons when they swarmed up. Bai Wutong looked at the corpses on the ground. She was not afraid. Instead, her chest was filled with surprise. Chu Tianbao was more powerful than a lethal machine gun. She had really found a treasure. No matter how loudly the leading soldier shouted, they were still unable to stop Chu Tianbao and Bai Wutong from fighting their way to the city gate. He stamped his foot in exasperation. ¡°Close the gates now! If they get away, I¡¯ll kill all you useless people!¡± The soldiers who were afraid of Chu Tianbao had no choice but to brace themselves and close the door. Just as the city gate was about to close, Chu Tianbao picked up Bai Wutong and stepped on the heads and shoulders of the soldiers. He flew over and finally reflected the big saber back with a whoosh. In the next second, the city gate closed heavily. Before the soldiers could panic that they had let the traitors escape, they realized that their leader¡¯s throat had been pierced by a large knife. He looked down in disbelief at the large knife that had pierced through his neck. He wanted to reach out and pull it out. He trembled twice before falling to the ground with an indignant expression. ¡­ In a hidden bush outside Lin¡¯an City, Bai Wutong was applying medicine for Chu Tianbao. The man with blood all over his hands cried, ¡°Wife, it hurts~¡± As heroic as he had been earlier, he was now¡­ Bai Wutong held his wrist that was fidgeting. ¡°I am applying the medicine, don¡¯t move!¡± After cleaning it with saline, it was covered in a few centimeters of bloody wound. One could only imagine how painful it must have been to catch a blade barehanded. Bai Wutong carefully applied the medicine on him. He twisted like a maggot and screamed from time to time. It was especially terrifying in the quiet forest. Frowning, Bai Wutong pulled a milk-flavored candy from her pack and popped it into his mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t scream!¡± The sweet milky taste melted between his lips and teeth. Tianbao immediately sat down obediently. No matter how Bai Wutong applied the bandages, there was no reaction at all. Chapter 6 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After treating Chu Tianbao¡¯s injuries, Bai Wutong checked his injuries. The chest wound had been stretched open again. Bai Wutong sighed. It would be strange not to open again after killing so many people. Bai Wutong stared at him and said, ¡°Don¡¯t casually kill people in the future.¡± If there were more people that day, they might not have been able to escape unscathed. Chu Tianbao¡¯s mouth had the candy, so he said in a muffled voice, ¡°But they bullied my wife.¡± He clearly did not even understand what wife meant, yet he acted as if she was really his wife. Bai Wutong was stunned for a moment and sighed. ¡°Alright, they deserve to die.¡± Even if Chu Tianbao didn¡¯t do anything on behalf of her, she would have done it herself. Chu Tianbao smiled beautifully. His eyes curved into crescents. He looked innocent. Bai Wutong glanced at him and resigned herself to stitching Chu Tianbao¡¯s wound again. Sensing that he was fidgeting again, she stuffed another milk candy into his mouth. It was more effective than anesthesia. After a long time, she finally treated all the wounds on his body. Bai Wutong stood up. Her back ached and her wrists ached. She was sweating, and her hair and clothes felt sticky against her body. Chu Tianbao was not much better. Other than a pair of big bright eyes, he was covered in blood. Bai Wutong really wanted to take a bath, have a comfortable meal, and sleep peacefully. However, she could not enter the RV space. Bai Wutong could only think about it. She did not dare to conjure the hot water in the RV space out of thin air. Bai Wutong took out a wet towel from her bag and washed Chu Tianbao¡¯s face carefully. When Chu Tianbao¡¯s clean and handsome face was revealed, Bai Wutong glanced at the dirty towel in her hand and suddenly realized why she had to wash his face like an old maid. Bai Wutong wanted to stuff the towel into his hand and let him do it himself. In the next second, he glanced at Chu Tianbao¡¯s hands that had helped her block the blade. Then, she silently accepted her fate and gently wiped the blood off Chu Tianbao¡¯s neck. Chu Tianbao raised his neck comfortably, looking very satisfied with Bai Wutong¡¯s dedicated service. Scowling, Bai Wutong tossed him a fresh set of clothes. ¡°Put these on yourself.¡± Then, she grabbed a fresh towel and washed her face. When she wiped her face clean, she looked up and saw a handsome face close up on her. It was so close that she could feel Chu Tianbao¡¯s breath on her face. It was a numb and strange feeling. Bai Wutong frowned and took two steps back. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Chu Tianbao raised his bandaged hand and said with a troubled expression, ¡°Wife, I can¡¯t wear it.¡± Bai Wutong looked at the clothes in his arms and then at his hands. She picked them up and gritted her teeth. ¡°I will dress you!¡± ¡°Alright, wife.¡± Chu Tianbao immediately stood firmly and stretched out his hand, skillfully waiting for Bai Wutong to help him put on his clothes. Bai Wutong¡¯s mind went blank. She really felt like an old maid! After dressing him, Bai Wutong turned her back and changed her clothes. She was wearing a sports bra inside, so she didn¡¯t feel very exposed. As soon as she turned around, she met Chu Tianbao¡¯s especially curious gaze. He was probably wondering why the Bai Wutong¡¯s body structure was a little different from his. Bai Wutong already had some understanding of his thoughts. When he tried to speak, she covered his mouth. ¡°Shut up. I don¡¯t want to hear you.¡± Chu Tianbao looked at Bai Wutong aggrievedly and lowered his head. Bai Wutong glanced at the sky, took out a meat bun, and handed it to Chu Tianbao. ¡°Eat while you walk.¡± They had just killed so many soldiers, so it was better to leave Lin¡¯an City as soon as possible. When Chu Tianbao saw the meat bun, his lowered head perked up again. Bai Wutong took a bite of the bun and glanced at it from the corner of her eye. She saw that Chu Tianbao¡¯s hand was empty and he was staring at the bun in her hand. There was no one else who could be so good at eating. Bai Wutong took out two more buns from her bag and instructed, ¡°Eat slowly. Don¡¯t choke.¡± ¡°Alright, wife.¡± Then, he took another mouthful of half a bun. Bai Wutong sighed. Fortunately, she had bought enough food in Lin¡¯an City. Otherwise, she might not have been able to feed him. Bai Wutong led Chu Tianbao into the large group of refugees. They were dressed in ordinary clothes and had disguises on their faces. They looked like an honest couple who had fled. When they reached a narrow valley, the slowly moving refugee group was blocked. Bai Wutong stood on her tiptoes and looked into the distance. She saw a group of soldiers blocking the valley ahead. From time to time, sharp cries could be heard. Her heart skipped a beat. She felt that these soldiers were here for her and Chu Tianbao. If they examined Chu Tianbao carefully, the injuries on his body would definitely be exposed. She subconsciously looked at the forest beside her and pulled Chu Tianbao into it. Even ancient roads were difficult to navigate, let alone forests. However, there was a drought in the Yan Kingdom that year, so there was not much thorny vegetation. It was not too difficult for them to travel around. They walked past two large mountains. When it was almost dark, Bai Wutong discovered a thatched hut where the hunters had stayed in. She let Chu Tianbao stand guard while she carefully pushed open the door to take a look. She quickly conjured a thick blanket from the RV space and placed it on the simple bed in the straw hut. She hid a large axe and a large bag of dry food under the bed. Then, she turned around and went out to pull Chu Tianbao in. She pretended to be surprised and said, ¡°We¡¯re in luck. The bed is relatively clean.¡± She looked under the bed again and dragged out the rations and ax she had just put in. She said happily, ¡°Wow, there¡¯s still so much here.¡± Bai Wutong didn¡¯t want to tell anyone about the space unless she trusted him enough in the future. With that, she handed Chu Tianbao her dagger. ¡°Use this for protection.¡± But she picked up the meter-long ax and gently stroked it twice. ¡°I¡¯ll use this.¡± She smiled. Chu Tianbao had no objections. He held the small and sharp Swiss Army knife and said happily, ¡°Thank you, wife.¡± Bai Wutong bought a lot of food in Lin¡¯an City. The poultry, vegetables, and fruits were expensive, and she was not afraid of not having enough space to store them, so she bought them generously. For dinner, Bai Wutong boiled two eggs, three large red potatoes, and two sections of sausage. She ate too little in this body. She ate an egg and couldn¡¯t eat more than a few bites of sweet potato and sausage. Chu Tianbao still looked hungry, so she handed him the rest of her food. After dinner, Bai Wutong spread a blanket on the ground. ¡°You can sleep here.¡± She threw him a shirt as a blanket. Chu Tianbao looked at Bai Wutong pitifully. ¡°Tianbao wants to sleep with my wife.¡± Bai Wutong gave him a cold look. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to sleep here, go out and stand.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Chu Tianbao fell to the ground with a whoosh. He covered his face with the clothes, leaving only two big black eyes looking at her carefully. The corners of Bai Wutong¡¯s mouth curled up imperceptibly. He really needed to be taught a lesson. Bai Wutong tied a string of bells to the door. If someone pushed it open and pulled the red thread, they would be awakened. As soon as she lay on the bed, Bai Wutong could not help but close her eyes. Once she relaxed, the figure lying under the bed stood up without noticing. In the early hours of the morning, Bai Wutong awoke to the heat. Before she could open her eyes, she felt a burning sensation on her hand. Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes widened. She jumped up and pressed down hard. Her elbow was pressed against his throat like lightning. The man beneath her did not resist. Bai Wutong could see his face clearly in the moonlight. Her grip suddenly loosened and she said unhappily, ¡°Why are you in my bed?¡± Chu Tianbao would have lost his head if she had not missed the axe. Chapter 7 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Chu Tianbao didn¡¯t answer Bai Wutong and cried, ¡°Wife, it hurts.¡± Bai Wutong suddenly lowered her head and saw that her other hand was pressing against Chu Tianbao¡¯s injured chest. She could not be bothered to reprimand him. She quickly sat up and pulled open his collar. Chu Tianbao¡¯s firm chest muscles were exposed under the dark moonlight. Bai Wutong pressed down with her hand, and Chu Tianbao shouted aggrievedly, ¡°It hurts ~¡± Bai Wutong looked speechless. ¡°What are you shouting for? The wound isn¡¯t open. Just in time, it¡¯ll be dawn soon. After I change your dressing, we¡¯ll be on our way.¡± ¡°Okay, Mother.¡± ¡°Wife,¡± Bai Wutong corrected him. ¡°Alright, wife.¡± Chu Tianbao blinked obediently. Bright tears were still hanging on his curly eyelashes. Bai Wutong looked at him and subconsciously changed the dressing much more gently. Her exquisite eyebrows appeared in his eyes, and her expression was abnormally gentle. Chu Tianbao hissed from time to time, his hands gripping Bai Wutong¡¯s clothes tightly. When Bai Wutong began to wrap the bandage, he finally relaxed and asked, ¡°Wife, where are we going?¡± Bai Wutong glanced up at him. ¡°Do you remember where your home is?¡± Chu Tianbao shook his head. ¡°My wife¡¯s home is wherever my home is.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s hands paused. After a while, she wrapped his clothes for him and said unhurriedly, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s find a nest first.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Chu Tianbao smiled foolishly. Bai Wutong stared at his harmless face and rubbed the space between his eyebrows. She seemed to have forgotten something. What could it be¡­? Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao continued towards the next city. She had asked around before. It would take at least half a month to reach Beiyun City by carriage. If she relied on her feet, she would have to walk for at least a month. Crossing the mountains would probably take even longer. Still, there were advantages to passing through the woods. There was a pheasant in the distance. Chu Tianbao picked up a stone and threw it out casually. With a whoosh, the pheasant that had just flown up fell to the ground. Bai Wutong said, ¡°Go and pick it up.¡± Due to the drought in the Yan Kingdom, there was almost no harvest. The prey in the forest were either frightened away or captured and eaten by the refugees. They had been walking for so long, but they had only caught prey a few times. Chu Tianbao went to pick up the pheasant. Bai Wutong took out a very small pot from her bag. She planned to cook some white porridge and roast the pheasant. Chu Tianbao had just picked up the pheasant when a girl walked out of the bushes beside him. She was about 15 or 16 years old. Her body was dry and her face was pretty. She kept staring at the pheasant in Chu Tianbao¡¯s hand and swallowed her saliva. She walked up to Chu Tianbao and said sweetly, ¡°Big Brother~¡± Chu Tianbao glanced at her sideways. His gaze pierced through the men and women behind the bushes and coldly passed Li Miaoyu, who was blocking his way. Li Miaoyu was ignored. Li Dali, who was in the bushes, gave her a fierce look. She gritted her teeth again and chased after him. ¡°Brother, I¡¯m going to starve to death. Save me~¡± As soon as she finished speaking, she saw the opportunity and fell into Chu Tianbao¡¯s arms sickly. Chu Tianbao frowned and dodged. Li Miaoyu fell to the ground and fell. Li Miaoyu was the most beautiful girl in the village. All the men she wanted to seduce took the bait. Not only was this dark-skinned man ugly, but he was also so ignorant. It was infuriating. Li Miaoyu got up hatefully. Her eyes were red as she shouted miserably at Chu Tianbao, ¡°Big Brother, I beg you. I was the one who discovered this prey first.¡± She refused to believe he¡¯d put up with that. However, not only did Chu Tianbao not turn around, but he even quickened his pace. Li Dali rushed out of the bushes and shouted at Li Miaoyu, ¡°Useless thing! If you don¡¯t get a pheasant, I¡¯ll sell you for food tomorrow.¡± Li Miaoyu¡¯s eyes were red and tears welled up in her eyes. She said weakly, ¡°Brother, don¡¯t sell me. I¡¯ll go again now.¡± However, she had made up her mind. If Chu Tianbao was willing to let her eat the pheasant, she would run away with him. It would be better than being sold by them for food. Li Miaoyu chased after him. When she turned a corner, she saw Chu Tianbao handing the pheasant to a young girl. Other than being a little fatter than her and with a pockmarked face, she was nowhere near as good-looking as her. She walked up to them in an imposing manner and said to Chu Tianbao righteously, ¡°Brother, give me the pheasant as a betrothal gift. I¡¯ll marry you.¡± In the past, she did not even marry the other party when he offered two taels of silver as a betrothal gift. If not for the fact that he was skilled and there was plain porridge cooking in a small pot on the ground, which meant that there was still food in the bag, she would not have allowed herself to stoop this low. Bai Wutong sized up Li Miaoyu with interest. She looked gentle, but there was no warmth in her. Chu Tianbao didn¡¯t listen to Li Miaoyu at all. He stared at the pheasant in Bai Wutong¡¯s hand and said softly, ¡°Wife, I¡¯m hungry.¡± Bai Wutong said nothing, so Chu Tianbao tugged at her sleeve. She wanted Bai Wutong to take out a piece of candy from her bag to fill his stomach as usual. Out of habit, Bai Wutong pulled back her wrinkled sleeve. ¡°Bear with it. The porridge will be ready soon.¡± ¡°Okay, wife.¡± Chu Tianbao looked obedient. Chu Tianbao¡¯s tone was clearly that of a fool. Disdain flashed across Li Miaoyu¡¯s eyes. Thinking that a fool was easy to manipulate, she said anxiously, ¡°If you marry me as your wife, I can also cook for you. I can even steam eggs and roast dumplings. As long as you like it, I can cook for you every day.¡± She had even planned the future so quickly that she didn¡¯t care about Bai Wutong at all. In her opinion, as long as Chu Tianbao was willing to marry her, Bai Wutong would definitely be his concubine. She was so good-looking and willing to marry a fool, so how could Chu Tianbao turn her down. Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes darkened. She wanted Chu Tianbao to marry her, yet she also looked disdainful. She really didn¡¯t know where she got her thick-skinned face from. ¡°Go away!¡± Li Miaoyu widened her eyes in shock for a moment before shouting back in exasperation, ¡°I¡¯m talking to him, why are you interrupting!¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Chu Tianbao seemed to have transformed into a different person. He raised his dagger and was as ferocious as a beast ready to attack. Li Miaoyu panicked. She didn¡¯t expect Chu Tianbao to care so much about Bai Wutong. She was so hungry that she couldn¡¯t take it lying down. She rolled her eyes and started accusing Chu Tianbao. ¡°He took advantage of me just now. I¡¯m a virgin. Either marry me or compensate me with the pheasant and this pot of rice! Otherwise, I¡¯ll sue you to the authorities!¡± Bai Wutong sneered. ¡°Don¡¯t you know who¡¯s taking advantage of whom?¡± She had seen it clearly just now. Li Miaoyu¡¯s face turned red. Thinking of the consequences of not obtaining the pheasant and being sold by Li Dali, she simply sat on the ground and said shamelessly, ¡°If you don¡¯t give me the pheasant and porridge, I¡¯ll bang my head against the wall and die here. Anyway, I¡¯ve already lost my innocence. There¡¯s no point in living anymore. My parents will definitely seek justice for me!¡± Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t be bothered to waste her breath on her. She neatly pulled out the axe from her waist. With a whoosh, the sharp axe swung out with lightning speed and was placed on Li Miaoyu¡¯s neck in the blink of an eye. ¡°Anyway, your innocence is gone. Why don¡¯t I grant you your wish so that you can complain to Hades?¡± Chapter 8 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The cold axe was placed on her neck and formed a small cut on her skin. She felt a sizzling pain as if her head would fall to the ground in the next second. Li Miaoyu¡¯s face turned pale. Her legs trembled as she stuttered in panic. ¡°Murderer. You have to pay for murder. My brother is right behind. He won¡¯t let you go.¡± Bai Wutong glanced at her casually. ¡°Oh, just in time to kill a pair.¡± As if killing someone was as easy as eating. She exerted a little force on her hand, and Li Miaoyu¡¯s wound deepened. The subtle smell of blood suddenly magnified dozens of times. Bai Wutong was really daring! Li Miaoyu was finally afraid. Her legs went limp and she staggered to the ground. She crawled up and shouted as she ran, ¡°Don¡¯t kill me, don¡¯t kill me¡­¡± Bai Wutong watched her piss herself and dive into the bushes. With a snort of laughter, she hung the axe back on her hip and sat on the ground, stirring the porridge in the small pot. Chu Tianbao squatted down like her and looked eagerly at the small pot. Bai Wutong gave him a sidelong glance and raised the spoon. Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes lit up as he craned his neck and opened his mouth, waiting for Bai Wutong to feed him. A smile flashed in Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes. She waved the spoon around in front of his mouth and put it back into the pot. Chu Tianbao pouted like a poor dog who had not eaten. Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°Stupid. It¡¯s not cooked yet.¡± Then she skillfully took a mint from her pocket and threw it into his mouth. He was following her and helping others count money after being sold. Bai Wutong had planned to have some porridge, pickles, and roast pheasant here when Li Miaoyu suddenly appeared and interrupted her plan. When the rice porridge was ready, she spooned it into a water bag she could always drink from and handed it to Chu Tianbao. ¡°Eat as we go.¡± As Chu Tianbao took it, a group of men, women, and children rushed over. Li Dali¡¯s gaze landed on the pheasant, his face filled with greed. Relying on their advantage in numbers, he pointed at them aggressively. ¡°If you know what¡¯s good for you, hand over everything. Otherwise¡­¡± Li Miaoyu pointed at Bai Wutong Tree and said excitedly, ¡°Brother, look at their bulging bags. They were cooking white rice here just now! Other than food, there must be silver!¡± As long as they had money and food, Li Dali would not sell her. Upon hearing the words ¡°white rice, food, and silver¡±, these hungry people felt as if they had been injected with spiritual energy. Their faces were flushed with greed. The child in the woman¡¯s arms clapped happily when he saw the pheasant on the ground. ¡°Father, I want chicken. I want chicken now.¡± Li Dali raised his sickle and said confidently, ¡°Be good. I¡¯ll give you chicken later.¡± Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao were alone, but they had two adult men and three women. If they dared to resist, no one would know even if they killed them in the wilderness. Li Dali¡¯s killing intent rose. Chu Tianbao also raised his dagger. He looked at Bai Wutong and asked innocently, ¡°Wife, can I kill them?¡± It was as if killing all of them was as simple as killing chickens. Li Dali¡¯s heart skipped a beat and he looked at Chu Tianbao warily. He had never killed anyone before, but against the strong Chu Tianbao, he was actually still weak. Otherwise, he would have directly gone up to snatch from them instead of letting Li Miaoyu use some honey trap. Li Miaoyu said anxiously, ¡°What are you afraid of? He¡¯s just a fool. Surround him with Father. We¡¯ll go and snatch the bag.¡± Bai Wutong smiled coldly and looked at Li Miaoyu. ¡°You¡¯re quite bold.¡± A fifteen-year-old girl not only proposed personally, but also dared to order others to kill them. Li Miaoyu scolded angrily, ¡°Ugly freak, why are you being so sarcastic? Do you believe that I¡¯ll cut your face apart!¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Chu Tianbao suddenly appeared in front of her. He was so fast that she couldn¡¯t even see him clearly. With a whoosh, the sharp knife slashed past. She didn¡¯t even feel any pain. A few centimeters of blood appeared on her delicate face. It extended from her glabella to the corner of her mouth. Her skin was lacerated and her flesh was bleeding. It was terrifying. In the blink of an eye, Chu Tianbao returned to Bai Wutong¡¯s side like a ghost. He was still holding the dripping dagger in his hand. His cold expression did not look like a fool at all. He was clearly a ferocious wolf! The Li family members stood there in horror, their hearts almost jumping out of their throats. Li Miaoyu, whose face was itchy and dazed, subconsciously raised her hand to touch it. Her hand was covered in blood. She immediately cried out in horror, ¡°Ahhh¡­ My face, my face¡­¡± Bai Wutong glanced coldly at the frightened Li family members. She took out a handkerchief and wiped the blood-stained dagger in Chu Tianbao¡¯s hand clean. Chu Tianbao put his well-defined hand in front of Bai Wutong and said innocently, ¡°Wife, wipe it.¡± There was also a little blood on his hands. Bai Wutonglooked at him crossly. ¡®He¡¯s so delicate. I really shouldn¡¯t indulge him.¡¯ Then, as if he had done it a thousand times, he returned the cleaned dagger to his waist and replaced it with a clean handkerchief and wiped his hands carefully. At this moment, the Li family deeply realized that Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao completely regarded them as ants that could be killed at any time. When they saw Li Miaoyu kneeling on the ground and crying miserably, the Li family¡¯s defense line completely collapsed. They hurriedly knelt on the ground and begged, ¡°Swordswoman, swordsman, please spare us, spare us¡­¡± Bai Wutong glanced at the trembling child in the woman¡¯s arms and said to Chu Tianbao, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Chu Tianbao immediately picked up the bag, picked up the pheasant, and chased after Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao¡¯s figures completely disappeared. Only then did the Li family dare to collapse to the ground and let out a long breath. Li Miaoyu was still crying miserably at the side. ¡°Mother, find me a doctor, a doctor!¡± Li Dali thought about how he had almost lost his life just now. Yet she still wanted to find a doctor. Did she really think she was made of gold? With nowhere to vent his anger, Li Dali kicked Li Miaoyu in the chest. ¡°You jinx, your whole family was almost killed by you!¡± Li Miaoyu screamed. ¡°I did it for everyone!¡± Madam Li frowned and sighed. ¡°If we don¡¯t have enough to eat today, what are we going to do tomorrow?¡± Li Dali¡¯s gaze landed on Li Miaoyu¡¯s face again, and the resentment in his heart became even stronger. ¡°Li Miaoyu has become like a ghost. No one would even want her for half a catty of food. Bringing her along is a burden. Strip her clothes and let¡¯s go.¡± Li Miaoyu¡¯s eyes widened and she clutched her chest in fear. ¡°I¡¯m your biological sister. How can you do this to me!¡± Li Dali sneered. ¡°It¡¯s a waste of food for you to be alive now.¡± It was her child after all. Mother Li couldn¡¯t bear it. She wiped her tears and said, ¡°Dali, listen to me. Leave the clothes for her.¡± Li Miaoyu didn¡¯t feel touched at all. She only felt cold all over. Even her mother was about to give up on her. She roared with all her might, ¡°Why are you treating me like this! These days, I was the one who had exchanged for the food. Without me, you would have starved to death! You¡¯re heartless. I was unlucky to be born in the Li family¡­¡± ¡°Pa~¡± Li Miaoyu raised her head in a daze after being slapped by Father Li. ¡°Evil creature, I should have drowned you alive when I gave birth to you.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± After the Li family dragged their belongings away, Li Miaoyu got up in fear and staggered after them. If she did not have the protection of the Li family, she would really be finished. Chapter 9 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The mountain forest was getting steeper. There were cliffs everywhere. This place was also very far from Lin¡¯an City. Bai Wutong looked down from the mountain and saw a dense group of refugees with their families. She reckoned that the soldiers would not have the time to catch them now, so she sneaked into the easier path. One of them was armed with a dagger, the other with an axe. No one dared approach them. It was almost autumn but the weather was still hot. She did not feel cold as she walked through the crowd. Bai Wutong took a few sips of water and handed the water pouch to Chu Tianbao. Chu Tianbao gulped it down. The people around them swallowed their dry throats. They hadn¡¯t had water in almost two days, and their lips were almost cracking. On the road, it was harder to drink water than to eat rations. A skinny old lady collapsed to the floor with a thud. She croaked weakly, ¡°Water, water¡­¡± The young man with sunken cheeks hugged the old lady with red eyes. ¡°Grandmother, we¡¯ll reach Beiyun City soon. If we find Uncle in the city, we¡¯ll have water to drink and porridge to eat. Hang in there¡­¡± ¡°I want water now¡­ give me water¡­¡± The old lady reached out shakily, her eyes unfocused. The people around them were used to it. It was too normal for people to die on the way to desert. They glanced at it indifferently and looked away like the walking dead. Huang Zhong suddenly thought of something. He put the old lady down and ran with all his strength. Before Bai Wutong could react, he knelt in front of them. ¡°Young Master, Miss, I can read and write. I was a scholar two years ago and worked as a accountant in town. Please, give me some water. I¡¯m willing to sell myself into slavery and work for you!¡± Chu Tianbao dared to drink so much water in one gulp, so there must still be water in his bag. As long as he could save his grandmother, Huang Zhong would do anything. Afraid that Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao would not agree, he kowtowed on the ground again and again, and his forehead was quickly stained with blood. Afraid that Bai Wutong and the others would have concerns, he sat up and opened his bag to write the contract. ¡°I¡¯ll write the contract now. You¡¯re my masters now.¡± Bai Wutong glanced at the dying old lady and thought of her grandmother. She removed another water pouch from her bag and poured out a bowl of water. ¡°Take it.¡± Huang Zhong was overjoyed. Just as he picked up the water, the swaying refugees immediately turned into wild beasts and pounced over. Before they could touch Huang Zhong, they were all kicked out by Chu Tianbao. Huang Zhong could not be bothered to thank him. He ran to the old lady¡¯s side. The water was fed to the old lady¡¯s mouth. She stared with rheumy eyes, but they lost focus. Huang Zhong¡¯s hand trembled as he checked the old lady¡¯s breathing. He immediately burst into tears. ¡°Grandmother¡­ Grandmother¡­ Sob¡­ Drink some water. There¡¯s water¡­¡± Bai Wutong sighed helplessly. Humans were too insignificant in the face of disaster. Now, it was just a little better than the apocalypse. He was crying so hard that even God was affected. ¡°Rumble¡ª¡± A clap of thunder split the air. Dark clouds filled the sky. For a moment, it rained. The refugees knelt on the ground, raised their hands, and shouted, ¡°The heavens have opened their eyes!¡± The rain hitting them and running into their mouths would buy them a few more days. For many, the rain fell far, far too late. The road was muddy from the storm. It was impossible to keep going. It was almost dark, so Bai Wutong had no choice but to temporarily find a place to stay with Chu Tianbao. Fortunately, they were in luck. After walking downhill through the rain for a while, they saw an abandoned village. This village was very big, and many refugees had already run into the houses in front. Not wanting to squeeze with them, Bai Wutong took Chu Tianbao to the most secluded house. There was no one in the house. Bai Wutong breathed a sigh of relief. They were drenched, and so was the bag. However, Bai Wutong took out dry clothes from her bag and handed them to Chu Tianbao. ¡°Hurry up and change. Be careful not to get sick.¡± ¡°Uh-uh.¡± Chu Tianbao quickly took off his clothes and put them on. He stole a glance at Bai Wutong, who was about to change her clothes. Bai Wutong turned and dropped a cloak on his head. ¡°Don¡¯t pull it off.¡± ¡°Alright, wife.¡± After Bai Wutong was dressed, Chu Tianbao obediently put on his cloak and remained motionless. Bai Wutong lifted the cloak and was caught off guard. She met with a pair of big smiling eyes. Bai Wutong was stunned for a moment before her gaze quickly shifted to the ground. There was some wood on the floor. She picked up a number and started a fire with a flint. She took out a small pot and filled it with clean water from the water pouch, ready to cook. Chu Tianbao stirred the porridge with a spoon to prevent it from burning, while Bai Wutong baked the wet clothes. Suddenly, the sound of approaching hooves in the rain came to a halt in front of the house. Bai Wutong quickly stood up and put aside the porridge that was boiling. She gripped her axe and stood at the window to peep out. It was still raining hard. A burly man, carrying a toddler on his back, tied his horse under the big locust tree in the yard. Bai Wutong saw him take the child gently into his arms before she lowered the axe. Lin Yue carried the child in one hand and raised his sword in the other. He knocked open the door domineeringly. There was a bang. The weakened child was shocked and began to wail. The man ignored it. Instead, he examined Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao in the room with wary eyes. When his gaze landed on the porridge in the pot, his dark eyes flashed. He said to the guarded Bai Wutong, ¡°Miss, sell me this pot of porridge!¡± His attitude was firm, as if he would snatch it if she didn¡¯t give it to him. However, he reached into his pocket and took out a banknote worth a hundred taels of silver and placed it in front of Bai Wutong. It was a hundred taels of silver! He was definitely a tycoon! Anyway, she still had rice. She could cook another pot. Bai Wutong carefully took the banknote. Lin Yue picked up the porridge and walked to a corner. He carried the crying child in front of him and prepared to feed him the porridge. Lin Yue was clearly a novice. He held the porridge and stared at the child¡¯s open mouth. Then his obvious pleading gaze fell on Bai Wutong¡¯s face. He probably thought that women were born with ability to care for a child. A trace of embarrassment flashed across his rough face. He lowered his voice and said to Bai Wutong, ¡°Miss, can you help me feed Little Master?¡± So he wasn¡¯t the father¡­ Looking at the child¡¯s silk clothes and the horse in golden armor under the locust tree, their identities should be very extraordinary. The moment Bai Wutong was stunned, Lin Yue stood up and took out another banknote worth 100 taels of silver. ¡°Here.¡± He even looked at her directly with an expression that said that she should help. As expected of a rich man! Bai Wutong raised her eyebrows, accepted the banknotes, and reached out to take the poor child. At the same time, Lin Yue heaved a sigh of relief. Chapter 10 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Bai Wutong had helped her relatives take care of their children before and had some experience. As soon as she took the baby, she frowned. His clothes were all wet. If he didn¡¯t change out of them quickly, he¡¯d be in trouble if the child got sick. Bai Wutong looked at Lin Yue reproachfully. She pulled her cloak over and unwrapped his clothes. She realized that not only had the child peed, but he had also pooped and was covered in a mess. No wonder he was crying so hard. Lin Yue glanced at the golden poop and couldn¡¯t bear to look at it. He looked like he had handed it all to her. Bai Wutong looked at him speechlessly and asked Chu Tianbao to bring the cloak. Chu Tianbao eagerly handed over his cloak. As soon as he approached, he pinched his nose and said in a muffled voice, ¡°How smelly. He¡¯s just a little stinky.¡± Lin Yue glanced over and sniffed again, unable to argue. There were no diapers here. Bai Wutong had no choice but to wipe the child¡¯s butt with a handkerchief first. Then she pulled off her cloak and made a simple diaper pad. Even after it was taken care of, the child was still crying. His small face was flushed. It was heartbreaking. Bai Wutong frowned and asked, ¡°How old is he?¡± Lin Yue thought for a moment and said, ¡°Almost six months.¡± The six-month-old child was mainly drinking milk. He could only eat a little supplementary food, and it had to be cooked very soft before he could eat it. Bai Wutong said to Lin Yue, ¡°The porridge isn¡¯t soft enough. He¡¯s too young to digest it. Add some water to the porridge and cook it. I¡¯ll feed him some water first.¡± The child cried until Lin Yue had a headache. He would do whatever Bai Wutong instructed him to do. There was milk in Bai Wutong¡¯s Space, but children under the age of one would be allergic to it. Fortunately, she had obtained a box of baby milk at the supply station previously. She drank it once and found it disgusting, so she kept it. ¡®Perfect. Now I can feed the baby.¡¯ She poured the baby milk into a water pouch in the RV space and took it out of her bag to feed the baby. The child¡¯s mouth went to the water pouch, and the crying stopped. He began to suck furiously, obviously starving. He stopped crying, and his flushed face turned white and tender. His big black eyes looked at Bai Wutong in confusion, making one¡¯s heart melt. With the child in her arms obediently, Lin Yue finally felt at ease. Chu Tianbao came over and pouted. ¡°Wife, I¡¯m hungry too.¡± Lin Yue had felt that something was wrong with him just now. He glanced at Chu Tianbao and asked meaningfully, ¡°Your husband¡­?¡± Bai Wutong knew what he wanted to ask. ¡°Well, he¡¯s only got a head injury. His thoughts are a little messed up. He¡¯ll recover slowly.¡± Lin Yue was not good at comforting people. He racked his brains before saying, ¡°He will.¡± Chu Tianbao tugged at her sleeve. Bai Wutong was feeding the child and couldn¡¯t reach out to dig out the candy for him, so she said, ¡°There¡¯s still some food in the bag. Eat first.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Chu Tianbao said. He went to the bag and pulled out two sweet potatoes, a potato and an egg. Lin Yue glanced at the pot in front of him and then at the food in Chu Tianbao¡¯s arms. He took out a silver note worth a hundred taels and demanded domineeringly, ¡°I want a sweet potato, a potato, and an egg.¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s expression suddenly changed. Lin Yue sensed a strong killing intent and reached for his sword. In an instant, he was pressed under Chu Tianbao and punched hard on both sides of his face. Chu Tianbao grabbed his neck with a dark expression. ¡°The eggs belong to my wife!¡± The suffocating feeling was like a life-threatening curse. The veins on Lin Yue¡¯s forehead bulged. No matter how he resisted, it was useless against Chu Tianbao. Only then did he feel a strong sense of regret. How could a couple who could walk here with so much food be ordinary? Just as he thought that he would definitely die and could not send his young master safely to Beiyun City,Bai Wutong¡¯s heavenly voice sounded, ¡°Tianbao, let go quickly.¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s hostility faded in an instant. He let go and looked obedient again, as if he hadn¡¯t just wanted to kill someone. Lin Yue held his neck and coughed violently. Chu Tianbao placed the egg in front of Bai Wutong and said ingratiatingly, ¡°Wife, you should eat.¡± Bai Wutong ignored him and said to Lin Yue in embarrassment, ¡°He didn¡¯t do it on purpose. Don¡¯t mind him.¡± She then looked at Chu Tianbao and said solemnly, ¡°Tianbao, take the banknotes over and apologize to this young master with sweet potatoes, potatoes, and eggs.¡± On the way to escape, even if they had money, they might not be able to buy food. On the surface, this was all the food they had in their bags, but Lin Yue only wanted to leave a sweet potato for her and Chu Tianbao.With Chu Tianbao beating him up, Bai Wutong felt that it was quite good. At least it could make him learn. Did she dare to say it any more nicely? She even wanted to collect his silver as an apology! There was no sincerity at all. However, the child was still in the hands of Bai Wutong, and Chu Tianbao could kill him in one move. Lin Yue could only suffer in silence and snatch the egg that Chu Tianbao handed over reluctantly. Chu Tianbao saw that he had swallowed the egg in one bite and his eyes were red. He glared at Lin Yue fiercely and walked to Bai Wutong aggrievedly. ¡°Wife, the egg you can eat is gone.¡± Lin Yue almost choked. There were plenty of eggs in Bai Wutong¡¯s RV space. It was not convenient to take them out now. She comforted him. ¡°I don¡¯t eat eggs. There¡¯s still rice in the bag. We¡¯ll have porridge and pickles.¡± Chu Tianbao nodded obediently and walked back to Lin Yue. He stood against the light, looking down. His expressionless black face was majestic. He opened his mouth, but it was still in a childish tone. ¡°Give me back the pot!¡± Lin Yue retracted his hand that was about to draw his sword and poured out the porridge in the pot. He threw the pot in front of Chu Tianbao and said angrily, ¡°Here.¡± Bai Wutong glanced at them. Why did she feel that silliness could be contagious? The baby was full and fast asleep. Bai Wutong returned the child to Lin Yue. Chu Tianbao eagerly handed the porridge to her. ¡°Wife, here.¡± The hot porridge was accompanied by a plate full of side dishes. It looked especially warm in the dilapidated house that was leaking air everywhere. Bai Wutong took out a piece of candy from her pocket and praised, ¡°Well done.¡± Chu Tianbao took the candy and stuffed it into his mouth. ¡°It¡¯s so sweet,¡± he said with a smile. Bai Wutong smiled. After a bowl of hot porridge, the moisture feeling dissipated. It was easy for a child who was only a few months old to wake up. In the middle of the night, the child suddenly woke up. Lin Yue tried to coax him, but the more he cried, the worse he became. It was impossible for Bai Wutong to sleep, so he fed the child a little more ¡°water¡± and put him to sleep. No sooner had they closed their eyes than the child began to wail again. Chu Tianbao said unhappily, ¡°You¡¯re so noisy!¡± Lin Yue hugged the child and couldn¡¯t argue. Bai Wutong took the child from the helpless Lin Yue and changed his diaper. After going back and forth three times throughout the night, the sky was beginning to brighten. Lin Yue held the child while Chu Tianbao slept with the exhausted Bai Wutong. At this moment, the sound of hooves came from the door again. There were many people. Lin Yue gripped his sword tightly. Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao opened their eyes at the same time. Then a secret code sounded outside the door. Lin Yue immediately looked happy and said to the person outside the door, ¡°Come in.¡± Chapter 11 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios A few men dressed like Lin Yue pushed open the door and entered. They asked, ¡°Guard Lin, is Young Master alright?¡± Lin Yue waved his hand. ¡°I¡¯m fine. How¡¯s Master?¡± One of them said, ¡°No news yet.¡± Lin Yue lowered his eyes and said decisively, ¡°Let¡¯s set off now and escort Young Master to the Beiyun City. Master might already be waiting for us there, but can¡¯t send out any news.¡± The men nodded in agreement. ¡°Alright, the longer we delay, the more dangerous it will be. Young Master also needs someone to take care of him.¡± Lin Yue held the child and looked back at Chu Tianbao and Bai Wutong, who were being treated as a backdrop. He said simply, ¡°Thank you.¡± Just as Lin Yue was about to walk out of the door, Bai Wutong stopped him. ¡°Wait.¡± Lin Yue and the others stood still and looked at her. Bai Wutong took out a water pouch from her bag and handed it to Lin Yue. She looked at little stinky, who was sleeping soundly, and instructed, ¡°There¡¯s some mushy porridge inside. Be careful when feeding it to him.¡± She mixed baby milk in the porridge and hoped that it would last until stinky was taken care of. Lin Yue took a deep look at Bai Wutong and said, ¡°Thank you.¡± Watching them mount their horses and disappear from sight, envy flashed across Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes. If only she could get a horse too. Suddenly quiet, Chu Tianbao said regretfully, ¡°Stinky is gone.¡± Bai Wutong glanced at him and smiled. ¡°Does Tianbao like Stinky?¡± After some serious thought, Chu Tianbao replied, ¡°I like it when Stinky doesn¡¯t cry.¡± Who wouldn¡¯t like a soft baby? Bai Wutong patted him on the shoulder and smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Perhaps they would meet again when they had the chance. Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao continued towards the Beiyun City. Perhaps it was Bai Wutong¡¯s imagination, but after the rain, the refugees¡¯ mental state was much better than the day before. The grayness in their eyes had mostly faded. It was also possible that it was because they were about to reach Beiyun City. Although they were both refugees, no matter how Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao disguised themselves, they could not hide the fact that they were considered well-endowed. No matter how many waves of them were slaughtered, there were still starving refugees who pounced on them. Walking through the sparsely populated forest, there were even more people who saw them as targets. Their originally fast footsteps also slowed down. It wasn¡¯t easy for them to reach the Beiyun City, but they were blocked at the entrance again. The dense crowd of refugees surged forward in waves, and the road was so crowded that not even a drop of water could trickle through. The agitated refugees had bloodshot eyes and were so hungry that they had lost their minds. A donkey shared by a few people had actually been bitten to death. The woman holding the child trembled in fear. ¡°What kind of sin have we committed!¡± Bai Wutong asked her, ¡°Auntie, why is everyone stopping here?¡± The woman looked back at her and saw Chu Tianbao behind her. She backed away in panic. When she saw that there was nowhere to hide, she trembled. ¡°The soldiers are collecting the passing fee at the front. If we can¡¯t take out a tael of silver, they won¡¯t let us pass.¡± As she spoke, she reached the sad part. ¡°We sold everything and had to eat tree bark and dig up grass to get here. How can we fork out a tael of silver? They are not after silver at all, but our lives! God, why are you so blind¡ª¡± Bai Wutong frowned and looked ahead. Everyone¡¯s faces were filled with despair and madness. If the refugees could not cross and could not find anything to eat, there were only two paths left. They could only wait for death or revolt. With a glimmer of hope, the refugees would choose the latter path. The riot was about to happen. They had to get out of there immediately. This group of good-for-nothings from the Yan Kingdom could not do anything for the country and the people, but they were top-notch experts at accumulating wealth and giving away their empire. As they were guarding the key location, Bai Wutong could not take a detour even if she wanted to. Now, the fastest way was to pay the money and go over first. When they finally squeezed to the front, they were stopped by a group of refugees. The man in the lead held a bloodstained kitchen knife and said fiercely, ¡°Hand over the silver!¡± Chu Tianbao was about to draw his dagger when Bai Wutong stopped him. She took out a tael of silver and said, ¡°This is all we have. Here.¡± Seeing Bai Wutong take out the silver, the united refugees immediately turned into scattered sand and came up to snatch the silver. Bai Wutong raised her hand and threw it into the crowd. They fought and wished they could kill the other party who had snatched the silver. Taking advantage of the fact that no one was blocking the way, Bai Wutong immediately led Chu Tianbao to the entrance. There were many soldiers on horses stationed in front of the sharp fence. They looked down at the refugees as if they were looking at a group of lowly ants. Seeing the refugees fighting over the one tael of silver from Bai Wutong, they even laughed arrogantly. ¡°Look at them. They¡¯re no different from dogs who are fighting for bones.¡± ¡°Hahaha¡­ Even dogs are cleaner than them¡­¡± Bai Wutong frowned and glanced at the crowd that was on the verge of despair. They thought they were the gods who ruled over life and death and overrode the pain of the people for their own pleasure. However, they did not realize that it would not be long before they would suffer the consequences of their actions. Bai Wutong calmed herself down and deliberately dug out a piece of silver from her shoe and handed it to the cavalry guard at the fence. The cavalry guard shook the silver and sneered. ¡°Oh, you still have silver.¡± Then he said meaningfully, ¡°You¡¯re a cunning woman. Are you hiding silver elsewhere?¡± Bai Wutong smiled, revealing her big yellow teeth. ¡°Sir, it¡¯s really all gone. If I still had money, I wouldn¡¯t have hidden it in my shoe. Please let us go over. We¡¯re just going to the Beiyun City to find our relatives and make a living.¡± The cavalry guard looked at her in disdain and was about to wave his hand when the cavalry guard beside him suddenly smiled and gestured with two fingers. ¡°For two people, you have to pay at least two taels of silver. If you¡¯re short of a copper coin, the two of you can forget about going over.¡± Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao were the rare ¡°fat people¡± in this crowd. They must have some money on them. In order to compete for the one tael of silver thrown out by Bai Wutong, seven or eight refugees had already died. When they realized that they had taken out another tael of silver and handed it over to the soldiers, wanting to take the opportunity to pass through, immediately a lot of red-eyed refugees rushed towards them. They still had money, but they dared to lie to them! Bai Wutong clenched her fists and glanced hatefully at the cavalry. The cavalry guard smiled and reminded them maliciously, ¡°If you can¡¯t take out the silver, you¡¯ll be skinned alive by them.¡± Even if they took out another tael of silver, the soldiers would think that they had hidden more silver and would not stop. Now, there were only two paths in front of her. Kill them or pay enough money. However, why should she give the money to these shameless people for nothing? Bai Wutong winked at Chu Tianbao and prepared to rush out of the soldiers¡¯ defense. Suddenly. In the crowd, a skinny person, who could not be discerned between a man or a woman, pointed at Bai Wutong and said excitedly in a hoarse voice, ¡°My lord, the silver on them is all mine. They robbed me of my silver. It¡¯s a total of 50 taels and they almost killed me! Please, help me!¡± Chapter 12 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios It was not only the refugees who were excited about the 50 taels of silver, but also the soldiers. There was no need for the leader of the cavalry to give instructions. The cavalry guard shot arrows at the refugees who were pouncing on Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao. Several refugees were shot to death in an instant. The refugees immediately did not dare to go forward anymore. They were afraid that they would lose their lives before they could snatch the silver. The leader of the cavalry looked at the indiscernable refugee with interest. ¡°You said they robbed you of 50 taels of silver. What evidence do you have?¡± From the tattered clothes, it should be a woman. She suddenly raised her face and lifted her knotted hair, revealing a terrifying face. The scar that covered half of her face and her bulging eyes made her look like a corpse that had been dead for several days. The soldiers were shocked when they saw it. She pointed her bony finger at Chu Tianbao, her gaze like that of a malicious ghost. ¡°He cut my face with a green dagger.¡± Her dark eyes stared hard at Bai Wutong. ¡°She thought I was dead, so she hid all my silver in my clothes. She didn¡¯t know that I was actually not dead! She even saw it all!¡± Bai Wutong found her a little familiar. It took her a few moments to recognize her as Li Miaoyu. She did not see Li Dali and the others. She did not know how she got here and even dared to accuse her of snatching 50 taels of silver. If she had any intelligence, she would not have hidden the silver in her undergarments. 50 taels of silver was at least a few catties. How could a piece of undergarment contain it? The leader looked at Chu Tianbao¡¯s waist. It was indeed a green dagger. Their fixed gazes landed on Bai Wutong¡¯s chest again, as if they wanted to see if there was that much silver inside. Chu Tianbao pulled out his dagger and stood in front of Bai Wutong, as if he was about to kill someone in the next second. Instantly, countless bows were aimed at them. As long as Chu Tianbao dared to move, they would die on the spot. When Li Miaoyu thought of Chu Tianbao¡¯s terrifying speed of hurting people, she subconsciously curled up. However, she felt that she was about to die anyway, so there was nothing to be afraid of. She stared at Bai Wutong gloomily and smiled strangely. ¡°Sir, everything I said is true. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can let her take off her clothes now. The silver is definitely hidden in her clothes.¡± Bai Wutong finally understood why Li Miaoyu had framed them for stealing 50 taels of silver. Li Miaoyu wanted her to be humiliated in public. If Chu Tianbao dared to make a move, he would definitely be killed by the officials here. She was quite unscrupulous. She knew that these beasts could do it. Immediately, one of the cavalry guard smiled wretchedly and said, ¡°No wonder this woman¡¯s buns are so big. It seems that there¡¯s silver hidden inside. I wonder if the feeling of the silver buns is different.¡± Immediately, an officer volunteered excitedly, ¡°Boss, I¡¯ll go search for silver!¡± ¡°Hahaha, a young scout has never seen a woman before. Alright, go and search properly. Don¡¯t leave a single piece of clothing with her, lest she hides silver.¡± As soon as he said that, all the soldiers present locked their burning gazes on Bai Wutong. Searching a woman¡¯s body in broad daylight was much more interesting than watching these ugly commoners kill each other. Someone found Chu Tianbao an eyesore and even said with a smile, ¡°Pull the man away. Don¡¯t block my view.¡± Li Miaoyu smiled smugly. Her skull-like face was like a demon that had risen from hell. It was worth it for her to take revenge before she died. The cavalry guard jumped down from the horse and walked to Chu Tianbao. He said impudently, ¡°B*tch, if you don¡¯t want your husband to die so early, come out quickly and stand obediently.¡± There was another burst of laughter. ¡°Hahaha, young scouts are just dawdling.¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s dark eyes were already filled with a ferocious glint. If Bai Wutong hadn¡¯t pressed down on his hand, he would have attacked long ago. They did not want to get involved, but they insisted on courting death. Bai Wutong did not mind helping them. Bai Wutong lowered her voice and said to Chu Tianbao, ¡°Grab the middle one.¡± Then she let go. After receiving permission, Chu Tianbao wiped the cavalry guard¡¯s neck with ghostly speed. The soldiers widened their eyes in horror. They did not even see how Chu Tianbao attacked. Before anyone could react, Chu Tianbao jumped into the air and pulled the leader off his horse. Then, Bai Wutong pressed her axe against the throat of the leader. The razor-sharp blade would kill him in a heartbeat. The leader lowered his head and said in a panic, ¡°What do you want?¡± The soldiers were dumbfounded. It had only been a blink of an eye, but their leader had already been captured. They raised their weapons, not daring to move. Bai Wutong sneered and cut off his waist rope with a dagger. The leader¡¯s two white furry legs were immediately exposed to all the refugees. Of course, she had to pay back double for the insult she had just suffered. The leader¡¯s face was livid. He gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Stupid bitch, you¡¯re courting death!¡± Before he could finish his sentence, a cold light flashed and one of the leader¡¯s arms was cleanly cut off by Bai Wutong. ¡°Ah¡ª!!!!¡± Blood splattered on Bai Wutong¡¯s face. She looked up with a cold expression, like a Rakshasa who killed without batting an eyelid. The soldiers were so frightened that their legs went limp. Their leader was the nephew of the magistrate. How were they going to explain themselves when they returned after he was slashed like this! Bai Wutong looked at the frightened Li Miaoyu. Li Miaoyu sat on the ground and retreated. ¡°Don¡¯t kill me, don¡¯t kill me¡­¡± When she was really nearing death, she didn¡¯t want to die. Bai Wutong sneered. ¡°I thought you had some guts.¡± Li Miaoyu was extremely afraid. She knelt down and begged, ¡°I know I was wrong. I shouldn¡¯t have framed you for stealing the silver. I¡¯m guilty. Please forgive me again!¡± Before she could finish, Bai Wutong gave her a swift response. If she and Chu Tianbao were just ordinary people without any capabilities, they would have already died from humiliation. Li Miaoyu was killed just like that. The military leader, who had lost an arm, struggled and begged with snot and tears, ¡°Let me go, please let me go¡­¡± The refugees were also stunned. They did not expect the high and mighty soldiers to look like a dog wagging its tail and begging for mercy. They looked at Bai Wutong¡¯s fragile-looking back and the bleeding axe in her hand, as if something had been quietly opened. The deputy commander said sternly, ¡°Release our leader and we¡¯ll spare your lives!¡± The corners of Bai Wutong¡¯s mouth curled up as she pulled up the leader of the soldiers who was struggling at death¡¯s door. She looked at the refugees behind her and said word by word, ¡°The soldiers should be protecting the people, but they are wantonly bullying us. Even a clay figurine still has some temper. Everyone has been forced to a dead end, yet we still have to beg them humbly?¡± The soldiers looked at Bai Wutong in horror. What was she trying to do! There were tens of thousands of refugees here. If¡­ if they really rebelled, their troops would not be able to withstand it at all! The emaciated refugees looked at each other. Their eyes were burning with anger as they raised their hands and shouted, ¡°No! No! No!¡­¡± The deputy commander shouted calmly, ¡°You¡¯re rebelling! Your entire family is going to be executed!¡± Rebel and wipe out her entire family! They were not full and could not drink water. Their nine families were about to be wiped out, so what was there to be afraid of? Bai Wutong saw the determination in their eyes and casually threw the commander in front of them. ¡°If you want to live, charge forward. If you want to die, stay here and wait for death!¡± Chapter 13 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios As soon as she finished speaking, the agitated refugees took a step forward. They realized that the soldiers were worried about the surviving beast on the ground and did not dare to attack. The leader of the strong refugees immediately grabbed him and used him as a meat shield to approach the soldiers¡¯ defense fence. No one wanted to kill the magistrate¡¯s nephew. If they returned, they would be unlucky. The soldiers actually retreated with bows and spears. When the refugees saw them retreating, it was as if they were on steroids. Their bell-sized eyes were filled with the fighting spirit of hungry wolves. Someone shouted, ¡°Charge! Kill these bastards!¡± The refugees who had been suppressed to the extreme finally erupted and rushed forward to overturn the fence. The two sides immediately engaged in an intense battle. Bai Wutong took the opportunity to climb onto a military horse and extended her hand to Chu Tianbao. ¡°Come, let¡¯s go now!¡± She had never ridden a horse, but there were donkeys in the village that belonged to her relatives. She used to ride them everywhere when she was young. Chu Tianbao held her hand and mounted the horse. At the same time, his tall figure completely blocked her vision. How could she ride like this! She could see nothing. Bai Wutong said helplessly, ¡°Sit in the back. Hold my waist tightly.¡± Chu Tianbao replied obediently and jumped off swiftly to sit behind Bai Wutong. Then, he reached out and tightened his grip on her waist. Bai Wutong almost rolled her eyes. ¡°I told you to hug me tightly, not so tightly!¡± She turned around and glared at him. The tip of her nose was pressed against Chu Tianbao¡¯s face. It was so close that she could even see how many eyelashes there were on his eyes. ¡°¡­¡± Only then did Bai Wutong realize that this guy was like an octopus clinging to her back. No wonder she couldn¡¯t breathe! ¡°And you¡¯re hugging me so tight!¡± she said fiercely. Chu Tianbao blinked innocently and let go a little. Bai Wutong was speechless. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that the timing was not right and she wasn¡¯t proficient in riding a horse, she really would have reprimanded him. After riding for a few hours, Bai Wutong¡¯s legs were aching, so she temporarily settled down in a quiet place. After dismounting, Chu Tianbao skillfully searched everywhere for dry wood. After a while, he found a pile of dry wood and looked at Bai Wutong for praise. His big wet eyes were expectant, like a big dog begging for food. Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t help but laugh. She took out a candy from her pocket. ¡°Eat less. If you eat too much, your teeth will hurt.¡± Chu Tianbao stuffed the candy into his mouth, his eyes smiling into crescents. He said in a muffled voice, ¡°Tianbao is not afraid of pain. My wife is afraid of pain. You can give it all to Tianbao.¡± Bai Wutong recalled the way he cried out when she changed his dressing. It would be a lie for him to not be afraid of pain. He was pretending to be nice because he wanted to cheat her of her candy. Bai Wutong glanced at him sideways. ¡°In your dreams.¡± Chu Tianbao immediately looked regretful, which amused her. His body was covered in blood and smelled. Bai Wutong planned to change his clothes, but when she turned around, Chu Tianbao was gone. She shouted twice, ¡°Tianbao, Tianbao!¡± A moment later, Chu Tianbao appeared with a fat gray rabbit. He said excitedly, ¡°Wife, I want to eat roasted bunny.¡± He had eaten a roasted rabbit marinated by Bai Wutong. From now on, as long as he rested in the forest, he would remember to catch rabbits. Bai Wutong glanced at the rabbit and reprimanded, ¡°Speak properly.¡± Chu Tianbao quickly corrected himself. ¡°Wife, I want to eat rabbits.¡± Then he said excitedly, ¡°I¡¯ll help you kill rabbits!¡± His dark face was filled with urgency. Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°Alright, kill the rabbit then.¡± She was also craving a little for rabbits. This rabbit alone was not enough. Chu Tianbao had a huge appetite, so Bai Wutong cooked another pot of porridge. Chu Tianbao dealt with the rabbit quickly. Bai Wutong put away the rabbit skin and marinated the rabbit with barbecue ingredients. When he placed it on the grill, he applied a layer of oil. Chu Tianbao looked at the rabbit and then at Bai Wutong. His gaze paused, and he suddenly raised his hand. As he rubbed her cheek hard, he muttered, ¡°My wife is dirty. Tianbao will wipe it. You will be white after I wipe it.¡± Her face was burning with pain. Bai Wutong subconsciously wanted to dodge, but her head was firmly restrained by this fellow. Bai Wutong said angrily, ¡°Chu Tianbao!¡± Chu Tianbao looked up. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t just touch a woman¡¯s face casually, you know!?¡± He was so strong that the skin felt like it had been rubbed off. Chu Tianbao sensed that Bai Wutong was angry. His hand froze and he said aggrievedly, ¡°But wife touched my face casually. Wife, help me wipe it. I also want to help you wipe it.¡± What he said was so reasonable and sincere that it sounded like Bai Wutong was being unreasonable. However, Bai Wutong could not be bothered to waste her breath on him. She threatened casually, ¡°If you¡¯re disobedient, you¡¯ll only have porridge later!¡± Chu Tianbao suddenly widened his eyes as if he was saying, ¡°How can you do this?!¡± He clearly just wanted to wipe his wife¡¯s dirt. Knowing that Bai Wutong meant what he said, Chu Tianbao still gave in in order to eat the fragrant roasted rabbit. He quietly lowered his hand and sat obediently at the side. Only then did Bai Wutong reach out and touch her face, hissing in pain. After so many days of wind and sun, this body was still so delicate. Bai Wutong took out a mirror and looked at it. Her deliberately disguised face revealed a piece of snow-white skin that was completely different from the surrounding skin. She had to touch up her makeup again. Moreover, she had just instigated the refugees to riot. Her image was really bad. Bai Wutong dyed her hair back to black and adjusted her makeup slightly. Her skin was snow-white, but there was a red spot that could not be washed off that covered half of her face. She was completely different from the little girl from before. Bai Wutong also wanted to dress as a man, but unfortunately, the conditions did not allow it. Chu Tianbao¡¯s image had to be changed too. Bai Wutong thought for a moment and her gaze landed on the ponytail. She suddenly had an idea. She made a beard out of a cut-off ponytail, glued it on him, and made an eye patch for him to wear. Finally, she stuck a fake scar on the other eye. After she was done, Bai Wutong examined it carefully. Very good, it was very similar to the bandits in a movie. It was not in vain that she had joined the production team for two years before the apocalypse. Chu Tianbao stroked his beard. ¡°Wife, my mouth is itchy.¡± Bai Wutong pressed down on his hand that was trying to pull at his beard. ¡°Just bear with it.¡± The glue was specially made and required a special solution to remove it. If it was forcibly removed, it would only hurt the skin. ¡°Can¡¯t I not wear it?¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°No.¡± Chu Tianbao immediately said obediently, ¡°Okay, wife.¡± The rabbit was roasted to a golden fragrance and looked extremely appetizing. Chu Tianbao had already forgotten the discomfort of wearing an eye mask and beard. He looked at the roasted rabbit eagerly and swallowed. ¡°Wife, I¡¯m so hungry.¡± Bai Wutong smiled and was about to take the rabbit off the grill when the sound of hooves came along with the child¡¯s cry. Soon, a man in black riding a large horse and carrying a child in his arms came into view. The man had a handsome face, but there was a slender scar on his brow bone. His cold temperament added to his solemn killing intent. He noticed Chu Tianbao and Bai Wutong. He suddenly reined in his horse and dismounted with the child in his arms. He walked straight towards them. Chapter 14 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Chu Tianbao was tall and strong, dressed terrifyingly. He stood in front of Bai Wutong and held a dagger in his hand, but there was no fear on this man¡¯s face. Bai Wutong¡¯s gaze landed on the screaming child in his arms. She already had a premonition. ¡°Give me your food!¡± Qingfeng ordered. Sure enough, another food snatcher. Neither Bai Wutong nor Chu Tianbao reacted. Qingfeng watched them expressionlessly as he fumbled in his robes. Soon, he took out a huge dragon-patterned golden token and placed it in front of them. This was obviously not for them, because two words were engraved on the gold plate. Imperial edict! Bai Wutong raised his eyebrows and sized him up carefully. He was actually someone close to the emperor. ¡®But why would someone with the Emperor come here with a child?¡¯ Bai Wutong was distracted for a moment. Qingfeng said coldly, ¡°Those who disobey will be killed!¡± He aimed his sword at Chu Tianbao¡¯s chest. ¡°Wah wah wah wah¡ª¡± The child began to cry again, heartbreakingly. Qingfeng did not coax him. Instead, he locked his eyes on Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao coldly, as if he would kill them on the spot if they did not give up the food. Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes flashed with confusion. ¡°Stinky?¡± He looked back at Bai Wutong as if to ask if it was Stinky. Bai Wutong did not see the confusion in his eyes. She poured out half of the porridge and half of the rabbit and placed it in front of Qingfeng. She wasn¡¯t afraid of Qingfeng, but she pitied the child. With only half of the food, Qingfeng could not be bothered to argue with them. He put away his sword and carried the child to a big tree to sit down. Then he raised the big bowl and prepared to feed the wailing child. Bai Wutong found this scene abnormally familiar. It was as if she was back in the cottage when it rained. However, the person holding the child had changed from Lin Yue to Qingfeng. Bai Wutong shook her head in her heart and reminded him kindly, ¡°You have to feed him with a spoon.¡± Qingfeng paused with the bowl in his hand and turned to look at her. Bai Wutong understood his expressionless face meant ¡®Bring me a spoon¡¯. Bai Wutong sighed and handed him a spoon. Suddenly, he noticed that the child in the swaddling clothes seemed a little familiar. When Qingfeng fed the child porridge, Bai Wutong took a few more careful looks. He was afraid that he had seen wrongly. After all, children looked alike. When she saw it, she was shocked. Even the tuft of hair on his head looked exactly the same. If it wasn¡¯t Stinky, it must be his twin! Qingfeng fed the child a few mouthfuls. The child choked before he could swallow. Stinky¡¯s face was red from holding it in. He coughed a few times but did not recover. When Chu Tianbao saw this, he said in shock, ¡°Stinky is dying.¡± Qingfeng glared at Chu Tianbao. ¡°Shut up!¡± Stinky stopped coughing and started crying again. Qingfeng¡¯s iceberg face finally cracked a little, and he looked anxious. Bai Wutong held out her hand. ¡°Let me try.¡± Qingfeng looked at her and handed the child to Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong picked the child up vertically and gently patted his back from bottom to top. ¡°Burp ~ Burp ~ Burp ~¡± Stinky burped three times and finally returned to normal. Qingfeng also heaved a sigh of relief as he let Bai Wutong hold the child and feed him. After observing for a while, Qingfeng reached out and said, ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± He was afraid that something would happen to the child in Bai Wutong¡¯s hands. His concerned expression did not seem fake. Bai Wutong returned the child to him. While she was still wondering who the child was. Suddenly, there was the sound of galloping hooves. Qingfeng immediately picked up the child and warned Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao. He picked up his sword and flew up to the treetops. Bai Wutong looked up and saw Lin Yue appear in her vision with a group of people. He probably didn¡¯t recognize Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao and asked Chu Tianbao, ¡°Warrior, did you see a person carrying a child pass by here?¡± Chu Tianbao blinked. The moment he spoke, he was exposed. ¡°Stinky is in the tree.¡± ¡°Stinky is in the tree?¡± The moment Lin Yue looked up, a sword light pierced towards him. Lin Yue hurriedly dodged from the horse, but Qingfeng¡¯s sword was extremely fast and struck his chest again. Fortunately, the subordinate behind Lin Yue blocked the sword. Lin Yue and the others quickly surrounded Qingfeng. As Lin Yue fought Qingfeng, he said, ¡°Return Young Master to us!¡± Bai Wutong was even more certain that it was either his twin or Stinky. ¡®Still. What a coincidence.¡¯ She put away the pot and the roasted rabbit before they ruined the food. As expected of the emperor¡¯s men, Qingfeng was far stronger than Lin Yue and the others. So many people and yet he was not injured at all. Instead, several guards had died. Lin Yue suddenly pounced over to snatch the child. Qingfeng stabbed him in the shoulder. Lin Yue was still stubbornly holding onto the baby¡¯s clothes. Probably afraid that the child would be hurt in the chaos, Qingfeng let go. He planned to kill the rest of the guards first before snatching the child back. Lin Yue knew that even if all of them joined forces, they would not be able to defeat Qingfeng. Therefore, he ran a few steps and stuffed the child into Bai Wutong¡¯s arms. ¡°Go quickly!¡± He had already recognized Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao. Bai Wutong looked at the child in his arms, a little confused. Qingfeng quickly finished off the other guards and chased after him with his sword. The moment he aimed his sword at Bai Wutong, Chu Tianbao¡¯s expression changed. He kicked Qingfeng, who was caught off guard, to the ground. Before Qingfeng could recover, he met Chu Tianbao¡¯s lightning-fast dagger. He rolled to the side and barely avoided it. He looked at Chu Tianbao in surprise, as if he did not expect him to be so skilled. ¡°How dare you defy the Emperor!¡± Qingfeng said coldly. What answered him was Chu Tianbao¡¯s ferocious killing move. Bai Wutong was Chu Tianbao¡¯s bottom line. If Qingfeng dared to point his sword at her, Chu Tianbao would kill him mercilessly. This was also the reason why Lin Yue wanted to hand the child over to Bai Wutong. He wanted to use Chu Tianbao to kill Qingfeng. Chu Tianbao and Qingfeng, who looked murderous, fought fiercely. The swords flashed and Qingfeng was at a disadvantage. Bai Wutong was surprised that Chu Tianbao could last so long. However, Qingfeng was no match for him. After being stabbed in the abdomen by Chu Tianbao¡¯s dagger, he hurriedly escaped. His sword was left behind where it was. Chu Tianbao picked it up and waved it in his hand with a satisfied smile. He turned to look at Wutong and asked, ¡°Wife, can I keep it?¡± Qingfeng¡¯s sword was a good dark iron sword. It was sharp, beautiful, and could be worth a lot of money. Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°Sure.¡± She turned her head and returned Stinky to Lin Yue with a cold expression. She pitied the child, but she was not happy to be used. Lin Yue met Bai Wutong¡¯s gaze and smiled bitterly, forcefully holding back what he wanted to say. Chapter 15 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao packed their things and got on the horse. Lin Yue carried the child and followed. His arm was injured and he could not exert any strength. He had to tie the child to his waist and hold the horse¡¯s reins with one hand. Chu Tianbao looked back at them and said to Bai Wutong, ¡°Stinky is crying.¡± It was definitely uncomfortable for Lin Yue to tie the child to his waist like this. It would be strange if he didn¡¯t cry. Bai Wutong pursed her lips and steeled her heart to wave the horse¡¯s rope. The horse started running. ¡°Giddy up ~¡± Lin Yue quickly caught up. Only by following Bai Wutong and the others closely and being caught up by the Dark Guards Team could he protect the young master. Although it was not right, he had no choice. Lin Yue gritted his teeth and ran behind Bai Wutong for more than two hours. His wound had not been treated and he had lost too much blood. His vision darkened and he almost rolled off the horse. Fortunately, he grabbed the horse¡¯s reins in time. After hanging in the air, the child wailed again. Chu Tianbao looked back again. ¡°Stinky is crying again.¡± Bai Wutong tightened her grip on the horse¡¯s reins and glanced back. Lin Yue fell dangerously from the horse. Fortunately, before he fell, he subconsciously pulled the reins. The horse slowed down so that he could protect Stinky in his arms when he fell. A child could not endure a fright at all, let alone suddenly falling off the horse. Immediately, he cried out. Bai Wutong¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She immediately changed directions and rode her horse towards Lin Yue. He had passed out. Stinky in his arms was red-faced and breathless from crying. Bai Wutong¡¯s heart softened completely. She hurriedly dismounted and picked up the child to coax him. Chu Tianbao poked Lin Yue¡¯s pale face. ¡°Wife, is he dead?¡± Bai Wutong coaxed the child before answering, ¡°Not dead yet, but soon.¡± ¡°Then what about Stinky?¡± He frowned and looked at Bai Wutong. Suddenly, he smiled and said, ¡°Then let¡¯s take Stinky away and raise him!¡± Bai Wutong rolled her eyes. He had a father and a mother, and he was a young master with an extraordinary status. Why did he have to escape with them? Bai Wutong said to Chu Tianbao, ¡°Drag him into the forest.¡± They had to save him first. Chu Tianbao raised one of Lin Yue¡¯s feet. Bai Wutong¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°You¡¯d better pick him up with your arms.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Chu Tianbao said. He let go of Lin Yue¡¯s feet and carried him up like a princess. Bai Wutong carried Stinky and led the two horses to follow them. After finding a shelter, Bai Wutong handed Stinky to Chu Tianbao and checked Lin Yue¡¯s wounds. Lin Yue¡¯s sword wound almost pierced through his entire shoulder. Fortunately, it missed the bone and he did not need surgery. Since he had already fainted, Bai Wutong could not be bothered to anesthetize him and directly treated his wound. When she was suturing the wound with a needle, Lin Yue groaned a few times and opened his eyes weakly. He had fainted from the pain again. Bai Wutong wrapped the gauze around him and touched his forehead. He had a low fever. She took out another anti-inflammatory and fever medicine from her bag and stuffed them into his mouth. After doing all this, Bai Wutong heaved a sigh of relief. He probably would not die. There was no need for them to raise a son for someone else. She turned around and saw Chu Tianbao stuffing his finger into Stinky¡¯s mouth. Stinky was even sucking happily. Bai Wutong sighed and took Chu Tianbao¡¯s finger out of Stinky¡¯s mouth. She educated him. ¡°Your hand is dirty. You can¡¯t put it in Stinky¡¯s mouth. Otherwise, he will be sick and cry.¡± She thought about how troublesome it would be for Stinky to keep crying. Chu Tianbao immediately nodded and promised obediently, ¡°I won¡¯t let him eat my hand anymore. If he wants to eat it, I won¡¯t give it to him.¡± Bai Wutong nodded and looked at Stinky, who had been smacking his lips. He was probably hungry. The porridge in the water pouch was microwaved in the RV space. Then, she added some baby milk. Bai Wutong took the child and sealed his mouth with the water pouch. She said to Chu Tianbao, ¡°We¡¯re going to spend the night here. Cook a pot of sweet potato porridge and two sausages.¡± ¡°Alright, wife.¡± Chu Tianbao immediately went to pick up firewood. The fire was lit and the sky darkened. After Stinky was full and had his diaper changed, he sat obediently in Bai Wutong¡¯s arms. On his chubby face, two dark eyes moved. Chu Tianbao stirred the sweet potato porridge in the pot, looked at him, and said happily, ¡°Stinky is like a white bun.¡± Bai Wutong lowered her head and glanced at it. The outline of Stinky¡¯s side profile was like a steamed bun. She smiled. ¡°Yes, I think so.¡± Stinky seemed to know that everyone was talking about him. He patted the back of Bai Wutong¡¯s hand with his chubby little hand and let out an abnormally cute voice. ¡°Ah pu¡­ Ah pu¡­¡± Chu Tianbao replied, ¡°Ah pu¡­ Ah pu¡­¡± It was as if he was really communicating seriously with Stinky. The two of them communicated harmoniously, making Bai Wutong feel like she had two sons. Under such a good atmosphere, Lin Yue quietly woke up. Bai Wutong turned around when she heard the commotion and asked him, ¡°Can you sit up?¡± Lin Yue nodded and forced himself to sit up. He looked at the wound on his shoulder that had been bandaged and saw the young master in her arms. He said gratefully, ¡°Thank you for taking care of the young master. Thank you for saving my life. I won¡¯t forget it!¡± He took out a large stack of banknotes and respectfully placed it in front of Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong took a rough look. There were at least a few thousand taels! Their family must be running a bank! Bai Wutong took a deep breath and accepted the banknotes. She asked Chu Tianbao to scoop a bowl of sweet potato porridge for him and put half a sausage in it before bringing it to him. ¡°Tell me, why did the emperor steal your young master?¡± Lin Yue suddenly widened his eyes with an expression that said, ¡°How do you know that the emperor wants to snatch our young master?¡± Bai Wutong explained, ¡°That person took out a golden tablet with the word ¡®Imperial edict¡¯ on it.¡± Lin Yue was enlightened. He almost thought that Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao were some great figures. He hesitated for a moment before saying hesitantly, ¡°The emperor wants to snatch our young master and threaten our master.¡± ¡®Does the Emperor need to kidnap children to threaten someone?¡¯ Bai Wutong raised her eyebrows and asked curiously, ¡°Who is your master?¡± After what had just happened, Lin Yue felt that Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao were people worth befriending. Since he had already said so much, there was nothing to hide. He said, ¡°Our master is the richest businessman in the Yan Kingdom, Sheng Xuanhuai.¡± ¡°Young Master is our master¡¯s only legitimate son.¡± Bai Wutong was stunned for a moment and looked at the fair and chubby Stinky in his arms. Good lord, he was actually the son of the richest tycoon in the country! No wonder Lin Yue did not even blink when he casually took out a few thousand taels of silver. This was much more powerful than opening a bank at home! ¡°Miss and Sir have saved our young master and are our master¡¯s great benefactors! As long as Miss and Sir want something, our master will definitely do his best to satisfy you!¡± Lin Yue pleaded excitedly, wanting Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao to escort them back. Bai Wutong asked curiously, ¡°Why didn¡¯t the emperor tie up your master but did something this unnecessary?¡± Lin Yue was silent for a moment before saying, ¡°The emperor was originally intending to capture our master. Fortunately, our master had already expected it. It was only when he escaped with Young Master that he encountered the Dark Guards on the way.¡± If he had expected it, it meant that he had already transferred all his assets. Silver and rations were what they lacked the most in war. No wonder the emperor wanted his son. Chapter 16 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Where is your Master now?¡± Lin Yue thought that she had given in and hurriedly said, ¡°There¡¯s no news for the time being, but our Master said if we get separated, we should head over to the next city to wait for news.¡± Bai Wutong asked, ¡°Beiyun City?¡± ¡°Right.¡± Bai Wutong asked bluntly, ¡°Why didn¡¯t the emperor just confiscate your houses?¡± Even if he couldn¡¯t find all the silver, the amount from the fixed assets should be enough. Seeing that if he did not answer this question, Bai Wutong did not intend to leave with them, Lin Yue said hesitantly, ¡°Before the war, our Master secretly sold all the shops under his name.¡± Bai Wutong raised her eyebrows in surprise. What a character! He would rather clear the warehouse and sell at a low price than leave the emperor with a piece. Then, she thought of something and probed, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me your Master planned to join the Ling Kingdom from the beginning?¡± Lin Yue paused and stammered, ¡°How can I predict what Master is thinking?¡± Bai Wutong looked at him and had already figured out most of the thoughts of this richest man in the country. He had probably long expected that the Yan Kingdom would not be able to make a comeback. That was why he was so decisive and did not hesitate to abandon all his businesses and escape to Ling Kingdom with his son. ¡®How astute.¡¯ Unfortunately, the emperor¡¯s men had found out. Bai Wutong looked at Little Stinky in her arms and fell into deep thought. As long as Sheng Huaixuan was not caught, the emperor would keep sending people to capture him. Lin Yue also knew that they were a source of trouble, so he hurriedly said, ¡°Miss and Sir are also going to the Beiyun City, right? As long as we reach Beiyun City, I promise not to trouble you again!¡± Stinky was unaware of the adults¡¯ world. He played with the palm of Bai Wutong and tickled her palm with his small hand, as if it was tickling her heart. If the emperor brought him back, who knew what would happen to the child? Bai Wutong sighed. ¡°How long until we reach Beiyun City?¡± Lin Yue¡¯s eyes were filled with joy, and his pale face was glowing. ¡°We¡¯re already near the boundary of the Beiyun City. We should be able to arrive in two days on horseback.¡± Two days. She could avoid using the RV space lest he notice something amiss. Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°Then let¡¯s go along the same way then!¡± Lin Yue couldn¡¯t care less about his wound. He hurriedly knelt on the ground and said, ¡°Miss and Sir are the greatest benefactors of our Master and Young Master! As long as Miss and Sir say the word, I will definitely go through hell and seas for you!¡± Bai Wutong stared at him for a few moments, her eyes darkening. ¡°It¡¯s good enough not to cause trouble for us.¡± Lin Yue¡¯s back stiffened and he did not dare to say anything. He didn¡¯t know if they would cause trouble for Bai Wutong later on, but they probably would. Therefore, playing dead was the best choice at this moment. How could Bai Wutong not see through his thoughts? With a low laugh, she pushed the bowl in front of him again. ¡°Eat your food first. We¡¯ll be on our way at dawn.¡± She placed the medicine in front of him. ¡°You can apply the medicine yourself, right?¡± Lin Yue nodded gratefully. ¡°Yes.¡± The ancient people were indeed physically strong. In the blink of an eye, Bai Wutong started feeling depressed again. Why was she so lousy? ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± She thought of something else. ¡°Stinky can¡¯t just eat porridge. We have to find milk for him.¡± A six-month-old baby could drink more than a thousand milliliters a day. The baby milk in her RV space would last until the next night at most. Lin Yue had already accepted the Young Master ¡®elegant nickname¡¯ Stinky and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll go find some.¡± Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± After dinner, Bai Wutong took out some potatoes and sweet potatoes from her bag and threw them into the pot. Chu Tianbao looked at the potatoes and sweet potatoes in the pot and propped his face up. ¡°Are we having potatoes and sweet potatoes again tomorrow?¡± He was tired of eating them. Bai Wutong opened her bag again and showed him. ¡°There are four duck eggs left.¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Salted duck eggs are delicious.¡± Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°Yes, we can eat with porridge and pickled vegetables.¡± Chu Tianbao was easily satisfied. ¡°Okay.¡± Lin Yue was surprised to see that they still had so much food. However, on second thought, with Chu Tianbao¡¯s skills, it was not difficult for him to get some food. Bai Wutong prepared the food for the next day¡¯s journey and took out the blanket from her bag to let Lin Yue cover Stinky, who was sleeping. Lin Yue thanked her softly. Just as he covered Stinky with the blanket, he woke up. ¡°Wah wah wah¡ª¡± The earth-shattering cry was magnified several times in the still night. It would easily attract robbers or refugees. ¡°Young Master, Young Master, don¡¯t cry ~ Don¡¯t cry ~¡± Lin Yue hurriedly coaxed. His shoulder was injured and he couldn¡¯t pick him up to coax. ¡°Let me do it. Don¡¯t cause your wound to open again. I don¡¯t have that much medicine.¡± Bai Wutong carried Stinky, who was almost out of breath from crying, before he even opened his eyes. The moonlight fell on them like a wash of silver. Lin Yue felt even more grateful. Chu Tianbao suddenly appeared from behind and covered his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t look at my wife!¡± Chu Tianbao spoke sinisterly, as if he would dig his eyeballs out if he dared to look again. Lin Yue had long seen Chu Tianbao¡¯s extraordinary possessiveness towards Bai Wutong. His back felt cold as he hurriedly shook his head. ¡°Sir, you¡¯ve misunderstood. How would I dare to have improper thoughts about Miss Bai? No, Madam Bai.¡± Chu Tianbao snorted proudly. Lin Yue asked carefully, ¡°Sir, can you take your hand away?¡± He had already promised. Chu Tianbao said fiercely, ¡°No!¡± Lin Yue¡¯s head hurt. Why was it so difficult to communicate with him! Bai Wutong was afraid that Chu Tianbao would wake Stinky up again, so she made him retract his claws. As dawn broke, they packed up and continued on their way. Bai Wutong carried Stinky at the front of the horse while Chu Tianbao held the reins and sat behind. He hugged them like a warm family of three. Lin Yue had recovered well. He ran beside them for a while and recognized where they were and said, ¡°There¡¯s a farm ahead. I¡¯ll go find milk for Young Master.¡± Bai Wutong nodded in agreement, and he rode away. Chu Tianbao said to Stinky, ¡°He doesn¡¯t want you anymore. Just follow us.¡± Stinky was hanging on Bai Wutong¡¯s chest, his big face facing Chu Tianbao. His two big eyes blinked twice, and he said in a cute voice, ¡°Ah Pu ~ Ah Pu ~¡± as if he had readily agreed. Bai Wutong¡¯s eyebrows twitched. She said to Chu Tianbao, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense to the child!¡± Chu Tianbao pursed his lips. ¡°Oh ~¡± Then he said regretfully to Stinky, ¡°If my wife doesn¡¯t agree, there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡± ¡°Ah Pu ~ Ah Pu ~¡± Stinky spat as he patted Chu Tianbao¡¯s chest with his meaty hand. ¡°You want to stay?¡± Chu Tianbao asked. ¡°Ah pu ~ Ah pu ~¡± Bai Wutong glanced at the smiling bun face and sighed. She gave in and let the two of them communicate in their own strange ways. Chapter 17 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Lin Yue¡¯s efficiency was really impressive. She had asked him to find milk for Stinky. In the end, he had brought back a whole live goat for milking. This milk goat was tied up tightly by Lin Yue. It was hung on the horse and dragged back. During the whole time, it kept crying. Bai Wutong frowned. ¡°You¡¯re intending to bring the goat along all the way?¡± Lin Yue did not want to either. It was not convenient to ride a horse, and they would be constantly watched by refugees on the way. However, Young Master needed to drink milk! Lin Yue braced himself and asked, ¡°Then squeeze out the milk and bring it along?¡± Bai Wutong thought for a moment. ¡°Let¡¯s keep it like this for now.¡± Even without this goat, they were still the target of robbery. Besides, if they were delayed along the way. She did not know where they could get milk for Stinky. A goat could produce a few catties of milk a day. Bai Wutong squeezed it all at once. While it seemed to be placed in the bag, it was actually placed in the RV space, so that it could be stored for a long time. They boiled some fresh goat¡¯s milk, fed Stinky, changed his diaper, and set off immediately. After resting for the night, many refugees had already caught up to them. After riding for a while, they were ambushed by a large group of refugees. The horse tripped over the rope buried in the road. Chu Tianbao protected Bai Wutong and Stinky as they landed safely. The starving refugees pounced on them crazily. There were too many of them. The moment Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao were separated, Qing Feng, who had found the right opportunity, used his light and swift movements to snatch Stinky from Bai Wutong¡¯s arms. Bai Wutong reacted quickly and stabbed him in the chest with her dagger. Qing Feng didn¡¯t even blink. Before Chu Tianbao reached, he pulled Stinky out of Bai Wutong¡¯s arms and kicked her hard. Chu Tianbao couldn¡¯t care less about chasing after the escaping Qing Feng and hurriedly helped Bai Wutong, who was unable to stand steadily. Lin Yue stabbed two refugees to death. When he saw that Qing Feng had kidnapped the Young Master again, he shouted, ¡°Young Master!¡± However, he was held back by the refugees and could not escape. Qing Feng had used a lot of internal energy to kick her so Bai Wutong¡¯s face was a little pale. She panted and said, ¡°He¡¯s injured and can¡¯t run far. Let¡¯s chase after him quickly.¡± Qing Feng had been seriously injured earlier, and Bai Wutong had just stabbed him in the chest. Chu Tianbao carried Bai Wutong with one hand and attacked fiercely. A large number of refugees who wanted to snatch their bags died. After realizing that Chu Tianbao and Lin Yue were both very skilled and that they would not be able to gain anything and might even lose their lives, more refugees pounced on the two horses and goats. The refugees were like demons crawling out of hell as they fed on the raw meat. The scene was too terrifying. In a daze, Bai Wutong seemed to have seen the modern apocalypse happen again. Zombies surrounded the city, and the situation was dire. She couldn¡¯t help but shiver and quickly said, ¡°Go, chase after him!¡± Qing Feng used his light and swift movement and ran for several kilometers. Unexpectedly, he encountered a large group of refugees. They had paid the price of many lives to break through the Beiyun City gates. Apart from drinking water, they still couldn¡¯t find anything to fill their stomachs. The injured Qing Feng and the crying child in his arms became the most delicious food in their eyes. Anyway, this man was going to die. The child definitely wouldn¡¯t survive. He might as well become their nutrients and live on together. It had been a long time since they had eaten fair and tender meat. The refugees locked their bloodshot gazes on them. As long as Qing Feng fell, they would tear Stinky apart alive. As the commander of the Dark Guards Team, Qing Feng had never taken the ant-like refugees seriously. He took out a golden tablet that made people afraid. ¡°The Dark Guards Team is handling a case. Get lost!¡± The refugees could not wait to eat the Yan Kingdom emperor¡¯s flesh and skin him alive. Not only was Qing Feng¡¯s golden tablet useless, it also made the refugees shout crazily, ¡°Kill the dog of the dog emperor! Kill the dog of the dog emperor!¡± Soon, many pairs of ferocious eyes were gathered at him. Sensing that his body was gradually weakening, Qing Feng looked at Stinky, who was crying in his arms and asking for a hug. He put away the golden tablet and pulled out the knife he¡¯d hidden between his legs. He tied Stinky tightly around his waist. The cold blade reflected Qing Feng¡¯s cold black eyes. His relentless aura intimidated the refugees. After an instant, the emptiness of their hunger in their stomachs forced them to turn into inhumane beasts and pounce at Qing Feng. Stinky sensed danger and grabbed Qing Feng¡¯s collar with his chubby little hand. Although Qing Feng¡¯s chest and abdomen were severely injured, he was not someone a mob could kill at will. When they rushed over, Qing Feng killed a wave of them. Bodies littered the ground. Blood stained the ground. Towards the end, the refugees also went crazy. Since they were going to die anyway, they might as well die in Qing Feng¡¯s hands. More refugees were waiting. No matter how powerful Qing Feng was, he would not be able to hold on much longer. At that time, they would be able to reap the benefits. Blood splashed onto Stinky¡¯s mouth. He stuck out his tongue and licked it. His big black eyes looked at the disheveled Qing Feng as if he was comforting him. The pure smile and clear eyes seemed to have the power to cleanse the soul. Qing Feng hugged him with one hand and rubbed his cheek against the side of his soft ear. There was a flash of gentleness in his eyes. He took a deep breath with a sigh and looked up with killing intent. The refugees surrounded Qing Feng from both sides. Qing Feng had to protect Stinky from being injured and block their killing moves. Under the situation where his stamina was draining, the moment he fought against two at once, his pitch-black hair fell like a waterfall. The red blood at the corner of his mouth seemed to have become make-up, and his angular face became gentler. The refugees widened their eyes in surprise. Qing Feng, who had killed so many people, was actually a woman! A refugee said sinisterly, ¡°B*tch, I¡¯m going to skin you alive and hang you on a tree today!¡± His brothers had all died at Qing Feng¡¯s hands. Even if he couldn¡¯t get a share, he would kill Qing Feng and avenge them. She was clearly at the end of her rope, but the corners of her mouth curled up. Her indifferent gaze seemed to be mocking them for overestimating themselves. Irritated, the refugee charged, still holding a large, rusty scythe. Qing Feng threw a dart and hit him in the heart. Before he could grunt, he fell to the ground and became one of the many corpses. Just as the refugees were about to retreat, Qing Feng spat out a large mouthful of blood and fell to the ground. Stinky, who was in her arms, started crying again. The baby¡¯s cries kept stimulating the movements of their stomach. Everyone realized that the weak Qing Feng was really about to die. She picked up Stinky and took a few cautious steps. Qing Feng gripped the dagger in her hand and looked at Stinky in her arms. She lowered her eyes and whispered, ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°Ah pu¡­ Ah pu¡­¡± Stinky¡¯s big fleshy face was blubbering and his voice was hoarse. He kept reaching out and touching Qing Feng¡¯s face as if to tell her not to give up. Chapter 18 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°She¡¯s not going to make it. Quick, now!¡± Qing Feng picked up the knife. Her breathing was rapid, and the moment she raised her hand, it hung weakly. She was too badly hurt, like a wolf in its death throes. The refugees had finally waited for this moment. They raised their weapons high and smiled victoriously. Qing Feng lowered her eyes and gave up on counterattacking. She used her entire body to envelop Stinky in her arms. ¡°Ah pu¡­ Ah pu¡­¡± Stinky was crying and shouting at the same time. For some reason, at this moment, she suddenly recalled the days when she was fighting against her companions in the Dark Guards Team when she was young. It was even crueler than it was now, but she had survived alone. She glanced again at Stinky, whose eyes were swollen from crying. There was a hint of regret in her dark eyes. ¡°Go to hell!¡± The moment Qing Feng closed her eyes. Chu Tianbao jumped into the air. The sword light was dazzling, like thousands of raindrops attacking. The refugees stopped in their tracks and looked down mechanically. Their bodies were covered in bloody holes. Before they could say anything, they collapsed unwillingly. The completely wounded Qing Feng relaxed and quietly looked at Stinky in her arms. Her dark eyes were filled with gentleness. In an instant, Bai Wutong seemed to be watching a scene of a tiger sniffing the roses. Qing Feng was a woman. She hadn¡¯t noticed before. It was also possible that Qing Feng was too handsome and made people forget his gender. She suddenly felt sorry for her. Bai Wutong picked up Stinky and said to Lin Yue, who wanted to kill Qing Feng with a sword, ¡°Forget it. She¡¯s about to die.¡± Hearing Bai Wutong¡¯s words, Lin Yue put away his sword and looked at her coldly. Qing Feng closed her eyes dismissively. Lin Yue gritted his teeth and snorted. He hurriedly chased after Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao. Stinky¡¯s face was covered in mottled blood. Bai Wutong wiped him with a warm towel and realized that his forehead was a little hot. After being tormented for so many days and having suffered such a huge shock just now, it would be strange if he didn¡¯t fall sick. The troublesome thing was that children could not use medicine when they were sick. Bai Wutong changed him into clean clothes and cooled him down with a cold towel. She remembered that there was still a fever patch in the RV space. After sending Lin Yue to scout the way, she quickly took it out of the RV space and stuck it under Stinky¡¯s armpit. When Lin Yue returned, they quickly continued on their way. On the way, Bai Wutong kept changing Stinky¡¯s cold towel. His body temperature rose and dropped continuously. When she applied the cold towel, the temperature quickly decreased then rose again. Lin Yue was extremely anxious. He wished he could reach Beiyun City immediately. However, without horses, it would take at least five days to walk. Children could not withstand a long journey. However, when it was almost dark, a storm started brewing. Bai Wutong wrapped Stinky tightly. There were straw raincoats, bamboo hats, and umbrellas in the space, but she did not dare to take them out. She could only say, ¡°Let¡¯s find a place to hide from the rain first!¡± Lin Yue thought of the farm where he bought the goats and hurriedly said, ¡°There¡¯s a farm up ahead. Let¡¯s stay there for the night!¡± There was no place to shelter from the wind and rain. Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s walk faster.¡± It would be best to find a place to stay. They quickened their pace in the rain and soon arrived at Zhao¡¯s Farm. The farm was on very high ground. In order to prevent refugees and bandits from entering, a high fence had been built and there were people guarding it. As soon as Bai Wutong and the others approached, someone warned loudly, ¡°Get lost!¡± Lin Yue, having had experience, took out a silver ingot. ¡°Warrior, let us stay the night! The young child is sick. Please make things easy for us!¡± The burly man guarding the door saw that Bai Wutong was indeed carrying a child in her arms, so he said, ¡°Wait, I¡¯ll ask my father!¡± Village Chief Zhao appeared after a while. After observing for a while, he recognized Lin Yue as the person who had spent a lot of money to buy the milk goat. He said, ¡°Let them in.¡± Zhao Pengfei immediately walked down from the viewing platform and easily lifted the two boulders blocking the door. The two boulders weighed at least a few hundred kilograms. Not to mention Bai Wutong, even Lin Yue and Chu Tianbao widened their eyes. ¡°How impressive¡­¡± Zhao Pengfei smiled heartily. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Bai Wutong glanced at him. This meant that it was not his limit? Village Chief Zhao said to Bai Wutong and the others, ¡°Just make do at my place tonight.¡± Lin Yue cupped his fists in gratitude and placed ten taels of silver into Village Chief Zhao¡¯s hand. The smile on Village Chief Zhao¡¯s face deepened. ¡°Follow me.¡± Then he instructed Zhao Pengfei, ¡°My eyelids have been twitching today. You must guard the door well tonight.¡± ¡°Got it, Dad!¡± Village Chief Zhao¡¯s family was relatively wealthy. Their house was made of large limestone, and the main room was made of green tiles. Other people¡¯s houses were basically made of straw. In addition to Zhao Pengfei, the youngest son, Village Chief Zhao had two other sons. The eldest son, Zhao Yuan, and the second son, Zhao Sheng, were both very burly. This was also the reason why Village Chief Zhao dared to bring them home. Village Chief Zhao gave them a room and asked his wife, Madam Yang, to bring them some simple food. There were three bowls of porridge so little that grains of rice could be seen, a plate of stir-fried eggs with chives, and three pieces of fermented bean curd. Madam Yang said in embarrassment, ¡°We only have these things at home. Please don¡¯t mind.¡± Bai Wutong shook her head. ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Auntie. We¡¯re already very satisfied to have this food.¡± The Zhao family only had slightly more food left. The commoners from the other families only dared to eat a simple porridge. Madam Yang smiled. ¡°Then I won¡¯t disturb your rest.¡± Lin Yue suddenly stopped Madam Yang and asked, ¡°Auntie, does anyone have milk goats?¡± There was still goat milk in Bai Wutong¡¯s space, but Lin Yue thought that there was none. Madam Yang turned around and looked at Bai Wutong, as if she was feeling regretful that Bai Wutong did not have any milk despite her good figure. Fortunately, Lin Yue and Chu Tianbao did not understand the meaning in the Madam Yang¡¯s eyes. Only then did Bai Wutong not feel that awkward. Madam Yang thought for a moment and said, ¡°There are no more milk goats. But my dog has laid a litter of babies, and its milk is quite good.¡± The villagers often scolded the dogs bitches. Madam Yang was afraid that they would despise the dogs. There was nothing to pick on at this point. Lin Yue¡¯s eyes were filled with joy as he took out a banknote. ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to trouble Auntie to squeeze some milk.¡± Madam Yang had never seen banknotes before, so she was stunned when she received them. After a while, she realized that these were notes that could be exchanged for money! Her face flushed. ¡°How much silver is this?¡± she asked. She could not read. Lin Yue said, ¡°Fifty taels.¡± Madam Yang nearly fainted from joy. A little dog milk actually made more money than she had ever seen in her life. She quickly said excitedly, ¡°Wait for me. I¡¯ll go and milk the dog now!¡± Bai Wutong was quite surprised that Lin Yue could still take out banknotes after giving her so many. Of course, Lin Yue wouldn¡¯t let her know. Their master had already hidden banknotes at every designated location in the Yan Kingdom. If he lacked money on the way, he could secretly dig them up and use them. Soon, Madam Yang came over with a large bowl of dog milk. In addition, she had brought a change of clothes for the three of them. She said warmly, ¡°These are my son and daughter-in-law¡¯s clothes. Hurry up and change into them before you catch a cold.¡± Thinking of something, she glanced at Bai Wutong and patted her head. ¡°Look at how muddle-headed my husband is. I¡¯ll arrange another room for you.¡± Everyone knew what was really going on, but no one exposed it. Chapter 19 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Lin Yue could not handle Stinky alone. Bai Wutong still had to prevent Stinky from having a fever again, so she and Chu Tianbao shared a room. Lin Yue stayed in a room alone. After a long day, Bai Wutong was clearly not in a good state of mind. Chu Tianbao said with heartache, ¡°Wife, you should rest. I¡¯ll take care of Stinky.¡± Bai Wutong rubbed her throbbing temples. ¡°Can you do it?¡± Chu Tianbao hesitated for a moment and promised, ¡°I can do it!¡± Bai Wutong forced a smile. ¡°You can change his diaper?¡± Chu Tianbao said, ¡°I can!¡± Seeing that Bai Wutong didn¡¯t believe him, he hurriedly said, ¡°I learned it when my wife was changing him. Tianbao can definitely change Stinky¡¯s diapers.¡± His face was filled with confidence. Coupled with his ferocious bandit look, he looked a little comical and cute. Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t bear to dampen his enthusiasm to lighten her burden. ¡°Alright, then change him when he wakes up.¡± Stinky would definitely cry when she woke up. It was impossible for her not to wake up. At most, she would watch Chu Tianbao change. Chu Tianbao immediately smiled, his deep eyes curved into crescents. Bai Wutong suddenly remembered the first time she had met him. What a noble and cold immortal appearance, but now, he had been tortured to such a state. She couldn¡¯t help but curve her lips as she reached for Chu Tianbao¡¯s beard. ¡°It¡¯s good to put it on like this.¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes lit up. He lay beside her pillow like a puppy and asked happily, ¡°Really? My wife likes me like this?¡± He had thought it was very ugly. Bai Wutong closed her eyes to avoid looking into his sparkling eyes. ¡°Yes, I do.¡± She couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°It suits you especially.¡± His wife liked him like this. Chu Tianbao stroked his beard and immediately decided, ¡°I won¡¯t pull it again.¡± Bai Wutong closed her eyes and teased, ¡°Really?¡± Chu Tianbao approached the tip of Bai Wutong¡¯s nose and said seriously, ¡°Yes, this way, my wife will like me forever.¡± Bai Wutong suddenly opened her eyes and saw Chu Tianbao¡¯s huge bandit face. He beamed at her, his dark, deep-set eyes seeming to swirl with suction. Bai Wutong¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She immediately closed her eyes and pushed him to the side. She said in a deep voice, ¡°Sleep, don¡¯t talk anymore!¡± Whenever he spoke, it was all nonsense. She didn¡¯t know if he had learned it in the past. ¡°Oh ~¡± Chu Tianbao == lay down obediently and lifted the corner of the blanket for Bai Wutong. But Bai Wutong opened her eyes again after he lay down. Could Chu Tianbao have married and had children before? Given his age, it was extremely likely. Bai Wutong turned to look at him and turned over again. What was the point of thinking so much? They weren¡¯t really husband and wife. However, there was an inexplicable frustration that could not be dispelled. The rainy night was a little damp and noisy. Bai Wutong tossed and turned. Suddenly, she heard the dogs barking crazily. She immediately sat up and put on her coat. This was followed by a confused chorus of voices. Stinky was woken up. Chu Tianbao hurriedly hugged him and patted him. ¡°Stinky, don¡¯t cry. Stinky, don¡¯t cry. Stinky is the most handsome in the world¡­¡± Not long after, Lin Yue pushed the door open and entered. He frowned. ¡°The bandits are here. Let¡¯s get out of here.¡± To avoid causing trouble again, Bai Wutong hurriedly packed her things. When they came out of the room, Village Chief Zhao saw them and hurriedly said, ¡°Hurry up and hide. The bandits kill without batting an eyelid!¡± After saying that, he got Madam Yang to bring them to the cellar where they could hide. Madam Yang pulled him back and asked in panic, ¡°Old man, where are you going?¡± Village Chief Zhao looked determined. ¡°I¡¯m going to help San¡¯er.¡± If the bandits entered the village, it would be over. Village Chief Zhao¡¯s two sons followed behind him, one with a sickle and another with a kitchen knife. ¡°Father, let us go too!¡± Their wives and children looked at them in tears. Village Chief Zhao scolded, ¡°Nonsense, hurry up and hide in there with your wives and children. Your third brother is extremely strong. He will definitely be fine!¡± The two brothers looked at their wives and children, then at their old father with gray temples. They looked at each other and the eldest brother made up his mind. ¡°Second Brother, stay. I¡¯ll go with Father.¡± ¡°Big Brother!¡± ¡°Listen to me!¡± Village Chief Zhao sighed and rushed out with the hoe. Zhao Yuan hurriedly followed. The remaining people all looked sad. Madam Yang wiped her tears and said to Bai Wutong, ¡°Come with us.¡± Bai Wutong was a little moved when Village Chief Zhao asked them to hide in the cellar and bring his son to resist the bandits. Bai Wutong shook her head. ¡°We¡¯re leaving, you¡¯d also better leave now. If you can get out of the farm from elsewhere, the bandits can naturally come in from elsewhere. Hiding in this place is not a good idea.¡± If they were discovered, they would be wiped out. They could make a break through from the fight, but these weak people might not. Madam Yang subconsciously shook her head. They had lived here for generations and had survived all sorts of storms. As long as San¡¯er could lead everyone to resist the bandits, they would definitely be able to survive if they saved up on food. As long as this winter passed, next year would be better. Why bother? They would be reduced to refugees, homeless, and at risk of being killed and robbed at any time. Madam Yang¡¯s gaze was firm. ¡°We have to wait for the child¡¯s father to return. If you want to leave, climb over the back mountain. You should be able to avoid the bandits.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, she heard the sound of battle breaking out. The bandits were actually pouring in from all directions. They captured the villagers and killed those who resisted. Those who did not dare to resist were tied up with ropes and forced to reveal where the food and silver were hidden. There were not many bandits that Zhao Pengfei led his men to resist. By the time they reacted, many people in the village had been captured. Village Chief Zhao and Zhao Yuan were among them. Zhao Yuan resisted and was hit by the bandit¡¯s club, falling to the ground. ¡°Son!¡± The bandit leader grabbed the angry Village Chief Zhao and threatened Zhao Pengfei, who was holding a shovel, ¡°If you know what¡¯s good for you, kneel down and make me happy. It¡¯s not impossible for me to spare your lives.¡± Village Chief Zhao shouted, ¡°San¡¯er, run! Don¡¯t care about us!¡± The bandit leader immediately punched Village Chief Zhao and said happily, ¡°Run then! Anyway, your little wives are ours.¡± The bandits found the hidden women and children from the villagers¡¯ houses. The cries of the women and children echoed in the night sky. The eyes of this group of men immediately turned red. They picked up their weapons and were about to fight the bandits to the death. The bandits immediately placed their weapons on the villagers¡¯ necks and chuckled. ¡°If you don¡¯t want them to die immediately, throw away the weapons in your hands and kowtow to our leader. Otherwise, we¡¯ll kill them now.¡± The farm was basically filled with their relatives. How could Zhao Pengfei and the other youths bear to see them die? They wished they could tear the bandits into pieces, but they had no choice but to submit. The unyielding men all knelt down. The bandit leader¡¯s face was filled with excitement as he stared at Zhao Pengfei, who was gritting his teeth. ¡°Quickly kowtow! Make it louder! Then call me father!¡± Zhao Pengfei could not produce a sound for a long time. His eyes were bloodshot. The bandit leader pointed his knife at his head and said with a sinister gaze, ¡°You killed so many of my brothers. Aren¡¯t you proud of yourself?¡± If not for Zhao Pengfei, they would have long captured the farm. Village Chief Zhao lay on the ground and looked up. He said in fear, ¡°San¡¯er, leave quickly!!!¡± The young men clenched their fists. Their angry chests shook. Chapter 20 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios At this moment, a bandit landed in front of the bandit leader with a bang. He twitched twice and died. Startled, the bandits looked around warily. Suddenly, a cold light flashed. In an instant, another bandit fell again. The villager they were restraining looked up in panic. Chu Tianbao, who was taller than a bandit, held a blood-stained sword and placed it on the bandit leader¡¯s neck. The situation actually changed in an instant. Seeing Chu Tianbao, who was like a god descending, Zhao Pengfei widened his eyes in disbelief. The eyes of the steel-like man gradually moistened. ¡°Brothers, kill the bandits and avenge everyone!¡± He stood up and led the young men forward to fight the remaining bandits. Soon, the bandits fled and died, leaving only the bandit leader who had been captured by Chu Tianbao. The bandit leader looked at the corpses of the bandits and felt a chill in his heart. These good-for-nothings had eaten so much of his food, but they were actually so useless! Lin Yue held his sword and cleared the way. Bai Wutong appeared with Stinky in her arms. Chu Tianbao¡¯s cold eyes immediately lit up. Bai Wutong did not want to be a busybody. But who asked Madam Yang to try their best to make her run away with Stinky when they saw the bandits coming? It was not that she was soft-hearted. After all, the bandits had called her ugly and wanted to kill all of them. Chu Tianbao moved slightly with his sword. The bandit leader, whose neck ran cold, trembled in fear and hurriedly begged, ¡°Hero, please have mercy on me! Please have mercy!¡± Afraid that Chu Tianbao¡¯s hands would move too much, the bandit leader hurriedly coaxed, ¡°You¡¯re tall and strong, have an extraordinary temperament, and are very capable. Why don¡¯t you join our Heavenly Stronghold? I guarantee that you¡¯ll live a good life and be a groom every night. You¡¯ll be even more carefree than the emperor. As long as you put down your sword, you¡¯ll be the future head of the Heavenly Stronghold! If you say a word, I won¡¯t dare to say a word. Our brothers will follow you!¡± It must have been hard on him to be able to stutter so much flattery when he couldn¡¯t read. Everyone¡¯s faces suddenly turned pale. They all looked at Chu Tianbao at the same time, afraid that he would agree to the bandits¡¯ conditions. Chu Tianbao didn¡¯t listen to him at all. His gaze remained on Bai Wutong. The bandit leader followed Chu Tianbao¡¯s gaze and landed on Bai Wutong¡¯s extremely ugly face. A question mark slowly appeared on his head. He glanced at Chu Tianbao, who was ¡°emotional¡± and seemed to understand something. Chu Tianbao was a coward who was afraid of his wife! His strong desire to live made him swallow hard. He smiled insincerely at Bai Wutong and said, ¡°Sister-in-law! Sister-in-law is really, really healthy!¡± Then he looked at the fair and tender Stinky and smiled awkwardly with a sincere expression. ¡°As expected of Sister-in-law. No wonder she gave birth to such a f*cking handsome fat boy!¡± ¡°In the future, I¡¯ll definitely give birth to more fat boys for our big brother! What I said just now was all nonsense. Sister-in-law, don¡¯t mind me. In the future, if any little vixen dares to seduce our big brother, I¡¯ll be the first to disagree.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s expression was calm the entire time. Her gaze, which did not seem to have any warmth, made the bandit leader tremble in fear. This ugly girl shouldn¡¯t be so vicious right! Bai Wutong glanced at the frightened villagers and suddenly asked him, ¡°Is everyone from the Heavenly Stronghold here?¡± The bandit leader thought that she was tempted, and his face immediately lit up. He said solicitously, ¡°There are still more than a hundred of us in the Heavenly Stronghold. When we get back, I¡¯ll pick a few hardworking girls to give to Sister-in-law. I have a few boxes of gold, silver, and jewelry. I¡¯ll send them to Sister-in-law later.¡± The more he flattered her, the more his face turned red. ¡°Only a woman with an otherworldly temperament like Sister-in-law is worthy of those things.¡± Bai Wutong seemed satisfied and asked, ¡°Then who do you think the hundred people listen to now?¡± The bandit leader chuckled. ¡°I still have two sworn brothers, but don¡¯t worry, Sister-in-law. If Big Brother comes back with us, I guarantee that they won¡¯t dare to have any objections.¡± Lin Yue looked at Bai Wutong in confusion, not understanding why she was asking the bandit leader these questions. Bai Wutong cleared his doubts quickly. She glanced at Chu Tianbao. Chu Tianbao understood what Bai Wutong meant. The bandit leader, who was still smiling, had his throat cut in an instant. He stared in disbelief, as if he couldn¡¯t understand why Chu Tianbao had attacked. He struggled to say ¡°you¡± before falling to the ground. The villagers were dumbfounded. Chu Tianbao¡¯s actions were a little scary. Bai Wutong looked at Village Chief Zhao, who had yet to react, and said, ¡°There are still more than 100 people in the Heavenly Stronghold. This bandit leader is dead, and the two brothers who are the leaders will definitely take revenge on you. You should make plans early. We¡¯re leaving.¡± Only then did Village Chief Zhao understand that Bai Wutong was helping them inquire about the Heavenly Stronghold. She even specially reminded them that they should not stay in the village anymore. Village Chief Zhao was about to thank with the villagers. ¡°Old man, San¡¯er, are you alright?¡± At this moment, Madam Yang rushed out. When they saw Zhao Yuan lying on the ground, they immediately pounced on him and shouted in fear, ¡°Yuan¡¯er, Yuan¡¯er, what¡¯s wrong with you? Don¡¯t scare Mom! Wake up!¡± She patted Zhao Yuan¡¯s face hard, but Zhao Yuan still did not open his eyes. Madam Yang immediately burst into tears. ¡°These damned beasts, I curse you all to die a horrible death. My poor Yuan¡¯er! Why is your life so miserable? You must come and look for me in your next life! Sob sob sob~¡± Just as Madam Yang was crying sadly, a hand suddenly grabbed her wrist. In the next second, a familiar voice sounded. Zhao Yuan said with a painful face, ¡°Mom, why are you crying?¡± Madam Yang¡¯s cries stopped abruptly. There were still tears on her rough face as she said with a smile, ¡°Son, you¡¯re not dead?¡± Zhao Yuan rubbed his face and said, ¡°Almost. It¡¯s just that my neck and face hurt.¡± Madam Yang hurriedly said, ¡°When Mom gets back, I¡¯ll apply some plant ash on you.¡± When Village Chief Zhao came back to his senses, Bai Wutong and the others had already left without saying goodbye. Village Chief Zhao hurriedly led the villagers to chase after them. Fortunately, it was dark and they caught up before long. Village Chief Zhao panted and said, ¡°Young Master, Madam, don¡¯t go. It¡¯s already late. Stay for the night. We haven¡¯t thanked you properly yet.¡± Previously, Bai Wutong had planned to stay overnight. But now, these villagers had lost so many of their loved ones and each of them had their own matters to deal with. The bandits might come again, and the rain had stopped. It was better to get going as soon as possible to prevent any more trouble. Bai Wutong said, ¡°No need. We just met by chance. It¡¯s a simple favor.¡± It was a piece of cake to repel so many bandits. How could Village Chief Zhao not understand how powerful Bai Wutong and the others were? If they were willing to stay, they would definitely be able to defeat more than a hundred bandits easily. Village Chief Zhao didn¡¯t want them to leave either. He hurriedly said, ¡°You guys can continue travelling but how can a child withstand such torture?¡± Madam Yang was sincerely grateful to Bai Wutong and the others for taking action in time. If not for Chu Tianbao, the entire farm might not have survived. She said, ¡°The baby still needs milk. Even if it¡¯s for the sake of the baby, you should have a hot meal at dawn before you leave.¡± The villagers all echoed, ¡°That¡¯s right, benefactor. Leave after tomorrow.¡± Chapter 21 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Bai Wutong had made up her mind. She waved her hand. ¡°Thank you. You¡¯d better settle down as soon as possible.¡± When Village Chief Zhao heard this, he could not help but plead, ¡°Madam, Sirs, it¡¯s difficult on the journey to escape. Why don¡¯t you stay in our farm? We¡¯ll definitely give you the best farmland and the best houses. I guarantee that you¡¯ll be able to eat your fill every day and have milk to drink.¡± The drought that day was too serious. Not only did the farm have to guard against bandits, but it also had to guard against countless refugees. Without someone as capable as Chu Tianbao, how could they¡­ last until next spring? Bai Wutong could be considered to have fled all the way here. She knew how rampant the refugees and bandits of the Yan Kingdom were. If these villagers did not have enough strength to defend themselves, they would definitely not be able to protect their homes. They could help them once, but not forever. Moreover, compared to famine, war was more terrifying. Bai Wutong had already reminded them that there would be a catastrophe. How could she stay for a group of unrelated people? Bai Wutong shook her head and warned, ¡°Where there¡¯s life, there¡¯s hope. Village Chief Zhao, take care.¡± When Zhao Pengfei learned that Village Chief Zhao wanted to let Bai Wutong stay, he was almost overjoyed. If they could stay, he could ask Chu Tianbao to teach him. When he became as powerful as Chu Tianbao, he would no longer be afraid of bandits and refugees raiding their farm. Bai Wutong refused to stay. Zhao Pengfei looked at Village Chief Zhao anxiously. Village Chief Zhao looked disappointed and helpless. He finally couldn¡¯t help but kneel down in front of Chu Tianbao. ¡°Sir, please take me as your disciple. I¡¯ll treat you like my father!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Bai Wutong glanced at the wrinkled Village Chief Zhao and then at the confused Chu Tianbao. This father was indeed a little young. It was impossible for Chu Tianbao to take him as his disciple. Bai Wutong said, ¡°Young Master Zhao, don¡¯t kneel. My husband can¡¯t teach you.¡± If Chu Tianbao wanted to stay and teach him, she wouldn¡¯t allow him to. ¡°We should go.¡± Zhao Pengfei refused to give up and kept kowtowing to Chu Tianbao. ¡°Master, Master, please accept me!¡± The young people in the village also wanted to acknowledge Chu Tianbao as their master. Since Zhao Pengfei was willing to kneel down and beg, they were naturally willing to also do the same. With a thud, the young people in the farm all knelt down. ¡°Master, Master, please accept us! We will definitely treat you like our biological father!¡± When Bai Wutong heard this, she finally began to wonder if she had dressed Chu Tianbao up too old. Otherwise, why would all of them rush to acknowledge him as their father? Chu Tianbao looked at Bai Wutong quietly. He looked calm, but he was actually panicking. If Bai Wutong did not speak, he would not know what to do. Seeing that these children were trying their best to become Chu Tianbao¡¯s disciples, Village Chief Zhao also begged, ¡°Sir, you can stay. They¡¯re all good children! As long as you¡¯re willing to stay, other than the repayment for the discipleship, we¡¯ll pay for the grain tax and do all the labor. We definitely won¡¯t let you suffer any grievances here.¡± ¡°Master!¡± the young men shouted in unison as they knelt. Chu Tianbao grabbed the sleeve of Bai Wutong and looked at her for help. ¡°Wife.¡± Bai Wutong looked at him comfortingly. From the initial forbearance to her rising anger, she looked straight into Village Chief Zhao¡¯s eyes and said word by word, even a little aggressively, ¡°Everyone has their own fate. You can¡¯t force it. Village Chief Zhao, don¡¯t you understand?¡± ¡°We saved you, but you insisted on making things difficult for us. Is this the respect a father should have?¡± Bai Wutong sneered. ¡°You can¡¯t bear to leave your hometown, but you want others to stay in a foreign land. Is this your respect for your teacher? I really don¡¯t see any good in these children.¡± After Bai Wutong finished speaking, the young men of Zhao farmyard all lowered their heads in shame. Bai Wutong took Chu Tianbao¡¯s hand and couldn¡¯t be bothered to say anything else to them. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± After being reprimanded by Bai Wutong, Village Chief Zhao¡¯s face turned pale. As he watched them leave, he thought of the risk that Zhao farmyard was about to face and Bai Wutong¡¯s words about where there was life, there was hope. A resolute thought finally occupied his entire mind. They could not stay any longer in the Zhao farmyard! They had to leave immediately. It would be best if he could leave with Bai Wutong and the others. Bai Wutong had been willing to let Chu Tianbao help them previously, so her character must have been guaranteed. At the very least, they wouldn¡¯t kick him when he was down while they were escaping from the wilderness. If they could build a good relationship with Bai Wutong, she might even help them again. The problem was that the people who had died in the village had yet to be buried and their belongings had yet to be packed up. How could he follow Bai Wutong and the others? Village Chief Zhao thought for a moment and called up the dejected Zhao Pengfei. ¡°San¡¯er, run back to the kitchen to get some food and two sets of clothes. Follow them.¡± Zhao Pengfei suddenly looked up. ¡°Dad, what about you guys?¡± Village Chief Zhao said firmly, ¡°We¡¯re also leaving. Our entire village is leaving. Follow them and mark the way. We¡¯ll come to find you.¡± With that, he took out a silver ingot and placed it in Zhao Pengfei¡¯s hand. If they were separated, Zhao Pengfei could exchange the silver for some food. Zhao Pengfei was dumbfounded. Why were they all leaving the farm? Before Village Chief Zhao could explain, he urged, ¡°Hurry up, or you won¡¯t be able to find them.¡± Zhao Pengfei was still in a daze. Village Chief Zhao pushed him angrily. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to become his disciple? Hurry up!¡± The word ¡®disciple¡¯ made Zhao Pengfei¡¯s eyes light up. He ran a few steps as though he was on fire wheels. Suddenly, it rained heavily in the night sky. Village Chief Zhao¡¯s eyes widened. He chased after Zhao Pengfei and hurriedly shouted, ¡°San¡¯er, quick, don¡¯t pack your things. Go and call Madam Bai and the others back to take shelter from the rain. She¡¯s carrying the child. She¡¯ll definitely come back in such a heavy rain. If they still refuse, tell them that we¡¯ll prepare a mule cart for them. They can leave at dawn. We won¡¯t stop them this time.¡± Zhao Pengfei was stunned again. ¡°Dad, are we not leaving?¡± Village Chief Zhao gritted his teeth and kicked this silly donkey. ¡°Cut the crap and go quickly! Make it sound nicer.¡± Zhao Pengfei couldn¡¯t care less about rubbing his aching legs and stomach and immediately ran. Panting, he stood in front of Bai Wutong and the others and quickly repeated Village Chief Zhao¡¯s words. Bai Wutong pondered for a moment before agreeing. The rain was too heavy for them to continue their journey. Moreover, Village Chief Zhao wanted to prepare a mule cart for them, which made Bai Wutong tempted. Although the mule cart was slow, its endurance was strong. They could even take turns to rest on it while traveling. This was much better than walking. Even Stinky would feel more comfortable. Zhao Pengfei brought Bai Wutong and the others back. Village Chief Zhao immediately welcomed them happily and even instructed Madam Yang to take good care of them. The next day, at dawn, Bai Wutong rubbed her glabella. The entire village was noisy for the entire night. It was as if they had not slept for a while. Just as she put on her clothes, Madam Yang knocked on the door. ¡°Madam Bai, is the child going to drink milk? I¡¯ve squeezed the milk. Do you want me to bring it in for you now?¡± Chapter 22 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios As soon as she finished speaking, Stinky heard the commotion and woke up. ¡°Boohoo¡ª¡± Chu Tianbao picked up Stinky by reflex and sang, ¡°Oh, oh, oh, oh~ Stinky, don¡¯t cry. Stinky, don¡¯t cry. Stinky is the most handsome person in the world~¡± He could be coaxed with a few pats in the night, but it did not work now. Bai Wutong calculated the time and realized that it was time for Stinky to drink milk. She opened the door and said politely to Madam Yang, ¡°Thank you, Auntie.¡± Madam Yang said ingratiatingly, ¡°If there¡¯s not enough milk, I¡¯ll squeeze more for you later. You mustn¡¯t let the Young Master starve.¡± She glanced into the house again and smiled. ¡°Breakfast has been prepared for you. Do you want to eat in the house or in the main room?¡± Bai Wutong said, ¡°Then please send the things to the house.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go right away.¡± Bai Wutong took the milk and noticed from the corner of his eye that Village Chief Zhao had packed a lot of things. His sons were also walking in and out, moving things. They were probably planning to leave the farm. Bai Wutong did not mind. Anyway, they would leave after breakfast. Before long, Madam Yang arrived with the food. Following behind her was a chubby and cute girl. She was still unsteady on her feet and looked like she was only two or three years old. Madam Yang put down the food and reminded the young lady, ¡°Peach, why are you following Grandma?¡± The young lady thought for a moment and looked at Bai Wutong before glancing at Madam Yang. Encouraged by Madam Yang, she immediately walked over to Bai Wutong with trembling steps and reached out her chubby hand that was holding onto two eggs. She said in a child-like voice, ¡°Madam, take the eggs to little brother.¡± As she spoke, her eyes landed on the eggs, but she licked the corner of her mouth, as if she was recalling the taste of the eggs. Village Chief Zhao¡¯s genes were well-inherited. He gave birth to four grandsons before little Peach was born. She was born with a pair of big, watery eyes. She was fair and clean and was very doted on in the Zhao family. Village Chief Zhao wanted to get closer to Bai Wutong, so he immediately thought of this cute and likable granddaughter. Bai Wutong glanced at Madam Yang who was beside and stroked Peach¡¯s head. Her eyes were gentle as she said, ¡°Little brother is still young and can¡¯t eat eggs. You can eat them yourself.¡± The rising sun enveloped Bai Wutong. Although she had an ugly face, Madam Yang suddenly felt that she was a beauty. When she saw the large red spots on her face, a trace of pity flashed across her eyes. In the blink of an eye, she turned her head and glanced at Chu Tianbao, who was hugging Stinky. After taking a few glances, her expression immediately turned to confusion. Both of them were so ugly. Why was the child so handsome? Bai Wutong¡¯s words brought back Madam Yang from her thoughts. She smiled and said, ¡°Little Master can¡¯t accept Peach¡¯s kind intentions, so Madam and Young Master can have it.¡± Peach quickly shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not eating. I¡¯ve already smelled it.¡± Bai Wutong did not understand. ¡°What have you smelled?¡± Peach smiled brightly and said slowly but clearly, ¡°My mother said that if I¡¯ve smelled eggs, I¡¯ve eaten them.¡± She was like a vibrant sunflower, innocent, unaware of pain and unafraid of it. Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes darkened as she looked at the egg in her small hand for a long time. Madam Yang¡¯s expression stiffened. Afraid that Bai Wutong would think that they were treating Peach badly, she hurriedly explained, ¡°When there wasn¡¯t a famine, Peach would get an egg every day.¡± Looking at the child¡¯s chubby cheeks, Bai Wutong knew that she had not been mistreated. She didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, she picked up one of the eggs in Peach¡¯s hand. After she¡¯d peeled it, she held it to Peach¡¯s lips. ¡°You¡¯ve eaten it but shall we have another?¡± Peach looked at Madam Yang as if asking for permission. When the Madam Yang met Bai Wutong¡¯s gaze, she smiled awkwardly and said gently, ¡°If Madam Bai gives it to you, you can eat it.¡± If not for the fact that they were really afraid that there would not be enough food in winter, Madam Yang would not have let these children suffer. Peach finally opened her mouth and took a bite of the egg. Then she smiled contentedly at Bai Wutong. ¡°The eggs are delicious, madam.¡± A smile flashed in Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes as she stroked her head again. ¡°Yes, the eggs are delicious.¡± Seeing the interaction between Peach and Bai Wutong, Madam Yang heaved a sigh of relief. After breakfast, Village Chief Zhao brought the mule cart over as promised. There were even two mules. In case it rained along the way, Village Chief Zhao even thoughtfully built a shed for the mule cart. Bai Wutong glanced at the mule cart. There was a soft blanket inside and two baskets of dry food and fruits that had just been plucked. Village Chief Zhao said solicitously, ¡°Madam Bai, you can rest in the car for a while. The two mules are very stable. Little Master can even roll on them and stretch his muscles.¡± Bai Wutong glanced at the shrewd Village Chief Zhao and then looked at the courtyard. Outside the courtyard, the villagers were dragging their luggage inside and outside. A bad feeling surged in her heart. Could it be that these people wanted to leave Zhao¡¯s farmyard with them!? Sure enough, Zhao Pengfei smiled even more solicitously than his father. ¡°Master, Madam, let me help you drive. My driving skills are the best in the farm.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Who¡¯s your Madam! ¡®Where¡¯s your face, lad?¡¯ While Bai Wutong was speechless, she looked at Village Chief Zhao and admired him for persuading the villagers of Zhao¡¯s farmyard to leave the place where they had lived for generations and embark on an unknown path of escape. Village Chief Zhao met Bai Wutong¡¯s scrutinizing gaze and lowered his eyes guiltily. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous on the way. It¡¯s much safer for Madam to be with us.¡± He also promised, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we definitely won¡¯t cause any trouble for you. We¡¯re just going along the same way!¡± Bai Wutong stared at him for a few seconds. ¡°Then where are you two going?¡± Village Chief Zhao had already asked Lin Yue but he did not say. He actually wanted to follow Bai Wutong. Wherever Bai Wutong went, they would follow. Afraid that Bai Wutong would dislike it, he said, ¡°We will take one step at a time.¡± Of course, it would be even better if they encountered a beautiful place that could let everyone settle down and avoid this famine and war. It would be even better if they could also earn some money. If they couldn¡¯t, they could at least save the lives of the entire village. In the future, they would be able to return to Zhao¡¯s farmyard and pay their respects to the ancestors. Bai Wutong could tell what Village Chief Zhao was up to. He claimed that it was on the same way, but he just wanted to make use of their protection. She really didn¡¯t want them to follow. With more people, there would be more trouble. The space had to be used more cautiously. It was inconvenient to do anything. However, she was not the one who had built the road. They insisted on following and even claimed that it was on the same way. Bai Wutong could not say anything about it. Afraid that Bai Wutong would not agree or want to shake them off halfway, Village Chief Zhao gave the villagers another look. The villagers immediately raised their food and brought it to Bai Wutong. They shouted, ¡°Madam, we really won¡¯t trouble you. Just let us follow.¡± Some villagers even made the children kneel down and beg, ¡°Madam, please.¡± ¡°We really won¡¯t cause you any trouble.¡± Peach trotted over and tugged at Bai Wutong¡¯s sleeve. She had probably forgotten her lines as she stared at Bai Wutong and said nothing. Bai Wutong looked down at her and said coldly to Village Chief Zhao, ¡°This is your own matter. You don¡¯t have to tell me.¡± Even if she didn¡¯t agree, these people would probably have to follow her forcefully. Village Chief Zhao did not expect Bai Wutong to be very enthusiastic about it. It was already good enough that they could follow. He understood what she meant and hurriedly shouted excitedly, ¡°Follow, follow along!¡± Chapter 23 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios There were nearly 200 people in Zhao village. A quarter of them were young adults. All the food in their village had been brought along by the villagers. The children, women, and old people walked in the middle while the young and strong men guarded outside with the weapons left behind by the bandits. With their gleaming weapons and huge troops, the scattered refugees looked at the mule carts, donkey carts, and ox carts in the middle enviously. However, they basically did not dare to approach them. Instead, they were afraid that they would be robbed. Lin Yue drove the mule cart while Bai Wutong carried Stinky and dozed off on Chu Tianbao¡¯s shoulder. The mule cart was much more comfortable than riding on a horse. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that she could see the sallow and thin refugees from time to time, she would have thought that they were traveling. Suddenly, the mule train skidded to a halt. Before Bai Wutong opened her eyes, she heard a familiar stuttering line. ¡°I¡¯m the one who discovered this mountain and planted this tree. If you want- want to pass through it, you have to leave money behind!¡± Bai Wutong looked up and saw the little bandit who had spoken being kicked away by the big-bellied second-in-charge. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?¡± He raised a huge long knife and pointed it at Lin Yue on the mule cart. ¡°Brothers, kill them and avenge the chief!¡± Bai Wutong knew that they would be in trouble if the villagers followed, but she did not expect them to come so quickly. When the villagers saw the groups of bandits, they immediately approached the mule cart despite saying that they would not trouble them. The timid ones even shouted, ¡°Madam Bai, help!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Why were they shouting for her? As the villagers shouted, the bandits focused their attention on Bai Wutong¡¯s face on the mule cart. When the second-in-charge saw her appearance, he immediately lost his appetite. He thought that she was a beautiful woman, but it turned out to be such an ugly woman. He immediately said in disgust, ¡°Even a dog doesn¡¯t want such an ugly woman.¡± The third-in-charge curled his lip, his face full of viciousness. ¡°Then feed her to the dogs.¡± When Lin Yue heard them open their mouths, he knew that they were going to die. As expected. With a whoosh, a black shadow leaped out of the mule cart and the sharp blade fell on them. The sword light flashed past the second-in-charge¡¯s terrified eyes. In the next second, he watched as the blood from his throat sprayed onto the shocked third-in-charge¡¯s face. Before anyone could react, the second-in-charge¡¯s burly body crashed to the ground like a mountain collapsing. The moment the dust dissipated, the bandits behind the second-in-charge took a step back in fear. In the blink of an eye, they all saw how Chu Tianbao had attacked. The second-in-charge died just like that. Wouldn¡¯t killing them be even easier than killing chickens! When the third-in-charge saw the corpse of the second-in-charge and met Chu Tianbao¡¯s dark gaze, he finally understood why the first-in-charge had brought so many people to the Zhao farmyard and yet to return. They had encountered an expert among experts. Such a person was not someone they could afford to offend. The third-in-charge reacted and immediately said, ¡°Run, run as far as you can!¡± Before he could put his thoughts into action, he froze in his tracks. The bandits behind him took a step back in even greater horror. Chu Tianbao pulled out the sword that had pierced through his body. The third-in-charge¡¯s face twitched ferociously twice before he fell down with a thud without any more breathing. Chu Tianbao glanced at the corpse on the ground with a cold expression, like a killer from hell. The children in the village cried at the sight. The mothers hurriedly covered their eyes and swore in their hearts that they would no longer secretly talk about how ugly Bai Wutong was. The bandits turned into frightened birds and beasts and fled in all directions. Before Zhao Pengfei could even move his knife, the danger to the troops had been resolved. Village Chief Zhao was even more convinced that they had to follow Bai Wutong and the others closely. As long as they followed closely, they would definitely be safe. For this, he reminded Madam Yang and the other women to act more smartly and make sure to coax Bai Wutong well. Bai Wutong stretched out her hand to Chu Tianbao. Chu Tianbao immediately took the handkerchief and carefully wiped the sword that had just killed two people before returning to the mule cart. Bai Wutong glanced at his well-defined hand. Chu Tianbao extended his hand and said happily, ¡°It¡¯s not stained at all. I¡¯m still a clean Tianbao.¡± Bai Wutong looked away and chuckled. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re still a clean Tianbao.¡± Chu Tianbao chuckled and sat back beside Bai Wutong. He straightened his back and patted his shoulder. ¡°Lean on me, wife, and sleep.¡± Lin Yue glanced back, wishing he could cover his ears. They were too disgustingly loving! When he married in the future, he must not be like Chu Tianbao. Bai Wutong should have corrected him for stacking words in his speech. But she was probably tired. She looked at him a few times and leaned her head against him again. She was very close and hearing the pounding of his heart made her feel reassured. When Bai Wutong closed her eyes, she actually thought of her grandparents. Her parents had died in a car accident when she was young. The person who had killed them had paid a lot of money and obtained the forgiveness of her grandparents. In the end, they were released after only a few years of jailtime. When she was in her adolescence, she had unintentionally learned this news from her relatives. She had even blamed her grandparents for forgiving them. Later, when her grandmother became terminally ill and refused to use the compensation amount. Only then did Bai Wutong understand that they were doing this for her. After losing their son and daughter-in-law, they would definitely suffer no less than her when she was young. Later, when her grandmother passed away, her grandfather followed her not long after. She became alone. She had met many companions during the apocalypse. But in the end, she was the only one left. Little Stinky in her arms moved. Bai Wutong adjusted him into a comfortable position and glanced at the obedient Chu Tianbao. She wondered how long they would last this time. The rain fell again. The weather in the Yan Kingdom was really strange. It would not rain when it should and kept raining when it shouldn¡¯t. The mule cart travelled for a long time. The rain was getting heavier. The refugees on the road were drenched. Those who were not wearing much were shivering in the rain. Some simply collapsed in the water, starving, unable to get up again. Before the villagers left, they brought all their luggage. Excluding the adults, even children could wear straw raincoats or bamboo hats. ¡°Rumble¡ª¡± Lightning flashed. Dark clouds rolled in. A downpour came crashing down. Bai Wutong and the others had no choice but to take shelter under the trees for the time being. When the rain stopped, they continued on their way. They encountered a huge group of people fleeing in the opposite direction of Ling Kingdom. Bai Wutong took a closer look. Not only were there a few super luxurious carriages, but there were also a large number of attendants and troops accompanying them to protect a large amount of food and supplies. More importantly, they were actually royal guards! The people in the carriage were definitely from the royal family. Bai Wutong asked Lin Yue, ¡°Do you know who¡¯s sitting in the carriage?¡± He was someone who had worked for the richest man, so he should know. Lin Yue took a closer look and frowned. He looked hesitant and puzzled. ¡°It must be Duke Ping, the younger brother of the current emperor.¡± Seeing that he was still confused, Bai Wutong asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with them?¡± Lin Yue said, ¡°There are three types of royal guards of honor ¨C grand, legal, and small. Other than the emperor, the other members of the imperial family can only have the legal and small guards accompanying them. The scale in front of us is the grand guards.¡± If one crossed the line, one would be suspected of rebellion. Chapter 24 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Bai Wutong thought for a moment. ¡°It should be a special privilege. The blood brothers of the same mother might be close.¡± Lin Yue looked at the huge private army and felt that Bai Wutong might be right. After all, they were brothers. It was not a big deal to allow the guards of honor to be larger in scale. Moreover, the Yan Kingdom was in a difficult situation. This team should be bringing people to help the Imperial City by transporting so much food and supplies. After the storm, the road was muddy. The other party¡¯s carriage was too heavy and was completely stuck in the road. As soon as they stopped, the entire team blocked the road. Suddenly, a domineering voice came from the carriage. ¡°A bunch of trash! You can¡¯t even move a carriage!¡± The servant reported fearfully, ¡°Princess Qingping, Commander Luo said that it¡¯s not that he can¡¯t push it, but he¡¯s afraid of disturbing Consort Ping and you. He also said that if it¡¯s convenient, please get out of the carriage first. This way, we can lift the carriage and can continue on our way.¡± Qingping¡¯s reprimand immediately came from the wide carriage. ¡°Tell him to get lost! This place is so dirty and surrounded by a group of lowly commoners. I won¡¯t get down.¡± The fact that Consort Ping did not speak or reprimand Qingping meant that she did not want to get out of the car either. The servant had no choice but to tell Commander Luo their exact words. Commander Luo frowned and could only say to his subordinates, ¡°Lift the carriage first and push it forward. Be steady and don¡¯t scare Consort Ping and Princess Qingping.¡± The soldiers lowered their weapons and stepped into the mud to lift the wagon. However, there were too many things in this luxurious carriage driven by four horses. There were five people on it, including the attendants, Consort Ping and Princess Qingping. Moreover, the carriage was made of agarwood and was even heavier. As soon as the soldiers raised it, their feet slipped and the carriage shook violently. The expensive steamer on the tea table, along with the tea mat, fell to the carriage floor and shattered into pieces. Princess Qingping and Consort Ping were frightened. In the next second, the carriage shook and they were flung from one end of the carriage to the other. In unison, Princess Qingping and the Consort hit the solid wall of the carriage. They screamed, but their cries were drowned out by the soldiers¡¯ voice. Their heads hurt, and they felt dizzy. They even felt like vomiting. If they continued, her image and that of Consort Ping would be completely ruined. Princess Qingping shouted angrily at Commander Luo outside, ¡°Dogs, how did you lift the carriage! Stop quickly!¡± A few more jolts and she would really throw up. The thought of those filth made her want to whip the servants outside. Commander Luo was busy directing the carriage. Seeing that it was about to be lifted, he did not respond to Princess Qingping in time. A good white jade bracelet was suddenly thrown out of the window and landed heavily on Commander Luo¡¯s head. Instantly, blood poured from his forehead. The soldiers thought there was an assassin and drew their swords. The carriage that had just been lifted suddenly fell down again. This time, Princess Qingping rolled onto the carriage floor and twisted into a ball. The attendant, who had lost her balance, was still on top of them both. When the servant reacted, she was sitting on Princess Qingping¡¯s face. Her face instantly turned pale as she hurriedly helped Consort Ping and Princess Qingping up. Princess Qingping held her head and thought of her sorry state just now. She slapped the attendant hard. The attendant¡¯s cheek swelled rapidly. The pain was scorching. She knelt down without a word and said in fear and trepidation, ¡°Princess, please calm down.¡± Princess Qingping felt as if her nose had been flattened and stepped on the servant fiercely. ¡°Someone, drag her out and punish her with 50 strokes of the cane.¡± The attendant begged bitterly, and Princess Qingping sneered. ¡°Add another 20!¡± The attendant was completely desperate. She certainly wouldn¡¯t survive 70 strokes. The moment she was pulled out of the car, she thought that instead of being beaten to death, she might as well kill herself. The attendant aimed at a soldier¡¯s saber and pulled it out with a whoosh. She threw it at her neck and fell straight onto the carriage. Blood splattered all over the carriage. When Princess Qingping heard the commotion, she pulled open the curtain and felt warm blood. Her gaze landed on the body that had been dragged down and she was instantly furious. Before Commander Luo could deal with the big wound on his head, he was accused of failing to protecting his Masters and was scolded by Princess Qingping and the Consort. If that servant had not committed suicide and had entered with a knife, they would have died just now. The more they thought about it, the more terrified they became. Especially since this carriage had a dead person in it made them feel even more disgusted. Princess Qingping got out of the carriage and asked the servants to arrange another carriage as soon as possible. The servants brought over good cashmere carpets and the maidservants tidied up their appearances. Only then did Princess Qingping get out of the carriage carefully with the help of the maidservants. As soon as she got out of the carriage, Bai Wutong saw how dazzling Princess Qingping was. With every step there was a carpet laid down. Those who didn¡¯t know better would think that she was on a catwalk. Bai Wutong asked Lin Yue, ¡°Are they Duke Ping¡¯s concubines?¡± Since they dared to dress so extravagantly in front of all the starving refugees, Duke Ping should not be anything good either. Lin Yue guessed, ¡°It should be Consort Ping and Princess Qingping.¡± ¡°Princess Qingping?¡± Bai Wutong found this title a little funny. She did not look poor at all. Lin Yue glanced at the other party and lowered his voice. ¡°It¡¯s rumored that the emperor feels that Duke Ping is even more extravagant than him, so he specially gave Princess Qingping the title to restrain him.¡± The corners of Bai Wutong¡¯s mouth twitched. He was not even a good person, yet he still asked others to restrain themselves. If this was the result after he restrained himself, how extravagant would he have been before? It could be seen how corrupt the Yan Kingdom¡¯s royal family was. Bai Wutong stared at their carriage and suddenly thought of another question. Since the emperor could not even tolerate his younger brother being more extravagant than him, how could he possibly allow Duke Ping to use the grand imperial carriage that only the emperor could use? Bai Wutong¡¯s gaze landed on the head of a slightly older and charming woman. She asked Lin Yue, ¡°Can all the relatives of the Yan Kingdom wear a phoenix crown?¡± What Bai Wutong asked was a question of common sense. Lin Yue immediately said, ¡°No, only women with a class in the harem can wear it.¡± Bai Wutong was surprised. She stared at the woman¡¯s gorgeous phoenix crown and fell into deep thought. Could it be that the woman the emperor asked Duke Ping to take care of¡­ How was this possible? Did Duke Ping also want to take the opportunity to rebel? Bai Wutong felt that it couldn¡¯t be. Was she overthinking? It couldn¡¯t be. After all, they were biological brothers. It was also possible that it was a special honor for Consort Ping, but this was completely inconsistent with the emperor¡¯s style of doing things. Bai Wutong was about to secretly ask Lin Yue if it was possible for Duke Ping to rebel when Princess Qingping noticed them. When she saw Bai Wutong and the others sitting safely on the mule cart and not immediately kneeling down to salute, Princess Qingping¡¯s face instantly darkened. How dare a group of lowly commoners ignore her. Chapter 25 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Princess Qingping asked someone to call Commander Luo over and said to him, ¡°These lowly commoners are looking down on the emperor and are disrespectful to me and my mother. Bring people to punish them with whips now!¡± She looked at Bai Wutong and the others¡¯ mule cart again and lowered her eyes. ¡°Burn all those things on that cart. Whoever dares to resist will be treated as rebels.¡± In any case, those who wanted to escape to the Ling Kingdom were all traitors. Her father would definitely praise her for having the demeanor of a princess. At this time, it was really inappropriate for Princess Qingping to treat the commoners like this as it might arouse the anger of the people. Commander Luo hesitated and said, ¡°Princess, we are about to set off. It will take a lot of time to deal with them. We might not be able to reach the rest station before dark. Please reconsider.¡± Princess Qingping had been pampered by Consort Ping and Duke Ping since she was young. Other than the moon in the sky, she had everything she wanted. She especially hated it when others disobeyed her orders. Her face darkened, and she said slowly and gloomily, ¡°Commander Luo doesn¡¯t want to be the commander. He wants to be with these lowly people. I¡¯ll fulfill your wish now.¡± ¡°Oh, those people in your family are also going to become lowly pariahs with you.¡± When Commander Luo thought of his wife and children, his face instantly turned pale. He knelt down and kowtowed. ¡°Princess, no! I¡¯ll go now.¡± Princess Qingping¡¯s lips curled up, but the smile did not reach her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s too late.¡± She was best at catching someone¡¯s weakness and torturing them. How dare a mere servant disobey her? He was simply courting death. She looked at a man beside Commander Luo and said coldly, ¡°Deputy Commander He, Commander Luo is already a commoner now. You know what to do with my orders, right?¡± Deputy Commander He looked at the pale Commander Luo and knelt down. He smiled and said, ¡°I accept the order! I¡¯ll make these lowly commoners kneel and beg for mercy now!¡± Deputy Commander He knew that if he did not satisfy Princess Qingping, she would definitely not let the matter rest. He immediately led a few teams of soldiers towards the refugees. Their carriage had been stuck here for a while. There were already many refugees on the road, and now there were even more. The soldiers aimed their whips at the helpless refugees for no reason. Suddenly, the Zhao farmyard villagers at the outermost area were hit by the whip. Their bodies were immediately covered in bloody red marks. ¡°Sir, spare me!¡± They had no idea why they had been beaten up for no reason. The refugees all fled in panic. The children clung to their parents and wailed helplessly. When Princess Qingping saw the refugees kneeling and begging for mercy, the corners of her lips curled up in joy. They were just a bunch of lowlifes. They deserved to die. The soldier ignored their miserable pleas and waved his whip fiercely in the crowd. He shouted at Bai Wutong and the others on the carriage, ¡°Get down! Hurry up and kowtow to our Princess Qingping.¡± Stinky was sleeping soundly when he was woken by a loud roar. He immediately started crying. Village Chief Zhao immediately shouted at the villagers, ¡°Protect Madam Bai and the young master and let the women and children hide inside.¡± No matter how powerful Chu Tianbao was, in Village Chief Zhao¡¯s opinion, they did not dare to face the royal family. Chu Tianbao had saved the entire village. The villagers of the Zhao farmyard hurriedly surrounded the mule cart. The women and children of the Zhao farmyard hid around the mule cart in panic, not knowing why these nobles were treating them like this. The villagers at the periphery were beaten up by the soldiers¡¯ whips. Bai Wutong lowered her eyes and stopped Chu Tianbao, who was about to draw his sword. The other party was not a mob but a group of trained soldiers. There were probably experts hidden among them. If Chu Tianbao attacked rashly and they escaped, none of the villagers behind them would be able to escape. Just as she was thinking of an idea, Princess Qingping noticed that Bai Wutong¡¯s mule cart was protected by the villagers. She immediately smiled sinisterly. A mere commoner actually dared to disobey her orders! Were they intending to rebel!? Princess Qingping immediately instructed someone to capture the person on the mule cart. Consort Ping glanced at the sky and advised, ¡°Qingping, stop fooling around. If we¡¯re any later, we won¡¯t be able to reach the rest station.¡± Princess Qingping pouted. ¡°It¡¯s just for a while. It¡¯ll be done soon. I¡¯ve already made them kneel, but they still refuse to get out of the car. They clearly don¡¯t take us seriously. If we don¡¯t teach such people a lesson, they will definitely have the guts of a bear and a leopard!¡± Consort Ping glanced at the mule cart and felt that her daughter¡¯s words made sense. She compromised. ¡°Then hurry up. Don¡¯t delay anymore. Your father is already waiting for us in the Imperial City.¡± A group of lowly commoners was not worth her precious daughter¡¯s anger. A soldier muttered something in Deputy Commander He¡¯s ear and he immediately led his men to capture the people on the cart. The villagers blocked their way and refused to let them approach. No matter how hard the whip lashed at them, they refused to move. Bai Wutong looked at the injured villagers and clenched her fists. She said to Chu Tianbao, ¡°Let¡¯s get out of the cart first.¡± They refused to move away. Deputy Commander He pulled out his sword and pointed it at the villagers. ¡°Those who block me will die!¡± Village Chief Zhao looked back at the terrified villagers and then at the miserable refugees. He risked his old bones and shouted as if he was facing death, ¡°Are the commoners not humans? How could they be allowed to be trampled on by you! You¡¯re simply scum! Even if I have to risk my life today, I will definitely not let you hurt anyone in our Zhao farmyard!¡± Village Chief Zhao had been in the town when he was young and had even been a bailiff for more than ten years. He knew that if the matter blew up, officials would often choose to settle the matter peacefully. There were so many refugees here. If they had any considerations, they might not have attacked them. However, how could Deputy Commander He take them seriously? They believed the group would be obedient after killing a few refugees. ¡°How dare you disobey Princess Qingping¡¯s orders!¡± Deputy Commander He was not relenting at all. ¡°Take them down!¡± How could Zhao Pengfei let Deputy Commander He touch his father? If there was no way out of this world, he might as well force his way out! Even if they fought to their deaths, there would always be a few who escaped. The moment Deputy Commander He attacked, Zhao Pengfei suddenly hugged his waist. Deputy Commander He was shocked and stabbed Zhao Pengfei¡¯s waist. A stone hit the sword with the power to split the world. With a bang, the iron sword flew out and accurately cut the throats of a few soldiers. At the same time, Deputy Commander He was also lifted up by Zhao Pengfei and smashed into the ground. With a bang, Deputy Commander He¡¯s internal organs were ruptured from the fall. He spat out a mouthful of blood and pointed at Zhao Pengfei as he trembled. ¡°This is a rebellion! It¡¯s a great crime that will lead to annihilation of nine generations! None of you will escape today!¡± Village Chief Zhao¡¯s eyes darkened and he gritted his teeth. He was going to die anyway! He waved his arm at the tens of thousands of refugees and said bluntly, ¡°Fellow villagers, if they don¡¯t treat us as humans, we¡¯ll fight them to the death! If we snatch their food, everyone can live!¡± Chapter 26 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Charge! Brothers, let¡¯s go first!¡± Zhao Pengfei was the first to respond to his father¡¯s call. The young men from Zhao farmyard took out their weapons and rushed towards the soldiers. They had been fighting bandits for a long time and had developed some martial arts skills. They swarmed forward and killed several soldiers before they could react. Seeing that the young men from Zhao farmyard were so brave and fearless, the refugees¡¯ eyes lit up and they no longer cowered. Since one person could not kill a small soldier, they would attack together. As long as they killed these beasts and obtained those rations, they would be able to live. All of a sudden, the situation changed from a one-sided suppression to a situation where the refugees were launching mass attacks at the soldiers. When Princess Qingping and the Consort saw this, their eyes widened in disbelief. The refugees actually dared to resist! Who gave them the guts! Soon, Deputy Commander He¡¯s troops were drowned in the crowd of refugees. Consort Ping said in panic, ¡°They¡¯re rebelling! What are you waiting for? Go and kill all these lowly commoners!¡± Deputy Commander He had already been killed. The soldiers were stunned for a moment before charging forward. The battle scene was abnormally terrifying. Princess Qingping held her mother¡¯s hand in fear and asked nervously, ¡°They can definitely kill these refugees, right?¡± Consort Ping¡¯s lips trembled. She forced herself to calm down and said, ¡°We have so many soldiers. They¡¯re all unarmed refugees. Nothing can happen to us.¡± Princess Qingping was still a little afraid. She said to Consort Ping, ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the carriage now!¡± Then she suddenly thought of something and said to her servant, ¡°Hurry up and call Commander Luo over to protect us. Tell him that he has been reinstated to his original position!¡± The servant hurriedly ran over and said to Commander Luo, who had been stripped of his military title, ¡°Commander Luo, Princess Qingping said that you have been reinstated to your original position and asked you to protect them immediately.¡± Commander Luo looked at the battle on the other side and did not move for a long time. Suddenly, he sneered. ¡°Go tell your Princess Qingping that I¡¯m already a lowly commoner!¡± He finally understood that if he followed such a Master, even if Duke Ping would become the emperor, he would be the one to destroy the country. The servant was shocked. ¡°Commander Luo, don¡¯t let your emotions affect your decisions. If you succeed in protecting the royal family, once you enter the Imperial City, you¡¯ll be a top-notch hero. Master will definitely think highly of you.¡± Commander Luo steeled himself. ¡°Think highly of me? It¡¯s lucky if they don¡¯t treat me like a dog!¡± He picked up his sword and walked straight out of the group. He would rush back to Liyang now and bring all his family members to Ling Kingdom! His former brothers looked around and met Commander Luo¡¯s sharp gaze. No one dared to stop him. The servant also did not dare to do so and hurriedly ran back to report. Princess Qingping widened her eyes and said angrily, ¡°How dare he disobey my orders!¡± The servant trembled and did not even dare to breathe loudly, especially when she heard the world-shattering battle outside. Her heart was about to jump out. ¡°I want Father to annihilate all nine generations of his family!¡± Princess Qingping gritted her teeth as the fear in her heart grew. She lifted the curtain and looked out. Seeing the chaos, she began to regret it. If she had known, she would have set off earlier. She would definitely not reach the rest station that night. When Bai Wutong saw more soldiers surging towards the refugees, she felt even more uneasy. Most of the people here were unarmed refugees, and many of them were women and children. However, the other party had thousands of elite soldiers. If they were to go all out, these refugees would definitely be killed in no time. It was impossible for the villagers of Zhao¡¯s farmyard to escape. Zhao Pengfei and his men protected the mule cart. Everyone looked like they were ready to die. Madam Yang was afraid but she even comforted her. ¡°The God will definitely protect those who are meant to be, it will definitely be fine.¡± No matter what Village Chief Zhao¡¯s initial goal was, it was still impressive that they were willing to step forward at a critical moment. Even though she knew that this was not the best choice for her, Bai Wutong still lowered her eyes and reached into the space to feel for a Power Bomb. In any case, the Yan Kingdom would be destroyed sooner or later. If she helped Ling Kingdom destroy a few nobles, she should be able to receive a reward after she reached! Seeing that the soldiers were getting closer and closer, Lin Yue hugged Stinky and said anxiously, ¡°Madam Bai, shall we leave now?¡± Bai Wutong calculated the distance. ¡°Wait a little longer.¡± She seemed to have made her calculations in her mind. Lin Yue thought to himself, ¡®What are we waiting for? If we don¡¯t break out now, it will be even harder to fight later.¡¯ His rational mind told him to carry the Young Master and leave quickly. Seeing Chu Tianbao guarding Bai Wutong, he did not move for a long time. Just as the battle between the two sides was about to start, Bai Wutong was about to throw the Power Bomb. Suddenly someone shouted. ¡°Put out the fire! Quickly put out the fire! The rations are on fire!¡± When Consort Ping heard the anxious cries, she leaned out of the window to look and saw a group of masked black-clothed people killing as they quickly approached their carriage. Consort Ping¡¯s expression suddenly changed, and she hurriedly shouted, ¡°Assassins! Protect the carriage! Protect the carriage! Quickly call everyone back to protect the carriage!¡± Upon hearing the word ¡®assassin¡¯, Princess Qingping, who had been arrogant and domineering just a moment ago, immediately turned into a trembling little sheep. The food cart suddenly caught fire. The elite soldiers suddenly stopped in their tracks and hurriedly changed directions to save it. Bai Wutong stood on the mule cart and looked out. She saw a group of black-clothed people appear out of nowhere and kill the subordinates brought by Consort Ping as though they were cutting melons. By the time the elite soldiers rushed back, Consort Ping and Princess Qingping had already been knocked unconscious and carried on their shoulders to retreat. The moment the soldiers rushed forward, there were a few shocking explosions. Everyone was so frightened that they hugged their heads and squatted on the ground. Bai Wutong was used to such powerful artillery. She watched as all the food carts that Duke Ping wanted to transport to the Imperial City being blown up one after another. Countless soldiers were killed or injured, and the remaining people chased after the people who had kidnapped Consort Ping and Princess Qingping. When everyone reacted from the shock and carefully looked up. The group that had been so domineering and unrelenting had already collapsed. The bodies of the soldiers were everywhere. Some of them had been blown into mud, some were struggling to survive, and some kept crying out. The surviving attendants could not catch up to the soldiers at all, nor could they fight against such a large group of refugees. They subconsciously ran, feeling the wind under their feet. They wished they could grow a pair of wings. The refugees recovered from their shock, followed by ecstasy. Although all the food carts had been blown up, the food that had been blown up still tasted better than mud. If they first snatched it, they might be able to find a few royal treasures. The refugees rushed over and frantically searched for the food and horse meat that had been burnt on the ground. Some of them even packed them up into their bags while eating. Village Chief Zhao, on the other hand, requested that the villagers take half a step away to prevent anyone from finding an opportunity to rob them in the chaos. When Bai Wutong saw that the crisis was over, she heaved a sigh of relief. After all, her Power Bomb was even stronger than the combined power of the ancient cannons. With one drop, the entire army would be wiped out. If someone investigated it, it would be troublesome. Chapter 27 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Bai Wutong turned to look at Stinky and saw Lin Yue looking at her strangely. Bai Wutong asked curiously, ¡°Why are you looking at me like this?¡± Chu Tianbao immediately glared at him fiercely. ¡°Why are you looking at my wife?¡± Lin Yue lowered his voice emotionally and asked, ¡°Did Madam Bai expect this long ago, so she didn¡¯t leave?¡± He looked at Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao as if he was looking at an unworldly expert, filled with extraordinary reverence. Bai Wutong was stunned for a moment before she smiled playfully. ¡°Would you believe me if I said yes?¡± Lin Yue¡¯s eyes widened. In his opinion, Bai Wutong was indirectly admitting it. A bold idea even appeared in his mind. Chu Tianbao¡¯s martial arts were unprecedented. Bai Wutong also had an extraordinary disguise technique. Her skills were not bad, and the chicken she roasted was also very delicious. She was definitely a mysterious expert who had foreseen things and came out to save their Young Master from danger. If Bai Wutong knew what he was thinking, she would definitely give him three words: King of Imagination. Lin Yue¡¯s eyes lit up and he asked shyly in a low voice, ¡°Then can Madam Bai help me do a reading on my marriage?¡± Bai Wutong was stunned. Then, she chuckled. He actually believed her and even wanted her to tell him about his marriage. What a simple-minded person. Lin Yue blushed and asked awkwardly, ¡°Can¡¯t I?¡± Bai Wutong was laughing so hard in her heart that her stomach was about to burst. It didn¡¯t seem like he couldn¡¯t find a wife, yet actually wanted to know his marriage fortune. She put on a straight face and casually said, ¡°It¡¯s far away and right in front of you.¡± Lin Yue was stunned. He looked around and repeated, ¡°Where is it?¡± Bai Wutong said mysteriously, ¡°The heavenly secrets can¡¯t be revealed. It¡¯s very harmful to one¡¯s cultivation.¡± Lin Yue quickly nodded with an expression that indicated that he won¡¯t ask further. Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore and she burst into laughter. Lin Yue¡¯s face stiffened as he realized that he had been tricked. It was even him who took the initiative to get played. Seeing his embarrassed expression, Bai Wutong comforted him kindly, ¡°It¡¯s human nature to want to get married. I understand, everyone understands.¡± She pinched Chu Tianbao¡¯s face. ¡°Right, Tianbao?¡± Chu Tianbao subconsciously echoed Bai Wutong¡¯s words and said loudly, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s human nature to want to get married. I understand, everyone understands.¡± When Madam Yang heard this, she suddenly turned around and said excitedly, ¡°Who wants to get married? Mister Lin? What kind of girl do you like?¡± She was just short of saying that she was going to be his matchmaker. When Bai Wutong saw Lin Yue¡¯s expression that looked like he wanted to hide in a hole, she restrained her laughter and said to the expectant Madam Yang, ¡°He has his own fate. There¡¯s no need to trouble Auntie.¡± Madam Yang thought that Bai Wutong was saying that Lin Yue was already engaged and even felt pity for her niece. There were a lot of refugees. After a round of crazy looting, the road was cleared. Bai Wutong and the others continued on their way. Not long after, they found a hidden place to stop and rest. Previously, many villagers were injured and needed to treat their wounds. They also needed to eat something to recover their strength. Bai Wutong used a small pot to cook porridge. There were vegetables in the basket given by the villagers. She took another cucumber and handed it to Chu Tianbao and Lin Yue. Stinky was in her arms and saw the cucumber in her hand. He kept patting her arm with his little hand and even spitted saliva while making cute sounds. ¡°Ah Pu ~ Ah Pu ~¡± Chu Tianbao translated. ¡°Stinky said he wanted to eat it.¡± A six-month-old baby could eat a lot of vegetables and fruits. When Bai Wutong placed the cucumber near his mouth, Stinky immediately opened his mouth and placed it into his mouth. He was in the process of teething. The gums felt uncomfortable and he needed something to grind his teeth to feel better. He hugged the cucumber and drooled as he chewed on it. After chewing for a long time, he still did not bite off anything. Chu Tianbao raised his remaining mouthful of cucumber and said happily, ¡°I¡¯m going to finish it. You¡¯re so stupid.¡± Stinky seemed to understand. He puffed out his chubby cheeks and kept slapping his hand to express his dissatisfaction. ¡°Ah pu ~ Ah pu ~¡± He spat out saliva while making a cute babyish sound and a strong expression of dissatisfaction. Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t help but rub his fair and tender face. She carried the child to Chu Tianbao and prepared to make some supplementary food for Stinky with potatoes and sweet potatoes. At this moment, Madam Yang came over with the big yellow dog in her arms. She smiled at Bai Wutong and said, ¡°I think Little Master is about to drink milk. Shall I squeeze some for you now?¡± In order to let Stinky drink milk at any time, Madam Yang had really put in a lot of effort. The big yellow dog ate more than anyone else, as though she was afraid that it would not have sufficient milk. After what had just happened, Bai Wutong¡¯s attitude towards them had softened a lot. Although Madam Yang¡¯s excessive enthusiasm made her a little uncomfortable, Bai Wutong still smiled. ¡°Mhm, thank you, Auntie.¡± ¡°Sure thing.¡± When Madam Yang was milking the dog, Bai Wutong went to her bag and took out several bottles of top-quality medicine. She placed them in front of Madam Yang and said, ¡°These are some external medicine. Auntie, take them and give them to the villagers.¡± Madam Yang hurriedly put down the bowl and hugged the medicine excitedly. ¡°Thank you, thank you, thank you, Madam Bai!¡± One look at the medicine bottle and she could tell that it was a very expensive medicine. However, the villagers indeed lacked medicine, so she could not help but accept it. Her simple face was filled with gratitude, reminding Bai Wutong of her neighbor when she was young. She would always be excited when her grandmother sent food to their family. Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°You¡¯re welcome. You¡¯ve also protected us.¡± She glanced at Village Chief Zhao, who was treating the injured Zhao Pengfei. ¡°Village Chief Zhao is very admirable.¡± In ancient times, when imperial power was supreme, it had taken great courage for him to say those words to Deputy Commander He and for tens of thousands of refugees to resist the soldiers together. When Madam Yang heard Bai Wutong praise the old man, she immediately revealed a proud expression. She pretended to be humble and said, ¡°He¡¯s just a boor. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that he was lucky today and those two nobles were captured, I wonder how many people in our Zhao farmyard would have survived.¡± She looked at Bai Wutong again and took the opportunity to curry favor with her. ¡°We¡¯re really lucky that it didn¡¯t implicate Madam Bai.¡± Bai Wutong said, ¡°Village Chief Zhao¡¯s courage is still admirable.¡± Madam Yang felt like she was being praised. She straightened her back and could not help but probe, ¡°Then, Madam Bai, do you want to come with us in the future? We can still take care of each other.¡± Bai Wutong looked at the injured villagers and knew what Madam Yang was worried about. She smiled and said, ¡°Alright.¡± This smile was like the spring sun shining into Madam Yang¡¯s heart, making her feel warm all over. She seemed to feel that there was something different about Bai Wutong. But she clearly looked like the same person. Bai Wutong boiled the fresh dog milk that Madam Yang had squeezed and placed some boiled potatoes and sweet potatoes into it. She mashed them into glutinous paste and prepared to feed it to Stinky. Turning around, she saw Chu Tianbao picking up the tomatoes in the basket to tease Stinky. ¡°If you catch it, I¡¯ll let you eat it.¡± He raised his hand so high that Stinky couldn¡¯t reach it at all and could only howl. If he was really angry, he would spit saliva on Chu Tianbao¡¯s face. Chu Tianbao was even worse. He took a bite of the tomato and smiled evilly. ¡°I won¡¯t let you eat it.¡± At the side, Lin Yue had an expression that said he wanted to do something but couldn¡¯t control them. Chapter 28 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Bai Wutong sighed in her heart and picked up Stinky, who was about to climb up Chu Tianbao¡¯s arm to bite the tomato. Stinky wasn¡¯t happy. He flung his meaty limbs around. Bai Wutong placed the bowl in front of him. He immediately opened his mouth wide and waited for Bai Wutong to feed him. His adorable look as a foodie almost melted people¡¯s hearts. Bai Wutong could not help but kiss his big fleshy face. Chu Tianbao glanced at them and bit into the tomato. How sour. It made him lose his appetite. As Bai Wutong fed Stinky, she asked Lin Yue, ¡°Why did those people kidnap Consort Ping and Princess Qingping?¡± Lin Yue thought for a moment and said, ¡°It should be Duke Chu¡¯s people.¡± ¡°Duke Chu?¡± Bai Wutong subconsciously looked at Chu Tianbao, who had finished eating the tomatoes and asked with a frown, ¡°How old is Duke Chu?¡± Lin Yue didn¡¯t know why the topic had changed so quickly, but he still said, ¡°Duke Chu seems to be in his forties this year.¡± ¡°Uh, how many sons does he have?¡± She actually wanted to ask if there was anyone called Chu Tianbao. Lin Yue replied in confusion, ¡°It¡¯s difficult to have a son in the Chu royal family. There¡¯s only one legitimate son named Chu Mingji. I heard that he¡¯s weak since he was young. The Chu royal consort has been watching him like he¡¯s an eyeball.¡± ¡°How old is he?¡± Bai Wutong continued asking. ¡°He¡¯s not yet crowned.¡± His body was weak and he had yet to be crowned, which meant that he was still underage. Chu Tianbao¡¯s strong body and age did not match. Bai Wutong immediately heaved a sigh of relief. There were so many people with the same surname in the world. It was normal for it to be a coincidence. Bai Wutong finally returned to the main topic. ¡°It¡¯s understandable that Duke Chu is burning the rations. But why did he kidnap Duke Ping¡¯s consort and daughter? It¡¯s not like he can threaten the current emperor with it.¡± At most, if someone died, he would be rewarded with an impressive grade and additional burial items. Lin Yue thought for a moment. ¡°Perhaps he wants to cause a rift between Duke Ping and the emperor. If the emperor doesn¡¯t save Consort Ping and Princess Qingping, Duke Ping won¡¯t be satisfied even if he doesn¡¯t say anything on the surface.¡± Bai Wutong thought for a moment and voiced her guess. ¡°Could it be that Duke Ping also wants to rebel? Duke Chu found out about it so he had kidnapped them in advance?¡± Lin Yue suddenly looked at Bai Wutong. Thinking about the extraordinary scale of protection just now, he felt that it made sense. After a long moment, he said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, Duke Ping might very well be staging a coup in the Imperial City right now.¡± When they left the capital, Duke Ping would already be in the capital. Bai Wutong asked, ¡°Is this Duke Ping very powerful? Where is the land he is governing?¡± Lin Yue only understood it later. ¡°Duke Ping is as mediocre as his title suggests. However, my master said that Duke Ping might be pretending to be weak. Although he lives extravagantly, he has a much better reputation among the people than the emperor.¡± ¡°And his fief is in Xunyang. It¡¯s a place with fertile land and is quite far from the Imperial City. Like Duke Chu, he probably has a huge personal army. Xunyang is connected to Fengming City and is isolated by Fengming Mountain. No matter how strong Duke Chu¡¯s troops are, it will take some effort to take down Duke Ping¡¯s fief.¡± He thought for a moment and said, ¡°But as long as we take down Fengming City, it will be very easy to enter Xunyang City through Jiangyuan City.¡± Bai Wutong glanced at him. ¡°Did your master tell you all this?¡± Lin Yue did not seem to know anything about military matters. Lin Yue nodded. Thinking of Sheng Huaixuan, his face was filled with admiration. ¡°Our master is really very powerful.¡± He was just short of putting Sheng Huaixuan on his face. Bai Wutong nodded. This richest man she had never met was indeed capable. If Duke Ping had already become the emperor, he would definitely send troops to strengthen the defense of Beiyun City, Jiangyuan City, and Fengming City. Bai Wutong frowned tightly. ¡°We¡¯ve rested tonight. We have to hurry. It¡¯s very likely that the road will be blocked.¡± Lin Yue also thought the same. He had to meet his master at the Beiyun City as soon as possible. At the crack of dawn the next day, Bai Wutong and the others continued their journey. Apart from the constant rain, the journey was relatively smooth. At midnight on the third day since they set off from Zhao farmyard, they finally saw the flames on the city wall of Beiyun City. At this moment, it was already dark. Everyone had lit torches, so they could not see how many refugees were outside the moat. They felt that if they took a few more steps forward, their feet would not be able to touch the ground. The refugees¡¯ pitch-black eyes shone in the night like ferocious wolves lurking in the dark. Village Chief Zhao frowned and instructed Zhao Pengfei, ¡°Make more arrangements for the people on duty tonight.¡± Their team consisted of mule carts, ox carts, donkey carts, and so many other things. It was attracting too much attention. ¡°Okay, Dad.¡± Lin Yue handed Stinky to Bai Wutong and immediately went to find the spies in the Beiyun City to find out some information. Before long, he returned with two tall men. From his expression, Bai Wutong knew that he had not obtained information about his master¡¯s whereabouts. Lin Yue said to Bai Wutong, ¡°Madam Bai, it¡¯s dawn. Let¡¯s enter the city. We have a place to stay in Beiyun City. Our master might have left a message. If not, we¡¯ll bring Little Young Master and prepare something to go with you.¡± Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Along the way, she had also realized that there were some advantages to having more people. At least, there were basically no more scattered refugees who wanted to attack them. They also traveled much faster. With the villagers taking turns to be on night duty, they were not as tired as before. It was time for Stinky to drink milk again. Madam Yang carried the yellow dog over to milk it. After she was done, she handed it to Lin Yue. Lin Yue was already very familiar with the villagers. He smiled and said, ¡°Thank you, Auntie.¡± He had just poured the milk into a small pot to cook when a group of people in the dark revealed themselves. The man in the lead only had four fingers. Everyone called him Fourth Master and he was a hooligan in the city. He specially gathered his subordinates outside the Beiyun City to find a rich target. As soon as the team led by Bai Wutong arrived, he knew that they were rich targets. Not only were they rich on average, but they also brought so many living birds and things. He had already decided on the yellow dog and had arranged for dog meat hotpot that night. Using the light of the fire, Bai Wutong looked over. There were about 70 to 80 people in this group. All of them were holding sharp weapons and had fierce gazes. It was obvious that they were used to doing this. No wonder they dared to attack them. Bai Wutong shook her head. ¡°A bunch of idiots.¡± Anyone who could reach here with their items were ruthless characters. The fierce-looking Fourth Master waved his dagger. ¡°Be sensible.¡± As soon as he said that, Zhao Pengfei, who had been secretly paying attention to them, raised him up and smashed him to the ground. There was a muffled bang, accompanied by the sound of bones shattering. Almost at the same time, the young men from Zhao farmyard pulled out their weapons from their carts. In an instant, several of the 50-centimeter sabers left behind by the bandits were placed on Fourth Master¡¯s head. The remaining hooligans were also stopped by the young men from Zhao farmyard. Those who wanted to resist were dealt with by Lin Yue in a few moves. The Fourth Master¡¯s body was severely injured. When he saw the cold knife on his head, he immediately shouted in a sorry state, ¡°Brothers, spare my life, spare my life!¡± He had done evil for so many years, so how could he not understand that he had kicked an iron plate that night? Chapter 29 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Village Chief Zhao was worried that it would be inappropriate for them to kill so many people outside Beiyun City, so he whispered to Zhao Pengfei, ¡°Ask them to hand over all their belongings before letting them go.¡± Zhao Pengfei nodded. ¡°Okay, Dad.¡± He turned to Fourth Master, who was half-dead on the ground, and said, ¡°You want to beg for mercy after robbing us? It¡¯s not that easy!¡± He pretended to slash at Fourth Master¡¯s head. A cold light flashed, and Fourth Master hurriedly cried out, ¡°Don¡¯t, don¡¯t, I¡¯ll compensate you. Compensation!¡± Zhao Pengfei¡¯s knife stopped a centimeter away from the tip of his nose. He asked coldly, ¡°How much compensation? It won¡¯t be enough if you compensate alone.¡± He had been dealing with bandits for a long time and knew how to raise the price. Fourth Master was so frightened that his forehead was covered in sweat. He hurriedly said, ¡°Everyone will give compensation!¡± He had no choice but to give it to him. His life was still in their hands. In times of emergency, ordinary people would bring valuable things with them. This group of people was no exception. Soon, Fourth Master and the others were all plundered by Zhao Pengfei. There was really a lot. In total, it was almost 200 taels. Zhao Pengfei released Fourth Master and the others as promised. He handed the silver to Village Chief Zhao and said excitedly, ¡°Father, look, there¡¯s so much silver!¡± Fourth Master probably regretted it a lot. Village Chief Zhao took the silver and walked up to Bai Wutong. He asked in a negotiating tone, ¡°Madam should also have a share of this silver. How about we use this silver to exchange for food when we enter the city tomorrow?¡± As long as Bai Wutong nodded in agreement, everyone would be in the same boat. Bai Wutong really had to hand it to Village Chief Zhao. She smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s up to you.¡± Village Chief Zhao immediately smiled like a chrysanthemum blooming. Lin Yue was someone who could casually take out banknotes. Bai Wutong was his master, so how could she be short of money? This meant that she had acknowledged them and was willing to go with them. Village Chief Zhao finally felt at ease and hurriedly said, ¡°Then let¡¯s buy more food. Madam, if you need anything, just tell me.¡± It would take at least two months to reach Ling Kingdom. If they were delayed on the way, it might take months. At that time, the weather had turned cold, and it was easy to catch a cold. There were also quite a number of children and old people in the team. They were all vulnerable to infection. Bai Wutong thought for a moment, wrote down the prescription with a charcoal pen, and handed it to Village Chief Zhao. ¡°Apart from food, go and prepare more herbs. Buy some medicine for bruises and injuries.¡± Although she had no memories in this body, everything she knew was still there, such as reading, writing, playing the piano, and painting¡­ She was really a lady from a wealthy family. Village Chief Zhao had the same intention. When he saw the herbs written down by Bai Wutong, he immediately asked in surprise, ¡°Madam, you know medicine?¡± Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°I know a little about it. But it can¡¯t cure a serious illness.¡± It was already very impressive to know a little. At the very least, she could help take a look if they had a headache or fever. Village Chief Zhao looked at Bai Wutong as if he was looking at a piece of sparkling gold. Letting the villagers follow Bai Wutong was simply the wisest decision of his life. At dawn, Village Chief Zhao brought his men to enter the city. Bai Wutong wiped Chu Tianbao¡¯s hands with a towel. Chu Tianbao stretched his face over. ¡°I want it on my face too.¡± Bai Wutong pinched his face hard. ¡°Do you still want your face?¡± Chu Tianbao hurriedly shouted, ¡°Wife, let go. It hurts.¡± Stinky was being carried by Lin Yue. When he saw Chu Tianbao being pinched, he danced and even giggled happily. Chu Tianbao glared at him fiercely. Bai Wutong pinched him even harder. ¡°Do you still want it?¡± Chu Tianbao looked at her with watery eyes and said aggrievedly, ¡°No, I¡¯ll wash it myself.¡± Snorting, Bai Wutong let go and wrung him a towel. ¡°Wipe your neck while you¡¯re at it.¡± He had not showered for a few days. It was not good to let others see a layer of mud on him when he entered the city. When Chu Tianbao was obediently wiping his neck, a skinny refugee suddenly appeared at his feet and shouted weakly, ¡°Master, I met you guys again!¡± ¡°Master?¡± Chu Tianbao stopped holding the towel and looked at Bai Wutong with a puzzled expression. Bai Wutong was also confused. How did she have another servant? The refugee looked up. His face was so thin that only his eyes were left. Bai Wutong was already used to it along the way. She was not frightened, but she really did not recognize who he was. Seeing that Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao did not recognize him, he hurriedly said, ¡°Master, since you gave me a bowl of water in Beiyun City, I¡¯m already your servant.¡± Bai Wutong stared at him, who looked like he was about to fall apart when the wind blew. She finally remembered that he was the young man who had sold himself for water for his grandmother. Bai Wutong shook her head. ¡°We¡¯re not your masters. You don¡¯t have to be concerned about that bowl of water.¡± Huang Zhong shook his head firmly. ¡°I can¡¯t go back on my word. Since I¡¯ve sold myself to my master, I should remember my identity.¡± It was fake for him to sell himself like this. It was probably true that he wanted to freeload. However, Bai Wutong was curious how he could recognize her and Chu Tianbao in such a disguise. Afraid that he would starve to death after saying a few words, Bai Wutong got someone to give him a sweet potato. Huang Zhong thanked her gratefully with his eyes shining. He wolfed it down in a few bites. Seeing that he was not full yet, Bai Wutong gave him another sweet potato and a bowl of water to prevent him from choking. After eating two sweet potatoes and drinking a bowl of water, Huang Zhong could speak in a louder voice. ¡°Thank you, Master.¡± Bai Wutong said, ¡°How did you recognize us?¡± Huang Zhong smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m born with a keen sense of smell and can distinguish the smell of a radius of several miles. I discovered my master from afar.¡± He had also relied on this ability to avoid many troubles and had even found some edible wild grass and insects to fill his stomach. That was how he had lasted until Beiyun City. Bai Wutong was enlightened. She knew it. Her cooking skills in the past shouldn¡¯t be so bad. There was no time for to care for another idle person on the way to escape. Bai Wutong handed him a few more sweet potatoes. ¡°Take them and leave. We don¡¯t need you to sell yourself.¡± Huang Zhong hurriedly shook his head and knelt on the ground to show his loyalty. ¡°A gentleman never goes back on his word. Unless I have the ability to redeem myself one day, I will be Master¡¯s servant for the rest of my life.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°I gave you a bowl of water out of goodwill, not for you to cling to me. Go away. Don¡¯t make me repeat myself.¡± Huang Zhong looked up and said excitedly, ¡°Master! Let me do anything to repay you.¡± Bai Wutong glanced at him. ¡°You leaving this place now is the greatest repayment to me.¡± This person¡¯s body was too weak. If he followed them, it was unknown who would be repaying whom. Huang Zhong lowered his eyes and smiled bitterly. He was a scholar after all. Now that he had been reduced to a servant, there was still no one who wanted him. He could not enter the city and he could not find his uncle. He could guarantee that if he did not eat the sweet potatoes on the ground, they would be snatched away if he took a few steps away from here. How sad. How pathetic! Sadness drowned him like thousands of sand. Huang Zhong bowed to Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao and turned around in a sorry state. He did not take the few sweet potatoes. Seeing that he had tactfully left, Bai Wutong heaved a sigh of relief. After taking a few steps, Huang Zhong collapsed with a bang. ¡°¡­¡± ??? Chapter 30 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Bai Wutong lowered her eyes and walked over to turn the unconscious Huang Zhong around. She lifted his eyelids and pried open his tongue to look. The diagnosis was that it was an after-dinner hypoglycemia, also known as fainting. It was caused by long-term hunger resulting in indigestion and unstable emotions after meals. Simply put, if this person died, it would be because he was angered to death. Bai Wutong sighed helplessly. She took some propinquus for blood restoration from her bag and asked Chu Tianbao to boil water for him. Chu Tianbao boiled the medicine, opened Huang Zhong¡¯s mouth, and poured it down his throat. After drinking the medicine, Huang Zhong was still unconscious. Village Chief Zhao returned with his men after some investigation. He walked towards Bai Wutong and handed the money bag to him. ¡°Madam Bai, let San¡¯er follow you into the city. We won¡¯t be heading in. The money is all here. San¡¯er is stupid and I¡¯m afraid that he will be cheated, so we¡¯ll have to trouble you to help us buy some food and herbs.¡± Bai Wutong held the heavy money bag in her hand and asked curiously, ¡°Why don¡¯t you guys enter the city?¡± Village Chief Zhao was dying to be a follower 24 hours a day. Why was he suddenly so enlightened? Village Chief Zhao smiled. ¡°There are many of us here. We don¡¯t have anywhere to stay after entering the city. We¡¯ll just have to make do here for the night.¡± Bai Wutong saw a hidden helplessness through those wise eyes. There were refugees running rampant outside the city and they had to be on tenterhooks every night. If Chu Tianbao followed Bai Wutong into the city, the villagers who stayed outside the city would only panic even more. There must be a reason why Village Chief Zhao suddenly did not bring the villagers into the city. Bai Wutong guessed, ¡°What are the conditions for entering the city?¡± Then it could only be that the conditions for entering the city were too harsh which made Village Chief Zhao give up. Village Chief Zhao did not say anything. Zhao Pengfei hurriedly said, ¡°Because a traitor entered the city, many soldiers were killed in Lin¡¯an City. The magistrate of Beiyun City was afraid that the traitor would sneak in and commit a crime, so he gave an order. Everyone who is entering the city has to pay one tael of silver and check their household register. There are too many of us. My father said that instead of entering the city, it was better to save the silver to buy food.¡± They had only received less than 200 taels of silver from Fourth Master last night. If they paid the entrance fee, they would not be able to afford anything. Bai Wutong lowered her eyes. She suspected that it was she and Chu Tianbao who caused everyone in Beiyun City to have to pay a tael of silver to enter the city. They also had to check the household register. She did not dare to use her fake household register. Chu Tianbao also had no household register when he was fished out of the river. Where could they get the household register suddenly? Just as Bai Wutong was frowning, Lin Yue took out two banknotes and placed them in front of Village Chief Zhao. ¡°Village Chief Zhao, you don¡¯t have to worry. Sorry for troubling Auntie to take care of our Young Master for so long. We¡¯ll pay the entrance fee.¡± Village Chief Zhao hurriedly rejected, ¡°It¡¯s only right for us to do so. The Young Master is delicate and precious. It¡¯s good enough that Madam Bai doesn¡¯t mind us.¡± All the villagers in the Zhao farmyard recognized Stinky as Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao¡¯s child. Since Lin Yue called Stinky Young Master, everyone naturally felt that Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao were Lin Yue¡¯s masters. The reason why Lin Yue did not correct him was firstly because he wanted to hide his Young Master¡¯s identity, and secondly, because he wanted the bond between Bai Wutong, Chu Tianbao, and the Young Master to deepen. If he unfortunately died, at least Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao would treat him well. Lin Yue shook his head and said directly, ¡°I¡¯m giving this silver to Village Chief Zhao because firstly, I want to thank you, and secondly, I want Village Chief Zhao to help me with a favor.¡± ¡°What favor?¡± Village Chief Zhao was confused. With Bai Wutong and the others¡¯ abilities, why would Lin Yue still need help from him? Lin Yue said, ¡°We have been busy since the Young Master was born and hasn¡¯t been able to register his name. Can we trouble Village Chief Zhao to issue a household registration certificate?¡± Stinky had a household register but he was afraid that if he used Stinky¡¯s original household register, he might be found by the Dark Guards Team. For additional precaution, Lin Yue wanted to get a household register certificate for Stinky to enter the city first. Then, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about being tracked to the address of Zhao farmyard. When Bai Wutong heard Lin Yue¡¯s words, her pupils suddenly dilated. It was really like a pillow handed to her when she was sleepy. Village Chief Zhao actually had the right to issue a household register. Bai Wutong also suddenly remembered that in ancient times, because of the inconvenient roads, it was not convenient for the government office to manage the population. Therefore, the village chief was basically a supreme existence in the village. If the bailiffs wanted to handle the case, they had to cooperate with the village chief. Village Chief Zhao naturally had the right to register someone and create their certificate! As long as they followed Village Chief Zhao, they could enter the city. Bai Wutong immediately pretended to look for her household register. After searching through the bag but not finding it, she said anxiously to Village Chief Zhao, ¡°We seem to have lost our household register. Village Chief Zhao, please help us also issue a household register certificate.¡± Lin Yue immediately looked at Bai Wutong suspiciously. What a coincidence! Bai Wutong gave him a look that said they were all the same. Lin Yue was enlightened. Bai Wutong did not want to expose her identity either. Village Chief Zhao was dying for Bai Wutong to have a closer relationship with their village. He took the opportunity and said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s chaotic outside and won¡¯t be easy to get a replacement if you lose your household register. You might have to be checked when you go to Ling Kingdom. Why don¡¯t you just register it at our village?¡± Replacing the household register was the same as in the modern world. One had to return to their place of origin or bribe the bailiff who handled the household register to obtain a fake household register. However, it was very likely that the fake household register would be seen through and would not be able to match up to actual records. It would also be troublesome once they arrive at Ling Kingdom. When Village Chief Zhao suggested this, Bai Wutong pretended to hesitate. After a while, she readily agreed. ¡°That¡¯s good. Then I¡¯ll have to trouble Village Chief Zhao,¡± Bai Wutong said politely. Village Chief Zhao was a smart person. He knew that there must be something wrong with their identities since Bai Wutong was willing to settle down in their village. But why did it matter now? The Yan Kingdom was about to be destroyed. People had to have foresight. If Bai Wutong could give their entire village hope, she would be their benefactor. Since Lin Yue had given them the banknotes, although Village Chief Zhao felt the pinch of spending nearly 200 taels to enter the city, he could still find a place for everyone to rest. Therefore, Village Chief Zhao asked everyone to pack their luggage and prepare to enter the city. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Huang Zhong, who was lying on the ground alone. Village Chief Zhao asked Madam Yang, ¡°Who is this person?¡± When he first returned, he even saw Chu Tianbao feeding him medicine. Madam Yang only heard Huang Zhong kneeling on the ground and calling out to Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao, begging them not to chase him away. Madam Yang did not know the exact situation either. Village Chief Zhao glanced at the unconscious Huang Zhong and frowned. He thought for a moment and said to Madam Yang in a low voice, ¡°Madam Bai and Young Master Chu must have extraordinary identities. Since they¡¯re their servants, let¡¯s help them. If Madam Bai and the others remember how good this servant is and know that we¡¯ve taken good care of him, Madam Bai will also remember our kindness.¡± If Bai Wutong knew what Village Chief Zhao was thinking, she would definitely tell him that he was thinking too much. Madam Yang nodded. ¡°Then I¡¯ll get Yuan¡¯er to carry him into the city.¡± Village Chief Zhao said, ¡°Alright, take good care of him. The people around Madam Bai are all capable. It¡¯s quite impressive that he can reach here alone and even find Madam Bai and the others.¡± Village Chief Zhao led everyone into the city in a mighty manner. Just as he handed over everyone¡¯s household register, Fourth Master appeared in the crowd of refugees. He pointed at them and shouted, ¡°Sir, they¡¯re all traitors! They¡¯re all armed and want to enter the city to cause trouble!¡± Chapter 31 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yan Kingdom had restrictions on weapons. Sabers and spears could only be used by the government officials. If the escorts wanted to use it, they had to register with the government and obtain permission. If they dared to use the weapons privately, they would be severely punished. Especially at this sensitive time, using an unregistered weapon and being called a traitor by Fourth Master was very likely to cost him his head. Fourth Master glanced at the officer in the lead and said solemnly, ¡°Their weapons are hidden in the cart and on their bodies, sir. You can search them now. If there aren¡¯t any, I¡¯ll cut my head off and kick it like a ball.¡± The officer looked at the panicking villagers and waved his hand. ¡°Search them!¡± Zhao Cunzi hurriedly said in shock, ¡°Sir, we¡¯re innocent! The weapons were all from the bandits who robbed us. We chased them away and kept the weapons for self-defense. Otherwise, with so many of us, we wouldn¡¯t have been able to get here.¡± Fourth Master said, ¡°Bandits! How could bandits with weapons be chased away by them? They must be traitors! Sir, we have to capture them as a warning to others!¡± Village Chief Zhao¡¯s face turned pale. He hurriedly shouted, ¡°Sir, that¡¯s really the truth. We¡¯re not lying.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying! If you¡¯re not traitors, how could you kill several of my poor brothers in one go? They¡¯re all hidden experts! We passed by them and were almost killed. Sir, you have to stand up for my brothers! They even stole our silver!¡± The words ¡°silver¡± made the eyes of the leader light up. He asked in a low voice, ¡°How much silver?¡± Fourth Master said hatefully, ¡°More than 500 taels!¡± More than 500 taels! The officers all suck in a deep breath. This hooligan leader had actually collected so much money! The officer looked at Zhao Pengfei, who was in the lead. The group of people who could snatch Fourth Master¡¯s silver and kill his brothers probably had more silver in their hands! Zhao Pengfei said angrily, ¡°Nonsense! I shouldn¡¯t have been merciful to you last night!¡± Fourth Master hurriedly pointed at Zhao Pengfei and said, ¡°Sir, look, they want to kill me in front of you!¡± He deliberately said that there were 500 taels of silver because he wanted the soldiers to torture and interrogate them about the whereabouts of the silver. Letting them die like this would be letting them off easy. The officer¡¯s eyes were filled with greed as he said urgently to the soldiers, ¡°What are you waiting for? Arrest them!¡± These livestock and things were worth a lot of money. Fourth Master had really given him a big fat sheep. Village Chief Zhao was in despair. If they really discovered those weapons, all the villagers in the entire Zhao farmyard would be in danger of extermination. When Bai Wutong saw the villagers¡¯ panicked expressions, she lowered her eyes and said to Lin Yue, ¡°Money makes the world go round. Take some banknotes and try bribing them.¡± Didn¡¯t these soldiers just want money? Then they would just smash them with money! Lin Yue had the same intention. He took a step forward and hesitated. Why was he the one paying? Bai Wutong clearly still had the few thousand taels that he had given her! Lin Yue patted Village Chief Zhao¡¯s nervous back and stood in front of him. He said to the officer, ¡°Officer, slow down. I can prove that we are not traitors.¡± ¡°You can prove it? How can you prove it?¡± It was extremely unsightly to bribe him with silver in front of everyone. Lin Yue took out a book and handed it to the officer. ¡°Sir, you will know when you see it.¡± He opened the book. The officer did not know what he was up to and looked up. When he saw what was inside, his eyeballs almost fell out. The entire book was actually filled with banknotes. The value of each banknote was 100 taels! This book was worth at least 10,000 taels! The officer subconsciously wanted to reach out and take it. However, Lin Yue suddenly closed the book and took a step back. He deliberately said to the officer, ¡°After seeing my proof, you know that we¡¯re not traitors. Can you let us pass?¡± It was obvious at a glance that the people from Zhao farmyard were refugees. If they were really traitors, why would they bring their children and wives to join in the chaos? Moreover, Village Chief Zhao had a household register. The officer knew very well that they could not be traitors. He looked around and immediately urged, ¡°Hand over the proof and I¡¯ll let you pass now.¡± Compared to so many banknotes, why would he care about such a small benefit? Fourth Master¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°Sir, they¡¯re traitors! How can you¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up! I can tell if they¡¯re traitors or not! But you have ill intentions and framed good citizens. Arrest them!¡± The officer suddenly changed his target. The soldiers were stunned for a moment before following his instructions. Fourth Master struggled and shouted, ¡°Sir, I¡¯m really not lying. The weapons are in the cart. You¡¯ll know after searching it!¡± ¡°Who doesn¡¯t bring weapons with them to protect themselves on the way to escape? Drag him away and hit him 50 times!¡± Fourth Master never expected this outcome. He was already half-dead from Zhao Pengfei¡¯s hit. If he were to be beaten up 50 times, he would be a cripple even if he survived. How could he accept this! Fourth Master shouted desperately, ¡°They¡¯re traitors! You¡¯re with them! You¡¯re a traitor too!¡± What if the higher-ups misunderstood if he shouted like this? One would be exterminated if one was found to have colluded with the enemy and betrayed the country! The officer was furious. With a whoosh, he pulled out his saber and was about to seal Fourth Master¡¯s mouth forever. ¡°What¡¯s the commotion about?¡± At this moment, a dignified city guard captain came over with a team of soldiers. Fourth Master usually behaved like a mouse seeing a cat when he saw Ye Wu. At this moment, it was like darkness meeting light for him. He pointed at Bai Wutong and the others and said excitedly, ¡°Captain Ye, they are traitors! They even want to silence me! You have to uphold justice for us!¡± The word traitor made Ye Wu¡¯s expression change instantly. His sharp gaze landed on the officer¡¯s face, and his deep voice carried a strong aura. ¡°What is going on?¡± The officer lowered his head and wished he could eat Fourth Master alive. ¡°They¡¯re just a group of refugees and have some weapons with them. Their household registers have been checked. There¡¯s no problem.¡± He planned to deal with Ye Wu first and ask Lin Yue for the banknotes later. Ye Wu glanced at the team and his gaze landed on Chu Tianbao, who looked like a martial artist. He sized him up and said to the officer, ¡°Let me see the household register.¡± As soon as he said this, Bai Wutong¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He couldn¡¯t possibly tell that something was wrong, would he? The officer handed the household register to Ye Wu. Ye Wu flipped to the last page and asked, ¡°Who is Bai Wutong?¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s heart sank. She stood up and said, ¡°I am.¡± She would seem even more guilty if she had run away at this time. She could only brace herself and improvise. Ye Wu glanced at her. Chu Tianbao immediately blocked her and said angrily, ¡°Don¡¯t look at my wife!¡± Ye Wu glanced at him in surprise, as if he was surprised by Chu Tianbao¡¯s strange words. He asked Bai Wutong, ¡°Where is your original household register?¡± In the entire household register, only three people had been added at the last minute. The ink had not even dried yet. Ye Wu felt that if there would be a problem, it would be from them. Chapter 32 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios How did Bai Wutong know where her original household register was? If he could find it for her, she would even have to thank him. But if she could not answer, she would be in trouble in this situation. However, if she fabricated an address and was found out, it would be even more difficult to explain. Village Chief Zhao and Lin Yue¡¯s minds were racing as they tried to think of a good excuse. Just as Bai Wutong was about to say that she had lost her memory. And when Village Chief Zhao was about to say that Bai Wutong and the others were his distant relatives who had come to seek refuge. And when Lin Yue was about to say that it was difficult to find the address of the household register due to the severe disaster. ¡°Uncle!¡± ¡°Uncle!¡± ¡°Uncle!¡± The three calls of ¡®uncle¡¯ eased the strange atmosphere in the air. Everyone turned in the direction of the voice. Zhao Yuan felt his blood run cold under everyone¡¯s gazes. He was so frightened that he quickly waved his hand. ¡°It wasn¡¯t me!¡± He rubbed his hands and pointed at Huang Zhong on his back. Tears welled up in Huang Zhong¡¯s eyes, and his face was covered in snot and tears. He shouted at the puzzled Ye Wu, ¡°Uncle!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ??? Everyone looked at Ye Wu in unison. The officer asked carefully, ¡°Captain Ye, is this your nephew?¡± How could Huang Zhong, who looked like a mess, be his nephew? Ye Wu subconsciously shook his head. ¡°No.¡± The officer immediately heaved a sigh of relief. If it wasn¡¯t his nephew, he would have been able to collect the money without worry. When Huang Zhong heard this, he hurriedly climbed down from Zhao Yuan¡¯s back. He was as thin as a skeleton and it felt like he would collapse if the wind blew. He hurriedly took out a tightly wrapped booklet from his tattered inner clothes and walked to Ye Wu with trembling steps. He said sadly, ¡°Uncle, it¡¯s really me. My mother is Ye Cuilan. She lives in Baiyu Village in Jiangzhou County in Beiyun City. She married my father and followed him to inhabit at Shilin County in Lin¡¯an City in Yan Kingdom Eighth Year. Two years ago, I passed the county-level examination and Uncle came to visit my mother. Why don¡¯t you remember me?¡± When Ye Wu heard this, he stared at his face and looked at it carefully. He really saw some resemblance to his nephew, Huang Zhong. ¡°You¡¯re Zhong¡¯er?¡± He could not believe that his nephew had become like this. ¡°Uncle, if you still don¡¯t believe me, the household register and administrative documents are here.¡± Being able to provide such accurate information, Ye Wu had already believed him. He hurriedly held his shoulder and asked anxiously, ¡°Zhong¡¯er, where are your mother and the others?¡± Everyone was dumbfounded. Huang Zhong, who looked no different from an ordinary refugee, was actually Captain Ye¡¯s nephew! The day before, he had shouted at the checkpoint that his uncle was Captain Ye. At that time, he had even been mocked. In the end, it was true! Those soldiers who had mocked Huang Zhong wished they could shrink their heads into the ground. Huang Zhong choked and said, ¡°My mother and father were killed by bandits. The baggage and silver are all gone. Grandmother couldn¡¯t hang in there on the way and passed away.¡± Ye Wu did not expect that the last time they met would be his farewell to his sister. The dignified man¡¯s eyes could not help but turn red. He patted Huang Zhong¡¯s shoulder and said with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re still living well. When they see you in heaven, they will definitely be relieved.¡± Huang Zhong wiped his tears and looked at Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao. He hurriedly said, ¡°Uncle, they saved me. They¡¯re really not traitors. I can testify!¡± How could Ye Wu doubt Huang Zhong¡¯s words? Moreover, he had seen Zhao Yuan carry Huang Zhong on his back. He hurriedly cupped his hands at Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao and said gratefully, ¡°Thank you for saving my nephew. After you enter the city, feel free to look for me if you need anything. As long as I can help, I won¡¯t hesitate to help.¡± Bai Wutong did not expect such a coincidence. She glanced at Huang Zhong and said politely, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s just a small favor.¡± When she gave Huang Zhong a bowl of water, she really did not expect him to repay her kindness. ¡°I will never forget your small act of kindness,¡± Ye Wu said. ¡°If you have no place to stay, I will arrange it for you now.¡± The personalities of this uncle and nephew pair were somewhat similar. With so many people around, it was not easy to make arrangements. If they took the initiative to mention it, it meant that they sincerely wanted to repay the favor. Bai Wutong¡¯s impression of Ye Wu immediately improved. She said, ¡°There¡¯s no need. We already have a place to stay.¡± Ye Wu did not force them and said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll send you there.¡± With the city guard captain sending them, they would definitely be able to avoid a lot of trouble. Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll have to trouble you, Captain Ye.¡± Lin Yue placed the banknote book back in his arms in front of the officer and followed the team into the city. When the officer saw that he had missed a great opportunity, his heart ached. If it wasn¡¯t for Fourth Master, this idiot, shouting, how could he have drawn Captain Ye over! After they left, he immediately got someone to bring over a stick. He wanted to personally watch Fourth Master being punished. With his nephew on his back, Captain Ye looked at the courtyard in front of him and asked suspiciously, ¡°Is this where you guys are staying?¡± Bai Wutong glanced at Lin Yue and nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± This mansion was the best in the entire Beiyun City. It could not even be bought with tens of thousands of taels. Captain Ye could not believe that they could really stay here. He confirmed again, ¡°Are you relatives of this family?¡± Bai Wutong glanced at Lin Yue again. ¡°Sort of.¡± Captain Ye immediately had an indescribable expression on his face. There were so many of them here and they were not immediate family members. They would definitely be chased out. He had already made up his mind to let these people sleep on the ground in the refugee suburbs. After Lin Yue knocked on the door of the mansion, the people inside muttered a few words to him. Immediately, a few tall servants walked up to Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao and shouted respectfully, ¡°Welcome home, Master and Madam.¡± Bai Wutong nodded calmly at Lin Yue¡¯s hint and said politely, ¡°Captain Ye, please have a cup of tea before leaving.¡± Captain Ye¡¯s eyes widened completely. The ugly couple in front of him was actually the owner of this big family. He had even asked such a presumptuous question just now. He was someone who had been through a lot and he immediately returned to his senses. ¡°There¡¯s no need for tea. You must be tired after such a long journey. When you¡¯re done resting, Zhong¡¯er and I will visit another day.¡± Hearing that Captain Ye was going to take him away, Huang Zhong immediately climbed down from his back and said, ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m not leaving.¡± Captain Ye frowned and said seriously, ¡°Zhong¡¯er, don¡¯t cause trouble for others.¡± Huang Zhong hesitated for a moment and finally made up his mind. ¡°Uncle, you told me when I was young that a gentleman¡¯s word cannot be taken back. I¡¯ve already sold myself and acknowledged them as my masters. Without their permission, I can¡¯t leave!¡± His nephew was a scholar, but he was going to be a servant! When Ye Wu heard this, his face immediately darkened. He looked at Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao fiercely and questioned them with his eyes. Chapter 33 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Bai Wutong met Captain Ye¡¯s sharp gaze and her face darkened. ¡°We have never accepted his indenture. It¡¯s all Mister Huang¡¯s wishful thinking. Captain Ye, don¡¯t misunderstand.¡± She understood Captain Ye¡¯s anxiety for his nephew. It did not mean that she was not angry when she was threatened. Bai Wutong¡¯s originally gentle gaze instantly turned cold. Huang Zhong¡¯s expression changed as he looked anxiously at Bai Wutong. ¡°But I¡­¡± Bai Wutong interrupted him and said sharply, ¡°Mister Huang, it¡¯s not as easy to be a servant as you think. We have to make our pick too. If you really want to repay our kindness, you have already done so just now. You should quickly reunite with your uncle.¡± No one could accept the fact that their nephew was being despised as a servant. Knowing that Bai Wutong was deliberately trying to make Huang Zhong give up, Ye Wu still looked a little embarrassed. He grabbed Huang Zhong¡¯s hand and said in a deep voice, ¡°Since she has already said that you are not qualified to be a servant, follow me back obediently. As long as Uncle is alive, you will have food to eat!¡± Huang Zhong said anxiously, ¡°Uncle! I¡¯m not leaving! They didn¡¯t give me a bowl of water, but the hope of living. It was with such hope that I made it to outside of Beiyun City in one go. When I almost starved to death because I couldn¡¯t enter the city, they gave me food again and even asked the villagers to take care of me so that I could continue living! It was them who had helped me twice. They saved me twice! I have nothing but gratitude! I can only repay them with my body.¡± He was bent on becoming a servant. How could Ye Wu let down his sister¡¯s soul in heaven? With Bai Wutong and her family¡¯s assets, they could not repay their kindness with money. Ye Wu was furious. He carried him up and said to Bai Wutong, ¡°I will keep my word. As I said, if you need anything, look for me. I will definitely not refuse.¡± He wanted to take responsibility for all the favor his nephew owed them. ¡°Farewell!¡± Huang Zhong, who was struggling like a little chick on Ye Wu¡¯s back, was still shouting at them from dozens of meters away. ¡°Master! I will definitely come back!¡± Bai Wutong lowered her eyes. Did he think he was the cartoon character Gray Wolf? The villagers had never seen a house that was even more magnificent than this. All of them seemed like old ladies who had entered a grand garden and did not dare to step on it. Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao walked in front and heard Zhao Pengfei ask Village Chief Zhao in a low voice, ¡°Dad, this house is worth a few hundred taels, right?¡± Village Chief Zhao had never lived in such a grand residence before, so how could he know how much it was worth? He thought for a moment and shared his guess with Zhao Pengfei, ¡°More than that. It should be worth a few thousand taels.¡± Zhao Pengfei immediately widened his eyes in shock. ¡°So expensive!¡± It was already good enough that their family could save a few taels of silver a year. A few thousand taels of silver was unimaginable. He couldn¡¯t help but pat Lin Yue on the shoulder. ¡°Brother Lin, is this house really worth a few thousand taels?¡± This was too expensive. Lin Yue smiled and wagged his finger. ¡°Not a few thousand taels, but tens of thousands.¡± When Village Chief Zhao and Zhao Pengfei heard this, their mouths opened wide at the same time. Zhao Pengfei sighed and said, ¡°Madam Bai and the others are too rich!¡± Lin Yue showed off in a low-key manner. ¡°It¡¯s normal, this is only the simplest building.¡± And this was the simplest building! Oh my! Then their most luxurious house must be made of gold! No wonder they wanted to hide their identities. With such a background, they naturally did not dare to reveal it to outsiders. Bai Wutong glanced at the envious Village Chief Zhao and his son and gestured for Lin Yue to restrain himself. She sighed in her heart. ¡®As expected of the richest man! The amount of assets under his fingernails was far superior to that of ordinary people.¡¯ The house was big enough for everyone in the Zhao farmyard to settle down. Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao were brought to the main room by the butler, while Stinky was brought to drink milk by the nanny arranged by Lin Yue. Soon, a group of beautiful maidservants walked in and asked Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao if they wanted to take a bath and change their clothes. Of course, Bai Wutong said, ¡°Go and prepare now.¡± The leading green-clothed maidservant glanced at Chu Tianbao and asked carefully, ¡°Are Madam and Master going to bathe?¡± It took Bai Wutong a second to realize that she was asking her if she wanted to take a bath with Chu Tianbao. Bai Wutong glanced at Chu Tianbao and felt a lot of emotions. The ancient people were not as conservative as she thought. She shook her head. ¡°No, we¡¯ll bathe separately.¡± The maidservant in green heaved a sigh of relief and sent the servants to prepare. The bathroom was behind the bedroom. She could just enter from the side. As soon as she entered, Bai Wutong was stunned. A huge white marble bath that was filled with classical extravagance appeared in front of her. The tap was spraying warm water, and bright petals were scattered in the water. The continuous water vapor came in contact with her face, allowing Bai Wutong to regain some sense of reality. She sighed again. As expected of the richest man! The design of the bathroom and the master bedroom was excellent. They had already considered the problem of their masters wanting to bathe at the same time. Therefore, a hazy screen in the middle divided the entire bathroom into two. Both of them could bathe at the same time without disturbing each other. Bai Wutong was at one end, and Chu Tianbao was at the other end. The maidservants were about to help Chu Tianbao change his clothes when his expression suddenly changed. He shouted, ¡°Wife, wife, where are you?¡± When Bai Wutong heard this, she went around and saw Chu Tianbao hiding behind a pillar. The maidservants in front turned around and saw Bai Wutong appear. They all knelt on the ground in fear and trepidation. Bai Wutong said, ¡°All of you, go out. Let him wash himself.¡± The maidservants filed out. Chu Tianbao immediately jumped in front of Bai Wutong and complained angrily, ¡°They want to take off Tianbao¡¯s clothes.¡± Bai Wutong said, ¡°If you don¡¯t want anyone to serve you, wash yourself. Wash yourself clean. I don¡¯t know when you¡¯ll be able to bathe again.¡± Chu Tianbao said pitifully, ¡°Where¡¯s wife going? I can¡¯t see you.¡± Bai Wutong broke free of his sleeve. ¡°I¡¯m just beside you. When you¡¯re done, go to the bedroom and sleep. There¡¯s tea and snacks on the table. If you want to eat, eat some.¡± Chu Tianbao blinked. ¡°I want to be with my wife.¡± Bai Wutong pulled a long face, and Chu Tianbao immediately took off his clothes obediently. His strong chest was exposed, and his muscles were as smooth as the most perfect global male model. Bai Wutong took a look and blushed. She hurriedly looked away and said, ¡°The clothes are at the side. Come out after you¡¯re dressed, understand?¡± Chu Tianbao took off his pants and nodded. ¡°Okay, wife.¡± Bai Wutong didn¡¯t dare look back. When she returned to the bathroom, she still felt a little hot. She was not used to being served in the bath. She said to the maidservants, ¡°You guys can leave too.¡± After the maidservants left, Bai Wutong took off her clothes and entered the white jade bath that had a suitable water temperature. After so many days without a bath, it felt wonderful to be in the water. Bai Wutong saw a very exquisite box at the side. She opened it and saw all kinds of beautifully printed bath beans. She picked it up and smelled it. There was a refreshing fragrance, a dense floral fragrance, and a sweet fragrance¡­ Bai Wutong picked a piece that she liked and slowly scrubbed it. While she was washing, the sound of splashing water suddenly came from the bath beside. Chu Tianbao¡¯s deep voice sounded. ¡°Get lost!¡± Bai Wutong immediately stood up warily. Before she could reach the edge of the white jade bath, the hazy screen between her and Chu Tianbao suddenly broke. Chapter 34 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios In an instant, Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao made eye contact from afar. Neither of them was wearing anything. Bai Wutong was really unprepared. The moment she saw Chu Tianbao, her mind buzzed. When she suddenly reacted and squatted into the water, it was too late. Chu Tianbao¡¯s deep eyes had already locked onto her. Bai Wutong¡¯s snow-white skin was faintly discernible in the water. It was unknown if it was because she was angry or because she had soaked in warm water, but it was glowing with an alluring pink color. Chu Tianbao involuntarily took a step towards Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong panicked for a moment and shouted anxiously, ¡°Don¡¯t come over!¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s sudden shout at him caused Chu Tianbao to freeze in the white jade pool, and a look of grievance gradually appeared on his bearded face. Bai Wutong did not have the time to care if he was aggrieved or not. She shouted again, ¡°Turn around!¡± Chu Tianbao turned around reluctantly. Bai Wutong immediately got up from the water, picked up the clothes she had prepared, and quickly put them on. Then, ahe walked towards Chu Tianbao¡¯s bath. She glanced coldly at the maidservant, who was trembling in fear in the water with only a piece of undergarment. She pulled an outerwear from the side and covered Chu Tianbao¡¯s head, then said coldly to the maidservant, ¡°Get out!¡± At the same time, when Lin Yue heard the commotion, he also led his people to surround the bathroom and shouted, ¡°Madam, what happened?¡± Bai Wutong said coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t come in. Wait outside the door.¡± When the bold maidservant heard Bai Wutong¡¯s words, she truly regretted it at this moment. Even if Bai Wutong was an ugly woman, she was still the legitimate wife and could completely deal with her as she pleased. She glanced at Chu Tianbao, who was motionless in the water with the outerwear on his head. She pursed her pale lips and reluctantly moved towards the shore. Bai Wutong waited for her to put on her clothes and brought her to the side room for questioning. Bai Wutong looked at the woman kneeling on the ground expressionlessly. Her posture was like a weak willow supporting its waist and she looked quite alluring. No wonder she was confident enough to sneak into the white jade pool behind her back and seduce Chu Tianbao. Bai Wutong recalled Chu Tianbao¡¯s expression at that time and her face turned even colder. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± The maidservant replied carefully, ¡°Madam, my name is Qing Yi.¡± ¡°Qing Yi?¡± Bai Wutong said her name unhurriedly. The woman, who looked even uglier than a village woman, made Qing Yi¡¯s back turn cold. What was even more unexpected was that she went straight to the point. ¡°You want to be my husband¡¯s concubine?¡± Qing Yi was stunned. She did want to be Chu Tianbao¡¯s woman, but she wanted to be more than just a concubine. Unfortunately, she had failed. When Chu Tianbao saw her emerge from the water, he panicked as though he had seen a viper. She thought that since she had already alarmed Bai Wutong, she might as well take the initiative and let Chu Tianbao see what a real woman should look like. However, she did not expect Chu Tianbao, who had a strong dislike for her, to throw her, causing her to hit the screen with a bang. Even now, she felt a dull pain all over her body. Qing Yi did not reply and secretly glanced at Bai Wutong. She really could not understand why a strong man like Chu Tianbao would not be interested in women at all. The image of Bai Wutong¡¯s graceful figure standing quietly in the water suddenly flashed across her mind. An indescribable jealousy mixed with disdain flowed out. Didn¡¯t most legitimate wives rely on lowly methods too? How much better could she be? Bai Wutong caught the flash of disdain in her eyes. She knocked on the table, losing her patience. She said to the outside, ¡°Someone, drag her away and sell her.¡± Lin Yue brought his men in. When he saw the maidservant kneeling on the ground, his face instantly darkened. Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao were their young master¡¯s great benefactors. If there was a rift caused between them because of this, he would be at fault. He looked at Bai Wutong apologetically and said to the guards, ¡°What are you waiting for? Hurry up and pull her out!¡± Qing Yi immediately looked up in panic. With the chaos of war, a large number of refugees were blocking the city gate. There were people starving to death every day. If she were sold, she would definitely die. She had never suffered since she entered this large courtyard. Even if she was sold to someone else, there would not be a better job. She opened her pitiful eyes and begged fearfully, ¡°Madam, I know my mistake. I won¡¯t dare to do it again. Please spare me this time. As long as you don¡¯t sell me out, I won¡¯t have any complaints about being a servant in the firewood room.¡± Bai Wutong sneered. ¡°Is it unfair for a servant like you to stay in the fireroom room? Do as you are tasked in your position. If you¡¯re a girl who can¡¯t even keep her job, it¡¯s just a waste of food to keep you.¡± Qing Yi¡¯s mind was filled with thoughts, and she finally found a dignified excuse. ¡°No, Madam. I just want to help you resolve your problems. Even without me, there will be countless despicable people who want to seduce Master. As long as I help Madam stabilize Master, Master will always be yours. No one can be a threat to your status, because I will always listen to you.¡± How ridiculous was it for a mistress to help the main wife capture her husband¡¯s heart and even claim that it was for the sake of the main wife! Who gave her the courage? The corners of Bai Wutong¡¯s mouth curled up, but her eyes were like ice that would not melt for ten thousand years. Qing Yi shivered and suppressed her fear before saying, ¡°It¡¯s true, Madam. My original intention was all for you.¡± From the moment she saw the ugly Bai Wutong, she was certain that she was a countryside woman who had somehow lucked out. As long as she charmed Chu Tianbao, even if she could not become his wife, she would definitely be able to suppress Bai Wutong¡¯s arrogance. Who would have thought that even if Chu Tianbao did not take the bait, Bai Wutong was not an easy country woman to fool. Bai Wutong suddenly stood up and took something out of her bag. She handed it to her. ¡°I think what you said is a good idea. Since you promise to always listen to me, eat it.¡± It was obvious that the dark-skinned item was no good. Qing Yi¡¯s eyes widened in fear, and her eyes instantly flowed out. She said fearfully, ¡°Madam, I¡¯m really someone who¡¯s obedient.¡± ¡°Obedient?¡± Bai Wutong sneered. ¡°Why won¡¯t you eat if you¡¯re obedient?¡± Qing Yi¡¯s eyes were red from crying and she was still looking for an excuse. ¡°If I eat it and my body weakens, it will be difficult for me to help Madam capture Master¡¯s heart, so I can¡¯t eat it.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s horizons were broadened. There was actually such a shameless person in the world. Didn¡¯t she think that she had a chance because Bai Wutong was ugly? In that case, Bai Wutong wanted her to see clearly what it meant to be a toad lusting after a swan. Chu Tianbao secretly hid behind the side door. Bai Wutong waved at him and he immediately jumped in front of her at lightning speed. His deep eyes were burning. Bai Wutong asked, ¡°Tianbao, who¡¯s your wife?¡± Chu Tianbao said without hesitation, ¡°My wife is you!¡± Bai Wutong pointed at Qing Yi on the ground and asked, ¡°Are you willing to let her be your wife? If you¡¯re willing, I¡¯ll keep her.¡± Chapter 35 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Qing Yi realized that this was probably her last chance. If she did not grasp it well, she would really be sold. She looked at Chu Tianbao desperately for help and said pitifully, ¡°Master, I¡¯m not asking to be your concubine. I¡¯m satisfied as long as I can serve you by your side.¡± After saying that, she deliberately pursed her pink lips charmingly at Chu Tianbao. When Bai Wutong saw this, she felt that it was a pity. If she had been born in the modern era, she would definitely have a place in the entertainment industry. ¡°What about my wife?¡± Chu Tianbao asked curiously. ¡°I¡¯ll leave.¡± ¡°No way. I only want my wife.¡± Chu Tianbao was shocked. He hugged her slender waist desperately, afraid that she would disappear instantly. Everyone in the room stared in surprise. Bai Wutong patted his back comfortingly and looked at the jealous Qing Yi again. Her calm tone was extremely sarcastic. ¡°You still think you can win over his heart?¡± Chu Tianbao seemed like he was dying to become one with Bai Wutong. How could she win over his heart? Qing Yi refused to accept reality and shouted ferociously, ¡°You¡¯re just taking advantage of his foolishness. A jealous ugly freak like you will be replaced by another person sooner or later!¡± Lin Yue¡¯s expression changed drastically. He rushed forward and knocked Qing Yi unconscious before quickly kneeling on the ground. He said to Bai Wutong apologetically, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect her to do this. I didn¡¯t supervise her well. Please forgive me, Madam Bai.¡± Bai Wutong had kindly helped him take care of their young master, which was why she had moved in. However, she was treated like this. How was this repaying a favor? It was clearly creating a feud. Lin Yue¡¯s heart was trembling. Bai Wutong rubbed her tired brows. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. You may leave. We need to rest.¡± It was Lin Yue¡¯s first day here. What could he do? If the human heart wanted to break out of prison, who could stop it? She was really tired. Lin Yue left respectfully with his men. Bai Wutong realized that Chu Tianbao was still sticking to her like an octopus. Thinking of certain images, her cheeks immediately burned. She hurriedly pushed Chu Tianbao¡¯s hand away. ¡°It¡¯s time to sleep!¡± He held on too tightly, and Bai Wutong could not break it. She said angrily, ¡°Let go!¡± Chu Tianbao looked up with his watery black eyes and said pitifully, ¡°I don¡¯t want to be separated from my wife!¡± Chu Tianbao was really afraid that Bai Wutong would leave. No matter how Bai Wutong threatened or persuaded him, it was useless. Bai Wutong looked at the soft bed that was only a few steps away from him. She could not stop her wave of sleepiness and compromised angrily. The two of them lay on the bed. Chu Tianbao was hanging on to her like a human koala. Bai Wutong was so sleepy that she could not open her eyes. But she still could not ignore the hot breath on her face. Bai Wutong gritted her teeth and opened her eyes. As expected, she met a pair of deep black eyes. Bai Wutong said hatefully, ¡°Chu Tianbao, get down if you are not sleep!¡± After fleeing for so many days, she finally managed to sleep in bed. However, Chu Tianbao was watching her like a ghost all the time. How could she sleep? Chu Tianbao pouted and pressed even tighter against Bai Wutong. ¡°No, Tianbao doesn¡¯t want to be separated from my wife!¡± He was like a furnace that was burning all over, tormenting Bai Wutong¡¯s remaining patience. ¡°Then sleep and close your eyes!¡± She gave an ultimatum. As long as he didn¡¯t have to go down, he could sense that his wife was always there even with his eyes close. Chu Tianbao could still accept that. Chu Tianbao closed his eyes decisively. His thick bearded face was filled with obedience. Bai Wutong was finally able to close her eyes again. As she slept, Chu Tianbao placed his foot on her thigh and muttered in satisfaction, ¡°Wife, you smell so good~¡± After saying that, he tried to lean his head against her chest. Bai Wutong opened her furious eyes in an instant and kicked Chu Tianbao to the ground. Chu Tianbao sat on the ground with a confused expression. Bai Wutong had already pulled a blanket and thrown a pillow at him. She said fiercely, ¡°Go sleep on the couch.¡± Chu Tianbao hugged the pillow that hit his head and said aggrievedly, ¡°Wife, don¡¯t you want Tianbao anymore?¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Try saying another word.¡± ¡°Wife ~¡± Chu Tianbao blinked his big eyes and tried to act pitiful to soften Bai Wutong¡¯s heart. However, he did not know what was counterproductive. Under extreme fatigue, Bai Wutong¡¯s frustration was triggered by Chu Tianbao to the limits. She lowered her eyes and curled her fingers at Chu Tianbao. The moment he pounced on her, the world spun and Bai Wutong was already on top of him. She reached under the pillow and actually reached into the RV space to take out a strong nylon rope. She tied Chu Tianbao up tightly like a hairy crab. Seeing him like this, Bai Wutong finally revealed a trace of satisfaction in her eyes. As soon as she lay down, Chu Tianbao twisted his thin waist and threw himself at Bai Wutong like a maggot. ¡°Wife.¡± Bai Wutong turned around and looked. A pair of cold eyes immediately stopped Chu Tianbao from speaking. The world was finally quiet. Bai Wutong heaved a sigh of relief, but she realized that she couldn¡¯t sleep anymore! When she closed her eyes, all she could see was images of Chu Tianbao that should be censored. Bai Wutong rubbed her glabella, feeling very tired. She glanced sideways. The guy who had been tormenting her for so long had already fallen asleep. Chu Tianbao¡¯s long eyelashes trembled slightly. His face, which was covered by the beard, still could not conceal his well-defined handsome facial features. Bai Wutong saw his straight nose and touched it. She couldn¡¯t help but lean closer. How could he look so perfect? Her delicate hands couldn¡¯t help but outline the shape of his face. She imagined how stunning it would be to draw him on paper. Bai Wutong looked down at his beard and suddenly smiled. Chu Tianbao took extremely good care of his beard that Bai Wutong liked. As soon as Bai Wutong touched him, he subconsciously struggled free from the restraints of the nylon rope before he was fully awake. With a bang, Bai Wutong¡¯s wrist was tightly grabbed. In her moment of shock, Chu Tianbao opened his eyes and saw that it was her. He suddenly retracted his hand that was about to punch her to the ground, causing Bai Wutong to suddenly fall on his chest. Caught off guard, their eyes met and their breaths were on each other. Bai Wutong¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she heard Chu Tianbao¡¯s confused question. ¡°Wife, aren¡¯t you going to sleep?¡± ¡®Who¡¯s to blame?¡¯ Bai Wutong looked at him faintly. Before he could answer, Chu Tianbao said to himself in surprise, ¡°So wife likes to sleep with Tianbao like this!¡± He even revealed an expression that explained why Bai Wutong wanted to chase him out of bed. It turned out that his posture was wrong just now. ¡°¡­¡± Like hell! Bai Wutong was speechless. Just as she was about to get up, Chu Tianbao gave her a big smile and said innocently, ¡°I also like sleeping with my wife like this. It¡¯s like being with my wife forever.¡± Bai Wutong suddenly froze and looked at Chu Tianbao in a daze. Did he even know what he was talking about? Chapter 36 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Just as Bai Wutong was feeling vexed, Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up. His gaze landed steadily below her. Bai Wutong followed his gaze and looked down. At some point, her scattered collar revealed a patch of snow-white skin, dazzling under the flickering and dancing flames. Chu Tianbao watched intently. The moment he raised his hand to touch it, Bai Wutong¡¯s mind exploded. Her face instantly turned red and she said angrily, ¡°What do you want to do?!¡± Chu Tianbao was shocked by Bai Wutong¡¯s sudden question. He retracted his hand and asked innocently, ¡°I want to touch it.¡± Even though Chu Tianbao¡¯s brain was damaged, men and women still had a natural attraction. Moreover, this person was Bai Wutong, who treated him very well every day. Bai Wutong was simply defeated by him, yet he still had the cheek to say it! If it wasn¡¯t her but someone else, Chu Tianbao would be no different from a hooligan. She glared at him and warned fiercely, ¡°Do you think you can touch a woman¡¯s body just because you want to?! If you dare to have such thoughts about others, I¡¯ll chop off your hand.¡± Chu Tianbao pursed his lips and glanced at her. He said gloomily, ¡°Can¡¯t I have such thoughts towards my wife too?¡± Bai Wutong replied without thinking, ¡°No!¡± She was not his real wife. Chu Tianbao muttered aggrievedly, ¡°My wife has clearly touched Tianbao before. Why can¡¯t Tianbao touch you?¡± Bai Wutong was stunned for a moment, her mind racing. When had she touched him? She suddenly remembered that she had indeed touched him many times when she was changing his dressing. But how could this be compared to this! Bai Wutong sat up and said angrily, ¡°You were injured. I was just changing your dressing!¡± Chu Tianbao even learned how to argue. ¡°Even so, my wife has touched Tianbao.¡± Bai Wutong was about to explain to him the importance of the difference between men and women when she suddenly realized that she was sitting on Chu Tianbao¡¯s tight waist. Chu Tianbao¡¯s hand was still holding her waist. Bai Wutong was stunned. The word ¡°ambiguous¡± hit her mind without warning. It was like a numbing electric current hitting her chest, and her breathing quickened for a moment. Chu Tianbao sensed that something was wrong with Bai Wutong¡¯s expression and naturally hugged her. ¡°Wife, what¡¯s wrong?¡± He asked worriedly and guiltily, afraid that Bai Wutong was angry with him. Bai Wutong forcefully suppressed the loss of control in her heart and struggled out of his arms. She crawled into the blanket silently, leaving only the back of her head that revealed her long black hair to Tianbao. Chu Tianbao panicked. Was his wife really angry? He moved closer to Bai Wutong and poked the blanket with his well-defined fingers. He asked carefully, ¡°Wife? Are you angry?¡± Bai Wutong responded with silence. It was as if she really did not want to bother with him anymore. Chu Tianbao hurriedly hugged her back and promised in a panic, ¡°Wife, I won¡¯t touch you anymore. I won¡¯t touch you even if I want to in the future.¡± His deep voice caressed her ear. She didn¡¯t have to look to know how panicked and upset he was. ¡°Wife, wife¡­¡± After a long time, Bai Wutong sighed as if she couldn¡¯t do anything about him. She turned around and leaned into his arms, comforting him gently. ¡°I understand. Go to sleep.¡± What would he know? Instead, she should be the one who should pay attention to the boundaries. Chu Tianbao grunted and closed his eyes in peace with Bai Wutong in his arms. Suddenly, Lin Yue¡¯s anxious voice came from outside the door. ¡°Master, Madam, are you already in bed?¡± Bai Wutong got up from Chu Tianbao¡¯s arms and asked with a frown, ¡°What is it?¡± Lin Yue didn¡¯t want to trouble Bai Wutong, but he had no other choice, and said, ¡°Young Master refuses to drink the nanny¡¯s milk. Even after feeding him with a water pouch, he still won¡¯t stop crying. He¡¯s probably not used to the nanny¡¯s care.¡± Bai Wutong pushed Chu Tianbao¡¯s arm away and said to the door, ¡°Carry Stinky in.¡± Lin Yue hurriedly thanked her and asked the nanny to bring Stinky to the main room. Stinky had been carried over by the nanny while crying. He was usually obedient, but now his voice was hoarse from crying. Bai Wutong hurried a few steps to take him. When Stinky¡¯s swollen red eyes saw that it was her, his cries immediately stopped. It was so fast that the nanny was dumbfounded. She had tried her best to stop this little young master from crying and failed. But Bai Wutong did not even coax him and he had stopped. She was indeed his biological mother. Bai Wutong placed him on the bed to play. Chu Tianbao leaned over and poked his chubby face. ¡°Stinky, why aren¡¯t you sleeping?¡± Stinky held out his meaty little hand and Chu Tianbao picked him up. ¡°You want me to put you to sleep?¡± ¡°Ah pu¡­ Ah pu¡­¡± Chu Tianbao seemed to really be able to communicate with him. He hugged Stinky and said helplessly and dotingly, ¡°Then you have to sleep quickly. My wife is going to sleep too.¡± His unintentional words made one feel even more touched. A trace of imperceptible change flashed across Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes. She quietly stared at Chu Tianbao as he hugged Stinky and sang his self-created lullaby. ¡°Stinky is so obedient¡­ Stinky is so handsome¡­ Stinky is the best-looking one in the world¡­¡± Probably because of the change in environment so that the bed was too comfortable, Stinky started to crawl around after being placed down. In order to prevent him from rolling out of the bed, Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao lay down and still had to spare some attention to watch over him. Chu Tianbao coaxed him several times. Bai Wutong asked the maidservant to warm his milk and feed him. After changing his diaper, Stinky finally fell asleep. His little belly was heaving, and his chubby, whistling face was drooling. The little thing was too cute. Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t help but lean over and kiss him. She looked up and saw Chu Tianbao looking at her with sparkling eyes. He whispered expectantly, ¡°Tianbao wants it too.¡± His wife had never kissed him before. He was so envious. The smile on Bai Wutong¡¯s face froze. She wanted to refuse, but when he met Chu Tianbao¡¯s pure gaze, for some reason, her words were stuck in her throat. A moment later, Lin Yue knocked anxiously on the door again. As if she had been granted amnesty, she asked Chu Tianbao to take care of Stinky and got out of bed to open the door. As soon as she opened the door, Lin Yue said to her, ¡°Madam Bai, Captain Ye and his nephew are here.¡± It was late at night. Ye Wu and Huang Zhong must have something important to tell her. Bai Wutong hurried to meet her guest. Captain Ye¡¯s arm was injured, and his entire family had come with bags. Bai Wutong frowned and asked, ¡°What happened?¡± Captain Ye said with a pale face, ¡°The current emperor has died. Duke Ping¡¯s men are taking over the Beiyun City. They are counting the population and assets from every family now. Madam Bai, quickly pack your things and leave the city with me at dawn!¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s expression instantly changed. Duke Ping was actually so ruthless as to directly kill his own brother. How much hatred did he have! ¡°Why would they attack you?¡± Bai Wutong was puzzled. Captain Ye said helplessly, ¡°With the change of regime, the Beiyun City is an important place. Duke Ping naturally has to replace the manpower with his own people to be at ease. If I don¡¯t leave, my family won¡¯t be able to survive.¡± Without hesitation, she immediately instructed Lin Yue, ¡°Wake everyone up and pack up. The sooner we leave the city, the better!¡± Chapter 37 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After a while, Village Chief Zhao rushed over to meet Bai Wutong. ¡°Madam Bai, there¡¯s not enough food for us to eat on the way.¡± They had gone to the grain shop to queue up to buy it the day before. Each person could only buy 10 catties, but the stock was finished by the time it was the 10th person¡¯s turn. Village Chief Zhao had originally planned to go early in the morning. Who knew that the emperor would die at this critical moment? He really did not do anything good when he was alive. He even implicated the commoners when he died. If there was only the current amount of food, it would not be enough to last so many people to reach Ling Kingdom. Bai Wutong frowned. Lin Yue said, ¡°Village Chief Zhao, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve already gotten someone to prepare the food and herbs. There are other things in the warehouse. Just bring along everything we need. The carriage is also ready.¡± When Village Chief Zhao heard this, he immediately kowtowed excitedly to Bai Wutong. ¡°Thank you, Madam Bai. You and Master Chu are our benefactors!¡± Lin Yue agreed in his heart. If not for Chu Tianbao and Bai Wutong, he would not have thought of traveling with the Zhao farmyard and the others. She was not the one who prepared these things. Bai Wutong helped Village Chief Zhao up and said, ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± Village Chief Zhao thought that she was being modest and said optimistically, ¡°With you around, Madam Bai, all of us will definitely be safe.¡± Bai Wutong forced a smile. ¡°I hope so.¡± With so many people on the road and the long journey, who knew what else would happen? At dawn, the entire residence sorted out a total of 20 carriages at the fastest speed. Coupled with the belongings from Zhao farmyard, the team was extremely huge. If not for the fact that there were many guards protecting Stinky, they would not have dared to set off like this. The masters were leaving after staying for only a night, and they even brought so many supplies with them. The servants in the residence immediately sensed that something was wrong. When Lin Yue was about to dismiss them, the maidservants without any relatives knelt on the ground and begged Bai Wutong, ¡°Madam, we can do anything. We¡¯re not afraid of suffering. Please, bring us along.¡± Most of them were young and beautiful girls. Without anyone to protect them, not to mention protecting their own money, even they themselves would not be able to escape. Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes swept across them. These maidservants were all thin and weak. Even when they were walking out of the city, they looked like they had to take a few deep breaths. They were not as loyal as the people from the Zhao farmyard. Bringing them along was completely a burden. However, these people did not belong to her. Bai Wutong directly looked at Lin Yue, indicating that he should make the decision himself. Lin Yue said coldly, ¡°Take the silver and leave quickly.¡± On the way to escape, there were at least dozens of strong guards from Zhao¡¯s farmyard, so they would not be a burden. Who would have the time to care about a group of maidservants who could not even lift their hands? The maidservants sobbed and begged, ¡°Madam, Master, please. We will definitely be obedient and protect our young master to death. Please bring us along.¡± They all hated Qing Yi to death now. They felt that if not for Qing Yi, Bai Wutong would have even brought them along, instead of the group of country bumpkins. Just as Lin Yue was about to chase them away, the sound of galloping hooves came from the entrance. In just a short while, a large group of men with dark tattoos and swords appeared in front of everyone. Bai Wutong looked up and was immediately surprised. The man in the lead was Qing Feng, who was disguised as a man. She was so seriously injured, but she was still alive! Furthermore, she was full of vigor and had even brought so many people here. Bai Wutong found it unbelievable, but she could not help but admire her tenacious vitality. Qing Feng¡¯s gaze landed on Stinky, who was in Bai Wutong¡¯s arms. She ordered coldly, ¡°Hand over the child!¡± Lin Yue was also surprised. He clearly saw that Qing Feng was seriously injured. If he had known this would happen, he would have killed her then. Lin Yue¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Protect the Young Master!¡± The guards immediately lined up in front of Bai Wutong and the others. Qing Feng glanced at Bai Wutong and waved her hand. The experts from the Dark Guards Team behind her immediately dismounted and fought fiercely with the guards. When the maidservants, who had just sworn to protect their young master, saw the battle breaking out, they were so frightened that their faces turned pale. They immediately hid in the residence and packed their bags to leave. The people from the Dark Guards Team were all top-notch experts. Although Lin Yue led more guards, they were almost unable to hold on. Zhao Pengfei looked at Village Chief Zhao. ¡°Dad!¡± It was obvious what he meant. Village Chief Zhao nodded and turned to the young men of Zhao farmyard. He said firmly, ¡°Madam has done us a great favor. Now that she¡¯s in trouble, we can¡¯t sit back and do nothing. Go and protect Young Master!¡± ¡°Protect the young master!¡± Seeing the young man from Zhao¡¯s farmyard join the battle, Huang Zhong, who was filled with thoughts of repaying the favor, pulled out a fortune tree from the pot beside him and was about to rush up. ¡°Master, I¡¯m here to save Little Young Master too!¡± Huang Zhong¡¯s bamboo-like body held a fortune tree, but he gave off a feeling that even the fortune tree was stronger than him. The members of the Dark Guards Team could break him with just one finger. ¡°Move aside. Watch over your aunt and the others. Don¡¯t cause trouble here!¡± Ye Wu said fiercely and went up with the saber in Huang Zhong¡¯s place. If he died, his nephew¡¯s debt would be repaid. Lin Yue said to Bai Wutong anxiously, ¡°Madam, Master, bring Young Master into the carriage first.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Qing Feng attacked them. Lin Yue barely blocked the sword, and Qing Feng rushed towards Bai Wutong at an extremely fast speed. Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes instantly turned cold, and his entire body emitted a powerful hostility. Qing Feng had suffered under his hands before and did not want to be entangled with him. He ordered the others in the Dark Guards Team, ¡°Stall him!¡± The people from the Dark Guards Team immediately took out their men to block Chu Tianbao¡¯s sharp sword move. They did not expect Chu Tianbao to be so powerful. The internal energy hidden in the sword broke through several people¡¯s attacks. The Dark Guards Team immediately sent out more people to surround Chu Tianbao. After all, they were top-notch experts. No matter how powerful Chu Tianbao was, it would take some time for him to wipe them out at the same time. At this moment, Qing Feng had already arrived in front of Bai Wutong. Lin Yue was also being stalled and could not escape. Just as Qing Feng was about to grab Stinky, Huang Zhong appeared. Qing Feng pointed her sharp sword at him. Ye Wu saw it from the corner of his eye and shouted, ¡°Zhong¡¯er!¡± Just as everyone thought that Huang Zhong was dead for sure, Bai Wutong, who had been standing still, kicked him to the ground at lightning speed. Huang Zhong, who had fallen down, was a little dumbfounded. When he turned around, his eyes immediately turned red. Madam Bai had saved him for the third time just now! How could he repay such a huge favor! Qing Feng saw that it was her and abruptly sheathed her sword. However, Bai Wutong did not show any mercy. She aimed the pepper spray that she had already prepared at Qing Feng and sprayed fiercely. A burning pain immediately assaulted Qing Feng¡¯s eyes. With a clang, the sword in Qing Feng¡¯s hand fell to the ground. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± Everyone looked up and saw that Bai Wutong¡¯s sharp axe was already pressed against Qing Feng¡¯s neck. Qing Feng endured the pain that ordinary people could not imagine and gritted her teeth as she ordered, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me!¡± Everyone in the Dark Guards Team only paused for a moment before immediately following Qing Feng¡¯s orders to continue attacking. They really did not care about the life of the Dark Guards Team commander. She would rather die to complete the emperor¡¯s order. As expected of the sharp blade in the emperor¡¯s hand. ¡°Kill her, Madam!¡± Lin Yue shouted. At this moment, a large group of soldiers quickly rushed out of the residence and surrounded all of them. Chapter 38 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The soldiers spread out, and the military horse carrying an armored man appeared in their line of sight. Everyone¡¯s hands froze in unison. His arrogant gaze swept across everyone. When his gaze landed on Bai Wutong and the others¡¯ huge convoy, he smiled in satisfaction. Very good. His trip had not been in vain. When his gaze landed on Qing Feng¡¯s face, who was being held by Bai Wutong¡¯s axe, his eyes widened in shock. Then, he laughed arrogantly. ¡°I was wondering who it was. To dare to fight in Beiyun City, it turns out to be the honorable commander of the Dark Guards Team!¡± ¡°The late emperor has passed away. Are you so eager to follow him? Your head actually landed in the hands of a woman. I wonder if you relied on your butt to become a commander¡­ Hahaha¡­¡± Wang Qiong was originally a small general under Duke Ping and had a blood relationship with Consort Ping. After Duke Ping killed the emperor, his status also rose. On the day Duke Ping ascended the throne, he immediately sent a pigeon to give Wang Qiong an important task. He sent troops from Liyang to the Beiyun City to become the garrison commander. Now, even the magistrate of the Beiyun City had to listen to his orders. Such glory, he had thought, but he had not expected it to come so soon. In that case, he had to protect this hard-won right. After the Fengming City, which was guarded by Lord Ning Yuan to death, was the Jiangyuan City and the Beiyun City. Duke Ping had secretly recruited less than 300,000 troops, and 50,000 of them were elite troops that he dispatched to protect the Imperial City. Of the remaining 250,000 troops, Fengming City had 150,000 soldiers, while Jiangyuan City and Beiyun City had 50,000 each. If Lord Ning Yuan was defeated, how could they resist the 200,000 cavalry of Duke Chu? Naturally, he had to plan for himself. Beiyun City originally only had 10,000 troops. In addition to the 50,000 troops he had brought with him now, as well as the people he had recruited at the last minute, there were less than 80,000 people. How could 80,000 people be enough to fight a war! And most importantly, there was a shortage of food. Fuyang was rich in water and soil. It was possible to support a certain area usually, but the Yan Kingdom was suffering from a severe famine and Duke Ping had moved into the palace and transported most of the rations to the Imperial City to win over the people. Lord Ning Yuan was probably starving while waiting for the emperor¡¯s reinforcements. If there was food, they would definitely not land at Beiyun City. On the way here, he had his eyes on the 300,000 citizens of the Beiyun City. The citizens in the city definitely still had some food. As long as he filled up the granary first and gained confidence, they naturally did not have to be afraid. Therefore, he wanted to use the excuse of sharing the emperor¡¯s worries and difficulties to get the people to hand over all their food and force the men above the age of 15 to serve in the military. If anyone dared to resist, they would kill their families. Of course, Wang Qiong would not go too far. After handing over the food, they set up a porridge shack in the city and rewarded these people with a bowl of porridge every day. This ensured that these people would beither starve to death nor be full. The men would then be forced to serve in the army and stay obedient, without any thoughts of escaping. He had already calculated carefully. If the army expanded to 150,000 and Duke Ping could still gather some troops and rations, he might even have the ability to fight against Duke Chu and become a general with more prestige and power than Lord Ning Yuan. The more Wang Qiong thought about it, the more he felt that it was feasible. He excitedly led his men to deal with the late emperor¡¯s trusted subordinates as soon as he landed. This would prevent these people from trying to instigate a rebellion. Then, he quickly took advantage of the fact that the commoners were not prepared and searched their houses overnight to capture them. The Beiyun City was so big. The reason why Bai Wutong and the others were targeted so quickly was because someone wanted to please Wang Qiong and told him that Lin Yue had an entire book of banknotes. When Wang Qiong heard that Lin Yue could casually take out 10,000 taels of silver to enter the city, he thought that his household would definitely have more money. He immediately brought a large number of people over. He happened to bump into Bai Wutong and the others packing up to escape. The 20 carriages really surprised him. Immediately after, he saw the commander of the Dark Guards Team, Qing Feng, who he had once admired, land in a sorry state in the hands of a woman. His indignance immediately turned into humiliation. ¡°What did you say? The late emperor died?¡± Qing Feng asked in shock, ignoring the axe in Bai Wutong¡¯s hand. When she left, the emperor was still excitedly preparing to welcome Duke Ping. He even wanted to tell Duke Ping that as long as the Dark Guards Team captured Sheng Huaixuan and obtained rations and silver to fill the treasury, the two brothers would definitely be able to weaken the Duke Chu¡¯s influence and stabilize the Yan Kingdom. If he died¡­ then it was definitely not a coincidence! Who would have thought that Duke Ping, who looked mediocre and only knew how to enjoy himself, would choose to rebel at such a critical moment without any warning! Did he not care about the consequences? At this moment, it would only make the Imperial Court and the Yan Kingdom even more chaotic. Qing Feng¡¯s shock made Wang Qiong even more smug. ¡°You¡¯re a stray dog now, and I¡¯m a goshawk spreading my wings in the sky. Instead of dying at the hands of a woman, you might as well cut off your head and give it to me as a gift to the new emperor. If I remember you during the holidays, I might be able to burn more incense paper for you! Hahaha¡­¡± Qing Feng was the first lackey of the previous emperor, and Duke Ping would definitely kill her. Wang Qiong wished he could carry her head back and take credit for it. In his excitement, he actually laughed like a pig. Wang Qiong coughed lightly to hide his embarrassment and said to the other members of the Dark Guards Team, ¡°Quickly surrender and I¡¯ll leave your corpses intact.¡± He had so many people on his side, so what was there to be afraid of? If Qing Feng was really powerful, he wouldn¡¯t have been stopped by a woman¡¯s axe. As for these people, since they were targeted by the Dark Guards Team, there must be something unusual about them. If they were captured and interrogated carefully, he might be able to make another great contribution. ¡°The new emperor¡­¡± Qing Feng looked at Wang Qiong in a daze, a strange expression on her face. The other members of the Dark Guards Team also revealed the same expression as Qing Feng. When Qing Feng suddenly smiled strangely, Bai Wutong frowned and looked over. He actually saw an extremely strong sense of relief and determination in Qing Feng¡¯s bloodshot eyes. Bai Wutong did not know that the commander of the Dark Guards Team could only be loyal to one emperor. Now that she knew from Wang Qiong that Qing Feng would not be accepted by Duke Ping, she immediately heaved a sigh of relief. In that case, Qing Feng wouldn¡¯t have to hold Stinky hostage and force Sheng Huaixuan to hand over his assets. Everyone present seemed to have ignored his words. Wang Qiong lowered his eyes and waved his hand gloomily. ¡°Attack! Take them down, dead or alive!¡± Under Wang Qiong¡¯s command, the soldiers swarmed forward. He did not care that there were still a group of commoners there. Qing Feng and Bai Wutong looked at each other and understood what the other party meant. Bai Wutong retracted her axe, and Qing Feng raised her sword. She gave orders to everyone in the Dark Guards Team, ¡°Kill them!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Bai Wutong ordered Lin Yue and Zhao Pengfei, ¡°Clear a path outside and cover the team as they leave the city!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Wang Qiong laughed. ¡°It¡¯s not that easy to get out of the city!¡± The city gate had long been closed by him. The refugees could not enter, and the commoners could not leave. Only then could the Beiyun City be absolutely safe. And he was the absolute ruler of the Beiyun City! As soon as he finished speaking, Qing Feng led the members of the Dark Guards Team and arrived in front of him. Chapter 39 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios With a whoosh, the sharp end of the sword quickly enlarged in his pupils. Wang Qiong was shocked. At the critical moment, the horse was frightened. His body tilted sideways and the deadly sword from the Dark Guards Team soldier missed him by an inch. From the corner of his eye, in the blink of an eye, most of the people around him had been killed by the Dark Guards Team. The members of the Dark Guards Team were actually so powerful! On the other side, Chu Tianbao led the way while Bai Wutong and the others broke through the encirclement. These people were also so powerful! Wang Qiong¡¯s pupils trembled. When he saw Qing Feng flying over with her sword, he immediately turned his horse around. As he fled, he said angrily, ¡°Hurry up and send people over. If anyone escapes, I¡¯ll hold you responsible!¡± Bai Wutong and her team were too cumbersome. Even though Chu Tianbao had led the people out of the encirclement, they were still surrounded by a large number of soldiers before they could see the city gate. When the women and children of Zhao farmyard saw so many soldiers pointing knives at them, they were all frightened. At this moment, the sky was already bright. Lin Yue subconsciously asked Bai Wutong, ¡°Madam, what should we do?¡± It was not impossible for them to abandon the villagers of Zhao farmyard and break out of the siege with the young master. But if he abandoned them, none of these villagers who had interacted with him for many days would survive. They had even stood up for the young master just now. For a moment, Lin Yue was in a dilemma. Bai Wutong was also thinking of a solution. In Beiyun City, unless he restrained Wang Qiong, they would basically be trapped. However, once Chu Tianbao left the team to capture Wang Qiong, the entire team might be swarmed by the soldiers. This was because they would not be able to hold on and would suffer heavy casualties. It was impossible to escape with these people. Wang Qiong, who was already guarded against them, stood far away from them. The corners of his mouth curled up as he ordered, ¡°Take down a person and you¡¯ll be rewarded with ten taels of silver!¡± Wealth moved people¡¯s hearts. The soldiers looked at each other and immediately chose an area with a lot of villagers. Lin Yue kicked an attacker away and pierced through another with his sword. He gritted his teeth and took out a sheepskin map from his pocket. He said to Bai Wutong, ¡°Madam, you and Master leave first. I¡¯ll bring the others to save the villagers. I¡¯ll save as many as I can. Please take good care of Young Master. If you can find Master for our Young Master, please tell him that I didn¡¯t disappoint him!¡± Bai Wutong did not have the time to care about what the map was. She took it and reprimanded him, ¡°You won¡¯t disappoint him only if you¡¯re alive. If you die, your words won¡¯t count!¡± ¡°The city gate must have been sealed. How do you expect Chu Tianbao and I to get out!¡± Just because Chu Tianbao had martial skills did not mean that he could jump down from a height of dozens of meters with a woman and a child. Just as Lin Yue was feeling anxious and uneasy, he suddenly remembered that Bai Wutong had a superb disguise technique. As long as they mixed into the crowd, Bai Wutong would definitely have a way to change their appearance. Lin Yue said, ¡°Madam, you can disguise yourself with Master and stay in the city. You can find a chance to go out when the city gate opens.¡± Bai Wutong lowered her eyes and said, ¡°It¡¯s not the last moment yet.¡± She still had the Power Bomb. Not only could it repel the soldiers, but it could also blow open the city gate. However, once it was used, she was afraid that it would hurt the innocent citizens in the city and reveal that she had an astonishing lethal weapon. The noisy and scary environment made the children cry loudly. Stinky, who was in Bai Wutong¡¯s arms, also wailed. Afraid that it would be too late if it was any later, Lin Yue emphasized again, ¡°Madam, please go. I¡¯ll cover for you!¡± Suddenly, the sound of galloping hooves came from behind. Qing Feng and the others were also surrounded by a large number of soldiers and chased onto the same path as Bai Wutong and the others. Bai Wutong turned around and looked at Qing Feng. Little Stinky, who was in her arms, reached out and grabbed her shoulder pitifully. His snot and tears flowed down his face as he cried and rubbed against her body. Qing Feng looked at the countless soldiers around them. Her gaze landed on Stinky meaty hands. She thought of something and her cold and arrogant eyes fluctuated slightly. The soldiers swarmed forward again. Village Chief Zhao fell to the ground in the chaos and a large saber fell from the sky. Village Chief Zhao suddenly closed his eyes. With a whoosh, the swords slashed through the air, forming an ear-piercing sound. The soldiers who wanted to behead Village Chief Zhao had already been sent flying by Qing Feng. Village Chief Zhao did not feel any pain. He looked up and saw Qing Feng on the horse¡¯s back. He said gratefully, ¡°Thank you, Young Master, for saving me!¡± Qing Feng said expressionlessly, ¡°No need.¡± She casually pierced another soldier who wanted to ambush them. She rode closer to Bai Wutong¡¯s carriage. Lin Yue immediately aimed his sword at her and questioned coldly, ¡°What do you want to do?¡± Qing Feng didn¡¯t even look at him. Her gaze landed on Bai Wutong¡¯s face, paused for a few seconds, and then landed on the back of Stinky¡¯s round head. Not long after, she suddenly said to Bai Wutong, ¡°I¡¯ll bring you guys to break out of the encirclement. Give us half of the food.¡± Since Qing Feng dared to speak like this, she must have confidence in succeeding. Bai Wutong immediately nodded. ¡°Alright!¡± She would give half of the food and make do with the rest. On the way, she would find some other food. It should be enough. Moreover, to be able to save so many lives, half of the food was very worth it. Lin Yue even suspected that there was something wrong with his ears. Qing Feng was actually helping them! The first thing that appeared on his mind was that Qing Feng had ulterior motives. He hurriedly said to Bai Wutong, ¡°Madam, the commander of the Dark Guards Team is sinister and cunning. He can¡¯t be trusted.¡± Bai Wutong shook her head. ¡°You think there¡¯s a better way than to trust her?¡± Lin Yue was speechless and could only watch as Qing Feng¡¯s men rushed into their team. With the members of the Dark Guards Team joining in, the entire team seemed to have been reinforced with a protective shield. Even with so many soldiers, they were unable to chop off a single head. Instead, they suffered countless casualties. When Wang Qiong saw this scene in the distance, he gritted his teeth in hatred. With a dark expression, he instructed his subordinates, ¡°Archers, get ready! Shoot them all, don¡¯t leave a single one alive!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± When the archers arrived, another Dark Guards member who had followed Qing Feng¡¯s instructions to head towards the Beiyun City¡¯s gunpowder warehouse had also returned. At the same time, Bai Wutong also saw what the series of things in their hands were. If she was right, this was an explosive from the ancient times! The explosives were much less powerful than Bai Wutong¡¯s Power Bomb, and the range was not as large. This way, they could avoid harming the commoners as much as possible and directly attack the soldiers. After giving the instructions, the members of the Dark Guards Team immediately distributed the explosives. Qing Feng lit the explosive cord of an explosive pack and threw it with a whoosh. With a loud bang, a large group of soldiers was bombed to pieces. Immediately after, countless explosives fell among the soldiers like a rain of flowers. Bang! Bang! Bang! The series of explosions felt like a level-ten earthquake. Wang Qiong¡¯s archers had no time to prepare and were bombed away. More soldiers were frightened by the damage caused by the explosives and kept retreating. Wang Qiong took out his sword and pointed at them as he cursed, ¡°Coward, I¡¯ll kill whoever dares to take another step back!¡± The soldiers stopped in their tracks. He pointed his sword at his subordinates again. ¡°Idiot! What are you waiting for! Go to the gunpowder warehouse and get the explosives. Blast them back!¡± His words were followed by another earth-shattering explosion. Wang Qiong felt that the Beiyun City was about to be torn apart. The next second, he heard his subordinate say in a panic, ¡°Inspector! The¡­ the gunpowder warehouse¡­ has exploded¡­¡± Chapter 40 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The gunpowder warehouse was an important asset in the war between the two armies! It had exploded! He would definitely be confronted by Duke Ping! As a newly appointed city guard commander, he could forget about being one! Wang Qiong was so shocked that his eyes almost popped out. In an instant, he was overwhelmed by anger. He glanced fiercely at the commoners hiding in the cracks and ordered the soldiers, ¡°Drag them over!¡± If you have the ability, continue blowing the place up! He wanted to see if Qing Feng and the others had more explosives or if there were more commoners in the city! As long as he killed Qing Feng and captured these people, he could more or less offset some of Duke Ping¡¯s anger. There were men and women, young and old. A group of weak people was staggered to the front of Wang Qiong¡¯s army. Seeing this scene, Bai Wutong¡¯s expression instantly changed. He actually wanted to use the commoners as meat shields! Was he even human!? The existence of zombies was more valuable than this trash. A woman carrying a child who was only a few months old cried her heart out. She kept begging the soldiers who were pulling them, ¡°Officers, I beg you. My child is only a few months old. He¡¯s still young. It¡¯s fine if I¡¯m blown up. Let him go, sob¡­ I beg you¡­¡± She looked too miserable. The soldiers could not bear to look at her. When Wang Qiong heard her cries, he did not have the slightest pity for her. Instead, he pointed at Bai Wutong and the others sinisterly. ¡°Your son¡¯s life and death are all in their hands. If he dies, you can turn into a ghost and look for them!¡± When the woman heard this, she immediately hugged the child in her arms tightly and knelt down with a thud. She kowtowed crazily to Bai Wutong and the others. Her face was filled with tears. As she kowtowed, she shook her head in fear. ¡°No! No! Please don¡¯t blow us up! He hasn¡¯t called me mother yet and doesn¡¯t know how to walk. He¡¯s just a pitiful child who¡¯s still drinking milk! Please, I¡¯ll kowtow to you. If you want my life, I can¡­¡± Seeing this, the other innocent commoners also knelt down and kowtowed to them, begging Qing Feng not to use the explosives. For a moment, the cries, shouts, and the tears that soaked the ground merged into a tragic weeping sound. Other than animals, who wouldn¡¯t be moved?! Bai Wutong glanced at the frightened Stinky in her arms. She clenched her fists and said to Qing Feng, ¡°Tell your people to stop the explosion.¡± Qing Feng nodded. Bai Wutong fumbled in her bag and secretly stuffed a small crossbow into Chu Tianbao¡¯s hand. She said, ¡°When I shout ¡®explode¡¯ later, aim the crossbow at the man in the middle wearing a helmet. You must hit him with one shot.¡± ¡°Alright, wife.¡± This steel crossbow was exquisite, small, and easy to control. Its range was more than 200 meters, and its lethality was astonishing. This was because the material design was very different from ancient crossbows. If not for the fact that there was no other way, Bai Wutong did not want it to be easily shown to others. Chu Tianbao was so good at using darts. If she created chaos, Chu Tianbao should have no problem using it to shoot Wang Qiong. With Wang Qiong dead, there would be no leader. The remaining people were naturally afraid of the explosives in their hands. Qing Feng stopped using the explosives. Wang Qiong smiled sinisterly and waved his hand. ¡°Archers, get ready!¡± The group of civilians was also within the archers¡¯ shooting range. His subordinate reminded in a panic, ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not appropriate to shoot at these commoners.¡± ¡°They should be honored to die for their country!¡± Wang Qiong¡¯s mind had already been blown up along with the gunpowder warehouse. They were just a bunch of useless trash. As long as he could keep his position as Inspector, so what if they died? Just as Wang Qiong signaled to release the arrow. Suddenly, a crazy, disheveled woman ran out of an alley. There were also a few soldiers following behind her. The soldiers sprang out of the alley. When they saw so many people, their gazes shifted. When they realized that the inspector was there, their legs went weak with fear. They stopped chasing. The crazy woman ran to the middle of the road and stripped herself naked in front of everyone. In the next second, she pulled out the silver hairpin from her head and stabbed it into her chest. Blood splattered the ground. The woman glanced into the crowd and fell to the ground like a broken butterfly, her eyes wide. Everyone held their breath at the sudden and shocking scene. ¡°Yu Rong¡ª!!!¡± After a while, a soldier suddenly rushed out from the group. He threw himself beside the woman. The tall man was crying. ¡°Yu Rong, Yu Rong, wake up!!!¡± The only response he received was a gradually cold body. Then, he picked up his saber and stood up. Step by step, he walked towards the soldiers who had followed Wang Qiong. His terrifying gaze was like a vengeful ghost that had just crawled out of hell. ¡°You animals!¡± The man roared, raised his saber, and quickened his pace to slash. A long arrow pierced his chest and he stopped abruptly. His saber fell weakly to the ground with a clang. The man saw the arrow in his chest and looked blankly at Wang Qiong, who was retracting his bow on the horse. He spat out a mouthful of blood and staggered two steps before falling to the ground. With his last breath, he looked in the woman¡¯s direction and shouted affectionately, ¡°Yu Rong¡­¡± Then he suddenly stopped breathing. Wang Qiong threw the bow and arrow to the ground and said expressionlessly, ¡°You¡¯re affecting the military discipline. You deserve to die!¡± Meanwhile, the few soldiers who had really affected the military discipline were still alive. Wang Qiong could no longer be described as trash. For the first time, Bai Wutong wanted to tear someone into pieces. Wang Qiong aimed his cold gaze at Bai Wutong and the others again and waved his hand, while saying, ¡°Release¡±. As soon as he said that, Wang Qiong¡¯s internal organs were pierced through by a long saber. Clutching the saber that had penetrated his bloody stomach, he turned to look at his subordinate who had attacked. His eyes widened in disbelief as he mounted the horse. ¡°You¡­¡± Wang Qiong questioned him with difficulty, but he could not say anything else. The subordinate from Beiyun City who was best at currying favor and able to stay by Wang Qiong¡¯s side had a cold expression. He got down from the horse¡¯s back and pulled out the saber on Wang Qiong¡¯s body. He raised it high again. The moment the bloody sword was seen, Wang Qiong¡¯s head was cleanly cut off. He carried the bloody head to the male corpse and suddenly collapsed to the ground. He cried bitterly, ¡°Son, I¡¯ve avenged you! Sob¡­¡± He had only curried favor with Wang Qiong to let his family live a better life, but because of Wang Qiong, this bastard, he ended up in such a state. He regretted it! If he had known, he would have listened to Ye Wu last night and left with his entire family. Scene after scene followed. In the blink of an eye, ther was such a huge turn of events. Everyone at the scene was stunned. The magistrate, who had pretended to be blind and deaf, almost fainted. The newly appointed inspector was dead¡­ dead¡­ He wiped his cold sweat and stammered to the guard, ¡°Quick, let¡¯s go!¡± He was afraid that he would be the next to die. Chapter 41 - 41 Tianbao Is Not a Dog 41 Tianbao Is Not a Dog The Beiyun City magistrate had just taken two steps secretly with his back bent when Chu Tianbao used his movement technique to sneak into the middle of the road. The magistrate glanced at the corpse beside him and the blood on his hands. He panicked and begged for mercy. ¡°Sir please have mercy! It¡¯s not my fault. All the orders were given by that bastard Wang Qiong. I¡¯ll open the city gate and send you out of the city now!¡± Chu Tianbao looked at Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong said coldly, ¡°Then open the city gate quickly!¡± The magistrate hurriedly got up and shouted at the soldiers, ¡°What are you waiting for? Open the city gate!¡± Before the city gate opened, the commoners at the side all knelt down and begged, ¡°Master, Madam, please save us. They snatched all our food and silver and even forced us to a dead end¡­¡± ¡°Shut up! Troublemaker!¡± The magistrate threatened them in exasperation. No one would spit out what they had eaten. In the next second, Chu Tianbao pressed his sword against the magistrate¡¯s neck. When the magistrate saw the cold blade on his neck, his legs trembled in fear and he knelt on the ground. When the commoners saw the high and mighty magistrate reveal such a sorry state, they hurriedly kowtowed again and said, ¡°Master, Madam, I beg you, ask them to let us go. In the next life, we¡¯re willing to do anything for you. We¡¯ll definitely set up a tablet for you and provide offerings for generations¡­¡± The magistrate looked at the cold-faced Bai Wutong and felt the blade on his neck cut a hole in his flesh. His face turned pale with fear. He hurriedly said, ¡°Don¡¯t kill me. Don¡¯t kill me. I¡¯ll get someone to return the items to them now.¡± When the commoners heard the magistrate¡¯s words, they cried tears of joy. They hurriedly knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Bai Wutong and the others. ¡°Thank you for saving our lives, thank you for saving our lives¡­¡± There was a large crowd of citizens. Looking across, the soldiers were just like the sand in the desert. In the end, they had not experienced the despair that the refugees had encountered. At this moment, they still did not think of resisting and were instead seeking help from others. Even if they helped this time, they would still be lambs to the slaughter the next time. Even the starving refugees outside could eat them alive. Bai Wutong glanced at the city gate that was about to open completely. She sighed and said to the group, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± In this chaotic world, all kinds of hardships could only be overcome by oneself. The Beiyun City magistrate was chased out of the city by Chu Tianbao like a pig. The entire team quickly attracted the attention of all the refugees. Qingfeng and his men had to kill a few waves of refugees to intimidate them. Bai Wutong looked at the refugees with scarlet eyes and covetous gazes that seemed like they were about to transform into wild beasts at any moment. Then, she looked at the magistrate, who was panting after taking a few steps. She said to Chu Tianbao, ¡°Let him go.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Chu Tianbao removed the sword from his neck. Just as the magistrate was rejoicing that his life was saved, he was surrounded by a group of refugees who looked like skeletons. The magistrate looked around and realized that he was surrounded by refugees. He shouted in shock, ¡°What are you trying to do?! I¡¯m a magistrate. You lowly commoners, get lost!¡± So what if he was a magistrate? He wouldn¡¯t even give them a bowl of porridge! He deserved to die! ¡°Ah¡ª!!!!¡± A miserable cry came from behind. Bai Wutong looked back at the magistrate who was drowned in the refugees and sneered. Even if Wang Qiong was the culprit behind the chaos in the Beiyun City, as the official governing the people, the magistrate who knew but did not do anything was definitely not innocent. The road from Beiyun City to Jiangyuan City had many obstacles set up to prevent refugees from escaping to Ling Kingdom. Qingfeng led his men to open up a path with the explosives. The soldiers guarding the path did not dare to struggle uselessly and obediently retreated to the sides. The team had just walked for more than half a mile when they heard an emergency signal from the Beiyun City. Heaven-shaking battles and wails came from afar. Everyone stopped and looked back and forth. Looking at the Beiyun City that was almost burning red, the realization that Yan Kingdom was about to perish instantly enveloped them. Village Chief Zhao sighed. ¡°What a sin~¡± Madam Yang also said sadly, ¡°It¡¯s all fate!¡± Whether it was the citizens and soldiers in the city who resisted or the refugees who barged in, it would not take long for more refugees to catch up. This road had been blocked for two days. If they hurried on with their journey now, it would save them a lot of trouble. Bai Wutong looked away and gave the order. ¡°Let¡¯s move on!¡± The two words that were said with a strong tone seemed to carry endless hope. The sunlight pierced through the thick smoke and enveloped the carriage that Bai Wutong was in. It was dazzling and the horses seemed to be about to jump into the air at any moment. Village Chief Zhao was stunned for a moment. Then, he suddenly smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s all fate. We¡¯re lucky to have met Madam.¡± Everyone had suffered varying degrees of injuries. After reaching a distance away from the Beiyun City, Bai Wutong immediately asked everyone to stop and treat their wounds. They had to eat something before moving on. There were two deep cuts on Chu Tianbao¡¯s arm. Bai Wutong rolled up his sleeve and saw them. There was a piercing pain in her heart as she frowned and asked, ¡°Does it hurt?¡± It was fine if she didn¡¯t ask, but once she did, Chu Tianbao acted extremely delicate. He cried, ¡°Wife, it hurts¡­¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s frown deepened. She took out his favorite milk candy and placed it in his mouth. She said gently, ¡°Bear with it. I¡¯ll apply the medicine for you first.¡± She took the medicine from her bag and gently dabbed the wound with cotton. It was stingy and numbing. Chu Tianbao did not feel any pain at all. They were so close that Chu Tianbao could see nothing but her. The milk candy melted in his mouth, and the rich milk fragrance rushed from his mouth to his brain. It was not as tempting as the faint fragrance emitted from his wife. Chu Tianbao sniffed subconsciously, and his eyes lit up as if he had discovered a new continent. Bai Wutong tied a bow around his wound and looked up with satisfaction. She was caught off guard. Her smooth forehead was pressed against Chu Tianbao¡¯s beautiful thin lips. Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes widened. Before she could react, Chu Tianbao subconsciously stuck out his tongue and licked it. The slightly hot and damp touch was like a soldering iron, scalding Bai Wutong¡¯s heart. She pushed Chu Tianbao away and asked with a flushed face, ¡°Why are you acting like a dog?!¡± Fortunately, they were in the carriage and no one saw. Chu Tianbao said helplessly and innocently, ¡°My wife is fragrant, and Tianbao is not a dog.¡± He was still a little aggrieved. He didn¡¯t understand why Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t let him touch and kiss her. His aggrieved expression appearing on the face of a bearded man was exceptionally comical. Bai Wutong¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she regretted her words. How could she blame him if he didn¡¯t understand anything? Bai Wutong held out her hand and said gently, ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have said that about you. Come here and I¡¯ll wash your face.¡± His face was mottled with blood. Chu Tianbao immediately raised his head. With tears in his eyes, he laughed and pounced into her arms. ¡°Wife~¡± It was as if all his grievances had dissipated at this moment. Bai Wutong stared at the big guy who was crying against her chest. Her eyebrows twitched and she suddenly wanted to curse! Chapter 42 - 42 Safe Journey 42 Safe Journey ¡°Madam! They¡­¡± Lin Yue lifted the curtain of the carriage. Without any warning, he saw Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao hugging each other. He immediately stopped and hurriedly lowered the curtain. Bai Wutong did not expect him to suddenly come in. She subconsciously pushed Chu Tianbao away, but she realized that it was useless. She was so angry that she could not help but pinch his back. Chu Tianbao cried out in pain. He looked up with his watery black eyes. ¡°Wife, why are you pinching me?¡± Bai Wutong said angrily, ¡°You deserve it!¡± Chu Tianbao pouted and tried to rebut. Bai Wutong covered his mouth and said fiercely, ¡°Go and cook porridge!¡± Chu Tianbao couldn¡¯t speak. He could only nod obediently. Lin Yue stood on the carriage, his face red. He was uneasy and hesitated. ¡°Madam, I didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡± Qingfeng, who was by the carriage, glanced at his face that was as red as a monkey¡¯s butt and his cold gaze lingered for a moment. After a while, Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao came out of the carriage. She glanced at Lin Yue and skipped the topic. She coughed lightly and asked, ¡°Why were you looking for me just now?¡± Lin Yue was usually more manly than a man, but now he was even more sissy than a woman. He blushed and glanced at Qingfeng. ¡°She¡¯s looking for you.¡± If Bai Wutong didn¡¯t know that Lin Yue hated Qingfeng so much, she would have misunderstood that Lin Yue was a little interested in her. Bai Wutong turned his gaze to Qingfeng. ¡°What is it?¡± Qingfeng said simply, ¡°Half the rations.¡± Bai Wutong asked, ¡°Are you taking it away now?¡± Qingfeng nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Bai Wutong noticed that there were many injuries on her body. He said, ¡°After you¡¯re done applying the medicine, eat with us before you leave.¡± Qingfeng hesitated. Lin Yue looked at her hatefully, as if to say, get lost immediately. She immediately agreed. ¡°Okay.¡± Bai Wutong said to Lin Yue, ¡°Go prepare medicine for them.¡± Lin Yue said anxiously, ¡°Madam, how can we give it to them?¡± How many of their people had Qingfeng killed before? Bai Wutong stopped him with a look. ¡°Have you forgotten how we left the city? Hurry up and get the medicine!¡± Lin Yue nodded. However, the expression on his face was too unwilling. Qingfeng stared at his back that was emitting an angry aura and she said to Bai Wutong, ¡°Just give me a third of the rations.¡± Bai Wutong was surprised for a moment before she reacted to it. Qingfeng didn¡¯t want to take her medicine for nothing. What an honest person she was. Indeed, rumors could not be trusted. Seeing that Bai Wutong revealed an expression implying that she was an honest person, Qingfeng said indifferently, ¡°If there¡¯s too much rations, it will be troublesome on the way.¡± Bai Wutong looked at her even more confused, as if saying, ¡°You don¡¯t have to force yourself to explain. Actually, I understand your good intentions.¡± Qingfeng was a woman, so it was not convenient for her to apply medicine outside. Bai Wutong asked her to apply medicine in the carriage. When she came out after applying the medicine, Chu Tianbao had also finished cooking the porridge. He even happily carried several types of pickled vegetables to Bai Wutong and asked, ¡°Wife, which one do you want to eat?¡± Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°I eat what Tianbao likes.¡± Chu Tianbao immediately raised his favorite radish and pickled vegetables happily. ¡°Then let¡¯s eat this and this!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Bai Wutong placed the bowl in Qingfeng¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Let¡¯s eat together.¡± Qingfeng looked at the bowl in jer hand and sat down with Bai Wutong. Madam Yang carried Little Stinky over. He reached out his little hand and asked Bai Wutong to hug him. He cried out in a childish voice, ¡°Ah Pu¡­ Ah Pu¡­¡± His fleshy cheeks trembled as he spoke. He was so cute. Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t help but rub his chubby face and smile. ¡°I¡¯ll cook for you later.¡± Without getting a hug from Bai Wutong, Stinky¡¯s eyes landed on Qingfeng¡¯s face. Then, he extended his hand to Qingfeng again. Not only was he smiling brightly, but he was also giggling. When Bai Wutong heard Little Stinky¡¯s laughter, she turned around and caught a hint of a smile in Qingfeng¡¯s calm eyes. Bai Wutong suddenly said, ¡°He likes you very much. You should carry him.¡± Qingfeng was stunned. Madam Yang had already raised Stinky and handed him to her. ¡°You have to hold Young Master like this, this hand holding his waist while the other hand¡­¡± Before Madam Yang could finish speaking, Qingfeng had already taken Stinky. Her movements were careful and very practiced. Madam Yang looked at her and said with a smile, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Mister to be so good at carrying children.¡± Bai Wutong brought Stinky¡¯s food to Qingfeng. ¡°Are you going to feed him?¡± She could tell that Qingfeng liked Stinky. Qingfeng nodded and brought the bowl over. She fed Stinky a little bit of rice paste with a small spoon. Lin Yue was so angry that he almost became a pufferfish. His gaze did not leave Qingfeng for a moment, afraid that she would do something bad to Stinky. After the meal, Stinky burped contentedly in Qingfeng¡¯s arms and blinked sleepily. Qingfeng stared at his chubby face and hesitated for a moment. In the end, she could not help but rub against his face. His delicate baby skin was smoother than the most expensive silk. After a few more rubs, her entire body seemed to glow with a new light. Lin Yue forcefully carried Stinky away with the excuse that he was going to sleep. Feeling her arms empty, Qingfeng lowered her eyes, and a trace of disappointment flashed across them. After everyone had eaten, Qingfeng bade farewell to Bai Wutong and said, ¡°The late emperor has died, but Duke Ping still won¡¯t let Sheng Huaixuan off. When the news of my appearance in the Beiyun City gets back, he will definitely send someone else. You guys have to be careful.¡± Bai Wutong frowned and thought for a moment. ¡°You guys are going to Ling Kingdom too, right?¡± Qingfeng didn¡¯t deny it. Bai Wutong said, ¡°You need a household register to enter the Ling Kingdom. It¡¯s inconvenient with your current identity, and Duke Ping won¡¯t let you go. Why don¡¯t you come with us?¡± Everyone in the Dark Guards Team was a skilled expert. If they could let Qingfeng follow along them, Stinky would be much safer, and the team would be much safer. Although her excuse was lousy, Bai Wutong still wanted to test Qingfeng¡¯s intentions. Qingfeng was determined and she said, ¡°Farewell.¡± Bai Wutong sighed. ¡°Safe journey.¡± It was a pity, but a forced melon was not sweet. It was probably the first time someone had told her to have a safe journey. Qingfeng was stunned for a moment, but she quickly got on the horse as usual. ¡°Giddy up~¡± The rations were tied to the backs of Qingfeng¡¯s horse and the others. They rode their horses and quickly disappeared from sight. Bai Wutong suddenly realized that Qingfeng¡¯s words were really not intentional. If there were too much rations, they really couldn¡¯t bring it away. She also suddenly realized that Qingfeng was probably implying that they were too slow. No matter how slow they were, they had to move on. Bai Wutong and the others packed their things and quickly set off. They had been walking for about two hours when they saw a grazing horse at the side of the road as the sun was about to set. The horses were carrying food. Bai Wutong looked at them. Wasn¡¯t this Qingfeng and the others¡¯ horses? She immediately said to Lin Yue, ¡°Bring some people to scout ahead and see what¡¯s going on.¡± Bai Wutong and the others waited for a while before Lin Yue rode back and said, ¡°They seem to have fallen to some plot and had fainted on the road.¡± Chapter 43 - 43 Treasure Map 43 Treasure Map Qingfeng and the others were so skilled at martial arts. How could they have fallen to a plot? Moreover, how could the other party not kill them after plotting against them? He even let them lie on the road where someone would pass by at any time. Bai Wutong found that strange. ¡°Is there no danger around?¡± Lin Yue said, ¡°I¡¯ve checked. There¡¯s no problem.¡± Bai Wutong asked everyone to speed up. After a while, they saw Qingfeng and the others lying on the side of the road. Lin Yue¡¯s men had just dragged them over. Most of their horses were still grazing around and had been brought back by Lin Yue¡¯s men. Fortunately, the soldiers had sealed off the road and there were no refugees. Other than the four horses that had run away, the losses were not too great. Bai Wutong walked up to Qingfeng and checked on her. What she saw surprised her. Qingfeng was severely injured, but her body was no different from a normal person. However, she was unconscious with a painful expression. Bai Wutong lay down and listened carefully to her heart rate. She checked her pulse and looked at her eyes and tongue. She immediately frowned and helped Qingfeng into the carriage. Bai Wutong lifted her clothes and realized that the wounds on her chest and abdomen had yet to scab over. They were still covered in blood. It was already fortunate that she did not die immediately, but her body reaction was the same as a normal person. This situation was too strange. No matter how strange it was, her external injuries still needed to be treated. Otherwise, after the wound was inflamed and rotted, even a Heavenly immortal would not be able to save her. Bai Wutong instructed Lin Yue, ¡°Bring all of them along and find a place to camp.¡± The sun was about to set anyway. ¡°Yes.¡± Lin Yue immediately cleared a few carriages for them and piled the secret guards up like trash. At one glance, they would look like a cart of corpses. It was quite frightening. After the carriage stopped, Bai Wutong asked Chu Tianbao to guard outside the carriage to prevent anyone from suddenly barging in. After confirming that Qingfeng was unconscious, Bai Wutong injected her with anesthesia and prepared to operate on her. She had realized just now that Qingfeng¡¯s heart was different from ordinary people¡¯s. It was on the right, so it had avoided the vital hits. Bai Wutong could treated them as an ordinary external injury. It was dark when Bai Wutong finally came out of the carriage. Seeing that she was covered in blood, Chu Tianbao asked in panic, ¡°Wife, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Bai Wutong looked tired. ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s not my blood. I¡¯m just a little tired and want to rest for a while.¡± Chu Tianbao immediately lifted and carried Bai Wutong. On the way, when they slept in the wilderness, Chu Tianbao often hugged her like this to rest. Bai Wutong did not find anything strange. She nodded and slowly closed her eyes as she leaned against his broad chest. Madam Yang, who had wanted to call Bai Wutong for dinner, immediately stopped in her tracks when he saw the two people hugging in the carriage. She secretly laughed and instructed the others not to disturb them. When Bai Wutong woke up, Qingfeng was still asleep. None of the other people in the Dark Guards Team were awake either. This made Bai Wutong wonder if the emperor had given them a special medicine. The emperor was dead and Qingfeng and the others had lost the antidote, so they became like this. Lin Yue said, ¡°If they don¡¯t eat, drink, or wake up, they will die soon right?¡± Bai Wutong thought for a moment. ¡°Let¡¯s observe for another two days.¡± She really didn¡¯t want Qingfeng to die after all the time she¡¯d spent. Madam Yang walked over and said, ¡°Madam, we stewed a black chicken. It¡¯s still hot.¡± Bai Wutong happened to be hungry too. When Chu Tianbao heard the word black chicken, his eyes lit up. The others had already eaten. This black chicken was probably specially made for them. When the lid of the pot was lifted, the rich fragrance of chicken soup immediately wafted out. It attracted the glutton within Bai Wutong. Madam Yang filled up a large bowl for her. It was simply too much. Bai Wutong could not finish it at all, so she poured a lot of chicken into Chu Tianbao¡¯s bowl. Chu Tianbao ate until his mouth was covered in oil and was extremely satisfied. Bai Wutong took a sip of the soup first. The taste of the mushrooms and chicken soup was completely fused. It was fresh and fragrant. Bai Wutong took another big sip before exclaiming in satisfaction. ¡°Auntie Yang, your cooking is really good.¡± Madam Yang pretended to be humble and said with a smile, ¡°Aiyah, it¡¯s just that it¡¯s a little better than those people in the village. If Madam likes it, we¡¯ll cook for you in the future.¡± Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°Alright, Auntie. We¡¯ll follow you and eat all your meals in the future.¡± They had enough food at the moment. Bai Wutong did not need to take out ingredients from the space. With someone cooking, she and Chu Tianbao saved themselves the trouble. Madam Yang was overjoyed. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll definitely cook well for you guys.¡± Bai Wutong really treated them as her own people. Previously, when they sent food to Bai Wutong, she would not accept it. After eating and drinking her fill, Bai Wutong finally remembered that she still had a sheepskin map in her arms. When Lin Yue saw her take out the sheepskin map, his gaze immediately glued to it. He was mysterious and wanted to say something but hesitated, as if he was constipated. By the light of the fire, Bai Wutong could see that there were many ingot patterns marked on the map. She turned to look at Lin Yue and raised her eyebrows, conveying a message though her gaze to ask if this was the legendary treasure map? Before Lin Yue could answer, Bai Wutong had already smiled and confirmed that this was where Sheng Huaixuan hid the money. It was no wonder Lin Yue could take out so much money at any time. Looking into Bai Wutong¡¯s smiling eyes, Lin Yue¡¯s heart beat like a drum, and he didn¡¯t know how to speak. At that time, he thought that his chances of survival were slim, so he gave the map to Bai Wutong. If he asked for it back now, Bai Wutong would definitely feel that he had no credibility. Bai Wutong beamed at him. ¡°This is for me, isn¡¯t it?¡± The fact that the young master was safe and sound now was all thanks to Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao. In any case, the function of the treasure map was to ensure that the young master reached Ling Kingdom safely. Since Bai Wutong had the capability, why not give it to her? In any case, this was only the tip of the iceberg of their master¡¯s assets. Moreover, the situation was critical at that time, and he still had a map in his pants that he had yet to take out. Even if Bai Wutong was unwilling to give Little Young Master a single cent, he could still take good care of him. Moreover, if his master knew how much Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao had sacrificed for the young master, he would definitely not blame him for making this decision. Lin Yue looked up again with a firm gaze. ¡°Yes, this is for Madam.¡± Bai Wutong only wanted to tease him, but she didn¡¯t expect him to really give it to her. Suddenly, she thought of something and pretended not to accept it. She rejected it and said, ¡°If you give it to me, what will you use?¡± Lin Yue still had so many subordinates to raise. Lin Yue was even more touched. He did not expect Bai Wutong to be so considerate of them. He hurriedly said, ¡°Madam, don¡¯t worry. I have my ways. Just accept it. If our master is here, he will definitely make you accept it.¡± With that, Bai Wutong finally understood that Lin Yue must have had a backup plan. She didn¡¯t pretend anymore. The corners of her lips curled up as she placed the sheepskin map neatly in her arms. ¡°Alright, since you insist that I accept it, I can¡¯t reject your kindness.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s movements were so fast that she did not look embarrassed at all. However, Lin Yue had to smooth things over. The corners of his mouth twitched as he said, ¡°Madam is right.¡± Chapter 44 - 44 Ill Teach You a Lesson 44 I¡¯ll Teach You a Lesson Qingfeng¡¯s injuries required an infusion and taking medicine. Bai Wutong had already given her an infusion. There were many medicines in traditional Chinese medicine that were better at treating external injuries than Western medicine. That included medicinal herbs. Bai Wutong directly concocted the medicine and used a small stove to boil the medicine for Qingfeng. After the black bowl of essence was cooked, Bai Wutong carried it to feed Qingfeng, who had changed location to under the tree. Lin Yue said, ¡°Madam, you should rest early. Let me do it.¡± Lin Yue looked like he had ill intentions. Bai Wutong stared at him for a few seconds. ¡°Are you sure?¡± He wouldn¡¯t kill someone with a medicine, right? Lin Yue¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°Yes.¡± He won¡¯t torture her to death! Bai Wutong thought for a moment, then passed him the bowl. ¡°Then you can feed. I¡¯ll watch you feed her.¡± Lin Yue¡¯s expression froze. Bai Wutong found it funny and urged, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to feed her? Hurry up.¡± Lin Yue took a deep breath and raised his arms into a stiff arc, revealing his upper teeth. ¡°Okay,¡± he said with fake pity and stubbornness. Lin Yue carried the bowl to the makeshift tent that everyone had set up. Qingfeng did not show any signs of waking up. She lay quietly like a lamb that could be slaughtered. Lin Yue had suffered so much at her hands that he really wanted to take the opportunity to stab her. Under the dancing flames, Qingfeng¡¯s face was handsome. There was a obvious scar at the corner of his eye, making him look even more masculine. No matter how he looked at him, he still seemed like a cold man. Lin Yue wondered if he had seen wrongly that day. The corners of his eyes subconsciously wandered down. When he saw that her breasts were really different from his, he was shocked and retracted his gaze. He glanced guiltily at Qingfeng. Bai Wutong covered her mouth and yawned. She shouted at him, ¡°Hurry up!¡± She was tired from waiting. Lin Yue could only squat down obediently and hold Qingfeng¡¯s chin, preparing to pour it in. ¡®It¡¯s just feeding medicine. Why can¡¯t I do it?¡¯ A smooth and delicate touch came from his hand. Lin Yue stared at Qingfeng for a moment. She was indeed a woman. How could a man have such delicate skin? He curled his lip and loosened his grip on Qingfeng¡¯s hand. He¡¯d been about to pour the medicine in, but he decided to help her up instead. Just as he propped up the back of Qingfeng¡¯s head and brought the medicine to her mouth. Qingfeng suddenly opened her eyes. In an instant, the bowl in Lin Yue¡¯s hand was snatched away by her. She threw it to the ground with a bang and quickly picked up the broken porcelain piece. She pressed it against Lin Yue¡¯s throat, forming a bloody cut. Her dark and guarded eyes were like a ferocious wolf that had just woken up. Whoever provoked her had to die. Bai Wutong was also woken up by Qingfeng. When she saw the scene in front of her, she quickly said, ¡°Stop, he was feeding you medicine just now.¡± Qingfeng looked at the broken porcelain bowl on the ground and smelled the medicinal smell of the liquid. Her gaze landed on Lin Yue¡¯s aggrieved expression and she let go. ¡°Sorry.¡± The word ¡®sorry¡¯ did not make Lin Yue feel better. With a dark expression, he threw her a look and left angrily. Bai Wutong saw that her hand, which was holding the porcelain piece, had a huge cut. She took out the wound medicine and prepared to bandage her wound. Qingfeng suddenly felt that something was wrong. She tore open her clothes and looked at the bandage that had been changed. She said angrily, ¡°Who did it?¡± Bai Wutong lowered her voice and said, ¡°I helped you. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Qingfeng probably didn¡¯t want others to know that she was a woman. Qingfeng looked at her suspiciously. ¡°You know to treat people?¡± Even without opening it, she knew that the wound clearly felt different. Bai Wutong said calmly, ¡°I know a little.¡± It was her own injury, so Qingfeng knew best what the Bai Wutong was capable of. Thinking that Bai Wutong was unwilling to reveal too much, Qingfeng cupped her hands and said, ¡°Thank you!¡± Bai Wutong waved her hand. The two serious injuries on Qingfeng¡¯s body were caused by Chu Tianbao and her. What was there to thank? Qingfeng woke up, and so did the row of secret guards lying on the ground. Bai Wutong was even more certain that there was something strange about them. Bai Wutong asked, ¡°Why did you suddenly faint?¡± If a group of refugees instead of them had arrived after Qingfeng, all of Qingfeng¡¯s clothes might have been taken off, let alone food. Qingfeng didn¡¯t answer. She probably couldn¡¯t bring herself to speak. Or maybe it wouldn¡¯t do any good to tell Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong continued to ask, ¡°Will you guys suddenly faint again?¡± Qingfeng shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The Immortal Spiritual Pill had suddenly taken effect five months in advance. She had wanted to reach Ling Kingdom as soon as possible to find Wen Renhua to concoct the antidote, but it seemed that there was no time. They only had a rough address and they might not be able to find anyone there. And even if they did, it was a question of whether Wen Renhua would be willing to concoct an antidote for them or not. Thinking of this, a defeated look appeared on Qingfeng¡¯s face. The other people in the Dark Guards Team also realized that after the emperor died, there was an uncontrollable change in the Immortal Spiritual Pills on their bodies. This meant that they could die at any moment from the bone-piercing pain. Qingfeng looked at them and said in a deep voice, ¡°You all know, right?¡± The Dark Guards Team looked at her under the moonlight, their eyes like a pool of stagnant water. Qingfeng said, ¡°If you have unfinished wishes, fulfil them now.¡± They had been fighting and killing in the Dark Guards Team since they could remember. They served the emperor like robots. Wishes? They had never had one. They all looked at her silently, as if they were a group of dead people. But Qingfeng took in all the meaning in their gazes. They were going to follow her until death. Qingfeng looked at the night sky in confusion, but where could she go? From Qingfeng¡¯s words, Bai Wutong could tell that they had really been drugged by the trash emperor, and their days were numbered. She hesitated for a moment and pretended not to know anything. ¡°It¡¯s really troublesome to create an identity in Ling Kingdom. Our village chief has a household register. It¡¯s very simple to help you write your name on it. Do you want to come with us?¡± It seemed that they would not die for a while. It was better to follow them and guard against Duke Ping¡¯s men together. If they suddenly died, the remaining food they had would be the reward for burying them. This was the second time Bai Wutong had suggested that they go on the road together. Everyone knew what she meant. Bai Wutong had saved them just now. Qingfeng did not have the habit of owing anyone anything. She nodded and said, ¡°Okay.¡± As long as they were alive, she would escort them to Ling Kingdom. When Lin Yue learned that Qingfeng and the others were going to follow their group, he immediately looked for Qingfeng and asked fiercely, ¡°Where is our master now?¡± He had forgotten before, but now he remembered, their master¡¯s whereabouts were still unknown. Qingfeng¡¯s gaze landed on his neck for a few seconds before she said unhurriedly, ¡°My people didn¡¯t send back any news.¡± Since there was no news, it meant that their master had not been captured by the Dark Guards Team. Lin Yue heaved a sigh of relief and glared at her. He said fiercely, ¡°If anything happens to our master, I¡¯ll teach you a lesson!¡± Qingfeng glanced at him expressionlessly, but Lin Yue could see the mockery on her face. He was so angry that he turned into a pufferfish and almost exploded. Chapter 45 - 45 Mudslide 45 Mudslide As the team got closer to Jiangyuan City, the rain became more frequent. In the carriage, Bai Wutong saw the continuous puddles on the road and had a bad feeling. After continuous rain, there were many floods. It was unknown what the situation was like in Jiangyuan City, which was still half a month journey away. Bai Wutong asked Qingfeng, ¡°Was Jiangyuan City flooded in the past?¡± The commander of the Dark Guards Team should know something. Qingfeng did not turn around and replied, ¡°There are floods in Jiangyuan City every year. Nearly 500,000 people were affected last year, and more than 200,000 people were drowned by the flood.¡± When Bai Wutong heard the shocking number, she quickly asked, ¡°Then how did the emperor deal with it?¡± Qingfeng¡¯s tone was calm, but it made Bai Wutong unable to accept. ¡°It wasn¡¯t dealt with. About 150,000 of the 500,000 victims survived.¡± Bai Wutong gasped. He had let so many commoners die in the disaster. It was really lucky for the trash emperor to only die now. Bai Wutong frowned. ¡°Will we encounter a flood on our way there?¡± Qingfeng said, ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s almost autumn. Even if we encounter it, the flood will be over soon.¡± She was telling Bai Wutong not to worry too much. With famine and floods, a large number of human and animal deaths, and water pollution, it was very likely that the plague would spread. How could she not worry? Bai Wutong looked at the rugged road that led to Jiangyuan City. A premonition that Jiangyuan City was probably more troublesome than Beiyun City kept coming. She had to let everyone take some precautions in advance. At the intersection between the Beiyun City and the Jiangyuan City, the mountain path was rugged and the terrain was steep. If the carriage did not move carefully, it might drive into the lush mountain stream. It was originally drizzling. When the group drove to the cliff, the sudden storm almost overturned the carriages. The children were tightly covered in their parents¡¯ clothes. Even so, the rain drenched them. Even adults with strong bodies could fall sick, let alone children. Moreover, the torrential rain was very likely to cause mudslides and landslides. Their geographical location was too dangerous. Bai Wutong lifted the curtain and said loudly to Lin Yue, who was drenched on the horse, ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous to go on the road in such a heavy rain. Let¡¯s find a place to camp first!¡± The rain was too loud and Lin Yue could not hear her if she did not speak loudly. Actually, the group had only set off not long ago, but it seemed like the rain would not stop anytime soon. They could only find another place to settle down. Lin Yue said, ¡°Okay.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Bai Wutong heard the sound of rocks loosening and rolling down the mountain. Everyone looked up in unison. Everyone was relieved to find that only one or two small rocks had fallen from the cliff. Lin Yue summoned everyone to take two steps faster. There was a slightly flat bamboo forest in front that could allow everyone to rest for a while. Bai Wutong¡¯s gaze never left the top of the cliff. Suddenly, her pupils constricted violently as she shouted anxiously at Lin Yue, ¡°Quick, run to the back. Let everyone run to the back. The mudslide is coming down!!!¡± Everyone looked up and saw that the rubble on the top of the cliff was falling continuously. The cliff above them was also in the shape of molten lava and could slide down with the rocks at any moment. If they did not retreat in time, many people would be buried. Everyone tried their best to run back. When the entire team retreated to a safe area, they heard a loud bang like thunder. With a rumble, one, two and three pieces of boulders continuously fell from the sky with collapsed soil, followed by an erupting mudslide that rolled away like a waterfall. After a while, the only road leading to Jiangyuan City was blocked completely. If they had run forward just now, everyone would have been buried inside. Everyone all looked like they had just survived a calamity. If the road was blocked, the carriages carrying the rations would not be able to pass through. It would take at least half a month to reach Jiangyuan City on other roads, and it might not be easier than the road. Lin Yue said, ¡°Madam, I¡¯ll bring people to clear the road now.¡± Bai Wutong shook her head. ¡°No. It¡¯s raining so hard now, and there might be a mudslide. It¡¯s too dangerous. Let¡¯s find a place to stay first.¡± The group¡¯s new camp was under a dense bamboo forest. Everyone was already familiar with setting up camp. The men cut down many bamboo trees and quickly built a few bamboo sheds that could shelter them from the wind and rain. The women lit a fire and used herbs to boil medicine to ward off the cold. The children obediently kept quiet. The storm lasted for nearly an entire morning before the sun appeared. Sunlight shone through the bamboo forest as if nothing had happened. The days seemed peaceful again. After confirming that it was not going to rain, Bai Wutong said to Lin Yue, ¡°Go and see if there are any more mudslides on the road. If not, come back and get more manpower to clear the way.¡± Even if the rain had stopped, the soil was still very soft and muddy. It was very dangerous. Lin Yue agreed. Qingfeng, who heard this, also wanted to go with him. Lin Yue turned around and looked at her. ¡°Why are you following us? Stay behind to protect Madam and Young Master.¡± He already dared to order the commander of the Dark Guards Team around. Qingfeng looked at Bai Wutong, who waved her hand and said, ¡°Go, go. His skills are not as good as yours. If the mudslide comes again, you can still help him at the critical moment.¡± Lin Yue instantly widened his eyes and looked at Bai Wutong. Although Bai Wutong was telling the truth and it was for his own good, did he not want his face? What was even more infuriating was that Qingfeng glanced at him and said calmly, ¡°Okay.¡± It was as if he was a piece of trash who needed protection. Lin Yue was so angry that he became a pufferfish again. Qingfeng looked at him a few more times, her cold eyes revealing an slight smile. When Bai Wutong saw this, he felt that Qingfeng¡¯s soul that had been sucked away in the past was gradually returning. Lin Yue and Qingfeng went to check the road. The people from the Zhao Village also started cracking. The farmers were best at discovering things in the fields. They quickly dug up many bamboo shoots in such a large bamboo forest. Looking at the baskets of bamboo shoots, Bai Wutong clicked her tongue. ¡°Everyone will be full just by eating bamboo shoots today.¡± Madam Yang said happily, ¡°Fresh bamboo shoots stewed with marinated meat are the freshest. I¡¯ll go and prepare it now.¡± Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°Then we¡¯re in for a treat today.¡± Along the way, they ate many salted vegetables and fresh bamboo shoots. Everyone had smiles on their faces. Zhao Pengfei leaned over and said, ¡°This forest is quite deep. There should be bears.¡± He rubbed his palms together in anticipation. ¡°If we meet a bear, everyone can have meat to eat.¡± Zhao Pengfei used to hunt alone in the mountains and was very bold. With so many people here, how could the bear dare to come? Bai Wutong was afraid that Zhao Pengfei would run far away and get into trouble, so she said, ¡°There¡¯s a shoal over there. Everyone can see if we can catch fish.¡± This shoal was in the middle of two small hills. The water flow was left behind from the mountains. Although it looked shallow, the water flow in the middle was quite rapid. Bai Wutong even specially instructed that children could not go into the water. Zhao Pengfei was very good at swimming. He did not take this small stream seriously at all. He rolled up his pants and walked into the water. After watching for a while, he suddenly pounced and splashed water everywhere. Zhao Pengfei raised his hands, and there was already a lively big fish in his hands. He shouted in surprise, ¡°There¡¯s fishes! Fishes! And they¡¯re quite big!¡± He threw the fish to the shore and plunged into the water again. When the men saw the fish, their eyes lit up and they went into the water. However, catching fish still required a certain level of skill. Some people caught more, while others caught less. Chu Tianbao, this idiot, had not caught a single one. Chapter 46 - 46 So Many Fishes 46 So Many Fishes Zhao Pengfei caught the fishes faster and faster. He caught a big fish that was more than half a meter long and was so happy that he could not stop smiling. He quickly came out of the water and ran to Bai Wutong. He placed it in front of her as if he was presenting a treasure. ¡°Madam, look at how big my fish is! I¡¯ll go get it for my mother and let her make fish soup for you.¡± It was obvious that the fish was very tasty. Being grabbed by the naturally strong Zhao Pengfei and having the strength to swing his tail, it must be very fresh to make a pot of delicious fish soup. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°Sure, everyone will be in a treat today.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s smile was as beautiful as the most beautiful spring flowers in the mountain stream. Chu Tianbao looked at his empty palm and continued to explore the water in disbelief. He would definitely catch a fish bigger than Zhao Pengfei and make his wife even happier. In the end, after everyone caught two baskets of fish one after another and went ashore, Chu Tianbao had only caught a few small fish. It had taken him a lot of effort to catch them. It was just entering autumn, and the wind from the mountain stream was strong. The water was even colder. No matter how strong Chu Tianbao was, he could not stay in the water forever. Bai Wutong cupped her hands and shouted at him, ¡°Tianbao, come out quickly. It¡¯s almost time to eat.¡± Chu Tianbao looked up at Bai Wutong and met her bright smile. He then looked at the two small fish in his hand and felt extremely sad. He was so stupid. He could not even give his wife a decent big fish. Chu Tianbao stood in the water dejectedly, as if he had been forgotten by the world. Bai Wutong¡¯s smile froze. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ She waved again. ¡°Tianbao, come back!¡± Chu Tianbao finally obeyed and walked to the shore gloomily. He looked like someone owed him millions. Bai Wutong shook her hands before his eyes. ¡°Tianbao, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Why was he so aggrieved after catching a fish? Chu Tianbao placed the fish in his hand in front of Bai Wutong and said sadly, ¡°Wife, I didn¡¯t catch a big fish for you.¡± Bai Wutong thought nothing of it. She took the two small fish and said with a smile, ¡°The big fish is too big. The meat is rough and not as delicious as the small fish. The fish that Tianbao caught is just right. Let¡¯s go back and fry it into crispy fish bits. Tianbao will definitely like it.¡± He still said dejectedly, ¡°Wife, you previously said that the big fish is the best to make poached fish slices.¡± Bai Wutong was stuck. When did she say that? Perhaps she had said it casually, but Chu Tianbao had put it to heart. Bai Wutong coaxed, ¡°I was starving at that time. I just said it casually.¡± Chu Tianbao looked up with misty eyes. ¡°But I want to catch a big fish for you.¡± His wife clearly liked big fish more. When she saw big fish, her eyes were as dazzling as stars. From the bottom of his heart, he wanted to give her what he thought was the best. Bai Wutong sighed and said helplessly, ¡°Then let¡¯s use another method to catch fish. Tianbao will definitely be able to catch a very big fish this time.¡± Bai Wutong used a dagger to sharpen two wooden forks. She handed one to Chu Tianbao and rolled up her pants leg before saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll go into the water with you and teach you how to fish with a wooden fork.¡± His wife wanted to catch fish with him, so Chu Tianbao was very happy. He held Bai Wutong¡¯s hand and carefully led her to the middle of the most turbulent river bank. Bai Wutong stared at the bottom of the water and took a closer look. She moved her hand like a god as she shot out the wooden fork with a whoosh. Water splashed and a fat struggling carp was pulled out. Chu Tianbao¡¯s face was filled with admiration as he shouted in surprise, ¡°My wife is so great!¡± Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°You can try too.¡± Chu Tianbao nodded and stared intently at the water. Soon, he raised the wooden fork high and slammed it down. In an instant, his childish expression faded, and his dignified and cold aura exploded with internal energy. Bang! Bang! Bang! At this moment, Chu Tianbao raised his eyelids, and his eyes were cold and indifferent. Bai Wutong seemed to have seen another Chu Tianbao. The explosion formed a large vortex. When the vortex disappeared, countless fish of various sizes floated to the surface with the white foam, almost covering the entire riverbank. When everyone heard the shocking bang, they hurriedly rushed to the water¡¯s edge. When they saw it, they were completely dumbfounded. Why were there so many fishes!!?? ¡®Did Madam and Master just blow it up with explosives?¡¯ Chu Tianbao raised the wooden fork and shouted in surprise, ¡°Wife, wife, look, I caught a big fish.¡± Chu Tianbao smiled brightly. He was still so naive, as if his previous self was all an imagination. Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t help but wonder what kind of person Chu Tianbao would be if he regained his memories. If it was like just now, he would have been too cold. ¡°Wife? Wife?¡± Bai Wutong came back to her senses and saw the huge carp that was almost a meter long in his hand. Her eyes widened. There was actually such a huge creature in the water that was not too deep. Bai Wutong felt that it would become a magical carp if it grew a few more years. Before she could praise Chu Tianbao for being so great, she glanced around and realized that her left, right, front, and back were filled with fishes that were overturned. If not for the fact that Chu Tianbao was still standing in front of her, Bai Wutong would have thought that she had traveled through time. Bai Wutong said in surprise, ¡°That¡¯s too much!¡± These fish needed at least a few carriages to be filled. Chu Tianbao looked down and was also shocked. ¡°Wife, there are so many fishes!¡± It was as if he didn¡¯t do it. When Chu Tianbao and Bai Wutong walked ashore, Village Chief Zhao immediately welcomed them with a smile. ¡°Madam, there are so many fishes. What do you plan to do with them?¡± Bai Wutong raised the big fish Chu Tianbao had given her and said, ¡°Deal with it as you see fit. If you can bring some along, bring them along. If not, forget it.¡± The fish that Chu Tianbao had specially caught for her was enough for the two of them to eat for a few days. Lin Yue had just returned to bring more people to dig up the path. They were going to stay overnight here that night. Village Chief Zhao had already made up his mind. ¡°Madam, we¡¯ve eaten a lot of food along the way, and we¡¯ve emptied three carriages. Anyway, we still have a lot of salt, so we might as well marinate all these fish and bring on the way to eat.¡± With so many fish, they could save a lot of food, and everyone could eat some fish from time to time to satisfy their cravings. Bai Wutong looked back at the densely packed fishes in the water. ¡°Can you bring all of them?¡± Village Chief Zhao immediately nodded and said with a smile, ¡°Yes, definitely. Madam, don¡¯t worry! The pickled fish made by me doesn¡¯t require much ingredients and the taste is superb. I guarantee that Madam and Master will like it!¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Should I catch more for you?¡± Chu Tianbao had used his internal energy to blow up the entire riverbank. There was still a large area of water below. Village Chief Zhao also wanted to, but he shook his head regretfully. ¡°There won¡¯t be enough salt. We still have to travel tomorrow, so there¡¯s not enough time.¡± With so many fishes, he had to arrange for everyone to kill and marinate them in containers for the pickled fish. It would take too much time. He was worried that he wouldn¡¯t be able to marinate them all that night. Chapter 47 - 47 Dragon King Temple 47 Dragon King Temple Many of the villagers knew woodworking and ate the fish banquet in satisfaction. With their stomachs full, they could continue to work endlessly. Other than bamboo, there were also many dense trees around. Everyone worked together to cut down more than dozens of trees one after another and began to carve wood to make wooden boxes for the pickled fish. On the other side, the women of Zhao farmyard were also slaughtering fish in full swing, scraping their scales and applying sauce. The little children held the dried fish that had been fried with fish oil and ate happily while helping the adults do some chores. Zhao Pengfei, Lin Yue, Qingfeng, and the others went to open the path. He could easily carry the huge rocks that needed a few people to carry. With him around, he could easily deal with some rocks that were difficult to move. Bai Wutong originally wanted to help, but they rejected her, saying that someone needed to take care of the Young Master. Peach¡¯s mother was skilled at helping Madam Yang make pickled fish, so Peach was sent to Bai Wutong¡¯s side to help look after Stinky. When Peach saw the fleshy Stinky rolling around in the carriage¡¯s cushion, she reached out and handed him a precious dried fish. ¡°Little brother, eat some fish.¡± Stinky had just developed curiosity about food from the outside world. He would bite whatever he was handed. The dried fish that Sister Peach had given him immediately aroused his curiosity. He crawled over with his hands and feet while his round stomach was dragged on the ground. He reached out his chubby hand to grab the fish. He had not yet reached the point where he could eat fried food. Bai Wutong picked him up and he twisted agitatedly, baring his teeth. His small toothless mouth was wide open on his big, squirming face. ¡°Ow ow ow¡­¡± Stinky called out, wanting Bai Wutong to put him down. Stinky wanted to eat dried fish. He was moving too much. Bai Wutong handed him to Chu Tianbao and took the dried fish from Peach¡¯s hand. She smiled and said, ¡°Little Brother says thank you to Sister Peach. He also says that he wants to treat Sister Peach to candied plums.¡± With that, Bai Wutong took a candied plum from her bag and placed it in front of Peach. A child could not resist the temptation of sweet preserves. Peach¡¯s eyes lit up. She smiled sweetly and sensibly. ¡°Thank you, little brother.¡± Then she reached for the preserves. Little Stinky didn¡¯t get to eat the dried fish and even lost a large candied plum. He was so angry that he cried out and kept patting Chu Tianbao¡¯s back with his chubby little hands. Realizing that it was useless, he bit Chu Tianbao¡¯s chin. He didn¡¯t even have a tooth. How could Chu Tianbao feel pain at all? He was even mocked by Chu Tianbao, ¡°You still want to bite without a tooth.¡± Stinky was so angry that he pulled Chu Tianbao¡¯s hair with his hand and even spat fiercely on his face. ¡°Ah pu ~ Ah pu ~¡± It was as if he wanted to tell Chu Tianbao that he wanted to show him how powerful he was. Chu Tianbao was not to be outdone. He kissed him back while Stinky dodged left and right in disgust. However, Chu Tianbao did not let him do as he pleased. He held Stinky¡¯s face and kissed him crazily again. Bai Wutong looked up and saw Stinky, a little kid whose hair was not even fully grown, roll his eyes, revealing an expression that said that his life had been tainted. It amused both her and Peach, who was concentrating on her candied plum. When it was dark, Lin Yue and the others had returned from clearing the road. The villagers of Zhao farmyard had yet to finish marinating the fish. Seeing them return, Village Chief Zhao immediately pulled them into the group assigned to marinate the fishes. There was strength in numbers. Soon, the marinated fish was packed in layers of wooden boxes and stacked on two carriages. Without peeling the skin, the bamboo shoots could be kept for a month in a cool place without sun exposure. At dawn, the women got up to cook and the other villagers went to dig half a cart of bamboo shoots to be brought along the way. When the team entered the territory of Jiangyuan City, they encountered more and more landslides, storms, and other disasters on the way. Everyone continuously cleared the road and repaired them. The journey that was originally supposed to take three days took seven days. In order to prevent colds, fevers, and infectious diseases, Bai Wutong made sure everyone drink medicinal soup every day. It almost formed an immune barrier for everyone. During this period, Bai Wutong carefully studied the survival books in the RV space and specified a series of plans for the floods they might encounter. First, make a float ring from the appropriate light wood. Although it was made of wood, the effect was not inferior to a modern lifebuoy. As long as it was worn, anyone who fell into the water would automatically float up. In addition, Bai Wutong also asked everyone to use vines or flexible vegetation to make strong ropes. If they needed to cross the river, they would tie the vines together and cross the river safely. In case they encountered danger and needed help. Bai Wutong instructed the villagers to make a whistle. Everyone would hang one on their bodies and whistle when they were in danger. Not only could they be vigilant against the enemy, but they could also request for help at critical moments. On the seventh day after entering Jiangyuan City, they saw refugees on the way again. These refugees had set off for the Ling Kingdom a long time ago, or they were originally citizens of Jiangyuan City. The vegetation in Jiangyuan City was rich, so it was not to the extent that they could not find anything to eat. The refugees did not look at them so crazily, but they still could not hide their envy and jealousy. As evening approached, they came to a dilapidated temple and stopped to rest. Bai Wutong looked up and said, ¡°Dragon King Temple?¡± It shouldn¡¯t be washed away by the water, right? The men in their team were all holding weapons. The refugees who were staying in the dilapidated temple did not dare to act rashly. They could only watch as they started a fire to cook porridge while they ate the wild vegetables that were difficult to swallow. Suddenly, a man approached them. He had two shriveled tapioca in his hand. Looking at the porridge cooked by Madam Yang, he said carefully, ¡°Can I exchange these two tapiocas for a bowl of porridge?¡± He smiled kindly and looked back at the two children beside his wife. ¡°You can just give me a little bit.¡± Madam Yang looked at Bai Wutong for her opinion. The two skinny children looked at their father expectantly with their big black eyes. Bai Wutong nodded and pointed at the tapioca in his hand. ¡°The tapioca can reduce swelling and relieve any injuries. I¡¯m thinking to find some to make ointment, so it came at the right time. Since there¡¯s two tapiocas, then give two bowls of porridge.¡± After receiving Bai Wutong¡¯s permission, Madam Yang used a wooden bowl to scoop two bowls of porridge for the family of four. Two shriveled tapiocas could not be exchanged for a bowl of porridge, let alone two bowls. Bai Wutong deliberately said this to protect his dignity in front of the child. The child¡¯s father hurriedly bowed to Bai Wutong gratefully. Seeing that the child¡¯s father had exchanged two shriveled tapiocas for two bowls of porridge, many refugees immediately plucked up their courage and wanted to exchange the wild vegetables and fruits in their hands for a bowl of porridge. Madam Yang opened up the basket. When the refugees took a look, they all lowered their heads dejectedly. The wild vegetables and fruits that Bai Wutong and the others had picked along the way were not only much fresher than the ones that they had picked, but also larger in quantity. It was completely impossible to exchange for porridge. The refugees nibbled on the wild vegetables and fruits and regretted not digging up some tapiocas. If they had the tapioca, they would have eaten porridge by now. After a simple meal, they separated to form teams on night duty and resting. Huang Zhong was sleeping beside Ye Wu. As he listened to his thunderous snores, he suddenly smelled a thick, humid smell of mud rolling towards them at lightning speed. His sleepiness vanished in an instant. Chapter 48 - 48 Cold 48 Cold-blooded and Heartless Huang Zhong nudged Ye Wu. Ye Wu thought it was an annoying mosquito and subconsciously slapped him. The strength of a martial artist¡¯s slap was so great that it woke Ye Wu up. He opened his eyes in a daze and saw his eldest nephew covering his face and looking at him with a sullen expression. Ye Wu frowned and said unhappily, ¡°Why are you acting so sneakily in the middle of the night? You scared me. Hurry up and sleep. You have to get up and change shifts later.¡± Huang Zhong lowered his hand. A clear palm print was on his face. With the help of the flickering flames, Ye Wu could finally see clearly. His eyes widened and he said angrily, ¡°Who hit you? I¡¯ll beat him up!¡± Huang Zhong looked at him reproachfully, his face filled with pain and heat. It was better to get down to business first. ¡°Uncle, I smell a lot of water.¡± Ye Wu rolled his eyes at him. ¡°I also smell a lot of water. Look outside. It¡¯s still raining.¡± He lay down speechlessly and urged, ¡°Hurry up and sleep. Don¡¯t affect others¡¯ rest.¡± Huang Zhong smelled that smell and said anxiously, ¡°Uncle, I suspect that the flood is coming. You know, my nose is different from ordinary people.¡± The word ¡°flood¡± made Ye Wu roll over and sit up. ¡°Really?¡± He naturally knew what was special about his nephew¡¯s nose. Huang Zhong sniffed hard and his face turned ashen. ¡°Uncle, quickly get everyone up. I¡¯ll talk to Master.¡± The flash flood was far faster than he had imagined. If they did not evacuate quickly, the entire temple would be washed away. Ye Wu believed in his nephew¡¯s words. Since Huang Zhong was certain, it must be true. Moreover, it was better to be safe than sorry. Ye Wu got up and said a few words to his wife before immediately looking for Qingfeng, who was on night duty. When Huang Zhong arrived outside the carriage where Bai Wutong was resting, Lin Yue immediately looked at him. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Huang Zhong said anxiously, ¡°Quickly report to Master that the mountain flood is coming. I can smell it! It will be here in an hour at most!¡± He could tell with his nose. How awesome was his nose? Lin Yue looked doubtful. ¡°Really? There¡¯s not even a river nearby.¡± When Lin Yue asked the question, Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao, who were very alert, woke up. Hearing his words, Bai Wutong quickly lifted the curtain. ¡°Quickly get everyone to bring their things and evacuate to the highlands.¡± She knew that Huang Zhong¡¯s nose was very sensitive. The flood coming was definitely not a joke. Since Bai Wutong had already spoken, Lin Yue naturally had no objections. He immediately whistled using the emergency whistle. When the people heard the whistle, before Ye Wu could explain the situation to Qingfeng. Everyone in the team woke up from their sleep and looked at Lin Yue in a daze. Lin Yue explained the situation in a concise manner. Everyone immediately sobered up and hurriedly packed up. At this moment, Bai Wutong also instructed, ¡°Everyone, put on your float rings and tie the emergency food pack to your bodies.¡± Everyone immediately did as she said, including the three-year-old Little Peach. Madam Yang even repeatedly emphasized to her, ¡°If you fall into the water, you must whistle, understand?¡± Peach raised the whistle around her neck and smiled sweetly, oblivious to the horrors of the flood. ¡°Peach knows! Peach will blow whistle hard!¡± Madam Yang patted her little head and told her mother to carry her properly. Bai Wutong and the others made such a big commotion. When they heard their conversation, the refugees asked doubtfully, ¡°Will there really be a flood?¡± ¡°No way! Is this the Dragon King Temple?¡± ¡°There¡¯s not even a river nearby. How can there be a flash flood!¡± The refugees were all quite tired after walking for a day. It was not easy for them to find a place to shelter from the wind and rain, so they naturally did not want to leave. ¡°The flood is rushing into the Dragon King¡¯s temple. We don¡¯t know each other, but don¡¯t you know how we came here? It doesn¡¯t matter what temple it is. Even if the heavens send 76 immortals, the floods will still come. Pack up and run! There¡¯s no need for us, who can bring so many things here, to flood you guys!¡± The person who spoke was the child¡¯s father who had two bowls of porridge from Bai Wutong. After saying that, he hurriedly pushed his small cart and asked his wife and children to quickly follow. The refugees looked at each other and then at the group leaving in the rain. Those who did not want to leave were also disturbed. They slapped their thighs and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± If the flood had not come, they would at most have walked a few more kilometers. If it had come, they would have saved the lives of the entire family. It was still raining, and the road was muddy. It was late at night, and the convoy was having a hard time walking with their torches. From time to time, they had to stop and push the carriage or move rocks to fill the road pits. Bai Wutong asked Huang Zhong, ¡°Have we avoided the flash flood from our current position?¡± Huang Zhong glanced in the direction of the mountain flood and said anxiously, ¡°Madam, it¡¯s not enough. Our current terrain is too low.¡± He could smell a continuous river and sea. This location would be easily drowned by the flood. Bai Wutong frowned and looked at the road stretched out in the darkness, then at the mountains on both sides of the road. She asked, ¡°How is it up there? Can we avoid the flash flood?¡± Huang Zhong made his judgement. ¡°We can. It should be sufficient at the halfway point of the mountain.¡± Bai Wutong made a prompt decision. ¡°Everyone, listen up. Unload the things from carriage on the spot and carry them uphill.¡± After Bai Wutong made her decision, without any hesitation, everyone immediately followed her orders. The carriage frames were unloaded from the horses. The goods were carried up the slope one after another and the animals were all chased up the mountain. The carriage was too big, and it would take several people to move it. Fortunately, with Zhao Pengfei around, the things were not too heavy. He carried it and went up the mountain easily. Seeing that they had spent so much effort to move everything up the mountain, the refugees¡¯ initial 50% belief in them turned into 100%. They hurriedly carried their belongings up as well. They had a lot of things, but not as many young men as Bai Wutong¡¯s team who could quickly move the items up the mountain. Boom! Boom! When the refugees turned around, they could vaguely see the shadow of a tree charging towards them under the moonlight. Suddenly, someone shouted in shock, ¡°The mountain flood is here! The mountain flood is here! Run!¡± He could even hear the sound of the flood roaring and threatening to devour people. The refugees who were still moving slowly just now shot out like rockets. Seeing that the flood was coming, an old man¡¯s family couldn¡¯t bear to part with the cart containing their belongings and slowly moved forward. At this moment, Bai Wutong used the torch to see the mountain flood rolling over like a monstrous wave. If they didn¡¯t come up soon, the entire family would be swept away by the flood. There was a woman holding a baby in her arms. Bai Wutong whistled fiercely at them and shouted, ¡°Hurry up!¡± The old man stubbornly refused, and his son and wife were unwilling too. All they had left was their ancestral belongings. If they lost them, they would really have nothing left. The flash flood swept over with moisture in the air and strong wind. The roar of the mountain wall being attacked kept ringing in his ears. The old woman roared angrily at Bai Wutong, ¡°Are you still human? You¡¯re so cold-blooded! Don¡¯t you know how to help?!¡± Chapter 49 - 49 Utterly Dumb 49 Utterly Dumb Lin Yue frowned and looked at Bai Wutong. ¡°Madam, should we go help?¡± If they spoke nicely, Bai Wutong might be willing to help them. Since they had threatened Bai Wutong, morally kidnapped her, and even ordered her around, why should she show them face? Bai Wutong gave Lin Yue a meaningful glance and deliberately said loudly, ¡°We don¡¯t know each other. Why should we risk our lives to help you push the cart? If you die, we can¡¯t be blamed for being cold-blooded and heartless. It¡¯s you who are utterly dumb.¡± Bai Wutong spoke quite loudly. The woman holding the child in her arms suddenly raised her head and looked anxiously at her man. ¡°Husband, let¡¯s go!¡± Even at this moment, her tone was soft and weak. At this time, her husband was still a little hesitant. ¡°Father, let¡¯s take some things and leave quickly.¡± If not for the fact that the old man was holding the cart with his hand, he would have slapped the couple. He said angrily and gloomily, ¡°Bastard, these are all things passed down by our ancestor. If you lose them, how will you survive in the future?! Stop talking nonsense and carry them for me!¡± Her husband did not dare to disobey the old man¡¯s orders, but the few large boxes in the cart were too heavy. They tried for a long time, but they did not move up by even a foot. The woman heard the whistling wind behind her and looked at the young and innocent child in her arms. Despair rose in her heart. Bai Wutong saw the hesitation and sorrow in the woman¡¯s eyes and shouted, ¡°Are you intending to die with your son in your arms?¡± The woman suddenly looked at Bai Wutong and met her gaze that seemed to imply she was looking at an idiot. She then looked at her husband, who was still pushing the cart with all his might. While she was at a loss, the child¡¯s miserable cries enlightened her. She snatched a bag from the cart and ran towards Bai Wutong and the others. Her son was still so young. How could he die here! His daughter-in-law, who had always been weak, had actually disobeyed his orders and even snatched their belongings containing the silver tael and grain. The old man exploded in anger. ¡°I¡¯m going to ask Ping¡¯er to divorce you, you evil woman! Then I¡¯ll send you to the officials!¡± The woman didn¡¯t even turn around. All she wanted was to get the child to a safe place before the flash flood. The woman panted as she climbed up to where Bai Wutong was. With the help of the fire, she saw that the tsunami-like waves were only a few hundred meters away from her father-in-law. The woman knelt down with the child in her arms and cried, ¡°Husband, run quickly. It¡¯ll really be too late any later. Are those things really not more important than our children and lives?¡± Her heartbroken and determined back view of her leaving just now collided in the man¡¯s mind. A sound that was like a bell ringing suddenly sounded. If the person was gone, there would really be nothing left. The tiny splashes of water from the flood landed on their faces. The old woman looked back and saw that the huge wave was like a huge hand that was about to grab them and would fall on their heads in an instant. The loud rolling sound seemed to be close at hand. The old woman, who had been imposing just now, was so frightened that her legs went weak. She stammered, ¡°Old man, let¡¯s¡­ let¡¯s go quickly! It¡¯s really going to be too late!¡± ¡°Husband! Father-in-law! Mother-in-law! Hurry up and run¡ª!!!¡± The woman shouted sharply, and the child cried hysterically in her arms. ¡°Rumble¡ª¡± The sound of another small hill being washed away sounded like a devouring abyss with its mouth wide open in the rain-filled night. The old man was indifferent to the old woman¡¯s words. He even shouted angrily, ¡°Even if I die today, I¡¯ll push up the box handed down by my ancestors!¡± On one side were his grief-stricken wife and children, on the other his stubborn father and panicking mother, and the ancestral treasures. Behind him were even more terrifying waves. How should he decide? The words ¡°if the person was gone, there would really be nothing left¡± slammed into his mind again. Luo Ping gritted his teeth, picked up his old father, and held his old mother¡¯s hand. He finally made a decision. The old woman shouted in shock, ¡°Son, the bag!¡± Luo Ping replied, ¡°Mother, don¡¯t care anymore! Li Niang has the silver taels, the rest is not so important!¡± The old man was caught off guard and was carried by his son. When he saw the cart gradually falling away from him, he gritted his teeth and pounded on his son¡¯s back. ¡°You bastard, put me down. That belongs to the ancestors. If I die, how can I face my ancestors?!¡± Seeing that his pounding did not work, he even bit his son. He bit the man¡¯s back shoulder until it was dripping with blood. But the man carried his parents halfway up the slope without saying a word. Before Luo Ping could catch his breath, there was a huge wave. A few of their family¡¯s ancestral chests were shattered. With a whoosh, they were swept away again. In the blink of an eye, there was nothing to see except the waves and the surging flood. The old woman touched her heart with lingering fear. It was really close. If she had turned around and taken the bag, her husband and son would have been washed away. When she recovered, she raised her hand and slapped Li Niang, who was holding the child. The slap was crisp and almost shattered the sky. Li Niang¡¯s vision was blurred and her mind was buzzing. She touched the corner of her burning mouth. It was bleeding from the slap. ¡°Little b*tch, heartless dog, how dare you snatch the bag? I¡¯ll beat you to death!¡± The old woman pointed at Li Niang¡¯s nose and cursed. She still wanted to attack, but Luo Ping said tiredly, ¡°Mother, stop it. If not for Li Niang, we wouldn¡¯t have been able to get back a single bag.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, his father slapped him hard and roared hysterically, ¡°Beast! You beast! I¡¯ll beat you to death!¡± Just like that, the things that his ancestor had for a few lifetimes were gone. As the old man cursed, he raised the soles of his shoes and slapped Luo Ping¡¯s head as if he was looking at an enemy. The old woman glanced at Li Niang, who was trembling and did not dare to resist while holding the child. She snatched the bag over. Taking into consideration that her grandson still needed to feed on her breast milk, she just cursed. Her heart ached even more when she thought of the assets in the cart. If not for the fact that Bai Wutong and the others were unwilling to help, how could they have left nothing behind! The more the old woman thought about it, the angrier she became. She ran to Bai Wutong and said, ¡°If you hadn¡¯t instigated my daughter-in-law to run away, we would have pushed the cart up long ago. You have to pay for our family¡¯s shadow puppets that¡¯s worth more than a hundred taels!¡± As soon as she said it, everyone drew their weapons almost at the same time. There were cold blades, swords, pickaxes, and sickles on all sides¡­ The old woman trembled in fear, but her words were still determined. ¡°What do you want?! If you dare to touch me, I¡¯ll report it to the officials and let the officials arrest all of you!¡± Bai Wutong said expressionlessly, ¡°Then go.¡± Then, she suddenly smiled meaningfully. ¡°Or do you want us to help you?¡± There was not a single word of threat, but the old woman felt a bone-chilling cold. She wanted to say something harsh to regain her face. However, when she saw that there was nowhere to hide and that she could be torn into pieces at any moment, she shrank her neck and did not dare to say another word. There was a splash as something fell into the water and was swept away. Everyone turned around and saw Luo Qiang kneeling on the ground and crying into the surging flood. Chapter 50 - 50 Selfish dog 50 Selfish dog Bai Wutong frowned. ¡°He¡¯s committing suicide?¡± Qingfeng said, ¡°No, the father was chasing after his son. He slipped and rolled down.¡± Luo Ping cried soundlessly. He was filled with regret and self-reproach. If he had helped his father push the box up, his father would not have fallen into the flood because of his agitated emotions. Li Niang did not know why her father-in-law had suddenly fallen. She carefully comforted Luo Ping, ¡°Husband, you¡­¡± As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Luo Ping looked at her as if she was his mortal enemy and cursed in disgust, ¡°Jinx, get lost!¡± He desperately needed to divert his self-reproach from not being able to save his father. If Li Niang hadn¡¯t forced him to leave, he wouldn¡¯t have abandoned their ancestral shadow box. Li Niang choked on her tears. Although she was sad that his words were so hurtful, she still wanted to comfort him. ¡°Husband, we still have to take care of mother-in-law and our son. You must pull yourself together. Father-in-law must not want you to be sad.¡± Luo Ping shouted at her as if he had gone crazy. ¡°Who are you to say such things? If it weren¡¯t for you, my father wouldn¡¯t have died. I should have listened to my mother and divorced you!¡± Luo Ping was completely furious. Bai Wutong was simply speechless. Was there a need for such an idiotic husband to exist in this world? Tears streamed down Li Niang¡¯s face. ¡°Husband, don¡¯t divorce me. It¡¯s all my fault.¡± Bai Wutong frowned. She was too weak. She would just do whatever others said. The old woman recovered from her shock and staggered to Luo Ping. She asked with a trembling mouth, ¡°Where¡¯s your father?! Where¡¯s your father?!¡± Faced with his mother¡¯s questioning, Luo Ping covered his face and sobbed. ¡°Father accidentally fell down. I went to catch him, but I didn¡¯t catch him.¡± The old woman paused for a few seconds in a daze before tearing at Li Niang, who was holding the child, like a lunatic. She even shouted in a foul voice, ¡°It¡¯s all because of you, you jinx! It¡¯s all because of you, you bitch! I want to avenge my old man! I want to kill you¡ª!!!¡± The old woman screamed and tried to tear Li Niang apart, completely ignoring the poor child in her arms. Luo Ping was an extremely trashy man. Not only did he not feel any heartache, he even watched coldly from the side and even revealed pleasure from time to time. This child was really unlucky to have such a father. Li Niang shouted miserably, ¡°Mother, don¡¯t hit me anymore. Please don¡¯t hit me. I¡¯ll kowtow to father-in-law¡­¡± Perhaps she thought that she was really at fault, so she said these. She even pretended to kneel, but the old woman grabbed her hair and slapped her left and right. The child in Li Niang¡¯s arms cried until he was almost silent. The villagers of Zhao farmyard could not stand it anymore. Madam Yang walked out angrily and said, ¡°Your old man fell down himself. What has it got to do with your daughter-in-law? If you want to vent your anger, you should vent it on your son. If not for him dodging and he had allowed his father hit him a few times, your old man wouldn¡¯t have fallen down!¡± The old woman was in a fit of anger as she glared at Madam Yang and scolded, ¡°It¡¯s only right and proper for me to hit my daughter-in-law. So what if I hit her? I even want to beat her to death! Jinx, little slut¡­¡± The old woman became more and more aggressive as she scolded non-stop. It was simply unbearable to hear. Zhao Pengfei wanted to stop her, but Luo Ping actually said indifferently with a cold face, ¡°This is our family matter! Get lost!¡± They were being helpful now despite being unwilling to help just now. These people were also half responsible for his father¡¯s death. The more Luo Ping thought about it, the angrier he became. He even spat on Zhao Pengfei¡¯s face. Zhao Pengfei had long wanted to beat this scumbag up. He threw a punch at Luo Ping¡¯s face. With a sudden strike, he knocked out three of Luo Ping¡¯s teeth, who instantly turned into a pig¡¯s face. Seeing that her son had been beaten, the old woman immediately threw Li Niang aside and wanted to fight Zhao Pengfei to the death. ¡°You son of a b*tch, how dare you hit my son? I¡¯ll smash your head and feed it to the dogs.¡± Zhao Pengfei could tolerate them scolding him, but he could not tolerate them insulting Madam Yang. When Li Niang saw him walking towards her mother-in-law aggressively, she hurriedly knelt on the ground with the child in her arms and begged, ¡°Mister, my mother-in-law didn¡¯t mean anything serious. Please, don¡¯t hit her.¡± Bai Wutong even suspected that Li Niang had been hit silly. She had already been beaten to such a state, yet she still wanted to plead for her. It was simply frustrating. She held the child and stood in front of the two of them. Seeing that she was pitiful, Madam Yang grabbed Zhao Pengfei¡¯s arm and advised, ¡°Forget it.¡± Since his mother did not mind, Zhao Pengfei could not be bothered to stoop himself to her level. Unexpectedly, this old woman did not know what was good for her. She picked up a huge rock and smashed it at the defenseless Madam Yang¡¯s head. If she was hit by the rock, there would definitely be a bloody hole in Madam Yang¡¯s head. This was practically after her life! Zhao Pengfei widened his eyes and shouted in shock, ¡°Mother!¡± At that moment, a black shadow flashed past. Everyone opened their eyes and saw that the big rock had been firmly grabbed by Qingfeng. Qingfeng glanced at Li Niang, who was holding the child and had a swollen face. Her gaze landed on the mean old woman¡¯s face. She pulled out her sword with a whoosh and said in a cold voice that was like a glacier that had not melted for ten thousand years, ¡°Deliberately attempting to kill someone, you deserve death!¡± In the next second, a bright sword light flashed. Luo Ping did not even see how Qingfeng attacked. His mother, who had been arrogant and domineering just now, fell to the ground with her turbid eyes. She died before she could say her last words. It could be seen how decisive Qingfeng was. Seeing the blood on his mother¡¯s neck, Luo Ping¡¯s mind went blank. He trembled and checked her breathing. He immediately stood up crazily and shouted at Qingfeng, ¡°Bastard, I¡¯ll make you pay with your blood!¡± Li Niang had just witnessed Qingfeng¡¯s ruthlessness. She held the child in one hand and Luo Ping¡¯s thigh in the other. ¡°Husband, we still have a child. Think about the child!¡± Luo Ping pulled out his leg and said with a vicious gaze, ¡°Jinx! Get lost! Not only did you jinx your own parents to death, but you also jinxed my parents to death.¡± He then said fiercely to Qingfeng, ¡°I will definitely not let you off!¡± They kept saying that Li Niang had jinxed people to deaths. If Li Niang was so powerful, she should have been sent to Duke Chu by the emperor long ago. His mother had deliberately tried to take someone¡¯s life. If not for Qingfeng¡¯s quick reaction, Madam Yang would have been the onr who died. How could he still have the face to push all the blame to others? Not only was this man scum, but he was also not responsible at all. Li Niang sobbed. ¡°Husband, don¡¯t be angry. I shouldn¡¯t have jinxed my parents to death. Please don¡¯t divorce me. We still have a child. A child can¡¯t be without a mother¡ª!!!¡± She begged Qingfeng again, ¡°Young Master, please don¡¯t kill us. We will get lost now and get far away. We won¡¯t be an eyesore to you!¡± How would she and the child live without their husband? Would these people let them go? Li Niang was terrified and blamed herself. Deep in her eyes, she was furious with Qingfeng. When Bai Wutong saw this, she shook her head secretly. This girl was really gaslighted far too much. Qingfeng¡¯s eyes were cold as she pointed the cold sword at his chest. ¡°You want to kill someone too?¡± Her tone was clearly like the living Hades who determined a person¡¯s life and death. Luo Ping¡¯s rationality suddenly returned. He was so frightened that his spine turned cold. He gritted his teeth in hatred, but he did not dare to take half a step forward. He knew that he could not kill Qingfeng at all. If he sent himself forward, he would only be courting death. Bai Wutong sneered. What a selfish dog. Li Niang held the child in front of him with snot and tears. ¡°Husband, please take pity on us.¡± He looked at the baby in the swaddling clothes. His tense body relaxed and he reached out to pull mother and son into his arms, using it to block his murderous gaze. He was not timid, and he was not afraid of Qingfeng. He just could not die yet! There was no fear of no revenge! One day, he would make them pay! Chapter 51 - 51 Crossing the Swamp 51 Crossing the Swamp Luo Ping retreated. Qingfeng sheathed her sword and returned to Bai Wutong, who now knew her better. ¡°You¡¯re standing up for her and the child, aren¡¯t you?¡± she asked, glancing at Li Niang. Qingfeng didn¡¯t deny it. Bai Wutong sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t attack others so easily next time. Her husband is even worse than her mother-in-law. If it weren¡¯t for the child, she wouldn¡¯t have any intention of resisting. If you kill her mother-in-law, it will only make her situation worse.¡± Qingfeng focused on the sword as if he was considering killing Luo Ping as well. Bai Wutong saw through her thoughts. ¡°If you kill her husband, she will hate you to death.¡± Qingfeng looked up. ¡°So what?¡± Bai Wutong understood what she meant. In any case, it was fine as long as Li Niang and the child were doing well. She was not afraid of Luo Ping. The commander of the Dark Guards Team was actually so naive. Bai Wutong had no choice but to break it down and explain to her, ¡°If she hates you, she will try her best to kill you. Or she will follow her husband¡¯s footsteps and leave the poor child behind. Moreover, how can she live well in this chaotic world as just a weak woman with a child and no one to rely on?¡± Qingfeng¡¯s eyes darkened as if she had understood. There were also other refugees who followed them up the mountain. When they saw Qingfeng kill the old woman, everyone was terrified and numb. They had seen too many dead people along the way. Their own hands were not necessarily clean. Besides, if not for Bai Wutong and the others being vigilant, none of them would have survived. The child¡¯s father felt that the old woman had asked for it since she attacked others first. He brought his wife and child to Bai Wutong and said gratefully, ¡°Thank you for saving my life.¡± Seeing this, the other refugees hurriedly thanked them. ¡°Thank you for saving our lives, benefactors.¡± They were not people who did not know what was good for them. The flood was still rising. This part of the road was completely submerged. There was no telling how long it would take for the water to subside. Bai Wutong asked Lin Yue to take out a map and look at it. ¡°There¡¯s no other paths nearby?¡± The main road was flooded, and the other paths were too far from their location. Lin Yue shook his head. ¡°This is the most detailed map my master has prepared for me. If there aren¡¯t any on the map, there probably is really no more.¡± Without a road that could allow the carriages to move, they could only take the mountain road. If they wanted to take the mountain road, they would have to abandon all the large items like the carriage frame. It would be useless after they circled this flooded mountain path. Bai Wutong could not do anything secretive in the carriage anymore. However, there was nothing they could do if they stayed here. It was a waste of food and time. They might even encounter bandits and a large number of refugees. Bai Wutong thought for a moment and pointed at the map. She made a prompt decision. ¡°Bring all the food and necessary clothes and abandon the things that you can¡¯t bring. We¡¯ll take the mountain path to Jiangyuan City.¡± Qingfeng glanced at the mountain path Bai Wutong was pointing at. ¡°There¡¯s a bandit hideout here.¡± Bai Wutong frowned and asked, ¡°Are there many people?¡± Qingfeng said, ¡°Last year¡¯s intelligence count was more than 1,000 people.¡± There were more than 1,000 people, which was really a lot. Their team only had 500 people. If they had a carriage to carry their things, and since their manpower were highly skilled, Bai Wutong would not be afraid. However, apart from the horses and livestock, all the rations and bags had to be carried by hand. Afraid that they would be caught off guard by the bandits, Bai Wutong looked at the map again. ¡°What about this road?¡± Qingfeng glanced at it. ¡°There weren¡¯t any bandit hideouts last year.¡± She couldn¡¯t be sure this year. This was because the drought that day was too serious. There would be more people who would choose to be bandits in order to survive. There were no bandits on this path last year, which meant that the terrain was not suitable for bandits to hide. Bai Wutong thought for a moment and said, ¡°Let¡¯s take this path.¡± Even if there were bandits, there should be fewer of them. After deciding to take the mountain path, everyone packed their luggage overnight. When the sky was completely bright, they immediately set off. The mountain path was extremely difficult to walk on. It was muddy and slippery. The children who could be tied to the bodies were firmly tied to their parents. Those who could not be tied to the bodies were tied with safety ropes and looked after by two adults. Bai Wutong was not stronger than Qingfeng in terms of martial arts. Stinky was tied to the front of Qingfeng¡¯s chest. He looked around with his big eyes and was extremely curious about the sparrows that flew past the tree. From time to time, he would let out silver-bell-like laughter to comfort everyone¡¯s tired hearts. Everyone walked on the rugged mountain path for a few hours. On the way, they even picked many mushrooms. They planned to make mushroom pickled fish soup when they rested later. When they finally walked down the mountain, they realized that the wilderness around the road had turned into a potholed swamp because of the rain. If they wanted to cross, the difficulty was probably comparable to the Red Army¡¯s long march. When Bai Wutong saw this scene, she felt that she had made a mistake. She looked at Lin Yue. ¡°This place was originally a swamp?¡± Lin Yue shook his head. ¡°The terrain in Jiangyuan City is flat. After the storm, many areas are had become swamps.¡± In other words, it didn¡¯t matter which way they went. Bai Wutong said to Lin Yue and the others, ¡°Alright then, go and get everyone to tie the ropes around their bodies. Be careful when you¡¯re on the path. Use your sticks to probe and be wary of stepping into the swamp. Don¡¯t fall behind either. If you don¡¯t need help, whistle.¡± ¡°Alright, Madam.¡± The swamp path was even more difficult to walk on than the mountain path. Every step required a stick to scout the way, and the range of steps had to be small and steady when moving. The team slowly moved in the swamp. Because of Bai Wutong¡¯s comprehensive preparations, other than encountering two huge pythons as an additional meal, everything else was fine. After walking for about an afternoon, the team clearly slowed down because walking through the swamp was too exhausting. Bai Wutong looked ahead and found a swamp river formed by water. Across the swamp river was land with bushes. Lin Yue said, ¡°After crossing this swamp river, we can probably go ashore.¡± Bai Wutong thought for a moment and said, ¡°Rest here for a while and eat something to recover our strength. Let¡¯s prepare to cross the river.¡± The swamp river rose and fell. Bai Wutong discovered the narrowest spot on the river. There was still grass in the middle to step on. After eating, she let the team move upstream towards the swamp river. Although it looked close, it was actually quite far. It took another hour to reach the swamp river. Since they wanted to cross the river from here, the refugees who came from all directions naturally wanted to cross the river from here as well. Lin Yue and Chu Tianbao led the way while Qingfeng and Zhao Pengfei covered the back. The team twisted the rope into a rope and moved forward one by one. When they reached the place where the water in the swamp river was moving the fastest, there was no grass left for them to step on. The water level was also directly over an adult¡¯s calves. Fortunately, the food was all hung on the horses. Just as everyone in the team was walking into the water, two women rushed out of the bend into the fast-flowing water, shouting for help. They rushed towards them along with the torrent just like bowling. Bai Wutong hurriedly shouted to everyone, ¡°Stand firm! Don¡¯t let go of the rope!¡± Chapter 52 - 52 Life Spirit Pill 52 Life Spirit Pill The two women who had rushed down finally had a chance to be saved. The moment they collided with the team, they found an opportunity and grabbed the arms of the Dark Guards Team. Due to the sudden impact, the team swayed in the water twice. Many of the villagers standing in the middle had their feet in the air. Fortunately, Chu Tianbao and Qingfeng used their inner energy on both sides and instantly stabilized the villagers. The villagers reached out to help Cui Lingyi and Granny Wang hold on to the rope so that they could stand firmly in the middle of the group. As Cui Lingyi and Granny Wang pulled the rope, they coughed out the water that had filled their lungs. Their feet had been floating, and they were afraid of being washed away again. They walked very slowly, and the entire team slowed down because of the two of them. When they finally reached the shore and stepped onto firm ground, everyone heaved a sigh of relief. Cui Lingyi, who had escaped after the calamity, collapsed to the ground and hugged Granny Wang in tears of joy. She was really almost done for. The villagers¡¯ clothes were all drenched. Fortunately, everyone still had their own clothes in their bags. No one had the time to care about the two of them. They hurriedly wrapped the waterproof cloth around the tree to form a space so that everyone could have a place to change. Bai Wutong was the first to go in to change, and Qingfeng was the last to go in to change. Everyone changed into dry clothes and was about to pack up and continue on their way. Cui Lingyi brought Granny Wang to Bai Wutong and bowed extremely politely. ¡°Thank you for saving me, Madam.¡± There were so many people in the team, and everyone addressed Bai Wutong as Madam. Cui Lingyi naturally understood that she was the core figure of this team. Women who had been educated were indeed different. Before Bai Wutong could see their faces clearly, she already felt that they were not from ordinary families. Bai Wutong¡¯s gaze landed on Cui Lingyi¡¯s face. In an instant, a word appeared in her mind¡ªthe beauty of the world. She had combed her hair in a married woman¡¯s style and looked to be in her twenties. Even though she was covered in mud, it could not hide her outstanding charm. She was so beautiful that it made one describe her using scriptures. Bai Wutong thought that she was quite beautiful. When she saw her, she finally understood the meaning of incomparable. The Cui family of Qinghe? ¡®Sounds like an amazing family.¡¯ Bai Wutong had no memories. She would ask Qingfeng later. Cui Lingyi seemed to be used to others paying attention to her appearance. She smiled brightly, her eyes moving, and her lively temperament was even more beautiful. If she were a man, she would probably be mesmerized by Cui Lingyi. Bai Wutong looked at the old woman beside her. She was in high spirits and stood half a step behind Cui Lingyi like a standard and the most precise ruler. It was not just the rich. Only the extremely wealthy could raise such a woman. Bai Wutong shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s all a coincidence.¡± They were lucky to have encountered them crossing the river together. Cui Lingyi smiled charmingly, but her tone was extremely solemn. ¡°Coincidence is also a a favor to us. Madam saved us. If there¡¯s a chance to repay Madam, the Cui family will naturally do our best.¡± After Lin Yue checked the team, he came to report, ¡°Madam, we can set off now.¡± Those who wanted to repay her kindness were all following her. When she mentioned the word ¡°repay¡±, Bai Wutong¡¯s scalp turned numb. Fortunately, Cui Lingyi did not ask her for help. She must have had her own plans. Bai Wutong waved her hand. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± She turned to Lin Yue and said, ¡°Let¡¯s be on our way.¡± Cui Lingyi immediately retreated to the side with Granny Wang and watched them leave. She was polite and knew when to advance and retreat. Such a woman had an unforgettable charm. Bai Wutong turned to look at her. Cui Lingyi¡¯s back was as straight as a pine tree. She could not help but be moved. She could not do anything else, but she could give them two sets of dry clothes. Bai Wutong took out two sets of clothes that she had not worn before and said, ¡°Be careful of catching the cold. Change into them.¡± Seeing Bai Wutong take the initiative to hand over clothes to her Mistress, Granny Wang felt emotional. She really wanted Bai Wutong to bring them along, but she was stopped by Cui Lingyi¡¯s gaze. Cui Lingyi personally took the clothes from Bai Wutong and pulled out a high quality jade bracelet from her hand. She smiled and said, ¡°I don¡¯t have anything valuable. I hope Madam can accept it.¡± She really loved to smile. It was like the sun in the dust, shining brightly. The jade bracelet on Cui Lingyi¡¯s hand was crystal clear and had an extremely good luster. It was really a loss to be exchanged for two sets of dry clothes. Bai Wutong waved her hand. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Farewell.¡± This time, Bai Wutong was really going to be on her way. She mounted her horse and Chu Tianbao immediately flew up and hugged her from behind. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± With Bai Wutong¡¯s order, the team immediately became one. Even the children cooperated as if they had heard a military order. Just as the team was less than 50 meters away, Qingfeng and the secret guards suddenly fell off their horses at the same time. This was their third time having this body reaction every other week. Bai Wutong rushed over. Lin Yue carried Stinky to Madam Yang, grabbed Qingfeng, and shook her. ¡°Hey, hey, wake up! If not, I¡¯ll hit you!¡± Not only did Qingfeng not wake up, but she also spat out a mouthful of blood with her eyes closed. Her face was green, and her expression was grimacing in extreme pain. The words ¡°corroding the heart¡± sounded uncomfortable enough, but Qingfeng and the others had to endure the pain for several hours. Afraid that she would bite her tongue, Lin Yue stuffed a handkerchief into her mouth and muttered with a dark gaze, ¡°Don¡¯t waste my handkerchief.¡± Previously, there were still carriages that could drag Qingfeng and the others away. Now that even the horses were carrying goods, Bai Wutong had no choice but to make a decision again. ¡°Set up camp on the spot and let¡¯s leave in the morning!¡± Cui Lingyi and Granny Wang leaned forward and looked at the man in Lin Yue¡¯s arms. Their faces instantly turned pale. Why was the commander of the Dark Guards Team here? Cui Lingyi recovered from her shock and looked at Chu Tianbao and Bai Wutong. Who the hell were they? Even the commander of the Dark Guards Team had to escort them on their way? The pain that Qingfeng suffered could not be relieved with medicine. Bai Wutong could only ask everyone to find a comfortable place for them to lie down. The pain this time was far worse than the last time. Qingfeng¡¯s veins bulged as she groaned. Bai Wutong frowned, and a hint of helplessness flashed across her heart. Chu Tianbao helped her ease the furrow between her eyebrows. He wanted his wife to be free from worries. Bai Wutong forced a smile at him. Suddenly, Cui Lingyi took out a precious small porcelain bottle from her neck and handed it to Bai Wutong. She said, ¡°This is our Cui family¡¯s secret medicine, the Life Spirit Pill. It has the effect of nourishing one¡¯s Qi and extending one¡¯s lifespan. It can nourish one¡¯s bones, expel poison, and reduce heat. Madam, give it to this young master to try.¡± Even if she had resentment towards Qingfeng, Cui Lingyi would never do anything against her conscience. Bai Wutong had never heard of any medicine that had such an exaggerated effect. Perhaps there was some special ingredient in it that could kill Qingfeng. Bai Wutong did not take it. Cui Lingyi thought she knew her concerns, so she immediately opened the bottle and poured out the only pill. She split it in half and swallowed one half before saying, ¡°It¡¯s not poisonous.¡± Chapter 53 - 53 Cui Lingyi 53 Cui Lingyi Cui Lingyi ate half of it, but Bai Wutong still did not reach out to take it. Granny Wang¡¯s face turned pale. Her Missus had already done so much, but Bai Wutong still refused to believe her. Bai Wutong explained, ¡°Her condition is rare and she needs the right medicine. I appreciate Madam Cui¡¯s kindness.¡± Since Bai Wutong refused to use the medicine on Qingfeng, Cui Lingyi would not force her. She generously prepared to put the remaining half of the Life Spirit Pill into the bottle. Lin Yue suddenly looked at her and asked suspiciously, ¡°Is this really a Life Spirit Pill?¡± He had been at Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s side and heard it before. Bai Wutong asked in surprise, ¡°You know about it?¡± Lin Yue nodded and said to Bai Wutong, ¡°Master said that the Life Spirit Pill is a secret medicine that even the emperor takes. There are even rumors that it can revive people. Our master even said that if he could buy it, he would definitely buy the prescription. Unfortunately, he has never bought a single Life Spirit Pill.¡± A prescription that even a businessman like Sheng Huaixuan liked should indeed be effective. Even if it didn¡¯t work, it shouldn¡¯t kill anyone. Cui Lingyi could tell that Bai Wutong was tempted. Her hand paused, and she placed the medicine in front of Bai Wutong again without any hesitation. Bai Wutong suddenly smiled. Cui Lingyi¡¯s personality was really not bad. She reached for the half pill Cui Lingyi was holding and fed it into Qingfeng¡¯s mouth. Not long after, Qingfeng¡¯s tightly furrowed brows relaxed, and her face gradually became less lifeless. After another minute, Qingfeng¡¯s expression returned to normal. She slowly opened her eyes and saw Lin Yue¡¯s surprised face. He said, ¡°Madam, she¡¯s awake! She¡¯s awake!¡± His deep voice and bright eyes were filled with excitement when she had woken up. The feeling of being cared for spread to Qingfeng¡¯s ears to her eyes and limbs. She sat up. Lin Yue was still hugging her foolishly, not noticing how inappropriate it was for the two men to hug each other. Everyone¡¯s attention was attracted by Qingfeng¡¯s sudden awakening and had no time to notice this scene. Bai Wutong asked, ¡°How do you feel? Does it still hurt?¡± Qingfeng said, ¡°Not really.¡± Bai Wutong looked at Cui Lingyi in surprise. She wanted to ask if there was any more medicine, but she stopped herself. ¡°Thank you for the medicine, Madam Cui.¡± There was only one pill in the bottle. She had seen it too. Cui Lingyi probably could not take out any other medicine. Cui Lingyi smiled calmly and said, ¡°That¡¯s how I should repay my benefactor¡¯s kindness. It¡¯s just a pill. Madam, you don¡¯t have to be too concerned.¡± Bai Wutong shook her head. ¡°Even if there was a favor, it was repaid just now.¡± Qingfeng glanced over and suddenly said, ¡°Cui Lingyi?¡± Cui Lingyi looked at her coldly, and her smile suddenly became sharp. ¡°What can I do for you, Commander?¡± Bai Wutong was stunned. These two people knew each other, and why did they look like they had a grudge? Qingfeng replied indifferently, ¡°No.¡± Qingfeng¡¯s emotionless words were like a ball of cotton stuffed into her chest. Cui Lingyi¡¯s heart was filled with panic. She turned to the surprised Bai Wutong and bowed. ¡°Madam, I have something to settle, so I shall be leaving first.¡± ¡°Granny Wang, let¡¯s go!¡± She couldn¡¯t be bothered to look at Qingfeng. As soon as she finished speaking, Granny Wang fell to the ground with a bang. Cui Lingyi picked her up in a panic. ¡°Granny, what happened to you?¡± Granny Wang shook her head with a pale face. She forced herself to get up. When she exerted a little force, she collapsed again. Bai Wutong squatted down and touched Granny Wang¡¯s forehead. ¡°She has a high fever. Her body needs to be cooled down immediately.¡± When Cui Lingyi heard this, she immediately reached for the small porcelain bottle around her neck. When she took it out, she suddenly remembered that she and Qingfeng had already taken half of the medicine each. Her eyes turned red. If there was no medicine, what could she do about Granny Wang? Bai Wutong comforted her. ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious. We have medicine. Change her wet clothes first and she¡¯ll have medicine to drink then.¡± After saying that, Bai Wutong got someone to brew medicine for Granny Wang. Cui Lingyi felt a lump in her throat. She thanked her and quickly helped Granny Wang aside to change out. After changing her clothes, the medicine was indeed ready. Cui Lingyi took it personally and carefully fed it to Granny Wang. Granny Wang was already old. She had followed Cui Lingyi all the way and had a fever after she fell into the water. Fortunately, she had taken the medicine. Bai Wutong covered her sweat with a cotton shirt. Only at night did Granny Wang return to her normal temperature. Granny Wang ate the warm porridge and finally relaxed, but Cui Lingyi¡¯s face was filled with self-reproach. She should have let Granny Wang stay in Qinghe. Bai Wutong walked over and handed her a box of hot food. ¡°Eat some,¡± she said comfortingly. ¡°If you fall ill, no one can take care of her.¡± The lunch box that Bai Wutong handed to her had an alluring color. There were vegetables and meat. She had only eaten dry food along the way. She had not eaten hot food for a long time and her appetite finally returned a little. Cui Lingyi sighed. ¡°Thankfully there¡¯s Madam helping us.¡± She had owed her another favor. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s all fate. After you¡¯re full, sleep beside her for a while.¡± With that, Bai Wutong handed her a thick blanket. When Cui Lingyi saw the blanket in front of her, her gaze gradually landed on Bai Wutong¡¯s bright smile. She was stunned for a moment before saying, ¡°Madam, isn¡¯t there anything you want to ask me?¡± Bai Wutong turned around and looked up. She said bluntly, ¡°What does your feud have to do with me? Besides, it¡¯s in the past. If you have time, you might as well look at the stars.¡± Cui Lingyi followed the direction of her backview into the vast night sky. There was nothing but darkness. The stars were probably in her heart. At such a young age, she was already so open-minded. Cui Lingyi also decided to let go of her desire to find out their identities. The night was quiet. Huang Zhong was in a groggy sleep. His nose twitched and his eyes widened. Ye Wu, who was sitting beside him on duty with a large saber, was shocked by Huang Zhong¡¯s sudden opening of his eyes. This time, he did not curse. Instead, he asked nervously, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is there another flood?¡± Huang Zhong retorted in a daze, ¡°You jinx.¡± Ye Wu was so angry that his face turned green. He pinched Huang Zhong¡¯s face with hatred. ¡°Are you itching for a beating again?!¡± Huang Zhong woke up completely after being pinched by Ye Wu. His nose twitched again. Ignoring the pain on his face, he grabbed Ye Wu¡¯s arm and said excitedly, ¡°Uncle, quickly tell Master that more than 100 people are approaching us. I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯re bandits!¡± Ye Wu¡¯s expression changed drastically. He jumped up with a whoosh and ran to look for Bai Wutong. Huang Zhong had hurt his spleen and stomach. He had been eating well every day recently and had gained some weight. But he was still like a bamboo pole. Ye Wu suddenly stood up, and his small body almost fell apart. Ye Wu told Bai Wutong that there might be bandits. Bai Wutong said calmly, ¡°Be it refugees or bandits, let Qingfeng and the others get ready.¡± Soon, just as Huang Zhong had said, more than 100 people were quickly approaching them with torches. The bandits usually did not light fires at night to prevent alarming their prey. When Bai Wutong heard them shouting something, she subconsciously looked at the sleeping Cui Lingyi. ¡®They must be here for her.¡¯ Chapter 54 - 54 Uncouth Words 54 Uncouth Words ¡°Cousin! Cousin, where are you?!¡± A young man in a white and blue satin robe with red lips and white teeth kept shouting with a torch. Cui Lingyi heard his cousin¡¯s voice and suddenly woke up from her dream. She sat up at the same time as Granny Wang and saw the flames floating in the darkness approaching them. Meanwhile, Bai Wutong and the others raised their cold weapons. Cui Muzhi had good eyesight and saw Cui Lingyi and Granny Wang from dozens of meters away. He jumped up excitedly and shouted, ¡°Cousin, I finally found you.¡± When the tall man beside him saw the person holding a weapon in the darkness, he immediately grabbed his arm. Cui Muzhi turned in confusion. ¡°Blue Woodhead, why are you holding me back?¡± Lan Jingbai said in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s dangerous.¡± The killing intent on Qingfeng was even stronger than any vicious bandits they had seen on the way. She was definitely not an ordinary person. Cui Muzhi¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°So what do we do?¡± Lan Jingbai said, ¡°Let¡¯s see how Miss responds.¡± Cui Muzhi nodded and immediately shouted, ¡°Cousin, how are you? Say something?¡± Lan Jingbai was speechless. When Cui Lingyi heard her cousin¡¯s shout, she immediately stood up and said to Bai Wutong, ¡°Madam Bai, my brother has brought people to look for me. He has no ill intentions towards you.¡± Bai Wutong nodded, and everyone put down their weapons. Cui Lingyi heaved a sigh of relief and thanked Bai Wutong with Granny Wang. ¡°Thank you, Madam Bai.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Cui Muzhi saw Qingfeng and the others put down their weapons. He rushed over like a whirlwind and looked at Cui Lingyi, asking in surprise, ¡°Cousin, are you alright? You almost scared me to death today!¡± Cui Lingyi hit him on the head. ¡°Something almost happened. Why are you so slow?¡± Then she introduced him. ¡°They saved me and Granny.¡± Cui Muzhi rubbed his head and apologized carefully, ¡°After we dealt with the bandits, we came to look for cousin immediately. My good cousin, don¡¯t be angry.¡± Cui Lingyi smirked and snorted. ¡°How rude.¡± Cui Muzhi immediately restrained his lively smile and cupped his hands respectfully at Bai Wutong. ¡°Thank you, benefactors, for saving my cousin. Cui Muzhi is extremely grateful. If you need the help of our Cui family in Qinghe, we will definitely do our best.¡± He did not know Qingfeng. Bai Wutong raised her eyebrows in surprise and said politely, ¡°Young Master, there¡¯s no need to be so polite. You should protect your sister well.¡± It was such a big group of people, yet they had lost two women. Cui Muzhi replied in a tone that was different from his look, ¡°Thank you for your warning, Madam. Cui Muzhi will definitely remember it.¡± The young master was quite cute when he pretended to be mature. Bai Wutong could not help but take a few more glances. Chu Tianbao was instantly unhappy. What was so good about a brat? He didn¡¯t even have a beard that his wife liked. Chu Tianbao tugged at Bai Wutong¡¯s hand and said gloomily, ¡°Wife, my stomach hurts.¡± Chu Tianbao suddenly spoke, and everyone turned to look at him. Their gazes were as if he was a strange object and that displeased Bai Wutong. She squeezed Chu Tianbao¡¯s hand comfortingly and said to Cui Lingyi, ¡°Be careful on the road.¡± Cui Lingyi was surprised that Chu Tianbao¡¯s maturity was different from ordinary people. She looked at Bai Wutong and suddenly understood why Bai Wutong was still a virgin even though she was already married. She took off the jade hairpin on her head and smiled brightly. ¡°This is for Madam. If there¡¯s a chance, I still want to meet you again to watch the stars together.¡± Cui Lingyi¡¯s actions were open and direct. Although she was a woman, she had the aura of a female general. Bai Wutong removed a rubber band from her hand and handed it over. She said outrightly, ¡°Okay.¡± Lin Yue¡¯s lips twitched. At least a decent headband was better than a rubber band! He had also secretly decided that when he saw his master, he would suggest that his master build a few houses of gold and silver jewelry for Bai Wutong as a thank-you gift. After Cui Lingyi and the others left, Bai Wutong placed the jade hairpin in her chest pocket and held Chu Tianbao¡¯s hand to the corner. She frowned and asked, ¡°Does your stomach still hurt?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Chu Tianbao glanced guiltily at Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong knew him too well. When she heard him speak, she could tell that he was pretending. Then, she smiled playfully. ¡°Then I¡¯ll prescribe you some medicine. Tianbao will definitely not be in pain after taking it.¡± Chu Tianbao suddenly widened his eyes and hurriedly said in a panic, ¡°Tianbao doesn¡¯t need medicine. If you rub his stomach, it won¡¯t hurt anymore.¡± Previously, when Stinky¡¯s stomach was bloated and uncomfortable, Bai Wutong kept rubbing his stomach until he farted in comfort. Chu Tianbao had remembered it until that day. He was getting bolder and bolder. He had even learned to lie. ¡°Shall I rub it for you?¡± The corners of Bai Wutong¡¯s mouth suddenly curled up. The evening star was like her eyes, killing and setting fire. Chu Tianbao was dumbfounded. ¡°You don¡¯t want to?¡± Chu Tianbao felt that it was a voice from the sky. When he came back to his senses and felt that he was about to float, he hurriedly nodded. ¡°Yes, yes¡­¡± The smile in Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes deepened. ¡°Okay.¡± She reached out and gently touched Chu Tianbao¡¯s clothes. The unusual touch made Chu Tianbao so excited that the top of his head was about to open. In the next second, Bai Wutong made her move. She accurately pinched one of his eight-pack abs and twisted it ruthlessly without letting go. Chu Tianbao was not prepared at all and suffered such great pain. His face twisted in pain as he cried, ¡°Wife, let go, let go!¡± It was too painful. His wife was going to become a tigress. Bai Wutong had to give him a deep lesson that day. She grabbed his muscles that were not easy to twist and said, ¡°Does your stomach still hurt?¡± Chu Tianbao nodded quickly. ¡°It hurts.¡± It had been fake a moment ago, but now it was real. Chu Tianbao¡¯s teary eyes did not soften Bai Wutong¡¯s heart. She pinched him again and warned sternly, ¡°If you dare to lie again, I¡¯ll make you suffer a thousand times more!¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s tears immediately flowed out. Tears streamed down his face as he cried pitifully, ¡°Wife~ Tianbao really hurts.¡± He felt like his skin was about to removed. Bai Wutong was shocked by his tears. Did he have to go so far when she only pinched him twice? She let go and Chu Tianbao squatted on the ground. He held his stomach and whimpered, as if he had suffered some inhumane torture. Bai Wutong even wondered if she had really gone overboard just now. But she definitely could not spoil him! Bai Wutong squatted down and lectured him. ¡°Who asked you to lie? Let¡¯s see if you dare to do it again in the future.¡± Chu Tianbao felt wronged. He lowered his eyes sadly and said angrily, ¡°My wife doesn¡¯t like Tianbao at all.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°My wife only likes Stinky. She only rubs Stinky¡¯s stomach. Boohoo¡­¡± Chu Tianbao started whining again. ¡°¡­¡± He was not a few month old baby! Bai Wutong¡¯s eyebrows twitched as she said helplessly to him, ¡°Then you can¡¯t lie!¡± ¡°Tianbao didn¡¯t lie. If my wife doesn¡¯t massage Tianbao¡¯s stomach, it will hurt! My chest will hurt too!¡± What kind of uncouth words were that¡­ Was his brain structure really not occupied by anything strange? Bai Wutong¡¯s face suddenly turned into a cooked prawn. She opened his mouth and wanted to say something. From the corner of her eye, she saw that there were people around. All of them stared at them in amazement. Chapter 55 - 55 Wild Vegetable Mash 55 Wild Vegetable Mash ¡°¡­¡± Bai Wutong looked at them with a stiff face and a faint smile. ¡°Is it nice to watch?¡± Everyone felt a chill run down their spines and looked at each other. ¡°The moonlight is really beautiful tonight. I¡¯m going back to bed.¡± ¡°I¡¯m coming too.¡± ¡°Wait for me!!!¡± After the onlookers left, Bai Wutong heaved a sigh of relief. Chu Tianbao was still squatting on the ground, looking aggrieved. Thinking of what he had just said, an unnatural look flashed in Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes. She coughed lightly. ¡°I¡¯m going back to sleep. We have to continue the journey tomorrow.¡± In the past, Chu Tianbao would give in. But that day, he was really angry. He didn¡¯t say anything for a long time and said angrily, ¡°Tianbao will sleep here. Wife, sleep with Stinky in the future!¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Then you¡¯ll sleep alone from now on!¡± She pretended to turn around and leave. Chu Tianbao suddenly raised his head, his dark eyes filled with tears. He said sadly, ¡°Wife, do you really not want me anymore?¡± Before Bai Wutong could speak, the tears that he had forcefully restrained fell. It was as if he would not live if Bai Wutong really said yes. In the quiet surroundings, one could hear the sound of tears landing on the grass. Bai Wutong stared at him silently. After a long pause, she sighed deeply. Stepping forward, she knelt beside him and asked softly, ¡°Does it still hurt? Let me rub it for you.¡± She had really found herself a good son. Chu Tianbao choked on his tears and asked gloomily, ¡°Really?¡± His face was filled with joy and vigilance that Bai Wutong might pinch him again. Bai Wutong pulled a face. ¡°Forget it if you don¡¯t want to.¡± Chu Tianbao immediately grabbed her hand and placed over his stomach in panic. ¡°I want, I want, I want¡­¡± He said countless times to express how much he wanted it. Caught off guard, Bai Wutong¡¯s expression froze as she felt an extremely warm touch on her palm. She met Chu Tianbao¡¯s expression that seemed to be saying, ¡®Why are you not using any strength wife?¡¯. Bai Wutong sighed helplessly and rubbed his stomach gently. Chu Tianbao immediately cried out in satisfaction. The next day, Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao appeared in front of everyone and realized that everyone was looking at them strangely. At first, Bai Wutong did not understand the meaning in their eyes until Madam Yang carried Stinky and stared at Bai Wutong¡¯s stomach. She said with a smile, ¡°Young Master, Madam will soon give birth to a little brother for you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± No matter how thick-skinned Bai Wutong was, the rumors of her doing it in the wild still made her blush. She glanced at the others who were sincerely happy for her and thought to herself, ¡®You really can¡¯t let people be too full¡¯. After several hours of pain and torture, the Dark Guards finally woke up. The villagers of Zhao farmyard had already prepared hot porridge for them. After everyone ate, they continued on their way. Bai Wutong mounted her horse and rode alongside Qingfeng. She pulled out the jade hairpin and looked at it. ¡°What¡¯s your feud with Cui Lingyi about?¡± she asked casually. Qingfeng said simply, ¡°I forcibly tied her into the palace to become a concubine and imprisoned her father.¡± Bai Wutong suddenly looked at Qingfeng with a surprised expression. Cui Lingyi was even willing to take out the last Life Spirit Pill to relieve Qingfeng¡¯s pain. She was simply a saint! Bai Wutong asked again, ¡°Then how did she escape?¡± If Qingfeng did not stop, it was impossible for Cui Lingyi to escape from her. Qingfeng said, ¡°Prime Minister Cui made a deal with the emperor. That day, Cui Lingyi was released from the palace intact.¡± ¡°And why was Prime Minister Cui arrested?¡± ¡°He¡¯s the pig the emperor had long wanted to slaughter and the time has finally arrived.¡± Bai Wutong asked again, ¡°Where is Prime Minister Cui now?¡± Prime Minister Cui should still be alive. Otherwise, Cui Lingyi would not be so good-tempered. Qingfeng said, ¡°On the way to the border.¡± Before Duke Chu established his own kingdom, Prime Minister¡¯s Cui fief was the border. Bai Wutong guessed in surprise, ¡°So, Prime Minister Cui is on the same path as us?¡± Qingfeng nodded. ¡°The Cui family is probably here to help the prisoners escape.¡± Bai Wutong came to a realization and suddenly waved the hairpin in her hand. She smiled and said, ¡°Then Cui Lingyi really has a good temper. If it were me, I would definitely take the opportunity to beat you up.¡± Qingfeng looked at her, and a bone-chilling smile suddenly appeared on her ice-cold face. ¡°She wouldn¡¯t dare. If I wasn¡¯t dead, I would definitely let her die without a burial place.¡± Bai Wutong said, ¡°¡­Alright, you win.¡± The team walked for another two days before finally entering the territory of Jiangyuan City. At the rate they were going, they would probably be able to see the walls of Jiangyuan City the next day afternoon. It was almost dark that day. The team was about to find a place to spend the night when a young man¡¯s clear and bright voice suddenly came from ahead. ¡°I¡¯ve finally found you!¡± Cui Muzhi¡¯s energetic voice was extremely unique. Bai Wutong immediately recognized him. Soon, Cui Muzhi appeared in front of everyone on a snow-white Ferghana horse. Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes lit up when she saw his shiny white horse. It was an ancient version of a luxury car. It was indeed extraordinary. Cui Muzhi noticed her stunned gaze and said generously, ¡°Madam, do you like it? Come with us to Qinghe. I can give you one.¡± It was not easy for Bai Wutong to bring so many people here. For the sake of a horse, she was going to turn around and head to Qinghe to accept the unreliable ruling of Duke Ping. She was not stupid. Although Bai Wutong thought so, she said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go to Qinghe City another day and you can give me one.¡± She couldn¡¯t say that she would never go there. Cui Muzhi said readily, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll definitely take you to the most fun place in Qinghe and eat the most delicious food there.¡± Bai Wutong smiled before getting down to business. ¡°Why are you here? Where¡¯s your sister?¡± Cui Muzhi patted his head and remembered what the urgent matter was. He said to Bai Wutong, ¡°The people from the Imperial Court are holding your portraits and intercepting the refugees at the pass. My sister has asked the team to settle down in front. She asked me to wait for you to inform you about this.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s face darkened as she looked at Lin Yue. ¡°Is there any other way to pass?¡± It was definitely impossible for ordinary officials to capture them. They were just afraid that the top experts sent by Duke Ping would rush over after hearing the news. Lin Yue frowned and said, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m afraid someone will also stop us.¡± Bai Wutong thought for a moment and said, ¡°Let¡¯s settle down first and make plans later.¡± As the team walked forward, they saw Cui Lingyi¡¯s team of more than 100 people cooking. When Bai Wutong and the others dismounted, Cui Muzhi went over with a bowl of wild vegetable soup and warmly invited Bai Wutong to eat. Bai Wutong glanced at the green ¡°soup¡± in his bowl, glanced at the few large pots of the same thing behind him, and tactfully refused. ¡°No, I¡¯m not hungry. You guys eat.¡± Cui Muzhi naively thought that Bai Wutong was afraid that they would not have enough to eat. He could not help but push a bowl of wild vegetable paste into her hand. He even said, ¡°Madam Bai, don¡¯t stand on ceremony. We still have a few large pots there. Even if we don¡¯t eat them ourselves, we¡¯ll let you eat your fill.¡± With that, he got someone to fill many bowls. Even Village Chief Zhao¡¯s hand was stuffed with a bowl of green soup. Soon, the soup in their pot was completely insufficient for their own people. Chapter 56 - 56 Human Tracker 56 Human Tracker It was not easy to even have a bite to eat on the way to escape. Cui Lingyi¡¯s team only had this bit of food in total, and almost all of it was given to them. No matter how they refused, Cui Muzhi refused. It would be so disappointing if she insisted on not accepting his sincerity and eat. Everyone in the team looked at Bai Wutong, who was holding a bowl. Bai Wutong met Cui Muzhi¡¯s sparkling eyes and sighed. ¡°Then what are you going to eat?¡± Cui Muzhi smiled brightly and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go pick some wild vegetables again. I saw a pond in front just now. Later, I¡¯ll bring someone to catch a few big fish for Madam Bai to eat.¡± Bai Wutong had also seen the pond just now. It was clearly a pool of stagnant water. It was impossible for there to be fish. Moreover, it was getting dark. If they searched for wild vegetables in the dark, how many would they be able to find? Courtesy demanded reciprocity. Moreover, they had specially waited here to inform them that there was danger ahead. Bai Wutong said, ¡°It¡¯s almost dark, and you won¡¯t be able to find many wild vegetables. Why don¡¯t you have a simple meal with us?¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Cui Muzhi¡¯s eyes lit up and he replied without hesitation, ¡°Sure.¡± No matter how simple the meal Bai Wutong described as, they were still food that was filling. Looking at the rice porridge cooking in the pot, Cui Muzhi was so touched that tears flowed out of his mouth. He had been raised in Qinghe wildly. He could eat delicacies and wild vegetables, but he had been out for almost a month. This was the first time he had eaten fragrant food for so long. The fragrance of the stewed bamboo shoots that Madam Yang had stir-fried in a large pot wafted for five kilometers. Cui Muzhi could not help but exclaim. Giving all the wild vegetable soup to Bai Wutong and the others was simply the wisest move of his life. The others in their team also swallowed their saliva like Cui Muzhi. Cui Lingyi coughed lightly in embarrassment. Cui Muzhi came back to his senses and jumped up again with a whoosh. He opened his mouth and said self-righteously, ¡°Cousin, you want to drink, right? When the bandits came, I specially protected a bottle of top-notch Daughter¡¯s Red for you. I¡¯ll go get it for you now.¡± Cui Lingyi¡¯s reprimanding words immediately turned into, ¡°Hurry up.¡± Cui Muzhi ran faster than a rabbit. In a moment, he brought the wine over. Cui Lingyi lifted the lid and sniffed, a look of enjoyment forming on her face. ¡°Nice wine.¡± She looked at Bai Wutong. ¡°Shall we have a drink?¡± Before Bai Wutong could speak, Chu Tianbao interrupted, ¡°Wife, you said that drinking is not good for health. You can¡¯t drink.¡± Cui Lingyi raised her eyebrows and looked at Bai Wutong, as if to say, as a woman, do you really want to listen to a man¡¯s nonsense? Chu Tianbao immediately stood in front of Bai Wutong. If Cui Lingyi dared to let Bai Wutong drink, he would teach her a lesson. Cui Lingyi stared at Chu Tianbao with a meaningful look and suddenly smiled. She raised her daughter¡¯s red and poured a big mouthful into her mouth. ¡°It seems that I¡¯ll have to enjoy the wine alone tonight.¡± Cui Muzhi leaned over. ¡°Cousin, give me a mouthful too.¡± Cui Lingyi pulled a face. ¡°Why would a child drink? It¡¯s not good for your health. Didn¡¯t you have ears to hear just now?¡± Cui Muzhi pursed his lips. He was already 15 years old that year and was about to get married. What kind of child was he? If she wasn¡¯t going to give it to him, so be it. Why did she have to make so many excuses? Cui Lingyi drank extremely boldly. In a short while, she finished a bottle of the wine. It was very different from her usual noble and polite appearance. Bai Wutong was surprised. Cui Muzhi smiled at her and said, ¡°Do you know what my cousin¡¯s nickname is?¡± ¡°What?¡± Cui Muzhi smiled wickedly. ¡°A wine barrel!¡± Bai Wutong was stunned. Cui Muzhi continued, ¡°She won¡¯t get drunk even after a thousand cups. She drinks like water. She can even drink sorghum.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Cui Muzhi felt a blow on his head. ¡°Brat, you talk too much.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not what my cousin said. Honesty is the foundation of a person.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you to talk so much!¡± The siblings joked familiarly, and Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t help but laugh. The siblings had a good relationship. After Cui Lingyi and Cui Muzhi finished eating, Bai Wutong asked, ¡°Which of us did the officials at the checkpoint draw up?¡± Coincidentally, Cui Lingyi was a meticulous person. Afraid that they would not believe her, she specially got Lan Jingbai to replicate the drawings. Bai Wutong took it and looked at it. Other than the key characteristics, such an abstract painting was almost not human. Bai Wutong asked Cui Lingyi in surprise, ¡°You really recognized us?¡± Cui Lingyi pointed to the portrait. ¡°The artist¡¯s technique is a little clumsy, but with so many of you together, they can still guess it.¡± Bai Wutong understood. If so many of them were to travel together, even if they were in disguise, it was very likely that they would be stopped. If they did not want to split up, they could only take the path where the soldiers were not stationed. Cui Lingyi looked at Bai Wutong. ¡°What are your plans, little phoenix?¡± Bai Wutong was stunned. ¡°Little phoenix?¡± ¡°A phoenix lives in a Wutong tree. Who are you if you¡¯re not a little phoenix? Isn¡¯t that a nice nickname?¡± Cui Lingyi laughed. ¡°You can call me by my name too, Qing Jiu.¡± In any case, it was just a form of address, so Bai Wutong tacitly agreed. She said, ¡°I plan to take the mountain path without soldiers.¡± Cui Lingyi said, ¡°How does Little Phoenix know which mountain road is empty?¡± Bai Wutong suddenly smiled and said, ¡°Naturally, I have my ways.¡± The next day, the team set off. For the first time, Huang Zhong sat on the horse and walked at the front of the team. Cui Lingyi¡¯s team moved alongside them. ¡°What about the method you mentioned?¡± she asked curiously. Bai Wutong thought that she was very good at reading people, so there was no harm in telling her. She looked at Huang Zhong and said, ¡°He is the solution.¡± ¡°?¡± Bai Wutong met her puzzled expression and smiled. ¡°His nose is very sharp. He can smell anything for miles. He can determine how many people and what location they are based on their scents. He can help us avoid a search.¡± As soon as she said this, Cui Lingyi¡¯s calm face revealed obvious excitement. She took out a jade pendant and placed it in front of Bai Wutong with trembling hands. ¡°If he smells the scent of the jade pendant¡¯s owner, can he determine the person¡¯s location?¡± Bai Wutong thought of how Huang Zhong could often rely on his nose to find ginseng on the road and nodded. ¡°I think so.¡± Cui Lingyi¡¯s eyes lit up as she pleaded, ¡°Little Phoenix, can you ask him to help me find my father¡¯s location? His whereabouts are unknown now. We asked along the way, but there¡¯s no news.¡± Bai Wutong nodded and immediately called Huang Zhong over to help Cui Lingyi determine Prime Minister Cui¡¯s current location. Huang Zhong was very happy that he could be of use. He held the jade pendant and carefully sniffed the faint smell on it. After a while, he firmly remembered this smell in his mind. He closed his eyes and sniffed. Immediately, all kinds of smells in all directions were sucked into his mind like a vacuum cleaner. Cui Lingyi watched him expectantly. After a long time, Huang Zhong suddenly opened his eyes and pointed in one direction. He said to Bai Wutong, ¡°Master, the rain has washed away the smell. I can only smell the traces of his passage.¡± Prisoners sent to the borders would be tortured along the way and might even die on the way. Cui Lingyi got a rough direction. Afraid that her father could not wait any longer, she thanked Bai Wutong and hurried on with her people. Chapter 57 - 57 Pretense 57 Pretense Cui Lingyi and the others left first. Bai Wutong and the others did not delay further as well. After walking for a while, the autumn rain fell again. There was no place to stay nearby, so Bai Wutong and the others had no choice but to move forward in the heavy rain. Fortunately, everyone was already used to the weather in Jiangyuan City where it could rain at any time. They immediately put on waterproof raincoats and moved forward with much difficulty. Bai Wutong stepped on the muddy ground. She finally knew why so many people had died in Jiangyuan City after the flood the previous year. It was already very unlucky to encounter a flood. After the flood, it was still raining heavily. The citizens did not even have the time to recover from it, so how could they survive? If only there were people like Yu the Great in this era who could resolve the source of the flood in Jiangyuan City. The rain stopped, and they were less than 30 miles away from Jiangyuan City. Before everyone could rejoice, they realised that the area around Jiangyuan City was flooded into an island. Bai Wutong and the others stood on the small hill. At a glance, there was endless water in front of them. On the side, there were dense tents set up by Duke Ping¡¯s 200,000-men troop to defend Phoenix City and Jiangyuan City. If the army could not cross, they naturally could not. Bai Wutong frowned. Lin Yue said, ¡°Madam, we can take a raft over.¡± Bai Wutong shook her head. ¡°Look at the few trees around here, and then look at how many people we have. The troop hasn¡¯t been able to cross as well. We should wait. The water level over there is about to fall.¡± Lin Yue looked around. That was indeed the case, so he said, ¡°Then let¡¯s find a place to stay first.¡± It was too dangerous to be too close to the army. Bai Wutong and the others walked around the flood for almost two hours before they found a relatively hidden place. Suddenly, a man carrying a piece of driftwood floated over from the flood. Bai Wutong and the others looked over. Oh my, wasn¡¯t this the Blue Woodhead that Cui Muzhi had called out previously? He kept drifting down. He was almost down the rapids. Bai Wutong tied a floating loop with rope and threw it at him. Lan Jingbai also saw them and decisively grabbed the rope. Zhao Pengfei pulled him ashore alone. Lan Jingbai reached the shore and stared blankly at the floating ring. He suddenly raised his head and begged Bai Wutong, ¡°Madam Bai, can I borrow your floating ring and rope?¡± As soon as he finished speaking, before Bai Wutong could respond, Cui Muzhi, who had followed Lan Jingbai down, ran over. He quickly ran to the drenched Lan Jingbai and took off his coat to put it on him. He asked worriedly, ¡°Blue Woodhead, are you alright?¡± Lan Jingbai glanced at his coat and pulled it off with his hand, wanting to return it to him. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Madam Bai and the others saved me.¡± Cui Muzhi held his hand firmly for once. ¡°Put it on.¡± He bowed to Bai Wutong solemnly. ¡°Thank you for saving Jingbai, Madam.¡± Bai Wutong and the others had first saved Cui Lingyi and Granny Wang, and now they had saved Lan Jingbai. Cui Muzhi was really too grateful. The words he had accumulated over the years were lacking. Bai Wutong helped him up and asked, ¡°Why are you here? Where¡¯s your sister?¡± Cui Muzhi said dejectedly, ¡°She was trying to save my uncle and the villagers. Jingbai couldn¡¯t get to the other side and was washed down by the flood, so I brought my men down.¡± It had been a close call. He had almost thought Blue Woodhead was going to die. Seeing him safe and sound, he still had lingering fear. Bai Wutong immediately understood why Lan Jingtian wanted to borrow their floating rings and ropes. They followed Cui Muzhi upstream for a long time before they saw a group of people looking at them in horror from the top of a house opposite the flood. Cui Lingyi frowned as she watched the flood. Several people had tried to get into the water but had failed. They would have to wait a little longer. But the house would collapse if it was soaked for too long. In addition to her father and the others, there were so many trapped villagers. Cui Lingyi forced herself to stay calm. She wanted to ask her men to build a raft, but quickly rejected the idea in jer mind. The flood was so strong that the raft was useless. When Bai Wutong and the others suddenly appeared, Cui Lingyi immediately recalled the scene of the bandits and Granny Wang falling into the swamp river together. Saving people was more important. She couldn¡¯t care less about small talk and begged Bai Wutong anxiously, ¡°Little Phoenix, can you lend me the floating ring you use? When my father and the others are saved, I¡¯ll return it to you.¡± Bai Wutong had her men ready. She didn¡¯t say much. ¡°Use it as you see fit. We¡¯ll set up a shed over there for the night.¡± Cui Lingyi put her arms around her excitedly. ¡°Thank you, little phoenix. We¡¯ll have a drink after I save my father.¡± Bai Wutong glanced at Chu Tianbao, who had a sulky expression on his face that was implying that she was not a good wife if she drank. She smiled and said, ¡°Saving people is more important.¡± When Cui Lingyi heard this, she immediately let go of Bai Wutong and organized Lan Jingbai to bring people to rescue Prime Minister Cui and the villagers. Bai Wutong and the others had long and strong ropes. Cui Lingyi had her men put on floating rings and tie the ropes around their bodies. She also tied some large rocks to the ropes to prevent them from going weightless in the water. Cui Lingyi looked at the row of sturdy trees opposite and said to Lan Jingbai, ¡°Lead the way and tie the ropes to three trees in a row. Then let my father and the villagers come down from the roof. Put on floating rings and pull the ropes down bit by bit.¡± With Bai Wutong¡¯s floating rings and ropes, Lan Jingbai successfully reached the opposite side of the flood. The villagers cheered excitedly and hurriedly said to Cui Shize, ¡°Sir, they¡¯re here to save us!¡± If Cui Lingyi hadn¡¯t calmed them down in time, they would have broken down. At this moment, Cui Shize could not help but reveal a relaxed smile. He said to the villagers, ¡°There¡¯s an order to seniority. Don¡¯t fight for it. Go down from the roof one by one and prepare to go ashore.¡± As soon as he said that, the officials in charge of detaining Cui Shize were unhappy. ¡°No matter what, we should be the ones to leave first. Who knows if we will be left behind?¡± However, they only dared to mutter softly. After all, the person who came to save them was Cui Shize¡¯s daughter. If not for Cui Shize, they would not have had the chance to be saved. The grateful villagers of the Falling Rain Village hurriedly said, ¡°Master, you can go first. We¡¯ll just follow behind.¡± Even Cui Shize¡¯s disciples, who had been demoted with him, tried to persuade him. ¡°Yes, Master, you should leave first.¡± What if the rope broke? Cui Shize shook his head and made up his mind. ¡°The villagers can leave first. I¡¯ll be the last.¡± In the face of imminent disaster, Cui Shize could do this for the commoners. How noble and selfless was this! His disciples also said firmly, ¡°We will advance and retreat with Master!¡± The villagers were moved to tears. If they could kowtow, they would definitely kowtow to Cui Shize. The bailiffs pursed their lips and muttered softly, ¡°You¡¯re all so pretentious.¡± If Cui Shize hadn¡¯t been a busybody reminding the villagers that the flood was coming, they wouldn¡¯t have been trapped here. Chapter 58 - 58 Love the People Like Own Children 58 Love the People Like Own Children After Bai Wutong and the others built the shed for the night, Cui Shize finally reached the shore in the last wave. Cui Lingyi waited anxiously on the shore. When she saw that Cui Shize had finally safely reached the shore, she realized that she was drenched in cold sweat. The father and daughter had not seen each other for several years and were almost separated by life and death. Cui Lingyi looked at her father who had aged more than 10 years and tears welled up in her red eyes. Cui Shize¡¯s eyes were also misty. ¡°Why is Xiaoxiao here?¡± Cui Lingyi choked and complained, ¡°If I don¡¯t come, who will! Do you know how dangerous it was just now!¡± Cui Shize only had one daughter. He did not hesitate to fall out with the emperor for her sake. How could he feel good when he saw her sad? Even though he was scolded by her in front of his disciples, he still smiled ingratiatingly. ¡°Xiaoxiao, don¡¯t be angry. Daddy knows his mistake.¡± What the hell did he know? If he knew, he wouldn¡¯t have been so determined to persuade the dog emperor to value the people even though he knew that Duke Chu was going to rebel. Cui Lingyi glared at him angrily. It was as though she was still acting coquettish in her room. The group of disciples behind Cui Shize hurriedly glanced at her, and their ears turned red. Cui Muzhi came over and patted his chest with a smile. ¡°Uncle, it¡¯s okay. Even if Cousin can¡¯t come, there¡¯s still me!¡± Cui Lingyi smiled slightly. The meaning in his eyes was clear. If you dare to say another word, I¡¯ll skin you alive. Cui Muzhi trembled in fear and quickly fell silent. Cui Shize smiled dotingly. He had grown up, but he was still like a child. There were more than 500 people in the entire Fallen Rain Village. In the past, the flood would not pass by their village. This year, the entire village was drowned. When it came, they were not prepared at all. Now that their lives were no longer in danger, they felt so hungry that their chests were almost touching their backs. Thinking that they were safe, the officials no longer had any scruples and directly asked Cui Lingyi for food. ¡°We are starving to death, give us some dry rations and water first.¡± They still thought that if Cui Lingyi wanted her father to be fine, she had to serve them like a master. Some people¡¯s gazes landed on Cui Lingyi¡¯s slender waist and even revealed lustful expressions. Cui Lingyi sneered. ¡°There are fishes in the flood. You can jump in and eat them.¡± The official¡¯s expression suddenly changed. He threatened Cui Lingyi, ¡°Do you believe I¡­¡± Lan Jingbai pulled out his sword. Just as he was about to stab these annoying officials to death, Cui Shize stopped him. ¡°Leave them alive.¡± The official thought that Cui Shize was worried about them. He sneered and pulled out his saber. ¡°We have the right to kill any prisoner who tries to escape.¡± Prime Minister Cui was famous for loving his people and being loyal. He would not dare to disobey the emperor¡¯s orders and escape. As long as Cui Lingyi and the others were obedient and let them eat their fill and be in a good mood, it was not impossible to send Prime Minister Cui to Jiangyuan City instead of Fengming City to be a servant who picked up horse dung. At this point, Prime Minister Cui still had to abide by those pedantic rules. Cui Lingyi felt as if he had eaten dozens of catties of feces. The joy of meeting her father immediately dissipated. Cui Muzhi could not hide the disappointment in his eyes. His uncle was too kind-hearted. Didn¡¯t he see how dirty these officials eyed at his cousin? Even the disciples behind Cui Shize felt that since the Cui family was here, there was no need for their Master to condone this group of soldiers. Faced with the threat of the soldiers, Cui Shize¡¯s expression was indifferent. He looked at Cui Lingyi, who looked away and did not want to look at him, but a trace of imperceptible panic flashed in his eyes. Unexpectedly, he said to Lan Jingbai, who was holding a sword, in a low voice, ¡°They¡¯re hungry. Xiaoxiao wants to treat them to fish. Then treat them to fish.¡± As soon as he said this, Cui Lingyi suddenly turned to look at him, her eyes filled with surprise. After Lan Jingbai received the order, before the group of soldiers could react, he and the others kicked the 20-odd soldiers into the endless flood. The soldiers only shouted a few times before they were quickly swept away by the flood. They were not as powerful as Lan Jingbai. If nothing went wrong, they would die. Only a Master would be so polite as to say ¡®treat someone to a meal¡¯ instead of ¡®killing them¡¯. At the same time, the disciples felt much more at ease. No matter what situation they were in with Cui Shize, their dignity would not be trampled on. Cui Lingyi suddenly became happy again. She asked, ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Before Cui Shize could answer, his stomach answered for him. As if there was a chain reaction, the disciples behind him and the villagers¡¯ stomachs all let out gurgling sounds. Cui Lingyi¡¯s smile froze on her face because she did not finish her sentence. After Huang Zhong identified Cui Shize¡¯s general direction, she led her people and rushed forward. After discovering that Cui Shize was trapped in the middle of the flood and might be in danger at any time, she had long forgotten to send people to dig for wild vegetables. By now, it was too dark to find any food. Cui Shize saw the embarrassment on his daughter¡¯s face and frowned slightly. He looked at the horses they had brought and the villagers behind them who were looking forward to it. Suddenly, he fell silent. Cui Muzhi looked clumsy but was very meticulous. He said to the villagers, ¡°We¡¯re leaving. You guys should find a place to stay.¡± With so many of them and the 20 disciples behind Cui Shize, they had to kill two horses to make do that night. They had already spent a lot of effort saving these 500-odd villagers¡¯ lives. It was completely impossible for them to provide another meal for them. The village chief of the Falling Rain Village, Li Changzhi, had very good ears. He could tell Cui Muzhi directly chasing them, and his eyes flashed. Li Changzhi shouted to the villagers, ¡°Fellow villagers, Master has saved us. We have nothing now and can¡¯t repay him. We can only kowtow to Master three times and remember his kindness forever.¡± At night, Li Changzhi¡¯s voice was like a bell. The villagers knelt down and kowtowed three times to Cui Shize. After Li Changzhi finished kowtowing, his forehead was so red that blood was about to seep out. He asked solemnly, ¡°Master, can you tell me your name? I hope that one day, the descendants of our Falling Rain Village will have a chance to repay you.¡± Hearing the sincere words of the village chief and looking at the grateful and bright eyes of the villagers, Cui Shize had mixed feelings. After a long time, he made up his mind and said to Lan Jingbai, ¡°Go kill a few horses and make soup for the villagers to warm their stomachs.¡± There were so many villagers here. How many horses would they have to kill?! If they killed their horses, how could they return to Qinghe as soon as possible? Cui Lingyi frowned and said disapprovingly, ¡°Father, we still have to return to Qinghe.¡± Cui Shize sighed and said, ¡°We can¡¯t go back. Qinghe can¡¯t be saved.¡± The premonition that Cui Lingyi had been worried about was directly exposed by Cui Shize. She looked at Cui Shize solemnly, and her mocking voice was filled with resentment. ¡°The Prime Minister loves the people like his own children. Why should he kill our horses!¡± Chapter 59 - 59 Borrowing Food 59 Borrowing Food No one expected Duke Ping to kill his own brother and replace him at such a difficult time for the Yan Kingdom. Duke Ping and Qinghe¡¯s fief was adjacent to Huaiyang. After Duke Ping ascended the throne, he would definitely target the number one family in Qinghe and force his elder brother to lead the noble families in Qinghe to hand over all their food and money. Even if they handed them over, Duke Ping would never give up a fat piece of meat like Qinghe. Even Cui Shize could think of it on his way to the border, let alone Cui Shiji, who had been secretly observing the situation. They must have been prepared. Perhaps they had already followed Cui Muzhi and the others when they set off. Cui Shize frowned and said, ¡°The flood will subside in two days at most. We still have horses and food in Jiangyuan City. Contact your uncle and we¡¯ll continue on our way with Muzhi.¡± He looked at the hungry villagers who were walking weakly and said, ¡°Besides, you can¡¯t bear to, right?¡± Cui Lingyi said coldly, ¡°So you want to bring someone else to the throne? What do you know about Duke Chu?¡± Duke Chu could fight a war, but who knew what kind of dog emperor he would be when he sat on the throne. Cui Shize did not hide anything from his daughter. ¡°I¡¯m about to find out.¡± Cui Lingyi knew that he had always had the dream of supporting a virtuous monarch to create a peaceful and prosperous world, but was that easy? How could Duke Chu use him, a prime minister whose disciples spread throughout the entire Yan Kingdom? He would be afraid that he would instigate others to restore the dynasty of the Yan Kingdom. The possibility of killing him was higher than trusting in him. Cui Lingyi said angrily, ¡°You can go to Ling Kingdom to settle down and teach. You can send someone to seek refuge with Duke Chu, but you can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Xiaoxiao, Dad isn¡¯t old yet.¡± Cui Shize wanted to fight for himself. Cui Lingyi glanced at his pitiful face. In the end, she could not bear to see him like this, so she took a step back. ¡°Unless Duke Chu personally invites you back to the court, you definitely can¡¯t!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t save you from the flood to send you to your death!¡± Cui Lingyi showed an expression that said that there was no room for discussion. Cui Shize could only say, ¡°Father promises you. Then will Xiaoxiao give these poor villagers a bowl of warm soup?¡± Cui Lingyi gave him a cool look that said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to kill the horse. Go borrow food yourself.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Borrow food? The used floating ring ropes were all tidied up. Cui Lingyi brought her father to the place where Bai Wutong and the others had built the shed. Bai Wutong and the others were getting better at setting up camp. Depending on the terrain, they could quickly build sheds with different materials that could block the wind and rain. Cui Lingyi¡¯s eyes flashed with envy when she saw Bai Wutong in front of a small shed grilling fish and eating. To be able to eat, live, and drink in such an environment was simply the life of a god. Seeing her arrive, Bai Wutong stood up and looked at Cui Shize¡¯s elegant face. She seemed to be looking at an amiable guard at the school gate. Cui Lingyi introduced him. ¡°This is my father. It¡¯s all thanks to your floating rings and ropes. Otherwise, I don¡¯t know what we could have done today. He specially came to thank you, so I brought him here.¡± Cui Shize, who had specially come to thank her, stiffened unnaturally and bowed to Bai Wutong. ¡°Thank you for saving us many times, Madam Bai.¡± He did not just want to borrow food. Of course, he also wanted to seriously thank Bai Wutong, who had saved his precious daughter and take the initiative to take her as her friend. The person who could become the Prime Minister of two dynasties was very different from Bai Wutong¡¯s expected dignified and solemn appearance, so her impression of him improved. She returned the greeting and said, ¡°Prime Minister Cui, there¡¯s no need to be so polite.¡± Cui Shize exchanged a few simple pleasantries with Bai Wutong and understood why Xiaoxiao had treated her as her confidant. She was smart, rational, and had a pair of eyes that could see through people¡¯s hearts. It made him a little unable to say what he was going to say next. Bai Wutong had been talking to them for a long time. Chu Tianbao was getting a little impatient. He raised the grilled fish in front of Bai Wutong and said, ¡°Wife, the fish is ready. Let¡¯s eat the fish and ignore them.¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s sudden appearance shocked Cui Shize. When he looked at him, he felt that he had seen Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes somewhere before, but he felt that he had never seen him before. He looked at it more closely. It was probably because he was getting old. It felt familiar. But he just couldn¡¯t think of the reason. Bai Wutong held Chu Tianbao¡¯s hand and looked apologetically at Cui Shize and his daughter. She said to Chu Tianbao, ¡°I¡¯ll give you another chance to speak nicely.¡± Under Bai Wutong¡¯s cold warning gaze, Chu Tianbao said with a flustered expression, ¡°Wife, don¡¯t make Tianbao sleep with Lin Yue. His feet will stink me to death. I¡¯ll treat them to fish. Don¡¯t be angry.¡± With that, he handed one of the fish that he had painstakingly roasted to Cui Shize and the others. He threatened, ¡°Eat fish!¡± If they dared not eat, he would secretly teach them a lesson. Bai Wutong¡¯s face darkened and she said firmly, ¡°Sleep with Lin Yue tonight.¡± ¡°Wife¡ª¡± Bai Wutong glanced at him, and Chu Tianbao immediately didn¡¯t dare to speak again, afraid that one night would become two nights. Cui Lingyi stole a glance at Chu Tianbao. It didn¡¯t seem like the two of them didn¡¯t have any true feelings for each other. She boldly guessed that Chu Tianbao¡¯s mind was different from ordinary people¡¯s. Bai Wutong could not bring herself to take initiative, so the two of them did not have a good time. The more she thought about it, the more she felt that this was the case. She made up her mind to find an opportunity to let Granny Wang enlighten Bai Wutong. A woman should not let herself down in any way. In critical times, food was equivalent to life. When Cui Shize asked Bai Wutong, he was already prepared to be rejected. ¡°Madam Bai, can you lend me some food so that the villagers can have a bowl of hot soup to get rid of the cold?¡± He continued, ¡°When the flood subsides, we¡¯ll return all the food in our storage to you when we enter the city.¡± Qinghe City had a rich production of food, and the Cui family also had a chain food store in Jiangyuan City. 50 kilograms of food was enough for them to cook a bowl of porridge. Bai Wutong could still afford it and agreed readily. When Cui Lingyi left, Bai Wutong even gave her a few grilled fish so that she did not have to secretly swallow her saliva, thinking that she did not notice. After borrowing food from Bai Wutong, Cui Lingyi and the others quickly lit a fire in the cold wind and cooked porridge. Although it was only a bowl of porridge, everyone felt warm after drinking it. The next morning, Bai Wutong opened her eyes while hugging Stinky and suddenly met Chu Tianbao¡¯s resentful expression. It was so early in the morning that it startled her. Bai Wutong rubbed her brows and sat up unhappily. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to sleep with Lin Yue? Why are you here again?¡± He was as silent as a ghost. Chu Tianbao pouted sadly. ¡°I did, but I couldn¡¯t sleep. He smells so bad, even worse than Stinky. I don¡¯t want to sleep with him.¡± Stinky seemed to have heard someone talking about him. He opened his eyes and wailed even more aggrievedly than Chu Tianbao. Bai Wutong glared at Chu Tianbao and hurriedly picked up the frightened Stinky. After Bai Wutong finally coaxed Stinky, Village Chief Zhao¡¯s anxious cry came from outside the shed. ¡°Madam, after Madam Cui and the others ate our food, many of them have a fever and diarrhea. Do you want to take a look?¡± Chapter 60 - 60 Plague 60 Plague If they had fever and diarrhea on a large scale, it was likely to be food poisoning, but it was also likely to be plague. Bai Wutong¡¯s expression suddenly changed. She hugged Little Stinky tightly in his arms and asked Village Chief Zhao anxiously, ¡°Is there anyone among our people with the same symptoms?¡± Village Chief Zhao thought for a moment and said, ¡°A few of them have caught a cold. It¡¯s not as serious as theirs.¡± Although she could not be sure if it was the plague, Bai Wutong¡¯s heart still sank to the bottom in an instant. Bai Wutong said, ¡°How many of you made contact with Madam Cui¡¯s team just now?¡± Bai Wutong knew that a plague had erupted after the flood in Jiangyuan City the previous year. On the way, she asked everyone in the team to drink the medicine to prevent the plague. She even specially checked all the medical supplies in the RV space and injected all the vaccines that could be used on Stinky. Stinky¡¯s resistance should not be too low now, but the plague was extremely contagious and could mutate at any time. They had to be more careful. Village Chief Zhao said, ¡°They only sent one person over. Only Guard Lin and I were in contact with them.¡± She was probably afraid that the illness would spread to them. Bai Wutong immediately said, ¡°You and Guard Lin, put on your masks and quickly distance from everyone. Those who are still sick have to put on their masks and quickly leave the team with you. The others, put on your masks as well and don¡¯t take them off casually. I suspect that they are having symptoms of plague. Don¡¯t panic. Take the preventive medicine first and calm down. I¡¯ll go over there to take a look first.¡± When Bai Wutong suggested that it might be a plague, Village Chief Zhao instantly broke out in a cold sweat. He asked in a panic, ¡°Madam, since it might be a plague, you have to take care of Young Master and you should not go!¡± Bai Wutong glanced at Chu Tianbao in the shed and Stinky, who was smiling sweetly in his arms, and said firmly, ¡°I have to go. The plague is latent. Our two teams are very close. The wind was southwest last night. It¡¯s possible that some of us have already been infected. I have to confirm if it¡¯s the plague or not. It¡¯s also possible that they¡¯re just diarrhea and fever caused by food poisoning. If it¡¯s the plague, we¡¯ll need to quarantine in place to prevent it from spreading.¡± Even medicines that prevented plague were not foolproof. Only by judging what kind of plague it was could she enhance the treatment of those who might be sick based on the symptoms. Even if all the people in their team did not catch the plague, it would probably have already spread in Jiangyuan City. They would still have to prepare a backup treatment plan. But what if Bai Wutong fell sick? What would they do? Everyone had already treated Bai Wutong as the backbone of the team. ¡°I¡¯ve taken so many medicines to prevent the plague. It¡¯s fine. Get Qingfeng and Auntie Yang to help me take care of Stinky and Tianbao. As long as the plague is controlled in time and the source of infection is blocked, everyone will be fine.¡± The medicine in the Bai Wutong¡¯s space was powerful and more effective than the medicine they had taken to prevent the plague. She was very confident that she would not get sick. After hearing Bai Wutong¡¯s answer, Village Chief Zhao could only let her go. Bai Wutong had previously taught them what to do if they encountered a plague. Village Chief Zhao quickly calmed down and shouted to the people around him, ¡°Everyone, stay away from me!!!¡± Village Chief Zhao¡¯s voice was like a loud bell. It was so sudden that everyone was shocked. ¡°Chief, what¡¯s wrong?¡± They wanted to surround him, but Village Chief Zhao covered his mouth and nose and shouted, ¡°I told you not to come over. Mister Lin Yue and I might have been infected by the plague. Those who are feeling unwell, stand out and quickly leave the team with us. We¡¯ll quarantine together first! Also, put on all your masks and don¡¯t approach anyone other than the team. Don¡¯t let anyone approach our team either. We¡¯ll make arrangements when Madam returns.¡± The moment he said that, the entire team was dumbfounded. Even a child knew how terrible the plague was. It would be good enough if even one out of 100 people could survive. Those who survived still had to live in pain from missing their deceased relatives. When there was no plague, most people looked down on doctors, and when there was a plague, they looked down on doctors even more. Even if one had the money to pay for treatment, some doctors would avoid the plague. If one was lucky enough to meet a doctor who had the heart to help the world, how many people could he save alone? Therefore, after the flood in Jiangyuan City the previous year and the outbreak, the only way for the commoners to resist the plague was to resist it head-on. If they could withstand it, they would live. If they could not, they would die. Jiangyuan City had lost nearly a third of its total population the previous year due to the plague and flood. Before one could recuperate and see the hope of tomorrow, they fell into the abyss again. From the moment everyone entered the territory of Jiangyuan City, Bai Wutong repeatedly emphasized to everyone that they were not allowed to drink water that had not been filtered and boiled. She even specially made pandemic masks and requested that everyone not take them off easily when there was a pandemic. Now that they were suddenly told that there was a high chance of a plague, no matter how mentally prepared they were, they were all terrified and uneasy. Their eyes immediately turned red. Could they really survive the plague? Was the medicine that Madam gave them really effective? Did a few of the team members already have the plague? Various thoughts seemed to explode in their heads. Village Chief Zhao shouted angrily, ¡°What are you waiting for? Listen to Madam¡¯s instructions and do it immediately!¡± Village Chief Zhao¡¯s words were like a hammer smashing into their heads. Everyone seemed to have woken up from a dream and quickly acted according to Village Chief Zhao¡¯s instructions. Cui Muzhi, who had come to see Bai Wutong, was petrified when he heard Village Chief Zhao¡¯s words. Now it struck him that his sister and the others were indeed more likely to catch the plague than food poisoning. If there was a plague, wouldn¡¯t he be harming them if he asked Madam Bai to check out their condition? Cui Muzhi looked at the terrified villagers of Zhao farmyard in a daze. His heels subconsciously moved back as if they weighed 500 kilograms. The flood had blocked the way into the city. Where could he find a doctor now? What should he do? Bai Wutong handed Stinky to Madam Yang and instructed Qingfeng, Zhao Pengfei, and Ye Wu some tasks. They were all people with leadership experience. Without her, they were equally capable of stabilizing everyone. After quickly making arrangements, Bai Wutong prepared to leave with Cui Muzhi. No matter how terrifying the plague was, Chu Tianbao insisted on following Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong really could not convince him so she made him put on a mask and go with her. When Cui Muzhi saw Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao walking towards him, he felt a little hot and dizzy. In an instant, he was sure that he had the plague. He hurriedly took a few steps back and said to Bai Wutong in a panic, ¡°Madam Bai, Master Bai, don¡¯t come over. I have the plague. I can¡¯t harm you!¡± He knew that once infected, there was basically no way to survive. There was fear in the young man¡¯s eyes. At this moment, he could still care about others. Bai Wutong was slightly touched. She glanced at Chu Tianbao, who was fearless beside her. ¡°It might not be the plague. Besides, the plague is airborne. You¡¯re standing here breathing, and the team is so close to us. We might have caught it already. I need to confirm if it¡¯s the plague. It might just be a false alarm.¡± Chapter 61 - 61 This Is My Medicine 61 This Is My Medicine Bai Wutong¡¯s words made Cui Muzhi take a step back in shock. He hurriedly said, ¡°Then all the more I can¡¯t let you come over. There are too many people infected among us and it might have spread even more now. Wouldn¡¯t you be infected immediately if you came over? If Madam Bai wants to help us, please help me find a doctor with brilliant medical skills.¡± The Cui family of Qinghe could not do anything immoral. Moreover, Bai Wutong had already helped them several times, so they could not let them be in danger. Moreover, the plague was not something that Bai Wutong could treat. If his cousin and the others knew that it might be a plague, they would definitely agree with his actions. Bai Wutong did not have to go over. After all, she was not a professional doctor. She could only judge based on the anti-epidemic information on the computer in her space. Bai Wutong asked, ¡°Then tell me what the specific symptoms everyone has now, when they appeared, and what they did before they had those symptoms.¡± Cui Muzhi thought that Bai Wutong had agreed to help them get a doctor, so he quickly recalled everyone¡¯s situation from the previous night to this morning. Their main symptoms were mild fever, coughing, and diarrhea. Cui Lingyi did not eat porridge with everyone. She ate the grilled fish given to her by Bai Wutong and drank the water from the water bag. But she still had the same symptoms as everyone. It could be basically determined that it was an infectious disease of the respiratory tract. If it was a respiratory infectious disease, the medicine she had made everyone drink every day previously had a certain defensive effect. There was a high chance that they would not be infected. Bai Wutong frowned and asked, ¡°How many of your team members have no symptoms now?¡± Cui Muzhi was about to answer when he felt a tightness in his chest and shortness of breath. It was as if someone was holding a pair of tongs and strangling him. In an instant, he held onto a big tree beside him and coughed violently. Earlier, his mental state had been pretty good. Now, it had become so serious. When Cui Muzhi came, he thought that he was not ill. In the end, he became like this after a while. He said with much discomfort, ¡°We probably all have it now.¡± The symptoms of respiratory infection were not the most serious in the plague. As long as he took the medicine she had prescribed in time, he would definitely be cured. However, the most important problem was that there were too many people in Cui Lingyi¡¯s group and the villagers of the Fallen Rain Village. If they gave all the medicinal herbs to them, Bai Wutong and the others would lose their own reserves. Even if they could enter Jiangyuan City now, it would probably be even more difficult to buy so many medicinal herbs than to buy food. If the medicine that they had drunk previously did not form an antibody to resist the plague, they would still need to be treated with medicine. Besides, Bai Wutong and the others still had a long way to go. They would definitely need to use all kinds of medicine along the way. There was really no guarantee that she could take back what she had lent out at this time. Bai Wutong could not be so selfless as to give all their life-saving medicine to others. Bai Wutong thought for a moment and said to Cui Muzhi, ¡°Wait a moment.¡± She quickly returned to the shed and, using a charcoal brush on the paper, she wrote down several ways in which the plague could be quarantined and brought under control. After doing so, she wrote a separate prescription for preventing and treating the plague before asking Zhao Pengfei to prepare the herbs that Cui Muzhi could bring back. Bai Wutong said to Cui Muzhi from afar, ¡°When you go back, you must show this letter to your sister first.¡± As for how they wanted to use these herbs to treat them, that was their own business. Bai Wutong thought that she had a clear conscience for making such a decision. Zhao Pengfei and the others placed the packed herbs on the ground. After moving back far enough, Cui Muzhi went forward to carry the bags of herbs back. When he returned with these items, the villagers, who were feeling uncomfortable, looked at him eagerly. Cui Muzhi quickly found Cui Lingyi sitting in the shed and handed her the letter written by Bai Wutong. Cui Lingyi opened the letter and was stunned. She looked at Cui Muzhi and asked incredulously, ¡°The disease we have is a plague?¡± Cui Muzhi said with red eyes, ¡°Madam Bai said that it must be so.¡± Everyone was shocked by his words. Plague! What everyone had was the plague! Wouldn¡¯t they be dying soon? Suddenly, the villagers, who had felt uncomfortable just now and could barely endure it, suddenly could not help but cough violently. All of them looked like people who were dying of their illness. There were also a few villagers who had been starving for a long time and were already weak. When they learned that they were suffering from the plague, they were so agitated that they vomited blood and frightened the surrounding people, who starting crying in fear. Cui Lingyi continued reading the letter. After reading it, her gaze landed on the few medicine packets on Cui Muzhi. Then, she called Cui Shize to an empty corner and handed him the letter. After Cui Shize finished reading, his brows furrowed even more tightly than before. How could he distribute the medicine that could only heal 100 people? There were more than 100 of them, not to mention more than 500 villagers. The fact that Bai Wutong was willing to give medicine for 100 people and the prescription for treating the plague was already selfless enough. He could not be greedy and ask for more. Cui Lingyi looked coldly at the hesitant Cui Shize. ¡°Father, how do you want to distribute it?¡± She wouldn¡¯t call him father when she was angry. Cui Shize wanted to use these 100 portions of medicinal herbs to treat the critically ill patients for the time being before sending someone to think of a way to buy other medicinal herbs. However, his mouth felt like it was heavy and he could not speak. His daughter had already seen through his thoughts. He said helplessly, ¡°Xiaoxiao, we can still buy medicine, but the others can¡¯t wait.¡± ¡°Their lives are lives, but aren¡¯t our family members¡¯ lives also lives? Do you know that we can¡¯t even buy any medicine now?!¡± Cui Shize¡¯s eyes flickered as he said stubbornly, ¡°The flood will subside soon. There will be medicine in the city.¡± ¡°Even if the flood has subsided, we¡¯re already infected. We can spread it through the air. If we go out, we¡¯ll infect others. How can we buy medicine!¡± Cui Shize frowned and questioned again, ¡°The medicine she gave might not be able to treat the plague.¡± If there was really a way to treat and prevent the plague, so many people would not have died in Jiangyuan City last year. Cui Lingyi directly mocked, ¡°The Prime Minister has been an official for many years, but you¡¯re actually so insensible. You want to use someone else¡¯s medicine, but you look down on others. Is this the kind of person you are?¡± If Bai Wutong¡¯s medicine had no effect, why would their people be fine? If they weren¡¯t sure that this medicine could treat the plague, why would they directly tell her that she would be fine after drinking it and that there was no need to worry? Cui Shize said with an embarrassed expression, ¡°Xiaoxiao, we¡¯re from the Cui family. Have you forgotten our family teachings!¡± ¡°Family teachings! Father, you still know family teachings! Our family teachings are to help the world if we are successful, and to protect ourselves if we are poor! We are about to die now, and you still want to be a living Bodhisattva who saves the suffering! Have you forgotten what price Uncle paid to save your life and the lives of the disciples behind you! No matter how good our Cui family¡¯s knowledge is, we are never allowed to become officials!¡± Cui Lingyi was too disappointed in him. She sneered. ¡°Also, Father, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ve forgotten how the Little Phoenix personally wrote the poem ¡®Gift of Sake¡¯, hoping that you¡¯ll be safe!¡± ¡°This is my medicine!¡± Chapter 62 - 62 Endless Regret 62 Endless Regret ¡°It¡¯s not your duty to save them! Besides, you¡¯ve already saved their lives once!¡± Cui Shize met Cui Lingyi¡¯s sad and angry gaze and looked back at the villagers. He was conflicted. After a long time, he finally said, ¡°Xiaoxiao, you can decide since it¡¯s your medicine.¡± Xiaoxiao was right. What right did he have to criticize Bai Wutong for giving Cui Lingyi a life-saving medicine? If he did that, the Cui family would be furious. When Cui Lingyi saw his disgusted expression for being so useless himself, she was extremely sad. If not for the fact that this medicine was really too precious, she would not have left the others to die. Cui Lingyi could not bear it anymore. ¡°I¡¯ll get Jingbai and the others to find the herbs as soon as possible after they take the medicine.¡± Cui Shize nodded and said helplessly, ¡°That¡¯s the only way.¡± On the other side, the villagers became restless. Seeing that Cui Muzhi might be carrying medicine, they immediately knelt down and begged, ¡°Young Master, save us. We don¡¯t want to die. Please.¡± If they could survive, who would want to die? This medicine was given to his cousin by Bai Wutong. How could Cui Muzhi make the decision? He took a step back. The emotional villagers had even wanted to come and grab him. Everyone knew that the plague was contagious, but they knew that they were already seriously ill, but they all came to force Cui Muzhi into a corner. Just now, they had said that they wanted their descendants to repay their kindness. Yet now, they were doing such a disgusting thing. Cui Shize¡¯s disciples could not help but frown and say angrily. ¡°One must have a conscience!¡± Lan Jingbai was even more straightforward. He pulled out his sword with a whoosh. ¡°Get lost!¡± At this moment, Cui Shize, who had heard the commotion, appeared. He looked at the emotional villagers and said. ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t panic. It¡¯s going to be fine. Those with mild and asymptomatic symptoms, step forward. Serious patients, wait where you are. Don¡¯t walk around. The plague is transmitted through mouth and nose. If you walk around, those among us who aren¡¯t infected will catch it. For everyone¡¯s safety, please cooperate and act quickly.¡± They were not villagers of the Zhao farmyard who were obedient to Bai Wutong. When Cui Shize¡¯s words reached the ears of the villagers of the Falling Rain Village, it sounded like Cui Shize despised them and wanted them to wait for death alone. Especially the seriously ill villagers, they were afraid that they would be abandoned by everyone. Their sinister eyes locked onto Cui Muzhi as they questioned Cui Shize, ¡°Doesn¡¯t he have medicine? Why don¡¯t you give us medicine? Do you want to see us die?!¡± ¡°Give us the medicine! Give us the medicine!¡± The horror of the plague had taken over their minds. They did not seem human at all. Cui Shize was stunned for a moment before comforting, ¡°Everyone will have medicine. When the flood subsides, we can enter the city to get medicine for everyone.¡± As soon as he said this, the villagers became even more agitated. ¡°After you¡¯ve entered the city, how will you still be willing to come back!¡± Then, they pointed at Cui Shize and criticized him fiercely. ¡°What bullsh*t Prime Minister Cui who is willing to give up his life for the sake of the people and the stability of the world! Now, you¡¯re not even willing to give us some medicine. You were just pretending to save us previously to make people think that you¡¯re noble and upright! You¡¯re simply a hypocrite! A liar! What do you mean by putting the people first? You¡¯re just fooling ghosts. You don¡¯t take us commoners seriously at all!¡± Cui Shize was devoted to them and even had the thought of sacrificing the Cui family. In the end, because he did not give them medicine immediately, he became a hypocrite and a liar in the eyes of the commoners. How ridiculous. How pathetic. And how much he deserved it. Cui Shize¡¯s hurt expression stung Cui Lingyi. No matter how dissatisfied she was with Cui Shize, it was not the turn of a group of poisonous snakes to backstab and criticize him. Cui Lingyi¡¯s face darkened as she retorted bluntly, ¡°This is my medicine. I can give it to whoever I want! Even if I throw it into the water, I don¡¯t want to give it to a group of ungrateful people!¡± To think that her father had let them cross the flood first. For their sake, he did not hesitate to kill their horses and even lowered himself to borrow food! In the end, they were all a useless bunch! Cui Lingyi¡¯s words completely tore apart the shame in the villagers¡¯ hearts. They were furious and determined that Cui Shize had no intention of giving them medicine in the first place. He just wanted to watch them die. The agitated villagers ignored Village Chief Li¡¯s obstruction and were about to attack Cui Lingyi. When Cui Shize saw this, his heart turned cold. This was how the people he had sacrificed his life to save treated his daughter. They actually dared to attack his cousin. Cui Muzhi threw the medicine away and pulled out his sword with a whoosh, pointing it at the villagers who dared to be impudent. How could a little kid with a sword scare them? The villagers rushed forward. The Cui family servants glanced at Cui Shize. Before the order could be given, Lan Jingbai had already raised his sword and stood in front of Cui Muzhi and Cui Lingyi, killing a villager. Blood splattered everywhere, and the scene stopped for a moment. When Village Chief Li saw who had been killed by Lan Jingbai, he collapsed to the ground and crawled towards the corpse again. He hugged him and shouted, ¡°Son¡ª!!!¡± Li Changzhi only had one son, but he had been killed by Lan Jingbai. What was the point of him living! Li Changzhi suddenly raised his scarlet eyes and said ruthlessly, ¡°You dog officials are all the same! If you want to kill someone, you¡¯ll just kill them! You claim to love the people as your own children. Bah!¡± At this moment, he looked at Cui Shize with hatred. ¡°You!¡± Cui Muzhi was so angry he wanted to stab him. ¡°You¡¯re all ungrateful bastards!¡± The Cui family servants were also on standby. If Li Changzhi dared to make a move, they would kill him. Cui Shize waved his hand dejectedly. ¡°Tell them to get lost!¡± There were still many innocent women and children in the village. This was the most he could tolerate. Cui Shize wanted to let them off. Village Chief Li¡¯s eyes darkened. He pretended to take a step back and rushed forward alone. The Cui family servants hurriedly protected Cui Lingyi and the others. However, Village Chief Li¡¯s goal was the medicine that Cui Muzhi had thrown away. He picked up the medicine and threw it to the villagers of the Falling Rain Village with a whoosh. He shouted crazily, ¡°Without the medicine, the dog officials can only wait for death like us. Hahahaha¡ª¡± When he threw the medicine out, the villagers fought crazily for it. The medicine bag that was originally a dose for one person was instantly torn apart. Even if it was useful medicine, it became useless if they picked it up like this. This was the life-saving medicine that the little phoenix had given them! Cui Lingyi couldn¡¯t take it anymore and ordered, ¡°Kill him!¡± Before Lan Jingbai could attack, Cui Lingyi spat out a mouthful of blood. Seeing Cui Lingyi spit out blood, Village Chief Li said fearlessly, ¡°It¡¯s all retribution! Retribution!¡± Today, everyone here would die with his son! Village Chief Li laughed towards the sky. ¡°Hahahaha¡ª¡± He suddenly rushed towards the endless flood and disappeared with a splash. ¡°Old man!¡± Village Chief Li¡¯s wife reacted and shouted miserably. She also jumped into the flood without hesitation. Her son was gone. Her husband was gone. What was the point of her living? How could the medicine for 100 people be enough for more than 100 people in the Falling Rain Village? They fought each other, wishing they could kill each other. Their hearts were already dead before the plague killed them. The temperature on Cui Lingyi¡¯s forehead was hot. It was obvious that her condition had worsened, but they had no packet of medicine left! Endless regret drowned Cui Shize like a tide. He put down his daughter and gritted his teeth. ¡°Muzhi, please go plead Madam Bai again!¡± With that, he asked Lan Jingbai to take a pen and paper and quickly filled it with words before handing it to Cui Muzhi. Chapter 63 - 63 Thirsty Patients 63 Thirsty Patients Cui Muzhi covered his mouth and nose and shouted in the direction of Bai Wutong and the others from dozens of meters away, ¡°Madam Bai, Muzhi requests an audience!¡± Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao came out of the shed and replied, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Cui Muzhi waved the letter. ¡°Everything¡¯s in the letter, ma¡¯am.¡± Bai Wutong said, ¡°Then put it on the ground.¡± Cui Muzhi placed it on the ground and quickly retreated. Bai Wutong walked over and sprayed disinfectant on it before picking it up to read it carefully. When she saw the last piece of paper, she was stunned for a moment. Cui Shize had actually given her the formula for the Life Spirit Pill just to obtain some herbs and food. Seeing Bai Wutong¡¯s darkened expression, Cui Muzhi couldn¡¯t help but worry. ¡°Madam, we don¡¯t need a lot of medicine. We just need to save my cousin first. Please.¡± He still didn¡¯t know that Cui Shize had given out the formula for the Life Spirit Pill for Cui Lingyi. No matter how magical the Life Spirit Pill was, it was enough as long as it could reduce the pain of Qingfeng and the others¡¯ relapse and let them live longer. The herbs and food Cui Shize wanted were not enough to shake the foundation of their survival. Bai Wutong thought for a moment and said decisively, ¡°Okay, wait a moment.¡± While Bai Wutong asked someone to prepare something, she wrote a letter to Cui Shize to prevent the plague. The plague didn¡¯t mean that it wouldn¡¯t relapse after it was healed, nor did it mean that they definitely wouldn¡¯t get sick after taking preventive medicine. The many types of plague were not only restricted to infectious diseases of the respiratory tract, but also classic red-eye from bacteria in dirty water entering the eyes. If it was not treated, it would cause a large number of people to die from infection. Bai Wutong also specially wrote in the letter that water could only be taken from the upstream and had to be boiled to be drunk. The sick and cured had to be separated to prevent a second cross-infection. They had to wash their hands diligently to keep their surroundings clean. Most importantly, they had been told about the wonderful use of masks. Respiratory infectious diseases were different from red-eye diseases. Only water with bacteria and hands that came into contact with the eyes could be infectious. Through air transmission, masks could effectively block the virus in the saliva air, greatly reducing the speed of transmission of the plague and being effective in preventing it. Seeing Bai Wutong¡¯s thick letter, Cui Shize¡¯s eyes lit up. If he did as Bai Wutong said and took precautions in advance, the plague would be completely controllable. Even if it had an outbreak from time to time, it could be stopped as soon as possible. In particular, if the two prescriptions of Bai Wutong were really effective, offering them to others would definitely benefit tens of millions of citizens. Bai Wutong would definitely be recorded in history and become a figure that would be respected for generations to come. If not for the fact that Cui Lingyi had drunk the medicine and was already lying down tiredly, Cui Shize would have asked her about Madam Bai¡¯s background. While waiting for the flood to subside, Bai Wutong also carefully observed everyone in their team. She was relieved that no symptoms of the plague appeared. Village Chief Zhao and Lin Yue, who had been isolated for three days, sat down to eat with everyone again. The days of isolation were really too painful and too stuffy. Lin Yue now felt that Qingfeng was much more good-looking. He smiled and said, ¡°Why do you look more and more like a girl?¡± As soon as he finished speaking, he felt that something was wrong. She seemed to be a girl to begin with. What nonsense was he saying? Qingfeng lowered her eyes and her expression could not be seen clearly. Just as Lin Yue was feeling a little awkward and wanted to find something to make up for it, Qingfeng said calmly, ¡°You too.¡± ¡°???¡± What was the same? He was a man who was absolutely legitimate and masculine! Lin Yue was dumbfounded and had a kind of solemn gaze that was confused. A smile appeared in Qingfeng¡¯s cold eyes, and her good-looking face softened, making him stunned. She seemed to have become more like a girl just now¡­ Qingfeng put down the bowl and chopsticks. When she walked away, she said to Lin Yue in a voice that only the two of them could hear, ¡°You¡¯re same as Auntie Yang.¡± Lin Yue had almost forgotten something. When Qingfeng suddenly said that, he suddenly realized that Qingfeng was mocking him for being as talkative as Madam Yang! He was so angry that he crushed his chopsticks as he looked at Qingfeng¡¯s tall back. It was simply too detestable! In the past, she was despicable, but now, she was even more despicable! When the flood subsided, Bai Wutong and the others could continue on their way. They were about to enter the core area of Jiangyuan City. There were still refugees and an ongoing pandemic, so the danger level had greatly increased. Bai Wutong asked everyone to be extremely vigilant when they went on the way. Cui Lingyi and the others had also recovered from their illnesses. They wanted to enter Jiangyuan City to replenish their food and herbs stock. Most importantly, Cui Shize wanted to persuade Bai Wutong to hand the prescription to the government of Jiangyuan City so that the magistrate of Jiangyuan City could use the prescription to try his best to save the lives of the commoners. Cui Shize and the others followed behind Bai Wutong and the others. Suddenly, a fat old man with a white beard fell to the side of the road. The man supporting him shouted in shock, ¡°Teacher, Teacher! Wake up!¡± Everyone thought that it was a person with plague and could not help but speed up. On the horse, Cui Shize suddenly heard an abnormally familiar voice from the man. He looked down and suddenly met the eyes of the man who was looking for help. ¡°Senior Brother!¡± ¡°Junior Brother!¡± Both of them shouted in surprise. Xu Zhiyi¡¯s wet eyes revealed a surprised expression as he said to Cui Shize, ¡°Junior Brother, Teacher¡¯s condition is acting up!¡± Cui Shize knew that Yang Quanzi suffered from thirst-quenching disease and often felt thirsty, weak, and dizzy. However, he did not know that it was so serious that he could not wake up no matter how hard he tried. Cui Lingyi frowned and asked Xu Zhiyi worriedly, ¡°Could Grandmaster have contracted the plague?¡± As soon as she said this, Xu Zhiyi¡¯s handsome face turned pale. After calming down, he said, ¡°I don¡¯t think so. The teacher has no symptoms other than thirst-quenching.¡± Cui Shize was relieved and quickly asked, ¡°Is Teacher¡¯s medicine all used up?¡± Wasn¡¯t that obvious? If Xu Zhiyi still had medicine, he would have fed it to Yang Quanzi immediately. He said helplessly, ¡°It¡¯s long used up. Otherwise, Teacher wouldn¡¯t have had such a serious relapse.¡± Yang Quanzi¡¯s medicine was specially developed by the imperial physicians and required many precious herbs. How could he get the medicine in such a short time? Yang Quanzi could only say, ¡°Help Teacher into the carriage first. We¡¯ll find a doctor when we reach Jiangyuan City.¡± The word ¡®doctor¡¯ made Cui Shize and Cui Lingyi look at each other before looking at the team in front of them. Bai Wutong had said humbly that she only knew a little. However, which doctor who knew only a little bit could cure the plague! Her medical skills were definitely not inferior to the era¡¯s miracle doctor. His teacher¡¯s condition was critical, so Cui Shize could only shamelessly plead for a favor again. Chapter 64 - 64 Thanks to Madam Bai 64 Thanks to Madam Bai Cui Shize wanted Bai Wutong to help him check out a patient¡¯s condition, and it happened to be time for her team to settle down, so Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Bai Wutong agreed so readily. Cui Shize bowed gratefully. ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Madam Bai!¡± Bai Wutong followed Cui Shize to the back of the group and saw an old man with white hair and beard lying on the straw mat. His face was pale and he looked like a corpse. Bai Wutong did not know much about Chinese medicine and could only judge from the illness. In her grandfather¡¯s words, Bai Wutong¡¯s treatment was a classic fusion of Chinese and Western medicine. Bai Wutong squatted down and opened his eyelids and mouth. She looked at them one by one and pressed the skin on his chest. She basically determined that this person suffered from thirst-quenching disease, which was diabetes in common terms of modern people. The reason he had suddenly fainted should be because he did not eat on time and it caused hypoglycemia. He did not pay attention to it, causing his physical strength to fail and his diabetes to worsen after a stress reaction. There would be many complications from diabetes. He was considered an acute complication and needed insulin. Bai Wutong had insulin in her space, but how could she give it to him in front of so many people? On the other hand, the Six Flavor Yellow Earth Pill that had been passed down from the ancient people could be taken out for him to consume. Xu Zhiyi asked nervously, ¡°Doctor, how¡¯s our teacher? Is his life in danger?¡± Bai Wutong shook her head and said, ¡°I¡¯m not a doctor. I just know how to treat a few illnesses. You should all know that thirst-quenching disease can¡¯t be cured completely. I can only give him medicine to reduce his current symptoms.¡± As long as it could be alleviated, it was already considered a huge feat. This meant that Teacher¡¯s condition was not in danger for the time being. She could even tell that it was thirst-quenching disease and even dared to use medicine on his teacher. How was this just diagnosing a few illnesses? She was clearly proficient in pathology. Everyone thought that Bai Wutong was being humble and respected her even more. Bai Wutong took out some Six Flavor Yellow Earth Pills from her space and handed the formula to Xu Zhiyi. ¡°This is the dosage for a week. This is all I have. The prescription is here. You can find someone to concoct the medicine.¡± Xu Zhiyi also knew a little about medicine. When he saw the prescription written by Bai Wutong, he felt that it was amazing. It seemed to be even more exquisite than the prescription made by the imperial physicians for their teacher. Xu Zhiyi immediately stopped worrying and hurriedly gave Yang Quanzi the medicine. After consuming it, Yang Quanzi did not wake up immediately, but his complexion visibly improved. Everyone immediately heaved a sigh of relief. The ancients didn¡¯t know much about diabetes, and Bai Wutong told them how to manage it. In just a few words, she looked up and saw the eyes of the group around her shining like fangirls. It was just some basic knowledge. Bai Wutong was also afraid that she would expose herself, so she explained, ¡°I heard it from others. Actually, I don¡¯t really understand it either.¡± Then, everyone revealed a strange look that said, ¡°I understand, everyone understands. You just don¡¯t want to reveal that you are a miracle doctor.¡± Bai Wutong was amused by them. She had become a divine doctor like this? Young people really had to have much experience outside. Chu Tianbao came over to call Bai Wutong for dinner, and Bai Wutong was led back by him domineeringly. Not long after, Yang Quanzi, who had been feeling dizzy, suddenly opened his eyes. Everyone immediately surrounded him and said excitedly, ¡°Teacher, you¡¯re awake!¡± The 20 disciples who followed Cui Shize also looked over expectantly. Yang Quanzi was the most famous philosopher in the dynasty, an educator, an advocate of human nature, and the most respected Confucian scholar in the entire state of Hua. If they were lucky enough to receive the guidance of their Grandmaster, they would be so lucky. Yang Quanzi¡¯s usually eagle-like eyes were still wide open. He frowned and asked, ¡°Am I well now?¡± It had been a long time since he had felt so comfortable. He felt light as a feather, as if he was about to ascend to immortality. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he was about to die. Everyone replied enthusiastically, ¡°Yes, Master, you look much better!¡± Then, everyone said in unison, ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Madam Bai!¡± Yang Quanzi was confused. ¡°Madam Bai?¡± Xu Zhiyi immediately explained, ¡°Madam Bai is a kind-hearted doctor. She saved you with the precious Six Flavor Yellow Earth Pill just now.¡± Some of the medicinal herbs in the Six Flavor Yellow Earth Pill had been planted in large quantities in modern times, but in ancient times, they could only be collected manually. They were very precious. If not for the fact that Bai Wutong was afraid of arousing suspicion and only gave them some, the Six Flavor Yellow Earth Pills in her space was actually so large in quantity that it actually could be eaten as candy. Yang Quanzi sat up and immediately said, ¡°I have to thank this doctor personally.¡± He really felt much better. Xu Zhiyi said, ¡°Teacher, let¡¯s eat something first. Madam Bai and the others are also eating.¡± He was reminding Yang Quanzi not to disturb others at this time. Cui Shize said, ¡°That¡¯s right, Teacher. You¡¯re weak. Eat something first.¡± As soon as Cui Shize spoke, Yang Quanzi looked over as if he had woken up from a dream and said in surprise, ¡°Shize, you¡¯re fine!¡± Cui Shize had been sent to the border by the emperor. When Yang Quanzi, who was teaching outside, heard the news, he was worried and immediately brought Xu Zhiyi to look for him. Unexpectedly, the bandits along the way were ferocious, and all their money was robbed. Fortunately, the bandits were not interested in their books, so Yang Quanzi and Xu Zhiyi could keep their most precious treasures. Yang Quanzi looked around again and his gaze landed on Cui Lingyi¡¯s face. He said in surprise, ¡°Xiaoxiao is here too!¡± Cui Lingyi stepped forward and bowed, smiling. ¡°Now that Grandmaster is fine, Xiaoxiao is relieved.¡± Yang Quanzi saw their team and saw that Cui Muzhi was also in the crowd. He suddenly thought of something and gasped. ¡°Have you all decided?¡± Yang Quanzi and Xu Zhiyi did not ask about the court affairs and traveled around the entire Hua State to give lectures. It did not mean that they did not know about the court affairs. On the contrary, the more they were in the public eye, the more they knew about the movements of the people. Long ago, he had predicted the direction of the entire situation in the Yan Kingdom. However, at that time, Cui Shize felt that if the emperor could suddenly wake up and rule the Yan Kingdom wisely, he would definitely be able to turn the situation around. Then, he could rest and not have to say anything. Cui Shize knew what he was asking and nodded firmly. ¡°Yes, Teacher. I¡¯ve already decided.¡± Although the previous emperor was incompetent, to be able to disregard the lives of the people in such a difficult crisis in the Yan Kingdom, Duke Ping, who had snatched the throne, was definitely not a good person. Cui Shize thought that his teacher might scold him. As the prime ministers of two dynasties, how could he choose to betray the dynasty? Unexpectedly, Yang Quanzi stroked his beard and said happily, ¡°Okay! Since you have such awareness, I don¡¯t have to worry about you.¡± He was afraid that this disciple of his would take things too hard and insist on hanging himself on the crooked tree of the Yan Kingdom. It didn¡¯t matter if he died himself. But Xiaoxiao was so pitiful. Chapter 65 - 65 Book of Hundred Industries 65 Book of Hundred Industries Yang Quanzi looked at Cui Lingyi and then at Cui Muzhi with a kind smile. ¡°Is your father on his way too?¡± Cui Muzhi was surprised for a moment. ¡°Grandmaster, how did you know?¡± Yang Quanzi laughed loudly. ¡°Because I¡¯m your grandmaster!¡± He looked at Xu Zhiyi and Cui Shize proudly. ¡°They¡¯re still so inexperienced.¡± Cui Muzhi immediately showered him with words of flattery crazily, ¡°Grandmaster, you can predict things like a god. I admire you. If I can learn a little bit from you, it will definitely be enough for the rest of my life¡­¡± Yang Quanzi felt comfortable after being flattered. The others also seemed to be used to it and echoed from time to time. Cui Shize¡¯s disciples looked at each other. Grandmaster Yang seemed a little different from what they had imagined. When the porridge was ready, Cui Shize carried a bowl and handed it to Yang Quanzi respectfully. ¡°Teacher, the food is simple, sorry for not treating you better.¡± Yang Quanzi had been traveling all year round to teach classes with the students. It was already good enough to eat a bowl of hot porridge on the way. He took the porridge from his disciple and took a bite. He immediately praised, ¡°Shize¡¯s bowl of porridge is better than delicacies on jade plate.¡± Yang Quanzi had three hobbies in life: teaching, writing books, and the rest was to travel around and taste delicacies. The more he said that, the more guilty Cui Shize felt. As he ate the porridge, he chatted about everyone¡¯s recent situation. After learning that Cui Shize and the others had just recovered from the plague, Yang Quanzi¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. Among the 100 people who had contracted the plague, it would be considered good if even one of them could survive. There were so many of them, but Cui Shize and the others were still standing here unscathed. After Yang Quanzi was shocked, he revealed a stunned expression as if saying, ¡°Disciple, are you trying to trick your master?¡± Cui Shize shook his head. ¡°No, it¡¯s true. It¡¯s all thanks to Madam Bai¡¯s prescription that we had survived.¡± Yang Quanzi stood up in shock and asked in disbelief, ¡°This is the prescription she made?¡± Cui Shize suddenly glanced at everyone and said to Yang Quanzi in a low voice, ¡°Madam Bai said it¡¯s not hers.¡± However, his and the surrounding people¡¯s expressions were filled with understanding. Yang Quanzi immediately said excitedly, ¡°Have you told Madam Bai about the prescription?¡± With a prescription for the plague, it could save the people from suffering. Cui Shize sighed. ¡°I haven¡¯t had time to talk about it.¡± Yang Quanzi¡¯s expression changed slightly as he asked Cui Shize to follow him to an empty corner. Yang Quanzi walked back and forth and finally stopped before saying, ¡°If Madam Bai agrees to give us the prescription, don¡¯t do it. Let Madam Bai go personally.¡± The prescription could treat the plague. Once it was exposed, the person who made the prescription would receive great attention and glory. The commoners would also be full of respect for her. Logically speaking, it should be a good thing for Cui Shize to offer this prescription. However, it was not a good thing for Cui Shize, who wanted to go to the Ling Kingdom, and for his disciples, as well as the Cui family. ¡°Although it can save the people, the Yan Kingdom is in power now. If you give the prescription to the officials of the Yan Kingdom, and ran to the Ling Kindgom to become an official. Who wouldn¡¯t be suspicious? Duke Chu is not a simple general. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have married the current Princess Chu.¡± He already had his guards up. After giving the prescription, all the more Duke Chu would not use Cui Shize! Yang Quanzi had long thought through Cui Shize¡¯s worries. He said, ¡°Teacher, I will definitely remember your teachings. If Madam Bai is unwilling to hand over the prescription, what should we do?¡± Yang Quanzi¡¯s eyes widened and his beard blew. She actually did not want to do such a good thing for the country and the people. Was she a fool? Cui Shize sighed and said, ¡°Others might not know, but Madam Bai probably doesn¡¯t care about worldly possessions.¡± If she did not agree to hand over the prescription, Cui Shize would not know how to persuade her. No matter how he persuaded her, it would look like he was forcing Bai Wutong. Wasn¡¯t that a classic case of repaying kindness with ingratitude? Yang Quanzi thought for a moment and calmed down. ¡°She¡¯s willing to give you the prescription and so much medicinal herbs and food. It¡¯s obvious that she¡¯s kind-hearted. She¡¯ll definitely be willing if I talk to her.¡± Cui Shize agreed. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll have to trouble you, Teacher.¡± Yang Quanzi stroked his beard and smiled. ¡°What trouble? She¡¯s your benefactor. She even saved my life just now. This is a sign of gratitude. We should personally thank our great benefactor and prepare a generous gift!¡± Yang Quanzi walked towards Xu Zhiyi, took their only bag, and walked towards Bai Wutong with his beloved treasure. Bai Wutong had already eaten and was feeding mashed potatoes to Stinky. His whole mouth was dirty with the paste while Chu Tianbao smiled evilly at the side. ¡°You are only smacking your lips when eating, but your food is still leaking out.¡± Stinky didn¡¯t understand, but he could tell that Chu Tianbao was mocking him. His eyes widened in anger as he scolded him with series of ¡°Ahhhh¡±. Then, he turned to Bai Wutong with tears in his eyes and complained that Chu Tianbao was bullying the number one handsome man in the universe. His expression changed at the speed of light. It would be a pity if Stinky didn¡¯t win the Best Actor Award when he grew up. ¡°Ahhh¡ª¡± Bai Wutong did not react. Stinky tugged at her hand unhappily. Bai Wutong smiled and turned to glare at Chu Tianbao. She reprimanded, ¡°You were also like this when you were young. Don¡¯t laugh at Stinky.¡± Auntie Yang also said kindly, ¡°Master, this is your biological son. Don¡¯t say that next time. Young Master is a smart baby. Be careful that he would take it to heart and not he close to you.¡± When Lin Yue heard this, he complained worriedly, ¡°Master, hurry up and appear. If you don¡¯t, our young master will really become someone else¡¯s son.¡± As soon as Yang Quanzi came over and saw Bai Wutong, he immediately looked at Cui Shize in shock, as if asking if this young girl who was a few years younger than Xiaoxiao was really Madam Bai. Cui Shize returned him a look that was absolutely true and gestured for him not to open his mouth too wide. It was impolite. Yang Quanzi quickly closed his mouth and revealed an amiable expression. He smiled at Bai Wutong. ¡°Madam Bai, greetings.¡± With that, his gaze unconsciously drifted to the face of the child Bai Wutong was carrying. He was stunned. Oh my, why did this child look so familiar? He seemed to have seen him somewhere before. Yang Quanzi suddenly had a thought. Just as he was about to speak, Chu Tianbao suddenly said, ¡°Wife, Stinky seems to have sh*t.¡± Yang Quanzi suddenly looked at Chu Tianbao. He had a beard and a fierce aura when he was silent. He looked even more like a bandit than a bandit. Yang Quanzi immediately swallowed his guess. If this man was Bai Wutong¡¯s husband, that would be wrong. Bai Wutong handed Stinky to Chu Tianbao to change his diaper and looked at Yang Quanzi. ¡°Greetings, old mister.¡± Then she waited for Yang Quanzi to continue. Yang Quanzi could also tell that although the girl was young, she was an extremely decisive person. He took out his treasure from his arms and placed it in front of Bai Wutong. He said solemnly, ¡°Madam, you saved my life. This is the ¡®Book of Hundred Industries that my disciple and I have painstakingly written throughout the entire Hua State. I hope Madam Bai will accept it.¡± Chapter 66 - 66 Suicide Soldiers 66 Suicide Soldiers ¡®Book of Hundred Industries?¡¯ The name sounded a little like their ancient book, ¡®Heavenly Works¡¯. Bai Wutong suddenly became interested. She reached out and took the book that Yang Quanzi had wrapped. Opening the waterproof book cover, she saw Yang Quanzi¡¯s strong and powerful strokes. The neat layout made it obvious at a glance. It looked very comfortable and made her want to read more. Bai Wutong flipped through it briefly. The entire book contained agriculture, handicrafts, and other production techniques for machinery, bricks, ceramics, sulfur, candles, paper, weapons, gunpowder, textiles, dyeing, salt making, coal mining, and oil refinery. In addition to the comprehensive introduction, there were also various operation blueprints mixed in. It was equivalent to an ancient comprehensive encyclopedia. Although most of them were just basic information and the scope of each industry¡¯s information was not very huge, they were very impressive treasures to most commoners who only knew how to bury their heads in farming hard. As long as they could understand this book, they would be able to directly come into contact with unique skills that others were unwilling to teach them and have the ability to settle down and earn a living. If the book compiled by Yang Quanzi and his disciple was popularized, it would be very helpful in improving the economic production technology of the entire state. However, there was one most important technology that the people of this world had yet to master. Word printing. If they wanted to publicize the book, it would take at least a few weeks for the thick book to be hand copied without the printing technology. Moreover, the finished product might be inconsistent in quality. It was already a problem for commoners to buy a ¡®Three Character Classic¡¯ for their children and grandchildren. How could they afford this expensive book? At this moment, this book could only be used as a small-scale teaching material. When Yang Quanzi gave the gift, he had thought about it carefully. With so many villagers following Bai Wutong, the villagers might be interested in the skills inside. If Bai Wutong accepted it, it would definitely make the best use of this book. Bai Wutong closed the book and said politely, ¡°Old sir, you¡¯re really amazing. You¡¯ve recorded so many valuable skills. This book is too precious for me to accept.¡± Some of the skills inside were extremely precious and complicated. There were even things that could not be learned even if one spent a lot of money. There were some things in her space that she could take out, but they were not quite the same as the things in this world. If she used this book as an excuse in the future, she could still pass it off. She said she couldn¡¯t accept it, but her hand was holding it firmly. What did this mean? It meant that the book he and his disciple had compiled had been recognized. Yang Quanzi was suddenly filled with pride and said seriously, ¡°You¡¯re the benefactor of me and my disciples. The more expensive something is, the more it suits you. If you don¡¯t accept it, I won¡¯t have anything that is worthy for you. I can only go out to the streets to sell my skills and see if I can earn a few copper coins to buy a gift for Madam.¡± Bai Wutong was amused by Yang Quanzi¡¯s mischievous words and said cooperatively, ¡°That won¡¯t do. I¡¯ll accept it then.¡± At this point, Yang Quanzi also found an opportunity to get to the point. ¡°Madam, it¡¯s a blessing to the people that you can treat the plague. I don¡¯t know if I should say this.¡± Bai Wutong knew what he wanted to say. He just wanted her to hand over the prescription to benefit the people. Although Bai Wutong did not have the great ambitions to save the world, she was still willing to help if she could. She simply said, ¡°I¡¯ve already used the prescription list to exchange for the Life Spirit Pill with Master Cui. I have no objections to what you want to do with the prescription list.¡± However, he had to forget about asking her to reveal her identity. She had money and space now. She just wanted to find a stable place to bring Chu Tianbao to live her life. Yang Quanzi said in surprise, ¡°Madam, don¡¯t you want your medical skills to become famous and leave your name in records forever?¡± Bai Wutong sighed helplessly. ¡°I¡¯ve already said that I obtained this prescription by accident. Since I¡¯ve given it to you, you can make the decision yourself. Don¡¯t mention my name. Also, let me emphasize that I¡¯m not a doctor. I just know a little. Don¡¯t misunderstand and think that I¡¯m some divine doctor. I am not one.¡± If someone came to challenge him, or the royal family had a difficult illness and insisted that she treat it, it would be a lot of trouble. She just happened to know how to treat these basic illnesses. The moment she said that, everyone, including Qingfeng, revealed a strange look. Would they really believe that it was someone else¡¯s prescription? Bai Wutong definitely meant that she did not want anyone to know which expert she served under and did not want anyone to disturb her master. Yang Quanzi was still worried and asked, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go and offer the prescription?¡± It was not convenient for Cui Shize to offer the prescription. Yang Quanzi was already so old and did not have the heart to progress further in his path as an official. It was most suitable for him to offer it. Bai Wutong nodded and said tiredly, ¡°Okay, I thank you on behalf of the people.¡± As long as he didn¡¯t mention her! Suddenly, Huang Zhong¡¯s nose twitched. He suddenly frowned and quickly reported the situation to Bai Wutong. ¡°Madam, I smell many people riding towards us at high speed. They are definitely not refugees or bandits. Their scent is very uniform and their speed is faster than a flood. They must be the suicide soldiers that Young Master Qingfeng mentioned.¡± Bai Wutong had previously asked Qingfeng who Duke Ping would send if he wanted to capture them. Qingfeng immediately thought of the suicide soldiers that Duke Ping had secretly trained. Just in case, Bai Wutong specially told Huang Zhong about that the suicide soldiers would make a sound when they arrived. Now, they were really here. There were even a lot of them. Bai Wutong immediately said, ¡°Everyone, let¡¯s go!¡± The team quickly got ready and set off. Their movements were smooth and neat like a well-trained army. Yang Quanzi was stunned. When Cui Shize saw that Bai Wutong and the others had suddenly sped up, they quickly followed. After a while, Huang Zhong said anxiously to Bai Wutong, ¡°They¡¯re approaching very close, very close now!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, the sound of galloping hooves came from the road behind, as if an army was chasing after them. Everyone¡¯s hearts were in their throats. Looking back, they saw a large group of well-trained black-clothed people holding steel swords. Qingfeng had said that the capability of a suicide soldier was about the same as the secret guards of their Dark Guards Team. Duke Ping had sent out 500 people at once, so their team would definitely not be a match for them. Bai Wutong made a prompt decision and said to Qingfeng, ¡°Throw the explosives!¡± There were still some explosive packets in their hands. Qingfeng and the others moved quickly. They lit the gunpowder string and threw it out with a whoosh. Unexpectedly, there was an expert with extraordinary martial arts in this group. The explosive packet that Qingfeng and the others had thrown out was actually flipped over by him with his internal strength. If it fell, not only would their team suffer casualties, Cui Lingyi and the others would die even more miserably at the back of the team. Chapter 67 - 67 Advance and Retreat Together With Madam 67 Advance and Retreat Together With Madam Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes widened. Was such an awesome existence possible? She had wanted to use the Power Bomb just now. But if it had exploded on themselves¡­ ¡°Everyone, get out of the way!¡± Bai Wutong came back to her senses and shouted anxiously. How could an ordinary person¡¯s speed compare to the speed of gravity? The explosive packet was about to land above their heads. Suddenly. At the critical moment, a powerful and violent wave of air rose, and the explosives in the air suddenly flew back towards the suicide soldiers. Bai Wutong looked over in shock and saw Chu Tianbao emitting an invincible aura. He protected Stinky who had opened his eyes wide in his arms. With the other hand, he aimed at the sky and used his internal energy to resist Duke Ping¡¯s suicide soldiers. Leng Ye did not expect a powerful expert like Chu Tianbao to exist. He was caught off guard and could not stop the explosive packet from flying back. Unfortunately, after moving back and forth, the gunpowder string had burned out. Before it could land, it exploded above the suicide soldiers. The moment the huge dust and black smoke were produced, Leng Ye ordered the suicide soldiers to quickly surround and kill Bai Wutong and the others. Chu Tianbao placed Stinky into Bai Wutong¡¯s arms with a whoosh. In an instant, the internal energy in his hands condensed into a hurricane, instantly forming a barrier that blocked the suicide soldiers. At this moment, Leng Ye shot countless darts at Chu Tianbao at lightning speed. Qingfeng flew forward and used his robe to block all the darts. Before Bai Wutong could heave a sigh of relief, another earth-shattering sound of hooves came from behind. Could it be that Duke Ping had sent more than 500 suicide soldiers? Bai Wutong felt a chill run down her spine. She looked at Qingfeng who was circling in the air and fighting against Leng Ye, then at Chu Tianbao, who was desperately holding on. If a few more experts like Leng Ye came, would everyone be able to survive that day? The answer was a definite no! Hearing this commotion, everyone in Bai Wutong¡¯s team was on guard and raised their weapons. Even Little Peach was trembling in fear. She even held a stick in her small hand and kept muttering the words that the Madam Yang had taught her, ¡°Protect younger brother, protect Madam¡­¡± Cui Shize witnessed the scene in front of him. Before he could figure out why Duke Ping had sent the suicide soldiers to kill Bai Wutong and the others, he immediately made a decision and ordered Lan Jingbai, ¡°Bring Miss, Young Master, Teacher, and the others away. The rest of you, follow me to support Madam Bai!¡± Bai Wutong had helped them time and time again and saved all their lives. Cui Shize was even willing to help ordinary people, so it was even more impossible for him to abandon them in a crisis. Cui Lingyi looked up. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving!¡± Cui Muzhi also said, ¡°I¡¯m not leaving either!¡± If not for Bai Wutong, they would have died. Yang Quanzi chuckled and said, ¡°I¡¯ve lived for so long and can¡¯t wait to ascend to paradise. Of course I won¡¯t leave.¡± Since no one was leaving, how could Xu Zhiyi leave? He said solemnly, ¡°I¡¯ll be wherever Teacher is!¡± Lan Jingbai looked at the frowning Cui Shize and asked with his eyes, ¡°Are we still leaving?¡± Cui Shize sighed heavily. ¡°Forget it! In the face of righteousness, there¡¯s nothing to fear about life and death!¡± Yang Quanzi stroked his beard. ¡°That¡¯s right! In the face of righteousness, there¡¯s nothing to fear about life and death! You¡¯re indeed my good disciple!¡± His smiling eyes lit up in an instant. Cui Shize quickly led his men into Bai Wutong¡¯s team and said to her, ¡°We¡¯ll advance and retreat with Madam!¡± Cui Lingyi said playfully, ¡°We agreed to have a drink. Don¡¯t go back on your word next time!¡± This matter had nothing to do with them in the first place, yet they had almost been implicated. They could have left now, but they did not. Instead, they used themselves as shields to protect the team. Bai Wutong felt emotional. She restrained herself and smiled at Cui Lingyi. ¡°Okay.¡± As the sound of the horses¡¯ hooves approached, Chu Tianbao¡¯s face turned paler. Stinky¡¯s cries became louder, and everyone¡¯s hearts beat faster¡­ Everyone stood ready, holding their weapons tightly, ready to fight the enemy to the death. Suddenly, the sound of hooves stopped. From behind the suicide soldiers came the sound of intense fighting. Everyone suddenly looked over. Cui Muzhi hugged Lan Jingbai and looked over excitedly. ¡°Uncle, Cousin, my father and the rest have brought the 30 families of Qinghe!¡± Cui Shize came back to his senses and looked at his surprised daughter. He immediately heaved a sigh of relief. Looking at the familiar figures, he said with tears in his eyes, ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re all here!¡± Everyone was saved. Cui Shiji led the 30 families of Qinghe. There were thousands of people and many elite experts. Although the 500 suicide soldiers were powerful, they did not have the advantage in numbers. Leng Ye lowered his eyes and quickly attacked Qingfeng. Then, he flew towards Stinky in Bai Wutong¡¯s arms. Killing Qingfeng and Bai Wutong was only a secondary mission. Capturing Stinky and finding Sheng Huaixuan was Duke Ping¡¯s most important goal. He was so fast that in the blink of an eye, before she could react, Leng Ye was already under Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes. ¡°Bang¡ª¡± Chu Tianbao suddenly stood in front of Bai Wutong and waved his palm, giving Leng Ye a heavy blow. Leng Ye blocked with one hand, but he was almost sent flying by Chu Tianbao¡¯s powerful internal energy. His cold pupils constricted violently. He did not dare to underestimate him anymore and hurriedly used his hands to resist. Without Chu Tianbao blocking in front with his internal energy, the suicide soldiers charged over. Lin Yue immediately led his men and rushed forward. ¡°Kill them!¡± An intense battle quickly unfolded. Bai Wutong looked at Chu Tianbao, whose face was pale, and took out a crossbow from her space. With a whoosh, she shot it at Leng Ye. Leng Ye twisted his body in shock and barely dodged. The moment the internal energy in his hand tightened, Chu Tianbao waved his hand and threw out five stones that attacked Leng Ye like lightning. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! The stones exploded on his body like bombs. Leng Ye cried out in pain, and his body was already covered in wounds. However, he was not dead yet. His cold eyes were like a murderous ghost in the night, ready to deliver another fatal blow at any moment. Such an expert could not be allowed to escape. Otherwise, he would definitely become a hidden danger. Bai Wutong raised her hand and took his life while he was down. ¡°Whoosh ~¡± ¡°Whoosh ~¡± ¡°Whoosh ~¡± Bai Wutong shot arrows one after another. The heavily injured Leng Ye hurriedly dodged. Unfortunately, Bai Wutong¡¯s arrows seemed to be endless. He could dodge for a moment, but he could not dodge the countless arrows after that. Not long after, Leng Ye became like a hedgehog because of Bai Wutong¡¯s shots. When Leng Ye fell, he took a deep look at Bai Wutong, as if he wanted to engrave her appearance in the depths of his soul and turn into a ghost to take her away after death. A cold light flashed. Leng Ye¡¯s pupils froze as he looked at the sword on his body. Blood gushed out of his mouth like a fountain and he suddenly fell down without a trace of life. Bai Wutong had just heaved a sigh of relief when Chu Tianbao suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood. He looked at Bai Wutong in a daze and fell back. ¡°Tianbao¡ª¡± In an instant, Bai Wutong¡¯s heart fell into the abyss. Chapter 68 - 68 The Living Dead 68 The Living Dead After Leng Ye died, the 500 suicide soldiers were surrounded by them. Not long after, they were cleared out. Bai Wutong carried Chu Tianbao and examined him carefully. His pulse was abnormal. His face was pale and his body was cold. There were no external injuries on his body. He was clearly unconscious because of serious internal injuries. She did not know how to treat internal injuries at all, and their team did not have a doctor. No matter how calm Bai Wutong was, she was still panicking at this moment. It was as if something had slipped away from her hand. It was even more maddening that she could not grab it even if she wanted to. Qingfeng was also seriously injured from fighting Leng Ye. One of her arms hung weakly. She walked to Bai Wutong and said to it, ¡°Help him up. I¡¯ll transfer internal energy to him.¡± Bai Wutong did not hesitate to help Chu Tianbao up. Qingfeng also sat down cross-legged and placed a hand on Chu Tianbao¡¯s back. After a while, Qingfeng¡¯s face turned pale as she forced herself to inject internal energy into Chu Tianbao. Lin Yue rushed over and realized that if Qingfeng injected any more internal energy into Chu Tianbao, her body could not take it and she would die. He quickly pulled her hand away and sat down to inject internal energy into Chu Tianbao. His internal energy was far inferior to Qingfeng¡¯s. After a while, his expression became even uglier than Qingfeng¡¯s. When the Dark Guards Team and Lin Yue¡¯s subordinates returned from killing the enemies, they hurriedly sat down and injected internal energy into Chu Tianbao¡¯s body. Their act of injecting internal energy into Chu Tianbao was something that Bai Wutong had no knowledge about at all. She asked Qingfeng uneasily, ¡°Why isn¡¯t it enough?¡± So many people here had already injected their internal energy into Chu Tianbao. Qingfeng glanced at Chu Tianbao, who was still pale, and said, ¡°He didn¡¯t replenish the internal energy that he had lost previously. Just now, he forcefully overdrafted his internal energy. His body is like a dried up sea now. If he can¡¯t replenish it, even if he wakes up, it will affect his lifespan.¡± Chu Tianbao had never exhausted his internal energy like that day. The last time was before Bai Wutong found him. Bai Wutong suddenly frowned. ¡°If his internal energy is replenished, he will be fine, right?¡± Qingfeng coughed softly with a pale face and shook her head. ¡°Not necessarily. Moreover, I¡¯m afraid everyone¡¯s internal energy is not enough for him to use. Whether he can wake up or not is a problem. He might become a living dead.¡± The living dead were equivalent to a modern-day vegetable. In this era, there were no equipment that could treat them. What should she do!!! Bai Wutong¡¯s face turned pale as she turned to look at the 30 families of Qinghe. With so many people, there must be someone with strong martial arts and inner strength who could save Chu Tianbao. But what could she offer in exchange? Suddenly, Bai Wutong glanced at Yang Quanzi and had a flash of inspiration. Qinghe was the second hometown of scholars. If the printing technique could further popularize books, it would definitely tempt them. Bai Wutong walked straight to Cui Shize and said to him solemnly, ¡°Prime Minister Cui, I can make books copy more than ten million times faster. Can you do me a favor first?¡± If it was true, it would be a great favor to all the scholars in the world. When Yang Quanzi heard this, his narrowed eyes widened. If Bai Wutong hadn¡¯t asked Cui Shize, he would have nodded crazily. Cui Shize was confused and subconsciously asked, ¡°What favor?¡± Bai Wutong looked at the 30 people behind him and clenched her fists. ¡°My husband needs to inject a large amount of internal energy to save his life. If everyone can help him inject internal energy, I¡¯ll draw a blueprint for you now.¡± Even if Bai Wutong did not draw a blueprint for them, Cui Shize would definitely get someone to save Chu Tianbao. However, Bai Wutong said that it could increase the speed of copying books by a million times. Not to mention him, even his teacher could not reject such a temptation. Bai Wutong had already taken out a charcoal brush and started drawing. Cui Shize did not delay and quickly gathered Cui Shiji. When the two brothers met, Cui Shize¡¯s first words were, ¡°Brother, quickly help save him.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ??? Cui Shiji was confused. Cui Shize hurriedly explained the matter to him. Cui Shiji¡¯s gaze landed on Bai Wutong, who was drawing a blueprint. His eyes suddenly lit up, and he immediately said to the Cui family¡¯s expert, ¡°Hurry up and help Master Chu inject some internal energy!¡± Not long after, the Cui family sent out a hundred experts. Only then did Lin Yue and the others stop. The experts of the Cui family collectively injected their internal energy into Chu Tianbao. They realized that Chu Tianbao¡¯s body was like a huge hole that could not be filled. He absorbed as much as he could, as if he wanted to squeeze them dry. Not long after, this group of people were also pale and sweating. Cui Shize and Cui Shiji were shocked. This, this, this¡­ Even this didn¡¯t work. Could there be a monster hidden in Chu Tianbao¡¯s body? Cui Shize looked at Cui Shiji and said anxiously, ¡°Brother, you have to save Master Chu. He¡¯s our savior!¡± Cui Shiji nodded and went to call over another hundred experts from the Cui family. After a change of people, Chu Tianbao finally had some color in his face. Qingfeng checked his body and said to Bai Wutong, ¡°His meridians are already normal. It depends on when he can wake up.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes were filled with joy as he asked, ¡°There won¡¯t be any other repercussions, right?¡± ¡°Repercussions?¡± ¡°Like a problem that affects your lifespan or weakness.¡± Qingfeng came to a realization. It sounded quite appropriate to call it repercussion. She shook her head and said, ¡°Probably not. I¡¯ve already made up for the losses.¡± She glanced at Chu Tianbao¡¯s flushed face. They had probably made up for it a little too much. Bai Wutong immediately heaved a sigh of relief. She laid Chu Tianbao flat and placed the bag on the back of his head. She smiled brightly at Qingfeng and realized that her arm had not healed. Bai Wutong quickly stuffed the blueprint into Cui Lingyi¡¯s arms and smiled. ¡°This is the blueprint. Help me give it to your father. I¡¯ll treat Qingfeng first.¡± Qingfeng¡¯s arm was fractured. Fortunately, it was not a comminuted fracture. Just as Bai Wutong was about to tear open her sleeve, Lin Yue shouted with a red face, ¡°You can¡¯t treat her here!¡± Bai Wutong glanced around. They didn¡¯t have a carriage. Where could they go if not here? Also, why was Lin Yue so anxious? Bai Wutong looked at him strangely. Lin Yue stammered, ¡°She, she, just can¡¯t.¡± Bai Wutong suddenly looked at Qingfeng, her eyes sharp and imposing. Eh, she was still acting so manly. Could she be recognized as a woman just by revealing one arm? Lin Yue was so conservative. Which young lady would like such an uncivilized man? Cui Lingyi glanced at Qingfeng, who was looking down in silence, and then at Lin Yue, whose face was red. Suddenly, she smiled meaningfully and said to Bai Wutong, ¡°Use my carriage.¡± Then she said to Granny Wang, ¡°Help her into the carriage.¡± Cui Lingyi¡¯s carriage belonged to a woman and was not easy to see through, but she was willing to let Qingfeng into it. Bai Wutong gave her a long look. From her smile, he could tell that she already knew that Qingfeng was a woman. She nodded and said to Qingfeng, ¡°Then let¡¯s go to the carriage.¡± Chapter 69 - 69 Respect for Madam Bai 69 Respect for Madam Bai After Bai Wutong bandaged Qingfeng, she asked her curiously, ¡°How did she know that you¡¯re a woman?¡± Qingfeng rolled down her sleeve and said indifferently, ¡°Granny Wang was a body examination lady in the palace in her early years. It¡¯s not surprising that Cui Lingyi can tell.¡± No wonder Granny Wang was so well-trained in etiquette. It turned out that she was from the palace. Realization dawned on Bai Wutong. She got out of the carriage and saw that a circle of people had surrounded the carriage five meters away. Seeing Bai Wutong get out of the carriage, Yang Quanzi led everyone from the Cui family and bowed respectfully to Bai Wutong. ¡°Madam is a genius. It¡¯s the blessing of all the scholars in the world!¡± Previously, they had thought that Bai Wutong was exaggerating when she said that she could make the speed of copying books thousands of times faster. However, when they saw this vivid blueprint and the detailed explanation, they were convinced that this was not a dream. There was really something that could make the speed of copying books thousands of times faster. Not only would Bai Wutong¡¯s blueprint bring immeasurable value, but it would also further develop the civilization of the entire state. The price of books would also be greatly reduced in the future, allowing more citizens to have the opportunity to read and write. It was simply an unprecedented invention that benefited the citizens of the world. Bai Wutong was stunned for a moment before she remembered something. She waved her hand and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t think of this. I just saw others printing books like this and I remembered them. I still have to thank you all for saving my husband.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s words sounded abnormally familiar. She¡¯d said the same thing when she¡¯d used the prescription to treat the plague. Someone else had given it to her, and she just happened to remember it. The drawing of the printing technique looked simple, but it was somewhat difficult. If one did not scrutinize it in detail and had thought about it personally, how could one analyze the printing technique so thoroughly and draw such a detailed drawing that it summarized the possible problems that might arise? It gave them the illusion that this was personally developed by Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong did not think that she had written it in detail. As a makeup artist in the production team, drawing blueprints was also a basic skill. This was just something she had casually drawn. Yang Quanzi probed happily, ¡°May I know who invented this magical printing technique?¡± If it wasn¡¯t Bai Wutong, he would definitely not be a nobody. Bai Wutong said honestly, ¡°Bi Sheng.¡± One of their ancient great men! ¡°Bi Sheng?¡± Yang Quanzi and the others looked at each other and probed, ¡°Madam, where is this expert now? If we want to use his magical printing technique to benefit the scholars of the world, we have to ask for his permission, right?¡± Bai Wutong was anxious to check on Chu Tianbao¡¯s situation. ¡°He told me that his lifelong wish is to benefit the people! He would definitely agree 10 million times!¡± Yang Quanzi and the others opened their mouths and wanted to ask questions at once. Seeing this, Bai Wutong quickly stopped them. ¡°I want to see my husband first. I¡¯ve already drawn the printing technique very clearly. If there¡¯s anything you don¡¯t understand, come and ask me after sorting out your questions.¡± Her husband was still lying down. It was indeed rude for them to pester her like this. Everyone immediately made way. Bai Wutong quickly strode forward, looking like she wanted to fly over immediately. Yang Quanzi stroked his beard and smiled at everyone. ¡°Magical printing technique! How appropriate and thorough! I know where the expert called Bi Sheng is.¡± Everyone asked in unison, ¡°Where?¡± Yang Quanzi smiled smugly. ¡°It¡¯s right in front of us.¡± Xu Zhiyi reacted quickly. ¡°Teacher, are you saying that Madam Bai is actually Bi Sheng?¡± Yang Quanzi stroked his beard and explained, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t personally created by Madam Bai, how could she be so confident that the expert would definitely agree to let us use it as we please? Moreover, we can ask her questions as we please!¡± When everyone heard this, they agreed. ¡°That makes sense. Madam Bai must not want anyone to disturb her, so she used someone else¡¯s name to give us permission.¡± Yang Quanzi stroked his beard and said affirmatively, ¡°Then let¡¯s pretend not to know in the future. Everyone knows what to do and let¡¯s respect Madam Bai!¡± Since Great Scholar Yang had spoken, the 30 people of Qinghe naturally nodded and regarded Bai Wutong as an honored guest in their hearts. Bai Wutong didn¡¯t spend much time treating Qingfeng¡¯s arm. When she returned, Chu Tianbao was still lying quietly on the ground. Stinky, who was in Auntie Yang¡¯s arms, looked at the motionless Chu Tianbao and reached out his chubby hand. He asked for a hug, but Chu Tianbao didn¡¯t react at all. Stinky didn¡¯t get a response from Chu Tianbao, so he twisted in Auntie Yang¡¯s arms, wanting to touch Chu Tianbao and pull his most precious beard. Auntie Yang felt sadness in her heart and said to Stinky, ¡°Little Young Master, quickly call Daddy. Call Daddy. Master will wake up when he hears it. If he¡¯s happy, he¡¯ll get up and hug you.¡± ¡°Daddy, Little Young Master call out Daddy, Daddy, Daddy.¡± Auntie Yang slowly guided Stinky to speak. When Bai Wutong returned, he heard Stinky snuggle up to Chu Tianbao and call out in a childish voice, ¡°Little brother¡­ Brother¡­¡± ¡®Little brother?¡¯ When Bai Wutong walked over, Auntie Yang was overjoyed. She said excitedly to Bai Wutong, ¡°Madam, Young Master knows how to call Old Master ¡®Daddy¡¯. Listen, it sounds so nice.¡± Stinky grabbed Chu Tianbao¡¯s beard and glanced at Bai Wutong. He raised his chubby chin proudly and displayed his new skill. ¡°Brother¡­ Brother¡­¡± Uh¡­ no matter how she listened, it sounded like little brother. However, she still had to praise the child. Bai Wutong squatted down and rubbed Stinky¡¯s little round head. She smiled and said, ¡°Our Stinky is really impressive.¡± When Stinky heard Bai Wutong¡¯s praise, it was as if his meridians had been opened up. He called ¡°Daddy¡± even more clearly. Bai Wutong¡¯s smile deepened. She looked at the unconscious Chu Tianbao and muttered, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you awake yet?¡± Bai Wutong waited for a while, but Chu Tianbao still did not wake up. She called Qingfeng over, and Qingfeng said, ¡°He had replenished a lot of internal energy suddenly and needs some time to absorb it.¡± Then she comforted for the first time, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he will definitely wake up.¡± They had no carriage. Chu Tianbao could only lie on the ground. The Cui family had been paying attention to their movements. Bai Wutong and the others lacked carriages, so they immediately sent two carriages for them to use. Bai Wutong glanced at Chu Tianbao and said to the enthusiastic Cui Shiji, ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Patriarch Cui. All we need is a carriage.¡± Cui Shiji shook his head and said firmly, ¡°Madam Bai still has to take care of Young Master, and Master still needs to rest. How can a carriage be enough? Master, hurry up and get well. Only then can we all rest assured.¡± They probably wanted to know more about the printing technique, right? Bai Wutong accepted it. ¡°Thank you, Patriarch Cui. If you have any questions, ask Qing Jiu to look for me.¡± Cui Shize quickly waved his hand. ¡°There¡¯s no hurry.¡± Chapter 70 - 70 Explain 70 Explain The path to Jiangyuan City would definitely be filled with plague. Bai Wutong did not plan to enter the city. After looking at the map, she planned to bypass Jiangyuan City and avoid contact with the large number of infected people and prevent the team from being infected with the mutated virus. Cui Shiji¡¯s heart skipped a beat when he found out that there was a plague in Jiangyuan City. He looked at the people behind him and was momentarily frightened. What if they were infected? Cui Shize told Cui Shiji how to prevent the plague based on what Bai Wutong had said. Cui Shiji looked through the plague prevention measures listed on the list. His hands trembled and he said in surprise, ¡°We must thank Madam Bai well!¡± Without this list, it would be impossible to avoid being infected by the plague in the now plague-ridden Jiangyuan City. Although there was still a possibility of contracting the plague with these anti-epidemic measures, Cui Shiji had already felt more confident. The 30 families of Qinghe who had followed him to the Ling Kingdom would definitely feel much more at ease too. He thought that this was already very good. Immediately after, Cui Shize took out two more prescriptions and placed them in front of Cui Shiji. ¡°Big Brother, how many herbs do we have left? According to Madam Bai¡¯s prescription, a dose of medicine every morning and night will be able to prevent the plague to the greatest extent.¡± Cui Shiji was stunned by this. Prevent the plague! Cui Shiji¡¯s face seemed to be questioning whether it was really feasible. Cui Shize nodded firmly and said to his eldest brother, ¡°You have to believe Madam Bai. We contracted the plague previously and were isolated according to Madam¡¯s precautionary measures. After taking some medicine, we recovered. It took only two days!¡± Cui Shiji suddenly looked at Cui Shize, and his eyes almost popped out. He said in disbelief, ¡°You guys recovered from the plague in two days?¡± Cui Shize nodded. Thinking of how dangerous it was without the medicine at that time and how rude the villagers of the Falling Rain Village were, he had extreme admiration for Bai Wutong and said, ¡°Yes, Madam Bai¡¯s medicine has a miraculous effect. Teacher has already asked for Madam Bai¡¯s permission. He plans to enter the city and hand the prescription to the government of Jiangyuan City so that the government can save the commoners in Jiangyuan City.¡± Cui Shiji said excitedly, ¡°Good, good, good! I¡¯ll get someone to prepare the herbs now.¡± Then he said excitedly, ¡°Madam Bai is our Cui family¡¯s great benefactor!¡± He only had one son, Cui Muzhi. He didn¡¯t know it before, but now that he knew, he couldn¡¯t wait to bring his wife to thank Bai Wutong seriously. Cui Shiji looked towards Bai Wutong¡¯s carriage and suddenly lowered his voice to ask Cui Shize, ¡°Who are Madam Bai and Master Chu exactly?¡± Cui Shize thought for a moment and replied mysteriously, ¡°An otherworldly expert and a peerless doctor.¡± Cui Shiji¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°A peerless doctor?¡± Chu Tianbao was powerful and so he could be considered an otherworldy expert. How could Bai Wutong become a peerless doctor at such a young age? Cui Shize immediately lowered his voice and looked at Yang Quanzi, who was happily analyzing the blueprint with everyone. He said, ¡°Has Teacher ever lived so well with his thirst-quenching disease after so many years?¡± Cui Shiji glanced at Yang Quanzi¡¯s glowing face and shook his head. ¡°No.¡± Cui Shize smiled and said, ¡°Madam Bai gave Teacher a medicine called Six Flavor Yellow Earth Pill and Teacher seems to have become decades younger. If this isn¡¯t considered a miracle doctor, what is?¡± Cui Shiji thought for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s possible that the prescription was obtained elsewhere.¡± Cui Shize said solemnly, ¡°She¡¯s so young, but she can tell at a glance that teacher¡¯s thirst-quenching disease is real. It¡¯s also true that she prescribed the Six Flavor Yellow Earth Pill. Even if the prescription was taught to her by someone else, it was taught to her by her master. This is also her ability. Isn¡¯t the disciple of a peerless famous doctor equivalent to a peerless famous doctor!¡± ¡°¡­¡± That seemed to make sense. A peerless doctor, an otherworldly expert, a magical printing technique, a plague prescription¡­ Even the commander of the Dark Guards Team, Qingfeng, was willing to follow her. The more Cui Shiji thought about it, the more he felt that Bai Wutong was hiding something. Suddenly, his eyes lit up. ¡°Are Madam Bai and the others going to Ling Kingdom?¡± Cui Shize nodded. Cui Shiji immediately got up and walked in the direction of Bai Wutong. While Bai Wutong was grateful to them for saving Chu Tianbao, he was going to make her agree to go with them. With them taking care of each other along the way, they would definitely be able to gain a lot. Cui Shiji explained his intentions to Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong glanced at the carriage and nodded in agreement. If more suicide soldiers and experts came, would Chu Tianbao have to overdraft his internal energy again? Bai Wutong did not dare to think about the consequences of not having so many people replenishing Chu Tianbao¡¯s internal energy next time. With Cui Shiji and the others following, even though it was a little troublesome, it was a good choice for their team. Since Cui Shiji and the others were going to travel together, they had to pay more attention to preventing the plague. Bai Wutong specially found Village Chief Zhao and taught them how to prevent the plague. After dealing with the corpses of Duke Ping¡¯s suicide soldiers, everyone from the 30 families of Qinghe drank the medicinal soup. The servants also quickly used cloth to make masks. It was almost dusk. Bai Wutong and the others¡¯ carriage swayed as they finally found a suitable place to stay. Chu Tianbao was still unconscious. Bai Wutong touched his forehead. It was still hot, so she placed the heat-reducing patch on his forehead and placed a towel on it to cover it. After changing three heat-reducing patches, the temperature on Chu Tianbao¡¯s forehead still did not decrease. Bai Wutong was a little flustered and did not know if she should give him medicine. However, Qingfeng said that this was a normal phenomenon after absorbing internal energy. Bai Wutong did not understand either, so she could only worry. Suddenly, Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyelashes fluttered, and his hoarse voice was almost scorching. ¡°Wife ~¡± Bai Wutong held his hand and said happily, ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Chu Tianbao frowned and moaned, ¡°Wife, it¡¯s so hot¡­ It¡¯s so hot¡­¡± Bai Wutong took off the heat-reducing patch and touched it again. His forehead was terrifyingly hot. She felt his pulse again and listened to his heartbeat. Nothing was wrong, but she could not tell what had caused the heat. Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t tell, so she could only ask Qingfeng for help. As soon as Qingfeng got into the carriage, she stared at Chu Tianbao from head to toe and said to Bai Wutong meaningfully, ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious.¡± His entire body felt like it was on fire, and this was not a big deal. Did all the martial artists cultivate in Supreme Elder¡¯s Eight Trigrams Furnace? Bai Wutong looked worried. Then, she heard Qingfeng instruct from outside, ¡°No one is to disturb Madam tonight.¡± Bai Wutong belatedly glanced at Chu Tianbao. She looked away in panic, clutching her frightened little heart. Oh my! Chapter 71 - 71 Not Small at All 71 Not Small at All After calming down, Bai Wutong turned around and stole a glance at Chu Tianbao, who looked uncomfortable. She subconsciously looked down and immediately felt her scalp tingle. It really didn¡¯t seem right to leave it alone. Bai Wutong looked at it and felt like it was about to explode. What should she do? ¡°Wife, it¡¯s so hot¡­¡± Chu Tianbao moaned in discomfort and tossed around in the small bed. Just as he was about to fall off the bed, Bai Wutong grabbed his arm. Chu Tianbao felt a chill and suddenly grabbed her waist. ¡°Wife, it¡¯s so hot¡­¡± He found it hot, yet he grabbed her so tightly. Bai Wutong rolled her eyes in her heart and wanted to force open his not well-behaved mind. In the end, she could not stop his moving hands. Bai Wutong¡¯s face suddenly turned red. She gritted her teeth and thought to herself that she wouldn¡¯t argue with a patient. The moment she dragged him onto the bed, Chu Tianbao hooked his arm around her neck and pounced on her like a dog. Bai Wutong kicked him to the ground. Chu Tianbao sprawled out and groaned, ¡°It¡¯s so hot¡­ It¡¯s so hot¡­¡± This couldn¡¯t go on! Bai Wutong glanced at Chu Tianbao and gritted her teeth. She decided to tie him up. Chu Tianbao was tied up by Bai Wutong and had a handkerchief stuffed in his mouth. It was to prevent him from whining and being heard by the people around him. Then, they would have to face some strange gazes in the morning again. Fortunately, Chu Tianbao¡¯s body was limp. He did not break free from the rope like last time. Bai Wutong laid him down. Seeing that his high fever still had not subsided and was even higher, she gritted her teeth and could only resort to this. There were cold ice bags in the RV space. Bai Wutong took out several of them and wrapped them in a thin towel. She looked away and put it against his body. ¡°Uh-huh ~¡± Chu Tianbao let out a grunt of pleasure at the sudden coldness. Bai Wutong¡¯s eyebrows twitched. When she switched to the second batch of ice bags, Chu Tianbao¡¯s temperature clearly had decreased. Bai Wutong looked at his slightly trembling eyelashes and suddenly thought of something. She exchanged her left hand with her right and took a towel, preparing to cover Chu Tianbao¡¯s face. At this moment, Chu Tianbao suddenly opened his eyes and looked at Bai Wutong¡¯s face. He was a little confused and curious. ¡°Wife, what are you doing?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Why is he awake!!! His voice was hoarse and low, like the sound of nature in the dark night. At this moment, Bai Wutong looked at her stiff hands and was extremely embarrassed. Bai Wutong wished there was a hole for her to crawl into, but her expression was as steady as a mountain. She even retracted her hand and said indifferently, ¡°You¡¯re injured. I¡¯m just applying a cold compress for you.¡± Chu Tianbao nodded in confusion and suddenly said, ¡°Let me see.¡± After saying that, he pretended to take off his pants in front of Bai Wutong to check. He suddenly realized that he was tied up like a hairy crab. He looked at Bai Wutong strangely, as if asking why he was tied up. Bai Wutong was afraid that he would forcefully break free from the rope and check it himself. She panicked for a moment, took a deep breath, gritted her teeth, and forced herself to calm down. ¡°Don¡¯t move. You¡¯re not healed yet.¡± Chu Tianbao nodded obediently and suddenly begged pitifully, ¡°Wife, I still want to ice it.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s ears were red. She pretended not to care and touched his forehead. It was still a little hot. She looked down and swallowed with difficulty. She pretended to be relaxed and said, ¡°Then do it yourself. I¡¯ll untie you!¡± ¡°Oh ~¡± Chu Tianbao looked obedient. Bai Wutong let go of Chu Tianbao and put away the ice pack. She poured cold water from the pot and wrung a towel for him. Then, she said with a flushed face, ¡°Put it on. It should be enough.¡± Chu Tianbao opened his confused eyes. ¡°What do you mean by enough?¡± Bai Wutong took a deep breath and gritted her teeth. ¡°It will become smaller.¡± Chu Tianbao looked down and came to a realization. ¡°Oh, okay, wife.¡± Bai Wutong turned her head. After a while, Chu Tianbao¡¯s aggrieved voice sounded, ¡°Wife, it¡¯s not small at all. Can you help Tianbao?¡± ¡°!!!¡± Help him my ass. Bai Wutong¡¯s face was dark and red. She pushed the water basin to his feet and warned angrily, ¡°It won¡¯t become any smaller, just endure it!¡± Chu Tianbao looked at her back view with grievance and obediently wrung a wet towel for himself. After twisting the wet towel back and forth countless times, Chu Tianbao finally said excitedly, ¡°Wife, it became small.¡± Silence answered him. Chu Tianbao looked at her and stood up. He picked up Bai Wutong, who had fallen asleep leaning against the corner of the carriage frame, and gently placed her on the bed. He lay down on his side and enveloped her from behind. The next morning, before Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao could open their eyes, they heard Lin Yue exclaim from outside the carriage, ¡°Qingfeng! Qingfeng!¡± Bai Wutong suddenly stood up, and Chu Tianbao rolled down from the small bed. Bai Wutong pulled the half-awake Chu Tianbao up and immediately went outside the carriage. Qingfeng and the soldiers of the Dark Guards Team hugged their heads and rolled on the ground. Their expressions were ferocious, as if they had been possessed. The extent of their illness was even worse than the last time. The pain they had endured seemed to have reached their limit. Some people even picked up their swords and wanted to end their lives, but Lin Yue and the others quickly stopped them. Bai Wutong had the prescription for the Life Spirit Pill, but she did not have the ingredients for it. Even with the herbs now, it would take a long time to produce the Life Spirit Pill. Bai Wutong could not help but look at the Cui family. They should have extra pills. Bai Wutong walked towards Cui Shiji and bowed. ¡°Patriarch Cui, can you lend me some Life Spirit Pills?¡± Although the Dark Guards Team had a conflict with the Cui family, Qingfeng was only following orders and had not caused any substantial harm to the Cui family. Cui Shiji was willing to give Bai Wutong face and said, ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to get the medicine now.¡± Cui Shiji was generous and gave Bai Wutong a big jar at once. When she opened it, she thought they were chocolate beans. Bai Wutong fed one to Qingfeng and the rest. The medicine took effect very quickly. Qingfeng and the others immediately stopped twitching. Seeing that Qingfeng had gradually regained her senses, Lin Yue took out the handkerchief in her mouth and asked with a dark expression, ¡°She shouldn¡¯t be dead, right?¡± However, his voice was gentle. Qingfeng glanced at his hand on her waist. She narrowed her eyes and said coldly, ¡°What does it have to do with you?¡± Lin Yue¡¯s expression froze. He snorted coldly and said angrily, ¡°I can¡¯t wait for you to die!¡± Qingfeng gave him a calm look. ¡°Soon.¡± Lin Yue¡¯s expression suddenly changed. He stammered, ¡°Isn¡¯t there the Life Spirit Pill!¡± Qingfeng stood up. Even though it was close to the sky, it seemed to be out of reach. She said indifferently, ¡°It will cure the symptoms but not the root cause.¡± Unless she could find Wen Renhua, who could concoct an antidote. But now another month had passed. It was too late. Qingfeng¡¯s indifferent expression made Lin Yue¡¯s face darken. He turned around angrily. ¡°Who cares if you live or die?¡± He waved his hand gloomily and went to look for their young master. Chapter 72 - 72 Who Made the Prescription? 72 Who Made the Prescription? Bai Wutong¡¯s team was not small to begin with. Now that they had the additional 30 Qinghe families led by the Cui family, the entire team instantly reached a few thousand people. There were even more of them than the city guards. With so many people, it was impossible not to attract attention. However, none of the 200,000 troops sent by Duke Ping to Jiangyuan City and Fengming City stopped them from heading to Ling Kingdom. Thick black smoke rose from where the 200,000-strong army camped. Bai Wutong¡¯s expression darkened. Qingfeng said, ¡°The army is infected with the plague.¡± The 200,000-strong army had already been infected by the plague before they could even go to the battlefield to support the front line. No matter how powerful Lord Ning Yuan was, he would probably not be able to defend Fengming City for long without reinforcements. Bai Wutong and the others planned to bypass Jiangyuan City. The Cui family¡¯s body immunity was not better than taking long-term medicine. Therefore, the matter of Yang Quanzi offering the prescription fell into the hands of Qingfeng and Lin Yue. It just so happened that they were going to Jiangyuan City to settle some matters, so it was more suitable for them to present the prescription than the others. When they separated, Bai Wutong specially gave them a protective mask with a hood and a pair of gloves. After dressing up, Bai Wutong laughed out loud, as they looked a little like a bandit in stockings. Qingfeng was still calm, but Lin Yue¡¯s face was as red as a monkey¡¯s butt. He muttered, ¡°Must you do this?¡± Bai Wutong said, ¡°Why not? This is called effective protection. We can¡¯t miss any of it. When you come back, remember to change your clothes under the ginkgo tree in front. Come back after you have sanitized with alcohol.¡± Since Bai Wutong had already said so, no matter how ugly Lin Yue felt he looked, he could only accept it. Lin Yue and Qingfeng rode their horses and parted ways with Bai Wutong and the others. They quickly rushed towards Jiangyuan City. The city gates of Jiangyuan City were tightly shut, and the city was filled with sick and pale commoners. Lin Yue and Qingfeng looked at each other and shouted to the city guards, ¡°We have a prescription for the plague. We request an audience with the magistrate!¡± The city guards looked at each other on the city wall and shouted at them, ¡°Wait, let¡¯s inform the Lord first.¡± ¡­ With a creak, the door was pushed open by an old woman. She brought out a cauldron filled with thick phlegm and shook her head at Magistrate Shi from afar, indicating that it was better for the old man not to see. Magistrate Shi was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. His father had accidentally contracted the plague and had a divine doctor disciple who had been treating him for two days. Not only had his condition not improved, but it had even become worse. If Gu Zhongxun had not emphasized that he could only give it a try and was not confident, Magistrate Shi would have dragged this divine doctor¡¯s disciple out and killed him. Magistrate Shi could not wait any longer. Almost 80% of the people in the city were sick. If his father was sick, how soon would it be his turn? If there was no other way to treat him, Magistrate Shi planned to move his father to the courtyard at the back first. It was not that he was unfilial. If the old man felt sorry for his grandson, he would definitely ask to leave. Magistrate Shi was about to look for Gu Zhongxun and ask him if there was any progress in the condition when a servant rushed in anxiously and shouted, ¡°Master, it¡¯s bad. Eldest Young Master and Madam are having a fever!¡± As soon as he said that, Magistrate Shi¡¯s legs went weak from fear. His mind spun, and he had to be supported by others to prevent himself from falling to the ground. Magistrate Shi wiped his cold sweat and barely regained his balance before staggering towards the courtyard. Their voice arrived before they did. ¡°Doctor Gu! Doctor Gu! Can you cure it or not?! You¡¯ve also studied the people in the city. My father has even personally tested it for you. Why don¡¯t you give me an answer now! If you still can¡¯t cure the people, everyone in my magistrate residence will die!¡± Magistrate Shi roared angrily at Gu Zhongxun, who was engrossed in concocting medicine. Gu Zhongxun said without looking up, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Magistrate Shi. Zhongxun is trying his best to concoct a formula that can cure the plague.¡± ¡°Try your best! Try your best! How many days have you been trying to treat these people? How many herbs have you used up? Let me tell you, if my father doesn¡¯t recover tonight, I¡¯ll cut off your head and hang it on the city wall to apologize to the commoners!¡± Every day, he heard the commoners shouting for help at the door. Magistrate Shi was about to breakdown. His nose was snot and his eyes were watery, seeming very pitiful. He had only been the magistrate of Jiangyuan City for a year and had yet to earn enough money. How could he lose his life here! Gu Zhongxun finally looked up at him and comforted him. ¡°Soon. As long as we try a few more times, Master Shi will definitely be safe.¡± ¡°Try a few more times? If you take a few more times, my father may not die on his own. He¡¯ll die from your medicine!¡± Magistrate Shi became more and more agitated as he spoke. He pushed away all the prescription notes that Gu Zhongxun was concocting and grabbed his neck. He said fiercely, ¡°You quack! Liar! Bastard!¡± Gu Zhongxun widened his eyes and pushed Magistrate Shi away in panic. He hurriedly squatted down to pick up the medicine he had just concocted. Magistrate Shi was pushed to the door because of his action. He reached out and touched the back of his head. It was bleeding. He was so furious that he wanted to ask someone to drag this quack out, when a servant suddenly reported excitedly, ¡°Sir, Sir, someone outside the city gate claims to have a prescription for the plague!¡± Magistrate Shi was in a fit of anger. He waved his hand and said, ¡°Tell these liars to get lost!¡± The servant asked uncertainly, ¡°Are you really going to ask him to get lost? It¡¯s already like this. Why don¡¯t we try everything we can?¡± He glanced at Gu Zhongxun, who was still picking up the herbs, and whispered, ¡°Isn¡¯t that better than the one inside?¡± Magistrate Shi thought about it and agreed. He ignored his headache and waved his hand again. ¡°Then take them to the government office!¡± Suddenly, Gu Zhongxun, who had picked up the prescription, said, ¡°I¡¯ll go too. If they really have a cure for the plague, the people will be saved!¡± ¡°Alright, if you want to go, go ahead. Let¡¯s see if they¡¯re liars.¡± Apart from being unable to treat the plague, Gu Zhongxun was also a good doctor who had treated his cervical spondylosis for many years. Magistrate Shi finally regained some of his rationality. The city gate opened a crack. Someone on the city wall waved for Qingfeng and Lin Yue to enter the city. As soon as the city gate closed, 10 city guards followed them. From the back door to the backyard of the government office, Lin Yue and Qingfeng saw Magistrate Shi with dark circles as dark as a panda¡¯s eyes. Without further ado, Qingfeng said, ¡°This is a prescription that can treat and prevent the plague. There are also measures to control and block the plague. Magistrate Shi, use it to save the people.¡± They were so certain that it could cure the plague that Magistrate Shi did not believe them. He frowned. ¡°How can you prove that this medicine works?¡± Lin Yue and Qingfeng were only in charge of giving the prescription. They were not doctors. Qingfeng said coldly, ¡°You¡¯ll know after you try.¡± Magistrate Shi gestured for a servant to bring the prescription over and handed it to Gu Zhongxun. ¡°Take a look. Is there any problem?¡± Gu Zhongxun opened it and was immediately convinced by Bai Wutong¡¯s precautions against the plague. It was so clear that it was even more useful than the notes his master had given him. When he looked at the prescription again, his eyes suddenly widened, and his handsome face immediately revealed an ecstatic smile. ¡°This, this, who made this prescription?¡± Chapter 73 - 73 Its None of Your Business 73 It¡¯s None of Your Business Qingfeng ignored him and said, ¡°Since the prescription has been delivered, we¡¯ll leave first.¡± Gu Zhongxun took a few steps forward and hurriedly said, ¡°Can I meet Senior and discuss the prescription with him or her?¡± Qingfeng said bluntly, ¡°No need.¡± Gu Zhongxun still wanted to say something, but he was interrupted by Magistrate Shi impatiently. ¡°Is this prescription effective or not? Say something!¡± In the blink of an eye, Qingfeng and Lin Yue had already disappeared from the courtyard. Gu Zhongxun retracted his gaze in disappointment and said to Magistrate Shi, who was about to grab his collar again, ¡°The prescription is very similar to mine, but the proportion control is better than mine. It should be able to treat the plague. We still have to observe how effective it is.¡± Magistrate Shi¡¯s eyes lit up as he snatched the prescription away. When he saw that there was also a prescription for preventing the plague, he immediately asked excitedly, ¡°Is this also effective?¡± Gu Zhongxun¡¯s gaze landed on the prescription and he said with endless emotions and regret, ¡°Senior is an expert comparable to my Master. If it can cure the plague, this epidemic prevention prescription will naturally be useful.¡± Magistrate Shi was so happy that the corners of his mouth curled up into a smile. He hurriedly said, ¡°Then hurry up and give my father medicine!¡± Suddenly, he was afraid that he would be happy for nothing. He said seriously, ¡°Give the servants in the residence a try first!¡± Gu Zhongxun also wanted to know how effective the prescription was. He used the fastest speed to concoct the medicine according to the prescription and brewed a large pot. Every patient who had the plague drank a large bowl. In a short time, the patient with the plague broke out in a hot sweat, and their fever subsided. Gu Zhongxun rushed over when he received the news and took their pulses. The patients¡¯ bodies were recovering at a visible speed. Their eyes widened in surprise. Was the difference in efficacy between just a few herbs and the ratio so great? Bai Wutong¡¯s prescription was a precious prescription that had been improved countless times by future generations. If the effect was not good, Bai Wutong would not have known. Gu Zhongxun looked at the patients in a daze. He regretted not being able to see the senior who formulated the prescription. After eating the medicine, the old woman felt much more energetic. She asked Gu Zhongxun excitedly, ¡°Doctor, how is my illness? Can I recover?¡± Gu Zhongxun finally came back to his senses. He took her pulse again and smiled affirmatively. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Auntie. You¡¯ll be fine after taking a few more doses of medicine.¡± When the old woman heard this, her eyes suddenly turned red. She choked and said, ¡°Doctor Gu, you¡¯re a miracle doctor!¡± She forced herself to kneel down to Gu Zhongxun from the bed. Gu Zhongxun could not stop her. ¡°Doctor Gu, can you give me some medicine so that my son and the others can be saved? As long as they can live, we¡¯ll be your slaves in our next life.¡± Gu Zhongxun hurriedly said, ¡°Auntie, you¡¯re too polite. I didn¡¯t write this prescription. The divine doctor is someone else. I¡¯ll give you the medicine. Don¡¯t be too polite.¡± Magistrate Shi gave him medicine every day to treat the people and stabilize their hearts. The prescription was effective, so Gu Zhongxun made the decision. Gu Zhongxun agreed to give her the medicine. The old woman immediately stood up from the ground in tears of joy. ¡°Thank you, Divine Doctor Gu! Thank you, Divine Doctor Gu¡­¡± Gu Zhongxun wanted her to stop shouting, but the old woman refused to listen. She even said that Gu Zhongxun had given them the medicine and saved their lives. Gu Zhongxun sighed, not knowing what to do if that senior misunderstood him. As soon as Gu Zhongxun came out of the patient¡¯s room, Magistrate Shi grabbed him excitedly and said with a smile, ¡°This medicine can really cure the plague, right?¡± He had already heard the report from his servants and wanted to get assurance from Gu Zhongxun before he was willing to use this medicine in peace. Gu Zhongxun nodded, a warm smile appearing on his handsome face. ¡°If the commoners can use medicine in time, the plague will definitely be stopped immediately!¡± As soon as he said that, the smile on Magistrate Shi¡¯s face froze. Gu Zhongxun looked at him strangely. Magistrate Shi reacted and quickly said, ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ll give the order now. You¡¯ve been tired recently. Since you have the prescription, Doctor Gu should rest well tonight.¡± With that, without waiting for Gu Zhongxun to speak, he hurriedly got someone to bring him to rest. Gu Zhongxun disappeared around the corner. Magistrate Shi returned to the study and immediately lowered his eyes. He quickly found his subordinates and instructed, ¡°Find the two people who gave the prescription and follow them back.¡± Magistrate Shi gestured with his hand to slit their throats, and his subordinates immediately understood and left the study. After the door closed, the Grandmaster lowered his voice and said, ¡°Sir, I¡¯m afraid this is not appropriate.¡± How could they kill someone after they had offered the prescription? the Grandmaster thought to himself. Gu Zhongxun clenched his fists and said with a frown, ¡°Do you think I wish for that? Do you know how many commoners there are in our city? There isn¡¯t that much herbs at all. If people find out that we have the prescription but didn¡¯t do anything, the spit of the world will drown us! Moreover, the army has just burned 100,000 soldiers who have contracted the plague today. If the news gets out and the people of Duke Chu make use of it, can we still keep our lives?¡± The Grandmaster felt a chill run down his spine. ¡°The magistrate is indeed wise.¡± When the man in black on the roof heard this, he quietly put down the tiles and quickly disappeared from the magistrate¡¯s residence. After Lin Yue and Qingfeng came out of the government office, Lin Yue brought Qingfeng to the small courtyard where Sheng Huaixuan might leave a message. The courtyard door was wide open and everything had been removed from inside. When Lin Yue and the others stood at the entrance, a few coughing beggars came out. When they saw them wearing strange headgear and holding swords, they immediately avoided them and walked around them. It seemed that the person who received him was no longer around. Lin Yue directly used his martial arts skills and flew to the roof of the main courtyard. He picked up one of the tiles and indeed, he saw the letter and signal flare left behind by Sheng Huaixuan under the tile. He quickly opened the letter and was relieved. Fortunately, their master was fine and left an accurate location. Lin Yue put away the letter and his attitude towards Qingfeng became much better. He smiled and said, ¡°Where are you going? I¡¯ll accompany you!¡± As soon as he said this, Qingfeng looked at him. Her cold gaze was a little strange. Lin Yue did not notice it and said with a smile, ¡°Let¡¯s go! Madam and the others are still waiting for us!¡± Qingfeng¡¯s eyes darkened, and her lips curled into a smile that was almost nonexistent. ¡°Okay.¡± Lin Yue looked at the huge plaque in a daze. In a moment, Qingfeng had already walked into the largest brothel in Jiangyuan City. Lin Yue hurriedly followed and muttered unhappily to Qingfeng, ¡°How can you enter this place!¡± Qingfeng seemed to be annoyed by him. She only returned a look, as if to ask why she couldn¡¯t enter. Lin Yue looked around and gritted his teeth in embarrassment. ¡°Don¡¯t think that you¡¯re a real man just because you look like one!¡± Then he emphasized, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have entered here!¡± Qingfeng raised an eyebrow, and a faint smile appeared on her good-looking face. Lin Yue was unsure what she meant. Qingfeng said bluntly, ¡°Why do you care?¡± Lin Yue¡¯s expression froze, and he was like a dolphin that was about to explode. Steam was coming out of his seven orifices. She thought he wanted to care about her! He was just afraid that she would come into contact with someone she shouldn¡¯t and get sick and spread it to everyone! Chapter 74 - 74 The Quacks Pretense 74 The Quack¡¯s Pretense At this moment, everyone was busy saving their lives. Who had the mood to visit the brothel? After entering, Lin Yue heaved a sigh of relief when he did not see any seductive ladies. Qingfeng went straight upstairs and entered a particularly luxurious private room with ease. Lin Yue followed behind with a frown. When the people in the private room heard the commotion, they suddenly stood up. Before they could take out the dagger hidden under the table, Qingfeng had already pressed down on their hand that wanted to use the dagger. Li Niang¡¯s beautiful face was filled with killing intent. She asked in a low voice, ¡°Who are you?¡± Qingfeng took out a token from her pocket. Li Niang¡¯s expression suddenly changed. She immediately knelt on the ground and said respectfully, ¡°Greetings, Commander!¡± Qingfeng nodded calmly. ¡°Where is the person I asked you to investigate?¡± Li Niang lowered her eyes. ¡°The gates are closed. The news has not been passed on.¡± Qingfeng¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Any progress?¡± Brothel owner Li said, ¡°Previously, we found traces of Wen Renhua¡¯s disciple in Fengming City. Now, the news can¡¯t be sent in, so¡­¡± Brothel owner Li lowered her head even more. Qingfeng asked again, ¡°Can you recognize the person outside the city?¡± Brothel owner Li nodded. ¡°Sure.¡± Then she looked at Qingfeng eagerly, her charming eyes filled with charm. When Lin Yue saw this scene, he immediately gritted his teeth and cursed silently. ¡®Using seductive tricks to attract people!¡¯ Qingfeng made sure she didn¡¯t dare lie to her before she took out a pill. ¡°Take it.¡± Li Niang took it happily. ¡°Thank you, Commander. Thank you, Commander¡­¡± As if afraid that someone would snatch it from her, she took the medicine in one gulp and asked eagerly, ¡°It¡¯s late. Do you want to stay overnight?¡± Qingfeng glanced at the sky outside and nodded. ¡°Go get ready.¡± Lin Yue asked in confusion, ¡°Can¡¯t we just ask the magistrate to open the city gate?¡± With Madam¡¯s prescription, Magistrate Shi would definitely give them face. Qingfeng looked at him as if he was a fool. Lin Yue¡¯s face darkened before he said, ¡°Even if Duke Chu doesn¡¯t attack the city, there¡¯s a curfew. The magistrate is afraid of death. He won¡¯t agree to open the city gate at night.¡± Lin Yue replied with an ¡°oh¡± and regretted his stupid idea. After a night, Qinghe got Li Niang to change into a set of clothes and went to the magistrate¡¯s residence with them. Before he reached the entrance, he saw a group of commoners waiting at the entrance for the magistrate to give them the previous day¡¯s medicine. After drinking the medicinal soup the day before, they felt much better. That day, they went to wait for the medicine again. When they realized that the medicinal shed was empty, they ran to the entrance of the magistrate¡¯s residence to wait for the medicine. Qingfeng and the others looked at the many people and directly led Li Niang over the wall. If they caught a servant, they would ask him to inform Magistrate Shi. Magistrate Shi¡¯s subordinates, who were worried that they could not find the two of them, immediately nodded and agreed to open the city gate. They even sent someone to escort them out of the city in order to prevent the refugees from hurting them after they left the city. Qingfeng and the others left the city. Li Niang quickly found a striking muscular man in the crowd. The man took out a portrait from his wooden hairpin. When Qingfeng saw this, her expression suddenly changed. She rode her horse and turned around to enter the city again. Lin Yue quickly caught up. Li Niang and the muscular man looked at each other and quickly followed. As soon as they left the city, they entered the city again. Qingfeng¡¯s subordinates had no choice but to follow them. Following them, they realized that Qingfeng had returned to the magistrate¡¯s residence. At this moment, the entire magistrate¡¯s residence was blocked by the commoners. They rode on their horses and were almost pulled off by the commoners. Lin Yue frowned. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why have the commoners surrounded the magistrate¡¯s residence?¡± Qingfeng didn¡¯t know either, but she had something more important to do now. She had to save Gu Zhongxun, who had been pushed out by the magistrate to be a human shield. Gu Zhongxun stood at the entrance of the magistrate¡¯s residence and said to the agitated citizens, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everyone. The magistrate is doing his best to arrange it. Everyone will have medicine!¡± Gu Zhongxun¡¯s prescription for treating the plague had spread around quickly like it had wings. The citizens saw hope and came to verify if it was true. After the servants in the magistrate¡¯s residence confirmed that the medicine was very effective, all the commoners, regardless of whether they were sick or not, wanted to drink a bowl of medicine concocted by Gu Zhongxun. The men in the crowd looked at each other, and someone shouted at the commoners, ¡°The dog official snatched all the medicinal herbs in the city and said that he was giving them away as a gift. Where are the medicinal herbs! We didn¡¯t even see the dregs of the medicinal herbs! If there¡¯s really medicine, then give it to us now!¡± ¡°Give us the medicine!¡± ¡°Give us the medicine!¡± Another person said angrily, ¡°The dog official must be trying to monopolize these medicines and use them to make money!¡± As soon as he said this, the commoners immediately swarmed towards Gu Zhongxun even more angrily than before, questioning if it was true. Gu Zhongxun looked anxiously at the magistrate¡¯s housekeeper. The housekeeper looked at him with a frown, then looked at the angry commoners and said in a low voice, ¡°Doctor Gu, calm the commoners first. I¡¯ll go and see if the medicine is ready!¡± With that, he hurried through the door. ¡°Bang¡ª¡± The door closed quickly. Gu Zhongxun turned around and saw that he was the only one left at the entrance of the magistrate¡¯s residence. Immediately, someone pointed at the door and said angrily, ¡°Look! The dog official has a guilty conscience and must have sold those medicine to rich people! If we don¡¯t go in and snatch the medicine, we¡¯ll probably die in Jiangyuan City!¡± Gu Zhongxun hurriedly comforted them. ¡°It takes time to boil the medicine. Everyone, wait a moment. The magistrate will be able to administer the medicine to everyone soon. I guarantee with my life that the magistrate will definitely not ignore you.¡± The commoners were still quite convinced by Gu Zhongxun. After all, they only felt better after Gu Zhongxun gave them medicine. Immediately, a commoner said, ¡°Then let¡¯s wait a little longer. Doctor Gu has been administering medicine for a few days. He wouldn¡¯t lie to us!¡± ¡°Yes, we have to trust Doctor Gu!¡± ¡°Doctor Gu is a divine doctor. He must be right!¡± The commoners almost rushed into the magistrate¡¯s residence, but Gu Zhongxun calmed them down. A man in the crowd glanced at the tall man beside him and asked softly, ¡°What should we do?¡± The tall man glanced at Gu Zhongxun and smiled gloomily. ¡°The greater the hope, the greater the disappointment! Let¡¯s wait. There are so many people in the city. It¡¯s impossible for Magistrate Shi to give out medicine. When the people get desperate, it will be his death.¡± Magistrate Shi was pacing around the hall anxiously. When the housekeeper came in, he grabbed him and asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Didn¡¯t I ask you to seal the news? How did so many people know that our prescription worked!¡± How would the housekeeper know? He immediately pushed the blame to Gu Zhongxun. ¡°Gu Zhongxun must have wanted to publicize his reputation as a divine doctor and deliberately told others!¡± Magistrate Shi gritted his teeth in hatred. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have let him live! Go, tell the commoners now that the prescription is fake. Those who have recovered are all hired by the quack to promote his reputation!¡± Chapter 75 - 75 The fuse 75 The fuse The housekeeper said weakly, ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s too late. The relatives of the servants who took the medicine yesterday have confirmed that it is really good medicine.¡± Magistrate Shi¡¯s gaze darkened as he said fiercely, ¡°Then arrest them all to set an example!¡± The housekeeper said in a trembling voice, ¡°But there are so many people!¡± Magistrate Shi roared, ¡°They are rioters now, rioters who want to rebel. The rioters should be executed on the spot! Now, subdue them while things can be controlled!¡± The housekeeper gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Sir, why don¡¯t we run now?¡± Magistrate Shi looked at his trembling face and sneered. ¡°Run! Where can we go? If I give up my status as a magistrate and leave this residence, I¡¯ll die! Even if I don¡¯t die, no matter the Ling or Chu kingdom wins, none of them will let me, a despicable person, off!¡± Magistrate Shi¡¯s heart-wrenching determination seemed to reflect the days of this housekeeper in the future. ¡°If you¡¯re not ruthless to others, you¡¯re being ruthless to yourself. Go and get someone to do it quickly!¡± Magistrate Shi gritted his teeth and made a final decision. What could the butler do? He and Magistrate Shi were in the same boat. He could only harden his heart and make arrangements. The seconds ticked by. The door of the magistrate¡¯s residence was not opened. Instead, a large group of soldiers with bows and arrows quickly rushed out and stopped all the commoners. Before the commoners could react, the leader of the soldiers shot out a sharp arrow. Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! The sharp arrow fell like a rain of flowers. In an instant, a large number of commoners fell. When Gu Zhongxun saw this, he hurriedly shouted at the soldiers who were shooting, ¡°Stop! Stop!¡± No one listened to him. All the officers and soldiers could think about was shooting these disobedient citizens clean. Then they would obtain the plague medicine. A few of the men among the commoners dodged in time and whistled. The magistrate had a prescription and medicinal herbs, but he refused to save the commoners. The news swept through every corner of Jiangyuan City like a whirlwind. Soon, more civilians rushed over from behind the soldiers. The soldiers suddenly turned around and realized that there were so many citizens. They panicked for a moment before immediately changing directions and aiming their bows at them. Gu Zhongxun rushed out and grabbed the arm of one of the soldiers. ¡°You can¡¯t shoot! They¡¯re all innocent citizens!¡± As he spoke, someone in the crowd took the lead and shouted, ¡°Charge! Kill the dog official and avenge everyone!¡± ¡°Charge! Defeat the dog official and get the medicine. Then, everyone will recover!¡± ¡°Kill the dog official!¡± ¡°Kill the dog official!¡± The officer whose arm was grabbed by Gu Zhongxun was a little hesitant at first. When he saw the commoners charging over ferociously, he immediately raised his bow and shot another commoner without hesitation. Gu Zhongxun¡¯s eyes turned red when he saw that the civilians who were shot were only half-grown children. He looked at the soldiers and the hundred families who were already fighting and shouted sadly, ¡°There will be medicine. What are you doing¡ª!!!¡± All the citizens of Jiangyuan City seemed to have gone crazy as they rushed towards the magistrate¡¯s residence. They were even muttering, ¡°Hurry up, hurry up. If you¡¯re any slower, there won¡¯t be any medicine left¡­¡± Gu Zhongxun shouted at them again, ¡°There will be medicine. Don¡¯t be anxious! Even if there isn¡¯t any now, the government won¡¯t ignore you! Everyone, wait a little longer. If you gather together like this, it will accelerate the infection. Those who aren¡¯t sick will get sick!¡± If Magistrate Shi was really willing to give them the medicine, no one would have to snatch it! Magistrate Shi would also not shoot the commoners in anger! This meant that he refused to give them the medicine at all! Instead of waiting for death, they might as well strike first! The dog official who was thinking of harming the people deserved to die! Not a single citizen stopped because of his words. They were all trying their best to squeeze forward. Swish! An arrow shot towards Gu Zhongxun. Gu Zhongxun looked up, his pupils contracting violently. Just as the arrow was about to penetrate his heart, the tip of the arrow and a sword blade collided with a clang. Qingfeng stood in front of Gu Zhongxun and said to Lin Yue, ¡°Throw him on the horse.¡± Lin Yue nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Before Gu Zhongxun could react, the world spun and Gu Zhongxun was hung on Lin Yue¡¯s horse. Qingfeng, Li Niang, and the others cleared the way. Lin Yue rushed out of the crowd with Gu Zhongxun. After leaving the magistrate¡¯s residence, Gu Zhongxun then remembered to struggle and shout, ¡°Who are you? Where are you taking me?¡± ¡°Put me down!¡± Qingfeng gave Lin Yue a look, and Gu Zhongxun¡¯s mouth was gagged. Lin Yue met his angry gaze and comforted him. ¡°You can¡¯t salvage anything by staying here. Come with us obediently!¡± Who would have thought that the prescription that was meant to save the people had become the fuse to destroy a city? Gu Zhongxun was suddenly stunned and stopped struggling. Lin Yue was right. There was nothing he could do even if he stayed. Even if there was a prescription, even if they knew that they could control the plague, no one would care about the life and death of this group of people. There was already not enough food, so how could Magistrate Shi be willing take out so many herbs? He had been lying to him from the beginning! The most lamentable thing was that he was helpless towards the situation. He did not even have the ability to give ordinary people medicine now. Gu Zhongxun looked at the zombie-like Jiangyuan City and suddenly laughed. Lin Yue looked down. He was smiling in a way that was uglier than crying. It was really creepy. The soldiers were not in the mood to defend the city. The city gate was deliberately opened by someone, and more refugees rushed in. Qingfeng and the others went against the flow of the crowd. The soldiers on the city gate followed them closely. One of them asked, ¡°Should we send someone to kill them?¡± The man next to him glanced at the chaotic city and shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s no need. It¡¯s already a foregone conclusion that Duke Ping will kill the infected soldiers. Nothing they say can change the truth.¡± Then he suddenly said, ¡°The person who can make the plague prescription is indeed a talent. Send someone to follow them and capture them to serve the Eldest Prince. We will definitely make a great contribution.¡± Qingfeng and the others rode their horses in the direction of Bai Wutong and the others. Li Niang suddenly reminded, ¡°Commander, someone is following us.¡± Qingfeng said calmly, ¡°I know. Let¡¯s deal with them in front.¡± The ten people who were following Qingfeng also quietly got off their horses after seeing them alight. With a whoosh, a choking chili powder attacked them. Their eyes were covered and they screamed as they fell to the ground and rolled around. Qingfeng quickly pressed her sword against someone¡¯s throat and asked in a low voice, ¡°Were you sent here?¡± The man pointed at by Qingfeng narrowed his eyes and said gloomily, ¡°We¡¯re men from Duke Chu. If you know what¡¯s good for you¡­¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Qingfeng slit the man¡¯s neck. When the others heard the man grunt and fall to the ground, they were so frightened that their scalps went numb. They took a few steps back and shouted, ¡°We¡¯re really Duke Chu¡¯s people. As long as your master serves the Eldest Prince with us, we guarantee that you¡¯ll have everything.¡± ¡°Eldest Prince?¡± ¡°Our eldest prince is the only legitimate son of Duke Chu. He¡¯s extremely smart and intelligent. His future will definitely be bright if you pledge your loyalty to him!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, a cold light flashed. Qingfeng, who had already found out who was behind them, mercilessly killed them all. Chapter 76 - 76 Drunk With One Cup 76 Drunk With One Cup Qingfeng had killed them all in the blink of an eye. Li Niang was terrified and looked at Qingfeng even more cautiously. They rode to a large ginkgo tree. Qingfeng followed Bai Wutong¡¯s instructions and dug out the wooden box under the ginkgo tree. After digging it out, Qingfeng quickly handed each of them a set of clothes. Fortunately, Bai Wutong had the foresight to prepare in case Qingfeng brought back more than one person, so she had prepared a few sets of clean clothes. After changing their clothes, Qingfeng made them spray disinfectant all over their bodies. Then, she poured the medicine into a small pot and let Lin Yue pick some firewood to boil the medicine. When Lin Yue returned after picking the firewood, he saw Gu Zhongxun standing extremely close to Qingfeng. Gu Zhongxun¡¯s dejected expression was swept away as he took Qingfeng¡¯s pulse energetically. Lin Yue suddenly threw the firewood in front of them and said angrily, ¡°I came back from picking the firewood!¡± Qingfeng glanced at him and then at Gu Zhongxun, who was frowning. ¡°How is it?¡± Gu Zhongxun shook his head and was about to speak when Lin Yue pulled Gu Zhongxun to the side and lectured him sternly, ¡°The plague is contagious if you¡¯re too close. As a doctor, don¡¯t you know?¡± Gu Zhongxun said gently and guiltily, ¡°Brother Lin is right. I¡¯ve learned a lot.¡± Lin Yue felt as if he had punched cotton. He suddenly became discouraged. He glanced at Qingfeng, who was frowning, and said irritably, ¡°It¡¯s good that you know. Don¡¯t cause trouble for others in the future!¡± Qingfeng said to Lin Yue matter-of-factly, ¡°Go boil some medicine.¡± What boil medicine? She was clearly trying to send him away. Lin Yue insisted on setting the fire in front of them. As he burned the fire, he heard Gu Zhongxun say worriedly to Qingfeng, ¡°Miss, if you can¡¯t concoct the antidote in time, I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t have much time left.¡± ¡°Not much time left?¡± Lin Yue did not have time to think about how Gu Zhongxun could tell that Qingfeng was a woman. He was stunned and looked at Qingfeng in a daze. As if he was not talking about herself, Qingfeng asked with an unchanging expression, ¡°Is there a way to concoct an antidote?¡± Wen Renhua had formulated the Immortal Spiritual Pill for the emperor back then. She did not know how much his disciple had learned from him. Gu Zhongxun shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve seen such medical cases in my master¡¯s records, but I¡¯m not confident that I can concoct an effective medicine. Moreover, there are no herbs for me to use now.¡± Seeing Gu Zhongxun shake his head, Qingfeng¡¯s expression darkened. Hearing that he might be able to concoct a prescription, Lin Yue asked before Qingfeng could, ¡°If there are herbs, are you able to study the prescription first?¡± He suddenly spoke, startling Gu Zhongxun, who nodded. ¡°It can be concocted, but it might not be effective.¡± It was better to have a little hope than no hope. Qingfeng¡¯s relaxed gaze collided with Lin Yue¡¯s happy gaze. Lin Yue shrank back as if he had been electrocuted and hurriedly said to Gu Zhongxun, ¡°There will definitely be herbs for you to study the prescription. You can think about what herbs you need now and make a list!¡± Gu Zhongxun was stunned. ¡°Uh, okay.¡± Other than the plague prescription, he had wanted to study this medical case for a long time. ¡­ After traveling all day, Bai Wutong and the others finally found a good place to camp for the night. As soon as he lit the fire, Cui Lingyi rushed over with wine. In addition to the wine, she had brought a roasted chicken, two plates of side dishes, and a plate of rice cakes. Cui Lingyi smiled at Bai Wutong. ¡°Remember our agreement? The moonlight is perfect now. Let¡¯s have a drink.¡± Bai Wutong glanced at Chu Tianbao, who was staring at her gloomily, and nodded. ¡°Then one cup.¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s face was filled with resentment. ¡°Wife!¡± Bai Wutong made an excuse. ¡°It¡¯s not harmful to your body to have a drink occasionally. If Tianbao wants a drink, you can drink too~¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes widened in surprise and he nodded hurriedly. He was just short of saying that he really wanted to drink it. Bai Wutong was delighted and let Chu Tianbao sit beside her. Cui Lingyi filled their glasses and said happily, ¡°This is the wine Daughter¡¯s red that my uncle has treasured for 20 years. I asked him for it several times, but he didn¡¯t give me. But when I said that I was going to drink with you, he immediately gave it to me. Tsk, tsk, your reputation is even greater than mine now!¡± Then she joked, ¡°In the future, I¡¯ll be able to drink top-grade wine every time I use your name.¡± The corners of Bai Wutong¡¯s lips curled up as she placed the wine glass in Chu Tianbao¡¯s hand. ¡°It¡¯s not easy to store it for 20 years. Save some for him.¡± Cui Lingyi lowered her voice with pleasure and made a gesture that was shorter than the tip of a finger. ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave him a little.¡± Chu Tianbao couldn¡¯t help but ask eagerly, ¡°Wife, can I drink now?¡± Bai Wutong nodded and said, ¡°Drink slowly.¡± Before she could finish, Chu Tianbao picked up his wine glass and gulped it down impatiently. Cui Lingyi said, ¡°You can hold your liquor well!¡± In the next second, Chu Tianbao threw the wine glass to the ground with a clang. Even his beard couldn¡¯t hide his redness from head to toe. He chuckled and said, ¡°Wife, wife, why¡­ why are there five of you?¡± The wine glass in Bai Wutong¡¯s hand trembled. She looked at Cui Lingyi, who was also dumbfounded, and raised her eyebrows. She asked in confusion, ¡°Are you sure this is not fake wine?¡± Cui Lingyi glanced at the wine in her glass and then at Chu Tianbao, who was about to lose his balance and glanced at Bai Wutong to help him. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± How could her uncle fool her with fake wine? ¡°Wife, wife, wife¡­¡± Chu Tianbao called out to her while smiling foolishly. He rubbed against her like a big bear. Bai Wutong could not dodge in time and was hugged by him. Chu Tianbao even rubbed his face against Bai Wutong¡¯s delicate face. ¡°I caught my wife.¡± Cui Lingyi was caught off guard and looked away. She could not bear to look at them. She picked up her ¡°fake wine¡± and quickly turned her back to them. ¡°Your husband should be drunk. Little Phoenix, take good care of him. Let¡¯s watch the moon and stars another day!¡± After saying that, she hurriedly fled, afraid that she would not see anything she should not see later. The moment Chu Tianbao hugged Bai Wutong, the surroundings automatically cleared out. In Chu Tianbao¡¯s broad chest, Bai Wutong even heard Auntie Yang nagging at Stinky from afar, ¡°Young Master, do you like a younger brother or sister?¡± The corners of Bai Wutong¡¯s mouth twitched. She tried to push Chu Tianbao away, but he tightened his grip. Bai Wutong said angrily, ¡°Let go! Tianbao!¡± A drunk person could not be communicated with. Chu Tianbao buried his head in the neck of Bai Wutong and shook his head in a low voice. ¡°Wife, you smell so good ~¡± He did not respond to her at all. He clearly did not hear what she said at all. Bai Wutong looked at the half-spilled wine glass in his hand, then at the large furry pendant around her neck, and sighed deeply. What kind of luck was this? Chu Tianbao, who looked like he could drink the entire sea, was actually drunk after one cup. Bai Wutong said helplessly, ¡°Tianbao, if you¡¯re tired, go to the carriage to sleep.¡± Chu Tianbao shook his head but was still unwilling to leave her. ¡°No, Tianbao wants to be with my wife!¡± He suddenly raised his head and roared into the night sky, ¡°Be with my wife¡ª!!!¡± ¡°¡­¡± It startled a group of sparrows. Bai Wutong did not need to look to guess the surprise on everyone¡¯s faces. Chu Tianbao didn¡¯t get enough of screaming and wanted to scream again. Bai Wutong was so angry that her mind wasn¡¯t functioning anymore as she bit his face. Chu Tianbao was stunned and asked in confusion, ¡°Wife, are you a dog?¡± He even stared at her with a strange gaze. Bai Wutong¡¯s eyebrows twitched. She bit down slightly harder and swore that if she gave him another sip of wine, she would be a dog. Chapter 77 - 77 Give As Much As You Want 77 Give As Much As You Want Qingfeng and the others rushed on their journey for two days and finally caught up. Seeing that Qingfeng and the others had returned, everyone welcomed them happily. Bai Wutong took out gauze from her space and prepared to change the bandage on Qingfeng¡¯s injured arm. When she went over, she realized that the bandage on her arm had been changed, and the technique was very professional. She couldn¡¯t help but look at the other three. What she saw made her freeze. Even though she was wearing a conservative outfit, it could not hide Li Niang¡¯s seductive aura. The man beside Li Niang was even more eye-catching. He was muscular, with muscles like a small hill, and had a cold expression. He looked extremely not to be trifled with. Neither of them looked like they could treat Qingfeng, so Bai Wutong¡¯s gaze stopped on Gu Zhongxun¡¯s face. Gu Zhongxun was extremely handsome. Compared to Chu Tianbao¡¯s cold and deep facial features, he was slightly simpler. He did not seem aggressive and was as gentle as water, but it was very comforting. This person looked like a doctor. He even smelled like medicine. Li Niang could tell that Qingfeng was reporting to Bai Wutong, so she immediately bowed obediently. ¡°Greetings, Madam.¡± She looked up and gave Bai Wutong a sweet smile. Although she had tried her best to be a well-bred young lady, she still could not stop the hidden seductiveness from her natural brow bone. In that instant, Bai Wutong felt her bones go soft. Seeing Li Niang bow to Bai Wutong, Rocky quickly said, ¡°Rocky of the Dark Guards Team greets Madam.¡± Gu Zhongxun said politely, ¡°Greetings, Madam. I am Gu Zhongxun.¡± He then looked at the people behind Bai Wutong and searched among them, thinking about who might be the expert who had developed the prescription. Bai Wutong nodded at them. Sensing that the Cui family was staring at Qingfeng, she asked on their behalf, ¡°How¡¯s the delivery of the prescription?¡± Suddenly, everyone looked at Qingfeng. Qingfeng said without changing her expression, ¡°The offering of the prescription went very smoothly. It¡¯s just that the government didn¡¯t have enough medicine for the commoners to take, causing the commoners to riot and occupy the magistrate¡¯s residence. Now, Jiangyuan City is in chaos.¡± When everyone heard Qingfeng¡¯s answer, they were stunned by her answer. No one had expected that while the offering of prescription was with good intentions to save some citizens, the outcome was this. The officials of Jiangyuan City had already been overthrown by the commoners, so who would care about them? Any city in the Yan Kingdom could not even take care of themselves. Duke Ping would probably only let them fend for themselves. Thinking of this, the Cui family members who proposed to offer the prescription fell silent. After a long while, Yang Quanzi sighed and said, ¡°It¡¯s difficult to save people. Don¡¯t be sad, everyone. We¡¯ve all tried our best.¡± Bai Wutong also comforted them. ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s difficult to save people¡¯s hearts. Everyone has already tried their best. Cherish the present and buck up. It¡¯s more important to be on our way.¡± Even without the prescription as the fuse, the outcome of these commoners was probably not different. Jiangyuan City had already collapsed on its own. Presumably, Fengming City would not be able to hold on for long too. It was better to enter Ling Kingdom and settle down as soon as possible so that Bai Wutong could feel at ease. Cui Shize still felt a little upset, but what could he do? He was not the prime minister of the Yan Kingdom now, nor did he have the herbs to save the people. In Bai Wutong¡¯s words, he could only cherish the present. After everyone dispersed, Qingfeng told Bai Wutong that the eldest son of Duke Chu had sent someone to follow them. Bai Wutong frowned. ¡°Why are they following you?¡± It was difficult for Bai Wutong not to suspect that they were the ones who led the people in the city to riot. Otherwise, how could so many commoners suddenly learn that the prescription could cure the plague? Qingfeng said, ¡°They wanted us to serve Duke Chu¡¯s eldest son.¡± Bai Wutong frowned. ¡°All settled?¡± Qingfeng nodded. ¡°No one left alive.¡± Bai Wutong heaved a sigh of relief. In the future, she had to be even more careful not to be targeted by these ¡°nobles¡±. The team prepared to set off. Lin Yue followed behind Bai Wutong, his face flushed red. He hesitated a long while and still could not say a word. Bai Wutong was about to get into the carriage when she finally asked impatiently, ¡°What exactly can¡¯t you say?¡± As if waiting for Bai Wutong to ask him, Lin Yue immediately leaned over and said softly, ¡°Qingfeng has only four months to live.¡± Bai Wutong was stunned. She had known for a long time, but how did Lin Yue know? She raised her eyebrows and gestured for him to finish quickly. Lin Yue glanced at Gu Zhongxun, who was checking the injuries of the others in the team, and said, ¡°He¡¯s the disciple of the divine doctor, Wen Renhua. If he has herbs, he might be able to concoct an antidote.¡± Bai Wutong was stunned, and joy quickly gathered in her eyes. Could the divine doctor cure Chu Tianbao¡¯s mind? Just as she was about to ask what herbs were needed to concoct the antidote, she suddenly realized that something was wrong. Didn¡¯t Lin Yue hate Qingfeng? Why was he so concerned about her now? She narrowed her assessing eyes at Lin Yue. ¡°So what do you think we should do now?¡± Lin Yue glanced at the Cui family at the back of the team and stammered, ¡°I think we can borrow some herbs for Gu Zhongxun to study in advance. When we reach Black Wind Ridge and find my master, we can return the herbs to them.¡± ¡°You want me to borrow it?¡± Bai Wutong raised her eyebrows. Lin Yue hurriedly said, ¡°Qingfeng also saved our young master a few times later. Our master is a person who distinguishes gratitude and grudges. He will definitely give them the herbs. Madam, don¡¯t worry.¡± Lin Yue finally finished speaking when he saw Bai Wutong looking at him, as if she had understood something. He was unaware of it and said anxiously, ¡°We can probably borrow from the Cui family, right?¡± Bai Wutong looked at Qingfeng, who had not said a word, and nodded. ¡°Probably. Does Gu Zhongxun know what herbs are needed?¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Lin Yue took out the list of herbs he had prepared and said, ¡°Gu Zhongxun said that he wants these first.¡± What he meant was that he might need other herbs. Bai Wutong looked at the dense writing on it and entered the carriage. Soon, she came out with a few bottles of Six Flavor Yellow Earth Pills. Since she was asking others for help, she naturally had to show etiquette. Bai Wutong went straight to Cui Shiji and explained her intentions. ¡°I want to borrow some herbs from Patriarch Cui. Is it convenient?¡± Bai Wutong was the Cui family¡¯s benefactor. Be it the plague prescription or the printing technique, they were both extremely admirable. Cui Shiji agreed and said readily, ¡°No problem! Our Cui family will give as much as Madam Bai wants!¡± However, when he took the list, he was dumbfounded. There were too many precious herbs needed. The Cui family would even no longer have any left if they had given to Bai Wutong. Although Cui Shiji felt the pinch, he still smiled and said, ¡°Madam Bai, do you need it now? I¡¯ll send someone to organize the herbs and send them to you.¡± Chapter 78 - 78 Meat Porridge 78 Meat Porridge Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡± Then she placed a few bottles of Six Flavor Yellow Earth Pills that she had prepared in front of Cui Shiji. ¡°These are some of my extra Six Flavor Yellow Earth Pills. Master Cui, please take them to Mister Yang.¡± Some of the medicinal herbs for the Six Flavor Yellow Earth Pill were relatively rare. Cui Shiji was worried about what to do in the future after feeding them to Yang Quanzi a few times. Bai Wutong gave him four bottles of them that were enough to last him two months. It was completely enough for the team to last until they entered the Ling Kingdom¡¯s city to buy the medicinal herbs. Since the Six Flavor Yellow Earth Pills were more important to his teacher, Cui Shiji pretended to politely decline initially before he accepted all the medicine bottles. He even said, ¡°Madam, if you need any other medicinal herbs, feel free to tell me. Our Cui family will do our best to give them what we can.¡± Originally, even if Bai Wutong did not give the Six Flavor Yellow Earth Pill, they would definitely give the medicinal herbs. Now, Cui Shiji felt that they had taken a huge advantage of Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong thought that Gu Zhongxun might need more herbs to study the formula and nodded. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll definitely ask Patriarch Cui if I need.¡± Hearing Bai Wutong say this, Patriarch Cui felt a little relieved. When Bai Wutong got the herbs, Lin Yue was secretly happy and kept glancing at Qingfeng. When Bai Wutong saw this, she sighed in her heart. She hoped that this disciple of the divine doctor could concoct an antidote. The team continued to set off for Fengming City. As long as they safely crossed the Fengming Mountain Range, they would be able to enter the territory of Ling Kingdom. The closer they got to Fengming City, the steeper the ground became. They could clearly feel the temperature drop drastically. After walking for half a month, it was already autumn in the other cities. The temperature in Fengming City had already plummeted to below zero. Bai Wutong felt her limbs cold as she sat in the carriage. The others who were walking outside were even colder. Apart from a pair of eyes that were exposed, everyone put on whatever clothes they could. But the team had obviously slowed down. With the low temperature, everyone¡¯s energy consumption was huge. Originally, the team had to rest twice a day, but now, they needed to rest three times a day. Bai Wutong looked at the sky and said to everyone, ¡°Everyone can¡¯t walk anymore. Let¡¯s find a place to camp today.¡± ¡°Alright, Madam.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s team stopped, followed by the 30 Qinghe families. Everyone¡¯s expressions relaxed. After walking for so long, they could finally stop and have a hot meal to warm up. Village Chief Zhao and the others skillfully set up the overnight tent. Bai Wutong alighted from the carriage to take a breather. When Gu Zhongxun saw this, he immediately came over with his notebook and charcoal pen. Bai Wutong said that she was not an expert who had developed the plague prescription, but she had superb surgical stitching skills. While he was helping the team take care of the patients, as long as the team stopped, other than testing medicine for Qingfeng and the others, he would look for Bai Wutong to clear any medical doubts that he did not understand. At first, he was more reserved and did not dare to disturb her for too long. Later on, he realized that Bai Wutong¡¯s knowledge of surgical procedures was comparable to the vast sea. After benefiting greatly, he wished he could turn into a tail and grow on Bai Wutong. How could the other tail of Bai Wutong agree? As soon as Bai Wutong got out of the carriage, Chu Tianbao, who was originally sitting in the carriage with Stinky, jumped down from the carriage with a whoosh and stood in front of Gu Zhongxun. He said angrily, ¡°Why are you here again!¡± At first, Gu Zhongxun felt embarrassed. Later, he realized that as long as he appeared, Chu Tianbao would stop him from talking to Bai Wutong. In order to learn more and novel medical skills, Gu Zhongxun¡¯s skin gradually thickened. From the beginning, when he would blush, but now, he could smile without changing his expression. ¡°Master Chu, I¡¯ll just say a few words to Madam Bai.¡± Chu Tianbao had also become smarter. Hugging Stinky, he placed one hand on his hip and looked at him through his nostrils. ¡°Sure. Two sentences. Go ahead.¡± Gu Zhongxun immediately regretted it. He stood on the spot and thought about how he could say a few words and make Bai Wutong answer countless questions in his mind. Bai Wutong still wanted Gu Zhongxun¡¯s master to check on Chu Tianbao¡¯s mind and was very polite to him. When she heard their conversation, she glared at Chu Tianbao and said to Gu Zhongxun, ¡°My husband is joking with Doctor Gu. If you have any questions, ask them.¡± Gu Zhongxun heaved a sigh of relief. From the corner of his eye, he saw Chu Tianbao, who was glaring at him covetously and would kill him if he dared to say more than two sentences. An idea flashed through his mind. He raised the letter in front of Bai Wutong and said, ¡°Madam Bai, can you help me answer these questions?¡± Bai Wutong took it and winced. The notes were filled with questions. She suddenly felt that it was a very wise move for Chu Tianbao to stop him. Just as she was about to answer Gu Zhongxun¡¯s question, Chu Tianbao suddenly said, ¡°Wife, Stinky seems to be hungry.¡± Bai Wutong turned his head and saw Stinky chewing on Chu Tianbao¡¯s hair. Bai Wutong looked at Gu Zhongxun apologetically. ¡°I¡¯ll write down the responses in the letter for you.¡± Gu Zhongxun widened his eyes and said excitedly, ¡°Thank you, Madam Bai. I¡¯ll leave it to you then.¡± Bai Wutong had explained so clearly in words, so the notes she would write must be a million times better than what he had compiled. As soon as Gu Zhongxun left, Stinky spat out the hair that Chu Tianbao had stuffed into his mouth at the last minute in disdain. He spat hard and climbed onto Chu Tianbao¡¯s shoulder. He grabbed a good piece of meat that Chu Tianbao had exposed and bit it with his four baby teeth. How could a baby know his limits? Chu Tianbao felt as if a needle had pierced into his flesh. With a roar, he picked up Stinky and threatened fiercely, ¡°If you dare to bite your father again, you won¡¯t be called Stinky anymore. You¡¯ll be called Doggie!¡± Stinky was suddenly pulled up by him and glared coldly at. He paused for a moment, pouted, and started crying. Stinky rarely cried. When he did, his eyes were watery and it made one¡¯s heart break. Bai Wutong quickly picked up Stinky from Chu Tianbao¡¯s hand and coaxed him gently, ¡°Stinky, don¡¯t cry. Stinky, don¡¯t stoop yourself to your father¡¯s level, okay?¡± Stinky cried even louder. Bai Wutong glared at Chu Tianbao, who was bullying Stinky, and coaxed in a low voice, ¡°Then I¡¯ll bring you to eat meat porridge, okay?¡± Stinky cried a few times. His nose and eyes were red. When he heard the words ¡°meat porridge¡±, his cries stopped abruptly, as if someone had pressed the pause button. His tears were still in his eyes. He hugged Bai Wutong¡¯s neck with his small hands and pounded softly it a few times, as if he was asking for meat porridge. Bai Wutong didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry. She glanced at the withered Chu Tianbao and carried Stinky to find meat porridge. Chu Tianbao stood where he was, covered in the shadows of loneliness. He lowered his eyes aggrievedly. His wife only liked Stinky and did not like him at all. Stinky was carried by Bai Wutong. When he saw Chu Tianbao standing there without moving, his happy expression immediately became anxious. He stretched out his chubby little hand and insisted that Chu Tianbao hug him. ¡°Daddy¡­ Daddy¡­¡± Bai Wutong turned around and saw that Chu Tianbao was so aggrieved that he was about to cry. It was as if he had been abandoned. Her heart immediately twitched. There were more people in the team now. Everyone came to ask her about all kinds of things. She had indeed neglected Chu Tianbao a lot recently. She carried Stinky over and took Chu Tianbao¡¯s hand. ¡°Shall we have meat porridge together?¡± Bai Wutong suddenly held his hand, and the warmth of her palm spread over. Chu Tianbao suddenly looked up, and the haze in his eyes was gone. He smiled brightly and said, ¡°Okay.¡± He also naturally carried Stinky over, as if the sadness just now was just Bai Wutong¡¯s imagination. Bai Wutong smiled and tightened her grip. Chapter 79 - 79 All the Medicine Is Gone 79 All the Medicine Is Gone Everyone gathered around the fire to eat their porridge when it suddenly started to snow. Bai Wutong reached out her hand, and the slightly cold snowflakes fell into her palm. The moment Stinky reached out his small hand to grab them, they disappeared. The snow was indeed beautiful, but it was strangely cold. She could feel the temperature plummet by several degrees. Bai Wutong was very worried. If they continued moving on, would they encounter a snowstorm? At dawn, a thin layer of snow had accumulated on the top of their tent. The children who had woken up early had even built many strangely shaped little snowmen. When they saw Bai Wutong lift the carriage curtain, a bold child immediately pointed at the snowman he had made and said with a smile, ¡°Madam Bai, look, this is the Master Chu I made! Isn¡¯t it good-looking?¡± He had decorated the snowman¡¯s face with leaves as a beard. Now that he said it, it looked a little like Chu Tianbao. Bai Wutong nodded gently and praised, ¡°Yes.¡± The little kid¡¯s chin almost raised to the sky in pride. Little Peach, who was much more agile in movements, carefully walked over with the little snowman she had made and raised it. ¡°Madam, it¡¯s you,¡± she said sweetly. As soon as she finished speaking, the other children joked, ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like her at all. Madam Bai¡¯s face is red.¡± Little Peach shook her head and said seriously, ¡°Mother said that Madam will definitely become as fair as the snowman in the future.¡± Bai Wutong looked at Little Peach, whose hands were red from the cold and was smiling sweetly at her. Her heart warmed and she stroked Peach¡¯s head. ¡°Yes, Peach is right.¡± The children looked at each other and imitated Little Peach to make a cute little snowman. They held it in front of Bai Wutong and said innocently and hopefully, ¡°Madam Bai will definitely become fair like this.¡± Bai Wutong met the children¡¯s expectant gazes and felt warm in her heart. Her smile was as bright as the sun as she said, ¡°Yeah.¡± The children were stunned. Why did it seem that the weather was not so cold anymore? Ever since that night of snowing, the team entered the vast wilderness of the Fengming City. The snow fell heavier and heavier. Just as Bai Wutong had guessed, a snowstorm was about to arrive. When there was a snowstorm, the snow would be accompanied by strong winds. The snow would fill the sky and visibility would decrease. If the team continued on their way, they would encounter great danger. Bai Wutong looked around and said to everyone, ¡°We¡¯re trapped in a snowstorm. Set up the tent where we are and wait for it to end before we go on.¡± They were surrounded by uneven plains and could not find anywhere else to hide. They could only set up tents on the spot. Bai Wutong did not have much experience with snowstorms. She quickly flipped through the blizzard disaster prevention information in the RV space and made a summary to Lin Yue and the others, ¡°When the snowstorm comes, everyone has to shake the tent from time to time to avoid being crushed by the snow. In addition, you have to make sure that the snow doesn¡¯t block the vent. If the snow blocks the vent of the tent, the people inside will suffocate.¡± Lin Yue quickly passed the message down. Unexpectedly, everyone was still too slow. The sudden snowstorm and wind made it impossible for them to successfully set up the tent. Very soon, they could barely even stand. The carriage rocked, and the horses whinnied in alarm. It was too dangerous to continue staying in the carriage. Chu Tianbao tied Stinky to his chest and got out of the carriage with Bai Wutong. The people from the 30 families of Qinghe also alighted from the carriage one after another. The snow fell heavily. After a while, they could not see each other¡¯s faces clearly despite being quite close. The horses and livestock jumped around in panic. Many of them held the horses and were almost dragged away by the horses before the snowstorm blew them away. The things that everyone had piled on the carriage were also overturned by the wind. Fortunately, Bai Wutong and the others got out of the carriage in time. One of the carriages was lifted off the ground and smashed into a horse, causing it to fall into the snow and neigh in pain. Food was the foundation of their escape. The men used their bodies to protect the food on the cart. After a while, they were covered in snow and turned into snowmen. It was fine if they persisted for a while. If they persisted for a while longer, the snowstorm would be a little stronger and their energy would be exhausted. They might be blown away and buried by the snowstorm at any time. Bai Wutong shouted at Lin Yue, Qingfeng and the others, ¡°The snow is too heavy! Everyone, forget about the horses and things. Now, get everyone to hang their emergency food bags on their bodies and dig a snow hole to hide in! Hurry up! It¡¯ll be too late if the snow gets any heavier! We can still think of a way if there¡¯s no more food. If the person is gone, there¡¯s really no other way.¡± Only a few people could hear Bai Wutong¡¯s voice in the howling snow. Lin Yue, Qingfeng, and the others quickly led their men in passing down the message. The 30 families of Qinghe had no other choice but to listen to Bai Wutong¡¯s instructions. When the messenger returned, Chu Tianbao had already used his internal energy to dig a huge snow hole for everyone to squeeze into. Lin Yue jumped into the snow hole and suddenly thought of something. He got up with a whoosh. At this moment, the snowstorm almost brought about a huge impact like the flood. It was extremely dangerous for Lin Yue to go out at this time. Bai Wutong was about to tell him not to go out, but Lin Yue had already disappeared. ¡°Whoo¡ª¡± ¡°Whoo¡ª¡± The howling of the blizzard sounded in everyone¡¯s ears. No more horses could be heard outside the snow hole. Time passed, but Lin Yue had not returned. Bai Wutong was worried that he would be blown away by the snowstorm. When Qingfeng stood up to look for him, Lin Yue¡¯s struggling figure appeared in the blurry snowstorm with the box. Everyone quickly squeezed like penguins to make room for him to hide. He came down, covered in snow. Even the roots of his eyelashes had been turned into icicles. When he suddenly entered the crowd, he let out a cold breath and sighed. ¡°It¡¯s so warm.¡± He had almost frozen to death. Qingfeng glanced at the large box that was still covered in snow in his hand, and her eyes darkened. The blizzard lasted all afternoon. It was almost dark before the snow began to ease. At this moment, the top of everyone¡¯s heads was already covered in snow that was dozens of centimeters thick. If not for the fact that they trembled from time to time, they would probably have died from the heavy snowfall. Those who knew martial arts jumped out of the snow hole and helped the others dig out the people trapped in the snow. After being busy for a while, everyone came out of the snow and started digging for buried food items. After digging for a while, they found only a tenth of the supplies. The rest of the supplies had been blown away by the heavy snow. The horses and living livestock had almost been wiped out. Apart from a few that had survived with difficulty, the rest had either been trapped in the snow and suffocated to death or had run out of sight. There were so many of them. What would they do without the food? Everyone looked at the seemingly empty team and became afraid of the journey ahead. Gu Zhongxun even looked around for the prescription medicine he had developed for Qingfeng. After searching for a long time, he could not find a single herb. He looked at Qingfeng in a daze and said sadly, ¡°Miss Qingfeng, the medicine is all gone.¡± Chapter 80 - 80 Revealing The Spot 80 Revealing The Spot Qingfeng found Lin Yue in the crowd and suddenly smiled. ¡°There¡¯s some left.¡± Gu Zhongxun looked up, confused. ¡°What¡¯s left?¡± Lin Yue seemed to have sensed Qingfeng¡¯s gaze and turned around. He was caught off guard and bumped into Qingfeng¡¯s faint smile. From the corner of his eye, he saw Gu Zhongxun beside him. He immediately frowned and carried the box he had been holding over. His eyes widened as if he was saying, ¡°What are you laughing at?¡± Gu Zhongxun looked at the medicine box in Lin Yue¡¯s hand and said in surprise, ¡°It¡¯s not lost?!¡± Lin Yue subconsciously glanced at Qingfeng. When he realized that there was nowhere to hide the box, he puffed out his chest and explained, ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy for Madam to exchange for the herbs, so of course I have to keep an eye on them.¡± In the future, he still had to ask his master to return them. If he lost the box, he would have to return two sets. He thought that he did not act guilty at all. But his eyes were darting around, not daring to look at Qingfeng. Gu Zhongxun hugged the medicine box and checked it. After discovering that there was nothing missing inside, he heaved a long sigh of relief and praised Lin Yue, ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Brother Lin. Otherwise, Miss Qingfeng¡¯s hope would have been gone.¡± Hearing his words, Lin Yue immediately denied, ¡°I¡¯m not doing this for her!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, he felt that he was exposing himself. He looked up at the sky awkwardly and couldn¡¯t help but glance at Qingfeng from the corner of his eye to see how she would react. Qingfeng¡¯s expression was calm. After looking away from Lin Yue¡¯s forced gaze, a complicated expression flashed across her face. She walked straight away without saying a word to him. Lin Yue stared at her back and secretly clenched his fists. His strained expression made Gu Zhongxun realize that something was wrong. He comforted him considerately, ¡°Miss Qingfeng must be grateful to you in her heart. She¡¯s just not good at expressing herself.¡± It was fine if he did not comfort him, but once he did, he stepped on Lin Yue¡¯s sore spot. Lin Yue turned his head fiercely and said angrily, ¡°Shut up!¡± Then, he left Gu Zhongxun behind without looking back. Gu Zhongxun stood rooted to the ground, a little stunned. He did not seem to understand why Lin Yue was angry at him. It was almost dark, and the items were even harder to find. If everyone had walked too far away, they might get lost. Bai Wutong said to everyone, ¡°Let¡¯s not look around for now. Let¡¯s eat something first and see what we can find tomorrow morning.¡± As they were busy finding things, there was not much firewood left. Everyone could only eat the dry rations in the emergency food bag with hot water. Moreover, they were afraid that they would not have anything to eat if they ate too much, so they could only eat till 50% full. Soon, it was almost too dark to see. The temperature had dropped to below -10¡ãC. Their equipment that had been used to set up the tent had also been blown away. If everyone wanted to spend the night safely in such cold temperatures, they would have to squeeze together like penguins. The women and children were at the innermost area. The people outside were the ones who suffered the most from the cold. Bai Wutong made them wear the thickest clothes and then changed positions with the others every hour to warm up inside. The team of more than 500 people were divided into five groups that were huddled together. Bai Wutong covered everyone¡¯s heads with the only blanket she had found to prevent the heat from spreading. She taught this penguin heating method to the 30 families of Qinghe at the back of the team. Bai Wutong hugged Stinky while Chu Tianbao hugged them and nestled in the middle of the crowd, waiting for dawn. The night was long, and everyone finally lasted until dawn. The herbs were basically all gone, so Bai Wutong could only let everyone boil snow to keep warm. At this moment, the 30 families of Qinghe sent over some old ginger and asked everyone to cook ginger soup to ward off the cold. After drinking the hot ginger soup and eating some dry rations, everyone gained some energy. They looked at the sun hanging high in the sky like an egg yolk and smiled as if they had survived a disaster. Everyone dug hard and found some more things. Huang Zhong had a sensitive nose. As long as he was around to search, he could always find something in the snow. Everyone worked together and only found three-tenths of the items. However, if they fed on the dead livestock and horses sparingly, it would allow the team to survive for a few more days. Sensing Huang Zhong¡¯s use, Patriarch Cui came to borrow him. Bai Wutong specially let Huang Zhong eat and wear warm clothes before letting him follow Patriarch Cui. As it was almost afternoon and there was really nothing else around, the team began to organize their existing supplies and prepare to set off. Bai Wutong and the others could still survive on their rations for seven to eight days. There were more people in the 30 families of Qinghe, so the food they found could only sustain for four to five days. They were at least half a month away from Ling Kingdom. This amount of food was far from enough. Lin Yue said to Bai Wutong, ¡°As long as the team reaches Black Wind Ridge and finds our master, our master will definitely have a way!¡± Bai Wutong was stunned. ¡°Where is Black Wind Ridge?¡± Could there be a Black Bear Spirit there? Lin Yue said uncertainly, ¡°It¡¯s in front of Fengming City. Our food should be able to last until there, right?¡± If only he could remove ¡®should be¡¯ from his question. Bai Wutong sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s take it one step at a time.¡± There would always be a way. They could not see the border of the vast wilderness. They had been walking for five days, and it was estimated that they could sustain for seven to eight days. Because of the cold weather, everyone had to huddle together to keep warm at night. Their energy consumption was even faster than they had imagined. At most, they would last for another day before all their food was depleted. The servants of the 30 families of Qinghe had already begun to eat plain porridge. How could they eat only plain porridge on such a cold day? As they continued, many people could no longer move further. Their faces turned purple from the cold and they could not even resist the cold. Those who could follow the 30 families of Qinghe were all loyal servants. How could Patriarch Cui bear to see them die? He forcefully took out some more from their rations so that they could recover their strength. When Bai Wutong saw this, she couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious. They had to find food as soon as possible. The food in her space could only last for a day or two even if she secretly took it out for everyone to eat. It was only a drop in the bucket for the team. While Bai Wutong was racking her brains, she suddenly remembered that there was a lake symbol on the map. It should not be far from their current location. If there was a lake, there would definitely be fish! Bai Wutong made a prompt decision and said to everyone, ¡°We¡¯ll take this path to the lake to catch fish and replenish our food stock.¡± Although they had taken a detour, as long as they could replenish their food and let everyone have the strength to continue forward, it was worth it. It took them half a day to reach the lake. At first glance, it looked like an endless glacier. The entire lake was covered in thick ice. It was impossible to catch fish with bare hands or dive down to catch fish. Yang Quanzi and Xu Zhiyi had been to many places in Hua State and had seen others chisel ice and fish. Just as they made the suggestion, Bai Wutong waved her hand and said, ¡°No need. We have Chu Tianbao!¡± Chapter 81 - 81 Put Me Down 81 Put Me Down The ice surface was at least ten centimeters thick, and the thickest could reach more than half a meter. It was not a problem for children to walk and jump on it. Chu Tianbao looked at the ice surface. Lin Yue and the others immediately followed Bai Wutong¡¯s instructions and asked everyone to step back to prevent the ice bits from cracking and injuring anyone. Chu Tianbao could already control his internal energy skillfully. He held out his hand and everyone craned forward to see. Suddenly, an invisible force surged out from Chu Tianbao¡¯s palm like an army of thousands of troops. Immediately after, everyone heard a series of deafening sounds accompanied by the ice that had popped up like a volcano eruption. ¡°Swish¡ª¡± The water rolled and splashed everywhere. The ice that even explosives had to expend a lot of effort to blow up was shattered by Chu Tianbao¡¯s internal force. Before anyone could react, it shattered into tiny ice shards and quickly melted into the lake. When Bai Wutong saw Chu Tianbao¡¯s move, she suddenly thought that Chu Tianbao had the potential to be an ice shaver machine. Everyone looked surprised as they waited for a large number of dead fish to appear on the lake like last time. However, the lake was too big. Although Chu Tianbao had exploded the ice surface of the lake, there were not as many fish floating to the surface as they had imagined. Everyone inevitably looked disappointed. Bai Wutong frowned and said to the others, ¡°The water here is too deep. Even Tianbao can¡¯t kill that many fishes with his internal energy. Everyone, remove the rope and tie it into a fishing net. There will definitely be more fishes caught with the fishing net. Other than the fishing net, the others can also use fishing rods to catch fish into a basket. Try to catch as many as possible. We¡¯ll bring them along on the way.¡± Everyone was only disappointed for a moment. When they heard Bai Wutong¡¯s instructions, they immediately got busy. The 30 families of Qinghe also followed Village Chief Zhao and the others to transform the limited things in their hands into tools to catch fish. Soon, after everyone scooped up the fish that Chu Tianbao had killed, they began the second wave of fishing. Everyone was nervous when the net went down. If there were not enough fish in this lake for everyone to eat, not only would they have wasted their time, they would also have to starve again. There were modern fishing rods in Bai Wutong¡¯s space. She only took out a sharp fishing hook and hung it on the fishing line. She took Chu Tianbao to the lake and asked him to chisel an ice hole. She placed a small bench and prepared to fish. As soon as the hook landed, the person who had cast the fishing net cheered excitedly. ¡°There¡¯s fish, there are so many fishes!¡± As soon as he said that, everyone stopped what they were doing and craned their necks to look into the fishing net in the lake again. The temporary fishing net they had made had very big holes, so it could only catch big fish but not small ones. The unknown weight of fishes tugged at everyone¡¯s hearts. Everyone waited eagerly. As the fishing net was pulled up, many big fishes jumped up in an endless stream, trying to find a chance to escape. Those who knew martial arts stood where they were and waited for a chance. When a big fish jumped up, they would quickly catch it. Before the fishing net was completely put away, they had already caught a few baskets of fish. The fishing net was completely kept away. It was filled with big fish, making everyone excited. The children were overjoyed and kept shouting, ¡°Big fish! Big fish!¡± The adults could not help but start welling up in tears of joy. A few more nets and the food for their journey would be enough. Bai Wutong had seen on television what it was like for fishermen to cast their nets and catch fish after the fishing ban period. It was a different feeling to see so many fishes from the frozen lake with her own eyes. In huge surprise, everyone called Bai Wutong over to look at the fishes. At this moment, the fishing line in Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao¡¯s hands trembled violently. Bai Wutong hurriedly said to Chu Tianbao, ¡°Tianbao, quickly pull, there¡¯s a fish!¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes widened. In surprise, he and Bai Wutong pulled up the fishing line at the same time. Immediately, two red carps appeared in their vision. Chu Tianbao threw the fish to the ground, carried Bai Wutong and spun around excitedly. He said excitedly, ¡°Wife, wife, we caught a big fish!¡± The feeling of catching a fish was too good. The experience of a strong resistance was simply irresistible. Bai Wutong was also quite happy. After chatting happily with Chu Tianbao, she realized that countless pairs of bright eyes of various sizes had gathered around them. ¡°¡­¡± The adults did not dare to look openly and secretly glanced at them. Their faces were filled with ambiguous glances. Realizing that they had been caught by Bai Wutong, they turned away again. The children did not have so many ¡°concerns¡±. They looked at the fishes and then at them, laughing happily. Chu Tianbao didn¡¯t feel that anything was wrong. Just as he was about to rub his face against Bai Wutong, Bai Wutong angrily pried his head open and ordered him sternly, ¡°Put me down!¡± Thinking that fishing was fun, Chu Tianbao put down Bai Wutong with a whoosh. In a flash, he pulled out the bait that had yet to be eaten and threw it into the water to wait for any gluttony fish to take the bait. Bai Wutong was caught off guard and was put down by him. It was as if her heart had been thrown to the ground. She stared at Chu Tianbao¡¯s back as he fished seriously. She suddenly wondered if he would put her down so easily once Gu Zhongxun¡¯s master had cured Chu Tianbao. As soon as Chu Tianbao threw the bait, he turned around and looked at Bai Wutong with a bright smile. ¡°Wife, come and fish!¡± Bai Wutong came back to her senses and forced a smile. Why was she thinking so much? If Chu Tianbao was willing to leave, so be it. He was just someone she picked up from the beginning, so it was not like her to feel so attached. Bai Wutong perked up and began to compete with Chu Tianbao to see who could catch more fish. In a short while, the basket behind them was filled with fish. When the children saw that they had caught so many big carps one after another, they hurriedly went to ask their adults for fishing hooks and fishing lines. When night fell, the shore of the lake was filled with sounds of happiness. Everyone used the fishing nets to catch fish one after another. There were more than 500 kilograms of fish in the nets. Although there was no salt left and they could not marinate all the fish, the territory of Fengming City was now like a natural freezer. They did not have to worry about storing the fishes. They had enough food for the remaining journey and everyone even had enough fish to eat that day. Hence, all of them could not help but be happy. However, there was another problem. There were too many fishes and there was no carriage to carry them. How could they transport the fishes? While everyone was busy cooking, Village Chief Zhao saw a few big trees at the side and planned to bring some people to cut down some wood to make poles and skewer the fish. Chu Tianbao had not eaten fresh fish for a long time and was roasting two skewers of fish happily. Village Chief Zhao led the villagers to get busy. Bai Wutong carried Stinky and went to watch the commotion. ¡°What are you guys doing?¡± Village Chief Zhao looked up and said with a smile, ¡°Make some carrying poles to carry the fish away and make a wooden horse for Young Master to play with.¡± Chapter 82 - 82 Snowmobile 82 Snowmobile Village Chief Zhao had made plans for his three sons. If they could study, he would do his best to support them. If they couldn¡¯t, they would learn a skill that could support their families. None of his three sons were good at studying. The eldest son, Zhao Yuan, was a blacksmith. The second son, Zhao Sheng, was a carpenter, and the third son, Zhao Pengfei, was extremely strong and would usually hunt. Zhao Sheng was shaving the wood when he smiled at Bai Wutong and said, ¡°The wooden horse that I made can be played by Young Master alone.¡± Stinky had reached the stage where he could crawl and sit. It was the month when he could start standing. It was just the right time for him to ride a small wooden horse. He had taken jobs for rich families, seen their drawings, and going to town to sell the little wooden horses he had made. When Bai Wutong heard that they were going to make poles for carrying the fishes and a small wooden horse for Stinky, she suddenly thought of Santa¡¯s snowmobile. If they had snowmobiles, even if there were no elk or horses pulling them, it would be much easier for them to pull and push them than carrying so many fish on a pole. Most importantly, the snowmobile could also be used for people to sit and glide using the poles. If everyone was tired, they could even rest on it. Moreover, it was not difficult to make snowmobiles. It only required sturdy wood. The more Bai Wutong thought about it, the brighter her eyes became. She immediately said to Village Chief Zhao, ¡°Why don¡¯t you make a few more snowmobiles? It doesn¡¯t have to be very big. Just big enough to drag some things.¡± Zhao Sheng was stunned for a moment and asked curiously, ¡°What does a snowmobile look like?¡± Zhao farmyard was in the center of the Yan Kingdom. It rarely snowed, let alone seen a snowmobile. Bai Wutong handed Stinky to Qingfeng, took out a charcoal pencil and a wooden book from her bag, and quickly drew a blueprint for Zhao Sheng. ¡°Look at this. It¡¯s exactly what it looks like. It doesn¡¯t have to be a complicated wheel. The main thing is to apply pressure on the blade and slide on the ice.¡± The structure of the snowmobile drawn by Bai Wutong was clear. Zhao Sheng only took a look and understood it. He said excitedly, ¡°Madam, this snowmobile is very practical! I can probably make five in one night!¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°Let the others help you. Make more so that everyone will be more relaxed on the way.¡± She was afraid that they would be too tired if they rushed to do it. She said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to be too rushed. Everyone is tired from the journey. We¡¯ll rest for another day tomorrow before leaving.¡± Zhao Sheng hurriedly said, ¡°Alright, Madam. I¡¯ll make a wooden horse for Young Master now and teach everyone how to make a snowmobile.¡± Bai Wutong smiled and poked Stinky¡¯s soft and chubby face. ¡°Did you hear that? Uncle Zhao Sheng said that he wants to make a little wooden horse for you. You¡¯ll have something to play with later.¡± Stinky clapped his little hands as if he understood. He opened his little mouth and giggled, causing saliva to flow down the corner of his mouth and onto Qingfeng¡¯s chest. Chu Tianbao suddenly waved at them and said loudly, ¡°Wife, let¡¯s eat fish!¡± Stinky followed Chu Tianbao¡¯s loud voice and spun 365 degrees in Qingfeng¡¯s arms. When he saw the grilled fish in Chu Tianbao¡¯s hand, he suddenly made a sound and knocked Qingfeng¡¯s back with his small hands, demanding strongly for him to eat fish. His saliva flowed out like a fountain, and it drenched Qingfeng¡¯s back. When Stinky saw others eating, he would become a glutton. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°Little glutton, are you deprived of food? Who could starve you?¡± Auntie Yang was the head chef of this all-fish banquet. The two fishes in Chu Tianbao¡¯s hand had also been simply marinated and roasted by her. The fish meat was tender and salty. Everyone, who had not eaten fresh fish for a long time, picked up their chopsticks and took a bite. They could not help but narrow their eyes in bliss. It was really too delicious! Bai Wutong felt that she could even finish a few of these delicious grilled fish herself! Stinky sat obediently in Qingfeng¡¯s arms and waited to be fed. Qingfeng fed him especially carefully. She would carefully remove the fish meat with a spoon and pick out all the fish bones before feeding him. The firelight shone on them, emitting a warm atmosphere. Auntie Yang smiled and teased, ¡°Young Master Qingfeng is so gentle. It must be a blessing for any girl to marry him!¡± As soon as he said that, Li Niang and Rocky, who were eating fish in silence, looked at Qingfeng. Qingfeng glanced at them indifferently, causing them to shiver in fear and immediately retract their heads. A woman like the commander whom everyone was afraid of probably could not get married, so she could only ¡°marry¡± a husband. Lin Yue was sitting beside Qingfeng. When Qingfeng fed the fish to Stinky, he wiped Stinky¡¯s mouth and couldn¡¯t help but complain to her softly, ¡°Who can you marry!¡± Qingfeng stopped feeding Stinky fish and looked at him deeply. Lin Yue thought that she was angry and hurriedly looked up to admire the moon. The shadows in Qingfeng¡¯s eyes also dissipated. In addition to the grilled fish, there was also fish soup, braised carp, and fish noodles. Everyone ate happily, then got busy again. After killing the fish and cleaning it up, not only would it reduce the weight on the road, but it would also be much more convenient to cook on the way. Auntie Yang led the women to deal with the fish, while the men worked feverishly on the snowmobile. Seeing that they were busy here, Cui Shiji brought the 30 families from Qinghe over to take a look. They immediately saw the snowmobile that Zhao Cheng was leading everyone to build. Cui Shiji and the others arrived at the right time. The first snowmobile that could carry people had just been completed. They saw it before Bai Wutong did. Yang Quanzi had traveled the entire state of Hua and was knowledgeable. He immediately recognized that this was a snowmobile that could be used in the snow. He subconsciously asked, ¡°Did Madam Bai ask you to make a snow carriage?¡± Zhao Sheng chuckled and said, ¡°This isn¡¯t a snow carriage. Madam Bai said it¡¯s called a snowmobile.¡± He sat on the snowmobile again and poked the snow with two wooden sticks. The snowmobile swished forward. ¡°It can be used to drag goods or as a sliding tool on the ice. We plan to make a few more. When we set off the day after tomorrow, we can put the things on the snowmobile.¡± Yang Quanzi sighed. ¡°Madam is really a genius!¡± Although he knew that there was such a thing, he did not think of asking everyone to make this snowmobile. He was naturally not as intelligent as Bai Wutong. Yang Quanzi looked at the blueprint that Bai Wutong had drawn for Zhao Sheng and was even more certain that the printing technique was created by someone like Bai Wutong. Seeing that the snowmobile could move effortlessly with a whoosh, Cui Shiji and the others¡¯ eyes lit up. Without a carriage, they also wanted to have snowmobiles that could carry people and haul goods. Most of the 30 families of Qinghe were scholars. In the past, they had to take a sedan chair when they went out if the distance was a little further away. After walking for so many days, their legs felt like they were about to break. If there was a snowmobile, it could save them from deep water and fire. Cui Shiji immediately understood what everyone meant and hurriedly asked Zhao Sheng eagerly, ¡°Master Zhao Sheng, can you also lead our people in building some snowmobiles?¡± Chapter 83 - 83 Black Wind Ridge 83 Black Wind Ridge Zhao Sheng was about to finish a snowmobile when he heard Bai Wutong¡¯s instructions to look for them. Cui Shiji took the initiative to ask, so he immediately agreed. After resting by the lake for two nights, everyone¡¯s energy visibly improved. After the fishes were dealt with, the snowmobiles were also ready. The things that were especially heavy were placed on the snowmobiles. It was very convenient to hold the handles and drag them or push them along. When Zhao Sheng was making a small wooden horse for Stinky, he thought of the structure of the snowmobile and modified the small wooden horse. Stinky could sit and be dragged or pushed by everyone on the small wooden horse. When Stinky was unwilling to sit on it, it could even be used to store things. It was killing two birds with one stone. After the 30 families of Qinghe obtained their snowmobiles, they sat on it and slid forward with two sticks. On flat ground, they were much faster than walking speed. Cui Lingyi was enjoying herself on the snowmobile. Cui Muzhi also wanted to play with it, so he urged her, ¡°Cousin, I¡¯m tired. It¡¯s my turn now!¡± Cui Lingyi looked back at him and raised her eyebrows with a look that said, ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s been an hour since we left, right?¡± When they did not have a snowmobile, Cui Muzhi would grit his teeth so that Lan did not have to carry him and he would still be able to walk for several hours. Cui Muzhi chuckled with a flushed face. After being exposed, he simply said, ¡°Good cousin, let me play for a while!¡± Cui Lingyi smiled and asked. ¡°You want to play?¡± Cui Muzhi thought that she was about to agree and nodded frantically like a puppy. ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Unexpectedly, Cui Lingyi raised her chin and smiled. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll have my fill first. Then it will be your turn.¡± Cui Muzhi¡¯s eyes widened. He looked at her with a dumbfounded expression, as if saying, ¡°Cousin, how can you trick me like this?¡±. Cui Lingyi was amused by him and said kindly, ¡°Fine, your cousin, I, am the best person.¡± Suddenly, Cui Muzhi¡¯s gaze at Cui Lingyi was filled with admiration. Cui Lingyi got up from the snowmobile. Cui Muzhi sat down and slid out happily. Feeling dissatisfied with sliding, he even let Lan Jingbai push him from behind to speed him up. When Chu Tianbao saw this, he also wanted to play. He looked at Bai Wutong eagerly. Bai Wutong didn¡¯t stop him. She carried Stinky over and smiled. ¡°Go play. Be careful not to fall over.¡± After obtaining Bai Wutong¡¯s permission, Chu Tianbao nodded excitedly and sat on the snowmobile that Lin Yue had prepared for him. With a kick of his hind legs, the snowmobile shot into the sky like a rocket¡­ and almost flew up. Bai Wutong was dumbfounded. The others people also had their eyes almost popping out. As expected of the peerless expert, Master Chu. He was so different even when playing with a snowmobile. Cui Muzhi saw Chu Tianbao in front of him and turned to look at Lan Jingbai. ¡°Blockhead Lan, can you also make it fly too?¡± Lan Jingbai glanced at Chu Tianbao, who had just landed and shot into the sky again, and replied cautiously, ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± Cui Muzhi was disappointed for a moment, but then he looked at Lan Jingbai excitedly and said with anticipation, ¡°When you can fly, you must take me with you!¡± Lan Jingbai: ¡°¡­¡± I probably won¡¯t be able to take you along in this lifetime. The team had enough food stock again, and with the snowmobiles lightening their load, they felt much more relaxed on the road. On the fifth day after setting off from the lake, a huge mountain range gradually appeared in the vast wilderness. Lin Yue pointed at the mountain range opposite and said excitedly, ¡°Madam, we¡¯re almost at the Fengming Mountain Range. The Fengming City is at the foot of the Fengming Mountain.¡± The refugees who had persisted until here saw great hope and quickened their pace. Bai Wutong looked at Lin Yue and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s the Black Wind Ridge? Why haven¡¯t we arrived there yet?¡± Lin Yue said, ¡°Probably soon. The Black Wind Ridge is a mountain at the next peak of the Fengming Mountain.¡± Bai Wutong looked around and saw that there were so many mountain peaks. She glanced at him speechlessly and said to the team, ¡°There are more refugees gathering in all directions. The people who can last until here have basically exhausted all their food. We have to take good care of our food. Even if we reach Ling Kingdom, I wonder if they will really settle us down properly.¡± Everyone nodded and continued to head towards the Fengming Mountain Range. The Fengming Mountain looked close, but in fact, it was miles away. Bai Wutong and the others walked for another day. When it was almost dark, they only entered a small hill in the Fengming Mountain Range. At this moment, Bai Wutong learned a very bad news. All the Life Spirit Pills from Patriarch Cui had been borrowed away by Bai Wutong along the way, so they did not have any more left. Gu Zhongxun still had not developed an antidote too. There was only one day left before Qingfeng and the others¡¯ next relapse. Every time Qingfeng and the others suffered a relapse, the pain would intensify. Last time, when Lin Yue and the others failed to keep an eye on one of them, he picked up his sword and stabbed a bloody hole in his leg. Bai Wutong looked at Qingfeng¡¯s backview and whispered to Lin Yue, ¡°If it really doesn¡¯t work, tie them up before tomorrow.¡± After thinking for a moment, he said, ¡°And gag their mouths to prevent them from biting their tongues and committing suicide.¡± Lin Yue clenched his fists and glanced at Qingfeng. ¡°Okay.¡± Just as the team was about to find a place to set up camp, Lin Yue suddenly saw three words engraved on the stone tablet¡ªBlack Wind Ridge! Once they reached Black Wind Ridge, he would be able to find his master. If he found his master, he would be able to obtain medicinal herbs. Lin Yue¡¯s eyes lit up. He looked back at Qingfeng and took out the signal flare in his pocket. After lighting it, it shot into the air and exploded. Lin Yue said happily to Bai Wutong, ¡°Madam, our master will send someone to pick us up soon!¡± Bai Wutong looked at the three huge words ¡®Black Wind Ridge¡¯ and fell into deep thought. What if it was a demon coming towards them? Everyone waited expectantly. There wasn¡¯t even a mosquito. Bai Wutong said, ¡°Let¡¯s set up camp and not wait anymore. It¡¯s going to be dark soon.¡± At this moment, the sound of hooves could be heard. Lin Yue and the others immediately said in surprise, ¡°It must be Master and the others!¡± Bai Wutong also looked forward to it for a moment. When the horses approached, Qingfeng¡¯s eyes darkened and she immediately shouted, ¡°Hit them!¡± All of them were armed with large sabers and looked experienced and vicious. They were clearly hundreds of hostile bandits! Under Qingfeng¡¯s command, the entire team quickly formed a tight encirclement and looked warily at the bandits who were about to charge over. Lin Yue was dumbfounded. Had the signal flare attracted the bandits? There were thousands of them and only a few hundred bandits. If they knew what was good for them, they should quickly get lost. However, not only did the bandits not run away, they even made way for the bandit leader to appear in everyone¡¯s line of sight on his horse. Qingfeng said warily, ¡°Be careful of ambushes!¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Lin Yue saw the bandit leader¡¯s face and immediately shouted in surprise, ¡°Master!¡± He knew it must be their master! Chapter 84 - 84 This Is My Son 84 This Is My Son Lin Yue called out to the bandit leader. Everyone looked at Chu Tianbao, who was carrying Stinky. Their expressions were filled with confusion. Who was he calling? When Sheng Huaixuan heard Lin Yue¡¯s voice, he suddenly smiled. He was dressed in a nondescript bandit outfit, but his handsome face was like that of a peerless young master riding a horse. The first thing he said was, ¡°Where¡¯s my son?¡± Lin Yue suddenly looked at Stinky in Chu Tianbao¡¯s arms. Everyone couldn¡¯t help but look at Stinky in Chu Tianbao¡¯s arms. They immediately realized something incredible. The young master and the bandit leader actually looked the same! What was going on? Could it be that Madam Bai¡¯s husband was actually someone else? In an instant, everyone was shocked by their imaginative thinking. Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao were so close. How could there be a third party in their relationship? Then what was going on? Sheng Huaixuan looked in Lin Yue¡¯s direction and saw his son, whom he had not seen for months, tied closely to Chu Tianbao¡¯s chest. He was even looking at him with wide eyes. Sheng Huaixuan looked at his fair and chubby face. He must have been taken good care of along the way. Sheng Huaixuan revealed a smile and jumped down from his horse. He spread his arms and walked towards Stinky with a smile. Stinky thought that Sheng Huaixuan was teasing him like his other uncles and brothers and started chuckling. Sheng Huaixuan was about to be melted by his son¡¯s cute smile. He was about to hug him when his smile deepened. ¡°Son~¡± Just as he was about to pull Stinky into his arms, Chu Tianbao angrily pulled out his sword and pointed it at Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s chest. If Sheng Huaixuan dared to move forward even a little bit, the sword tip would stab into his chest without hesitation. When everyone saw this scene, they instantly imagined the grudges between the three of them. Lin Yue shouted in fear, ¡°Master, stop!¡± Everyone was confused again. Who was he referring to? ¡°Master Chu, don¡¯t do anything. He¡¯s Young Master¡¯s father,¡± Lin Yue hurriedly said, afraid that Chu Tianbao would stab him to death. If he wanted to, no one here could stop him. Chu Tianbao was extremely angry at the man who wanted to snatch Stinky away from him. He was even angrier at Lin Yue¡¯s words. He looked at Sheng Huaixuan defensively and declared his rights angrily. ¡°I¡¯m Stinky¡¯s father!!!¡± When Sheng Huaixuan heard Chu Tianbao¡¯s words, he was instantly stunned. He looked puzzled as he thought about how his son had become someone else¡¯s son after a few months of not meeting. Lin Yue said anxiously, ¡°Master Chu, he¡¯s our young master¡¯s biological father!¡± You¡¯re at most a godfather! Chu Tianbao didn¡¯t care about whether he was the biological father or godfather. He only knew that Stinky was his son now. Everyone said that Stinky was his son, and he was as good-looking as him. If anyone dared to snatch his son from him, he wouldn¡¯t allow it! ¡°This is my son!¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s imposing manner amused Stinky. His chubby face shook as he laughed. He grabbed Chu Tianbao¡¯s neck with his small hand and slapped it, as if to say, ¡°Hurry up and stab him.¡± Sheng Huaixuan and Chu Tianbao could not communicate at all. Lin Yue immediately looked at Bai Wutong for help. He was indeed Stinky¡¯s biological father. What could Bai Wutong do? She sighed quietly and said to Chu Tianbao, ¡°Tianbao, give Stinky to him.¡± Chu Tianbao suddenly frowned, as if he was asking why. Bai Wutong¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Tianbao.¡± Bai Wutong was about to get angry. Chu Tianbao took a look at the little Stinky who did not understand the situation and was still laughing uncontrollably. He slowly loosened the strap on his waist and prepared to hand Stinky to Sheng Huaixuan. Sheng Huaixuan could finally hug his precious chubby son. He opened his arms and smiled brightly. Stinky watched helplessly as he was lifted up and handed to a stranger. There were no familiar people around him, so his smile suddenly stopped. His cheeks deflated visibly, and tears fell onto Chu Tianbao¡¯s hand. He cried out aggrievedly, ¡°Daddy¡­ Daddy¡­ Daddy¡­¡± He kept twisting his short legs, trying to climb onto Chu Tianbao. Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s hand froze in midair. The first time his son called out father, it wasn¡¯t referring to him¡­ And he didn¡¯t even let him carry. Boohoo¡­ Stinky struggled and cried so sadly that Bai Wutong¡¯s heart involuntarily twitched. Chu Tianbao even pulled Stinky back into his arms and coaxed him skillfully, ¡°Stinky is obedient, Stinky is handsome, Stinky is obedient and handsome, Stinky is the best-looking boy in the world¡­¡± After returning to Chu Tianbao¡¯s arms, Stinky was immediately coaxed. He even giggled and climbed onto Chu Tianbao¡¯s shoulder, rubbing its chubby face against him. His small hands held tightly, as if he was afraid that Chu Tianbao would hand him to someone else. Chu Tianbao rubbed his big beard against his big fleshy face and deliberately said to Sheng Huaixuan, whose hands remained empty, ¡°Stinky is calling me daddy!¡± His eyes was full of hate that seemed to want to prove to Sheng Huaixuan who was the father. Stinky tugged at Chu Tianbao¡¯s precious beard and shouted in a childish voice, ¡°Daddy¡­ Daddy¡­¡± The two of them were more like biological father and son. It completely made people neglect the huge difference in their looks. When Sheng Huaixuan, his biological father, saw how intimate his son was with Chu Tianbao, he felt an immense jealousy. Lin Yue hurriedly walked forward and explained, ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Madam Bai and Master Chu that Young Master is safe and sound and can successfully meet Master.¡± The simple but shocking words made Sheng Huaixuan realize the importance of Chu Tianbao and Bai Wutong to Stinky in his absence. He immediately restrained his emotions and bowed solemnly to Chu Tianbao and Bai Wutong. ¡°Thank you, Master Chu and Madam Bai, for saving my son, Yun Ling.¡± Chu Tianbao looked at him with his nose lifted and snorted. He said bluntly, ¡°This is my son!¡± Sheng Huaixuan said without hesitation, ¡°Master Chu and Madam Bai saved my son¡¯s life. It¡¯s only right for my son to call you father and mother.¡± He smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s late. Everyone, follow me back to the Black Wind Fortress. I¡¯ll get everyone to prepare for the ceremony tonight. My son will definitely treat the two of you as his biological parents in the future.¡± The topic suddenly changed to acknowledging them as family and Bai Wutong was stunned. Before she could think of a response, Sheng Huaixuan called out again, ¡°Sister-in-law, Big Brother, let¡¯s go. I¡¯ve already prepared a room for you when we came.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Sister-in-law? The corners of Bai Wutong¡¯s mouth twitched. No wonder Sheng Huaixuan could become the richest man in the country. His boldness was beyond others. Not to mention Chu Tianbao, she was indeed reluctant to part with Stinky. There was nothing not good about having a rich relative and it would be a happy outcome. Bai Wutong nodded and let the team follow. Yang Quanzi had found Sheng Huaixuan familiar. When he heard Sheng Huaixuan call Stinky Yun Ling, he suddenly slapped his head and remembered that Sheng Huaixuan had asked him to come up with the name Sheng Yun Ling so that he could buy paper at a cheaper price. Great, this fellow was actually so cunning that he even gave his son away. Yang Quanzi looked at Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s back and suddenly paused. This guy had never suffered any losses. Even if Sheng Huaixuan had sold paper at a cheap price, he had used his name to clean up the storeroom. If he wanted to become relatives with Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao, he must know that Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao had extraordinary backgrounds. Yang Quanzi suddenly frowned and looked at Stinky in Bai Wutong¡¯s arms, considering if he should take in another disciple. Chapter 85 - 85 Let Me See If Its Serious 85 Let Me See If It¡¯s Serious Everyone followed Sheng Huaixuan back. On the surface, the Black Wind Fortress looked no different from an ordinary bandit¡¯s nest, but when they entered, they were stunned. How was this a bandit¡¯s lair? It was clearly a shocking palace. In the hall, the resplendent decorations and sumptuous food almost blinded everyone. Sheng Huaixuan led everyone to sit down and introduced warmly to Bai Wutong. ¡°When I got someone to build Black Wind Fortress, they thought that I liked this style, so they made it like this.¡± He smiled and said, ¡°After Big Brother and Sister-in-law have eaten, and we¡¯ve completed the ceremony, there¡¯s still a hot spring behind. You can go and enjoy the hot spring.¡± The words ¡®hot spring¡¯ were even more popular than the word ¡®dinner¡¯. Even Bai Wutong looked happy. Everyone had not taken a shower in a long time. They wished they could jump into the pool and wash up immediately. Bai Wutong suddenly thought of something and asked curiously, ¡°Why did Master Sheng build Black Wind Fortress here?¡± Could it be that he had expected this day to come? It would be too brilliant of a foresight. Sheng Huaixuan said the most boastful words in a calm tone. ¡°Sister-in-law, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s good to build Black Wind Fortress here to soak in the hot spring, drink good wine, and admire the beautiful scenery?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Was this the world of the rich? Build a Black Wind Fortress for his vacation? She wondered if it was true. Bai Wutong looked in the direction he was looking at and happened to see a beautiful scenery like Mount Fuji in Japan. It was indeed a good place to enjoy a vacation. Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t help but say sincerely, ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Sheng Huaixuan smiled and looked at Stinky, who was sitting happily with Chu Tianbao and biting an apple. His eyes were filled with gentleness. ¡°Thank you, Sister-in-law, for taking care of Stinky along the way.¡± He directly recognized the ¡°elegant title¡± that Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao had given his son and expressed the greatest respect for them. Chu Tianbao took a bite of the apple and played with it with Stinky. When Stinky couldn¡¯t bite the apple, he bit Tianbao¡¯s wrist. Chu Tianbao was extremely amused and said. ¡°Stinky should be called a dog.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s expression froze, then relaxed. He was probably glad that they hadn¡¯t named Stinky Doggy. After everyone had an unprecedented sumptuous dinner, Bai Wutong was led away by a servant. Even more surprising, the choice of hot spring made her feel as if she¡¯d gone to the Sun Nation. There was an open-air hot spring with many people and a private hot spring. The maidservant even asked Bai Wutong if she wanted a hot spring for couples¡­ This made Bai Wutong involuntarily recall the scene of Chu Tianbao shattering the screen when he was bathing in Beiyun City. Her face immediately turned red, and she hurriedly turned it down, ¡°I just want a private hot spring.¡± The maidservant asked again, ¡°Madam, do you want to loosen your muscles and bones and burn a detox incense?¡± After travelling for so long on the road, Bai Wutong indeed felt her back ache and the humidity seeping into her bones. She, who did not like others touching her, could not help but nod. When Bai Wutong followed the maidservants into her private private suite, her eyes lit up. The white marble hot spring was different from the luxurious gold and jade outside. The design here was extremely soft and elegant. Lying in the middle of the hot spring, one could still see the entire beautiful night sky. The considerate design made one fill with temptation. After a while, the maidservants brought in various fruits, snacks, and wine and placed them at a place where Bai Wutong could casually take them. Bai Wutong could not help but exclaim again. As expected of the richest man! He even knew how to enjoy a hot spring. After putting down the things, the maidservants left tactfully. Before they left, they even said that if Bai Wutong needed their help, she could ring the wind chimes on the top of the bathtub. After they all left, Bai Wutong sat in front of the dressing mirror and took out the special makeup remover from her space. She removed the red spots on her face before removing her clothes and entering the hot spring that had just the right temperature. After soaking in the warm hot spring, Bai Wutong closed her eyes comfortably and swam slowly in the water like a dreamy mermaid. No matter how good the hot spring was, one would feel dizzy after soaking in it too much. Bai Wutong soaked for a while and rubbed herself with the fragrant soap. Her entire body was glowing with a red luster before she came out of the water. Bai Wutong put on the undergarments and pants prepared by the maidservants and put on her makeup as usual before coming to the outer room of the luxurious private bath. When Bai Wutong lay on the soft bed, she felt that she had become a suckling pig that was waiting to be roasted, and the maidservants were eagerly applying spices to her. The maidservants¡¯ massage techniques were all professional. It was as if there was a magical power in their hands that made every inch of Bai Wutong¡¯s skin feel so comfortable. Bai Wutong narrowed her eyes in comfort, and the maidservants gradually relaxed their grip. After Stinky was carried away by Sheng Huaixuan, Chu Tianbao looked around for Bai Wutong in sadness. He came to the luxurious private hot spring and said angrily to the maidservants guarding it, ¡°I¡¯m going to look for my wife! Get out of the way!¡± These maidservants were extremely professional. Since Bai Wutong did not allow others to enter, they would not allow Chu Tianbao to enter. Chu Tianbao wanted to barge in, so the maidservants repeated Bai Wutong¡¯s words to Chu Tianbao. ¡°Madam Bai asked Master Chu to sleep with Young Master Lin tonight.¡± Their eyes were filled with restrained smiles, as if they had never seen a husband abandoned by his wife. As soon as they said that, Chu Tianbao was visibly stunned. He only wanted to sleep with Bai Wutong and not the smelly Lin Yue. Chu Tianbao was usually very obedient, but after Stinky was taken away and he would not be the only father in the future, it made him feel empty. He looked sadly at the big hole above the luxurious private hot spring. With a flash of inspiration, he hid behind the stone pillar and used his extraordinary hearing skills to eavesdrop on the maidservants leaving. After Bai Wutong fell asleep, he quietly used his qinggong and jumped into the big hole above the hot spring. When he entered the inner room, Chu Tianbao saw a graceful figure lying on the huge fan-shaped bed. His eyes suddenly lit up. He quietly took off his coat and slipped into Bai Wutong¡¯s silk blanket. Bai Wutong was in a half-awake state when she suddenly felt a hot temperature behind her. Her attack was faster than her mind. With a slap, Chu Tianbao¡¯s face was slapped. Suddenly, Bai Wutong¡¯s hands went numb from the shock. She suddenly opened her eyes and saw Chu Tianbao sitting beside her. He covered his face with his hands and his eyes were filled with tears. He was like a big child-like tiger that had been beaten up and was doubting its life. Bai Wutong had yet to react to what had happened. She stared at him in a daze and felt her palm hurt. Immediately, she reached out guiltily to touch Chu Tianbao¡¯s face. ¡°Let me see. Is it serious?¡± Bai Wutong carefully removed Chu Tianbao¡¯s big hand and realized that it was more than a little serious. The clear slap mark would definitely make everyone think that Chu Tianbao had been abused by her the next morning. Chapter 86 - 86 My Wife Slapped My Face 86 My Wife Slapped My Face It wasn¡¯t the first time Chu Tianbao had suddenly approached her from behind and had been hit by her. Why was he still unable to learn his lesson? Bai Wutong frowned and said, ¡°Shall I get you some medicine to apply?¡± Chu Tianbao suddenly whimpered. ¡°Wife, you slapped my face¡ª¡± The contrast between his resentful gaze and his dignified appearance was extremely cute. Bai Wutong wanted to hold it in, but she could not help but smile. When Chu Tianbao saw the faint smile in Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes, he felt even more aggrieved. He immediately pounced on her. ¡°Wife, you slapped my face¡­¡± As if he did not want to live anymore. After all, she had hit him. She could not be irresponsible. Bai Wutong held his cheek and coaxed, ¡°Tianbao, don¡¯t cry. Shall I blow on it for you?¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s tears welled up in his eyes. His expression was still so aggrieved, but he was afraid that Bai Wutong would go back on her word, so he immediately said, ¡°Then blow on it.¡± Bai Wutong leaned closer, her gaze landing on his well-defined facial features. She exhaled softly, and the warm wind was as gentle as Bai Wutong¡¯s gaze. Chu Tianbao narrowed his eyes and looked intoxicated. Bai Wutong blew at his face until her gums were almost sore. Once she wanted to let go of his face and stop blowing, Chu Tianbao would whine miserably. Bai Wutong felt that she was in the wrong, so she endured it. However, Chu Tianbao went even further. He leaned his head against her thigh and brazenly raised his chin, begging Bai Wutong to blow faster. Bai Wutong¡¯s face darkened and she pinched Chu Tianbao twice. ¡°Do I have to even massage you?¡± Of course, Chu Tianbao felt that it was a good idea, but when he met the fierce gaze of Bai Wutong, he immediately changed his nodding to shaking his head. Chu Tianbao had already grasped the essence of stopping when he was ahead. When Bai Wutong lay down, Chu Tianbao took the opportunity to hug her and wrap her in his arms so that Bai Wutong could place her head on his chest. They were no longer on the narrow couch of the carriage. Bai Wutong frowned and pushed. Chu Tianbao did not bulge. Bai Wutong closed her eyes helplessly and heard Chu Tianbao¡¯s expectant voice. ¡°Wife, let¡¯s have a child too!¡± After Auntie Yang found out that Stinky was not their biological child, she comforted Chu Tianbao and asked him to have a child with Bai Wutong. After Chu Tianbao learned that if it was Bai Wutong and his child, no one could snatch it away, he especially wanted to have a child with Bai Wutong. Moreover, Auntie Yang had said that having many children was a blessing. Chu Tianbao recalled many scenes of Stinky taking a dump. He felt a headache and rubbed against the petrified Bai Wutong. He emphasized, ¡°Let¡¯s just give birth to one Stinky.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Give birth my ass! Bai Wutong sat up in his arms and grabbed his ear. ¡°If you want to give birth, give birth to one yourself!¡± Chu Tianbao hugged Bai Wutong¡¯s waist with one hand and held his aching ear with the other. He said sweetly, ¡°Tianbao can also give birth. Wife, tell Tianbao how to give birth.¡± He even looked like he wanted to give birth seriously. ¡°¡­¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s expression was indescribable. She wanted to tell him that men could not give birth and that only women could give birth, but she was afraid that he would not let go of the topic. The words rolled back and forth in her throat countless times. Then, she simply lay down and pulled the blanket over her head, pretending not to hear anything. Chu Tianbao crawled under the blanket to bug her. ¡°Shall we? Stinky is so cute. Don¡¯t you want Stinky?¡± ¡°Wife, let¡¯s give birth.¡± Bai Wutong suppressed her emotions again and again but the frustration she had endured instantly reached its peak. She lifted the blanket and scolded Chu Tianbao. ¡°Sleep!¡± Chu Tianbao lowered his head. ¡°Wife, don¡¯t you want to give birth to Stinky with me? Is it because you think I¡¯m dumb?¡± The others secretly talked about something wrong with Chu Tianbao¡¯s brain. How could he not hear it? As he spoke, he curled up under the blanket, leaving Bai Wutong a gaze that he was secretly licking his own wounds. It was as if Bai Wutong had really admitted that he was stupid if she did not want to give birth to Stinky. Seeing his pitiful look, Bai Wutong knew that he could not bear to part with Stinky and was really sad. She sighed deeply and comforted him helplessly for the time being. ¡°It¡¯s not suitable on the road.¡± Chu Tianbao suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with anticipation. ¡°Can we do it when we get home?¡± Bai Wutong was stunned and said perfunctorily, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it later.¡± Chu Tianbao immediately understood that Bai Wutong had agreed. When they reached home, they could give birth to their own Stinky. His gloominess was instantly swept away. He pulled Bai Wutong into his arms and rubbed against her excitedly, closing his eyes in satisfaction. Bai Wutong fell on his chest and looked up at the smile on his face. Her heart ached. She couldn¡¯t bear to leave Stinky either. However, how could they not be separated from other people¡¯s children? After Chu Tianbao received the ¡°promise¡± from Bai Wutong, the next day, he was not as angry when he saw Sheng Huaixuan playing with Stinky with snacks. After this night, other than Gu Zhongxun, who had stayed up late to brew the Life Spirit Pill for Qingfeng and the others, everyone was 100 times more energetic. This place was only half a day away from Fengming City. Sheng Huaixuan had arrived here a long time ago. Bai Wutong asked him about the situation in Fengming City and if they could successfully enter the Ling Kingdom through Fengming City. If the risk was high, Bai Wutong planned to bring everyone up Fengming Mountain. Sheng Huaixuan said, ¡°The surroundings of Fengming City are extremely dangerous. Once the refugees get close, all their belongings will be looted by the Yan Kingdom¡¯s soldiers and they would be driven to the common people¡¯s wall.¡± At this point, Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s eyes were filled with pity and anger. ¡°The common people¡¯s wall?¡± Everyone looked puzzled, but Bai Wutong thought of the wall of 10,000 people that had appeared in the modern history of China¡¯s wartimes. She immediately shivered. Could it be that after Lord Ning Yuan reached the end of his rope, he inhumanly used the commoners as a meat wall to resist the enemy? Bai Wutong hoped that she was wrong, but Sheng Huaixuan confirmed her guess. ¡°The 100,000 soldiers in the city had no food to eat, so Lord Ning Yuan allowed the soldiers to rob the refugees of their remaining food. He even let the refugees guard the forbidden line to serve the country!¡± The refugees who could not even eat their fill were dragged onto the battlefield without any rations. It was obvious that they were just human shields waiting to die! Sheng Huaixuan sighed and said, ¡°When the Ling Kingdom revolted, they used the slogan of enforcing justice on behalf of the heavens. They naturally couldn¡¯t do anything evil like killing the people and forcefully attacking the city which would lose the support of the people. That¡¯s why Lord Ning Yuan has been able to last until now.¡± He sighed sadly and said, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the sudden death of the Ling Kingdom¡¯s commander, I¡¯m afraid Fengming City would have been breached long ago.¡± Bai Wutong frowned. ¡°Why didn¡¯t the people choose to circle into Ling Kingdom¡¯s territory from other places?¡± Bai Wutong planned to lead everyone over the mountain. Sheng Huaixuan looked at the majestic Fengming Mountain Range in the sky and shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s easier said than done. The snow on Fengming Mountain doesn¡¯t melt all year round, and the terrain is steep. It¡¯s naturally not suitable for soldiers to wait at the foot of the mountain.¡± Bai Wutong thought for a moment. ¡°How long can Fengming City last?¡± Chapter 87 - 87 Special Treatment 87 Special Treatment Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°If there is a continuous supply of refugees and people eating each other, Lord Ning Yuan will definitely be able to last for a few more months.¡± The words ¡°eating each other¡± shocked Bai Wutong. It was not strange for refugees to eat each other on the way, but when the soldiers guarding the city did this, Bai Wutong¡¯s stomach immediately felt disgusted. What was the point of guarding such a city! Bai Wutong suddenly thought of another issue. ¡°We need food the most in war. Can the Ling Kingdom¡¯s army afford it?¡± Sheng Huaixuan sighed. ¡°They couldn¡¯t afford it before, but they can now.¡± As soon as he said this, Bai Wutong said in surprise, ¡°You gave all the rations to Ling Kingdom?¡± It was not just the rations that Sheng Huaixuan supplied. He nodded and gave Bai Wutong a somewhat comforting smile. ¡°When we reach the foot of Fengming Mountain, someone will escort us into the territory of Ling Kingdom.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°You have everything arranged?¡± Sheng Huaixuan nodded. ¡°Yes, Sister-in-law. The defeat of the Yan Kingdom is certain. Everyone can be at ease when we reach Ling Kingdom.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes lit up and her face was filled with joy. They were finally reaching their destination. Soon, she would have a home of her own in this world. Bai Wutong immediately asked, ¡°When are we leaving?¡± Sheng Huaixuan said, ¡°Tonight!¡± Bai Wutong revealed an expression as if saying, ¡°So fast¡±. Sheng Huaixuan smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for Big Brother and Sister-in-law here for a long time.¡± He meant that if it wasn¡¯t for waiting for his son, he would have gone over first. Bai Wutong nodded in understanding. ¡°I¡¯ll get everyone to prepare.¡± In order not to be discovered by the Yan Kingdom¡¯s patrolling soldiers, Bai Wutong requested everyone to reduce their luggage as much as possible and gather before dark. Qingfeng sounded a whistle, and everyone quickly formed a team. The team, which was even more orderly than the army, immediately took Sheng Huaixuan by surprise. Lin Yue stood beside him as if Bai Wutong was his actual master. He said proudly, ¡°Madam Bai is awesome! She was the one who made the whistle.¡± Sheng Huaixuan looked at his son, who was sticking closely to Chu Tianbao, and then at the extremely proud Lin Yue. Why did he feel like an outsider? In the middle of the night, the Yan Kingdom¡¯s patrolling soldiers were the most tired. Sheng Huaixuan had already made an agreement on Ling Kingdom¡¯s side. As soon as they arrived at a designated location at the foot of the Fengming Mountain Range, a group of powerful men in black appeared to receive them. Seeing their clothes, Bai Wutong suddenly thought of Princess Qingping and Consort Ping who had been kidnapped. She wondered how they were doing, so she asked Sheng Huaixuan out of curiosity. Sheng Huaixuan said, ¡°Half a month ago, the Eldest Prince used them as hostages and asked Lord Ning Yuan to open the city gate and surrender. In the end, he was killed by Duke Ping.¡± Bai Wutong suddenly said in surprise, ¡°That¡¯s his wife and daughter! Isn¡¯t it said that Duke Ping dotes on this daughter the most?¡± She was so spoiled that even Bai Wutong wanted to kill her. Sheng Huaixuan suddenly smiled. ¡°Since ancient times, Duke Ping has loved this daughter because he wants to rely on Consort Ping¡¯s family to help him seize power. Now that he has already obtained the throne, why would he care about a daughter?¡± Bai Wutong sighed. ¡°What¡¯s there to fight about? Sitting on the throne will only get you a dynasty full of problems.¡± Sheng Huaixuan glanced at Bai Wutong in surprise and smiled meaningfully. ¡°Even a heavily damaged country can¡¯t beat the temptation of overlooking all living beings.¡± With the men in black covering them, they entered a secret passage. After walking for about an hour, they came out of the secret passage and onto a rugged path in the Fengming Mountains. Along this rugged path, Bai Wutong and the others had climbed countless small hills during the night. When they felt that their legs were about to break, they stood on a hill and finally saw the densely packed battle camps of the Ling Kingdom¡¯s army. Everyone in the team looked happy. They had finally arrived! Involuntarily, everyone quickened their pace. Unexpectedly, they had not completely left the mountain. The intense sounds of battle suddenly sounded before dawn. Immediately after, the Yan Kingdom¡¯s battle horn was blown. Bai Wutong took a closer look and realized that the Ling Kingdom¡¯s army, which had obtained all of Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s assets, could no longer wait. They ignored the refugees under the wall and directly attacked. An earth-shattering sound of slaughter kept coming. Bai Wutong felt that she was trembling slightly, as if she was mourning for everyone who had died. The flames of war raged and the sound of weapons striking was heard. Even though she knew that war was cruel, in an instant, Bai Wutong was still disappointed in Ling Kingdom. As it was more risky to attack from this rugged mountain path with a large army, Ling Kingdom had hesitated for so long. But after obtaining the rations, they could not wait to kill the refugees. If Bai Wutong and the others were also one of them, they would probably be mercilessly killed. Cui Shize, who wanted to see if Duke Chu was a virtuous monarch, witnessed this scene. He lowered his eyes in grief, turned his back, and punched the tree trunk. After descending the mountain, the men in black brought them to an empty space beside the camp tent. This was a temporary resting place specially set up by Ling Kingdom to show their generosity to the refugees. Because of Sheng Huaixuan, they got the ¡°cleanest¡± place to rest. When they heard that they would be able to get food and proper arrangements as long as they arrived in Ling Kingdom, they sat down and rested for a while. After they took out their dry rations and finished eating, there was still no one who bothered with them. Bai Wutong asked Sheng Huaixuan, who was also sitting with them, ¡°Didn¡¯t you donate so much rations? Isn¡¯t there any special treatment?¡± Sheng Huaixuan smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m just a businessman. Without a bargaining chip, how can I catch the eye of a noble?¡± Bai Wutong shook her head regretfully. Sheng Huaixuan was clearly the most valuable person. After waiting for a long time, a lowly-status official came out and said casually to Sheng Huaixuan, ¡°The Eldest Prince is busy with the war and can¡¯t meet you. If there¡¯s anything, just tell me. The Eldest Prince also said that you have done the Ling Kingdom¡¯s imperial court a favor. You can choose 50 acres of land in the Ling Kingdom and become a farmer. Kneel down to thank the prince¡¯s kindness now!¡± He had an arrogant expression and looked down on Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s face. It was all because of Duke Chu¡¯s order to suppress agriculture and businesses. Bai Wutong was furious, but Sheng Huaixuan, who had given all his assets to Ling Kingdom and only had 50 acres of land left, had to remain calm. He happily kowtowed to this small official to thank the prince. ¡°Thank you for your bestowed gift, Eldest Prince.¡± The lowly-status official smiled eeriely. ¡°Our eldest prince has treated you well. You have to remember it. If there¡¯s nothing else, go over there and register yourself. Bring your clansmen along with you.¡± What he meant was that Sheng Huaixuan should be satisfied with 50 acres of land. How could Sheng Huaixuan not understand? He smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll go register now. Sorry to trouble you.¡± The lowly-status official raised his chin and looked at him with his nose. ¡°Remember, let your son and grandson study hard in the future. Don¡¯t be that unscrupulous businessman anymore.¡± If not for their Eldest Prince¡¯s kindness, Sheng Huaixuan would not have had the chance to change his identity. Sheng Huaixuan clenched his fists in his sleeves and nodded respectfully. ¡°I¡¯ll listen to your advice.¡± After losing his value, Sheng Huaixuan was abandoned. Bai Wutong¡¯s impression of Duke Chu¡¯s only legitimate son immediately changed to a negative one. If such a person were to inherit the throne, it would be better for Duke Chu to have a few more children. Chapter 88 - 88 Farming on the Wasteland 88 Farming on the Wasteland Sheng Huaixuan had donated all his family assets and obtained a farmer¡¯s residence and 50 acres of land. This was considered a great gift from Ling Kingdom. When the commoners of Zhao¡¯s Farmyard saw this arrangement, they all looked disappointed. Then what kind of arrangement could they, a group of commoners with nothing, get? Everyone followed Sheng Huaixuan to the registration office to register. Bai Wutong asked the soldier beside him, ¡°General, what kind of land can we get?¡± When the soldier heard others call him General, he said in a good mood, ¡°When you settle down in the village, the men can each get an acre of land. If there are no men, you can go and explore the wasteland. You can have as much as you want there.¡± Each man only had one mu of land. How could a family of old and young expect one mu of land to be enough for them to survive? Ling Kingdom¡¯s arrangement was clearly to chase all the refugees to the wasteland. Even if they were unwilling, they could not do anything in Ling Kingdom without a household register. If it was so easy to explore and establish ancient lands, everyone would not have lacked clothes and food. Bai Wutong frowned. ¡°General, where can we stay if we go to the village?¡± The soldier saw that there were so many of them and smiled. ¡°The world is huge. You can live anywhere.¡± Bai Wutong said, ¡°Will we be assigned homesteads?¡± ¡°If you go to explore the wastelands, there will naturally be a homestead,¡± the soldier said. Bai Wutong asked, ¡°General, do we have to pay taxes on the land we reclaim? What about everyone¡¯s household registration?¡± Bai Wutong was most concerned about the problem of settling down. The people of Zhao¡¯s Farmyard were more worried about what to do without land next year. The soldier said, ¡°Of course you have to pay taxes. When you¡¯ve paid enough food and completed your commissions, you can settle down smoothly the next year.¡± In the first year of farming, one had to pay the grain tax and complete a commission before settling down. Everyone looked at each other and saw endless disappointment in each other¡¯s eyes. Cui Shiji couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Can¡¯t we pay to buy the land?¡± With so many people in the Qinghe 30 families, they would definitely be separated by the government and integrated into the various villages. Then, the Qinghe 30 families would completely disappear from the long history records. The soldier looked at him and raised his chin. ¡°No, rules are rules. You have to obey the arrangements. If you go wherever you want, how are we going to manage it? Besides, you don¡¯t even have a household register now. How are you going to buy land?¡± He was just short of writing on his face to ask them to obey. Perhaps they were afraid that the refugees would cause trouble, so the supervision of the refugees who entered the Ling Kingdom¡¯s territory was very strict. After they were assigned, they could only go to a fixed place. If they were not careful, they would be arrested and questioned in detail about whether they were spies from the Yan Kingdom. If they did not want to be separated, their only choice was to farm. ¡°Where is the exploration location?¡± Bai Wutong asked. As someone who had lived in the post-apocalyptic world for a few years, she was very satisfied as long as there was a place with mountains and water to settle down. She had space and banknotes. She would definitely be able to live well. She would not interfere with the choices of the others. The soldier looked at the long queue and said, ¡°Go ahead and ask. I don¡¯t know about this.¡± The family assets donated by Sheng Huaixuan finally had some effect. Bai Wutong and the others were specially received by a small official in charge of registration. Without asking them what they would choose, he placed a map in front of Bai Wutong and the others and said impatiently, ¡°You can explore the places marked on this map.¡± Then he said bluntly to Sheng Huaixuan, ¡°You can also choose any of the 50 acres of land rewarded by the Eldest Prince.¡± He was considered a decent-sized landowner with 50 acres of land. Everyone suddenly felt a little envious of Sheng Huaixuan. Sheng Huaixuan smiled at Bai Wutong. ¡°Sister-in-law, where do you want to settle down?¡± Bai Wutong looked at the map and asked the small official a few questions. The small official answered impatiently. Bai Wutong pointed to one of the places and said, ¡°Sir, please help me. My husband and I want to go here.¡± What could they do with an acre of land? It would be troublesome to be a village chief. She¡¯d might as well go to explore new lands and be free. She could have as much land as she wanted. The place Bai Wutong had chosen was very far from the Imperial City that the Ling Kingdom had temporarily decided on. It was far from disputes and had four distinct seasons. It was located beside mountains and rivers. She felt that it was a good place to go. The small officer said, ¡°You can¡¯t choose that.¡± Bai Wutong frowned. ¡°Why not?¡± The small official pointed at the refugee list and said, ¡°There are 5,000 people in these two places. You can only choose other places.¡± He didn¡¯t say it earlier that they could not choose it. This made Bai Wutong roll her eyes in her heart. Cui Shiji suddenly said, ¡°Madam, why don¡¯t we settle down here together?¡± There were more than 5,000 people in total, so they could directly occupy a place. Although they did not know how to farm, they would definitely have servants. Bai Wutong looked at them and then at the citizens of Zhao farmyard who were definitely going to follow them. She nodded and said to the small official, ¡°Alright.¡± Then she said, ¡°Sir, we have more than 5,000 people now. Can you let us go to this place to explore the land?¡± The small official emphasized, ¡°No matter what your previous identities were, as long as you settle down, you have to pay enough food taxes next year! If you don¡¯t pay enough, you will be reduced to a fallen citizen and can only follow the arrangements to engage in cheap businesses.¡± Bai Wutong had also asked around just now. In the first year, they did not have to pay too much food. As long as they explored the land in time and sowed the seeds in spring, there would definitely be enough food to pay the grain tax. Bai Wutong nodded confidently. ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to trouble you to register us.¡± Bai Wutong chose to explore and farm on the wasteland. Sheng Huaixuan glanced at Stinky who was still hanging on Chu Tianbao¡¯s body. From time to time, Lin Yue wanted to attract his attention but hesitated to speak up. He pointed at a spot beside Bai Wutong and the others¡¯ wasteland and said, ¡°Sir, can you give me 50 acres of land here?¡± The small official raised his eyebrows in surprise and reminded him sternly not to go back on his word. ¡°These are all thin fields. The output is not good. You have to think carefully!¡± Even a fool knew how to differentiate between thin and good land. Sheng Huaixuan glanced at Bai Wutong and the others, but he said without hesitation, ¡°Sir, I want to be with my big brother and the others. Please help me register.¡± He had chosen it himself. The official had reminded all that he could. With a few strokes, he divided Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s 50 acres of land to the side where Bai Wutong and the others were going to explore. He also registered Sheng Huaixuan with the only household register among so many of them. Immediately, everyone looked at him enviously. If they wanted a household registration, they would have to wait until they paid the grain tax next year. Everyone frowned again at the thought of the grain tax. They wondered if it had been the right choice to leave their hometown and come here. Village Chief Zhao could tell that they were worried about the future. He looked at Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao¡¯s backs and said, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Madam and Master, we probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to keep our lives. We¡¯re already considered lucky to be able to live here and still have fields to farm. Now, the citizens who are staying in the Yan Kingdom still have to face the war. If they were lucky to survive this year, farming for the next year will be a huge challenge. We should be content!¡± Chapter 89 - 89 How Can We Farm Without Water? 89 How Can We Farm Without Water? Village Chief Zhao¡¯s words made everyone perk up again. They had been farming for a living, so the location did not matter much. ¡°We¡¯ll manage the land of Master and Madam in the future. We can¡¯t let them suffer at all!¡± Bai Wutong and the others had protected them along the way. This was all they could do now. Village Chief Zhao nodded in relief and agreed. ¡°Yes.¡± After the land they were going to explore was registered, they could collect the dry rations for their journey and prepare to set off. While they were collecting the food, Prime Minister Cui looked at his disciples and said, ¡°You all have your own skills and talents. Ling Kingdom is in need of manpower. The Eldest Prince is in the tent in front. If you want to stay, go ahead yourself.¡± Cui Shize¡¯s will to serve a virtuous ruler had always affected his disciples. If Cui Shize did not like the Eldest Prince, how could they? Moreover, Duke Chu was in his prime age and might have other heirs. If they had chosen to follow the Eldest Prince, there would be no room for negotiation in future. The disciples knelt on the ground and said, ¡°Teacher, we still have many areas to improve. We want to join the government only after the imperial examination has been restored.¡± If Duke Chu had a discerning eye and saw that they were really talented after the imperial examination, he would definitely put them in an important position. Cui Shize frowned. ¡°If you follow me, you will have to start farming. You can only participate in the imperial examination once you have attained your household registration in Ling Kingdom. Moreover, it¡¯s still unknown when the imperial examination will be restored.¡± If they obtained the Eldest Prince¡¯s recognition, not only would they be able to soar, but they would also not have to go to the countryside to farm. The disciples looked at each other and smiled. ¡°If Teacher isn¡¯t afraid of exploring wasteland and farming, why should we be afraid?¡± Cui Shize saw the determination in their eyes and sighed. ¡°Alright!¡± The current situation was uncertain anyway. After receiving their rations, they were sent on their way by the soldiers of the Ling Kingdom. Chu Tianbao knew that they were about to reach home. He excitedly raised Stinky high up to sit on his shoulders and ran a few rounds. Then, he used his qinggong and darted around. Not only was Stinky not afraid, he even grinned and giggled happily as if he was used to sitting there. Sheng Huaixuan watched worriedly and enviously. Lin Yue said, ¡°Master, don¡¯t worry. Master Chu won¡¯t hurt our young master. His martial arts are very powerful!¡± His eyes were filled with admiration for Chu Tianbao. Sheng Huaixuan was already used to it. He nodded and praised, ¡°Brother is indeed very powerful.¡± Why didn¡¯t he learn martial arts back then? When they set off, it was already close to dusk. A horn sounded. The news that the Fengming City had been destroyed and Lord Ning Yuan and his soldiers had been killed spread. The entire camp was overjoyed. After taking down Fengming City, they would enter Jiangyuan City and soon occupy Duke Ping¡¯s lair, Huaiyang. Once the food supply from Huaiyang was cut off, the entire Yan Kingdom would be at their mercy. In order to prevent him from obtaining military merits, Gou Houxing was chased off the battlefield by Chu Mingji when the city was broken. Suddenly, he saw a familiar figure in the group of refugees. He widened his eyes and was about to chase after when the Eldest Prince¡¯s servant deliberately reminded him, ¡°General Gou, the Eldest Prince has ordered that you are not to act on your own.¡± Gou Houxing looked on with a dark expression. When he looked again, the refugees had already walked far away. He lowered his head again. If the general was still alive, how could he have abandoned the empress? The team followed the soldier who led the way and walked for eight days before finally arriving at Woqian Town. After changing the group of leading people and registering everyone¡¯s information, they were not allowed to stay in Woqian Town and was led to the Jade Spiritual Mountain. In winter, the Jade Spiritual Mountain was covered in snow. They followed the officers who were in charge of leading the way. They walked along the dense forest for less than an hour and followed the rugged and steep mountain path made by a passerby for more than an hour before the officers stopped. Bai Wutong was already sweating all over. This road was too difficult. If they wanted to set up their homes here, they would have to build a road in the future before they could let the carriage in. Otherwise, a whole day would have passed by on foot. The officers pointed at a slightly flat area in the mountains and said, ¡°You can explore here in the future!¡± Then they pointed in another direction and said to Sheng Huaixuan politely, ¡°Your land is there. If you lack anything, you can borrow it from a village nearby. Alright, we¡¯ll be heading back first.¡± Bai Wutong looked at the head bailiff. ¡°Officer, didn¡¯t you say that there was food for us to survive the winter?¡± The head bailiff smiled. ¡°There are so many refugees. How can the government afford it? The policies have changed, and there¡¯s no food for you. Don¡¯t you still have a day¡¯s worth of food? Just survive on that. With so many strong men, you can find work to exchange for food. There¡¯s also such a huge mountain that has plenty to eat. It¡¯s better to rely on yourself than on others. Take care. I¡¯ll bring people to count the manpower two days!¡± With that, he gave them a warning look and led his men away, as if he had just rid himself of a burden. If the officials did not give them any food, weren¡¯t they just leaving them here to fend for themselves? At this moment, the villagers of Zhao¡¯s Farmyard all felt a strong sense of being deceived. When they was staying in Woqian Town previously, Village Chief Zhao had already gone to the food store to ask around. The food was as ridiculously expensive as in the Yan Kingdom. All their assets added up could not feed them for an entire month. Most importantly, they could not buy much food even if they had the money. As the two countries were at war, food became an important strategic resource and was strictly controlled by the government. Everyone could only buy a little food per day. Bai Wutong said, ¡°Let¡¯s set up camp first. We¡¯ll think about it after we¡¯re full.¡± What else could they do? They could only be glad that they had settled down. Everyone was used to sleeping in the wilderness. The environment here was considered good. There was so much wood that they could use to camp. Everyone supported each other as they walked towards their uneven ¡°home.¡± Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s place was beside the mountain. However, he didn¡¯t have a house, so he made do with Bai Wutong and the others. After setting up the tent for the night, everyone started a fire to cook. Bai Wutong realized that there was no water source around, so everyone could only boil snow water to cook. The official said that there were mountains and rivers here. But she only saw mountains, where was the water! How could they farm without water? Bai Wutong frowned and said, ¡°Go and see if there¡¯s a water source nearby.¡± Qingfeng replied, ¡°Okay.¡± Lin Yue followed Bai Wutong¡¯s instructions habitually. After taking two steps, he stopped and retracted his feet. He should listen to Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s orders now. Sheng Huaixuan was a smart person. He said to him, ¡°Go and see if there¡¯s water around too.¡± Lin Yue immediately flew out to follow Qingfeng. Qingfeng and Lin Yue walked around the surrounding forest and entered the depths of the forest before discovering a frozen mountain spring. If someone without martial arts had to transport water back and forth, he would definitely be exhausted and might even encounter wild beasts in the forest. Chapter 90 - 90 Do You Think Were Beggars? 90 Do You Think We¡¯re Beggars? After Bai Wutong learned that there was only one stream in the deep mountains, she could not help but sigh. ¡°The road ahead is difficult.¡± Without water, they would have to dig a canal. As long as the war did not end, the food restrictions would not end. Even if the war ended, it would be difficult for the citizens to recover for a while. If Bai Wutong wanted to live a carefree life where she could buy food at any time, the time was probably still far away. She could only resign herself to farming first. But for now, the most important thing was to repair the house so that everyone could have a real place to stay. There were many good materials to repair houses in the mountains. Bai Wutong had just touched the soil on the ground. After mixing in gravel, it could be used as the osmium soil that was second only to concrete in terms of building walls. It would be red on the surface, just like the walls of the Forbidden City. They could start building the house the next day. While cutting trees and repairing the house, they continued to explore the wasteland. Both activities proceeded in an orderly manner. After dinner, Bai Wutong quickly designed a blueprint and gathered everyone for a meeting to explain her idea. Hearing that they were going to repair the house, everyone was very happy and enthusiastically agreed with Bai Wutong¡¯s decision. Bai Wutong took out the house blueprint she had designed and said, ¡°I want to build this kind of house. The structure is simple and we can live in it after at most ten days. It¡¯s very suitable for us to build it with the materials available.¡± Of course, they had to fix the house properly in one go to prevent it from being damaged again and wasting their energy. After Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao¡¯s house was repaired, everyone would definitely come to ask. She might as well take out the blueprint and let everyone repair it themselves. She also tried to pay as much attention as possible as she drew the blueprints. She didn¡¯t want the blueprint to deviate too much from the houses in this world. It would be fine so long as it was both beautiful and comfortable. However, after she took out the three-dimensional sketch blueprint, everyone¡¯s eyes widened involuntarily. The house blueprint designed by Bai Wutong was based on the best earthquake-proof structure in China. Although it did not use much wood, the structure that supported the house was extremely sturdy. On the basis of modern minimalism, the appearance of the house combined the most exquisite ancient-style design in China. It was simple yet classy. Bai Wutong was most satisfied with the layout inside. The toilet, bedroom, study, guest room, utility room, and kitchen were allocated properly. The bedroom was designed with soundproof walls and was quite private. What surprised everyone the most was that Bai Wutong had even designed ground heating in the house. As long as the kitchen burned firewood, the entire house would heat up from top to bottom. The uncomplicated floor heating design that could warm up a house just happened to be something that the palace did not have yet. They all looked at her as if she was a genius, making Bai Wutong¡¯s heart skip a beat. She just wanted it to be cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. It would look better on the outside and the house would be sturdier. Was this¡­ shocking? She glanced at her blueprint again to make sure that it was all good. She coughed lightly and gestured for everyone to retract their stunned eyes. ¡°There¡¯s wood and soil ready. We can repair the house tomorrow. If you think the blueprint is good, you can also repair it according to my house.¡± Everyone was just about to ask if they could borrow Bai Wutong¡¯s blueprint. However, their house should not look completely like Bai Wutong¡¯s on the exterior. At the very least, they should just implement the floor heating design. When Bai Wutong took the initiative to let them use it, everyone was overjoyed. They wished they could repair the house immediately. After deciding on the repair of the house the next day, everyone discussed how to make the most of their manpower. After a long discussion, everyone got the clearest division of labor. ¡­ After they finished their food the next day, there would be nothing left to eat. Bai Wutong looked at the endless mountains behind everyone and sighed again. There were so many people. Even if they caught prey, how many people could it feed? Bai Wutong said to Qingfeng, ¡°Bring some people to town to buy food. Buy as much as you can.¡± Qingfeng took the banknotes from Bai Wutong. The heads of the 30 families of Qinghe also took out the banknotes and handed them to Qingfeng. They even sent people to follow her. Village Chief Zhao could not bear to buy such expensive food, but he could not let Bai Wutong pay for them either. He could only grit his teeth and take out some silver first. Anyway, the 30 families of Qinghe still had to make furniture. They could help make it and earn money to buy food. Everyone took out banknotes. Only Village Chief Zhao took out a bag of copper coins. It was inevitable that it looked a little pathetic. However, everyone was filled with respect for the villagers of Zhao¡¯s farmyard for being so financially independent. Qingfeng brought her men to the city and returned before dark. However, she did not bring back a single grain. Bai Wutong looked at Qingfeng. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you buy any food?¡± Even if they bought according to the number of people, Qingfeng and the others wouldn¡¯t return home empty-handed. Qingfeng said, ¡°We don¡¯t have a household register. None of the rice and grain shops in town dare to sell to us.¡± Bai Wutong frowned. ¡°Did you explain the situation to the government office?¡± Qingfeng nodded and said, ¡°Yes, they said that the food is only sold to people with household registration now. Duke Chu has just changed his policy. He probably wants to use this to dissuade the refugees from continuing to migrate.¡± Duke Chu was probably afraid that after the Yan Kingdom had fallen, all the refugees would crowd over and the original land would become barren land. Bai Wutong sighed. They had really come at a bad time. Money made the world go round. Bai Wutong¡¯s gaze landed in the distance. ¡°Bring some people to the village next door and ask if you can buy food.¡± Village Chief Zhao was the best at dealing with villagers. Since Bai Wutong did not say anything, he took the initiative to ask to go with Qingfeng and the others. Qingfeng and the others walked steadily on the rugged path wheras Village Chief Zhao panted as he followed behind. Seeing that he was struggling to keep up, Qingfeng got someone to carry him on the back and arrived at the neighboring village. There were about 200 families in the village. It was not a small village, so there should be some food stored. When the people at the entrance of the village saw them holding weapons, they immediately looked over warily. The old man in the lead shouted coldly, ¡°What do you want?¡± Village Chief Zhao could tell that he was the village chief. He climbed down from the back of the dark guard and said politely, ¡°Brother, don¡¯t be nervous. We¡¯re villagers who just moved to the Jade Spiritual Mountain to explore the land. We want to buy some food from you.¡± Wang Fengjing looked at them coldly and said bluntly, ¡°Food is a precious thing now. We don¡¯t even have enough to eat. How much money do you have to buy food?¡± Wang Fengjing¡¯s eyes were filled with disdain. He thought that the refugees were maggots who couldn¡¯t take out a single thing and were blocking people in the city every day to beg for food. Village Chief Zhao smiled good-naturedly and gestured. ¡°Brother, it wasn¡¯t easy for us to get here. What do you think of this number?¡± Wang Fengjing¡¯s lips curled into a cold smile. ¡°Do you think we¡¯re beggars?!¡± It was 20% lower than the price in the city. At the same time, he was quite surprised that they actually had money. He sized them up and raised his chin, demanding an exorbitant price. ¡°Give us this number! Then we will sell you some food!¡± He made a gesture that was three times the price of a grain store. Chapter 91 - 91 You Should Kneel and Be Grateful 91 You Should Kneel and Be Grateful There was a shortage of food everywhere now. These people did not have household registration so Wang Fengjing was certain that they would not be able to buy food in town. The food stored in the other villages was not as much as theirs. If Village Chief Zhao went to another village, he would not be able to buy any food too. Wang Fengjing felt that he had already sold it cheaply. But with such a high price, it was obvious that he was trying to scam them. Village Chief Zhao smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s better to be close neighbors than distant relatives. Big Brother, this amount is really too high. Can¡¯t it be cheaper?¡± Wang Fengjing¡¯s eldest son, Wang Qi, snorted. ¡°Who¡¯s a neighbor of you refugees? If you can¡¯t hand over food next year, you¡¯ll become a fallen citizen and only have a lowly status! If we¡¯re willing to sell you food, you should kneel down and be grateful.¡± Not only did Wang Fengjing not reprimand his son, but he also felt that what his son said made sense. He echoed, ¡°We¡¯re selling food to save your family and future descendants. Isn¡¯t it worth it at triple the price?¡± The more Wang Qi spoke, the more he went overboard. ¡°Dad, I don¡¯t think they can afford it at all. Don¡¯t waste your time with these people. It¡¯s simply unlucky.¡± Village Chief Zhao¡¯s expression changed. They did not think much of people. Village Chief Zhao clenched his fists angrily and wanted to argue with Wang Fengjing. With a whoosh, Qingfeng drew her sword. With a flash of sword light, Wang Qi¡¯s hair was gone before anyone could blink. Qingfeng quickly sheathed her sword. Wang Qi felt that the top of his head was airy. He touched it with his hand and immediately cried out in fear, ¡°Dad! My hair is gone! It¡¯s gone!¡± After saying that, he felt a chill down his spine. If Qingfeng had not been accurate just now, she would have cut off his hair or his head. Wang Fengjing was furious that they dared to touch his son. ¡°How dare you refugees hurt people in broad daylight? We¡¯ll arrest you and report you to the authorities now!¡± There were only a dozen or so people in Qingfeng¡¯s group whereas this was the territory of Lintian Village. Wang Fengjing shouted, and the villagers immediately looked for people from all directions to tie Qingfeng and the others up. Seeing that the villagers had picked up their hoes and sickles to deal with them, Village Chief Zhao was not worried that they could not defeat them. He was just worried that they had caused trouble as soon as they arrived. Wang Qi covered the top of his head and stared at Qingfeng. He said hatefully, ¡°I¡¯m going to pluck the fur on your head one by one and make a broom with my own hands!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Qingfeng swept his leg over. The villagers¡¯ eyes widened as Wang Qi flew out and was stuck in the ground. When the villagers of Lintian Village met Qingfeng¡¯s cold gaze, they immediately swallowed their saliva in fear. These people had killed before, right? Wang Fengjing had been the village chief for so many years, but he had never suffered such a huge loss. If he didn¡¯t teach these refugees a lesson, wouldn¡¯t they be riding on the heads of their village in the future and cause more trouble? He helped his unconscious son up and shouted at the villagers, ¡°What are you waiting for? These people have already come to our doorstep. Are we going to let them stay for the new year?! They¡¯re just a group of refugees. They¡¯ve only been here for less than a day and they already dare to use prohibited weapons to hurt people. Now, beat them to death. Even if they die, it¡¯ll be considered letting them off easy.¡± The refugees had to be beheaded for causing trouble. Qingfeng had even injured the village chief¡¯s son. There was no way she could escape. The villagers no longer had any worries. The moment they rushed forward, the dark guards attacked. One of them slapped them and sent them flying with their hoes and sickles. One by one, they fell to the ground, covering their burning faces with doubtful expressions. How could someone knock them down with a slap? There were so many villagers, but they could not deal with the dozen of them. Wang Fengjing¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Could it be that they had encountered a spy! ¡®Don¡¯t tell me they want me and my son dead!¡¯ At the thought of this, Wang Fengjing¡¯s limbs trembled uncontrollably. He threatened with a trembling voice, ¡°Get lost if you know what¡¯s good for you. Otherwise, I¡¯ll report you to the authorities for being spies!¡± Village Chief Zhao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He knew people like Village Chief Wang too well. Even if he let him off now, he would still report them. Qingfeng had been a commander for so many years. How could she be afraid of such a person? As soon as Wang Fengjing finished speaking, she suddenly flew forward and grabbed Village Chief Wang, whose pupils had constricted. Qingfeng¡¯s cold eyes were just inches away, like a murderous ghost from hell. Wang Fengjing¡¯s back was covered in cold sweat. He regretted it immediately. ¡°Don¡¯t kill me,¡± he begged. ¡°Don¡¯t kill me! I¡¯m not going. I really am not going!¡± But there was a flash of cunning in his eyes. Qingfeng¡¯s eyes darkened. She grabbed Wang Fengjing¡¯s neck and lifted him up effortlessly. Wang Fengjing¡¯s legs were suspended in the air as he struggled desperately. He could only whimper in fear as the villagers widened their eyes in fear. Did she really dare to kill someone! The suffocating feeling kept tightening. Just as Village Chief Wang thought that he was definitely going to die, Qingfeng let go and threw him lightly to the ground. Village Chief Wang almost stepped into hell and suddenly he returned to life. Before he could be happy, he met Qingfeng¡¯s meaningful gaze and immediately retreated in fear. Qingfeng was warning him that she could kill him at any time. Village Chief Wang was completely terrified. If he reported them and the officials let Qingfeng escape, his family would definitely be wiped out. Village Chief Wang revealed a timid expression. Qingfeng glanced at the surrounding villagers coldly. Everyone hurriedly turned their heads down, afraid that they would be targeted by Qingfeng. Since he had already offended them, Village Chief Zhao looked at Village Chief Wang and showed him a number. He asked in a deep voice, ¡°Brother, are you selling food at this amount of money?¡± When Village Chief Wang saw the number that Village Chief Zhao had pointed out, he wanted to vomit blood. Just now, the price was 20% lower than the market price, but now, it was 40% lower. However, Qingfeng looked at him coldly and he did not dare to refuse. He could only grit his teeth and say, ¡°I¡¯m selling! But we can only sell 250 kilograms of food. This is the most food our village can squeeze out.¡± He glanced at Qingfeng, afraid that she would not believe him, and said carefully, ¡°Really, we really only have so much food left. If we give it all to you, our entire village will starve to death. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t dare to ask for three times the price.¡± 250 kilograms of food was not enough for all of them to eat their fill. Village Chief Zhao could not help but look disappointed. He asked again, ¡°Do the other villages have food?¡± It was indeed not easy for the villagers to have some food left all year round. He could tell that Village Chief Wang was not lying. Village Chief Wang said, ¡°The grain tax this year is high to begin with. It¡¯s basically impossible for you to buy a lot of food.¡± Village Chief Zhao had no choice but to say, ¡°Then go and take out the 250 kilograms of food.¡± It was better to bring these grains back than returning with none. Chapter 92 - 92 Lets Make A Stinky Now 92 Let¡¯s Make A Stinky Now Under absolute force, how could Village Chief Wang dare to disobey? Qingfeng was still standing in front of him with a sword. He hurriedly said to the villagers, ¡°Hurry up and get the food!¡± Didn¡¯t they see that his life was still in the hands of others? Like that, Qingfeng and the others carried away 250 kilograms of food. After knowing that his son had been beaten up, Village Chief Wang¡¯s wife, Mei Yufeng, staggered over. When she saw her eldest son lying on the ground unconscious, she immediately cursed and cried. ¡°Who the hell gave birth to someone without eyes? My son, my poor son¡­¡± Village Chief Wang held the few pieces of silver in his hand, his eyes bloodshot. He shouted at Mei Yufeng angrily, ¡°What are you crying for? Hurry up and find Doctor Li!¡± Across the mountain, Mei Yufeng¡¯s earth-shattering cries could be heard clearly. Bai Wutong frowned, a little worried. Not long after, Qingfeng and the others returned. Everyone was happy for a moment when they saw the bags of food on their shoulders. When they realized that there were only a few bags of food, their smiles froze. Bai Wutong led everyone forward. ¡°Is this all the food?¡± Village Chief Zhao sighed and said, ¡°That¡¯s all. We even fought with Tianlin Village because of these grains.¡± When Bai Wutong learned of the entire incident, she frowned. With such an evil neighbor, even if Qingfeng intimidated them once that day, they would probably find other trouble next time. However, this was not on the road to escape where no one would pursue the matter even if someone was killed. They could only be careful. There was too little food. Zhao Pengfei took the initiative to stand out and say, ¡°I¡¯ll go hunting. This forest is quite deep. There must be something good.¡± Immediately after, some villagers stood up and said, ¡°We also have hunting experience. We also know how to set traps. We can always bring back some prey.¡± Entering the mountains to hunt was the only way for them. Village Chief Zhao agreed and said, ¡°Squirrels will store food for the winter. We can even dig out squirrel holes.¡± Auntie Yang said optimistically, ¡°If we can encounter a bamboo forest, we can even dig up winter bamboo shoots. Or we can dig out a piece of land now and plant some radishes.¡± ¡°On the way here, I saw that the farmers here plant radishes in the winter. If we can¡¯t wait, we can eat radish seedlings first. If we persist for another two months, there will be more food to eat in the spring.¡± How could radish seedlings fill the stomach? Even so, everyone was still comforted by Auntie Yang¡¯s words. As long as they gritted their teeth and persevered for two months, everything would be fine. Without their stomach fill, how could they have the strength to build houses, reclaim the land, dig canals, plow the land¡­ These were all tasks that could only be done after eating their fill. There had to be food. Bai Wutong looked at Qingfeng. ¡°If there¡¯s no food in this village, go to other villages and ask them door-to-door. If there¡¯s also none in other villages, go somewhere far away and buy it.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The half-grown child, Zhao Lei, went up to Bai Wutong and said firmly, ¡°Madam, I can go to town to find a job to support myself.¡± The bandits had killed his parents. He had been helped all the way here by the villagers, but he was still most grateful to Bai Wutong and her family. If not for them and the villagers who had kindly given him food, he would not have survived. When the other children and even those younger saw Zhao Lei, they also stood up and clenched their fists with burning eyes. ¡°We¡¯ll go too. We won¡¯t waste food at home.¡± The children were so sensible that it was heartbreaking. At this moment, the servants of the Cui family also stood up and said, ¡°We¡¯ll go too.¡± If not for the fact that their master¡¯s family did not abandon them on the way, they would not have survived until now. Without enough food, they naturally could not stay and implicate their master¡¯s family. Cui Shiji frowned. ¡°There are so many of us. One Woqian Town won¡¯t be enough for the few of you. Stay here and farm well. There will be a way to get food.¡± When he finished, everyone¡¯s eyes turned to him, as if to ask what the exact solution was. Cui Shiji said, ¡°Pingyang County¡¯s County Head Qu is our best friend. He can probably borrow some food.¡± Qing River produced talented people. County Head Qu of Pingyang County had basically been educated at Qing River since he was young. He had a close relationship with Cui Shiji and Cui Shize. Cui Shiji thought that he should be able to find a way to lend them some food. ¡°Pingyang County is three days ¡® journey away from here. It will take at least a week to go back and forth. We only need to buy food for this week to survive.¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes lit up. If that was the case, that would be great. However, Bai Wutong felt that it was too early to be happy. It was hard to predict people¡¯s hearts. What if this friend did not lend it to him? Now that the government was controlling the food restrictions especially well, as the county head, would he take the risk for them? Bai Wutong thought for a moment and said, ¡°If anything goes wrong, you can just buy food from the village on the way. It¡¯s fine even if the price is higher, we just have to survive this winter.¡± Cui Shiji and the others could tell what Bai Wutong meant. Qu Yuanxian might not lend them food. They felt that it was unlikely, but they did not refute Bai Wutong¡¯s words. It was indeed safe to prepare both plans. Late at night, after dinner, the Cui family members set off for Pingyang County. Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao were huddled in the tent. One corner of the tent was probably not properly tied as the wind blew in. Bai Wutong felt cold and wanted to get up from Chu Tianbao¡¯s arms to tuck the corner of the tent. When she moved, Chu Tianbao opened his sleepy eyes and asked hoarsely, ¡°Wife, why aren¡¯t you sleeping?¡± Bai Wutong covered him with the blanket. ¡°Sleep first. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± She got up from the blanket and walked to the corner. Chu Tianbao lifted the blanket and sat up to look at her. Bai Wutong tucked the leaking corner of the tent away and left the warmth of the bed. In a short while, her limbs had turned cold. She blew hot air on her hand to ease the stiffness. When she turned back, she saw Chu Tianbao wrapped in the blanket. His big dark eyes were fixed on her with a smile. Instantly, her heart skipped a beat. Bai Wutong walked over. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to sleep first?¡± Chu Tianbao chuckled foolishly. He reached out his warm hand and pulled her into his arms. He wrapped her tightly in the blanket and even covered her feet with his big feet. The cold air surrounding Bai Wutong quickly disappeared. Bai Wutong leaned against his chest and listened to his powerful heartbeat. She looked at Chu Tianbao¡¯s bearded chin and sighed in her heart. After the house was fixed, she had to let Chu Tianbao sleep separately from her as soon as possible. Bai Wutong closed her eyes again. Chu Tianbao¡¯s hot body pressed against her tightly. She was used to it and didn¡¯t take it seriously. Suddenly, Chu Tianbao leaned against her ear and said expectantly, ¡°Wife?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Are we home?¡± Bai Wutong replied without opening her eyes, ¡°Uh-huh.¡± When Chu Tianbao heard this, he suddenly stuck his head under her eyes and said happily, ¡°Then let¡¯s make a Stinky now!¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s sleepiness seemed to have been blown away by lightning. She opened her eyes abruptly. She was caught off guard when she felt a warm wetness on her lips. Chu Tianbao blinked in confusion and accidentally placed his hand where it shouldn¡¯t be. Thunder rumbled in her head. When she saw Tianbao and her current situation, Bai Wutong¡¯s expression suddenly changed. She suddenly pushed Chu Tianbao away. ¡°Hurry up and sleep!¡± Her tone was filled with unprecedented panic. Chu Tianbao instantly stuck to her again and said reluctantly, ¡°Wife, you said that you and Tianbao will give birth to Stinky when we get home.¡± Chapter 93 - 93 Someone Will Hear You 93 Someone Will Hear You Bai Wutong was currently distraught and did not have the mood to deal with him. The moment Chu Tianbao rubbed against her, Bai Wutong flipped over and jumped up. Chu Tianbao was pressed down by her body as she warned fiercely, ¡°Sleep!¡± Chu Tianbao felt that it was more comfortable to sleep like this. He could directly hug his fragrant and soft wife and continue to test the danger of going overboard. ¡°Wife, we¡¯re home now. We can give birth to Stinky. Auntie Yang said that she can help us take care of him. It doesn¡¯t matter how many children we want.¡± Now, he felt that having one was not enough. He wanted to have a lot of children. Bai Wutong had never promised him that she would have a child with him. She rejected simply, ¡°No!¡± Suddenly, Chu Tianbao looked at Bai Wutong. His bright eyes gradually moistened in the night. He said sadly, ¡°Wife, you just don¡¯t want to have a child with me. You lied to me.¡± How could coaxing him be considered a lie! Bai Wutong was about to explain when she heard Chu Tianbao¡¯s heartbroken sobs. She panicked and touched him with her hand. Her palm was wet. In the past, Chu Tianbao would at most shed two tears when he pretended to cry. But this time, it was like a flood that could not be stopped. Bai Wutong hurriedly wiped his face with the corner of the blanket and coaxed softly, ¡°Tianbao, don¡¯t cry, okay? People will hear you.¡± The tent was not soundproof at all. She felt much quieter around her now. Chu Tianbao whimpered in grief and indignation. ¡°Just cry.¡± He had held it in just now, but now he simply started bawling. It was impossible for anyone not to hear such a huge commotion. Bai Wutong was angry too. She sat on him and crossed her arms. ¡°Then cry. I¡¯ll see how long you can cry!¡± Chu Tianbao shouted, ¡°Wife, you lied to me. You said you wanted to¡­¡± How could others hear these words? Bai Wutong really had no way to deal with him. She suddenly covered his mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t speak so loudly!¡± ¡°Wuwuwuwu¡ª¡± Chu Tianbao was still bawling with his mouth covered. He wanted to let the world know that Bai Wutong was unwilling to have children with him. Bai Wutong could already imagine Auntie Yang and the others kindly coming to persuade her. She really didn¡¯t feel good seeing Chu Tianbao crying so sadly either. Bai Wutong softened her tone and tried to coax him. ¡°I know you want Stinky, but I am not feeling well. I can¡¯t give birth to Stinky now.¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s cries stopped abruptly. Bai Wutong tried to put his hand down. He sobbed and said, ¡°If my wife is not feeling well, Tianbao can give birth to Stinky.¡± Bai Wutong gritted her teeth and whispered into his ear, ¡°Only I can give birth. You can¡¯t!¡± Chu Tianbao was stunned and revealed an aggrieved expression. He felt sorry for not being able to give birth himself. Bai Wutong pinched his high nose bridge and said angrily, ¡°Really, I¡¯m not lying to you.¡± Since his wife was not feeling well and not because he was stupid, the big hole in Chu Tianbao¡¯s heart was sewn up immediately and he hugged Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong suddenly fell into his arms, and Chu Tianbao¡¯s deep voice, which had cried until it was hoarse, sounded in her ears. ¡°Wife, you have to recover quickly.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s heart warmed. When she reached out to comfort him, she heard Chu Tianbao say, ¡°Then we can give birth to many, many Stinkys.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The next morning, Bai Wutong did not need to look carefully to notice everyone¡¯s gazes. Bai Wutong ate her breakfast uncomfortably. When she wanted to go to the forest to walk with Chu Tianbao, a dark guard suddenly reported, ¡°A team of 500 people is approaching us.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Who is it? The government?¡± She was worried that Village Chief Wang had gone to the government to report Qingfeng for injuring them. The dark guard said, ¡°Probably not. They¡¯re all martial artists.¡± It was already good enough that ordinary bailiffs knew some martial arts. Just as Bai Wutong was feeling puzzled, Sheng Huaixuan suddenly said, ¡°It¡¯s probably my people who are sending us food. However, I didn¡¯t expect them to arrive earlier than I expected.¡± Then, he suddenly looked at Cui Shiji and said apologetically, ¡°Otherwise, there¡¯s no need for Patriarch Cui to send someone to Ping Yang to borrow food.¡± Hearing Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s words, everyone¡¯s nervous expressions suddenly relaxed. Then, they revealed joy. There was food! Cui Shiji smiled and said, ¡°Brother Sheng, you have foresight. There¡¯s no need to feel bothered.¡± Bai Wutong secretly glanced at Sheng Huaixuan. He was probably referred to as a cunning rabbit digging three burrows for itself. It was really impressive that he could arrange for someone to send food over in advance even though his assets were gone. As everyone cut down the trees, they craned their necks to wait for Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s men to arrive. After a while, the 500-man team reported by the dark guard finally appeared at the corner of the mountain. Everyone looked excited, but when they saw that the 500-people team was not carrying any food, they immediately deflated. There were so many people here. Could it be that they only had two handfuls of rice in their pockets for their master to eat? They slowly walked down the rugged path. When they saw Sheng Huaixuan, they immediately bowed and said, ¡°Greetings, Master. We¡¯ve brought the food.¡± Then, under everyone¡¯s surprised gazes, they took off their heavy coats and took off all the food tied to their waists and thighs. Each of them had brought about 25 kilograms of food. Sheng Huaixuan smiled and said, ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡± There were 500 people. 25 kilograms of food from each person was equivalent to 2,500 kilograms of food. It was only barely enough for so many of them to fill their stomachs for a day. Bai Wutong¡¯s brows were still furrowed when she heard Sheng Huaixuan say, ¡°There will still be food. Sister-in-law, don¡¯t be anxious.¡± Sheng Huaixuan said that there was food and there was indeed food. Another 500 people came in the afternoon with 2,500 kilograms of food. Bai Wutong asked curiously, ¡°Where did you get this food from?¡± It was difficult to buy food even with money now. Otherwise, the Cui family would not have gone back to Qu Yuanxian to borrow food. Sheng Huaixuan narrowed his long eyes and said like a fox, ¡°The grain merchants of Ling Kingdom have a good relationship with me. At 50 times the price, it can let our friendship last forever in a crisis.¡± Since he was so confident, he must be 100% confident that he would not be caught by the government for dealing with the grain merchants in private. Bai Wutong did not ask further. Even if they could not farm so much food, they could still buy some and hand them over. With food, everyone finally felt relieved and worked hard to cut down trees and build houses. Across the mountain, Lintian Village heard the sound of Bai Wutong and the others chopping trees. When Wang Qi woke up, he asked his father if he had captured Qingfeng and the others to avenge him. After knowing that not only did so many people in their village fail to take revenge, but they were even beaten up and were so frightened that they did not even report to the officials, Wang Qi lifted his sheets and was about to report to the officials. Unexpectedly, just as he reached the door, he was stopped by Wang Fengjing. ¡°Idiot, why are you going? Do you think our family doesn¡¯t have a long enough lifespan to live? You¡¯re not allowed to go, and don¡¯t provoke those people opposite in the future!¡± Wang Qi did not see Wang Fengjing being strangled by Qingfeng and lifted up. He did not understand why his powerful father suddenly cowered and said loudly, ¡°Father, you¡¯re afraid, but I¡¯m not!¡± Chapter 94 - 94 Its Better to Die Together 94 It¡¯s Better to Die Together Wang Fengjing took off his shoe pad and knocked Wang Qi¡¯s head hard. ¡°I told you not to go! Then don¡¯t go! Those people are powerful! How many lives do you have for them to kill? If the officials let them escape, the entire village will suffer!¡± At that time, Wang Qi fainted. He only saw how powerful Qingfeng was and did not know that the others were as powerful as Qingfeng. That was why he was completely ignorant. Wang Qi said hatefully, ¡°Father, since they¡¯re so powerful, now that we¡¯ve offended them, they¡¯ll definitely remember it. If they get the chance, they¡¯ll kill our family.¡± ¡°If we don¡¯t strike first, we¡¯ll have to live in fear every day. It¡¯s so frustrating. You may be willing, but I¡¯m not.¡± His father was old and timid, but he wasn¡¯t. ¡°Only the few of them know martial arts. When the officials come and capture their clansmen, let¡¯s see if they dare to resist! If they dare to resist, it¡¯ll be a rebellion. That¡¯s even better. We can directly exterminate all those refugees and see if they still dare to be smug in front of us!¡± It was not like they had killed anyone. The officials could not have killed all of them in one go. No matter how nice Wang Qi¡¯s words were, Wang Fengjing thought of how powerful Qingfeng was and was not willing to risk his family¡¯s life at all. He shook his head firmly. ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to go!¡± Wang Qi was in a hurry to get back at them. He said angrily, ¡°Father, why have you become a coward?! We suffered yesterday because there were too few of us. When Second Brother and the others return from their labor, we won¡¯t be afraid of those beggars!¡± Who was he stopping his son for! Wang Qi actually scolded him for being a coward! Wang Fengjing was furious. He picked up the bamboo broom beside him and hit Wang Qi with all his might. ¡°I¡¯ll beat you to death, you unfilial son. You¡¯ve really grown up. How dare you behave so atrociously!¡± Wang Qi¡¯s injuries had yet to recover, so how could he let the old man hit him? Mei Yufeng rushed out and stood in front of Wang Fengjing, shouting, ¡°Why did you hit your son? If you have the ability, you should have hit the group of people opposite. If you can¡¯t, you should have flared up at your son. What¡¯s wrong with your son wanting to report to the authorities? If they hit someone, they should all be arrested and beheaded!¡± Wang Qi pointed at Mei Yufeng and roared angrily, ¡°This is outrageous!¡± Wang Qi picked up the broom and was about to teach Mei Yufeng a lesson and let her know who the head of the family was! Just as he raised his stick, his eldest daughter-in-law, youngest daughter-in-law, and youngest daughter all rushed up to block him. ¡°Father-in-law, don¡¯t fight! Don¡¯t fight!¡± His youngest daughter, Wang Mingyue, grabbed his broom and said anxiously, ¡°Father, Mother¡¯s health is not good. If you hit her, she will die! If Brother wants to report it to the authorities, let him go. I think it¡¯s time to report it to the authorities. Brother is already so injured. At least let them pay for the medicine to nourish his body!¡± Wang Mingyue¡¯s words made the eldest daughter-in-law He Daoxiang¡¯s heart burn. She took the opportunity to speak, ¡°That¡¯s right, Father-in-law. We also spent a lot of money to hire Doctor Li. He still has to take a few sets of this medicine. We even killed a big rooster to pay for it. How can we let them off easy? They have money from selling food. Husband, if you report it to the officials, you can definitely get the money back!¡± His younger daughter-in-law, Lin Wanxia, did not want to be involved, but if she did not help her mother-in-law now, she would definitely make things difficult for her later. She also said, ¡°Father-in-law, Sister-in-law is right. Calm down. Big Brother will definitely be able to seek justice when he goes to the government to report this matter. He will win back the face of our Lintian Village and Father-in-law.¡± Wang Mingyue continued, ¡°Father, my brother isn¡¯t the only one in the village who was beaten up. If we don¡¯t stand up for everyone, they will definitely gossip about you behind your back in the future!¡± Wang Fengjing glared at them. ¡°What do they dare to say?!¡± The village chief was the absolute local tyrant. Wang Mingyue lowered her voice and said, ¡°They secretly said that you were useless and that you sold the food at a low price. They were very dissatisfied.¡± Wang Fengjing was so angry that he couldn¡¯t take it anymore. If they were useful, why didn¡¯t they fight Qingfeng back then?! Wang Fengjing pointed at them and cursed, ¡°Bastards! What do you know!¡± Wang Qi retorted, ¡°There are so many of us. Are we afraid that they will dare to kill us in broad daylight? If they dare, they would have killed me yesterday. They¡¯re just a group of pretentious bastards. We¡¯re not afraid of them! I¡¯ll report to the officials now and let them see who the master of the Jade Spiritual Mountain is!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Wang Qi took advantage of the fact that his mother and the others were blocking the way and wanted to go to the officials with his men in the village. When Wang Fengjing saw that his family members had repeatedly disobeyed him, and that Wang Qi did not take him seriously at all, he was furious and spat out a pool of blood. Before anyone could react, Wang Fengjing trembled and fell to the ground. Mei Yufeng, who had been imposing just now, suddenly widened her eyes and pushed away the two daughters-in-law in front of her. She helped up Wang Fengjing, whose mouth and eyes were suddenly crooked and twitching, and shouted in fear, ¡°Husband¡ªwhat¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°Father, are you alright?¡± Wang Mingyue recovered from her shock and knelt on the ground. She was extremely afraid that Wang Fengjing would be angered to death and she would be labeled as an unfilial daughter-in-law for jinxing him. Then, she would not be able to find a good family. As soon as Wang Qi ran out of the house, he heard his mother and sister shouting. He suddenly turned around and ran back. He saw that his father had become a paralyzed person who could not speak. He was instantly stunned. After a while, his wife reminded him, ¡°Husband, quickly go find Doctor Li at the village entrance!¡± Wang Qi suddenly came back to his senses and jumped out like a rabbit. Doctor Li took a look and shook his head. ¡°He has a stroke. He can only recuperate like this.¡± Wang Qi asked agitatedly, ¡°Is there no other way to treat it?¡± Doctor Li said, ¡°It¡¯s not like you haven¡¯t seen Cripple Luo have a stroke in the village. You can only serve him well and help him stretch his muscles. This way, he might even be able to stand up.¡± Wang Fengjing, who was on the sick bed, had been in high spirits all his life. How could he tolerate being crippled? His body trembled in agitation as he whimpered. Saliva flowed out of the corner of his mouth. A cripple lying on a bed could do nothing. It was a waste of food and he still had to be served. He might as well be dead. Unfortunately, he wasn¡¯t dead. At the thought that she had to wait on him every day, Mei Yufeng¡¯s eyes rolled back and she fainted. The Wang family was in chaos again. Doctor Li took the opportunity to prescribe a few more doses of medicine. He even said to the eldest daughter-in-law, ¡°You have to continue this medicine. It must not be stopped. Otherwise, your mother¡¯s illness will become worse.¡± How could medicine be cheap? It was even the eldest daughter-in-law who had used the money in her household to pay for the medicine. Thinking that she still had to buy medicine for her mother-in-law in the future, she felt her teeth ache. Why couldn¡¯t they die together? If they died, she could be the head of the family and get all the money in the family. Wang Qi would also be able to inherit the position as village chief. When Wang Qi saw his parents lying side by side on the bed, he clenched his fists and rushed out with bloodshot eyes. He would report to the officials now and let them arrest and behead all the culprits who had angered his father! Chapter 95 - 95 Tianbao Doesnt Want a Beard Anymore 95 Tianbao Doesn¡¯t Want a Beard Anymore Wang Qi had just rushed to the door when he knocked someone over. Wang Qi felt like a hole was about to be smashed in his head. He looked up and was about to curse when he looked pleasantly surprised. ¡°Second Brother, why are you back?¡± Wang Chang smiled and said, ¡°The city wall¡¯s repairing was complete in advance, so I came back early. Where¡¯s father? I have something good to tell him!¡± The smile on Wang Qi¡¯s face froze. He said in grief and indignation, ¡°Father has a stroke!¡± Wang Chang was shocked. ¡°How can that be?¡± When he left, his father was still alive and kicking. He could even pick up a stick and hit him without even panting. Wang Qi gritted his teeth in hatred. ¡°It¡¯s all those damned refugees¡¯ fault!¡± The good news that Wang Chang wanted to tell Wang Fengjing concerned this group of refugees. He panicked. ¡°Refugees? Tell me in detail!¡± After learning the entire story, Wang Chang looked at his parents¡¯ room and frowned. Wang Qi wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes and said, ¡°Second Brother came back at the right time. I¡¯ll report to the officials now. Take care of our family. I¡¯ll definitely make these refugees pay the price!¡± When Wang Chang heard that Wang Qi wanted to eliminate all the refugees opposite them, a complicated look flashed across his eyes. After hesitating for a while, he grabbed Wang Qi¡¯s arm and said in a low voice, ¡°Brother, listen to me.¡± Wang Qi looked over in confusion. Wang Chang pulled Wang Qi into his room and locked the door. He carefully looked around before saying, ¡°Brother, don¡¯t report it to the authorities.¡± ¡°What? Father is angered to this state, but you actually asked me not to report it to the authorities!¡± Wang Qi revealed an angry expression. Wang Chang suppressed the anger in his heart and said to Wang Qi nicely, ¡°If we report it to the officials, our family will lose a large sum of money. Mom and Dad both have to take medicine. How many people in our family have enough money for Mom and Dad to continue their medicine? Do you want us to watch them die? Besides, before Dad had a stroke, he also asked you not to go. Big Brother, you¡¯re not being a coward, you¡¯re being filial.¡± The word ¡®money¡¯ attracted Wang Qi¡¯s attention, and his arrogance was immediately suppressed. He glanced at Wang Chang and pretended not to care. ¡°Then tell me, what exactly is the windfall? What does it have to do with those refugees?¡± Wang Chang could tell at a glance that Wang Qi was interested in gaining a windfall. The corners of his mouth curled up into a smile. He lowered his voice and whispered into his ear, ¡°Landlord Xiong from the town found me today and said that if they want to build a big house and need a lot of wood. We can¡­¡± After muttering for a while, Wang Qi¡¯s eyes lit up. He said in surprise, ¡°If other big families are going to look for us to build a house, we¡¯ll practically be sitting on a mountain of gold!¡± Wang Chang smiled and nodded. ¡°Landlord Wang says that he will definitely not forget to benefit us.¡± Then, he lowered his voice and whispered into his ear, ¡°He also revealed to me that he wants to do wood business in private.¡± In the latest decree issued by Duke Chu, no one other than the government could privately chop wood for sale. However, the good wood sold by the government was very expensive, so the cost of building houses was very high. Landlord Xiong wanted to build his house, so he set his sights on the refugees who needed to explore the land. The government would not care if the refugees were to explore the land and build houses. If there was extra wood, they could naturally ¡°gift¡± it out. As long as this group of refugees continued to explore the land and cut wood, the wood could be ¡°gifted¡± out through the brothers as compensation. Wouldn¡¯t that be a ¡°rich windfall¡± that fell from the sky! Wang Qi had already forgotten about making a report and was even glad that he had not reported to the officials. If the refugees opposite dared to not cooperate, he could threaten them with the reason that they had injured someone. The two brothers smiled at each other and came to an understanding. ¡­ The matter of the food was like a huge mountain weighing on Bai Wutong¡¯s heart. Now that it was resolved, she could finally be relaxed. Bai Wutong took out a small mirror from her space and looked at herself. She gently touched the mirror, planning to remove the red spots on her face later. Chu Tianbao walked in with a head of wooden flowers and walked to Bai Wutong¡¯s side happily. He spread his hands and said, ¡°Wife, look, I made a teething stick for Stinky.¡± After Stinky grew teeth, he always liked to bite people. Chu Tianbao had rough skin and thick flesh, so he was not afraid of being bitten. Even if Stinky bit him, he would not feel any pain. Bai Wutong was different. Along the way, her skin was so tender that water could be squeezed out. When Stinky bit her, there would be a clear red mark formed. Moreover, few month old children did not know how to control their strength. He even injured Bai Wutong¡¯s wrist after biting her skin twice. Chu Tianbao¡¯s heart ached as he applied medicine for her. He even said that he wanted to pull out Stinky¡¯s teeth. Bai Wutong casually said that he could make a teething stick for Stinky so that there was no need to pull out his teeth, and Chu Tianbao remembered. When Chu Tianbao saw that everyone had cut down a lot of trees and was preparing the raw materials to build the house, he specially went to Zhao Sheng to request to make a teething stick for Stinky. Zhao Sheng said that he would help Chu Tianbao make a teething stick, but Chu Tianbao said that they were busy repairing the house and he could do it themselves. Zhao Sheng specially chose a soft wood suitable for children to grind their teeth and carefully taught Chu Tianbao how to polish the teething stick. After Chu Tianbao polished the teething stick and received exaggerated praise from the surrounding people, he ran over to show off and receive compliment from Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong reached out and picked up Chu Tianbao¡¯s teething stick that looked like a pork bone. She looked at it and suddenly laughed. ¡°It¡¯s made very well. Stinky will definitely like it.¡± The soft wood was beige. After Chu Tianbao polished it, it was really similar to a pig¡¯s bone that it almost seemed real. After being praised by Bai Wutong, Chu Tianbao smiled even more beautifully. He picked up the teething stick and was about to rush out. ¡°I¡¯ll go give it to Stinky now.¡± Bai Wutong pulled him back, a sly glint in her eyes. ¡°You can go later. Let¡¯s do something else first.¡± Chu Tianbao suddenly held Bai Wutong¡¯s face and was as excited as a big dog with its tongue out. He said excitedly, ¡°Wife, has your body recovered? Do you want to give birth to Stinky with me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Why was he still thinking about this? Bai Wutong smiled stiffly. ¡°Not yet. This is what we¡¯re going to do.¡± She reached out and tugged on Chu Tianbao¡¯s precious beard. ¡°Let¡¯s shave it off.¡± Chu Tianbao immediately protected his beard in shock and quickly shook his head. ¡°No, no.¡± This was his wife¡¯s favorite beard. It could not be gone. Bai Wutong pulled his arm and took out a sharp knife. She grinned evily. ¡°Even if no, you have to.¡± In the past, she had disguised their appearances to avoid trouble on the way. Now that they had settled down, there shouldn¡¯t be any trouble. Chu Tianbao could also reveal his true appearance for her eyes to enjoy the sight. Chu Tianbao pouted and whimpered, ¡°Tianbao can¡¯t be without a beard. If Tianbao doesn¡¯t have a beard, my wife won¡¯t like me that much. Then I can¡¯t compare to Stinky anymore¡­¡± Bai Wutong smiled and coaxed, ¡°I like Tianbao without a beard now.¡± My wife liked Tianbao without beard! Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes widened as he made a serious decision. ¡°Tianbao doesn¡¯t want a beard anymore.¡± Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t help but laugh. She got some cleansing cream from the space and rubbed it into a foam for him. She said in satisfaction, ¡°Then be good and don¡¯t move. It¡¯s about to be a beardless Tianbao soon.¡± Chapter 96 - 96 Only I Can Look At My Wife! 96 Only I Can Look At My Wife! Chu Tianbao touched his bare chin and was still a little uncomfortable. He wanted to cover his face with his hair. When Bai Wutong saw Tianbao¡¯s original appearance, she was quite uncomfortable. Her gaze was glued to his face for a long time. Chu Tianbao realized that Bai Wutong had been staring at him. He approached with a whoosh, and his dazzling handsome face was suddenly magnified under her eyes. Bai Wutong could even count how many strands of hair he had. After shaving off his beard, Chu Tianbao¡¯s face was too fatally handsome. Especially when he wasn¡¯t smiling, his cold and hard outline was filled with the unique mysterious aura of a handsome man. He was like a completely different person from the Chu Tianbao she knew. Affected by his male hormones, Bai Wutong¡¯s heart was pounding. She quickly pulled away from him. ¡°Don¡¯t get so close in the future.¡± Chu Tianbao instantly turned into puppy eyes and said pitifully, ¡°My wife just said that she likes Tianbao without a beard.¡± Bai Wutong turned around and put away the razor. She said softly, ¡°These are two different things. It¡¯s very rude to approach others and talk.¡± Chu Tianbao nodded and finally felt relieved that Bai Wutong did not dislike him without a beard. He said happily, ¡°Then can I go find Stinky now?¡± Bai Wutong nodded and Chu Tianbao ran out happily. As soon as he went out, Auntie Yang, who was tidying up the pots and pans outside the tent, rubbed her eyes in confusion and looked at her granddaughter in confusion. ¡°Who was that person just now?¡± Peach thought for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s Master.¡± Auntie Yang¡¯s eyes widened. It was Master!!! Which Master??? Chu Tianbao raised the teething stick and came to Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s tent. Lin Yue had never seen this person before. Just as he was about to stop the intruder, Chu Tianbao had already jumped in front of him and bragged in an abnormally familiar voice, ¡°Lin Yue, do you see this? This is the teething stick I made for Stinky!¡± Lin Yue sized him up several times. After a long while, Lin Yue was shocked. ¡°You¡¯re Master Chu?¡± When Stinky heard Chu Tianbao¡¯s voice outside the tent, he, who was originally having fun with Sheng Huaixuan, stopped hugging him and cried, ¡°Daddy¡­ Daddy¡­¡± Chu Tianbao couldn¡¯t be bothered to answer Lin Yue. He opened the tent and reached out excitedly. ¡°Son, look what I¡¯ve made for you.¡± Chu Tianbao shook the pork bone teething stick in his hand. He thought that Stinky would jump at him happily when he saw him. Unexpectedly, Stinky¡¯s eyes paused and rolled around. When Chu Tianbao happily handed the pork bone to him, Stinky started crying. ¡°Daddy¡­ Daddy¡­¡± Chu Tianbao immediately snatched Stinky from Sheng Huaixuan, who had yet to react. ¡°Stinky good boy~ Stinky is handsome~ Stinky is a good and handsome boy~ Stinky is the most handsome boy in the world~¡± The familiar voice and embrace gradually calmed Stinky down. His big watery eyes blinked in uncertainty. He reached out his fleshy hand and kept stroking Chu Tianbao¡¯s smooth chin. His face was filled with doubts about where his father¡¯s beard had gone. Sheng Huaixuan finally came back to his senses with Lin Yue, who had followed him in. He said in surprise, ¡°Brother, you shaved?¡± Chu Tianbao took the pork bone teething stick he had made and let Stinky chew on it. He turned around and raised his chin. He said proudly, ¡°My wife likes me without a beard.¡± Lin Yue thought to himself, ¡®Not only does Madam Bai like him, but all the women in the world will be charmed by Chu Tianbao.¡¯ Suddenly, Sheng Huaixuan and Lin Yue thought of something and looked at each other. If Chu Tianbao looked like this, what about Madam Bai? Bai Wutong used a special makeup remover to remove the red spots on her face and even tied up the hair in front of her forehead. A flawless face was revealed. Without any makeup, it was already like the color of spring in March, tempting one¡¯s heart. Bai Wutong smiled at the mirror. The girl in the mirror smiled back, bright and moving. She saw it and felt happy. Chu Tianbao ran around carrying Stinky. When everyone saw his true appearance, they immediately stopped what they were doing and wondered if there was something wrong with their eyes. ¡°Is that really Master?¡± ¡°How can I be wrong about Master¡¯s back! It must be Master!¡± Then, he said in admiration, ¡°As expected of Master. Your martial arts are powerful and even your appearance is incomparable to ordinary people like us.¡± ¡°Hey, doesn¡¯t Master still have a scar on his face?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand. There¡¯s a magical spell in the martial world that¡¯s commonly known as the Disguising Technique. Our master has traveled the martial world with his sword and killed countless people. He must have countless enemies. How could he not know the technique?!¡± The speaker even glared at the person who asked the question. The ignorant people beside him suddenly understood. So that was it. Suddenly, their eyes lit up again. They really wanted to learn how to disguise themselves so that they would not be afraid of being hunted by their enemies. Auntie Yang looked at Chu Tianbao¡¯s figure flying around with Stinky in his arms and finally felt half of her worry disappear. The children of Master and Madam would not be ugly even if they looked 10 percent like Master. This was the first time they had met others with their true appearance. Bai Wutong changed into a dress and even styled herself. She wore the jade hairpin Cui Lingyi had given her. When Bai Wutong came out of the tent, Auntie Yang, who had just finished lamenting that Stinky¡¯s younger siblings would not be ugly in the future, could no longer move her eyes away. This must be what Prime Minister Cui and the others were talking about a great beauty! Her eyes were about to pop out of their sockets. How beautiful would the child of Master and Madam be in the future! Her previous worries were completely unnecessary. Auntie Yang was really happy for Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao. She was so excited that she couldn¡¯t say a complete sentence. ¡°Madam, Madam, you, you¡¯re really more beautiful than the fairies in the sky.¡± Actually, Cui Lingyi and Li Niang¡¯s appearance were more beautiful that of Bai Wutong. However, everyone felt that it was stunning because it had changed in an instant. Bai Wutong smiled and touched Peach¡¯s stunned face. ¡°Don¡¯t you recognize me?¡± Little Peach snapped out of her trance and her clear eyes were filled with surprise. She pounced on Bai Wutong and hugged her leg. ¡°What Mother said is true. Madam has really become fair. Madam has become fair¡­¡± When the other children heard Little Peach¡¯s cheers, their eyes lit up. They said in disbelief and joy, ¡°Madam has turned fair. Madam is so beautiful!!!¡± The children¡¯s excited cheers attracted even more people. Everyone put down what they were doing and looked over. Immediately, they were even more stunned than when they saw Chu Tianbao in his true appearance. The young men smiled when they saw Bai Wutong greeting them. Their faces suddenly turned red like a monkey¡¯s butt, and their hearts could not help but beat. Chu Tianbao walked over with Stinky. When he saw that everyone was surrounding Bai Wutong with her new appearance, his originally happy expression immediately darkened. With a whoosh, he squeezed in with Stinky and shouted at the others domineeringly, ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to look! Only I can look at my wife!¡± Chapter 97 - 97 Hundred 97 Hundred-Year Golden Silk Cedar Chu Tianbao shouted so loudly that the men who were staring at Bai Wutong or secretly looking at her turned their heads reflexively. The scene was¡­ quite awkward. The smile froze on Bai Wutong¡¯s face. Cui Lingyi covered her mouth and teased Bai Wutong. ¡°Fortunately, I¡¯m a woman. Otherwise, I¡¯d have to turn around.¡± Bai Wutong glanced at her and gave everyone an awkward but polite smile. She took Stinky off Chu Tianbao¡¯s head and carried him to Qingfeng. Then, she dragged Chu Tianbao into the tent. Before Bai Wutong could speak, Chu Tianbao sensed a dangerous aura and subconsciously smiled brightly at Bai Wutong. In an instant, Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes were blinded. When Chu Tianbao faced her with this handsome face which happened to be her type, it was really not easy for her to get angry. Bai Wutong glared at him. ¡°You can¡¯t say that in front of everyone in the future.¡± Chu Tianbao quickly nodded. ¡°Okay, wife.¡± He couldn¡¯t say that kind of thing. Oh~ But he could still beat them up. Although he answered seriously, Bai Wutong felt that it was a perfunctory response, so she did not seem happy. However, Chu Tianbao took the initiative to stick close to her. He sniffed and looked at her, wanting to touch her. Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t ignore it even if she wanted to. She grabbed his wandering hands and said, ¡°What do you want!¡± Chu Tianbao chuckled. ¡°I just want to rub against you.¡± The word ¡°rub¡± was used by Bai Wutong to warn Chu Tianbao one night. Now, he had learned it. How could he look so lusty? He even said it in such a¡­ hooligan manner. Bai Wutong¡¯s ears were red, and her cheeks were red. She opened her mouth with difficulty and reprimanded, ¡°Don¡¯t say rub!¡± Chu Tianbao shut up obediently and spoke silently to Bai Wutong with his deep eyes. Bai Wutong felt like she had been¡­ rubbed against. Her entire body felt like it was on fire and it turned red from head to toe. Bai Wutong was now a beautiful piece of white jade with a hint of red. It was a good color that Chu Tianbao had never seen before. It made him want to get closer. Chu Tianbao¡¯s dark eyes were filled with great infatuation. Bai Wutong looked into his eyes and her heart skipped a beat. She didn¡¯t know how to tell it to stop beating. ¡­ The next morning, Village Chief Zhao came over happily and said, ¡°There are many high-quality 100-year-old golden silk cedar trees in the forest ahead. Not only can we make a full set of furniture for Master and Madam, but we can also use them to repair a house.¡± If the entire house was built with golden cedar wood, it would be too eye-catching. Bai Wutong felt that it was a little too extravagant and hesitated. ¡°The furniture can be made of golden cedar wood. But let¡¯s use ordinary wood outside.¡± Village Chief Zhao smiled and said, ¡°The golden silk cedar wood here is so abundant as if it¡¯s free. If Master and Madam don¡¯t build a house with it, Master Cui and the others will be too embarrassed to build with it.¡± Since everyone¡¯s houses were so eye-catching, her house would no longer be eye-catching. Bai Wutong nodded and said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s use the golden silk cedar wood then.¡± After hearing Bai Wutong¡¯s words, everyone¡¯s faces were filled with joy. They did not expect that they would be able to live in a house made of golden silk cedar wood one day. It was like a dream. In addition to the golden silk cedar, there were many agarwood, sandalwood, and other precious wood. Sheng Huaixuan stroked the wood and said regretfully, ¡°If we could sell these wood, we wouldn¡¯t have to farm.¡± At the side, Lin Yue smiled and said, ¡°Even if we don¡¯t sell wood, we can choose not to farm.¡± Sheng Huaixuan smiled and gave him a look to remain low-key. There was a lot of manpower in the team. Everyone was full of energy after eating. From time to time, they could hear the sound of huge trees falling to the ground. Everyone was still thinking that they could pick up some firewood effortlessly later. As the acting village chief, Wang Qi brought Wang Chang along. Suddenly, he said to the villagers. ¡°This mountain has been the foundation of our ancestors for generations. They cut down so many trees and scared away so many animals in the forest. They have to compensate us! Otherwise, don¡¯t even think about cutting down trees!¡± The refugees were arranged here by the government, and it was also the government that gave them the authority to cut down trees and explore the land. The villagers looked at each other and thought of the losses they had suffered at Qingfeng¡¯s hands. They said hesitantly, ¡°Isn¡¯t it a little inappropriate? If we don¡¯t let them cut down trees, won¡¯t the government blame us?¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t say that we wouldn¡¯t let them explore the land. We are just stopping them from cutting down trees. As long as they compensate us, of course the government won¡¯t blame us.¡± The officials could not blame them, and they could still get compensation. The villagers could not help but ask, ¡°How can we ask them to compensate?¡± Wang Chang said, ¡°Just get them to give us all the trees they cut down.¡± The villagers frowned. ¡°Why would we want the trees?¡± Wang Chang smiled. ¡°Landlord Xiong needs to build his house and happens to need wood. If we give him the compensation, he will definitely thank us well.¡± ¡°Besides, they went too far. They hurt someone and made my father so angry that he became paralyzed. We could report them to the authorities and arrest them. They wouldn¡¯t dare disobey and would hand over the wood.¡± Wang Chang actually knew the town¡¯s Landlord Xiong. The town¡¯s Landlord Xiong was the richest person in their Woqian Town. By thanking him, he would definitely pay them quite a huge sum. Everyone immediately looked happy and forgot their fear of Qingfeng and the others. Someone even asked, ¡°What kind of repayment will Landlord Xiong give us?¡± Wang Chang gestured a number. ¡°A log can get us this amount.¡± ¡°One tael of silver? That¡¯s too little!¡± Before Duke Chu had occupied this place, they had also secretly sold wood. The good-quality wood was worth a lot of money. One tael was really too little. Moreover, there were so many households in the entire village. How much could everyone get for one tael of silver? Wang Chang and Wang Qi¡¯s eyes met for a moment. Wang Qi said, ¡°One tael of silver is already quite a lot. If we give more, everyone can buy a few catties of meat. Besides, if there¡¯s no Landlord Xiong who wants to build the house, we won¡¯t have a chance to do such a good business. Moreover, Landlord Xiong also said that if there are any big families who want to build their houses in the future, they will recommend them to take wood from us. It won¡¯t be just this once.¡± There were also smart villagers among them. When they heard this, they immediately knew that Landlord Xiong wanted to use them to get the refugees opposite to cut down the trees for free. The Wang brothers must have received more than one tael of silver. Unfortunately, they did not know Landlord Xiong. Even if they knew that the Wang brothers had secretly hidden the silver, no one dared to say anything for the sake of those few catties of free meat. Only the honest villagers were confused. ¡°Isn¡¯t this selling wood? Won¡¯t the authorities arrest us for selling wood?¡± Wang Chang looked at the idiot and said with a smile, ¡°We¡¯re giving a gift. Who in the government can control it? Besides, it¡¯s allowed for refugees to cut wood. What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± Everyone thought about it carefully. There was really no problem. If Landlord Xiong had asked for more wood, they might have been able to eat a few more catties of meat. Soon, someone echoed, ¡°They¡¯re just a group of outsiders. They should have compensated us when they came here! It¡¯s just some wood. If they dare not give it to us, we¡¯ll report it to the authorities. My face still hurts from this morning!¡± Chapter 98 - 98 Too Much 98 Too Much After discussing their countermeasures, the people from the Lintian Village aggressively climbed over the mountain and arrived at the place where Bai Wutong and the others were camped. The laborers from Lintian Village who had gone to repair the city wall had returned. Led by the two Wang brothers, hundreds of people had joined in. Seeing that they were here with weapons in their hands, Bai Wutong immediately felt that they were here to fight. Bai Wutong picked up the whistle on her chest and whistled. With a swish, everyone in their team put down their work and gathered urgently. There were more than 5,000 people in Bai Wutong¡¯s team, and almost half of them were men in their prime age. A dark wall of people instantly formed. Initially thinking that all the refugees were like skinny monkeys in the city, the villagers were taken aback and immediately stopped in their tracks and did not even dare to breathe. These refugees were all strong and had weapons in their hands. Could they really ask for compensation? If they lost their lives just to eat a few more catties of pork, it would not be worth it. The villagers¡¯ hearts thumped. They looked at Wang Qi, who was the acting village chief, and said carefully, ¡°Why don¡¯t we go back?¡± Along the way, Bai Wutong and the others had seen countless dead people and killed countless ignorant people. Even the ordinary servants and villagers were filled with a dangerous murderous aura. Wang Chang and Wang Qi swallowed hard. Thinking that they would get ten taels of silver for each piece of wood, and for ten pieces of wood, there was a generous reward of 100 taels of silver, they immediately gritted their teeth and said, ¡°The Jade Spiritual Mountain is where we have lived for generations. They are a group of outsiders who took advantage of us and even hit us. Why can¡¯t we ask for compensation! We have to let them pay!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Chu Tianbao walked out of the crowd. His calm face and sharp eyes landed on the villagers like lasers. Seeing such a handsome and imposing man, the villagers¡¯ courage that had just been incited by Wang Qi immediately deflated. These refugees did not look like ordinary refugees at all! In the past, they must have had a high status in the Yan Kingdom. It was human nature to seek advantages and avoid disadvantages. Qingfeng and a dozen others had defeated their entire village with a single slap. They would be fools to take such a risk for a few catties of pork and fight with thousands of strong laborers here. Immediately, a timid villager said, ¡°Let¡¯s forget it. Why don¡¯t we report them to the authorities and ask for medical fees?¡± How could a little medical fee compare to an endless stream of wealth? Wang Qi and Wang Chang said angrily, ¡°This is our village¡¯s territory. What are you afraid of!¡± As soon as they finished speaking, the timid villager at the back of their group slipped away. They had so many people and it was not easy for them to settle down. They would not allow themselves to be bullied even if they used their toes to think. Weapons had no eyes. If they really fought, it would be too late to report it to the officials. He didn¡¯t mind living longer. In any case, the Wang brothers must have earned most of the wood transaction. If they had the ability, they could ask for it themselves. One of them cowered, and the others immediately followed. In the blink of an eye, more than half of the Wang brothers¡¯ team had dispersed. The remaining people immediately said in panic, ¡°Wang Qi, let¡¯s go! We don¡¯t want the money anymore.¡± How could the Wang brothers dare to face so many people alone? They gritted their teeth and said, ¡°You¡¯re a fool for not wanting those money.People who stay, if we manage to ask them to hand over the wood, I¡¯ll definitely get Landlord Xiong to give each of you 20 taels of silver. Let the rest leave! Those who leave won¡¯t have a single cent and can only watch us drink and eat meat.¡± 20 taels of silver per person! They would never be able to save up this amount for a lifetime. Those who stayed behind instantly gave up on the idea of retreating. Even the villagers who had just taken a few steps heard it. Their eyes lit up and they stood back with a whoosh. With 20 taels of silver, he could buy a few wives. There was no need to worry about being single! Most of the people from the Lintian Village had returned. Wang Qi mustered his courage and said to Chu Tianbao in an imposing manner, ¡°The trees that you have cut down are all trees from our Lintian Village. You have to compensate us with money! Otherwise, don¡¯t even think about cutting down a tree.¡± If they couldn¡¯t cut down trees, how could they explore the land? When they came here to explore, the government did not even give them food for the winter. Yet they still wanted compensation. These people from Lintian Village were too much. Chu Tianbao raised his eyebrows. Before he could speak, his cold gaze frightened the villagers into taking a step back. The crowd suddenly split apart and Bai Wutong appeared. Chu Tianbao suddenly stood in front of Bai Wutong and stared fiercely at the stunned villagers of the Lintian Village. What a beautiful woman! They could guarantee that even the most beautiful woman in town was not as good-looking as her. Wang Qi and Wang Chang rubbed their eyes and only saw the woman behind Chu Tianbao revealing her dress. There was actually such a beautiful peony hidden among the refugees. Wang Chang¡¯s heart trembled as his mind was filled with images of her. Cui Lingyi, Li Niang, and the others also appeared. One was like a dark moon on the horizon, and the other was like a charming demonesss on earth. The men in the village looked at them in a daze. Their mouths were wide open, and their eyes almost fell to the ground. Not only was there a gorgeous woman, but there were also two gorgeous women in this group of refugees. No, there might be more than these three. The single men from Lintian Village could not help but want to see through the men in front of them to see if there were more beauties hidden in the refugee group. Most villagers who had never seen the world were like this. Bai Wutong and the others were not particularly angry, but Chu Tianbao was different. With a whoosh, the sword at his waist left his body. With a whoosh, sword light flashed. Before they could even blink, the sword in Chu Tianbao¡¯s hand flew out and spun, cutting off all the hair buns on their heads. As their heads felt light, everyone saw the hair fall to the ground. They thought about how Chu Tianbao¡¯s cold sword had swept above their heads just now and accurately cut off everyone¡¯s hair. Instantly, their bodies turned cold. Just like that, they had lost their hair. Chu Tianbao¡¯s abilities was so terrifying! No wonder the three beautiful refugees had not been captured yet. It was likely that the person who had taken action would have probably become a dead soul under Chu Tianbao¡¯s sword. At the thought of this, the villagers¡¯ legs turned to jelly. They could not run even if they wanted to. They were afraid that if they ran, Chu Tianbao would suddenly attack again, and they would lose their lives. Qingfeng had already shaved away Wang Qi¡¯s hair. That day, he specially wore a hat but it was sliced away again. The top of his head looked like it had been mowed by a lawnmower. The body, hair, and skin belonged to the parents! Wang Qi gritted his teeth and said, ¡°You¡¯re too much! Do you believe that I¡¯ll report to the officials to arrest all of you!¡± The word ¡°report¡± made Village Chief Zhao a little flustered. He looked at Bai Wutong and waited for her to make a decision. Wang Qi continued, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to be caught, compensate us obediently. If you can¡¯t compensate us, give us all the wood you cut!¡± Chapter 99 - 99 Cut Off Your Tongues 99 Cut Off Your Tongues If they were here for a fight, Bai Wutong would still think highly of them. In the end, their goal was the wood. Before Bai Wutong could speak, Sheng Huaixuan explained to her, ¡°All the wood in the Hundred Spiritual Mountain is under the control of the government. Ordinary people are not allowed to cut wood on their own. Now, only refugees who need to explore the land can cut wood. As the government doesn¡¯t give us food and other things, they don¡¯t plan to make us transport these wood to the government after we cut them down.¡± If the government did this, they would completely lose the hearts of the refugees and cause the good reputation that Duke Chu had accumulated to plummet. Even if the officials wanted to, they did not dare to do so. Sheng Huaixuan glanced at the Wang brothers and smiled again. ¡°Especially after Duke Chu¡¯s prohibited trade order, we might not be able to buy those wood even if we have the money. Even if we can buy them, the price won¡¯t be cheap.¡± Bai Wutong looked at Wang Qi, who was still threatening them, and narrowed her eyes. These people really had a good idea and wanted to make use of them to earn a windfall. When the Wang brothers and the villagers of Lintian Village saw that they did not react, their hearts skipped a beat. What was going on? Were they really not afraid of being arrested by the government? Village Chief Zhao got Bai Wutong¡¯s permission and stood out to say loudly, ¡°If you want to report to the officials, go ahead! It¡¯s impossible for me to give you the wood.¡± What a joke. If they were given wood, what would they use to build the house? These people really did not care about their faces at all. Village Chief Zhao rejected to give any wood immediately. Wang Qi continued arrogantly, ¡°Don¡¯t be ungrateful! You used a prohibited weapon and even injured others, causing my father to be paralyzed in bed. You can be considered rebellious and all of you will be sentenced to death!¡± Bai Wutong lowered her eyes and said something to Village Chief Zhao in a low voice. Village Chief Zhao¡¯s dignified voice immediately sounded. ¡°When we came, the officials did not instruct us to not use these weapons. If they did, we wouldn¡¯t have used them either. Therefore, we did not break any law. If there¡¯s anything wrong, it¡¯s the officials¡¯ fault. You can go and question them.¡± ¡°Also, you said that your father is paralyzed because of us. We have a doctor who can immediately check on your father¡¯s condition. If his injury was not because of us, we would even sue you for slander and cut off your tongues.¡± Village Chief Zhao¡¯s powerful voice echoed on the mountain, and the Wang brothers¡¯ minds buzzed. He had a shocked expression on his face as he wondered why they were so sharp-tongued. The Wang brothers finally came back to their senses and gritted their teeth shamelessly. ¡°No matter what, this is the Hundred Spiritual Mountain that our Lintian Village has lived in for generations. If you want to cut down trees, you have to get our permission and compensate us! My father was also angered and paralyzed because of you. You also did hurt our people. How dare you hurt people as soon as you arrived? If you¡¯re not a rioter, then what are you! If you don¡¯t want to be beheaded, then behave!¡± Village Chief Zhao said, ¡°We haven¡¯t heard from any official that this Hundred Spiritual Mountain is yours and that we still need your permission to explore the land.¡± ¡°If you can invite the mayor over to tell us personally that, we a group of lonely refugees, have to compensate you, we will definitely listen and do accordingly. We will even sing praises for such a kind rule to refugees every day.¡± Hearing Village Chief Zhao¡¯s words, the Wang brothers¡¯ expressions changed. How could they let the mayor know about this? If the mayor knew that they were interfering with the refugees¡¯ land exploration, they would definitely be punished. The Wang brothers did not expect that this group of refugees would be so difficult to deal with. They were so stubborn and they could even stab them in the back. He gritted his teeth in hatred, but there was nothing he could do. When the villagers of Lintian Village, who had stood firmly behind the Wang brothers for the sake of 20 taels of silver, saw that it was impossible to get compensation and that they would be punished, they immediately fled. Seeing that was no one behind them, the Wang brothers already became weak, but they were still unwilling to give up this huge windfall. Wang Qi said, ¡°You think our Lintian Village is easy to bully? There¡¯s no one in the government office? It¡¯s just wood and there¡¯s plenty everywhere. If you give it to us, you¡¯ll avoid being thrown in jail. I advise you to be sensible.¡± Village Chief Zhao sneered. ¡°It¡¯s just wood and it¡¯s everywhere. Why don¡¯t you cut it yourself? Why force us to compensate you with wood?¡± Since the Wang brothers could not threaten them, and could not win them in a fight, they could only run away after seeing Qingfeng and the rest who was ready to beat them up if they approached closer. Sheng Huaixuan looked in the direction of the neighboring mountain and said confidently, ¡°They definitely won¡¯t let this go.¡± Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°I think so too.¡± If they were the only ones who could cut wood, it would be equivalent to them sitting on a mountain of gold. There would only be more people secretly thinking about this idea. Sheng Huaixuan smiled and asked, ¡°What should we do, Sister-in-law?¡± Bai Wutong smiled openly without any fear. ¡°We¡¯ll deal with whatever comes our way. There will always be a way.¡± Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s eyes darkened. He was even more curious about Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao¡¯s identities. He wanted to probe them. From the corner of his eye, he saw Chu Tianbao opening his mouth wide like an alpha wolf whose territory had been invaded. His heart skipped a beat, and his other thoughts were scared away. When the Wang brothers returned to the Wang family, their respective wives welcomed them and asked with a smile, ¡°How was it? Did those fallen citizens agree to give us wood?¡± The two brothers of the Wang family looked as if they had eaten sh*t. They said fiercely to them, ¡°As a woman, why should you care! With these thoughts, you¡¯d might as well spend more effort to take care of our parents.¡± After He Daoxiang and Lin Wanxia were scolded, the Wang brothers entered the room angrily. Wang Qi had just sat down when he suddenly knocked on the bed. An intense pain came from his hand, making him hiss in regret. Wang Chang looked at his brother and said gloomily, ¡°I¡¯ll go look for Landlord Xiong now! He will definitely have a way to subdue those fallen people!¡± Wang Qi was about to give up, but he could not help but feel hopeful again. ¡°Will it work? Does Landlord Xiong really have ties with the mayor?¡± Wang Chang curled his lips. ¡°It¡¯s much more urgent for Landlord Xiong to get wood than for us to get silver. He will naturally think of a way.¡± After walking for four hours on the mountain path, it was almost dark when Wang Chang arrived at Woqian Town. He knocked on the imposing door of Landlord Xiong¡¯s residence. The servants looked at him with side glances. ¡°Wait. I¡¯ll report to the Landlord now.¡± Wang Chang suppressed his anger and looked at the extremely imposing courtyard inside. He secretly swore that he would be achieve this one day. Then, he suddenly thought of the three peerless beauties he had seen that day and smiled sinisterly. He wanted to take them all as his beautiful concubines. Landlord Xiong did not even let Wang Chang in. He sent a servant to bring Wang Chang to find an official. This person was the leader of the officers, Feng Qun, who had brought Bai Wutong to the Hundred Spiritual Mountain that day. The servant explained his intentions. Feng Qun immediately nodded and bowed in agreement. He also promised to make Bai Wutong and the others listen to him obediently. When Wang Chang saw that the government officers who usually treated them like dogs were so polite to a servant from Officer Xiong¡¯s family, he gritted his teeth and swore to climb up the ranks even more. Chapter 100 - 100 Tianbao Wont Eat Sneakily Anymore 100 Tianbao Won¡¯t Eat Sneakily Anymore Bai Wutong wanted to go to the forest to walk with Chu Tianbao. Huang Zhong happened to have time, so he volunteered to protect them. With his body, Qingfeng could knock him down with a finger, so his uncle said, ¡°Forget it. Don¡¯t be an eyesore.¡± Huang Zhong suddenly looked at Ye Wu with an unconvinced expression. He used his eyes to show that he was not the only follower. Beside Bai Wutong, Chu Tianbao was carrying Stinky in his arms, and Sheng Huaixuan was following behind him as if he was taking a stroll in the courtyard. Cui Lingyi was even holding a hand warmer. Which follower was not more of an eyesore than him? He could still be considered useful. In such a big forest, he could definitely play his role and discover some good things. In any case, Huang Zhong was not the only one. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. Come with us. You might even find some treasures.¡± Hearing that they were going into the forest, Gu Zhongxun, who was short of a few herbs, walked over and placed the remaining herbs in front of Huang Zhong for him to smell. He smiled and said, ¡°There should be these herbs in the forest. Young Master Huang, please help me look for them.¡± Woqian Town was too small. Some medicinal herbs could not even be bought. Along the way, Huang Zhong had helped Gu Zhong find many medicinal herbs. Some of the medicinal herbs in the Life Spirit Pill that Qingfeng and the others had to eat were found by Huang Zhong. Also, during the flood in the Dragon King Temple that night and when they encountered a snowstorm, he had played a huge role along the way. Huang Zhong agreed immediately. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll definitely help you look out for them.¡± Everyone stepped onto the winter snow. The sun shone down, and there was warmth on everyone¡¯s faces. After everyone chatted and laughed for a while, Bai Wutong suddenly saw an orchid in the gap between the rocks in front of her. On such a cold day, a white orchid was actually blooming. It was small but beautiful. Bai Wutong walked closer and was surprised. The white orchid was red in the middle, like a single tear from a young girl. It made one involuntarily think of a poignant story. Bai Wutong squatted down and sniffed. The orchid fragrance was fresh and elegant, and it was extremely pleasant. After carefully examining the orchid, Cui Lingyi said in surprise, ¡°This should be the legendary top-grade orchid, Tears in the Snow.¡± Tears in the snow? It sounded like a very high-end flower name. Bai Wutong asked, ¡°Is it a very precious breed?¡± Cui Lingyi smiled and nodded. She also squatted down and sniffed. ¡°Tears in the snow only bloom in the winter. The blooming period is extremely short and only a week. The flowers look like dancing cranes from afar, but they also look like weeping girls when you look at them closely. Their fragrance is nice and refreshing. They are extremely picky about the environment they grow in, so they are priceless. The previous empress kept one in the glass room. Unfortunately, it probably couldn¡¯t adapt to the climate and withered not long after. In a fit of anger, the empress even killed a group of palace servants in the glass room who were tending to the flowers and plants.¡± For the sake of an orchid, she had killed so many palace servants. Bai Wutong¡¯s gaze fell back to the orchid and she sighed. ¡°Tears in the snow and tears in the blood. It lives up to its name.¡± Hearing Bai Wutong¡¯s words, the orchid seemed to be inauspicious. Cui Lingyi originally wanted Bai Wutong to dig up the orchid and raise it, but she retracted her thoughts. Huang Zhong saw that Bai Wutong and the others were staring at a small orchid and stopped to admire it. He suddenly smiled and said, ¡°Master and Madam Cui, do you like this little flower? I know where there are more around. Do you want me to help you dig it up?¡± He was now an expert at digging up herbs. He had dug up many precious herbs, so it was naturally easy for him to dig up an orchid. Bai Wutong turned in surprise. ¡°There¡¯s really more?¡± Huang Zhong touched his nose and said confidently, ¡°Of course.¡± He sniffed carefully and his smile became even brighter. ¡°There seem to be quite a lot.¡± There were many priceless orchids¡­ After Huang Zhong finished speaking, Bai Wutong looked at Cui Lingyi doubtfully, as if asking, ¡®Did you not recognise it wrongly?¡¯. Cui Lingyi stared at the orchid again and said firmly, ¡°There¡¯s no mistake! That¡¯s what I read from the books.¡± Bai Wutong was shocked. ¡°I thought you had seen one before.¡± Cui Lingyi said confidently, ¡°I already said that it¡¯s an extremely precious orchid. It¡¯s normal that I haven¡¯t seen it, okay?¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°Then we¡¯re going to be rich. Let¡¯s go and see how many there are. Maybe we can even buy the entire state with the flowers.¡± Everyone followed Huang Zhong and soon arrived at a cliff. As far as the eye could see, the precious tears in the snow were abundant like free weeds. Bai Wutong did not need to squat down. With a light breath, she could smell the pleasant orchid fragrance. Chu Tianbao even casually picked two orchids for Stinky to play with. He even reminded, ¡°You can¡¯t eat them. You can only play with them.¡± As soon as Stinky took it, he stuffed it into his mouth. Sheng Huaixuan was so frightened that his heart skipped a beat. Fortunately, Chu Tianbao threw it away and scolded, ¡°I already said that you¡¯re not allowed to eat it. Son, did you listen to me?!¡± Stinky angrily slapped his chubby hands and spat. ¡°Ah pfft¡­ Ah pfft¡­¡± He was venting his dissatisfaction that the orchid had been thrown away by Chu Tianbao. Chu Tianbao wanted to take revenge on him, so he used his face to rub his big fleshy face, making Stinky cry out in dissatisfaction. Bai Wutong glanced at them and then at Sheng Huaixuan, who was heartbroken. She smiled at Cui Lingyi and said, ¡°When our house is built, we can plant some orchids in front of the courtyard.¡± Cui Lingyi suddenly smiled. ¡°Then it¡¯s really priceless.¡± Everyone wandered around the mountain for a while more. Huang Zhong was digging for herbs when he suddenly discovered something. He waved his hand and shouted, ¡°Master, there¡¯s mountain red here! Come and take a look!¡± Mountain red was the same as hawthorn fruit. These were wild fruits that children often run to the mountains to pick. It was unknown which ingenious person invented the candied hawthorn, but because of it, the fruit became extremely important in the hearts of the children. Everyone followed Huang Zhong¡¯s voice and saw one or two mountain red trees hanging with red fruits, which looked very auspicious. Because it was wild and the mountain was not fertile to begin with, although there were many, the hawthorn was only slightly larger than Chu Tianbao¡¯s big thumb. Lin Yue plucked a mountain red to try it. Just as he threw it into his mouth and took a bite, his facial features twitched and he spit it out. ¡°This is too sour. My teeth are about to fall out.¡± Seeing that Chu Tianbao was eager to try, Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t eat it yet. The wild fruits in the mountains are sour to begin with. We can pick some and make them into candied hawthorn or red cakes and rolls to satisfy everyone¡¯s cravings.¡± Everyone knew about candied hawthorn, but they had never heard of red cakes and rolls. Cui Lingyi asked curiously, ¡°Is the red cake and roll easy to make?¡± Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°All you need is mountain red, rock sugar, and honey.¡± They still had sugar, but they needed to buy honey in town. Cui Lingyi said regretfully, ¡°Without honey, we won¡¯t be able to eat red cakes and rolls today.¡± Bai Wutong shook her head. ¡°Honey will improve the texture. But it¡¯s also fine without it.¡± When Huang Zhong heard the word honey, he sniffed around and immediately smiled. ¡°Madam, I know where to find honey!¡± When Huang Zhong said that there was honey nearby, everyone¡¯s eyes lit up and looked like they wanted to pick the honey. Bai Wutong shook her head and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous to pick honey. Let¡¯s make more preparations next time so that we won¡¯t be stung by bees. Otherwise, no one will recognize us when we go back.¡± Picking honey was indeed dangerous. Bai Wutong was right, so Cui Lingyi said, ¡°Then let¡¯s pick some mountain red now now. The red cakes and rolls Little Phoenix mentioned must be delicious.¡± Their journey was arduous, so desserts became the most missed thing in the past. No one would not crave them. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s pick more.¡± When plucking the mountain red, Chu Tianbao secretly plucked one and put it into his mouth to taste. Instantly, he no longer had any expectations for it. When Bai Wutong saw that he was eating secretly and that it was so sour that he shook his neck repeatedly, she narrowed her eyes and smiled. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to eat sneakily?¡± Chu Tianbao pouted in grievance. ¡°Tianbao will never eat sneakily again.¡± Chapter 101 - 101 Secretly Stealing Honey 101 Secretly Stealing Honey They had picked all the two mountain red trees and the fruits weighed about 100 kilograms. When they brought it back, everyone looked over curiously and realized that it was the mountain red that was so sour that one¡¯s teeth could fall off. Then, they just went back to their own business. When the children saw the red fruits, their eyes stopped moving. They would followed wherever Bai Wutong and the rest went as they wanted to eat them. Bai Wutong smiled gently and said, ¡°Can you wait a while? In a while, you children will be able to eat delicious candied hawthorn.¡± They thought that it would be enough to just chew on a piece of mountain red, but Madam actually wanted to make them some sweet and sour candied hawthorn. The children cheered happily. There were so many children in their team, so it would take a lot of sugar for each of them to eat a stick of candied hawthorn. Auntie Yang said softly with heartache, ¡°Madam, the children in our village don¡¯t need to eat these. Just give them a wild fruit to try.¡± Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°It doesn¡¯t take much sugar to make candied hawthorn. Auntie Yang, don¡¯t worry. Qingfeng will buy it at the market.¡± But it still cost money to buy it. Sugar was more expensive than food. Auntie Yang watched as Bai Wutong took out ¡°some¡± candy. Her heart ached as she secretly made a decision. When she went back, she would tell her old man not to let the children be so gluttony anymore. They were not from the 30 families of Qinghe who could casually take out money to buy candy for the children. What would they do if the children developed the habit of asking for candy? After the mountain red was washed, the bamboo sticks that Bai Wutong asked the villagers to shave were also ready. Everyone sat down and skewered candied hawthorn with bamboo sticks. Qingfeng and the others had only seen people selling candied hawthorn. It was their first time making candied hawthorn themselves. It was clearly a simple skewer of candied hawthorn but Qingfeng seemed to be killing someone. Whereas, Cui Lingyi was elegant as if she was threading a needle. Sheng Huaixuan was different. Looking at so many mountain reds and the rock candies taken out by Bai Wutong, he made a conclusion, ¡°At the current price of sugar, we¡¯ll lose money even if we sell a skewer of candied hawthorn for ten copper coins.¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s not a loss. It¡¯s a gain for everyone.¡± Sheng Huaixuan laughed heartily. ¡°Sister-in-law is right.¡± When the candied hawthorn syrup was ready, they could put in the skewered mountain red and coat it. Bai Wutong inserted the first stick of candied hawthorn into the haystack. Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes were as wide as the children who wanted to eat it. Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s wait a little longer and eat together, okay?¡± Chu Tianbao swallowed his saliva obediently. ¡°Okay.¡± As everyone prepared the candied hawthorn, Bai Wutong taught Auntie Yang and the others how to make red cakes and rolls. The red cake and rolls were actually hawthorn cakes and fruit skin. The preparation method was actually very simple. She only needed to remove all the cores in the hawthorn and cut them into small pieces before placing them into a large pot to boil. Then, dhr would pour them into the mold to cool them down and shape them. After that, shr could take them out and cut them into hawthorn cakes. The fruit skin was a little troublesome to prepare. The boiled hawthorn paste had to be flattened, rolled after cooling, and cut into suitable small rolls. Bai Wutong explained in detail, and Auntie Yang immediately understood. She even smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s so simple to make red cakes and rolls.¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s the Spring Festival in a few days. We can also go to the mountains to see if we can find some mountain red in the mountains and make some snacks for everyone for the festival.¡± Auntie Yang suddenly fell silent. The red cakes and rolls were made with almost 50% sugar and 50% mountain red. How could they afford such expensive snacks? The candied hawthorns were all done. The children each had a stick of candied hawthorns. Even Stinky, who was less than a year old, had a stick of candied hawthorns to chew. Chu Tianbao ate a candied hawthorn and immediately narrowed his eyes in bliss. He could not believe that this was the sour little red fruit. Bai Wutong also ate a candied hawthorn. It was sour and sweet, and the taste of her long-lost childhood made her feel satisfied. She looked at Chu Tianbao. ¡°It¡¯s good, right?¡± Chu Tianbao nodded repeatedly and said, ¡°Wife, can you make it every day in the future?¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°If you eat too much, you¡¯ll easily get diarrhea. Tianbao¡¯s teeth will also decay.¡± Chu Tianbao lowered his head in pity and picked up another piece of red cake and put it in his mouth. The plump flesh and the sour and sweet taste immediately made Chu Tianbao like it. He ate a few pieces in a row and said as he ate, ¡°Wife, it¡¯s so delicious. If I can¡¯t eat candied hawthorn every day, can I eat this every day? I¡¯m not afraid of my teeth decaying.¡± Although hawthorn cake was good, eating too much was not ideal. Bai Wutong stopped him. ¡°You can¡¯t eat anymore. You¡¯ll have to eat your meal in a while.¡± Chu Tianbao pouted and looked at the red roll that he had yet to taste. He said pitifully, ¡°I haven¡¯t eaten that yet.¡± Bai Wutong took a cut red roll and placed it in his hand. ¡°You can only eat this bit.¡± Chu Tianbao could not bear to eat and held the red roll in his palm. He bargained and asked, ¡°Is this really the only bit I can eat? Can¡¯t you give the handsome Tianbao another one?¡± Yang Quanzi always praised him for being handsome. Chu Tianbao remembered it and used it himself. Bai Wutong straightened her face and said firmly, ¡°Not this time. Next time.¡± Chu Tianbao asked, ¡°When is the next time?¡± Bai Wutong said, ¡°When I buy the candy and there are mountain red fruits, then you can eat it again.¡± Chu Tianbao looked at the precious red roll in his hand and wondered when he could eat it. The candied hawthorns were basically all given to the children. The adults only got to try a piece of red cake or a roll. Although it was only a little, everyone¡¯s hearts were filled with sweetness. At night, when Bai Wutong fell asleep, Chu Tianbao quietly left the tent. Huang Zhong had been waiting at the side for a long time. When he saw Chu Tianbao come out, he said worriedly, ¡°Master, will Madam really not say anything if we steal honey now?¡± Chu Tianbao went to ask Qingfeng when she could buy candy back and she said that she could only go when the market was open on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. He would have to wait at least two days. But Chu Tianbao could not wait. After hearing from Bai Wutong that honey could also replace sugar and was even better than rock sugar, he cleverly thought of Huang Zhong. Chu Tianbao glanced at him guiltily, but it was dark and Huang Zhong did not see him. He pretended to be calm. ¡°No.¡± Huang Zhong believed that it was true, so he handed Chu Tianbao a few anti-plague headgear. ¡°Master, for safety¡¯s sake, let¡¯s wear this to prevent bees from stinging us.¡± Chu Tianbao did not want to wear it, so Huang Zhong said, ¡°If Master is stung by a bee, Madam will definitely be heartbroken.¡± Then, Chu Tianbao obediently put on all the headgear. The two of them thought they were very well wrapped up. They carried a bamboo basket on the back and set off. At the foot of the Honeycomb Cliff, Huang Zhong waved the torch in his hand. ¡°Master, it¡¯s there. Can you fly up and pick it?¡± Then he said fearfully, ¡°If you can¡¯t, let¡¯s go back!¡± Chu Tianbao looked up and frowned. ¡°Is that honey?¡± Huang Zhong nodded. Before he could say that honey was inside the beehive, Chu Tianbao flew up with a whoosh. Huang Zhong blinked and was dumbfounded to see Chu Tianbao¡¯s hand pressed against the huge beehive. Instantly, a buzzing sound spewed out. The bees guarding the beehive instantly surrounded Chu Tianbao. Huang Zhong raised his torch and saw it. His heart was in his throat as he shouted, ¡°Master! Run!¡± Chapter 102 - 102 No Need to Remove Your Clothes 102 No Need to Remove Your Clothes How could the small bees stop Chu Tianbao¡¯s determination to eat the snacks? Even if he was stung, he forcefully broke off an entire lump of drooping honey and the beehive. Chu Tianbao flew down with the beehive and honey, with the buzzing bees all following. Huang Zhong was dumbfounded. He did not know if he should abandon Chu Tianbao and run or not. The moment he hesitated, Chu Tianbao landed and the buzzing bees instantly enveloped him. Huang Zhong¡¯s hand was stung and he immediately jumped up like a cannonball and ran around. ¡°Ahhh¡ªit hurts! Master, help!¡± Chu Tianbao pushed the honey and beehive into his basket, whereas Huang Zhong was still jumping up and down around him. In addition to honey, he also had to find mountain red to make delicious candied hawthorn, red cakes and rolls. Chu Tianbao used his qinggong to pick up Huang Zhong, who was crying in pain. As he flew, he asked, ¡°Quick, smell where the red fruits are.¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s qinggong was faster than the bees flying, but there were still bees in the basket that kept coming out of the nest. Huang Zhong was stung from time to time, and he had to stop during his sentence several times. ¡°Old, Master, go right, ah¡ªturn!¡± Huang Zhong¡¯s loud scream reverberated in the quiet night. Everyone was woken up at the same time. Did someone encounter a ferocious beast? Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes snapped open. She felt around and was shocked to find that Chu Tianbao was not there. ¡®Where did he go?¡¯ Bai Wutong quickly put on her clothes. As soon as she left the tent, she asked Lin Yue, who was on duty at night, ¡°Where¡¯s Tianbao?¡± Lin Yue avoided eye contact and hesitated. In the end, Qingfeng said, ¡°Master and Huang Zhong have entered the mountains.¡± Bai Wutong was surprised. ¡°Why did he go into the mountains with Huang Zhong at night?¡± Qingfeng shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes darkened. She picked up the torch beside her and was about to enter the mountain. Qingfeng followed, and so did Lin Yue and the others. They all regretted not stopping Chu Tianbao when he entered the mountain. Bai Wutong raised her torch and shouted into the forest, ¡°Tianbao! Tianbao!¡± The others also shouted, ¡°Master! Master!¡± The burning flames and the sound of people shouting continuously came from the forest. The villagers of the Lintian Village got up from their beds and took a glance outside before turning back to sleep. They felt very happy in their hearts thinking that the refugees had suffered retribution and that they deserved it! The ferocious beasts in the mountains should have taken away all the refugees! Time passed. There was still no sign of Chu Tianbao or Huang Zhong. Bai Wutong looked at the empty dark forest. The loneliness after losing her grandmother and grandfather enveloped her in an instant. In an instant, Bai Wutong¡¯s face was as white as snow. She bit her pale lips and said, ¡°Let¡¯s split up and search!¡± After everyone had received the order from Bai Wutong, before they could disperse, suddenly the rustling of branches could be heard from the forest. Everyone looked up. An inexplicable black shadow had already entered their field of vision. The eyes blinked and something was thrown to the ground with a dull thud. A second later, a man wearing a hood and carrying a basket appeared, carrying a sack. Huang Zhong was thrown to the ground by Chu Tianbao and cried out in pain. Everyone immediately recognized him in surprise. ¡°Huang Zhong!¡± Bai Wutong had already walked forward and pulled off Chu Tianbao¡¯s hood. She said fiercely, ¡°What have you been doing!¡± This was the first time everyone had seen Bai Wutong flare up at Chu Tianbao in front of everyone. They immediately shrank their necks in fear and did not know where to look. When Chu Tianbao saw his wife, before he could announce his gains, he met with a pair of reddened eyes. Suddenly, his heart skipped a beat. He said softly in a panic, ¡°Wife¡­¡± He suddenly remembered that he had sneaked out and didn¡¯t even dare to say his gains. When Chu Tianbao¡¯s hood was removed, everyone saw a pig-headed face that was as swollen as Huang Zhong¡¯s. Bai Wutong¡¯s anger was instantly extinguished. If he was stung by a bee, he would die if he was allergic to it. He had to immediately reduce the swelling and stop the itch. Then, he had to wash the wound repeatedly with soap water and apply iodine to reduce the inflammation. Bai Wutong held Chu Tianbao¡¯s swollen hand and said in a hurried and fierce tone, ¡°Come back with me!¡± Chu Tianbao nodded obediently, trembling like a puppy being claimed. The others followed behind, all mourning for Chu Tianbao, who would definitely be punished when he returned. As soon as Huang Zhong got up from the ground, Ye Wu grabbed Huang Zhong¡¯s ear and said angrily, ¡°You¡¯re so bold. How dare you instigate Master to come out at night to get honey!¡± Huang Zhong did not even have the strength to resist. He said pitifully, ¡°How would I dare to instigate Master to go?¡± He was the one who forced me to go. If he knew that he would be stung into a pig¡¯s face and that everyone would come to look for him and his master, Huang Zhong would have reported to Madam even if he was beaten to death. Bai Wutong brought Chu Tianbao back to the camp at high speed. Huang Zhong was thrown to Gu Zhongxun to deal with, while Chu Tianbao followed Bai Wutong into the tent like an aggrieved lamb. As soon as they entered the tent, Chu Tianbao secretly glanced at Bai Wutong. When he saw Bai Wutong rummaging through her bag, his nerves immediately tensed up. Bai Wutong took out the silver needle that she was going to use to treat Chu Tianbao¡¯s poison and said coldly, ¡°Sit down!¡± Chu Tianbao sat down obediently. Bai Wutong put the other things aside and pointed the needle at Chu Tianbao¡¯s face. Chu Tianbao widened his eyes in fear. He didn¡¯t want to be pricked by a needle. He stammered and dodged back. ¡°Wife¡­ No.¡± Bai Wutong was still angry and did not treat him gently. ¡°Don¡¯t dodge!¡± Chu Tianbao could only raise his chin and stick his head in front of Bai Wutong. He carefully begged, ¡°Wife, can you be gentler? I¡¯m afraid of pain.¡± Bai Wutong sneered. Now he knew how to be afraid of pain. When he was stung by bees, his nerves were eaten by dogs! ¡°Bear with the pain!¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s cold and heartless gaze made Chu Tianbao¡¯s little heart tremble. He was very worried about how the furious wife would torture him that night. Chu Tianbao stared at Bai Wutong¡¯s face and let his imagination run wild. Bai Wutong seemed to be skilled at using the needle as she picked out a poisonous stinger for him very quickly. The unprepared Chu Tianbao screamed. ¡°Ah¡ª¡± The people outside the tent could not help but cover their ears and go back to sleep. Compared to feeling pitiful for Master, it was better not to offend Madam. Fortunately, Chu Tianbao was wearing a mask. Although his face was swollen, there were not many poisonous stingers to be pulled out. Bai Wutong followed his exquisite Adam¡¯s apple and saw several swollen bumps on his collarbone. She said expressionlessly, ¡°Take them off!¡± Chu Tianbao was already a little numb from the needle. He obediently took his clothes off. When he was about to continue taking off his pants, Bai Wutong held his hand and her eyebrows twitched. ¡°There¡¯s no need to remove your clothes!¡± Bai Wutong leaned against his firm chest, her exquisite eyebrows dancing with candlelight. Although her face was cold, it still could not hide her gentle aura. For some reason, Chu Tianbao really wanted to call out, ¡°Wife ~¡± Chapter 103 - 103 Punish Them For Their Sins 103 Punish Them For Their Sins Bai Wutong was still angry and ignored him. Chu Tianbao quietly moved his head closer to Bai Wutong and sniffed the fragrance on her body. The pain in his body felt much better. Bai Wutong looked up and met a pair of sparkling black eyes. She glanced at him coldly and said nothing. Chu Tianbao was no longer as frightened as before. He smiled obsequiously. ¡°Wife, I went to pick honey and red fruits.¡± His swollen pig face looked a little comical, pitiful, and silly. Bai Wutong ignored him. He could still laugh now, which meant that the bees did not sting him much. ¡°Continue taking off your clothes!¡± It was Chu Tianbao¡¯s fault for not tightening his pants when he went out at night. When the bees flew in, even his ankles were swollen. Chu Tianbao was stunned. He looked puzzled. When he saw Bai Wutong¡¯s gloomy expression, he loosened his pants without hesitation. Bai Wutong turned and took a blanket so that he could lie down naked and cover the main body parts before pulling out the poisonous stinger from the lower half of his body. While she was angry, she stared at the hairy legs in front of her and couldn¡¯t help but think about making a few pairs of underwear for Chu Tianbao. Bai Wutong heaved a sigh of relief after pulling out all the poisonous stingers from Chu Tianbao¡¯s lower body as quickly as possible. Fortunately, although Chu Tianbao was stung badly, he was not allergic. After cleaning Chu Tianbao¡¯s wound with disinfectant, Bai Wutong added iodine to it to reduce the inflammation. At first, Chu Tianbao felt a burning pain. Towards the end, Bai Wutong¡¯s gentle movements only made him feel itchy. He arched his body and turned over. He actually fell asleep comfortably like a master being served. Bai Wutong packed the items and was about to teach this guy a deep lesson for running out in the middle of the night to dig a beehive. When she turned around, she saw that he had turned over and the blanket that had been covering him had disappeared. ¡°¡­¡± In an instant, Bai Wutong¡¯s face flushed red. Her hand reacted faster than her brain. She picked up the blanket beside her and immediately covered Chu Tianbao¡¯s body, including his head. After a few seconds of silence, Bai Wutong sat by the bed to calm herself down. Her mind was filled with the scenes from previously that could not be forgotten. Chu Tianbao, on the other hand, was sleeping soundly. He even reached out from under the blanket and subconsciously touched Bai Wutong who was usually there. He wanted to pull her into his arms and even muttered, ¡°Wife ~¡± A warm touch came from his hand. Bai Wutong turned around and lifted the blanket to let him breathe. Chu Tianbao felt his face itch from time to time, and he slept uneasily. Bai Wutong sighed. ¡°You deserve it. Who asked you to be greedy.¡± She took out an ice pack from her space and wrapped it in a towel. She gently applied it to his face to reduce the itch and swelling. When he woke up the next day, Chu Tianbao knew that he could not eat any of the snacks made with the honey and mountain red he worked hard to obtain. Chu Tianbao felt that this punishment was too heartbreaking. He tugged at Bai Wutong¡¯s sleeve and cried, ¡°Wife¡ª¡± Bai Wutong glanced at him coldly. ¡°Do you still dare to do it again?¡± Chu Tianbao looked aggrieved. ¡°I won¡¯t do it again.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t dare what anymore?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chu Tianbao couldn¡¯t answer. Bai Wutong lowered her eyes. Just as she was about to ask him and Huang Zhong to go to the tent to reflect, Qingfeng said, ¡°Someone from the government office is here.¡± Apart from the people from the government office, the Wang brothers also came. Village Chief Zhao and the others went forward to welcome them. Feng Qun swept his gaze across them coldly. Previously, his attitude was not good, but he was not so arrogant. Feng Qun said, ¡°Count the number of people. Everyone, stand out in an orderly manner. If there are any refugees running around.¡± He gave everyone an extremely fierce warning look. The officials could decide on whether they could obtain a household register at the Jade Spiritual Mountain. As long as it was not too much, Bai Wutong and the others would cooperate. After everyone stood up, the Wang brothers followed behind Feng Qun and the others, examining them one by one. When Wang Chang¡¯s gaze landed on Cui Lingyi¡¯s face, his eyes were filled with uncontrollable evil thoughts. Qingfeng stomped on his foot. Wang Chang immediately held his feet and jumped up. When Wang Qi saw that Qingfeng had stepped on his second brother and was about to complain, his back was pinched by someone. As long as he dared to open his mouth, he would feel the pain of his spine being instantly broken. He immediately held back the words he wanted to say. He could guarantee that if he said a word, they would really dare to kill him with special methods or leave him forever mute. Feng Qun glanced at the hopping Wang Chang, thinking that he was useless. Wang Chang clenched his fists. He felt extremely humiliated in front of Bai Wutong and the others. After counting the number of people, Feng Qun said coldly, ¡°You¡¯re all from foreign lands. The mayor has named this place as Youjia Village for you. In the future, you¡¯ll be people from Youjia Village. Anyone who doesn¡¯t abide by the Ling Kingdom¡¯s laws will be directly recorded as lowly status. The women will be prostitutes for generations, and the men will be slaves for generations!¡± The name ¡°Youjia Village¡± was not bad, but this bailiff was too detestable. Seeing that they were still quite obedient, Feng Qun felt that the matter that Landlord Xiong had asked him to do was almost guaranteed to be simple to handle. He picked up the record book and called them by name. Soon almost all the people in their team were called out. Chu Tianbao stood at the front. Feng Qun looked at his comical swollen face with disgust. ¡°According to the rules, you should all go and work to mine rocks. Follow us now!¡± It had only been a few days since they had settled down, and they were already making their people mine rocks. How could they still explore the land?! If they could not explore the land, they could not farm. If they could not farm, they could not hand over food. This bailiff was trying to force them into becoming fallen citizens. Seeing that their expressions were not pleasant, Feng Qun suddenly smiled sinisterly and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t want to go. You¡¯ve occupied the forest in Lintian Village, so it¡¯s only right that you compensate them. I don¡¯t have to teach you what to do right?¡± Feng Qun had asked all of their people to forcefully serve in the labor in order to make them submit and obediently give up the wood. Fortunately, they were already prepared. Cui Shize stood up and said coldly, ¡°I wonder which law of the Ling Kingdom states that all our men don¡¯t even have a piece of land and have to serve?¡± Cui Shize had the aura of an official. Feng Qun looked over and panicked for a moment before his face darkened and he used his power to suppress him. ¡°It does not matter when you have your land, if I say you want to serve now, you have to serve now! For however long I say you have to serve, you have to serve that long! If you dare to be disobedient, Youjia Village will no longer be a village!¡± Feng Qun was the head of the government officers in Woqian Town who was in charge of the labor distribution. His words were equivalent to an imperial edict other than the mayor¡¯s. Cui Shize had already memorized the laws of the Ling Kingdom in the past few days. He said firmly, ¡°According to the current laws of the Ling Kingdom, a village only needs 200 people to participate in labor every half a year. The refugee village only needs 200 people to participate in labor every year, and each time they participate in labor, it can¡¯t exceed a month.¡± ¡°You changed the rules of the Duke Chu, persecuted the people, and used your power for personal gain. According to the rules of the Ling Kingdom, your crimes should be punishable!¡± Chapter 104 - 104 Someone Supporting 104 Someone Supporting The commoners could not fight with the officials. But these refugees were so insensible that they actually dared to threaten him. Feng Qun was furious and a little flustered. He forced himself to calm down and gritted his teeth. ¡°Do you think the mayor will listen to you refugees who have just arrived!¡± ¡°You deliberately injured people and hid weapons! If you refuse to be punished, your crimes will not be forgiven. I can convict you of being rioters and behead all of you!¡± If it weren¡¯t for the fact that Landlord Xiong wanted to use these refugees to chop wood, Feng Qun, who was angered, would really want to kill them all. The mayor was the only one who could convict them in Woqian Town. How dare a mere bailiff speak arrogantly in front of them? Qingfeng had already sent someone to ask around. The new mayor, Yang Gongbing, had already arrived at Woqian Town. Coincidentally, this person was one of Yang Quanzi¡¯s students. He was upright, smart, and flexible. Yang Quanzi had even specially pointed out that he could serve Duke Chu. Now, they had met. Cui Shize said in a low voice, ¡°You¡¯re just a mere official. You¡¯re abusing your powers too much. We¡¯ll go to the court with you now and see how you convict us of being rioters!¡± If it were the previous mayor, Feng Qun was completely confident that he could label all of them as rioters. However, the new mayor was old-fashioned and pedantic. If he really went and the new mayor investigated further, the consequences would be unimaginable. Feng Qun¡¯s heart was beating like a drum, and he was flustered. The Wang brothers thought that Feng Qun had 100% confidence and said arrogantly, ¡°How arrogant! The mayor will definitely behead you and you¡¯ll regret it!¡± Then, they curled their lips and said with a smile, ¡°If you kneel down and kowtow to apologize and beg for our Official Feng¡¯s forgiveness, there might still be a hope for you.¡± Cui Shize sneered. ¡°We won¡¯t be the ones regretting it!¡± When the bailiffs behind Feng Qun heard Cui Shize¡¯s words, they drew their knives with a whoosh. ¡°Who do you think you are?¡± If Feng Qun was punished, they would also be punished. On that day, they must subdue this group of ignorant refugees. They drew their knives. ¡°Swoosha€¡±¡± All of them grabbed their weapons at the same time. In a small town, there were no more than 200 officials. Feng Qun only had 20 subordinates in total. When their identities failed to suppress Bai Wutong and the others, it was no different from throwing an egg at a rock for them to fight against Qingfeng. Feng Qun gritted his teeth and said, ¡°How dare you attack us? You¡¯re rebelling!¡± Cui Shize shook his head calmly. ¡°Wrong, we¡¯re getting rid of evil for the people! If we go to the government, Mayor Yang will naturally make a clear decision!¡± With that, Qingfeng and the others charged forward. Before Feng Qun and the others could use their weapons, they were kicked in the knees and fell to the ground on their knees. They even dared to attack the officials. The Wang brothers were shocked and wanted to take the opportunity to escape. Just as Wang Qi and Wang Chang moved their feet, Lin Yue swept his leg over. The two of them lay in front of Bai Wutong like dogs eating shit. They no longer had the arrogance from before. Qingfeng led her men to tie them all up. Feng Qun finally realized how hard the bones of Bai Wutong and the others were. Not only could he not bite through them, but he might also be cut off. Revenge was a dish best served cold. Feng Qun thought of what he had done previously. If someone publicized it, the matter would be out of his control. He suppressed the monstrous anger in his heart and said humbly, ¡°I won¡¯t interfere anymore with the matter between you and Lintian Village.¡± It was too late to regret it now. Cui Shize was indifferent. He looked at them coldly. ¡°Bring them along. We¡¯ll go to the government office now.¡± Feng Qun said amiably, ¡°Let me and my brothers go. In the future, all the villagers in your village will be under our protection.¡± It was a blessing for many people to be able to be protected by the officials. Feng Qun felt that he had already given them enough face. However, Bai Wutong and the others did not say a word. Qingfeng stopped Feng Qun from promising any more benefits. When they realized that Bai Wutong was really sending them to the government, the Wang brothers were even more flustered than Feng Qun. They looked at each other and planned to insist that Feng Qun had nothing to do with them when they arrived at the government office. There was a new mayor in Woqian Town who would handle matters impartially. There were many commoners outside the government office. There was an endless stream of people trying to find out what was going on, join in the fun, and try to build connections. However, not many people were actually reporting a case. Yang Quanzi wrote a letter, which was sent to the government office by Qingfeng. Seeing that there were so many people blocking the government office, Qingfeng jumped lightly and entered the office. After a while, she found Yang Gongbing, who was focused on handling work. Qingfeng appeared like a ghost, scaring Yang Gongbing, who was handling official business alone. He said in a deep voice, ¡°Who are you? How dare you barge into the government office?¡± Qingfeng walked over coldly with a domineering aura. She was even more like an official than him. Yang Gongbing¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Could this be a lord in disguise? He was wondering if he should introduce himself first when Qingfeng arrived in front of him and handed him the letter. Yang Gongbing took the letter doubtfully. ¡°Is this for me?¡± Qingfeng looked at him calmly, and Yang Gongbing could tell three words on her face, ¡°You don¡¯t say¡±. Yang Gongbing¡¯s face turned slightly pale. He quickly opened the letter and his eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Teacher Yang!¡± Qingfeng nodded. Yang Gongbing read through the letter quickly, but the smile on his face was gradually replaced by seriousness. He put away the letter and half bowed. ¡°When will Senior Brother Cui and the others arrive?¡± he asked. Qingfeng estimated her speed and said, ¡°Another two hours.¡± Yang Gongbing nodded and subconsciously said, ¡°I¡¯ll go make preparations now.¡± Seeing Feng Qun and the other officials, who usually looked down on others, being tied up and brought to the government office, the commoners were both surprised and delighted. They discussed and pointed at them as they followed behind the group to watch the commotion. Feng Qun and the others had never been humiliated like this before. They wished they could chop up all the refugees who had tied them up, but there was nothing they could do. The town was only so big. Soon, they arrived at the government office. When Feng Qun and the others walked out of the government office that day, they probably did not expect them to be tied up. Ling Kingdom did not have any rules that required the officials to be flogged. Cui Shize handed in the case that he had already prepared and led the others to wait quietly for the court to rise. After a while, they were brought into the government office. The commoners also squeezed in to watch the commotion. On the way here, Feng Qun had thought about it the same way as the Wang brothers. He refused to admit it even if he was beaten to death, and even wanted to accuse them of killing the officials. In the end, Feng Qun looked up and saw that the person standing beside the new Mayor Yang was Qingfeng. Instantly, his legs went weak from fear. Could it be that Qingfeng and the others had the guts to capture them because they were certain that the mayor would support them? In an instant, Feng Qun¡¯s back was drenched in cold sweat. Chapter 105 - 105 Evidence 105 Evidence Yang Gongbing slammed the table and said with a dark expression, ¡°Begin the case.¡± ¡°Mighty¡ªRise for court!¡± The rag in Feng Qun and the others¡¯ mouths were removed. Yang Gongbing asked, ¡°Youjia villager accused you of abusing your power and forcing all their men to serve in labor?¡± ¡°No!¡± Feng Qun and the others quickly denied. ¡°Then why did you take the labor registration book and circle all their names?¡± Feng Qun broke out in cold sweat and said, ¡°Sir, I¡¯m innocent. I just wanted to label a name. I didn¡¯t want to do anything.¡± Yang Gongbing¡¯s face turned cold. ¡°As a bailiff who oversees labor management, you should know that before I confirm the name list, you are not allowed to casually circle names, right?¡± Feng Qun said with trembling hands, ¡°I was just careless.¡± ¡°You accidentally circled so many people¡¯s names. I wonder if you do have eyes!¡± Feng Qun clenched his fists and argued, ¡°Sir, I really just accidentally circled their names and didn¡¯t really¡­¡± Yang Gongbing interrupted him. ¡°If you have already written the end date for them to serve in the labor, Feng Qun and the rest of you will already be imprisoned.¡± ¡°Now, I can give you a chance. If you confess, I¡¯ll forgive you. If you resist, I¡¯ll punish you severely.¡± Feng Qun said anxiously, ¡°Sir! I really didn¡¯t want so many of them to serve. I really just wanted to tease them.¡± Yang Gongbing asked, ¡°Why are you teasing them? Is it like the second thing they are suing for, that you colluded with Xiong Chishi and the Wang brothers to force them to cut wood for personal gain?¡± Yang Gongbing had actually found out about Landlord Xiong! Feng Qun¡¯s face turned pale as he denied, ¡°No, sir, I wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± The other officials and the Wang brothers also said in unison, ¡°Sir, I wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± ¡°Did you bring Xiong Chishi?¡± ¡°Sir, the person has been summoned.¡± ¡°Bring him up.¡± This was the first time in many years that Landlord Xiong had been sued in court. The most unbelievable thing was that he was actually sued by a group of refugees. He knelt in the hall and glanced at Feng Qun, then at the Wang brothers. He knelt on the ground and bowed. ¡°Greetings, Lord.¡± ¡°Xiong Chishi, Youjia villager accused you of colluding with the official Feng Qun and the Wang brothers to force them to hand over the wood to build a courtyard for you. Is that true?¡± Xiong Chishi was shocked. He did not expect things to turn out this way. He immediately shook his head and said, ¡°I¡¯m innocent. I don¡¯t know Feng Qun and the Wang brothers at all, nor have I met them before!¡± None of them admitted their crimes. Yang Gongbing looked at Cui Shize and asked, ¡°Do you have any evidence to prove that what you said is true?¡± Cui Shize bowed respectfully. Thinking that this was the former Prime Minister of the two dynasties and Teacher Yang¡¯s personal disciple, Yang Gongbing¡¯s heart thumped. He suppressed his excitement and said, ¡°Then hand over the evidence and summon the witnesses!¡± One of Xiong Chishi¡¯s servants was thrown into the court. When Landlord Xiong, the Wang brothers, and Feng Qun, saw this person, their expressions changed drastically. Yang Gongbing asked, ¡°Who are you? What do you want to testify about?¡± Laifu glanced at the dark guard who had thrown him out and recalled that he had been tortured inhumanely just now. In order to save his life, he could only tell the truth bitterly, ¡°I¡¯m Laifu, a servant of Landlord Xiong. I can prove that what the villagers of Youjia village said is true. Landlord Xiong colluded with the official, Feng Qun, and the Wang brothers to force the villagers of Youjia village to hand over the wood for the land exploration.¡± Landlord Xiong was furious. ¡°Nonsense!¡± Then he shouted at Yang Gongbing, ¡°Sir, he must have been coerced by those refugees and framed me. I¡¯ve been so good to him in vain. Don¡¯t believe what such an ungrateful person says!¡± At this point, Laifu hurriedly moved a few steps forward with his knee to avoid Landlord Xiong and the others¡¯ murderous gazes. ¡°Sir, everything I said is true. I still have evidence!¡± The word ¡°evidence¡± was like a thunderclap that struck Feng Qun and the others¡¯ brains, making them angry, afraid, and want to kill someone! If they were really convicted of selling government¡¯s wood in private, they would lose their heads! Yang Gongbing did not seem like someone who could be bribed with money. Landlord Xiong was so afraid that his mouth was trembling. Laifu took out a wooden booklet and presented it respectfully. ¡°Landlord Xiong has already decided on the fields for the courtyard, but he hasn¡¯t bought a single piece of wood for the house.¡± ¡°Instead, he asked me and the carpenters to calculate how many good wood we needed. Then, he asked me to personally hand the log book to the Wang brothers and let them keep an eye on those refugees, while choosing the best 100-year-old wood on the mountain to cut. This was the first time the Wang brothers brought their villagers to look for the refugees from Youjia village. They were unwilling, so Landlord Xiong asked me to bring Wang Chang to look for the official, Feng Qun to settle the villagers from Youjia village. He even asked me to inform that he would reward them heavily after the matter was done.¡± Xiong Chishi shouted agitatedly, ¡°He¡¯s spouting nonsense! I don¡¯t know them at all. He was the one who took the initiative to please me. When something happened, he¡¯s even framing me.¡± Laifu didn¡¯t want this trouble to fall on his shoulders. He bit his lip again and said, ¡°Landlord Xiong doesn¡¯t just want to build the courtyard. He also secretly negotiated with several big families in town and promised to get them cheap wood. He also wants to smuggle wood in secret.¡± As soon as these words were spoken, a commotion broke out in the hall. Landlord Xiong was actually so bold as to collude with the other big families in the town to do a wood smuggling business. The commoners watching from outside the hall were dumbfounded. This was a serious crime that would cost him his head! Among the crowd, there were the owners of these families who were watching the show. They were so frightened that their faces turned pale. They hurriedly knelt down and said, ¡°Sir, Landlord Xiong did look for us, but we didn¡¯t have the intention to do so. Sir, you¡¯re wise, you have to prove our innocence!¡± By shouting like this, they had already admitted that Landlord Xiong had indeed colluded with Feng Qun and the others to coerce the refugees from Youjia village to cut wood for their own benefit. Yang Gongbing looked at Xiong Chishi and the others who became limp in the hall. ¡°The witnesses and evidence are all here. Do you plead guilty?¡± If they confessed, they would only die. How could they confess! Xiong Chishi shouted, ¡°I¡¯m innocent! Sir, I really don¡¯t know anything. It was all done by the damn servants!¡± Afraid that he would be beheaded, Laifu hurriedly swore, ¡°Everything I said is true. If I¡¯m lying, I¡¯ll be struck by lightning and die a horrible death!¡± Feng Qun did not expect things to turn out like this. He pointed at Cui Shize and said angrily, ¡°Sir, they are rioters and spies of the Yan Kingdom. How can you believe their words!¡± Yang Gongbing¡¯s face darkened. ¡°I¡¯m not blind or deaf. Whether they¡¯re spies or not, I have my own judgment. Xiong Chishi, Wang brothers, Feng Chang, and the others colluded and forced the villagers from Youjia village to hand over their wood for personal gains. The crime has been proven with the evidence and witness. According to the Ling Kingdom¡¯s laws, the mastermind will be executed after autumn and his assets will be confiscated. The rest of the people involved can be punished lightly if they confess now!¡± Chapter 106 - 106 Tianbao is also Sweet _ 1 106 Tianbao is also Sweet _ 1 Xiong Chixin and the others were dumbfounded by Yang Gongbing¡¯s quick judgment. The people outside the hall were extremely excited. ¡®He¡¯s a good official!¡¯ They looked at each other, and immediately, one of them knelt down and pointed at Landlord Xiong. ¡°Sir, Landlord Xiong has forcibly taken over our shop that has been passed down for generations. Please help us!¡± If Landlord Xiong¡¯s assets were all confiscated, they would never be able to take back their ancestral property. Landlord Xiong bared his teeth. ¡°Nonsense, I paid for it. I have a contract!¡± The man complained, ¡°Sir, our family¡¯s ancestral property is worth 50 taels of silver, but he only gave us five copper coins. Who would sell their ancestral store for five copper coins? Landlord Xiong forced me to leave my fingerprint at the magistrate office! Boohoo¡­¡± Apart from him, other people also stood out and pointed at Landlord Xiong as he cried bitterly. ¡°Sir, he¡­ he even sexually assaulted my unmarried daughter. My daughter couldn¡¯t take the blow and committed suicide in the river!!! Sir, please seek justice for my daughter!¡± Landlord Xiong cursed angrily, ¡°Bullsh*t! I don¡¯t like village girls at all!¡± It was not just the people who were pointing out Landlord Xiong¡¯s crimes. There were also many people who pointed out Feng Qun in the hall. ¡°Sir, it¡¯s not the first time that Feng Qun has secretly changed the labor records. In order to earn money, he sold the labor quota. Those who can¡¯t afford it have to keep providing labor. My youngest son went to the quarry for more than three months last year and didn¡¯t get a day of rest. He was exhausted to death and no one even collected his corpse. When I received the news and rushed over, he already had maggots growing on his body. Boohoo, Sir, please uphold justice for my son!¡± ¡°Sir, my brother has been in labor for more than two months. He has long passed the end date for labor. Meanwhile, those who have spent money to avoid labor are eating and drinking at home. I even dreamed yesterday that my brother was telling me that he was about to die. He said that he was not able to eat and wear warm clothes. Sir, please, let my brother come back!¡± ¡°Sir¡­¡± ¡°Sir¡­¡± Countless people in the hall knelt down and made their complaints. For a moment, all the bailiffs in the government office were trembling, afraid that they would be the next to be accused. The prosecutor was so busy that he was sweating profusely. He wished he could grow eight hands to write the complaints. There were too many crimes against Landlord Xiong and Feng Qun. They had to be tried one by one. Yang Gongbing ordered someone to detain the Wang brothers first. As they were pulled away, they were still shouting, ¡°Sir, we are innocent, we are innocent¡ª¡± The case was already closed, so Cui Shize and the others were going back first. Yang Gongbing really could not take the time to see Yang Quanzi, so he could only get someone to inform Cui Shize that he would visit as soon as he was free. After the whole incident, it was already dark when Cui Shize and the others returned to the Jade Spiritual Mountain. Dinner was ready and everyone was waiting for them to return. Bai Wutong saw the flames glowing on the mountainside and said, ¡°They¡¯re back.¡± Auntie Yang said happily, ¡°I¡¯ll get everyone to set up the table now.¡± When Cui Shize and the others came down from the hill, everyone stood up to welcome them. Bai Wutong asked, ¡°What was Lord Yang¡¯s judgment?¡± Cui Shize said, ¡°The two brothers of the Wang family will be executed the next day and they are imprisoned now. Their assets will be confiscated. The rest of them were involved in many cases and will all be investigated.¡± The verdict was satisfying and everyone looked happy. Cui Shize looked at Yang Quanzi and said, ¡°Teacher, Lord Yang has a lot of work to do now and can¡¯t leave for the time being. He said that he will personally visit another day.¡± Yang Quanzi stroked his beard and laughed happily. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for him to come.¡± Everyone ate together. There were no rules like not talking while eating. Everyone chatted and laughed. After having a happy dinner, they went back to rest. Chu Tianbao followed Bai Wutong into the tent like an aggrieved wife. Bai Wutong washed up and prepared to go to bed. Chu Tianbao didn¡¯t do anything and crawled into bed. Bai Wutong pulled away the blanket that he had pretended to disappear in and rushed him, ¡°Go wash up quickly. If you don¡¯t clean yourself up, go sleep with Lin Yue.¡± Chu Tianbao opened his big watery eyes and reached out to pull her sleeve. He said gloomily, ¡°Wife ~¡± He was really sad that he did not get to eat the candied hawthorn, red cakes and roll. And now his wife was even scolding him. Bai Wutong grabbed his big hand and pulled him up. ¡°Go wash up!¡± Chu Tianbao did not receive any words of comfort, but he did not want to sleep with Lin Yue, so he could only wash up. When he returned from washing up, Bai Wutong was already lying under the blanket. Chu Tianbao got in with ease and did not let a trace of heat come out. The cold air brought in from outside stuck to the back of Bai Wutong, and her back immediately trembled. Bai Wutong subconsciously shrank in. Chu Tianbao pressed against her again and even placed his head at her neck. He repeated unhappily, ¡°Candied hawthorn, red cake, red roll, candied hawthorn, red cake, red roll¡­¡± This time she had made them using sweet honey. It would definitely taste better. Boohoo, too bad he hadn¡¯t tried anything. Not even a tiny red roll. He was so sad. Tianbao had been stung by bees until he became so swollen, but his wife refused to let him eat it. His wife was so heartless. Wuwuwu¡­ As Chu Tianbao muttered, he cried in his heart. He kept muttering so much that Bai Wutong¡¯s ears were about to get calluses. She turned around and pinched Chu Tianbao¡¯s chubby face that was comparable to Stinky¡¯s. ¡°Are you going to sleep? If not, go outside and run two rounds.¡± It was cold outside, and it was not as comfortable as hugging his fragrant and soft wife. Chu Tianbao shook his head sullenly and tightened his grip around her even more. ¡°Tianbao doesn¡¯t want that.¡± Then, he muttered in her ear, ¡°Candied hawthorn, red cake, red roll¡­¡± His obsession was too deep. If he didn¡¯t eat the food, Chu Tianbao would definitely talk about it all night. Bai Wutong did not know how to deal with him. She suddenly sat up. ¡°Stop muttering the same words.¡± Chu Tianbao thought she was going to be angry. He cowered like a pitiful squirrel. Bai Wutong took out a red roll from her pajamas pocket and said, ¡°You have to remember to tell me before you do anything, okay?¡± Chu Tianbao took the red roll from Bai Wutong¡¯s hand with a whoosh and nodded. ¡°Yes, yes. If my wife doesn¡¯t agree, I will definitely not enter the mountain, nor will I pick honey and red fruits. If I go, I will bring my wife along.¡± Was he going to bring her along to suffer the bee stings? Bai Wutong smiled helplessly and her tone became much gentler. ¡°Go on and eat.¡± Chu Tianbao put the red roll into his mouth and smiled foolishly. ¡°Wife, it¡¯s so sweet.¡± When he smiled, his already swollen eye formed a line and almost disappeared. His fleshy cheeks bulged, making him look even nicer to pinch. Bai Wutong reached out to pinch him and smiled. ¡°Tianbao is also sweet.¡± Chapter 107 - 107 You Brought This On Yourself 107 You Brought This On Yourself Bai Wutong and the others had already plowed more than ten acres of land. They had also dug out a lot of wood and piled it at the side for future use. Bai Wutong touched the soil in the newly dug out wasteland. Suddenly, a ghostly cry came from the neighboring mountain. Wang Chang and Wang Qi were arrested and thrown into jail. Their houses, fields, and property were also confiscated after the sudden arrival of the soldiers. Wang Mingyue did not have time to hide anything before she was chased out of her house. When the eldest sister-in-law and second sister-in-law heard that their husbands would be beheaded, they brought the children back to their parents¡¯ house without looking back. Looking at her father lying on the ground with his mouth and eyes distorted, her mother holding her chest and crying for her son, Wang Mingyue, who had nowhere to go and was surrounded by people gossiping about her, fainted. Bai Wutong pricked up her ears and heard that the government had sent someone to the Wang family to raid their house. They deserved it, so Bai Wutong had no sympathy for them at all. The soil of the Jade Spiritual Mountain was not exactly fertile. The people here planted potatoes and sweet potatoes, but the harvest was average. It was suitable for planting rice. Unfortunately, there was no river near the forest village, so it was not convenient for water irrigation and there were very few families who planted rice. The main grain planted locally was corn, which was considered the best harvestable among the many grains. One mu of land could produce about 150 kilograms of corn. 150 kilograms was considered high yield in this world. In the modern era before the apocalypse, 150 kilograms could not even be considered low yield. The standard harvest for one mu of sorghum should be about 400 kilograms. During the apocalypse, Bai Wutong had driven an RV to an abandoned farm to replenish her food. She had grabbed some of the various types of grains. Bai Wutong thought that after the apocalypse, she could use these grains to cultivate seeds. Along the way, she did not touch the grains brought from the modern world. When everyone was growing seedlings, she could secretly sneak some seeds in and harvest them next year. When everyone discovered that some plants had especially high yields, they could cultivate and plant them in large quantities. Bai Wutong looked at the soil seriously. Chu Tianbao also grabbed a handful of soil like her and forced open his swollen eyes to observe carefully. Auntie Yang smiled and said, ¡°There are also benefits to exploring the land. If we want to dig up a few more acres of land, we can do so. If there are no natural disasters next year, everyone won¡¯t have to worry about not having enough to eat.¡± Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°In addition to the fields that have to be taxed, I also want to cultivate some fields to grow fruits.¡± Woqian Town was too small. It was even a luxury to eat fruits. Thinking about it, it made sense. The people already had difficulties feeding themselves, so who would still be in the mood to plant fruits? The small tomatoes, watermelons, cherries, and strawberries in the fridge in Bai Wutong¡¯s space could all be planted with seeds. If they asked where these seeds came from, she would say that she had obtained them accidentally while escaping from the wilderness. No one would be able to find out. Auntie Yang smiled and said, ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll help Madam grow her seedlings. I¡¯ve planted sweet melons before. They¡¯re delicious.¡± Cui Lingyi also said, ¡°I want to plant melons too. I also want to plant some peony flowers, crab claw chrysanthemums¡­¡± When Bai Wutong heard her mutter a long string of expensive flowers, she smiled and teased, ¡°Aren¡¯t the priceless tears in the snow enough for you to cultivate?¡± Cui Lingyi smiled and said, ¡°Tears in the snow can only be seen in winter. I want to plant all kinds of beautiful flowers here all year round.¡± Bai Wutong suddenly thought of something. ¡°Sure. We can design a garden and plant some flowers and plants to decorate the village. It will be beautiful but not affect the villagers¡¯ work. We can plant rose, triangular plums and let them climb on the walls and roofs.¡± ¡°In the middle of the village, we can also dig a large pond to store water and raise fish to plant lotus roots. In the summer, we can admire the lotus flowers and dig up the lotus roots in the winter. Not only will it be beautiful, but we can also eat it. In the winter, other than orchids, we can also plant wintersweet flowers that are fragrant for ten miles. At that time, the entire village will be fragrant. The wintersweet flowers can also be used to make tea, remove the heat, expel the poison, and prevent acne.¡± Bai Wutong had gone to many romantic towns with the production team in the past. When she saw the beautiful scenery around her, no matter how tired she was, her mood would become extremely pleasant. This would be their home in the future. Bai Wutong definitely wanted the village to look better. Bai Wutong¡¯s description gave Cui Lingyi a lot of inspiration. Her eyes lit up and she said excitedly to Bai Wutong, ¡°Let¡¯s go and draw the blueprint now. I haven¡¯t found a chance to consult you about your amazing drawing skills!¡± Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°There¡¯s no hurry. We still have to look at the house and build the foundation later. We can only plant these things after the house is built. You can design them in your mind first, and then we can discuss them.¡± Cui Lingyi knew that this matter could not be rushed. They didn¡¯t even have a house, let alone a courtyard. She could only say, ¡°Then I¡¯ll think about it first, and then I¡¯ll get someone to buy these flowers and trees.¡± Sheng Huaixuan came over with Stinky and happened to hear this. He smiled and said, ¡°What flowers and trees does Madam Cui want? I can get someone to send them over.¡± Cui Lingyi recalled that Sheng Huaixuan had many businesses in the past. Even if he was no longer in the business, he still had his own connections. It would definitely be better than her looking for someone to buy it from. She said, ¡°It might be a little too much. I¡¯ll make a list later, thank you Master Sheng for helping.¡± Sheng Huaixuan looked honored. ¡°It¡¯s just a small matter. It¡¯s not worth mentioning. We¡¯re all villagers of Youjia village now. We should help each other.¡± Cui Lingyi covered her mouth and smiled. Her movements were elegant, but her words were forthright. ¡°Alright, Master Sheng, if you need any help in the future, feel free to look for me.¡± One of them had lost his wife, and the other was a widow. Saying such things might cause a misunderstanding. Cui Lingyi¡¯s face stiffened, and she quickly added, ¡°And the Cui family.¡± Sheng Huaixuan pretended not to notice Cui Lingyi¡¯s slip of the tongue and nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Yang Gongbing was still thinking that Yang Quanzi and the others might not have enough food to eat, so he specially sent someone to bring a batch of food over. The food he had sent over was enough to feed the entire village for at least a week. Yang Quanzi asked the official escorting the food in surprise, ¡°This food is?¡± The newly appointed official, Bao Zhaoshan, said respectfully, ¡°Master specially asked me to deliver it to you. He also asked me to tell Master Yang not to worry. This is food that Master bought with other people¡¯s household registers. It¡¯s not a violation of the Ling Kingdom¡¯s laws.¡± With that, he gave Yang Quanzi a letter. Yang Quanzi opened the letter and looked at it. Then he stroked his beard and smiled. ¡°This kid is still so smart.¡± Then he glanced at Cui Shize and told him to learn. As an official, he had to know how to be flexible at the right time and not be so stubborn. Cui Shize was not always stubborn. He did not refute his teacher and smiled to show that he had learned something. He took out a money bag from his sleeve and placed it in front of Bao Zhaoshan. ¡°Thank you for your trouble. I hope you can pass it to Lord Yang.¡± Yang Gongbing¡¯s monthly salary was not much at all. His family was only considered to be a little rich. After buying so much food, he would definitely have to tighten his belt to survive. Bao Zhaoshan shook his head and said with a smile, ¡°Master said that this is a small token of his appreciation as a student. In a few days, he will definitely personally visit and listen to Old Master Yang¡¯s teachings. He repeatedly exhorted me not to accept Old Master Yang¡¯s money. If I do, it will be difficult for me to report back.¡± Chapter 108 - 108 Give Birth Two Fat Boys In One Go 108 Give Birth Two Fat Boys In One Go Bao Zhaoshan refused to accept it, so Yang Quanzi decided to hand it to Yang Gongbing personally when he visited. In addition to food and clothes for the winter, Yang Gongbing also sent two strong cows to them. In a farming society, cattle were very precious. Even if they bought it, they had to serve it like it was their ancestor. If they wanted to eat a bowl of braised beef noodles, they had to let it die ¡°accidentally¡±. With cows to plow the land, the efficiency of the wasteland exploration would be much higher. Everyone had always wanted to buy cows. Unfortunately, the government was too strict with the sale of cows. Every cow had been registered with the government since they were born. Sheng Huaixuan had to queue up even if he had money and a household register. He could only buy a calf after the cow gave birth. He also was not able to choose and had to bring it back to raise carefully. He did have a way to get cows from other places, but he was afraid that after he got them, the officials would suddenly come to investigate and ask, ¡°Eh, where did you get this cow from?¡± In order not to cause trouble for Yang Gongbing, everyone stopped thinking about secretly buying cows. Now that Yang Gongbing had taken the initiative to give them two big cows to farm, especially Village Chief Zhao and the other professional farmers, their eyes almost shot out lasers. Yang Quanzi touched the docile cow head and smiled. ¡°Good cow!¡± For these two big cows to appear in their village openly, Yang Gongbing must have spent a lot of effort on them. Bao Zhaoshan said, ¡°Master also said that if you need anything else, you must tell me.¡± Yang Quanzi stroked his beard and smiled. ¡°There¡¯s no need. Go back and tell your master that it¡¯s my blessing to be a citizen under him.¡± Bao Zhaoshan smiled and cupped his hands. ¡°Yes, I will definitely deliver Old Master Yang¡¯s words.¡± After Yang Gongbing sent someone to deliver food, another team came to deliver food. As the carriages could not enter, the guards had to carry the items into the mountain one by one. The team was so huge that they could see them winding up the mountain. The villagers of Lintian Village stood on the mountain peak and craned their necks, their eyes almost falling out of their sockets. What exactly was the background of the refugees from the village opposite!!! Not only did the new mayor protect them and send them food, but they also had a team to deliver items to them. In addition to a large amount of food, they also brought them a lot of daily expensive things. While everyone kept guessing the identities of the villagers, they were also glad that they did not insist on following the Wang brothers to find trouble with them. Wang Mingyue, who had brought her half-dead parents to live in the rotten shed at the corner of the village, looked at the lively mountain opposite and listened to the envious discussions of the villagers. Tears welled up in her eyes and she clenched her fists tightly. Lan Jingbai, who had returned from borrowing food from Pingyang County, bowed to Cui Shiji. ¡°Master, County Head Qu has humbled himself and borrowed three months¡¯ worth of food for us.¡± Cui Shiji sighed guiltily. ¡°It¡¯s been hard on Brother Qu. Did he say anything else?¡± Lan Jingbai took out the letter and handed it over. ¡°County Head Qu said that he¡¯s here to settle everything. There¡¯s no need to worry.¡± ¡°He will settle everything and there¡¯s no need to worry!¡± It was enough to have just one confidant in life! Cui Shiji opened the letter with excitement. After reading it, his eyes welled up. Cui Shize comforted him. ¡°Brother, don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll visit Brother Qu after we¡¯re settled down.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Village Chief Zhao looked at the food that was enough for them to survive the winter and sighed at Bai Wutong. ¡°The people who interact with the Cui family are all good people who value friendship and loyalty.¡± Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°Indeed.¡± As a county magistrate, he was not afraid of gossip and could put down his pride to face them. This alone showed his character. He was a friend worth making. ¡­ According to the design blueprint of Bai Wutong, the first batch of houses began construction when the wood was ready. With overtime work, the first batch of houses was completed a few days earlier than Bai Wutong had expected. Rows of detached ancient-style buildings finally stood between the forest. The distance between the detached houses and the other houses was very wide. The house also had its own front yard and backyard. Whether it was used to grow vegetables and flowers, or to raise pigs and chickens, it would not affect others. Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao¡¯s house was a standard house and was very suitable for the couple to live in with their children. Besides Bai Wutong¡¯s house layout, Bai Wutong also provided several options for everyone on the basis of their standard house type. The appearance of the house was similar, but the structure was completely different. For example, the Cui family had many servants, and they were usually used to ordering their servants around. The house design that Bai Wutong had designed for them was very large, a little like the luxurious villa. It occupied a lot less space than their previous house in Qinghe. For a large family like Village Chief Zhao, who had to live together with three generations and might split up in the future, Bai Wutong designed a house with a connector. However, she made some adjustments to the distance so that the few families could move around at any time and not disturb each other. As soon as Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao walked into the house that belonged to them, Bai Wutong smelled a rich fragrance of golden-silk cedar. Chu Tianbao touched the wall and asked happily, ¡°Wife, is this our home?¡± Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°Yes, this is our future home.¡± If nothing else cropped up, they were going to spend the rest of their lives in this house. To Bai Wutong, who had experienced the apocalypse, it was extremely blissful to be able to live peacefully. The conditions were much better than she had expected. Without realizing it, she took another look at Chu Tianbao, who was jumping around. Her lips curled into a deep smile. Furthermore, there was someone accompanying her now. Bai Wutong glanced at the two rooms facing the sun. In her mind, she had already outlined how to place and decorate the furniture that Zhao Sheng had specially customized. After the villagers were done with their work, Bai Wutong still wanted to look for them. She ordered a lounge chair from them and wanted to place it on the balcony. Then, she could take a bath in the sunlight and drink some refreshing fragrant tea. Just thinking about it made her feel extremely happy. Chu Tianbao walked around the rooms one by one and ran to Bai Wutong. He said excitedly, ¡°Wife, can we move in here now?¡± Just as Bai Wutong was about to nod, Village Chief Zhao suddenly appeared and said anxiously, ¡°Madam, we can¡¯t move tonight for the time being. We have to pay respects to the Kitchen deity and set off firecrackers to celebrate. Only then can we live in harmony in the future. Let¡¯s prepare and move in tomorrow, okay?¡± When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°I almost forgot. Then I¡¯ll have to trouble you to prepare.¡± Village Chief Zhao agreed. ¡°Alright! We¡¯ll definitely satisfy the Kitchen deity and let Master and Madam give birth to two fat boys next year.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The corners of Bai Wutong¡¯s mouth twitched. When did the Kitchen deity take over the job of granting children from Guanyin? Chapter 109 - 109 No Difference In One More Night 109 No Difference In One More Night After the first batch of houses was completed, they saw everyone preparing to move in. The remaining people who had not moved in worked even harder. They did not stop at night, wanting to move in as soon as possible. Bai Wutong was used to it. She slept until dawn with Chu Tianbao hugging her. When she woke up, she remembered that it was the day to pay respects to the Kitchen deity. She nudged Chu Tianbao, who was still sleeping. He opened his sleepy eyes and yawned again. Bai Wutong¡¯s gaze fell to the stubble growing on his chin. She reached out and touched it. It was a little prickly. It was time to shave. Chu Tianbao was like a big lazy cat. He rubbed his unshaven chin against her hand and looked comfortable. Bai Wutong withdrew her hands and said, ¡°Get up and put on your clothes. I¡¯ll teach you to shave.¡± Chu Tianbao retracted his gaze and said aggrievedly, ¡°Wife, are you not going to shave for Tianbao anymore?¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s gaze paused. ¡°Tianbao is a man. He has to learn to be independent. Of course, he has to shave himself.¡± Chu Tianbao whimpered. ¡°Can Tianbao not be a man?¡± ¡°¡­ Of course not.¡± Chu Tianbao pouted. ¡°All right, then.¡± He looked reluctant. Seeing how listless he was, Bai Wutong was a little worried. If Chu Tianbao knew that he had to sleep in a separate room after moving into the new house, would he blow up the house with his internal energy on impulse? Bai Wutong taught Chu Tianbao to shave and gave him a new set of black clothes. After tying his belt, Bai Wutong looked up and was stunned by Chu Tianbao¡¯s cold appearance. He had a tall figure and a cold face, as if he was a noble who had lived with the world. Bai Wutong¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She lowered her eyes and said to Chu Tianbao, ¡°Go outside and play. I¡¯ll clean up.¡± Chu Tianbao would definitely look for Stinky every morning, so Bai Wutong let him leave first. He chuckled and jumped out of the tent. Bai Wutong looked at his disappearing figure. The tent seemed a little quiet, and her heart felt empty. If Chu Tianbao recovered his memory and wanted to leave, she would definitely not be used to it. After everyone paid their respects to the Kitchen deity and set off a series of deafening firecrackers, Bai Wutong called Chu Tianbao to carry the daily necessities in the tent and prepare to move into the new house. Cui Lingyi suddenly took her hand and led her to their door. She smiled mysteriously and said, ¡°Open the door and take a look.¡± Bai Wutong pushed open the door suspiciously and was instantly stunned. The house that was empty the day before suddenly had everything. The sofa, table, and chairs that she had specially designed, the porcelain tea set that Qu Yuanxian had sent someone to send over, the calligraphy and paintings drawn by Yang Quanzi, the lucky dolls drawn by the villagers, the lotus platform candle lamp that Zhao Sheng had carefully carved, the potted plant that Cui Lingyi had personally planted¡­ These things that she had seen in the past but had never paid close attention to had appeared in her and Chu Tianbao¡¯s house. Cui Lingyi smiled. ¡°This is all a small token of appreciation from everyone.¡± Bai Wutong met everyone¡¯s expectant gazes and smiled brightly. However, she said with her nose sniffling, ¡°Thank you, everyone.¡± Village Chief Zhao chuckled. ¡°As long as Madam likes it.¡± ¡°I do. Very much.¡± Everyone was already very tired from working on the house. They even specially rushed out the furniture she had designed and prepared a housewarming gift. She was really touched by this surprise and thought. Cui Lingyi said, ¡°I was afraid that you wouldn¡¯t like it. Do you want to take a look around? If there¡¯s anything out of place, we can help you adjust it now.¡± Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°No, I¡¯m very satisfied wit it now. I¡¯m only left with the word satisfaction.¡± Everyone looked at each other and smiled. The atmosphere in the room was extremely harmonious. After sending everyone away, Bai Wutong sat down on the soft fabric sofa and subconsciously smiled. Chu Tianbao also sat down and lay comfortably on Bai Wutong¡¯s lap. ¡°Wife, our home is so good. I like our home so much.¡± Bai Wutong lowered her eyes to look at him, her eyes shining. ¡°I like it very much too,¡± she said softly. The house everyone had decorated was very different from the one she had imagined, but Cui Lingyi¡¯s aesthetic taste was excellent. Bai Wutong felt that the layout and style of the house were even more beautiful than her design. If there was any slight inconvenience, she would simply adjust it later. After a short rest, Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao tidied up the belongings in the tent and moved to the new house. After dinner, it was time for them to go to bed. Chu Tianbao followed Bai Wutong into a room like a follower. Bai Wutong glanced at him for a long time before saying, ¡°Tianbao, you¡¯ll sleep here in the future.¡± The room was beautiful and there was a huge bed. Chu Tianbao thought that Bai Wutong was going to sleep there too. He agreed and fell into the bed happily. ¡°Sure!¡± Bai Wutong forced a smile. ¡°Then rest well.¡± With that, she turned to close the door and went to the next room. Chu Tianbao realized that something was wrong and suddenly got up from the bed. He hurriedly said, ¡°Wife, where are you going?¡± Bai Wutong said, ¡°I¡¯m next door. Tianbao will sleep alone in the future.¡± When Chu Tianbao heard this, he immediately hugged Bai Wutong and cried, ¡°I don¡¯t want to. I want to sleep with my wife!¡± Bai Wutong was a little helpless. She coaxed patiently, ¡°Tianbao is already big. If you¡¯re a man, you have to sleep alone.¡± Chu Tianbao was smart and difficult to fool. ¡°Even if Tianbao is big and a man, he has to sleep with his wife.¡± He spoke a little too loudly and the window was not closed. Bai Wutong covered his mouth and lowered his eyes to signal him to be obedient. ¡°Tianbao!¡± Chu Tianbao refused to let go. His bright black eyes glistened. Bai Wutong¡¯s heart twitched. She took a deep breath and comforted herself. Anyway, they had already slept together for so many nights. What was one more night? She would slowly correct it in the future. Looking at him, if she really let him sleep alone, Bai Wutong might not be able to sleep that night. She sighed and said, ¡°Then come to bed with me.¡± Chu Tianbao confirmed with an aggrieved expression. Bai Wutong said, ¡°I¡¯m really not lying to you. Let go of me.¡± Even though she had already said so, Chu Tianbao was probably extremely afraid. He still refused to let go and insisted on hanging on to Bai Wutong like a koala. Bai Wutong fell onto the bed and turned her head to see Chu Tianbao hugging her even more tightly as she slept. She felt like she had lifted a rock and smashed her own foot. She had a feeling that if she softened her heart and didn¡¯t let Chu Tianbao go out to sleep that night, it would probably be even harder in the future. The next morning, Bai Wutong got up to go to the toilet and saw polished bamboo pieces hanging on both sides of the toilet. This was what the ancients used to use the toilet. There was toilet paper in Bai Wutong¡¯s space. She never used this bamboo pieces. She squatted on the bucket and tidied up the things in the RV space. As she did so, she realized that the toilet paper in her space would be used up in another month at most. Then when the time came¡­ Bai Wutong stared at the bamboo pieces in front of her and was suddenly dumbfounded. Chapter 110 - 110 Strange Machine 110 Strange Machine Bai Wutong would never accept using bamboo slices to use the toilet. Therefore, as she squatted in the toilet, she used her consciousness to search for archives in the space. In order to preserve civilization in the apocalypse, every computer would automatically save all kinds of information on books. Bai Wutong turned on her computer and searched for methods to produce paper. Countless books and videos about paper production appeared. Bai Wutong browsed through a lot of information before selecting a few pieces of information that could produce toilet paper based on her current environmental conditions. She read through them carefully. It was not difficult to make toilet paper, but the process required some processing machinery. The iron casting technology of this era was more advanced than Bai Wutong had imagined, but it was impossible to make automated machinery. Moreover, it required the approval of the officials to use the limit amount of iron ore. Bai Wutong did not want to alarm the officials in order to produce some toilet paper. She then looked up the original principle of toilet paper production, intending to build the original paper production machine out of wood. If she succeeded once, it would be enough for her to use for a year. Thinking that there was no need to worry about not having toilet paper in the future, Bai Wutong smiled. Bai Wutong had been in the toilet for more than half an hour. Chu Tianbao was waiting outside the door for a long time and shouted, ¡°Wife, wife, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Bai Wutong withdrew her smiles and hurriedly said, ¡°I¡¯m here. If there¡¯s nothing, don¡¯t wait outside the door. It¡¯s very rude!¡± Chu Tianbao came because he was worried. When he heard Bai Wutong say that she was fine, he said, ¡°I¡¯m going to play with Stinky!¡± Bai Wutong said, ¡°Go ahead. Don¡¯t play so much with Stinky that both of you catch the cold.¡± Chu Tianbao patted his chest outside the door and said confidently, ¡°That won¡¯t happen!¡± When there was no more noise at the door, Bai Wutong heaved a sigh of relief. Fortunately, Chu Tianbao did not understand some things. Otherwise, it would be too awkward. Bai Wutong made a cup of hot tea and went to the study to organize the relevant information. After drawing the blueprints needed to make the paper production machine, she smiled in satisfaction and stretched her arms to look out the window. Everyone was busy. Chu Tianbao flew around with Stinky, who was riding on his head. With each flight, Stinky chuckled and he was not afraid at all. Bai Wutong¡¯s gaze fell to where everyone was handling the wood. In order to explore the land and build houses, they had already cut down many trees. These trees had to be processed before they could become wood that could be used to build houses. The wood shavings after processing the wood had already piled up several acres of land. When the snow melted and the wood shavings decomposed, they could be used as fertilizer. If there was too much and it could not decompose, it could still be used as fuel. When Bai Wutong saw the mountain of wood shavings, the corners of her mouth suddenly curled up. Even the materials were ready-made. She would definitely be able to make toilet paper within a month! Bai Wutong went out in high spirits and went straight to find Zhao Sheng, who was making furniture for everyone. Zhao Sheng¡¯s skill in making furniture was unparalleled in Woqian Town, especially after seeing the sofa and soft stool he had made for Bai Wutong. Many of the 30 families from Qinghe had arranged a business deal with him. His original task of exploring the land was also taken over by everyone to give him time to do woodworking. Apart from Zhao Sheng, many villagers who knew how to do carpentry were extremely busy. They had only been working for a few days, but they had already earned more than they could in their entire lives. Villagers who did not know how to do carpentry also earned a lot of money by helping them cut wood in their free time. Seeing Bai Wutong coming over, Zhao Sheng immediately put down his work and said enthusiastically, ¡°Madam, do you have any furniture you want to make again?¡± Bai Wutong shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not furniture, but I need you to see if you can make this machine first.¡± Zhao Sheng was literate and could understand the blueprint. He was a very capable craftsman. Bai Wutong explained her request to him carefully according to the blueprint. After Zhao Sheng heard this, he took the stack of blueprints from Bai Wutong and looked at them one by one. He smiled and said, ¡°The blueprints that Madam drew are too good. I can understand them at a glance. There should be no problem.¡± Bai Wutong was afraid that he could not make the machine, so she specially drew it very carefully. When she heard that there was no problem, she immediately heaved a sigh of relief and smiled. ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to trouble you.¡± Zhao Sheng looked at the blueprint again and asked curiously, ¡°But Madam, what are these machines for?¡± It was strange that he had never seen them before. Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°Take some people to make these machines first. You¡¯ll know when the time comes.¡± Bai Wutong kept him in suspense. Zhao Sheng was also curious and agreed immediately. He would prioritise her request first. There were many of them now, so they could help each other out quickly. Bai Wutong was asking Zhao Sheng to make strange things again. Thinking of the amazing printing techniques from before, Yang Quanzi, who had been cooped up in the house writing, finally decided to go out. While Zhao Sheng and the others were busy at the side, Yang Quanzi picked up the blueprint and studied it carefully. Not long after, he could tell something from it. The book that he had given to Bai Wutong included paper making techniques. Paper making required a lot of machines. He had looked at them up close and had even drawn blueprints of machines that were needed for filtering wood pulp. He stroked his beard and asked Zhao Sheng suspiciously, ¡°Is Madam intending to make paper?¡± Paper manufacturing was considered a confidential industry in ancient times. Zhao Sheng had never seen it before. He shook his head and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know. Madam said that everyone will know after the machine is made.¡± Yang Quanzi stroked his beard and smiled. ¡°Interesting. When will this machine be built?¡± Zhao Sheng smiled and said, ¡°Soon. Old Master Yang, just wait patiently.¡± He was also very curious. Yang Quanzi smiled and nodded. Then, he suddenly said, ¡°I¡¯ve recorded all the words that need to be carved in the word printing technique. When you¡¯re done with the machine for Madam Bai, you should make time to make the word printing template with the craftsman I found.¡± Zhao Sheng¡¯s literary foundation was a little poor, so he might not be able to write beautiful words. However, if he were to carve according to Yang Quanzi¡¯s words, he would be able to carve it exactly the same. It would not be inferior to the craftsmen that the Cui family had specially found to engrave words. Most importantly, he had completely understood Bai Wutong¡¯s blueprint and could lead the craftsmen to make the printing mold for the characters first. Zhao Sheng was considered half a scholar. He knew that Yang Quanzi was giving him a chance to personally witness the beginning of the great change in the inheritance of words. He said gratefully, ¡°Thank you, Old Master Yang. I¡¯ll look for you after I¡¯ve made Madam¡¯s machine.¡± Perhaps his name would even be recorded in history and his descendants would be proud of him in the future. He could just push the work at hand to others. In any case, the sofa¡¯s craftsmanship was not difficult for others. Even if their skills were not too outstanding, as long as the cotton was stuffed well and the stitches were done well, they could make comfortable sofa furniture. Yang Quanzi stroked his beard and nodded. ¡°Alright, I still have things to do. I¡¯ll go back and get busy first.¡± There were still many books that he and his disciples had to copy and prepare to print. If not for the Six Flavor Yellow Earth Pill that Bai Wutong had given him, he would definitely be exhausted in the next few days. Chapter 111 - 111 It Should Be Like This 111 It Should Be Like This After about half a month, Zhao Sheng finally restored all the blueprints drawn by Bai Wutong. When he informed Bai Wutong, it attracted everyone who had been curious for many days. Bai Wutong could always design something unexpected. Presumably, this time, it would also surprise everyone. Bai Wutong looked at the paper production machine and praised Zhao Sheng. Then, under everyone¡¯s curious gazes, she went to the field where the wood shavings were piled. Cui Lingyi could not help but ask, ¡°Teacher, what do you think Little Phoenix is doing?¡± She had never read the ¡®Book of Hundred Industries¡¯, so she could not understand what these strange machines could do. Yang Quanzi had already guessed it. He smiled and said, ¡°Madam Bai probably thinks that it¡¯s too wasteful to pile the wood shavings here and intends to use them to make paper.¡± As soon as he said that, everyone let out surprised voices. ¡°Paper making?¡± Paper was extremely expensive because the cost of making paper was high and the workmanship was complicated. Xu Zhiyi, who had worked with Yang Quanzi on the ¡®Book of Hundred Industries¡¯, had personally seen the craftsmen of the paper workshop working hard for an entire day. They could only make 300 pieces of paper at most daily. After the paper was made, the heat had to be controlled, allowing the paper to slowly dry. After it was completely dry, it could be lifted up to obtain a piece of paper that could be written on. If one was not careful when making the paper, the paper would become useless. This did not include the selection of materials for making paper, the proportion of the paper formula, and so on. The price of paper was expensive and needed someone to copy the words slowly. Then, the paper had to be bound into a book before it could become complete. Therefore, many scholars in the world had to grit their teeth and think a long time before buying a book. When they heard that Bai Wutong wanted to use these wood shavings that were meant for fuel to make paper, everyone was surprised and immediately revealed looks of admiration. But Bai Wutong was purely doing it for herself. She was working hard so that she could use toilet paper in the future without any worries. Bai Wutong first designed the printing technique, and now she was prepared to use these machines to improve the paper-making technique. If she succeeded, she would definitely benefit the commoners! Cui Shize was extremely emotional and excited. He took a step forward and said, ¡°Madam Bai, please let me know if you need anything. I will definitely do my best!¡± Since the teacher had already expressed his stance, the students naturally stood up and said, ¡°Us too! Madam Bai, if you need anything, just tell us!¡± Paper making usually required good bamboo or wood with bark removed. When Bai Wutong wanted to use wood shavings, someone from the 12 families of Qinghe kindly reminded her, ¡°Madam, if you want to make paper, I¡¯m afraid wood shavings won¡¯t be possible.¡± Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s give it a try. Just in case it works.¡± Actually, she was very confident that it wouldn¡¯t be a problem. Everyone wanted to help, and it just so happened that Bai Wutong could not handle it alone, so she got everyone to set up several large earthen stoves on the ground. Then, they scooped water from the reservoir and poured the wood shavings and water into the pot, repeatedly boiling it into a pot of bubbling white pulp that looked like poison. Bai Wutong stirred one of the large pots with a large wooden stick. Seeing that the wood shavings had completely boiled and shattered to the extent of wood pulp, she said, ¡°You can pour it into the first paper machine that filters and bleaches.¡± Only half a pot of wood pulp could be poured into the filter machine at a time. Two people had to fill it with water while pushing the handle of the paper machine to make it work like grinding grout, running the filtered wood pulp from the top to the bucket below. After repeated filtering and bleaching and several rounds of operation, the impurities and overly large particles in the wood pulp had been filtered out. The color of the wood pulp then appeared pure milky white. When Xu Zhiyi and Yang Quanzi went to the paper workshop to observe, they had never seen such complicated steps in making paper. However, when he saw that the wood pulp that was even whiter than bamboo and wood could be filtered out using wood shavings as the raw material, he was instantly stunned. When the others saw the white wood pulp settle at the end, although they did not know how to make paper, they could not help but feel excited when they saw Yang Quanzi and the others¡¯ shocked expressions. Could wood shavings really be used to produce paper? The wood pulp that had settled was placed in another paper machine. Bai Wutong saw everyone struggling to pour the wood pulp into the second machine. She thought about the modern processes and how they were fast, clean, and simple. Whereas, this place was really primitive. If only she could improve it a little more and let the filtered and washed wood pulp directly enter the pulp machine. Bai Wutong was not an engineering major. It was already very difficult for her to draw such a machine blueprint. It might be too draining for her if she had to modify it. She placed her hopes on Zhao Sheng and casually said, ¡°If the machines could be used together, there would be no need to go through so much trouble to carry the materials around.¡± When Zhao Sheng heard Bai Wutong¡¯s words, he had a flash of inspiration and immediately revealed an excited expression. It was as if it was not difficult to design two machines together, just like how a water wheel could turn and lift water. He should be able to do it. When Bai Wutong saw his expression, she smiled. Perhaps one day, the automated toilet paper machine could be produced. After pouring the wood pulp into the pulp machine and mixing it with water, it entered the wooden frame of the precipitated paper and filtered out some of the water. Everyone was surprised to see that a complete piece of paper about to appear. At this step, Bai Wutong removed the wooden frame and placed it on another paper machine. The wooden frame was sandwiched between two planks wrapped in absorbent cloth, so that the fibers in the wood pulp were compressed together. Then a snow-white sheet of paper really did appear. It was white and had a slight luster. As long as it was tried and tested with a brush and ink, one would know that its quality and grade. Madam Bai had really made a complete piece of paper! Everyone looked stunned. Before anyone could step forward to observe, in the next second, Bai Wutong pressed the switchblade on the template. With a crack, the complete piece of paper turned into several pieces. Then, it slid down the track and piled up neatly. Everyone was instantly dumbfounded. It wasn¡¯t like they were going to write a couplet. Why would they cut a piece of paper that could sell for a high price like this? Bai Wutong did not care about everyone¡¯s shocked expressions. She used the wooden stick that she had prepared to roll the freshly pressed paper into small rolls and placed them into the machine to evaporate the water. Cui Shize was shocked for a long time before he reacted and asked in disbelief, ¡°Why did Madam Bai make the paper look like this?¡± Paper was precious in this era. Bai Wutong looked at the toilet paper that was placed in the evaporating bucket and was a little worried that she would be talked about if she said the reason. After hesitating for a few seconds, thinking that it was impossible for them to not use toilet paper just because they felt that paper was precious, Bai Wutong said frankly, ¡°The cleaning paper I want to make is just like this.¡± Chapter 112 - 112 Its Better to Break Than Be Unclean 112 It¡¯s Better to Break Than Be Unclean ¡°Cleaning paper?¡± Everyone had heard of many kinds of expensive paper, but they had never heard of ¡°cleaning paper¡±. Yang Quanzi thought for a moment, stroked his beard, and said solemnly, ¡°Fine dust should not be stained, one should remain pure and white. What a good name! Madam must want to use the broken paper to remind us that it¡¯s better to break than be unclean!¡± Everyone came to a realization. So that was what Bai Wutong meant. They all echoed Yang Quanzi and praised, ¡°Madam is a role model for us!¡± Bai Wutong was speechless. ¡®They really think too much.¡¯ She simply wanted to make some toilet paper. Bai Wutong did not explain directly. Instead, she waited for all the paper in the evaporating bucket to evaporate and lose all its moisture. She opened the evaporating bucket and took out one of the rolls. Then, she got someone to bring over a table and chair and paper ink. Yang Quanzi stroked his beard again and said, ¡°Madam Bai must be intending to try the ink. If the ink is not easily stained on paper, it will be an excellent writing paper! If ordinary wood shavings can be used to make high-quality writing paper, the cost of printing books with characters will be even lower. It will be easier for it to be popularized to thousands of ordinary families! Madam¡¯s talent is the blessing of the people, and also our blessing!¡± Everyone nodded and praised again, ¡°Madam, you¡¯re so talented!¡± Bai Wutong took a deep look at Yang Quanzi, who was stroking his beard and thought that he had seen through everything. She sighed in her heart. As expected of someone who could be called a great scholar. Yang Quanzi¡¯s imagination and flattery skills were far from what ordinary people could compare to. Bai Wutong dipped her brush in ink, and everyone¡¯s expectant gazes landed on the narrow piece of paper. Sheng Huaixuan also looked at it expectantly. If Bai Wutong really made a good piece of paper that was not easily smudged, then the wood shavings under their feet would be akin to a mountain of gold. If she did not make a good piece of paper that was not easily smudged, it would also be a mountain of silver. It could be used as to wrap a snack or as ink painting paper. It could also be sold to poor people to practice calligraphy. No matter what, it could fetch money. Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s eyes shone as his mind was filled with images of silver falling from the sky. Bai Wutong exerted a little force. As soon as the tip of the pen touched the paper, a large area was instantly dyed. Its ability to absorb water was too strong. When the ink stained it, the paper directly shattered without any resistance. It was impossible to use it as a book. If it was sold to a poor family to practice calligraphy, they would probably not be fooled a second time. It was a little difficult to be used to wrap snacks. When everyone saw this, they could not help but feel a little disappointed. Yang Quanzi quickly reacted and comforted Bai Wutong, ¡°There must have been a small mistake. Madam Bai is already making paper that looks like something. If she tries a few more times, she will definitely be able to make a perfect cleaning paper!¡± Cui Lingyi also comforted her. ¡°Little Phoenix, let¡¯s try again. We can definitely succeed.¡± Lin Yue looked at Sheng Huaixuan and said softly, ¡°Madam Bai must be very sad that such white paper can¡¯t be used to write.¡± Sheng Huaixuan smiled. ¡°Since Madam has already created a complete paper, it won¡¯t be long before you can create a paper that can be written on. Unfortunately¡­¡± Lin Yue saw the regret in Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s eyes and his eyes suddenly lit up. He rushed to say, ¡°It¡¯s a pity that we can¡¯t do a profitable business!¡± He even looked at Sheng Huaixuan to ask if he said it right. Sheng Huaixuan glanced at him and chuckled. It wasn¡¯t difficult to do the business too. Everyone looked at Bai Wutong comfortingly, but she looked at the paper that had become tattered after a few strokes and suddenly smiled brightly. She had succeeded on her first try at toilet paper! This softness! Even if it was flushed down a modern toilet, it would definitely not block the sewers. Bai Wutong was not sad at all. Instead, she picked up the paper and smiled. Everyone immediately sighed. As expected of Madam, her temperament was worlds apart from ordinary people. Madam Bai did not need their comfort at all. Bai Wutong tested the absorbency of the paper and tugged at it, testing its elasticity and softness to see if it would scratch her bottom. She exerted a little force with her hand, and the paper shattered after two tries. Everyone shook their heads regretfully. It was so easy to tear. They wondered how many more rounds of trying it would take to make paper that could be written. The Wang family head of the 30 families of Qinghe suggested, ¡°Madam Bai, we can try it with good wood and bamboo. We might succeed immediately.¡± He felt that if they had listened to him just now, instead of using wood shavings but good materials, they might have made good writing paper. Bai Wutong didn¡¯t listen to what he had to say. She touched it with her hand and rubbed the paper. Good, it wouldn¡¯t crumble easily. After Bai Wutong had checked, the toilet paper she made was not bad in all aspects except for the softness compared to modern toilet paper. It was a thousand times better than the bamboo pieces! She no longer had to worry about what to do without the toilet paper in her space. Eager to share her joy, she looked up and said happily, ¡°It¡¯s not for writing. It¡¯s for wiping your hands and mouth. It¡¯s for daily cleaning and using the toilet.¡± ¡®Wiping your hands and mouth with paper and for toilet?¡¯ After hearing Bai Wutong¡¯s words, everyone looked shocked. Paper was so precious. It was the moral integrity of a scholar. How could it be used to wipe one¡¯s hands and mouth? There were three main types of material that would be used in the toilet in this era. The first was the silk used by the royal relatives of the prestigious families. After they were used, they would be cleaned and used again. The second type was the common bamboo pieces or hemp rope. One had to scrape the front and back with the bamboo. Whether it was clean depended on one¡¯s skills. The hemp rope tested one¡¯s skills even more. One had to wear it from the front to the back and repeatedly pull it up and down. It might be clean but it was also possible to get one¡¯s hands dirty or to strangle it into one¡¯s crotch. The third was to grab a handful of clean grass and rub against it when there was really nothing to use. Bai Wutong could accept the first option, but the cost was too high, so the rich families had to use it repeatedly. She completely could not accept the second and third options. She might as well use a basin of water to dip a cloth and clean herself with it. After Bai Wutong finished speaking, Sheng Huaixuan was the first to react. He stepped forward quickly and picked up a roll of cleaning paper. He pulled a section and felt it in his hand. After a while, his clear gaze became excited. He said with the certainty of a successful businessman, ¡°Sister-in-law, the cleaning paper you developed will definitely become a tribute paper to the palace!¡± Bai Wutong had spent effort to develop it for herself, not to please the emperor. She smiled. ¡°With it, everyone will be much cleaner after using the toilet in the future.¡± Cui Lingyi also stepped forward and touched it curiously. When she touched it, she looked surprised. ¡°Little Phoenix, how did you think of that! You¡¯re so smart!¡± She wanted to try it after touching it. Chapter 113 - 113 Ive Thought About Transferring Over 113 I¡¯ve Thought About Transferring Over Hearing Cui Lingyi and Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s words, everyone squeezed forward to see what was so extraordinary about the cleaning paper that could be used for toilet. There were too many of them, so Bai Wutong had no choice but to tear off the roll and distribute it to everyone. ¡°The cleaning paper is made of wood pulp. It softens when it is in contact with water. It¡¯s clean and hygienic. The texture is soft and comfortable to use. As you can see, it can be made with wood shavings and sawdust. The cost of materials and labor is very low. In the future, with these paper machines in our village, everyone will be able to use clean and hygienic cleaning paper.¡± Everyone seemed to have woken up from a dream and looked at Great Scholar Yang, who was also enlightened. So that was how the name of the cleaning paper came about. Only a small number of them could afford to use silk fabric to use the toilet. Bai Wutong had invented cheap toilet paper that could be used to use the toilet. When everyone realized it, they were all filled with joy. Sheng Huaixuan noticed the rows of cavities on the paper and asked, ¡°Sister-in-law, why are there so many small holes on the paper?¡± Bai Wutong smiled and reached for a roll of cleaning paper. After unfolding it, she pulled at it. Where there was a hole, she immediately tore it off easily. The edges were even very neat. A smart person immediately saw the use of the holes and couldn¡¯t help but exclaim again. ¡°Madam is a genius. It¡¯s our blessing!¡± With such good and cheap cleaning paper for toilet, they could stop using bamboo slices. At the talk about the wonderful use of toilet paper, Bai Wutong explained it to everyone. In addition to daily cleaning, the cleaning paper could be used to bandage wounds, stop bleeding slightly, remove grease and absorb water from the kitchen, and so on. The more they listened, the happier they became. In the past, they had been limited by poverty and had to be careful with every piece of paper they used. How could they imagine that one day they would be able to use paper at will and use it in the toilet? Sheng Huaixuan stroked a roll of cleaning paper lovingly. If he could do business, the cleaning paper would definitely be able to enter thousands of families in Hua State. The raw materials needed to make the cleaning paper were really too cheap and after building a few large workshops, it was undoubtedly a new line of business that was profitable. The best thing was that no one could resist the temptation of the cleaning paper. Lin Yue also knew that he would definitely be able to earn a lot of money by doing the cleaning paper business, but he was helpless. They could no longer do business now, so he could only remind him solemnly, ¡°Master, Young Master still has to study in the future.¡± If they were to enter the business industry again, according to the current rules of the Ling Kingdom, they would be treated as lowly. They would not be allowed to ride horses and carriages when they went out and could only walk. Moreover, even if they did this business, they would have to pay a very heavy tax if they earned money. In addition, they might also have to face the officials forcefully purchasing their goods at a low price and treat them as puppets to control. If Duke Chu was a little more ruthless, he would directly make them bankrupt and reap the benefits. Old Master had said all this himself. Lin Yue was afraid that Sheng Huaixuan would not be able to let go of the Sheng family¡¯s inheritance. If he did business again, what would happen to the young master? No matter how rich he was, a lowly status meant that they were inferior to others! Suddenly, Lin Yue thought of something and probed, ¡°Master, don¡¯t tell me you want to transfer the young master to Madam Bai?¡± If that was the case, it wouldn¡¯t affect the young master¡¯s future studies. Sheng Huaixuan was just lamenting. Cleaning paper was profitable and belonged to a new industry. It was very likely that the government would interfere. He naturally could not get involved in this mess. Even if he wanted to do it, he had to figure out the government¡¯s intentions and sister-in-law¡¯s intentions before secretly doing it. A sharp glint flashed across Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s eyes. Suddenly, his gaze landed on Chu Tianbao, who was carrying Stinky. The corners of his lips curled up meaningfully. ¡°I¡¯ve thought about transferring him over.¡± However, he could not let his son take over Madam Bai¡¯s status as the legitimate son. When Lin Yue heard that Sheng Huaixuan really had this intention, he suddenly glanced at Qingfeng. Suddenly, the focus of the topic disappeared. He asked with a fleeting expression, ¡°Then should I follow Young Master if he was transferred?¡± Sheng Huaixuan looked at him and smiled meaningfully. Lin Yue immediately felt as if he was naked. He hurriedly said with a red face, ¡°It¡¯s not that I want to join them. I was just saying casually.¡± Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s smile deepened, as if he was saying, ¡°If you really want me to, I can give you away now.¡± Lin Yue was so frightened that he hurriedly expressed his loyalty. Sheng Huaixuan felt that it was a pity that he could not do a profitable cleaning paper business now. However, Yang Quanzi thought that if sawdust could be used to produce toilet paper and other paper, wouldn¡¯t it be a great improvement for the people? There were already ready-made paper machines. With Bai Wutong¡¯s intelligence, if she wanted to, she would definitely be able to create paper that could be written. Thinking of this, Yang Quanzi went up to Bai Wutong, who was discussing the uses of the cleaning paper with everyone, and praised her highly. ¡°Since Madam can create the cleaning paper of the people, you must have a way to create cheap writing paper!¡± Bai Wutong did have a way, but this era had paper making techniques. Since Yang Quanzi wanted to use cheap writing paper to benefit the people, she said, ¡°I don¡¯t think I can do it. You can try it yourself.¡± Paper was not what the people lacked the most now. It would not affect anything if it was made a few days later. She didn¡¯t want everyone to form a habit of dependence on her. Besides, if they created too many of the modern inventions, it would be easy to give herself away. It would be troublesome if others started to investigate her. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that she had obtained Yang Quanzi¡¯s ¡®Book of Hundred Industries¡¯ and could use the paper-making technique inside as an excuse, she had even thought of buying cotton cloth to use for toilet. Yang Quanzi did not expect Bai Wutong to reject him outright and let him do it himself. Yang Quanzi¡¯s expression froze. After a long while, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± Madam Bai could even create clean paper based on his ¡®Book of Hundred Industries¡¯. There was no reason for him, the book editor, to be afraid of not being able to produce cheap writing paper! Hearing Yang Quanzi¡¯s declaration, everyone cheered. ¡°Teacher will definitely succeed!¡± Yang Quanzi smiled awkwardly. He really couldn¡¯t promise anything. Xu Zhiyi could tell that Yang Quanzi was feeling uncertain. He stood up and said in support, ¡°Teacher, I¡¯ve been to the paper workshop with you to observe. I¡¯ll help you make writing paper too.¡± Yang Quanzi immediately raised his hand emotionally and patted Xu Zhiyi¡¯s shoulder. He said happily, ¡°Good disciple, let¡¯s study it carefully. If there¡¯s anything you don¡¯t understand, go and ask Madam Bai how to use these machines!¡± It was obvious that he wanted to ask for guidance. Xu Zhiyi hid a smile in the depths of his eyes and said to Bai Wutong, ¡°Madam Bai, please forgive me if I have to disturb you in the future.¡± Bai Wutong waved her hand and took the opportunity to emphasize again, ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to your Book of Hundred Industries that I was able to research on the cleaning paper. Although I can¡¯t make cheap writing paper, I will definitely answer everything about paper machines and cleaning paper. Mr. Xu, you don¡¯t have to be polite.¡± Yang Quanzi secretly felt that it was a pity. If Xu Zhiyi had been smart and suggested that Bai Wutong research on it together with him, he might have been able to produce cheap writing paper in a few days. Chapter 114 - 114 Could We Have Gone the Wrong Way? 114 Could We Have Gone the Wrong Way? The toilet paper made by Bai Wutong was well received by everyone. Soon, all the toilet paper produced that day was distributed. Despite only a set of paper production machine, it was completely enough for the daily consumption of a village. At the thought that if they adjusted the formula well, they would be able to popularize cheap paper to thousands of ordinary people, Yang Quanzi and Xu Zhiyi lit torches and guarded the paper production machine day and night to do research. On the basis of the toilet paper formula, they asked Bai Wutong for guidance several times. After several days of adjustment, they finally created cheap paper for everyone to write on using wood shavings and sawdust. The tip of the pen landed on the paper without staining the ink. At that moment, Yang Quanzi and Xu Zhiyi¡¯s hearts boiled. They had succeeded! They had finally succeeded in creating cheap paper that could be written on! Yang Quanzi and Xu Zhiyi hugged and shouted excitedly, quickly attracting everyone¡¯s attention. Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao also went over to watch the commotion. Yang Quanzi immediately said excitedly, ¡°Madam Bai, what do you think of our paper?¡± Bai Wutong looked at the paper he handed over. On it was written a character with strong and powerful strokes. However, the ink did not seep in and seemed to be a little dry. Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°This paper is very good.¡± After the feelings of joy, Yang Quanzi said with some dissatisfaction, ¡°The paper is hard and dry. It is too dry for writing and wastes too much ink. The texture doesn¡¯t feel good either.¡± Bai Wutong shook her head and took out her specially made charcoal pen. She drew a smiling face on it. ¡°It¡¯s just right to write with a charcoal pen. If you use a brush, it¡¯s indeed a little dry. However, by increasing the amount of water in the ratio of the formula, you should be able to modify it.¡± The charcoal pen in Bai Wutong¡¯s hand was a little different. Yang Quanzi stared at it curiously. Bai Wutong handed it to him and said with a smile, ¡°This is an automatic charcoal pen I made. Put the carbon core in it and turn this, then the core will automatically come out. If you hold it in your hand and write, you won¡¯t dirty your hands.¡± The principle of the automatic charcoal pencil was the same as the modern-day automatic pencil. However, there was no spring in this world, so she changed the design of pressing the core out to the spinning the core out. Yang Quanzi suddenly widened his eyes and asked in disbelief, ¡°Madam, how much is the cost price of this automatic charcoal pen?¡± Bai Wutong pointed at the burnt firewood and said, ¡°It depends on what material the core of the automatic charcoal pen is made of. It¡¯s naturally more expensive to use real carbon. The cost of using burnt wood as the core is only this outer shell. The design is not complicated. Even if the commoners find someone to make it, it won¡¯t cost much.¡± Yang Quanzi asked excitedly, ¡°Can I try Madam¡¯s charcoal pen?¡± As it was inconvenient on their escape journey, he would also use carbon strips, but carbon strips could only be written on hard brown paper. Besides, carbon strips broke easily. Bai Wutong had made a shell for the carbon strips, which made it easier to write. He was extremely tempted. Bai Wutong handed him the automatic charcoal pen. For the first time, Yang Quanzi held the automatic charcoal pen and was not used to it. Bai Wutong pointed and said to him, ¡°Hold it here with your thumb and place the rest of your fingers here.¡± Yang Quanzi held the pen with the right grip. The moment the charcoal pen landed on the paper, it was as if a new world had opened up. He was stunned. Although he was used to using a brush, he could not deny that using an automatic charcoal pen was convenient, energy-saving, and did not require grinding the ink. It was very suitable for bringing around for daily use. Yang Quanzi¡¯s eyes lit up and he said excitedly, ¡°Madam, you¡¯re really a genius!¡± Bai Wutong had been hearing these words for the past two days that her ears were almost growing calluses. She laughed. ¡°I just made an automatic charcoal pen for convenience.¡± What kind of genius was that? She didn¡¯t dare show her true talent. Yang Quanzi asked Bai Wutong solemnly, ¡°Madam, can you let me make an imitation of the automatic charcoal pen?¡± The automatic charcoal pen was not difficult to make. Any carpenter could tell its production method at one glance. Bai Wutong nodded casually. ¡°Sure.¡± Yang Quanzi immediately thanked her. ¡°Madam Bai, you¡¯re the lucky star of our village and the people of the world! You¡¯re even more dazzling than the sun!¡± Look, he was indeed a great scholar! His flattery was already so extraordinary. How could she compare to the sun? Did he really think that she could shine like a phoenix? Bai Wutong gave a low laugh, feeling in a good mood. ¡°You guys make good white paper too.¡± Yang Quanzi and Xu Zhiyi had yet to name the paper. Bai Wutong casually called it white paper. They looked at each other and then at the snow-white paper. Yang Quanzi stroked his beard and smiled. ¡°White paper! The name Madam gave for this is simple and generous. It¡¯s easy to remember. It¡¯s a good name!¡± Then, he continued, ¡°If Madam likes this white paper, we¡¯ll carefully prepare the formula for Madam!¡± When the others heard Yang Quanzi¡¯s words, they all had expressions that were saying ¡®As expected of Madam, who could come up with such a brilliant name¡¯. Bai Wutong smiled helplessly in her heart. ¡°There¡¯s no need for the formula. Just give me a few booklets of paper.¡± Yang Quanzi said, ¡°Madam, you contributed greatly to the creation of white paper. It should definitely be presented to you!¡± Since he insisted on giving it to her, Bai Wutong accepted it. It was an exchange of kindness and she did not owe anyone anything. Yang Gongbing finally had the time to visit. In order to spend more time with Yang Quanzi, he had specially set off from Woqian Town before dawn. He sat on a carriage for an hour and climbed the mountain for four hours. He was so tired that he was panting when he heard Bao Zhaoshan say excitedly, ¡°Lord, we¡¯re finally here!¡± Yang Gongbing held onto him and wiped his sweat. He sighed gloomily and said, ¡°It¡¯s such a remote place. It¡¯s really too difficult on them.¡± Back then, when Yang Quanzi came to Luochuan Manor to give a lecture, all scholars welcomed him. The commoners cheered and he traveled the streets. No matter where he went, he was like a moon surrounded by stars. But now, he was holed up on an unknown mountain. There was no road and no carriage could enter. Yang Gongbing felt that Yang Quanzi was really too aggrieved. If not for the fact that Yang Quanzi¡¯s personal disciples were all here and it was difficult for him to ask, he really wanted to bring Yang Quanzi to the residence to stay for a long time and exchange knowledge with him. Bao Zhaoshan comforted him. ¡°Sir, Old Master Yang is noble and upright. He doesn¡¯t care about worldly things. It¡¯s fine as long as he lives in peace.¡± Yang Gongbing nodded and suddenly smiled. ¡°Zhaoshan is right. If Teacher thinks that it¡¯s good, then there are peach blossom forts anywhere.¡± Yang Gongbing walked for a while more. He thought that Yang Quanzi would live in a small shed that had leaks on all sides. Standing on the hill, Yang Gongbing was stunned when he saw the Western-style houses built by Bai Wutong and the others. He looked at Bao Zhaoshan, who was also stunned. His confused gaze seemed to be asking him if he was sure that they were in the right place. Bao Zhaoshan rubbed his eyes and saw the charming village at the foot of the hill. It was surrounded by arable land and surrounded by canals that extended in all directions. In the middle of the huge reservoir, someone was leisurely fishing by the reservoir with a fishing rod. How was this a poor mountain ditch? It was clearly a peach blossom village! Immediately, he said without much confirmation, ¡°Could we have gone the wrong way?¡± When he first came here, there wasn¡¯t even a house here. How did it become like this in less than a month? Moreover, this place was so remote. How did they move a large number of red plum trees here and build such a good village? Even the houses in town were not so imposing. The more Bao Zhaoshan looked at it, the more confused he became. Chapter 115 - 115 Cant Let Madam Bai Be Disappointed 115 Can¡¯t Let Madam Bai Be Disappointed Yang Gongbing and the others walked down the hill in confusion. Yang Quanzi immediately led his men to welcome them. Seeing Yang Quanzi¡¯s energetic appearance, Yang Gongbing said excitedly, ¡°Teacher! How have you been!¡± Yang Quanzi smiled and raised the big carp in his hand. He laughed and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine! You came at the right time. Auntie Yang is going to make braised carp for everyone today. You¡¯re in luck!¡± Yang Gongbing was flattered. ¡°Thank you, Teacher!¡± Yang Gongbing was a good official. He had served justice for their village and even sent them food. He was also Great Scholar Yang¡¯s disciple. Village Chief Zhao enthusiastically pointed at the reservoir that they had just dug and said, ¡°Lord, our village has a fish pond now. We even bought many fishes to raise. You can eat as much as you want!¡± Yang Gongbing smiled politely and said, ¡°Thank you, Uncle. I¡¯m here to visit Teacher. Just call me Gongbing.¡± ¡°How can that be? A lord is a lord!¡± Yang Gongbing smiled and said, ¡°Why not? I¡¯m still Teacher¡¯s student!¡± Yang Gongbing was handsome and polite. He quickly earned everyone¡¯s favor. Yang Quanzi led them in the direction of his home. Along the way, they could smell the rich fragrance of wintersweet flowers. They saw flowing canals with red koi swimming in them. The back of the mountain was a continuous snowfield that had been cultivated. The hillside was connected to the flat snowfield and had been transformed into a place for children to play. Not only could they skateboard, but they could also swing there and play with sandbags. There were also people who taught children martial arts. Bao Zhaoshan and the others who had been here previously had their mouths agape. They were even more doubtful that they had come to the same place. Yang Gongbing looked at the unique scenery around him and praised, ¡°The Peach Blossom Ridge is nothing much. If I didn¡¯t have to be busy with work, I would also want to retreat here to exchange knowledge with my teacher and others.¡± Yang Quanzi stroked his beard and laughed. ¡°I also think this is Peach Blossom Ridge!¡± The children who were joining in the fun shouted proudly, wanting to get Lord Yang¡¯s approval. ¡°The village was designed by Madam Bai and Madam Cui together. It¡¯s very beautiful, right?¡± Yang Quanzi smiled and nodded. ¡°Madam Bai and Madam Cui are really talented!¡± Yang Quanzi laughed and said, ¡°I don¡¯t dare to say that. Madam Bai is naturally a genius! Even I feel ashamed!¡± Even Yang Quanzi was full of praises for her and claimed to be ashamed of himself. This made Yang Gongbing very curious about her. Yang Quanzi saw through his thoughts and said. ¡°They had gone into the mountains to catch prey. You can meet them when they come back later.¡± Yang Gongbing smiled. ¡°Thank you for the introduction, Teacher.¡± Yang Gongbing suddenly saw some people operating some machines under the wooden shed in the village. He looked over curiously. Yang Quanzi smiled and led him over. He pointed at the machine and said, ¡°This is a paper production machine developed by Madam Bai. She also invented a unique cleaning paper.¡± Yang Quanzi asked secretively, ¡°Do you want to know what cleaning paper does?¡± Paper was just mainly used for writing and drawing. Yang Gongbing did not understand and gave a very standard answer. ¡°Drawing?¡± Yang Quanzi immediately gave him a look that said, ¡°You¡¯re usually very smart, but why are you so stupid now?¡± Yang Gongbing asked humbly as usual, ¡°I¡¯m slow-witted. Please guide me.¡± Yang Quanzi shook his head and sighed. ¡°You¡¯re too boring. There¡¯s no point in keeping you in suspense.¡± Yang Gongbing deliberately smiled obsequiously. ¡°Who asked me to be stupid and not as smart as Teacher?¡± This flattery made Yang Quanzi feel comfortable all over. The people behind him had faint smiles on their faces. Yang Quanzi took out a small cloth bag from his sleeve and said with a smile, ¡°Open it and take a look.¡± He was clearly talking about paper, so why did it suddenly change to the sachet? Yang Gongbing took it respectfully and carefully opened it. He found a roll of white paper inside. Yang Gongbing had never thought that paper could be used to wipe one¡¯s butt. He looked at the roll of paper in confusion. After unfolding it, he said foolishly, ¡°Is it used to write couplets?¡± Yang Quanzi smiled even more secretively, and Yang Gongbing¡¯s face was filled with confusion. Seeing that he was feeling uncomfortable from holding it in, Xu Zhiyi smiled and explained, ¡°Cleaning paper is soft and comfortable, easily soluble in water, and clean and hygienic. The main use is to clean after using the toilet.¡± The word ¡°toilet¡± was like a bolt of lightning that split open Yang Quanzi¡¯s mind. ¡®Paper to wipe your arse with?¡¯ He touched the soft paper with his hand. Certain images flashed through his mind, and he was immediately so surprised that he couldn¡¯t speak. Seeing his shocked expression, Yang Quanzi smiled and said, ¡°Madam Bai¡¯s improved paper production machine and cleaning paper are all worthy of being recorded in history!¡± Hearing Yang Quanzi¡¯s shocking affirmation, Yang Gongbing¡¯s eyes lit up. He carefully observed the paper production machine and realized that the materials were actually wood shavings and sawdust. He immediately understood why his teacher said that Bai Wutong could be recorded in history. The cost of cleaning paper was too low! If it was publicized, every family would be able to use toilet paper in the future. And the hay and bamboo slices would become history! Yang Gongbing said excitedly, ¡°Teacher! I¡­¡± Before he could finish, Yang Quanzi pointed at another machine and said, ¡°How about looking at the white paper that your senior brother and I had improvised?¡± Yang Gongbing walked to the production line inside and picked up a piece of white paper that had just been produced. He carefully measured it for a while and said in surprise, ¡°Teacher, is this also paper made of wood shavings?¡± Yang Quanzi stroked his beard and smiled. ¡°Of course!¡± Yang Gongbing was filled with excitement that he said ¡°good¡± three times in a row. ¡°Good! Good! That¡¯s too good! Teacher and Senior Brother used wood shavings to create snow-like white paper. It will definitely be recorded in the history books and leave its name forever!¡± Yang Quanzi and Xu Zhiyi immediately shook their heads. ¡°This is all thanks to Madam Bai. If not for the paper production machine that Madam Bai researched and the formula for Madam Bai¡¯s cleaning paper, we wouldn¡¯t have thought of researching it and might not have succeeded. Therefore, this is all thanks to Madam Bai!¡± Yang Gongbing held the white paper and sighed. ¡°Teacher, you¡¯re too humble! If you didn¡¯t do it, how could such a piece of cheap paper have been produced!¡± Yang Quanzi insisted, ¡°That¡¯s all because of Madam Bai.¡± The more Yang Quanzi said this, the more it showed how much respect he had for Bai Wutong. Yang Gongbing wished he could have a good chat with this Madam Bai now. Yang Gongbing told Yang Quanzi that he wanted to report the toilet paper and white paper to the Imperial Court. However, Yang Quanzi¡¯s expression turned solemn. He shook his head and said, ¡°Everything depends on Madam Bai. Even if Madam Bai agrees, we have to test the Imperial Court¡¯s intentions first.¡± Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s encounter made them wary of the Ling Kingdom¡¯s Imperial Court. It did not matter to them, but they could not disappoint Madam Bai. Yang Gongbing immediately understood what Yang Quanzi meant. He was afraid that the Ling Kingdom¡¯s Imperial Court would take possession of the formula and seek personal benefits, and not use it to benefit the people. He was even more worried that he would cause trouble for Bai Wutong or after reporting it to the imperial court, someone else would replace him and take away Madam Bai¡¯s credit and honor. Chapter 116 - 116 Prey 116 Prey Yang Gongbing followed Yang Quanzi to his new house. Before he entered, he could smell a clear wooden fragrance. He walked closer and was immediately stunned. The pillars that were glowing with golden light were actually made of golden sandalwood. Yang Gongbing discovered a golden sandalwood, followed by countless golden sandalwood. In the end, he was completely dumbfounded. The entire house was actually built with top-grade golden sandalwood. No wonder he could smell the wonderful aroma before he even got through the door. How could the entire house made of golden sandalwood not be fragrant! Now that he thought about it, he had seen that every house seemed to be built of golden silk cedar wood. Some of the houses were larger and could use up dozens of thick golden silk cedar trees at once. Based on the official price of top-grade golden silk cedar trees, these beautiful houses were like mountains of gold. No wonder Landlord Xiong had such thoughts. If he succeeded in making his teacher listen to them, he would be able to obtain endless returns. Yang Gongbing looked at the house for a long time and finally came back to his senses. He wanted to praise it for being low-key and luxurious, but he eventually said, ¡°Teacher¡¯s residence is so fragrant!¡± He also wanted to own one. Yang Quanzi smiled smugly, thinking that he was talking about the golden plums in the courtyard. He stroked his beard. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Old Master Sheng who sent someone to transplant a lot of golden plums. Let¡¯s go in and take a look!¡± Golden plums were fragrant and were one of the more expensive types of flowers. Along the way, Yang Gongbing saw that almost every family had planted golden plums at the entrance. There were so many of them that even the entire Woqian Town could not compare to it. He could not help but marvel at Master Sheng¡¯s wealth and connections. Yang Gongbing smiled and flattered, ¡°It¡¯s so fragrant. I¡¯m really lucky to be able to enter Teacher¡¯s house to admire it.¡± Yang Quanzi laughed and led him into the house. As soon as he entered the house, Yang Gongbing was shocked by the heat. It was like two seasons inside and outside the house. It was so warm that he almost thought that winter had suddenly turned into summer. He stood in the house, stunned. The attendant walked over and smiled. ¡°Please follow me to the inner room to change, my lord.¡± After a moment of shock, Yang Gongbing asked in surprise, ¡°This is ground heating?¡± It was rare for wealthy families to install ground heating because it cost too much money. It was better to burn charcoal in the room. The charcoal in Woqian Town was even more expensive than in the city, because he had taken all the silver in the house to buy food for his teacher and the others. His wife was understanding and refused to use too much charcoal. When he was not around, the house was like an icehouse. His wife already had a cold body, but she could only drink hot water and use the soup to warm herself. When Yang Gongbing returned to the residence the day before after finishing his work early, he realized that the house was as cold as an icehouse. When he met his wife¡¯s deliberately hiding gaze, he felt guilty and heartache, so he pawned the jade pendant that he had been wearing for many years and asked the servants to change it to high-quality charcoal. Although he had never enjoyed the warmth of the ground, he had been a guest at other people¡¯s house. This was the first time he had seen the entire house so warm. Yang Quanzi smiled and said, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s there¡¯s ground heating installed at home, so it¡¯s a little hot. It¡¯s not suitable for you to wear this. Go inside and change your clothes.¡± Yang Gongbing followed his servant to change into thin clothes before coming out. ¡°It¡¯s so warm with the ground heating.¡± He had just changed his clothes in the inner room and specially stepped on it with his feet. He wished he could sleep on the ground. Especially when he took off his heavy clothes and changed into thin light clothes. Smelling the fragrance coming from the room, he felt like he was about to ascend to immortality. Yang Quanzi laughed and said, ¡°This is all Madam Bai¡¯s design. If Madam Bai agrees, your residence can also be as warm as my house.¡± Although Yang Gongbing was envious of the comfort of Yang Quanzi¡¯s new house, if he found someone to install ground heating, not only would it cost a large sum of money, he also couldn¡¯t afford to burn charcoal for heating. After thinking for a moment, he tactfully rejected, ¡°My family doesn¡¯t have many people, so charcoal is fine.¡± Yang Quanzi knew what he was worried about. As he led him into the open study on the first floor, he said, ¡°The ground heating designed by Madam Bai only needs two bundles of firewood every day. Wouldn¡¯t it be better for you to use it instead of charcoal at home?¡± A bundle of firewood only cost a few copper coins. Only two more bundles of firewood were needed to heat the ground in such a big house! Yang Gongbing looked at Yang Quanzi in disbelief. ¡°Isn¡¯t it heated using charcoal?¡± Yang Quanzi smiled and said, ¡°Every family in our village has floor heating. If we had to burn charcoal to heat up, there wouldn¡¯t be so many charcoals in the entire Woqian Town for us to use.¡± Yang Gongbing immediately revealed a surprised smile. If that was the case, that would be great. After entering the study, Yang Gongbing sat down with Yang Quanzi. The servants served hot tea. Yang Quanzi smiled and said, ¡°Please.¡± When Yang Gongbing picked up the teacup, he realized that there was a golden wintersweet flower in the cup. The petals that unfolded were beautiful. His eyes lit up. He sniffed it and closed his eyes in satisfaction. He took a small sip. The mellow fragrance of the flower echoed between his lips. It was sweet and refreshing, with a hint of bitterness. Yang Quanzi smiled and asked, ¡°How is it?¡± Yang Gongbing only said two words. ¡°Great tea!¡± Yang Quanzi laughed. ¡°Bring some for your wife when you get back.¡± Yang Gongbing cupped his hands. ¡°Thank you, Teacher. If my wife tastes it, she will definitely like it.¡± Yang Quanzi nodded and looked at the window. The servant brought them each a cloak and said, ¡°Sir, my lord, I¡¯m going to open the window. Be careful of the cold.¡± Yang Gongbing put on his cloak. The window opened, and the beautiful scene of winter plums in the snow suddenly appeared. He sat in the warm house with his teacher, drinking flower tea and admiring the scenery outside the window. It was a double enjoyment of his body and mind. His teacher was enjoying himself. Yang Gongbing praised, ¡°This place is too beautiful!¡± Yang Quanzi took a sip of tea and smiled. ¡°All the beautiful scenery we can see sitting here is because of Madam Bai.¡± Without Bai Wutong, they would not have gathered at the Jade Spiritual Mountain. Yang Gongbing nodded in agreement. ¡°Madam Bai is a great woman of her generation!¡± Yang Quanzi suddenly smiled proudly. ¡°This is only a little of Madam Bai¡¯s ability!¡± And this was just a little bit of her ability!!! Yang Gongbing¡¯s curiosity about Bai Wutong reached its peak. ¡­ In the Jade Spiritual Mountain, Bai Wutong was leading everyone to check the traps set up. Chu Tianbao looked excited. If he could catch a rabbit, he would be able to eat fragrant roasted rabbit meat that day. His wife¡¯s roasted rabbit was the best! Soon, they arrived at the first trap. Huang Zhong sniffed and knew if there was prey inside. His eyes lit up and he said happily, ¡°There¡¯s a prey! And it¡¯s alive!¡± Everyone immediately surrounded him, wanting to see what kind of prey it was. Chapter 117 - 117 A Beast Is Following Us 117 A Beast Is Following Us Everyone looked down and saw a pair of green and fierce eyes. Startled, Cui Lingyi pointed at the white ball in the trap. ¡°This is a wolf, right?¡± Bai Wutong stared at the half-grown creature and came to a conclusion. ¡°It must be a snow wolf.¡± Snow wolves were also known as Dream Wolves. They were agile and could reach two meters in length when they reached adulthood. They weighed 70 kilograms and liked to eat wild rabbits, reindeer, and so on. They were the most outstanding hunters in the forest and grassland. Bai Wutong had once seen a snow wolf introduced in a television program, but it was far inferior to this pure white and flawless little fellow in front of her. This trap was specially used by Bai Wutong to catch pheasants and rabbits. There were no stakes in it, so the creature was not injured, but its feet were wrapped in rope so that it could not escape. It could only grimace and glare at Bai Wutong, trying to show her how powerful it was. When Chu Tianbao saw that it was not a rabbit, he was a little disappointed. He looked at the little snow wolf that thought it was very intimidating and asked Bai Wutong, ¡°Is the snow wolf delicious?¡± As soon as he finished speaking, the snow wolf roared angrily at Chu Tianbao, as if it could understand. Bai Wutong was a little surprised. It seemed to be true that snow wolves were quite intelligent. Bai Wutong was in a daze and did not answer. Instead, Lin Yue said, ¡°I heard that wolf meat is very dry. However, it¡¯s so small. The meat should be tender, right?¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Will it taste better than rabbit?¡± Lin Yue thought for a moment. ¡°Maybe.¡± For ancient people who liked to eat fatty meat, rabbit meat was actually also quite dry. The disappointment in Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes quickly turned into surprise. Before anyone could react, he flew towards the trap. The little snow wolf¡¯s fur immediately stood on end. It opened its sharp fangs and aimed at Chu Tianbao, biting down. Bai Wutong blinked and her heart almost jumped out of her chest. ¡°Tianbao, be careful!¡± No matter how small a small snow wolf was, it was still an extremely aggressive wild animal. Chu Tianbao had to be vaccinated against rabies after being bitten. Chu Tianbao turned to smile at Bai Wutong. His other hand had already pinched the little snow wolf¡¯s mouth and lifted it into the air. Bai Wutong was so shocked that she broke out in a cold sweat. She frowned and said, ¡°Come up quickly!¡± Chu Tianbao grabbed the snow wolf¡¯s tightly shut mouth and jumped up. He even raised it in front of Bai Wutong and said with a smile, ¡°Wife, let¡¯s roast the snow wolf?¡± Either the snow wolf was frightened or Chu Tianbao had pinched its long mouth and it couldn¡¯t breathe. Its green eyes rolled back and its furry body went still. Cui Lingyi pointed at the little snow wolf in Chu Tianbao¡¯s hand and said in surprise, ¡°It¡¯s dead?¡± Then he said in horror, ¡°If we kill this little wolf, the wolf pack will come to take revenge, right?¡± She had read many strange stories about the wilderness. Legend had it that a village had killed a litter of female wolves. In order to take revenge, the wolf pack did not hesitate to pay with their lives and kept attacking the village. As long as it was a newborn baby, they would be taken away and bitten to death. As a result, there had not been a newborn in the entire village for decades. The village and the wolf pack had also walked towards destruction at the same time. Wolves would definitely repay kindness and hatred accordingly. If they really killed this little wolf, the villagers might really encounter trouble when they entered the mountains in the future. Moreover, it had yet to grow up. It was also very adorable. Bai Wutong said to Chu Tianbao, ¡°It¡¯s still young. Tianbao, let it go.¡± Chu Tianbao widened his eyes in disbelief and shook the little snow wolf hard, waking it up again. He retorted, ¡°Wife, it¡¯s not small. It¡¯s already the size of three rabbits.¡± Bai Wutong explained simply, ¡°It¡¯s only considered to have grown up when it¡¯s as heavy as a pig. Tianbao, let it go. There must be rabbits that Tianbao likes to eat in the trap ahead.¡± Chu Tianbao glanced at the little snow wolf and brought it in front of him. He stared at its two fierce and frightened green eyes and said gloomily, ¡°My wife said that you have to grow as heavy as a pig to be considered grown up. Then go back and grow up before coming to find me.¡± Bai Wutong was afraid that the little snow wolf would be tortured to death by him, so he urged, ¡°Tianbao, go ahead and let it go.¡± Chu Tianbao nodded obediently and brainwashed it as he walked. ¡°You have to grow as heavy as a pig before coming back¡­¡± The little snow wolf that he had casually hung upside down again could not respond. The little snow wolf was released by Chu Tianbao. Then, everyone continued to set off for the second trap. Huang Zhong called out happily again, ¡°Madam! There¡¯s more prey! Two of them!¡± Everyone rushed excitedly to the trap to take a look. Chu Tianbao immediately frowned and pointed at the little snow wolf that was biting the rabbit in the trap. He said angrily, ¡°Wife, it¡¯s the wolf again!¡± It was indeed the little snow wolf from before. This time, its feet were not bound by a rope, but it was probably too hungry. It had finally had a full meal, so it naturally could not bear to escape immediately. In the end, it probably did not expect to encounter Bai Wutong and the others again. As soon as Chu Tianbao spoke, it remembered his terrifying strength that grabbed itself in the mouth and it was unable to resist. It was so frightened that it stopped chewing the meat in its cheeks. Its towering back was pressed against the trap wall, and it looked fierce and guarded. Bai Wutong glanced at the rabbit, which was still twitching from the bite of the little snow wolf. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Chu Tianbao said gloomily, ¡°Don¡¯t you want the rabbit?¡± Bai Wutong said patiently, ¡°This rabbit has been bitten by the wolf. Tianbao will get sick after eating it. Let¡¯s leave it for the wolf.¡± Chu Tianbao puffed up his cheeks and glared at the little snow wolf in the trap. He threatened fiercely, ¡°You must grow into a pig and come back to me!¡± The little snow wolf felt a strong pressure that could crush it to the bottom of the mountain. It raised its neck and bared its teeth without showing any weakness. Bai Wutong said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± Only then did Chu Tianbao retract his cold and domineering gaze. ¡°Hmph, if you dare not return, you¡¯re dead!¡± The corners of Bai Wutong¡¯s mouth twitched. It would be dead if it returned. The third trap pit was a little far. After everyone walked for a long time, Huang Zhong shouted excitedly, ¡°Madam! There¡¯s prey!¡± Bai Wutong was already used to it. She stuck her head forward with everyone and was immediately stunned. What a huge wild boar!!! When Bai Wutong set up the trap, he discovered that there were wild boar footprints and feces nearby. He deliberately filled the trap with sharp thorns. He did not expect to really catch a wild boar that weighed hundreds of kilograms. It was pierced all over and motionless. It had been dead for a while. The strong smell of blood might attract other wild beasts in the forest. Bai Wutong said, ¡°Let¡¯s bring it back quickly.¡± When Chu Tianbao saw this wild boar, he recalled the special charcoal roasted pork belly that the Bai Wutong had made last time. He jumped down and carried the wild boar. Compared to rabbits that were not enough to fill the gaps between his teeth, of course, wild boars were more to his liking. They walked back with the wild boar. Huang Zhong suddenly said nervously, ¡°Madam! There is a wild beast following us!¡± Chapter 118 - 118 Scholar Record 118 Scholar Record Everyone suddenly drew their weapons. Bai Wutong asked Huang Zhong, ¡°Where is the beast?¡± Huang Zhong pointed to a camphor tree not far from them. ¡°It¡¯s there!¡± Everyone looked over at the same time. The beast swooshed and hid its furry tail. Bai Wutong saw the flash of a big white tail and guessed that it was the little snow wolf again. Huang Zhong also recognized it. Thinking of the strange story Cui Lingyi had told everyone, he immediately asked nervously, ¡°Madam, is it going to follow us back and let the wolves take revenge on us?¡± Bai Wutong shook her head. ¡°We didn¡¯t hurt it, so it won¡¯t hurt us. Let¡¯s go.¡± Everyone carried the wild boar and continued to rush back. The little snow wolf followed behind unhurriedly. Occasionally, when Bai Wutong turned around, it would carefully poke its head out from behind the tree or there would be a big tail with bulging fur. Its green eyes had a fawning expression and it was strangely lovable. As soon as Chu Tianbao turned around, it hid its entire body like a cat seeing a mouse. When they returned to the village, Huang Zhong could still smell it lingering nearby. Zhao Pengfei came up to him. Lin Yue spoke to him and inadvertently talked about the little white wolf they had encountered in the forest. Zhao Pengfei said in surprise, ¡°I¡¯ve asked the local villagers. The wolves in the Jade Spiritual Mountain are all gray-haired.¡± Lin Yue said, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s rare, so they haven¡¯t encountered it before.¡± Zhao Pengfei nodded, thinking that it was possible. But Bai Wutong thought of another possibility. The little snow wolf was a rare albino gray wolf. The probability of an albino gene appearing in every population was one in 500,000. If the little snow wolf was originally a gray wolf and did not have the ability to hunt independently, but it appeared alone at the edge of the forest, it was most likely abandoned by the wolf pack. It hid behind the tree and peeped at them. Its green eyes were filled with anticipation and joy. Bai Wutong¡¯s heart softened. She hoped that it was not an albino gray wolf and that it could successfully find its tribe. After they entered the village, the little snow wolf¡¯s aura gradually disappeared. It had probably quietly returned to the forest. They returned with a wild boar that weighed hundreds of kilograms. The village was suddenly in an uproar. Yang Quanzi¡¯s eyes lit up and he said to Yang Gongbing, ¡°You came at the right time today. Let¡¯s go and see the big wild boar!¡± The wild boar was carried into the village and placed in the stone courtyard of Bai Wutong¡¯s house. The adults and children all gathered to watch. Village Chief Zhao arranged for the butcher to boil water and prepare to remove the wild boar fur. As soon as Yang Gongbing and Yang Quanzi entered, they saw Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao standing at the side, watching the pig slaughtering with everyone. The two of them were like immortals, stained with the aura of the mortal world. They were not unreachable and were like a loving couple. Yang Gongbing did not expect Bai Wutong to be so young. After his surprise, he followed Yang Quanzi to greet him. Yang Gongbing said respectfully, ¡°Greetings, Madam Bai and Master Chu.¡± Bai Wutong returned the greeting with Chu Tianbao. ¡°Hello, Lord Yang.¡± After exchanging a few pleasantries, Bai Wutong could tell that Yang Gongbing had something to say to her, so she invited him and Yang Quanzi into the house to have a cup of hot tea. Yang Gongbing entered the house with them. There were no servants in their house. Bai Wutong went to serve snacks, and Chu Tianbao went to make tea. When Yang Gongbing saw that it was Chu Tianbao who was serving the hot tea, he looked at him in surprise before hurriedly thanking him. Bai Wutong brought out two plates of dried fruits and a plate of rice cake. She smiled and said politely, ¡°My family is simple and crude. Lord Yang, please don¡¯t mind.¡± Although Bai Wutong¡¯s house was not as big as Yang Quanzi¡¯s, the decorations were more warm, especially the sofa that he saw when he entered the house and the soft stool he was sitting on. Not only was it romantic, but it was also extremely comfortable. Yang Gongbing praised exaggeratedly, ¡°No, no. The seats in Madam¡¯s room are exquisite! I¡¯ve never seen them in my life.¡± Yang Quanzi stroked his beard and said with a smile, ¡°Indeed! I also got someone to make a replica. I¡¯ll be able to use it tomorrow.¡± Yang Gongbing¡¯s face was filled with envy. He originally thought that his teacher had already enjoyed himself, but Madam Bai was even better than his teacher. Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°If Lord Yang likes it, you can take the blueprint.¡± Yang Gongbing quickly shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t bear to. How can I take away Madam¡¯s carefully designed blueprint?¡± Bai Wutong said, ¡°Lord Yang has given us a lot of help. This is a small token of my appreciation.¡± Yang Gongbing refused repeatedly. Bai Wutong tried her best to explain that this was just a blueprint that everyone in their village could use, so Yang Gongbing finally accepted it. Yang Gongbing praised Bai Wutong inside and out before getting to the point. He asked Bai Wutong if he could report the cleaning paper to the Imperial Court. Bai Wutong looked at him in surprise, as she thought that he was about to talk about the printing technique. In the end, it was just the cleaning paper. Yang Quanzi had actually not told him about the printing technique, which surprised Bai Wutong slightly. At this point, Yang Gongbing hurriedly stood up and bowed again. He turned towards Bai Wutong and said, ¡°Madam, if the paper production machine and cleaning paper are publicized to the people, not only will it benefit the people, you will also be heavily rewarded by the Imperial Court. You will be exempted from the food tax and the military service. Madam and Master Chu can also settle down as soon as possible.¡± Bai Wutong did not care about the reward, but she was tempted by the fact that Chu Tianbao would be exempted from military service. She glanced at Chu Tianbao, who was drinking tea and eating snacks. ¡°Don¡¯t we have to participate in labor for our lifetimes?¡± she asked. Yang Gongbing smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s definitely possible to do so with the permission of the Imperial Court.¡± Bai Wutong said readily, ¡°Alright, report it then.¡± There were paper making techniques and paper production machines in this world to begin with. She had only modified them slightly based on the original invention. Even if the cleaning paper attracted the attention of the Imperial Court, it should not let her identity as a modern person be given away. Bai Wutong agreed so readily. Yang Gongbing said excitedly, ¡°Madam Bai is so kind!¡± Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°Lord Yang, you¡¯re too polite. I¡¯ll have to trouble you with my husband¡¯s exemption from military service.¡± Although the Yan Kingdom was about to be defeated in the war against Ling Kingdom, if it dragged on for a few years and Ling Kingdom wanted to recruit more soldiers, Chu Tianbao might be pulled away. With such an opportunity, Bai Wutong naturally had to ensure that nothing went wrong. Yang Gongbing hurriedly nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Madam Bai. I will do our best to achieve that and not disappoint you.¡± They all nodded, satisfied. They returned to the courtyard again. Yang Gongbing watched curiously as Auntie Yang and the others shed the wild boar¡¯s fur. Yang Quanzi went up to Bai Wutong and asked softly, ¡°Madam Bai, can I ask for something else for my disciple?¡± Bai Wutong froze. ¡°What is it?¡± Yang Quanzi looked at his backview and said with a smile, ¡°My disciple¡¯s wife is afraid of the cold. He is very interested in your floor heating design. If you agree, I¡¯m willing to exchange the ¡®Scholar Record¡¯ that I¡¯ve painstakingly written with you.¡± Chapter 119 - 119 Very Tempting 119 Very Tempting ¡°The Scholar Record?¡± Bai Wutong asked curiously. He wouldn¡¯t have given her a textbook for the imperial examination, would he? What was she going to do with it? Yang Quanzi smiled and boasted, ¡°This is the ¡®Scholar Record¡¯ that I¡¯ve worked hard and spent more than 20 years writing! If you use it to tutor Stinky young master to become a top scholar, you¡¯ll definitely get twice the results with half the effort! This is my manuscript~ It¡¯s the only one.¡± If not for the living word printing technique, Yang Quanzi would not have been willing to take this out. ¡°¡­¡± Bai Wutong frowned and exposed him bluntly. ¡°Don¡¯t you think that teaching him the Thousand Character Classic is more useful than this?¡± Yang Quanzi smiled bitterly and stroked his beard. ¡°It will be ultimately come in handy.¡± He even looked at Bai Wutong as if she would miss out if she had not accepted it. After the dynasty was changed, the contents of every imperial examination would be reformed. Bai Wutong could not bear to deal him a blow. Moreover, he could have directly given the geothermal blueprint to Yang Gongbing. There was no need to make an unnecessary move. She glanced at him and stretched out her hand with a smile. ¡°The ¡®Scholar Record¡¯ that is personally written by Great Scholar Yang is so useful. Of course I have to accept it!¡± He was so famous that even if she did not need it in the future, the ink would be worth a lot of money. Bai Wutong accepted it happily. Yang Quanzi also felt very dignified and happy. When he returned the silver to Yang Gongbing, he also gave him the geothermal blueprint. Yang Gongbing was so touched that his eyes were filled with tears. After a sumptuous feast, Bai Wutong went to the kitchen to boil water. In the hall, Chu Tianbao¡¯s furious voice suddenly sounded. ¡°Why are you here again!¡± She walked over curiously and saw Chu Tianbao holding the little snow wolf and scolding it. ¡°Don¡¯t come again. If you come again, I¡¯ll roast you!¡± Bai Wutong glanced at the tightly shut door and then at the pitiful little snow wolf in Chu Tianbao¡¯s hand. She asked curiously, ¡°Where did it come from?¡± Chu Tianbao pointed to a hole under their table. ¡°There.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes widened. Her new house!!! The little snow wolf¡¯s skin hurt from being carried by Chu Tianbao. It whimpered and struggled twice. Bai Wutong took a few seconds to digest the situation and sighed. ¡°Just let it go.¡± After some thought, she said, ¡°Put it in the back mountain.¡± It would be bad if it frightened the villagers. After all, no matter how small it was, it was still a ferocious beast. Chu Tianbao accepted the order. ¡°Alright, wife.¡± Chu Tianbao opened the door, used his qinggong, and disappeared with the struggling little snow wolf. While Bai Wutong was boiling water, Chu Tianbao returned. He rushed over like they had been separated for a few seasons and reached out excitedly. ¡°Wife, I¡¯m back ~¡± Bai Wutong flashed over. ¡°Pour the water into the bathtub. Go take a shower first.¡± ¡°Alright, wife,¡± Chu Tianbao said obediently. Chu Tianbao entered the bathroom. After a while, he suddenly opened the door naked. ¡°Wife, Tianbao didn¡¯t take any clothes.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes were filled with images of his body. His muscles were toned, his abs were seductive, and his long legs were invincible¡­ She saw everything. She paused for a full three seconds before turning around abruptly. She said angrily, ¡°Chu Tianbao! How many times have I told you not to come out naked!¡± Chu Tianbao looked down and said, ¡°Oh.¡± He entered the bathroom and shouted to Bai Wutong, ¡°Wife, Tianbao didn¡¯t bring any clothes!¡± Bai Wutong was simply¡­ speechless. When Chu Tianbao didn¡¯t get a response from Bai Wutong, he shouted again, ¡°Wife, I didn¡¯t bring any clothes!¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s mind was still filled with the images that should be filtered out. She said angrily, ¡°Wait!¡± After a while, she came to the bathroom with the clothes and was about to say that she had placed them at the door. Caught off guard, the door creaked open again. Chu Tianbao stood naked in front of her and reached out to take the clothes in her hand. He smiled adorably and said, ¡°Thank you, wife.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s heart was pounding. She clenched her fists and only dared to look up. With her teeth gritted, she said, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to come out naked!¡± Chu Tianbao said innocently, ¡°Tianbao didn¡¯t come out!¡± Bai Wutong subconsciously glanced down. Chu Tianbao had indeed not come out. He opened the door and stood in the bathroom naked, just like what she said. He took the clothes from her hand. Bai Wutong gritted her teeth and looked away. ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to be naked in front of me either!¡± Chu Tianbao nodded in confusion and agreed. ¡°Alright, wife.¡± He answered so sincerely that Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t bear to argue with him. She reminded him, ¡°Wash well. Wash yourself clean before putting on your clothes.¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s smile was like a blooming sunflower, dazzling. ¡°Okay.¡± It was pleasing to the eye. Bai Wutong coughed lightly and quickly turned around. She quickly walked to the living room to drink a cup of cold tea and filter out something that she couldn¡¯t get out of her mind. Suddenly, there was a commotion in the corner. Bai Wutong turned around and saw that the little snow wolf had dug another hole beside the hole that she had temporarily blocked with a large rock. A furry butt swung out. Immediately after, the little snow wolf pulled itself out of the hole with all its might with its hind hooves. Its head hit the pillar of the table and it even stammered. Not long after Chu Tianbao threw it out, this fellow actually came looking for them again. While Bai Wutong remained surprised, the little snow wolf had already sat on the ground and wagged its big tail like a puppy. Its originally snow-white fur had turned into an earthen yellow color, but it still could not hide its beauty. Its round green eyes were filled with dependence and fawning, and it whimpered as if it was begging Bai Wutong to keep it. Bai Wutong did not know why it had decided to follow her. Perhaps it was because she had asked Chu Tianbao to let it go, or perhaps she had left a rabbit for it to fill its stomach, or perhaps it was because it missed the gentleness she provided itself. Bai Wutong squatted down and touched its furry head tentatively. ¡°You¡¯re a wolf. You¡¯re a mighty wolf in the forest. If you stay here, you¡¯ll have to guard the house.¡± It was unknown if the little snow wolf understood her, but it kept rubbing its head against Bai Wutong¡¯s hand. It looked obedient and cute, so it was impossible to tell that it was really a ferocious beast. The warm and pleasant touch in her hand made her heart soften. Bai Wutong smiled and tapped the tip of its wet nose. ¡°Since you insist on staying, you can stay.¡± The little snow wolf¡¯s big tail wagged even more happily. Bai Wutong thought for a moment and said, ¡°How about I give you a name?¡± ¡°Howl ~¡± ¡°Then you¡¯ll be called¡ª¡± The little snow wolf¡¯s eyes widened in anticipation. ¡°How about Xiaobai?¡± The little snow wolf howled again and happily licked the back of Bai Wutong¡¯s hand. The smile on Bai Wutong¡¯s face deepened, and her tone was gentle. ¡°Since you agree, you¡¯re Xiaobai now.¡± ¡°Xiaobai, when Tianbao comes out, I¡¯ll give you a bath, okay?¡± It was unknown if Xiaobai had understood her, but it rolled on the ground happily. Chu Tianbao heard a wolf howl and quickly came out. Bai Wutong looked up. Fortunately, he was wrapped in a coat this time. But two long legs loomed at the intersection of his clothes. Still ¡­ seductive. Chu Tianbao¡¯s wet hair hung on both sides. He rushed over and picked up Xiaobai. He questioned fiercely, ¡°Why are you back!¡± Xiaobai howled. Bai Wutong was saved from Chu Tianbao. ¡°Xiaobai won¡¯t be leaving anymore.¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up. He said excitedly, ¡°Tianbao will start the fire now.¡± Chapter 120 - 120 A "Good" Officer 120 A ¡°Good¡± Officer Bai Wutong sighed. ¡°Tianbao, we are not eating it.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Chu Tianbao looked confused as to why she was keeping it. Bai Wutong¡¯s lips curved, her eyes gentle. ¡°We are going to raise it.¡± Chu Tianbao stared at Xiaobai, completely dumbfounded. He didn¡¯t seem to understand why they had to raise it instead of eating it. Suddenly, he thought it through. ¡°Wife, you want to raise it bigger before eating it, right?¡± Xiaobai¡¯s body, which became calm, trembled. It howled and rubbed its head against Bai Wutong¡¯s chest. Bai Wutong stroked its smooth round head. ¡°Xiaobai will be our family in the future. We can¡¯t eat our family. When it grows up, it will protect Tianbao. Tianbao has to take care of it now and get along with Xiaobai.¡± Chu Tianbao rubbed against Bai Wutong¡¯s chest in jealousy and said angrily, ¡°Tianbao can protect himself and my wife. I don¡¯t need it.¡± Bai Wutong looked at him. Her eyes darkened for a moment before she lowered her eyes and said, ¡°What if Tianbao isn¡¯t around one day?¡± Chu Tianbao immediately swore solemnly, ¡°Tianbao will never leave my wife!¡± He was like an angry rooster. It was as though if Bai Wutong did not believe him, he would peck her. Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Last time, you secretly left me and went into the mountains to pick honey.¡± Chu Tianbao immediately stole a glance at Bai Wutong guiltily. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to leave my wife. I just¡­¡± Just wanted to eat candied hawthorn. Bai Wutong smiled, his eyes sparkling. ¡°Then can Xiaobai stay and protect wife?¡± Chu Tianbao already felt guilty. So long as Bai Wutong did not mention that he had sneaked away to pick honey, he would immediately feel as if he had been pardoned. He hurriedly nodded like a chick pecking at rice. ¡°Okay, okay, okay!!!¡± ¡­ After discussing with Yang Quanzi and the others, Yang Gongbing decided to report the white paper to the court to test the attitude of the Ling Kingdom¡¯s imperial court before deciding whether to report the paper cleaning machine and the cleaning paper. Yang Gongbing was only a low-ranking official in Woqian Town. If he wanted to report the white paper improved by Yang Quanzi and his master to the court, he had to report it through his superior. His superior happened to be the county head of Pingyang County, Qu Yuanxian. As the new year approached, Qu Yuanxian received a package from Yang Gongbing. Qu Yuanxian first opened the official documents. Without taking a look, he eagerly opened the package that had been sent over. Inside the package was a stack of white paper. It didn¡¯t look much different from the most expensive snowflake paper. If there was a difference, it was that the quality of the white paper might be thicker, more resilient, and better to touch. He could not believe that this was paper made of wood shavings. In addition to Yang Gongbing¡¯s official documents, there were also handwritten letters from Great Scholar Yang and the Cui brothers. After Qu Yuanxian read them one by one, he immediately revealed an ecstatic expression. ¡°As expected of Great Scholar Yang!¡± If he could create such a good piece of white paper with wood shavings, all the scholars in the world would definitely be able to gain access to it. He had to report it immediately. Qu Yuanxian picked up his pen and quickly wrote a letter with no less than 5,000 words. He took out a portion of the white paper and wrapped the rest up again. He got someone to send the letter to the magistrate of Luochuan, Si Huihua. Si Huihua had a total of 18 counties under his jurisdiction. When he received the gift from Qu Yuanxian, he thought that Qu Yuanxian had changed and had actually sent him a New Year gift. The corners of Si Huihua¡¯s mouth curled up. He wanted to see what kind of New Year gift this noble Lord Qu would give him. If it was more than ten taels of silver, he would punish him as a warning to Duke Chu to show how honest he was. Si Huihua put the letter aside and opened the package himself with interest. The servants secretly glanced at the package, wanting to see what kind of rare treasures Si Huihua would receive this time. The package was heavy. Si Huihua opened it expectantly. When he saw that it was only a few thick stacks of white paper, he immediately flew into a rage out of humiliation and scolded, ¡°Qu Yuanxian! You don¡¯t know the immensity of heaven and earth! How dare you humiliate me!¡± He thought that Qu Yuanxian was using a piece of white paper to warn him that he should not have any dirty actions. Si Huihua cursed and still felt that it was not enough to vent his anger. He pushed all the stacks of white paper to the ground and stomped his feet as he cursed, ¡°Who asked you to pretend to be innocent! See if I don¡¯t make you suffer!¡± After Si Huihua stepped on it, he looked at the letter on the stone table and wanted to tear it up. However, he wanted to know what nonsense Qu Yuanxian, this fool, could say. If it did not sound good, his entire family would not be able to celebrate the second New Year. Si Huihua opened the letter angrily and read ten lines at a time. When he saw the third line, he was stunned that this was white paper made from wood shavings by Youjia villagers. Suddenly, he squatted down and picked up a piece of white paper. As he touched the smooth and delicate white paper, Si Huihua¡¯s anger instantly dissipated. Under the puzzled gaze of the servants, he revealed an ecstatic expression and shouted, ¡°Someone! Bring the brush and ink!¡± The servant quickly brought over a pen and ink. He placed the white paper that Si Huihua had wanted to destroy on the stone table like it was a treasure and quickly wrote the word ¡°rise¡±. Yang Quanzi and Xu Zhiyi had further improvised the previous white paper. The white paper sent to Si Huihua was white paper that had already been adapted to writing with a brush. Si Huihua picked up the paper and laughed out loud when he recalled the smooth feeling. ¡°Qu Yuanxian is not bad! He¡¯s a ¡®good¡¯ official!¡± The most difficult city to attack in the Yan Kingdom, Fengming City, had already been taken down by the Eldest Prince. It would definitely take less than a year for the other cities in the Yan Kingdom to be taken down. If they could follow the Eldest Prince now, they would be able to unify the two countries. With this formula, he could establish a relationship with Consort Chu and follow the Eldest Prince. His future was limitless. The servants looked at each other in confusion. They were puzzled as to what Qu Yuanxian had said in the letter. Si Huihua, who had just gone berserk in anger, could actually say good things about him in the blink of an eye. Si Huihua¡¯s eyes were filled with burning ambition. When he regained his senses, he realized that he had almost destroyed the white paper that Qu Yuanxian had sent him. He immediately kicked the servant beside him and said angrily, ¡°What are you waiting for?! Hurry up and pick it up. If there are any stains or damage on the white paper, everyone will receive 50 strokes.¡± 50 strokes would take one¡¯s life. The servants immediately picked up the paper in a panic. When they saw the footprints and creases on it, they immediately looked desperate. The servants did their best to sort out the white paper without stains or creases, but there was only a third of it left. The remaining pieces of white paper were not enough for Si Huihua to bring to the nine provinces. He had originally wanted to drag all these dog slaves away and give them 50 heavy beatings. Thinking that it was not auspicious to see blood during the new year and afraid that it would affect his luck to becoming an official, he lowered his eyes and threatened, ¡°Don¡¯t reveal anything about today¡¯s matter!¡± Chapter 121 - 121 I Didnt Teach Well 121 I Didn¡¯t Teach Well Si Huihua did not intend to report the white paper to the imperial court. Instead, he stored the remaining one-third of the white paper in the golden silk cedar wood. Then, he hurriedly prepared the carriage and rushed to the Imperial City, Jingnan Residence, which had been temporarily set up in the Ling Kingdom. After two days and three nights, two days before New Year¡¯s Eve, Si Huihua arrived at the national government residence. General Quan was the father of the Consort Chu. His entire family was originally the largest military power family in the borders and was also the most powerful force that supported the Chu royal family. Two years ago, when Duke Chu launched a war, General Quan was assassinated by the emperor of the Yan Kingdom. He was unfortunately poisoned and died. General Quan¡¯s only son, Quan Jiuzhou, had been weak and sickly since he was young. All the troops in General Quan¡¯s control fell into the hands of Duke Chu. After General Quan died, he was conferred the title of Duke. In order to express his regard to the eldest prince and Consort Chu, the weak and sickly Quan Jiuzhou directly inherited the position of General Quan. He enjoyed the same salary and benefits as General Quan, and the title of Duke continued for generations. Quan Jiuzhou was the only brother of Consort Chu and was now the noble Duke. If Si Huihua wanted to offer a gift, he had to line up. Looking at the long line, Si Huihua could only find a place to stay and wait. Only when his servants lined up, presented his gifts, and reported to Duke Quan then did he have the right to visit. If the gifts and letters sent were not satisfactory to Duke Quan, Si Huihua planned to report this matter to the Imperial Court. After all, it was a cheap piece of paper created in the territory that he was in charge of. He could also show his face to King Chu and receive a commendation. Si Huihua¡¯s luck was not bad. When the servants were carrying the golden silk cedar wood box, their hands slipped and the box fell. The white paper scattered on the ground, just enough to attract the attention of the passing Duke Quan. The servant carrying the golden silk cedar wood box was picking up the white paper in a panic when a pair of boots embroidered with gold and dark patterns walked up to him. The owner of the gold-threaded dark-patterned boots coughed lightly. The servant trembled and looked up. When he saw who it was, he quickly lowered his head. ¡°I deserve to die. Please forgive me!¡± The noble Duke Quan stretched out a long glass-like hand. The servant paused for a moment before understanding what he meant. He hurriedly placed a clean piece of white paper in his hand. Quan Jiuzhou had received countless gifts since he was young, but no one had ever given him a few piles of worthless white paper. The white paper paused in his hand for no more than a few seconds before he was certain that it was not the usual snowflake paper in the study. His deep eyes darkened, but his lips curled into a cold smile. His exquisite eyes were like those of a beautiful woman who had walked out of a painting. He was so handsome that it seemed unreal. Quan Jiuzhou glanced at July. July understood and went to the butler to look for Si Huihua¡¯s letter. After July confirmed that the envelope was not poisonous, he handed it to Quan Jiuzhou. When he opened the letter, he saw Si Huihua¡¯s words of flattery. He only got to the point on the last page. After reading the letter, the indifferent gaze of Quan Jiuzhou landed on the white paper. He endured it again and again before coughing. War required a lot of money, which was why the Yan Kingdom and Ling Kingdom did not want to let Sheng Huaixuan off. Now that Sheng Huaixuan had handed over all the wealth of his family, King Chu naturally did not have to worry about the national treasury. Once the two countries were unified and King Chu officially ascended to the throne, he would definitely try to win over the officials¡¯ support and fill his harem. King Chu was in his prime age, and it was very likely that his harem would give birth to another prince. In order for Consort Chu to make her son succeed the throne without fail, other than needing Chu Mingji to inherit Dabao¡¯s aptitude and ability, he also needed to have strong financial resources and a powerful maternal family to support him. However, General Quan was dead. Although Quan Jiuzhou had inherited the duke position, he did not have any substantial military power. Consort Chu had even been a little worried that her position as the Queen was unstable. Since she did not have any military power, she naturally had to have more financial resources to rope in the ministers and ensure that Chu Mingji won the hearts of the people. Quan Jiuzhou stared at the formula on the paper for a long time. His indifferent eyes were instantly filled with mockery. It happened in the blink of an eye, making it seem like someone else¡¯s illusion. Quan Jiuzhou closed the letter elegantly and glanced at the wooden box. ¡°Hand it to Consort Chu personally.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡­ Consort Chu had been deeply worried about her son going to the battlefield. It was almost New Year¡¯s Eve, and Chu Shixiong was nowhere to be seen, so she vented all her anger on his harem. Consort Chu looked at Granny Xu coldly. ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well.¡± Granny Xu said to the head maidservant, Chunlan, ¡°The Consort is feeling unwell, summon Ling Zhaoyi to care for her.¡± Many women were stuffed into the backyard of King Chu by various people supporting different clans. Consort Chu would always reply that she was unwell and summon Ling Zhaoyi. It could be seen how much Consort Chu disliked her. However, it made sense. Ling Zhaoyi was about the same age as Consort Chu, but she was still like a 28-year-old girl. If they were Consort Chu, they naturally could not take this lying down. This was already the sixth time that Ling Zhaoyi had attended to her illness this month. Chunlan came to summon Ling Zhaoyi to attend to her illness again. The highest-ranking maidservant, Fengye, who was beside Ling Zhaoyi, muttered unhappily, ¡°Zhaoyi, your knee injury has yet to recover. Yet they are call you to attend to her illness every day. If I didn¡¯t know better, I would have thought that Consort Chu was about to die.¡± Ling Zhaoyi raised her beautiful eyes and frowned. She warned Fengye gently, ¡°Be careful with your words.¡± Fengye patted her mouth. ¡°I know my mistake.¡± Ling Zhaoyi extended her hand and Fengye hurriedly helped her up. Looking at Ling Zhaoyi¡¯s exquisite face, she was practically like a goddess from the heavens. Why couldn¡¯t such a good-looking person obtain the favor of King Chu? As soon as Ling Zhaoyi left the room, it started snowing heavily. The already cold weather became even colder. As soon as they arrived at Consort Chu¡¯s courtyard, Granny Xu came out of the room. She sized up Ling Zhaoyi, who looked pitiful, and her gaze darkened. She scolded coldly, ¡°Ling Zhaoyi is being disrespectful to Consort Chu. Kneel down.¡± Fengye suddenly retorted, ¡°How is our Zhaoyi disrespectful?¡± The weather was so cold and Ling Zhaoyi¡¯s health was not good to begin with. If she was punished to kneel in the snow, wouldn¡¯t she be half dead? Granny Xu¡¯s sharp eyes swept over. The maidservant, Chun Lan, and Xia Yu immediately slapped Fengye several times. ¡°Pa pa pa¡ª¡± Soon, Fengye¡¯s cheeks were covered in blood red. ¡°Consort Chu has ordered Ling Zhaoyi to attend to her illness, but Ling Zhaoyi deliberately arrived late. She deserves to be punished! This servant openly questioned the authority of the Consort. You deserved to be punished with 20 strokes of the cane. Drag her out and sell her!¡± Ling Zhaoyi looked at Fengye anxiously and knelt down in the room. She begged pitifully, ¡°I¡¯m late. I don¡¯t dare ask for Your Highness¡¯s forgiveness. My maidservant has misspoken. It¡¯s all my fault for not disciplining her well. Please forgive me.¡± Ling Zhaoyi¡¯s pitiful plea reached Consort Chu¡¯s ears through the door and windows. She took a sip of tea and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s the new year. I don¡¯t want to attract bad luck. Since Ling Zhaoyi is willing to be punished, let them kneel in the courtyard for four hours.¡± When Consort Chu¡¯s words were passed on by Dong Mei, Ling Zhaoyi¡¯s face turned pale for a moment, and Fengye was so angry that her eyes turned red. Four hours would definitely harm Madam¡¯s body. Chapter 122 - 122 Come Here, Ill Teach You 122 Come Here, I¡¯ll Teach You Granny Xu looked at Ling Zhaoyi with a cold gaze. ¡°Ling Zhaoyi, please?¡± If she didn¡¯t kneel, Fengye would die. Ling Zhaoyi stood up and slowly walked towards the snow-covered courtyard. She knelt down quietly in front of Consort Chu¡¯s residence. Fengye pounced over and hugged Ling Zhaoyi in the snow. She cried, ¡°Zhaoyi, it¡¯s all my fault. I¡¯m willing to be punished. Get up!¡± Ling Zhaoyi forced a smile. Her pale face looked like a ghost that would dissipate with the wind. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. It will be fine.¡± Fengye cried bitterly. If she could turn back time, she would definitely go back and tear her own mouth apart. Consort Chu stood at the window and looked over. The corners of her lips curled up, but there was no warmth in her eyes. ¡°What a deep master-servant relationship.¡± Granny Xu asked in a low voice, ¡°The emperor might be coming to the concubine¡¯s chambers tonight. If he sees it¡­¡± Consort Chu sneered. ¡°So what if he sees it? If he wanted to protect a promiscuous slut, he would have done so long ago. I¡¯m still her master now. So what if I punish her?!¡± Then she said gloomily, ¡°When I become the Queen and Ming¡¯er becomes the Crown Prince, she¡¯ll be in trouble!¡± Granny Xu shook her head secretly. The Consort was so domineering and the general had passed away. If she acted like this, she would probably make King Chu unhappy. However, she also knew that Consort Chu would not listen to her advice unless she had learnt it the hard way, so she stopped persuading her. In any case, no matter how beautiful Ling Zhaoyi was, she was only a decoration in the backyard for so many years. After that incident, how many men could tolerate it? When King Chu officially ascended the throne, she could only suffer in the Cold Palace for the rest of her life. A servant suddenly came to inform them that July from the Duke¡¯s residence had arrived. Consort Chu suddenly sat up and said happily, ¡°Let her in quickly.¡± July passed by the courtyard and glanced at Ling Zhaoyi, who had a layer of snow on her head. She entered the room and saw the smiling Consort Chu. She handed the box and the letter to Granny Xu. As Consort Chu opened the letter, she asked, ¡°How is the Duke¡¯s health?¡± July said, ¡°He¡¯s all well.¡± When Consort Chu thought of her weak and sickly brother, she could not help but sigh. If he was in good health, why would she need Ming¡¯er to personally go to the battlefield? How would their entire family¡¯s military power fall into Chu Shixiong¡¯s hands? Why would she need to worry that her position as the Queen was unstable and Ming¡¯er could not become the Crown Prince? Consort Chu restrained the disappointment in her eyes and looked at the letter. After a while, her eyes lit up. She put down the letter, picked up the white paper in the golden sandalwood box, and looked at it carefully. The joy in her eyes was almost overflowing. She instructed Granny Xu happily, ¡°Hurry up and get the housekeeper to call this magistrate of the Luochuan Prefecture over!¡± It was really like someone handing her a pillow when she was feeling sleepy. It came just at the right time! With this white paper formula, she could get someone to open a paper workshop. She would definitely be able to make the entire world open up their pockets for her. She would no longer have to worry too much about her son¡¯s private stash. While she was in joy, Consort Chu completely forgot about her younger brother. She stood up and carried the golden sandalwood box to the study. July took her leave and returned to report to Quan Jiuzhou. When Si Huihua found out that Consort Chu had summoned him, he locked himself in his room and opened his mouth wide, shouting silently in excitement. Soon, he would have a meteoric rise. Knowing the profits that paper production could bring, it was impossible for Consort Chu not to be tempted and even take the initiative to give it to King Chu. Si Huihua lowered his head and entered Consort Chu¡¯s courtyard. From the corner of his eye, he saw two women who had fainted in the snow. One of them was in a sorry state but it still could not hide her beauty. He could not help but take a few more glances. He was envious. As expected of King Chu. Any woman in this residence was so charming. He wondered how beautiful Consort Chu was. He hunched into the house, not daring to look around. His gaze only swept across the woman¡¯s gorgeous skirt and a pair of exquisite shoes. Consort Chu¡¯s high and mighty voice sounded, ¡°Let me ask you, how many people know the formula for this white paper?¡± Si Huihua looked up and saw a face that was completely different from what he had imagined. Consort Chu¡¯s appearance was actually not even one-tenth as good as the woman from before. She was really ordinary-looking. He wondered how a handsome man like King Chu had endured giving birth to a son with her. Although he thought this in his heart, he did not dare to show any disrespect on his face. He told the Consort Chu the answer he had long thought of, ¡°Other than my subordinates, only the villagers from Youjia village know about this white paper formula.¡± There was a trace of satisfaction in Consort Chu¡¯s eyes, and she warned again, ¡°Since it¡¯s my formula, keep your mouth shut. If I find out that someone used this formula to make a piece of white paper, I¡¯ll hold you responsible!¡± Si Huihua hurriedly nodded. ¡°Consort, don¡¯t worry. I will definitely protect your formula well.¡± One naturally had to be given a sweet date after a beating with the stick. Consort Chu also knew why he had given her the formula. She thought that she had arranged it well and said, ¡°Jiangyuan City has just received good news. The Eldest Prince happens to be short of people. Go to Jiangyuan City to make up for it.¡± Si Huihua wanted to join the Eldest Prince¡¯s side to be someone who could provide advice. He did not want to go to Jiangyuan City where the plague was rampant to deal with the mess. He wanted to speak, but when he saw Consort Chu¡¯s irrefutable expression, he could only grit his teeth and thank her respectfully, ¡°Thank you, Consort.¡± Si Huihua felt extreme regret that he did not achieve his expected outcome. However, he could only comfort himself. After all, he had shown his face in front of the Consort and could be considered the Eldest Prince¡¯s subordinate. He had to take it slow and not be too anxious. He left the palace, but he couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore. He stomped his foot. He might as well report such an outcome to the Imperial Court and leave a good impression on King Chu! But it was too late for regrets. Si Huihua angrily accepted the reality. Since he was being transferred at the last minute, he had to choose a subordinate from his jurisdiction to take over the Luochuan Prefecture. Based on the ¡°merits¡± he had contributed based on his political achievements and donations, Si Huihua should have promoted Qu Yuanxian. Si Huihua felt even greater hatred for him now. Why would he still be promoted! Bullsh*t! It was already good enough that he did not stab him twice. At the thought that he would have to deal with the troublesome mess in Jiangyuan City after he returned to settle the handover, Si Huihua almost gritted his teeth. On the way back to Luochuan residence, Si Huihua cursed Qu Yuanxian. While he was about to find a successor to make things difficult for him, Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao were preparing dumplings for New Year¡¯s Eve. She prepared two types of fillings, pork with pickles and pork with onions. Xiaobai wagged its tail happily behind her. When she had kneaded the dough, Chu Tianbao returned after playing around. Chu Tianbao reached out to poke the smooth dough, but Bai Wutong quickly patted his claws. ¡°Go wash your hands and change your clothes!¡± Chu Tianbao replied with an ¡°Oh¡± and went upstairs to change. He had just finished washing his hands and poked a finger into the dough before Bai Wutong could stop him. Bai Wutong looked at him helplessly and took away his hand that still wanted to poke the dough. She warned, ¡°Don¡¯t move. This is for wrapping dumplings, not for you to play with.¡± Chu Tianbao looked regretfully at the soft and elastic dough. Then, he obediently watched as Bai Wutonge rolled the dough into strips, cut it into pieces, pressed it into a flat piece, and rolled it into a perfect dumpling skin. Bai Wutong was very fast when rolling the skin. It took less than a second for her to make one. Bai Wutong quickly made dozens of dumpling skin. When she looked up, she saw Chu Tianbao¡¯s excited expression. She couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Come here, I¡¯ll teach you.¡± Chapter 123 - 123 Are These Dumplings? 123 Are These Dumplings? Chu Tianbao followed suit and stood beside Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong handed him the rolling pin and taught him, ¡°Press the rolling pin with one hand. When you exert strength, use this hand to turn the dough in this direction.¡± Chu Tianbao tried and his dumpling skin did not look like anything. Bai Wutong smiled and realized that his technique was wrong. She personally held his hand and instructed, ¡°Don¡¯t use too much strength. Just gently¡­¡± Under the careful guidance of Bai Wutong, Chu Tianbao quickly mastered the technique. A complete dumpling skin that was like a big round moon was finally made. In his excitement, he kissed Bai Wutong¡¯s face several times like he usually did to Stinky. After kissing her, he didn¡¯t notice anything wrong. He turned around and continued to flatten the noodles. However, Bai Wutong¡¯s ears quickly turned red as she stood there stunned. Only then did she realize that her posture with Chu Tianbao was extremely ambiguous. She was clearly behind him just now, but she was unknowingly pulled into Chu Tianbao¡¯s arms. Bai Wutong awkwardly tried to break free from his arms. Chu Tianbao looked up with a strange expression. ¡°Wife?¡± He didn¡¯t seem to understand why Bai Wutong was moving around. His hot breath was all over her face, and his deep eyes were filled with her. In an instant, Bai Wutong felt her heart burning. Bai Wutong crawled out from under Chu Tianbao¡¯s arm in a panic. Her eyes flickered as she said, ¡°The water in the pot is boiling. I¡¯ll go take a look.¡± Only when she went to the kitchen, then she realize that the dumplings had not been wrapped and she had not boiled any water at all. Bai Wutong returned with a red face. Chu Tianbao was still focused on flattening his dumpling skin and did not notice her abnormality. Bai Wutong lowered her eyes, a sense of loss lingering in her chest. Quickly, she composed herself and walked to Chu Tianbao. ¡°There¡¯s enough dumpling skin. Let me teach you how to make dumplings.¡± Bai Wutong picked up a dumpling skin and had just picked up the dumpling filling with her chopsticks when Chu Tianbao naturally hugged her from behind. Startled, Bai Wutong turned to meet his deep features and handsome face. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Chu Tianbao looked at her strangely. ¡°Aren¡¯t we making dumplings?¡± Bai Wutong was speechless and said helplessly, ¡°There¡¯s no need to get so close when making dumplings. Stand further away and watch carefully.¡± Chu Tianbao didn¡¯t move. Instead, he leaned his head closer and took a deep breath. ¡°Tianbao wants to make dumplings with my wife like this.¡± Bai Wutong had always emphasized to Chu Tianbao to never lie, but now, her face was red from his words. Her cheeks were hot, and her temperature was rapidly rising. Chu Tianbao realized that half of her fair skin was gradually turning into an alluring peach color. He couldn¡¯t help but lean against her face, and his beautiful thin lips seemed to be about to land on hers in the next second. Bai Wutong¡¯s heart was pounding. She turned her head slightly to dodge, but her movement was very small, so small that Chu Tianbao did not notice it at all. Suddenly, Xiaobai howled at the door. Bai Wutong¡¯s blurry eyes instantly sobered up. She pushed Chu Tianbao away and said, ¡°Qingfeng and the others are here. I¡¯ll open the door.¡± Chu Tianbao watched as Bai Wutong hurriedly left. He let out a disappointed ¡°Oh¡± and poked a hole in the dumpling skin with his finger. Bai Wutong walked out of the kitchen and looked back at the lights in the house. She lowered her eyes and thought about it. If Gu Zhongxun¡¯s master was found and Chu Tianbao¡¯s head was cured, and he really didn¡¯t marry or have children, living with Chu Tianbao like this seemed¡­ seemed pretty good. Bai Wutong opened the door and saw Qingfeng carrying five life rabbits. Sheng Huaixuan was carrying Stinky, and Lin Yue was carrying all kinds of snacks. Cui Lingyi smiled and shook the fine wine in her hand. Cui Muzhi was holding the wind chime that he had made himself. Bai Wutong smiled and welcomed them in. ¡°The dumplings are not wrapped yet. You can go to the study and have a cup of warm tea first.¡± Sheng Huaixuan smiled and suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t we help together?¡± Bai Wutong glanced at them. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s also an interesting activity to make dumplings together.¡± Suddenly, many people entered the kitchen. When Chu Tianbao saw Stinky in Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s arms, he suddenly revealed two rows of white teeth. He spread his hands and said happily, ¡°Son!¡± Stinky also opened its chubby arms and wanted to pounce into Chu Tianbao¡¯s arms. ¡°Daddy¡­ Daddy¡­¡± He only knew how to say ¡®Daddy¡¯ now, and he was only willing to call Chu Tianbao ¡®Daddy¡¯. He didn¡¯t know how the two of them had become so close after hating each other back then. While Bai Wutong went out for a short while, Chu Tianbao¡¯s face and body were already covered in flour. Bai Wutong pulled him to a corner and patted the flour on his face. She untied his apron and said gently, ¡°Wash your hands and carry Stinky to the room to play.¡± Chu Tianbao nodded and quickly washed his hands. He lifted Stinky to ride on his head before going upstairs to play. Sheng Huaixuan took the initiative to ask to help make the dumplings. Bai Wutong thought that the richest man in the business world would know how to make dumplings, but in the end, he was at a loss as to what to do. Bai Wutong turned her head to look again. Qingfeng nimbly picked up the dumpling skin and dug out some dumpling filling to place on it. Everyone looked surprised. Lin Yue even revealed a shocked expression that was questioning her for knowing how to make dumplings. Under everyone¡¯s gaze, Qingfeng calmly pressed and skilfully wrapped a wanton. ¡°¡­¡± A wanton! Everyone stared at the dumpling that looked like wanton and suddenly fell silent. Only Lin Yue was confused. ¡°Are these dumplings?¡± Qingfeng heard the mockery in his words and looked at him coldly. Lin Yue immediately retracted his smile and nodded in agreement. ¡°That¡¯s right. These are dumplings.¡± Lin Yue looked sincere, as if he was telling the truth. Qingfeng almost believed him. Bai Wutong found them very interesting. The corners of her mouth curled up. ¡°There are many ways to wrap dumplings. Qingfeng¡¯s method is one of them.¡± She praised sincerely, ¡°It¡¯s well wrapped! The filling definitely won¡¯t leak out!¡± Cui Lingyi raised her hand. ¡°I want to learn how to make dumplings.¡± Bai Wutong was naturally willing to teach her. She put Qingfeng¡¯s ¡®dumplings¡¯ aside and picked up the dumpling skin to demonstrate. ¡°If you turn it like this and fold it into a sunflower, it¡¯ll be sunflower dumplings. There¡¯s also this kind of moon dumpling with a folded edge. There¡¯s also this kind of casual dumpling that¡¯s similar to what Qingfeng made just now, and this kind of¡­¡± Bai Wutong made one dumpling per second. They were of different shapes, but all of them were white, plump, and cute. This was the first time everyone had seen so many types of dumplings. They picked up the dumpling skins and tried to imitate her. Everyone was smart. Once Bai Wutong taught them, they quickly picked it up. Lin Yue even deliberately placed the best dumpling he had made in front of Qingfeng¡¯s ¡®dumplings¡¯. He glanced at her sideways, seemingly wanting to provoke Qingfeng and telling her that this was what a dumpling should look like. Qingfeng¡¯s hand speed was fast. In the blink of an eye, she had already imitated a sunflower dumpling that had the greatest difficulty and placed it in front of Lin Yue¡¯s dumplings. Lin Yue¡¯s dumplings versus Qingfeng¡¯s dumplings. Lin Yue¡¯s dumplings were instantly defeated. He glared at her indignantly, and Qingfeng returned with an expression saying he was dumb. Chapter 124 - 124 I Can Leave By Myself 124 I Can Leave By Myself There was strength in numbers. Soon, the dumplings were all wrapped. Bai Wutong brought the wrapped dumplings to the kitchen and cooked them in the pot. She quickly placed the meat dishes in the steamer on the dining table and quickly stir-fried them. In a short while, a table of sumptuous home-cooked food appeared in front of everyone. Cui Lingyi was dazzled and exclaimed, ¡°Little Phoenix, you¡¯re too virtuous and capable.¡± Cui Lingyi had only been in the kitchen a few times since she was young. She was too easily shocked by the ordinary lives of ordinary people. Bai Wutong¡¯s lips curled as she placed the daughter¡¯s red wine that Cui Lingyi had brought to the table. ¡°You¡¯re also very capable. Don¡¯t need to envy me.¡± She asked Lin Yue to bring the baby¡¯s chair over, took off her apron, and washed her hands. ¡°I¡¯ll call Tianbao and the others over for dinner.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Bai Wutong went upstairs and pushed open the door to the room. He saw Chu Tianbao and Stinky lying on the carpet, playing with the building blocks that Bai Wutong had specially asked Zhao Sheng to customize. Chu Tianbao put a piece up and poked the slow-moving little Stinky. ¡°Your turn.¡± Stinky was drooling. His two small white baby teeth shone. His chubby claws touched a block and he put it up shakily. ¡°Crash¡ª¡± The small hill-high tower collapsed and scattered. It was unknown if it was because of fear or because of his anger, but Stinky¡¯s chubby face became distorted. Before he could cry, Chu Tianbao picked him up with a whoosh and sang familiarly, ¡°Stinky is a good boy, Stinky is handsome, Stinky is dumb and handsome¡­¡± When Bai Wutong heard the words ¡°dumb and handsome¡±, she laughed softly. Chu Tianbao and Stinky looked over at the same time as if they were actual father and son. The smile in her eyes deepened. ¡°It¡¯s time to eat. Let¡¯s go down.¡± The word ¡°eat¡± seemed to have a magical power. The tears that hung at the corners of Stinky¡¯s eyes were retracted with a whoosh. He even giggled and reached out for Bai Wutong to hug him. Bai Wutong appeared with Stinky in her arms. Chu Tianbao followed beside her like a happy family of three. Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s eyes stung. After putting Stinky in his special-made baby chair, Bai Wutong gave him a rice biscuit and everyone officially started the dinner. As the saying went, dumplings went with wine. Cui Lingyi had just tasted a dumpling and could not wait to pour everyone some daughter¡¯s red wine. As she spoke, she said regretfully, ¡°If not for that snowstorm, we would be drinking 20-year daughter¡¯s red today.¡± Cui Muzhi cut her short. ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily true. Perhaps you would have finished it by tonight.¡± Cui Lingyi looked at him grudgingly. Cui Muzhi quickly patted his mouth and said flatteringly, ¡°I¡¯m talking nonsense. How can someone who doesn¡¯t drink finish it?¡± Cui Lingyi raised her eyebrows and gave him a look that said, ¡°You¡¯re on your own.¡± Cui Muzhi was so frightened that he quickly picked up his wine glass and smiled ingratiatingly. ¡°Muzhi has sincerely repented and would like to apologize to Cousin with this cup of wine!¡± Before Cui Lingyi could stop him, Cui Muzhi drank the entire glass of daughter red. He narrowed his eyes, his delicate puppy face filled with intoxication. How was this an apology to Cui Lingyi? He clearly wanted to take the opportunity to drink. Everyone laughed at the same time. Cui Lingyi shook her head and looked at him helplessly. ¡°Forget it, forget it. It¡¯s a good day today. It¡¯s fine to have a few drinks.¡± Cui Muzhi praised the quality of wine in satisfaction. Chu Tianbao looked at Bai Wutong¡¯s glass and secretly reached out his hand. Bai Wutong, who had been guarding against him drinking secretly, pressed his hand down. ¡°Tianbao¡¯s is here.¡± She had made hawthorn juice especially for him. Chu Tianbao liked sweet hawthorn juice, but he also wanted to try wine. Moreover, even Cui Muzhi could drink it, but he could not. It made him feel like he was being treated differently. Chu Tianbao glanced at Bai Wutong aggrievedly. ¡°Wife, Tianbao wants to drink too.¡± It was not that Bai Wutong did not allow him to drink, but he only had the tolerance of one glass. The trauma from the previous time was still vivid in her mind. Bai Wutong stilled her heart and shook her head. She coaxed softly, ¡°Tianbao, drinking will hurt your body. Let¡¯s not drink today, okay?¡± Chu Tianbao pouted and looked at the fruit juice in his cup. He picked it up and drank it in one gulp. After everyone had eaten happily, Bai Wutong sent them to the door. Lan Jingbai received Cui Muzhi, who was walking slowly. When he smelled the strong wine fragrance on his body, he suddenly frowned and held his slightly swaying waist. Cui Muzhi glanced at him with a red face, pushed his hand away, and began to talk nonsense. ¡°Don¡¯t help me. I can walk by myself.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Cui Muzhi staggered forward. Lan Jingbai¡¯s arm, which he had just pulled away, was suddenly grabbed by him. Cui Muzhi looked up at him and emphasized drunkenly, ¡°I¡¯m not drunk. I was just careless.¡± Cui Lingyi shook her head with an expression meaning to say look at this silly child. ¡°Carry him back,¡± she said to Lan Jingbai. Lan Jingbai nodded and reached out to carry Cui Muzhi. Cui Muzhi swung his legs and bragged in his ear, ¡°Blockhead Lan, do you know how much I drank today?¡± Lan Jingbai carried him through the night. ¡°How much?¡± Cui Muzhi chuckled. ¡°A total of six full glasses!¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never drunk so much wine in my life!¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Hey, you¡¯re so boring.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± After sending everyone away, Bai Wutong returned to the dining room. In the next second, her eyes widened. Chu Tianbao actually held the wine bottle and stuck his tongue in. Bai Wutong thought of the last time he was drunk and did not sleep until late at night. She shouted, ¡°Tianbao!¡± Chu Tianbao turned around in shock and the bottle fell to the ground. In the nick of time, he supported with his knee and the bottle fell steadily back into his hand. Bai Wutong walked over angrily. ¡°Are you stealing wine?¡± Chu Tianbao hurriedly shook his head. ¡°No, Tianbao just licked it.¡± ¡®So licking it isn¡¯t stealing alcohol?¡¯ Bai Wutong pulled a face and ignored him as she cleared the table. Chu Tianbao followed behind Bai Wutong and smiled ingratiatingly. ¡°Wife ~¡± Bai Wutong pushed past him and carried the dishes into the kitchen. Chu Tianbao followed her to the kitchen. She didn¡¯t say another word to Chu Tianbao until she cleaned up the house and boiled water to take a shower in the bathroom. Chu Tianbao was flustered and aggrieved. Everyone had drunk alcohol, but he couldn¡¯t even lick it. His wife was clearly treating him like a child. Chu Tianbao shrank at the bathroom door. The more he thought about it, the more aggrieved he felt. His eyes unknowingly turned red. Xiaobai looked at him strangely and howled. It tilted its head and lay down in front of him. After taking a shower, Bai Wutong was no longer angry. She wiped her dark hair and opened the bathroom door. Before she could call Chu Tianbao in to take a shower, she found him squatting pitifully at the door. Bai Wutong called out to him, ¡°Tianbao, go take a shower.¡± Chu Tianbao looked up. His sad black eyes were filled with tears. He was caught off guard and barged into Bai Wutong¡¯s line of sight. Bai Wutong¡¯s heart tightened and she quickly squatted down. ¡°What is wrong with you, Tianbao?¡± Chapter 125 - 125 Wife Smells the Best 125 Wife Smells the Best Chu Tianbao looked at Bai Wutong with tears in his eyes. When Bai Wutong spoke, his tears fell even more. He had already realized that his wife¡¯s tone was no different from him coaxing Stinky. His wife had always treated him like a child. Wuwuwu¡­ Perhaps it was because of the few drops of wine, but Chu Tianbao cried harder and harder. His handsome face was wrinkled. Bai Wutong hurriedly wiped his tears with her hand. ¡°Why are you crying? I haven¡¯t confronted you about it yet.¡± Chu Tianbao hugged Bai Wutong and buried his head in her neck. He said aggrievedly, ¡°My wife doesn¡¯t treat Tianbao as her husband at all. My wife also treats Tianbao as a fool. My wife doesn¡¯t want to give birth to Stinky with Tianbao. My wife doesn¡¯t even let Tianbao kiss her¡­¡± Chu Tianbao had a mental problem, but he was also smart. Through everyone¡¯s words and actions, he could tell that he was different from Bai Wutong and other couples. No matter how good Bai Wutong was to him, she would avoid him at times. As he hugged Bai Wutong and cried, he counted all the times Bai Wutong had neglected him. Bai Wutong did not expect Chu Tianbao to suppress so much grievance in his heart. She was surprised and uncomfortable that she did not notice it. She hugged the sobbing Chu Tianbao and apologized, ¡°Tianbao, don¡¯t cry, okay? I will correct it in the future, alright?¡± Sometimes, she really did not care about what he was thinking. Seeing him cry so sadly, she felt even more guilty. Tianbao suddenly looked up with tears in his eyes. ¡°Then, my wife has to kiss Tianbao.¡± Bai Wutong was speechless. ¡°Wahh¡ª¡± Chu Tianbao didn¡¯t get a reply in time and started crying again. She was the one who tricked him into calling her his wife first. Bai Wutong sighed. In the next moment, she held Chu Tianbao¡¯s wet face and touched his slightly cold thin lips. For a moment, Chu Tianbao was stunned. It was like a god¡¯s face. His adorkable appearance made one¡¯s heart tremble. The first time Bai Wutong saw Chu Tianbao, she gave him CPR. Their lips were clearly pressed together for a much longer time than half a second, but Bai Wutong¡¯s heart was beating wildly, and her cheeks were burning. Chu Tianbao licked the corner of his lips, as if he was recalling the beautiful touch that had disappeared in an instant. His eyes locked onto Bai Wutong and he said unhappily, ¡°I want more.¡± Bai Wutong had already used all her courage to kiss him just now. She lowered her eyes to hide the shyness in them. ¡°We¡¯ve already kissed. You should take a shower.¡± It was not that she did not have the courage to accept Chu Tianbao now, but she was afraid that Chu Tianbao would leave after recovering his memories. If she lost him after obtaining him, it would make her suffer even more. If he didn¡¯t take a shower, he wouldn¡¯t be able to get into bed later. Chu Tianbao was a little dissatisfied, but he still went to take a shower obediently. When the bathroom door closed, Bai Wutong touched her lips and stood there quietly for a long time. Only then did she realize that she was the one who was angry. Why was she the one who was coaxing him? It was New Year¡¯s Eve. According to custom, one had to stay awake overnight. Village Chief Zhao specially got someone to buy big red firecrackers in the town. He instructed everyone to welcome the new and send the old before sleeping. Bai Wutong looked at the time in her space. It was only nine o¡¯clock. They still had to stay up for three hours. When Chu Tianbao returned from the shower, his hair was still dripping wet. He sat on the bed with ease and handed the towel to Bai Wutong. Taking her by surprise, he kissed her face happily. Bai Wutong was stunned. Just as she was about to say something, she met Chu Tianbao¡¯s expectant gaze. Bai Wutong could not do anything to him. She grabbed his long hair and combed it for him. However, she thought that she had to find out Wen Renhua¡¯s whereabouts as soon as possible. Not only did Chu Tianbao¡¯s head need to be treated, but Qingfeng and the others¡¯ antidote had also yet to be concocted. Chu Tianbao narrowed his eyes with a look of enjoyment. He reached out and scooped up a few strands of Bai Wutong¡¯s beautiful hair. He placed it under his nose and took a deep breath. He smiled foolishly and said, ¡°Wife smells good.¡± She¡¯d just applied some flower dew to her hair to moisten it. There was definitely a scent, but it definitely wasn¡¯t as exaggerated as he¡¯d made it seem. Bai Wutong glanced at him from the corner of her eye. ¡°You¡¯ll smell good later too.¡± Chu Tianbao chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s not as fragrant as a wife. My wife smells the best.¡± It was so fragrant that he couldn¡¯t help but want to eat his wife. Chu Tianbao¡¯s hair was almost dry. Bai Wutong hung the towel back on the hanger. As she walked over, Chu Tianbao suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled her onto the big bed. He couldn¡¯t wait to lean down and kiss Bai Wutong on the lips. It took a dozen pecks for Bai Wutong to recover from her shock. She tried to push him away, but he couldn¡¯t. She was so embarrassed that she didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°Tianbao!¡± She had never been in a relationship before. She had fallen for Chu Tianbao, but she did not know how to deal with this budding relationship. Chu Tianbao acted purely on instinct. After kissing her, he still felt uncomfortable. He buried his head in Bai Wutong¡¯s neck and took a deep breath. His hot breath stirred up waves of electricity. Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t help but let out a ¡°Uh-huh¡±. Sensing the ambiguity in her voice, she bit her beautiful red lips and warned Chu Tianbao with her moist eyes to hurry and move away. His wife¡¯s soft moan made Chu Tianbao hug Bai Wutong even more tightly. Bai Wutong quickly sensed that something was wrong. His entire body was burning red. She said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Tianbao, get up! You¡¯re so heavy.¡± Chu Tianbao looked up and saw that Bai Wutong¡¯s face was red as if he had crushed her. He suddenly sat up and hugged Bai Wutong. He apologized with a sad face, ¡°Wife, I didn¡¯t do it on purpose. Where does it hurt? I¡¯ll blow it for you.¡± Bai Wutong raised her waist and tried not to come into contact with Little Tianbao. When she met his uncomfortable and confused handsome face, she coughed awkwardly. ¡°I¡¯m fine. My chest is just a little stuffy. I¡¯ll be fine in a while.¡± Chu Tianbao wanted to make up for his mistake. ¡°Tianbao, let me rub it for you. You won¡¯t be feeling upset anymore.¡± The heat on Bai Wutong¡¯s face that had just subsided rose again in an instant. Afraid that Chu Tianbao would touch her in the next second and she wouldn¡¯t be able to stop him, she quickly jumped out of his arms and said as if she was escaping, ¡°I¡¯ll get you some snacks.¡± Chu Tianbao muttered strangely, ¡°I thought we couldn¡¯t eat snacks at night? Is Tianbao sick again?¡± Thinking of the last time, he stood up and headed for the wet towel on the wooden shelf. Bai Wutong took some pastries from the pastry that Sheng Huaixuan had brought and placed them on a wooden plate. She went upstairs and pushed open the door. When she saw the scene in front of her, the exquisite pastries fell to the ground with a clang. Just as Chu Tianbao called out to his wife, the door closed with a bang. Immediately after, Bai Wutong¡¯s exasperated voice came through the door. ¡°Chu Tianbao! How many times have I told you not to be naked! Whether it¡¯s your upper body or lower body!¡± Chapter 126 - 126 Claiming All 126 Claiming All On the third day of the new year, Yang Gongbing set off from Woqian Town early with his wife. Previously, when Yang Gongbing travelled to Youjia Village, it only took him two and a half hours. But because his wife was slower in her footsteps and her body was weak, she rested several times on the way. When he arrived at Youjia Village, it was almost noon. As soon as they arrived at the hillside of Youjia village, they heard the cheerful voices of children. Liu Shaoting looked tired and couldn¡¯t help but smile gently. Yang Gongbing asked considerately, ¡°Dear, we¡¯ll be arriving soon. Shall I get Linglong to tidy your hair?¡± There was no woman who did not care about her appearance. Liu Shaoting smiled at him. ¡°If you didn¡¯t mention it, I would have forgotten. This is the first time I¡¯m meeting my husband¡¯s teacher. I should not forget my manners.¡± Linglong brought over the makeup box and Liu Shaoting held her mirror. Yang Gongbing was afraid that she would be tired, so he held the mirror for her. Liu Shaoting glanced at him shyly, her entire body bubbling with happiness. Liu Shaoting¡¯s face was a little pale. Linglong helped her redo her hairstyle and put on some rouge and lip gloss. Liu Shaoting¡¯s gentle aura also became more charming. Liu Shaoting in her red dress was like a red plum blooming in the snow. Yang Gongbing held her hand and looked at her in a daze. ¡°Dear, you¡¯re so beautiful.¡± Liu Shaoting lowered her eyes shyly. ¡°Dear, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Alright, dear, watch your step.¡± Auntie Yang brought the children to the village entrance to build a huge snowman. When Yang Gongbing appeared with his wife, Auntie Yang immediately went forward to greet them. Liu Shaoting hurriedly bowed with her husband. Auntie Yang smiled and said, ¡°Lord and Madam Yang, you must be here to look for Great Scholar Yang, right? He should be at home. I¡¯ll get someone to bring you there.¡± Yang Gongbing bowed again. ¡°Thank you, Auntie.¡± Auntie Yang summoned her third son, Zhao Pengfei. ¡°Little Zhao, bring Lord Yang to Great Scholar Yang¡¯s house.¡± ¡°Okay, Mother!¡± After taking a few steps, Liu Shaoting was attracted by the beautiful scenery of the village. She had never seen a mountain village with such a unique scenery. The houses built by each family were actually more beautiful than the courtyards of the big families in Luochuan Manor. Zhao Pengfei led them as he introduced the village from time to time. Liu Shaoting rarely went out. She found it interesting to hear Zhao Pengfei talk about the trivial matters in the village. After walking for a while, Chu Tianbao suddenly appeared in their vision with Stinky and a big white dog behind him. Zhao Pengfei immediately greeted respectfully, ¡°Hello, Master Chu!¡± Chu Tianbao was busy looking for Bai Wutong. He casually raised his head and nodded. His appearance was cold, and his deep eyes carried an aura that could not be forgotten. Liu Shaoting was stunned looking at him. It was the first time she had seen such a good-looking man. Realizing what she was thinking, her ears suddenly turned red and she looked away. Seeing that Chu Tianbao didn¡¯t seem to recognize him, Yang Gongbing smiled and greeted, ¡°Master Chu, long time no see.¡± There was an unfamiliar aura on him. In an instant, Xiaobai stood in front of Chu Tianbao warily and howled a few times. Its cold eyes were like an unfathomable cold lake. Chu Tianbao noticed Xiaobai¡¯s abnormality and glanced at Yang Gongbing. His calm gaze was like a sharp sword, and Yang Gongbing almost couldn¡¯t withstand it. They were in a deadlock. Zhao Pengfei hurriedly said, ¡°Master, this is Lord Yang, not a bad person.¡± Chu Tianbao glanced at Zhao Pengfei and raised his chin. His arrogant and cold gaze made him feel like someone was holding a knife to his throat. Stinky patted Chu Tianbao¡¯s forehead impatiently and gestured for him to move quickly. Stinky¡¯s fair and chubby appearance was too cute. Liu Shaoting was won over by his sharp eyes and his arrogant expression. Her heart almost melted. If only she and her husband could have such a cute child. Chu Tianbao was urged by Stinky and he asked, ¡°Is there anything else?¡± This was what he had learned from Lin Yue. If he wanted Bai Wutong to treat him as her real husband, first of all, his aura had to be superior to others. He could not be childish and had to be filled with domineering masculinity. The aura around him was too strong. Yang Gongbing felt like his eyes were about to be blinded by him. He forced a smile and said, ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡± Chu Tianbao replied with an ¡°Oh¡± and looked at him with his nose lifted. He said casually, ¡°Then I¡¯ll bring Stinky and Xiaobai to find my wife.¡± Without Bai Wutong around, not only was Yang Gongbing mentally tired, he was also under a lot of pressure. He hurriedly said, ¡°Master Chu, please.¡± Chu Tianbao replied him with a look and used his qinggong to fly away with a whoosh. Xiaobai followed behind at a speed of 60 kilometers per hour. Such an exit was too flashy. Yang Gongbing and the others were dumbfounded. After Chu Tianbao¡¯s figure gradually disappeared, Bao Zhaoshan, who was beside Yang Gongbing, was stunned for a long time before asking in surprise, ¡°Sir, that big white dog just now seemed to be a wolf, right?¡± Yang Gongbing¡¯s attention was on Chu Tianbao just now, while Liu Shaoting¡¯s attention was on little Stinky¡¯s arrogant face. As Bao Zhaoshan said this, he recalled Xiaobai¡¯s appearance. Its green eyes, long mouth, fierce expression, and sharp fangs. A cold chill immediately rushed through his body. It seemed like it! It really was a wolf! Master Chu was actually raising wolves in the village! Yang Gongbing swallowed and asked Zhao Pengfei in surprise, ¡°Won¡¯t it bite?¡± It took Zhao Pengfei a moment to realize that he was asking about the little snow wolf. He smiled and said, ¡°Xiaobai won¡¯t hurt anyone. It¡¯s smart and intelligent. The entire village likes it.¡± Then he looked at Chu Tianbao with admiration. ¡°If only I could raise a wolf.¡± Hearing that Xiaobai was very familiar with the villagers and Zhao Pengfei was used to it and even wanted to raise a wolf. Yang Gongbing and Liu Shaoting looked at each other for a long time before digesting this information. When they arrived at Yang Quanzi¡¯s house, Cui Lingyi brought Liu Shaoting to admire the flowers and drink tea. Yang Gongbing took out Qu Yuanxian¡¯s urgent letter from his sleeve with a dark expression and said, ¡°Teacher, the cleaning paper formula has been claimed by Consort Chu.¡± Yang Quanzi¡¯s expression darkened as he quickly took the letter. When he opened it, his expression darkened. Xu Zhiyi asked worriedly, ¡°Teacher?¡± Yang Quanzi handed the letter to Xu Zhiyi, stroked his beard, and said angrily, ¡°This is too much! This is too much!¡± Before Si Huihua returned, he had sent a pigeon message under the orders of the Consort Chu, requesting that Qu Yuanxian and Yang Gongbing to not reveal the formula. What was worse was that he had even warned the villagers of Youjia village that if they dared to leak the formula of the white paper, or use it for profit, or use it privately, they would be beheaded for stealing the royal property. The worst thing was that after Consort Chu obtained the white paper formula, she did not want to reward the person who developed it. Instead, she even got the government to monitor the movements of Youjia village, afraid that they would leak the white paper formula. If Yang Gongbing did not do as he was told, he would not be able to keep his head or his official title. Xu Zhiyi frowned and asked curiously, ¡°This white paper formula was clearly handed over to the Imperial Court. How did it end up in the hands of Consort Chu?¡± Chapter 127 - 127 Dont Cry, Wife 127 Don¡¯t Cry, Wife Yang Gongbing sighed. ¡°Si Huihua probably wants to use the white paper formula to please Consort Chu.¡± After so many years, Duke Chu only had one legitimate son, Chu Mingji. Everyone even secretly wondered if he had contracted an unknown illness. Si Huihua might have believed it and believed that the Eldest Prince would definitely be able to sit on the throne. He wanted to use this opportunity to rise to the top. Xu Zhiyi frowned. ¡°Teacher, should we bypass Consort Chu and report the formula again?¡± Yang Quanzi immediately shook his head. ¡°That won¡¯t do!¡± ¡°Consort Chu has already obtained this formula. If we report it to the Imperial Court again, we will offend Consort Chu. As long as the Eldest Prince is around, and Consort Chu has not committed any heinous crimes and only wants a paper formula, King Chu will definitely not punish her severely. Then, we will become a thorn in her side. She can easily deal with us without personally taking action. The entire village will be implicated as a result. It was not easy for everyone to settle down. We can¡¯t ruin all of this because of us.¡± After Yang Quanzi finished explaining, Yang Gongbing and Xu Zhiyi fell silent. Suddenly, Yang Gongbing said with a worried expression, ¡°We can¡¯t exempt Master Chu from his labor and military service anymore.¡± Yang Quanzi sighed and said, ¡°Let¡¯s tell Madam Bai. She will understand.¡± Yang Gongbing nodded guiltily. ¡°There must be another way.¡± Yang Quanzi thought for a moment and said, ¡°If Consort Chu finds out that Lady Bai has created the more valuable cleaning paper, she will definitely try her best to steal it. Moreover, if she finds out that Lady Bai is talented and intelligent, she might even kidnap Lady Bai and make her serve. To protect Lady Bai, we can¡¯t leak any news of the cleaning paper.¡± Bai Wutong had already made her stance clear to everyone previously. She did not covet any power or wealth. She only wanted to live a peaceful life here with Chu Tianbao. Madam Bai had helped them, so how could they bring misfortune to her? Yang Quanzi did not know if Consort Chu¡¯s actions were because of King Chu¡¯s secret instructions, but he was glad that he only used the white paper formula to test the attitude of the Imperial Court and not Madam¡¯s printing technique, paper production machine or cleaning paper formula. Xu Zhiyi said worriedly, ¡°Everyone in the village uses cleaning paper now. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s very difficult for it to be remain unexposed.¡± Yang Quanzi thought for a moment and stroked his beard. ¡°Let¡¯s go discuss it with Madam Bai.¡± The most important person to not hide this matter from was Bai Wutong. They came out of the study with a heavy heart and knocked on the door of Bai Wutong¡¯s house, but there was no answer. Yang Quanzi casually asked a villager and learned that Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao had gone to Gu Zhongxun¡¯s pharmacy. As soon as they reached the door, they met Cui Lingyi and Liu Shaoting, who were supposed to be drinking tea and chatting in the side room. Cui Lingyi was generous and straightforward. Liu Shaoting was gentle and dignified. They chatted happily about interesting things. Liu Shaoting and Yang Gongbing had been married for three years and had no children. She accidentally mentioned it to Cui Lingyi. Cui Lingyi could tell that she was worried, so she said that Gu Zhongxun was good at medicine and was the only disciple of the divine doctor, Wen Renhua. She suggested that she could find Gu Zhongxun to take her pulse. Liu Shaoting asked where Doctor Gu was in disbelief and excitement, and Cui Lingyi led her to the pharmacy to visit Gu Zhongxun. When Liu Shaoting saw her husband at the door of Gu Zhongxun¡¯s pharmacy, she thought that he had specially come for her. She immediately lowered her eyes in shame. Unexpectedly, Yang Gongbing asked in surprise, ¡°Madam, why are you here?¡± Yang Gongbing and Liu Shaoting had been married for three years. Yang Gongbing had always thought that they were still young and would definitely have a child. Liu Shaoting was not pregnant yet, but it was not time yet. He kept comforting her that she should not hurry. The more considerate her husband was, the more loving they were, and the more anxious Liu Shaoting became. Two years ago, she had secretly looked for a doctor behind Yang Gongbing¡¯s back and suffered a lot. Yang Gongbing asked her. Cui Lingyi could tell that Liu Shaoting wanted to hide it from him, so she smiled and said, ¡°I brought Mrs. Yang here to see the flowers and plants.¡± Yang Gongbing immediately looked at Cui Lingyi gratefully. ¡°Thank you for taking care of my wife, Madam Cui.¡± Cui Lingyi smiled. ¡°Not at all. It¡¯s Qingjiu¡¯s fortune to be able to talk freely about life with Madam Yang.¡± After a brief exchange of pleasantries at the entrance of the pharmacy, everyone entered. Gu Zhongxun¡¯s pharmacy was specially designed by Bai Wutong. It was spacious, bright, dry, and ventilated. The layout was clear, and it could ensure that the herbs did not rot. It was also convenient for Gu Zhongxun to study the case and treat the patients here. Although everyone had their own thoughts, those who entered the pharmacy for the first time still sized it up curiously. In the cubicle in the pharmacy, Gu Zhongxun was using silver needles to clear the blood clot in Chu Tianbao¡¯s head. Chu Tianbao had suffered a violent blow to his head. In Gu Zhongxun¡¯s words, it was a miracle for him to survive. He could not clean up all the blood clot in Chu Tianbao¡¯s head. He could only slowly clear it with silver needles, and only the parts that he dared to clear. After all, the nerves in the human brain were too complex. If he made a mistake, Chu Tianbao¡¯s condition would probably be worse than now. He did his best. The remaining blood clot could only be removed after finding his master and letting him perform the acupuncture. Chu Tianbao¡¯s head was poked with thin silver needles, but Gu Zhongxun was still adding more. Bai Wutong held his hand tightly and asked with heartache, ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Chu Tianbao was in pain, but Bai Wutong¡¯s slightly red eyes kept staring at him. He couldn¡¯t help but shake his head and say, ¡°Tianbao doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± How could Bai Wutong not tell if Chu Tianbao was in pain or not? When he replied like this, Bai Wutong pursed her lips and tightened her grip. They could not let anyone disturb them when they were performing the acupuncture. When they entered the pharmacy, Qingfeng, who was waiting outside, reminded them, ¡°Master Chu is having the acupuncture treatment. You can¡¯t enter.¡± Everyone waited quietly outside. After enduring for about an hour, Chu Tianbao felt a sharp pain and his expression instantly turned distorted. He was afraid that he would accidentally hurt Bai Wutong, so he quickly let go. Bai Wutong asked Gu Zhongxun anxiously, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Gu Zhongxun did not see such a big reaction when he administered acupuncture to her. Gu Zhongxun said calmly, ¡°This is a normal reaction. Madam doesn¡¯t have such a huge reaction because you lost your memory due to shock. Actually, if you don¡¯t do acupuncture treatment, you might be able to remember someone you¡¯re familiar with one day.¡± Bai Wutong understood. She had short-term amnesia, but Chu Tianbao had traumatic amnesia. Therefore, there was a huge difference between the two, and the difficulty in recovering their memories was different. Chu Tianbao gritted his teeth, the veins on his head bulging. He couldn¡¯t help but want to cry, but he remembered Lin Yue¡¯s words. Men didn¡¯t cry easily! Tianbao was his wife¡¯s husband. He could not cry in front of his wife. He endured it and formed a few cracks in the seat. Bai Wutong¡¯s heart ached. ¡°Is there no way to ease his pain?¡± Gu Zhongxun said, ¡°Madam, you can talk to him and distract him. We can¡¯t stop now, or all our efforts will be wasted.¡± Chu Tianbao was in so much pain. Seeing that her eyes were red, he forced a bright smile at Bai Wutong. ¡°Tianbao doesn¡¯t hurt. Wife, don¡¯t cry.¡± Bai Wutong realized that the sawdust had pierced into his fingernails and he was bleeding. She felt a lump in her throat and took a deep breath. She forced a smile. ¡°Yes, wife won¡¯t cry.¡± Chapter 128 - 128 I Want to See My Wife Unscathed 128 I Want to See My Wife Unscathed Bai Wutong tried her best to distract Chu Tianbao. After two hours, when Gu Zhongxun pulled out the silver needles, the two of them were already sweating profusely. Bai Wutong used a handkerchief to wipe the sweat off Chu Tianbao¡¯s forehead. Gu Zhongxun took his pulse again. After a while, Gu Zhongxun smiled and said, ¡°The blood clot in Master Chu¡¯s brain has cleared up a little.¡± Bai Wutong asked Chu Tianbao, ¡°Do you feel better?¡± Chu Tianbao touched his forehead as if nothing had happened. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore.¡± Bai Wutong asked, ¡°Did you remember anything?¡± The blurry face of a woman in white flashed across Chu Tianbao¡¯s mind. Suddenly, he held his head and felt a sharp pain. Bai Wutong looked at Gu Zhongxun and asked anxiously, ¡°Why is he suddenly in pain again?¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s expression was very much distorted. The veins on his forehead were bulging, and his gums were white from biting. It was a thousand times more painful than when he was performing the acupuncture just now. If Bai Wutong hadn¡¯t hugged him, Chu Tianbao wouldn¡¯t have been able to control himself and would destroy the entire pharmacy. Gu Zhongxun did not expect that there would be such a huge side effect after the acupuncture. He speculated, ¡°The blood clot in Master¡¯s head has not been completely cleared yet. If he forcefully recalls his past, it will probably cause him intense pain.¡± Bai Wutong hurriedly said to Chu Tianbao, ¡°Tianbao, don¡¯t think about it anymore¡­ It doesn¡¯t matter if you can¡¯t remember.¡± Chu Tianbao looked up and saw Bai Wutong¡¯s moist eyes. He hugged Bai Wutong tightly and said sadly and guiltily, ¡°Wife, I can¡¯t remember. It hurts¡­¡± Bai Wutong hugged him and stroked his back. ¡°It¡¯s wife¡¯s fault. It¡¯s fine if Tianbao can¡¯t remember. It¡¯s fine if it¡¯s like this in the future.¡± As they leaned against each other, Gu Zhongxun had already quietly left the inner room. As soon as he went out, he bumped into a large group of people. Yang Quanzi frowned. ¡°How¡¯s Master Chu¡¯s treatment?¡± Gu Zhongxun shook his head. ¡°The process was very painful. I¡¯m afraid Madam can¡¯t bear to let Master continue the treatment.¡± Everyone looked at each other and sighed. The atmosphere was a little down for a moment. Only when Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao came out did everyone smile. Yang Quanzi did not intend to speak that day. When Bai Wutong saw Yang Gongbing, he guessed that they were here for something. She looked at Chu Tianbao. ¡°Do you still want to play?¡± Chu Tianbao forgot about the pain after his scar healed and chuckled. ¡°I want to go to the back mountain with Xiaobai to play.¡± Although Huang Zhong¡¯s sense of smell was good, he walked too slowly. Chu Tianbao had to carry him every time he entered the mountain. Ever since he discovered that Xiaobai¡¯s nose was even better than Huang Zhong¡¯s and that it was fast and agile, and that it could help to catch rabbits, he abandoned Huang Zhong. Chu Tianbao¡¯s martial arts were top-notch. No one could hurt him. Moreover, he had entered the mountain so many times and could always bring back a large pile of rabbits. Bai Wutong also wanted him to relax that day, so she reminded him, ¡°Be careful when you go. Come back early.¡± Chu Tianbao nodded. ¡°Tianbao will be back soon.¡± Bai Wutong smiled gently and stroked Xiaobai¡¯s head again. ¡°Go.¡± Xiaobai rubbed against her palm and howled. It was so obedient that it did not look like a wolf. Suddenly, Chu Tianbao looked at Qingfeng and ordered in a deep voice, ¡°I¡¯ll leave the wife to you. When I return, I must see my wife unscathed.¡± His cold gaze was like a general giving orders on the battlefield. In an instant, it was as he was a completely different person, and it scared everyone. Bai Wutong was stunned and found it strange. Who taught Chu Tianbao to speak like that? Her scrutinizing gaze landed on Lin Yue¡¯s face. Lin Yue quickly shook his head and expressed with his eyes that it really wasn¡¯t him! He only asked Master Chu to be more manly and domineering. Who knew that he had mastered the essence of masculinity so quickly? Qingfeng obeyed. ¡°Yes!¡± Chu Tianbao nodded in satisfaction. He turned around and looked at Bai Wutong with love and reluctance before the man and wolf left. Yang Gongbing couldn¡¯t help but sigh in his heart. If Master Chu regained his senses, he would definitely be able to subdue all the men in the world. Bai Wutong led Yang Quanzi and the others back to the courtyard and brewed a pot of tea for them. This was an old tea tree that they had accidentally discovered after entering the mountain. There were a few tender leaves on the snow-covered branches. After roasting and frying them, they became the top-grade snow tips that cost a thousand taels. This old tea tree was very big. They picked 10 catties of raw tea and stir-fried it. Everyone received a few catties of it. The elegant fragrance of tea rose faintly. Yang Quanzi sniffed in surprise and looked at the clear and bright tea. He immediately asked in disbelief, ¡°This is the snow tip?¡± Bai Wutong nodded and took a sip of the tea. It was slightly bitter and sweet. It was really the snow tip. Yang Quanzi had only drunk it once in Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s residence in his entire life. When Bai Wutong said it so lightly, everyone¡¯s fingertips trembled. Yang Quanzi took a careful sip. He could not describe it with words. He could only express how delicious the tea was with an ecstatic expression. This was the first time Yang Gongbing had drunk this tea, and he immediately felt that it was lingering. He praised, ¡°No wonder it¡¯s worth a thousand taels. The snow tip is indeed the best in the world!¡± Everyone enjoyed their tea while it was hot before getting down to business. Yang Gongbing said apologetically, ¡°Madam, the cleaning paper and paper production machine can¡¯t be reported to the Imperial Court. I¡¯m afraid the matter of Master Chu being exempted from labor and military service will be put on hold.¡± Bai Wutong paused and looked up. ¡°Why?¡± Yang Quanzi and the others were concerned about the common people, so she was very puzzled that they suddenly gave up on reporting it. Yang Gongbing explained in detail that the white paper had been taken by Consort Chu. He then said, ¡°The Consort Chu has ordered that no one is allowed to use this formula without permission. Those who disobey will be executed for stealing the royal family¡¯s asset. If we report the paper production machine that Madam has modified to the Imperial Court, we might even attract the Consort¡¯s attention.¡± The report would attract the attention of the royal family. This made Bai Wutong¡¯s expression darken. Fortunately, Yang Quanzi was cautious and only reported a white paper formula. Bai Wutong looked at them and immediately said solemnly, ¡°Thank you for worrying about me. It¡¯s also my intention not to report it to the Imperial Court.¡± Yang Quanzi said worriedly, ¡°We¡¯ve reported the white paper formula. Madam doesn¡¯t want to attract attention, so we should ask the villagers to stop using the cleaning paper.¡± Yang Quanzi really wanted Bai Wutong¡¯s talent to be announced to the world and benefit the people of the world. However, he valued the people around him more. If the people around him were not doing well, how could they submit to the world? Yang Quanzi had already made his intentions very clear. If the villagers continued to use the cleaning paper, even if they did not report it, they might be noticed by the people who were secretly monitoring them. However, if they reported it again, it was very likely that the paper production machine and the cleaning paper formula would fall into the hands of Consort Chu again. If they reported it to the King Chu through other channels, they would completely offend Consort Chu. Chapter 129 - 129 Ignore Them 129 Ignore Them Yang Quanzi said apologetically, ¡°Sorry to have troubled Madam.¡± If they had not reported the white paper formula, this would not have happened. Yang Gongbing also lowered his head dejectedly. It was clearly a good thing for the people, for everyone, and for Madam Bai. Because of some people¡¯s selfish interests, they were restrained by Princess Chu, making them really disappointed in the Imperial Court. It was unknown if the Eldest Prince knew about this. If he did, how could he treat the people of the world well and inherit the empire? For a moment, Yang Gongbing even thought of resigning and continuing to stay with Yang Quanzi to live in seclusion and gain knowledge. Thinking that if he resigned, it might be a useless person like Si Huihua who would take over his position, he retracted his thoughts. How could a man give up so easily? As long as he was an official, he would definitely do his job well, help the people resolve their problems, and protect his teacher and the rest. Bai Wutong had worked so hard to create the white paper, but she was actually not allowed to use it. How could this do? She understood the current situation in Ling Kingdom and thought for a moment before saying, ¡°It¡¯s fine. We¡¯ll use ours. Don¡¯t worry about them.¡± Yang Quanzi was surprised. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of being discovered by Consort Chu?¡± Bai Wutong looked at the tea leaves floating in the cup and smiled. ¡°Since it¡¯s made, why not use it?¡± Yang Quanzi and the others did not understand why a low-profile person like Bai Wutong would approach a tiger despite knowing that there was a tiger in the mountains. Bai Wutong had her own thoughts, but she had no intention of telling them. Those who wanted to be emperor were full of suspicions, and their sons were probably no exception. Otherwise, King Chu would not have held all the military power in his hands. If Consort Chu dared to forcefully take possession of her formula, she could use others to let King Chu know that Consort Chu was secretly doing business for profits and secretly roping in ministers to gain power. At that time, not only would Consort Chu be punished, but even the Eldest Prince would definitely be implicated by her. In order to stabilize the hearts of the common people and win over the influence of the world¡¯s scholars, the emperor would naturally announce what Consort Chu had obtained from her. Even if Consort Chu wanted to investigate, she would not be able to find anything. If she wanted to blame someone, she could only blame her subordinates for not doing their job well and letting the King Chu discover them. In this way, she could continue to use the cleaning paper openly and live a stable life. When Bai Wutong thought of this, she had already made up her mind. She would get Qingfeng to send someone to inquire about the ¡°talents¡± that the Consort Chu had in private so that she could deal a heavy blow. Seeing their worried expressions, Bai Wutong comforted them. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. The bridge will naturally be straight at the bow.¡± Since Bai Wutong was not worried, it was useless for Yang Quanzi and the others to be anxious. Then, they should continue using it. Everyone had been using the cleaning paper for a while. It had completely become a necessity in their daily lives. Suddenly, if it couldn¡¯t be used anymore, they couldn¡¯t bear to part with it. As for the white paper that was taken over by Consort Chu, everyone switched to using the ¡°carbon paper¡± that Yang Quanzi and Xu Zhiyi had originally modified. In any case, the Youjia villagers, regardless of whether they were literate or not, all had a charcoal pen in their hands and practiced with the Great Confucian every day. Now, they could write a few simple words to show off. Chu Tianbao had led Xiaobai into the mountain for a long time. She had told him to come back early. But as soon as he entered the mountain, he probably forgot the time. The sun was almost setting. Qingfeng looked at Bai Wutong. ¡°I¡¯ll bring someone to find Master.¡± Bai Wutong waved her hand. ¡°Let¡¯s wait a little longer.¡± No matter how late Chu Tianbao was, he could always return before sunset. ¡°Woof woof woof¡ª¡± Suddenly, the dog in the neighboring forest village barked. Bai Wutong¡¯s lips curled up, knowing that he should be back. Bai Wutong went to welcome him, and everyone joined in the fun. They wanted to see what prey Chu Tianbao had caught that day. Before they could enter, they saw Chu Tianbao carrying a huge object and rushing towards Bai Wutong. He smiled happily, like a huge child who had scored a hundred points on an exam and was rushing to his old mother for a reward. Bai Wutong walked quickly and said to Chu Tianbao, who had stopped suddenly, ¡°Slow down.¡± Chu Tianbao chuckled and gently raised a tiger weighing 300 kilograms in front of Bai Wutong. ¡°Wife, for you to make beautiful clothes.¡± Sheng Huaixuan gave Bai Wutong and the others several precious fox fur coats. Someone accidentally mentioned that the fur coats made from togers on the mountain were even more beautiful, so Chu Tianbao remembered it. He specially asked Zhao Pengfei what a tiger looked like. Over the past few days, he went up the mountain from time to time and used the excuse of catching rabbits to give Bai Wutong a surprise. Auntie Yang interrupted in disbelief, ¡°Master, did you kill a big tiger?¡± This 300-kilogram male tiger¡¯s fur was intact and it did not have any wounds. That was why Auntie Yang guessed so. Chu Tianbao suddenly remembered to maintain his manly demeanor. He retracted his silly smile and raised his chin coldly. ¡°Yes.¡± He was only handsome for a second before he glanced at Bai Wutong crazily, trying to earn her praise. Yang Gongbing had seen Chu Tianbao¡¯s qinggong, but he did not expect him to be so skilled in martial arts that he could kill a ferocious adult tiger alone. If he went to the battlefield, he would definitely be an admirable general. Each time Chu Tianbao entered the mountain, the prey he brought home were all rabbits. The beams of the house were already filled with smoked rabbits hanging. However, he did not bring a rabbit back that day. Bai Wutong immediately understood that he had specially entered the mountain to look for a tiger to obtain fur coat for her. Chu Tianbao pretended to be cold. There were a few strands of tiger fur on his head and his eyes sparkled. Bai Wutong¡¯s heart warmed. She reached out and touched the tiger skin and praised, ¡°Husband, you¡¯re really amazing. Thank you.¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes lit up at the gentle word ¡°husband¡±. He looked like he was dying to pounce on Bai Wutong, making everyone around him look up at the sky. Lin Yue shook his head secretly. It was too dazzling. Too dazzling. When could he get a wife? In an instant, the scene of Qingfeng smiling gently at him in a red wedding dress appeared in his mind. His eyes suddenly widened. The scene changed. Qingfeng pulled out a sharp knife and cut off his private part when he wasn¡¯t paying attention. Lin Yue broke out in a cold sweat and his mind suddenly cleared up. Qingfeng was just standing beside him and he did not dare to take another look. This tiger weighed hundreds of kilograms. Apart from the skin that could be used as a fur coat, the meat should also not be wasted. Bai Wutong¡¯s house was filled with meat. Moreover, spring was about to arrive, and there would be more and more active small animals on the mountain. With Chu Tianbao¡¯s ability, they would not have to worry about not having meat to eat all year round. Bai Wutong sold the meat to everyone at an extremely low price. As for the people who helped them deal with the tiger, they also took a lot of meat home. Zhao Pengfei obtained five kilograms of high-quality tiger meat. He carried it home and cut it in half with a kitchen knife. He packed it in a bamboo basket and left the house. He glanced behind him to make sure there was no one behind him before walking towards the forest in the neighboring forest village. Chapter 130 - 130 I Wont Marry Anyone But Her 130 I Won¡¯t Marry Anyone But Her The tiger skin was smooth and felt extremely good to the touch. When it was made into a fur coat, everyone exclaimed in admiration! Bai Wutong put it on and they exaggeratedly praised her to be like a fairy. Bai Wutong touched the shiny tiger skin pattern, but she felt that she was more like the Monkey King who had gone to the west to obtain the scriptures. Fortunately, this tiger skin was big enough. She made a fur coat and used the remaining material to make a tiger skin vest for Chu Tianbao. He carried Stinky in the village and used his qinggong to jump up and down. He was more like Sun Wukong than her. Bai Wutong was amused and felt a hint of sweetness. She was thinking about what to cook with beans that night when Auntie Yang¡¯s earth-shattering voice suddenly sounded in the village. ¡°I don¡¯t allow!¡± Bai Wutong looked at Qingfeng strangely, and Qingfeng looked back at her. In the next moment, Village Chief Zhao¡¯s exasperated curses spread throughout the entire mountain. ¡°Bastard! If you want to marry her, get out of Youjia Village!¡± Village Chief Zhao had three sons. The eldest son, Zhao Sheng, and the second son, Zhao Yuan, had already married. Only Zhao Pengfei, who was old, had been delayed until now for various reasons. Logically speaking, Village Chief Zhao and Auntie Yang should be happy that Zhao Pengfei had a girl he wanted to marry. Why would they be so angry? Seeing her curious expression, Qingfeng asked, ¡°Do you want to take a look?¡± Bai Wutong shook her head. ¡°Forget it. Let¡¯s not interfere in other people¡¯s family matters.¡± Qingfeng nodded. Bai Wutong touched the beans and thought for a moment. ¡°Let¡¯s have a tofu banquet tonight.¡± With fewer vegetables in winter, tofu became the king of ingredients to relieve everyone¡¯s bland food options. Qingfeng freeloaded at Bai Wutong¡¯s house every day so she did not have any objections. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s take the beans under the banyan tree and grind them.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Qingfeng took the initiative to pick up the beans like a brother taking care of his sister. Bai Wutong smiled at her, as if Qingfeng had unknowingly become her family. Still, it was good. As soon as they reached the banyan tree, Xiaobai ran to Bai Wutong and squatted down obediently. Then, Chu Tianbao also came over with Stinky. After a while, they heard an intense argument coming from Village Chief Zhao¡¯s house. Stinky and Chu Tianbao looked over at the same time, looking like they wanted to watch the show. Bai Wutong glared at them and scolded them. ¡°It¡¯s not good for you to watch others fight. Stay here obediently. Tonight, we¡¯ll eat fried tofu ~ Mapo tofu ~ carp stewed tofu ~ pickled vegetables and tofu vermicelli soup ~ tofu meatballs ~¡± The big and small eyes grew brighter. They were both gluttonous. Bai Wutong smiled again and said, ¡°If you guys behave well and sit here quietly, I will make another snack tonight.¡± Chu Tianbao nodded enthusiastically and Stinky giggled happily. The grinding stone turned, and bean juice slowly flowed out. However, the commotion at Village Chief Zhao¡¯s place did not stop for a moment. Bai Wutong and everyone sat under the big banyan tree and heard everything clearly. Zhao Pengfei had unknowingly gotten together with Wang Mingyue from the neighboring forest village and had the intention to marry her. Just as he revealed this to Auntie Yang, Auntie Yang couldn¡¯t stand the shocking news and shouted. It drew Village Chief Zhao over, who beat Zhao Pengfei up with a stick. Auntie Yang had already set him up with Zhao Lanzhi, but he actually said that he would not marry anyone other than Wang Mingyue. Did he have a brain? Wang Mingyue¡¯s family and Youjia village could be said to have an irreconcilable feud. How could she be sincere when she was seducing Zhao Pengfei on purpose?! Village Chief Zhao was so angry that he beat him up. Zhao Pengfei became even more determined to marry Wang Mingyue. Auntie Yang cursed angrily, ¡°Is your brain kicked by a donkey! Lan Zhi is such a good girl! If Wang Mingyue was a good girl, why would she meet you in secret and secretly take the things you gave her!¡± Previously, she had felt that something was always missing in the house. Now, she had finally found the reason. While they travelled a long way on their escape, Zhao Pengfei was injured, and Zhao Lanzhi took care of him carefully every time. However, he immediately turned around and took a fancy to that vixen. How could she face Zhao Lanzhi and her parents? Village Chief Zhao was so angry that he glared at Zhao Pengfei, who had broken the two poles. He gave him a final warning. ¡°I only have one thing to say. If you want to marry her, get out of this house! I can¡¯t afford to lose face!¡± Zhao Sheng advised Zhao Pengfei, ¡°Little brother, quickly apologize to Father. Just say that you were muddle-headed and cut off contact with that girl from Lintian Village later. Then, go and apologize to Miss Zhao. The eighth day of March is an auspicious day and suitable for marriage. It¡¯s time for you to start a family.¡± He had recently earned a lot of money, so he could take out some as betrothal gifts for Zhao Pengfei. On account of the generous betrothal gifts, Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s parents should not be too angry. Zhao Pengfei had always treated Zhao Lanzhi as his biological sister. Which man would marry his biological sister? He said without thinking, ¡°Impossible.¡± Village Chief Zhao picked up the stick and swung it at his back. With a crack, another good piece of wood broke. The 30 families of Qinghe dealt with the servants. With a sharp gaze, the servants would automatically admit their mistakes and obediently accept their punishment. Even if they refused to admit it, it would not be as shocking as the argument at Village Chief Zhao¡¯s house. Not only did everyone in their village hear it, but even the neighboring forest village also heard it. When the women in the village heard this, they looked at the straw shed where Wang Mingyue lived. Li Hongmei had a look of disdain and disgust. ¡°Pfft! Little vixen! I was wondering why there was the strange cry of a vixen in the middle of the night a few days ago. It turns out that she shamelessly seduced the dog man from the neighboring village.¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk. She¡¯s also lucky. The people in the neighboring village are all on good terms with the official in our town. Each of their family lives in such a good house, and there are even people who send them food. She received such precious items. Perhaps the person she hooked up with is a rich young master!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. A rich man¡¯s son won¡¯t do something as immoral as meeting a young woman in the middle of the night. This woman¡¯s voice is even louder than my mother-in-law¡¯s. It¡¯s obvious that she¡¯s not easy to get along with. Even if Wang Mingyue marries him, she¡¯ll suffer.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the big deal about being able to live like an immortal! How many people are envious?¡± The women looked at each other with mockery and yearning in their eyes. They said enviously, ¡°In this world, a tael of silver is enough for a woman¡¯s innocence and purity. Wang Mingyue is just a piece of junk. This family definitely won¡¯t allow her to marry in.¡± The more they spoke, the more excited they became, especially Li Hongmei. She spat everywhere and said, ¡°Tsk tsk, this Wang Mingyue is also very coquettish. Her two brothers are still locked up in jail and will be beheaded after autumn. She still has a paralyzed father at home and a dying mother. She actually did such a shameless thing with the people she bore such a huge hatred towards. If I were her father, even if I am crippled, I would recover from my anger at her.¡± Li Hongmei couldn¡¯t stand young and beautiful b*tches the most. When Wang Mingyue was still the village chief¡¯s daughter, she did not dare to say anything. Now that she had become the village chief¡¯s wife and caught Wang Mingyue¡¯s weakness, she naturally had to say something. Chapter 131 - 131 Give Her a Home 131 Give Her a Home Zhao Pengfei insisted on marrying Wang Mingyue. Their argument was fruitless, and he did not change his mind even after being beaten up. He even said, ¡°The mistakes Mingyue¡¯s brothers and the others made have nothing to do with Mingyue. She¡¯s all by herself now. I want to marry her and give her a family!¡± Village Chief Zhao and Auntie Yang were so angry that their blood pressure almost soared into the universe. Zhao Sheng and Zhao Yuan were also a little disappointed in their younger brother. They had been through so much, but their younger brother was still so muddle-headed and was easily bewitched by a woman. Had he ever thought about how he would face the other villagers in the future if he did this, and how his father would be unable to raise his head in front of Madam? Even if Zhao Pengfei didn¡¯t marry Zhao Lanzhi, he could marry any woman in their village, or marry any girl in Lintian village other than Wang Mingyue. However, he had to be so stubborn. If one thought hard, Wang Mingyue marrying over would be a chance for her to take revenge. Not only would she harm their family, she would also harm their entire village. How could Zhao Pengfei let Madam and Master down after they had taken care of them all the way? When Village Chief Zhao told him to get lost, Zhao Pengfei scramed to the door of the courtyard and knelt down. He was determined to force Village Chief Zhao and Auntie Yang to agree to this marriage. Bai Wutong and the others did not go to watch the commotion, but the people from Zhao farmyard were different. They had long surrounded Village Chief Zhao¡¯s house. When Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s parents learned that Zhao Pengfei had fallen in love with someone else and even hooked up with Wang Mingyue from the neighboring village, they placed their hands on their hips and reprimanded Zhao Pengfei so badly. ¡°Zhao Pengfei, how is our Lanzhi not worthy of you? How can you humiliate her like this! I¡¯ll risk my life today to seek an explanation for our Lanzhi! If you can¡¯t give me an explanation, we¡¯ll go to the vixen and ask for an explanation. Does she have any shame? I¡¯ll even send her to the authorities!¡± Everyone in the village knew that Zhao Lanzhi was definitely going to become the third daughter-in-law of Village Chief Zhao. In the end, he had done this to them. How could Lanzhi marry in the future?! Zhao Pengfei frowned and looked at Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s father. ¡°Uncle, you can scold me, but you can¡¯t scold Mingyue. She¡¯s a good girl! Also, I¡¯ve never been engaged to Miss Zhao. I¡¯ve always treated her as my biological sister!¡± The parents¡¯ agreement were like the matchmaker¡¯s words. Auntie Yang had long wanted Zhao Lanzhi to be her daughter-in-law. But because the bandits had come after them and then they were fleeing, she had no way to officially propose marriage. However, the two families had already made a verbal agreement. Zhao Pengfei¡¯s words were really too much. Zhao Lanzhi had just arrived when she heard Zhao Pengfei say these words that made her heart ache. Tears flowed down her face. How could Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s father tolerate Zhao Pengfei saying such heartless words? He pointed at Auntie Yang and Village Chief Zhao and scolded, ¡°F*ck you, you son of a b*tch! I didn¡¯t expect your family to be so shameless. What you said was bullsh*t! I was unlucky to have met you, you son of a b*tch. You are just eyeing the pot when you have the bowl. Let me tell you, even if you want to marry my daughter, I won¡¯t let you. A promiscuous hooligan like you deserves to be single for the rest of your life! Pfft!¡± Auntie Yang and Village Chief Zhao knew that they were in the wrong, so they could only let Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s parents vent their anger. Zhao Pengfei felt very upset when he saw his parents being scolded together with him. Thinking of Wang Mingyue¡¯s soft and tender words of ¡®I¡¯ll be waiting¡¯, he mustered his courage and stood up to take responsibility. ¡°Auntie, Uncle, this matter has nothing to do with my parents. It¡¯s me who don¡¯t want to marry Lanzhi. If you want to hit me, hit me!¡± Zhao Lanzhi looked at his determined expression and couldn¡¯t help but cover her face and run. Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s mother was afraid that something would happen to her daughter, so she quickly chased after her. Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s father was so angry that he punched Zhao Pengfei in the face. ¡°You piece of trash! I¡¯ve been wrong about you all these years!¡± Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s father used all his strength and punched Zhao Pengfei to the ground, turning him into a one-eyed panda. He glared at Village Chief Zhao, who wanted to say something, but did not know what to say. He waved his hand hatefully and chased after the mother and daughter. After watching enough, the villagers quietly went home. Zhao Pengfei was still kneeling in the snow. Village Chief Zhao looked at him resentfully and said to the entire family, ¡°From now on, I don¡¯t have this son. If he wants to marry, let him marry. He can forget about returning to this family!¡± Zhao Pengfei had yet to settle down in Ling Kingdom, and his original household register was still in his father¡¯s hands. If he wanted to marry, his father had to agree. Facing the cold eyes of his family that did not understand, he knelt in the snow and begged, ¡°Father! Please let Mingyue and I be together!¡± Village Chief Zhao was about to explode from anger. Without turning his head, he said, ¡°Everyone else, get in here!¡± Auntie Yang was too disappointed in Zhao Pengfei. She had been strong her entire life and had never lost so much face. Besides, what was wrong with choosing the wives for her three sons? She was really heartbroken and went straight into the house. Zhao Sheng and Zhao Yuan looked at each other and felt that their third brother had to be taught a deep lesson. They also called their wives and children into the house. After Bai Wutong prepared a sumptuous tofu banquet and Qingfeng placed it on the table, she began to make snacks¡ªmeat floss rice balls. She had prepared the meat floss previously and had been hiding it to prevent Chu Tianbao from eating it. She took out the tea egg in the pot. After peeling off the shell, she cut it in half and placed it aside. Then she stir-fried another soft potato shreds and put it aside. Then, she scooped some of the steamed black rice and glutinous rice into the basin and stirred it with a spoon until it was not hot. She added some soy sauce and salt and stirred it again. Next, Bai Wutong placed a thin layer of cloth on the chopping board. She scooped some of the stirred black rice onto the cloth and spread it out. HShee added meat floss and spread it out. She poured in potato shreds and spread them out. Then, she put in half an egg. She picked up the cloth and wrapped the black rice into a ball. She clenched it tightly and the tight and cute meat floss ball formed. Bai Wutong made a few rice balls. Since everyone was here, she brought the meat floss rice balls to the table. She also made a special rice ball for Stinky using quail eggs. The size of the rice ball was just right for him to hold. As soon as it was served, Chu Tianbao couldn¡¯t wait to try it. When Bai Wutong nodded, he picked up a rice ball and took a bite. The flavors of the rich ingredients in the meat floss rice ball were immediately released. Chu Tianbao was shocked. ¡°Wife, it¡¯s so delicious!¡± Chu Tianbao hurriedly took another bite and looked like he was enjoying himself completely. Meanwhile, Stinky, who was being neglected, knocked on the table unhappily. Chu Tianbao smiled at him and hurriedly stuffed the small rice ball into his hand. He also helped Stinky roll up his cuffs. Cui Lingyi picked one up and took a bite. She was conquered by the wonderful texture of the rice ball, especially the meat floss inside. She liked it too much. Just as Cui Lingyi was about to ask what ingredient it was and why she had never seen it before, Xiaobai howled outside the courtyard. Immediately after, Auntie Yang¡¯s hoarse voice came from outside the courtyard. ¡°Is Madam here?¡± Chapter 132 - 132 I Can Definitely Heal You 132 I Can Definitely Heal You Bai Wutong led the red-eyed Auntie Yang into the house. Seeing that there were so many people in the room, she knew that she had unintentionally interrupted their meal. She smiled awkwardly. ¡°I¡¯m just here to borrow a kitchen knife. You guys continue eating. Don¡¯t bother about me.¡± Bai Wutong could tell that she was embarrassed. She would be unwilling if she asked Auntie Yang to stay and eat, so she handed over the kitchen knife and sent her out. Auntie Yang definitely didn¡¯t come to look for Bai Wutong at this time to borrow a kitchen knife. It was probably because of Zhao Pengfei. She was a little helpless and wanted someone to confide in or make a decision. No matter how wrong he was, he was still her biological son. No mother would not feel sorry for him as he knelt outside in the snow. However, Auntie Yang could not bring herself to accept his request. As soon as Auntie Yang arrived, everyone changed the topic from rice balls to Zhao Pengfei. Cui Lingyi defended Zhao Lanzhi. ¡°Zhao Pengfei¡¯s taste is really unique.¡± Everyone knew Zhao Lanzhi. She was a delicate and capable girl. Everyone did not have a good impression of the Wang brothers, so they naturally did not have a good impression of Wang Mingyue. Lin Yue felt that there was something wrong with Zhao Pengfei¡¯s brain. He commented even more viciously, ¡°That girl from the Wang family already have two parents lying on the bed, yet she still has the mood to do that. It¡¯s obvious that she did it on purpose!¡± Zhao Pengfei wanted to refuse the arranged marriage and date another young lady. Bai Wutong, a modern person, could understand that. However, Zhao Pengfei knew that Zhao Lanzhi was already a fianc¨¦e recognized by his family. The two families had already made a verbal engagement, but he still treated Zhao Lanzhi as his sister and flirted with other girls. It was really infuriating. Bai Wutong felt that it was necessary to investigate Wang Mingyue¡¯s motive for seducing Zhao Pengfei. She looked at Qingfeng and said, ¡°Get someone to investigate this Miss Wang.¡± Qingfeng nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± That night, Qingfeng sent someone to keep an eye on Wang Mingyue. Coincidentally, the person bumped into Wang Mingyue and a man making out in the straw shed. More ridiculously, her parents were still in the straw shed. That person pulled up his pants and even threatened Wang Mingyue to not forget about the old lover after having a new one. If Wang Mingyue married into the Zhao family, not only would she have to meet them on time, but she would also have to ¡°pay tribute¡± with the Zhao family¡¯s items. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be able to get married and would become a whore in this rotten straw shed for the rest of her life. Wang Mingyue didn¡¯t sound like she was forced. She agreed seductively. She definitely would. Or perhaps, she wanted to quickly get out of her current life and marry Zhao Pengfei, who was taking over. Bai Wutong sighed speechlessly when she heard Qingfeng¡¯s report. Such a ¡°good¡± girl should go and harm others. Although she felt that Zhao Pengfei was quite a scumbag, she still had to help him on account of Auntie Yang and the others. Bai Wutong said, ¡°Find a chance to let Zhao Pengfei see for himself what the good girl he mentioned looks like.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Zhao Pengfei knelt in the snow for the entire night and fainted from a high fever. No one bothered about him. Zhao Pengfei¡¯s brothers could not bear to see him like this. They helped him up and went to the pharmacy to look for Gu Zhongxun. His condition was severe and it was only until the third day that his condition improved. There was no one beside Zhao Pengfei. He lay on Gu Zhongxun¡¯s bed and looked at the ceiling. Thinking of Wang Mingyue¡¯s bright smile, his cold and lonely heart felt a little warm. Just as he fell asleep, a man in black descended from the sky and covered his mouth and nose, knocking him out. He carried him out of the village and threw him in the forest near Lintian village. The drug effect was temporary. After a while, Zhao Pengfei opened his eyes slowly. His hands and feet were tied, and his mouth was gagged. He could not move at all. He did not know why the man in black had kidnapped him. In his panic, he saw the straw shed in front of Wang Mingyue¡¯s residence from the corner of his eye and immediately broke out in a cold sweat. Did the man in black want to capture Mingyue too? Zhao Pengfei was shocked and furious. His astonishing strength instantly erupted and he broke free from the rope. However, before he could fight the man in black, he could vaguely hear a familiar gentle voice. As the man¡¯s heavy voice entered his ears, it was so sorrowful that it made his face blush and his heart beat faster. In an instant, his raised hand fell heavily. He stared in disbelief at the dark straw shed and unconsciously lowered his footsteps as he approached. ¡°Why didn¡¯t the Zhao fool take any action for so many days?¡± The man pinched the woman¡¯s chin as he continued his movements. Wang Mingyue panted. ¡°Even if he doesn¡¯t want me, I still have you.¡± It was indeed her best choice to marry Zhao Pengfei, but if she couldn¡¯t marry him, she could only hold onto the man in front of her who had ruined her body. Zhao Pengfei gritted his teeth and hoped that the woman inside was not Wang Mingyue. He peeked into the gap in the wall and saw the man and woman inside. His pale face instantly lost all color. For the past month or so, Wang Mingyue had been waiting for him at the mountain pass every day, looking innocent and ignorant. He did not expect her to be such a woman in private! Zhao Pengfei felt his belief collapse. He recalled the scene when he first saw Wang Mingyue. She had fallen in front of him. It turned out that she had only wanted to seduce him. He clenched his fists, wanting to rush in and drag the adulterous couple out to vent his anger. He gritted his teeth and ran into the forest. The man in black followed closely behind him. Zhao Pengfei entered the mountain and punched the tree trunk crazily again and again. He was born with extraordinary strength. With a crack, the thick tree trunk fell. He turned around and hit another big tree. Soon, his hands were bloody and badly mutilated. It wasn¡¯t until he couldn¡¯t hit anymore that he fell to the ground in pain, covered his face in pain and cried himself to sleep. After a long moment, he went completely still. The man in black picked him up again and threw him into Gu Zhongxun¡¯s pharmacy. The next day, as soon as Gu Zhongxun entered the pharmacy, he stepped on something soft. Zhao Pengfei¡¯s bloody hand, after being stepped on, caused him to immediately wake up from the pain. He sat up with a howl, startling Gu Zhongxun. Seeing him holding his hand and hissing in pain, Gu Zhongxun said apologetically, ¡°Sorry, I accidentally stepped on Brother Zhao.¡± Then he asked in confusion, ¡°Why is Brother Zhao lying here?¡± Gu Zhongxun looked puzzled. When he left the day before, Zhao Pengfei was clearly lying in bed. After venting his anger the previous night, Zhao Pengfei had completely given up on Wang Mingyue. However, he felt ashamed of being cheated on by the person he liked and even rushed to be the scapegoat. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to say it at all and said vaguely, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s sleepwalk.¡± Gu Zhongxun¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up. He liked to study some strange and difficult diseases. He had never treated sleepwalking before. Since Zhao Pengfei¡¯s sleepwalk was so amazing, he was very suitable for research. Gu Zhongxun said happily, ¡°Brother Zhao, I¡¯m quite knowledgeable about sleepwalking. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely be able to cure you.¡± Zhao Pengfei was speechless. He didn¡¯t want to. Chapter 133 - 133 Shameless Vixen 133 Shameless Vixen Gu Zhongxun thought that Zhao Pengfei¡¯s silence meant that he had agreed. In his excitement, he held Zhao Pengfei¡¯s bloody hand again. Zhao Pengfei was in so much pain that his facial features were deformed. ¡°Doctor Gu¡­ Let go!¡± Gu Zhongxun lowered his eyes and realized that he was touching his wound. He immediately let go and apologized sincerely, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Brother Zhao. I didn¡¯t mean it.¡± Zhao Pengfei was already in so much pain that he was about to become numb. He used his eyes to signal that since Gu Zhongxun had the strength to speak, shouldn¡¯t he treat him first? Gu Zhongxun hurriedly led him into the inner room. After removing the sawdust on the flesh and applying medicine for him, Gu Zhongxun quickly wrote on his medical notes with a charcoal pencil. ¡°Patient, Zhao Pengfei. He has masochistic tendencies when he sleepwalks. When he wakes up, he has no memories left¡­¡± Zhao Pengfei wanted to say, ¡°He really didn¡¯t need to be treated.¡± Zhao Pengfei¡¯s hands were bandaged. He left the pharmacy after Gu Zhongxun reminded him repeatedly that he had to come back for treatment. The villagers looked at him meaningfully. Zhao Pengfei lowered his head and quickly walked to his house door. As soon as Little Peach saw him in the yard, she called out, ¡°Third Uncle,¡± and was carried into the house by her grandmother. Zhao Pengfei saw that his mother didn¡¯t even look at him. Thinking of what he had done, he felt extremely regretful. He suddenly knelt down and shouted to Auntie Yang, ¡°Mother, I know my mistake.¡± Zhao Pengfei really knew his mistake. He was willing to marry Zhao Lanzhi now. In the house, Auntie Yang and her two daughters-in-law looked at each other. Two days ago, he was still struggling to convince them. How long had it been? Why had he suddenly changed? Could it be that Zhao Pengfei was trying to stall for time and think of a way to get them to agree in the future? Outside the courtyard, Zhao Pengfei continued, ¡°Mother, I really know my mistake. I¡¯ll never interact with her again. If I lie, I¡¯ll definitely be struck by lightning and die a horrible death!¡± Good lord, if he was acting, this was too ruthless. Auntie Yang believed him immediately. She opened the door happily and held a handful of wolfberries in her hand. She walked in front of Zhao Pengfei and before he could stand up, she sprinkled the wolfberries on him and chanted, ¡°Demons and ghosts, leave quickly! Demons and ghosts, leave quickly! Don¡¯t come again, don¡¯t come again¡­¡± Her son had suddenly become abnormal some time ago. He must have been bewitched by the little vixen! Now that the vixen¡¯s demonic aura had been chased away by her, it would be easier for her to explain to her in-law and propose marriage again. Zhao Pengfei was speechless. When did his mother learn how to perform rituals? As expected of Auntie Yang, after her actions, everyone really thought that Zhao Pengfei had been bewitched by the vixen from the neighboring village. Due to a freak combination of factors, he was only able to regain his consciousness after a fever. After the news spread throughout the entire village, Auntie Yang brought her two daughters-in-law to Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s house to test her intentions. When Bai Wutong heard this, she smiled tp herself. There were no demons or ghosts in this world. It was just the human heart. Gossip was always the most popular entertainment among the commoners. Without needing Qingfeng to find out, Bai Wutong knew that Auntie Yang had failed in her visit with her two daughters-in-law. Zhao Lanzhi was unwilling to meet them. She must have been heartbroken this time. Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s parents¡¯ expressions softened a little as they accepted Auntie Yang¡¯s things. After all, everyone had long regarded Zhao Lanzhi and Zhao Pengfei as a couple. If Zhao Lanzhi did not marry Zhao Pengfei, she would not be able to find a more suitable partner than Zhao Pengfei. Moreover, they also believed that Zhao Pengfei had been muddled for a moment and had really been bewitched by the vixen. Since he had woken up in time, it meant that he was still sensible. Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s parents thought for a moment and persuaded Zhao Lanzhi to give him another chance to change. However, Zhao Lanzhi refused to agree to this marriage and even threatened to die if she was forced to marry him. When Cui Lingyi heard this, she felt some admiration for Zhao Lanzhi. ¡°It¡¯s better to die than live in dishonor. It would be a pity to let the third Zhao brother marry her.¡± In Cui Lingyi¡¯s eyes, Zhao Pengfei had already become an unfaithful person. She hated such people the most in her life. Bai Wutong sighed. ¡°It¡¯s a pity.¡± Women in ancient times were extremely conservative. Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s reputation had already been damaged. She might be criticized no matter who she married. Cui Lingyi picked up her teacup and sighed again. She said angrily, ¡°Zhao Lanzhi probably just can¡¯t let go. When the third Zhao brother puts down his pride to coax her, her anger will probably subside. By then, it would probably be time for their wedding.¡± Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°Everyone has their own choices. There¡¯s no need to care about other people¡¯s lives.¡± Cui Lingyi suddenly looked at her and smiled. ¡°Little Phoenix, I think what you said makes sense. It¡¯s a pity for you not to be a teacher.¡± Bai Wutong lowered her eyes and stood up to look at the sprouts on the golden plum tree outside the window. The children were playing together in groups of three or two. Chu Tianbao suddenly stuck his head out of the bushes and grinned at her. The corners of Bai Wutong¡¯s lips curled up. ¡°It¡¯s better for me not to mislead others. There are many good teachers in the village.¡± Teaching one was enough for her. Some people were just cheap. The more they couldn¡¯t get it, the better it tasted. When Zhao Pengfei found out that Zhao Lanzhi was unwilling to marry him, he suddenly panicked. It turned out that Zhao Lanzhi didn¡¯t only have him as her choice. But at this moment, he realized that Zhao Lanzhi was the most suitable woman for him. She was considerate, kind, and capable. Most importantly, she only had him in her heart. She was definitely not a promiscuous woman. Now that Zhao Lanzhi was unwilling to marry him, he felt empty, as if a piece of his heart was missing. He circled around Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s house and stared at it all day long. Even if Zhao Lanzhi wanted to marry someone else, she would not be able to find a suitable in-law if they heard the rumors. Seeing that Zhao Lanzhi was still unwilling to marry Zhao Pengfei, Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s parents personally found Village Chief Zhao and warned him not to let his son harass their daughter anymore. Even if his son didn¡¯t want his reputation, his daughter still wanted it! After being taught another lesson by Village Chief Zhao, Zhao Pengfei did not dare to squat in front of Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s house anymore. He wanted to ask Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s younger brother to help him pass something to Zhao Lanzhi, but he was glared at by Zhao Erwa and was even spat at. ¡°Bah, you bastard!¡± Just as Zhao Pengfei was trying his best to win Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s favor, Wang Mingyue, who went to the forest every day to wait for Zhao Pengfei, sensed that something was wrong. Zhao Pengfei had said that he would marry her. Even if his parents did not agree, he should not have not turned up for so long. She was flustered. Zhao Pengfei was her only hope now. If she couldn¡¯t grab hold of him, she would be stuck in the swamp for the rest of her life. Wang Mingyue¡¯s eyes darkened. Zhao Pengfei had to marry her even if he didn¡¯t want to! In order to force Zhao Pengfei to marry her, Wang Mingyue risked everything. She put on her most dignified clothes and arrived at the entrance of Youjia village. As soon as she reached the entrance of the village, she was stared at by an auntie. Wang Mingyue suppressed the displeasure in her heart and shouted with a bright smile, ¡°Auntie, may I ask where Zhao Pengfei¡¯s house is?¡± Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s mother had already guessed that this little vixen was Wang Mingyue from the neighboring village. Her face turned cold and she suddenly spat on Wang Mingyue¡¯s face. ¡°Pfft, shameless vixen, you still have the cheek to come to our village!¡± Chapter 134 - 134 A leopard never changes its spots, Ill change it 134 A leopard never changes its spots, I¡¯ll change it Wang Mingyue stared at her in disbelief. When she regained her senses, she said angrily, ¡°What has it got to do with you? It¡¯s none of your business!¡± Wang Mingyue¡¯s mother was an expert at making a scene. Although Wang Mingyue had a delicate face, she had inherited the essence. Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s mother was not to be outdone. ¡°Someone, come quickly. The little fox from the Lintian Village has come to cast her curses again¡ª¡± Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s mother hollered. Not only did Bai Wutong and the others hear it, but even the neighboring Lintian village heard it. The people from Lintian Village were instantly boiling with excitement. They had long wanted to find an opportunity to visit Youjia Village. Now, their opportunity had arrived. Some people rushed straight to Youjia village even before they finished lifting their pants, afraid that they would miss the climax that everyone would talk about. After many days, Zhao Lanzhi, who had been locking herself at home, finally went out. Zhao Pengfei tried his best to get close to her. Zhao Lanzhi looked at him coldly. Zhao Pengfei was all smiles as he handed over a bouquet of wild azaleas. ¡°Lanzhi, this is for you.¡± If it were in the past, Zhao Lanzhi would definitely take it happily. And now, other than her cold glare, she didn¡¯t show him any gentleness. Zhao Pengfei was not discouraged and found a topic to talk about. ¡°Lanzhi, do you like grapes?¡± Zhao Lanzhi walked straight ahead. Zhao Pengfei quickly caught up to her and said with a smile, ¡°I plan to make a grape trellis in my courtyard like Madam Bai. You can eat grapes under the grapevine in the summer and seek shade from the heat.¡± Zhao Lanzhi finally turned to look at him. Zhao Pengfei thought that she was finally moved, but Zhao Lanzhi said coldly, ¡°I have no relations with you. Don¡¯t say such things again and let others misunderstand. Otherwise, I will definitely look for Lord Yang to seek justice for me.¡± Zhao Pengfei was stunned. He did not expect the usually gentle and considerate Zhao Lanzhi to be so heartless to him. Zhao Pengfei did not give up. He continued, ¡°Lanzhi, I was wrong. What I said before was all nonsense. You¡¯re very important to me, but I never realized it.¡± Zhao Lanzhi sneered. ¡°A leopard never changes its spot.¡± Zhao Pengfei was speechless. Seeing Zhao Lanzhi walk away, he hurriedly and carefully said, ¡°I¡¯m not a leopard. I can definitely change my spots.¡± Zhao Lanzhi thought about how she had once been wholeheartedly devoted to him, but she did not gain anything other than a few cold faces. She felt that the person she had admired for many years was not a good person, and she was even more determined not to marry him. If her parents did not agree, she would move out. Anyway, there was a lot of wood in the mountains. If she cultivated a few more acres of land, she would always have a place to stay. Zhao Lanzhi made up her mind to cut ties with Zhao Pengfei. The depressed mood in her heart dissipated, and she was full of vitality. For the first time, Zhao Pengfei noticed that Zhao Lanzhi could be so flamboyant and beautiful. He was in a daze and made up his mind to win Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s heart back no matter what. Suddenly, Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s mother¡¯s curses came from the village entrance. Zhao Lanzhi hurriedly rushed over, and Zhao Pengfei followed. When he realized that the person Zhao Lanzhi was scolding was Wang Mingyue, he was instantly petrified. When Wang Mingyue saw Zhao Pengfei in the crowd, she quickly stopped being a shrew and threw herself at him like a weak and pitiful lady. Zhao Pengfei dodged to the side, and Wang Mingyue fell to the ground. When Cui Lingyi saw this scene, she burst out laughing. Wang Mingyue sat up in embarrassment and looked in the direction of the pleasant voice. She saw the beautiful Cui Lingyi and Bai Wutong standing together. Their sparkling eyes were half-smiling, clearly mocking her. When Wang Mingyue thought of the humiliation she had suffered in the past few months and looked at them, who were glowing like stars, a strong sense of inferiority rippled in her chest. Wang Mingyue, who was embarrassed, angry, and agitated, suddenly got up and walked towards the two of them. She was helpless and furious. ¡°What are you looking at, vixen!¡± Zhao Pengfei must have taken a fancy to them, which was why he was avoiding her. As soon as she finished speaking, Qingfeng kicked her in the chest. Wang Mingyue had just gotten up when she was suddenly sent flying. She hit the ground with a thud that sent sand and dust flying. Just as Qingfeng finished kicking, Chu Tianbao suddenly descended from the sky and kicked Wang Mingyue¡¯s head. Everyone was terrified. If Chu Tianbao were to land with his feet, Wang Mingyue¡¯s head would be crushed. This was the Ling Kingdom, not the road to escape. If Wang Mingyue died, Chu Tianbao would have to pay for murdering someone. Everyone shouted in horror, ¡°Master, stop!¡± The villagers of Lintian Village locked onto this scene. Their hearts were pounding as if time had stopped. Unexpectedly, the soles of Chu Tianbao¡¯s feet landed on Wang Mingyue¡¯s face, leaving only a black footprint before he gently raised it again. Wang Mingyue had been stepped on by Chu Tianbao and was humiliated. She was so angry that she wished she could perish with this person. When the soles were removed from her face, she saw a man who was as cold and handsome as a god. Suddenly, her mind went blank. She thought that a god had descended to save her. With a huge footprint on her head, she smiled shyly at Chu Tianbao. In the next second, her widened eyes started to hurt like fire. It turned out that Chu Tianbao had pulled out chili water. She covered her eyes and rolled on the ground. ¡°Ahhh¡ª¡± Zhao Pengfei looked at her sorry state and thought about how they had been together these past few days. He could not help but look over. Surprisingly, Chu Tianbao stopped. He only taught Wang Mingyue a small lesson. Bai Wutong was very satisfied with his behavior and praised, ¡°Tianbao, well done.¡± Chu Tianbao immediately raised his smug expression that was the same as Stinky, but he reached out his hand in front of Bai Wutong as though asking for a reward. Bai Wutong smiled and took out the crispy peanut roll she had made that morning from her pocket. She gently reminded, ¡°Don¡¯t let Stinky eat it.¡± Chu Tianbao took the crispy peanut roll and nodded in a very likable manner. ¡°Okay.¡± When he glanced at the other people around, his aura was completely different. The powerful and cold gaze struck the hearts of the villagers of Lintian village with a whoosh, scaring them so much that they wanted to ask why they had come to watch the show. Wang Mingyue struggled and rolled on the ground for a while. Her tears diluted the pain and she finally opened her eyes. She cried bitterly and no longer coveted Chu Tianbao. She pointed at all of them and said fiercely, ¡°I¡¯m going to the government to sue you! You¡¯re bullying people! I¡¯m going to let His Excellency lock you up!¡± When the villagers of Lintian Village heard her words, they trembled. The lord had a close relationship with this group of people. She was more likely to be the one to be locked up. They prayed in their hearts for her not to implicate them. Of course, Bai Wutong and the others were not afraid, not to mention that she was the one who spoke rudely first. Realizing that Bai Wutong and the others were unmoved, Wang Mingyue also thought of something. She pointed at Zhao Pengfei and shouted angrily, ¡°You heartless man! You¡¯ve ruined my reputation and made me a joke to the entire village. If you dare not marry me, I¡¯ll sue you for molesting a good woman!¡± Chapter 135 - 135 Whose Child Is It? 135 Whose Child Is It? Zhao Pengfei said that he wanted to marry her and would definitely marry her. He would also treat her well for the rest of her life and try his best to take care of her parents. At that time, Wang Mingyue really wanted to marry him. But he had given up on her just because his family objected. Wang Mingyue had come to find him personally, but she had suffered endless humiliation. She wished she could marry into Zhao Pengfei¡¯s family now and suck all the blood of their family dry to avenge her family. If Bai Wutong knew what she was thinking, she would definitely shake her head and say, ¡°Sister, it¡¯s obvious that you want to marry into someone else¡¯s family and enjoy life. Don¡¯t find so many excuses.¡± When Wang Mingyue said that, everyone immediately looked at Zhao Pengfei strangely, as if they were suspecting if something had really happened between Zhao Pengfei and Wang Mingyue. When Auntie Yang heard Wang Mingyue¡¯s shameless words, her face turned green with anger and she cursed, ¡°Our family¡¯s little Zhao has nothing to do with you. If you dare to spout nonsense again, I¡¯ll tear your mouth apart today!¡± ¡°Even if the Lord is here, I¡¯m the one who¡¯s right. I¡¯m not afraid to go to court with you!¡± The women who were close to Auntie Yang chimed in. ¡°At such a young age, what did you learn, why are you learning all these shameless tricks? Pui!¡± ¡°A lady from a good family wouldn¡¯t personally look for a man from another village!¡± ¡°Little girl, if you spout nonsense, your mouth will rot!¡± Wang Mingyue gritted her teeth and asked Zhao Pengfei, ¡°Let me ask you, you told me that you would definitely marry me. Are you bullsh*tting me?!¡± Zhao Pengfei had said that he would definitely marry her. At that time, he was indeed sincere. However, Wang Mingyue had been having an affair with another man for a long time. She lied to him and wanted him to marry her. She even looked for him openly to force him. Did she really think that he was a fool who could be easily manipulated? Seeing that she was a woman, Zhao Pengfei gave her some face and said coldly, ¡°I have nothing to do with you!¡± He hurriedly looked at Zhao Lanzhi, hoping that she would believe him. Zhao Lanzhi had completely given up on Zhao Pengfei. His matters had nothing to do with her. When she saw Wang Mingyue looking for trouble, she even felt a little happy. Didn¡¯t he say that he would only marry Wang Mingyue? Ha, what trash. Zhao Lanzhi was expressionless. Everyone thought that she must be very sad, so they looked at her sympathetically. She looked at Zhao Pengfei with disdain. If he hadn¡¯t taken advantage of others, Wang Mingyue wouldn¡¯t have dared to come to the village. Wang Mingyue was in disbelief. ¡°You¡­¡± Zhao Pengfei clearly was willing to dig out and give his heart to her a few days ago. Wang Mingyue had no one to rely on now. There were so many people from Lintian Village, but no one helped her. They were all watching the show. She looked at Zhao Pengfei with red eyes and looked a little pitiful. Although Zhao Pengfei was a half-hearted scumbag, Wang Mingyue had slept with another man and even wanted to marry Zhao Pengfei, she was indeed not worthy of others¡¯ pity. When Auntie Yang heard her son¡¯s words, she became even more confident. ¡°Get lost! If you dare to say another word, I won¡¯t be polite to you.¡± Auntie Yang was already holding a big broom in her hand. Faced with everyone¡¯s criticizing gazes, Wang Mingyue thought of the life she was living now. She might as well die. She was prepared. With a whoosh, she pulled out her dagger and aimed it at her neck. She smiled miserably. ¡°If you force me to death, I won¡¯t let anyone here off even if I turn into a ghost.¡± A scheming glint flashed in her eyes. Threatening them with the authorities was useless. Now, she had to take a gamble. As soon as she finished speaking, Wang Mingyue pretended to slit her throat with a dagger. Bai Wutong¡¯s gaze landed on the dagger that was so thick that it could be used as a whetstone. She sighed to herself. She really thought everyone were fools. Zhao Pengfei did not expect her to really seek death. He subconsciously rushed over to hug her and snatched her dagger. Wang Mingyue saw him rushing over and thought that she still had a chance. She hugged him tightly in front of everyone and cried happily, ¡°I knew you couldn¡¯t bear for me to die, so why aren¡¯t you willing to marry me? Boohoo¡ª¡± The two of them were already hugging each other. No one would believe that they were not related. Auntie Yang glared at the petrified Zhao Pengfei, feeling extremely anxious. How was she going to explain this to Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s parents? Zhao Pengfei glanced at the dagger and realized that he had been tricked again. He hurriedly pushed her away and explained in a panic, ¡°I was just anxious to save her!¡± Wang Mingbai did not know why Zhao Pengfei, who had clearly fallen for this trick before, was not the same anymore. She cried again, ¡°Why are you doing this to me? I might as well die.¡± Zhao Pengfei was tricked by her again and again. He could not help but say angrily, ¡°Then die!¡± Zhao Lanzhi did not know that Zhao Pengfei had been cuckolded. Seeing how he acted and how rude he was to women, she was even more glad that she had not married him. Wang Mingyue was not a good-tempered person to begin with. Zhao Pengfei told her to die, so all the more she would not. She rushed up and hit Zhao Pengfei. ¡°You said you wanted to marry me, you liar, you heartless man!¡± As she hit him, tears of pain flowed down her face. As long as he married her, she could get away from her hellish life. Why had he given her hope and then abandoned her like trash? At this moment, the new village chief of Lintian Village, Lin Chenghai, finally remembered to speak up for Wang Mingyue. He advised Auntie Yang, ¡°This brother clearly has feelings for her, so give him your blessings! If someone dies, I believe Lord Yang won¡¯t sit back and do nothing!¡± Speaking of which, it sounded like Auntie Yang was trying to break up a couple. Auntie Yang held her chest. ¡°Pui! Even if I don¡¯t want this son, I definitely won¡¯t let such a woman enter our family!¡± Now that things had come to this, Zhao Pengfei still wanted to save Wang Mingyue¡¯s reputation. Bai Wutong really didn¡¯t know what he was thinking. Just as Wang Mingyue and Zhao Pengfei were caught in a standstill, Gu Zhongxun suddenly came to Bai Wutong and whispered, ¡°Madam, this lady is already two months pregnant.¡± Bai Wutong suddenly looked at Zhao Pengfei with a heavy expression. He gave Qingfeng a look, and Qingfeng pulled Zhao Pengfei over. Gu Zhongxun naturally understood Bai Wutong¡¯s gaze. She coughed lightly and whispered in Zhao Pengfei¡¯s ear. In an instant, Zhao Pengfei¡¯s face turned pale. He hurriedly explained to Bai Wutong, ¡°Madam, I¡¯ve only known her for more than a month, and I¡¯ve never touched her. This child is not mine.¡± Bai Wutong looked at him coldly and her gaze landed on Wang Mingyue, who was being stopped from a brawl with Auntie Yang. She said, ¡°Whether this child is yours or not, everyone will think that it¡¯s yours. Don¡¯t let others worry about you.¡± Zhao Pengfei clenched his fists and his gaze became firm. ¡°Yes, Madam!¡± Wang Mingyue sat on the ground crying. She did not want to die anymore. She looked like she would not stop until Zhao Pengfei agreed to marry her that day. Zhao Pengfei suddenly took the initiative to walk towards her. Wang Mingyue thought that he had compromised. In less than a second, she heard Zhao Pengfei question loudly, ¡°I¡¯ve only known you for less than a month, and I¡¯ve never even touched you. Whose two-month child is it in your womb?¡± Chapter 136 - 136 I Didnt See Master 136 I Didn¡¯t See Master When he said this, not only was everyone shocked, but even Wang Mingyue herself was stunned. Two months pregnant! She reacted and faced everyone¡¯s criticizing gazes. She retorted angrily, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about!¡± Then she shouted desperately, ¡°Even if you don¡¯t want to marry me, you shouldn¡¯t make up such a lie to slander me! You¡¯re trying to force me to death!¡± She had clearly forgotten that she was the one who wanted to die just now. When Bai Wutong saw her moving performance, she almost wanted to give her an Oscar award. If she didn¡¯t know the truth, she would have believed her. When the onlookers heard that Wang Mingyue was two months pregnant, Lin Haicheng was shocked. He glanced at his wife, Li Hongmei, who was watching the commotion, and shrank his neck, planning to escape first. Although Wang Mingyue looked like a chaste woman, she was actually feeling guilty. Counting the days, it had indeed been two months since her period. Zhao Pengfei said coldly, ¡°Whether it¡¯s true or not, we¡¯ll know after asking the doctor.¡± Wang Mingyue¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She could not help but lock her gaze on Lin Chenghai¡¯s face. Lin Chenghai wished there was a hole in the ground for him to crawl into. He did not dare to look at Wang Mingyue. Wang Mingyue smiled bitterly and heard Zhao Pengfei¡¯s decisive words again. ¡°Who is the man you had an affair with?!¡± In this world, women who committed adultery would not be drowned in a pig cage. However, if a woman got pregnant out of wedlock, her fate would mostly be tragic. Wang Mingyue denied with tears in her eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t! I didn¡¯t!¡± If she admitted it, the women in the village would not be able to tolerate her anymore. Zhao Pengfei continued, ¡°Then I¡¯ll find a doctor now to clear my name!¡± After being forced by Zhao Pengfei to this extent, Wang Mingyue¡¯s eyes were filled with tears. She also believed that she was two months pregnant. It was impossible for Zhao Pengfei to be the child¡¯s father, so it could only be him. Wang Mingyue panicked as she thought about what she should do. Should she take the opportunity to make Lin Haicheng accept her? At least she could give her child a home. She didn¡¯t have to worry about not having a next meal and having to give herself to others. Lin Chenghai was afraid that Wang Mingyue would expose him if she couldn¡¯t hold on. He had just turned around and taken two steps when he was blocked by the dark guards. Meeting the cold gazes of the two dark guards, Lin Chenghai¡¯s scalp went numb and his heart was in complete chaos. How did they know? Village Chief Zhao, who had been silent all this while, frowned. ¡°You lied to my son and ruined his reputation. Not to mention who the adulterer is, I¡¯ll send you to the government office now!¡± She was two months pregnant and the child was not Zhao Pengfei¡¯s. She would definitely be sentenced for fraud and thrown into a dark cell. Wang Mingyue had gone to the cell to see her brothers¡¯ miserable state. She shivered and gritted her teeth as she pointed at Lin Chenghai and made up her mind. ¡°He forced himself on me!¡± Wang Mingyue was not lying. In the beginning, it was indeed Lin Chenghai who forced her. However, when she was at her wits¡¯ end, Lin Chenghai gave her food and some money. He even used the excuse that Village Chief Wang had done him a favor and came to help her work. She gave in reluctantly. As soon as he said that, Li Hongmei¡¯s mind exploded. She rushed up to tear Wang Mingyue apart. ¡°Shameless vixen, what nonsense are you spouting? I¡¯ll definitely tear off your tongue today!¡± Wang Mingyue had never been a kind person. If Li Hongmei pulled her hair, she would dare to bite off a piece of her flesh. ¡°Ahhh¡ª¡± Wang Mingyue bit Li Hongmei, who she kicked her up and down. They had such a fierce fight and with Wang Mingyue pregnant, everyone hoped nothing would happen at their village entrance. Bai Wutong gave Qingfeng a look. Qingfeng nodded and walked to Lin Chenghai, who was hiding. She ordered coldly, ¡°Take your woman back!¡± Lin Chenghai was guilty of encouraging Wang Mingyue to steal Zhao Pengfei¡¯s wealth. If that happened, he would really be doomed. He could only hurriedly nod and bow. ¡°Yes, yes, yes!¡± This farce ended with Wang Mingyue being brought home by her adulterer, Lin Chenghai. Village Chief Zhao was very angry and left with his family without looking back. Zhao Pengfei was abandoned on the spot. He stood there alone, feeling endless regret. It would probably be even harder to make Zhao Lanzhi change her mind about him. Cui Lingyi snorted and left with Cui Muzhi. As they walked, she lectured him not to make mistakes like somone who thought that even a pile of shit was fragrant. Bai Wutong looked at the setting sun that was slowly descending over the neighboring forest village, as if it symbolized the future of some people. Her eyes darkened and curled into a deep arc. ¡°Everyone has their own choice.¡± However, some people chose to walk into the abyss. Late at night, after Bai Wutong fell asleep, Chu Tianbao pulled his hand out from under her chest, lifted the blanket, and stole a glance at her. After making sure that she wouldn¡¯t wake up, he held his breath and tiptoed out of bed. As soon as he opened the door, Xiaobai rushed over excitedly. Chu Tianbao gestured it to stay quiet with a fierce gaze, indicating that if it dared to wake his wife, he would skin it. Xiaobai immediately stopped moving. Chu Tianbao poked its nose and whispered his commands, ¡°Take care of my wife!¡± Xiaobai wanted to howl in agreement, but Chu Tianbao pinched its mouth and emphasized threateningly, ¡°You can¡¯t wake up my wife!¡± Chu Tianbao let go of it when it settled down. He leaped and disappeared like a ghost into the window of the other house. As soon as he left, Xiaobai glanced at the door, jumped up, and unlocked it. He finally entered the bedroom that Bai Wutong wouldn¡¯t let it into. Bai Wutong fell asleep. In her daze, she felt that her fingers were wet. After the escape, the days of settling down were especially carefree, and her sense of vigilance had become much worse. After Xiaobai licked her a few times, Bai Wutong suddenly opened her eyes and looked forward. She realized that Xiaobai had entered the room. She suddenly sat up and realized that Chu Tianbao was not around. Bai Wutong thought that he had gone to the toilet. After waiting for a while, Chu Tianbao still did not return. Feeling a little uneasy, she got out of bed and found the toilet empty. She searched the entire house, but there was still no one there. He had suddenly disappeared in the middle of the night. This made Bai Wutong¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She quickly put on her clothes and shouted, ¡°Xiaobai.¡± Xiaobai jumped in front of Bai Wutong with a whoosh and she allowed it to sniff Chu Tianbao¡¯s clothes. ¡°Let¡¯s go find Tianbao.¡± Bai Wutong lit a torch and Xiaobai led the way. As soon as they left the house, Qingfeng rushed over like a shadow. ¡°Where are you going, Madam?¡± Bai Wutong asked anxiously, ¡°Did you see Tianbao?¡± She was a little worried that Chu Tianbao had remembered something, which was why he suddenly left without saying goodbye. Chu Tianbao¡¯s martial arts were far above Qingfeng¡¯s. It was easy for him to avoid Qingfeng. Qingfeng shook her head. ¡°I didn¡¯t see Master.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s frown deepened. Qingfeng said, ¡°Do you want everyone to search together?¡± Before Bai Wutong could speak, Xiaobai suddenly tugged at her leg and gestured for her to go to the pharmacy. Bai Wutong¡¯s face lit up and she hurried over. As soon as she entered the pharmacy, she heard Chu Tianbao¡¯s painful groan. Perhaps because he was in too much pain, he, who was usually vigilant, did not notice that Bai Wutong and Qingfeng were standing at the door of the pharmacy. Bai Wutong¡¯s hand, which was about to push open the pharmacy door, froze. Chu Tianbao secretly looked for Gu Zhongxun to treat him in the middle of the night probably because he remembered something and did not want to tell her yet. Chapter 137 - 137 Sorry For Being Useless 137 Sorry For Being Useless Without Bai Wutong to comfort him, Chu Tianbao couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. He stood up with a whoosh and pushed everything on the table to the ground. Gu Zhongxun had seen his astonishing damaging abilities and was afraid that he would destroy his pharmacy. He hurriedly said, ¡°Master, calm down, calm down. If you shake the silver needle off, it won¡¯t have any effect. If it doesn¡¯t have any effect, you won¡¯t be able to regain your memories.¡± Bai Wutong smiled bitterly. Chu Tianbao really didn¡¯t want her to know that he wanted to regain his memories. Just as she was about to leave. When Chu Tianbao heard that he could not recover his memories after the silver needles came off, he kept saying as if he was hypnotizing himself, ¡°Tianbao can¡¯t move around. Tianbao wants to regain his memories. Tianbao wants to make my wife happy. Tianbao can¡¯t move around. Tianbao wants to regain his memories. Tianbao wants my wife to be happy. Tianbao wants to be like the others. Tianbao doesn¡¯t want to be a fool¡­¡± As he chanted, it was as if he actually gained the strength to endure the pain and he sat down in the chair again. He was actually doing this for her. Bai Wutong stopped in her tracks. Her heart trembled as if someone was holding it tightly. She wanted to barge in and comfort him, but in the end, she did not push open the door of the pharmacy. She came silently and left silently. She had just returned to her room to lie down when there was an almost imperceptible sound at the window. Bai Wutong quickly closed her eyes. Chu Tianbao still carried cold air on his body. With a whoosh, he crawled under the blanket and skillfully placed his hands and feet where they shouldn¡¯t be. Bai Wutong sensed the temperature on his skin and pretended to turn over to move away from Chu Tianbao¡¯s wandering hands. But Chu Tianbao thought she was asleep. He pulled her into his arms fearlessly and kissed her on the lips. He probably didn¡¯t feel satisfied yet as he kissed her a few more times before closing his eyes and putting his head into her fragrant neck. Bai Wutong felt that his entire body was burning, and he was hugging her too tightly. Just as she was about to pretend to wake up and use the excuse of going to the toilet to break free from his grip, she heard Chu Tianbao¡¯s low and slightly hoarse voice muttering to her, ¡°Wife, Tianbao will definitely recover. When the time comes, let¡¯s make a baby like Stinky, okay?¡± Bai Wutong was stunned. She opened her eyes and glanced at the top of Chu Tianbao¡¯s head. She replied in her heart, ¡°Okay.¡± Chu Tianbao seemed to share a telepathic connection with her. Satisfied, he rubbed against his fragrant and soft wife. He subconsciously touched the places that he shouldn¡¯t touch. Bai Wutong¡¯s face turned red and all the pores on her body enlarged. The hooligan Chu Tianbao even muttered, ¡°My wife is so soft¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Bai Wutong blushed. Thinking of how much he had suffered just now, she did not push him away. ¡­ When Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao entered the mountain previously, they discovered a huge toona tree. Spring had just arrived, and the tree had sprouted. Bai Wutong thought preparing fresh and delicious scrambled eggs with toona and prepared to bring Chu Tianbao to pick some. Before they went, she specially found a bamboo pole and made a net in front of it. This way, they could also pick the toona in higher areas. Chu Tianbao carried the bamboo pole, Bai Wutong held a bamboo basket in her hands, and Xiaobai followed behind them. When the villagers saw them, they greeted them from time to time. Everything was so peaceful. After walking into the mountains for a while, Bai Wutong found the camphor tree according to her memory. Bai Wutong put down the bamboo basket and took the bamboo pole from Chu Tianbao¡¯s hand. She aimed at a clump of toona and with a whoosh, it landed on the ground. Chu Tianbao picked it up and smelled the strong fragrance of the toona. He asked, ¡°Wife, can this be eaten too?¡± Bai Wutong waved the bamboo pole. In a short while, she used the bamboo pole to cut off many toona sprouts. ¡°Yes, it can be eaten. It¡¯s a delicacy unique to this season. When this season is over, you won¡¯t be able to eat toona sprouts.¡± Hearing that it was edible, Chu Tianbao immediately took a bite. It was bitter in his mouth. He grimaced. ¡°Wife, it¡¯s not delicious.¡± Bai Wutong turned around and saw the toona sprout in his hand. She couldn¡¯t help but smile dotingly. ¡°Idiot, this is supposed to be stir-fried with oil. It will be very delicious then.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Chu Tianbao came to a realization and picked up the toona on the ground in anticipation. Soon, it filled up the entire bamboo basket. Seeing that there were quite a lot of toona on the trees, Bai Wutong gathered some more with the bamboo pole and asked Chu Tianbao to pick them up and tie them with hemp rope. This way, they could give some to everyone later. After returning with a full load of toona, everyone asked curiously, ¡°Madam, what is this?¡± Everyone had arrived here from other places. They had never seen toona trees nor eaten toona. Actually, there were very few locals who knew that toona could be eaten. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s a wild vegetable that can be eaten. It can be used to stir-fry eggs. It¡¯s very delicious.¡± Since Bai Wutong said that it was a delicious ingredient, it must be extremely delicious. There were not many vegetables in the early spring. When they saw the toona in Bai Wutong¡¯s hand, everyone had a thought and asked her where there were toona trees. They also planned to try picking some. When they got home, Bai Wutong organized the toona into small bundles before asking Chu Tianbao to bring them to Cui Lingyi and the others. Chu Tianbao went out and returned like a whirlwind. Bai Wutong had only started the fire and the oil in the pot had yet to be heated. As soon as Chu Tianbao returned, he looked eagerly into the pot. Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°Help me look after the firewood. It¡¯ll be ready soon.¡± ¡°Alright, wife.¡± Chu Tianbao looked at the stove seriously. Bai Wutong put a piece of lard into the pot, where the oil was heated. With a whoosh, the egg mixture was poured into the pot. Bubbles filled the pot, and the fragrance of egg was strong. Bai Wutong stir-fried it in two or three moves and placed the eggs aside. Seeing that there was still enough lard in the pot, she placed some ginger, onions, and garlic into the pot and poured the toona into the pot. After stir-frying, the toona leaves became soft and she poured in the eggs to stir-fry together. After a while, the fragrance of the toona and the eggs fused perfectly. It was really too fragrant. Chu Tianbao stared at it intently and almost drooled. Their lunch was simple. They had sweet potato porridge, fermented tofu, smoked meat and sausages, and freshly made stir-fried eggs with toona. As the first fresh dish in spring, Bai Wutong was also looking forward to the stir-fried eggs with toona. She picked up a piece and placed it in Chu Tianbao¡¯s bowl. Chu Tianbao also picked up a piece and placed it by her mouth. ¡°Wife, eat first.¡± Bai Wutong was used to it. She opened her mouth and accepted it naturally. The tender and fragrant toona seemed to have exploded on the tip of her tongue. The tenderness of the egg wrapped around it. It was simply a perfect and invincible delicacy. Bai Wutong narrowed her eyes. ¡°Delicious.¡± Chu Tianbao couldn¡¯t wait any longer. He ate it with his chopsticks and his eyes lit up. After hurriedly swallowing it, he said to Bai Wutong, ¡°It¡¯s really delicious.¡± Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°If it¡¯s delicious, eat more. It¡¯s very good for your body.¡± Hearing this, Chu Tianbao hurriedly picked up a few more for Bai Wutong. ¡°Wife, you have to eat more. When you get better, we can give birth to Stinky.¡± Chu Tianbao was a little disappointed as Stinky became closer to Sheng Huaixuan and was no longer as clingy to Chu Tianbao as before. Recently, he had been continuously asking Bai Wutong when she would recover. Bai Wutong paused and looked up at him. After a long time, she said, ¡°Yes, it will get better.¡± Chapter 138 - 138 These Businessmen Were Too Evil 138 These Businessmen Were Too Evil After dinner, Bai Wutong wiped the table, and Chu Tianbao washed the dishes. After placing the bowls and chopsticks back, he carried the bamboo basket and went out with Xiaobai. Bai Wutong glanced out of the window and thought that he was going out to play, so she did not bother about him. After a while, Cui Lingyi came over. She had made a new box of rouge for Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong glanced at the color of the rouge. It was red, but not gaudy. It was quite beautiful and smelled good. Cui Lingyi smiled and asked. ¡°How is it?¡± Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°Thank you. I love it.¡± Before the apocalypse, she had also been a makeup artist and knew how to make some natural and non-comedogenic cosmetics. Cui Lingyi had made them with ancient recipes, so they were obviously much better than hers. This color was specially made for Bai Wutong. The more Cui Lingyi looked at the Bai Wutong¡¯s porcelain and flawless skin, the more she wanted to try it on her. ¡°Sit down, I¡¯ll put on some makeup for you.¡± Thinking that she had nothing to do that day, Bai Wutong decided to let her be. As Cui Lingyi put on makeup for her, she asked, ¡°Little Phoenix, what are the wild vegetables you gave me? They¡¯re quite delicious.¡± Before she could take two bites, the rest of the Cui family rushed to finish them. She had come to look for Bai Wutong firstly to give her a gift, and secondly, to show her appreciation on behalf of everyone. She wanted to ask where the toona was found, and they also planned to pick some. Bai Wutong only gave some to Cui Lingyi and it was cleared in a few go. The food was so delicious that it hooked everyone¡¯s souls. Bai Wutong could tell that she was still thinking about the toona. She opened her eyes and smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to pick it later.¡± Cui Lingyi¡¯s delicate eyes were filled with joy. ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± When they left the house and arrived at the toona tree, they saw that the entire huge tree had no more sprouts left. Meanwhile, Chu Tianbao was sitting under the toona tree, tying all the toona sprouts with hemp rope like what Bai Wutong did. Bai Wutong walked up to him. ¡°Tianbao, why did you pick all the toona?¡± There were so many of it that they could not finish. Chu Tianbao chuckled and said happily, ¡°Toona is very good for your body. Tianbao is going to pick more. If you eat more, your body will recover quickly.¡± Bai Wutong was stunned. A complicated look flashed in her eyes. She squatted down and said to him, ¡°Thank you, Tianbao.¡± Chu Tianbao had shaved the entire tree. Under his pained gaze, Bai Wutong gave some more to Cui Lingyi and returned with a pile of toona that Chu Tianbao carried back. She had tidied up the things in the RV space, so she could store some toona. However, it was still not appropriate to take out food that was not found during the season. Bai Wutong planned to wash all these toona and make them into toona sauce. In the future, they could eat them as topping with rice. Stinky, who was about to turn one year old, grew very quickly. He could even stand up unsteadily on the ground. He had seven teeth now and would eat anything he saw. His favorite thing to do was to dig out Chu Tianbao¡¯s pocket and see if there were any snacks given by Bai Wutong. Chu Tianbao had been eating snacks too frequently some time ago, so Bai Wutong hadn¡¯t made them for a long time. Stinky didn¡¯t manage to eat it either. After being hugged by Chu Tianbao, he flipped around again and didn¡¯t manage to find anything. He patted Chu Tianbao¡¯s shoulder in dissatisfaction and strongly expressed that he wanted to eat candy. Chu Tianbao didn¡¯t even have anything to eat, let alone Stinky. The father and son hugged each other pitifully. Bai Wutong chuckled and said, ¡°I¡¯ll make you some snacks today.¡± Bai Wutong went to the kitchen beam to take down a few dried corn, intending to make them a bowl of popcorn. After breaking the corn kernels off the corn, Bai Wutong lit a fire with charcoal in the courtyard. Lin Yue asked curiously, ¡°What is Madam going to cook? Grill meat?¡± At the mention of grilled meat, his eyes lit up. The grilled meat that Bai Wutong had treated everyone to last time still lingered in his mind. Sheng Huaixuan glanced at him and Lin Yue immediately shut up. Bai Wutong put the iron pot on the charcoal fire and smiled. ¡°No, I¡¯ll make some snacks for everyone. We can eat hotpot tonight and eat the snacks when we¡¯re playing cards.¡± The backyard had some vegetables grown. She also used potatoes and sweet potatoes to make potato noodles and broad noodles. This time, they could have a more sumptuous meal in hotpot. Upon hearing the word ¡®pot¡¯, Lin Yue¡¯s eyes widened and the smile on his face rose so high that it almost reached the skies. Bai Wutong was good at cooking. Even her hotpot was better than the others. Sheng Huaixuan smiled unconsciously. ¡°Sister-in-law, is there anything I can help you with?¡± If they wanted to eat sooner, he naturally had to be proactive. Bai Wutong did not stand on ceremony with them. ¡°Go to the backyard and help me pick some green onions and lettuce.¡± Sheng Huaixuan and Lin Yue rolled up their sleeves and headed to the backyard. Qingfeng wanted to go too, but Bai Wutong stopped her and asked her to call Cui Lingyi and Cui Muzhi to come over for dinner. She was also asked to head to the fish pond to catch two fish to make fishballs later. Qingfeng nodded. The oil was hot enough to make popcorn. Bai Wutong added a lot of sugar to the pot and kept stirring before pouring in the dried corn. This kind of corn was most suitable for making popcorn. Not long after Bai Wutong poured them in, a corn kernel popped in the pot. Stinky was stunned by the sound. Another corn jumped. Stinky reacted and climbed onto Chu Tianbao. Bai Wutong quickly put the lid on the pot. ¡°Pop pop pop¡ª¡± The corn bounced one after another in the pot lid, producing a constant sound of firecrackers. Stinky was no longer so afraid. He even widened his eyes to look at the thing in the pot and wanted to get off Chu Tianbao. Afraid that the popcorn would stick together, Bai Wutong held the handle of the pot and shook it hard. There was a constant sound like cannon firing. Stinky laughed uncontrollably. Chu Tianbao also looked surprised. He didn¡¯t understand why such a half a bowl of corn would suddenly expand and fill an entire pot. Smelling the sweet scent of corn in the air, he unconsciously picked up a popcorn that had popped out of the ground and tried to stuff it into his mouth. Stinky¡¯s sharp eyes noticed the thing in his hand. He reached out to snatch it, and his legs kept kicking. He looked like he would not let him off if Chu Tianbao did not give it to him. Chu Tianbao glanced at the popcorn and generously sent it into his mouth. After tasting the sweetness, Stinky suddenly quietened down. He used his chubby hand to take out the mouthful of popcorn that he could not finish and chewed it slowly. His smile was sweet as he savored deliciously. Chu Tianbao was envious. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t have to wait long. After a series of crackling sounds, the pot lid was forced open by the popcorn. Only then did Bai Wutong remove the lid. The sweet smell of corn made one involuntarily inhale sharply. In the backyard, Lin Yue smelled it and sniffed hard. He asked Sheng Huaixuan, ¡°Master, do you smell it? It smells so good¡ª¡± Sheng Huaixuan smiled and said, ¡°It should be a snack made by Madam.¡± Lin Yue sighed and said, ¡°It smells too good!¡± Then he urged, ¡°Master, you¡¯re too slow. Look at me, like me!¡± Lin Yue finished plucking a small bundle of green onions as if he was afraid that others wouldn¡¯t know that he wanted to eat the snacks quickly. The big pot of golden popcorn looked very appetizing. Bai Wutong picked one up and placed it in Chu Tianbao¡¯s mouth. The sweet popcorn was still warm. It was at its best timing to eat. Bai Wutong also pinched one and put it in her mouth. She asked with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s delicious, right?¡± Chu Tianbao nodded quickly without saying anything. It was enough to prove how much he liked popcorn. Chapter 139 - 139 I Really Dont Understand 139 I Really Don¡¯t Understand It had been a few years since Bai Wutong had eaten popcorn. The sweet popcorn seemed to have allowed her to return to the modern world. She was in a daze for a moment. She looked at Chu Tianbao and Stinky who had already finished the popcorn and were waiting for Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong came back to her senses and her smile deepened. She poured the popcorn into the bowl and said to Chu Tianbao, ¡°I still have to make two more pots. Carry Stinky into the house and eat inside.¡± It would be dark soon and the temperature would drop. She had to prevent Stinky from catching a cold. Chu Tianbao hugged Stinky with one hand and picked up the bowl with the other. He happily entered the house. As Qingfeng carried the fish, Cui Lingyi and her brother also arrived. They smelled something sweet before they even stepped into the yard. Cui Muzhi said happily, ¡°Madam Bai is cooking something nice again.¡± Cui Lingyi laughed. ¡°No drinking tonight, glutton.¡± Last time, he had tormented Lan Jingbai until midnight and even vomited all over him. Cui Muzhi quietly ran into the courtyard. As soon as he entered the courtyard, he saw Xiaobai circling the charcoal fire and picking up popcorn from the pot to eat. Bai Wutong turned around when she heard footsteps. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Pop pop pop¡ª¡± There was another long string of dense exploding sounds. Cui Muzhi said excitedly, ¡°Madam Bai, what¡¯s in the pot? Why is it so fragrant? It actually explodes!¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s popcorn. It is made from corn. We can have it as a snack while we play with cards tonight, but it tastes best when it¡¯s hot.¡± With that, she lifted the lid of the pot again and poured a full pot of popcorn into another bowl. The rich aroma hit him in the face. Cui Muzhi sucked in the air. Cui Lingyi was stunned for a moment, but she moved quickly. She quickly washed her hands, grabbed a piece of popcorn, and put it in her mouth. It was sweet and soft, making it impossible to guess that this was food for the poor. She looked at Bai Wutong in shock. ¡°This is too delicious!¡± She liked this snack so much. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°Yes, eat less now and get ready. We still have to eat hotpot.¡± Even though Bai Wutong had said so, Cui Lingyi still couldn¡¯t help but stand in front of the bowl and eat one popcorn after another. Everyone who tasted the popcorn had unanimous praise for it. As Little Stinky ate, he even stuffed it into his pocket, afraid that everyone would not give it to him later. Sheng Huaixuan saw that his son¡¯s pockets were full but he kept stuffing them in. Some popcorn even fell out. He held out his hand to Stinky. ¡°Can you give Daddy one?¡± Stinky saw that he didn¡¯t have a single popcorn in his hand and felt sorry for him. He glanced at his small pocket, raised his hand, and generously handed him one. His chubby face, however, looked pained. He looked extremely adorable. Sheng Huaixuan held it in his arms like it was a treasure and stroked his little head. ¡°Thank you, Stinky baby.¡± Lin Yue also stood up pitifully and tried. ¡°Young Master, can you give me one?¡± Stinky glanced at him, rolled his dark eyes, and pretended not to see as he started eating. Lin Yue was ignored by him and everyone was amused. Bai Wutong began to prepare the ingredients for the hotpot. The hotpot base was ready-made. There was hot pot and clear soup pot. With everyone¡¯s help, the ingredients were ready in a short while. It was quite sumptuous. There were fish balls, meatballs, pork slices, mutton slices, shredded potatoes, broad noodles, cabbage, lettuce, potato slices, sweet potato slices¡­ There were also two types of dipping sauce, sesame sauce and oil with garnishes. Bai Wutong had prepared everything for them so that they could try anything. Cui Lingyi had never eaten oil with garnishes before. Her piece of pork belly was wrapped in a spicy and crispy dipping sauce. The meat was delicious, and the heavy taste of the seasoning exploded in her mouth, forming a strong texture that stunned her. She really felt a different surprise every time she came to Bai Wutong¡¯s house. She exclaimed, ¡°It¡¯s too late for me to know about the oil with garnishes!¡± Lin Yue also liked oil with garnishes very much and strongly agreed. ¡°Me too!¡± Seeing the sesame sauce in Qingfeng¡¯s hand, he even said, ¡°Try the oil with garnishes. It¡¯s especially refreshing.¡± He subconsciously picked up a piece of meat and placed it in Qingfeng¡¯s bowl, urging her with his eyes. When everyone saw the piece of meat in Qingfeng¡¯s bowl, they smiled in unison. Only Chu Tianbao was engrossed in eating and piling up Bai Wutong¡¯s bowl as high as a mountain. Qingfeng stared at the piece of meat in the oil with garnishes and calmly picked it up and placed it in her mouth. Lin Yue grinned like a fool and asked, ¡°Is it delicious?¡± Qingfeng nodded. Just as Lin Yue was about to pick up some meat for her, he suddenly saw everyone¡¯s smiling expressions from the corner of his eye. He suddenly realized something and paused. He braced himself and said awkwardly, ¡°Eat meat, eat meat.¡± The smiles in everyone¡¯s eyes deepened. They looked into the pot and were immediately dumbfounded. All the ingredients that had just been placed were swept away by Chu Tianbao. It was so clean that it was as if they were imagining themselves to be eating meat just now. Bai Wutong lowered her gaze and saw the pointy food mountain in her bowl. She chuckled. ¡°You have to focus when you eat.¡± Everyone nodded rigidly in agreement. ¡°You have to focus when you eat.¡± Otherwise, they have nothing to eat if they were not focused. After eating the hotpot, it was time for playing cards. Stinky was tired. Sheng Huaixuan brought him back to rest first, and Lin Yue followed. Hence, Bai Wutong, Cui Lingyu, and Cui Muzhi were left at the table. Chu Tianbao sat at the side with popcorn and watched obediently. Bai Wutong¡¯s luck was not good that day. She lost a few rounds the moment she came up, but the chips in front of Cui Lingyi were already piled up. Cui Muzhi kept losing until he was about to explode in anger. If he continued to lose, his allowance for the month would be gone. He muttered, ¡°Let me win one round, let me win one round¡­¡± As a result, he lost the round again. Chu Tianbao watched for a while and also wanted to play. Seeing that he was very interested, Bai Wutong specially explained to him how to play the card game. Chu Tianbao said impatiently, ¡°Tianbao knows already.¡± Bai Wutong smiled and exchanged seats with him. She held the popcorn and watched as Chu Tianbao became so focused that he looked like a different person. It was clearly just a leisure activity, but everyone felt a trace of pressure from Chu Tianbao¡¯s serious and pressing face. They became much more nervous looking at the cards. Chu Tianbao kept asking for cards, making the other three parties wonder if he really knew how to play. Suddenly, Chu Tianbao spread out his cards and shouted excitedly. Everyone looked over in disbelief. He had actually formed a matching set! Chu Tianbao won that round. He said excitedly to Bai Wutong, ¡°Wife, I won. I won a lot of money.¡± Bai Wutong knew that he would win from watching just now. She smiled. ¡°Tianbao is so awesome!¡± After being praised, Chu Tianbao continued to work hard. Cui Lingyi, who was very lucky, was also suppressed by him. After playing more than ten rounds in a row, Chu Tianbao won every time. Before long, the table in front of him was full of chips. It was a small pile that Bai Wutong could only help him store in a small wooden box. Chu Tianbao was talented at playing cards. If he went to the casino, the people in the casino would probably kneel on the ground and beg him to leave quickly. Cui Muzhi had lost all his pocket money, but he had not won a single match. He was so depressed that he wanted to borrow some money from Cui Lingyi to play a few more rounds. Cui Lingyi grabbed his ear and scolded, ¡°Enough is enough! It¡¯s time to go home!¡± Poor Cui Muzhi was desperate. His pocket money! He would never gamble again! Chu Tianbao still wanted to play, but Bai Wutong stopped him. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s time to sleep!¡± Chu Tianbao said enthusiastically to Cui Muzhi, ¡°We¡¯ll continue next time!¡± Cui Muzhi¡¯s face fell. There would be no next time. Chu Tianbao was simply possessed by the God of Gamblers. Who would dare to play with him? Chapter 140 - 140 Second Marriage (1) 140 Second Marriage (1) Stinky¡¯s first birthday was coming up. Chu Tianbao didn¡¯t know what to prepare for Stinky. He went to ask Qingfeng. Qingfeng was stunned for a moment and slowly said, ¡°Longevity Lock.¡± Chu Tianbao knew about the longevity lock. Several children from the Qinghe 30 families had one hanging around their necks. There were gold and silver ones, and they looked quite nice. Chu Tianbao wanted to give Stinky the best, so of course it had to be gold. However, he did not have any money on hand. Bai Wutong only gave him a copper coin for the money he had won previously. Chu Tianbao sat in the tree and looked at the copper coin. A copper coin could not buy a gold longevity lock. He had to earn money to buy it. Chu Tianbao suddenly remembered that every time he went to the mountains to hunt, Bai Wutong would sell the villagers the remaining meat. An idea popped into his mind. With a whoosh, he jumped down from the tree and quickly ran towards the forest. Chu Tianbao looked for prey with a purpose. He knew that the bigger it was, the more valuable it was. In a short while, he had slaughtered two bears. He carried both of them down the mountain. Instead of dragging them home, he went from door to door. ¡°Do you want to buy meat?¡± When Cui Shize heard the servant¡¯s report, he hurriedly rushed out. When he saw Chu Tianbao dragging two bears, he asked in surprise, ¡°Master Chu, are you selling these two bears?¡± Chu Tianbao nodded. ¡°Yes, all of them!¡± The entire bear was valuable, and the bear meat was very nutritious. The masters of the 30 families of Qinghe liked bear meat very much. Chu Tianbao was anxious to sell them. Cui Shize asked him to wait while he went to ask other people if they wanted to buy bears. Chu Tianbao urged, ¡°Hurry up!¡± Cui Shize smiled. ¡°Okay.¡± After a while, Cui Shize returned with many people. He asked Chu Tianbao, ¡°Master Chu, how about we give you 200 taels of silver for these two bears?¡± Chu Tianbao was selling bears anxiously behind Bai Wutong¡¯s back. He must have wanted to save up some money. Originally, it was a lot to sell a bear for 80 taels of silver, so 100 taels of silver per bear was indeed a lot. Chu Tianbao didn¡¯t care how much. He only asked, ¡°Can you buy a longevity lock made of gold with that amount?¡± Only then did Cui Shize realize that Chu Tianbao did not want to save up for himself, but to buy a longevity lock for Young Master Stinky. He smiled and nodded. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s enough.¡± Chu Tianbao was satisfied. He took the money pouch Cui Shize handed him and left without looking back. There was still time to enter the city. Chu Tianbao wanted to enter the city to buy the longevity lock. He used his qinggong and was much faster than the carriage on the road. When he arrived at the town, Chu Tianbao asked the bailiff at the city gate, ¡°Where can I buy a longevity lock?¡± Chu Tianbao was tall and cold. Coincidentally, the bailiff at the city gate had gone to Youjia Village with Duke Yang Bing. He recognized him at a glance as Master Chu of Youjia Village and said with a good attitude, ¡°You can head to Golden Jade Store 200 meters ahead.¡± Chu Tianbao nodded and disappeared in the blink of an eye. The bailiffs immediately started discussing. This Master Chu was amazing. He appeared and disappeared like a god. Chu Tianbao soon arrived at Golden Jade Store. As soon as he entered, the girls who were choosing jewelry were dumbfounded. What a handsome and mighty man. When did such a person appear in Woqian Town? They did not dare to look at him openly, so they pretended to choose their jewelry while secretly glancing at him. Even though Chu Tianbao was dressed simply, the shopkeeper did not dare to neglect him. He quickly asked enthusiastically, ¡°Sir, what do you want to buy?¡± Chu Tianbao raised his chin. ¡°Longevity Lock!¡± His low and manly voice and extraordinary aura made the shopkeeper quickly take out all the longevity locks in their shop. Chu Tianbao took a fancy to a very, very big golden lock at a glance. With such a big golden lock, their Stinky would definitely become the most beautiful child in the entire village. As soon as he picked it up, the shopkeeper said happily, ¡°Master, you have good taste. This longevity lock has been blessed by an eminent monk. It¡¯s only 20 taels of silver.¡± Chu Tianbao remembered that Cui Shize had given him 200 taels of silver. The longevity lock was only 20 taels of silver. He glanced at the lady¡¯s hairpin at the side. Before his eyes had stayed on it for two seconds, the shopkeeper introduced, ¡°Master, these are all the latest models of our shop. I guarantee that Madam will be satisfied.¡± When Chu Tianbao heard the shopkeeper say that Bai Wutong would definitely be satisfied, his eyes lit up, and his distant aura dissipated a lot. Seeing that there was a chance, the shopkeeper brought out a tray of high-quality goods to Chu Tianbao. ¡°These are all the treasures of our shop. When Madam wears them, she will definitely look like a fairy!¡± Chu Tianbao picked up a pearl hairpin and looked at it. Then, he picked up the white jade bracelet and looked at it. Suddenly, some scenes flashed across his mind. He suddenly felt that these seemingly exquisite and expensive jewelry were not worthy of his wife. Chapter 141 - 141 Second Marriage 141 Second Marriage He couldn¡¯t explain why he didn¡¯t like it. Feeling a little discouraged, he put the bracelet down and said to the shopkeeper, ¡°I¡¯ll buy it.¡± The shopkeeper confirmed incredulously, ¡°You are going to buy all of these?¡± Chu Tianbao nodded and urged him, ¡°Hurry up!¡± The shopkeeper was overjoyed and asked the staff to quickly pack them up. The young ladies and madams at the side were all excited. It was too blissful to be this man¡¯s wife. There were so many items, yet he bought them so simply. The shopkeeper counted. All the jewelry added up to 206 taels. Chu Tianbao only had 200 taels of silver in his bag. Seeing that he was making a huge purchase, the shopkeeper did not mind the six taels of silver. In order to let him come often, he even gave him a lot of freebies and sent him out of the shop respectfully. Only half of the sun was left above the mountain. But Chu Tianbao was nowhere to be seen. Bai Wutong made herself a pot of tea and sat by the door to wait. She wanted to see where Chu Tianbao went to play around again. And why didn¡¯t he tell her? Chu Tianbao used his qinggong and rushed with all his might. When he arrived at Youjia Village, the sun had completely set. He recalled Bai Wutong¡¯s instructions to return home before dark and immediately became nervous. He used his qinggong and ran even faster. Chu Tianbao slid past Village Chief Zhao like a whirlwind. The blurry figure stunned him, and he almost thought he had seen a ghost. Bai Wutong drank two cups of tea in a row and finally heard Chu Tianbao¡¯s soft panting. He said carefully, ¡°Wife ~ I¡¯m back.¡± Bai Wutong glanced at him and said, ¡°You still know how to come back?¡± When Chu Tianbao heard this, he knew that Bai Wutong was angry and hurriedly admitted his mistake. ¡°Wife ~ Tianbao won¡¯t do it again.¡± Bai Wutong finally looked him in the eye. Her voice finally had a change in tone. ¡°You won¡¯t do it again. What do you mean?¡± When Chu Tianbao heard that he still had a chance to sleep in the bed that night, he hurriedly said, ¡°I won¡¯t dare to come back late again. Tianbao will definitely be home before the sun sets.¡± Seeing that he had admitted his mistake, Bai Wutong¡¯s gaze landed on the bag he was carrying. ¡°Tell me, where did you go?¡± Chu Tianbao chuckled and stuffed the bag into Bai Wutong¡¯s hand. ¡°Tianbao went to buy something for Stinky and wife.¡± The bag was quite heavy. Bai Wutong was caught off guard and almost lost her balance. Surprised, she said, ¡°You went to town?¡± Chu Tianbao nodded. Bai Wutong placed the bag on the table and opened it. When she saw all kinds of jewelry, she was surprised again. ¡°Where did you get the money to buy so many things?¡± Chu Tianbao only had one copper coin on him. Chu Tianbao smiled foolishly. ¡°I caught two bears.¡± Seeing his silly smile, Bai Wutong said half angrily, ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me when we entered the mountain.¡± Chu Tianbao quickly lowered his head and hid his guilty expression. He pulled out the big golden lock that he wanted to give to Stinky and flaunted, ¡°This is for Stinky.¡± He raised the package and stuffed it all into Bai Wutong¡¯s arms. ¡°These are for my wife.¡± When she saw the longevity lock, Bai Wutong¡¯s gaze softened. She picked it up and looked at it. The golden lock was actually solid and heavy. Wasn¡¯t he afraid that it would crush the child¡¯s neck? With this thought in mind, she said to Chu Tianbao, who had an expression anticipating a praise, ¡°Stinky will definitely like it very much.¡± Chu Tianbao thought so too. His face was filled with joy as he showed Bai Wutong the jewelry he had bought. Bai Wutong opened a box. It was a white jade bracelet, but it was not top-notch white jade. It was much inferior to the jade hairpin Cui Lingyi had given her. In a small town, how many people could afford a top-grade white jade bracelet? It was already very good that Chu Tianbao could buy such a color of jade. Chu Tianbao asked nervously, ¡°Do you like it?¡± Bai Wutong took out the white jade bracelet from the box and put it on her wrist, which was smoother than the white jade. She shook it gently and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s very beautiful and I like it very much. Thank you, Tianbao.¡± Chu Tianbao was overjoyed. His smile became even brighter. He even said, ¡°I¡¯ll buy many more for you in the future. They¡¯ll look even better than this.¡± Bai Wutong responded softly and was about to open another box when she met Chu Tianbao¡¯s burning gaze. He leaned closer and asked for a reward. ¡°I want a kiss from my wife.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s ears turned red. Seeing that it was an effort from him, she quickly kissed him on the lips. Chu Tianbao was not satisfied. When he saw Bai Wutong unveil the pearl hairpin, he eagerly leaned over and said, ¡°I want a kiss from my wife.¡± Bai Wutong looked up with a cold gaze. ¡°You didn¡¯t come home on time, so does Tianbao have to sleep alone?¡± His wife was starting to dig up his mistakes. Chu Tianbao whimpered and finally behaved. He was afraid that he would be chased out of the room that night. Bai Wutong was allocated to the best ten acres of land in the village. As she preferred to eat rice, she specially irrigated mountain springs through the canals and turned them into paddy fields. The 30 families of Qinghe were also more used to eating rice. When they learned that Bai Wutong was going to change the dry land into paddy fields, they also turned the dry land into paddy fields. There was good rice in Bai Wutong¡¯s space. When everyone was growing seedlings, she also had some seedlings and mixed them in. During the harvest, everyone would be able to discover a few stalks of rice with an especially high yield and kept them to plow seeds for the next year. In addition to two acres of paddy fields, Bai Wutong had another eight acres of land. Bai Wutong had also planned to plant four acres of food, one acre of vegetables, and two acres of fruits. The output of ten acres was more than enough for her and Chu Tianbao to eat for an entire year. The four acres of land were planted with potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, soybeans, and peanuts. She had also planted a little seedlings and mixed them in everyone¡¯s seedlings. In the two acres of fruit fields, Bai Wutong specially got someone to buy various fruit seedlings and seeds. She also took the opportunity to plant the fruits in her field. When it was time to harvest, everyone would see the small tomatoes and large watermelons in her field. She could then use the excuse that she had bought the seeds. Spring was a busy time for farming. There was a lot of work in everyone¡¯s fields. Bai Wutong brought Chu Tianbao to work in the fields. There was a small seedling in each pit. Their task for the day was to water the seedlings. The canal was not far away, but it was still tiring to carry a bucket and water it. And they would have to water often in the future. Bai Wutong was tired and she sat at the side to rest. Chu Tianbao used his qinggong and quickly moved back and forth to finish watering the seedlings. As for the other ordinary villagers, it would take at least three hours to water an acre of land. Cui Shize and the others rarely did physical work, so they were panting after a while. Seeing how hard they were working, the sprayer that was necessary for watering and applying medicine in the modern world suddenly popped up in Bai Wutong¡¯s mind. Chapter 142 - 142 Commoners Way of Life 142 Commoner¡¯s Way of Life Chu Tianbao put down the bucket and returned to Bai Wutong¡¯s side. Bai Wutong asked him, ¡°Are you tired?¡± Chu Tianbao shook his head and said loudly, ¡°I¡¯m not tired.¡± He smiled again and said, ¡°Wife, you can rest. I¡¯ll go water the remaining seedlings.¡± Their task for the day was to finish watering two acres. There was still another acre to be watered down there. Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°Alright, go ahead. I¡¯ll go home and cook first.¡± Chu Tianbao suddenly widened his eyes and looked aggrieved, as if he was saying ¡°how could you abandon me like this?¡± Bai Wutong held his calloused hand and her smile deepened. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to eat anymore?¡± Chu Tianbao pursed his lips. ¡°I¡¯ll be done soon.¡± He was implying that she could wait for him here for a while. How clingy. Bai Wutong stood up. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll come with you.¡± After watering the plants and returning home, Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao ate. Then, she went to the study and used the computer in her space to search for many relevant information. With the advanced technology from the apocalypse world, there were also all kinds of sprayer blueprints. After sorting them out for a long time, Bai Wutong finally found a suitable sprayer blueprint. Firstly, wood was used to make a carry-on wooden box. Water was filled inside and one had to pump air in. Then, upon carrying it and holding up the spray, it would be easy to use the equipment. The length of the spout, the size of the water column, and the length of the straps could be freely adjusted. When one needed to water, they could just change to a thicker spout if they wanted to release more water. Even if the spray machine wasn¡¯t used to water and ward off bugs, it could also be used to clean the door, clean the pigpen, sanitize, and so on. Bai Wutong was very satisfied with the blueprint. Just as she was about to stand up and look for Zhao Sheng, she turned around and was caught off guard. She had accidentally kissed Chu Tianbao on the face. Chu Tianbao chuckled and kissed Bai Wutong, who was rarely this proactive. There was no order to it. He was like a big wolf dog licking her face. Bai Wutong hurriedly pressed down on his head and warned fiercely, ¡°How many times have I told you not to kiss me without my permission?¡± Chu Tianbao was excited and immediately asked obediently, ¡°Wife, can I kiss you?¡± He had already kissed her so many times. Bai Wutong glared at him. ¡°No.¡± Chu Tianbao teased her again. ¡°Wife ~¡± Bai Wutong pushed him away. ¡°No! I have business to attend to.¡± Chu Tianbao immediately looked hurt. ¡°Wife ~¡± With his god-like appearance, she was the one who would benefit from a kiss on his face. Bai Wutong sighed, took his face in her hands and kissed him gently on his perfect lips. ¡°Done.¡± Chu Tianbao pouted. ¡°More.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Bai Wutong reached out and pinched Chu Tianbao¡¯s pouting mouth. ¡°Do you still want it?¡± She had spoiled him too much recently. Chu Tianbao howled, ¡°Wuwuwu, I don¡¯t want it anymore¡­¡± He would want more at night. Bai Wutong handed the blueprint to Zhao Sheng. A week later, Bai Wutong received all the parts of the spray machine. The modern tool was made of plastic, so the spray machine made of wood was naturally heavier. Bai Wutong assembled all the parts according to the blueprint. A wooden and square bag that looked very strange attracted everyone. Cui Lingyi studied it curiously. ¡°What is this?¡± Bai Wutong led her to the canal and filled the water storage tank. She closed the lid and carried it on her back. She pressed the handle and pushed the lock back. The spray that Bai Wutong was holding in her other hand suddenly had water. Everyone thought that the new invention made by Bai Wutong was leaking. They hurriedly said, ¡°Madam! There¡¯s a leak here!¡± Bai Wutong pushed the lock back again, and the exit was blocked. Before anyone could understand what it was, Bai Wutong saw a small sapling beside her. She aimed the spray at it and with a whoosh, water came out again. A thought flashed through everyone¡¯s mind and they missed it. Village Chief Zhao was the first to react. He said excitedly, ¡°Is the wooden box designed by Madam to water the seedlings?¡± Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°Yes.¡± Village Chief Zhao praised, ¡°Madam, you¡¯re really too smart. I¡¯ve been farming all my life, but I¡¯ve never seen such a convenient thing to water the seedlings.¡± Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°If you think the amount of water is too little, you can change the spray.¡± With that, Bai Wutong put down the sprayer and replaced it with a thick spray. Under everyone¡¯s expectant gazes, Bai Wutong pressed the sprayer back and forth a few times. After a while, she pulled the lock again. Not only did the speed of the water coming out increase, but the water flow also became stronger. Everyone was instantly shocked. The children¡¯s eyes were about to fall out and their faces were filled with desire to play with the new gadget. Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes lit up as he said what everyone was thinking, ¡°Wife, can I play?¡± He looked impatient and shared the same expression on the faces of the children. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°You can play every day from now on.¡± Chu Tianbao cheered. ¡°Wife, you¡¯re the best!¡± He immediately took the sprayer. Without needing Bai Wutong to teach him, Chu Tianbao raised the spray and sprayed around fiercely. The water splashed like rain. The children surrounded him and cheered. ¡°So awesome!¡± Village Chief Zhao and the others could not help but say, ¡°So amazing!¡± If they had one of these watering tool, they wouldn¡¯t have to carry a bucket back and forth to water the land. The three men from Village Chief Zhao¡¯s family had to work hard to reclaim 20 acres of land! These 20 acres were not connected. Some of them were far from the canal, and it would take at least six hours to water each acre. If they had Madam¡¯s invention, they wouldn¡¯t have to bend down when watering. It would be much more convenient and easy. Bai Wutong filled the box with water. But after a while, Chu Tianbao finished it. He collected another box of water and pumped it. He raised the spray and sprayed everywhere. Soon he mastered a new skill. He raised the spray in the air, on the ground, and drew circles on the trees. He drew waves and even wrote Bai Wutong¡¯s name. Xiaobai hated water, yet Chu Tianbao deliberately sprayed it. Xiaobai became a drenched wolf and used its finishing move, Spiral shake, to shake off the water onto Lin Yue. Everyone¡¯s eyes were about to pop out from envy. This was too much fun! They wanted to have one too! The children grabbed their parents¡¯ hands and said at the same time, ¡°Dad, Mom, I want to play that too!¡± Their parents looked down at them. What should they do? They really wanted to play too. Bai Wutong had designed this sprayer for two reasons. Firstly, she wanted to use it for watering. Secondly, she wanted to resolve everyone¡¯s difficulties. She smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ve given the blueprint to Brother Zhao. If you want to make a sprayer, you can look for Brother Zhao to customize it.¡± Before everyone could rejoice, Yang Quanzi said, ¡°No!¡± ¡°A sprayer is such an amazing tool. It¡¯s convenient and practical. It can greatly increase the efficiency of farming. How can we use Madam¡¯s blueprint for nothing!¡± Ling Kingdom had placed a huge emphasis on agriculture and curbing business. Bai Wutong¡¯s spray machine would definitely be valued by the government and widely promoted! If they used it casually like cleaning paper again, if Bai Wutong created something in the future and didn¡¯t give it to everyone, they would complain. The human heart was just such a strange thing. When they were in a comfortable state, they would want to be more comfortable. For their own selfish reasons, they could forget their original intentions. Whether it would happen in the future or not, at least for now, one had to consciously restrain oneself and prevent becoming an insatiable person. Chapter 143 - 143 Can I Play? 143 Can I Play? When Yang Quanzi said this, no one objected. Instead, they agreed. ¡°Yes, we definitely can¡¯t use Madam¡¯s blueprint for nothing!¡± A pastry recipe could be sold for one or two taels of silver. The spray machine created by Bai Wutong was so great. How could everyone let her lose out? Besides, they had already taken enough advantage of Bai Wutong. Yang Quanzi stroked his beard and was very satisfied with everyone¡¯s attitude. He even gave Sheng Huaixuan a sly look. Sheng Huaixuan received the signal from Yang Quanzi and smiled helplessly in his heart. He stood up and said to Bai Wutong, ¡°Sister-in-law, everyone doesn¡¯t want to use your blueprint for nothing. How about this? Brother Zhao will use your blueprint and give you 60% of the profits if anyone custom-made a sprayer?¡± Those who had never done business and did not know how to split the profits immediately lit up. What a good idea! The villagers of Zhao farmyard had done a lot of work for the 30 families of Qinghe and had also saved some money. If they could not afford to make a sprayer, they could just not use it. In any case, they could not let Madam Bai suffer. Village Chief Zhao said on behalf of his son, ¡°The sprayer is so good! It¡¯s too little to give just 60%, Madam Bai should get at least 80%!¡± If not for Madam Bai¡¯s blueprint, they would not have been able to construct the sprayer. Everyone looked eagerly at Bai Wutong, hoping that she would agree. If Bai Wutong agreed, they could ask Zhao Sheng to customize a sprayer. Bai Wutong was beautiful and kind. Even if she set the price, it would not be too high. Some who were more intelligent even thought, even if it was pricey, it didn¡¯t matter. If someone else customized a sprayer, they could just spend a little money renting it. Bai Wutong knew that Yang Quanzi was thinking on behalf of her and was not a pretentious person. She said gratefully, ¡°I¡¯ll just take 50%. Brother Zhao spent a lot of effort to help me make the sprayer.¡± Zhao Sheng¡¯s craftsmanship was one of the best. Not only was the sprayer beautiful in shape and polished smooth, but it was also very durable. Especially the complicated and special design structure inside the sprayer, those who were not smart could not understand it at all. No one had any objections to what Bai Wutong was willing to split the amount for. In any case, Bai Wutong had the final say, so they decided to give her 50% of the profits from making a sprayer. ¡­ When Yang Gongbing came to visit again with gifts, he saw a magical scene. In the fields, everyone was carrying a wooden box and operating it in an orderly fashion. He walked in and looked around a little. His eyes lit up. Everyone was actually using this wooden and squarish thing to water the seedlings! This must be something designed by Madam Bai again! If it could be promoted in the entire Ling Kingdom, the efficiency of farming would increase greatly. It would also greatly increase everyone¡¯s motivation to labor. The Civil Affairs Department would definitely rate it first-class! Yang Gongbing was excited for a second. Thinking that there was still no news of the paper machine that Bai Wutong had released, he lowered his head dejectedly. Madam would definitely not be willing to report this to the Imperial Court. When Yang Gongbing went to Yang Quanzi¡¯s house, Yang Quanzi was watering the flowers with the sprayer on his back. When he saw him, he put the sprayer aside. Yang Gongbing kept staring at the sprayer. Yang Quanzi could tell that he wanted to give it a try and smiled. ¡°Do you want to help me water the flowers?¡± As soon as Yang Quanzi spoke, Yang Gongbing quickly nodded and carried the spray machine like Yang Quanzi. Even if he carried it on his back, he did not know how to operate it. Yang Quanzi stroked his beard and taught him how to use the sprayer as if he was teaching him a life skill. Yang Gongbing pressed it hard, raised the spray and pushed open the lock. With a sizzling sound, a thin stream of water shot out. Like a child, Yang Gongbing said excitedly, ¡°Teacher, it came out! It¡¯s so amazing!¡± When Yang Quanzi first used the sprayer, he was also like this. Now, he pretended to be calm and said, ¡°Yes, it went quite far.¡± Yang Gongbing carried the sprayer on his back and sprayed water around. The entire courtyard was drenched. Yang Quanzi had just watered the flowers. As if he was addicted, Yang Gongbing wanted to do it again. Yang Quanzi quickly stopped him. ¡°Hey, enough, enough!¡± Yang Gongbing smiled and said, ¡°Has Teacher¡¯s land been watered? I¡¯ll go help Teacher water the land.¡± Carrying the spray machine and watering made him feel like playing. It was simply too easy. Yang Quanzi chuckled. ¡°They¡¯ve finished watering my land, but your senior brothers still have 16 acres left. You can go help them now.¡± ¡°16 acres!¡± Even if the sprayer could make watering easier, it was too much. Yang Gongbing decisively changed the topic. ¡°This sprayer is so useful. If only it could be popularized to the people.¡± He was just saying that. If Madam Bai was unwilling, he would not force her. Yang Quanzi smiled, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes deepening. ¡°It can be promoted to the public, why can¡¯t it be?¡± ¡°Madam Bai has already handed the blueprints to Zhao Sheng. If you want a few, you can look for Zhao Sheng to customize them.¡± Yang Gongbing was both happy and worried. He frowned and said, ¡°We need a lot of sprayers to promote them to the people. The blueprints must be taught to other carpenters so that the entire common people in Woqian Town can use them.¡± He was a little worried about whether Bai Wutong was willing to do that. Yang Quanzi smiled and said, ¡°You can go and discuss with Madam. You can teach a carpenter and split some of the profits from making a sprayer to her.¡± He added, ¡°Zhao Sheng is giving her 50% of the profits from selling each sprayer!¡± Since Bai Wutong¡¯s invention was so useful and could even be used to water feces, Yang Gongbing felt that 50% was not much. His eyes lit up. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go and discuss it with Madam. If Madam agrees, I¡¯ll ask the carpenters to come to Youjia Village to learn.¡± Yang Gongbing hurriedly went to look for Bai Wutong and immediately explained his intentions. Just by producing a blueprint, she could earn an endless stream of money. Who would complain about having too much money? In any case, she did not have to worry about the rest. Moreover, the person in charge was Yang Gongbing, so she was not afraid of trouble. Everyone thought that Bai Wutong would definitely agree. Unexpectedly, Bai Wutong thought for a moment and asked Yang Gongbing to buy the rights to the blueprint for ten taels of silver. Ten taels of silver might be a huge sum to the commoners. To Yang Gongbing, it was equivalent to picking up a treasure pot from the water. Yang Gongbing was stunned and asked in disbelief, ¡°Why is Madam giving me the blueprint?¡± Bai Wutong had originally wanted to use the spray machine and cleaning paper for herself. She said, ¡°Lord Yang, you¡¯re thinking for the people. I also want to contribute to that.¡± This saved the other carpenters from looking for her one by one, wanting to learn the designing of the spray machine. Yang Gongbing was extremely excited. ¡°Thank you, Madam! I will definitely report to the Imperial Court again. The Imperial Court will definitely reward you!¡± The Imperial Court would definitely take seriously something that was suitable for the development of agriculture. Bai Wutong had heard this countless times. After so long, there was not a single news in the Imperial Court. She might as well think about whether she should run away with Chu Tianbao or follow him if he was going to serve in the military. Chapter 144 - 144 The Imperial Court Will Definitely Value It Highly 144 The Imperial Court Will Definitely Value It Highly After Yang Gongbing bought Bai Wutong¡¯s blueprint with his own money, he immediately went to learn from Cui Shize how to publicize it the fastest. Cui Shize had chatted a lot with Sheng Huaixuan recently about how to allow the emperor less concerned about businesses and develop the economy. As they chatted, there realised they was probably only one way. The commoners could farm at home and earn money at the same time. Only when the source of this money was clear could the emperor feel at ease. Yang Gongbing had obtained Bai Wutong¡¯s sprayer design. It was good for farming. An idea suddenly flashed across Cui Shize¡¯s mind. He gathered all the carpenters and build an official workshop area to craft the sprayers. Then, he would sell the good-quality spray machines at a cheap price, so that he could also obtain additional income besides his official pay. Compared to the products that the commoners sold privately that required paying a large amount of taxes, the official products would definitely be able to be at an affordable price. Cui Shize was idealistic, but Yang Gongbing frowned and was worried that he would be reported for using his official authority to accumulate wealth. Moreover, there were not many people in Woqian Town, and the market size was too small. It would cost money to build a workshop area, and he had to gather the various equipment needed by the carpenters. If the carpenters¡¯ homes were very far away, he had to build another house for them to rest and give the carpenters a stable salary. The capital cost was too huge, and Yang Gongbing felt that it was a little unfeasibe. However, Cui Shize asked him to report to Qu Yuanxian. If Qu Yuanxian agreed, he would pay for the construction of the workplace. If the market in Woqian Town was not large enough, they would expand the business into the market in Pingyang County. As the county head of Pingyang County, Qu Yuanxian would be willing to take responsibility for this matter if he knew about it. Yang Gongbing had noted down the accounts clearly, proving that he did not implement his idea just because of his personal gain. As for the money that was earned, it would become the income of the government and allow the workshop area to expand smoothly. If Yang Gongbing used the money he earned to buy the recipe for cleaning paper from Madam Bai and build a cleaning paper workshop, he could let the use of cleaning paper reach thousands of households. Cui Shize could already imagine the peace and prosperity of the entire state. If the construction of the sprayer workshop could be implemented smoothly, other projects could also be carried out in the same way. Not only would it allow the people to earn money to improve their livelihood, it would not delay their farming and cause the higher-ups to blame them. Cui Shize wanted to fund the spray machine workshop area for Woqian Town for free, which touched Yang Gongbing deeply. He no longer had any concerns. When he returned to Woqian Town, he immediately wrote an official document and mailed it along with Cui Shize¡¯s letter and the blueprint and samples of the spray machine. When Qu Yuanxian received the letter, he had just been made difficult by the new magistrate of Luochuan Prefecture, You Huaijie. He told Qu Yuanxian that before the end of this year, the income of Pingyang County must increase by more than 20%. You Huaijie was someone that Si Huihua had specially promoted so that he could deal with Qu Yuanxian. If he did not do his job well, his ¡°good deed¡± in Anning County would be exposed. How could he not do as he was instructed? Moreover, as a county head, he could not stand Qu Yuanxian, who was more capable than him in every aspect. Now that he had become Qu Yuanxian¡¯s immediate superior, if Qu Yuanxian did not show any true ability, he would be replaced and let his nephew take his position. How was it possible for the income to increase by 20% during the period when Ling Kingdom had placed a restriction on businesses! It would already be considered good if the income did not fall. Qu Yuanxian was willing to give up on this task. If You Huaijie had the guts, he could just fire him. After receiving the items from Woqian Town and reading the letter, Qu Yuanxian immediately got the servants to fill the spray machine with water. Following the operating steps on the letter, he raised the spray rod and watered the plants in the garden. The water flowing within his control made his eyes brighter and brighter. After thinking for a moment, he made up his mind. He was going to do it! Once the workshop built in Woqian Town was successful, he would build a few spray machine workshops in Pingyang County and sell them to the Ling Kingdom. The money earned from selling the sprayers would definitely increase the income of the entire Pingyang County! Yang Gongbing quickly received Qu Yuanxian¡¯s reply. Not only did he agree to open an official workshop area, he also took the initiative to allocate funds for Yang Gongbing to build a spray machine workshop. This way, there was no need for Cui Shize to fund it. Yang Gongbing told Cui Shize the good news. After some discussion, he chose to build the spray machine workshop area on the Jade Spiritual Mountain beside Youjia Village. The Jade Spiritual Mountain was rich in wood material. With the permission of Yang Gongbing, the workshop could use it. If one joined a workshop personally run by an official, they would be able to take on the enviable title of an employee under the officials. Moreover, the salary was not low. After deducting the monthly profit from every sprayer, one could even get a commission. The best thing was that the officials also provided accommodation and two meals a day. There was also a New Year¡¯s gift annually. If one was hired, it would prove that their carpentry skills were the best in the town and that the officials approved of them. How honorable would that be. There was a notice that the sprayer workshop was recruiting workers. Anyone who knew some woodworking skills could sign up. There were also many people who did not know woodworking. When they received the news, they even spent a lot of money to find a carpenter to tutor them overnight in order to get the job. After learning a little, they immediately joined the selection process. Zhao Sheng had too much work on his hands. The thing that made him the most nervous was carving of the living word printing technique. However, he was the person with the most exquisite craftsmanship in the entire town. He was the first person to build a spray machine. Yang Gongbing asked him to be an interviewer, so he had no choice but to put aside the carving of the living word printing technique for the time being. The interview questions he set were also very simple. He gave them a component and asked everyone to make something for ten hours. After ten hours, he would inspect it. Those who qualified could enter the workshop and become official carpenters. He would then choose some apprentice workers from the remaining people. Although it was just an inconspicuous spray rod, the design inside was very exquisite. After five hours, only three people had completely met Zhao Sheng¡¯s requirements. The rest of them had polished themselves very well, but their comprehension skills were still lacking. With a little more training, they could also become official workers. Liu Niu felt that he was the most skilled carpenter in the town. He did not expect that not only did he not pass, he would even be surpassed by three unknown fellows. He even had to learn with the others and could still enter the workshop. He felt insulted and was extremely dissatisfied with Zhao Sheng. However, because Yang Gongbing was sitting beside Zhao Sheng, he had no choice but to endure his anger. When he got home, everyone surrounded him and asked, ¡°Father, you¡¯ve been chosen, right?¡± Their father¡¯s skills were so good that it was impossible not to chosen. Liu Niu glanced at them and said unhappily, ¡°I have been chosen. Once the workshop is built, I can go to work.¡± Liu Niu¡¯s woodworking skills were good. He usually took on some work from rich families and his salary was not less than that of Yang Gongbing. However, Liu Niu¡¯s son, Liu Chi, was a scholar and had become a private school teacher in town. While the two countries were at war, the imperial examination had been suspended for two years. He wanted to make a name for himself through the imperial examination, but he did not know how many more years it would take. He wanted to take the path recommended by Yang Gongbing and become an official. Chapter 145 - 145 Chosen, Right? 145 Chosen, Right? When Liu Chi heard that Yang Gongbing was going to build a spray machine workshop, and that it had great importance, he often went to the woodworking workshop to patrol. Then, he thought of his father and wanted to use this opportunity to connect him with Yang Gongbing. Hearing that Liu Niu had been chosen, the entire family heaved a sigh of relief. However, Madam Liu became worried. ¡°If you work in the workshop and can¡¯t take on other jobs, Chi¡¯er won¡¯t have enough money for his daily expenses.¡± Liu Niu frowned and looked at his son. ¡°I have three days of rest every month. I¡¯ll take more work when I come back.¡± Three days of work was not enough for him to take on larger jobs. He could only take on menial tasks, but how was that enough for Liu Chi to spend? Madam Liu said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you not join them? Let¡¯s save some money and send Chi¡¯er to the academy. If he gets the dean¡¯s recognition, he can still become an official.¡± There were many people in the academy, and Liu Chi knew his own capabilities. He hurriedly said, ¡°Mother, Father, don¡¯t worry. My monthly salary has increased a little, and I¡¯ve even taken on some book copying jobs. With the New Year gifts given by the students, I have enough to spend. You don¡¯t have to worry. Father, go to the workshop and get familiar with the Lord. Perhaps it will be different for us next year. People will call you Madam and Master.¡± Over the years, Liu Chi had also secretly saved up a lot of money. His parents did not know about it and thought that he had spent it all. At the side, Liu Nuan hurriedly said, ¡°And I¡¯ll be the daughter of an official!¡± She would be able to marry a young talent of equal status and become an official¡¯s wife. When Liu Niu and Madam Liu heard Liu Chi¡¯s words, they felt relieved. Madam Liu said with heartache, ¡°Then pay attention to your eyes. If it is really insuffcient, get your sister to make more embroidered shoes.¡± Liu Nuan looked at Madam Liu unhappily. When she thought about how her brother could become an official and how she could also rise up the ranks, she endured it. Liu Chi was very emotionally intelligent. He patted Liu Yuan¡¯s head like a good brother who truly doted on his sister. ¡°Nuan¡¯er¡¯s eyes are even more important than mine. When Big Brother becomes an official, he will definitely prepare an expensive dowry for Nuan¡¯er and let you become the girl that everyone in Woqian Town envies.¡± Liu Nuan was extremely touched and quickly said, ¡°Brother, you don¡¯t have to copy more books. My hands are much faster now, so it¡¯s okay to sew a few more pairs of embroidered shoes.¡± Liu Chi was very touched and rejected Liu Nuan¡¯s good intentions. He turned around and left. Madam Liu grabbed Liu Nuan and asked her to fulfill her promise to sew a few more pairs of embroidered shoes to save some money for her brother so that she could become the sister of an official. Yang Gongbing deployed a lot of manpower and soon, the workshop was built. On the day Liu Niu went to work, Yang Gongbing would definitely go too. Liu Chi specially dressed up well and rented a carriage before dawn to set off for the Jade Spiritual Mountain. After walking for an hour, the carriage arrived at the entrance of the workshop. When they arrived, it was already dawn. The surroundings were filled with commoners who had come to watch the commotion, as well as carpenters who had come to report with large and small bags like Liu Niu. As soon as Liu Chi arrived, he asked around for the timing for Yang Gongbing¡¯s arrival. However, he learned that Yang Gongbing had arrived the day before and was resting in Youjia village that was not far away. He continued to ask around and learned that Yang Gongbing was related to Youjia Village. The people nearby often saw Yang Gongbing going to Youjia Village. Liu Chi¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up. He asked his father, ¡°Dad, do you have any friends in Youjia village?¡± Liu Niu even looked down on Zhao Sheng, so how could he be willing to interact with others? He said directly, ¡°I don¡¯t have any I¡¯m close to.¡± Liu Chi was anxious and complained to his father, ¡°Why don¡¯t you have anyone you are close to? Lord Yang is related to those workers in Youjia Village!¡± Liu Niu was stunned. No wonder Zhao Sheng could come to interview them at such a young age. He was related to Lord Yang. How could Liu Niu not tell that his son was blaming him? He said, ¡°I¡¯ll just get along with them in the future.¡± It would not mattered anymore in future! In order not to miss out on that day¡¯s great opportunity, Liu Chi quickly asked Liu Niu, ¡°Dad, is there a workmate in Youjia Village that you remember the name of?¡± Liu Niu said, ¡°Zhao Sheng.¡± Liu Chi took out the dried peanuts from his bag and the pot of hot tea that Liu Niu usually liked to drink. He said, ¡°Dad, let¡¯s go to Youjia Village to see your colleague. Give him some gifts and let him take good care of you in the future.¡± Liu Niu looked troubled and really did not want to lower his head to a young man. Liu Chi lowered his voice and said, ¡°Lord Yang is in Youjia Village now. If we build a good relationship with this workmate, it will be equivalent to getting involved with Lord Yang.¡± Liu Niu listened to his son¡¯s advice and walked towards Youjia Village while it was still early. At the fork in the road, Liu Chi saw the three words on the road sign. ¡°Brilliant characters! Brilliant characters!¡± Such brilliant handwritten characters must have been written by Lord Yang. Liu Chi immediately became nervous and excited. He quickened his pace with his father. After a while, they walked past a small forest and crossed a ditch. Liu Chi and Liu Niu were stunned when they saw the village in front of them. They froze. Every house had red walls and gray tiles. It was an amazing combination of art in gardening and rural countryside. They could not believe that this was just a village! Liu Chuan had been to the prefecture city for an exam previously, but he had never seen such a beautiful house. After a long time, he reacted and his eyes were filled with jealousy. If only he could become an official. If he could, he would definitely let his people live in a house that was like a peach blossom dock and be looked up to and respected by everyone. Liu Chi and his father admired the scenery along the way until they entered Youjia village. Suddenly, a big white dog ran fiercely towards him. Liu Chi had been bitten by a dog when he was young. He was most afraid of dogs. With a whoosh, he hung onto his father and said in panic, ¡°Dad! Quick, hit it with a rock!¡± As soon as Bai Wutong came out of the corner, he heard Liu Chi say that he wanted to kill Xiaobai with a rock. Immediately, her face darkened as she called out to Xiaobai. ¡°Xiaobai, come back.¡± Xiaobai grimaced and retreated. Liu Chi looked up and his eyes stopped moving. He¡­ seemed to have seen a fairy. Bai Wutong had fair skin, exquisite facial features, long black hair, and a slender but proportionate figure. Especially those lively black eyes. They were like the most dazzling stars in the sky. Liu Chi¡¯s heart pounded. With just a glance, he had fallen for her. He firmly believed that only a woman like Bai Wutong was worthy of him and she was the woman he wanted to marry. He came back to his senses and quickly jumped off his father. He pointed at Xiaobai, who was grimacing and looking fierce, and forced himself to calm down. ¡°Miss, be careful!¡± Bai Wutong looked at him coldly, but reached out to touch Xiaobai¡¯s head. ¡°Who are you?¡± As Yang Gongbing often went in and out of this place, the originally quiet village became more and more lively. There were often some people who wanted to pluck the flowers and saplings in their village after entering the village. That day, two people had even broken into their village and wanted to kill Xiaobai. Bai Wutong felt that it was necessary to set up a gate for Youjia village. Chapter 146 - 146 I Think I Saw a Fairy 146 I Think I Saw a Fairy Bai Wutong actually patted the big evil dog¡¯s head. Liu Chi¡¯s heart skipped a beat and he smiled awkwardly. ¡°We¡¯re here to look for a friend from a village. We got lost because we didn¡¯t know the way.¡± He then looked at Xiaobai and said sincerely, ¡°So it¡¯s your beloved pet. I was careless with my words. Please forgive me.¡± The aura around Bai Wutong was not like that of a village girl at all. It was even an understatement to describe her as a young lady from a wealthy family in town, yet she had such a vicious dog. Liu Chi glanced at Bai Wutong and thought to himself that after he married her, he would definitely find a chance to turn the evil dog that had embarrassed him into dog meat buns. No matter how good Youjia village¡¯s houses were, it was only a countryside. If Bai Wutong knew that his family lived in town and was a private school teacher, she would definitely be willing to marry him. Bai Wutong had seen the most sinister people. How could she not know what Liu Chi thought he had hidden well? Her lips curled into a god-like smile, but there was no warmth in her words. ¡°Indeed you were careless.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Liu Chi was a little stunned. Bai Wutong knew that they were lost. Shouldn¡¯t she be kind enough to bring them to visit Zhao Sheng? ¡®It¡¯s just a dog. Shouldn¡¯t you say you don¡¯t mind?¡¯ Liu Chi never expected her to say such a thing. He was rendered speechless. Bai Wutong turned around and left. Liu Chi still did not know her name and where she lived. In a moment of desperation, he called out to Bai Wutong, ¡°Miss, can you¡­¡± Before he could finish, Bai Wutong interrupted, ¡°No.¡± Liu Chi :¡±¡­¡± Liu Chi had passed the scholar examination at the age of 16. If not for his bad luck and the postponement of the imperial examination, he would have long become an official. Even so, he was still a young and promising talent in town and a respected private school teacher. Many girls had secretly fallen for him, but Liu Chi had asked his mother to reject them. He had seen the prosperity of the city and wanted to find a lady who was worthy of him. Who would have thought that he would actually fall into the hands of Bai Wutong? Even if Bai Wutong was rude and did not know etiquette, he still felt that she was straightforward and cute. He had completely forgotten that he used to hate such impolite women the most. Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t be bothered to talk to him anymore. She patted Xiaobai¡¯s head, and Xiaobai turned around and left Liu Chi¡¯s sight with Bai Wutong. If Liu Chi chased after her again, he would be harassing a girl. So he eventually stopped. He stood there in a daze. For a moment, he forgot his actual matters. Liu Niu, who had always been careless, could tell. ¡°You like that girl?¡± Liu Chi admitted, ¡°Yes.¡± Liu Niu felt that Bai Wutong was easy to raise, so he said directly, ¡°You¡¯re not young anymore. I¡¯ll go to Zhao Sheng¡¯s house later and ask around. If the two families are suitable, your mother will help you ask for her hand in marriage.¡± It was impossible for Zhao Sheng not to know about such a pretty girl. Liu Chi thought for a moment and said, ¡°Father, it¡¯s not good for you to step in. Let Mother do it. Don¡¯t alarm the girl.¡± There were two people fighting in Liu Chi¡¯s mind now. One was clamoring to marry an official¡¯s daughter, while the other was clamoring to marry the girl he loved. He decided to find out about Bai Wutong¡¯s family background first. It would be best if Bai Wutong family and Lord Yang¡¯s family were relatives. If not, so long as there were no troublesome matters in Bai Wutong¡¯s family and their conditions were not bad, he could still accept it. If the first two conditions did not meet his expectations, he had to think of a way to make Bai Wutong fall in love with him. When he became an official and married a wife, he would take her in as a concubine and let her enjoy his wealth. As he thought about it, Liu Chi smiled. Bai Wutong looked so good even though she was dressed so simply. If she wore luxurious jewelry, she would definitely be more dazzling than a princess. Zhao Erwa was followed by many other children. All of them were holding bamboo baskets and wanted to go into the forest to pick mulberry fruits. Madam Bai had said that she would give them five copper coins for a catty of mulberry fruits. If they picked more, they could exchange it for many, many copper coins. Liu Chi stood in front of Zhao Erwa and flicked his hair elegantly. ¡°How do I get to Carpenter Zhao¡¯s place?¡± Zhao Erwa sneered and said casually, ¡°So disgusting.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Liu Chi subconsciously sniffed his hair and looked puzzled. How was he disgusting? He had clearly washed his hair the previous night. He lowered his eyes and met the gaze of all the children who looked certain. Liu Chi sniffed again in confusion. He seemed to be a little oily. However, it was too late to wash his hair now. Liu Chi asked again, ¡°Young Master, may I know how to get to Carpenter Zhao¡¯s place?¡± Zhao Erwa asked warily, ¡°Why are you looking for our Uncle Zhao?¡± Liu Chi smiled and said, ¡°My father is a carpenter under your Uncle Zhao. I specially came to visit him today.¡± Hearing Liu Chi¡¯s answer, the children immediately lowered their guard. Liu Niu lowered his eyes unhappily. Liu Erwa narrowed his eyes and asked, ¡°Then what¡¯s in it for us to take you?¡± If they turned around and went back, they would waste a lot of time. The wasted time would allow them to pick fewer mulberries and lose a lot of copper coins. Leading the way was equivalent to losing money! Liu Chi was stunned again. Were all the children here so unkind? They were even thinking about their gains when leading the way. Seeing how petty he was, Zhao Erwa waved at the other children. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Liu Chi was afraid that he would be delayed and that another adult would come and ask for larger gains. He gritted his teeth and took out a copper coin from his sleeve. He smiled and said, ¡°Little Young Master, can you lead the way now?¡± Zhao Erwa frowned. ¡°Do you think we¡¯re beggars?¡± They moved quickly. During the time they were talking to him, they had already obtained five copper coins. He took out two more copper coins. ¡°See? I have more than you.¡± He even had a mocking expression on his face. Liu Chi did not expect this child to say such words, nor did he expect to be humiliated by a child with two copper coins. Liu Niu said unhappily, ¡°You child.¡± Before he could finish speaking, he was stopped by Liu Chi. He took out four copper coins from his sleeve and discussed, ¡°Young Master, what do you think of these gains?¡± The entire village had a close relationship with Lord Yang, and children could not be easily offended. So be it. It was just a few copper coins. Liu Niu looked pained when he saw him take out a few more copper coins. He had worked hard to make two wooden buckets, but he could only exchange it for 20 copper coins. Zhao Erwa saw that he had taken out another four copper coins. It was not bad to lead the way with five copper coins. He took the copper coins and smiled in satisfaction. Liu Chi thought that he could finally lead the way. However, Zhao Erwa said, ¡°Can¡¯t you see that there are eight of us? You have to pay a total of 40 copper coins.¡± 40 copper coins! Liu Niu was so angry that he vomited blood. ¡°Why don¡¯t you rob someone?¡± Zhao Erwa glared at them. ¡°This is a standard price. If you don¡¯t want to give it to me, forget it. I don¡¯t want to take you there.¡± With that, he threw a few coins to the ground. However, Liu Chi was shocked that such a young child could actually calculate something as difficult as 40 copper coins for eight people in an instant. Moreover, he even used an idiom very skillfully. Were children nowadays so smart? He didn¡¯t seem to be able to do it when he was this age. Chapter 147 - 147 Who Is That Girl? 147 Who Is That Girl? After Liu Chi recovered from his shock, he hurriedly picked up the five copper coins and chased after them. He took out the money bag from his pocket and carefully counted 35 copper coins before handing them to each child. He said with a fake smile, ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to trouble you all Young Masters and Misses.¡± It would be embarrassing if people found out that he couldn¡¯t even bear to take out five coins for a child. Especially at this moment, he had to make Lord Yang have a good impression of him. If these children were to spout nonsense in front of Lord Yaard, it would not be just 40 copper coins. Liu Niu was so angry that he wanted to stop him. Liu Chi whispered in his ear that they were the children of Lord Yang¡¯s relatives, so Liu Niu could only admit defeat. The children each received five copper coins. Zhao Erwa waved her hand and said, ¡°Come with us!¡± His aura was even more imposing than the king of mountain. Liu Chi even suspected that they had entered a bandit den and encountered a group of little bandits. After following the little children for two steps, Liu Chi saw a group of people walking over from the front. Beside the fat old man in the middle was a young man in an official robe. Liu Chi quickly realized that the young man must be Lord Yang. Only Lord Yang could wear an official robe. He immediately adjusted his expression and prepared to walk up to meet Lord Yang. Before he could take a step, he saw Bai Wutong appear from another path around the corner. In addition to the vicious dog, there was also a tall man holding a child. Just his back view made him feel extremely intimidated. Liu Chi stared at Bai Wutong. She looked so young, so she shouldn¡¯t be married, let alone have children. How could a woman who had given birth look like Bai Wutong? Liu Chi forced himself to calm down. It should be just a coincidence. The children saw Zhao Sheng in the crowd and ran over to greet happily. Zhao Erwa tugged at Zhao Sheng¡¯s sleeve and glanced at Liu Chi. ¡°Uncle Zhao, that person insisted on giving us five copper coins to lead the way to your house.¡± When Liu Chi heard Liu Erwa¡¯s words, he vomited blood in his heart. If you don¡¯t know how to speak, don¡¯t speak! It made it seem like he was forcing them to lead the way with copper coins. Everyone looked at Liu Chi in unison, their eyes filled with disapproval. Liu Chi: ¡°¡­¡± Actually, he was the one who had the greatest disapproval. Everyone only gave him a glance before their attention was attracted by Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao. Yang Gongbing asked Bai Wutong, ¡°Where are Madam and Master going?¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°I found a few hairy cherry trees and plan to pick some to make cherry sauce.¡± Yang Gongbing had eaten the biscuits baked by Bai Wutong and knew that not only was Bai Wutong talented in other areas, her culinary skills were also very good. He immediately praised, ¡°Madam¡¯s cherry sauce must be very delicious.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°I also plan to make a few jars of cherry wine. I¡¯ll give one to you someday.¡± Yang Gongbing had never drunk cherry-flavored fruit wine. If it was made by Bai Wutong, it would definitely be better. He smiled and said, ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Madam Bai. I¡¯ll help you water it later.¡± When Liu Chi, who was ignored, heard Yang Gongbing address Bai Wutong as Madam and his tone was rather respectful, he was petrified on the spot. When he heard that Yang Gongbing was actually going to water the tree at Bai Wutong¡¯s house personally, his entire person felt like splitting again. He looked at the other people who were not surprised, and seemed to feel that it was only right. After his shock, he looked at the man beside Bai Wutong. Chu Tianbao turned around. His side profile stunned Liu Chi. He felt that he himself was already considered handsome-looking. But compared to Chu Tianbao, he was like a manure pit on the ground looking up at Mount Everest. How could he have the face to say that he was handsome-looking? Liu Chi had only noticed Chu Tianbao¡¯s face . When his gaze met Chu Tianbao¡¯s deep eyes, the unseen killing intent from him seemed to have instantly transformed into a huge hand that was strangling his neck. Liu Chi was so frightened that he quickly looked away. He had clearly hid himself well and did not dare to look at Bai Wutong for too long. It should not be possible for him to be discovered. Liu Chi was frightened by Chu Tianbao¡¯s cold gaze. Bai Wutong had already left with Chu Tianbao, but he still did not dare to look up. When he came back to his senses, the hateful little brat was still saying, ¡°Hey, my Uncle Zhao has already left. Are you still going to Uncle Zhao¡¯s house?¡± A trace of ruthlessness flashed in Liu Chi¡¯s eyes. In the end, he suppressed his anger and said, ¡°Yes! Why not?!¡± Then he said to Liu Niu, who had just met the Lord and was a little at a loss, ¡°Dad, Lord Yang has gone to the workshop. They will be taking attendance soon later. Hurry up and follow him. I¡¯ll bring the gifts to pay a visit at the Zhao family.¡± Since he was already here and had even spent 40 copper coins, he had to at least find out which family Lord Yang was related to and rope in the Zhao family so that they could take care of Liu Niu. If he could, it would be even better if he could introduce Liu Niu to Lord Yang. From what he saw just now, Zhao Sheng seemed to be someone who could speak in front of Lord Yang. Apart from that, Liu Chi was also very curious about the couple that even Lord Yang had been so respectful towards. He secretly felt regretful. It was not easy for him to fancy a woman, but she was already married and had a child. In his mind, he suddenly recalled Bai Wutong¡¯s beautiful eyes looking at him. Liu Chi¡¯s heart skipped a beat. If only she was willing to be his concubine. Liu Chi followed the group of children for a while. Suddenly, the bell-like tone of a woman¡¯s voice came from under the rose bushes. He subconsciously stopped and turned around. Suddenly, his heart started beating violently again. There was a group of women in front of the rose bushes. The beautiful woman in the middle was surrounded by everyone. She was dressed in a white dress and had a pink rose in her hand. She leaned her nose close and took a deep breath. She seemed just like a fairy. Even the butterflies were drawn to her and were dancing around her. Her beauty was soul-stirring. He blurted out automatically, ¡°Who is that lady?¡± Zhao Erwa followed his dazed eyes and saw Cui Lingyi. He smiled brightly and said, ¡°It¡¯s the fragrant Madam Cui!¡± Liu Chi immediately came back to his senses and asked in disbelief, ¡°Madam?¡± The children behind Zhao Erwa nodded in unison. ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s Madam Cui!¡± Little Peach said in surprise, ¡°I saw my mother. Madam Cui must be teaching my mother how to make fragrance. This way, I can also smell as fragrant as Madam Cui in the future.¡± In that instant, Liu Chi heard his heart break. The two women he had taken a fancy to were already married! Even though he knew that Cui Lingyi was already married, Liu Chi still could not take his eyes off her. Cui Lingyi sensed that someone was looking at her. She looked up and caught Liu Chi staring at her like a fool. She frowned unhappily and moved swiftly to the other side of the rose bush. The beautiful figure disappeared, whereas Liu Chi¡¯s soul seemed to have been stolen away. When Zhao Erwa brought him to the entrance of Village Chief Zhao¡¯s house, he was still looking distracted. When Auntie Yang heard Little Peach shout that there was a guest, she quickly came out of the house. When she saw Liu Chi, she was stunned for a moment. Chapter 148 - 148 How Dare You Look Down On Our Master Chu? 148 How Dare You Look Down On Our Master Chu? After Liu Chi reported his identity, Auntie Yang immediately welcomed him in. Liu Chi handed over the dried peanuts and the tea leaves that he had brought at the last minute. However, his gaze landed on the peanut crisp on Auntie Yang¡¯s table and the bright-colored Camellia tea in the cup. He was shocked. He knew that what he had brought was a little shabby, but he did not expect it to be even more shabby than he had imagined. For a moment, he did not know how to begin. Auntie Yang smiled and asked him to sit down. Liu Chi forced himself to stay calm and sit down on the soft cushion. He subconsciously glanced down. He realized that the seats and stools in Auntie Yang¡¯s house were very special. The seats and benches that should have been flat and smooth were wrapped in something soft. The structure of the chairs had become much simpler. He shifted his buttocks slightly, guessing that it had been padded with some straw and stitched with cotton wool or something on the surface. Although it was a little strange, his butt was indeed very comfortable. He didn¡¯t feel like it was hard at all. As a carpenter¡¯s son, he immediately realized that if these cushioned seats were sold, the wealthy families would definitely think that it was a novelty item and would fight to buy one. If it was in a county or prefecture city, there would be even more people customizing such soft tables and chairs. If his father did not work in the Spray Machine Workshop and specially made this cushioned chair, he would definitely make a huge profit. Liu Chi thought so, but he did not dare to do so. Zhao Sheng and Lord Yang were so close. If he found out, it would definitely affect his future career as an official. He was still hoping that Lord Yang would give him a recommendation spot every year. Liu Chi¡¯s words were pleasant and he deliberately flattered Zhao Sheng. Auntie Yang was so happy that she could not stop smiling. She was also quite proud that she had such an outstanding son. After the topic was brought up, Liu Chi began to quietly probe why Lord Yang would appear in Youjia Village. Auntie Yang had been the wife of the village chief for so many years and was even so many years older than him. Liu Chi beat around the bush to ask about Lord Yang, but she could tell that he had an ulterior motive. The smile on her face immediately disappeared. After that, no matter how Liu Chi asked or beat around the bush, he was cleverly blocked by Auntie Yang. He could also tell that Auntie Yang did not want to tell him. He scolded the old woman in his heart for not knowing how to appreciate favors. She must be afraid that his father would be so outstanding at carpentry that he would replace Zhao Sheng in Lord Yang¡¯s heart in the future. Since he had already spent the money, Liu Chi did not want to return empty-handed. He changed the topic and said, ¡°When I came, I saw the strong man who was carrying a boy. I believe his martial arts must be extraordinary. Official Li still lacks a head of guards in his residence. If he¡¯s willing, I can recommend him.¡± As a guard at Official Li¡¯s house, he would earn quite a bit of money a month. It was about the same as Liu Chi¡¯s monthly salary as a teacher. He really felt that his recommendation was not bad. Unexpectedly, when Auntie Yang heard him mention Chu Tianbao, her face immediately darkened. ¡°I still have to farm, so I won¡¯t keep Scholar Liu any further.¡± Master Chu could even work as a general. Who was this kid looking down on? He even looked so smug. Liu Chi was stunned. He had only mentioned a sentence. Yet he was suddenly chased out, along with a packet of dried peanuts and the tea leaves that he had delivered to their door. After chasing him out, Auntie Yang retorted sarcastically, ¡°Scholar Liu, these things of yours are too expensive. We can¡¯t afford to accept them.¡± Liu Chi was ashamed and resentful, but he was unwilling to return empty-handed. He wanted to ask around, but he saw Auntie Yang, who had gone out from the back door, chatting with people under the big banyan tree. She told the aunties under the tree what he had said about hiring Chu Tianbao as a guard. The aunties¡¯ voices were all extremely loud. They even criticized him in unison, ¡°Who does he think he is? How dare he look down on our Master Chu?¡± ¡°Master Chu can knock down 50 scholars with one finger.¡± ¡°Hahaha, even without a finger, our Master Chu can win 100 scholars with just his face.¡± Liu Chi¡¯s face turned green with anger. What kind of ignorant village women were this? All things could be compared, but knowledge was superior. How dare she look down on him! If not for his fear of Lord Yang, Liu Chi really wanted to not care about his image and argue with this group of gossipy women. Liu Chi was considered a person with some reputation in Woqian Town. He had never suffered such humiliation today. He left Youjia Village in exasperation and did not pay attention to his steps. He tripped on the canal and the tea leaves in his arms fell to the ground. Liu Chi also fell into the canal in a sorry state. He climbed awkwardly out of the water and picked up the soaked peanuts. He looked back at the headboard with the characters ¡®Youjia village¡¯ and gritted his teeth in hatred. This lousy place must be at odds with him. When he became a high-ranking official, he would definitely think of a way to tear this place down. He was drenched. When the cold wind blew, Liu Chi could only shiver and sneeze. It would be terrible if he got sick just like that. He hurriedly ran to Liu Niu¡¯s dormitory to change his clothes. In the end, he met the boastful Shi Dashou from Lintian Village. Shi Dashou¡¯s face was red as he spoke and his saliva flew. ¡°In the blink of an eye, the villagers¡¯ hair on the top was shaved off by that person with a sword.¡± The person who had heard him brag said in disbelief, ¡°You must be talking about a spirit! How can a person be so fast!¡± Shi Dashou quickly proved that he was not lying. ¡°Did you see this? There¡¯s only so little hair on my head. All the men in our village only have this amount of hair left. It was all shaved by that man from Youjia village. This is the evidence!¡± Liu Chi, who was originally not interested, had his eyes lit up when he heard the word ¡®Youjiia Village¡¯. He immediately walked towards him, saying that he wanted to buy him a drink. It was a waste not to drink free wine. The two of them sat down and ate an entire bag of damp peanuts in the dormitory. After a few glasses, Liu Chi had learnt everything Shi Dashou knew about having Youjia village. After learning that Lord Yang was close to the Cui family and that Cui Lingyi was a widow, Liu Chi¡¯s depressed heart was revived. So what if Cui Lingyi was a widow? Her father and Yang Gongbing were senior brothers. Just from this alone, even if Cui Lingyi was an ugly freak, she was still worth marrying. Besides, Cui Lingyi was not an ugly woman. She was an exquisite woman. He had heard that women who had married before were more fun in bed. He wondered if it was true. As he thought about it, Liu Chi¡¯s gaze became lustful. His mind was dizzy, and Bai Wutong¡¯s cold face flashed in his mind. Thinking that Chu Tianbao was just a fool with strong martial arts, he smiled foolishly. When he became a high-ranking official, he would definitely make her divorce the fool and become his beautiful concubine. With two beautiful women serving him, Liu Chi felt like he was floating. He could not help but take off his pants. Liu Niu and his colleague returned to the dormitory and pushed open the door. When they saw the scene in front of them, they exclaimed, which immediately drew more people to watch. Chapter 149 - 149 Be My Wife For Life 149 Be My Wife For Life Liu Niu recovered from his shock and quickly stood up. With a bang, he separated himself from his roommate and the others who were watching the commotion. Liu Niu was so angry that his face turned ashen. All these years, his wife had been asking for a wife for his son, but he did not agree. It turned out that it was not because of his health, but because of his sexual preference! He lifted Liu Chi and slapped him a few times. Liu Chi¡¯s face was burning with pain. He was completely awake. When he saw his lower body clearly and saw Shi Dashou, who had just woken up and was bare-legged, the images from earlier flashed in his mind. His eyes widened in disbelief and the thing in his stomach surged. He vomited. Caught off guard, Shi Dashou was vomited all over. Shi Dashou hurriedly wiped with Liu Chi¡¯s pants. The scene was even more unsightly. Everyone¡¯s laughter came from outside the door. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this Scholar Liu to have such a strange taste.¡± Liu Chi thought of how he had lost all his image, his face was completely distorted. He no longer looked like a gentleman. He raised his leg and kicked Shi Dashou without hesitation. ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Shi Dashou screamed miserably and rolled to the ground with a pale face. Liu Chi¡¯s anger had yet to subside when he kicked him a few more times. His scarlet gaze was as if he wanted to kill someone quickly. Although Liu Niu was angry that Liu Chi and Shi Dashou had done such a thing in the dormitory, Liu Chi would still be beheaded if he killed a person. He quickly stopped Liu Chi. ¡°Enough, enough. If you continue fighting, someone will die. Quickly put on your pants and get back to town. Don¡¯t come here again.¡± If not for the fact that he could not resign, Liu Niu would have wanted to leave with Liu Chi. It was too embarrassing to stay here. He would have to face a lot of gossip. Liu Chi had just thought of a way to get the recommendation letter from Yang Gongbing. He could not let that day¡¯s incident affect him. He kicked Shi Dashou, who was twitching on the ground in disgust, and threatened condescendingly, ¡°Hurry up and put your pants on. Come out with me and explain. We only fainted together because we accidentally hit our heads while changing.¡± Although most people would not believe it, this was still an explanation. When he found someone to go to the Cui family to propose marriage, the matchmaker would still have an explanation. Shi Dashou did not stand up. Instead, he covered his legs and kept moaning. ¡°My manhood¡­¡± Liu Niu and Liu Chi looked at each other. Liu Chi said impatiently, ¡°Don¡¯t play dead. Believe it or not, we¡¯ll send you to the authorities!¡± Shi Dashou was really not pretending. It was so painful that he could not get up at all. Liu Chi turned him around and was stunned when he saw the abnormal color between his legs. ¡°Father, what should we do?¡± If Shi Dashou¡¯s became crippled, he would definitely cling to their family for the rest of his life. If word got out, his son could forget about becoming an official. Liu Niu thought about it in a panic and immediately had an idea. ¡°Put on his pants. Follow what you said just now, it¡¯s just that he fell more seriously and needs to find a doctor immediately.¡± Losing one¡¯s manhood was no different from killing the entire family. Shi Dashou could not become a eunuch. As for whether others believed such a lousy excuse, he did not care. Liu Chi¡¯s hands trembled as he helped Shi Dashou put on his pants. Liu Niu said, ¡°I¡¯ll go find a carriage. Carry him out first.¡± Liu Chi did not want to carry Shi Dashou, nor did he want to go out and be pointed at. He held his father¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Father, I¡¯ll go find a carriage. You carry him.¡± Liu Niu said, ¡°Okay.¡± Shi Dashou, whose face was cramping from the pain, took a deep breath and said with difficulty, ¡°Don¡¯t go to town. Go to Youjia Village! There¡¯s a doctor in a village who¡¯s especially skilled!¡± Shi Dashou thought that although he was not good-looking and had yet to marry a wife, he was already an apprentice working for the official family. He would definitely be able to get a wife in the future. If Liu Chi crippled him, he would ruin Liu Chi¡¯s reputation and make him his wife for the rest of his life! No one would have a good life! Hearing that there was a doctor with brilliant medical skills in the village, Liu Niu revealed a trace of joy. He comforted himself that as long as he invited the doctor over in time, Wang Dashou would definitely be fine. Liu Chi¡¯s expression changed. He pulled his father back and hurriedly shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t go. If I go, my reputation will be ruined. Lord Yang will also know.¡± The gossipy women from Youjia village would definitely make everyone know. When Shi Dashou heard Liu Chi¡¯s words, the intense pain from his lower body made him furious. ¡°If you don¡¯t carry me now, I might lose my manhood. I¡¯ll shout loudly now. About how tender is the butt of the delicate Scholar Liu! I still have to report to the authorities and make you go to jail!¡± Liu Chi panicked and hurriedly said, ¡°Don¡¯t scream. I¡¯ll get my father to find the doctor from Youjia village now!¡± Shi Dashou could not become crippled. If he was sued by him, even if he did not go to jail, he would be blamed for the rest of his life. If that was the case, there was really no point in living anymore. As long as he treated Shi Dashou and silenced the doctor, everyone would definitely forget about it after some time. When the time came for him to propose marriage, if the Cui family asked, he would deny that this matter had ever happened. When he married Cui Lingyi, he would be able to cover up all the accidents that day by giving birth to a few children. Liu Chi had already promised to go to Youjia village to invite the doctor, but before his father could open the door, Shi Dashou, who was gradually losing consciousness, roared, ¡°What inviting him over? it¡¯s going to take long for him to go and come back with the doctor. Hurry up and carry me!¡± Liu Chi really did not want to embarrass himself by going to Youjia Village. He had no choice but to compromise and let his father, Liu Niu, carry him. As soon as he opened the door, he saw a dense group of people blocking the exit. Everyone looked at Liu Chi and pointed at him. Some old bachelors even sized up Liu Chi¡¯s butt. Liu Chi felt humiliated. He clenched his fists and shouted, ¡°When Brother Shi and I were changing, we fell. Brother Wang wants to look for a doctor. Please make way.¡± They had fallen while changing clothes. How could it be such a coincidence? Instead of taking off the clothes on the upper body first, the two men had lost their pants first, and they had fallen together. No one believed him when he said that. Everyone sneered. It was a pity that they had returned late and did not see the most exciting scene. Liu Chi and the others finally left the dormitory. Many people were still following them. After Yang Gongbing and Zhao Sheng finished checking the results of everyone¡¯s work in the morning, they saw so many people following Liu Chi and the others and thought that something had happened. Yang Gongbing asked one of them, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Before that person could answer, the men who were watching the commotion rushed forward and added fuel to the fire. They told Yang Gongbing everything they had seen and heard. When Yang Gongbing heard this, he froze. He could not believe his ears. In broad daylight, two men had actually done such a thing in a newly built dormitory. He lowered his eyes. He was determined to find out the truth and punish him severely! Chapter 150 - 150 Why Do You Care?! 150 Why Do You Care?! Shi Dashou was a burly man who weighed more than 150 kilograms. Liu Niu was at his limits when he carried him to the entrance of Youjia village. Liu Niu panted heavily. ¡°Chi¡¯er, you carry him for a while.¡± Liu Chi was unwilling to have any more contact with Shi Dashou. Shi Dashou cursed, ¡°Why are you dawdling! If I¡¯m crippled, you¡¯ll have to serve me for the rest of your life!¡± Liu Chi really wanted to stab him to death. For the sake of his career, he could only grit his teeth and endure it. Liu Chi had never even lifted a bucket of water since he was young. With his trembling body, he carried Shi Dashou and almost broke his back. Shi Dashou even cursed in his ear, ¡°Useless!¡± Liu Chi did not say a word. When Shi Dashou saw the respected scholar swallow his anger in front of him, he was in a good mood. The pain in his body seemed to have eased a little. When his manhood recovered, he would have to settle some scores with the scholar. Liu Chi wanted to find a doctor as soon as possible. His body erupted with energy and he finally carried Shi Dashou with stability. When Liu Niu saw someone, he ran to the front and asked Village Chief Zhao, ¡°Brother, where is your village doctor? Quickly help us save him.¡± Village Chief Zhao asked them to follow him to the pharmacy to look for Doctor Gu. On the way, he glanced at Shi Dashou and asked casually, ¡°Where is he injured?¡± The three of their expressions changed. Liu Niu stammered, ¡°It just hurts suddenly.¡± Saving a person was more important, so Village Chief Zhao did not think too much about it. After bringing them to the pharmacy, Village Chief Zhao wanted to go in together, but Liu Niu stopped him. ¡°Brother, thank you so much. Let¡¯s not disturb the doctor¡¯s treatment. Let¡¯s wait for them outside.¡± Liu Chi thought that if he stopped Village Chief Zhao, fewer people would know. However, the moment he entered, he saw dozens of tall and cold men in the medicinal shed. Immediately, he was dumbfounded. Why were there so many people here? That day was the day that the guards of the Dark Guards Team were coming to collect the antidote. Seeing so many people, Shi Dashou was afraid that he would have lost his manhood by the time it was his turn. He hurriedly shouted, ¡°Doctor! Doctor! Come and save my family!¡± Gu Zhongxun had not heard such urgent shouting in a long time. He calmly stood up and handed the task of distributing the antidote to Zhao Lei, who had become his assistant. As soon as Gu Zhongxun went out, he saw Wang Dashou screaming on the ground. After a few glances, he asked directly, ¡°Is it your manhood in pain?¡± As soon as he said this, the secret guards looked at Shi Dashou¡¯s crotch in unison. When Qingfeng, who had just received the antidote, heard this, her expression was calm. However, Lin Yue¡¯s face was filled with panic. He covered Qingfeng¡¯s ears and wished he could grow two more hands to cover her eyes. Qingfeng¡¯s cold voice sounded. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Lin Yue said shyly, ¡°None of your business!¡± The other secret guards: ¡°¡­¡± They felt that the commander and Guard Lin were acting strange. Gu Zhongxun saw through Shi Dashou¡¯s condition at a glance. Liu Chi clenched his fists and glanced at the inner room. ¡°Doctor, it¡¯s not convenient for him to be treated here. Can he go into the inner room?¡± It was indeed inconvenient for him to treat his injuries here. Gu Zhongxun nodded. ¡°Help him in.¡± Gu Zhongxun looked at Shi Dashou¡¯s injuries. Shi Dashou was about to cry as he shouted, ¡°Doctor, is there any hope? Can it still be used in the future?¡± Gu Zhongxun nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll apply some medicine for you and after taking some medicine, it shouldn¡¯t affect you too much.¡± As soon as he said this, Liu Chi heaved a sigh of relief even more than Shi Dashou. If Shi Dashou was fine, it would not affect his career. As soon as the rumors died down, he would find someone to propose marriage. Gu Zhongxun asked Zhao Lei to apply medicine to Shi Dashou. As expected, he no longer felt pain. He felt cold and even felt a little refreshed. He wanted to pee. Gu Zhongxun wrote down the prescription and quickly prepared the medicine for him. Shi Dashou happily took the prescription and medicine bag and said excitedly, ¡°Sir, you¡¯re really a divine doctor!¡± In such a short time, he had actually cured him. He had glanced down just now and his heart had gone cold. Gu Zhongxun¡¯s medical skills were much better than those bullsh*t doctors in town. Gu Zhongxun smiled gently. ¡°A total of 10 taels and six coins.¡± ¡°10 taels and six coins?!! Why don¡¯t you rob someone?¡± Shi Dashou blurted out. He did not even have one tael of silver in his entire fortune, and that was the money he had saved up for marrying a wife. Most of the medicinal herbs that Gu Zhong found were picked from the mountains or bought by Sheng Huaixuan with money. 10 taels and six coins was already cheap. After all, the herbs he needed for treatment were rare. However, Shi Dashou thought that Gu Zhongxun must be scamming someone. Gu Zhongxun took a simple glance and cured him. How could he ask for so much money? As soon as he shouted, the guards of the Dark Guards Team rushed into the inner room. Even though they did not have a weapon in their hands, everyone¡¯s murderous gazes suddenly sent a chill down Shi Dashou¡¯s spine. He recalled the fear of being diced into meat paste. Gu Zhongxun explained gently, ¡°The medicinal herbs in the prescription are all very rare. There¡¯s even mung-scented deer antler¡­¡± He talked about a long list of expensive herbs. When Shi Dashou heard it, he felt that his manhood was priceless. However, he definitely could not fork out 10 taels of silver. However, it was impossible for him not to receive treatment. If there was any lingering illness, how could he explain it to the ancestors? He immediately turned his head to Liu Chi. ¡°He will pay!¡± 10 taels of silver! All of Liu Chi¡¯s private savings were only 15 taels. If he took out the money, what would he use in the future? Liu Chi did not want to take it out, not to mention that Shi Dashou had taken action first. He deserved it. Shi Dashou could tell that Liu Chi did not want to pay. He leaned close to him and lowered his voice to threaten, ¡°Do you want everyone to know? Or do you want me to sue you to the government?¡± A glint flashed across Shi Dashou¡¯s eyes. Not only did he want Liu Chi to pay for the medicine, but he also wanted Liu Chi to compensate him. How could he let Liu Chi go so easily?! Liu Chi understood the threat in Shi Dashou¡¯s eyes and really did not want to take out his private money. He remembered that his mother still had some money on hand, so he could only let her take it out first. Liu Chi said to Gu Zhongxun, ¡°Doctor, we came in a hurry and didn¡¯t bring any silver with us. Can we record it down first and send you the silver tomorrow?¡± If all the herbs in the prescription were Gu Zhongxun¡¯s, he would have given them the herbs. However, everyone had worked hard to pick these herbs, and Sheng Huaixuan had also bought them. Gu Zhongxun shook his head. ¡°You can come back tomorrow to collect the medicine then.¡± Many patients would not send the silver back at all after receiving the medicine. If Gu Zhongxun went to ask for it personally, they would either act pitiful or shamelessly. Liu Chi did not expect Gu Zhongxun to be so heartless. He was speechless. However, Shi Dashou did not give in. He was afraid that Liu Chi would go back on his word. ¡°No, let your father get the money now!¡± Chapter 151 - 151 Hes Intentionally Trying to Implicate Me 151 He¡¯s Intentionally Trying to Implicate Me Liu Chi wished he could slap him away. He met Shi Dashou¡¯s threatening gaze, and he had no choice but to submit. He had never suffered so much in his life. When he found a chance, he would teach Shi Dashou a lesson. Before Liu Chi came out of the pharmacy, Yang Gongbing had already come over with his men. When Liu Niu saw Yang Gongbing appear with a grim expression, he immediately panicked. On the day of work, his son had done something dirty in the dormitory. Those meddlesome people must have heard about it. Liu Niu was as anxious as an ant on a stove. He quickly opened the door of the pharmacy and went inside to find Liu Chi. He said in a panic, ¡°Chi¡¯er, Lord! Lord is here!¡± Shi Dashou was also a little flustered. He had done such a thing in broad daylight, and it was in the dormitory of the workshop that had just started construction. Lord Yang would definitely punish him! When Gu Zhongxun heard them shouting that Lord Yang was here and was so flustered, he could not help but wonder if they had committed some crime and Lord Yang was coming to arrest them. Liu Chi had already thought it through. If Lord Yang pursued the matter, he would insist to death that they had only fallen while changing their clothes. Liu Chi leaned close to Shi Dashou and warned, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to be punished, listen to me obediently. No matter what others say or how Lord Yang asks, we only fell accidentally when we were changing!¡± It was good that Lord Yang had come at this time. As long as Lord Yang believed it, he would be able to stop everyone from talking. It was useless for Shi Dashou to threaten him with this in the future. He could save on the medical fees. Shi Dashou also would not dare to go to Lord Yang and confess in future. It did not matter if his reputation was bad. As a man, as long as he married Cui Lingyi and gave birth to a boy and girl, he would naturally be able to make everyone forget about this matter. At that time, he would ask her father to put in a good word for him in front of Lord Yang. He would definitely be able to obtain a recommendation letter. Liu Chi¡¯s heart was pounding, and he could only comfort himself like this. Sure enough, Shi Dashou was intimidated. He nodded frantically. This was the first time Village Chief Zhao had seen such a serious expression on Yang Gongbing¡¯s face. He couldn¡¯t help but ask Zhao Sheng, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡®Did the work progress at the workshop not go well?¡¯ No, Zhao Sheng had just told him yesterday that everything was going well. Zhao Sheng shook his head and gestured for Village Chief Zhao to stop talking. Yang Gongbing asked someone to call Liu Niu and his son, Shi Dashou, out. Shi Dashou was trembling from fear of the officials, and so was Liu Niu. Fortunately, Liu Chi pinched his wrist hard to prevent him from panicking. Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao returned with two baskets of hairy cherries and saw many people gathered around the empty field where the children were usually playing. When she brought Chu Tianbao over, Auntie Yang leaned over and whispered in her ear that Liu Chi and Shi Dashou had done that thing in the dormitory. Bai Wutong had heard of all sorts of things while alive. Even if they couldn¡¯t control themselves, they should judge the situation. They actually did it on the first day of the workshop¡¯s opening. If such a dirty matter were to spread outside, Yang Gongbing would lose face. He might even be blamed for his carelessness and reported for being incompetent. It would even severely affect his political reputation and make it difficult for him to be promoted. It was originally a good day, but it was messed up by Liu Chi and Shi Dashou. Yang Gongbing asked angrily, ¡°Liu Chi! Shi Dashou! Hurry up and tell me what you did in the dormitory!¡± When Shi Dashou heard Yang Gongbing say his name, he was so frightened that he knelt on the ground and hurriedly trembled. ¡°Sir, I didn¡¯t do anything.¡± Liu Chi said, ¡°Sir, the rumors are all fake. I fell into the canal and accidentally fell when I was changing. The guards guarding the dormitory must have seen that my clothes were wet and can prove my innocence.¡± Yang Gongbing¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°You changed your clothes? Did he change his clothes too?¡± Liu Chi was stunned and quickly reacted. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Brother Shi to suddenly change clothes.¡± Yang Gongbing sneered. ¡°Then why are you sleeping together again? And there are even wine bottles on the ground?!¡± The moment that was said, everyone was in an uproar. Fortunately, the children were all chased to the side to play. Liu Chi clenched his fists. ¡°Sir, it was all an accident. We fell and hit our heads, so we fainted together.¡± He looked at Shi Dashou, who was sweating all over, and hurriedly said, ¡°Brother Shi fell more seriously. When my father came back and found out, he woke me up and immediately sent him here to find a doctor. I wouldn¡¯t dare to lie to you.¡± Everyone looked unconvinced. How could there be such a coincidence? When Lord Yang heard him finish, his gaze landed on his face, but it deepened. ¡°Does that mean you did a good deed and saved Shi Dashou?¡± Yang Gongbing¡¯s deep voice was extremely oppressive. Liu Chi forced himself to calm down and nodded. Shi Dashou quickly lowered his head and nodded. But Yang Gongbing suddenly said angrily, ¡°How dare you deceive me!¡± Liu Chi trembled. Was he wrong? Yang Gongbing looked at him coldly. ¡°Bring the witnesses and physical evidence!¡± Bao Zhaoshan came forward with physical evidence and witnesses. Everyone crowded to the front to see what physical evidence there was. For such an unsightly case, the protagonist was a carpenter and a scholar. If they really did that, they would be gossiped about for the rest of their lives. Hearing the words ¡®witnesses and physical evidence¡¯, Liu Chi felt a bone-chilling chill run down his spine. If he was convicted, not to mention marrying Cui Lingyi, he might even lose his position as a scholar. He finally panicked and quickly thought of a solution. Bai Wutong was still thinking what physical evidence it would be. Embarrassment flashed across her eyes as she pulled the curious Chu Tianbao away. Chu Tianbao hadn¡¯t watched the climax yet. He pouted and said, ¡°Wife, can we leave later?¡± How could Bai Wutong dare to let him learn such nonsense? She shook her head firmly. ¡°No!¡± Chu Tianbao puffed up his face. ¡°Wife ~¡± Bai Wutong pointed at the basket in his hand. ¡°Little cherries break easily. If we don¡¯t go back now, Tianbao won¡¯t be able to eat the best cherry sauce.¡± When Chu Tianbao heard this, he immediately took her hand and walked faster than she had just walked. What was more important than the best cherry sauce? As soon as they left, Bao Zhaoshan raised a porcelain bowl in front of everyone and opened the lid. Everyone craned their necks. When the men and women standing in front smelled the strong musky smell, their faces suddenly turned red. Who wouldn¡¯t understand what this was? Liu Chi¡¯s expression changed drastically. He did not expect Yang Gongbing to send someone to get such a thing as evidence. Shi Dashou was already paralyzed with fear. Before the witness could speak, he kept kowtowing to Yang Gongbing and said repeatedly, ¡°Sir, he was the one who took off his pants to seduce me first. I was drunk and saw him as a woman, so¡­¡± Liu Chi roared angrily, ¡°Shut up! This is not true. He deliberately wanted to implicate me!¡± Chapter 152 - 152 We Only Have These Mulberries 152 We Only Have These Mulberries Liu Chi raised his hand and swore again. ¡°I swear to the heavens that I am definitely not interested in a man!¡± Yang Gongbing¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Let the witness testify!¡± Liu Chi bit his lip and watched helplessly as a man in his fifties stood up. He glanced at the gloomy Liu Chi, not daring to say anything. Yang Gongbing pressured, ¡°Covering up for a criminal is equivalent to committing a crime. Yue San, you have to think carefully!¡± Yue San had never seen such a scene before. He immediately knelt down and glanced at Liu Chi. ¡°Sir, I¡¯m an apprentice in the workshop. I went back to the dormitory early. Coincidentally, Liu Niu¡¯s dormitory is next door, so I accidentally heard it.¡± This was actually true! It almost made everyone¡¯s jaws drop. At this point, he had already lost all his face. Liu Chi went all out and argued, ¡°Sir, what you hear is false. Seeing is believing. Don¡¯t believe his nonsense.¡± Liu Niu was afraid that his son would be punished, so he mustered his courage and said, ¡°Sir, my son was framed by them! He definitely wouldn¡¯t dare to do anything immoral!¡± Yang Gongbing said sternly, ¡°Seeing is believing. Bring other witnesses!¡± At the order, several men were brought forward by the officers. They were all colleagues who had returned to the dormitory with Liu Niu. They did not dare to lie to the officials for the sake of unrelated people. Before Yang Gongbing could speak, they took the initiative to say, ¡°Sir, we saw everything clearly when we returned to the dormitory with Liu Niu. Their relationship is not shallow. It was definitely not an accident.¡± Yang Gongbing looked at Liu Chi again. ¡°What else do you have to say?¡± It was already a fact. What else could Liu Chi say? Liu Chi had nothing to say. Yang Gongbing immediately announced, ¡°The witnesses and physical evidence are all here! Liu Chi and Shi Dashou committed adultery during the day. Liu Chi is stripped of his Elementary Scholar status. He will be fined ten taels of silver and punished to serve labor for six months! Shi Dashou is fined ten taels of silver and punished to serve labor for six months. He is stripped of his apprenticeship in the workshop and is never allowed to take half a step in. Liu Niu did not teach his son well and allowed his son to commit such an immoral act. He is stripped of his job in the workshop and never allowed to take half a step in.¡± Hearing Yang Gongbing¡¯s verdict, Liu Chi felt as if his soul had been sucked out. He stood up and shouted crazily, ¡°Sir, if I liked men, how could I like a disgusting person like Shi Dashou!¡± Shi Dashou retorted in a low voice, ¡°Pfft, he still thinks that my skills are not bad.¡± Everyone immediately burst into laughter. Liu Chi did not expect things to turn out this way. He was clearly here to leave a good impression on Yang Gongbing. How did things turn out this way? He lost his scholar title, was fined and even had to serve labor and leave a criminal record. Even if the imperial examination was restored, he would not be able to participate and everyone in Youjia Village was still mocking him. Liu Chi exploded with anger and kicked Shi Dashou. ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Shi Dashou was kicked by him and his head hit the ground. It was so painful that he hugged his head and shouted. He got up and complained to Yang Gongbing, ¡°Not only did Scholar Liu seduce me to do that thing, but he also almost crippled my manhood and deliberately hurt me. Lord, you have to seek justice for me. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask the doctor to come over. Scholar Liu personally agreed that he will pay for my medical fees.¡± Shi Dashou also felt that it was quite unlucky. If not for Liu Chi, he would not have lost the hard-earned job that he had, be punished with a few months of labor and even had to pay a fine of ten taels. He had no money at all. Without money to pay the fine, a few months of hard labor would turn into years of hard labor. Shi Dashou had gone to labor before. Those days were simply unbearable. He still felt that it was a miracle that he had returned alive. Only after Liu Chi compensated him with the medical fees did he have the money to pay the 10 taels of silver. He would ask Gu Zhongxun for some medicine with the remaining money and make do with it to save his life first. Hearing Shi Dashou¡¯s words, everyone suddenly looked at Liu Chi with surprise. Liu Chi had completely lost his mind. If not for Bao Zhaoshan and the other government officers holding him back, he would have kicked Shi Dashou¡¯s head. Yang Gongbing called Gu Zhongxun over to ask him about the truth. After confirming that Shi Dashou was not lying, he ordered Liu Chi to compensate him for his medical fees. Liu Niu hurriedly knelt on the ground and begged, ¡°Sir, all the silver in our family combined isn¡¯t even this amount. Please let us go!¡± Liu Niu had been working hard to earn money all these years, so all his money was used to support Liu Chi¡¯s studies. He had also spent some money on his private education. They did not even have five taels of silver on hand. The compensation of more than 20 taels of silver was undoubtedly an astronomical figure. Liu Niu could not afford it. If he let him off easily, how could he teach him a lesson? Yang Gongbing glanced at the dazed Liu Chi and ignored him. He said to Bao Zhaoshan, ¡°Bring them back!¡± Liu Niu roared at the sky in despair, ¡°What a sin!¡± He had painstakingly nurtured a scholar son, but in the end, it was all for nothing. Liu Chi, Liu Niu and Shi Dashou was brought back to the magistrate office by the government officials. Yang Gongbing returned to the workshop and issued strict rules and regulations for the workshop dormitory to prevent such a mess from happening again. On the other side, Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao returned home. Bai Wutong asked Chu Tianbao to wash the hairy cherries and prepare to boil it for cherry sauce. The sweet and sour cherry sauce was delicious with yogurt, cake, bread, biscuits, and iced drinks. Bai Wutong was picking two baskets of hairy cherries. The amount was enough to make a lot of cherry sauce. Other than giving it away, she had her space to store them. They had enough to eat for an entire year. Chu Tianbao washed the cherries according to Bai Wutong¡¯s high standards. He smiled happily and said, ¡°Wife, it¡¯s all done.¡± Bai Wutong carried two small stools over and sat down. She picked up a washed cherry and taught Chu Tianbao to remove the core of the cherry with chopsticks. Chu Tianbao found it interesting and sat beside Bai Wutong. He imitated her and poked out the core of the cherry. From time to time, he would even pick the largest cherry and feed it to Bai Wutong. The bright sunlight fell on them, forming an image like a heartwarming painting. It took them a while to remove all the cores from the two baskets of hairy cherries. Bai Wutong had just poured white sugar into the wooden basin when there was a long series of footsteps at the door. Bai Wutong turned around and saw Zhao Erwa and the others coming in from outside. They placed the basket in front of Bai Wutong and said sadly, ¡°Madam, we only have these mulberries.¡± Bai Wutong first noticed Zhao Erwa¡¯s bruised face. She knelt down and wiped the dirty stains off his face with a handkerchief. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did you lose a fight? Or did a kid from the next village snatch the mulberry?¡± When she and Chu Tianbao entered the mountains, they saw the children from the Lintian Village running in the mountains and snatching the cherries from them. Zhao Erwa immediately said valiantly, ¡°No!¡± He had specially asked Brother Lin Yue to teach him martial arts. How could he lose to that group of immature brats? He had completely forgotten that he was only six years old. Chapter 153 - 153 Let Her Choose Any Man She Wants 153 Let Her Choose Any Man She Wants Recalling the intense battle just now, Little Peach¡¯s eyes were filled with excitement. She clapped her hands in admiration and said, ¡°Second Brother Zhao beat them until they peed their pants! They were crying their hearts out and were in a sorry state!¡± Bai Wutong didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry at her for using so many idioms. ¡°Then why aren¡¯t you happy after winning?¡± Zhao Erwa suddenly lowered his eyes again, his pure gaze filled with sympathy. ¡°They¡¯re too pitiful, so I let them have the mulberry.¡± Bai Wutong asked curiously, ¡°Why?¡± Zhao Erwa said in a manly manner, ¡°We won¡¯t go hungry even if we don¡¯t pick the mulberries, but they will go hungry if they don¡¯t have any. So it¡¯s better to let them have it.¡± The other children also said, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s uncomfortable to be hungry. We promised to give them all the mulberries on the mountain.¡± The hardest period of a farmer¡¯s year was not winter, but spring. In the spring, the food supply was almost depleted. If they did not dig for wild vegetables and plant some vegetables to make do, some families would not even be able to eat a full meal meal each day. At this time, having fruits to fill the stomachs was no different from a good meal for the children of the Lintian Village. Bai Wutong felt a little sad when she heard the children¡¯s words of kindness. She reached out and touched Zhao Erwa¡¯s head with a smile. ¡°You guys are awesome.¡± Little Peach smiled sweetly. ¡°Madam, we won¡¯t pick the mulberries tomorrow. We¡¯ll pick cherries and prickly berries for you, okay?¡± Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Zhao Erwa¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Then can we still exchange for copper coins?¡± His father did not know how to do carpentry. Other than farming, he could only help the 30 families of Qinghe do some hard work in exchange for some copper coins to buy some things for the house. Moreover, his mother had always been worried that his sister, Zhao Lanzhi, would not have a proper dowry. Now that her reputation had been affected, she was even more worried. Zhao Erwa had earned seven copper coins the day before. The entire family had praised him, and Zhao Erwa set a huge goal in his heart. He wanted to earn a huge dowry for his sister and let her choose any man she wanted. If one wasn¡¯t enough, five or ten would do. He was just that bold! Cherries and prickly berries could be made into jam. If they couldn¡¯t finish it, they could even give gifts to guests. Bai Wutong nodded and smiled gently. ¡°Okay.¡± Zhao Erwa thought of the group of thin children in the neighboring village and recalled the tragic situation they experienced on the way to escape. He looked conflicted and finally couldn¡¯t help but pity them. ¡°Madam, do you also accept the fruits picked by the children in the neighboring village?¡± Bai Wutong was stunned. Zhao Erwa hurriedly explained, ¡°They said that once spring passes and the fruits are gone, they will be hungry again. If they can exchange for some copper coins like us, they can buy some food in town.¡± The children¡¯s kindness moved Bai Wutong. She gently held Zhao Erwa¡¯s small hand and comforted his nervous emotions. ¡°Sure, Madam accepts it in the first place. I would like to thank you on their behalf.¡± Zhao Erwa smiled in embarrassment. ¡°I just can¡¯t stand them being too weak.¡± Bai Wutong pinched Zhao Erwa¡¯s little face again. ¡°Okay, go wash your hands. Madam will make you something delicious.¡± When the children heard that there was good food, they immediately rushed to the stone trough to wash their hands. It would taste better if she put some lemon juice in the cherry sauce. Unfortunately, there was none here. There were eight lemons in Bai Wutong¡¯s Space, each containing a few seeds. However, it would be a long time before they grew up and bore fruit. She and Chu Tianbao entered the mountain and specially found a few mint plants. They planted the mint in her little garden. Bai Wutong was going to use it that day, so she went to the garden to pick some. After boiling a pot of water with mint and letting it cool, Bai Wutong began to prepare the cherry sauce. She poured the cherry sauce, which had been stirred with white sugar, into the pot, then poured in mint water and slowly simmered it over low heat. During this period, Bai Wutong did not stay idle. She kept stirring with a spoon, afraid that it would burn the pot. Looking at the pot of bright red cherry sauce that was bubbling and smelling the alluring fragrance, Chu Tianbao and the surrounding children swallowed their saliva. It turned out that the sour cherries could actually become so delicious. Seeing that they were looking so gluttony, Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°Go and bring the jar over. It is ready to be served soon.¡± Hearing Bai Wutong¡¯s words, the children brought over a porcelain jar in unison and lined up in front of her. With the two baskets of hairy cherries, Bai Wutong used quite some white sugar to make eight jars of cherry sauce. She said that she would treat the children to good food. After making the cherry sauce, she went into the kitchen and brought some biscuits that she had baked in the cellar the day before. Bai Wutong placed the two plates containing the cookies on the long wooden table under the grapevine. She went to get four small plates and poured out some cherry sauce. She introduced to the children. ¡°You can eat the biscuits dipped in cherry sauce.¡± The cookies made by Bai Wutong were very popular with the children. It was also because of the number biscuits made by Bai Wutong that the children had learned the addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division method from one to ten. The exquisite arithmetic method and strange Arab numerals were discovered by Scholar Yang. He even said excitedly that this was a new milestone in the field of arithmetic. He even came to Bai Wutong without shame to learn arithmetic, and even ate many number biscuits. However, his multiplication was not as good as the children¡¯. The biscuits were delicious enough. When dipped in the fragrant cherry sauce, how much more delicious would it be? Chu Tianbao picked up a biscuit. The children stole a glance at him. Seeing that Chu Tianbao was not angry, they heaved a sigh of relief before daring to reach out and touch a biscuit. Chu Tianbao dipped a biscuit in cherry sauce and was about to put it in his mouth under everyone¡¯s gaze. Suddenly, his hand paused and he brought it to Bai Wutong¡¯s mouth. Chu Tianbao smiled brightly, revealing two rows of white teeth. He let her eat first. ¡°Wife, eat first.¡± The little kid looked at him with wide eyes. Bai Wutong was embarrassed and reached out to take it. She glanced at him and smiled. ¡°Tianbao should eat too.¡± The biscuits, which had been dipped in the sweet and sour cherry sauce, had a fused flavor in the mouth. Bai Wutong felt like she was eating a sandwich biscuit from the modern world and it brought back memories. The jam had been a success. Now, if it was accompanied by a cup of creamy yogurt, it would be even better. There was an expression of enjoyment on Bai Wutong¡¯s face. The children took a swallow of their saliva and sent the biscuits into their mouths. In an instant, pairs of bright eyes shot out lasers. It was too delicious! It was so delicious that they almost bit their tongues. Madam Bai was simply the best cook in the world! The children ate all the biscuits and jam. Before they left, they generously gave all the remaining mulberries to Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong shook her head and wanted to give them a few copper coins. They looked at each other cleverly and suddenly ran far away before waving goodbye to Bai Wutong. ¡°Goodbye, Madam Bai, Master Chu ~¡± Chapter 154 - 154 He Also Wanted to Exchange for Many, Many Copper Coins 154 He Also Wanted to Exchange for Many, Many Copper Coins The next day, Zhao Ergou woke up early in the morning. After eating two mouthfuls of rice, without waiting for his mother to notice, he picked up the bamboo basket and gloves and ran crazily to the dam to wait for his friends. They were going to show off their skills that day. They were going to pick a lot of prickly berries and hairy cherries in exchange for many copper coins. They were going to buy white sugar to let their families have a taste of the jam. Little Peach had fallen and was injured last time. Her mother knew that she was going out with her friends again that day, so she specially made a knee guard for her. As soon as she put it on, Little Peach put on her gloves and ran away. She said goodbye in a childish voice, ¡°Little Peach is leaving~¡± Auntie Yang frowned. It was so dangerous for a girl to run up the mountain all day. She was about to scold her mother for indulging her child. But Little Peach came back with the bamboo basket and waved her hand cutely. ¡°Little Peach is really leaving~¡± Auntie Yang waved at Little Peach and watched her happy figure disappear at the door. Then she looked at her second daughter-in-law and advised earnestly, ¡°Why do you allow her to run into the mountains all day? What if something happens?¡± Little Peach¡¯s mother smiled and said, ¡°Mother, that won¡¯t happen. Young Master Qingfeng and the others hang on the tree all day long and keep an eye on these children. If they run a little further, they will catch them back.¡± Little Peach¡¯s mother even joked, ¡°She¡¯s too energetic. If it were a boy, I would want to send her to learn martial arts. She¡¯s will become so powerful after learning to fly here and there.¡± Auntie Yang glared at her. ¡°Our Little Peach has to learn from Madam Cui in the future. Why should she learn martial arts as an outstanding young lady?¡± Little Peach¡¯s mother chuckled. ¡°I was just saying. Don¡¯t take it seriously, Mother.¡± If Little Peach really wanted to learn martial arts, she would be the first to panic. The bushes of the thornberry were relatively low, and there were many fruits. They were red and spread everywhere. They looked like flowers, very bright and beautiful. Zhao Erwa and the others exclaimed when they realized that there were so many thorny berries. They would definitely be able to pick a lot of them that day and exchange for many copper coins. Everyone smiled foolishly as they put on their gloves. They specially chose the big, plump thorny berries and placed them in the basket one after another. When they placed them, their movements were careful because Madam Bai had said that the better the quality of the berries, the more two copper coins they could get for each basket. Even if Bai Wutong did not add two more copper coins, everyone wanted to pick the best fruits and give them to their favorite Madam Bai. After all, Little Peach was still a young child. No matter how hard she tried, she was still very slow at picking fruits. Zhao Erwa¡¯s bamboo basket was already full, so he helped Little Peach pick. When her bamboo basket was full, he said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s send a basket of prickly berries to Madam first.¡± This way, they could ensure that the fruits were fresh and not damaged. At the same time, it could free up a bamboo basket. He could drink some water at Bai Wutong¡¯s house and rest for a while before continuing to pick the thorny berries. They carried the bamboo basket and walked forward. Soon, they encountered the children who had been beaten up by Zhao Erwa the previous day. The leader of the group of children was a boy called Little Cat. He was a year older than Zhao Ergou, but he looked smaller than Zhao Ergou. He looked seriously malnourished. Little Cat looked at the bamboo basket in Zhao Erwa and the others¡¯ hands. Zhao Erwa immediately lowered his eyes and said, ¡°We have given you the mulberries. But we definitely won¡¯t give you the prickly berries.¡± If Little Cat dared to snatch their thorny berries, Zhao Erwa would not tell them that their mulberry fruits could be exchanged for copper coins from Bai Wutong. Little Cat had already been beaten up by Zhao Erwa the previous day. It still hurt when he thought about it. He shook his head and pointed at Zhao Erwa¡¯s bamboo basket. He kindly reminded, ¡°Thornberries rot very easily. You guys have picked so much. You have to eat it quickly. Otherwise, it won¡¯t taste good.¡± Zhao Erwa¡¯s expression relaxed. He gave him a friendly smile and said proudly, ¡°We¡¯re not eating. We¡¯re exchanging it for copper coins.¡± Little Cat¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°Thornberries can be exchanged for copper coins?¡± In the spring, the mountains and plains were filled with wild fruits. The villagers picked some to satisfy their cravings, but the people in the town did not care to eat them, so they could not sell the berries for copper coins at all. Moreover, it was easier to get hungry if one ate too much. Other than the children, the adults would not bother to pick the fruits. Little Peach also raised her chin and said cutely and proudly, ¡°Of course, because we have Madam Bai!¡± Little Cat¡¯s eyes were filled with envy. If only they could also pick thorny berries to exchange for copper coins. With copper coins, they could buy white and tender steamed buns to fill their stomachs. Unfortunately, their village did not have a woman with the surname Bai. Little Cat said, ¡°Your Madam Bai is so nice.¡± Zhao Erwa and the others nodded in unison and agreed with Little Cat¡¯s viewpoint. ¡°Of course, our Madam Bai is the most beautiful, kindest, and best person in the world.¡± Little Peach even said excitedly, ¡°Master Chu is also the most, most, most powerful person in the world!¡± The more Little Cat listened, the more confused he became. He nodded perfunctorily. ¡°How impressive.¡± The children led by Little Cat also nodded in confusion. ¡°Amazing.¡± If they praised someone they liked, they were on the same side. Zhao Erwa did not hide it anymore. He put his arm around Little Cat¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Call me big brother and I¡¯ll bring you guys to earn copper coins.¡± Little Cat did not expect such a good thing to happen. As long as he could exchange for copper coins, he was willing to call Zhao Erwa ¡®Big Brother¡¯ a hundred times every day. He accepted it without hesitation. ¡°Big Brother!¡± The other children also hurriedly shouted, ¡°Brother! Brother! Brother!¡± They chattered as if they were afraid that Zhao Erwa would not bring them along. Zhao Erwa flicked his hair and narrowed his cold eyes. ¡°Since you have called me big brother, then we¡¯re good brothers. Good brothers should enjoy blessings and suffer hardships together! Go and pick some fruits now. I¡¯ll bring you to Madam Bai to exchange for copper coins!¡± Little Cat said gratefully, ¡°Thank you! Thank you!¡± He was really grateful and regretted hitting Zhao Erwa the previous day. Although he was the one who had been completely beaten up, he regretted it now. Zhao Erwa met his sincere eyes and rubbed his head in embarrassment. ¡°If you want to thank someone, thank Madam Bai. It was Madam Bai who agreed to exchange copper coins for you. It has nothing to do with me.¡± Little Cat immediately promised, ¡°Brother, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll definitely kneel down and kowtow to Madam Bai.¡± Zhao Erwa: ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think that¡¯s necessary.¡± If he could give them copper coins, kowtowing was nothing. If not for the fact that Zhao Erwa was too short and did not look like an adult, Little Cat would have knelt down to him on the spot. Zhao Erwa and the others brought a basket of prickly berries to Bai Wutong¡¯s house. Everyone exchanged for different amount of copper coins according to the weight of the fruits collected. Everyone was overjoyed. They gulped down the hot tea, picked up the bamboo basket, and ran into the mountains again. At the same time, Little Cat and the others quickly ran home with a big basket. When they saw Zhao Erwa and the others return, they immediately ran up to welcome them. Zhao Erwa placed the copper coins in front of Little Cat and bragged, ¡°I¡¯ve saved up 20 copper coins. It¡¯s the most.¡± Little Cat stared at the copper as if his eyes had been glued to it with superglue. He reacted and immediately rushed towards the mulberry tree. He also wanted to exchange for many, many copper coins! Chapter 155 - 155 Strange Monster 155 Strange Monster Zhao Erwa looked at the basket he was carrying and casually threw the mulberries into it. He hurriedly shouted, ¡°You can¡¯t pick them like this. The mulberries below will be crushed. You can¡¯t give our madam the bad ones, the spoilt ones, or the stale ones. You must give our madam the best.¡± ¡°If you want to use a small bamboo basket like us, you have to use the leaves at the bottom. When you pluck them, hold them gently. When you fill a small bamboo basket, I¡¯ll bring you to see Madam Bai to exchange for copper coins.¡± Zhao Erwa emphasized over and again. Little Cat frowned. He hadn¡¯t expected picking mulberries to be so troublesome. He took a look at their big basket and then at the small bamboo basket carried by Zhao Erwa and the others. Then, he ran back to Lintian village with his friends and took a basket about the same size. Zhao Erwa was very satisfied that they were obedient. He recalled the promise from the previous day and said, ¡°The mulberry fruits are all yours, we won¡¯t pick them. Let¡¯s go to the forest at the side to find the hairy cherries.¡± The prickly berries had thorns, so the efficiency of picking them was too slow. It was easier to pick the cherries. It would be even better if he could find a lower cherry tree. When Little Cat heard this, he was so grateful that tears almost flowed out. He sobbed sincerely and said, ¡°Thank you, Big Brother. When I exchange for copper coins, I¡¯ll treat you to steamed buns.¡± A steamed bun cost two copper coins. Zhao Erwa glanced behind him. Little Cat said with heartache, ¡°I¡¯ll treat everyone to steamed buns too.¡± If it weren¡¯t for them, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to buy steamed buns. Zhao Erwa was even more satisfied with his new subordinates. He waved his hand and said domineeringly, ¡°Alright, go ahead and pluck them. Come find us after you¡¯re done.¡± ¡°Alright, Big Brother.¡± Little Cat was very familiar with the area. Without needing Zhao Erwa and the others to look for it, he pointed out a few cherry trees filled with cherries. Thinking of the biscuits dipped in cherry sauce the day before, everyone subconsciously sucked in their saliva before starting to pick the cherries. When Zhao Erwa and the others were only halfway through filling the bamboo basket, Little Cat and the others ran over excitedly. Little Cat raised the mulberry fruit that Zhao Erwa had requested and said, ¡°Brother, look, is this okay?¡± Zhao Erwa turned around and was dumbfounded. The mulberry fruit picked by Little Cat was dark and beautiful. It even filled an entire bamboo basket. It had only been a while, but they were already full. Zhao Erwa secretly envious of their speed. He pretended to be calm and said, ¡°Then wait for us at the side for a while. We haven¡¯t finished plucking.¡± Seeing that Little Peach had only picked a little from the bottom of the bamboo basket, being eager to exchange for copper coins, Little Cat hurriedly said, ¡°We¡¯ll help you pick it. We¡¯re fast and can finish it quickly.¡± Zhao Erwa was stunned. Before he could react, Little Cat and the other children climbed onto the cherry tree barefoot and said to Little Peach, ¡°Give me the basket!¡± Instinctively, Little Peach gave him the basket. As if he had grown three heads and six arms, Little Cat plucked rapidly from the tree. Soon, Little Peach¡¯s basket was full. When Little Peach saw the bamboo basket in front of her, she shouted excitedly, ¡°You¡¯re amazing.¡± Zhao Erwa was dumbfounded. He had a dumfounded expression on his face as if saying ¡®What should I do if my subordinates are more capable than me¡¯. The group of children carried a bamboo basket of wild fruits and walked back happily. The lazy man watching from the top of the field even said disdainfully, ¡°There are even people who think that those sour things are precious?¡± It was the first time that the children from the Lintian Village had entered Youjia Village. Their village people scared them saying there were wolves in Youjia Village that especially liked to feed on children. This made them so frightened that they did not even dare to approach. They could only stand on the hill and look at the smoke that would emit when Youjia villagers cooked, while they secretly felt envious. When they entered Youjia village and saw rows of beautiful big houses, their eyes were filled with envy. If only they could live in these beautiful big houses too. Suddenly, Tiedan from Lintian Village pointed at the canal beside him and hurriedly shouted, ¡°Little Cat, look.¡± Everyone looked in the direction he was pointing and saw a group of golden-red koi swimming in the canal. They swam freely, and the scales on their bodies glowed with colorful light, looking very beautiful. When Little Cat was in the field or stream, the fishes he caught were all gray. He had never seen a fish with such a beautiful color. In an instant, they were stunned. The long row of little children stuck out their butts and stared at the koi fish in a daze. They were all imagining that they would also become beautiful koi fish and not have to worry about food. They would always be happy and free. Zhao Erwa broke the silence and pointed at the lotus pond beside him. ¡°There are many more there. Do you want to take a look?¡± Little Cat nodded quickly. They went to the railing of the pond. At a glance, they saw koi that had rushed to the shore to ask for food. Some of the koi could even swallow Little Peach¡¯s arm with their open mouths. Little Cat and the others widened their eyes and exclaimed in disbelief, ¡°Wow¡ªso many beautiful fish!!!¡± Zhao Erwa chuckled. ¡°Old Master Sheng bought these for everyone to admire.¡± Litte Cat was shocked. ¡°For admiring? Can¡¯t you eat it instead of admiring?¡± Zhao Erwa said, ¡°It can be eaten, but it¡¯s very expensive. No one is allowed to eat it or catch it.¡± He pointed at the fish pond beside him and said, ¡°The fish raised there can be eaten.¡± When Little Cat and the others heard this, they were even more envious. They could not even fill their stomachs, but these people actually raised very expensive and beautiful fish to look at. They were also children, but why were they living so well? Little Cat stared blankly at the koi in the water. If only he could turn into a big golden carp and stay in Youjia Village. Everyone looked at the fishes for a while. Little Cat was still thinking about going to Bai Wutong¡¯s house to exchange for copper coins, so they reluctantly left the lotus pond. When they arrived at Bai Wutong¡¯s house, before they could enter, Little Cat heard a wolf howl. He looked into the courtyard and met a pair of cold green eyes. In an instant, he was so frightened that his hair stood on end. He asked Zhao Erwa in a trembling voice, ¡°Brother, there¡¯s a wolf! There¡¯s a wolf!¡± Zhao Erwa shouted calmly, ¡°Xiaobai!¡± Xiaobai retracted its fangs and claws and leisurely turned to look for Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong was pulled over by it. When she saw Zhao Erwa bringing a group of unfamiliar children, she opened the courtyard door and smiled gently. ¡°They¡¯re children from the neighboring village, right?¡± When Little Cat and the others saw the wolf in the courtyard, they were so frightened that they did not dare to breathe loudly. When a beautiful woman appeared and smiled at them, everyone stopped breathing. Little Cat¡¯s gaze landed on her clean fingers and then on their muddy and dirty feet. He immediately blushed and lowered his head, wishing he could hide himself. For a moment, even his fear of Xiaobai dissipated. Bai Wutong could tell that they were uncomfortable and smiled. ¡°Come in. You must be tired. Have a cup of hot tea and a snack. Madam will weigh the fruits for you.¡± With hot tea, snacks and her gentle voice, Little Cat and the others felt their empty stomach. They followed Bai Wutong into the courtyard instinctively. The flowers and plants in the courtyard were even more shocking than the lotus pond. Xiaobai the wolf squatted on the lawn and licked its fur, throwing them lazy and arrogant looks from time to time. As for them, they were dressed in tattered and patched clothes, like monsters who did not fit in. Chapter 156 - 156 Wife, Lets Shower Together 156 Wife, Let¡¯s Shower Together After a while, Bai Wutong came over with tea and snacks. Chu Tianbao followed behind her. When Little Cat saw Chu Tianbao, who had an extraordinary aura, he dug his toes into the ground and did not dare to move his eyes anymore. The other children began to tremble. The hunters in their village did not look as imposing as Chu Tianbao. Zhao Erwa used to be quite afraid of Chu Tianbao, but he was no longer afraid now. He comforted Little Cat and the others. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. Our master is a good person.¡± Then he lowered his voice and reminded, ¡°As long as you don¡¯t make Madam Bai angry, Master Chu won¡¯t be angry. If anyone makes Madam Bai angry, the consequences will be serious.¡± Little Cat and the others quickly nodded. They did not dare to provoke him. Bai Wutong approached and happened to hear Zhao Erwa¡¯s words. She glanced at Chu Tianbao, who was going to weigh the fruits, and her eyes were filled with a gentle smile. The white and tender rice cake was extremely tempting. Little Cat and the rest could not help but swallow their saliva. They had never even eaten refined rice since they were young. But they actually saw rice cakes made from fine rice flour here. Little Cat and the others tried their best to control themselves. They gritted their teeth and tried not to look at the rice cake, but their stomachs growled. ¡°Rumble rumble~¡± Bai Wutong pretended not to hear. ¡°You guys eat. I¡¯ll go see how many fruits you picked today.¡± With her around, this group of children who had just arrived would be more reserved. After Bai Wutong left, Little Cat and the others still did not dare to reach for the rice cake. Zhao Erwa skillfully picked up a piece of rice cake and placed it in Little Peach¡¯s short hands. He then picked up a piece of rice cake and stuffed it into Little Cat¡¯s hand, telling him to eat freely. ¡°Don¡¯t worry and just eat. If you feel embarrassed, you can give Madam Bai an extra basket of mulberries like us.¡± If he sent another basket of mulberries, he would be able to eat such delicious rice cakes!!! ¡°Really?¡± They couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°Really!¡± Zhao Erwa nodded with certainty. Little Cat and the others finally reached out and grabbed a piece of rice cake. They couldn¡¯t wait to bite it. When they took a bite, the rice cake melted in their mouths and was sweet. Little Cat said incredulously, ¡°There¡¯s sugar?¡± Zhao Erwa and the others could not stop eating. How could they have the time to answer him? Seeing that the rice cake on the plate was about to be gone, Little Cat carefully put the rice cake that he had taken a bite of into his bosom when no one was paying attention. He picked up a piece of rice cake and looked around guiltily. He realized that the little white wolf that could not speak was staring at him. Little Cat¡¯s hands were trembling with fear. He thought of his mother at home, but he could not bear to take out the rice cake. The group of children quickly finished the rice cake and tea. On the other side, Chu Tianbao had already skillfully calculated the copper coins that every child should receive. He wrote it down with a charcoal pencil and handed it to Bai Wutong. He blinked and said, ¡°Wife, look.¡± Bai Wutong took it and looked at it. He had calculated it perfectly. She smiled and praised, ¡°Tianbao is so smart.¡± Chu Tianbao immediately put on a smug expression. Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t help but reach out and pinch his firm chin. ¡°Stop lifting your head so high. If you raise your neck any further, you¡¯ll be soaring into the sky.¡± Chu Tianbao closed his eyes and placed his chin in Bai Wutong¡¯s palm. He rubbed it with a look of enjoyment. His beard had grown back, and his cold face was very manly. Bai Wutong scraped it lightly with her fingers. ¡°You should shave soon.¡± Chu Tianbao opened his dark eyes. ¡°Wife can do it.¡± He looked like he was asking for a reward. Bai Wutong narrowed her eyes and lowered her voice to his ear to tempt him. ¡°If you finish shaving, I¡¯ll give you a kiss.¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes lit up and he decisively chose his wife¡¯s kiss. ¡°Tianbao can shave myself!¡± Bai Wutong counted the children¡¯s copper coins. Every child who received the copper coins looked excited. Little Cat had even cried. He felt like it was the happiest day of his life. Not only had he eaten sweet rice cakes and drunk good warm tea, but he had also exchanged a basket of mulberries for seven copper coins. It was enough for him to buy several large steamed buns. Little Cat wiped his tears and took out two copper coins from his hand and placed them on the table. He then took out the rice cake that he had hidden and pleaded Bai Wutong, ¡°Madam Bai, can I bring this rice cake back to my mother? My mother has never eaten anything so delicious.¡± Tears glistened in his eyes with the purest love for his mother. Bai Wutong stroked his head and took the two copper coins. ¡°Okay,¡± she said gently. These two copper coins were his pride that he carefully protected. Bai Wutong had to accept them. Little Cat¡¯s tears flowed again after he had tried to hold it back. At this moment, he sincerely agreed with Zhao Erwa and the others. Madam Bai was the most beautiful, kindest, and the¡­ best person in the world. Bai Wutong wrapped the rice cake in oiled paper and returned it to him. After the children had their fill, they rushed out with bamboo baskets. They still had to pick many wild fruits to exchange for many copper coins. For the entire day, this group of children picked fruits. By dusk, the Bai Wutong¡¯s kitchen was filled with mulberries, prickly berries, and hairy cherries. In addition to making jam, Bai Wutong also made prickly berries and hairy cherries into preserved fruits that could be eaten as snacks for a long time. There was still some left. Bai Wutong asked Chu Tianbao to borrow some wine from the Cui family to make fruit wine. The fruit wine she made was very different from the fruit wine in this world. The taste of the wine was much better, and the fruit taste was even better. When Cui Lingyi saw that Chu Tianbao had come to borrow wine, she brought Cui Muzhi along to join in the fun. Bai Wutong was short-handed, so she made use of the additional manpower and arranged for them to remove the cherry core beside Chu Tianbao. Chu Tianbao was still thinking about his wife¡¯s kiss. He urged them and said, ¡°Why are you guys so slow!¡± Cui Muzhi sped up the removal of the core and said, ¡°Soon, soon, soon.¡± It was dark and the two jars of wine were finally put aside. After fermentation and waiting for a while, they had to filter and mix the taste before they could drink the delicious fruit wine. Cui Lingyi was already looking forward to it when she heard Bai Wutong describe the taste of the fruit wine. Everyone had been busy for so long, so they definitely had to stay and have a meal together before leaving. As usual, they had small talk during dinner, so it took a lot of time. Chu Tianbao sat at the dining table and looked at them faintly. Not long after Bai Wutong sent them out, he returned. Chu Tianbao had already cleaned up the table. The table was polished so clean that it was as reflective as a mirror. He was also standing on the edge of the sink, washing dishes like a whirlwind top. Bai Wutong leaned against the door like she was watching an entertaining acrobats show. In less than five minutes, Chu Tianbao saw the bottom of the sink and heaved a long sigh of relief. He looked up and met Bai Wutong¡¯s smiling gaze. ¡°Wife, wait a little longer. The bath water will be ready soon.¡± Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°Yeah.¡± She turned around and went upstairs to get her clothes. When she came down, Chu Tianbao had already poured the bath water from the large pot into the bathroom bathtub. After Bai Wutong hung up the clothes, he leaned over and suddenly said innocently, ¡°Wife, let¡¯s shower together?¡± Bai Wutong was speechless. Chapter 157 - 157 I Am Going To Eat My Wife 157 I Am Going To Eat My Wife He wanted to save some time and shave quickly so that he could get a fragrant and soft kiss from his wife. Bai Wutong almost choked on her own saliva. He must be thinking too much for them to be showering together. Her ears reddened as she lectured him sternly. ¡°I told you not to be naked in front of me. Have you forgotten again?¡± Chu Tianbao muttered softly, ¡°Then it¡¯s fine for my wife to be naked in front of me. Tianbao can shower in clothes.¡± After saying that, his eyes glanced at Bai Wutong, and certain scenes that he remembered flashed in his mind. He subconsciously took another step closer to Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong was speechless. Chu Tianbao stared at her peach-like face and reached out to take a bite. Bai Wutong pushed him violently and chased him out of the bathroom in embarrassment. She leaned against the bathroom door and exhaled hot air. ¡®You¡¯re getting more and more indecent.¡¯ However, a smile that she did not even notice appeared on her face. Bai Wutong took a long time to shower. It took her more than an hour. Chu Tianbao knew that Bai Wutong wouldn¡¯t be fast. He had already shaved his beard clean in the toilet. He smiled, and the handsome man in the bronze mirror, who looked as if he had been carved by the Creator himself, smiled back. He reached out and touched it. It was very smooth. It would definitely satisfy his wife. Chu Tianbao stood confidently at the bathroom door and waited. Bai Wutong came out of the shower after wiping her hair. She opened the door and looked up. As expected, he was there. Chu Tianbao leaned over. He was too close. Bai Wutong tilted her head to avoid him. She looked puzzled. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Chu Tianbao placed Bai Wutong¡¯s other hand under his chin and blinked his big black eyes. He reminded her, ¡°Wife, I¡¯ve shaved it clean.¡± Bai Wutong pinched it in passing. Her eyes curved as she pretended not to know anything. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s very clean.¡± Chu Tianbao pouted. ¡°Wife ~ Kiss ~¡± Bai Wutong struggled out of his grip and pressed her hand against his pouting mouth. ¡°Did I say I wanted to give you one today?¡± Chu Tianbao was stunned. He had an adorable expression on his face. Bai Wutong smiled and pinched his gradually bulging cheeks. ¡°Go take a shower. I¡¯m going upstairs to dry my hair.¡± Chu Tianbao asked dejectedly, ¡°Can we kiss after taking a shower?¡± Chu Tianbao kissed her every night while she was sleeping but still wanted it so badly. Bai Wutong really felt that she should praise herself for being so charming. She poked his cheek with a jade-white fingertip. ¡°Yes.¡± The surprise came too quickly. Chu Tianbao suddenly looked up and entered the bathroom with a bang. It was not easy to get his wife¡¯s kiss. He had to seize every second. In the blink of an eye, there was only a shadow in front of her. There was the sound of the water running inside. She smiled and shouted towards the bathroom, ¡°Slow down. Don¡¯t fall.¡± Not long after Bai Wutong went upstairs and was still drying her hair, Chu Tianbao came up. He was so anxious that he didn¡¯t even have time to wrap the collar on his chest. His charming collarbone, firm chest muscles¡­ The overflowing hormones rushed into Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes. Even though she had seen it many times, Bai Wutong still had to praise him. His body was really the best in the world! Chu Tianbao sat over with ease and helped Bai Wutong dry her hair. He did not look as anxious as before. Perhaps it was because Bai Wutong¡¯s hair was still wet and he was afraid that she would fall sick. Or perhaps he was certain that Bai Wutong would fulfill her promise and felt at ease. Chu Tianbao was really smart. As long as he wanted to learn, there was nothing he couldn¡¯t learn. Especially when it came to Bai Wutong, he would gently wipe her hair and massage her scalp with his slender fingers from time to time. The comfortable sensation made her sleepy. Unknowingly, she lay on Chu Tianbao¡¯s lap. She met his well-defined gentle eyes and reached out to touch his cheek, as if she had fallen into a beautiful dream called Chu Tianbao. If it was a dream, why couldn¡¯t she indulge in it a little? Bai Wutong hooked her arms around his neck and kissed his perfect lips. It was no longer a light kiss, but a deep kiss. At that moment, Chu Tianbao¡¯s mind went blank. He held his breath and didn¡¯t move. Bai Wutong sensed it and chuckled. ¡°Breathe.¡± Chu Tianbao took a deep breath. Bai Wutong moved closer to him again. Their noses touched, and their hearts were unknowingly stuck together. Bai Wutong was also a newbie. Although she had seen all kinds of versions on the set, it was still very difficult to do it. After savoring Chu Tianbao to her heart¡¯s content, she let go of him in satisfaction. However, Chu Tianbao suddenly grabbed her head, as if a new world had opened up and he was kissing her endlessly. Thinking about how the previous way of kissing had never been right, Chu Tianbao immediately felt that he had missed out on a lot. As he kissed, he thought about how to make up for it. For a moment, Bai Wutong was in a daze. She did not expect to be taken advantage of. Her brain was severely deprived of oxygen. Bai Wutong pushed him away. ¡°Stop fooling around.¡± Unknowingly, her tone was flirtatious. Chu Tianbao¡¯s whirlpool-like deep eyes were extremely hot, and his deep voice was ridiculously hoarse. ¡°Wife.¡± His handsome face was like a bewitching succubus. He inched closer, pressing the tip of his straight nose against her cheek. Bai Wutong felt hot all over and closed her eyes without realizing it. Suddenly, lightning flashed and thunder rumbled in the sky. It started to rain heavily. Bai Wutong felt a chill in her stomach. She suddenly opened her eyes and kicked the defenseless Chu Tianbao to the ground. She hurriedly covered herself with the blanket and looked down to see Chu Tianbao looking at her aggrievedly. He did not seem to understand why things had turned out this way when they were just kissing. Bai Wutong was embarrassed. She had accidentally seduced Chu Tianbao and even let him master a certain skill. She felt that she shouldn¡¯t have kicked him, so she reached out to Chu Tianbao guiltily. ¡°Wife didn¡¯t mean it. Tianbao, don¡¯t be angry, okay?¡± Chu Tianbao pouted and got up from the ground. He slipped under the blanket and hugged her slender waist. ¡°Then I want more.¡± Bai Wutong: ¡°¡­I¡¯m tired.¡± She avoided Chu Tianbao¡¯s unyielding gaze and pretended to yawn. ¡°I¡¯m really tired. Let¡¯s sleep early.¡± She leaned over and kissed him on the forehead before quickly turning off the lights and laying down. In the darkness, Chu Tianbao gradually approached with his eyes wide open. Bai Wutong turned, but he pulled her into his arms. She looked around. Chu Tianbao was still quite well-behaved. She felt sleepy and couldn¡¯t be bothered to waste her energy anymore. In her dream, she was eating a chicken leg. Chu Tianbao leaned over and asked her gloomily why she didn¡¯t give it to him. Bai Wutong was about to hand the drumstick to him when Chu Tianbao bit her mouth and said hatefully, ¡°If you don¡¯t give me a drumstick, I¡¯ll eat you.¡± The next day, Bai Wutong woke up with dark circles under her eyes. Chu Tianbao was sleeping soundly. When she thought of the strange dreams from last night, she felt a faint pain on her mouth. She was so angry that she pinched him. Chu Tianbao woke up in pain and looked up in confusion. ¡°Wife???¡± Bai Wutong stared at the silly hair standing on his head and his cute expression. She burst out laughing and her anger dissipated. Chapter 158 - 158 I Can Kill You Now 158 I Can Kill You Now Little Cat¡¯s mother Tao Yinzhen was washing clothes in the yard. Little Cat ran back happily and grabbed her hand. ¡°Mother, come with me.¡± Tao Yinzhen was busy working and shook off his hand. ¡°There¡¯s half a sweet potato in the nest. After you eat it, go get water and wash your feet before sleeping.¡± Little Cat looked around and lowered his voice to say excitedly. ¡°Mother, I have something more delicious than sweet potatoes. Come with me.¡± Little Cat revealed a corner of the oiled paper. Tao Yinzhen was stunned. Her eyes darkened and she grabbed his ear. ¡°Did you steal money to buy something?¡± Little Cat shook his head quickly. ¡°No, no. I earned it.¡± ¡°You earned it?¡± Tao Yinzhen looked unconvinced. ¡°If you dare to spout nonsense again, I¡¯ll skin you alive. We¡¯re poor, but we can¡¯t be spineless and do sneaky things. Otherwise, you will be a trash like your father!¡± Lintian Village was unlike Youjia Village that could be reclaimed. They only had the exact amount of land that they had. After paying the grain tax, if the men in the family did not think of a way to earn extra money, they would only have meals on some days in spring. It was already good enough that she did not have to pay a debt with such tough life. Tao Yinzhen would not believe that someone would pay a half-grown brat to work. Seeing that Tao Yinzhen was about to hit him with a bamboo stick, Little Cat hurriedly ran into the house. Tao Yinzhen was even angrier. ¡°Good kid, how dare you run!¡± When Little Cat entered the house, he immediately opened the oiled paper packaging and reached out to pick up the rice cake. He raised it in front of Tao Yinzhen as if it was a treasure. ¡°Mother, I¡¯m really not lying to you. This is the rice cake that Madam Bai from the neighboring village gave us. I spent another two copper coins to specially buy it for you.¡± He said proudly, ¡°I earned two copper coins by picking mulberries. Madam Bai collects mulberries, cherries, and prickly berries. I¡¯ll still go tomorrow so that I can earn copper coins.¡± When Tao Yinzhen met his happy gaze and learned the whole story, she felt relieved. She asked with heartache, ¡°Madam Bai is too black-hearted. A rice cake costs two copper coins?¡± She probed Little Cat quietly. ¡°You didn¡¯t only earn two copper coins and used them to buy a rice cake after going out for a day, did you?¡± Little Cat immediately took out a small money bag excitedly. ¡°I earned 25 copper coins! I used two copper coins to buy rice cakes and gave a basket of mulberry fruits to Madam Bai. Madam Bai is really kind. She even gave me this money bag. Not only is it fragrant, but there¡¯s also a chrysanthemum on it. It¡¯s especially beautiful. The money is all for Mom to buy steamed buns. We can eat white flour steamed buns every day.¡± If a man from the mountains went to the town to work for a day, it would be considered a lot if he could earn 25 copper coins. Many shops hiring people would only give them a meal. But there were still many people fighting to work. Whereas, Little Cat had actually earned 25 copper coins. Tao Yinzhen was stunned. The few copper coins she had secretly hidden were actually not as much as what Little Cat had earned that day. She took the money bag from Little Cat with trembling hands. The silky fabric was spread out in her rough and calloused hands. Looking at the lifelike flowers on it, Tao Yinzhen was once again shocked. With just this small money bag, with its material and embroidery skills, it was worth at least a few copper coins. What kind of immortal life was this woman from the neighbouring village leading? Envy flashed in her eyes. She picked up the purse again and took a deep breath. It smelled good, as expected. Little Cat had exchanged a basket of mulberries for it. It was simply worth it. Tao Yinzhen happily put the money bag into her arms and patted Little Cat¡¯s head. ¡°I¡¯ll keep the money for you. When you grow up, you can use it to marry a wife.¡± There was no hope for the men at home. Tao Yinzhen looked in the direction of the neighboring village and said to Little Cat, ¡°Madam Bai is a good person. Tomorrow, go and pick more mulberries for Madam Bai. It¡¯s fine even if you don¡¯t get as many copper coins. You must make Madam Bai like you.¡± She had heard of Madam Bai from the neighboring village. She had heard that she was the most respected existence in the neighboring village. Even Lord Yang had to give her some face. If Little Cat could catch Madam Bai¡¯s eye, he would have something to rely on for the rest of his life. Little Cat thought of Madam Bai¡¯s gorgeous face and beautiful courtyard and said in an inferior manner, ¡°I also want Madam Bai to like me, but I¡¯m too dirty and my clothes are too tattered. I¡¯m also barefoot. Madam Bai probably won¡¯t like me.¡± His words were like a sharp knife stabbing into Tao Yinzhen¡¯s heart. Her eyes were red with sadness as she hugged Little Cat and said, ¡°When we go to the market next time, I¡¯ll buy you clothes and shoes. We won¡¯t be dirty. We¡¯ll definitely make Madam Bai like you.¡± Little Cat¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, I won¡¯t lie to you.¡± ¡°Then can I still buy steamed buns after buying clothes and shoes? I promised to treat the children from the neighboring village to steamed buns. If they didn¡¯t bring me to see Madam Bai, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to earn copper coins.¡± Tao Yinzhen was about to nod when the door was pushed open. The drunk man¡¯s cheeks were red and he reeked of alcohol. His gaze landed on the exquisite rice cake on the table that was out of place. He walked over, grabbed it in front of the child, and stuffed it into his mouth. Little Cat grabbed Ren Shuixing¡¯s arm and said anxiously, ¡°I gave this to Mom. I worked hard for this rice cake. What right do you have to eat it!¡± How could his small arms and legs stop Ren Shuixing? He finished the rice cake in two big mouthfuls and looked down fiercely. Tao Yinzhen quickly stood in front of Little Cat and was slapped hard. Tao Yinzhen¡¯s ears rang and she fell to the ground. Ren Shuixing still felt that it was not enough to vent his anger. He kicked Tao Yinzhen¡¯s thin body a few times. ¡°You¡¯re all mine. What¡¯s wrong with me eating a piece of rice cake! Not only do I want to eat it, I want to beat you to death.¡± Little Cat cried and stopped him. ¡°Father, don¡¯t!¡± Ren Shuixing¡¯s lips curled into a dark smile. He was even worse than a beast. He slapped Little Cat¡¯s face again. ¡°Remember, I¡¯m your father. If you f*cking dare to not respect me, I¡¯ll kill you right now.¡± Little Cat¡¯s nose was bleeding and his tender cheeks were swollen. Tao Yinzhen struggled to get up and hugged Little Cat. She comforted him softly, ¡°Little Cat, don¡¯t be afraid. It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine¡­¡± The more pitiful they looked and the angrier Little Cat¡¯s eyes were, the more excited Ren Shuixing¡¯s brain, which was under the influence of alcohol, became. His attacks became more and more vicious. He grabbed Tao Yinzhen¡¯s hair and kept smashing it against the wall. The intense pleasure of wantonly bullying the weak could make him feel like an emperor who was high and mighty and held the power of life and death. He was omnipotent and fearless. Tao Yinzhen was already used to it. She knew that it was useless for her to resist. Instead, it would make Ren Shuixing even more excited. She did not say a word and tried her best to smile so that Little Cat would not be so afraid. Fortunately, Ren Shuixing had drunk too much and was tired. He threw Tao Yinzhen to the ground and touched her chest. Tao Yinzhen covered the money bag that he suddenly touched and finally cried out. ¡°You can¡¯t take this money! This is Little Cat¡¯s money!¡± Ren Shuixing punched her again. Tao Yinzhen was hit in the eye and stopped moving completely. Little Cat shook Tao Yinzhen¡¯s body and cried hysterically. The entire village heard it, but they were used to it. Chapter 159 - 159 Let Him Die 159 Let Him Die Tao Yinzhen was unconscious, and Ren Shuixing was slightly sober. If he killed someone, who would help him farm and earn money to buy wine? He quickly ran to the kitchen and brought a basin of cold water. He poured it all over Tao Yinzhen¡¯s bruised face. ¡°Cough, cough ~¡± Tao Yinzhen woke up. When she opened her eyes, her left eye was bleeding from the beating. It was terrifying. When Ren Shuixing saw that she had come back to life, he heaved a sigh of relief and said in disdain, ¡°Why are you pretending to be dead? Hurry up and get up. Bring the kid to pick mulberry fruits to exchange for copper coins.¡± When Tao Yinzhen first started talking to Little Cat, Ren Shuixing had secretly overheard it. The wild fruits that were everywhere could actually be exchanged for so much money. Ren Shuixing could already imagine the entire mountain turning into gold. Little Cat shrank back and said carefully, ¡°Father, it¡¯s dark.¡± He did not want to pick the fruits at all. All the copper coins that Ren Shuixing had obtained would definitely be used for drinking. Besides, it was already dark. Madam Bai and the others must be resting. Madam Bai would not accept fruits that were not fresh. Ren Shuixing thought that he did not want to go and said fiercely, ¡°If you don¡¯t go, I¡¯ll beat you to death now!¡± Little Cat hurriedly said, ¡°Madam Bai only accepts good fruits. She won¡¯t accept anything that isn¡¯t fresh or if it is rotten. We won¡¯t be able to exchange them for copper coins.¡± Ren Shuixing complained, ¡°How f*cking troublesome!¡± Little Cat thought that he definitely didn¡¯t have to go that day, but Ren Shuixing smiled and said, ¡°Then get lost and pick the mulberry fruits for me! There will definitely be good ones after picking so many. I¡¯ll choose them at home and send them over personally at dawn!¡± In the middle of the night, there were snakes, insects, rats, ants, and barbs all over the mountain. Little Cat didn¡¯t even have a pair of shoes, so how could he pick the mulberries? If he couldn¡¯t finish picking them, he would be beaten up again. Little Cat clenched his fists and looked at the speechless Tao Yinzhen with tears in her eyes. He could only listen to Ren Shuixing¡¯s orders. He could still take a beating, but his mother couldn¡¯t now. He could not get a single cent of the copper coins he had picked from the mulberries. He could not buy clothes or shoes. He could not get the favor of Madam Bai too. Tears fell from Little Cat¡¯s eyes. He felt so sad. So sad. Tao Yinzhen regained some strength and looked at Little Cat¡¯s bare feet. She held back her tears and went to the bedroom to get a thick old shirt. She split it into two and tied it to Little Cat¡¯s feet with hemp rope. They picked up the basket and left the room under Ren Shuixing¡¯s scolding. As soon as they went out, they saw many villagers from Lintian Village secretly walking towards the back of the mountain with all kinds of things. It was not only Little Cat who had gone to Madam Bai¡¯s house to sell the mulberries and earned copper coins. The other children went back to show off their earnings in a day, which shocked all the adults. Just like Ren Shuixing, they felt that it was not wild fruits that were hanging all over the mountain now, but money. If they had been faster and picked more, they would have earned at least a few hundred coins that day. How could it be so easy to earn money from farming? It would be a blessing to be able to save a single cent in a year. Everyone was afraid that others would finish picking all the wild fruits and brought the bamboo baskets into the mountains in the middle of the night. As for the children¡¯s instructions to keep the fruits fresh and intact, no one took them to heart. If the fruits looked bad, they could just discuss with Bai Wutong and exchange them for fewer copper coins. As long as Bai Wutong was willing to accept it, there was no difference between the wild fruits that were picked and the money they had picked up. Seeing so many shadows in the darkness, Ren Shuixing panicked. He did not want to do it himself, but he quickly ran home with the basket on his back and hurriedly said, ¡°Walk faster, don¡¯t let others beat you to it!¡± If he earned a lot, he could gamble a little. Money could make money, and he could bid farewell to such a beggar life. In the Lintian Village, many families had in-law relationships. Even if their families were earning money, they could not forget their in-law families. They passed on the information to each other. So that night, the entire Lintian village suddenly became lively. Some families were even in charge of holding torches. The entire family was sent out to pick fruits. The moment Ren Shuixing learned that wild fruits could be exchanged for money, he had long treated these fruits as his own. Seeing that so many people had come to take a share, he felt resentful, but there was nothing he could do to stop the others. However, he remembered a forest with several thick mulberry trees. When he was young, he often slept on the trees. Even though Ren Shuixing was drunk now and his head was dizzy, he could still find his way. Tao Yinzhen and Little Cat were walking too slowly. He kept urging them. As they walked in the night, there were brambles and bushes everywhere. No matter how he urged them, cursed and hit them, the mother and son were still as slow as tortoises. When it was finally time, Ren Shuixing ran forward excitedly. ¡°Ah!¡± In the blink of an eye, he disappeared from Tao Yinzhen¡¯s sight. Little Cat¡¯s voice trembled. ¡°Father is gone,¡± he said fearfully. When Tao Yinzhen heard the commotion just now, she guessed that Ren Shuixing must have fallen down the hill. She wanted to call for help, but when she saw Little Cat¡¯s thin face that only had his eyes left, she thought of Ren Shuixing¡¯s past atrocities against the mother and son. She gritted her teeth and pulled him in the other direction. ¡°Let¡¯s look in front.¡± However, she prayed in her heart that Ren Shuixing would fall to his death. However, she did not see Little Cat look back at the place where Ren Shuixing had disappeared and smile excitedly. After walking for a while with Little Cat, Tao Yinzhen encountered her fellow villagers who were picking fruits with torches. When they saw Tao Yinzhen and Little Cat, they said arrogantly, ¡°We discovered these mulberry trees first and want to pick them. Go the other side.¡± Tao Yinzhen could not let Ren Shuixing disappear just like that. Otherwise, she would be suspected. She begged them, ¡°My husband is missing. Please, can you help us find him?¡± Her face was filled with new injuries. Under the jumping flames, she looked like a corpse that had just gotten up from the ground, scaring everyone. Everyone cursed that she was bad luck and ignored her. Everyone was busy picking fruits to earn money, so how could they have the time to look for that drunk Ren Shuixing? Even if they found him, there was nothing to gain. Uncle Huang pitied them and pointed at the forest in front. ¡°The village chief is in front. Go find the village chief and see if he can help you find him.¡± Then, he sighed and said, ¡°Ren Shuixing might be sleeping drunk somewhere again. Maybe you can find him when you get home with the child.¡± Tao Yinzhen lowered her eyes and said anxiously, ¡°He came out with us and said that he wanted to pick the mulberries. It¡¯s impossible for him to abandon us and run back.¡± Uncle Huang said disdainfully, ¡°What can¡¯t he do? Go find the village chief.¡± With that, he waved his hand, looking like he didn¡¯t want to delay his earning. Tao Yinzhen nodded. She could only call Ren Shuixing¡¯s name while pulling Little Cat to look for the village chief, Lin Chenghai. Uncle Huang looked at their backs and sighed. ¡°What a sin.¡± Uncle Huang¡¯s wife also sighed. ¡°What¡¯s there to look for after beating the mother and daughter up like that? They¡¯d might as well let the drunkard die.¡± Chapter 160 - 160 How Could There Be Such Good Thing? 160 How Could There Be Such Good Thing? Tao Yinzhen finally found Lin Chenghai. Lin Chenghai glanced at the mother and son and said impatiently, ¡°Go home and look for him first. If you can¡¯t find him, I¡¯ll get a few people to help you find him.¡± Tao Yinzhen brought her son home. Seeing how tired he was, she said to him, ¡°I¡¯ll go find your father. You should rest at home. If he comes back, hide and don¡¯t provoke him.¡± Little Cat nodded. ¡°I understand, Mother.¡± Then, Tao Yinzhen shouted as she returned to look for Lin Chenghai. No matter how unwilling Lin Chenghai was, he was still the village chief. If there was one less person, the officials would ask him questions. Therefore, he still gathered a few people to accompany Tao Yinzhen to find Ren Shuixing. It was so dark, and Tao Yinzhen was not familiar with that path to begin with. She really could not find Ren Shuixing. The men were getting impatient. They said to her, ¡°The forest ahead is too deep. We can¡¯t go any further. If we can¡¯t find him, we¡¯ll continue tomorrow.¡± Tao Yinzhen shook her head. ¡°What if something happens? Please help me search again!¡± Tao Yinzhen was still a little afraid that Ren Shuixing would turn into an evil spirit and come looking for them after he died. As soon as she finished speaking, she suddenly fainted, either because she was too agitated or because she had been injured too badly by Ren Shuixing. The villagers looked at each other. They could only carry her back first. At dawn, Tao Yinzhen slowly opened her eyes. Little Cat was lying by her bed and called out excitedly, ¡°Mother, you¡¯re awake?¡± Tao Yinzhen nodded and suddenly thought of something. ¡°Where¡¯s your father? Have you found him?¡± Little Cat shook its head. ¡°Everyone went to sell fruits to Madam Bai. No one helped us find Father.¡± Tao Yinzhen looked at Little Cat and held his hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go look for him again.¡± Tao Yinzhen and Little Cat went out the door and followed the mountain path from the previous day. They fumbled around again and shouted for Ren Shuixing. After a long while, they finally found Ren Shuixing at the foot of the hill. Realizing that he was not dead and had only fainted, disappointment flashed in Little Cat¡¯s eyes. Tao Yinzhen heaved a sigh of relief and her emotions became complicated again. Since she had found him, she could not kill him. She could only save him. The mother and son did not have the strength to drag him up the hill at all. They could only return the way they came and look for the villagers of Lintian Village for help. At the entrance of Youjia village, the villagers of Lintian Village were all holding up the fruits that they had worked hard to gather during the night. They even shouted for Bai Wutong to take all the fruits. Bai Wutong only accepted the fruits so that the children could earn some pocket money. Now that they had picked so many fruits and blocked the entrance of the village, and Bai Wutong did not need so many, they were clearly making things difficult for her. When Zhao Erwa saw this scene, he immediately became anxious and angry. He shouted at the people from Lintian Village, ¡°Madam Bai won¡¯t accept your fruits!¡± He regretted helping Little Cat and the others. The villagers had been dreaming of becoming rich overnight. How could they watch as their dream was shattered? They shouted, ¡°You said that you will take as much as you can. Aren¡¯t you lying now? You have to give us an explanation!¡± Village Chief Zhao and the others rushed over when they heard the sound and frowned. ¡°Madam Bai said that to the children. Are you children?¡± They immediately said, ¡°We have many children at home. This is what they plucked overnight.¡± Zhao Erwa said angrily, ¡°You¡¯re shameless!¡± What was face? A face could not give them food. The villagers of Lintian Village went to call their children over and asked them to kneel at the entrance of a village and shout, ¡°Madam Bai, please accept our fruits!¡± They were really shameless! The group of children knelt on the ground in unison. All of them were sallow and thin. Some people in the village recalled the days when they were on their journey of escape and sighed again. They were all poor, but they couldn¡¯t do this! After Sheng Huaixuan found out what had happened, for the first time, he revealed a fierce aura and chased the people away. ¡°Hurry up and leave. Your child is pitiful, but that¡¯s not a reason to threaten Sister-in-law.¡± The villagers said indignantly, ¡°Madam Bai didn¡¯t say anything. It¡¯s none of your business. What if she just wants these fruits!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao appeared. Everyone immediately made way. For a moment, the villagers of Lintian Village thought that a noble had descended from the sky. When they reacted, they hurriedly shouted enthusiastically. ¡°Madam Bai, look at the fruits our family picked. They¡¯re big, fresh, and sweet. It¡¯s such a big basket. Madam, just give me 100 copper coins!¡± ¡°Madam Bai, our fruits are bigger, fresher, and sweeter than theirs. We only need 80 copper coins!¡± ¡°Madam Bai, we also have cherries, prickly berries that are refreshing and succulent in addition to the mulberries. All of them are only 50 copper coins!¡± ¡°Madam Bai¡­¡± Everyone fought to be the first to make their offer. They were afraid that the wild fruits that they had painstakingly picked could not be sold, so the price kept dropping. When Cui Lingyi saw so many fruits, she frowned and asked, ¡°Little Phoenix, do you still want to accept them?¡± The previous day, they had just used the remaining fruits to make a few jars of wine. There were so many fruits here that it was impossible to finish them all. Zhao Erwa looked at her with tears in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Madam. I¡¯ve caused trouble for you.¡± If he did not acknowledge Little Cat and the others as his lackeys, this situation would not have happened. Bai Wutong patted his head comfortingly. ¡°Their actions have nothing to do with you. You don¡¯t have to be sad or vent your anger on your friends. After all, no one expected this.¡± Hearing Bai Wutong¡¯s words, the children who had told their parents at home cried sadly. The children cried, and the adults took the opportunity to act pitiful again. ¡°Madam, we haven¡¯t eaten our fill for a few days. Please take pity on us!¡± What they said was not a lie. There was indeed not enough food. The money that Village Chief Wang earned from selling food the previous year had long been used up. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that there was really no way, they wouldn¡¯t have been in such a hurry to pick wild fruits overnight. Bai Wutong comforted Zhao Erwa, who was crying, and said to Cui Lingyi with a smile, ¡°I plan to make some more wine.¡± How much money could Qingfeng and the others earn just by farming? Bai Wutong planned to make a batch of wine and ask Qingfeng and the others for help. Then, she would give them money. In any case, alcohol could be kept for a long time. The longer it took, the more the ancient people liked the taste. Sooner or later, they would be able to recoup their losses. If the fruit wine she brewed was selling well, Bai Wutong even planned to let Qingfeng and the others build a wine workshop to provide more income to earn a stable living in the future. After all, after they joined her back then, Bai Wutong felt that she had to be responsible for them. Cui Lingyi was shocked. ¡°Didn¡¯t we make a lot yesterday?¡± Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°We can make some more.¡± After she decided, she said gently to the villagers of Lintian village, ¡°You¡¯ve picked too many fruits. I don¡¯t want so many. Give me five kilograms of mulberries, cherries, and prickly berries each.¡± She only wanted 15 kilograms. The villagers of Lintian Village who were eager to sell their fruits would definitely be anxious so they would offer the remaining fruits at an extremely low price. How could they scheme against her and even want to earn money? Bai Wutong had always been a person who distinguished between gratitude and grudges. They had thought that Bai Wutong would not want a single catty. After all, there were people in the village who were so unreasonable. If Bai Wutong did not want to buy them, they would not have the ability to force her to buy them. Now, she suddenly said that she wanted five kilograms of mulberry, cherries, and thorny berries each. The villagers of the Lintian village immediately became excited again and shouted at Bai Wutong, ¡°Madam, we have them. Buy ours!¡± Chapter 161 - 161 Finally, Happiness Comes After Bitterness 161 Finally, Happiness Comes After Bitterness Bai Wutong gave five copper coins for each half kilogram to the children. If it was 15 kilograms, that would be 150 copper coins! Bai Wutong waved her hand, and the villagers of Lintian village fell silent. Only then did she make her request. The fruit had to be fresh and intact before she would take them in. As long as there were fruits that met her requirements, she would not accept it after collecting 15 kilograms. As soon as she said this, everyone looked at each other and immediately sat down on the spot. One of them cleared the space and chose the best fruits. At the same time, Bai Wutong looked at Sheng Huaixuan and asked, ¡°Can you help me buy some white wine and get someone to send it over now?¡± Sheng Huaixuan asked, ¡°How much do you need?¡± Bai Wutong held up five fingers. ¡°2,500 kilograms.¡± Sheng Huaixuan agreed immediately. ¡°Alright, it can be delivered tomorrow.¡± Cui Lingyi exclaimed, ¡°2,500 kilograms! You¡¯ll have to drink it for hundreds of years!¡± Bai Wutong smiled and joked, ¡°With you around, a few years will be enough.¡± Cui Lingyi made a guess, ¡°You¡¯re not going to make it to sell, are you?¡± Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s try it first. If it¡¯s possible, we can consider it.¡± Cui Lingyi asked in confusion, ¡°Those 15 kilograms of fruits shouldn¡¯t be enough, right?¡± Bai Wutong smiled mysteriously. ¡°Of course not.¡± Her gaze landed on the neighboring villagers who were counting the fruits. It would be enough in a while. Soon, each family from Lintian village finished selecting five kilograms of thorny berries, mulberries, and cherries each. However, Bai Wutong only wanted 15 kilograms, so they quarreled over who could sell it to Bai Wutong. There were also people who threatened to flip the basket of anyone who dared to sell to Bai Wutong before them. No one wanted to waste the night¡¯s hard work. The scene almost went out of control. At this moment, Bai Wutong said, ¡°Show me your fruits.¡± Everyone hurriedly squeezed forward and carried the fruit basket to Bai Wutong. They pushed each other and almost squeezed into Bai Wutong. Chu Tianbao stood in front of Bai Wutong and glared at them fiercely. Only then did they stop. They obediently placed the basket on the ground and waited for Bai Wutong to check. Bai Wutong looked from left to right. Before she finished checking, she quickly picked out 15 kilograms of fruits that met her requirements. The villagers who were not chosen shouted unhappily, ¡°Madam Bai, you haven¡¯t seen our family¡¯s fruits yet!¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s face darkened. That person was so frightened that he didn¡¯t even dare to breathe. He immediately fell silent. The villagers looked at the remaining fruits in the basket and lowered their heads dejectedly. After so much effort, they could only feed it to the pigs. Yang Quan, who had mobilized his entire family, looked at Bai Wutong and suddenly begged, ¡°Madam, please accept our fruits. Even one copper coin per half kilograms is fine too.¡± There were dozens of kilograms in their baskets. If they charged one copper coin per half kilogram, they could at least get dozens of copper coins. It was better than nothing. Hearing Yang Quan¡¯s words, the other villagers of Lintian Village also came to a realization. ¡°Madam, I can sell it for one copper coin per kilogram!¡± ¡°Madam, I sell 1.5 kilograms for one copper coin!¡± Some people even wanted to sell it for two kilograms for a copper coin, but they hesitated. When they lowered the price to 1 copper coin per 1.5 kilograms, Bai Wutong felt that it was enough, but she said awkwardly, ¡°This is too much. It¡¯s useless even if I take them. It will cost me sugar and oil to make food.¡± The anxious villagers gritted their teeth and begged, ¡°Madam, I¡¯ll give you two kilograms for one copper coin. Just buy my wild fruits.¡± One copper coin for two kilograms was cheaper than pig grass. Besides, if pigs could eat such delicious wild fruits, they would definitely be overjoyed. Bai Wutong revealed an unbearable expression. ¡°It¡¯s not easy for you either. Then give me two kilograms for one copper coin.¡± Hearing Bai Wutong¡¯s words, the other villagers hurriedly said, ¡°Madam, Madam, we¡¯ll sell our wild fruits to you for two kilograms per copper coin!¡± Instead of bringing the fruits back to feed the pigs, it was better to exchange them for a few copper coins. After all, there were pig grass everywhere, so they couldn¡¯t sell them even if they wanted to. With someone initiating, the others chimed in. ¡°Same for us!¡± Bai Wutong said reluctantly, ¡°Alright, since it¡¯s not easy for everyone, I¡¯ll take all for two kilograms per copper coin.¡± The villagers of the Lintian Village even said gratefully, ¡°Thank you, Madam Bai! Thank you, Madam Bai! Madam Bai is the Goddess of Mercy!¡± The villagers of Youjia Village were very dissatisfied with the villagers of Lintian Village. Although Bai Wutong did not spend much money to buy so many wild fruits. However, what was the use of these wild fruits? They were a waste of money. Zhao Ergou was so guilty that he did not know what to do. If he hadn¡¯t been so nosy, Bai Wutong wouldn¡¯t have been ¡°forced¡± by everyone to buy these fruits. After all the fruits were settled, everyone received a little copper coins and finally looked happy. Tao Yinzhen and Little Cat ran over hurriedly. ¡°Help! My husband fell down the slope last night. Please save him!¡± They were all from the same village. Since they had already found him, they naturally could not leave him in the lurch. Hence, they followed Tao Yinzhen and Little Cat to save Ren Shuixing. Although he was saved, Ren Shuixing could not move his limbs when he woke up. Tao Yinzhen did not have the money to hire a doctor, so the villagers who knew chiropractic took a look at him for her. When they felt the shattered bones, they shook their heads and said, ¡°He¡¯ll be crippled in the future. He can only lie in bed.¡± Hearing this, a strange look flashed in Tao Yinzhen¡¯s eyes. She asked, ¡°Can he still move his hands?¡± It was better to cripple a person like Ren Shuixing than to let him drink and beat people up all day long. The man shook his head and looked at the mother and son pitifully. ¡°It¡¯s already shattered like this. Unless the divine doctor is still alive.¡± Tao Yinzhen was stunned. There was a strange look in her eyes, and she suddenly cried again. ¡°Boohoo¡­ Why is my life so bitter!¡± Finally, the bitterness was over and the sweetness was here. When Little Cat heard that his father had become a cripple, he was probably scared silly. He did not move and did not have any expression. Although everyone pitied them, they were more concerned about themselves. They were afraid that Tao Yinzhen and Little Cat would cling onto them. After watching the show, they quickly left. As soon as they left, the unconscious Ren Shuixing woke up. His entire body was in so much pain that he was about to fall apart. When he saw his cold wife in front of him, he still did not realize what was wrong. He cursed, ¡°B*tch, you scared me.¡± He wanted to get up and slap Tao Yinzhen, but he finally realized that he couldn¡¯t move at all. He looked at Tao Yinzhen in disbelief and thought of last night¡¯s fall down the hill. He roared crazily, ¡°B*tch, hurry up and call a doctor!¡± He could only open his mouth and roar now. Tao Yinzhen, who was still a little afraid, finally heaved a sigh of relief and said coldly, ¡°There¡¯s no money.¡± Ren Shuixing roared, ¡°If you don¡¯t have money, go and borrow it! If I¡¯m crippled, you won¡¯t have an easy time either!¡± In fact, if he was crippled, they would have an easier time. Tao Yinzhen glanced at her son and remembered that Little Cat had not eaten since last night. Ignoring Ren Shuixing¡¯s roar, she took out Little Cat¡¯s money bag and said happily to Little Cat, ¡°Let¡¯s go cook sweet potatoes. We¡¯ll eat two today.¡± Little Cat immediately smiled. It was already good enough for them to eat a full sweet potato a day. Ren Shuixing was also hungry. He cursed, ¡°B*tch, I¡¯m going to beat you to death! I¡¯m going to sell you to the brothel!¡± Little Cat found him too noisy and took off his smelly socks and stuffed them into his mouth. Ren Shuixing did not expect his son to dare to do this to him. His mouth was gagged and he was still whimpering and roaring. Little Cat even smiled coldly at him and left the room holding Tao Yinzhen¡¯s hand. Chapter 162 - 162 This "Friend" Is Really Generous 162 This ¡°Friend¡± Is Really Generous Wild fruits filled the front yard of Bai Wutong¡¯s house. Bai Wutong asked the dark guards to help classify all the fruits. After removing the cores, washing, and drying them, they could be used to make fruit wine. The courtyard was getting busy in an organized manner. The next day, 2,500 kilograms of white wine were transported to Youjia Village one cart by one cart. Bai Wutong¡¯s warehouse could not fit, so she could only store them in everyone¡¯s houses. Only then did some villagers realize that Bai Wutong had bought so many fruits to make fruit wine. An ordinary jar of white wine was a luxury for ordinary people, let alone fruit wine with fruits and sugar. After making so much, it would be a huge loss if Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t sell it. As soon as the wine was settled, Sheng Huaixuan looked for Bai Wutong and said, ¡°My friend wants to buy all the fruit wine made by Sister-in-law. If sister-in-law is willing, the price will be set by you.¡± The fruit wine had yet to be made, but there were already people bidding. This showed his trust that she could definitely make good wine. Bai Wutong sized up the calm Sheng Huaixuan and already guessed who this friend was. Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll tell you when the fruit wine is ready.¡± Sheng Huaixuan naturally understood that Bai Wutong had already guessed that it was him. He said calmly, ¡°Sister-in-law, if you need anything else, don¡¯t be afraid of trouble. Just let me know.¡± If she wanted to sell the fruit wine at a high price and obtain everyone¡¯s approval, not only did the wine need to have a good taste, but it also needed to have a high-end packaging so that the rich and powerful would be willing to pay. When Bai Wutong decided to make fruit wine, she had already thought of how to design an exquisite fruit wine packaging. The most beautiful thing about fruit wine was its bright color that was extremely tempting. It was best to put it in a glass bottle. If there was no glass bottle, storing it in porcelain bottle must also be extremely beautiful. In the ¡°Book of Hundred Industries¡± that Yang Quanzi had given her, there was a record of how to melt glass. However, the cost of melting glass was too high. Usually, when a master melted an exquisite glass product, it would be sent into the palace as a tribute. If Bai Wutong wanted to use glass to store wine, she had to go through the high-end luxury route and sell the most expensive fruit wine. However, this kind of market was unstable. Bai Wutong thought about it and decided to go ahead with all three routes. A portion of wine stored in exquisite glass would be sold to the royal family and other nobles. Then, she would customize a batch of exquisite ceramic bottles and sell them to the high class families. The remaining large batches of fruit wine were stored in ordinary ceramic bottles and sold to civilians and middle class families. In any case, with Sheng Huaixuan around, they only needed to be in charge of producing the wine. Bai Wutong felt that the three routes would definitely allow Qingfeng and the others to have a stable income. If the 2,500 kilograms of wine sold well, she could make more wine next time. Bai Wutong said to Sheng Huaixuan, ¡°I want to customize some wine bottles to store wine. Do you have any connections?¡± Sheng Huaixuan smiled. ¡°My friend will definitely have a way. I wonder what kind of wine bottle Sister-in-law wants to customize. Do you need my friend to call him over and communicate with him face to face?¡± Good Lord, he was going to provide customization just like this. This ¡°friend¡± was really generous. Bai Wutong glanced at Sheng Huaixuan and chuckled. ¡°There¡¯s no need to call him over. I¡¯ll draw the blueprint. Please pass it to the craftsman to make a sample and send it over.¡± Sheng Huaixuan agreed immediately. ¡°Okay.¡± The weather was good in spring. In a day or two, all the fruits were dried. Bai Wutong called Qingfeng and the others over and divided them into a few teams and chose the team leaders. She specially taught the team leaders how to make fruit wine in the courtyard and asked them to bring their teams to make fruit wine according to the ratio. The fruit wine used very simple ingredients. White wine, fruits, and rock sugar were combined and fermented according to a certain ratio. However, this was only the most basic fruit wine. If she wanted to make a mellow and sweet fruit wine, she still needed to constantly adjust the ratio. When the villagers saw that Bai Wutong had made the wine so simply and directly, they couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°So it¡¯s so simple to make fruit wine!¡± It was so simple that they could make it easily. They also wanted to make a jar of fruit wine, but when they thought about how much rock sugar was needed to make a jar of fruit wine, they completely dispelled the idea. This cost was too expensive. As for the people from the 30 families of Qinghe, there was no need to do so. In any case, Bai Wutong had made so much wine and the fruit wine was successfully brewed. So long as they spent some money to buy some, Bai Wutong would definitely agree. The fruit wine fermented extremely quickly. In a month, the first stage of wine could be unveiled. On the day of the unveiling, Cui Lingyi ran to Bai Wutong¡¯s house early and stared at the wine jar. Bai Wutong was amused. ¡°You can¡¯t drink it yet.¡± Cui was shocked. ¡°Why not? Isn¡¯t fruit wine supposed to be drunk after it¡¯s fermented successfully?¡± She liked to drink, so she was familiar with the process of brewing wine. Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°My fruit wine is naturally not comparable to other fruit wines.¡± Since Bai Wutong was so confident, Cui Lingyi was even more curious. She could not wait to urge Bai Wutong to open it and see how the fruit wine was now. Bai Wutong lifted the lid of the wine, and the fragrance of the wine swept everyone. Bai Wutong took a bowl of the first stage of wine with a wine trough. The bright color was too beautiful. Before they drank, everyone was already attracted by its color. Cui Lingyi said even more exaggeratedly, ¡°You can use it to make rouge. The color is too beautiful.¡± Bai Wutong felt that it was not crystal clear enough. However, since the first stage of wine could have such a beautiful color without being filtered, it meant that the fermentation of the fruit wine was very successful. There were a total of eight wine jars in Bai Wutong¡¯s house. They were cherry wine, thornberry wine, and mulberry wine. The cherry wine was the palest, a watery red. The thornberry wine had the best color and a little like the popular tomato color of the lipstick that modern girls each had. The color of the mulberry wine was the most intense. It was a deep wine red and bright. At a glance, it looked like the blood of a beauty. Bai Wutong said, ¡°Try it.¡± Cui Lingyi picked the bowl up and savored bit by bit. ¡°It¡¯s delicious,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°The fruit is rich and sweet.¡± ¡°I like cherry wine best, followed by thornberries, and finally, mulberries.¡± Her evaluation was very standard because the freshly fermented fruit wine was also standard and ordinary. If there was less sugar, it would be no different from the fruit wine on the market. Cui Lingyi¡¯s comment was comforting. Bai Wutong received her evaluation and went into the kitchen to close the door. After a while, the three glasses of fruit wine that she had filtered repeatedly and specially concocted appeared. These three glasses of specially made fruit wine were made with mint and wild little green oranges found on the mountain. Fine granulated sugar was added to the freshly squeezed fruit juice and poured into the specially custom-made glazed goblet by Bai Wutong. It was carefully decorated at the mouth of the glass and perfectly restored the shape of a modern cocktail. As soon as Bai Wutong served it, Cui Lingyi was stunned. Chapter 163 - 163 Youre welcome to come and freeload anytime 163 You¡¯re welcome to come and freeload anytime The Cui family, one of the 30 families from Qinghe, had a high status and had accumulated a lot of treasures. Cui Lingyi had also seen glass cups before, but she had never seen such a unique glass cup. Like a tall lamp, it made the fruit wine inside dazzling and colorful. When Cui Lingyi got closer to take a look, she was completely shocked. Her eyes stopped moving as she asked in disbelief, ¡°This is actually transparent glass?¡± She had never seen glass that was completely transparent. She had thought that the color was from the cup. When she walked closer, she realized that it was the color of fruit wine. Before Bai Wutong could answer, she asked in surprise, ¡°How did you do it? How did the color of the fruit wine suddenly become pure and clear?¡± Together with the glass, it was like the water of the Jade Pool in the Heaven. Bai Wutong smiled mysteriously. ¡°It¡¯s the fruit wine that I specially made. Try it again.¡± Cui Lingyi¡¯s mind was filled with doubts. At Bai Wutong¡¯s prompt, she stopped thinking and raised the cherry fruit wine to her lips. The taste became clear and sweet. The rich taste spread on the tip of her tongue. There was a mellow sweetness and a refreshing feeling. Cui Lingyi had never drunk such a unique fruit wine. The alcohol content was just right. It suddenly relaxed her tense nerves, as if the pressure on her had disappeared without a trace. Cui Lingyi did not know how to describe the wine. That slightly intoxicating feeling was like meeting someone who could make her addicted and she could not extricate herself. Seeing her expression of enjoyment, Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes curved. ¡°How is it? It¡¯s good, right?¡± No one could escape the charm of a mixed cocktail. Cui Lingyi praised her exaggeratedly. ¡°This wine should only exist in the Heavens! Little Phoenix, what wine is this? It¡¯s too delicious!¡± After drinking the fruit wine concocted by Bai Wutong, the other fruit wine was incomparable. Bai Wutong pointed to the decorations on the goblet. ¡°It has a tail. Let¡¯s call it a cocktail!¡± ¡°A cocktail?¡± Cui Lingyi looked shocked. ¡®That sounds awful.¡¯ It was so delicious and beautiful. With this name, the class was instantly lowered. Cui Lingyi frowned and asked in confusion, ¡°Phoenixes have tails too. Why not call it Phoenix Feather Wine?¡± ¡°¡­¡± What she said seemed to make sense. Moreover, the Phoenix Feather Wine did sound more classy. Bai Wutong compromised. ¡°Then let¡¯s call it the Phoenix Feather Wine.¡± Satisfied, Cui Lingyi lifted a second glass of thornberry wine to her lips. The thick fragrance of the thornberries gradually melted in her mouth. She said in even greater surprise, ¡°I like the thornberry fruit wine even better. The sour sweetness of the thornberries beats the sourness of the cherries.¡± Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll remain firm when you drink the next cup.¡± Cui Lingyi put down thornberry wine gracefully and again picked up the third glass of mulberry wine at a leisurely pace. She inhaled the aroma greedily, like a vampire. It was unbelievable. How did the Bai Wutong make an ordinary fruit wine become so tempting in such a short period of time? If she liked it so much and fell in love with it after drinking it once, the other nobles would definitely be intoxicated by it. The rich scent of the mulberries was even stronger than that of the thornberry and cherries. However, Cui Lingyi herself did not like to eat mulberries. Her favorite flavor among the three types of Phoenix Feather Wine was still the thornberry-flavored one. She maintained a firm stance and even glanced smugly at Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°The Phoenix Feather Wine needs to be specially brewed, so it can only be stored for a shorter time. Do you think it will affect the sale?¡± Cui Lingyi quickly shook her head. ¡°The more this is the case, the more it can show how precious the Phoenix Feather Wine is. There will definitely be more people buying the wine with money!¡± Bai Wutong said, ¡°This is the special Phoenix Feather Wine. I¡¯ve also developed two other versions. You can try it later.¡± Cui Lingyi agreed with a smile and asked, ¡°How much do you plan to sell the special Phoenix Feather Wine for?¡± Then she joked, ¡°If it¡¯s especially expensive, I¡¯ll come to your house to steal wine in the future.¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°Then come to my house to steal wine in the future. I plan to sell a bottle of special Phoenix Feather Wine for 500 taels.¡± Cui Lingyi was stunned. ¡°That¡¯s expensive!¡± Bai Wutong pointed at the cup she raised and said, ¡°It¡¯s a special fruit wine. Only certain raw materials are available in this season, and they are extremely rare. Moreover, the special Phoenix Feather Wine is placed in pure glass bottles. Do you still think it¡¯s expensive?¡± In this world, no one had planted lemons or green oranges yet. She had only found a green orange tree in the mountains and had only plucked a few dozen kilograms of green oranges. The special wine was naturally extremely precious. Cui Lingyi said in surprise, ¡°It¡¯s not then.¡± Just the pure colored glass was worth it for the upper-class people to bid high prices for it. Then, if it contained Bai Wutong¡¯s special Phoenix Feather Wine, not to mention 500 taels, it was even worth 1,000 taels. Bai Wutong went to the kitchen again and took out the sample bottle that Sheng Huaixuan had just sent over. ¡°Look.¡± When Cui Lingyi saw the exquisite and pure glass bottle, she was stunned. ¡°This is too beautiful!¡± Sheng Huaixuan got someone to customize a transparent glass cup. Unexpectedly, when the craftsman of the glass factory heard this, he quickly shook his head and said that he couldn¡¯t make it. Bai Wutong felt that a transparent glass bottle looked the best, so she flipped open Yang Quanzi¡¯s ¡°Book of Hundred Industry¡±. She roughly understood the level of glass technology in this world before entering the RV space to search for information. She improved the glass technology a little and handed it to Sheng Huaixuan. Bai Wutong had only changed it a little, so that the craftsmen could make pure-colored glass, but it would not cause the precious glass to depreciate. The craftsman made a transparent glass based on the slight modifications by Bai Wutong. Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s ¡°friend¡± immediately gave her a considerable amount of fees for the modification and even promised to supply her with the glass at the cost price in the future. Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s ¡°friend¡± was naturally trustworthy. Bai Wutong had earned a lot of money before she even started selling fruit wine. Even if Qingfeng and the others followed her for the rest of her life, she could still do nothing at home and support them. However, she felt that this was not good. Even if the poison in their bodies was only temporarily suppressed, they should have a new life and a beautiful future while they were alive. Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°You can take it if you like.¡± Although Cui Lingyi liked it, it was too expensive. She shook her head and smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t give it to me. If you give it to me, I won¡¯t come to your house to freeload. Compared to the glass bottle, Little Phoenix¡¯s Phoenix Feather Wine is more to my liking.¡± The corners of Bai Wutong¡¯s lips curled up. ¡°You¡¯re welcome to come anytime.¡± Cui Lingyi had been waiting for Bai Wutong to say this. She was overjoyed. ¡°Little Phoenix, you¡¯re so nice.¡± Everyone liked the Phoenix Feather Wine very much. Bai Wutong immediately led everyone into production and mixed the Phoenix Feather Wine in a uniform ratio. Apart from the glass bottle, Bai Wutong also specially designed a wooden box for packaging. Sheng Huaixuan opened the wooden box. It was layered like a three-dimensional painting. He took out the glass bottle of Phoenix Feather Wine and exclaimed, ¡°This wine will definitely become famous.¡± Chapter 164 - 164 A Small Gift 164 A Small Gift He had agreed with Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s ¡°friend¡± that Bai Wutong only needed to be in charge of producing wine. There were only 30 bottles of special Phoenix Feather Wine in 2,500 kilograms of wine produced. Sheng Huaixuan was indeed Sheng Huaixuan. His ¡°friend¡± first launched a marketing gimmick, calling the world¡¯s best wine as Phoenix Feather Wine. When the upper-class people who liked wine heard that it had disappeared, they all asked around about what kind of wine the Phoenix Feather Wine was. This was the first time they had heard of it. How did it become the number one wine in the world? For the sake of the wine that they loved, these people who liked wine challenged Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s ¡°friend¡± to compete for the title of the best wine in the world. Only then did Sheng Huaixuan bring the exquisitely packaged Phoenix Feather Wine to the table. Everyone looked disdainful. ¡°It¡¯s just something fancy. This wine might not be any better than water.¡± Describing a bottle of wine as bland was the ultimate insult to wine. Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s ¡°friend¡± took his time to open the exquisite packaging. The wooden box was stacked layer by layer, displaying the craftsmanship of the wine as if it was an animation. Everyone fell silent, their gazes attracted by the scene in front of them. The person who designed the packaging was quite interesting. The unique painting style and special animation effects were all so novel. When Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s ¡°friend¡± took out the glass bottle, everyone was stunned again. It was as though bright red liquid that was wrapped in snow-like packaging was not a bottle of wine, but a peerless treasure. This was the first time they had seen such exquisite glass. Someone was stunned for a long time before he reacted and said angrily, ¡°What number one wine in the world? It¡¯s just a vase!¡± Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s ¡°friend¡± was very calm. In front of everyone, he personally opened the bottle of special Phoenix Feather Wine. The rich smell of fruit wine immediately hit the face, like the fragrance emitted from a peerless beauty. It made one subconsciously took in one breath after another. Everyone couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°It smells so good ~¡± Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s ¡°friend¡± poured himself a glass of Phoenix Feather Wine in a unique tall glass. The silky wine swayed gently in the glass, but these people who liked wine could only watch. Sheng Huaixuan took a sip and looked like he was already floating in the skies. The bright red wine tempted everyone¡¯s hearts. Seeing that they were really craving it and no longer seemed disdainful, Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s ¡°friend¡± asked the servants to bring over dozens of expensive tall glasses. He personally poured wine for these arrogant scholars. These people were like proud eagles. After holding them back before letting them drink the Phoenix Feather Wine, it would magnify all the strengths of the Phoenix Feather Wine a million times in their minds. The expensive glasses were filled with bright red wine. They could not wait to bring the glasses to their mouths and were instantly stunned. This wine should have been rare in the world! The person who doubted that a mere fruit wine was worthy of being the number one wine in the world was so emotional that he actually cried. Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s ¡°friend¡± saw them staring at the wine glass in a daze and smiled. It was time to inform his master to begin the sale. Since it was the best wine in the world, it was naturally very precious. Everyone only had one glass before there was nothing left to drink. Those who were addicted to the glass of wine asked where they could buy the special Phoenix Feather Wine, but Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s ¡°friend¡± did not reveal any clues. After the scholars returned home, they could not eat or drink. They wrote a few famous poems for the Phoenix Feather Wine in their hearts. Soon, the celebrity effect took effect. More and more people asked about the Phoenix Feather Wine and wanted to buy it at a high price. Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s ¡°friend¡± immediately released the news that there were only 30 bottles of special Phoenix Feather Wine a year and it cost 500 taels of silver. 500 taels a bottle! Even so, such expensive wine was sold out in an instant. As there were only 30 bottles, everyone fought crazily for them. The price of the Phoenix Feather Wine reached a sky-high price of tens of thousands of taels per bottle. Yu Suisheng immediately released the 15 bottles of special Phoenix Feather Wine that he had pretended to have sold out. In an instant, he had earned more than a million taels of silver. As for those who did not manage to snatch the special Phoenix Feather Wine, they were dissatisfied. Yu Suisheng quickly released the noble and commoner Phoenix Feather Wine in his stock. The price corresponded to the target audience and everyone was very satisfied with it. Yu Suisheng made another huge profit and excitedly ran to inform Sheng Huaixuan personally. When Yu Suisheng reached Youjia village, he specially brought many items for Bai Wutong. There were high-quality silk, rare food, and all kinds of seeds that Bai Wutong liked. His team was very large. In order to protect things, there were many tall guards and bodyguards. When Lintian Village saw that someone was sending items to Youjia village again, they stood by the road and watched enviously. There were so many things. If they were given any item, they probably would not have to suffer. They followed the crowd all the way to the entrance of Youjia village. There was already a gate set up at Youjia village. Qingfeng was the captain of the patrol team. She asked with a dark gaze, ¡°Who are you?¡± Yu Suisheng immediately said, ¡°I¡¯m a friend of Master Sheng. The Phoenix Feather Wine brewed by Madam Bai has run out of stock. I¡¯m here to thank Madam Bai and hope that she can brew more wine.¡± The moment he said that, the villagers of Lintian Village were dumbfounded. They knew about Bai Wutong brewing wine. The fruits were provided by them at four catties per copper coin. They also watched Bai Wutong and the others being busy for a long time. The fragrance of the wine lingered for more than two months until the wine was taken away. They even joked, ¡°We finally don¡¯t have to work every day in a drunken state.¡± At that time, someone had guessed how much the fruit wine made by Bai Wutong could be sold for. Everyone felt that it wouldn¡¯t be much. After all, most of the people who drank fruit wine were women. How many women in town could afford to drink wine? They never expected that the wine made by Bai Wutong would be in such high demand. Someone even specially brought a gift to ask Bai Wutong to make wine. They suddenly realized their huge loss. Bai Wutong¡¯s wine was in high demand. It was selling well, so it was definitely very profitable! They had provided the raw materials and fruits, but they had only exchanged for around 10 to 20 copper coins. They were so regretful that their intestines turned green. They shouldn¡¯t have sold the fruits to Bai Wutong at such a low price. Perhaps she had deliberately planned this. They had completely forgotten that if Bai Wutong had not been willing to accept their fruits back then, they would not have been able to get even half a copper coin, let alone 10 or 20 copper coins. Lin Chenghai¡¯s eyes turned red when he saw Yu Suisheng enter Youjia Village with so many things. He did not dare to look for Bai Wutong to ask for compensation. When he saw a skinny kitten by the side, he suddenly had an idea. This was the first time Yu Suisheng had come to Youjia Village. He was very shocked that Youjia Village actually looked like this. Sheng Huaixuan appeared with Stinky in his arms. When Yu Suisheng saw him, he subconsciously wanted to bow. Without Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s reminder, Lin Yue had already quickly supported him. Only then did Yu Suisheng realize that he had almost exposed himself. If others knew that Sheng Huaixuan was the one doing business behind his back, the identity that Sheng Huaixuan had worked so hard to get rid of would be gone. Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao appeared. Sheng Huaixuan hurriedly introduced, ¡°This is my good friend, Master Yu. He specially came to buy the Phoenix Feather Wine.¡± Sheng Huaixuan had mentioned Bai Wutong¡¯s capability many times in the letter. Moreover, they were the young master¡¯s savior, his godfather and godmother. Yu Suisheng hurriedly cupped his hands respectfully. ¡°Greetings, Madam Bai. Master Chu, this is a small gift I¡¯ve prepared. I hope you can accept it.¡± Bai Wutong turned around and saw eight full carts. How could this be considered a small gift? Could it be that she did not understand the true meaning of the word? Chapter 165 - 165 Madam Bai, You Dont Have to Pay 165 Madam Bai, You Don¡¯t Have to Pay Yu Suisheng rushed the entire journey and followed Sheng Huaixuan to settle down. Not long after, Sheng Huaixuan came with the banknotes. After Yu Suisheng sold the Phoenix Feather Wine made from 2,500 kilograms of white wine, she immediately earned more than 20,000 taels. Bai Wutong was quite happy. She had unintentionally made so much money from the wine. However, it was only because Sheng Huaixuan was capable that he could sell it for so much money in such a short time. Sheng Huaixuan said, ¡°The Phoenix Feather Wine is very popular. Madam, don¡¯t you plan to make more?¡± The mulberries, the hairy cherries, and the prickly berries were only available in spring, and it was summer. However, plums, pears, grapes, and other fruits could all be used to make fruit wine. Bai Wutong had expected the Phoenix Feather Wine to be popular, but she did not expect it to be so popular. The wine store was filled with people every day demanding the Phoenix Feather Wine. The wine seller specially went to purchase several fruit wines, wanting to try to concoct the Phoenix Feather Wine to sell. In the end, they were unable to concoct the commoner or noble versions, let alone the special Phoenix Feather Wine. There were some imposters who refused to give up. When people bought it, the store was quickly overturned because it was not the same taste at all. If the Phoenix Feather Wine brewed by Bai Wutong was compared to the ambrosia in the heavens, the fake wine they sold was like fermented rotten fruits. The difference was too great. Therefore, more and more people wanted to know what the real Phoenix Feather Wine tasted like. All of a sudden, the people who had bought the wine but had yet to drink it suddenly became rich. Bai Wutong also wanted to make more wine. After all, it did not take much effort for her to bring everyone to earn money that they could not afford to earn. Unfortunately, there were no more green oranges to be used for making the special Phoenix Feather Wine. She could not reproduce that taste without that. Bai Wutong said, ¡°The special Phoenix Feather Wine can¡¯t be produced, but the nobles and commoners can. How much do you think I should make?¡± They did not have any fruits, but they could collect them everywhere. If she wanted to, she could definitely make the wine. Sheng Huaixuan said, ¡°The special Phoenix Feather Wine seeks perfection. So the more the commoner and noble version, the better. It¡¯s best to satisfy everyone¡¯s needs.¡± There were only about 200 people who listened to Qingfeng¡¯s orders. They were far from being able to make the Phoenix Feather Wine that could meet the needs of the market. However, there were actually quite a number of people in their village. It was not impossible to build a large wine workshop. The 30 families of Qinghe had moved here. Although they had savings, almost all their ancestral assets were gone. When they saw that Yang Gongbing had built a workshop with Bai Wutong¡¯s spray machine, and they had tried it, they wondered if they should persuade Bai Wutong to build a workshop to produce clean paper. When they found out that Yang Gongbing¡¯s next plan was to buy the clean paper formula, everyone gave up. Bai Wutong said, ¡°We still have to discuss the raw ingredients, manpower and location for the wine brewing business carefully. We won¡¯t be able to supply in large quantities for the time being.¡± Sheng Huaixuan said, ¡°If we wait until the preparations are complete, the amazing taste of the Phoenix Feather Wine will be forgotten by many people. It¡¯s best to plan slowly and brew wine at the same time. Madam, if you let everyone bring the wine jars home, you can also brew a lot of wine.¡± Bai Wutong looked at Sheng Huaixuan. His eyes shone with a shocking light. He really wanted Bai Wutong to brew the Phoenix Feather Wine to meet the market demand. He probably genuinely liked business. Unfortunately, he chose to give it up for Stinky, or for his dignity as a human being. Bai Wutong nodded and agreed. ¡°What Master Sheng said is feasible. When I decide which fruits are suitable for brewing the Phoenix Feather Wine this season, I¡¯ll tell you to buy them.¡± Sheng Huaixuan smiled. ¡°Okay.¡± Suddenly, the earth-shattering cries of children could be heard. Bai Wutong and Sheng Huaixuan looked at each other strangely and followed the sound of crying. At the entrance of Youjia village, dozens of children were kneeling. They cried and shouted, ¡°Madam Bai, please give us some copper coins!¡± Seeing them threaten Bai Wutong like this, Little Cat was very angry. He went forward and pulled the child who had eaten rice cake at Bai Wutong¡¯s house. ¡°Get up, get up. Madam Bai doesn¡¯t owe you copper coins!¡± Lin Chenghai¡¯s son, Lin Yao, stood up and pushed Little Cat away. ¡°She owes us copper coins. She¡¯s a liar. She sold the wine but only gave us a little! We have to let her make up for it. It has to be at least five copper coins a catty of fruit!¡± He was fat and a few years older than Little Cat. Little Cat fell to the ground after being pushed and his knees were scraped. He said angrily, ¡°You¡¯re repaying kindness with ingratitude! Without Madam Bai, those fruits aren¡¯t worth a penny.¡± Little Cat¡¯s words angered Lin Yao. He rode on Little Cat¡¯s body and beat him up. ¡°She earned so much money. Why can¡¯t she return the fruit money to us!¡± If Bai Wutong returned the money, his father would be able to buy meat for him. Lin Yao scolded as he hit Little Cat, ¡°You¡¯re just jealous that our family is rich! You¡¯re just like your paralyzed father, only having a poor life!¡± Lin Yao was the overlord of the village, and no one dared to provoke him. Little Cat¡¯s companions, who had a good relationship with him, cried his heart out. When he thought about how Madam Bai had treated them kindly, but they came to ask for money with other children, he felt that it was really not right. Guilt and sadness surged in his heart, and he immediately went forward to pull Lin Yao. ¡°Stop fighting, stop fighting!¡± How could Lin Yao care about a few little children? He sent one after another punch at Little Cat. Although Little Cat was young and looked like he could not defeat Lin Yao at all, he was smart. He opened his mouth and bit Lin Yao¡¯s arm. Lin Yao felt the pain and threw him away before kicking him fiercely. Little Cat groaned, his face contorted in pain. Lin Yao wanted to kick him again, but Qingfeng kicked him away. As he rolled to the side, the children turned around and saw Bai Wutong and the others appear. Little Cat said to Bai Wutong with a pale face, ¡°Madam Bai, you don¡¯t have to pay. Leave quickly!¡± Ultimately, he was still a child. Qingfeng did not use much strength. Lin Yao got up and roared at Bai Wutong, ¡°What do you mean she doesn¡¯t have to pay! You have to pay! Pay for our fruits!¡± Lin Yao glanced at Little Cat coldly. He had suffered so much. If he did not get the money, he would hang Little Cat up and beat him when they returned! This child¡¯s eyes were filled with viciousness. He was filled with schemes of an adult, which Bai Wutong disliked. She frowned at Little Cat, who was beaten up, and shot Qingfeng a glance. Qingfeng nodded and walked toward the group of children. Some of the children were pretending to cry just now. When they met Qingfeng¡¯s cold gaze, they were immediately frightened to tears. Some of the timid ones even wanted to get up and run, but when they thought about how they would be beaten up when they returned home if they did not get the copper coins, they did not dare to run. All of them cowered their heads, making people feel strange. Lin Yao didn¡¯t see who kicked him just now. He mustered his courage and threatened Qingfeng, ¡°If you dare to hit me, I¡¯ll sue you to the authorities!¡± Qingfeng didn¡¯t even look at him. Instead, she reached out and picked up the disheveled Little Cat on the ground. Chapter 166 - 166 166 Not only was Little Cat not afraid of Qingfeng, he also admired her. He also wanted to be as powerful as Qingfeng. He was obediently carried by Qingfeng to Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong looked at him gently and reached out to touch the top of his head. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯ll take you to treat your injuries.¡± When Little Cat heard her words, he, who was very strong and did not cry just now, at this moment, had tears flowing unconsciously. Qingfeng took Little Cat to the pharmacy. Bai Wutong looked up at the mountain in the direction of Lintian Village. There were many people hiding there. She said to the dark guards, ¡°Go and capture them.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The dark guards rushed out like shadows. The children were dumbfounded and even forgot to cry. Lin Chenghai squatted in the bushes at the top of the mountain. The man beside him asked anxiously, ¡°Will it work? Will that woman give us money?¡± Lin Chenghai¡¯s head hurt from his nagging. ¡°Women are soft-hearted. She will definitely give it to us. Besides, she¡¯s already earned so much money. What¡¯s wrong with giving us some?!¡± If not for the fact that there were so many experts in the village, Lin Chenghai would have asked for more. As soon as he finished speaking, the dark shadows that descended from the sky restrained the dozen or so men on the mountain. Everyone was shocked. Before they could even resist, they were lined up like caterpillars and chased to the entrance of Youjia village by the dark guards. Lin Chenghai did not have any confidence, but he still gritted his teeth and said, ¡°What are you trying to do? Don¡¯t think that just because Lord Yang is supporting you, you can be arrogant!¡± Bai Wutong looked at him coldly. ¡°We helped you find the children. You should thank us and give us an appreciation fee. How can you call it being arrogant?¡± Lin Chenghai was so angry that he almost vomited blood. He was here to ask for money, not to deliver it. He said angrily, ¡°Our children knows to come back. It¡¯s none of your business!¡± This was what Bai Wutong had been waiting for. ¡°Really? They¡¯re blocking the way here and crying. I thought they were unwanted children. I almost called the authorities.¡± The villagers of Lintian Village were intimidated by Bai Wutong. Afraid that she would report to the authorities and take their children away, they hurriedly picked up their children and rushed back. In a short while, only Lin Chenghai and his child were left. He knew that it was impossible for Bai Wutong to spit out the money she had received, nor did he dare to ask for it personally. He looked at Bai Wutong indignantly and could only bring the dejected Lin Yao back. Youjia village entrance was at peace again. Village Chief Zhao spat at their backs. ¡°Shameless!¡± Auntie Yang nodded. ¡°It¡¯s not that he¡¯s shameless. A married man can even get a young lady pregnant. How can such a person be worthy of being the village chief? No wonder everyone in Lintian Village is poor.¡± She returned what Lin Yao had said about Little Cat. Her words were harsh and loud. Lin Chenghai and Lin Yao heard it. Lin Chenghai almost broke his teeth from gritting too hard. Lin Yao hated his father even more. Why did he bring that woman, Wang Mingyue, home and make himself a laughing stock? Why did he have to give birth to a little bastard to compete with him for the family assets? ¡­ When Bai Wutong returned home, she sent someone to gather the people who were going to help her make wine. She had specially prepared exquisite money bags for everyone to exchange for new money at the bank. Chu Tianbao contributed the most. Bai Wutong prepared 20 taels of gold for him. Before everyone arrived, Bai Wutong had already given it to him in advance. ¡°The salary for brewing wine. This is for Tianbao.¡± He opened the bag and was overjoyed. ¡°Thank you, my wife. You¡¯re the best.¡± Bai Wutong asked him to put it away and reminded him, ¡°Don¡¯t put it away casually. Be careful not to lose it. If you have anything you want to buy, don¡¯t go into the mountains to catch bears. Just use this money.¡± Chu Tianbao nodded and placed the money bag in Bai Wutong¡¯s hand. ¡°Wife, help me put it away.¡± Bai Wutong chuckled. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that it¡¯ll be gone if I keep for you?¡± Chu Tianbao chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s for my wife anyways.¡± Bai Wutong looked at his serious expression and pinched his face. ¡°Thank you, Tianbao.¡± When everyone was here, Bai Wutong began to pay them according to their salary. Cui Lingyi, Cui Muzhi, and Lin Yue did not expect them to have a share. They looked excited, but they politely declined. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°If not for everyone¡¯s help, we wouldn¡¯t have been able to earn money. This money should have been given to you. If you don¡¯t accept it, I won¡¯t let you help next time.¡± Since Bai Wutong had already said so, they could not refuse and could only accept the money bag. This was the first time Cui Muzhi had earned money on his own. He opened the bag and saw that it was two taels of silver. He had only done some light work casually, but he had actually obtained two taels. This was too good! He immediately picked up the money bag and showed off to Cui Lingyi. ¡°Sister, look, I¡¯ve earned silver!¡± Cui Lingyi smiled and praised, ¡°Yes, you¡¯re amazing!¡± The other onlookers looked envious. Bai Wutong was too generous. There were so many of them. If they all received two taels of silver, it would be at least a few hundred taels. This was more than what the carpenters earned from working in the workshops! Lin Yue also stole a glance at his money bag. Good lord, Bai Wutong had given him five taels of silver! He glanced at Qingfeng¡¯s money bag again. Looking at the heavy weight, it was probably even more than his. Lin Yue asked her curiously, ¡°How much money do you have?¡± Qingfeng handed the bag of money to him. Lin Yue took it and opened it. His mouth widened. Bai Wutong was too generous! There were actually ten taels of gold in the money bag for Qingfeng! Gold! He was jealous! Although he had kept a lot of money, Qingfeng was actually also good at earning money. He looked resentful. A smile flashed across Qingfeng¡¯s eyes. Her good-looking appearance was tinged with gentleness. Lin Yue looked up and was stunned. Qingfeng saw that he was clutching the purse. ¡°Do you want it?¡± Lin Yue suddenly came back to his senses and stuffed the money bag into her hand. ¡°Who wants it? I have plenty of money!¡± His gaze landed on his own money bag and he quickly turned around. He stuffed his money bag into Qingfeng¡¯s hand and said nervously, ¡°Here, here!¡± Qingfeng was stunned. She looked at the bag of money in her hand and raised her eyes again. Lin Yue was already hiding somewhere in the corner. Everyone was very happy to receive the silver. When the young masters and young ladies of the 30 families of Qinghe saw Cui Muzhi holding the silver with a smile on his face, they were very envious. Although their monthly allowance was two taels, they really wanted to earn money on their own like Cui Muzhi. They were envious, and some of them were even more envious. Zhao Erwa¡¯s father did not know carpentry. Previously, the 30 big families in Qinghe would hire small workers, so he could earn some money. Now that everyone had settled down, his father did not have any skills, so he could only watch others earn money. Zhao Lanzhi had yet to get married. Her reputation was not good now, so her parents had to prepare more dowry. The school in the village was about to finish building. Zhao Erwa had to go to school and they would need to pay for his tuition fees, daily expenses, and everything else. How could they count on the few acres of land they had been allocated to? Zhao Erwa¡¯s mother couldn¡¯t help but ask Bai Wutong, ¡°Madam, are you still going to make wine next year? Our family can also help. Our Old Zhao can do two people¡¯s work!¡± Chapter 167 - 167 As expected of Melons 167 As expected of Melons Hearing Zhao Erwa¡¯s question, the others pricked up their ears. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to wait until next year. Wait a few more days. I¡¯ll get Qingfeng to inform you.¡± Zhao Erwa¡¯s eyes lit up. She did not expect that Bai Wutong would be making more wine this year. She remembered that Cui Lingyi could earn money by helping to dry fruits. Her Zhao Lanzhi was so efficient, so there was no reason for her to lose out. She asked shamelessly, ¡°Madam, can Lanzhi and I help too?¡± Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°Sure. We should be short of people when the time comes. If it doesn¡¯t affect your work, you can all come.¡± No matter how busy the farm was, they could still squeeze out time. Bai Wutong did not brew wine all year round. She was only the busiest in those few days. As soon as she said this, the villagers in the same situation as Zhao Erwa¡¯s family rushed to Bai Wutong excitedly and kept saying, ¡°Madam, our entire family can do it too!¡± ¡°And our entire family!¡± ¡°Ours too!¡± Bai Wutong said, ¡°You guys have to record down first. When the time comes, I won¡¯t forget anyone.¡± Everyone fought to be the first. They were afraid that if there were too many people, Bai Wutong would not want their help. The young masters and young ladies of the 30 families of Qinghe also wanted to sign up, but they did not dare to compete with the others. Patriarch Shen of the 30 families of Qinghe had drunk the Phoenix Feather Wine before. He had long expected that Bai Wutong¡¯s wine would be well liked by the masses. Others were fighting to work for Bai Wutong, but he wanted to build a wine workshop with Bai Wutong. To establish a wine workshop, there would be a need for a manager. If Sheng Huaixuan could find someone to do business with, so could they. Master Shen glanced at Sheng Huaixuan and knew that he could not compete with him. However, if he could gain some shares to the wine workshop after the discussion, it would definitely become a huge income for the Shen family in the future. Of course, it would naturally be best if he could cooperate with Bai Wutong directly. Patriarch Shen found Bai Wutong and explained his intentions. Bai Wutong tactfully rejected, ¡°If I have this intention, I will send someone to look for Patriarch Shen.¡± Patriarch Shen knew that there was no hope and was a little disappointed. He maintained his composure and smiled. ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait for Madam Bai¡¯s good news.¡± Bai Wutong was more willing to hand over the workshop to Sheng Huaixuan. After all, he was an experienced businessman and could control the business market. Master Shen had no experience in this aspect. She had some money on hand now, and Sheng Huaixuan was not short of money, so she did not need more people to join in. Moreover, there was no certainty that she would open a workshop. No one knew if there would be any sudden change in plans. Master Shen did not manage to negotiate a collaboration with Bai Wutong. Knowing that the little brats in the clan also wanted to earn money like Cui Muzhi, he reserved a few spots with Bai Wutong to help. Bai Wutong smiled and agreed. When Patriarch Shen returned, he told his children. The children were very happy and flaunted it to the children of the other families. The children of the other families also wanted to go, but they did not dare to trouble their family heads, so they brought gifts to Cui Muzhi for help. Cui Muzhi accepted a lot of flattery and gifts, and wasfinally impressed by his peers. He went to Cui Lingyi to ask for a bottle of flower dew and went to Bai Wutong¡¯s house. Bai Wutong was thinking about what flavor of Phoenix Feather Wine she wanted. There was quite a variety of local fruit. In this season, there were mainly plums, bayberries, yellow peaches, melons, lychees, and so on. Although there were many types of fruits, they were not planted in large quantities. They were all scattered in different areas to satisfy the children¡¯s cravings. Only wealthy families would specially plant fruits. But they wouldn¡¯t plant much variety. If Bai Wutong wanted to brew wine in this season, it was best for her to use purchased fruits. Bai Wutong found out what the local fruits were and specially got someone to buy some. At this moment, there were many types of fruits on the table. There were ordinary green and purple grapes, local sweet melons, plums, lychees, bayberries, and yellow peaches, filling up seven plates. They were vibrant in color and coated with water droplets from rinsing. They looked especially tempting in the sunlight. When Cui Muzhi arrived, Bai Wutong invited him to sit down and taste the fruits. There were no bayberries, lychees, or green plums in Qinghe. Cui Muzhi asked in surprise, ¡°What kind of fruit is this?¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°This is bayberry, this is lychee, and this is plum.¡± Cui Muzhi had long heard of lychees. His eyes lit up. He reached out and picked up one. When he peeled it open, the white and tender lychee meat that was like a baby¡¯s snow-white skin was revealed. Cui Muzhi¡¯s eyes lit up and he could not wait to put it into his mouth. The lychee was sour and sweet, the flesh was tender and moist, and he was instantly stunned. Cui Muzhi spat out the fruit core and exclaimed in amazement, ¡°As expected of lychee!¡± Bai Wutong saw that he liked it. ¡°When you leave later, bring some back for your sister.¡± Cui Muzhi nodded and smiled. ¡°Okay.¡± Then he asked, ¡°Madam, are you going to make wine with lychees?¡± Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± Cui Muzhi immediately said, ¡°The lychee-flavored Phoenix Feather Wine must be delicious.¡± He had a face that was full of praises. Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°Lychee wine should be not bad.¡± Because of the climate, lychees were the most common fruit in the area. Every family basically had one or two trees in front of their door. Besides, lychees fermented easily. In modern times, Bai Wutong also liked to drink lychee-flavored fruit wine. Lychees were her first choice from the start. Chu Tianbao liked sweet yellow peaches very much. The flesh was full, and when he bit into it, the juice splashed everywhere. One was enough to satisfy him. However, although the yellow peach was delicious, it was frequently eaten by birds and insects. There were very few families who planted it. To provide long-term supply of wine, she would need to plant them in large quantities. Bai Wutong picked up a yellow peach, and thought of the yellow peach jar. If she didn¡¯t make yellow peach wine, she could use it as a yellow peach jar. The bayberries and plums were all very sour. Neither Chu Tianbao nor Cui Muzhi liked them very much. However, the yield of bayberries and plums was very high and easy to grow. They were also considered relatively common fruits in the local area. The most common fruit trees in the neighboring forest village were bayberries and plums. The plums hung on an entire tree and no one picked them up when they fell to the ground. Although bayberries were sour, processing them into bayberry wine, bayberry juice, or candied plums were extremely popular in modern times. The green plum¡¯s sour taste was still slightly bitter. The candied fruit was huge and sweet. It was as popular in the modern world. The green wine that the modern Sun Nation people liked to drink was brewed from plums. Bai Wutong felt that she could try it with plums. After all, there was a huge supply locally. The last one was a melon, also known as a watermelon in modern times. Watermelons were very popular fruits in both ancient and modern times. The watermelons in the Bai Wutong¡¯s own land had already grown to more than five kilograms and were still not completely ripe. The watermelon on the table was a local fruit. Bai Wutong cut it into pieces and its color was water red. It didn¡¯t look especially sweet, but when one took a bite, it was still sweeter than the other fruits. It was indeed a melon. Using it to make wine would save a lot of rock sugar. Chapter 168 - 168 Just Bear With It 168 Just Bear With It Chu Tianbao¡¯s mouth was filled with juice as he ate the melon. Bai Wutong reached out a handkerchief to wipe the corner of his mouth. Cui Muzhi, who was eating melon at the side, suddenly felt that he was a little redundant. Fortunately, Lan Jingbai came to find him. He quickly said to Bai Wutong, ¡°I¡¯ve disturbed you for so long. I should go back.¡± With a whoosh, he put down the watermelon skin and rushed towards Lan Jingbai. He hung onto his shoulder without any manners and said unhappily, ¡°Why are you only here now?¡± Lan Jingbai was used to it. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m late.¡± Cui Muzhi was quite satisfied with his attitude. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll forgive you.¡± Bai Wutong stopped Cui Muzhi. ¡°Muzhi, bring this to your sister.¡± Cui Muzhi ran in front of Bai Wutong and received the fruits in the basket. He said embarrassedly, ¡°Haha, I almost forgot.¡± When they walked out of Bai Wutong¡¯s courtyard and were about to reach home, Lan Jingbai asked, ¡°Did Young Master help Young Master Qi and the others ask about it?¡± Cui Muzhi, who was in high spirits, suddenly stopped and slapped his forehead. He complained to Lan Jingbai in frustration, ¡°Why did you remind me so late!¡± Lan Jingbai said innocently, ¡°I thought Young Master had already told Madam Bai after staying at her house for so long.¡± Cui Muzhi was speechless. He glanced faintly at Lan Jingbai, stuffed the basket into his arms, and ran back. There were quite a lot of yellow peaches. Bai Wutong was preparing to make some peach jars. She and Chu Tianbao were peeling the skin when they saw Cui Muzhi running back while panting. They asked curiously, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What happened?¡± Cui Muzhi bent down to regain a few breaths before saying, ¡°Ma¡¯am, there¡¯s a shortage of brewers. My friend wants to help.¡± Bai Wutong thought that he had other urgent matters. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of wine to brew this time, so we can get them to help. Go to the record book on the table in front and write down so that I can distribute the work according to their abilities.¡± Cui Muzhi said happily, ¡°Thank you, Madam!¡± Then he imitated Village Chief Zhao and praised her exaggeratedly. ¡°You are a living Bodhisattva!¡± Bai Wutong gave him an amused look. ¡°Thank you for the compliment.¡± It was easy to make yellow peach jars, and the ingredients were simple. A clean and dry container, yellow peach, and rock sugar would do. While Bai Wutong and Cui Muzhi were talking, she turned around and saw that the yellow peaches in the basket had all been peeled by Chu Tianbao. Chu Tianbao placed his hands behind his back. Bai Wutong narrowed her eyes. ¡°What are you hiding?¡± Chu Tianbao couldn¡¯t help but show off. When Bai Wutong asked, he immediately placed the things he had hidden in front of her. Bai Wutong looked at him and immediately revealed a surprised expression. A small yellow peach was carefully carved by Chu Tianbao into her beautiful smiling face. The inconspicuous yellow peach instantly became an exquisite piece of art. Bai Wutong took it with both hands and said in disbelief, ¡°Tianbao, you¡¯re too awesome!¡± She had never taught Chu Tianbao to sketch, but he had mastered it without being taught. Furthermore, he had carved her into the peach. It was so beautiful. How could she bear to eat it? Bai Wutong planned to put it in the RV space and admire it for the rest of her life. Bai Wutong¡¯s delighted gaze made Chu Tianbao very happy. He leaned over and tapped his thin lips, brazenly asking for a reward. He was already very experienced. As long as he could make Bai Wutong happy, he could always succeed a few times. Bai Wutong really liked this peach. She glanced at the courtyard door and said softly, ¡°At night.¡± This meant that Bai Wutong had agreed. Chu Tianbao cheered, picked up Bai Wutong, and spun excitedly. Bai Wutong felt dizzy from the spinning. She patted his shoulder and said angrily, ¡°Put me down!¡± Chu Tianbao put her down obediently and jumped up and down in the courtyard excitedly. Xiaobai was so frightened by him that it jumped up and howled at him a few times. After their cores were removed, the dozen peeled yellow peaches were cut into pieces by circling them with a knife. The sliced yellow peach was put into a pot. After it was weighed down, she added rock sugar and poured in water until it was just above the yellow peach. She closed the lid and boiled it over low heat for about 15 minutes. The yellow peach was soft and the can was basically ready. The last step was just to carry the soup pot and put it aside to cool. Chu Tianbao had always liked yellow peaches. The ones with rock sugar seemed to taste even better. The fragrant smell entered his nostrils with the steam. Chu Tianbao looked at Bai Wutong eagerly, his face filled with desire to eat the fruits. Bai Wutong shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s too hot now. Can you eat it when it¡¯s cold?¡± Chu Tianbao nodded obediently. Bai Wutong went to prepare the ingredients for dinner. He stood guard and waited for the heat from the can of yellow peach to dissipate. His behavior was exactly the same as Xiaobai¡¯s. After the peaches were cooled, Bai Wutong scooped a bowl for Chu Tianbao. The remaining pot was placed into a small ceramic jar and sealed tightly. The sealed yellow peaches could be stored for about half a year. When the season of eating yellow peaches passed, they could still eat delicious yellow peaches. Bai Wutong could also make yellow peach cake from the canned fruits. Chu Tianbao loved sweet food and would definitely like it. The yellow peach can had a different flavor. It was sweet and sour, and the soup was delicious. After Chu Tianbao finished eating, he looked at Bai Wutong eagerly. ¡°Wife, I still want to eat.¡± He had eaten too many fruits that day. Bai Wutong shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s almost time to eat. It¡¯s not good to eat too much. It will hurt your stomach. Can you eat another day?¡± Chu Tianbao nodded manly. ¡°Okay!¡± However, he kept stealing glances at the yellow peach jar on the top of the cabinet. Bai Wutong was amused. ¡°Tianbao isn¡¯t thinking of stealing it, right?¡± Chu Tianbao glanced guiltily at Bai Wutong. ¡°No.¡± Bai Wutong confirmed again, ¡°Then why is the pork floss in the cabinet missing?¡± Chu Tianbao avoided her gaze and stroked Xiaobai guiltily. ¡°It was eaten by Xiaobai.¡± Xiaobai: ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should say this. If you accuse a wolf, then so be it. Can you stop stroking me? If you continue, I will become bald.¡± Bai Wutong smiled. Only Xiaobai didn¡¯t know how to speak. After dinner, Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao were in the courtyard to digest their food. It was dark, which meant it was night. Bai Wutong was caught off guard by him as he surrounded her. Chu Tianbao¡¯s face was enlarged in front of her. Bai Wutong was stunned and quickly pushed him hard. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Chu Tianbao said impatiently, ¡°Wife, it¡¯s night.¡± It was night time. But how could she do it in the courtyard? Bai Wutong pushed him but did not push him away. His shadow covered her and she felt his hot breath. Bai Wutong panicked and quickly said, ¡°Tianbao, let¡¯s go in.¡± Like a tree stump, she was led into the house by Chu Tianbao. Before the door was even closed, Chu Tianbao pressed her against the wall and kissed her domineeringly. In an instant, their breaths were intertwined. Bai Wutong¡¯s heart was pounding. Her gaze landed on Chu Tianbao¡¯s affectionate eyes. She finally closed her eyes and let him fill her mouth. After many practices, Chu Tianbao had already reached perfection. After a while, Bai Wutong felt that her entire body was hot and she was severely lacking in oxygen. Chu Tianbao even bit her lip. She gasped, ¡°Tianbao, enough.¡± Chu Tianbao grunted and hugged her tightly, as if the two of them were conjoined twins. After a long while, Chu Tianbao¡¯s muffled voice sounded. ¡°Wife, I feel uncomfortable.¡± Bai Wutong sighed and wrapped her arms around his slender waist. She said helplessly, ¡°Just endure it.¡± Chu Tianbao hummed obediently. Bai Wutong turned her head and kissed his forehead, feeling a little upset. If only she could find Wen Renhua quickly. Chapter 169 - 169 The Sinner in the Village 169 The Sinner in the Village In the end, Bai Wutong decided to brew bayberry, plum, lychee, melon, and yellow peach-flavored phoenix feather wine. She sent someone to find Sheng Huaixuan and handed him the fruit list she needed. When Sheng Huaixuan saw that Bai Wutong was going to make so many flavors of Phoenix Feather Wine, he was shocked. In the blink of an eye, his face was filled with pleasant surprise. Bai Wutong said, ¡°You can go and collect the fruits now.¡± Sheng Huaixuan nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Yu Suisheng was in charge of collecting the fruits. The fresher the fruits, the better. The village closest to Youjia Village became the first choice for purchasing fruits. Lin Chenghai had schemed against Bai Wutong previously. Yu Suisheng listened to Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s instructions and deliberately avoided their village. Yu Suisheng was very efficient. In a day, he had collected hundreds of kilograms of various fruits in the entire Woqian Town. With the previous experience in brewing wine, this time, it was even more orderly. The people who were hired to brew the wine washed the fruit, peeled the skin, removed the core, and moved the jars¡­ Everyone was busy. Thinking of the silver taels they would receive in the future, everyone was happy again. There was a huge commotion in Youjia Village. More than a dozen carriages came in and out every day, and many wine jars were constantly being transported over. Lin Chenghai asked around and learned that Bai Wutong and the others were brewing wine again. Most of the dozen or so carriages that entered and left contained purchased fruits. Lin Chenghai asked if it was Village Chief Luo from the neighboring village. Village Chief Luo asked despite knowing the answer, ¡°I remember that your village also has many plums, lychee trees, and bayberry trees. You¡¯re so close to them, so why didn¡¯t they go to your village to buy fruits?¡± Lin Chenghai¡¯s face turned green at his question. He must have offended Bai Wutong, who refused to go to their village to purchase fruits. Seeing his expression, Village Chief Luo was secretly pleased. He deliberately said, ¡°Master Yu, who purchased fruits from us, is really generous. He gave us five copper coins for a catty of bayberries, three copper coins for a catty of plums, and six copper coins for a catty of lychees! Our village has five fruit trees and we exchanged for nearly three taels of silver!¡± A big plum tree could bear a few hundred catties. Three copper coins per catty could earn them one tael of silver. Lin Chenghai¡¯s heart ached when he thought of the plums that had fallen to the ground and could only be fed to pigs. Apart from the plum tree, because he liked to eat lychees, he also planted three lychee trees. The trees were not old. Even if the yield was not high, six copper coins a catty meant that he could earn at least two to three taels of silver! Thinking of this, Lin Chenghai wanted to die. If the villagers found out that Bai Wutong was purchasing fruits but did not go to their village, they would definitely beat him up for losing such a huge windfall. Lin Chenghai looked at Village Chief Luo and suddenly had an idea. He said to him, ¡°My family has fruits. Help me sell to them. How about we split the money?¡± Compared to not having a penny, it was good to get half. Lin Chenghai thought that Village Chief Luo would definitely agree to let him earn half of the money for nothing. Unexpectedly, Village Chief Luo waved his hand and said with a helpless expression, ¡°Little brother, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to help you, but Master Yu has already said that he definitely won¡¯t accept the fruits from your village. If I do this and they find out and refuse to accept the fruits from our village, the villagers won¡¯t be able to earn money. Then I¡¯ll be a sinner.¡± Lin Chenghai did not expect Bai Wutong to be so ruthless. He hated this b*tch to death. Thinking that the villagers might know about this at any time, if Village Chief Luo did not agree, he could only beg another village chief. For the sake of money, there should always be someone who would agree to help them sell fruits. Unexpectedly, as promised, none of the village chiefs were willing to agree. They all found some kind of excuses to reject him. Lin Chenghai gritted his teeth, his face pale. Could it be that he could only beg Bai Wutong? He returned to the village in a daze. The sun was almost setting. When he saw the villagers blocking the fork in the road, carrying baskets on their backs, his heart skipped a beat when he saw the fruits inside. The villagers must have known. At that moment, the sound of wheels turning kept coming. The villagers of the Lintian Village hurriedly raised their fruits and came to the mule cart. They kept shouting, ¡°Master, look at our fruits. We just picked them. There¡¯s still dew on them.¡± Merchants were not allowed to take carriages or sedan chairs. Yu Suisheng could only take the mule carriage. The villager of Lintian Village shouted with all his might, ¡°Master, our plum is the largest in Woqian Town. It¡¯s crunchy and sweet!¡± ¡°Master! Not only is the color of our lychees good, but the texture is also tender and smooth. Several families in town specially came to buy them!¡± ¡°Master, look at how big my bayberry is. You¡¯ll know when you eat it. It definitely will be worth your money!¡± In the mule cart, Yu Suisheng waved his hand with a cold expression. ¡°Enter the village. Don¡¯t waste time here.¡± The coachman waved his horsewhip, but the villagers of the Lintian Village refused to move aside. They begged, ¡°Master, please do us a favor and buy our fruits! Half the price is fine!¡± When Yu Suisheng heard their words, he said coldly, ¡°Pull them apart.¡± The guards stepped forward and pulled the villagers who were blocking the way to the side. They watched as the mule cart drove away. A villager shouted unhappily, ¡°Master Yu, what¡¯s wrong with the fruits in our village? Why don¡¯t you want them?!¡± Suddenly, the mule cart stopped. Everyone thought that Yu Suisheng was moved by them and rushed forward excitedly. The curtain of the car window was lifted, and Yu Suisheng¡¯s piercing voice sounded. ¡°Previously, you forced Madam Bai to buy fruits, and Madam Bai kindly bought all the fruits. After that, you guys took advantage of the situation and got the children to block the entrance of the village to force Madam Bai to pay. Why didn¡¯t you think of today?¡± As soon as he said this, the villagers of Lintian Village came to a realization. It turned out that it was because they had offended Madam Bai that Yu Suisheng refused to accept their fruits. Immediately, someone shouted, ¡°This has nothing to do with us. It was all Lin Chenghai¡¯s idea!¡± However, Yu Suisheng did not respond to them at all. The villagers of Lintian Village could only watch as the entire convoy entered Youjia Village. When the villagers of Lintian Village looked at the fruits in the basket, they recovered from their disappointment and immediately targeted Lin Chenghai. If not for Lin Chenghai, they would have sold these fruits long ago. The entire village might not be able to earn a tael of silver for a few years. Now, they could only watch as the silver slipped away from their hands. How could they not be angry? In order to appease the public anger, the elder who had pushed Lin Chenghai to the position of village chief for his own interests made a prompt decision to remove Lin Chenghai from the position of village chief. This way, there was hope for Bai Wutong to forgive their village and let the villagers sell their fruits. Lin Chenghai had only been the village chief for less than a year. If he was deposed, he would be a huge joke. He said to the leader of the Lin family, ¡°I¡¯ll make them agree to take our fruits! Give me another chance! Elder!¡± The elders looked at each other. After a discussion, Elder Lin said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll give you another chance. But if you can¡¯t convince Madam Bai to accept the fruit tomorrow, you¡¯ll be the first one to go to the labor camp this year!¡± Chapter 170 - 170 Why Make Things So Awkward? 170 Why Make Things So Awkward? Lin Chenghai knew better than anyone how hard labor was. He immediately ran home and called his entire family to the entrance of Youjia village to apologize! Only by making the vicious woman in Youjia village calm down could everything return to normal. Wang Mingyue¡¯s stomach had already grown big and she was also dragged out by Lin Chenghai. Wang Mingyue said unhappily, ¡°I¡¯m not going.¡± Old Madam Lin also said, ¡°She¡¯s pregnant. Why did you ask her to go?!¡± The Lin family did not want Wang Mingyue to marry into the family. Unfortunately, the Lin family had only one son for three generations. It had been ten years since Li Hongmei gave birth to a son, but there was no further news at all. Wang Mingyue was pregnant with a child and there was no need for any betrothal gifts. It was equivalent to getting a daughter-in-law for free. After she gave birth, there would be an additional manpower in the family. Just like this, Wang Mingyue entered the family and become the only concubine in all eight villages. Lin Chenghai¡¯s son, Lin Yao, had been indoctrinated by his mother, Li Hongmei, that a concubine was a servant, and the child she was pregnant with was also a little bastard. Therefore, he often found opportunities to bully Wang Mingyue. However, with Old Madam Lin protecting her, nothing major happened to Wang Mingyue. Their entire family had to go to Youjia village to apologize. Why shouldn¡¯t Wang Mingyue, a concubine, go? Lin Yao was very dissatisfied and said to his father, ¡°If we hit her, she¡¯ll be obedient!¡± Lin Chenghai had nowhere to vent his anger. Wang Mingyue was pregnant, so she could act pitiful. What kind of person was she? She actually dared to disobey him, so he slapped her hard. The entire family was stunned. No one expected Lin Chenghai to suddenly hit someone. Wang Mingyue covered her rapidly swelling face as she cried loudly, ¡°I am giving birth to a child for you, but you actually hit me!¡± She pounded Lin Chenghai¡¯s chest hatefully. Lin Chenghai, who had not vented his anger with a slap, slapped her again. Wang Mingyue¡¯s face was swollen on both sides. She had been beaten into submission and looked at Lin Chenghai plaintively. Lin Chenghai was furious when he saw her. ¡°You¡¯re a jinx. I¡¯m so unlucky because I touched you.¡± The more he thought about it, the more he felt that Wang Mingyue was jinxing him. He said hatefully, ¡°If you dare to be disobedient again, I¡¯ll sell you after you give birth to a son!¡± Wang Mingyue was frightened and immediately became obedient. She cried and said, ¡°Don¡¯t sell me. I¡¯ll listen to you. I¡¯ll go.¡± Li Hongmei touched her son¡¯s chubby face in admiration and smiled. Since Lin Chenghai had such thoughts, she had to fulfill them for him. Lin Chenghai¡¯s family came to the entrance of Youjia village. Lin Chenghai said loudly, ¡°Lin Chenghai, the village chief of Lintian Village, has brought his entire family to apologize to Madam Bai.¡± The dark guard glanced at them, unmoved. Old Madam Lin looked at her son and complained softly, ¡°Why is this Madam Bai so ruthless!¡± Lin Chenghai suddenly covered his mother¡¯s mouth. These people from Youjia Village were not ordinary people. They were very capable. If they heard this, it would be useless even if they knelt down and kowtowed. No matter what Lin Chenghai said, the dark guard ignored him. He thought that it was because he did not show enough sincerity. He could only grit his teeth and take out a piece of silver from his pocket. He handed it to the dark guard and begged humbly, ¡°Brother, let us in!¡± He couldn¡¯t go in himself. Firstly, it would be too embarrassing. Secondly, Wang Mingyue was pregnant and was still there to beg Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong would not want anyone¡¯s life to be at risk, so she would definitely compromise. Even now, he still wanted to use coercion. Unexpectedly, even when the silver was handed to them, the dark guards still did not look at them. Lin Chenghai clenched his fists and said loudly, ¡°If Madam Bai doesn¡¯t want to see us, we¡¯ll wait here until she¡¯s willing to see us and forgive us.¡± The dark guards were still indifferent, as if they were not even comparable to a dog. Old Master Lin was so angry that his heart was beating rapidly. He could not stand such humiliation. ¡°Let¡¯s go. If she doesn¡¯t want to see us, so be it!¡± Lin Chenghai could not bear it either, but when he thought of the few months of hard labor, he could only suppress his anger and whisper into his ear, ¡°Father, if I don¡¯t become the village chief, other than hard labor, I have to go if there is conscription.¡± The war was not over yet! If he was the village chief, he would not have to go. When Old Master Lin heard this, he could only endure it. It was hot in the summer. There was no shade in Youjia village entrance. Soon, all of them were sweating profusely and looking dehydrated. Lin Yao sat on the ground and rested for a while. He couldn¡¯t help but say to Lin Chenghai, ¡°Dad, I¡¯ll get you some water.¡± Lin Chenghai¡¯s mouth was dry as well. He nodded. ¡°Then go quickly.¡± Lin Yao stood up as if he was relieved and quickly ran home. When he got home, he rushed into the kitchen, picked up a gourd dipper, and gulped down a mouthful of water. He took a breath before he felt like he was alive again. ¡°Coo, coo ~¡± He was hungry. He rummaged around, found some food, filled his stomach, and felt sleepy again. He had wanted to rest for a while before delivering the water. Instead, he fell onto the haystack and dozed for a while before sleeping like a dead pig. Lin Chenghai was waiting for Lin Yao to return but to no avail. Instead, the officials came. Yang Gongbing originally wanted to come personally, but he could not leave his official duties, so he could only send Bao Zhaoshan. When Lin Chenghai saw the bailiff, his heart skipped a beat. He smiled and asked, ¡°Sir, what brings you here?¡± Bao Zhaoshan said in a business-like manner, ¡°You¡¯re blocking the entrance of Youjia village and obstructing everyone from entering and exiting. It¡¯s a huge disturbance to their lives. They¡¯ve come to report to the officials and asked to capture you.¡± Lin Chenghai was dumbfounded. ¡°Sir, I¡¯m just here to see Madam Bai. I¡¯m not blocking their way out.¡± Bao Zhaoshan glanced at the pale Wang Mingyue and said, ¡°You¡¯re blocking the entrance with a six-month pregnant woman. Who is going to take the responsibility if anything happens? Leave quickly. She doesn¡¯t want to see you. If you do this, won¡¯t you offend her even more?¡± Old Madam Lin tried to curry favor with him. ¡°Officer, then help us put in a good word for Madam Bai. It¡¯s better to be close neighbors than distant relatives. Why make things so awkward?¡± Bao Zhaoshan knew why Yu Suisheng was unwilling to accept their fruits. He said in amusement, ¡°You¡¯re the ones who want to sell it for one copper coin per four catties. But you¡¯re also the ones who want to go back on your word. If it were me, I wouldn¡¯t have bothered with you from the beginning.¡± Old Madam Lin was choked by Bao Zhaoshan¡¯s words. Her face turned pale and she refused to admit their mistake. ¡°But she didn¡¯t compensate us for it. She¡¯s the one who earned all the money. Is it too much for us to just ask for some fruit money?¡± Bao Zhaoshan rolled his eyes at her and said mercilessly, ¡°It¡¯s not too much, it¡¯s just that others don¡¯t want to buy your fruits anymore.¡± Old Madam Lin was speechless. Bao Zhaoshan lost his patience and urged, ¡°Leave quickly. Don¡¯t continue to embarrass yourself here.¡± If he returned like this, he would definitely lose his position as the village chief. Lin Chenghai knew that Bai Wutong¡¯s people must be secretly observing him. Suddenly, he knelt down and shouted towards Youjia village, ¡°Madam Bai, it¡¯s all my fault. It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t forgive me. Please give our entire village a way out!¡± No one in their village had collected fruits last year, but they had survived. Why should he make it seem like Bai Wutong was not giving their entire village a way out if she did not purchase their fruits? If word got out, how would others look at Bai Wutong? How shameless! Chapter 171 - 171 A Pile of Stinky Dung Falling From the Sky 171 A Pile of Stinky Dung Falling From the Sky It was not enough for him to kneel alone. He even gave Old Master and Madam Lin a look. Old Madam Lin gritted her teeth and knelt down. She wanted to see how long Bai Wutong could endure this. Old Madam Lin knelt down. Old Master Lin thought of his son and looked at the silent villagers on the top of the mountain. If they could not help Lintian Village earn money, their family would definitely be ostracized by the entire village. Old Master Lin¡¯s face turned pale as he knelt down heavily. Since Old Master and Madam Lin were already kneeling, no matter how unwilling the others were, they had to kneel. However, Youjia village remained silent. Lin Chenghai clenched his fists and kowtowed a few more times. ¡°Madam Bai! Please, you don¡¯t have to accept our fruits. On the account that our villagers are hungry, please accept their fruits!¡± He had to put Bai Wutong on the fire grill and stand on the highest point of morality to coerce her. If Bai Wutong was unwilling, everyone would definitely think that she was a heartless woman! For a woman, the rumors were enough to make her sleepless. Bao Zhaoshan came to chase him away. He did not expect the other party to threaten Bai Wutong even more. He said angrily, ¡°Whoever wants to buy your fruits will buy them. How can you force people like this! Hurry up and get up. Otherwise, I¡¯ll get someone to drag you back!¡± Lin Chenghai suddenly looked at Bao Zhaoshan. ¡°Then we will kneel on the road beside!¡± He did not believe that the officials could do anything! Bao Zhaoshan was simply defeated by Lin Chenghai¡¯s shamelessness. Bao Zhaoshan did not dare to touch them easily. But the dark guards of the Dark Guards Team were not to be trifled with. While Lin Chenghai knelt down at the entrance of Youjia village, Qingfeng appeared with the dark guards and walked towards Lin Chenghai¡¯s family coldly. Lin Chenghai was shocked, but Bao Zhaoshan was beside him. He shivered and forced a smile. ¡°Everyone, is Madam Bai willing to see us?¡± Bao Zhaoshan glanced at him. If Madam Bai had no choice but to see them, it would really make him feel aggrieved. The eyes of the Lin family lit up. If Bai Wutong was willing to accept the fruits, not only would Lin Chenghai¡¯s position as village chief be saved, but their family would also be able to earn a few taels of silver. Suddenly, a few dark guards appeared in front of them instantly like phantoms. ¡°Swish¡ª¡± In an instant, a pile of stinky dung fell from the sky. ¡°Ah¡ª¡± A chorus of screams pierced the air. At this moment, Village Chief Zhao walked out. The villagers behind him were carrying a bucket of fat manure. Village Chief Zhao smiled gently as if he was entertaining guests. ¡°It¡¯s a hot day. I saw that you guys were working too hard, so I decided to give you a hand.¡± Lin Chenghai wanted to curse, but the feces water that slid down from the top of his head slid into his mouth. The stench all over his body and the thick taste in his mouth made him nauseous. He pointed at everyone and Village Chief Zhao. His twisted expression was not enough to express his anger. Village Chief Zhao suddenly stopped smiling and scolded mercilessly, ¡°Get lost! Otherwise, I¡¯ll let you eat your fill!¡± Bao Zhaoshan pinched his nose and stood at the side, watching the show. The corners of his mouth were curled up. Serves them right for not leaving! Lin Chenghai was in a miserable state. He looked at them fiercely and refused to leave. Village Chief Zhao waved his hand, and the villager carrying the feces bucket immediately took a few steps forward. As he splashed feces at them, he muttered, ¡°Only by fertilizing can the plants grow tall. Only then can bad people grow a conscience¡­¡± Lin Chenghai and the others were on guard this time and dodged in time. However, no matter where they hid, the villagers carrying the feces buckets would catch up to them. They surrounded them and continued to mutter, ¡°Only by fertilizing can the plants grow tall. Only then can bad people grow a conscience¡­¡± Old Master and Madam Lin were covered in dung. At their age, they felt that they had lost more face that day than any other days in their lives. He looked at Lin Chenghai hatefully and said angrily, ¡°Scram home!¡± Bai Wutong was determined to go against them even if she had to lose her reputation. What was the point of staying? If things got out of hand, they would be at a disadvantage. Old Master and Madam Lin left. Lin Hongmei and Wang Mingyue, who didn¡¯t want to stay any longer, also immediately turned into a whirlwind and followed. Since everyone had left, Lin Chenghai had no choice but to grit his teeth and return to Lintian Village. When the villagers saw them covered in feces, they avoided them in disdain and resentment. The elders saw that the matter had not been settled, but the officials had come. Knowing that Lin Chenghai had offended the other party even more, the elders looked at Lin Chenghai in disappointment and immediately announced that they would remove Lin Chenghai from his position as village chief. When Lin Chenghai returned home, he smashed things crazily. The huge commotion woke Lin Yao, who was sleeping in the haystack. He remembered that he had not brought water to his family. He thought that Lin Chenghai had shouted crazily because of him. He shivered and knelt on the ground in fear to beg for mercy. ¡°Father, I was wrong. I shouldn¡¯t have fallen asleep and forgotten to bring water to you. Don¡¯t be angry.¡± The entire family was covered in dung, but Lin Yao was still clean. Thinking of the humiliation he had just suffered, Lin Chenghai¡¯s anger surged. He picked up the rolling pin beside him and hit Lin Yao. Lin Yao hurriedly tried to dodge. Unexpectedly, the stick that was supposed to hit his back landed on Lin Yao¡¯s head. ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Blood flowed from Lin Yao¡¯s head as he fell back. With a bang, Lin Yao collapsed to the ground. After a few seconds, Li Hongmei recovered from her shock and pushed Lin Chenghai away crazily. She helped her son¡¯s limp body up and stopped the bleeding in a panic. ¡°Yao¡¯er, Yao¡¯er, don¡¯t scare me. If anything happens to you, I won¡¯t live anymore!¡± When Old Master Lin saw his eldest grandson in such a state, he shouted anxiously, ¡°Hurry up and call Doctor Li from the village entrance!¡± Wang Mingyue was not feeling well, and Lin Chenghai was completely stunned. So only Old Madam Lin could go herself. No matter how Li Hongmei cried and shook, Lin Yao, who was lying in her arms, did not move at all. Lin Chenghai¡¯s attack that had lost control just now was too ruthless. Li Hongmei¡¯s snot and tears flowed together. She reached out to her son¡¯s nose with trembling hands. In an instant, she looked up at the sky and cried. ¡°Ahhhhhh¡ª¡± Lin Yao was no longer breathing. Old Master Lin looked at the scene in front of him in disbelief. Lin Chenghai widened his eyes in fear and looked at his hands. He had killed someone and it was even his own son! Lin Chenghai knelt on the ground and cried bitterly. Old Master Lin picked up the pole behind the door and hit him again and again. Their house was very close to Doctor Li¡¯s house at the village entrance. Old Madam Lin and Doctor Li returned very quickly. The moment she entered, she saw Old Master Lin whipping Lin Chenghai non-stop. As she stopped him, she shouted for Doctor Li to hurry up and see her eldest grandson. Doctor Li carefully came in front of Li Hongmei, but Li Hongmei grabbed his arm and cried hoarsely, ¡°Doctor, save my son! Wuwuwu¡ª¡± When Doctor Li saw the bloody hole in Lin Yao¡¯s head, he complained in his heart. No matter what, Lin Chenghai should not have beaten the child up like this. Just as he took his pulse, he suddenly retracted his hand in shock and said in a panic, ¡°I can¡¯t save him, I can¡¯t save him anymore! He¡¯s already out of breath!¡± Li Hongmei cried and shouted, ¡°How can he not be saved? Aren¡¯t you very skilled?¡± Doctor Li was a travelling doctor who had only been an apprentice for two years. He could treat common minor ailments, but how could he treat a dead person? Chapter 172 - 172 We Can Live a Good Life Soon 172 We Can Live a Good Life Soon Li Hongmei did not believe it. She tore at Doctor Li like a lunatic. Doctor Li¡¯s old bones almost fell apart because of her. Old Master Lin ordered him with red eyes, ¡°You have to save my eldest grandson!¡± It was still unknown if the baby in Wang Mingyue¡¯s stomach was a boy! If it was not, their Lin family¡¯s bloodline would have been severed! Doctor Li tried his best to say that he could not save Lin Yao anymore. He said it several times, but the family refused to believe in reality. With a tearing sound, a big hole was torn in his sleeve. He couldn¡¯t take it anymore and said angrily, ¡°Let go!¡± Li Hongmei refused to let go. In order to escape, Doctor Li said, ¡°There¡¯s a doctor from Youjia village. Everyone says that his medical skills are brilliant and he¡¯s better than Hua Tuo. Hurry up and go find him!¡± He had never admitted it in the past, but now it had become the best excuse to get away. Li Hongmei had already broken down. Doctor Li¡¯s words were like an oasis for a starving person. She rushed out of the door. Old Madam Lin cried, ¡°We offended Youjia Village. Can this doctor save our grandson?¡± Old Master Lin did not know. Looking at Lin Yao¡¯s gradually lifeless face, tears streamed down his face. A cold smile flashed across Wang Mingyue¡¯s eyes. She took the opportunity to walk to Old Madam Lin and say gently, ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m here.¡± Old Madam Lin suddenly looked at her stomach and realized that she was still covered in feces. She said, ¡°Hurry up and go to the side room to boil some water and take a shower. Have a good rest and don¡¯t scare the little grandson in your stomach.¡± It was impossible for the dead to come back to life. If something had happened to the eldest grandson, nothing should happen to the youngest. Wang Mingyue suppressed the corners of her mouth and shook her head. ¡°How can I go at this time?¡± Old Madam Lin straightened her face. ¡°Just go!¡± Wang Mingyue revealed a forced expression and frowned. She turned around and left worriedly. When she walked into the side room, she thought of Lin Yao, who was no longer breathing. The smile on her lips could no longer be restrained. She gently stroked her stomach and smiled happily. ¡°Son, we¡¯ll be able to live a good life soon.¡± How could Li Hongmei, who had lost her son, fight with her? Li Hongmei stumbled to Youjia village and rushed in without care. The dark guard pushed her to the ground, and she got up and shouted, ¡°Please, save my son. Please, let the doctor save my son¡­¡± Bao Zhaoshan had just taken a sip of tea when he heard a commotion outside of Youjia village. He looked at Village Chief Zhao speechlessly. ¡°This family is really too shameless.¡± Village Chief Zhao agreed. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Bao Zhaoshan brought the bailiffs to meet Li Hongmei at the village entrance. ¡°Why are you here again?¡± When Li Hongmei saw Bao Zhaoshan, it was as if she saw hope. She knelt on the ground and begged, ¡°Officer, I beg you, let Youjia village doctor see my son. He¡¯s dying.¡± Village Chief Zhao scolded coldly, ¡°Nonsense! Your son was still alive just now. How can he be dying?!¡± Everyone looked at her with disdain. Li Hongmei cried and shook her head. She said incoherently, ¡°His father broke his head and he bled a lot. He¡¯s really going to die. I¡¯m not lying. Saving a life can accumulate merit and allow one to live a long life. If you don¡¯t help him and he dies, you¡¯ll go to hell! Sob ~ Please save my son!¡± Everyone felt very annoyed by her threat. Bao Zhaoshan frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t play any tricks. Isn¡¯t there a Doctor Li in your village? If you want to look for a doctor, you should look for him first.¡± Doctors were very rare talents in every dynasty. If they wanted to treat someone, they had to register with the government. Bao Zhaoshan knew very well that there was a Doctor Li in the village. Li Hongmei was covered in feces. She sat on the ground and cried, ¡°I did. He was the one who asked me to look for Doctor Gu from Youjia Village!¡± Li Hongmei did not look like she was acting. If she was pretending, it would be too good. Just as everyone was hesitating about whether to look for Gu Zhongxun to save her, Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao appeared. Village Chief Zhao immediately found his backbone and hurriedly said, ¡°Madam, she wants to invite Doctor Gu out for a consultation.¡± Bai Wutong glanced at the dirty woman and nodded. ¡°Go ahead and call him. After all, it¡¯s a human life.¡± If anything really happened, with this family¡¯s character, they would even harm Gu Zhongxun¡¯s reputation. Bai Wutong looked at Bao Zhaoshan and said to him politely, ¡°Officer Bao, please help this big sister see how her son was injured. If there¡¯s a murderer, you must seek justice for this big sister.¡± Bao Zhaoshan immediately understood what Bai Wutong meant. It would be bad if Gu Zhongxun went to see a patient and was accidentally accused by them. With him around, Li Hongmei wouldn¡¯t dare. Bao Zhaoshan nodded. ¡°It¡¯s my duty.¡± Gu Zhongxun packed up his medicine box and quickly appeared. Li Hongmei cried tears of joy and hurriedly led the way. Li Hongmei ran out crazily. When she returned, she was actually followed by an official. The villagers of Lintian Village immediately followed her to watch the commotion. Lin Chenghai had already carried Lin Yao to the bed. Gu Zhongxun entered the house, and Bao Zhaoshan followed. Lin Chenghai wiped his cold sweat and hurriedly asked Gu Zhongxun, who had just entered and had yet to check on Lin Yao, ¡°Doctor, can my son still be saved?¡± Gu Zhongxun only took a glance at Lin Yao and realized that he was already dead. He shook his head. ¡°Unfortunately.¡± When Lin Chenghai heard Gu Zhongxun¡¯s words, the last trace of hope in his heart was shattered. He covered his face in regret and wept. Li Hongmei could not take the second blow. Suddenly, she grabbed Gu Zhongxun¡¯s neck with a ferocious expression. ¡°Impossible! Impossible! Aren¡¯t you Hua Tuo? Why can¡¯t you save my son! It¡¯s all your fault. It¡¯s because you came late that my son died! I want to avenge my son!¡± Bao Zhaoshan immediately pulled Li Hongmei away and said angrily, ¡°What are you doing! You are intending to commit murder. I can bring you back to the government office now!¡± Li Hongmei knelt on the ground and cried. ¡°My son was fine just now. He can¡¯t be dead!¡± Gu Zhongxun held his neck and frowned as he panted. ¡°Before I came, your son had already passed away for half an hour.¡± Li Hongmei sat on the ground in despair and cried her heart out. Bao Zhaoshan vaguely remembered that Li Hongmei said that his son was killed by Lin Chenghai. He walked forward and examined the corpse. His gaze landed on Lin Chenghai¡¯s face, which was filled with regret. He questioned, ¡°How did your son get the wound on his head?¡± Lin Chenghai wanted to avoid this question. A tiger would not hurt its cubs. He did not want anyone to know. Bao Zhaoshan lowered his eyes and said to a bailiff, ¡°The deceased suffered a violent blow to the head and did not die of an accident. Go and inform Lord Yang that there¡¯s a new case.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Old Master Lin quickly stopped the official. ¡°It was an accident. It was all an accident. My grandson accidentally hit his head.¡± At this point, it was better to protect his son¡¯s reputation. Bao Zhaoshan had experience in handling cases. Old Master Lin¡¯s words were just to coax people. He asked, ¡°Where did he hit himself? Show me.¡± Old Master Lin could only point at the door and say, ¡°There.¡± Bao Zhaoshan walked over and took a closer look. He stood up and sneered at Old Master Lin. ¡°If you dare to spout nonsense again, I¡¯ll arrest all of you and interrogate you carefully to arrest the murderer!¡± Chapter 173 - 173 As Obedient As A Dog 173 As Obedient As A Dog Old Master Lin panicked and avoided eye contact. ¡°Officer, it was really just an accident.¡± Bao Zhaoshan looked at Gu Zhongxun. ¡°Doctor Gu, what do you think?¡± Gu Zhongxun looked at the wound again and judged, ¡°The degree of rupture is beyond normal impact. It¡¯s not an accident.¡± Lin Chenghai¡¯s expression instantly changed. Bao Zhaoshan said to the remaining officials, ¡°Bring them all to the government office.¡± Old Master Lin realized that if he didn¡¯t tell the truth now, they would really be interrogated at the government office. He hurriedly begged, ¡°Officer, it was an accident. It was really an accident.¡± Bao Zhaoshan¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°What accident is it? Hurry up and tell me the truth!¡± Old Master Lin looked at his dejected son and then at the dense crowd of villagers outside. Suddenly, he seemed to have aged a few years. He said helplessly, ¡°His father accidentally killed him.¡± If the father wanted the child to die, the child had to die. Old Master Lin thought that nothing would happen even if he told Bao Zhaoshan. Little did he know that in order to increase the kingdom¡¯s population and prevent commoners from drowning baby girls, Ling Kingdom had already changed its law. If a father killed his son, according to the law, he would still have to pay with his life. Bao Zhaoshan looked at Lin Chenghai. ¡°What did he hit his son with?¡± Lin Chenghai said nothing. Regret had drowned him. Old Master Lin said in pain, ¡°He hit him with a rolling pin.¡± Bao Zhaoshan held out his hand. ¡°Bring me the rolling pin.¡± Old Master Lin glanced at Old Madam Lin, who went into the kitchen and handed a thick rolling pin to Bao Zhaoshan. Bao Zhaoshan looked at it carefully. The rolling pin was made of ebony and was very sturdy. Lin Chenghai had used it to kill his son, and there were still traces of blood on it. The details of the case were already very clear. Bao Zhaoshan pointed at Lin Chenghai and said, ¡°Tie him up first!¡± Lin Chenghai looked up in shock. ¡°Why are you arresting me?¡± Old Master and Madam Lin were even more panicked than Lin Chenghai. ¡°Officer, why did you capture my son! It was just an accident!¡± Bao Zhaoshan said coldly, ¡°The law has been changed. Those who kill their own children will be severely punished.¡± Lin Chenghai collapsed to the ground and hurriedly denied, ¡°I didn¡¯t kill my son.¡± He pointed at Old Master and Madam Lin and said, ¡°They¡¯re talking nonsense! It¡¯s all their nonsense!¡± He roared at Old Master and Madam Lin. Bao Zhaoshan looked at him coldly. ¡°When the Lord comes, he will make his judgement.¡± ¡°The rest of you are not to act on your own. Wait for the Lord to interrogate you.¡± Old Master and Madam Lin kept muttering in fear, ¡°How can this be, how can this be¡­¡± They had already lost their eldest grandson. Nothing should happen to their son. Old Master and Madam Lin lowered their heads to discuss. Their gazes landed on their dazed eldest daughter-in-law. Suddenly, they had an idea. Old Madam Lin approached Li Hongmei and said, ¡°Hongmei, I know you¡¯re sad, but you have to look forward. As long as Chenghai is fine, you will definitely have another son.¡± Li Hongmei looked up blankly, as if a drowning person had caught the last straw. ¡°Is that so?¡± Old Madam Lin continued to probe, ¡°Yes, as long as Chenghai is fine, you will definitely give birth to a fat son for our Lin family.¡± Li Hongmei cried and threw herself into Old Madam Lin¡¯s arms. ¡°Then what about my Yao¡¯er! What should I do!¡± After Old Madam Lin comforted her and Li Hongmei stabilized her emotions, she said, ¡°Hongmei, our family has treated you well. If Chenghai goes to jail, it¡¯ll be over. No one will farm our land anymore. Help him and tell the officials that you accidentally hurt Yao¡¯er, okay? You¡¯re Yao¡¯er¡¯s biological mother and it was an accident. As long as we don¡¯t pursue the matter, you¡¯ll be released soon. That way, our entire family will be fine.¡± The entire family would be fine!? Her own son was dead, but she still had to go to jail for Lin Chenghai! And she would be allowing him to be with that little b*tch! Dream on! Li Hongmei¡¯s emotions, which had just stabilized, suddenly erupted like a volcano. She pushed Old Madam Lin to the ground and roared, ¡°You¡¯re all beasts! Lin Chenghai killed my son! You still want me to take the blame! Beasts! Bastards! You deserve to die without descendants!¡± Old Master Lin flew into a rage out of humiliation and slapped her face. ¡°Shut up!¡± Li Hongmei rushed up to Old Master Lin like a lunatic and beat him up. Old Master Lin was caught off guard. When Li Hongmei was pulled away by the officials, his face was already covered in scratches. When she saw Wang Mingyue, who was clean and still with her bulging stomach, she wanted to beat her up. Old Madam Lin, who had been speaking gently just now, immediately warned her with a fierce gaze, ¡°If you dare to touch Mingyue, I¡¯ll pawn you off to the brothel to receive customers!¡± Selling one¡¯s wife and daughter to be other people¡¯s wives and concubines was a violation of the law. However, the punishment for selling a wife was only 50 strokes of the plank. The punishment for a daughter was even less. It was only 30 strokes of the plank. The cost was completely more beneficial than harmful. Therefore, many people still did it. Li Hongmei smiled miserably and struggled even harder. Her fierce gaze seemed as if she wanted to fight Wang Mingyue to her death. ¡°B*tch! She¡¯s pregnant with a bastard. I don¡¯t know how many people have slept with her, but you still treat her as a treasure! Pfft!¡± Wang Mingyue was enraged. She pointed at Li Hongmei and scolded, ¡°You deserve retribution for not accumulating merit with your words!¡± Li Hongmei couldn¡¯t hit her, so she roared at her and spat. ¡°Bah, bah, bah¡­¡± Wang Mingyue and her spat at each other. She felt that it was not enough and took off her embroidered shoes. Before she could throw them out, she felt a sharp pain in her stomach. She held her stomach and moaned, ¡°It hurts¡­ It hurts¡­¡± Old Madam Lin looked over nervously and saw a pool of red blood at Wang Mingyue¡¯s feet. The villagers of Lintian Village who were watching at the wall had never seen such an exciting show. They exclaimed excitedly, ¡°Quick, call a doctor. Someone is going to die again!¡± Doctor Li was not good at gynecology, so he did not move. Fortunately, Gu Zhongxun was here. Everyone shouted, and Gu Zhongxun hurriedly rushed over. Old Master Lin and the bound Lin Chenghai both said to him anxiously, ¡°Doctor, you must save the child!¡± After Gu Zhongxun¡¯s acupuncture, the child was saved. If the child was not taken care of, there was a high chance of miscarriage. In addition, because of Wang Mingyue¡¯s physique, it was very likely that she would have a difficult labor. When Old Madam Lin found out that Wang Mingyue might have a difficult labor, she looked at Li Hongmei like she was her mortal enemy. Yang Gongbing finally came. After interrogating everyone, he immediately captured Lin Chenghai. This was because he had killed his own son. If nothing went wrong, he would have to serve a life of hard labor even if it was not the death penalty. This show went on and on and it was even more exciting towards the end. When Qingfeng returned to report to Bai Wutong, Bai Wutong was stunned. She couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°No wonder they say you don¡¯t enter the same family unless you are the same kind of person.¡± Although they were just watching the show, the ridiculous thing that Lin Chenghai¡¯s family had done made all the villagers of Lintian Village feel ashamed. In particular, the fruits had not been sold and they had lost a large sum of money. The atmosphere in the village was heavy. At Little Cat¡¯s house. Tao Yinzhen boiled some brown rice porridge and filled two bowls. As for the rest, she scooped up half a bowl and placed it aside. She also prepared a plate of salted vegetables and a plate of cold cucumber. She scooped an egg from the pot and shouted for Little Cat who was chopping pig grass to eat. She picked up half a bowl of brown rice porridge and walked into the side room. Ren Shuixing, who was lying on the bed, was about to faint from hunger. When he saw Tao Yinzhen carrying the porridge over, he immediately smiled ingratiatingly. ¡°Wife~¡± Who would have thought that a man who did not treat his wife and children as humans would be as obedient as a dog one day? Chapter 174 - 174 A Gentleman keeps his word 174 A Gentleman keeps his word Tao Yinzhen¡¯s lips curled into a mocking smile. She raised his head and brought the brown rice porridge to his mouth. He immediately opened his mouth and drank it. How could Ren Shuixing be full from half a bowl of brown rice porridge? A few days ago, he would still be shouting and ordering Tao Yinzhen to bring him fish and meat. After Tao Yinzhen did not feed him for two days, he had learned his lesson. Now, he did not even dare to mention it, afraid that the next meal would be gone and he would starve to death. Tao Yinzhen came out of the side room. Little Cat had yet to eat and insisted on waiting for her to come before eating. Tao Yinzhen sat beside him and said gently, ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± Little Cat nodded and immediately picked up his chopsticks. He picked up the pickled vegetables and ate the porridge. In the past, he and his mother could not eat a full meal in a year. Now, there were only the two of them at home. Tao Yinzhen weaved cloth at home and sent it to town to sell some copper coins and buy some food. There was still no meat or fish at the dining table, but they were already very satisfied to be able to eat two full meals a day. Tao Yinzhen peeled the only egg and placed it in his bowl. Little Cat picked up half of it with his chopsticks and put it in Tao Yinzhen¡¯s bowl. ¡°Mother, eat.¡± Tao Yinzhen placed it in his bowl again. ¡°Mother doesn¡¯t like eggs. Little Cat, eat it yourself.¡± Little Cat knew that his mother could not bear to eat it, so he took a bite and swore, ¡°I¡¯ll definitely buy the best food for mother in the future.¡± Tao Yinzhen¡¯s smile deepened. She suddenly felt regretful. ¡°If only the fruits could be sold.¡± Their family had the most fruit trees. They had three bayberry trees, two lychee trees, and a plum tree. If they could exchange them for money, they would become rich overnight. When Little Cat grew up and was getting, there was no need to worry too much. Unfortunately, it was all ruined by that idiot, Lin Chenghai. Little Cat knew that his mother was very depressed about this matter and comforted her. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Mother. Our pigs are healthy. If the hens lay more eggs, they can still be exchanged for a lot of money! I even learned to lay a trap from Big Brother. We might be able to catch a prey tomorrow!¡± Tao Yinzhen was very glad to know that her son was so well-behaved. At the thought of her son¡¯s good relationship with the children in the neighboring village, she reminded him, ¡°Don¡¯t fight with them and stay close to them.¡± She thought of something and added, ¡°If there¡¯s a chance, try to talk to Madam Bai more. She has even asked the doctor to treat you previously, you have to be extremely grateful towards her, alright?¡± As long as Madam Bai liked Little Cat, the money from selling fruits was nothing. Little Cat nodded. ¡°I know. If I catch a rabbit tomorrow, I¡¯ll give it to Madam Bai. Big Brother said that Master Chu likes to eat rabbits the most.¡± Tao Yinzhen nodded approvingly. ¡°Good.¡± The next day, Little Cat quickly fed the livestock at home, tidied up the firewood, went to the fields to pick vegetables, tidied up the courtyard, and washed the clothes. He glanced at Tao Yinzhen, who was still weaving, and shouted loudly, ¡°I¡¯m going out ~¡± Then he quickly entered the mountain to check on the trap that he had set up. He had only set two traps. The first one was empty. Feeling a little disappointed, he walked to the front of the second trap and saw a gray hare caught at the ankle. He rushed over and grabbed the rabbit¡¯s ears in surprise. He shouted happily and kissed the rabbit a few times. Suddenly, there was a slight sound in front of the forest. He looked forward and suddenly met a pair of cold eyes. It was a ferocious leopard crawling close to him. Little Cat trembled in fear and his face was pale. He hugged the rabbit tightly and turned to run. How could his little short legs outrun the leopard? The chasing leopard was getting closer and closer. Little Cat even felt that he would be pounced on in the next second. Suddenly, Chu Tianbao descended from the sky and threw the dagger in his hand, hitting the leopard in the forehead. The leopard suddenly fell to the ground. The leopard was dead, but the frightened Little Cat sat on the ground and wailed. He was so close to death. It was too terrifying. Suddenly, a jade-like hand handed him a clean handkerchief. Little Cat raised his eyes in tears and hiccuped. When he saw that it was Madam Bai, his tears flowed even more. Bai Wutong patted his back and comforted him softly. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. It¡¯s all right.¡± Madam Bai was really gentle and kind. Little Cat carried the wild rabbit and wanted to pounce into Bai Wutong¡¯s arms. Suddenly, Chu Tianbao picked him up with one hand and lectured him sternly, ¡°Stay away from my wife! You¡¯re a man. Why are you crying?! Be strong!¡± Little Cat was a little dazed, but he felt that Chu Tianbao had a point. He burped and nodded tearfully. When she saw this, she found it very funny. Chu Tianbao clearly loved to cry the most, but he still had the cheek to educate others. Little Cat calmed down and stopped hiccuping. He reached out and showed a bright smile. He placed the trembling rabbit in front of Bai Wutong. ¡°Madam, for you!¡± ¡°My mother said that one needs to know how to repay kindness, I don¡¯t have anything else but this rabbit. I hope Madam won¡¯t mind.¡± His dark eyes were filled with shyness and anticipation. Afraid that she wouldn¡¯t accept it, he pushed it forward. Bai Wutong studied him carefully. Only then did she notice that Little Cat was barefoot, but a pair of considerably new shoes hung from his chest. Curious, she asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you wearing shoes?¡± Little Cat looked at the shoes on his chest and smiled cherishingly. ¡°The shoes will spoil if I wear them for too long. If I don¡¯t wear them, I can wear them for a long time.¡± If he didn¡¯t wear it, he could wear it for a long time. There was a cruel innocence in the child¡¯s words that made her nose sting. She stroked his head. ¡°If you don¡¯t wear it now, your feet will grow too big to wear it.¡± Little Cat was stunned and a little sad. He wanted to grow up quickly and help Tao Yinzhen work in the fields, but he also wanted to wear his shoes for a longer time. How difficult. Soon, he perked up again, like a perpetually energetic little sun, revealing his canine teeth. ¡°Then I¡¯ll work hard to earn money and buy many, many shoes!¡± Bai Wutong scratched his little nose. ¡°Then sell the rabbit for money.¡± But Little Cat shook his head firmly. ¡°I¡¯ve already told Mother that I¡¯ll give the first rabbit to Madam when I catch it. A gentleman has to keep his word.¡± How cute the child¡¯s persistence was. With a smile, Bai Wutong reached out to take the hare. Suddenly, she asked Little Cat, ¡°Do you have fruit trees at home?¡± Little Cat nodded. ¡°We have a few fruit trees. There are bayberries, plums, and lychees. I like lychees the most as they¡¯re especially sweet. What does Madam Bai and Master Chu like? I¡¯ll go pick them for Madam Bai and Master Chu later!¡± She smiled and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve already taken the rabbit. I can¡¯t ask for your fruits for nothing anymore. Can Little Cat sell me your fruits?¡± Little Cat¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Okay.¡± Their family had a lot of fruits. If it was at the rate of one copper coin per catty, they could be exchanged for a lot of copper coins. With these copper coins, his mother would not have to work so hard day and night. They would also have the money to hire the men in the village to help them do the work in the fields. Han Muye and Chu Tianbao brought the leopard back and immediately sent someone to invite Yu Suisheng over. Chapter 175 - 175 Indeed, Only Women Are Difficult to Raise! 175 Indeed, Only Women Are Difficult to Raise! Bai Wutong said to Yu Suisheng, ¡°Master Yu, the fruits from Little Cat¡¯s family in Lintian Village next door are very good. I hope you can go and buy their fruits.¡± Yu Suisheng was unwilling to accept the fruits of Lintian Village because they had offended Bai Wutong. Now that she was willing to accept it, he was happy to go. He nodded and asked, ¡°What about the other villagers?¡± If he only accepted one of them, Little Cat¡¯s family would inevitably become the target of the villagers. Those who were indignant would definitely pester Little Cat¡¯s family and beg them to sell their fruits to Bai Wutong. If Little Cat¡¯s family was unwilling, they would offend many villagers. Bai Wutong replied, ¡°Take them too. As for the price, Master Yu can decide for himself.¡± Yu Suisheng understood what she meant. Other than Little Cat¡¯s family, she had no objections to how he wanted to lower the price. Yu Suisheng brought people to Lintian Village, causing the heavy atmosphere in the village to suddenly have a hint of vitality. The villagers surrounded him enthusiastically. ¡°Master Yu, are you here to collect fruits?¡± ¡°We have several trees. The fruits weigh up to hundreds of catties!¡± ¡°We have three trees, so we also have 100 or 200 catties!¡± ¡°And us¡­¡± Everyone fought to be the first to squeeze in front of Yu Suisheng. If not for the guards blocking in front of Yu Suisheng, the villagers would have squeezed him into meat paste. He smiled politely. ¡°May I ask where Little Cat¡¯s house is?¡± Lintian Village had yet to choose a new village chief. Elder Lin stood up and said, ¡°Little Cat¡¯s house is just ahead. I¡¯ll lead the way for Master Yu.¡± Although farmers were regarded highly and merchants had low status and were looked down on behind their backs, in fact, who wouldn¡¯t envy the rich lives of merchants? Elder Lin led the way, and Yu Suisheng quickly arrived at Little Cat¡¯s house. Tao Yinzhen was weaving at home. The demand for summer cloth had increased, and she wanted to take advantage of this time to earn more. She was too busy. Even lunch was made by Little Cat on the bench. ¡°Tao Yinzhen.¡± Elder Lin¡¯s old voice suddenly came from outside the door. Tao Yinzhen raised her head in confusion. If she hadn¡¯t heard Elder Lin call her again, she would have thought that she was hallucinating. She walked out of the door and saw that her short fenced courtyard was filled with people. Beside Elder Lin stood a refined young man. She was stunned. She wiped her hands and asked nervously, ¡°Elder Lin, what¡¯s the matter?¡± She glanced at the side room from the corner of her eye. Could it be that someone found out that she did not feed Ren Shuixing, and the elder had brought people to punish her? Just as she was feeling uneasy, Elder Lin smiled at her and said eagerly, ¡°This Master Yu, who is collecting fruits, is looking for Little Cat for something.¡± At the mention of Little Cat, Tao Yinzhen looked at Yu Suisheng warily. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Master Yu?¡± Yu Suisheng smiled gently. He did not look like a businessman, but more like a scholar. He had a similar aura to Sheng Huaixuan. He said, ¡°Madam Bai told Little Cat that we are collecting fruits after he return home today. Didn¡¯t Madam know?¡± Tao Yinzhen was suddenly stunned and shook her head in confusion. She vaguely remembered that Little Cat seemed to have told her that Bai Wutong wanted to collect their fruits. She was too busy and ignored him, so he took the basket and went first. Tao Yinzhen reacted to it after being a daze. She was pleasantly surprised and her smile was bright as though a pie that had fallen from the sky. She said repeatedly, ¡°Master Yu, wait a moment. I¡¯ll go pick the fruits now.¡± Yu Suisheng said gently, ¡°There¡¯s no hurry. I haven¡¯t offered a price yet. How about three copper coins for one catty of pears, five copper coins for one catty of bayberry and six copper coins for one catty of lychees? I wonder if Madam is satisfied with this price?¡± This price was the same as in other villages. Tao Yinzhen¡¯s family could produce nearly 500 kilograms of fruits. If she sold them all, she would earn more money than she could earn in two years of weaving cloth. What else was there to be dissatisfied about? She nodded excitedly, her voice trembling. ¡°Satisfied, satisfied, especially satisfied. Thank you, Master Yu. Thank you, Madam Bai.¡± Yu Suisheng smiled. ¡°Madam, you¡¯re welcome. If you want to thank someone, thank yourself for raising a good son.¡± Hearing others praise Little Cat, Tao Yinzhen wiped her eyes emotionally. ¡°No, it¡¯s all Madam Bai¡¯s kindness for taking care of our Little Cat.¡± However, her tone was extremely proud. If they could sell for this amount every year, it would not be a problem for Little Cat to go to school in town. Some were happy, while others were worried. The villagers of Lintian Village outside the fence were discussing fervently. What did Yu Suisheng mean? He came to their village to collect fruits, but only the fruits of Little Cat¡¯s family? They were discussing so loudly that Yu Suisheng clearly heard them, but he was indifferent. The hearts of all the villagers in Lintian Village instantly turned cold. Elder Lin was also envious of Little Cat¡¯s family for being able to earn several taels of silver at once. He said carefully, ¡°Master Yu, there are still many very fresh fruits in our village. Lin Chenghai has already suffered retribution. Can you put in a good word for us in front of Madam Bai?¡± Yu Suisheng looked at Elder Lin. His gentle gaze just now had suddenly lost its warmth. A faint smile hung on his face, making Elder Lin feel a little guilty. Could it be that he had said something wrong? Yu Suisheng said unhurriedly, ¡°Whether Lin Chenghai suffers retribution or not has nothing to do with Madam Bai. You sound like Madam Bai did it on purpose. Why? Do we have to buy all the fruits in your village?¡± He was clearly an easygoing and refined person, but his words were so sarcastic. Elder Lin cursed Yu Suisheng in his heart, but he quickly said, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. Master Yu, don¡¯t misunderstand. I¡¯m just afraid that you don¡¯t have enough fruits, so I asked.¡± Yu Suisheng glanced at him coldly and said angrily, ¡°We have more than enough fruits, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Elder Lin was so angry that he almost had a heart attack, but there was nothing he could do. He could only watch as Yu Suisheng sent someone to pick fruits with Tao Yinzhen. Since Yu Suisheng¡¯s plan did not work, Patriarch Lin set his sights on Tao Yinzhen. He found an opportunity to say to Tao Yinzhen, ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to everyone¡¯s help that your husband survived after falling down the hill. Now that the fruits of the villagers are about to rot on the tree, go and say a few good words to Madam Bai and ask her to accept the fruits of our village.¡± He hated Bai Wutong very much at the bottom of his heart. It was just a small matter. Lin Chenghai had already been arrested by the officials, but she could still bear a grudge until now. Indeed, only women were difficult to raise! Tao Yinzhen was extremely unwilling, but the two of them still had to live in Lintian Village. If she rejected Elder Lin, when he found an opportunity, he would definitely make things difficult for her. However, she didn¡¯t want Little Cat to look for Bai Wutong and make her detest him. After much hesitation, Tao Yinzhen said, ¡°Elder Lin, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m unwilling to go, but I haven¡¯t seen Madam Bai at all.¡± ¡°I can get Little Cat to ask if it¡¯s possible, but I don¡¯t know the outcome. After all, our village sold Madam Bai fruits previously and went back on our word. She might be unhappy when she thinks of this.¡± Patriarch Lin was helpless and could only say, ¡°Alright, let Little Cat try first¡± Chapter 176 - 176 Someone must have done it on purpose 176 Someone must have done it on purpose Like an agile monkey, Little Cat jumped up and down and picked the fruits from the tree faster than an adult. With the help of the two people sent by Yu Suisheng, under the watch of all the Lintian villagers, the ripe fruits from Little Cat¡¯s home were all picked. There were a total of 100 catties of pears, 120 catties of bayberries, and 100 catties of lychees. At the rate of three copper coins per catty of pears, five copper coins per catty of bayberries, and six copper coins per catty of lychee, they were sold for a total of one tael of silver. After obtaining this huge amount of money, Tao Yinzhen hid the money everywhere, afraid that thieves would visit their house that night. After hiding the money bag in the hole under the kitchen firewood pile, Tao Yinzhen¡¯s excited heart calmed down a little. She closed the door and whispered to the happy and tireless Little Cat, ¡°Little Cat, come here. Mother has something to say to you.¡± Little Cat came over eagerly. Tao Yinzhen grabbed his hand and looked around. She said carefully, ¡°Elder Lin wants you to plead with Madam Bai and help the entire village sell their fruits. Don¡¯t go. If Elder Lin asks you, tell him that Madam Bai didn¡¯t say anything.¡± It was impossible for Elder Lin to personally ask if Little Cat had pleaded for the villagers. Little Cat was stunned for a moment before shaking his head. ¡°I¡¯m going to help the villagers ask. If Madam Bai is unwilling, I won¡¯t say anything else. They¡¯ve helped us before. Mother, you said that we have to repay kindness and only take revenge on the deserving people.¡± Tao Yinzhen did not expect Little Cat to say this. She pulled him into her arms and sighed. ¡°Silly child.¡± In the end, she did not stop him from pleading with Bai Wutong. Tao Yinzhen was afraid that someone would steal the money, so she didn¡¯t sleep well the entire night. She was only relieved in the morning and made up her mind to buy a ferocious wolf dog to guard the house later. Otherwise, if a thief really came, there was only her, a weak woman, and Little Cat. They would not be able to resist a fight at all. Before Little Cat went to meet Bai Wutong, he specially washed his feet, put on new shoes, and changed into his most appropriate clothes. Xiaobai already knew him. When Little Cat stood at the door, it looked at him lazily, and lay down again. Little Cat felt that it was so lazy that it did not look like a wolf at all. It was as fat as Xiaobai the pig in his pigpen. That¡¯s right. His pig looked fair and clean, so it was also called Xiaobai. Every time he saw his pig, he would say, ¡°Xiaobai, Xiaobai, grow fatter quickly. As a pig, how can you be thinner than the wolf next door?¡± Bai Wutong was getting up to make breakfast when she saw Little Cat standing outside the courtyard. She waved at him. ¡°Have you eaten?¡± Little Cat quickly nodded, afraid that she would leave food behind for him. ¡°Yes, yes.¡± He could not suppress the joy on his face, and even Bai Wutong felt happy when she saw him. Little Cat sat for a while. Then, he clenched his fists and his gaze gradually became firm. ¡°Madam Bai, Elder Lin asked me to persuade you to accept the fruits of the entire village. Madam, you don¡¯t have to answer. I¡¯m just asking.¡± He emphasized again, ¡°You really don¡¯t have to answer!¡± In any case, he had asked on their behalf. He could return and inform Elder Lin. Before Bai Wutong could react, he quickly bowed deeply to her. ¡°I¡¯m done asking now. I¡¯m leaving. Goodbye, Madam and Master.¡± With that, he ran away. It was obvious that he was just here for that. As she watched him run away, a smile appeared on her face. This child was really smart. He knew how to repay kindness and knew when to advance and retreat. He was much wiser than the adults in Lintian Village. As soon as Little Cat arrived home, Elder Lin arrived. He asked Little Cat anxiously, ¡°How is it? What did Madam Bai say?¡± Little Cat lowered his head and said, ¡°I told Madam to collect the fruits from our village, but Madam didn¡¯t say anything, so I came back.¡± Elder Lin stomped his feet and asked anxiously, ¡°You didn¡¯t ask again?¡± Little Cat bit his lip and took a step back in fear. Tao Yinzhen hurriedly shielded Little Cat behind her. ¡°If Madam Bai is unwilling, there¡¯s nothing a child like Little Cat can do.¡± Elder Lin glanced at the honest-looking Little Cat and felt even more depressed. He flicked his sleeves and left. Just as Elder Lin was feeling heartache that his few fruit trees could not be sold for a single copper coin, Yu Suisheng suddenly came to his house door. When Elder Lin saw him appear, he thought that something had changed. His sunken heart was suddenly lit up. Could it be that Madam Bai was moved by Little Cat? So she had agreed? The more he thought about it, the more excited he became. He asked expectantly, ¡°Master Yu, are you here to collect fruits?¡± Yu Suisheng glanced at him, feeling extremely oppressed. Elder Lin¡¯s heart was in his throat. Wasn¡¯t he here to collect fruits? Just as his heart continued to pound, Yu Suisheng nodded. Elder Lin was so happy that his old face was blooming like a chrysanthemum. Little Cat had not been taken care of by their village chief for nothing. But he didn¡¯t laugh for long. ¡°Little Cat is so kind. Madam Bai and I are deeply touched, but¡ª¡± ¡°But what?¡± ¡°Lin Tian Village¡¯s past behavior had me worried. Therefore, the price I can give you is only one copper coin per catty for pears, two copper coins per catty for bayberries, and three copper coins per catty for lychees.¡± Elder Lin was stunned. This was less than half the price for Little Cat¡¯s family. He pleaded, ¡°Can¡¯t it be higher?¡± Yu Suisheng was already letting them off easy by only lowering to this price. Even if Yu Suisheng said that one copper coin was for four catties, a large number of people in the village would rush forward to sell their fruits. Elder Lin naturally knew this. Therefore, facing Yu Suisheng, who had no room for bargaining, Elder Lin could only compromise. Compared to not having a single penny, this was a pleasant surprise. As soon as Elder Lin told the villagers the news, everyone cheered. Before they could pick the fruits, Little Cat ran out crying. Little Cat carried his empty basket and cried. ¡°Master Yu, I can¡¯t give you fruits today.¡± Yu Suisheng handed him a handkerchief to wipe his tears. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Isn¡¯t there still a few hundred catties on the tree?¡± Hearing Yu Suisheng say that there were still hundred catties on the tree, the men in Lintian Village suddenly hunched nervously. Elder Lin¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Could it be that some despicable people had damaged all the fruits from Little Cat¡¯s family?! Huge tears rolled down from Little Cat¡¯s face, ¡°No more, there¡¯s no more fruits on the trees, wuwuwu-¡± The fruits were growing well on the trees. All the families also had a few trees themselves and did not have to worry about food at all. If the fruits were suddenly gone, someone must have done it on purpose. Yu Suisheng hugged the crying Little Cat and looked at Elder Lin. He said coldly, ¡°The character of the people in your village is really ¡®good¡¯.¡± Hearing this, Elder Lin was extremely afraid that Yu Suisheng would not accept their fruits again. He hurriedly said, ¡°Perhaps the wind was too strong last night and the fruits fell off, but it¡¯s fine. Our villagers can make up for it!¡± As soon as these words were spoken, the villagers who knew who did it were unhappy. Why should they compensate Little Cat¡¯s family for the fruits even though they were not the culprit? They immediately said, ¡°No! If anyone has to compensate, it should be those with dirty hands!¡± Now, they directly admitted that their character was really ¡°good¡±. Chapter 177 - 177 Unfortunately, We are Born in this Dynasty 177 Unfortunately, We are Born in this Dynasty Yu Suisheng sneered and said to Little Cat, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Lord Yang will definitely seek justice for you.¡± There had been enough incidents in Lintian Village. If Lord Yang were to come again, Lintian Village would completely become the laughing stock of the surrounding villages. Elder Lin hated those lowly people to death, but the crucial thing now was to appease Yu Suisheng. He hurriedly said to Tao Yinzhen, ¡°You from the Ren family, say something. I¡¯ll get those bastards to compensate you!¡± Tao Yinzhen couldn¡¯t offend the entire village. She could only look at Yu Suisheng and ask softly, ¡°Master Yu, the fruits of other families are as delicious. Can you treat them as our own?¡± She was very skilful with her words as she deliberately reminded Yu Suisheng that the price of their fruits was different from others. Yu Suisheng did not take the narrow-mindedness of a countryside woman seriously. He had personally promised the price, so he naturally should give it to their family. However, if he let them off so easily, these people from Lintian Village would never learn a deep lesson. With a cold expression, he looked at Elder Lin faintly. ¡°I can¡¯t trust your character anymore.¡± Everyone in Lintian Village panicked. They hurriedly begged, ¡°No, Master Yu, they did it. It has nothing to do with us.¡± Yu Suisheng looked at them expressionlessly. Some people even went to beat up the man who had gone to Little Cat¡¯s house to damage the fruits the previous night, hoping that it could appease Yu Suisheng¡¯s anger. Even so, Yu Suisheng was still indifferent. Tao Yinzhen had earned one to two taels from selling fruits the day before. When she thought about how the few taels of silver on the tree had disappeared, she wished she could hack these people from Lintian Village to death, but she was afraid of being avenged and did not dare to fall out with them. At this moment, Elder Lin suddenly said, ¡°Master Yu, I¡¯ll ask them to compensate Little Cat with twice the amount, 600 catties!¡± Elder Lin thought that Yu Suisheng wanted to help Little Cat¡¯s family seek justice. Unexpectedly, Yu Suisheng still did not talk to him, as if he was already disdainful of talking to him. Elder Lin met Yu Suisheng¡¯s clear eyes and felt hatred in his heart. Yu Suisheng was clearly the lowest ranking, but he still dared to look down on him. Elder Lin hesitated for a long time. For the sake of money, he gritted his teeth and begged, ¡°Master Yu, please accept the fruits of our entire village. It¡¯s fine if it¡¯s cheaper.¡± What the businessman wanted was just profit. Yu Suisheng seemed to be doing it for Little Cat, but it was just to lower the price. Yu Suisheng was confident that he could choose not to accept the fruits of their village, but Elder Lin was not confident that they could sell them. As soon as he finished speaking, the villagers were afraid that they wouldn¡¯t be able to sell the plums for a single copper coin and shouted prices without any care. ¡°Master Yu, my family¡¯s pears only cost one copper coin for two catties. We also were the ones who damaged Little Cat¡¯s family¡¯s fruits. Please collect the fruits from our family!¡± When one family started, countless families also continued, shouting lower and lower prices. The price dropped so low that an adult fruit tree producing hundreds of catties of fruits could only earn a few dozen copper coins at most. It was too late for Elder Lin to stop them. Yu Suisheng suddenly agreed. ¡°Since you¡¯re so sincere and honest, Ill give you a rate of three catties of pears for one copper coin, two catties of bayberries for one copper coin, and one copper coin for a catty of lychee. Go and pick the fruits from your village.¡± After gaining a huge advantage, he still pretended to be benevolent. This almost angered Elder Lin to death. The entire village was grateful to the cunning Yu Suisheng. Before Elder Lin could recover from it, Yu Suisheng urged Elder Lin to compensate for the fruits that belonged to Little Cat¡¯s family. Elder Lin¡¯s two sons had gone to damage Little Cat¡¯s family¡¯s fruits the previous night. There were not many fruit trees at home to begin with, and most of the fruits were compensated to Little Cat. The remaining fruits could not be exchanged for even half a coin. Elder Lin was so angry that he almost broke his teeth from gritting too hard. After all the work, their family did not gain anything. Yu Suisheng had returned from Lintian Village with a full load. There were so many fruits, but they were not even as expensive as a bottle of commoner Phoenix Feather Wine. Bai Wutong could not help but praise, ¡°Talent!¡± However, Yu Suisheng said humbly, ¡°I¡¯m far inferior to Old Master Sheng.¡± Bai Wutong sighed again. ¡°No wonder he could become the number one rich businessman in the Yan Kingdom!¡± If it was in the modern era, Sheng Huaixuan would definitely be able to build his own business empire. Unfortunately, he was born in this dynasty. ¡­ As Yang Gongbing promoted the spray machine, the people of Woqian Town had already understood that it was such a convenient item to use for watering. Although they could still water without the spray machine, many filial sons gritted their teeth and bought the spray machine for their parents. After buying it, they realized that the spray machine was really useful. Not only could the seedlings and vegetables at the lower grounds be watered conveniently, but the flowers, fruits, and trees at the higher grounds could also be watered. Apart from that, the most tiring job of cleaning the pigpen became much easier. When the rich families found out about the use of the spray machine, they immediately bought a few. It was simply too useful for watering the flowers and cleaning the house. Woqian Town was small, and the market demand was small. After Yang Gongbing successfully promoted it in Woqian Town, he quickly reported it to Qu Yuanxian and asked him if he could sell the spray machine produced in Woqian Town to Pingyang County. Qu Yuanxian quickly agreed and opened an exclusive stall for the spray machine in the market to promote it widely. 120 of the first batch of spray machines arrived in Pingyang County and were quickly sold out. Everyone was subdued by such a magical spray machine. The rich families in Pingyang County were more particular. With the spray machine, the masters¡¯ carriages were much easier to wash. In addition to the big families, the farmers were even more surprised. The straps of the spray machine were very strong. They could water it with water on their backs. It was much easier than carrying water or watering buckets. Although only a portion of the more prosperous farmers were willing to buy a spray machine, more people were tempted when they saw how useful the spray machine was. After knowing that the price was not expensive and that it was sold by the government, many people found stalls in the second market and wanted to buy a spray machine. However, they were informed by the stallkeeper that all the spray machines were sold out. If they wanted to buy them, they would have to wait a few days before Woqian Town sent the goods over. The farmers and servants of the rich families in Pingyang County were all disappointed. The stallkeeper suddenly told them, ¡°You can pay a deposit first and register your name. This way, you can get the goods immediately after they arrive. Without registering, with so many people demanding it, the next time you are late, you might also not be able to buy it.¡± The servants of the rich families decisively paid the deposit so that they could give their master an explanation when they returned. The remaining farmers repeatedly confirmed with the bailiffs that they would definitely get the spray machine first after paying the deposit. Only then were they assured to pay the deposit. For a moment, there was a long line of people just paying the deposit. After Qu Yuanxian learned that the people of Pingyang County were strongly interested in buying the spray machine, he quickly sent a pigeon to Yang Gongbing and asked him to increase the production of the spray machine. When Yang Gongbing knew that the spray machine had hot sales in Pingyang County, he was extremely happy. But he was also in a difficult spot. There were only limited carpenters in Woqian town. Even if they worked overtime, they might still be unable to meet the high demand of Pingyang County. Chapter 178 - 178 Compatible Looks and Talent 178 Compatible Looks and Talent The second batch of spray machine and Yang Gongbing¡¯s reply arrived at the same time. This time, there were fewer quantity delivered. There were only 80 of them. There were more people who had registered and paid the deposit. This quantity was far from enough. The spray machine stall was packed with people. The people who had registered made a fuss that they had paid the deposit and demanded to receive the goods immediately. The bailiffs could only give them the spray machine in the order of the payment of deposit. Those who got the spray machine were as happy as if they had won the lottery. Those from influential families were the most eager to compare with one another. If other families had a spray machine, how could they not? Hence, there were servants from several big families who stopped the old farmer who had just bought a spray machine. They spent a huge sum to buy a brand new second-hand spray machine. This made some people see a business opportunity. With the functions of spray machine, if they made it and sold it elsewhere, they would definitely be able to earn a lot of money. However, they were afraid of the government after all. They only dared to think about it and did not dare to steal business from the government. Since they could not build the spray machine themselves, they thought of another way to profit. More and more people would definitely want to buy the spray machine. Now, as long as they paid the deposit first, they could get the goods first. They could send people to queue up to register and buy the spray machine sold by the government at a low price before selling it at a high price. There was more than one person who thought of such a way to earn money. Hence, the store that was selling spray machines had a queue as long as a few hundred meters. Ordinary farmers who really wanted to buy a spray machine did not even have a chance to register. Qu Yuanxian received a reply and heard the detailed report from the bailiffs about the spray machine store. After thinking for a long time, he made up his mind that night. He gathered the outstanding carpenters in Pingyang County and built two spray machine workshops in Pingyang County. He had wanted to observe for a few more days, but it seemed that he did not need to. There were many more carpenters in Pingyang County than in Woqian Town. Just the carpenters in the entire county were enough to build a workshop first. There was no need to build a new workshop place. Qu Yuanxian directly arranged for everyone to work in a nearby farm with raw materials and paid for the rent. With the people gathered, the most important thing left was the skills. After all, the spray machine was a delicate workmanship. Without a few years of experience as a carpenter, even if Zhao Sheng personally taught, one would not be able to build it. Even a master carpenter had to imitate first and fiddle with it for a period of time at the beginning. Even not for a master carpenter, just an ordinary carpenter, if he wanted to make a solid and exquisite spray machine, he had to undergo a period of training before he could be ready. Yang Gongbing really wanted to send Zhao Sheng, but Zhao Sheng had been busy making the mold for the word printing machine recently. He had already gone crazy from carving. Moreover, Yang Quanzi would not allow him to go when he was in such a hurry to complete the job. Yang Gongbing knew that Zhao Sheng was busy at the Cui residence, but he did not know that he was busy carving words. The reason why Yang Quanzi had not told him was because he wanted to wait for the complete printing book to be ready and quietly stun everyone. Since Zhao Sheng could not go, he could only choose someone else. After choosing the candidates, they set off for Pingyang County early the next morning. This was not the first time they had gone to Pingyang County. This time, they rode on the official¡¯s carriage. They felt that their lives were worth it. The spray machine workshop in Pingyang County was in full swing, but Yang Gongbing was also thinking about his next step. When the workshop in Pingyang County could function normally, the demand for the spray machine in their workshop would greatly decrease, or it would no longer be needed. If the spray machine was only supplied to the Woqian Town, there would be very little work for the workshop craftsmen. In the long run, the profits into the accounts would also be greatly reduced. These days, with the spray machine, the financial income of Woqian Town had increased greatly. Yang Gongbing divided the income earned from the spray machine into two parts. One part was used for the people¡¯s livelihood, building bridges, roads, and providing assistance to alleviate poverty. The other part was used to continue the development of the official industry. Previously, Bai Wutong had said that they did not have to care about Consort Chu and could use the cleaning paper boldly. The spray machine market was saturated in Woqian Town, so Yang Gongbing went to ask Bai Wutong if they could open a cleaning paper production workshop. Consort Chu was using the white paper formula for her own benefit. Yang Gongbing took the cleaning paper formula because he wanted to benefit the people, and he had even bought it from Bai Wutong with his money. Why wouldn¡¯t she agree? Of course she agreed. Yang Gongbing gave her a total of 10,000 taels of silver to buy the cleaning paper formula. He even felt very apologetic that he had given her too little money. After Consort Chu obtained the white paper formula and sold the white paper, the money flowed in like water. The cleaning paper was more valuable than the white paper, so Yang Gongbing naturally felt that he had made Bai Wutong lose out. 10,000 taels was really not a small sum. Moreover, in the future, if someone took a fancy to the huge benefits of cleaning paper, the person they would be looking for would be Yang Gongbing. She felt that 10,000 taels was very worth it to buy peace of mind. After obtaining the approval from Bai Wutong, Yang Gongbing immediately asked Qu Yuanxian to establish a cleaning paper production workshop. If they started building the cleaning paper production workshop now, the paper-making machines needed by the cleaning paper production workshop would allow the carpenters in the spraying workshop to start working. In addition, the cleaning paper production workshop also needed a large amount of labor and could provide many job openings. The citizens who joined could earn another income. If they sold the cleaning paper, their income would also reach the peak in the history of Woqian Town. With this huge income, Woqian Town would definitely experience a huge change. When Qu Yuanxian received Yang Gongbing¡¯s letter, he started to exclaim again at Yang Gongbing¡¯s outstanding efficiency and responsible attitude. If everyone in Ling Country was as pragmatic as Yang Gongbing, the people would not have to worry about not having a good life. After reading the letter, Qu Yuanxian immediately wrote a reply and approved the construction of the official¡¯s cleaning paper production workshop. The spray machine workshop had already opened as an official¡¯s workshop. What was there to fear from another cleaning paper production workshop that was far more valuable than the spray machine workshop? Besides, the cleaning paper made by Bai Wutong was so good that he wanted to continue using it. Why shouldn¡¯t they build it! They would build it immediately! Moreover, they had to build it spectacularly and let the entire Ling Kingdom know that the cleaning paper was produced by their Pingyang County¡¯s Woqian Town. No one could snatch away the ownership! Not even Consort Chu! With a large amount of manpower and resources invested, the spray machine workshop in Pingyang County operating on the right track, and the construction of Yang Gongbing¡¯s cleaning paper production workshop also progressing smoothly, it could officially start work next month. Qu Yuanxian planned to take a look. Ever since the Cui family resettled on the Jade Spiritual Mountain, Qu Yuanxian had wanted to visit them, but he had yet to do so. Other than visiting the cleaning paper workshop, Yang Quanzi¡¯s 60th birthday was the next month. No matter how busy Qu Yuanxian was, he wanted to go to Woqian Town. In addition, Qu Yuanxian had an important matter to discuss with Cui Shize. It had been four years since his youngest son, Qu Lianghua, became a widower. He only had a four-year-old daughter. Cui Lingyi had been a widow for more than four years. The two of them were very compatible in terms of looks and talent. Qu Yuanxian wanted Qu Lianghua to marry Cui Lingyi. In the dead of night, when he discussed it with Madam Qu, he encountered intense objections. Chapter 179 - 179 Shes Just a Widow Now 179 She¡¯s Just a Widow Now Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios No matter how good Cui Lingyi was, she was still a widow. Her husband had died just after she married over. Her eight characters definitely jinxed her husband! Even if Madam Qu did not believe in these things, she would still be afraid when it involved her son. Moreover, her son was good at everything. Over the past few days, just the number of matchmakers who came to their house had almost broken their door frame. There was no way they could not find a better girl. Qu Yuanxian did not expect his wife to have such a big reaction. For a moment, he was a little angry. ¡°She is a good girl. In my opinion, our son might not even be worthy of her.¡± Although the 30 families of Qinghe had temporarily declined, scholars would never decline. With Great Scholar Yang around, a comeback was only a matter of time. A woman¡¯s opinion was foolish and ignorant. If Lianghua could marry Cui Lingyi, it was enough for them to be highly regarded by Yang Quanzi! When Madam Qu heard that Qu Yuanxian was demeaning his son to support a widow, she immediately retorted, ¡°Do you think she is still unmarried? She¡¯s just a widow now, and her father is not the Prime Minister. The 30 families of Qinghe are just farmers hiding in the mountains!¡± Her words were really too much. Qu Yuanxian disdained to argue with his wife. He glanced at her coldly and rushed to the study. After so many years, the couple had two sons and a daughter. They had an extremely good relationship. Even if there were occasional small arguments, Qu Yuanxian had never been so angry at her. Madam Qu also knew that she had gone overboard with her words, but she was used to being domineering at home. She could not bring herself to look for Qu Yuanxian, and she definitely would not allow Qu Yuanxian to ask for Cui Lingyi¡¯s hand in marriage on behalf of her youngest son. She lay in bed all night and only closed her eyes at dawn. The Qu Residence was only so big. On the surface, they did not dare to discuss their master¡¯s matters, but gossips spread quickly in private. Lady Yun was originally the eldest maidservant in Madam Qu¡¯s room. Her beauty could only be compared to that of a pretty girl from a small family. Fortunately, she was smart and diligent, and she was very popular with the Yun family. The second year after Qu Lianghua¡¯s wife passed away, Madam Qu made the decision to give Lady Yun to Qu Lianghua as a concubine. Qu Lianghua and his wife were deeply in love. It had only been a year since her passing, and he wanted to refuse. Madam Qu persuaded him saying that Xin¡¯er had lost her mother when she was born. Now that she was older, Madam Qu was worried about other people caring for her, so Qu Lianghua reluctantly agreed. After Lady Yun¡¯s hard work, not only could Miss Xin¡¯er not leave her, but Qu Lianghua also finally accepted her and often stayed over in her room. Lady Yun thought that after she confirmed her pregnancy in a few days, even if the new wife married into the Qu family, her status in the Qu family would be unshakable. When she received the news that Madam Qu¡¯s servants had secretly passed on to her, Lady Yun panicked. She was still not pregnant. Even if Cui Lingyi was a widow, she could still easily control her after marrying into the family. At this moment, Cui Lingyi must not marry into the family. Lady Yun thought about it carefully, and arranged for Qu Xin¡¯er to accidentally overhear the servants¡¯ discussion. ¡°With a stepmother, there will be a stepfather. Miss Xin¡¯er is a girl. She must be very pitiful.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯ll be even more pitiful when the new Madam has a child. Who would really like someone else¡¯s child?¡± Qu Xin¡¯er was four years old and understood a lot of things. She also knew that she did not have a biological mother. She was irritable and sensitive and would lose her temper at a whim. Only Lady Yun could appease her. When she heard the servants¡¯ discussion, tears welled up in her eyes. She shouted at the two maidservants who were discussing behind her back, ¡°Impossible, my father won¡¯t get married!¡± The maidservant who was gossiping was frightened and hurriedly fled. Qu Xin¡¯er still could not calm down. She hurriedly went to look for Qu Lianghua, who was studying hard. ¡°Father! Father! I don¡¯t want a stepmother! I don¡¯t want a stepmother!¡± Qu Lianghua suddenly frowned and gently wiped Qu Xin¡¯er¡¯s tears. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Xin¡¯er?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want a stepmother! They say that if you have a stepmother, you will have a stepfather. When the stepmother gives birth to a child, Xin¡¯er will be even more pitiful.¡± Qu Lianghua¡¯s gentle gaze suddenly turned cold. He coaxed her softly, ¡°Xin¡¯er, don¡¯t be afraid. Daddy will always be here. No one can compare to Xin¡¯er.¡± ¡°Boohoo~ Father, you have to keep your word.¡± ¡°When has Father ever lied to Xin¡¯er?¡± Qu Xin¡¯er smiled through her tears. ¡°Then Daddy promised me that he would never marry a stepmother.¡± Qu Lianghua was someone who wanted to pursue an official career. It was impossible for him to not marry a first wife and manage his family affairs for the rest of his life. But he also could not let Qu Xin¡¯er be criticized for not taught well by the matriarch. This time, when Qu Yuanxian went to Woqian Town, he would also go with him. Firstly, he wanted to learn from Great Scholar Yang. Secondly, he wanted to see Cui Lingyi. If she was virtuous and treated Xin¡¯er like her own daughter, he would settle on the marriage. Even if Qu Xin¡¯er was still young, Qu Lianghua would not hide it from her. ¡°Xin¡¯er will have a mother who loves you. Daddy will always protect Xin¡¯er. Xin¡¯er, don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Qu Xin¡¯er shouted that she didn¡¯t want it, made a fuss, and cried. Qu Lianghua coaxed her, and she fell asleep after she became tired. Qu Xin¡¯er was handed to the nanny to return and rest. Then, Qu Lianghua glanced behind him. Sensing Qu Lianghua¡¯s anger, Lady Yun and the maidservants hurriedly knelt down and explained, ¡°Someone was gossiping in the garden just now and Miss Xin¡¯er accidentally heard it. Second Young Master, please forgive me!¡± Who would have the guts to gossip in the garden where the masters usually went? Qu Lianghua asked in a low voice, ¡°Where¡¯s that person?¡± Lady Yun¡¯s heart trembled. She bit her lip and said, ¡°They reacted quickly and have run away.¡± The other maidservants chimed in, ¡°Yes, Second Young Master. There¡¯s a fake mountain there. We chased after her, but she has disappeared.¡± Qu Lianghua stared at Lady Yun a few times, his gaze becoming colder and colder. ¡°There are only these people in the residence. Ah Fang, report to my mother now and let her deal with it!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Lady Yun¡¯s heart was in her throat, and she forced herself to remain calm. Little did she know that Qu Lianghua had taken everything in. If Madam Qu wanted to investigate, in less than an afternoon, the two maidservants who were gossiping and the person behind them had been found out. Madam Qu originally thought that Lady Yun was tactful, but she did not expect her to be so ambitious. She wanted Qu Lianghua to not marry and induce Qu Xin¡¯er to hate the new wife. How despicable! Madam Qu was furious and immediately ordered to sell Lady Yun away. After a while, the servants rushed over to report, ¡°Madam, Lady Yun is pregnant!¡± Madam Qu stood up abruptly. ¡°What!¡± Lady Yun was suddenly pregnant. After all, it was the Qu family¡¯s blood and bones, so she stayed eventually. However, she was hated by Madam Qu and Qu Lianghua. Qu Xin¡¯er was also brought over to Madam Qu¡¯s place and was not allowed to see Lady Yun again. Lady Yun rubbed her stomach and looked out of the window with a gentle smile. ¡°Son, grow up quickly. When you grow up, no one will be able to bully me. Your father will also change his mind.¡± Madam Yun¡¯s pregnancy should have been a joyous occasion, but Qu Yuanxian had a lot on his mind. Cui Ze had been like his brother for many years, so he naturally understood how much he loved his only daughter. Lianghua did not have a legitimate son before, that¡¯s why he had the intention to let him marry Cui Lingyi. Now that Lady Yun was pregnant, Brother Shize would probably not agree to this marriage. Chapter 180 - 180 Fairy Change from the Glacial Palace 180 Fairy Chang¡¯e from the Glacial Palace After Qu Lianghua knew what was on his father¡¯s mind, he said, ¡°Nothing can be forced. Father, you don¡¯t have to worry too much. Mother will think about it.¡± Even if Cui Shize was unwilling to marry his daughter, Madam Qu would still choose a suitable daughter-in-law for him. Qu Yuanxian shook his head. ¡°You¡¯ve never seen the demeanor of the eldest daughter of the Cui family!¡± After seeing her, if he could still say this, Qu Yuanxian would not have sighed. Qu Lianghua felt that no matter how good a woman was, she could not compare to a tenth of his deceased wife. It was enough as long as she could treat Xin¡¯er and his unborn son sincerely. Qu Lianghua followed his father to Woqian Town, and Qu Xin¡¯er also insisted on going. Qu Lianghua hesitated again and again, as if he wanted to test Cui Lingyi. In the end, he agreed. When Qu Yuanxian found out, he shook his head secretly. He had even less hope for this marriage. Moreover, he scolded Qu Lianghua sternly. This probing was not the work of a gentleman. Qu Lianghua said stubbornly, ¡°If she can¡¯t even tolerate Xin¡¯er, how can she be a daughter-in-law of our Qu family?¡± Qu Yuanxian was so angry that he almost vomited blood. ¡°It has nothing to do with you whether she is worthy of being one. Your mother will decide your marriage for you. I won¡¯t interfere anymore, and I won¡¯t mention your marriage to anyone.¡± Qu Lianghua understood that Qu Yuanxian was unwilling for him to marry Cui Lingyi, as if he would harm other family¡¯s daughter. It made him feel a little disappointed. The carriage arrived at Woqian Town on the third day. Yang Gongbing had been waiting for a long time. They temporarily settled in Qu Yuanxian¡¯s house. As soon as Qu Xin¡¯er entered, she said, ¡°Father, their house is so small.¡± Qu Lianghua hurriedly stopped his daughter¡¯s childish words. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± This was the first time he had been so harsh to Qu Xin¡¯er. Qu Xin¡¯er was shocked. She wiped her tears and cried, ¡°Father, you¡¯re a liar. You said that you¡¯ll always treat Xin¡¯er well. You lied to Xin¡¯er! You don¡¯t like Xin¡¯er anymore because you have a younger son.¡± Qu Lianghua frowned. ¡°Xin¡¯er, be good!¡± Qu Xin¡¯er cried even harder. Qu Yuanxian was angry. ¡°Disrespectful. Apologize now!¡± Qu Yuanxian¡¯s aura could even scare ordinary people to tears, let alone a four-year-old child. Xin¡¯er was so frightened that she hugged Qu Lianghua¡¯s thigh. She was timid, and tears were still hanging from the corners of her eyes. She kept sobbing but did not dare to cry loudly. She looked extremely pitiful. Yang Gongbing smiled awkwardly. ¡°It¡¯s alright. It¡¯s just that my house is too simple-looking.¡± Qu Yuanxian felt even more embarrassed and used his eyes to pressure Qu Xin¡¯er. Qu Xin¡¯er looked at Qu Lianghua with tears in her eyes for help. Her father, who had always fulfilled her requests, only gave her a warning look. Qu Xin¡¯er¡¯s heart sank. They were right. Her father did not like her anymore after having other children. Qu Xin¡¯er burst into tears again. Her heart was broken and her breath seemed to be about to stop. Qu Yuanxian could not do anything to her. Qu Lianghua looked helpless. In the end, he could not help but hug his daughter and comfort her. ¡°Xin¡¯er, don¡¯t cry. Xin¡¯er, don¡¯t cry¡­¡± The pregnant Liu Shaoting was filled with motherly love. She gently reached out and handed a jar of raspberry preserves. ¡°Miss Qu, do you like preserves?¡± Qu Xin¡¯er suddenly raised her head and stared coldly at Liu Shaoting¡¯s stomach. ¡°A pregnant slut is not worthy of talking to me!¡± She hated Lady Yun, who had abandoned her when she was pregnant, and Liu Shaoting, who was fawning on her with a hypocritical blissful expression. Liu Shaoting was shocked. The jar fell to the ground, and the delicious-looking preserves fell to the ground. Yang Gongbing hurriedly held Liu Shaoting, afraid that she would suffer an emotional blow. Fortunately, the pregnancy stabilizing medicine that Gu Zhongxun prescribed had an effect. Although Liu Shaoting was frightened, she was fine. She even comforted everyone, ¡°Miss Xin¡¯er is still young.¡± Qu Yuanxian was shocked and angry by Qu Xin¡¯er¡¯s vicious words. He pointed at Qu Lianghua and said with trembling hands, ¡°Disgraceful, disgraceful!!!¡± For Qu Xin¡¯er to say such a thing, it was obvious that she had been taught poorly by Lady Yun. At this moment, Qu Lianghua had made up his mind to get married as soon as possible and discipline Qu Xin¡¯er. Everyone ate awkwardly at the welcoming banquet. Fortunately, they were leaving Woqian Town for a short stay at Youjia village the next day. In the carriage, Qu Lianghua was still educating the unhappy Qu Xin¡¯er, who had been slapped in the palm. ¡°You have to be polite when you meet people, understand?¡± Qu Xin¡¯er nodded. ¡°Got it.¡± But her expression was forced. Qu Lianghua sighed in his heart. After getting out of the carriage, he instructed the maidservants to keep an eye on Miss. Qu Yuanxian was the same as Yang Gongbing at the beginning. He thought that the environment must be very difficult for Yang Quanzi and the others to live peacefully in the Jade Spiritual Mountain. However, when he got out of the carriage and saw Youjia Village, which was like a paradise, Qu Yuanxian was stunned. He looked at Yang Gongbing with an expression to confirm whether he had come to the right place. Before Yang Gongbing could speak, Cui Shize and the others appeared together. Qu Yuanxian¡¯s eyes lit up and he opened his arms excitedly. ¡°Brother Shize! Brother Shize!¡± Cui Shize hugged him. ¡°Brother Yuanxian!¡± After the pair of close friends, whom had not met for many years, greeted warmly, Cui Lingyi shouted generously, ¡°Uncle Qu, long time no see.¡± To welcome the guests that day, Cui Lingyi greeted them in a decent light blue dress. Her exquisite eyes were like that of Fairy Chang¡¯e who had walked out of the Glacial Palace. Even Qu Lianghua, who had heard that Cui Lingyi was outstanding, did not expect her to be so outstanding. Especially her temperament. It was impossible to tell that she was a married widow. Instead, she was even more attractive than an unmarried girl. Qu Lianghua¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but he suppressed the intense throbbing that he had never felt before. After exchanging pleasantries at the entrance of the village, Qu Lianghua and the others moved into the Cui family¡¯s house. Qu Yuanxian and Qu Lianghua were brought to the cleaning paper production workshop, and Qu Xin¡¯er was taken care of by Madam Cui. She didn¡¯t want to be with Madam Cui and shouted that she wanted to go back to her room, but she sneaked into the garden with the maids. The gardens between the Cui family¡¯s villas were connected and people could walk through. Cui Lingyi¡¯s garden was the most beautiful. The flowers were colorful, and butterflies danced as if they had entered a dreamy world. Qu Xin¡¯er smelled the fragrance of the rose and could not help but be attracted. She walked forward step by step. The maids reminded her, ¡°Miss, Second Young Master said that you can¡¯t barge in everywhere.¡± Qu Xin¡¯er looked back at them unhappily and continued walking. Anyway, these maidservants did not dare to do anything to her. The maidservants had no choice but to get someone to inform Qu Lianghua. Under the grapevine tree, there were a few tempting snacks on a few plates on the stone table. Especially the flower-shaped cakes, they attracted Qu Xin¡¯er¡¯s attention at one glance. Children could not escape the temptation of snacks. Qu Xin¡¯er could not help but approach, but she was stopped by the servants waiting in the garden. Qu Xin¡¯er frowned. ¡°I want to go in!¡± With that, she pushed the servants and slipped to the stone table. These flowers cakes were all edible flowers that Cui Lingyi and Bai Wutong had personally picked early in the morning and made step by step. There were only a few plates in total. They were specially prepared as a congratulatory gift for Yang Quanzi¡¯s birthday. The servant was a little panicked and hurriedly sent someone to call Cui Lingyi and Bai Wutong, who were in the house. Chapter 181 - 181 Theres No Child That Cant Be Taught Well 181 There¡¯s No Child That Can¡¯t Be Taught Well Qu Xin¡¯er picked up a flower cake and took a big bite. The sweet flower filling, the crispy flatbread, and the fragrant sesame seeds made Qu Xin¡¯er feel that the snacks she had eaten in the past were trash. She took bite after bite, like a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey. The servant was very anxious, but she could not stop her. After all, she was a guest that the Cui family valued very much. She said, ¡°If Miss likes it, I can prepare some and send them to Miss¡¯s room.¡± Qu Xin¡¯er looked up at her and suddenly exploded with anger. ¡°I want to eat here!¡± The servant explained, ¡°This is¡ª¡± Before she could finish, Qu Xin¡¯er said angrily, ¡°If you don¡¯t let me eat some country bumpkin¡¯s food, so be it!¡± She reached out and pulled out all the tabletop on the stone table. With a whoosh, all the plates fell to the ground. Cui Lingyi and Bai Wutong had just walked out of the room when they saw the snacks they were preparing being destroyed in an instant. The food was spilled all over the ground. Whereas, Qu Xin¡¯er was about to leave. When the maidservants behind her saw Cui Lingyi and Bai Wutong walk out, they did not dare to look at each other. They lowered their heads and said to them, ¡°Our Miss is young. Please forgive her!¡± Little Peach was a year younger than Qu Xin¡¯er. But she was so cute and sensible that every family wanted to have a daughter like her. Cui Lingyi looked at Bai Wutong apologetically and walked towards Qu Xin¡¯er. ¡°If Miss Qu wants to leave after damaging something, how can it be so easy?¡± The maidservants were shocked and afraid. Cui Lingyi, who looked magnanimous and moving, actually wanted to argue with a child. Qu Xin¡¯er said arrogantly, ¡°I¡¯m leaving!¡± Cui Lingyi clapped her hands and a few guards appeared in front of Qu Xin¡¯er, blocking their way. Qu Xin¡¯er looked at her fiercely. ¡°If you dare to stop me, I¡¯ll let my grandfather arrest you.¡± Cui Lingyi was not afraid at all. She smiled and said, ¡°You can invite Uncle Qu now and see if he will lock me up.¡± As soon as these words were spoken, the arrogant Qu Xin¡¯er cowered. She knew very well that it was wrong for her to destroy all the food on the table. Qu Yuanxian would definitely hit her palm when she returned. She snorted. ¡°So what do you want?¡± Her frightened and timid expression was actually quite cute. Cui Lingyi said with a matter-of-fact tone, ¡°Of course it¡¯s compensation.¡± Qu Xin¡¯er pouted. ¡°I¡¯m a guest. Why are you so petty!¡± ¡°Then leave!¡± Qu Xin¡¯er was only happy for a second when she heard Cui Lingyi continue, ¡°I¡¯ll go look for Uncle Qu later and ask him if I¡¯m very generous.¡± Qu Xin¡¯er had never seen such a difficult woman like Cui Lingyi! This woman clearly knew that she didn¡¯t want anyone to tell her grandfather, but she still deliberately threatened her. Qu Xin¡¯er said angrily, ¡°I¡¯ll compensate you!¡± She asked the maid to bring the money bag and poured all the silver on the ground. ¡°I¡¯ll compensate you for all of it.¡± Cui Lingyi and Bai Wutong frowned again. At this age, if she was not taught well in time, she would become even more unruly and rude in the future. Cui Lingyi glanced indifferently at the silver pieces on the ground and said, ¡°Not enough!¡± Qu Xin¡¯er was in disbelief and widened her eyes in anger. ¡°You¡¯re lying. How can it not be enough for some lousy pastries!¡± She was not stupid. The amount was enough even for the pastries from Jifang House. Cui Lingyi pointed at the mess of pastries and tea on the ground and picked up a flower cake. She smiled unhurriedly and said, ¡°This flower cake is made of Minghua roses. Just one flower is worth a thousand gold.¡± Qu Xin¡¯er stomped her feet. ¡°You¡¯re lying! How can a flower cost so much money!¡± Although she was a child, Cui Lingyi did not give in at all. ¡°Miss Qu, you can either make flowers with us or give us money.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s the second way, I think Uncle Qu might be very happy to let you stay to repay the debt.¡± Qu Xin¡¯er was still a child after all. She immediately panicked and screamed, ¡°I¡¯ll make flower cakes with you.¡± Cui Lingyi and Bai Wutong looked at each other. There were no brats that could not be taught well. There were only adults who did not want to care. Cui Lingyi gave her a small bamboo basket that was hanging from her body and asked her to put on gloves. She said to her, ¡°You can only pick pink roses.¡± Qu Xin¡¯er was disdainful and prepared to pick the largest double-petaled rose next to her to take revenge on Cui Lingyi. Cui Lingyi smiled deeply. ¡°Some flowers are poisonous. The flower cakes made from them will kill you if you eat them.¡± She bent down and said amiably, ¡°Since you like flower cakes so much, I¡¯ll definitely let you try them first.¡± Her jade-like fingers even gently pinched Qu Xin¡¯er¡¯s soft face. She was smiling so brightly that the flowers in the courtyard lost their color, but Qu Xin¡¯er was so frightened that she retracted her hand like she had seen an old witch. Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Cui Lingyi winked at her playfully and smiled. She urged Qu Xin¡¯er, ¡°Hurry up. If you don¡¯t fill the basket with petals within an hour, you¡¯ll have to stay here forever to repay your debt.¡± Qu Xin¡¯er sucked in her tears in grievance and grabbed the pink rose bud obediently. The maidservants wanted to help her, but Cui Lingyi stopped them with a look. After gathering all the petals in the bamboo basket, Qu Xin¡¯er felt her hands ache. She handed the bamboo basket to Cui Lingyi angrily and said loudly, ¡°It¡¯s done!¡± Cui Lingyi said coldly, ¡°Carry it.¡± Qu Xin¡¯er was so angry that she wanted to smash the basket. Thinking that this bad woman would definitely torture her even more after she smashed it, she forced herself to hold back. The maidservants were all surprised. Qu Xin¡¯er, who was so difficult to deal with, was actually suppressed by Cui Lingyi time and time again. Cui Lingyi and Bai Wutong slowed down and walked in front, while Qu Xin¡¯er followed behind. They arrived at a canal filled with green bamboo. After Cui Lingyi and Bai Wutong rolled up their sleeves, Cui Lingyi stepped forward and rolled up Qu Xin¡¯er¡¯s sleeves bit by bit. She suddenly approached, and a fragrance wafted into Xin¡¯er¡¯s nose. Her motherly gentle eyes suddenly made the hostility in Qu Xin¡¯er¡¯s eyes disappear. Cui Lingyi said to Qu Xin¡¯er, who had suddenly quietened down and looked a little obedient, ¡°Just like us, put the bamboo basket in the water, pick up the petals, and put them in another bamboo basket. The water will wash away the impurities. Just do it twice.¡± Qu Xin¡¯er nodded and walked to the canal, throwing the bamboo basket into the water. There was a splash, and the corners of Cui Lingyi¡¯s dress were wet. She really didn¡¯t do it on purpose this time. She looked at Cui Lingyi timidly. Cui Lingyi didn¡¯t blame her and only said, ¡°Be careful.¡± To the maids¡¯ shock, Qu Xin¡¯er actually smiled and replied, ¡°I understand.¡± Qu Lianghua hurriedly rushed over and saw the sunlight shining through the bamboo forest. The mottled light shone on her and Cui Lingyi like a mother and daughter getting along well. When Bai Wutong realized that Qu Lianghua had been quietly staring at Cui Lingyi, she thought of something and tugged at Cui Lingyi¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Second Young Master Qu is here.¡± Chapter 182 - 182 As Long as Youre Not Afraid that Chu Tianbao Will Destroy Your House 182 As Long as You¡¯re Not Afraid that Chu Tianbao Will Destroy Your House Cui Lingyi suddenly looked back and that scene entered Qu Lianghua¡¯s swaying heart. When he thought of the marriage his father had mentioned, his heart burned. He hurriedly avoided Cui Lingyi¡¯s gaze and bowed. ¡°My daughter is young and insensible. Thank you for taking care of her, Miss Cui.¡± Everyone called her Madam Cui, but at this moment, he was calling her Miss Cui and treating her as an unmarried lady. Cui Lingyi noticed this subtle difference and was surprised. She pretended to be cold and said, ¡°Not really. We just want her to compensate for the flower cakes.¡± Qu Lianghua could tell that Cui Lingyi was trying to keep her distance from him, and his heart sank. He regretted not listening to his father. After the petals were washed, Cui Lingyi and Bai Wutong brought the father and daughter back to the kitchen at home. Cui Lingyi lived alone. The layout of her house was the same as that of Bai Wutong¡¯s house. This was the first time Qu Xin¡¯er entered the kitchen. Her eyes were filled with curiosity, and she was not so resistant to making flower cakes anymore. Cui Lingyi put on a small apron for her and brought her a low footstool to step on to see how they made flower cakes. Qu Lianghua stood at the side like a wooden stake. When Bai Wutong glanced at him, she felt that he was quite awkward. Qu Lianghua was more tenacious than he had imagined. When he saw Cui Lingyi kneading the dough and seemed to find it quite difficult, he took the initiative to say, ¡°I¡¯m stronger than you. Let me help you knead the dough. This way, we can be faster and help you make the flower cakes that my daughter destroyed.¡± Granny Wang looked at Qu Lianghua and his daughter and frowned. Bai Wutong had only suspected it just now, but now she was certain that Qu Lianghua was interested in Cui Lingyi. However, it made sense. Cui Lingyi was such a beautiful and interesting woman. If she was a man, she would definitely not be able to help but like her. Qu Lianghua looked at Cui Lingyi uneasily. Cui Lingyi glanced at Bai Wutong, who could tell that she had no intention towards Qu Lianghua. She smiled and said, ¡°Thank you for your kind intentions, Young Master Qu. The few of us are enough. The gourd in the garden is ready. Young Master Qu, you can go take a look.¡± Qu Lianghua could tell that she was chasing him away. He touched his daughter, who was poking at the dough, and reminded her to be obedient before leaving the kitchen. As soon as he left, the atmosphere in the entire kitchen became much lighter. A faint smile appeared on Bai Wutong¡¯s face. Cui Lingyi knew that she was secretly teasing her. She glared at her and pretended to be fierce. ¡°If you continue looking, I¡¯ll kidnap you and make you stay behind to do manual labor!¡± When Qu Xin¡¯er heard this, her hands trembled. She chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m so afraid!¡± As she rolled the dough, she showed off her lovey-dovey relationship. ¡°As long as you¡¯re not afraid that Chu Tianbao will tear your house apart.¡± Cui Lingyi was speechless. She felt unhappy that she was suddenly shown off to. The process of making flower cakes was complicated. The moment they were sent into the oven, everyone smiled in anticipation. Qu Xin¡¯er asked happily, ¡°When can it be baked?¡± Cui Lingyi smiled and said, ¡°After an hour.¡± Seeing that her small face had flour, Cui Lingyi reached out and wiped it for her. Qu Xin¡¯er lowered her head shyly. Suddenly, she felt a greater liking towards making flower cakes and Cui Lingyi. They went to the garden to rest and realized that Qu Lianghua was still standing there looking at the gourd after so long. When Qu Xin¡¯er saw him, she rushed over and hugged him. ¡°Father, I made many flower cakes! They¡¯re especially delicious!¡± Qu Lianghua had rarely seen Qu Xin¡¯er smile so happily and brightly. However, after staying with Cui Lingyi for the entire afternoon, there had been such a huge change. Qu Lianghua carried Qu Xin¡¯er and involuntarily glanced at Cui Lingyi. When his gaze suddenly met hers in the air, Qu Lianghua¡¯s heart beat wildly. It was as if he had returned to the moment when he was young and unveiled his deceased wife¡¯s red veil. Cui Lingyi retracted her gaze coldly and did not look at him. Qu Lianghua¡¯s heart fell into a cold lake. At that moment, a child¡¯s giggle came from the garden. Everyone looked sideways. Chu Tianbao held Stinky, who had a big golden lock hanging, and flew to the front of Bai Wutong like a shadow. Bai Wutong had been with Cui Lingyi all day. Seeing that she was still not back, Chu Tianbao brought Stinky to look for her. When Stinky saw Bai Wutong, he patted Chu Tianbao¡¯s head excitedly. One could hear the crisp sound of the big golden lock hitting his head. In order to become the most cool father and son, the two of them really tried hard. Stinky called out in a childish voice, ¡°Mother~ Mother~ Mother mother~¡± The corners of Bai Wutong¡¯s mouth curled up as she reached out to take Stinky, who was asking for a hug from above Chu Tianbao¡¯s head. Cui Lingyi pinched his chubby face and teased him. ¡°Stinky, isn¡¯t it time to lose weight?¡± Stinky howled in dissatisfaction. When he glanced over and saw that it was Auntie Cui, who was as beautiful as a flower, he immediately laughed and reached out to touch her. Cui Lingyi smiled. ¡°Do you want me to hug you?¡± Stinky extended his meaty hand even further. ¡°Hug¡­ hug¡­¡± Cui Lingyi was conquered by Stinky¡¯s cute little voice. She reached out to pick him up and rubbed his meaty face. She even sighed. ¡°Stinky, why do I feel like you¡¯ve become heavier again?¡± When Qu Xin¡¯er saw the warm scene in front of her, the smile on her face disappeared. Compared to Stinky, they didn¡¯t seem to like her at all. Qu Lianghua did not notice his daughter¡¯s thoughts. He thought that since she liked children so much, she would definitely treat Qu Xin¡¯er very well in the future. A rich fragrance came from the oven. The flower cakes were baked. The color was tempting and the shape was exquisite. There was also a strong smell of flowers that made one¡¯s appetite expand. A smile finally appeared on Qu Xin¡¯er¡¯s face. She said proudly to Qu Lianghua, ¡°Father, I made that.¡± Qu Lianghua patted her head and praised, ¡°Xin¡¯er is awesome! It will definitely be delicious.¡± Qu Xin¡¯er looked at Cui Lingyi expectantly, but Cui Lingyi seemed a little cold. After wrapping a portion of the flower cakes in oil paper, she asked the servant to hand them to Qu Lianghua. ¡°Take these flower cakes back to eat.¡± Then she smiled at Qu Xin¡¯er and said, ¡°Miss Xin¡¯er, we¡¯re even.¡± She could have left here without worrying that Cui Lingyi would complain to Qu Yuanxian. It should have been a very happy thing for her. But Qu Xin¡¯er met Cui Lingyi¡¯s smile and was inexplicably disappointed. As for why, she couldn¡¯t explain. She could only hug Qu Lianghua and bury her head in his arms. Qu Lianghua could tell that his daughter was reluctant to part with Cui Lingyi. On the way back, he said to her, ¡°You can still play with Miss Cui tomorrow.¡± Qu Xin¡¯er suddenly looked up and said excitedly, ¡°Really? Can I still make flower cakes with her?¡± Qu Lianghua nodded. ¡°But you have to be polite. If you were polite, Miss Cui would definitely not refuse you.¡± He thought that if he could make Cui Lingyi fall in love with Qu Xin¡¯er, she would definitely accept him. logo Chapter 183 - 183 I Want to Marry Miss Cui 183 I Want to Marry Miss Cui When Qu Lianghua returned to his room, Cui Lingyi¡¯s every frown and smile echoed in his mind. And his daughter¡¯s happy face. He pondered for a long time before finally arriving at Qu Yuanxian¡¯s room. He told Qu Yuanxian everything that had happened between Qu Xin¡¯er and Cui Lingyi that day. Qu Yuanxian¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Qu Lianghua looked embarrassed. ¡°Father, I want to marry Miss Cui.¡± Qu Yuanxian replied, ¡°No!¡± Qu Lianghua was stunned and immediately said anxiously, ¡°Why? Xin¡¯er likes her very much. She also likes Xin¡¯er very much. Why can¡¯t I?¡± Qu Yuanxian looked at him coldly. ¡°I said before not to mention this again. If you have any shame, you shouldn¡¯t have mentioned this to me.¡± Qu Lianghua said, ¡°Father, I really want to marry Miss Cui!¡± Qu Yuanxian was already determined. ¡°Who do you think you are?! You can marry anyone you want!¡± Qu Lianghua said, ¡°How am I not worthy of Miss Cui!¡± Seeing his indignant expression, Qu Yuanxian said bluntly, ¡°Previously, I also thought that you were of the same age and were very suitable in all aspects, but you brought Xin¡¯er here with the intention of testing her. You¡¯re no longer worthy of her. Besides, Brother Shize has already made it clear to me that if Cui Lingyi marries someone else, she will only find a good person with a simple family and only loves her whole-heartedly!¡± ¡°Are you worthy?¡± Not only did Qu Lianghua have two concubines, but he also had a pregnant concubine. Qu Lianghua explained, ¡°It¡¯s common for men to have three wives or four concubines. As a daughter of the Cui family, she¡¯s virtuous and definitely won¡¯t mind.¡± Qu Yuanxian shook his head. Seeing how stubborn he was, he knew that he was being serious. ¡°The other party¡¯s father minds and is unwilling to let you marry her. Also, does Cui Lingyi like you?¡± Qu Lianghua said in a daze, ¡°I¡¯ll treat her very well.¡± Even if she didn¡¯t like him now, she could slowly develop feelings for him in the future. Qu Yuanxian shook his head. ¡°There are many people who can treat her well. It¡¯s not going to be you. You should give up!¡± Qu Lianghua was indignant. ¡°Father, you haven¡¯t even tried. How do you know?!¡± Qu Yuanxian¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°I can¡¯t afford to lose face like this! Don¡¯t you know what your daughter is like now? And you want Cui Lingyi help you raise your daughter! Brother Shize will definitely not agree. When we go back, I¡¯ll let your mother show you the other girls!¡± Now that Qu Lianghua had already decided on Cui Lingyi, how could the other girls catch his eye? He said solemnly to Qu Yuanxian, ¡°Father, I won¡¯t marry anyone but Miss Cui!¡± Qu Yuanxian said bluntly, ¡°Even if you want to marry her, she won¡¯t care about you.¡± Seeing that his father was unwilling, Qu Lianghua said, ¡°I¡¯ll definitely let Miss Cui see my sincerity and convince Prime Minister Cui.¡± Qu Yuanxian lowered his eyes and warned, ¡°If you dare to do anything embarrassing, I¡¯ll definitely kill you myself!¡± Qu Lianghua only wanted to please the beauty, so how could he offend her? His son walked out of the door determinedly. Qu Yuanxian sighed. He hoped that his wish would come true. If Cui Lingyi married into their family, she would definitely be able to raise the most outstanding descendants. The next day, Qu Xin¡¯er went to look for Cui Lingyi again, but she was not there. The entire garden was also locked, and she could not enter. When Qu Xin¡¯er returned to her room angrily, Qu Lianghua immediately walked over and asked her, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Xin¡¯er?¡± If Xin¡¯er did not go to Cui Lingyi¡¯s place, Qu Lianghua would have no excuse to hang out with her. Qu Xin¡¯er said gloomily, ¡°She¡¯s not around!¡± Qu Lianghua coaxed, ¡°So be it. Daddy will bring you around, okay?¡± The village was only so big. If he walked around, he might be able to find Cui Lingyi. Qu Xin¡¯er forced herself to say, ¡°Alright then.¡± Qu Lianghua carried Qu Xin¡¯er to the lotus pond and the dam, but he still did not find Cui Lingyi. It was not appropriate for him to ask about her, so he could only wander aimlessly. Suddenly, he saw Chu Tianbao holding Stinky up with a big white dog following behind him. Thinking that Madam Bai and Cui Lingyi were good friends, he subconsciously followed Chu Tianbao. Ordinary people could not keep up with Chu Tianbao¡¯s speed at all. After a while, Qu Lianghua could no longer carry Qu Xin¡¯er and asked her to come down. However, she did not dare to step on the field and said delicately, ¡°Father, my embroidered shoes will get dirty.¡± But she was also unwilling to let a maid carry her. Helpless, Qu Lianghua could only carry her and rest after every two steps. However, he had lost Chu Tianbao. He thought that he would return empty-handed, but Qu Lianghua saw Cui Shize walking towards him with a bamboo hat. Qu Lianghua¡¯s eyes lit up and he said to Qu Xin¡¯er, ¡°Come down and walk for a while. Daddy will give you a little rabbit, okay?¡± Qu Xin¡¯er thought about it and nodded in agreement. Qu Lianghua immediately put her down and walked towards Cui Shize. He said enthusiastically, ¡°Uncle Cui, let me help you choose.¡± Cui Shize shook his head. ¡°No, no. It won¡¯t be far. You still have to take care of your daughter.¡± Qu Lianghua hurriedly said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. The maidservant is also here. I¡¯ll help Uncle Cui.¡± With that, he pretended to take the pole from Cui Shize¡¯s shoulder. Seeing how enthusiastic he was, Cui Shize smiled and said, ¡°Thank you.¡± The young man was quite honest. Brother Yuanxian had raised a good son. Qu Lianghua took the pole and carried it on his shoulder. He was about to say that it was nothing when he was surprised by the weight on his shoulder. There were not many potatoes in the basket, but they were not light at all. In the beginning, Cui Shize could not even lift half of the potatoes in this basket. After nearly half a year of training, he could easily pick up this many potatoes. The surprise on Qu Lianghua¡¯s face was caught by him and greatly pleased Cui Shize. He asked despite knowing the answer, ¡°Is it heavy? It¡¯s difficult, right?¡± Qu Lianghua shook his head and said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s not heavy.¡± However, his steps trembled slightly, and his face turned red. When Qu Lianghua sent the potatoes to the Cui residence, beads of sweat had already appeared on his head. Cui Shize poured him a cup of tea and told him to be his own guest. Then, he wanted to pick up the basket and go pick more potatoes. Qu Lianghua hurriedly said, ¡°Let me help you, Uncle Cui. It¡¯s such a hot day. Be careful not to catch a heat stroke.¡± Cui Shize had a good impression of him. He shook his head. ¡°How can I trouble you again?¡± Qu Lianghua insisted, ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± He hurriedly finished his tea and took the wicker basket from Qu Yuanxian¡¯s hand. Cui Shize¡¯s impression of him improved. When Qu Lianghua followed Cui Shize to the potato field, he realized that there were many people in the potato field. Cui Lingyi, Bai Wutong, Chu Tianbao, Sheng Huaixuan, Qingfeng, Lin Yue, and Cui Muzhi were all there. There were also a few children playing with the mud at the side. Stinky pinched a poop-shaped piece of mud in his hand and ran to Bai Wutong to present it. Their few acres were connected, so everyone gathered to work and chat. When Qu Lianghua saw the handsome Sheng Huaixuan beside Cui Lingyi, his burning gaze suddenly turned cold. Chapter 184 - 184 Im the Clown 184 I¡¯m the Clown When Qu Xin¡¯er saw Cui Lingyi, her eyes lit up and she ordered the maidservant, ¡°Take me there!¡± She wanted Cui Lingyi to bring her out to play. The potato field was even dirtier than the field. She didn¡¯t want to step on it. Qu Xin¡¯er¡¯s expensive outfit seemed out of place in the potato field. The little children playing with mud looked at her curiously. Qu Xin¡¯er hated being stared at by dirty children and shouted at them, ¡°What are you looking at?! Get lost!¡± Qu Lianghua had clearly instructed Qu Xin¡¯er to be polite, but at this moment, she revealed her true colors in front of so many people. Little Peach was frightened by Qu Xin¡¯er and hid behind Zhao Erwa. When Stinky saw that the cute Sister Peach had been shouted at, he ran over and pulled Little Peach behind him with his dirty little hand. He called out in a childish voice, ¡°Baibai.¡± Xiaobai, who was lying in the sand and enjoying the sunbathing, suddenly stood up, shook its fur, and bared its ferocious fangs. It walked over majestically. The agile king of the forest walked towards them. Qu Xin¡¯er, who had been arrogant just now, was frightened to tears. When Qu Lianghua saw Xiaobai and met its cold green eyes, his heart skipped a beat. He immediately raised his pole and blocked in front of his daughter. He even shouted at everyone, ¡°There¡¯s a wolf! Run! Everyone, run!¡± Unexpectedly, no one ran. Instead, it was Bai Wutong who stood up from the field and calmly walked towards Xiaobai. She stroked its head, and Xiaobai¡¯s terrifying aura suddenly turned into that of a lazy pig. Its lazy eyes locked onto Qu Lianghua, who was holding a pole. For a moment, Qu Lianghua felt that he was the clown. Bai Wutong said apologetically, ¡°This is my family¡¯s Xiaobai. I¡¯m sorry for scaring you. It won¡¯t attack anyone. If you¡¯re afraid, just stay away.¡± Qu Lianghua was stunned. She was actually raising wolves in the village! Wolves were not dogs! They were wild and difficult to tame! How could she raise it in the village? He looked puzzled and guarded. Then, Stinky invited Little Peach to stroke Xiaobai¡¯s head, and rode on its back. She even clutched onto its fur a few times but Xiaobai maintained its lazy state. If Qu Lianghua didn¡¯t know that it was a ferocious wolf, he would have thought that it was a pig. Qu Xin¡¯er was frightened, but she had spoken rudely first, that¡¯s why Stinky summoned Xiaobai to scare her. Bai Wutong was not too apologetic. The atmosphere was still awkward. Everyone looked at the father and daughter as if they were here to cause trouble. Before Qu Lianghua could say a word to Cui Lingyi, he had to leave with Qu Xin¡¯er. On the way back, Qu Lianghua carried Qu Xin¡¯er. Thinking of Qu Xin¡¯er¡¯s performance over the past few days, his expression darkened and he became even more determined to discipline her. However, when he returned to his room and met Qu Xin¡¯er¡¯s red and pitiful eyes, Qu Lianghua¡¯s heart softened when he thought of his wife, who had passed away during childbirth. The child was already so frightened. She must have learned her lesson. After Qu Lianghua left, everyone continued to dig for potatoes happily. Suddenly, Lin Yue discovered an especially large potato. He dug out the entire potato with his gloved hand and shouted in shock, ¡°Come and take a look! The potato has become a spirit!¡± The Jade Spiritual Mountain was a mountainous area, and the land was not considered fertile. Other potato plants weighed at most 10 catties, which was considered high yield. The potato that Lin Yue dug out was estimated to weigh at least 40 catties. His loud shout attracted everyone. Everyone was stunned when they arrived. This potato had grown too much, as if it had mutated. Even Village Chief Zhao, who had farmed his entire life, had never seen the yield of potatoes increase so many times. Bai Wutong was the only person here who was not shocked. She had been wondering why they had not dug up the plant she had cultivated with modern potatoes after digging more than an acre of land. One after another, everyone should be able to dig out potatoes with higher yield. Next year, everyone would be able to use these potatoes to grow crops. Village Chief Zhao grabbed a potato and suddenly said excitedly, ¡°If only every potato could grow so big.¡± Cui Shize instantly thought of the value of this potato. If he could use this potato to continuously nurture the future plants, with such high yield, he would not have to worry about the people not having enough food to eat. He immediately got someone to bring the weighing scale over. He wanted to weigh it personally and find out how many potatoes this plant had. Soon, the scale was brought over. Cui Shize had to weigh several times before he could weigh all the potatoes. After weighing them, he carefully placed them on the clothes he had taken off to prevent the potatoes from being mixed up. The weight of the potatoes was actually more than expected! It was a full 50 catties! What did it mean for a potato to weigh 50 catties? Originally, the yield could only support one person¡¯s living. Now, it could support several more people! Everyone¡¯s eyes lit up! Cui Shize¡¯s eyes were filled with tears as he said to Bai Wutong, ¡°Madam, can you give me some of these potatoes? If I can plant a large number of them and breed new varieties, it will definitely benefit the people of the world!¡± He was afraid that this amount of potatoes was because of the mutation on the Jade Spiritual Mountain and that the seeds planted or cultivated next year would not have such a high yield. It would have made people happy for nothing. Cui Shize planned to use these potatoes to experiment first before reporting it to the authorities. This was discovered in Bai Wutong¡¯s land area. If he wanted to use these potatoes to nurture plants, he naturally had to obtain the permission from Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°Sure, just leave me three acres of seeds. You can take the rest.¡± Cui Shize said gratefully, ¡°On behalf of the people of the world, thank you, Madam!¡± Bai Wutong shook her head. ¡°It was just an unexpected discovery. You don¡¯t have to thank me! Let¡¯s continue digging potatoes!¡± After the potatoes were carefully put away, everyone began to work hard again. As they dug, Cui Lingyi also said in surprise, ¡°There seems to be an especially high-yielding potato here!¡± Everyone threw down their tools and ran over to confirm. They almost knocked the bamboo hat off Cui Lingyi¡¯s head. Cui Lingyi stabilized her bamboo hat and glanced at Lin Yue, who had become as tanned as soil. She was glad that other than wearing a bamboo hat, she had also applied the sunscreen specially made by Bai Wutong. This potato was dug out bit by bit by the excited Cui Shize. He did not miss out even the smallest potato. As soon as it was dug out, the person beside him excitedly handed it over. They felt that the yield of this one seemed to be higher than that of the previous one. As Cui Shize kept counting, everyone calculated silently and came up with another shocking number! 61 catties! God, it was simply a miracle! If it was a mutated plant, they hoped that all the plants would mutate like this! Similarly, this potato had been dug out of Bai Wutong¡¯s land area. At that time, Bai Wutong had used one or two more seedlings in her field, so the chances of digging them out were higher. Not only Cui Shize, but Village Chief Zhao and the others also looked at her eagerly. They also wanted to plant such high-yielding potatoes. ¡°There might be more mutated high-yielding plants. Let¡¯s dig first. After we dig them out, we¡¯ll distribute them to the villagers to plant. Then we¡¯ll try planting them elsewhere and see whether we can also plant high-yielding potatoes.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, we villagers plant them ourselves first!¡± Cui Shize said excitedly. Village Chief Zhao, who originally had some objections, was immediately happy. Chapter 185 - 185 Your Husband Is Really Amazing 185 Your Husband Is Really Amazing Cui Shize felt that Bai Wutong had thought too well. Not only were they going to plant in their village, but they also had to see if they could plant such high-yielding potatoes in other places. For a moment, everyone was extremely excited about digging potatoes. Even the lazy Xiaobai was infected. It stood up and helped dig with its claws. Lin Yue, who was digging a hole behind it, was caught off guard. A huge amount of sand entered his eyes like that. He couldn¡¯t open his eyes anymore. He stood up, tears streaming down his face. He kept blinking, trying to wash out the sand. It really didn¡¯t work, so he grabbed someone beside him and said, ¡°Blow my eyes for me.¡± The person went still as if he hadn¡¯t heard. Lin Yue urged again, ¡°Help me blow dry my eyes. I¡¯m going blind!¡± Suddenly, Qingfeng¡¯s cold voice sounded. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Lin Yue realized who he was holding and let go of Qingfeng¡¯s arm. He looked up at the sky awkwardly, but his tears could not stop flowing. This scene was like Lin Yue being heartbroken. When Lin Yue¡¯s subordinates saw that it was Qingfeng standing in front of him, they immediately imagined a huge show. Lin Yue blinked, and the sand was squeezed out of his eyes. He was feeling much better when Qingfeng, who had left, poured some water from the kettle, wet the handkerchief, and threw it accurately into his eyes. Lin Yue was stunned. When the cloth was removed, he met with Qingfeng¡¯s calm gaze. If not for the fact that the handkerchief in his hand really existed, Lin Yue would have thought that he was hallucinating. Qingfeng saw his stunned expression and smiled faintly. ¡°Idiot.¡± Lin Yue was speechless. Why was he still a little happy after being scolded? Everyone dug for potatoes in their respective fields like they were opening a blind box. One after another, from the mountains, one could hear their excited responses. ¡°I found potatoes!¡± The people of Lintian Village next door were confused. Why did they have to shout when they dug up potatoes? It was unknown if these people were country bumpkins or if they themselves were country bumpkins. Fresh potatoes naturally had to be made into delicious food. Bai Wutong planned to make a skewer of spiral potatoes for everyone. Cui Lingyi was extremely tired from digging for potatoes. But she quickly regained energy and brought Cui Muzhi to Bai Wutong¡¯s house. The things that Bai Wutong made were all so unique and tasty. Hearing that she was going to make delicious food out of potatoes, everyone tacitly followed. Of course, they would not eat for nothing. The potatoes needed to be sorted out in the barn. They had helped to do it. If the potatoes needed to be peeled, everyone would also help. After washing the peeled potatoes with clear water, it was time for the most critical step. This step was neither difficult nor simple. First, she had to prepare a strong bamboo skewer. She had to use the bamboo skewer to pass through the middle of the potatoes and cut them from the top. The potato slices would not be broken because when she cut them, there was a bamboo skewer inside. Then, she would continue turning the potato until the entire potato was cut. The thinner the slice, the better the spiral potato looked, and it was easier for it to be completely cooked. The sliced potatoes were gently turned and separated. A perfect spiral could be seen. Bai Wutong had killed a lot of zombies, so her cutting skills were already superb. ¡°Swish, swish, swish¡ª¡± After countless cuts, the first potato was ready. Everyone was shocked by her shocking hand speed. When Bai Wutong turned the potato to form a spiral, everyone was even more dumbfounded and exclaimed that she was awesome. Bai Wutong replied humbly. ¡°There¡¯s someone better than me.¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s speed at carving radishes could directly beat her. Bai Wutong introduced to everyone, ¡°The potatoes we¡¯re making today are Spiral Potatoes. Everyone can try to cut all the potatoes, except for children.¡± Cui Muzhi excitedly found a small knife and was about to cut the potatoes like Bai Wutong when Cui Lingyi confiscated his tools. Her reason was that children could not be involved. Cui Muzhi said unhappily, ¡°I¡¯ll be an adult in three years!¡± Cui Lingyi cut the potato and glanced at him. ¡°There¡¯s still three years. Aren¡¯t you still a little kid?¡± Cui Muzhi was angry, but he had nothing to refute. He could only sit on the chair like Stinky and watch everyone. Cui Lingyi was a young lady from a prestigious family and rarely entered the kitchen. Her cutting skills were naturally tragic. The bamboo skewer, which was originally quite strong, was cut off by her. The potato was also split in half. Lin Yue¡¯s sword speed was not slow, but his ability to cut potatoes was very mediocre. He barely cut out a spiral potato with thick slices and even showed it to Qingfeng. He said proudly, ¡°Look, I did it after learning it once.¡± Cui Lingyi, who had cut the potato in half, was speechless. She felt mocked. Qingfeng quickly helped her regain her pride. She glanced at Lin Yue and swooshed countless times. In the blink of an eye, a spiral potato that was even more perfect than the ones cut by Bai Wutong was produced. Cui Muzhi was dumbfounded and took the lead in applauding. ¡°Awesome!¡± Stinky, who was in the audience, clapped his chubby hands with him and chuckled. Lin Yue was still holding his thick spiral potato that was like a Christmas tree. Qingfeng¡¯s spiral potato was placed beside his. Comparing the two, it immediately proved that his skills were trash. Cui Lingyi saw Lin Yue¡¯s stunned expression and her stomach hurt from laughing. ¡®Let you be smug!¡¯ The last contestant to appear was Chu Tianbao, whom everyone was looking forward to. He threw the potato into the air. Everyone opened their eyes and a knife shadow flashed past at the speed of light. Everyone closed their eyes again. The potato that Chu Tianbao had thrown into the air had already landed steadily on the chopping board. It seemed no different from when it was thrown up just now. After being still for less than two seconds, the potatoes automatically split open. Chu Tianbao held the bamboo skewer of potatoes and turned his hand. A shocking scene appeared. In the blink of an eye, the spiral potato that Chu Tianbao cut out was as thin as a cicada¡¯s wing! Bai Wutong had guessed that he was very good at this, but she did not expect him to be so great. Chu Tianbao raised his chin proudly and waved the spiral potato in front of everyone as if he was in a beauty pageant. Stinky thought that it was for him and reached out his small hand to snatch it. He almost broke free from the baby chair, scaring Sheng Huaixuan so much that his heart almost jumped out. How could Chu Tianbao give it to Stinky? He waved it around and stuffed it into Bai Wutong¡¯s hand. His deep voice was especially seductive. ¡°Wife, take it.¡± His sharp aura from before disappeared completely. His deep black eyes looked at Bai Wutong and his heart was filled with only her. Chu Tianbao had just beaten everyone badly. While they were caught off guard, they had to watch them being affectionate again. Even Lin Yue¡¯s smelly feet seemed to emit the sour smell of jealousy. Bai Wutong glanced at everyone and smiled. ¡°Tianbao is amazing.¡± Chu Tianbao immediately flung his head and raised his smug expression of ¡®Your husband is really amazing¡¯. It was unknown who he had learned it from, but his movements were as disgusting as an old man at the village entrance. Chapter 186 - 186 Its Master Chu Who Forced Little Peach to Accept It 186 It¡¯s Master Chu Who Forced Little Peach to Accept It There were many people at home that day, and there were many children playing in the courtyard. Bai Wutong asked them to cut more potatoes while she prepared the seasonings herself. The frying pan and oven both could be used to make spiral potatoes. The one fried in the pan was more crispy, so Bai Wutong planned to fry it in the frying pan. She was using the soybean oil from the previous year. When the peanuts were harvested in the fall, she would be able to produce fresh peanut oil from the peanuts. At that time, everyone would realize that the peanuts in the ground had also mutated. After the seasoning was prepared, the potatoes on the other side were all cut. As the oil heated up, Bai Wutong held a bamboo skewer and placed the potatoes into the oil. The thin spiral potato was fried for about three minutes. The thicker spiral potato was fried for five to six minutes. In a moment, the charred fragrance of potatoes came from the pan. After every potato was fried until it was crispy, Bai Wutong fished out the fried spiral potatoes to strain the oil. No one had ever eaten such a unique potato before. They watched curiously. Cui Lingyi smiled and said, ¡°The spiral potato is like a whirlwind. Little Phoenix, the name of the dish is really apt.¡± Bai Wutong glanced at her and curled her lips. It was not the time to complain that the name of the dish was old-fashioned. The little tomatoes in the courtyard grew nicely. Bai Wutong picked a lot of them and boiled them in a big jar. That day, they could eat two flavors of spiral potatoes, one that was salt and pepper, and the other tomato flavored. When the oil was strained, Bai Wutong handed them the fried spiral potatoes. ¡°There are two seasonings here. You can add the seasonings according to your preference.¡± Cui Lingyi pointed at the red ketchup and asked, ¡°What is this?¡± Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°This is ketchup made from tomatoes. It¡¯s sweet and sour. It goes well with spiral potatoes.¡± ¡°What about this?¡± ¡°This is salt and pepper flavored. If you like to eat it spicy, there¡¯s chili powder beside it.¡± Many people in the modern world thought that spiral potatoes with ketchup was an invincible combination. Lin Yue did not like sweet food, and it did not sound good with sweet and sour ketchup and potatoes. He subconsciously said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll eat the salt-flavored spiral potato.¡± Bai Wutong nodded and gestured for them to take their own seasoning powder. Chu Tianbao leaned in front of her. ¡°Wife, I want to try both flavors. Can you give me another skewer?¡± Bai Wutong pointed at the frying pan. ¡°Wait a little longer. It¡¯ll be ready soon.¡± Since his wife had agreed, Chu Tianbao was immediately overjoyed. He took the lead and scooped a lot of ketchup onto the spiral potatoes. The fries that she had fried last time were delicious with ketchup. If she hadn¡¯t stopped him, he would have finished the bucket of ketchup alone. It was finally the day. Chu Tianbao couldn¡¯t wait to stuff it into his mouth. The potatoes were indeed best matched with ketchup. Chu Tianbao took big bites of it with a look of enjoyment. Cui Lingyi had also smeared ketchup on it. After all, everyone already knew what salt and pepper tasted like. However, she had never eaten ketchup before. Seeing Chu Tianbao eating so happily, she was curious and wanted to try it. She put it into her mouth in one bite. The crispy potato slices and ketchup released a shockingly delicious taste on her tongue. Cui Lingyi exclaimed, ¡°The ketchup is delicious! It¡¯s a delicacy with the crispy potatoes!¡± A delicacy! That was too exaggerated! Those who had no intention of applying ketchup were also tempted to try it out. Even Qingfeng smeared ketchup over. Soon, everyone looked full of praise. Lin Yue looked at the spiral potato that he had already sprinkled with salt and pepper and suddenly regretted it. While no one was paying attention, he quietly picked up a spoon and smeared some ketchup on it. He took a bite. Lin Yue¡¯s eyes widened. As expected, the taste was incomparable! The potatoes could actually be so delicious! He was afraid that everyone would realize that he was not firm in his stance, so he secretly turned around and tasted the other flavor. Like a hamster that was secretly eating something, his bulging cheeks matched with his rough face made him look adorable but ugly. Qingfeng glanced at him and suddenly met Lin Yue¡¯s vigilant eyes. His eyes darkened. Seeing the smile in her eyes, Lin Yue was embarrassed and angry. His heart was pounding as he glared at her, not knowing what to do. What are you looking at? Haven¡¯t you seen a man eat? Chu Tianbao had smeared too much ketchup that it landed on his mouth. Bai Wutong had just scooped up a pot of fried spiral potatoes and turned her head when she saw his dirty mouth. She snorted with laughter and took out a handkerchief to wipe him down. ¡°How did you eat it?¡± Chu Tianbao chuckled and stared at the spiral potatoes that had just been fried. He gestured with his eyes for her to quickly give him another skewer. Amused, she handed him a skewer with doting eyes. ¡°Eat this skewer and share the rest with the children.¡± Chu Tianbao took the spiral potato and grinned with the ends of his mouth reaching the sky. ¡°Okay.¡± Chu Tianbao carried the packet filled with spiral potatoes to the courtyard. A group of children immediately swarmed over. They looked at the spiral potato eagerly, their eyes filled with the intention to eat it. Chu Tianbao wanted to give it to them. They clearly wanted to eat it, but they shook their heads in unison. The little children came to Bai Wutong¡¯s place every day and she often gave them delicious food. When their parents found out, they felt bad and taught them not to take anything from Bai Wutong anymore. If anyone dared to take it, they would be beaten up when they returned. Chu Tianbao¡¯s expression turned stiff. ¡°Take it!¡± Who could withstand his fierce aura? The little children could only ¡°force themselves¡± to accept it. When the tempting spiral potato was brought to their mouths, they only took a bite and could not bear to take another. Little Peach sneaked home and hid in her room. When Madam Yang saw her sneaking around, she exchanged glances with her second daughter-in-law and suddenly rushed into the room. She caught Little Peach, who was secretly eating the spiral potato. Little Peach¡¯s face and mouth were covered in ketchup. She trembled in fear and hurriedly hid the spiral potato behind her back, afraid that she would be punished. Madam Yang¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°You went to Madam Bai¡¯s house to ask for food again?¡± Little Peach shook her head like a rattle. ¡°No, Master Chu forced Little Peach to accept it.¡± Madam Yang and her second daughter-in-law looked at each other. ¡°But you can¡¯t accept Madam Bai¡¯s food for nothing.¡± Little Peach took out a few copper coins and said seriously, ¡°We gave Madam Bai money, but Madam Bai didn¡¯t want it. She even said that it was only made from potatoes. If we really want to thank her, just give her a potato.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give Granny two copper coins. Can you give me ten potatoes?¡± She still wanted to exchange the potatoes for more skewers of spiral potatoes. The delicious food made of potatoes piqued Madam Yang and Little Peach¡¯s mother¡¯s curiosity. They asked Little Peach to take out the spiral potato and even told her that children would lose their teeth if they did not share their food. In order not to lose their teeth, Little Peach could only obediently take out the spiral potato that she had only taken two bites of. Seeing such unique food, Madam Yang and Little Peach¡¯s mother were shocked. Little Peach¡¯s mother praised, ¡°Madam Bai is really amazing. She¡¯d actually thought of using potatoes to make such unique food.¡± Little Peach raised her chin and said proudly, ¡°Madam Bai said this is called Spiral Potato because it looks like a whirlwind!¡± ¡°It¡¯s especially, especially delicious!¡± Little Peach¡¯s eyes lit up. She even used ¡°especially¡± to emphasize how delicious it was. Chapter 187 - 187 I Know How to Kill People 187 I Know How to Kill People No matter how delicious it was, it was still potato. Madam Yang curled her lips and went to the warehouse to get ten fresh potatoes. ¡°Give Granny and your mother a bite. You don¡¯t have to pay two copper coins.¡± Little Peach thought that it was worth it, so she handed the spiral potato to them and instructed, ¡°Just one bite. You can¡¯t continue biting from here onwards.¡± Madam Yang opened her mouth. Before she could take a bite, Little Peach revealed a pained expression. When Madam Yang bit down, her heart felt like it was about to shatter. This amused Little Peach¡¯s mother at the side. Madam Yang was right. No matter how delicious the potatoes were, they were still potatoes. However, the ketchup really surprised her. It was sweet and sour. When paired together, it was really delicious and left a deep impression. She wanted to take another bite to savor it. Seeing her grandmother take a bite, smack her lips, and look at the spiral potato like she still wanted to eat, Little Peach quickly said, ¡°It¡¯s time for Mother to take a bite.¡± Madam Yang said softly, ¡°You heartless girl. To think that your grandmother treats you so well.¡± Little Peach frowned. After serious consideration, she said bitterly, ¡°Alright, then. I¡¯ll let grandma take another bite later.¡± The wrinkles at the corners of Madam Yang¡¯s eyes immediately bloomed into a flower. ¡°Good child.¡± The next day, the children carried their baskets to look for Bai Wutong. In unison, their baskets were filled with potatoes. The little children all smiled knowingly and handed the potatoes eagerly to Bai Wutong. ¡°Madam, here are the potatoes for you.¡± Bai Wutong just asked them to give one each to her. Each of these children carried a basket of them, and Zhao Erwa had even more. There were at least five kilograms in each basket. The adults were afraid that Bai Wutong would make a loss. Although the spiral potatoes were made of potatoes, they still had to be fried and stewed in ketchup. Each skewer of spiral potatoes was definitely more expensive than a skewer of candied hawthorn that only cost three copper coins, so they asked the children to bring more potatoes over. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s too much. Take some back. Potatoes aren¡¯t worth much.¡± The little children expressed that they were not much at all and that they would be beaten up if they took it back. However, they kept staring at Bai Wutong, their eyes saying that they still wanted to eat the spiral potatoes. Chu Tianbao thought that he had hidden his thoughts well and tried to help her resolve her worries. ¡°Wife, if they¡¯re unwilling to take it back, let¡¯s fry them to make spiral potatoes.¡± If Bai Wutong fried spiral potatoes, she would definitely not forget about his share. He thought that Bai Wutong could not tell his hidden intentions. Little did he know that she had long seen through him. He was the one who was most impatient and wanted to eat the spiral potatoes. The corners of her mouth curled up as she glanced at him. ¡°Then you¡¯ll make them?¡± Chu Tianbao thought about it and felt that it should be quite easy. He patted his chest and replied manly, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll make it! Wife, you can rest!¡± He could still fry a few more skewers for himself. Just thinking about it made him happy. Bai Wutong¡¯s smile deepened as she looked at the eager children. ¡°Master Chu is going to make you guys spiral potatoes.¡± The children immediately jumped up and cheered. ¡°Oh yeah, Master Chu is so nice!¡± Qu Xin¡¯er was locked in the room to reflect on her mistakes and was only released the next day. Seeing that she was unhappy, the maidservant said to her, ¡°Miss, I¡¯ll go pick lotus flowers for you. The lotus flowers in the pond are especially beautiful.¡± Qu Xin¡¯er thought of the koi fish in the lotus pond and said, ¡°I want to see the fish!¡± The maidservant said worriedly, ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous by the pond. Let¡¯s not go!¡± Qu Xin¡¯er said angrily, ¡°I said I want to go!¡± Instead of letting Qu Xin¡¯er run out herself, the maidservants had no choice but to accept their fate and bring her there. They also gave each other a look, promising that they would not let her do anything rash, or they would be implicated and be punished. When Qu Xin¡¯er arrived at the lotus pond and saw the koi fish swimming freely in the lotus pond and competing to eat the food she threw, she picked up a rock and threw it into the water. ¡°Plop.¡± The fishes scattered in shock. After a while, they swam towards her to ask for food again. Their swimming figures were extremely beautiful, but Qu Xin¡¯er did not feel pity for them at all. She just wanted to vent all the humiliation she had suffered for the past few days. The tears she held back fell into the pond one after another as she picked up the rocks. They were just a group of country bumpkins. So what if she scolded them? Not only did they hit her palm, but they also punished her to face the wall to reflect. The maidservants looked at each other and pitied these beautiful carps for being bullied by Qu Xin¡¯er for no reason. Suddenly, a cheerful silver bell sounded in front of the lotus pond. Qu Xin¡¯er quickly wiped her tears and looked in that direction. A group of little children holding spiral potatoes appeared in her line of sight. The little children were not afraid of her at all. They came to the pavilion where she was and knelt on the ground. As they ate the spiral potatoes, they looked at the koi in the pond. The cheerful scene was a stark contrast to Qu Xin¡¯er and the others. As the daughter of an official, Qu Xin¡¯er had been taught of her superior status since she was young. Seeing that this group of little children was ignoring her, she was about to flare up when her maidservants hurriedly stopped her. ¡°Miss, you just ended your punishment.¡± She was reminding Qu Xin¡¯er that if she made another mistake, she would be locked up again. Qu Xin¡¯er gritted her teeth. Seeing that they were holding something delicious in their hands, she started to find fault with them again. ¡°What are they eating? I want to eat it too!¡± How could the maidservants know what this was? They could only go forward and ask the seemingly easygoing Little Peach, ¡°Young lady, what are you eating?¡± Little Peach said proudly, ¡°We¡¯re eating Madam Bai¡¯s spiral potato!¡± Qu Xin¡¯er immediately looked disdainful. ¡°What an ugly-sounding name!¡± Her words immediately angered the little children. Little Peach pointed the spiral potato at her, just like Qingfeng drawing her sword. ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s ugly! Not only are you ugly, but your mouth is also foul!¡± Qu Xin¡¯er stepped forward and was about to grab Little Peach¡¯s spiral potato. ¡°Who are you calling foul-mouthed?! Country bumpkin, country bumpkin!¡± Zhao Erwa stood in front of Little Peach, preventing Qu Xin¡¯er from bullying Little Peach, who was half a head shorter. ¡°You have a foul mouth! Why? If you are unhappy, let¡¯s fight¡± Qu Xin¡¯er exploded in anger and looked at the maidservants. ¡°Beat them up!¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Zhao Erwa pulled out the wooden sword at his waist and said aggressively, ¡°Swords have no eyes! Let¡¯s see which one of you dares to look over!¡± Little Peach also ate up all her spiral potato quickly. She puffed up her cheeks and glared at Qu Xin¡¯er with her cute eyes. ¡°I know how to kill people!¡± Her cute appearance made the maidservants smile, but they quickly restrained themselves and said to Qu Xin¡¯er, ¡°Miss, Second Young Master will come to look for you in a while. If you want to eat spiral potatoes, let¡¯s go find Madam Cui and get someone to make it for you.¡± Little Peach immediately made a face. ¡°Madam Cui doesn¡¯t know how to make it. Only our Madam Bai and Master Chu know how to make spiral potatoes!¡± Qu Xin¡¯er glared at her. Zhao Erwa added, ¡°Even if she knows how to make it, they won¡¯t let you eat it! If you have such a foul mouth, Xiaobai will chase you out!¡± Chapter 188 - 188 Madam Bai, come home with us to be a cook! 188 Madam Bai, come home with us to be a cook! It had always been Qu Xin¡¯er who bullied others. How could anyone bully her? Just as Qu Xin¡¯er was about to lose control, Qu Lianghua suddenly came. ¡°Xin¡¯er!¡± His gentle voice immediately brought Qu Xin¡¯er back to her senses. She threw herself into Qu Lianghua¡¯s arms and complained, ¡°Father, they bullied me.¡± Zhao Erwa immediately retorted, ¡°Nonsense. She was the one who called us names first and even wanted to snatch our spiral potatoes!¡± When Qu Lianghua let her out this morning, Qu Xin¡¯er had promised that she would be good. As soon as he turned around, she started arguing with the children from Youjia Village again. Qu Lianghua¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Apologize quickly!¡± Tears rolled down Qu Xin¡¯er¡¯s face as she said stubbornly, ¡°No! I won¡¯t apologize to a country bumpkin!¡± Lady Yun had said that children from the countryside were only worthy of being lowly maidservants for her. Qu Lianghua let go of her hand and said to the maidservants, ¡°She¡¯s unrepentant. Send Miss back to her room to be confined. You¡¯re not allowed to take a step out until you leave Youjia Village!¡± When Qu Xin¡¯er knew that they were going to stay in this lousy place for a few more days, she immediately cowered and grabbed her father¡¯s sleeve. ¡°I apologize! Father, don¡¯t lock me up. I¡¯m afraid.¡± Her aggrieved expression made Qu Lianghua¡¯s heart soften a little, and his tone became gentle. ¡°Xin¡¯er, be good. If Xin¡¯er apologizes to the children, you won¡¯t be locked up.¡± Qu Xin¡¯er lowered her head and hid her resentful gaze. She gritted her teeth and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Little Peach and the others were generous children. Since she had apologized, they would not argue with her. Zhao Erwa nimbly sheathed his sword. ¡°Then forget it.¡± Little Peach tugged at Zhao Erwa. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Although she had forgiven Qu Xin¡¯er, Little Peach did not want to stand with the person who had badmouthed Bai Wutong. The little children immediately echoed and ran away happily like butterflies. ¡°Let¡¯s go pick the lotus heads!¡± Qu Lianghua originally wanted the little children to bring Qu Xin¡¯er along to play. When he saw them leave, he looked at Qu Xin¡¯er, who was clenching her fists as if she had been humiliated. He picked her up and comforted her gently, ¡°Xin¡¯er, do you want to see the tree? There¡¯s a huge tree ahead.¡± Qu Xin¡¯er said gloomily, ¡°It¡¯s boring. I¡¯m not going!¡± The maidservants immediately suggested, ¡°Miss said that she wants to eat spiral potatoes.¡± Qu Lianghua was stunned. ¡°Spiral potatoes?¡± Why had he never heard of such potatoes? Although Qu Xin¡¯er did not speak, her eyes flickered. The maidservants continued, ¡°That group of children was holding spiral potatoes just now. They even said that only Madam Bai and Master Chu know how to make spiral potatoes.¡± Hearing the maidservants mention Madam Bai, Qu Lianghua recalled that he had seen Cui Lingyi and Cui Muzhi go to the right just now. They were probably going to look for Madam Bai. His eyes flashed as he said to Qu Xin¡¯er, ¡°Let¡¯s go look for Madam Bai and ask her to help you make spiral potatoes, okay?¡± It was just skewers of snacks. She probably would not be so stingy. Qu Xin¡¯er recalled what Little Peach and the others had said just now. If she went to Bai Wutong¡¯s house, they would not make it for her. She did not think much about eating the spiral potatoes, but she had no choice but to go so that she could prove it to them. There was nothing she, Qu Xin¡¯er, could not eat. Qu Xin¡¯er nodded and smiled. ¡°Then let¡¯s go quickly!¡± After a while, they arrived at the door of Bai Wutong¡¯s house. On the way here, Qu Lianghua specially instructed Qu Xin¡¯er to be polite, especially when she saw Miss Cui. Han Muye and Chu Tianbao were bathing Xiaobai. Xiaobai lay lazily on the ground. Bai Wutong soaped it and rubbed bubbles from it. It narrowed its eyes in enjoyment, like a pig that had become a spirit. Chu Tianbao carried the spray machine on his back and waited for the instructions from Bai Wutong to spray water on Xiaobai. When he saw Bai Wutong washing Little White¡¯s butt seriously, he muttered softly, ¡°My wife has never washed it for me.¡± Bai Wutong suddenly looked around. Fortunately, Cui Lingyi and Cui Muzhi were feeding grass to the rabbit in the cage. Their attention was not here, so they did not hear his words. Her ears turned red as she glared at him. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡± Chu Tianbao pursed his lips and aimed the spray rod at Xiaobai¡¯s butt. Xiaobai raised its head lazily, as if it was saying, ¡°If you have the ability, be a piggy wolf.¡± Chu Tianbao was so angry that he wanted to make a wolf fur scarf for Bai Wutong. At this moment, Qu Xin¡¯er and Qu Lianghua entered. Xiaobai¡¯s lazy eyes suddenly turned sharp as it opened its mouth and let out a long howl. At the first glance, Qu Lianghua noticed Cui Lingyi in the courtyard and his heart involuntarily skipped a beat. When Qu Xin¡¯er saw Xiaobai, she was so frightened that she shrank into Qu Lianghua¡¯s arms. At this moment, Qu Xin¡¯er was more afraid of Xiaobai than wanting to eat spiral potatoes. She grabbed Qu Lianghua¡¯s clothes and said urgently, ¡°Father, Father, let¡¯s go quickly! Xin¡¯er is afraid!¡± It was not easy for Qu Lianghua to see Cui Lingyi, and it would be rude to leave without saying goodbye. He couldn¡¯t help but comfort her. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Xin¡¯er. Madam Bai¡¯s pet won¡¯t hurt you.¡± Xiaobai howled again. A wolf¡¯s howl sounded quite frightening. Qu Xin¡¯er was so frightened that she cried. Bai Wutong thought that Qu Lianghua was here for something. Seeing that Qu Xin¡¯er was so afraid of Xiaobai, she asked Chu Tianbao to bring Xiaobai to a corner to wash it. Xiaobai disappeared from Qu Xin¡¯er¡¯s sight and she finally calmed down. Bai Wutong asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Young Master Qu?¡± Qu Lianghua did not know how capable she was. He thought that she was just a woman who was on good terms with Yang Quanzi, which was why she was respected by his father. He felt that it was not too much to ask Bai Wutong for help in making a skewer of spiral potatoes, but with Cui Lingyi here, it was still not appropriate for him to ask. Qu Lianghua looked at his daughter and coaxed her. ¡°Why are you looking for Madam Bai? Xin¡¯er.¡± Qu Xin¡¯er finally remembered her ¡°business¡± and raised her chin. ¡°I want a skewer of spiral potatoes!¡± Her attitude was really rude. Qu Lianghua felt a little embarrassed and glanced at Cui Lingyi. ¡°Xin¡¯er, speak properly!¡± Qu Xin¡¯er thought that if she got the spiral potatoes, she could show off to that group of children. Her tone softened reluctantly. ¡°Madam Bai, I want a skewer of spiral potatoes. Can you make me one? I can give you money.¡± On account of Qu Yuanxian, she nodded. ¡°Wait a moment.¡± Chu Tianbao had fried a lot for the children earlier, so there was still some left. Not long after, she came out of the kitchen with two spiral potatoes. She handed it to the father and daughter, but had no intention of keeping them any longer. When Qu Xin¡¯er received the spiral potatoes, she could not help but be tempted by the smell. She took a bite and said in amazement, ¡°It¡¯s so delicious! Madam Bai, come home with us to be our cook! You can make me spiral potatoes every day!¡± Chapter 189 - 189 Whoever Wants to Take My Wife Away Can Only Die! 189 Whoever Wants to Take My Wife Away Can Only Die! As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere immediately froze. Chu Tianbao walked over with a cold expression and stood in front of her. He said coldly, ¡°Get lost!¡± Whoever wanted to take his wife away could only die! His deep black eyes were even colder than Xiaobai¡¯s green ones. Qu Lianghua met his gaze and couldn¡¯t help but shiver. This was definitely a man who had killed someone. His aura was like a Rakshasa who had walked out of hell. Even so, Qu Lianghua was not sure that he would not dare to act rashly. He was even a little displeased. It was just an unintentional sentence from a child, but this family was so rude. Chu Tianbao¡¯s protection over Bai Wutong had never changed. The corners of her lips curled up, but she did not stop him. Qu Yuanxian was a strict and good official. Even if Qu Lianghua had a conflict with them, he would definitely not take revenge. Qu Xin¡¯er was frightened by Chu Tianbao. She hugged Qu Yuanxian and choked on her tears. ¡°Father, he told us to get lost! Let¡¯s go tell Grandpa that we have to leave this lousy place immediately!¡± How could Chu Tianbao, who loved his wife as much as his life, tolerate letting his wife become a family cook just because she was kind enough to make them spiral potatoes? Cui Lingyi and Cui Muzhi¡¯s faces darkened. Cui Lingyi said to Qu Lianghua even more bluntly, ¡°It¡¯s getting late. Young Master Cui, you should take your lady back early!¡± The sun was still shining. How was it late? Cui Lingyi was clearly helping them chase them out. Qu Lianghua panicked and realized that his daughter¡¯s behavior just now might have displeased her. After all, she was Bai Wutong¡¯s good friend. However, Qu Xin¡¯er was still a child. Didn¡¯t they think that this was too much? Qu Lianghua did not realize at all that even for children, basic respect between people was needed. If she didn¡¯t respect others, why should everyone respect her? It was the father¡¯s fault for not teaching his child well. Qu Lianghua was the one who should be responsible. Qu Lianghua liked Cui Lingyi and tolerated Chu Tianbao. He said to Bai Yue insincerely, ¡°Madam Bai, Xin¡¯er just wants to praise your superb skills. She had used the inappropriate words. Please don¡¯t mind her.¡± Bai Wutong smiled faintly. ¡°I don¡¯t mind, but my husband does. Qingjiu is right. It¡¯s getting late. Young Master Qu, you should go back early.¡± Qu Lianghua was very aggrieved. He had never been treated so coldly before. It was inconvenient for him to fall out with the couple in front of Cui Lingyi. ¡°My daughter is ignorant. I hope Madam Bai and Master Chu won¡¯t take offence. We¡¯ll leave now.¡± He had already retreated to this point, but Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao were still so calculative. That was being too unmagnanimous. When Qu Xin¡¯er saw that her father was so cowardly and even wanted to apologize to them after being scolded, she was so angry that she threw the spiral potatoes on the ground. She struggled to get down and stomped on it before running out. Qu Lianghua hurriedly chased after her. ¡°Xin¡¯er, don¡¯t run around!¡± Bai Wutong brought a broom to clean up the spiral potatoes that Qu Xin¡¯er had crushed. Chu Tianbao warned Xiaobai fiercely, ¡°Xiaobai, if they dare to come in the future, bite them!¡± Xiaobai shook off the water around it and let out a long roar, as if it was saying, ¡°Leave it to me.¡± On the way back, Cui Muzhi said softly, ¡°Sister, why do I think that Young Master Qu is interested in you?¡± If Cui Muzhi could tell, why couldn¡¯t Cui Lingyi? She glared at Cui Muzhi. ¡°You¡¯re just a child. Don¡¯t be a busybody!¡± Cui Muzhi said anxiously, ¡°Why doesn¡¯t it have anything to do with me? You¡¯re my sister! Of course I have to interfere. You can marry anyone, but you can¡¯t choose this Young Master Qu. If you marry him, it¡¯ll be a complete fire pit!¡± Seeing how anxious he was, Cui Lingyi smiled. ¡°What¡¯s the hurry? If I wanted to marry, I would have done so long ago.¡± She could tell at a glance that some people were not the kind of person she could spend her lives with. If that was the case, she might as well live carefreely alone. Anyway, she was a widow, so she would not get in anyone¡¯s way if she did not marry. Seeing that she was not attracted to Qu Lianghua at all, Cui Muzhi heaved a sigh of relief. It was difficult for a stepmother. Any lady who married over would probably have a headache meeting a stepdaughter like Qu Xin¡¯er. He believed that his sister could restrain Qu Xin¡¯er, but why would she choose a lousy man instead of other good men? Among the 30 families of Qinghe, there were many men who were interested in his sister. Qu Xin¡¯er rushed out, tripped over a rock, and fell hard. Both her knees had cuts. Qu Lianghua quickly carried her to the doctor. As he walked, he asked the villagers on the way. He bumped into Qu Yuanxian, who had returned from checking on the people. When Qu Yuanxian saw Qu Xin¡¯er crying so hard that she was out of breath, he asked worriedly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Qu Xin¡¯er cried, ¡°It¡¯s all those country bumpkins¡¯ fault!¡± As soon as these words were spoken, everyone behind Qu Yuanxian could not help but frown. They were also country bumpkins now. Ultimately, she was his granddaughter and she was crying so sadly. Qu Yuanxian suppressed his anger and followed them to Gu Zhongxun¡¯s pharmacy. There were many people lined up in Gu Zhongxun¡¯s pharmacy. Qu Lianghua rushed in and shouted, ¡°Doctor, quickly treat my daughter!¡± Qu Xin¡¯er¡¯s legs were bleeding. A girl should not leave any scars. There were many people who were more seriously injured than Qu Xin¡¯er, but she was a child and could be treated first. Soon, someone came out and gestured for him to carry the child into the inner room. Gu Zhongxun took a few glances. ¡°It¡¯s just a superficial wound. After applying some ointment and scabbing, it will heal.¡± Qu Lianghua said anxiously, ¡°Doctor, is there any medicine to remove scars?¡± Gu Zhongxun nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Qu Lianghua said happily, ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to trouble you to prescribe a bottle of scar removal medicine for my daughter.¡± The scar removal ointment was more popular. Gu Zhongxun had already finished what he had concocted last time. Gu Zhongxun could only prescribe him ready-made herbs. He instructed, ¡°After the herb is crushed, apply it for three days in a row and there won¡¯t be any scars.¡± Qu Lianghua nodded and instructed the maidservants to take good care of Qu Xin¡¯er. When she returned to the Cui family, Qu Xin¡¯er had already fallen asleep in Qu Yuanxian¡¯s arms. The maidservant suddenly remembered that Madam Qu had prepared a good scar removal ointment for Qu Xin¡¯er. She said hesitantly, ¡°Master, Madam has prepared a scar removal ointment for Miss Xin¡¯er. Do you still want her to use it?¡± The scar removal ointment prepared by Madam Qu was definitely better than the herbs prepared by the countryside doctor. It concerned her daughter¡¯s health. Qu Lianghua did not hesitate and said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to apply the herbs. Apply the scar removal ointment prepared by my mother.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± When Qu Lianghua came out of Qu Xin¡¯er¡¯s room, he saw the angry Qu Yuanxian in the shadows. Qu Yuanxian walked over. Qu Lianghua did not know why he was so angry. He looked puzzled. ¡°Father?¡± Qu Yuanxian glared at him and let him enter the room. The first thing he said was, ¡°Bastard! Take your rebellious daughter back to Pingyang tomorrow! This place can¡¯t accommodate you two great Buddhas!¡± Who was Bai Wutong? She was the one who could create cleaning paper, save the Cui family, and protect all 30 people in Qinghe. Even Great Scholar Yang had to respectfully call her Madam! Qu Xin¡¯er actually wanted her to be a cook at her home and even scolded everyone as lowly people. After he asked someone to find out what happened, he was almost angered to death. Chapter 190 - 190 The Physician of Youjia Village is Indeed a Quack 190 The Physician of Youjia Village is Indeed a Quack Qu Lianghua was petrified. Now that he was chased away by Qu Yuanxian, where was his face going to be? Moreover, he had yet to marry Cui Lingyi, so how could Qu Lianghua be willing to leave? Qu Lianghua asked in confusion, ¡°Father, what did I do? You¡¯re chasing me and Xin¡¯er back now. Xin¡¯er was agitated today. How can we leave now?¡± It was very likely that a tiring journey would cause a child to develop a major illness. Qu Lianghua even felt a little resentful towards Qu Yuanxian. Qu Yuanxian said angrily, ¡°Ask yourself what you did. You came to someone else¡¯s house and were rude. How did I raise a son like you! As long as you have-¡± He suddenly stopped and glanced at Qu Lianghua in disappointment. Qu Lianghua knew that he was not as smart as his eldest brother who was liked by his parents. Qu Yuanxian could not be bothered to talk to him anymore. He glanced at him coldly and made him feel even more uncomfortable. He said indignantly, ¡°Father, Xin¡¯er is just a child. It¡¯s obvious that Madam Bai is the one who¡¯s forcing others and has lost her way as the head of the family. How can you blame a child!¡± Qu Yuanxian originally wanted to save him some face, but when he saw that Qu Lianghua did not know what he had done wrong at all, he said bluntly, ¡°Xin¡¯er is a child, and you¡¯re a child too! Did she invite you to her house? Madam Bai kindly gave you food, but you even want her to be a cook! Do you know that her hands are much more precious than yours?!¡± How could a woman be compared to his reading and writing hands? He saw a trace of disdain on Qu Lianghua¡¯s face. Although he tried his best to hide it, he was still caught by Qu Yuanxian. ¡°You still don¡¯t believe it? Can you make cleaning paper? Or can you make a spray machine?¡± ¡°That¡¯s just a simple skill. If the workers investigate further, they will definitely be able to create such a thing.¡± Qu Yuanxian did not know how he had raised such a proud and pedantic fool. He was furious. In consideration of Qu Xin¡¯er¡¯s injuries, he said to Qu Lianghua, ¡°Xin¡¯er is not allowed to leave the room until she recovers. Also, go and accompany her!¡± Qu Lianghua lowered his eyes. His father clearly found them embarrassing and wanted to lock them up until they returned. Although Qu Lianghua was dissatisfied, he did not dare to say no to the angry Qu Yuanxian. Fortunately, the room that the Cui family had prepared for them had a wide view. Even though Qu Lianghua was guarding Qu Xin¡¯er in the room, he could occasionally notice Cui Lingyi¡¯s figure when she was coming in and going out. Realizing that she was often heading in the direction of Bai Wutong¡¯s house, he could not help but feel a little anxious. Was she still angry with him because of Bai Wutong? Just as Qu Lianghua was worried about Cui Lingyi, the maidservant suddenly said anxiously, ¡°Master, bad news. Miss¡¯s wound has become red and swollen.¡± When they changed Qu Xin¡¯er¡¯s dressing that day, they were shocked. It was red and swollen, and there were signs of inflammation and pus. When Qu Lianghua heard this, he immediately looked at Qu Xin¡¯er. Qu Xin¡¯er cried and hugged him. ¡°Father, it hurts. Xin¡¯er, it hurts. I miss Mother so much.¡± Qu Xin¡¯er¡¯s exquisite face was wrinkled from crying. Qu Lianghua thought of his dead wife and his heart tightened. He comforted her, ¡°Xin¡¯er, don¡¯t cry. It won¡¯t hurt anymore soon. Daddy will bring you to the doctor now!¡± A maidservant complained, ¡°It must be the countryside quack who used medicine on our lady. Otherwise, how could it have become so serious?¡± It was clearly just a scratch, but it had indeed become much worse than the previous day. Qu Lianghua originally wanted to carry Qu Xin¡¯er to look for Gu Zhongxun. When he heard the maidservant¡¯s words, he also felt that it was Gu Zhongxun¡¯s problem. This countryside doctor was really unreliable. He planned to bring Qu Xin¡¯er to town to find a better doctor. Qu Lianghua carried Qu Xin¡¯er downstairs. Cui Shize, who was carrying a basket and dressed like a village farmer, saw them calling for someone to prepare the carriage and asked curiously, ¡°Where are you going?¡± Qu Lianghua said, ¡°Xin¡¯er¡¯s wound has become more serious after treatment. I¡¯m taking her to town to see a doctor.¡± There was a hint of complaint in his tone, as he blamed Gu Zhongxun for his lack of medical skills. Cui Shize instantly frowned. How could the doctors in town be as good as Gu Zhongxun? Gu Zhongxun was the disciple of the divine doctor, Wen Renhua. Many people came to Gu Zhongxun to treat their illnesses because of his reputation. If Bai Wutong did not come up with the idea of rolling the dice, Gu Zhongxun would not have a minute to rest for 24 hours a day. Cui Shize also understood Qu Lianghua¡¯s worry about his daughter. He said, ¡°Doctor Gu¡¯s medical skills are very good. He shouldn¡¯t have made a mistake in his diagnosis. It will take an hour for the carriage to reach town. Why don¡¯t you go and see Physician Gu if there might be anything wrong with her?¡± Qu Lianghua naturally had to give Cui Shize face. Qu Xin¡¯er was sent to Gu Zhongxun¡¯s pharmacy again. Gu Zhongxun was giving Bai Wutong acupuncture treatment to stimulate her nerves and help her recover her memories. Qu Xin¡¯er cried miserably, her eyes red. Qu Lianghua could not wait any longer. He frowned and said to Qingfeng, who was guarding the door, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that children can be treated first? My Xin¡¯er is in unbearable pain after being treated by him. Hurry up and get the doctor to come out and take a look!¡± Gu Zhongxun was administering acupuncture to Bai Wutong. There were many nerves in her brain, so he had to be especially careful when administering the acupuncture, and he could not stop once he inserted the needle. If he shouted and disturbed Gu Zhongxun¡¯s acupuncture, the consequences would be unimaginable. Qingfeng looked at Cui Shize coldly. ¡°Take them away quickly, or I won¡¯t stand on ceremony!¡± When Cui Shize saw Qingfeng guarding here, he knew that Bai Wutong was inside. He said to the anxious Qu Lianghua, ¡°Young Master Qu, calm down. After the doctor administers the acupuncture on Madam Bai, he will immediately treat your daughter¡¯s leg.¡± The injury on Xin¡¯er¡¯s leg was because of Bai Wutong. Now that she was deliberately preventing the doctor from coming out, Qu Lianghua no longer had a good impression of her. He looked at Qingfeng hatefully, picked up Qu Xin¡¯er, and turned to leave. ¡°Let¡¯s go to town to find a doctor.¡± By the time they went to town to look for a doctor, Gu Zhongxun had already finished acupuncture on her. Cui Shize sighed and persuaded him to wait a little longer, but Qu Lianghua felt that Bai Wutong might deliberately stall for time. Moreover, this doctor¡¯s medical skills were not very brilliant. He shook his head and firmly brought his daughter into the carriage. There were silver needles all over Bai Wutong¡¯s head. Doctor Gu inserted the last one and heaved a sigh of relief. Bai Wutong could speak again. She heard the commotion and called out for Qingfeng, who entered the inner room. ¡°They¡¯re gone?¡± Qingfeng nodded. ¡°He¡¯s gone.¡± Gu Zhongxun was too focused to know what had just happened. Qingfeng told him that Qu Lianghua had brought Qu Xin¡¯er here just now. Gu Zhongxun touched his chin strangely. ¡°I gave the herbs myself. How can it become more serious?¡± Bai Wutong shook her head. ¡°Maybe they didn¡¯t use it properly.¡± Gu Zhongxun nodded. ¡°That¡¯s possible.¡± Qu Lianghua took Qu Xin¡¯er to travel in the carriage for another hour and arrived at Woqian Town. He found the best doctor in Woqian Town to treat Qu Xin¡¯er¡¯s injuries. The doctor took a few glances and said, ¡°This is an allergic reaction. You probably used the wrong medicine. I¡¯ll prescribe you another medicine. Don¡¯t change it back to the previous medicine.¡± When Qu Lianghua heard this, he was immediately furious. A village doctor was indeed a quack! Chapter 191 - 191 Lets Look For Madam Bai 191 Let¡¯s Look For Madam Bai When Qu Lianghua brought Qu Xin¡¯er home, he immediately went to look for Qu Yuanxian and said angrily, ¡°Father, the doctor in Youjia Village is a quack. Xin¡¯er has just a small injury, but she might have a scar after being treated by him. He can¡¯t even treat such a basic illness. If we continue to let him treat others, someone will die sooner or later.¡± He said this in front of Yang Gongbing and the others so that everyone would know that he was doing this for the sake of the entire Youjia Village. Unexpectedly, when he finished speaking, Yang Gongbing was the first to stand up and retort. ¡°Young Master Qu, is there a misunderstanding? Doctor Gu¡¯s medical skills have always been very good.¡± His wife, Liu Shaoting, had even higher regards towards Gu Zhongxun even more. Every time she touched her stomach, she would exclaim at the stabilization medicine that Gu Zhongxun prescribed. It made her feel as if her pregnancy was nothing. She felt even more refreshed than before. Not only Yang Gongbing, but even Madam Cui said, ¡°Doctor Gu has also treated my chronic headache. There should be a misunderstanding, right? Or did you use the wrong medicine?¡± Hearing Yang Gongbing and Madam Cui¡¯s words, Qu Lianghua felt a little undermined. He was thinking for the villagers, but no one believed him. He said in a low voice, ¡°Why would I joke about my daughter?¡± The maidservants also said, ¡°Our Miss was fine before. It was only because she used Doctor Gu¡¯s medicine that it became serious. Our Young Master won¡¯t accuse anyone for no reason.¡± ¡°Besides, when we went to town, the doctor also said that it was the wrong medicine that caused Miss to have an allergic reaction. If not for the town doctos¡¯s medical skills, I don¡¯t know how serious Miss¡¯s condition would be!¡± The maidservants¡¯ complaints also puzzled everyone. Could it be that Gu Zhongxun could not even treat a scratch? The town doctor also said that it was an allergic reaction. What exactly went wrong? Madam Cui thought for a moment and guessed, ¡°Have you used any other medicine other than Doctor Gu¡¯s?¡± The maidservants shook their heads. ¡°No.¡± Suddenly, a maidservant said, ¡°Young Master asked us to use the scar removal ointment that Madam prepared for Miss. That¡¯s an expensive scar removal ointment. There shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± Madam Cui did not think that there was anything wrong with the scar removal ointment, but she suspected that it might act in conflict with Gu Zhongxun¡¯s medicine for treating wounds, which resulted in an allergic reaction. Just as she was about to express this guess to everyone, Qu Xin¡¯er¡¯s personal maidservant rushed over. She ran too quickly and even tripped on the corner of her skirt. When she got up, she said, ¡°Second Young Master, Master, quickly go and see Miss. Her condition seems to have become even more serious. Her legs are blistered.¡± As soon as these words were spoken, Qu Lianghua and Qu Yuanxian¡¯s expressions changed drastically as they hurriedly went to Qu Xin¡¯er¡¯s room. When they lifted her trouser leg, the wound on her knee had already formed a pus. Her condition was several times worse than before she saw the doctor that day. She had clearly gone to town to see the doctor. After applying the medicine, Xin¡¯er felt much better. But at this moment, her eyes were swollen from crying. She cried towards Qu Lianghua, ¡°Father, I don¡¯t want a scar. Xin¡¯er¡¯s leg is so ugly and it hurts.¡± Madam Cui followed them into the room. When she saw her increasingly serious wound, she was shocked. At the same time, it confirmed her guess. She said to the maidservants, ¡°Did you use the scar removal ointment on Xin¡¯er again?¡± The maidservants nodded and said timidly, ¡°Yes, Miss asked us to use it.¡± They also realized that Qu Xin¡¯er¡¯s small injuries might have been caused by the scar removal ointment. Madam Cui hurriedly said to the two of them, ¡°Some things complement and some counter one another. This scar removal ointment might be in conflict with the medicine that Doctor Gu prescribed previously. Hurry up and find Doctor Gu.¡± Although she did not like Qu Xin¡¯er¡¯s personality, it was still quite pitiful for a child to cry so miserably. Qu Lianghua was stunned. He had asked a maidservant to apply the scar removal ointment for Xin¡¯er. For this, he had even specially thrown away all the scar removal medicine given by Gu Zhongxun. For a moment, an indescribable sense of regret and suspicion filled his entire brain. He could not believe that Gu Zhongxun was a good doctor, and he was the culprit behind Xin¡¯er¡¯s suffering. After hearing Madam Cui¡¯s words, Qu Yuanxian hurriedly urged Qu Lianghua, ¡°What are you waiting for? Carry Xin¡¯er to Doctor Gu!¡± Although Qu Lianghua felt embarrassed, he carried Qu Xin¡¯er to the pharmacy without hesitation for his daughter. There were still many people queuing up in the pharmacy, waiting for Gu Zhongxun to treat them. When Qu Lianghua appeared with Qu Xin¡¯er in his arms, everyone¡¯s gaze focused on his face. Everyone still remembered this guy. Someone even mocked, ¡°I thought you only had disdain for Doctor Gu¡¯s medical skills. Why are you back?¡± Qu Lianghua braced himself and said to the dark guard guarding outside, ¡°I request to see Doctor Gu to treat my daughter.¡± The dark guard did not even look at him and said coldly, ¡°He has already seen 10 patients today. Doctor Gu has gone to pick herbs.¡± Qu Lianghua did not believe him. ¡°Then why are they waiting here!¡± The dark guards said, ¡°Waiting to roll the dice.¡± ¡°Roll the dice?¡± Madam Cui explained, ¡°There are too many people looking for Doctor Gu to treat them every day and Doctor Gu can¡¯t handle it, so he is going to pick them by rolling the dice. Whoever gets their number drawn can get a token to receive treatment tomorrow. He¡¯s right. At this time, Doctor Gu really doesn¡¯t treat anyone.¡± Qu Xin¡¯er could not take it anymore. ¡°Father, go and capture him! Hurry up and capture him! Xin¡¯er doesn¡¯t want to leave a scar!¡± Qu Xin¡¯er kept crying, but Gu Zhongxun would not be back for a while. Even if he returned, Gu Zhongxun might not want to treat his daughter after the way he acted. Qu Lianghua never expected it to be so difficult to find a countryside doctor for treatment. At this moment, Qu Yuanxian already knew that Gu Zhongxun was Wen Renhua¡¯s disciple. Thinking of how his son had previously suspected that Gu Zhongxun was a quack in the countryside in front of so many people and even said that Doctor Gu deprived him of the right to see a doctor, his expression was as ugly as if he had eaten feces. He spoke with difficulty and asked Madam Cui, ¡°Is there no way to make an exception?¡± Madam Cui said, ¡°Doctor Gu treats Madam Bai as half his master. Perhaps you can go and plead with Madam Bai.¡± Qu Lianghua¡¯s expression changed drastically. If he had to plead with Bai Wutong and face Chu Tianbao¡¯s cold face, where would his remaining pride be? Qu Yuanxian¡¯s face was ashen. If Qu Lianghua had obediently applied medicine on Qu Xin¡¯er in the beginning, such a thing would not have happened. However, after all this, Qu Xin¡¯er¡¯s face had slimmed down and she looked extremely pitiful. Qu Yuanxian could only thicken his skin and ask Madam Cui when Doctor Gu would be back. Madam Cui said with a troubled expression, ¡°If you want to look for Doctor Gu now, you can only enter the mountain.¡± Qu Lianghua frowned. ¡°The mountain is so big. How can we find him?¡± Madam Cui said, ¡°Madam Bai¡¯s Xiaobai has a sharp sense of smell and can help you find Doctor Gu. I think you should look for Madam Bai!¡± Even after going around in circles, he still could not avoid looking for Madam Bai. Qu Lianghua felt like he had spit a mouthful of blood in his heart. Chapter 192 - 192 Wife, Its Not Tasty 192 Wife, It¡¯s Not Tasty The pus on Qu Xin¡¯er¡¯s legs were getting worse. With a light touch, they looked like they would break at any moment. It was a terrifying sight. Qu Lianghua thought of his dead wife and finally chose his daughter over his pride. Fortunately, Qu Yuanxian was with them this time, so Qu Lianghua did not have to worry about being chased out by Chu Tianbao as soon as he entered. They had yet to enter the courtyard. Xiaobai pounced at Qu Lianghua. It remembered Chu Tianbao¡¯s instructions. If Qu Lianghua came again, it had to bite him. Qu Lianghua was so frightened that he turned pale. He carried Qu Xin¡¯er and ran. Xiaobai could reach 70 kilometers per hour. How could he dodge it? At the critical moment, Bai Wutong stopped Xiaobai. Xiaobai retracted its mouth that was about to bite Qu Lianghua¡¯s leg. Xiaobai bared its teeth and arched back to defend against the intruders. As long as Bai Wutong gave the order, it would pounce on them and tear Qu Lianghua and his daughter into pieces. Ever since Qu Yuanxian arrived at this village, he had heard from the villagers that Xiaobai would not hurt anyone. Xiaobai was a spiritual beast in the village and was specially here to protect Madam Bai. But now, Xiaobai did not bite anyone but Qu Lianghua. It could be seen how badly he had offended them. Bai Wutong still gave Qu Yuanxian some face and called out to Xiaobai again. Xiaobai obediently returned to her and licked the back of her hand, as if it was asking for a reward like Chu Tianbao. She gently touched its head and walked towards Qu Yuanxian. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Lord Qu?¡± The sun was almost setting. If one did not inform others in advance, it would be very rude to enter someone¡¯s place like this. Qu Yuanxian glanced at his pale-looking son and said to her, ¡°Madam Bai, our Xin¡¯er¡¯s condition has relapsed. Can you help us find Doctor Gu?¡± His words were not only to request Bai Wutong to order Xiaobai to bring them to Gu Zhongxun, but also to ask her to ask Gu Zhongxun to agree to treat Xin¡¯er¡¯s injuries. Since Qu Yuanxian had personally spoken, this was a huge favor. He was an official after all. There was no guarantee that there would be a time when she would need to ask him for help. She nodded. ¡°Then let¡¯s go now.¡± She looked at Chu Tianbao and said. ¡°Bring the bamboo basket.¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s sharp gaze instantly became soft and cute when he met her eyes. ¡°Alright, wife.¡± His completely different temperaments made him seem like two different people, making him even more dangerous and terrifying. Previously, Qu Yuanxian had asked Cui Shize about the origins of the two of them. Now, even though he was not sure, he still could sense that they were not ordinary people. Even in the pool, a dragon was still a dragon. Qu Yuanxian decided to go back and educate Qu Lianghua well. Even if he could not be on good terms with Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao, he could not become enemies with them. Bai Wutong, Chu Tianbao, and Xiaobai walked in front, but Qu Lianghua, who was behind them, could not walk anymore. Usually, when he was at home, other than studying, he would at most go for a walk in the garden. He had never walked such a difficult mountain path. There were thorns everywhere, causing his elegant robe to be torn apart. On the other hand, the people in front seemed to be strolling leisurely. Occasionally, they would stop and place the mushrooms into the basket. Every time he met their gazes, Qu Lianghua felt that they were complaining that he was too slow and he felt humiliated. He regretted listening to his father and personally followed them to look for Gu Zhongxun. Xiaobai seemed to have discovered something. It dug its nose into the ground and the leaves spread out. Then, Bai Wutong discovered a beautiful truffle mushroom. Truffle mushrooms had high protein, fat, fiber, and many other nutritional ingredients. Moreover, there were medicinal ingredients contained in truffle mushrooms. They had the effect of removing phlegm and pain relief. They could also treat numbness in the hands and feet, waist and leg pain. Most importantly, it tasted good. Be it barbecue or hotpot, they were both very delicious and tender. It was much better than meat. Joy appeared on her face as she rubbed Xiaobai¡¯s head. ¡°Xiaobai, you¡¯re amazing!¡± Xiaobai howled and glanced at Chu Tianbao proudly. Chu Tianbao pouted. ¡°It¡¯s just one. Tianbao also found a lot just now.¡± She snickered and said, ¡°Tianbao is awesome too!¡± Chu Tianbao immediately looked at Xiaobai with a smug gaze. As for Qu Lianghua, who was panting and catching up, he felt that he was about to die from exhaustion. However, this couple and the wolf seemed to be on vacation, as if they had completely forgotten that his daughter needed to find Gu Zhongxun to treat her injuries. He could not help but imagine if she hated them and was deliberately teasing him. She did not even think of looking for Gu Zhongxun. Qu Lianghua tried his best to control his expression and asked in a deep voice, ¡°Madam Bai, how long will it take to find Doctor Gu?¡± They had been travelled for nearly an hour. If Bai Wutong knew what he was complaining about, she would definitely think to herself, it had only been an hour, young man, your small body is too weak. She could tell that he was unhappy. Although she was helping him, she did not owe him anything. She said indifferently, ¡°Soon. If Young Master Qu doesn¡¯t believe us, you can enter the mountain to look for him yourself.¡± The Jade Spiritual Mountain was very large and filled with lush vegetation. Snakes, insects, rats, and ants were everywhere. When Qu Lianghua heard the response from Bai Wutong, even though he was extremely dissatisfied, he still did not dare to make a sound. He didn¡¯t even have a dagger in his hand, and he couldn¡¯t find his way back. He could only give in and shut up. In the blink of an eye, he thought about how if he married Cui Lingyi, he would definitely not let her continue to interact with a sharp-tongued woman like her. Suddenly, Xiaobai raised its head and howled. Bai Wutong guessed, ¡°They should be just ahead.¡± He did not see a single shadow in front of him. Qu Lianghua thought that she was spouting nonsense to coax him. However, under Xiaobai¡¯s lead, they quickly met Gu Zhongxun, who had entered the mountain with Huang Zhong and Ye Wu. Huang Zhong¡¯s nose was sharp and could help Gu Zhongxun find a lot of herbs. With Ye Wu following, he could also help them pick herbs and hunt to earn some money. Gu Zhongxun said in surprise, ¡°Madam Bai, you¡¯re entering the mountain at this time?¡± Shaking her head, she looked at Qu Lianghua, who was panting and sweating behind her. ¡°He wants you to treat his daughter.¡± Gu Zhongxun wanted to ask why Qu Xin¡¯er¡¯s wound had become serious. When Qu Lianghua came to look for him, he immediately nodded and agreed to go back to treat Qu Xin¡¯er¡¯s injury. There was still some time before nightfall. They were in no hurry and stayed in the mountains to pick mushrooms. The bamboo basket was filled. Just as she was about to return, she suddenly saw some small green fruits on a tree. She walked in and was pleasantly surprised to find that it was a wild jujube kiwi tree. The reason why the jujube kiwi was called the jujube kiwi was that it was only the size of a date and had a stronger taste and higher sweetness than ordinary kiwi fruits. This one weighed a few catties. It was small and looked like an unlit small lantern. It was extremely cute. Bai Wutong liked to drink kiwi juice. These jujube kiwis were still very hard. Now that she had picked them back, after letting them turn ripe, she could eat them. If she couldn¡¯t finish it, she could even make dried kiwi, kiwi jam, and canned kiwi. Just as she was about to ask Chu Tianbao to pick some, he vomited out the kiwi he had taken a bite of. He frowned and said bitterly, ¡°Wife, it tastes bad.¡± Chapter 193 - 193 Silly Tianbao 193 Silly Tianbao Of course, jujube kiwis that had yet to ripen tasted bad. Looking at him in amusement, Bai Wutong reached out and unfolded his furrowed brow. ¡°Don¡¯t eat anything carelessly. Some things are poisonous. If Tianbao gets sick after eating them, I will be worried, understand?¡± Chu Tianbao nodded. ¡°Got it. I won¡¯t eat carelessly anymore.¡± Seeing his silly expression, the corners of her mouth curled up. She couldn¡¯t help but stand on her tiptoes and kiss him gently on the forehead. Chu Tianbao was suddenly stunned. The smile in her eyes deepened. ¡°This is a reward.¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes lit up. He shamelessly moved his handsome face to her soft lips and said sweetly, ¡°Tianbao wants another reward.¡± Her ears turned red, and her gaze landed on his cheek. She pushed him away. ¡°It¡¯s almost dark. We should go home.¡± Chu Tianbao shamelessly said, ¡°Just one.¡± She had already kissed him once, but he was still pushing his luck. The corners of her mouth curled up, and she decided to teach him a small lesson. His wife¡¯s soft lips gradually pressed against his. Chu Tianbao closed his eyes in bliss and enjoyed this beautiful moment. The next second, her white teeth bit his face fiercely. She was not gentle either, and two rows of red teeth marks appeared on Chu Tianbao¡¯s face. He covered his face, his eyes widened. Bai Wutong smiled brightly. ¡°Do you want more?¡± Unexpectedly, Chu Tianbao nodded crazily, his face filled with excitement. ¡°Yes, yes, yes.¡± The moment she bit him, an electric current surged throughout his body. Chu Tianbao did not feel any pain at all. Instead, he felt exceptionally comfortable. His expression, like he was dying for her to repeat, made her speechless and shy. She glared at him. ¡°In your dreams. Hurry up and pick the fruit. It¡¯s time to go home.¡± Chu Tianbao immediately revealed a regretful expression. She glanced at him and her face burned even more. She muttered, ¡°Silly Tianbao.¡± The bamboo basket could no longer hold more jujube kiwi. Fortunately, Bai Wutong had prepared a small sack. When they returned with a full load, they heard Qu Xin¡¯er¡¯s cries from the village. Bai Wutong found it strange. Gu Zhongxun had already gone to treat Qu Xin¡¯er, so why was she still crying like this? It was as if she would die in the next second. As soon as they entered the village, the aunties under the big banyan tree greeted them warmly and even asked if they had eaten. Bai Wutong smiled and declined. ¡°Thank you, aunties. We just picked some mushrooms. They taste better when they¡¯re fresh.¡± The aunties said to them with concern, ¡°Some mushrooms are poisonous. Madam Bai, you can¡¯t pick them randomly. Do you want us to take a look for you?¡± Bai Wutong shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I can distinguish them.¡± Then, the aunties showered her with flattery again. As expected of Madam Bai, how could she not recognize the mushrooms? It was as if everything she did was earth-shattering. She knew that they wanted to thank her for giving them a chance to earn money. Her gaze was gentle. After she smiled and bade farewell, she could still hear their praises behind her. The closer they got to Cui family¡¯s house, the louder Qu Xin¡¯er¡¯s cries became. Gu Zhongxun was sent out by Cui Shize and happened to meet them. Bai Wutong asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why is she crying so hard?¡± Gu Zhongxun said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with the wound, but we are missing the bright yellow herb that can remove scars. Therefore, we can¡¯t remove the scars for the time being. If we wait for the wound to scab before using it, the effect will be worse. But even if we enter the mountain now, it¡¯s not convenient to find herbs.¡± The young lady naturally could not stand the scar on her body, so she cried so heartbreakingly. Coincidentally, there was a bright yellow herb in Bai Wutong¡¯s bamboo basket. Bright yellow herb could be used as cream to nourish the skin. When the two of them entered the mountain just now, they saw it and dug it up. She took out the bright yellow herb from under the mushrooms and handed it to Gu Zhongxun. ¡°This is it, right?¡± Gu Zhongxun¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it.¡± Cui Shize saw this and said in surprise, ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Now that there were medicinal herbs to remove Qu Xin¡¯er¡¯s scars, everyone would definitely be very happy. ¡°Then take it and use it. We¡¯ll go back first.¡± Bai Wutong said. Cui Shize said excitedly, ¡°Thank you, Madam Bai!¡± Bright yellow herb was not considered precious. She waved her hand. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± After she left, Gu Zhongxun hurriedly rushed back to the pharmacy to prepare a few other herbs. When Gu Zhongxun returned to the Cui family with the concocted medicine, Qu Xin¡¯er¡¯s voice was hoarse from crying. Seeing him return, Qu Yuanxian walked over. ¡°Doctor Gu, is the medicine prepared?¡± Gu Zhongxun smiled and nodded. ¡°Coincidentally, Madam Bai has a bright yellow herb, so I can prepare the medicine. Hurry up and use it on Miss Qu.¡± When Qu Yuanxian heard that it was the medicinal herb given by Bai Wutong, he said gratefully, ¡°Thank you, Doctor Gu. Thank you, Madam Bai! I¡¯ve troubled you today.¡± At the side, Qu Lianghua¡¯s expression darkened. How could there be such a coincidence? Coincidentally, there was a lack of bright yellow herb, and it just so happened that she had one. Seeing everyone¡¯s respectful expressions towards Bai Wutong, Qu Lianghua suspected that Gu Zhongxun and Bai Wutong were deliberately playing tricks on them and wanted to earn another favor from the Qu family. However, he had no evidence and could only suppress this suspicion. Gu Zhongxun¡¯s scar removing medicine was a little stimulating to the body, so Qu Xin¡¯er started crying again. Qu Lianghua had taken care of her for the entire day and was very tired. When he went downstairs, he happened to meet Cui Lingyi, who was looking for Cui Muzhi. Under the candlelight, Cui Lingyi looked like a princess who had entered an ancient castle. The fatigue in his eyes immediately swept away. He approached Cui Lingyi politely. ¡°Miss Cui, may I ask if you can help me next?¡± Cui Lingyi could tell what he was thinking. Any help was just an excuse to pick up girls. She politely refused with a smile. ¡°I have something on for the time being.¡± These words were too blunt for Qu Lianghua to accept. Just as Cui Lingyi was about to turn around, he pleaded, ¡°Xin¡¯er likes Miss Cui very much. She¡¯s feeling very uncomfortable now. Can I trouble you to take a look at her?¡± He wanted to fight for himself. Cui Lingyi¡¯s eyes flashed, and she was a little moved. When she met Qu Lianghua¡¯s expectant gaze, she only said a cold word, ¡°Sorry.¡± In an instant, Qu Lianghua¡¯s heart sank. Cui Lingyi and Xin¡¯er were clearly getting along so well, and Xin¡¯er still liked her so much. In an instant, Qu Lianghua immediately thought that Bai Wutong was the one causing the rift. If it weren¡¯t for Bai Wutong, he would have been Cui Lingyi¡¯s best choice. Why wouldn¡¯t she like him? The immense anger and sadness made him blurt out without caring about his rationality, ¡°Are you unwilling because Xin¡¯er spoke rudely to Madam Bai?¡± This made her unwilling to look at Qu Xin¡¯er or accept him. Chapter 194 - 194 Too Ungrateful 194 Too Ungrateful Qu Lianghua¡¯s eyes were filled with anger towards Bai Wutong. Cui Lingyi¡¯s originally calm gaze instantly turned cold. Compared to Bai Wutong, Qu Lianghua¡¯s status in Cui Lingyi¡¯s heart was not even comparable to anyone in Youjia Village. Bai Wutong was kind enough to give Qu Xin¡¯er a spiral potato, but Qu Xin¡¯er was willful and rash enough to ask her to be a cook. She ran out and was injured herself. Then, Bai Wutong asked Xiaobai to help them enter the mountain to look for Gu Zhongxun. Qu Xin¡¯er was lacking a herb, and Bai Wutong gave hers. But Qu Lianghua was not grateful at all. Instead, he blamed her. He was brainless and heartless. Such a man was not even as useful as the cesspit in their village. Qu Lianghua met Cui Lingyi¡¯s cold and distant gaze and instantly regretted it. He was about to explain when he heard Cui Lingyi¡¯s ice-cold voice. ¡°You owe Little Phoenix a favor, not her owing you. Young Master Qu is too ungrateful to say these words!¡± Qu Lianghua¡¯s mind exploded. His face was red as he explained anxiously, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it. I don¡¯t have any ill intentions towards Madam Bai.¡± Cui Lingyi did not give him any face. ¡°You have your own answer in your heart.¡± Qu Lianghua admired her clear eyes, but when these eyes saw through his heart, he couldn¡¯t help but want to cover them. Cui Lingyi did not even look at him and wanted to go upstairs. Qu Lianghua knew that if she went, the misunderstanding that day would not be resolved, and they would no longer have any more fate together. In his panic, he took a step forward and suddenly grabbed Cui Lingyi¡¯s wrist. ¡°Miss Cui, listen to my explanation! I really¡­¡± Cui Lingyi did not expect him to be so rude to her at the Cui residence. ¡°Let go!¡± ¡°Let go!¡± Two voices spoke in unison. Qu Lianghua looked up in surprise. Cui Lingyi took the opportunity to shake off his hand and quickly ran behind Cui Shize. Only then did Qu Lianghua realize that there were many people standing around the corner of the stairs. Cui Shize, Yang Quanzi, Cui Muzhi, and Cui Shiji were all there. It was unknown how long they had been standing there and how much they had heard, but their expressions were uglier than one another¡¯s. Qu Lianghua recalled everything that had just happened. He was not confident in everything he said to Cui Lingyi. He lowered his head in embarrassment and shame, not knowing how to speak. Cui Shize suppressed his anger and looked at his daughter comfortingly. ¡°You and Muzhi go upstairs first.¡± Cui Lingyi went upstairs. Cui Shize looked at Qu Lianghua again. The anger surrounding his body made Qu Lianghua not dare to breathe loudly. He had thought he was a good kid. Now it seemed that he had misjudged again. Cui Shize warned Qu Lianghua, ¡°There¡¯s a difference between men and women. Young Master Qu, you have to respect yourself.¡± He said this after taking into consideration Qu Yuanxian. If anyone else dared to touch Cui Lingyi, they would have been beaten up and sent to the authorities. Qu Lianghua could tell that Cui Shize was dissatisfied with him. His heart skipped a beat. He did not want to give up just like that. He mustered his courage and suddenly knelt down. ¡°Uncle Cui, I want to marry Miss Cui and take care of her forever.¡± Even if Cui Lingyi was talented and beautiful, she was still a widow after all. Moreover, her previous family influence was gone. She could only be considered a farmer¡¯s wife. In the countryside, who was worthy of her? He did not have an honorary title now, but he would definitely have one in the future. Even if he did not, Cui Lingyi would still be the Second Young Madam of the Cui family after marrying into their family. If Cui Shize really doted on his daughter, he would definitely consider him. In addition, the two families had good relations. Cui Shize naturally knew that his daughter would not suffer any grievances if she married him. Cui Shize almost lost his temper. With his character, he dared to covet his daughter. He suppressed his anger and said word by word, ¡°Little Jiu¡¯s marriage is up to her. She has no feelings for you. Young Master Qu, don¡¯t force her.¡± However, Qu Lianghua pestered him again and again. ¡°Uncle Cui, I¡¯ll definitely treat Little Jiu well. Just let her marry me!¡± Cui Lingyi was Cui Shize¡¯s precious daughter. He had not even taken a fancy to Qu Lianghua, so why would he persuade Cui Lingyi to marry Qu Lianghua? Cui Shize had better give up on his ideas. ¡°Do you have a concubine at home?¡± Qu Lianghua was stuck instantly. He did have a concubine, and she was pregnant. Once she gave birth to a son, he would be the eldest son of a concubine. He said slowly, ¡°There¡¯s only one.¡± Putting aside the fact that he already had a child, he did not even meet Cui Lingyi¡¯s standards because he had a concubine. Cui Shize said, ¡°Little Jiu wants to be the only one in her husband¡¯s heart and not be separated until they are old. If Young Master Cui knows your limits, don¡¯t pester my daughter anymore.¡± Qu Lianghua hurriedly said, ¡°I¡¯ll send her out of the residence when I get back. I¡¯ll definitely treat Miss Cui wholeheartedly. From now on, she¡¯s everything to me!¡± With a new person, he was abandoning the old. All the more one could not entrust her life to a heartless person like this. No one showed it on their faces, but they looked down on him in their hearts. Yang Quanzi said directly, ¡°Let¡¯s go. Don¡¯t talk nonsense with him.¡± Ever since Yang Quanzi heard that he had a grudge against Bai Wutong, he no longer had a good impression of him. He was practically dreaming if he wanted to marry Little Jiu. Even if Cui Shize agreed, he would not agree. When Qu Lianghua heard Yang Quanzi¡¯s words, he panicked. His main purpose here was to gain Yang Quanzi¡¯s praise and improve his knowledge. With his reputation, his future career would be smooth. At this moment, he had gone for wool and come home shorn. In the end, Cui Shize still cared about his relationship with Qu Yuanxian. He said to him in a low voice, ¡°My daughter can¡¯t accept Young Master Qu¡¯s blessing. Don¡¯t mention it again.¡± With that, before Qu Lianghua could react, everyone walked past him, as if he was some dirty thing that they could not avoid. Qu Lianghua stood in the corridor in a daze. After a while, he looked up and saw Qu Xin¡¯er looking at him with tears in her eyes. She questioned, ¡°Didn¡¯t Daddy say that I¡¯m your one and only? Daddy, you¡¯re a liar!¡± It was obvious that she had heard everything he had just said. Qu Lianghua quickly took two steps forward and wanted to hug her to comfort her and tell her that this was different. However, the sad Qu Xin¡¯er did not want to care about him anymore. She quickly ran into the room and closed the door with a bang. The next second, Qu Xin¡¯er cried and shouted, ¡°Get lost! Go find your one and only!¡± Qu Lianghua looked at the door helplessly. He felt especially tired. The marriage proposal did not spread throughout the Cui family, but with Qu Xin¡¯er shouting, Qu Yuanxian eventually knew. However, he did not know that Qu Lianghua was dissatisfied with Bai Wutong. He only ordered Qu Lianghua to control himself and his daughter. Otherwise, they could scram now. Just as they were about to leave, Yang Quanzi brought Qu Yuanxian and Qu Lianghua to visit the printing workshop. When he walked into the room and saw the book pages being printed like a fctory¡¯, Qu Yuanxian asked in disbelief, ¡°This is?¡± Yang Quanzi smiled and said proudly, ¡°This is the printing technique that Madam Bai gave us.¡± Chapter 195 - 195 Uninvited Guest 195 Uninvited Guest Yang Quanzi picked up a printed Three-Character Scripture and placed it in Qu Yuanxian¡¯s hand. ¡°With the Living Character Printing Technique, the Three-Character Scripture that originally took a week to copy by hand only took two hours to be printed.¡± Qu Yuanxian was shocked. After a while, he said excitedly, ¡°All the scholars in the world are blessed!¡± Books would no longer be so expensive that it would scare people to death. With many knowledgeable people in the world, there was no need to worry about not being able to strengthen the kingdom and benefit the people. The more Qu Yuanxian thought about it, the more excited he became. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Madam Bai to be able to create such beneficial things at such a young age.¡± Yang Quanzi¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°The living word printing technique was passed down to Madam Bai by the expert, Bi Sheng, but there¡¯s no conflict between one¡¯s age and talent.¡± Qu Lianghua sneered imperceptibly. She was probably pretending by using someone else¡¯s invention. Otherwise, as a woman, she was not even as old as Cui Lingyi. How could she have created these rare things that others had racked their brains to think of in their entire lives? Although it was a slight sneer that flashed past, it was still captured by Yang Quanzi, who had been paying attention to him. The smile on Yang Quanzi¡¯s fair and chubby face did not stop, but the temperature in his eyes decreased a little. ¡°Madam Bai could have used it for personal gain, but she chose to release the printing technique to the world. Her kind heart should be recorded in history and be respected by all the scholars in the world!¡± Yang Quanzi was looking at him as he spoke. Qu Lianghua felt that he was deliberately saying it for him to hear so that he would show more respect to Bai Wutong. His face instantly turned pale. Qu Yuanxian asked excitedly, ¡°Teacher Yang, when will the printing technique be released to the world?¡± Yang Quanzi stroked his beard and said with a smile, ¡°Other than the wooden printing machine, with the permission from Gongbing, we obtained some iron ore. We¡¯re melting the iron to make a metal printing machine and carve the grinding tools. The iron printing machine can last a little longer, and the words carved don¡¯t have to be replaced often.¡± ¡°Last time, we failed to report the white paper to the Imperial Court before it fell into the hands of Consort Chu for her own benefits. After our discussion, we decided to report it when you returned to the Imperial City. At that time, the iron printing machine can also be sent to the Imperial City.¡± Qu Yuanxian nodded. ¡°Teacher Yang has thought it through. That¡¯s good!¡± After returning to his room, Qu Yuanxian¡¯s expression immediately changed and he scolded Qu Lianghua coldly, ¡°How can Teacher Yang not tell a person¡¯s true capability? He has crossed more bridges than you have! If you dare to be dissatisfied with Madam Bai again, go to the countryside to farm and learn to sympathize with the people!¡± Yang Quanzi noticed his son¡¯s expression, and Qu Yuanxian naturally saw it too. Qu Lianghua wanted to retort, but before he could say anything, he was scolded by Qu Yuanxian again. Qu Yuanxian said that he was not good at anything. In terms of knowledge, even Sheng Huaixuan, who had started out halfway, was better than him. He even wanted to have designs on Cui Lingyi, which directly made him speechless. The next day, Qu Yuanxian and the others packed their luggage and left under everyone¡¯s gazes. Madam Cui watched their carriage disappear into the distance and finally breathed a sigh of relief. Cui Muzhi said quietly, ¡°Mother, you must be tired. I¡¯ll give you a massage.¡± He reached out and squeezed her shoulder twice. Madam Cui smiled at him. How could she admit that she was tired in front of so many people? ¡°Mother isn¡¯t tired.¡± Cui Muzhi immediately said mischievously, ¡°Then I¡¯ll ride the horse to chase after Uncle Qu now and let him stay and play for a few more days?¡± Even if Qu Xin¡¯er did not go out to argue with the children and stayed in her room every day, she was still difficult to deal with. Madam Cui¡¯s smile froze and she glared at him. ¡°Rascal! Do you think your mother doesn¡¯t have enough white hair?¡± Recently, Bai Wutong had learnt to make a dessert called cake. It was beautiful and delicious. It was also filled with all kinds of fruits, which Cui Lingyi liked. In exchange for her exquisite embroidery, she came to Bai Wutong¡¯s house to learn how to bake cakes. At this moment, she was beating the egg white to make cream. She felt that her wrist was sore, as if it was about to break at any moment. She glanced at the egg white that had turned to white foam and asked Bai Wutong, ¡°How much longer? My hands are about to break.¡± Bai Wutong walked over and glanced at it. ¡°It¡¯s not smooth enough. Continue.¡± Cui Lingyi sighed. ¡°If I had known, I would have let Muzhi come.¡± Bai Wutong teased, ¡°Don¡¯t keep sending Muzhi. If you want, you can call anyone.¡± Cui Lingyi looked up at her. ¡°No one is as easy to order around as Muzhi.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°You don¡¯t have anyone you like, do you?¡± Cui Lingyi¡¯s eyes flashed and she suddenly smiled. ¡°They will only affect the speed at which I make the cake.¡± When the cake was done, Chu Tianbao came back with Stinky. When the two of them saw the cake, their eyes lit up. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°Go wash your hands and give Stinky a wash too.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Chu Tianbao immediately carried Stinky to the kitchen. After a while, he carried Stinky and raised Stinky¡¯s chubby hand. He said happily, ¡°We¡¯re back~¡± As if he was afraid that others wouldn¡¯t know how much they wanted to eat cake. Stinky had just teethed and could not eat too many sweet things. Bai Wutong gave Chu Tianbao a big piece and only gave him a thumb-sized piece. Stinky opened his mouth, picked up the small cake that belonged to him, and swallowed it in one bite. After he finished eating, he realized that there was no more in his plate. When he saw that Chu Tianbao was still eating, and so happily, he stomped hard in dissatisfaction, and his round stomach puffed up. He snorted and expressed his dissatisfaction. Chu Tianbao was busy eating the cake and ignored him. Stinky was angry and used his hands and feet to step on Chu Tianbao¡¯s thigh and stand up. He reached out to take some of the cake. Chu Tianbao refused to give it to him and even scolded him, ¡°Your teeth is going to rot! You¡¯re not allowed to eat it!¡± Stinky did not care. Small beads tears flowed out as he wished. His eyes instantly turned red. He hugged Chu Tianbao¡¯s arm and cried, ¡°Father¡­ Father¡­¡± Chu Tianbao refused to listen and even said, ¡°If you don¡¯t listen, I¡¯ll spank your butt!¡± When Stinky heard that he was going to be spanked, his crying stopped abruptly. He sniffled and wiped his snot. His hand had yet to be wiped clean when his gaze landed on the cream on the corner of Chu Tianbao¡¯s mouth. His round eyes lit up as he grabbed his arm and wiped the snot and tears on his face. While he was unprepared, Chu Tianbao¡¯s puffed-up cheeks were bitten by Stinky. Stinky did not know how to control himself. He bit Chu Tianbao¡¯s face like a needle penetrating his skin and immediately left two red teeth marks. Chu Tianbao pulled him down. Stinky licked his tongue, still unsatisfied. Chu Tianbao was so angry that he swallowed the cake in one gulp. Cui Lingyi said happily, ¡°Stinky is so cute!¡± Bai Wutong looked at them with gentle eyes. ¡°They¡¯re both quite cute.¡± While everyone was happily eating the cake, an uninvited guest suddenly came to Woqian Town. Currently, there were only three cities left in the Yan Kingdom that had yet to be taken down. A few days ago, King Chu summoned the Eldest Prince, Chu Mingxuan, back and personally went to the battlefield, wanting to become the emperor in one go. Luo Ping, who had accidentally saved the Eldest Prince, returned with the Eldest Prince. After saving the Eldest Prince, Luo Ping had become a high and mighty patrol officer. He had come to Woqian Town this time to find a famous doctor for the Eldest Prince. Secondly, he wanted to find the whereabouts of Bai Wutong and avenge his dead parents, wife, and children. Chapter 196 - 196 Take Me to Madam Bai Quickly! 196 Take Me to Madam Bai Quickly! When Chu Mingxuan entered Jiangyuan City, in order to please him, his subordinates sent a beautiful young lady to his bed. Unexpectedly, this woman had a fianc¨¦ and a strong personality. Chu Mingxuan drank some wine and something to liven things up. When he forced himself on her, he was kicked in the groin. In order not to be discovered, the woman covered Chu Mingxuan with a pillow in a hurry. Coincidentally, Luo Ping, who had entered the residence as a sweeping servant, heard Chu Mingxuan¡¯s inconspicuous shout. He knew that this was an opportunity. He rushed in and kicked the woman away, saving Chu Mingxuan, who had almost died. Luo Ping had saved Chu Mingxuan and leant that he had a hidden illness. It would probably be difficult for him to have any more children. The fewer people who knew about this, the better. On the surface, Luo Ping was a patrol officer who checked on the lives of the commoners and instrcuted the local officials. In fact, his main task was to help Chu Mingxuan find a doctor to treat his impotence. Luo Ping said, ¡°I heard that you have a very skilful doctor here?¡± Yang Gongbing was stunned. ¡°May I know which doctor Lord Luo is talking about?¡± With Luo Ping secretly looking for a doctor, he must have something confidential he wanted to hide. He subconsciously wanted to brush him off. Luo Ping had heard in Pingyang County that there was a Physician Gu here with outstanding medical skills. He called out, ¡°Physician Gu, please help me bring him over.¡± The news of Liu Xiucai and Shi Dashou being cured by Gu Zhongxun had spread to Luo Ping. Gu Zhongxun became the first person to come to complete the ¡°official task¡±. Yang Gongbing¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but he could not refuse. ¡°Doctor Gu lives quite far away. It¡¯s an hour away from here. It¡¯s already late. How about I call him over tomorrow?¡± Luo Ping did not dare to leave. He nodded formally. ¡°In short, I have to see him tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As long as it was not that day, if he sent a pigeon over now and Bai Wutong and the others received the news, they would definitely have a countermeasure. After he was done with his business, it was his turn to deal with his personal matters. Luo Ping¡¯s gaze turned cold as he said to Yang Gongbing arrogantly, ¡°Bring me the refugee records!¡± On the way back with Chu Mingxuan, he checked at the refugee registration point. Those people addressed Bai Wutong as Madam Bai, and her husband was called Master Chu. With the husband and wife¡¯s surnames, the scope of their search narrowed greatly. However, even so, there were many families who met the requirements. Fortunately, there were only a few places where the refugees could stay. As he helped Chu Mingxuan find a doctor, he searched for the whereabouts of Bai Wutong and others. Before coming to Woqian Town, he had already been to two refugee settlements. He did not find any of the people he was looking for. The doctor found for Chu Mingxuan were all quacks and could not tell Chu Mingxuan¡¯s illness at all and was directly beheaded. As a result, he was scolded badly. This time, if he still could not find a doctor with brilliant medical skills, as Luo Ping thought of Chu Mingxuan¡¯s malicious eyes, he could not help but shiver. Accompanying a king was like accompanying a tiger. No matter what, he had to take revenge first! Yang Gongbing met his dark gaze and his heart skipped a beat again. Although he didn¡¯t know why he wanted the refugee records, he guessed that it wouldn¡¯t be a good thing. ¡°Sir, please wait a moment.¡± As Yang Gongbing went to get the refugee records, he quickly wrote a letter in the study, tied it to the messenger pigeon, and let it fly into the sky. When he was done, he heaved a sigh of relief. Luo Ping flipped through the refugee records. Soon, he found Chu Tianbao and Bai Wutong¡¯s names at the front. He noticed the address on the refugee records and was surprised to find that Gu Zhongxun also lived here. He smiled coldly. ¡°Take me to them!¡± Luo Ping had a feeling that these two people were the mortal enemies he was looking for! After dealing with them, if Gu Zhongxun had brilliant medical skills, he could bring him to see Chu Mingxuan. This time, he had learned his lesson. He found a few men in the same situation as Chu Mingxuan and was confident that he could bring them back. When Yang Gongbing heard that he was looking for Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao, his face turned pale. Could it be that Lord Luo had a grudge against Madam Bai and Master Chu? What should he do? He was anxious. Luo Ping lowered his eyes and urged, ¡°Hurry up and lead the way!¡± Yang Gongbing hurriedly explained, ¡°Lord Luo has just arrived. It¡¯s already late. Why don¡¯t you rest for the night? I¡¯ll bring you there tomorrow.¡± Luo Ping wished he could turn his enemies into ashes. Now that he had predicted their whereabouts, how could he be willing to wait another day? He glanced at Yang Gongbing coldly and scolded angrily, ¡°Are you defying my orders? Are you trying to rebel?¡± With such a huge accusation, the entire clan would be exterminated. Yang Gongbing suppressed his anger. ¡°I¡¯ll prepare the carriage now.¡± Luo Ping scolded him like a dog, ¡°Hurry up!¡± He was just a local official who was not even worthy of carrying his shoes. Yang Gongbing clenched his fists. He really did not know how such a person became a patrol officer. Luo Ping only had a dozen or so people around him. These dozen or so people were considered top-notch experts. Luo Ping thought of the powerful man with Bai Wutong. It was that man who had ended his mother¡¯s life with a single strike. For this reason, he used his identity as a patrol officer to ask Yang Gongbing to send a large number of bailiffs for him to deploy. Luo Ping¡¯s authority was greater than his, so Yang Gongbing could only listen to his orders. Before the team set off, he specially sent someone to Youjia Village to report. When Bao Zhaoshan arrived at Youjia Village, he hurriedly said to Village Chief Zhao, ¡°Quickly bring me to Madam Bai! I have something important to report!¡± Village Chief Zhao was stunned. He remembered that Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao had entered the mountain and had yet to return. ¡°Madam Bai and the others are not around. They have entered the mountain.¡± Bao Zhaoshan was as anxious as an ant on fire. He said, ¡°Who can find Madam Bai and Master Chu now? There¡¯s Lord Luo from the Imperial City looking for them! He doesn¡¯t seem to have kind intentions!¡± Lord Luo from the Imperial City! Everyone looked at each other. They had never heard Bai Wutong mention him. Qingfeng suddenly appeared, and everyone made way. She asked, ¡°Where is this Lord Luo now?¡± Bao Zhaoshan said, ¡°On the way here, Lord Yang asked me to specially ride my horse here to report and let Madam Bai and Master Chu be mentally prepared.¡± Qingfeng frowned and asked someone to call Huang Zhong over. ¡°I¡¯ll get a few people to follow you. Let¡¯s go into the mountains and look for Madam Bai and Master Chu now.¡± Huang Zhong hurriedly nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll go look for Master now.¡± Huang Zhong and the dark guards entered the mountain. The dark guards despised him for being too slow. After a while, they carried him on their backs and asked him to lead the way without asking about his wishes. Qingfeng asked a portion of the dark guards to hide and protect the village while she brought a few dark guards to investigate the situation. According to the situation that Bao Zhaoshan said, Luo Ping would come in a carriage. Qingfeng led her men and quickly set up a roadblock in their path. A withered tree blocked the way, and Luo Ping¡¯s carriage was forced to stop. Qingfeng, who was lurking in the dark, shot a sharp arrow it went through the carriage. In the carriage, Luo Ping was shocked. ¡°There¡¯s an assassin! There¡¯s an assassin!¡± Very quickly, he crawled out of the carriage. Qingfeng instantly recognized that Lord Luo was Luo Ping, whose mother she had killed. Chapter 197 - 197 Theyre Just a Bunch of Lowly Peasants 197 They¡¯re Just a Bunch of Lowly Peasants Qingfeng lowered his eyes and waved his hand gently. The dark guards quickly retreated. Luo Ping was frightened. He thought that there would be an intense battle and was prepared to turn around and run. In the end, he hid among everyone and waited for a long time, but he did not see a single assassin. He was so angry that he was shocked and furious. For a moment, he did not know if he should continue to Youjia Village. If there was an ambush ahead, he would lose his life. The wealth that he had painstakingly exchanged for would have disappeared! When his gaze landed on the big tree in the middle of the road, the thought of retreating instantly disappeared. This withered tree was deliberately placed here to stop him from taking revenge. He had a feeling that if he did not go to Youjia Village now, he would definitely not be able to catch his enemy. His sense of hatred was intense, coupled with the scare just now. Luo Ping raised his head and ordered towards Gongbing, ¡°Move the trees away quickly and speed up. I suspect that the assassin is hiding in Youjia Village!¡± He had been worried about finding an excuse to kill everyone. Now it was just nice. He didn¡¯t have to make it up. The withered tree was moved away, and the team continued forward. Soon, Luo Ping arrived at Youjia Village. When he saw a village like the Peach Blossom Ridge, he was greatly surprised. He immediately cursed to himself, ¡°Damn it, a group of refugees are living even better than him.¡± He barged into the village, his face full of hostility. ¡°Search for the assassin now. Everyone, come out!¡± When Qingfeng returned, she had already brought all the villagers of Zhao Farmyard into the mountain. Luo Ping could not see them, so he naturally could not recognize them. Luo Ping had come with the refugee records. There were so many villagers that he had to check one by one. Of course, the first to be called were still Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao. As long as he recognized if these two were his enemies, he could capture the others in one swoop! He read out loudly, ¡°Where is Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao?¡± None of the thousands responded. Luo Ping was furious. He was even more certain that Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao might have escaped. He grabbed Cui Shize, who was in the lead, in anger. ¡°Let me ask you! Where are they? Did you hide the assassin? Let me tell you, hiding an assassin is a capital crime!¡± Luo Ping, this idiot, did not understand the law at all. Cui Shize looked at Luo Ping calmly. ¡°Sir, they¡¯ve just entered the mountain and haven¡¯t returned. Without any evidence, how can you be sure that they¡¯re assassins?¡± Luo Ping did not expect Cui Shize to not be afraid of him. His solemn tone made him sound more like a high-ranking official. The corners of his mouth curled up, and his gaze was gloomy, like a local hooligan. ¡°If I say they¡¯re assassins, they¡¯re assassins! If they don¡¯t return within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, I¡¯ll capture all of you!¡± At this point, Cui Shize still had a calm expression. Even the people behind him looked at him as if they were looking at a clown. There were thousands of them. Even if Luo Ping wanted to capture them, there was no place to imprison them, let alone kill all of them. They were tools used by King Chu to gain a good reputation. Luo Ping felt that he was being despised. He pointed at Cui Shize¡¯s nose and scolded, ¡°You don¡¯t believe me, do you! Just you wait.¡± He said to the guard, ¡°I¡¯ll light the incense now! I mean what I say!¡± The guards looked around. One of them said, ¡°There¡¯s no incense, sir.¡± Luo Ping looked at him coldly and roared like a mad dog, ¡°Go find it! Do you want me to deliver it to you personally?! Are you the Lord, or am I the Lord?!¡± The guard had no choice but to ask the villagers for an incense stick. The villagers returned home and gave them a meter-long incense stick. ¡°¡­¡± Luo Ping was dumbfounded. The villager said, ¡°There¡¯s no other incense.¡± He was so angry that he snapped off the incense until only a small section was left. ¡°It¡¯s useless no matter who plays tricks.¡± Yang Gongbing advised, ¡°Lord Luo, if word gets out, it will probably affect your reputation.¡± Luo Ping sneered. ¡°They¡¯re just a group of lowly people. Why would I be afraid of them?¡± He did not know how to be an official at all. With power, in his eyes, everyone who had a lower status than him had become inferior. Yang Gongbing¡¯s persuasion was fruitless. While he was worried, Luo Ping suddenly called someone¡¯s name. ¡°Gu Zhongxun! Come out!¡± Everyone suddenly looked up nervously, not knowing why he was looking for Doctor Gu. Lin Yue tightened his grip on the hidden weapon in his hand. Gu Zhongxun walked out of the crowd. Luo Ping sized him up and frowned when he saw that he was so young. ¡°Are you really Gu Zhongxun?¡± He thought that he would be a white-bearded old man in his seventies or eighties. Gu Zhongxun nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Could he treat Chu Mingxuan well at such a young age? Luo Ping¡¯s eyes were filled with doubt. Since Luo Ping was already here, Doctor Gu had to show him what he was capable of. If he didn¡¯t have the ability, he would be sent to prison for the rest of his life if he dared to fake Hua Tuo¡¯s reputation and cheat the commoners. Luo Ping brought Gu Zhongxun into the room and asked him to treat the four men. Qingfeng followed silently. Luo Ping said coldly, ¡°Take a good look at them. If you can treat them, you¡¯ll be rich. If you don¡¯t, jail food will be your food for the rest of your life.¡± Gu Zhongxun nodded slightly, giving off a warm feeling like the spring breeze. He was not afraid of him at all. It made Luo Ping involuntarily recall the day the flood happened. When Bai Wutong landed in front of him, it was as if a god was looking down on an ant. These people really deserved to die. The four patients Luo Ping brought had been impotent for many years. They had seen many famous doctors, but the doctors were helpless too. Luo Ping did not tell Gu Zhongxun what was wrong with them. If Gu Zhongxun could not even tell the illness, it was even more impossible to treat them. Gu Zhongxun took turns taking their pulse, but his expression was still calm. Luo Ping frowned and was about to ask Gu Zhongxun what illness they had when Gu Zhongxun said to one of them, ¡°Take off your pants. I¡¯ll take a look at you.¡± As soon as these words were spoken, Luo Ping¡¯s eyes lit up, and the displeasure on his face lessened. He had tested many doctors before and they could not even tell the illness. Gu Zhongxun was able to determine that they had a problem below at such a young age, which meant that he was really capable. He pointed at the patient. ¡°Take it off!¡± The patient took off his pants with practiced ease. Gu Zhongxun stared at it a few times, took out the silver needles for eating from his sleeve, and performed the acupuncture on the spot. Luo Ping did not expect him to treat the patient immediately. What did this mean? It meant that he was confident! Luo Ping approached excitedly. The patient¡¯s scalp turned numb when he saw him staring down at him with a smile. His toes almost pierced through the soles of his shoes. After Gu Zhongxun placed a few needles, the patient felt a heat coming from below. He looked over in disbelief. Before he could be happy for himself, Luo Ping grabbed his arm excitedly like a lunatic. ¡°It¡¯s moving! It¡¯s moving!¡± Those who didn¡¯t know better would think that he had moved his own one. Chapter 198 - 198 Who are Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao? 198 Who are Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao? These patients no longer had any hope in their lives. Seeing a miracle happening in front of them with their own eyes, the remaining three people immediately knelt on the ground and shouted excitedly at Gu Zhongxun, ¡°Holy doctor! Holy doctor! Please help treat us too!¡± They were afraid that Luo Ping, after knowing that Gu Zhongxun¡¯s medical skills were brilliant, would not let him treat them. Which man didn¡¯t want to live as a man? Now that such an opportunity was placed in front of them, if they lost it, they would be no different from a eunuch even if they were alife. Gu Zhongxun glanced at them. ¡°There¡¯s no hurry. I¡¯ll treat you immediately.¡± His calm demeanor mesmerized the patients. As expected of a holy doctor. Even his words were so sage-like and spiritual! Luo Ping was even more excited than them. He had first saved Chu Mingxuan¡¯s life, and now he had found Gu Zhongxun, who could save Chu Mingxuan¡¯s manhood, Chu Mingxuan would definitely value him more in the future. His status would definitely be unparalleled. When Chu Mingxuan ascended the throne and became the emperor, he would definitely become a supreme existence above everyone else! Just as Luo Ping was fantasizing about reaching the peak of his life, Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao were sitting on a towering tree and enjoying the scenery. As far as the eye could see, there was an endless forest. It was as if a land of green sea and a blue sky were connected. Soon, it would be sunset. The entire sky would be dyed blood-red, spectacular and beautiful. In the cool breeze, Bai Wutong exhaled contentedly. If not for the fact that Chu Tianbao knew qinggong, she would never have been able to reach such a height in her life. If only she knew qinggong too. She curled her lips and glanced over. Caught off guard, a cold face entered her eyes. Chu Tianbao looked at her for an unknown period of time, completely focused. It was as if she and he were the only ones left in the world. The ambiguous atmosphere made one blush unconsciously. Bai Wutong avoided his burning gaze. ¡°Why are you staring at me?¡± Chu Tianbao chuckled like a fool. ¡°My wife is beautiful!¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s heart beat rapidly. Afraid that she would fall off, she involuntarily hugged tighter around Chu Tianbao¡¯s waist. Chu Tianbao¡¯s strong heart was pounding, making Bai Wutong feel very at ease. Shyness flashed in her eyes. ¡°What nonsense are you saying? You look at me every day and you¡¯re not tired of it?¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s face was filled with bliss. ¡°Hehe, my wife is beautiful. I can look at you every day.¡± Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t help but look up and meet his serious expression. Her face started to burn even more. She quickly took out a toffee from her pocket and peeled off the wrapper to seal his mouth. Chu Tianbao tasted a rich milky taste. It was fragrant and smooth. The smile on his face became even wider and it spread. His cold face seemed to have been injected with a trace of spring water, and Bai Wutong was dazed by it. The light passed through the two of them, as if it was covered in a layer of ambiguous golden light. Chu Tianbao¡¯s gaze landed on her seductive red lips and he subconsciously leaned his head over. She grabbed his waist, and their heads were as close as their hearts. It was a gentle kiss, a confirmation of their feelings. She thought, even if Chu Tianbao regained his memories one day and wanted to leave her. She could also keep this sweet memory for a long time and bury it with her. Chu Tianbao seemed to sense the sudden sadness in her. His arms tightened around her. ¡°Wife, don¡¯t leave me.¡± She was stunned. At that moment, she seemed to feel that Chu Tianbao was different. She looked carefully. Tianbao deep eyes were still like a sheet of pure paper. It must have been her imagination just now. With a smile, she kissed his forehead. ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡± Coming to this world and meeting Chu Tianbao was probably her greatest blessing. Suddenly, Huang Zhong shouted from under the tree, ¡°Madam! Master! Where are you!¡± He had clearly smelled them and they were nearby, but he couldn¡¯t find anyone. She was curious why Huang Zhong had suddenly entered the mountain to look for them. She glanced at the rays of light that had just appeared in the sky and said regretfully, ¡°Tianbao, let¡¯s go down.¡± Chu Tianbao had yet to kiss his wife enough and was suddenly asked to leave. He looked at her reluctantly. How could she not know what he was thinking? The corners of her mouth curled up and she whispered, ¡°Next time.¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes lit up. He carried Bai Wutong and jumped down. Huang Zhong was a little anxious and shouted a few more times, ¡°Master, Madam!¡± Suddenly, his sensitive nose smelled something approaching rapidly. He looked up and saw Chu Tianbao carrying Bai Wutong like an immortal descending to the mortal world. No wonder he couldn¡¯t find anyone. They were on the top of a tree so high. As expected of Master and Madam, they knew how to play! Huang Zhong¡¯s gaze were filled with even greater admiration. ¡°Why are you in the mountains?¡± Her words reminded Huang Zhong. He quickly told him about Luo Ping coming to revenge. Bai Wutong lowered her eyes. She did not expect him to become a patrolman. The most important thing now was to rush back and understand the situation. Chu Tianbao used his qinggong and carried Bai Wutong on his back. Soon, they returned to the village. As soon as they returned, Qingfeng quickly exchanged information with her. Luo Ping had come here firstly to take revenge, and secondly to find a doctor to treat that kind of illness. Gu Zhongxun took the opportunity to take Luo Ping¡¯s pulse. Luo Ping did not have this illness. Moreover, he was now the Eldest Prince¡¯s subordinate and had the protection of the Eldest Prince¡¯s personal guards. He was secretly looking for a doctor, which meant that the person who was sick was very likely the Eldest Prince. The corners of Bai Wutong¡¯s mouth suddenly curled up. So what if he was a patrolman? If he wanted to lay his hands on them, let¡¯s see how she would deal with him. Bai Wutong looked at Qingfeng. ¡°Your Dark Guards Team has a secret medicine that can make people tell the truth, right?¡± Qingfeng nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Luo Ping had already confirmed the level of Gu Zhongxun¡¯s medical skills. If Gu Zhongxun focused on treating Chu Mingxuan, he would definitely recover. He asked someone to keep an eye on Gu Zhongxun. Only then did he remember the incense stick outside. He asked the guard, ¡°Is everyone here?¡± The guard nodded. ¡°Everyone¡¯s here.¡± Luo Ping frowned. ¡°Are Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao here too?¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± Luo Ping walked out. ¡°Who¡¯s Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao?¡± Bai Wutong stepped forward, revealing an astonishing face. It was pockmarked, with a garlic-shaped nose, droopy eyes, and yellow teeth. Chu Tianbao had a fierce face, narrowed eyes, thick lips, and a pointed nose. He was no different from an ordinary farmer. Bai Wutong had superb disguise skills. As long as she wanted to, Luo Ping could not see any flaws. Other than themselves, Village Chief Zhao and the others also dressed differently. Luo Ping remembered that Madam Bai had an astonishing red spot on her face, but her facial features were still decent. This woman was definitely not the Madam Bai he knew. Chu Tianbao¡¯s figure had also changed slightly. His originally handsome figure had become bloated. Luo Ping looked left and right. Chu Tianbao was different from the man in his memories. When his gaze landed on Qingfeng, who was dressed in female clothes, a familiar feeling suddenly flashed across his mind. However, when he noticed that there were no scars on her face, he was completely confused. Could it really not be them? Chapter 199 - 199 Im Scramming Back Now 199 I¡¯m Scramming Back Now Even if they were not his enemies, Luo Ping did not want to let them off so easily. Since they dared to ignore his orders, they would have to pay the price. Luo Ping said to Yang Gongbing, ¡°We haven¡¯t found the assassin yet. I suspect that they¡¯re hiding an assassin. Search!¡± It had taken everyone a lot of effort to disguise like this. Yang Gongbing said anxiously, ¡°Sir, you can¡¯t. They¡¯re all ordinary people who know their place. How can you barge into their houses casually!¡± Luo Ping lowered his eyes. ¡°Lord Yang, you¡¯re in cahoots with the assassins, right? I¡¯m just searching the assassins. I haven¡¯t done anything to them yet, and you¡¯re already so nervous.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just a patrolman. Can¡¯t I investigate a group of unidentified refugees?¡± He was completely unreasonable. Yang Gongbing clenched his fists and wished he could punch him and tell him to get lost. However, he could not. Once he did that, he would offend Chu Mingxuan. It would not be easy for Youjia village to continue living either. The thought made him feel as uncomfortable as if he had eaten a pile of shit. Luo Ping liked his expression. He gave the guards a look. The guards barged into the villagers¡¯ houses and beat them up. The home that everyone had worked so hard to set up was destroyed by them like this. The children burst into tears, and the adults were heartbroken. In order not to expose Bai Wutong and the rest, they endured it and did not have a conflict with this group of guards. When the villagers of Lintian Village saw this from the top of the mountain, they were excited and worried. If the Youjia villagers were in trouble, what would happen to their fruits next year? Seeing how they were all suppressing themselves, Luo Ping thought that they were all afraid and felt very happy. See, this was what happens when you offended him. When Chu Tianbao saw a guard walking towards their house, his gaze turned cold. Bai Wutong grabbed his arm, and Chu Tianbao met her gaze that was signalling to stop and he was puzzled. Soon, the entire village was ruined by them. Luo Ping finally calmed down and got someone to tie Gu Zhongxun up and stuff him into the carriage. When Luo Ping took Gu Zhongxun away, the villagers surrounded nervously. ¡°Will Doctor Gu be alright?¡± ¡°Why did he take Doctor Gu away?¡± Gu Zhongxun was a very important core figure in the entire village. Everyone was very worried. ¡°They probably took Doctor Gu away to treat an illness. Doctor Gu¡¯s medical skills are brilliant, so he¡¯ll definitely be fine. He¡¯ll be back after some time.¡± Bai Wutong consoled them. Hearing this, everyone felt much more at ease. They immediately became worried again. ¡°I wonder when Doctor Gu will return?¡± If they had to treat him for more than ten years, or if the illness could not be treated, with Luo Ping being such a ferocious person, wouldn¡¯t they never see Doctor Gu again? Their relaxed hearts instantly tensed up again. Some of the elderly even cried and prayed to the heavens. ¡°Doctor Gu is a kind person. The heavens will bless the kind. He will definitely be fine.¡± Bai Wutong looked in the direction Gu Zhongxun had been taken away and seemed to promise, ¡°Yes.¡± After recovering from their sadness, everyone went back to clean up the mess. Chu Tianbao entered and saw that many things in their house were broken and many things were missing. He was so angry that he punched the door frame. ¡°Bang¡ª¡± A hole appeared in the door. Bai Wutong was speechless. Chu Tianbao: ¡°¡­Wife, I didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡± Bai Wutong sighed. ¡°I know. Let¡¯s find someone to repair it tomorrow.¡± Chu Tianbao nodded gloomily. ¡­ After returning to Woqian Town, Luo Ping instructed Yang Gongbing to prepare a table of good wine and tea. He even asked Yang Gongbing to go to the brothel to find two girls for him. Yang Gongbing left angrily. Seeing that Yang Gongbing dared to give him a hard time, Luo Ping smashed his wine glass and cursed, ¡°Why are you pretending to be virtuous! Bullsh*t!¡± He then instructed the guards, ¡°Find a few beautiful girls for me and bring them over now.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± As soon as the guard left, the dark guard who had secretly followed them back knocked Luo Ping unconscious. A dark guard took off Luo Ping¡¯s clothes and changed into them. At this moment, if anyone came in, they would realize that there were two Luo Pings in the room. Although it was a face that Bai Wutong had created at the last minute, as long as one did not look closely, one could basically not see any difference between the two of them. After feeding Luo Ping some drug and tying and stuffing him into the wardrobe, the fake Luo Ping sat at the table and waited for the guards to return. A moment later, the guard returned. Moreover, he had brought back three women from the brothel. They were a little afraid but also expectant for the lord to take a fancy to them. If they were liked, they could have risen up the ranks to become phoenixes. Unexpectedly, the lord only glanced at them and pointed at their noses as if he had gone crazy after drinking too much. ¡°Get lost! Tell them to get lost now!¡± The guard did not understand. They had just arrived. Why were they being told to get lost? The three brothel women were shocked and quickly knelt down to beg for mercy. ¡°Sir, did we do something wrong?¡± ¡°Pa¡ª¡± The fake Luo Ping smashed a cup. Accompanied by the sound of the cup shattering, the guards hurriedly dragged the three women who had just arrived out of the Yang residence. When Liu Shaoting heard the commotion, she looked at Yang Gongbing resentfully. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t have let them stay here in the first place.¡± Yang Gongbing¡¯s good reputation must have also gone bad because of him. Yang Gongbing did not expect Luo Ping to be such a person. After this time¡¯s lesson, he would definitely not bring him home next time. After the women from the brothel were sent away, the fake Luo Ping drank again and again. With a clang, the bottle was thrown to the ground. The fake Luo Ping pointed at one of the guards and said with a strong smell of alcohol, ¡°Go! Bring me the doctor!¡± Gu Zhongxun was brought over by a guard. The fake Luo Ping staggered and personally closed the door. After the door closed. Gu Zhongxun met the eyes of the fake Luo Ping. Everyone tacitly began to act. After a while, the fake Luo Ping¡¯s angry shout suddenly came from the room. ¡°Quack doctor! You quack doctor! Get lost!¡± ¡°Sir, I¡ªI¡ª¡± ¡°Get lost! Get the hell out! If I see you treating people again, I¡¯ll chop off your hands!¡± As he said that, more clangs came from the room. ¡°Bang¡ª¡± Gu Zhongxun was kicked out of the door by the angry fake Luo Ping and rolled down the steps. The guards looked at each other. They did not understand why Gu Zhongxun, who was treated like a precious gem previously, suddenly became a quack and was chased away. Gu Zhongxun got up from the ground and rubbed his lower back. It was obvious that he had been kicked a little hard. He looked at the guards in a sorry state, cupped his hands, and limped away. Lord Yang, who had rushed over after hearing the commotion, held him. ¡°Doctor Gu, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Gu Zhongxun sighed. ¡°Lord Luo told me to get lost. I¡¯m going back now.¡± Yang Gongbing¡¯s eyes lit up. His wife was still worried that Gu Zhongxun would not return. He originally planned to arrange for Gu Zhongxun to rest in another room for the night, but he was afraid that Luo Ping would act up and take him away again. He hurriedly said, ¡°Doctor Gu, wait a moment. I¡¯ll prepare a carriage for you and send you back to Youjia Village.¡± Chapter 200 - 200 The Eldest Prince is Actually a Eunuch! 200 The Eldest Prince is Actually a Eunuch! Under Yang Gongbing¡¯s arrangements, Gu Zhongxun quickly got into the carriage to return to Youjia Village. He rubbed his butt in the car and cried out in pain. If he hadn¡¯t rolled skillfully, it would probably hurt even more. It was late at night, but the villagers of Youjia Village were still busy repairing the tables, chairs and future that could still be used after being smashed by the guards. The few families who had lost their silver and jewelry were even noisier. The damage to Bai Wutong¡¯s house was also huge. Fortunately, she had put all the precious things into the RV space, so they were not plundered by the guards. The kite that Chu Tianbao and Bai Wutong had made in the spring was also taken down from the wall by the guards. They threw it on the ground and stomped it to pieces. Chu Tianbao was very sad. He did not understand why his wife did not let him deal with those people when he could have done so. He was repairing the kite in the study seriously, but even if he repaired the broken kite, it would not be as good as before. Bai Wutong opened the study door and saw him staring at the kite in a daze, like a child who had grown up with something to worry about. She walked over and sat beside him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong Tianbao? Is it because of the kite? We¡¯ll just make another one next year.¡± Chu Tianbao shook his head and replied gloomily, ¡°No.¡± Guessing some of his thoughts, she took his large hand gently. ¡°Is Tianbao very angry with those people?¡± Chu Tianbao looked at Bai Wutong, his eyes dark. ¡°Yes, but there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡± He was angry with himself. He had a feeling he could do it. Bai Wutong hugged him and comforted him. ¡°Tianbao, there are some things in this world that can¡¯t be resolved with force.¡± They were just a group of ordinary people. No matter how powerful their martial arts were, they could not withstand the threat of power. Chu Tianbao nodded as if he understood. ¡°Then if I don¡¯t use martial arts, how can I deal with them?¡± Bai Wutong looked at him and smiled brightly. ¡°Study. As long as you study hard, you can become smart and easily defeat thousands of troops and schemes.¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes lit up. He promised, ¡°I¡¯ll definitely study hard and become very smart. I won¡¯t let anyone bully my wife.¡± Bai Wutong kissed his forehead. ¡°Okay.¡± Suddenly, an excited voice came from the village. ¡°Doctor Gu is back! Doctor Gu is back!¡± Everyone surrounded him immediately and asked Gu Zhongxun if he was alright. Doctor Gu smiled and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I was called a quack and was chased back.¡± Hearing Gu Zhongxun being called a quack, the villagers were indignant. ¡°Those dog officials are really blind.¡± Suddenly, everyone smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s good too. Doctor Gu will be safe since he is back. Those dog officials are not a good person!¡± Gu Zhongxun was touched that the villagers were so concerned about him. After exchanging pleasantries, he quickly found Bai Wutong and reported the current progress of the dark guards to her. Bai Wutong nodded. Soon, Luo Ping would suffer the consequences of his own actions. A few days later, the fake Luo Ping appeared in Luochuan Prefecture. The prefect, You Huaijie, welcomed him warmly and even held a lively and grand welcoming banquet for him. There were dozens of tables of guests who all presented with generous gifts. The fake Luo Ping did not refuse anyone. On the other side, Luo Ping, who had been drugged with truth medicine, was quietly brought into the residence by the dark guards. His gaze were blank now, and he looked delirious. He looked no different from a drunk. Once someone asked him a question, he would spill out all the secrets he wanted to keep, as though he had met a close friend. The fake Luo Ping staggered and slipped away with the excuse of going to the toilet. The real Luo Ping was sent to the banquet by the dark guards. A large group of high-ranking officials and nobles who wanted to curry favor with Luo Ping immediately surrounded him when they saw him. ¡°My admiration for you is like a surging river. It¡¯s really my honor to see you today!¡± Luo Ping¡¯s empty eyes suddenly lit up. Looking at the fat and smiley faces, he suddenly reached out and slapped everyone present. The originally lively scene fell silent. Even the maidservants held their breaths. The official who had been beaten up was stunned. He reacted for a long time before saying with an ugly expression, ¡°Sir, are you drunk? I¡¯ll send you back to your room to rest.¡± The servant received You Huaijie¡¯s hint and braced himself to support Luo Ping. Unexpectedly, Luo Ping actually went crazy. He pressed the servant down and raised his hand to beat him up. He even muttered, ¡°So what if it¡¯s the Eldest Prince! I¡¯m still the Jade Emperor! He¡¯s a eunuch and a cripple, but he still wants to be the emperor. What a joke!¡± ¡°Hahaha¡ªwhat a huge joke!¡± Luo Ping¡¯s shocking words after being drunk made the guests tremble in fear. What did they hear! The Eldest Prince was actually impotent! For a moment, they wished they could turn back time so that they had never attended this banquet. However, it was impossible to turn back time. Luo Ping even said even more arrogantly in their ears, ¡°The Eldest Prince is a eunuch! So what if King Chu has a country? His son is a eunuch! Hahahaha¡ª¡± You Huaijie trembled. If they knew that the Eldest Prince was a eunuch, would they be silenced? What should they do now? You Huaijie didn¡¯t want to die, and neither did the guests. The only way was to shut everyone up. Before he could give the order to stop Luo Ping¡¯s mouth, he shouted as if he had taken a crazy pill, ¡°The Eldest Prince is a eunuch! The world is about to be handed over to a eunuch. Hahaha, no matter how powerful King Chu is, he will still be useless even if he gives birth to a son!!!¡± You Huaijie said angrily, ¡°Catch him!¡± The guards went to capture Luo Ping. The dark guards hiding in the dark quietly dealt with the guards for Luo Ping. Luo Ping took the opportunity to push open the door and stand on the busy street. He laughed crazily. ¡°The Eldest Prince is a eunuch. He gave me an official position to help him find a doctor to treat his impotence! Hahaha, what¡¯s the use of treating him? He¡¯s not even as thick as my finger.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t King Chu give me the throne? At least I can give birth to a son!¡± The commoners on the street were dumbfounded. Was this true? Looking at Luo Ping¡¯s impressive official robe and hat, there was an 80% chance that it was true. You Huaijie sent someone to chase after him again. But he saw that the commoners had already heard him. Realizing that the situation had escalated, You Huaijie said angrily, ¡°He¡¯s a lunatic. He¡¯s spouting nonsense! Whoever dares to spread rumors about the royal family will be executed immediately!¡± Luo Ping was tied up and even laughed crazily. ¡°I¡¯m not a lunatic. I¡¯m Luo Ping! I¡¯m the patrol officer whose title was personally conferred by the Eldest Prince! I¡¯ll kill whoever dares to tie me up! When I help the Eldest Prince give birth to a son, I¡¯ll be the emperor¡¯s father! Hahaha, the entire country is mine! Mine!¡± Luo Ping kept mentioning that the Eldest Prince was a eunuch and looked drunk. It was obvious that he was drunk and had exposed the matter. On the surface, the commoners listened to You Huaijie¡¯s orders and did not dare to speak. But they were all roaring excitedly in their hearts. The Eldest Prince was actually a eunuch!!! Chapter 201 - 201 Wife, Theres One Here! 201 Wife, There¡¯s One Here! Luo Ping was locked in the dungeon by You Huaijie. All the servants who had heard the royal family¡¯s secret should also have been prosecuted. However, the citizens in the city also knew about it. It was useless for You Huaijie to execute the people now. He could only pray that what happened that day would not reach the ears of King Chu or the Eldest Prince. Otherwise, even if he survived, his career as an official would be over. You Huaijie glared at Luo Ping, who was sleeping soundly. He was so angry that he wanted to stab him. If you can¡¯t keep your mouth shut, why are you f***ing drinking! He stomped on the cell door and left the dungeon. Behind him, Luo Ping snored like thunder. Every prefecture city had a spy for King Chu. The Eldest Prince had his own people also planted in every city to gather information. Even if the commoners did not dare to discuss it on the surface, who would not mention it to their family in private? Soon, Chu Mingxuan, who was far away in the Imperial City, received the news. In his anger, all the expensive supplies in the entire house were smashed to pieces by him. He did not even feel any pain when his hand was injured and bleeding. After Chu Mingxuan vented, his eyes were red, like a demon from hell, as he tore the letter into pieces. ¡°Dismember that dog Luo Ping! Whoever dares to talk about it in private will be executed!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Luo Ping woke up in the prison and scolded the jailers, ¡°I¡¯m a patrol officer! How dare you lock me up? Do you want to die?!¡± His mind was blank. He couldn¡¯t remember anything he had done during this time. The jailer ignored him. Luo Ping was a piece of shit now. Anyone who touched him would become ¡°shit.¡± Seeing that the jailer was ignoring him, Luo Ping cursed even harder. Little did he know that soon, it would be his death. Luo Ping had been starved in prison for three days and was on his last breath. Finally, the cell door opened. He opened his eyes, expecting to have a bite to eat. However, he was dragged to the square. There were people gathered around. Before his starved mind could react, the rope was tightened around his hands, feet, and neck. Then, five horses were led over. Hearing the horses neigh, Luo Ping suddenly realized that they were going to dismember him! The cold guard said, ¡°Release!¡± The horse was released. Luo Ping¡¯s eyes widened in fear. He used the remaining energy from his body as he shouted at the sky, ¡°No! I¡¯m the patrol officer! I¡¯m the Eldest Prince¡¯s subordinate. You can¡¯t treat me like this!¡± ¡°Pa¡ª¡± With a whip, the horses ran in all directions. ¡°Ahhhhhh¡ª¡± The scream echoed through the square. Blood splattered. Ropes snapped. The scream stopped. The commoners could not bear to look at him and lowered their heads. This move was very effective. In the entire Luochuan Prefecture, the commoners did not dare to mention the matter in private anymore. However, Chu Mingxuan was still anxious. He did not know if King Chu had already heard about it. Whether he had heard or not, he had to marry a second consort immediately to prove himself! At the same time, he was even more careful when sending someone to find a doctor. ¡­ Bai Wutong was very envious of Chu Tianbao and the others for knowing qinggong, so she asked Qingfeng to teach her. She tied a few kilograms of sandbags around her legs and stood on a wooden stake the size of an apple. Under the sun, she stood on one foot. Even though she could change her feet during this period, she was still exhausted. During her first time practicing it, she could not last for an hour. By now, she could last the entire afternoon and had made tremendous improvement. Of course, this was also thanks to Qingfeng transferring her inner energy every day. Cui Lingyi was eating snacks and drinking honey tea at the side. She sighed in enjoyment and said to Cui Muzhi, who was at another pillar, ¡°You have to last for two hours today.¡± With Bai Wutong learning qinggong, it brought about a wave of martial arts training in the village. Cui Muzhi was one of them. His master was Lan Jingbai, but he kept making excuses, saying that he was too lonely practicing alone and could not persevere, so Cui Lingyi dragged him to Bai Wutong¡¯s place. Bai Wutong¡¯s astonishing perseverance indeed gave him a lot of motivation. It was originally difficult for her to last for half an hour, but she actually lasted for an hour the day before. Cui Muzhi looked at the tea in Cui Lingyi¡¯s hand and smacked his dry lips. He exaggerated in grief, ¡°If you want me to last an hour, you have to kill me!¡± Cui Lingyi raised her eyebrows. ¡°Look at Little Phoenix! Then look at you. How can a man be so short-sighted!¡± Cui Muzhi turned his head and saw that there were many more sandbags tied to her legs compared to his. Her weak and slender body had been staying motionless for so long. Cui Muzhi felt driven. All of a sudden, his body was filled with explosive perseverance as he looked ahead firmly. No matter how persistent he was, he still fell off the wooden stake because of his lack of stamina. Fortunately, he was caught by Lan Jingbai. Cui Lingyi clapped her hands to congratulate him. ¡°Not bad. If you last for nearly two hours today, you can try four hours tomorrow!¡± When Cui Muzhi heard this, he immediately collapsed into Lan Jingbai¡¯s arms. ¡°I¡¯m dead. I¡¯m already dead.¡± He looked like he had completely given up. Bai Wutong, who was focused on practicing her foundation skills, was amused by him. The sun above her had set to the back of the house. Her clothes had already soaked in sweat. At this point, it was already her limit. She glanced at the time in the space. Great. She had improved by five minutes since the day before. Although it was only five minutes, it was enough to satisfy her. Her legs went weak as she tried to get off the wooden stake. As soon as Qingfeng reached out, she was picked up by Chu Tianbao. He looked happy and said impatiently, ¡°Wife, I¡¯ve already filled the bath. We can go take a shower now.¡± Cui Lingyi was speechless. Qingfeng: ¡°¡­¡± Cui Muzhi: ¡°¡­¡± Bai Wutong hurriedly covered Chu Tianbao¡¯s mouth and glanced at the others with a red face. Cui Lingyi coughed lightly. ¡°Muzhi, we should go home and eat.¡± Cui Muzhi nodded repeatedly. ¡°Ah ah ah, yes, yes, yes!!! Jingbai, carry me back quickly!¡± Qingfeng followed them. Everyone was obviously going back much faster that day. It was as if they wer afraid of being forced to watch more lovey-dovey act from them. Bai Wutong glared at Chu Tianbao. ¡°It¡¯s me bathing! Not us! Also, don¡¯t say such things in front of everyone in the future!¡± Chu Tianbao blinked innocently, as if he didn¡¯t think there was anything wrong with his words. However, he still had to listen to his wife. He nodded obediently and asked excitedly, ¡°Wife, are you going to wash up now? We can eat after that.¡± Then he could give his wife a massage. Thinking of this, Chu Tianbao¡¯s gaze landed on the front of Bai Wutong, and the heat in his eyes gradually rose. Her entire body was sticky now. Although she didn¡¯t have much strength, she still wanted to take a hot shower first. She nodded, and Chu Tianbao carried her to the bathroom. He even prepared the pajamas she wanted to wear. Just as she thought that she did not have any underwear and was about to go upstairs to get them herself, Chu Tianbao noticed her gaze and immediately understood. He reached out and handed her a piece of panties. He even said excitedly, ¡°Wife, there¡¯s one here!¡± Bai Wutong was speechless. Chapter 202 - 202 Wife, You Smell Good 202 Wife, You Smell Good Her entire body turned red. She glared at the happy Chu Tianbao angrily and snatched her underwear. ¡°You don¡¯t have to help me prepare this in the future!¡± Chu Tianbao blinked his big innocent eyes, his black eyes filled with confusion. ¡°Wife, you can help me take it too!¡± Wasn¡¯t it only right for him to help his wife prepare? Bai Wutong said angrily, ¡°If I say there¡¯s no need, there¡¯s no need! Get out quickly. I want to take a shower!¡± Chu Tianbao spread his hands, as if saying, ¡°Wife, why are you so strange?¡±. Chu Tianbao was pushed out by Bai Wutong. The misty bathroom suddenly fell silent. Staring at the panties in her hand, she was speechless. She muttered softly, ¡°Stupid Tianbao, pfft~¡± Thinking of his matter-of-fact expression, she couldn¡¯t help but laugh. She had just taken off her clothes and had yet to enter the bathtub. ¡°Bang¡ª¡± Chu Tianbao pushed the door open and entered. ¡°Wife, I forgot to sprinkle petals.¡± Bai Wutong was speechless. Chu Tianbao was dumbfounded. His exquisite Adam¡¯s apple moved, and his eyes emitted a laser light, as if he was about to pounce over in the next second. The next moment, Bai Wutong reacted to it and wrapped a white bath towel around her, revealing her long snow-white legs. Chu Tianbao was still staring, his eyes fixed on her. Bai Wutong clenched her fists and gritted her teeth. ¡°Chu Tianbao! Have you seen enough!¡± Chu Tianbao said in a daze, ¡°No.¡± ¡°Bang¡ª¡± Before he could see enough, Chu Tianbao was chased out of the door. However, in an instant, the petals in his hand were also taken away by her. The door separated him from his wife. Thinking of the beautiful scene just now, Chu Tianbao swallowed his saliva. How could his wife be so fair? Covering her pounding heart, Bai Wutong pretended to be calm and sprinkled the petals into the bathtub. However, Chu Tianbao¡¯s dumbfounded reaction kept flashing in her mind. Her face was flushed as if she was drunk. She hit the water angrily. She wondered if he did it on purpose! After putting away the petals and entering the bathtub, she subconsciously glanced at the door lock, afraid that Chu Tianbao would ¡°accidentally¡± barge in again. The water temperature was suitable, and the fatigue in her body dissipated a lot. When she came out of the water, Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes lit up when he heard the commotion at the door. He immediately went to the kitchen to bring out food from the steamer and placed it on the table. As long as she came out, she would be able to eat delicious food immediately. After dinner, he would be able to massage his wife. Thinking of the massage, the smile on Chu Tianbao¡¯s face deepened. Bai Wutong opened the bathroom door and instantly met Chu Tianbao¡¯s big sparkling eyes. Sensing his gaze on something, her ears turned red. She bit her lip and reached out to block his eyes. ¡°Where are you looking!¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s vision darkened, but he smelled the unique fragrance on his wife¡¯s body. He didn¡¯t answer her question. ¡°My wife smells so good.¡± He was so foolish and naive. There was nothing she could do about him. She glared at him and let go. ¡°If you dare to look around when you¡¯re out, I¡¯ll dig your eyes out and hang them on the wall.¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes widened. His wife was so ferocious. She actually wanted to dig out Tianbao¡¯s eyes and hang them on the wall! Seeing that he had believed her, the corners of her mouth curled up. ¡°Let¡¯s eat!¡± Chu Tianbao followed obediently, but he was thinking in his heart. His wife only told him not to look around outside. He could look around as he pleased at home. Chu Tianbao only knew how to cook some home-cooked dishes, but he made them very seriously. It was almost the same taste as what she usually made. After dinner, it was Chu Tianbao¡¯s favorite segment¡ªmassage his fragrant and soft wife! Qingfeng and the others had been practicing their foundation skills since they could remember. Bai Wutong only started practising it so her body reactions were slower. When she first practiced, she could not even straighten her back the next day. Chu Tianbao gave her a massage and imitated Qingfeng to inject inner energy into her. The fatigue in her body would quickly dissipate, and she would even feel refreshed the next day after cultivating. Therefore, Bai Wutong decisively included massage in her daily plan. Chu Tianbao was never tired of this. He was even more enthusiastic than when he went out to play with Stinky. While Chu Tianbao was cooking, Bai Wutong took the initiative to wash the dishes. Just as she picked up the bowl and before she could clean it up, Chu Tianbao swept across the entire table like a whirlwind. He also placed the empty bowl from her hand in the sink and washed it. In less than five minutes, he stood in front of her again as if by magic. His face was filled with joy. ¡°I¡¯m done, wife.¡± For a moment, she was in a daze. It was as if she had returned to the modern world and bought a powerful housekeeping robot. Chu Tianbao eagerly picked her up and carried her to the room. He closed the door and placed her on the bed. The next second, his hand reached for her waist. His series of actions were smooth and perfect. Chu Tianbao slowly approached, his handsome face inches from hers. Bai Wutong¡¯s face turned red. She felt that her housekeeping robot seemed to provide a wide range of functions. Still, it was damn hard to refuse. After many days of practice, Chu Tianbao¡¯s technique was already perfect. With just a squeeze of her shoulder, she felt her bones go limp. All the cells in her body were shouting, ¡°It feels so good. Again!¡± She flipped her hair and naturally leaned over, giving Chu Tianbao her back. His hands seemed to have magic. As he massaged her back, her eyelids began to bat furiously after a while. Cultivation was really too tiring. She closed her eyes and Chu Tianbao heard her breathing steadily. His gaze fell on a section of snow-white skin exposed under her clothes, and the scene from before surged into his mind. Excitement flashed across Chu Tianbao¡¯s deep eyes, and his hand subconsciously¡­ Bai Wutong frowned slightly and snorted, as if she was a little dissatisfied. Chu Tianbao was so frightened that he quickly retracted his hand. She turned over, and her clothes scattered even more. Chu Tianbao had only secretly touched it when Bai Wutong was sleeping at night. The candle on the wall was still lit. Like a sleeping beauty, she lay defenseless in front of him, as if he could do whatever he wanted. Chu Tianbao was immediately ignited. He secretly and carefully leaned down and kissed her on the lips. His handsome face was filled with the joy of reaching heaven. As he kissed her, he felt that something was wrong. He quickly turned out the lights and carried her under the covers. Although it was already early autumn, the weather was still hot. In her dream, Bai Wutong was roasted on the stove. She opened her eyes in discomfort. In an instant, the touch of real skin against each other shocked all the nerves in her brain. Her eyes widened. Why were her clothes gone!!! Also! What was Chu Tianbao doing with his head lowered?! She suddenly grabbed Chu Tianbao¡¯s head, her face filled with anger. ¡°What are you doing!!!¡± Chu Tianbao just wanted to hug her. He really didn¡¯t want to do anything. He was forced to raise his head. The contours of his perfect handsome face ran all the way down his slender neck, exquisite collarbones, tight chest muscles¡­ In the moonlight, he looked like a seductive demoness that could make people commit crimes. She was stunned. Chu Tianbao was actually naked!!! Chapter 203 - 203 Wife, do you despise me? 203 Wife, do you despise me? Shocked, she quickly let go and stuffed herself under the blanket. In the end, she accidentally pulled too much blanket over. Chu Tianbao arched his back, and the perfect outline of his back surfaced like a mermaid under the moon. It was worth it to take another look at such a peerless body figure. She wanted to block it for him, but her eyes gestured for her not to. It was not until Chu Tianbao sat up that her eyes were stunned by the sight and her heart beat violently that she hurriedly covered him under the blanket. They were under the dark blanket, their faces to each other, their breaths touching. The temperature was even hotter. Time passed minute by minute. Chu Tianbao slowly approached Bai Wutong. When the warm, soft touch landed on her lips, her heart skipped a beat. She hooked her arms around his neck. A moment later, the bulging blanket collapsed. She was dizzy from the kiss and felt even hotter like a volcano. She thought to herself that she would definitely let Chu Tianbao move out to sleep the next day. If this continued, it would be too easy to go wrong. The next day, Chu Tianbao secretly found Gu Zhongxun, who was preparing to go up the mountain to pick herbs. Gu Zhongxun was about to leave when Huang Zhong was already waiting outside. Chu Tianbao¡¯s sudden appearance almost scared his soul out of his body. Gu Zhongxun looked at Tianbao clearly before summoning his soul back. ¡°Why is Master looking for me?¡± It was not the day for Chu Tianbao to have his acupuncture. Chu Tianbao said, ¡°Help me treat it.¡± He had gone too far the night before. Bai Wutong had chased him out in the middle of the night. Gu Zhongxun followed his gaze and was stunned. No way! No way! Master looked young and strong. It shouldn¡¯t be to that extent! After Gu Zhongxun was shocked, he hurriedly put down the basket on his back and took Chu Tianbao¡¯s pulse. The touch made him look even more shocked. Chu Tianbao was actually still a virgin! Seeing Gu Zhongxun¡¯s strange expression, Chu Tianbao thought that this illness was not easy to treat. He asked worriedly, ¡°Can¡¯t you treat it?¡± Gu Zhongxun recovered from his shock and hurriedly said, ¡°No, Master, there¡¯s nothing wrong with you. You don¡¯t need to be treated.¡± Chu Tianbao frowned. ¡°Impossible! I¡¯m clearly sick! My wife said that it¡¯s bad.¡± Gu Zhongxun: ¡°¡­¡± Gu Zhongxun took a long time to formulate the right words. ¡°This is a normal reaction.¡± Chu Tianbao was confused. ¡°Normal reaction?¡± Gu Zhongxun¡¯s face turned red, and his eyes were filled with awkwardness and embarrassment. He did not dare to say anything else about the private matters of Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao. He was also afraid that Chu Tianbao would ask any random person, so he hurriedly said, ¡°Master is in good health. There¡¯s no problem anywhere. As long as you look for Madam, everything will be resolved.¡± Chu Tianbao frowned. His wife had seen it so many times but he still had not been cured. It shouldn¡¯t be working. Chu Tianbao left unhappily. Gu Zhongxun had just heaved a sigh of relief when Chu Tianbao barged in again. He grabbed his arm and said excitedly, ¡°Then come with me to find my wife. Tell her that it¡¯s a normal reaction! Let her treat me!¡± He had wanted Bai Wutong to treat him many times. His wife had always been fierce to him and even chased him out last night. Gu Zhongxun almost choked on his saliva. How could he say such a thing in front of Madam? Gu Zhongxun said with resistance, ¡°No! No!¡± Gu Zhongxun was afraid that Chu Tianbao would carry him away, so he hurriedly hugged the door tightly. ¡°Master, don¡¯t make things difficult for me, okay? I really can¡¯t go!¡± Seeing that he would rather die than submit, Chu Tianbao could only go back and look for Bai Wutong. Seeing that he had returned after not going out for long, Bai Wutong asked curiously, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you look for Stinky?¡± Chu Tianbao sat beside her and peeled peanuts with her. He stole a glance at her and said, ¡°Wife, I went to look for Doctor Gu.¡± Her hand paused, thinking that he was going to say that he had secretly gone to look for Gu Zhongxun to perform acupuncture on him that night. She looked at him and waited for him to continue. Chu Tianbao leaned closer and said, ¡°Wife, Doctor Gu said that my reaction was normal.¡± ¡°Pa¡ª¡± The peanuts in her hand was crushed. She stared at him in a daze. Chu Tianbao said expectantly, ¡°Doctor Gu said that I¡¯m not sick. As long as my wife treats me, I can resolve it! Then can I not go out to sleep?¡± Finally, she reacted and asked in shock, ¡°You went to ask Doctor Gu about this?¡± Chu Tianbao nodded like a chick pecking at rice. Bai Wutong¡¯s face instantly turned red. ¡°How can you ask him this!?¡± Chu Tianbao was a little confused. ¡°Didn¡¯t my wife say it was bad?¡± At that time, she was so fierce and even chased him out. Chu Tianbao felt so aggrieved. Bai Wutong was simply¡­ speechless. If Chu Tianbao asked Gu Zhongxun about this, Gu Zhongxun would definitely know that they did not share a room. She was so embarrassed that she wished she could crawl underground. She glared at Chu Tianbao. She was originally angry, but she had to fulfill his wish. ¡°Sleep with Xiaobai tonight!¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s face instantly darkened. He said sadly, ¡°Wife, are you despising me and unwilling to treat me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Treat my ass! Chu Tianbao looked at her. ¡°Wife ~¡± This move was useless. She was very angry now. She picked up the dustpan and locked Chu Tianbao outside. ¡°¡­¡± Chu Tianbao stood quietly outside the door. Xiaobai squatted beside him and licked its claws leisurely. After licking them clean, it looked at Chu Tianbao pitifully and crawled into the dog hole at the side. Chu Tianbao looked even more miserable. The wind blew. Chu Tianbao was so desperate and sad. Then, he used his qinggong and slipped into the room from the second floor. Knowing he could come in, she glanced sideways at him and ignored him. Chu Tianbao had just decided that it was fine if his wife did not treat him, but he must not sleep with Xiaobai!!! Chu Tianbao sat beside her with his handsome face and said fawningly, ¡°Wife, can I not go out to sleep tonight?¡± She glanced at him. ¡°Give me a reason.¡± Chu Tianbao immediately promised, ¡°I¡¯ll definitely be obedient. If my wife doesn¡¯t let me move, I won¡¯t move.¡± She followed his gaze and looked away as if she had been electrocuted. She coughed awkwardly. ¡°Are you really going to be obedient? What if you¡¯re not?¡± Chu Tianbao thought for a moment. ¡°Wife, tie me up!¡± ¡°¡­You really thought of a good idea.¡± Chu Tianbao was still very proud and said smugly, ¡°I¡¯ll prepare the rope now!¡± An image that needed to be censored immediately appeared in her mind. She hurriedly stopped him. ¡°There¡¯s no need!¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes widened in joy. ¡°Wife ~¡± Embarrassment flashed across her face. She pretended to be fierce and said, ¡°Since you¡¯re going to be obedient, come back and sleep! But you¡¯re not allowed to take off my clothes! And you¡¯re not allowed to take off your clothes! Do you hear me!¡± Chu Tianbao immediately picked her up happily. ¡°I understand. Wife, you¡¯re the best ~¡± After being chased out last night and after a miserable midnight, Chu Tianbao felt very satisfied as long as he could sleep beside his wife. Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 204 - 204 Wife, I Promise You 204 Wife, I Promise You The Qinghe Hall in the village, which was sponsored by the 30 families of Qinghe, had finally completed its construction. Under the supervision of Bai Wutong, Chu Tianbao had already finished learning the Three Character Classic, Hundred Family Names, and other basic books. She planned to send him to school to study with the Qinghe students. Even if Chu Tianbao could not recover his memories, he would become more mature every day and return to the level of a normal person. She was going to make him a school bag and a stationery bag. Chu Tianbao lay on the bed and stared at her sewing. ¡°Wife, can¡¯t you go to school with me?¡± In this world, men were superior to women. Women could not go to school, and he had never heard of a precedent of women going to school. If she wanted to go, Yang Quanzi would definitely not stop her. However, she did not have the ambition to become the female top scholar. If she had anything to ask, she could just ask Yang Quanzi or Cui Lingyi in private. She smiled and said, ¡°Only Tianbao needs to go. Wife still has to cultivate at home.¡± Chu Tianbao moved closer to her. ¡°Muzhi said that you can also learn martial arts at the school.¡± He really wanted her to go with him. The corners of her mouth curled up. ¡°Are they as good as Qingfeng?¡± Qingfeng¡¯s martial arts were second only to Chu Tianbao¡¯s, but Chu Tianbao did not know how to teach her. Moreover, his heart ached for Bai Wutong. He did not want her to suffer at all during the training. Qingfeng was different. She was extremely strict with Bai Wutong. Every time the close combat training ended, Bai Wutong would be covered in injuries. Chu Tianbao would cry every time he applied medicine on her. Chu Tianbao pouted. ¡°She¡¯s too fierce.¡± The corners of her mouth curled up. ¡°A strict teacher will teach well. Tianbao will understand in the future.¡± Chu Tianbao knew that she didn¡¯t want to go to school, so he said in a negotiating tone, ¡°Wife, can I go just in the morning instead of in the afternoon?¡± Bai Wutong looked back at him. ¡°Why?¡± Chu Tianbao said gloomily, ¡°If I go in the afternoon too, I won¡¯t be able to see my wife for a day.¡± She chuckled. ¡°Go to school obediently. I¡¯ll cook you something delicious when you get back.¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°If I study well, is there a reward?¡± The reward he wanted was nothing more than kisses, hugs, and taking advantage of her. How could she not understand him? Her eyes deepened as she replied. ¡°Tianbao said before that he would study hard and become smart to protect his wife. Why does he want a reward again?¡± Chu Tianbao shamelessly asked expectantly, ¡°I will study well and become smart to protect wife, but can¡¯t I ask for a reward?¡± He was just short of writing on his face that Tianbao should be rewarded. Bai Wutong chuckled and sewed the last strap of her bag. Then she said to Chu Tianbao, who was still dawdling at the side, ¡°As long as you get first place in all the exams at the end of the month, I¡¯ll reward you.¡± He could only work hard if he was motivated. She didn¡¯t mind giving him a little reward. Chu Tianbao didn¡¯t care about the exam at the end of the month. He only cared about what the reward was. His eyes widened in excitement. ¡°What reward?¡± ¡°What reward does Tianbao want?¡± she asked. Chu Tianbao said, ¡°Will my wife definitely agree?¡± Feeling that no matter how much he went overboard, he shouldn¡¯t go too far, she nodded. Chu Tianbao had many rewards he wanted. After thinking about it repeatedly and hesitating, he said the one he wanted the most. ¡°Tianbao wants to take a bath with my wife.¡± He had thought about it for a long, long time. Every time he dreamed, he would dream of Bai Wutong appearing out of the water and winding around him. He had to get up early the next morning to wash his pants. Bai Wutong was stunned. She thought that Chu Tianbao would say kisses and hugs. She never expected him to be thinking about this. She blushed. ¡°Change it. I¡¯ll agree to everything else.¡± Chu Tianbao pouted. ¡°My wife clearly nodded just now. My wife is lying.¡± Her head hurt. She felt like she had shot herself in the foot. Suddenly, she remembered the one-piece swimsuit in the RV space and smiled. ¡°Alright, I promise you.¡± Anyway, there was no rule that one could not wear clothes in the shower. She wasn¡¯t lying. Chu Tianbao cheered and hugged her. He kissed her hard on the cheek. ¡°Wife, you¡¯re the best! I¡¯ll definitely get first place!¡± There was a smile in her eyes. ¡°You have to be number one for all the exams!¡± With so many talented talents in Qinghe attending classes together, she felt that even if Chu Tianbao¡¯s memory was outstanding, it was impossible for him to get first place in all of them. After all, he was good at fighting. The others relied on studying to make a living. On the other hand, Chu Tianbao looked confident and determined. Those who didn¡¯t know better would think that he loved to learn. When the bag was done, she asked Chu Tianbao to carry it and give it a try. Although the school bag did not match the ancient clothes, it was really convenient and practical. Chu Tianbao liked it very much. He carried it on his back happily and searched for the treasures he had hidden everywhere. He wanted to put them all into his bag. Soon, the bag was bulging. He leaned over and opened his bag, showing off. ¡°Wife, look.¡± When Bai Wutong looked, she saw that it was filled with the snacks she usually gave Chu Tianbao, as well as the new underwear and socks she had made for him. She did not know whether to laugh or cry. If anyone saw this, they would be shocked to death. She quickly poured these things out for him and instructed him to only put books and stationery, and especially not underwear, in his bag. Chu Tianbao looked regretful. His wife¡¯s handmade underwear was so good, and there were cute yellow ducks on it, but no one else could see them. When the bag was done, she made a stationery bag for Chu Tianbao. In this world, one used a brush for the imperial examination. If one could not write well, one would not even be qualified to take the examination. Afraid that he would find it troublesome to grind ink, she specially prepared a watercolor brush for Chu Tianbao to store ink. There was an air bag in the brush shaft that could store water. With a slight pressure, water could be produced to write. It could be used for a long time to store ink. The words written with this water-absorbing brush were the same as those written with an ordinary brush. It was also convenient to hold in his hand. She had prepared several sets for Chu Tianbao, including large, medium, and small brushes. Soon, it was time for Chu Tianbao to go to school. She sent him to Qinghe Hall and urged, ¡°Hurry up and go in!¡± He had been stalling here for a long time. Chu Tianbao stood there pitifully like a desolate wooden stake. It was clearly only a few steps away, but it felt like they were parting ways. Everyone smiled and was very envious of the couple. Finally, after she left without looking back, Chu Tianbao carried his bag into Qinghe Hall. With his extremely good looks, he immediately became the most beautiful child in the crowd. Li Erwa also had a small book bag. When he saw Chu Tianbao¡¯s bag, he ran over with envy in his eyes. ¡°Master Chu, your book bag is so beautiful!¡± Chu Tianbao raised his chin proudly. ¡°This is the bag my wife made for me!¡± Li Erwa became even more envious. ¡°I want a wife too!¡± The children around him laughed. ¡°You¡¯re just a little kid, but you already want a wife.¡± Zhao Erwa glared at everyone. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t have it now, you will in the future!¡± ¡°Hahaha¡ª¡± Everyone laughed even louder. Zhao Erwa was about to die of anger when he suddenly wanted to retort, ¡°What are you laughing at? You don¡¯t have a wife either!¡± The smiling children¡¯s smiles froze. Yes, they didn¡¯t have a wife either. How tragic¡ª Chapter 205 - 205 Wife, I Miss You So, So Much 205 Wife, I Miss You So, So Much Little Peach sent her brothers into the academy, and Zhao Lanzhi sent Zhao Erwa into the school hall. They stood outside Qinghe Hall and looked at the beautiful school, their eyes filled with curiosity and desire. Little Peach asked Zhao Lanzhi, ¡°Why can¡¯t I go to school?¡± Her friends had all gone to school overnight. Little Peach was very lonely. Zhao Lanzhi sighed. ¡°We¡¯re women. How can women go to school?¡± Little Peach hung her head in disappointment. ¡°Little Peach doesn¡¯t want to be a woman.¡± Zhao Lanzhi listened to her silly words and patted her little head comfortingly. If she could, she would have wanted to be a man. When Yang Quanzi saw Chu Tianbao, he immediately led him into the classroom and said to him, ¡°From today onwards, I¡¯m your teacher.¡± Chu Tianbao followed suit. ¡°Teacher.¡± Before entering the academy, Bai Wutong had instructed him to greet her properly and listen to her teacher in the academy. If he felt that something was wrong, he could come back and ask her. He could not attack others casually. She was worried that if he got angry, he would blow up the entire academy. Yang Quanzi narrowed his eyes and stroked his beard. His fair and chubby hand pointed at the seat at the front. ¡°Sit here!¡± Chu Tianbao nodded and realized that Cui Muzhi was on his left and Sheng Huaixuan was on his right. When Chu Tianbao saw Sheng Huaixuan, he frowned. ¡°Where¡¯s Stinky?¡± Sheng Huaixuan smiled and said, ¡°Lin Yue sent it to Sister-in-law.¡± Chu Tianbao immediately heaved a sigh of relief and said happily, ¡°That¡¯s great. I¡¯ll be able to see Stinky when I get home. My wife will be very happy.¡± Sheng Huaixuan nodded. ¡°Yes, I can also be rest assured. Thank you, Sister-in-law.¡± No matter how good they were at learning previously, all of them had to attend a month-long foundation class and pass the exam. Only then would they be assigned to four classes. Younger children were in separate classes. A month later, they would also be divided into four classes. It was not easy for Chu Tianbao to get first place and enter Class A. For the first lesson, he only needed to write his name and introduce himself. The paper, brush, ink, and books of Qinghe Hall were all sponsored by the 30 families of Qinghe. Chu Tianbao glanced at the brush that Yang Quanzi had given him and took out the stationery bag that Bai Wutong had carefully prepared for him. Several watercolor pens in the stationery bag had been filled with ink, which was enough for Chu Tianbao to use until after class. Chu Tianbao took out a watercolor pen from his stationery bag. Cui Muzhi and Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s eyes lit up. Sheng Huaixuan asked in surprise, ¡°Brother, what pen is this? Why does it look so unique?¡± Chu Tianbao was skilled in martial arts and was not afraid of others snatching his things. He generously placed it in front of them and introduced, ¡°This is a watercolor brush. It¡¯s a gift for me to start school!¡± ¡°Watercolor brush?¡± This made Sheng Huaixuan even more curious. He asked, ¡°Can you write in color?¡± Chu Tianbao nodded. ¡°Of course.¡± He deliberately showed off by taking a watercolor pen filled with clear water and taking out a palm-sized wooden box from his bag. Chu Tianbao opened it. It was a pigment specially modified from natural mineral plant oil. There were as many as 24 colors. When Cui Muzhi and Sheng Huaixuan saw this, Cui Muzhi exclaimed in surprise, ¡°How impressive. You can even store coloring materials like this! And there are so many colors.¡± Their exclamations attracted the attention of the other students. Some students were good at painting, especially Qin Xiao. He pursued the realm of painting and calligraphy. On the way to escape, the snowstorm blew away his painting box. Without the materials, he tried his best to add as many beautiful colors as possible to his painting with natural paint. Seeing the paint plate displayed by Chu Tianbao, Qin Xiao was so excited that he almost pushed Cui Muzhi aside. He hurriedly asked, ¡°Master Chu, where did you buy the paint?¡± He really wanted to buy it now! Chu Tianbao said proudly, ¡°My wife made this for me. I can write colorful words with this.¡± She had specially prepared this box of solid paint for Chu Tianbao. It was for his painting class. Under everyone¡¯s expectant gazes, Chu Tianbao picked up the watercolor brush and pinched it gently. Water seeped out of the tip of the brush. The white tip of the brush touched the paint. Chu Tianbao raised his hand and drew a red smile on the paper. The smiley face had smooth lines and a bright color. It could be said to be a supreme-grade pigment! And this brush! It was too magical! It was too convenient to write with just a squeeze! When everyone saw the watercolor brush in Chu Tianbao¡¯s hand, the ordinary brushes distributed by the academy instantly lost its shine. They really wanted to have a pen like Chu Tianbao! Qin Xiao really wanted to have a watercolor brush and a paint plate. After Yang Quanzi went out for a while and returned, he saw a large group of people gathered around Chu Tianbao¡¯s seat. He leaned over. ¡°What are you doing?¡± The next second, he noticed that Chu Tianbao was holding a thick brush. Such a thick pen was rare. He took a closer look and quickly realized the wonder of the brush. This brush could actually automatically produce water! Seeing that everyone was so envious, Chu Tianbao picked up a pen filled with black ink and wrote three strong characters on his paper: Chu Tianbao. Good lord, he could even put ink directly into the brush! This was too awesome! Even Yang Quanzi was tempted by it! Especially when they saw so many watercolor pens in Chu Tianbao¡¯s stationery bag, their envious eyes were glued to them. After Chu Tianbao finished showing off, he poured some water from the water bag, washed the tip of the brush, and put it back into the stationery bag. He had no intention of giving everyone a try. Yang Quanzi¡¯s heart itched and he could only watch eagerly. Qin Xiao was even more anxious. He and Chu Tianbao were not as familiar with each other as Zhao Erwa and Chu Tianbao, so he did not know how to request for it. At noon, before Qin Xiao could say anything, Chu Tianbao disappeared like a tornado. Qin Xiao sighed. He did not have anything to offer. It would definitely be very rude to ask Master Chu for it. Seeing his worried expression, Sheng Huaixuan suddenly smiled. Perhaps he could discuss the literary and ink business with Bai Wutong. Chu Tianbao was kept in class for the entire morning. After school, he was like a bird released from its cage. He pounced on Bai Wutong and picked her up in the next second. He spun her a few times. ¡°Wife, I¡¯ve missed you so much!¡± The surrounding villagers looked over. Flushed, she patted his shoulder. ¡°Put me down now. Everyone¡¯s watching.¡± Chu Tianbao chuckled and put her down. He gave her a big hug and used his actions to prove what it meant to miss her immensely after not seeing her for half a day. When Stinky saw Chu Tianbao carrying Bai Wutong, he struggled to get off Lin Yue. ¡°Mother, Mother, Mother, hug¡­ Father¡­ Father¡­ hug¡­¡± Chu Tianbao was so focused on Bai Wutong that he had forgotten about Stinky. When he heard Stinky¡¯s call, he pulled him out of Lin Yue¡¯s arms. ¡°Son~¡± When Sheng Huaixuan came out of the school, he saw Chu Tianbao riding Stinky on his head. He held Bai Wutong tightly with his other hand, followed by Lin Yue on his left and Qingfeng on his right, like a close family. The autumn wind blew, and Sheng Huaixuan, who was standing on the steps, felt a little lonely. The next second, Chu Tianbao turned around and shouted at him, ¡°Why are you so slow!¡± Stinky curled his little hand and chuckled at him. Along with his adorable smile, his saliva dripped on Chu Tianbao¡¯s head. In an instant, Sheng Huaixuan smiled. ¡°Alright, Big Brother. I¡¯ll be right there.¡± Chapter 206 - 206 Such a Caring Man 206 Such a Caring Man Sheng Huaixuan was very interested in the watercolor brush that Bai Wutong had made for Chu Tianbao. There were a few more in her study, so she gave him two brushes and a bottle of ink. Sheng Huaixuan had seen how Chu Tianbao used the watercolor brush. He added some ink to the watercolor brush and held it with his hand to test it out. He was surprised to discover that the watercolor brush was comparable to the best quality wolf brush. From the corner of his eye, he saw Xiaobai. He suddenly smiled and asked, ¡°Is this a watercolor brush made of Xiaobai¡¯s fur?¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s gentle eyes were filled with laughter. ¡°We exchanged three sausages for a small clump of its fur.¡± Ever since its fur was used to make a watercolor pen, Xiaobai had realized that its fur could be exchanged for sausages. If it wanted to eat sausages, it would bite a few tufts of its fur and place them in front of Bai Wutong, signaling for Bai Wutong to give itself sausages. When it had plucked out too much, other than making watercolor pens, the extra fur was used to make a mini white fur rug and placed at the head of the bed. Sheng Huaixuan looked as if he had expected this. ¡°No wonder this brush is so smooth. So it¡¯s an actual wolf brush!¡± The wolf brush was made of the softest fur on the body of a living wolf. The strokes written using it were smooth and it felt extremely good in the hands. The wolf brush was very popular among scholars. However, wolves were very ferocious and not easy to capture, so the wolf brush was ridiculously expensive. Sheng Huaixuan said, ¡°If you use rabbit fur, you can also make into a watercolor brush, right?¡± Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°The most important concept of a watercolor pen is that there is an air compartment that can quickly absorb water when pressed. As for the brush tip, it¡¯s similar regardless of the material used.¡± When she was making the watercolor brush, she had specially compared the rabbit fur with Xiaobai¡¯s fur. They were actually similar. Therefore, the wolf brush that was highly pursued in the ancient times was just to rip off people. However, it was undeniable that some experts could tell the slight difference and they could make use of this to show off. It was the same for modern people. Even though bags were for storing things, they had to be divided into various grades. If they were labeled with a luxury brand, they could be sold for a sky-high price. Sheng Huaixuan smiled and said to her, ¡°Sister-in-law, if you are willing to sell the watercolor brush, it will definitely be popular.¡± Bai Wutong knew that he asked about the watercolor brush because he wanted to discuss business with her. This was not the first time they had worked together. She trusted him. Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll give you the blueprint in a moment.¡± Other than the watercolor brush, Sheng Huaixuan was very interested in the modified automatic charcoal brush and solid paint. If he sold these things in a literary and ink shop, it would definitely awe the scholars. After all, such a convenient watercolor brush, solid paint, and other products were convenient to carry and use. Even he liked them very much. How could others escape the charm of modern stationery? Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°Sure.¡± She took out something that looked like a soap from the drawer and placed it in front of Sheng Huaixuan. ¡°Since we¡¯re starting a sale anyway, let¡¯s sell this too. This is called an eraser. It can wipe away the traces of the charcoal brush.¡± ¡°The traces of the charcoal brush can still be erased?¡± Nodding, Bai Wutong took out a sketchbook made of charcoal paper and drew an adorable version of Xiaobai on it. There was a lifelike drawing of Xiaobai holding a rabbit in its mouth. Just as Sheng Huaixuan was about to praise Bai Wutong¡¯s drawing, she picked up the eraser and wiped it away. Sheng Huaixuan was stunned. ¡°How magical!¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said. ¡°If you write something wrongly, you can erase it and continue writing. It saves paper.¡± At this moment, Sheng Huaixuan had many ideas. Not only did record books, but in daily life, one could erase anything with the magical eraser and correct. The combination of the charcoal pen and eraser would definitely be popular in the market. Sheng Huaixuan said excitedly, ¡°Sister-in-law, what is this made of? How can it be so magical?¡± Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°It¡¯s mainly made of flour and oil. The composition of the oil can be used to make soap, and soap can be used for cleaning. The principle is the same. That¡¯s why I thought of this thing.¡± Sheng Huaixuan was enlightened. ¡°No wonder it looks so similar to soap!¡± She smiled and said, ¡°When you sell the erasers, you can also make all kinds of shapes or add colors to make the erasers look more exquisite.¡± Sheng Huaixuan came up with more ideas. ¡°In addition to the soap, the automatic charcoal brush, charcoal paper, solid paint, and watercolor brushes can also have more exquisite designs.¡± Bai Wutong knew that there was no need for her to enlighten him. Sheng Huaixuan could bring these stationery to greater heights and earn endless money. They chatted and laughed so happily that Chu Tianbao became sour. He stuffed Stinky into Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s arms. ¡°Stinky said he¡¯s hungry!¡± Stinky widened his eyes and shouted in cooperation, ¡°¡­Eat¡­ Eat¡­¡± It would be a waste not to eat. Before leaving, she had just fed him a bowl of baby food. How could he be hungry? Sheng Huaixuan had not seen his son all morning. He was really worried that he would be hungry, so he hurriedly bade farewell with Stinky. ¡°Sister-in-law, we¡¯ll discuss it another day.¡± Bai Wutong nodded and turned around to meet Chu Tianbao¡¯s resentful gaze. His entire body was filled with a strong sour smell. She curled her lips and went into the kitchen to bring the food as if she hadn¡¯t seen it. Chu Tianbao held his breath and ate three big bowls of rice angrily. Bai Wutong picked up a piece of bittergourd for him. ¡°Don¡¯t just eat meat. You have to eat some vegetables.¡± Chu Tianbao looked down and his angry cheeks immediately deflated. He could eat vegetables, but could he not eat bittergourd? The bitter gourd really tasted bad. Bai Wutong raised her eyebrows. ¡°Tianbao is picky with food?¡± Chu Tianbao gave her a meaningful look. Immediately, he picked up the bitter gourd in his bowl and stuffed it into his mouth. He ate a few more mouthfuls of rice before swallowing the bitter gourd with difficulty. After dinner, Bai Wutong had to practice her martial arts in the afternoon. There were still some vegetables in the courtyard. If she didn¡¯t pick them now, they would turn yellow the next day. Bai Wutong planned to marinate all the vegetables while she had time. Chu Tianbao still had two hours of class in the afternoon. Bai Wutong said to him, ¡°Tianbao, go and nap for a while. This way you will be energized in class in the afternoon.¡± Qinghe Hall had four hours of lesson in the morning and two hours of lesson in the afternoon. This way, the students could take some time for their farm work after school in the afternoon. Chu Tianbao had to go to school, and Bai Wutong had to practise her martial arts. The work in the fields was handed over to Village Chief Zhao and the others to take care of. When the harvest time came, she would then pay them. Only the vegetables in the backyard were taken care of by the two of them. Chu Tianbao shook his head. ¡°If my wife isn¡¯t going, I¡¯m not going either.¡± Life was very comfortable after they had settled down. Bai Wutong had developed the habit of taking an afternoon nap. Recently, it was almost autumn harvest. There were many things to do, so she did not sleep much. Chu Tianbao insisted on following her to work. Bai Wutong thought for a moment. ¡°Then we¡¯ll take a nap. When you finish school in the afternoon, we¡¯ll make the marianted vegetables.¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes lit up. In the next second, he carried her upstairs to the bedroom. Bai Wutong did not like to wear so many clothes to sleep. Even if it was an afternoon nap, she had to change into pajamas. Chu Tianbao knew her habit and naturally walked to the wardrobe. He took out her pajamas, then his own, and automatically went to the toilet to change. Bai Wutong stared at the pajamas on the bed and smiled. How could such a considerate man not make her tempted? Chapter 207 - 207 Shes Not the Person I Love 207 She¡¯s Not the Person I Love In the afternoon, Bai Wutong continued to practice her qinggong. She could now move nimbly on the wooden stakes. Qingfeng held a wooden stick and said in a suave manner, ¡°If you can dodge the wooden stick in my hand ten times today, the wooden stake will be replaced.¡± Bai Wutong had no objections to Qingfeng¡¯s training methods. They stood facing each other on the wooden stake, and Qingfeng attacked decisively. The wooden stick carried the wind along with its movements and hit Bai Wutong¡¯s stomach directly. Lin Yue did not expect her to be so ruthless right from the get go. He carried Stinky and subconsciously shouted out, ¡°Be careful!¡± Although Bai Wutong had only started practicing her qinggong not long ago, she had lived in the apocalypse for three years. Her agility far exceeded that of ordinary people. Now, she had even learned to use her internal energy. When Qingfeng¡¯s wooden stick landed, she flew to another wooden stake. Bai Wutong easily dodged it, and Lin Yue could finally relax. He could not help but exclaim. Previously, Bai Wutong could not even stand steadily on a wooden stake. Now, she could even avoid Qingfeng¡¯s strike. Her improvement was really rapid. However, Bai Wutong knew that Qingfeng had only used 20% of her strength. If she really wanted to, she could beat her easily with a stick. Bai Wutong did not dare to underestimate her enemy at all. As expected, the stick just now was just a warm-up for her. In the next second, the stick fell one after another in dazzling strikes. Gritting her teeth, Bai Wutong quickly dodged. Before she could catch her breath, Qingfeng¡¯s stick aimed towards her head again. In the nick of time, Bai Wutong grabbed the stick. She had wanted to use the momentum to jump onto another wooden stake. Qingfeng¡¯s gaze was like a torch as she exerted strength in her wrist. The stick she held flicked Bai Wutong¡¯s hand away like static electricity and aimed for her neck again. Bai Wutong bent down and propped herself with her limbs on different wooden stakes. In the next second, Qingfeng¡¯s stick came down hard on her stomach again. The air seemed to have been split open by her ruthlessness. Lin Yue was dumbfounded. Qingfeng was too ruthless. If Chu Tianbao saw this, he would definitely fight her to the death. Bai Wutong watched the stick fall, but it was too late to get up. She pressed her legs against the wooden stake and barely avoided Qingfeng¡¯s last strike. However, after ten strikes, she was already sweating profusely. Her back was soaked. Qingfeng put away her stick, and a satisfied expression finally appeared on her cold face. ¡°Very good. You can change to another wooden stake and continue practicing now.¡± Bai Wutong was very happy. ¡°Okay.¡± Although Qingfeng had gone easy on her, it was still not easy. Lin Yue exclaimed, ¡°Madam, do you have to fight so hard? Master Chu is so powerful. Even if you don¡¯t know martial arts, he can still protect you very well.¡± Bai Wutong took a sip of tea and wiped her sweat with a towel. ¡°Then I¡¯ll cripple your martial arts and let Qingfeng protect you, okay?¡± she teased. Lin Yue¡¯s face suddenly turned red. ¡°I don¡¯t want to! It¡¯s more like it for a man like me to protect her.¡± The corners of Bai Wutong¡¯s mouth curled up. ¡°There you go, then. Like you, I want to use my abilities to protect the people I love.¡± Lin Yue stole a glance at Qingfeng, whose back was facing them. He jumped up as if he was a cat whose tail had been stepped on. He stammered in denial, ¡°She, she¡¯s not the person I love.¡± The smile in Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes deepened as she glanced at Qingfeng. ¡°I was just giving an example,¡± she said apologetically. ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking about you.¡± Suddenly, Qingfeng walked away. Lin Yue¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Could she be angry after hearing what he said? Bai Wutong could tell that something was wrong with his expression. His eyes were glued to Qingfeng¡¯s back. If not for the fact that Stinky was still in his arms, he would have chased after her. She reached out and said to Lin Yue, ¡°Give me Stinky.¡± Lin Yue did not think too much about it and gave Stinky to her. Bai Wutong found an excuse for him. ¡°I think Qingfeng seems a little unhappy today. Do you want to check on her?¡± Lin Yue¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll help Madam ask now.¡± He specially emphasized that he would help her ask. Then, Lin Yue chased after Qingfeng. The corners of Bai Wutong¡¯s mouth curled up. She had given Lin Yue a chance. Whether he could succeed or not depended on himself. Stinky arched in her arms. ¡°Mummy, Daddy¡­¡± Usually, it was either Chu Tianbao or Sheng Huaixuan who brought him along. Now that his two fathers were gone, Stinky could only play with Xiaobai. He was very lonely. Bai Wutong rubbed his fair, chubby face. ¡°Your daddies will be back soon. Be good, okay? Mummy will take you to see the bunnies, your father¡¯s favorite bunny.¡± Stinky¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Kill bunny, roast bunny, eat bunny.¡± The order was quite complete. He had clearly arranged everything for bunny. Needless to say, Chu Tianbao must have taught him. Thinking of Chu Tianbao, the smile in her eyes deepened. ¡°Alright, then we¡¯ll eat roasted rabbit tonight.¡± Qingfeng walked too quickly for Lin Yue to catch up. Panting, he complained, ¡°Why are you walking so fast?¡± Qingfeng glanced back at him. ¡°I have to set up wooden stakes for Madam.¡± Lin Yue wanted to ask if she had heard what he had just said, but he felt guilty and did not dare to ask. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± ¡°No need.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, a few dark guards jumped down from the tree. Their martial arts were stronger than Lin Yue¡¯s, and their appearances were passable. When Lin Yue saw them standing between him and Qingfeng, his eyes gradually revealed disappointment. Qingfeng looked at him quietly, her gaze as cold as ever, as if nothing could stir her up. Qingfeng said, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, we¡¯ll leave first.¡± Suddenly, the silent Lin Yue grabbed her wrist and shouted fiercely, as if he was looking for trouble with Qingfeng, ¡°I have something!¡± Qingfeng¡¯s cold gaze wavered. The dark guards finally realized that there seemed to be something unusual between their commander and Guard Lin. Qingfeng waved her hand, and the dark guards instantly disappeared. The surroundings fell silent. Only the sound of their breathing and Lin Yue¡¯s nervous heartbeat could be heard. Meeting Qingfeng¡¯s eyes, Lin Yue suddenly froze. His face was as red as a cooked prawn, and steam was rising from the top of his head. Qingfeng still looked calm and collected. ¡°You¡¯re not speaking?¡± It was as if she did not have the patience to wait anymore if Lin Yue did not speak. Lin Yue panicked and blurted out, ¡°What I just said isn¡¯t true.¡± After he finished speaking, the weight in his heart lifted. Then, it started thumping like the drums again. He did not dare to look at Qingfeng as he quietly waited for Qingfeng to respond. Time passed. The air seemed to stop. Lin Yue¡¯s heart was pounding, but he only heard a simple sentence from Qingfeng. ¡°What did you say just now?¡± Lin Yue was stunned. He looked up at Qingfeng suspiciously. Could it be that she really didn¡¯t hear his conversation with Bai Wutong? No way. Qingfeng¡¯s ears were usually no different from a dog¡¯s! Qingfeng looked at him and asked again, ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Her eyes were straightforward. She didn¡¯t seem to be pretending. But he didn¡¯t notice the slight smile that flashed across Qingfeng¡¯s lips. Lin Yue took it seriously. His heart was pounding like thunder. He stammered but could not say a word. How could he say such things! What if he was rejected! Chapter 208 - 208 Do You Like Old Master Sheng? 208 Do You Like Old Master Sheng? Qingfeng continued to pressure him by asking, ¡°Yes?¡± Lin Yue had used all his intelligence from several lifetimes. Suddenly, he had an idea and said in a panic, ¡°You¡¯ll know if you ask Madam Bai.¡± With that, he quickly fled, afraid that Qingfeng would stop him and continue asking. Qingfeng stood where she was and watched him escape, but the smile in her eyes was never discovered by Lin Yue. When Bai Wutong saw Lin Yue running back, before she could go over and dig up more, Lin Yue shouted at the sky and plunged into the water tank where she kept her goldfish. ¡°Whoosh¡ª¡± The water in the water tank suddenly overflowed. Lin Yue buried his head in it and breathed bubbles. It was as if he had been provoked. Bai Wutong sighed. Thinking that his confession had failed, she couldn¡¯t be bothered to ask, lest she hit a nerve and he was provoked again. After a while, Qingfeng and a few dark guards returned with wooden stakes. Lin Yue had already composed himself and was secretly paying attention to Qingfeng and Bai Wutong¡¯s conversation. In the end, after nervously observing for a few days, there was still no actions taken by Qingfeng. He finally couldn¡¯t help but ask Bai Wutong, ¡°Madam, didn¡¯t Qingfeng ask you anything?¡± Bai Wutong was stunned. ¡°About what?¡± Hearing the answer, Lin Yue looked utterly disappointed. As expected, Qingfeng did not take his words to heart. He could not even be bothered to ask Bai Wutong. Qingfeng happened to walk over. Lin Yue glared at her and left angrily. Seeing that something was wrong with him, she said to Qingfeng, ¡°He said that you have something to ask me? What is it?¡± Qingfeng¡¯s gaze landed on Lin Yue¡¯s angry back and she shook her head. ¡°No need. I already know.¡± After that day, she felt that Qingfeng seemed to be more distant from Lin Yue than before. She couldn¡¯t help but guess, ¡°Is it because of the poison?¡± Qingfeng had yet to remove the poison within the body, so she did not accept Lin Yue. Qingfeng had always been open with Bai Wutong. ¡°Yes.¡± Bai Wutong sighed. ¡°Gu Zhongxun is concocting an antidote. He¡¯ll be able to concoct it soon.¡± Qingfeng looked up at her. ¡°It won¡¯t be that easy unless we can find Wen Renhua.¡± However, Wen Renhua was like a loach. Every time the people she sent out heard a little news about him, he would disappear again. Bai Wutong also wanted to find Wen Renhua. Gu Zhongxun said that most of the blood clots in Chu Tianbao¡¯s brain had been removed, leaving only the parts he didn¡¯t dare to touch. If she could not find Wen Renhua, she could only wait for Gu Zhongxun¡¯s medical skills to improve before she could perform acupuncture on Chu Tianbao. ¡°Then are you going to tell Lin Yue that it¡¯s because of the poison?¡± Qingfeng¡¯s gaze darkened and she shook her head. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± The poison in their bodies was only temporarily suppressed. They might suddenly die one day. Respecting Qingfeng¡¯s decision, Bai Wutong looked at Lin Yue pitifully. He wondered when he would be able to bring the beauty back. ¡­ Madam Cui¡¯s personal maidservant, Jin Lan, was beautiful, capable, smart, and literate. She was very well-liked by Madam Cui. Therefore, she was also willing to put in more effort for her marriage. Madam Cui felt that Lan Jingbai, who was serving her son, was tall and handsome. If Jin Lan married him, she could still serve the future Madam Cui in the future. However, he naturally had to ask Jin Lan what she thought about it. If Jin Lan¡¯s heart belonged to someone else and she paired the wrong couple, it would not be a kind intention anymore. Jin Lan walked in smartly in a light green dress. Madam Cui told her not to busy herself and called her to her side. ¡°Jin Lan, how many years have you been by my side?¡± ¡°Madam, Jin Lan has been chosen to enter the main courtyard since I was 12 years old. It¡¯s already the fifth year and I am 17 years old.¡± Madam Cui patted her hand and said gently, ¡°You¡¯re 17 years old already. If you have someone you like, I¡¯ll stand up for you.¡± Jin Lan blushed and said reservedly, ¡°Madam, I don¡¯t want to get married. I want to stay by your side and serve you for the rest of my life.¡± Madam Cui lifted a strand of hair on her forehead. ¡°Silly child, which woman doesn¡¯t get married? If you don¡¯t have someone you like, how about Jingbai?¡± ¡°Jingbai is older, but I watched this child grow up. He¡¯s proper and reliable. If you marry him, you¡¯ll definitely be able to live a good life with him.¡± Lan Jingbai and Cui Muzhi were like brothers. His future was definitely limitless. Moreover, his martial arts were powerful, and he was handsome. There were countless maidservants in the entire Cui family who wanted to marry Lan Jingbai. If Jin Lan could marry Lan Jingbai, many people would definitely be envious of her. However, when Jin Lan heard that Madam Cui wanted to marry her to Lan Jingbai, there was no surprise on her delicate face. Instead, she said with huge resistance, ¡°Madam, Jin Lan doesn¡¯t want to get married yet. Please fulfill my wish.¡± She must have someone she likes if she said this. Madam Cui and Granny Zeng looked at each other and helped her up from the ground. ¡°Since you¡¯re unwilling, I won¡¯t force you. However, if you have someone you want to spend the rest of your life with, you must tell me. Our Jin Lan is gentle and capable. Whoever marries you will be lucky.¡± Madam Cui must want her to marry and have children. Jin Lan swallowed what she was about to say and nodded reservedly. After Jin Lan left, Madam Cui asked Granny Zeng, ¡°Do you know who Jin Lan likes?¡± Granny Zeng was not too sure. ¡°I¡¯ll ask Linglan. She¡¯ll definitely know.¡± Ling Lan and Jin Lan were both maidservants. However, Ling Lan was two years older than Jin Lan and had already married the butler¡¯s youngest son two years ago. Madam Cui nodded. ¡°This child is so shy. You should go and ask. If the person she likes is a good person, go and test the other party¡¯s intentions.¡± Granny Zeng received Madam Cui¡¯s instructions and went to look for Ling Lan. Ling Lan knew a little, but she was not sure. She said to Granny Zeng, ¡°I just often see Jin Lan being in daze while doing embroidery and looking at the house in the west.¡± ¡°The house in the west?¡± Granny Zeng looked in the direction where Ling Lan. Wasn¡¯t the house in the west Old Master Sheng¡¯s house? Granny Zeng said in surprise, ¡°Jin Lan likes Old Master Sheng?¡± Ling Lan looked around and lowered her voice. ¡°I¡¯m not too sure either. Granny Zeng, you should ask Jin Lan.¡± Sheng Huaixuan was a talented man with an extraordinary bearing. Although he was a merchant in the past, he was not someone a servant like Jin Lan could covet. Ling Lan felt that Jin Lan had no chance, but she could not say this directly. It was naturally best for Granny Zeng to persuade her. When Granny Zeng received the news, she immediately rushed to tell Madam Cui. When Madam Cui heard this, she felt that it was a happy thing. Stinky was already one year old, and Sheng Huaixuan could legitimately be remarried. If Sheng Huaixuan took a fancy to Jin Lan, her status would naturally not be a problem. Madam Cui was careful to avoid misunderstandings and asked Granny Zeng to confirm Jin Lan¡¯s thoughts. Granny Zeng found Jin Lan and went straight to the point. ¡°Girl, do you like Old Master Sheng?¡± Jin Lan was stunned. When did she say that she liked Old Master Sheng? The person she liked was clearly Lin Yue! Chapter 209 - 209 Then Can I Propose Marriage With Madam Bai Tomorrow? 209 Then Can I Propose Marriage With Madam Bai Tomorrow? Jin Lan looked shocked. Granny Zeng thought that she had confirmed Jin Lan¡¯s thoughts and smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be shy. If you¡¯re interested in him, Madam is willing to ask Old Master Sheng for you. If you get married, you¡¯ll be freed of your maidservant status.¡± Jin Lan was touched that Madam was willing to do this for her. Her eyes were red as she said excitedly, ¡°No, Jin Lan doesn¡¯t have feelings for Old Master Sheng.¡± ¡°Old Master Sheng is like the clouds in the sky. Jin Lan is just a servant. How can I dare to have any improper thoughts about Old Master Sheng?¡± She spoke sincerely. Granny Zeng asked doubtfully, ¡°Then you..?¡± Since Madam already knew, there was no need for Jin Lan to hide it. She said shyly, ¡°I like Guard Lin, who is by Old Master Sheng¡¯s side. I went to help Madam pick lotus flowers once and almost fell into the pond. He was the one who saved me.¡± So it was Guard Lin. When Granny Zeng found out, she heaved a sigh of relief and smiled. ¡°Girl, why didn¡¯t you say so earlier?¡± Sheng Huaixuan was once the number one rich businessman in the Yan Kingdom. He had seen all kinds of beauties. Granny Zeng felt that the possibility of Sheng Huaixuan taking a fancy to Jin Lan was not high, but Lin Yue¡¯s status was similar to Jin Lan¡¯s, so the chances of this marriage succeeding were much higher. Jin Lan said shyly, ¡°He doesn¡¯t know how I feel. Besides, Madam is so good to me, I don¡¯t want to leave her.¡± Granny Zeng patted her palm comfortingly. ¡°Our Jin Lan is so good, and Guard Lin doesn¡¯t have a marriage partner. He¡¯s a good candidate. Compared to you staying in the Cui family to serve Madam, Madam hopes that you can find someone to accompany you for the rest of your life.¡± Jin Lan¡¯s eyes were filled with tears. ¡°Granny, I really can¡¯t bear to leave Madam!¡± Granny Zeng smiled kindly. ¡°A grown woman should marry, and a grown man should marry. If you stay by Madam¡¯s side, others will think that Madam is forcing you to stay. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll help you ask around.¡± When Jin Lan thought of Lin Yue, she could not resist the temptation of marrying someone she liked. Her face turned red and she nodded shyly. Granny Zeng smiled and said, ¡°Good child.¡± The next day, Granny Zeng arrived at Bai Wutong¡¯s house. Stinky rode over on the leisure looking Xiaobai and kept slapping it with his small hands. ¡°Giddy-up!¡± Xiaobai did not move as if it had no bones. Lin Yue leaned to the side, his gaze on Qingfeng¡¯s back, his face filled with resentment. Could it be that this woman would only understand what he meant if he said it himself! Lin Yue thought of how he would be mercilessly rejected by Qingfeng, making the courage that he had just gathered to dissipate. Forget it. No one wanted to marry her anyway. He had to suppress himself first! Lin Yue was cheering for himself, when Granny Zeng came. While Bai Wutong was practising, Lin Yue carried Stinky and went up to her. ¡°Why is Granny Zeng looking for Madam Bai?¡± Granny Zeng glanced at Bai Wutong who was cultivating and beamed at Lin Yue. ¡°I¡¯m not here for Madam Bai. I¡¯m here for Guard Lin.¡± Lin Yue asked curiously, ¡°Looking for me?¡± Granny Zeng directly explained her intentions. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since we settled down. It¡¯s time for Guard Lin to get married and have children. I wonder if you have someone you like?¡± She had carefully asked around and found out that Lin Yue was not engaged, so she came to test his intentions. As long as Lin Yue said no, she would tell him about Jin Lan and let him propose marriage. When Lin Yue heard her mention the person she liked, he suddenly looked at Qingfeng. Coincidentally, when Bai Wutong saw that Granny Zeng had arrived, Qingfeng also felt that she was almost done practicing that day, so they walked over together. Coincidentally, she heard Granny Zeng¡¯s question. When Bai Wutong heard this, she knew that Granny Zeng wanted to matchmake Lin Yue. She glanced at Qingfeng from the corner of her eye. Qingfeng¡¯s expression remained unchanged, and there was not even a ripple in her eyes. Lin Yue met her cold gaze, and his heart gradually sank. He clenched his fists in disappointment. Indeed, they had once been after each other¡¯s lives. How could Qingfeng be interested in him? If she wanted to, she would have a bunch of obedient dark guards for her to choose from. His martial arts were not that skilled either. He looked rough and had a foul mouth. If she was a woman, she would probably not fancy him. The glimmer in Lin Yue¡¯s eyes darkened, but he did not notice the vortex stirring under Qingfeng¡¯s eyes. Lin Yue had been staring behind her in a daze. Granny Zeng turned around and saw Bai Wutong and Qingfeng. She thought that he was embarrassed and smiled. ¡°If Guard Lin doesn¡¯t have someone he likes.¡± Before she could finish, a cold voice interrupted. ¡°He already has someone in his heart.¡± The smile on Granny Zeng¡¯s face froze, and even Bai Wutong was stunned. Lin Yue was even more dumbfounded. She, she, she¡­ what did she say? His empty heart was suddenly filled with excitement. Granny Zeng had clearly asked around. Lin Yue did not have anyone he liked. Could it be that Qingfeng was finding an excuse to help Lin Yue out? Granny Zeng looked at Lin Yue again. After not getting any denial from him, she understood. Even if it was an excuse to get out of trouble, Lin Yue had no intention of getting married for the time being. Granny Zeng thought of the anticipation on Jin Lan¡¯s face and shook her head helplessly. In the end, they were not fated. Granny Zeng tactfully bade farewell, and Bai Wutong left the two of them alone. Presumably, they had a lot to talk about now. Lin Yue was still dizzy. When did Granny Zeng and the others leave, and what did they say when they left? His memories had become mush. His eyes seemed to have been frozen as he stared at Qingfeng, but he also seemed to suspect that what he had heard earlier was just his imagination. Lin Yue reached out and pinched himself. He was pleasantly surprised to find that it hurt. He was not dreaming. He avoided eye contact and glanced shyly at the calm Qingfeng. ¡°You know about it?¡± Qingfeng¡¯s gaze fell on his flushed face, and for the first time, her handsome-looking face curled into an obvious smile. ¡°Yes.¡± Lin Yue suddenly looked up. Their gazes met in the air, and the air was filled with electricity. Qingfeng said that she knew. Did he mean that she was interested in him too? Lin Yue looked at her in disbelief and confusion. Qingfeng¡¯s smile widened. Lin Yue received confirmation from her eyes. Instantly, his confidence soared and he blurted out, ¡°Then can I ask propose marriage with Madam Bai tomorrow?¡± As soon as he said that, he wished he could find a hole to hide in. What should he do if he was in too much of a hurry and scared her away?! He squirmed, wanting to take that back. The cool voice of Qingfeng sounded again. ¡°Sure.¡± Qingfeng was too straightforward. Lin Yue felt like he was dreaming. ¡°What did you say?¡± Qingfeng raised an eyebrow. ¡°Sure.¡± Lin Yue did not expect happiness to come so quickly. A sunflower bloomed on his rough face. He was too excited and hugged Qingfeng. Qingfeng did not push him away and let him hug her. Only when their temperatures completely fused and Lin Yue¡¯s excitement gradually calmed down did she say, ¡°However, we can only get married after I am cured of the poison.¡± Lin Yue had no objections at all. He quickly nodded and smiled brightly. ¡°I¡¯ll listen to you. I¡¯ll listen to everything you say.¡± However, he thought to himself that he would go to the pharmacy later and urge Gu Zhongxun to quickly concoct the antidote. Then he would go to Sheng Huaixuan to collect his small vault and give it all to Qingfeng. Chapter 210 - 210 Have You Had Breakfast? 210 Have You Had Breakfast? Ever since Sheng Huaixuan saw Lin Yue after school, the smile on his face had never stopped. When he returned home, Lin Yue leaned over to him and said with a smile, ¡°Master, can you do me a favor?¡± Sheng Huaixuan said, ¡°Tell me about it.¡± Lin Yue smiled and narrowed his eyes. ¡°Can you not help me go to Madam Bai¡¯s house to propose marriage?¡± Sheng Huaixuan was stunned. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lin Yue chuckled proudly. ¡°Qingfeng will be my fianc¨¦e from now on.¡± Sheng Huaixuan did not expect Lin Yue to really win over Qingfeng¡¯s heart and progress so quickly. Two days ago, Lin Yue was still depressed, as if he had fallen out of love. Things had changed so quickly. Sheng Huaixuan was very happy for Lin Yue and nodded. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get someone to prepare it.¡± Lin Yue glanced at Sheng Huaixuan and secretly looked forward to it. ¡°Can we go tomorrow? I told Qingfeng that we¡¯ll go tomorrow.¡± He wanted to settle the marriage as soon as possible, lest Qingfeng regret it again. Sheng Huaixuan glanced at him with a smile. ¡°Okay.¡± Lin Yue was very excited. He knew that his master would definitely be able to do it! The next day, a lively horn sounded in Youjia Village. Everyone followed the sound of the horn and saw the Sheng family decorated with lanterns and colorful banners. More than ten carriages of betrothal gifts were prepared outside. Cui Muzhi said to Cui Lingyi in shock, ¡°Cousin, is Old Master Sheng getting married? Why haven¡¯t I heard anything about it before?¡± Cui Lingyi had no idea. ¡°Let¡¯s go take a look!¡± They followed the villagers to the Sheng family¡¯s residence and saw Lin Yue, who was riding a white horse and wearing a red robe. He had shaved clean and looked much more handsome. Cui Muzhi was even more surprised. ¡°It¡¯s actually Brother Lin!¡± A few days ago, Lin Yue had told him that he had no plans to get married. How long had it only been and he was going to propose marriage? However, there was another question. Which family was he proposing to! Cui Muzhi looked at Cui Lingyi strangely. Cui Lingyi was also shocked. If her guess was right, could it be Qingfeng! The commander of the Dark Guards Team was actually willing to marry someone. The more Cui Lingyi thought about it, the more interesting she found it. She said to Cui Muzhi, ¡°We¡¯ll know when we follow behind.¡± Cui Muzhi thought about it and agreed. ¡°Then let¡¯s follow them.¡± Lin Yue was most likely marrying a girl from their village. Bai Wutong was a little surprised that Qingfeng had agreed to Lin Yue¡¯s marriage proposal. However, this also suited Qingfeng¡¯s straightforward personality. However, she never expected Lin Yue to be in such a hurry to propose marriage. In a while, the marriage proposal team would arrive. Qingfeng was still dressed in her men clothing. There were still many people in the village who did not know that Qingfeng was actually a woman. Bai Wutong suggested to her, ¡°I made you a dress. I¡¯ve always wanted to try it on for you. It¡¯s an auspicious day today. Why don¡¯t you wear it?¡± Qingfeng didn¡¯t really mind what she wore as long as it was convenient. She nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Qingfeng wore a purple dress that suited her cold and sharp temperament. The cuffs and the pants underneath had been specially designed so that it would not affect Qingfeng¡¯s actions. Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°It suits you indeed.¡± Qingfeng nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡± Bai Wutong pulled her to the dressing table again to give her a new hairstyle. Last time, in order to deal with Luo Ping, she had styled Qingfeng in a hurry. This time, she wanted to show off her skills. Qingfeng had long black hair. There was no need for a hair bun at all. Bai Wutong took out a purple hairpin flower from the jewelry box and a few pearl flowers to complement her cold and heroic beauty. ¡°I really want to dress you up like this every day!¡± With Qingfeng¡¯s queen-like face, if she entered the modern entertainment industry, women and men would kneel and worship him. Qingfeng shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s too much trouble.¡± The corners of Bai Wutong¡¯s mouth curled up. ¡°It¡¯s a good day today. You should be dressed more grand and Lin Yue will definitely be very happy to see it. I¡¯ll teach you a few simple daily hairstyles. They¡¯re even simpler than your current hairstyle. You can get used to it first.¡± Bai Wutong strongly recommended Qingfeng to dress in women clothing. Qingfeng nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Qingfeng originally thought that it was over when they arrived. Unexpectedly, Bai Wutong smeared something over her face again. Even the scar on her forehead was covered clean like last time. Qingfeng¡¯s facial features were handsome, and the slightly thick makeup made her look even more beautiful. When Bai Wutong saw Qingfeng with the makeup on, she said in amazement, ¡°You¡¯re too beautiful!¡± Even she was stunned. Qingfeng stared at her unfamiliar self in the mirror and was stunned. Soon, the marriage proposal team arrived at the entrance of Bai Wutong¡¯s courtyard. Chu Tianbao knocked on the door with Stinky. ¡°Wife, they¡¯re here.¡± Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°Shall we go down?¡± Qingfeng was not an ordinary girl. There was no rule in this world that women who were waiting to be married could not show their faces. Bai Wutong brought Qingfeng to the courtyard. Lin Yue got off the horse. His face was filled with joy. The moment he saw Qingfeng, he was stunned. The villagers behind him were also stunned. Who was the woman beside Bai Wutong? Why hadn¡¯t they seen someone so beautiful before? Could she be a relative of Madam Bai¡¯s? That was why Lin Yue came to Madam Bai¡¯s house to present his betrothal. Cui Muzhi stood beside Cui Lingyi and stared at Qingfeng a few times before saying in a daze, ¡°Sister, don¡¯t you feel that this girl looks like Qingfeng?!¡± Cui Lingyi glanced at him sideways and said something shocking, ¡°You didn¡¯t see wrongly. It¡¯s Qingfeng.¡± Cui Muzhi was stunned. ¡°No way! Isn¡¯t Qingfeng a man?¡± The image of Qingfeng as a man was deeply ingrained in people¡¯s hearts. Even though she had worn women¡¯s clothes once, everyone thought that she was forced to wear them. No one had expected her to really be a woman! And she was so good-looking! Bai Wutong asked Lin Yue to enter first, but he was still staring blankly at Qingfeng. Laughter came from around. Sheng Huaixuan poked Lin Yue before he suddenly reacted and followed Bai Wutong into the central room. Bai Wutong did not know much about the custom of betrothal. Fortunately, she had asked Madam Yang for help. After the man expressed his intention to marry, the next step was to count the betrothal gifts in person. The betrothal gifts could tell how much the man valued the woman. Madam Yang had been in charge of weddings for so many years, but she had never seen such a huge betrothal gift. The silk, gold, silver, and jewelry were all high-quality goods. Half of these betrothal gifts were bought using Lin Yue¡¯s small vault, and the other half was specially prepared for him by Sheng Huaixuan. After all, he had married the commander of the Dark Guards Team. Although the Sheng family was not as prosperous as before, he could not just prepare a simple betrothal gift for Lin Yue. After counting the betrothal gifts, if the woman accepted them with satisfaction, this meant that they would be a family in the future, and Lin Yue could stay at the Bai Wutong¡¯s house to eat. Everyone intentionally or unintentionally created a separate space for them. Soon, only the two of them were left in the entire central room. Lin Yue mustered his courage and walked to Qingfeng¡¯s side. He hesitated for a long time, his face red, before saying, ¡°Eat, have you eaten breakfast?¡± Chapter 211 - 211 Tianbao, Are You Cold? 211 Tianbao, Are You Cold? Qingfeng said, ¡°Yes.¡± He was afraid of the sudden silence. After Qingfeng answered, Lin Yue got stuck again, not knowing how to continue the conversation. Lin Yue clasped his fingers and racked his brains. From the corner of his eye, he suddenly saw the corner of Qingfeng¡¯s dress and said anxiously, ¡°Your dress is so beautiful!¡± When he said that, he wanted to hit himself. He clearly wanted to say that Qingfeng looked good in this. His heart was pounding, as Qingfeng chuckled. ¡°Yes.¡± Like a breeze, it tugged at Lin Yue¡¯s heartstrings. He had never heard Qingfeng¡¯s gentle voice. In an instant, the heat on his face that had finally subsided rose sharply again. His eyes were evasive, like a shy wife who was afraid of meeting people. He did not dare to look into Qingfeng¡¯s eyes. At this moment, Qingfeng sized him up. Sensing Qingfeng¡¯s straightforward gaze, Lin Yue¡¯s ears turned even redder. What was wrong with her? Why was she staring at him like that? Qingfeng did not do it on purpose. It was a necessary habit for a qualified dark guard to secretly observe everyone¡¯s every move. The person in front of her was already hers, so there was no need to hide it. Lin Yue, who had shaved off his beard, had sharp features, firm contours, and bronze skin. He looked very manly. He was wearing a bright red robe and looked very festive. His shy appearance was a strong contrast to his appearance, making him look especially cute. Qingfeng¡¯s eyes landed on his slender legs and gradually moved up. Bit by bit, it invaded without restraint. The scorching gaze frightened Lin Yue. He quickly retracted his leg. She was a girl. How could she look around like this! An inexplicable meaning flashed across Qingfeng¡¯s eyes. ¡°Your robe looks good too,¡± she suddenly said. Lin Yue heaved a sigh of relief. As expected, he was thinking too much. Qingfeng was just looking at his robe. Lin Yue looked up in a daze. ¡°Uh¡­ thank you.¡± Realizing that he was ending the conversation again, he blurted out again, ¡°You look good today!¡± With that, he screamed to himself internally again. Qingfeng must think he despised her for not looking good before. He secretly glanced at Qingfeng worriedly to see how she would react. At the same time, he prepared his words in his heart. Qingfeng was beautiful in his heart no matter what. Except she looked even better that day. Qingfeng did not have the reaction he had expected. The corners of her mouth curled up slightly, and her cold eyes softened, like a beauty in a painting opening her red lips. ¡°You¡¯re also very handsome.¡± In an instant, Lin Yue¡¯s heart raced. Was this still the Qingfeng he knew? How could she be so damn gentle? Lin Yue remained motionless like a fool. Chu Tianbao carried Stinky with one hand and called them to eat. Only then did he take a deep breath like a fish that had gone ashore and returned to the water. Representing Qingfeng¡¯s family, Bai Wutong prepared a table of food. They were all familiar with each other and sat down according to their habits. Chu Tianbao picked up a piece of pork ribs and placed it in Bai Wutong¡¯s bowl. ¡°Wife, eat it.¡± Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°You eat too.¡± Everyone was already used to them being lovey-dovey At the thought that he already had a fianc¨¦e, Lin Yue glanced at Qingfeng and his face gradually turned red. He hesitated for a moment before his gaze landed on the belly of the braised fish. He made up his mind and moved his chopsticks towards it, but his chopsticks met Chu Tianbao¡¯s. They both wanted the softest fish belly. Chu Tianbao glared at Lin Yue. Not to be outdone, Lin Yue planned to strike first. Chu Tianbao was extremely fast and clamped his chopsticks. In the next moment, a large piece of delicious fish belly flesh was taken away by Chu Tianbao and landed in the bowl of Bai Wutong. She glanced at Chu Tianbao. ¡°Don¡¯t give me any more.¡± Chu Tianbao looked at Lin Yue proudly. ¡°Wife, you will become more beautiful if you eat more fish.¡± Chu Tianbao picked two consecutive mouthfuls for her. Stinky slapped the table unhappily with his chubby little hand and stared at Chu Tianbao¡¯s chopsticks with his big round eyes. He puffed out his cheeks and accused Chu Tianbao of being biased, even forgetting about the most handsome Little Stinky in the world. Chu Tianbao acted like an experienced father. He casually picked up a soft radish and placed it in Stinky¡¯s small bowl. ¡°Eat more radishes and you¡¯ll grow taller.¡± This was a sentence that Bai Wutong often told him. Stinky hated white radishes the most. He knocked on the table a few times and flung his chubby legs angrily. Chu Tianbao pulled a long face. ¡°If you don¡¯t eat radishes, you¡¯ll look like a radish and not even as tall as Xiaobai.¡± Radish Xiaobai: I felt so insulted! While Stinky and Chu Tianbao were fighting over the radishes, Lin Yue took the opportunity to pick up a piece of fish and put it into Qingfeng¡¯s bowl at lightning speed. Then, he pretended to be indifferent and quickly dug into the rice. Qingfeng glanced at him and calmly put the fish into her mouth. Lin Yue couldn¡¯t hide the joy on his face. With the first and second time, Lin Yue became much bolder. Calmly, pretending to be nonchalant, he picked up another sausage and brought it to Qingfeng¡¯s bowl. However, anyone could tell that he was afraid that Qingfeng would not eat it. He was so nervous that his eyes were about to fall into Qingfeng¡¯s bowl. Qingfeng picked up the sausage and did not put it into her mouth. Instead, she generously put it into Lin Yue¡¯s bowl. ¡°You eat too.¡± Lin Yue, who could only watch others being lovey dovey, finally tasted the joy of being lovey dovey. He stared at the piece of sausage in the bowl as if it was a treasure. He was even more dog-like than Chu Tianbao. Madam Yang saw this scene. She did not expect this from Lin Yue, who had gone against Qingfeng every day, as though they were like a pair of enemies meeting on a narrow path. When he doted on someone, he was even more exaggerated than Chu Tianbao. After the meal, everything seemed to have returned to normal. Chu Tianbao did not have to go to school that day and followed Bai Wutong into the study. Because it was autumn and the weather was gradually turning cold, Bai Wutong planned to make a cute hat for Stinky. There were many tanned leather materials at home. Chu Tianbao had obtained them from hunting in the mountains. Of course, children looked better in bright-colored hats. Bending down, Bai Wutong found a red fox skin and a brown mink skin in the box. The mink skin was smoother to the touch than the fox skin, but she preferred the color of the fox skin. All women probably had a little difficulty choosing. Bai Wutong asked hesitantly, ¡°Tianbao, which skin do you think is more suitable for Stinky?¡± Stinky liked to grab red flowers. Chu Tianbao pointed at the fox fur. ¡°This.¡± Bai Wutong was also more inclined to the fox skin. Since Chu Tianbao had chosen the fox skin, she placed the design blueprint that she had drawn in advance on the table and cut the fox skin as she looked at it. The autumn wind blew into the house and it was a little cold. She glanced at Chu Tianbao. ¡°Tianbao, are you cold?¡± She wanted him to close the window. Chu Tianbao suddenly hugged her slender waist. ¡°Wife, are you cold?¡± Caught off guard, she felt heat on her back. She turned around in surprise and met Chu Tianbao¡¯s deep eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll help warm my wife up.¡± Chapter 212 - 212 Isnt Tianbao Warm enough? 212 Isn¡¯t Tianbao Warm enough? Bai Wutong blushed. ¡°No, just close the window.¡± Chu Tianbao had mastered the secret to flirting. ¡°Is it because Tianbao isn¡¯t warm enough?¡± Chu Tianbao pressed closer, his warm breath on her neck. Her heart skipped a beat. ¡°Tianbao, I still have to work.¡± Chu Tianbao did not give up and placed his head on Bai Wutong¡¯s shoulder. He rubbed his slightly cold cheek against her hair. ¡°I¡¯ll help my wife.¡± It was already good enough that he didn¡¯t cause trouble like this, yet he claimed to be helping her. She glared at him. ¡°Let go now.¡± Chu Tianbao pouted. ¡°Then kiss me.¡± She couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. What else was in his head but kisses? ¡°In your dreams.¡± Chu Tianbao said seriously, ¡°I only miss my wife. I don¡¯t dream of it.¡± She was dumbfounded and wondered if this glib-tongued Chu Tianbao was the previously obedient Chu Tianbao. No matter what he was thinking, he couldn¡¯t cause trouble now. Unexpectedly, Bai Wutong pinched his waist. Chu Tianbao¡¯s face became twisted. ¡°Wife, it hurts.¡± ¡°You know it hurts, but you are still not letting go!¡± Chu Tianbao couldn¡¯t bear to part with it and even made an excuse. ¡°I¡¯m warming my wife.¡± Having been defeated by his thick skin, she looked at him and continued with her work. It was really quite warm. ¡­ The autumn harvest was busy, but there were people helping in Bai Wutong¡¯s fields, so they had quite a lot of free time. Sheng Huaixuan wanted to design more eraser, watercolor brush, automatic charcoal pens, and packaging styles for carbon paper. When Bai Wutong had time, she would draw some styles she liked. It would be easier for Sheng Huaixuan to sell them off and it would be useful for her in the future. Cui Lingyi couldn¡¯t help but love the small white eraser designs that Bai Wutong came up with. ¡°Little Phoenix, can you help me design a set too? I want to use it to make a few cosmetics boxes.¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said. ¡°Sure. You can also use a mold to make soap. It¡¯ll look good.¡± Cui Lingyi¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°That must be very cute.¡± ¡°You can design it too.¡± Bai Wutong said. Cui Lingyi exclaimed, ¡°It¡¯s so cute. How can I draw it?¡± As long as one captured the main points to cartoon characters, they were actually very easy to draw. Bai Wutong took out a piece of carbon paper and picked up a charcoal pencil. ¡°It¡¯s simple. I¡¯ll teach you.¡± She gently outlined a few strokes with her hand, and a cartoon image of Stinky drooling and chewing on Xiaobai appeared. The chubby Stinky and lazy Xiaobai were simply adorable. Cui Lingyi¡¯s heart was immediately won over by it. ¡°I want to learn. This is too cute!¡± The corners of Bai Wutong¡¯s mouth curled up. ¡°You can learn, but you have to give me a few pieces of fragrant soap.¡± Cui Lingyi hugged her immediately. ¡°I¡¯ll give you, all for you!¡± Chu Tianbao pushed the door open happily and entered. Suddenly, he saw Cui Lingyi hanging on the back of Bai Wutong. He suddenly pulled a long face, and his aura changed. His cold and inviolable gaze and god-like face made him look like a god who had descended from the night. An invisible pressure enveloped his entire body. Cui Lingyi¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She could not help but wonder why a person like Chu Tianbao was not known to the world before he regained his memories. Cui Lingyi quickly let go of Bai Wutong, and Chu Tianbao¡¯s expression softened. Bai Wutong frowned. Chu Tianbao¡¯s domineering possessiveness seemed to be stronger than before. She wondered if it was because some of the blood clot in his head had dissipated. Chu Tianbao did not realize his change. ¡°Wife, Qin Xiao is looking for you.¡± Bai Wutong was unfamiliar with Qin Xiao, but Cui Lingyi knew him very well. Cui Lingyi said, ¡°He¡¯s the eldest son of the Qin family and is good at painting and calligraphy. He¡¯s now Old Master Chu¡¯s classmate.¡± Bai Wutong looked at Chu Tianbao in confusion. Did he have any interactions with her? Why was he looking for her? Chu Tianbao said, ¡°He said he has a gift for you.¡± Feeling even more puzzled, she went downstairs with Chu Tianbao and Cui Lingyi. Qin Xiao stood in the central room and cupped his hands in greeting. He handed a box of exquisite mooncakes to her. ¡°The Mid-Autumn Festival is coming. I wish Madam Bai and Master Chu a happy festival.¡± There were still more than ten days until the Mid-Autumn Festival. Qin Xiao had given her mooncakes too early. Although she was surprised, she still accepted it. ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Young Master Qin.¡± In addition to the mooncakes, Qin Xiao took out another painting from his sleeve and handed it to her. Cui Lingyi said that he was a master painter, so she opened the painting expectantly. Chu Tianbao looked over curiously. On the painting was a heartwarming scene of Bai Wutong coming to the entrance of Qinghe Academy to receive Chu Tianbao from school. Ancient character paintings emphasized conception. As long as the conception was reached, it did not matter what the face looked like. The overall design was still very good-looking, be it in color or composition. Bai Wutong praised, ¡°Young Master Qin, your painting is so beautiful! I don¡¯t know what to say.¡± It was so beautiful that she was at a loss for words. Qin Xiao was a little embarrassed by the praise. Just as he was about to express his humility, Chu Tianbao suddenly said, ¡°Wife, who is this painting about?¡± Bai Wutong was speechless. Cui Lingyi was speechless. Qin Xiao: ¡°¡­¡± Everyone smiled awkwardly. Afraid that he would say something shocking again, she quickly sent Chu Tianbao into the kitchen to serve tea. She glanced at Qin Xiao apologetically. ¡°Tianbao doesn¡¯t understand. Young Master Qin, don¡¯t mind him.¡± Qin Xiao nodded gently. ¡°Master Chu is really straightforward. Qin Xiao still has some shortcomings. I¡¯ll definitely try my best to obtain Master Chu¡¯s approval next time.¡± Bai Wutong sighed. What good temper. Since he had already given her a gift, she naturally had to return one. From the study, she took two watercolor brushes and a box of solid paint. Since Qin Xiao was a good painter, he should like these things. ¡°Young Master Qin¡¯s calligraphy is impressive. This is my watercolor brush and solid paint. I hope you like it.¡± Qin Xiao¡¯s eyes lit up and he declined once before eventually accepting it. When Qin Xiao returned home, he eagerly opened the box. When he saw the watercolor brush and solid paint in the box, he picked them up and almost jumped to the ceiling in excitement. He finally had a watercolor brush! After a while, a servant bowed outside Qin Xiao¡¯s study. ¡°Greetings, Old Master.¡± Before Qin Xiao could hide the watercolor brush, his grandfather, Qin Chuan, barged in. His sharp eyes instantly captured the watercolor brush in Qin Xiao¡¯s hand. His eyes narrowed and he held out his hand. ¡°Brat, I gave you an idea and you actually want to hide it!¡± Qin Chuan was known as the Art Saint. When he found out about the magical watercolor brush, he also wanted to have one, so he gave Qin Xiao the idea of exchanging a gift. Qin Xiao had given her that painting. Madam Bai was a considerate woman. If she returned the favor, she would definitely give Qin Xiao a watercolor brush. Qin Xiao really did not want to give it to him, but this person was his grandfather and his master, so he had no choice but to give it to him. He could only place the one and only watercolor brush in Qin Chuan¡¯s hand. The next second, Qin Chuan picked up the box of solid paint and ran away. ¡°Good grandson, give this to Grandpa too!¡± Qin Xiao¡¯s eyes widened and he hurriedly chased after him. ¡°No, this won¡¯t do!¡± There was only one box. If Qin Chuan used it, he definitely couldn¡¯t use it. Unexpectedly, Qin Chuan entered his studio and shamelessly locked the door. No matter how Qin Xiao knocked and shouted, he refused to open it. Qin Xiao stomped his feet! The duck that he almost obtained had flown away! He could not give a second gift! Chapter 213 - 213 If You Cant Find It Back, Dont Come Back to Sleep 213 If You Can¡¯t Find It Back, Don¡¯t Come Back to Sleep Qin Xiao had given them a lot of mooncakes. Bai Wutong packed some in oil paper for Cui Lingyi. ¡°Tianbao and I can¡¯t finish them. Take them back and eat them with the rest.¡± Cui Lingyi accepted it and said. ¡°If Qin Xiao hadn¡¯t come to deliver mooncakes today, I would have almost forgotten about the Mid-Autumn Festival.¡± Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. He came a little early.¡± Cui Lingyi smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s good too. We can prepare in advance and make some mooncakes for the Mid-Autumn Festival.¡± The same thought crossed her mind. ¡°Okay.¡± She liked the Su-style mooncakes with salt and egg yolk filling. They could make more. Tianbao probably liked it too. After Cui Lingyi left, Bai Wutong admired Qin Xiao¡¯s painting again. In the painting, she and Chu Tianbao looked at each other from afar, their gaze filled with each other. Chu Tianbao almost pouncing over was even more adorable. The more she looked at it, the more satisfied she was. She prepared to hang it on the bedroom wall. Chu Tianbao pushed the door open and entered. He suddenly frowned. ¡°Wife, why did you hang such an ugly painting?¡± ¡°No way,¡± Bai Wutong retorted. ¡°Isn¡¯t this quite nice?¡± She pointed at the little man in the painting and said, ¡°There¡¯s also a vivid Tianbao here.¡± Chu Tianbao stared at it a few times and retorted firmly, ¡°This is not a handsome Tianbao.¡± He pointed at another small person in the painting and said, ¡°This isn¡¯t a peerless beautiful Wife either!¡± How could he praise others like that? Bai Wutong¡¯s face turned red. ¡°Qin Xiao¡¯s calligraphy is superb. Everyone admires his skills very much. Tianbao will understand when he attends the painting class in the future. You have to learn from him humbly.¡± Chu Tianbao pouted. ¡°It¡¯s not as good as my wife¡¯s painting.¡± Bai Wutong had drawn a portrait of Chu Tianbao. Chu Tianbao was still secretly keeping it himself and not letting anyone look at it. Her lips curled into a smile. ¡°This is different. Qin Xiao¡¯s grandfather is the Art Saint, and Qin Xiao may even surpass him. If we keep the paintings well now, we might be able to pass them down as family heirlooms.¡± Chu Tianbao was not used to hearing her praise Qin Xiao like this, so he pouted and muttered softly, ¡°It¡¯s not as good as my painting.¡± Although he had never drawn before, he felt that if he did, it would definitely be much better than Qin Xiao¡¯s. Unaware of his thoughts, Bai Wutong hung the painting nicely. When she was satisfied, she went downstairs to make dinner. Chu Tianbao stared at Qin Xiao¡¯s painting. He felt that it was an eyesore and had just extended his hand. From the bottom of the building came Bai Wutong¡¯s clear voice. ¡°Tianbao, go wash Xiaobai. It¡¯s covered in mud and it¡¯s dirtying the stairs.¡± Chu Tianbao suddenly retracted his hand. ¡°Wife, don¡¯t move. I¡¯ll clean it up!¡± When Xiaobai heard Chu Tianbao¡¯s voice, it was as if there were demons and ghosts behind itself. Bai Wutong could not hold Xiaobai down and it quickly fled into the garden. Chu Tianbao descended from the sky with the spray machine on his back and started spraying at Xiaobai. Xiaobai hurriedly dodged, but no matter how hard he tried, he could not dodge Chu Tianbao¡¯s deadly accurate water spray. After a while, it was pulled back by Chu Tianbao like a drenched wolf. Bai Wutong handed a big blanket to Chu Tianbao. ¡°Wipe it. Don¡¯t let it catch a cold.¡± Chu Tianbao did not want to wipe it. He threw the blanket on the floor and pointed at Xiaobai. ¡°Roll!¡± Xiaobai lay down lazily, rolled around, and looked at him lazily. When Chu Tianbao heard the sound of Bai Wutong stir-frying dishes, he knew that it was almost time to eat. He threw the blanket at its head and rubbed it vigorously. Hearing Xiaobai¡¯s sorrowful whimper, Bai Wutong stuck her head out and glanced into the living room. Chu Tianbao stood up and grinned, revealing a row of white teeth. ¡°Wife~¡± Xiaobai tried to stand up from the ground. But with a plop, it fell down again. Startled, Bai Wutong hurried forward to check. Before she could finish checking, Xiaobai began to snore. It seemed to have fallen asleep. Chu Tianbao poked its stomach. ¡°Xiaobai is so lazy and fat.¡± Xiaobai¡¯s stomach was soft and round. Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t help but reach out and touch it. Her smile was gentle and doting. ¡°It¡¯s soft now that it¡¯s fat.¡± Chu Tianbao was very jealous. He took her hand and pressed it against his stomach. ¡°Tianbao¡¯s is also very comfortable.¡± The sensation felt completely different from Xiaobai¡¯s. Caught off guard, she retracted her hand in shock. Bai Wutong¡¯s ears turned red as she glared at Chu Tianbao. ¡°It¡¯s not comfortable at all!¡± Chu Tianbao looked aggrieved. He wanted to defend himself, but he met the warning gaze of Bai Wutong. Chu Tianbao obediently shut up and secretly pinched his waist. Wasn¡¯t it just a little harder than Xiaobai¡¯s? After dinner, Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao returned to their room. When Bai Wutong saw the painting on the wall, the image of Chu Tianbao pouncing on her that day appeared in her mind. She couldn¡¯t help but smile. Chu Tianbao thought that she especially liked this painting and pouted. What was so good about this ugly painting? His wife might as well look at him. Suddenly, Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes lit up. He had an idea. The next day, as soon as Bai Wutong opened her eyes, she met a big face on the tip of her nose. She screamed, ¡°Chu Tianbao!¡± She was almost scared to death. Chu Tianbao chuckled. ¡°Wife~¡± Angry, Bai Wutong pressed him under her and grabbed his face. ¡°How many times have I told you not to get too close to me in the morning!¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s handsome face was very comical as he begged for mercy. ¡°Wife, I was wrong ~¡± Bai Wutong tugged at his face harder. ¡°Learn and remember your lesson!¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s face was red as he was forced to learn his lesson. Only then did he dare to hug her waist and carefully curry favor. ¡°Wife, look ~¡± Bai Wutong followed his gaze and saw that the painting she had hung on the wall had been replaced by Chu Tianbao. Her eyes widened in surprise. In this position, Chu Tianbao carried her happily to the front of the painting. The surprise in her eyes gradually widened. ¡°Did you draw this?¡± It was clearly a painting of similar style, but she and Chu Tianbao in this painting really deserved to be called gorgeous. Chu Tianbao nodded excitedly, waiting for praise. ¡°Does it look nice?¡± In disbelief, Bai Wutong reached out and touched the damp image. She had only taught Chu Tianbao a sketch or two. However, if one did not have more than ten years of foundation skills, they would not be able to reach this standard. Chu Tianbao was highly skilled in martial arts. He could write well and had exquisite drawing skills. No matter what, he could not be an ordinary person. Bai Wutong had expected this. At this moment, when she met Chu Tianbao¡¯s deep black eyes, she suddenly realized that Chu Tianbao¡¯s identity was even more mysterious than she had imagined. ¡°Wife¡ª¡± She suddenly came back to her senses. ¡°It¡¯s a nice painting.¡± ¡°Compared to Qin Xiao¡¯s?¡± Chu Tianbao had a cute expression on his face. Covering the disappointment in her eyes, she nodded. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s much better than Qin Xiao¡¯s.¡± Chu Tianbao kissed her face. ¡°Let¡¯s leave this painting for Little Stinky as an heirloom!¡± ¡°Little Stinky?¡± ¡°Wife, when you¡¯re healthy, we¡¯ll give birth to another Stinky and he will be little Stinky. Little Stinky will definitely like it.¡± It had been a long time since he mentioned this. Bai Wutong had almost forgotten about it. She did not expect him to still be thinking about giving birth to Stinky. Her gaze fell to the painting and she forced a smile. ¡°Okay.¡± After a while, Bai Wutong remembered to ask Chu Tianbao where Qin Xiao¡¯s painting had gone. Chu Tianbao¡¯s gaze froze. He probably did not expect her to continue asking after he had replaced Qin Xiao¡¯s painting. ¡°Where is it?¡± she continued asking. Chu Tianbao stammered, ¡°Xiaobai took it away.¡± Xiaobai was very obedient and never tore down the house, let alone the painting hanging on the wall. Moreover, it did not enter the room last night. Her gaze turned cold. ¡°If you can¡¯t find it, don¡¯t come back to sleep!¡± Not only was Chu Tianbao lying, but it was also disrespectful to lose someone else¡¯s painting. Chapter 214 - 214 Bai Wutongs Good Fortune 214 Bai Wutong¡¯s Good Fortune Chu Tianbao was most afraid of being separated from her. With a whoosh, he jumped out and saved the painting from Xiaobai¡¯s den. Fortunately, Xiaobai was not interested in paper, so the painting was still intact. Chu Tianbao carefully handed the painting to her. ¡°Wife, I found it.¡± After opening it and checking, Bai Wutong put it into the cabinet and suddenly turned hostile. ¡°Chu Tianbao! The evidence for your lie is conclusive. Go and copy the Three-Character Scripture 50 times and use a brush to copy it. Also, you are not allowed to go out for three days. Stay at home and read!¡± Chu Tianbao pouted. ¡°So many times.¡± ¡°What? If you dare to lie next time, it won¡¯t be 50 times, but 500!¡± Chu Tianbao whimpered. ¡°Tianbao still has to see Stinky.¡± Bai Wutong snorted. ¡°I¡¯ll play with Stinky. He won¡¯t remember to look for you.¡± Chu Tianbao looked aggrieved. If he did not look for Stinky for three days and did not play with him, Stinky would definitely be occupied by Sheng Huaixuan and not remember him as a father. It was useless for him to look pitiful. This time, Bai Wutong did not compromise. ¡°Alright, go out and sleep for a month. Then, you won¡¯t be punished today.¡± Hearing the punishment of going out to sleep for a month, Chu Tianbao immediately panicked. ¡°Tianbao doesn¡¯t want to go out to sleep.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Then go to the study to copy the scripture now!¡± Chu Tianbao walked towards the study dejectedly. He was filled with regret. Chu Tianbao hated writing the Three Character Scripture with a brush the most. He even had to grind the ink himself and wash the brush. It was so troublesome. However, he had no choice. What Bai Wutong said was an ironclad rule to him. Chu Tianbao could only obey obediently. While Chu Tianbao was writing the Three Character Scripture in the study, Bai Wutong found Qingfeng and placed Chu Tianbao¡¯s painting in front of her. ¡°Can you find a person with just his handwriting or painting?¡± Qingfeng was the commander of the Dark Guards Team. She definitely had some special methods to find people. Qingfeng could find out about Wen Renhua¡¯s whereabouts from time to time because they had been secretly searching previously. The emperor also had clues about Wen Renhua¡¯s whereabouts. Therefore, they could find out some news about him from time to time. However, it was like looking for a needle in a haystack to find Chu Tianbao¡¯s identity in the vast sea of people using just his handwriting, painting and possibly his nickname. Moreover, now that the Yan Kingdom was about to be destroyed, the hidden members of Dark Guards Team that were stationed everywhere had been completely eradicated. If they searched with great fanfare, it was very likely to attract the attention of King Chu and he would send people to annihilate Qingfeng and the others. Qingfeng shook her head. ¡°Unless Master Chu was a very famous person before, and his handwriting and paintings are known, it¡¯s impossible to find him.¡± Bai Wutong sighed. As expected, she had expected too much from Qingfeng. If only it was in the modern era, with just a fingerprint, they could identify a person¡¯s background, age, and education. Qingfeng suddenly said, ¡°You can take Master Chu¡¯s portrait to look around.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s drawing skills were outstanding. If she drew Chu Tianbao¡¯s appearance, those who knew him would definitely recognize him at a glance. After all, how many men in this world could look like Chu Tianbao, someone with unforgettable looks? But Bai Wutong shook her head. ¡°No need.¡± When she saw Chu Tianbao, he was seriously injured. If he hadn¡¯t met her, he would probably have turned into bones. If she used Chu Tianbao¡¯s portrait to investigate his identity, it would definitely alarm the people who wanted to kill him. If Bai Wutong wanted to, she could have asked Qingfeng to investigate Chu Tianbao¡¯s identity using a portrait. But for Chu Tianbao¡¯s safety, it was better not to alert the enemy. Qingfeng guessed what Bai Wutong was thinking and said, ¡°Master Chu¡¯s accent is very similar to someone from the Donghua Manor. I can send someone to try that area.¡± She meant to look for it with Tianbao¡¯s drawings and handwriting. Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± What if she could find him? ¡­ There were more than 5,000 people in Youjia Village, most of them from the 30 families of Qinghe. After the Qinghe Academy was established, there was no need to worry about insufficient students. Little Cat had reached the age of enlightenment. Previously, Tao Yinzhen had already started planning to save up and send him to the school in town. In the summer, she saved up a few taels of silver from selling the fruits at home. Tao Yinzhen had worked overtime to make cloth. She had already saved up a total of six taels of silver. Six taels of silver was enough for Little Cat to go to school in town, but Qinghe Academy was right in front of their place. Tao Yinzhen thought of the capabilities of the villagers and wanted to send Little Cat to Qinghe Academy. Even if the teachers of Qinghe Academy were not very good, it was enough to teach Little Cat. When Little Cat was a little older, she would not have to fear for him being kidnapped at all. Then, she could also find a good teacher in the private school in town. Moreover, the Qinghe Academy had a close relationship with Madam Bai. Since Old Master Chu was also attending school, Little Cat would definitely be taken care of if he went to the same school. Tao Yinzhen told Little Cat that she wanted to send him to Qinghe Academy. Little Cat was so excited that he did not sleep all night. Before dawn, he got up and fed all the livestock at home. He did all the work in advance before changing into new clothes and waiting obediently for Tao Yinzhen to get up. Tao Yinzhen got out of bed and went to the kitchen. When she saw that there was already porridge cooking on the stove, she patted Little Cat¡¯s head. ¡°In the future, you just have to study in peace. You don¡¯t have to worry about family matters.¡± Little Cat shook its head. ¡°Mother is too tired. I want to help Mother share some of the burden.¡± Tao Yinzhen smiled. ¡°Little Cat, study hard. No matter how hard and tired Mother is, it¡¯s worth it. Be good and leave all the matters to Mother in the future. Don¡¯t be too tired. If you¡¯re too tired, you won¡¯t be able to attend school properly.¡± Little Cat retorted reasonably, ¡°I¡¯m not tired. I¡¯ll study hard after doing these. Old Master Chu goes to school and even cooks for Madam Bai when he gets home.¡± Tao Yinzhen was stunned. She thought of Ren Shuixing, who was lying in bed and had to be changed out of his feces and urine. Chu Tianbao was good-looking, considerate, and strong¡­ Why wasn¡¯t she as lucky as Bai Wutong? Tao Yinzhen was deep in thought. Little Cat tugged at Tao Yinzhen¡¯s hand. ¡°Mother?¡± Tao Yinzhen came back to her senses and hid the embarrassment on her face. ¡°After dinner, I¡¯ll take you to register for school.¡± Little Cat nodded and hurried to fill the bowl with porridge. Before leaving, Tao Yinzhen thought of the shocking beauty of Bai Wutong. After hesitating, she took out her best dress from the cabinet and changed into it. She did this just so that Little Cat would not be looked down on. Even though it had been almost a month since lessons started in Qinghe Academy, there were not many families in the surrounding villages who wanted to send their children here to study. The reason was that the tuition here was too expensive. It was three times more than going to school in town. With the remaining income from a typical farmer¡¯s earning, they did not have the ability to support their children in school. Besides, some children were not cut out for school at all. They did not even want to go even if asked to. In addition, one could not participate in the imperial examination even if one studied now. One could not become the top scholar, nor could one be a high-ranking official if one did not have any connections. The families who originally wanted to send their children to school did not want to send anymore after such consideration. Even if they had to send their children, they would rather their children walk a few more steps to study in town than let them study in Qinghe Academy. How could a school¡¯s tuition fee be so expensive? It was obvious that they were extorting money. Chapter 215 - 215 Its as if the World is in His Hands 215 It¡¯s as if the World is in His Hands Tao Yinzhen led Little Cat to Qinghe Academy. Looking at the brand new and elegant academy, an indescribable reverence rose from the bottom of her heart. Tao Yinzhen reminded her son, ¡°You must study hard and become an outstanding man in the future, understand?¡± Even if Little Cat could not become an official, with the ability to read and calculate, he could still be a accountant in town. It was much better than being a country bumpkin in the fields. Little Cat nodded firmly. ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll definitely make a name for myself and become a big official so that Mother can live a good life!¡± Tao Yinzhen nodded in relief. ¡°Alright, Mother will wait.¡± They entered Qinghe Academy, where the elegant Mr. Liu received them gently. Tao Yinzhen was very satisfied with the environment here and the teachers of the academy. They did not look down on them because of their simple clothes. Tao Yinzhen paid two taels of tuition fees. After Mr. Liu registered Little Cat, he brought them to the academy to receive the learning materials for free. There were a total of two sets of well-made student clothes. The material was smooth, gentle, and the style was novel and convenient. If they were bought in a shop, it would cost a few taels of silver. Mr. Liu had also prepared a copy of the basic books for the students. In addition, Mr. Liu gave him a bag with the logo of Qinghe Academy. The school bag that Bai Wutong made for Chu Tianbao was sought after by everyone. Therefore, Qinghe Academy specially found the women in the village to customize a batch of school bags and specially distributed them to everyone. Now, the school bag had become a standard accessory for the students of Qinghe Academy. When Little Cat went to cut the pig grass, he stood on the top of the mountain and saw everyone carrying their school bags and wearing their student uniforms to school. No one knew how envious he was. Unexpectedly, he had one now. And it was free! Little Cat looked at Tao Yinzhen excitedly, his face filled with joy. Tao Yinzhen said to Mr. Liu, ¡°Thank you, Sir. Thank you so much!¡± The total value of these things must be more than two taels of silver. It was completely worth it for Little Cat to go to school here. Tao Yinzhen was overjoyed. Sending Little Cat to school here must have been the wisest decision she had made. However, even if there were many things for the new students, Qinghe Academy did not make a loss. That was because Sheng Huaixuan had bought these learning materials in large quantities, from the fabric of the student uniform to the brush, paper, and ink. In fact, they had made earnings. After receiving the items, Mr. Liu gave Little Cat a list and introduced it to him. ¡°As long as you study well from now on, after a month of studying, if you are able to enter Class A and score A for your results and morals at the end of the month, you don¡¯t have to pay your tuition for the next semester.¡± As long as he studied hard, he did not have to pay tuition fees. Tao Yinzhen was dumbfounded by this. After a long time, she said excitedly to Little Cat, ¡°You have to enter Class A and score A, got it?!¡± Little Cat nodded in high hopes. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely enter Class A and score A.¡± This way, Mother could knit less cloth and not be so tired. On the first day of registration, there was no need to go for lessons. Mr. Liu brought Little Cat to familiarize himself with the academy, with Tao Yinzhen by his side. When they passed by the Chess Academy, Little Cat suddenly said excitedly to Tao Yinzhen, ¡°Mother, look, Master Chu is also there!¡± Tao Yinzhen looked in the direction Little Cat was pointing. Among the many students, she immediately saw Chu Tianbao, who was playing chess with Sheng Huaixuan. Chu Tianbao lowered his eyes. His cold side profile was like a god, and his cold aura was completely different from his gentle appearance beside Bai Wutong. His powerful aura made it seem as if the entire world was in his hands. In an instant, Tao Yinzhen¡¯s heart beat violently. She did not blink at all. Chu Tianbao, who had just placed a piece down, sensed that someone was looking at him and glanced at her coldly. His sharp gaze stabbed into her eyes like a sword. The air seemed to freeze. Tao Yinzhen hurriedly retracted her gaze, not daring to look at Chu Tianbao again. However, her mind was filled with Chu Tianbao¡¯s cold face. She gripped the corner of her dress and bit her red lips, which had been specially smeared with lip colour. Her heart beat uncontrollably. Without receiving a response from Chu Tianbao, Little Cat asked Mr. Liu, ¡°What are they doing?¡± Old Master Chu¡¯s focused look seemed so amazing and dazzling. Mr. Liu smiled and said, ¡°They¡¯re playing chess. You can learn from them in the future.¡± When Little Cat saw the chess pieces in their hands, he asked worriedly, ¡°Do I have to buy the small stone in Old Master Chu¡¯s hand too?¡± If it was expensive, Little Cat planned to think of a way to save money now. Mr. Liu said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to buy it. As long as you¡¯re a student of Qinghe Academy, you can use the chessboard in the Chess Academy.¡± Little Cat widened his eyes. ¡°The academy is too good! Qinghe Academy must be the best academy!¡± Mr. Liu smiled mysteriously. Qinghe Academy was indeed the best academy in the past. Presumably, it would be in the future. Little Cat and the distracted Tao Yinzhen left the academy. As soon as they came out, they met Bai Wutong, who had come to fetch Chu Tianbao from school. The autumn rain was endless and the weather was humid. It was just a little rain, but the countryside people were not particular. Bai Wutong was wearing a light blue dress and a furry cape. She was holding a floral oil paper umbrella. Her every move, every frown, and every smile was like a beauty who had walked out of a painting. Before Little Cat could walk forward and greet Bai Wutong, Chu Tianbao, who had won the game against Sheng Huaixuan, flew out and passed everyone like a gust of wind. He steadily hugged Bai Wutong. The two of them were like a perfect couple, and even the sunlight had become unnecessary. Tao Yinzhen hid the loneliness in her eyes and walked forward with Little Cat. ¡°Hello Madam Bai and Master Chu.¡± Chu Tianbao was full of smiles, completely different from the cold expression they had seen in the academy. All the gentleness and emotions on him were for Bai Wutong alone. Bai Wutong smiled at Little Cat. ¡°Did Madam Tao bring Little Cat to register at the academy?¡± Tao Yinzhen nodded and looked at her. She sounded proud. ¡°Yes, from tomorrow onwards, Little Cat will be able to go to school with Master Chu.¡± In the future, she would be able to wait here for Little Cat to end classes like Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong took a few candy bars out of her bag and put them in Little Cat¡¯s hand. ¡°Congratulations on going to school.¡± Little Cat looked at Tao Yinzhen with anticipation in his eyes, but he didn¡¯t dare to take it. Tao Yinzhen forced a smile. ¡°Thank you, Madam Bai.¡± Little Cat happily took the candy from her. ¡°Thank you, Madam Bai.¡± Bai Wutong stroked his head. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Tao Yinzhen¡¯s gaze landed on the white jade-like hand of Bai Wutong. She glanced at her calloused hand and quietly hid it in her sleeve, thinking that no one was paying attention. Bai Wutong acutely sensed that Tao Yinzhen was feeling a little uncomfortable. She bade them farewell and left with Chu Tianbao. On the way home, Little Cat happily raised the candy and brought it to Tao Yinzhen. ¡°Mother, Madam Bai¡¯s candy is delicious.¡± Little Cat¡¯s gaze of cherishing the candy was like a needle stabbing into Tao Yinzhen¡¯s eyes. Recalling Chu Tianbao¡¯s tall backview as he left with the umbrella covering Bai Wutong, Tao Yinzhen suddenly felt a wave of resentment. They were both women, so why was her life so bitter? Chapter 216 - 216 Its For Your Good When I Say Youre Foolish 216 It¡¯s For Your Good When I Say You¡¯re Foolish When Little Cat and Tao Yinzhen returned to Lintian Village, the village women at the entrance said sarcastically, ¡°Yo, what day is it today? Lady Tao looks so radiant.¡± Anyway, sooner or later, people would find out that Little Cat was going to school. Tao Yinzhen raised her chin, her eyes rather proud. ¡°I¡¯m sending Little Cat to school.¡± In the entire Lintian Village, not a single child went to Qinghe Academy to study. If they knew that going to Qinghe Academy was a sure win, they would definitely rack their brains to let their children enter. But Tao Yinzhen didn¡¯t want to tell them. Their children would never be smarter, more sensible, and more promising than Little Cat. When Tao Yinzhen said that Little Cat was going to school, the villagers were all dumbfounded. They asked in disbelief, ¡°Where is Little Cat attending school? It can¡¯t be Qinghe Academy, right?¡± Tao Yinzhen raised her chin even higher. ¡°Yes.¡± The women in the village gasped in shock. ¡°It costs two taels of silver per semester. There are two semesters each year, which is equivalent to four taels of silver. Is there something wrong with your brain?! He can study in town for two to three years with that money!¡± Tao Yinzhen snorted. ¡°I would rather send Little Cat to school than leave the money at home for other people to set their eyes on!¡± Ren Shuixing was now a cripple. Tao Yinzhen had two big wolf dogs at home, but their house had still been robbed. Fortunately, the robbers came when they were not at home, so Tao Yinzhen and Little Cat were not in danger. Even more fortunately, she had hidden the silver in a rat hole in the firewood. The robbers had not been able to discover it and had only stolen a dozen coppers from the house. Tao Yinzhen now had money. Not only were there robbers coveting it, but her maternal family had also come looking for her, wanting to safeguard this money for her. They even said that they were pitying the mother and son for having no one to rely on. Previously, Tao Yinzhen was almost beaten to death by Ren Shuixing, but they did not say a word. Tao Yinzhen refused and was grabbed by the hair by her brother, Tao Yang, and beaten up. Fortunately, Little Cat released the wolf dog to bite him, allowing Tao Yinzhen to escape. Tao Yang returned empty-handed and Father Tao was furious. He was Tao Yinzhen¡¯s biological father. As long as there was no letter to sever their ties officially, it was only right for him to hit his daughter. Even if Yang Gongbing came, he would not dare to arrest him and send him to prison. Father Tao carried a small stool and sat in the courtyard of Little Cat¡¯s house to scold them every day, demanding Tao Yinzhen, this unfilial daughter, to fork out money to nourish his body. When he was angry, he even smashed the things at home at Tao Yinzhen and Little Cat. If not for the fact that he had been busy with farming and lacked manpower at home, Father Tao would still be cursing them in the courtyard. As for the people in the village, they were just watching the commotion, but no one helped the mother and son. Tao Yinzhen thought of the tall and strong Chu Tianbao again. If she had Chu Tianbao backing her and her son, there was no need for her to be frightened. The villagers glared at her unhappily. ¡°Who are you referring to?! I said that you¡¯re foolish for your own good. Why can¡¯t you listen?! Even if your Little Cat is a literary talent who has descended to the mortal world, there is not even a imperial examination now and he can¡¯t become an official. Won¡¯t your money be wasted if you spend it on his education? We have good intentions, but you don¡¯t appreciate it. Who cares about the few money you saved?¡± Tao Yinzhen sneered. ¡°It¡¯s for your own good if I say you¡¯re foolish too! Even if the money has gone to waste, I¡¯m willing to do it for Little Cat! I¡¯ve already paid his tuition for an entire year. No one can continue to set their eyes on our family!¡± Tao Yinzhen¡¯s words made those who were secretly looking for an opportunity to steal money grit their teeth in hatred. Squandering b*tch! Ren Shuixing should have beaten her to death back then! Little Cat was happy that day and did not want his mother to be infuriated by these women. He held her hand tightly and snorted. ¡°Mother, let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll definitely make you an official¡¯s mother in the future!¡± When Tao Yinzhen heard her son¡¯s words, she immediately felt proud and elated. She glanced at the village women proudly and imitated the actions of Bai Wutong. She said gently, ¡°Alright, Mother will wait. Our little cat will definitely be able to become a high-ranking official! Teach those shameless bad people a lesson!¡± The village women stared at the backs of the mother and son with disdain. ¡°Pfft! You¡¯re purely crazy! If Little Cat can be a high official, my son can be an emperor!¡± ¡°When Youjia village stops accepting fruits next year, let¡¯s see what she can do!¡± ¡°What can she do?! She can only sell her body! Slut!¡± Although they said that, the women in the village were very jealous. They could not compare to Tao Yinzhen in any way. Ever since her husband was crippled, not only did her complexion become better and better, but she also gradually looked like the time when she had just married into Lintian Village and attracted the men to peek at her. She even had money to send Little Cat to school. Although they had earned some money from selling fruits this year, they had sold them for a copper coin for each catties. A fruit tree weighing more than 50 kilograms could not earn much money at all. In addition, their mother-in-law was suppressing them. After receiving the money, they had not even received a copper coin, let alone send their children to school. The next day, Little Cat appeared in the village in student uniform with a school bag on his back. The children of Lintian Village suddenly widened their eyes. They surrounded him with envious expressions. ¡°Little cat, are you going to school?¡± Little Cat said proudly, ¡°Yes, I am going to Qinghe Academy to study!¡± Little Cat wore the school uniform and had a scholarly aura that was completely different from theirs. Many children also formed a strong desire to go to school. Little Cat happily skipped to school. The children rushed home and found their parents, strongly requesting to go to school with Little Cat. Elder Lin¡¯s grandson, Lin Wang, tugged at his mother, Xia Lihua, and said, ¡°Mother, I want to go to school too. I want to go to Qinghe Academy with Little Cat. Little Cat said that after entering the academy, I can learn chess, archery, martial arts, and anything else. I really want to go. I want to go now!¡± Xia Lihua also wanted to send her son to school and suppress the arrogant Tao Yinzhen. However, she was not in charge of this family. She looked at the main lady and hinted at her son, but the main lady scolded, ¡°Do you have money? It costs two taels to go to school! If you can take out two taels, I¡¯ll send you there now!¡± Lin Wang did not have money, but he knew that his grandfather was rich. The last time he was at the window, he had seen his grandfather counting the money from selling fruits. Lin Wang ran to look for Elder Lin and said sweetly, ¡°Grandpa, I want to go to school. Can you send me to school? When I grow up, I¡¯ll be a high official and treat you well. I¡¯ll give you money every day.¡± Elder Lin had some knowledge. Even if one could not take the imperial examination now, when the two kingdoms were unified, the imperial examination would recover sooner or later. At that time, it would be too late if his grandson was older and had not learnt anything. Elder Lin had a total of three sons and five grandchildren. Lin Wang was the youngest and also the smartest. He was the most liked. He imagined the scene of becoming an official¡¯s grandfather. He patted Lin Wang¡¯s head benevolently and agreed readily. ¡°Alright, Grandpa will bring you to town to register tomorrow and find the best teacher for you!¡± Lin Wang frowned and asked, ¡°Can you learn chess, martial arts, and football in town? Little Cat said that Qinghe Academy teaches these.¡± Elder Lin frowned even more tightly than him. ¡°You should be studying in school, take the exams, and stand out! What¡¯s the use of playing chess and learning martial arts?! Just thinking about this will ruin your studies. Qinghe Academy is not a good place. Don¡¯t even think about it.¡± No wonder tuition was so expensive. It turned out that he had learned all these useless nonsense. Chapter 217 - 217 The One Beside is the Prime Minister of Yan Kingdom For Two Dynasties 217 The One Beside is the Prime Minister of Yan Kingdom For Two Dynasties A school without these things was definitely boring. Lin Wang suddenly lost most of his interest in going to school. At the dinner table that day, Elder Lin unilaterally announced that he wanted to send Lin Wang to Mingsheng Academy in town to study. Mr. Zhang from Mingsheng Academy was the most famous aged scholar in Woqian Town. He had once nurtured two High Scholars and they were both officials in other places. Elder Lin thought that if he sent Lin Wang over, with Lin Wang¡¯s intelligence, he would definitely be able to become the top scholar. He would bring glory to his ancestors and bring his entire family to the top. As soon as these words were spoken, other than Lin Wang¡¯s parents who were overjoyed, the other families all had sullen expressions. Elder Lin¡¯s third son, Lin Hu, said unhappily, ¡°Father, Lei Zi and Wang Zi are the same age. He should go to the academy to study too!¡± It was already difficult enough for the entire family to provide for one child to go to school. How could Elder Lin be willing to send another one? Elder Lin¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Lei Zi is so silent all day long. He¡¯s like a blockhead. He¡¯s not cut out for studying at all. It¡¯s a waste of money to go.¡± Lin Hu clenched his fists at the bottom of the table. He was just biased. But he still had to insult his son for not being capable of studying. How could he know that his son was not good at studying? The second brother also had two sons. Now, they were helping the family with labour work. They were a little old for school, but it was not impossible. Upon hearing that the third brother had failed, he held back what he wanted to say. Lin Wang raised his chin proudly. Even though he didn¡¯t really want to wake up early every morning to go to school in town, he still enjoyed the envious gazes of the other children at home. After dinner, the wives busied themselves clearing the dishes before returning to their rooms. After closing the door, Lin Hu¡¯s wife, Jin Xiuxiu, immediately complained unhappily, ¡°Why can¡¯t our Lei Zi go to school? Lei Zi has been writing and drawing on the ground without saying a word for the past two days. The children in the neighboring village taught him a few words! How is it worse than the little burden of the eldest family!¡± As long as they did not split up the families, Elder Lin would have the final say in this household. No one could go against him. Lin Hu had also tried his best for his child, but what could he do? He could only sigh helplessly and say, ¡°Who asked Lei Zi to not be as eloquent as Wang Zi and make Dad like him?¡± Jin Xiuxiu probed, ¡°Brother Huzi, what do you think will happen if we split the family?¡± Lin Hu was not angry. Instead, he rolled his eyes at her. ¡°In your dreams. How can my father be willing to split up!¡± Unless he was dead. In ancient farming society, sons were the labor of the family and were constantly exploited. If these sons had split their families, they could not be exploited for labor, and Elder Lin¡¯s right to speak would greatly decrease. He would never allow any son to escape his control. Jin Xiuxiu was very regretful. ¡°Sigh, it would be nice if our son can go to school.¡± Lin Hu was also very depressed. He blew out the oil lamp. ¡°Let¡¯s go to sleep.¡± The next day, Elder Lin specially hired an ox cart to bring Lin Wang to town to register. According to the news from the government, only the Imperial City and a city that was guarded desperately were left in the Yan Kingdom to conquer. If not for the fact that King Chu had requested that the army not break through the city forcefully for the safety of the people, he would have long taken down the Yan Kingdom. When the scholars heard this news, they were all excited. If the two countries were unified, the imperial examination would resume soon. Why wouldn¡¯t they be studying hard now?! Hence, the two schools that had been inactive in town for a long time suddenly became popular. In particular, everyone wanted to enter Elder Zhang¡¯s Mingsheng Academy. When Elder Lin heard everyone¡¯s discussion, he became even more anxious to send his grandson to Mingsheng Academy. He tried his best to find connections and gave the doorman in charge of registration a tael of silver before jumping the queue to register. After paying the six yuan tuition fee, Lin Wang became a student of Mingsheng Academy and was immediately forced to purchase pen, paper, inkstone, books, and other things. If he did not buy it, he would have to give the spot to others. When Patriarch Lin thought of Mr. Zhang¡¯s ability, he stomped his feet, gritted his teeth, and bought all the items. Unexpectedly, these things actually cost five taels of silver! Elder Lin knew that it would cost a lot of money to send Lin Wang to learn, but he did not expect to spend so much money in one go. It was more than a few times higher than the cost of Qinghe Academy. He wanted to return these things and let Lin Wang enter Qinghe Academy, but he could not bring himself to do so. Now that he looked at Lin Wang¡¯s face, it was as if it was made of gold. He reminded his grandson again, ¡°You must study hard and make a name for yourself. Be filial to me, understand?! I¡¯ve used all my coffin money for you to go to school!¡± When Lin Wang first came here, he was very curious about everything around him. He patted his chest and promised, ¡°Grandpa, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll definitely make a name for myself! I¡¯ll be the first to show my respect to you!¡± When Elder Lin heard this, her heart burned. He felt that this money was really not wasted. When he returned home, Lin Wang bragged to his companions about how good the town was. He could see a lot of delicious food and fun things every day. He could even see the scholar in the academy. After bragging for a few days, his mouth was blistered. Now, everyone knew that he had gone to town to register, and spent a few taels of silver to suppress Little Cat. At the same time, the other two families in Elder Lin¡¯s family were even more dissatisfied. Did he really think that money came from nowhere? In the past years, when the harvest was not good, no one had any money on hand, and Lin Hu could not take on any work, it was already not bad for the family to save half a tael of silver a year. Lin Wang had just started school and had already spent a few taels of silver. Wouldn¡¯t he have to spend even more money in the future? Lin Hu glanced at his son, who was writing and drawing on the ground outside the door. He felt even more upset. He as a father was really a useless coward. Everyone praised Lin Wang for being more promising than Little Cat in the future. This made Elder Lin secretly proud. There was suddenly a big commotion in Youjia Village again. Dozens of carriages lined up in a long line drove over and stopped at the entrance of Youjia Village. How could someone with a carriage be an ordinary person! Besides, they were all dressed in graceful clothes. The villagers of Lintian Village ran to watch the commotion. They immediately knew that these people were all here to learn. It was to enter Qinghe Academy and become a student under Yang Quanzi. The villagers of Lintian Village were all stunned. Wasn¡¯t Yang Quanzi just a fair and fat old man from the neighboring village who often stroked his beard and smiled like a fat fox? They continued to prick up their ears and listen. Immediately, they were shocked. The fat old man who did not look very outstanding was actually a famous teacher! And Qinghe Academy was a very famous academy previously! When these people received the news that Qinghe Academy was accepting students again, they rushed over from thousands of miles away. The man in the lead of the team seemed to be the eldest son of the county magistrate. Not only did he want to study here, but he also wanted to bring his two sons over to study together. Elder Lin¡¯s mind was buzzing, as if he had suddenly missed a hundred million. The county magistrate¡¯s son had traveled thousands of miles to study here. How could this Qinghe Academy be worse than the Mingsheng Academy in town? Elder Lin thought that this was already very unexpected, but to his surprise, he heard someone beside him lower his voice and remind his companion, ¡°The person beside Great Scholar Yang is the Prime Minister of the Yan Kingdom, Cui Shize.¡± Chapter 218 - 218 Hurry and Look For Master Chu 218 Hurry and Look For Master Chu Elder Lin trembled all over, and his brain felt like it had been split open. Beside Yang Quanzi was the prime minister two dynasties! He tried his best to recall and felt a sudden shock. No wonder when he heard the name Cui Shize previously, he felt that it was strangely familiar, as if he had heard it somewhere before! It turned out that he was Prime Minister Cui, who had been exiled by a fatuous ruler after standing up for the commoners! Elder Lin recalled the past events that had happened in Lintian Village and Youjia Village in the past year and almost fainted. Even though Prime Minister Cui was no longer the Prime Minister, everyone knew that a starving camel was still bigger than a horse. Where did they get the guts to go against these people?! God, why did he have to know all this! Elder Lin stared at the crowd that kept surging towards Qinghe Academy and suddenly thought of his grandson, Lin Wang, who was studying in town. He really didn¡¯t make the best of his opportunities. Elder Lin rushed home and hurriedly said to his eldest son, Lin Cheng, ¡°Hurry up and go to town to bring Wangzi back. I¡¯ll go to Qinghe Academy to help him register first!¡± Lin Cheng was still a little confused. ¡°Why?¡± Elder Lin didn¡¯t have time to explain and said angrily, ¡°If I tell you to go, go quickly. Why are you wasting your breath?!¡± Lin Cheng did not dare to delay further and immediately left to fetch Lin Wang. Elder Lin hurriedly returned to his room and changed into the most grand and presentable robe. Those who came to register were all from big families. As long as he could build a relationship with them, the entire Lin family would be able to rise to the heavens. As Lin Hu was working in the workshop, he was the first to know that these people were all trying to enrol into Qinghe Academy. When he realized how awesome the teacher of Qinghe Academy was and how powerful his connections would be if he went to school here, he suddenly made up his mind. Even if he fell out with his family, he had to send his son to Qinghe Academy. Lin Hu took a day off from the workshop and hurriedly rushed home to ask their wife, Jin Xiuxiu, to take out the silver. Jin Xiuxiu was stunned. ¡°We don¡¯t have any silver.¡± Lin Hu knew that Jin Xiuxiu had saved up some money behind his back. ¡°I want to send our son to Qinghe Academy to study. There are too many people now. We will be too late if we wait any longer. Xiuxiu, hurry.¡± When Jin Xiuxiu heard that Lin Hu was sending their son to school, her eyes lit up. Without hesitation, she took out a small money bag from under the bed. There were only two taels and one coin in it, but there was also Jin Xiuxiu¡¯s dowry ¨C a silver bracelet, two silver rings and a pair of silver earrings. Lin Hu took the small money bag and promised his wife, ¡°Xiuxiu, I¡¯ll definitely earn the money back for you.¡± Jin Xiuxiu believed him but she was worried that her father-in-law would be unhappy and think that they were hiding money. Lin Hu could tell that Jin Xiuxiu was worried. He gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I definitely won¡¯t let you and our son suffer. At most, we¡¯ll split up from the family!¡± Jin Xiuxiu¡¯s eyes lit up. If they could really split from the family, it would be great. She wouldn¡¯t have to earn money to support other people¡¯s sons in school. Lin Hu took the silver and rushed to Qinghe Academy with Lei Zi. There were suddenly too many people. The originally quiet Qinghe Academy became boisterous. Lin Hu and his son queued up to register. Soon, the other villagers nearby who had heard the news, after much hesitation, also gathered two taels of silver and rushed over with their sons and grandsons. If they did not hurry to register now, when more people around them knew about the academy, they might not be able to get a place. The registration queue moved up bit by bit. It was finally Lin Hu¡¯s turn. Lin Hu had an indescribable reverence for scholars. He carefully said to Mr. Liu, who was in charge of registration, ¡°Sir, this is my son, Lin Lei.¡± Mr. Liu nodded gently. He was very different from the people in town who looked down on uneducated people. Lin Hu was shocked. So there was such a kind teacher. After Mr. Liu wrote down Lin Lei¡¯s information, he gave them a bunch of items. There were uniform that looked as good as Little Cat¡¯s, pen, paper, books, school bag, and many other things. Even if Lin Hu did not know what was good, he could tell that these things definitely cost a few taels of silver. Lin Hu suddenly became nervous. ¡°Sir, do we have to buy all these things?¡± He wondered if they accepted women¡¯s jewelry. Mr. Liu smiled gently like a spring breeze, making people feel very comfortable and at ease. ¡°No need. These are all given to every student by the academy.¡± Lin Hu¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°Is¡ªis it free?¡± He stuttered. Mr. Liu nodded when he saw this. He also told him that as long as the child studied hard, the tuition fees would be free of charge in the future. Lin Hu was stunned. ¡°Free?¡± Mr. Liu nodded and looked at Lin Lei. ¡°As long as your son studies hard, you don¡¯t have to pay tuition fees. Every student who works hard will be supported to complete their studies.¡± Lin Hu¡¯s tears flowed out immediately. If that was the case, even if his father did not agree to split the family, as long as Lin Lei was willing to work hard, he would not have to worry about not being able to attend the academy. No wonder Little Cat looked so happy every day. After obtaining so many things, he could still go to school for free, how could he not be happy? Tao Yinzhen and hidden it too muwellch and actually didn¡¯t tell everyone about this. On second thought, if it was him, Lin Hu might also not have told the villagers. With more students, the competition would be more stiff. It would be difficult for Little Cat to get a spot to be exempted from tuition fees. Lin Hu¡¯s eyes were red as he pried at his son¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Son, good luck! I believe you can do it!¡± Even if his son could not get an ¡®A¡¯ grade, he had to let Lin Lei continue studying just because the academy did not have an ordinary teacher. Lin Lei did not expect that he could go to school like Lin Wang. He secretly made up his mind that no matter what, he had to get a spot to be exempted from tuition fees. After Lin Hu brought Lin Lei to sign up, Elder Lin also arrived dressed neatly. But it was already a little late for him to join the queue. He wanted to use his identity as Elder Lin to pressure the others and cut the line. In the end, for the sake of their child¡¯s future, no one cared about him. Elder Lin stomped his feet. He had no choice but to line up obediently. Lin Hu looked at the long line and pulled his son into the crowd. He whispered to him, ¡°When you get back, don¡¯t say you have registered first, okay? If Lin Wang did not get a place, your biased grandfather might ask you not to go and get him to replace you.¡± Lin Lei nodded sensibly. ¡°I understand, Father. I won¡¯t tell anyone.¡± Lin Hu¡¯s prediction was right. Too many people had come. The enrollment quota for Qinghe Academy was indeed filled very quickly. Lin Wang did not manage to get a place. Elder Lin was filled with regret. If he had not gone back to put on his clothes, he would have definitely gotten a place. So he instantly thought of Little Cat. As long as Little Cat dropped out of school, there would be a vacant spot. Lin Wang could replace Little Cat and enter Qinghe Academy, become a disciple of the Great Confucian, and become a good friend of the county magistrate¡¯s grandson. Elder Lin thought of Little Cat, and so did the others. Little Cat¡¯s house was quickly filled with people. In order for his grandson to enter Qinghe Academy, Father Tao also shouted at their door, ¡°Unfilial daughter! Hurry up and get out!¡± Tao Yinzhen looked out of the window nervously and bit her lip. If Chu Tianbao, who had an imposing aura, was here, these people would definitely not dare to touch them. She hesitated for a long time and said to Little Cat, ¡°Leave from the dog hole at the back and look for Master Chu. Beg him to help us. Otherwise, you won¡¯t be able to go to school.¡± Chapter 219 - 219 Dont Look at What You Shouldnt Look at 219 Don¡¯t Look at What You Shouldn¡¯t Look at It was not easy for Little Cat to have a chance to go to school. How could he be willing to let it be ruined by these people? He crawled out of the dog hole and ran all the way to Bai Wutong¡¯s house. Little Cat panted and cried. ¡°Madam Bai, Master Chu, please help my mother. They are even breaking our house.¡± When Bai Wutong came out of the room, she frowned and said, ¡°Take your time to speak. Don¡¯t be anxious.¡± When Little Cat heard Bai Wutong¡¯s gentle voice, he felt an urge to cry. He sobbed. ¡°They are forcing me to drop out of school and asked me to give up the spot at Qinghe Academy. They are even fighting for the spot at our door. The fence in our front yard had collapsed.¡± Everyone wanted their children to enter Qinghe Academy. Even if Little Cat dropped out of school, there would only be one more spot. At first, everyone were only cursing at each other before they started to fight. Tao Yinzhen hid in the house with the kitten. They united again and asked Tao Yinzhen who she wanted to give this position to. It seemed that no matter what, the spot at Qinghe Academy was theirs. Little Cat did not want to trouble Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao, but he was just a child after all. When he saw his mother being bullied, he was helpless and could only come and ask for help. Bai Wutong¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°Your mother rejected them, and they threatened you?¡± Little Cat¡¯s eyes were filled with tears. ¡°I hit them with a rock and said that I would report it to the authorities, but they still didn¡¯t leave. My maternal grandfather even hit my mother with a stick and said that she was unfilial. But previously they even said that they wouldn¡¯t lend us a single grain of rice since their daughter was like water poured out after marrying.¡± His heart was filled with indignation and resentment towards those people. Now that it was ancient times, when the mounting pressure of filial piety was used against them, Father Tao would be considered reasonable even if he was unreasonable. Even if Tao Yinzhen resisted, with their blood relations, they could not cut off from Father Tao¡¯s entanglement. Bai Wutong sympathized with Little Cat and his mother a lot and wanted to help him. If Qingfeng took action, she could only chase these people away for the time being. As long as Little Cat was still in Qinghe Academy, they would definitely not let it go. The matter still needed to be resolved at its root. Bai Wutong took Little Cat to the academy and asked Mr. Liu about the situation. Soon, Bai Wutong learned from Mr. Liu that once the enrollment period of Qinghe Academy ended, even if there were students who temporarily dropped out, they would not be accepting new students. It was to prevent a situation like what Little Cat was experiencing. Bai Wutong said to the kitten, ¡°Go back now and tell them that even if you drop out of school, the academy won¡¯t take in any more students. When everyone finds out, they¡¯ll leave your family alone.¡± Little Cat looked at Bai Wutong pitifully. Tears flowed out from his eyes again. ¡°They are not listening to me at all.¡± Wiping the tears from his face with a handkerchief, she comforted him gently. ¡°Shall we accompany you?¡± Little Cat immediately smiled through his tears. ¡°Thank you, Madam Bai and Master Chu. They will definitely listen to you.¡± At this moment, Yang Quanzi walked towards them with a group of people. Yang Quanzi wanted to introduce them to Qu Yuanxian¡¯s eldest son, Qu Liangyu. When he found out that Little Cat had been forced to drop out of school, Yang Quanzi stroked his beard and said angrily, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Little Cat¡¯s eyes widened. If the academy director went with him, no one would dare to doubt the authenticity of his words. Before Bai Wutong reached Little Cat¡¯s family door, she heard Tao Yinzhen¡¯s heart-wrenching cries. Little Cat¡¯s heart tightened as he rushed home agitatedly. ¡°Mother! Mother! Mother!¡± He saw a scene that made his heart ache. Tao Yinzhen was grabbed by the hair and pressed to the ground by Father Tao. The others took advantage of the chaos to tear Tao Yinzhen apart. Some despicable women even pulled at the clothes on Tao Yinzhen¡¯s chest. Her cheeks were bleeding and she was in a sorry state, like a fish at the mercy of others after reaching shore. Tao Yinzhen, who was in despair, couldn¡¯t understand why fate wouldn¡¯t let her off after she tried her best to live. Little Cat was like a ferocious wolf as he roared at everyone who had barged into his house to commit the act. ¡°You¡¯re bullying my mother! I¡¯ll definitely kill you!¡± Father Tao stood up and grabbed Little Cat¡¯s collar. ¡°Little brat, I¡¯m your grandfather. Who are you shouting at?!¡± Little Cat bit Father Tao¡¯s wrist. Father Tao was in pain and raised his hand to give Little Cat a big slap. ¡°Pa¡ª¡± Before his hand could land, Father Tao was slapped away by Chu Tianbao. Everyone looked over in unison and saw a bright red handprint on Father Tao¡¯s face. It was swollen and bleeding from the corners of his mouth and nose. It was terrifying. They subconsciously took a step back, afraid that Chu Tianbao¡¯s hand would land on their faces in the next second. The dignified Chu Tianbao stood in front of the mother and son and protected them. It was as if a god had descended to save them. Tao Yinzhen¡¯s heart trembled. She looked at his back and whispered in a daze, ¡°Master Chu¡­¡± Now that she was practicing martial arts, Bai Wutong¡¯s ears were sharp. Tao Yinzhen¡¯s infatuated voice entered her ears. Her gaze landed on Tao Yinzhen¡¯s face, accurately capturing the reliance and infatuation in her eyes. She instantly frowned. Chu Tianbao had a handsome face that women were obsessed with. He was gentle and considerate to Bai Wutong and listened to everything she said. Tao Yinzhen¡¯s own husband, on the other hand, had been violent to her all year round. Even now, he had become a cripple. She had indulged in Chu Tianbao¡¯s care for Little Cat, which was the straw that drowning people yearned to grasp. However, her revealing such thoughts and coveting Chu Tianbao still made her very unhappy. An extremely strong frustration brewed in her heart. Bai Wutong walked forward and took off her cloak to cover Tao Yinzhen. She warned her directly, ¡°Lady Tao, don¡¯t look at what you shouldn¡¯t.¡± When Tao Yinzhen discovered Bai Wutong, she had already restrained her emotions. She never expected that Bai Wutong would notice her. She panicked, as if ten million ants were biting her heart, and pretended not to understand. ¡°What did Madam Bai say? I don¡¯t understand.¡± Bai Wutong had done them a favor. Tao Yinzhen knew that she should not have any thoughts towards Chu Tianbao, but who could control her feelings? It was the only time she fell for someone, but Bai Wutong¡¯s warning made her terrified and indignant. In a voice only the two of them could hear, Bai Wutong said unhurriedly, ¡°It¡¯s best if you don¡¯t understand.¡± It was clearly a gentle sentence, but it made Tao Yinzhen feel a chill run down her spine. In an instant, her intuition told her that if she really dared to have any ill intentions, she would definitely be subdued. Now that their lives had finally improved, it would return to before. It would be even more miserable and terrifying than before. Tao Yinzhen¡¯s eyes widened in fear as she glanced at Chu Tianbao, hoping that he would sense Bai Wutong¡¯s cruelty under her gentle mask. This woman was not a good person at all. She just wanted the people around her to compliment her for her hypocrisy. However, how could she want to know that whether Bai Wutong was cruel, cold, or gentle, Chu Tianbao only had eyes for her? Chapter 220 - 220 How Could Master Chu Hate You? 220 How Could Master Chu Hate You? Tao Yang helped Father Tao up and was about to curse when he saw Yang Quanzi, many teachers, and students from the academy arrive. He immediately turned his face of anger into a smile and he pushed his son, Tao Le, forward. ¡°Sir, my son is talented and smart. He¡¯s good at studying. He especially wants to enter Qinghe Academy to study. Sir, please accept him!¡± Tao Yang knew very well that with the appearance of Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao, it would be difficult to force Little Cat to drop out of school. He might as well try to beg these pretentious teachers. When Tao Yang said this, the villagers who were watching the show just now immediately remembered that they were surrounding this place for the same purpose as Tao Yang. The villagers of Lintian Village pushed their children forward. ¡°Sir, our child is even smarter. He can walk at 6 months old, sing at one year old, and help the family at two years old. As long as he can enter the academy, this child will definitely do as you tell him!¡± Another villager even tried to negotiate directly, ¡°Sir, two taels for tuition fee is too expensive. Can you give our child Zhu Zi a discount? Our family can only fork out half a tael of silver. When Zhu Zi becomes the top scholar, we will definitely treat you well.¡± Everyone¡¯s faces were filled with concern for their children. But just now, they had forced other people¡¯s child to drop out of school for their own children. If they did not comply, they would bully the other party. This behavior was no different from a bandit. Yang Quanzi looked at everyone solemnly and told them seriously, ¡°The registration period for Qinghe Academy has ended, we won¡¯t accept any more students.¡± As soon as these words were spoken, the villagers present panicked. Elder Lin came out of Little Cat¡¯s house and hurriedly said, ¡°Senior teacher, Little Cat¡¯s father has already agreed to give Little Cat¡¯s study position to our Lin Wang. Is that okay?¡± In order for Lin Wang to enter Qinghe Academy, Elder Lin promised Ren Shuixing that he would help him call someone from his maternal family and give him five taels of silver. To show his sincerity, Lin Wang¡¯s father had gone to invite Ren Shuixing¡¯s grandfather. He would be arriving soon. Tao Yinzhen¡¯s eyes widened in shock as she roared, ¡°Absolutely not! I don¡¯t agree!¡± Then, Ren Shuixing¡¯s angry curse came from the house. ¡°B*tch, as long as I¡¯m not dead, it¡¯s not your turn to ride on my head and do as you wish!¡± The people from his maternal family were about to arrive, and Ren Shuixing gained more confidence. He was not afraid that Tao Yinzhen would not serve him. He even wanted to return all the harsh treatment he had suffered these days to her! Ren Shuixing¡¯s vulgar words were like a punch to Tao Yinzhen¡¯s heart. Clenching her fists, her gaze fell to the beautiful cape of Bai Wutong. Her tears kept falling. What kind of person did she meet? Tao Yinzhen cried softly and pitifully. However, Chu Tianbao did not look at her at all. Little Cat pounced into Tao Yinzhen¡¯s arms. He was afraid that Yang Quanzi would agree to Village Chief Zhao¡¯s actions. After going to Qinghe Academy and knowing how good it was, he no longer wanted to go to other academies. Village Chief Zhao looked at Yang Quanzi anxiously and waited for him to nod in agreement. Unexpectedly, he heard something that made him very angry. ¡°Even if some students have voluntarily dropped out, the Qinghe Academy won¡¯t take in any more students.¡± Yang Quanzi specially glanced at the pitiful mother and son and emphasized coldly, ¡°This is a rule passed down by the Qinghe Academy for a hundred years. Also, if your parents have bad morals and commit crimes, cheat, or bully others, you won¡¯t be accepted even if you enroll next year.¡± When the villagers heard this, they looked at each other, their hearts trembling. Just now, they had bullied Little Cat and his mother because they had advantage in numbers. Village Chief Zhao was dumbfounded. ¡°Senior teacher, but his father has agreed?¡± Yang Quanzi said coldly, ¡°If the child doesn¡¯t agree, no one can force him to drop out of school! If you continue to pester and threaten them, our Qinghe Academy won¡¯t accept any of your children.¡± As soon as these words were spoken, Lin Hu, who was silent in the crowd, immediately became anxious. It had not been easy for him to register for Lei Zi. He could not let his father ruin it. If Lei Zi was chased out of Qinghe Academy because of that, how could he answer to Xiuxiu? Lin Hu hurriedly pulled the dumbfounded Village Chief Zhao to the side and apologized to Little Cat and his mother. ¡°Lady Tao, my father is muddle-headed. Don¡¯t stoop yourself to his level. Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Zhao has already said that no one can take away Little Cat¡¯s study position.¡± Yang Quanzi had brought so many people here to provide Little Cat backup. Little Cat¡¯s future was definitely limitless. Lin Hu curried favor with Tao Yinzhen because he wanted Lin Lei and Little Cat to get along well. If they got along well, the teachers would definitely like them. Little Cat had just experienced a moment of despair, but what he heard brightened his future again. The gloom in his eyes was swept away. He looked gratefully at Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao. If not for Chu Tianbao and Bai Wutong, Yang Quanzi would not have noticed him, nor would he have stood up for him. When he grew up, he would definitely repay them with his life. No one could break the rules of Qinghe Academy. Elder Zhao met his grandson Lin Wang¡¯s indignant gaze and felt a sense of powerlessness. He regretted it. If he had let Lin Wang go to Qinghe Academy from the beginning, Yang Quanzi might have valued his grandson. After the matter was resolved, Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao were about to leave. Tao Yinzhen wiped her tears and hurriedly stood up. She called out to her, ¡°Madam Bai, your cloak.¡± For a moment, her gaze was fixed on Chu Tianbao¡¯s face. Bai Wutong stood forward. Their eyes met in the air, creating invisible sparks. The corners of her mouth curled up, disdainful of Tao Yinzhen¡¯s way of trying to attract Chu Tianbao¡¯s attention. Tao Yinzhen gritted her teeth when she was hit by the mocking gaze. She had clearly done nothing. Why should Bai Wutong look down on her? She could not panic. Tao Yinzhen pulled Little Cat over and bowed. ¡°Thank you, Master Chu, for saving us. Thank you, Madam Bai, for lending me a cloak.¡± Her face was sincere. There were still traces of crying on Little Cat¡¯s face. ¡°Thank you, Madam Bai, thank you, Master Chu!¡± Bai Wutong nodded indifferently and stroked his head reassuringly. Little Cat was actually quite likeable. Tao Yinzhen secretly looked at her coldly. Pretending again! Chu Tianbao was very sensitive to the hostility of others towards Bai Wutong. No matter who the other party was, Chu Tianbao would not be nice to anyone who dared to treat her like this. If it were a few months ago, he would have drawn his sword. Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes lit up as he held her hand domineeringly. ¡°Wife, let¡¯s go!¡± Stunned, Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°Okay.¡± Tao Yinzhen was shocked and flustered. She did not expect Chu Tianbao¡¯s attitude towards them to suddenly become cold. Could it be that Bai Wutong had said something to Chu Tianbao? Watching them leave, Little Cat looked at Tao Yinzhen sensitively. ¡°Mother, am I hated by Master Chu?¡± Tao Yinzhen¡¯s heart trembled as she hugged Little Cat. ¡°You are so sensible and smart. How could Master Chu hate you?¡± Chapter 221 - 221 He Needs A Lot Of Comfort Now 221 He Needs A Lot Of Comfort Now When they returned home, Chu Tianbao went to take a shower. Sitting by the bed, Bai Wutong recalled Tao Yinzhen¡¯s gaze as she peeped at Chu Tianbao. Her fair fingers knocked on the bed impatiently. It was easy to be a thief for a thousand days but how one guard against thieves for a thousand days. Her face darkened. She had to warn Chu Tianbao. Chu Tianbao came out of the bathroom and sat obediently in front of Bai Wutong, waiting for her to dry his hair. Bai Wutong picked up the towel and continued with gentle movements. Chu Tianbao narrowed his eyes in enjoyment. When Chu Tianbao¡¯s hair was about to dry, Bai Wutong asked gently, ¡°Tianbao, what will you do if a woman who¡¯s prettier than me and treats you better appears?¡± Chu Tianbao sensed danger. He suddenly opened his eyes and turned around. ¡°I only want you.¡± Satisfied with Chu Tianbao¡¯s answer, Bai Wutong asked, ¡°What if a woman deliberately approaches you and wants to give birth to Stinky with you?¡± Chu Tianbao answered directly, ¡°I only want to have Stinky with my wife.¡± Unable to hide the smile on her lips, Bai Wutong kissed his cheek. ¡°I can¡¯t tolerate sand in my eyes. If you want to be with another woman, tell me. I¡¯ll definitely fulfill your wish and give you freedom. Then we¡¯ll never meet again.¡± She meant it. If there really came a day this happened, she would go to a place where Chu Tianbao would never be able to find her and start over. Chu Tianbao turned around in panic and hugged her tightly. ¡°Wife, don¡¯t leave me. I just want to give birth to Stinky with you. Wife, don¡¯t abandon Tianbao.¡± He was so afraid that he wanted to melt her into his body. Feeling a little out of breath from his hug, Bai Wutong reached out and comforted him. ¡°I¡¯m talking about a hypothetical situation. Don¡¯t worry. If there¡¯s no one else in Tianbao¡¯s heart, I will always be with you.¡± Chu Tianbao said domineeringly, ¡°Anyway, my wife can¡¯t leave me!¡± However, he looked pitiful. She kissed his slightly cold lips. ¡°Yes, okay.¡± Chu Tianbao pouted, wanting to deepen the kiss. Bai Wutong grabbed his mouth and interrupted him. ¡°You have your end-of-month exam tomorrow!¡± At the reminder from Bai Wutong, Chu Tianbao suddenly remembered this. He straightened up and got up from Bai Wutong¡¯s arms. Before she could react, he said, ¡°I¡¯m going to study now.¡± Then he disappeared like a gust of wind. It was Qinghe Academy¡¯s first end-of-month exam, but there were many subjects being tested. If Chu Tianbao wanted to get first in all subjects and enter Class A, he would have to face the many talents of the 30 families of Qinghe. One could imagine the difficulty. In order to earn Bai Wutong¡¯s promise, he worked hard every day when he returned. He would specially copy down any difficult questions he did not understand and ask Cui Shize the next day. Cui Shize was interrogated by Chu Tianbao every day, so he ended up giving him extra tuition after school every day. Chu Tianbao was like a sponge that kept absorbing knowledge. As long as Cui Shize explained it once, he could quickly understand it and memorize it perfectly. His shocking learning ability was unbelievable. After asking Gu Zhongxun about Chu Tianbao¡¯s situation, Bai Wutong¡¯s initial judgment was that Chu Tianbao had probably learned these contents before. Therefore, when he learned them again, his brain would quickly react and integrate them. Today was the last day. Chu Tianbao planned to give it one last shot. If he managed to achieve it, he would be able to take a shower with his fragrant and soft wife. Thinking of the bathing scene, Chu Tianbao was filled with motivation. He stayed up until late at night when Bai Wutong pushed open the study door. ¡°Tianbao, it¡¯s time to sleep.¡± Chu Tianbao had already gone through the test scope of the exam again. When Bai Wutong reminded him to sleep, he reluctantly put down his book and walked towards her. Caught off guard, he lifted her up horizontally. Chu Tianbao¡¯s face was filled with excitement. ¡°Wife, I have an exam tomorrow.¡± His eyes were filled with deliberate reminders. Thinking of her promise, she chuckled and hooked her arms around his neck, pretending not to understand. ¡°Yes, sleep early for the exam tomorrow.¡± Chu Tianbao gently placed her on the bed and leaned down, his eyes burning. ¡°Wife ~¡± Knowing that he still wanted to ask for a pre-examination reward, she pulled him into bed. ¡°Sleep! You have to ensure that you¡¯re energetic before the exam before you can give it your all. Don¡¯t think about useless things.¡± Chu Tianbao suddenly felt aggrieved. ¡°Just one kiss.¡± Previously, when she said that she was leaving, Chu Tianbao¡¯s agitated heart had yet to be made up for. He needed a lot of comfort now. Bai Wutong turned around and pretended to close her eyes to sleep. Chu Tianbao whimpered. He had no choice but to turn off the lights and hug her from behind. In the darkness, he could vaguely make out the rise and fall of her chest. Chu Tianbao fantasized about the beautiful scene of bathing with his wife. He slowly approached her with evil intentions, wanting to secretly kiss her. In the next second, he was wrapped around the neck by Bai Wutong, who pretended to fall asleep, and given a long kiss. Chu Tianbao enjoyed it and his hands started to fumble around. Bai Wutong suddenly opened her eyes and bit Chu Tianbao. Her voice was seductive. ¡°Enough.¡± Her deep eyes were filled with a dreamy warning. Chu Tianbao knew when to stop and closed his eyes in satisfaction. The moonlight outlined his deep handsome face like an intoxicating painting. Bai Wutong slowly closed her eyes. She felt happy if she could live like this for the rest of her life. New students who registered for the academy also needed to study for a month before taking the class allocation exam. At that time, the academy¡¯s classes would expand five times. In the future, the students who wanted to enter Qinghe Academy would not be so lucky. They still needed to take the entrance examination and only after their results reached the standard could they be accepted. After Bai Wutong sent Chu Tianbao into the examination hall, she met Tao Yinzhen and Little Cat at the entrance of the academy. Little Cat was a little nervous. He had to do well for the exams and enter Class A so that he had a chance to get an exemption for tuition fees in the next semester. Little Cat bowed to Bai Wutong. ¡°Hello, Madam Bai.¡± Seeing that he had dark circles under his eyes, Bai Wutong thought he must have studied late last night. She nodded. ¡°I wish you a good result.¡± Little Cat clenched his fists firmly and waved goodbye to Bai Wutong and Tao Yinzhen before entering the examination hall. After Chu Tianbao and Bai Wutong left the day before, Tao Yinzhen had already come to a realization. For her son¡¯s future, she could not make Bai Wutong dislike her. Just as Bai Wutong was about to meet up with Cui Lingyi, Tao Yinzhen suddenly stood in front of her and said pitifully, ¡°Madam Bai, you might have some misunderstanding with me.¡± Bai Wutong glanced at her coldly. ¡°Move.¡± The colder her tone was, the more flustered Tao Yinzhen became. ¡°Madam Bai, you¡¯re so understanding. Why can¡¯t you listen to my explanation?¡± Bai Wutong was someone who had experienced the apocalypse and had come from a team of refugees. When she encountered a pretentious woman, her attitude was only, ¡°Get lost!¡± Chapter 222 - 222 An Existence on a Different Level 222 An Existence on a Different Level Tao Yinzhen did not expect Bai Wutong to fall out with her on the spot. Did she not care about her reputation at all? Wouldn¡¯t she make people avoid her in future if she was so fierce? Tao Yinzhen stood still in a daze. Qingfeng walked forward and pulled out the sword that was shining with a cold light. The surrounding atmosphere instantly fell to subzero temperatures. Everyone looked over. They did not know what Tao Yinzhen had done to anger Bai Wutong and make Qingfeng draw her sword. Tao Yinzhen met the cold eyes of Bai Wutong and wanted to defend herself. However, the words were stuck in her throat, and she could not make a sound. At this moment, she finally understood. Bai Wutong had never been a woman to be trifled with. Cui Lingyi ran over and looked at Tao Yinzhen warily. Bai Wutong would definitely not target someone for no reason. If she did, it would definitely be that person¡¯s fault. More and more villagers surrounded them. Without asking for any reason, they stood uniformly on Bai Wutong¡¯s side and looked at Tao Yinzhen coldly. Tao Yinzhen felt a chill run down her spine. She had originally wanted to build a relationship with Bai Wutong, but she did not expect it to backfire. What would happen to Little Cat then? Tao Yinzhen thought of kneeling and begging for Bai Wutong¡¯s forgiveness. However, she did not think that she had done anything wrong. She even felt very aggrieved, thinking that she was targeted just because she took a look at Chu Tianbao. But when she thought of the situation at home, she gave in. She bent her knees, wanting to use this opportunity to gain the forgiveness from Bai Wutong and sympathy of everyone. She was just a pitiful woman. It was too much for her to be targeted like this. Unexpectedly, before she could kneel, Bai Wutong said coldly as if she could read minds, ¡°If you kneel, I¡¯ll get someone to carry you back.¡± Tao Yinzhen¡¯s legs stiffened. She deeply understood that the two of them were on completely different levels. She was powerless and desperate. She clearly wanted to tell Bai Wutong with utmost sincerity that she had no improper thoughts about Chu Tianbao. Tao Yinzhen trembled and didn¡¯t dare to speak. She was afraid to imagine that after offending Bai Wutong, Little Cat might not be treated well in Youjia Village in the future. Tao Yinzhen revealed a terrified expression and muttered softly, ¡°I really didn¡¯t mean anything else.¡± Bai Wutong sneered, like a queen in a high position looking down on all living beings. With a wave of her hand, Qingfeng¡¯s sword returned to its sheath. There was no need for her to teach such a person a lesson. After Bai Wutong left, the villagers dispersed. Tao Yinzhen, who felt that her body and mind had been humiliated, clenched her fists and looked hatefully in the direction where Bai Wutong had left. A powerful desire to become stronger broke out of the ground. As long as Little Cat became a scholar, one day, she would also become a respected existence like Bai Wutong. At that time, no matter how respected Bai Wutong was by the villagers, she would only be a village woman! Tao Yinzhen was fantasizing when two women suddenly appeared behind her. Although the deal between Ren Shuixing and Village Chief Zhao did not succeed, the people from her maternal family had come. Ren Shuixing had enough of Tao Yinzhen only feeding him two meals of porridge a day. He ordered Tao Yinzhen to hand the silver to his maternal grandmother, Madam Chen, wanting her to supervise Tao Yinzhen to take good care of him. Madam Chen was naturally happy to receive free money. In order to make her granddaughter-in-law obedient, Madam Chen specially called her two daughters-in-law over to help. The eldest daughter-in-law grabbed Tao Yinzhen¡¯s arm and shouted, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you go home to serve your husband? Why did you come to the entrance of the academy? You¡¯re even dressed so well. Are you trying to seduce a man?!¡± Madam Chen¡¯s second daughter-in-law said: ¡°I pity your husband who is still waiting for you to come home. You haven¡¯t done any work at home. Hurry up and go back with us!¡± Tao Yinzhen pushed Madam Chen¡¯s eldest daughter-in-law angrily. ¡°You¡¯re spouting feces. What nonsense!¡± Madam Chen¡¯s eldest daughter-in-law was more than 1.6 meters tall and weighe 75 kilograms. Her weight was a few times that of Tao Yinzhen. If Tao Yinzhen did not listen and dared to retaliate, she would be asking for a beating. Madam Chen¡¯s eldest daughter-in-law grabbed her hair and pinched her flesh. ¡°Am I wrong? Your husband has already pooped in his pants and hasn¡¯t eaten anything. You aren¡¯t returning to wash the diapers and only know to be flirtatious here. Let me tell you, as long as my mother-in-law is alive, no one will dare to treat him poorly!¡± Tao Yinzhen resisted, and the second daughter-in-law came up to help. Tao Yinzhen could not fight against them with two fists, so she could only roar and shout, ¡°Bullsh*t, why didn¡¯t you take out a copper coin to help when Ren Shuixing was paralyzed? You just want to take advantage of us and take our family¡¯s money! Let me tell you, I¡¯ve used all the money on Little Cat¡¯s tuition, so you won¡¯t get a single cent. If you like to serve Ren Shuixing, then go serve him!¡± The eldest daughter-in-law shouted even louder than her, ¡°It¡¯s only right to serve your husband. Did everyone hear that? Not only did this vicious woman spend all the money, but she also wants her husband to fend for himself. I¡¯ll teach you a lesson on behalf of my nephew today!¡± Tao Yinzhen was restrained by them. Her wounds had yet to recover but she was gaining more injuries. When Little Cat heard his mother¡¯s cries, he rushed out of the examination hall before he could sit properly. He went to stop Madam Chen¡¯s eldest and second daughters-in-law. The other party did not take Little Cat seriously because of his size. The Youjia villagers watched coldly and had no intention of helping. Tao Yinzhen understood that it was all because she had angered Bai Wutong just now. Otherwise, there wouldn¡¯t be no one to stand up for her. Mr. Liu from Qinghe Academy came out when he heard the commotion. When he saw the few people stirring up trouble, he hurriedly stopped them. ¡°Stop, stop quickly!¡± The eldest daughter-in-law placed her hands on her hips. ¡°It¡¯s not your place to interfere in our family matters! So what if we start a fight here, we didn¡¯t enter your territory to fight!¡± Mr. Liu did not know the full situation. His face darkened. ¡°But you can¡¯t hit people.¡± The eldest daughter-in-law could not be bothered to talk to the pedantic old man. She gave the second daughter-in-law a look. ¡°Drag her back first.¡± Tao Yinzhen¡¯s face was swollen and she was still thinking about Little Cat who was about to enter the examination hall. She said anxiously, ¡°Hurry up and go back for the exam. Mother will be fine. They won¡¯t dare to do anything to me!¡± Little Cat cried. ¡°Nonsense! They¡¯ve already beaten you up like this!¡± Tao Yinzhen forced a smile and said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt. Be good and go back for the exam. You¡¯ll be able to see Mother when you get home.¡± By the time he got home, no one knew how his mother would have been tortured by the old witches. Little Cat knew that no one around would help them. He wiped his tears and did not enter the examination hall. Instead, he turned around and ran to Bai Wutong¡¯s house. Only the kind Madam Bai could help him protect his mother. He had to run faster. If he ran faster, he might still have time to get into the examination hall. Little Cat ran as fast as he could to the door of Bai Wutong¡¯s house, only to find the door closed. Qingfeng was in the courtyard, but he could not enter. He shouted anxiously, ¡°Madam Bai! Madam Bai! Please save my mother!¡± Qingfeng walked over coldly and said expressionlessly, ¡°Madam Bai has something on. You should leave.¡± Chapter 223 - 223 He Really Cant Go to Madam Bai Anymore 223 He Really Can¡¯t Go to Madam Bai Anymore For the first time, Little Cat felt the sharpness of Qingfeng. He was very sensitive and asked nervously, ¡°Sister Qingfeng, did I do something wrong? Did I make Madam Bai dislike me?¡± Qingfeng glanced at him and asked, ¡°Why does Madam Bai have to see you? Does she have to like you?¡± Little Cat¡¯s heart tightened as he realized more clearly that he was being disliked. He did not know why Qingfeng¡¯s attitude had changed so much suddenly. But if Bai Wutong didn¡¯t help him, what would happen to his mother? Even if he rushed home now, he would not be able to defeat the few evil women at home. Little Cat clenched his fists. As long as he admitted his mistake and was obedient, Madam Bai would definitely forgive him. He shouted into the courtyard, ¡°Madam Bai, I was wrong. I shouldn¡¯t have made you angry. Please don¡¯t be angry with me, okay?¡± ¡°My mother was dragged away by them. Can you please help my mother?¡± As long as Bai Wutong was willing to help, the old witches would definitely not dare to stay in their house and lord over them. As soon as these words were spoken, Qingfeng¡¯s face turned cold. She grabbed Little Cat¡¯s collar and raised him up. She questioned him like a sharp sword piercing through his heart. ¡°What identity does Madam Bai have to interfere in your family matters? Who are you to Madam Bai? Why are you asking her to help for countless times?¡± Little Cat¡¯s face was deathly pale. He didn¡¯t know if it was because he was held by the neck by Qingfeng or because he was feeling ashamed due to Qingfeng¡¯s words. He spoke with difficulty, tears trickling down his face. ¡°I also don¡¯t wish to, but no one is willing to help us.¡± Qingfeng released him. Little Cat fell to the ground, gasping for breath. He felt a little aggrieved. His request for help was clearly an insignificant matter to Bai Wutong. But it was important to his family. Qingfeng ignored his pitiful look and coldly tore his heart apart. ¡°Madam Bai is not your mother and has no obligation to help you. Besides, she has already helped you, and you shouldn¡¯t push your luck and force others.¡± Little Cat¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He opened his mouth with difficulty to defend himself, but the words were stuck in his throat. Qingfeng¡¯s words were too heavy for him. He was just a child after all. He immediately started crying in despair. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to, but, but my mother¡­¡± Little Cat sat on the ground and sobbed, as if the world had abandoned him. He was very sad and pained. In the gentle Madam Bai¡¯s heart, he would be such an annoying person. Suddenly, light footsteps approached. Through the door rail, Bai Wutong handed him a handkerchief. ¡°A man doesn¡¯t shed tears easily. Wipe them.¡± Little Cat looked up and realised that it was Bai Wutong. He cried and smiled at the same time. ¡°Madam Bai¡­¡± But seeing the alienation in her eyes, Little Cat¡¯s heart twitched again. Tears flowed uncontrollably again. ¡°Madam Bai, what did I do wrong? I can change. Don¡¯t hate me. I won¡¯t trouble you again.¡± She wiped his snot and tears and stuffed the handkerchief into his hand. Then she unhurriedly took a piece of paper from her sleeve. Little Cat¡¯s eyes were misty with tears. He did not understand what she meant. Pointing at the words on the paper, she asked, ¡°Do you recognize this word?¡± Little Cat shook his head. He had only started studying for a month and could not read many words. ¡°This word is read as inferior.¡± ¡°Do you know why people are divided into superior and inferior?¡± Little Cat said weakly, ¡°Because some people are strong and some are weak.¡± Bai Wutong explained, ¡°The character under the word ¡®inferior¡¯ is strength and the character above is less. If you put in less effort than others, you will be at a disadvantage in your life. Your fate is in your own hands. Your efforts and hard work determine the quality of your life. I can¡¯t help you forever. You need to work hard on your own to protect the people you want to protect.¡± Little Cat looked at her, not understanding fully. Bai Wutong folded the paper and placed it in his hand before leaving. Tears streamed down Little Cat¡¯s face as he choked and clenched the paper in his hand. He watched as the figure of Bai Wutong faded away. He didn¡¯t know what to do. He really didn¡¯t. Tears soaked the paper. On the paper, the character ¡®strength¡¯ melted away. Little Cat¡¯s mind kept replaying what Bai Wutong had just said. He needed to work hard to protect the people he wanted to protect¡­ In an instant, Little Cat understood what she meant. He stood up abruptly and carefully pocketed the wet paper. He would definitely work hard and not let Madam Bai down. Little Cat perked up and ran towards Qinghe Academy again. When Bai Wutong saw him from the third-floor windowsill, she sighed. He was forced to mature at a young age. Destiny was more or less too cruel to Little Cat. Little Cat entered the examination hall at the last moment. The examination lasted only an hour. Little Cat focused on finishing the answers. After putting down the brush, he ran home. Tao Yinzhen was tied up by Madam Chen. Ren Shuixing lay sickly on the recliner with a vicious and gloomy expression. ¡°Beat her up! Beat her to death!¡± Madam Chen slammed the stick down, and Tao Yinzhen¡¯s flesh trembled. ¡°Ah¡ª¡± A scream sounded in Ren Shuixing¡¯s ears. He said fiercely, ¡°B*tch, how dare you abuse me! Let¡¯s see if you still dare to do it. Grandmother, help me hit her again!¡± Madam Chen was still eyeing the money in Tao Yinzhen¡¯s hands and did not care about her at all. ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Tao Yinzhen screamed again. Little Cat rushed out and pushed down the defenseless Madam Chen. Madam Chen¡¯s butt hurt from the fall. She pointed at Little Cat and scolded, ¡°You little brat. Capture him and lock him in the pigpen. Don¡¯t give him food for two days.¡± The eldest daughter-in-law and second daughter-in-law pounced forward to catch Little Cat. Little Cat agilely dodged. The older, the wiser. Madam Chen got up and grabbed Tao Yinzhen¡¯s head. ¡°Behave yourself. Otherwise, I¡¯ll beat your mother 30 times!¡± Tao Yinzhen was already on her last breath. Little Cat gritted his teeth and surrendered. In the next second, he was slapped by Madam Chen¡¯s eldest daughter-in-law. ¡°This slap is to teach you a lesson on behalf of your father! Unfilial dog.¡± Little Cat spat at her. ¡°Bah!¡± Madam Chen¡¯s eldest daughter-in-law still wanted to slap Little Cat. Madam Chen glanced at Ren Shuixing. ¡°Lock them in the pigpen first and let them learn their lesson.¡± Little Cat was Ren Shuixing¡¯s biological son after all. It would not be too late to deal with them slowly after she had obtained the silver hidden by Tao Yinzhen. Tao Yinzhen and Little Cat were thrown into the pigpen. Little Cat untied Tao Yinzhen. He leaned closer and heard the weak Tao Yinzhen say in a daze, ¡°If only Master Chu could save us. He would definitely help us teach them a lesson¡­¡± Little Cat stared at his mother, who had a blissful smile on her face. His young and sensitive heart was suddenly broken in half. He seemed to understand something and covered his mouth in disbelief. Tears flowed from his fingers and dripped onto the dirty pigpen floor, dripping a hole through his heart. He really could never look for Madam Bai again. Chapter 224 - 224 The Water is Ready 224 The Water is Ready Chu Tianbao¡¯s test results were released on the third day. It was very surprising. He had attained the first place in every subject. Although this written test was not very difficult, only a few people had scored full marks for all six subjects. Chu Tianbao was overjoyed and immediately ran back to exchange for Bai Wutong¡¯s promise. But he couldn¡¯t skip school. He stayed in class for a full four hours before school ended. Sheng Huaixuan scored full marks for five subjects. He was only one mark away from Chu Tianbao. They could all enter Class A. Sheng Huaixuan wanted to discuss with Chu Tianbao how to celebrate that night, but in the blink of an eye, he disappeared. Bai Wutong set off late that day. Before she could reach the entrance of Qinghe Academy, Chu Tianbao had descended from the sky and grabbed her waist. Bai Wutong smiled and asked. ¡°How did you come out so quickly?¡± Chu Tianbao did not answer her question. His face was filled with excitement. ¡°Wife, I got first place. I¡¯ve entered Class A!¡± Bai Wutong was slightly surprised, but she took it for granted. ¡°First place in all subjects?¡± Chu Tianbao nodded excitedly and handed the report card to her. He held her fair fingers and unfolded them, his face full of pride. ¡°Wife, look.¡± Bai Wutong looked over and saw that he had scored full marks for all subjects. She nodded in approval. ¡°I¡¯ll cook you something delicious tonight. We¡¯ll call everyone to celebrate.¡± Chu Tianbao had no objections to the celebration, but he wanted her to fulfill her promise quickly. Suddenly, he picked her up horizontally, his deep eyes glowing. ¡°Wife, let¡¯s go home and take a bath.¡± It was so sudden and Bai Wutong was not mentally prepared. She instinctively hooked her arm around Chu Tianbao¡¯s neck. She looked around and patted his firm chest, saying angrily, ¡°Put me down quickly. Someone will see us.¡± Chu Tianbao chuckled and used his qinggong technique. ¡°They can¡¯t see now.¡± Everything around them moved at the speed of light, and the wind blew at Bai Wutong¡¯s long hair. After a while, Bai Wutong arrived at their family¡¯s courtyard. Chu Tianbao was still unwilling to put her down. He carried her into the house anxiously and shouted excitedly, ¡°Wife, wife, we can bathe together.¡± Bai Wutong chuckled. She had never seen anyone so anxious. ¡°You have to go to school later. Aren¡¯t you going to eat? Are you just going to shower?¡± Chu Tianbao answered foolishly, ¡°Can¡¯t I not go?¡± He wanted to bathe with his wife all day. Bai Wutong poked him in the head. ¡°In your dreams. If you don¡¯t study hard, the reward will be canceled.¡± Chu Tianbao pouted. ¡°Wife, you are not keeping your word.¡± Bai Wutong chuckled. ¡°You can take a bath now if you want. Fifteen minutes would be enough. Even if you don¡¯t want to eat, I still have to eat.¡± 15 minutes! This was not worth it. Even when she usually washed herself, she would take an hour. Chu Tianbao immediately changed his mind. ¡°Wife, let¡¯s bathe together tonight?¡± He could shower as long as he wanted at night. After that, he could even give her a massage. His face was filled with anticipation. Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t help but kiss his soft lips. ¡°Yes, okay.¡± Bai Wutong agreed readily, and Chu Tianbao put her down happily. ¡°I¡¯ll go set the table.¡± In the afternoon, Chu Tianbao went to school. Afterwards, he rushed home happily. He happily thought about where he should look first when he took a bath with his wife. But he saw a large group of people setting up a barbecue rack in their courtyard. He was dumbfounded. There were so many people. When would he be able to bathe with his wife? Chu Tianbao was still in low spirits when Sheng Huaixuan, who had caught up with him at home, panted and said, ¡°Brother, you¡¯re flying too fast.¡± Immediately after, Cui Muzhi, who was panting, said, ¡°That¡¯s right. Master Chu, why didn¡¯t you wait for us?¡± Huang Zhong¡¯s stamina was even worse. He held onto Cui Muzhi. ¡°I¡¯m so tired, so tired.¡± Suddenly, he smelled the fragrance of barbecue, and his lines unknowingly changed. ¡°So fragrant, so fragrant¡­¡± Chu Tianbao looked at them in disdain and quietly came to Bai Wutong¡¯s side. He pouted and said, ¡°Wife.¡± Before he could complain, she stuffed a piece of freshly roasted spicy rabbit into his mouth. ¡°Tianbao¡¯s favorite rabbit.¡± The delicious spicy rabbit meat and the stimulating taste immediately diverted Chu Tianbao¡¯s attention. He said excitedly, ¡°The rabbits are delicious!¡± His eyes landed on Bai Wutong¡¯s hand, indicating that he still wanted to eat them. Bai Wutong fed him another piece of rabbit meat and smiled. ¡°There¡¯s still a lot of delicious food today. Eat less now.¡± Chu Tianbao chewed on the chewy rabbit meat and nodded. Since it was a celebratory dinner, he had to drink some wine. There was no need to go to school the next day. Cui Muzhi had drunk a little wine and became bold. He showed off in front of Chu Tianbao. ¡°Brother Chu, do you want a drink?¡± He did it on purpose because Bai Wutong did not allow Chu Tianbao to drink. Chu Tianbao looked up coldly. ¡°Hmph.¡± So what if he can¡¯t drink? When all these people left, he could take a bath with his wife. It was much better than drinking. Cui Muzhi did not expect Chu Tianbao to be so unaffected by him that day. He rubbed his nose and walked away. As soon as he walked away, Chu Tianbao¡¯s gaze landed on the exquisite Phoenix Feather wine bottle. He recalled the taste the last time he drank it secretly and couldn¡¯t help but miss it. Keeping an eye on him, Bai Wutong pressed his hand under the table and intertwined her fingers. The warm touch made Chu Tianbao tremble. He widened his eyes and denied innocently, ¡°Wife, I didn¡¯t think of drinking it secretly.¡± The corners of Bai Wutong¡¯s mouth curled up. ¡°You¡¯re exposing yourself. If you didn¡¯t want to drink secretly, why are you in such a hurry to deny it?¡± Chu Tianbao said guiltily, ¡°I¡¯m just taking a look.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Chu Tianbao avoided her gaze. ¡°Yes, yes, yes.¡± Seeing how cute he was, her smile deepened. His exquisite features, fair face, and the feathers of his cloak made him look like a beautiful epiphyllum blooming at night. Chu Tianbao¡¯s throat tightened, and his large hand tightened around her small hand. It was Chu Tianbao¡¯s day, and Bai Wutong didn¡¯t want to control him so much. She poured him a glass of special-grade Phoenix Feather Wine and placed it in front of him, afraid that he would go crazy after drinking. ¡°You can drink it after everyone leaves.¡± Chu Tianbao stared at the wine that she had specially poured for him, his mind ringing. Did his wife deliberately want him to get drunk? Once he was drunk, his wife would not have to bathe with him. Chu Tianbao shook his head repeatedly and said righteously, ¡°No, no, no. I won¡¯t drink. Drinking is harmful to my health.¡± Bai Wutong was stunned. Why was he so obedient at this time? He clearly wanted to drink just now, but now he looked like he was very unwilling. Men were indeed fickle. So be it if he did not want to drink. Otherwise, she would have to serve Chu Tianbao when he went crazy after drinking. Chu Tianbao heaved a sigh of relief when she picked up her wine glass and finished it. After a few rounds of congratulations, Bai Wutong had drunk quite a bit. When everyone had left and the courtyard had quieted down, the alcohol had kicked in, making her feel dizzy. Her alcohol tolerance was not bad, but this body¡¯s alcohol tolerance was clearly average. Her snow-white skin became as tempting as fire. Chu Tianbao picked up the weak Bai Wutong. His eyes were deep, and his magnetic voice was probing. ¡°Wife, do you want to take a bath?¡± He had already boiled the water. Chapter 225 - 225 Ill Get Someone to Seal Your Academy Now 225 I¡¯ll Get Someone to Seal Your Academy Now The corners of her mouth curled up. While she was drunk, she climbed up his chest and bite the exquisite Adam¡¯s apple that she had long wanted to taste. The moist and slightly sharp touch made Chu Tianbao¡¯s scalp tingle. He raised his head and hissed like a trapped beast. ¡°Wife¡­¡± When she met his vortex-like dangerous black eyes, she laughed instead of retreating. She chuckled softly and raised her head again to kiss his unsteady lips. It was the first time Bai Wutong had taken such initiative. Chu Tianbao felt as if all the pores on his body had burst open. He was so nervous that he did not know what to do. After the kiss, she licked her lips reluctantly and smiled charmingly. ¡°It¡¯s not good for your body to take a shower after drinking. Let¡¯s rest for an hour before taking a bath.¡± Chu Tianbao nodded blankly. She blew into his ear. ¡°What are you waiting for? Hurry up and carry me back to my room.¡± Chu Tianbao placed Bai Wutong on the bed as if she was a treasure. Bai Wutong didn¡¯t like to lie on the bed with clothes on. Moreover, they had just eaten barbecue and smelled like smoke. She held out her hand lazily. ¡°Tianbao, bring me my pajamas.¡± His wife¡¯s delicate and coquettish appearance was really too cute. Chu Tianbao liked it to death. He couldn¡¯t wait to open the wardrobe and take out the pajamas. When he turned around again, he saw that she was already asleep. His sleeping wife was like a pink and tender sheep, obediently waiting to be eaten by him. Chu Tianbao¡¯s scorching gaze traveled from top to bottom and finally landed on the rising and falling chest of Bai Wutong. He had to change his wife¡¯s clothes first, or she would not feel comfortable sleeping. It was definitely not that he wanted to peek. Chu Tianbao reached out and took off the first layer of Bai Wutong¡¯s clothes. The sound of the clothes falling to the ground made him extremely tense. After a layer after another, Bai Wutong¡¯s inner wear were soon revealed. Chu Tianbao¡¯s hot hand touched her skin. Bai Wutong suddenly opened her hazy eyes and saw that it was Chu Tianbao. She smiled gently, cupped his face, and kissed him. Then she closed her eyes in satisfaction. Chu Tianbao really liked his wife like this. As he lifted her, he leaned over and kissed her cheek again. Her soft face was too nice to kiss. Chu Tianbao looked down and immediately felt hot all over. Unknowingly, Bai Wutong had already reduced her to the last line of defense. The window was open, and the cold night air swept in. Bai Wutong frowned and muttered, ¡°Tianbao, it¡¯s cold¡­¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s gaze was deep, as if he was a taken over by a wild beast. With a wave of his hand, he used his powerful internal energy to close the window. In the next moment, all the clothes on Chu Tianbao¡¯s body were shattered by him. He pulled Bai Wutong into his arms and said shamelessly, ¡°Wife, you won¡¯t be cold anymore. I¡¯ll warm you up.¡± As Bai Wutong slept, she felt as if she was rolling on the stove. The numbness of the alcohol and the softness of her body made her not want to wake up. The next morning, a ray of sunlight landed on her face. Suddenly, she opened her eyes. She realized that she and Chu Tianbao were not wearing anything at all. Her body was still sticky. She did not know what they had done. The incomplete images from the previous night kept coming back. The thunder rumbled and exploded in her mind. She was stunned. She and Chu Tianbao were so close. Moreover, she was the one who took the initiative to teach him afterwards. Chu Tianbao sensed that she was awake and arched his back, revealing his perfect figure. In panic, Bai Wutong snatched the blanket and covered herself. Chu Tianbao scooped her into his broad chest with a satisfied expression. ¡°Wife, let¡¯s go take a bath.¡± Bai Wutong needed to calm down, but images of her taking the initiative to respond kept flashing through her mind. Seeing that she did not react, Chu Tianbao leaned closer. ¡°Wife, aren¡¯t you going to wash up?¡± How could she not wash up when she was so sticky? She said perfunctorily in a daze, ¡°Go wash up first.¡± She had completely forgotten that she had to fulfill her promise to bathe with Chu Tianbao. Chu Tianbao had a whole new experience last night. He had no objections if she didn¡¯t want to fulfill her promise now. In any case, he preferred the seductive wife of the previous night to sharing a bath together. It would be best if he could coax her to change the promise of bathing together to last night. Chu Tianbao got up with anticipation for the next time. The blanket slid down, revealing another beautiful scene. Bai Wutong¡¯s heart kept pounding, and she turned her face away awkwardly. When Chu Tianbao closed the door, she heaved a sigh of relief and fell into the blanket. God, this was killing her. She wouldn¡¯t drink too much next time. ¡­ You Huaijie held a welcoming banquet for Luo Ping. On the surface, it caused Luo Ping to get drunk. After exposing the Crown Prince¡¯s impotence, he had been worried that he would lose his position as an official sooner or later. After being on tenterhooks for a while, he received news that Chu Mingxuan was marrying a consort. Chu Mingxuan wanted to use the marriage to tell the world that his health was very good and that his erectile dysfunction was nonsense. However, You Huaijie knew very well that this matter was very likely true. And even if everyone present were alive after hearing about this matter, their careers would end here. In the future, when the Eldest Prince took over, they might very well be dealt with later. You Huaijie was worried every day. When he heard that Yang Quanzi had built a new Qinghe Academy in Woqian Town, he could only place his hopes on his son. Perhaps if his son became successful, his life would be saved. Therefore, You Qisheng was forced into the carriage by You Huaijie and arrived at Qinghe Academy with You Huaijie¡¯s expectations. You Qisheng originally wanted to escape halfway. However, when he thought about how he would not only be severely punished by You Huaijie, but also be pestered by him to study every day, he felt that it was better to go to a place far away from him and live a carefree life. You Qisheng arrived on the third morning after the quota for Qinghe Academy was reached. He was full of confidence and led a large group of people. He waved his fan and introduced himself to Mr. Liu. ¡°I am You Qisheng, the son of the magistrate of Luochuan Prefecture. I am here to register for the academy.¡± He looked so smug that one would think that the emperor had come personally. Mr. Liu was someone who had seen big scenes. He smiled faintly. ¡°We have reached our student quota.¡± The smile on You Qisheng¡¯s face stopped abruptly. He threatened unhappily, ¡°Add another one if it¡¯s full!¡± Mr. Liu said neither servile nor overbearing, ¡°The Qinghe Academy¡¯s enrollment has never been extended once the deadline is up. The rules have always been like this. We can¡¯t break them.¡± You Qisheng believed that he was a genius among geniuses. He was handsome and talented. What right did a rural academy have to reject him? Did they really think that they were still the Qinghe Academy of the past? You Qisheng said arrogantly, ¡°Believe it or not, I¡¯ll get someone to seal your academy now!¡± Mr. Liu was not frightened. He lowered his eyes and retorted bluntly, ¡°What right does Young Master You have to seal our academy? Is this how your father usually does things?¡± They were just a group of refugees now. They did not even have a household register, but they were actually being rude to him. You Qisheng said nastily. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how my father does things, but I have to enter the academy today!¡± Chapter 226 - 226 Didnt You Want to Bark? 226 Didn¡¯t You Want to Bark? You Qisheng was making a huge commotion at Qinghe Academy. Soon, he attracted the people from the academy. Yang Quanzi frowned and looked at Mr. Liu. ¡°Why is he making so much noise here?¡± You Qisheng saw that the man had white beard and seemed to be the oldest. He was even surrounded by a group of people. He guessed that he was the great scholar Yang Quanzi that You Huaijie mentioned. Before Mr. Liu could answer, You Qisheng interrupted, ¡°My father is the magistrate of Luochuan Prefecture. My name is You Qisheng. I heard that you¡¯re the most knowledgeable here, so I respect you as my teacher. I won¡¯t stoop to the same level as him.¡± After saying that, he deliberately glared at Mr. Liu. You Qisheng was still very willing to bear the title of a Great Confucian disciple. But it was ridiculous for such a rude person to be taken in as Yang Quanzi¡¯s personal disciple. Yang Quanzi stroked his beard and said with a smile, ¡°The magistrate of Luochuan Prefecture is a good official title. I¡¯ve really never seen such a highly ranked official in my life.¡± You Qisheng was not a fool. How could he not understand Yang Quanzi¡¯s sarcasm? You Qisheng said angrily, ¡°Don¡¯t push your luck. I came to this lousy place to study because I am showing you face!¡± Yang Quanzi waved his hand. ¡°Our Qinghe Academy is small and can¡¯t accommodate a great Buddha like you. Jingbai, send the guest out!¡± As long as they did not commit any crime, Yang Quanzi was not afraid of what You Qisheng could do to them. Lan Jingbai led his men to surround the entrance of Qinghe Academy. Yang Quanzi, who had just appeared, left with everyone. He did not take him seriously at all. You Qisheng had lived for more than ten years, and this was the first time he was completely ignored. He instructed his servant, ¡°Smash the Qinghe Academy! A group of refugees does not have the right to build an academy!¡± Before the servant could fight with Lan Jingbai and the others, there was the sound of horse hooves behind him. You Qisheng turned around and saw that the person who came down immediately was Yang Gongbing, who was wearing an official robe. You Qisheng walked over arrogantly and pointed his fan at Yang Gongbing. ¡°You came at the right time. Arrest all these fellows who opened the academy without permission.¡± You Qisheng was only You Huaijie¡¯s son and did not have an official status. Yang Gongbing would not listen to a word he said. Yang Gongbing and You Qisheng brushed past each other and stood at the entrance of Qinghe Academy. ¡°I gave permission to build the academy. Let¡¯s see who dares to smash it!¡± Yang Gongbing was just a small official. Just because he was Yang Quanzi¡¯s disciple, he could be charged with abusing his power for personal gain. ¡°So what if it¡¯s approved? They¡¯re not qualified to teach now!¡± You Qisheng fumed. Yang Gongbing frowned. ¡°I¡¯ve long reported this matter to Lord Qu. Lord Qu has given special permission for them to teach at Qinghe Academy. What else do you have to say?¡± You Qisheng said angrily, ¡°What bullsh*t special permission!¡± Yang Gongbing¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Young Master You, Lord Qu¡¯s decision is not something a nobody like you can slander!¡± You Qisheng clenched his fists and roared, ¡°My father is the magistrate! If you dare to speak to me like that, believe it or not, I¡¯ll write a letter and remove you from your position right now!¡± Yang Gongbing looked at him indifferently and said fearlessly, ¡°As long as Magistrate You can sentence me to a crime and dismiss me from my position, I have nothing to say. However, if I¡¯m innocent and am dismissed from my position, I¡¯ll definitely report Young Master You¡¯s words to the Emperor personally!¡± You Qisheng said fiercely, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m afraid of you?!¡± His eyes were filled with killing intent. Yang Gongbing did not back down. ¡°Young Master You can write the letter now.¡± After saying that, he really instructed someone to get the paper and ink, as if he was afraid that You Qisheng would not fulfill his promise. Seeing this, You Qisheng knew that he had encountered a tough opponent. If he really wrote a letter back, his father might come personally with a stick. He was supposed to find his teacher, yet he even wanted to destroy the Great Confucian Academy. You Qisheng said stubbornly, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go to such a lousy academy!¡± Yang Gongbing looked at him coldly. He was clearly expressionless, but You Qisheng felt that he looked down on him. Although You Qisheng was a profligate son, he thought that his knowledge was not bad. At least in the previous academy, he could be ranked at the top. That was why You Huaijie placed his hopes on You Qisheng to revive the You family. At this moment, Chu Tianbao appeared in You Qisheng¡¯s line of sight. He was wearing a student uniform. It was obvious that he was a student of the Qinghe Academy. You Qisheng wanted to regain his face and walked forward to block Chu Tianbao¡¯s path. ¡°I want to challenge you! I want everyone to know that you Qinghe Academy students are just a bunch of trash!¡± Chu Tianbao was blocked by him. He turned around and his handsome face exuded a dignified aura. His height of nearly 1.9 meters was extremely oppressive. You Qisheng trembled in his heart and encouraged himself nervously. This person just had superficial looks. Chu Tianbao couldn¡¯t be bothered with him and headed straight for Qinghe Academy. You Qisheng spread his arms to stop him again. Since he had already said it, he had to let these people open their eyes and see clearly how they had rejected a peerless genius. You Qisheng pointed his fan at Chu Tianbao and said arrogantly, ¡°I won¡¯t take advantage of you. Choose the area that you¡¯re best at! If you lose, kneel down in front of me and bark twice.¡± Chu Tianbao felt that he was as annoying as a fly, but unexpectedly, he nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s compete in martial arts.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Chu Tianbao punched You Qisheng in the stomach. ¡°Pfft¡ª¡± With a heavy strike, You Qisheng was directly knocked down. Everything in You Qisheng¡¯s stomach spilled out after he was hit by Chu Tianbao¡¯s punch. You Qisheng held his stomach and curled up, his expression extremely twisted. Chu Tianbao said, ¡°The competition is over.¡± You Qisheng did not expect Chu Tianbao to ambush him while he was unprepared. He pointed at Chu Tianbao and said with difficulty, ¡°Attack.¡± In addition to letting the servants teach him a lesson, You Qisheng also wanted to arrest him and throw him into jail for the rest of his life. Yang Gongbing ran out and stood in front of Chu Tianbao. ¡°You were the one who wanted to compete.¡± You Qisheng was in so much pain now that he only wanted Chu Tianbao to pay back double. What he had said no longer counted. ¡°Get lost!¡± Dozens of servants swarmed towards Chu Tianbao. Yang Gongbing stood in front of him. ¡°Stop! You are deliberately hurting someone. You¡¯re the young master of the You Prefecture. You still have to be punished according to Ling Country¡¯s rules.¡± You Qisheng roared at him, ¡°Bullsh*t. He started it. I¡¯m going to hit him back.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, the servant near Chu Tianbao was sent flying by his powerful internal energy. Chu Tianbao stood where he was, not even moving a finger. All that was left were the pained wails of the servants. You Qisheng¡¯s eyes widened in fear as he saw Chu Tianbao walking towards him. His cold gaze was like a devouring vortex. He sensed danger and retreated in panic. ¡°I¡¯m the son of the magistrate. If you dare touch me, my father will kill you!¡± Chu Tianbao walked up to You Qisheng and loomed over him. You Qisheng panicked. His intuition told him that this was a man he could not afford to offend. His status and power might be even greater than his. That was why the Qinghe Academy dared to rely on his power and do as they wished. You Qisheng trembled and said, ¡°I won¡¯t pursue the matter of you hitting me. I said it on impulse just now.¡± His cowardly appearance was worlds apart from when he first arrived. An inexplicable memory suddenly flashed across Chu Tianbao¡¯s mind. In his surprise, his eyes lowered, and he said in a low voice, ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to bark?¡± Chapter 227 - 227 Chu Tianbaos Cruelty 227 Chu Tianbao¡¯s Cruelty You Qisheng clenched his fists, his eyes ferocious. ¡°If you can spare someone, spare them!¡± He could not bark no matter what! ¡°Click¡ª¡± Chu Tianbao pinched You Qisheng¡¯s chin. His familiar movements scared everyone around him. This was the first time Yang Gongbing had seen Chu Tianbao so cruel. It was as if the person in front of him was not Master Chu at all. Instead, he was the living Hades who controlled life and death and made everyone in the world afraid. Yang Gongbing shivered and wondered who Chu Tianbao and Bai Wutong were. The pain of his dislocated jaw made You Qisheng unable to make out a sound. Chu Tianbao even pinched his dislocated chin and asked coldly, ¡°Are you going to bark?¡± You Qisheng was in so much pain that tears streamed down his face. He had never felt so much pain in his life. He completely gave in and nodded repeatedly. In the next moment, Chu Tianbao skillfully reattached his chin. Qingfeng¡¯s eyes darkened. She was certain that this was the military camp¡¯s method of interrogating prisoners. Perhaps if she went to the military camp to investigate, she could find out Chu Tianbao¡¯s background. You Qisheng did not dare to resist at all. He knew that if he did not bark, this man in front of him would definitely force him to do so. You Qisheng spat out a word with bloodshot eyes. ¡°Woof.¡± Unable to stand the bone-deep humiliation, his entire body trembled violently. He hated Chu Tianbao to the core. When he returned, he would definitely force him to a corner. Chu Tianbao looked at him coldly. ¡°Not enough.¡± You Qisheng wanted to say that he shouldn¡¯t go too far. When he met Chu Tianbao¡¯s black eyes, his entire body turned cold. He gritted his teeth and barked three more times. ¡°Woof, woof, woof.¡± Chu Tianbao was finally satisfied and turned to walk towards the academy. You Qisheng hammered the ground with both fists, a storm brewing in his heart, but he did not dare to say anything else. You Qisheng was 18 years old. This was the first time he had been taught a lesson. Chu Tianbao did not kill him. The servants recovered and finally got up. They carefully walked to You Qisheng¡¯s side. The judging gazes of the people around You Qisheng woke him up. He shouted at his servant, ¡°Hurry up and help me up!¡± The servants trembled in fear and quickly pulled him up from the ground. When they pulled him up, he realized that there was an inexplicable puddle on the ground. You Qisheng had actually peed his pants just now. Yang Gongbing also took a few more glances in surprise. You Qisheng roared angrily, ¡°You dog slave, hurry up and prepare the carriage!¡± The servant hurried to bring the carriage over. You Qisheng entered the carriage at the fastest speed in his life. The convoy quickly formed up and left. The puddle of urine on the ground remained. The villagers, who had been holding back for a long time, finally laughed out loud. ¡°This bastard.¡± You Qisheng originally wanted to return to Luochuan Prefecture to ask his father to seek justice for him, but the more he thought about it, the more indignant he became. He had yet to find out about Chu Tianbao¡¯s background, and it was already late, so he went to Woqian Town to find a place to stay in. Facing the table of delicious food, You Qisheng did not take a bite. He picked up his wine glass and poured it into his mouth one after another. He wanted to get himself drunk and forget the humiliation he had suffered at Chu Tianbao¡¯s hands. Youjia Village was now considered a famous place in Woqian Town. He could accurately learn about Chu Tianbao¡¯s basic information by asking around. When You Qisheng found out that he had no other identity but a refugee from Youjia village, his eyes darkened. He would never let him off easily. The servant called a young girl from the brothel to drink with him, wanting to improve the mood of this young master. Otherwise, their days when they returned would be even more miserable. The woman called over from the brothel was called He Hua. It was her first night receiving guests. A prostitute had no choice over her guests, but her only hope was that the man who bought her first night was at least not an old man in his seventies or eighties. He Hua entered the restaurant room uneasily and saw You Qisheng, who was dressed like a rich young master. You Qisheng¡¯s appearance was handsome. In an instant, he won over He Hua¡¯s heart. If she could make You Qisheng like her, even if she had become a concubine of a rich family, it would be thousands of times better than being the toy of many men in the brothel. He Hua approached You Qisheng and tried her best to please him. The top hostess of a small brothel was not even as good as You Qisheng¡¯s bed-warming maidservant. However, a girl from the brothel always had an indescribable enchantment. You Qisheng touched her, making He Hua¡¯s heart flutter. She thought that You Qisheng was already mesmerized by her. Just as He Hua gestured for You Qisheng to go to the bed, You Qisheng, who had received a punch from Chu Tianbao, felt his injured stomach unable to withstand the stimulation from the two pots of wine. With a ¡°blah¡±, he was caught off guard and vomited on He Hua¡¯s face. The disgusting smell of vomit festered in the air. The young master, who had been gentle and sweet just now, suddenly turned hostile. He pushed He Hua to the ground in disdain and shouted, ¡°Someone! Where did all the dog slaves go!¡± The hotel manager and servants rushed in and saw that You Qisheng was also covered in filth. This was the young master from the magistrate¡¯s family. The shopkeeper hurriedly took out the cleaning paper from the wooden box on the table and kept wiping You Qisheng¡¯s face. You Qisheng slapped his hand away in disgust. ¡°What did you take to smear on me?¡± The shopkeeper hurriedly explained, ¡°This is the cleaning paper produced in our town. It¡¯s specially used to clean dirty things. It¡¯s very soft and clean. Every family in our town uses it now.¡± You Qisheng glanced at the cleaning paper in his hand and no longer felt uncomfortable. He reached out curiously and took it. ¡°The cleaning paper?¡± His slender fingers rubbed the cleaning paper. It felt no less soft than silk. His eyes lit up. ¡°Did you just say it was used to wipe away filth?¡± The shopkeeper nodded repeatedly. ¡°Yes, yes. Because it¡¯s convenient to use, it¡¯s very popular with customers.¡± You Qisheng stared at the cleaning paper. ¡°You can use it after using the toilet?¡± The shopkeeper did not expect You Qisheng to be so interested in the cleaning paper. He hurriedly took another roll of paper. ¡°This is also cleaning paper. The texture is softer than the cleaning paper in the wooden box. If Young Master wants to use the toilet, this is the most suitable.¡± The shopkeeper had a fawning smile on his face, as if he was wishing he could personally wipe You Qisheng¡¯s butt. You Qisheng picked up the roll and really went. When he arrived at the latrine, he realized that there were already rolls of paper on the hook. He only needed to tug gently at how much he wanted to use and the paper would break. They were even broken neatly. He took a closer look and realized that there were many small gaps in the paper. It was precisely because of these gaps that the paper could remain intact. He wiped his butt with a roll of paper with apprehension and was surprised to find that it felt no different from a silk handkerchief. After using it, he threw it into the bucket and it melted immediately. You Qisheng stared at the bucket and realized the value of the cleaning paper. He suddenly smiled crazily. If he presented this item, and the Eldest Prince was satisfied with it, the Eldest Prince would definitely not remain angry with his father. He might even be rewarded with a high official position. Chapter 228 - 228 So Much for the Daughter of the Cui Family 228 So Much for the Daughter of the Cui Family When Qu Lianghua returned to Pingyang County, he could not eat or drink all day. Even Qu Xin¡¯er was in low spirits. After Madam Qu found out from her husband that Qu Lianghua had fallen in love with Cui Lingyi at first sight and was rejected by her, she was very angry. In the eyes of a mother, her son was the best. Cui Lingyi should be grateful that he had taken a fancy to a widow. But she actually rejected him. Madam Qu felt that Cui Lingyi was either arrogant or playing hard to get. She wanted to take her future mother-in-law down a notch. Madam Qu did not want her to get what she wanted, so she immediately found the best matchmaker in Pingyang County to find a suitable wife for Qu Lianghua. She had to find a virtuous daughter-in-law who would catch Qu Lianghua¡¯s eye and make Cui Lingyi feel ashamed of herself. Unexpectedly, it was as if Qu Lianghua was bewitched by Cui Lingyi. Even if Madam Qu praised the girl to the heavens, Qu Lianghua was unwilling to agree to the marriage. Madam Qu thought of a way to arrange a blind date for Qu Lianghua with the excuse of going to Huaqing Temple to offer incense. The blind date was Qu Yuanxian¡¯s subordinate¡¯s daughter, Li Keying. She was bright-looking and outstanding in housekeeping skills. Her personality was gentle and considerate. She was the person everyone wanted to get married to. Through the servants, Lady Yun learned that Madam Qu wanted to arrange a blind date for Qu Lianghua. She was afraid that the new house mistress would not be able to accept the child in her stomach. Even if the new house mistress wanted to marry into the family, she had to give birth to her child safely and live past three months first. Lady Yun racked her brains and finally came up with a solution. Qu Xin¡¯er had already been raised astray by her. If Li Keying saw how difficult her future stepdaughter was to get along with, she would definitely not be willing to marry into the family. After all, she was from a reputable family whom many people wanted to marry. If not for the fact that Qu Lianghua was County Magistrate Qu¡¯s son, who would be willing to be a stepmother as soon as she married into the family? Lady Yun used the same trick again to let Qu Xin¡¯er know that Madam Qu wanted to arrange a marriage for Qu Lianghua. After Qu Xin¡¯er found out, she could not be bothered to be angry with Qu Lianghua and immediately requested to go to Huaqing Temple with Qu Lianghua to offer incense. Qu Lianghua was kept in the dark by Madam Qu and did not know about the blind date. Since Qu Xin¡¯er had strongly requested to go to Huaqing Temple to offer incense to his deceased wife, he agreed immediately and was very glad that Qu Xin¡¯er had become more mature. When Madam Qu saw this scene, she could not stop Qu Xin¡¯er from going to offer incense even if she wanted to. As soon as they arrived at the temple, Madam Qu took Qu Xin¡¯er away and secretly planned for Qu Lianghua and Li Keying to meet by coincidence. Unexpectedly, Qu Xin¡¯er slipped away from Madam Qu. She even found Li Keying, who had just met Qu Lianghua in the crowd of Huaqing Temple, and scolded her for being a vixen. Not only did she scold her a vixen, she also pushed the other party, almost pushing Li Keying to the ground. Not only did such uncultured behavior not scare Li Keying away, but after she stabilized herself, she even asked her gently which family she was from and why she came out alone. Having been deceived by Lady Yun before, Li Keying¡¯s hypocritical attitude made Qu Xin¡¯er feel that she was not easy to deal with. She pushed Li Keying again. The onlookers all mocked her for being ill-mannered, ruining her own reputation, and even hurting others. Qu Lianghua¡¯s face turned pale and dark. He apologized to Li Keying repeatedly and reprimanded Qu Xin¡¯er in public. Qu Xin¡¯er ran away crying, whereas Qu Lianghua hurriedly chased after her. Madam Qu was very satisfied with Li Keying¡¯s gentle attitude towards Qu Xin¡¯er. When they returned home, she immediately used the excuse of Qu Xin¡¯er slandering Li Keying to make Qu Lianghua take responsibility for Li Keying. Unexpectedly, Qu Lianghua was determined to become a monk at Huaqing Temple if Madam Qu forced him to marry again. This frightened Madam Qu. Not only did she compromise and break off her marriage plans with the Li family, she also wanted to request for Cui Lingyi¡¯s hand in marriage on his behalf. Qu Lianghua could not stay single forever. Li Keying had feelings for Qu Lianghua since she was young. When she found out that Madam Qu had given up on the marriage, she immediately got someone to spread news about how difficult and rude Qu Xin¡¯er was. She wanted to see where Madam Qu could find a better daughter-in-law than her. Just as Li Keying was anxiously waiting for Madam Qu to regret and propose marriage to her family. His eldest brother, Qu Liangyu, brought his two sons to Qinghe Academy to register. After a few days, Qu Lianghua also brought Qu Xin¡¯er and Madam Qu along. Li Keying was dumbfounded. If Qu Lianghua left, what would she do? Ever since Madam Qu married Qu Yuanxian, she had not suffered at all. The journey to Qinghe Academy was bumpy, and her muscles and bones felt like they were about to break. She got out of the carriage and was slightly surprised to see the beautiful Youjia Village. Then, she expressed a look of regret. ¡°It¡¯s a pity that a good house like this is built in such a rural corner.¡± Qu Liangyu, who welcomed her, said, ¡°Mother, although Youjia Village is remote, the Qinghe Academy is here. Sooner or later, this place will not be inferior to the former Qinghe. At that time, even if we want to buy a house here, no one will be willing to sell it to us.¡± Qu Yuanxian stayed in Qinghe for almost his entire childhood and only left after completing his education. From time to time, he would sigh with emotion about his time in Qinghe and miss his deep friendship with the Cui brothers. Madam Qu naturally learned a lot about Qinghe. For example, the housing prices near Qinghe Academy were as high as the imperial city under the emperor¡¯s feet. Moreover, Qinghe was known as the second home of all the scholars in the world. When her son said that she would not be able to buy a house here in the future. Madam Qu suddenly had the idea of buying a house. In any case, even if her two sons had finished their education, her grandchildren still had to study here. It was naturally much better to have their own house than to live in someone else¡¯s house. Moreover, as soon as she got out of the carriage, she was very interested in the houses in the village. If the interior were equally satisfactory, Madam Qu planned to buy one house each for her two sons. A house in the countryside definitely wouldn¡¯t cost much money. She thought of the huge price appreciation in the future. Madam Qu¡¯s waist was no longer sore, and her legs were no longer weak. At the door, Madam Cui greeted her with a smile. Madam Qu straightened her back and walked towards her, but her eyes were searching everywhere. Who would Cui Lingyi be? After hearing from Madam Cui that Cui Lingyi did not come at all, Madam Qu¡¯s expression instantly darkened. The educated and sensible daughter of the Cui family was only so-so. The guest had come a long way and she did not know to receive them. Madam Qu¡¯s impression of Cui Lingyi worsened. Qu Lianghua did not see Qu Lingyi, and disappointment flashed across his eyes. However, it did not matter. If he stayed in Qinghe Academy to study now, he would have many opportunities to see her in the future. However, he hoped that Madam Qu would be able to successfully propose marriage for him. This way, he could marry Cui Lingyi as soon as possible. As he studied, he could leave Qu Xin¡¯er in her care. On the other side, Cui Lingyi was sitting in the courtyard with Bai Wutong and breaking peanuts. After beating out the dried peanuts and squeezing the oil, they would be able to eat the freshest peanut oil. Cui Lingyi knew that Madam Qu would come that day, but Cui Lingyi was naturally unwilling to see them after Qu Lianghua had rudely confessed to her last time. Besides, she was already married and lived alone. Even if she did not go to see Madam Qu, it was not considered rude. Chapter 229 - 229 Bringing Her Out Will Give Her Face 229 Bringing Her Out Will Give Her Face When Madam Qu entered Madam Cui¡¯s house, she was surprised to find that the entire house was built of golden silk cedar. Even among the rich families in Pingyang County, not many families could afford to build a house made of golden silk cedar. Just for the golden silk cedar wood, it was worth buying this house. Besides, there were many advantages to this house. Not only did it look good from the outside, but the thermal design also won her heart. The coldness of the autumn wind did not seep into the house at all, nor did the air feel stuffy. Instead, a refreshing fragrance filled the air. Madam Qu could not help but ask curiously, ¡°What kind of incense is lit in this house? Why does it smell so good?¡± Madam Cui smiled faintly and said, ¡°This is the Condensed Fragrance that Little Jiu developed. It¡¯s fresh and elegant and can refresh the mind. If Madam Qu likes it, I¡¯ll get a maidservant to send some to your room later.¡± Madam Qu was slightly surprised that Cui Lingyi had such skills. Her impression of her improved slightly. Madam Qu was very satisfied with the house in Youjia Village and wanted Madam Cui to help her find out about it. ¡°I wonder if the houses in this village can be bought? My children are intending to stay here for a long time and I don¡¯t want them to trouble you all too much. I want to find two suitable houses for them to attend school nearby.¡± The villagers of Youjia Xillage had already settled down. The time for logging and reclamation had passed. If they wanted to build houses, they could only buy wood from the town and not cut more from the mountains. Every house was only enough for each family to live in. If they sold their house, there would be no other houses for them to live in. It was likely that no one would be willing to sell it. However, Madam Cui still nodded and replied, ¡°I¡¯ll help you ask around.¡± Some villagers might be in urgent need of money. After Madam Cui agreed to it, Madam Qu was very happy and felt that this matter was definitely in the bag. If she could buy two houses like Madam Cui¡¯s house, she could still come here to escape the heat in the future. Unexpectedly, after Madam Cui agreed to it, she did not talk about it for a few days. The villagers here did not know etiquette and were not very respectful to her. Moreover, Cui Lingyi had never appeared. When she asked about her, Madam Cui immediately brushed her off. Madam Qu suppressed her anger silently, but there was no way for her to vent it. After all, it was not appropriate for her to rush to Cui Lingyi¡¯s house and ask her why she did not come to see her. Qu Lianghua deliberately went to meet Cui Lingyi but did not see her once, which meant that she was deliberately avoiding him. Madam Qu could tell that Qu Lianghua was demoralised. Suddenly, she had an idea and finally found an excuse to ask to meet Cui Lingyi. Madam Qu found Madam Cui and complained, ¡°My granddaughter is naughty. I heard that Miss Cui is talented, beautiful, and knowledgeable. It would be great if she could give Xin¡¯er some pointers.¡± Qu Xin¡¯er was really mischievous. In order to not embarrass the Qu family, Madam Qu kept an eye on her every day. After a few days, Madam Qu felt that no matter how good the incense was, it could not save her. She had to think of a way to dump Qu Xin¡¯er. Madam Cui¡¯s expression froze. Madam Qu was directly asking Cui Lingyi to help her raise her granddaughter. It was obvious that she had ulterior motives. Cui Lingyi¡¯s marriage was up to herself. Madam Cui could not interfere at all. She was about to tactfully reject Madam Qu¡¯s plan when Cui Lingyi entered the living room with Cui Muzhi. This was the first time Madam Qu had seen Cui Lingyi in so many days. When Cui Lingyi entered in a simple white dress and white cape, Madam Qu finally understood why her second son was so infatuated with her. As soon as Cui Lingyi entered, the world paled in comparison. She really deserved to be called a beauty in the world. Madam Qu stared at Cui Lingyi and sized her up. Seeing that her body did not appear weak and could bear children, she was slightly satisfied. After all, the more beautiful a daughter-in-law was, the more beautiful the child would be. Cui Lingyi was famous for her talent in the Imperial City in the past. She must be not only beautiful but also very smart. Madam Qu¡¯s gaze made Cui Lingyi very uncomfortable. She greeted her and wanted to go upstairs with Cui Muzhi. Feeling ignored, Madam Qu said meaningfully, ¡°Miss Cui is talented and beautiful. Seeing you today, you really deserve your reputation.¡± Her words were filled with deliberately hidden gunpowder and meanness. Cui Lingyi looked at her indifferently and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m afraid Madam Qu remembered wrongly. I¡¯m already married.¡± In an instant, she raised her seniority. It was obvious that she wanted Madam Qu to be more polite to her. Madam Qu choked on Cui Lingyi¡¯s words, but she could not argue back saying that Cui Lingyi was a widow now and that it was not wrong for her to call her Miss Cui. If she really said that, she would be extremely rude. There was no way for her to face Madam Cui. After all, they were a family. Madam Qu swallowed her anger. She knew that a narrow-minded person like Cui Lingyi would not discipline Qu Xin¡¯er for her. She hurriedly bade farewell to Madam Cui and returned to her room with a stomach full of anger. As soon as she returned to her room, Madam Qu could not help but complain to Granny Jin about Cui Lingyi. ¡°Did you see that? With her arrogant attitude, who would marry her?¡± Granny Jin retorted in her heart, it¡¯s going to be you, but she said, ¡°Madam, don¡¯t be angry. It¡¯s bad for your health.¡± The more Madam Qu thought about it, the more dissatisfied she became with Cui Lingyi. They had yet to propose marriage, but her attitude was already so bad and arrogant. If she married into the family, with her husband and son supporting her, she would definitely be even more lawless. She suddenly stood up with a solemn expression. ¡°No, I have to make Hua¡¯er give up on marrying Cui Lingyi.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, she remembered Qu Lianghua¡¯s threat to become a monk. She sighed again. Forget it. If she married into the family, there would be a way to deal with her. Just because she was her mother-in-law, Cui Lingyi could forget about disobeying her. Madam Qu hesitated and her emotions kept fluctuating. When she finally made up her mind to propose marriage with the Cui family, Qu Xin¡¯er had also thought it through. In any case, she would have a stepmother sooner or later. Instead of other annoying women becoming her stepmother, it was better for Cui Lingyi to become her stepmother. At least she was not that annoying. Moreover, Cui Lingyi was not pretentious. She was also good-looking, so it would give her face to take her out. Qu Xin¡¯er decided to take the initiative to find Cui Lingyi and make her agree to become her stepmother, cutting off other bad women¡¯s thoughts. While the maidservants were not looking, she found the front of Bai Wutong¡¯s house based on her memories. She knew that if Madam Cui could not find Cui Lingyi, it was very likely that Cui Lingyi was at this woman¡¯s house. Bai Wutong was leading everyone to make mooncakes for the Mid-Autumn Festival. When she realized that the mooncakes in this world did not have lotus seed and yolk filling, she planned to teach everyone how to make egg yolk mooncakes. She brought out two pots of fresh salted duck eggs. ¡°Let¡¯s prepare the ingredients first. We¡¯ll crack the duck eggs in half and take out the yolks.¡± Everyone nodded, picked up the duck egg, and cracked it. Xiaobai suddenly stood up and howled in the direction of the door. Everyone looked up and saw Qu Xin¡¯er standing by the door, who was afraid of Xiaobai and did not dare to come in. Chapter 230 - 230 Bai Wutongs Face of Seriousness, As If Its Real 230 Bai Wutong¡¯s Face of Seriousness, As If It¡¯s Real Bai Wutong called out to Xiaobai, and it immediately returned to her feet and became soft as if it had no bones. There were no adults or maidservants to take care of Qu Xin¡¯er. Everyone looked at each other. They could not let her stand outside like that. Cui Lingyi walked forward. ¡°Are you lost? I¡¯ll get Muzhi to send you back.¡± Qu Xin¡¯er had been taught a lesson at Bai Wutong¡¯s house last time. With her personality, she probably would not want to come here again. Qu Xin¡¯er shook her head and looked at Xiaobai warily. She grabbed Cui Lingyi¡¯s sleeve. ¡°I¡¯m here for you.¡± Cui Lingyi looked puzzled. Qu Xin¡¯er said eagerly, ¡°Can you come with me? I have something to tell you.¡± Cui Lingyi was trying her best to avoid the father and daughter, so she shook her head. ¡°If you have anything to say, say it here.¡± Even if it was just a child in front of her, she was afraid of being schemed against. Qu Xin¡¯er stomped her feet. ¡°Let¡¯s just go to the side!¡± She gradually became irritable again even though she originally wanted to speak nicely. Cui Lingyi was still unwilling. Her eyes were cold. ¡°Muzhi, send her back!¡± Qu Xin¡¯er did not expect her to be unwilling. As expected, no one but her biological mother would really feel sorry for her. Her father had said that he would always dote on and protect her in the future, but when he turned around, he took a fancy to Cui Lingyi and forgot about her. Grandmother kept saying that she doted on her, but she was afraid that she would get close to Lady Yun and harm her unborn brother. Her grandfather didn¡¯t care about her at all, unlike his other grandchildren. He would either reprimand her or hit her palm. She should have understood that she had been abandoned by the world from the moment her mother died. Qu Xin¡¯er¡¯s suppressed resentment exploded. She wanted to take revenge on Cui Lingyi. If not for Cui Lingyi, she would at least have her father to dote on her. Destroying a woman was to destroy her reputation that the world valued. The moment her tears flowed, she shouted, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to be my stepmother? How can you go back on your word!¡± She shouted very loudly, using all her strength to vent. In an instant, the silence was broken. Everyone in Youjia Village heard it. Madam Qu, who was watching the scenery by the pond with Madam Cui, froze. She looked at Madam Cui, who also had a dark expression, and immediately rushed towards the Bai Wutong¡¯s house. No one expected Qu Xin¡¯er to say such a thing. There was silence for a moment. Cui Lingyi¡¯s face was cold. ¡°I have nothing to do with you and have never interacted with you in private. Why are you slandering me, Miss Qu?¡± Qu Xin¡¯er was frightened by Cui Lingyi¡¯s cold face. As soon as she spoke, she regretted it, but she could not take it back. It was impossible for her to admit that she was lying. She could only bite the bullet and quibble. ¡°Yes, you said that!¡± In any case, she was a child. How could a child lie? Everyone would definitely suspect that Cui Lingyi was not pure and wanted to seduce her father. At the thought of this, Qu Xin¡¯er was suddenly not so afraid. Why did she look down on her? Serves her right. Cui Muzhi stood in front of Cui Lingyi angrily. ¡°You said that my sister said this to you. Tell me clearly, when and where did my sister tell you! If you can¡¯t explain it clearly, I¡¯ll go to Madam Qu and ask her who taught you to say this and ruin my sister¡¯s innocence for no reason.¡± Qu Xin¡¯er¡¯s face was pale as she stammered, ¡°¡­When there¡¯s no one around!¡± Cui Muzhi approached step by step. ¡°When exactly? Tell me clearly!¡± He did not think that a child like Qu Xin¡¯er could say such things. Someone must have instigated her to deliberately ruin his sister¡¯s reputation, or Qu Lianghua wanted to use this to force his cousin to marry him. How could Qu Xin¡¯er come up with an answer? She was so frightened that she burst into tears. As long as she cried and called her father over, they would not dare to make things difficult for her. Madam Qu rushed over and happened to see the Cui siblings bullying Qu Xin¡¯er. She walked over and pulled Qu Xin¡¯er into her arms. She questioned Cui Lingyi sharply, ¡°Is this the upbringing of your Cui family? You all aren¡¯t upright and are even bullying a child!¡± Madam Cui¡¯s expression changed drastically. ¡°Madam Qu, before we get to the bottom of the matter, don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± The Cui family was the head of the 30 families in Qinghe. It was a preeminent family. The expression of the head of the family, Madam Cui, darkened. Her cold aura was not something that a small family like Madam Qu could withstand. Madam Qu was stunned for a moment and said weakly, ¡°The truth is right in front of us. What else is there to ask!¡± She had seen it clearly. When she came back to her senses, she was annoyed at herself for being afraid of an ordinary woman like Madam Cui. No matter how glorious the Cui family in Qinghe was in the past, it was all in the past! At the thought of this, Madam Qu regained her confidence. She had to admit that she and Qu Xin¡¯er were really biologically related. Cui Muzhi said anxiously, ¡°She¡¯s clearly spouting nonsense! She is ruining my sister¡¯s reputation. When I asked her to explain clearly, she only knows how to cry. I didn¡¯t bully her at all.¡± Cui Muzhi was too angry. Madam Cui had heard Qu Xin¡¯er¡¯s shout just now. If this matter could not be explained, it would indeed affect Cui Lingyi¡¯s reputation. Madam Cui¡¯s gaze landed on Qu Xin¡¯er¡¯s tearful face. ¡°It¡¯s better to talk about this openly.¡± Madam Qu did not think that Qu Xin¡¯er would spout nonsense. Cui Lingyi must have said this and secretly wanted to seduce her son, and Qu Xin¡¯er must have heard it. Madam Qu said, ¡°Xin¡¯er, don¡¯t be afraid. Explain yourself. No one can bully you.¡± She deliberately glanced at Cui Lingyi. Being stared at by all the people, Qu Xin¡¯er trembled and buried her head in Madam Qu¡¯s clothes. She cried, ¡°I can¡¯t remember. I can¡¯t remember. Don¡¯t force me anymore¡­¡± Her voice was hoarse from crying. She sounded very pitiful. However, everyone who knew that it was impossible for Cui Lingyi to say such things did not pity her at all. Cui Muzhi said angrily, ¡°What do you mean you can¡¯t remember? She¡¯s clearly spouting nonsense! It¡¯s impossible for my sister to say such things!¡± Even though Madam Qu suppressed it, a trace of disdain still appeared on her face. No matter how good-looking Cui Lingyi was, she was just a widow who had jinxed her husband. She should consider herself lucky that her son had taken a fancy to her. At this moment, she was really good at putting on an act. If she did not seduce her son in private, why would Qu Xin¡¯er appear suddenly to confront her? Madam Qu said, ¡°It¡¯s normal for a child to not remember.¡± Then she deliberately said, ¡°Our Xin¡¯er never lies.¡± Bai Wutong suddenly walked out with a small bottle in her hand. ¡°This is the truth serum that Doctor Gu had come up with recently. As long as Miss Qu drinks it, she will definitely be able to remember where she heard the lies.¡± ¡°The truth serum?¡± Madam Qu looked unconvinced. Bai Wutong raised the bottle in front of Madam Qu and smiled. ¡°If Madam Qu doesn¡¯t believe me, you can try it yourself. As long as you take a small sip, all the ancestors that Madam Qu can¡¯t remember can help you recall. If you lie, a black mole will appear on your palm. If not, there won¡¯t be a black mole on your palm.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s face was solemn and serious, as if it were real. Chapter 231 - 231 Werent You Stunned By Him Just Now? 231 Weren¡¯t You Stunned By Him Just Now? If there was really such a medicine, she would have tried it on Chu Tianbao long ago. Cui Lingyi saw Madam Qu¡¯s dark expression and smiled imperceptibly. Little Phoenix was indeed smart. When Qu Xin¡¯er heard this, she immediately panicked and shouted, ¡°I don¡¯t want to drink poison. I don¡¯t want to drink poison. Grandmother, save me!¡± She was afraid that if she drank it, a black mole would appear on her palm. Bai Wutong moved closer to her and her gentle smile seemed to be filled with viciousness. ¡°Miss Qu, don¡¯t worry. Many people have tried it. It definitely won¡¯t cause any discomfort to Miss Qu¡¯s body. I can vouch for it with my life.¡± ¡°Just one sip, just one sip¡­¡± In Qu Xin¡¯er¡¯s eyes, Bai Wutong was like an old witch who was forcing others to drink poison. She kept muttering that she only needed one sip, like a curse was placed over her head. Qu Xin¡¯er could not stand the psychological pressure from Bai Wutong. She broke down and shouted, ¡°I¡¯m not drinking!¡± Bai Wutong continued to press her. ¡°Why not? Just one sip, just one sip¡­¡± Psychological pressure was a common method of interrogating prisoners. Qu Xin¡¯er could not take it anymore and completely collapsed. Tears streamed down her face. ¡°I was spouting nonsense. I was spouting nonsense. Are you satisfied now?!¡± Bai Wutong looked at the stunned Madam Qu and said calmly, ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll need the truth serum anymore.¡± Madam Qu¡¯s face darkened as she stared into Qu Xin¡¯er¡¯s eyes. ¡°Xin¡¯er, are you frightened?¡± Qu Xin¡¯er cried, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I really don¡¯t know anything¡­ Don¡¯t ask me¡­¡± At this moment, Madam Qu did not want to admit it, but she knew that Qu Xin¡¯er must have lied just now. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be so guilty. Her mind was in chaos just after she was asked about it. This was the second time Qu Xin¡¯er had done that, including to Li Keying. She glared at the timid Qu Xin¡¯er, but she was unwilling to give up on the Qu family¡¯s pride and apologize. She could only grit her teeth and explain perfunctorily, ¡°I¡¯m afraid Xin¡¯er heard wrongly and have misunderstood Miss Cui.¡± Qu Yuanxian and Cui Shize were good brothers. The Cui family had to care about the relationship between the two families. However, Bai Wutong did not have such concerns. She raised her eyebrows and waved the truth serum again. She said annoyingly, ¡°Did she hear wrongly? Then who was the one who was gossiping behind others¡¯ back and misleading Miss Qu? This concerns the reputation of both families. Madam Qu, I suggest that we give Miss Qu a try of the truth serum. Miss Qu is still young, but we still have a reputation to protect.¡± Bai Wutong did not want to let her off at all. Madam Qu was so angry that she wanted to slap her twice. But she was also afraid that the truth serum would have an effect and make Qu Xin¡¯er say more things she shouldn¡¯t have. When the time came, if she really wanted to cover it up, she wouldn¡¯t be able to clean up the mess. Madam Qu said with a still face. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely get to the bottom of it when I get back.¡± With that, she wanted to take Qu Xin¡¯er away. ¡°Hold up.¡± Cui Lingyi suddenly stopped them. Madam Qu hid her displeasure. ¡°Miss Cui, what else do you want?¡± Cui Lingyi looked at Qu Xin¡¯er coldly. ¡°Since you misheard and said something wrong, shouldn¡¯t you apologize to me?¡± Madam Qu did not expect Cui Lingyi to be so calculative. In front of so many people, she could not be perfunctory anymore. She pushed Qu Xin¡¯er out. ¡°Apologize to Miss Cui quickly.¡± Qu Xin¡¯er did not want to apologize, so she kept crying. It was as if everyone had forced her to do something wrong. Qu Lianghua rushed over. When he saw this scene, he picked her up and asked Madam Qu, ¡°What happened?¡± How could Madam Qu say it out loud? Lin Yue was understanding and helped him recount what his daughter had done. Qu Lianghua¡¯s face turned pale. He naturally understood that Cui Lingyi would not say such a thing. She hated himself more than anything. Chapter 232 - Chapter 232: Arrival of a Goddess Chapter 232: Arrival of a Goddess Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Although the Cui family did not show it in person, Madam Qu still felt that the Cui family was not as friendly towards them as before. In particular, Qu Liangyu and Qu Lianghua, who were studying at Qinghe Academy, sensed it the most. The classmates who were originally on good terms with them also started to ignore them. Previously, Qu Liangyu could still speak to Chu Tianbao. Now, when he was in front of him, he would only see his cold face. Bai Wutong¡¯s thoughts were Chu Tianbao¡¯s thoughts. Chu Tianbao hated whoever Bai Wutong hated. Even if the others looked better than Chu Tianbao, they would not be close to Seeing that his big brother, who had always been respected, had been treated coldly because of him, Qu Lianghua blamed himself. ¡°If only I hadn¡¯t come, Big Brother would definitely be like a fish in water here.¡± Qu Liangyu comforted him. ¡°Let¡¯s just study in peace. I came here to study.¡± As for the rest, there was no need to force it. But he was also regretful that the Cui and Qu families, who should have been close, had become like this. Qu Lianghua wanted to leave on his own, but he could not bear to part with the teachers whom he had learnt so much from Qinghe Academy, let alone Cui Lingyi, whom he was yearning for. Finally, he sighed weakly. ¡°It¡¯s been hard on Big Brother. Qu Liangyu smiled. ¡°We¡¯re a family. Why are you being so polite?¡± Qu Lianghua blamed himself even more. The adults could understand each other, but the children would not restrain their emotions. Qu Lianghua¡¯s son, Qu Sheng, was ostracized by the children of the academy. Fortunately, they were twins and could talk to each other. Qu Xin¡¯er had snuck out herself and was teased by the children in the village by singing nursery rhymes. She was so angry that she scolded them for being a group of country bumpkins. This clearly showed that she was uneducated, so Madam Qu, who felt that she was embarrassing, locked her up. It was useless even if Qu Lianghua pleaded. Madam Qu did not feel good either. When she first arrived, the wives of the 30 families in Qinghe were each more enthusiastic than the other. They took turns inviting her to tea and chat. Ever since Qu Xin¡¯er caused trouble at Bai Wutong¡¯s house, this group of women had disappeared. Madam Qu thought that they were afraid of the Cui family and did not dare to hang out with her. She made up her mind to move out as soon as possible. However, there was no news of the house. She couldn¡¯t stand the feeling of living under someone else¡¯s roof after only a few days. How could she let her son and grandson suffer for several years? Madam Qu decided to take the initiative to buy a house! At the thought of buying a house, the beautiful courtyard of Bai Wutong¡¯s house appeared in her mind. Although Bai Wutong was very annoying and sharp-tongued, her house was the most eye-catching to Madam Qu. In this countryside, one could earn a few taels of silver a year. Bai Wutong¡¯s husband would probably need more money to take the imperial examination in the future. Madam Qu did not believe that Bai Wutong would not be tempted by a large sum of money. Madam Qu dressed up herself and came to Bai Wutong¡¯s house door. Chu Tianbao had gone to school. Bai Wutong was in casual clothes and practicing martial arts with Qingfeng. Madam Qu brought the maidservant to the door in a mighty manner. Through the door railing, her eyes were filled with disdain when she saw the slovenly-dressed and ferociously attacking Bai Wutong. She was indeed a country bumpkin. She was not presentable at all. How could Cui Lingyi be obedient when she was on good terms with such a woman? Madam Qu had been waiting at the door for a long time, but Bai Wutong and Qingfeng were still exchanging moves fiercely. Their valiant figures made the maidservants admire them, but Madam Qu was very angry. How dare they ignore her and leave her at the door? However, looking at this house and the courtyard, the dissatisfaction in Madam Qu¡¯s heart was suppressed again. With Qingfeng personally guiding her as a sparring partner, Bai Wutong had improved rapidly. Now, she could even withstand more than ten moves from Qingfeng. After the battle, Bai Wutong wiped the layer of sweat from her head and glanced at the door. Madam Qu, who was still waiting, had a gloomy expression. Bai Wutong stopped in her tracks and pretended not to see her as she entered the house with Qingfeng. It was until Madam Qu could not hold it in anymore and gestured for the maidservant to call for her. Bai Wutong changed into an exquisite white dress. The material of this set of clothes was a gift from Sheng Huaixuan. It was called Cloud Brocade. It was made of a special material that was soft and comfortable, and it shone under the sunlight. Bai Wutong quite liked it and was shocked to know the price. A roll of cloud brocade actually cost 20 taels of gold, and she might not even be able to get it. There was limited stock for cloud brocade. Just like the special Phoenix Feather Wine, it was specially supplied. However, Sheng Huaixuan was giving out cloud brocade to every family. Regardless of whether they were specially supplied, he would definitely be able to supply them in huge quantity. Her tall and graceful figure, beautiful face, and unique temperament made her look like a goddess. Madam Qu was instantly stunned by her beauty. In the next second, her gaze was firmly fixed on the white dress. She felt that the shimmering fabric was a little familiar, but she couldn ¡®t remember. Madam Qu thought that it was probably some unpopular fabric, but it looked quite good. She would get someone to ask around and buy a few back. Bai Wutong politely invited them into the house and even served exquisite snacks and tea. It was as if the cold treatment that Madam Qu had suffered previously had been her own imagination. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Madam Qu?¡± Madam Qu entered the house and was even more satisfied with it. Whether it was the sofa under her butt or the decorations in the house, they all aligned with her aesthetics. If she could buy the place for 200 taels, she did not have to redecorate it, and it would be worth it even if it was more expensive. ¡°Madam Bai, I like this house very much. I wonder if you can part with it?¡¯ With that, the maidservant took out 200 taels of silver from her sleeve and placed it on the table. Madam Qu wanted to use 200 taels to buy the house that Bai Wutong wanted to use as her home for the rest of her life. Anger instantly brewed in her chest. Seeing the dark expression on Bai Wutong¡¯s face, Madam Qu leisurely raised her teacup, her eyes filled with smugness. The anger she had suffered from the previous day seemed to have been recovered and she felt comfortable. Unexpectedly, Bai Wutong was not afraid of her status as the wife of the county magistrate of Pingyang County. She said aggressively, ¡°Madam Qu, are you trying to force me to sell the house?¡± As soon as these words were spoken, Madam Qu¡¯s expression changed drastically. Before she could scold Bai Wutong, she heard her mocking laughter again. ¡°Madam Qu doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s the first time she¡¯s forced a sale. I wonder if Lord Qu knows.¡± She was smiling, but her smile didn¡¯t reach her eyes. Madam Qu was shocked. Qu Yuanxian was upright, so Madam Qu naturally did not dare to do so openly. However, she would not refuse a New Year gift from someone else. Otherwise, with Qu Yuanxian¡¯s salary, how could he have helped Youjia Village? It was all because of the money she had worked hard to save up that allowed them to survive. It was thanks to her that Youjia Village managed to survive the winter. She was their savior. This was also the reason why Madam Qu thought highly of herself in Youjia Village. Madam Qu denied in panic, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? I¡¯m asking you if you¡¯re selling the house for money! Did I force you?¡± Chapter 233 - Chapter 233: Don’t Push Your Luck Chapter 233: Don¡¯t Push Your Luck Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Bai Wutong raised her eyebrows and pointed at the beam. ¡°Just this piece of wood is worth 10 taels. The entire house was built using hundreds of pieces of this wood. Isn¡¯t Madam Qu forcing me by wanting to buy my house with just 200 taels? Do you want me to offer it to you with both hands like that?¡± So she thought that the amount was too little, such a greedy woman. Madam Qu¡¯s eyes darkened and she stood up to defend herself. ¡°You didn¡¯t spend a single cent on the wood you harvested. How are you making a loss by receiving 200 taels?! Besides, so what if the materials used for this house are good? It¡¯s just built in a remote village.¡± The corners of Bai Wutong¡¯s mouth curled up, and her eyes were cold. ¡®Then let me ask you, Madam Qu, why didn¡¯t you built a house yourself, but chose to buy my house?¡± The wood on the Jade Spiritual Mountain belonged to the government. If Madam Qu went to the wasteland to cut wood, it would be stealing the private property of the government. It was a huge crime! If Madam Qu could buy such a good house, why take such a huge risk to build She said angrily, ¡°I said I¡¯m buying! If I could build it myself, I would have done so long ago. Why would I care about your lousy house?¡± Bai Wutong had already reached her limit. If not for Qu Yuanxian, she would have long chased her out. Bai Wutong said coldly, ¡°I¡¯m not selling. I advise Madam Qu not to do this again to avoid bringing trouble to Lord Qu.¡± If someone deliberately targeted Madam Qu and framed Qu Yuanxian for embezzlement and bribery, they would definitely be investigated. Madam Qu flew into a rage out of humiliation. ¡°I said I¡¯m buying!¡¯ She reached into her pocket and took out three 100-yuan banknotes. She threw them in front of her. ¡°Is this enough?¡± In order to build a good relationship with her, everyone would sell high-priced items to her at a low price. Bai Wutong was so stubborn and did not give in, causing her good bearing to be torn apart. Bai Wutong chuckled. ¡°This house is my and my husband¡¯s love nest. We¡¯ll live happily here for the rest of our lives. You want to buy our house for 500 taels? Mrs. Qu, why don¡¯t you go to Lintian Village and ask? There will definitely be a lot of people who are willing.¡± The more she did not want to sell it, the more Madam Qu wanted to buy it. She took out another 500 taels of silver and placed them on the table. ¡®This should be enough!¡± She looked like she was determined to make Bai Wutong sell the house on that day. With 1,000 tales of silver, even if she went to town to choose the best wood to build a house and build a new set of furniture, it was far enough! Bai Wutong didn¡¯t even blink, as if 1,000 taels of silver were nothing to her. Instead, she smiled. Madam Qu met her meaningful gaze and her heart skipped a beat. She had a feeling that Bai Wutong was going to cause trouble again. As expected, Bai Wutong said, ¡°Not enough. ¡® It was already her limit to take out 1,000 taels of silver. She couldn¡¯t help but cursed, ¡°Don¡¯t push your luck!¡± The corners of Bai Wutong¡¯s mouth curled up. ¡°Isn¡¯t Madam Qu rich? Can¡¯t you afford it? Tsk, tsk. I thought Madam Qu was very confident, but it turns out that you¡¯re nothing much.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s fleeting comment was like a heaw punch to the prideful Madam Qu. Her chest rose and fell in anger, but there was nothing she could do. She glared at her and said to the maidservants, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡¯ Madam Qu flicked her sleeve and left. Bai Wutong stared at her back and narrowed her eyes. ¡®Qingfeng, find a messenger pigeon.¡± She was going to write a letter to Qu Yuanxian. If Madam Qu¡¯s style of doing things was still not proper, it would be too late. The secret guard reported this matter to Chu Tianbao, who was already thinking normally. Chu Tianbao¡¯s deep eyes darkened. The next day, the news that Madam Qu wanted to forcefully buy her house to humiliate Bai Wutong suddenly spread. When Little Cat found out, he decided to avenge Bai Wutong. He found Zhao Erwa and the others and received everyone¡¯s unanimous agreement. If someone dared to bully Madam Bai, they would teach them a lesson. But Zhao Erwa was lost again. ¡°How can we take revenge?¡± They could not defeat the other party at all with their small fists. Not only did Madam Qu have a maidservant, but she also brought a guard with her. Little Cat said, ¡°1 have my ways.¡± He beckoned with his hand, and the little turnip heads leaned closer and spoke in low voices. Everyone¡¯s eyes lit up and they quickly ran home. Little Cat suddenly appeared behind her, making Tao Yinzhen shocked. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Little Cat said in a deep voice, ¡®Give me 200 copper coins.¡± Ever since Madam Chen poisoned Ren Shuixing and was arrested with conclusive evidence, whenever Tao Yinzhen looked into Little Cat¡¯s dark eyes, she felt flustered. Thinking of Madam Chen¡¯s arrest and her two daughters-in-law¡¯s hesitant expressions, Tao Yinzhen panicked even more. She hurriedly avoided Little Cat¡¯s gaze and entered the room to get him 200 copper coins. In the past, Little Cat would definitely tell her what he wanted to do with the money. Now that Little Cat did not say anything, she did not dare to ask. Tao Yinzhen had never expected that she would be so afraid of her son. Little Cat left with the copper coins, and Tao Yinzhen also left immediately after. She was going to the neighboring village for fortune telling to see if Little Cat was possessed by something dirty. The little turnip heads more or less collected some copper coins from their families. With Little Cat taking the lead, they surrounded Qu Xian and Qu Sheng, who were reading. Qu Xian and Qu Sheng looked confused. They did not know why these classmates who were ostracizing them suddenly surrounded them. Suddenly, Little Cat threw a copper coin in front of Qu Xian and Qu Sheng and ordered arrogantly, ¡°Smile for me.¡± He was used to such people. They looked so damn good at scaring people. The other little children imitated Little Cat and curled their lips. ¡°Smile for us too.¡± Although they did not understand why they did this, Qu Xian and Qu Sheng could sense that Little Cat was deliberately humiliating them. Eldest Brother Qu Sheng stood up. ¡®Go away! I¡¯ve called you the teacher over!¡± No one stepped back. No matter what, they had to avenge Madam Bai, who was the best person in the world, that day. Little Cat said in a deep voice, ¡°Doesn¡¯t your family like to use money to force others? I¡¯ll give you money now and let you experience the same feeling.¡± Little Cat took out another handful of copper coins from his pocket and threw at them. ¡°Go on and smile! I¡¯m asking you to smile! It¡¯s just a smile. Why? Is the money not enough? We still have a lot!¡¯ Zhao Erwa and the others provided additional support. ¡°Smile! We are asking you to smile! If it¡¯s not enough, we still have more!¡± The copper coins fell one after another. The angry Qu Xian suddenly rushed forward and grabbed Little Cat¡¯s collar. He raised his hand high, but before it could land, Little Cat punched him hard in the cheek Qu Xian screamed and his nose bled. When Qu Sheng saw his brother being beaten up, he lost his rationality. ¡°Brat, how dare you hit my brother!¡¯ He pounced and bit Little Cat. When Zhao Erwa saw his underling being beaten up, he immediately joined the battle. When Mr. Liu came to class, the tables, chairs, and benches were all overturned. The little children were fighting fiercely, especially the Qu brothers who were being pressed down and beaten up. Mr. Liu said angrily, ¡°All of you, stop!¡¯ Qu Liangyu rushed over after receiving the notice. When he saw his two sons whose eyes were swollen, his face instantly darkened. ¡°How do you know how to fight!¡¯ He was clearly looking at Qu Sheng and Qu Xian when asking. Other than Little Cat smiling sinisterly, all the little children present were frightened.. Chapter 234 - Chapter 234: A Real Man Chapter 234: A Real Man Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Qu Xian and Qu Sheng said in unison, ¡°They provoked us first!¡± Qu Xian couldn¡¯t hold himself back and started crying. ¡®They threw copper coins at us and insisted on forcing us to smile. We weren¡¯t willing, but they refused to let go. That¡¯s why I attacked first. ¡® Qu Lianghua frowned and looked at the little radish-head. He did not expect his two sons to have a deep friendship with these children, but he could not allow them to bully his son. Qu Lianghua tried to sound calm. ¡®Why are you doing this?¡± Selling a smile was an extremely bad insult to scholars. The little children looked at each other without saying a word. They raised their chins and looked unyielding. Mr. Liu said angrily, ¡°You guys provoked them for no reason and bullied your classmates, yet you¡¯re unrepentant. Qinghe Academy can¡¯t tolerate students like you who have bad morals.¡± When the little children heard this, their calm expressions instantly fell apart. They shouted, ¡°Sir, no!¡± If they were expelled from Qinghe Academy, their parents would definitely skin them alive when they returned home. Moreover, they did not want to leave Qinghe Academy. If they left Qinghe Academy, they would not be able to learn many interesting things, nor would they be able to take the examination and bring glory to their ancestors. Some children did not cry when they were in pain. But when they heard that they might be expelled, their tears kept falling. Suddenly, the thin Little Cat stood forward and stared at Qu Lianghua with his black eyes. ¡°I instigated them to do so. I¡¯ll take responsibility for my own actions. If you want to expel us, Sir, just expel me alone.¡± The coldness in Little Cat¡¯s eyes was far from what a child his age had. Not only was he targeting Qu Sheng and Qu Xian, but he was also filled with hostility towards Qu Lianghua. Qu Lianghua trembled and questioned Little Cat, ¡°You are all classmates. Why are you doing this?¡± Little Cat looked disdainful. ¡°I just learned it from your Qu family.¡± Everyone in the academy had been avoiding him. Qu Lianghua still did not know that Madam Qu had tried to throw money at Bai Wutong to buy her house. Zhao Erwa was very touched that Little Cat was taking the blame alone. How could a good brother be afraid of death! He also took a step forward and pleaded with the confused Mr. Liu. ¡°Sir, we¡¯re all trying to seek justice for Madam Bai. Please, don¡¯t expel Little Cat. If you want to expel Little Cat, expel me too!¡± Qu Lianghua frowned tightly. He did not know why Little Cat and the others were bullying others and that it even involved Bai Wutong. They even wanted to seek justice for her. Mr. Liu knew what had happened between Bai Wutong and Madam Qu and suddenly understood. He criticized Little Cat solemnly, ¡°Even so, that¡¯s not an excuse for you to take the lead in bullying your classmates! Qu Sheng and Qu Xian are completely innocent. You¡¯re being arrogant and taking your anger out on him!¡± Little Cat locked his gaze on Qu Sheng and Qu Xian. ¡°1 never said that it was an excuse. I just want to avenge Madam Bai! They¡¯re innocent! But does Madam Bai have to suffer humiliation for nothing? There¡¯s no good person in their family!¡¯ Madam Qu had gone a little overboard, but it did not make sense for Little Cat to make the same judgements about others. Mr. Liu said in a deep voice, ¡°Ren Yuan! You¡¯re being too extreme! If Madam Bai finds out about your actions, she¡¯ll also be disappointed in you!¡¯ Little Cat was stunned, and his expression instantly darkened. ¡°Disappointment is better than some people pretending to respect Madam Bai but letting others step over her!¡± Bai Wutong was so good to the Cui family. They had also allowed the Qu family to stay and usually sewed them well. Mr. Liu said angrily, ¡°If everyone thinks like you, what order is there in the world?!¡± Little Cat stiffened his neck and said, ¡°The order is set by people, so why can¡¯t I change it? I want to seek justice for Madam Bai! I dare to do what others can¡¯t and don¡¯t dare to do!¡± Little Cat puffed out his chest, stubborn as an iron wall. He was a grateful child, but his method was wrong! Mr. Liu said angrily, ¡°Do you think you¡¯re doing this for Madam Bai?¡¯ ¡®You¡¯re making a big mistake!¡± ¡°Others will only think that Madam Bai instigated you to bully your classmates! They would further form judgements about Madam Bai¡¯s character and the rumors will push her off the cliff! Do you still think you¡¯ve won?!¡± Ren Yuan was smart, good at studying, and hardworking, but his temperament was unstable. If he was not corrected in time, he would probably be led astray! If he still did not repent, the Academy would not be able to keep this child. Little Cat wanted to avenge Bai Wutong and take revenge on the Qu family, but he did not expect such a situation. He clenched his fists. His chest felt as if a big rock had been smashed into it. He was filled with disgust for his incompetence. Mr. Liu thought that he had realized his mistake, and his gaze softened. As long as the student was not unteachable, as a teacher, they could not give up. Mr. Liu asked, ¡°Do you know your mistake?¡¯ Little Cat looked regretful. ¡°l know my mistake.¡± Next time, he would definitely not let this happen! He would definitely consider everything and definitely not implicate Madam Bai. ¡°Then hurry up and apologize to Qu Sheng and Qu Xian!¡± Little Cat did not want to. Zhao Erwa was afraid that he would be expelled, so he pressed his head down and whispered, ¡°A wise man submits to circumstances. ¡® Little Cat thought about it and gritted his teeth. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Only by staying in the Academy could he learn skills. He had to become stronger as soon as possible and become someone useful to Madam Bai. The children covered in bruises and swollen faces also apologized in unison. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Qu Sheng and Qu Xian looked at them in a daze. They did not understand what was going on, but they felt it was as though they were the villain. Mr. Liu looked at Qu Sheng and Qu Xian again. ¡°It¡¯s not completely wrong for you to counterattack when facing the bullying of your classmates, but it¡¯s really stupid to counterattack without any chance of winning. ¡± ¡°If you call for the teacher loudly, I will definitely stand up for you. Now that you¡¯re injured, you have to bear half the responsibility.¡± Mr. Liu said solemnly, ¡°So, I still have to punish you so that you will learn your lesson in the future.¡± ¡°Ren Yuan took the lead in deliberately causing trouble, insulting your classmates, fighting, so your study allowance will be permanently canceled!¡¯ ¡°The rest of you shall sweep the fallen leaves in the front yard with Ren Yuan for the entire semester.¡¯ On the way back to the Cui residence, Qu Sheng asked unhappily, ¡°Father, why are they targeting us to seek justice for Madam Bai? What did we do wrong?¡± The two children¡¯s eyes were filled with sorrow. They had clearly done nothing, but they had been humiliated for no reason. They fought back and were injured, yet they were still punished. The teacher¡¯s tolerance towards Little Cat and the others was like their dissatisfaction with the Qu family¡¯s actions. Qu Lianghua pulled them into his arms. ¡°You¡¯re all not wrong. It¡¯s all us adults¡¯ fault for implicating you.¡± Qu Xian said dejectedly, ¡°No one likes us. We don¡¯t want to study here anymore.¡± Qu Lianghua patted their heads. ¡°Escaping won¡¯t solve any problems. The more you suffer, the braver you become. That¡¯s what a real man should be!¡± ¡°After receiving the highest study allowance, they will look up to you. The teacher will praise you and you will have like-minded friends to befriend you.¡± Qu Sheng and Qu Xian understood, but their spirits were still not lifted. They reluctantly comforted their father. ¡°Okay..¡± Chapter 235 - Chapter 235: Let him settle it Chapter 235: Let him settle it Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Qu Lianghua wanted to know what had happened between their family and Bai Wutong, so he quickly went to find out. After knowing the whole story, Qu Lianghua finally understood why Little Cat said that he had learned it from the Qu family. He finally knew why he had been talked about behind his back in the past two days. Qu Lianghua did not know why his mother did this, causing the entire Qu family to be criticized. He rushed to Madam Qu¡¯s room. Madam Qu was so bored and was staring at Qu Xin¡¯er learning etiquette. Qu Xin¡¯er bowed repeatedly and was already exhausted. If she did not meet Madam Qu¡¯s requirements, she would not let her rest. Madam Qu said, ¡°I¡¯ve indulged you too much in the past and let you get away without understanding the rules. From today onwards, you have to act like a well- bred lady! ¡® Qu Liangyu¡¯s appearance was a savior that had descended from the sky. Qu Xin¡¯er hurriedly bowed to him. ¡°Hello, Uncle.¡± Qu Liangyu nodded, looking like he had something to say to Madam Qu. Madam Qu glanced at Qu Xin¡¯er and waved her hand. ¡°You can go back today! We¡¯ll continue tomorrow!¡¯ Qu Xin¡¯er rushed to the door excitedly and glanced back at Qu Liangyu ¡®s dark expression. She opened the door and gestured for the maidservant to stay quiet as she eavesdropped. Madam Qu could tell that her son¡¯s expression was not good and asked worriedly, ¡®What¡¯s wrong? Did you eat something bad at the Cui family? Is your stomach not feeling well?¡¯ Madam Qu continued, ¡°The servants of the Cui family are getting better and better at fooling around. I asked the kitchen to prepare a pot of tea today, but it¡¯s actually chrysanthemum tea. Such a low-grade tea, I really don¡¯t know what the Cui family is thinking.¡± ¡®When we first came, there were five dishes and a soup. In the past two days, there are only three dishes and a soup left. Moreover, the dishes are not that nice. On the surface, they say that they are delicious and nourishing. In fact, they are not unwilling to spend money for fear of wasting money.¡± Qu Liangyu¡¯s expression darkened when he heard that she was dissatisfied with the Cui family. ¡°Mother! So what if it¡¯s chrysanthemum tea? I think it¡¯s delicious and has the effect of relieving heat. Does the Cui family have to treat us with the most precious tea leaves?¡¯ ¡°Have we spent a penny on food and accommodation while staying at the Cui family? Moreover, can Mother guarantee that she can finish three dishes and a soup? Also, I feel extremely satisfied with these three dishes and soup every day. Our Qu family¡¯s kitchen staff don¡¯t even have such skills, yet Mother is complaining that the low-end ingredients aren¡¯t worthy of your status.¡± Madam Qu had only complained casually. She did not expect her son to have such a big reaction as if he had eaten dynamite. She said angrily, ¡°Are you angry at me? For such a small matter?¡± Who had she worked so hard for in her life! If not for the fact that she was worried about her son and grandson, she wouldn¡¯t have come to their house to suffer. The more she thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt and her tears started falling to the ground. Qu Lianghua was a filial son, but he was also full of grievances now. Everything was fine before his mother came. Qu Sheng and Qu Xian were also very well-liked in the academy. Because Madam Qu had gone against Bai Wutong once and again, the entire Youjia Village started to be repulsed by them. He could not care for himself and study, but what about the children! They were still so young, but they were going to be affected when they were innocent? Qu Liangyu sighed helplessly. ¡°Mother, I didn¡¯t mean that. I just hope you won¡¯t find fault with the Cui family again and won¡¯t do anything humiliating. ¡± After being reprimanded by Qu Liangyu suddenly, Madam Qu¡¯s tears fell continuously. ¡°What fault did I find? I was just mentioning it casually. Besides, our family has helped the Cui family so much and bought so many things to save their lives. If they treat us so perfunctorily, how are they taking your father¡¯s friendship to heart?¡± ¡°And how did I insult the Cui family?!¡± No matter how dissatisfied she was with Cui Lingyi, she still remained respectful on the surface. Madam Qu did not realize that she was in the wrong at all. Qu Liangyu broke it down and explained to her. ¡°The Cui family and Youjia village! Even without our help, they can live through the winter unscathed! Uncle Cui has long compensated us for the items in silver and he even gave us more than they were worth. Mother, it¡¯s not like you don¡¯t know about this! The Cui family doesn¡¯t owe us anything! Mother, don¡¯t take things for granted, okay? Father¡¯s friendship isn¡¯t supposed to be made use of like this!¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t insult the Cui family, but you insulted Madam Bai! You used money to forcefully buy someone else¡¯s house, so much so that everyone knows about it. Now, Sheng¡¯er and Xian¡¯er are being ostracized in the academy and even fought today! All of this was caused by you!¡¯ Qu Liangyu poured out all the words he had suppressed in his heart. After saying that, he met his mother¡¯s incredulous expression and felt extremely regretful. How could he talk to his mother like that? While Qu Liangyu was feeling regretful, Madam Qu, who had returned to her senses, shouted, ¡°Who spread it everywhere!¡± Then she affirmed herself, ¡°It must be that woman surnamed Bai!¡± It was impossible for the maidservant she brought to publicize it, so it could only be Bai Wutong doing it on purpose. How hateful! How could there be such a sinister and cunning woman in the world? Madam Qu cursed viciously that Chu Tianbao would never be able to get into the imperial examinations in his life, and Bai Wutong would never be able to become an official¡¯s wife. Not only was Madam Qu sad that Qu Liangyu spoke to her like this, but she was also worried about her grandsons being injured. She hurriedly asked, ¡®Where is Sheng¡¯er and Xian ¡®er hurt? Did you call a doctor? Who dares to hit my grandson? They are simply lawless. I¡¯ll report it to the officials now!¡± Qu Liangyu frowned. ¡°The doctor has seen them. They¡¯re fine now. The teacher has already punished them fairly. After all, it was Xian¡¯er who attacked first. Don¡¯t interfere in this matter.¡± Madam Qu glared at him, and tears kept flowing out of her eyes. She choked and said, ¡°Are you saying that I¡¯ve embarrassed you? Who am I doing all this for? It¡¯s all so that you don¡¯t have to live under someone else¡¯s roof and watch their judgement! I was mocked by that woman, but when it comes to you, other than saying I¡¯m wrong, you aren¡¯t trying to understand your mother at all! Boohoo, my life is so bitter¡ª¡± Qu Liangyu frowned. ¡®Mother, I don¡¯t mean to blame you.¡± If there was really no resentment or anger in his heart, the filial Qu Liangyu would not have said this. The more Madam Qu thought about it, the more indignant she became. She said hatefully, ¡°I¡¯m going to look for that woman and question her face-to-face! How can she say that I was threatening her to sell it by force by offering her silver? With her ability, who can I force to sell?!¡± ¡°Bang¡ª¡± The door was pushed open and Qu Lianghua appeared in front of them with a solemn expression. Qu Lianghua came to fetch Qu Xin¡¯er and heard the argument between his brother and mother clearly from outside the door. He thought that it was all his fault that Madam Qu would look for Bai Wutong. Everything started because of him, so let him settle it. Qu Lianghua looked like he was sacrificing himself. ¡°Mother, come home with me!¡± As long as he and Mother left, Big Brother¡¯s life in Youjia Village would definitely return to peace.. Chapter 236 - Chapter 236: Are You So Concerned About Me? Chapter 236: Are You So Concerned About Me? Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After making up his mind, Qu Lianghua¡¯s gaze gradually became firm. ¡°Mother, we¡¯ll leave Youjia Village tomorrow morning. We¡¯ve been away for so long, and Father also can¡¯t part with you. There are still many matters at home that need you to manage. When we go back, let Sister-in-law come here to take care of Xian¡¯er and Sheng¡¯er.¡± Madam Qu¡¯s eyes widened. ¡®What about you? Are you not going to attend lessons at the academy anymore? Is it because of me? Do you also feel embarrassed because of me?¡± Madam Qu started to cry again. Qu Lianghua shook his head. ¡°No, I just feel that I¡¯m out of place here and not used to the teaching method at Qinghe Academy. I also want to go home and take good care of you and father.¡± What out of place? Qu Lianghua was clearly saying something against his will. When he occasionally saw Cui Lingyi, he would be secretly happy for a long time. After receiving his teacher¡¯s guidance, he would excitedly discuss it with his big brother. He often praised the teacher¡¯s demeanor and literary talent, so much that he could not hide the admiration in his eyes. At this moment, Madam Qu was even sadder than her son blaming her. She wanted to smile, but she forced out an expression that was uglier than crying. ¡°Why are you going back? Mother hasn¡¯t helped you to propose yet! You should just stay and study well!¡± She would just not talk bad about the Cui family or confront Bai Wutong. For her son, she would just endure it. Qu Lianghua had already made up his mind. Moreover, he had long known that Cui Lingyi had no feelings for him, and Cui Shize did not fancy him as a son-in-law. He shook his head. ¡°No, I¡¯ve already made up my mind. I can study elsewhere.¡± As long as he worked hard, he would definitely not be inferior to Big Brother. He looked determined. Madam. Qu was worried that after failing to marry Cui Lingyi, when he returned, he would either escape into an empty sect or vow not to marry. How could this work! Madam Qu wiped her tears and said firmly, ¡°No! I have to propose marriage for you. Whether it works or not, I have to give it a try for you!¡± Qu Lianghua was extremely touched by his mother¡¯s words. He blamed himself for letting his mother down and not being a good son. The scene of him first meeting Cui Lingyi appeared in Qu Lianghua¡¯s mind. He cut it off decisively and said to Madam Qu, ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll listen to your marriage arrangements when I get back.¡± In an instant, Madam Qu¡¯s eyes lit up. Compared to Cui Lingyi, who was not easy to get along with and could easily control her son, it was naturally better for her to choose a daughter-in-law herself. When his son got married and brought the young and virtuous new wife back to Youjia Village to study, he would definitely anger the widow to death. Madam Qu quickly agreed. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go home and get you married!¡± She could not hide the excitement on her face and comforted Qu Lianghua. ¡°You can return to the academy in a while. Don¡¯t worry. My son is so smart. No one can compare to him.¡± Qu Lianghua nodded. Qu Liangyu, who knew him well, knew that his brother would probably not return. If he brought his new wife back and saw the love in his heart, how would he feel? After the Mid-autumn Festival, it was the best time to harvest rice. In the golden water fields, the autumn wind blew as if they were dancing enthusiastically. There were only two acres of rice field in Bai Wutong¡¯s family. At a glance, the yield was average. It was less than half of the harvest of modern farmland. Cui Muzhi was wearing a large bamboo hat and holding a large scythe in his hand. He was prepared to experience the hardships on the field. He asked Lan Jingbai excitedly, ¡°Blue Blockhead, look, do I look good in a bamboo hat?¡± Cui Muzhi¡¯s appearance was exquisite. He was wearing a bamboo hat and looked even more handsome. His fair skin did not look like someone who could work in the fields. Lan Jingbai took the scythe from his hand. ¡°Be careful not to cut your hand. ¡® Cui Muzhi was very displeased. ¡°You underestimate me.¡± Lan Jingbai shook his head. ¡°l have to watch over you.¡± Cui Muzhi smiled and held onto his broad shoulders. ¡®WI¡¯sk tsk, are you that concerned about me?¡¯ Lan Jingbai glanced at him. ¡°Yes.¡± He looked frank and did not mean anything else. Cui Muzhi¡¯s heart subconsciously skipped a beat. He laughed and took off his bamboo hat. ¡°Haha, you¡¯re indeed a good brother!¡± Bai Wutong pointed at the rice field and said to everyone, ¡°Let¡¯s look around. Perhaps there will be some high-yielding plants.¡± Previously, when they excavated the harvested food crops, potatoes, sweet potatoes, soybeans, corn, sorghum, and so on, they found some unusual high-yielding plants. All of the seeds were collected and guarded closely. Next year, they could use these seeds to plant them on a large scale. If they were high-yielding, the harvest would be several times better! After Bai Wutong reminded them, everyone¡¯s eyes instantly lit up. At this moment, Chu Tianbao¡¯s dark gaze landed on the face of Bai Wutong, and a mysterious expression flashed across his face. Bai Wutong was sensitive enough to notice that and her smile suddenly disappeared. As he studied, Chu Tianbao continuously absorbed the contents of the book, and his level of maturity grew extremely quickly. From the first time she saw Chu Tianbao and fled with him, she had deliberately hidden the secret of her space. However , along the way in the wilderness, Bai Wutong often discovered food that someone had prepared and could often take out candy that tasted different from this world. Coupled with her abnormalities in everyday life, Chu Tianbao had probably long sensed something. It was not surprising that he would associate it with her strangeness when there were mutated plants in Youjia village. However, she was certain that even if Chu Tianbao knew that she had space and could conjure strange things, he would definitely not hurt her. If Chu Tianbao didn¡¯t ask now, she would pretend not to know. She would tell him when the time was right. After farming for a year, Cui Shize¡¯s skin had darkened a lot and he had a better understanding of agriculture. He was in high spirits and reminded everyone, ¡°Slow down and harvest. Watch carefully. Don¡¯t mix the plants together.¡¯ Everyone replied loudly, ¡°Okay!¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s two acres of land were taken care of by Village Chief Zhao¡¯s family, and Zhao Pengfei helped to harvest them. In addition to rice, there were also fish and crabs in the rice field. After the rice was harvested, they could also harvest a btach of fish and crabs. Everyone entered the rice field. The chubby flower fish that they bred jumped up. The children shouted in surprise, ¡°There¡¯s so many fishes!¡± The dark swimming fish scurried in panic. The corners of Bai Wutong¡¯s mouth curled up. There were too few entertainment activities in the olden times. The venue was ready-made, and it was perfect for a harvest festival for fishing. It would be interesting. Suddenly, Zhao Pengfei shouted in surprise, ¡°Here! Look here! The yield of rice is especially high. The rice is about to break the pole!¡± Everyone rushed over when they heard the news. As expected, they saw a thicket of rice with a surprisingly high yield. Compared to the surrounding rice, it was a beauty on the level of an imperial consort. Cui Shize excitedly held rice and raised his scythe. ¡°I¡¯ll do it personally.¡± ¡°Clack-I¡¯ Cui Shize raised his hand and slashed down. The rice fell into his demonic claws. Everyone discovered high-yielding rice plants one after another. The 30 families of Qinghe who loved to eat rice were very happy. If all the rice could be produced as abundantly as this, they could plant a large area next year. After paying the food tax, they would not have to buy additional rice.. Chapter 237 - Chapter 237: It’s Time to Show Your True Strength Chapter 237: It¡¯s Time to Show Your True Strength Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Most of the rice fields belonged to the 30 families of Qinghe. It was also the suggestion of Bai Wutong to raise fish in the rice fields. Everyone immediately approved of the autumn harvest event. The fish and crabs in the field were also worth some money. It would not make them lose money just because Bai Wutong wanted to organize an event. Bai Wutong was not short of money now. After calculating the approximate value of every acre of crab, rice, and fish, she converted it to silver and gave them to everyone. Madam Cui was the first to refuse. ¡°Madam Bai, you¡¯re too polite. We¡¯re all from the same village. It¡¯s not easy for us to reap a harvest. We also want to have some fun. How can we accept your money?¡± Bai Wutong shook her head. ¡°If Madam Cui doesn¡¯t accept it, the other villagers won¡¯t dare to accept it even if they want to. I think we should forget about this event then.¡± Hearing that, Madam Cui could only accept it. ¡°Madam paid for the rice fields, fish, and crabs. I¡¯ll pay for the prizes.¡¯ Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°Old Master Sheng and I have already decided on the prize.¡± Madam Cui smiled and said, ¡°Madam Bai is so meticulous in everything. The event must be very interesting. I¡¯ll let Muzhi participate too.¡± Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°Muzhi is quick-witted. He u?ll definitely be able to win the prize.¡± Madam Cui said humbly, ¡°With Master Chu participating, I¡¯ll be surprised if he could catch even a few fishes.¡± The scene of Chu Tianbao catching fishes in frozen water left a deep Impression on everyone. When he made a move, no one really could compete u?th him. However, Bai Wutong had already thought about it. When Chu Tianbao, Qingfeng, and the others knew martial arts participated in the autumn harvest event, they were not allowed to use their internal energy, so everyone could rely on their one abilities to catch fish and crabs. There were two participating options for the autumn harvest event: individual and pair. The participants in the individual group would catch fishes and throw them into a fish basket. When the time was up, the total weight was calculated, and everyone would be ranked accordingly. In the pair segment, one would hold the basket, and the other would catch the fish. All the participants could snatch the other team¡¯s fish, so the pair would need to cooperate and guard the fish basket until the time is up to determine the overall ranking. The rewards were especially generous. The first place could obtain an exquisite pair of mandarin duck jade pendants, the second place could obtain a set of eight golden crabs, and the third place could obtain a pure silver coin storage jar. Those who were in the top 10 would receive a gift bag worth two taels of silver. With such a generous reward, everyone naturally fought to take part. There was no restriction on men and women. One could participate after signing up and paying a tael of silver. One tael of silver was not much. Even if they could not get the prize, they could take back the fish they caught to share their joy. Besides, what if they won a prize! The Qinghe students found it interesting and signed up. Some people had signed up for both the individual and pair segment, so it cost two taels of silver. Just from the registration fees paid by everyone, the cost of the prizes were already recouped. Sheng Huaixuan set up the venue and the most suitable place to watch People could enter the venue and watch u?thout charge. Snacks and tea were also being sold. It was rare for everyone to have a chance to join such a crowded event. It felt worth it to spend on snacks and tea. In addition, Sheng Huaixuan asked Bai Wutong to design and specially made a batch of autumn harvest fish pendants, small fish dolls, big crab windmills , and other exquisite souvenirs. When the children saw it, their eyes could not move away at all. Even the adults had never seen such a cute toy. Sheng Huaixuan was someone who had great plans. He had even invited a gourmet vendor to the venue and promised that he would provide a refund if the vendor could not earn any money that day. Whereas, he happily collected the stall fees. With everything prepared, Sheng Huaixuan made use of the celebrity effect to publicize that Lord Yang would come to Youjia Village to participate in an unprecedentedly grand autumn harvest celebration. Soon, it attracted the big families and commoners of Woqian Town to come and watch the autumn harvest event. Sheng Huaixuan had used his celebrity effect too well. It was just a small autumn harvest event, but he had made it even grander than the annual temple fair. However, everyone was happy to be able to join in the fun just nearby. Moreover, Sheng Huaixuan had paid a high venue fee to Youjia Village. It was specially kept by Cui Shize for the expenses of Youjia Village in the future. Little Cat was punished by Mr. Liu and no longer received study allowance. He did not tell Tao Yinzhen and chose to quietly earn money himself to make up for the two taels of silver next semester. There were many exquisite stationery in the top ten gift bags. There were watercolor pens, automatic charcoal pens , carbon paper picture books, solid paint, cartoon erasers, and so on. Sheng Huaixuan used the gift bag as one of the prizes because he wanted to take the opportunity to promote and sell these cute, exquisite , and practical stationery. The richest people in town were the consumers he had targeted. When Little Cat discovered that Youjia villagers were secretly producing literary and ink supplies, he thought of the cleaning paper, spray machine , cushioned stool and Phoenix Feather wine¡­ All of them were popular by the market udlen people saw them Little Cat decisively found Yu Suisheng and took the initiative to help him sell the literary and ink supplies. Yu Suisheng stared at the dark and thin little radish head in front of him with interest. ¡°Little kid, how are you intending to sell? How many can you sell? How much money do you have to buy it?¡± Little Cat hid his nervousness and pretended to be calm. ¡°I¡¯ll rent a stall and show off the advantages of watercolor brushes and carbon paper paintings. As long as everyone has seen them and heard my detailed introduction, they will definitely buy them! ¡± ¡°Also, shouldn¡¯t you have taken the initiative to quote the price before you asked me how much money I had to stock up?¡± Yu Suisheng admired this calmness that far exceeded his peers. However, Sheng Huaixuan had long prepared this stall and would place it in the most conspicuous spot in Youjia Village. There was no need for Little Cat to help with the sales. Yu Suisheng still went to report to Sheng Huaixuan because he saw his past self on this stubborn child¡¯s face. When Sheng Huaixuan heard Yu Suisheng¡¯s report, he raised his eyebrows. After a while, he said, ¡°Since he¡¯s confident that he can make the customer buy, let him try at the stall and give him a 30% commission.¡± The shop assistants were given at most 20% commission, but Sheng Huaixuan actually gave 30% commission to Little Cat. He was really taking too much care of him. It was not like Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s style at all, which surprised Yu Suisheng. There were many smart and pitiful children in the world. Sheng Huaixuan was just doing this for the sake of Bai Wutong. When Little Cat found out that he did not have to spend money to rent a stall or buy goods, and he could earn money from the commission, his eyes started to form ripples. He clenched his fists and bowed deeply to Yu Suisheng. I will definitely work hard!¡± Yu Suisheng smiled and patted the top of his head. ¡°Good luck!¡± The registration for the autumn fishing event ended that morning. Huang Thong knew that he definitely wouldn¡¯t be able to get into the top three , but he really wanted Chu Tianbao¡¯s watercolor brush, so he begged his uncle , Ye Wu, to participate in the pair segment. ¡°Uncle, let¡¯s register too! I¡¯m very good at catching fish!¡± ¡°Someone who studies is indeed good at lying! You can¡¯t even hold a chicken steadily and you still want to get a prize? Save your breath!¡± Ye Wu said bluntly. Huang Thong massaged Ye Wu¡¯s back and shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m useless. But don¡¯t I have an imposing and extraordinary uncle?! Uncle definitely succeed! Hehe ¡°When Aunt sees your heroic skills, she will definitely admire you even more. Doudou and Sweetie will be proud if they know that their father is so powerful!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pity if Uncle doesn¡¯t participate. We can clearly get the prize!¡± He was full of flattery that his mouth was dry from talking, but Ye Wu was overjoyed. He finally nodded reluctantly. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s time to show your uncle¡¯s true strength!¡± Chapter 238 - Chapter 238: There’s Nothing That It Can’t Do! Chapter 238: There¡¯s Nothing That It Can¡¯t Do! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios On the day of the autumn harvest celebration, Youjia Village was unprecedentedly lively. This was the first time many people in Woqian Town had come to the Jade Spiritual Mountain. In the past, when they heard that there was a large group of refugees here, they thought that this was a bandit¡¯s or beggar¡¯s den and avoided it. As the number of times Yang Gongbing came here increased, along with the cleaning paper and spraying machine being manufactured, Gu Zhongxun¡¯s medical skills, and the Qinghe Academy that caused a stir in the entire Woqian Town, everyone were already filled with anticipation before they arrived. Qi Yan had a book shop in Woqian Town. The Yan Kingdom was about to be completely destroyed, and the desire of scholars to study had increased greatly. The business of the book shop also started to boom. Recently, many students had often come to the shop to ask him if there were any novel things like watercolor pens and automatic charcoal pens. Qi Yan had never heard of it. He was also a scholar, so he was naturally curious. After asking around carefully, he found out that a few students from Qinghe Academy were using these unheard -of learning materials. They were beautiful and practical, and very convenient, making them highly sought after. Unfortunately, they could not be bought on the market. Qi Yan had been in charge of the family business since he was 16 years old. He quickly sensed a new business opportunity. The reason why he personally went to Youjia Village was to take the opportunity to find out who had made the novel stationery and tools. He also knew that he did not have the ability to monopolize the product, but if he sold it first, he would definitely make a huge profit. Qi Yan arrived very early. Before he got out of the carriage, he lifted the curtain and saw Qinghe Academy between the mountains from afar. He immediately felt an indescribable reverence. When the Qinghe Academy first started its recruitment, he had also heard about it. He thought that it was just a group of unknown people who were recruiting in the name of Qinghe Academy to make use of the opportunity to earn money. He did not expect that the 30 families of the Qinghe Academy had really moved here. By then, it was too late for him to register. No one could enter without a spot. Qi Yan was filled with regret. If he had come to Qinghe Academy to take a look and ask, he might not have missed the opportunity to become Great Scholar Yang¡¯s disciple. It was a huge pity. When he found out that the scholar examination was next year, Qi Yan regretted it even more. At that time, more talented students would be taking part. How could he come in top at the exam with his ordinary aptitude? Therefore, the purpose of this trip was not only to take a look at the business opportunity, but also to find an opportunity to get closer to the students or teachers of Qinghe Academy. Even though he had arrived early, the vendors who had arrived earlier than him were already prepared. The commoners who walked over from all places had also arrived, so Youjia village was bustling with noise. He was amazed by the changes in the Jade Spiritual Mountain. He thought that if it were just a group of ordinary refugees, he probably wouldn¡¯t be able to see this scene. He originally wanted to go to Qinghe Academy to try his luck Suddenly, a child¡¯s clear voice sounded. ¡°All kinds of interesting stationery here. There¡¯s nothing that it can¡¯t do! ¡± The interesting stationery immediately piqued Qi Yan¡¯s interest. He followed the sound. The stall that was located at the most obvious spot was already crowded. With two servants clearing the way, he finally stood in front of Little Cat. Most of the onlookers were commoners who had just eaten their fill. They could only watch the show. As soon as Qi Yan appeared, Little Cat¡¯s gaze locked onto him. He was certain that Qi Yan was someone who could afford such fancy writing tools. Qi Yan smiled and said, ¡°Little fellow, what¡¯s so novel about these fancy writing tools?¡± Little Cat curled his lips. ¡°Sir, you¡¯ll know at a glance!¡± Little Cat took out two bottles of ink from the shelf and two watercolor pens of the right size from the box. As he filled the ink, he introduced, ¡®This is ink, and this is a watercolor brush. As long as you pour the ink into the watercolor brush, you don¡¯t have to wash the brush, grind the ink, or dip it in ink. It¡¯s convenient to use. It¡¯s extremely beneficial to bring it along for the imperial examination.¡± With that, under everyone¡¯s surprised gazes, he wrote a big word on the brand new paper. Little Cat was a child, but he wrote smooth words with the watercolor pen. It looked very useful. There were two watercolor pens, and the other one was filled with red ink. Little Cat wrote a small word with the pen. ¡®This watercolor pen is filled with red ink. The teacher in the academy can use it to mark the coursework. Young Master can also use it to record important information to prevent missing out anything.¡± With that, Little Cat took another watercolor brush. This time, he didn¡¯t fill it with ink. Instead, he filled it with clear water and opened a fresh plate of solid paint. As he used the watercolor brush, he showed it to everyone. ¡°If you¡¯re used to dipping the brush in ink, you can gently press the air bag of the brush to make the tip of the brush produce water and dip it in solid paint. ¡® Little Cat dipped into the black paint and squeezed a little water from the tip of the brush. Soon, the solid paint melted into liquid, and the words written were as smooth as before. ¡°This is actually very convenient. As long as you wipe it gently and squeeze the water out, the tip of the brush will be clean.¡¯ He further introduced the solid paint. ¡°There are 214 colors in this box. When the tip of the brush is wiped clean, you can dip the other colors and draw with them.¡± Qi Yan was already mentally prepared. At this moment, when he really saw the use of the watercolor brush, he couldn¡¯t help but smile excitedly. ¡°Good! Not bad! Can you let me try it too?¡± They were surrounded by people from Youjia village, so they were not afraid that Qi Yan would run away with the things. Little Cat nodded and handed him the brush. Qi Yan tried it, and the light in his eyes intensified! This would definitely earn a lot of money! Because he liked it too much! In the future, he would be able to save more time during the imperial examination. Little Cat could tell that Qi Yan was tempted and struck while the iron was hot. ¡°Sir, if you¡¯re a scholar, these watercolor brushes, ink, and solid paint are must-have items. If you purchase more than two taels of silver now, you can even get a mini eraser!¡± He was actually quite scheming. With an eraser, he would naturally talk about charcoal pens and carbon paper. As expected, Qi Yan was very interested and asked, ¡°What¡¯s a mini eraser?¡± Little Cat asked someone to bring over a carbon -paper book. He opened the beautifully wrapped carbon-paper book and took out the automatic charcoal pencil from the box. ¡°It¡¯s called an automatic charcoal pencil. Just press the tip and the charcoal core will come out of the bottom.¡¯ Qi Yan found it a little strange. He was clearly introducing an eraser, so why did it suddenly jump to an automatic charcoal pencil? But he was just as curious, so he didn¡¯t interrupt Little Cat¡¯s introduction. Little Cat knew that the fish had already bitten the hook and introduced with greater effort. ¡°You can use our special automatic charcoal brush to write on carbon paper. If you write it wrongly, you can erase it with a eraser and continue writing.¡± ¡°With an eraser, you can save on paper. It¡¯s suitable for daily drawings, or accounts recording in restaurants, or for beginner learners, and so on.¡± With that, Little Cat showed him how to use the eraser. With a gentle rub, the words he had written with the charcoal pen were wiped clean in the blink of an eye. Qi Yan was shocked! If there was an eraser that could wipe off the written words, it would indeed save a lot of paper! Moreover, this automatic charcoal pen looked very useful. Even if a person was not a scholar, a craftsmen would definitely love it. There was nothing that the stationery could not do! It was really not a bluff! Chapter 239 - Chapter 239: Chu Tianbao’s Jealousy Chapter 239: Chu Tianbao¡¯s Jealousy Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Qi Yan already could imagine how popular these things would be if they were placed for sale at his bookstore. His eyes lit up and Little Cat knew that he would be a big customer. In one go, he continued, ¡°Sir, you can take a look at these.¡± He raised a large box with his small arms and legs. When he opened it, there were two rows of exquisite erasers neatly placed inside. These erasers were unique and cute. They were the designs of the 12 zodiac animals. Little Cat smiled and said, ¡°If you intend to gift someone, you can gift the 12 zodiac erasers. It will definitely be very popular.¡± ¡°Other than the 12 Zodiac Erasers, we have many other designs. You can choose whatever you want. I guarantee that you won¡¯t regret buying them.¡¯ ¡°If you spend more than 10 taels of silver, you can immediately obtain an exquisite set of carbon paper note.¡± ¡°A note?¡± Qi Yan asked. Little Cat opened a set of notes, tore off a piece, and stuck it on the carbon-paper book. ¡°It can be used as a bookmark, or it can be used to record and add additional content. Isn¡¯t that convenient?¡± Qi Yan exclaimed over and over again. He really didn¡¯t know how the person who designed these fancy writing tools could be so smart! He took turns to try it out, and he became even more determined to sell these stationery in his bookstore. Little Cat¡¯s mouth had become dry from talking. He waited in anticipation for Qi Yan to choose to purchase the items, but only a few words came. ¡°Where¡¯s your boss?¡± Little Cat¡¯s expression darkened for a moment. Although he tried his best to hold it in, Qi Yan still noticed it. It was indeed not good for him not buy anything before asking around. Qi Yan waved his arm and said generously, ¡°Give me five sets of each of these things!¡± Little Cat¡¯s eyes lit up in an instant, and he was all smiles. ¡°Alright, sir!¡¯ Qi Yan bought five sets of every item, which cost at least 20 taels of silver. This meant that Little Cat could earn at least six taels of silver. Six taels of silver! This was only the first customer! Little Cat¡¯s heart was pounding. After that day , he probably wouldn¡¯t have to worry about money for a long time and could study hard. The event was about to begin, and Chu Tianbao signed up for the individual segment. Yu Suisheng had long heard that Chu Tianbao¡¯s martial arts were outstanding, so he naturally did not want to miss the opportunity to watch him show off his skills. His seat was not far from Bai Wutong¡¯s seat. Qi Yan managed to get Little Cat¡¯s reply and came looking for her. He was subconsciously attracted by that beautiful figure. He held his breath. This was the first time he had seen such a beautiful lady. He had never heard of such an outstanding young lady in Woqian Town. She must be the daughter of one of the 30 families in Qinghe. Suddenly, he felt melancholy again. He was already married, so he naturally could not behave rudely. He also understood that no matter how downtrodden the daughters of aristocratic families were, they would not fall to the point of becoming concubines. Instantly, Qi Yan gave up. In the end, they were not fated! Qi Yan and Yu Suisheng chatted. The seats were just right, so he stole a few glances at Bai Wutong. Even if they were not fated, it was still nice to take a few more glances. The contestants were all ready. They were just waiting for the gong and drum to ring and rush into the rice field. Chu Tianbao had chosen to take part to win the mandarin duck jade pendant. He wanted to earn the prize and give it to Bai Wutong. Zhao Pengfei also wanted to win first place and obtain the mandarin duck jade pendant to please Zhao Lanzhi. Chu Tianbao could not use his internal energy, so Zhao Pengfei felt that he had a chance to take a gamble. Cui Muzhi did not want to be first or second, but he wanted to enter the top 10 at least. It was alright if he could even get a literary gift bag. However, when he saw Lan Jingbai from the corner of his eye, his thoughts changed. Woodhead Lan didn¡¯t seem to have any accessories. If he got first place, he could give it to him. Suddenly, Cui Muzhi knocked his head again. He was a man. Why would he give him a mandarin duck jade pendant? Just as his face turned red from being foolish, Village Chief Zhao hit the gong. ¡°Dong¡ª¡± Other than Lan Jingbai, the others had already rushed into the rice field. Lan Jingbai grabbed his arm. ¡®Go quickly.¡± His magnetic voice was as steady and powerful as ever. Cui Muzhi¡¯s gaze landed on his face, and the panic in his heart was soothed. He nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± After entering the rice field and catching fish, he had to run back and put them into the fish basket that everyone had. The run to and fro not only wasted time, but also consumed a lot of physical strength. Chu Tianbao could not use his internal energy, but his martial arts foundation was still there. He took the lead and entered the rice field. ¡®Ihvvo big fish instantly were caught in his hands. The audience instantly erupted into intense cheers. Many people shouted excitedly, ¡°Go, Master Chu!¡± The women who rushed over from Woqian Town looked at Chu Tianbao¡¯s face and their eyes lit up. What a handsome man! What a powerful man! They wondered if such a handsome and powerful man was married. The women¡¯s gazes made Bai Wutong frown slightly. When she heard that they wanted to ask if Chu Tianbao was married, her expression darkened. If she had known, she would have let everyone wear masks. Then, Chu Tianbao would not be coveted by so many women. Her chest felt tight, and she suddenly realized that not only was Chu Tianbao becoming more and more possessive of her, but he was also becoming more and more important to her. Chu Tianbao was very fast. He caught fish with one hand and fish with the other. After a while, there were several big fish in his hands. He nimbly dodged the people and placed all the big fish into the fish basket. The fish basket was instantly more than half full. The audience exclaimed repeatedly. When Bai Wutong thought of Chu Tianbao¡¯s clumsiness when he first caught fish during their escape, she smiled brightly. Back then, the fish were caught for her. That day, the fish were also caught for her. Her smile was even brighter than the stars in the sky. Qi Yan, who was secretly watching her, was instantly stunned. He subconsciously muttered, ¡°One smile is enough to topple cities. Another smile is enough to topple countries.¡± Yu Suisheng followed his gaze and his heart skipped a beat when his gaze landed on Bai Wutong¡¯s face. He had yet to remind Qi Yan not to have any thoughts he shouldn¡¯t have. In the next moment, he felt himself being caught by a pair of extremely oppressive eyes. Chu Tianbao stood in the rice field, but it was as if he was on a high throne, looking down at them like ants. He retracted his gaze and poked Qi Yan, who was still in a daze. This guy was courting death. He would not want to be targeted by Master Chu. Qi Yan was poked a few times before he came back to his senses. ¡°Uh, Brother Yu? What were we talking about?¡¯ Yu Suisheng had always been willing to accept business that came knocking on his door as long as he could earn money. Other than the shops in Woqian Town, Qi Yan also had two shops in Pingyang County. The negotiated price was also very profitable. However, Yu Suisheng no longer had the intention to cooperate. After saying a few words to Qi Yan, he left in a hurry. If Qi Yan used the excuse of business and caused trouble, he would be dead. Qi Yan was dazed. The business collaboration that he thought would be a win-win situation had actually not been fulfilled. Moreover, how could he leave without upholding any promise? While Qi Yan was angry, he couldn¡¯t help but admire the beauty¡¯s appearance to improve his mood.. Chapter 240 - Chapter 240: You ‘re Disobedient Now Chapter 240: You ¡®re Disobedient Now Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Bai Wutong sensed someone watching her secretly but did not pay it much attention. She didn¡¯t mind, so Qingfeng didn¡¯t take action. There were many people in the arena. Chu Tianbao took the lead and filled three baskets consecutively. At this moment, most of the fish in the rice field had been caught. Without fish, they would have to catch crabs. Crabs could also be weighed! The crabs were all in the mud. The water in the rice field was extremely turbid now, so everyone could only feel around with their bare hands. Chu Tianbao glanced at the audience seat and saw Bai Wutong being eyed by many men. His eyes darkened and he wished he could fly back immediately. He should not have left his wife alone! If possible, Chu Tianbao even wanted to hide his wife who only belonged to him. Chu Tianbao stood motionless, and his gaze was even darker. Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t help but worry and waved at him. ¡®Tianbao, all the best!¡± The clear sound of encouragement pierced through the sky. Chu Tianbao was stimulated with energy. As if he had been injected with chicken blood, he stuck his hands into the mud and caught a few more big crabs. He remembered that Bai Wutong liked crabs and had said that crab roe sauce was the most delicious. He would catch more and let his wife eat her fill. Chu Tianbao was like a tyrannosaurus digging endlessly. Clang! Another basket of crabs. Cui Muzhi, who had not caught many fishes to begin with, had a resentful expression. It was really infuriating to compare himself to others. His puffed-up face was red from the heat of the sun and looked a little cute. Lan Jingbai chuckled, causing Cui Muzhi to be angry. ¡°What are you laughing at! I won¡¯t give up!¡± Lan Jingbai nodded solemnly. He clearly looked serious, but Cui Muzhi, who knew that he was still laughing in his heart, was even angrier. Zhao Pengfei grew up in the countryside. He often went up the mountain to catch birds and the rivers to fish. He was experienced and also extremely strong, so he could catch fish easily. In order to obtain the mandarin duck jade pendant, he also did his best to catch two baskets of fish. However, compared to Chu Tianbao¡¯s baskets, it was impossible for him to be first. But he could try¡¯ to be second. After obtaining the eight golden crabs and melting them, he could also give his mother and Lanzhi a piece of gold jewelry each. ¡°Dong¡ª¡± Village Chief Zhao shouted, ¡°Time¡¯s up! ¡® As soon as he finished speaking, a shadow slid past everyone¡¯s eyes. The depressed Chu Tianbao flew from the rice field to the audience stand. While everyone was in a daze, he was already walking towards Bai Wutong. She had just taken out a handkerchief and before she could wipe the mud off Chu Tianbao¡¯s face, she suddenly fell into a warm embrace. ¡®Wife.. ¡® She was stunned. There were so many people around. She wanted to push him away, but when she sensed that Chu Tianbao seemed to be a little emotionally unstable, she quietly let him hug her. Qi Yan looked at the intimate couple in a daze. What was their relationship? Could it be that she was already married? Even though he knew that there was no hope for him and Bai Wutong, Qi Yan¡¯s heart still shattered at this moment. Just as he was lamenting about his crush, Chu Tianbao¡¯s soul-stirring gaze pierced Qi Yan¡¯s eyes. In an instant, Qi Yan felt as if his neck was being grabbed tightly by an invisible hand. The overwhelming murderous intent made his legs go weak. As time passed, even Bai Wutong was warm in his arms. ¡°Tianbao?¡± Chu Tianbao retracted his gaze and Qi Yan ran for his life, as if he had gotten his life back. After running out of Chu Tianbao¡¯s line of sight and arriving at the edge of Youjia Village, Qi Yan still had lingering fear. That man¡¯s aura was too terrifying. The men who coveted his wife were all frightened away by Chu Tianbao¡¯s terrifying dominance. Chu Tianbao let go of Bai Wutong and smiled brightly. ¡®Wife, I missed you so much.¡± They had only been apart for a short time. From the corner of her eye, Bai Wutong saw the surprised gazes of the women around her. She couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Yes. I miss you too.¡± Everyone was forced to watch them being lovey-dovey. On the other side, Village Chief Zhao and the others had also calculated the weight of the fishes and crabs captured by the contestants. Chu Tianbao had caught a total of 286 catties of fish and crabs! He was more than 50 kilograms ahead of Lan Jingbai, who was in second place. He was undoubtedly first. Zhao Pengfei got third place. Although it was only third place, he was still very happy. The silver coin bank was worth at least 20 taels of silver. After melting it, he could make a few novel silver jewelry. Lanzhi would definitely like it. Cui Muzhi was not good at catching fishes. He injured his hand from catching the crabs, but he really caught a lot. He successfully squeezed into the top eight and received the Gift Bag. Madam Cui smiled in satisfaction at her son¡¯s results. ¡°Not bad, not bad.¡± Cui Shiji laughed. ¡°Madam¡¯s expectations are too low.¡± Madam Cui glanced at him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you happy?¡± Cui Shiji¡¯s smile widened. ¡°I¡¯m happy. I¡¯ll cook a good meal tonight and celebrate for them.¡± His gaze landed on the tall Lan Jingbai, and he suddenly said, ¡°Jingbai has unknowingly grown up. It¡¯s time for you to start a family.¡± Madam Cui nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll mention it to him later.¡± After the individual segment and the pair segment ended in the afternoon, the prize would then be awarded together. At halftime, Village Chief Zhao brought people to replenish the rice fish and crabs in the paddy field. Sheng Huaixuan sent people to clean up the audience stand. Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao returned home. After being hugged by him just now, her clean clothes were covered in dirt, and her neck was covered in mud. When Bai Wutong wanted to boil water to take a shower, Chu Tianbao hugged her from behind. She turned back and met a pair of staring black eyes. Chu Tianbao wanted to bathe with her. It was written all over his face, body, and eyes. She shook her head. ¡°No.¡± Chu Tianbao coaxed, ¡®Wife He was no longer the ignorant Chu Tianbao. It was very dangerous for her to bathe with him now. She shook her head firmly. ¡°No!¡¯ Bai Wutong did not fall for it. Chu Tianbao used his trump card, which was his low voice that sounded so pleasant that it made one pregnant. ¡°Wife, the reward you promised me¡­¡± Chu Tianbao entered Class A and came in first in all subjects. That night, an accident happened. Chu Tianbao had gained a whole new experience and stopped being obsessed with bathing together. It had dragged on until now. He suddenly asked her to fulfill her promise. Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes flashed, and she wanted to go back on her word. ¡°It¡¯s too late for the promise.¡± Chu Tianbao was no longer the same as before. He was very difficult to deal with! He carried her horizontally since she did not want to fulfill her promise. ¡®Then let¡¯s go to bed.¡± He looked like he wanted her to fulfill her promise in another way. This was getting more and more outrageous! There was no trace of the cute and obedient boy from back then. She glared at him and pinched Chu Tianbao¡¯s thigh. ¡°You¡¯re disobedient now!¡± Chu Tianbao, who had been cold and domineering just now, pouted like a different person. ¡°Hmph, my wife doesn¡¯t keep her word. ¡® She held her forehead. ¡°Put me down quickly. After showering and eating, I still have to go in the afternoon!¡± It was not easy for her to watch the show! Chu Tianbao shook his head. ¡°No!¡± As he spoke, he carried her upstairs. Why should the two of them roll on the bed in mud! Bai Wutong head was spinning. She had to give in to him.. She grabbed the corner of the wall and said angrily, ¡°Let¡¯s bathe! Alright!¡± Chapter 241 - Chapter 241: I’ll Help You Chapter 241: I¡¯ll Help You Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The bathroom was hazy with steam. Chu Tianbao poured the water. Bai Wutong stood in the corner and looked at the huge double bathtub with a troubled expression. Although she had seen it before, bathing together really challenged her psychological defense. Chu Tianbao poured the water very quickly. There was a charming smile on his lips, and his deep eyes were sparkling with anticipation. The bathtub was full. He felt the water temperature with his hand and was satisfied. He took off his outer wear, revealing his strong chest. He said sweetly to her, ¡°Wife, the water is ready.¡± To be honest, no man could compare to Chu Tianbao¡¯s figure. He had strong chest muscles, perfect abs, smooth Adonis belt¡­ With her heart pounding, she gritted her teeth and made up her mind. So be it. One could not go back on one¡¯s word. Chu Tianbao walked straight towards Bai Wutong, his deep black eyes landing on her chest. ¡®Wife, let me help you?¡¯ He leaned closer to her and spoke. His low voice was really too seductive! Bai Wutong looked a little embarrassed. ¡®Turn around. I¡¯ll take it off myself!¡± It was a shared bath. No one had ever stipulated that one could not wear clothes. Moreover, she was a modern person. It was not like she had never worn a bikini. Chu Tianbao looked at her meaningfully and gave off a sense of oppression. She pulled a face and pinched his naughty expression. ¡®Turn around!¡¯ Chu Tianbao chuckled and finally turned around. He turned away, and she breathed a long sigh of relief. Chu Tianbao was really too difficult to deal with. She quickly took off her skirt and entered the bathtub. She turned around and held up the petal basket beside her. She poured all of it in so that they filled the water surface. When Chu Tianbao heard the sound of water, his ears twitched. ¡°Are you done? ¡® If she listened carefully, she could tell that Chu Tianbao¡¯s voice was deeper and hoarser, and his breathing was losing its rhythm. With only her head above the water, she coughed lightly. ¡°Yeah.¡± Chu Tianbao turned around, his eyes burning. He looked down and only saw the petals on the water. He was not disappointed. Instead, he quickly took off his pants and walked towards Bai Wutong. Caught off guard, she turned around. The petals rippled open, revealing her snow-white back and obstructing shoulder straps.. Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes darkened. He stepped into the bathtub and pulled her into his arms. In the steamy water, she said awkwardly, ¡°Hurry up and wash up. After you¡¯re done, let¡¯s eat.¡± Chu Tianbao exhaled on her snow -white earlobe and unbuttoned her back with his nimble hand. ¡®Then let¡¯s wash up properly.¡± Her eyes widened and she covered her front. ¡°l know!¡± Chu Tianbao smiled evilly. ¡°I¡¯ll help you!¡¯ ¡°There¡¯s no need!¡± She pinched him twice, and the petals scattered. Chu Tianbao stared at her directly. Bai Wutong felt embarrassed and angry. Chu Tianbao wrapped his arm around her waist and placed his head on her shoulder. His field of vision had widened. Her body was not dirty to begin with. After the mud was washed clean, the sneaky Chu Tianbao stuck close to her and wished he could escape from the bathtub now. The fragrant and soft wife was in his arms. Chu Tianbao¡¯s strong willpower succumbed. ¡°Oh Chu Tianbao kissed her very seriously and carefully, as if he was about to explode at any moment. Bai Wutong was alarmed and she pushed him hard. ¡°Done!¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes burned. ¡®Wife, are you feeling better?¡± Bai Wutong was speechless. She suddenly regretted sending Chu Tianbao to school. She lowered her eyes to hide her guilt. ¡°No.¡± Chu Tianbao approached. ¡°Really?¡± His narrowed eyes were filled with suspicion. She brushed him off. ¡°Almost recovered.. Chu Tianbao didn¡¯t force her. He rubbed her cheek. ¡°Alright, when you¡¯re better.¡¯ Although it didn¡¯t show on his face, she could feel that he was very disappointed. With a sigh, she took the initiative to kiss his cheek in comfort. In the next second, the disappointed Chu Tianbao almost made her miss the pair segment. She rushed to the venue with a flushed face. The contestants were already prepared to enter the rice field. The popcorn that Bai Wutong made was especially popular. A catty of corn popcorn could earn enough to buy dozens of catties of rice. Cui Lingyi hugged Stinky. ¡°What took you so long?¡± His gaze landed on Bai Wutong¡¯s face and he immediately smiled in understanding. ¡°Stinky misses you all. ¡® Stinky sat in Cui Lingyi¡¯s arms and filled his mouth with popcorn. He didn¡¯t look like he missed them. She chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s not good to eat too many sweet food. Give him less.¡± Cui Lingyi pinched his fat face and rubbed it lovingly. ¡°Did you hear that? Your godmother told you to eat less. ¡® Stinky giggled. ¡°Eat¡­ eat¡­ eat¡­¡± All he heard was the word ¡°eat. ¡® ¡°Dong, dong¡ª¡± The pair segment fishing event was about to begin. Huang Zhong¡¯s small figure and Ye WU¡¯s burly figure were a stark contrast. She saw them immediately. Huang Zhong was in charge of guarding the fish basket, and Ye Wu was in charge of catching fish. As long as one did not hurt anyone, snatching the fish of the other contestants or dumping away the fish in the other party¡¯s basket was allowed. Ye Wu instructed, ¡°You have to follow me closely, understand?!¡± Huang Zhong nodded. ¡°Alright, Uncle! I¡¯ll definitely follow you closely!¡± ¡°Dong¡ª¡± The event had begun! Huang Zhong followed Ye Wu into the rice field. Ye Wu had a good foundation in martial arts after being a sergeant. He aimed and pounced forward, and a big fish was immediately caught in his hand. Huang Zhong exclaimed, ¡°Uncle, you¡¯re amazing!¡± Ye Wu said smugly, ¡°Of course.¡± He threw the fish to Huang Zhong. At a close distance, Huang Zhong should be able to catch it steadily. Unexpectedly, the fish¡¯s body was too slippery. After Huang Zhong grabbed it, the big fish wagged its tail and slapped his face. It flopped a few times and fell into the rice field. Ye Wu: Huang Zhong was dumbfounded. Ye WU¡¯s veins twitched. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you¡¯re the best at catching fish?¡± Huang Zhong muttered, ¡°Maybe only dead fish.¡± The fish had escape. What else could he do? Ye Wu could only continue to catch fish. He was quite fast and caught a lot of fish in a short while. The fish basket was full, and there were very few fishes in the rice field. Everyone was either touching the crabs or aiming at someone else¡¯s fish basket. Huang Zhong looked weak, and many people had their eyes on him. Fortunately, Ye Wu looked mighty, so no one dared to snatch him openly. If he couldn¡¯t catch the fish, he could only pick the crabs. Ye Wu grabbed two crabs and put them in the fish basket. The crabs crawled too fast, and were trying to climb out of the fish basket. Huang Zhong hurriedly blocked it with his hand. The hairy crab waved its large pincers. Huang Zhong immediately let out an earthshaking scream. Ye Wu turned around and saw Huang Thong swinging the crab in his hand and shouting in panic, ¡°Uncle, save me. Uncle, save me¡­¡± Ye Wu held his forehead and revealed an indescribable expression. He reached out and pulled the crab from Huang Thong¡¯s hand, broke off the large pincers, and threw it in. Huang Zhong¡¯s face darkened as he cried. ¡°My hand hurts.¡± Ye Wu clenched his fists.. He was so frustrated! Chapter 242 - Chapter 242: I Almost Can ‘t Make it Chapter 242: I Almost Can ¡®t Make it Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios It was almost time. The contestants who did not have many fishes placed their eyes on the fishes in Huang Zhong¡¯s basket. As long as they snatched the fishes from Huang Zhong¡¯s basket, they would be able to come in first place. The prizes were so generous. Under the huge temptation, many people could not help but quietly approach Huang Thong. As long as they separated Ye Wu from Huang Zhong, they could snatch the fishes in Huang Zhong¡¯s basket. Ye Wu also sensed it. He said to Huang Thong, ¡°Hurry over.¡± Huang Zhong quickly walked over, but the next second, a man grabbed his basket. Even if they could not snatch the fishes, as long as they knocked over their basket, the chances of winning were high. Ye Wu quickly pulled the man away. Fortunately, Huang Zhong protected the basket well, so he did not succeed. Some large families had come to the event in several groups. As long as one of them took the prize, they would have benefitted a lot. Some people went to stop Huang Zhong. Others went to stop Ye Wu. The event rules stated not to hurt anyone, so they were not afraid that Ye Wu would hurt them. Huang Zhong was quite smart. When he saw others approaching him, he quickly fled and dodged left and right. He moved through the crowd like a loach. As he ran, he shouted, ¡°Uncle, save me. Uncle, save me. I almost can¡¯t make it¡­¡± Ye Wu was extremely anxious. It was almost time, but the people around him were blocking him. Ye Wu snatched someone else¡¯s basket and poured out the fishes and crabs in it. In order to avoid his attacks, a path was finally cleared for him. Just as Huang Thong was drained of energy, Ye Wu finally descended from the sky and shouted, ¡°Who dares to touch my nephew!¡¯ The contestants were all stunned. Then they remembered that Ye Wu could not attack them. They shouted even louder than him, ¡°Quick, snatch the basket!¡± Ye Wu and Huang Thong were stunned. In front of so many people, they looked at each other and said in unison. ¡°Run!!!¡± They ran in front, while everyone chased after them behind. The audience shouted excitedly, ¡°Run quickly! They¡¯re about to catch up!¡± Huang Zhong also wanted to run faster, but he had already used up so much stamina just now. He really could not run anymore. Huang Zhong waved his hand. ¡°Uncle, I can¡¯t take it anymore. Run first!¡± Ye Wu grabbed his hand. ¡°Continue running! You are saying so much nonsense. ¡± Only Huang Thong continued to hold the basket. They had to persist until the end before they could obtain the prize. At this point, he could not let all his previous efforts go to waste. Ye Wu was also very upset. There were so many people in this match, but they were only eyeing them. How could one keep collecting wool from the same sheep! Just as they were about to be surrounded by the participants. ¡°Dong¡ª¡± Village Chief Zhao shouted, ¡°Time¡¯s up! ¡® In an instant, Huang Zhong collapsed in the turbid rice field and panted heavily. ¡°We¡¯re finally saved!¡± Ye Wu was also exhausted. He realized that the women and children at the audience stand were all looking at him happily. He originally wanted to sit down in the rice field, but he instantly straightened his back. Doudou tugged at Madam Ye¡¯s clothes. ¡°Mother, Father and Uncle are so powerful. Can they get the first prize?¡± Before Madam Ye could answer, her sister, Tiantian, immediately said, ¡°It¡¯s definitely first place! No one has more fishes than Father and Uncle!¡± Madam Ye smiled, her eyes gentle. ¡°l hope so.¡± Even without being in the top three, they should be safely in the top ten. Soon, the fishes and crabs were weighed and the results were out. Just like what Tiantian had said, Huang Thong and Ye Wu obtained first place. After receiving the award, Huang Zhong gave the mandarin duck jade pendant to Ye Wu. ¡°Uncle, go give it to Sister-in-law!¡¯ He didn¡¯t have a partner, so it was useless to take such a good jade pendant. Ye Wu frowned. ¡°No, I¡¯ll keep it until you get married in the future!¡¯ How could that be? Most of the credit that day belonged to Ye Wu. Huang Zhong shook his head firmly. Ye Wu did not agree, so he thought of a compromise. ¡°Then give Doudou and Tiantian a jade pendant each! I¡¯ll have to trouble Sister-in-law to settle my marriage in future!¡± Ye Wu could not convince him. He originally wanted to give the jade pendant to his wife and use it as a betrothal gift when Huang Zhong married. Unexpectedly, Huang Zhong was very stubborn. When he received the jade pendant, he immediately gave it to his two nephews and nieces. Seeing how happy his son and daughter were, Ye Wu could not take it back. He could only secretly remind his wife to find a good girl for Huang Thong. When the time came, they would make up for the betrothal gifts. After all, the quality of these two jade pendants was worth at least a hundred taels. Everyone was very excited and happy when they received their respective prizes. They praised the organizer for being so generous. Little did they know that gold was priceless. The expensive white jade pendant was actually the cheapest among the top three prizes. A large piece of raw stone could mine countless supreme-grade white jade pendants. Sheng Huaixuan had earned a lot from the registration fee for this event. Not to mention, Sheng Huaixuan took the opportunity to promote the fancy writing tools being sold. Chu Tianbao reached out and two crystal clear white jade pendants landed in front of Bai Wutong. The rewards for the individual and pair segment were the same, but the design of the mandarin duck jade pendants was different. The fat mandarin ducks pouted and could be put together perfectly. Surprise in her eyes, Bai Wutong asked despite knowing the answer, ¡°Is this for Chu Tianbao nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± He tied one of the jade pendants to her slender waistband and looked at it. ¡°It¡¯s very nice.¡± Bai Wutong reached out and touched it. It was smooth and delicate. If it was in the modern era, it would definitely be very valuable. Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡± Chu Tianbao waved the other jade pendant in his hand and stared at her with his black eyes. It was obvious that he wanted her to put it on for him personally. Chu Tianbao had more and more thoughts, and all of them involved her. This feeling was actually very good. It was as if she was the only one in his world. Bai Wutong took the jade pendant from his hand and brushed her fingertips against the back of his hand, as if she was seducing him indistinctly. Chu Tianbao suddenly approached and said in a low voice, ¡®Wife, Gu Zhongxun said that I¡¯m a virgin.¡± Although he still had not recovered his memories, his mind had matured rapidly. Recalling his first meeting with Bai Wutong and the experience on the way to escape, Chu Tianbao already knew that they were not really husband and wife. He thought for a long time before guessing what she was worried about. Gu Zhongxun had said that he was a virgin. His wife should be relieved. Bai Wutong had just fastened the jade pendant for him when she suddenly heard Chu Tianbao¡¯s words. Her body stiffened and she looked up in a daze, a little at a loss. Chu Tianbao held her hand tightly. ¡°Wife, let¡¯s get married again?¡± After the marriage ceremony, they could immediately sleep together. Still a little confused, Bai Wutong subconsciously nodded. ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Chu Tianbao hugged her tightly and said affectionately, ¡®Thank you, wife! After a while, she realized that she had been proposed to by Chu Tianbao. Her heart was pounding as if it was about to jump out at any moment. She really needed to calm down herself. She said to Chu Tianbao, ¡°You caught too many crabs and fish. Handle the fishes first. Clean them and make them into pickled fish. We¡¯ll cook some crabs. Dig out the remaining crab roe to make crab roe sauce. I¡¯ll make crab roe buns for you another day.¡± Chu Tianbao rubbed against her reluctantly before sending her away. ¡°I¡¯m going. Wife, rest well..¡± Chapter 243 - Chapter 243: Her Knowledge Was Not Inferior to Anyone Chapter 243: Her Knowledge Was Not Inferior to Anyone Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Chu Tianbao went to the courtyard to handle the fishes. Bai Wutong stood where she was, but her heart had not stopped beating. She had never thought of marrying a man and having children to start a family. When her gaze landed on Chu Tianbao¡¯s tall back, she smiled happily. If it were Chu Tianbao, she was willing to give birth to a child with him and live in this house forever. Chu Tianbao¡¯s way of handling the fish was like a brilliant action film, making one¡¯s eyes unable to catch onto his moves. After a while, half a basket of fishes was cleaned up by Chu Tianbao. He went to the kitchen again and poured the crabs into the sink to wash carefully. He steamed them in the pot while they were fresh. Bai Wutong leaned against the door and watched him busy himself. He was wearing an apron and looked like a peerless good man. His handsome face was even more charming. She walked over, put her arm around his lower back, and leaned quietly against him. Chu Tianbao turned his head. ¡°l am stinky.¡± Shaking her head, Bai Wutong said in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s okay. It smells good.¡± It was a smell that belonged to Chu Tianbao. Chu Tianbao tried his best to brush the crabs gently so that she could lean more steadily. Chu Tianbao was preparing for a grand wedding ceremony for Bai Wutong when the Imperial Court suddenly sent news that King Chu had won the battle! Without killing a single commoner, he worked together with people inside to break through the Imperial City and officially ascended the throne. The first thing Emperor Lingkang did when he ascended the throne was to grant amnesty to the world, reduce taxes, and announce that the imperial examination would resume next year. When Woqian Town received the news, everyone was in an uproar. Youjia Village originally had to pay 40% food tax, but now they only needed to pay 20%. The food harvest that year was completely enough for them to eat for an entire year. The students of Qinghe Academy were even more excited. The imperial examination would resume next year, so they had to study even harder this year. Bai Wutong did not have much of a reaction. In any case, Chu Tianbao had no intention of becoming an official in the court, so it did not affect them much. While everyone in the village was overjoyed, Little Peach was very unhappy. Her father, Zhao Sheng, participated in the autumn harvest event and was lucky enough to get tenth place. He obtained an exquisite gift bag. Zhao Sheng gave it all to her brothers, but he did not give her anything. The reason was that she did not need to study. After Zhao Erwa and the others entered Qinghe Academy, no one played with her. From time to time, they would even discuss how many words they had learned that day, showing how much they loved studying. Other than reading and learning new words, she also wanted to ride a horse, learn martial arts, play chess, and play the zither¡­ But she could only pick up the paper her brothers had used and beg them to spare some time to teach her how to read. Zhao Sheng received a big gift bag and even gave the other family branch some, but he did not give her anything. Even a small eraser made would have made Little Peach happy. But there was nothing. Nothing at all. She was very sad and hid under a tree in the backyard, crying. When her mother discovered her, she wiped her tears. ¡®Tell me, what¡¯s wrong? Did Brother bully you?¡± Little Peach shook her head and choked. ¡°No.¡± Her mother frowned worriedly. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to your room and tell me what¡¯s wrong. ¡± ¡°No.¡± Little Peach looked stubborn. ¡°Then I¡¯ll take out a bamboo cane!¡± Little Peach immediately wiped her tears and said obediently, ¡°I¡¯ll go back to my room with Mother.¡± Her mother smiled. The bamboo cane was indeed useful. When Little Peach and her mother returned to the room, her mother asked, ¡°Tell me. What¡¯s wrong?¡¯ Little Peach muttered, ¡°I want to go to school with my brothers.¡± Her mother frowned. ¡°Your brothers are going to take the scholar examinations in the future, but you can¡¯t.¡± Little Peach replied fiercely, ¡°l can take the test too! Brother can¡¯t read as fast as me!¡± Her eyes were filled with tears, but this made her mother laugh. ¡®What woman would take the scholar examinations?¡± She was already so sad, but her mother was still laughing. Little Peach emphasized angrily, ¡°1 can! I can!¡± Her mother restrained her smile. ¡°Alright, you can do it! Little Peach can become the female top scholar in the future.¡± Little Peach could tell the patronizing tone in her words and cried even harder. No matter how her mother coaxed her, it was useless. She threatened her with the bamboo cane, causing Little Peach to run out of the house full of sadness. Her mother chased after her and happened to meet Cui Lingyi, who had sent Cui Muzhi to school. Cui Lingyi saw her stumble forward and stopped her. ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡± Little Peach¡¯s mother said angrily, ¡°This child keeps thinking about going to the academy! Why would a girl like her go to the academy!¡¯ Little Peach hugged Cui Lingyi¡¯s thigh and sobbed, her eyes filled with confusion. ¡°Madam Cui, why can¡¯t women go to school and become the top scholar? I¡¯m clearly not any worse.¡± She cried pitifully, hoping to get some consolation, but she also sounded like she was questioning things. Cui Lingyi looked through her eyes and recalled her own memories. ¡°Father, this world belongs to men and women. Why can¡¯t I become an official in the court?!¡± Cui Shize sighed. ¡®Who asked this world to be a system set by men?¡± If it were now, she would definitely refute Cui Shize at that time. ¡®This world belongs to men and women. The system can also be changed!¡± Cui Lingyi suddenly made a decision. She squatted down and told Little Peach, ¡°It¡¯s not that women can¡¯t study, and it¡¯s not that women can¡¯t be the top scholars. In the future, there will definitely be a day when women and men become officials together.¡± Although she didn¡¯t know when it would be, it would definitely happen. Little Peach¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Really? Can I study like my brothers?¡± Cui Lingyi nodded. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll teach you.¡± Her knowledge was no worse than anyone else¡¯s. Little Peach¡¯s mother was stunned. ¡®Madam Cui?¡¯ Cui Lingyi smiled brightly, and her entire body seemed to be glowing. ¡°I like Little Peach very much. Since Little Peach wants to study, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything wrong with that. If Sister-in-law Zhao agrees, Little Peach will be my student in the future.¡¯ Cui Lingyi was the benchmark for a daughter of an aristocratic family. Her mother-in-law even nagged every day that she must make Little Peach become a well-mannered lady like Cui Lingyi. Cui Lingyi taking the initiative to teach Little Peach was a perfect opportunity for her. She said excitedly, ¡®Thank you, Madam Cui. If you need anything, I¡¯ll prepare it now! ¡± She also said, ¡°We will also prepare the apprenticeship gift and tuition fees!¡± With that, she realised that she had said the wrong thing. Who would talk about the apprenticeship gift and tuition fees directly? However, Little Peach¡¯s mother did not know how to ask. She was really too inexperienced. She was also very worried that there would be a lot of things to prepare. She heard that the nannies of big families cost at least two taels of silver a month. Cui Lingyi saw the embarrassment on her face and smiled. ¡°Second Aunt Zhao, you don¡¯t have to prepare anything. Just hand over Little Peach to me.¡± Little Peach¡¯s mother hurriedly said, ¡°How can that be? Who doesn¡¯t pay for an apprenticeship gift and tuition fees when studying?¡± Back then, in order to learn how to forge iron, Zhao Sheng had even worked as a laborer for eight years for free. Little Peach¡¯s mother was not knowledgeable, but she knew how to be polite.. Chapter 244 - Chapter 244: You’re in cahoots with them Chapter 244: You¡¯re in cahoots with them Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Little Peach¡¯s mother insisted on giving her tuition fees and an apprenticeship gift, so Cui Lingyi asked her to buy a wild goose as an apprenticeship gift and pay a tael of silver every month. Cui Lingyi asked for too little tuition fees. As long as Little Peach learned anything from Cui Lingyi, it would be enough for her for the rest of her life. Little Peach¡¯s mother did not know what to say to Cui Lingyi. After thanking her profusely, she could only remind Little Peach to be obedient and not let Cui Lingyi down. Little Peach cherished such an opportunity. She took out all the copper coins she had kept and asked her mother to buy her a watercolor pen and a better notebook. Her mother stroked her head. ¡°Keep it. I¡¯ll buy it for you.¡¯ Little Peach was overjoyed. ¡°Thank you, Mother.¡¯ From now on, she would also have a teacher and could study! Since Cui Lingyi had decided to teach Little Peach, she would definitely do her best. After spending two days sorting out the content that Little Peach could learn at this stage, she set up a classroom at home and asked her to come to school. Little Peach was still young. She only needed to attend four hours of classes in the morning. In the afternoon, if there were any other arrangements, Cui Lingyi would inform her directly. She did not expect Little Peach to be smart and knowledgeable, but she wanted her to be sensible and have her own goal in life to break free from the shackles of the world. Cui Lingyi¡¯s lesson was very interesting. It was not like her brothers who would point at the books blankly and read them to her out loud. She would gently tell her the meaning of the word, its origins and why the word was written like this. She would also hold her small hand and tell her the strength of the brush and how to control the feel of the nib against the paper. In addition to learning how to read, Little Peach envied Little Cat for learning etiquette, horseriding, archery and music. Cui Lingyi would also teach her all these. If Cui Lingyi was not proficient in these, she would bring her to Qinghe Academy to freeload. Little Peach had a blissful morning. She had learned a lot of words. Previously, the words that were difficult to remember and often confused were instantly memorized by her. In addition to word recognition, Granny Wang also taught her etiquette, how to walk, and how to greet¡­ Although she was tired, Little Peach had been enjoying herself. Four hours passed in the blink of an eye. Little Peach skipped home with her school bag. On the way back, she met Zhao Erwa and the others who had also finished school. Zhao Erwa asked curiously, ¡°Why are you carrying a school bag?¡¯ Little Peach was in a good mood. She smiled and said, ¡°l went to study at Teacher Cui¡¯s place!¡± ¡°I can recognize many, many words! ¡°Teacher Cui said that I can learn chess, horsemanship, and archery in the future. I can learn whatever boys can learn!¡± Her proud expression stunned Zhao Erwa. ¡°When did Teacher Cui become your teacher?¡± She had clearly seen him giving a lecture in Class A that morning. Little Peach smiled even more brightly and said, ¡°My teacher is Madam Cui!¡± Before Zhao Erwa could speak, Goudan, who was beside him, interrupted, ¡®What¡¯s the use of you learning all these? It¡¯s useless even if Madam Cui learns it. You might as well embroider two more flowers at home!¡± As soon as these words were spoken, the smile on Little Peach¡¯s face froze. The chubby Daniu agreed. ¡°That¡¯s right. You¡¯ll get married sooner or later anyway. You can¡¯t be a top scholar and a high official like us!¡± The dark-skinned Gouya said, ¡°My mother said that it¡¯s a girl¡¯s virtue to be untalented. Learn less, or you might not be able to get married in the future!¡± Little Peach retorted loudly, ¡®Why is it useless for Madam Cui to learn these?! She can teach me! I can teach others too! Why can¡¯t women read? Why can¡¯t they?!¡± As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes. She clearly did not want to embarrass Cui Lingyi by crying, but she could not help but feel sad for Madam Cui and herself. Why should a woman get married?! Why can¡¯t it be a man getting married! Little Peach cried, and the children who spoke immediately panicked. Tiedan said, ¡°Hey, don¡¯t cry! We¡¯re just saying casually. If you want to learn, we won¡¯t stop you. I just feel that it¡¯s useless for you to learn. Besides, it¡¯s so tiring. You¡¯re going to get married anyway. That¡¯s a fact.¡± Daniu added, ¡®That¡¯s right. Girls are so petty. We¡¯re saying this for your own good and yet you don¡¯t appreciate it at all.¡± How were they comforting people! Little Peach cried harder. Zhao Erwa shouted at them, ¡°Shut up!¡± Tiedan and the others had originally wanted to ¡°comfort¡± her, but after being shouted at by Zhao Erwa, they trembled in fear and immediately shut their mouths resentfully. Zhao Erwa turned around, wanting to tell Little Peach that he supported her in her studies. In the end, all he could see was a sad back view running home. Zhao Erwa glared at Tiedan and the others. ¡°In the future, I¡¯ll beat up whoever dares to say that Little Peach should not study!¡± Zhao Erwa raised his hard fist. Tiedan and the others hurriedly nodded and promised not to say anything else. The next day. As soon as Cui Lingyi entered the classroom, she saw a pair of swollen eyes the size of walnuts. Stunned, she walked over to Little Peach. ¡°What happened to you?¡± She was fine the day before. Little Peach didn¡¯t want to say it, but when Cui Lingyi asked her, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a lump in her throat. She choked and said, ¡°They said that it¡¯s useless for me to study. They said that it¡¯s a virtue for a woman to be useless. They said that I¡¯ll get married sooner or later. I might as well embroider two more flowers.¡± Cui Lingyi wiped her tears and asked gently, ¡°What about you? What do you think?¡± Little Peach¡¯s eyes were filled with tears as she sobbed and said, ¡°1 think they¡¯re wrong. Even the empress needs to be educated and cultured. If she doesn¡¯t study, how can she be the empress?¡± Her logic made sense, but Cui Lingyi wanted to laugh. She stroked Little Peach¡¯s head. ¡®Then why are you still crying?¡± Little Peach replied, ¡°I¡¯m just angry. Why are they so certain that a woman must get married! ¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to get married! But I also want to study! I want to be like teacher with outstanding knowledge and virtue!¡± Cui Lingyi was gratified that she would say this. ¡°Little Peach can definitely do it. She won¡¯t lose to any man in the world.¡± Little Peach nodded firmly. ¡®Teacher, I¡¯ll definitely study hard and prove it to them!¡± Cui Lingyi nodded, as if she could see her young self through Little Peach. She smiled. Fortunately, she had not forgotten herself. On the way home, Little Peach met Zhao Erwa and the others again. Zhao Erwa glanced at them and they quickly left. Little Peach ignored him and left with a straight face, but Zhao Erwa stopped her. Little Peach said, ¡°Move!¡¯ Zhao Erwa smiled ingratiatingly. ¡°I didn¡¯t make you angry.¡± Little Peach complained, ¡°You¡¯re in cahoots with them!¡± Zhao Erwa glanced around and took out a small red autumn chrysanthemum from his pocket. He chuckled foolishly. ¡°I¡¯m on your side. I¡¯m very supportive of you studying. Moreover, I¡¯m so dumb at studying. I want to study with you.¡± He blinked and looked sincere. ¡°Can I?¡¯ For the sake of small chrysanthemum, Little Peach reluctantly agreed. ¡°Alright then!¡± Zhao Erwa¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡®Then let¡¯s go home together?¡± Little Peach took the chrysanthemum over and said arrogantly, ¡°Alright.¡± But she couldn¡¯t hide the smile in her eyes.. Chapter 245 - Chapter 245: Can You Just Tell Me? Chapter 245: Can You Just Tell Me? Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios It was already early winter. Bai Wutong dug out some materials from the box and planned to make a big fur coat for Chu Tianbao. He was tall and would definitely look good in it. Suddenly, Zhao Lanzhi called out from the door, ¡°Madam Bai? Are you home?¡¯ Bai Wutong got up and walked to the window. ¡°Hold up. I¡¯ll be right down.¡± Putting on a cape, she welcomed Zhao Lanzhi into the house. Xiaobai sniffed excitedly at the contents of her bamboo basket. After realizing that it was not food, it lay down with dampened interest. Zhao Lanzhi took out a few bottles of flower dew from the bamboo basket and said to her, ¡°Madam Bai, I learned from Madam Cui and developed a few bottles of flower dew for you. I am illiterate. Can you help me write down the formula? I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll forget it tomorrow.¡± Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°Sure. ¡® Without any delay, she brought a brush and paper. After a long time, she finished writing down the three prescriptions Zhao Lanzhi had told her and handed them to her. Zhao Lanzhi held the white paper gratefully. She could finally heave a sigh of relief. Even if she forgot about it in the future, she could let Zhao Erwa read it to her. Zhao Lanzhi put the formula into her sleeve as if it was a treasure and looked at her expectantly. ¡°Madam, what do you think of it?¡¯ If Bai Wutong liked it, she could go to Old Master Sheng and sell the formula to him like what Madam Cui did. The bottle she used to contain the flower dew was just an ordinary ceramic bottle. Bai Wutong opened it and sniffed gently. The chrysanthemum-flavored dew was¡­ how should she put it? It was special, but not very pleasant. At least she didn¡¯t like it very much. However, in this season, the flowers blooming in great quantities were chrysanthemums. Scholarly people were very drawn to chrysanthemums. The chrysanthemum flower dew might also be liked by a small portion of people. Bai Wutong sniffed it, put it down for the time being, and picked up a second bottle of flower dew. Zhao Lanzhi sensed that she did not like it very much and was slightly disappointed. She watched as she picked up the second bottle of flower dew and clenched her fists nervously. As soon as the lid of the second bottle of flower dew was removed, she knew what it was. The rich osmanthus fragrance made one feel as if they were in a laurel garden. Bai Wutong quite liked osmanthus. In the early winter, the osmanthus that Zhao Lanzhi used should be the golden laurel of the late season. The fragrance was even more mellow. Unexpectedly, Zhao Lanzhi was quite talented in mixing fragrance. Cui Lingyi only had to teach her casually, and she could improvise and develop it herself. Zhao Lanzhi smiled slightly and was immediately delighted. She patiently waited for Bai Wutong¡¯s final comment. Bai Wutong picked up the last bottle of flower dew and held it under her nose. The elegant fragrance entered her nose. This fragrance was like camellias or plum blossoms. It was special and refreshing. It should be the tea plums recorded in the formula. Among the three flavors, this bottle of flower dew was her favorite. Bai Wutong gently poured a little on the back of her hand and rubbed it against her sleeve. She sniffed it carefully, but the durability of the fragrance was a little bad. After being in contact with the air, it dissipated within a short moment. Cui Lingyi often used many expensive ingredients to mix the fragrance. This was also the secret to making the fragrance last longer. Bai Wutong said to the nervous Zhao Lanzhi, ¡°Among these three bottles of flower dew, the chrysanthemum one is the most special. Osmanthus should be liked by many people. I like those with elegant fragrance, so this bottle is my favorite. ¡® ¡°You¡¯re really good.¡± Zhao Lanzhi shook her head. ¡°l am far inferior to Mrs. Cui.¡± She knew her own capability. Compared to the dew developed by Madam Cui, hers did not have good durability, and the moisture of the dew was not that delicate. smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t undervalue yourself. You¡¯re outstanding and talented. I really like the fragrance of tea and plum blossom dew.¡± Zhao Lanzhi was very excited by the encouragement. ¡°Madam, do you think these formulas can be sold for money?¡± She was very happy with just one tael. Bai Wutong had helped her write the formula and knew that she was using ordinary ingredients. They were low-cost and accessible to the masses. Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°Yes, I would want to buy it.¡± Zhao Lanzhi was immediately overjoyed when she heard this. At least her efforts were not in vain. Zhao Lanzhi thanked her. ¡°Thank you, Madam Bail¡± Bai Wutong continued to encourage her. ¡°You¡¯re really talented. You can work hard in this direction and become a fragrance master.¡± Zhao Lanzhi suddenly said dejectedly, ¡°My memory is not good. I can¡¯t write down the names of many spices. It won¡¯t do if it¡¯s a little complicated. ¡® She had repeatedly tried her best to memorize these three formulas. She asked Zhao Erwa to record for her, but he did not know many words himself. smiled and said, ¡°You can learn to read first and take your time.¡± Zhao Lanzhi had also tried to get her brother to teach her. Unfortunately, he was really not cut out to be a teacher. He stammered and could even remember wrongly. It was impossible for him to teach her. Zhao Lanzhi sighed. ¡°If only Qinghe Academy could accept women.¡± After sending the regretful Zhao Lanzhi out, Bai Wutong closed the door and took Xiaobai to Cui Lingyi¡¯s house. At this moment, Little Peach was about to leave school. Little Peach was skipping out. When she saw Bai Wutong, she immediately followed the etiquette that Granny Wang had taught her and bowed. ¡°Hello, Madam Bai.¡± Suddenly, she was as cute as a child pretending to be an adult. Bai Wutong also greeted her seriously and nodded. ¡°Mmhm.¡± Little Peach was very excited. She finally understood the joy of learning to apply her knowledge. Cui Lingyi¡¯s maidservant took the cloak over for Bai Wutong. Cui Lingyi came out of the inner room and smiled. ¡®What good stuff are you bringing me again?¡± eyes curved. ¡°The beautiful you.¡± Cui Lingyi said confidently, ¡°I am indeed not ugly.¡± They looked at each other and couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Tell me? What is it?¡± Cui Lingyi asked. Bai Wutong stopped beating around the bush. ¡°Are you short of students?¡± Cui Lingyi was stunned. ¡°Who?¡¯ Bai Wutong took out three bottles of flower dew from her sleeve. ¡°Zhao Lanzhi is very talented at making perfume. She¡¯s troubled that she can¡¯t read. Since you are teaching one student, why don¡¯t you take another one?¡± Cui Lingyi picked up the dew and sniffed it. She was indeed talented. She had learnt for two years when she was young before reaching this level, and Zhao Lanzhi had only been in contact with perfume for a few months. ¡®Why don¡¯t you teach her yourself?¡± Bai Wutong smiled and answered. ¡°I¡¯m not cut out to be a teacher. Cui Lingyi knew that she still wanted her to teach Zhao Lanzhi how to mix incense and make powder. She nodded. ¡°Sure.¡± She changed the topic and said, ¡°However, you have to help me design another New Year¡¯s makeup box.¡± As the Cui family¡¯s financial income was transferred out of Qinghe, they lost nearly 80% of it. Cui Lingyi¡¯s fragrant powder, flower dew, incense, and lip stain were all strangely popular. Sheng Huaixuan met up with Cui Lingyi to discuss a collaboration. Although she could also design packaging, the packaging designed by Bai Wutong always caught Cui Lingyi¡¯s eye. Not only was it beautiful, but it was also especially exquisite and convenient. Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°You¡¯re listing conditions when I¡¯m giving you a big disciple. ¡® When Zhao Lanzhi finished her apprenticeship, she could directly help Cui Lingyi take care of her business. Cui Lingyi smiled brightly. ¡°Just tell me whether you can do it?¡± The corners of Bai Wutong¡¯s mouth curled up. ¡°Sure.¡± Anyway, she could get a set of cosmetics for free every time.. Chapter 246 - Chapter 246: You’re The One And Only Chapter 246: You¡¯re The One And Only Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Little Peach and Zhao Lanzhi went to Cui Lingyi¡¯s house every day to learn to read and write. When the news spread, Ye WU¡¯s wife, Du Yun, looked at her daughter, who was about the same age as Little Peach, and suddenly had the same plan. Du Yun¡¯s father was a teacher for children. Du Yun knew how to read and write, which was enough to teach her daughter. However, after seeing Cui Lingyi¡¯s demeanor, she naturally wanted to give her daughter a better education. Du Yun found Ye Wu and discussed with him. ¡°Madam Cui is teaching Little Peach and Zhao Lanzhi. Why don¡¯t we also beg Madam Cui to take in Tiantang?¡± Ye Wu frowned. ¡°If Tiantang wants to learn, you can let Zhong¡¯er teach her. Zhong¡¯er¡¯s studies at Qinghe Academy are quite good.¡± He didn¡¯t really want to disturb Cui Lingyi. After all, their family was not very close to the Cui family. Du Yun glared at him. ¡°As a man, it¡¯s inconvenient for Zhong¡¯er to teach Tiantang. Moreover, there are some things a woman has to learn, how is he going to teach that? Didn¡¯t you see that Little Peach¡¯s energy has changed after learning for a few days?¡± Ye Wu was stunned. ¡°Different in what way?¡± Du Yun said, ¡°She is starting to exude scholarly aura. Our daughter can¡¯t even recognize many words. ¡® Ye Wu did not think that a girl had to be educated. ¡°Our Tiantang is fine right now. She¡¯s obedient and sensible. Besides, she¡¯s just a girl. She doesn¡¯t have to study so much. I joined the army when I was 12. At that time, I didn¡¯t even know all the surnames!¡± Du Yun glared at him again. ¡°Which daughter of a wealthy family doesn¡¯t read a lot? Zhong¡¯er is good at studying. It won¡¯t be a problem for him to become a High Scholar in the future so we will also benefit from that. If we want to find a good family for Tiantang and she doesn¡¯t become educated, we will definitely be laughed at in the future. ¡® She suddenly lowered her voice and said, ¡®Master Chu and the others are all outstanding people. If we have a close relationship with them, nothing will go wrong! If Tiantang attends lesson there, she can still build a good relationship with Madam Cui and Madam Bai.¡± ¡°Come with me to visit Madam Cui tomorrow! ¡± Ye Wu thought that his wife¡¯s consideration made sense and nodded. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go with you.¡¯ Du Yun had already prepared everything and was just waiting for Ye Wu to give his approval. The next day, Du Yun and Ye Wu went to visit Cui Lingyi with Tiantang. Cui Lingyi looked at the uneasy Tiantang and Du Yun hurriedly said, ¡°It¡¯s fine so long as Tiantang can listen in with Little Peach.¡± Cui Lingyi walked towards Tiantang. ¡°Do you want to study?¡± Tiantang had a soft personality. Under Du Yun¡¯s expectant gaze, she nodded carefully. Cui Lingyi asked again, ¡°Why do you want to study?¡± Tiantang was stunned. After a while, she said, ¡°Mother said that studying is good. I also want to study with Little Peach.¡± Hearing her answer, Du Yun ¡®s heart turned cold. Madam Cui would definitely not be satisfied with such a mediocre answer. Unexpectedly, Cui Lingyi nodded. ¡°Come tomorrow.¡± How many girls in this world had the chance to study? If she could teach some, she would. Du Yun was pleasantly surprised and hurriedly urged her daughter to thank Cui Lingyi. Tiantang smiled sweetly. ¡®Thank you, Madam Cui.¡¯ Cui Lingyi had a gentle expression. ¡°Call me teacher. Tiantang called out again. ¡°Teacher.¡± When Du Yun saw this scene, she felt emotional and tears almost fell. After Tiantang had become Little Peach¡¯s classmate, the girls in the village could not sit still anymore. Cui Lingyi¡¯s tuition fee was only two taels of silver. Why wouldn¡¯t they send their daughter over! Bai Wutong hired every family to brew wine and the earning was generous, so they could easily afford two taels of silver. Not to mention that some people still had monthly income from the paper cleaning workshop and the spraying machine workshop. Other than the young girls, the ladies who were old enough to get married also wanted to be taught by Cui Lingyi. As long as they could read and be labeled as knowledgeable, they did not have to worry about not having a good family to marry. Zhao Lanzhi had broken off her engagement and Cui Lingyi still accepted her. Why couldn¡¯t they be accepted? That afternoon, Cui Lingyi¡¯s house was crowded with people. Countless parents begged Cui Lingyi to take their daughters in as students. It was even more crowded than when Qinghe Academy was open for registration. How could Cui Lingyi take in so many students herself? Hence, she quietly slipped out of the back door and hid in Bai Wutong¡¯s place to discuss a solution. Bai Wutong poured her a cup of hot milk tea and teased, ¡°Just accept them all.¡± Cui Lingyi rolled her eyes at her. ¡®You do it.¡± After taking a sip of milk tea, she suddenly said in surprise, ¡®What is this? It¡¯s so delicious.¡± She quickly took another sip. She was frowning just now, but she immediately squinted her eyes happily. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°This is milk tea brewed from tea leaves and goat milk.¡± Cui Lingyi savored the aftertaste and said, ¡°Teach me later.¡± Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± After drinking a cup of warm milk tea, Cui Lingyi was in a much better mood. She suggested, ¡°So many girls want to go to school. Why don¡¯t you start a girls¡¯ school! The girls¡¯ school should become a milestone in the history of this world. Bai Wutong had never heard anyone mention the existence of girls¡¯ school. Even in a place like Qinghe where scholars gathered, girls only hired teachers to teach them individually. They could not show their faces. Cui Lingyi was stunned. ¡°Girls¡¯ school?¡± She lowered her eyes, as if seriously considering the feasibility of what she had said. Bai Wutong did not disturb her and sipped her milk tea. Cui Lingyi took a long time to return to reality. She frowned slightly and was a little worried. ¡°Will it work?¡± Girls¡¯ school was not a small matter. There were many things to deal with. Bai Wutong smiled and said. ¡®Why not? Haven¡¯t you already started? You already have three students.¡± Cui Lingyi glanced at her sideways. ¡°How can three compare to hundreds!¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes curved. ¡°If you can¡¯t teach them all, hire someone to teach them. There are many well-educated madams and ladies among the 30 families in Qinghe. I¡¯m sure everyone will be happy to teach. ¡® ¡°Besides, I think teaching girls to read is a very meaningful thing. You can be a role model and let the world see the elegance of women. The ability of women will change the idea that women are only childbirth tools in men¡¯s hearts.¡± Cui Lingyi¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Little Phoenix, you¡¯re indeed my confidant!¡± She continued. ¡°The girls¡¯ school can¡¯t lack a talented lady like you!¡± It would be much easier for her to instigate Bai Wutong to join them. Bai Wutong laughed. ¡°There are many talented female teachers.¡± Cui Lingyi smiled brightly and flattered her. ¡°You¡¯re the one and only!¡¯ Unmoved, Bai Wutong shook her head. ¡°How about this? If there¡¯s anything you need me to deal with, I¡¯ll do my best to help.¡± She was really too busy practicing martial arts and building a happy family with Chu Tianbao. She was not used to using servants. If she were to become a teacher in a girls¡¯ school, her comfortable and enjoyable life would be changed. She knew exactly what she wanted, and she would not compromise her life for others. Nothing could be forced. Cui Lingyi was already very satisfied that she could say this. She held her hand excitedly. ¡°Little Phoenix, you¡¯re the best!¡± Just as Cui Lingyi went to discuss with Yang Quanzi to use a portion of Qinghe Academy for the girls¡¯ school, everyone suddenly learned that Yang Gongbing had been fired! Chapter 247 - Chapter 247: I keep feeling that something big is happening Chapter 247: I keep feeling that something big is happening Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios You Qisheng discovered the potential value of the cleaning paper and sent someone to ask around. He discovered that Yang Gongbing had privately established the official¡¯s cleaning paper workshop. He rushed back to Luochuan Prefecture immediately overnight. He did not have an official position. Even if he went to Jingnan Prefecture, he would not be able to see the Eldest Prince, so he gave the cleaning paper to You Huaijie. You Huaijie was also delighted when he touched the cleaning paper. He praised his son and sent someone to ask around. You Qisheng thought that You Huaijie wanted to take all the credit and even secretly became angry with his father. After asking around, You Huaijie¡¯s expression darkened. Yang Gongbing had reported to Qu Yuanxian, but Qu Yuanxian had not reported to him! This was such a good item and they had built several cleaning paper workshops in Pingyang County. It was unknown how much money he had pocketed. He simply did not take his superior seriously. You Huaijie immediately brought his son to Jingnan Prefecture to meet the Eldest Prince. They presented the cleaning paper and waited at the door for a long time before a servant let them in. The Eldest Prince¡¯s appearance was inherited from Consort Chu. He was ordinary and his gloomy eyes seemed a little terrifying. You Huaijie had a lot to say. When he thought of Luo Ping, who had been dismembered, he couldn¡¯t help but shiver and quickly lowered his head. Chu Mingxuan said in a deep voice, ¡®Where did you get this?¡± You Huaijie glanced at You Qisheng. ¡°This is the cleaning paper that my son found in Woqian Town. The local officials hid it and didn¡¯t report it. They even built the workshops on their own. When I found out, I immediately came to report it to you, Eldest Prince.¡± He could have written a letter directly, but he came to look for Chu Mingxuan in private. It was obvious that he wanted to give the money-making cleaning paper to the Eldest Prince. Chu Mingxuan picked up the cleaning paper and sneered. ¡®Woqian Town?¡± Chu Mingxuan had heard of it more than once. The advisor had mentioned several times that he should personally visit Great Scholar Yang of Qinghe Academy and obtain his recognition. This way, he could also win over the hearts of all the scholars in the world. However , Chu Mingxuan refused. As Chu Shixiong¡¯s only legitimate successor , why should he bow down to an old man? Chu Mingxuan¡¯s gloomy expression made You Huaijie and his son shiver again. Could it be that they should not have presented the cleaning paper and the Eldest Prince was unhappy? When the father and son were feeling uneasy, Chu Mingxuan waved his hand and told them to scram. After leaving the room, You Huaijie and You Qisheng heaved a sigh of relief. Chu Mingxuan didn¡¯t mind that they knew about his erectile dysfunction that day, and he probably wouldn¡¯t mind in the future. Two days later, after understanding everything about the cleaning paper, Chu Mingxuan summoned them again. He personally appointed You Qisheng as the Governor. His position was one level higher than You Huaijie¡¯s. He could set off with people immediately and deal with Qu Yuanxian and Yang Gongbing, who had abused their authority. However, on account of their contributions to Pingyang County and Woqian Town. They were said to have earned a lot of money and it was registered. They did not embezzle money at all. Chu Mingxuan only gave the order for them to resign. He would send someone else to replace them and specially manage the cleaning paper workshop and the spraying machine workshop. When he fully controlled the cleaning paper workshop and earned a large sum of money, he would deduct a ¡°small portion¡± of it and present the money and paper to Chu Shixiong. If Chu Shixiong was happy, he would definitely not pursue the matter. This way, he continue to control the cleaning paper workshop. The day after Qu Lianghua got married, You Qisheng came to the Qu family arrogantly and announced that Qu Yuanxian had been fired. He had to immediately move out of the county magistrate¡¯s residence. The tea that the new wife, Li Keying, wanted to serve fell to the ground. After the Qu family was chased out of the residence in a sorry state, You Qisheng hurriedly rushed to Woqian Town. If Yang Gongbing dared to humiliate him with others, even if the Eldest Prince only fired him, he could find any reason to teach him a lesson. Fortunately, when You Qisheng arrived at Yang Gongbing¡¯s residence, Lan Jingbai was ordered by Cui Shize to bring people to town to buy some things and send a letter to Yang Gongbing. Lan Jingbai protected Yang Gongbing and Liu Shaoting, who was carrying a child. When You Qisheng saw this, he was afraid that the Eldest Prince would find out that they were disobeying him, so he let them take nothing and chased them out. Yang Gongbing was completely disappointed in the Imperial Court. They did not have any property in Woqian Town, so he thought that he would temporarily live in Youjia Village. He would buy two acres of land, build a house and be neighbors with Bai Wutong and the rest. When Bai Wutong found out that Yang Gongbing had been sacked, she was very surprised. How could he have suddenly been sacked? Before Qingfeng could go to the Cui family to find out the reason, he learned that the cleaning paper workshop had been taken over by You Qisheng and his men. As soon as he arrived, he announced something unbelievable. You Qisheng got someone to reduce the monthly salary of the workshop workers by 70%, claiming that they had taken too much money previously and that everyone had to work in the workshop for free for at least a year to repay their monthly salary. Moreover, once they took up the job, they could not resign for the rest of their lives. He canceled the four-day break every month and changed it to one day. He also extended the working hours by four hours. You Qisheng even said that the Imperial Court had already done them a great favor by giving them a chance to take on a new role. Such a high-intensity job only earned them so little money. Everyone might as well go home and farm, so they all wanted to quit their jobs. You Qisheng was even more hateful. If there were any truants, they would be directly demoted to a lowly status and permanently serve as laborers. Many people in Youjia village were working in the spraying machine workshop and the cleaning paper workshop. When they heard this news, it was like a bolt from the blue. But this was an order from the authorities, and they had no choice but to listen. Bai Wutong was also disgusted by the Imperial Court¡¯s actions. If they wanted to take it, they could take it. How could they treat the people working in the workshop so harshly? After a while, the worried Yang Quanzi brought Yang Gongbing to Bai Wutong¡¯s house. Yang Quanzi looked worried and said to her, ¡°Madam Bai, let¡¯s wait a little longer before announcing the printing technique to the world.¡± He was afraid that the printing technique that should have benefited the world would still become a tool for the Eldest Prince to benefit. It would not lower the price of books and paper at all. He wanted to wait a little longer and wait for the right time to let the world know in one go instead of letting the technology be hidden by the Eldest Prince. Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ve been targeted. In the future, the villagers have to be more vigilant. Don¡¯t let anyone take advantage of us.¡± Since You Qisheng had a conflict with Chu Tianbao, he would not let him off easily. Yang Quanzi sighed. ¡°The Eldest Prince is so unreasonable. In the future¡­¡± Everyone was silent. After all, King Chu only had one son now. After Yang Quanzi left, Bai Wutong¡¯s eyelids kept twitching. She had a feeling that something big was happening. She rubbed her eyelids. Chu Tianbao hugged her waist from behind. ¡°I¡¯m here. Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± She turned her head and kissed him. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m not afraid with you around. ¡® Chu Tianbao clasped the back of her head and kissed her hard on the lips. He said with his body, ¡°We¡¯re about to get married.¡± Panting, she lay on his chest and listened to his powerful heartbeat. The corners of her mouth curled up. ¡°Yes, soon. Let¡¯s wait a little longer.¡± She raised her head and whispered in his ear, ¡°Surprises have to be saved for the last moment. ¡® Chu Tianbao¡¯s gaze landed on her red lips. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed, but he couldn¡¯t wait now.. Chapter 248 - Chapter 248: Discovering a Gold Mine on the Jade Spiritual Mountain Chapter 248: Discovering a Gold Mine on the Jade Spiritual Mountain Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Just as You Qisheng was thinking of a way to deal with Chu Tianbao, his advisor rushed over and told him shocking news. A gold mine had been discovered in Woqian Town! The advisor didn¡¯t know if it was true or not. In any case, there were people spreading rumors that sounded very real. Whether it was true or not, it would do him no harm to tell the governor. You Qisheng¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up. Even if the rumors were fake, he could use this to destroy Chu Tianbao¡¯s current house! You Qisheng laughed sinisterly. He suddenly thought that if the gold mine was real, not only could he take revenge and report it to the Eldest Prince, but he could also make a great contribution! In this way, no one could compare to his status in the Eldest Prince¡¯s eyes. You Qisheng immediately instructed his subordinates, ¡°Go and arrest all the people who spread the rumors now. I want to interrogate them carefully.¡± Soon, the group was arrested. They hurriedly shouted that they were wronged. They really did not know if there was a gold mine. It was all Luoda¡¯s bragging. Luoda was so frightened that he hurriedly explained. Wang Qi from Lintian Village had taken some gold lumps for him to purify. Eldest Luo had helped people purify silver for many years and was knowledgeable. He knew that these were raw gold stones. After Emperor Ling Hui ascended to the throne, Wang Qi was released. He was so poor that his pants were full of holes. How could there be a kindred soul rewarding him with raw gold? Therefore, he guessed that Wang Qi had discovered a gold mine in Woqian Town. He was even secretly planning to follow Wang Qi to dig for raw gold next time. In the end, he got drunk and couldn¡¯t hold back. He bragged about this and it drew You Qisheng. After You Qisheng heard Luoda¡¯s words, his heart was pounding. He had a feeling that this was very likely true. He suppressed his excitement and hurriedly ordered, ¡°In two hours! I have to see Wang Qi! ¡® At this moment, Wang Qi and Wang Chang were drinking in the brothel and asking 10 girls to serve them. The procuress¡¯s face was flushed as she closed the door for them. After a while, a group of armed officials barged in. The guests downstairs shouted in panic. The procuress hurried forward. ¡°Sir? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Could she have been caught evading taxes? The leader ignored her and asked someone to search the place. The procuress wanted to stop them, but she was pushed away by the other soldiers. She screamed. After a while, the drunk Wang Qi and Wang Chang were captured out of the room by the officials. They had had enough of being in jail. When they saw the officials, their legs went limp from fear. They hurriedly begged for mercy. ¡°Sir, we didn¡¯t commit any crime!¡± The soldier did not speak much. ¡®Take them away!¡¯ They were carried to You Qisheng. You Qisheng stared at them. They were surrounded by torture devices, which looked especially terrifying. Wang Qi was afraid of being tortured and being imprisoned again. His leg injury was caused by resisting the bullying of his cellmates in the prison. Wang Chang¡¯s body was fine, but the humiliation he suffered was even more unforgettable. You Qisheng placed a basin of charcoal in front of them. It was a red-hot iron, scaring Wang Qi and Wang Chang until their faces turned pale. They begged for mercy. ¡°Sir, please spare my life!¡± You Qisheng picked up the soldering iron and smiled eerily. ¡°I heard that you discovered a gold mine?¡± When Wang Qi and Wang Chang heard this, their expressions became as though they were constipated. You Qisheng raised his eyebrows. ¡®You¡¯re not telling me?¡± The branding iron in his hand seemed to be about to burn their faces in the next second. The scorching temperature made Wang Qi and Wang Chang, who wanted to bury this secret in the ground, confess. ¡°Sir! We¡¯ll talk! We¡¯ll talk!¡± You Qisheng¡¯s eyes lit up as he urged anxiously, ¡°Tell me quickly!¡¯ After Wang Qi and Wang Chang were released from prison, they immediately went back to look for their parents. In the end, they found out that they parents had both died from illness in the latrine at the corner of the village. Their younger sister and Lin Chenghai had committed adultery and became his concubines. However, they allowed their parents to be wrapped in straw mats and casually buried in the Jade Spiritual Mountain. Wang Qi and Wang Chang were furious and found Lin Chenghai¡¯s house. Lin Chenghai had killed his own son and was released because of the world¡¯s amnesty. As soon as he arrived home, he was beaten up by the Wang brothers. Old Master Lin and Madam Lin had screamed out loud, but no one came forward to help. Who asked their family to be so unkind? When Lin Chenghai seduced Wang Mingyue, the Wang brothers were sentenced to be executed after autumn. That was why they dared to act so recklessly. Unexpectedly, King Chu took down the Yan Kingdom so quickly. Lin Chenghai wailed, ¡°She seduced me first!¡± Wang Mingyue carried her child out of the inner room. Her mother-in-law snatched the child away. ¡°Your brother is back. Then get lost with him!¡± Wang Mingyue¡¯s eyes widened. Where could she go?! Their family did not even have an acre of land now. Wang Qi and Wang Chang sneered. ¡°You want to throw us away after using us? There¡¯s no such thing as taking advantage of others in the world! Give us the money! Otherwise, I¡¯ll go to the government to sue you for raping a woman! Mingyue didn ¡®t have anyone to call the shots in the past, but her brother is still alive now! Without the betrothal letter and our approval, where did you get the guts to let her be a concubine?!¡¯ On the surface, they looked like good brothers, but in fact, they had long made up their minds to sell Wang Mingyue, this heartless and unfilial dog, into the brothel. Old Master Lin and Madam Lin were shocked. They wanted to refute, but they could not. Lin Chenghai did not want to enter the prison anymore, nor did he want to see Wang Mingyue. Nothing good had happened since he touched Wang Mingyue. He gritted his teeth. ¡°How much do you want?¡± Wang Chang gestured with his finger. ¡°20 taels! ¡± Old Master Lin cursed, ¡°In your dreams!¡± Which villager could have 20 taels? Wang Chang sneered. ¡°Then use your grandson as compensation. Your grandson can be sold for a few taels.¡± Old Master Lin was so angry that his heart ached. ¡®That¡¯s our Lin family¡¯s child! ¡± Wang Chang¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°That came from my sister¡¯s stomach. If you want it, you have to buy it with money!¡± Wang Qi said, ¡°Brother, don¡¯t waste your breath on them. We¡¯ll report it to the officials now! ¡± When he heard that, Lin Chenghai immediately cowered and hurriedly asked his father to pay. How could Old Master Lin have so much money? In the end, he could only give them five taels of silver and mortgaged four acres of land to Wang Qi and Wang Chang before they stopped. Wang Mingyue did not want to leave but was forcefully taken away by the Wang brothers. She was sold to the brothel immediately after. They even instructed the procuress to accept the worst guests for her. Wang Mingyue could not believe it. She shouted loudly, but what greeted her was a beating from the procuress. That night, she was drugged and received five guests. The Wang brothers bought a coffin and returned to move the graves for their parents. As they cried that they would definitely avenge their parents, they carefully dug up the bones. When they reached the bottom, Wang Chang suddenly saw a shiny golden lump. Wang Qi also saw it. The two brothers looked at each other, picked it up, and bit it. They realized that it was a golden lump! They were so excited that they held back their shouts. They thought that their parents¡¯ spirits had appeared in heaven. After hurriedly kowtowing in thanks, they picked up the shovel and continued to dig. They kept digging out some scattered golden lumps. There were impurities in the golden lump that needed to be purified before it could be used. Wang Qi found Luo da and lied about being rewarded by a kind person. However, they were seen through by Luo Da. The news accidentally spread and You Qisheng captured them over. After You Qisheng confirmed that the Wang brothers had indeed dug up a golden nugget and that it was not far from Youjia Village, he was ecstatic and immediately gathered people to head to the Jade Spiritual Mountain.. Chapter 249 - Chapter 249: So What If I Drink It? Chapter 249: So What If I Drink It? Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios In order to prevent the news from being leaked out, You Qisheng ordered the mountain to be sealed. No one was allowed to leave or enter the Jade Spiritual Mountain. When he saw with his own eyes that what the Wang brothers said was true, he immediately wrote a letter to the Eldest Prince and asked him to send someone to investigate if there was a huge golden mine in the Jade Spiritual Mountain. Qingfeng immediately conveyed the news of the Jade Spiritual Mountain being sealed to Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao. The two people who were getting married the next day immediately looked solemn. Chu Tianbao said, ¡°Go and ask around.¡± His deep eyes seemed to have a murderous vortex. Qingfeng nodded. ¡°Yes. ¡® Bai Wutong could not figure out why You Qisheng had gone through so much trouble to seal the mountain. Even if he wanted to deal with Chu Tianbao, he should only seal Youjia village. The atmosphere of impending storm enveloped the entire Youjia Village. On the other side, under the guidance of the Wang brothers, You Qisheng led a group of teams into the back mountain of Lintian Village. After walking for about 15 minutes, the Wang brothers saw the marks they had left on the tree and said to You Qisheng ingratiatingly, ¡°Sir, we found it here.¡± With You Qisheng¡¯s order, more than ten officials dug hard on the spot. After digging for a long time, someone said, ¡°Sir! I found it! ¡± You Qisheng hurriedly rushed over. The official placed the freshly unearthed golden lump in his hand. You Qisheng looked carefully at it under the sunlight and was extremely excited. ¡°Continue digging!¡± If he could dig up golden lumps the size of a baby¡¯s finger on the surface, what about in the deeper regions? They worked hard and dug up some more. When the Wang brothers saw this, their hearts ached. No one noticed the shadow that passed over the tree. When Qingfeng returned, there were already many people gathered at Bai Wutong¡¯s house. They were all waiting for news from Qingfeng. Qingfeng looked at Bai Wutong. ¡°You Qisheng and his men discovered a golden lump in the Jade Spiritual Mountain. It¡¯s about ten miles away from our location.¡± Discovered golden nugget! Ten miles away! In an instant, everyone¡¯s faces turned pale. Being so close, if there was a golden mine, Youjia village would definitely cease to exist. Even the men in the village would be dragged to the mines to serve. You Qisheng had a conflict with Chu Tianbao, and the first to bear the brunt was Chu Tianbao! Everyone was worried. Cui Muzhi asked, ¡°What should we do?¡± It was not easy for them to settle down. Everyone¡¯s lives were already on track and developing in a good direction. If there was a golden mine, no matter how famous Qinghe Academy was, it could not stop Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s decision to mine. Then where should they go? Yang Quanzi sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s take it one step at a time!¡± They couldn¡¯t run away overnight! Now that Ling Country was unified, where could they go? Which place could accommodate so many of them? The heads of the 30 families of Qinghe even regretted leaving Qinghe back then. If they had not left Qinghe and handed over all their assets, at least they would not be like now. Some people were secretly dissatisfied that the place Bai Wutong chose to settle down was not good. If she had chosen well, they would not have encountered such a situation. Since the matter could not be resolved for the time being, everyone returned with different expressions. Standing on the windowsill, Bai Wutong looked at Youjia Village with grim eyes. She had originally planned to live a peaceful life here with Chu Tianbao¡­ Chu Tianbao pulled her into his arms. ¡°There will be a way.¡± After the battle, they needed money. Emperor Ling Hui would be crazy not to dig out such a huge golden mine. Bai Wutong wrapped her arms around Chu Tianbao¡¯s waist and sniffed the pleasant scent on him. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here.¡± Under Qingfeng¡¯s intensive training, her qinggong improved extremely quickly, and her skills could compete against ordinary experts. After leaving this place with Chu Tianbao, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem for her to find a paradise that no one had discovered. With that, she thought of the cute Stinky, Cui Lingyi, and the others. She sighed again. If they left, they were confident that they wouldn¡¯t be caught, but what would Cui Lingyi and the others do? The Ling Kingdom was tabulating its population. No one was allowed to migrate without permission. Cui Lingyi and the others could only listen to the government¡¯s arrangements. Even if they wanted to sneak away with everyone, how could they do so with so many people? Chu Tianbao had always listened to her. ¡°Okay.¡± Bai Wutong took a deep breath. ¡°We¡¯ll leave ifwe have to. It¡¯s not the end yet.¡± She was also becoming muddled from being too anxious. It was not like Chu Mingxuan and Chu Shixiong had come personally. With their methods, it would be easy for them to deal with You Qisheng. Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Okay.¡± You Qisheng originally wanted to send a letter by pigeon, but he felt that it was not safe. He wrote a letter personally and asked someone to bring a small bag of golden lumps to Jingnan Prefecture to report to the Eldest Prince. Before the Eldest Prince replied, You Qisheng did not dare to act rashly. After all, mining was all about feng shui. If he accidentally destroyed it, he would be punished by the Emperor. However, it did not affect him from dealing with Chu Tianbao. He had some golden lumps on him. When he arrived at Chu Tianbao¡¯s house and framed him for excavating the royal family¡¯s golden mine, he would be thrown into jail. Before You Qisheng could reach Youjia Village, a walnut fell from the tree. You Qisheng stepped on it and slipped. He rolled down the hill and hit his head on a big rock. Instantly, blood flowed and he lost consciousness. When You Qisheng was sent to Gu Zhongxun, he was still alive but he would become a vegetable.0 When the villagers learned of this outcome, they heaved a sigh of relief. At least the wedding ceremony between Madam Bai and Chu Tianbao could proceed smoothly the next day. ¡°A bow to heaven and earth. ¡°Second bow to the parents.¡± ¡°Third bow to each other.¡¯ ¡°Send them to the bridal chamber!¡± After being sent to the bridal chamber, Bai Wutong waited quietly for a while. She was a little thirsty. She lifted her red veil and glanced at the dragon and phoenix candles on the table. She guessed that Chu Tianbao wouldn¡¯t be back too early. She stood up and walked to the table. Just as she poured the tea, the door opened. Bai Wutong quickly lowered the red veil and sat back on the bed. Chu Tianbao¡¯s footsteps approached bit by bit, and the corner of his red shirt gradually entered her eyes. Her heart pounding, she asked, ¡°Why are you back so early?¡± Chu Tianbao stood in front of her and placed the tea in her palm. His voice was lingering. ¡°I miss my wife.¡± She tightened her grip on her cup and heard Chu Tianbao¡¯s electrifying voice in her ear. ¡°1 also want to consummate my marriage.¡± Her mind exploded, and her heart felt like it was about to jump out of her chest. Chu Tianbao slowly approached and reached out to lift the red veil bit by bit. Bai Wutong¡¯s exquisite features and the corners of her mouth curled up, were like white jade, as they entered Chu Tianbao¡¯s dark eyes. Chu Tianbao sat beside her and held her other hand. ¡°Wife, aren¡¯t you drinking?¡± As if she wouldn¡¯t have a chance to drink tea if she didn¡¯t now. She glanced at him. Chu Tianbao, who was dressed in a bright red groom¡¯s suit, was extraordinarily handsome. The corners of his eyes were slightly curved, and they were even more dazzling than a meteor. The one and only man in the world was hers now. Feeling that she was actually at a greater advantage, she drank the tea in one gulp and took the initiative to hook her arm around Chu Tianbao¡¯s neck. Her eyes were filled with love, like a demoness charming all living beings.. ¡°So what if I drink it?¡± Chapter 250 - Chapter 250: He Has to Stop If She Tells Him To! Chapter 250: He Has to Stop If She Tells Him To! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios In the quiet nupital room, there were noisy voices outside. The guests¡¯ high-pitched celebratory voices could be heard faintly. At this moment, Chu Tianbao, who had sharp five senses, could not hear anything. His exquisite Adam¡¯s apple bobbed as he slowly approached Bai Wutong¡¯s lips. It was gentle like a spring breeze or a drizzle, but it was like the sea rolling inside Bai Wutong. A steady stream of electricity attacked her entire body and she fell softly into Chu Tianbao¡¯s arms. Chu Tianbao held her waist, interlocked their fingers, and bent down again. This time, it was a sudden storm. Panting, Bai Wutong pushed and was pressed down. There was discomfort in her back and she frowned slightly. Chu Tianbao sensed it and reached behind her to grab a handful of round peanuts. His eyes were burning, and his handsome face was like an immortal that could charm all living beings, but it was tainted with the aura of an alluring mortal being. His well-defined finger joints placed the peanuts in front of her eyes, and his low and deep voice sprayed into her ear with his warm breath. It was numbing to the ears. ¡°Wife, let¡¯s give birth to ten Stinkys.¡± Bai Wutong looked down and her ears were red. There were exactly ten peanuts lying in Chu Tianbao¡¯s hand. She raised her seductive eyes and smiled. ¡°It depends on your ability.¡± ¡°Mmhmm¡ª¡± The night swayed. Everything was left unspoken. After Chu Tianbao and Bai Wutong got married, they spent a few days stuck together. You Huaijie received the news and rushed to Youjia Village. Seeing his unconscious son lying on the bed, You Huaijie suddenly looked like he had aged several years. He found Gu Zhongxun and grabbed his collar with a ferocious expression. He was furious. ¡°If you can¡¯t treat my son, I¡¯ll bury you with him!¡± Yang Quanzi and the others were also present. They said coldly, ¡°What high-sounding words. This is the first time I¡¯ve heard that a magistrate can casually disregard human lives.¡± You Huaijie said gloomily, ¡°What happened to my son can¡¯t be an accident. He must have been harmed by someone. If he can¡¯t be treated, I¡¯ll hold you accountable!¡± He hated everyone in Youjia Village and felt that everyone in Youjia Village was the culprit who harmed his son. Yang Quanzi was neither servile nor overbearing. ¡°If you have the ability, kill all of us. Otherwise, even ifwe have to crawl to the Imperial City, we have to report to the Emperor!¡± There were more than 5 ,ooo people in Youjia village, so they naturally could not kill all of them. You Huaijie regained his rationality and glared at Yang Quanzi. He then interrogated Gu Zhongxun, ¡°What are the chances of my son waking up?¡± Gu Zhongxun straightened his collar. ¡°All of this will depend on Young Master¡¯s In other words, there was less than 10% chance. You Huaijie¡¯s face instantly turned ashen. He clenched his fists and roared, ¡°You have to make my son regain consciousness!¡± Gu Zhongxun shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve tried my best.¡± You Huaijie raised his hand, wanting to hit someone, but he was restrained by Lan Jingbai. The guards behind him also drew their swords. The two sides were on guards against each other. Gu Zhongxun said gently, ¡°Perhaps other doctors will have a way.¡± His words enlightened the other party. You Huaijie shook off Lan Jingbai and said hatefully, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Indeed, just because a countryside doctor could not treat his son did not mean that other doctors with brilliant medical skills could not. His son had made a great contribution when he discovered the gold mine. If You Huaijie asked the Eldest Prince for help, he would definitely be able to ask a few brilliant imperial physicians to treat his son. As for the people from Youjia Village, even if he could not kill them all, he still had a chance to deal with them. However, he wanted to eliminate Chu Tianbao now! You Huaijie glanced around and beckoned. The three servants approached and quickly slipped away after receiving the order.. Chapter 251 - Chapter 251: Dragged Out To Settle Chapter 251: Dragged Out To Settle Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios In the dead of night, three men in black quietly descended on Bai Wutong¡¯s courtyard. Xiaobai crept towards them silently and bit one of the men in black on the leg. The man in black endured the pain and raised his cold blade high. In the next second, the necks of the three men in black sank and they fell to the ground silently. With a look from Chu Tianbao, who was on the windowsill, Qingfeng dragged the three of them into the woodshed. When the three men in black woke up, they were already tightly tied up by the Dark Guards Team. Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao were sitting directly in front of them. Qingfeng asked, ¡°Master, Madam, should we use the potion on them?¡¯ The three men in black were afraid that it was poison. They stammered and struggled, strongly objecting. She waved her hand. ¡°Let¡¯s ask them first.¡± The three of them were just ordinary guards who knew a little martial arts. They thought that it would be easy to kill a farmer. Who would have thought that these people were hiding their capabilities and were not ordinary people at all? Qingfeng pulled out the cloth from one of their mouths and he hurriedly begged for mercy. ¡°Master, Madam, please spare us. Lord You sent us here.¡± ¡°For what?¡¯ Bai Wutong¡¯s gaze was sharp, not inferior to Chu Tianbao¡¯s aura. He trembled and said, ¡°Lord You asked us to¡ª¡± She helped him complete the sentence, ¡°Kill us?¡± The subordinate met Chu Tianbao¡¯s cold gaze and begged, ¡°Master, Madam, we¡¯re only following orders. We have no choice but to obey. Please spare us!¡± The corners of Bai Wutong¡¯s mouth curled up coldly. If they were spared, You Huaijie would only make things worse. If one had the intention to kill, one had to pay the price. The subordinate felt that he was on the verge of death. In order to survive, he hurriedly said, ¡°Don¡¯t kill me. I¡¯ll tell you what outrageous things Lord You has done!¡± You Huaijie would die sooner or later! Chu Tianbao¡¯s cold face did not change at all. He said in a low voice, ¡°Drag him out to settle.¡± This was his and his wife¡¯s love nest. They could not tolerate any dirt. The three attendants were trembling in fear. The attendants who could speak wanted to shout for help and attract reinforcements. As soon as they opened their mouths, they were silenced by Qingfeng, who had expected their actions. You Huaijie waited until midnight, but none of the three attendants returned. His heart skipped a beat. He had stayed up until the next morning and sent someone to ask around. Chu Tianbao and Bai Wutong were fine, but the three attendants he had sent out had disappeared without a trace. You Huaijie secretly felt that something was wrong. He sent someone to investigate carefully. After knowing that Chu Tianbao¡¯s martial arts were powerful, he clenched his fists and guessed that the three servants were doomed. Even if he wanted to send someone to capture Chu Tianbao, there was no suitable excuse. Instead, it was very likely that he would be implicated. Among the Qinghe Academy students, there were a few young masters who came from a government official backgrounds. The Eldest Prince might very well come to Youjia Village personally and could not tolerate any mistakes. You Huaijie could only hold back his anger for the time being. Just as You Huaijie was enduring, Bai Wutong and the others gathered to discuss countermeasures. According to the information Qingfeng and the others had obtained, the Eldest Prince had long been summoned to the Imperial City by Emperor Ling Hui. As soon as he arrived at the Imperial City, he definitely had to stabilize his position. He probably wouldn¡¯t come all the way back to Youjia Village. The most important thing for them now was to analyze the current situation and prepare for the worst. Bai Wutong said, ¡®There are nearly 10,000 villagers in the Jade Spiritual Mountain. Even ifyou want the men to mine, the women and children must have a place to settle down.¡± ¡°With so many people, the other villages will definitely not be able to accommodate them. It¡¯s very likely that they will be scattered into other villages. We can pack up our things first. When the authorities inform us, we won¡¯t be unprepared.¡± Everyone sighed. Cui Muzhi prayed gullibly, ¡°If only they had not detected the mineral vein.¡± If they had not detected the mineral vein, everyone would be safe and could continue to live in Youjia village. They had finally settled down and might have to move out again. Everyone was very depressed. Bai Wutong also wished they had not detected the mineral vein, but the possibility of detecting it was very high. After all, who would have nothing to do and throw the golden lump into the ground to play? She only hoped that if they moved, at least no one would have to serve as labour. It was already very tragic. Their newly built homeland had been destroyed, and they had to even send people to work for free. Everyone¡¯s mental state would definitely suffer a comprehensive blow. After everyone discussed it, no matter what the outcome would be, they would listen to Bai Wutong¡¯s advice and pack up the things at home. Bai Wutong thought of the mess on their journey to escape. There was no carriage, and everyone was struggling with their luggage. She drew a blueprint overnight and designed a suitcase. Not only could one carry this suitcase on the back, but one could also drag it. It would be much easier if they took the official road. Coincidentally, the government was afraid that the news would be leaked and attract gold robbers who were not afraid of death. The cleaning paper workshop and the spray machine workshop in the Jade Spiritual Mountain had stopped operation. All the carpenters in the village had time to make wheels. Bai Wutong gave the blueprint to Zhao Sheng and a copy to Zhao Yuan. The wheels made of wood were naturally not as strong as the iron wheels. After the wheels were made and a few leather boxes made of wild boar skin were fixed in place, an easy to disassemble and convenient suitcase was made. Bai Wutong put a few pumpkins into the suitcase and tried them. Not bad. It was solid. After removing the leather box and carrying it on her back, she could still drag some more goods away. After putting Stinky into the suitcase and holding the armrest, Lin Yue dragged him gently forward. When the suitcase moved, he chuckled happily. The cheerful laughter and chubby smile washed away everyone¡¯s worries. Sheng Huaixuan looked at the wooden suitcase and then at the iron one. He praised, ¡°Sister-in-law is so smart! ¡± ¡°If it¡¯s sold in the city, many people will definitely want it.¡± If the leather boxes were expensive, they could be replaced with cloth boxes and thick bags, greatly reducing the cost. The city was paved with stone. Compared to the countryside, with such a suitcase, it was much more convenient for the women to move things, sell small items, or let the students go to the academy. Hearing his hint, Bai Wutong smiled readily and said, ¡°I¡¯ll give you the blueprint. Same old rules.¡± Sheng Huaixuan smiled brightly. ¡®Thank you, Sister-in-law.¡± Then he said regretfully, ¡°The mountain is sealed now, and Yu Suisheng can¡¯t leave.¡± A month¡¯s delay meant a month¡¯s delay in earning money. Bai Wutong said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do. We can only wait patiently.¡± ¡°Zhao Sheng and the others are panicking. Let them do some work. With some harvest in hand, it can also stabilize people¡¯s hearts.¡± The men could make wheels, and the women could help sew the boxes. They could earn some money with this. Because they were worried about being separated from the others, everyone who had originally planned to send their daughters to Cui Lingyi¡¯s school had given up. After all, it would cost two taels of silver. Sheng Huaixuan understood Bai Wutong;s intentions and smiled. ¡®Then I¡¯ll ask the 30 families in Qinghe who wants suitcases.¡± When Sheng Huaixuan negotiated the price, Zhao Sheng and the others could more or less earn something. Even if the 30 families of Qinghe did not want it, when the mountain was no longer sealed, the suitcases made could be sent to the city to be sold.. Chapter 252 - Chapter 252: Take All of They Away! Chapter 252: Take All of They Away! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios You Huaijie sent someone to find a few famous doctors to treat You Qisheng. They took turns to use countless methods, including acupuncture, massage, and medicinal bath. However, there was no improvement at all. Instead, it made him turn purple. You Huaijie¡¯s face was gloomy. He wished he could flatten Youjia Village now. Furious, he found his subordinates again. ¡®What has Youjia Village been doing recently?¡¯ With so many people trapped here, it was impossible for them not to have any reaction at all. On the other hand, the entire Youjia Village was quiet. Lintian Village, which was next door, was so frightened that it almost fell out. This was too abnormal, so much so that You Huaijie couldn¡¯t make use of their weakness even if he wanted to. The guard reported in detail, ¡°I didn¡¯t find anything unusual.¡± You Huaijie was certain that the more this was the case, the more suspicious Youjia Village was. He suddenly stood up, followed with two teams of skilled soldiers to prevent any accidents. He passed by a farmer¡¯s house. There were many people coming and going at the door. When they saw the officials arrive, they quickly closed the door. If there was nothing fishy going on, why should they feel guilty? With a cold expression, You Huaijie walked to Zhao Sheng¡¯s door and ordered the guard to kick it open. ¡°Bang bang bang¡ª¡± The guards kicked the door a few times, but it did not budge. A few more guards rushed up and kicked it together. It still didn¡¯t move. One of the guards said carefully, ¡°Sir, this is ebony. It¡¯s not easy to break through.¡± He also hinted with his eyes that You Huaijie might as well let the villagers inside open the door. By the time they broke through, they would probably have run out the back door. You Huaijie¡¯s face was ashen. ¡°Useless!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, the door opened. Village Chief Zhao stuck his head out and saw You Huaijie. He cupped his hands and said, ¡°Sir, why are you here?¡¯ You Huaijie didn¡¯t waste his breath on him and barged in with his men. As soon as he walked in, he saw many men in the courtyard doing woodworking. You Huaijie stared at them for a long time, but he couldn¡¯t tell what they were doing. With a cold expression, he picked up a suitcase wheel and asked, ¡°What is this?¡± Village Chief Zhao said cautiously, ¡°Sir, these are the wheels of a cart.¡± You Huaijie¡¯s expression turned colder, and the suspicion in his heart intensified. ¡°Do you need so many carts?¡± Village Chief Zhao said frankly, ¡°Other than us using it ourselves, when the mountain is no longer sealed off, we can still sell it in the city to exchange for some silver to supplement our family¡¯s income.¡± Village Chief Zhao¡¯s answer was reasonable. You Huaijie¡¯s doubts were dispelled, but he was not prepared to let them off. He urgently needed to vent his anger, and Village Chief Zhao and the others happened to be right before him. You Huaijie pointed at the wood beside him and scolded in a low voice, ¡°How dare you! Without the approval of the government, you actually dared to log wood and invade the private property of the Imperial Court!¡¯ ¡°Take down everyone here and throw them into jail for punishment!¡± Village Chief Zhao suddenly widened his eyes and hurriedly said, ¡°Sir, we don¡¯t dare to cut wood privately. We bought these wood ourselves!¡¯ You Huaijie was determined to capture them. ¡°You are lying! The Jade Spiritual Mountain has been sealed for more than a month. Where did you buy the wood?! ¡± Village Chief Zhao explained, ¡°We previously made a literary room for Master Yu and had a lot of wood left behind. Really, we don¡¯t dare to lie to you!¡± The carpenters behind him also explained in panic, ¡°Sir, we really bought this wood! ¡® ¡°Sir, if you don¡¯t believe me, we can confront Master Yu!¡± Since You Huaijie wanted to capture them, he would not listen to their explanation.. ¡®Take them away!¡± Chapter 253 - Chapter 253: I Hope God Will Take Him Away Next Time! Chapter 253: I Hope God Will Take Him Away Next Time! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios You Huaijie was letting someone break open the door when Zhao Erwa slipped out of the back door to find reinforcements. When Yang Quanzi and the others rushed over, they happened to see You Huaijie chasing the people out like they were chicks. He did not even let the women off. Yang Quanzi stood in front of You Huaijie and the others and questioned him, ¡°Sir, why did you arrest the Youjia villagers?¡¯ It was Yang Quanzi again. He was really depending all on his reputation to dominate the government. You Huaijie said bluntly, ¡°It¡¯s not your place to say anything!¡± Yang Quanzi did not back down. ¡°No matter what the reason is, you have to give us commoners an explanation. Can an official do whatever he wants like?!¡± Before You Huaijie could speak again, Village Chief Zhao hurriedly said, ¡°We didn¡¯t log wood in private. We were wronged!¡± Zhao Sheng looked at Yu Suisheng. ¡°Master Yu, quickly help us explain to the Lord.¡± Zhao Erwa stood beside Sheng Huaixuan and wiped his tears. ¡°Sir, please let my father, mother, and sister off! I beg you.¡± Yu Suisheng decisively stood up. After cupping his hands and bowing, he said, ¡°Sir, this wood was indeed bought by me and sent to Youjia Village. If you don¡¯t believe me, I¡¯ll send someone to retrieve the contract now.¡¯ You Huaijie looked at everyone coldly without any pity in his heart. ¡°Since you said that you bought the wood, arrest them all and interrogate them carefully!¡± As long as they entered prison, it was all up to him. Evidence was useless! As soon as You Huaijie finished speaking, two guards stepped forward and stopped him. Cui Shize said angrily, ¡°As the officials taking care of the common people, how can you resolve the case like this!¡± You Huaijie did not know Cui Shize¡¯s identity. From his tone, he sounded even more authoritative than him. He frowned and pointed at Zhao Erwa, who was still crying. ¡°Capture him too!¡¯ Sheng Huaixuan stood in front of Zhao Erwa. Cui Shize read out the rules. ¡°Even if they really logged wood privately, their families are not guilty, what right does Lord You have to arrest them!¡± You Huaijie¡¯s suppressed anger erupted. A nameless person dared to jump on his head again and again. You Huaijie ordered gloomily, ¡°These unruly people are stopping me from handling the case! Take him away too! Beat him up 50 times!¡¯ You Huaijie had lost his mind. Threatening him with one¡¯s reputation was useless against him. Yang Quanzi and the others¡¯ expressions darkened, but they did not dare to have a conflict with You Huaijie. If they really did that, it would give You Huaijie a chance to punish them openly. Village Chief Zhao and the others were all taken away. Everyone cried softly, but they did not call for help from Yang Quanzi and the others. Perhaps he was afraid of implicating them, or perhaps he knew that Yang Quanzi and the others could not save them. After all, You Huaijie was an official! How could the people defeat the officials? Yang Quanzi and the others stood where they were and clenched their fists. Cui Shiji lowered his eyes and prepared to instruct Lan Jingbai to break into the prison. Cui Shize¡¯s body could not withstand 50 strokes. At this moment, Sheng Huaixuan suddenly approached and said to Yang Quanzi in a low voice, ¡°Sir, don¡¯t be anxious. They¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Everyone looked at him as if it was impossible. You Huaijie had gone through so much trouble to capture them, so how could he let them go so easily? It was easy to save one or two, but if he saved so many people, he would definitely give himself away. Seeing that they did not believe him, Sheng Huaixuan was afraid that they would take action on their own, so he revealed a little. ¡°I¡¯ve already made arrangements. Don¡¯t worry, everyone.¡± When Sheng Huaixuan mentioned that Chu Tianbao and Bai Wutong had already made arrangements, everyone immediately felt much more at ease. Cui Lingyi rushed over. When she found out that her father had been taken away, she was anxious. Her fair face and beautiful eyes were filled with tears. ¡°Old Master Sheng, can my father really come back?¡± She was afraid that the arrangements would not be successful. By the time everyone was saved, they would have been crippled. Her teary eyes were like clear spring water. Sheng Huaixuan could see his reflection in her eyes and realized that he was too close to her. He took an almost imperceptible step back and comforted her gently. ¡®They will be back soon, Miss-.¡± Then he realized that he had addressed her wrongly and quickly corrected himself. ¡°Madam Cui, don¡¯t worry.¡± His gentle voice calmed Cui Lingyi down. She felt that she had acted disrespectfully and wiped her tears with a handkerchief. ¡°Thank you for telling me, Old Master Sheng.¡± His small step back suddenly flashed across her mind. An inexplicable sadness surged into her chest, making her hurriedly say, ¡°I¡¯ll go find little phoenix.¡± Cui Lingyi¡¯s figure gradually disappeared. Sheng Huaixuan stood where he was, as if he could still smell her unique fragrance. You Huaijie had regained his dignity. Sitting in the carriage, his mood improved a little. Yu Suisheng and the others were surrounded by the soldiers and walked to the prison in Woqian Town. Suddenly, a dart hit the carriage. It almost shot You Huaijie through the head. You Huaijie¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He was so close to losing his life, but the soldiers outside did not notice it at all. His gaze fell on the dart stuck in the carriage. It took some effort to remove the note. Opening the note, You Huaijie¡¯s expression changed drastically. The list of officials he had bribed when he was still a county magistrate was actually all on it. In addition, the name of the deceased who died because of the revenge he had taken personally was also there! He was so frightened that he broke out in cold sweat. When he saw the last word ¡®release the people¡¯, he hurriedly said in surprise, ¡°Stop the carriage!¡± The person behind this had investigated him thoroughly and could take his life at any time. When he thought of his son lying on the bed like a living dead and needing someone to serve him, You Huaijie panicked even more. How could he dare to disobey? He had to release the people immediately! You Huaijie got out of the carriage and glanced at the panicked villagers. He found an excuse for himself. ¡°It¡¯s inconvenient to interrogate the case in Woqian Town. Let them go back first. When I interrogate the case, they can testify on the spot!¡± A question mark slowly appeared above Village Chief Zhao and the others heads. This dog official let them off so easily? They were stunned on the spot. You Huaijie said angrily, ¡°What are you waiting for? Do you want me to send you back personally?¡¯ Village Chief Zhao and the others immediately reacted and hurriedly ran away with their wives and sons. Seeing them disappear around the corner in groups, You Huaijie felt very aggrieved. He was even more puzzled. He had to secretly investigate what the person who almost killed him had to do with Youjia Village. The Youjia villagers had fled thousands of miles on the escape journey. After spending a year together, they had developed feelings for each other. Everyone was worried after Village Chief Zhao and the others had been captured. Seeing that they had suddenly returned, everyone greeted them excitedly. ¡°Did that dog official make things difficult for you?¡± ¡°Why were they suddenly released?¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re back. You almost scared us to death. Are you feeling unwell anywhere?¡± Everyone asked questions at once. Village Chief Zhao did not know why You Huaijie had gone crazy and released them again. He said, ¡°Perhaps the heavens can¡¯t stand it anymore.¡± The villagers thought about it and agreed with a smile. ¡°It must be!¡± They hoped that God would take him away next time! Chapter 254 - Chapter 254: 360-degree Drastic Change Chapter 254: 360-degree Drastic Change Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Cui Lingyi, Bai Wutong and the rest appeared together. When they saw that Cui Shize was safe and sound, they heaved a sigh of relief. Cui Lingyi asked with concern, ¡°Father, are you alright?¡± Cui Shize realized that his daughter¡¯s eyes were a little red and he smiled widely to make her happy. ¡°I¡¯m fine! I still have to take care of Xiaoxiao and watch her get married with my own eyes!¡± There were so many people around. Cui Lingyi glared at him. ¡°Worry about yourself first! ¡± Cui Shize immediately shut up. In his life, just Xiaoxiao¡¯s mother was enough. Although Qingfeng had personally shocked You Huaijie, with his cunning and sinister personality, he would not let it go easily. He was even very likely to charge Youjia Village with a heavier crime! If something happened to the officials sent here over and again, it would definitely arouse the Eldest Prince¡¯s suspicion. You Huaijie could not die unless they had no choice. Bai Wutong said to Qingfeng, ¡°Continue to monitor You Huaijie.¡± Qingfeng nodded. ¡°Yes. ¡® You Huaijie had released the people to Youjia Village, but he did not dare to return to Youjia Village again, afraid that he would be lose his life ¡°accidentally¡± if he was plotted against. You Huaijie returned to the residence in Woqian Town and pondered back and forth in his room. When the servant took the refugee book and flipped through it, his gaze landed on the row of names of the Cui family and he was immediately shocked. He muttered in disbelief, ¡°Cui Shize¡­ Cui Shize¡­ The 30 families of Qinghe¡­!!! The remnants of the previous dynasty!!!¡± ¡°They must be the remnants of the previous dynasty!!¡± Everyone knew that Cui Shize was loyal to the Yan Kingdom¡¯s Emperor. Even though he had been demoted to the frontier, perhaps he was just putting on a show to regain his powers. He had specially hidden in the Jade Spiritual Mountain and spread the news that there was a gold mine, attracting Emperor Ling Hui or the Eldest Prince, so that he could secretly set up an ambush and carry out an assassination! And whether he succeeded or not, he would not be able to escape death! You Huaijie felt a chill run down his spine. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that this was the case. If it was Prime Minister Cui, he would definitely still have the bargaining chip of the Yan Kingdom¡¯s Emperor. For example, a one in a million expert! You Huaijie¡¯s mouth trembled. ¡°Fortunately! Fortunately! Fortunately, it¡¯s not too late!¡± If the expose was successful, he would still be able to make a great contribution! You Huaijie took a sip of herbal tea and forced himself to calm down. With trembling hands, he threw away a few pieces of paper before writing the letter to the Eldest Prince. He carefully copied more than 10 copies. It would definitely be too late to send a letter back. The target was also influential and the letter might be intercepted. You Huaijie acted smart and bought more than ten messenger pigeons. As long as one messenger pigeon flew to the Eldest Prince, the report would be successful. The messenger pigeons were released at night. Not long after they flew out, ¡°Plop, plop, plop, plop¡­¡± The dark guards hidden secretly hit them with rocks, and the messenger pigeons fell from the sky. They picked them up when they were still alive. If they were unimportant letters, they could continue to be released after reading them. The dark guard took out the letter from the pigeon¡¯s foot and used a special method to unfold the waxed letter. After reading the contents of the letter, the dark guards quickly killed all the messenger pigeons. One of them rushed back to Youjia Village with all the letters. It was late at night when the dark guards arrived at Youjia Village. He handed all the letters to Qingfeng, whose gaze turned cold. ¡°Did you miss anything?¡± The dark guard said respectfully, ¡°No.¡± Qingfeng nodded, and the dark guard quietly hid his tracks again. Qingfeng knocked on the door of Bai Wutong¡¯s house in the middle of the night, and she immediately realized that something big had happened. She and Chu Tianbao put on their clothes and came down. After reading more than ten letters reporting that Youjia village had remnant members of the previous dynasty, she made up her mind. No matter what, they could not keep You Huaijie alive. Bai Wutong said to Qingfeng, ¡®Go and find out how You Huaijie lives and speaks. Find someone similar to You Huaijie. I¡¯ll hurry up and make a disguise mask now.¡± Her decision was obvious. She wanted to replace You Huaijie with her own people and use him. After Qingfeng received the order, she immediately flew away. To make a face-changing mask, she needed modern cosmetics from the RV space. She glanced at Chu Tianbao and went to the study. However, she did not lock the door. If Chu Tianbao came in and found out, she would tell him. Bai Wutong¡¯s memory was very good. After staying up all night, she finally made a mask that was no different from You Huaijie¡¯s. She stretched and rubbed her tired eyes. After Chu Tianbao knocked on the door and entered, his gaze landed on the scary human skin mask. He was not frightened or suspicious, as if everything was so natural. He didn¡¯t ask anything. Bai Wutong thought about it but didn¡¯t say anything. Now that the two of them were in good condition, there was no need to explain. In order to prevent any accidents, she made two human skin mask. Only then did Qingfeng bring the dark guards who had observed You Huaijie¡¯s every move to them. The dark guards wore the human skin mask and You Huaijie¡¯s clothes. He was just like twin brothers with You Huaijie. When she saw him say two words, she was surprised to find that even his voice was the same. Even if the Eldest Prince came, he would definitely not be able to recognize him! Relieved, Qingfeng led him into You Huaijie¡¯s mansion. The next day, You Huaijie came to Youjia Village again. What was different from before was that You Huaijie¡¯s attitude had changed drastically. He kept saying that it was almost the new year and was worried that they would be isolated in the Jade Spiritual Mountain and lack clothes and food. He specially sent more than ten carriages and gifted each family ten catties of white flour and a batch of cotton cloth. In addition, every family would receive a tael of silver as a subsidy! Not only did the villagers of Lintian Village feel like they were dreaming, but the villagers of Youjia Village also felt that it was very unbelievable. You Huaijie¡¯s sudden change made people feel uneasy. Zhao Erwa was the most traumatized. He stared at the white flour distributed by the official uneasily and said suspiciously, ¡°Father, could this be the decapitation meal that people always talk about?¡± Father Zhao and Zhao Erwa thought the same. The father and son looked at each other and felt their hair stand on end. Many villagers present thought this way. They were afraid that they would fall into You Huaijie¡¯s trap and be arrested. Not many people dared to go forward to receive their items. Zhao Lanzhi lowered her voice and muttered to her family, ¡°I heard that the Imperial Court is about to send someone down. The dog official is pretending to be sympathetic to the people. If Madam Bai and the others have accepted it, we¡¯ll accept it too.¡± Zhao Erwa and the others nodded in unison. ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll follow Madam Bail¡¯ They would definitely not go wrong by following Madam Bai! If not for the fact that she was afraid of exaggerating, Bai Wutong would have asked the authorities to subsidize 10 taels of silver per family! After all, they were stuck here and they could not sell away the brewed Phoenix Feather Wine. The subsidy of 10 taels of silver was not much. After Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao received the items, everyone immediately rushed to line up. After obtaining a bag of white flour, Zhao Erwa looked as if he had picked up a pie that had fallen from the sky. His face was blissful. ¡°Mother, I want to eat dumplings! ¡® Over the past few days, everyone had been trembling in fear and could not eat a good meal in peace. After receiving the silver and holding the cloth, Mother Zhao smiled like a flower.. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s eat dumplings tonight!¡± Chapter 255 - Chapter 255: Xiaobai is so annoying! Chapter 255: Xiaobai is so annoying! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios It had been a long time since Bai Wutong had eaten instant noodles. After eating enough of one food in the past, she began to miss its taste. After receiving the new flour, she planned to eat instant noodles for lunch that day. She made a pot of braised beef soup and kept brewing to make it into the ingredient packet for the instant noodles before she put it aside. The next highlight was making instant noodles. Bai Wutong had watched a television drama before. The female lead had traveled to ancient times to make instant noodles and pancakes. In order to achieve a curly shape, she used chopsticks to knit the noodles. Actually, there was no difference in the taste of the instant noodles, be it curly or straight. The curly instant noodles were firstly easy to produce and easy to freeze dry. Secondly, it saved packaging space and cost. Thirdly, it was convenient to transport. Compared to straight strips of noodles, it was less easy to break. Fourthly, it was convenient to eat. When it was boiled, it could quickly spread out, and it was not so smooth making it easy to pick up. Therefore, instant noodles were called instant noodles! It was because it was really convenient. Bai Wutong glanced at Stinky, who was grabbing mud and playing with Xiaobai in the courtyard. After all, this was a child¡¯s first time to eat instant noodles. It had to be authentic. Since they had nothing to do that day, they would knit instant noodles together. Thinking about it, it was quite interesting. If everyone liked to eat instant noodles, she could draw a blueprint of a noodle making machine and ask Zhao Sheng to help make it. With Bai Wutong coming up with it personally, it would definitely be a fine-quality item. Cui Lingyi came over to see what she was preparing to do. ¡®The most magical noodles in the world,¡± she said mysteriously. Cui Lingyi¡¯s eyes lit up. The most magical noodles in the world sounded very interesting. ¡®What can I do for you?¡± Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°Everyone will have a share later. There¡¯s no hurry. There¡¯s nothing to eat if you don¡¯t work hard.¡± Cui Lingyi was even more curious and watched eagerly as Bai Wutong poured the flour. Chu Tianbao said, ¡°Do you want to knead the noodles? How thin are the noodles? I¡¯ll do it.¡± Chu Tianbao had made noodles many times. The noodles he pulled out were even more exquisite than the noodles of a master. Bai Wutong smiled, her eyes crinkling. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s probably this thick. There¡¯s no need to be too thin.¡¯ It had to be just right for the best texture. Chu Tianbao kneaded the noodles, pulled the noodles, and threw the noodles. Every move was like an expert exchanging blows, and every move was mighty and extraordinary. Stinky covered Xiaobai¡¯s face in dirt. When he saw Chu Tianbao playing with dough, his big eyes flickered. He ran over and hugged Chu Tianbao¡¯s calf. ¡°Father¡­ Father¡­ give Stinky. He was chubby, fair, and fat. His small body hung on Chu Tianbao¡¯s body, and he deliberately blinked, making him especially lovable. Chu Tianbao looked down at Stinky, who was similar in size to his calf. His cold face was filled with gentleness as he grabbed a piece of dough. ¡°Here.¡± Stinky took it and tested it in his hand. His eyes were filled with excitement as he thanked him in a childish voice. ¡®Thank you, Daddy.¡± Chu Tianbao was becoming more and more like a father. He nodded slightly. ¡°Alright, go play.¡± Stinky was obedient and immediately took his new toy to show off to Xiaobai. Everyone looked over and saw a wolf and a child squatting on the ground. ¡°Xiaobai, did you see that? I have¡­ I have something fun! You don¡¯t!¡± ¡°Howl ¡°Hehe, I won¡¯t let you play with it.¡± ¡°Howl ¡°Fine. If you beg me, I¡¯ll give you a little.¡± The little child tore off a piece of dough and placed it in front of Xiaobai. Xiaobai pressed its wolf claws on the little child¡¯s chubby hand. Stinky was covered in mud and even despised Xiaobai¡¯s dirty claws. ¡°Xiaobai, you¡¯re so annoying! ¡® Everyone couldn¡¯t help but laugh. The chubby little kid was so cute. Chu Tianbao pulled the noodles quickly. After a while, long and thin noodles appeared in front of everyone. Sheng Huaixuan looked at him in admiration. ¡°Brother is the top among men no matter what he does.¡¯ Chu Tianbao remained cold and did not say anything. Sheng Huaixuan praised again, ¡°I¡¯m really lucky to be able to eat Big Brother¡¯s noodles.¡± Realizing that Chu Tianbao¡¯s gaze was following Bai Wutong, Sheng Huaixuan hurriedly said, ¡°Sister-in-law must like Big Brother¡¯s noodles very much.¡± The sunlight refracted in Chu Tianbao¡¯s deep eyes, filled with a different gentleness. He raised his chin slightly to show his smugness, as if he had returned to being an easygoing Chu Tianbao. Sheng Huaixuan chuckled in his heart. He had finally flattered the right person. After Chu Tianbao finished preparing the noodles, Bai Wutong leaned closer to take a look and praised in satisfaction, ¡°Tianbao is really amazing!¡± ¡°Uh-huh Chu Tianbao raised his chin even higher. He clearly still looked cold and unattainable, but everyone could see the invisible big tail wagging behind him. If everyone wasn¡¯t present, he would probably go up and lick Bai Wutong. She also realized that he was getting too close, and everyone¡¯s gazes became unnatural. She snorted softly and quietly moved away from Chu Tianbao. She called out to everyone, ¡°Come and work. ¡® Hearing this, Cui Muzhi, who was sunbathing in the courtyard, immediately ran over excitedly. Stinky had played with the white dough until it was black with mud. When he heard the call of Bai Wutong, he rushed over to hug her. He was covered in mud. Chu Tianbao stood in front of Bai Wutong and scolded him solemnly, ¡°Go take a shower!¡¯ Stinky pouted. ¡°I washed yesterday.¡± Chu Tianbao stared at him, his eyes filled with ferocity. Stinky immediately cowered. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take a shower now.¡± Chu Tianbao nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Go.¡¯ Stinky left while turning back three times with every step. Lin Yue smiled brightly, his face glowing. He stood at the bathroom door like a back-scrubbing uncle welcoming guests in a bathhouse. ¡°Please, Young Master Stinky¡¯s chubby face was filled with obvious disdain. ¡°¡­So oily¡­¡± Lin Yue: This is the young master. Bear with it! I can¡¯t beat him up! Everyone gathered together with two pointed chopsticks in their hands. Bai Wutong joked, ¡°Learn from me. I¡¯ll only teach you three times. Those who didn¡¯t manage to learn, you won¡¯t have anything to eat for lunch today!¡± None of the delicious food that she made was not tempting. Panic spread in their hearts. Everyone immediately perked up and focused on the chopsticks in Bai Wutong¡¯s hand. Although she said that she would only teach them three times, she had already drawn a few simple knitting diagrams. If one looked carefully, they would be able to understand them. She distributed the blueprint, but it was not enough. Beside Cui Lingyi was Sheng Huaixuan. The two of them only had one blueprint in front of them. They looked at each other awkwardly. Cui Lingyi immediately pushed the blueprint in front of Sheng Huaixuan and looked at it with Cui Muzhi. Sheng Huaixuan glanced at her imperceptibly, but met Cui Lingyi¡¯s gaze as she turned around. For an instant, the air was still. They quickly looked away again. When Bai Wutong accidentally saw this, she was surprised but also accepted it quickly. These two people were actually quite compatible. She just did not know how much weight Stinky¡¯s biological mother had in Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s heart. Thinking of Stinky, her gaze softened again. No matter what, he had to grow up happily. Hopefully, the matters between the adults should not affect him.. Chapter 256 - Chapter 256: Let Me Go First! Chapter 256: Let Me Go First! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios When Bai Wutong was young, she had watched her grandmother knit countless times. With a flip of her hands, she easily knitted a piece of instant noodles. So this was how the chopsticks in her hand were used. Everyone was dumbfounded as they watched her. What was going on? They had to learn how to weave just to eat noodles? The others were still in a daze. Chu Tianbao learnt it at a glance. He followed immediately after Bai Wutong finished knitting. Bai Wutong reminded the rest, ¡°I¡¯ve already taught you the first time!¡¯ Cui Muzhi immediately panicked. The instant noodles that she knitted looked so complicated, and he could not understand the blueprint. He hurriedly focused himself and stared at the instant noodles that he was learning to knit. During the second time, everyone watched attentively. Sheng Huaixuan, Cui Lingyi, Qingfeng, and Lan Jingbai all learnt how to do it. Cui Muzhi did not catch the first step, so he could no longer follow any steps after that. What he weaved was like the spiderweb of a thousand-year-old spider demon. Cui Lingyi smiled and said, ¡°Little Phoenix is still teaching one last time. If you still can¡¯t learn it, you won¡¯t have anything to eat later.¡± Cui Muzhi glared at her and said angrily, ¡°I¡¯m already panicking enough, but cousin, you¡¯re still mocking me.¡± Cui Lingyi raised her eyebrows but her eyes were filled with smiles. ¡°I¡¯m clearly reminding you out of goodwill. Sigh, you don¡¯t know how to appreciate kindness. You ¡®re heartless.¡± Cui Muzh was so angry that his cheeks puffed up. ¡°Cousin!!! Wait and see, I¡¯ll definitely knit better than yours!¡± Cui Lingyi was not afraid at all. She even personally placed the half-knitted instant noodles in front of him. ¡°Alright, you have to make something like this Cui Lingyi knew how to weave in the first place. In her hand, the instant noodles were like a carefully unfolded work of art. They were neat and tidy. From any angle, they were the same. Cui Muzhi¡¯s eyes widened. He had a frightened expression on his face. He quietly hugged his head, afraid that Cui Lingyi would tease him again later. The Cui family members were very smart. Even if they really did not have much talent as female workers, after studying hard and observing, Cui Muzhi finally successfully knitted the instant noodles. Compared to Cui Lingyi¡¯s instant noodles, the difference was not much. It was just a vast difference. Everyone worked together to knit instant noodles. Chu Tianbao and Qingfeng were extremely fast. The others had only knitted two, but they had already knitted four or five. After working for an hour, everyone was finally done with all the noodles. Bai Wutong counted a total of 120. The pot of oil had already heated up just right. The instant noodles were successful after deep frying. She had to control the temperature of the instant noodles and the fire. The others could not help and only watched from the side. Chu Tianbao sat at the stove and threw wood into it. His skilled movements made him no different from an ordinary villager. On the other hand, Bai Wutong was holding a pair of large chopsticks. Her gaze was gentle as she kept flipping the instant noodles in the oil pot. Her exquisite face was a little out of place in her surroundings, but it also made people feel that it fit in. They formed a wonderful and heartwarming painting. It was filled with warmth and was suggesting that the two of them did not belong there. As the noddles were served, everyone¡¯s attention was focused on the delicious food again. How delicious must the noodles be after such a complicated cooking process? Everyone¡¯s anticipation was about to burst out of their eyes. After all 120 noodles were fried in batches, Cui Lingyi guessed, ¡°Are we going to eat them after mixing them?¡± Cui Muzhi speculated, ¡°The fried noodles is crispy and dry. Of course, it has to be boiled and accompanied by soup!¡¯ Bai Wutong smiled mysteriously again. ¡°You¡¯ll find out later.¡¯ She wanted to show how to eat instant noodles, so she specially found a wooden fork for Stinky. A wooden fork with instant noodles was the authentic way to eat! Under everyone¡¯s attention, she placed the piece of noodle into a large bowl and poured some concentrated essence of braised beef into it. Then she added water and covered it with a wooden board. Everyone was instantly surprised. ¡°So this is how it¡¯s eaten! ¡± ¡®What¡¯s this noodles called?¡± ¡°Of course the noodles that are made are called instant noodles. Do you know what the other name is?¡± Everyone shook their heads curiously. Bai Wutong smiled and narrowed her eyes. ¡°You¡¯ll know later.¡± She kept them in suspense, making everyone anxious. After a while, she glanced at the time in the space and finally uncovered the board. A magical fragrance immediately hooked everyone¡¯s taste buds. This was too fragrant! It was just fried noodles, but the noodles made from it smelled so good! It was so fragrant that Cui Muzhi almost drooled. Bai Wutong stirred with a wooden fork, and the fragrance spread throughout the house. Xiaobai even rushed in from outside. Bai Wutong picked up the extremely elastic instant noodles and smiled deeply. ¡°The name of the instant noodles is because it¡¯s very convenient.¡± Cui Muzhi asked, ¡°It is so troublesome to make. How is it convenient?¡± He knitted instant noodles until his hands hurt. Bai Wutong scooped a wisp of instant noodles from each person¡¯s plate and poured some broth. Then she said, ¡°It feels complicated for us to make instant noodles, but when we go out with the noodles, we only need to soak it in hot water and we can eat noodles with soup. It can fill our stomachs. Isn¡¯t that convenient?¡± Suddenly, Chu Tianbao was stunned. He did not know why his mind would pop up an idea. This was very suitable as food for the soldiers when marching and at war. Cui Muzhi immediately reacted. ¡°Wow, this is too awesome! This is very suitable for students to carry during the imperial examination!¡± Sheng Huaixuan smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s not just the imperial examination. It¡¯s very convenient during travels! ¡± Cui Lingyi exclaimed, ¡°It¡¯s indeed instant noodles! The most magical noodles in the world!¡± Cui Muzhi beamed with joy and said, ¡°If there¡¯s such delicious noodles every day, it definitely won¡¯t be so tiring to travel.¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°Everyone, try it. It tastes best when it¡¯s hot.¡± Everyone tasted the noodles. The noodles were sucked into their mouths as if they were alive. They were chewy and solid. Images of Chu Tianbao smashing the noodles and becoming one with it kept appearing in their minds. Cui Muzhi was a foodie. His eyes widened as he took another gulp of soup. Fresh! Smooth! Chewy! Refreshing! It was just too little and not satisfying. Everyone looked as if they wanted more. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ll teach everyone how to eat the mixed noodles again.¡± Everyone wanted to know how to eat the noodles, but they wished they could immediately suck a bowl of instant noodles. They could only listen to Bai Wutong¡¯s arrangements with conflicted and expectant excitement. After learning how to eat the noodles, Cui Muzhi could not take it anymore. He mixed a bowl of noodles in one go and made a bowl of instant noodles. After finishing them all, his stomach was bulging, and he still felt that he had not had enough. Chu Tianbao had actually eaten three bowls!! If not for the fact that he was stopped by Bai Wutong, he would have eaten a fourth bowl. Everyone¡¯s stomachs were full. There were so many noodles left. Bai Wutong gave each of them ten pieces and filled a jar with sauce for them to take away. When Cui Muzhi returned home, he had two big bowls of instant noodles for lunch. Before night fell, he thought about eating instant noodles again. He ran to the kitchen himself, asked for a large bowl, and returned to his room. He made noodles very solemnly, his expression solemn, like a faithful believer praying to God. When the instant noodles were cooked, Cui Muzhi¡¯s eyes seemed to shoot out lasers as he picked up the bowl happily.. Just as he picked up his chopsticks and before he could close his mouth, Cui Shiji appeared in front of him and shouted, ¡°Let go of that bowl of noodles! Let me go first!¡± Chapter 257 - Chapter 257: He Poisoned Me! Chapter 257: He Poisoned Me! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios With lightning speed, the instant noodles in Cui Muzhi¡¯s hand landed in Cui Shiji¡¯s hand. Cui Shiji took a big gulp and drank a few more mouthfuls of soup before he could give any words of praise. Cui Muzhi wanted to say, ¡°Let me have a bite too. After all, it¡¯s my instant noodles.¡± Cui Shiji picked up the bowl again and took a big gulp. He gulped down a few more mouthfuls of soup. He ate happily and had no intention of giving his son a bite. Cui Muzhi watched helplessly as his father finished all the instant noodles and looked like he had not had enough. He quickly sneaked to the side, wanting to hide the remaining instant noodles. Cui Shiji seemed to have grown on him. Cui Muzhi had just taken two steps when he was caught. Cui Shiji¡¯s eyes followed Cui Muzhi¡¯s flustered gaze and he immediately grabbed an oil paper bag on the table. Cui Muzhi instinctively blocked him and he smiled bitterly. ¡°Father, after eating, you should go to the courtyard for a walk to digest your food. It¡¯s good for your health. ¡± Cui Shiji had not eaten enough. If he wanted to digest his food, he had to eat his fill before going. He walked straight towards Cui Muzhi and brushed past him. He successfully obtained the noodle bag and found the seasoning bag on the table. His entire body suddenly seemed to be glowing for a second time, and his face was flushed. Cui Muzhi said in pain, ¡°Father, you¡¯re already full!¡± Cui Shiji glared at him. ¡°I haven¡¯t haggled with you for stealing and monopolizing the food! Your mother hasn¡¯t even tasted such a good thing. Shouldn¡¯t I take it away?¡± How could Cui Muzhi dare to say that he shouldn¡¯t? He only said, ¡°Father, I was wrong. At least leave five for me.¡± Cui Shiji had already eaten one of the ten flatbreads. There were only nine left. If he gave Cui Muzhi a few more, there would be only a few left. Cui Shiji pulled a long face and said solemnly, ¡°You have to be punished for your mistakes! Yet you want five of them! Copy the scripture for me ten times in the room!¡± Cui Shiji left with the instant noodles. Cui Muzhi stood where he was and wailed. The instant noodles were completely gone. It was already bad enough, but he still had to copy the scriptures ten times. How pitiful was he? Boohoo¡ª The unique way of eating instant noodles, the rich fragrance of the noodles, and the unforgettable taste quickly caused a sensation in Youjia Village. Everyone wanted to know what kind of noodles could be so fragrant that everyone would stand in front of someone else¡¯s courtyard and sniff hard. Bai Wutong did not expect everyone to like instant noodles so much, so she drew a blueprint and handed it to Zhao Sheng. Sheng Huaixuan also drafted a new contract to discuss a business collaboration with Bai Wutong as he intended to enter the instant noodles market. Although instant noodles were easy to replicate, it was always difficult to surpass Bai Wutong¡¯s formula. Sheng Huaixuan believed that soon, the entire Ling Kingdom would know the name of the instant noodles! Yang Quanzi was secretly eating noodles in the academy. The smell almost made the students¡¯ noses rot away from the fragrance. Just their saliva could fill a vat. When Lin Lei returned to Lintian Village after school, even though he had a reserved personality, he could not help but fantasize about the tempting taste of instant noodles. ¡°Madam Bai¡¯s noodles are the best in the world! If only I could eat them too. ¡® Before the other children could speak, Lin Cheng said disdainfully, ¡°It¡¯s just a bowl of noodles. How can it be as delicious as meat? No one will believe you even if you brag!¡± Lin Cheng had quit school from Mingsheng Academy, but he could not enter Qinghe Academy to study. He was clearly Elder Lin¡¯s favorite grandson, but because he could not enter Qinghe Academy, Lin Lei took the opportunity to snatch away his grandfather¡¯s love. He hated Lin Lei to death, would cause trouble for him at home, and he did not show any respect to Lin Lei, his cousin, outside. Lin Lei had a good temper and didn¡¯t argue with him. ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯ve never seen it before!¡± However, Lin Cheng thought that he was showing off that he had entered Qinghe Academy. He scolded angrily, ¡°l don¡¯t care about lousy noodles for dogs!¡± Lin Lei¡¯s face suddenly turned pale. Lin Cheng had scolded everyone who had eaten noodles. How could he be so overboard! When the surrounding women heard this, they chimed in, ¡°That¡¯s right. Lin Cheng is right. It¡¯s just a bowl of noodles. You scholars are so ignorant.¡± ¡°That Madam Bai isn¡¯t some fairy who has descended to the mortal world. Can one become an immortal after eating that bowl of noodles?¡± Tao Yinzhen stood among this group of women and sneered. Bai Wutong really thought that everyone would support her! Lin Lei clenched his fists and opened his mouth to refute. That was not the case. It was one thing for instant noodles to be delicious, but it was also full of value. It could make scholars feel at home. ¡°Bang¡ª¡± The arrogant Lin Cheng fell to the ground and let out a scream like a pig being slaughtered. Little Cat stepped on Lin Cheng¡¯s shoulder and raised his fist high. His gaze was terrifying. ¡°Say that again if you have the guts!¡± There was a gloomy aura on Little Cat, making Lin Cheng remember what Madam Chen had shouted when she was dragged away by the officials. ¡°He poisoned me! It wasn¡¯t me! It really wasn¡¯t me!¡¯ At that time, no one believed him. At this moment, Lin Cheng met Little Cat¡¯s terrifying gaze and shivered. He actually agreed slightly. Lin Cheng trembled and hugged his head, not daring to look into Little Cat¡¯s bottomless eyes again. Little Cat glanced at Tao Yinzhen. His black eyes were as unpredictable as an abyss. Tao Yinzhen felt as though a basin of ice water had been poured from her head to toe. Her son was definitely possessed by a ghost! She was going to find an even more powerful sorceress! She was going to get her sensible and obedient son back! Tao Yinzhen staggered away. When everyone came back to their senses, Elder Lin had already appeared in front of Little Cat. He said angrily, ¡°Why are you bullying my Lin Cheng!¡¯ In the past, he would have used the position of an elder to deal with Little Cat. But now, Little Cat had a close relationship with Youjia Village, so he had no choice but to endure this. Little Cat looked at Elder Lin neither humbly nor arrogantly. ¡°You can ask him what he said.¡¯ Elder Lin naturally knew his grandson¡¯s personality. The other party was clearly just a child, but his aura immediately weakened. Elder Lin said, ¡°No matter what he said, you shouldn¡¯t have hit him. To think that you¡¯re still a scholar now. Don¡¯t you understand the principle of a gentleman using his words but not his fists?¡± Little Cat snorted. ¡°I¡¯m not a gentleman.¡± His smile was creepy. However, Elder Lin did not think too much about it. After all, it would be strange if he was normal with such a perverted father. Just as he was about to ask Little Cat to apologize to Lin Cheng, Lin Lei tugged at Elder Lin¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Grandpa, it has nothing to do with Little Cat.¡± Elder Lin looked puzzled. Lin Lei pulled Elder Lin¡¯s waist and muttered a few words. Elder Lin¡¯s expression became uglier and uglier. Lin Cheng actually scolded everyone dogs. If there were young masters from the officials¡¯ families who ate Bai Wutong¡¯s instant noodles, he would have offended them. Then, wouldn¡¯t the entire family suffer with Lin Cheng?! Elder Lin couldn¡¯t care less about Little Cat. He grabbed Lin Cheng¡¯s ear and quickly walked home! This little brat must be taught a lesson that day. Lin Lei wanted to say something to Little Cat, but when he turned around, he had already disappeared.. Chapter 258 - Chapter 258: An Overboard Favor Chapter 258: An Overboard Favor Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Tao Yinzhen was rummaging through the house for silver when the door was suddenly pushed open. Little Cat stood with his back against the light, his face expressionless and sinister. Instantly, Tao Yinzhen let out a frightened cry and the money bag in her hand fell to the ground. Little Cat had gone very still. Tao Yinzhen smiled shakily. ¡°You¡¯re back?¡¯ Little Cat walked towards her, picked up the money bag, and placed it in her hand. He said warningly, ¡°Since Mother has such thoughts, why don¡¯t you take good care of Father?¡± Ren Shuixing had been poisoned with a small dosage and was not dead yet. He was just delirious and had completely lost his ability to cause trouble. Tao Yinzhen was shocked and angry. ¡°I¡¯m your mother. What kind of attitude is that!¡¯ Little Cat stared at her slightly, as if he didn¡¯t see the fear, irritation, anger in her eyes. ¡°Mother has to keep to the ways of a wife,¡± he said bluntly and harshly. Tao Yinzhen¡¯s pupils dilated as she repeated in an unbelievable voice, ¡°What did you say to me?¡± Little Cat said without turning around, ¡°Mother knows.¡± Tao Yinzhen¡¯s face instantly turned as white as snow, and she trembled with anger. Little Cat had known all along. That was why he was so abnormal and treated her like this! How could he humiliate her like this! But she was his mother! Couldn¡¯t she just think about it? She was still so young. Why should she spend the rest of her life guarding that rotten person in bed? Can¡¯t she think for herself? Even if she shouldn¡¯t have had any thoughts, she had never let Little Cat down. How could he be so cruel? ¡°Boohoo¡ª¡± Tao Yinzhen gripped the money bag tightly and squatted on the ground, crying. Little Cat leaned against the door, wanting to rush in and hug her, but he forced himself to suppress it. Only then could Tao Yinzhen completely give up. Whatever Bai Wutong made, be it food or any kind of things, she could earn a lot of money. Madam Qu, who had witnessed Village Chief Zhao¡¯s family become rich, after smelling the instant noodles, could sense the money earning opportunity. They were all from the same village. Everyone knew in private that if the gold mine was discovered on the Jade Spiritual Mountain, everyone would very likely move away! Madam Qu had three sons and a daughter. Her daughter, Yan Tingting, married Zhao Yuan and gave birth to two fat sons for him. Zhao Yuan had forged a lot of things for Bai Wutong. In addition, he would earn a few taels of silver that Sheng Huaixuan specially gave him every month. Yan Tingting¡¯s life became more and more comfortable. As for the other three sons of the Qu family, they could still work in the paper cleaning workshop and earn some money a month. Now that they were not allowed to go to the paper cleaning workshop and did not know any other craftsmanship, once they were separated from capable people like the Bai Wutong and could not benefit from it in the future, Madam Qu became anxious. She found Yan Tingting and begged earnestly, ¡°Tingting, just think about your mother, father, and brothers. Help us this time!¡± If they could obtain the instant noodles recipe, even if they left Youjia Village, their family would definitely be able to live a good life by opening an instant noodles stall. Yan Tingting frowned. ¡°Mother, how can I casually ask about Madam Bai¡¯s recipe? I¡¯m not Madam Cui. How can I have the face to beg Madam Bai to give us the instant noodles recipe?¡± Madam Qu was instantly unhappy. ¡°If you can¡¯t, there¡¯s still your husband. He didn¡¯t even try. Why can¡¯t you?!¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re rich now. It¡¯s useless even if I beg you.¡± ¡°Without your brothers¡¯ support, your life in the Zhao family won¡¯t be so good. Your mother-in-law will bully you to death!¡± Yan Tingting frowned. ¡°Mother, Mother-in-law has always treated me quite well. Don¡¯t say that. I¡¯m grateful to my brothers, but I really don¡¯t have the face to ask for the recipe. Not to mention me, even my father-in-law doesn¡¯t dare to disturb Madam Bail¡± Bai Wutong was the benefactor of the entire Zhao family and the Zhao family village. She should not be so arrogant. However, Madam Qu was her mother, so Yan Tingting could not retort directly. Madam Qu said aggressively, ¡°Madam Bai is a kind person. Why don¡¯t you two go and beg? She can even feed others and teach the villagers how to brew wine. Why won¡¯t she give you a recipe?!¡± ¡°Tingting! If you don¡¯t go, are you going to watch your brothers live a hard life?!¡± Yan Tingting was very speechless. ¡®Mother just said that Madam Bai had taught the villagers how to brew wine and they could earn at least ten taels of silver a year. Why is that considered poor?¡± Back then, when she got married, her family could not even afford a dowry of two taels of silver. It was Zhao Yuan who brought back the betrothal gifts. Madam Qu subconsciously said loudly, ¡°Are you stupid? If they could earn more than ten taels of silver the whole time, why would I beg you? Once the gold mine is discovered on the Jade Spiritual Mountain, everyone will move away. Who will come to purchase our fermented wine? It¡¯s not like Madam Bai will tell us about the Phoenix Feather Wine.¡¯ Yan Tingting felt a headache. ¡°Since Mother knows that Madam Bai won¡¯t tell anyone about the Phoenix Feather Wine, why do you think Madam Bai will teach us the recipe for instant noodles?¡± ¡°Besides, we haven¡¯t confirmed if there¡¯s a gold mine yet. Mother, don¡¯t be anxious.¡± ¡°My brothers are all capable. They can live a good life no matter what.¡± Madam Qu was furious. ¡°You are just making excuses for my request, but what if you succeed?! It¡¯s just an instant noodles recipe. Madam Bai wants face, so she will give it to you ifyou beg!!!¡± Yan Tingting did not know how to refuse the persistent Madam Qu. Auntie Yang¡¯s deliberate cough came from outside the door. Madam Qu was shocked and looked out of the door. She heard Auntie Yang shout, ¡°In-law is here? Tingting, hurry up and kill the chicken.¡± Yan Tingting heaved a sigh of relief and quickly opened the door. ¡°Mother, I¡¯ll go now.¡± Madam Qu knew that Auntie Yang had heard her just now and deliberately sent Yan Tingting away. She stomped her feet on the spot. ¡°If you don¡¯t treat me as your mother, why are you still eating?! ¡± Madam Qu left in a huff. Auntie Yang glanced at Yan Tingting and smiled slightly. She did not say anything, but Yan Tingting knew that her mother-in-law was very satisfied that she was clear-headed and did not agree to go to Bai Wutong to embarrass herself. After Madam Qu returned from the Zhao family, the more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She shouted at her three nervous daughters-in-law, ¡°Bring the flour!¡± She did not believe that she could not make a bowl of instant noodles after being in charge of the kitchen for decades! The three daughters-in-law served her at her beck and call. The deep-fried noodle finally took shape. No matter what, this ingredient could not produce the fragrance like Bai Wutong¡¯s noodles. As soon as the water was poured in, the noodles shattered. Madam Qu was so angry that she wanted to smash the bowl! Her eldest daughter-in-law said carefully, ¡°Mother, why don¡¯t we forget about The second daughter-in-law immediately objected. ¡°If we really have to split up in the future, will our entire family live on nothing? Or will we have to seek help from Sister-in-law¡¯s family?¡± The eldest daughter-in-law glared at her and did not dare to say anything else. The third daughter-in-law rolled her eyes. ¡°Why don¡¯t I personally go to Madam Bai and ask for help? Madam Bai has always respected her elders. If I go and ask for help, she might be soft-hearted and agree.¡± How could Madam Qu not know what her third daughter-in-law was thinking? For the sake of her three sons¡¯ future, she could only suffer. She specially put on the old clothes she had worn when she fled and came to the door of Bai Wutong¡¯s house. ¡°Is Madam Bai here?¡± When Bai Wutong heard this, she asked Qingfeng to open the door for Madam Qu. When Madam Qu saw that Cui Lingyi and the others were all in the courtyard, she thought that if she begged Bai Wutong now, even if she didn¡¯t want to agree, she would probably agree. Hence, she begged Bai Wutong pitifully, ¡°Madam Bai, my three grandchildren want to eat instant noodles.. I want to learn it, can l?¡± Chapter 259 - Chapter 259: Giving it to her was a favor, but not an obligation Chapter 259: Giving it to her was a favor, but not an obligation Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Since Bai Wutong had already signed an agreement with Sheng Huaixuan, she could not give out the instant noodles recipe casually. She turned and walked into the house. She took a portion of instant noodles for three people, filled a small jar with some sauce, and handed it to Madam Qu. ¡°Aunt, you don¡¯t have to learn. Take these back and cook them for the children.¡± Madam Qu¡¯s mind froze for a moment and she couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Madam Bai, can¡¯t you teach me? How can this bit of instant noodles be enough to eat?¡± As soon as these words were spoken, everyone¡¯s expressions changed. She had already given it to her, but she was still so greedy. Madam Qu also realized that she had said something wrong and hurriedly tried to remedy the situation. ¡°Madam Bai¡¯s noodles are so delicious. My grandchildren are greedy and will definitely want to eat them more. Instead of giving me instant noodles, Madam Bai, you might as well teach me. ¡® The more she spoke, the darker Chu Tianbao¡¯s expression became. If not for the fact that Bai Wutong was holding his hand, he would have chased the other party out. If Madam Qu knew her place, she would stop and take the instant noodles to leave. Instead, she even insisted that Bai Wutong teach her, as if Bai Wutong had owed her. Her insatiable face was vividly portrayed, making everyone very unhappy. Since she had already spoken, Madam Qu went all out and continued, ¡°Madam Bai is beautiful and kind. You¡¯re like Bodhisattva descending to the mortal world, so you will definitely be able to teach me, right?¡± She thought that she would definitely get what she wanted by flattering her. However, she had forgotten that if Bai Wutong was someone who could be controlled so easily, the villagers of Lintian Village would not have been reduced to begging Yu Suisheng to increase the selling price of the fruits. Looking at her expression of greed, Bai Wutong had a complicated expression. People were selfish. After living a good life, they would want to live a better one. Bai Wutong shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t have time. Auntie, you should go back.¡± Madam Qu paused and was about to speak when she was frightened by Chu Tianbao¡¯s cold gaze. It was just an instant noodles recipe, and it was not a big loss to her. So what if she helped poor people like them? Yet, she suddenly turned hostile. No wonder everyone in Lintian Village said that the Bai Wutong was pretending. Now that she didn¡¯t want to pretend anymore, she was starting to reveal her true colors and didn¡¯t take the pitiful villagers seriously. She was just a village woman! Madam Qu looked embarrassed at being rejected. As she walked back, she complained softly, ¡°How petty.¡± Who did she think could not hear her? All the martial arts experts present heard her clearly. Bai Wutong made a glance and the instant noodles in Madam Qu¡¯s hand were snatched back. With her hands empty, Madam Qu widened her eyes in disbelief. She could not believe that Bai Wutong would snatch the food back. After a while, Madam Qu said, ¡°What do you mean, Madam?¡± When Bai Wutong spoke, it was as gentle as ever. ¡°I¡¯m being petty.¡± But there was no warmth in her curved exquisite eyes. Giving it to her was a favor, but not an obligation. Since she was already being called petty, why should she give it to her? Madam Qu looked shocked. She thought that she was speaking very softly and that no one could hear her, but Bai Wutong did. She pretended to not understand and hurriedly said, ¡°Madam Bai, you heard wrongly. I¡¯m saying that Madam Bai is really kind. The children will be lucky to try it when I go back.¡± Only now did Madam Qu feel that she still wanted to bring the instant noodles back and study them! Bai Wutong smiled, but her words made Madam Qu¡¯s teeth hurt. ¡°Aunt, taking away the instant noodles is also for your own good.¡± Madam Qu¡¯s face turned red with anger. ¡°It¡¯s just three bowls of instant noodles. Can¡¯t I buy them with money?¡± The coldness in Chu Tianbao¡¯s body was so cold that it could be used as an air conditioner. Bai Wutong comforted him with her hand and smiled at Sheng Huaixuan. ¡°Old Master Sheng, tell her how much these three bowls of instant noodles are worth. ¡± Sheng Huaixuan stood up elegantly. Madam Qu stood rooted to the ground indignantly. She wanted to see what nonsense he could come up with. Sheng Huaixuan said slowly, his voice pleasant to the ears, ¡®Master Yu has already signed a contract with Madam Bai. Once the mountain sealing order is lifted, Master Yu will send someone to sell instant noodles in the entire Ling Kingdom. Therefore, the noodles that Aunt wants to buy are not ordinary instant noodle. Moreover, Master Yu and Sister-in-law¡¯s business secrets are confidential. If you take the instant noodles away and copy the formula, it will cause an immeasurable loss.¡¯ ¡°According to the approximate population of the Ling Kingdom, if everyone only buys a bowl of instant noodles a year and if the net profit of a bowl of noodles is five copper coins, the annual gross profit is about 100 million taels. Even if everyone gets tired of it, the noodles can be sold for a hundred years. If you want to bring away the noodles, it has to be at least 10 billion taels!¡¯ Sheng Huaixuan narrowed his eyes. ¡°If you can take out 10 billion taels, I believe Master Yu and Sister-in-law will be very happy to sell you the instant noodles.¡± Madam Qu had expected him to bluff, but she did not expect him to be able to bluff to this extent! 10 billion taels! Even if they excavated the gold mine on the Jade Spiritual Mountain, they probably wouldn¡¯t have so much money! He was deliberately humiliating her! Mdm Qu glared at Sheng Huaixuan and left angrily. Cui Lingyi sighed. ¡°1 remember when she first came, she wasn¡¯t like this.¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°She didn¡¯t do anything wrong. She just wanted to live a good life.¡± ¡°She tried her best to fight for it and dared to think and do it. She just used the wrong method.¡± She even had her eyes set on her. Cui Lingyi sighed again. ¡°Little Phoenix, what if I¡¯m separated from you? I can¡¯t bear to leave you!¡± Whether there was a gold mine on the Jade Spiritual Mountain could be determined the next day. If they sent a messenger pigeon to report to the Imperial Court and after obtaining a response, it would probably be the new year by then. There was a huge rock in everyone¡¯s hearts. They would no longer be able to enjoy during the New Year. Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°There will be a way!¡± No one realized that the real Yu Huaijie was dead. The living Yu Huaijie was one of theirs now. If they really needed to move, with You Huaijie¡¯s power, a slight modification should not arouse suspicion. It was not appropriate to make this matter public. Only Bai Wutong, Chu Tianbao and Qingfeng knew about this. Three days later, a group of Marshal Gu¡¯s troops passed by Woqian Town with earth-shattering good news. After five years, Marshal Gu finally occupied the entire Southern Frontier! Marshal Gu and Emperor Linghui were good friends since a young age and fought battles together. Everyone gathered and heard rumors from somewhere. When Marshal Gu was young, he had once touched Emperor Linghui¡¯s woman and was personally caught red-handed by Emperor Linghui. Emperor Linghui did not argue with him. Marshal Gu was grateful and swore to be loyal to Emperor Linghai. Now that Emperor Linghui was in power and had ascended the throne, everyone was very excited about whether Marshal Gu would be dealt with later. When Bai Wutong heard this scandal, she smiled and shook her head. Marshal Gu¡¯s only son had died fighting for Emperor Linghui. Marshal Gu had taken down the Southern Frontier, but he had not returned. This was enough to prove that the Southern Frontier had yet to truly stabilize. As long as Emperor Linghui was not dumb, no matter if the rumor was true or not, he definitely wouldn¡¯t dare to kill him.. Chapter 260 - Chapter 260: We Will Definitely Have a Better Home Chapter 260: We Will Definitely Have a Better Home Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Emperor Ling Hui was very excited to know in advance that Marshal Gu had taken down the Southern Frontier and expanded the territory of Ling Kingdom by a quarter. He said emotionally to the courtiers, ¡®Marshal Gu and the soldiers have worked hard! We must reward the soldiers guarding the border who can¡¯t go home. Let them feel the spring breeze of the Imperial Court and how much it values them! ¡® There were few people in the Southern Frontier. The best reward was to give money and food to their wives. The courtiers looked at each other. Only Li Guozhong stood up and said, ¡°Your Majesty, the battle has just ended. The treasury¡¯ is empty, and the people have yet to recuperate. We can¡¯t reward the soldiers for the time being.¡± Not to mention rewards, it was difficult to pay anything now. Without any money in the national treasury, Sheng Huaixuan handed over all his hundred years¡¯ worth of family assets. Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s personal treasury was also very abundant. When Emperor Ling Hui heard Li Guozhong¡¯s words, the smile on his face froze. It was not that he did not want to take out the silver to reward the army. If there was a precedent, as long as the treasury¡¯ was empty, this group of ministers would ask him for money. Wouldn¡¯t his personal treasury also become the national treasury? Then why would he keep these ministers! His subjects should be helping him to resolve his concerns! He definitely could not spoil them! Emperor Ling Hui was about to speak when Song Liansheng helped him out. ¡°Rewarding the soldiers is your duty! The treasury is empty, so you have to think of a way to fill it up!¡± Li Guozhong¡¯s expression was constipated. Before Emperor Ling Hui could be happy for a moment, Song Liansheng said, ¡®The land of the Southern Frontier is sparsely populated, and the people are valiant. If you want them to completely assimilate and stabilize the territory of the Ling Kingdom so that Marshal Gu doesn¡¯t have anything to worry about, I suggest that we exile the prisoners and migrate the people so that the Southern Frontier can truly become a part of our Ling Country! ¡± The Yan Kingdom had more than 800 years of history. There were as many royal family memebers as there were hairs on an ox. If Emperor Ling Hui wanted to eradicate all these people, it would waste their effort, he might as well strip them of their titles and assets and send them to the deserted southern frontier. There was nothing there, so he was not afraid that they would cause trouble. Li Guozhong glanced at Song Liansheng in surprise. In this way, they did not have to exploit the people and the treasury would be rich. Emperor Ling Hui felt that this was a good idea. Just as he was about to discuss with them which areas to move the people to the Southern Frontier, Chu Mingxuan, who had been traveling overnight, entered the hall. After not seeing him for more than half a year, Chu Mingxuan had lost a lot of weight. His originally ordinary face looked very weathered after traveling overnight. At a glance, compared to the handsome Emperor Ling Hui, one might even think that Chu Mingxiuan was his father. Before Chu Mingxuan came in, he had already asked his wife about the topic that Emperor Ling Hui and the courtiers were discussing. Chu Mingxuan guessed that Emperor Ling Hui did not like to use his personal treasury and was secretly happy about it. His chance to officially show his face as the future heir to the throne had arrived. Chu Mingxuan knelt down with a plop and recounted his recent hard work. He pretended to be crying, but the courtiers knew very well that Chu Mingxuan¡¯s battle achievements before returning to Jingnan City were all achieved by Gu Junyan. Gu Junyan died in an accident, so Emperor Linghui transferred him the military power. In the end, tens of thousands of people from a city died. He had to attack more than ten times before he could take down the city. When Chu Mingxuan returned to Jingnan Prefecture, he had the foundation of Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s control over the government and a large number of people to stabilize the situation. How could he be tired?! He was tired but still had the time to marry a secondary consort. It was simply laughable. However, the ministers only dared to complain in their hearts and did not dare to reveal any thoughts. After all, this was Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s only son. Emperor Ling Hui was annoyed to see him crying. His gaze landed between his legs, and he was even more annoyed. He frowned and said, ¡°If you have nothing to do, stand aside and wait for the meeting to end!¡¯ Chu Mingxuan suddenly raised his head and did not dare to say anything else. He hurriedly said, ¡°l still have a joyous occasion to report to Father! ¡± Emperor Ling Hui asked impatiently, ¡°What is it?¡± Chu Mingxuan straightened his chest, his eyes flashing with pride. ¡°Father, I discovered a gold mine in Luochuan Manor! It must be an auspicious sign from the heavens that the true heir has ascended the throne!¡± No matter how dissatisfied Emperor Ling Hui was with Chu Mingxuan, when he found out that he had discovered a gold mine, he could not help but praise excitedly, ¡°Good! Good! Good! Our Ling Kingdom is blessed by the heavens. Our country will definitely be safe!¡± The courtiers immediately knelt down and said loudly, ¡°The country is safe! The country is safe!¡¯ Chu Mingxuan deliberately showed off himself. ¡°Father, I suggest that we move the previous batch of refugees over.¡¯ ¡°Since they abandoned their hometown back then and haven¡¯t been living in the countryside for long, they won¡¯t be as resistant as the other commoners if they move places.¡± Emperor Ling Hui nodded in agreement. ¡®Mingler¡¯s idea is feasible.¡± Li Guozhong was about to say that doing so would probably disappoint these commoners. It was not easy for them to settle down, but they had to migrate again. Just thinking about it made him feel despair. However, Emperor Ling Hui agreed. He could only say, ¡°If we migrate the people, the journey to the Southern Frontier will be long. We have to compensate these people. If they die on the way, I¡¯m afraid it will damage the emperor¡¯s reputation. Emperor Ling Hui nodded. He wanted to say that he would compensate each refugee with five taels of silver, but when he thought about how the soldiers of the Southern Frontier had yet to be paid, he changed his mind and changed it to one tael of silver. Even if all the refugees were included, the number of people going to the Southern Frontier still seemed to be too few. Emperor Ling Hui added that as long as they took the initiative to go to the Southern Frontier, each family could obtain an additional tael of silver. After the gold mine was detected on the Jade Spiritual Mountain, the worry in everyone¡¯s eyes increased every day. Some people dreamed that their house had been forcibly demolished by the government at night. They were so frightened that they rolled out of bed and bumped into themselves on the head. Everyone waited anxiously and finally received the instructions from the Imperial Court. There were one bad news and one good news. The bad news was that the Imperial Court would send someone to take over the Jade Spiritual Mountain in the near future and develop the gold mine. Their carefully built home would no longer exist. The good news was that all the refugees were required to migrate to the southern frontier and everyone could be together again. However, some people felt that this was not good news. The Southern Frontier was an uncivilized and barbaric place. There was nothing there. If they went, how could they have their current good days? However, they had no right to refuse. They could only pack their bags and leave for the Southern Frontier within ten days. The Jade Spiritual Mountain had a gold mine, and the people of Lintian Village did not feel good either. They only had two choices. They could either integrate into other villages or move to the Southern Frontier like Youjia Village. If they integrated into other villages, the government would only give them two mu of land! They would not even give them any money to replenish their supplies. In fact, they might as well follow the Youjia villagers to the Southern Frontier and farm. There would be a tael of silver as compensation and the government even provided food on the way. Bai Wutong stood quietly on the windowsill and looked down at Youjia Village. Everyone came and went in a hurry, looking worried. Chu Tianbao quietly hugged her lower back and promised her, ¡°Wife, we will definitely have a better home than this.¡± Slowly, Bai Wutong turned and leaned against his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat to hide the moisture in her eyes. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure it will.¡± Everyone would.. Chapter 261 - Chapter 261: It’s Not a Charity Hall Chapter 261: It¡¯s Not a Charity Hall Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The Imperial Court gave them ten days to pack up. In the past year or so, Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao had a lot of new things in the house. Many of them were given to them by the villagers when they moved in. The sofa and table still looked brand new. But Bai Wutong¡¯s space was only so big that it could not fit the items at all. Bai Wutong touched the patterns on the tea table. A strong sense of reluctance filled her. These were their precious memories. Unfortunately, the table and sofa were too big. Even if they had a carriage, it was not convenient to transport them all the way to the Southern Frontier. Besides, Bai Wutong had already filled up three carts of things. If these furniture were included, at least five more carriages would have to be filled. There was really no need for that. Moreover, they did not know how the road condition in the Southern Frontier were like. If it was not good, Bai Wutong still have to cut down on the three carts of items that she filled. Putting away her disappointment, Bai Wutong entered the bedroom. The portrait on the wall was removed. The familiar space seemed empty. Bai Wutong sighed and continued to pack the important things. When Bai Wutong had more or less packed all these things, she opened the storeroom and saw the precious seeds stored in it. She estimated that it would take at least dozens of carriages to fit them in. Woqian Town was only so big. There were not many extra carriages that they could use. Just as Bai Wutong was about to look for Sheng Huaixuan and see if he could think of a way, a clamor came from a village again. When Bai Wutong heard the sound, she walked out of the house and arrived at the entrance of Youjia Village with Qingfeng. She heard Village Chief Zhao say, ¡°There are more than a hundred carriages in front, and they¡¯re all blocking the few villages ahead.¡± Just as she was feeling strange, Sheng Huaixuan walked over with Yu Suisheng. Yu Suisheng said respectfully to her, ¡°Madam Bai, my caravan is going to the Southern Frontier to buy goods. Ifyou still have anything, feel free to entrust it to my caravan to transport.¡± Her eyes lit up. She looked at Sheng Huaixuan in praise and asked Yu Suisheng, ¡°Master Yu, have you been to the Southern Frontier?¡± Yu Suisheng smiled and said, ¡°The Southern Frontier is rich in resources. Although I¡¯ve never been there, the caravan has been there several times. ¡® The joy on Bai Wutong¡¯s face deepened. ¡°We have to take away all the high-yielding food seeds in our village. I wonder if it¡¯s convenient for you, Master Yu?¡¯ Yu Suisheng had asked people to drive so many carriages to Youjia Village because he knew that there was food needed to be transported. When Bai Wutong said this, Yu Suisheng agreed and asked Cui Lingyi if she needed anything to bring along as well. Of course, Cui Lingyi had many things she wanted to bring along. She smiled brightly at Yu Suisheng. ¡®Thank you. ¡® When the beauty smiled, she was devastatingly beautiful. Yu Suisheng was stunned for a moment. Sheng Huaixuan coughed lightly at the side before he came back to his senses and looked down in embarrassment. Cui Lingyi knew that Yu Suisheng was Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s subordinate, so she nodded at him gently to express her gratitude. Auntie Yang, who was at the side, came over and asked, ¡°Master Yu, we also have a lot of things to bring. Can you please give us two carriages? We can pay the rental fees.¡± Not only Auntie Yang, but many people also had this thought. Everyone had some savings in their hands. If renting a carriage was not expensive, it would be much easier to travel thousands of miles to the Southern Frontier. Madam Qu¡¯s second daughter-in-law, He Chunbai, wanted to take advantage of him. She smiled and said, ¡®We¡¯re all from the same village. Why do we need to pay?¡± Yu Suisheng and Sheng Huaixuan had a good relationship. He Chunbai thought that if she said this, Yu Suishen would let them have a free carriage to use on Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s account and allow them to save a large sum of money. Yu Suisheng didn¡¯t say anything, so Auntie Yang glared at her coldly. ¡°If you don¡¯t pay, why should you be using the carriage? Master Yu doesn¡¯t run a charity hall.¡± He Chunbai pursed his lips and muttered softly, ¡°Do you think everyone is as rich as your family?¡± Renting a carriage must be expensive, and they were going to the Southern Frontier. The price could only be higher than usual. Madam Qu wanted to spend money to buy a donkey, or at the very least, a mule. There were others in the village who were faster than them and bought it without hesitation, causing them to be unable to buy it even if they wanted to. Furthermore, it was too expensive to buy a horse. Her three sons were unwilling to offer their money and were counting on the private assets in Madam Qu¡¯s hands. How much money could Madam Qu have? Naturally, she could not afford it. She had also seen through her sons¡¯ selfish motives. Since they could not buy livestock, they would all walk! Since her mother-in-law was unwilling to buy a horse and they did not want to carry the items from home on the road, He Chunbai set her sights on Yu Suisheng. Unexpectedly, Auntie Yang was so unyielding and spoiled her plans. He Chunbai was about to die of anger. Yu Suisheng glanced at Sheng Huaixuan and met the eager gazes of the villagers. He said, ¡°You¡¯re right. We are all a family in Youjia village. The price of renting a carriage is naturally more reasonable. The Southern Frontier is more than two months away from here and we only charge two taels of silver for two months. You¡¯ll be responsible for the rations for the horse. If there are any damages to the horses, you¡¯ll have to pay according to the market price. What do you think?¡¯ In ancient times, a horse cost at least ten taels of silver, and every inch bigger in size was ten taels more. Ordinary horses were worth at most 60 to 70 taels, and expensive horses cost more than a thousand taels or even an astronomical price. It was still very worth it to rent a carriage for two taels of silver for a two months¡¯ trip to Southern Frontier. However, the rations for these two months cost one tael of silver. It would cost three taels in total. Auntie Yang¡¯s face lit up and she said excitedly, ¡®Then can I rent four carriages?¡± Their family had a mule and a plowing bull, but there were too many things and people. They could rent a carriage for two taels of silver. Auntie Yang felt that it was very worth it. As soon as these words were spoken, He Chunbai was dumbfounded. If he spent so much money renting a carriage, he could even buy a horse! Village Chief Zhao¡¯s family was really rich! Yu Suisheng smiled and said, ¡°Sure, Auntie Yang, just follow me to record down your name. The carriage is not allowed to enter Youjia Village. Aunt Yang has to personally move the things over.¡± Auntie Yang nodded excitedly and smiled like a blooming flower. ¡°That short amount of distance is fine. Thank you, Master Yu! Thank you, Master Yu!¡± Seeing Auntie Yang rent four carriages in one go, the others were also tempted. Although they were not as rich as Village Chief Zhao¡¯s family and the mountain sealing order had been lifted, the suitcases they had made previously had been pulled away and sold by Yu Suisheng. They had also received some money. Not to mention renting four carriages in one go, they could still afford one carnage. Everyone looked for Yu Suisheng to record their names, afraid that there would not be enough carriages. When He Chunbai saw that everyone was renting a carriage, she panicked and hurriedly ran back to inform Madam Qu. Madam Qu looked hesitant. He Chunbai said, ¡°Mother, when the time comes, everyone will take the carriage, and we can only carry our luggage on the way. We¡¯ll all become a joke.¡± Madam Qu had been prideful for her entire life, so she was naturally unwilling to admit defeat. She glanced at He Chunbai sharply. ¡°I¡¯m old, so I can¡¯t travel like this. I do need a carriage. Help me rent one!¡± He Chunbai¡¯s expression changed drastically. Why should she use their second branch¡¯s money to rent a carriage for her mother-in-law? Madam Qu said coldly, ¡°I¡¯ve worked hard for most of my life, but I can¡¯t even sit in a carriage? Are you going to take turns carrying an old woman like me on your backs?¡± He Chunbai¡¯s face turned pale. How could she even carry Madam Qu? She hurriedly said, ¡°I¡¯ll discuss it with Eldest and Third Sister-in-law now! I¡¯ll definitely be able to get Mother to sit in the carriage.¡± She ran away and heaved a sigh of relief. If the three families went out together, they would at least spend less money. Everyone could take turns to sit on the carriage.. Chapter 262 - Chapter 262: It’ll Be Too Late If You Don’t Go Now Chapter 262: It¡¯ll Be Too Late If You Don¡¯t Go Now Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Everyone packed their luggage. It was very frustrating not to be able to take away the big items. It would be a pity to throw them away, but they did not know who they could sell the items to. When the people in the surrounding villages knew that they were moving, they were all waiting to gain an advantage. Even if someone wanted to buy their furniture, the price they offered was not even as high as firewood. These were all items that everyone had spent a lot of effort to make. They could not bear to sell them at a low price. Madam Qu felt that it was still money after all. If she left them here, others would take advantage of them. She might as well sell them all. There were so many things at home that she could not take away. If she sold them all, she could at least save up one or two taels of silver and rent an additional carriage. Madam Qu said to her three daughters-in-law and sons, ¡°Move the things to the entrance of the village. If someone wants to buy them, as long as the price is not too low, just sell them all. ¡® The eldest daughter-in-law said softly, ¡°Mother, all the furniture is made of cedar-wood. I heard that cedar-wood is quite expensive. Isn¡¯t it a loss to sell it too cheap?¡± Madam Qu glared at her. ¡®What loss? We¡¯re about to go to the Southern Frontier. There are many people who want to sell these items out. After two more days, no one will want to even pick them up.¡± Madam Qu¡¯s words made sense. The daughters-in-law and sons could only bear the pain and agree with her decision. They carried the things and panted as they walked on the road. Madam Qu was also holding a cedar-wood bench. Seeing that they were going to sell something, Auntie Yang stepped forward and stood in front of Madam Qu. ¡°In-law, don¡¯t sell it yet. ¡® Before Auntie Yang could finish speaking, Madam Qu glared at her fiercely. Her face was filled with resentment. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business! Your family has become rich, don¡¯t stop others from making a living!¡± If not for Auntie Yang¡¯s instigation, how could Yan Tingting not be willing to ask for the instant noodles recipe and let her suffer such humiliation? Auntie Yang frowned. ¡°In-law, what are you saying!¡± When Madam Qu saw Auntie Yang, she wished she could slap her twice. She was already being polite with her words. Madam Qu mocked, ¡°Human language!¡± ¡°A good dog doesn¡¯t block the way!¡± Auntie Yang was so angry that she almost exploded. If not for the fact that she was the mother of her second daughter-in-law, she would have told her off. After all, they were in-laws. Only when the family was harmonious could everything prosper. Auntie Yang suppressed her anger and reminded him nicely, ¡°Master Yu might want to buy the furniture back. I advise you to wait first!¡± Madam Qu was stunned for a moment before sneering. ¡°You¡¯re deliberately telling me so that I won¡¯t be able to sell anything and make a loss in my own hands! ¡°I¡¯m telling you! Dream on!¡± If Yu Suisheng really wanted to buy back the furniture, he would definitely release the news so that everyone could keep the items. However, only Auntie Yang knew. Madam Qu was certain that she was deliberately stopping her. That was all Auntie Yang could say. ¡°Believe it or not!¡± She straightened her back and walked away. Madam Qu gritted her teeth. They were both married, but Auntie Yang had married the village chief from the beginning. She also had three sons. Her sons were all shorter than Auntie Yang¡¯s sons. Auntie Yang had a happy life, and she had long become a widow. Even now, she was still racking her brains to manage this family. Madam Qu was indignant. The resentment all over her body made her three daughters-in-law tremble in fear. They silently prayed that this old witch would not cause trouble again. Madam Qu¡¯s things were 80 to 90% new, and they were made of precious cedar-wood. When the interested buyers swarmed over, Madam Qu finally smiled. The price was higher than she had expected. Her eldest son said uneasily, ¡®Mother, no one is selling anything. Did everyone hear what Auntie Yang said? Should we wait a little longer?¡¯ The smile on Madam Qu¡¯s face froze. She looked at her eldest son, Yan Shouguang, unhappily. ¡°Why are you listening to her nonsense! Even if Master Yu wants to buy back the furniture, can he take all of them in with so many families in our village? If he wants to buy back furniture, he¡¯ll take in these high-quality goods from the Cui family and Madam Bai¡¯s family. If we listen to her, the items won¡¯t even be worth a penny by then!¡± Her eldest son wanted to say that what if Master Yu accepted all the items, but when he met his mother¡¯s unrelenting gaze, he immediately shut up. She was quite satisfied with all the things that were sold for three taels of silver. She generously took out two taels of silver and asked her eldest son to rent another carriage. With another carriage, the entire family was very happy. They praised Madam Qu¡¯s decision to sell furniture. Unexpectedly, the next day, another group of people came to the entrance of Youjia village. After obtaining permission, they entered the village and set up a stall in the dam. They specially took in used good wood or furniture made of good wood. The prices varied, but compared to the cedar-wood bench that Madam Qu sold for 20 copper coins, it was already an astronomical price! The entire Youjia Village was in an uproar. They took their items and lined up to get a price appraisal. Yu Suisheng would not ask for more than the market price, nor would he allow the villagers to lose out too much. The 20 or so masters he invited quickly offered a shockingly high price of 10, 20, and 50 copper coins. When Madam Qu heard the news, she almost fainted! Her three sons and three daughters-in-law complained to her fiercely, ¡°If only Mother had listened to Auntie Yang!¡± They were indirectly accusing her of losing such a large sum of money for nothing. If they had this money, they could live a good life. But now, it had all become nothing! The villagers might be saying behind their backs that they were stupid. Even after trying to stop them from selling, they refused to listen to their in-laws. The anger and indignation in her sons and daughters-in-law¡¯s eyes drowned out Madam Qu. She did not reflect upon herself at all. Instead, she hated Auntie Yang to the core. ¡°She must have done it on purpose!¡± ¡°She deliberately induced me to sell the furniture and come to make a fool of me!¡± ¡°If she had explained more, how would I have sold the furniture!¡± Madam Qu muttered to herself crazily, picked up a pole, and rushed out. He Chunbai was shocked. ¡°Mother, what are you doing?! Stop her!¡¯ ¡°Village Chief Zhao¡¯s family is not to be trifled with!¡± After He Chunbai¡¯s loud reminder, everyone finally woke up from the pain of losing their chance to become rich and hurriedly chased after her. Madam Qu rushed to Village Chief Zhao¡¯s house and shouted like she had seen a ghost, ¡°Yang Yuehua, come out with me!¡± As if she had expected it, Auntie Yang was not at home. Madam Qu cursed angrily, ¡°You vicious old woman with poisonous sores all over your body. You just can¡¯t stand our family! You¡¯re heartless. You¡¯ll be struck by lightning and die a horrible death¡­¡± She cursed very loudly. Even in the noisy Youjia Village, everyone heard her. Everyone looked at Yan Tingting strangely. Yan Tingting looked at her husband with a pale face. Seeing his dark expression, she hurriedly said to Auntie Yang apologetically, ¡°Mother, let me make a trip back home!¡± Auntie Yang nodded magnanimously. Yan Tingting ran back to the Zhao family like a ghost had been chasing after her. Madam Qu was still making a scene. Her three sons could not stop her at all, as if she had gone crazy. When Yan Tingting saw Madam Qu, she inevitably said angrily, ¡°Mother! What are you doing?! Mother-in-law already told you not to sell the items, but you insisted on selling them!¡± ¡°Pa¡ªI¡¯ Madam Qu slapped her hard, her eyes fierce and red. ¡°You heartless dog, then why didn¡¯t you tell me?!¡± She even started to blame Yan Tingting. Yan Tingting covered her face as tears fell. She felt very aggrieved. ¡°l really didn¡¯t know! I only found out this morning!¡¯ Madam Qu did not believe it and wanted to slap her again. Zhao Yuan suddenly appeared and grabbed her raised hand. ¡°Mother, it¡¯ll be too late if you don¡¯t sell the wood now..¡¯ Chapter 263 - Chapter 263: Could Have Been More Silver Chapter 263: Could Have Been More Silver Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Madam Qu was stunned. ¡®What did you say?¡± ¡®What wood?¡± All the furniture in their house was gone now. What wood could they sell? Zhao Yuan protected Yan Tingting behind him and said to Madam Qu, ¡°Mother, Master Yu just said that other than furniture, he also collects the wood used for building the house. I¡¯m not too sure about the details. You should go and ask!¡¯ Madam Qu was pleasantly surprised. She did not expect the wood of the house to be accepted for sale as well! Before she could react to the surprise, her sons and daughters-in-law urged her, ¡°Mother, let¡¯s go ask quickly!¡± They did not take Yan Tingting¡¯s slap to heart at all. Madam Qu reacted to it and hurriedly brought her son and daughter-in-law over. Yan Tingting watched them leave without looking back. She leaned her head on Zhao Yuan¡¯s shoulder and cried. Zhao Yuan comforted her softly. ¡°When Mother and the others¡¯ lives get better, they won¡¯t make things difficult for you.¡± Yan Tingting sobbed and denied it in her heart. In the past, when they led a life of hunger all year round, it was better than now. Madam Qu ran to the dam of Youjia Village. Everyone was queuing up. Madam Qu was anxious. He Chunbai pointed ahead and said, ¡°Mother, Village Chief Zhao and Auntie Yang are almost there. We¡¯re all one family. Let¡¯s go stand there too!¡± Madam Qu had just scolded the other party fiercely and could not bring herself to do so. He Chunbai hurriedly said, ¡°Mother, there are too many people. What if we wait until it¡¯s our turn and Old Master Yu has collected enough wood?! Moreover, we don¡¯t know how long we have to wait in line!¡¯ Their furniture had already been sold at a low price. If they saw the opportunity to earn money slip away, not to mention the sons and daughters-in-law being dissatisfied, even Madam Qu would not be able to get over the hurdle in her heart. Madam Qu walked towards Village Chief Zhao and Auntie Yang shamelessly and smiled at the people in line. ¡°We¡¯re together.¡± Zhao Lanzhi ¡®s mother had seen thick-skinned people before, but she had never seen anyone so thick-skinned. ¡°Pfft, what do you mean you came together? I¡¯m not blind!¡± With her three sons around, Madam Qu was even more unreasonable than Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s mother. ¡°You¡¯re a busybody!¡¯ Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s mother was not someone to be trifled with. ¡°I¡¯m being nosy. Yet you¡¯re in the right to cut the queue. Let me tell you, quickly get lost. Your mouth is wicked. The Zhao family is really unlucky to be in-laws with your family!¡¯ Madam Qu said angrily, ¡°That¡¯s still better than your Zhao Lanzhi being unwanted and staying at home to become an old spinster!¡± As soon as these words were spoken, Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s expression changed drastically. ¡°I¡¯m going to tear your stinky mouth apart today!¡± Auntie Yang¡¯s expression darkened. Zhao Pengfei was still wooing Zhao Lanzhi. After Madam Qu stirred up such trouble, it would probably be even more difficult for the two children to be together. Zhao Pengfei had wanted to stop the two of them from arguing just now. He did not expect Madam Qu to say such things. How sad would Zhao Lanzhi be, and how much would Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s mother dislike him? Zhao Pengfei roared at Madam Qu, ¡°Enough! Get lost!¡± Madam Qu widened her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m your second brother¡¯s mother-in-law! You have no manners at all!¡± Zhao Pengfei said coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t force me to hit you!¡¯ Zhao Pengfei was extremely strong. Even the three sons of the Qu family combined could not defeat him. Their faces immediately turned pale, and they hated Madam Qu for insisting on causing trouble. Of course, Madam Qu refused to leave and instead turned to target Auntie Yang. ¡°In-law, are you going to let your son bully me like this?¡± Auntie Yang could not tolerate her anymore. ¡°We don¡¯t have any in-laws! Get lost! ¡± Madam Qu widened her eyes in disbelief and threatened, ¡°I¡¯ll let Tingting and Zhao Yuan divorce now!¡± Auntie Yang was not afraid at all. ¡°If you can convince her, it means that she¡¯s not fated with our Zhao family. I won¡¯t force her!¡± Madam Qu was stunned and gritted her teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t regret it!¡± Once Yan Tingting left, she would see if her two grandchildren blamed her! Auntie Yang did not want to talk to her anymore. Madam Qu steeled herself and refused to leave. Zhao Pengfei walked forward and grabbed Madam Qu¡¯s eldest son. ¡°Are you getting lost? If not, I¡¯ll continue hitting him!¡± Seeing that her son was beaten up without any way to resist, Madam Qu immediately wailed. ¡°Damn it, you¡¯re bullying us!¡± Her earth-shattering cries attracted the patrolling bailiffs of Youjia village. The bailiffs asked Zhao Pengfei about the reason for beating others and immediately chased Madam Qu, her three sons, and her daughters-in-law to the back. Madam Qu stood at the end of the line with her face covered in dust. Her three sons and daughters-in-law looked at her resentfully, and the entire village people had watched them being a joke again. At sunset, it was finally their turn. However, it was time for dinner. The storekeeprs had to eat and rest before starting work the next day. Madam Qu and the others had no choice but to find someone to ask around how much the wood used for building a house could be sold for. In the end, no one was willing to tell them after asking around for a long time. Under the disgusted gaze of her sons and daughters-in-law, Madam Qu returned home and suffered all night. Before dawn, she went to line up early. The wood had to be appraised at the house. Master Xu followed Madam Qu to her house and looked at it carefully from top to bottom. Then, he said to the expectant Madam Qu and the others, ¡°All the wood in your house is made of cedar-wood. However, it¡¯s still young, and the patterns are not very good. It¡¯s not worth much even if you dismantle it and make it into furniture. The main beam is not very thick, but there are a total of I can give you this amount for the entire house.¡± Master Xu gestured a number, and Madam Qu blurted out, ¡°Eight taels?¡± Everyone looked pleasantly surprised. Eight taels of silver meant that each family branch could at least receive two taels of silver. Master Xu shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s 80 taels.¡± As soon as he said that, everyone froze. They muttered in disbelief, ¡°80 taels!!¡± If they were not refugees, they could have become landowners if they stayed here. Master Xu nodded, unsurprised. ¡°If you think the price is reasonable, follow me to register.¡¯ Madam Qu finally came back to her senses. She wanted to bargain with Master Xu, but she was afraid of offending him. She rolled her eyes and actually thought of an idea. Madam Qu lowered her voice and said quietly, ¡°Master Xu, can you give me a higher price? If I get 200 taels of silver, I¡¯ll give you 20%. What do you think?¡± From the bottom of her heart, she felt that Master Xu could earn money easily by saying and writing a few words. However, she did not know that even if Master Xu had seen the wood and evaluated the price, Yu Suisheng would still send someone to double check. If there was a fake price, Master Xu¡¯s reputation in the industry would be ruined. How could he fake it for just 40 taels? Master Xu¡¯s face darkened. ¡°You¡¯d better find someone else! With that, he turned to leave. Madam Qu was dumbfounded. She guessed that Master Xu did not like the money she proposed and hurriedly stopped Master Xu to apologize. Only then did Master Xu agree to take her to register. Madam Qu and Master Xu went to register and met Auntie Yang again. After knowing that Auntie Yang¡¯s four houses had been exchanged for 400 taels, Madam Qu was completely envious. Her three sons and daughters-in-law¡¯s resentment towards her rose to another level. Back then, when they were building the house, their family had a large population. Madam Qu could not bear to spend extra money, but she did not want her three sons to live separately, so she only built a big house. Now, they had actually made a loss of a few hundred taels of silver. Even though 80 taels was not a small amount, they were still displeased.. Originally, they could have more money! Chapter 264 - Chapter 264: Vast Land of Freedom Chapter 264: Vast Land of Freedom Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Madam Qu¡¯s family was not satisfied that the house only fetched 80 taels of silver. When the villagers of Lintian Village next door moved to another village, they only had two mu of land and did not have any compensation. When they found out that Youjia village could even exchange their house for money, they were so envious that they wished they had been refugees back then. Unfortunately, it was useless no matter how envious they were. Most of the people in Lintian Village did not have any savings. This year was a little better, and it was all thanks to Yu Suisheng coming to collect fruits from them. The food production rate in ancient times was low. A family of three could not eat enough with just two acres of land. They did not have the money to buy extra land. If they went to another village, it was impossible for them to own a big roofed house either. Many people gritted their teeth and decided to might as well go to the Southern Frontier. At least after they went, they could casually plant and reclaim as much land as they wanted. On the way there, the Imperial Court would provide food and a tael of silver. Although the Southern Frontier was an uncivilized place and the people were boorish, as long as one was willing to work hard, one would definitely be able to live a good life like Youjia villagers. Elder Lin and his three sons did not split up. Therefore, even with so many people, they could only be considered one family. After obtaining two acres of land, Elder Lin would also lose his prestige in Lintian Village. How could Elder Lin tolerate going to another village and swallowing his pride to become an ordinary old man? They would not have the ability to enter the city to buy a house and settle down. Elder Lin thought for a moment. With such a capable person in Youjia village, if they could tolerate going to the Southern Frontier, why couldn ¡®t they go? Now that he was going with Youjia Village, he would have companions who could enjoy blessings and hardships together. Perhaps he could even become rich. He had witnessed Lin Lei¡¯s improvement in the academy. In any case, there was nothing to look forward to if he stayed. He might as well follow him and overcome all obstacles! Elder Lin planned to tell his three sons. No one had much objections. After all, there was really no need to stay on two acres of land. He was just worried about how to pack their bags and how to deal with the things at home. At this moment, Elder Lin still had some determination. The journey to the Southern Frontier was long, so it was definitely impossible for everyone to walk like this. At the very least, there had to be a carriage for everyone to take turns to rest. He went to town to ask about the price of the horses. In the end, the horses that could be bought with 15 taels of silver on a normal day could not be bought at that price anymore. The cheapest one was at least 30 taels of silver. Elder Lin only had a total of 20 taels of savings left. He could not afford the horses and was very depressed. On the way back, when he heard that Yu Suisheng¡¯s caravan was going to the Southern Frontier and that he had rented the carriage to the villagers of Youjia Village for two taels of silver, Elder Lin was immediately tempted. Two taels of silver was too worth it! He immediately asked the villagers if they could still rent a carriage. He learned that other than the villagers, the others had to pay ten taels of silver if they wanted to rent a carriage. Moreover, they had to ensure that they took good care of the horses and would not tire them out. A horse that could be bought with 15 taels of silver was being rented for two months for 10 taels of silver. Elder Lin¡¯s heart ached, but he had no choice but to grit his teeth and rent a carriage. If they ran out of money, they could earn more. But many people would die from exhaustion. Elder Lin still had some savings, but most of the people in Lintian Village did not have any savings. It was already very good for them to find a cart to carry their belongings. Many people could only use a pole and carry their lighter luggage and carry them on the road. Lin Lei was helping to pack up at home. Suddenly, Little Cat¡¯s voice came from the door. ¡°Lin Lei, is your father here?¡± Stunned, Lin Lei walked out and glanced at Little Cat. ¡°He¡¯s here. I¡¯ll call him.¡± Lin Lei called Lin Hu over. Lin Hu still had a lot to do, so he spoke quickly and anxiously to Little Cat. ¡°Do you need Uncle¡¯s help? If you wait a little longer, I¡¯ll follow you.¡¯ Little Cat shook his head and nodded. He took out a money bag from his pocket and said, ¡°I do want to ask Uncle for a favor.¡± Lin Hu chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s just a favor. It¡¯s not easy for your family either. You don¡¯t have to be so polite. Little Cat shook his head. ¡°If uncle won¡¯t accept it, I¡¯ll find someone else.¡± Lin Hu could only take the money bag. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll leave with you now! Sensing that the money bag was not light, he opened it and hurriedly said, ¡°This is too much!¡¯ At a glance, it was almost five to six hundred copper coins. Lin Hu quickly poured out most of the copper coins and left 20 copper coins in the money bag. ¡®This is too much. No, no, take this money back quickly! ¡® Little Cat smiled and said, ¡°Uncle, take it. There are still many things I want to trouble you with on the way in the future.¡± Lin Lei was a little surprised that Little Cat was going to the Southern Frontier. After all, Little Cat had a father whose body was paralyzed. However, Lin Lei was still very happy that Little Cat was going to the Southern Frontier. Lin Hu thought that this was Tao Yinzhen¡¯s instructions. Thinking that it was indeed not easy for the mother and son on the way, he accepted it and said readily, ¡°Alright, Uncle will accept it. If there¡¯s anything you need help with on the way, you must tell me.¡± Little Cat nodded and took Lin Hu to his house. Ren Shuixing, who was sleeping on the bed, had lost a lot of weight. Little Cat said, ¡®On the day we leave, I¡¯ll have to trouble Uncle to help me carry Father onto the carriage.¡± Lin Hu nodded and couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Ren Shuixing was inhumane but he gave birth to a good son. Lin Hu carried a large pile of Little Cat¡¯s bags and left the village. Behind him, Little Cat¡¯s mother and him also took a lot of things and followed. The villagers who were walking the same direction followed behind them and realized that Lin Hu had actually brought the items to a carriage. The villagers were stunned and asked in disbelief, ¡®Whose carriage is this? Did Youjia village lend it to Little Cat?¡± Lin Hu did not want to answer. He was extremely annoyed and said, ¡®What does their carriage have to do with you!¡± When they asked Lin Hu, Lin Hu did not say anything. When they asked Little Cat, he did not say anything either. When they asked Tao Yinzhen, she looked arrogant and looked down on them. The villagers were eager to know. Finally, a villager heard from someone in Yu Suisheng¡¯s caravan that this was the carriage that Little Cat had paid for with his own money! As soon as these words were spoken, everyone gasped. Little Cat¡¯s family was really amazing. They were actually willing to spend 10 taels of silver to rent a carnage. What did this mean? It meant that Tao Yinzhen definitely had more than 10 taels of silver in her savings! They were envious and jealous. If they had known, they would have also tried their best to build a good relationship with Youjia Village back then. Then, they would have had the money to rent a carriage. Unfortunately, there was no medicine for regret in this world. After Qu Yuanxian was fired, he thought about it again and again and decided to bring his family to settle down in Youjia Village. Firstly, it would be convenient for his two sons to study, and secondly, he could chat with a group of like-minded friends and relieve his sadness. As soon as the family arrived, they learned that the Jade Spiritual Mountain had been sealed. After finally waiting for the Jade Spiritual Mountain to remove the sealing order, he received shocking news. The battle at Southern Frontier was won, and the refugees needed to migrate immediately. Madam Qu, who had finally agreed to let Qu Yuanxian live in Youjia Village, was dumbfounded. She was afraid that her husband would make a fuss and move to the Southern Frontier with them. She had been anxious for a few days, but the situation that she was worried about still happened. Qu Yuanxian discussed solemnly with her, wanting her two sons to stay so that they could participate in the imperial examination next year. At the same time, he planned to go to the Southern Frontier with Yang Quanzi to be an ordinary teacher. That place was vast and free there.. Chapter 265 - Chapter 265: In one’s decades of life, a year was spent at Youjia Village Chapter 265: In one¡¯s decades of life, a year was spent at Youjia Village Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios In order to develop the Southern Frontier, Emperor Ling Hui strongly supported the merchants who took the initiative to go to the Southern Frontier. Not only did he elevate their status, but he also only charged them 10% of the tax. Qu Yuanxian subconsciously believed that with many loose policies, the Southern Frontier might become another paradise land. He had been fired and could not serve the people. He no longer had any chance of becoming an official in this life. It was better to change his identity and make some contributions to the world. Madam Qu did not understand what he was thinking at all. She firmly believed that the Southern Frontier was a poor place where one could eat people leaving no bones behind. Other people wished they could not go, but he insisted on living a bitter life. Madam Qu could not help but say angrily, ¡°l don¡¯t agree!¡± Qu Yuanxian had long expected that Madam Qu would not agree, so he had already made up his mind. ¡®Then my wife, you can stay behind with our sons.¡± Madam Qu widened her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re going to abandon me? For a group of unrelated people, you¡¯re actually going to abandon our entire family!!!¡± Qu Yuanxian looked at Madam Qu¡¯s face. On her graceful face, she could still see the attractive look she had in her youth. Qu Yuanxian sighed deeply. Unfortunately, she understood him less and less. ¡°Yuling, I¡¯ve made up my mind. ¡® Madam Qu felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her head. She said without thinking, ¡®Then go! If you go, don¡¯t come back!¡± In an instant, Qu Yuanxian felt as if a knife had been stabbed into his heart. He looked at Madam Qu with a pale face and left alone. Madam Qu looked at his slightly hunched back and felt pain in her heart. She lay on the table and cried. She did not understand why Qu Yuanxian had to go to the Southern Frontier to teach. Madam Qu had cried, but before Qu Yuanxian could change his mind, she found out that he had gotten someone to pack a carriage of simple luggage and prepared to leave. Qu Yuanxian was already old. Madam Qu blamed him for being heartless, but she really could not bear to let him go on his way alone. When he went there, there would be no one to take care of him. She thought for a moment and called her two sons over to inform them of Qu Yuanxian¡¯s decision. Qu Liangyu said, ¡°Mother, if Father wants to go, let him. With Uncle Cui and the others around, Father will be happy.¡¯ If not for the fact that he was taking part in the imperial examination, Qu Liangyu would have followed Yang Quanzi and the others to the Southern Frontier. Qu Lianghua also said, ¡°Father finally pulled himself together. Let him do as he wishes!¡± When he was fired, Qu Yuanxian did not show it on his face. But everyone could still tell that he had suffered a huge blow. Madam Qu wanted the two of them to persuade Qu Yuanxian, but she did not expect them to support him. Madam Qu swallowed what she wanted to say. She waved her hand gloomily and asked her two sons to leave. She locked herself in her room and thought about it late into the night. Finally, she opened the door the next day. She could not stay and enjoy herself, so she could only follow his wishes and accompany him to the Southern Frontier. Seeing the servants bring the makeup box to the carriage, Qu Yuanxian couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°This belongs to Madam. Why are you moving it?¡± The servant said strangely, ¡®This is Madam¡¯s instructions. ¡® Qu Yuanxian was stunned. As if he had a telepathic connection, he turned around and saw Madam Qu standing under the roof, looking at him gently. Qu Yuanxian¡¯s eyes were moist as he bowed affectionately to Madam Qu, just like he had when they got married. The words echoed in his ears: Husband and wife to take each other¡¯s hand and grow old together. The ten days were up, and everyone was leaving. In one¡¯s decades of life, a year was spent at Youjia Village. Everyone looked longingly at the grass, trees, bricks, and tiles in Youjia Village. Even though they had bought a lot of things and had money in their pockets, and they did not have to worry about encountering danger on the way to the Southern Frontier, everyone was still very sad. Although it had only been a year or so, everyone had long treated this place as their real home. Everyone had left countless memories here, but after they left, this place would be destroyed. Everyone was glad that they had gone first and didn¡¯t have to see this. Xiaobai rolled in the snow in the garden. Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao took a last look. ¡°Xiaobai, it¡¯s time to go. ¡® Xiaobai got up from the snow and followed them out of the courtyard. It looked back, then happily followed Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao. You Huaijie was Chu Mingxuan¡¯s subordinate. Chu Mingxuan wanted to infiltrate the Southern Frontier, so he recommended You Huaijie to be the governor of the Southern Frontier. The governor of the Southern Frontier had supreme authority in the Southern Frontier and was on par with Marshal Gu. If they did not have to battle for a long time, You Huaijie¡¯s status would even be more important than Marshal Gu in the future. However, You Huaijie¡¯s past was full of blemishes. Emperor Ling Hui did not want to use You Huaijie, but he could not bear to let other talented ministers leave, so he reluctantly conferred You Huaijie the title of Governor of the Southern Frontier. If he did not do well, he would be demoted after the imperial examination. If he did work decently, he would deploy a few more people over. When Bai Wutong found out, she was surprised and happy. If that was the case, the entire Southern Frontier would be in their hands without anyone knowing. The team set off in a mighty manner. Chu Tianbao¡¯s and Bai Wutong¡¯s carriages were wide, big, and warm. Xiaobai lay lazily on the carpet. When it woke up, if it was bored, it would crawl outside and look at the scenery. It was very comfortable. The team heading to the Southern Frontier was huge. The Imperial Court had to take care of everyone, so their speed was slow. When they arrived at other cities, they would meet up with the other people who were migrating to the Southern Frontier. With so many people, accommodation was a problem. With Sheng Huaixuan as their considerate relative, Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao did not have to worry. They could arrive at the inn on time every night to rest. As for the others, they could only rest in the carriage or camp. Now that it was winter, it was still very cold even if they slept in the carriage. Not to mention the commoners who camped in the wilderness. They had no choice but to huddle together for warmth. It was different for the villagers of Youjia Village. They had made sufficient preparations before leaving. Not only were there air-tight tents, but there were also warm sleeping bags. Moreover, they were experienced. They easily set up tents and took out the prepared charcoal fire. They looked methodical, as if they were out camping. Madam Qu was in the carriage under two layers of blankets and still feeling cold. It was useless even if Qu Yuanxian held her in his arms. Their carriage was not like Bai Wutong¡¯s, which were specially modified. It was cold during the day, and even colder at night. Madam Qu could not help but say, ¡®Go find Cui Shize and let us stay in the inn too!¡± If this continued, she felt like she was going to freeze to death. Actually, she would not freeze to death. It was just that Madam Qu had never suffered like this. For example, the other commoners who did not have carriages could only rely on gathering firewood for warmth. Qu Yuanxian could not bear to see his wife suffer, but the inn was only so big. What could he do even if he looked for Cui Shize? Cui Shize could only stay in the inn because of Sheng Huaixuan, and he had nothing to do with Sheng Huaixuan. Previously, his wife had offended Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong was his son¡¯s godmother, so he probably wouldn¡¯t spare a room for them. Even though he thought so, Qu Yuanxian touched his wife¡¯s cold hand and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go ask.. ¡® Chapter 266 - Chapter 266: Even more exciting than the decades before Chapter 266: Even more exciting than the decades before Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Qu Yuanxian braced himself and approached Cui Shize. No matter what, he would be able to explain to his wife if he had tried to ask. Cui Shize also wanted to arrange a room for his good friend, but he did not own the inn. He thought for a moment and said, ¡®Muzhi and Jingbai share a room, and there¡¯s a soft couch in the room. I¡¯ll sleep in their room. Tell Sister-in-law to enter the inn quickly.¡± Back then, when they first arrived at Youjia Village, they were short of food and supplies. Qu Yuanxian had even sent supplies from thousands of miles away. They had to make room for Qu Yuanxian even if he had to squeeze. Qu Yuanxian said guiltily, ¡°Sorry to trouble you, Shize.¡± Cui Shize patted his shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t be so polite.¡± Qu Yuanxian returned to the carriage with a happy expression. ¡°Yuling, Shize has vacated a room for us. ¡® Madam Qu was pleasantly surprised and muttered to herself that they still had some conscience. Madam Qu was carefully helped into the inn by Qu Yuanxian. Everyone already knew that Cui Shize had given them the room and gave them a friendly smile. Madam Qu¡¯s gaze landed on Bai Wutong¡¯s face. She immediately pretended to have a headache, ignored everyone, and quickly entered the room. When she saw Bai Wutong, she thought that it was only because Cui Shize had given them the room that they had a chance to stay in the inn. She kept feeling that Bai Wutong and the others were secretly mocking her for not being able to stay in a room. She felt a little regretful. She stood in the room and listened to the laughter downstairs. She felt like she was sitting on pins and needles. If she could turn back time, she would never have begged Qu Yuanxian to look for Cui Shize. Yu Suisheng was the owner of the inn and had prepared hot lamb ribs for everyone. In the cold winter, how blissful it was to be able to drink a bowl of hot lamb soup. Stinky sat beside Bai Wutong. Chu Tianbao sat to his right, while his biological father sat opposite. His baby teeth were all grown now. The lamb ribs were stewed until they were soft. Chu Tianbao picked up a lamb rib with a lot of meat and placed it in his bowl. ¡°Eat more meat and grow tall.¡± Stinky loved to chew on bones, but compared to bones, he liked Bai Wutong best. He picked up Chu Tianbao¡¯s lambat bone and handed it to Bai Wutong cutely. ¡°Mother, eat it.¡± Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t help but pinch his chubby face. ¡®There¡¯s some in Mother¡¯s bowl. You should eat it.¡± Since she did not want to eat, the little fatty did not care about his remaining two fathers. He immediately took bite after bite and ate happily. Under the table, Xiaobai licked the bottom of Stinky¡¯s pants. Stinky stole a glance at it and thought that no one was paying attention. He bit off a piece of meat and fed it to Xiaobai. Seeing that he was acting guilty, Bai Wutong rolled her eyes at Xiaobai. After a long time, she reminded him, ¡°Stinky, Xiaobai is losing weight.¡± Other wolves would spend the winter hunting everywhere to find food and consume energy. Whereas Xiaobai only ate and played every day. After playing and sleeping, there was still a warm room to stay in. Winter had yet to pass, and it was about to grow a double chin. She was very worried that it would become the first wolf in history to have high cholesterol and blood sugar. It would be so fat that it would not be able to find a partner in the Southern Frontier, so she decided to let it go on diet. When the carriage was moving slow, she would chase it out and make it exercise. But it would secretly run into Cui Lingyi and the others¡¯ carriage. Not only did it freeload, it also enjoyed the stroking from the people. Bai Wutong really had no choice but to control its diet. Stinky knew that he had to let Xiaobai eat less to lose weight. He stole a glance at Xiaobai with a cute expression that made everyone laugh. While the others ate, Village Chief Zhao and the others, who had set up the tent, used the fire to set up four pots and cook instant noodles. Auntie Yang sat in front of the fire with Little Peach in her arms to warm herself up. From time to time, she stirred the instant noodles in the pot and sighed. ¡°How could we have such good conditions when we were fleeing back then? We have charcoal fire, tents, and delicious instant noodles to eat now.¡¯ Village Chief Zhao added a few pieces of sausage and some homemade pickled vegetables to the instant noodles and said with a smile, ¡°It was a little difficult at that time, but at least we didn¡¯t have to worry about food and clothes. It¡¯s actually quite good.¡± When Zhao Sheng heard this, he couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Father, Mother, you make it sound like decades have passed. It¡¯s only been two years since we escaped.¡± Auntie Yang said, ¡°Although it was two years ago, I think it¡¯s even more exciting than the previous decades.¡± Zhao Sheng nodded. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s exciting. It will be even more exciting in the future!¡± The instant noodles bubbled, and a rich fragrance wafted out. Little Peach, who had long been unable to help herself, swallowed her saliva. ¡°Grandma, we can eat the noodles now.¡± Auntie Yang looked into the pot, put down Little Peach, and took a few bowls to fill with soup for everyone. Everyone picked up the hot bowl of noodles and took a sip of the broth. Elder Lin swallowed and couldn¡¯t help but walk towards Village Chief Zhao. ¡°Brother, I¡¯ll give you five copper coins. Can you help me make a pot of noodles? We still have dried noodles.¡¯ Village Chief Zhao said, ¡°We also paid for these instant noodles with our money. If you want to eat them, you can take a look at the stall in front. If someone is selling them, you can buy them.¡± Elder Lin was stunned for a moment before hurriedly thanking him politely and walking in the direction Village Chief Zhao pointed. As expected, they saw a large noodle shop. There were even people who specially provided hot water. Whether you bought instant noodles or not, you could drink hot water for free. Elder Lin saw that many people were holding wooden bowls and slurping the noodles. The fragrance was rich, and Elder Lin¡¯s stomach involuntarily growled. The young man selling instant noodles was used to it. He even asked him what flavor of instant noodles he wanted to buy. If he ate there, he would provide a wooden bowl. If he did not eat there, he would let him take it away. Elder Lin asked softly, ¡°How much is a bowl?¡¯ The young man smiled and said, ¡°Eight copper coins a bowl!¡¯ Good lord, eight copper coins! He could buy several steamed buns with that amount. Elder Lin felt that it was really not worth it. He still had a lot to spend along the way, so he turned around and went back When Elder Lin returned to their resting place, he saw Lin Lei holding three packets of instant noodles. He immediately walked towards Lin Lei and asked excitedly, ¡°Where did this come from?¡± Lin Lei was a little frightened. Lin Hu hurriedly explained for his son, ¡°Little Cat just sent this over. It didn¡¯t cost anything, Father.¡¯ Elder Lin was stunned. He really didn¡¯t expect it to be from Little Cat. He glanced at Little Cat¡¯s carriage, took out 24 copper coins, and placed them in Lin Lei¡¯s palm. ¡°We¡¯re all from the same village. We can¡¯t take other people¡¯s things for nothing.¡± Lin Lei frowned. ¡°We wanted to give this to him just now, but Little Cat didn¡¯t accept it. He even said that he would throw away the instant noodles.¡± Elder Lin was stunned again. He sighed and instructed Lin Hu, ¡°You have to help Little Cat more often in the future. ¡® This instant noodles was given to Lin Hu¡¯s family of three by Little Cat. Elder Lin was too ashamed to freeload. He went to the instant noodles stall and bought five packets of instant noodles. The portion was a little small. If they cooked eight packets together and added some potatoes, everyone would definitely have enough to eat.. Chapter 267 - Chapter 267: Must be because there wasn’t enough money Chapter 267: Must be because there wasn¡¯t enough money Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Elder Lin¡¯s wife boiled a large pot of water, poured all eight packets of instant noodles into the pot, and peeled some potatoes according to the number of people they had. Elder Lin¡¯s wife muttered unhappily, ¡°It¡¯s eight copper coins for a bowl of noodles, but there¡¯s not even a piece of meat.¡± Elder Lin stared straight at the pot. ¡°They said that the meat has been mixed into the ingredient pack. If there¡¯s no meat, how can this soup be so fragrant?¡¯ The rich fragrance of noodles kept entering Elder Lin¡¯s wife¡¯s nostrils. She still couldn¡¯t help but mutter, ¡°It¡¯s fragrant, but it¡¯s too expensive.¡± Five bowls costing 140 copper coins would allow them to buy several catties of brown rice. Under everyone¡¯s expectant gazes, the instant noodles were finally cooked. Elder Lin personally scooped a bowl of instant noodles for himself. Without waiting for everyone, he started sucking. His eyes lit up. He didn¡¯t have time to exclaim at how fragrant the noodles were. He took another big bite. From the old man¡¯s expression, one could tell that this noodles must be very delicious. Everyone took their own bowls of noodles and took a bite. Lin Lei said in disbelief, ¡°Father, it¡¯s delicious!¡± When he didn¡¯t get a response, he looked up and saw that everyone was too busy sucking on their noodles to talk to him. As for the other migrants around them, they were gnawing on the cold rations distributed by the government, their eyes filled with envy. If only they could have a bowl of steaming instant noodles too. Unknowingly, these people engraved the words ¡°instant noodles¡± in their minds and swore that they would eat until they vomited when they had money. Elder Lin ate two big bowls in one go and instructed, ¡°Old lady, add more water and some dry noodles. It¡¯s a pity to waste the bowl of instant noodles that cost eight copper coins per bowl like this. ¡® Elder Lin¡¯s wife had experienced the taste of instant noodles and did not object. She added another spoonful of water and a few handfuls of dried noodles. There was not much soup left in the pot to begin with. After adding water, dry noodles were added instead of the instant noodles. The fragrance was greatly reduced, and the noodles were not chewy. The soup taste was also much more bland. Elder Lin couldn¡¯t help but complain, ¡°You added too much water!¡± Elder Lin¡¯s wife said resentfully, ¡°If I don¡¯t add in more water, how can I cook the noodles?¡± Elder Lin was speechless. He looked at the instant noodles stall again. He had eaten instant noodles that day and did not know when he could eat them again. With a sigh, he finished the bland soup and closed his eyes to savor it. Not only were there ordinary migrants going to the Southern Frontier, but there were also caravans that were trying to occupy the Southern Frontier¡¯s market like Yu Suisheng. The caravan smelled a tantalizing fragrance from afar. This smell made Zhu Qi, who had eaten all kinds of delicacies before, curious about what kind of food it was. Zhu Qi brought the caravan to the instant noodles stall. When he saw so many people carrying simple bowls of noodles and eating them, he was even more puzzled. How could an ordinary-looking bowl of noodles smell so good? Zhu Qi alighted from the carriage, and the escorts guarding the caravan also dismounted. They asked the stall owners to give them a bowl each. The young man listed several flavors in one go. ¡°Sir, we have fragrant and spicy flavor, braised pork ribs flavor, scallions and pork ribs flavor, stewed chicken with mushroom flavor, pickled vegetables and refreshing garlic flavor. Which flavor do you want? Zhu Qi was stunned. He did not expect there to be so many flavors. What was even stranger was that there were only two stoves for boiling water. He thought for a moment. ¡°I¡¯ll have braised pork ribs flavor.¡± The young man smiled professionally. ¡°Alright, please take it. Just fetch hot water over there. ¡® The young man handed him a clean wooden bowl containing a dry noodle piece with some red sauce on it. Zhu Qi was a little confused. ¡°Where are the ribs? Aren¡¯t you going to cook them?¡± He looked like he was questioning whether the noodles could be considered braised pork ribs noodles. The young man chuckled. ¡°Sir, you might not know this, but our noodles are also called instant noodles. You can eat them directly after soaking them in water.¡± ¡°I emphasized just now that it tastes like braised pork ribs. Although there are no pork ribs, our secret formula is definitely made of special pork ribs. I guarantee that after eating it once, you will want to eat it a second time.¡± Zhu Qi¡¯s lips twitched. It was eight copper coins for a bowl of instant noodles. , yet it did not contain much, this was too much. It made him want to set up a stall here too. He was not so vicious. He would sell clear soup noodles for five copper coins instead of eight. Since he had already bought them, Zhu Qi filled the kettle with water and covered it with a wooden board. The servant beside him thoughtfully bought two tea eggs for him. The servant peeled the tea egg and handed it to Zhu Qi. He said ingratiatingly, ¡°Master, this egg is called tea egg. Try it.¡± Zhu Qi picked up the egg in confusion and stared at it. Suddenly, the corners of his mouth curled up. ¡°Tea eggs, instant noodles. The stall owner is a little heartless but the name of the food is not bad.¡± After Zhu Qi finished complaining, he reluctantly put the tea egg into his mouth. With one bite, the fragrance of the tea leaves and the stewed sauce seeped in. The ordinary eggs instantly tasted different. Zhu Qi¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. He had never expected to be able to eat such delicious food on this rural road. If he bought the formula and sold it in his restaurant, he would definitely be able to earn a lot of money. Zhu Qi¡¯s eyes lit up as he took bite after bite of the tea egg, making the servants beside him wonder. What was going on? Wasn¡¯t he quite disdainful just now? Why did he look like he hadn¡¯t eaten for ten days? ¡°Cough¡­¡± Zhu Qi ate too quickly and coughed twice. The servants quickly poured him water. Realizing that the tea eggs were good stuff, Zhu Qi shifted his gaze to the bowl of instant noodles, his eyes filled with anticipation. He estimated that the instant noodles were almost ready, so he took off the wooden board. The rich fragrance of noodles rushed into his nostrils. Zhu Qi took a deep breath and praised, ¡°It really smells like braised pork ribs!¡± He took a sip of the soup first. In an instant, it was as if the top of his head had been opened and many braised pork ribs noodles surged in. Zhu Qi¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as he took a deep breath of the noodles. The instant noodles were strong, refreshing, and chewy. Zhu Qi did not expect the soup to be so delicious. Even the shape and texture of the noodles were so shocking! He finished a bowl of instant noodles and urged the young man, ¡®Give me another bowl of pickled vegetable noodles!¡± As the young man filled his bowl with noodles, he smiled and said, ¡°1 knew it. You will definitely want another bowl after eating.¡± Zhu Qi did not deny that his mind was filled with instant noodles!!! The cook who developed instant noodles and tea leaves must have outstanding skills. Otherwise, he would definitely not be able to develop such delicious food. Zhu Qi couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Where¡¯s your boss?¡± The young man seemed to be used to being asked questions. He smiled and said, ¡°Forget it if you want to buy the formula. Our master doesn¡¯t lack money. He definitely won¡¯t sell it. ¡® Zhu Qi said confidently, ¡°It must be that the others didn¡¯t give enough money! ¡® In the next second, he took out 10 banknotes from his pocket.. ¡°1,000 taels, call your boss over! Chapter 268 - Chapter 268: Why Are You Here! Chapter 268: Why Are You Here! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios 1,000 taels was indeed a lot. If this recipe belonged to the young man, he would definitely sell it. But no, he was just a worker and had never seen the boss behind the business. He shook his head and said, ¡°Sir, you¡¯re making things difficult for me.¡± Zhu Qi gave his servant a look, and a silver ingot worth ten taels was immediately stuffed into the young man¡¯s hand. The young man was overjoyed and hurriedly put it into his sleeve. ¡°I really can¡¯t call my boss over. If you want to look for our boss, you can go to the Dragon Gate Bank and ask Shopkeeper Li. This stall, these instant noodles and tea eggs were all sent over by him.¡± When Zhu Qi heard him mention the Dragon Gate Bank, he was immediately shocked. If the stall owner was the owner of the Dragon Gate Bank, his 1,000 taels would be a joke. Zhu Qi could only pray that this was just a recipe that Shopkeeper Li had unintentionally dug up and privately asked someone to set up the stall. When he brought the caravan to Shopkeeper Li and found out that this was the recipe owned by the owner of the Dragon Gate Bank, he was immediately disappointed. His family business was nothing in front of the Dragon Gate Bank. It was definitely hopeless. In the cold weather, Meng Weiwei¡¯s hands were chained, and her beautiful face was red from the cold. She really couldn¡¯t walk anymore and fell to the ground. The group of women exiled to the Southern Frontier also stopped. Meng Weiwei¡¯s mother, Shen Yueqin, quickly pulled her into her arms and cried, ¡°Weiwei, Weiwei, wake up. Don¡¯t scare me!¡± Meng Weiwei had never suffered since she was young. She cried and said, ¡°Mother, I¡¯m so tired and hungry.¡± Princess Shen had no choice but to cry and beg the constables. ¡°Officer, we¡¯ve been walking for so long today. Can you let us rest? My daughter really can¡¯t walk anymore. ¡® They were all the family and servants of the Yan Kingdom¡¯s royal family. When they were exiled to the Southern Frontier, they would be sold to the soldiers as wives. With Meng Weiwei¡¯s looks, she could be sold for at least 20 taels of silver. The constables could not let anyone die, so they said to the entire team, ¡°Rest on the spot.¡± If they rested on the spot, they would be able to eat porridge or get dry rations. Princess Shen quickly comforted her. ¡°Weiwei, you will be fine after a while. You will be able to eat soon.¡± Meng Weiwei¡¯s stomach hurt. She shouted, ¡°It¡¯s all your fault. It¡¯s all your fault. If you hadn¡¯t wanted to escape from the Imperial City, we wouldn¡¯t have been caught and ended up like this.¡± ¡°If we had surrendered, we wouldn¡¯t have been chased away like dogs! ¡® Princess Shen¡¯s heart ached, but if she had surrendered at that time and Emperor Ling Hui had refused to let go of the Yan Kingdom¡¯s royal bloodline, what could she do? Granny Su, who had accompanied Princess Shen for decades, could not bear to see Meng Weiwei speak to Shen Yueqin like this. ¡°County Mistress, the princess did it all for you at that time!¡± Meng Weiwei covered her ears. ¡°I won¡¯t listen, I won¡¯t listen. I want to eat now! Hurry up and serve it to me!¡± Princess Shen wiped her tears and comforted her continuously. ¡°Soon, we will be fine soon.¡± Suddenly, Meng Weiwei smelled a fragrance. She sat up and vaguely saw a food stall in front of her. She turned around and ordered Granny Su, ¡°Go buy food for me! Hurry up!¡¯ Princess Shen frowned. ¡®Weiwei, we don¡¯t have money.¡± They were no longer the insufferably arrogant royal relatives. Even if they had money, the soldiers wouldn¡¯t let them go. Meng Weiwei refused to stop. Her gaze landed on Granny Su¡¯s face. ¡°She has money!¡± Granny Su had three golden teeth, which were a reward from Princess Shen. Princess Shen was shocked. ¡°Weiwei, how can you be like this?¡± Meng Weiwei sneered. ¡°We gave it to her in the first place. So what if we want it back now!¡¯ It was not that Granny Su was unwilling to give these three golden teeth to Meng Weiwei, but she wanted to use them at the most critical moment to let the princess and county lord escape their status as official slaves. Seeing Granny Su¡¯s hesitation, Meng Weiwei stepped forward and slapped her. ¡°How dare a slave disobey my orders?¡± Meng Weiwei was hungry and did not use much strength, but Granny Su was stunned from the slap. She was an old servant with a relatively high status in the princess¡¯s residence. Meng Weiwei was willful, but she had never lost her composure like that day. Princess Shen covered her face and cried. How could she bear to blame her daughter for not being able to withstand the blow? She could only look at Granny Su apologetically and scold Meng Weiwei, ¡°Don¡¯t mess around.¡± Suddenly, Meng Weiwei was pushed hard and fell to the snow. Meng Weiwei raised her head slightly and widened her eyes. ¡°You dog slave, how dare you touch me!¡± Su Yue looked down at her and sneered. ¡°You still think you¡¯re the county mistress? You¡¯re the same as us now. You¡¯re just an official slave sent to the Southern Frontier to be violated by stinky men. My mother might tolerate you, but I can¡¯t. If you dare to touch my mother again and have designs on my mother¡¯s golden teeth, I¡¯ll make you pay ten times the price!¡± Meng Weiwei was furious. She stood up and wanted to hit Su Yue. ¡°How dare you!¡± In the next second, Su Yue grabbed her hair and smashed her entire face into the snow. The cold snow made Meng Weiwei struggle and scream, but she could not break free from Su Yue. Princess Shen and Granny Su wanted to stop the two of them, but Su Yue pushed them away and they staggered and fell into the snow. Just as Meng Weiwei thought that she was going to die, Su Yue pulled her up and said sinisterly, ¡°I¡¯ll say it again. I¡¯m not joking with you, Meng Weiwei.¡± Meng Weiwei¡¯s eyes were red like a shattered glass beauty. At this moment, she hated Su Yue, Shen Yueqin, Granny Su, and everyone else. Suddenly, an ugly military leader walked over, as if he wanted to teach them a lesson. When Su Yue saw him, she immediately threw Meng Weiwei away and held the leader¡¯s arm. ¡°Brother Wu, I¡¯m hungry.¡± It was as if she really liked him. The head of the soldiers was charmed by Su Yue. He touched her smooth hand and hugged her waist. ¡°There¡¯s no hurry. Let¡¯s go out front and see the scenery. We¡¯ll be able to eat meat when we get back.¡± Su Yue let him pull her into the forest. Granny Su shouted bitterly, ¡®Yue Yue!¡± Su Yue stopped in her tracks, but she did not turn around. Granny Su lowered her eyes in despair, tears crashing into the snow. Her daughter sacrificed herself to the soldiers, and she only knew now. As a mother, she was really useless. Meng Weiwei watched them enter the forest intimately, her mind gradually become twisted. Was this what Su Yue had to be arrogant? She thought that with her beauty, she could be much more arrogant for a few days. It was unknown if it was because she had been beaten up by Su Yue, but in the next few days, Meng Weiwei finally became obedient. She no longer asked for delicacies, nor did she order Granny Su around. Even her delicate face was deliberately hidden. Just as Princess Shen thought that she had restrained her temper, the team entered the territory of Shenping Prefecture and met up with Bai Wutong¡¯s team. Meng Weiwei saw Bai Wutong get out of the carriage and her eyes widened. Why was she here! Bai Wutong keenly caught Meng Weiwei¡¯s abnormal gaze and looked sideways. Meng Weiwei wanted to hide herself, but she accidentally saw the handsome man holding Bai Wutong. Her heart skipped a beat. Chu Tianbao¡¯s sharp gaze was like an unsheathed sword. Meng Weiwei¡¯s heart beat even faster. Chu Tianbao was handsome, so it was normal for women to want to take a second look. But Meng Weiwei made Bai Wutong feel an indescribable dislike.. Chapter 269 - Chapter 269: She Must Take Down Chu Tianbao Chapter 269: She Must Take Down Chu Tianbao Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Meng Weiwei was stunned for a long time. Suddenly, she grabbed Shen Yueqin¡¯s hands and asked anxiously, ¡°Mother, how¡¯s the Bai family now?¡¯ Shen Yueqin asked curiously, ¡°What Bai family?¡± Meng Weiwei tried her best to recall before saying, ¡°It¡¯s that Editor Bai from the library!¡± Editors were just small officials in the Imperial City. Shen Yueqin had no impression of them at all. Meng Weiwei continued, ¡°It¡¯s the Bai family that took in their mistress as soon as the first wife died!¡± At the mention of this, Shen Yueqin remembered that at that time, she had invited someone to her residence to attend the flower festival. After being teased at the flower festival, the Bai family¡¯s second wife never dared to appear in the Imperial City again. Shen Yueqin said, ¡°I remember that when the Ling Kingdom started the war, Editor Bai was assigned to the Jingnan Prefecture to become a magistrate. Now, he¡¯s already a member of the Ling Kingdom. I heard that the concubine that the Eldest Prince married in the Jingnan Prefecture is a female member of the Bai family. A Bai family¡¯s female member had become the Eldest Prince¡¯s secondary consort! What about the daughter then? Meng Weiwei¡¯s pupils constricted as she looked at the inn, confused. But since the other party had seen her, why didn¡¯t she find trouble with her? Could it be that she could not be bothered to be in contact with her and was worried that she would snatch her husband away? Shen Yueqin did not see her daughter¡¯s darkened expression and could not help but sigh. ¡®What goes around comes around.¡± Fortunately, she had only ¡°kindly¡± invited the other party and did not take the lead to target the Bai family. Otherwise, if the Eldest Prince¡¯s secondary consort wanted to settle scores with them, their lives would probably be in danger. Shen Yueqin reacted and asked curiously, ¡°Why are you asking this?¡± Meng Weiwei lowered her eyes to hide her expression. ¡°l was just asking.¡± She had to figure out the situation first. There were many people accompanying Bai Wutong¡¯s carriage. At the front of the carriage were the subordinates of the Southern Frontier¡¯s governor. Staying in the same inn as the governor of the Southern Frontier meant that they knew each other and had a close relationship. Bai Wutong¡¯s carriage looked low-key, but it was actually made of the best wood. Meng Weiwei was even more certain that Chu Tianbao¡¯s identity was extraordinary. It was very likely that he was the son of the governor of the Southern Frontier. But that was just a guess. Meng Weiwei quietly approached Auntie Yang and said pitifully, ¡°Auntie, can you give me a bowl of water? My mother and I haven¡¯t had water for a long time.¡± Aunt Yang looked up. She was a young girl in her teens. Her face was dusty and her mouth was dry and bleeding. She was still wearing cold chains on her wrists. Auntie Yang took pity on her and immediately fetched a bowl of hot water from the pot that she had prepared to cook noodles. ¡°Here, young lady.¡± Meng Weiwei smiled sweetly. ¡°Thank you.¡¯ After Meng Weiwei handed the hot water to Shen Yueqin, she slowly drank it. When Auntie Yang saw this, she couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Why was such a good child so pitiful and was about to be sold to the Southern Frontier? After Meng Weiwei finished drinking, she returned the bowl to Auntie Yang. ¡°Thank you, Auntie. I¡¯ll remember your kindness.¡± Auntie Yang smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s just a bowl of water. Young lady, don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± Meng Weiwei shook her head firmly. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything now. Is Auntie going to the Southern Frontier too? If there¡¯s a chance, I¡¯ll definitely repay you in the future.¡± Her sincere words moved Auntie Yang. She patted her hand and said, ¡®That¡¯s right. We¡¯re going to the Southern Frontier too. Along the way, come find me if you want to drink water.¡± Regardless, they could still afford a bowl of water. Meng Weiwei thought that she had gained Auntie Yang¡¯s trust, so she probed, ¡°Thank you, Auntie. I saw that Auntie went to feed the horse just now. Does that horse belong to your master?¡± Auntie Yang followed her gaze and landed on the carriage. She turned to look at Meng Weiwei again, but there was an imperceptible scrutiny on her face. Chu Tianbao and Bai Wutong were outstanding-looking. There would always be people with ill intentions who wanted to get close to them. Auntie Yang and the others had seen too much, so their vigilance was extraordinarily high. Auntie Yang asked back, ¡®Why are you asking this?¡± Meng Weiwei was slightly stunned. Her heart beat quickly as she smiled awkwardly. ¡°I was just asking.¡± Meng Weiwei kept saying that she wanted to thank her but she was actually trying to dig up on Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao¡¯s backgrounds. She was clearly a scheming girl. She thought that Auntie Yang was a country old lady who knew nothing and deliberately approached her to get information from her. Auntie Yang¡¯s gaze instantly turned cold. ¡°What about you? Why are you exiled to the Southern Frontier?¡± Meng Weiwei was slightly stunned. She did not know why she was the one ended up being interrogated by Auntie Yang when she was the one who first asked the questions. However, she could not arouse Auntie Yang¡¯s suspicion yet. She said sadly, ¡®We¡¯re members from the side family of the royal family. Since Emperor Ling Hui has given the orders, we have no choice but to obey.¡± As she spoke, Meng Weiwei really teared and looked very pitiful. However, Auntie Yang became even more alarmed. The members of the royal family were naturally used to living a good life. Now that she had been demoted to an official slave in the Southern Frontier, she must be anxious to get rid of this identity. It made sense why she wanted to ask about Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao. Auntie Yang¡¯s eyes flashed quickly. She had to tell Madam Bai as soon as possible, so as not to let someone with ulterior motives find an opportunity behind her back to sow discord between her and Chu Tianbao. Auntie Yang comforted Meng Weiwei perfunctorily and immediately found an excuse to leave. Meng Weiwei did not get anything out of Auntie Yang. She gritted her teeth and could only change her target. Auntie Yang entered the inn as if she had expected it. Qingfeng led her into the room of Bai Wutong. When Chu Tianbao was not around, Auntie Yang said, ¡°Madam Bai, I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m thinking too much. That young lady seems to be especially interested in you and Master Chu.¡¯ The thought of Meng Weiwei disgusted Bai Wutong. ¡°What did she say?¡¯ Auntie Yang said, ¡°I dodged all the questions she wanted to ask. However, I found out from her that she¡¯s a female members of the previous dynasty¡¯s royal family.¡± She specially reminded, ¡°I heard that the female members have to be sent to the Southern Frontier to be the wives of the soldiers.¡± The young lady was proud and arrogant, so she was naturally unwilling. Bai Wutong raised her eyebrows and suddenly smiled. ¡°Thank you, Auntie Yang. I know what to do. The royal family of the previous dynasty has long ceased to exist. The young lady is young, so it¡¯s normal for her not to realise what¡¯s reality.¡± Auntie Yang had said everything she needed to say. Bai Wutong knew what to do and Auntie Yang could be at ease. She smiled and said, ¡®Then I¡¯ll go back.¡± Bai Wutong nodded. After Auntie Yang went out, she stood on the windowsill and looked down. Meng Weiwei had approached Madam Qu¡¯s second daughter-in-law. Unfortunately, He Chunbai saw that she was wearing chains and chased her away with a look of disdain. She did not give up and asked anyone as long as she could find out anything about the two of them. Everyone looked at her as if they were guarding against thieves. Only then did Meng Weiwei understand that she had thought that she had disguised herself well. Auntie Yang had probably seen through her and informed the rest. She stood rooted to the ground and stomped her feet hatefully. She looked up and met the cold gaze of Bai Wutong. In an instant, she felt as if she had been stripped naked and had nowhere to hide. At this point, what was the use of shame? Meng Weiwei turned around fiercely. She had to take down Chu Tianbao.. Chapter 270 - Chapter 270: If It Doesn’t Work, I’ll Be His Mother! Chapter 270: If It Doesn¡¯t Work, I¡¯ll Be His Mother! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The more Meng Weiwei could not find out Chu Tianbao¡¯s identity, the more certain she was of her guess. Even if Chu Tianbao was not the son of the governor of the Southern Frontier, his status was definitely not low. She could not approach Chu Tianbao herself and could only rely on others. Meng Weiwei thought about it and gritted her teeth to find Su Yue. Su Yue had long understand her intentions behind all her small actions. The corners of her mouth curled up in disdain, and her face was filled with mockery. ¡°County Mistress, I did not expect that you would have a day wanting to seduce a man. It¡¯s really an eye-opener for me!¡± Meng Weiwei was dying to tear Su Yue apart and drink her blood. But now that she wanted to get close to Chu Tianbao, she could only choose to cooperate with Su Yue. She suppressed her temper and said coldly, ¡°Do you think you can be arrogant for more days? No matter how much Wu Chui likes you, you¡¯re just an official slave. When he gets tired of sleeping with you along the way, do you think you¡¯ll still have a good life?¡± ¡°An official slave who has lost her virginity will only be despised even more!¡± In just a few days, Meng Weiwei seemed to have become a different person. Su Yue¡¯s sore spot was hit. She threatened sinisterly, ¡°Do you believe that I can turn you into a withered flower right now?! Meng Weiwei was not afraid and laughed instead. ¡°Don¡¯t be in a hurry to threaten me. As long as you listen to me, I can make him marry you, and you¡¯ll be his first wife.¡± ¡®Wu Chui is an official after all. When you marry him, you¡¯ll be an official¡¯s wife. You have to know that even in the past, you could only be worthy of being a servant.¡± Su Yue sneered. ¡°On what basis are you saying this?¡± Meng Weiwei turned slightly. ¡°Believe it or not. ¡® Su Yue thought about it carefully. Meng Weiwei would not dare to lie to her at this point, so she stopped her. ¡°Tell me, what is your plan?¡± Meng Weiwei knew that Su Yue would agree. She turned around and slowly explained her plan. ¡°The journey to the Southern Frontier is long. How can a big shot not have a beautiful woman by his side? As long as you get Wu Chui to send me over, I will win the favor of the governor. Wu Chui will be promoted and he will favor you, then he will naturally marry you.¡± ¡°Even if he¡¯s unwilling, as long as I persuade the governor, Wu Chui has to do it. ¡® No matter how stupid Su Yue was, she understood that Meng Weiwei wanted to use her as a stepping stone. ¡®What confidence do you have that the Governor will take you?¡± Meng Weiwei puffed out her chest slightly. ¡°Because I¡¯m the county mistress of Leyang County.¡± Any man would probably want to taste the royal bloodline. Su Yue¡¯s expression changed as if she did not know Meng Weiwei. ¡°I beat you up before. What if you take revenge on me after you succeed?¡± Meng Weiwei smiled and said, ¡°If I succeed, you¡¯ll be my benefactor. I know how to repay kindness. How can I do such a thing? Isn¡¯t it good for us to reconcile and have a bright future together?¡± Meng Weiwei had a beautiful figure and a delicate appearance. She was also a county mistress. Wu Chui had secretly laid his eyes on her a few times. If not for the fact that he was worried that there would be checks on the women, he would have long taken Meng Weiwei. Meng Weiwei would be a threat sooner or later if she stayed under his nose. Su Yue finally nodded and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll help you!¡± After Su Yue agreed, Meng Weiwei nodded without changing her expression, her hands clenched in her sleeves. If the first step was successful, victory was not far away. Su Yue told Wu Chui what Meng Weiwei had said. Wu Chui was worried about how to please the governor and praised Su Yue, ¡°You¡¯re really my darling.¡± He was impatient and was about to choose a beautiful female as her companion. Su Yue snorted shyly and grabbed his arm. ¡°That won¡¯t do. We have to prepare clothes for them. It¡¯s best ifwe can find a zither for Meng Weiwei to showcase her talents and make the governor happy.¡± Wu Chui hugged Su Yue and kissed her. ¡°You¡¯re right! I¡¯ll get someone to prepare it now! ¡± In order to curry favor with You Huaijie, Wu Chui was very efficient. Soon, he selected eight outstanding young ladies from the group. Other than those that You Huaijie liked, if the governor liked the other women in the inn, it would be better than giving them to the smelly soldiers. Meng Weiwei put on a thin and elegant dress and held a long zither in her hand. Her face and figure was really one of the best. However, one of the lady beside, the daughter of the previous Minister of Rites, Yuan Mengyao, easily surpassed Meng Weiwei in terms of ethereal temperament. Su Yue frowned, very doubtful that Meng Weiwei could win the heart of the governor. Even if Yuan Mengyao didn¡¯t show off her talents, her face could make people fall head over heels for her. Meng Weiwei was not worried at all, because her original goal was not You Huaijie, who was over 50 years old, but the young and handsome Chu Tianbao. If she could not tempt Chu Tianbao, she would be his mother! There was a stage in the middle of the inn that was suitable for Meng Weiwei to appear. Bai Wutong, Chu Tianbao, and the others were eating in the hall. Suddenly, the melodious sound of the zither sounded, and everyone looked up. Meng Weiwei was gentle as water as she stared at Chu Tianbao affectionately. The moment Chu Tianbao looked up, he retracted his gaze and picked up some food to place into Bai Wutong¡¯s bowl. As Bai Wutong ate from her bowl, she listened to the zither with interest. The county mistress indeed had some skills. But she was much inferior to Cui Lingyi. Meng Weiwei¡¯s zither skills, which she was proud of, did not attract Chu Tianbao¡¯s attention for a second. Instead, she met the smiling gaze of Bai Wutong. In an instant, she felt like a prostitute who was performing on stage. Her emotions were in a mess, and her music was also in a mess. Wu Chui finally met You Huaijie and smiled ingratiatingly. ¡°Sir, it¡¯s a long journey. I¡¯ve specially prepared a show for you to relax.¡± You Huaijie looked at him without batting an eyelid. His two dark eyes made Wu Chui panic and he hurriedly added. ¡°I specially arranged it. Everyone will be watching it together. Sir, you don¡¯t have to worry that it will reach the ears of others. ¡® You Huaijie said in a deep voice, ¡°Get them off!¡± Wu Chui panicked. Could it be that he had gone overboard? Unwilling to give up, he probed, ¡°Does my lord not like it?¡± He pointed at the delicate girl on the stage. Any man would be tempted, right? Besides, You Huaijie did not bring any women to the Southern Frontier. You Huaijie said with dignity, ¡°Don¡¯t you understand what I¡¯m saying? ¡® Wu Chui was scared out of his wits and hurriedly said, ¡°Sir, calm down. I¡¯ll get them off now!¡± Meng Weiwei hoped that Chu Tianbao would look at her, but she was pulled off the stage. She struggled with all her might and wanted to pounce in front of Chu Tianbao. ¡°Young Master, save me!¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s expression darkened. He picked up Bai Wutong and raised his long legs. In the next second, Meng Weiwei was kicked out. ¡°Bang¡ª¡± She smashed against the screen behind the stage. The other seven women waiting backstage instantly ran out in shock. Meng Weiwei held her chest and looked at Bai Wutong in Chu Tianbao¡¯s arms indignantly. Her eyes rolled back and she fainted. In the chaos, Sheng Huaixuan saw Yuan Mengyao. They had met once before. Sheng Huaixuan walked forward and greeted politely, ¡®Miss Yuan, how have you been?¡± The moment Yuan Mengyao saw Sheng Huaixuan, her indifferent eyes moistened. ¡°Young Master Sheng, why are you here?¡¯ When she met an old friend in a foreign land, her voice trembled no matter how hard she tried to control it. They looked at each other in the chaotic environment. Yuan Mengyao¡¯s eyes flashed, and Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s gentle words were like as though they were a couple who had reunited after a long time. Cui Lingyi took a look and looked away. She picked up a meatball and placed into Stinky¡¯s bowl.. Chapter 271 - Chapter 271: Sacrificing One’s Happiness to Help Someone Else Chapter 271: Sacrificing One¡¯s Happiness to Help Someone Else Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After Chu Tianbao kicked Meng Weiwei unconscious, Wu Chui was exasperated. Even if Meng Weiwei couldn¡¯t get close to You Huaijie, she was worth at least 20 taels of silver. If she had died, she would become worthless. Wu Chui hurriedly ran over to help Meng Weiwei up and checked her breathing. He immediately heaved a sigh of relief. Fortunately, she was still alive. Wu Chui got someone to call the accompanying doctor over. His gaze landed on Chu Tianbao, and his gaze was malicious. ¡°How dare you hurt someone!¡± Meng Weiwei was handcuffed and could only ask around about Chu Tianbao¡¯s identity. But Wu Chui was different. He was an official after all. After asking around, he knew that the noble-looking Chu Tianbao was just a refugee. How could a refugee dare to touch his people? Chu Tianbao put Bai Wutong down and ignored Wu Chui. ¡°Wife, let¡¯s go back to our room to eat.¡± Bai Wutong glanced at Wu Chui whose face alternated between green and white and smiled. ¡°Okay.¡± Chu Tianbao was acting all lovey-dovey in front of him and in his arms was a peerless beauty. It was unbearable! Wu Chui roared, ¡®You deliberately injured someone. Arrest him!¡¯ As soon as he finished speaking, You Huaijie appeared with a dark expression. Behind him were dozens of soldiers. Wu Chui was shocked. Could they be related to You Huaijie? Why hadn¡¯t he heard of them? Wu Chui¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He hurriedly said obsequiously, ¡°Governor, it¡¯s all a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding!¡¯ He pointed at the unconscious Meng Weiwei and said nonsense, ¡°It¡¯s all her fault for having ill intentions towards Young Master and his wife. Young Master, you did great in kicking her!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bring her back now and punish her severely!¡± You Huaijie waved his hand. ¡°Wu Chui used his official power to force the exiled women to perform on stage. It destroyed my reputation and tainted the Imperial Court. There is conclusive evidence. Arrest him!¡± Wu Chui suddenly widened his eyes and shouted, ¡°Sir! Sir! I don¡¯t mean that. I just want everyone to relax. I really have good intentions!¡± You Huaijie sneered. ¡°Do you really think I¡¯m a fool?!¡¯ Wu Chui still wanted to defend himself. In the next second, the soldier covered his mouth and tied him up firmly with a rope. Wu Chui struggled in panic, but it was useless. He was filled with regret and hatred for Su Yue. If she hadn¡¯t come up with a bad idea to present a beauty to You Huaijie, how could he have ended up like this? Su Yue watched as Wu Chui was tied up by the soldier. When she met his cold gaze, she immediately trembled. With Wu Chui captured, there were still two months to go to the Southern Frontier. Could she still have a good life along the way? Su Yue was anxious and hated the unconscious Meng Weiwei. When Meng Weiwei woke up, the team led by Wu Chui had also been taken over by You Huaijie. Her chest was still aching. Thinking of Chu Tianbao¡¯s cold gaze and indifferent expression, and how he kicked her without hesitation, in an instant, her heart hurt even more than her chest. Shen Yueqin asked nervously, ¡®Weiwei, are you alright? Don¡¯t scare me!¡± The moment she saw Meng Weiwei being carried out, Shen Yueqin¡¯s heart collapsed and she almost fainted. ¡°Mother Meng Weiwei lay in Shen Yueqin¡¯s arms uncomfortably and sobbed silently. At this moment, Su Yue walked over with a cold expression. After witnessing Su Yue¡¯s ruthless methods, Shen Yueqin hurriedly warned in a low voice, ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± She was ready to protect her precious daughter. Meng Weiwei was feeling terrible when she saw Su Yue. ¡°Get lost!¡¯ Su Yue curled her lips and smiled sinisterly. ¡°You want me to get lost? Who do you think you are now!¡± Meng Weiwei said, ¡°What am I? I¡¯m cleaner than you now!¡± Instead of being angry, Su Yue laughed. ¡°Clean? County mistress, you really have the cheek to say this. You worked hard for nothing. You didn¡¯t expect that I would have sacrificed myself for someone else, right?¡± Meng Weiwei looked at her sharply. ¡°What did you say? Who did you sacrifice for? Tell me clearly! Meng Weiwei refused and even deliberately said to Shen Yueqin, ¡°Your daughter failed to seduce a man on purpose and was beaten up instead!¡± ¡°Oh, right, she was the one who asked me to give Wu Chui the idea of presenting a beauty. Tsk tsk, she¡¯s so scheming. It¡¯s a pity that she didn¡¯t succeed in seducing a man. Shen Yueqin looked at Meng Weiwei in disbelief. She did not believe that her daughter would do such a thing. Meng Weiwei stood up without a care. ¡®What did you mean just now? Who did you sacrifice for?!¡± As soon as these words were spoken, Shen Yueqin¡¯s face turned pale. She had to believe it even if she didn¡¯t want to. What Su Yue said was true! Did Weiwei know that she could only be a concubine if she had done this?! Meng Weiwei did not care about Shen Yueqin¡¯s sadness. She only wanted to know who she had married! Meng Weiwei¡¯s loss of composure and the ferocious expression on her face finally made Su Yue feel better. So what if she had a noble background? She was no different from her if she fell into the mud. She took two steps forward and said, ¡°If you want to know, go take a look.¡± Meng Weiwei ignored Shen Yueqin, who was trying to stop her, and staggered out. She saw that Wu Mengyao and her personal maidservant had their chains removed. Beside them stood a handsome man with an elegant aura. Meng Weiwei heaved a sigh of relief when she saw that it was not Chu Tianbao. In the next second, she became jealous again. Why was it that Wu Mengyao had someone to redeem her but she, the county mistress, did not? Not only did Sheng Huaixuan redeem Wu Mengyao and her maidservant, but he also went to the other group to redeem Wu Mengyao¡¯s father and brother. Wu Ji was shocked when he saw Sheng Huaixuan. He quickly thanked him and bowed. ¡°Thank you, Young Master Sheng, for saving my entire family.¡± He and Hao¡¯er were both men. It was fine even if they were exiled to the Southern Frontier to do manual labor. However, when he thought of what his daughter would encounter in the future, Wu Ji¡¯s heart ached. Unexpectedly, Sheng Huaixuan, who had saved his daughter at the temple previously, appeared again to save their entire family. Wu Ji was really grateful to Sheng Huaixuan. If not for the fact that he knew that Sheng Huaixuan was already married, he would have entrusted his daughter to him. Sheng Huaixuan shook his head. ¡°Lord Wu, you¡¯re too polite. It¡¯s nothing.¡± Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s helping hand had changed the fate of their entire family. Even if they still had to go to the Southern Frontier to settle down, they would no longer be the lowest-level official slaves. Wu Ji thanked him solemnly again. ¡°Young Master Sheng, I will never forget your kindness!¡± Sheng Huaixuan smiled, like a breeze that tugged at one¡¯s heartstrings. Wu Mengyao¡¯s heart skipped a beat before she hurriedly looked away. Although they had been saved, Sheng Huaixuan had no intention of keeping them by his side. He only asked the servants to prepare some necessities for them. When Meng Weiwei saw that Wu Mengyao had a tent to stay in and was wearing thick clothes, her gaze landed on Wu Hao¡¯s face and she immediately had an idea. She remembered that Wu Hao seemed to like her! Chapter 272 - Chapter 272: Is It Because of Her? Chapter 272: Is It Because of Her? Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios When Sheng Huaixuan returned to the inn, Lin Yue approached him. Sheng Huaixuan asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Young Master?¡¯ Lin Yue said, ¡°He¡¯s playing in Madam Cui¡¯s room.¡± Sheng Huaixuan nodded. ¡®Then I¡¯ll pick him up later.¡¯ He did not feel that there was anything wrong with handing Stinky over to Cui Lingyi. Lin Yue wanted to say something, but after thinking about it, he said nothing. Everyone liked Stinky, so no one thought too much about it. Lin Yue looked out of the inn and said, ¡°1 thought Master wanted to keep Miss Wu and the others by your side?¡± Sheng Huaixuan was very sharp. He sensed that Lin Yue meant something else in his words and raised his eyebrows. ¡°Why would I keep them? We are just acquaintances.¡± Lin Yue shook his head. ¡°There are many people who are acquaintances. I usually don¡¯t see Master being helpful.¡± Moreover, he had saved that lady twice. Sheng Huaixuan smiled helplessly and explained, ¡°I saved her back then so that it would be much more convenient for me to do things in the capital.¡± Lin Yue was enlightened. He knew it. Why would Sheng Huaixuan be a busybody? He beamed. ¡°I see.¡± Sheng Huaixuan looked at him. ¡°Then what do you think?¡± Lin Yue chuckled and gave a vague reply, ¡°Let¡¯s go pick up Young Master quickly. Madam Cui has to rest too.¡± Stinky was at his most mischievous stage, so Cui Lingyi might be tired out by him. Sheng Huaixuan nodded. ¡®Then let¡¯s go now.¡± Lin Yue¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Alright.¡± When they arrived outside Cui Lingyi¡¯s room, a childish voice came from inside. ¡°Auntie Cui, Xiaobai bit my butt.¡± Cui Lingyi asked nervously, ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Stinky chuckled. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt. I bit it back.¡± Cui Lingyi was stunned for a moment. Her pleasant voice was filled with laughter. ¡°No wonder your mouth is full of fur.¡± ¡°Of course! ¡± Sheng Huaixuan chuckled. Even without going in, he could imagine Stinky¡¯s smug and chubby face. Sheng Huaixuan knocked gently on the door. Cui Lingyi opened the door and a baby and a wolf stuck their heads out from behind her. ¡°Father Sheng Huaixuan picked up the cheerful Stinky and said politely to Cui Lingyi, ¡°Thank you, Madam Cui.¡± Cui Lingyi said indifferently, ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Her expression was the same as usual. However, Sheng Huaixuan felt that she seemed a little angry. Before Cui Lingyi closed the door, Sheng Huaixuan couldn¡¯t help but ask carefully, ¡°Madam Cui, are you feeling unwell?¡¯ Cui Lingyi replied normally without revealing anything, ¡°No.¡± Cui Lingyi closed the door. Sheng Huaixuan stood where he was, looking confused. Stinky suddenly said something shocking. ¡°Father, you made Auntie angry.¡± Sheng Huaixuan looked at his son in surprise. ¡®What?¡± Stinky chuckled foolishly. ¡°Auntie doesn¡¯t like Daddy. She¡¯ll only like me in the future.¡¯ Sheng Huaixuan: ¡°¡­Don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡¯ Stinky pouted. ¡°l was not talking nonsense.¡± Sheng Huaixuan was speechless. He looked like he wanted to flare up. Lin Yue quickly took Stinky from Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s arms. ¡°Master, I¡¯ll bring Young Master to bed.¡± Lin Yue quickly ran away with Stinky, leaving Sheng Huaixuan in the corridor in deep thoughts. After a long time, he glanced at Cui Lingyi¡¯s door with a complicated expression. He was just an ordinary person. How could he be worthy¡­ Wu Hao was learning how to build a tent from Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s servants. Suddenly, a voice akin to that of an oriole sounded in his ear. ¡°Young Master Wu Hao.¡± Wu Hao suddenly turned around and saw Meng Weiwei looking at him affectionately. Her big glass-like eyes shone with a moving light. Wu Hao¡¯s quiet heart started to burn again. ¡°County Mistress?¡± Meng Weiwei¡¯s voice trembled. ¡°Young Master Wu Hao, I¡¯m so cold. ¡® Wu Hao immediately took off the cloak that Sheng Huaixuan had given them and handed it to Meng Weiwei. However, Meng Weiwei did not reach out, as if her limbs were paralyzed from the cold. Wu Hao¡¯s gaze landed on her snow-white neck. His throat tightened. He quickly closed his eyes and fumbled to fasten it for her. ¡°Sorry for being disrepectful, County Mistress.¡± As if it was unintentional, Meng Weiwei turned her head. Wu Hao¡¯s fingertips suddenly touched the cold and soft skin and he hurriedly retracted his hand. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡± The cloak fell to the ground before it could be fastened. Meng Weiwei leaned closer to him. The young lady¡¯s unique fragrance could be smelled distinctly. Wu Hao¡¯s ears were red and he did not dare to look Meng Weiwei in the eye. ¡°You and I already have skin contact. Young Master Wu Hao, don¡¯t you want to take responsibility for me?¡¯ Her low voice was filled with indescribable shyness. It took a lot of courage for her to say this. At this moment, Wu Hao firmly believed that they were in a mutual relationship. He suddenly looked up and mustered his courage. ¡°l will definitely be responsible for the county mistress!¡± Meng Weiwei met his sincere gaze and was stunned for a moment. If he was still the legitimate son of the Minister of Rites, it might not be bad to marry him. Unfortunately, he was nothing now. Meng Weiwei¡¯s eyes suddenly turned red. ¡®Ihvvo large teardrops fell, making her look pitiful. Wu Hao immediately panicked. ¡®Weiwei, don¡¯t cry. I was wrong. I shouldn¡¯t have been rude to you.¡± Meng Weiwei said aggrievedly, ¡°You said you would marry me. How are you going to marry me? You can¡¯t even redeem my mother now.¡± Wu Hao¡¯s expression was filled with helplessness. He really could not do anything now. Suddenly, his gaze landed on the cloak. He said excitedly, ¡®Weiwei, wait. I¡¯ll be able to redeem you and the princess soon. We¡¯ll get married after we settle down!¡± Meng Weiwei smiled through her tears. ¡°Really? Can you really redeem my mother and me now? What can you do?¡± Wu Hao said, ¡°l can borrow money from Young Master Sheng, who redeemed us. If I can get the money, I can redeem you and the princess. ¡® Meng Weiwei thought quickly and said pitifully, ¡°What about my father? What should I do about my father?¡¯ Wu Hao thought about it. Since he was borrowing money anyway, he would borrow more. After he settled down, he would have a way to repay the money. Wu Hao agreed immediately. ¡°I¡¯ll redeem him too. Don¡¯t worry!¡± Meng Weiwei finally smiled sincerely. ¡°Thank you, Brother Hao.¡± Hearing her call him Brother Hao, Wu Hao felt as sweet as if he had eaten honey. ¡°We¡¯ll be a family in the future. I¡¯ll treat you well. ¡® He wanted to take her cold red hand, but he was afraid of scaring her, so he forced himself to restrain himself. Meng Weiwei saw through his intentions and took the initiative to hold his hand. ¡°Thank you, Brother Hao. Fortunately, I have you!¡± She had to give Wu Hao enough returns to make him obedient. It would not be too late to dump him after she redeemed herself and successfully arrived at the Southern Frontier. Wu Hao did not expect her to be so proactive. Filled with joy, he immediately found Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s servant and asked to see him. Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s servants returned and told him about this. Sheng Huaixuan had no intention of seeing them. He waved his hand. ¡°I¡¯m not meeting them, let¡¯s not go back there again.¡± Wu Hao waited for Sheng Huaixuan to arrive but he did not come. When he was lighting the firewood, he almost burned his sleeping bag. Wu Ji could tell that something was wrong with his son and hurriedly asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Wu Hao asked angrily, ¡°Father, why is Young Master Sheng unwilling to see us again?¡± Hearing her brother¡¯s words, Wu Mengyao lowered her eyes in disappointment. Was it because of her? Chapter 273 - Chapter 273: I Won’t Believe You Chapter 273: I Won¡¯t Believe You Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Wu Ji frowned and said, ¡°Young Master Sheng has already helped us a lot. Don¡¯t trouble him if there¡¯s nothing else.¡± Sheng Huaixuan gave them the daily necessities they needed on the way and 20 taels of silver as cash. If they used it sparingly along the way, they should be able to buy a small house in the Southern Frontier. Wu Hao did not want to trouble Sheng Huaixuan, but if he did not, he really did not know how to redeem Meng Weiwei¡¯s entire family. Wu Hao nodded distractedly and made up his mind to wait for Sheng Huaixuan at the entrance of the inn the next morning. If Sheng Huaixuan was unwilling to lend him money, he would beg his father to temporarily take out 20 taels of silver to redeem Meng Weiwei. As for Meng Weiwei¡¯s parents, he would think of other ways on the way. Wu Ji¡¯s family were people who had not done any chores before. Even if Sheng Huaixuan gave them instant noodles, they still did not know how to cook instant noodles. Fortunately, Sheng Huaixuan was considerate and meticulous. He specially redeemed a capable maidservant, Little Huan, for Wu Mengyao. Little Huan originally thought that she would never see any hope in her life. In the end, Sheng Huaixuan redeemed her and made her Wu Mengyao¡¯s personal maidservant. She swore that she would definitely be loyal to Wu Mengyao. When Wu Mengyao saw Little Huan picking up the firewood efficiently, she was stunned and could not help but smile. He was always so considerate. Little Huan boiled the noodles. Soon, a pot of hot instant noodles was out of the pot. The rumbling sound in the pot made the four people sitting in front of the pot swallow their saliva. This delicious instant noodles was the best meal they had on the way. Meng Weiwei, who was chewing on a cold steamed bun and secretly staring at Wu Hao, was extremely envious, but she could not go over yet. She had to prevent Wu Ji and Wu Mengyao from feeling disgusted at her, which would prevent Wu Hao from redeeming her. Wu Hao got up before the sky was bright. He arrived at the entrance of the inn, but the soldiers did not let him approach. Wu Hao could only watch from the periphery, hoping that Sheng Huaixuan would notice him at first glance. He waited and waited. Under the escort of the soldiers, the Governor got into the carriage. Only then did Sheng Huaixuan follow the others out of the inn. They had set off too early. After Stinky had breakfast, he fell asleep on Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s shoulder. Sheng Huaixuan covered him with a blanket to prevent the cold wind from blowing at him. When Wu Hao saw Sheng Huaixuan in the crowd, he immediately shouted excitedly, ¡°Young Master Sheng! Old Master Sheng! I have a favor to ask!¡± Stinky felt a little uncomfortable lying down and slid into Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s arms as if he had no spine. Sheng Huaixuan glanced at Stinky and heard Wu Hao shout, ¡°Young Master Sheng, I really have something to ask of you!¡± Sheng Huaixuan had already given them the greatest help. But Wu Hao had come looking for him, without caring about the inconvenience of carrying a child in his arms. Sheng Huaixuan lowered his eyes and stepped into the carriage. The carriage¡¯s soundproofing was very good, and Wu Hao¡¯s shout was immediately silenced. When Wu Hao saw Sheng Huaixuan get into the carriage and ignore him, he was more anxious and somewhat angry. Even if he was not the legitimate son of the Minister of Rites, Sheng Huaixuan was a businessman. What right did he have to look down on him? Wu Hao knew that he shouldn¡¯t think that way, but he couldn¡¯t help it. If he couldn¡¯t borrow the money, how could he ask his father and explain to Meng Weiwei? Just as Wu Hao was in despair, a familiar figure appeared in front of him. Wu Hao¡¯s eyes lit up. He jumped up and waved his hand, shouting, ¡°Uncle Cui!!¡± Cui Shize heard someone calling him. He turned around and saw Wu Hao, who had become much thinner. Cui Shize and Wu Ji were good friends in the imperial court. The two of them had the same political will and were equally loyal to the Yan Kingdom¡¯s Emperor. When Emperor Ling Hui broke through the city gate, Wu Ji did not surrender. That was why his family was punished and sent to the Southern Frontier. Cui Lingyi and Wu Mengyao were five years apart. Both of them had quiet personalities. When Cui Shize and Wu Ji were on good terms, Cui Lingyi was already married. When she saw Wu Mengyao, she did not know that Wu Mengyao was Wu Ji¡¯s daughter. Why was Wu Hao here? Cui Shize almost thought that he was seeing things. He walked over excitedly. ¡°Wu Hao? Where¡¯s your father?¡¯ In the dark, there was light. Wu Haohao said even more excitedly than Cui Shize, ¡°Uncle Cui, my father is packing his bags at the side and preparing to leave for the road!¡± Cui Shize said, ¡°Quickly bring me to see your father!¡± Wu Hao nodded and said hesitantly, ¡°Uncle Cui, can you lend me 60 taels of silver now? I really have no choice. I can write you an IOU. When we settle down in the Southern Frontier, I¡¯ll work hard to earn money to return it to you!¡± Wu Hao was familiar with the four classics and five scriptures. Even though he was not proficient in the Six Arts, he was above average and thought that he definitely had the ability to support his family. Seeing him like this, Cui Shize thought that he must have suffered a lot on the way. Without hesitation, he immediately got someone to give him 60 taels of silver. After receiving the silver, Wu Hao immediately brought Cui Shize to Wu Ji. While Cui Shize and Wu Ji were exclaiming at their reunion, Wu Hao quickly found the leader of the female soldiers and asked to redeem Meng Weiwei and Shen Yueqin. If Wu Chui had not been captured by You Huaijie, it would be absolutely impossible for Wu Hao to use 20 taels of silver to redeem the most outstanding beauty in the team. However, Wu Chui was taken away. After the leader of the soldiers confirmed that Wu Hao was an immigrant to the Southern Frontier and asked him to sign the agreement, he removed the handcuffs on Meng Weiwei and Shen Yueqin. After Meng Weiwei and Shen Yueqin regained their freedom, they immediately followed Wu Hao to the men¡¯s team to redeem Meng Ge. Granny Su stood rooted to the ground in a daze as Su Yue mocked her again. ¡°This is the good master you¡¯ve been serving your entire life. Tsk tsk, no matter how loyal you are, and how you don¡¯t even care about your daughter, you¡¯re just a dog that they casually threw away.¡± Granny Su cried silently. She walked to a corner and suddenly raised a stone to her face. Su Yue shouted in shock, ¡°You¡¯re crazy!¡± Granny Su raised her scarred face and took out three golden teeth from her mouth with her hand. She looked like she was crying and laughing at the same time. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to you. Take these three golden teeth and redeem yourself. Find a good family and marry. You don¡¯t have to care about me in the future.¡± Su Yue looked at her hatefully. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll forgive you like this? Dream on! Am I something you can satisfy your guilt this easily?¡¯ Granny Su shook her head in pain. ¡°l don¡¯t mean that.¡± She also wanted to give everything to Su Yue, but she had also received the princess¡¯s lifelong favor. Su Yue shouted with a trembling voice, ¡°l don¡¯t believe you!¡± She ran away. Granny Su looked at the three bloody golden teeth in her hand and stood up with tears running down her face. The golden teeth had already been pulled out. It was definitely not safe to keep them on her. With her back hunched, she found the leader of the soldiers and said, ¡°1 want to redeem my daughter, Su Yue.¡± Three golden teeth could be exchanged for about 25 taels of silver, which was just enough to redeem Su Yue and leave some silver for her expenses on the way. The leader of the soldiers brought her the contract. Granny Su signed it and took a closer look. Her eyes were filled with tears as she kept it like a treasure. Her daughter was finally no longer a servant.. Chapter 274 - Chapter 274: I Don’t Admit This Marriage Chapter 274: I Don¡¯t Admit This Marriage Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios When Wu Hao appeared with Meng Weiwei and her family, Cui Shize had already gotten into the carriage and set off. When Wu Ji saw them, his gaze landed on Meng Weiwei¡¯s hands that had the handcuffs removed. He immediately lowered his eyes. ¡°Hao¡¯er, what¡¯s going When Wu Hao was in the Imperial City, he had already liked the beautiful Meng Weiwei. Because of Meng Weiwei¡¯s identity and spoiled personality, Wu Ji did not agree, so Wu Hao could only hide his feelings in his heart. But it was different now. Meng Weiwei was a commoner like them. Wu Hao thought that Wu Ji would definitely agree to this marriage. Wu Hao introduced happily, ¡°Father, Weiwei will be a family with us in the future. When we reach the Southern Frontier, Weiwei will marry me.¡± As soon as these words were spoken, Wu Ji¡¯s expression immediately changed. ¡°Nonsense! How can marriage be child¡¯s play!¡¯ Meng Ge was also unhappy and sneered. ¡°Even if you agree, I won¡¯t agree! Without three matchmakers and six betrothal gifts, how can it be so easy to marry my daughter just by redeeming her?! ¡± Wu Hao panicked and hurriedly said, ¡°Uncle Meng, I¡¯ll work hard. I¡¯ll definitely let Weiwei live a good life. Meng Ge ignored Wu Ji, who was about to flare up, and ordered Wu Hao, ¡®Then show some sincerity now. Without a carriage, how can Weiwei go on her way!¡¯ Wu Ji took a while to recover and finally thought of the key point. He looked at Wu Hao in exasperation. ¡®What¡¯s going on? Where did you get the money?¡± Wu Hao did not have a single copper coin on him. Hearing Wu Ji¡¯s words, Wu Mengyao also frowned. Could his brother have borrowed money from Sheng Huaixuan to redeem Meng Weiwei?! In an instant, her heart sank. Wu Hao stammered but still did not say anything. Wu Ji was furious. ¡°Speak! ¡± Wu Hao made up his mind and gritted his teeth. ¡°Father, I borrowed money from Uncle Cui, but don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely repay Uncle Cui double in the future!¡± As soon as they met, Wu Hao borrowed money from Cui Shize. Wu Ji was almost angered to death by him. However, Wu Hao had already redeemed the people, and he could not return the money for a while. Wu Ji could only fling his sleeve and say angrily, ¡°I won¡¯t acknowledge this marriage, but you still have to return the ransom!¡± Wu Hao was not in charge and did not know how expensive wood and rice were. Without any capital, how could it be so easy to earn back 60 taels of silver? Wu Hao was stunned. Meng Ge scolded even more, ¡°1 wasn¡¯t the one who asked your son to redeem us. Your son was the one who wanted to redeem us. He was begging to redeem us. You want money? Dream on! You still want to be in-laws with us? Get lost!¡± Wu Ji wanted to curse back, but he had no way of retorting. He glared at Wu Hao. ¡°Bastard! Mengyao, let¡¯s go! ¡® Wu Ji carried his bag and hurriedly followed the team. Little Huan and Wu Mengyao hurriedly followed. Wu Hao wanted to stop his father, but he was afraid that if he chased after him, Meng Weiwei would ignore him. He hesitated for a moment. He was certain that Wu Ji would not be able to accept it for a while but his anger would subside later. Wu Hao comforted Meng Weiwei, ¡°Weiwei, don¡¯t be angry. My father is just being impatient. He¡¯ll be fine after he thinks it through. ¡® Meng Ge said sarcastically, ¡°My daughter is as beautiful as a flower and virtuous. I don¡¯t need him to think it through. He should consider what kind of person he is!¡± Meng Ge was used to being arrogant as a royal family member. In the past, he did not take Wu Ji seriously. Now that Wu Ji was just a poor old man, he looked down on him even more. Wu Hao did not get anything he wanted. If not for the fact that he had redeemed them, Meng Ge would not even want to give him a look. In Meng Gels opinion, even if they were down and out currently, Meng Weiwei came from a noble background. It would be easy for her to marry a good man with a noble status. As long as Meng Weiwei married well, he could enjoy life with her and not have to live a hard life. God knew how he had survived the journey. If there was a suitable candidate, Meng Ge wished he could marry Meng Weiwei off immediately. Wu Hao¡¯s expression darkened when his future father-in-law scolded his biological father. He endured it for Meng Weiwei and said, ¡°Uncle Meng, I¡¯ll try my best to treat Weiwei well. I won¡¯t let her suffer in this lifetime.¡± Meng Ge scolded loudly, ¡°You claim to be trying your best to treat my daughter well, then go find a carriage! Why are you dawdling here?! I was angered by your father just now. Even I know how to speak better than you!¡± When Wu Hao heard Meng Ge emphasize the carriage again and again, his expression changed. His father and sister did not even have a carriage, so how could he get a carriage for Meng Weiwei? Moreover, when he borrowed money from Cui Shize, he did not think much about it. He had used all the 60 taels of silver he had borrowed to redeem them. Even if he wanted to rent a carriage, he could not take out any money. If he did not follow his father, it would be a problem for him to eat and sleep at night. Wu Hao stammered, ¡°Weiwei, let¡¯s walk for a while. I¡¯ll think of a way for you on the way.¡± Meng Weiwei compromised and became Wu Hao¡¯s fianc¨¦e in name because she wanted to reach the Southern Frontier safely. If Wu Hao could not get a carriage, her legs would be crippled if she walked to the Southern Frontier. Her expression became straight. ¡°You clearly have an idea now, but you refuse to do it. You are not sincere to me at all!¡± What could Wu Hao do? He looked at Meng Weiwei in confusion. Meng Weiwei was anxious. ¡°Since you can borrow money from them, why would it be difficult to borrow a carriage? Could it be that the relationship between your two families is not worth a carriage?¡± Cui Shize would lend him money all because of his father. If he went to beg Cui Shize to give him a carriage now, not for his father and sister, but for Meng Weiwei, what would everyone think of him? At the thought of this, Wu Hao felt that he was not fillial at all. He shook his head and said pleadingly, ¡°Weiwei, can we walk first?¡± They had nothing now. Before their family found someone to rely on, they could only follow Wu Hao. ¡°Okay.¡± Meng Weiwei agreed on the surface, but she was filled with disdain for Wu Hao¡¯s incompetence. Meng Ge was extremely dissatisfied. When he met his daughter¡¯s gaze to stop, he swallowed his words. Wu Ji carried a huge bag on his back and wore a simple cotton robe. He was no different from the immigrants on the way. He smiled brightly at Meng Weiwei. Meng Weiwei glanced at him coquettishly and hurriedly looked away, but her eyes were filled with endless disdain. Meng Weiwei had a weak body. She would stop for every few steps she took. They only appeared when the team stopped to rest, set up the pot and almost finished cooking the noodles. Meng Ge had been walking for so long and was already hungry. When his gaze landed on Wu Ji¡¯s pot, his eyes could not move. He had eaten enough cold food and immediately ordered Wu Hao arrogantly, ¡°Cook noodles for us. We want to eat noodles!¡± All the instant noodles were in Wu Ji¡¯s backpack. Wu Hao looked at his father awkwardly and said carefully, ¡°Father, can you give me a few bowls of instant noodles?¡± Wu Ji picked up his bowl of noodles and said coldly without even looking at him, ¡°The government is in charge of food for the migrants heading to the Southern Frontier. Go and collect them yourself..¡± Chapter 275 - Chapter 275: A Great Opportunity Chapter 275: A Great Opportunity Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Wu Ji refused to give him instant noodles. Meng Ge mocked Wu Hao, ¡°You can¡¯t even give our Weiwei a bowl of noodles and you are saying that you would give her a good life.¡± Meng Weiwei lowered her eyes and said considerately, ¡°It¡¯s fine, Brother Hao. Let¡¯s go get our rations. I¡¯ve eaten that all along anyway. I¡¯m used to it.¡± Meng Ge played the bad cop, and Meng Weiwei played the nice one. Wu Hao looked at the fragrant instant noodles in the pot in front of him and felt even more guilty. He couldn¡¯t help but say to Wu Ji again, ¡°Father, just give me a few bowls of instant noodles! ¡± Wu Ji finally looked up. ¡°Eight copper coins for a bowl. If you pay me, I¡¯ll give it to you.¡± Wu Hao did not have a single cent on him. Wu Ji¡¯s words undoubtedly humiliated him greatly. He clenched his fists tightly. He did not understand why his father had to make things difficult him when he wanted to marry such a good girl like Meng Weiwei. Wu Ji still felt that he was not ruthless enough. He took out a quill from his pocket and added, word by word, ¡°You have to return the money you borrowed. Don¡¯t even think about getting a copper coin from me. If you press your thumbprint, I¡¯ll have to give the IOU to them to prevent you from reneging on your debt in the future. ¡® Wu Hao¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°Father!!!¡± His eyes were filled with anger. He did not know why Wu Ji wanted to force him to a corner and even questioned his character. Meng Weiwei did not expect Wu Ji to be so ruthless in order to shake them off. She lowered her eyes coldly. If she could not even eat a bowl of instant noodles, then since she was already free, why should she suffer with Wu Hao? Meng Weiwei pretended to be sad and said, ¡°Since Uncle Wu doesn¡¯t like me, let¡¯s forget it! ¡± Wu Hao said in panic, ¡°Weiwei, don¡¯t be angry! My father was joking with us!¡± His anxious eyes darted between Meng Weiwei and Wu Ji, begging Wu Ji to say something to ease the situation and make Meng Weiwei stay. Wu Ji snorted. ¡°1 can forget about it. But remember to return the silver. 60 taels of silver was my salary for three months in the past. It¡¯s not a small sum.¡± Meng Weiwei¡¯s expression froze. This was why she did not like Wu Hao. Like his father, other than his face, he smelled of poverty. Meng Ge pointed at Wu Hao in exasperation. ¡°We didn¡¯t force you to do this. If you want us to return the money, don¡¯t even think about it! Also don¡¯t even think about letting Weiwei marry you! ¡® ¡°It¡¯s just a bowl of noodles. We don¡¯t care!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go get our rations!¡¯ Meng Ge did not want to be have any connections to Wu Hao and affect Meng Weiwei¡¯s reputation. Wu Hao hurriedly stopped Meng Weiwei. ¡®Weiwei, wait a moment. I¡¯ll buy you instant noodles immediately! Really!¡± Meng Weiwei did not want to be known as an ungrateful person. She pretended to be pitiful and said, ¡°But Uncle¡­¡± She glanced at Wu Ji timidly, as if she wanted to say something but did not dare to. Wu Hao had enough of his father, making him lose face in front of Meng Weiwei¡¯s family. Wu Hao said to Meng Weiwei, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s no need to beg him!¡± Wu Mengyao frowned. ¡°Brother, how can you speak to Father like that!¡± Wu Hao ignored her with a straight face, as if the entire world owed him. He ran to rummage through the daily necessities in his backpack. Wu Ji could tell that he wanted to exchange the things in his backpack for silver. No matter how delicious the instant noodles were, he lost his appetite and sighed. ¡°Our family is unlucky! Our family is so unlucky!¡± How did he give birth to such a stupid son? If Meng Weiwei was sincere, she would not have insisted her way when she clearly knew that their situation was difficult. Even if Wu Hao satisfied them now, what about the future! To put it bluntly, Wu Hao and Meng Weiwei were from two different worlds. Most importantly, Wu Hao did not have the ability to satisfy Meng Weiwei. Wu Hao found a thick cotton shirt in his backpack. It was brand new and was worth at least half a tael of silver. Wu Hao smiled and was about to exchange the cotton clothes for silver when Meng Ge took a fancy to it. ¡°Give me the clothes. I¡¯m about to freeze to death. Why did you only take them out now!¡± Meng Ge took the cotton clothes and immediately put them on. Wu Hao¡¯s smile froze. He could not say that this was the cotton shirt he wanted to exchange for silver. Nothing else in the backpack was worth anything. Wu Hao was only left with his cotton clothes. The cloth boots on his feet looked like it was worth some money. He thought for a moment, then took out the cloth shoes that had a hole in them from the basket on his back. He changed out of his cloth boots and ran out quickly, afraid that he would meet Meng Weiwei¡¯s gaze. He ran too quickly and almost fell. Meng Weiwei did not even say anything to show her concern. Instead, she made up her mind to shake off the useless Wu Hao as soon as possible. Because he had already worn the high-quality boots, when Wu Hao finally found a buyer, he could only exchange them for 100 copper coins. He took the copper coins back and wanted to buy instant noodles for Meng Weiwei. He saw Meng Weiwei¡¯s entire family standing in front of a fire, staring at the roasted meat and glutinous rice in the woman¡¯s pot. When Meng Weiwei saw Wu Hao return, her eyes lit up and she hurriedly said, ¡°Brother Hao, Lady Tao said that she can sell us some meat and rice.¡± Wu Hao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He pretended to be generous and asked, ¡°How much?¡± After Tao Yinzhen found out that Meng Weiwei was the county mistress and her mother was the princess, she enjoyed Meng Weiwei talking to her obediently. She smiled and said, ¡°I originally wanted to make more for dinner and tomorrow. If you want to eat, give me ten copper coins for a bowl.¡± Wu Hao immediately heaved a sigh of relief. Fortunately, it was only two copper coins more than instant noodles. Moreover, there was meat in the rice. It looked much better than the instant noodles. He was also very happy that Meng Weiwei could eat well. Meng Ge had just taken a bowl and finished it like a tornado. He looked at Tao Yinzhen again and said generously, ¡®Give me another bowl!¡± Wu Hao¡¯s expression stiffened. He was very worried that the remaining copper coins would not be enough for his father-in-law to fill his stomach. Fortunately, after Tao Yinzhen scooped another bowl of glutinous rice for Meng Ge, she glanced in the direction of Little Cat and said, ¡°I can¡¯t give it to you guys anymore. I still have to leave some for my son.¡± Wu Hao heaved a sigh of relief. After Meng Weiwei had eaten her fill, she glanced at Bai Wutong¡¯s wide carriage and pretended to be curious. ¡®The carriage in front has been following the Governor closely. Are they related to him?¡± Tao Yinzhen¡¯s eyes darkened and she sneered. ¡°They do not have any relations. They¡¯re just a group of lucky refugees!¡± As soon as these words were spoken, Meng Weiwei¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You¡¯re saying they¡¯re refugees? How is that possible?¡± How could the daughter of Bai family, the sister of the eldest prince¡¯s secondary consort be a refugee? Meng Weiwei¡¯s surprised voice shocked Tao Yinzhen for a moment, but she quickly explained coldly, ¡°A year ago, I saw them settle down at the Jade Spiritual Mountain in tatters. The Governor had a good relationship with them and happened to encounter a gold mine on the Jade Spiritual Mountain, so they took advantage of the situation.¡± Meng Weiwei was completely stunned. How could Bai Wutong be a refugee? But Tao Yinzhen¡¯s words did not sound fake. If Bai Wutong had eloped with that man, she would not be considered the main wife at all. At most, she would be considered a mistress. Her heart was pounding, as if she had suddenly grasped a huge opportunity.. Chapter 276 - Chapter 276: She was so indignant! Chapter 276: She was so indignant! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Meng Weiwei was slightly excited and forced herself to calm down. She still needed to confirm something. Just as Meng Weiwei was about to ask Tao Yinzhen about Bai Wutong, Little Cat returned. He was still a child and had a straight face. His dark eyes were quite scary when they landed on Meng Weiwei¡¯s face. Tao Yinzhen seemed to be very afraid of her son and stopped abruptly. She hurriedly picked up a bowl of porridge and entered the carriage. Meng Weiwei saw that he had returned from the direction of Bai Wutong¡¯s carriage. Thinking that he was just an ordinary child, she probed, ¡°Is the surname of the mistress on that carriage Bai?¡¯ Little Cat¡¯s cold gaze seemed to have seen through her, leaving her nowhere to hide. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± Meng Weiwei gritted hers teeth slightly. ¡°I¡¯m just asking. Why are you so fierce!¡± Just a little kid. Little Cat sneered and looked at Wu Hao. ¡°You¡¯re her lover, right? I advise you to control her and not let her embarrass herself.¡± Hearing this, Tao Yinzhen, who was feeding Ren Shuixing white porridge in the carriage, trembled. The white porridge almost spilled all over Ren Shuixing¡¯s face. Tao Yinzhen¡¯s heart throbbed violently. Her fingers gripped the side of the bowl so hard that it turned white. She thought that Little Cat was warning her agam. Her eyes instantly turned red again. Meng Weiwei trembled with anger from Little Cat¡¯s words, her face burning red. She had never thought that a country kid would dare to humiliate her in front of everyone. No matter how dense Wu Hao was, he understood the mockery in Little Cat¡¯s words and was immediately furious. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? How can a child be so uneducated!¡± Little Cat couldn¡¯t be bothered to look at them again. He bent down and put away the bowls and chopsticks. It took Meng Ge a while to react. He grabbed Little Cat¡¯s collar and was about to hit him. ¡°Uneducated dog!¡¯ Before the punch landed, a gust of wind swept past. Meng Ge¡¯s stomach was punched hard. He screamed and squatted on the ground with his hands on his stomach. Little Cat waved his hand. ¡°Are you still hitting?¡± Even though he was on the road, he did not give up on learning martial arts from the dark guards. It was just the right time for him to practice. Meng Weiwei went to help Meng Ge up. ¡°Father, are you alright?¡¯ Meng Ge was in so much pain that he could not speak. Meng Weiwei was angry and shouted at Wu Hao, ¡°What are you waiting for? He hit my father. Hurry up and hit him back!¡± Wu Hao stared at Little Cat hesitantly. No matter how unreasonable Little Cat was, he was still a child. If he attacked, he would be bullying the young. Seeing that Wu Hao was standing still, Meng Weiwei¡¯s suppressed temper suddenly exploded. ¡°This is what you meant by protecting me forever! He humiliated me like this, but you¡¯re still indifferent. Wu Hao, I¡¯m really disappointed in you!¡± ¡®I¡¯m so disappointed in you!¡¯ These words shook Wu Hao¡¯s mind. He couldn¡¯t disappoint Weiwei. He had to protect her. Even a child could not bully his Weiwei. Wu Hao walked towards Little Cat step by step. ¡°You hurt people with your words. Apologize quickly!¡± Little Cat raised his eyelids indifferently. ¡°Did I say anything? Aren¡¯t you her lover? Is it wrong to ask you to control her and not casually ask about other people¡¯s private matters?¡± ¡°She¡¯s so emotional. Is she feeling guilty?¡± Wu Hao was stunned. For a moment, he actually felt that what Little Cat said made sense. Meng Weiwei could not hold it in anymore and roared, ¡°Shut up!¡± She stood up and raised her palm to slap Little Cat. At this moment, her face was ferocious and she no longer looked gentle. Little Cat dodged nimbly. Meng Weiwei lost her balance and fell straight down. Fortunately, Wu Hao pulled her into his arms in time to avoid Meng Weiwei¡¯s landing on the ground. Meng Weiwei touched her own face in lingering fear and looked into Little Cat¡¯s eyes, as if there were poisonous snakes surging. Elder Zhao noticed the commotion where Little Cat was. Zhao Hu ran over with his two brothers and backed up Little Cat with a fierce aura. ¡°What do you want? So many people are bullying a child. Do you have any shame?! If you know what¡¯s good for you, get lost quickly! My fists are not to be trifled with!¡¯ Wu Hao could not beat the three burly men, so he could only leave with Meng Weiwei and her family. He could not even deal with a child. Meng Weiwei completely lost the idea of staying by Wu Hao¡¯s side. She wanted to get close to Bai Wutong, but Chu Tianbao and Bai Wutong were always together. Meng Weiwei never had the chance. It was not until she followed the team for nearly half a month and Chu Tianbao went fishing in the river that Meng Weiwei found an opportunity to approach. As Bai Wutong washed her hands by the river, Meng Weiwei walked over. Her gaze landed on her snow-white fox coat, and her eyes were filled with jealousy. The fox fur coat that she had once looked down on had become a thing of the past. She was so indignant! Meng Weiwei suppressed her jealousy and carefully introduced herself. ¡°Madam Bai, I¡¯m Meng Weiwei.¡± Bai Wutong wiped her hands with a handkerchief. Her eyes were indifferent, as if she didn¡¯t know her at all. ¡°Oh.¡± She waited for Meng Weiwei to continue. When Meng Weiwei saw Bai Wutong¡¯s reaction, her heart beat rapidly. She really did not recognize her. After confirming that her guess was true, Meng Weiwei was overjoyed. She suddenly knelt in front of Bai Wutong and squeezed out two drops of tears. ¡°Madam Bai, my mother is sick and urgently needs medicine. I¡¯m willing to sell myself as a slave and serve you. Please save my mother.¡± She thought that Bai Wutong was still as easy to bully as before. She planned to become the personal maidservant of Bai Wutong. Not only would he be able to enjoy the carriage and not have to worry about food and clothes, but she would also be able to get close to Chu Tianbao. As long as she had the chance to get close to Chu Tianbao and obtain his heart, one day, she would be able to pull down this idiotic beauty and replace her. If she missed this opportunity now, her marriage options would be even fewer when she arrived in the Southern Frontier. She might as well die now if she had to be a poor married woman in this lifetime. For the sake of eternal glory and wealth, so what if she endured a moment of injustice and knelt down to Bai Wutong? One day, she would pick up the dignity she had lost bit by bit and ruthlessly take revenge. Bai Wutong had long figured out Meng Weiwei¡¯s situation. Shen Yueqin was sick, but it was just an ordinary cold. However, it was not to the extent that she was about to die. A smile formed on her lips. ¡°How much?¡± As expected, she was still an idiot. She was actually not guarded against her at all. Meng Weiwei looked up happily and probed, ¡°10 taels of silver?¡± She was afraid that it would be too expensive and Bai Wutong would not buy her. Bai Wutong nodded readily. ¡®Qingfeng, give her ten taels of silver and let her sign the indenture.¡± Meng Weiwei did not expect things to go so smoothly. The moment she pressed the thumbprint, she hesitated. She realized that Chu Tianbao was walking straight over. His majestic gaze made her heart pound. Without hesitation, she pressed the thumbprint. Wu Hao was holding Meng Weiwei¡¯s freshly signed indenture. On the other side, Qingfeng had also lured Wu Hao over. As soon as Wu Hao came over, he saw Meng Weiwei staring at Chu Tianbao with her watery eyes. Thinking of what Little Cat had said, he immediately felt uncomfortable.. ¡°Weiwei, why are you here?¡± Chapter 277 - Chapter 277: Conquered by the Feelings Between Both of Chapter 277: Conquered by the Feelings Between Both of You Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Meng Weiwei did not expect Wu Hao to suddenly appear there. She was afraid that Wu Hao would ruin her plans, so she quickly turned her head. Before she could think of a way, Bai Wutong had already said to Wu Hao, ¡°She has already sold her body and is my maidservant.¡± As soon as these words were spoken, Wu Hao¡¯s expression changed drastically. He looked at Meng Weiwei in disbelief. ¡°Weiwei?¡± He borrowed a total of 60 taels from Sheng Huaixuan to redeem Meng Weiwei. He did not believe that Meng Weiwei would take the initiative to sell herself as a slave. Meng Weiwei stole a glance at Bai Wutong hatefully, then quickly lowered her eyes to express her loyalty. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m already Madam Bai¡¯s maidservant. Don¡¯t come looking for me in the future.¡± Wu Hao felt as if his heart was being squeezed tightly. He asked sadly, ¡°Why? Did they force you?¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s expression suddenly changed. He raised his hand and waved. Instantly, Wu Hao was knocked down by a powerful internal force. Wu Hao held his aching chest and became even more determined. They must have threatened Meng Weiwei. Otherwise, how could the noble Meng Weiwei willingly become a servant? Chu Tianbao raised his hand gently and sent Wu Hao flying. His cold gaze was dignified without being angry. He seemed even more arrogant than the previous Emperor of the Yan Kingdom. Wu Hao, who was in a sorry state, could not even compare to such a handsome and powerful man. Meng Weiwei¡¯s heart was pounding. She was even more certain that her decision was not wrong. Meng Weiwei stole a glance at Chu Tianbao and displayed the most beautiful curve of her face. She said pitifully, ¡°No, Madam Bai didn¡¯t force me.¡± The more she said this and acted pitiful, the easier it was for Wu Hao to believe that Bai Wutong had forced her. Like a stupid dog who had been sold and was helping others count their money, he roared at Bai Wutong, ¡°I want to redeem Weiwei!¡± Meng Weiwei was not flustered at all when she heard that he wanted to redeem her. Along the way, Wu Hao had sold everything he could, and Wu Ji had not provided any support. He definitely could not take out any money to redeem her. ¡°I saw that she was really pitiful for selling herself to save her mother, so I bought her. Who are you to her? Why are you redeeming her?¡¯ Wu Hao looked at Meng Weiwei in surprise, looking confused as to why she wanted to save her mother. He had gone to buy herbs for Shen Yueqin the day before and she had clearly recovered. However, he was unwilling to think deeply. Before Meng Weiwei could stop him, he hurriedly said, ¡°I¡¯m her fianc¨¦. As long as Madam is willing to let me redeem Weiwei, I¡¯ll never forget your kindness!¡± Looking at Meng Weiwei¡¯s pale face, the corners of Bai Wutong¡¯s mouth curled up. ¡°The two of you are in love, and I¡¯m unwilling to be such an evil person. I only spent ten taels of silver to buy her. You can take her away for ten taels of silver.¡± Wu Hao was overjoyed and felt guilty for misunderstood Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao just now. He hurriedly said gratefully, ¡°Thank you, Madam Bai. Thank you, Madam Bai.¡± He then said, ¡°Madam Bai, can I write an IOU first? I¡¯ll definitely repay it. My father has a good relationship with Old Master Sheng. I definitely won¡¯t lie to you.¡¯ Bai Wutong shook her head in her mind. This idiot. ¡°Okay, then write it.¡± Qingfeng quickly handed him a pen and paper. Meng Weiwei bit her lip slightly, and her face turned pale. The moment Wu Hao wrote the IOU, she stopped him. ¡°If Madam Bai buys me, my parents will have money to safely reach the Southern Frontier. She has done me a great favor. I won¡¯t leave! Go back!¡¯ Meng Weiwei was a eloquent person. In just two or three sentences, she had raised herself to the moral high ground. It was because Wu Hao did not take good care of her entire family that she was willing to sell herself as a slave. Wu Hao was indeed a fool. With a pained and guilty expression, he promised again, ¡°Weiwei, when we reach the Southern Frontier, I will definitely work hard and definitely give you a good life.¡± Meng Weiwei had listened to this the whole time and her ears were about to form calluses. She was still eating the dry food distributed by the government every day. She did not believe Wu Hao¡¯s promise at all. She gritted her teeth and said, ¡°I¡¯ve made up my mind. I must repay Madam Bails kindness! ¡± Every word she said was as though she was an old servant who had been loyal to Bai Wutong for many years. Everyone would be so touched if they heard her. Bai Wutong¡¯s smile deepened, and her gaze landed on her pitiful little face. ¡°I don¡¯t need you to repay my kindness. Your fianc¨¦ is sincere to you. Don¡¯t let him down.¡± She looked at Wu Hao. ¡°Write the IOU and bring her back. I don¡¯t lack people serving me.¡± Since Bai Wutong had said so, Wu Hao no longer hesitated and picked up his brush again. Meng Weiwei widened her eyes in panic. She had finally thought of this idea to get close to Chu Tianbao, so how could she let Wu Hao ruin it like this? She rushed forward and snatched the pen from Wu Hao¡¯s hand. She cried and said loudly, ¡®You can¡¯t give me happiness at all, and your father doesn¡¯t agree to let me be part of the family. I don¡¯t want to owe you again and again. Let¡¯s end it here.¡± After saying that, she specially glanced at Chu Tianbao, as if telling him that she really had nothing to do with Wu Hao and that he shouldn¡¯t misunderstand. Looking at the affectionate scene in front of her where she was forced to break up with her lover, Bai Wutong chuckled. She even wanted to present Meng Weiwei an Oscars award. Wu Hao did not expect him to make Meng Weiwei feel so aggrieved. He felt extremely uncomfortable. He opened his mouth and met Meng Weiwei ¡®s determined gaze. He felt even more like a good-for-nothing and useless. Just as Wu Hao despised himself and was about to let Meng Weiwei pursue the life she wanted, Bai Wutong suddenly spoke again. ¡°I¡¯ve been conquered by the feelings between both og you. Qingfeng, lend them 100 taels of silver and return the indenture to her. These 100 taels of silver are enough for you to safely reach the Southern Frontier and settle down.¡± ¡°If your father doesn¡¯t agree to this marriage, I¡¯ll let Brother Sheng persuade him.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll also be happy to see you two get married. Live a good life. I hope you can be an everlasting couple in this life!¡± Wu Hao was suddenly hit by free money. He grinned happily. ¡°Thank you, Madam Bai! I¡¯ll definitely return the money to you as soon as possible in the future.¡± Meng Weiwei was dumbfounded by her actions. She knew that Bai Wutong was stupid, but she did not expect her to be so stupid. She gave money to others for nothing and fulfilled the so-called love. Bullshit everlasting couple! She was not willing! It was only 100 taels. 100 taels was not enough for her to buy a piece of jewelry! She did not want to sell herself to an idiot like Wu Hao! Meng Weiwei hurriedly objected. ¡°No! I¡¯ve already sold myself. I can¡¯t leave Madam Bai anymore!¡± As soon as these words were spoken, it was as if a basin of cold water had been poured over Wu Hao¡¯s heart. Bai Wutong had already done so much, but Meng Weiwei still refused to leave. When he met her evasive gaze and thought of Little Cat¡¯s words and her affectionate gaze on Chu Tianbao, Wu Hao¡¯s heart ached.. How could he not understand? Chapter 278 - Chapter 278: Hurry up and Scram Chapter 278: Hurry up and Scram Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios No matter how stupid Wu Hao was, he already knew that Meng Weiwei did not have him in her heart. If she had any genuine love for him, she would not have insisted on staying by Bai Wutong¡¯s side. He smiled bitterly and looked at the gentle and kind Bai Wutong with sympathy. She had kindly bought Meng Weiwei, but she did not know that Meng Weiwei had ulterior motives. Wu Hao stared at Bai Wutong for so long. Just as Chu Tianbao was about to explode, Wu Hao retracted his gaze in time. After much hesitation, Wu Hao said to Meng Weiwei, ¡°Weiwei, come with me. It¡¯s not appropriate for you to stay here. Come back with me. I won¡¯t force you to marry me anymore.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you all 100 taels of silver, but you can¡¯t stay here.¡± The love in his eyes had been replaced by forbearance. He repeatedly emphasized that Meng Weiwei could not stay here. He was clearly trying to remind Bai Wutong. The corners of Bai Wutong¡¯s mouth curled up. He was not hopeless. When Wu Hao¡¯s words landed in Meng Weiwei¡¯s ears, she felt that he was the one being stubborn and insisted on ruining her plans. Anger rose in her beautiful eyes. ¡°I said I won¡¯t go back with you!!!¡± A huge hole was torn in Wu Hao¡¯s heart, as if he was getting to know Meng Weiwei for the first time. Looking at the two of them confronting each other, Bai Wutong narrowed her eyes and assured gently, ¡°He¡¯s so good to you. Are you really unwilling to leave?¡± Meng Weiwei glanced at Chu Tianbao and said firmly, ¡°I¡¯m grateful to him, but I¡¯m already Madam¡¯s servant. I don¡¯t want to continue to owe him in the future and make things difficult for him between Uncle and me. In that case, I might as well rely on my own ability to earn a living.¡± Bai Wutong clicked her tongue in her heart. What a dignified and pretentious lady. Wu Hao had done so much for her, but it had become his fault. Bai Wutong raised her eyebrows, her gaze becoming sharp. ¡°Forget it. I won¡¯t force you. If she wants to be loyal to me, then be loyal!¡± Meng Weiwei breathed a sigh of relief, as if it was such a blessing to stay as a servant. Wu Hao¡¯s heart ached. Before he left, he warned Meng Weiwei, ¡°You will get retribution, you should beware!¡¯ This was his last piece of advice to Meng Weiwei, and also his last warning to Bai Wutong. Meng Weiwei clearly heard it and looked nervously at Bai Wutong. Realizing that Bai Wutong¡¯s expression was unchanged, she heaved a sigh of relief. Right, how could someone as stupid as her understand what Wu Hao meant? She stole another glance at Chu Tianbao, hoping that Wu Hao would never bother her again. Chu Tianbao frowned unhappily. Bai Wutong squeezed his palm to comfort him. Meng Weiwei followed behind them and saw their intimate actions. Jealousy burned in her heart. She reminded herself not to be overly anxious. She had to stabilize Bai Wutong and gain her trust first. It would be best if Bai Wutong took the initiative to offer her to Chu Tianbao so that he would accept her and no longer dislike her. Meng Weiwei was secretly making plans when she suddenly smelled an alluring fragrance. Sheng Huaixuan had already ordered someone to roast the two hares. In the pot beside him, milky white fish soup was also bubbling. They were just waiting for Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao to come over and eat. She secretly swallowed her saliva. As the personal maidservant of Bai Wutong, she should be able to eat something as well. In addition to the hare and fish soup, the servants also set up a dining table with many side dishes that looked extremely appetizing. However, the two of them were in no hurry to sit down and eat. Instead, they looked at Qingfeng. ¡°Have you found any buyers?¡± Qingfeng nodded. ¡°There were ten.¡± Bai Wutong nodded, her tone leisurely. ¡°Then bring them up.¡± Meng Weiwei stole a curious glance and met the cold gaze of Bai Wutong. Her heart skipped a beat. Why did Bai Wutong suddenly seem to have become a different person? Her cold and oppressive aura was exactly the same as Chu Tianbao¡¯s. She consoled herself that she might have been mistaken. Looking up again, she found the faint mocking smile on Bai Wutong¡¯s lips. The surprise in her heart immediately stirred. What was going on? Even if Bai Wutong had lost her memory, she shouldn¡¯t have such an uncovered personality. Or perhaps Wu Hao¡¯s words before he left made her realize and she became jealous, so she wanted to deal with her? Just as Meng Weiwei was feeling uneasy, the dark guards brought the people up. There were ten men, all in burlap clothes, each more miserably-looking than the last. The smell all over them made Meng Weiwei frown. She did not understand why Bai Wutong had summoned these lowly people in front of her. Unexpectedly, what Bai Wutong said the next second was like a bolt from the blue that cut her in half. ¡°Her starting price is five taels of silver. The highest bidder will get it.¡± Meng Weiwei widened her eyes in disbelief. Before she could react, the ten men saw Meng Weiwei¡¯s beautiful appearance and figure and hurriedly bid. ¡°Five taels!¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll pay six taels!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pay seven taels!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pay eight taels!¡± Meng Weiwei finally reacted and questioned in fear, ¡°Madam Bai, why are you doing this to me?¡¯ Bai Wutong raised her eyebrows. ¡°Haven¡¯t I treated you well enough? You said that your mother was seriously ill and asked me to buy you. I bought you readily.¡± ¡®When your fiance came looking for you, I gave him another 100 taels so that you could be a loving couple. In the end, you were unwilling and insisted on staying.¡± ¡°I¡¯m in urgent need of money now. I found a man for you to entrust your life, but you refused no matter what. You even questioned me like I¡¯ve let you down. Could it be that you had ulterior motives for staying by my side from the beginning?¡± It had only been less than an hour since Meng Weiwei became Bai Wutong¡¯s servant. There was still a sumptuous meal on the table. How could she have fallen to the point where she had to sell her to survive? Meng Weiwei clenched her fists slightly and met the unfathomable eyes of Bai Wutong. At this moment, she understood that she had been schemed against by Bai Wutong from the beginning. Bai Wutong had long known what she was thinking. She had done it on purpose, like she was toying with a clown and deliberately humiliating her. Meng Weiwei¡¯s gaze landed on the boorish men. She was shocked, regretful, and afraid. She shouted at Bai Wutong, ¡°Bai Wutong, you¡¯re just jealous of me and afraid that I¡¯ll replace you!¡¯ Then, she shouted at Chu Tianbao, ¡°Other than her face, how is a sinister and vicious woman like her worthy of your attention! ¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s suppressed anger instantly exploded. The moment he raised his hand, Meng Weiwei flew out like a meteor. She happened to hit a small tree. With a crack, the small tree broke, and Meng Weiwei fell to the ground. This was the second time Chu Tianbao had attacked her. Meng Weiwei¡¯s eyes widened in anger. Before she could get up, her eyes rolled back and she fainted agam. When the men who had been fighting to bid saw Meng Weiwei faint, they said in panic, ¡°She¡¯s dead?¡¯ Qingfeng pulled Meng Weiwei up. ¡°Alive.¡± The men looked at each other. Meng Weiwei had fainted so easily, so she would not be useful after buying her back. Many people gave up on buying her and turned to walk away. Only a crippled one-eyed man rolled his eyes. ¡°She¡¯s already in this state. Are you selling her for five taels of silver?¡± Chu Tianbao said in disgust, ¡°Get lost with her.¡¯ Seeing his evasive reaction, Bai Wutong chuckled and looked at the unconscious Meng Weiwei. She had given her a chance, but Meng Weiwei did not take it. She could not blame anyone. The crippled one-eyed man immediately took out five taels of silver and threw them to Qingfeng. He carried the unconscious Meng Weiwei and left excitedly.. Chapter 279 - Chapter 279: Not Care About Her Anymore Chapter 279: Not Care About Her Anymore Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Before Meng Weiwei could open her eyes, she smelled a pungent smell. She opened her eyes and found herself in the arms of an unfamiliar one-eyed old man. She immediately screamed, One-eyed Li was almost deafened by her earth-shattering voice. He slapped her butt hard. ¡°Behave yourself. You¡¯re mine now. It¡¯s useless to run!¡± Meng Weiwei had been in contact with Wu Hao for so long, but Wu Hao had never touched a finger of hers. Meng Weiwei was so frightened that her face turned pale. She punched One-eyed Li with all her might. ¡°Pervert, put me down, put me down!!!¡± One-eyed Li¡¯s leg was not mobile to begin with. Meng Weiwei struggled with all her might, but he could not hold her steadily and could not be bothered to hug her. He let go and threw Meng Weiwei to the ground heavily. He said gloomily, ¡°I¡¯m your master now. If you dare to misbehave again, believe it or not, I¡¯ll settle you now and rent you out to receive customers every day to earn money!¡± Along the way, there were many men who were eyeing Meng Weiwei covetously. Fortunately, she was safe with Wu Hao protecting her. But it was different now. She had already been sold to One-eyed Li. One-eyed Li was her master. It was legitimate for her to receive guests on the way, and the bailiffs would not care. Meng Weiwei was so frightened that her entire body was trembling. She shouted desperately, ¡°Help! Help! Father, Mother! Come and save me!¡± Her heart-wrenching roar made One-eyed Li furious. ¡°You don¡¯t know how to appreciate favors! I¡¯ll deal with you now!¡± One-eyed Li reached out to tug at Meng Weiwei ¡®s clothes. Meng Weiwei retreated in fear and was pulled back. ¡®Wu Hao, where are you! Ahhh¡ª¡± She struggled with all her might. One-eyed Li was a man after all, and he did manual labor all year round. He slapped her a few times, and Meng Weiwei¡¯s delicate face became visibly swollen. ¡°Behave yourself, or I¡¯ll break your legs!¡± Meng Weiwei shed tears of despair and kept begging for mercy. ¡°Please let me go! I¡¯ll give you money, let me go! ¡® At this moment, she felt regret and hatred for Bai Wutong. ¡°Brother Hao, come and save me¡ªwuwuwu¡ª The next second, Meng Weiwei¡¯s slightly noisy mouth was covered by a rag. When a few soldiers heard the cry for help, they walked over. Meng Weiwei struggled to break free from One-eyed Li¡¯s grip, but she could not cry out. She cried and looked at them pitifully for help. The leader frowned. ¡°He humiliated a good woman in broad daylight. Arrest him!¡± They could tell at a glance that she was not someone One-eyed Li could touch. One-eyed Li was still very afraid of the soldiers. He smiled bitterly and pinched Meng Weiwei¡¯s delicate wrists. He took out Meng Weiwei¡¯s indenture with one hand. ¡°Brother, I just bought this wife. I¡¯m not taking advantage of a good woman. I just couldn¡¯t hold it in for a moment. I won¡¯t dare to do it again during the day.¡± When the leader saw the contract in black and white, he immediately looked at Meng Weiwei in surprise. Meng Weiwei looked pitiful, but it was written in black and white. The soldiers were helpless. He could only remind One-eyed Li repeatedly not to behave indecently in the day before turning around and leaving. The soldiers turned around and left. Meng Weiwei¡¯s tears fell as she fell into despair again. One-Eyed Li stopped touching Meng Weiwei, but he was afraid that she would find an opportunity to escape, so he pulled out a belt and tied her hands firmly. One-Eyed Li pulled Meng Weiwei and walked forward. Wu Mengyao and Xiao Huan gathered firewood together. When they saw this scene, their eyes widened. After confirming that the woman being dragged by One- Eyed Li was indeed Meng Weiwei, Wu Mengyao threw down the firewood and hurriedly found the depressed Wu Hao. ¡°Brother, go and see Meng Weiwei.¡¯ Although Wu Mengyao did not like the tricky and domineering Meng Weiwei, she believed that her silly brother would definitely be sad if anything happened to Meng Weiwei. Wu Hao¡¯s heart ached. He waved his hand. ¡°I¡¯ve already promised Father that I won¡¯t care about her anymore.¡± Wu Mengyao said anxiously, ¡°Meng Weiwei was tied up by a man. Even so, aren¡¯t you going to care?¡¯ As soon as he said that, Wu Hao turned around. ¡®What did you say?¡± Wu Mengyao said, ¡°Hurry up and take a look! I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on either.¡± Wu Hao quickly ran in Wu Mengyao¡¯s direction. At a glance, he saw a girl who he treated like a treasure being dragged like a rag doll that had lost its soul. Wu Hao was furious. He rushed over and punched the corner of One-Eyed Li¡¯s eye. One-Eyed Li screamed. Before he could fight back, he was pressed to the ground by Wu Hao. The battle between One-Eyed Li and Wu Hao attracted the patrolling soldiers agam. The soldiers pulled them apart and questioned them. ¡®Why did you fight?¡± One-Eyed Li said with a swollen face, ¡°Officer, he was the one who pressed me down and hit me. You have to stand up for me!¡± The soldier looked at Wu Hao again. ¡°Why did you hit him?¡± Wu Hao looked at One-Eyed Li fiercely. ¡°Because he deserves a beating! He snatched my-.¡± Thinking that he no longer had anything to do with Meng Weiwei, he corrected himself. ¡°He snatched someone¡¯s maidservant!¡± One-Eyed Li hurriedly shouted, ¡°Officer, you saw the indenture just now. I¡¯m an honest citizen. How dare I do those outrageous things?¡± The soldier confirmed, ¡°This woman was indeed bought with money. On account of your good intentions, I¡¯ll let it go this time!¡± Wu Hao¡¯s eyes widened. Meng Weiwei had clearly sold herself to Bai Wutong. One-Eyed Li said indignantly, ¡°Officer, he hit me and hasn¡¯t compensated me.¡± The soldier asked, ¡°How much compensation do you want?¡± One-Eyed Li blurted out, ¡®Ten taels of silver!¡± The soldier laughed. ¡°You only spent five taels to buy her. Others hit you a few times, and there¡¯s not even an injury, yet you want ten taels.¡± ¡°Either he pay you ten copper coins, or there won¡¯t be any compensation. Choose! Ten copper coins was still money. One-Eyed Li simply nodded. ¡°Then he has to give me ten copper coins now!¡± Wu Hao was completely stunned now. He reacted for a long time before finally understanding that Bai Wutong had sold Meng Weiwei. In less than two hours, she had sold Meng Weiwei to an ugly man. She had probably seen through Meng Weiwei¡¯s thoughts from the beginning. The ruthlessness of her methods made one¡¯s heart skip a beat, but if Meng Weiwei had not been greedy, she would not have ended up like this. Wu Hao had truly adored Meng Weiwei and could not bear to see her being ruined. ¡°I¡¯ll give you 10 taels of silver. Give her to me too!¡± One-Eyed Li sneered. ¡°Ten taels of silver? Dream on! I¡¯ll sell her to a brothel at a higher price than you can pay.¡± Hearing that One-Eyed Li was going to sell her to a brothel, Meng Weiwei completely collapsed. Taking advantage of his surprise, she aimed at the tree beside her and quickly rushed up. With a huge force, Meng Weiwei¡¯s head started bleeding profusely. Wu Hao shouted in surprise, ¡°Weiwei!¡¯ In panic, he pulled the rag out of her mouth and picked her up. He was about to look around for a doctor. Seeing the terrifying bloody hole on Meng Weiwei¡¯s head, One- Eyed Li was afraid that she would die in his hand and stood in front of them. ¡°I¡¯ll sell her to you for 10 taels of silver.. You can only take her after paying silver! If you don¡¯t give me silver, don¡¯t even think about taking her with you! ¡® Chapter 280 - Chapter 280: Wen Renhua’s Pocket Chapter 280: Wen Renhua¡¯s Pocket Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Wu Hao did not have any money on him at all. Fortunately, Wu Ji was called over by Wu Mengyao. When he saw the current situation, he did not hesitate and immediately took out ten taels of silver and handed them to One-Eyed Li. Wu Hao thought that he would have to beg his father, but Wu Ji took the initiative to take out money. For a moment, he had mixed feelings. He explained, ¡°Father, I just want to save her. I really don¡¯t have any other improper thoughts.¡± Wu Ji shook his head. ¡°Let¡¯s find a doctor first.¡± Wu Hao carried Meng Weiwei to the accompanying doctor. The accompanying doctor examined her. ¡°It¡¯s just a small abrasion on the head. It looks scary, but it¡¯s actually nothing serious. She will be fine after applying medicine.¡± Everyone heaved a sigh of relief. The accompanying doctor opened a bottle of medicine for Meng Weiwei. Meng Ge and Shen Yueqin, who had been called over by Xiao Huan, immediately questioned Wu Hao, ¡°What did you do to my daughter? How did she become like this!¡± Wu Hao glanced at Meng Weiwei, who was still unconscious, and suppressed the bitterness in his heart. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything to her.¡¯ With that, he stuffed the medicine and Meng Weiwei¡¯s indenture into Meng Ge¡¯s palm. ¡°From now on, I won¡¯t disturb you all again. Don¡¯t come looking for me again.¡± Meng Ge was stunned and subconsciously retorted, ¡°Even if you beg us, we won¡¯t look for you!¡± He said unhappily, ¡®What kind of medicine is this? Will it leave a scar on Weiwei¡¯s head?¡± Wu Hao did not answer. He walked away quietly. Meng Ge pointed at his back angrily. ¡®What kind of lousy fellow is this? You still want to marry our Weiwei! Bah! ¡± Shen Yueqin frowned. ¡°Stop saying anymore. Without Wu Hao on the way, you wouldn¡¯t even have a meal.¡± Shen Yueqin could tell Wu Hao¡¯s feelings for Meng Weiwei and thought that he had just said something in a fit of anger, so she did not stop him from leaving. Meng Ge held Meng Weiwei¡¯s indenture and muttered, ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡± Shen Yueqin leaned over to take a look and frowned. ¡°I¡¯ll ask when Weiwei wakes up.¡± Meng Weiwei woke up and shouted nervously and fearfully, ¡°Where¡¯s Brother Hao? I want Brother Hao!!!¡± If not for Wu Hao¡¯s appearance, Meng Weiwei did not dare to imagine what she would have become. She wanted to see Wu Hao immediately and tell him that she was willing to marry him. Meng Ge pulled Meng Weiwei back. ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to go. Why are you looking for him? He just drew a line with us!¡± Meng Weiwei widened her eyes in disbelief. ¡°Impossible, impossible. Wu Hao is deeply in love with me. He saved me just now. How can he draw a line with me! I¡¯m his fianc¨¦e!¡± Meng Ge did not want his daughter to marry Wu Hao. Where could he regain his wealth in the future? He had only taken a fancy to the ordinary-looking Shen Yueqin because of her status as a princess. He shouted, ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to go!¡¯ Then he placed the indenture in front of her and asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why did you write an indenture?¡± When Meng Weiwei saw the indenture, she did not talk about looking for Wu Hao anymore. As if she had gone crazy, she snatched it over and ruthlessly tore apart the indenture she had personally written. She stomped her feet hard. ¡°Bai Wutong! Bai Wutong! Bai Wutong! I¡¯ll definitely let you die horribly without peace!¡± The team entered the territory of the Tailin Prefecture¡¯s Immortal County. After passing through a large forest and mountain range, they could see the vast grassland. The sun was about to set. It was time for them to camp again and prepare for the night. Auntie Yang¡¯s chestnut stewed chicken tasted superb. Xiaobai circled Auntie Yang and waited eagerly for her to give it a taste. Auntie Yang also wanted to give it, but Bai Wutong had instructed everyone not to feed Xiaobai. It had to lose weight now. Auntie Yang spread her hands helplessly. ¡°You can¡¯t eat it. Madam Bai will find out. ¡® Xiaobai shook its head, as though it was a human, and even placed a wolf melon seed on Aunt Yang¡¯s leg. It snorted twice, as if it was saying, ¡°Hurry up and give it to me so that you won¡¯t be discovered. ¡® Auntie Yang was still hesitant. It should be fine if she secretly fed it a little. Xiaobai¡¯s eyes, which were as clear as the sea, stared at her quietly. Auntie Yang made up her mind and was about to open the lid of the pot when Bai Wutong walked over. She pointed at Xiaobai and reprimanded, ¡°How many times have I told you? Don¡¯t ask others for food! Look at how fat you are. Even a pig will feel ashamed if it sees you! ¡® Xiaobai howled and lay on the ground dejectedly. Bai Wutong rubbed the back of its chubby head. ¡°Do you admit your mistake?¡± Xiaobai whimpered again, as if it was saying that it knew its mistake, but its little eyes kept sneaking glances at the fragrant pot. Seeing how pitiful it was, Auntie Yang couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡®Xiaobai has become thinner from hunger recently. It should be alright if we eat together.¡± Bai Wutong stared at Xiaobai and chuckled. Auntie Yang really knew how to lie through her teeth. With Xiaobai¡¯s appearance, he had clearly gained weight. When did he lose weight? She shook her head firmly. ¡°We can¡¯t spoil it like that. Wolves are like humans. If they¡¯re too fat, they¡¯re prone to illness and it affects their lifespan.¡± Auntie Yang was shocked and hurriedly said, ¡°Xiaobai, listen to Madam Bai and eat less. Let¡¯s stay healthy and live to be 80 years old.¡± Xiaobai howled. Knowing that there was no hope of eating the chicken, it could only resign itself to fate and turn around to play with Stinky. Bai Wutong stared at its shiny back. It looked ¡°a little¡± fatter than ordinary wolves, but its steps were still extremely steady and agile. Xiaobai, after losing weight, should be able to find a girlfriend. Bai Wutong thought that Xiaobai had gone to play with Stinky. But Xiaobai played for a while, before sneaking into the forest and ate meat on its own. This was why it had not been able to lose weight for so long. Xiaobai had a sharp sense of smell and quickly discovered its prey. It caught a chubby hare in a few moves. After eating its fill, it did not forget to go to the stream to wash its wolf mouth and bloody claws to prevent itself from being caught. It could not come out for too long, or Bai Wutong would be suspicious. Just as Xiaobai was about to run back, it smelled a familiar smell of blood in the depths of the forest. It hesitated for a moment before entering the depths of the forest. After a while, Xiaobai found a dirty and unconscious man under a towering tree. The smell of blood and the familiar smell came from the man. Xiaobai approached him and sniffed. From his clenched left hand, it took the source of the familiar smell and ran back quickly. It was almost dark. Bai Wutong did not know where Xiaobai had gone. Just as she was about to look for it, Xiaobai rushed out of the forest at the side and placed the pouch in front of Gu Zhongxun. When Gu Zhongxun saw Xiaobai, he thought that Xiaobai had brought him some herbs again. The moment his gaze landed on the pouch, his heart stopped. He asked Xiaobai agitatedly, ¡°Where did you find this?¡± Xiaobai naturally could not answer his question. It could only wag its tail and gesture for Gu Zhongxun to follow. Gu Zhongxun hurriedly took the torch and wanted to follow Xiaobai into the mountain. When Bai Wutong finally discovered Xiaobai at Gu Zhongxun¡¯s place, she asked curiously, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Gu Zhongxun said in a trembling voice, ¡°Madam Bai, Xiaobai found my master¡¯s pouch. I¡¯m going to look for him now..¡± Chapter 281 - Chapter 281: We’ll Avenge You Now! Chapter 281: We¡¯ll Avenge You Now! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Your master?¡± Bai Wutong asked in disbelief. Gu Zhongxun nodded repeatedly. ¡°Yes, yes, this is my master¡¯s pouch. He has always carried it with him. It¡¯s definitely him!¡± They had been looking for Wen Renhua for so long and finally had news of him. She hurriedly said, ¡°Wait, I¡¯ll bring my servants and go with you!¡± She quickly gathered her men and walked into the forest with their torches raised. Xiaobai led them through a forest. They didn¡¯t go too deep before they found an unconscious man under a hundred-year-old tree. Gu Zhongxun ran over agitatedly. ¡°Master! Master!¡± Wen Renhua, who was under the tree, was motionless. His face was pale and there was no sign of life. Gu Zhongxun hurriedly checked his injuries. The others held torches high to illuminate for him. When she arrived in front of them, she was very surprised. She had thought that the divine doctor would be very old, but Wen Renhua looked very young. He was just in his early thirties and looked strong and handsome. She took another look and realized that the tendons in Wen Renhua¡¯s right hand had been cruelly severed. Gu Zhongxun, who had always been calm, panicked. After a long time, he took out the hemostatic medicine from his pocket, poured it on Wen Renhua¡¯s hand and wrapped a bandage around his wrist. Bai Wutong instructed the dark guard, ¡°Carry him back first. Be careful not to touch his hand. ¡® Wen Renhua was carried back by the dark guard and hurriedly sent into Gu Zhongxun¡¯s tent. When everyone found out that the divine doctor had been found, they were not in the mood to sleep. They quietly guarded outside the tent and waited for Gu Zhongxun to connect Wen Renhua¡¯s tendons. In the modern world, connecting the tendons was just a small surgery. However, in ancient times, if one was not careful, Wen Renhua¡¯s right hand might be crippled. Bai Wutong was very nervous. Chu Tianbao would be able to regain his memories soon after they found him. But they might face disappointment agam. She was really not in a good mood. Chu Tianbao put his arm around her shoulder and comforted her. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± It would be fine even if he did not recover his memories, as long as she was always by his side. Chu Tianbao¡¯s deep voice transmitted endless power to her. Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be fine.¡± Lin Yue was even more nervous than Bai Wutong. He was walking back and forth dozens of meters away from Gu Zhongxun¡¯s tent. He was so worried that his furrowed eyebrows could even trap a fly. As long as Wen Renhua concocted the antidote and removed the poison in Qingfeng¡¯s body, he could marry Qingfeng. If Wen Renhua died, what should he do!!! What should he do!!! On the other hand, the person who was poisoned, Qingfeng, was exceptionally calm. She casually rolled a snowball on the ground and beckoned to Lin Yue. ¡°Come here.¡± Lin Yue sat over with a frown, his eyes still locked on Gu Zhongxun¡¯s tent. He looked like he was about to run over with the slightest noise. Suddenly, his face turned cold. Lin Yue turned around and suddenly met Qingfeng¡¯s cold face. Her calm eyes stared at him quietly, signaling him to take the snowball on his head. ¡°Calm down.¡± There was no ambiguous lookin her eyes, but her movements were very intimate. Lin Yue¡¯s gaze landed on her light lips, and his mind stopped for a moment. He subconsciously nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Lin Yue took the snowball. Qingfeng was still sitting very close to him. Her faint tone was teasing him. ¡°Have you calmed down?¡¯ Lin Yue nodded foolishly. His gaze landed on her straightened shoulders that gave off a strong sense of security. It made one have the urge to lean one¡¯s head on them. Soon, he was shocked by his strange thoughts. He was a man!!! If it should be someone leaning, it should be Qingfeng. Moreover, his chest was very firm and nice to look at! Lin Yue was daydreaming about Qingfeng relying on him. He stole a glance at her and then at his surroundings, wondering how feasible his fantasy was. Qingfeng sensed his gaze and glanced over. Lin Yue blushed and quickly pretended to yawn. Qingfeng asked him, ¡°Are you sleepy?¡± Before Lin Yue could speak, Qingfeng patted her shoulder. ¡°If you¡¯re tired, you can sleep for a while. ¡® ¡°I¡¯ll wake you up when Doctor Gu comes out.¡± The surprise was too sudden. Lin Yue was so excited that he was about to lean his head on her when he immediately straightened his shoulders. He looked calm on the surface, but his heart was like a volcano erupting. ¡°I¡¯m not tired. Lean on me and sleep!¡± The way he reached out and deliberately pinched the blanket in his palm exposed his anticipation. There was no smile in Qingfeng¡¯s cold eyes. She leaned on Lin Yue¡¯s shoulder and slowly closed her eyes. Lin Yue felt the warmth from his shoulder, and his heart beat like thunder. He quietly covered Qingfeng with the blanket and smiled foolishly. Gu Zhongxun was very successful in connecting the tendons for Wen Renhua. If nothing went wrong, he would wake up the next morning. As long as he recovered well, there was a high chance that he could give Chu Tianbao acupuncture when they arrived in the Southern Frontier. After everyone heard the news, they heaved a sigh of relief. Wen Renhua woke up early the next morning. When the two of them received the news, Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao immediately rushed over. When they opened the tent and entered, Gu Zhongxun was feeding Wen Renhua medicine. Chu Tianbao and Bai Wutong entered. Gu Zhongxun put down the empty medicine bowl and hurriedly introduced, ¡°Master, these two are Madam Bai and Master Chu. ¡± ¡°Madam Bai taught me a lot of medical theories. She is a teacher and a friend. When Master was not around, they helped me a lot.¡± ¡°I¡¯m grateful to them.¡± It was inconvenient for Wen Renhua to move. He said weakly, ¡°Thank you for taking care of my disciple.¡± Bai Wutong shook her head. ¡°We¡¯re all taking care of each other. Miracle Doctor Wen, you don¡¯t have to be polite.¡± ¡°However, who did this to you? Do you want us to find the official to seek justice for you?¡± Wen Renhua smiled bitterly. ¡°l was being pursued the whole time and finally managed to escape. Without any money on me, I entered the mountain to find herbs and accidentally picked a hundred-year-old ginseng. When I left the mountain, I was intercepted by more than ten people and was outnumbered. After I was knocked unconscious, I became like this.¡± When the dark guards who were chasing after Wen Renhua caught him, they happened to be poisoned to death. Wen Renhua concealed his identity and looked for Gu Zhongxun everywhere. Wen Renhua heard that there was a brilliant doctor in Immortal County who called himself the disciple of the divine doctor. He thought that it was Gu Zhongxun, so he travelled over with difficulty. When he arrived at Immortal County, he realized that the person was a scammer selling fake medicine. Fortunately, by chance, he really found his disciple. Bai Wutong frowned. ¡°Is this mountain owned by someone?¡± Wen Renhua shook his head. ¡°No.¡± On a mountain without an owner, Wen Renhua¡¯s hand was damaged just because he had picked a hundred-year-old ginseng. These people were really too arrogant. If Xiaobai had not accidentally discovered Wen Renhua, the consequences would be unimaginable. Bai Wutong said, ¡°Miracle Doctor Wen, don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll definitely get the official to stand up for you!¡± When Wen Renhua heard her call him a divine doctor, he shook his head humbly. ¡®Thank you, Madam Bai, for worrying about me. You don¡¯t have to call me a divine doctor. Just call me a doctor.¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°Alright, Doctor Wen, we¡¯ll seek justice for you now! ¡° Chapter 282 - Chapter 282: This Person is the Governor of the Southern Chapter 282: This Person is the Governor of the Southern Frontier Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The reason why Immortal County was called this was because the climate of the mountains was suitable for ginseng and other medicinal herbs to grow. Every year, many supreme-grade ginsengs would be discovered. They looked like fat babies, so it was named Immortal County. Ginseng was expensive and extremely profitable. The local people relied on the mountain to pick herbs every year. They earned quite a bit and their lives were quite comfortable. It was not until last year that the county magistrate of Immortal County, Zhang Jiayan, married a concubine. The brother of the concubine, Xu Baisheng, used his power to specially send people to intercept the villagers who had entered the mountain to pick herbs and forced them to hand over all the herbs they had picked. If someone was unwilling, he would snatch it. If he didn¡¯t like a person who wanted to resist, he would break the other party¡¯s tendons. The commoners went to the county office to complain about Xu Baisheng, but they were locked up and tortured. As time passed, no one dared to complain to the government office. The villagers could only pray that they would not encounter Xu Baisheng and the others before entering the mountain. More people were afraid that their tendons would be broken, so they could only be forced to change their livelihood. There were also many people from Immortal County who took the initiative to migrate to the southern frontier. Wen Renhua knew the growing environment of medicinal herbs very well. It was rare for a person to pick a hundred-year-old ginseng, so Xu Baisheng naturally would not let it go. After hearing the dark guard¡¯s report, Bai Wutong narrowed her eyes and said with a faint smile, ¡°It¡¯s so interesting to pick people¡¯s tendons. How can one hand be enough?¡± Qingfeng understood and immediately brought people to the gathering place where Xu Baisheng was. More than half of the huge villa was filled with Xu Baisheng¡¯s hired thugs. The dark guards covered their faces and descended from the sky with swords in their hands. Sword light flashed, and the thugs who swarmed forward screamed one after another. When the maidservants saw the blood spurting, they shouted in fear, ¡°Help! Murder!¡± When Xu Baisheng heard the loud commotion outside, he hurriedly pushed the woman away and got up to put on his pants. ¡°Swoosh.¡± A sharp sword flashed and split open the door. Xu Baisheng looked up in shock. In the next second, the sword light was already in front of him. ¡°Ah¡ªI!!!¡± After an earth-shattering scream, Xu Baisheng¡¯s hands were bleeding as he shouted in fear, ¡°Hero, spare my life! Hero, spare my life!¡± Perhaps his begging had worked, the culprit who had entered the house to commit murder took mercy on him. In the blink of an eye, they had really disappeared. Xu Baisheng had survived a calamity. His wrist, which was bleeding profusely, was in unbearable pain. He shouted at the woman on the bed, whose face had turned pale from fright, ¡®What are you waiting for? Hurry up and find the best doctor for me! If I¡¯m crippled, I¡¯ll chop off your hands!¡± The woman was so frightened that she did not even dare to put on her outer clothes. She scrambled out and witnessed the terrifying scene in the courtyard. Her eyes rolled back and she actually fainted. The woman fell to the ground with a thud. Xu Baisheng looked over and saw that all the thugs in his manor had their tendons broken like him. They rolled on the ground in pain and wailed. Such a familiar scene instantly scared him into sweating. These people were clearly looking for him to take revenge, but why didn¡¯t they take his life? Were they looking for a way to torture him? The more Xu Baisheng thought about it, the more afraid he became. He could only shout at the maidservant, who was so frightened that her face was ashen, ¡°Quick, go find County Magistrate Zhang and ask him to personally bring people over! ¡± Xu Baisheng dared to be so reckless, not only because his sister had married the Zhang family, but more importantly, he could help the Zhang family earn money. After intercepting the villagers for more than a year, the gold and silver hidden in Zhang Jiayan¡¯s family had almost filled the entire basement. If something had happened to Xu Baisheng, he naturally would not sit back and do nothing. Not long after the maidservant ran out, there was a violent collision sound at the entrance of the villa. With a loud bang, the door of the villa was broken open. The servants screamed. Xu Baisheng could not be bothered about his wound that had yet to be bandaged. He quickly hid behind the screen. When he heard the chaotic voices outside, he was so frightened that he did not even dare to breathe loudly. He only dared to curse in his heart. Could this stupid pig Zhang Jiayan hurry up! If he did not come soon, he would lose his life. ¡°Bang¡ª¡± The screen was shattered by an invisible force, and Xu Baisheng¡¯s flustered appearance appeared in front of everyone. You Huaijie had already obtained evidence of Xu Baisheng bullying and harming the people. He ordered, ¡®Take him down!¡¯ Xu Baisheng staggered and sat on the ground. His face was pale as he shouted, ¡°Do you know who I am?! I¡¯m the county magistrate¡¯s brother-in-law. How dare you arrest me? Do you want to die?¡¯ You Huaijie was not wearing the governor¡¯s uniform. Xu Baisheng thought that he was just a hothead. You Huaijie sneered. ¡®What an arrogant tone. I want to see what capabilities you have! ¡± Xu Baisheng was tied up and the chain was wrapped around his wound. It was so painful that he couldn¡¯t stop crying. He didn¡¯t dare to say anything else and begged You Huaijie to find a doctor to treat him first. You Huaijie was indifferent and rewarded him with a sentence. ¡°When you broke the tendons in other people¡¯s hands, they also screamed in pain and lost consciousness, and became crippled.¡± Xu Baisheng¡¯s eyes widened in fear as the miserable outcomes of the villagers flashed through his mind. In an instant, he felt a bone-chilling sensation and shouted in despair, ¡°l don¡¯t want to become a cripple! I don¡¯t want to become a cripple! Find me a doctor! Hurry up and find me a doctor!¡­¡± When County Magistrate Zhang received the news from the maidservant, he slapped the table and said angrily, ¡°How dare they! They¡¯d actually dare to attack and injure people in my territory! ¡® The furious Magistrate Zhang sat in a sedan chair and rushed to Xu Baisheng¡¯s villa. Before he entered the courtyard, You Huaijie heard Magistrate Zhang¡¯s scolding voice. ¡®Where did these soldiers come from? How dare you trespass without my permission!¡± However, he only said one sentence before he was kicked by the dark guards in a soldier¡¯s disguise. There was a huge muffled sound. The bailiffs brought by County Magistrate Zhang had been arrogant for many years, but this was the first time they had seen someone even more arrogant than them. When they saw County Magistrate Zhang collapse to the ground, they immediately panicked and even forgot to draw their swords. Magistrate Zhang took a few breaths before cursing, ¡°Idiot, hurry up and help me up!¡± The baliffs pulled up the fat Magistrate Zhang. You Huaijie also came out of the villa at this moment, followed by a group of people whose tendons had been broken and tied up. When Magistrate Zhang saw Xu Baisheng¡¯s tragic state, he was so frightened that his heart was pounding. He cursed, ¡°Where did you come from?! How dare you slaughter innocent people like this!¡± ¡°Hurry up and kneel before me!¡± You Huaijie did not even look up. The dark guard who had kicked him previously gave him another fierce kick With this kick, Magistrate Zhang flew out and smashed the small sedan chair. County Magistrate Zhang¡¯s bailiff was completely stunned. Why did they start fighting without a word? Shouldn¡¯t they say a few words before starting?! Magistrate Zhang couldn¡¯t stand up this time. He pointed at You Huaijie with a trembling finger and said with difficulty, ¡°Who¡­ who are you? How dare you. You Huaijie¡¯s eyes lit up as he took out his tablet. Magistrate Zhang stared at it and muttered in shock, ¡°The Governor of the Southern Frontier!!! ¡± ¡®He¡¯s the governor of the Southern Frontier?¡¯ Why didn¡¯t he even say anything when he was coming here! When the bailiffs heard the words ¡®Governor of the Southern Frontier¡±, they were so frightened that their hair stood on end. They knelt down with a plop. ¡°Greetings, Governor!!!¡± Xu Baisheng was completely dumbfounded.. This person was the governor of the Southern Frontier¡­ It was over¡­ It was over¡­ It was completely over¡­ Chapter 283 - Chapter 283: It’s All Because It Was Spoilt Chapter 283: It¡¯s All Because It Was Spoilt Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Although the Southern Frontier was a dilapidated place, the Governor was a first-grade official. He could easily take down County Magistrate Zhang. Magistrate Zhang had not worn enough of the black veil hat on his head. He begged, ¡°Sir, please spare my life. I failed to recognize you. I beg for your forgiveness! ¡± He pointed at Xu Baisheng and said, ¡°What he did has nothing to do with me. I really don¡¯t know anything! Really, Sir, I don¡¯t know anything!!! It¡¯s all his fault. Just take him away! ¡® When Xu Baisheng heard Zhang Jiayan shirk his relationship with him and not care about his life, and asked You Huaijie to take him away. He was furious and shouted with all his might, ¡°Bullsh*t! If it weren¡¯t for you, why would I have done those things? You took so much money from me and still want to escape? Dream on! Zhang Jiayan! Even if I die, I¡¯ll drag you down with me!¡¯ Magistrate Zhang gritted his teeth and tried his best to maintain his last bit of rationality. ¡°The Governor has good judgement. Why would he believe your nonsense! ¡± Xu Baisheng knew that You Huaijie had come prepared and that he won¡¯t be able to escape punishment after what he had done. He said, ¡°I¡¯ve already recorded down the money I gave you every month. Zhang Jiayan, if you think you can survive along, there¡¯s no such way!¡± ¡°Sir, the account book is under my bed. All of this was instigated by the Zhang Jiayan. It was also his idea to make me chop off the tendons of the villagers and intimidate them!¡¯ When County Magistrate Zhang heard that there was an account book, he panicked and actually took the initiative to admit that he had colluded with Xu Baisheng. He shouted, ¡°You were the one who took the initiative to give me money and ask for my protection!!!¡± His fat face actually revealed an innocent expression. How ridiculous. You Huaijie got someone to bring over the account book and casually flipped through two pages. There were hundreds of taels of records written down. Xu Baisheng had a record of at least ten times a month. After more than a year, it was already a huge sum of money that was enough to make County Magistrate Zhang die a thousand times. You Huaijie closed the account book. ¡®Take it back to the government office first!¡± When he brought it back to the government office, he would have to start the interrogation. Once the matter was exposed, there was nothing they could do. Thinking that he might die, Magistrate Zhang, who was limp on the ground, erupted with power. He crawled to You Huaijie¡¯s feet and actually publicly bribed him. ¡°Your Excellency, Governor, I¡¯m willing to donate all my assets to you. Please let me live!¡± You Huaijie stood with his back to the light. Magistrate Zhang could not see his expression under the shadow. The fear of death had already annihilated him. Thinking that You Huaijie was not satisfied, he cried and shouted, ¡°Sir, there are still golden bricks buried under my courtyard. Please let me go!¡± You Huaijie¡¯s expression finally changed. ¡°What else?¡± As soon as these words were spoken, Magistrate Zhang immediately sensed a slim hope of survival. He said excitedly, ¡®My old residence also has 5,000 taels of gold in the latrine!¡± ¡°Nothing else?¡± You Huaijie asked. County Magistrate Zhang panicked again. Tears and snot flowed down his face. ¡°Governor, there¡¯s really no more. As long as you spare my life, I¡¯ll definitely be filial to you every year!¡¯ Xu Baisheng also thought that You Huaijie was a greedy person, and his hope of survival was reignited. ¡°Sir, I also have money. I also have a secret room filled with gold, silver, and jewelry. If you¡¯re not satisfied, I can pay respects to you every year!¡¯ Just as the two of them were filled with anticipation that they would be spared, You Huaijie¡¯s expression darkened and he scolded, ¡°Pay respects every year? It¡¯s not enough to plunder the people¡¯s wealth and harm them for a year, but you even plan to do so for the rest of your lives. You¡¯re really shameless! The people of Immortal County are really unlucky to meet people like you.¡± ¡°Bring everyone along! ¡± The arrogant County Magistrate Zhang and his lackeys were all tied up and walked forward in a sorry state. The citizens of Immortal County immediately became excited and asked each other what was going on. They did not know if County Magistrate Zhang would really be punished, so they did not dare to say anything. It was not until everyone followed the team all the way to the government office and heard You Huaijie¡¯s clear judgment of the case. He announced that Magistrate Zhang and Xu Baisheng would be executed the next day. Their assets would be confiscated to compensate the victims. After the dust settled, everyone woke up from their daze and knelt down to shout, ¡®Thank you, Lord of Justice! Thank you, Lord of Justice!!!¡¯ You Huaijie nodded slightly, like a magnanimous official. No one could tell that he was actually a dark guard pretending. As the governor of the Southern Frontier, You Huaijie had the right to communicate directly with Emperor Ling Hui. He sent a letter to Emperor Ling Hui and arranged for the officials to take over. He immediately set off to chase after the team, but when he left the city gate, he was stopped by the commoners. ¡°Is the Governor leaving?¡¯ You Huaijie nodded from the horse¡¯s back. The commoners immediately asked excitedly, ¡°Sir, can you not leave? ¡® It wasn¡¯t easy for there to be a Lord to stand up for them. They didn¡¯t want him to leave. Why would such a good official be sent to the uncivilized Southern Frontier? It would be better to stay in their Immortal County. You Huaijie: ¡°1 still have an important task at hand. Everyone, you should head back!¡± Hearing You Huaijie¡¯s words, the commoners cried excitedly. They knew that they could not keep him, so they could only silently follow behind You Huaijie¡¯s team and send him off. The group heading to the Southern Frontier moved slowly. You Huaijie caught up with them, with a group of commoners behind him. These commoners had lost their trust in the Imperial Court. You Huaijie had upheld justice for them and even given them compensation. They had decided to follow You Huaijie and firmly believed that even if they went to the Southern Frontier, they would definitely have a good life with a good official like You Huaijie. The more migrants who could take the initiative to head to the Southern Frontier, the better. You Huaijie naturally wouldn¡¯t chase them away. He even specially sent soldiers to protect them. This made the migrants of Immortal County even more touched. Their steps forward became even more firm. The sun was about to set, and the team prepared to set up camp. The citizens of Immortal County who had newly joined praised You Huaijie for being fair and just to everyone. Their eyes were filled with admiration and reverence. Auntie Yang used the soaked mushrooms to make chicken soup for Wen Renhua and sighed. ¡°Lord You is really different from his son. He¡¯s a good official!¡± She had almost forgotten how ferocious You Huaijie looked when he first arrived at Youjia Village and wished he could kill the entire village. Xiaobai smelled the food fragrance and crawled over again, looking at her eagerly as it waited to be fed. Xiaobai had done a great job by finding Wen Renhua. Gu Zhongxun had secretly given it a lot of snacks, and Lin Yue had secretly given it a roasted chicken. Bai Wutong was also happy, so she turned a blind eye and allowed it to be happy for two days. But it was impossible to continue on like this. Bai Wutong walked over and pinched Xiaobai¡¯s mouth. ¡°You just ate a dustpan of meat. You¡¯re not allowed to eat anymore.¡± Xiaobai¡¯s mouth was held together, and it howled skillfully, as if it was saying that it understood. It glanced in Stinky¡¯s direction and gestured for her to quickly let go. It was going to play with Stinky. When Xiaobai found Wen Renhua in the forest, Bai Wutong guessed the reason why it had failed to lose weight. She said fiercely, ¡°You¡¯re quite capable! You ate more behind my back and even knew to find someone to cover for you. You¡¯re not allowed to go anywhere in the future. Be good and lose weight. Only when you lose weight can you go out!¡¯ It couldn¡¯t even find more food by itself. Xiaobai immediately wailed miserably. Its beautiful ice-blue eyes were filled with human-like sadness. Auntie Yang clicked her tongue. ¡®Xiaobai has really become like a human.¡± Bai Wutong was amused. ¡°It¡¯s all because it was spoilt..¡± Chapter 284 - Chapter 284: What Does He Mean! Chapter 284: What Does He Mean! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After crossing the mountains of Immortal County, everyone¡¯s horizons widened. They saw a vast and endless grassland covered in scattered snow. The feeling of vastness was refreshing. Xiaobai ran excitedly while Chu Tianbao took Stinky for a spin. Stinky¡¯s cheerful laughter spread across the land like a silver bell. Everyone¡¯s exhaustion from the travel was relieved by his cute smile. Sheng Huaixuan said to Bai Wutong, ¡°After passing through this grassland and a desert, we¡¯ll be able to enter the Southern Frontier.¡± Bai Wutong was surprised. ¡°There¡¯s another desert? How long will it take?¡± Sheng Huaixuan said, ¡°About two weeks, but there are many people in the team. It might take three weeks.¡± Bai Wutong frowned. ¡°There are so many people. Is there a water source in the desert?¡± Sheng Huaixuan had never been to the Southern Frontier personally. ¡®The caravan said that there are wells along the way.¡± Hearing that there would be wells, Bai Wutong was relieved. From time to time, one could see grazing Syrians on the grassland. Their cattles were fat and strong, and they looked delicious. Seeing so many people migrating towards the southern frontier, the Syrians took the initiative to walk over, wanting to exchange their cows and sheepskin for something. They did not lack meat, but they rarely could buy fine rice, flour, cloth, and silk. The feeling of being surrounded by a fire on the grassland, eating roasted whole sheep and drinking milk wine was extremely beautiful. ¡°I want a sheep,¡± Bai Wutong said. ¡°Show me the leather, too.¡± The Syrians quickly presented the leather. Bai Wutong had taken a fancy to several soft lamb skins. If she used them to make a carpet and sofa cushions, it would definitely be comfortable and beautiful in their future new home. The wool on the lamb was woven into threads and could be used to knit sweaters, towels, hats, socks, and so on. Bai Wutong planned to knit a sweater for Stinky and Chu Tianbao each. She also bought some soft wool of the best texture from the Syrians. They would be camping there. The Syrian would go back and gather wool as she had requested. They would be able to deliver it to her before they left the next morning. When Sheng Huaixuan found out that she was going to buy wool to knit, he smiled and said, ¡°Sister-in-law should have asked me just now.¡± One of the goods that Yu Suisheng¡¯s caravan went to the Southern Frontier to buy was cheap wool. They would transport the wool to the south and find skilled female workers to process them into expensive textiles before selling at a high price. Sheng Huaixuan said that there was no need to buy wool. There would be processed thread sent to her home. Bai Wutong smiled and said. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve already bought them. In any case, the carriage can fit them in. Besides, I have nothing to do in the carriage, so I can make a few cute dolls for Stinky with wool.¡± Hearing that she was going to make a doll, Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s eyes lit up. His intuition told him that this was another good thing. After Bai Wutong made her pick, Sheng Huaixuan negotiated the price. Ultimately, there were very few caravans heading to the Southern Frontier. Sheng Huaixuan was familiar with the price that the Syria people expected. He only used three baskets of food and three sets of cotton cloth to exchange for what Bai Wutong wanted. After buying so many things, the total value of the things she exchanged for was less than 10 taels of silver. Any woman would like to buy. Cui Lingyi had her eyes on more things than Bai Wutong. Once her gaze landed on something, in more than two seconds, Sheng Huaixuan would gesture to the servants and note down all these things. After Cui Lingyi had chosen and asked for the price, the Syrian said with a smile, ¡®The transaction has been completed. ¡® With that, he took the initiative to move the things into the carriage for her. Cui Lingyi was a little confused. How had the transaction been completed? She had yet to ask them what they wanted to exchange. The Syrians carried a colorful robe into the carriage. Cui Lingyi asked in surprise, ¡°I didn¡¯t choose this?¡± The Syrian also shook his head strangely. ¡°But it has been exchanged for.¡± Cui Lingyi asked again, ¡°Who did you complete the transaction with?¡± The Syrian looked towards a certain direction. ¡°Him.¡± Cui Lingyi also looked in the direction he was looking. Yu Suisheng was reporting to Sheng Huaixuan. Sheng Huaixuan smiled gently from time to time, as if he was very satisfied. Yu Suisheng listened to Sheng Huaixuan. If Yu Suisheng had made a deal for her, it would definitely be Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s idea. What Sheng Huaixuan meant¡­ A complicated expression flashed across Cui Lingyi¡¯s eyes, and she couldn¡¯t help but smile. As if they had telepathy, Sheng Huaixuan turned around and their gazes met in the air. Cui Lingyi did not expect him to notice. She hurriedly retracted her gaze. In her panic, her heart could not help but beat wildly. Sheng Huaixuan left Yu Suisheng and took the initiative to walk over. ¡°Yunling has disturbed Madam Cui many times. This is just a small token of appreciation. I hope Madam Cui can accept it. ¡® Although she had married someone once, it was only a fake marriage to avoid entering the palace. Cui Lingyi realized that she had fallen for Sheng Huaixuan and was feeling uneasy. However, Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s words were like a bucket of cold water that splashed on her, making her expression turn cold. It turned out that he was just grateful to her for taking care of Stinky. Cui Lingyi took a while to calm down before forcing a smile. ¡°Master Sheng, you¡¯re too polite. Thank you, Master Sheng.¡± She tried her best to restrain herself and unknowingly became overly distant. Sheng Huaixuan met her red eyes and was stunned. ¡± Madam Cui?¡± Cui Lingyi waved her hand. ¡°The sand has entered my eyes. I¡¯ve embarrassed myself in front of Old Master Sheng.¡± She turned around and was about to get into the carriage when Sheng Huaixuan suddenly handed her a pine-scented handkerchief and said gently , ¡°I¡¯ll go find Doctor Gu to get you some medicine.¡± He was always so considerate that it was easy to misunderstand. Cui Lingyi became more at ease with herself. She stared at the handkerchief that was still in front of her and didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry. ¡®There¡¯s sand in my eyes. What medicine can I use?¡± Sheng Huaixuan smiled like a spring breeze. ¡°It¡¯s easy for people to become red-eyed and dry because of the sandstorm. It¡¯s also a type of illness. Perhaps Doctor Gu has a way.¡± He made sense. Cui Lingyi felt a little more relaxed and could even joke. ¡°I think Old Master Sheng will definitely be the most outstanding doctor if he learns medicine.¡¯ Sheng Huaixuan suddenly fell silent and looked at her with his gentle eyes, as if he was telling his beloved that he only wanted to be her personal doctor, making Cui Lingyi¡¯s heart beat violently again. She fled into the carriage in a panic, her ears already red. Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s eyes flashed across her mind, and she couldn¡¯t help but mutter hatefully, ¡°What does he mean?!¡± Cui Lingyi finally calmed down. After a while, Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s gentle voice sounded again through the carriage. ¡°Madam Cui, this is an eye drop developed by Doctor Gu. If you still feel discomfort in your eyes, drip a drop into your eyes and the symptoms will ease.¡± There was no movement in the carriage. Sheng Huaixuan handed the eye drops to Cui Lingyi¡¯s maidservant and lowered his voice. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to disturb Madam Cui¡¯s rest.¡± Cui Lingyi clenched her fists, feeling that even the most profound arithmetic was not as difficult to understand as Sheng Huaixuan. She wished she could open the carriage curtain and ask him in person what he meant. But the restraint that a woman should have did not allow her to do this.. Chapter 285 - Chapter 285: Auspicious, Just a Little Chubby Chapter 285: Auspicious, Just a Little Chubby Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The Syrians felt that Bai Wutong and the rest were abnormally generous. Apart from the leather made from domestic animals, they also actively promoted their special delicacies, dried beef, and fermented milk strips. Back in Youjia village, plowing bulls were not meant for eating. Even if one wanted to eat them, one had to let them die accidentally. The Syrians had no such scruples. They raised cows to eat. As soon as they took out the dried beef, Xiaobai jumped out of nowhere and stared at the dried beef in the Syrian¡¯s hand with its ice-blue eyes. When the Syrians saw Xiaobai, they plopped to the ground and muttered, ¡°Wolf God, please bless us!¡­ Bai Wutong was speechless. Xiaobai tilted its head. Bai Wutong knew that some regions regarded wolves as auspicious guardian divine beasts, but this was too exaggerated. They directly knelt down to Xiaobai. She hurriedly said, ¡°Get up quickly!¡± She was really just raising a fat wolf. Not only did the Syrians not get up, but they also respectfully offered a large bag of dried beef to Xiaobai. ¡°Lord Wolf God, please enjoy!¡± Xiaobai¡¯s eyes lit up, and tears of excitement almost flowed out of its mouth. Thinking of the taste of roasted meat on the bamboo board, he did not dare to move his mouth and could only look at Bai Wutong eagerly. Facing Xiaobai¡¯s gluttonous face, Bai Wutong suddenly had an idea. She said to the Syrians, ¡°Your Lord Wolf God told me to tell you to get up quickly. He even asked me to tell you that he doesn¡¯t eat these things.¡± The Syrians looked at her in a daze with a doubtful expression. ¡®How do you know?¡¯ She smiled mysteriously at Xiaobai. ¡®Xiaobai, don¡¯t you think so?¡± Xiaobai¡¯s eyes were about to fall into the dried beef. Due to the might of the bamboo plate roasted meat, it could only bear with it and nod with tears in its eyes. The Syrians were all shocked. It was real! The Wolf God had spoken!! They were extremely excited and knelt down in front of the Bai Wutong. ¡°Lord Oracle, please bless us! Lord Oracle, please bless us!¡± The corners of her mouth twitched. She really had no intention of pretending to be an Oracle. ¡®Then get up quickly! ¡® Since the Lord Oracle has asked them to get up, the Syrians did not dare to disobey. They looked at the dried beef in embarrassment and carefully asked Bai Wutong, ¡°What do the Lord Oracle and the Wolf God want to eat? We¡¯ll prepare it now! ¡± Bai Wutong smiled, her eyes shining like the sun. ¡°We have prepared them. Thank you! ¡® The young Syrian was stunned. ¡®The Oracle is so beautiful! ¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s expression suddenly changed. The Syrian inexplicably felt a chill run down his spine. Chu Tianbao was jealous again. Bai Wutong held back her laughter and quickly held Chu Tianbao¡¯s hand. She said to them, ¡°We still have something on, so we¡¯ll leave first.¡± After taking a few steps, the murderous aura on Chu Tianbao¡¯s body had yet to dissipate. Bai Wutong pinched his handsome face and changed the topic. ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect Xiaobai, who was despised by the wolves, to be acknowledged as the Wolf God.¡± Chu Tianbao suddenly recalled some familiar and unfamiliar memories. ¡°The ancestors of the Syrians claimed their territory and weer often accompanied a white wolf. After the battle ended, they established their first tribe.¡± ¡°After that, the Syrians worshiped the white wolf and its ancestors as gods. In the history of the previous dynasty, the appearance of the white wolf was often associated with saints or dynasties changing. This was the first time Bai Wutong had heard of this. She looked at Xiaobai, who was digging at the ground, and smiled as proudly as if her son had been commended. ¡°Xiaobai has always been an auspicious sign.¡± Chu Tianbao stared at it a few times, making Xiaobai, who was digging a hole, feel a chill run down its spine. It jumped up and howled. Chu Tianbao said angrily, ¡°It¡¯s auspicious, but just a little chubby..¡± Chapter 286 - Chapter 286: She Has Been Ignoring You for a Few Days Chapter 286: She Has Been Ignoring You for a Few Days Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The bonfire was burning fiercely, and the fragrance of roasted lamb filled the Xiaobai was dealt a blow by Chu Tianbao. In a fit of anger, it swallowed the entire lamb leg. Even though there was such a delicious whole lamb, Cui Lingyi looked distracted. Holding Stinky, Bai Wutong fed him a soft roasted sweet potato and asked Cui Lingyi, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡¯ Cui Lingyi was too embarrassed to say anything. Stinky, whose mouth was full, suddenly interrupted. ¡°1 know why Auntie is in a bad mood.¡¯ Bai Wutong looked at Stinky and teased him. ¡®What do you know?¡± Stinky immediately raised his chin proudly. ¡°Auntie is angry with my father!¡± As soon as these words were spoken, Cui Lingyi¡¯s fair face immediately flushed red. Realization dawned on Bai Wutong. She pulled a long face and reprimanded Stinky for talking nonsense in front of outsiders. She carried Stinky to Qingfeng and gestured for Cui Lingyi to speak with her at the side. She went straight to the point. ¡°I think Old Master Sheng is a good person.¡± Cui Lingyi sighed. ¡°1 think he¡¯s not bad either.¡± Bai Wutong smiled at her and looked at the stars in the sky. ¡®Then why are you conflicted? It can¡¯t be because of Stinky.¡± Cui Lingyi shot her a strange look. ¡°Stinky is so cute.¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°Then it¡¯s because of Old Master Sheng?¡± Cui Lingyi sighed again. ¡°1 don¡¯t understand what he means either.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I had misunderstood.¡¯ Bai Wutong suggested, ¡°Shall I help you ask?¡± Cui Lingyi shook her head. ¡°Forget it. If you go, they¡¯ll think I am forcing a marriage.¡± Bai Wutong laughed softly. ¡®That¡¯s a possibility. Isn¡¯t that good?¡± Cui Lingyi glanced at her. ¡®What¡¯s so good about that? It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t have anyone to marry.¡± Bai Wutong thought for a moment. ¡°Don¡¯t you just want to confirm his feelings? It¡¯s simple.¡± She released the hook but did not say anything for a long time. Cui Lingyi looked around and finally couldn¡¯t help but ask curiously, ¡°What is the way?¡± The smile on Bai Wutong¡¯s face deepened as she whispered into Cui Lingyi¡¯s ear. Cui Lingyi¡¯s beautiful eyes lit up. The carriage in front of the line sank into the mud. The soldiers pushed the carriage first before filling in the path. Otherwise, who knew how long it would take for the carriage behind to pass. Everyone took this opportunity to get out of the carriage. Cui Muzhi looked at the green grassland that was glowing with vitality and said happily, ¡°Sister, it would be great if we had paper kites. It would definitely be great to fly the kites here!¡± Cui Lingyi smiled and said, ¡®We still have to travel. How can we have time to fly paper kites?¡± Cui Muzhi glanced at the soldiers who were still trying their best to repair the road. ¡°I think it will take a long time. I¡¯ll think of a way!¡± Cui Lingyi chuckled. ¡°Let¡¯s see what you can do. ¡® Cui Muzhi smiled and said, ¡°Just you wait!¡± Not long after, Cui Muzhi returned with two paper kites. Sheng Huaixuan followed closely behind him. Cui Muzhi waved his hand happily. ¡°Sister, Old Master Sheng is really amazing. He thought of everything and prepared paper kites for us.¡± Cui Lingyi¡¯s smile gradually disappeared. She nodded at Sheng Huaixuan. ¡°I¡¯m a little tired. You guys have fun.¡¯ Cui Lingyi got into the carriage. Cui Muzhi stood there with the paper kite and asked curiously, ¡°Cousin was clearly very energetic just now.¡± His gaze involuntarily landed on Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s face. Sheng Huaixuan frowned slightly. Cui Muzhi couldn¡¯t help but come over and ask, ¡°Did you make my cousin angry? She has ignored you for a few days now.¡± Chapter 287 - Chapter 287: How Could He Laugh Out? Chapter 287: How Could He Laugh Out? Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Sheng Huaixuan looked at Cui Muzhi in surprise. Cui Muzhi chuckled and gave him a knowing look. The carriage¡¯s curtain was suddenly lifted from the corner. Cui Muzhi met Cui Lingyi¡¯s cold warning gaze and immediately slipped away with the paper kite. The team continued on their way. Sheng Huaixuan carried Stinky, who was sleeping soundly, and looked distracted. Lin Yue could tell that someone was wrong with him, so he smiled and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Master?¡± His strange expression was the same as Cui Muzhi ¡®s. Sheng Huaixuan couldn¡¯t help but be puzzled. ¡°Why did you all misunderstand?¡± It was a sentence that did not have any context. If it were anything else, Lin Yue would definitely not be able to guess it, but now he understood. Lin Yue smiled and said, ¡°Who doesn¡¯t know how attentive you are to Madam Cui?!¡± Sheng Huaixuan frowned. ¡°I¡¯m attentive?¡± Lin Yue chuckled. ¡°If Madam Cui likes flowers, Master will get someone to send flowers every month. If Madam Cui developed rouge and cosmetics, Master will open a cosmetics shop for her. If Madam Cui feel any discomfort, Master will find Doctor Gu to prescribe medicine.¡± Sheng Huaixuan glanced at him and explained, ¡°Madam Cui bought the flowers with her own money. I was just helping. The cosmetics shop is very profitable, and Madam Cui¡¯s rouge and cosmetics are the best quality. She took care of Stinky a lot, shouldn¡¯t I find a doctor for her?¡± How could Lin Yue believe his explanation? Madam Cui had given him money, but Sheng Huaixuan had taken an unbelievably small amount. Besides, there were so many people taking care of Stinky. Why wasn¡¯t he so concerned with the other people? He was clearly refusing to admit it. Lin Yue shrugged. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s Master¡¯s duty to take care of Madam Cui. We misunderstood.¡± He spread his hands. ¡°Continue until Madam Cui gets married.¡¯ Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s eyes darkened. Lin Yue thought that he would be angry. Unexpectedly, he was silent for a long time. His gentle face was filled with melancholy as he said, ¡°You¡¯re right. I overstepped my boundaries.¡± Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s eyes darkened. Lin Yue thought that he would be angry. Unexpectedly, he was silent for a long time. His gentle face was filled with melancholy as he said, ¡°You¡¯re right. I overstepped my boundaries.¡± Lin Yue was about to panic. Sheng Huaixuan was swift and decisive in the business world. Why was he so wishy-washy when it involved Cui Lingyi? He couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Master, Young Master likes Madam Cui so much, and Madam Bai and Madam Cui are good friends. What are you worried about?¡¯ The scholars of Qinghe had gathered. If Sheng Huaixuan wanted to occupy the Qinghe Market, he naturally had to find out some inside information. He had known about Cui Lingyi¡¯s fake marriage a few years ago. He wasn¡¯t good enough for her in the past, let alone now. Sheng Huaixuan looked at Lin Yue with a complicated expression, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he said nothing. Lin Yue could not get anything out of him, so he could only give up. His Qingfeng was the best. She was direct and even liked him. At the thought that they were about to get married in the Southern Frontier, Lin Yue smiled foolishly again. Qin Xiao was satisfied with the watercolor brush and solid paint. It was as if he had entered a new world and specially developed several painting techniques. The afterglow in the evening was very beautiful. Cui Lingyi and Bai Wutong could not help but take out their sketch pads. Qin Xiao walked over and realized that the painting technique they used was unique. Qin Xiao wanted to talk to Bai Wutong, but Chu Tianbao stood at the side covetously. He chickened out and immediately asked Cui Lingyi, ¡°Madam Cui, what technique is this?¡± Cui Lingyi knew that he loved painting and explained patiently, ¡°This is smudging, this is spacing¡­¡± Qin Xiao noted them down excitedly. Under the afterglow, their shadows overlapped like an intimate pair. Seeing this, Lin Yue deliberately said, ¡°Master, don¡¯t you think Young Master Qin and Madam Cui are very compatible?¡± Sheng Huaixuan took a few glances and shook his head seriously. ¡°He¡¯s not worthy. ¡± Lin Yue was speechless. Did he have to be so direct? Sheng Huaixuan even helped him come up with an explanation. ¡°Qin Xiao loves paintings the most. If Madam Cui marries him, she will definitely be neglected. ¡± Lin Yue sighed and looked at him worriedly. He really did not understand what Sheng Huaixuan meant. He clearly had feelings for her, but he had to act like he didn¡¯t care. Qin Xiao became more and more excited after receiving Cui Lingyi¡¯s guidance. Unknowingly, the two of them were getting closer and closer. Cui Lingyi did not find anything wrong. When they discussed what she was satisfied with, Qin Xiao could not help but be stunned by her bright and exquisite face. He recalled Old Master Qin¡¯s words about wanting to marry Cui Lingyi for him, and his face heated up slightly. Suddenly, Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s gentle voice sounded in his ear. ¡°Young Master Qin, Master Yu¡¯s stationery shop has produced two new unique oil brushes. Do you want to take a look?¡± A unique oil brush!!! As soon as these words were spoken, Qin Xiao immediately forgot about Cui Lingyi and nodded excitedly. ¡°I want to, thank you for thinking about me, Brother Sheng.¡± Sheng Huaixuan nodded at the surprised Cui Lingyi and left with Qin Xiao. When they were gone, Bai Wutong smiled meaningfully at Cui Lingyi. Cui Lingyi raised her eyebrows and smiled. After Qin Xiao obtained the oil brush from Sheng Huaixuan, he still could not forget Cui Lingyi¡¯s painting skills. As long as he found an opportunity, he would approach Cui Lingyi and discuss with her. He wanted to look for Bai Wutong, but unfortunately, she and Chu Tianbao were inseparable, like sticky candy stuck together. When he met Chu Tianbao¡¯s cold gaze, he did not dare to approach. As Cui Lingyi and Qin Xiao got closer, people kept talking about them behind their backs. Lin Yue saw Qin Xiao looking for Cui Lingyi again. He glanced at Sheng Huaixuan, who was sitting there in a daze, and said to Stinky, ¡°Shall we go play with Madam Cui?¡± Stinky looked at Sheng Huaixuan cleverly. ¡°Daddy should go with us.¡¯ Lin Yue knew that Young Master was helping. He said to Sheng Huaixuan, ¡°Master, Young Master wants you to bring him to play with Madam Cui.¡¯ Sheng Huaixuan looked at the chubby Stinky, met his dark round eyes, and looked in Cui Lingyi¡¯s direction. He suddenly stood up. ¡°Take Young Master there. I have something on for the time being.¡± Lin Yue was dumbfounded. He clearly felt that Sheng Huaixuan was about to rush over to snatch her away just now. What was this about? Was that all? God, his omnipotent master was too cowardly! Lin Yue complained in his heart. To avoid Qin Xiao taking advantage of this time, he picked up Little Stinky and rushed over. Between Stinky and the annoying Qin Xiao, Cui Lingyi naturally chose Stinky. When Stinky was almost done playing, Sheng Huaixuan came to pick him up. Cui Lingyi nodded coldly at him, refusing to give him any face. Just as Cui Lingyi returned to the carriage, Sheng Huaixuan suddenly called out to her, ¡°Madam Cui.¡± Cui Lingyi stopped in her tracks and asked calmly, ¡®What¡¯s the matter, Old Master Sheng?¡± Sheng Huaixuan took out an exquisite box from his sleeve and handed it to Cui Lingyi. ¡°I heard that Madam Cui is quite well-versed in embroidery. The embroidered handkerchief in the box should be helpful to Madam Cui¡¯s skills.¡± Cui Lingyi glanced at the box and said coldly, ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything for you, I don¡¯t deserve this. Thank you for your kindness, Old Master Sheng.¡± Cui Lingyi turned around and entered the carriage. Lin Yue thought to himself, ¡®It¡¯s over, it¡¯s over, it¡¯s completely over. Madam Cui is going to completely dump their master!¡¯ He looked at Sheng Huaixuan resentfully. If only Master had been enlightened a few days earlier. Sheng Huaixuan did not give up. He placed the box at the entrance of Cui Lingyi¡¯s carriage. ¡°If Madam Cui refuses to accept it, I won¡¯t dare to trouble you in the future.¡¯ He meant that he would never send Stinky over again. Great! He even started to threaten her. However, Cui Lingyi fell for this. The corner of the carriage¡¯s curtain was lifted, and a fair hand took the box in. Even after putting away the box, Cui Lingyi was clearly very unhappy and refused to speak a word to Sheng Huaixuan. Lin Yue stood beside Sheng Huaixuan and looked at the corners of his mouth curl up slightly. He found it strange that the old master could still smile at this time.. Chapter 288 - Chapter 288: Why Did You Buy So Much Canvas Cloth? Chapter 288: Why Did You Buy So Much Canvas Cloth? Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Cui Lingyi opened the box and saw the lotus flower embroidery pattern on the handkerchief. She was stunned for a moment, then her eyes turned into moving spring water. She picked up the handkerchief and covered the corners of her mouth that could not help but curl up. The next day, when Cui Lingyi saw Sheng Huaixuan again, she was no longer cold. From time to time, she would smile brightly. Bai Wutong instinctively sensed it and asked her privately, ¡°What is happening?¡¯ Cui Lingyi glanced at her shyly and handed her the embroidered handkerchief in her arms. Bai Wutong picked up the embroidered handkerchief. On it was an exquisite double-sided lotus flower. The lotus flower symbolized love and unity between couples. Sheng Huaixuan had given her a lotus flower embroidered handkerchief. It was already a very straightforward way of confessing. Bai Wutong raised her eyebrows and looked at her suggestively. ¡°I¡¯m waiting for your wedding.¡± Cui Lingyi said generously, ¡°If that day really comes, you can drink as much as you want.¡± Bai Wutong chuckled. ¡°1 definitely will.¡± Judging from Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s cautious personality, if he took the initiative to hand her a lotus embroidered handkerchief, he would definitely marry Cui Lingyi. The team arrived at a gathering place of the Syrians. After resting there for a night and storing enough water, they were about to officially enter the desert. The gathering place of the Syrians was filled with small bungalows built with yellow soil. The periphery was filled with tents. They would gather here every half a month to buy the materials they needed and sell their goods. Then, they would continue their nomadic life and set off for the next gathering place. When the Southern Frontier was at war, the caravans did not dare to enter deeper. The gathering of the Syrians was the most popular among the caravans. Yu Suisheng¡¯s caravan had a special gathering point here. The Syrians who worked with them would move the goods over and wait to count the goods. Looking at the small bungalows, they finally did not have to sleep in the tent that night. After entering the small bungalow, Chu Tianbao, who had not been intimate for many days, picked up Bai Wutong and placed her on the bed. He leaned over and kissed her. As they kissed deeply, the temperature in the small bungalow gradually heated up. Panting, Bai Wutong pushed him away and said with a carefree smile, ¡°I want to walk around. ¡® The marketplace had yet to stop operation. By the time Chu Tianbao ended, they could forget about going. Chu Tianbao didn¡¯t say anything. His gaze deepened as he hugged her and kissed her fiercely. He kissed her until her heart softened and her legs went weak. When her mind was blank and she forgot about the marketplace, Chu Tianbao let go of her. His seductive voice was deep and hoarse as he said. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Unsatisfied, Bai Wutong licked the corner of her mouth and hooked her arms around his neck. ¡°Tianbao is so nice.¡± She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes darkened, and his exquisite Adam¡¯s apple moved. He held her to his chest with an expression as though saying he would eat her up if she didn¡¯t leave. Bai Wutong chuckled. If she hadn¡¯t made an appointment with Cui Lingyi, she wouldn¡¯t have wanted to leave. The Syrians were nomads with a long history. There were many goods at the marketplace, and there were also many strange delicacies. Xiaobai was regarded by the Syrians as the Wolf God. If it appeared, it would definitely cause a commotion at the gathering. But it was very cunning. Even though it was locked up in the room, it could think of a way to come out of the room. So Bai Wutong put on a special Northeastern floral dress, wooden glasses, tied a headscarf, and dressed up Xiaobai. Xiaobai walked in front with an elegant gait, like a northeastern noblewoman. There were so many people around, but no one could tell that it was a pure bred white wolf. It was dressed strangely. Some Syrians even asked her what Xiaobai was wearing on its eyes. Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°It makes your eyes look big.¡± Realization dawned on the Syrians, as they exclaimed that she really knew how to dress up her dog. Xiaobai even wagged its big tail smugly. When Sheng Huaixuan heard the answer, he stared at Xiaobai again and again. He felt that its eyes had indeed widened, and his eyes immediately lit up. The locals all thought that big eyes and high noses were beautiful. Such effective eye enlarging accessories would definitely be welcomed. Immediately, a creative thought appeared in his mind. He wanted to sell exquisite glasses in the jewelry shop. If he advertised it well, it would definitely be able to start a new trend. Just as Sheng Huaixuan was about to ask Bai Wutong to design the eye frame, a fat Syrian took a fancy to Xiaobai¡¯s Northeastern flowery robe. She praised in surprise, ¡°The color of its clothes is really beautiful! Where did you buy it from? Can I buy it now?¡± The Syrians had fair skin and looked a little like Eastern Europeans. They could pull off the dazzling colors of the dress, so the local women were all dressed very brightly. The material of the robe looked a little tacky, but it would accentuate one¡¯s skin tone. Naturally, they liked it. Bai Wutong only brought one batch of cloth. She made Stinky a set of clothes similar to Xiaobai¡¯s and did not have much left. She looked at Sheng Huaixuan. ¡°Is there any local place for fabric dyeing?¡± Sheng Huaixuan smiled and said, ¡®There is a place for fabric dyeing, but there¡¯s no suitable fabric. We can get the caravan to transport it directly from the south next time.¡± After receiving Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s answer, she replied the Syrian woman, ¡°We don¡¯t have this fabric now, but you might see it next time you go to the shops in the north and south.¡± The woman was disappointed initially, but she immediately became happy again and cupped her hands in thanks. ¡®Thank you.¡± Bai Wutong mimicked her posture and cupped her hands in return. They continued forward. There were constantly many Syrian women who had their eyes on the northeastern flower patterns on Xiaobai. She could only repeat what she had just said to them again and again. They passed a stall selling fabrics. The stall owner was selling some rough canvas. These canvases were specially used to set up tents. If the wind died down after spring, the canvas cloth would not be easy to sell. Bai Wutong touched the canvas, but a smile appeared on her face. There was a dark blue cloth. Wasn¡¯t this the fabric of jeans! She had been watching the Syrian tent from afar and had not realized that it was made of this material. The stall owner had a lot of stock piled up and looked at them with a worried expression. She saw the Northeastern flowers on Xiaobai¡¯s body and asked with interest. She even had the intention to buy and sell the Northeastern flowers fabric. Bai Wutong took the opportunity to chat with her. ¡°The canvas isn¡¯t easy to sell. Why don¡¯t you make it into clothes?¡± The stall owner explained with a smile, ¡®The canvas is used to set up tents. It¡¯s thick and heavy to wear. It¡¯s not convenient to ride a horse in it.¡± Seeing that Bai Wutong was interested, she suggested, ¡°It¡¯s not bad to make into cloth boots. They¡¯re tough and resistant to wear and tear. It¡¯s just that it¡¯s easy to sweat and stink when it¡¯s stuffy.¡± Hearing her direct words, Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. No wonder she couldn¡¯t sell it. If she put it so bluntly, no one would buy it. The stall owner thought that she was dressed exquisitely and luxuriously and would definitely not buy canvas. Just as she was about to ask where there caravans were going, she suddenly said, ¡°l want all your cloth.¡± The stall owner stopped abruptly, suspecting that she had misheard. ¡°Really? Why are you buying so much canvas cloth?¡¯ Seeing her confused expression, Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t help but laugh again. She was really not suitable to sell things.. How could there be a seller who complained that she had bought too much? Chapter 289 - Chapter 289: Bai Wutong Would Definitely Be Tired When She’s Done Chapter 289: Bai Wutong Would Definitely Be Tired When She¡¯s Done Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The stall owner was not the only one who was shocked that she wanted so much canvas cloth in one go. Even Cui Lingyi and the others were shocked. The material of their tent was waterproof. It was much better than this canvas. No one understood why Bai Wutong had bought such canvas. But Bai Wutong thought of jeans, denim clothes, a denim suit, canvas shoes, a canvas bag, a stationery box, and so on¡­ She had touched it just now. The fabric of these canvases was a little lacking in elasticity, but it was already very close to modern denim fabric. After making a set of denim clothes, putting on a handsome pair of bull leather boots and a cowboy hat, one would definitely be the most handsome boy in the crowd. If it was in Youjia Village, Bai Wutong would definitely not make such outlandish clothes. However, it was different in the Southern Frontier. She had long heard that there were many ethnic groups in the Southern Frontier, and their clothes were all varied. Bai Wutong planned to make some less tight, loose denim clothes that everyone could accept before transitioning bit by bit. Moreover, this material was resistant to wear. It was convenient to work in jeans. If it was advertised successfully, it would definitely be very popular. Sheng Huaixuan would definitely be happy to do this business. Bai Wutong said to the stall owner, ¡°I have my own plans.¡± The stall owner thought about it quickly and said cautiously, ¡°There¡¯s no return if you buy it!¡± With a smile, Bai Wutong nodded and promised, ¡°l won¡¯t ask you for a refund.¡± The stall owner heaved a sigh of relief when she received the guarantee. She discussed the price with Bai Wutong and felt that she was really a generous fool. She asked carefully, ¡°I still have a lot of canvas at home. Do you want to buy it? ¡® With the amount that she bought, it was enough for her to give each of her acquaintances a set of denim clothes. Just as she was about to refuse, the stall owner hesitated and said, ¡°If you buy all the clothes at my house, I¡¯ll charge you at half the price!¡± The things at home had been piled up for a long time. If she didn¡¯t sell them now, they would become moldy in the warehouse. She might as well sell them and have money to buy some new materials. She felt that the Northeasten Flower on Xiaobai was not bad and must be very profitable. Bai Wutong felt that the stall owner had sold it very cheaply just now. She did not expect it to be further reduced to half price. It was not impossible to buy it at half price. If she could not bring the cloth away and left it here, the caravan would be able to sell it according to the style she had given them. They would definitely earn a lot. Bai Wutong asked, ¡°Did your family weave all these materials?¡± The stall owner said honestly, ¡°Some are weaved by us. Some I collected from others. ¡® Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes lit up. She felt that it would be better if the material could be softer. If it was softer and thinner, it would feel comfortable and breathable in the summer. Everyone would no longer feel that the canvas could only be used to set up tents. Since it was made by the stall owner, she might be able to make better canvas by modifying the raw materials and textile techniques. ¡°Is your house close? If it is, I want to see the material first.¡± And the textile machine. Hearing that she wanted to see the material, the stall owner immediately beamed and said excitedly, ¡°It¡¯s not far ahead. I¡¯ll take you there now. Wait for me to pack up the stall.¡± It was almost dark. Sheng Huaixuan gave the people around him a look, and someone took the initiative to help the vendor close the stall. On the way to the stall owner¡¯s house, they chattered. Bai Wutong learnt that her name was Jia Mu. On the way back, a tall man stepped forward to greet Jiamu and take the bag from her. Their actions and words were intimate. Bai Wutong guessed that they should be husband and wife. In the end, when they entered the courtyard of the Jiamu¡¯s family, another strong man appeared and hugged Jiamu. Everyone was dumbfounded, but the man beside her looked calm. Jia Mu did not hesitate at all and introduced generously, ¡°This is Yang Qiu. Like Hei Yan, he¡¯s my partner.¡± ¡°Unlike you Han people, as long as we Syrians like each other, we can have multiple wives and husbands.¡± Bai Wutong was a little surprised. Cui Lingyi looked at Sheng Huaixuan in even more surprise. Why didn¡¯t they know about this custom at all? Lin Yue was clearly dumbfounded. Then, he looked nervously at Qingfeng, afraid that she would have the idea of choosing another man. Chu Tianbao and Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s expressions were as per usual, but when they met the questioning eyes of Bai Wutong and Cui Lingyi, they looked away guiltily. Jia Mu led them into the small bungalow where the fabric was stored. There was an old-fashioned weaving machine beside it. Jia Mu had weaved the canvas cloth from this old-fashioned weaving machine. Bai Wutong looked at the machine carefully, then at the raw materials beside it. Seeing that she was interested, Jiamu took the initiative to show how she used the machine. Bai Wutong looked at it carefully and was certain that she wanted the canvas to be softer and more elastic. There was no problem with the machine. The raw materials had to be improved. Bai Wutong looked at the canvas in the corner again and said to Jia Mu, ¡°Are you still going to buy canvas in the future?¡± Jiamu waved her hand. ¡®Too many people know how to weave canvas. It¡¯s not easy to sell them. I don¡¯t even want to sell it in the future.¡± She smiled and said, ¡°If the Northeastern Flowers are easy to sell, I¡¯ll sell them for two years in the future and buy dozens of lambs to herd.¡± Her optimism also affected Bai Wutong. She smiled and said, ¡®The Northeastern Flowers are easy to sell, and so will the canvas.¡± Her words sounded strange. Jiamu looked puzzled. When she asked further, she was told by Bai Wutong that someone would tell her. Jiamu did not take it to heart. All the canvas had been sold. She was in a good mood now, but she was a little worried. Should she sleep with Yangqiu or Heiyan that night? On the way back, everyone could not help but ask why she was buying these fabrics. Without keeping them in suspense, she smiled and said, ¡°To make clothes.¡± ¡°Clothes?¡± Cui Lingyi was puzzled. ¡°Didn¡¯t Jiamu say that they¡¯re not suitable for making clothes?¡¯ ¡°If we make our robes with canvas, they will naturally be heavy and ugly. However, it¡¯s different ifwe change the design. Not only would it be convenient, the material also very durable. Even if they¡¯re not popular with the Han people, the Syrians and the locals of the Southern Frontier will definitely accept them.¡¯ ¡°l think it will definitely sell well. When the time comes, we can even order more canvas from Jiamu to boost the income of the locals.¡± After all, there were only a few Syrians who had a large number of cattles and sheeps. Many Syrians either took care of the sheeps for others or did business to earn side income like Jiamu. After hearing Bai Wutong¡¯s words, Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s eyes lit up as expected. He asked excitedly, ¡°What design?¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s a design from an ancient Western book. I¡¯ll make it for you when I get back.¡± Cui Lingyi was also very interested. ¡°I¡¯ll help you too.¡± Sheng Huaixuan nodded happily. Even though he had yet to see the design, he had a feeling that the canvas would definitely become the most sought-after fabric in the future. Everyone was quite happy, except Chu Tianbao. Bai Wutong would definitely be tired by the time she was done.. Chapter 290 - Chapter 290: I’ll Wear It, But She Can’t Chapter 290: I¡¯ll Wear It, But She Can¡¯t Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios First, Bai Wutong drew the design of jeans and denim top on the blueprint. After drawing, Cui Lingyi picked it up and looked at it. She said in surprise, ¡°Can such clothes really be worn out?¡¯ In their eyes, even the loose jeans were too over the top compared to the original clothes they wore. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s how Westerners dress in the books I read. We won¡¯t get used to it immediately but you¡¯ll get used to it after seeing it often. The Syrians also have a habit of wearing pants directly.¡± However, the Syrians were wearing large cotton pants and would tie a large floral cloth at the front and back Cui Lingyi and the others looked at each other with expressions saying that only the Syrians could accept the design. As Bai Wutong painted on the blueprint, she smiled and said, ¡®We can wear it ourselves. We can also learn from the Syrians and add more waist accessories.¡± After a few simple strokes, there were additional tasselled waist ornaments on the denim clothes. Although it still looked a little strange, Cui Lingyi could still accept it. Bai Wutong drew two designs. The women¡¯s denim blouse had tassels added to add a sense of gentleness. Men were generally more accepting than women, so Bai Wutong drew a design similar to the outer part of the jacket. The jacket could be removed from the waist and worn on the outside, or it could be used as a cloak and scarf. Most importantly, it could cover the main body parts and not make people feel awkward. Bai Wutong knew Chu Tianbao¡¯s body size well and easily cut the fabric on the canvas. Other than Chu Tianbao¡¯s, she also cut the fabric for herself. The stitches of the jeans was very different from that of ordinary Han clothes. Cui Lingyi saw that the thread was directly exposed and asked curiously, ¡°Don¡¯t you have to hide the thread?¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°The rough design is also a kind of aesthetic. It¡¯s meant to be convenient. With the design of the pants, it would be too troublesome to hide the stitches. As long as the stitches are neat and fine, won¡¯t they look good?¡± Cui Lingyi nodded. ¡®There¡¯s no need to hide the needles. This is indeed much more convenient.¡± She could make a few of such pants in one afternoon. With the help of the maidservants, soon two sets of unique denim clothes appeared in front of everyone. Bai Wutong picked up the jeans she had personally sewn for Chu Tianbao. ¡°Let¡¯s go change and wear them for everyone to see!¡¯ Chu Tianbao stared at the jeans in her hand and glanced at the expectant crowd. He said domineeringly, ¡°I¡¯ll wear them, but you can¡¯t.¡± Bai Wutong was suddenly stunned. The others behind her hurriedly pretended to look at the sky, but they forgot that they were in the room and could only look at the ceiling. As soon as Chu Tianbao showed his domineering side, there was nothing she could do to him. She could only compromise first. ¡°Fine, then you can wear it first.¡¯ She couldn¡¯t wear it that day, but she could wear it the next day or another day. Chu Tianbao took the jeans and denim clothes into the cubicle. He roughly fumbled around to find a way to put them on, and it took him a while to change into it. Chu Tianbao came out. His tall and slender figure was exposed by the denim clothes and jeans, and his handsome face looked even colder and valiant. In an instant, everyone was stunned. Unexpectedly, he looked quite good in this strange denim clothes and jeans. Bai Wutong¡¯s heart swelled as she glanced at the maidservants who could not move their eyes. She suddenly understood why Chu Tianbao did not let her wear Jeans. However, seeing such an eye-catching Chu Tianbao, she was still very happy to take out the cowhide boots she had personally made for him. After Chu Tianbao put it on, he stood taller. His long legs were comparable to an international supermodel. He could be considered the best of the best. In the modern era, thousands of girls would definitely kneel down before him and call him brother. Bai Wutong looked left and right, then asked someone to put a straw hat on Chu Tianbao¡¯s head. Satisfied, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll make you another cowhide hat another day.¡± Chu Tianbao did a few stretches. His movements were extremely agile. His natural aura and every move had a unique charm, making it impossible to tell that he was wearing clothes made of canvas. Bai Wutong introduced it to everyone again. ¡°The canvas is durable. Although it¡¯s a little heavy, its ability to resist the wind and cold is still not bad. If we can improve the raw materials and make the canvas thin and breathable, it will still be very comfortable to wear even in summer.¡± ¡°Most importantly, its weaving method is simple and cheap. It¡¯s cheaper to make denim clothes and jeans. The price of ready-made clothes will be even cheaper. Ordinary people who work will definitely accept clothes made of canvas.¡± Chu Tianbao was like a hero traveling the world with his sword. He was really too valiant. Cui Lingyi said excitedly, ¡°1 want to wear it too!¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ll get a maidservant to make you a set later.¡± Lin Yue stole a glance at Qingfeng, his heart pounding. He wondered if Qingfeng would like him dressed like this. Sheng Huaixuan said even more enthusiastically, ¡°Sister-in-law¡¯s design is really good. I think the women design will be even more eye-catching!¡± Before he could finish, Chu Tianbao gave him a warning look, as if he would kill him if he dared to signal for her to wear it. Sheng Huaixuan sensed an unknown killing intent and immediately shut up. He picked up the blueprint and tactfully left with his men. As soon as they left, the room fell silent. Bai Wutong looked at Chu Tianbao. He was staring straight at her, his dark eyes forming vortices. Their gazes met in the air, as if there was an invisible electric current. The atmosphere in the room became filled with a romantic air. The more she looked him up and down, the more satisfied she became. She walked towards him, hooked her arms around his neck, and kissed the warm corner of his mouth. ¡°Tianbao is so handsome!¡¯ Chu Tianbao¡¯s exquisite Adam¡¯s apple bobbed. His deep eyes landed on the smiling face of Bai Wutong, then suddenly passed her and on the jeans that she had not worn. Logically speaking, Chu Tianbao, who had waited for so long, should have pounced on her. She found it strange and followed his gaze to see the jeans and denim clothes neatly arranged. Her smile deepened, and the curve of her lips was charming. She raised her small hand and pinched his chin. ¡°You don¡¯t want me to wear it for others to see, so you want me to wear it for you alone? Hmm?¡¯ Chu Tianbao looked at her with burning eyes and nodded hoarsely. ¡°Yes.¡± He sounded a little impatient. The air was filled with the smell of hormones. They unknowingly got closer, so close that Chu Tianbao¡¯s movements were obvious. At this moment, Bai Wutong suddenly turned around, picked up her denim clothes and jeans, and waved her hand seductively. ¡®Wait for me Chu Tianbao was looking forward to it. From time to time, the sound of clothes being taken off could be heard in his sensitive ears, and his throat tightened. After changing for a long time, just as Chu Tianbao was about to rush in impatiently. She finally came out. At a glance, Chu Tianbao held his breath. She had been in there tightening the waist of the jeans with the small sewing machine in the space just now. She was wearing tight-fitting jeans. Her slender legs and perky hips were obvious. The most exciting thing was that she was only wearing a tight-fitting shirt under her denim clothes. Her fair waist was dazzling and even more seductive than a demoness.. Chapter 291 - Chapter 291: You Can Only Wear It for Me to See Chapter 291: You Can Only Wear It for Me to See Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Bai Wutong blinked her eyes, and Chu Tianbao suddenly grabbed her waist. He held the back of her head, and kissed her eagerly. His passionate and emotional kiss was wild and crazy. Caught off guard, the unprepared Bai Wutong was kissed senseless. Chu Tianbao picked her up horizontally and quickly entered the bedroom. Just as he put her down, he leaned over and buried his handsome face in her neck. His warm breath spread out, and it made one¡¯s heart tremble. Bai Wutong¡¯s red face was like a ripe peach, emitting an alluring luster. Chu Tianbao said in a low voice, ¡°My wife can only wear it for me to see!¡± There was no trace of his previous self in his domineering tone. But Bai Wutong felt very happy. She took the initiative to sit up and kiss his burning eyes. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll only wear it for you to see,¡± she said gently. Chu Tianbao hugged her excitedly, as if he wanted to melt her into his bones. Suddenly, Bai Wutong thought of something and untied the black hair he had rolled up. As she played with it, she teased, and did not let him get away with it. ¡®Why didn¡¯t you tell me that the Syrians can have multiple wives?¡± Chu Tianbao said anxiously, ¡°Wife, there¡¯s no need to know.¡± He directly admitted that he did not say it on purpose. She raised an eyebrow and intertwined her fingers with his, pretending not to understand. ¡°Why?¡¯ Chu Tianbao took off his pants in a hurry. ¡°Because I¡¯m enough for my wife. ¡® She wanted to say something, but Chu Tianbao did not give her a chance to speak again. After an unknown period of time, Bai Wutong, who could not even move a finger, said hoarsely, ¡°I¡¯m so tired and thirsty¡­¡± Chu Tianbao kissed her forehead and went to pour her tea naked. She narrowed her eyes and admired it. The glass of water was already in front of her. Bai Wutong opened her mouth lazily. Chu Tianbao carefully held her head up and fed it to her. After drinking the water, she shouted again, ¡°My back hurts so much.¡± Chu Tianbao waved his hand, and the glass of water landed steadily on the table. He said dotingly, ¡°I¡¯ll massage you.¡± Bai Wutong chuckled softly. After tormenting herself for so long, it was her turn to do the same to him. Chu Tianbao reached out skillfully and massaged her body with suitable strength. Just as she was about to fall asleep from the comfort, her eyes suddenly widened and she turned angrily. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Chu Tianbao kissed her. ¡°l am helping you relax.¡± Bai Wutong wanted to struggle in annoyance, but it was useless. The next day, she woke up with dark circles under her eyes. She clearly wanted to punish Chu Tianbao, but she had underestimated his capability. In order not to be noticed, she specially applied a layer of concealer to cover her dark eye circles. At the same time, she did not forget to glare at Chu Tianbao, who was helping her with her makeup. Chu Tianbao held her hair and smiled brightly at her. He felt a little regretful. They were about to enter the desert and had to stay in a tent for a long time¡­ After dressing up, Bai Wutong asked Chu Tianbao to take off his clothes and change into his denim clothes. Chu Tianbao was like a walking clothes rack. When everyone saw him wearing denim clothes, they would definitely be able to accept it quickly. When everyone accepted it and got used to it, she could wear it in the future. When the two of them came out of the small bungalow, as expected, everyone was stunned. After a while, they asked one another what Chu Tianbao was wearing and why they had never seen him wear it before. Some people guessed that it was the clothes of the Syrians. The Syrians who were herding would wear pants. However, their outfits were not as good-looking as Chu Tianbao¡¯s. Chu Tianbao was originally an eye-catching existence in the crowd, but now he was even more dazzling. It made Village Chief Zhao, who was already so old, want to have a set too. It was just that his figure was not as imposing as Chu Tianbao¡¯s. He wondered if he would look bad in it. Just as everyone was hesitating if they should ask Bai Wutong where they had bought the clothes, the Syrian women who came to deliver the goods were excited. They had never seen such a handsome man with a mysterious aura. Whether it was his figure, his face, or his unique clothes, they all struck their hearts. They all rushed to Chu Tianbao and Bai Wutong and raised the agate necklace in their hands, hoping that Chu Tianbao could put it on. Whether he followed them back or they followed Chu Tianbao, they were willing. The bolder woman even directly made a pledge to Chu Tianbao, ¡°I have 100 lambs, 10 oxen, and 30 horses. As long as you¡¯re willing to come with me, these are all ours. For you, I¡¯m willing to only have you as a man in my life.¡± She seemed to treat Bai Wutong as air. As soon as one spoke, more women spoke up too. Most women were willing to give up all their men for Chu Tianbao. The men accompanying the women immediately looked at Chu Tianbao with jealousy. However, when they looked at Chu Tianbao, they couldn¡¯t help but feel inferior. They didn¡¯t dare to stop the women who were courting Chu Tianbao and could only secretly size up Chu Tianbao¡¯s clothes. The more they looked at him, the more they felt that he looked really good in them. They really wanted to dress like this. Perhaps they would be as attractive to women as Chu Tianbao in this outfit. So many women wanted to seduce Chu Tianbao, but Bai Wutong was not worried at all. Instead, she smiled and quietly looked at Chu Tianbao. However, Chu Tianbao sensed the greatest crisis in his life from her eyes. He looked at them coldly and spat out a word coldly, ¡°Get lost!¡± His terrifying gaze and inviolable aura immediately made many women retreat. Some women, who still wanted to pester him, tried to take a step forward to show her charm. In the next second, Chu Tianbao pulled out his sword. With a whoosh, the pile of wooden stakes beside him exploded. Such a powerful man drew the women¡¯s admiration even more, but they were straightforward by nature. They understood that Chu Tianbao definitely would not take a fancy to them, so they tactfully hung the agate necklace back around their necks. The women stepped aside, and the men blocked the way again. Village Chief Zhao and the others thought that this group of Syrian men was going to fight Chu Tianbao. Just as they were burning with anxiety, the Syrian man in the lead asked, ¡°Where did you buy these clothes?¡± As soon as these words were spoken, the Youjia villagers who were anxious and prepared to attack were all dumbfounded. ¡®I¡¯m about to draw my sword, and you¡¯re asking me this¡­ this¡­?¡¯ Alright, they wanted to know too. Chu Tianbao looked at Sheng Huaixuan, who immediately stood forward and said, ¡°Everyone, you can customize denim clothes in our caravan.¡± When the Syrian men heard this, they immediately rushed towards the caravan stall. Even the group of women who wanted to seduce Chu Tianbao pushed their way over. Perhaps their men would be one-tenth as handsome as Chu Tianbao in denim. When they rushed to the caravan stall, they saw a few women wearing female denim clothes that Sheng Huaixuan had asked someone to make the previous night. The comfortable, loose, and fashionable denim clothes immediately caught their attention. It turned out that not only men looked good in it, but women looked even better in it! Especially when they saw the women wearing denim clothes and showing the convenience of getting on a horse to work, the toughness of the fabric, the warmth, and the thoughtfulness of the design, it was even more tempting. In an instant, the entire stall were filled with sounds of people fighting to buy the clothes. But no one had yet discovered that the denim was made of cheap canvas that could only be used as a tent.. Chapter 292 - Chapter 292: Take in as much as you have Chapter 292: Take in as much as you have Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Jiamu had received the money from Bai Wutong the day before and brought Yangqiu and Hei Yan to the caravan store early that morning. Firstly, she wanted to buy some northeastern floral cloth. Secondly, she wanted to buy some gifts for Yangqiu and Hei Yan. As soon as they arrived, they saw that the store was surrounded by people. It took a lot of effort for JiaMu to squeeze to the front. She didn¡¯t see the Northeastern Flower pattern. Instead, she was distracted by a few shop assistants in denim. Jiamu felt that they looked really good in them. When she asked for the price, it was actually cheaper than ordinary ready-made clothes. Her eyes lit up and she immediately shouted with the others, wanting to customize denim clothes for Yang Qiu and Hei Yan. When it was finally her turn, she touched the denim uniform on the shop assistant, but her eyes froze. Why did she feel that these materials were so familiar? She carefully touched the denim again, feeling more familiar. She was stunned for a long moment before she realized that the denim fabric was made of canvas! She stood rooted to the ground in disbelief. Recalling what Bai Wutong had said to her the day before, she immediately smiled in ecstasy. So canvas was going to be used to make clothes like this! It turned out that clothes made of canvas would look so good! Everyone would like it so much! Jiamu asked the shop assistant to continue taking Yangqiu and Heiyan¡¯s measurements, but she found the manager of the store and asked loudly, ¡®Where¡¯s Bai Wutong? I want to look for her!¡± The denim outfit had so many advantages, Bai Wutong would definitely buy canvas in bulk in the future. If she could buy from her, she would not have to buy and sell the northeastern floral patterned cloth. She would definitely earn more money. As soon as she called out the name, Yu Suisheng, who was waiting for Jia Mu to come, walked over. ¡°Miss Jia Mu?¡± Jiamu was stunned. Seeing how respectful the steward was to him, she asked in suspicion, ¡°Are you the boss?¡¯ Yu Suisheng smiled and nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Jiamu quickly said, ¡®Then do you know Bai Wutong? I want to ask her to buy my cloth.¡± She suddenly hit her head and said in realization, ¡°You should be buying the canvas too, right?¡± Yu Suisheng smiled and said, ¡°Madam Bai has already set off for the Southern Frontier with the team. She specially mentioned Miss Jiamu to me. Since Miss Jiamu wasn¡¯t coming, I was about to look for you.¡± Jiamu nodded in confusion. ¡°So she left.¡± Then she muttered softly, ¡°She left so quickly!¡± She glanced at Yu Suisheng again, worried that he was not as straightforward and generous as Yu Suisheng. Yu Suisheng invited Jiamu to take a seat in the room. He even thoughtfully invited Yangqiu and Hei Yan over. Jiamu took a sip of tea and sighed. ¡®The tea in the Central Plains is delicious! No wonder it¡¯s so expensive!¡¯ Yu Suisheng smiled as if he was used to it. He gave the servants a look, and someone immediately brought a few packets of tea cakes to Jiamu. ¡°It¡¯s a small token of appreciation. Miss Jiamu, please accept it.¡± Jiamu could not help but feel that the Central Plains people were generous. She went straight to the point and asked, ¡°Are you giving me a gift to buy my cloth?¡± She gestured and said bluntly, ¡°I definitely won¡¯t sell it for less than this!¡± She offered the same price when she had sold the cloth to Bai Wutong. Yu Suisheng smiled and said, ¡®Miss Jiamu, if we buy the canvas ourselves, the price will probably be even cheaper. Your price is really a little too high.¡± Jiamu¡¯s expression darkened. She knew that it was rare to meet someone as generous as Bai Wutong. She quickly thought of a price in her heart. If Yu Suisheng did not agree, she would collect canvas and sell it as ready-made clothes. It seemed to be more profitable, but it was a little troublesome. Yu Suisheng continued, ¡®The canvas is heavy. After this season, it won¡¯t be easy to sell. However, we have a way to modify the canvas and make it light and breathable. It will be popular even in summer.¡± Jiamu¡¯s eyes lit up and she couldn¡¯t help but blurt out, ¡°How can you improve Yu Suisheng did not keep her in suspense. After all, she could not get cotton. He smiled and said, ¡®We can transport cotton from the distant south. As long as we fuse it into the linen of the cotton thread, we will definitely be able to weave light and airy canvas.¡± Jiamu was stunned. ¡°How expensive would it be to transport cotton over?¡± Yu Suisheng smiled and said, ¡°As long as the items are good, we don¡¯t have to worry about not being able to sell them.¡¯ Jiamu immediately said excitedly, ¡°How much money can you earn? How many bolts of cloth do you want? If you provide the cotton for weaving, how much will the price be?¡¯ Yu Suisheng smiled and said, ¡°There¡¯s no hurry. We still have to carry out detailed statistics to come up with a suitable price. Besides, we have to give it a try. How much cotton do we have to put into a bolt of cloth to make it thin and breathable?¡¯ ¡°We have to take these slowly. We might as well talk about the current price of canvas now. ¡± ¡°We want to work with Miss Jiamu for a long time, but the price that you raised is really a little high.¡± There were rules among the Syrians when it came to buying and selling items. It was indeed cheaper to buy canvas directly, but the time spent on the road was equally precious. It was better to cooperate with the Syrians and just wait patiently for the cloth to arrive. Yu Suisheng had already thrown out enough hooks. It was impossible for Jiamu not to be tempted. She immediately said, ¡°Then this number! It really can¡¯t be any lower.¡± Yu Suisheng suddenly stood up and frowned. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Jiamu. It seems that I can only find someone else to cooperate with.¡± How could she let an opportunity fly away? Jia Mu gritted her teeth and lowered the profit she could earn to the lowest. ¡°Then this amount!¡¯ Yu Suisheng immediately stopped in his tracks and smiled gently. ¡®Then how much canvas can Miss Jiamu provide now?¡¯ Jiamu wasn¡¯t sure, but it was definitely a lot. ¡°As many as you want!¡± If Yu Suisheng wanted more, she could get someone to speed up the production. The more she sold, the more she would earn! Yu Suisheng smiled and replied, ¡°What a coincidence. We accept as much as you have! ¡± Jiamu¡¯s eyes widened as if a huge pie had hit her. She was stunned for a long time. It was only when Yang Qiu and Hei Yan tugged at her arm that she came back to her senses and said excitedly, ¡°I¡¯ll go collect the cloth for you now!¡± Jiamu rode with Hei Yan and Yang Qiu and rushed to a tribe where the Syrians were gathered. Her canvas was mainly collected from here. Jiamu had not been here for a long time. The leader of the tribe, Ah Yu, walked over and said happily, ¡°You came at the right time. Our cloths are all piled up. We¡¯re moving to the next place. Take as much as you can!¡± Jiamu¡¯s eyes lit up as she followed Ah Yu into the tent. Seeing the piles of canvas was like seeing piles of gold and lambs. She said excitedly, ¡°l want them all. I¡¯ll take as many as you have for the same price!¡± Ah Yu was stunned. ¡®Why do you want so much?¡¯ Jiamu smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ve done business with the Han people. They want this much! And they¡¯ll always want it in the future!¡± Ah Yu¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Always?¡¯ Jiamu nodded. ¡®Yes, they will always want it! I won¡¯t have to worry about not being able to sell the canvas in the future!¡± Ah Yu was stunned. He looked at the huge flock of lambs and was overjoyed that he suddenly had another stable source of income.. Chapter 293 - Chapter 293: Have to Hand It Over to the Army Chapter 293: Have to Hand It Over to the Army Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios If he wanted to strengthen the tribe, he had to have a lot of lambs and wealth to attract everyone to gather. The sheep only had to be trimmed twice a year. The thinnest and softest fur would be used to weave cotton cloth and make clothes. As for the outermost layer of fur, because of its poor quality, it could only be woven with linen and become the material for mending the tent. But tents did not have to be mended often, which led to an increasing backlog of canvas. If he went to the market to sell, the situation would be the same. The tribe people had gone to sell a few times and did not even earn a day¡¯s worth of food. They would rather sell it to Jiamu at a low price and let her resell it than go themselves. Jiamu was going to buy canvas from them for the Han people for a long time. Ah Yu was sincerely happy for her. This way, the tribe people could buy two more lambs by weaving a few more bolts of cloth. She quickly went to count the canvas kept by every tribe member and even specially sent someone to help transport to the caravan store. Yu Suisheng kept his word and immediately settled the bill for Jiamu. Jiamu also returned with the tribe and gave the money that belonged to Ah Yu¡¯s tribe. This was the first time Ah Yu had seen canvas being sold for so much. When Jiamu distributed the silver to the tribe people, everyone was very happy and even warmly invited Jiamu and her partners to stay and eat roasted whole sheep. Jiamu ate a big meal happily. Before she left, Ah Yu stuffed a large bucket of dark water and two big black rocks into her mouth. She said, ¡°This is petroleum. Take it back and use it to light the lamp. It¡¯s bright and lasts for a long time. Central Plains people like to write. This thing can also be ground into ink. Take it and give it to that Han businessman.¡± There were also many tribes that had accumulated quite a lot of canvas. Ah Yu gave these things because he wanted to rope in Jiamu and also to stabilize the relationship between Jiamu and the Han businessman. Jiamu smiled and waved her hand. ¡®Thank you.¡¯ Since it was on the way, she brought the petroleum and two large rocks to the store. Yu Suisheng was about to set off with the large amount of canvas to chase after Bai Wutong and the rest. When Jiamu found out, she hurriedly stuffed the big rock that Ah Yu had given her into Yu Suisheng¡¯s hand. ¡®This is a thank-you gift from Tribe leader Ah Yu.¡± Yu Suisheng looked at the two black rocks in his hand and asked in confusion, ¡®What are these?¡± Jiamu said, ¡°Ah Yu said that it can be ground to write. Don¡¯t you Central Plains people like to write?¡± Yu Suisheng¡¯s interest was suddenly piqued. He got out of the carriage and rubbed it on the inkstone. As expected, there was ink. He picked up his brush and wrote a word on the paper. His eyes lit up and he praised, ¡°The dark glow is like paint. It¡¯s incomparable to pine ink.¡± It was probably the legendary stone ink. Jiamu was confused by his words. She only felt that Yu Suisheng was quite happy, so she was quite happy herself. She realized that he was quite good-looking and took a few more glances. Yu Suisheng asked happily, ¡°Do you have many of such ink?¡± Jiamu shook her head. ¡°Not really, but the ink you produced is similar to the petroleum in my bucket. Haha, it¡¯s both black. You should be able to write with it too!¡± ¡°Petroleum?¡¯ Jiamu asked Yang Qiu to hand the wooden bucket to Yu Suisheng. The semi-solid black thing in the wooden bucket appeared in front of Yu Suisheng. He stared at it. ¡°Is that oil in it?¡± Jiamu nodded. ¡°It¡¯s oil, but it can¡¯t be eaten. However, I¡¯ve seen Ah Yu and the others use it to coat the wooden bucket. The surface will become smooth.¡± Yu Suisheng dipped his hand in it and sniffed it. He asked, ¡°Can this be used to light the lamp?¡± Jiamu¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Hey, how did you know? Did you guess? How are you so smart!¡± Her eager gaze at Yu Suisheng made the two men behind her sense danger. They held her hand and reminded her, ¡°Jiamu, we should go. ¡® Jiamu nodded. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go back I won¡¯t disturb you from setting off. Have a safe trip.¡± Suddenly, Yu Suisheng stopped her. ¡®Miss Jiamu, can you give me some of your petroleum?¡¯ Jiamu said generously, ¡°Alright, pour half of it over!¡¯ Yu Suisheng got someone to pour half of the wooden bucket and immediately filled the lamp with some petroleum. The moment it was lit, the entire room emitted a bright light. Yu Suisheng looked surprised. He did not expect the petroleum to be so bright. He could not help but ask, ¡°Is there a lot of petroleum here?¡± Jiamu said, ¡°There¡¯s quite a lot of petroleum in Ah Yu¡¯s tribe. You can often see it appearing and staining the grass. However, petroleum is a sacred item of the tribe. Other than the people of the tribe, only those who have contributed to the tribe can use it. ¡® Yu Suisheng had traveled extensively and was knowledgeable. It was very likely that it was a new mineral. Since petroleum could be ignited, wasn¡¯t it the same as coal? It could be used for heating! After accidentally discovering such a treasure, Yu Suisheng did not wait for the convoy to transport the canvas and chased after the convoy. Because the team was too large and their speed was slow, Yu Suisheng caught up that night. He handed the stone ink, and petroleum to Sheng Huaixuan and said excitedly, ¡°Master, this is what the Syrian tribe found from underground. ¡® ¡°This is petroleum. You can light the lamps to keep warm!¡± ¡°This is stone ink. The black glow is as smooth as paint!¡¯ Sheng Huaixuan was the most experienced businessman, so he naturally could tell at a glance that these two things could bring about huge profits. However, anything dug out from the ground belonged to the royal family. If they operated a business selling it privately, they would be beheaded and their entire family would be exterminated. Although Emperor Ling Hui did not know about such a thing, it would be over if they were discovered. There was no need for Sheng Huaixuan to destroy his future for a small profit. He decided to report the stone ink and petroleum to the Imperial Court. However, he still did not trust You Huaijie very much, so he went to discuss with Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao about what to do. If he did not tell the royal family, it would not be good if someone else had used such a good thing privately. When Bai Wutong heard the words ¡°stone ink and petroleum¡±, she suddenly stood up and looked at it carefully for a moment. Instantly, she was taken aback. This was clearly petroleum! And these two things called stone ink were crystals formed after petroleum was burned! They had actually discovered petroleum, and no one knew about it. Bai Wutong sighed. This was the most precious energy source for modernization. Whether it was planes, cars, trains, or the daily use of electrosynthetic fibres, plastic asphalt around the factory¡­ petroleum was indispensable! In particular, the most powerful use of petroleum is to make firearms! It played a pivotal role in the history of ancient war in China. Such things had to be controlled by the country. If it fell into the hands of someone with ill intentions and was made into a lethal weapon, it was very likely to cause a war. Regardless of whether they should tell Emperor Ling Hui first, they had to send someone to guard the oil first. Bai Wutong said, ¡°l once read in an ancient book that light lit with petroleum can¡¯t be extinguished. I wonder if it¡¯s true.¡± Everyone was immediately interested. They lit an oil lamp and splashed water on it. Unexpectedly, the fire did not extinguish. Instead, it became even more turbulent and almost burned the dark guard¡¯s clothes. In an instant, Chu Tianbao¡¯s expression darkened and he said firmly, ¡°We have to hand it over to the army!¡¯ Chapter 294 - Chapter 294: You’re Delusional Chapter 294: You¡¯re Delusional Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Chu Tianbao¡¯s sudden words that they had to hand it over to the army stunned everyone. Staring at his serious expression, Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s better to hand it over to the army. If it falls into the hands of the Southern Frontier rebels, I¡¯m afraid it will start another war. It wasn¡¯t easy for us to settle down, but if there¡¯s another uprising again, we won¡¯t be able to survive either.¡± Sheng Huaixuan did not know that You Huaijie was one of them. He asked hesitantly, ¡°Should we report the petroleum and solid ink to Lord You?¡± After what You Huaijie had done to Youjia village, even though he had changed his recent ways of doing, it still did not change Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s first impression of him. Bai Wutong nodded and said, ¡°Only Lord You can contact Marshal Gu if we want to hand it over to the army.¡± ¡°Moreover, Lord You wouldn¡¯t dare to use such a powerful thing to gain personal benefits and please some people.¡± Sheng Huaixuan thought about it and agreed. He turned around and reported the petroleum and solid ink to You Huaijie. You Huaijie turned around and informed Chu Tianbao and Bai Wutong. After Chu Tianbao found out about the use of the petroleum, he had been distracted. When Bai Wutong mentioned whether to report it to Emperor Linghui, he subconsciously retorted, ¡°No.¡± Bai Wutong looked at him in surprise, thinking that his reaction was a little too big. Chu Tianbao explained, ¡°We still don¡¯t know how much petroleum is produced and how powerful is the firearms that can be made using it. We can go to the area it was discovered to investigate first. After dealing with these things one by one, we¡¯ll then report it to Emperor Linghui.¡± By the time the situation was settled, Marshal Gu must have already developed a firearm that was extremely dangerous. Chu Tianbao did not know why he thought that way. He felt that it was best for Marshal Gu to have the firearm in his hands. Feeling that he had a point, Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°Then let¡¯s go take a look in the morning? It won¡¯t take long to return if we go now.¡± Her intuition told her that Chu Tianbao really wanted to see the source of the petroleum, but he could not bear to leave her, so he did not mention it. When Chu Tianbao heard that she was going, he frowned and said, ¡°You¡¯ll be tired.¡± There was no modern transportation. Even though their carriage was spacious and comfortable, it was still very bumpy. When they encountered difficult roads, it was so bumpy that they felt dizzy. Chu Tianbao¡¯s heart ached for her. Bai Wutong smiled at him. ¡°We¡¯ve walked all the way through the desert. What¡¯s so tiring about riding in a carriage? Besides, I¡¯m not that weak. ¡® She was someone who had experienced the apocalypse and had traveled through mountains and rivers to escape. Moreover, she had learned Qinggong now. A little bump was really not a big deal. Chu Tianbao suddenly hugged her. ¡°But I don¡¯t want you to be tired.¡± His deep voice was filled with lingering affection. Heart pounding, Bai Wutong looked up from his arms. ¡°But I want to go with you to see how the petroleum actually comes out from under the ground. I¡¯m curious, too.¡± Meeting her starry eyes, Chu Tianbao gave her an extremely gentle kiss. ¡°Okay.¡± When they set off the next day, Bai Wutong felt that the carriage was too slow. It would take a lot of time to go back and forth. By then, the journey would not be smooth, and it would be even more difficult to catch up to the team. Hence, she discussed with Chu Tianbao about horseriding there. In order to avoid any danger, Qingfeng stayed behind to protect Stinky, and more than half of the dark guards followed them. You Huaijie had also come with them. Only then would they have a reason to openly inspect the petroleum. They galloped on their horses and arrived at Ah Yu¡¯s tribe in half a day. As soon as their horses appeared, they were discovered by Ah Yu¡¯s clansmen. The strong men and women quickly mounted their horses, wary of the approach of Bai Wutong and the others. You Huaijie took out his token. ¡°The imperial court is conducting an investigation. Which one of you is the tribe leader?¡¯ Ah Yu sized You Huaijie up and said coldly, ¡°I¡¯m the tribe leader. Why are you looking for me?¡± His tone was really not friendly. The tribe leader was a woman. After discovering that polygamy was allowed here, Bai Wutong was not too surprised. You Huaijie explained simply, ¡°Petroleum belongs to the royal family. Take us to see it.¡± Hearing the words ¡°petroleum¡±, Ah Yu and the other clansmen¡¯s expressions changed drastically. Ah Yu said angrily, ¡®The petroleum is the holy water of our tribe. Dream on!¡¯ You Huaijie said without changing his expression, ¡°You are already citizens of Ling Kingdom! ¡± Ah Yu flung out the long whip. ¡°Bullsh*t! Why should we acknowledge an emperor! Has he given us money to support us?¡± Bai Wutong actually felt that what she said made sense. You Huaijie grabbed the whip with one hand and used the momentum to throw Ah Yu off the horse. ¡°He didn¡¯t support you, but hundreds of thousands of cavalry can flatten you.¡¯ Ah Yu roared angrily, ¡®What bullsh*t hundreds of thousands of cavalry? Your Ling Kingdom clearly only has 80,000 troops left.¡± Chu Tianbao and Bai Wutong narrowed their eyes at the same time, surprised that Ah Yu knew such precise numbers. You Huaijie was still as calm as ever, but his words made Ah Yu and the other clansmen¡¯s expressions change. ¡°Even so, it¡¯s still easy to flatten your tribe.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you two choices. Guard the petroleum and wait for the army to arrive, or offer the petroleum and obtain the favor of the current emperor. You¡¯ll receive a generous reward.¡± After all, the petroleum was just an inanimate object. The intelligent Syrians naturally knew how to choose. Ah Yu hesitated for a moment before gritting her teeth and saying, ¡®We¡¯ll bring you guys to take a look.¡± You Huaijie warned in a low voice, ¡°If I die here, none of you will be able to escape.¡± Ah Yu said angrily, ¡°We¡¯re not as despicable as you Central Plains people! ¡® You Huaijie glanced at her coldly and didn¡¯t say anything else. The place where the petroleum was found was behind the hill of the tribe. Ah Yu brought them there. Suddenly , dozens of masked and armored rebels appeared and charged at You Huaijie and the others. Ah Yu could accurately tell how many elite soldiers Marshal Gu still had left. Just now, it had aroused Chu Tianbao and Yu Huaijie¡¯s vigilance. When the rebel army appeared, the two of them drew their swords at the same time. The dark guards quickly formed an encirclement and surrounded Chu Tianbao, Bai Wutong and Yu Huaijie. When Ah Yu saw the rebel army that suddenly jumped out, her eyes widened and she grabbed the horse rope at a loss. She had no idea how these people appeared. If You Huaijie died here and her tribe would be threatened, Ah Yu immediately pulled out the saber on her horse and faced the masked rebel army. ¡°We can¡¯t let them kill anyone!¡± When Ah Yu spoke, the clansmen behind her also drew their weapons. The man and woman behind the hill frowned when they saw this scene. The woman with a moon symbol on her mask said, ¡°Big Brother, what if we can¡¯t kill the Central Plains dogs?¡± The man with a moon symbol on his mask did not reply. Instead, he stared at Chu Tianbao and Bai Wutong, who were surrounded, and fell into deep thought. They had received news that You Huaijie was the biggest official sent by the dog emperor of the Central Plains.. Why was he protecting the two people in the middle? Chapter 295 - Chapter 295: Enemy Attack Chapter 295: Enemy Attack Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Feng Yue did not get a response for a long time and asked again, ¡°Brother?¡± Feng Xun came back to his senses. ¡®They¡¯re all one in a million experts. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Just as he was about to give the order to kill the others and capture Chu Tianbao and Bai Wutong alive, a loud explosion sounded. The people he had sent out actually fell off their horses. Before he could see clearly what had happened, the dark guards had already rushed over like flying shadows and ruthlessly stabbed them. Their technique was clean and swiftient, and they did not even have the chance to resist. Feng Xun looked at this scene in disbelief. The dark guards had already discovered them and were charging towards them. Feng Yue shouted anxiously, ¡°Brother, quickly get on the horse. They¡¯re catching up.¡± The skills of this group of dark guards were definitely far superior to the people they had sent. If he did not escape now, he would not be able to escape later. Feng Xun also realized this point. He had no choice but to mount his horse. The horses under them were like steeds that were as fast as wind. The dark guards could not catch up and threw their darts. Feng Yue could not dodge in time and was hit in the right arm. Bai Wutong watched them escape and looked at Ah Yu. ¡°Who are they?¡± Ah Yu frowned. She probably recognized the backs of the two of them, but she hesitated and did not speak. Chu Tianbao glanced at her coldly. Seeing how Chu Tianbao had single-handedly knocked down all the rebels, Ah Yu became terrified of Chu Tianbao. In order to prevent her clansmen from being implicated, Ah Yu could only say, ¡°They should be Ah Yue and Ah Xun. Half a year ago, they saved a clansman of our tribe and had dealings with our tribe.¡± She glanced at Chu Tianbao and hurriedly explained, ¡°They set up an ambush here. We really didn¡¯t know.¡± She knew that Marshal Gu only had 80,000 troops left. It was also Ah Yue who had unintentionally said it. Looking at the darkened ground, Bai Wutong walked over and dipped her hand in it. She brought it under her nose and sniffed it. After confirming that it was petroleum, she frowned. ¡°Did you give them stalactite water?¡± Ah Yu nodded. ¡°They have done favors for our tribe, so we gave them some petroleum. After that, they often sent people to buy it. They even reminded us to keep it a secret to prevent other tribes from coveting it.¡± Bai Wutong frowned even more. The rebel army had discovered the petroleum half a year ago and did not occupy Ah Yu¡¯s tribe. They probably deliberately let Ah Yu and her clansmen cover for them. After all, if they directly destroyed Ah Yu¡¯s tribe and occupied the petroleum, it was very likely to alarm Marshal Gu¡¯s army. Bai Wutong asked, ¡°Do you know where they are hiding?¡± Ah Yu shook her head. ¡°Every time they come to get the petroleum, we¡¯ve never followed them. We only know that they came from the direction of the rising sun.¡± The direction where the sun rose was the southern frontier. Bai Wutong looked at Chu Tianbao, who said in a deep voice, ¡°We have to inform Marshal Gu as soon as possible.¡± It was very likely that the rebel army had already used the petroleum to create a shockingly powerful firearm. They had to send someone to guard the petroleum as soon as possible. This way, even if they had a shockingly powerful firearm, they would not be able to use it without the petroleum as fuel. Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°We have to set off as soon as possible.¡± She then said to Ah Yu, ¡°If the stone fat water causes a fight, it will endanger the lives of your clansmen. You have to evacuate this place as soon as possible. We will also get the general to send someone to guard here as soon as possible.¡± Ah Yu had originally planned to bring her clansmen to the next place to graze. When she heard Bai Wutong¡¯s kind reminder, she cupped her hands and said, ¡®We¡¯ll leave this place as soon as possible.¡± She looked at the source of the petroleum reluctantly. ¡®Then can we still use the petroleum in the future?¡¯ Bai Wutong shook her head. ¡°Everything still needs to await for the general¡¯s opinion. However, you have protected the petroleum for so many years. You will definitely be rewarded and compensated.¡± Ah Yu looked regretfully at the source of the petroleum and gathered her clansmen to deal with the corpses of the rebels. Chu Tianbao led people to survey the area where the petroleum was produced. Bai Wutong took out a drawing board and charcoal pen and drew Ah Yue and Ah Xun¡¯s appearances based on Ah Yu¡¯s description. Ah Yu, who was at the side, saw with her own eyes that Bai Wutong had restored their appearances bit by bit. She admired Bai Wutong very much and even praised, ¡°You¡¯re very different from the Central Plains women I¡¯ve met. ¡® ¡°You have good riding skills, good martial arts skills, and good drawing skills. You¡¯re not delicate at all. Awesome! ¡± Bai Wutong smiled at her straightforward compliments. ¡°Don¡¯t I look good?¡¯ Ah Yu was stunned for a moment before she laughed loudly and said, ¡°You¡¯re very beautiful. You¡¯re the most beautiful Central Plains woman I¡¯ve ever seen. If I were a man, I would definitely marry you! ¡® Chu Tianbao walked over. His imposing aura was too strong. Ah Yue was already afraid of him, but when she met his dark eyes, she was even more afraid. After a hurried word with Bai Wutong, she ran to count the horses left behind by the rebel army. Bai Wutong poked at his grim expression. ¡°Still worried about the rebels?¡± Chu Tianbao shook his head and said bluntly, ¡°Only I can marry my wife, no matter male or female.¡¯ His domineering tone and childish vow was just like the silly Chu Tianbao back then. Bai Wutong liked the occasional silly look on his face. It was as if he was telling her at all times that no matter what kind of Chu Tianbao was, he was doing his best to love her. She linked her fingers with his, her gaze loving. ¡°Yes, me too.¡± After leaving a portion of the dark guards to guard this place, Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao hurried on their way. The rebel army had not been exterminated, and the group moving to the southern frontier was a huge target. They might be ambushed. They had to reach the nearest military camp as soon as possible and let them send a message to the southern frontier with an eagle to inform Marshal Gu. Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao rushed for nearly two days before catching up with the team. At this moment, the team had already begun to enter the desert. Occasionally, one or two willow trees could be found in the endless yellow soil. From afar, it was a different scenery. Just as Bai Wutong was rejoicing that the team was safe, many large grass balls suddenly rolled out of the hill from the side. No one had seen such a strange thing before. They even picked it up and looked at it carefully. They asked each other if this grass could be used to feed pigs. Chu Tianbao looked at the hill and suddenly lowered his eyes. ¡°This is a rolling ball. It¡¯s a common way for enemies to attack. Everyone, quickly kick it aside.¡± Before he could finish speaking, many fireballs flew down. The team in the gully immediately shouted in panic. When the ball hit the carriage, it immediately caught fire. Everyone tried to fight the fire while saving their belongings and preventing the ball from hitting them. A commoner caught fire. Because of the wind, the fire spread fast and furious. Soon, it ignited his entire body. The scene was chaotic, and the commoners fled in all directions in fear. Bai Wutong said loudly, ¡°Don¡¯t panic. Hide if you can. If you can¡¯t, kick the ball away! ¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about your belongings first!¡¯ ¡°If there¡¯s a fire on your body, you can extinguish it by rolling on the ground! ¡° Chapter 296 - Chapter 296: Wait for Me Here Chapter 296: Wait for Me Here Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Hearing Bai Wutong¡¯s words, Youjia villagers reacted quickly. Both the men and women started to kick the grass balls away. Seeing that someone was on fire, they used a blanket to help put out the fire quickly. Even the children were sensible enough not to cry and obediently listened to their parents¡¯ arrangements. Youjia villagers were experienced in fleeing and had a tacit sense of unity. They surrounded to form a metal bucket that could not be invaded. The rest of the team also hurriedly learned how to protect themselves. However, they were far inferior to the calm villagers of Youjia Village. Once they were on fire, they would shout for help and even pounce on other people¡¯s carnages m a panic. Little Cat¡¯s eyes darkened as he mercilessly kicked the people away. If the carriage caught fire, he and Tao Yinzhen could still escape. In the chaos, the paralyzed Ren Shuixing could only be burned. The man who was kicked to the ground by Little Cat shouted crazily. Little Cat quickly took out a blanket and jumped off the carriage, quickly extinguishing the fire on his body. He had just extinguished the fire on a man when another man pounced on the carnage. Little Cat quickly went to stop him. After putting out the fire on his body again, he looked at Youjia Villagers, which was united, with heartfelt envy. If only he was a villager from Youjia Village. Little Cat was just a child after all. There were more and more tumbleweeds, and he could not react in time. Seeing that the carriage wheels were already on fire and Little Cat was unable to do anything, Tao Yinzhen took a glance coldly and did not help. She only kicked away a tumbleweed. If the heavens had eyes, they should have burned Ren Shuixing completely and freed her. Bai Wutong glanced at the chaotic team and then at the hills where tumbleweeds kept falling. Dodging like this was not a long-term solution at all. They still had to solve the problem at its root. She and Chu Tianbao looked at each other and sensed the same meaning in each other¡¯s eyes. Chu Tianbao said, ¡®Wait for me here!¡¯ Not wanting him to be distracted, Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Chu Tianbao led the elite soldiers of the dark guard team and rushed towards the rebel army behind the hill. Bai Wutong was not idle either. She helped You Huaijie command the remaining soldiers to calm down and quickly helped the commoners avoid the damage of the tumbleweeds. The fire on Little Cat¡¯s carriage was getting bigger and bigger. If Ren Shuixing continued to stay in the carriage, he would choke to death even if he was not burned to death. Lin Hu wanted to help him carry Ren Shuixing, but he could not take care of himself either. He kept dodging the rolling grass and had to protect his wife and children from being injured. Little Cat struggled to carry Ren Shuixing off the carriage, when a large tumbleweed suddenly appeared on his back. Tao Yinzhen was right in front. She watched helplessly as the tumbleweed headed towards Ren Shuixing¡¯s back, but she raised her leg and kicked it into the yellow sand. Little Cat turned around and saw the tumbleweeds coming at them. He wanted to dodge, but it was too late. At the critical moment, Lin Yue descended from the sky and kicked the tumbleweed away. Little Cat broke out in cold sweat and looked up at Tao Yinzhen. If Lin Yue did not come in time and the fire burned his body and could not be extinguished¡­ Tao Yinzhen met his straight black eyes and bit her lip. She looked down guiltily and secretly hated Ren Shuixing for being such a despicable man. Why did Little Cat keep protecting him? After Lin Yue protected Little Cat and blocked a wave of ball, the balls suddenly disappeared. At this moment, the commoners were like birds startled by the twang of a bow. They did not dare to lower their feet. It was not until Chu Tianbao appeared on the hill with the dark guards that everyone cheered. At this moment, Chu Tianbao¡¯s image was engraved in everyone¡¯s minds like a glorious savior. Tao Yinzhen looked at the man who was like a heavenly god in a daze. From the corner of her eye, she saw Ren Shuixing, who was still a cripple. Her suppressed desires broke out of the ground again. Chu Tianbao quickly locked onto Bai Wutong and jumped lightly to her side. Bai Wutong had kicked a lot of tumbleweed just now. Her hair bun was messed up, and a strand of black hair was stuck to her dry lips. Chu Tianbao reached out to move away the hair for her and handed her the water bag. Bai Wutong took a few sips of water. ¡°What¡¯s going on up there? Are they rebels?¡¯ Chu Tianbao said casually, ¡°Yes, I have killed them all.¡± Bai Wutong wiped the dirt stains from his face. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re okay.¡± Just now, Chu Tianbao had brought people to kill the rebel army. Although Bai Wutong looked calm on the surface, she was actually a little flustered. Chu Tianbao killed all the rebels so quickly because he wanted to rush back to Bai Wutong¡¯s side as soon as possible. Chu Tianbao suddenly hugged her tightly and whispered like a child, ¡°Thank goodness you¡¯re fine too.¡± The danger was over, and the two of them were suddenly being melachony here. Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go and see how the team is doing.¡± Chu Tianbao hugged her for a while more before letting go. With the solid protection of the villagers, only a small portion of their belongings were damaged and some people were injured. As for the people behind Youjia Village, they were in a miserable state. They had burns everywhere, and their losses were even more severe. The medical resources were so limited that even the doctor could not spare any time. He could only treat the most seriously injured people first. The food damages were relatively small. A few water carts had collapsed while the commoners panicked. They had to quickly form a team and reach the next stronghold to replenish the water source. Otherwise, if such a large group of people had no water on the road, it would cause even more panic. In order to protect Meng Weiwei, Meng Ge¡¯s upper body was seriously injured, and Shen Yueqin¡¯s face was also injured. The burning pain was unbearable. However, there were more people who were more seriously injured than him. They could not make it in line for the doctor, and there was no medicine. Meng Ge lay on the ground and rolled around, groaning in pain. Shen Yueqin touched the side of her blistered face and burst into tears. It was useless for Meng Weiwei to cry. She could only search for Wu Hao in the crowd. Sheng Huaixuan had a personal doctor. As long as Wu Hao begged, he would definitely be able to get Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s doctor to treat her parents first. Until now, Meng Weiwei still thought that she could always control Wu Hao. After discovering Wu Hao in the crowd, she quickly ran over and grabbed his arm. She begged pitifully, ¡°Brother Hao, my father is so uncomfortable that he¡¯s about to die. Please help me save him!¡± Wu Hao¡¯s arm was injured just now, and Meng Weiwei had grabbed his wound. Wu Hao gasped in pain. Wu Mengyao grabbed Meng Weiwei¡¯s hand and said, ¡°My brother is injured. Don¡¯t touch him.¡± Meng Weiwei shouted at her, ¡°What does it have to do with you? I¡¯m talking to your brother. Don¡¯t you know how to respect your elders?!¡± It was as if she was Wu Mengyao¡¯s sister-in-law. Wu Mengyao glanced at Wu Hao. He had a pained expression on his face, but he still couldn¡¯t bear to get angry at Meng Weiwei. It made him angry at himself. Wu Mengyao was too lazy to care anymore and went to check on Wu Ji¡¯s mJunes. Wu Mengyao left resolutely. Meng Weiwei was still pleading sweetly beside Wu Hao¡¯s ear, ¡°Brother Hao, you don¡¯t want to see anything happen to my father, right?¡± He was also injured, but Meng Weiwei did not care at all. Initially, Wu Hao still had some hope for her. He thought that after suffering so much, she would restrain herself. However, he was still overthinking. The admiration in Wu Hao¡¯s eyes completely turned into the wind in the desert and disappeared. He walked away coldly and said to the stunned Meng Weiwei, ¡°Don¡¯t look for me anymore..¡± Chapter 297 - Chapter 297: Beg the Heavens Yourself Chapter 297: Beg the Heavens Yourself Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Meng Weiwei was stunned for a few seconds before she shouted at Wu Hao¡¯s back in fear, ¡°Brother Hao!!!¡± Without Wu Hao, she really didn¡¯t know what to do with her injured parents. At that moment, she once again realized how important Wu Hao was to her. Wu Hao seemed to have really let go and did not look back. Meng Weiwei fell into despair and buried her head in her tears. The team was huge, and the medicine for burns was quickly used up. There were still many people who had not been treated. However, most of them were only slightly injured. Even if the pain was unbearable, they could still continue on their way. Only a few people were seriously injured, so You Huaijie had specially arranged for a few carriages to carry the seriously injured. In order to prevent any rebels from appearing on the road, they even specially sent people to investigate the road ahead. Everyone walked for another day. When it was almost dark, everyone had almost finished the water they carried with them. Many people looked at the endless desert and became terrified. People kept wondering if there was water ahead. Some people even thought of escaping. They hadn¡¯t even arrived at the southern frontier, but the environment here was already so harsh. How would they survive when they arrived at the southern frontier? Now that they were stuck in a dilemma, many people regretted choosing to move to the southern frontier. The morale of the team was very low. Now, they could only reach the gathering place to get water as soon as possible to regain their morale. However, it was almost dark now. They could only wait until the next morning before setting off. Just as everyone was choosing their campsite, a patch of greenery suddenly appeared in front of them. The range of the greenery was not small. With so many of them, they might be able to discover a water source. The team suddenly became excited. If not for the soldiers stopping them, the commoners would have swarmed forward. Bai Wutong sat on the horseback and looked across. As expected, it was a patch of cactuses. Cactus was a good thing in the desert. The cactus could be squeeze-dried into juice. After the thorns were removed, it could be sliced into pieces, and stir-fried. The fruit was also a kind of fruit that quenched thirst. Most importantly, cactus could also treat burns. By crushing the cactus and applying the cactus fluid to the burns, not only could it relieve the burning pain, it could also reduce the scarring. Bai Wutong knew the usage of cactuses. On the other side, Wen Renhua also brought his disciple, Gu Zhongxun, to a cactus. After confirming it, he immediately reported the use of the cactus to You Huaijie. Many people¡¯s burns had yet to be treated. Now that there was suddenly medicine, everyone was very happy. However, Wen Renhua did not seem to know that cactus was edible. Bai Wutong stepped forward. ¡°I think even desert camels eat cactus to quench their thirst. Can we eat it too?¡¯ Wen Renhua said, ¡°It¡¯s possible in terms of pharmacology.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Yue, who heard from the locals that cactus could be eaten, had already cut a piece with his sword and put it to his mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll help everyone try it first.¡± Lin Yue took a bite and frowned. ¡°It¡¯s sticky and a little bitter.¡± His expression didn¡¯t look good. But Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°Perhaps it might be good to use it for cooking. ¡± Lin Yue nodded reluctantly. ¡°Perhaps.¡± However, he had an expression that said, ¡°Don¡¯t let him eat it.¡± They ate dry rations along the way. It was not easy to find fresh vegetables to eat. After knowing that cactuses could be eaten, many people took the initiative to pluck and cook them. Auntie Yang¡¯s culinary skills were outstanding. Seeing that the cactus was very similar to green melon, she used the cactus to stew marinated meat, scrambled eggs, and marinated fish soup. After the originally bitter cactus was cooked, it actually had a different flavor. Upon smelling this smell, those who bit the cactus to satisfy their cravings wondered if they were eating the same thing. It didn¡¯t matter if it was delicious or not. With the cactus to quench their thirst and as medicine for their burns, the restlessness of the team finally stabilized as the sky turned dark. The next day, after a night of rest, everyone was in good spirits and continued to set off for the southern frontier. As long as they did not delay on the way that day, they would reach the first stronghold in the desert. There was an ancient well in the stronghold where they could replenish their water. At noon, they finally saw the gathering place. Most of the people stationed at the gathering place were Syrians and southern frontier people. The white tents looked like endless hope in the desert. Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao were about to boil water and eat instant noodles when the person who went to get water suddenly ran back anxiously and shouted at You Huaijie, ¡°Sir, they don¡¯t allow us to get water!¡± You Huaijie frowned and quickly brought people to check. Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao followed. As soon as they went over, they saw many people guarding the well. When they saw that You Huaijie had brought a large number of people over, they quickly gathered more people to confront them. You Huaijie signaled his subordinates not to make a move. He looked at Meng Shan, who was the leader. ¡°Why don¡¯t you let us fetch water?¡¯ Meng Shan said directly, ¡®This is our water. If we let you drink it, what would we drink?¡¯ Water was more expensive than gold in the desert. When Marshal Gu¡¯s army headed to the southern frontier, they specially picked the rainy season to bring the army to the southern frontier. You Huaijie frowned. ¡°This well water doesn¡¯t belong to you.¡¯ Meng Shan said happily, ¡®This well water is really passed down from our ancestors. If you want to drink water, go and beg the heavens yourself. ¡® If the heavens were useful, everyone would have begged long ago. You Huaijie still wanted to reason with Meng Shan. ¡®¡±The Southern Frontier is already a part of Ling Kingdom. We have the right to drink the water in this well.¡± Meng Shan¡¯s face suddenly darkened. ¡°You want to snatch our water? If you don¡¯t let us live, we¡¯ll fight to the death with you!¡± The burly men behind him shouted in response, looking like they would protect the well to the death. Without water, the entire team would never be able to walk out of the desert. Although there was a steady stream of running water in the RV space, Bai Wutong would never expose it to anyone unless she had to. Therefore, they had to get the well water. Chu Tianbao knew this very well. As soon as Meng Shan finished speaking, a strong wind blew past. In the blink of an eye, the tall and mighty Meng Shan had been strangled by Chu Tianbao and hung from the well. In an instant, the surrounding air froze. How did Chu Tianbao capture Meng Shan in front of everyone? Even those who did not blink did not see clearly. Meng Shan grabbed Chu Tianbao¡¯s hand and wanted to struggle, but it was useless. The others wanted to approach and ambush Chu Tianbao. Chu Tianbao did not even extend his hand. Powerful internal force surged out and shot out waves of bullets. This completely stunned everyone. Meng Shan also realized that the person in front of him was a one in a million expert who could take his life at any time. Moreover, it was not a joke. He could only ask with a trembling voice, ¡°How much water do you want? I¡¯ll give it to you as long as you let me off.¡± Chu Tianbao said calmly, ¡°Everything.¡± Meng Shan immediately cried and said, ¡°It¡¯s really not that I don¡¯t want to give all the well water to you. It¡¯s just that so many of us have to live. The well water would become less the more you take, especially since it hasn¡¯t rained this year. If so many ofyou bring the water away, we won¡¯t be able to survive.¡± The brothers behind him quickly echoed, ¡°Really, we¡¯re not lying to you. There¡¯s too little well water. Without this well water, we won¡¯t be able to survive here anymore. Our ancestors have been here for generations. We don¡¯t want to leave..¡± Chapter 298 - Chapter 298: Can Only Solve the Emergency Chapter 298: Can Only Solve the Emergency Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios It was obvious whether Meng Shan was telling the truth or not. Bai Wutong looked into the well. As expected, the water level was very low. Generally speaking, after water was fetched from the well, underground water would emerge from the ground. However, with such a low amount of water, it was obvious that there was not much groundwater left. There were so many people in their team. After fetching water, it was indeed as Meng Shan had said. Even if there was water left, it was not enough to sustain the people of their tribe to live here. They were at the border between the desert and the grasslands. It was very likely for conflict between the Central Plains people and the locals to happen. If they forcefully took water and did not give them a way out, the people of the southern frontier would probably be even more unwilling to submit to the management of the Ling Kingdom Imperial Court. You Huaijie seemed to be thinking about what to do, but from time to time, he would look at Bai Wutong, waiting for her to make a decision. Bai Wutong thought for a moment and looked at Meng Shan, who was trembling in fear as Chu Tianbao grabbed him. ¡°Is there another place to get water?¡± Meng Shan said, ¡°There¡¯s a hidden river three days ahead. You can go there to get water! ¡± Bai Wutong was stunned. ¡®Then why didn¡¯t you go there to get water?¡± Meng Shan said honestly, ¡°We have well water, which is enough to drink, but there are so many of you. Even if we drain the well water, it won¡¯t be enough!¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you move there to live?¡± Bai Wutong wondered. Meng Shan said, ¡°We want to, but the hidden river only has water in spring and disappears in summer. If we move there, we might as well stay here!¡± He emphasized, ¡°As long as no one snatches the water from us, we can live. He did not seem to be lying. Bai Wutong gave Chu Tianbao a look and Chu Tianbao let Meng Shan go. After Chu Tianbao let go, Meng Shan coughed a few times and obediently retreated to the side to see what the others were planning. After checking their existing water , Bai Wutong realised that it was not enough to last three days. It was barely enough for a day. However, the current situation was that even if all the water in the well was drained, it would not be enough for everyone. It would definitely arouse suspicion if Bai Wutong secretly filled the well with tap water. She had once watched a documentary on desert survival. The male protagonist had nothing and survived in the desert for a month. He had used several ways to get water. Bai Wutong had forgotten how he had done it exactly. She quickly checked the survival guide in the computer in the RV space and saw a suitable way to get water. Although they could not obtain a lot of water, it was enough to resolve their immediate needs. Bai Wutong gave a look and You Huaijie said, ¡°Let¡¯s go back first. ¡® Meng Shan¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief when he saw You Huaijie bringing so many people back. Were Central Plains people that reasonable? With their manpower, they could have killed them directly and taken all the well water for themselves. If it were Meng Shan himself, he would definitely do it. The Central Plains people did not do that. For a moment, he had mixed feelings. He was not the only one. The rest of the Southern Frontier people and Syrians had also suddenly lowered their resistance to these Central Plains people. Suddenly, a handsome man with a high nose bridge and golden eyes suddenly appeared in the crowd. His eyes were gloomy as he said to Meng Shan, ¡°How can the Central Plains people go to the southern frontier without water? They must be using schemes to get rid of us at the lowest cost. ¡® Beside him, a tall and beautiful woman who looked like him also said, ¡°That¡¯s right! The Central Plains people are best at scheming. We must not be deceived by their hypocritical appearance.¡± ¡°The Central Plains people have killed so many of our people. How can they be merciful?!¡± Hearing what the siblings said, Meng Shan frowned. ¡°You¡¯re right! They don¡¯t have water. With so many people, they definitely won¡¯t be able to reach the underground river! ¡± Then, he said worriedly to his tribe, ¡°Don¡¯t let down our guard. Defend the well water to the death tonight!¡¯ Feng Xun and Feng Yue looked at each other. Feng Yue¡¯s gaze turned cold, and he made a beheading gesture. ¡°It¡¯s just as the Central Plains people said. Instead of being slaughtered, it¡¯s better to strike first!¡± They had failed to assassinate You Huaijie twice. They had disguised themselves as ordinary tribesmen of the Southern Frontier because they wanted to capture them all here. Meng Shan could tell that Feng Xun and Feng Yue were not ordinary citizens of Sourthern Frontier, but he had no intention of getting involved in these disputes. As long as the Central Plains people did not take the well water, there was no need to sacrifice their citizens to start a conflict. Meng Shan went straight to the point. ¡°We have too few people. We can¡¯t beat them!¡± Feng Xun and Feng Yue¡¯s faces turned green. They couldn¡¯t beat the other party as well, so they wanted to instigate Meng Shan to take the lead and take advantage of the chaos. Feng Yue was unwilling to give up and tried to persuade him. ¡°The people of the Central Plains are very weak. If our tribe and your tribe attack together at night, we will definitely be able to kill them all!¡± Meng Shan was not stupid at all. ¡°Forget it. We commoners are weak. How can their soldiers be weak? That person alone can kill me. I don¡¯t want to die in vain with my clansmen.¡± So what if the Southern Frontier was ruled by the Ling Kingdom? In any case, it was fine as long as they did not bother them. Feng Xun and Feng Yue¡¯s expressions changed, but they had to admit that Chu Tianbao was indeed very powerful. Moreover, the dark guards hiding beside Chu Tianbao were top-notch experts. However, Feng Xun and Feng Yue refused to stop. Their intuition told them that Chu Tianbao was a more important figure than You Huaijie, or perhaps he was You Huaijie himself. He pretended to be an ordinary person so that he would not be discovered by them. They even planned to capture Chu Tianbao alive and make him a spy to serve their Heavenly Wolf Army! If he could not be used, they would definitely kill him! Feng Xun and Feng Yue discussed and Feng Yue said, ¡°Brother, we can¡¯t kill everyone. But we can lure people out.¡± Feng Xun nodded in agreement. Just as the siblings were discussing how to lure Chu Tianbao out, Cui Shize saw that they did not get any water when they returned. He could not help but ask worriedly, ¡°How is it?¡± Bai Wutong said, ¡°There¡¯s not enough well water for all of us, and the locals won¡¯t let us take it. There will definitely be a conflict if we forcefully take it. ¡® Cui Shize frowned and did not know what to say. After all, their lives were lives. Other people¡¯s lives were also lives. It was indeed not right to forcefully get water, but without water, they could not continue. For a moment, everyone was silent. Lin Yue muttered, ¡°If we had known, we would have picked more cactus. ¡® Although it tasted bad, it contained a lot of water. Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°There are so many of us. Even if we remove all the cactuses, it won¡¯t be enough.¡± After a moment¡¯s thought, her eyes suddenly lit up. ¡°However, that¡¯s an idea. If we encounter cactuses on the way, we can pluck them to quench our thirst and ask the locals for some well water. At night, we can make our own water collectors. We should be able to last until we reach the hidden river to get water.¡¯ Cui Shize¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up. ¡°A water collector can fetch water in the desert?¡± Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°Sure, but not much water. It can only solve an immediate problem.. ¡° Chapter 299 - Chapter 299: That Woman Is His Weakness Chapter 299: That Woman Is His Weakness Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios It was already very impressive to be able to get water in the desert! Cui Shize said excitedly, ¡°How do we make a water collector? Is it complicated?¡± Bai Wutong shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s very simple. All you need is a piece of non-water-absorbing satin, a container, and a hole.¡± Cui Shize widened his eyes in disbelief. ¡°It¡¯s that simple?¡¯ Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°Yes, it uses the principle of condensation.¡± ¡°Condensation?¡¯ ¡°The sun will make the surface water evaporate,¡± explained Bai Wutong. ¡°Our homemade water collector is equivalent to the principle of collecting the vapor that evaporates in the air.¡¯ Although he had never heard of this principle, Bai Wutong¡¯s explanation was very simple. Cui Shize understood it immediately. He couldn¡¯t wait to see how to make his own water collector. ¡°Madam Bai, should we get everyone to prepare now?¡± Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll teach you immediately.¡± Cui Shize sent his servants to inform the others. Bai Wutong was about to inform You Huaijie to discuss with Meng Shan about getting some water. When she turned around, she met Chu Tianbao¡¯s complicated eyes. Bai Wutong smiled at him. ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡± Chu Tianbao suddenly grabbed her hand tightly, as though afraid that she would disappear suddenly. ¡°Will you leave me?¡± He had long sensed Bai Wutong¡¯s magical ability. He had never asked her the reason because he was afraid that if he exposed her, she would suddenly disappear forever like some things at home. Sensing Chu Tianbao¡¯s uneasiness, Bai Wutong squeezed his palm. ¡°No, I¡¯ll always be with you.¡± Chu Tianbao wanted to kiss her, but she stopped him. ¡°However, if you dare to fool around, that might not be the case.¡± Chu Tianbao immediately puffed out his chest and promised, ¡°1 won¡¯t, never!¡± He was afraid that she wouldn¡¯t believe him. Bai Wutong laughed at his nervous look. ¡°Yes, I believe you.¡± You Huaijie had received instructions from Bai Wutong to find Meng Shan and ask for some well water. Meng Shan did not want to agree at first, but he thought that it was better to have some water than to be threatened with his head if they became anxious. So he nodded and agreed. You Huaijie got someone to carry the water away, but Meng Shan found it strange. There were so many of them. How were they going to survive with this little water? He felt an inexplicable sense of guilt. He brought his men and quietly approached. Just as he saw that the Central Plains people were constantly digging holes in the ground as if they were digging water, a dark guard descended from the sky and placed a sharp sword on his neck. Meng Shan trembled in fear and hurriedly said, ¡°I¡¯m just here to take a look. I don¡¯t have any other intentions.¡± The dark guard didn¡¯t let go of his sword until You Huaijie came over. Meng Shan, who felt that he had his life saved, became familiar with You Huaijie. ¡°Are you digging water? How can you dig water like this? Our ancestors have only dug this well for hundreds of years. You should give up.¡± You Huaijie glanced at him coldly. Meng Shan was frightened by his gaze and stuttered, ¡°If you can¡¯t dig up water, I won¡¯t give you any more water. If I give you more, we won¡¯t have enough to drink.¡± You Huaijie looked at him again and explained in surprise, ¡°We¡¯re not digging for water.¡± Meng Shan was stunned. ¡®Then what are you doing? You can¡¯t be digging a hole to bury yourself now, right?¡¯ Even if they wanted to bury themselves, they had to go further away. It would be scary if they died here. Unexpectedly, You Huaijie wasn¡¯t angry with him. He said, ¡®We¡¯re collecting water.¡± ¡°Collect water?¡± Meng Shan was stunned. ¡°Ah, you also know how to collect water? Who taught you to collect water by digging pits on the ground? Silly!¡± As soon as Meng Shan finished speaking, he felt a chill on the back of his neck. He subconsciously said, ¡°If there¡¯s really no water on the road, you can look around for trees or rocks. Usually, there will be dew in the morning. You can use a water-absorbing cloth to absorb it and collect some dew.¡± After saying that, he sighed. ¡®There are so many of you, but you don¡¯t seem to be doing well. However, it¡¯s good to even save a person. You¡¯re quite unlucky to be brought here by the dog emperor.¡± In the past, they had really run out of water on the way to the southern frontier and had relied on this method to collect dew to drink. Meng Shan felt that his method was much better than digging a hole like them. However, Bai Wutong, who was called a fool, felt that Meng Shan was quite kind. She gestured for You Huaijie to continue the principle of the water collector. The water collector could collect a small cup of water every night. A small cup could guarantee that one would not die of thirst for a day. It was much better than the method that Meng Shan was proud of. You Huaijie said, ¡°We use a water collector.¡± ¡°Water collector?¡± Meng Shan was confused again. He asked subconsciously, ¡°How much water can it collect?¡¯ You Huaijie said, ¡°One glass.¡± Meng Shan immediately laughed and said, ¡°The small wine cup that you Han people use? Hahaha, alright, you guys take care.¡± You Huaijie said, ¡°It¡¯s a big cup.¡± Meng Shan did not believe that the Central Plains people had such a powerful method. If there had been one before, the southern frontier would not have been taken down so many years ago. However, he was also very curious and wanted to see with his own eyes if You Huaijie was bragging. He followed You Huaijie into the group. He saw that someone had dug a pit and put it in a small bamboo tube. This bamboo tube was a bamboo tube. It did not look like a water collector at all. Meng Shan looked incredulous. He even suspected that these people were crazy from being thirsty. He asked Village Chief Zhao, ¡°Is this your water collector?¡¯ Village Chief Zhao nodded. ¡®That¡¯s right.¡± Meng Shan immediately revealed an expression that seemed to be saying, ¡°That¡¯s it? That¡¯s it? Do you think I¡¯m a fool?¡± It was impossible to collect water! He couldn¡¯t be bothered to see what Village Chief Zhao was going to do next. He ran away without much interest, afraid that You Huaijie would catch him and ask him for water again. Everyone set up the water collector, ate some dry food, and prepared to sleep. Suddenly, a flame flew straight towards Bai Wutong¡¯s carriage. Qingfeng pulled out her sword and cut the rocket into two. The team immediately screamed in fear. Immediately after, a few more rockets shot towards the carriage. Their target was still the carriage. Just as Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao got out of the carriage, another rocket shot straight at Bai Wutong. Although the arrow was stopped by the dark guard, Chu Tianbao was enraged. He took the crossbow handed over by Bai Wutong and aimed at the black-robed man who was about to shoot the next arrow. With a swoosh, the man in black fell head first. Feng Yue, who was staying motionless in the dark, saw that their best archer had been easily killed by Chu Tianbao. She said anxiously, ¡°Brother, what should we do?! We can¡¯t lure him out at all.¡± Feng Xun did not expect Chu Tianbao to kill someone even in the dark. Fortunately, he had made other preparations. With a wave of his hand, more lurking archers shot at Bai Wutong again. After his observation, he had long understood that the woman beside Chu Tianbao was his weakness. As long as this woman ¡®s life was in danger, he would definitely chase after them to avenge her. At that time, their ambush would be useful.. Chapter 300 - Chapter 300: She’s Finally Afraid Chapter 300: She¡¯s Finally Afraid Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios So many rockets shot towards the Bai Wutong like fireworks. Everyone in the team widened their eyes in fear and shouted, ¡°Madam Bail¡± In the next second, countless dark guards came from all directions and cut down these fire arrows one by one. However, the arrows continued to be shot. Under Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s urging, Lin Yue also led his men and rushed towards Bai Wutong. At the same time, the Cui family sent Lan Jingbai to provide them reinforcements. Little Cat shook off Tao Yinzhen, who was stopping him, and rushed forward without a care. The others had just grabbed their weapons and were about to rush forward when the furious Chu Tianbao waved his hands and released his powerful internal force. Not only did he shoot back all the rockets, but he also shocked the reinforcements to the ground. Chu Tianbao gave a command to attack the rebels in the darkness coldly, ¡°Kill! Leave no one alive!¡± His aura was majestic. In an instant, You Huaijie, who was supposed to be giving orders, was ignored. ¡®Yes!¡¯ The dark guards received the order and dispersed. Immediately after, screams could be heard from the surrounding desert from time to time. Seeing that they failed again, Feng Xun and Feng Yue ran away. As soon as they returned, they bumped into Meng Shan, who was watching the commotion. Meng Shan glanced at them and revealed a meaningful smile. He had said that these people could not be touched. Yet the pair did not believe it. The screams in the darkness disappeared. Only then did Little Cat come back to its senses and stumble in front of Bai Wutong. He asked worriedly, ¡°Madam Bai, are you alright?¡± Immediately after, the surrounding people surrounded her and asked in shock, ¡°Is Madam Bai alright?¡± Chu Tianbao held her hands tightly, not daring to look away for a moment. She was clearly just a village woman, but she was the center of attention in the entire team. Madam Qu pursed her lips and just as she revealed a displeased expression, she saw Qu Yuanxian also squeeze in. Her expression became even uglier. Little Cat had fallen and hurt his face. Bai Wutong smiled at him. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Your face is injured. Go find Doctor Gu and get some medicine.¡± Little Cat chuckled. At this moment, he was like an innocent child. ¡°No need. I¡¯m fine. It doesn¡¯t hurt at all.¡± Bai Wutong asked Qingfeng to bring some ointment over. ¡°Take it back and apply it properly. Your face is very important. You still have to participate in the imperial examination in the future.¡± She recalled that one of the guidelines for the imperial examination was that those who were not presentable could not take the examination. She was not the emperor and could not change the rules. It was better to be careful. She did not want to ruin his future. She recalled that one of the guidelines for the imperial examination was that those who were not presentable could not take the examination. She was not the emperor and could not change the rules. It was better to be careful. She did not want to ruin his future. Little Cat accepted Bai Wutong¡¯s expectations for him and smiled. ¡°Yes, yes. Thank you, Madam Bai. I¡¯ll definitely participate in the imperial examination.¡± He would definitely become successfully and prove to Madam Bai. Little Cat skipped back with the ointment in his hands. When he saw Tao Yinzhen standing in the shadows with a lifeless gaze, his smile disappeared. He quickly touched the ointment and quickly put it in his arms. He was guarding against her. Tao Yinzhen glared at him hatefully. Little Cat ignored her and looked at Ren Shuixing who was lying on the ground like a stranger. Tao Yinzhen looked at the wide carriage belonging to Bai Wutong. Her bright face, handsome husband, and group of friends were like the sun in the sky when compared to her. She clearly had everything, but she still wanted to snatch her only son away. She hated herself for being useless. She also hated the injustice of the heavens. Furious, she pushed down Little Cat who was caught off guard, snatched the ointment from his arms, and threw it out forcefully. Just as she felt a trace of pleasure, Lin Hu screamed, ¡°Little Cat, what¡¯s wrong?¡± He quickly helped Little Cat up, but blood flowed down Little Cat¡¯s forehead and into his neck. Just now, Tao Yinzhen had pushed Little Cat onto a large rock Little Cat shook his head weakly. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Uncle.¡± He had lost so much blood. How could he be fine with such a big hole in his head? Lin Hu quickly picked him up and rushed to Bai Wutong. He did not know where Doctor Gu¡¯s carriage was, but Bai Wutong would definitely be able to call him over immediately. Lin Hu shouted, ¡°Madam Bai, can you call the doctor? ¡® When she turned around, she saw Little Cat lying in Lin Hu¡¯s arms with a pale face. The dark red blood on his head covered his entire face, looking especially terrifying. Tao Yinzhen followed behind. She was so close to Chu Tianbao again, but she did not dare to have any other thoughts. Her lips trembled as she looked at Little Cat in fear. Regardless of what happened, Bai Wutong immediately got someone to call Gu Zhongxun over. Gu Zhongxun took a few glances and got everyone to help light up the area. He quickly used the first aid kit to stitch and bandage him. After dealing with Little Cat¡¯s wound, he said, ¡°The wound is a little deep and he needs to rest well. Don¡¯t let him use his brain too much during this period of time.¡± When Gu Zhongxun bandaged Little Cat, Bai Wutong already knew the whole story. Bai Wutong looked at Tao Yinzhen. When Tao Yinzhen met her cold gaze, it was as if she was in a thousand-year-old cold lake. She endured her discomfort and tried to carry Little Cat back. Suddenly, Bai Wutong said angrily, ¡°If you can¡¯t raise the child well, then don¡¯t.¡± She didn¡¯t want to interfere in other people¡¯s family matters, but Little Cat¡¯s plight was too heartbreaking. Moreover, he was so smart. If someone smashed a hole in him, his future would be destroyed. When Tao Yinzhen heard this, she was like a hedgehog covered in thorns. She said loudly, ¡°This is my son. If I want to hit him, so what?¡± Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with her, but Cui Shize stood out at this moment and accused Tao Yinzhen, ¡°How can you treat a child like this?¡± Tao Yinzhen argued in her heart that she did not do it on purpose. However, she did not want to show weakness to Bai Wutong. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business!¡± Just as Cui Shize was about to condemn Tao Yinzhen for her actions, You Huaijie arrived. Facing a proper official, Tao Yinzhen immediately cowered and silently wanted to retreat into the shadows. You Huaijie didn¡¯t let her go. ¡°You caused your son to be seriously injured?¡± Tao Yinzhen was so frightened that she knelt down and hurriedly said, ¡°Sir, it was an accident. Little Cat is my biological son. How can I really be ruthless? It was all an accident. ¡® You Huaijie looked at Lin Hu beside him. ¡°Did you bring Little Cat here?¡± Lin Hu was shocked and nodded. ¡°Yes, my lord. ¡® ¡°Did she do it on purpose?¡± You Huaijie asked. Lin Hu thought about what he had seen and did not dare to lie. ¡°I only saw her push Little Cat and snatch the thing on him. She threw it away.¡± Tao Yinzhen immediately trembled violently. If anyone knew what she had thrown away , everyone present would definitely guess her thoughts. You Huaijie looked at Tao Yinzhen again. Tao Yinzhen immediately said, ¡°Sir, I know my mistake. I shouldn¡¯t have hit my son. I won¡¯t dare to do it again.¡± She only wanted to take Little Cat away as soon as possible and end this matter. Even her thoughts about Chu Tianbao were completely extinguished. She couldn¡¯t stand being judged and pointed at by everyone. She was finally afraid.. Chapter 301 - Chapter 301: Can ‘t Be Like Us Chapter 301: Can ¡®t Be Like Us Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Tao Yinzhen thought that if she admitted that she had hit Little Cat, everything would be resolved. But You Huaijie heard someone mutter something in his ear and said to her, ¡°It¡¯s great to know your mistake, but I heard that your paralyzed husband is usually taken care of by Little Cat. Now that Little Cat is injured, how are you going to take care of him?¡± As soon as these words were spoken, Tao Yinzhen¡¯s expression froze. If she had to take care of two people at once, she would indeed not be able to free herself. Besides, she didn¡¯t want to take care of Ren Shuixing. She couldn¡¯t wait for him to die immediately. She stuttered for a long time and said, ¡°I can hire someone.¡± You Huaijie raised his eyebrows. ¡°Since you want to hire someone, I¡¯ll help you find one. Little Cat is still studying, right?¡± Tao Yinzhen nodded nervously. ¡°Yes.¡± She wanted to tell You Huaijie that she could hire someone herself, but she didn¡¯t dare to refuse him directly. You Huaijie¡¯s gaze landed on Cui Shize. ¡®Mr. Cui, can you help take care of him?¡± Cui Shize liked Little Cat, who was smart and hardworking. He nodded and agreed. ¡°Sir, I¡¯m willing.¡± You Huaijie nodded in satisfaction. ¡®Then you may bring Little Cat back. Tao Yinzhen immediately said loudly, ¡°Sir, don¡¯t. He¡¯s my son.¡¯ She felt the fear of Little Cat being taken away by Cui Shize and never returning. She already knew her mistake. She would definitely make it up to Little Cat. Coincidentally, as soon as she finished speaking, Little Cat slowly regained consciousness. Tao Yinzhen immediately said to Little Cat excitedly, ¡°Son, quickly tell the adults that you¡¯re willing to stay by my side. I¡¯ll hire someone to take care of you. I¡¯ll definitely take good care of you. I shouldn¡¯t have pushed you earlier. I know my mistake.¡± She looked sincere, but Little Cat was expressionless. Instead, he looked at Bai Wutong. This made Tao Yinzhen feel helpless again. Bai Wutong said to Little Cat, ¡°Your mother can¡¯t take care of two people at the same time. The adults want Mr. Cui to take care of you. Are you willing?¡± If he followed Cui Shize, he would definitely learn a lot. Little Cat¡¯s eyes lit up and he immediately nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± His lack of hesitation pierced Tao Yinzhen¡¯s heart. She was already willing to lower herself to make up for it, but Little Cat still wanted to be angry with her and not give her any face in front of so many people. Seeing that Little Cat had agreed, You Huaijie made the decision. ¡°In that case, Mr. Cui will take care of him until he completely recovers. ¡® It was extremely ingenious to use the words ¡®completely recovered¡¯. As long as Doctor Gu determined that Little Cat had not completely recovered, Little Cat could still remain by Mr. Cui¡¯s side. But Tao Yinzhen was still glad that as long as Little Cat recovered, he could return to her side. The next day, the first person to wake up uncovered the water collector out of curiosity. Then, he shouted in surprise, ¡°There¡¯s water! There¡¯s really water!¡¯ Those who were still asleep were woken up. Everyone looked at him. The man held the wooden bucket and showed it happily. ¡°There¡¯s a glass of water! It¡¯s amazing! There¡¯s really water!¡± He also felt that Bai Wutong was joking the previous day, but the truth was right in front of him. There was really water. The others quickly went to look at the pit where they had buried the water collector. One after another, excited people shouted, ¡°It¡¯s true! Water! There¡¯s water. There¡¯s so much water!¡¯ A cup of water was actually not much, but if they could use this method to get water, they would no longer have to worry about dying of thirst in the desert. At this moment, they looked towards Bai Wutong as if they worshipped her as a god. The team boiled over, and everyone ran over to ask how she had come up with the idea. Bai Wutong could only explain that she had read it in an unknown ancient book. Immediately, many people made a great ambition to study as much as she did. The team was lively. Everyone had joy on their faces, making Meng Shan, who was prepared to watch them make a fool of themselves, confused. No way. It can¡¯t be true, right? Could it be that they really used that broken bamboo jar to collect water? Meng Shan¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as he leaned over to take a look. Not to mention them, even Feng Xunyue, who was hiding, was shocked. If it was true, it would unintentionally cause a huge change to the entire Southern Frontier. In the future, when the people left the Southern Frontier, going to the Central Plains would no longer be a problem. As they marched to war and conquered the Central Plains, the people of the Southern Frontier would have an even greater advantage. They were more cautious and did not dare to show their faces. They sent people to quietly follow behind the Meng Shan and his tribesman. As Meng Shan approached, the soldiers blocked their way. Meng Shan immediately shouted at You Huaijie, ¡°Hey, brother, why did you let them stop me?¡¯ You Huaijie ignored him. Chu Tianbao had been infuriated last night. No stranger was allowed to approach the team casually. Seeing that You Huaijie was ignoring him and there were people behind him, Meng Shan dug out bamboo tubes and broken bowls from the pit on the ground and shouted that there was really water. He felt as though there were 10 million ants biting him. He couldn¡¯t help but shout at You Huaijie, ¡°You¡¯re such a big official, but why are you so stingy? I even gave you so much water yesterday! Can¡¯t I just take a look?!¡± You Huaijie was unmoved. It wasn¡¯t until Bai Wutong heard his agitated shout that Meng Shan was allowed to enter alone. As soon as Meng Shan entered the mountain, he walked towards Little Peach, who was working hard to dig a hole. He smiled. ¡°Little girl, can Uncle help you?¡¯ Little Peach looked up and was shocked by his bearded face. Thinking of what Madam Cui had taught her to not panick when something happened, she quickly composed herself and refused loudly. ¡°No.¡± She was surrounded by their own people. She, Little Peach, was not afraid. Meng Shan was quite puzzled. The children of the Central Plains were actually not afraid of him. He snorted coldly and squatted down quietly. He widened his eyes and watched as Little Peach moved the stones around the satin. Then she opened the satin expectantly. In an instant, a wooden bowl in the pit appeared in their line of sight. Little Peach carefully took out the wooden bowl. She wanted to be as composed as Madam Cui, but she couldn¡¯t help but shout excitedly, ¡°Mother, I have a lot of water too. There¡¯s a bowl of it!¡± Although the bowl was very small, it was enough for her to drink now. While Little Peach left to brag to the adults, Meng Shan was dumbfounded. He really saw water. He was still in disbelief when his gaze fell on Little Stinky, who was sticking out his butt and carrying rocks. Before he could approach, Qingfeng and Lin Yue¡¯s swords landed on his neck at the same time. Meng Shan was shocked. This family was not to be trifled with, so he changed to another one. After discovering that water could really come out of every hole, he regretted not trying it with these Central Plains people the day before. He wanted this to be true, but he was afraid that these people were faking it to fool him. Meng Shan walked towards You Huaijie uneasily. ¡°Can your water collector really produce water?¡± You Huaijie said frankly, ¡°Yes.¡± Meng Shan immediately asked, ¡°How did you do it? Can you teach me?¡± He would know if he gave it a try. You Huaijie squatted down readily. ¡°Look at me.¡± He showed him the entire process of setting up the water collector. After Meng Shan finished watching him, he couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°This is too simple.¡± However, You Huaijie suddenly said, ¡°It¡¯s not simple. You don¡¯t have silk, so you can¡¯t gather water like us..¡± Chapter 302 - Chapter 302: You Can Only Take Mine Chapter 302: You Can Only Take Mine Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Meng Shan touched the satin covering the pit. It was smooth and delicate to the touch. It was obvious that it was expensive. He asked curiously, ¡°Why must it be satin?¡± You Huaijie said, ¡°Because it doesn¡¯t absorb water easily, the water vapor condenses easily and flows into the pit. ¡® Meng Shan seemed to understand a little and could only come up with a conclusion. If he wanted to set up a water collector, he had to use satin. He very much suspected that the true purpose of this group of Central Plains people was actually to sell cloth. Meng Shan was even more convinced when You Huaijie said he would give him a bolt of cloth to try. This was definitely because he wanted him to buy cloth. A piece of silver satin appeared in his hand. Under the sunlight, it shone brightly. Meng Shan could not help but praise the skills of the Central Plains people. Even a piece of cloth could be so beautiful. It made him really want to buy their cloth. He probed, ¡°Then how much is this cloth?¡± You Huaijie said, ¡®Ten taels of silver.¡± Meng Shan¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go rob someone!¡± The price of this cloth in the Central Plains was about five taels of silver, but it had been transported a long way. It required a huge cost to transport it here. In Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s words, 10 taels of silver was already a reasonable price. You Huaijie said indifferently, ¡°l didn¡¯t ask you to buy it. ¡® Meng Shan was speechless. ¡®There are really not asking me to buy it?¡¯ Could it be the legendary reverse marketing tactic? Meng Shan thought about it and still felt that 10 taels of silver was too expensive. He glanced at You Huaijie and did not intend to return this piece of satin. He still had to go back and test if the satin could really gather water. If it was true, it wouldn¡¯t be too late to talk about it then. Suddenly, Xiaobai jumped out from somewhere with an especially big lizard hanging from its mouth. Xiaobai held the big lizard in its mouth and raised its head with its chest puffed out. Its footsteps were strong, like a mighty general. It was just that it walked a little slowly, so that everyone could tell that it was deliberately showing off. Everyone could not help but smile and praise Xiaobai for being amazing. Xiaobai enjoyed their praise and raised its nose even higher. If not for its chubby chin, it would definitely be even more handsome. Meng Shan¡¯s eyes widened and his jaw almost dropped. He stammered, ¡°This, this is a wolf, right? A white wolf?¡± You Huaijie nodded calmly and even reminded him kindly, ¡°Yes, the Wolf God that you Syrians worship.¡± As soon as these words were spoken, Meng Shan¡¯s hands began to tremble as he held the cloth. He never expected that he would really see the legendary Wolf God in his lifetime. Before he could recover from his shock, Xiaobai had already walked up to Bai Wutong and placed the spoils of war at her feet. Its ice-blue eyes revealed intelligence as it gestured for Bai Wutong to quickly get someone to roast an extra meal for it. This thing¡¯s skin was too rough. Xiaobai did not even want to bite it. This was the first time Bai Wutong had seen such a big lizard. She looked at it curiously and stroked Xiaobai¡¯s head, ignoring its thoughts. ¡°Xiaobai is really amazing. You know how to give us extra food at such an early time. I¡¯ll give you a lizard leg later.¡± Xiaobai wanted to object, but when he met the unfathomable eyes of Bai Wutong, he felt that having a lizard leg was better than nothing. He immediately nodded arrogantly and howled to accept it. His smug gaze was exactly the same as Chu Tianbao and Little Stinky¡¯s, making Bai Wutong rub the back of its round head again. What a cute auspicious sign. Little Stinky ran over to play with Xiaobai. She smiled at the two of them and said, ¡°You can still play for a while. The team is about to set off soon.¡± After Stinky answered, Xiaobai howled and Stinky climbed onto Xiaobai¡¯s back skillfully. It grabbed the back of Xiaobai¡¯s neck and shouted in a childish voice, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Meng Shan was dumbfounded. The Wolf God actually allowed to be touched by the Central Plains people at will!!! He was stunned and completely bewildered. Meng Shan¡¯s mind was filled with all sorts of thoughts, but he did not dare to neglect the Wolf God. He immediately went back and told the people that the Wolf God had appeared. They had to prepare an offering immediately. Hearing the appearance of the Wolf God, the Syrians were all excited. After a while, they carried the slaughtered Tibetan antelope in front of Bai Wutong¡¯s team, wanting to see Xiaobai. Xiaobai was indeed drawn over by this huge commotion. The Syrians instantly knelt down excitedly to Xiaobai. ¡°Lord Wolf God, please bless us-¡± The grand scene made the people in the group poke their heads out. Xiaobai looked at Bai Wutong in confusion. Bai Wutong couldn ¡®t be bothered to pretend to be Oracles and let them get up. In any case, they couldn¡¯t keep kneeling. Xiaobai didn ¡®t care about their offerings. Instead, it followed Bai Wutong into the carriage, as if it was preparing to leave. Meng Shan panicked, and so did the Syrians. They were certain that Xiaobai was dissatisfied with the offering. They discussed for a while, gritted their teeth, and finally decided to give Bai Wutong and the rest some more water. Meng Shan approached You Huaijie and offered to give them water, hoping to get a response from Xiaobai. Seeing that it had not been easy for everyone, Bai Wutong fulfilled their small wish and let Xiaobai howl. The kneeling Syrians were so excited that tears streamed down their faces. They had finally received the blessing of the Lord Wolf God. Xiaobai howled a few times and felt that it was especially boring, so it returned to the foot of Bai Wutong and yawned lazily. Meng Shan and his clansmen¡¯s eyes lit up when they looked at Bai Wutong. The Wolf God actually cared about this Central Plains woman so much! At this moment, they were ruthlessly tempted. When the team set off, many Syrian men raised their red tailored scarves high and shouted at the carriage of Bai Wutong, ¡°Beautiful Central Plains lady , please accept our scarves.¡± When Bai Wutong heard their loud shout, she opened the window and took a look. Chu Tianbao quickly pulled her into his arms, and the window closed with a bang. He leaned over and kissed her, blocking her vision. Only when she was about to suffocate did Chu Tianbao let go of her. His gaze landed on her beautiful red lips, and he said in a low and hoarse voice, ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to take it.¡± By offering the red scarf, the Syrian men implied that they wanted to become this woman¡¯s partner. If Bai Wutong had accepted it, it meant that she had agreed. Bai Wutong went limp in his arms and blinked, even though she knew the answer. ¡°I think it looks pretty good. Why don¡¯t you let me take it?¡± Chu Tianbao restrained the heat in his body and kissed her eyes. ¡°You can only take mine.¡± With a low laugh, Bai Wutong hooked her arms around his neck. ¡®Then give it to me.¡± Her bright and moving smile was like a demoness that could seduce people. From time to time, the people¡¯s voices came from outside, reminding Chu Tianbao to maintain his rationality. His exquisite Adam¡¯s apple bobbed. After a while, he said in a deep voice, ¡°I¡¯ll knit it for you.¡¯ Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Really?¡± Chu Tianbao nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Bai Wutong wanted to get out of his arms and ask someone to get the cotton thread, but Chu Tianbao stopped her and said with difficulty, ¡°Wait a little longer. ¡°Huh?¡± Caught off guard, her lips were covered in heat again.. Chapter 303 - Chapter 303: Wife, You Can Continue Chapter 303: Wife, You Can Continue Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The group of Central Plains people gradually left. Feng Yue, who was standing on the spot, asked Feng Xun indignantly, ¡°Brother, what should we do?¡± They thought of many ways, but they could not take down Chu Tianbao. Feng Xun looked around and his gaze landed on the disappointed Syrian men who did not receive a response from Bai Wutong. Suddenly, he had an idea. If forcefully capturing someone didn¡¯t work, he would use a honey trap to make him fall head over heels and volunteer to serve the Heavenly Wolf Army. However, the woman beside Chu Tianbao was a one-in-a-million beauty. If a women was to catch his eye, she would probably have to be a top beauty. Suddenly, he looked at his sister¡¯s face again. With her beautiful features, golden eyes, and seductive aura, no man could resist her taking the initiative to express her goodwill. Feng Xun¡¯s lips curled. ¡°1 have an idea.¡± Feng Yue asked excitedly, ¡°What way?¡± Feng Xun looked at Meng Shan, who was digging a hole and preparing to test if satin could gather water. He said unhurriedly, ¡°There¡¯s no hurry. I¡¯ll tell you later.¡¯ As long as the water collector set up by Meng Mountain could really produce water, he would have an excuse to catch up to the Central Plains people. Meng Shan cut off a large piece of satin and cut it to the same size as what You Huaijie and the others used. He dug several pits to set up the water collector. To verify that only satin could gather water, he found several more types of fabric from their tribe and dug several holes. He marked them and personally guarded them there, waiting for the next morning. When the sun was about to rise, Meng Shan, who was dozing in the hanging chair, was woken up by everyone¡¯s excited whispers. When he opened his eyes, a clansman immediately asked impatiently, ¡°Tribe leader, can we take a look now? We can¡¯t wait anymore.¡± Meng Shan was also panicking. He glanced at the sun that had yet to completely emerge and pretended to be calm. ¡°Not yet!¡¯ The clansmen could only endure the torturous wait. On the other side, Feng Yue and Feng Xun also looked over. Finally, when it was completely dawn, the clansmen wanted to go forward and help. Meng Shan scolded, ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself! ¡® What if someone took advantage of the situation and deliberately poured water into it to trick him? Under everyone¡¯s gaze, Meng Shan dug out the first hole covered in satin. The moment he saw it, his eyes widened. Everyone else held their breaths nervously when they saw his dumbfounded expression. Was there any water?! They were about to die of anxiety. Meng Shan took a while to take out the container in the pit. He stared at the ceramic bowl and said in a daze, ¡®There¡¯s really water! ¡± From burying the pit to digging the pit, he had personally handled the entire process. It was absolutely impossible for it to be fake. In other words, the Central Plains people¡¯s method of gathering water was really useful! It was too magical. Water had been produced out of nowhere. There was not much water, but when travelling across the desert, one did not have to worry about dying of thirst. Meng Shan and his clansmen were in an uproar in an instant. They urged Meng Shan to continue digging. They wanted to see with their own eyes if there was water in the other pits. Feng Xun and Feng Yue¡¯s hearts were in their throats. If this method was feasible, they had to report it to their father as soon as possible. Under everyone¡¯s anticipation, Meng Shan dug out another container. Like the container just now, there was water! The tribe boiled over again. Immediately after, Meng Shan dug out the remaining three containers covered in satin. Without exception, they were all filled with water. At this moment, everyone had already confirmed that this method could fetch water and were eager to return to give it a try later. Meng Shan took out a container from the pit, but there was no water in this container. The entire tribe clamored again. ¡°Why is there no water?¡± The excitement on Feng Xun and Feng Yue¡¯s faces suddenly sank. Meng Shan frowned. Could it be that as the Central Plains people said, it had to be satin? He dug out all the containers in the remaining pit. There was really no water in the dozen or so containers! He only felt that some of the fabric was moist. Meng Shan completely believed what the Central Plains people said. If he wanted to get water in the desert, it really had to be satin. He said to his clansmen with a dark expression, ¡°Come with me to catch up to the Central Plains people now.¡± Feng Yue couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡¯ Meng Shan glanced at her and then at his clansmen, who were also waiting for him to explain. He said solemnly, ¡°This is a method that the Central Plains people came up with to gather water. Therefore, we can only use the Central Plains people¡¯s satin to gather water. We have to chase after the Central Plains people now and ask them to sell us some cloth first.¡± They could not afford to buy the cloth and wear them. But Meng Shan could still afford to buy dozens of cloth and cut them into small pieces to distribute to everyone for repeated use. One could also buy satin from the Central Plains people at the market, but the nearest market here was a three-day journey. It was better to chase after the Central Plains people. If they were unwilling to sell, they could go to the market at the entrance of the Southern Frontier. As soon as these words were spoken, everyone looked carefully at the cloth placed at the edge of the pit. As expected, the pits with water were covered in Central Plains people¡¯s satin. Feng Xun and Feng Yue looked at each other. They did not expect the Central Plains people to be so cunning to even gain control over the method of gathering water. Meng Shan led his clansmen and quickly chased after Bai Wutong¡¯s team. After carefully dressing up, Feng Yue also followed with the most elite clansmen under her brother¡¯s instructions. Meng Shan was a sly person. He would never expose Feng Yue¡¯s identity. Chu Tianbao was fast with his handiwork. A bright red wool scarf was about to be finished by him. Looking at his handsome profile happily, Bai Wutong reached out and squeezed it. ¡°My husband¡¯s hands are too nimble.¡± It was rare for her to call him husband. Chu Tianbao suddenly looked up with a burning gaze, indicating that she should call him husband a few more times. Bai Wutong kissed the corner of his mouth. ¡°Yes, yes? Why aren¡¯t you continuing to knit?¡± Her gentle voice and naughty little hands was deliberately teasing him. Chu Tianbao had never been tempted. Just as he was about to lean forward and kiss her, he was warned sternly by her, ¡°It¡¯s about to be finished. What do you want! ¡± Chu Tianbao glanced at her red lips and then at the red scarf he was about to finish. He retracted his gaze with difficulty and knitted the scarf obediently agam. He looked so well-behaved when he was serious that Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t help but feel tempted and tickled his waist. Chu Tianbao suddenly shook off the unfinished red scarf and grabbed the back of her head. With a strong reaction, he told her that he couldn¡¯t bear it anymore. After some time, Bai Wutong had the experience of playing with fire. She blushed and was wrapped in his arms. She glared at him weakly. Chu Tianbao chuckled. ¡°Wife, you can continue.¡± Angrily, Bai Wutong arched her back and rested her head on his shoulder. Really, he was getting more and more disobedient. Chu Tianbao rubbed his cheek against her soft ear. While he did this intimate gesture, he picked up the red scarf that was half thrown away and took his time to finished the last few steps.. Chapter 304 - Chapter 304: I Have Accepted Your Challenge Chapter 304: I Have Accepted Your Challenge Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Meng Shan and the others rode the best horse and galloped at the fastest speed. They caught up to Bai Wutong¡¯s team the next day. He shouted at You Huaijie through the rows of soldiers, ¡°Brother, I want to buy some satin from you.¡± You Huaijie stared at him coldly. ¡°How much do you want?¡¯ Meng Shan held out a hand. ¡°l want 50 bolts of them!¡¯ You Huaijie looked at Yu Suisheng. ¡°Is there any more satin?¡± There were only 50 of them. Yu Suisheng nodded. ¡°Sir, there are still some left.¡± You Huaijie said, ¡®Then sell some to them.¡± It was also one of the duties of the Governor of the Southern Frontier to build a good relationship with the local people. Yu Suisheng quickly sent someone to bring 50 pieces of satin to Meng Shan. ¡°Please count and check them.¡± Meng Shan was counting the cloth when a clear voice sounded behind his team. Feng Yue walked over gracefully with her clansmen and said to Yu Suisheng, ¡°l want 500 bolts of satin.¡± Even the entire team¡¯s inventory did not add up to this much. Yu Suisheng smiled and said, ¡°We don¡¯t have so much cloth now. If Miss wants it, you can go to the caravan store and ask¡± Feng Yue smiled flirtatiously and said, ¡°Where is the store?¡¯ She was really too beautiful. She was soul-stirring and dazzling. Her golden eyes flashed with a burning light. Yu Suisheng blushed slightly. ¡°The store would be open in the first two days and last five days of the journey. If we don¡¯t have so much satin, Miss can pay the deposit first. We¡¯ll send someone back to the Central Plains to deliver the goods.¡± Feng Yue smiled faintly. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Hearing that she was going to follow the Central Plains people, Meng Shan¡¯s expression could not help but stiffen. If anything happened to this team, wouldn¡¯t he be the one in trouble? He looked at the cloth in his hand and thought of the method You Huaijie had given him to gather water. He felt that he would be a little ungrateful. However, Feng Yue and Feng Xun had the backing of the largest tribe in the entire Southern Frontier, and his father was still in charge of the Heavenly Wolf Army. The day before, Feng Xun had come to warn him. If he dared to say a word, his entire clan would be exterminated. He could not afford to offend either side. It was better to pretend not to know. His gaze landed on Xiaobai, who was lying on the carriage and sleeping lazily. Meng Shan sincerely wished that the Wolf God would protect them. Yu Suisheng did not agree immediately. Instead, he looked at You Huaijie. ¡°Sir, this lady wants to bring her clansmen with us.¡± You Huaijie glanced at him coldly. ¡°No.¡± Feng Yue frowned. ¡°Why? Aren¡¯t we taking the same route?¡¯ You Huaijie¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡°l have my own reasons!¡± Feng Yue widened her beautiful eyes, but she could not do anything to You Huaijie. She could only lead her clansmen to the side of the team and try to find an opportunity to approach Chu Tianbao. Bai Wutong woke up on horseback and opened the window to get some air. At a glance, she saw the woman on the horse beside them. Suddenly, she got out of the bed, opened a box underneath, and took out the two drawings inside. One of the drawings was of the woman on the horse. Bai Wutong sneered. She was quite bold. Chu Tianbao suddenly frowned and was about to get out of the carriage to capture this group of people. Bai Wutong grabbed his arm. ¡°Wait a minute. Let¡¯s see what she¡¯s following us for first. Don¡¯t alert her. Her brother hasn¡¯t shown his face yet. He must be lurking around us.¡± Chu Tianbao nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± The dark guards sent out quickly found out that there was a group of rebel soldiers in disguise at the back of their team. There were about a few hundred of them and they had been following them two miles away. The man in the lead looked extremely similar to the man in the other painting that Bai Wutong had. If they sent someone to capture him from two miles away, it would definitely alarm them. If they were not careful, Feng Xun would escape. She had heard from Ah Yu that the siblings had an extremely good relationship. Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao discussed and felt that they should first figure out the intentions of Feng Yue and Feng Xun, then capture Feng Yue to lure Feng Xun over. It was almost dark when the group stopped. Feng Yue set up tents around Bai Wutong¡¯s carriage. Seeing Chu Tianbao get out of the carriage, she immediately sang a beautiful song to him. This was the love song of their tribe. If the other party liked the lady who sang it, he would respond to her. Chu Tianbao was the tallest and most handsome Han person she had ever seen. He was also quite powerful. If she could make Chu Tianbao one of her partners and make him fall head over heels for her, she would be glad. Her seductive eyes stunned the men around her. Chu Tianbao was already expressionless, as if she was air. Feng Yue made it so obvious that Bai Wutong finally understood what she wanted. They had quite an idea and wanted to use a honey trap on Chu Tianbao. Bai Wutong looked at Feng Yue. She had to admit that she was beautiful. Moreover, her beauty was quite exotic. At a glance, one could not take their eyes off her. If such a beauty was placed in the modern world, she would definitely be the most dazzling star in the entertainment industry. Bai Wutong admired her looks with interest and turned around to ask Qingfeng to arrange for people to take down Feng Yue¡¯s subordinates. Feng Yue was the only daughter of the Heavenly Wolf Army and was even more favored than Feng Xun. She was beautiful. She had never failed to gain the interest of any man she set her eyes on. But Chu Tianbao actually ignored her, which further aroused her desire to conquer him. She lashed out with her whip and challenged Bai Wutong through the crowd. ¡°Let¡¯s fight. If I win against you, give me your man!¡¯ As soon as she said that, everyone was shocked by Feng Yue. The culture of this tribe was too bold. They openly snatched men like objects. Now, she had even wanted to snatch from Madam Bai. Everyone was stunned for a moment before they reacted and were angry. ¡°Get lost!!!¡¯ ¡°Shameless vixen!!!¡¯ ¡°We don¡¯t like your tricks!!!¡± ¡®You think you¡¯re worthy of coveting our Master Chu!!!¡± Zhao Erwa even shouted with the children, ¡°Old Master Chu belongs to Madam Bail!!¡± Stinky also roared along with his brothers and sisters, ¡°Old Master Chu belongs to Madam Bail!!¡± The flesh on his big face was trembling from agitation. His two black-eyed grapes were filled with anger, and his pouting mouth was extremely cute. Everyone stood in front of Feng Yue as if they were facing a great enemy, completely blocking Chu Tianbao¡¯s vision. However, if it weren¡¯t for the fact that Chu Tianbao¡¯s love for Bai Wutong was extremely deep, no one would have done this. Feng Yue was a little surprised. Didn¡¯t the Central Plains people not like to interfere? Why were they suddenly so agitated? But she couldn¡¯t care less. She questioned Bai Wutong again. ¡°Are you afraid?¡± Bai Wutong glanced at Chu Tianbao, whose expression was indifferent, and walked out of the crowd with a smile. ¡°Of course I wouldn¡¯t dare. He¡¯s my husband who I¡¯ll spend the rest of my life with and rely on for life and death. How can I treat him as a child¡¯s game and play with you?¡¯ Feng Yue sneered. ¡°If you don¡¯t dare, just say that you don¡¯t dare. Don¡¯t speak so much nonsense! You Central Plains women only know how to hold embroidery needles.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Bai Wutong pulled out her sword with a whoosh and stabbed at Feng Yue with her qinggong technique. ¡°For the sake of us Central Plains women, I accept your challenge..¡± Chapter 305 - Chapter 305: Glib-tongued Chu Tianbao Chapter 305: Glib-tongued Chu Tianbao Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Feng Yue, who had not expected this, hurriedly dodged. She reacted a beat too late. The sword grazed her arm and made a deep cut. Feng Yue looked at her wound in disbelief. She never expected this weak Central Plains woman to know martial arts. She had underestimated her. Exasperated, Feng Yue shook off the whip and replaced it with a large knife. ¡°Swords have no eyes. You¡¯d better admit defeat obediently.¡± After learning martial arts from Qingfeng for so long, Bai Wutong had yet to find a real opportunity to fight. Feng Yue was just right for her to practice. Bai Wutong smiled faintly. ¡°That sentence should be for you.¡¯ Feng Yue raised her big sword and charged forward. ¡°Clang¡ª¡± The swords collided, producing a long and ear-piercing sound. The people around them were taken aback. Shouldn¡¯t two beautiful beauties compete in poetry, chess, calligraphy or painting? Why did it become like this in the Southern Frontier? Chu Tianbao stared at Bai Wutong¡¯s every move. As long as she was in any danger, he would attack immediately. Meanwhile, Qingfeng led her men and captured all the clansmen at lightning speed when Feng Yue was not paying attention. Feng Yue was strong with a saber and agile, but she was not as agile as Bai Wutong. She had learned the most powerful sword technique of the Dark Guards Team. After a few rounds, Bai Wutong was still at ease, but Feng Yue was already at a disadvantage. Seeing that she was about to lose, Feng Yue was extremely anxious. As the daughter of the leader of the Heavenly Wolf Army, and the princess of their tribe, how could she lose! Feng Yue¡¯s gaze darkened. She held a knife in one hand and reached for her waist with the other. With a whoosh, she threw out three darts. Bai Wutong was already prepared, but Chu Tianbao could not help but attack. With a bang, he slapped Feng Yue far away. The three darts was also hit to the ground. Feng Yue clutched her chest and spat out a mouthful of blood. She bit her teeth hard. ¡°You¡¯re cheating!¡± Bai Wutong picked up the dart from the floor. ¡®You played tricks first. ¡® Feng Yue was furious. Although her martial arts were slightly inferior to Bai Wutong¡¯s, her looks and figure were definitely better than Bai Wutong¡¯s. She shouted at Chu Tianbao, ¡°Are you blind?¡± Chu Tianbao finally looked at her, but the bone-chilling coldness in his eyes made Feng Yue shiver. Chu Tianbao¡¯s words made her heart skip a beat. ¡°1 can blind you.¡± He was telling the truth. Feng Yue was afraid. She struggled to her feet, wanting the tribesmen to help her back to the tent before making further plans. Just as she turned around, she saw that her clansmen were all tied up and their mouths were gagged. Feng Yue suddenly widened her eyes and shouted nervously, ¡°What are you trying to do? What right do you have to treat our people like this? Is this how your Central Plains Emperor treats his people?¡± You Huaijie stood up and said, ¡°We treat every citizen well, but you¡¯re a rebel.¡± Feng Yue¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She had no idea how she had been exposed. While she tried to look for an opportunity to escape, she denied it. ¡°We¡¯re just an ordinary southern frontier tribe. If you treat us like this, our tribe will definitely take revenge on you!¡± Bai Wutong shook her head. ¡°She talks too much.¡± Feng Yue knew that something was wrong. The moment she flew onto the horse, Qingfeng grabbed her collar and smashed her to the ground. Then, she stuffed a rag into her mouth. Feng Yue struggled with all her might, but it was useless. She could only watch helplessly as she was tied up by Qingfeng. With Feng Yue captured, the next step was to lure Feng Xun out. You Huaijie deliberately let someone go and said to him that if Feng Xun did not come that night, he would cut off Feng Yue¡¯s hands and feet and put them into a jar. When Feng Xun found out that Feng Yue would be tortured by the Central Plains¡¯ dog official, he roared angrily at the sky and insisted on saving her despite the obstruction of others. His subordinates could not stop him. Even though they knew that there was a trap, they could only follow him. When they were only a few hundred meters away from the Central Plains people, they were suddenly ambushed. Feng Xun wanted to rush out with his men, but the rain of arrows did not give him a chance. They had returned all the moves he had used on the Central Plains people to The clansmen fell to the ground one after another. Feng Xun, who was protected by everyone, was also shot in the arm. The 500 over subordinates he led were basically shot to death. Qingfeng waved her hand and approached with the dark guards. ¡°Shua shua shua shua Sword light flashed, and the few people protecting Feng Xun fell to the ground. Qingfeng¡¯s cold gaze landed on Feng Xun¡¯s ferocious face. ¡°Arrest him. Don¡¯t let him die.¡± Feng Xun struggled desperately and roared, ¡°Kill me if you dare!¡± A second later, he was knocked unconscious. Qingfeng successfully captured Feng Xun, and the identities of these two people were confirmed. They were the third prince and the fourth princess of the rebel army. Such important people were crucial prisoners of war on the battlefield. It was easy to create changes to the battle situation and they could not be killed easily. Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao discussed and agreed that when they arrived at the place where Marshal Gu was stationed, they would throw them to him. The team continued to set off the next day. According to the map given by Meng Shan, they would soon reach the hidden river. The water that the team had collected the previous night was only enough to quench everyone¡¯s thirst. They did not even have water to cook. You Huaijie said that they would see the hidden river soon. Everyone quickened their pace, wanting to jump into the river and wash up. Bai Wutong also wanted to take a shower. Although hot water could come out of the RV, she couldn¡¯t go in, nor could she transform the water into a bath. She could only endure it along the way. She sniffed her hair and leaned under Chu Tianbao¡¯s nose. ¡°Can you smell it?¡± Chu Tianbao said seriously, ¡°It smells good.¡± Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Disgusted with herself, she said, ¡°What¡¯s so fragrant about it? The oil on my head can be used to cook egg fried rice.¡± Chu Tianbao said, ¡°Egg fried rice is even more fragrant.¡± He pointed at his hair. ¡®Wife, one bowl for you and me.¡± He was joking with her. It was funny, but a little cold. Bai Wutong looked at him speechlessly, but her heart was filled with sweetness. She rubbed against Chu Tianbao¡¯s arm again. ¡°Why do I feel that you¡¯ve become glib?, Chu Tianbao looked innocent and said frankly, ¡°I¡¯m clearly the Chu Tianbao who has always been honest and loved my wife.¡± ¡°And you say you are not glib tongued!¡± She pinched his face and leaned forward to kiss him. Her eyes curved in a smile. ¡°But I love it.¡± Chu Tianbao was about to respond enthusiastically to her. Suddenly, everyone¡¯s excited cries came from outside the carriage. ¡°Ahhh¡ªl see the river!!!¡± Bai Wutong quickly opened the window and a winding dark river appeared in their vision. Her eyes lit up. She said to Chu Tianbao, ¡°Let¡¯s go out and ride the horse.¡± Chu Tianbao felt a little regretful and obediently let go of her waist. ¡°Okay.¡± They rode side by side on two handsome horses, carefree and unrestrained. When Feng Yue and Feng Xun, who had become prisoners, saw this, they were so angry that they gritted their teeth. If he had known, he wouldn¡¯t have used this honey trap. It was completely useless! And they had fallen to such a state. Because they had seen the hidden river, everyone walked faster. Bai Wutong rode for a short period of time before she arrived by the sparkling river. The river was shallow, and the deepest part was no more than the calf. Underneath was silt and a large area of cobblestones. Occasionally, a withered blade of grass could be seen drifting past. Xiaobai rushed in with a plop, causing a large splash as it swam happily in the water. It made Bai Wutong so envious.. Chapter 306 - Chapter 306: Kill Without Mercy! Chapter 306: Kill Without Mercy! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Stinly cried in Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s arms. ¡°Stinky wants to wash too¡­¡± Hearing Stinky¡¯s call, Xiaobai ran over like ten thousand horses galloping, gesturing for Stinly to sit on its back. Stinky wanted to slide down from Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s arms, but Sheng Huaixuan pressed his head gently. ¡®The water is cold. You¡¯ll catch a cold.¡± The current temperature was not suitable for being in the water. Stinky¡¯s big eyes were filled with grievance, and he had a pitiful expression on his face that was questioning why Xiaobai could enter the water. Sheng Huaixuan smiled. ¡®We¡¯ll wash up later. The hot water will be ready soon.¡± Stinky tilted his head, his face as though saying, ¡®you¡¯re coaxing a child again¡¯. However, Sheng Huaixuan was not bluffing him. Soon, the huge bathtub was filled with hot water. Then, he used the screen to cover up. Stinly was thrown into a small bathtub. Xiaobai came out from the river and quietly slipped into the screen before jumping into Stinky¡¯s bathtub. In an instant, water splashed everywhere, and the bathtub was overflowing. The hot water opened all the pores on one¡¯s body. Xiaobai placed its claws on Stinky and placed its head on his shoulder. Its eyes were filled with satisfaction. Not long after Sheng Huaixuan went out, he came in and saw a baby and a wolf soaking in the bathtub looking up at the sky. That was such a beautiful scene- When Stinky saw Sheng Huaixuan enter, he even invited him warmly, ¡°Daddy, let¡¯s bubble together Sheng Huaixuan did not want to wash with a child and a wolf. He gently rejected Stinky¡¯s invitation and washed his hair that had not been washed for a few days. Suddenly, Xiaobai tilted its head in front of Sheng Huaixuan and glanced at him sideways. Its face was filled with arrogance as if demanding him to wash it too. Sheng Huaixuan smiled dotingly and rubbed its head. Stinly followed suit and spread the foam on Xiaobai¡¯s head. Chu Tianbao stood guard outside the screen. As Bai Wutong soaked in the bathtub, she sighed at how meticulous Sheng Huaixuan was. In the open-air bathtub, the water temperature would soon decrease. As Bai Wutong kept adding hot water from the RV space, she leisurely washed her hair. After washing up, she felt as if her entire body had become lighter. She felt extremely carefree. From inside came the pattering sound of Bai Wutong putting on her clothes. Chu Tianbao walked into the screen and naturally took a towel. He skillfully wiped her dark hair. Bai Wutong turned and smiled. ¡°Go wash up. I can do it myself.¡¯ Chu Tianbao shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s no hurry.¡¯ Since he was so considerate, Bai Wutong returned a kiss. ¡°Thank you, Tianbao.¡± The tempting beauty was right in front of him. Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes darkened as he suddenly grabbed her head and directly collected a special service fee. By the time Bai Wutong¡¯s hair was dry, most of the people had finished washing up by the river. Bai Wutong urged Chu Tianbao to take a shower and waited outside the screen like what he did for her. Beside the screen was the hidden river. As the two of them chatted, they looked at the clear water. Realizing that there was quite a beautiful strawberry-shaped white stone in the water, he picked it up from the water. When the white stone came out of the water, the stone surface became a little yellow, but it had a crystal clear texture, like a natural jade that had yet to be polished. Bai Wutong raised the white stone under the sun and looked at it. It was extremely bright and looked very beautiful. She said happily to Chu Tianbao, ¡°Tianbao, I picked up a good-looking stone.¡± Chu Tianbao washed quickly. As soon as Bai Wutong finished speaking, he walked out of the screen with a towel. Bai Wutong turned back. ¡°How did you wash up so fast?¡± She stood up and took the towel from him. She stuffed the stone into Chu Tianbao¡¯s hand and asked him to sit in the chair as she dried his hair. With her eyes, Bai Wutong gestured for Chu Tianbao to look at the stone. ¡®Look, doesn¡¯t it look good?¡± Chu Tianbao rubbed the stone surface and suddenly said, ¡°This seem to be Hetian jade.¡± Bai Wutong paused. ¡°Hetian jade?¡± She had thought it looked a little like jade. Chu Tianbao nodded. ¡°1 think so. I can show it to Brother Sheng later. He¡¯s quite knowledgeable in this area.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes lit up. She remembered that Sheng Huaixuan had said that he was also in charge of the official jade mine excavation in the Yan Kingdom. Chu Tianbao reached out and picked up another yellow pebble from the ground. He looked at it under the sunlight. Bai Wutong craned her neck and at a glance, she realized that the pebble also had a bright texture. Chu Tianbao pondered for a moment. ¡°This should also be Hetian Jade.¡± Then they both looked at the riverbank. There were still many of these pebbles in the river. Could it be that they were all Hetian Jade? Before Chu Tianbao could dry his hair, someone in the crowd shouted excitedly, ¡°Hetian jade!!!¡± Then, everyone looked at Meng Ge. Meng Ge jumped into the water excitedly and kept scooping up the pebbles. He was dressed sloppily and did not look like someone who knew anything about jade at all. Everyone thought that he had gone crazy. Sheng Huaixuan put Stinly down and picked up a pebble to scrutinise. He squatted down on the river bed to take a look and his eyes became serious. Before Lin Yue could ask if it was Hetian jade, he asked Lin Yue to keep an eye on Stinky and approached You Huaijie with the pebbles. Sheng Huaixuan said, ¡®Sir, these are Hetian jade.¡± The jade mine was the private property of the royal family that was the most strictly regulated in the past dynasties. No one could gain control over it all. The Southern Frontier had just been occupied not long ago, so this mineral vein might not have been discovered yet, or it might have been controlled by the Southern Frontier¡¯s rebel army. You Huaijie was the governor of the Southern Frontier. If he could obtain the right to excavate the mineral vein, he could supply jade to the royal family of Ling Kingdom. If they further processed the jade material, the profits would be unimaginable. You Huaijie took the pebble from Sheng Huaixuan and nodded. ¡°The entire river is filled with Hetian jade?¡± Sheng Huaixuan said, ¡®According to my observation, most of them are, and the jade quality is excellent.¡± You Huaijie pondered for a moment, as if he was thinking about how to deal with it. The other exiled imperial relatives also picked up a pebble following Meng Ge¡¯s shout. With one look, they were as excited as Meng Ge and immediately put the pebbles into their arms. They came from rich families and were tired of traditional gambling. Stone gambling had become a common occurrence. After a few times, they also learnt a little and could tell if these were Hetian Jade. Unlike Meng Ge, they were not overly excited and did not shout. Instead, they were afraid of being discovered and quietly picked up the pebbles. This strange behavior made the others wonder if the ordinary-looking cobblestones on the riverbank were jade. It was better to believe it than not. Many commoners followed these former high-ranking officials and touched the beautiful pebbles in the river. As more people touched the pebbles, the originally calm citizens also became anxious. If it was really Hetian jade, wouldn¡¯t they have suffered a huge loss? Soon, most of the citizens surged into the river, each picking up more pebbles than the other. The river became chaotic, and the water became turbid.. Chapter 307 - Chapter 307: Dogfighting Central Plains People Chapter 307: Dogfighting Central Plains People Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Youjia villagers were still relatively calm. They did not rush forward. Instead, they picked up a pebble and eagerly wanted to ask Sheng Huaixuan. Old Master Sheng was knowledgeable and must know if this was Hetian jade. Seeing that Sheng Huaixuan and You Huaijie were talking, Auntie Yang did not want to disturb them. She walked towards Cui Lingyi with the cobblestones. ¡°Madam Cui, is this Hetian Jade?¡± Cui Lingyi was talented and a lady. She must know a lot about expensive jewelry. The group of people behind Auntie Yang pricked up their ears and listened. They looked as though if Cui Lingyi had nodded, they were about to rush forward. Cui Lingyi glanced in Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s direction and nodded. ¡®These are probably Hetian jade, but I¡¯m actually not very sure. Most of the Hetian jade I¡¯ve seen have been polished.¡± If she told the people of Youjia Village that this was not Hetian Jade and they did not pick them up, no matter how close their relationship were, they would definitely be resentful. As soon as she said that, everyone widened their eyes and asked anxiously, ¡°Is this Hetian Jade very valuable?¡¯ Cui Lingyi said, ¡°The purer the Hetian Jade, the more valuable it is. If it¡¯s ordinary, it¡¯s only one or two taels of silver.¡± Auntie Yang immediately placed the pebble in her hand in front of Cui Lingyi. ¡°Madam Cui, is this worth two taels of silver?¡± In their eyes, a stone that was worth one or two taels of silver was already valuable. Cui Lingyi glanced at it through the sunlight. ¡°Probably. Actually, I don¡¯t know much about it.¡± When Auntie Yang heard these two words, she was certain that the pebbles in her hand were worth one or two taels of silver. She immediately grabbed her tools and ran towards the riverbank with a basket on her back. The others were like Auntie Yang, looking around for tools to load the cobblestones. One pebble was worth two taels of silver. Wouldn ¡®t 100 pebbles be worth 200 taels of silver? This money was earned too easily! The river was filled with news of cobblestone and it was spreading even faster. The adults and children were all busy picking up the cobblestones. If not for the soldiers still watching soberly, there would have been a stampede. Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao quickly walked towards You Huaijie and suggested, ¡°Sir, quickly give the order to form a team. If it¡¯s any later, something bad will happen.¡± Meng Ge was already becoming competitive from picking the pebbles. He would hit whoever that dared to pick up the pebbles in front of him. The other exiled prisoners were the same. With these pebbles, they would have money to go to the Southern Frontier and could hire people to work for them. Little did they know that in the sparsely populated Southern Frontier, they could not hire anyone to replace them. You Huaijie gave the order. ¡°Everyone, go ashore!¡± The soldiers immediately shouted at the crowd in the river, ¡°Hurry up and go ashore! The Lord has ordered everyone to wait on the shore!¡¯ Everyone was about to go crazy picking up the cobblestones, so how would thev listen to the soldiers? Everyone was busy picking up jade. Suddenly, two men took a fancy to a stone at the same time. The moment their eyes met, they started fighting in the river. The weaker party picked up the stone in his hand and threw it at the other man. ¡°Ah¡ª¡± With a scream, a hole appeared on the man¡¯s forehead. He reached out and touched the blood on his forehead. He immediately picked up a stone and hit the other party¡¯s forehead. The two of them fought violently, but no one around them was dissuading them. Instead, they carefully picked up the good-looking rocks as if no one was around. As more and more men and women fought because of the jade, a commotion was soon created. The originally united team did not have any enemies, but it became completely messed up because of a pile of cobblestones. When the soldiers¡¯ shout did not have any effect, they went to pull these people back. However, they were thrown into the river by the agitated citizens, as if they had forgotten their fear for the Imperial Court. The soldiers could not call the people back. They only pulled up the exiled family members and prisoners who were wearing chains around their wrists and ankles. Some of them were still holding a few pebbles in their hands. Seeing such a crazy scene, Feng Xun and Feng Yue smiled coldly. ¡°These dogfighting Central Plains people, I hope they all die fighting.¡± ¡°Shua Suddenly, You Huaijie drew his sword and stabbed two men who were wrestling. The moment blood spurted out, the air seemed to freeze. As the two men fell into the river together, their blood dyed the river red. As it passed through the toes of everyone, the men and women cried out in fear. ¡°Shua¡ª¡± As You Huaijie drew his sword, the soldiers also drew their swords. The sharp blades flashed coldly. The citizens on the riverbed were finally afraid. They held their breaths and did not dare to act rashly, afraid that they would be the next to be killed. You Huaijie¡¯s gaze darkened as he said word by word, ¡°The jade mine belongs to the royal family. Whoever dares to steal the royal family¡¯s jade mine will be killed!¡± The soldiers raised their weapons and shouted, ¡°Kill without mercy!¡¯ The surging murderous intent spread. This was no joke. In an instant, the team was under control. You Huaijie glanced at everyone and said again, ¡°Hand over all the jade mines and quickly line up on the riverbank. Anyone who disobeys will be killed without mercy!¡¯ After killing two people in a row, everyone looked at the pebbles in their hands. For the sake of their lives, they could not bear to part with them and could only throw the pebbles into the water. Everyone threw the pebbles in their hands into the water one after another and went ashore. Suddenly, a man pointed at Meng Ge, who was about to go ashore, and said, ¡°Sir, he¡¯s hiding a Hetian Jade!¡¯ In an instant, the air froze again. The others who wanted to take advantage of the situation looked at Meng Ge, who was being stared at by everyone and was so frightened that his hair stood on end. Meng Ge shook his head in panic. Meng Weiwei pounced over and begged You Huaijie pitifully, ¡°Sir, my father¡¯s stomach is just big.¡± She winked at You Huaijie and deliberately puffed out her chest, hoping that You Huaijie would take a fancy to her beauty and save Meng Ge. If it were the greedy and lecherous You Huaijie from before, he might have let Meng Ge off. However, You Huaijie, who was disguised by a dark guard, would not let Meng Ge off easily. If he let Meng Ge off, how could You Huaijie have any prestige as the governor of the Southern Frontier? ¡°Swish¡ª¡± The sharp blade pierced into Meng Gels heart. Meng Ge looked at his chest in disbelief. He spat out a mouthful of blood and leaned back. The cobblestones he had hidden also fell out of his clothes. In an instant, Meng Weiwei¡¯s heart-wrenching shout echoed in the sky above the entire river. ¡°Father!!!¡± The gushing blood dyed the surroundings bright red. You Huaijie drew his saber and killed people one after another. The remaining people no longer dared to take any chances. All the pebbles hidden on their bodies were shaken clean. They did not want to die and be unable to spend their money. Feng Yue and Feng Xun gritted her teeth when they saw that You Huaijie had controlled the situation so quickly and even made the citizens of the entire team even more afraid of the imperial power. Their chance to escape in the chaos was gone. Everyone returned to the shore with heavy hearts. Looking at the cobblestones all over the ground, they did not dare to have any other thoughts. Even if a child wanted to pick up a rock to play with, his family would quickly throw it away. If they stayed here for the night, the citizens would definitely be restless. You Huaijie immediately ordered everyone to finish eating in two hours and packed their luggage. After packing up, they would immediately set off.. Chapter 308 - Chapter 308: Not a Long-term Solution Chapter 308: Not a Long-term Solution Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios There was only two hours to rest. Everyone took advantage of the available river water to quickly cook It was too wasteful of firewood and time-consuming if they made other types of food. Auntie Yang set up a large pot to cook instant noodles. The others did the same. They felt that it was convenient to cook instant noodles, so they set up a big pot to cook instant noodles. Not long after, the rich fragrance of the instant noodles spread around. The prisoners, who could only eat dry rations, could only swallow their saliva repeatedly. Feng Yue and Feng Xun had never smelled such a unique delicacy. They craned their necks forward and asked the soldiers guarding them, ¡°What kind of Central Plain food is this?¡± The dark guard disguised as a soldier ignored them. His cold expression did not reveal anything. Feng Yue and Feng Xun were furious at their failed attempt to get a response. They looked at the people around them holding bowls of noodles and slurping on them. They swallowed their saliva and looked at the dry rations in their hands that could choke someone to death. Instant noodles were simply a delicacy. Zhao Pengfei finished sucking the noodles and drank the soup happily. Feng Yue could not help but say to the soldiers again, ¡°We want to eat that too!¡± The soldier still ignored them. Feng Yue angrily smashed the other party¡¯s head with the lump of dry rations in her hand, but the soldier easily caught it. He casually threw it away and accurately stuffed the entire lump of dry rations into her mouth. If eyes could kill, the soldier would have died thousands of times from Feng Yue¡¯s glare. She took out the dry rations in her mouth and cursed indignantly, ¡°You Central Plains people are indeed hypocrites. What do you mean by treating prisoners well? It¡¯s all bullsh*t!¡± The soldier suddenly turned around. His cold gaze made Feng Xun¡¯s heart skip a beat. He subconsciously used his body to block in front of his sister. Feng Yue was still mumbling and cursing, ¡°What are you looking at? If you have the ability, kill me, coward!¡± She was confident that these Central Plains people were afraid of the Heavenly Wolf Army and did not dare to act rashly. Suddenly, the soldier stood up and said the only thing to the siblings that day, ¡°Treat the captives well. I know how to do that too.¡± Feng Yue¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Then hurry up and serve my food!¡± As soon as she finished speaking, the only dry rations in her hand and Feng Xun¡¯s hand were taken away by the soldiers. She looked confused. ¡®What do you want to do?¡± The officer only replied with a cold gaze. Only then did Feng Yue realize that the officer¡¯s so-called treating them well was just the opposite of what he was doing. He had taken away the dry rations because he planned to starve them for a few meals. Feng Yue cursed, ¡°Stupid man, I¡¯ll kill you sooner or later! When my father comes, I¡¯ll definitely skin all of you alive.¡± The soldier suddenly took out two lumps of linen from his pocket, intending to gag them. Feng Yue¡¯s eyes widened and she immediately shut her chattering mouth. After Feng Yue became obedient, the world fell silent again. At this moment, someone sent a bowl of noodles to the soldiers and they started eating in front of the siblings. The siblings swallowed and suddenly felt hungry, but their only dry rations were gone. Feng Yue wanted to curse again, but she did not dare to say anything when her gaze landed on the piece of linen that was sticking out from the soldier¡¯s arms. Feng Xun stared at the cobblestones in silence, as if they could be eaten. Feng Yue felt a little guilty. If she hadn¡¯t provoked the soldiers, she wouldn¡¯t have made her brother starve together with her. Suddenly, Feng Xun spoke. He requested the soldier, ¡°1 want to see your lord! ¡± The soldier looked up at him, put down the bowl, and ignored him. Feng Xun emphasized again, ¡°1 really have something important to say to your lord, don¡¯t you like rocks? We can bring you to find the best rocks.¡± The soldier seemed to have taken his words to heart and asked another person to look for You Huaijie. Feng Xun went straight to the point when talking to You Huaijie. ¡°As long as you let us go, we¡¯ll give you an entire mine. You¡¯ll have endless wealth.¡± ¡°Our mines don¡¯t only have these small rocks. Don¡¯t you Central Plains people like to carve big rocks into all kinds of jade artifacts? The ores in the mine can let you live in a house made of jade artifacts for several lifetimes.¡± ¡°How about it? Let the two of us go and have a huge mine alone. It¡¯s worth it, right?¡± You Huaijie did not show any excitement. He only asked coldly, ¡°Where is the mine?¡± However, Feng Xun thought that he was pretending to be serious. Which high-ranking official in the Central Plains was not greedy and lustful? Feng Xun said, ¡°As long as you let us go first, we¡¯ll tell you immediately.¡± ¡°The southern frontier belongs to the Ling Kingdom. The mine rightfully belongs to our Ling Kingdom. Even if you don¡¯t tell us, we will find out in the future.¡± You Huaijie suddenly had no intention of continuing the conversation. He turned around and left. Feng Xun gritted his teeth and refused to call You Huaijie back. He didn¡¯t believe that You Huaijie could hold it in. That was a huge fortune. When You Huaijie couldn¡¯t wait to know where the mine was, he would definitely let them go. You Huaijie told Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao what Feng Xun had said. Bai Wutong chuckled and looked at the mountain range in front of the hidden river. ¡°Isn¡¯t the mine just there?¡± She had not learned her elementary level geography for nothing. A portion of minerals would be formed after a volcanic eruption, and a portion would flow out along the river. After being washed by the river, it would form round pebbles. The Hetian jade were formed by the constant flow of the river water. They were different from the ores in the mine, but it did not mean that the Hetian jade was inferior to the ores. On the contrary, some Hetian jade with very good texture and color were even much more expensive than a huge mine. Since there were Hetian jade in the hidden river, the direction where the river water flowed down was naturally the origin of the jade mine. Everyone looked in the direction of Bai Wutong. You Huaijie asked, ¡°Should we send someone to guard the mountain range?¡± Bai Wutong shook her head. ¡°We only have this amount of manpower in total. We still have to escort the commoners to the southern frontier. We can¡¯t spare anyone to guard a huge mountain range anymore.¡± Even if they could get the army to transfer a portion of their men and keep watching, it was not a long-term solution. However, it was impossible to leave such a huge mine alone. If the royal family¡¯s private assets fell into the hands of others, You Huaijie would be punished by the emperor as he did not watch over them well. Bai Wutong looked for Sheng Huaixuan and asked him what he could do. ¡°We don¡¯t have enough manpower now. How can we gain control over the jade mine?¡± He knew a lot about jade mines and might have a good idea. Sheng Huaixuan said, ¡°Although the jade mine is the private property of the royal family, the processing, transportation, carving, and so on require extra manpower. Lord You can control the jade mine and hand over the process of digging and processing the jade mine to the merchants. Even if it¡¯s processing the jade mine, it¡¯s still operating the jade business for the royal family. There will be huge profits from selling the leftovers. Driven by interests, the merchants will take the initiative to send people to the southern frontier to develop the jade mine. This way, apart from grazing, the people of the southern frontier also have another work industry created. ¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Is Master Yu alright?¡¯ Yu Suisheng was Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s subordinate. Handing over the control to Yu Suisheng was equivalent to giving the control to Sheng Huaixuan.. Chapter 309 - Chapter 309: The Wolves Are Here Chapter 309: The Wolves Are Here Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Sheng Huaixuan smiled. ¡°Probably. Master Yu is very experienced and has a fixed caravan stronghold in the southern frontier. He knows the local culture well and can gather a portion of people in the southern frontier to be in charge of digging the mine in a short period of time. When Master Yu puts up a notice to recruit manpower in the Central Plains, many Central Plains citizens will take the initiative to come to the southern frontier because of the generous salary. The government only needs to send people to guard and maintain order.¡¯ Bai Wutong knew that Sheng Huaixuan would definitely have a way. ¡°Since more people has taken the initiative to come to the southern frontier to mine, there will be more Central Plains people in the southern frontier. With the continuous exchange of cultures, the southern frontier will be able to completely integrate into the Ling Kingdom. Emperor Linghui will definitely be happy to see this.¡± Sheng Huaixuan nodded. ¡°However, according to the previous rules, even if we want to hand over the mining rights of the mineral vein, we still need merchants to bid for it. There¡¯s no lack of princes, kings, and monarchs who want to take one¡¯s share of the loot.¡± If the princes, kings, and monarchs wanted to be in charge of the mineral vein, it was obvious that they wanted to fill their pockets being the middleman. If Emperor Linghui had any brains, he would not have handed it to them. It was impossible for Emperor Linghui to nurture specialized talents in this area for the time being. Cooperating with the merchants was a win-win situation. Otherwise, if he forcefully ordered others around and did not give them any benefits, even if it was because of the emperor¡¯s authority, it would only be treating the matter perfunctorily. If the mining rights were handed over to the merchants, in order to maintain their benefits in front of the emperor, the merchants would continuously work hard to manage the jade business and bring it to greater heights. With high cultural development, all kinds of exquisite jade artifacts would be derived, presenting a prosperous scene. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°Even if they bid, they definitely won¡¯t have an advantage over Master Yu. After all, the largest caravan in the entire southern frontier belongs to Master Yu. This is an urgent matter. I think Lord You will definitely hand the jade mine to Master Yu.¡± Sheng Huaixuan smiled. ¡°l hope so.¡± Not long after Bai Wutong said that, You Huaijie sent someone to look for Yu Suisheng, indicating that he wanted to hand the jade mine to him to deal with. You Huaijie was the governor of the southern frontier, so he still had this bit of authority. Moreover, there was indeed no better candidate than Yu Suisheng. Even if he reported it to Emperor Linghui, he would not be able to find any fault with him. Although Yu Suisheng was nurtured by Sheng Huaixuan, he had never independently controlled the royal family¡¯s mineral vein. He said excitedly to You Huaijie, ¡°Sir, I will definitely not let you down!¡± You Huaijie nodded and discussed it carefully with Yu Suisheng. Yu Suisheng decided to stay there to deal with the mine first. After everything was done, he would go to the southern frontier to look for Bai Wutong and the others. After the matter of the jade mine was settled, there was no need to worry in the future. There would be an exceptionally huge source of income for the development of the southern frontier. Bai Wutong was very happy and looked forward to the southern frontier developing into a more beautiful place. The team set off. Feng Xun and Feng Yue waited, but You Huaijie did not come to look for them. After walking for more than two hours and not drinking a single drop of water, the siblings were so hungry that their stomachs were drumming in protest. They walked too slowly, sp the soldier¡¯s whip landed on Feng Yue¡¯s back. Feng Yue screamed and fell to the ground. She looked disheveled and did not look like a princess at all. Feng Xun finally understood that even if they knew about the mineral vein, You Huaijie would not let them go. In that case, he might as well tell them to make things better for himself and his sister. Feng Xun shouted, ¡°Call your lord over and tell him that I agree to tell him where the mineral vein is.¡¯ After a while, they did not see You Huaijie. They only heard from the soldier, ¡°Sir asked me to tell you that the mineral vein is just ahead.¡± Feng Xun and Feng Yue looked at each other and looked forward. The huge and majestic Sacred Mountain appeared in their line of sight. You Huaijie already knew. Feng Xun rolled his eyes and shouted again, ¡°So what if you know? You Central Plains people are not familiar with the terrain. You definitely can¡¯t dig up the rocks. Feng Xun was telling the truth. The terrain of the Sacred Mountain was steep. Mining ores was no different from tying one¡¯s life to a belt. This was also the reason why their tribe did not sell the ores wantonly even though they knew that there were Central Plains people who liked such beautiful stones. Firstly, the journey was long and it was expensive to transport them. Secondly, it was difficult to dig. However, they did not know that the Central Plains people liked jade. Yu Suisheng already had an extremely perfect method of mining and transporting jade. As long as they secretly followed this method, they could successfully pick jade materials no matter how harsh the mining environment was. The soldiers ignored them again. Feng Xun and Feng Yue did not get any food or water until the team set up camp at night. At this moment, they finally understood how blissful it was to have dry rations. It had been a day¡¯s walk since they left the hidden river. When it was almost dark, they could just make out a green meadow. After seeing so many endless deserts, everyone thought that they were seeing things. Xiaobai rushed out and ran on the grass. Only then did everyone confirm that they had walked out of the desert. Xiaobai had lost weight along the way. It raised its head and howled. Its agile figure was extremely valiant. Bai Wutong was very satisfied with Xiaobai¡¯s dieting outcome. She smiled and said, ¡°1 wonder if Xiaobai can find a girlfriend here. Most of the tribes in the southern frontiers worshipped wolves. There would definitely be wolves here, but they had never encountered a wolf along the way. As soon as she finished speaking, a long-drawn-out howl came from the distant hills. In an instant, everyone looked in that direction. Soon, they saw more than 20 black shadows on the hill. Auntie Yang shouted in surprise, ¡°Wolves?¡± Xiaobai had been raised by Bai Wutong since it was young and did not know how to bite. However, the wolves in the wilderness were extremely ferocious and wild. Many commoners in the team shouted in fear, ¡®The wolf pack is here! The wolf pack is here! Run The parents hugged their children tightly in fear. There were even people who complained softly that it was Bai Wutong raising a wolf that attracted the wolves. However, most of them were still very calm. There were so many of them. As long as they were careful, the wolf pack would definitely not be able to hurt any of their team members. This was the first time Xiaobai had heard a wolf respond to itself. It ran towards the hill like the wind. Xiaobai ran towards the wolf pack as if it was never coming back. Bai Wutong¡¯s heart tightened and she couldn¡¯t help but call out, ¡°Xiaobai.¡± When Xiaobai heard Bai Wutong¡¯s call, it turned around and ran towards her. The wolf pack on the hill also disappeared. Xiaobai turned around and saw that the wolf pack was gone. Disappointment flashed across its ice- blue eyes. Bai Wutong had always wondered if there would be a day when Xiaobai would return to nature. However, she was caught off guard that day, so she could not accept it for a while. She was already mentally prepared. Bai Wutong stroked its head. Although she was reluctant, she still said, ¡°You can still catch up to them if you chase after them now. Go.¡± However, Xiaobai sensed the sadness in Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes and refused to leave. Bai Wutong was happy that Xiaobai could not bear to part with them, but she was also sad that Xiaobai had lost the chance to be with her own kind. Chu Tianbao glanced at Xiaobai, who was rolling around in her stomach, and comforted Bai Wutong. ¡°It¡¯s tainted with a human aura. The wolf pack might not be able to accept it. Moreover, Xiaobai might not be able to adapt to life in the wilderness. ¡® Bai Wutong sighed. ¡°That¡¯s true. ¡® She had watched enough documentaries. If the wolves raised by humans wanted to integrate into the wolf pack again, they would often be bitten and expelled. They might even lose their lives.. Chapter 310 - Chapter 310: We Can Give It, But You Can’t Snatch It Chapter 310: We Can Give It, But You Can¡¯t Snatch It Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Walking out of the desert and seeing the green land meant that they had entered the core area of the southern frontier. The core of the southern frontier was also known as the eastern oasis. The geographical distribution was very strange. With Baye City as the center, there was a grassland on the left, a forest on the right, and an endless sea in front. Bai Wutong liked the sea and the beach and hoped to move to a suitable seaside with Chu Tianbao. As long as they reached Baye City and successfully settled down, they could choose their residence. The commoners accompanying them had been anxious along the way, afraid that the desert would never end. After walking out of the desert, everyone was filled with hope for the future. After the team walked for another day, they finally saw the tent where the army was stationed. Bai Wutong looked out of the window. Beside the army¡¯s tent, many soldiers were carrying buckets and digging something in the grass. When their huge team arrived, the soldiers carried their wooden buckets and hurriedly ran closer. Only then did Bai Wutong see clearly that these emaciated soldiers were carrying wild vegetables that they had dug up in the wooden buckets. It was the season of spring. Apart from the grass, there was only grass around. They could only dig up some wild vegetables. Bai Wutong frowned slightly and asked Chu Tianbao, ¡°Could it be that these soldiers are digging for wild vegetables to survive?¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s glabella, area between the brows, was frowning even tighter than hers. ¡®The Imperial Court used to transport military rations.¡± When they first settled down on the Jade Spiritual Mountain, the price of food was ridiculously high because the government kept saying that they wanted to save the food for the commoners fighting at the front line. At that time, he had even gained a lot of favorable impression points, making the commoners feel that it was a very impressive thing for their loved ones to be able to eat their fill after going to the battlefield. But the soldiers in front of them were about to collapse from the wind, and it made everyone¡¯s eyes sting. Compared to Feng Xun and Feng Yue¡¯s subordinates, they were really too thin and weak. It almost made people think that they were hungry refugees in disguise. When the soldiers saw the food cart in their team, they suddenly shouted excitedly, ¡°Food is here! Food is here! We have food!¡± Their wolf-like eyes made the commoners a little afraid. These were their food. What would they eat if they gave it to these soldiers? Looking at the dilapidated state of the southern frontier, it was very likely that they would not have anything to eat even if they reached Baye City. The commoners of the team shouted, ¡®This is our food! What do you want! ¡± The soldiers were furious when they heard that. They had guarded the southern frontier for so long and had finally survived the winter. Now that there was food, these people were still unwilling to distribute it to them. Immediately, a few hungry soldiers pulled out their sabers. ¡°Hand over the food!¡± No one expected their own people to become the obstacles. The moment the soldiers pulled out their sabers, Qingfeng and the others also drew their swords. Immediately after, the soldiers in the team drew their weapons with a whoosh under You Huaijie¡¯s gaze. Both sides were from Ling Kingdom, but they were facing each other like this. The soldiers were enraged and roared again, ¡°Hand over the food!!!¡± Without food, they would starve to death even if they were not killed by the rebels. It was not easy for them to survive the battlefield. Who would want to die so aggrievedly? You Huaijie rode over. ¡°Your rations and salary will be transported over soon. This is the food for the southern frontier migrants.¡± The soldiers were furious. ¡°How long will that be? We¡¯ve been waiting all winter!¡± As they roared, they raised their sabers and rushed forward. ¡°Dog official! Hand over the food!¡± It was all because these dog officials had pocketed the food, otherwise how could the rations for winter be gone? The people from both sides immediately started fighting. The commoners cowered and hid, afraid that they would be implicated. You Huaijie¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°We can give it to you, but you can¡¯t snatch it. ¡® It was fine to give away some first to deal with the emergency for the soldiers, but it was inappropriate for them to snatch it. Even if they were on the same side, they had to build a good relationship with Marshal Gu. As the governor of the southern frontier, You Huaijie could not let them be impudent. Just as the soldier¡¯s throat was about to be slit by Qingfeng. The soldiers¡¯ intense roars alarmed Lu Ye from the tent. He walked out with his subordinates and saw the scene in front of him. His eyes suddenly darkened. ¡°Stop!¡¯ The soldiers instantly stopped and quickly gathered in a team formation in front of Lu Ye. Lu Ye¡¯s sharp gaze sized up these soldiers. ¡°You have no respect for military discipline. Everyone, go and receive 10 military beatings!¡± The soldiers did not dare to disobey. They all lined up to receive their beatings. The commoners looked at the dignified Lu Ye and their eyes lit up. Was this Marshal Gu? He looked a little young. However, he had an upright way of settling matters and left a good impression on the commoners. Lu Ye looked at You Huaijie, who had alighted from the horse, and cupped his hands. ¡°Governor, I¡¯m General Lu Ye.¡± He bowed properly, but one could tell from his tone and eyes that he was dissatisfied with You Huaijie. You Huaijie did not take his rudeness seriously. Instead, he asked, ¡°Where¡¯s your rations?¡± When he asked about the rations, Lu Ye lowered his eyes and said in a rushed and anxious tone, ¡°1 still want to ask the Governor about the rations!¡¯ ¡®We fought for the Ling Kingdom, but we¡¯re going to starve to death!¡¯ You Huaijie frowned. ¡°The emperor had just sent 3,000 dans of rations to the soldiers of the southern frontier last autumn.¡± Lu Ye sneered. ¡°How dare you talk about that 3,000 dans of rations? Would you eat moldy rations?¡¯ ¡°All moldy rations?¡± Lu Ye sneered. ¡°Not entirely. It¡¯s just 90% moldy.¡± ¡°The person in charge of gathering rations for the soldiers of the southern frontier is the Eldest Prince¡¯s subordinates. If it¡¯s true, why weren¡¯t there be any reports?¡± Lu Ye said, ¡°Hell, after the war is over, our lives are not worth mentioning.¡± You Huaijie was still not too clear about the current situation in the Ling Kingdom ¡®s court, but most of the officials of the previous dynasties were the same. It was very likely that their interests were involved, or they were afraid of trouble and chose to hide this matter. After all, the officials in charge of the rations in the southern frontier had already become key ministers in the imperial court and were also working under the Eldest Prince. If the matter was exposed, as the only son of Emperor Linghui, the Eldest Prince would at most be reprimanded, whereas the lives of the others might not be saved. You Huaijie glanced at the soldiers behind Lu Ye. ¡°How many people are stationed here? Why don¡¯t you think of a way to find something to eat in the southern frontier?¡¯ Lu Ye smiled disdainfully. ¡°My mission is to guard this place. Look at this place again. What can we eat? Let us farm? Sure, sure. Where are the seeds? Where¡¯s the water? Where¡¯s the food and money?¡± They were in the grassland, and the surrounding wild animals no longer dared to approach. They could only eat and dig up some wild vegetables or wait for Marshal Gu to send someone to the southern frontier to find some food to transport over. But the locals did not grow food at all, and the food they could find was very limited. Everyone had been waiting for the Imperial Court to deliver some food again. In the end, when the people arrived and refused to give them the food in front of them, the soldiers who had endured for so long were naturally excited.. Chapter 311 - Chapter 311: Advanced Civilization Can Always Attract People Chapter 311: Advanced Civilization Can Always Attract People Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Rations for 5,000 soldiers would fill up several carts. The rations could last them for emergencies, but once it was longer than two days, with so many of them, they might not be able to last. You Huaijie thought for a while and said to Lu Ye, who could not suppress his anger, ¡®The food cart will arrive in about half a month, but our food is barely enough for everyone to last. We can only give you a small portion first. I¡¯ll think of a way to get the rest later.¡± When they set off, the Imperial Court was still preparing the rations. They would probably arrive in half a month at most. Lu Ye finally looked at You Huaijie. He cupped his hands emotionally and bowed. ¡°Thank you, Lord!¡¯ It was already very rare for the soldiers to have a full meal first. When the soldiers were informed that they could have a full meal that night, they immediately went to transport the food. After Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao heard You Huaijie¡¯s report, their faces darkened. These were all soldiers who had worked hard to expand the Ling Kingdom ¡®s territory. Someone actually dared to give them moldy rice. If they ate the moldy rice, they might die from it. There was no news of this when they set off, so it must have been kept a secret by someone. You Huaijie had been promoted by the Eldest Prince, so they were naturally confident that You Huaijie would not dare to report this matter to Emperor Linghui. As for the soldiers, they could only stomach this bitterness. After all, they were far away from the authority and could not intervene. As long as Emperor Linghui did not summon Marshal Gu, they could continue to impound the rations fearlessly. Even if Marshal Gu returned to the court, he could not transport all the moldy rice back. Without concrete evidence, it was not impossible for the other party to accuse Marshal Gu of being greedy for rations. However, the most important thing now was to solve the problem of the soldiers¡¯ hunger. If they were really forced into a corner and the soldiers all went to look for food, how could they defend the southern frontier that had just been conquered? Moreover, even if Bai Wutong and the others went to the southern frontier to explore and farm, it would take at least a few months for them to have food to eat. For their own sake, they had to figure out where to find food. Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao analyzed, ¡°Baye is rich in resources. The locals must have their own staple food. Or, let¡¯s go find Sheng Huaixuan and ask if we can send some food over, seeds, and so on.¡± Youjia village¡¯s advanced seeds were only enough for their own use, but the other commoners in the team and the exiled prisoners clearly did not bring enough seeds. Marshal Gu¡¯s remaining 80,000 elite soldiers also could not continue wait for the Imperial Court to give them food. If the Imperial Court did not give it to them, these people would starve to death. Without seeds, it would be another huge challenge to survive the winter this year. Everyone set up camp. Sheng Huaixuan carried Stinky over and could tell that Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao were looking for him for something important. Sheng Huaixuan handed Stinky to Lin Yue and asked him and Qingfeng to bring Stinky around to play. Bai Wutong went straight to the point and asked, ¡°Brother Sheng, there¡¯s not enough food now. How long will it take to send someone to deliver food?¡± Sheng Huaixuan had already guessed what Bai Wutong was going to ask. He replied, ¡°If it¡¯s for our team only, the food stored in the caravan shop can last us for about two days.¡± If Bai Wutong and the others could eat for two days, it would be enough for the 5,000 soldiers to eat for more than a week. Bai Wutong asked, ¡°Is there any faster way to gather food?¡¯ Sheng Huaixuan said, ¡®The fastest way to gather food is to buy stir-fried rice from the Syrians.¡± Bai Wutong was puzzled. ¡°What¡¯s stir-fried rice?¡± Sheng Huaixuan explained, ¡°Stir-fried rice is a local staple food after the rice is stir-fried. However, the main staple food of the Syrians is still milk and meat. Therefore, even if there¡¯s stir-fried rice, there won¡¯t be much food stored.¡± ¡°However, we can buy some first to deal with the emergency. Then, we can wait for the food from the Central Plains to arrive, or we can go to the southern frontier to find other food.¡± ¡°Baye is close to the forest on the right. Even if the locals don¡¯t plant, they can still survive the winter. As long as we communicate with the locals patiently , we can definitely exchange for some food to sustain for a while. At that time, we can also enter the mountains to find local food like the locals.¡± Marshal Gu¡¯s people could not find enough local food. It was very likely that the locals disliked them and refused to tell them where to find food, nor were they willing to sell their food to them. However, the most important thing was that Marshal Gu might not be able to take out anything to exchange with the locals. However, Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s caravan had interacted with the locals before the war began and had made many transactions in exchange for precious herbs like deer antlers, tiger skin pearls, and so on. As long as they could win over the hearts of the locals and exchange for what they wanted very much, it would definitely not be difficult for the tens of thousands of immigrants to survive. Moreover, among the tens of thousands of immigrants, there were many capable citizens. An advanced civilization could always attract people. Bai Wutong was full of praise for Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s idea. ¡°Then let¡¯s buy some stir-fried rice first. If it¡¯s really not enough, we¡¯ll buy some cows and sheep.¡± Sheng Huaixuan nodded. ¡°Sure. After this period of time, the food and military pay from the Imperial Court should have arrived.¡± He did not know about the moldy rice. Just in case, Bai Wutong muttered to him softly, ¡®The rations that the Imperial Court transported to the soldiers of the southern frontier previously are moldy rice. I¡¯m worried that this time, they will transport the moldy rice over again. We should find some food and buy some rice first. Lord You will send someone to investigate if the Imperial Court is transporting the moldy rice over this time. If they are exposed along the way, it will take a long time for the food to be transported here.¡± After washing the moldy rice, it looked no different from fresh rice. Marshal Gu and the others had also eaten it before. They only realized that it was moldy after the soldiers had diarrhea. Sheng Huaixuan suddenly thought of something and came to a realization. ¡°It was no wonder. Half a year ago, the grain seller found me and said that they had to sell rice grains urgently. This must be the military rations that had been confiscated. ¡® Chu Tianbao¡¯s gaze turned cold. ¡°Can you buy it now?¡¯ Bai Wutong said, ¡®Why should we buy? If it¡¯s military rations, it¡¯ll be easy. As long as the news of the moldy rice is exposed, they would obediently hand over all the rations and even pay us for it. ¡® Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Madam, you¡¯re really brilliant. If they want to escape and not be punished, they will definitely lie about where the military rations came from. Then, when they hear that the soldiers are short of food, they will take the initiative to offer it to save their own lives.¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s right. ¡® Sheng Huaixuan immediately said, ¡°I¡¯ll give the order now. ¡® Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Sheng Huaixuan took two steps and suddenly stopped. He turned around and looked at Chu Tianbao and Bai Wutong, then at You Huaijie. A trace of confusion flashed across his eyes. Why did he feel that You Huaijie, the governor, was listening to Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao? Suddenly, he remembered Bai Wutong¡¯s superb disguise technique and came to a realization. You Huaijie had changed so much. He had probably been replaced without anyone noticing. Sheng Huaixuan smiled again. If that was the case, the southern frontier would definitely become the most desirable city to live in in the future.. Chapter 312 - Chapter 312: If Chu Tianbao Is the Young General, Chapter 312: If Chu Tianbao Is the Young General, Wouldn ¡®t He Be Marshal Guis son? Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios There was a well beside the camp. The soldiers usually collected their water there. Cui Lingyi got someone to get some well water and boiled it to make oolong tea. Everyone sat on the grass and looked at the blue sky, white clouds, and round sun in the distance with a satisfied smile. The soldiers beside them were also eagerly cooking. Before the meal was ready, their eyeballs already looked like they were about to fall into the pot. The team was going to set off early the next morning. Bai Wutong would leave them some more food. In two days, the food from the caravan store and the stir-fried rice from the Syrians would be transported over. Bai Wutong had paid for these herself. The southern frontier still did not have any earnings yet, but they already owed them a huge sum. However, thinking about the jade mines and oil in the southern frontier, this amount of money was just a drop in the bucket. They would be able to earn it back soon. Moreover, there were so many abundant products in the southern frontier. There were fat cows and sheep, durable denim fabric, seafood, and other treasures. When they settled down and used oil extraction to produce asphalt, they could build asphalt roads in the desert. The originally one-month journey could be reduced to half a month, and the entire southern frontier could then become connected. However, this was only an idea. It would still take a long time for this to be realized. The oolong tea was steaming. In the white porcelain cup, the tea was crystal clear. Bai Wutong and Cui Lingyi took a sip at the same time and exclaimed at the quality of tea. Stinky and Xiaobai ran crazily on the grass at the side. Bai Wutong looked at their happy expressions and hesitated for a moment. Should she train Xiaobai¡¯s survival skills in the wilderness and let it return to nature? Seeing the smile on her face suddenly freeze, Cui Lingyi asked with concern, ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡± Bai Wutong shook her head. ¡°Nothing.¡± Nothing could be rushed now. Let¡¯s take it slow. Xiaobai was good-looking and strong. How could it not find a girlfriend? She suddenly smiled again at the thought. Perhaps this was how an old mother yearned for her son to start a family. Chu Tianbao came over to call Bai Wutong for dinner. Bai Wutong stood up and saw groups of soldiers holding bowls away from their dining table. They had just thought that it was a blissful thing to be able to eat corn paste. When they saw the sumptuous food on Bai Wutong and the others¡¯ dining table, they immediately felt that it was no longer fragrant. They tried to sniff every scent in the air as if they could taste the food in their mouths. When he saw that his soldiers were huddled there looking like they were begging for food, Lu Ye walked through the crowd and said in a low voice, ¡®What are you looking at? Go back to your seats.¡± The soldiers swallowed and reluctantly moved away. Their speed were comparable to a snail. Lu Ye still wanted to scold them. When he saw the delicacies on Bai Wutong and the others¡¯ dining table from the corner of his eye, he couldn¡¯t help but gulp. Roasted whole sheep!!! Braised pork, braised tofu, potatoes stewed with salted fish, stir-fried bamboo shoots, garlic stir-fried wild vegetables¡­ and a few small side dishes. He had been fighting on the battlefield for so many years, but even at the General¡¯s residence had never seen such a rich variety of dishes. It was no wonder the soldiers were unwilling to leave. Even if he saw them, he did not want to leave. Didn¡¯t they say that all the migrants from the southern frontier were refugees? Why were these refugees doing better than him, a deputy general? Seeing that he had been standing there, and his eyes were filled with desire, Bai Wutong was too embarrassed to eat and asked, ¡°General, have you eaten already? If you don¡¯t mind, please take a seat.¡± It was just a meal. They could still afford it. Lu Ye was already dumbfounded by the delicious food. When he suddenly heard Bai Wutong¡¯s clear and moving voice, he looked up as if he had woken up from a dream and was so excited that he wanted to accept the invitation. Even if he had just eaten, he had to answer that he had not eaten! The moment he looked up, he saw Chu Tianbao beside Bai Wutong from the corner of his eye. His excited expression suddenly froze as he muttered in disbelief, ¡°Young General¡­¡± As soon as these words were spoken, everyone looked puzzled. Why was Lu Ye calling Chu Tianbao Young General? Auntie Yang smiled and said, ¡°Our Master Chu is indeed very like a general! ¡± She thought that Lu Ye had recognized the wrong person. Bai Wutong lowered her eyes. How could Chu Tianbao, who stood out like a crane among chickens, be mistaken for someone else? Lu Ye did not know what Auntie Yang was talking about. He only tried to check that he was not seeing things. This was definitely Gu Junyan. He immediately knelt on one knee and bowed excitedly. ¡°Greetings, Young General!¡± As soon as these words were spoken, not only were their people stunned, but even the soldiers behind Lu Ye were stunned. ¡®Is this the Young General? It was rumored that the Young General was extremely ugly and wore a mask all day long. How could this cold man be the Young General! He was actually not similar to their Marshal Gu at all. Wait, wasn¡¯t the Young General already dead? His corpse had been transported to Marshal Gu¡¯s hometown to be buried personally. The emperor of the Ling Kingdom had even specially set up a hero tablet for the young general and conferred him the title of Duke Ling. He wanted everyone to remember his outstanding military achievements for the Ling Kingdom. How could he suddenly come back to life! Could it be that they were in the southern frontier and their news was too outdated? The soldiers stood there stunned. Lu Ye turned around unhappily and they immediately knelt on one knee like Lu Ye. ¡°Greetings, Young General!¡± Deputy General Lu had watched Chu Tianbao grow up, so how could he be wrong? The soldiers knelt down in unison, their auras vast and mighty. Everyone in Youjia village widened their eyes! If Chu Tianbao was the young general, wouldn¡¯t he be Marshal Gu¡¯s son? Didn¡¯t the emperor of the Ling Kingdom announce that he had already sacrificed himself for the country? What was going on!!! Chu Tianbao had no memories. He reached out to the soldiers. ¡®Get up first! ¡± His solemn expression was exactly the same as the young general¡¯s. That¡¯s right, this must be the Young General! The Young General was really back! Lu Ye stood up with the soldiers and said happily to Chu Tianbao, ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to inform the Marshal now! ¡® After knowing his identity, Chu Tianbao did not show any excitement. Instead, he looked at Bai Wutong, who was frowning at the side, and held her hand to comfort her. Bai Wutong did not expect Chu Tianbao¡¯s identity to be suddenly exposed. Unprepared, her thoughts raced and she forced a smile. ¡°He should have a lot to say to you. Go ahead. I feel a headache. I¡¯ll go back to the carriage and rest for a while.¡± Chu Tianbao gave Bai Wutong space to calm down and nodded. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be back in a while.¡± Lu Ye looked at their intimate actions and his mind went blank. The Young General had suddenly returned and actually brought back a female partner? His eyes lit up. If Marshal Gu knew, he would definitely be very happy. After Bai Wutong left, Chu Tianbao looked at her back view and made a glance. The dark guards quietly followed and spread out around the carriage to protect Bai Wutong. The Youjia villagers looked excited. No one had expected Master Chu, whom they had been with day and night, to be a young general with outstanding military achievements. Lu Ye was about to ask Chu Tianbao where he had been these days when his stomach suddenly hurt and his face turned pale. ¡°Damn, why does it hurt so much!¡± Not only him, but the soldiers who had just eaten also squatted on the ground and cried out in pain.. Chapter 313 - Chapter 313: Madam Is Already More Than a Month Pregnant Chapter 313: Madam Is Already More Than a Month Pregnant Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios It was nothing for one person to have a stomachache, but for a group of people to have a stomachache, it meant that they were most likely poisoned. Wen Renhua brought Gu Zhongxun forward and checked the pulses of two soldiers. At the same time, he came to a conclusion. ¡°It¡¯s the poison of the Spectral Flower. If an antidote is not provided within 24 hours, you will definitely die! ¡± Spectral Flowers were a type of poisonous flower unique to the southern frontier. However, there were no such flowers nearby, so how did everyone get poisoned? Wen Renhua continued, ¡°The Spectral Flower takes effect quickly. They all ate the food just now. It¡¯s very likely that someone poisoned the food or water source.¡± They had been transporting the food and had eaten it along the way, so it was impossible for there to be a problem. Either someone had poisoned the well, or someone had poisoned it while cooking. There were dozens of large iron pots for cooking. How could they not be discovered when adding in the poison? The only possibility was that they had poisoned the well. The moment everyone was about to check the water source, Chu Tianbao had already rushed towards the carriage. Just now, Bai Wutong had drunk the oolong tea brewed from well water. Thinking of Bai Wutong saying that she was not feeling well, Chu Tianbao¡¯s face instantly turned pale. Bai Wutong did not dislike the fact that Chu Tianbao was the young general. She was even a little proud that he was the man who had conquered more than ten cities in the Yan Kingdom in one go and made the Yan army tremble in fear. Bai Wutong held the jade pendant that she had carried with her when she found Chu Tianbao. This time, she came to a realization. Presumably, the Chu character on this jade pendant was not his surname, but the military talisman given to him by Emperor Linghui. Bai Wutong looked at Qingfeng. ¡°Has the Young General ever been married?¡± She had never heard of it before. It did not necessarily mean that he did not. Qingfeng was in charge of the entire Dark Guards Team. As the Yan Kingdom ¡®s obvious mortal enemy, how could they not investigate Gu Junyan? Qingfeng said honestly, ¡°He¡¯s not married. Thinking of Bai Wutong¡¯s worry, she specially added, ¡°Master Chu has always been practising abstinence.¡± Apart from Bai Wutong, he had no other female partners. Bai Wutong suddenly relaxed and smiled. She wondered if she should call him Gu Junyan or Chu Tianbao later. Suddenly, there was a sharp pain in her stomach. Bai Wutong covered it convulsively. At this moment, Chu Tianbao suddenly lifted the curtain and picked Bai Wutong up. Before Bai Wutong could speak, Bai Wutong had already arrived in front of Renhua. Chu Tianbao¡¯s cold face was filled with anxiety. ¡°Hurry up and take her pulse.¡± Wen Renhua did not dare to delay and felt his pulse. Bai Wutong¡¯s condition was exactly the same as Lu Ye and the others. Just as Wen Renhua was about to retract his hand, his expression changed again. After repeatedly confirming it, he frowned at Chu Tianbao and said, ¡°Madam is already more than a month pregnant, but she has been poisoned by the Spectral Flower. If the poison is not removed in time, this child might not be able to survive.¡± It should have been a joyous occasion, but Bai Wutong was poisoned. There was only silence in the room. Even Bai Wutong held her breath the moment she heard that she was pregnant and poisoned. This was the Little Stinky that Chu Tianbao had been looking forward to for a long time. However, he had been poisoned before he was even in his adult form¡­ Even in the modern world, early-stage pregnancy required careful care. Any slight misuse of medicine might cause the fetus to deform. In an instant, she felt a heartache surging like a tide, and the corners of Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes turned red. When Cui Lingyi, who had asked Bai Wutong to drink oolong tea with her, heard this, even the intense pain brought by the spectral flower was overwhelmed by the unbearable guilt she felt. If anything happened to Bai Wutong and the child in her stomach, she would definitely not forgive herself. Chu Tianbao looked at Bai Wutong¡¯s stomach and took a few seconds to recover. He held Bai Wutong¡¯s hand tightly and asked Wen Renhua, ¡°Can you concoct an antidote now? Will it hurt the mother and son?¡± Wen Renhua said, ¡°The medicine Hundred Spirits can cure the poison of the Spectral Flower.¡± ¡°But we don¡¯t have the Hundred Spirits.¡± In an instant, everyone¡¯s mood fell to rock bottom. Chu Tianbao looked at Sheng Huaixuan gloomily. ¡°How long will it take to find the Hundred Spirits now?¡± Sheng Huaixuan frowned and said, ¡°We can only transport it from the Central Plains or buy it from the locals.¡± By the time it was transported over from the Central Plains, it would have been too late. What if they found the locals and they didn¡¯t have the Hundred Spirits? Wen Renhua said again, ¡°All things complement and counter each other. You will definitely be able to find the ingredients for the antidote near the Spectral Flower.¡± But they had no idea where the spectral flowers grew. After circling around, they still had to find the locals first. Chu Tianbao¡¯s face was dark. He suddenly thought of Feng Xun and Feng Yue in the team. He let go of Bai Wutong¡¯s hand and comforted her. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Chu Tianbao broke through the crowd and came to Feng Yue and Feng Xun. His expression was dark. ¡°Where can we pick the Hundred Spirits nearby?¡± They were familiar with the southern frontier and definitely knew where the Hundred Spirits could be found. When Feng Yue and Feng Xun saw the soldiers rolling on the ground, they knew that they had been poisoned by the Spectral Flower. They also expected that Chu Tianbao would come to look for them, so they immediately made a request. ¡°Let us go and we¡¯ll tell you where the Hundred Spirits are!¡± Chu Tianbao immediately said, ¡°Lead the way! If you can¡¯t find it in two hours, I¡¯ll chop off both your hands.¡± Feng Yue said agitatedly, ¡°How can we find them in two hours! It will take at least six hours to find the Hundred Spirits!¡± The Spectral Flower was in front of their Heavenly Wolf Army camp. As long as Chu Tianbao went there, he would definitely not be able to return. Bringing them along would also allow their father to find an opportunity to save them. Six hours meant 12 hours for a round trip. Every minute delay meant that Bai Wutong and the child were in greater danger. Chu Tianbao said to the dark guard, ¡°Bring two bowls of water over!¡± Feng Yue realized that Chu Tianbao was going to feed them the poison of the Spectral Flower and immediately shouted agitatedly, ¡°As long as you agree to let us go, we will definitely bring you to the Hundred Spirits. We won¡¯t lie.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, the dark guard came over with two bowls of well water and forcefully fed it to Feng Yue and Feng Xun. Feng Yue struggled with all her might and roared, ¡°If you dare to feed it to me, I won¡¯t bring you there!¡± How could they find an opportunity to escape after they had drunk the posion of the Spectral Flowers? Chu Tianbao drew his sword. With a cold flash, Feng Yue¡¯s entire arm was cut off. She let out a shocking scream. Everyone looked over and was stunned by the shocking scene in front of them. Chu Tianbao pointed his bleeding sword at Feng Xun¡¯s glabella. ¡°If you say another word of nonsense, I¡¯ll dismember her.¡± Feng Xun¡¯s eyes were red. He hugged his sister, who had lost her arm and fainted, and wailed and roared, ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you!!!¡± In the next second, the sword rose and fell. ¡°Ah¡ªI¡¯ Feng Yue¡¯s other arm was also cut off. In order to prevent her from committing suicide, the dark guards even pulled her out of Feng Xun¡¯s arms and quickly stuffed her into a piece of linen. Chu Tianbao said coldly, ¡°The next time will be her legs.¡± His cold face was like a demon from 500 meters of hell. Feng Xun looked at his weak sister who seemed like she was about to die at any moment and cried, ¡°I¡¯ll bring you there.¡± Chu Tianbao said, ¡°If you can¡¯t find the Hundred Spirits after six hours, she will be dismembered or buried alive.. You will choose her fate yourself!¡± Chapter 314 - Chapter 314: Why Didn’t She Die? Chapter 314: Why Didn¡¯t She Die? Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Chu Tianbao held Bai Wutong¡¯s hand tightly and looked at her gently. ¡°Wait for me to come back.¡± Knowing that he was going to look for the Hundred Spirits, Bai Wutong endured the intense pain in her body and forced a smile. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll wait for you.¡¯ Witnessing this scene, everyone¡¯s eyes turned red. Feng Yue was fed hemostatic medicine and stayed in the camp. Chu Tianbao led Feng Xun and quickly set off to look for the Hundred Spirits. The horses galloped across the grassland. About four hours later, Feng Xun, who had already turned pale from the torture of the Spectral Flower¡¯s poison, pointed at the hill in front and said, ¡°There are Hundred Spirits there. Apart from their Heavenly Wolf Army camp, this was the nearest place to find the Hundred Spirits. Chu Tianbao¡¯s dark eyes finally lit up. He led the dark guards to the hill and quickly searched for the Hundred Spirits Plant described by Wen Renhua. However, everyone found nothing. Chu Tianbao was instantly furious. He grabbed Feng Xun¡¯s neck. ¡°Where exactly are the Hundred Spirits? If you don¡¯t tell me, I have ways to make you wish you were dead.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really here. My sister and I are both poisoned. It¡¯s impossible for us to lie to you,¡± Feng Xun said with difficulty. Feng Xun did not remember wrongly. The rebel army must have long expected this and poached the Hundred Spirits. ¡®Where else can we find the Hundred Spirits?¡± Chu Tianbao asked. Feng Xun thought of his sister, who was still in their hands, and smiled bitterly. ¡®Ten miles ahead is our Heavenly Wolf Army¡¯s camp. There are a large number of Hundred Spirits and Spectral flowers growing there.¡± There were still at least 10,000 people left in the Heavenly Wolf Army. Chu Tianbao had brought just 100 dark guards out like that. Going to the Heavenly Wolf Army¡¯s camp was no different from walking into a trap. However, this was the only hope at the moment. Chu Tianbao had to take the risk. When they arrived at the Heavenly Wolf Army camp, the sky was completely dark, giving them a chance to hide. However, the terrain of the Heavenly Wolf Army¡¯s camp was complicated. It was almost impossible to pick the Hundred Spirits without alerting a large number of patrolling rebels. Suddenly, a huge flame ignited in the Heavenly Wolf Army¡¯s camp. Chu Tianbao hid in the dark and discovered that the rebels were burning a large number of the Hundred Spirits. If they could bring these Hundred Spirits back, they could save everyone¡¯s lives. Chu Tianbao jumped up and slashed down with his sword. The two rebels fell back onto the ground. He picked up a large handful of Hundred Spirits on the ground and threw it to a dark guard. ¡°Go back first! ¡± The dark guard accepted the order and jumped up. While the rebels were shouting in panic, he used his qinggong and disappeared without a trace. ¡°Enemy attack! Enemy attack!¡± When Luo Er heard that there was an enemy attack, he quickly rushed out of the tent. Seeing that there were only a few dozen enemies, he immediately sneered. They knew it. The soldiers of the Ling Kingdom nearby had been drugged by them. How could they suddenly rush over to provide reinforcements and ambush their camp? Luo Er and Luo Lei aimed at Chu Tianbao and fought to pick up their sabers and rush forward. They both wanted to take Chu Tianbao¡¯s head immediately so that they could obtain their father¡¯s approval. Chu Tianbao held the cold sword and lowered his eyes. His entire body was filled with a terrifying murderous aura. Luo Er rushed over before his brother. The saber he was holding high had yet to land. ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s sword had already pierced through his throat. Blood splattered everywhere, and it was still warm on Luo Lei¡¯s face. Luo Lei¡¯s face was filled with shock. His brother, whom he had competed with for his entire life, had died just like that? In the next second, the sword stained with his brother¡¯s blood decapitated him. Chu Tianbao had killed the two successors of the leader in a row. The rebel soldiers who were fighting the dark guards were dumbfounded. After a moment of hesitation, the dark guards quickly dealt with the rebel army. To capture bandits, one had to capture the monarch first. Chu Tianbao targeted the most luxurious tent of the enemy and used his qinggong to kill his way into the tent. When Sha Tie, who was enjoying his time with three or four beauties, heard the commotion outside, he pulled up his pants and was about to take out his weapon when Chu Tianbao stabbed him to the ground. The pain made Sha Tie scream. The rebel army quickly surged towards the tent like a tide. Chu Tianbao¡¯s handsome face was cold. The moment he pulled out his sword, Sha Tie¡¯s head fell to the ground. Blood stained the white wool carpet. The women on the bed screamed in fear. Chu Tianbao lifted Sha Tie¡¯s head like a god of death descending to the world. ¡°Those who block me will be killed without mercy! ¡® The leader and his heir were completely wiped out. What else could they do? Soon, the rebel army quickly dispersed. The dark guards quickly filled an entire sack with Hundred Spirits and set the entire rebel camp on fire. The monstrous flames illuminated half of the night. Chu Tianbao rode his horse in Bai Wutong¡¯s direction. At this point, the rebel army of the southern frontier had disappeared into the long river of history. Chu Tianbao rushed back with the dark guards. Everyone immediately surrounded him excitedly. ¡°Master Chu! Master Chu! Master Chu!¡± Chu Tianbao couldn¡¯t be bothered to greet them. He dismounted and rushed into the tent where Bai Wutong was. Bai Wutong lay on the bed with a pale face. When she saw Chu Tianbao return in a sorry state covered in blood, she touched his face. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± Chu Tianbao held her hand tightly and said in a trembling voice, ¡®Yes.¡± The moment he learned that Bai Wutong had been poisoned, Chu Tianbao wished he could destroy the entire world. Bai Wutong led his hand to her stomach. ¡°Little Stinky said that he misses you too.¡± Chu Tianbao felt a ball of warmth, as if he really felt a child and he was filled with emotions. ¡°Is he all right?¡± Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°Doctor Wen said that the dose of the Spectral Flower I was poisoned with was small and if it was detoxified in time, the child might only be weaker after birth. It won¡¯t be a problem if he slowly recuperates in the future.¡¯ Chu Tianbao still felt a lingering fear. ¡®Thankfully.¡± Bai Wutong comforted him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. With the two divine doctors, Doctor Wen and Doctor Gu, we will definitely be fine.¡± Chu Tianbao hugged her. ¡°I¡¯m a little afraid. ¡® He had always been looking forward to Bai Wutong giving birth to their Little Stinky. However, when he thought about how Bai Wutong would have to face the pain of giving birth, Chu Tianbao felt like he was stepping on a steel wire on a cliff and was terrified. Ever since Chu Tianbao regained his senses, he rarely had such a fragile side. Bai Wutong patted his back and coaxed, ¡°Tianbao, don¡¯t be afraid. I will always be with Tianbao. In the future, we still have Little Stinky. If Stinky knows that he has a younger brother, he will definitely be very happy. They can even play with Xiaobai together.¡± Chu Tianbao grunted, but his voice was aggrieved. Bai Wutong chuckled and gently patted his back to comfort him. After Bai Wutong¡¯s poison was cured, the others¡¯ poison was cured, and the rebel army disintegrated, everyone heaved a sigh of relief. Meng Weiwei snuggled up to her disfigured mother and looked at the comfortable tent where Bai Wutong was, her face filled with ferocity and indignation. Why, why didn¡¯t she die! She clearly had a lowly identity that was despised by others, but in the blink of an eye, she had become the Young General¡¯s wife! Chapter 315 - Chapter 315: Arm-length tapioca Chapter 315: Arm-length tapioca Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After the rebel army was disintegrated by Chu Tianbao, Lu Ye planned to return to Baye with Chu Tianbao and the others to report to Marshal Gu. Apart from meeting Chu Tianbao when he got into the carriage, Chu Tianbao spent the rest of the time accompanying Bai Wutong in the carriage. This made Lu Ye sigh. The young general who did not get close to women back then had really changed. Bai Wutong sat in the carriage for half a day. Her head was dizzy and she wanted to go out for a walk. However, Chu Tianbao remembered the instructions of Doctor Wen. A woman¡¯s pregnancy was the most unstable in the first three months. She had to be as careful as possible. He firmly refused to let Bai Wutong go out. He opened the window to the maximum and said directly, ¡°You¡¯ve just recovered from poison and need to recuperate well.¡± Bai Wutong looked at the other people who had been poisoned. They were still carrying their bags and walking slowly in the team. However, she didn¡¯t want Chu Tianbao to worry, so she obeyed him. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew in. Chu Tianbao immediately closed the window nervously and wrapped Bai Wutong tightly in a blanket. Chu Tianbao was really too uptight. Bai Wutong held his handsome face and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m not that weak. It¡¯s only been a month. There¡¯s still eight months. ¡® After Bai Wutong had been poisoned, and the child and the mother had almost lost their lives together, Chu Tianbao still felt lingering fear. He pursed his lips after being squeezed by Bai Wutong and said firmly, ¡°There are still eight months. We have to be even more careful!¡± Bai Wutong smiled and kissed him on the mouth. ¡®Tianbao is so cute.¡± Then she deliberately said, ¡°Young General is so cute Chu Tianbao was aroused by her kiss and reached out to grab the back of Bai Wutong¡¯s head. The moment his hand touched Bai Wutong¡¯s black hair, he retracted it as if he had been electrocuted. Now that Bai Wutong was pregnant, he could no longer do whatever he wanted. Chu Tianbao suppressed the throbbing in his heart, but Bai Wutong sensed the change in Chu Tianbao. The smile in her eyes deepened. Chu Tianbao¡¯s breathing suddenly became heavier, as he wanted to suppress Bai Wutong¡¯s temptation. However, it had been a long time since Bai Wutong had seen such an obedient Chu Tianbao. She leaned forward and kissed him again. ¡°What are you hiding from, husband?¡± she asked deliberately. Chu Tianbao¡¯s exquisite Adam¡¯s apple bobbed. His dark eyes were deep and aggrieved, and his face looked pitiful. Seeing how pitiful Chu Tianbao was, Bai Wutong kissed his glabella, straight nose, and warm thin lips.. Her movements were extremely gentle. Chu Tianbao had been holding back for a few days, so how could he withstand such seduction? The moment he held her slender waist with both hands, Bai Wutong suddenly covered his mouth. ¡°Shh I still have something to tell you.¡± Chu Tianbao gestured for her to speak, but his hands did not remain still. Bai Wutong felt itchy and let go of his mouth. She glared at him and said, ¡°Doctor Wen¡¯s hand has recovered to its original state and can already hold the needle steadily. When we reach Ba Ye, let him help you clean up the remaining blood clot in your head.¡± She really wanted to figure out why Chu Tianbao was seriously injured at that time and was picked up by her in the Yan Kingdom. Chu Tianbao nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Bai Wutong wanted to ask him if he had any impression of his father and how she should address Marshal Gu when she saw him, but she stopped herself. The closer they got to Baye City, the more beautiful the surrounding landscape became. After getting out of the carriage, the air was filled with a salty humidity. Lu Ye introduced to Bai Wutong, ¡°Young General¡¯s wife, over that mountain, there¡¯s a sea over there.¡± Bai Wutong remembered that the last time she saw the sea was a few years ago. She looked across the sea. The dense forest blocked her view of anything. Chu Tianbao knew that she wanted to see the sea and build a beautiful house by the sea. ¡°When we reach Baye, we¡¯ll build a house by the sea.¡± Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°You¡¯re not staying with your father?¡± Chu Tianbao said righteously, ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Bai Wutong chuckled. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it after you recover your memories.¡± It was getting dark. The team was going to rest here for the night. Everyone was preparing to set up camp and cleaning up the place. Large green plants were cut down, and milky stems flowed out, sticky. Stinky picked up an especially big leaf, squeezed out some white and sticky liquid, picked up two wildflowers, and stuck them to Xiaobai¡¯s head. Xiaobai shook its head unhappily and ran to Bai Wutong¡¯s side, wanting to use Bai Wutong¡¯s authority to escape from Stinky¡¯s demonic claws. Chu Tianbao quickly stopped Stinky and Xiaobai and said sternly, ¡°Your mother¡¯s health is not good now. Don¡¯t run around her. It¡¯s very dangerous!¡¯ Chu Tianbao¡¯s tone was the most serious ever. If he dared to be disobedient, the consequences could be imagined. The child and wolf looked at each other pitifully and nodded in unison. Bai Wutong was afraid that he would scare Stinky and traumatize him. She stroked his little head. ¡°Father is doing this for your own good. It won¡¯t be good if you run around and bump into someone.¡± Stinky nodded obediently. ¡°Got it, Mother.¡± His chubby face was pressed against Bai Wutong¡¯s hand, as tender and smooth as a peeled egg. Xiaobai took the opportunity to place its long mouth on her hand and blinked its big ice-blue eyes. The wolf and the baby were acting cute in her palm. Bai Wutong¡¯s heart was about to melt from their cuteness. The sunlight froze on Bai Wutong¡¯s smile, as if it was covered in a layer of burning golden light, gentle and moving. Chu Tianbao smiled, his face filled with happiness. When Lu Ye saw him smiling, his eyes widened. His shocked expression was as if he had seen the sun rise from the west. Ever since the young general was 12 years old, he had a straight face. It was harder than ascending to the heavens to make him smile, but now, he was smiling foolishly at Madam. When Stinky saw the sun come out, he tiptoed and handed the big leaf to Bai Wutong. ¡°Mother, hold an umbrella.¡± He had seen Bai Wutong and Cui Lingyi hold an umbrella to shade themselves under the hot sun, so he wanted to use the big leaf in his hand to block for Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong took it and praised, ¡°Thank you, Stinky. Stinky is awesome.¡± Chu Tianbao looked at the big leaf in Bai Wutong¡¯s hand. Stinky thought that he wanted it too and said happily, ¡°I¡¯ll go find an umbrella for Daddy.¡± He brought Xiaobai to pick up the big leaves again. Bai Wutong looked at Chu Tianbao. ¡°Don¡¯t be too fierce to him in the future. Children are very sensitive.¡± Even if she was pregnant, they could not neglect Stinky. Chu Tianbao¡¯s gaze landed on Stinky¡¯s round back. He was seriously discussing with Xiaobai that which leaf was more suitable for his mighty father. Chu Tianbao¡¯s sharp eyes were filled with deep gentleness as he nodded gently. ¡®Yes.¡± Suddenly, Village Chief Zhao ran over with a plant root. He asked Bai Wutong with a smile, ¡°Madam Bai, I think this thing looks like something edible. Madam, can you ask Doctor Wen to help us see if we¡¯ll be poisoned after eating this?¡± Bai Wutong looked at his palm and saw an arm-long tapioca.. Chapter 316 - Chapter 316: Being Too Careful Chapter 316: Being Too Careful Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Tapiocas were poisonous, but at the same time, they were also one of the three major potato crops in the modern world. They were the third-largest produced food crop in the tropical region and the sixth-largest produced food crop in the world. They were known as the ¡°king of starch¡±. The tapioca had excellent characteristics such as easy to grow, cultivate, advanced yield, and high harvestability during all seasons. It could be extracted into starch and was widely used in the market. For example, before the apocalypse, the pearls in the world-famous pearl milk tea were made of tapioca powder. For example, the snacks that girls liked, taro balls, hemp potatoes, glutinous rice balls, and so on, all required tapioca flour. Apart from making daily delicacies, tapioca was also widely used as feed, starch, glucose fuel, and ethanol. Bai Wutong picked up the tapioca in Village Chief Zhao¡¯s hand and was about to speak when Lu Ye saw this and hurriedly said, ¡°Madam, the tapioca is poisonous. Put it down quickly.¡± Before Bai Wutong could react, Chu Tianbao had already snatched it from her hand and threw the tapioca to the ground. The tapioca was smashed into two pieces, revealing its white flesh. It looked extremely delicious. When everyone heard Lu Ye¡¯s shout, they surrounded over. When they saw the tapioca on the ground that had been shattered into two sections, Wen Renhua walked forward and tested it with a silver needle. The moment the silver needle was pulled out, it turned black. Bai Wutong widened her eyes in surprise, as if she was acting in a television drama. Wen Renhua said, ¡°This thing contains poison.¡± The others who were holding the tapioca and wanted to try it first were so frightened that they immediately threw it away. Especially Lin Yue, who had peeled the tapioca skin clean and opened his mouth. In the next second, the tapioca was quickly snatched away by Qingfeng. He almost died. Thinking that he had yet to marry Qingfeng, Lin Yue was so afraid that his eyes stopped moving. Qingfeng comforted him with her eyes and warned him not to be gluttony in the future. Lin Yue nodded aggrievedly. He just thought that this thing was similar to sweet potatoes. How could he have known that it was poisonous? Fortunately, his wife had saved his life. It was good to have a wife. His love for his wife would not change for 10,000 years! Chu Tianbao instructed, ¡°Inform Lord You not to let anyone eat it.¡± ¡°Yes!¡¯ Auntie Yang looked at the tapioca on the ground and said regretfully, ¡°It¡¯s actually not edible. Sigh If only it could be eaten.¡± Lu Ye said, ¡°When we first arrived, our rations were depleted. Many of our brothers ate a few pieces of tapioca. They were fine when they first ate it, but after twitching for a while, many people died. Most of our brothers who were lucky enough not to die have their lower limbs paralyzed.¡± Auntie Yang asked, ¡°If it¡¯s cooked, can it be eaten?¡± They were all farmers and knew that some food could be eaten as long as it was cooked. For example, mushrooms could kill people if eaten raw. Lu Ye lowered his eyes. ¡°We¡¯ve cooked it before, but unfortunately that does not work. Everyone will still have severe diarrhea, dizziness, and weakness in their limbs. Later, we learned from the locals that this plant is called tapioca. It will be extracted into venom to make poisonous darts.¡± Although tapiocas were poisonous, the poison could be removed. As long as the inner skin was peeled off and soaked in water for a long time, and it was boiled for the first time and another second time, once the lid of the pot was removed, the poison would evaporate and the soup could be eaten. If the tapioca was steamed with the skin and had been covered with a pot lid, the poison inside would not evaporate. Even if it was cooked, there would still be residual poison. Bai Wutong glanced at the place where the tapioca was dug. Under a tapioca vine, there were more than ten baby-sized tapiocas growing together. The locals actually did not know about such high harvest rate food item. Bai Wutong asked Lu Ye, ¡°Then what are the locals¡¯ staple foods?¡± Lu Ye said, ¡®The locals mainly eat rice made of a kind of pulp on the tree, but the yield is not high. The locals also treat this tree as a treasure. As long as we get half-step closer, they will shoot us with poisonous darts.¡± When Bai Wutong heard about the rice made of the sap on the tree, she thought of sago. It was made of starch extracted from palm plants and processed into a shape like small pearls. There was also a type of rice made from tapioca flour, wheat starch, and corn flour. There were so many tapiocas here that they could make sago too. Pomelo sago was still a very famous dessert. Bai Wutong suddenly smiled mysteriously. ¡®They won¡¯t let us get close now, but they¡¯ll beg us in the future. ¡® While everyone was confused, Bai Wutong asked Village Chief Zhao to bring her a few tapiocas and asked the chef to set up the big pot. Seeing that she was unwilling to give up and wanted to try the tapioca, Lu Ye said agitatedly, ¡°Madam, you really can¡¯t eat it!¡± Bai Wutong smiled disapprovingly. ¡°I¡¯ve seen this kind of thing in a book. The tapioca can be eaten, but your previous approach was wrong.¡± Lu Ye hurriedly shook his head. ¡®We¡¯ve tried eating raw and boiled.¡± Bai Wutong pointed at the large pot that had been set up on the spot. ¡°Did you not peel the skin and only casually put it in the pot to cook?¡± Lu Ye thought for a moment and nodded blankly. Bai Wutong confirmed, ¡°The book says that tapioca can only be boiled after the skin is peeled off. This is because the outer skin is the most poisonous. When it¡¯s boiled, you have to change the water and boil it twice. At the end, you have to pour the water away before it can be eaten. If you drink the soup, or if you don¡¯t peel or cook it, you will be poisoned.¡± Everyone was stunned when they heard this. A huge doubt appeared in Lu Ye¡¯s mind. ¡°Will it really work?¡± Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what the book says. Moreover, the lid of the pot can¡¯t be closed when boiling. If the poison can¡¯t be released, it will still cause diarrhea.¡± Auntie Yang sighed. ¡°This thing is too troublesome. If I forget it one day, won¡¯t I get myself killed?¡± Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°That¡¯s why we have to be careful when cooking tapioca. However, it has a high production rate. If it¡¯s made into tapioca powder, we can take it out and use it at any time, so it won¡¯t be so difficult.¡± Auntie Yang asked again, ¡®Then do we have to cook it again after making it into tapioca noodles?¡± When they made sweet potato noodles, they only needed to grind the sweet potato into dregs, add water, filter out the powder, and dry it. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°The book says that after the tapioca powder is peeled, washed, sieved, washed, separated, dehydrated, and dried, the poison in the tapioca has been completely isolated. You can just use it in peace.¡± Auntie Yang looked excited. ¡°If it¡¯s really as Madam said and the tapiocas are edible, we won¡¯t have to worry about shortage of food after digging up the tapiocas here. Because this thing was poisonous, no one had dug up the large patches of tapioca nearby. Chu Tianbao glanced at the green tapioca plant and held Bai Wutong¡¯s hand tightly. He knew that what Bai Wutong said must be true. The tapioca was definitely edible. Bai Wutong blinked at Chu Tianbao. ¡°However, this is all in the books. Let¡¯s cook some tapiocas and try it first.¡± Everyone still trusted Bai Wutong¡¯s ability. Bai Wutong wanted to cook tapiocas, so many people in Youjia Village also followed her and dug up some tapiocas to learn how to eat them. This was very likely to be their rations for the future.. Chapter 317 - Chapter 317: Brother Tianbao, kiss me Chapter 317: Brother Tianbao, kiss me Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Bai Wutong picked up the scraper she had invented and planned to scrape the tapioca skin. Chu Tianbao took it from her. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± He was afraid that a little work would tire her out. Bai Wutong was helpless but also felt happy. ¡°Okay.¡± Chu Tianbao held the scraper and peeled five tapiocas at the speed of lightning. Meanwhile, the others had just finished peeling one. Lin Yue was flustered, afraid that if he missed any steps, he would not be able to personally make delicious food for Qingfeng. Bai Wutong wanted to teach everyone how to cook tapioca, so she waited patiently for them to finish peeling the tapioca. Sheng Huaixuan and the others stood at the side with carbon paper and charcoal pens and carefully recorded Bai Wutong¡¯s instructions. If the tapiocas were edible and tasted good, they could plant them in large quantities next year. The local production was already so high without careful cultivation. In the following year¡¯s harvest, Sheng Huaixuan could even sell them to the Central Plains at a high price through the caravan stores. After all, the crops that were common here would become rare in the Imperial City because of the difference in climate. After the tapioca skin was peeled clean, Bai Wutong asked Chu Tianbao to put it in water to wash it clean. Then, she added water and placed it in the pot. At this moment, Bai Wutong said to everyone who looked curious, ¡°You must open the lid and boil it. Otherwise, the poison won¡¯t be released.¡± Everyone followed Bai Wutong¡¯s instructions. After the water boiled, she changed it and boiled again. Bai Wutong poked the tapioca with her chopsticks and emphasized to everyone, ¡°You have to make sure that the tapioca is completely cooked before it can be eaten. If it¡¯s half-cooked and a child eats it, it will be fatal with just a small amount.¡± Hearing this, everyone looked at the white and tender tapioca in the pot and trembled in fear. Soon, the tapioca was ready. Bai Wutong scooped it out of the pot and instructed repeatedly, ¡°You must not eat this boiled tapioca water.¡± Everyone nodded, feeling as frightened as if cooking tapioca was a war. Bai Wutong could tell that everyone was nervous. She smiled and said, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s like mushrooms. It¡¯s not very troublesome to cook two more times.¡± Hearing Bai Wutong¡¯s words, everyone suddenly accepted it and remembered it more easily. Bai Wutong looked at the cooked tapioca on the chopping board and said, ¡°Without the poison, the tapioca can be used to make soup or stir-fry vegetables. It can also be eaten as a staple food.¡± ¡°The tapioca is no different from ordinary ingredients. Everyone can use it on their own. ¡± ¡°Let¡¯s experiment first and see if the tapioca is edible and poisonous.¡± ¡°Now, please help us test it, Doctor Wen.¡± After Bai Wutong finished speaking, she couldn¡¯t help but laugh. These lines made it seem like she was holding a press conference for a new product. Under everyone¡¯s gazes, the Wen Renhua came to the chopping board and took out his special silver needles. Everyone held their breath and did not blink, afraid that they would miss anything. The moment the silver needle was pulled out, everyone leaned closer to take a look. It did not turn black! This meant that the tapioca was no longer poisonous. This was too exciting. Wen Renhua looked at the silver needle and announced to everyone, ¡°It¡¯s not poisonous and can be eaten.¡± As soon as he said this, everyone finally felt relieved and cheered loudly. ¡°Madam Bai! Madam Bai! Madam Bail¡± Lu Ye was so excited that tears flowed out. If they had known that there was such a way to remove the poison of the tapioca, they would not have starved for so long and so many of their brothers would not have died. Sheng Huaixuan gestured with his eyes. The chef used the steamed tapioca to make stir-fried tapioca, tapioca cakes, chicken soup, and French fries in front of everyone¡­ The few chefs who were busy the whole time, after a while, laid a table of sumptuous tapioca food in front of everyone. Everyone was dazzled and swallowed their saliva when they smelled the tempting fragrance. As expected of a chef, it was so fragrant that everyone¡¯s noses were about to fall off. Lu Ye ate with them. Thinking of his brothers¡¯ tragic deaths after eating the tapioca, he hung his chopsticks in the air and hesitated. Since Wen Renhua said that it was not poisonous, it must be safe for consumption. The others picked up a piece of delicious food made of tapioca without hesitation and put it into their mouths. They immediately revealed blissful expressions. Sheng Huaixuan placed a piece of stir-fried tapioca in his mouth. The tapioca was soft and sweet, with rich fibers and an excellent taste. Be it as a staple food or vegetables, they were very suitable and was filling. Sheng Huaixuan praised Bai Wutong, ¡°It¡¯s no wonder this thing is poisonous. If it wasn¡¯t poisonous, I¡¯m afraid it would have been eaten clean by everyone.¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°We can set off a day later and dig up all the surrounding tapiocas. When we reach Baye City, we¡¯ll have a lot of food.¡± Sheng Huaixuan agreed. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, aren¡¯t you afraid that the food supply will be delayed on the way?¡± Everyone was eating heartily and praising the tapioca. Lu Ye finally overcame his fear of the tapioca and picked up a piece of fries to put in his mouth. The French fries were crispy and sweet. In an instant, Lu Ye enjoyed himself! How could such a delicious thing be poisonous? He picked up another piece of tapioca meatball and had just opened his mouth to stuff it in when Bai Wutong suddenly asked him, ¡°Deputy General Lu, apart from here, are there tapioca anywhere else?¡± Lu Ye was busy answering. Before he could chew carefully, he swallowed the tapioca meatball. ¡°There are more tapioca nearby and some along the way. There were originally tapioca around Baye City. Later on, after we took down the southern frontier, they were cleared out to build houses.¡± When they first occupied Baye, they had even cleaned up a lot of tapioca. Recalling the tender and smooth texture of the tapioca balls in his mouth, Lu Ye felt as though he had lost 100 million yuan. It was a huge pity. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°In that case, let¡¯s dig as we go. It will sustain us for a while. When the food that Lord You bought from the Syrian is delivered, the army won¡¯t have to worry about starving.¡± When Lu Ye heard this, he was extremely touched. He cupped his hands and said, ¡°Thank you, Madam, for telling us the way to remove the poison of the tapioca. The Marshal will definitely be happy when he finds out.¡± Bai Wutong said, ¡°You¡¯re welcome. I just happened to know. We don¡¯t have much food either. Knowing that tapioca can be eaten has also resolved our urgent need for food.¡± No matter what, Bai Wutong was knowledgeable and capable. Lu Ye thanked her sincerely and was full of respect for Bai Wutong. The tapioca was delicious, but it was not suitable for pregnant women to eat too much. Bai Wutong took a few sips and felt a little uncomfortable in her stomach, so she returned to the tent. This was the early pregnancy reaction. It would greatly reduce one¡¯s appetite, make one feel nauseous, dizzy, and sleepy. Chu Tianbao hurriedly took out the sour plum snack and fed it to her mouth. ¡°Take some and your stomach won¡¯t feel uncomfortable anymore.¡± Bai Wutong put the sour plum in her mouth and the disgust was indeed suppressed a lot. She smiled. ¡°How do you know to give me sour plums?¡± Chu Tianbao let Bai Wutong fall into his arms and adjusted her into a comfortable position. ¡°I asked Doctor Gu.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s mind flashed with images of Chu Tianbao listening carefully to Gu Zhongxun¡¯s instructions on what to take note of for pregnant women and his serious expression as he used a small book to record down. She couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Thank you, Brother Tianbao Chu Tianbao was stunned. He narrowed his eyes and requested in her ear , ¡®Wife, can you call me that again?¡± Bai Wutong was in a good mood and satisfied him. ¡°Brother Tianbao, kiss me¡ª¡± Chu Tianbao held his breath and naturally had to satisfy his wife¡¯s request wholeheartedly. ¡®Wu How could he let his wife down after she called him Brother Tianbao ¨C Chapter 318 - Chapter 318: She’s At Most a concubine! Chapter 318: She¡¯s At Most a concubine! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Everyone was in the field, working hard to dig for the tapiocas. Xiaobai was also digging at the side. It dug out a piece of tapioca and immediately brought it to Bai Wutong for praise. Bai Wutong stroked its smooth head. Xiaobai, who was satisfied, raised its butt and kept digging for the tapioca that everyone had missed. Not long after, a small mountain of tapioca appeared in front of Bai Wutong. Stinky also wanted to dig, but he had a habit of stuffing everything into his mouth. If he accidentally took a bite of the tapioca, it would be a huge problem. Bai Wutong asked Chu Tianbao to bring him to ride the wooden horse. Stinky liked to ride the wooden horse the most, so he immediately forgot about digging for tapiocas. Cui Lingyi sat beside her with a concerned expression. ¡°Are you feeling unwell?¡¯ After Bai Wutong drank the oolong tea she had brewed, both her child and she had almost lost their lives. Cui Lingyi still felt very guilty. This had never been her fault. It had just been an accident. No one had expected it. However, Cui Lingyi felt uneasy at the thought that the child in Bai Wutong¡¯s womb might be weak from birth. Bai Wutong knew that there was a hurdle in her heart. She smiled brightly and said, ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you asking Granny Wang to take care of me that I don¡¯t feel uncomfortable at all today.¡± Granny Wang was very experienced in taking care of pregnant ladies. The food they prepared was also to her liking. Her nausea was greatly reduced, and her mental state was much better. Seeing that she was really looking better, Cui Lingyi relaxed a little. She took out the baby undergarment she had drawn and gave it to Bai Wutong to choose. ¡°Take a look and see which is more to your liking.¡± Bai Wutong took the illustration and looked at it. She couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°They¡¯re all very beautiful. I don¡¯t even know how to choose. You¡¯re preparing too early. It¡¯s only been less than two months.¡± Cui Lingyi smiled and said, ¡°Time passes in the blink of an eye. It¡¯s better to prepare early than late.¡± Then she said, ¡°After making the undergarments, I can also make a few winter clothes. They¡¯ll be suitable when the child is born.¡± Bai Wutong touched her womb. ¡°Did you hear that? Baby, be good. Your auntie has even prepared your winter clothes.¡± Cui Lingyi¡¯s gaze was gentle as she sincerely prayed that Bai Wutong and the child in her womb could be born safely and healthily. After digging up a lot of tapiocas, the carriage could not hold them all. Everyone packed the tapiocas and carried some away. Just as they were about to set off, the sound of galloping hooves suddenly came from ahead. A woman in red waved her horsewhip and led more than 20 elite soldiers towards them. Lu Ye stood up and looked over. His eyes suddenly lit up as he said excitedly to Chu Tianbao, ¡°Young General, Miss is here to look for you.¡± Bai Wutong was slightly surprised. The woman in red had already arrived in front of them. She dismounted nimbly, like a graceful red butterfly. Her ordinary appearance had the unique aura of the sun glow, making her more eye-catching. Was this Chu Tianbao¡¯s sister? The two of them did not look alike at all. Just as Bai Wutong was feeling puzzled, the moment Gu Liancheng saw Chu Tianbao, tears instantly welled up and she flew towards him. Before Gu Liancheng could touch a single hair on Chu Tianbao, in the next second, under everyone¡¯s surprised gazes, she flew out in a perfect arc. Fortunately, Chu Tianbao¡¯s kick was not heavy. Gu Liancheng fell to the ground and got up in a sorry state. She immediately cried to Chu Tianbao, ¡°Gu Junyan, why did you kick me?¡± He had never touched her in the past, but that day, he kicked her away in front of so many people. Gu Liancheng felt extremely aggrieved. Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes suddenly darkened. Since she was his sister, why did she call him by his name? Since she was his sister, why did she sound more affectionate than talking to her brother? It was as if they were not siblings, but more like a pair of lovers. Bai Wutong was shocked by her thoughts and secretly clenched her fists. Chu Tianbao did not buy into Gu Liancheng¡¯s words. He was only Chu Tianbao. He said expressionlessly, ¡®Men and women should not be too close.¡± Gu Liancheng¡¯s face instantly turned red, startling Bai Wutong even more. A woman ¡®s intuition told her that something was definitely wrong. She instantly guessed that Chu Tianbao was not Marshal Gu¡¯s biological son, or that Gu Liancheng was not. While Gu Liancheng was embarrassed, angry, and sad, she glanced at Bai Wutong from the corner of her eye. When she realized that Chu Tianbao was holding her hand, she instantly lost her composure. She suddenly got up from the ground and questioned Chu Tianbao, ¡°You said that men and women should not be too close. Then why are you being so intimate in public?¡± It was not a sister¡¯s business to know who her brother was being intimate with. Besides, she was so self-righteous. In an instant, even Cui Lingyi sensed that something was wrong and suddenly frowned. The others were shocked that Chu Tianbao had such an unreasonable sister. Logically speaking, this lady did not grow up in the Southern Frontier. How could she be as boorish as the women in the Southern Frontier and actually say such words in public? Bai Wutong suddenly felt a little disgusted. She shook off Chu Tianbao¡¯s hand in disgust. ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well. Let¡¯s go back to the carriage first.¡± When Chu Tianbao felt the warmth of Bai Wutong¡¯s hand slip away, he hurriedly grabbed her. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Bai Wutong glanced at Gu Liancheng, who was in shock and disbelief, and pulled her hand out again. ¡°Stay with your sister first.¡± Chu Tianbao didn¡¯t want to care about his sister at all. He hurriedly grabbed Bai Wutong, afraid that she would slip away. Gu Liancheng never expected Chu Tianbao, who had returned, to have a woman he liked. She gritted her teeth and looked at Bai Wutong as if she was looking at an irreconcilable enemy. Her originally bright phoenix eyes also lost their luster. They were covered by filth as she suddenly rushed towards Bai Wutong and shouted, ¡°Pretentious vixen!¡¯ Everyone was stunned by her shocking words. How could she say that¡­ Madam Bai was her sister-in-law! The moment she rushed over, Chu Tianbao pulled Bai Wutong into his arms and raised his hand to send Gu Liancheng flying to the ground. ¡°Pfft¡ª¡± Gu Liancheng spat out a mouthful of blood. Her eyes were red as she said with difficulty, ¡°You, you actually hit me again because of her!¡¯ Despite her miserable appearance, Chu Tianbao only said coldly, ¡°You deserve to be beaten.¡± If she wasn¡¯t Gu Liancheng, Chu Tianbao would have killed her long ago. After only a while, Bai Wutong felt mentally and physically exhausted. Chu Tianbao picked her up horizontally, left everyone behind, and entered the carnage. Gu Liancheng stayed where she was and was like a joke. Lu Ye did not know why Gu Liancheng had suddenly gone crazy. He could not help but support her up, wanting to find a doctor to treat her. However, Gu Liancheng grabbed his sleeve like a lunatic and questioned, ¡®Who is that woman?¡± Lu Ye frowned and replied truthfully, ¡°It¡¯s Young General¡¯s wife.¡± Gu Liancheng widened his eyes crazily. ¡°My father didn¡¯t even agree to it. Bullsh*t Young General¡¯s wife!¡± She shouted again, ¡°She¡¯s at most a concubine!¡± Everyone present was furious. Bai Wutong was Chu Tianbao¡¯s legitimate wife. They had bowed to the heavens and earth and everyone had witnessed it. Was there something wrong with her brain? How dare she be so arrogant? Chapter 319 - Chapter 319: She Wanted Gu Junyan to Regret It Forever Chapter 319: She Wanted Gu Junyan to Regret It Forever Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Bai Wutong was still pregnant with Chu Tianbao¡¯s child. If she heard it and became agitated, the consequences would be unimaginable. Cui Lingyi¡¯s eyes darkened as she scolded angrily, ¡°The daughter of the Marshal¡¯s residence actually doesn¡¯t know what etiquette and shame is!¡± Cui Lingyi criticized Gu Liancheng, and the others stood forward as well. Auntie Yang shouted, ¡°Our Madam Bai is Master Chu¡¯s legitimate wife. They¡¯re a match made in heaven. Who do you think you are to criticize her!¡± Along the way, Auntie Yang had witnessed how loving Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao were. How could she tolerate others insulting Bai Wutong as a concubine? Bai Wutong had treated them so well. Without Bai Wutong, they might not have survived. So what if she was the Missus of the Marshal¡¯s residence? Auntie Yang had to scold her even if she had to risk her life. Not only Auntie Yang, but everyone who had received Bai Wutong¡¯s favor also stood up and echoed loudly, ¡®That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. Who do you think you are!¡± ¡°So what if she¡¯s a Missus from the Marshal¡¯s residence? She¡¯s even worse than a shrew from our countryside!¡± Master Chu was the young general, Duke Ling, and his status was even higher than Marshal Guts. No matter who he married, it was not up to others to interfere. If Master Chu sided with Gu Liancheng and wanted to punish them, they would have accepted their fate. They just thought that it was not worth it for Madam Gu Liancheng had been protected by Marshal Gu since she was young and had never been humiliated like this. With a fierce gaze, she said, ¡°How dare you! Tie them all up!¡± Aftershe gave the order, the elite soldiers who were ordered to protect Gu Liancheng immediately obeyed. Sheng Huaixuan stood in front of Cui Lingyi. The men from Youjia Village quickly united and picked up their weapons to form a human defense shield. Little Cat stood in the crowd with a dark gaze. ¡°With a daughter like this, Marshal Gu is nothing great either.¡± He looked in Chu Tianbao¡¯s direction again. If Chu Tianbao dared to let Madam Bai down, he would definitely not forgive him. Absolutely. There were many people in Youjia village, and there were only more than 20 people with Gu Liancheng. With so many people, the elite soldiers could not take them down. Gu Liancheng pulled out Lu Ye¡¯s sword. Those who resist will be killed without mercy! ¡± She swore to return all the humiliation she had just suffered. Hearing her orders, the elite soldiers hesitated for a moment before drawing their swords in unison. Youjia villagers looked at each other and did not retreat. They raised their weapons and faced the elite soldiers. Gu Liancheng was furious. She could not believe that these refugees actually had the guts to resist her. Did they know who they were! Gu Liancheng pointed at Lu Ye and ordered, ¡°Attack together!¡± She did not bring enough people. But Lu Ye still had soldiers. She did not believe that she could not subdue these refugees. They would be afraid at the sight of a little blood. Gu Liancheng had learned Marshal Gu¡¯s decisiveness in killing and the cruelty and ruthlessness of treating enemies. Disappointment flashed in everyone¡¯s eyes. They were also afraid that Chu Tianbao would be no different from Gu Liancheng after he regained his memories. Then what should Madam Bai do? If she became a concubine, even they would not be able to tolerate it. Not to mention that Madam Bai was someone who would rather break than bend. Lu Ye suddenly held Gu Liancheng¡¯s hand and shook his head. ¡°Miss, you can¡¯t.¡± The law did not punish the masses, not to mention that Gu Liancheng was the one who spoke rudely first, which angered the people. It was against military law to kill someone without permission. Even if Marshal Gu did not punish his biological daughter, none of them would be able to escape. Lu Ye recalled how Bai Wutong had taught everyone to detoxify the tapioca and resolve their food concerns recently, yet Gu Liancheng insulted her as a concubine. He tried to persuade her again with a heavy heart, ¡°Miss, you can¡¯t do this. It will make the people¡¯s hearts turn cold.¡± Gu Liancheng¡¯s eyes widened. Even Lu Ye wanted to help them. She was furious at being betrayed. ¡®How dare you stop me!¡± Lu Ye lowered his eyes. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare, but it¡¯s really inappropriate to do this.¡± As Marshal Gu¡¯s only daughter and the sister of Duke Ling, she was insulted by a group of refugees, yet she could not punish them severely. Gu Liancheng was so angry that she spat out another mouthful of blood. She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth. In an instant, she raised her sword and pressed it against her neck. ¡°If you don¡¯t capture them, I¡¯ll die here today!¡± Lu Ye was shocked and wanted to stop her. Gu Liancheng pulled the sharp blade and a wound appeared on her neck. Dark red blood suddenly flowed out. Lu Ye panicked. He was afraid that Gu Liancheng would really kill herself if he wasn¡¯t careful. If that happened, how could he face the Marshal? He gave his subordinate a look and called Chu Tianbao over to resolve the current situation. He comforted her with words, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get someone to capture them now. Miss, don¡¯t take things too hard.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, You Huaijie walked out of the crowd. He looked coldly at Gu Liancheng, who was holding a sword. ¡°It¡¯s not up to a woman to deal with the people I brought over.¡± Even if Gu Liancheng was the daughter of the Marshal¡¯s residence, she had neither an official position nor a title. Cui Lingyi and the others were not servants of the Marshal¡¯s residence, nor did she have the right to commit murder. Gu Liancheng said agitatedly, ¡°I¡¯m the Missus of the Marshal¡¯s Residence! They deserve to die for being rude to me!¡± You Huaijie¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Only the royal relatives have the right to punish others for offending them. Miss Gu, have you forgotten your identity!¡± If Emperor Linghui found out, he would definitely be extremely wary of the Gu family. Moreover, the battle in the southern frontier had already had its outcome. One would lose its value after being used, so this would probably lead to the entire Gu family¡¯s death. As long as Gu Liancheng still had some considerations, she would not fight with You Huaijie anymore. Gu Liancheng blurted out, ¡®Tm Junyan¡¯s sister!¡¯ Chu Tianbao was the Duke Ling indeed. But Gu Liancheng was not a princess. She was too confident in her identity! Everyone had full doubts about her intelligence. You Huaijie raised his eyebrows and said bluntly, ¡°Duke Ling doesn¡¯t have a biological sister. Miss Gu, I hope you can be careful with your words and actions and not disappoint Marshal Gu.¡± Gu Liancheng was so angry that her entire body was shaking. She was the only daughter of Marshal Gu, the sister of Duke Ling, but she was actually unable to do anything to these refugees. She shouted indignantly, ¡®Then they have to kneel down and apologize to me!¡± You Huaijie said unhurriedly, ¡°They should apologize. But Miss Gu instigated the soldiers to kill people, she should be executed according to the law.¡± As soon as these words were spoken, the commoners cheered. The bold ones even took the initiative to say, ¡®We¡¯ll apologize now!¡± They wanted to see You Huaijie arrest Gu Liancheng with their own eyes. Wasn¡¯t she arrogant? Since she was going to die, they would fulfill her wish. Lu Ye panicked completely. He did not expect You Huaijie to be such a protective official. He did not care about their marshal at all and wanted to force Gu Liancheng to death. He was angry and eager for Chu Tianbao to appear. Even You Huaijie humiliated her, Gu Liancheng widened hers eyes and pulled the sword with a determined expression. ¡°My father won¡¯t let any of you off.''( In the next second, Lu Ye grabbed the sword tightly. Blood flowed from his palm, but Gu Liancheng ignored it and continued to pull the sword. ¡°Don¡¯t stop me! Let me die now! ¡± She wanted Gu Junyan to regret it for the rest of his life. Lu Ye?s hand felt like it was about to be cut open. He endured the pain and summoned the young general in his heart. He was about to lose control of the situation.. Chapter 320 - Chapter 320: Sorry Chapter 320: Sorry Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios If Gu Liancheng died, there would be a rift between the Governor of the Southern Frontier and Marshal Gu. The people would still be the ones suffering. Cui Shize was burning with anxiety. If Gu Liancheng wanted to die, she had to die far away from them. Suddenly, Chu Tianbao snatched the sword from Gu Liancheng¡¯s hand from behind them at lightning speed. Whoosh The sharp sword with Lu Ye¡¯s blood was thrown to the ground. The moment Gu Liancheng saw Chu Tianbao clearly, tears welled up in her eyes. She knew that he would not abandon her. Gu Liancheng was about to pounce into Chu Tianbao¡¯s arms when he quickly dodged. Gu Liancheng missed. In the next second, she was tied up by the dark guards. She was about to scream when her mouth was gagged by a wad of linen. When Lu Ye witnessed the scene in front of him, he even forgot about the wound on his hand. Although the Young General was not very close to Miss in the past, he was still extremely protective of her. But now, he had personally brought people to tie her up. Many people were already very relieved that Chu Tianbao had tied Gu Liancheng up. After all, they were siblings. He couldn¡¯t really kill her, right? Little Cat sneered. She would be released after tying up for some time. Did Madam Bai suffer for nothing? Gu Liancheng struggled with tears in her eyes and wailed. Chu Tianbao glanced at her and met her pitiful gaze. He said coldly, ¡°Give her medicine to become mute.¡± As soon as he said this, everyone was shocked. The dark guard took out a bottle and realized that Chu Tianbao was not joking. Everyone held their breaths. Lu Ye knelt down to plead for Gu Liancheng. ¡°Young General, Miss knows her mistake. Please spare her this time.¡± Chu Tianbao glanced at him coldly. ¡°I¡¯ve already spared her.¡± If she wasn¡¯t Gu Liancheng, Chu Tianbao would have already killed her. His cold gaze was bone-chilling and there was no room for negotiation. Lu Ye felt a chill run down his spine and looked at Gu Liancheng in a daze. Gu Liancheng looked at the medicine bottle in the dark guard¡¯s hand in panic and looked at Chu Tianbao for help. Chu Tianbao¡¯s face was unmoved. The dark guard removed the linen cloth from Gu Liancheng¡¯s mouth and grabbed her chin before she could scream. In less than a second, it was all in her mouth. The medicine in the Dark Guards Team was very effective. In an instant, Gu Liancheng¡¯s throat felt like it was on fire. She fell to the ground in pain. She wanted to hold her neck to ease the pain, but her hands were tied and she could only twitch. Gu Liancheng¡¯s miserable appearance made Meng Weiwei break out in a cold sweat. Gu Liancheng was Marshal Gu¡¯s daughter. She had only said a few words about Bai Wutong, but she had fallen to such a state. ¡®What about her?¡¯ Meng Weiwei¡¯s legs went weak. When Chu Tianbao returned to the carriage, Bai Wutong had already fallen asleep. But she didn¡¯t sleep well. She woke up as soon as Chu Tianbao returned. Chu Tianbao lay down with her and apologized softly in her ear. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He did not kill Gu Liancheng. Bai Wutong opened her eyes. ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡± Chu Tianbao buried his head in her shoulder and said softly, ¡°I hesitated.¡± If it were in the past, he would definitely kill Gu Liancheng without hesitation. Chu Tianbao¡¯s concerns meant that he had grown up. She was indeed a little unhappy to see Gu Liancheng, but Chu Tianbao loved her wholeheartedly, so it would not destabilize her trust in him. Bai Wutong turned around and gently touched her furrowed eyebrows. ¡°It¡¯s good to have concerns. This way, there won¡¯t be any future trouble.¡± No matter who Chu Tianbao was, Gu Liancheng¡¯s identity was sensitive. She could not be touched. If Gu Liancheng died and the news spread, public opinion would also make Chu Tianbao the target of everyone. Chu Tianbao replied softly. Feeling his wife¡¯s warmth and aura, all his worries dissipated.. Chapter 321 - Chapter 321: How Can There Be Such a Big Child! Chapter 321: How Can There Be Such a Big Child! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The team was still half a day away from Baye City. They could have rushed through the night. But Chu Tianbao was afraid that Bai Wutong would suffer too much along the way, so he asked the team to set up camp. Coincidentally, there were also some tapiocas around. Everyone could spread out and dig them up for dinner so that they could eat their fill. When Bai Wutong got out of the carriage, everyone surrounded her enthusiastically. On the other side, compared to the scene of Bai Wutong being surrounded by people, Gu Liancheng was like a prisoner and was being watched by Lu Ye. She stared at Bai Wutong fiercely and touched her poisoned throat. Her cold eyes were like a lurking poisonous snake. Lu Ye coughed lightly and gestured for Gu Liancheng to retract her gaze. He lowered his voice and advised softly, ¡°Miss, don¡¯t stare anymore. Young General has lost his memory and treats you as a stranger.¡± How could a stranger cause Chu Tianbao to pity her? If she provoked him again, Chu Tianbao might really kill Gu Liancheng. Lu Ye recalled Chu Tianbao¡¯s darkened eyes and still felt frightened. Miss had already taken the mute medicine. At this point, nothing else could happen. Gu Liancheng glared at Lu Ye. If he had told her long ago that Chu Tianbao had lost his memory and was manipulated by that woman, how could she have become like this? When she returned to Baye City and saw her father, she would settle the score with him. When Chu Tianbao met her father, he would definitely remember who he was. At that time, he would definitely regret it and make up for it. She would make that woman pay a painful price. Gu Liancheng fantasized gloomily, but her stomach suddenly made a gurgling sound. Chu Tianbao wouldn¡¯t let anyone feed her. She had been walking for so long that her stomach was already flat from hunger. When Lu Ye heard it, he wanted to get someone to bring her something to eat. However, no one dared to disobey Chu Tianbao¡¯s instructions. Lu Ye could only dig up tapiocas for Gu Liancheng to eat like Auntie Yang and the others. Before he left, he said to Gu Liancheng, ¡°Miss, don¡¯t walk around. I¡¯ll go find you something to eat.¡± He was afraid that she would cause trouble again if she walked around. Gu Liancheng did not speak, but acquiesced to his actions. If she didn¡¯t eat soon, she wouldn¡¯t have the strength to glare at him. Although the army had always lacked food, she had never starved. This was the first time that day. Lu Ye brought his men to dig for tapiocas. Everyone knew that he was here to dig for Gu Liancheng to eat and deliberately targeted them. As long as Lu Ye saw a tapioca, everyone would always dig it up first. Stinky held the sugar-stained tapioca and prepared to bite it. Gu Liancheng watched coldly, but she did not stop him. Stinky took a big bite. The soft and sweet taste made him narrow his eyes, but a sense of pleasure secretly rose in Gu Liancheng¡¯s heart. Soon, the child would die from the poison. While Stinky was eating, Xiaobai also came over. Upholding the principle of sharing blessings with good brothers, Stinky placed the tapioca in front of Xiaobai¡¯s mouth. Xiaobai was a carnivore. It pursed its lips in disdain. Stinky educated Xiaobai like Bai Wutong had taught him. ¡°Xiaobai, you can¡¯t be picky!¡± Xiaobai rolled its eyes and left elegantly. Stinky, who was ignored, immediately ran to Bai Wutong to complain. ¡°Mother, Xiaobai is being picky!¡± Gu Liancheng clenched his fists tightly. How could this be! How could his brother have such a big child! Could it be that he had already slept with that woman before he disappeared? Thinking of this possibility , pain and resentment surged towards her like an endless tide. Bai Wutong explained with a smile, ¡°Xiaobai only eats meat Stinky came to a realization. He had actually forgotten about this. He instantly forgave Xiaobai and reached out his chubby hand to raise the tapioca in front of Bai Wutong. He smiled and said in a childish voice, ¡°Then Mother can eat it.¡± Gu Liancheng suddenly widened her eyes and stared at the scene in front of her. Her heart beat rapidly as she silently shouted for Bai Wutong to bite down.. Chapter 322 - Chapter 322: How Is This Possible?!!! Chapter 322: How Is This Possible?!!! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Gu Liancheng was too eager. It was difficult not to notice her. Bai Wutong glanced at her and knew what she was thinking. Instantly, any good impression of Gu Liancheng was reduced to zero. If she hadn¡¯t reincarnated into a good family, Bai Wutong would have long killed such a person. Stinky was waiting for Bai Wutong to bite. He asked in puzzlement. ¡°Doesn¡¯t Mother like it?¡± Bai Wutong smiled, bent down, and took a small bite. She even turned around and smiled at Gu Liancheng. When Gu Liancheng saw her bite the tapioca, her excited heart stopped beating. Bai Wutong and this child were going to die soon!!! It was just that her death was too easy and it was difficult to resolve her hatred of being poisoned. The ferocious and crazy expression on Gu Liancheng¡¯s face made the smile in Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes deepen. When Gu Liancheng found out that she was not dead, what kind of interesting expression would appear on her face? It was really something to look forward to. Gu Liancheng thought that the smile on Bai Wutong¡¯s face was mocking her for being hungry, so her smile became even more sinister. Just as Gu Liancheng was hoping that Bai Wutong would die from the poison as soon as possible, Chu Tianbao walked over and blocked her view. The moment Chu Tianbao hugged Bai Wutong, Gu Liancheng¡¯s eyes turned red again. She wanted to go over and push them away, but she was afraid that she would attract even more humiliation. She held back her tears and comforted herself that Bai Wutong was going to die anyway. What was there to fear about a dead person? Suddenly, Chu Tianbao¡¯s sharp gaze swept over. Their gazes met in the air. Gu Liancheng felt the killing intent emitted throughout his entire body, as if she could see her head splattered with blood under a blade. She shivered and quickly lowered her head. Bai Wutong saw that the flowers in the wilderness beside her were quite beautiful and said to Chu Tianbao, ¡°Let¡¯s bring Stinky and Xiaobai there to play.¡¯ The blooming flowers danced under the setting sun, forming a beautiful painting. It was a rare beautiful scenery. It was better not to let some people ruin their mood. Chu Tianbao agreed and personally went to get a cloak for her to put on. He led her carefully to the edge of the wilderness. Stinky was used to seeing Chu Tianbao and Bai Wutong show off their lovey-dovey relationship. He followed behind Xiaobai and ran into the wilderness to have fun. As the sun set, they were like a perfect happy family. However, every scene pierced Gu Liancheng¡¯s heart. It turned out that it was not that he was not considerate, but that he had never shown her his consideration and gentleness. Gu Liancheng gritted her teeth and watched their every move, hoping that Bai Wutong and Stinky would die soon. When Chu Tianbao regained his memories, even if he wouldn¡¯t be considerate and gentle to her, he would always take care of her because of guilt. Gu Liancheng had quite a beautiful daydream. Even when Lu Ye appeared with two tapiocas that he had painstakingly snatched from other people, Bai Wutong and Stinky were still fine. She could not believe it. The tapioca was clearly poisonous, anyone who had eaten it would fall to the ground and twitch non-stop. Why had Bai Wutong¡¯s poison not acted up yet? She guessed that perhaps Bai Wutong had eaten too little tapioca just now and might have to wait for a while. She suppressed the anxiety in her heart and waited bitterly. Lu Ye found it strange that she was staring at something. He turned around and was shocked. Gu Liancheng was staring at Bai Wutong again. The young general protected Bai Wutong as if she was his eyeball. Lu Ye was really afraid that her eyes would disappear after looking at her. He forcefully blocked in front of her. ¡°Miss, eat something!¡± Couldn¡¯t she stop? With Young General¡¯s bad temper, it was already not easy for him to find a girl he liked. Even he could not figure out why Gu Liancheng was targeting Bai Wutong. Gu Liancheng was very displeased that he was blocking her line of sight, but she was indeed hungry. She picked up the food in Lu Ye¡¯s hand and was about to take a bite when she saw that he had peeled and cooked tapioca for her like what Stinky ate. She was suddenly furious. She snatched the two tapiocas from Lu Ye¡¯s hand and threw them to the ground. She found it not enough to vent her anger and even stomped her feet hard, crushing the tapioca. Lu Ye had painstakingly obtained the tapioca, but he could only watch as she stepped on it. When he reacted and was about to tell Gu Liancheng that this tapioca was not poisonous and could be eaten, Gu Liancheng raised her hand and slapped him hard again. ¡°Pa¡ª¡± An extremely crisp slap resounded in all directions, and everyone looked over. Lu Ye was stunned. He stood in front of Gu Liancheng in a daze. Gu Liancheng thought of how she had almost eaten the tapioca. She slapped him again. Her throat, which was unable to make a sound, was like a broken hair pump. It was especially ear-piercing. Lu Ye understood what she was saying. She was saying, ¡°You dog, how dare you give me such a thing to eat!¡¯ The people around them gathered, looking like Gu Liancheng did not know what was good for her. ¡°He gave you something to eat, but you still hit him!¡± Someone criticized. ¡°She¡¯s a delicate Missus, of course she has to eat delicacies,¡± someone mocked. ¡°Master Chu already said not to give her anything to eat. He deserves it! ¡± Someone criticized. Gu Liancheng grabbed a handful of soil from the ground and threw it at them. She opened her mouth and tried to scream. ¡°Go away!¡± If she could speak, it would definitely be very intimidating. However, everyone only heard the piercing sound of the exhaust machine and spoke even more enthusiastically. Gu Liancheng, who had a ferocious expression and was roaring, seemed to have been possessed by a demon. Lu Ye had a swollen face, but he still wanted to stop her from arguing with these commoners again. Lu Ye pulled Gu Liancheng back and pointed at the tapioca on the ground. ¡°Miss, the tapioca has been detoxified. It can be eaten. It will be fine.¡± If Gu Liancheng refused to eat tapioca, he would have nothing else to give her. How could Gu Liancheng believe it? They had been in the southern frontier for so long. How many people had died from eating tapioca? Besides, she didn¡¯t want to believe it. She still wanted to watch Bai Wutong die in pain in front of her. No matter what Lu Ye said, Gu Liancheng refused to believe him. His subordinate finally brought over two more tapiocas. Lu Ye took a bite personally. ¡°Miss, look, I¡¯ve already eaten them.¡± Gu Liancheng¡¯s eyes widened. She gritted her teeth, snatched the tapioca, and threw it out. This must be Bai Wutong¡¯s scheme to make Lu Ye pretend to take a bite and trick her into eating the tapioca. Not only did Bai Wutong die, but she also wanted her to die with her. At this moment, Gu Liancheng was in a crazy state. Bai Wutong was attracted by the commotion they had caused, so a dark guard quickly reported this matter to them. Chu Tianbao suddenly lowered his gaze. ¡°Lu Ye is not allowed to eat tonight.¡± Bai Wutong was not a saint. If Chu Tianbao wanted to protect and punish anyone, she would not pretend to be a good person and stop him. When Gu Liancheng calmed down, she still did not see Bai Wutong and Stinky. Instead, her stomach was rumbling with hunger. She nudged Lu Ye and gestured for him to quickly find something to eat for her. All she received was Lu Ye¡¯s slightly cold words. ¡°Only tapioca.¡± Lu Ye was a soldier who had risked his life with Marshal Gu on the battlefield. He had a temper when he was scolded by Gu Liancheng like a servant. Lu Ye repeatedly emphasized that she should eat the tapioca. Moreover, he had taken a bite just now, but he did not spit it out. Gu Liancheng¡¯s eyes darkened. Could tapioca really be edible? How was this possible?!!! Chapter 323 - Chapter 323: Not In This Lifetime Chapter 323: Not In This Lifetime Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Gu Liancheng still could not believe it. However, when she saw everyone fishing out the hot tapioca from the pot and eating it happily in front of her, she could not help but believe it. It was possible for one person to lie to her, but there were so many of them. It was impossible for all of them to be seeking death. Gu Liancheng looked in Bai Wutong¡¯s direction in a daze. There was only a little hope remained in her heart. What if the tapioca that Bai Wutong ate was poisonous! Gu Liancheng grabbed the corner of her skirt nervously. At this moment, even her hunger seemed to have been forgotten. The scenery here was too good. Bai Wutong sat down, took out her drawing board, and carefully sketched the scene of Stinky and Xiaobai playing happily in the wilderness. Stinky grabbed Xiaobai¡¯s big tail and smiled like a fleshy flower. Xiaobai opened its mouth in pain and flew up exaggeratedly. It was a vivid painting. Anyone who saw it would be healed by the child and wolf. Bai Wutong finished coloring the painting with solid paint and smiled in satisfaction. Just as she was about to ask Chu Tianbao for his opinion, a beautiful bouquet of wildflowers appeared in front of her. Chu Tianbao¡¯s handsome facial features stood against the light. His deep black eyes reflected her smile. In an instant, it was another beautiful scene suited for painting. Qin Xiao, who was a drawing fanatic, had his eyes lit up. He immediately tore off the painting he was drawing and quickly outlined the image of Chu Tianbao and Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong was surprised and happy to suddenly see such a big bouquet of wild flowers. ¡®When did you pick them?¡± She clearly felt that Chu Tianbao had always been behind her. Chu Tianbao stuck a flower in her ear. ¡°Just now. ¡® Bai Wutong stroked the flowers on her ears and smiled like a flower. Thinking about it, it made sense. With Chu Tianbao¡¯s skills, it would be easy for him to pick the flowers without any sound. Bai Wutong held his hand and drew a heart in his palm. ¡®Thank you. I like it very much. ¡® Chu Tianbao understood what heart meant and drew a heart in Bai Wutong¡¯s hand. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± His words were clearly out of politeness, but it unintentionally showed off their affections. Lin Yue stood behind and shook his head. Even the dogs would shake their heads when they saw this. His Qingfeng was still the best. She was low-key, cold, and reserved. He would ask her for a kiss later. When Stinky saw that Bai Wutong was wearing a flower on her head, he also picked one and handed it to his father. He even said in a childish voice, ¡°Auntie likes flowers too.¡± After Sheng Huaixuan and Cui Lingyi expressed their feelings for each other , their relationship became much closer. Everyone tacitly knew about their relationship. When they arrived at Baye City, there was a high chance that Sheng Huaixuan would propose marriage to Cui Lingyi. Sheng Huaixuan stroked his son¡¯s head. ¡®Thank you.¡± Stinky raised his little chin proudly and even urged him to go quickly. Sheng Huaixuan was helpless. This child was really mischievous. However, when he thought of how happy Cui Lingyi would be when she had received the flowers, he couldn¡¯t help but smile gently. He bent down and picked a handful of colorful flowers around him. Cui Lingyi saw him walking towards her with the flowers. She lowered her eyes shyly, feeling a little embarrassed. Sheng Huaixuan handed her a flower and specially said, ¡°This is for you from Stinky. Cui Lingyi¡¯s eyes lit up. She looked at Stinky and Xiaobai, who were hiding in the bushes and observing secretly. They still thought that they would not be discovered. She smiled gently. ¡°Thank you.¡± After giving one flower, Sheng Huaixuan still had a bunch in his hand. The two of them glanced at the beautiful flowers. The moment their gazes collided in the air, the surrounding air seemed to heat up. Stinky widened his eyes, and so did Xiaobai. Sheng Huaixuan and Cui Lingyi glanced at them from the corner of their eyes and could not help but laugh. Sheng Huaixuan brought the flowers in front of her, his gentle eyes filled with joy. ¡°This is from me.¡± His love was not as intense as Chu Tianbao¡¯s, but it was as moist and silent as spring ram. At some point, Cui Lingyi had already developed a good impression of him and their relationship had naturally come this far. She accepted the bouquet and smiled brightly. ¡®Thank you.¡± Sheng Huaixuan was stunned for a moment before saying gently, ¡°As long as you like it.¡± Beside Stinky and Xiaobai¡¯s bushes, there were two pairs of eyes that were hiding deeper. Cui Muzhi grabbed Lan Jingbai¡¯s sleeve excitedly. ¡°Oh, oh, oh, oh, this is love!!!¡¯ ¡®Where is my love!!!¡± He had cried out a few times, but Lan Jingbai did not respond. He did not even make a sound. Cui Muzhi was really angry. Could it be that Lan Jingbai had a partner behind his back? He turned around and wanted to teach Lan Jingbai a lesson to not forget his buddy when he had someone he liked. Suddenly, he met Lan Jingbai¡¯s deep gaze. It was as deep as a pool of water that could not be seen clearly. It was complicated and mysterious, attracting people to fall into it. Cui Muzhi was stunned and asked foolishly, ¡°¡­What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡®Is there something on his face?¡¯ He looked as silly as a dog. Lan Jingbai suddenly retracted his gaze and said, ¡°If you want love, you can get Madam to arrange a marriage for you when you reach Baye.¡± He thought it would be easy to say this, but it was harder than he had imagined. It was as if there was a huge rock pressing down on his chest and he could not breathe. Cui Muzhi¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°You want me to be engaged?¡± Lan Jingbai hesitated for a moment. ¡°No, if you want to.¡± Cui Muzhi pursed his lips and looked at him unhappily. ¡°You¡¯re not even engaged. Why should I be engaged?¡± Wasn¡¯t it good for him to have his buddy? It was so boring to get married and he would be controlled by another person. Although he would be controlled by Lan Jingbai, he was already used to it. So be it. Anyway, he would have a way to deal with it. Lan Jingbai was silent for a long time. ¡°I won¡¯t be engaged. Not in this lifetime.¡± Cui Muzhi was stunned and his imagination ran wild. ¡°No way? Do you want to become a monk?¡± Or was it because he had watched too many people being affectionate and was agitated? Lan Jingbai looked at the innocent Cui Muzhi, not knowing if he really didn¡¯t understand or if he was pretending not to. ¡°No, I¡¯ll always be your guard.¡± It was clearly an ordinary sentence between good brothers. The moment Cui Muzhi heard it, his heart beat violently and his face turned red. He stiffened his neck, not knowing what to say at this moment so that he wouldn¡¯t appear inexperienced. Lan Jingbai suddenly stood up. ¡°Old Master called us for dinner.¡± Cui Muzhi looked over in surprise and subconsciously held his hand. When he met Lan Jingbai¡¯s confused gaze, he mustered his courage and said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to get married in my life.¡± While Lan Jingbai was surprised, Cui Muzhi had already fled like a frightened rabbit. Looking at his back as he flew away like the wind, Lan Jingbai suppressed the intense throbbing in his heart. He quickly chased after him with his sword and said behind him, ¡°Slow down.¡± Until dark, Gu Liancheng¡¯s remaining hope did not appear. Bai Wutong flirted with Chu Tianbao energetically, but she could only endure the insects¡¯ bites on the ground on an empty stomach. Lu Ye already fell asleep from her stomach growl. Gu Liancheng wanted to kick him awake, but suddenly, a woman appeared behind her. She opened her hand and handed her a lump of dry rations. Meng Weiwei lowered her voice slightly and looked around. ¡°Miss, you can eat this..¡± Chapter 324 - Chapter 324: Do You Want to Live With Your Father? Chapter 324: Do You Want to Live With Your Father? Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Gu Liancheng was so hungry that she could not hold back anymore. Even this lump of dry rations that looked difficult to swallow tasted extremely delicious to her. She swallowed and retracted her hand when she reached out. Seeing her vigilant expression, as though afraid that Meng Weiwei would poison her, Meng Weiwei hurriedly said, ¡°Miss, these are dry rations from my province. There¡¯s no problem.¡± With that, she broke off another small piece of dry rations and stuffed it into her mouth. She chewed and swallowed it to personally prove that the dry rations were not poisonous. Even if there was no poison, Gu Liancheng did not believe that Meng Weiwei would be so kind. She opened her mouth, probably to ask Meng Weiwei why she had saved her food for her. Meng Weiwei knew that if she did not let Gu Liancheng let down her guard, she would never accept her kindness. Suddenly, Meng Weiwei gritted her teeth and knelt down. ¡°Miss, Mother and I are alone and have no one to rely on. We¡¯re in a difficult situation in Baye. I hope to stay by Miss¡¯s side and have a place to stay.¡± Without Wu Hao¡¯s care, her father had been killed by You Huaijie, and she still had to take care of the weak Shen Yueqin. Meng Weiwei had already suffered a lot in the past few days. After knowing that the situation in Baye City was not much better, Meng Weiwei did not want to live such a hard life. When she saw Gu Liancheng in trouble, she had the thought of staying by her side. No matter how disheveled Gu Liancheng was now, she was still Marshal Gu ¡®s daughter. As long as she could gain Gu Liancheng¡¯s trust, she would definitely be able to take the opportunity to have a good future. If she could not dream of winning over Chu Tianbao, att the very least, she should be able to marry a soldier like Lu Ye. Meng Weiwei¡¯s edges had already been polished by her life experiences. The low-ranked soldiers that she had looked down on in the past had become a good choice in her eyes. If she could not follow Gu Liancheng, in a place like Baye where natives lived, even if she had all kinds of talents, she would not even be as valuable as two steamed buns. Gu Liancheng sized up Meng Weiwei and realized that she was more beautiful than her. Her lowered eyes were even more moving. She had always scoffed at such women. This was because she thought that Chu Tianbao would definitely not like such a weak woman. However, when she saw Bai Wutong being protected by Chu Tianbao, a smile flashed across her dark eyes. Would Chu Tianbao take a second look at her if she became such a woman? Meng Weiwei felt her blood run cold under Gu Liancheng¡¯s gaze. She held the dry rations in her hand and her legs were stiff from kneeling. Just as she thought that Gu Liancheng disdained to eat her food, Gu Liancheng slowly reached out her hand. Meng Weiwei was overjoyed. She had agreed to let her stay by her side. Meng Weiwei hurriedly kowtowed twice to express her loyalty, as if she had finally left the purgatory of life. Unexpectedly, at this moment, she really stepped into hell. At dawn, the team packed up and set off. The large group was finally reaching their final destination. Most people were still satisfied after seeing the beautiful environment around Baye. At least Emperor Linghui did not get them a lousy place where they could do nothing. Village Chief Zhao grabbed a handful of soil on the ground and said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s quite rich.¡± Auntie Yang also sighed. ¡®That¡¯s right. It¡¯s even richer than the land on the Jade Spiritual Mountain.¡± Village Chief Zhao smiled. ¡®That¡¯s true. If it¡¯s not rich, how can it grow such high-yielding tapiocas?¡± The grain seeds that Bai Wutong had brought from the modern world were only slightly more advanced than the production of tapiocas. However, as a product born and bred in this world, it was really very impressive that it had not been specially cultivated. Auntie Yang said regretfully, ¡°It¡¯s such a good land, but it¡¯s too far from our place. I wonder when I¡¯ll have the chance to return to our ancestors¡¯ graves and pay my respects.¡± Village Chief Zhao also felt regretful. He thought of Bai Wutong¡¯s words that it was the same everywhere. He smiled hopefully. ¡°Even if we can¡¯t, there¡¯s still the children and the others. There will be a chance to go back. If our ancestors know that we didn¡¯t deliberately not go back, they will definitely understand Auntie Yang nodded and looked in the direction of Baye City with a bright smile. ¡°1 hope everyone can still be together like Youjia Village.¡¯ Village Chief Zhao was overjoyed. His gaze landed on Bai Wutong¡¯s horse. ¡®We can definitely be together.¡± At this point, he was very proud. Back then, he had a discerning eye and led the entire village to follow Bai Wutong shamelessly. As a result, he had followed an impressive leader Duke Ling! If Chu Tianbao had been recognized earlier, they might not have had to move out of Youjia Village. There was a little regret, but most of it was surprise. In the future, they would have the Duke Ling as their backers. As long as they did not make a mistake, no one would dare to bully them. When Auntie Yang heard Village Chief Zhao¡¯s words, she felt relieved. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± But she said regretfully, ¡°But Madam Bai definitely won¡¯t be with us anymore.¡± Chu Tianbao was Duke Ling. Now that there was no Duke Ling¡¯s residence in Baye City, they would definitely have to live in the Marshal¡¯s residence with Marshal Gu. Auntie Yang thought of Gu Liancheng and couldn¡¯t help but frown. She wondered if Madam Bai¡¯s father-in-law was easy to get along with. Would he bully Madam Bai because Chu Tianbao had dealt with Gu Liancheng? Village Chief Zhao also felt that it was unlikely and comforted, ¡°It would be good if Madam is well. There¡¯s no need to force her.¡¯ They could obtain Bai Wutong¡¯s protection, but they should try not to disturb her again. At the highest point of the day, the team finally saw Baye City on a flat field. Bai Wutong was listening to the report outside the carriage that they had seen Baye City. She excitedly lifted the curtain and was dumbfounded. She had thought that Baye City would not be a livable place, but she did not expect it to be so bad. It was too flattering to call it a city. It might as well be called the gathering place of the primitive tribes. Bai Wutong looked at Chu Tianbao and smiled. ¡°Baye City is quite unique.¡± There were earthen castles, wooden houses, and stone houses. If one looked carefully, there were even pits in the ground. Chu Tianbao felt that it was a little unfair to her and the unborn child. ¡®We can build our own house.¡± He pointed in the other direction and said, ¡®That¡¯s the sea.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°I¡¯m afraid we have to build a house even if we don¡¯t want to. That location seems to be an opening. Let¡¯s observe the terrain first before planning to build one.¡± Chu Tianbao kissed her forehead, indicating that he would listen to her. Bai Wutong pinched his handsome face. ¡°Then are we going to stay with your father these few days?¡± Chu Tianbao didn¡¯t say that he would follow Bai Wutong¡¯s wishes. Instead, he shook his head. ¡°No, let¡¯s stay in the tent first so that you can stay with Madam Cui and the others.¡± As expected, Chu Tianbao understood her thoughts very well. She indeed didn¡¯t want to live with her father-in-law. Moreover, his daughter had become mute from insulting her. It would be extremely awkward for them to live together. However, as soon as they returned, Marshal Gu must have a lot to tell Chu Tianbao. Moreover, she wanted to find out if Chu Tianbao was Marshal Gu¡¯s biological son. Bai Wutong rubbed the tip of his nose. ¡°We have to stay for at least a night. We¡¯ll leave and stay elsewhere after your father talks to you.¡± Chu Tianbao nodded. ¡°Okay..¡± Chapter 325 - Chapter 325: Chu Tianbao Has the Royal Family Bloodline Chapter 325: Chu Tianbao Has the Royal Family Bloodline Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The team on galloping horses headed towards them. The tall man in the lead had a beard and an overbearing aura. His long and narrow phoenix eyes were exactly the same as Gu Liancheng¡¯s. He pulled the horse¡¯s reins and stopped at the front of the group. He didn¡¯t even look at You Huaijie, who was dressed neatly. He looked around the crowd before asking, ¡°Where are my son and daughter!¡± His tone was harsh and rude. It was obvious that he did not take You Huaijie, the governor of the southern frontier, seriously. Before You Huaijie could speak, Chu Tianbao helped Bai Wutong out of the carnage. The moment Gu Chilie saw Chu Tianbao, he jumped down from the horse¡¯s back and spread his hands, about to hug his revived son. To Chu Tianbao, Gu Chilie was just a stranger. Chu Tianbao hugged his wife and dodged the stranger¡¯s approach. Gu Chilie missed and laughed nonchalantly. ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re back! It¡¯s good that you¡¯re back!¡± When he realized that Chu Tianbao was carrying a beautiful young lady, the smile in his eyes froze. He asked Chu Tianbao in a strange tone, ¡®This is?¡± Chu Tianbao said simply, ¡°My wife.¡± However, it made people feel that she was very important to him. Gu Chilie forced a smile and didn¡¯t look Bai Wutong in the eye. He patted Chu Tianbao¡¯s shoulder hard. ¡°Good kid, you didn¡¯t go home because you went out to find a woman.¡± He looked around a few more times. ¡°Where¡¯s your sister? This silly girl¡¯s eyes are swollen from crying all day and night when she found out that something had happened to you. She has finally waited for you to come back. ¡± Gu Chilie¡¯s words sounded normal, but in Bai Wutong¡¯s ears, they were abnormally ear-piercing. He had called her the woman Chu Tianbao had found outside, so it was obvious that he did not acknowledge her as Chu Tianbao¡¯s wife. In front of her, he emphasized that Gu Liancheng was very worried about Chu Tianbao, so it was inevitable that people would suspect that Gu Chilie knew something. It was very likely that just as Bai Wutong had predicted, Chu Tianbao was not Gu Chilie¡¯s child. He knew that Gu Liancheng liked Chu Tianbao and was happy to bring them together. As long as it was a father who was sincerely thinking for Chu Tianbao, he would not forcefully go against his son¡¯s wishes and disrespect his decisions. Bai Wutong¡¯s first impression of Gu Chilie was very bad. Chu Tianbao frowned even more unhappily and emphasized to his unfamiliar father, ¡°She¡¯s my wife, not a woman found outside.¡± Probably surprised that his son would speak to him in such a cold tone, Gu Chilie was stunned for a moment. He suppressed his frustration and echoed, ¡°Haha, you¡¯re even protecting her, I got it.¡± Then he asked anxiously, ¡°Where¡¯s your sister?¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Gu Liancheng rushed out from behind. In just two days, Gu Liancheng had lost weight. Her mouth was covered in dry skin and her bloodshot eyes made it seem like she had suffered inhumane treatment. Gu Chilie¡¯s eyes were filled with worry. ¡®What¡¯s wrong? What¡¯s going on?¡± Although his concern for Chu Tianbao did not seem fake, it was obvious that Chu Tianbao was far inferior to Gu Liancheng in Gu Chilie¡¯s heart. When the surrounding people heard Gu Chilie ask Gu Liancheng what was wrong, and she could only make cracking sounds when she opened her mouth, they all took a step back in fear. His daughter was just crying non-stop. She even gestured at Bai Wutong as if she wanted to skin her alive. Gu Chilie¡¯s chest was filled with intense anger. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with my daughter? What¡¯s wrong with her?¡± He pointed at Bai Wutong. ¡°What did you do to her?¡± The warm scene of father and son meeting just now instantly turned into a tense situation. Everyone broke out in cold sweat for Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong had never done anything to Gu Liancheng from the beginning to the end. If Chu Tianbao wanted to protect her, why should she pretend to be a good person and stop him? Gu Chilie pointed the conflict at her indiscriminately. The moment her face turned cold, Chu Tianbao had already completely blocked in front of her. ¡°1 did it. ¡® Gu Chilie asked loudly, ¡®What did you do to your sister?¡± Even though he was facing his father¡¯s anger, Chu Tianbao¡¯s face was already dark. ¡°I¡¯m just telling her to shut up.¡± Gu Chilie¡¯s eyes widened as he looked at Chu Tianbao in disbelief. ¡°Did she force you?¡¯ She thought that Chu Tianbao was bewitched by Bai Wutong, which was why he did such a thing. Chu Tianbao said coldly, ¡°No.¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s attitude showed no respect for him at all. Gu Chilie did not expect Chu Tianbao to become so disrespectful after leaving him for only a few years. Sure enough, it was that person¡¯s son. He would always be an ingrate. Gu Liancheng cried. She shouted at Gu Chilie to avenge her and kill Bai Wutong. Not only did she want to kill Bai Wutong, but she also wanted to kill everyone in Youjia Village. The Youjia villagers took a step backin fear when she pointed at them. She was his biological daughter after all. Even if Gu Liancheng could not speak, he understood what she meant. Gu Chilie gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Junyan, you actually hurt your sister for a woman!¡± Chu Tianbao could tell that he wanted to kill Bai Wutong. He instantly pulled out his sword and stood in front of Gu Chilie. ¡°She¡¯s my wife. Those who touch her will die.¡± What tough words. He had raised him for so many years, but he had raised such a cold- blooded and heartless dog. He really thought that he was the emperor now! As long as Chu Shixiong did not acknowledge his identity, he could only be his son forever! Gu Chilie shouted angrily, ¡°I¡¯m your father!¡± Chu Tianbao said bluntly, ¡°I¡¯m Duke Ling.¡± Moreover, he was a first-rank Duke with the highest rank. Gu Chilie had to kowtow to him. If Gu Chilie was rude to him, according to the law, Chu Tianbao could completely punish Gu Chilie for being disrespectful. When Chu Tianbao said the words Duke Ling, making Gu Chilie feel a chill run down his spine. He thought that Chu Tianbao wanted to use his imperial power to suppress him after having a father like Emperor Linghui. But at this moment, his rationality returned. No matter how angry he was or how much he wanted to seek justice for his daughter. Chu Tianbao had the royal family bloodline. As long as he wanted to, he could override him. He should have seen the reality from the beginning. He thought that he had raised Chu Tianbao and nurtured him so well that he could acknowledge him as his father. Gu Chilie¡¯s anger was released in an instant and extinguished in an instant. When Lu Ye saw Marshal Gu¡¯s defeated appearance in front of the young general, he was very sad. He wanted to rush up and tell Gu Chilie that Chu Tianbao had only spoken to him like this because he had lost his memory. But Gu Chilie had already spoken again. He took a step back and pointed at the Youjia villagers. ¡°Hand them over to me.¡± Since he could not lay his hands on Bai Wutong , forget it. He would use these people to vent her daughter¡¯s anger. As soon as he said that, everyone from Youjia village turned pale. On one side was the father who had given birth to Chu Tianbao, and on the other side was a group of acquaintances who had known each other for two years. Anyone would think that Chu Tianbao would choose to hand them over. Gu Liancheng was indignant. Not only did she want this group of people, but she also wanted Bai Wutong! She pointed at Bai Wutong and repeatedly reminded her father to draw his saber and kill Bai Wutong. Chu Tianbao would not really attack him.. Chapter 326 - Chapter 326: As the Eldest Sister-in-law, She Should Do Her Duty Chapter 326: As the Eldest Sister-in-law, She Should Do Her Duty Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Gu Liancheng was really annoyed. He was like a flea and wished he could be pinched to death. Even if Youjia villagers were rude to Gu Liancheng, it was because she had first talked bad about Bai Wutong and they wanted to defend her. Bai Wutong asked Chu Tianbao with a dark expression, ¡®Who am I?¡¯ If Chu Tianbao chose to protect Gu Liancheng, Bai Wutong would also be a decisive person. She would take the child and fly far away. There would always be a place to stay. Chu Tianbao understood. ¡°You¡¯re Consort Ling.¡± As soon as he said this, the people from Youjia village looked excited. Bai Wutong was going to seek justice for them. Bai Wutong glanced at Gu Chilie sharply. ¡°Your daughter insulted me. According to the Ling Kingdom¡¯s laws, she can be sentenced to death on the spot. Arrest her now.¡± Wasn¡¯t he arrogant? Bai Wutong could be even more arrogant than him. Qingfeng quickly accepted the order and took a step forward to grab Gu Liancheng. Gu Chilie¡¯s pupils constricted violently as he glared at Bai Wutong. ¡°How dare you!¡± He was her father-in-law, but she actually dared to openly go against him. Just as Qingfeng was about to grab Gu Liancheng, Gu Chilie pulled out his sword and fought with Qingfeng. Gu Chilie was very skilled, but Qingfeng was even better. After two rounds, Gu Chilie was at a losing end. While Qingfeng and Gu Chilie were fighting, Gu Liancheng was protected by Lu Ye. However, Lu Ye¡¯s martial arts foundation was even worse. The two dark guards went up and dealt with him in a few moves. Gu Liancheng was restrained by the dark guards and detained in front of Bai Wutong. Her black eyes seemed to be filled with viciousness. Bai Wutong looked down at her coldly. ¡°You want to kill me?¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes were filled with killing intent, unlike her usual gentle aura. Gu Liancheng cursed at Bai Wutong, but she could not say a single word. This made her unable to believe that Bai Wutong was so arrogant in front of her father. Seeing his daughter being treated like this, Gu Chilie was completely enraged. He shouted at Chu Tianbao, ¡°Gu Junyan! She¡¯s your sister. That woman is the outsider!¡± He could tell that Bai Wutong really wanted to kill her, and he was afraid that she would do so immediately. He had wanted to save Gu Liancheng, but he was tied down by Qingfeng. Chu Tianbao looked up. ¡°She¡¯s my wife. No one can touch her. No one.¡± The soldiers behind Gu Chilie rushed forward and scolded, ¡°He¡¯s your father, and that¡¯s your sister. Do you still have a conscience!¡± Chu Tianbao looked at the soldier who spoke. ¡°If she¡¯s my sister, can she kill my wife? Then I¡¯ll kill your wife, okay?¡¯ The soldier was rendered speechless. Gu Chilie was greatly disappointed in Chu Tianbao. He shouted angrily at Bai Wutong, ¡°Let her go!¡± Gu Chilie was a hero of the Ling Kingdom and she was his nominal daughter-in-law. For Chu Tianbao, even if Bai Wutong wanted to kill Gu Liancheng, she could not do it at this time. Bai Wutong looked at Gu Chilie and sneered. She emphasized, ¡°Who asked her to be my ¡®sister-in-law¡¯? Then let her off.¡± ¡°But she can¡¯t act like she doesn¡¯t know etiquette.¡± ¡°Take her away and teach her manners so that she won¡¯t make a fool of herself in the future. This is also my duty as the eldest sister-in-law.¡± Gu Liancheng struggled violently, but he could not escape the grip of the dark guards. His daughter was brought away by Bai Wutong. Gu Chilie bared his teeth. ¡°What do you want?¡± He could also tell that Chu Tianbao was not a good person, let alone Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong said politely, ¡°My sister-in-law is old enough to get married. As the eldest sister-in-law, if I don¡¯t interfere, others will talk about me.¡± If she really had such good intentions, she wouldn¡¯t have let Chu Tianbao poison her throat. She was clearly trying to bully his daughter and gain a good reputation for herself.. Chapter 327 - Chapter 327: Whose Private Property Is It? Chapter 327: Whose Private Property Is It? Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios If Bai Wutong knew what Gu Chilie was thinking, she would definitely laugh. Reputation could be easily disintegrated in the face of absolute strength. Why would she need that kind of thing? Her initial plan was to find a quiet place with Chu Tianbao and live her own life. However, things did not go as planned. Although Chu Tianbao had a high status, it had also brought a lot of trouble. Gu Chilie said fiercely, ¡°It¡¯s not up to you to educate my daughter!¡± Bai Wutong smiled mockingly. ¡°If you don¡¯t need me to do so, I won¡¯t be bothering you anymore.¡± ¡°Qingfeng, let go of her and bring our people away.¡± Qingfeng asked everyone from Youjia Village to follow. Only then did Gu Chilie realize that Bai Wutong did not hesitate to slap his face because she wanted to save these people and take him a notch down. She was really too arrogant. She had actually gone against him for a group of unrelated people. Gu Chilie was about to explode from anger. However, Chu Tianbao was determined to protect her, so he could not do anything to her. Bai Wutong got into the carriage, and Chu Tianbao followed. Just as Gu Chilie felt that his face was being trampled over, You Huaijie walked forward. ¡°Marshal Gu, where are the people going to settle down tonight?¡± Gu Chilie was only in charge of the army and not the commoners. ¡°Wherever there is space!¡± It was impossible to get a house with so many people. Most of his own soldiers were still living in a large tent all lined up. Gu Chilie asked You Huaijie for military rations again. ¡°Where¡¯s the military rations and salary from the Imperial Court?¡± You Huaijie said neither humbly nor arrogantly, ¡°It¡¯s coming after us. According to my estimation, it should take another half a month.¡± Half a month! Gu Chilie and the other soldiers were about to starve to death. He said angrily, ¡°What are you doing! Do you know how long we¡¯ve been hungry!¡± Then he grabbed You Huaijie¡¯s collar. ¡°If you can¡¯t take out any food, I¡¯ll kill you.¡± As the governor of the southern frontier, You Huaijie was on the same rank as Gu Chilie, but his official position actually had much wider control than Gu Chilies, and he had more power. You Huaijie lowered his eyes and said fearlessly, ¡°Marshal Gu, this is the decision of the current emperor. The food and military salary are not something I can control.¡± ¡°Even if you kill me, I won¡¯t be able to produce any extra food and military pay. ¡® Chu Shixiong, this bastard, was deliberately trying to starve them to death. However, the most important thing was to resolve the urgent matter at hand. Marshal Gu let go and looked at their team. He ordered, ¡°How much food do you have left? Give it to us.¡± The team only had a day¡¯s worth of food left. Moreover, they were leftovers from continuous replenishment and eating tapiocas on the way. You Huaijie walked towards a carriage filled with goods and lifted the waterproof cloth on it. It was densely packed with tapiocas. Marshal Gu¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°You¡¯re using this to fool me?¡± You Huaijie said clearly, ¡°After cooking with a special method, the tapioca is non-toxic and edible.¡¯ Bai Wutong discussed with everyone about the tapiocas that the team had collected along the way. She specially saved some to support the soldiers for two days and even specially sent someone to buy food from the Syrians to tide the army over. However, Gu Chilie and Gu Liancheng targeted Bai Wutong the moment they arrived. The entire team was unwilling to hand over the tapiocas to Marshal Gu. However, the soldiers were innocent, so Bai Wutong still decided to give them the tapiocas. Marshal Gu had cooked so many varieties of tapioca. How could he believe that the tapioca was not poisonous? Just as he was about to ask You Huaijie what evidence he had to prove that the tapioca was not poisonous, Gu Liancheng grabbed Marshal Gu¡¯s hand and pointed at the dozen or so carriages behind him, gesturing excitedly. Gu Chilie was dragged to the carriages at the back. He lifted the waterproof cloth and saw a pile of exquisite food. Apart from food, there were also a rich variety of meat, fruits, and vegetables. Gu Chilie immediately questioned angrily, ¡°What is this? Didn¡¯t you tell me that there was no food!¡± You Huaijie said calmly, ¡®This is the private property of the people of the team. I have no right to make any decisions.¡± Gu Chilie became even angrier. ¡®Whose private property is it? I¡¯ll ask him now if he¡¯s going to sell it.¡± He was clearly trying to take it by force. If Gu Chilie asked for it, which commoner would dare to refuse? You Huaijie emphasized again, ¡°The tapioca is edible. If the Marshal wants to take it away, take it away.¡± Gu Liancheng gestured again and told Gu Chilie that You Huaijie did not want to give them the exquisite food and deliberately wanted them to eat tapiocas. Gu Chilie did not believe that You Huaijie would do anything to poison the soldiers. After all, by causing the deaths of the soldiers, how could they defend the country that they had painstakingly conquered? However, he was also very angry that You Huaijie was hiding the food. Gu Chilie pointed at the carriage and said, ¡®Give me these food. You can keep the tapioca for yourselves.¡± You Huaijie said firmly, ¡°No, this is the private property of the commoners. I have no right. ¡® However, Gu Chilie was certain that he was pretending and shouted, ¡°Then tell me, whose private property is it!¡¯ He shouted so loudly that Bai Wutong naturally heard him. Most of the exquisite food was prepared by Sheng Huaixuan, the 30 families of Qinghe, and themselves. You Huaijie had already emphasized that there were tapiocas for them, but Gu Chilie insisted on snatching the private property of the people. Did he think that he could do whatever he wanted just because he was Marshal Gu? Bai Wutong lowered her eyes, clearly angry. Chu Tianbao glanced at her and summoned the dark guard. He lowered his voice and said something before the dark guard quickly gave You Huaijie an order. After the dark guard relayed the order, You Huaijie suddenly became domineering and told Gu Chilie coldly, ¡°Marshal Gu doesn¡¯t like the tapioca that we¡¯ve worked so hard to collect, so think of a way yourself!¡± ¡°Inform the others that the team will continue to set off.¡± Gu Chilie was about to lose his temper and send someone to snatch the food when Lu Ye said excitedly, ¡°Marshal, the tapioca is really edible. Moreover, Lord You prepared two days¡¯ worth for us and even sent someone to buy millet and sheep from the Syrians. As long as we hold on for half a month, the food transported by the Imperial Court will arrive.¡± As soon as he said this, Gu Chilie¡¯s bad temper was suppressed. He said doubtfully, ¡°Really?¡± Lu Ye nodded profusely. ¡°It¡¯s true, Marshal. I¡¯m fine after eating for two days.¡± Then he hurriedly said, ¡°Miss and Young General have all eaten them. The entire team has been eating them for two days. ¡® ¡°These tapiocas were dug up by the commoners and soldiers of the team.¡± His underlying meaning was that it was too unethical for Marshal Gu to snatch the food that people had brought themselves. Lu Ye would not lie to him. Gu Chilie already believed him, but Gu Liancheng refused to let it go. Why could she only eat tapioca while Bai Wutong could eat exquisite food? No matter what, she had to be like Bai Wutong. Marshal Gu thought for a moment. He had already wronged his daughter for so long. At most, he would spend money to buy some from them and give his daughter special treatment. As a first-rank official, what was wrong with letting his daughter eat better? Gu Chilie found You Huaijie again and said reluctantly, ¡®Then give us the tapioca and a cart of exquisite food.¡± You Huaijie did not even look at him. ¡®We don¡¯t have enough to eat either. Marshal Gu, you should think of a way yourself.. ¡® Chapter 328 - Chapter 328: I Want to Report to the Emperor Now! Chapter 328: I Want to Report to the Emperor Now! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Gu Chilie immediately cursed, ¡°Bullsh*t!¡± You Huaijie was clearly trying to take him a notch down. Gu Chilie had faced obstacles once and again that day. His temper quickly flared. ¡°If you don¡¯t give it to me, I¡¯ll snatch it!¡± He had 80,000 elite soldiers! Did they really think he was made of clay? If they angered him, he would occupy the southern frontier and establish himself as a duke. Let¡¯s see if Chu Shixiong still had any tricks up his sleeve. It was true that Gu Chilie had 80,000 elite soldiers. But the people brought by You Huaijie and the soldiers in the team had reached nearly 100,000. The elite soldiers had been starving for so long. If they really had to fight, it was still uncertain who would die. You Huaijie sneered and said, ¡°Then give it a try! ¡± As soon as he finished speaking, the dark guards in disguise surrounded Gu Chilie. To capture bandits, one had to capture the leader first. Even after capturing Gu Chilie, they still had Chu Tianbao. Chu Tianbao was the young general and Duke Ling. He could easily control the entire army. Gu Chilie looked at the people surrounding him and thought of this. He was even more certain that Chu Tianbao had suddenly come to the frontier border quietly under Chu Shixiong¡¯s orders to take over his Gu family army. What a vicious plan! What a ruthless Chu Tianbao! He had only raised one f*cking ingrate from the beginning to the end. He thought that if he obtained his military power, he would be able to ascend to the throne. But was impossible for him to do so for the rest of his life with his unsightly identity. Gu Chilie cursed in his heart. Faced with this situation, he had no choice but to retreat with his men. When they entered Baye City, there would naturally be a chance for them to hand over the food. When they arrived outside Baye City, the team suddenly stopped and did not enter. There was no room for so many of them in Baye City. The environment inside was also poor. Moreover, if they brought food into the area with hungry soldiers, it would undoubtedly be a huge opportunity for them to snatch. Bai Wutong thought for a moment and asked the team to set up camp on the spot. While waiting for You Huaijie to settle down in Baye City, she would send someone to find a suitable place to settle down. When the time came, she could directly bring people over. The soldiers waited left and right, but Marshal Gu did not call them to transport the food. Instead, smoke rose from Bai Wutong¡¯s team. Everyone was like ants on a hot pan, wishing they could rush out immediately. However , military orders were absolute. Everyone could only endure it and crane their necks to watch. You Huaijie¡¯s first tasj after coming to the southern frontier was to settle down the people. His second task was to deal with the soldiers. There was no food or salary, but the exiled women could be sold to soldiers as wives. The moment the women arrived at Baye City, their hearts skipped a beat. They did not want to be sold to soldiers as wives, and many of them still had husbands. The women knelt and begged You Huaijie, ¡°Sir, please, we can be slaves or maidservants. Don¡¯t sell us.¡± Now that the military salary had yet to be paid, those with silver on them still had some status in the army. After being married, they would be able to regain their freedom. This was already the best outcome for many of them. Those who were old could not redeem themselves. For the rest of their lives, they could only be lowly servants. It was impossible for them to escape. Their wrists were covered in tattoos left behind by torture. Once they were discovered after escaping, even their faces would be tattooed and they would be tortured. Although the criminal law was harsh, it did prevent many prisoners from risking their lives to escape. Moreover, to the ancients, leaving a tattoo on their faces was the greatest humiliation. When Emperor Linghui gave the order, he left a loophole. That was, as long as they were settlers from the southern frontier, they were qualified to buy exiled women. Wu Mengyao, Wu Hao, and Wu Ji also happened to meet an acquaintance, Sheng Huaixuan, so they were redeemed. The other women did not have money to redeem themselves, so they could only wait for the soldiers to buy them. Thousands of women knelt on the ground and begged. As women, Bai Wutong sympathized with them. Moreover, she had the ability to help them out of their predicament. She found Sheng Huaixuan and told him that she wanted to build a workshop and needed workers. Bai Wutong had not thought of building any workshop for the time being, but there would definitely be a need for it. Sheng Huaixuan instantly understood Bai Wutong¡¯s intention to save these women, so he asked Yu Suisheng to suggest to You Huaijie that he wanted to buy these women. Since it was Bai Wutong¡¯s idea, You Huaijie immediately nodded in agreement. After the women found out that they had been bought by Yu Suisheng, they all knelt down gratefully. There were also many women who hoped that Yu Suisheng could buy their husbands and sons together. Their husbands and sons were in Bai Wutong¡¯s hands to begin with, so she would not abuse them. There was no need to resell them a second time. When the women found out that Yu Suisheng was unwilling to buy them, they were very disappointed. However, it was already a good outcome for them to be able to protect themselves. When Gu Chilie saw that Yu Suisheng had bought all the women at a high price, he immediately shouted at You Huaijie, ¡°How can you sell the exiled women to merchants!¡± If the soldiers did not have a woman to comfort them, there would be a huge problem. This was also the reason why there were always long-term garrison prostitutes outside the military camp. In modern times, soldiers did not have female partners, but they still survived. As long as the soldiers were capable and knew how to please others, why wouldn¡¯t the women want to marry them? If they could not control themselves, it was actually because the military discipline was not strict enough. You Huaijie immediately retorted, ¡°The current emperor didn¡¯t say that we can¡¯t sell exiled women to merchants.¡± He was right, but for generations, the exiled women had been given to the military camp by default. Gu Chilie said angrily, ¡°l want to report to the emperor now!¡± You Huaijie said calmly, ¡°1 didn¡¯t violate the emperor¡¯s order. If Marshal Gu has the time to report, it¡¯s better to settle the soldiers¡¯ food and clothing first.¡± You Huaijie¡¯s words were undoubtedly a huge humiliation to Gu Chilie. If not for You Huaijie and the other corrupt officials, he would not have found it difficult to even settle the soldiers¡¯ food and clothing. He still had the cheek to humiliate himself. Just as Gu Chilie raised his fist to fight You Huaijie, a soldier couldn¡¯t wait anymore. He ran over from the city with a smile and asked Gu Chilie, ¡®Marshal, when are we moving the food?¡± It had been a long time since they had eaten dry rations. It was not good to keep eating fish, shell, grass, and other things to fill their stomachs. Moreover, without a big ship, they might not be able to catch a lot of fish. The prey that they hunted from the mountains were also far from enough for them. Seeing that the food had arrived and there was food, everyone¡¯s stomach acid was about to spill out. In order to make his desire to eat less obvious, the soldier specially asked, ¡®Where¡¯s the Young General? Why don¡¯t I see him?¡± At the mention of Chu Tianbao, Gu Chilie was furious. ¡®Who cares!¡± The soldier was shocked and rubbed his nose resentfully. ¡®Then shall I bring everyone to move the food first?¡± Everyone was really hungry and in urgent need of food. You Huaijie was just waiting for him to give in. Gu Chilie was not good at anything else, but he really treated his soldiers well. He gritted his teeth and looked at You Huaijie again. ¡®My soldiers are also the people under your jurisdiction. Give us some food. I¡¯ll return it to you when the food from the Imperial Court arrives!¡± This time, You Huaijie did not refuse. It was impossible for the soldiers to watch them eat while they starved. If that was the case, if the news reached the Imperial City, You Huaijie would also be punished by Emperor Linghui. When the soldiers saw that the food they were transporting back was tapioca, they were furious. Just as they were about to report to Marshal Gu, they were stopped by Lu Ye who said loudly, ¡°It¡¯s really edible! It¡¯s edible!¡¯ If he didn¡¯t speak quickly this time, there would be another big conflict.. Chapter 329 - Chapter 329: Be My Wife Chapter 329: Be My Wife Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios When Shan Jiefu heard from Lu Ye that tapioca was edible, he was dumbfounded. After a while, he looked at Lu Ye with a doubtful expression. Lu Ye knew that no one would believe his claim. After all, when he found out that the tapiocas could be eaten, he also suffered a huge blow. Later on, he even regretted not digging up all the tapiocas he had seen in the past few years. Lu Ye dragged Shan Jiefu to the place where Auntie Yang was cooking. Many people were setting up tents and stoves at the same time. They were well-trained and were not inferior to the soldiers like them who had been camping for many years. This confused him again. Had these men, women, and children also joined in the army before? Before Shan Jiefu could voice his inner doubts, Lu Ye explained, ¡°These people were on the escape previously.¡± Shan Jiefu was even more confused. Were the requirements for escape so high these days? Auntie Yang¡¯s attitude towards Lu Ye was not bad previously. Ever since Gu Liancheng came to target Bai Wutong, and Lu Ye protected Gu Liancheng and took care of her, everyone no longer had a good attitude towards him. Lu Ye smiled and said, ¡°Auntie, can I see the pancake you made from tapioca?¡± Auntie Yang rolled her eyes. ¡°There¡¯s no more.¡± Lu Ye nodded amiably. ¡°Then I¡¯ll come and take a look later.¡± Auntie Yang was so arrogant, but Lu Ye was actually not angry!!! Shan Jiefu frowned unhappily. ¡®Why are you so polite to a woman!¡± It was because he had spoiled them that they were so arrogant. He gave Lu Ye an expression that said, ¡°Watch me!¡± and he shouted to Auntie Yang, ¡°Hey! If there¡¯s no more, make some now!¡± ¡°I¡¯m hungry. Hurry up!¡± With that, he dug out a piece of silver and threw it in front of Auntie Yang. He was as smug as he could be. Before he joined the army, he was a hooligan and knew how to bully the commoners the best. After joining the army, he had changed a lot. When he saw that Lu Ye was ignored by Auntie Yang, he fell back to his old habits. Moreover, he felt that if he paid, he had the right to ask Auntie Yang to make the pancake for him to eat. Auntie Yang glanced at the silver pieces on the ground and shouted, ¡°Xiao san! ¡± When Zhao Pengfei heard his mother¡¯s call, he immediately ran over. Shan Jiefu was about the same size as Zhao Pengfei, but he looked a little stronger. His face darkened. ¡°What? Do you want to fight?¡± In the next second, Zhao Pengfei punched him unexpectedly. Shan Jiefu did not dodge in time and was knocked to the ground. When he looked up, his nose was bleeding and his nose bridge was almost broken. Shan Jiefu felt extremely embarrassed. He got up and was about to teach Zhao Pengfei a lesson. Before he could approach Zhao Pengfei, Zhao Pengfei picked him up and smashed him to the ground. There was a muffled bang. Shan Jiefu felt that his tail bone must have cracked. He lay on the ground and groaned in pain. Zhao Pengfei looked down from above and took out two taels of silver. He threw it at him like how he had humiliated Auntie Yang. ¡®Medical fees. ¡® Lu Ye quickly helped Shan Jiefu up. Shan Jiefu cursed and wanted to settle scores with Zhao Pengfei, but Lu Ye stopped him and reminded him, ¡°There are crouching tigers and hidden dragons in this team. Don¡¯t make things difficult for yourself.¡± Shan Jiefu was unconvinced and shouted, ¡°Little brat, I was careless just now. When I¡¯m ready, I¡¯ll cut you up.¡± Zhao Pengfei suddenly lifted a horse. The horse neighed and struggled, but he grabbed it firmly. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s see who cuts who!¡± Shan Jiefu was dumbfounded, and so was Lu Ye. A horse weighed more than 500 kilograms! Moreover, it was alive. Zhao Pengfei could actually lift it so easily. It was no wonder that Zhao Pengfei had effortlessly lifted Shan Jiefu just now. If this man came to their camp, he would definitely be a powerful general. Shan Jiefu got up and was about to tell Marshal Gu that he had discovered a talent when he suddenly stopped. Zhao Lanzhi quietly depicted the appearance of a flower. A gentle breeze blew past her face, and it was a peaceful scene. Suddenly, a man¡¯s hand appeared in front of her. He grabbed the book in her hand and wanted to raise her chin to size up Zhao Lanzhi. Fortunately, Zhao Lanzhi reacted quickly and jumped away. She shouted at the man in front of her, ¡°Despicable!¡¯ Shan Jiefu, whose butt was still in pain, liked it when she scolded him for being despicable. He smiled and said, ¡°Be my wife. I guarantee that you¡¯ll live a good life in the future.¡± He had come prepared that day because he wanted to find a satisfactory wife before the others. When he saw the refined and beautiful Zhao Lanzhi holding the painting book, he fell for her with just a glance. When Zhao Erwa saw his sister being bullied, he immediately rushed out and scolded, ¡°Pfft, what live a good life. You can¡¯t even feed yourselves, yet you still want to support my sister.¡± Zhao Erwa was smart. When he saw them take away the tapiocas that everyone in the team had worked hard to collect, he knew that they could not even feed themselves, yet they still wanted to snatch their food. Shan Jiefu rubbed his nose resentfully and looked at the little brat in front of him. He said confidently, ¡°l definitely will be able to in the future. The emperor will even reward me with a house. When the time comes, I¡¯ll bring your sister to the Imperial City to stay and even buy you candied hawthorn.¡¯ How would Zhao Erwa give in with a stick of candied hawthorn? It was not like he had never eaten candied hawthorn before. Why did he have to go to the Imperial City to eat it? It had not been easy for them to reach the southern frontier. Zhao Erwa roared, ¡°Who cares about your candied hawthorn? Get lost, or I¡¯ll call for help!¡± Shan Jiefu found the little kid quite interesting. He wanted to touch his head, but in the next second, Zhao Erwa bit him hard. It was the kind that would bite someone to death. Shan Jiefu¡¯s hand started bleeding in an instant. He had seen many injuries on the battlefield and almost died a few times. He did not take this injury seriously at all. Shan Jiefu lifted Zhao Erwa¡¯s collar and placed him on the ground. ¡°My skin is hard. Don¡¯t hurt your mouth.¡± Judging from his attitude towards Zhao Erwa, if he did not humiliate Zhao Lanzhi, he would not be considered a bad person. Zhao Lanzhi said to him, ¡°General, please go back.¡± Lu Ye also hurriedly pulled Shan Jiefu away, afraid that he would cause trouble agam. This was a woman from a good family, not a military prostitute who could be provoked casually. Her gentle and distant expression made Shan Jiefu even more tempted. He took out all his belongings from his pocket. There were three golden chains, two golden bracelets, silver rings, gemstone rings, and so on. He held them all in front of Zhao Lanzhi and said firmly, ¡°This is the betrothal gift. Come back with me now.¡± He wanted to announce to the world that he, Shan Jiefu, was leaving his bachelorhood and would be a man with a wife in the future. In the next second, a huge fist descended from the sky. Shan Jiefu and the treasures he had saved up for many years flew out. He opened his swollen eyes. Why was it Zhao Pengfei again!!! It was his mother just now. What did this have to do with him! Zhao Pengfei looked fierce. ¡°Get lost!¡± He was a hundred times angrier than before. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business!¡± Zhao Pengfei glanced at Zhao Lanzhi and wanted to announce loudly that Zhao Lanzhi was his fianc¨¦e. However, in consideration of Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s thoughts, his words changed again.. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about insulting anyone in our Youjia village with your stinky money!¡± Chapter 330 - Chapter 330: How Dare You Covet My Wife? Chapter 330: How Dare You Covet My Wife? Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Even if Zhao Pengfei did not say it, Shan Jiefu could tell that he wanted to snatch Zhao Lanzhi from him. Shan Jiefu had just wanted to rope him in to join the army, so he did not argue with him just now. Now that the hatred of snatching his wife was irreconcilable, he would definitely not let it go. Shan Jiefu raised his fist and smashed it at Zhao Pengfei. ¡°She¡¯s my wife. I gave her a betrothal gift just now!¡¯ The person Zhao Pengfei liked was called ¡°Wife¡± by Shan Jiefu. He was furious and retaliated without holding back! Shan Jiefu was much weaker than Zhao Pengfei, but in fact, he was much more agile than Zhao Pengfei after many years of being in the army. In a serious battle, they were evenly matched. The battle was intense. Not long after, the two of them were covered in wounds. Moreover, the battle was getting more and more intense. It seemed like they would not stop until one of them died. Auntie Yang shouted for everyone to separate the two of them, but Zhao Pengfei shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t come over. I¡¯m going to teach this bastard a lesson today!¡¯ Shan Jiefu was not to be outdone. ¡°I¡¯ll prove to my wife today who the real man Everyone¡¯s gazes suddenly focused on Zhao Lanzhi. Zhao Lanzhi was just drawing. She did not know how she had provoked these two fiends. She was not interested in Zhao Pengfei and Shan Jiefu. She only wanted to focus on her career and research on more beautiful rouge to repay Madam Bai and Master Cui for their kindness. She picked up her things, ignored the two people fighting and the onlookers, and slipped into the tent without looking back. Madam Zhao followed and listened to the soul-stirring battle outside. She persuaded her daughter, ¡°Pengfei was wrongin the past, but his heart is filled with you now. Why don¡¯t you agree to him?¡¯ Madam Zhao saw the change in Zhao Pengfei. Her daughter was getting older , and Zhao Pengfei was eyeing her covetously. She could not find a better partner, so she might as well marry him. In the future, Zhao Pengfei would definitely dote on his daughter and not dare to fool around anymore. Zhao Lanzhi frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not marrying!¡± Madam Zhao was angry. ¡°If you are not marrying, are you going to become a nun in the future?!¡± Zhao Lanzhi looked at her mother. ¡°Mother, do you despise me? If you despise me, I¡¯ll become a nun!¡± Madam Zhao was so angry that her heart was about to explode. ¡°I¡¯m doing this for your own good! Why can¡¯t you listen? If you don¡¯t get married, what will happen when you¡¯re old? How can you get married when you¡¯re old?!¡± Zhao Pengfei could not just be waiting for Zhao Lanzhi for the rest of his life. Even if he was willing, Auntie Yang would not agree to it. ¡°You will have no children. When the time comes, there won¡¯t even be anyone to collect your corpse!¡± ¡®You only know how to regret it when you see other people¡¯s houses brightly lit and bustling. You will be alone at home and even the mosquitoes are ignoring you.¡± After saying so much, Zhao Lanzhi only focused on sorting out the information in her hand and ignored her words. Veins popped out on Madam Zhao¡¯s head. She wanted to take away the things in her hand, but she knew Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s stubborn temper. She suppressed her anger and persuaded gently, ¡°I know you¡¯re very capable and can definitely support yourself, but I¡¯m more worried that no one will share your joy and achievements in the future.¡¯ Zhao Lanzhi suddenly fell silent for a moment. When Madam Zhao wanted to try harder, Zhao Lanzhi raised her head firmly, just like how she had rejected Zhao Pengfei countless times. ¡°Mother said that I will regret it in the future, but that¡¯s in the future! If I regret it, it¡¯s my life. I accept it.¡± ¡°But I¡¯ll definitely regret marrying someone I don¡¯t love now! ¡± After defeating Shan Jiefu, Zhao Pengfei, who had wanted to come outside the tent to talk to Zhao Lanzhi, felt as if he had been struck by lightning when he heard Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s words. She really didn¡¯t love him. No matter how hard he tried, it was useless. Why was she so heartless? She wouldn¡¯t even give him a chance. Zhao Pengfei was confused and sad. In an instant, he even thought of giving up. In any case, Zhao Lanzhi was unwilling to accept him. For Auntie Yang, he could just find someone to make do with for the rest of his life. However, he thought about it again. Zhao Lanzhi had once liked him silently for so many years. It had only been less than two years, so he gritted his teeth and reminded himself to persevere. However, it was his persistence in forcing himself and treating others as a mission that he had to conquer that made Zhao Lanzhi the most disgusted. Madam Zhao tried her best to persuade her, but she failed. She glared at Zhao Lanzhi angrily and felt a strong sense of helplessness. The girl was capable and had many thoughts. She should have sent the hesitant Zhao Lanzhi out when Auntie Yang visited. Zhao Pengfei endured the pain and wanted to pick beautiful flowers for Zhao Lanzhi to make spices. In the next second, Shan Jiefu, who was struggling to get up, pressed him to the ground and attacked crazily. Caught off guard, Zhao Pengfei could not defend the attacks and bled from Shan Jiefu¡¯s beating. Everyone cried out in surprise as Zhao Lanzhi and Madam Zhao walked out of the tent. Shan Jiefu had already been pulled up by Lu Ye and the officials. He cursed, ¡°I¡¯ve never lost a fight.¡± Everyone shouted, ¡°You cheated. How dare you!¡± Shan Jiefu smiled evilly at Zhao Lanzhi. ¡°All¡¯s fair in war.¡¯ He shook off Lu Ye¡¯s hand and wanted to confess to Zhao Lanzhi in a high-profile manner again, but his ankle was grabbed by Zhao Pengfei, whose face was covered in blood. Zhao Pengfei forced a smile at Zhao Lanzhi, as if to say, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯ll always protect you.¡± Everyone was extremely touched by this scene. They seemed to have forgotten that Zhao Pengfei had secretly met Wang Mingyue in the forest. He had forcefully broken off the engagement without caring about Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s face. Shan Jiefu was extremely displeased with Zhao Pengfei. He could not even take a look at his wife. He still wanted to beat him up, but how could You Huaijie let him continue being impudent? He directly got someone to tie him up. He was tied up and could not hit Zhao Pengfei. He even tried to kick him twice. ¡°Rascal, how dare you covet my wife? I¡¯ll beat you up every time I see you!¡± This was also what Zhao Pengfei wanted to say. Their eyes met and fiery sparks flew in the air. As Shan Jiefu was brought away, the tense atmosphere still did not dissipate for a long time. As soon as Shan Jiefu left, the aunties who were close to Auntie Yang advised Zhao Lanzhi, ¡°Pengfei is a good child. Lanzhi, you have to grasp the opportunity! ¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Look, Pengfei treats you so well! It¡¯s right for us girls to be more reserved, but you¡¯ve known each other for so many years. It¡¯s about time for the two of you to have a closer relationship.¡± ¡°You and Pengfei are not young anymore. Zhao Huzi, who grew up with you, has a child who can even walk around now. Hurry up and let us have a chance to a joyous drink!¡± ¡°All men have lustful thoughts. As long as he repents in time, you should give him a chance.¡± No one believed that she was really unwilling to get married. After all, Qingfeng, who was as cold as snow, and Madam Cui, as noble as a sun, all found the person they were destined to marry. Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s gentle eyes turned cold. Zhao Erwa said angrily, ¡®There are many good men in the world.. Why should my sister marry a heartless man? Why don¡¯t you ask someone else to marry then?¡± Chapter 331 - Chapter 331: You Will Regret Sooner or Later! Chapter 331: You Will Regret Sooner or Later! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios With Zhao Erwa¡¯s shout, the embarrassed aunties retorted, ¡°What do you know? We¡¯re all doing this for your sister¡¯s sake!¡± ¡°If your sister doesn¡¯t get married, you won¡¯t even be able to get a wife in the future!¡± No girl would be willing to let their eldest sister-in-law stay at home and do nothing. Even if Zhao Lanzhi could earn money, they still had the same traditional mindset. Zhao Erwa roared, ¡°So be it!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like women who despise my sister!¡± The aunties said unhappily, ¡°When you grow up, you¡¯ll know how much disdain a woman will suffer if she can¡¯t get married.¡± ¡°Do you want your sister to be criticized for the rest of her life?¡± ¡°People will think that there¡¯s something wrong with your sister¡¯s body or her brain!¡± ¡°If you join in the fuss, it won¡¯t be because you are thinking for your sister, but you¡¯ve harmed her!¡¯ ¡°Have you ever seen a woman who doesn¡¯t get married or have children or carry on the family line?¡± ¡°Look at Madam Bai. She¡¯s married to our Master Chu and her life is so blissful. Don¡¯t you want your sister to have someone to protect and dote on her? Apart from Pengfei, who else can wait for your sister for so long! Other people would have already married someone else.¡± ¡°Pengfei has his mind on your sister and thinks about her. He even taught you martial arts when he¡¯s free. If he marries your sister, he will definitely treat your sister well like Master Chu and love her for the rest of his life. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s good?¡± Zhao Erwa was a child after all. In an instant, he actually felt that their words made sense. He turned around and looked at Zhao Lanzhi in confusion. He hoped that Zhao Lanzhi could find her own happiness, but he also wanted her to make her own choice. Meeting Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s silent gaze, he retorted firmly, ¡°If my sister doesn¡¯t like it, she won¡¯t marry!¡± The aunties refused to give up and said to Zhao Lanzhi, ¡°Pengfei treats you so well. Can¡¯t you give him a chance?¡± They thought that Zhao Lanzhi was waiting for a way out. After all, she had previously said that she would not marry Zhao Pengfei even if she died. Now that they had laid out so many steps, Zhao Lanzhi would definitely take the opportunity to step down. Zhao Pengfei, who had applied the medicine, was also silently looking forward to it, hoping to get an approval from Zhao Lanzhi. Apart from Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s cold gaze, there was nothing. She really did not have any feelings for him anymore. In an instant, Zhao Pengfei¡¯s heart ached and he lowered his head weakly. Auntie Yang comforted her son. ¡°As long as you persist, an iron pestle can be ground into a needle.¡± Zhao Pengfei had already tried his best, but Zhao Lanzhi was becoming colder and colder to him. He didn¡¯t want to end up seeing only hatred and disgust in her eyes. He suddenly stood up and walked to the chattering aunties. ¡°Stop it. It¡¯s all my fault. I¡¯ve been disturbing Lanzhi the whole time. ¡® He had just fought with Shan Jiefu. His face was swollen and he looked pitiful, causing the aunties to say even more, ¡°Lanzhi, look at how considerate Pengfei is for you!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Why are you unhappy when he feels so bad for you?¡± Zhao Pengfei hurriedly said, ¡°Aunties, please stop.¡± The more he spoke like this, the more everyone pitied him. They even looked at Zhao Lanzhi in puzzlement. Faced with everyone¡¯s doubts, Zhao Lanzhi finally looked up and said something heartbreaking to Zhao Pengfei. ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to pretend.¡± The aunties said unhappily, ¡°Lanzhi, how can you say that? He¡¯s concerned about you! ¡® Zhao Lanzhi looked at them with a cold gaze. ¡°He was the one who let me down first. I¡¯ve never let him down. I don¡¯t want to have anything to do with him in this life. If you all continue to spout nonsense, I¡¯ll die!¡¯ Zhao Lanzhi looked gentle and weak, but she had her own thoughts. The aunties, who still wanted to persuade her, were completely speechless when she heard that she was unwilling to marry Zhao Pengfei and even threatened to die. If they really forced her to death, Madam Zhao would definitely cause a ruckus with them. Bai Wutong admired Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s unyielding character. She specially wrote a calligraphy character for her, hoping to comfort her. This calligraphy piece was sent with great fanfare. Everyone was very curious about what Bai Wutong had sent. Zhao Lanzhi took it and opened it. It was the character ¡°Jie¡± which meant a female hero. She praised her for being unafraid of societal pressure and persevering. She instantly smiled and put the calligraphy scroll into her arms. Bai Wutong was now Consort Ling. By commending Zhao Lanzhi, it meant that she was displeased with the other people¡¯s previous attitude. The aunties all shrank their heads and thought to themselves that they would not be nosy in the future. When Madam Zhao saw that Zhao Lanzhi had received a gift from Bai Wutong, she was both happy and worried. She was happy that her daughter had been acknowledged by Bai Wutong, but she was also worried that Zhao Lanzhi, who had been acknowledged, would keep the calligraphy as a token and never get married again. At the same time that the tapioca was transported into Baye City, Gu Chilie found Wen Renhua and asked him to immediately perform acupuncture on Chu Tianbao. Since Chu Tianbao had lost his memories and did not acknowledge him as his father, he wanted to let him regain his memories and see what ¡°good¡± things he had done. Wen Renhua explained patiently to Gu Chilie, ¡°The blood clot in the depths of Master Chu¡¯s head requires an absolutely quiet and safe environment to recover. It¡¯s not something that can be completely dissipated in a day. When it completely settles down, I¡¯ll perform acupuncture on Master Chu.¡± Gu Chilie said impatiently, ¡°We¡¯re already at Baye. How else do you want to stabilize it! I think you clearly don¡¯t want to give my son acupuncture treatment!¡± Wen Renhua said helplessly, ¡°As long as Master Chu personally says that he wants to perform acupuncture now, I will definitely obey.¡± Gu Chilie snorted and turned around to bring Gu Liancheng to the tent where Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao were. ¡°I¡¯ve already ordered Wen Renhua to make preparations. Come with me to receive treatment now.¡± He was looking at Chu Tianbao as he spoke. As for Bai Wutong, he felt disgusted just looking at her. Even if Chu Tianbao regained his memories and wanted to keep her, Gu Chilie would never acknowledge her as his daughter-in-law. On the other hand, if Chu Tianbao wanted to use his power to ascend to the throne, Bai Wutong had to be chased away. The surroundings were noisy. It was not a good time to perform acupuncture on Chu Tianbao. Bai Wutong frowned, and Chu Tianbao glanced at her. ¡°I¡¯ll look for him myself.¡± The hidden meaning was that Gu Chilie did not have to worry. Gu Chilie asked around from the villagers and learned that his son had not reported to Emperor Linghui at all. Emperor Linghui probably did not know that Chu Tianbao was still alive. He accused Chu Tianbao, ¡°It¡¯s really stupid of you to refuse to recover your memories and take responsibility because of your love affair!¡¯ ¡®When you regain your memories and know what you¡¯ve missed and forgotten these past few days, you¡¯ll regret it sooner or later!¡± He pointed at Bai Wutong again. ¡°If she really wants the best for you, why won¡¯t she let you regain your memories? To put it bluntly, she¡¯s afraid that you¡¯ll leave her after you regain your memories! She¡¯s just using you!¡± Bai Wutong only wanted to give Chu Tianbao the safest treatment environment, but Gu Liancheng misinterpreted her as a woman with evil intentions. She smirked and retorted without hesitation.. ¡°So what¡¯s your intentions? Would a father who¡¯s really doing his child a favor rush him to regain his memories when he knows his surroundings aren¡¯t suitable for treatment?¡¯ Chapter 332 - Chapter 332: Why Isn’t Xiaobai Back? Chapter 332: Why Isn¡¯t Xiaobai Back? Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Gu Chilie¡¯s goal was naturally for Chu Tianbao to acknowledge him as his father! He glared at Bai Wutong angrily. ¡°Who are you to interrupt me? Besides, even if it¡¯s noisy now, can¡¯t we treat him in the middle of the night or in a quiet place?¡± Bai Wutong did not defend herself. Gu Zhongxun¡¯s hand had just recovered not long ago, and he still had to study the treatment plan for Chu Tianbao, which was why it had been delayed until now. She could not be bothered to argue with Gu Chilie. After all, he had really raised Chu Tianbao. Bai Wutong walked out of the tent tiredly. Chu Tianbao glanced at Gu Chilie. ¡°Find out the truth before you speak¡± With that, he chased after her without looking back. Gu Chilie stomped his feet. Chu Tianbao was really obsessed over this woman. However, Gu Liancheng saw that Chu Tianbao was so good to Bai Wutong that she was jealous. She cried and hugged Gu Chilie in sadness and despair. Gu Chilie sighed helplessly and comforted her softly. ¡®When he regains his memories, I will definitely help you make decisions.¡± As long as Chu Tianbao¡¯s mother was in the hands of Emperor Linghui, he would definitely not give up the throne. Bai Wutong was in a bad mood, and her pregnancy reaction was even worse. But she didn¡¯t want to go back to the tent, either, so she walked around to get some air. Chu Tianbao was like a tail growing behind her butt, quietly guarding her. As they walked, it was dark. From time to time, there would be pattering sounds coming from the quiet wilderness. It was probably some small animal crawling through the grass. Suddenly, a big white tail appeared from the grass. Xiaobai raised its butt and caught something. It ran to Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong looked over and saw a little hedgehog. It was especially small and quite cute. It was no wonder that Xiaobai gave it to her instead of eating it. Bai Wutong smiled and stroked Xiaobai¡¯s head. ¡®Xiaobai is really amazing. Xiaobai will definitely be able to live well without us in the future. ¡® Recently, Bai Wutong had reduced Xiaobai¡¯s food amount. When it was full, it would hunt around the team. Its hunting skills were also becoming more and more proficient. It could easily catch the creatures that were flying in the sky and swimming in the water. Not only could it return after eating its fill, but it could also give everyone an additional meal. Xiaobai raised its long mouth smugly and smiled evilly at Chu Tianbao. It despised Chu Tianbao for being locked in the small black room again. Chu Tianbao lowered his eyes. Xiaobai immediately felt that something was wrong. It rushed out happily and bit the moon. Naturally, it could not bite the moon. It howled a few times. Suddenly, an answering wolf howl came from afar. Xiaobai¡¯s eyes lit up and it ran crazily in the direction of the response. It sped along, its body strong and beautiful, like the wind blowing towards freedom. Tears welled up in Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes. She hoped that it could find a beautiful girlfriend and live a happy life in the future. Chu Tianbao hugged Bai Wutong and comforted her affectionately, ¡°I¡¯ll never leave.¡± Due to her pregnancy, Bai Wutong was very sensitive. She could clearly hold back her tears, but she couldn¡¯t help but shed a tear. ¡®The child and I will also live well if you leave home.¡± If the two of them were separated, she would definitely not give the child to Chu Tianbao. Chu Tianbao didn¡¯t argue with her or explain. He just hugged her tightly, trying to sacrifice his soul completely to her. Just as Bai Wutong¡¯s emotions gradually stabilized and she felt that her thoughts just now were a little childish, Xiaobai ran towards them like a white bolt of lightning in the night. It licked Bai Wutong¡¯s palm excitedly. Bai Wutong patted its head happily. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you leave?¡± Xiaobai swayed its ears and looked silly. It wailed as if it was wheedling. It had been picked up and raised by Bai Wutong. To it, Bai Wutong was no different from its parents. How could it be willing to leave so easily? The wind blew quietly, and a pair of green eyes appeared in the distant field. Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes widened as she looked at Chu Tianbao in disbelief. ¡°It followed us?¡± Chu Tianbao looked warily at the unfamiliar female wolf. ¡°Yes.¡± It walked around and howled twice. Xiaobai sat steadily like a mountain and played with the hedgehog like a dog. His wife had already taken the initiative to deliver herself to him, but this fellow actually did not approach. Bai Wutong could not help but wonder if she had chemically castrated Xiaobai. Bai Wutong poked Xiaobai¡¯s head. ¡°There! There! Look there, there¡¯s a beauty!¡± When Xiaobai heard the word ¡°beauty¡±, it looked up. Its reaction was intense, as if it was really a human who liked beautiful women, but it was definitely just a wolf. Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t help but feel a headache. ¡°Does Xiaobai think he¡¯s like us?¡± Chu Tianbao recalled how it had flaunted that it had won Bai Wutong¡¯s favor and nodded. ¡°Probably.¡± Bai Wutong was discouraged. If Xiaobai treated itself as a human, how could it find a girlfriend? Wait, it probably didn¡¯t have a concept of interspecies love yet. Bai Wutong said, ¡°Why don¡¯t we sneak away and leave them alone?¡± Now, Bai Wutong was no longer worried that Xiaobai would leave. She was only worried that this fellow would be alone for the rest of his life. Mothers always felt like this. As long as their children were happy, it was fine. Chu Tianbao glanced at Xiaobai¡¯s silly expression as it bit the hedgehog. ¡°Okay.¡± Chu Tianbao carried Bai Wutong and silently used his qinggong. When Xiaobai came back to its senses, the two of them were already gone. Just as it was about to pick up the hedgehog and chase after it with the smell, the female wolf that had been defeated by Xiaobai lay in front of it and rolled around. Xiaobai glanced at her suspiciously, probably not understanding what this fellow was doing. Ordinary wolves were in heat after nine to 12 months of age. Wolves who were in heat late would usually be one year to one year and six months age. Bai Wutong thought that Xiaobai had already entered the heat state, but Xiaobai clearly had not. It even felt that this fellow was blocking its way. It bared its teeth at it and warned, indicating that this was its territory. Get lost! The female wolf was considered the most outstanding among the wolf pack. She had countless suitors and had lowered herself to take a fancy to a wandering male wolf without territory, but she was actually despised. It widened its big green eyes in disbelief, but Xiaobai thought that it was provoking it. It revealed its powerful claws. When it slapped down, it smelled a strange smell. This smell was even more fragrant than the roasted meat it had eaten. It could not help but press down on the female wolf¡¯s stomach and smell it. The more it sniffed, the more addicted it became. The female wolf did not resist. Sheng Huaixuan got someone to roast a few wild rabbits. Xiaobai would usually appear on time, but he was nowhere to be found that day. Stinky bit a rabbit leg and ate happily. He even left a hind leg for Xiaobai. They were good brothers. Stinky would give half of his food to Xiaobai. Stinky asked Chu Tianbao, ¡°Father, why isn¡¯t Xiaobai back yet?¡± Chu Tianbao said, ¡°It went to play.¡± Sheng Huaixuan smiled in surprise. ¡®Then it must have found a very fun place.¡± Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao looked at each other but smiled without saying anything.. Chapter 333 - Chapter 333: It Looks Like Cocoa Fruit Chapter 333: It Looks Like Cocoa Fruit Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The people sent out to explore the area did not disappoint them. They finally found Bai Wutong¡¯s ideal residence. It was a place with endless coastline and surrounded by forests, mountains, and plains, wetlands, and mangrove forests. If a city was built there, it would be easy to defend and difficult to attack. Not only would it be much better than the current location of Baye City, but they could also find a lot of food to replenish their supplies. When Bai Wutong received the news, she immediately sent word for everyone to quickly pack up and set off. It was good for the army to be separated from the commoners. The surroundings of Baye City were empty, and it was very suitable for training troops. When they had enough supplies to provide to Baye City, it would also be orderly. You Huaijie wanted to bring the commoners to another place to settle down. Gu Liancheng ran to Gu Chilie anxiously. Gu Chilie saw her gesturing and did not understand what she meant for a moment. Meng Weiwei, who had become Gu Liancheng¡¯s maidservant, explained to Marshal Gu on her behalf, ¡®Miss wants to say that Duke Ling and the others are going to move elsewhere. Gu Chilie frowned. ¡°Move elsewhere?¡± You Huaijie actually made his own decision without discussing it with him. How ridiculous! As soon as he stood up, Gu Liancheng, who was afraid that Chu Tianbao would be bewitched by Bai Wutong after leaving with her and never regain his memories, grabbed Gu Chilie¡¯s sleeve and pulled him quickly to stop Chu Tianbao. ¡°Sss Gu Chilie rode his ferghana horse to the front of the team and shouted at You Huaijie, ¡°Where are you going?¡± You Huaijie replied unhurriedly, ¡°We are going to a suitable place for the people to live in peace.¡± Gu Chilie said angrily, ¡®The terrain of the southern frontier is complicated. How can you take so many commoners¡¯ lives lightly?¡± You Huaijie looked at him indifferently and said, ¡°I will definitely be able to settle the commoners down.¡± ¡± ..You don¡¯t plan to bring my soldiers?¡± Gu Chilie was shocked. You Huaijie said righteously, ¡°1 gave the Marshal enough tapioca. Moreover, the terrain of Baye City is vast and is very suitable for Marshal Gu to train his troops. It can also prevent the soldiers from becoming impetuous and lose their discipline. There¡¯s no need for you to do anything unnecessary.¡± Previously, it was fine without women. Now that the team was here, the soldiers kept wanting to leave and find an opportunity to flirt with women. It was obvious that he wanted to leave them behind. He even found a dignified excuse. Marshal Gu was so angry that he was about to emit smoke. ¡°Then where exactly are you going?¡± You Huaijie had never been there before. In any case, it was a place approved by Bai Wutong, so there was definitely no problem. He said to Gu Chilie, ¡°You¡¯ll know at a glance once you follow us.¡± Since Gu Chilie could not stop them, he could only follow them first. If the place was not good, You Huaijie would bring the people back himself. It took the entire team less than half a day to travel. When the sun set, everyone finally arrived at this ideal place. There was the endless sea, the golden beach, and the layers of turquoise seawater. The gorgeous afterglow shone on the sea surface, stirring one¡¯s heart. It was too beautiful! Bai Wutong fell in love with the place at a glance. In an instant, she thought of countless delicacies. Seafood sashimi, lobster and abalone, oyster, squid, crab, scallops, cod and tuna¡­ They could eat these soon. Counting the time since the apocalypse and her transmigration here, Bai Wutong had not eaten seafood for several years. Seafood contains a variety of vitamins, minerals, and high-quality proteins that are good for the brain nerves and retinal development of the fetus. They could arrange it immediately! Everyone had not seen the sea before. They were intoxicated for a long time and were extremely satisfied with this place. Gu Chilie looked around. He had to admit that this place was very suitable for everyone to live in. It was near the mountains and seas, and there was flat ground to build houses The red soil beside it could be burned into bricks, the stones on the mountain could be used for construction, and the wood of the forest could be used to build houses. No matter how one looked at it, it was much better than Baye City. He couldn¡¯t say anything to stop You Huaijie and the others from settling down here. He even felt a little sad. Why hadn¡¯t he found such a good place when he sent people out previously? At a glance, Bai Wutong knew that there was a lot of seafood hidden on the reef on the right. While she was in a hurry to go to the seaside to take a walk, Stinky and a group of children each held a big red fruit in front of her. ¡°Mother, Mother, look They raised their hands with smiles on their faces, wanting to please Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong took the fruit from Stinky¡¯s hand and looked at it carefully. She suddenly frowned. Stinky poked with his finger and asked worriedly, ¡°Mother, can¡¯t we eat it?¡± Little Cat had already cut it open just now. After removing the skin, there was nothing delicious inside. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be edible.¡± Stinky immediately looked disappointed. He wanted to share it with his mother. However, Bai Wutong picked up the fruit and looked at it a few times. She muttered, ¡°This looks like cocoa fruit.¡± Cocoa fruits were the ingredients for making chocolate. She had never seen real chocolate fruits before, but there were many tutorials on making chocolate online. She also liked to eat chocolate, so she had an impression of them. But she wasn¡¯t sure. After all, this thing looked quite similar to papayas. She asked Chu Tianbao to hand her a small knife and cut open the fruit in front of the children. Inside were densely packed small seeds. They felt sticky. Everyone was filled with anticipation and were greatly disappointed. Even if it could be eaten, it didn¡¯t look delicious. Chu Tianbao was afraid that Bai Wutong wanted to try this fruit of unknown origin, so he sent someone to call over Wen Renhua and Gu Zhongxun. This was the first time Wen Renhua had seen such a strange fruit. He pinched a seed and tasted the white pulp wrapped around it. It was a little sour and sweet. It was smooth and had an indescribable strange texture. However , he could roughly determine that it was not poisonous. When Bai Wutong saw the seeds inside, she could basically confirm that this thing was the cocoa fruit. With cocoa fruits, one could make smooth chocolate. Bai Wutong was very excited. She smiled at Stinky and said, ¡°I¡¯ve seen this fruit in books, but it needs to be processed before it can be eaten.¡± Everyone was stunned. What would such a sticky thing be after it was processed? However, since Madam Bai said that this could be eaten, it should not be bad, right? Sheng Huaixuan asked with even greater interest, ¡°How do we process it?¡± Bai Wutong remembered that this thing needed to be fermented for a week. It could not be opened halfway. When it was fermented, water would come out, so they had to choose a container that could filter out water. After fermenting for 25 degrees celsius for seven days, they would pour out the cocoa fruits and suck the water dry. Then, they would bake them. After removing the outer shell, they would be able to obtain the cocoa beans for making chocolate. After obtaining the cocoa beans, one could chew them and add sugar to solidify them to make chocolate. It was fine if there was no sugar added, but the chocolate would taste bitter. It would be still be good for making cake or dessert. Bai Wutong said to Sheng Huaixuan, ¡°It¡¯s a little complicated, but not too complicated.¡± Everyone still had to settle down. It would take some time to make such a delicate thing. Bai Wutong said to Little Cat, ¡°Bring your younger siblings to pick cocoa fruits. Madam will teach you how to make delicious food, okay?¡± After the children picked the fruits back, everyone would take the time to help process them. Before the fermentation was done, they would build a fire cellar so that the children could eat the fruits of their labor. Little Cat nodded like an adult. ¡°l promise to complete the mission..¡± Chapter 334 - Chapter 334: What’s the Use of Women studying? Chapter 334: What¡¯s the Use of Women studying? Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Little Cat led the children to pick the cocoa fruits. There were dark guards patrolling the surroundings, so as to ensure the children¡¯s safety. Bai Wutong wanted to make use of the time to walk around the beach before the sun completely set. Cui Shize walked over and said, ¡®Madam Bai, should we still build the place according to the original appearance of Youjia Village?¡± Bai Wutong frowned. There were only a few thousand people in Youjia Village at that time, but there were 100,000 people now. Including the soldiers, there were nearly 200,000 people. It was clearly impossible to build housing for 200,000 people like before. Of course, Cui Shize knew that it would not work, but he had a feeling that Bai Wutong had a better plan. It was also a very blissful thing to participate in building a beautiful home. Bai Wutong said, ¡°We have a lot of people now. We have to do city plan. We have to find professional talents in this area. Everyone can discuss it together. While building, we can reserve some space and gradually expand.¡± Although Bai Wutong could give some suggestions, she was not a professional after all. There were some basic needs of ancient people that she might not understand. Cui Shize nodded in agreement. ¡®Then I¡¯ll gather everyone now?¡¯ Everyone wanted to settle down as soon as possible, and Bai Wutong also gave up on going to the beach. Anyway, there would be time in the future. If she went at this time, it would be dark later, and the sea breeze would be strong. Bai Wutong told him yes, and Cui Shize immediately went to call for the others. After a while, the huge meeting tent was filled with people. Chu Tianbao and Bai Wutong sat on the right side of the group. You Huaijie sat on the left side of the group, followed by Yang Quanzi, Cui Shize, Cui Shiji, Cui Lingyi, Sheng Huaixuan, Village Chief Zhao¡­ Many people did not have seats and could only stand. There were also many others who could only surround the tent. Gu Liancheng had been paying close attention to Bai Wutong¡¯s every move. She wanted to know what they were doing, so she pulled the unsuspecting Gu Chilie over. Gu Chilie lifted the tent and looked. Good lord, all the important people were present. Even Lu Ye was here, but no one called him. Cui Shize had also considered calling Gu Chilie. Chu Tianbao said that there was no need, so he did not call him. In any case, it was the same to ask Lu Ye about the construction needs for the army. Well, actually, no one wanted him to come over. Gu Chilie asked, ¡°What are you guys doing?¡± You Huaijie said, ¡°Discussing the construction of the city.¡± Gu Chilie wanted to flare up at Bai Wutong for not calling him for the construction of the city. When he realized that it would be even more embarrassing if he shouted, he walked straight towards Bai Wutong and gestured for her to give up her seat. It was inappropriate for a woman to show her face here. Bai Wutong pretended not to see it and sat firmly like a mountain. You Huaijie got someone to bring another chair and let him sit at the end of the meeting table. This position gave people a domineering aura that looked down on the world. Even Chu Tianbao and You Huaijie were below him, so Gu Chilie was satisfied and sat down, his anger lessening. He was about to say something when he realized that there were quite a number of women seated down. Bai Wutong, Cui Lingyi, Qingfeng¡­ But his daughter, Gu Liancheng, could not even enter the tent. Gu Chilie immediately stirred up trouble. ¡®Why are women sitting here?¡± His expression made everyone¡¯s eyes darken. For a moment, the air froze and there was an eerie silence. Gu Chilie sensed that everyone was displeased with him. He became even more aggressive. ¡°Hurry up and get out! We have something serious to talk about! ¡± You Huaijie made his stance clear. ¡°They are also an important part of the construction of our city.¡± Gu Chilie had never heard that women had to participate in the construction of the city. He mocked bluntly, ¡°How many bricks can they carry, or how many shovels of soil can they shovel? It¡¯s simply nonsense for women to participate in the Imperial Court¡¯s discussions!¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes turned cold and he wanted to argue with Gu Chilie. Bai Wutong grabbed his hand in time and said firmly, ¡°Women can carry bricks and shovel dirt. When the Imperial Court holds meetings, they can easily be more outstanding. What men can¡¯t do, women can easily do. What men can¡¯t do, women can also do.¡¯ She sounded quite arrogant. Those who did not know better would think that Bai Wutong was the emperor of the Ling Kingdom. Gu Chilie sneered. ¡°Tell me, what can a man not do and you can?¡± Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°Could it be that Marshal Gu can give birth?¡± As soon as she said this, Gu Chilie¡¯s face turned black. Everyone could not help but smile. Gu Chilie wanted to shout that without a man, a woman could not give birth, but he really could not argue about such a topic with a woman in public, who was his daughter-in-law in title. Gu Chilie was speechless, so everyone officially started the discussion. About 15,000 of the 100,000 citizens were exiled prisoners and women bought by Sheng Huaixuan. The remaining people were all ordinary citizens. The ordinary citizens would be assigned to their own homestead and the corresponding cultivation land. Now that there was no longer a war, it was impossible for Gu Chilie¡¯s 80,000 elite soldiers to continue eating without repayment. When it was time to train, they had to train. When they had to work, they had to work. Their labour had to be put to good use. Therefore, they could not be excluded from building houses and distributing fields. Bai Wutong made five specific divisions according to the plan of the modern city: business district, industrial district, residential area, administrative area, and reserved area. These five basic aeras could form the basic foundations of the city. Of course, it could also be divided into more detailed areas: villa areas, suburbs, agricultural complexes¡­ As the city was built, more people would enter and the area would also expand. If they expanded the business area, industrial area, residential area, administrative area, and reserved area in a fixed area, it would cause delays and inconvenience. On the basis of the original construction, building new five districts and continuously expanding them like a beehive would solve this problem. Everyone felt that Bai Wutong¡¯s plan was not bad, and they raised many additional suggestions. Apart from the basic construction, everyone also discussed the construction of the academy, martial arts arena, girls¡¯ school, medical center, and so on. Hearing that they were going to build a girls¡¯ school, Gu Chilie disagreed. ¡°What girls¡¯ school? Women should stay at home obediently!¡± After saying that, he specially glared at Bai Wutong, indicating that he was dissatisfied with her. He objected to building a girls¡¯ school. Cui Lingyi stood up immediately. ¡°Marshal Gu, are you afraid that men are inferior to women?¡¯ Bai Wutong had Chu Tianbao¡¯s support, so he endured it when she retaliated him. Cui Lingyi was nothing. Gu Chilie stood up and slammed the table. ¡°From ancient times until now, I¡¯ve never heard of a woman going to school! This is treason!¡¯ Cui Lingyi was not to be outdone. ¡®Who said that we can¡¯t set up a private girls¡¯ school? Did the current emperor say so? Since he didn¡¯t say so, why can¡¯t women build an academy?¡± Gu Chilie was so angry that his face no longer remained the same. As expected, no one who could sit here with Bai Wutong was good! ¡®What¡¯s the use of a woman studying? Don¡¯t tell me you want to take the imperial examination!¡± Chapter 335 - Chapter 335: What a Special Style Chapter 335: What a Special Style Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Cui Lingyi said, ¡°Women are not inferior to men. Why can¡¯t they take the imperial examination?¡± Gu Chilie laughed loudly and said, ¡°Even if you have the ability to participate in the imperial examination, will Emperor Linghui let you? It¡¯s simply a huge joke!¡± Cui Shize suddenly stood up to back up his daughter. ¡°Just because they can¡¯t now doesn¡¯t mean they can¡¯t in the future!¡± Gu Chilie¡¯s face darkened. ¡®Who cares about the future? It¡¯s just impossible now. Don¡¯t think about building a girls¡¯ school! The manpower and money of the Imperial Court are not for you to do whatever you want!¡± Cui Lingyi had no intention of letting You Huaijie fund the construction in the first place. In order to prepare for the girls¡¯ school, she had already pulled in several waves of sponsors. Cui Lingyi said, ¡®Marshal Gu, you don¡¯t have to worry. I¡¯ll think of a way to build the girls¡¯ school myself! ¡® Even so, they still needed space to build a girls¡¯ school. Gu Chilie looked at You Huaijie and said in a commanding tone, ¡®There¡¯s no space for girls¡¯ school in the city!¡± You Huaijie was the governor of the southern frontier. He looked up. ¡®There is now.¡± Gu Chilie widened his eyes in disbelief. ¡°You are letting them build a girls school! This is ridiculous!¡± Bai Wutong and the other women were already so unctontrolled now. If they had built a girls¡¯ school and spread strange thoughts, how could they be held back in the future? You Huaijie said coldly, ¡°This is not under Marshal Gu¡¯s jurisdiction. Marshal Gu has crossed the line. ¡® In everyone¡¯s opinion, it was indeed a little unbelievable for a woman to be part of the imperial court. However, building a girls¡¯ school was not only to participate in the imperial examination, but also to let women learn various corresponding knowledge and skills so that they could live a better life. Who wasn¡¯t born to a woman? There was no need to regard a man so highly and suppress a woman so much. Moreover, most people also hoped that their daughter could be as outstanding as Bai Wutong and Cui Lingyi. Gu Chilie could no longer hold it in. He stood up and overturned the table, saying fiercely, ¡°Let¡¯s see what bullsh*t you want to build! Since it has nothing to do with me, don¡¯t ask me for any manpower!¡± Gu Chilie walked out of the tent angrily. You Huaijie looked at everyone. ¡°Let¡¯s continue the discussion.¡± Everyone sat down again, as if Gu Chilie had never been here. The conversation expanded to more open and broader topics. Most of the city¡¯s specific plans were discussed by everyone until midnight, but it was not over yet. Bai Wutong was pregnant and it was not suitable for her to stay up late. Chu Tianbao gestured for You Huaijie to let everyone go back and continue discussing the next day. Everyone was fervently discussing the city construction project that they were in charge of. None of them were willing to leave. Chu Tianbao simply carried Bai Wutong back to the tent, leaving them to continue their discussion. Bai Wutong was placed on the soft blanket and Chu Tianbao stood up to leave. She hooked her arms around Chu Tianbao¡¯s neck and said intimately, ¡°I haven¡¯t washed up yet.¡± However, she felt so tired and didn¡¯t want to move. She just wanted to hang on to Chu Tianbao for a while. Chu Tianbao kissed her forehead and said considerately, ¡°I¡¯ll get you some water.¡± Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°Are you going to help me wash?¡± Chu Tianbao nodded. Bai Wutong narrowed her eyes lazily. ¡°Brother Tianbao is so nice She was like a soft white rabbit wheedling in his arms. Chu Tianbao¡¯s exquisite Adam¡¯s apple bobbed as he bit her ear. ¡°Wait for me.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s heart skipped a beat and she blushed slightly. ¡°Yes. ¡® He got up to get hot water. Qingfeng¡¯s voice suddenly sounded outside the tent. ¡°Madam.¡± Qingfeng usually wouldn ¡®t look for her at this time. It seemed to be something important. Bai Wutong tidied her clothes. ¡°Please come in.¡± Qingfeng walked in and whispered in Bai Wutong¡¯s ear, ¡°Someone said that Young Master was very similar to the current Noble Consort Ling when he was young, that¡¯s why he wore a mask.¡± ¡°He¡¯s very similar to the current Noble Consort Ling?¡± Bai Wutong suddenly thought of the rumors that Marshal Gu had slept with Emperor Linghui¡¯s woman. Chu Tianbao was not like Gu Chilie, but he looked very similar to the current Noble Consort Ling. It was inevitable that people would suspect that Chu Tianbao was born to Noble Consort Ling. Chu Tianbao¡¯s footsteps came from outside the door. Bai Wutong waved her hand and asked Qingfeng to leave first. Chu Tianbao was very smart. If he knew that he was very similar to Noble Consort Ling, it was very likely that he would have known his background long ago. If he had long known his background, no matter whose child he was, Chu Tianbao would have lived a very depressed life in the past. If he regained his memories, Chu Tianbao¡¯s suppressed pain would definitely be remembered. Bai Wutong suddenly reached out and wrapped her arms around his waist. ¡°Tianbao.¡± Chu Tianbao was stunned. He thought that she wanted it. Although he really wanted it, it had not even been three months after her pregnancy. He laid her gently on the bed, his deep voice like spring snow melting in March. ¡®Wait a little longer.¡± Bai Wutong was speechless. She was caught between laughter and tears. She looked up and pinched his handsome face. ¡°1 didn¡¯t mean that.¡± Chu Tianbao glanced at her chest and said seriously, ¡°1 mean that.¡± He was really¡­ getting more and more shameless. Bai Wutong¡¯s melancholy mood suddenly dissipated. Bai Wutong was still thinking about going to the sea. She woke up very early the next day. She stretched in Chu Tianbao¡¯s arms and wanted to get up. Chu Tianbao grabbed her. ¡°Sleep a little more. It¡¯s good for your body to sleep more.¡± Bai Wutong calculated the time. It had been almost eight hours and she had slept a lot. However, Chu Tianbao¡¯s arms were too warm. Bai Wutong didn¡¯t want to get up for a moment, so she leaned into his arms and played with his hair. As she played, she felt that she was the opposite of Chu Tianbao back then. In the past, she had taken more care of him. Now, he was the one taking more care of her. However, no matter what, she was still very happy. Those memories from back then were also exceptionally beautiful. Bai Wutong stared at his handsome face and suddenly thought of what Qingfeng had reported to her. ¡°How about we get Doctor Wen to prepare today and give you acupuncture tomorrow?¡± Chu Tianbao nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Bai Wutong kissed his cheek and joked, ¡°Don¡¯t forget about me and the child after you regain your memories.¡± Chu Tianbao sensed a trace of uneasiness underlying her joke. ¡°I will never do that.¡¯ Bai Wutong knew that he wouldn¡¯t, and she was confident. Bai Wutong had stayed long enough. After dressing up, she had just left the tent when she was blocked by Cui Shize again. It was as if he had not slept all night. With a pair of huge panda eyes, he handed the basic planning blueprint of the city to Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao. Bai Wutong took a look and deeply realised everyone¡¯s efficiency. She praised, ¡°It¡¯s very good. It¡¯s even better than I thought.¡± Since the basic plan was ready, it was time to start drawing the design blueprint for the city. Cui Shize asked, ¡°Should Madam and Master¡¯s residence be built according to the specifications of the Ling residence?¡± Bai Wutong did not have much concept of the size of the Ling residence, but she did not like those huge residences on television. They were not warm at all. She had long designed a home for them with Chu Tianbao. On the basis of the original house in Youjia village, the space had expanded a lot. Bai Wutong had also made adjustments to its outer appearance. As the seaside house would be corroded by moisture, it was best to build the house with stone. Bai Wutong changed it a little, and the entire house immediately looked brand new. When Cui Shize saw this, he said in surprise, ¡°What a special style!¡± Chapter 336 - Chapter 336: Then It Shall Be Called Carefree City Chapter 336: Then It Shall Be Called Carefree City Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The house designed by Bai Wutong looked very simple and square. There were no unnecessary edges, but it had a unique design. Even the surrounding garden desigan was unique. Cui Shize looked at the villa design that was very common in the modern world. When he saw the structure inside, he was even more surprised that the house could be arranged like this. He felt that their house in Youjia village was already very comfortable. He did not expect the house designed by Bai Wutong to be even more beyond his imagination. There was something strange about it that he didn¡¯t quite understand. ¡®What is this?¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°This is a bathtub. You can lie in it and take a bath. In the future, when the water is boiled, you can directly take a bath. You can also pull out the stopper below and the water can automatically flow out.¡± Cui Shize¡¯s eyes lit up. Not only was he very interested in the house Bai Wutong designed, but he was also very interested in the drainage system. also remembered something important. The entire city¡¯s drainage system and sewage treatment system had to be designed well, lest someone had to transport all the sewage waste out. As soon as she was inspired, she quickly took a pen and paper and drew the sewage treatment system on the basic layout map that Cui Shize had shown them. This was the simplest kind. She had learned it in high school biology class. The complicated sewage treatment system was also recorded in her RV space¡¯s computer. After Bai Wutong quickly flipped through it in her mind, she finally drew the most suitable plan. There was petroleum in southern frontier. With petroleum, it was uncertain if the society would suddenly enter industrialization stage. If the sewage treatment system was too simple, it could still be redesigned in the future. It was better to do it properly when the city was still in its initial construction. Perhaps after a hundred years, this place would also become a hundred-year-old city. Cui Shize looked at it for a long time but did not understand what Bai Wutong was drawing. Under Bai Wutong¡¯s explanation, he came to a realization and could not help but be very impressed. Bai Wutong had even carefully arranged the sewage circulation system of the entire city in such a short time. It was impossible for Bai Wutong to admit that she had the secret of the RV space. She could only chuckle and accept Cui Shize¡¯s compliment. Cui Shize asked Bai Wutong in detail about all the problems with the sewage circulation system. After recording it in detail with a charcoal pen, he was too embarrassed to ask, ¡°Not only is the design of Madam¡¯s house beautiful and sturdy, but it can also prevent the tide from corroding it. I wonder if you can also use it as a reference when building the city.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s house design used local raw materials. If it was modified, not only would it save money and time, but it would also be able to harmonize the aesthetics of the entire city. Bai Wutong¡¯s design was actually very Western style. Cui Shize could accept it, but not everyone else could. Those who couldn¡¯t appreciate it might say that their design was better than this. smiled and said, ¡°Sure. Our team still has a professional architect. After discussing it, you can make the decision and report it to Lord You.¡± If he looked for her for everything, she would definitely be busy with such a huge project. Cui Shize was a little indecisive sometimes, but he was still very capable. Although Cui Shize still had many questions, he knew that it was not convenient to disturb Bai Wutong for too long, so he asked the question he wanted to know the most. ¡°Why aren¡¯t there any windows here?¡± He pointed to a place on the blueprint of Bai Wutong¡¯s villa. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°l think the screen window isn¡¯t too good. It¡¯s not soundproof and it doesn¡¯t block the cold in winter. I want to replace it with another material.¡± Cui Shize had never thought of this problem. After all, they had been like this for generations. He asked in surprise, ¡®What material can replace it?¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°l think transparent glass is good.¡± ¡°Glass?!!!¡± Cui Shize was instantly stunned. Glass was very sturdy and transparent. One could even look at the beautiful scenery in the distance through the window, but glass was also very expensive. Just like the Phoenix Tail Wine brewed by Bai Wutong, it could be sold for an astronomical price after being filled with a glass bottle. How extravagant was it to use glass as a window? Even the once extravagant royal family of the Yan Kingdom had never imagined it. Moreover, the house blueprint designed by Bai Wutong was marked with glass everywhere. How much money would it cost? Seeing his shocked expression, Bai Wutong knew that she had frightened him. She smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ve developed a way to improve the glass. When the time comes, the cost will be much lower.¡± Even if it was lowered, Cui Shize could not imagine how much it could be lowered. He asked carefully, ¡°Then how much glass can 50 taels of silver buy?¡± had previously made up her mind to design glass windows for her house even if the cost was too high. She estimated the size with her hands. ¡°About this big. Including the monthly salary of the workers and the remaining costs, we should have enough for two such big windows. We can build a glass factory now. With the monthly salary, everyone won¡¯t have to be afraid of not being able to afford a tael of money to install windows for their houses.¡± After all, in the eyes of the commoners, it was already a blessing to be able to use glass. Moreover, it was so cheap. They had to get it even if they had to grit their teeth. The Youjia villagers had money. As long as the other commoners worked hard, Sheng Huaixuan would definitely give them work. After all, the southern frontier was vast and sparsely populated. What they lacked the most was still manpower. Apart from the glass window, Bai Wutong also wanted to install a huge floor-to-ceiling window for the house. When she woke up with Chu Tianbao in the morning, she would be able to see the beautiful sea view. In the computer in her RV space, there was information about human civilization. It was not difficult to heat glass. Moreover, there was already the process of making transparent glass previously. It would not be too surprising for lower-cost glass to appear. Although the southern frontier was a little far away, there was petroleum, jade mines, and abundant resources. More people would definitely rush over because of the foreign culture she had brought. With glass and good soundproofing, they could repair entire apartments and provide accommodation for the visitors. Cui Shize was completely petrified after she said that one tael of silver could buy one a piece of glass. He even suspected that there was something wrong with his ears. However, Bai Wutong¡¯s serious expression told him that she wasn¡¯t joking either. The glass could be casually given to everyone to use. He said excitedly, ¡°Madam¡¯s graciousness is really the peak that we can only dream of!¡¯ Bai Wutong smiled slightly. She was just thinking for herself, she was not that gracious. Cui Shize could not wait to tell everyone that another important milestone had appeared in the history of construction. However, he suddenly thought of an important question. ¡°Madam, Master, what should we name our city? Should we ask Lord You?¡± He asked Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao more to hear their thoughts. Bai Wutong thought for a moment. ¡°Baye means freedom. Then let¡¯s call it Carefree City.. ¡° Chapter 337 - Chapter 337: Madam, Help!! Chapter 337: Madam, Help!! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Free and unfettered, Carefree City. This name is good!¡± Cui Shize was very satisfied with the name of the city and hurriedly went to inform everyone. As soon as he left, Chu Tianbao immediately looked at Bai Wutong with concern. ¡°Are you tired? Do you want to rest for a while more?¡± Bai Wutong was a little tired, but her body was still strong. She shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not tired. I still have to see the children and teach them how to make delicious cocoa fruits.¡± Chu Tianbao followed her out of the tent. The children¡¯s motivation to eat delicious food was not to be underestimated. Almost all the ripe cocoa fruits around them had been picked by them. There were eight baskets of them. The little children lined up like soldiers waiting for Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao to inspect them. As usual, Bai Wutong praised everyone. Then, she officially taught everyone how to make chocolate. The first step was to take out the flesh from the cocoa fruit. It was too dangerous to let the children use a knife. But it was still possible for them to dig out the flesh. With the help of Auntie Yang and the others, the eight baskets of cocoa fruits were quickly cut open. The children surrounded the eight wooden basins and imitated Bai Wutong to take out all the flesh in the cocoa fruits and place them in the wooden basins. Between them, they were competing to see who could cut off the flesh faster. Little Cat meticulously dug out the flesh of the cocoa fruit. Compared to other carefree children, he looked especially mature and sensible. His obedience made one¡¯s heart ache. Bai Wutong sighed. She wanted him to be as happy as an ordinary child. Instead, it was as if she had given him a difficult task and it became his pressure. With everyone¡¯s concerted efforts, the cocoa fruits were quickly processed. The fermentation container that Bai Wutong had someone prepare quickly came in handy. When the children picked the cocoa fruits, some of them were picked the leaves as well. When the leaves were spread at the bottom of the wooden bucket to ferment, there would be a more fragrant smell. Bai Wutong got someone to wash it and place the leaves in the wooden bucket. The older children did as they were told. Instead, Stinky sat on Chu Tianbao¡¯s head and watched closely how Bai Wutong did it. After the leaves were laid down, she placed all the flesh of the cocoa fruit in and sealed it tightly. Bai Wutong said to everyone, ¡°Because water will come out when the cocoa fruit is fermented, you must choose a container that can seep water at the bottom. Then, place it at the temperature of early summer and ferment it for seven days before we proceed to the next step.¡± The children had no concept of 25 degree celsius, but everyone had experienced the temperature of early summer. In an instant, they looked enlightened. Little Cat asked curiously, ¡°How can it always be at the temperature of early summer?¡± Even if the temperature was higher in the day, the temperature would drop at night. Bai Wutong smiled and led the children to a greenhouse that allowed fermentation. The greenhouse was temporarily built and was very small. It was just enough to put down these wooden buckets. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°Just keep the temperature in the room at early summer.¡± With that, she showed everyone the structure of the greenhouse. Some of the little children were not interested, but some found the greenhouse magical. In any case, it was a precious practical experience for the children. Suddenly, Huang Thong rushed out of the forest with a banana hanging from his head and a banana in his hand. He even shouted, ¡°Madam, help!!!¡± The dark guard suddenly pulled out his sword and stood in front of Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao. After Huang Thong appeared, there was a commotion in the forest. A bronze-skinned girl in a turf dress and bare limbs appeared in everyone¡¯s line of sight. She held a bow and arrow. The tip of the arrow was smeared with poison and she aimed at Huang Thong¡¯s back. ¡®Whoosh The poisonous arrow shot out without hesitation. Lin Yue cut off the arrow with his sword. In the next second, the girl shot another arrow. This arrow was aimed at Lin Yue¡¯s glabella. The moment she drew her bow, many more men and women in turf skirts appeared in the forest behind her. Some stood in the trees, some behind the girl, some with spears in their hands, some with torches. It was¡­ quite primitive. The dark guard shot out a stone and hit the girl in the chest. The girl let go of the bow weakly, and the poisonous arrow fell to the ground. She covered her chest, wanting to see who had ambushed her. Her clansmen also raised their weapons and locked onto the intruders who had invaded their territory. Lu Ye said to Chu Tianbao, ¡°This should be a primitive tribe in the area.¡± He took another look at Huang Zhong, who was trembling with a banana in his hand. ¡°It¡¯s probably that brother who picked what they were guarding.¡± The girl said in broken Chinese, ¡°You guys, crawl!!!¡± The clansmen behind her also raised their weapons with the girl and shouted, ¡°Crawl!!!¡± Chu Tianbao frowned. ¡°Is there anyone who understands their language?¡± There were many tribes in the southern frontier, and the language of each tribe was different. No one understood the language of this tribe. The girl, who had recovered, raised her weapon again and shot them without hesitation. ¡®Whoosh A poisonous arrow was shot out, followed by countless poisonous arrows behind her. Not only did they shoot arrows, but they also threw torches at the team, trying to make Bai Wutong and the others retreat. Everyone was forced back by the poisonous arrow. The girl shouted again, ¡°Crawl!!!¡± With a look from Chu Tianbao, the dark guards quickly stepped forward and restrained the girl like a gust of wind. In an instant, the girl¡¯s clansmen said clearly, ¡°Duo!!!¡± That was probably the girl¡¯s name. Duo wanted to shout at her clansmen to ignore her and continue attacking. In the next second, she was about to be gagged by the dark guards who had expected this. Duo could not speak and her limbs were tied up. Her clansmen shouted angrily, but they did not dare to act rashly anymore. She was brought to Chu Tianbao. Duo glared at Chu Tianbao angrily and kept rubbing her hands to break free from the rope. Chu Tianbao said, ¡°The fittest survives. It¡¯s natural selection. You can either put down your weapons or die.¡± It was unknown how much Mandarin she knew, but she kept glaring at Chu Tianbao, wishing she could kill him with her eyes. Chu Tianbao gestured for the dark guard to take out the linen cloth from her mouth. Duo opened her mouth and said, ¡°Crawl, crawl, crawl!!!¡± It looked like they didn¡¯t understand. Or maybe they did, but they didn¡¯t want to. Tribes would also compete for territories. If they could not win, they could only be expelled, submit, or merge into a tribe. In the end, they were the ones who had invaded the place where this tribe relied on to survive. Bai Wutong did not want Chu Tianbao to kill them. It would be best if everyone could coexist peacefully. If not, she could only expel them from here. However, being unable to communicate was really a huge problem. Just as the two sides were in a deadlock, the native tribe suddenly dispersed and a man in a long robe walked out with bare arms. Compared to the other savages, he was indeed very dignified. Cui Shize found him especially familiar and shouted in confusion, ¡°Song Benhua?¡¯ Chapter 338 - Chapter 338: A Bloody Case Caused by a Banana Chapter 338: A Bloody Case Caused by a Banana Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Song Benhua was also shocked to see Cui Shize. He exclaimed, ¡°Prime Minister!¡¯ Everyone looked confused. How did this native know Cui Shize? When Cui Shize heard his shout, he immediately confirmed that this was the Minister of Justice, Song Benhua, who had been exiled by the Yan Kingdom¡¯s emperor. Cui Shize walked forward excitedly. ¡°Brother Song, why are you here?¡± Song Benhua said, ¡°It¡¯s a long story!¡¯ He had offended the emperor of the Yan Kingdom. On the way to the border, he encountered a sandstorm and was the only one who survived in the entire exile team. He walked around aimlessly like a walking corpse and arrived at the southern frontier. By chance, he saved the tribe leader with his minimal medical skills and stayed to become the priest of their tribe. A few days ago, the old clan leader died, and his most outstanding daughter, Duo, became the new clan leader. Song Benhua had already treated this tribe as his home and Duo as his daughter. Seeing Duo tied up, he immediately said, ¡°Prime Minister, I¡¯ll make them submit. Can you let our clan leader go?¡± The southern frontier had already been annexed by the Ling Kingdom. Their tribe only had a few hundred people and was unable to resist them at all. He trusted Cui Shize¡¯s character very much. Even if he submitted, he would not treat them badly. It was naturally good that he could take the initiative to submit. Cui Shize immediately went to report to Chu Tianbao. Chu Tianbao said, ¡°Ask him to come over and explain it to her.¡± If Duo refused to bring her clansmen to submit, he would definitely not let her live. Song Benhua removed the linen from Duo¡¯s mouth and communicated with her in the language of their tribe. After an intense argument, Duo finally compromised. Song Benhua said to Chu Tianbao, ¡®We¡¯re willing to submit.¡± He wanted to negotiate terms with Chu Tianbao, but in front of Chu Tianbao, their tribe was just an egg thrown at a rock. If they were obedient, they might leave a good impression. Chu Tianbao did not say anything else and got someone to loosen the rope for Duo. As soon as the rope was released, Duo rushed out like an arrow. She rode on Huang Zhong¡¯s neck and snatched the banana. She swore loudly, ¡®This is mine! Mine!¡± Huang Zhong was afraid that she would hit him, so he covered his head and shouted, ¡°Yours, yours!!!¡¯ Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t help but snicker. So it was a bloodbath caused by a banana. Since Duo¡¯s tribe had chosen to submit, they were a part of the team. Cui Shize immediately asked how many people there were in the tribe and if they were willing to move out of the mountains to live with everyone. Of course, if they were unwilling, they would not force them. If they were willing, they would have to divide a new area and let them live alone. After all, their survival habits were basically different from everyone¡¯s. Song Benhua needed to discuss it with Duo. He shouted and Duo immediately rushed over. She was energetic, simple, and innocent, causing the men around her to want to look but not dare to. Many women even covered their husbands¡¯ eyes. Duo had no concept of living with everyone. She asked Song Benhua a few questions, ¡°Where are we going to live with them? How are we going to split the hunted prey? Also, who are you going to listen to in the future?¡¯ Song Benhua explained one by one, ¡°We¡¯ll live in a house with everyone. Then, we¡¯ll farm and raise animals. Then, we¡¯ll always have food to eat. In the future, you¡¯ll listen to me. I¡¯ll listen to their arrangements.¡± Duo was used to being carefree in the mountains. She curled her lips in disdain and said, ¡°What¡¯s the difference between that and us in the mountains? We also have houses and can collect food and raise animals.¡± Song Benhua said patiently, ¡°Our house in the mountains is damp in summer and cold in winter. If we live with them, we can live in a very big and beautiful house. Not only are there no insects, but winter is as mild as summer.¡± ¡°We need to collect food in the mountains to survive the winter. Ifwe don¡¯t collect enough food, we won¡¯t be able to survive the winter smoothly. However , farming can guarantee that there will be enough food every year and our people won¡¯t starve. In addition, there will be doctors who can treat everyone¡¯s illnesses and don¡¯t have to face any danger of wild beasts.¡± Now that he said that, it seemed like it was not a bad idea to live with them. Duo was silent for a while. Just as she was about to agree, she suddenly saw that the surroundings were still bare and there was no house at all. She immediately said, ¡°You¡¯re lying. How can there be a house! The place they live in is not as good as my house!¡± Everyone had just moved here, so of course they could not transform a house immediately. Song Benhua knew her temper. If he did not let her see it with her own eyes, she would definitely not relent. In the mountains, the civilization of the tribe developed slowly, but it was peaceful and stable. It was considered beautiful. It was indeed good that it could continue like this, but Chu Tianbao and the others were already in front of them. Even if they did not leave the mountain, they would definitely interact frequently in the future. If the tribe fell behind, the people would be beaten up and discriminated against. Song Benhua was deeply afraid. It was better to try to integrate with society now so that it would not arouse too much resistance in the future. Song Benhua also wanted Duo to know that there were many different beautiful things in this world. He smiled and said, ¡°The house is not built yet. When it¡¯s built, we can move in.¡± Afraid that Duo would not believe her, he specially borrowed Cui Shize¡¯s blueprint and showed her the internal structure of the house. It was such a big house, and there were many strange things inside. Although she didn¡¯t know what they were used for, she felt that they were beautiful. Duo said in disbelief, ¡°We can all live in such a house?¡± Song Benhua nodded. ¡°As long as you¡¯re willing, we can move in.¡± Duo¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Then what are we going to eat if we move out now? Do we have to hunt ourselves?¡± Song Benhua had already asked Cui Shize. He smiled and said, ¡®We¡¯ll eat with them after we move out. We don¡¯t have to hunt. If we want to hunt, we have to go when we¡¯re resting.¡± Duo asked curiously, ¡®Why?¡± Song Benhua said, ¡°Just like our tribe, the more capable our clansmen are, the more food they get. Ifwe want to live in a good house, we have to abide by the rules they set. We also have to take responsibility to receive the corresponding returns.¡± ¡°These returns are not only limited to exchanging for food, houses, and comfortable clothes to ward off the cold. There are many good things you¡¯ve never seen before.¡± Duo didn¡¯t like being restrained, but Song Benhua made it sound beautiful. She nodded. ¡°All right, then. When are we moving in?¡± Song Benhua smiled. ¡®There¡¯s no hurry. I¡¯ll go negotiate with them. If you¡¯re interested in the surroundings, you can walk around. If you have any questions, ask them in Mandarin. Don¡¯t attack, understand?¡± He was always so long-winded. Duo waved her hand to show that she understood and went straight for Huang Zhong. Huang Zhong was afraid when he saw her coming and wanted to hide behind his uncle. However, Ye Wu carried him to Duo and even reprimanded, ¡°Why are you so timid as a man! A girl is looking for you. Straighten your chest!¡± Huang Zhong braced himself and straightened. In the next second, Duo pounced on him and took off his coat. She put it on and said proudly, ¡°It¡¯s mine..¡± Chapter 339 - Chapter 339: Don’t Wear It Anymore Chapter 339: Don¡¯t Wear It Anymore Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Duo was curious about everything. When she saw someone washing their hands with a sprayer, she tugged at Huang Zhong and asked, ¡°What is this?¡± Huang Zhong wanted to retract his arm, but Duo grabbed it tightly and glared at him. The surrounding people looked at their intimate actions. Huang Zhong was helpless and could only explain to her, ¡°That¡¯s a spray machine invented by Madam Bai. It can be used to water and wash carriages. If you see insects on the crops, you can also add the insecticide specially made by Doctor Wen. It¡¯s especially useful. ¡± Duo found it interesting and requested directly, ¡°l want to play with it.¡± Huang Zhong¡¯s coat was casually draped over his body. He did not know where to look and requested, ¡°Put on your clothes properly. I -I¡¯ll go borrow it for you to use.¡± Duo waved Huang Zhong¡¯s green robe. ¡°l think I¡¯m already dressed properly.¡± Huang Zhong did not feel that she was dressed properly. Her legs, stomach, and chest were all exposed! Although she was from another tribe, she was too exposed. Moreover, men kept stealing glances at Duo¡¯s thigh. Their envious lasers almost pierced through the ground. Huang Zhong felt that he was a gentleman, so it was necessary for him teach her how to wear clothes correctly. He tugged at the belt of his shirt. ¡°You have to wear clothes like this, you have to close it. ¡® Duo said seriously, ¡°Don¡¯t you feel hot?¡± The weather here was a little hot, but it was not so hot that one had to expose their arms and legs. Huang Zhong gritted his teeth and said, ¡°It¡¯s not hot.¡± Then he tried his best to coax her. ¡°Put it on properly. If you wear it, I¡¯ll give you a spray machine to play with.¡¯ Duo looked at the bow tie he was tying and stretched out her hand. She asked, ¡°Help me tie it!¡± Huang Zhong¡¯s eyes widened in shock. He quickly turned his face that was burned like a monkey¡¯s butt. ¡°Why do you want me to help you tie it? Moreover, men and women shouldn¡¯t touch each other.¡¯ Duo was confused, but she roughly understood that Huang Zhong did not want to tie it for her. She saw that he was quite good-looking. He was so gentle that he was different from the men in their tribe. She considered giving birth to children for him, but he was actually unwilling to even tie her clothes. Duo was dissatisfied with him immediately and glared at him angrily. ¡°If you don¡¯t tie it, I¡¯ll find someone else to help me tie it!¡¯ When Huang Zhong heard that she still wanted to find someone else to tie her clothes for her, he immediately felt aggrieved. It turned out that he had only been chosen casually. Seeing him in a daze, Duo stomped her feet, she was really angry. She searched the crowd, wanting to find someone pleasing to the eye. Her gaze landed on Chu Tianbao. Thinking of his sharp and terrifying eyes, she immediately dispelled the thought and shifted her gaze to Lu Ye beside him. Lu Ye was wearing a light military uniform. He looked mighty and imposing. Compared to Huang Zhong¡¯s thin appearance, he was completely different. Duo walked toward him. In the next second, two women blocked her way. Gu Liancheng stood in front of Duo and sized her up coldly. Wen Renhua refused to treat her throat so she was filled with anger and thought that Duo was going to flirt with Chu Tianbao, so she wanted to vent her anger. Duo could tell that she was up to no good and frowned unhappily. Gu Liancheng could not speak. Meng Weiwei stood up for her. She criticized Duo, ¡°Even prostitutes wear more than you.¡± Duo did not understand a word, but it did not stop her from understanding that Meng Weiwei was scolding her for wearing too little. She placed her hands on her hips and said, ¡°I even think that you are wearing too much!¡± Meng Weiwei was now representing Gu Liancheng. She looked down at the other party as if she had found her former self. ¡°Shameless b*tch! Arrest her. Since you don¡¯t want to wear anything, don¡¯t wear anything.¡± The surrounding people immediately looked shocked. She was a girl from an outside tribe. If she didn¡¯t understand, one could teach her slowly. How could one humiliate others like this? Meng Weiwei sneered and did not care about the surrounding gazes. In any case, she was Gu Liancheng¡¯s maidservant. She only represented Gu Liancheng¡¯s intentions. After saying this, she deliberately asked Gu Liancheng, ¡°Miss, are you satisfied?¡± Gu Liancheng felt that Meng Weiwei¡¯s idea was not bad. How could she still have the face to seduce a man after being stripped naked? Gu Liancheng nodded. Meng Weiwei ordered the soldier protecting her arrogantly, ¡°What are you waiting for? Didn¡¯t you hear Miss¡¯s orders?¡± The soldiers were ordered to protect Gu Liancheng¡¯s safety. They could not take off a woman¡¯s clothes in public. The soldiers revealed troubled expressions and stood still, unwilling to move. The smile on Gu Liancheng¡¯s face instantly disappeared. She pointed at Meng Weiwei in exasperation and opened her mouth to give an order. She shall do it if the soldiers were not willing to. Meng Weiwei was shocked. How could she win a wild woman in a fight? Meeting Gu Liancheng¡¯s cold gaze, she had no choice but to brace herself and take two steps towards Duo, hoping that she could take the opportunity to run away. Unexpectedly, Duo pressed her to the ground and repeated, ¡°Don¡¯t wear it anymore, don¡¯t wear it, don¡¯t wear it¡­¡± Meng Weiwei¡¯s sleeve was torn off by her hand, revealing a portion of her snow-white skin. The men around her gasped. So fair. When the women saw this scene, they secretly felt very happy. This was what it meant to give someone a taste of their own medicine. Her innocence had been ruined by Duo just like that. Meng Weiwei¡¯s intestines turned green with regret. She panicked and struggled desperately to shout, ¡°Help! Help!!! Boohoo!!¡¯ ¡°Sss¨C¡± The sleeve of her other arm was torn off again. Duo smiled sweetly, her eyes shining with the stars of the sea. ¡®You¡¯re about to be like me.¡± Meng Weiwei cried and shook her head, asking Gu Liancheng for help. ¡°Miss, Miss, I¡¯m doing this for you. Save me!!!¡¯ She felt like Duo was going to tear her dress apart and cried even harder. Meng Weiwei was Gu Liancheng¡¯s subordinate. If she was embarrassed, Gu Liancheng would also be embarrassed. Gu Liancheng, who had reacted, lowered her eyes, picked up a rock on the ground, and smashed it at Duo¡¯s head. ¡°Be careful! ¡± When Duo turned around, Huang Thong, who had jumped out, suddenly pounced on her. The rock that should have hit Duo also hit his head heavily. With a muffled bang, Huang Zhong and Duo looked at each other in the air and rolled to the ground. Duo was pressed under him. When she raised her hand to touch his head, it was stained with bright red blood. Everyone gasped. When they came back to their senses, they immediately shouted in panic, ¡°Murder! Murder!¡± When Duo saw the blood, she thought of countless of her people who had died from wild beast bites. She hugged him in panic and shook him. ¡°Don¡¯t die, don¡¯t die, don¡¯t die.. Ye Wu was about to go to the beach to catch a few fishes for the children to eat when he heard that something had happened to Huang Thong. He immediately rushed over and learned that it was Gu Liancheng¡¯s doing. Without another word, he pulled out his weapon and wanted to avenge his nephew. The soldier in charge of protecting Gu Liancheng suddenly pulled out his sword and fought with Ye Wu. When Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao also rushed over after hearing the commotion, Ye Wu who could not defeat four powerful soldiers alone, was already covered in injuries, but he still refused to give up on killing Gu Liancheng.. Chapter 340 - Chapter 340: She’s Still a Child! Chapter 340: She¡¯s Still a Child! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios When Bai Wutong saw this scene, she quickly sent someone to suppress the chaotic situation and quickly sent someone to invite Gu Zhongxun to treat Huang Zhong. When Ye Wu, who was suppressed by the dark guards, saw his breathless and pale nephew, the veins on his forehead bulged. He spat at Gu Liancheng and cursed, ¡°What Miss, bah! If anything happens to my nephew, I won¡¯t let you off even if I die.¡± When Gu Chilie heard that something had happened to his daughter again, he rushed over and saw Ye Wu humiliating Gu Liancheng. Without thinking, he punched Ye Wu. ¡°Pfft Ye Wu spat out blood. One of his front teeth had been knocked out by Gu Chilie. Everyone looked angry. Gu Liancheng was the one who started the trouble first, but Gu Chilie had attacked Ye Wu to protect Gu Liancheng. Gu Chilie punched him, but it was not enough to vent his anger. He still wanted to kick Ye Wu again. In the next second, he saw his daughter tied up from the corner of his eye and immediately said angrily to Bai Wutong, ¡®What are you doing?¡± He could not tolerate Bai Wutong anymore. Bai Wutong had repeatedly challenged his tolerance and bullied his daughter. Gu Chilie looked at Bai Wutong with killing intent. Chu Tianbao stood in front of Bai Wutong and drew his saber without hesitation. He looked like he would personally kill him if he dared to take a step forward. This was the second time Chu Tianbao had drawn his knife at him for Bai Wutong. Gu Chilie pointed at Chu Tianbao and said angrily, ¡°Kill me! If you have the ability, kill us all now.¡± If Chu Tianbao killed Gu Chilie, the world would definitely say that Chu Tianbao was heartless and inhumane. He would be despised for millions of years. Why should Chu Tianbao suffer because of the trash? Bai Wutong stopped him and reached out to grab Chu Tianbao¡¯s sword, indicating for him to calm down and face Gu Chilie, who was about to go berserk. Bai Wutong said coldly, ¡°Marshal Gu, even you don¡¯t have the right to kill the people and bully them. Gu Liancheng bullied others and deliberately harmed someone. According to the law of the country, she should be punished.¡± Gu Chilie already knew the gist of the situation. He pointed at Duo. ¡°A woman with immoral behavior should be drowned in a pig cage! ¡® He did not think that Gu Liancheng had done anything wrong at all. Instead, he wanted to tarnish an innocent woman¡¯s reputation for Gu Liancheng¡¯s sake. Bai Wutong felt an indescribable anger. ¡°Every tribe has their culture and own inheritance. Only by respecting everyone¡¯s faith and culture can the southern frontier be more harmonious!¡± Gu Chilie pointed at Bai Wutong¡¯s nose and said, ¡°Bullsh*t. I¡¯ve already taken down the southern frontier. This is the territory of the Ling Kingdom. Those disobedient outsiders should be killed!¡± Duo suddenly pulled the dagger out of her lap. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you! ¡® Gu Chilie pulled out his sword and pointed it at Duo¡¯s head. ¡°None of the outsiders are good!¡± Qingfeng blocked Gu Chilie¡¯s sword. Bai Wutong said to the dark-faced Gu Chilie, ¡°She¡¯s already a good citizen of our Ling Kingdom. Marshal Gu, don¡¯t forget your duty.¡± Gu Chilie did not acknowledge Duo¡¯s identity as a good citizen at all. ¡°Pfft, we Han people don¡¯t have any good people naked!¡¯ Bai Wutong still said the same thing. ¡°Marshal Gu, there are diversity in the culture of every region. Since their tribe has submitted to the Ling Kingdom, they should receive the respect they deserve.¡± Gu Chilie looked at Bai Wutongin disdain and despised her. ¡°Who do you think you are? What right do you have to keep criticizing me here?¡± Bai Wutong did not refute him directly. Instead, she smiled and looked at Chu Tianbao. ¡°Husband, do you think I¡¯m right?¡± She openly told Gu Chilie that this was the right Chu Tianbao had given her. Chu Tianbao immediately nodded. Gu Chilie immediately scolded Chu Tianbao, ¡°Idiot!¡± Then he ordered the soldiers he had brought, ¡°Women are not allowed to be part of politics. Arrest her!¡¯ ¡®Whoosh When the soldiers were about to attack Bai Wutong, the dark guards also drew their swords. Both sides were suddenly about to attack. The Youjia villagers, who were already extremely dissatisfied with Gu Chilie and Gu Liancheng, also picked up their weapons and surrounded Gu Chilie. Even if Gu Chilie wanted to escape, Gu Liancheng was still in Bai Wutong¡¯s hands. Gu Chilie¡¯s troops were all in Baye City. If both sides fought now, they would definitely lose. He could not believe that the entire team, including the governor of the southern frontier sent by Emperor Linghui, would listen to Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong was simply a demoness. Chu Tianbao even treated her as a treasure. Such a sinister and vicious woman would sooner or later become the greatest wreaking havoc. Even if Chu Tianbao regained his memories, Bai Wutong would definitely influence his decisions. Gu Chilie had already completely wanted to kill Bai Wutong. Gu Liancheng was a troublemaker if she stayed here. Marshal Gu was also a person with strong selfish desires. Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Duo is a part of our Carefree City. We will never let anyone hurt her. Marshal Gu, don¡¯t forget your duty. It¡¯s to protect the people and the country.¡± Gu Chilie cursed angrily, ¡°It¡¯s not your place to teach me a lesson!¡¯ Bai Wutong did not argue with him. In any case, he could only curse with his words. Her gaze landed on Gu Liancheng¡¯s face and she suddenly smiled coldly. ¡°Gu Liancheng is arrogant and domineering. She bullies others and often causes trouble. Drag her away for 30 strokes!¡± 30 strokes was just enough for Gu Liancheng to suffer. Meng Weiwei was so frightened that her face turned pale. She was afraid that Bai Wutong would also punish her with 30 strokes. Gu Liancheng shook his head desperately at Gu Chilie. Gu Chilie raised his sword and was about to charge at Bai Wutong. ¡°Demoness, I¡¯m going to kill you!¡± However, as soon as he took a step, he was blocked by Qingfeng¡¯s sword again. Who asked Marshal Gu to lead the troops to war but not improve his martial arts? Just Qingfeng alone was enough to force him into a corner. Seeing that his daughter was about to be punished in public, Gu Chilie was anxious. He shouted at Chu Tianbao, ¡°Stop! Stop quickly!¡± Chu Tianbao watched coldly and did not give Gu Chilie any face. Gu Chilie only had one daughter. He gritted his teeth and shouted at Bai Wutong, ¡°They¡¯re not dead anyway!¡± What he meant was that Huang Zhong and Duo were only humiliated and seriously injured, yet Gu Liancheng had to be punished with 30 strokes. The Youjia villagers were even angrier. Whose life was not a life? To think that Gu Chilie was the marshal who protected the people. Bullsh*t! Bai Wutong gave him a cold look, and the dark guard who was carrying out the punishment mercilessly hit down. Gu Liancheng opened her mouth and screamed, but she couldn¡¯t make a sound. Her nails dug into the soil. Seeing his daughter being beaten up, Gu Chilie¡¯s eyes were bloodshot. He finally gave in and begged Bai Wutong, ¡°Let her go. She¡¯s still a child!¡¯ What a big child! Gu Chilie also had the cheek to say it. The dark guard moved quickly. By the time Gu Chilie finished speaking, Gu Liancheng had already been hit a few more times. She did not even have the strength to scream. Her mouth just remained open. No matter how Gu Chilie persuaded her, Bai Wutong was still as firm as a mountain. She watched as Gu Liancheng was hit 30 times until she fainted. Gu Chilie thought that it would be over after the beating. Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Drag her away. After she recovers, she will serve three months of hard labor..¡± Chapter 341 - Chapter 341: Tianbao, There’s an Octopus There! Chapter 341: Tianbao, There¡¯s an Octopus There! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Just as the injured Gu Liancheng was about to be dragged away, Gu Chilie roared at Chu Tianbao, ¡°If you still treat me as your father, return your sister to me!¡¯ Chu Tianbao finally looked him in the eye. ¡®There are family laws and national laws. Even if the emperor breaks the law, he will be punished the same way as the commoners. ¡® Gu Chilie had fought for Chu Shixiong¡¯s ambitious dreams all his life and raised his son for him. They had agreed to share blessings and hardships together, but now, he could not even protect his daughter. In an instant, his heart fell to the bottom. With a cold gaze, he said, ¡°Good! Good! Good! From now on, l, Gu Chilie, don¡¯t have a son like you!¡¯ Gu Chilie pulled up his robe and tore it off. He stepped hard into the soil, as if he wanted to step Chu Tianbao into the soil too. Chu Tianbao met his gaze, as if complicated emotions were surging. Bai Wutong looked at Chu Tianbao, feeling depressed. At this moment, You Huaijie suddenly went forward to beg for mercy for Gu Liancheng. ¡°Marshal Gu has contributed greatly to Ling Kingdom. Duke and Consort, please have mercy.¡± This was Bai Wutong¡¯s plan. If You Huaijie pleaded for mercy, Gu Chilie would be able to take Gu Liancheng away. After learning her lesson, Gu Liancheng would no longer dare to be impudent in the future. Gu Chilie would probably keep a close eye on her. After all, there was a high chance that Chu Tianbao was not Gu Chilie¡¯s biological son. If he had the intention to rebel, there would be endless disasters if a war started. The people would suffer the most. When the commoners saw You Huaijie pleading for Gu Chilie, they suddenly remembered that Gu Chilie was Marshal Gu, who had conquered the southern frontier and was also Chu Tianbao¡¯s father. Although the woman who had been hit 30 times was bad, she was indeed Chu Tianbao¡¯s sister. Everyone¡¯s originally impassioned anger suddenly subsided. They quietly watched Chu Tianbao and waited for his decision. Chu Tianbao glanced at Bai Wutong. ¡®Take her away and never take a step into Carefree City. ¡± Gu Chilie did not feel that Chu Tianbao was being merciful. Instead, he seemed to have suffered the greatest humiliation in his life and erupted with hatred. He picked up the unconscious Gu Liancheng and took one last look at Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao before turning to leave. Meng Weiwei hesitated and finally chose to catch up with her mother. Gu Chilie, Gu Liancheng, and everyone else had disappeared. However, everyone was not as happy as they had imagined. Instead, their eyelids twitched, and their hearts were indescribably heavy. Bai Wutong held Chu Tianbao¡¯s hand and walked to the beach. The two of them strolled on the beach without saying a word, allowing the sea breeze, white waves, sunlight, and beach to heal their souls. Suddenly, there was a strong wind. Chu Tianbao took off his coat and covered her. ¡°Are you still cold?¡¯ Bai Wutong shook her head. ¡°Not cold.¡± Chu Tianbao asked again, ¡°Are you tired?¡± Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°I¡¯m not tired. Let¡¯s go to the front and take a look. The tide is about to subside. We might catch some seafood.¡± They reached the reef. The tide had half receded, revealing a dark reef. It was very slippery to walk on. Chu Tianbao carefully supported her. Bai Wutong was also very careful and did not dare to go too far in. She stood on a flat reef and watched. As she looked, she saw something incredible. The huge octopus jumped into the gap between the rocks with a whoosh. Its two fat tentacles did not have time to retract together and were still squirming. Bai Wutong shouted happily, ¡°Tianbao, there¡¯s an octopus there!¡± This was the first time Bai Wutong had seen a creature in the sea and could accurately call out its name. Chu Tianbao was not surprised. Instead, he followed the direction Bai Wutong pointed and grabbed the octopus from between the gap. This octopus weighed more than five kilograms. It was bright red and had a super powerful suction. It was really, really big. Bai Wutong introduced excitedly, ¡°The octopus is especially fragrant no matter if it¡¯s mixed with sesame oil or grilled, stir-fried, braised, or stewed. The meat is crispy and smooth, and it¡¯s very nutritious and protein-rich.¡± This was the first time Chu Tianbao had seen such a creature. When he heard the words nutritional protein, he knew that it was very good for pregnant women. Chu Tianbao immediately said, ¡°I¡¯ll catch a few more.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Chu Tianbao realized that there was a big octopus under the reef where they were. They should be a pair. Bai Wutong said happily, ¡°Quick, there¡¯s more here.¡± Chu Tianbao grabbed the previous octopus with one hand and quickly grabbed another octopus. As soon as he scooped it up, Bai Wutong exclaimed again. This octopus seemed to be a male and weighed a few kilograms more than the one he had caught just now. It twisted in Chu Tianbao¡¯s hand, wanting to entangle him to death. After capturing two big octopuses in a row, Bai Wutong saw the gradually subsiding tide and was excited to rush to the sea. She said to Chu Tianbao, ¡°Let¡¯s find something to store it. ¡® These two guys were both experts at escaping. If they were placed in the surrounding shallow pits, they could disappear in a short while. There was nothing around. They were about to go back and look for their weapons when Cui Muzhi, who had followed them, waved the starfish in his hand. ¡®Madam Bai, look what I found. It¡¯s so beautiful!¡± The starfish that Cui Muzhi had picked up was bright red with beautiful patterns on its back and a little blue on the edges. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful. Look what we caught.¡± Everyone looked at Chu Tianbao¡¯s hand and their eyes widened. They had never seen such a terrifying tentacle creature. Cui Lingyi took a step back slightly, and Sheng Huaixuan reached out to support her. Stinky was different. He pointed at the octopus in Lin Yue¡¯s arms and drooled. ¡°Eat, eat, eat¡­¡± Haha, he was actually the only one present who knew what was good. Cui Muzhi asked in horror, ¡°Can this be eaten?¡± Bai Wutong smiled and nodded. ¡°It¡¯s edible and especially delicious. Go get someone to bring the tools over. The tide is about to ebb and we can still pick up a lot of things. Let¡¯s have a seafood barbecue feast today.¡± Seafood barbecue dinner!!! Everyone¡¯s eyes lit up. They no longer felt so disgusted when they looked at the octopus. Since such an ugly creature could be eaten, Cui Muzhi immediately weighed the starfish and asked, ¡°Can it be eaten?¡± Bai Wutong knew a lot. It would not be wrong to ask her. Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°The starfish can be eaten, but only the seeds inside can be eaten. Moreover, we have to specially look for big starfishes.¡± The one in Cui Muzhi¡¯s hand was only the size of a palm. There were clearly not many seeds inside. Cui Muzhi was not disappointed. He squatted down and placed it in the pit. ¡°Then I¡¯ll put it back first and eat it when it grows up.¡± Soon, the servants brought over buckets and baskets. Everyone was excited to try. Chu Tianbao carried the basket while Bai Wutong was in charge of looking for a target. After a while, she shouted happily, ¡°Everyone, come and take a look!¡± Everyone ran over and saw Bai Wutong pointing at a huge rock. ¡°Abalone!!!¡± Everyone looked around and finally realised what was abalone. A mollusk with a shell was sucking hard on the rock. There were at least dozens of them on this side. All of them were the size of a fist.. Chapter 342 - Chapter 342: Discovered Another Treasure Chapter 342: Discovered Another Treasure Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The abalone was a modern and expensive rare item. It was delicious and nutritious. It was known as the ¡°soft gold¡± of the sea. It looked very similar to human ears, also known as sea ears. Its meat was tender and chewy after cooking. It was also called sea beef in Bai Wutong¡¯s hometown. It was basically impossible to see such a huge wild abalone in the modern world, but there were so many of them growing on any reef here. In just a short time, roasted abalone, braised abalone, abalone porridge¡­ could all be arranged. Be it abalone or octopus, they were all quite new to everyone. Cui Muzhi was the first to lay his hands on the abalones. He twisted, pinched, and dug for a long time before plucking one. ¡°This fellow is quite strong.¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°You have to do it when it¡¯s unprepared.¡± The moment the abalone stuck out its tentacles, Bai Wutong attacked at lightning speed and easily dug out the abalone. With Bai Wutong¡¯s demonstration, everyone learned and immediately worked hard on the abalone. Bai Wutong dug out two abalones and found another big blue crab. It waved its two huge pincers and acted domineeringly in front of Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong was an expert at catching crabs. Just as she was about to attack, Chu Tianbao was afraid that she would be hurt. He stopped her and grabbed the crab himself. Stinky saw that it was something interesting again and leaned over, wanting Chu Tianbao to let him take a look. Chu Tianbao glanced at him from afar and threw the crab into the bucket. Everyone had eaten crabs from the paddy field, but they had never eaten crabs from the sea. In any case, they were all crabs. The taste must be equally good. Everyone also grabbed the crabs. Not long after, two buckets were filled. The seafood seemed to be abundant. When their buckets and bamboo baskets were full, the tides had then subsided. The good stuff must still be down there. Everyone set off with Bai Wutong. Soon, they stopped again. Bai Wutong studied the pile of green things on the ground. Cui Muzhi¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°You can eat this?¡± If they could eat it, they would have struck lottery. The entire area was filled with these green plants. After Bai Wutong carefully identified them, she picked up two similar types of seaweed from the ground and said with a smile, ¡®This is called sea kelp. This is sea cabbage. They¡¯re all plants that can be eaten in the sea. After drying them and storing them, they can be eaten all year round.¡± ¡°You can make buns, dumplings, boil soup, or stir-fry them.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a lot of them here. Go get someone to collect the seaweed. We¡¯ll be able to eat fresh seaweed soup today.¡± Apart from the sea cabbage, Bai Wutong stood on the reef and looked around. She discovered another reddish- brown seaweed. This kind of seafood was called dragon whiskers. It had many strands and looked especially like dragon whiskers. The reddish-brown color was also especially easy to discover, but it also made people ¡°guard¡± against it. Actually, it was a nutritious, delicious, and crispy seafood. It can be blanched and eaten cold. This kind of seaweed could also be preserved for a long time, but there were fewer of them and they could only be found on a small number of reefs. After discovering three types of sea vegetables, Bai Wutong found another type in the waterhole. This kind of seaweed was like small grapes growing in the water. It was called sea grapes and was commonly known as green caviar. Apart from the fact that it looked especially like fish roe, its nutritional value was even higher. However, this was not very common. It could only be seen occasionally in the waterhole near the reef, so it was relatively expensive in the modern market. It had a crispy texture and was a delicacy that one should not miss. Bai Wutong introduced four types of edible seafood in a row. Everyone was surprised that there were so many edible vegetables in the sea. Not long after, Auntie Yang and the others came with all kinds of tools. Bai Wutong told them that they had to move all the seafood ashore before the tide rose. Otherwise, when the tide came, the sea vegetables would all be submerged. Everyone quickly got busy, cherishing the rare vegetables. When they pulled the sea vegetables out, there were actually sea mussels on the reef below. The size of the sea mussels was actually comparable to the size of oysters. They were densely packed, which was practically an area that people with trypophobia would not be able to stand. Whether it was stewed soup or stir-fried after drying, the sea mussel was very delicious and also could be stored for a long time. Bai Wutong carefully walked along the area towards the reef. As expected, where there were mussels, there would definitely be oysters. The full-sized oyster was opened a crack, and one could see the fair and tender flesh inside. Cooking vermicelli with garlic and oysters was practically a delicacy. Apart from being used for cooking, oysters could also be made into delicious oyster sauce. Looking at Bai Wutong¡¯s expression, everyone knew that she had discovered something good again. Bai Wutong said happily, ¡°Hurry up and call some more people over. There are many sea mussels and oysters here. Get everyone to bring some tools and gloves. Be careful not to cut your hands and feet when prying open them.¡± Not long after, the reef was filled with people holding various tools and prying at the sea mussels and oysters. Seeing that some people were struggling to pry open the shell, Bai Wutong said to them, ¡°You can pry open only the top shell on the sea mussels and oysters and take their meat. ¡® Everyone came to a realization and attacked fiercely. If they couldn¡¯t pry it open, they would smash it with rocks, allowing them to work efficiently. At this speed, everyone would probably be able to eat a bowl of delicious seafood meat before the sun set. After having enough fun on the reef, Bai Wutong and the others moved to the beach. Bai Wutong observed the beach and immediately smiled mysteriously. She got someone to bring her some salt and said to everyone mysteriously, ¡°I want to show a magic trick to you.¡± Under everyone¡¯s gaze, Bai Wutong pinched a pinch of salt and sprinkled it into the small hole. A strange thing as thick as two fingers suddenly appeared. Cui Muzhi and Stinky hugged each other and shouted excitedly, ¡°Amazing! Amazing! ¡® Bai Wutong pulled the razor clam out of the sand. Everyone surrounded it curiously. ¡®What is this?¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°This is also a type of soft seafood. Its name is Chengzi, and its nickname is Bamboo Monster.¡± Cui Muzhi was especially curious about how a little salt could make it take the initiative to pop out. He asked foolishly, ¡°Is it really a magic trick?¡± Stinky looked at Bai Wutong eagerly, as if he was saying to quickly teach her the magic trick. Bai Wutong smiled and shook her head. ¡°The razor clam is very sensitive to salt. If there¡¯s too much salt, it won¡¯t be able to take it and will pop out of the sand. ¡® Everyone came to a realization and immediately distributed the salt from Bai Wutong and used the same technique. Soon, clams kept popping out one by one. They easily filled a few bamboo baskets. Apart from the razor clams, Bai Wutong also discovered a small hole in the shape of a U on the beach. This kind of hole was the breathing hole of a clam. If one stomped on the side of the hole and water spewed out, it meant that there were clams inside. Bai Wutong stomped her feet, and so did Stinky. He was short, and the water in the clam hole sprayed all over his face. He squatted down and dug curiously, digging out a small white shell. Bai Wutong immediately smiled. ¡°As expected of our lucky star. We¡¯ve discovered another treasure..¡± Chapter 343 - Chapter 343: Quite Shameless… Chapter 343: Quite Shameless¡­ Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Stinky raised the clam, his round eyes containing the sea of stars. ¡°Stinky¡¯s treasure is for Mother.¡¯ Bai Wutong smiled and touched his chubby face. She took the clam that he treated like a treasure. ¡°Thank you, Stinky. Mother likes it very much.¡± Stinky rubbed the back of Bai Wutong¡¯s hand happily and immediately squatted down to look for clams. He said cutely, ¡°I¡¯ll find another treasure for Daddy.¡± He tried his best to dig, and he actually dug out several of them on the clam-covered beach. Stinky was so excited that he shouted, ¡°Treasure! Treasure!¡± Then he eagerly handed one to every person. As he gave them, he became disappointed. Bai Wutong asked him what was wrong. Stinky cried with huge beads of tears and pouted, looking extremely aggrieved. ¡®Xiaobai isn¡¯t here¡­¡± ¡®Xiaobai will definitely be able to dig up many treasures! Boohoo ¨C Boohoo Stinky cried harder and harder. He remembered that Xiaobai had been by his side since he was young. They played together, made a fuss, and shared delicious food. He had not seen Xiaobai for two days. He missed Xiaobai so much. Bai Wutong did not know if she would be able to see Xiaobai again. Stinky was crying, and she also wanted to cry. Everyone looked sad at the same time. Bai Wutong could only pull Stinky into her arms and comfort him. ¡°Xiaobai will come back to see Stinky in the future. ¡® Stinky took a deep breath and opened the white clam in his palm. ¡°1 want Xiaobai now¡­¡± It would definitely like it. When Bai Wutong saw the white clam in Stinky little chubby hand, she felt even more upset. The sadness of a child came and went quickly. Chu Tianbao brought an extraordinarily beautiful conch to Stinky and asked him to listen to the sound of the sea, so Stinky quickly forgot about Xiaobai. Everyone looked at each other and smiled regretfully. If only Xiaobai was here. The sumptuous ingredients were prepared, and the seafood barbecue banquet officially began. Whether it was steamed, boiled, stewed, braised, charcoal roasted, stir-fried, there was everything. There was a dazzling array. Bai Wutong drank the freshest supreme-grade abalone porridge and looked at the wine glasses everyone was holding with envy eyes. For some reason, after she got pregnant, she loved to drink even more. However , drinking was not good for the development of the fetus. Bai Wutong could only endure it and watch fervently. Chu Tianbao seemed to have recalled the time when he couldn¡¯t hold his liquor well and Bai Wutong didn¡¯t let him drink. He deliberately took a small sip and waved the glass in front of her eyes. He smiled slightly, cold and charming. Bai Wutong had just felt a trace of anger when her soul was stolen by his seductive thin lips. She swallowed secretly. When she met Chu Tianbao¡¯s smiling gaze, she drooled even more. After eating and drinking their fill, the sky was filled with stars and the bright full moon formed a beautiful painting on the sea surface. Everyone couldn¡¯t help but close their eyes and wished upon the stars and moon. After playing for the entire afternoon and the entire night, Bai Wutong was so sleepy that she could barely open her eyes. Chu Tianbao carried her back to the tent and placed her on the soft bed. Bai Wutong flipped around, thinking about not crushing her child, and turned herself back. Perhaps it was because she had been nourished well recently, or perhaps it was because it was her second puberty stage, some areas of her body became even more attractive. Chu Tianbao leaned down and kissed her lips. Bai Wutong woke up. ¡°Wu The refreshing wine fragrance melted between her lips and teeth. Bai Wutong met Chu Tianbao¡¯s expectant eyes and turned into a pool of spring water, charming and moving. After taking a few sips of the fine wine, Chu Tianbao, who was breathing heavily, suddenly raised his body. His voice was deep and hoarse, as if he was suppressing himself to be patient. ¡°I¡¯ll get you water.¡¯ Bai Wutong licked the corner of her lips and bit him in the ear. She said lazily, ¡°Come back quickly.¡± Her clothes were disheveled and she was as seductive as a demoness. Chu Tianbao narrowed his deep eyes and raised the back of her head. ¡°Uh He stopped walking again. The next day, Bai Wutong woke up in Chu Tianbao¡¯s arms. She reached out, and Chu Tianbao pressed his smooth arm under the blanket again to prevent her from catching a cold. Bai Wutong turned into his arms. Just as she was about to bite him, she realized that Chu Tianbao¡¯s face and neck were covered in dense red spots. She subconsciously blushed, but then she felt that something was wrong. How could she be so rough? She took a closer look and lifted the blanket to take a look. Chu Tianbao chuckled and thought that she still wanted another round. He pulled her into his arms and warned, ¡°You don¡¯t remember?¡± Bai Wutong looked up and was not embarrassed at all. Instead, she asked with a heavy expression, ¡®Tianbao, don¡¯t you feel uncomfortable?¡± Chu Tianbao smiled meaningfully. ¡°I¡¯m indeed a little uncomfortable.¡± Bai Wutong glared at him. ¡°I¡¯m not joking with you. Do you feel itchy?¡± Chu Tianbao did feel a little itchy, but it was not as important as seizing time with his wife. Just as he was about to shake his head, Bai Wutong took his arm. ¡°Look for yourself. Is it really not itchy? You are probably allergic to seafood. Is there anywhere else uncomfortable?¡± There were usually two types of seafood allergies. One was so serious that he could not eat seafood at all. Apart from skin symptoms, there might also be gastrointestinal symptoms. If it was serious, it could cause an allergic reaction and cause shock. In this situation, Chu Tianbao definitely could not eat seafood in the future. The other type was more common, seafood tolerance and would lead to relatively mild symptoms. Often, only the skin would show symptoms. Sometimes, it would cause a reaction after eating seafood, and sometimes, it would not. It was often fine if one did not eat much, but if one ate too much, the symptoms would appear. Moreover, it was fine if one ate fresh seafood. If one ate frozen seafood, symptoms would appear. This was mainly because seafood was prone to decay and would produce bad substance-induced symptoms. If Chu Tianbao was the second type, he could still eat seafood, but he couldn¡¯t eat too much, and he could only eat fresh ones. Chu Tianbao met Bai Wutong¡¯s worried gaze and said obediently, ¡°My skin is just a little itchy.¡± He could completely tolerate this. Fortunately, it was the second case. Bai Wutong was a little relieved and quickly pulled Chu Tianbao up to look for a doctor. When they packed up and went outside the tent, they saw that the periphery of Wen Renhua and Gu Zhongxun¡¯s tent was filled with people. This was the first time everyone had eaten seafood, so many people had an allergic reaction. Their symptoms were not serious. It was just an unbearable itch, causing them to constantly scratch their bodies. It caused everyone to panic about the food being poisonous. Wen Renhua, and Gu Zhongxun could not take in so many people at all. They only accepted patients with severe seafood allergies. The rest of the patients queued up in front of Auntie Yang and the others to receive a bowl of ginger pepper water to stop the itch. By applying ginger pepper water to the area where one¡¯s skin was allergic to itchiness and washing it with warm water ten minutes later, this could quickly stop the itch. Bai Wutong also got someone to bring her a bowl of ginger pepper water. Chu Tianbao stared at the bowl of ginger, pepper, and water and smiled. He took the initiative to follow Bai Wutong into the tent, took off all his clothes, and waited for Bai Wutong to apply the medicine for him. He was quite shameless¡­ Chapter 344 - Chapter 344: Black Gold Rock Chapter 344: Black Gold Rock Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios His body was comparable to a superstar model¡¯s. His allergic spots were like plum blossoms that bloomed, making him look both seductive and beautiful. Bai Wutong took a deep breath and gripped the porcelain bowl in her hand. Chu Tianbao really knew how to seduce her, he was not pretending at all. Chu Tianbao raised his eyebrows. ¡°Wife?¡± He gestured for her to hurry up and ravage him. Bai Wutong slowly approached. Chu Tianbao suddenly leaned over and kissed her. Bai Wutong was stunned for a moment. The ginger pepper water in her bowl was almost knocked over. She glared at him angrily. ¡°Behave yourself.¡± Chu Tianbao smiled innocently, looking like he was ready to die. Bai Wutong was amused by him again. The cotton swab that had the ginger pepper water rolled past Chu Tianbao¡¯s chest muscles, abs, and mermaid muscles¡­ As it continued to go down, Bai Wutong¡¯s face also burned. After finally applying the medicine for Chu Tianbao, before Bai Wutong could catch her breath, Chu Tianbao suddenly hugged her. Thinking of last night, Bai Wutong¡¯s face burned again. Afraid that he would not be able to hold it back later, Bai Wutong struggled twice. ¡°Alright, stop fooling around.¡± Chu Tianbao groaned and lay on her shoulder to calm down. After a long time, Chu Tianbao returned to normal. It was time for Bai Wutong to wipe him down again. The two of them looked at each other. Chu Tianbao smiled bitterly. Seeing his pitiful expression, Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t help but laugh. After wiping Chu Tianbao clean and resolving his personal matters, Bai Wutong¡¯s hands were sore. Chu Tianbao rubbed her hand considerately when Duo¡¯s voice suddenly came from outside the door. Bai Wutong sniffed the tent and quickly stood up. She sprayed a little perfume on herself and went out to welcome the guests. When Duo saw her, she revealed two rows of neat white teeth. She took out a linen bag from her pocket and happily gave it to Bai Wutong. ¡°For you! Thank you for saving my man!¡± ¡°Man?¡± Bai Wutong was silent for a moment. Could Duo be talking about Huang Thong? This¡­ was progressing too quickly. What Duo gave her should be a very precious treasure for her. Bai Wutong could not accept it. ¡°It was Doctor Gu who saved him. Miss Duo, you don¡¯t have to thank me.¡± Bai Wutong reacted quickly and called a doctor to save Huang Zhong in time. She also helped her deal with the two evil women. Duo felt that she had to thank her and insisted that Bai Wutong accept it. ¡°Do you not like the gift I gave you?¡± Before Bai Wutong could answer, she said, ¡®Then I¡¯ll find you a gift you like. Bai Wutong smiled helplessly and took her bag with both hands. ¡®Thank you for the gift. ¡® Duo urged, ¡°Hurry up and open it!¡± If Bai Wutong didn¡¯t like it, she would find her another one. Under her expectant gaze, Bai Wutong opened the bag. What greeted her eyes was a bag of lustrous white pearls. The smallest of them was the size of a thumb. Bai Wutong took out a pearl and exposed it to the sunlight. It was colorful and looked like the tears of a mermaid. It was beautiful. One pearl could be sold for a high price. And Duo had given her an entire bag. There were at least 30 of them. Bai Wutong said to Duo, ¡°The gift you gave me is too expensive. I can¡¯t accept it.¡± Duo blinked, a little disappointed. ¡°You just don¡¯t like it!¡± Bai Wutong shook her head. ¡°1 like it very much, but¡­¡± Before she could finish, Duo interrupted, ¡°lfyou like it, keep it well. I¡¯ll send you more next time.¡± With that, she ran away like a rabbit. Bai Wutong looked at the bag of pearls and Chu Tianbao said, ¡°Take it. We¡¯ll exchange for something to send to her.¡± If she insisted on returning the things to Duo, Duo would definitely be hurt. Moreover, Bai Wutong really liked these pearls. She ran to the storeroom to choose things for Duo. There were fabrics that girls liked, rouge, powder, silk, and an exquisite gem dagger that was suitable for her. Duo had never received so many gifts at once. They were all exquisite and she loved the dagger that Bai Wutong had given her even more. However, she recalled Song Benhua¡¯s teachings and hurriedly said happily, ¡°Madam, what do you want? I¡¯ll exchange it with you! ¡® Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°There¡¯s always a return when giving to others. This is a token of my appreciation.¡± Duo could tell that these things were very expensive, and she could not take out anything better. She could only thank Bai Wutong first and ask Song Benhua later what else she could give Bai Wutong. Originally, she was the one who had given Bai Wutong something to express her gratitude, but now, she had obtained so many things from Bai Wutong for nothing. She felt very apologetic, but she cherished those clothes, fabrics, and jewelry. Seeing her vexed expression, Song Benhua looked at the dagger in her hand from the corner of his eye and made up his mind. He said to Duo, ¡°We still have gifts to give. Moreover, we can let the entire tribe live a good life.¡± Duo¡¯s eyes widened immediately. ¡°What is it?¡± As the tribe leader, how could she not know that she could let the entire tribe live a good life? Song Benhua replied, ¡°Black gold. ¡® After the previous day, Song Benhua had also seen through Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao¡¯s character. Since the black gold would be discovered sooner or later, he might as well use it to exchange for Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao¡¯s good impression of them. Duo was stunned. ¡°Will black gold work?¡± She thought that the black gold was just a slightly harder piece of soil. Song Benhua had never told the tribe that the black gold was the iron that the Central Plains people valued because he did not want the news to spread and attract trouble. He nodded simply. ¡°Definitely.¡± After obtaining the black gold, the entire southern frontier would have their own weapons production factory. It was impossible for Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao not to be happy. Duo immediately jumped up and said happily, ¡®Then what should I tell them? Can our entire clan live a good life if I tell them?¡± She wanted to thank Bai Wutong, but she wanted the tribe members to live happily. She had only been here for a short day, but she already felt a completely different experience from being in the mountains. If she could really live in such a good house, her future life would definitely not be bad. Song Benhua said, ¡°You just have to tell them that our entire clan is willing to hand over the black gold to them. There¡¯s no need to say anything else. They will naturally take it to heart. ¡± If one asked for a favor, it would be repulsive. Duo nodded and quickly brought Song Benhua to Bai Wutong. ¡°Madam, I like your gift very much. Our entire clan also wants to give you a gift.¡± She had just given her a bag of pearls, and the entire clan was going to give her another gift. Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so polite. ¡® Duo insisted on being so polite. She took out a black rock with many holes. ¡°Madam, look.¡± Bai Wutong looked over and couldn¡¯t tell what was going on. Chu Tianbao suddenly said, ¡°Black Gold Rock?¡± Duo¡¯s eyes widened with an expression that said, ¡®How do you know? Black gold rock was just iron. Could there be iron ore here? Bai Wutong took the dark golden rock in her hand in confusion and sized up Chu Tianbao. Chu Tianbao¡¯s expression was solemn.. ¡°You¡¯re taking us to find the black gold rock?¡± Chapter 345 - Chapter 345: Wen Renhua acupunctures Chu Tianbao Chapter 345: Wen Renhua acupunctures Chu Tianbao Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios In modern times, iron was the most important basic material in industrial and agricultural production. Its greatest use was to refine steel. The annual production of steel represented the modernization level of a country and its national defense forces. The televisions, refrigerators, cars, bicycles, railroad tracks, watches, and so on that were commonly seen in daily life needed iron to be cast. It could be said that without iron, there would be no modern society. In the world that Bai Wutong was in, iron was also a symbol of the power of a country. The Imperial Court¡¯s control of iron was even stricter than that of gold mines. As a registered blacksmith, Zhao Yuan had to check the iron ore he bought every month in detail. Moreover, he had to register it in detail no matter who he sold it to. It could be seen that the Imperial Court placed great importance to iron. With iron, one could use it to forge steel bars and build stronger steel and concrete buildings. There was no need to transport iron from thousands of miles away. Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t refuse the big gift from Duo even if she wanted to, because it was really important. Duo was a little afraid of Chu Tianbao¡¯s sharp gaze. ¡°Are you going to take a look now? If you want to go now, I can bring you there now.¡± Bai Wutong wanted to go with Chu Tianbao, but the mountain path was difficult and bumpy. Chu Tianbao asked her to stay in the tent and personally led his men into the mountain to survey the range of the iron mine. In the afternoon, Chu Tianbao returned. The exact amount of iron ore had yet to be detected, but it was definitely a lot. It was completely enough to supply the southern frontier. Bai Wutong had already sorted out the technology suitable for mining and forging molten iron using the information in the RV space. With these technologies, the iron ore dug out could quickly be forged into all kinds of suitable tools to speed up the construction of Carefree City. After Bai Wutong finished sorting out the information, she had a headache. How could she tell everyone about these technologies? She felt that it was not a good idea to use the ¡°Book of Hundred Industries¡± written by Yang Quanzi as an excuse every time. Chu Tianbao hugged her with a smell of green leaves. When he saw the technology she had written and the blueprint she had drawn, he was slightly shocked when he picked it up. However, he did not ask anything with an unspoken mutual understanding. Just because Chu Tianbao didn¡¯t ask didn¡¯t mean that others wouldn¡¯t. Bai Wutong said in distress, ¡°How do you think I should teach everyone?¡¯ She should find an otherworldly expert to replace her. There were some things that could not be explained in a few words. She still had to do it. Chu Tianbao was very calm. ¡°With your talent, everyone will only take it for granted.¡± If it were anyone else, they would definitely be suspected. However, everyone was used to Bai Wutong¡¯s inventions from time to time. They would exclaim that it was as expected of Madam Bai, and that she could shine anywhere she went. When Chu Tianbao said that, Bai Wutong immediately felt relieved. Anyway, it wasn¡¯t the first time. So what if it was more impressive? Bai Wutong held his face and kissed him happily. Suddenly, Wen Renhua¡¯s voice came from outside the tent. ¡°Madam, is Master here?¡± Bai Wutong suddenly got up from Chu Tianbao¡¯s lap. ¡°Yes.¡± She had almost forgotten about the serious matter. That day, Wen Renhua was going to perform acupuncture on Chu Tianbao. Wen Renhua brought Gu Zhongxun into the tent. The unrelated people outside the tent had already been cleared out to prevent any disturbance. Wen Renhua checked Chu Tianbao¡¯s pulse first. Gu Zhongxun stood at the side like an intern watching a doctor¡¯s lecture and listened carefully. After confirming that Chu Tianbao¡¯s current physical condition allowed him to perform acupuncture, Wen Renhua began to prepare. The silver needles pierced into Chu Tianbao¡¯s head one by one. Bai Wutong¡¯s heart tightened, and she forced herself not to make a sound. The acupuncture process was very long. From time to time, Wen Renhua would ask Chu Tianbao how he felt. If Chu Tianbao felt an abnormal pain, he had to stop cleaning up the blood clot. Fortunately, it was still within Chu Tianbao¡¯s tolerance. Time passed. Wen Renhua pulled out all the silver needles on Chu Tianbao¡¯s head and finally said, ¡°It¡¯s done for today. We¡¯ll continue tomorrow.¡± Bai Wutong wiped the sweat off Chu Tianbao¡¯s forehead and asked with concern, ¡°Then can he recall the past now?¡¯ Wen Renhua said, ¡°He should remember a little. It¡¯s also possible that he will only remember it after the blood clot is completely removed. If he can¡¯t remember it now, don¡¯t deliberately think about it. It¡¯s best to let nature take its course.¡± Bai Wutong nodded and asked Chu Tianbao, ¡°Do you feel uncomfortable?¡± Chu Tianbao couldn¡¯t help but want to recall. Some blurry memories kept flashing in his mind. The man who was wearing a mask and reprimanding him, the woman in a white dress who was hugging him and crying, the battlefield where he was fighting the enemy¡­ and the very strong obsession in the depths of his heart. There was no chronological order to the chaotic memories. Chu Tianbao continued to recall. A tearing pain suddenly surged. Bai Wutong realized that his expression was abnormal and hurriedly stopped him. ¡®Tianbao, don¡¯t think about it anymore!¡¯ Chu Tianbao was pulled back to reality by Bai Wutong¡¯s voice. His slightly empty expression made Bai Wutong¡¯s heart ache. After a while, Chu Tianbao knew that he had frightened Bai Wutong just now. He hurriedly hugged her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Bai Wutong shook her head. ¡°Take your time. Don¡¯t be anxious.¡± ¡®Yeah.¡± Chu Tianbao received treatment for three days in a row. Apart from becoming more and more reserved in front of Bai Wutong, he would often lookin the direction of the setting sun and fall into deep thought. Bai Wutong could only accompany him quietly. On the fourth day of Chu Tianbao¡¯s treatment, the cocoa fruits were fermented. It was finally time for Bai Wutong to teach everyone how to make chocolate. The children rubbed their palms together, their faces filled with expectant and cute smiles. She took the cocoa beans out of the fire room, poured away the water produced during fermentation, and sucked them dry with gauze. Then, she laid all the cocoa beans on the baking sheet. After the eight buckets of cocoa beans were all laid out, they were sent into the roasting cellar one by one. After roasting in the cellar for about an hour, the cocoa beans emitted a nut-like fragrance. The children thought that they would be able to eat delicious food soon, so they all guarded the roasting cellar enviously and did not move for a moment. Amidst the children¡¯s joy, the roasted cocoa beans were taken out of the oven. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°It can¡¯t be eaten yet. We have to peel off the shell.¡¯ Under her demonstration, the cocoa beans finally revealed her coffee-colored true colors. Stinky couldn¡¯t wait to try it. He reached out his chubby hand and asked Bai Wutong for it. ¡°Mother Bai Wutong handed it to him. Before he could speak, Stinky impatiently stuffed it into his mouth. The rich and bitter taste of the cocoa beans immediately made Stinky vomit in shock. ¡°It¡¯s so bitter!¡± It was not delicious at all! Stinky frowned and stuck out his tongue. Lin Yue quickly brought him water to rinse his mouth. Auntie Yang smiled and said, ¡°It should be that bean wasn¡¯t roasted!¡± With that, she peeled another one and handed it to Stinky. Stinky stuffed it into his mouth again in disbelief and spat it out. He cried and complained to Bai Wutong, ¡°It doesn¡¯t taste good. Stinky doesn¡¯t like it.¡± Bai Wutong chuckled and tapped his little nose. ¡°It¡¯s not the time to eat. It¡¯ll be delicious later.¡¯ Although Bai Wutong said that it was not the time to eat, the children could not help but secretly peel a cocoa bean and stuff it into their mouths. With this, their faces twisted. They were very doubtful that the cocoa beans, which tasted worse than traditional chinese medicine, would really become delicious.. Chapter 346 - Chapter 346: The Bitter Sweetness Chapter 346: The Bitter Sweetness Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The cocoa beans were very small and there was no machine specially used to peel them. There were eight baskets of cocoa beans. Everyone worked together and took an hour to peel them all. Seeing that Bai Wutong was busy with the children and there were many people around, everyone secretly ate a cocoa bean and was dissuaded by the bitter taste. As a fanatical fan of Bai Wutong, Yang Quanzi quite liked it. The bitter taste had a hint of sweetness on the tip of his tongue, rich and mellow. He even felt that he was like Bai Wutong and had good taste. After the cocoa beans were all peeled, it was time for the critical step of making chocolate. Previously, in order to make it easier to grind meat, Bai Wutong specially asked Zhao Yuan to make a blender for her. With a little adjustment of the blender, she could blend the cocoa beans by hand. However, before that, she had to crush the cocoa beans first. Bai Wutong first crushed a few handfuls of cocoa beans. Then, she placed the beans in the blender and quickly blend them. After a while, the cocoa beans turned into dark coffee-colored chocolate syrup with the high-speed blending. Everyone craned their necks and found it strange. Even though Bai Wutong had turned the cocoa beans into liquid, the taste was still bitter. When the servants brought up a few bags of white sugar, everyone realized that they were going to put sugar in them. To children, sugar was a delicious delicacy. The moment they saw the white sugar, they cheered excitedly. Bai Wutong added a large amount of white sugar to the mixer and stirred it until it was as delicate and sticky as pulp. Bai Wutong smiled at Chu Tianbao. ¡®You can pour it out now.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, dozens of different chocolate molds were brought up. There were mould that looked like Xiaobai, Stinky, Little Cat, and Tiger¡­ Bai Wutong poured half of the chocolate liquid into the mold, added a nut, and poured in the chocolate liquid again to cover it. The chocolate in the mold was placed in the shade and gradually solidified under everyone¡¯s expectant gazes. Bai Wutong took some more cocoa beans and ground them into cocoa powder. She also used green tea to make some green tea powder. Bai Wutong first took out the entire tray of chocolate. She had made two flavors of the chocolate, original and sweet. Original flavors can be used to make chocolate cake, chocolate mousse, chocolate ice cream, chocolate macchiato, and so on. The tray of chocolate with sugar was directly broken off and shared with everyone. The soil-like chocolate pulp suddenly turned into candy. The children licked the corners of their mouths hungrily. Even the adults who had not been optimistic about the chocolate were very curious if it would really taste good after adding sugar. Soon, the chocolates in the other molds were also taken out by Bai Wutong. There were all kinds of cute chocolates and they were very likable. Stinky¡¯s drool was almost falling on Lin Yue. He had a look of disdain just now, but now, it was really fragrant. For the sake of aesthetics, Bai Wutong specially placed the cute chocolate on a plate and sprinkled matcha and cocoa powder evenly on the chocolate. Against the exquisite plate, the originally cute chocolate looked even more high-end. Moreover, it was very tempting. Stinky tugged at Bai Wutong¡¯s sleeve and blinked his round grape-like eyes, as if to say, ¡°If you don¡¯t give it to Stinky, Stinky will snatch it.¡± Bai Wutong chuckled and let him choose his favorite chocolate. Then, she asked everyone to distribute the freshly made chocolate to the children. Stinky picked the chocolate that looked like Xiaobai and wanted to bite Xiaobai¡¯s ear, but he could not bear to. Xiaobai was so cute. How could he eat Xiaobai? Bai Wutong was very satisfied with the chocolate she had made. She picked up a strawberry- shaped chocolate and brought it to Chu Tianbao¡¯s mouth. Chu Tianbao took a bite without hesitation. The chocolate seemed to come alive and quickly melted in his mouth. The texture was delicate and sweet, and it was just the right amount of bitterness. It made people want more. The nuts inside also added a crisp texture and complemented the chocolate perfectly. Chu Tianbao liked sweet food to begin with. Suddenly, his eyes lit up. When Chu Tianbao took a bite, no one hesitated anymore. Stinky also bit off Xiaobai¡¯s ear. In an instant, everyone exclaimed. This was too delicious. It was smooth and fragrant, and they almost bit their tongues off. Auntie Yang said happily, ¡°I was wondering what it would taste like if sugar was added to such bitter cocoa beans. Turns out that it¡¯s so delicious!¡± There was sweetness in the bitterness. It was like the aftertaste of life. Yang Quanzi ate one piece and wanted to eat a second piece. He looked at Bai Wutong eagerly, more like a child than a child. Although there were eight baskets of cocoa beans, there was actually very little chocolate that could be made. Bai Wutong distributed the chocolate to the children and had even fewer left. Moreover, it was not only Yang Quanzi who wanted to eat it. There were also many people who had not tasted it. When they saw everyone praising the chocolate, they also wanted to eat it. The other Patriarchs of the 30 families of Qinghe even suggested spending money to buy a few pieces from Bai Wutong to try. Many children regretted not picking the cocoa fruits with Madam Bai. If they had also picked the fruits, they would have been able to eat delicious chocolate. There were only so many of them, so it was definitely not evenly distributed. Bai Wutong did not give it to everyone. Chu Tianbao and Stinky liked it so much, so she naturally had to keep it for them. Everyone could tell that Bai Wutong was unwilling to split it anymore, so they could only spend a lot of money to buy it from the children who had received the chocolate. They offered a high price. Many children sold the chocolate under the persuasion of their parents and cried sadly. There were only a few pieces in total. They did not know when they could eat them in the future. Cui Shize treated Little Cat very well, so he handed a piece to Cui Shize. Cui Shize stroked his head, indicating that he had already tried it and let him eat slowly. Cui Shize refused to take it. Little Cat looked at Tao Yinzhen, who had become much thinner in the crowd. When he met her expectant gaze, Little Cat walked over and brought the chocolate in front of her again. On the day Little Cat was picked up by Cui Shize, Tao Yinzhen felt deep despair. She no longer dared to hope for something that did not belong to her. She only hoped that her son could forgive her. Her son was finally willing to care about her and even gave her precious chocolate. Tao Yinzhen picked up the fruit in her mouth with trembling hands. The bitter sweetness mixed with the tears she had left behind, making it unforgettable. Everyone liked chocolate very much. Many people even picked up their tools and immediately looked for the cocoa fruits that their children had not. If they could find some back, they would be able to eat chocolate according to the method taught by Bai Wutong. If they made more, they could even sell it to others. Such exquisite and stunning snacks also made Sheng Huaixuan want to sell chocolate. Such snacks that were loved by all ages could definitely be sold for a high price. Moreover, cocoa fruits only grew in the southern frontier and could also become the unique economic source of income of their Carefree City.. Chapter 347 - Chapter 347: I Want to Bring My Mother Over Chapter 347: I Want to Bring My Mother Over Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Cocoa fruit was a shrub plant. The most magical thing was that it took less than nine months for the seeds to grow fruits. It was very suitable for planting and cultivation. In any case, they were going to cultivate the fields, so they might as well cultivate more and plant some cocoa fruits so that they could increase everyone¡¯s harvest. Sheng Huaixuan told Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao his thoughts. Bai Wutong agreed very much. Cocoa beans were nutritious and contained many proteins, fats, starch, vitamins, and a small amount of cocoa base. Apart from making cocoa powdered chocolate, the flesh of the cocoa fruit could also be used as feed. The seeds could also be squeezed to give oil. In the modern world, cocoa, tea, and coffee became the three main non-alcoholic beverages that were loved by the people of the world. Planting cocoa fruits would bring endless vitality and wealth. Since she had brought these commoners to the southern frontier, she had to consider the future lives of the commoners. Planting cocoa beans was a very good choice for honest farmers who did not have the skills and did not dare to do other work. Bai Wutong even gave Sheng Huaixuan some advice. He could develop more cocoa beans and make more delicious products. Be it pastries, drinks, or candy, these could all be tried. They could also open a chocolate store in the Central Plains, hold a chocolate banquet, produce various types of chocolate, design chocolate dolls, let the chocolate become more popular, and supply raw ingredients directly from the southern frontier. Bai Wutong¡¯s countless marketing methods broadened the horizons of the experienced Sheng Huaixuan. He still wanted to chat with her, but it was already afternoon. Chu Tianbao was going to undergo acupuncture treatment for the fourth day. According to his progress, Wen Renhua could completely dissipate the blood clot in Chu Tianbao¡¯s head that day. Bai Wutong made chocolate that day because she wanted the mellow chocolate to give Chu Tianbao some psychological comfort. Even if he hadn¡¯t said anything in the past few days, Bai Wutong could still feel that he was feeling very depressed. He probably had a lot of memories that troubled him. When he returned to the tent, Wen Renhua and Gu Zhongxun were already waiting. Bai Wutong said to Chu Tianbao, ¡°Do you want another piece of chocolate?¡± Chu Tianbao opened his mouth obediently. Bai Wutong broke off a piece of chocolate and sent it to his mouth. She squeezed his palm and gave him moral support. It was as smooth and mellow as Bai Wutong¡¯s aura, completely enveloping him. Chu Tianbao closed his eyes in enjoyment. Wen Renhua suddenly inserted a silver needle. The last session lasted until almost dark. After feeding Chu Tianbao a pile of chocolate, Wen Renhua finally said, ¡°Done.¡± After concentrating on high-intensity treatment for the entire afternoon, he also revealed a trace of fatigue. Gu Zhongxun helped Wen Renhua to sit on the chair. Then, he poured a cup of herbal tea for him to moisten his mouth. Bai Wutong first thanked Wen Renhua and asked, ¡°Does Tianbao still need treatment in the future?¡± In modern times, even if one had suffered a heavy blow to the brain, one had to be observed at all times. From time to time, one had to go to the hospital to take an X-ray. Chinese medicine was broad and profound, but Bai Wutong was still a little worried. Wen Renhua¡¯s gaze landed on Chu Tianbao¡¯s tace. He closed his eyes and pondered for a moment. ¡°If you have a headache and dizziness, you can look for me anytime.¡± Bai Wutong nodded and sent Wen Renhua and Gu Zhongxun out of the tent. Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes were still closed, trapped in his memories. His frown and serious expression worried Bai Wutong. However, she did not stop him from continuing to recall. After waiting for about half an hour, Chu Tianbao finally opened his eyes slowly. His dark eyes seemed to be surging with indescribable sorrow. Bai Wutong¡¯s heart skipped a beat, as if she had a bad feeling. Chu Tianbao held Bai Wutong¡¯s hand tightly and said apologetically, ¡°Let¡¯s eat first.¡± Bai Wutong was pregnant now, so she ate in smaller portions but more frequently. She had accompanied him this afternoon and had yet to eat anything. She did not ask Chu Tianbao what he had recalled. She nodded and got someone to pass over the food. They finished their meal in silence. Chu Tianbao hugged Bai Wutong and fell silent. Bai Wutong did not feel good about this oppressive atmosphere. However, she also knew that Chu Tianbao had just regained his memories and needed time to slowly adapt. When he got used to it, he would naturally tell her. The two of them fell asleep in each other¡¯s arms, their heartbeats giving each other the strength to feel safe and at ease. The next day, Bai Wutong was woken up by Chu Tianbao¡¯s kiss. She responded enthusiastically, knowing that he should be prepared and had something to say to her. However, this kiss was surprisingly long. Bai Wutong was panting before Chu Tianbao let her go. He still wanted to come, but Bai Wutong pushed him. ¡°Alright, I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Mmhmm¡ª¡± Chu Tianbao attacked again and played with her in his palm. After an unknown period of time, when Bai Wutong completely lost her strength and collapsed in his arms, Chu Tianbao finally said, ¡°Wife.¡± His tone was solemn and complicated, as if it was extremely difficult to say the rest. Bai Wutong pinched his abs and said angrily, ¡°As long as it¡¯s not that you who want to find a woman, I can take it.¡± Chu Tianbao, who wanted to find a ¡°woman¡±, felt his heart skip a beat and he hesitated even more. He looked silly and timid, exactly the same as when he had made a mistake when she initially picked him up. Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes darkened and she sat up in his arms. ¡°You¡¯re not really going to look for a woman, are you?¡± Seeing the flames in Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes, Chu Tianbao hurriedly explained, ¡°I want to bring my mother over.¡± He was extremely guilty. Bai Wutong had just gotten pregnant and he was about to leave the mother and son. However, if he did not leave now and the news that he was not dead spread to the Imperial City, he would not have a chance to take Noble Consort Ling away from Emperor Linghui. When Bai Wutong heard this, she immediately said, ¡°Your mother? Tell me what¡¯s going on.¡± Chu Tianbao clearly knew his background long ago. If his biological mother was Noble Consort Ling, it would take him at least five to six months to go back and forth to the Imperial City. Counting the days, their child might have been born by then. Seeing that Bai Wutong was not angry, Chu Tianbao heaved a sigh of relief and slowly explained his past memories. Back then, Emperor Linghui was only a soldier at the border. He met Noble Consort Ling, who was in her prime years. With his outstanding looks, he captured Noble Consort Ling¡¯s heart and made Chu Tianbao¡¯s maternal grandfather teach him superb martial arts. Chu Tianbao¡¯s grandfather had suffered very serious internal injuries a few years ago. Knowing that he did not have much time left, before he died, he passed all his life¡¯s cultivation to Emperor Linghui, hoping that he would always treat Noble Consort Ling well. With his tall body and strong martial arts, Emperor Linghui had made many extraordinary achievements in the army. Chu Tianbao was also born in the second year of Noble Consort Ling and Emperor Linghui¡¯s marriage. They should have been a blissful family, but as Emperor Linghui¡¯s status in the army advanced and he was fancied by the Eldest Prince¡¯s biological mother at that time, their happiness stopped abruptly. Although Emperor Linghui had feelings for Noble Consort Ling, at some point, he had the ambition to rule the world. The only eldest daughter of the entire family, Quan Qiaorong, had taken a fancy to him, so it was undoubtedly the best help for him. Hence, he allowed Ren Qiaorong to plot to frame Noble Consort Ling for having an affair with others and be caught red-handed by him. This person was the current Gu Chilie.. Chapter 348 - Chapter 348: My World Chapter 348: My World Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios When Noble Consort Ling woke up and saw the unfamiliar man beside her, she tried to explain to Emperor Linghui in fear. But he ruthlessly turned his head and heartlessly locked her in the woodshed. He personally beat Gu Chilie up, almost causing him to lose half his life. Quan Qiaorong thought that her plan had succeeded and was secretly delighted. Little did she know that the mantis was stalking the cicada, unaware that the oriole was behind. Gu Chilie was arranged by Emperor Linghui from the beginning. Emperor Linghui spared Gu Chilie¡¯s life because of his own reputation and Gu Chilie¡¯s reputation in the army. He also gave Chu Tianbao, whose bloodline was unclear, to Gu Chilie to raise. Noble Consort Ling, on the other hand, was divorced by Emperor Linghui. He used the excuse that since Chu Tianbao¡¯s grandfather had done him a great favor, although Noble Consort Ling had let him down, he had no choice but to be responsible for her and locked her in the courtyard in the suburbs. His series of actions made the entire family think that he was a loyal man, so he obtained General Quan¡¯s trust and married Quan Qiaorong over. Quan Qiaorong did not want Emperor Linghui to go to the courtyard in the suburbs from time to time. Afraid that they would reconcile, she specially asked Emperor Linghui to bring Noble Consort Ling back to the residence to torture her. At that time, Emperor Linghui had yet to gain the complete trust of the entire family, so he could only let Quan Qiaorong torture and humiliate Noble Consort Ling. If not for the fact that Noble Consort Ling was thinking about the young Chu Tianbao, she would have committed suicide long ago. In a flash, Chu Tianbao was eight years old. When he was practising martial arts, a masked man in black suddenly appeared. The man in black was highly skilled in martial arts, would bully him and scold him for being weak. Later, he became his Master and taught him the best martial arts. When he was 10 years old, he had already found out his identity, so he begged the man in black to bring him to see Noble Consort Ling. No matter how good Gu Chilie was to him, his feelings towards him were mixed with his personal desire for power. He knew who the man in black was. After being rejected, he knelt for an entire day before the man in black finally agreed. From then on, he also became a knife in the hands of the man in black and wore a mask. It was just so that he could meet his mother often. Chu Tianbao had grown up. He was handsome, tall, and capable. Quan Qiaorong, who knew very well that he was definitely the biological son of Emperor Linghui, once again had a plan to get rid of Chu Tianbao and his mother. However, how could Chu Tianbao be killed by ordinary people? She had sent people to assassinate Noble Consort Ling several times but had failed. Noble Consort Ling, who was secretly protected, could not be touched if she had not come up with a foolproof plan. After all, her father was already dead, and the military power had completely fallen into the hands of Emperor Linghui. Moreover, Emperor Linghui had already become the overlord who was endangering the Yan Kingdom. She could no longer lay her hands on Noble Consort Ling. If she did, her past misdeeds might be exposed. Chu Tianbao would instead be brought back by the Emperor Linghui to solidify his identity as the eldest prince. While the territory of Emperor Linghui continued to expand, Chu Tianbao¡¯s military achievements also increased. Quan Qiaorong was extremely worried. Finally, she told her son, Chu Mingxuan, that Chu Tianbao was actually his elder brother. Chu Mingxuan had always regarded himself as the only heir of Emperor Linghui. How could he tolerate such a huge threat? Therefore, when he found out that Chu Tianbao had gone to stop the rebelling kings, he pretended that the enemy had set an ambush and killed Chu Tianbao. After his subordinates collaborated to stab Chu Tianbao in the chest and cause him to fall into the cliff, he would definitely die. Chu Mingxuan sent people to look for the corpse but could not find it, so he forged a rotting corpse that was identical to Chu Tianbao. At this point, Chu Tianbao was saved by Bai Wutong, and Chu Mingxuan obtained the military power controlled by Chu Tianbao as he wished. With Emperor Linghui¡¯s cunning mind, it was very likely that he thought that Chu Tianbao was not dead. Or perhaps in order to protect Chu Tianbao from Chu Mingxuan, he specially conferred the title of Duke Ling, and buried his fake corpse in the imperial mausoleum. It was also possible that he really believed it and let Chu Tianbao¡¯s death be left unsettled. After all, how could a kingdom be more important than a son? If a son died, he still had a harem of 3,000 beauties and could give birth to countless sons in the future. Chu Tianbao had lived too aggrievedly for the past 20 years. He was clearly a a prince, but he had become an abandoned child who had not seen the light of day and had to look for some warmth in the cracks. Noble Consort Ling had been schemed against by her lover all these years, humiliated and tortured by Quan Qiaorong, and separated from her child. How painful was that? Bai Wutong hugged him with heartache and promised, ¡°l wish you a safe journey. You have to bring Mother back well.¡± Chu Tianbao kissed her forehead. ¡°I¡¯ll be back before you give birth.¡± It would take at least five months to go back and forth. If he took Noble Consort Ling away, Emperor Linghui would definitely send someone to chase after him. There would definitely be obstacles on the way. The more anxious they were to rush back, the more likely it was for something bad to happen. Moreover, how could Noble Consort Ling withstand the treacherous road along the way? Bai Wutong said reluctantly, ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so rushed. You still have Mother with you. Even if you don¡¯t consider yourself, you have to consider Mother¡¯s health. I still have six months before I give birth. You might just happen to rush back. Don¡¯t be too anxious.¡± ¡°Even if you can¡¯t make it back in time, it¡¯s fine. With Doctor Wen and Doctor Gu around, I will definitely be able to give birth safely.¡± After the last time Bai Wutong was poisoned, it was very likely that the child would be weak after giving birth. Chu Tianbao thought of how she would be entering the gates of hell when giving birth, but he was unable to be around, he clenched his fists tightly, as if he wanted to crush himself. Bai Wutong would tell that he was wavering between going or not and must be blaming herself. After all, she knew better than anyone how much Chu Tianbao looked forward to the birth of this child. Cui Lingyi was going to make a piece of clothing for the baby. She also learned how to sew and even made a pair of cute tiger shoes for the baby in advance. Bai Wutong did not want him to leave with worrying thoughts. She held his hand. ¡®Mother has suffered for so long. It¡¯s time to bring her back.¡± ¡°The child and I will be fine. Don¡¯t worry, our family will definitely be together happily in the future.¡± Chu Tianbao hugged her tightly again. All he could say was, ¡°Wait for me to come back!¡± How could Bai Wutong not want him to watch the child be born? However, there were always unstoppable things in life. As long as Chu Tianbao was fine, it was enough. Since Chu Tianbao had already decided to leave, he had to leave as soon as possible. Not long after, Bai Wutong hurriedly prepared all kinds of things for Chu Tianbao. He was skilled in martial arts, but what if he encountered someone even more abnormal? Emperor Linghui¡¯s martial arts were not weak either. Moreover, there were still the eldest prince and his mother who wanted to get rid of Chu Tianbao. Bai Wutong took out a silenced pistol and two shockingly lethal Thunder Cannons from her space and asked Chu Tianbao to keep them for self-defense. Chu Tianbao took the pistol and tested it in the forest. Finally, he asked, ¡®Where did this come from?¡± Bai Wutong thought that he would never ask in his life, and her eyes lit up. ¡°My world.¡¯ Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes widened. Before Bai Wutong could explain in more detail, he surrounded her again. ¡°You won¡¯t leave, right?¡¯ He was extremely afraid. Bai Wutong was like the pistol in his hand that suddenly appeared and disappeared without a trace. There were so many beautiful things in that world. He was also afraid that Bai Wutong would have the thought of leaving when he left. At the thought that he would not be able to find Bai Wutong or the child when he returned, Chu Tianbao was about to break down.. Chapter 349 - Chapter 349: Military Power Is His Foundation! Chapter 349: Military Power Is His Foundation! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°With you around, I never will.¡± After receiving an affirmative answer from Bai Wutong, Chu Tianbao finally felt relieved. He kissed the corner of her lips. ¡°I love you.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s heart trembled, and her eyes sparkled. ¡°1 love you.¡± Chu Tianbao set off that night. Bai Wutong looked in the direction he had disappeared in and felt a little lonely. Qingfeng put a cloak on her and reminded her, ¡°Madam, it¡¯s time to rest.¡± Bai Wutong smiled and nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± For the sake of the child and to not let Chu Tianbao worry, she should take good care of herself. Apart from a small number of people, no one else knew about Chu Tianbao¡¯s departure. The disguised dark guard looked basically no different from Chu Tianbao. The only difference was that from that day onwards, Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao had slept in separate tents. Moreover, their relationship seemed to have suddenly become cold. Even Stinky felt that something was wrong when he went to look for Chu Tianbao. He cried and went to look for Bai Wutong, saying that his father didn¡¯t like him anymore. Bai Wutong comforted Stinky that his father was only sick and receiving treatment, which was why he was like this. Everyone instantly thought of some nonsensical things and brushed this matter off. However, they would also ask Wen Renhua and Gu Zhongxun from time to time when Chu Tianbao would recover from his illness. If he couldn¡¯t, what would happen to Madam Bai and the unborn child? Wen Renhua cooperated with Bai Wutong and said a lot of things that no one understood. In the end, he concluded that they should not disturb Master Chu and let nature take its course. Everyone could only pray in their hearts that Master Chu would recover soon. Although everyone was very worried, Bai Wutong did not seem to be affected. She temporarily felt relieved and focused on exploring the land and building a house. They had to hurry up and explore the land so that they could gain something from this autumn harvest. Everyone worked together and expanded a lot of land. Everyone was fighting for a beautiful future. Before building the city, they had to mine stone, burn bricks, gather wood, refine steel bars, and dig out cement. Due to the heavy workload, the labor force was severely insufficient. After all, the majority of the people in the team were old and young. Even if women were in charge of exploring the land and men were in charge of building houses, there was still a shortage of manpower. It was almost the rainy season. At that time, their progress would only be slower. Everyone wanted to have their own place to stay as soon as possible, so Bai Wutong looked at Baye City, which had 80,000 elite soldiers. Now that there was no war to fight, it was not a good idea to feed these guys for nothing like this. When they planted their food, the army would definitely have designs on them agam. At that time, they really could not watch these people starve to death as well. Moreover, when they saw that their lives were better, these soldiers would definitely feel unhappy. At that time, there would be a lot of difficult things to deal with. Even if Bai Wutong really did not want to deal with Gu Chilie, she had to get You Huaijie to bring him along to work hard. After receiving Bai Wutong¡¯s instructions, You Huaijie led his men to Baye City. The soldiers of Baye City had almost finished all the tapioca. The millet, cow, sheep, and milk that You Huaijie had promised to buy from the Syrians had yet to be delivered. When Gu Chilie saw You Huaijie appear, he immediately rushed down angrily and questioned, ¡°Where¡¯s the food?¡± If You Huaijie didn¡¯t come that day, he would have to look for him. You Huaijie was grabbed by the collar, but he was still calm. ¡°It¡¯s at our place.¡± Gu Chilie was immediately furious. He came up and was about to punch You Huaijie. ¡®My soldiers are starving, but you actually brought food to your place. What are your intentions!¡¯ You Huaijie raised his eyebrows. ¡®Why can¡¯t I deal with the food I bought myself? Your food hasn¡¯t been transported by the Imperial Court yet.¡± ¡°Marshal Gu has so many people. The southern frontier is rich in resources, how can you not find food yourselves?¡¯ Look, should this be what someone is saying? If they could find enough food, there was no need for him to waste his breath! Gu Chilie¡¯s wrath was about to break through the sky, but his hand was tightly restrained by You Huaijie and he could not move at all. In an instant, Gu Chilie was stunned. How could an official have the power to restrain him! It was very likely that this man was pretending to be the governor of the Southern Frontier. Thinking of how obedient he had been to Bai Wutong, Gu Chilie became even more suspicious. Not only did he suspect You Huaijie, but he also suspected Chu Tianbao. Since someone could pretend to be You Huaijie, how could one not pretend to be Chu Tianbao? And Chu Tianbao¡¯s amnesia was actually an act from the beginning. The more he thought about it, the brighter Gu Chilie¡¯s eyes lit up, as if he had already confirmed his guess. However, he did not have any evidence. He could only stabilize You Huaijie first and go along with his words. ¡®Then what do you want us to do before you¡¯re willing to give us food?¡± Bai Wutong had indeed wanted to transport the food directly to Baye City for the soldiers, but Gu Chilie thought too highly of himself and would not listen to their arrangements at all. Thus, she could only transport the food to their place so that Gu Chilie would listen to her and let the soldiers take the initiative to work. You Huaijie said calmly, ¡°If you want to eat, you have to work.¡± Gu Chilie was stunned and lowered his eyes. ¡°My soldiers are used for war, not for you to order around like slaves! ¡± As soon as he said that, the soldiers behind him cheered for Gu Chilie. It had to be said that Gu Chilie was good at nothing except for one thing. He was really good at brainwashing the soldiers to work for him. You Huaijie did not waste his breath. ¡°I¡¯m the governor of the southern frontier. I respect Marshal Gu, so I came to inform you. If Marshal Gu insists on going against my orders, it is equivalent to going against the current emperor¡¯s Holy Decree!¡¯ ¡®When the news gets back to the palace and the emperor finds out that Marshal Gu wants to lead the soldiers and do nothing while waiting for the military pay, how will he deal with it? Marshal Gu, have you thought about it?¡± ¡°At that time, I¡¯m afraid you still have to listen to my orders and work obediently.¡± ¡°In all the dynasties, when there was no need to fight a war, the soldiers could only be discharged to farm in the countryside.¡± ¡®Will the Gu family army that Marshal Gu cares about still exist?¡± ¡°After all, which emperor would want to raise an idle person?¡± ¡°Actually, to me, after the army is discharged, the fewer people I have to care about, the less pressure I have. We can live well just by relying on our own farming and building houses.¡± ¡°Marshal Gu might even be able to live well. When you return to the Imperial City and become the supreme idle marshal, everyone will respect you and praise you for having contributed so much to the Ling Kingdom. You can finally enjoy your old age.¡± If he really returned to the Imperial City to be an idle marshal without military power, even a capital official would probably be able to step on his head in the end. How could Gu Chilie, who was sought after by 10,000 people in the army , tolerate such a situation? He could not tolerate it. Military power was his foundation! Gu Chilie¡¯s eyes burned with flames. He gritted his teeth tightly, wishing he could kill You Huaijie quickly. At the same time, an ambition to occupy the southern frontier and establish himself as a king like Emperor Linghui back then rose in his heart! Since he could do it, why couldn¡¯t he? Chapter 350 - Chapter 350: Is There No Other Work? Chapter 350: Is There No Other Work? Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Taking over the southern frontier was like a prairie fire that was burning fiercely. Gu Chilie actually felt that this was a very good idea. In any case, he was the one who had conquered the southern frontier. Why couldn¡¯t he occupy the southern frontier and become a king? Even if Emperor Linghui gritted his teeth in hatred and sent an army to attack the southern frontier again, he was certain that the troops he led could defend the southern frontier. If they wanted to take down the southern frontier, the first thing he had to do was deal with You Huaijie and Chu Tianbao. Regardless of whether Chu Tianbao was the true prince, Gu Chilie no longer had the patience to wait for his filial piety. If he could not raise an ingrate well, he would kill him. And Bai Wutong, who had harmed his daughter, must not be let off easily. Gu Chilie made up his mind in an instant. He said to You Huaijie, ¡°How many people do you want?¡± The more people You Huaijie wanted, the more spies he could plant to take them by surprise. After taking down You Huaijie and the others, he would have women and food. He could even become an emperor like Chu Shixiong. Gu Chilie actually revealed a strange sense of urgency. You Huaijie thought that Gu Chilie had thought about it carefully and finally compromised, so he said, ¡°5,000!¡± After the 5,000 soldiers had been arranged to work, they could continue to call for reinforcements. If too many of them came at once, it would cause chaos in the team. Gu Chilie expressed his dissatisfaction. ¡°If you want 5 ,ooo people, what about the food for the rest of us?¡± You Huaijie pointed out a clear path for Gu Chilie. ¡°The seaside is rich in resources. We¡¯re eating these things now. Marshal Gu, you can follow the illustrations in the booklet to find food.¡± Just because there were no such things on the coastline near Baye City did not mean that there were none elsewhere. If Marshal Gu led his men to search carefully, it was impossible for them not to find them. Marshal Gu gritted his teeth. ¡°You actually want us to find it ourselves?¡± You Huaijie said matter-of-factly, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you looking for food? It¡¯s not like you haven¡¯t looked for it before.¡± Without food, no matter how elite the soldiers were, they were still useless. You Huaijie just did not want to give the army enough food, so as to guard against him. How sinister. If Bai Wutong found out, she would really cry out in grievance. Marshal Gu could already find food with his men, so why should they buy the food themselves? They did not even have to work. Marshal Gu flipped open the booklet and took a few glances. It was recorded in detail. Not only were there plants and animals in the sea, but there were also wild vegetables that could be eaten in the surroundings, fruits from the mountains, taros, and so on. The drawing was also as lifelike as a 3D printing. Behind him, Lu Ye stole a few glances and immediately exclaimed, ¡°Marshal, I know where to find this plant. I saw a lot, but I thought it couldn¡¯t be eaten, so I didn¡¯t get the others to bring it back.¡± He was referring to the sea cabbage. He glanced at the picture beside him and shouted again, ¡°We saw a lot of this when we went to fish. We rowed so much that we almost can¡¯t row anymore. The sea is filled with this grass!¡± ¡°Marshal! If we get it back, everyone won¡¯t be hungry! ¡® Marshal Gu¡¯s thoughts of tearing the booklet immediately stopped. Even if he did not use it now, it would be quite useful in the future. He pretended that nothing had happened and put the booklet away. He said to You Huaijie arrogantly, ¡®Wait, I¡¯ll go count the number of people.¡± You Huaijie waited patiently. Marshal Gu entered the tent and quickly found Shan Jiefu to discuss with him how to work together and take down You Huaijie and the others. Regardless of whether Chu Tianbao was real or fake, his martial arts were extremely powerful. If he wanted to restrain him, he could only attack Bai Wutong first and capture her. If Chu Tianbao really loved her, he would definitely surrender. Even if Chu Tianbao was as heartless as his father , he would definitely not be his match with a mob in collusion with them. Shan Jiefu was simple-minded, but he was loyal to Gu Chilie. When he heard that Gu Chilie wanted to establish himself as a king, he cheered without thinking. If Gu Chilie established himself as a king, his identity would change and he would become a great contributor to the founding of the country. Zhao Lanzhi would definitely admire him. Shan Jiefu rubbed his palms together and said to Gu Chilie, ¡°1 promise to complete the mission!¡± In order to catch Bai Wutong and the others off guard, after Shan Jiefu led 5,000 people and followed You Huaijie. Gu Chilie immediately gathered his men and announced loudly to the remaining soldiers that he wanted to occupy the southern border and become a king. He wanted to snatch food for them, capture women, and lead them to live a good life. The soldiers were so touched that they did not even feel hungry. They wished they could immediately follow Gu Chilie and take down You Huaijie and the others to enter the bridal chamber with their beautiful brides. When Lu Ye knew about this, he felt uncomfortable. Most of the people You Huaijie brought were good citizens. Gu Chilie bringing people to snatch other people¡¯s women was no different from bandits. He tried to dissuade him. ¡®Marshal, I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not appropriate.¡± Gu Chilie was already blinded by greed, so how could he listen to others advice? As long as he became the emperor, those women¡¯s sacrifices could appease his army. In any case, it was not as satisfying for them to follow their husbands as to follow his soldiers. Shan Jiefu brought 5,000 people to the area where Bai Wutong and the others were camped. When they saw the women from afar, the soldiers, who knew that they would attack that night, shot lasers in their eyes. Bai Wutong did not let them enter the team. Instead, she settled them down a few hundred meters away from the outermost area of the team. That location was just right. They could cultivate on the spot. They arranged for someone to give them a good meal. After a little reorganization, someone would teach them how to reclaim land with the fastest efficiency. Shan Jiefu was a little anxious when he heard that You Huaijie was going to leave them here. ¡°We¡¯re just going to be here?¡± This place was so far from the team. How could they collude and attack them? You Huaijie nodded. ¡°You¡¯re in charge of reclaiming the fields. Just set up camp here. Someone will send you food later and teach you how to reclaim the land.¡± Shan Jiefu had brought his men here to make a contribution, not really to do manual labor. He demanded strongly, ¡°Why can they do other work while we can only dig the ground!¡± Seeing how enthusiastic he was, You Huaijie changed his words and said, ¡°Alright, if you don¡¯t want to bring people to dig the soil, go to the mountain and cut the stone strips.¡± Cutting stone strips!!! Shan Jiefu glanced at the mountains beside him and gritted his teeth. ¡°Is there no other job? Do we have to dig the ground?¡± He wanted to enter the tent, but he did not know what the team was short of. Most importantly, he was afraid that he would say it too deliberately and arouse You Huaijie¡¯s suspicion. You Huaijie raised his eyebrows. ¡°There¡¯s more.¡± Shan Jiefu¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What? What?¡± As long as they could sneak into the team, anything was fine. You Huaijie said, ¡®Then go down the well and mine. I originally wanted you to adapt for the first two days. Since you¡¯re so proactive, you can dig in advance.¡± Shan Jiefu was dumbfounded. ¡°Where are we digging?¡± You Huaijie pointed at the mountain behind. ¡°You¡¯ll reach the place after crossing two mountains. ¡± This was even more ridiculous than going up the mountain to cut stone strips.. Chapter 351 - Chapter 351: We’re Willing to Follow Master Chapter 351: We¡¯re Willing to Follow Master Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Shan Jiefu said dejectedly, ¡°Let¡¯s dig the soil.¡± He rolled his eyes and said, ¡°The general asked me to pass a message to Duke Ling. I¡¯ll go with you now.¡± He was going to investigate how strong the team was first and then survey the location of Bai Wutong¡¯s tent to find an opportunity to kidnap her. You Huaijie glanced at him and narrowed his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not convenient for you to disturb Duke Ling now. When he wants to see you, I¡¯ll send someone to inform you.¡± Shan Jiefu hurriedly asked, ¡®Why not?¡¯ You Huaijie¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°How would I know about Duke Ling¡¯s instructions?¡± Seeing that the excuse to meet Duke Ling had failed, Shan Jiefu found an excuse and said, ¡°1 like that Miss Zhao from your team. Can I take a look? Just a look?¡± You Huaijie scolded, ¡°Your duty is to lead your soldiers well, not to flirt with innocent women like a hooligan! If you dare to say another lewd word from your mouth, I¡¯ll wash your mouth for you 50 times!¡± Gu Chilie had never reprimanded Shan Jiefu like this. Shan Jiefu subconsciously raised his hand. Thinking of his plan for the night, he retracted his hand. ¡°l was just making a casual remark. Then I have to pay my respects to Consort Ling, right?¡± Shan Jiefu repeatedly emphasized that he wanted to see this and that. With Gu Chilie¡¯s attitude, Shan Jiefu would not have taken the initiative to greet Bai Wutong at all. There must be something strange going on. You Huaijie became even more SUSPICIOUS. He said to Shan Jiefu, ¡®Wait.¡± Then he quickly returned and told Bai Wutong his suspicions. Bai Wutong lowered her eyes, worried that her premonition would happen. She said to Shan Jiefu, ¡°Don¡¯t give them food yet. Drag out their next move and send someone to investigate Gu Chilie¡¯s movements.¡± You Huaijie accepted the order. ¡°Yes!¡± Shan Jiefu waited and waited, but no one summoned him to meet Bai Wutong. If they could not kidnap Bai Wutong, they would not be able to threaten Chu Tianbao. When the time came, their brothers would become the casualties. Moreover, they were still far from the center of Bai Wutong¡¯s tent. When they chased after them, Bai Wutong and the others would be able to escape into the mountains. In the current situation, it was really not appropriate to send troops. Shan Jiefu quickly sent a message to Gu Chilie, informing him of the current situation and waiting for Gu Chilie¡¯s next instructions. Not long after the eagle spread its wings and flew into the sky, it was shot down by the dark guard. After receiving the letter, he quickly handed it to Bai Wutong. When Bai Wutong saw Shan Jiefu¡¯s letter, her uneasy guess was confirmed. Gu Chilie wanted to rebel! And he had even tried to ambush them that night. Even if all of their combined combat strength could temporarily resist Gu Chilie¡¯s army, it would still cause a large number of casualties. Everyone had come all the way here not to fight a war, but to have a better life in the future. It was definitely impossible to fight Gu Chilie head-on. In that case, he would give them an intermediate opportunity. Bai Wutong narrowed her eyes and instructed You Huaijie, ¡°Give them another job!¡¯ You Huaijie instantly understood what Bai Wutong meant and quickly walked out of the tent to make arrangements. After everyone received the notice, they panicked for a moment. Under You Huaijie¡¯s methodical arrangements, they quickly calmed down. That made sense. Even if they couldn¡¯t win, they could still hide in the mountains. Lin Yue informed Shan Jiefu that he would temporarily change roles to transporting seafood. His eyes immediately lit up and he immediately gathered his brothers to set off. Before they entered the center of the tent, Shan Jiefu could not help but exclaim. The living conditions here were clean and tidy. It was much better than their run down place! He sized up his surroundings, paying attention to the movements of the people around him as he searched for Zhao Lanzhi. The moment he saw Zhao Lanzhi, sharp arrows shot at them from all directions. Shan Jiefu suddenly pulled out his sword and blocked them from left and right. The other soldiers who could not react in time died on the spot. The rain of arrows was still falling. Not long after, the ground was dyed red with blood. The soldiers¡¯ screams rose and fell. Bai Wutong watched coldly. If they had not sensed Gu Chilie¡¯s plan, they would have been the ones killed that night. When Shan Jiefu saw his brothers fall one by one, he ignored the rain of arrows and shouted, ¡°Charge, we¡¯ll kill each one that we can!¡± The soldiers who were not hit by the sword had just drawn their weapons when the dark guards flashed like phantoms and slit their throats. Of the 5,000 people, only a few hundred remained in a short period of time. Shan Jiefu had also been shot in the arm. He shouted at You Huaijie, ¡°Come and kill me! Kill me!¡± ¡°Do you think you can escape if you kill me?¡± ¡°Even if you run away, you¡¯ll still be rats hiding in the mountains in the future!¡¯ ¡°If you follow our marshal, we¡¯ll be citizens of the Imperial City in the future, and good citizens at the feet of the emperor!¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s all that dog emperor¡¯s fault that you came all the way here to suffer. Don¡¯t you hate him?¡± He had grown a little brain now and knew how to sow discord. When the commoners heard his roar, they looked at each other. Some of them actually felt that it made sense. Wouldn¡¯t it be good to follow anyone since it didn¡¯t make a difference? It didn¡¯t seem bad to follow an emperor. Suddenly, Bai Wutong walked out of the crowd and everyone made way. Bai Wutong said, ¡°Even our own soldiers have to rely on us to dig for tapioca for relief so that they won¡¯t be hungry. What good days can your Marshal bring to everyone?¡¯ As soon as these words were spoken, the people who had been wavering immediately retracted their thoughts of becoming citizens of the Imperial City. That¡¯s right. If they could not even support their own soldiers, how could they support ordinary people like them? They might as well follow Bai Wutong. Their future commitments could be seen, and everyone would definitely not go hungry. As soon as Bai Wutong spoke, Shan Jiefu saw the fake Chu Tianbao beside him. He shouted at Chu Tianbao, ¡°Young General, the Marshal is doing this for you! ¡® He tried to persuade Chu Tianbao. Everyone suddenly looked at Chu Tianbao and suddenly remembered that Chu Tianbao was Gu Chilie¡¯s son. If Gu Chilie¡¯s rebellion failed and the emperor heard about it, Chu Tianbao would also be sentenced to death. The fake Chu Tianbao had already come up with a solution. ¡°Marshal Gu has already cut ties with me. His actions have nothing to do with me.¡± Everyone came to a realization. That¡¯s right. Last time, Gu Chilie took the initiative to cut ties with Chu Tianbao. It shouldn¡¯t implicate Chu Tianbao. Shan Jiefu roared, ¡°Even so, you¡¯re still the Marshal¡¯s biological son! Emperor Linghui will never let you off! The fake Chu Tianbao still said, ¡®Then I¡¯ll accept it.¡± Shan Jiefu suspected that there was something wrong with Chu Tianbao¡¯s head. ¡°Gu Chilie is your father, not Emperor Linghui. Do you think that if you become a prince, Emperor Linghui will treat you as his biological son?! Dream on! Don¡¯t you think about yourself? Don¡¯t you care about the pregnant woman beside you?¡± When everyone thought of Bai Wutong¡¯s execution, their hearts tightened. If Chu Tianbao was the master of the southern frontier, it was not impossible for them to accept it. The Youjia villagers could not bear it and said, ¡°Master, we¡¯re willing to follow you.¡± The fake Chu Tianbao could not deal with it and could only remain silent. Bai Wutong gave a look and an arrow flew out with a whoosh. Shan Jiefu fell to the ground and his mouth was sealed forever.. Chapter 352 - Chapter 352: Who Can Save Her? Chapter 352: Who Can Save Her? Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Shan Jiefu was killed, and the remaining hundreds of soldiers were captured alive. Even though they had won, no one looked happy at all. They were all worried about Chu Tianbao and Bai Wutong¡¯s situation. Auntie Yang cursed, ¡°Damn Old Dog Gu, if you have a death wish, why do you have to drag Master Chu along?¡± If not for Gu Chilie, Chu Tianbao would not have fallen into a dilemma. Everyone was worried that Gu Chilie would send more troops. Bai Wutong had already sent someone to imitate Shan Jiefu ¡®s handwriting and invited him to attack from outside that night. Gu Chilie was overjoyed to receive Shan Jiefu¡¯s letter and immediately set off with his army. Gu Liancheng insisted on following. After Gu Chilie rejected her, she quietly followed behind the army. As the sky darkened, the guard outside Gu Liancheng¡¯s carriage groaned a few times and fell off his horse. The horse neighed and ran away in a frantic. Gu Liancheng could not shout. In just a moment after Meng Weiwei screamed loudly, a dark guard rushed in and knocked them out with one hand. Gu Chilie¡¯s army was lurking around the tent, waiting for Shan Jiefu¡¯s signal. ¡°Pa-¡± A firework flashed in the quiet night sky. The sound of a chaotic battle could be heard. Gu Chilie smiled and waved his rope. ¡°Charge!¡± They quickly completely rushed into the encirclement set up by Bai Wutong. There were archers prepared in all directions, as well as thick smoke. There were traps dug on the ground and explosives that could be detonated anywhere. The horses neighed. Gu Chilie was thrown into the trap dug up beforehand. Before he could get up, the frightened horses behind him fell down again with the soldiers. If Gu Chilie had not dodged quickly, the horses that weighed hundreds of kilograms would have broken his spine. The strong smoke had an effect. Gu Chilie was dizzy when he got up and realised that he had been ambushed. He stabbed himself hard in the thigh to wake himself up instantly. He shouted behind him, ¡°Wake up. Cover your mouth and nose and charge! ¡® However, his roar was really too weak amidst the soldiers¡¯ continuous screams. Even if someone heard it, after being drugged, they would still fall to the ground weakly. Suddenly, You Huaijie appeared in front of the dissipating smoke. ¡°Marshal Gu, admit to your crimes!¡± Gu Chilie had never lost such a tragic battle like that day. He knew that he had underestimated his enemy. He also knew that he wanted to be an emperor like Chu Shixiong so badly that he was so careless and fell into You Huaijie¡¯s hands. However, he was the marshal of the Gu family army. He would never admit defeat to anyone. Gu Chilie shouted at You Huaijie, ¡°Where¡¯s Gu Junyan? Call him out to see me!¡± When Emperor Linghui knew that he had rebelled, he would definitely not let him off. He would also definitely not leave a huge threat behind. Therefore, he would definitely die. However, he still had a daughter. He had to leave a way out for Gu Liancheng. Gu Chilie definitely had ill intentions when he wanted to see Chu Tianbao. Bai Wutong gave the fake Chu Tianbao a look and he remained unmoved. Gu Chilie, who had not seen Chu Tianbao appear, said sadly to his surroundings, ¡°In my entire life, I¡¯ve never knelt to the heavens, the earth, my parents, and even the emperor. Today, I¡¯ll kneel to you. Please take good care of my daughter, Liancheng!¡¯ He guessed that Chu Tianbao must be around. When there was no response, Gu Chilie shouted again, ¡°Could it be that our father-son relationship for so many years is all a lie? Can¡¯t you agree to this small request? Liancheng is the sister you grew up with. She likes you so much!¡± When Bai Wutong heard this, she could no longer continue listening. Why should Chu Tianbao pay for his mistake? Even if he was entrusting his remaining child, it depended on whether she agreed or not. The moment Bai Wutong lowered her eyes, a dart hit Gu Chilie¡¯s shoulder with a whoosh. The powerful anesthetic quickly took effect. Just as he was about to fall into the pit, the dark guard flew forward, grabbed him, and locked him in chains. With Gu Chilie captured, there was no longer any threat in the southern frontier. There was no need to hide the fake Chu Tianbao¡¯s identity. Bai Wutong asked the fake Chu Tianbao to remove the disguise mask to prevent everyone from talking about Chu Tianbao¡¯s heartlessness. Realizing that Chu Tianbao was a dark guard in disguise, everyone came to a realization. It was no wonder that Madam Bai and Master Chu, who had such a good relationship, would suddenly sleep in separate beds. So this was not Master Chu. Then where did the real Master Chu go? No one knew. Anyone could tell that Bai Wutong was in a bad mood, nor did they want her to waste more energy. When Meng Weiwei woke up the next morning, she realized that her hands and feet were chained and she was locked in the same open-air cell as Gu Liancheng and Gu Chilie. In an instant, her heart sank. If Gu Chilie was arrested, what should she do! She regretted following Gu Liancheng and was even implicated by her into jail. If Gu Chilie had not slowly opened his eyes, she would have rushed forward to slap Gu Liancheng a few times. Gu Chilie opened his eyes. His daughter was lying beside him. His heart tightened. When he realized that she was still breathing, he immediately heaved a sigh of relief. Just as he was about to raise his hand to help his daughter up, he realized that all the internal energy in his body had been sucked away and his meridians had been severed. He immediately cursed ferociously, ¡°Who is it! Which bastard did it! I¡¯m going to kill you! ¡® Gu Chilie¡¯s roar woke Gu Liancheng up. She opened her eyes and saw that she had become a prisoner. Her father was still shouting crazily in her ear. She immediately fell into despair and tears flowed. Gu Chilie saw his daughter crying silently. He reached out to wipe her tears, but he could not. Thinking that he had actually fallen to such a state, for a moment, tears streamed down his face. It was as if his eyes had aged overnight. It was unknown if he regretted it or hated that he had not succeeded. Realizing that Gu Chilie had become a cripple, Meng Weiwei finally found an opportunity to vent her hatred. She walked up and slapped Gu Liancheng twice without saying a word. ¡°B*tch, who asked you to hit me!¡± She had used all her strength to slap her. Gu Liancheng¡¯s cheek instantly swelled up and it hurt. Gu Chilie scolded Meng Weiwei. ¡°B*tch! I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Meng Weiwei rolled her eyes. ¡°l used to be a high and mighty county lord. A lowly maidservant? Who are you calling the crippled person? You¡¯re calling your daughter, right!¡¯ ¡°Pa-¡± Meng Weiwei slapped again, and Gu Liancheng actually bled from the corner of her mouth. Meng Weiwei¡¯s face was filled with ferocious smugness. ¡°If you scream again, I¡¯ll slap her!¡¯ ¡°Oh no ¡ª I can even hit you too.¡± She had tolerated it long enough. She would not tolerate it anymore. Just thinking about being able to slap the high and mighty Marshal Gu allowed her to vent. Gu Liancheng, who had been slapped three times in a row, finally reacted. Meng Weiwei, a lowly maidservant, actually dared to attack him. She suddenly stood up, grabbed Meng Weiwei¡¯s hair, and smashed her face with the chain. She was just hoarse but her hands were not crippled. Even if she was reduced to a prisoner, how could Meng Weiwei compare to her, who had been riding on the horse all year round? Meng Weiwei¡¯s head was bleeding in two or three hits. She kept shouting for help, but no one came to save her. She could only resist and scratch Gu Liancheng¡¯s face with her nails. After a silent scream, Gu Liancheng held her bleeding face and reached out to the person outside the open-air cell. She didn¡¯t want to be disfigured.. Someone save her! Chapter 353 - Chapter 353: Madam Bai ‘s Background Chapter 353: Madam Bai ¡®s Background Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Gu Liancheng¡¯s plea for help was ignored. Meng Weiwei shouted at the guard, ¡°l want to see your Madam Bai!¡¯ ¡°1 want to see your Madam Bail¡¯ The guard was already ignoring her. Meng Weiwei gritted her teeth and immediately shouted, ¡°I know your Madam Bai¡¯s background!¡± ¡°Go and tell your Madam Bai that I can help her find her father. She will definitely see me!¡¯ When the guards heard that she could help Bai Wutong find her father, they looked at each other hesitantly. Meng Weiwei emphasized again, ¡°Really, if I don¡¯t know, I¡¯ll be struck by lightning!¡± She did not want to waste her life in a cell, nor did she want to be implicated to death by Gu Liancheng. Now, only Bai Wutong could save her. The guard thought for a moment and finally went to report to Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong had not recalled any memories when Gu Zhongxun helped her perform the acupuncture previously. There was a high chance that she had occupied this body, and the memories of this body were gone. Why did she suddenly hear Meng Weiwei say that she knew her identity and wanted to find her father for her? Bai Wutong pondered for a moment and ordered someone to bring Meng Weiwei over. Seeing that someone had opened the cell, Meng Weiwei widened her eyes in excitement. Not only did she see hope for life, but she was also going to live a good life. Seeing that someone was going to bring Meng Weiwei out of the cell, Gu Liancheng hurriedly pulled Meng Weiwei, indicating that she wanted to go out too. Meng Weiwei flicked her cornrow hair arrogantly, kicked her away , and followed the guard out of the cell door. Her face was bruised and swollen. The people around her were examining her curiously. Meng Weiwei glanced at them coldly. If they dared to mock her, she would make Bai Wutong beg her later. Meng Weiwei entered the luxurious tent in surprise. She thought that she could live in a good house, eat good food, and live a good life by following Gu Liancheng. In the end, she lived in a dilapidated house cut from a pile of soil and ate tapiocas all day long. It was actually not as good as the food that You Huaijie had improved for everyone while they were traveling. The most infuriating thing was that if she was not careful, she would be beaten up by Gu Liancheng every day. She also had to guard against soldiers with ill intentions touching her. If she had known, she wouldn¡¯t have gone through so much trouble. She would have just lowered her pride and followed Bai Wutong. At this moment, Meng Weiwei, who had experienced all kinds of hardships, had already thought it through. She knelt at Bai Wutong¡¯s feet skillfully and bowed respectfully. ¡°Greetings, Consort Ling.¡± Although she wanted to lower her head completely, the unwillingness in her heart made her look up in advance. A pair of penetrating black eyes met her eyes. She felt as shameless as stripping her naked and abandoning her on the street. Meng Weiwei suddenly lowered her head again, not wanting the high and mighty Bai Wutong to see her current sorry state. Bai Wutong was not interested in her thoughts. She raised her eyebrows. ¡°Tell me, what do you want to tell me?¡± Meng Weiwei kowtowed two more times and begged, ¡°Consort, if I tell you, can you let me reunite with my mother? I¡¯m willing to serve you till my death.¡± Bai Wutong had been more sleepy recently. She waved her hand lazily. ¡°The last person you served is still in the cell. ¡® Meng Weiwei thought that she could control her like this. She really thought too highly of herself. The guard wanted to pull her down. Meng Weiwei once again realized that the Bai Wutong in front of her was completely different from the Miss Bai back then. If she said it, she would not be able to exchange for a good life. She could only watch as Bai Wutong¡¯s status soared. Then wouldn¡¯t she have benefited others for nothing! After hesitating for a moment, Meng Weiwei decided to bait Bai Wutong. She said, ¡°I¡¯ve seen the Consort in the Imperial City before. At that time, the Consort seemed to be attending our family¡¯s banquet, but I can¡¯t remember which family the Consort is from.¡¯ She thought that this way , Bai Wutong would keep her by her side and let her slowly recall. Little did she know that her words were contradictory and filled with loopholes. Just now, she had sworn to the dark guard that she could help her find her father. Clearly, she knew Bai Wutong¡¯s identity. Now, she was saying that she didn¡¯t know which family she was from. She was dumb and thought that others were stupid too. The corners of Bai Wutong¡¯s mouth curled up. Just as Meng Weiwei thought that she was going to ask her to stay, she heard Bai Wutong¡¯s oriole-like voice say three cold words, ¡°Drag her away.¡± Meng Weiwei was slightly stunned. She did not expect Bai Wutong to be so unpredictable. She hurriedly said, ¡°I¡¯ll try my best to think about it and I might remember. There were really too many people attending my family¡¯s banquet at that time. I really didn¡¯t want to hide it.¡± Bai Wutong did not even want to waste her breath on her. The dark guard brought her out of the tent. Meng Weiwei shouted outside the tent, ¡°l remember, I remember.. Still no response. Meng Weiwei suddenly fell into despair again. Why did Bai Wutong not care about her background anymore? Did she not even want her father after becoming Consort Ling? How could there be such a heartless person in this world? Meng Weiwei roared indignantly again, trying to attract Bai Wutong. ¡°You¡¯ll never be able to compare to her!¡± However, no matter how hard she shouted, Bai Wutong still did not call Meng Weiwei back. Bai Wutong rubbed the space between her eyebrows. She didn¡¯t care much about her background, but she still had to give her deceased original identity an explanation. Meng Weiwei wanted to use her amnesia to control her, but she did not think about it. She used to have a personal maidservant. For some reason, Su Yue did not redeem herself with the three golden teeth that Granny Su had given her. Instead, she used the three golden teeth to make the journey much easier for her and Granny Su. Later, after all the exiled women were bought by Sheng Huaixuan, she joined in the farming. She had become much tanned, and her eyes were shining. She was a completely different person from the first-class maidservant who had stood arrogantly beside Meng Weiwei back then. Bai Wutong summoning her surprised and frightened her. Granny Su also kept asking the guards, ¡°What happened to my daughter? Why did the Consort summon her?¡¯ Of course, the guard would not tell her a word. It was useless even if Granny Su begged. She could only watch as Su Yue was brought into Bai Wutong¡¯s tent. Su Yue bowed carefully. Compared to her former master, Meng Weiwei, she was very cautious. From the beginning to the end, she did not dare to raise her head and steal a glance at Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong went straight to the point. ¡°You¡¯re Meng Weiwei¡¯s former personal maidservant, Su Yue, right?¡± At the mention of Meng Weiwei, Su Yue knew that that fool must be acting up again and had implicated her. She hurriedly kowtowed and begged, ¡°Consort, please investigate. Meng Weiwei and I no longer have any relations of master and servant. ¡® Bai Wutong said, ¡°Look up at me.¡± Su Yue was stunned, but she did as she was told. Bai Wutong¡¯s fair skin, exquisite eyebrows, beautiful red lips, and waterfall-like black hair were leaning against the soft sofa. She was charming and elegant, and her every move made people unable to take their eyes off her. Seeing that she was silent, Su Yue felt even more uneasy.. Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t have called her over to let her admire her beauty, right? Chapter 354 - Chapter 354: His Incompetence Chapter 354: His Incompetence Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Seeing that she was almost done, Bai Wutong asked, ¡°What do you see?¡¯ Su Yue could not tell anything. She braced herself and said, ¡°The Consort is very beautiful. She¡¯s a rare beauty in the world.¡± Bai Wutong chuckled, and the atmosphere eased a lot. ¡°Can¡¯t you tell who I Su Yue was so anxious that her head was sweating. The two sentences Bai Wutong had given her must be related to Meng Weiwei. ¡®What was the relation¡­¡¯ Su Yue stared at Bai Wutong again and again. An image suddenly flashed across her mind, and her eyes widened in disbelief. The more she looked at it, the more familiar it felt. But she was also a little shocked. Could it be that¡­ Bai Wutong was once the eldest daughter of the Bai family that Meng Weiwei had teased? But why were their personalities so different? She still could not believe it. Then why was Bai Wutong only settling scores with them now? Looking at Su Yue¡¯s frightened expression, she knew that she should have recognized her. Bai Wutong looked at her lazily. ¡®Tell me everything you know.¡± Su Yue could not care less and could only kowtow and beg for mercy. ¡°I was just a servant by Meng Weiwei¡¯s side back then. I had no choice but to get someone to push you into the water. Please spare me, please spare me!¡± Bai Wutong raised her eyebrows. There was actually such an incident. It was no wonder Meng Weiwei did not dare to reveal her identity at first. ¡°I want you to tell me in detail!¡± Bai Wutong lowered her voice. Su Yue immediately explained the entire story. Meng Weiwei was holding a flower appreciation banquet in the princess¡¯s residence and was led away by someone. She accidentally saw her beautiful original self cowering in a corner, so she deliberately got someone to knock her into the water. Fortunately, the water was shallow. The original Bai Wutong got up on her own. Her personal maidservant took off her outer robe in time to prevent her from being exposed. However, she could not avoid being mocked by everyone. ¡°Led away by someone?¡± Bai Wutong narrowed her eyes. Su Yue hurriedly said, ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s your sister, Consort.¡± ¡°She knew that you were hiding behind the fake mountain and deliberately brought Meng Weiwei to discover you so that she could use Meng Weiwei to deal with you.¡± Meng Weiwei knew Bai Xinshui¡¯s scheme, but the daughter of a mere fifth- grade official was so much better-looking than her. She really couldn¡¯t stand it, so she got someone to push her into the water, wanting to ruin her reputation and nail her to the pillar of shame. After the original Bai Wutong returned, she did not appear at the Imperial City banquet again because she had embarrassed her family. A dark glint flashed across Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes. It seemed that it should not be a surprise for her to appear in the wilderness alone. After Su Yue finished explaining, Bai Wutong asked Qingfeng, ¡°Do you know about the Bai family under the previous emperor back then?¡¯ The original owner of this body was an invisible person. Now, she could only start her investigation with the Bai family. Qingfeng searched her memories. ¡°Yes.¡± Bai Wutong sat up straight and listened carefully to what Qingfeng had told her about the Bai family. Bai Shining was a fifth-grade editor. Not long after his wife passed away, he immediately promoted his concubine cousin. Later, he was sent to Jingnan Prefecture to be a magistrate. When Emperor Linghui attacked the city, he surrendered. By chance, he had become a second-grade official of the Ling Kingdom. Qingfeng still had a deep impression of the Bai family. The secondary consort Chu Mingxuan was marrying now was Bai Shining¡¯s second daughter. Chu Mingxuan was impotent and was still secretly searching for medicine. She did not expect him to be marrying Bai Xinshui. They were really fated. Bai Wutong sneered and instructed Qingfeng, ¡°Send someone to investigate the truth behind my disappearance and my mother¡¯s death.¡± ¡°Yes!¡¯ If it had something to do with Bai Xinshui and her mother, Bai Wutong would definitely not let them off easily. Suddenly, there was a commotion outside the tent. When Bai Wutong walked out of the tent, she saw a few highly skilled soldiers break free from the ropes and want to save Gu Chilie. However, they had only run a few steps before they were captured. They struggled and shouted indignantly. The tens of thousands of soldiers who had woken up also shouted crazily. Their roars shook the sky and reverberated throughout the entire southern frontier. Bai Wutong looked at the soldiers who were leading and instructed, ¡°Kill them.¡¯ She was worried about Chu Tianbao and did not kill Gu Chilie, but it did not mean that she would be merciful to these people. The dark guards accepted the order and brought the soldiers who led the trouble to the execution stage. In the next second, their heads fell to the ground. In an instant, the soldiers fell silent. After a short pause, they cursed at You Huaijie again. They just wanted to live a good life. What was wrong with that? Emperor Linghui was not even willing to give them food. Why should they serve him? You Huaijie had killed their brothers, so he was a bastard! There were 80,000 soldiers here. It was impossible to kill all of them. Moreover, the southern frontier lacked labor the most. Even if they wanted to kill, they could not. You Huaijie suddenly brought Gu Chilie onto the high platform. Seeing Marshal Gu, whose limbs were weak and could only be manipulated by others, the Gu family army fell into silence and panic again. You Huaijie shouted at the soldiers, ¡°This is the emperor you¡¯re going to follow.¡± With Marshal Gu in this state, what was there to follow? There had never been a cripple in history who could become an emperor. Just as the soldiers were at a loss for what to do, the humiliated Marshal Gu suddenly said loudly, ¡°If you bow down to them now, you¡¯ll only be a dog under their feet in the future. Brothers with some guts, fight them to the death!¡¯ Under Marshal Gu¡¯s instigation, many soldiers stood up from the crowd. ¡°Brothers, fight them to the death! Avenge the Marshal!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, before the other soldiers could react, the dark guards slashed their heads into the crowd with swords. The soldier who wanted to stand fell to the ground again. They were unarmed now and were no match for the dark guards at all. They were practically seeking deaths! If they could live, who would want to die? Bai Wutong did not shut Marshal Gu up because she wanted to remove all the remaining troublemakers in the team. After instilling fear in the soldiers, You Huaijie gagged Gu Chilie and said to the soldiers, ¡°You rebelled for him and helped him ascend the throne. Do you think you can live a good life?¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong, very wrong! ¡± ¡°He can¡¯t even feed you now and you all have to starve every day. When he establishes himself as a king and becomes the emperor of the southern frontier, will you really be able to live a good life after cutting ties with the Central Plain?¡± ¡°Even if you can eat your fill by robbing the people of the southern frontier, you¡¯re just a group of fearsome bandits.¡± When the soldiers heard him out, they immediately looked confused. A soldier suddenly said loudly, ¡°We¡¯re not rebelling, and the Imperial Court didn¡¯t give us food. It was the Marshal who led us to dig grass roots and hunt. That¡¯s how we survived until today.¡± You Huaijie was not angry, nor did he get someone to gag him. Instead, he got someone to carry the food they had collected over the past few days to the soldiers. The soldier had not eaten the previous day. When they saw so many tapiocas and seafood, their eyes lit up. You Huaijie said, ¡°We also don¡¯t have the food distributed by the Imperial Court. But we can feed everyone in the team just by looking for local food in the southern frontier. You¡¯ve been in the southern frontier for so long, but you¡¯ve been starving.. Isn¡¯t this his incompetence?¡± Chapter 355 - Chapter 355: Mother and I Are Waiting for the Ship Chapter 355: Mother and I Are Waiting for the Ship Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The soldiers looked at each other, their stomachs rumbling. They didn¡¯t know what to do. You Huaijie continued, ¡°Rebellion is a capital crime. As long as you repent and confess your crimes and work hard to obtain the forgiveness of the current emperor, you will be pardoned.¡± ¡°I can also guarantee that you will never starve in the future.¡± You Huaijie used both soft and hard methods. They looked at the food in front of them and then at Marshal Gu, who had become a cripple. The soldiers who insisted on following Marshal Gu bit their tongues and committed suicide. More soldiers were willing to listen to You Huaijie¡¯s arrangements. Didn¡¯t they become soldiers so that they could have a livelihood and a bright future? Now that they had fallen to this state, they had already let Marshal Gu down. It was time for them to think for themselves. The soldiers shouted, ¡°Sir, we¡¯re willing to plead guilty. We¡¯re willing to repent!¡± You Huaijie nodded in satisfaction and sent someone to distribute the food to the soldiers. The soldiers ate the hot food and drank the warm tea. Immediately, they had mixed feelings. With tens of thousands of additional laborers, everyone could reclaim the fields and build Carefree City faster. The consumption of food also increased several times. They watched as the millet that could last for a few days being depleted at a visible speed. How could anyone have the strength to work if they were not full? Apart from waiting for the caravan and the Imperial Court to replenish their food supply, they had to rely on themselves to continue searching for food sources. Apart from planting vegetables that grew extremely quickly, food could be found in the sea, forest, wetlands, and grasslands. The sea was rich in resources. If they used small boats to fish, they would easily be overturned by the waves. Everyone only dared to fish on the shore and did not dare to go deep into the sea. The amount of seafood they caught was limited. Therefore, when Bai Wutong decided to settle down by the sea, she sent the skilled craftsman in her team to design a professional fishing ship. There was strength in numbers. After everyone worked hard, the fishing boat could finally set sail. Bai Wutong touched the steering wheel of the ship and was filled with emotions. They had a big ship so soon. When they first arrived, they didn¡¯t even have a small boat. This big ship could catch thousands of kilograms of fish in one net. Its carrying capacity was also quite high. It should be a very impressive fishing boat in this world. Everyone used tools to roll the fishing boat to the surface. When they saw the fishing boat float, everyone cheered excitedly. The crew members who were ready walked onto the ship handsomely in their special life jackets. The captain raised the sail handsomely and gave a long call. Soon, the fishing boat gradually sailed out of the sea under everyone¡¯s expectant gazes. When the fishing boat returned, if nothing went wrong, it would bring back countless big fishes. The commoners, who had not eaten meat for a long time, could also eat a piece of fish and drink a bowl of delicious fish soup. Stinky rode on Lin Yue¡¯s head and wheedled at Bai Wutong, ¡°Mother, I want to take a big ship too.¡± Bai Wutong reached out and stroked his head. ¡°When the fishing boat comes back, if the weather is good tomorrow, I will bring Stinky on the fishing boat, alright?¡± This was the first time the fishing boat had gone into the water. Fishing was not the most important thing. The most important thing was to test the safety of this fishing boat. If the fishing boat successfully returned and met the standards in all aspects, they would replicate this ship and build a few more. At that time, not only could they collect food from the surrounding coastline, but they could also go to the island and other coastlines to dig for clams and pick seafood. Stinky and Bai Wutong picked up beautiful seashells on the beach and even caught many beautiful fishes with small fish nets. Stinky suddenly picked up a conch and put it to his ear to listen to the sound of the sea. As he listened, he missed Chu Tianbao. His eyes turned red, but he forced himself to blink. He couldn¡¯t cry. If he did, his mother would definitely be sad. Stinky rubbed his eyes forcefully and squatted on the ground to build the castle again. He was especially good at imitating. What he built was exacty like how he imagined it. After a while, Stinky recalled the houses in Youjia village and built a prototype with sand. Stinky also decorated the house with shells and leaf stones to make it look better. Bai Wutong was slightly surprised. She saw that Stinky had built a mushroom-like house and even designed a warehouse on the first and second floors for the mushroom-like house. Even the toilet was pointed out to Bai Wutong. Apart from the mushroom house, he also designed many strange houses. They were rectangular, diamond-shaped, and looked like starfish. Although it was strange, every house had the necessary facilities for living. As Bai Wutong watched, she realized that Stinky was a talent in house design. He was talented and had a strong sense of space. Talents did not necessarily have to be officials. It would be good if Stinky could have something he wanted to do and loved in the future. Moreover, houses could give people a sense of security and happiness. Be it in ancient times or modern times, the prospects were very great. She smiled and asked, ¡°How did you come up with that?¡± Stinky happily raised his chubby hand. ¡°I heard it from Mother.¡± Only then did Bai Wutong remember that when she was discussing with everyone how to build Carefree City, Stinky had also listened. Bai Wutong stroked his little head. ¡°Do you like it? If you like it, I¡¯ll tell you about it alone in the future, okay?¡± Stinky immediately cheered. ¡°Okay, I want to build a big house and a big city in the future!¡± Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°You will.¡± Stinky played with the sand happily until he was really tired from playing and Lin Yue carried him to sleep. He narrowed his eyes and grabbed Lin Yue¡¯s collar. ¡°I¡¯m going to wait for the boat with Mother. It would probably be a while before the fishing boat returned. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°Since he¡¯s willing to wait here, let¡¯s wait here. Put him in a hammock and give him a thicker blanket.¡± Lin Yue nodded. Qingfeng handed over a thick blanket. Stinky swayed in the hammock and slept soundly. He pouted his chubby face and occasionally muttered, ¡°Xiaobai.. Stinky slept for about four hours when a small black dot suddenly appeared on the distant shoreline. Everyone immediately became excited. ¡°The boat is back! It¡¯s back!¡± Stinky opened his eyes in a daze and sat up. When he saw the fishing boat approaching, he was so excited that he almost fell out of the hammock. Fortunately, Lin Yue caught him quickly. At the temporary dock where the fishing boat had docked, everyone asked the crew members excitedly, ¡°Are there fishes? Did you catch any fish?¡¯ The crew member stuck his head out of the fishing boat and said happily, ¡°There are fishes. There are so many fishes! Not only are there fishes, but there are also many prawns! Hearing that there were many fishes and prawns, everyone was extremely excited. You Huaijie immediately arranged for someone to unload the goods. After a while, baskets of big fishes and prawns were transported down. Apart from the big fishes and prawns, there were also some strange sea creatures mixed in. Seeing so many fishes and prawns, everyone was dumbfounded. This was too much. It weighed at least 10,000 catties. The captain smiled and said, ¡®We¡¯ve only lowered the net a dozen times. The prawns and big fishes we caught in one go weigh at least 1,000 catties and even 2,000 catties. If a few fishing nets are put into the water at the same time, the entire ship won¡¯t be able to hold the seafood that can be caught in a few hours.¡± His words were all suggesting how the boat was too small and it was not satisfying for fishing.. Chapter 356 - Chapter 356: Is There Really Such a Good Thing? Chapter 356: Is There Really Such a Good Thing? Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios They had not gone too not far into the sea this time and had already caught so many fish. If they had enough freshwater and food to travel into the deep sea, they would definitely be able to catch more fish. Of course, the reason why they could casually catch so many fishes was also because of the good natural environment in the southern frontier. No human had ever cast a large-scale net. They originally thought that it was only about 10,000 catties. After some rough calculations, there was actually 50,000 catties of seafood! Their total population was less than 200,000, and they had caught so much seafood on just one trip. Everyone could eat a few prawns that night. Everyone immediately cheered and became determined to build a few more fishing boats. Although they could catch a lot of fish, there was still a problem with this fishing boat. It was very inconvenient to unload the goods. When they were fishing, because there were too many fishes caught in the net, the waves hit them and they almost capsized. It was very dangerous. In addition, the speed of the fishing boat was a little slow. If they encountered big waves, heavy rain, and lightning, it was very likely that they would not be able to return in time. Although there was basically such a risk in every fishing boat going out to sea, the captain still reported to Bai Wutong honestly what needed to be improved Bai Wutong really knew nothing about shipbuilding, but the information about human civilization was stored on the computer in her space to prevent human civilization from disappearing forever after the apocalypse. Bai Wutong thought through in her mind and modified to give a blueprint of a fishing boat that was more suitable for this world. Its structure and the principles behind the operation of the ship were recorded and illustrated in detail. It was much more advanced than their current big fishing boat, but with existing technology, it could still be built. However, if they wanted to increase the speed of the ship, they needed iron to make propellers and a large amount of coal or oil as energy. They could dig for iron on the spot and slowly. But the issue was forging required coal. It had not been discovered in the southern frontier yet. The coal they used along the way was all transported from the Central Plains. Although there was no coal, they found petroleum. But there was another problem. It was really a long way to dig up petroleum and transport it over. If there was a road, it would definitely be much faster. However, they did not have the manpower to build the road yet, and no one knew much about building roads. Bai Wutong really wanted to build the southern frontier with a whoosh, but she knew that she could not rush it. Even if the fishing boats were not improved now, they could actually catch a lot of fish. Suddenly, she saw Duo holding the red-faced Huang Zhong and watching everyone carry the fish. A thought flashed across her mind and she asked someone to call Song Benhua over. Song Benhua had been appointed to manage the local tribesman. He was very respectful when Bai Wutong summoned him. He had already seen the situation of the team clearly. Bai Wutong was the core figure in the entire team. She had methods, plans, and the ability to completely control Duke Ling. She was the only one in the entire team whom everyone obeyed, as if she was the queen of the southern frontier. Song Benhua was used to seeing women in the southern frontier as a leader. He had no objections to Bai Wutong leading the entire team. However , he subconsciously felt that Bai Wutong was extremely ambitious and needed to be dealt with carefully. Song Benhua bowed respectfully and lowered himself. Bai Wutong placed a box of coal in front of Song Benhua. ¡°You¡¯ve been local for many years. Have you seen coal?¡¯ If Song Benhua had seen it before, it meant that there were also coal mines around Baye. There was no need to wait for the road to be built before they could transport the petroleum over to modify the fishing boat. Song Benhua saw the silver carbon in the box and immediately nodded. ¡°A tribe on the east coast had used carbon to exchange for black gold stones with our tribe previously.¡± As soon as he said this, Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes lit up. She had just thought of asking casually. She didn¡¯t expect there to be one. Coal was one of the three main sources of energy for industrial development. Whether it was forging iron, burning glass, or building other factories, they all needed coal as the basic fuel. Coincidentally, it was what they needed the most now. Bai Wutong said happily, ¡°Lord Song, can you bring the people to this tribe?¡¯ The tribe was definitely unwilling to hand over the coal mine. Bai Wutong planned to ask politely first. If that tribe did not agree to join their Carefree City, they could only fight for their territory and chase them away according to the old rules of the locals. Song Benye instantly understood what Bai Wutong meant. He knelt down and said, ¡°I¡¯m willing to go.¡± It was naturally best if Song Benbao could go. After all, he was the only interpreter who had mastered many local languages. Bai Wutong asked Song Benlai to bring 2,000 people and gave him many silk, satin, cotton clothes, porcelain, and so on that the locals liked. She asked him to bring the items to negotiate first. Song Benbao walked along the coastline from sunrise to sunset and finally met this tribe. When the tribe leader, Ah Mi, saw that he had brought so many people, he immediately gathered all the young men in the tribe to resist Song Benlai. This tribe was a little larger than Duo¡¯s tribe. There were about 700 to 800 people. However, Song Benlai had brought a total of 2,000 people. Even if all of them attacked together, they would undoubtedly be like eggs hitting a rock against a well-trained soldier. The tribe leader, Ah Mi, said angrily, ¡®Why did you bring these Central Plains people here?¡± He was about 17 or 18 years old. He was tall and had long curly chestnut hair and royal blue eyes that shone like the sea. Song Benhua held the gorgeous silk and said, ¡°We¡¯re not here to snatch territory. We¡¯re here to invite you to join us. ¡® How could Ah Mi believe it? He raised his weapon even higher. ¡°We swore to never become slaves!¡± Song Benhua was not in a hurry. He got someone to place the things he had brought on the ground. ¡°No one in our tribe is a slave after joining Carefree City. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can take a look.¡± Ah Mi was skeptical. The eyes of the clansmen behind him shot lasers as they looked at so many exquisite cloth and ceramic items. Song Benhua continued, ¡°If we really wanted you to be slaves, would you still be standing here safe and sound?¡± Ah Mi sized up Song Benhua and the others. Indeed, with their excellent equipment, 2,000 people could directly defeat their tribe. He frowned and said, ¡°Why do you want us to join? Don¡¯t you want our territory?¡¯ Song Benhua smiled gently and said, ¡°We won¡¯t take your territory. Join our Carefree City. You¡¯ll still be the tribe leader. We can even build houses for you, teach you how to farm, and treat your illnesses.¡± Ah Mi¡¯s eyes widened. The other party could have killed them, but he had gone to so much trouble to arrange everything for them. He did not think that such a good thing would happen in the world. As expected, Song Benhua said, ¡°You just have to allow us to mine for coal.¡± Ah Mi¡¯s expression suddenly changed. ¡®You want us to keep digging coal?¡± He didn¡¯t think much of handing over the coal if they couldn¡¯t defend their territory, but letting them keep digging was no different from being slaves. Song Benhua shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s noisy mining the coal mine. When the time comes, the surrounding prey will be frightened away. If you want to stay here forever, you have to not mind it. If you want to move to Carefree City, that¡¯s fine too. We¡¯ll send someone to dig for coal. If you want to dig for coal, you can also get a monthly salary.¡± Ah Mi was stunned. ¡°What¡¯s monthly salary?¡± Song Benhua smiled and said, ¡°If you take the initiative to mine, you can obtain the silver from the Central Plains. This silver can be exchanged for satin, ceramics, tea leaves, and so on.¡± Ah Mi¡¯s eyes suddenly widened. It sounded quite good. He double-checked. ¡°Is there really such a good thing?¡± Song Benlai¡¯s smile deepened. ¡®There¡¯s no need for me to lie to you. Besides, we came with sincerity..¡± Chapter 357 - Chapter 357: Sounds Good Chapter 357: Sounds Good Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Song Benhua¡¯s sincerity was not bad. Ah Mi gestured for his clansmen to put down their weapons. He waved and Song Benhua walked over to sit with him on the ground. Ah Mi said, ¡®Where are we going to sleep with those Central Plains people?¡± He had personally investigated before. There were many Central Plains people. Not to mention a place to live, even if they hunted prey, they might not be able to get anything. ¡®What is it about farming? Can it be better than hunting? Tell me in detail and let me think about it.¡± He was contemplating deep down. If Carefree City was not right, he might as well bring his clansmen elsewhere and snatch another territory. Song Benhua smiled gently and explained carefully, ¡°The house is being built at the fastest speed. By the end of autumn this year, everyone will probably be able to live in a brand new big house.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve already cultivated a large area of fertile land. The food planted is enough to guarantee that everyone won¡¯t go hungry from this year to next.¡± ¡°In addition, we also have a huge ship entering the deep sea to fish. As long as everyone is diligent, we don¡¯t have to worry about not having a good life. ¡± ¡°Our tribe moved out of the mountains and does some work every day. It¡¯s better than hunting and ambushing all day long and we get to eat and wear warm clothes.¡¯ ¡°Although we haven¡¯t moved into the houses yet, the conditions of the tent are much better than the previous living environment. Ah Mi blinked. ¡°Sounds like a good idea.¡± However, he did not know if what Song Benhua said was all true. He hesitated, but Song Benbao did not rush him. He let the team set up camp and prepared to start a fire to cook instant noodles. The soldiers nimbly set up the tent. When Ah Mi saw that the waterproof tent was even sturdier than their straw shed, his eyes lit up. He took the initiative to walk over and enter the tent to take a look. He realized that not only was the tent waterproof, but there were also ventilation windows and waterproof cloth on the ground. Just by decorating it, it would make a beautiful home. Ah Mi was very happy. After the soldiers set up the big pot, they casually placed a pile of flatbread inside and dug out a large spoonful of seasoning from the jar. Finally, they placed some dried mushrooms and duced luncheon meat. The entire forest immediately emitted a rich and irresistible smell of delicacy. Ah Mi was drooling. Song Benhua had walked for so long and had only eaten two dry rations on the way. He was also hungry. He took out his wooden bowl and picked up a piece of instant noodles with his chopsticks. He took a big bite and drank the soup with a wooden spoon. That feeling was something that even a god would not give up. Ah Mi leaned in front of Song Benhua. ¡®What is this? Noodles? Why is it so fragrant?¡± He had seen noodles eaten by the Syrians, but they were not like this at all, nor were they as fragrant. He swallowed hard. The clansmen behind him watched as the soldiers ate the noodles and drank the soup. They could not stop drooling. They even jumped onto the trees and watched the live eating broadcast from a close distance. Song Benhua smiled at him and took another big mouthful. ¡®This is called instant noodles. It¡¯s convenient and delicious. It¡¯s even nicer if it is cooked with some seafood.¡± As soon as he said that, Ah Mi, who was worried about not being able to find an excuse to freeload on a bowl of instant noodles, said, ¡°l have seafood! I¡¯ll give you seafood!¡± He ran back to his tribe with a whoosh. Not long after, he carried an especially large sea fish in his right hand and a basket of big green crabs in his left hand to Song Benhua. He said eagerly, ¡°Shall we eat together?¡¯ Song Benhua smiled. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll eat together, but you still have to process your fish and crabs. ¡® Ah Mi quickly asked, ¡°How should I process it?¡± Song Benhua instructed, ¡°The scales of this fish have to be scraped off and the internal organs have to be removed. It has to be chopped into pieces so that it is easier to cook. As for this big green crab, I¡¯ll give you a demonstration. Watch!¡± Song Benhua picked up the big green crab and removed its shell and internal organs. Ah Mi understood and hurriedly asked his clansmen to help do so. Not long after, a large basket of fish and green crabs was placed in front of Song Benhua. Coincidentally, the instant noodles in the pot were almost finished. Song Benhua added water to it and poured the green crab and fish into the pot. The fragrance of the hot instant noodles mixed with the deliciousness of the seafood made Ah Mi¡¯s stomach sing. The eyes of the clansmen behind him were about to fall into the pot. Seeing that the fish and green crab were almost cooked, Ah Mi asked, ¡°Can we eat now?¡± He couldn¡¯t wait any longer. Song Benhua slowly filled in two more flatbreads, poured in some seasoning, covered the pot, and continued to stew. Time passed. The fire boiled on the iron pot like it was boiling on Ah Mi¡¯s heart. Finally, he waited until Song Benhua lifted the lid of the pot and said unhurriedly, ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± Ah Mi took the initiative to reach out his bowl. Song Benhua filled a large bowl and picked up some fish and crab meat for him. Ah Mi looked impatient, but Song Benhua still reminded him, ¡°Be careful not to choke on the fish bones.¡± Ah Mi smiled brightly at him and picked up a piece of fish with his chopsticks. The tender and delicious fish meat seemed to melt in his mouth. He immediately narrowed his eyes in enjoyment and hurriedly took another big bite. This was the best fish he had ever eaten! The Central Plains people were too brilliant! He finished the fish and couldn¡¯t wait to eat another mouthful of noodles. From the sizzling sound, he knew how chewy the noodles were. Ah Mi¡¯s eyes widened as he took another sip of the delicious and rich broth. In an instant, it was as if he had gone to heaven. It was too f*cking delicious! He ate a bowl of it. Before Song Benhua could help him fill it, he filled another large bowl. Ah Mi wolfed down the noodles as if he had not eaten in 800 years. His tribe members stared enviously at the large pot left behind by the soldiers. They wanted to borrow it to cook seafood, but they did not expect the soldiers to finish the noodles and even drink to the bottom of the pot. One bowl! Two bowls! Three bowls! Four bowls! Ah Mi finished the entire pot of instant noodles, fish, and green crabs alone. He touched his round stomach, his face filled with satisfaction. Fortunately, Song Benhua had eaten some just now. Otherwise, he would have to cook another pot. After eating and drinking his fill, Ah Mi finally saw the pitiful expressions of his clansmen. He hugged Song Benhua¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Ifwe follow you back, can we eat such delicious food every day?¡± Song Benhua pushed away his overly intimate gesture. ¡®There¡¯s still a lot of delicious food.¡± ¡°As long as you have the ability, and you listen to my arrangements, you can even eat hotpot, barbecue, sesame cakes, meat buns.. ¡® Ah Mi¡¯s eyes widened. Without a word, he patted Song Benhua¡¯s back again. ¡°We¡¯re going back to Carefree City with you. Then can you give us some instant noodles that I ate just now?¡± Song Benhua smiled and said, ¡°Sure.¡± Ah Mi patted his back again. ¡°Good brother!¡± He almost slapped Song Benhua¡¯s internal organs out. The next day, a group of people was left here to guard the coal mine. Ah Mi brought his clansmen along with their things and followed Song Benhua back. They walked along the coastline. When they were about to reach the camp, they happened to see the fishing boat majestically docking. Ah Mi¡¯s blue eyes widened.. ¡°What is this?¡± It looked amazing! Chapter 358 - Chapter 358: I’m Not Touching Anyone Else Chapter 358: I¡¯m Not Touching Anyone Else Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Song Benhua introduced, ¡®That¡¯s our fishing boat.¡± Ah Mi was shocked. ¡°How can a boat actually be so big?¡± Song Benhua smiled. ¡°Not only is the fishing boat big, but the house is also very big. You¡¯ll know when you see it. It won¡¯t be wrong to choose to join us. ¡® Ah Mi was still looking eagerly at the fishing boat. ¡°Can I take a look at the fishing boat too?¡± He was about the same age as Ah Duo and was still a child. Song Benhua smiled as graceful as the wind. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take you there when you¡¯re settled.¡± Even though Song Benhua had suffered many hardships, he was not even 40 years old. His handsome face had been weathered by the wind and rain, and age had left traces on his face, making him look even more mature and trustworthy. He was like an ancient well, sealed with unknown secrets. Ah Mi was stunned for a moment before smiling brightly. ¡°Thank you.¡± Soon, they arrived at the camp. In front of the densely packed tents, many houses and buildings had been built with their basic structure. Ah Mi and his clansmen¡¯s eyes were filled with excitement and curiosity. Song Benhua introduced, ¡®That¡¯s the house we¡¯re going to live in the future. Everyone is still building it as fast as they can. If you want to take a look later, I can bring you there.¡± Ah Mi immediately hooked his arm and said with bright eyes, ¡°l want to go! ¡® His appearance was as dazzling as a gem. Song Benhua¡¯s eyes were blinded. He shook off his hand in a panic and warned sternly, ¡°The rules of the Central Plains are different from yours. No matter if it¡¯s a man or a woman, you can¡¯t touch them casually.¡± Ah Mi blinked. His long curly hair was like a character that would only appear in a fairy tale. ¡°l don¡¯t touch anyone else.¡± Song Benhua met his serious eyes and his gaze seemed to be suddenly scalded. He hurriedly retracted his gaze and said solemnly, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡± There were more men than women in the southern frontier, so some cultures were naturally popular. However, in the few years that Song Benhua had been in the southern frontier, this was the first time he had encountered such a beautiful young man who showed interest in him. Ah Mi was the most outstanding and brave warrior in the tribe. He had stood out from the tribe leader¡¯s sons, so how could he be afraid of Song Benhua¡¯s rejection? He actually changed the topic and said with a smile, ¡°Can I stay with you?¡¯ Song Benhua was speechless. He said patiently, ¡°You will have your own tent.¡± Ah Mi said persistently, ¡°Then I want to stay with you inside too. I¡¯ll catch prey for you so that you can eat meat every day.¡± Only partners in the tribe could accept each other¡¯s food. Song Benhua felt a headache coming on. He didn¡¯t really want to deal with Ah Mi anymore, so he hurriedly found Ah Duo. ¡®Take them to settle down.¡± Ah Duo had been busy taking care of Huang Zhong for the past two days and did not know how to settle the new people. She said bluntly, ¡°How should we make arrangements? Why didn¡¯t you tell me before?¡± Song Benhua¡¯s head hurt even more. He waved his hand. ¡°Forget it. Go busy yourself first.¡± Ah Duo was about to turn around to look for Huang Thong when Ah Mi stopped her aggressively. ¡°Are you his partner?¡± Stunned, Ah Duo looked at the beautiful Ah Mi and then at Song Benhua. Her eyes lit up. ¡°No!¡± ¡°You want to be our priest¡¯s partner? ¡® Ah Mi was about to speak when Song Benhua, who was afraid that he would say something shocking, grabbed his arm and glared at the shocked Ah Duo before walking away. Ah Duo said in confusion, ¡°Isn¡¯t it just a question? Why are you so fierce?¡¯ Looking at their backs, the corners of her lips curled up. Huang Zhong was still waiting for her. Ah Duo ran over happily. Huang Thong glanced at her. ¡®What are you laughing at?¡± Ah Duo chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s spring. It¡¯s time for us to make babies.¡± ¡°Pfft-¡± Huang Zhong almost choked on his own saliva. His face was red from head to toe as he stammered, ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡± He didn¡¯t know what to say. Ah Duo raised her eyebrows, her gaze fierce and warning. ¡°You¡¯re not happy?¡¯ Huang Zhong suddenly shook his head like a rattle. Ah Duo smiled brightly and pulled Huang Zhong. ¡°Then let¡¯s go now!¡± Her watery¡¯ eyes released tens of thousands of volts of electricity as she made her straightforward and passionate request. Huang Zhong¡¯s heart was pounding, but he refused firmly. ¡°No! ¡± Ah Duo glared at him and was about to teach him a lesson for not knowing what was good for him when Huang Zhong pulled her to a small forest at the side. Her face was filled with question marks. Huang Thong held his breath and mustered his courage. ¡°Will you still like others in the future?¡± Seeing his serious expression, Ah Duo¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°I want to become your partner. As long as you¡¯re not dead, I definitely won¡¯t like anyone else!¡± Huang Zhong heaved a sigh of relief. He was afraid that Ah Duo¡¯s tribe would allow a woman to have multiple husbands like the women of Syria. Huang Zhong made up his mind. ¡°I¡¯ll marry you! After we get married, I¡¯ll do anything you want! ¡± Although he was not as strong as the men of their tribe, he would teach and work hard to earn money. He would definitely make a good life for Ah Duo. Ah Duo knew that marriage between Central Plains people was the same as their tribe¡¯s partner ceremony, so she was quite satisfied with Huang Zhong¡¯s request. She was caught off guard and kissed him. ¡°Alright! You said it yourself! ¡± Huang Zhong¡¯s head was buzzing when he was suddenly kissed. His face was so red that it looked like it was about to explode at any moment. Seeing that he was quite cute, Ah Duo couldn¡¯t help but kiss him again. Huang Zhong was completely petrified. Ah Duo smiled. ¡°Do you want to have a baby now?¡± Huang Zhong nodded without anyone noticing and shook his head abruptly. ¡°We have to get married! ¡± Ah Duo¡¯s face was filled with regret. The partner ceremony had nothing to do with giving birth, but she still respected Huang Thong¡¯s wishes. ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s get married quickly!¡± With that, she kissed Huang Thong. Huang Zhong¡¯s face was red. He suddenly wanted to get married immediately. Bai Wutong guessed that Ah Mils tribe would most likely move to Carefree City and had already allocated a piece of land in advance. After confirming the number of people in their tribe, they distributed the tents. Under everyone¡¯s guidance, they learned to set up tents. After the tents were lined up, they danced the tribal dance and sang the tribal song. Ah Mi was surrounded by his clansmen, his face filled with smiles. Song Benhua was influenced by the atmosphere and the corners of his mouth subconsciously curled up. After the dance, Ah Mi ran to Song Benhua and asked to see the house. Song Benhua glanced at the sky. He had wanted the clansmen to take him to see it the next day. When he met his expectant bright eyes, he said, ¡°Alright.¡± Arriving in front of the villas that had already taken shape, Ah Mi was even more shocked to see them up close. He looked at the villas one by one and realized that although the villas were exquisite, some were big and some were small. He couldn¡¯t help but ask curiously, ¡°Why are some houses big and some small? Why don¡¯t we build the same one?¡± Song Benhua explained patiently, ¡°The big house is for a large family to live in, and the small house is for single people. In the future, when we allocate the house, it will depend on the number of people living inside.¡± Ah Mi came to a realization and immediately said, ¡°Then if we become partners, can we be assigned to a big house?¡± Chapter 360 - Chapter 360: Only by Being Strong Can There Be a Paradise Chapter 360: Only by Being Strong Can There Be a Paradise Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Cui Lingyi had previously told the people that Bai Wutong wanted to teach everyone something new. Apart from the teachers and students of Qinghe Academy, there were also many carpenters, blacksmiths, and masons gathered. Everyone thought that Bai Wutong had created some magical machine again and wanted to explain it to them in detail. When they entered the huge unfinished cement conference hall, no one saw anything. Instead, after they sat down, Bai Wutong got someone to distribute them a lot of white paper. Everyone looked puzzled. Bai Wutong had already taken the sorted information and said, ¡°I realized that machinery can greatly increase the efficiency of work, but everyone is very not well-equipped with technical knowledge. ¡°I¡¯ve organized some of my understanding of machinery and the basic knowledge that everyone should know.¡± ¡®What I am going to say next doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t understand. Copy it down or memorize it according to your own understanding before I explain.¡± ¡°Raise your hand when you ask a question. Don¡¯t interrupt me casually.¡± ¡°By the way, according to your own understanding, I still need you to compile a book. Therefore, please listen carefully.¡± She actually wanted to make it into a book! They were also part of it! The old people who had been craftsmen all their lives were so excited that their eyes were moist. Everyone widened their eyes, wishing they could grow 18 pairs of ears. It was impossible for Bai Wutong to teach them everything from primary school to university. Moreover, even if she did, they would not understand. Even if they understood, they did not have the conditions to craft anything. Bai Wutong sorted out the knowledge that she thought was more important and suitable for the current development. When this period of time was over, she would lead everyone to unlock new knowledge. This way, everyone would not find it unbelievable and be completely confused. Bai Wutong spoke slowly and logically. Even though Bai Wutong had filtered out the points according to everyone¡¯s situation, many people still raised their hands and asked many strange questions. The originally serious class also ended up making everyone laugh. At this rate, Bai Wutong would not be able to finish explaining even after god knows when. Hence, when she finished a question, she would ask someone who understood to raise their hand. A few people stood out in the huge conference hall. Bai Wutong asked these people questions individually. After thinking that they had indeed completely absorbed it, she recorded their names in the file and said to everyone, ¡®They were very right about the points just now. After it¡¯s over, they will explain this question to you. I will move on to the next point.¡± Everyone was dumbfounded. They were afraid that they would not explain it well and they did not want to deal with so many people. When Bai Wutong asked those who understood the next piece of information stand up, there were no one who did. Bai Wutong knew what they were thinking, so she said, ¡®Those who have mastered all the points can become appointed teachers in the Imperial Court. They can enjoy subsidies every month and have priority housing.¡± As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the quiet conference hall exclaimed. There was monthly allowance, priority housing, and be appointed as teacher by the Imperial Court! What an amazing thing that was! This was easier than participating in the imperial examination! Everyone immediately perked up and listened carefully. If they understood, they would not care about anything else and actively raised their hands. Since they wanted to become a teacher appointed by the Imperial Court, how could they be afraid of teaching other students? Even many timid craftsmen raised their hands after understanding it in their unique way. As long as they could become an official, they would have the face to meet their ancestors when they went underground. With the encouragement, Bai Wutong finished explaining all the points in three days. The rest was to wait for all of them to master it and compile the books for her to read. Although the science subjects were valued, the arts and humanities subjects should not be forgotten. After all, some people were just not good at science. Yang Quanzi stayed up late to learn the points taught by Bai Wutong. His head was about to explode, but he had only learned a few questions! On the other hand, it gave his disciples a splitting headache. They could not understand what they had originally understood. Yang Quanzi did not want to give up yet. He also wanted to live in a house as soon as possible. He was a great scholar. If he was not a teacher appointed by the Imperial Court, how embarrassing would it be! Great Scholar Yang cared too much about his image. Cui Shize had no choice but to look for Bai Wutong for help. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°There are specialties in each field, so there¡¯s no need to force it. It just so happens that the information about military education, culture, history, politics, and geography of the southern frontier and Ling Kingdom still need someone to organize in detail. It would be best if Great Scholar Yang can lead everyone to organize them.¡± Cui Shize was about to agree on behalf of Yang Quanzi when Bai Wutong said, ¡°It¡¯s best to organize and summarize according to the different ages of the students and teach them according to their aptitude. I also have some of my understanding that I want to include in the book.¡± Bai Wutong mainly wanted to raise three points. Firstly, she wanted to raise the status of businessmen and develop the economy. Secondly, she wanted people to respect women and liberate them from labor. Thirdly, she wanted people to respect different cultural ideas and take advantage of their strengths to complement their weaknesses and abandon the dregs. There were more to add, but she felt that these three were the most important at the moment. Cui Shize took the content that Bai Wutong had compiled and read it casually. He was stunned by Bai Wutong¡¯s thoughts of deviating from the sutra and going against the Dao. Businessmen had a creative mind to begin with. After raising their status, with strong funds, they would have the right to talk about the country¡¯s affairs. Cui Shize felt that it was very inappropriate. However, Bai Wutong was right. Only by developing the economy would the commoners have a good life of prosperity. If everyone guarded those acres of land, the world would stagnate. No matter how stable the monarch power of a country was, it would not be beneficial to the commoners. A prosperous and powerful country should start reforming its economy. Bai Wutong¡¯s understanding shocked Cui Shize. He looked at Bai Wutong strangely. It was as if he was wondering if the expert Bai Wutong had encountered really existed in the world. If he did, how extraordinary would his thoughts be! Cui Shize was filled with admiration, but he also asked, ¡°I understand the Consort¡¯s intentions, but the current emperor¡¯s civil and military officials will probably object to it.¡± Bai Wutong had also thought of this problem, but Cui Shize should know a saying. When one is far away from the authority, it cannot intervene, and one could do anything. Moreover, Chu Tianbao¡¯s true identity was Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s eldest son. When Chu Tianbao brought Noble Consort Ling back, Emperor Ling Hui would know that Gu Chilie had rebelled and that there was no one guarding the southern frontier. Even if he had no choice, he could only hand the southern frontier to Chu Tianbao. The southern frontier was rightfully in their hands. They could do whatever they wanted. They needed to hurry up now. When Emperor Ling Hui stabilized in the next two years and wanted to control Chu Tianbao and participate in the interests of the southern frontier, they would have the capital to resist and convince Emperor Ling Hui. Anyone who saw a city prospering would definitely not want to see it fall back. Bai Wutong recalled their experiences along the way and understood that only when they were strong would there be a paradise and they would not be at the mercy of others.. Chapter 360 - Chapter 360: Only by Being Strong Can There Be a Paradise Chapter 360: Only by Being Strong Can There Be a Paradise Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Cui Lingyi had previously told the people that Bai Wutong wanted to teach everyone something new. Apart from the teachers and students of Qinghe Academy, there were also many carpenters, blacksmiths, and masons gathered. Everyone thought that Bai Wutong had created some magical machine again and wanted to explain it to them in detail. When they entered the huge unfinished cement conference hall, no one saw anything. Instead, after they sat down, Bai Wutong got someone to distribute them a lot of white paper. Everyone looked puzzled. Bai Wutong had already taken the sorted information and said, ¡°I realized that machinery can greatly increase the efficiency of work, but everyone is very not well-equipped with technical knowledge. ¡°I¡¯ve organized some of my understanding of machinery and the basic knowledge that everyone should know.¡± ¡®What I am going to say next doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t understand. Copy it down or memorize it according to your own understanding before I explain.¡± ¡°Raise your hand when you ask a question. Don¡¯t interrupt me casually.¡± ¡°By the way, according to your own understanding, I still need you to compile a book. Therefore, please listen carefully.¡± She actually wanted to make it into a book! They were also part of it! The old people who had been craftsmen all their lives were so excited that their eyes were moist. Everyone widened their eyes, wishing they could grow 18 pairs of ears. It was impossible for Bai Wutong to teach them everything from primary school to university. Moreover, even if she did, they would not understand. Even if they understood, they did not have the conditions to craft anything. Bai Wutong sorted out the knowledge that she thought was more important and suitable for the current development. When this period of time was over, she would lead everyone to unlock new knowledge. This way, everyone would not find it unbelievable and be completely confused. Bai Wutong spoke slowly and logically. Even though Bai Wutong had filtered out the points according to everyone¡¯s situation, many people still raised their hands and asked many strange questions. The originally serious class also ended up making everyone laugh. At this rate, Bai Wutong would not be able to finish explaining even after god knows when. Hence, when she finished a question, she would ask someone who understood to raise their hand. A few people stood out in the huge conference hall. Bai Wutong asked these people questions individually. After thinking that they had indeed completely absorbed it, she recorded their names in the file and said to everyone, ¡®They were very right about the points just now. After it¡¯s over, they will explain this question to you. I will move on to the next point.¡± Everyone was dumbfounded. They were afraid that they would not explain it well and they did not want to deal with so many people. When Bai Wutong asked those who understood the next piece of information stand up, there were no one who did. Bai Wutong knew what they were thinking, so she said, ¡®Those who have mastered all the points can become appointed teachers in the Imperial Court. They can enjoy subsidies every month and have priority housing.¡± As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the quiet conference hall exclaimed. There was monthly allowance, priority housing, and be appointed as teacher by the Imperial Court! What an amazing thing that was! This was easier than participating in the imperial examination! Everyone immediately perked up and listened carefully. If they understood, they would not care about anything else and actively raised their hands. Since they wanted to become a teacher appointed by the Imperial Court, how could they be afraid of teaching other students? Even many timid craftsmen raised their hands after understanding it in their unique way. As long as they could become an official, they would have the face to meet their ancestors when they went underground. With the encouragement, Bai Wutong finished explaining all the points in three days. The rest was to wait for all of them to master it and compile the books for her to read. Although the science subjects were valued, the arts and humanities subjects should not be forgotten. After all, some people were just not good at science. Yang Quanzi stayed up late to learn the points taught by Bai Wutong. His head was about to explode, but he had only learned a few questions! On the other hand, it gave his disciples a splitting headache. They could not understand what they had originally understood. Yang Quanzi did not want to give up yet. He also wanted to live in a house as soon as possible. He was a great scholar. If he was not a teacher appointed by the Imperial Court, how embarrassing would it be! Great Scholar Yang cared too much about his image. Cui Shize had no choice but to look for Bai Wutong for help. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°There are specialties in each field, so there¡¯s no need to force it. It just so happens that the information about military education, culture, history, politics, and geography of the southern frontier and Ling Kingdom still need someone to organize in detail. It would be best if Great Scholar Yang can lead everyone to organize them.¡± Cui Shize was about to agree on behalf of Yang Quanzi when Bai Wutong said, ¡°It¡¯s best to organize and summarize according to the different ages of the students and teach them according to their aptitude. I also have some of my understanding that I want to include in the book.¡± Bai Wutong mainly wanted to raise three points. Firstly, she wanted to raise the status of businessmen and develop the economy. Secondly, she wanted people to respect women and liberate them from labor. Thirdly, she wanted people to respect different cultural ideas and take advantage of their strengths to complement their weaknesses and abandon the dregs. There were more to add, but she felt that these three were the most important at the moment. Cui Shize took the content that Bai Wutong had compiled and read it casually. He was stunned by Bai Wutong¡¯s thoughts of deviating from the sutra and going against the Dao. Businessmen had a creative mind to begin with. After raising their status, with strong funds, they would have the right to talk about the country¡¯s affairs. Cui Shize felt that it was very inappropriate. However, Bai Wutong was right. Only by developing the economy would the commoners have a good life of prosperity. If everyone guarded those acres of land, the world would stagnate. No matter how stable the monarch power of a country was, it would not be beneficial to the commoners. A prosperous and powerful country should start reforming its economy. Bai Wutong¡¯s understanding shocked Cui Shize. He looked at Bai Wutong strangely. It was as if he was wondering if the expert Bai Wutong had encountered really existed in the world. If he did, how extraordinary would his thoughts be! Cui Shize was filled with admiration, but he also asked, ¡°I understand the Consort¡¯s intentions, but the current emperor¡¯s civil and military officials will probably object to it.¡± Bai Wutong had also thought of this problem, but Cui Shize should know a saying. When one is far away from the authority, it cannot intervene, and one could do anything. Moreover, Chu Tianbao¡¯s true identity was Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s eldest son. When Chu Tianbao brought Noble Consort Ling back, Emperor Ling Hui would know that Gu Chilie had rebelled and that there was no one guarding the southern frontier. Even if he had no choice, he could only hand the southern frontier to Chu Tianbao. The southern frontier was rightfully in their hands. They could do whatever they wanted. They needed to hurry up now. When Emperor Ling Hui stabilized in the next two years and wanted to control Chu Tianbao and participate in the interests of the southern frontier, they would have the capital to resist and convince Emperor Ling Hui. Anyone who saw a city prospering would definitely not want to see it fall back. Bai Wutong recalled their experiences along the way and understood that only when they were strong would there be a paradise and they would not be at the mercy of others.. Chapter 361 - Chapter 361: We Have to Fight Chapter 361: We Have to Fight Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Bai Wutong said to Cui Shize, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll cross the bridge when we get there.¡± Cui Shize left worriedly, and Stinky rushed in happily. ¡°Mother, the boat is coming back. Let¡¯s go see the boat!¡± ¡°I even built a particularly beautiful house on the beach. I cut it myself with rocks!¡± Stinky took Bai Wutong¡¯s hand. Bai Wutong cleared the clutter in her mind and lightened her heart before going to the beach with Stinky. Stinky couldn¡¯t wait to show Bai Wutong the small house he had built. Bai Wutong looked over and saw that Stinky had actually built a small house with beautiful stones. Bai Wutong praised, ¡°You¡¯re really amazing. You can even make cement! I think we can build a watchtower here. If you stand on the watchtower, you¡¯ll be able to see the returning fishing boats in advance.¡± Stinky looked up. ¡°I¡¯ll burn bricks and build a watchtower tomorrow.¡± He knew how to burn bricks. He had specially went to observe it for a long time. Bai Wutong nodded with a smile. ¡°Yes, I can get Uncle Lin Yue to help you. You have to be careful, understand?¡± Bai Wutong had always encouraged the child to learn himself in a safe environment. Stinky nodded happily, but Lin Yue felt a headache coming on. He had to perk up again and look after this little ancestor. They surrounded Stinky¡¯s small house and added some green plants to decorate the courtyard. Bai Wutong even suggested that apart from the exterior design of the house, they could also do the interior designs, place the sofa, renovate the walls, and restore the house to its original state. Stinky¡¯s eyes lit up when he heard this. He hurriedly asked Lin Yue for his small sketchbook and recorded all his inspiration in his own way. Stinky quietly conceived an ideal house. Bai Wutong guided him from time to time. When he used his imagination, two fishing boats gradually appeared on the sea. This time, they set off for the deep sea. They had set off since the early morning of the previous day and had only returned now. Who knew how many fishes they had caught? They had nearly 200,000 people now. Their daily meat intake was all dependent on these two fishing boats. The two fishing boats gradually docked. Everyone asked excitedly, ¡°How many fishes? How many fishes?¡± The crew members were wet and their faces were filled with extremely happy smiles. ¡°There are so many fishes! There are especially many! And they¡¯re all big fishes!¡± ¡°We also encountered a group of prawns. After casting more than a dozen nets, we caught all palm-sized big prawns!¡± ¡°And beautiful shuttle crabs! They are all fat and big!¡± The people asked even more excitedly, ¡°How many are there? Is it enough for everyone to eat! ¡± Apart from children, everyone had their own work to do. Only after doing tjeor wprl could they have time to do other things. There were more snakes, insects, rats, ants, and ferocious beasts in the mountains of the southern frontier than in their respective hometowns. No one dared to enter the mountains easily. Usually, if they wanted to eat more, they could only go to the seaside to catch some seafood or go to the wetlands to cage, pick up duck eggs, and hunt birds. It was not easy for them to get some food, but they could not bear to eat it, so they specially sold it at the temporary market. Seeing that Ah Duo, Ah Mi, and the others could always easily bring back prey, everyone was envious and jealous. The fishing boat determined whether everyone could eat meat. Everyone was looking forward to it. The captain stood up and said to everyone, ¡®There¡¯s enough, definitely enough! There¡¯s still some left after eating!¡± Everyone immediately beamed with joy and prepared to unload the fish and cook. The deck was lowered, and tons of seafood rolled down like a small mountain. Everyone knew that they could catch a lot of fish this time, but they never expected there to be so many! There were at least 300,000 catties! After calculating, Cui Shize reported to Bai Wutong, his mouth trembling. ¡°Consort! There¡¯s 420,000 catties!¡¯ Everyone could eat have a share if there was at least 100,000 catties. Now that there was an additional 320,000 catties, everyone was very excited. However, there was another problem. It was already summer. Seafood could not be kept for long. If the quality deteriorated slightly, it would cause food poisoning. In serious cases, one¡¯s nerves would be paralyzed and one might even die. There were actually many ways to preserve seafood for a long time. The simplest and most effective way was to dry the seafood in the sun. There were also two types of doing that. They could dry it cooked or raw. The raw method meant that the seafood was not exposed to water and could often be preserved for a longer time. Apart from drying seafood, there were also many ways to make seafood into seafood sauce, canned seafood, and seafood snacks to preserve seafood for a long time. The seafood in the southern frontier had a rich variety. If it was developed, seafood would definitely become one of the highlights of the southern frontier. Bai Wutong suddenly had an idea. She could also transport the excess seafood, including tons of kelp and seaweed, to the Central Plains to sell! Their Carefree City would have additional income! Bai Wutong had just starting smiling when she thought about how the road she planned to build would not be built in time, and she was discouraged. If there was no road, the cost of transporting things to the Central Plains was too expensive. When the price was higher, fewer people would buy it. Moreover, there were other coastal areas in the Ling Kingdom. Even if the quality of the seafood they produced was very good, most people would not buy it if it did not have an advantageous price. Bai Wutong thought for a moment and asked someone to call Sheng Huaixuan over. When Sheng Huaixuan came over, Bai Wutong asked, ¡°How¡¯s the recruitment going?¡± Bai Wutong gave the mining rights to the jade mine and petroleum found in the southern frontier to Yu Suisheng. He went to the Central Plains and offered a high monthly salary. He spread the news that one would become rich overnight if one picked up jade and recruited laborers from all over the country to go to the southern frontier. Yu Suisheng was afraid that they would not believe him, so Bai Wutong specially gave him an official moving order after he had stamped it. In everyone¡¯s impression, not only were the living conditions in the southern frontier harsh, but there were also barbarians everywhere. The price Yu Suisheng offered was not enough to tempt everyone. There would definitely be brave people given the huge reward. When Bai Wutong learned that they could not recruit any labor, she told them that mining ores was a stable job in the Imperial Court. Not only would one be paid monthly, but he would also be given a year-end bonus. He would be able to rest two days a week and work for no more than 16 hours a day. If he exceeded that limit, he would be given overtime allowance. He would retire at the age of 50 and could still continue to receive a high monthly salary if he did not work. If anything happened when he was working in the southern frontier, the Imperial Court would give him full responsibility and compensate his family. Most importantly, if he signed up now, he could directly receive a three months pay in advance. During the days of rest, he could even go to the hidden river to pick up jade stones. The Imperial Court would collect them and give them an additional daily salary. Even some bailiffs were almost tempted by such good treatment. A man from a poor family gritted his teeth and went to sign up. He really received three months¡¯ advance salary, which was a total of six taels of silver! Two taels of silver a month, six taels of silver for three months, that was more than 20 taels of silver a year. The work-time is also short, and the Imperial Court still provided food and accommodation. Seeing more and more men run to sign up, the hesitant people no longer hesitated. For the sake of their families, for the sake of they future, they had to work hard.. Chapter 362 - Chapter 362: Approaching the Imperial City Chapter 362: Approaching the Imperial City If you any error ( broken links,etc¡­.). Please keep reading on our NEWNOVEL.ORG Thank you readers! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The newly married couples could not bear for the husbands to go to the southern frontier alone, so the wives secretly asked the recruiting soldier, ¡°Brother, can I go with you?¡± Women were not stronger than men, but some were used to doing rough work. The southern frontier was currently short of people. Even if they could not work, it was very easy for them to be in charge of the logistics of the workers, light a fire, cook, tidy up the base, plant some vegetables around, and open a restaurant and clothes shop. In particular, the denim fabric was produced locally in Syria. Yu Suisheng still had to build a large workshop and needed a lot of women. Apart from the southern frontier, Bai Wutong¡¯s workshop was still short of a large amount of labor. The soldier said, ¡°It¡¯s fine for the women to follow. There are also some women who have to be recruited for some work in the camp, but there are limited spots. After the vacancies are filled up, we won¡¯t recruit anymore. However, the southern frontier will also build a fabric workshop, an instant noodles workshop, a candy workshop¡­ If you follow along and wait for a while, as long as you work hard, you can still get a stable job in the Imperial Court.¡± When the women heard that there were actually so many jobs, they immediately had the intention to follow their husbands. Another woman asked, ¡°Then can we be in the same camp as our husband?¡± The soldier said in detail, ¡®The place of work is different. Husband and wife naturally can¡¯t share the same tent. ¡® ¡°But both of you have days to rest. If you want to get together, it¡¯s impossible not to see each other in the southern frontier.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s one thing you have to pay attention to. The tent size is for four people. If you want to live alone, you have to pay extra money to rent a tent. ¡® Upon hearing that they needed silver, the women¡¯s expressions darkened. When they heard from the soldiers that they could stay in a separate tent for 100 coins a month, everyone felt at ease again. If the couple both worked, they would earn at least four taels of silver a month. A hundred coins was not a big deal. Male and female workers were competing for the positions fiercely locally. The cities closest to the border of the southern frontier had recruited tens of thousands of workers at once, and there was a trend of more and more people applying for it. It had to be known that the total number of refugees that Emperor Ling Hui had chased away with a taels of silver and the families of the officials who had been exiled from the previous dynasty did not exceed 100,000. In just a few days, they had recruited so many laborers. This made the local magistrate anxious. Yu Suisheng had taken all the labor away. If no one farmed their local labor, what would they do if no one could produce food? The local authorities stopped the people from signing up. At that time, Emperor Ling Hui had issued a decree. As long as they took the initiative to settle down in the southern frontier, not only would the local government have to let them free, but they would also have to give them silver. After Yu Suisheng argued with the local authorities, finally, the local authorities were afraid that Emperor Ling Hui would settle the score. They were also afraid that this was the new method that Emperor Ling Hui had thought of to move the people, so they could only agree with tears in their eyes. They still had to settle down in the southern frontier and work there. Many people hesitated again, but when they thought about how they had two acres of land at home and had to starve for half a year after paying the grain tax, many single people who had already split up from their families did not hesitate to pack their bags and prepare to leave with the soldiers. In any case, there were people paying respects at their ancestral graves. When they earned money, they would be able to bring honor to their ancestors and return to their hometown in embroidered clothes. Some of the rules that were too harsh on the commoners were too much. When Yu Suisheng went to recruit workers, he almost emptied more than half of the city. The local authorities were furious. They wanted to report it to the Imperial Court, but they were afraid that the emperor would send someone down to investigate why the commoners were fighting to leave, so they shrank back. Some government officials had reported it, but it was a long way from the Imperial City. Before the news could reach them, the people had already run away with Yu Suisheng. In a month, Yu Suisheng had gathered a total of 300,000 citizens, which was equivalent to the population of Beiyun City. With so many commoners, he began to worry about whether he could make proper arrangements for them. It was only when Sheng Huaixuan sent a message that the more people, the better that Yu Suisheng became bold and continued to recruit people. In any case, they did not lack money! As Yu Suisheng arranged for the people to travel, he mobilized food to buy all the supplies needed in the southern frontier. At the same time, he also had to investigate the local market and estimate the price of seafood, denim, and so on. He was so busy that he almost flew. However, this feeling of not having to cower still left a deep impression on him for the rest of his life. Bai Wutong asked Sheng Huaixuan about the manpower situation. Sheng Huaixuan immediately smiled and said, ¡°The commoners have already arrived at the Syrian¡¯s grazing land.¡± ¡°Moreover, there are a lot of people. The mining of jade and oil is too saturated and the people rushing towards us in large numbers.¡± ¡°If these people come, not only will the labor force in Carefree City be completely sufficient, but it will also form a consumer market.¡± ¡°The empty positions can also be quickly replaced. The commoners who have learned the various technical operations of the workshop can bring them along to work hard.¡¯ Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°How many people are there?¡± Sheng Huaixuan paused and smiled mysteriously. ¡®There are 350,000 people now.¡± There were 350,000 people and 200,000 of them, which was 550,000 people. In addition to the local residents of the southern frontier, which was another 200,000 people, they had about 800,000 people in population. Bai Wutong was shocked. There were only 800,000 people in the Ling Kingdom ¡®s Imperial City. They were approaching the population of the Imperial City in one go. Moreover, this was only the current situation, which meant that there was still an endless stream of commoners rushing over. Bai Wutong knew that the monthly salary she gave was high, but she never expected it to be so attractive. If Emperor Ling Hui found out, he would be furious. The entire family had moved to the southern frontier, but Linghui had only given them one tael of silver. With the comparison, the commoners would only curse him in their hearts for being so stingy. Bai Wutong thought of the scene when Emperor Ling Hui found out and couldn¡¯t help but want to laugh. However, there were too many people. For a moment, Carefree City could not withstand the influx of more than a million people. They still had to take it slow. Bai Wutong asked Sheng Huaixuan to stop recruiting citizens. Now that there were enough people, she ordered to transfer another 1,000 people to learn the technology to build roads. The road had been implemented in previous dynasties. It would use glutinous rice and clay to make it stronger. In the city, a large number of green bricks would be used to pave the way, making the road even cleaner and brighter. However, they had already mastered how to make cement. When Sheng Huaixuan heard that Bai Wutong wanted to build a road, he planned to give the order. However, Bai Wutong stopped him and wanted to explain to them the correct way to open the road. An ordinary cement road did indeed only need cement and soil stones. However, the advanced version of the cement road had to be at least made of reinforced concrete to maintain its firmness for more than a few years. This was because there had yet to be a large truck invented in this world. The cement road made of reinforced concrete might have a longer lifespan, so it should not be a problem for more than ten years without repair. Apart from the two types of roads mentioned, there was also the ultimate version of the road. Not only was it sturdy, but it was also even more beautiful than Ge You¡¯s head. Most importantly, it had good tolerance and was very elastic. It could relieve the friction of the car and felt softer when walking. More than 96% of the modern highways were asphalt roads in order to avoid people driving too fast and causing accidents. The advantage of the asphalt roads was that it could greatly increase the safety of cars. Although they did not have cars yet and the carriage would not be too fast, rather than polluting the surrounding environment when petroleum was being mined, it was better to use the excess materials to refine it into asphalt roads.. Chapter 363 - Chapter 363: Start Building! Chapter 363: Start Building! If you any error ( broken links,etc¡­.). Please keep reading on our NEWNOVEL.ORG Thank you readers! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Every time she wanted to share new knowledge with everyone, Bai Wutong was extremely grateful to Yang Quanzi for giving her the ¡°Book of Hundred Industries¡±. The craftsmanship of forging the road had been mentioned in the ¡°Book of Hundred Industries¡±, but it was very basic. However, the structure of the foundation mentioned in the book was similar to Bai Wutong¡¯s principle of concrete roads made of reinforced concrete. The asphalt only needed to be asphalted before the cement was completely solidified. Bai Wutong found a group of skilled craftsmen to write and draw on the blackboard. After the craftsmen understood, they found a road to test it out. With coal as an energy source, the temperature increased rapidly, making it much easier to refine steel bars. A large number of steel bars were transported over. The commoners who did not have any work surrounded them, curious about what Bai Wutong wanted to do. Zhao Pengfei was strong and good at labour. Ever since he was completely rejected by Zhao Lanzhi, his heart had turned to ashes. He had invested his entire soul in the construction of Carefree City. When everyone opened their eyes, Zhao Pengfei was already at work. When everyone closed their eyes, Zhao Pengfei was still at work Even the cows were about to die of anger because of him. Bai Wutong wanted to build the road, and Zhao Pengfei was the most enthusiastic. Others needed tools to twist the steel bar, but he could do it with his bare hands. Because there were many people on the 100-meter cement road, the foundation of the steel bars was built in a day. The next day, Bai Wutong asked everyone to lay cement. The cement used to build the road needed to be mixed with sand and rocks to make it a harder material. Bai Wutong also asked Zhao Yuan to make a sand and rock mixer. Unfortunately, it was not an electric mixer, but one that was operated manually with hands. Even if it was operated by hand, the effect was actually quite good. After a steady stream of sand and rocks was mixed in, the road was flattened with cement. It was too difficult to flatten it bit by bit. There were special road machines in the modern world that could directly crush it. Not only could it flatten the road, but it could also heat the road to make it even sturdier. They did not have that impressive and awesome technology. They could only rely on their manpower to smooth things over bit by bit. After the cement had completely dried, the road formed a gray and flat surface. Just like the ground of the villa they had built, the ground was smooth and comfortable under their bare feet. Bai Wutong walked up and gave it a try. She was very satisfied and said to the workers who were involved in building the road, ¡®The road is very successful and sturdy. From tomorrow onwards, we will officially start building the first road in Ling Kingdom. As the chief technical construction worker, your names will be recorded in history.¡± Everyone cheered excitedly that their names could actually be recorded in the annals of history from building the roads. They had already mastered the technology of the cement road, but the technology of extracting asphalt was still immature. Bai Wutong had the intention to take a break and eat to her filling. Apart from building the road that ran through the entire southern frontier to the Central Plain, they also had to mobilize manpower to build the road to the coal mine, the mountain road to the iron mine, the direct road to Baye City, and the road to the various workshops and the transportation road in Carefree City. With a road, transportation tools naturally had to follow. There were still too few horses. The thousands of horses purchased from the Syrians and the original 5,000 horses raised by Gu Chilie added up to more than 10,000 horses, but they could not keep up with the rapid construction speed. Bai Wutong immediately had the idea of creating bicycles and tricycles. Although bicycles and tricycles could not carry much goods, it was very convenient for everyone to rush from the camp to the various workshops to work. The modern Chuanfu Kingdom was also known as the Bicycle Kingdom because of its flat terrain. Bicycles were also a landmark product of the early industrial era. Having a bicycle was definitely a symbol of superiority. Bai Wutong did some calculations. If one owned a bicycle, the journey to the southern frontier that was originally more than a month would only take half a month. A bicycle had to be built for a thousand-mile journey. Once there were bicycles, tricycles, and power plants, it should be easy to build a car. At that time, the production should be easier. Bai Wutong remembered that in history class, the first car in China had been built under basic conditions, and it took three months to build it. After three years of hard work, China had a complete car production line. At that time, there was still no technology or equipment. Now that Bai Wutong had a large number of information and blueprints in her space, it was definitely only a matter of time before she developed a car. But she couldn¡¯t do it too fast. She was afraid of being thought of as a demon. Bai Wutong felt that giving Zhao Yuan special treatment and giving him some inspiration for designing a car would make him have the idea of bringing people to start building a car. With her help in the future, he could naturally build a car! Bai Wutong walked around the carriage under the hot sun. Everyone immediately surrounded her and asked her what the problem was. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m wondering if we can ride on those two wheels.¡¯ As soon as she said this, many carpenters, blacksmiths, and craftsmen who had gained a lot of knowledge from Bai Wutong fell into deep thought. Zhao Yuan and Zhao Sheng had been with Bai Wutong the longest. They had even helped Stinky make all kinds of small carts, movable wooden horses, sleighs flying on the ice, and all kinds of moving machinery. When Bai Wutong suggested a two-wheeled car that could carry people, they immediately thought of the rapidly spinning handle of the meat grinder. In an instant, inspiration collided in his mind, and sparks flew. Zhao Yuan roared, ¡°1 thought of something!¡¯ Bai Wutong was stunned. So fast! With Zhao Yuan having an idea, many blacksmiths and carpenters were unconvinced. They racked their brains and came up with a vehicle that could be ridden on two wheels. They all said to Bai Wutong, ¡°Consort, we thought of it too!¡¯ Bai Wutong originally wanted to talk about the structure of the bicycle, but when she realized that everyone was more enthusiastic than the other, she did not stop them. She smiled and said, ¡°How about this? If anyone can create the two-wheeled carriage that I¡¯m most satisfied with in a month, they will be rewarded with 100 taels of gold and a goo-square-meter villa.¡± At any era, researchers deserved the best treatment. Bai Wutong suddenly had the idea of establishing an invention award. 100 taels of gold!!! A goo-square-meter villa!!! Oh my! The rewards were too generous! Everyone¡¯s eyes widened. Even many commoners who were not craftsmen were tempted. It was just two wheels moving, even they could do it! If they obtained Bai Wutong¡¯s reward, they would not have to work hard for several lifetimes. Everyone was extremely excited. The news spread like wildfire. Many people took advantage of the fact that they were not working to secretly invent something. The men each took action. In a month, they quickly created many two-wheeled carts. However, their two-wheeled carriage was really a little strange. Some of the wheels were as wide as tanks. Some of them had a large basket installed directly on both wheels. Some of them were connected like toothpicks. There was no safety to speak of¡­ Among so many people present, only Zhao Yuan had come up with a bicycle that overlapped with Bai Wutong¡¯s thoughts.. Chapter 364 - Chapter 364: Major Contribution Chapter 364: Major Contribution If you any error ( broken links,etc¡­.). Please keep reading on our NEWNOVEL.ORG Thank you readers! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Bai Wutong looked at them one by one and smiled at Zhao Yuan. Zhao Yuan¡¯s emotions surged and he was greatly encouraged. His two sons jumped up excitedly and shouted, ¡°Father, I think you will definitely win the reward!¡± The families of the other participants were immediately unhappy. ¡®The Consort hasn¡¯t said anything yet!¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± ¡°I think our husband¡¯s two-wheeled carriage is very good and sturdy!¡± Her husband was Iron Bull, a carpenter who came up with especially big and wide wheels. Even if such a huge wheel was made of light wood, it weighed more than 50 kilograms. Everyone immediately snorted at her. ¡°Can such a big wheel move?¡± The Consort did not want it for decoration. She had already made it clear that it must be able to move. The woman frowned. ¡®Why can¡¯t it move?! It can even move several steps!¡± The Consort did not say how far it had to move! Compared to those things that would fall apart once ridden on, the woman felt that Iron Bull was determined to win. They were about to argue when Bai Wutong suddenly spoke and asked all the contestants to sit on their ¡°two-wheeled vehicle¡±. If this vehicle could circle the newly built field and complete ten rounds in one go, and the quality and speed were the best, they would obtain the final reward. The quality and speed were both important. They had to ride ten rounds in one go without any problems. Many people looked at their two-wheeled carriage and were already discouraged before they could even sit on it. However, since they had already started it, they should continue. For all they knew, what if the other party was even worse than him? There were many people who had such thoughts. On the track, there were still 20 men with their two-wheeled vehicle in position. Everyone had been in the southern frontier for a few months. They were usually working and rarely had any entertainment. Seeing them push out strange vehicles, the children were very surprised. The uncles and aunties even brought over small stools. They were just short of holding a few handfuls of melon seeds. ¡°Ready, go!¡¯ The referee blew the whistle, and Zhao Yuan¡¯s carriage shot out with a whoosh. Everyone widened their eyes in shock! The two-wheeled carriage could actually run so fast and not fall! The contact area was so small. How did Zhao Yuan do it! Zhao Yuan¡¯s two sons shouted crazily, ¡°Father, go go go! Take the first place!¡± ¡°First!¡¯ Village Chief Zhao and Auntie Yang clenched their fists excitedly. In the end, they couldn¡¯t help but shout together, ¡°Son! Best of luck!¡± Zhao Yuan¡¯s agile bicycle was out of the ordinary, but the participants behind him kept creating funny scenes. Because the hem of his clothes was too long, a man had yet to ride on the cart when he accidentally stepped on the foot of his clothes and his robe was torn. Fortunately, he still had undergarments under his clothes. Otherwise, his fair butt would have been seen by everyone for free. There were also many people who had just ridden on their homemade two-wheeled vehicles. As soon as they put their weight on it, the two-wheeled vehicles were directly crushed. They fell in all kinds of manner, and everyone¡¯s stomach hurt from laughing. With such worrying quality, they could only make everyone laugh. The super large wheeled carriage made by Iron Bull did not rely on the pedals. Instead, it moved forward by grabbing onto the handle. If he shook the handle, the two-wheeled cart could slowly move forward. However, the moving step was too slow, giving Bai Wutong the feeling that he was driving a turtle-speed tank. There was a man riding a balancing cart that looked like something modern children played with. When he kicked with his foot and grabbed the handle, the balancing cart would move out a few meters. It could not be used as a transportation tool, but it would definitely be liked by children. As an outstanding carpenter, with his younger brother, Zhao Yuan, building a bicycle, Zhao Yuan had also built a short iron-wheeled vehicle that could control direction flexibly and even put his feet on it. It was a little like a miniature two-wheeled car. However, the two-wheeled car he had designed did not have pedals or automatic circulation chains. It could only rely on one¡¯s foot strength to move forward. It was very slow and was more suitable to be a children¡¯s toy car. Zhao Yuan rode his bicycle to the fifth round. He had exhausted his stamina too quickly, so his speed in the next five rounds clearly slowed down. Even so, he was much faster than the other contestants. Everyone watched him ride the bike and found it very interesting. Cui Muzhi pinched Lan Jingbai ¡®s sleeve excitedly. ¡°When Brother Yuan has reached the finishing line, ket¡¯s borrow it and give it a try.¡± Lan Jingbai nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± When more commoners saw this scene, an idea suddenly popped up in their minds. If they had a bicycle to ride to work, wouldn¡¯t it be very convenient to travel back and forth? Seeing that Zhao Yuan was about to reach his final destination, the other contestants no longer persisted. They chose to observe beside his bicycle. As they pondered, they wondered if their luxury vehicles could be improved. If they could improve it better than Zhao Yuan, they might be able to get first place the next time Bai Wutong held such an event. Seeing Zhao Yuan make it pass the finish line, everyone in Youjia village jumped up excitedly. Zhao Yuan was too awesome! 100 taels of gold! A goo-square-meter house was so easily obtained! Everyone cheered. Bai Wutong walked closer to check on the bicycle. The bike¡¯s tires had no latex. After riding ten rounds, they were slightly deformed. Secondly, there was no brakes. Fortunately, Zhao Yuan was slow and stopped steadily. In addition, there was no bell and backseat. She wondered if the bike could withstand the weight of a second person. However, it was still considered strong overall. The brackets were welded very tightly, and the chain did not show any signs of falling. It also seemed very agile when it turned. After improvement and repeated experimentation, it could immediately be put into production. Bai Wutong said to the commoners who were looking forward to the announcement of the winner, ¡®The final winner of our first Flying Sky Award is Zhao Yuan!¡± In an instant, everyone cheered enthusiastically for Zhao Yuan. Everyone was indeed impressed that he could put two wheels together and ride for so long. Zhao Yuan deserved the award. However, when they saw Zhao Yuan obtain the 100 taels of golden ingots and the huge 300-square-meter house exchange coupon, everyone could not help but feel jealous. When more participants heard the words ¡°first Flying Sky Award¡±, their eyes immediately lit up. Could it be that Bai Wutong would hold a few more rounds in the future? Before they could ask, Bai Wutong announced to everyone, ¡°In the future, there will be a Flying Sky Award every June. The Flying Sky Award will be divided into eight categories. Those who have made a huge contribution to the entire Ling Kingdom can win the Flying Sky Award, receive a high reward, and enjoy lifelong honor and allowance from the Imperial Court.¡± Everyone was stunned. There were so many categories! Wouldn¡¯t everyone be able to participate as they pleased! Yang Quanzi hurriedly asked, ¡®Then what are the criteria for a major contribution?¡± The others also said, ¡°That¡¯s right. What are the standards?¡¯ Moreover, didn¡¯t Zhao Yuan just make a two-wheeled carriage? Why did it become a huge contribution to the Ling Kingdom? No one understood. Bai Wutong took the bicycle developed by Zhao Yuan and said, ¡°Not only can the two-wheeled car developed by Zhao Yuan make daily travel more convenient, but more importantly, according to the chain and foot structure of the two-wheeled car, it can also be developed into a three-wheeled car here. The four-wheeled car can be used to transport goods and further increase the efficiency of production and life.¡± ¡°It¡¯s more convenient for everyone to travel, and the production speed has increased. This is a huge contribution to the entire Ling Kingdom..¡¯ Chapter 365 - Chapter 365: Everything Is Good But I Just Miss Him Chapter 365: Everything Is Good But I Just Miss Him Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Then Zhao Yuan heard Bai Wutong mention the three-wheeled and four wheeled cart, a laser flashed in his eyes. He wished he could go back now and fiddle with it to really increase everyone¡¯s production and transport efficiency. The commoners also came to a realization. It turned out that a small two wheeled carriage was actually so useful. Suddenly, someone raised a question. ¡°If we encounter a mountain, we won ¡®t be able to ride this two-wheeled carriage at all! l¡¯ If a person could not even ride over it, how could the goods be transported? As soon as he finished speaking, someone beside him hit him. ¡°Are you stupid? If you can¡¯t ride it, don¡¯t you know how to push it! When you can¡¯t even ride the horse carriage, aren It we the ones who pushed it together! After being hit, the man was not angry. Instead, he looked enlightened. That made sense. Even a horse carriage had to be pushed over the mountain, so it was only right for the two-wheeled carriage to be pushed. However, Zhao Yuan suddenly had the thought of inventing a car that could climb the mountain without relying on people. Only such a car could truly free everyone¡¯s legs and labor. Cui Muzhi immediately borrowed Zhao Yuan Is bicycle. He was talented in athletics, and without Zhao Yuan ¡®s guidance, he was still like a fish in water as he sped back and forth on the field. The children followed behind him and chased after him with laughter. Jingbai did not dare to leave his side for a moment, constantly guarding against him falling. Cui Muzhi rode two rounds and rode back to Zhao Yuan ¡®s side. He suggested, ¡°Brother Yuan, if only there were two more people who can sit on this! ¡± If it could sit a few more people, he could ride to the grassland to play with Jingbai. At his mention, Zhao Yuan suddenly had an idea. He took out the carbon pen and paper he carried with him and designed several versions of a bicycle. Ordinary people-carrying bicycles, two bipedal bicycles that could be ridden together , and a two-headed bicycle that could pull people and goods¡­ Zhao Yuan could not stop his inspiration, but the others were a little discouraged. Bai Wutong did not like the two-wheeled carriage that they had painstakingly created. Bai Wutong could tell that everyone was disappointed. She said to Iron Bull, ¡°The two-wheeled carriage you designed is actually very good. People whose body is inconvenient can go out and walk with just a shake of the handle. They will definitely be very grateful for your design. However, the wheels are too heavy. The flexibility and convenience of its usage still need to be greatly improved. Even if you can¡¯t win the Flying Sky Award, if you improve it and sell it to a disabled or old person who cannot move conveniently, you will definitely be welcomed warmly. ¡± Iron Bull did not expect to be recognized by Bai Wutong. He suddenly said excitedly, ¡°I will definitely continue to improve it!¡± Then the Iron Bull¡¯s wife heard this, her eyes immediately lit up. ¡°Then how can we sell it?¡± She was asking if Bai Wutong could help them sell it. If they could not get a guarantee and it was a waste of time, they might as well do more work and earn a few months I salary. Iron Bull glared at his wife, indicating for her not to push her luck. Without sufficient motivation, even if many people had innovative ideas, they would not put them into action. things you design have economic value and can meet the standards, after evaluation and obtaining the patent, you Ill be able to receive the research and development patent guarantee money. ¡± ¡°The products you designed will be developed and sold by the R&D Department. You will also receive the profits you deserve. ¡± ¡°If you Ire unwilling to hand it over to the R&D Department and want to make and sell it alone, there¡¯s also no issue.¡¯ Then they heard that the Imperial Court would help them make and sell the product for money, everyone¡¯s silent hearts boiled again. It was too awesome! How could there be such a good policy! They felt that their lives in Carefree City, which had only been a few months, were actually happier than they had ever been in the past few decades! Especially Village Chief Zhao and Auntie Yang, when they heard that their son could still receive comission after his bicycle was manufactured, even if it was 0.01%, that was the money given to their son by the Imperial Court! Everyone was so excited that they hugged each other and screamed. The Zhao family was clearly about to become rich. Many people secretly asked about Zhao Yuan ¡®s family and found out that Zhao Yuan had two sons. They even had designs on setting up marriages with the two young boys. After Iron Bull received Bai Wutongls guidance, more people rushed forward. They wanted to get Bai Wutong¡¯s guidance, but even if they couldn It, they wanted to get familiar u?th the consort. With so many people, it was impossible for Bai Wutong to deal with them one by one. Qingfeng stopped everyone. Everyone revealed a look of sadness and fell into deep thought again. They did not know how to make a huge contribution to the entire Ling Kingdom in the fields of military, education, health, arts, agriculture, production life, industry, and commerce. Stinky also wanted to ride a small car. He tugged at Bai Wutong¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Mother, I want to ride a car too.¡± Bai Wutong pinched his cute little nose. ¡°That¡¯s the carriage that the adults sit on. We Ill ride it after Mother gets someone to make a small carriage for you, Okay? n Stinky glanced regretfully at the bike and nodded obediently. [¡®All right, then. Bai Wutong had just made it clear that not only did they have high demand, but once this convenient new transportation tool was launched, it could also be sold throughout the country. With bicycles, it would be easier for everyone to travel and it would reduce the use of cows and horses. The environmental condition of the city would also improve significantly. ShengHuaixuan asked, ¡°Consort, when are we starting production?¡± Making a bicycle also required technology. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°After the bicycle is modified and everyone is familiarwith the technology, it can be put into production. ¡® ¡°If the quality is inconsistent, riding a bike can easily cause accidents. Don ¡®t be anxious. Take your time. ¡® Sheng Huaixuan nodded in understanding and discussed with Bai Wutong how to effectively increase the production of bicycles, where to build the factory, and the price to set at. The day passed as they discussed. Bai Wutong returned to the tent tiredly. When she saw the little tiger shoes Chu Tianbao had made for the baby, she picked them up and looked at them. She smiled again. She gently touched her stomach and said to the baby, ¡°Your father should have arrived at the Imperial City and rescued Grandma. ¡± ¡°Everything¡¯s fine here too. I just miss him a little. ¡± The baby suddenly kicked her. This was the first time she felt such an obvious fetal movement. Bai Wutongwas overjoyed. If Chu Tianbao was here, he would definitely be happier than her. Suddenly, everyone cheered excitedly outside the tent. Bai Wutongls smile deepened. The fishing boat had probably returned and caught a lot of seafood. It should have been a happy thing, but the next day, You Huaijie came to report to Bai Wutong that they had caught a lot of crabs the day before. However, crabs could not be dried like other seafood. It was time-consuming and energyconsuming to make crab sauce. The cost was also high, and the storage time was not especially long. It was very not worth it, but it was a pity that if it had gone to waste. The weatherwas so hot, and there would be a problem if they ate it the next day. If there was a freezer, everything could be resolved. However, there was none. Bai Wutong pondered for a moment and immediately made an announcement. She asked everyone for a machine to store seafood for a long time and hoped that everyone would have the idea of building an icehouse like a fridge. In addition, she came to the glass workshop and the iron refinery workshop and decided to make canned food.. Chapter 366 - Chapter 366: Well done! Chapter 366: Well done! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The canned food was a patent invented by a French chef who discovered that food sealed in glass containers was not perishable if it was properly heated. Coincidentally, Napoleon was troubled that his soldiers could not eat fresh fruits and vegetables. After the food in the can was heated up, being stored in a sealed environment allowed it to have a maximum shelf life of a few years, so it was popularized. Crab was a good ingredient. Be it crab roe, crab meat, or crab sauce, they were all enthusiastically sought after in the modern market. If it was made into canned food, not only could it be sold for a good price, but it would also make the world exclaim at the craftsmanship and storage time of the canned food. The craftsman had the technology to make glass. According to Bai Wutong¡¯s request, he quickly made more than 10 glass jars of different sizes. Bai Wutong picked up the glass jar and looked at the opening carefully. The masters held their breaths nervously, afraid that the glass jar made would not meet Bai Wutong¡¯s requirements. Bai Wutong used her fingers to test the thickness and tenacity of the glass again. Among the dozen or so glasses, she finally picked out three glass jars that met her standards. Bai Wutong praised the craftsmen, ¡°Well done!¡± The craftsmen looked at each other and revealed relaxed smiles. They boldly asked Bai Wutong why she wanted these thick glass jars. Bai Wutong did not hide it. ¡°Use it to store crab sauce.¡± As soon as she said this, the craftsmen immediately looked surprised. Even though the cost of glass had decreased, it was still more expensive than a clay jar. They did not understand why Bai Wutong would choose to use a glass Jar. However, on second thought, Bai Wutong was the consort. She was the one who had improved the glass, and she was not short of money. She could use whatever she wanted. It was not a big deal. Bai Wutong did not know what they were thinking and brought the jar to the iron refinement factory. The factory manager was Zhao Yuan, but Zhao Yuan was too busy, so Liu Jin led the workers to make the lid needed for the jar. Bai Wutong tried the glass and iron lids one by one and chose the ones with the strongest sealing power. Then, she filled the glass jar with water and all kinds of food and carried out a sealed pressure-resistance experiment. However, the hardness and sealing of the lid were all substandard. Even if it was twisted as tightly as possible, there was still a leak. Bai Wutong was dissatisfied, and Liu Jin was so anxious that he was sweating. He had only been promoted to deputy director for a few days. He could not be removed just like that. He hurriedly said, ¡°Consort, I¡¯ll continue to improve it now. It¡¯ll be done soon!¡± He had already known Bai Wutong¡¯s requirements for the lid just now. Firstly, it had to be perfectly compatible with the glass jar, secondly, it had to be airtight, and thirdly, it had to be of good quality. Previously, when he was making it, there was no glass jar to take reference from. Now that Bai Wutong had brought the glass jar and there were ready-made iron pieces, Liu Jin felt that he could definitely make it immediately. Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°Then give it a try.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. If you can¡¯t do it, I won¡¯t blame anyone. Just slowly improve it. ¡® Even though Bai Wutong was so gentle, if he could not even satisfy the Consort with an iron lid, as the deputy factory manager, Liu Jin could not afford to lose face, especially with so many people eyeing him covetously. After a round of hammering, not long after, Liu Jin referenced the glass jar to make a lid. He filled the water himself and tested it. No matter how hard he shook the glass jar, it did not leak. Only then did he heave a sigh of relief and take it out to show Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong was very satisfied and praised Liu Jin and the others. Apart from requesting them to speed up their communication with the glass workshop to produce iron lids, she also made new production requirements. They had to make pure iron cans, machinery that could automatically produce lids and glass jars, and can sealing machines. Without needs, there would be no inspiration. Without pressure, there would be no motivation. After Bai Wutong issued the task, Liu Jin had a headache and discussed it with the other experts in full swing. Fortunately, Bai Wutong did not say that she wanted them to complete the task immediately. Liu Jin communicated with the glass workshop people and quickly produced a batch of can lids. He even made a can sealer in advance. As long as he placed the can full of crab sauce on it, once the machine pressed down and rotated, the excess air would be expelled to achieve true airtightness. According to Bai Wutong¡¯s experience, if the food was stored in a jar, the quality assurance could reach at least a year. Auntie Yang had previously received a notice to lead the female workers to make the most delicious and clean crab sauce. For this, they were wearing special work clothes and even hair nets. Everyone was extremely enthusiastic. They were extremely nervous even when a small stone appeared in the crab. They were afraid that the quality of hygiene would be substandard and Bai Wutong would be disappointed. After the crab sauce was ready, Bai Wutong got someone to send over a few more food canning machines. The glass jars were placed under the food canning machine. The crab sauce moved along the tubes. They could manually control the switches, fill the glass jars, cover them, and send them to the sealer for sealing. The beautiful glass jar attracted the attention of all the female workers. They were afraid that if they knocked the glass jar while working, they would not be able to pay for it even if they sold themselves. Hearing Auntie Yang say that it was a container for them to store crab sauce, all the female workers were shocked. If they filled such an expensive and exquisite bottle with crab sauce, the crab sauce they made would definitely be sold for an astronomical price! Seeing their expressions, Auntie Yang¡¯s reaction was as exaggerated as when she learned the news. She pursed her lips and said, ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there. Hurry up and get to work. The weather is hot, so we can¡¯t put in crab sauce.¡± Everyone looked at each other and asked hesitantly, ¡°Auntie Yang, how much silver will it cost to break such an expensive bottle?¡± If it was too expensive and they had to compensate, no one would want to work anymore. Auntie Yang explained, ¡°The price of glass jars is not very expensive. Each jar is priced at one tael of silver. If it¡¯s damaged, it will be deducted from your monthly salary. As long as everyone is careful, how can it be damaged?¡± Such a beautiful glass jar was even clearer than glass. It was actually only one tael of silver. Everyone suspected that there was something wrong with their A female worker liked glass jars very much and immediately suggested, ¡°Auntie Yang, can you sell me ten glass jars for one taels of silver?¡± Auntie Yang also wanted to buy dozens of glass jars in one go and show them off. She had never seen such a high-end container in her life. But this belonged to the Imperial Court! It was useless for them to think about it! Auntie Yang said solemnly, ¡°This belongs to the workshop. The things in the workshop are equivalent to the things of the Imperial Court. Selling and taking away the things of the Imperial Court is a capital crime!¡± ¡°Every glass jar here is registered. When the goods are shipped, they will count the quantities. If you want to buy glass jars, you should work hard and save more money. When the glass factory has extra manpower to produce them, we¡¯ll be able to buy them!¡± The female workers immediately said in surprise, ¡®They¡¯ll even sell glass jars separately in the future?!¡± Auntie Yang raised her chin proudly.. ¡°Of course, if the Consort said it herself, how can it be fake!¡± Chapter 367 - Chapter 367: What Are You Doing Here? Chapter 367: What Are You Doing Here? Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The female workers¡¯ eyes lit up as they asked Auntie Yang, ¡°The glass factory only charges us one tael of silver?¡¯ Auntie Yang said solemnly, ¡°The glass factory also needs to earn their profits. As for the price, it will definitely not be too high. Everyone, work hard and you will definitely be able to afford it!¡± The female workers looked disappointed. If it was a glass jar priced at more than a tael of silver, they would feel that it was a little expensive. However, on second thought, glass that was worth tens of thousands of taels of silver was not as beautiful and exquisite as glass jars. They felt that it was worth it even if they had to spend a tael of silver. Time was running out, so Auntie Yang urged again, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get to work!¡± ¡°If we can sell these canned food for a good price, we can even get an increase in monthly salary in the future!¡± As soon as these words were spoken, everyone immediately perked up and listened to Auntie Yang¡¯s instructions to work in an orderly manner. The first batch of canned crab sauce appeared in front of Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong picked it up and sized up it. Apart from the words ¡°Southern Frontier Seafood Factory¡± and the production date on the top of the bottle, the packaging was really basic. Fortunately, the art design department established by Qin Xiao had already completed the crab sauce label overnight under Bai Wutong¡¯s instructions. The crab sauce label introduced the taste and ingredients of the crab sauce in detail. It was especially exquisite with a lively crab design. Fortunately, there was the printing technology. Qin Xiao designed the packaging label. When the printing department received the task, they immediately started carving and quickly printed this batch of labels. At the same time, they applied a waterproof film. Bai Wutong personally attached the waterproof paper label, and the entire can of crab sauce immediately became classy. Bai Wutong looked at it and was very satisfied. They did not have much domestic demand now, and the citizens who had just arrived did not have the money to buy crab sauce. If they accumulated a batch of goods, they could transport them to the Central Plains to sell. With the glass canning production line, many seafood, such as kelp, seaweed, and local fruits, could be made into canned food. With the canned food, the navy soldiers who went to the deep sea for half a month or a month would not have to fear that there would be no fresh food. The production was in full swing. Due to the appearance of bicycles and various factories, the people who originally insisted on wearing long robes also accepted the long clothes and pants, which was acceptable than the bold outfits of locals at the Southern Frontier. Not only was it convenient to wear, it was also convenient to work in. One¡¯s entire body felt lighter. Bai Wutong advocated for everyone to actively improve their lives and expand their inventions. Not only would there be an admirable Flying Sky Award, but there would also be an award that ordinary people could attain. As an ordinary canvas textile worker, Lin Siyu had also thought of modifying it because of the complicated operation of the textile machine. Before she was exiled to the southern frontier, she was a female manager of a wealthy family. She had been exposed to textile and embroidery skills for nearly 20 years. After being exiled to the southern frontier, she thought that she would be assigned to soldiers, but she did not expect Sheng Huaixuan to buy her. Because of her outstanding embroidery skills, she was arranged to work in the textile factory. Lin Siyu was very grateful and hoped that one day, she would be able to redeem her husband and children with her own abilities. Bai Wutong¡¯s efforts to promote the development of various industries immediately gave her hope. She wanted to create a more convenient textile machine. She did not hope for the patent recognition and dividends. She only hoped that Bai Wutong could regain their freedom and be like the others, able to have a house and the right to receive good land. As Lin Siyu worked hard, she kept imagining things in her mind based on her understanding of the textile machine. Finally, one day, she found the carpenter¡¯s workshop and proposed her ideas to them. As she did not have the blueprint, the carpenters did not know what she wanted to make. Lin Siyu was rebuffed and could only beg the carpenters to let her see a blueprint so that she could go back and draw. The carpenters were all very busy and did not take it to heart at all. When Lin Siyu was ignored, Zhao Sheng walked in and saw her standing there pitifully. He asked, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± She was not a worker in their woodworking factory. Before Lin Siyu could answer, the carpenters joked about Lin Siyu wanting to make a textile machine. Their tone was filled with disdain and contempt. Lin Siyu clenched her fists and looked dejected. Just as she thought that there was no hope, Zhao Sheng suddenly said, ¡®Tell me what the machine you want to build looks like. I¡¯ll help you draw the blueprint.¡± As soon as he said that, the other carpenters widened their eyes and said, ¡°She¡¯s talking nonsense. It¡¯ll waste your time.¡± Zhao Sheng looked back at them in an imposing manner. The carpenters collectively fell silent. Lin Siyu followed Zhao Sheng to the design room and thanked him profusely. Zhao Sheng waved his hand and said in a business-like manner, ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me. Tell me your request.¡± Lin Siyu hurriedly poured out her idea. Zhao Sheng was surprised by her creativity. After repeatedly confirming and discussing with Lin Siyu, he finally built the prototype of the weaving machine. Zhao Sheng had built many famous paper production machines, spray machines, printing machines, instant noodles drying machine, and compressors for Bai Wutong¡­ Lin Siyu¡¯s idea of a weaving machine appeared on the blueprint. She immediately cried tears of joy. ¡®That¡¯s right, that¡¯s it!¡± It was exactly as she had imagined. After confirming the blueprint, Zhao Sheng nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to speed up the production for you now. If the efficiency of the textile machine can be increased, the Consort will definitely reward you.¡± After all, Lin Siyu was a servant. Zhao Sheng did not know if she could apply for a patent, but based on Bai Wutong¡¯s emphasis on machine improvements, Lin Siyu would definitely be rewarded. Lin Siyu wiped her tears and thanked Zhao Sheng excitedly. Her gaze landed on the carbon paper and pen on Zhao Sheng¡¯s table and she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Manager Zhao, the pen and paper are really useful. Where did you buy them?¡± Not only did she have the idea of modifying the textile machine, but she also wanted to design a machine that was convenient for cutting and sewing. Zhao Sheng¡¯s blueprint opened the door to a new world. She really wanted to have the same items as Zhao Sheng. The carbon paper and pen were no longer worth mentioning to the current Zhao Sheng. He generously took out a brand new book and a carbon pen from the drawer and gave it to Lin Siyu. ¡°Take it and use it!¡± Lin Siyu hurriedly refused. ¡°No, no. Factory Manager Zhao has helped me so much. How can I accept it?¡± Zhao Sheng said, ¡°We¡¯re short-handed now, and the production of stationery factory is very low. You can¡¯t buy it anywhere, so take it and use it. If there¡¯s anything you want to modify, draw it and look for Zhang Jing.¡¯ Lin Siyu was extremely touched. ¡°Thank you, Factory Manager Zhao!¡± When she received her monthly salary, she would definitely go to the stationery factory to buy carbon pens and return them to Zhao Sheng. Zhao Sheng still had many things to do. After explaining Lin Siyu¡¯s matter, he went to the iron-making factory and fiddled with machinery that could turn wood shavings into flooring. After a week of construction, Lin Siyu¡¯s spindleless textile machine was finally completed. Just as he was waiting for Lin Siyu to come and collect the goods, Su Jing¡¯s wife, Jin Linglong, arrived. Previously, she was a female worker in the embroidery workshop. When she came to the southern frontier, she also entered the textile factory to work. When she came in, she immediately saw the spindleless textile machine. After carefully examining it a few times, she immediately discovered the amazing use of the spindleless textile machine.. Chapter 368 - Chapter 368: The Hope of New Life! Chapter 368: The Hope of New Life! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Jin Linglong asked her husband, ¡°This textile machine is really exquisite. Is it made for me?¡± Zhang Jing was stunned. ¡°Exquisite? How can you tell?¡± Jin Linglong smiled and said, ¡°Although I haven¡¯t tried it yet, with my experience, the efficiency of weaving will definitely increase greatly with this machine!¡± At this point, Jin Linglong suddenly remembered the patent award issued by Bai Wutong, the Flying Sky Award! If they could increase the speed of weaving, wouldn¡¯t it be a huge contribution to the entire textile industry in Ling Kingdom! She lowered her voice excitedly and said, ¡°Husband, let¡¯s quickly move it back and try. If the speed is enhanced greatly, we won¡¯t have to worry about food for the rest of our lives!¡± As soon as she said that, Zhang Jing wanted to explain that this was a custom -made textile machine. Thinking of Lin Siyu¡¯s status as a servant, he swallowed his words. He whispered, ¡°Go home now and bring the textile cloth. Let¡¯s try it first!¡± The factory was filled with men. Even if the speed of weaving increased, they would not care too much nor could they tell. If the textile machine could really be applied for a patent, it could even be mass-produced and they could receive a high dividend and a patent bonus. With such a tempting reward, Zhang Jing suddenly thought of an idea. He wanted Jin Linglong to impersonate the designer of the textile machine and apply for a patent. Then, he would secretly guarantee Lin Siyu some benefits to cover up this matter. As for Zhao Sheng, they were all good buddies. As long as Lin Siyu agreed and he gave Zhao Sheng enough benefits, he would definitely turn a blind eye to it on account of their deep friendship. Jin Linglong thought about it and agreed. Moving back now was troublesome and it would be too noisy. She immediately said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go now!¡± After a while, Jin Linglong brought over the textile thread. It was already time to get off work. Everyone was busy going back to eat. They bade farewell to the couple and left. Jin Linglong sat happily in front of the spindleless textile machine. After a while, she figured out the way to use the spindleless textile machine. When the machine started operating, the cotton thread would keep twisting in. Coupled with Jin Linglong¡¯s movements, after a while, a small piece of white cloth appeared in their line of sight. Jin Linglong said excitedly, ¡°Husband, you¡¯re really awesome! This speed is too fast. I¡¯ve never felt that weaving would be so easy!¡± Zhang Jing held his breath and was extremely shocked. He asked, ¡°How much faster is it than before?¡± Jin Linglong said happily, ¡°It¡¯s several times faster. Seven or eight times faster! ¡± She pinched the fabric that had just been woven. ¡°Moreover, this fabric is dense and tight. The price can be charged higher!¡± ¡°You¡¯re amazing. Not only did you increase the speed, but you also improved the fabric!¡± ¡®What¡¯s this again! It¡¯s what the teachers would call killing two birds with one stone!¡± Jin Linglong was overjoyed. Even if she couldn ¡®t win the Flying Sky Award, she could at least win the patent award! Zhang Jing never expected that something designed by a woman could be so powerful. Zhang Jing suddenly held Jin Linglong¡¯s hand tightly and gestured for her to be quiet. He told her the ins and outs of the textile machine. Jin Linglong glared at him and said righteously, ¡°Without my husband¡¯s skills, how can they build this textile machine? This is the textile machine we built!¡± ¡®When the patent application is filed, we¡¯ll just give her some silver later!¡± ¡°With her status as a servant, the ownership of the textile machine is still Lord Sheng!¡± ¡°If she doesn¡¯t get a single cent afterwards, she will definitely be more tight-lipped than us if we give her money!¡± Jin Linglong seemed to have strengthened Zhang Jing¡¯s idea. He immediately asked Jin Linglong to call her brothers over and transport the textile machine to their house first. The old man on duty guarding the factory stopped him. Zhang Jing replied nervously. The old man did not ask in detail and asked Zhang Jing to move the textile machine away. The next day, the people from the scientific research department reported to Bai Wutong that someone had modified the textile machine, and the speed of weaving had increased several times. The Research Minister, Zheng Guo, presented the canvas cloth that Jin Linglong had woven overnight. Bai Wutong picked up the canvas and took a closer look. The originally rough feel of the canvas had actually become much more delicate. Bai Wutong was very surprised that the textile machine had been improved in a short period of time. Seeing that she was very satisfied, Zheng Guo said, ¡°Consort, if the textile machine is put into use in the production line, it will definitely greatly increase production efficiency and obtain higher economic profits. It can be nominated for the patent award. However, will there be a chance for it to enter the list of candidates for next year¡¯s Flying Sky Award?¡± Bai Wutong said, ¡°The selection criteria for the Flying Sky Award is that the invention must be unprecedented and has made a huge contribution to Ling Kingdom.¡± ¡°The spindleless textile machine was improved from the previous textile machine. It¡¯s not enough to be selected for the Flying Sky Award.¡± Zheng Guo once again understood the difference between the Flying Sky Award and the Patent Award. When he returned, he told Zhang Jing and Jin Linglong that the spindleless textile machine had been selected for the Patent Award and they had received a huge reward from the Consort. Zhang Jing and Jin Linglong were still feeling guilty previously, but in the end, nothing happened. With the Consort¡¯s praise, and the patent bonus of 500 taels of silver, he immediately forgot the uneasiness in his heart. They were overjoyed. After receiving the silver, they were even happier at the thought of the machine being used in the assembly line and obtaining dividends. Just as they had forgotten everything and wanted to resign from the factory and plan for a bright future, Lin Siyu came to the factory. She was here to pick up the machine, but Zhang Jing, who was in charge of making her textile machine, was not around. She had been waiting for a long time. Zhang Jing and Jin Linglong, who were afraid that Lin Siyu would cause trouble, finally ran back. Since the spindleless textile machine had been applied for a patent, the matter definitely could not be hidden. It was better to negotiate with Lin Siyu now. It was not appropriate for Zhang Jing and Lin Siyu to talk in private, so Jin Linglong and Lin Siyu spoke. Both of them worked in the same textile factory. Jin Linglong earned one tael a month, while Lin Siyu did the same job as her and only earned five coins a month. She smiled and held Lin Siyu¡¯s hand. She called her sister affectionately and stuffed 50 taels of silver into Lin Siyu¡¯s hand. ¡°The textile machine designed by sister is very good. Take this 50 taels of silver and sell the machine to us!¡± Lin Siyu refused without thinking. ¡°No.¡± Jin Linglong lowered her eyes and said shamelessly, ¡°We¡¯ve already submitted the spindleless textile machine for the patent award. The Lord also acknowledges that the spindleless textile machine was designed and made by us. Why don¡¯t you take the silver and improve your life? After all, you¡¯re just a servant. Everything a servant has belongs to the master. When the time comes, you won¡¯t even get 50 taels of silver. She was practically threatening Lin Siyu. Even if she said it, no one would believe that she had thought of the textile machine. Lin Siyu looked shocked. She had bitterly thought about the design for so long, but someone else had beaten her to it. Jin Linglong actually had the cheek to ask her to keep it a secret. Lin Siyu said angrily, ¡°I¡¯m going to report to the Lord now!¡± Jin Linglong¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She pretended to be calm and advised, ¡°You won¡¯t be the only one who benefits from this. It¡¯s just a matter of reputation. It¡¯s useless to a woman like you!¡± What did she mean by useless! The textile machine was the hope of their family¡¯s new life! Lin Siyu roared, ¡°Get lost!¡± Chapter 369 - Chapter 369: It’s Really Not Easy! Chapter 369: It¡¯s Really Not Easy! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Bang¡ª¡± Lin Siyu was hit to the ground by Zhang Jing. Warm liquid instantly flowed out of her nostrils. Zhang Jing pointed at Lin Siyu and said fiercely, ¡°Don¡¯t force us to do this the hard way! Do you think anyone will believe you if you say it? Without Factory Manager Zhao¡¯s permission, would I dare to file a patent?¡± ¡°Let me tell you honestly! I gave most of the silver from the patent award to Factory Manager Zhao. Do you think he will help you testify? The blueprint was drawn for you! ¡± ¡°Behave yourself and accept the 50 taels of silver. Then, keep your mouth shut. Otherwise, you won¡¯t be able to get a single cent. Your son is working in the quarry, right? My brother happens to be there too. I don¡¯t know if any accident will happen to him!¡¯ Lin Siyu did not believe that Zhao Sheng was such a person, but Zhang Jing was firm. She cried and said, ¡°You¡¯re not human!¡± She was really afraid that Zhao Sheng was indeed such a person. If the matter blew up, no one would believe her and she would even implicate her son. Lin Siyu regretted it. If she had known, she would have found someone to come to the workshop with her. Unfortunately, there was no one to testify. Seeing that Lin Siyu was stunned, Zhang Jing gave Jin Linglong another look. Jin Linglong hurriedly played the good cop. ¡°Sister, 50 taels of silver is not a small amount. Take it well. You might be able to redeem yourself one day!¡± ¡°The remaining silver can still be used to find a wife for your son!¡± ¡°We¡¯re not evil people. In the future, we¡¯ll give you another ten taels of silver every year. How about this?¡± Lin Siyu spat on Jin Linglong¡¯s face. ¡°Pfft! Shameless! You really think someone else¡¯s things belong to you!¡± Jin Linglong wiped her face angrily and raised her hand to slap Lin Siyu. The voices of the other workers came from outside the door. Jin Linglong immediately stopped and stuffed the silver into her arms. Lin Siyu didn¡¯t want to take it, but she didn¡¯t want to give it to her either! Lin Siyu stood up. Zhang Jing looked vigilant and warned again, ¡°Behave yourself! ¡± The worker opened the door and muttered, ¡°Why are you guys dawdling here?¡± Zhang Jing brushed them off. Lin Siyu glared at them angrily and left the workshop. Jin Linglong immediately heaved a sigh of relief and secretly praised Zhang Jing for being smart and putting the blame on Zhao Sheng. No matter how angry Lin Siyu was, she did not dare to offend the people around Bai Wutong. They did not spend a single cent and earned a patent for nothing. The couple was overjoyed. They turned around and resigned from their jobs. They even planned to buy a homestead later and build a house as grand as Bai Wutong¡¯s house in the future. Lin Siyu went to work distractedly until she got off work and met her son. When Jiang Zuowei saw the wound on his mother¡¯s face, he immediately asked worriedly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Mother? Did someone bully you?¡± Because of their status as servants, they would always be bullied. Jiang Zuowei was used to it, but he could not stand his mother being bullied like this. Lin Siyu originally wanted to wait for the weaving machine to be successfully built before telling her son the good news. Now she was just glad that she had not told her son in the first place so that he would not be disappointed. She wiped her tears and shook her head. ¡°Mother is fine. Mother just fell today and my head hurts a little.¡¯ Jiang Zuowei heaved a sigh of relief and handed her a few lychees that he had picked on the way back. ¡°Mother, eat them. These fruits are quite sweet.¡± Her son was so sensible. His peers at his age were still studying in the academy. While Lin Siyu was sad, she thought of the blueprint for the textile machine that she had drawn herself. A bold thought suddenly surged into her mind. This time, she would definitely not let others claim all the benefits! While Lin Siyu was focused on coming up with a new design, Jin Linglong and her husband had also secretly observed her for a few days. Realizing that she had no intention of causing trouble, they completely let themselves go unrestrained and spent money everywhere, shocking everyone they knew. How did they suddenly become rich? Just as everyone was puzzled, Lin Siyu thought about it and finally told her husband, Jiang Cong. Jiang Cong was furious and wanted to settle the score with Zhao Sheng, but he was stopped by Lin Siyu and sge told him the plan. Jiang Cong worked as a level-2 apprentice in the iron factory. He knew many capable blacksmiths and learned many skills. Lin Siyu asked Jiang Cong to think of a way to make a textile machine. Jiang Cong looked at the blueprint and promised, ¡°Leave it to me!¡± If his wife¡¯s textile machine could succeed, not only would their family be able to get rid of their slave status, but he would also be able to become an official worker in the iron factory. Although the structure of the textile machine was not particularly complicated, there were actually more than 100 parts to be made. After work, Jiang Cong secretly used the machine tools in the factory to hammer. Afraid that others would misunderstand, he even specially told the class monitor that he had bought the iron and coal himself. The class monitor knew that he was talented, so he didn¡¯t say anything. He just told him not to be too tired. Jiang Cong was very touched. He would also seek guidance from the class monitor and other outstanding craftsmen about the gears and chains that he could not produce from the blueprint. In the past, the skills for earning a living were not allowed to be taught to outsiders. However, Bai Wutong led everyone to open a male and female technical academy. Many of them became teachers of the academy. They had monthly salary and were respected. They no longer disliked teaching others skills. Jiang Cong¡¯s learning ability was very strong, and his forging skills had improved by leaps and bounds. He had quietly created a textile machine himself. In the middle of the night, when the last part was pieced together, Jiang Cong picked up the textile machine and ran quickly to his family¡¯s tent. As soon as he entered, Lin Siyu was excited. ¡°It¡¯s completed so quickly?¡± The time taken for Jiang Cong to make the textile machine was too unexpectedly short. She thought that it would take a long time. Jiang Cong smiled foolishly. ¡°l am hurrying so that our son can also go to school and live in a big house.¡± For a moment, Lin Siyu had mixed feelings. Her hands were trembling as she sat on the wooden table and stroked the textile machine. A complete piece of fabric was placed under the textile machine. Both of them held their breaths and stared. Success or failure depended on this. They had to succeed! Lin Siyu stepped on the pedal and turned her hands. There was a mechanical sound. The moment the fabric was pushed forward, it was neatly cut in half by the blade! In an instant, the air froze! Lin Siyu and Jiang Cong looked at each other, their eyes red. The textile machine had a cutting function, and they did it! Lin Siyu continued to experiment with the second function of the textile machine. She imported the thread into the textile machine and pressed it against the freshly cut fabric. ¡°Deng deng deng.. The sharp needles on the textile machine went up and down. Lin Siyu kept pushing forward, and the machine sewed the fabric tightly. Lin Siyu covered her mouth excitedly, afraid that she would jump up and wake everyone around her. Jiang Cong took a while to recover before saying in a choked voice, ¡°Wife, our son can go to school!¡¯ It had really not been easy. He had not slept for almost a month. Lin Siyu nodded, with indescribable emotions, and restrained her excitement. She tried the textile machine again and again. After calming down, she realized that the needle and thread were easily messed up when operating the textile machine. Moreover, the needle and thread were even more tangled when finishing. Moreover, there was only one sewing method that did not correspond to the various craft needs of the textile factory and needed to be improved. The couple thought of a way to adjust the textile machine with tools overnight.. Chapter 370 - Chapter 370: Nonsense! Chapter 370: Nonsense! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Bai Wutong went to the textile factory to check on the spindleless textile machine. Jin Linglong said eagerly, ¡°Consort, this is the textile machine that my husband and I have modified.¡± Jin Linglong and Zhang Jing both thought that Lin Siyu had accepted her fate, so they really treated the spindleless textile machine as their own invention. They spoke so openly that Bai Wutong could not tell anything amiss. The spindleless textile machine already had some similarities to modern textile machines. Jin Linglong skillfully operated and demonstrated, and soon weaved a section of white cotton cloth. Bai Wutong looked at the excited Zhang Jing and was about to praise him when a female voice suddenly broke the harmonious atmosphere. ¡°Greetings, Consort!¡± When Jin Linglong heard Lin Siyu¡¯s voice, her heart skipped a beat. She subconsciously wanted to drag Lin Siyu away. Lin Siyu¡¯s gaze was firm as she stood still. Jin Linglong secretly threatened, ¡°The Consort won¡¯t believe you. If you don¡¯t want to be thrown out, get lost!¡¯ Zhang Jing¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He secretly observed Bai Wutong¡¯s expression and his mind spun quickly to think of a countermeasure. Lin Siyu had carefully asked around about Zhao Sheng¡¯s character. He would definitely not ruin his reputation for a little money. Therefore, what Zhang Jing said could not be true. Right from the beginning, only Zhang Jing and his wife wanted to claim the machine for themselves. Now that she and Jiang Cong had created a sewing machine, she would definitely be able to convince the Consort that she had thought of the spindleless sewing machine. After Bai Wutong practiced martial arts, her ears were sharp. She heard all of Jin Linglong¡¯s threats to Lin Siyu. Bai Wutong looked at Lin Siyu, who had mustered her courage. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± When Bai Wutong asked, the dark guard immediately pushed Jin Linglong away from Lin Siyu. Everyone¡¯s gazes landed on Lin Siyu. Lin Siyu was a little nervous. Thinking that her success or failure depended on this, she said respectfully, ¡°Consort, I¡¯m here to expose Zhang Jing and Jin Linglong! I actually came up with the spindleless sewing machine and ask Factory Head Zhao to draw a blueprint for As soon as she said this, Zheng Guo, who was the in charge of the project, had a change in his expression. He had failed to check carefully and the matter was even revealed directly to the Consort. Zheng Guo was even more anxious than Zhang Jing. ¡®Why didn¡¯t you speak up before?¡± Lin Siyu hurriedly said, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to speak up, but Zhang Jing threatened and lied to me. He said that it was Factory Manager Zhao¡¯s idea. If I get in the way of Factory Manager Zhao and his money, he will ask his buddies from the quarry to teach my son a lesson!¡± ¡°My status is low. I was afraid that my son would be retaliated, so I didn¡¯t dare to raise up to the Consort.¡± ¡°They even wanted to give me 50 taels of silver to shut me up. My original intention in creating the spindleless sewing machine was to regain my son¡¯s freedom. They claimed my idea, and I was so angry that I couldn¡¯t bear it and didn¡¯t take a single cent. If the Consort has any doubts, you can ask Factory Head Zhao.¡± When Zheng Guo heard this, his face froze. If it wasn¡¯t true, how could Lin Siyu dare to confront them directly? He had been careless. He did not expect someone to really have the guts to deceive the government and snatch other people¡¯s hard work. Jin Linglong¡¯s legs went weak. She was about to say, ¡°Consort, please forgive me!¡± Before she could finish her sentence, Zhang Jing, who was racking his brains to think of a countermeasure, shouted, ¡°She¡¯s spouting nonsense. My wife unintentionally told her about the spindleless sewing machine. She had crooked thoughts and deliberately went to Factory Manager Zhao to ask him to draw the blueprint. From the beginning, she was the one who wanted to steal our idea!¡± When Jin Linglong heard Zhang Jing¡¯s words, she suddenly reacted and immediately played the blame game. She pointed at Lin Siyu and scolded, ¡°She¡¯s shameless. I did not argue with her, but she even ran to Factory Manager Zhao to draw a blueprint to confuse the public and went so far to frame us!¡± She said pitifully to Bai Wutong, ¡°Consort, it¡¯s all her fault. She can¡¯t bear to see us doing well. Factory Manager Zhao didn¡¯t know, so she thought that she could replace us. I really misjudged her and even treated her as a close sister. Boohoo This time, it was really a little difficult to explain. After all, Jin Linglong and Lin Siyu were really from the same workshop, and they usually had contact. Jin Linglong¡¯s words also had a certain credibility. Lin Siyu was also a little surprised that Jin Linglong would say that. Just as she was about to explain, Zhao Sheng was hurriedly called over by the dark guard. For the past few days, he had been so busy studying wood-plank machinery with the blacksmiths that his feet had not touched the ground. Bai Wutong suddenly sent someone to call him over, so he still had a head full of sawdust. Bai Wutong asked, ¡°This female worker said that you helped her draw the blueprint for the spindleless sewing machine. Is that true?¡¯ Zhao Sheng had a deep impression of Lin Siyu and immediately nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± He still did not know that Zhang Jing had applied for a patent using Lin Siyu¡¯s machine. Bai Wutong asked again, ¡°Were you the one who asked Zhang Jing to make the sewing machine from the beginning?¡± Zhao Sheng said without hesitation, ¡°Yes I did.¡± Zhang Jing hurriedly interrupted, ¡°Although it was instructed by Factory Manager Zhao, I was already working on the sewing machine at that time. I didn¡¯t tell anyone because I wanted to give my wife a surprise!¡± ¡®Who knew that after we gave her a chance, she would turn around and backstab us!¡¯ Zhao Sheng was a little confused. Lin Siyu hurriedly shouted, ¡°Consort, they¡¯re talking nonsense. I¡¯ve never said a word to Jin Linglong in the workshop!¡± ¡°Moreover, if this was their idea from the beginning, why didn¡¯t they get angry when I asked Factory Manager Zhao to draw the blueprint? They even let me pay for the customisation of the spindleless sewing machine!¡¯ Zhang Jing hurriedly said, ¡°She was the one who begged us, so we softened our hearts and let her go. Moreover, we already needed to spend money to customize the spindleless sewing machine. She helped us pay the silver because she promised to compensate us!¡¯ The three of them went back and forth. Who exactly made the spindleless sewing machine? For a moment, it became confusing. Zheng Guo was more inclined to the spindleless textile machine being designed by Zhang Jing and Jin Linglong. Firstly, he would not be held accountable. Secondly, Zhang Jing was a blacksmith and Jin Linglong was an official worker in the textile factory. The possibility of building a spindleless sewing machine was indeed higher. When Zhao Sheng heard everyone¡¯s discussion, he finally understood what had happened. He frowned and leaned more towards Lin Siyu because when he instructed Zhang Jing to help Lin Siyu make the sewing machine, Zhang Jing took the blueprint and was not surprised at all. Just as everyone was discussing how Bai Wutong would judge the case, Bai Wutong suddenly asked Jin Linglong and Lin Siyu, ¡°Since you all say that it¡¯s your own idea, what¡¯s the principle behind the operation of the machine?¡± As soon as these words were spoken, Jin Linglong was stunned. How would she know what the principle of the spindleless textile machine was! Zhang Jing was also a little anxious. He wanted to explain the operation of the machine on behalf of Jin Linglong, but he was stopped by Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong said, ¡°Since it¡¯s her idea, she shouldn¡¯t be unable to answer the basic principle. ¡® Jin Linglong¡¯s face darkened. Lin Siyu took a step forward and said confidently, ¡°Consort, the principle of the spindleless textile machine is to use cylinders to store the threads. It enters the fuse structure through the wire storage device, causing the machine to reduce the frequent rewiring movements and thereby increase the speed of the sewing machine.¡± Chapter 371 - Chapter 371: Born to Earn Big Fortune! Chapter 371: Born to Earn Big Fortune! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Lin Siyu did not understand such a profound principle at first. Fortunately, Zhao Sheng had helped her organize her confusion previously and summarized it to her, so she could answer Bai Wutong clearly. Hearing Lin Siyu¡¯s answer, Jin Linglong¡¯s entire body went limp and she broke out in a cold sweat. However, Zhang Jing was still struggling at death¡¯s door. He said to Bai Wutong, ¡°Factory Manager Zhao told her. My wife just doesn¡¯t know how to explain it!¡± With that, he turned to Zhao Sheng with a pleading gaze, hoping that he would give him face on account that they were all from Youjia village. Otherwise, deceiving the Consort and defrauding the Imperial Court would be a capital crime! Zhao Sheng met Zhang Jing¡¯s pleading gaze and sighed deeply. He said to Bai Wutong truthfully, ¡°Consort, I didn¡¯t tell Madam Lin these words, they were all her own thoughts.¡± eyes were bright. How could she not see through Zhang Jing and his wife¡¯s tricks? Moreover, if they could not be severely punished for stealing other people¡¯s research results, he might be the one who would be tricked next time. Zhang Jing sat on the ground in despair and questioned Zhao Sheng unrepentantly why he was biased towards Lin Siyu. He even wanted to frame Zhao Sheng and Lin Siyu. However, before he could say anything, he was punched by the dark guard. When the truth was revealed, Zheng Guo hurriedly apologized to Bai Wutong. ¡°I had not been careful in my checks. Please punish me, Consort. ¡® The first rule of Bai Wutong¡¯s establishment of the Research and Development Department was to strictly check the identity of the reviewer and ensure that the products applied for the patent were personally created by the applicant. In the end, there was a mistake in the first review. Bai Wutong looked at Zheng Guo, who immediately felt a mountain of pressure. Ultimately, this mistake was because there were no detailed rules and regulations. said, ¡°You will be deducted a month¡¯s salary and receiving a warning for six months. Develop a detailed review plan and hand it to me for The salary deduction and job warning was only temporary. Zheng Guo heaved a sigh of relief and hurriedly kowtowed to thank Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong looked at Zhao Sheng again. ¡°Zhang Jing took the liberty to carry the customized sewing machine out of the workshop. These are also areas overlooked by you. Correct them in time. This shouldn¡¯t happen again.¡± Zhao Sheng hurriedly nodded. ¡°Thank you for not punishing me, Consort.¡± As for Zhang Jing and Jin Linglong, she had her own people to deal with them. After they were dragged away , Bai Wutong announced to the expectant Lin Siyu, ¡®The spindleless sewing machine you created has contributed a lot to the textile industry. Go to the Research and Development Department to register the patent later.¡± Then, she instructed You Huaijie, ¡®Transfer the identities of their entire family to commoners.¡± Patent inventions could restore one¡¯s identity to a commoner. In an instant, a small flame lit up in the hearts of the other servants. Lin Siyu could not help but be excited. Their son could also enter the academy openly like the others. was about to leave when Lin Siyu hurriedly wiped her tears and said to Bai Wutong, ¡°Consort, I also developed a sewing machine with my husband. Please take a look! ¡± Bai Wutong was stunned for a moment before her eyes revealed a trace of excitement. ¡°Okay.¡± Lin Siyu hurriedly left the workshop and called Jiang Cong, who was waiting outside, in. Jiang Cong was carrying a big thing. It looked strange. Everyone sized up it curiously. With just a glance, Bai Wutong could tell that the sewing machine made by the couple was similar to the operating principle of modern-day traditional sewing machines. Lin Siyu introduced to Bai Wutong, ¡°As long as you use our sewing machine, it¡¯s easy to cut fabric or sew quickly.¡± Everyone found it complicated to use such a big machine for sewing and cutting. Under Bai Wutong¡¯s instructions, Lin Siyu carried a stool and sat down in front of the sewing machine. She brought over a piece of canvas to demonstrate to everyone. Lin Siyu stepped on the pedal and matched her movements. With a mechanical sound, the canvas was perfectly split into two. In order to show the smoothness of the cutting, Lin Siyu used the sewing machine again. Under everyone¡¯s surprised gazes, she cut out circular, complicated five-pointed stars, flounces, and other fabric shapes. ¡°Deng deng deng.. It was so fast that it made people click their tongues. It was at least five times faster than using the scissors. With just this function, she could apply for a patent. Under everyone¡¯s gazes, Lin Siyu quickly sewed up the canvas with a sewing machine. Lin Siyu handed the sewn canvas to Bai Wutong. ¡°Please take a look, Consort.¡± Bai Wutong picked it up and took a look. The exquisite stitching and perfect finishing speed were the same as modern-day traditional sewing machines. She immediately clapped and cheered. ¡°The tailoring function developed by you and your wife has improved the production of clothes and greatly increased the efficiency of the workshop. The two of you will be recorded down in historical records. Go and register the patent!¡± Lin Siyu had earned two patents in one go. Everyone was stunned and envious. How much money would Lin Siyu¡¯s family earn in the future! Lin Siyu and Jiang Cong looked at each other. Their hard work these past few days had finally not been in vain. They were grateful for Bai Wutong¡¯s policy. The silver from their patents could already allow their family to not have to worry about food for the rest of their lives. Moreover, they could still rely on their effort to earn money in the future. After Lin Siyu and Jiang Cong exchanged glances, Lin Siyu suddenly knelt down in front of Bai Wutong and said, ¡°Thank you, Princess Consort, for giving our family freedom and giving our son a chance to study again. We¡¯re willing to offer the sewing machine and the spindleless textile machine to the Imperial Court. ¡± Not only would the two patented machines be used in their Southern Frontier, but they would also enter into the Central Plains market and earn an endless amount of silver. However, the couple actually gave up just like that. Everyone immediately revealed shocked and puzzled expressions. If it were them, they would have hidden it. How could they be willing to announce the method for making money? It had to be said that Lin Siyu and Jiang Cong¡¯s determination was quite admirable. Bai Wutong respected their decision. ¡°Thank you for being willing to offer the sewing machine and the spindleless textile machine to the Imperial Court. The Imperial Court will also give you an honorary commendation. You will be prioritized for promotion in your job positions and you will enjoy free medical care.¡± As the Consort, Bai Wutong actually thanked them. Moreover, they could even be promoted and receive free medical treatment. This was too good! Lin Siyu and Jiang Yu hurriedly kowtowed in thanks. The others¡¯ eyes were about to tear up. The textile factory was choosing the factory head. Bai Wutong was clearly hinting that Lin Siyu was qualified to be chosen. There was also free medical care. In the future, there would be no need to spend money on illnesses. Their lives had reach the peak in an instant. They were really too envious. On the way home, their minds were filled with thoughts of what kind of invention they could create. Unfortunately, no matter how hard they tried, their minds were still empty. They resigned themselves to work obediently. Some people were born to earn big fortune! The spindleless textile machine and sewing machine made a leap in production of ready-made clothes. In the end, Lin Siyu was chosen as the deputy head of the textile factory. When the news was published in the newspaper founded by Cui Shiji, Madam Qu could not sit still anymore.. Chapter 372 - Chapter 372: Can’t Sleep at Night Chapter 372: Can¡¯t Sleep at Night Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Qu Yuanxian was a county magistrate in the past, but in the end, so many women had become the factory director and deputy factory director, yet Qu Yuanxian was not even an official teacher. After thinking about it, Madam Qu still decided to look for Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong could even give Sheng Huaixuan, a businessman, an important position. Madam Qu felt that with Qu Yuanxian¡¯s contributions to Youjia Village back then, he would definitely be arranged properly. Not to mention an especially big official, he could at least manage as many people as the 30 families of Qinghe like Cui Shiji. However, when she thought of how rude she had been to Bai Wutong back then, she was a little afraid that Bai Wutong would bear a grudge. After much hesitation, she decided to go all out for Qu Yuanxian. She went to the market and walked around. Coincidentally, Ah Duo¡¯s people had entered the mountain and obtained a huge piece of honey. They had also picked up two big red lingzhi. Honey was extremely nourishing to women, and lingzhi could calm a person and nourish one¡¯s energy. It was just the right excuse to give it to the pregnant Bai Wutong. Madam Qu immediately spent 30 taels of silver to buy the entire piece of honey and two lingzhi. She asked the servants to bring it to Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong¡¯s identity was different now. Moreover, she had many things to do and had to take good care of her body. When Madam Qu asked to see her, she was naturally stopped by Qingfeng. Madam Qu was disappointed to be unable to meet Bai Wutong. Only then did she truly realize that the gap between her and Bai Wutong was like an uncrossable river. She returned to the tent anxiously and looked at her husband, who was engrossed in sorting out various documents. She was indignant. Qu Yuanxian¡¯s talent and knowledge were not much worse than others. Why should his talents be buried here? If not for Bai Wutong and the others, Qu Yuanxian would not have been fired. Madam Qu felt extremely indignant that they had followed them all the way here and was treated inferiorly to others in every aspect. She took a sip of her herbal tea to calm down and decided to find an alternative way. Even if Bai Wutong refused to see her, it couldn¡¯t be that she wouldn¡¯t meet others, right? Madam Qu found Madam Cui and found out that Yang Quanzi was about to celebrate his birthday. At that time, Bai Wutong would definitely make a visit, so she had an idea. On Yang Quanzi¡¯s birthday, the arrangements were simple. Everyone came to visit. Bai Wutong also specially got someone to craft a pair of reading glasses as a birthday gift. Everyone was very interested in the birthday gift from Bai Wutong. Yang Quanzi was also looking forward to it. He opened it with a smile and was stunned when he saw the gold-rimmed glasses inside. He did not need to make his face appear smaller. Why would Bai Wutong give him such an accessory? Could it be that Bai Wutong found his face looking too big? Yang Quanzi subconsciously touched his chubby chin. It seemed to have gotten a little bigger. Bai Wutong must have wanted him to look younger and more handsome. After Yang Quanzi thought about it, he instantly smiled brightly. ¡°The Consort¡¯s gift is really unique. I especially like it!¡± With that, Yang Quanzi took out the reading glasses from the box and put them on eagerly. His face was really smaller, and his aura seemed different! Sheng Huaixuan had marketed the glasses frame as a female accessory and it became sought after by everyone. Many people recognized this item and were very surprised that Bai Wutong¡¯s gift was so perfunctory. Unexpectedly, after Yang Quanzi put on his glasses, his eyes widened in excitement. ¡°I can see now! I can see now!¡± Everyone was confused. What did Yang Quanzi say he could see? Just as everyone was feeling puzzled, Yang Quanzi had already asked Bai Wutong, ¡°Consort, what is this? It can actually make me see so clearly!¡¯ Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s called glasses. The glass pieces on the frame of the glasses can reflect the image into the eyes, so you can see much clearer.¡± Speaking of glasses, Sheng Huaixuan had once obtained a rare western-style glass that could also magnify words. Bai Wutong actually thought of putting the glass to the eyes so that one would not be troubled by their blurred vision. It was too smart! Most scholars had more or less some issues with their vision. When they heard that glasses could actually allow them to see more clearly, they all looked eagerly, hoping that they could have glasses too. Yang Quanzi liked Bai Wutong¡¯s gift too much. He would no longer be afraid that he would not be able to see clearly even when staying up late to organize information. Cui Shize wanted to borrow it to take a look. Yang Quanzi treasured it a lot and even specially emphasized, ¡°You have to be careful. This is a birthday gift from the Consort!¡¯ Cui Shize had no choice but to guarantee to be careful, only then did Yang Quanzi lend it to him to try. When he put the glasses on, he realized that it was indeed much clearer to look at people up close. However, the scene was very distorted and strange from afar, and his head felt dizzy. Just as he was wondering why Yang Quanzi did not have any adverse reactions, Bai Wutong had already explained, ¡°Everyone¡¯s eyes are different, and the prescription of the glasses is also different.¡± Cui Shize could not help but be puzzled. ¡°How can you determine what kind of glasses to make?¡± In the history of China, the Ming Dynasty had started researching glasses in detail. They used mechanical principles to invent a lens grinding machine¡ªthe pull-back cart. This kind of cart was operated with one¡¯s feet and used ore sand, white clay, brick dust, and other materials as abrasives or polishing materials to grind the lenses into concave lenses to accommodate the needs of the eyes. Finally, the grinding technology would use natural crystal rocks to grind the lenses. After testing with different lenses, a set of primitive photometric methods for ¡°eye-to-eye glasses¡± was prepared. It was used to test the field of vision and match lenses of presbyopia, myopia, farsightedness, and various luminosity according to the person¡¯s age and different vision. Even if they did not have an optometrist now, they could still determine the prescription by using the above methods. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°l got someone to make a lens to test the vision. You¡¯ll know what kind of lens to wear after trying it.¡± As soon as she said that, everyone immediately became happy. ¡®Thank you, Consort!¡± They were in luck! Yang Quanzi was a little puzzled. ¡°I didn¡¯t test my vision. How did the Consort know that I should wear such glasses?¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°Most old people have a problem with seeing things at short ddistance. There is also a certain type of glasses in this situation, so I just guessed it. ¡® Everyone came to a realization and couldn¡¯t help but praise Bai Wutong for her knowledge. After giving her birthday gift, Bai Wutong was about to go back and take an afternoon nap. Madam Qu suddenly appeared and said with concern, ¡°Since the Consort is pregnant, I specially prepared some high quality honey and lingzhi. I hope you can accept it.¡± Bai Wutong did not lack honey and lingzhi. Madam Qu did not have much contact with her and even had a previous conflict with her. If she gave her lingzhi and honey, she must have a request to ask of her. Bai Wutong waved her hand. ¡°Honey and lingzhi are nourishing. Madam Qu, you should enjoy them yourself.¡± Bai Wutong did not take a liking to the lingzhi and honey. This was as Madam Qu had expected, so she took out another exquisite tiger-head hat. ¡°This is the tiger-head hat I personally sewed for the young master. I wish the young master peace and prosperity.¡± They were all mothers. Everyone would want their children to be fine. Bai Wutong took a few glances and gestured for Qingfeng to accept it. Bai Wutong was willing to accept the tiger head hat. Madam Qu was delighted and felt confident to mention Qu Yuanxian¡¯s official position. ¡°Consort, Carefree City is currently short of people to manage.. My husband wants to share your worries and resolve your difficulties, so much so that he can¡¯t sleep at night!¡± Chapter 373 - Chapter 373: Let’s Divorce! Chapter 373: Let¡¯s Divorce! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Qu Yuanxian was talented and honest. Unfortunately, Madam Qu was too manipulative. Even if she was not deliberately abusing his power for personal gain, it was actually a form of corruption and bribery for her to accept benefits from others. With these past mistakes, it was really not a good choice for Qu Yuanxian to become an official. However, if she could restrain Madam Qu, Qu Yuanxian¡¯s character was still very worthy of being assigned heavy responsibility. Bai Wutong said bluntly, ¡°Since Master Qu wants it, ask him to come and look for me.¡± Madam Qu was overjoyed. Just as she was about to thank Bai Wutong, Bai Wutong reminded her, ¡°Madam Qu, you can¡¯t give away honey and lingzhi casually. In an instant, Madam Qu¡¯s face turned pale, and the smile on her lips tightened. Bai Wutong was warning her that there was something wrong with her way of doing things. Madam Qu stammered and wanted to explain that she was only concerned about her health. But Bai Wutong had already left without giving her any face. Madam Qu was embarrassed and resentful. She returned to the tent and wanted to throw a tantrum. Thinking that there were dark guards around and she might be discovered by Bai Wutong, she forcefully endured it. Qu Yuanxian chatted with his teachers and Senior Brothers for a while. When he returned to the tent, he realized that his wife was sitting by the bed and sulking. He walked up and asked with concern, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my wife?¡± Qu Yuanxian¡¯s heart ached that Madam Qu was willing to come to the southern frontier to suffer with him. Even though Madam Qu had many small problems, he still doted on her deeply. Madam Qu put away her grievance and said to Qu Yuanxian, ¡°The Consort said that she wants to confer you an official position and asked you to look for her.¡± She thought to herself that since she had already suffered, Qu Yuanxian should all the more earn the official position. When she became the wife of an official, no one would be able to show her nasty looks again. Qu Yuanxian was very surprised. ¡°The Consort really said that?¡± It was not that Qu Yuanxian did not want to become an official, but because the Consort had a feud with Madam Qu before. When he saw that others had been appointed as officials, he felt quite upset. However, he had been collating teaching materials with Yang Quanzi and the others recently. Thinking of how he was determined to become an outstanding teacher when he was dismissed, Qu Yuanxian was relieved. He worked hard to organize the teaching materials and found his target again. Now that Bai Wutong suddenly wanted to appoint him to an official position, he could not help but be a little puzzled. ¡®ftvo days ago, Bai Wutong was still praising them for sorting out the textbooks and information. She did not show any intention of letting him become an official. Madam Qu insisted, ¡°It¡¯s absolutely true. Hurry up and go!¡± Qu Yuanxian believed her for the time being. After leaving the tent, he found a servant to ask about Madam Qu¡¯s recent movements. After learning from the servants that Madam Qu had begged to see Bai Wutong previously, his heart skipped a beat. He lowered his eyes and walked towards Bai Wutong. When Qu Yuanxian saw Bai Wutong, he immediately apologised. ¡°My wife has made a grave mistake. Please forgive her, Consort.¡± Madam Qu must have gone to Bai Wutong to ask her to give him an official position. Even he was very disgusted with pulling strings, let alone Bai Wutong. She was probably even angrier. Since Bai Wutong had let Madam Qu go back, she had no intention of pursuing the matter. ¡®What do you plan to do in the future, Master Qu?¡± Bai Wutong did not pursue Madam Qu¡¯s rudeness. Qu Yuanxian heaved a sigh of relief and hurriedly knelt down. ¡°l want to work with Teacher and the others to nurture more useful people to serve the Imperial Court.¡± Few people could give up on power and authority. Bai Wutong didn¡¯t know ifwhat he said was true or not, so she said bluntly, ¡°If Master Qu wants to serve the people, you can participate in the official examination in August.¡± Bai Wutong let him take the official examination in August to show that she still supported him being an official. However, Bai Wutong did not directly appoint him. It was obvious that she was worried about Madam Qu ¡®s actions. Qu Yuanxian loved Madam Qu. Thinking of Madam Qu¡¯s way of doing things when he was an official and that he might not be able to control her, Qu Yuanxian¡¯s remaining thoughts faded. Qu Yuanxian said respectfully, ¡°Thank you for your pointers, Consort. I am more interested in teaching. I¡¯ve already signed up for the teaching test in June.¡± How could life be perfect? Bai Wutong respected everyone¡¯s decision. ¡°Master Qu will definitely deserve it.¡± Qu Yuanxian composed himself and left the tent. Madam Qu was waiting outside. When she saw Qu Yuanxian appear, she said excitedly, ¡°The Consort has given you an official position? How many people are you managing? Are there as many as the 30 families of Qinghe?¡± Qu Yuanxian glanced at Madam Qu with a strange expression and sighed deeply. ¡°Madam, let¡¯s go back first. ¡® When Madam Qu heard his tone, her heart skipped a beat. She felt that Bai Wutong definitely did not give Qu Yuanxian a good official position. After returning to their own tent, Madam Qu asked again, ¡°When are you taking office?¡± Madam Qu was so anxious that she couldn¡¯t wait for him to become a high-ranking official, making Qu Yuanxian¡¯s already heavy heart even heavier. He also felt that his choice just now was right. He was also lucky that he had killed Madam Qu ¡®s greed before it got bigger. He said in a deep voice, ¡°Madam, I just want to be a qualified teacher. That¡¯s all I want in my life. Madam, don¡¯t say anything else anymore.¡± In an instant, Madam Qu was petrified. She lowered her head and spoke to Bai Wutong. But Qu Yuanxian actually told her that he only wanted to be an ordinary teacher. Then why should she suffer such humiliation!!! Madam Qu said in disbelief, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say back then that you wanted to be a good official and benefit the people of the world?¡± Qu Yuanxian originally did not want to say anything, but Madam Qu was relentless and even openly questioned Bai Wutong. ¡°Is it because she hates me that she¡¯s unwilling to let you become an official!!!¡± Her ferocious face and angry expression were completely different from the gentle and virtuous Madam in Qu Yuanxian¡¯s memories. Qu Yuanxian said weakly, ¡°No, it¡¯s because I¡¯m no longer suitable to be an official.. Madam Qu roared angrily, ¡®What do you mean by not suitable? If you¡¯re not suitable, who else is? The country bumpkins? She¡¯s deliberately humiliating Qu Yuanxian hurriedly covered Madam Qu¡¯s mouth and said the most grave sentence in his life. ¡®Yuling, you¡¯re with me because you want to become an official¡¯s wife? So that you can use your power as an official¡¯s wife to bully others and show off?¡± The walls had ears, let alone a tent. If anyone heard it, no one would be able to save Madam Qu. Qu Yuanxian was also very anxious, causing him to say this. After saying that, he met Madam Qu¡¯s disbelieving and heartbroken gaze and regretted it again. ¡®Yuling, I¡­¡± Madam Qu was selfish, but she was not as unbearable as Qu Yuanxian said. She pointed at Qu Yuanxian shakily, her tears falling. ¡°So that¡¯s how you see ¡°You¡¯re such a good person! I¡¯m doing this for your own good, but this is my outcome!¡¯ ¡°I left our son and came all the way to the southern frontier with you. I begged others for you and tried my best to talk to her. I didn¡¯t complain even if I lost face.¡± ¡°Yet you¡¯re treating me like this! You¡¯re such a heartless person!¡± Madam Qu was extremely angry and roared as if she was venting her anger. Qu Yuanxian was in pain and guilt as he hugged her. ¡°1 was wrong. Yuling, forgive me. I spoke without thinking! ¡® Madam Qu shook him off. ¡°Let¡¯s divorce! I am leaving this godforsaken place now.. I¡¯ve had enough!¡± Chapter 374 - Chapter 374: Why Is It Green? Chapter 374: Why Is It Green? Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Qu Yuanxian was shocked. ¡°Madam, don¡¯t say those words out of anger. 1 apologize to you.¡± Unexpectedly, Madam Qu was determined. She decisively wrote the divorce letter and threw it in front of Qu Yuanxian and threatened, ¡°Either follow me back to the Central Plains or let¡¯s divorce!¡± The southern frontier had a bright future that Madam Qu could not see. She only saw that she had not become an official¡¯s wife and their lives were simple and crude. They had been living in tents and did not know when they would be able to move in to the new houses that were under construction. Even if Qu Yuanxian did not agree to the divorce, Madam Qu had already decided that she would return to the Central Plains. Qu Yuanxian hurriedly said, ¡°Yuling, don¡¯t be like this. Let¡¯s talk nicely.¡± Madam Qu slammed the table angrily. ¡°You say to talk nicely. What did you say to me in the beginning?¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ve seen through you. You¡¯re not signing, are you? If you¡¯re not signing, I¡¯ll leave like this. I¡¯ll pack my things now.¡± Madam Qu shouted at the maidservant outside the door, ¡°Someone, pack everything up for me now.¡± Not only did she want to take everything away, but she also would not leave a single cent for Qu Yuanxian. He could live however he wanted. She didn¡¯t care anymore. In any case, her son would become a scholar, and she would still be a majestic Madam of an official. The more Madam Qu thought about it, the more excited she became. The maidservant stood still and she even shouted, ¡°What are you waiting for? Hurry up and pack up!¡± The maidservant had no choice but to brace herself and pack up. Whatever Qu Yuanxian said were useless. He was also angry so he flicked his sleeve. ¡°If you want to leave, leave!¡± Madam Qu was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. She shouted sharply, ¡°Don¡¯t regret it!¡± With that, without waiting for Qu Yuanxian to react, she immediately said to the senior maidservant, ¡°Get someone to prepare the carriage now. We ll leave now.¡± The senior maidservant was from Madam Qu¡¯s family. She only listened to Madam Qu¡¯s instructions and immediately got someone to bring the carriage over. Seeing that Madam Qu was really about to leave, Qu Yuanxian lowered his face again and said, ¡°Yuling, don¡¯t let others watch us like a joke.¡± Madam Qu cared about her reputation the most. Qu Yuanxian thought that she would definitely compromise. However, Madam Qu got into the carriage. ¡°You can stay here alone!¡± They did not bring much over, so the servants quickly finished packing up. By then, Qu Yuanxian really became anxious. ¡°Yuling! Come down quickly!¡± Madam Qu still said, ¡°Either divorce or follow me!¡± They had followed the team to the southern frontier with great difficulty. Seeing that Carefree City was about to be built and everyone¡¯s lives were developing on a good side, how could Qu Yuanxian be willing to leave? He gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Yuling, you¡¯re already so old. Stop fooling around. Everyone is watching!¡± Madam Qu snorted. ¡°I¡¯m leaving. No matter how they laugh at me, I won¡¯t hear them!¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not leaving, then stay!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Just as the horse was about to gallop away, Qu Yuanxian stood in front of the carriage. ¡°Yuling, didn¡¯t I already apologize to you?¡± Madam Qu only wanted to leave this rundown place and return to her son¡¯s side and never see Bai Wutong again. She said angrily, ¡°1 want to go back to my son! Move!¡± It would take at least two and a half months to reach the Imperial City from here. It was a long journey. What if something happened? Qu Yuanxian said anxiously, ¡°Yuling! Why can¡¯t you be more considerate of me?¡± Madam Qu felt aggrieved. She didn¡¯t want to come to the southern frontier from the beginning. She came because of him and took care of everything for him. Why wasn¡¯t she being considerate of him? It was not a heinous crime for her to want him to become an official! Madam Qu asked the coachman to change directions. ¡°If you don¡¯t leave, I¡¯ll sell you!¡± The coachman really wanted to be sold. Carefree City was such a good place. Even servants could enter the workshop to earn money. If they saved enough money 20 years later and had no bad records, they could get rid of their slave status. Moreover, the servants¡¯ children could go to school for free, and businessmen would not be discriminated against. Women could also be factory managers and there were not many taxes. The coachman really did not want to leave, but he knew that with Madam Qu¡¯s temper, she would never let them be freed. He could only look at Qu Yuanxian in shock and quickly change directions. Qu Yuanxian was pulling on the carriage. But because the horse suddenly started running rapidly, he was left behind again. The senior maidservant in the carriage asked Madam Qu to calm down. Madam Qu snorted. ¡°What calm down? If he doesn¡¯t chase after us, our relationship as husband and wife will be severed!¡± Madam Qu knew Qu Yuanxian too well. He valued relationships and loyalty. The journey from the southern frontier was long. If he really had feelings for her, he would not have let her leave alone. Anyway, the matter had already blown up and everyone had heard it. Madam Qu narrowed her eyes. She had to force Qu Yuanxian to leave with her. The carriage whistled away, and Qu Yuanxian fell into self-reproach. When Cui Shize and the others heard the commotion, they ran over to express their concern. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Brother Qu?¡± How could Qu Yuanxian have the cheek to say anything? Moreover, Bai Wutong must have learnt that Madam Qu had suddenly left. Madam Qu was dissatisfied with her decision and deliberately showed her displeasure. Yuling really could not stay any longer. Otherwise, if she angered Bai Wutong, the consequences would be unimaginable. Since ancient times, one could not balance loyalty to different people. Qu Yuanxian watched as the carriage drove further and further away. He suddenly knelt down and bowed to Yang Quanzi. ¡°I¡¯m ashamed of myself! We¡¯ll meet again in the future!¡± Yang Quanzi¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You¡¯re leaving?!¡± Qu Yuanxian nodded solemnly. ¡°I have to send my Madam back!¡± He also wanted to stay and rebuild Qinghe Academy, as he had never thought of giving up on his dreams in his youth. Yang Quanzi sighed and finally waved his hand. ¡°Go.¡± Since Qu Yuanxian had already made up his mind to leave, Cui Shize and Cui Shiji could only hurry up and help him settle matters. The Youjia villagers did not like Madam Qu, but they were very grateful to Qu Yuanxian for his help to Youjia village. Not only did they prepare a lot of dry rations for him, but they also prepared mushroom sauce, kelp seaweed, crab sauce, tapioca noodles, and various other seafood. Qu Yuanxian had mixed feelings. When Yang Quanzi handed him a portion of the neatly packed teaching books, Qu Yuanxian was already in tears. Bai Wutong watched as Qu Yuanxian¡¯s carriage drove away and shook her head in her heart. Even if Qu Yuanxian returned with Madam Qu, there would still be a barrier in their relationship as husband and wife. They would probably never return to the past in this lifetime. After Qu Yuanxian and Madam Qu left, it was like a stone thrown into the calm lake, causing ripples before returning to calm. As the days passed, Bai Wutong¡¯s womb became bigger and her appetite improved. Huang Zhong¡¯s nose was especially sensitive. He often accompanied Gu Zhongxun into the mountain to pick herbs and learned a lot of pharmacology. After knowing that eating more fruits was very good for pregnant women, Huang Zhong would enter the mountain with Ah Duo to look for fruits every time he was free. They could probably pick mangoes from the last time they entered the mountain. Huang Zhong and Ah Duo entered the mountain together again. Ah Duo shuttled freely through the forest like a beautiful spirit. Huang Zhong was like a slow turtle that was held by by dense vines. From time to time, he needed Ah Duo¡¯s help to turn over. After walking for about an hour, they finally saw the mango tree. It was a wild mango tree that was a few meters tall and filled with fruits. Huang Zhong was puzzled.. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that it¡¯s ripe? Why is it green?¡± Chapter 375 - Chapter 375: Too Stinky Chapter 375: Too Stinky Translator: Atlas Studios | Editor: Atlas Studios Ah Duo picked a mango and said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯ll be ripe in a few days. When they¡¯re all ripe, the birds and beasts in the mountains will eat all of them. How will we be able to eat them?¡± Huang Zhong had never eaten a mango before. He took the mango from Ah Duo¡¯s hand and sniffed it. He smelled a rich fragrance and said regretfully, ¡°So it will take a few days before we can eat it.¡± Ah Duo looked at the top of the tree and climbed up agilely. Huang Zhong said worriedly, ¡°Be careful.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Ah Duo threw a huge mango at him. ¡°Catch!¡± Huang Zhong hurriedly caught it, but Ah Duo threw another one down. ¡°Another one!¡± Huang Zhong reached out to grab it. The moment the mango in his arms fell to the ground, the mango that Ah Duo had just thrown landed heavily on his head. With a muffled sound, Huang Zhong felt dizzy. He quickly picked up the mango from the ground. The moment he looked up, Ah Duo¡¯s bell-like laughter came from the tree. A pair of bright eyes barged into his line of sight. Huang Zhong¡¯s mind was blank. Ah Duo had already jumped in front of him and taken a mango with a golden skin from his hand. ¡°This is ripe. You can eat it now.¡± The mangoes on the top of the trees had good light exposure and were often the largest and sweetest. The peeled mango had thick flesh, rich fruit fragrance, and rich juice. Huang Zhong¡¯s eyes lit up as he pushed it in front of Ah Duo. ¡°You eat first.¡± Huang Zhong¡¯s thoughtfulness made Ah Duo very happy. Suddenly, she kissed him on the cheek before taking a bite of the mango. ¡°It¡¯s very sweet. It was unknown if she was talking about him or the mango. Huang Zhong instantly turned into a ripe tomato. He glanced at her shyly, his heart filled with pink bubbles. The mango was sweet and sour. Huang Zhong took a bite and was stunned by the exquisite taste. He said excitedly, ¡°The Consort will definitely like it!¡± Ah Duo also liked Bai Wutong very much. Knowing that Bai Wutong was Huang Zhong¡¯s savior, she liked her even more. She said happily, ¡°Let¡¯s pick the big ones first. We¡¯ll come back in a few days to pick the small ones. By then, the small ones will also become big ones.¡± This place was hidden. Ordinary people would definitely not discover this mango tree. Huang Zhong agreed and picked an entire basket of mangoes with Ah Duo. On the way back, Ah Duo discovered a wild deer and she hurriedly chased after it. Huang Zhong followed behind her, panting with the basket on his back. After running for a while, the wild deer still escaped. Ah Duo looked disappointed. Such a big wild deer could be exchanged for a lot of silver. If she saved more, she could exchange for a big house with Huang Zhong. She still wanted to raise many animals in the backyard. Huang Zhong was out of breath from running. Fortunately, his nose was sensitive. Otherwise, he would definitely not be able to catch up. Ah Duo saw that he was tired. ¡°Let me carry it. You can rest for a while.¡± Huang Zhong shook his head firmly and stood up after catching his breath. Suddenly, he saw a huge cave in front of them. Countless Golden Silk Swallows were returning to their nests. He sniffed and smelled something expensive, too. If he was right, there were many expensive bird¡¯s nests here. The bird¡¯s nest was nourishing and could reduce aging. It was a good tonic for pregnant women. In particular, the bird¡¯s nest that the golden silk swallows built for the first time every year was crystal clear and nutritious. It was called official¡¯s swallow in the palace and only the royal family could enjoy it. Realizing that Huang Zhong was staring at the cave in a daze, Ah Duo said, ¡°There are only rocks inside. There¡¯s nothing inside. The birds on it are not delicious and it¡¯s troublesome to deal with them. Let¡¯s go back. We might even encounter wild boars on the way!¡± Huang Zhong looked around the cave and found a place that was easier to climb to the top of the cave. He said to Ah Duo, ¡°There¡¯s bird¡¯s nest here. 1 want to pick some. Wait for me here.¡± ¡°Swallow¡¯s nest? You want to eat bird eggs? I can take you to the river to find wild duck eggs. They¡¯re especially big and can even be made into a Central Plains¡¯ delicacy ¨C fluffy eggs and salted duck eggs! As she spoke, she felt a craving. She wished she could fly to the river immediately. Huang Zhong pointed at the bird¡¯s nest and said, ¡°I don¡¯t eat the eggs inside. I¡¯ll only pick a few bird¡¯s nests. The bird¡¯s nest is an expensive tonic that¡¯s very good for the Consort¡¯s health.¡± Afraid that Ah Duo would be jealous, Huang Zhong hurriedly added, ¡°1¡¯11 cook a bowl for you to try when we get back.¡± This was the first time Ah Duo had heard of bird¡¯s nest being edible. She said, ¡°Don¡¯t go up. It¡¯s very dangerous!¡± With that, she took a few steps forward to help Huang Zhong get the bird¡¯s nest. Huang Zhong quickly pulled her back. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous. Forget it. Don¡¯t go.¡± Even if they could reach the location of the bird¡¯s nest, it was very steep. Ah Duo smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll be done soon. Huang Zhong suddenly had an idea. ¡°Don¡¯t go, don¡¯t go. I have a way.¡± He put down the basket on his back and cut off an old bamboo. After shaving off the leaves, he could use it to poke at the bird¡¯s nest. Ah Duo kept praising Huang Zhong for being smart, as if he had done something earth-shattering. It even made Huang Zhong proud of himself. The bamboo was very straight and heavy. The two of them picked it up and knocked down a dozen bird¡¯s nests. The texture of each bird¡¯s nest was crystal clear and snow-white. Ah Duo said in surprise, ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful! This kind of bird is too good at building houses. Not only can it stay inside, but it can also be eaten.¡± Huang Zhong smiled and said, ¡°If you like it, well come again next time.¡± Ah Duo was puzzled. ¡°Are we going back just like that? Aren¡¯t we going to get more? Didn¡¯t you say that these things are very expensive?¡± Huang Zhong said honestly, ¡°1 want to give some to the Consort. Well keep some for ourselves. If we sell them at the market and others find out that there¡¯s bird¡¯s nest here, the birds will suffer a calamity.¡± After Huang Zhong finished speaking, he was a little worried that Ah Duo would think that he was troublesome. Unexpectedly, Ah Duo actually hugged him. ¡°You¡¯re too kind. I thank you on behalf of the birds!¡± Huang Zhong did not know where to put his hands and could not even speak anymore, causing Ah Duo to hug him and kiss him again. Ah Duo¡¯s feelings were like a hot flame. Huang Zhong was like a roasted tomato that finally melted until there was nothing left. They took a different path back to the camp. Huang Zhong suddenly smelled a rich stench. It was undoubtedly a huge torture to his sensitive nose. As they continued walking, the smell became stronger and stronger. Huang Zhong finally couldn¡¯t take it anymore and put on his mask. Ah Duo looked in the direction of the smell and immediately said happily, ¡°There are Stinky Fruits here!¡± Huang Zhong followed All Duo in and saw a huge fruit hanging on a tree dozens of meters tall. If it fell and hit his head, it would definitely leave a bloody hole. Huang Zhong felt flustered at a glance and wanted to pull Ah Duo to the side. Ah Duo¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°The Stinky Fruit smells bad, but it tastes good. It¡¯s like the cake made by the Consort. It¡¯s soft and fragrant. The priest also likes it very much. I¡¯ll go up and pick one and bring it back.¡± Huang Zhong widened his eyes in disbelief. Could such a smelly thing really be eaten? Ah Duo climbed up the tree in two or three moves, grabbed onto a stinky fruit, and smashed it to the ground. ¡°Clack-¡± The Stinky Fruit cracked, and so did Huang Zhong.. It was too smelly! Chapter 376 - Chapter 376:1 Feel Like I’ve Been Tricked Chapter 376:1 Feel Like I¡¯ve Been Tricked Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Huang Zhong secretly took out another mask from his pocket and put it on himself. Ah Duo jumped down from the tree and pointed at the golden and fat flesh of the stinky fruit. ¡°Do you want to try it?¡± Huang Zhong almost vomited when he smelled it. If he tried it, he would definitely die. He shook his head firmly, his dark eyes filled with horror. Ah Duo looked at him regretfully. She picked up a piece of fat and tender fruit and stuffed it into her mouth. The smooth texture was as if she was eating a thick ice cream cake. Ah Duo ate two huge pieces of flesh in a row. Huang Zhong was shocked that she could eat such a terrifying thing without changing her expression. Thinking that she was a local and might be used to the taste, Huang Zhong could then understand why. It was not that he could not do it, but that he had not been trained since he was young. A stinky fruit could usually produce three to six pieces of flesh. The stinky fruit was quite big. After eating one of the flesh, Ah Duo should be able to dig up a lot more from the fruit. However, opening the Stinky Fruit was like stone gambling. If one was unlucky, there was not a single piece of flesh inside. Ah Duo opened the seams on both sides to check. After confirming that there was flesh inside, she put it into the basket and returned. As soon as they entered the tent with the stinky fruits on their backs, the uncles and aunties who wanted to come over and see what good things they had gotten again all took a step back. They pinched their noses and asked, ¡°Huang Zhong, what did you bring back? It¡¯s so smelly!¡± The aunties echoed, ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s so smelly!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve cured my nose that 1 haven¡¯t treated for many years!¡± Huang Zhong smiled. ¡°It¡¯s just a fruit. You can try it.¡± They did not even have the desire to look at such a smelly fruit. Hearing that Huang Zhong wanted them to try it, everyone quickly dispersed. Fortunately, they had dispersed. Otherwise, the few mangoes under the durian would definitely have been taken away. Huang Zhong originally wanted to tidy up his image before meeting Bai Wutong. Unexpectedly, the smelly fruit was so charming that it directly attracted Bai Wutong. The weather was too hot. Bai Wutong was about to eat silky ice cream to satisfy her cravings when she smelled durian. The texture of the durian was soft and smooth. In the refrigerator, it would become a natural top-notch ice cream. Moreover, durians could be made into all kinds of delicious desserts, such as durian halberd, durian pizza, durian cake, durian crisp¡­ Before the apocalypse, Bai Wutong had been a loyal and fanatical fan of durians. Apart from the durian sweet that she could not accept, there was only one word for the other durian delicacies: Buy! When she saw Huang Zhong carrying a big basket, her eyes lit up. Huang Zhong was afraid that the smell would be too strong and Bai Wutong would be disgusted, so he hurriedly said, ¡°Consort, I picked some fruits and will bring them to you later.¡± Bai Wutong immediately said happily, ¡°Thank you.¡± She returned to the tent. Not long after, Huang Zhong, who had changed his clothes, came with mangoes and clean bird¡¯s nest. In modern times, mangoes are one of the most popular fruits in dessert shops. When Bai Wutong saw the mango, she pretended to be surprised. ¡°What¡¯s the name of this fruit?¡± She also liked mangoes very much. Canned mangoes, scooped mango, mango juice, dried mangoes¡­ All of them were delicious. Huang Zhong hurriedly introduced, ¡°Ah Duo said that it looks like a moon. The locals call it a moon fruit.¡± Moon fruit? It sounded pretty good. Bai Wutong said happily, ¡°It¡¯s a little unfamiliar. Looks like we have to put it aside?¡± Huang Zhong nodded with a look of admiration. As expected of Bai Wutong, she even knew this. The bird¡¯s nest was very precious to ordinary people, but it was nothing special to Bai Wutong, who had never stopped eating it since she was pregnant. Huang Zhong did not bring the durian she was looking forward to. Bai Wutong beat around the bush. ¡±1 saw that there seemed to be something else in the basket. What is that?¡± Huang Zhong immediately explained, ¡°It¡¯s a local fruit called the Stinky Fruit. It¡¯s too smelly. The Consort probably won¡¯t like it.¡± Bai Wutong was speechless. She liked it very much!!! And she really wanted to eat it now. Bai Wutong said calmly, ¡°I¡¯m a little curious. Can you let me try it?¡± It was said that pregnant women¡¯s taste would become strange. Since Bai Wutong took the initiative to try such a smelly fruit, Huang Zhong was stunned for a moment before he immediately said, ¡°Ah Duo gave that to Priest Song. I¡¯ll go back to the forest to pick another one now!¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous for you to go alone. I¡¯ll get someone to go with you.¡± Huang Zhong thought of the tall tree and immediately agreed. Huang Zhong thought that Bai Wutong would only send one person to follow him. In the end, Bai Wutong arranged for ten people for him in one go. Huang Zhong was a little stunned, but Bai Wutong looked calm. ¡°No matter how smelly it is, it¡¯s still a fruit. Pick more. I want to treat everyone to try it too.¡± Huang Zhong immediately felt a chill run down his spine. He hoped that he would not be given the fruit to try. Soon, Huang Zhong returned to the durian tree. Five skilled dark guards went up the tree. Five stayed where they were and pulled out a sturdy canvas. Right on the heels of that, Huang Zhong dodged and they displayed their super high-level skills. They threw the fruit into the sky and spun around quickly. Huang Zhong hid at the side. There was only one word in his heart: convinced!!! None of the dozens of durians were damaged. The dark guards carried the durians on their backs and Huang Zhong followed behind. He felt that he had only led the way and had not helped at all. With so many durians, one could imagine the stench. Wherever they passed, everyone pinched their noses and wondered why Bai Wutong had brought back so many stinky fruits. It looked like a porcupine and could be used as a lethal weapon. With so many durians placed in front of Bai Wutong, Cui Lingyi covered her face as she walked over. ¡°What is this?¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°This is a local special fruit. 1 heard that it¡¯s soft and delicate. It¡¯s quite delicious.¡± Cui Lingyi was shocked. ¡°You want to eat it?¡± Bai Wutong smiled slyly. ¡°We¡¯re the ones eating together.¡± Cui Lingyi quickly waved her hand. ¡°1¡¯11 pass!!!¡± She looked like she wanted to avoid it at all cost. Bai Wutong¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°Try it.¡± It was difficult to refuse Bai Wutong¡¯s kindness, so Cui Lingyi could only brace herself and sit down at the dining table. Cui Muzhi was curious about everything. When Bai Wutong asked him to sit down and eat durian, he sat down. Stinky pinched his little nose and said in a muffled voice, ¡°Mother, it stinks!¡± In Chu Tianbao¡¯s words, this thing was even more smelly than his poop. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°Then do you want to try it?¡± Stinky quickly shook his head like a rattle. He wasn¡¯t going to eat something so stinky. Bai Wutong didn¡¯t force him. She stroked his little head. ¡°Then watch Mother eat.¡± Stinky was speechless. Why did he feel like he had been tricked¡­ Bai Wutong wanted to eat the Stinky Fruit and was going to open it in public. Soon, she attracted countless people¡¯s attention. Even Yang Quanzi, who was busy writing books, came to the scene wearing his western-looking reading glasses. It was more interesting to have more people watching the durians being opened. Bai Wutong did not stop everyone from watching. She put on cotton gloves, picked up the back of the knife, and knocked on the durian¡¯s butt. The durian she had chosen was very big. With a tap of the back of the knife, there were actually five seams, which meant that there might be five durian flesh.. Chapter 377 - Chapter 377: Nostalgia Chapter 377: Nostalgia Translator: Atlas Studios | Editor: Atlas Studios This durian weighed nearly 10 catties. If it was full of flesh, it would yield at least 500 grams of flesh. Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes lit up. Everyone also craned their heads, wanting to see what such smelly fruit flesh looked like. Bai Wutong pressed down on one side of the durian and twisted her right hand along the gap. The durian was split into two, and the golden, plump, and tempting flesh was also exposed to everyone. Although it smelled even worse, it looked quite delicious. The durians were just ripe. They were not too soft or hard. If they were placed in the fridge and refrigerated slightly, the texture would be even better. Bai Wutong got someone to bring over a plate and peeled off the durian flesh in the room. With the exquisite plate as decoration, if one ignored its smell, everyone was still willing to try it. Bai Wutong continued to peel the durians. After a few rounds, the flesh of the durians was extremely full. If it were in the modern world, she would definitely have gained an advantage. Those who were close to Bai Wutong were all given a piece of durian flesh. Everyone looked at each other with expressions like they were ready to die. Huang Zhong also got a piece. The durian in front of him was a serious torture to his sensitive sense of smell. Ah Duo squeezed through the crowd and saw him holding his plate in a daze. ¡°Eat it. You¡¯ll like it after trying it once.¡± ¡°Our priest just ate half of it!¡± When Ah Duo said this, everyone looked at Song Benhua as if they were asking if it was really delicious, and would there be any problems after eating it? Song Benhua smiled and said, ¡°The Stinky Fruit smells bad but it tastes good. I wasn¡¯t used to it the first time I ate it. After eating it, 1 understood why it was so smelly.¡± Everyone said in unison, ¡°Why?¡± Song Benhua smiled meaningfully. ¡°If it doesn¡¯t stink, 1 won¡¯t be able to eat it.¡± Song Benhua gave the highest evaluation to the durians, making it undoubtedly a peerless delicacy. Everyone looked at the durian again, and the resistance in their hearts lessened. Just as everyone mustered their courage and was about to eat, Bai Wutong had already picked up a durian and placed it to her mouth. There was no hesitation¡­ Everyone was dumbfounded! As expected of the Consort, her courage was extraordinary! This durian was a golden pillow durian. It had just been picked and was naturally ripe. The fragrance was mellow and the texture was soft and smooth. One bite awakened Bai Wutong¡¯s fanaticism for durians. She flashed a smile and took another bite of the durian before anyone could ask. She was filled with happiness. After taking two bites, Bai Wutong stopped and took the time to say to everyone, ¡°As Lord Song said, if it doesn¡¯t stink, everyone won¡¯t be able to eat it. ¡°It¡¯s really delicious.¡± Bai Wutong actually found it delicious too. In an instant, the commoners who were watching the show could not help but be curious about what durian tasted like. Even the Consort, who was used to eating delicacies and was knowledgeable, could conquer it in one go. Cui Muzhi immediately took a bite and exclaimed, ¡°It¡¯s so soft and fragrant. It¡¯s a little like the cake made by the Consort previously. When they were in Youjia village, Bai Wutong would cook all kinds of food when she had nothing to do. The texture of the durian was very similar to the mousse cake. After Cui Muzhi¡¯s exclamation, everyone¡¯s resistance to durians was mostly dispelled again. If a person said that it was delicious, it could only mean that his taste was unique. If everyone said that it was delicious, it meant that it was really not bad. However, many people still could not accept this smell. Cui Lingyi covered her nose and took a small bite. Before the taste melted on the tip of her tongue, she almost fainted from the smell. When she recovered, she realized that it seemed not bad? If she tasted it even more, it seemed to be quite delicious. Cui Lingyi looked up and was about to praise the durian when she saw that the others had already eaten the entire durian and were still smacking their lips. Yang Quanzi stared at the durian in the basket beside him. He was just short of directly telling Bai Wutong to open another one. Bai Wutong stopped eating after eating a piece of durian. She even warned the diabetic Yang Quanzi, ¡°This fruit is delicious, but the sugar content is too high. You¡¯d better not eat it.¡± Durian had high nutritional value, and its calories and fat content were extremely high. If a pregnant woman ate too much, it was extremely easy for the child to grow too big, and it would not be beneficial to the pregnant woman¡¯s body or delivery. If she really wanted to eat it, she could only try it. Yang Quanzi revealed a trace of pity, but he thought to himself that it was not too much to eat it once in a while. The fruits were all in season, so it shouldn¡¯t be much for him to eat again the next day. Yang Quanzi suddenly looked at Huang Zhong and smiled cunningly. Cui Muzhi was convinced by the durian¡¯s taste. Since Yang Quanzi had designs on Huang Zhong, Cui Muzhi could not ask Bai Wutong for durians, so he naturally thought the same as Yang Quanzi. They were not the only ones. Most of the people who had tasted durians were satisfied with the texture. They also wanted their families to try the delicacies that the Consort praised. Only Huang Zhong could find such fruits. Everyone secretly glanced at Huang Zhong. Huang Zhong suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. He vaguely felt as if he was being targeted by something, and his blood ran cold. At first, Stinky was unwilling to eat it, but when he saw that Bai Wutong had eaten it and that everyone had eaten it and enjoyed it, he craved for it. He couldn¡¯t help but take a bite. The cream-like texture immediately made Stinky enjoy it. Stinky¡¯s chubby little hand picked up a piece of thick durian flesh. The way he smacked his lips was too cute. Sheng Huaixuan rolled up his slee.es and said, -Such a strange fruit shouldn¡¯t be called a Stinky Fruit.¡± When everyone heard the words ¡°Stinky Fruit¡±, they instantly had the impression that it was disgusting. Bai Wutong also felt that the Stinky Fruit did not sound good, so she simply said, ¡°The flesh of the Stinky Fruit is rich and sweet, making one miss it. Why don¡¯t we call it the Nostalgia Fruit?¡± ¡°Nostalgia fruit?¡± Everyone immediately praised Bai Wutong for her literary talents, even the name of a fruit that she thought of was so poetic. Bai Wutong smiled in her heart. She was just using a homonym. Everyone was too exaggerated. They made it sound as ridiculous as discovering Chang e living on Mars. Bai Wutong distributed a few baskets of durians to everyone. Huang Zhong had picked quite a lot of mangoes, so Bai Wutong gave one to everyone. Bai Wutong planned to make the rest into dessert. Then, she would put a few mangoes and durians in her space and wait for Chu Tianbao to return so that he could eat them. Some durians were not ripe yet. Bai Wutong chose one that was ripe and peeled the flesh for use. She planned to make a durian thousand-layer cake. It would make everyone fully realize the charm of durians. Since she was going to make a thousand-layer durian cake, Bai Wutong simply got someone to peel a few more mangoes and make another thousand-layer mango cake. After making the thousand-layer cake, there were still many ingredients left. Bai Wutong simply made a few beautiful mango and durian halberds. When the desserts were ready, Bai Wutong asked Qingfeng to prepare and let everyone have afternoon tea. She had been busy for so long. It was time for her to relax.. Chapter 378 - Chapter 378: Must Wear It! Chapter 378: Must Wear It! Translator: Atlas Studios | Editor: Atlas Studios The venue for afternoon tea was set in the villa garden. As soon as the villa was built, Bai Wutong planted the plants needed for the garden in advance. The villa was not yet completed, but the garden already looked like a flower garden. Bai Wutong glanced at the beautiful thousand-layer mango cake and planned to plant two more mango trees in the corner. She did not even think about planting durians. Someone might die if they were hit by it. Cui Lingyi placed the flower basket she had just arranged on the table. The moment she saw the durian cake and mango cake, she said in surprise, ¡°You¡¯re using the nostalgia fruit and moon fruit?¡± Bai Wutong had made yellow peach cake before. Cui Lingyi felt that it was very delicious and even specially learned how to make it from Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°1 think it should be delicious.¡± Cui Lingyi said in surprise, ¡°The smell of the Nostalgia Fruit has faded. It¡¯s quite fragrant with light cream.¡± Bai Wutong asked, ¡°Did it whet your appetite? Cui Lingyi smiled like a flower. ¡°Definitely!¡± Stinky imitated her and said, ¡°Definitely!¡± His childlike appearance was extremely likable. The thousand-layer durian cake was cut open by Bai Wutong, revealing the voluptuous cream and flesh inside. It was appetizing. Cui Lingyi fed him a small piece, narrowed her eyes, and sighed. ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect the Nostalgia Fruit to be so delicious when made into a cake.¡± She couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°When Muzhi comes back and finds out that he missed out on such a delicious cake, he will definitely jump up in regret.¡± Cui Muzhi liked the various snacks made by Bai Wutong the most. If not for Cui Shiji pestering him to study and practice martial arts every day, he would very likely have become a talented pastry chef. Bai Wutong was puzzled. ¡°Where did he go? Cui Lingyi lowered her voice and whispered, ¡°He caught Huang Zhong and went to pick the nostalgia fruits. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t we give one to him?¡± Cui Lingyi smiled helplessly. ¡°It was distributed to everyone as soon as he got back.¡± Everyone wanted to try the delicacies that made people unable to forget. Cm Muzhi naturally could not protect the fruits. Bai Wutong said, ¡°Bring him a portion when we get back.¡± Cui Lingyi took a sip of black tea and smiled helplessly. ¡°If I bring it back for him, he¡¯ll definitely want to try it with the Nostalgia Fruit after tasting it.¡± As the saying went, a gentleman should stay away from the kitchen. Cui Shiji hoped that Cui Muzhi would study hard and practice martial arts. He did not want to be a high-ranking official, but he wanted to be a teacher with both virtue and talent. Of course, Cui Shiji did not agree with Cui Muzhi¡¯s preference for fiddling with desserts. Occasionally, it was fine, but making such things so often was like losing one¡¯s will in Cui Shiji¡¯s eyes. After all, the Cui family was not so poor that the only heir of the direct line of descent had to be a pastry chef to support everyone. in modern times, pastry chefs were one of the most popular professions for girls. Men who knew how to make desserts were also liked by girls. Bai Wutong felt that it was good for Cui Muzhi to open a dessert shop. She comforted the worried Cui Lingyi. ¡°There are so many professions. There will always be an expert in every profession.¡± Of course, Cui Lingyi supported Cui Muzhi doing what he liked, but Cui Shiji could not understand. After all, if he studied hard and practiced martial arts, he could also make desserts when he had nothing to do. There was no need to pursue it with all his heart. She shook her head and said, ¡°Muzhi hasn¡¯t thought it through either. Let nature take its course. There¡¯s no need to force it. Bai Wutong nodded. In this world where only education was regarded highly, Cui Muzhi, who had grown up in a scholarly family, might be confused in the face of ideals and reality. Bai Wutong led everyone to eat durians, and the durians in the surrounding forest were shaved bald. The nostalgic texture and unique and dangerous picking method also made durians the fruit that everyone wanted to try the most. When Village Chief Zhao, who was in charge of agricultural management, received Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s value report for durians, he immediately got someone to collect seeds and prepare to grow seedlings at the beginning of spring next year. Durian production was very high, and it could also be made into all kinds of delicious food, in a few years, when everyone¡¯s lives stabilized, their demand for fruits would definitely increase. Not only would they plant durians, but they would also plant bananas, mangoes, dragon fruits¡­ Village Chief Zhao would also bring everyone to plant them one by one. He would specially record their growth and try to plant the highest-quality fruits. This was because there was no need to pay taxes to plant fruit trees. Everyone only needed to cultivate the fields. The Imperial Court even distributed fruit seedlings. Many people actively cultivated the fields after work. The weather was getting hotter and hotter. Many people were having heatstroke. On the other hand, everyone In Ah Mi and Ah Duo¡¯s tribe was dressed in cool clothes and were energetic. They formed a stark contrast to the conservafve Central Plains people. Huang Zhong had injured his body when he was escaping. Although he had recovered, his foundation was still worse than others. Affected by the bitter summer, his cheeks were sunken again. Ah Duo¡¯s heart ached. After knowing the reason for his bitter summer, she immediately took out the white silk that Bai Wutong had given her and designed a set of refreshing clothes for Huang Zhong. The white silk was thin and breathable. It was extremely smooth and cold on the body. It was much better than the cloth that Ah Duo and the others had worn in the past. However, this style was really difficult for Huang Zhong to accept. He said awkwardly, ¡°1 like the clothes you make very much, but¡­¡± It was inevitable that he would be laughed at if his arms and legs were exposed. When Ah Duo heard that he liked it, she immediately interrupted him, her eyes sparkling. ¡°Then put it on quickly. Let¡¯s go to the beach to swim together!¡± -Do you know how to dive? 1¡¯11 teach you. If we dive, we can even touch the mussels in the sea. The pearls in the mussels are very beautiful. How about I open more and make a necklace for your aunt?¡± Ah Duo devoted herself to him, wasn¡¯t it just being a joke in front of people? Huang Zhong clenched his fists. Wear it! He had to wear it! In any case, the locals of the southern frontier were all dressed like this! He was Ah Duo¡¯s fiance now. So what if he was dressed like this! Huang Zhong took the short clothes calmly. Ah Duo was still standing where she was, looking like she was urging him to change. Huang Zhong blushed and whispered to her, ¡°Can you wait for me outside?¡± There was no place to hide and change in this tent. Ah Duo knew that he was thin-skinned. She made a face and kissed him on the cheek. She deliberately teased, ¡°You¡¯ll wear it for me sooner or later. Hmph!¡± Huang Zhong¡¯s cheeks were burning, but he was helpless against her. He could only nod pitifully. Ah Duo liked his cute appearance. She pinched him and jumped out after flirting, leaving Huang Zhong, who was stiff, caught between laughter and tears. Huang Zhong put on Ah Duo¡¯s ¡°unique¡± clothes. Coupled with his stiff expression and high tied hair, he looked indescribably strange. However, Ah Duo was very satisfied. She said happily, ¡°You¡¯re really good-looking. As expected of my man! Let¡¯s go into the sea!¡± The place she had found would definitely not be discovered by others. Huang Zhong looked outside the tent and hesitated. In the next second, he was pulled out of the tent by Alt Duo. Compared to the locals, Huang Zhong was already considered conservative for not revealing his stomach. However, his fair skin, which had not been exposed to sunlight for many years, formed a strong contrast with Ah Duo¡¯s healthy wheat-colored skin. But everyone still turned to look at him.. Chapter 379 - Chapter 379: What the Consort said makes sense Chapter 379: What the Consort said makes sense Translator: Atlas Studios | Editor: Atlas Studios The Central Plains people were still considered reserved. Many men and women in the tribe were staring at Huang Zhong and sized up him. Ah Duo was jealous and said domineeringly, ¡°What are you looking at? This is my man!¡± Huang Zhong¡¯s face turned red again. He wanted to cross this crowded area with Ah Duo as soon as possible. He had just taken a few steps forward when he was mocked by a few men. ¡°How immoral!¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you ashamed to be disheveled in public! ¡°You¡¯ve embarrassed us scholars!¡± ¡°What scholar? He¡¯s just lucky to be by the Consort¡¯s side. Otherwise, how could he have become a teacher of Qinghe Academy with only that amount of literary talent in his stomach?¡± ¡°He is only teaching children. It¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°Tsk, who would dare to let him teach their child dressed like this!¡± ¡°He¡¯s behaving badly. Such a person shouldn¡¯t stay in the academy!¡± They were also poor scholars who had escaped from the Yan Kingdom. Emperor Linghui asked all the refugees to move to the southern frontier, that was how they merged with Bai Wutong and the others. They did not dare to provoke the other teachers of the Academy, but they liked to bully the honest Huang Zhong. Ah Duo only wanted Huang Zhong to wear cooler clothes to prevent getting a heat stroke. She did not expect everyone to have such bad intentions towards him. She pulled out her dagger fiercely. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? We locals all dress like this. To think that you¡¯re scholars, even I¡¯ve heard the saying ¡®do as the Romans do¡¯!!!¡± The moment Ah Duo drew her dagger, the patrolling soldiers in charge of the security suddenly ran over to stop her. With the soldiers blocking in front, the man, who had been a little timid just now, mocked again, ¡°When in Rome, do as the Romans do. It refers to good elegance, not shameless exposure like you!¡± They felt that the southern frontier had already been occupied and they were the winners. Ah Duo, who was dressed out of place, was the lowly one. they would definitely not dress so unseemly and ruin their image as scholars. Many women could not stand the fact that Ah Duo had drawn away their men¡¯s souls. They also mocked, ¡°Demonness like you are indeed charming. He has lost all his etiquette and honor as a scholar.¡± ¡°They would not be the same if they¡¯re not from the same family!¡± ¡°Only savages would be naked! We should let them scram back to the forest!¡± -You are attracting bees and butterflies all day long! You¡¯re ruining our reputation and even dare to draw a knife at others. You¡¯re not a woman at all.¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the fact that 1 pity you, who would accept your tribe?¡± As they spoke, they pointed at Huang Zhong. -You married such a wild woman and even had contact with her in broad daylight. How dare you be a teacher? 1¡¯11 look for the headmaster now and demand an explanation!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. A teacher who takes in any woman will only lead our son astray!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s go now!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. We have to get the headmaster to give us an explanation!¡± Ah Duo could still endure them scolding her, but they were insulting him and wanted the academy to fire Huang Zhong. Ah Duo was completely enraged. She jumped up and in the next second, the man who led the way to cause trouble was kicked to the ground. ¡°Ah¡ª¡± The man let out an earth-shattering scream. The man¡¯s wife immediately rolled up her sleeves and scolded, ¡°You little b*tch, I¡¯ll beat you to death!¡± The moment she rushed over, All Duo¡¯s clansmen also rushed forward and pressed everyone who had said mean words to the ground. They started to give them a violent beating. Everyone could tell that the Central Plains people discriminated against them. The Central Plains people scolded them for being savages and barbarians, that they were shameless and immoral¡­ The resentment they had accumulated instantly erupted. The scene was chaotic. Those who were interested immediately shouted, ¡°A group of outsiders actually dared to bully our own people in our territory. Everyone, let¡¯s go and help them!¡± The word ¡®outsiders¡¯ represented rejection. A person who did not think would be easily provoked and even thought that he was an amazing hero and could not wait to rush into the chaotic battle. The more people there were, the more uncontrollable the fight became. Seeing that Ah Duo¡¯s tribesmen was being bullied, Ah Mi, who was also an outsider, also brought her clansmen to participate in the battle. For a moment, screams of dissatisfaction and discrimination filled the air. Some people bled from their heads, some had swollen faces, and some had crooked faces¡­ The soldier who had been kicked down by someone did not have time to get up and could only blow the whistle loudly. Hearing the guard¡¯s whistle, the surrounding patrols quickly swarmed over. When Bai Wutong heard the emergency report from the dark guard, she immediately put down the documents in her hand and rushed to the scene. All the people who had participated in the fight had already been taken down by the soldiers. They were handcuffed with special cuffs. Blood was still dripping from some of their faces. Those with more serious injuries had already been sent to the doctor. Cui Shize had already investigated the reason and immediately told Bai Wutong the entire story. There would definitely be conflicts between people. The phenomenon of rejection had never changed for thousands of years. It was not right to fight, but one could not tolerate insulting and provocation from others! Moreover, Bai Wutong had once clearly reminded that they had to respect the cultural customs of the locals. Bai Wutong directly ordered, ¡°Ah Duo¡¯s tribesmen did not force you to wear their traditional clothes. You have no right to criticize their traditional clothes!¡± ¡°It¡¯s up to Huang Zhong what he wants to wear. You don¡¯t have the right to force him!¡± Someone said indignantly, ¡°Consort, it¡¯s improper for him to teach students like that!!!?¡± His tone was resentful, filled with blame for Bai Wutong¡¯s bias. It was not only him. Many people were dissatisfied with this. Huang Zhong was not from the southern frontier. A teacher should act like a teacher! Cui Shize¡¯s heart skipped a beat. If this matter was handled in a biased manner, it would probably arouse even more disgust towards the tribesmen. Bai Wutong sized up Huang Zhong from head to toe and could tell at a glance that Huang Zhong was wearing the white cloth she had given to Ah Duo. Apart from Ah Duo¡¯s rough work, what Huang Zhong was wearing was no different from modern loose t-shirts and shorts. Under the hot sun, Huang Zhong felt cool compared to the others around him. In the hot southern frontier, it was obvious that this style of clothes was more suitable for the climate here than the conservative clothes from the Central Plains. She had only worn denim and jeans once, but Huang Zhong was already so bold as to dare to dress like this and face these old-fashioned people. It could be seen that Huang Zhong really loved Ah Duo and dared to abandon his worldly views for her. Since Huang Zhong was brave, why should Bai Wutong have any scruples? She had long wanted to wear a short-sleeved shirt and step on the beach barefoot. Bai Wutong was not stingy with her praise. ¡°This is the most special and beautiful style of clothes I¡¯ve ever seen. Not only is it convenient for work, but it¡¯s also light and breathable. The weather in the southern frontier is hot, and people suffering from heatstroke continue to increase in numbers. On the other hand, none of Ah Duo¡¯s tribesmen have heatstroke. Their efficiency and spirits are also several times better than everyone¡¯s. How is there a problem with such a good design of clothes?¡± ¡°Do we really have to cover ourselves tightly and have rashes all over our bodies so that everyone will lie on the ground weakly and feel uncomfortable?¡± Everyone was stunned. What the Consort said made sense. For a moment, they could not refute her.. Chapter 380 - Chapter 380: Why Don’t I Be the Emperor? Chapter 380: Why Don¡¯t I Be the Emperor? Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Ah Duo¡¯s eyes lit up. She thought that Bai Wutong would punish her. She did not expect her to say that the clothes she designed were beautiful and even recommend everyone to wear them! She looked at Huang Zhong excitedly and said happily, ¡°What¡¯s the name of the phrase? The eyes can tell what¡¯s good?¡± Huang Zhong was so touched that his eyes were watery when Bai Wutong spoke up for them. Ah Duo¡¯s question made him laugh. ¡°You have a discerning eye, Consort!¡± Ah Duo smiled brightly. ¡°That¡¯s right! Consort is the discerning eye, I¡¯m the Pig¡± Consort is the discerning eye, I¡¯m the pig¡­ Huang Zhong could not hold back the laughter on his face and even teared from it. They looked happy, but they hit a lot of the old-fashioned people¡¯s sore spots. How could such clothes that were not presentable and not even comparable to undergarments be worthy of half a word of praise! Immediately, someone objected strongly. ¡°No matter how many advantages it has, dressing like this doesn¡¯t conform to the rules passed down by our ancestor!¡± ¡°Especially women! Reputation is more important than the heavens! It¡¯s already a sin to appear in public. What¡¯s the difference between them and prostitutes when dressed like this!¡± The old man who spoke was an advanced scholar who had taken the initiative to come to the southern frontier to follow Yang Quanzi. He was outstandingly knowledgeable and talented in literature, but he was old-fashioned. He was secretly dissatisfied with Bai Wutong controlling the entire southern frontier. He thought that he had the moral character of a scholar and wanted to learn from the loyal officials and righteous people who would rather die than submit. He wanted to use this opportunity to dampen Bai Wutong¡¯s spirit. So that she could clearly understand that no matter how smart and capable she was, she was still a woman! Women would never be presentable! He had a high status in the hearts of the students. Many men who wanted to exert control over the women were also secretly cheering! That¡¯s right! Women should be at home waiting on men and breastfeed their children. Over the past few days, with Bai Wutong¡¯s support, their wives became more and more confident in their words. They could not stand Bai Wutong¡¯s behavior learning from the locals of the southern frontier. They were even worried that if Chu Tianbao did not show up again, Bai Wutong would still advocate for the system of wives having multiple husbands like the southern frontier people. What Fan Gao rebutted with had vented their anger. As a woman with modern education, Fan Gao¡¯s words were especially ear-piercing to Bai Wutong. So what if she was a woman? She was a human. Why should she be materialized by a man?! Bai Wutong had worked hard to build the paradise land not for the men, but for everyone. Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes suddenly darkened. ¡°According to the ancient books, the ancestors wore tree bark and were wrapped in leaves. Then why don¡¯t you wear tree bark and be wrapped in leaves? Wouldn¡¯t it be against the ancestor¡¯s will if you didn¡¯t wear it?¡± ¡°A woman¡¯s reputation is more important than the heavens. Who made the rule? Why don¡¯t the women in the southern frontier have such a rule?¡± Fan Gao was so angry that his heart was pounding. The last bit of rationality he had stopped him from pointing at Bai Wutong and cursing, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such an ancient book! And there¡¯s a difference between men and women. It¡¯s always been like this since ancient times!¡± The women were stunned by their conversation. What Bai Wutong said next opened the door to a new world for them. ¡°Just because you haven¡¯t seen it doesn¡¯t mean others haven¡¯t. Or maybe you have. You just don¡¯t want to admit it.¡± ¡°Because you know very well that if you emphasise that a woman¡¯s reputation is more important than heavens, the men will have plenty of reason to confine the women like sheeps.¡± ¡°Thousands of years of lies stripped women of all their abilities, restricted their thoughts, and made them like dodder flowers that can only rely on men forever!¡± ¡°But let me tell you, this is the southern frontier, this is Carefree City. As long as I¡¯m here, 1 definitely won¡¯t allow you to restrict women with the so-called virtue and chastity. If you¡¯re dissatisfied, you can get lost now!¡± ¡°None of the girls in our Carefree City will lose out to men!¡± Suddenly, Bai Wutong¡¯s sharp gaze swept across some women. ¡°If anyone is willing to degrade themselves and serve others, feel free to scram with them!¡± Her every word was like a dagger that stepped on everyone¡¯s hearts. Cui Lingyi was overwhelmed with emotions. She thought that her desire to establish a women¡¯s academy so that women could walk into the court openly one day was already enough to go against the sutra. It turned out that she didn¡¯t know enough! It turned out that she had been influenced by the people around her in the beginning and had to maintain her role as a woman as much as possible. It was all because of the thousand-year-old patriarchial thinking that she had unknowingly put a shackle on herself. Her eyes were bright, as if she could see another world, another extraordinary little phoenix sitting at the top of the clouds. She had come here. She had told everyone not to look down on women. Gu Chilie took advantage of Chu Tianbao¡¯s absence to assassinate Bai Wutong, but Bai Wutong was not angry at all. But now, she was openly scolding the Fan Gao. In an instant, everyone understood that Fan Gao had triggered Bai Wutong. He reprimanding a woman for not showing her face was actually a clear provocation to Bai Wutong. The women were shocked by Bai Wutong¡¯s thoughts. When they thought about it carefully, they actually felt that it was true. Compared to the women in the southern frontier, they would feel guilty for not serving their husbands, in-laws, and taking care of the entire family. They would trap themselves in a cage. They were clearly all human beings. Men could have three wives and four concubines, but if the women in the southern frontier had multiple husbands, they were criticized as shameless and immoral. At that time, they agreed very much and actually did not think that there was anything wrong. Bai Wutong clearly pointed out that this was a long-term brainwashing of their thoughts. Many women immediately came to a realization. So that was it! If they were born in the southern frontier, they should be as confident and unrestrained as Ah Duo! When Fan Gao heard that Bai Wutong actually wanted him to get out of the southern frontier, he was so angry that he said without thinking, ¡°This is the Ling Kingdom! Women are not allowed to be involved in politics!¡± He had wanted to say this for a long time! Today, even if he died, he would never regret it! Cui Lingyi¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Afraid that Bai Wutong would be angry and affect her pregnancy, she retorted angrily, ¡°If women shouldn¡¯t be involved in politics, can you do better than her?¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s talent and ability were rare in the world. When Cui Lingyi said this, even Fan Gao had to admit that apart from the fact that Bai Wutong was a woman, she was worthy of the heavy responsibility of a city. Many times, he complained about his dissatisfaction, but he had seen the policies proposed by Bai Wutong, witnessed the actively developing place and even looked forward to the future of Carefree City. Fan Gao often felt that it was a pity in his heart. Why wasn¡¯t she a man? If she was a man, not to mention the entire Carefree City, but even the entire Ling Kingdom, he would be happy to see Bai Wutong be involved. But she was a woman! Fan Gao would definitely not compromise with a woman controlling the entire world. He insisted stubbornly, ¡°As long as the southern frontier is under the Ling Kingdom, women can¡¯t do anything! If the emperor finds out, the consort will be guilty of treason!¡± Bai Wutong sneered. ¡°Without me, the southern frontier would have fallen into Gu Chilie¡¯s hands!¡± ¡°Since he can be the emperor, why don¡¯t I give it a try too?¡± Bai Wutong looked at everyone.. ¡°What do you think?¡± Chapter 381 - Chapter 381: Long Live Our Emperor! Chapter 381: Long Live Our Emperor! Translator: Atlas Studios | Editor: Atlas Studios Bai Wutong actually wanted to be the emperor! Everyone held their breaths as soon as she said that. Qingfeng knelt down without hesitation. ¡°I¡¯m loyal to Your Majesty! All the dark guards of the Dark Guards Team knelt down. ¡°We are loyal to Your Majesty!¡± From the beginning to the end, they had only been serving Bai Wutong. qingfeng¡¯s words shocked everyone. In their minds, they could accept a woman deciding everything, but they did not dare to accept a woman to become the Great Empress above everyone. If a woman became the emperor, what were men like them? Lin Yue looked at Stinky and then at Qingfeng. Sheng Huaixuan suddenly knelt down. ¡°I¡¯m willing to be loyal to you.¡± Bai Wutong was Stinky¡¯s godmother. She had saved Stinky and had long formed an unbreakable affinity with the Sheng family. Apart from Ba. Wutong, probably no one would really take the businessmen seriously. Lin Yue was delighted and hurriedly knelt down. Since Sheng Huaixuan had bowed down, the servants Sheng Huaixuan had brought and the servants he had bought had no choice but to kneel. With a whoosh, a huge dent appeared in the crowd. Ah Duo shouted happily, ¡°I support you! She expressed her stance to her clansmen in tribal language, and the clansmen immediately shouted with her in their broken Chinese, ¡°We support you!!!¡± Other people looked down on women, but Ah Duo did not have these concerns. She felt that Bai Wutong was the smartest and most capable woman in this world. She said excitedly, ¡°If they don¡¯t want you to be the emperor, you can follow us. 1¡¯11 let you become the leader of our tribe. If you want the entire southern frontier, we can also fight for you!¡± The clans outside Carefree City were originally one. If Bai Wutong really brought her people to join Ah Duo¡¯s Tribe and became the tribe leader, Ah Mi¡¯s Tribe would definitely not be able to resist. Moreover, compared to these Central Plains people who discriminated against them, it was naturally better to follow Bai Wutong. Ah Mi immediately expressed his stance. ¡°1 can also make you the tribe leader!¡± Ah Duo glared at Ah Mi and warned him not to snatch from her. You Huaijie was a dark guard arranged by Bai Wutong. He followed closely behind. ¡°I¡¯m willing to pledge my loyalty to Madam Bai!¡± You Huaijie, who had won the hearts of the people, knelt down. The soldiers looked at each other and knelt down hesitantly. If Bai Wutong took all these people away, how could they have a good life in the future? Especially the villagers of Zhao farmyard, they had been following Bai Wutong from the beginning. They were overjoyed that Bai Wutong wanted to be the Great Empress. They knelt down more quickly than anyone else. When the hesitant commoners saw that everyone was kneeling, they hurriedly knelt down, afraid that Bai Wutong would note them down if they knelt too late. For a moment, more than half of the crowd knelt. Most of the remaining people were scholars. The influence of a thousand years of conservative mindset was not only limited to women, but also men. They were extremely resistant to Bai Wutong wanting to become the Great Empress. However, they had to admit that Bai Wutong had the ability to control the situation. Apart from the 30 families of Qinghe, everyone in Youjia Village had knelt down. They were all waiting for Yang Quanzi to express his stance. If Yang Quanzi knelt, they would accept it. In any case, in the short span of three years, the emperor had already been replaced twice. If this person was Bai Wutong, it did not seem unacceptable. Almost three-quarters of the people were kneeling! With Bai Wutong¡¯s momentum, Fan Gao shouted at the frowning Yang Quanzi, -She¡¯s a woman! You¡¯re rebelling if you do this and will be beheaded!¡± The moment Yang Quanzi raised his eyelids, Cui Lingyi also knelt down. Her eyes were burning with vitality and majesty. ¡°Even if it¡¯s a rebellion, I¡¯m willing to fight on the battlefield!¡± If not for Bai Wutong, there would be no point in surviving if she returned to the life where women were only worthy of staying in the backyard! It was better to turn into smoke and disperse with the rivers, mountains, and seas. Cui Lingyi¡¯s gentle and weak image contrasted strongly with her powerful words, igniting the blood of the female students. The female students shouted crisply, ¡°We¡¯re willing too!¡± If their teacher could, Qingfeng could, and so could they! Weak girls and simple commoners still had the power to choose a virtuous ruler. As a longstanding fan of Bai Wutong, why didn¡¯t Yang Quanzi kneel?! He stood up and bowed deeply to Bai Wutong. He lifted the robe at his waist and suddenly knelt down. ¡°I¡¯m not kneeling to a woman or a man. I¡¯m kneeling to a wise ruler who is thinking for the people!¡± The indifference to women that had existed for a thousand years seemed to have collapsed heavily at this moment. All the teachers of the 30 families of Qinghe knelt down. Witnessing the scene in front of them, for some reason, the women felt a lump in their throats and their hearts surged with excitement. Everyone expressed their submission to Bai Wutong. Fan Gao scolded angrily, ¡°You¡¯re all crazy! Crazy!¡± Bai Wutong had no intention of becoming the Great Empress previously. Qn second thought, if Chu Tianbao returned to the southern frontier and Emperor Linghui sent someone over to forcefully take over the southern frontier and asked Chu Tianbao and Noble Consort Ling to return to the Imperial City, what should she do? Fan Gao had reminded her that it was better to completely control the entire southern border. If Emperor Linghui wanted to fight a war, with oil, iron, ores, and coal to produce firearms, there was no need for them to fear that they would not be able to win. If she wanted to take down the entire Ling Kingdom, Bai Wutong believed that as long as she was given five years, she could take down the throne that Chu Shixiong had plotted for half of his life. Bai Wutong¡¯s determined gaze was astonishing. ¡°Thank you for your support. Our Carefree City will officially be called Carefree Kingdom today.¡± Fan Gao¡¯s heart was beating violently, but he still could not believe it. ¡°You¡¯re rebelling!¡± Bai Wutong suddenly smiled evilly and stroked her stomach twice. ¡°Isn¡¯t Emperor Linghui also rebelling?¡± ¡°Now that the Carefree Kingdom has been established, I¡¯m sorry but to let Mr. Fan Gao suffer a little in the cell.¡± Chu Tianbao was probably on the way back. At this moment, she could not let anything leak out. Fan Gao was already advanced in years. The simple cell was leaking air on all sides. Yang Quanzi wanted to say a few words for him, but after thinking about it, he did not say anything. Since Bai Wutong did not kill him, it meant that there was still room for negotiation. When Fan Gao calmed down, he would help him plead about it later. Fan Gao and his disciples were dragged away, and the scene fell silent again. Huang Zhong¡¯s heart twitched. He wondered if the history books would record the reason why Bai Wutong suddenly wanted to ascend to the throne. It was all because he was wearing a strange short shirt and shorts. The outcome had been decided. Cui Shize knelt down and stepped forward. ¡°Your Majesty, please decide on the coronation date as soon as possible. in the past dynasties, the coronation ceremony was extremely important. It also symbolized the will of the people and the ownership of the imperial power. Bai Wutong did not refuse. ¡°The eighth day of the next month is a good day. There¡¯s no need to make a big deal out of it. Just a simple greeting and report your job!¡± Cui Shize replied, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty! Long live our emperor!¡± The commoners kowtowed like Cui Shize and bowed properly. ¡°Long live our emperor!¡± Fortunately, Bai Wutong had watched many television dramas and had even watched the live version with the production team. She was not afraid at all that she had suddenly become the Great Empress. ¡°Rise.¡± In everyone¡¯s eyes, she was calm and composed. After the commoners bowed, they realized that they had become citizens of the Imperial City under the emperor¡¯s feet. They looked at each other and felt like they were in a dream.. Chapter 382 - Chapter 382: The Great Empress’ Duty Chapter 382: The Great Empress¡¯ Duty Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Since she had become a Great Empress and enjoyed the superiority and respect brought by the position, she should do her duty as the Great Empress. Bai Wutong undertook a drastic reform of the official system of the Imperial Court. She also set up an official report and arranged for daily civilization and perfecting the laws so that the commoners could understand the movements of political affairs at any time. A society¡¯s progress could not be separated from the development of civilization, the advancement of technology, the power of the military, the stability of education, and the guarantee of medical services and employment. There were nearly 200,000 people in Carefree City, and the illiteracy rate was as high as 80%. Without words as a mode of communication, it was very difficult to learn any skills. Many children from Qinghe Academy and Qinghe Women¡¯s Academy would often develop a rejection to learning because writing was boring and words were difficult to remember. The families would think that they were not cut out for studying, so they simply did not let them go to school. Instead, they would directly help the family explore the land and work to earn money. There were children who dropped out almost every day. Bai Wutong suddenly had the idea of promoting simplified characters and pinyin. She thought for a moment and called Yang Quanzi, Cui Lingyi, and the other teachers of the academy to ask about the progress of the students. In the past, the acceptance to Qinghe Academy was extremely strict. Students with poor grades could not enter the school. Nowadays, they accepted all kinds of children at all stages of life. Naturally, their grades were not of equal standards. Bai Wutong wanted to learn about the basic situation and asked in detail, ¡°Is it difficult for students to read and write?¡± A teacher couldn¡¯t help but shake his head and laugh. ¡°It¡¯s not difficult for students to read and write. Those who find it difficult have already dropped out of school.¡± A teacher¡¯s duty was to teach a student and clear his doubts. If the students wanted to give up, they would not force them. If they did not force it, children who were not tenacious and were playful would naturally not take their studies to heart. When children were determined as incapable of studying, parents would let them work hard and contribute to the family at an early age. How could the illiteracy rate increase this way? If students were forced to go to school, the teachers would not have enough energy to teach them all. In the future, they would have to visit the parents to persuade the students to study and formulate the teaching content. There were not many teachers who knew how to teach, so there was no need to mention these additional responsibilities. Students were the future of the country. If the young were strong, the country would be strong. If the young were educated, the country would be too. If the young were rich, the country would be rich. Compulsory basic education was the foundation! Bai Wutong thought for a moment and decided to lower the threshold for becoming a teacher. Just like in modern times, she would set up elementary schools, middle schools, and universities. If a person wanted to become a teacher, he or she only had to pass the teaching examination and undergo short-term training and internship. Then, they would establish primary schools as compulsory education. Secondary schools were divided into vocational and general schools, same for universities so that students could be enrolled as long as their results met the standard. This way, students who were still studying in Qinghe Academy with better results could take the teacher¡¯s teaching position and form an education cycle. As for adults, they chose to set up special adult classes to prevent children from being influenced by the bad habits of adults. A teacher suggested, ¡°What if the child insists on not going to school?¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°If everyone has gone to school, they naturally want to be with their friends.¡± ¡°The teachers have to spend a little effort to guide some specific children.¡± Most children over the age of ten were very obedient. Even if they were disobedient, they would just be after getting a beating. When they grew up, they would understand that it was really good to have a chance to read and write for free. After Bai Wutong¡¯s suggestion was unanimously affirmed, they entered the discussion stage of the textbook content. They had to carefully organize the content of the books according to the age and the publishing itself had accumulated a huge amount of work. Bai Wutong asked Cui Lingyi to bring over the children¡¯s introductory books. She took a closer look and raised her main thought for the day. ¡°The words left behind by the ancestor have been changed generations after generations to form the words we are learning now.¡± ¡°But I think there¡¯s still room for simplification in these words.¡± ¡°If we simplify the process of reading and writing, we can also save time in learning. After all, words are only a carrier of knowledge.¡± After all, words were only a carrier of knowledge! Everyone¡¯s eyes lit up. They did not know why Bai Wutong had the ability to easily explain the core idea and convince them. However, some teachers felt that the current characters were already simplified enough. They felt that if it was too simplified, it would cause confusion in everyone¡¯s minds. Faced with the senior teacher¡¯s question, Bai Wutong did not refute. Instead, she flipped open a page of the sutra and wrote a large character. After writing, Bai Wutong placed the word on the book together with the word she had just written. In an instant, everyone sighed in surprise. The words written by Bai Wutong looked very simple and were very different from the original version of the sutra. However, when looking at it alone, everyone still recognized every word at a glance. Bai Wutong taught everyone the principle of replacing the words. After learning this principle, they could change words on the spot. After everyone understood it, they were immediately shocked. So words could be simplified like this!!! Yang Quanzi said in admiration, ¡°Your Majesty is unparalleled in intelligence!¡± Someone suggested again, ¡°Simplifying words can indeed increase the efficiency of children¡¯s literacy, but won¡¯t the words passed down by our ancestors disappear forever?¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°How can the ancestor¡¯s inheritance disappear? It¡¯s recorded in the book, on the stone tablet, and in history. In everyone¡¯s hearts, it will become a milestone on the path of knowledge.¡± ¡°We can set up a specialized subject and let an endless stream of students focus on protecting the treasure left behind by our ancestor.¡± When Bai Wutong said this, the senior teachers immediately felt their hearts burn. As long as the inheritance and development could continue concurrently, they had nothing to say. After everyone accepted the simplification of the words, Bai Wutong guided everyone to mark each word with pinyin. There was no pinyin in this world, but there was a pronunciation method already introduced. However, the pronunciation method was too complicated and was far less convenient than pinyin. When Bai Wutong suggested pinyin, everyone was stunned and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What is pinyin?¡± Bai Wutong marked the pinyin on the word ¡°oh¡±. After explaining, everyone finally understood. It turned out that when two different sounds were put together, one could obtain another sound. It was quite convenient! It was much more convenient than their pronunciation method. Everyone quickly accepted Bai Wutong¡¯s idea and privately discussed how many pinyins to summarize. After the meeting ended, Bai Wutong and Cui Lingyi wanted to go to the market to shop. They changed into a short-sleeved dress and held a fan. It was refreshing and comfortable. As they walked on the road, the scene immediately became a beautiful landscape. Ah Duo was very excited to see this. ¡°Did you see that? Your Majesty is wearing the clothes of our tribe!¡± Your Majesty is really good-looking. Even though she¡¯s pregnant, it¡¯s difficult to resist her outstanding charm. The graceful Cui Lingyi beside her and her perfect figure was even more stunning. The girls who were originally afraid of revealing their skin were also tempted in an instant. Since the empress could wear it, why couldn¡¯t they? It was such a simple and graceful style. They would go home and make it now.. Chapter 383 - Chapter 383: Women Love It Like Mad Chapter 383: Women Love It Like Mad Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Bai Wutong and Cui Lingyi walked to the market¡¯s trading area. Everyone were setting up their stalls. Most people were selling the local produce they had farmed in their free time. There were duck eggs, seaweed, seafood, hunted prey, wild fruits, wild vegetables, chives and cabbages planted by their families, handicrafts, and so on. The local produce was rich. Bai Wutong¡¯s horizons were broadened at the market when she discovered many strange wild fruits. There were more than a dozen types of fruits she had never seen before. Bai Wutong even accidentally discovered lemons. The lemon was placed in the corner. It looked golden and quite appetizing, but no one patronized the store. As the lemons were too sour, when everyone first discovered the lemons and smelled the fragrance, they thought that the taste was definitely not bad. In the end, when they took a bite, everyone¡¯s teeth almost fell out because of the sourness. Even though the entire lemon tree was filled with fruits, everyone could not be bothered to pick them after tasting them. The villagers of Youjia village had seen Bai Wutong use green oranges to brew tea. Since others did not pick them, they picked a large pile of the fruit and cut them into lemon slices. They poured hot water over the lemon slices, added honey and white sugar, and added some mint. It actually tasted nicer than Bai Wutong¡¯s green orange tea. Everyone was full of confidence as they brought their items to the market to sell. Unfortunately, lemon water was delicious, but it would be too expensive with honey and sugar. Drinking the lemon water only had a refreshing taste, so it was better to drink a cup of tea. Everyone had so many lemons. Apart from people from wealthy families, almost no one patronized the store. How refreshing it would be to be able to drink a glass of cold lemonade in the summer! Moreover, with a large number of lemons, it could replace the lime as the ingredient for the special Phoenix Tail Wine and produce a large amount of Phoenix Tail Wine. In addition, lemons had many uses. Not only could they be used as an ingredient to develop perfume, skincare, incense and candle spray, but they could also be made into edible lemon essence and processed into various lemon-flavored candy snacks and drinks. In daily life, lemon could be used to remove stench and make lemon chicken feet. In modern times, it was an extremely popular gourmet dish. Zhao Lanzhi, who was searching for spices in the market, also saw the lemons. She picked up the lemon and sniffed it. She was immediately attracted by its unique fragrance. It smelled so good. She would definitely be able to make a fragrant flower dew. Zhao Lanzhi smiled brightly and asked, ¡°Auntie, what effect does this fruit have?¡± Not everyone was a local, so there were frequent incidents of people being poisoned after accidentally eating local food. Bai Wutong set a rule that if they sold food that they had never seen before in the market, they had to be tested by the doctors before they could sell it. Naturally, everyone also learned about the effect of lemons. The villager chuckled and said, ¡°The doctor said that it can promote digestion, relieve heat, improve skin texture, has a rich fragrance and can prevent aging!¡± ¡°If I tell others this, they¡¯ll think I¡¯m exaggerating!¡± Lemons actually had so many benefits. While Zhao Lanzhi was happy, she immediately said, ¡°Then Auntie, help me pack a few of them!¡± She knew that stretch marks often appeared on a pregnant woman¡¯s stomach and was about to research a skincare solution that could prevent stretch marks for Bai Wutong to use. ¡°Lanzhi!¡± Zhao Lanzhi turned around and saw Bai Wutong and Cui Lingyi. She immediately bowed. ¡°Greetings, Great Empress and Teacher.¡± ¡°No need for formalities.¡± Zhao Lanzhi stood up, took out two porcelain bottles, and handed them to Bai Wutong and Cui Lingyi. She said happily, ¡°Great Empress, this is the powder I specially developed.¡± Bai Wutong and Cui Lingyi opened the exquisite porcelain jar, dipped a little and smeared it on their hands. It was delicate and breathable, and the color had a natural glow. Bai Wutong was a little surprised. This was very close to modern-day foundation. ¡°This isn¡¯t powder made of rice noodles, right?¡± Cui Lingyi also said curiously, ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen such a delicate powder.¡± She was the one who taught Zhao Lanzhi how to make makeup and flower dew. Now, she had far surpassed Cui Lingyi. Other than the texture of the powder and the elegant fragrance, it was not inferior to a flower dew at all. Zhao Lanzhi took out a gray rock from her bag and said excitedly, ¡°When local men look for a partner, they will apply a red decoration on their faces. I realized that they used this rock as the raw material, so I ground this rock into fine powder and made it into powder to try. I didn¡¯t expect the effect to be especially good!¡± ¡°Not only is the makeup lasting, but the coverage is also very effective!¡± Bai Wutong took the rock and looked at it. It was indeed the raw material for modern-day cosmetics¡ªtalcum. Talcum was one of the softest stones in the world. It was soft and delicate and could develop all kinds of makeup. Bai Wutong praised, ¡°The texture of this powder is very good. It¡¯s very delicate, and the color suits me very well. Thank you.¡± Cui Lingyi smiled and said, ¡°The student surpasses the master. I like it very much too. I¡¯ll use it tomorrow.¡± After being praised by Bai Wutong and Cui Lingyi, Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°I¡¯ll make this powder into a convenient makeup box when I get back!¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°If it¡¯s being sold, it should be very popular. You can go to Qin Xiao¡¯s design studio and ask him to help you design it.¡± Qin Xiao¡¯s products would definitely be top-notch! Zhao Lanzhi was a little embarrassed. ¡°Will it be very troublesome for Young Master Qin?¡± Bai Wutong shook her head. ¡°Even if Qin Xiao doesn¡¯t have time, there are still others in the studio. The rouge and cosmetics you make are all very good. You can consider creating a makeup workshop. There will be frequent opportunities to cooperate in the future.¡± ¡°A makeup workshop?¡± Zhao Lanzhi asked timidly, ¡°Can I do it?¡± She was not knowledgeable and her arithmetic was average. She did not dare to imagine that she could open a workshop. Moreover, opening a workshop required money and manpower. It was impossible for the rouge powder she developed to win a patent award. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°Of course you can. Auntie Yang can even be the director of the food factory. You¡¯re young and studious. If there¡¯s anything you don¡¯t understand, feel free to consult the officials of the Ministry of Civil Affairs.¡± Zhao Lanzhi said frankly, ¡°Even if I can do it, I don¡¯t have the money. Moreover, opening a workshop will affect my time studying cosmetics. Let¡¯s forget it!¡± In modern times, cosmetics were already an indispensable part of the global industry. The women loved it like crazy. They would lay their hands on cosmetics even if they cut off their hands every day. The men could only hit against the wall hard, as tears flowed from their wallets. The cost of cosmetics was low, and the profits were huge. Moreover, women¡¯s money was the easiest to earn. If it was done well, the annual tax would also be a huge revenue. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ve said it before. Any product that is commercial and can bring value to the economy can receive a patent award.¡± ¡°If you find it troublesome to open a workshop, you can hand it over to the Imperial Court and receive your regular dividends.¡± ¡°But I feel that the cosmetics you make has a bright future. Not only will it be popular with our commoners, but also in Ling Kingdom and even overseas.¡± ¡°If you want to keep the product in your hands and update and improve it at any time, you can find a few partners if you don¡¯t have enough funds. Firstly, there will be someone to help you manage the workshop. Secondly, you will have the rights in the workshop while continuing your research..¡± Chapter 384 - Chapter 384: A Thousand-mile Dam Destroyed by An Ant Chapter 384: A Thousand-mile Dam Destroyed by An Ant Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios It was clearly more beneficial to the Imperial Court for her to hand over the patent, but Bai Wutong was filled with consideration for her. Zhao Lanzhi was extremely touched and couldn¡¯t help but sob. ¡°Thank you, Great Empress¡­ I¡­ I¡¯ll definitely work hard to pay the tax!¡± Bai Wutong was amused by her. Cui Lingyi wiped her tears. ¡°You¡¯re right. Our goal should be to work hard to pay the taxes! If you open a workshop, I¡¯ll be the first to invest! If no one takes care of it, I¡¯ll send someone to take care of it!¡± Cui Lingyi did not know much about business, but Sheng Huaixuan was an expert in this area. He was busy, but any shopkeeper under him could take charge alone. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°If you invest, I¡¯ll also invest. How can the Great Empress not have private assets?¡± Zhao Lanzhi was stunned. For a moment, the pressure on her increased greatly. She was afraid that she would implicate Bai Wutong and her teacher. However, this was also a full affirmation of her ability. Zhao Lanzhi thanked her gratefully and swore that she would definitely run the workshop well. ¡­.. Lemon was good stuff. Bai Wutong directly asked the steward in charge of the Phoenix Tail Wine to buy all the lemons and arranged for them to be planted with other fruits. As they continued forward, a stall selling buns was packed with people. Lin Yue bought two hot buns and handed one to Qingfeng. Then, he saw Bai Wutong and Cui Lingyi. Qingfeng handed the bun to Bai Wutong, who shook her head. ¡°Lin Yue gave it to you. Eat it yourself. I¡¯ll get someone to buy it.¡± Qingfeng nodded and took a bite of the bun under Lin Yue¡¯s expectant gaze. The skin of the bun was soft and fermented just right. Inside was pure fish meat with delicious juice. It tasted quite good. After a while, the servants bought buns and handed them to Bai Wutong. Even the Great Empress patronized them, so the bun stall¡¯s business became even better. Bai Wutong held the bun, filled with thoughts, and asked the accompanying official, ¡°Who is the owner of the bun stall?¡± The official hurriedly said, ¡°The stall is registered under a female worker called Tian Fanghua.¡± Bai Wutong continued to ask, ¡°How long has it been since her bun stall was opened?¡± The official said, ¡°She comes almost every day. If she can¡¯t come because she¡¯s working, she would ask her family to take turns.¡± Bai Wutong said, ¡°Go and report the situation of this family and the daughter and son-in-law of this family to me.¡± As soon as these words were spoken, the official immediately thought of something unusual. However, he could not care less and hurriedly gave the order. Bai Wutong and Cui Lingyi sat under a pergola and drank sour plum juice. After a long time, the official respectfully handed over the information he had found. Bai Wutong looked at the names on the list one by one. Soon, she saw a familiar name. Bai Wutong¡¯s expression was solemn. Since it involved political matters, Cui Lingyi could not ask further. She heard Bai Wutong sneer, ¡°How brazen of them?¡± They had been in the southern frontier for so long. Other than the rich families, the rice and food carried by the commoners had long been eaten up. The rice and food purchased later and the food transported by the Imperial Court were all distributed according to the number of people or only provided to the various workshops¡¯ canteens. There were very few white flour in the market. Of course, those with money could also buy them from others. However, there must be something strange about being able to buy steamed buns made of pure white flour at such a cheap price and sell them for so many days. When Bai Wutong received the list and realized that the son-in-law of the bun shop was the canteen manager of the furniture factory, she was immediately furious. There was a clear quantity of white flour recorded. It was extremely difficult to hide so much white flour without being discovered. However, Zhang Tong did it. What did this mean? It meant that everyone had turned a blind eye and even helped him cover up and secretly seek benefits. A thousand-mile dam was destroyed by ants. Corruption would eat away at everyone¡¯s interests. Bai Wutong calmed down and asked Cui Lingyi to leave. She also asked the dark guard to call Cui Shize over. Bai Wutong pointed at the bun stall in front. ¡°Lord Cui, do you see anything?¡± Cui Shize was stunned for a moment. He couldn¡¯t say that the bun stall was doing very well, right? Bai Wutong must be implying something. He stood still and looked again. Finally, he realized that something was wrong. Many people could not eat white rice and noodles. Even among the 30 families of Qjnghe, only the masters could eat them. How could anyone sell steamed buns! Cui Shize glanced at Bai Wutong and was secretly shocked. He immediately knelt down. ¡°I did not inspect well. Great Empress, please forgive me.¡± ¡°I will definitely send someone to investigate this matter immediately and punish him severely as a warning to others!¡± Bai Wutong said in a deep voice, ¡°Are all the inspectors useless?¡± ¡°Get them to formulate a detailed anti-corruption system for me. Get every citizen to participate. If they can¡¯t formulate it in five days, replace them!¡± After such a huge mistake and being personally caught by Bai Wutong, it was already considered a light punishment for him not to be removed from his position immediately. Cui Shize hurriedly agreed and sent someone to arrest all the people who were running the bun stall. The commoners immediately shouted in surprise, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Why did you arrest him?¡± ¡°Hey, you haven¡¯t returned my change!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t squeeze, don¡¯t squeeze. My shoes have fallen off.¡± Tian Fanghua struggled in panic. ¡°Sir, sir, we¡¯re all good citizens. We¡¯re just paying the stall fee to sell some food. Why are you arresting us?¡± The reason why she had the courage to shout was all because her good son-in-law had promised that it would definitely be fine if someone found out. This was because they were using flour that were about to go bad. He had bought them from the Imperial Court at a low price, which was why Tian Fanghua dared to sell buns openly. The soldiers did not explain. Instead, they arrested everyone involved and let Cui Shize interrogate them one by one. After being locked up for a day, Tian Fanghua¡¯s original confidence was reduced to less than a point. Cui Shize questioned fiercely, ¡°Where did these white flour from the bun stall come from?¡± Tian Fanghua braced herself and said, ¡°My eldest son-in-law gave it to me, but he definitely didn¡¯t steal it. He bought the flour from the Imperial Court at a low price! But it¡¯s definitely edible. There definitely won¡¯t be any problems with it. Our entire family has been eating it.¡± The Imperial Court had given the army moldy rice noodles the previous year, causing hundreds of soldiers to die overnight. Bai Wutong placed special emphasis on food safety and set standards to ensure the shelf life of food. However, this batch of new food was all purchased by Yu Suisheng from the Syrians and grain merchants. How could there be expired flour? Someone must have deliberately evaluated the white flour as food to be destroyed to benefit from it. Cui Shize ordered someone to bring Tian Fanghua¡¯s son-in-law, Zhang Tong, over. When Zhang Tong saw Cui Shize, he knelt on the ground in fear and trepidation. He shouted that he was accused repeatedly and acted very well. ¡°Sir, I only took white flour that is about to expire. If you don¡¯t believe me, follow me to the warehouse to take a look!¡± Cui Shize¡¯s eyes suddenly darkened. ¡°I haven¡¯t asked you anything yet. How did you know that I wanted to ask you about the white flour?¡± Zhang Tong was stunned. His palms were sweating from nervousness. He stammered, ¡°When I was captured, I heard it from someone on the way.¡± Cui Shize immediately questioned loudly, ¡°Even if the white flour is expiring, what right do you have to sell the white flour of the Imperial Court to your mother-in-law?¡± Chapter 385 - Chapter 385: Something fishy Chapter 385: Something fishy Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Zhang Tong¡¯s back was covered in sweat. He braced himself and pretended to be calm. ¡°I only dared to let my family bring the white flour away after asking for Lord Qian¡¯s permission.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask Lord Qian!¡± Previously, Qian Tu was only a small bailiff leader who had been ordered to buy food from the Syrians. He had performed well, so he was appointed as the Chief of Food. He was in charge of checking the quantity of the food. The batch of food that had just arrived from the Imperial Court was all checked by him. With the establishment of the Carefree Kingdom, Qian Tu¡¯s value was also rising day by day. After being summoned by Cui Shize, he seemed very calm. After bowing to Cui Shize, ho seemed to have made sufficient preparations in advance. He took out an accounting book from his sleeve and said respectfully, ¡°Sir, I¡¯ve checked it. According to the Great Empress¡¯ food safety standards, many of these batches are indeed defective. I couldn¡¯t bear to destroy them just like that, so I made the decision to sell the white flour at a low price to those in need. However, I definitely did not pocket the money. All the records are in the accounting book here!¡± ¡°I was also muddle-headed. I thought that I could reduce some losses for the Imperial Court and increase the income of the people, so I did this.¡± As he spoke, there was a hint of grievance in his words. Cui Shize took the account book and flipped through it carefully. Qian Tu¡¯s account book indeed recorded the transaction of every gram of white flour in detail. ¡­.. Qian Tu secretly glanced at Cui Shize¡¯s expression and felt a little smug. He was only doing this for the sake of the Imperial Court. He had privately sold the expired white flour to the commoners at a low price and did not gain any benefits. Cui Shize would at most say a few words and he would be fined a little. There were three criteria for white flour to be unqualified. It depended on the color, smell, and whether there were bugs. If one of the three did not meet the standards for human consumption, it would be treated as fertilizer. Regardless of whether there was anything wrong with the white flour, Qian Tu had already committed a serious crime by selling the white flour to others without permission and only reporting it after the incident. As an official in charge of food, it was impossible for him not to have such basic knowledge. There must be something fishy going on. Cui Shize¡¯s expression was gloomy. Qian Tu panicked and knelt down to plead for himself. ¡°Sir, I saw that their lives were not easy, so my heart softened and I gave them the white flour. If I knew that they were selling it for money, I would definitely not agree!¡± There were many commoners who were having a harder time than Zhang Tong¡¯s family. Why did Qian Tu have to give to Zhang Tong¡¯s family out of everyone else? He even instructed the others in private not to make a fuss. It was obvious that they were deliberately in cahoots for benefits. Cui Shize detained Qian Tu in the cell and turned to the white flour warehouse to check if the white flour had really expired. The bags of white flour were placed neatly together. Cui Shize randomly selected a few bags, opened them, and checked them one by one. The delicate smell of the white flour was normal, and there were no insects at all. He walked towards the white flour that had been judged by Qian Tu to be unqualified. He opened the bag and saw that the white flour was yellow and there were some small insects inside. How could such a situation happen to the same batch of white flour? Cui Shize looked for Sheng Huaixuan to ask if there were any fakes when Yu Suisheng was purchasing food. With Yu Suisheng¡¯s character, it was impossible for him to do such a thing. Moreover, when buying food, it had to be carefully checked. Sheng Huaixuan found many people to testify that the food that Yu Suisheng had bought was intact until it was transported to the southern frontier. The food warehouse had been specially dampproofed when it was built. All the food there could be properly stored. There would definitely not be any insects or mold in the short term. Then there was only one possibility left. Someone had deliberately created the illusion that the white flour was damaged. Cui Shize squatted down and picked up a small bug to take a closer look. He realized something unusual. The insect in his palm was a long-nosed rice worm, not a hard-shelled flour worm. In the past, Cui Shize would definitely not have been able to differentiate between rice worms and flour worms. After farming in Youjia village for so long and chatting with the commoners every day, he knew everything that a farmer should know. How could a rice worm be inside the flour? Someone must have put it there on purpose. Cui Shize found a major loophole. His eyes lit up. He grabbed another handful of white flour and sniffed it. There was a smell of soybean powder. This meant that the color of these expired white flour was dyed yellow by soybean powder, and the insects had deliberately been put in. Cui Shize immediately got the soldiers to arrest everyone guarding the warehouse and interrogate them carefully. With so many white flour in such a state, it was impossible for them not to know. Some people were very timid and immediately confessed. It was Qian Tu who instructed them to do this. He ground a bucket of soybean powder and asked them to go to Baye City to get a few bags of moldy rice grains. Ho specially caught rice worms and placed them in the white flour. They were all small insects. No one would notice them unless they looked carefully. Moreover, oven if someone noticed the slight difference, they could explain it as the insects climbing into the rice bag. The evidence was conclusive. The only thing he did not understand was why Qian Tu would go through so much trouble to sell white flour for a little silver. Cui Shize got someone to bring Zhang Tong up and probed, ¡°Qian Tu and the others have already confessed. You used soybean powder and rice worms to deliberately make expired white flour to deceive others. If you confess now, I can give you a chance to reduce your sentence.¡± Zhang Tong widened his eyes in disbelief. When he met Cui Shize¡¯s serious and dignified black eyes, he immediately cowered and pitifully shied away from the responsibility. ¡°Sir, it¡¯s not my fault. It¡¯s all because Qian Tu forced me. He has strong influence and asked me to cooperate with him to make expired flour and sell buns. I had no choice but to obey. If I didn¡¯t listen, he would make things difficult for me. I had no choice!¡± ¡°We only got 10% of the money earned from selling buns. The rest was taken by him. Sir, please spare us!¡± Cui Shize¡¯s eyes instantly darkened. So that was it! Qian Tu wanted to gain benefits, but he was afraid that he would attract trouble, so he specially pushed Zhang Tong out as a human shield. Not only would someone specially earn silver for him, but if something happened, someone would also be a scapegoat. ¡®We¡¯ve been trembling in fear all day long, and all the silver has entered his pockets. Wo didn¡¯t want to, but how can we beat him! Sir, please spare me this time!11 Only now did he know fear. He was afraid that he would be demoted to a lowly status. He was afraid that he would implicate his entire family to suffer with him. He was afraid that his children would never be able to become officials. He was afraid that the house they were about to move into and the fields waiting for the autumn harvest would also turn into bubbles. Zhang Tong¡¯s begging did not arouse Cui Shize¡¯s sympathy at all. He had many ways to escape from Qian Tu¡¯s control, but he did not do so. Until now, he had been covering up for himself and Qian Tu. This meant that he must have taken the initiative to cooperate in this. Cui Shize ordered someone to bring Qian Tu up for interrogation. As expected, the coercion that Zhang Tong mentioned was actually his idea to curry favor with Qian Tu. However, he never expected that the bun stall would be personally targeted by the Great Empress and she would order to investigate this matter carefully. If it were any other official, they might really be able to get away with it.. Chapter 386 - Chapter 386: Your Good Luck Chapter 386: Your Good Luck Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios All those involved in the case were severely punished. Cui Shize reported the outcome of this matter to the higher-ups. Bai Wutong immediately ordered a thorough investigation into the corruption of all industries. Be it the glass factory, that had people taking the opportunity to use the raw materials in the factory to make jewelry for the wives, the food factory, where people stole vegetables home, or people using their official positions to assign roles to acquaintances, or that the distribution of houses, land, and food did not match the number of people, they were all punished. The sudden inspection involved a huge number of people and immediately deterred other people who were tempted to use their official positions for personal gain. Two minor officials who had exceeded the amount of corruption were directly sentenced to death. Bai Wutong¡¯s direct methods also made the men who looked down on her for being a woman not dare to underestimate her anymore. On a hot summer day, All Mi¡¯s clansmen went into the sea and caught a lot of clams. ¡­.. All Duo frequently went into the water and saved up enough for a pearl for Huang Zhong¡¯s aunt. She made the holes herself. The string of pearls did not look good, so she specially asked Bai Wutong who could help her make a beautiful necklace, and that she could give two big pearls as compensation. Seawater pearls have white, gold, silver, pink, red, black, blue, or gray colors. Among them, the best was white pearl with a hint of rose white and blue-black with a metallic luster. The box of pearls that All Duo had given Bai Wutong previously was pure white. Now, the small box she was holding contained more than a dozen plump pearls. Each pearl was the size of a pinky finger. There was also a rare golden one that could be used as a centerpiece to make a peerlessly precious pearl necklace. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to bring you over. They can help you design whatever style you like.¡± All Duo blinked happily. ¡°Thank you, Great Empress!¡± She jumped up in joy. Her purse fell to the ground, and the irregular-shaped pearls in it fell out. Bai Wutong reached out and picked up a pearl in the shape of a water droplet. There were patterns of the sea on it, and it shone with scales and light waves. It was very beautiful. All Duo picked up the rest of the pearls and said, ¡°These pearls are not round enough. I¡¯ll find Doctor Gu to sell them to him as herbs later.¡± Pearls had the effect of calming the mind, relieving the heat, nourishing the liver, clearing the eyes, and detoxifying the muscles. They were used in many prescriptions. In modern times, any product with pearl ingredients would give people the illusion that there was whitening effect. Whether it was made into cosmetics, toothpaste, or internal tonics, they were extremely popular with women. In the European royal family, there were many pieces of jewelry that had been passed down for a thousand years. Among them, there was a legendary necklace decorated with irregular oval pearls. The oval pearl in Bai Wutong¡¯s hand was even more beautiful in color and shape. These irregular pearls were from the baroque era when pearls were popular and everyone would crash into the wall for them. The irregular pearls that broke the norm were also known as baroque pearls. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°These pearls are also very beautiful and the colors are beautiful. You can take them and get them to design some beautiful headwear, jewelry, rings, and pearls for you.¡± As soon as she said this, All Duo¡¯s eyes immediately lit up. She said excitedly, ¡°I still have many of these pearls!¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°The jewelry made of pearls and the pearl powder are all very popular. You can set up a stall to sell these pearl products.¡± All Duo immediately smiled like a blooming flower. ¡°There are many people in our tribe who have these pearls. Can I get them to design jewelry for us too?¡± Bai Wutong said, ¡°If there are too many pearls, you can also learn how to make jewelry from the masters.¡± All Duo was overjoyed. ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± She turned around and wanted to look for her clansmen anxiously. The economic value of pearls was higher than the profits of the cannery. Bai Wutong suddenly stopped her. ¡°Where did you find the pearls? Can you take me to see them?¡± All Duo naturally agreed and brought Bai Wutong to the area where they had picked the pearls. This area of sea was quite deep. Only people who were good at swimming could dive down. Apart from the locals, very few people could come and go in the sea as freely as them. Seeing the sea, All Duo was like a fish that had seen water. She plunged into the sea and crawled out of the water like a mermaid. She waved happily at Bai Wutong. ¡°I¡¯ll go catch two clams for you!¡± Bai Wutong opened her hand and said, ¡°Be careful!¡± All Duo smiled at her and plunged into the sea. The waves gently hit the beach. It was a full two minutes before All Duo emerged from the sea, holding a sea clam high in her hand. She threw the sea clam ashore and plunged into the seabed again. After a while, she emerged from the sea. Ignoring Bai Wutong¡¯s call, All Duo crawled in again. She swore to find two sea clams for Bai Wutong. After going back and forth three times, when All Duo was exhausted, she finally found another sea clam and happily brought it to Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong immediately put a blanket on her. All Duo repeatedly said that there was no need and urged, ¡°This sea clam is especially big. I wonder if there are any larger pearls! Hurry up and try it!¡± Qingfeng wanted to open the sea clams for Bai Wutong, but Bai Wutong shook her head and handed one to her. She took one for herself. ¡°It¡¯s quite interesting to open the clams personally to get the pearls. 1 can do it myself.¡± Qingfeng nodded and got someone to bring over a table and chair. Bai Wutong¡¯s stomach was too big to squat down. The pearl clam was broken open by Bai Wutong. At a glance, she saw that the inside of the clam meat was bulging. Bai Wutong looked surprised, and All Duo cried out even more, ¡°There¡¯s pearls, there¡¯s pearls! Quickly take them out and take a look.¡± Under everyone¡¯s gaze, Bai Wutong dug into the clam meat. One, two, three, four¡­ There were a total of 12 pearls. They were the size of two thumbnails and were abnormally pure and snow-white in color, with a dazzling luster like a rainbow. The rest were smaller, but a few of them were relatively round in shape. They could be considered very high-quality pearls. Bai Wutong placed it in clear water to wash it. The pearls shone even more brightly. All Duo said happily, ¡°The Great Empress is really lucky. I rarely see such a big pearl.¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°Thank you. If it weren¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t have been so lucky.¡± The joy of opening pearls was really strong. Bai Wutong looked at the pearl clam in Qingfeng¡¯s hand. ¡°Quick, look at this.¡± Qingfeng nimbly pried open the pearl clam and saw nothing. Everyone inevitably looked disappointed. However, it was normal for wild clams to not have pearls. Qingfeng touched it with her hand and her hand suddenly paused. Everyone immediately widened their eyes. ¡°How is it? There is, right?¡± Qingfeng nodded and took out a big silver pearl from the clam. This pearl was a third larger than Bai Wutong¡¯s two large pearls. All Duo said excitedly, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such a big one! You¡¯re even luckier!¡± Qingfeng washed the pearls and handed them to Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong picked it up and took a few glances before stuffing the pearl into Qingfeng¡¯s hand. ¡°You have to keep the good luck that belongs to you well..¡± Chapter 387 - Chapter 387: What If I Can’t Pay Back? Chapter 387: What If I Can¡¯t Pay Back? Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Qingfeng would not go against Bai Wutong¡¯s words. She carefully put away the pearl. ¡°Thank you for the gift, Great Empress.¡± Bai Wutong smiled and picked up the pearl to look at it under the sunlight. The pearls reflected a colorful luster in the bright sunlight. They were exquisite and smooth without any impurities. This meant that the seawater and light here were very suitable for cultivating pearls. It would take years to nurture a beautiful big pearl. First, they had to choose an adult clam of one to one year old and use minimally invasive surgery to transplant the thin cell slices or pearl cores into the clam. Then, they had to place the clam that cultivated pearls into a net cage and hang it in the water to raise it. Two years later, they could open the clam and retrieve the pearls. This cultivation method could form a sustainable supply of pearls. ¡­.. In this world, there was no way to raise pearls. The price of pearls had always been high and they were one of the indispensable jewelry for women. If they could cultivate pearls and form a pearl industry chain, the profits would be quite considerable. Apart from seawater pearls, freshwater pearls could also be cultivated like this. The natural pearl color was unpredictable, but pearls could be nurtured by transplanting cell fragments or adding various elements to the water to form pearls, thereby nurturing colorful pearls that would never fade in color. In addition to jewelry, there were various uses for pearls. They could be buttons on clothes, decorations on clothes, additives in food, and so on. Every use could earn a huge profit. Moreover, pearls were a symbol of beauty. When the beautiful reputation of the southern frontier producing pearls spread, many customers would come because of it. Even if the Ling Kingdom was unwilling to interact with them, Bai Wutong would still think of a way to sell the products to the other side of the sea. A country¡¯s economic prosperity was the symbol of prosperity. All Duo knew where pearls were in this sea like the back of her hand. Her people were also good at swimming. It must be a good choice for them to bring the others to artificially cultivate pearls. Bai Wutong looked at the smiling All Duo. ¡°I know a way to cultivate pearls. 1 wonder if you¡¯re willing to try it with your clansmen?¡± Although there were many troublesome things to do to become the Great Empress and she had pitifully little personal time, there was a huge benefit. There was no need to explain any reason to everyone. They could help her imagine everything in her mind. Those who could not figure it out would also feel that she was blessed by the heavens and was the incarnation of a True Dragon, that she was omnipotent. Even though they were suspicious, they did not dare to question the emperor¡¯s authority. All Duo¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Away to cultivate pearls? Can pearls be cultivated too?¡± For thousands of years, everyone had thought that pearls were rare raw gems. Whether they could be found depended entirely on luck. Not to mention All Duo, even Yang Quanzi, who had traveled through the state, had never heard of pearls being cultivated. Bai Wutong smiled confidently. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Compared to entering the workshop, 1 think cultivating pearls is more suitable for your tribe. You can earn two sets of income while farming and cultivating pearls.¡± All Duo¡¯s clansmen were used to being unrestrained in the wilderness. Even though they could endure working in the workshop, they still yearned for freedom. All Duo¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°How? How long will it take to harvest the pearls?¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°About four or five years.¡± All Duo¡¯s smile froze. She asked in disbelief, ¡°That long? This is too long.¡± By the time they harvested the pearls, the cauliflower would have turned cold. Bai Wutong said, ¡°If we don¡¯t cultivate pearls and everyone goes to fish for pearls, do you think you can still get such beautiful pearls often in the future?¡± Pearls were valuable. Even if they did not buy them, women liked them very much. Their husbands would try their best to get one or two for them. Seeing that All Duo and the others had gone into the sea to get some pearls, many of them who were good at swimming secretly followed them into the water and really got some pearls. Everyone was extremely envious. Recently, there had been a lot of people learning to swim by the sea so that they could have the chance to go into the sea to fish for pearls. As soon as Bai Wutong said this, All Duo¡¯s expression froze. That¡¯s right. Now that so many people were fishing for pearls, they would definitely not be able to get many pearls in the future. All Duo said, ¡°But four or five years is too long.¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°The big pearls take four to five years. It¡¯s quite a long time. It will take a shorter time to nurture the small pearls. You usually just have to guard the net cage and feed the pearl clams. While farming, you can wait for the pearls to grow. When the pearls are harvested, you don¡¯t have to worry about not being able to sell them for a good price.¡± ¡°After all, everyone knows that pearls are filled with treasures.¡± All Duo thought for a moment. ¡°Then what¡¯s the difference between the pearls cultivated and the pearls growing in the sea? What about the yield? What if the clams all die if the cultivation is not successful? Or what if the pearls don¡¯t form at all after four or five years? And you have to spend money to cultivate pearls, right?¡± They went up the mountain to hunt and sell to everyone, and had earned some money. However, everyone still wanted to use this money to buy big houses and beautiful furniture. All Duo looked simple-minded, but she had a plan in her heart. She asked Bai Wutong a series of questions in one go, and every question was the main point. Bai Wutong answered patiently, ¡°Compared to wild pearls, sea clams containing cultivated pearls are fed by people. They absorb good nutrition. With good sunlight, they can grow larger and more beautiful pearls. There will also be more colorful pearls.¡± ¡°If we raise them according to the right method, with normal climate and water temperature, there won¡¯t be a large number of pearl clams dying.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re afraid of the risk, you can choose not to cultivate it.¡± ¡°Of course, if you want to cultivate it, the Imperial Court will definitely support the development of the pearl products and subsidize you with some funds. You can choose to raise the remaining amount yourself or borrow it from the Imperial Court. When the pearl clams can be sold, you can return the money to the Imperial Court.¡± Hearing this, All Duo immediately asked in disbelief, ¡°You can borrow money from the Imperial Court?¡± Bai Wutong had already planned to build an official bank. She smiled and said, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll loan you the money in advance. However, you have to repay the money monthly. The amount of interest is very small. If you have extra money on hand, you can also repay the money first. Then, there¡¯s no need to repay the interest.¡± The modern bank loan project was strict. Bai Wutong was personally guiding them to raise clams, so it was completely like using a sack to store money. It surprised All Duo that she still needed to repay the interest. ¡°Then what if we can¡¯t repay it?¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°There are still many solutions. If because of personal reasons, you are not able to repay the debt, naturally, you will be punished accordingly. If you mortgage your house or land, your personal records will also be affected and your future rights and interests will be restricted.¡± When All Duo heard that borrowing money was such a huge risk, she immediately cowered. ¡°It¡¯s too scary!¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°If you can cultivate the pearls, not only can you repay the amount, but you can also earn a lot of money. You can do whatever you want and buy whatever you want. Moreover, I guarantee that with my method, I can definitely let you grow big pearls.¡± ¡°Of course, you can also cultivate pearls without borrowing money. The cost of cultivating them is not high. The silver you save from hunting in the mountains can probably raise a small area of pearl clams.¡± The money saved from hunting was to be used to buy a house. Ah Duo was hesitant, but the idea drawn by Bai Wutong was too tempting. She gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Great Empress, let me go back and discuss it with the priest..¡± Chapter 388 - Chapter 388: I’m Registering! Chapter 388: I¡¯m Registering! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios All Duo wanted to go back and discuss it with Song Benhua, but Bai Wutong readily agreed. ¡°Sure, 1¡¯11 wait for your good news.¡± The Imperial Court would lend money for them to cultivate pearl clams and earn money. Bai Wutong was certain that they would agree. All Duo hurriedly found Song Benhua, who had been pestered by All Mi. ¡°Priest!!! I have something to tell you!!!¡± Song Benhua hurriedly pushed Ah Mi away and said seriously, ¡°Alright, 1¡¯11 go with you now.¡± All Mi was not tactful at all. ¡®Til go too!¡± All Duo didn¡¯t want anyone to know about the pearl cultivation. She rolled her eyes at Ah Mi. ¡°This is our tribe¡¯s business. You¡¯re not a member of our tribe yet! Hmph!¡± All Mi narrowed her eyes. ¡°1 already am.¡± ¡­.. Ah Duo¡¯s eyes widened as she looked at Song Benhua in disbelief. She was shocked that the two of them had progressed so quickly. Song Benhua was not someone who could be easily won over. All Duo¡¯s gaze landed on Ah Mi¡¯s bright face. She suddenly understood and gave Song Benhua a teasing smile. You can eat whatever you want, but you can¡¯t spout nonsense. Seeing that All Duo had misunderstood, Song Benhua hurriedly scolded All Mi, ¡°Don¡¯t spout nonsense!¡± All Mi shrugged dismissively. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter even if you don¡¯t admit it.¡± The more he said this, the more others misunderstood. Song Benhua¡¯s usually silent eyes were filled with vitality. He wanted to scold her, but he did not know how to say it. All Duo¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°Alright, we¡¯re all on the same side. Come into the tent with me.¡± All Mi was very happy to be called one of them by Ah Duo. Song Benhua was about to reprimand All Duo to not mess around when All Duo had already slipped into the tent. Ah Mi shamelessly entered the tent with Song Benhua. All Mi immediately told him about the pearl cultivation. Song Benhua and All Mi were surprised. They did not expect natural pearls to be raised in such a way. Ah Duo asked with a frown, ¡°Should we borrow money from the Imperial Court to cultivate sea clams? If they die, we¡¯ll have to compensate with silver.¡± ¡°Then our house will be gone!!!¡± Ah Duo went to the house that was about to be allocated to take a look. It was big and sturdy and she especially liked it. The thought of losing the house made her a little afraid. Song Benhua was from the Central Plains and knew the value of pearls better than All Duo. The ores could be mined clean. But if the pearls could be continuously cultivated, it would be an endless treasure basin. Not only did the Imperial Court provide technology, but they would also lend money to support them in cultivating pearls. It was simply a huge pie that had fallen from the sky. Song Benhua carefully asked about the monthly interest payment and the total capital investment. After receiving All Duo¡¯s answer, Song Benhua decided without hesitation, ¡°Let¡¯s cultivate it! Let¡¯s cultivate together with everyone!¡± Ah Duo was puzzled when she heard Song Benhua explain, ¡°The interest that the Great Empress requested to repay and the capital are not particularly much. Apart from the harvest from farming every year, we can also enter the workshop to work or enter the mountains to hunt for herbs. Even if we don¡¯t succeed in cultivating pearls, we won¡¯t lose so much that we have to mortgage the house.¡± ¡°If we succeed in cultivating it, it will be the only one in the entire Nanjiang, Ling Kingdom, and Hua State. It¡¯s equivalent to holding a treasure bowl in our hands.¡± ¡°We still have to thank the Great Empress later! We can¡¯t let her down!¡± Bai Wutong was talented and had seen this method of cultivating pearls in ancient books. It would definitely succeed! It had not been long since he integrated into this place. Unknowingly, Song Benhua¡¯s mind had also formed a subconscious impression of Bai Wutong¡¯s omnipotence. All Duo and Ah Mi¡¯s eyes widened and they nodded excitedly. ¡°Okay!¡± Later, they gathered their clansmen and persuaded everyone to cultivate pearls together. Most of the clansmen were good at swimming. Song Benhua analyzed the pros and cons for them. As long as someone led them along, they could really cultivate pearls. Everyone quickly agreed. All the clansmen agreed to cultivate pearls. All Duo immediately went to look for Bai Wutong. ¡°Great Empress, wee¡¯ll cultivate them!¡± Bai Wutong smiled at her expression that was dying to start the cultivation immediately. ¡°I thought of something again. While cultivating pearl clams, you can also raise fish. This way, you¡¯ll have another source of income.¡± ¡°The young fishes grow quickly. You can earn back the cost of cultivate the pearl clams in less than two years.¡± She had checked the relevant information in the space. If she raised some fishes, it could also allows the sea clam to grow¡¯ better. When the sea clam grew and they harvested the pearls, the meat and shells could also be ground into powder to make nutritional feed. Bai Wutong gave another form of guarantee for them to cultivate pearls. All Duo¡¯s worries immediately dissipated. Based on Bai Wutong¡¯s request, she went to find an area in the sea suitable for cultivating pearls and catch enough young clam. If they could find more young clams that w¡¯ere one to two years old, the time taken to nurture the pearls w¡¯ould be halved. All Duo chose a bay suitable for cultivating pearls and brought her clansmen around to look for young clams. They attracted everyone¡¯s attention by frequenting the sea. Seeing that they were even catching clams the size of fingernails, someone immediately said, ¡°These are such small clams. It¡¯s not even enough to fill the gaps between your teeth. Why are you catching so many?¡± There was a lot of seafood by the sea. Many people felt that there was something wrong with their brains. The total number of people in All Duo and Ah Mi¡¯s tribe w¡¯as too few. Bai Wutong even asked Song Benhua to recruit 500 families to join the pearl cultivation. When someone asked, Song Benhua said, ¡°This is a young clam used to cultivate pearls. The Imperial Court has lent us money and taught us the methods. If you¡¯re interested in learning more, you can come and ask me in detail.¡± As soon as he said that, everyone¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You can cultivate pearls?¡± Song Benhua smiled and said, ¡°This is a method that the Great Empress has seen in ancient books. Not only can we cultivate pearls, but we can also raise fish. A few thousand kilograms of fish a year can be supplied to the canning factory to be made into canned fish. It¡¯s another considerable income.¡± ¡°The production of pearls is also very high, and w¡¯e¡¯re the only ones with such technology. This is a rare opportunity. Those who w¡¯ant to sign up, hurry up. There are still 500 slots left!¡± Zhao Erw¡¯a¡¯s father, Zhao Huai, asked carefully, ¡°What¡¯s going on with the Imperial Court lending funds?¡± Before Song Benhua could answer, everyone asked again, ¡°Are w¡¯e working for the Imperial Court? The kind that can get a monthly salary, or are we the bosses?¡± ¡°How much exactly can we earn? What if we can¡¯t raise it well?¡± Song Benhua replied one by one, ¡°The Imperial Court lent us money to raise the clams. We only need to repay the interest every month. When the time is up, we¡¯ll repay the principal amount. This way, everyone won¡¯t have to worry about not having enough money to invest.¡± ¡°Of course, if you can¡¯t repay it, you have to mortgage your property or fields to the Imperial Court.¡± ¡°However, even if the cultivation of pearls is unsuccessful, everyone won¡¯t lose out by raising some fish in the bay.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to be the boss, you can also come and work when we are hiring people. However, with such a good opportunity, everyone can be the boss. Why are you hesitating?¡± ¡°How much you earn depends on how much you want to cultivate and invest. The more you invest, the greater the return.¡± There was actually such a good thing! Thinking of the scene of the pearls being scooped ashore, Zhao Huai, who had money and did not have to borrow money from the Imperial Court, immediately stood up excitedly and said, ¡°1, I¡¯ll sign up!¡± Chapter 389 - Chapter 389:1 Have to Work Hard Too Chapter 389:1 Have to Work Hard Too Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios When Zhao Huai wanted to cultivate pearls, it immediately attracted everyone¡¯s discussion. ¡°You¡¯ve never cultivated them before. What if you can¡¯t cultivate them well?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If they die, you will still have to mortgage the house!¡± Zhao Huai had dozens of taels of silver on hand. Even if the Imperial Court did not lend him money, he could completely take the risk. Moreover, he could also raise fish while raising pearl clams. He could not guarantee that he could raise the sea clams well, but it was easy to raise fish! Following Bai Wutong had broadened his horizons. There was nothing bad about what Bai Wutong suggested. Besides, just the word ¡°pearl¡± made him feel that he could definitely earn money. Zhao Huai smiled and said, ¡°Since the Great Empress said that we can cultivate, it will definitely succeed. If you don¡¯t want to live such a good life, 1 still want to live it!¡± ¡­.. ¡°The opportunity is right in front of us. If we miss it now, it will be too late for regrets in the future!¡± When Zhao Huai said this, the people who were originally hesitant became even more uncertain. His wife was pregnant again, and Lin Lei was still in primary school. In the future, he would still have to attend secondary school, university, and with a new house, he also had to buy all kinds of furniture. Lin Hu¡¯s work at the quarry was strenuous, but he did not earn as much as the other technicians. Lin Hu also wanted to create a good environmental condition for his wife and son. Just as he was about to learn some skills and change jobs, he encountered Song Benhua promoting pearl farming. If he wanted to become a pearl farmer, he had to invest at least ten taels of silver. Every year, he had to pay interest and sea contract fees. When he earned the profits from the pearl harvest, he still had to pay taxes. When Elder Lin¡¯s family arrived at the southern frontier, in order to get more houses, Elder Lin agreed to split up. Along the way, Elder Lin had almost spent all the silver. Most of the remaining silver was also distributed to the eldest branch. Lin Hu and the third family branch did not even get a tael of silver. Fortunately, the house was allocated by the Imperial Court. In addition, the couple worked hard. Occasionally, their son would bring back some things from the wetlands by the sea to help the family, so they had saved up almost five taels of silver. As long as they contracted a piece of the sea, the products from the sea would belong to them. Not only could they raise sea clams and fish, but there would also be all kinds of seafood, sea vegetables, and so on at the seaside. The interest expected by the Imperial Court every month was also not very high. It was like a piece of good news that had fallen from the heavens. Lin Hu said a few words to his wife, who hurriedly urged, ¡°Hurry up and sign up! Don¡¯t be too slow!¡± After Lin Hu and his wife weighed the pros and cons, apart from those who were too conservative, everyone rushed forward to sign up. Song Benhua¡¯s stall was packed. He had no choice but to get someone to maintain order and line up. When Elder Lin heard the news and rushed over with his eldest son and second son, the registration queue was already more than 100 meters long. He was burning with anxiety. When he saw his third son at the front of the queue, he hurriedly wanted to cut the queue. In the end, before they could approach, they were sent to the side by the patrolling soldiers in charge of maintaining order. Elder Lin stomped his feet and shouted at Lin Hu, ¡°Help your eldest brother and second brother signup too!¡± Everyone around immediately expressed their displeasure. The patrolling soldier said to him directly, ¡°Each person can only sign up for one household.¡± Elder Lin¡¯s eldest son and second son immediately panicked. ¡°We¡¯re all family. Can¡¯t we raise them together?¡± The questions they raised were also questions that other people present, who were afraid of the risk and wanted to share it with their families, wanted to ask. Song Benhua explained, ¡°You can discuss the joint cultivation in private, but the contracting rights to the sea area can only be handled by one person.¡± The contracting rights of the sea could only be handled by one person. This meant that whoever had the contracting rights would occupy the dominant position in the joint cultivation. If one clearly knew that he could earn money, so why should he give it to others? Moreover, since ancient times, the greatest taboo in doing business was for a family to do business together. It was difficult to order family members around, yet they would still want the largest piece of cake. Lin Hu glanced at his father. His two brothers were looking at him like wolves and tigers. His wife pinched him hard. His heart skipped a beat, and he did not know how to deal with it later. Many people did not manage to register their names for cultivating pearls, and some were shocked that the Imperial Court could borrow money to people. The Imperial Court¡¯s interest rate was actually so much lower than that of the bank! If they could borrow more from the Imperial Court and slowly repay with their monthly salary, they would be able to buy more houses. Just as everyone was asking Song Benhua if they could borrow money from the Imperial Court even if they did not cultivate pearls. Bai Wutong introduced a new policy on banks. Unlike banks in the past, not only could banks lend money, but they could also save money for everyone. The more money one saved in the bank, the more interest he would receive every month or year. They had never thought that a bank could really have money to make money. Everyone ran to consult President Ma, who was in charge of the bank. President Ma introduced the bank¡¯s business in detail. It was mainly divided into three main categories: firstly loan, secondly deposit, and thirdly investment. If an individual wanted to take out a loan, they had to satisfy one condition. Firstly, they had to have enough proof of assets, and secondly, they had to have good credit score. If there were no assets, a fixed salary could also be used as collateral. Apart from personal loans, there was also a kind of business loan. As long as the company established by an individual or the intellectual property rights could be certified, they could also take out a loan. If the bank was unwilling to provide those loans, they could only mortgage their assets. There were many ways to save money. There were mainly two ways to target the commoners: deadline deposits and demand deposits. The interest on deadline deposits was far lower than on demand deposits. If a deadline deposit was taken out midway, the interest would be calculated based on rates of demand deposits. Regarding investments, President Ma explained simply. If the bank chose a project that could earn money, everyone could participate in the investment. If they earned money, it would be much more than interest. If they lost money, they might lose everything. It was equivalent to investing in stocks in the modern era. Among the three major businesses, everyone valued savings the most. Was depositing the silver in the bank really like what President Ma had said? Would they be able to get back their principal amount and interests? If the Imperial Court took advantage of them, wouldn¡¯t they have nowhere to cry? President Ma explained patiently, ¡°This is a bank established with the Great Empress¡¯s credibility. Don¡¯t worry, everyone. If you are missing even a copper coin, you can report us.¡± It was impossible for the Great Empress to lie. Everyone immediately returned to deposit their private savings quickly. The earlier they saved, the more money they would earn! Everyone did not need to spend money on the houses assigned by the Imperial Court. They only needed to contribute and do their job well. However, it was extremely expensive to buy a villa made of steel bars and cement alone. Wu Ji and the two children were only given a villa. Wu Mengyao wanted to be like Zhao Lanzhi and not be afraid of rumors and decide about her own marriage. If Wu Hao got married in the future and she had to live under the same roof as her sister-in-law, it would definitely be inconvenient. She also wanted to buy a house of her own, but she did not have any extra money. As soon as the bank loan policy was introduced, she immediately went to the design institute to issue a work certificate as requested. She wanted to use the loan to buy a house. She couldn¡¯t afford a detached house alone, so she should be able to buy a two-bedroom residential house. Wu Mengyao worked as a fashion designer in the design institute. Her monthly salary was one tael of silver, and there was an additional bonus and commission, so she met the highest loan standards. Wu Mengyao only spent five taels of silver as deposit to book a two-bedroom house. The moment she signed the contract, she smiled happily and thanked Bai Wutong sincerely. Apart from Wu Mengyao, Lin Yue had the intention to take out a loan. He liked to read storybooks. With the emergence of the printing technique, he wanted to take the opportunity to set up a printing bureau. Qingfeng was about to marry him. He had to work harder.. Chapter 390 - Chapter 390: As Good-looking As You Chapter 390: As Good-looking As You Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios No matter how stupid Lin Yue was, after following Sheng Huaixuan for so many years, his knowledge of business was enough for him. He had given all his previous assets to Qingfeng. If he wanted to open a book printing bureau, the cost of a printing machine was very high. He had to buy a store, hire someone, and pay for the author¡¯s manuscripts. He needed a lot of starting capital. Lin Yue could not bring himself to ask Qingfeng for money, but if had to borrow money from Sheng Huaixuan, he felt that he owed his master too much. Just as he was worried about where to get money, Bai Wutong established a bank and provided a loan business. Lin Yue¡¯s eyes immediately lit up. The so-called books were the spiritual food of humans. Lin Yue believed that his idea of building a printing bureau would definitely be recognized by the bank and he could borrow enough money. For this, Lin Yue specially went to the bank to ask for the application form. He spent the entire night racking his brains to fill it. As the first person who wanted to build a printing store and was determined to promote all kinds of books (novels), he successfully borrowed a sum of money from the bank. ¡­.. Although it was only 500 taels and not as much as Lin Yue had imagined, the prospects of the printing store was bright. Many people would definitely come to the bank to invest in the printing store. The more people investing, the more funds they would receive. Lin Yue found acquaintances to invest in him. Yang Quanzi, Xu Zhiyi, Cui Shize, Cui Shiji, Cui Lingyi, Cui Muzhi¡­ He approached them all. Everyone was surprised that Lin Yue was going to build a printing store. When they heard his exaggerated claim that he wanted to sell the various books they had written all over the world, everyone just smiled and invested in him. Lin Yue was used to seeing big money. It was his first time starting a business and he was bold. He still felt that it was not enough to raise a few thousand taels of silver. After all, every book had to be carved by someone before it could be printed in batches. If the books sold badly and the capital income chain was broken, the printing bureau might not succeed. Just as Lin Yue was searching for someone who could still invest, the bank sent someone to inform him that someone had invested 50,000 taels in one go. Lin Yue¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Why so much? Who invested?¡± The bank kept the information of the investor confidential. No matter how hard Lin Yue tried to find out, no one told him. He guessed that Sheng Huaixuan had invested in it and made up his mind to do it well. He turned around and looked for Huang Zhong to urge him. ¡°How is the Great Empress Legend book coming along? Don¡¯t tell me that you haven¡¯t written the ending after I¡¯ve finished carving it.¡± The protagonist of the book that Huang Zhong had written about the Great Empress becoming a goddess was Bai Wutong. He had visited many people and written the beginning. Lin Yue felt that it was very interesting, so he had come every day to urge him. This was also the reason why he had the idea to set up a book printing bureau and publish novels. Huang Zhong frowned and said, ¡°I can¡¯t finish it. I plan to write for a long time.¡± He felt that just one book would definitely not be enough to record Bai Wutong¡¯s deeds. It would take at least ten books. Lin Yue also wanted him to write longer. After all, this story was so good and there was still him in it! So he said, ¡°Alright, write as much as you can. When the time comes, you can end the first book at the critical climax and the second book will definitely be even more popular.¡± Huang Zhong was a little unconfident. ¡°Will it work?¡± Compared to the books written by others, his was only an unworthy novel. Lin Yue encouraged, ¡°Of course it can. This is the best book I¡¯ve ever read! If you write well, your future will definitely be extraordinary!¡± With Bai Wutong as the protagonist of the story, and the novel containing all kinds of fascinating new information, how could it not be popular? Lin Yue believed that anyone who could read would like it. Huang Zhong smiled shyly. ¡°I¡¯ll work hard!¡± Lin Yue patted his shoulder and happily went to look for Qingfeng. He had done all this behind Qingfeng¡¯s back. Now that he had an investment and a bright future ahead of him, Lin Yue could not wait to give her a surprise. He rushed forward and picked up Qingfeng, who happened to be changing shifts, and spun her around. There was a sour smell in the air, and the dark guards couldn¡¯t help but look at them. Qingfeng glanced at the dark guards, who immediately retracted their gazes and guarded Bai Wutong¡¯s tent solemnly. Lin Yue chuckled foolishly. ¡°I¡¯ve done something big recently!¡± Qingfeng asked cooperatively, ¡°What is it?¡± Lin Yue immediately shook it out happily. ¡°1 built a book printing bureau. Our child can read as many books as he wants in the future!¡± With that, Lin Yue stole an unnatural glance at Qingfeng. They were not married yet. Would he scare Qingfeng if they talked about this now? He was conflicted about whether Qingfeng wanted to have children. Just as Lin Yue was feeling uneasy, Qingfeng suddenly smiled and nodded gently. ¡°Okay.¡± Lin Yue was overjoyed that Qingfeng was willing to give birth to his child. He picked her up and spun her around twice. When she was unprepared, he even stole a kiss. Qingfeng¡¯s eyes flickered. She pulled him into the tent and suddenly grabbed the back of his head. Lin Yue closed his eyes, and his heart rate increased. It was as if he was in heaven. Lin Yue skipped back happily. Coincidentally, Sheng Huaixuan was looking for him for something. When he saw his infatuated expression, he knew that he had just gone to look for Qingfeng. He couldn¡¯t help but sigh. If Lin Yue got married any later, he would become a fool. When Lin Yue saw Sheng Huaixuan, he hurriedly thanked him. ¡°Master! As expected of my master! You gave me 50,000 taels of silver in one go! Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely earn it back ten times for you.¡± Sheng Huaixuan had been so busy recently that he did not understand what Lin Yue was saying. He frowned in confusion. ¡°Huh?¡± Seeing his confused expression, Lin Yue immediately widened his eyes. If it wasn¡¯t Sheng Huaixuan, who had invested 50,000 taels of silver in him? There was no so-called copyright awareness in this world. Lin Yue was certain that the book printing bureau could earn money because of the printing technique that could greatly reduce the cost of publishing books. However, there was also a huge risk. After all, there were less than 200,000 people in the southern frontier and the illiteracy rate was extremely high. If he sold the books out of southern frontier, not only was the journey long, but the cost was also much higher. If the return of 50,000 taels of silver was far inferior to the interest on the bank deposit, this person would suffer a huge loss. Bai Wutong was even busier than Sheng Huaixuan, let alone pay attention to his matters. Then there was only one person left who could spend 50,000 taels of silver to invest in him¡ªQingfeng! Qingfeng had been paying attention to him silently and had even invested all the betrothal gifts. Lin Yue¡¯s emotions surged. Before Sheng Huaixuan could ask what 50,000 taels of silver it was about, he rushed out on his fiery footsteps. Qingfeng had just washed up and changed her clothes to lie down when Lin Yue¡¯s excited voice came from outside the tent. ¡°Are we going to see the stars? The stars are especially beautiful tonight!¡± There was no movement in the tent. Lin Yue was about to shout again when Qingfeng had already changed into light female clothes and lifted the curtain. Lin Yue grabbed her hand happily. Before Qingfeng could speak, he carried her on his back and ran all the way to the grass where the wind was blowing gently. He pointed at the stars in the sky and said, ¡°It¡¯s as beautiful as you!¡± Qingfeng¡¯s cold eyes shone under the moonlight. The moment Lin Yue turned his head, she gently kissed him in response. Lin Yue¡¯s heart was pounding. Time seemed to have stopped at this moment. In the next second, a long wolf howl broke the ambiguous atmosphere again.. Chapter 391 - Chapter 391: Go to Our New Home Chapter 391: Go to Our New Home Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios There were many wolves in the southern frontier, but Xiaobai was unique to Bai Wutong. She had just finished handling some paperwork and rubbed her tired eyebrows. The familiar wolf howl was long and loud. Bai Wutong suddenly stood up and walked out of the tent. With everyone stationed here, the wolves did not dare to approach easily. When they heard the wolves¡¯ cries, the ignorant commoners and soldiers pricked up their ears warily to observe their surroundings and guard against any sneak attacks. When Bai Wutong came out of the tent, everyone immediately bowed. However, they heard Bai Wutong shout in the direction of the wolf howl, ¡°Xiaobai!¡± Those who did not know better could not help but look up in confusion. Who was the Great Empress calling? ¡°Howl¡ª¡± Xiaobai¡¯s response was even closer. ¡­.. Bai Wutong looked happy. She had not heard wrongly! She followed the sound and skirted around the crowd to a quiet wilderness. It was dark deep in the grass. A black shadow rushed towards Bai Wutong at the speed of a whirlwind. The summer wind blew against her face, and fireflies flew everywhere. The flames behind her and the bright moonlight mixed together. Xiaobai was like a bolt of lightning as it flicked its tongue excitedly and pounced at her. Bai Wutong reached out her hands excitedly. ¡°Xiaobai!!!¡± It had been a while since they last met. Xiaobai was becoming more and more agile and domineering. Its impressive fur swayed in the wind, making it look valiant. Xiaobai was very sensible. Knowing that she was pregnant and could not be hit, he braked in front of her and rubbed his furry head between Bai Wutong¡¯s legs. His face was filled with the joy of reuniting after a long time. Bai Wutong rubbed its smooth head and was overjoyed. ¡°Why are you back?¡± As soon as she finished speaking, another series of light footsteps came from the bushes. Bai Wutong looked up in surprise and saw a beautiful gray wolf carefully approaching with four cute wolf cubs behind it. Xiaobai puffed out its chest proudly. Among the four wolf cubs, two were gray and two were white. They had inherited their parents¡¯ genes fairly. They were not as vigilant as their mother. They had just weaned and their royal blue eyes were filled with curiosity about Bai Wutong. Xiaobai walked forward and nudged the little wolves. Under their father¡¯s encouragement, they jumped in front of Bai Wutong and sniffed left and right. They smelled a familiar scent on Bai Wutong and completely let down their guard. They stuck out their cute little tongues and licked Bai Wutong¡¯s palm twice. It was a numbing and itchy feeling. Bai Wutong felt as if she had seen Xiaobai when he was young. Her heart was about to melt. She reached out and touched the cub. Seeing that she had not hurt the cub, Xiaobai¡¯s wife walked over and nudged the back of Bai Wutong¡¯s hand with her nose, as if to say, ¡°Touch me too.¡± Its eyes were different from Xiaobai¡¯s sapphire-blue eyes. Instead, they were as clear and jade-green as lake water, like a beautiful jadeite. It was no wonder that Xiaobai was mesmerized by her smooth fur and strong figure. Bai Wutong gave the female wolf a name, Xiaolv. A wolf cub climbed onto Bai Wutong¡¯s shoe, a wolf cub bit the corner of her dress and played. Two more rolled in front of her, revealing their round stomachs. The four wolf cubs were about the same size, and there was a slight difference between their eyebrows. Bai Wutong named them one after another ¨C Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. It was simple and easy to remember. Bai Wutong felt that she was a naming genius. Bai Wutong looked at Xiaobai. ¡°Are you coming back with me?¡± Xiaobai nodded and stood up. Xiaolv and the wolf cubs followed behind it obediently, and he looked very much like the head of the family. Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s go to our new home..¡± Chapter 392 - Chapter 392: Monkey-like Mushrooms Chapter 392: Monkey-like Mushrooms Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Xiaobai¡¯s entire family walked behind Bai Wutong. When All Mi and Ah Duo¡¯s tribe members saw this, they shouted, ¡°Lord Wolf God, long live the Great Empress!¡± The others did not worship the white wolf, but they were also shocked by the scene of the white wolf following behind Bai Wutong obediently. They shouted, ¡°Lord Wolf God, long live the Great Empress!¡± Their voices were like a bell. Xiaobai raised its head and puffed out its chest. It was quite arrogant and spirited. Xiaolv was born and raised in the wilderness. She walked under the noses of so many people and her eyes were filled with vigilance. The little wolf cubs imitated Xiaobai and took proud steps. Their little butts were even round, but they were so cute that even the women, who were very afraid of wolves, could not help but show a look of adoration. The villa where Bai Wutong lived was almost completed and renovated. There were still some furniture and some soft clothes that were not ready, so she had been staying in the tent for the time being. When designing the house, Bai Wutong had specially designed a place for Xiaobai to live. Not only was it convenient for it to enter and exit, but there was also a luxurious wolf den and courtyard that belonged to it. From its wolf den, it could even enter the house directly. It took Bai Wutong a lot of effort. She had thought that she might not need it after Xiaobai left. Now that Xiaobai had returned with his family, he could move in directly. ¡­.. Bai Wutong padded the wolf den and asked Xiaobai, ¡°Do you like it?¡± Xiaobai was speechless. He plunged into his luxurious wolf den and glanced at Bai Wutong lazily and proudly. His expression was so lively as if it had turned into a spirit. Bai Wutong smiled and got someone to prepare some food for them. Xiaobai had been raised by Bai Wutong. It ate everything, while Xiaolv only ate living things. Xiaobai was also a considerate wolf husband. It would take the initiative to hold the chicken that Bai Wutong had prepared for them in its mouth and bring it to Xiaolv to comfort its uneasy emotions. The wolf cubs had just stopped breastfeeding and their teeth were still blunt. Xiaobai would even tear open the chickens and throw them in front of them to make it easier for them to eat. Bai Wutong could not help but sigh. Time passed so quickly. Xiaobai, who was rolling around in the field and playing with Stinky, could even behave like a father. After a few days of adaptation, Xiaolv finally dared to boldly appear in everyone¡¯s vision with the wolf cubs. It was also very smart. Knowing that everyone was afraid of Bai Wutong and would not hurt the wolf cubs, it brought the wolf cubs along. They pounced on chickens that day and caught ducks the next day. Their sudden appearance often frightened the residents and children so much that they cried out. Even though they knew that Xiaolv was teaching the wolf cubs to hunt, it still brought trouble to the lives of the residents. Bai Wutong could not bear to forcefully restrain them. Just as Bai Wutong was thinking about how to let people get along peacefully with wolves, Village Chief Zhao complained to Bai Wutong that there were too many field mice in the field and that they had wreaked havoc on many crops. Bai Wutong suddenly had an idea. There were especially many rodents in the area, and in the past, their main source of food was the grassroots berry seeds. Ever since a field mouse took a bite of a delicious potato, it was as if it had tasted the most delicious food in the world. When it returned, it would gather its family and friends and come for a meal when it had nothing to do. Apart from field mice, wild boars, porcupines, hares, hedgehogs, and birds¡­ they often returned to visit the grain fields. It was impossible for everyone to stay there all day and chase them away. If they were not careful, their vegetable garden would rot. Wolves were an important member of the natural food chain. They could stabilize the number of herbivores and achieve a balance. Bai Wutong decisively sent out the team leader, Xiaobai, the deputy team leader, Xiaolv, as well as four subordinates, Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. Bai Wutong came to the vegetable field that was growing extremely well. Village Chief Zhao pointed at a half-eaten cabbage bitterly. ¡°More than 20 of them were eaten yesterday!¡± Then he complained, ¡°So be it if these guys eat the vegetables. They even make small bites at each of them. It¡¯s really infuriating.¡± The farmers could not bear to see their hard work ruined. They thought of many ways to chase them away, but their efforts were ineffective. They did not work in the workshop and relied on these land to harvest more food. These days, they could not sleep well at night after being wreaked by small animals. There were many small animals, which meant that the local natural environment was very good. When Carefree City became stronger, it would be difficult to see such a situation in the future. Bai Wutong stroked Xiaobai¡¯s head. ¡°Whether we can eat an additional meal today depends on you.¡± Xiaobai was very familiar with the word ¡®additional meal¡¯. In the past, as long as it caught prey and found it bland, it would bring it back and let Bai Wutong roast it and stew it. After Bai Wutong spoke, Xiaobai jumped out with a whoosh. Not long after, the potato field was wiped clean and many field mice fled in panic. Xiaobai took a bite and bit more than ten field mice to death at lightning speed. It trotted to Bai Wutong with the field mice in its mouth. It caught four to five of them at once and made three trips back and forth. Soon, there was a small hill of field mice in front of Bai Wutong. Stinky jumped up and clapped. He praised, ¡°Xiaobai is so awesome. Xiaobai is the most powerful wolf in the world! I want to catch many field mice like you.¡± Xiaobai glanced at him proudly and raised his chest and head high. He looked like he had reluctantly accepted him as his disciple. Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°Not bad, Xiaobai is really amazing!¡± Village Chief Zhao was also dumbfounded. Xiaobai was actually so good at catching field mice. The locals who were watching Xiaobai¡¯s magnificent feat shouted excitedly, ¡°Lord Wolf God is protecting us! Lord Wolf God is protecting us!¡± After being praised by everyone, Xiaobai seemed to have found joy. It rushed out and chased the pests away like a strong gust of wind. It even caught a few rabbits. The wolf cubs also wanted to try. They followed behind Xiaobai and picked up scraps. If they could not catch any, Xiaobai and Xiaolv would also catch a few field mice for them to play with and train their hunting skills. Xiaobai¡¯s family had found a sense of belonging in the vegetable field. Bai Wutong thought of Chu Tianbao again. When he returned and saw Xiaobai¡¯s family, he would definitely be very happy. The hot weather suddenly had thunderstorms and huge waves. Fortunately, the fishing boats had all returned. After the rain, there would often be many edible mushrooms growing in the forest. Auntie Yang happened to not need to work that day, so she followed the others into the forest to pick mushrooms. The mushrooms picked in the morning were the most delicious. Auntie Yang had eaten a type of mushroom picked by the locals and had been thinking about it ever since. That day, she wanted to pick as many as she could. Soon, Auntie Yang discovered this mushroom under a big tree. It was fair and strong and looked very fat. Thinking of the taste of stewing it in chicken soup and roasting it, Auntie Yang immediately took action and picked it into the basket. She followed everyone deeper into the forest. Because there were many people, the quiet and deep forest that was filled with unknown dangers did not seem so terrifying. Not long after, she picked a few more beautiful mushrooms. The moment she looked down, she realized that there was a strange mushroom that looked like a white monkey and was quite beautiful.. Chapter 393 - Chapter 393: Even Stewed Chicken Can Be So Extraordinary! Chapter 393: Even Stewed Chicken Can Be So Extraordinary! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Auntie Yang had never seen such a strange mushroom. Driven by curiosity, she reached out to touch it. The eldest daughter-in-law beside her immediately stopped her. ¡°Mother, don¡¯t touch it. Beware of some poisonous mushrooms.¡± Many of the food in the forest was poisonous. Some of them would feel extremely itchy when they touched it. Although the mushroom looked harmless, it was better to be careful. Auntie Yang nodded and carefully put on her gloves. She carefully wrapped them in a large leaf and prepared to go back and ask Doctor Gu if this thing could be eaten. The primitive forest was extremely rich in resources. Mushrooms were discovered one after another. Not long after, Auntie Yang¡¯s basket was filled with a lot of them. Apart from mushrooms, Auntie Yang also picked a type of wild fruit. They had seen locals selling it at the market, so they picked a lot. On the way back, Auntie Yang happened to find a good-colored Lingzhi. She had also picked a lot of herbs, and the entire basket was already filled. Everyone had a fruitful harvest and returned to the camp happily. ¡­.. Auntie Yang wanted to give the herbs to Gu Zhongxun, but Gu Zhongxun insisted on giving Auntie Yang money. Auntie Yang could only send some wild fruits to Gu Zhongxun and take out the mushrooms for Gu Zhongxun to appraise. ¡°This is a type of mushroom I picked in the forest. Doctor Gu, can you help me see if it¡¯s edible?¡± The snow-white mushroom looked like a monkey. This was the first time Gu Zhongxun had seen it. He split open the mushroom and looked at it. He sniffed it and inserted a silver needle. The silver needle test did not show any form of poison. It was still unknown if it was suitable for everyone to eat. Gu Zhongxun said, ¡°This mushroom is not poisonous. Auntie, you can eat a small amount first. If you feel uncomfortable, don¡¯t eat it.¡± Auntie Yang was relieved to hear Gu Zhongxun¡¯s words. She picked some good wild fruits for Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong had been poisoned previously, so she had to be careful so that the child would not be born weak. She had to look for Gu Zhongxun regularly to take her pulse. As soon as Auntie Yang left the tent, she happened to meet Bai Wutong. Auntie Yang happily took out the fruit and said to Bai Wutong, ¡°Great Empress, this is a fruit I just picked from the forest. I¡¯ve tried it and it¡¯s very delicious. The locals call it a white dumpling. I wonder if it suits your taste.¡± Cui Lingyi was also following beside Bai Wutong. When she saw the fruit in Auntie Yang¡¯s hand, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a little strange. It was clearly black and red. How could it be called a white dumpling? However, Bai Wutong recognized at a glance that Auntie Yang was holding a common tropical fruit, mangosteen. The flesh inside the mangosteen was fair and tender, very similar to a cat¡¯s claws. It had the effects of relieving heat, stopping cough, vomiting, regulating one¡¯s weak body, improving one¡¯s skin, and other effects. In modern times, it was also an extremely popular fruit. Bai Wutong took it personally. ¡°Thank you, Auntie Yang. Sorry to trouble you.¡± She quite liked the sour and sweet taste of the mangosteen, especially when she was pregnant. She liked to eat something appetizing. Bai Wutong had become the Great Empress and was still so approachable. Auntie Yang hurriedly placed the basket on the ground and wanted to give Bai Wutong fresh mushrooms. She did not dare to let Bai Wutong try the mushrooms that looked like monkeys, so she put them aside and took out a mushroom that the locals liked. ¡°Great Empress, this mushroom is especially delicious. Take these back and try them.¡± The mushroom she gave was like a fat umbrella. The cap was light brown, and the stalk was white. Because it was especially fresh, one could even see the fibrous fluff on it. When Bai Wutong was struggling to survive in the apocalypse, because of the lack of food, she had taken the risk to enter the mountains to find food and discovered this mushroom. This mushroom was called pine mushroom. It was a rare and expensive edible fungus that grew under banyan trees and other trees. It was also a natural medicinal fungus and had a unique rich fragrance. It had a different texture and had the effect of nourishing and promoting stomach absorption. In the modern world, it had once sold for a high price of a few hundred yuan a catty. Bai Wutong looked at Auntie Yang¡¯s basket. It weighed about 500 grams. It seemed that the forest conditions here were very suitable for the growth of pine mushrooms. The yield was actually so high. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°What¡¯s the name of this mushroom? It looks delicious.¡± Auntie Yang immediately said, ¡°The locals call it pine mushroom because it can often be found under pine trees.¡± Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°I just want some. I won¡¯t be able to finish too much.¡± Auntie Yang thought for a moment and said, ¡°These mushrooms are really delicious. I¡¯ll make dried mushrooms when I get back and send them to the Great Empress so that you can still eat them in winter.¡± Bai Wutong remembered that the pine mushroom growing season could last from June to December. She smiled and said, ¡°Auntie, keep it for yourself and let the children eat more.¡± Auntie Yang listened to Bai Wutong and only filled a basket with pine mushrooms. When Auntie Yang was packing the mushrooms, Bai Wutong saw the monkey head mushroom on the ground and deliberately asked, ¡°What mushroom is this?¡± In ancient China, the Monkey Head Mushroom was a very expensive dish. Its body was in a lumpy shape, and the meat would be white only if it was fresh. When it was dry, it would turn brown, and had the shape of a monkey, so it was called the Monkey Head Mushroom. The meat of the monkey head mushroom was fresh and tender, mellow and delicious. It was known as a ¡°vegetarian meat¡± and had the effect of lowering cholesterol and resisting aging. The medicinal value of the Monkey Head Mushroom was as high as the pine mushroom. There were even nutritional biscuits made from the Monkey Head Mushroom that had once become popular on the Internet. During the new year, at least nine out of ten people would give out Monkey Head Mushroom biscuits. When Bai Wutong was still a child, she really ate a lot. Thinking about it, she missed it. Auntie Yang smiled and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what mushroom it is either. I asked Doctor Gu and he said that it can be eaten. Why don¡¯t the Great Empress give it a name?¡± Bai Wutong said, ¡°It looks like a little monkey. Let¡¯s call it Monkey Head Mushroom.¡± Auntie Yang immediately said, ¡°This name is good. It¡¯s easy to remember because of its look. As expected of the Great Empress.¡± Auntie Yang had only discovered a few clumps of monkey head mushrooms and was afraid that there would be a problem if Bai Wutong ate them, so she said, ¡°I¡¯ll take them back to test the poison first. If it¡¯s fine and tastes good, I¡¯ll order a pot of chicken soup for the Great Empress and send it over.¡± Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°Thank you, Auntie.¡± She really wanted to try Auntie Yang¡¯s cooking. After hearing Bai Wutong¡¯s words, Auntie Yang immediately went home to cook the monkey head mushrooms and pine mushrooms. There were many ways to cook pine mushrooms and monkey head mushrooms. Auntie Yang used pine mushrooms and garlic sprouts to stir-fry the pork belly, then stewed a pot full of monkey head mushrooms and mountain hens. An alluring and delicious fragrance spread from the kitchen. Little Peach jumped in and asked enviously, ¡°Grandma, what are you making? It smells so good!¡± Auntie Yang smiled and said, ¡°Grandma is making something delicious. Little Peach, help Grandma set up the bowls and chopsticks, okay? When your parents and the others come back, we can eat.¡± Little Peach immediately nodded and said, ¡°Okay!¡± Then she went to prepare. The moment Auntie Yang lifted the lid of the chicken soup pot, the fragrance increased by dozens of times. Auntie Yang tasted the monkey head mushroom yam chicken soup and immediately felt a strong sense of pride. As expected of her, even a chicken stew could be so extraordinary! Chapter 394 - Chapter 394: We Can Grow Our Own Mushrooms Chapter 394: We Can Grow Our Own Mushrooms Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The table full of dishes all contained mushrooms. Everyone¡¯s gazes landed on the chicken soup. Zhao Sheng couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Mother, what mushroom is this? Why is it so strange-looking? But it smells quite good.¡± Auntie Yang smiled and said, ¡°This is called Monkey Head Mushroom. The Great Empress gave it a name. Try it all. If you feel uncomfortable, quickly tell me. I¡¯m even preparing to boil a pot of Monkey Head Mushroom for the Great Empress in the afternoon.¡± She would definitely have to put in a lot of effort since the Great Empress was eating it. It was their family¡¯s supreme honor that Auntie Yang could cook chicken soup for the Great Empress. Village Chief Zhao could not help but ask, ¡°Have you asked Doctor Gu? It¡¯s definitely not poisonous?¡± Auntie Yang nodded. ¡°It¡¯s not poisonous. The Great Empress even said that she had seen a description of the monkey head mushroom in a book. Anyone can eat it.¡± In that case, everyone was relieved. ¡­.. Auntie Yang filled a bowl for everyone. Even if there were adverse effects, there would not be a big problem with the amount in one bowl. There was a beautiful layer of oil on the hot chicken soup. Little Peach blew on it and took a small sip eagerly. Suddenly, she was stunned by the delicious taste of the chicken soup. She immediately narrowed her eyes and praised, ¡°Grandma¡¯s chicken soup is so delicious. The Great Empress will definitely like it. Little Peach likes it too!¡± Little Peach smiled sweetly. It was so sweet that it touched Auntie Yang¡¯s heart. Everyone quickly took a bite. The soup was fresh and fragrant. The Monkey Head Mushroom tasted a little like chicken, but it was different from the dry texture of chicken. Instead, it was even softer, tender, and juicy. It was worthy of its praise of being a ¡°vegetarian meat¡±. Everyone was full of praises for the Monkey Head Mushroom. Auntie Yang regretted not bringing back more Monkey Head Mushrooms. The family finished eating happily. Auntie Yang paid close attention to everyone¡¯s body conditions. After confirming that no one was feeling uncomfortable, she slaughtered another chicken and seriously stewed a second pot for Bai Wutong. In this pot of chicken soup, Auntie Yang also added two nourishing wild ginseng and red dates. The taste was also mixed more carefully. At night, when Bai Wutong was eating, she was shocked by Auntie Yang¡¯s pot of nourishing chicken soup. This was too rich. Auntie Yang said in embarrassment, ¡°Great Empress, try it while it¡¯s hot. If you don¡¯t like it, 1¡¯11 change the cooking method next time.¡± Bai Wutong shook her head. ¡°It looks very appetizing. Auntie Yang, you¡¯ve worked hard.¡± Under Auntie Yang¡¯s expectant gaze, Bai Wutong picked up the bowl and took a sip of soup with a spoon. Suddenly, she looked up and said without exaggeration, ¡°It¡¯s a pity not to open a restaurant with Auntie¡¯s chicken soup.¡± When Auntie Yang heard Bai Wutong¡¯s praise, she immediately said, ¡°This Monkey Head Mushroom is the reason. Unfortunately, it¡¯s rare to find in the forest.¡± ¡°If only there were more. If there were more, I really would like to open a chicken soup restaurant. It would definitely be passed down as an ancestral skill.¡± In the modern era, no matter how precious the mushrooms were, humans had been successful in cultivating them. For example, the monkey head mushroom could be harvested at 250 kilograms per mu of land. Bai Wutong suddenly had the idea of letting everyone build a greenhouse to raise mushrooms. Previously, she had also thought of building a greenhouse, but building a greenhouse required a greenhouse membrane. The greenhouse membrane was made of plastic, so she had yet to create a machine to extract plastic. After all, no matter how smart Bai Wutong was, she was only an arts student. Even with the blueprint, she had to study hard to understand it. Without plastic, there were actually other ways to build a greenhouse. For example, the ancient courts or high-ranking officials and Noble Lady in China would specially build a greenhouse and order people to burn wood 24 hours a day to maintain the temperature of the greenhouse so that the plants planted in the greenhouse could grow. There were also historical records of glass houses specially built using light to heat up and plant vegetables. However, be it the greenhouse or the plants in the glass room, it was no different from a dream for ordinary people to eat. Although the cost of glass had decreased with the technology provided by Bai Wutong, it was impossible to build a glass house. Firstly, the glass house was extremely easy to destroy, especially since this place was close to the sea. If there was a typhoon and the glass shattered, the entire glass house would be destroyed. Moreover, the cost was not low. However, mushrooms and vegetables had different growth habits. They did not need much sunlight. They only needed to control the temperature and humidity. With good fungi packs and seedlings, even a simple mushroom shed without a greenhouse could grow mushrooms at high rates. It was not a dream at all to eat a large number of fresh mushrooms in winter. As Bai Wutong drank the soup, she searched for information about cultivating fungi in the space computer. After a bowl of soup, she understood the method. As long as the edible fungi were isolated from the mixed living things and then purified and developed, one could obtain pure fungi. By growing and reproducing pure fungi in controllable conditions, mushrooms could be cultivated. The cultivation method of each mushroom was slightly different, but the basic principle was still the same. Bai Wutong put down her chopsticks and smiled. She said to Auntie Yang, ¡°We can plant mushrooms ourselves.¡± Auntie Yang had also heard about the planting of mushrooms. One could cut down a tree with an axe and leave a mark. Before long, mushrooms would grow out of the bark. This method was also known as the log-cutting method in China. It had a history of more than a thousand years and was specially used to cultivate mushrooms. The principle was that the spores emitted by natural mushrooms would germinate on the axe marks and eventually form mycelium on the bark, producing a batch of mushrooms. However, this method of cultivating mushrooms had a long growth cycle. It would take at least two years to cultivate mature mycelium and gradually grow into mushrooms. Especially because of the climate and environment, the yield was very unstable. Therefore, even if many people knew how to plant mushrooms, they were too lazy to plant them. When Bai Wutong said that she could plant mushrooms, Auntie Yang thought that she wanted to plant them for herself. She immediately smiled and said, ¡°If the Great Empress wants to plant mushrooms, I¡¯ll get Third Brother to go to the mountains to cut a few wooden stakes later.¡± The log-cutting method had an important role in the history of China¡¯s agricultural culture, but in the modern era, it had long been replaced by advanced mushroom cultivation technology. The production was advanced and the growth speed was fast. Not only could it quickly replenish stocks in the fresh market, but it could also be made into dry goods and sold to food processing factories to be made into various products. If they planted it now, it would also be an industry chain suitable for everyone¡¯s development. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°I know a way to plant mushrooms. Moreover, an acre of land can produce hundreds of kilograms.¡± Hundreds of kilograms!!!? Auntie Yang was stunned and suspected that there was something wrong with her hearing. The yield of an acre of rice was only a few hundred catties. How could an acre of mushrooms produce a few hundred cat ties! Even if the Great Empress did not know how to plant mushrooms, it was too exaggerated. Auntie Yang couldn¡¯t rebut Bai Wutong, so she stammered, ¡°R-really?¡± When planting mushrooms in the mushroom shed, it could be divided into several layers. It was really simple to grow a few hundred catties. Bai Wutong nodded confidently. ¡°We can try this method. If it succeeds, we won¡¯t lose anything.¡± Auntie Yang could not believe it, but she asked, ¡°What do you need to prepare?¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°We need some fresh mushrooms for the time being. If we can successfully cultivate the fungi, we can build a mushroom shed and officially plant mushrooms..¡± Chapter 395 - Chapter 395: As Indomitable as a Man Chapter 395: As Indomitable as a Man Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Auntie Yang didn¡¯t know what fungi were, but she could get a lot of them. She followed Bai Wutong¡¯s instructions and went back to prepare mushrooms. Bai Wutong also went to find a suitable container for the fungi. If they wanted to observe the growth of the bacteria well, it was best to use a transparent glass bottle. Bai Wutong chose some suitable containers and went to a workshop in the villa. The temperature of this workshop was specially designed for research. The temperature could be controlled by burning charcoal and the humidity could also be adjusted. It was the most practical way to cultivate seedlings. Bai Wutong carefully checked the breeding information of different fungi in the space and summarized the important points in her notebook. When Auntie Yang returned home, everyone immediately surrounded her and asked, ¡°How is it? Did the Great Empress like it?¡± Auntie Yang smiled proudly and said, ¡°The Great Empress likes it very much. She even said that with my skills, I can open a chicken soup restaurant. Because monkey head mushrooms are rare, she even wants to grow mushrooms!¡± ¡­.. ¡°I¡¯ll send some mushrooms to the Great Empress first. Tomorrow, we ll go to the market and buy some other delicious mushrooms to cultivate fungi.¡± The Great Empress actually wanted to plant mushrooms just because she wanted to eat them. Her capability made people look at her in a different light. When Village Chief Zhao heard that they were going to plant mushrooms and cultivate fungi, he suddenly became interested. ¡°What are fungi? Do mushrooms also have seeds? Why is this different from other people¡¯s method of growing mushrooms?¡± Auntie Yang said proudly, ¡°How can the Great Empress be an ordinary person? She told me there¡¯s a way to plant mushrooms that can be harvested at hundreds of catties per mu of land! In the future, we can often eat fresh mushrooms in winter.¡± Although Auntie Yang did not believe that an acre of land could grow hundreds of catties of mushrooms, it did not stop her from bragging about Bai Wutong¡¯s ability. When Village Chief Zhao and the others heard Auntie Yang say that an acre of land could produce hundreds of catties of mushrooms, their eyes widened. How could there be such a method? Why had they never heard of such a method? Auntie Yang must have said wrongly. Village Chief Zhao asked in a daze, ¡°It should be dozens of kilograms, right? Mushrooms aren¡¯t like growing staple food!¡± In ancient times, food seeds that had not been cultivated could produce 250 kilograms of food per mu. This was already considered an advanced production among advanced production. Auntie Yang raised her chin even higher. ¡°If the Great Empress says it can be done, it definitely can! The Great Empress even said that we could cultivate pearls. Didn¡¯t no one believe her in the beginning? Now, they¡¯re fighting for it. They almost broke their heads for the spot as contractors.¡± Auntie Yang only had two daughters-in-law who had not gone out to work. They were at home taking care of the children and taking care of the housework. When they heard that pearls could be cultivated and thought carefully about signing up, they already could not join the queue, making them regret it to death. Auntie Yang said that the Great Empress wanted to plant mushrooms. They looked at each other and tacitly had an idea. ¡°Mother, will the Great Empress let everyone plant mushrooms in the future?¡± Auntie Yang smiled and said, ¡°The Great Empress said that she has to experiment first and see if she can successfully cultivate fungi. If she can cultivate fungi, she will definitely let everyone plant mushrooms. With a yield of a few hundred catties per mu of land, we can even eat it as rice. Why would we not plant it?¡± As soon as she said that, the eldest daughter-in-law, He Guihua, immediately probed, ¡°Mother, if the Great Empress¡¯s fungi planting is successful, can our family also plant mushrooms?¡± Although their family¡¯s current conditions were already above average, who would mind living better? The living conditions of the Zhao family were indeed not bad. Their family had more than 10 acres of land and four villas that they were about to move into. Village Chief Zhao was a small official in charge of agriculture, Auntie Yang was the director of the food factory, and Zhao Sheng and Zhao Yuan were both important members of the technology design studio. They usually worked in their respective factories and had patents on various inventions. In particular, Zhao Yuan¡¯s bicycle had not only won the Flying Sky Award but also the patent award. Just the dividends alone made him not have to worry about food and drinks for the rest of his life. Her third son, Zhao Pengfei, had also become the chief engineer. Now, his monthly salary was quite high. To be honest, with their family¡¯s conditions, their two daughters-in-law could completely be rich wives at home and hire a few people to take care of the children at home and help with the housework. They had all lived through the most difficult days. They did not think of hiring anyone to take care of the children at all. They also did everything at home themselves. If they were going to plant mushrooms, they would not have so much energy. However, Auntie Yang was not an old-fashioned person who must keep her daughter-in-law at home. Besides, the Great Empress advocated that women were born equal and were as indomitable as men. Many women could go out and strive for their career. Women who stayed at home as housewives would even be laughed at. Her two daughters-in-law were strong-willed and refused to let others say that they were not worthy of their husbands. Auntie Yang said, ¡°Planting mushrooms is a delicate job. Both of you are capable, so you will definitely succeed. If you can¡¯t handle it, you can hire a few people to help you take care of it.¡± Whether it was taking care of the house or the mushrooms, as long as her daughters-in-law could make reasonable arrangements, Auntie Yang was agreeable to it. Auntie Yang supported them in planting mushrooms. The second daughter-in-law, Yan Tingting, hurriedly said excitedly, ¡°Mother, you¡¯re really so nice!¡± Let¡¯s see how those gossipy women can still talk nonsense about them being idlers. Auntie Yang handed the mushrooms to the dark guard. After Bai Wutong received the mushrooms, she quickly cultivated them according to the method in the notebook. It was summer, the time when fungi grew the fastest. Bai Wutong increased the humidity in the room. In a day, she discovered that the milky white mycelium had quickly grown a few centimeters. In less than five days, it would occupy the entire glass bottle. The initial cultivation of the fungi was very successful. Next, it was time to build a suitable mushroom cultivation room. Bai Wutong originally wanted to plant them in the studio, but thinking that she wanted the commoners to see the production of mushrooms more directly, she got someone to build a four-acre mushroom cultivation room. The mushroom cultivation room was very simple to build. It only needed to ensure the right temperature and humidity and suitable conditions for the growth of the fungi pack. Inside the mushroom cultivation room, one could also grow mushrooms in layers at different heights. As Bai Wutong supervised the construction of the mushroom cultivation room, everyone was trying to find out what the Great Empress wanted to do. The Youjia villagers who were more familiar with Bai Wutong saw Auntie Yang¡¯s two daughters-in-law following Bai Wutong and even seriously writing and drawing in a notebook. When they encountered words that they did not know how to write, they would even ask their children to help write. No one dared to get too close. After Bai Wutong left, they went to ask Auntie Yang¡¯s two daughters-in-law, ¡°Why is the Great Empress bringing you along?¡± Under Auntie Yang¡¯s efforts, He Guihua and Yan Tingting were both in charge of the planting in the two-acre mushroom cultivation room. As long as the mushrooms successfully grew, they would be the pioneers of the mushroom cultivation technology. In the future, they would specially lead everyone to plant mushrooms. When everyone asked, He Guihua, who was good at socializing, immediately said, ¡°The Great Empress is guiding us to plant mushrooms. When the mushrooms are planted, she will let everyone plant them together in the future!¡± Everyone thought that it was something serious. It turned out to be planting mushrooms. Many people immediately scattered and hurried to work.. Chapter 396 - Chapter 396: Already Regretful Chapter 396: Already Regretful Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Without needing to work, the farmers who were guarding the land stayed behind with interest. They smiled and asked, ¡°Why is the Great Empress thinking of planting mushrooms?¡± Every time Bai Wutong discovered a delicious vegetable and fruit, she would always use the vegetables and fruits to make all kinds of delicious food. Then, she would let the food factory process them into various products. After receiving everyone¡¯s unanimous approval, she would often let the farmers plant them themselves. If they reclaimed more than an acre of wasteland, she would even give them subsidies for planting. The more land they cultivated, the more land they would have the right to use and the more subsidies they would receive. This allowed them to live a good life without working in workshops. Moreover, these lands could bring them a great sense of satisfaction. Every time Bai Wutong had something new for everyone to plant, this batch of farmers would always be the most proactive. For fruit trees and crops that had no benefits in the first few years, they would be given more subsidies to plant them. A few people had planted mushrooms before. It would take at least two years for the mushrooms to grow. Since they were certain that they could receive subsidies, they naturally did not want to let go of the chance. He Guihua smiled and said, ¡°The Great Empress said that the price of mushrooms has always been high, especially in the winter, they¡¯re even more expensive. When we plant the mushrooms, not only can we eat them ourselves, but we can also process them into all kinds of dry goods, canned food, and medicine. We can earn a lot of money.¡± No matter how expensive mushrooms were, they could not be more expensive than pearls. ¡­.. Moreover, the production of mushrooms was easily affected by the climate and conditions. It was a fool¡¯s dream to supply it to the processing plant in the long term. However, it was Bai Wutong¡¯s words after all. Everyone only asked, ¡°How much subsidy is given for an acre of land?¡± He Guihua knew what the subsidy they were talking about was and explained, ¡°There¡¯s no subsidy for planting mushrooms. You have to pay extra money to build a separate mushroom cultivation room and learn how to plant mushrooms.¡± As soon as these words were spoken, the farmers¡¯ expressions changed. They were not given any subsidies and would have to pay to plant mushrooms. Who would be willing to do that? Mushrooms were not like pearls that were irreplaceable treasures and could definitely earn money. Mushrooms were produced everywhere. If they couldn¡¯t afford it, they could just stop eating. When He Guihua saw everyone¡¯s expressions, she immediately added, ¡°It doesn¡¯t take much money to build the mushroom cultivation room and make fungi bags. Moreover, the yield is as high as a few hundred catties per mu of land. We can harvest it in a month.¡± As soon as she said this, the farmers all looked doubtful. Although they knew that Bai Wutong was capable in many aspects, how could mushrooms be produced at hundreds of catties per mu of land? It was even more ridiculous to think that they could harvest in a month. No one believed it. Even if some people believed it, they wanted to see the mushrooms produced with their own eyes before they were willing to plant them. Bai Wutong had expected from the beginning that many farmers would not believe that mushrooms could have such high yield, so she instructed He Guihua and Yan Tingting that they only needed to take good care of the mushrooms for the time being. Seeing that no one believed them, they did not explain further. In any case, after the mushrooms were planted, these people would definitely fight to sign up to plant them. Bai Wutong claimed that they could plant hundreds of catties of mushrooms on an acre of land. Everyone discussed fervently. When Lin Hu¡¯s wife found out, she hurriedly ran home to inform Lin Hu. Lin Hu asked curiously, ¡°You still want to plant mushrooms? Isn¡¯t our family already cultivating pearls?¡± He subconsciously also thought that mushrooms would not earn as much money as pearls. Lin Hu¡¯s wife said, ¡°Didn¡¯t our father want Eldest Brother and Second Brother to cultivate pearls with us? If mushrooms can really be harvested at hundreds of catties per mu of land, and we can harvest them every 30 days, the profits won¡¯t be small at all. It will take at least two years for us to see the benefits of cultivating pearls! Even if we raise fish together, including fish seedlings and fish food, it will cost a lot of money! If the first and second family branches want to take advantage of the situation, we might as well let them plant mushrooms themselves!¡± Lin Hu¡¯s eyes lit up. He felt that what his wife said made sense. However, after thinking for a moment, he said, ¡°What if Eldest Brother and Second Brother don¡¯t want to plant mushrooms?¡± After all, the risk of cultivating pearls was low after splitting across the three families. If they planted mushrooms alone, just building a mushroom cultivation room and buying mushrooms would cost a few taels of silver. However, Lin Hu¡¯s wife said disapprovingly, ¡°Who wants to share the profits with others? The contract rights to the sea are in our hands. Even if they want to take advantage of it, they won¡¯t be able to take much. Go and tell them well. If they have any brains, they will definitely agree to it.¡± ¡°If they¡¯re really stupid, our father is smart, so it will definitely work too!¡± ¡°It¡¯s best to persuade them quickly. If they really want to sign up to plant mushrooms after the mushrooms are grown, it will definitely be too late.¡± However, Lin Hu still doubted that an acre of land could grow hundreds of catties of mushrooms. ¡°What if they can¡¯t grow these mushrooms when the time comes?¡± If they failed, with his eldest brother and second brother¡¯s character, they would definitely argue with him. Lin Hu¡¯s wife rolled her eyes at him. ¡°In any case, they¡¯re also making a fuss now. If the mushrooms are grown, they definitely won¡¯t make a fuss anymore. Besides, how can the Great Empress do something she¡¯s not confident in? Which unbelievable thing has the Great Empress failed to do? Even for raising pearls, although everyone is suspicious of it, they are still fighting to raise them.¡± ¡°When everyone figures this out, just wait. There will definitely be many people who will take the initiative to sign up to plant mushrooms.¡± It was said that if they followed the Great Empress, they would definitely be able to live a good life. Who wouldn¡¯t want to take a gamble? Besides, the bank had a loan policy. If they really couldn¡¯t take out money, they could even mortgage the house. His wife made too much sense. Lin Hu was completely convinced and hurriedly went to his eldest and second brothers to suggest that they plant mushrooms. After some thought, Lin Hu promised to let them cultivate pearls together if their mushroom cultivation failed. Only then did they reluctantly agree to sign up to plant mushrooms. Planting mushrooms required a basic investment of five taels of silver. They wanted Lin Hu to fork out the money, but they were scolded by Elder Lin. Only then did they reluctantly take the monthly income they had painstakingly saved in the past few months to sign up. As soon as they signed up, the hearts of the others immediately swayed. Just as they were about to sign up, the 30 families of Qinghe signed up. To them, even if the mushrooms could not have high yield and could not earn money for them, as long as they could produce some for themselves to eat in the winter, it would be very good. Besides, if they did not participate actively in the mushroom cultivation project personally organized by the Great Empress, when would they have the chance to get closer to her? The 30 families of Qinghe had participated, and Qinghe Academy and Qinghe Women¡¯s Academy had also signed up. The mushrooms produced could be supplied to the canteen and let the students experience the joy of planting mushrooms themselves. It was a very meaningful investment for the students. If they could really earn money, it would also be a source of income for their academy. With so many people signing up, the spots were filled in an instant. The others wanted to sign up, but they were informed that they could no longer sign up. If everyone went to plant mushrooms, the local market would be too saturated. After all, it was a long journey to transport the harvest to other places for sale, and the labor force would decrease sharply. Every industry had to have precise control. Those who didn¡¯t register regretted it before the mushrooms grew out.. Chapter 397 - Chapter 397:1 Think I Had a miscarriage Chapter 397:1 Think I Had a miscarriage Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The four acres of land that Bai Wutong had asked He Guihua and Yan Tingting to take care of were experimentally planted with shitake mushrooms, milky mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, and abalone mushrooms. These four mushrooms grew especially quickly and suited everyone¡¯s taste the most. The requirements for their growth conditions were not as high as other mushrooms. After everyone signed up to plant mushrooms, Bai Wutong race against time and taught them the way to cultivate these four mushrooms. When everyone¡¯s respective mushroom sheds were built, they could plant mushrooms in the mushroom sheds under the guidance of He Guihua and Yan Tingting. By following Bai Wutong¡¯s method, they successfully cultivated snow-white mycelium on the third day. The mycelium spread throughout the entire glass bottle like a beautiful piece of art, giving everyone endless hope. Those who did not believe that mushrooms could be produced at hundreds of catties per mu of land felt even more regretful and vexed when they heard everyone say that the mushrooms might really grow after the cultivation was successful. They did not seize the opportunity to farm pearls, nor did they seize the opportunity to plant mushrooms! Madam Qu found Yan Tingting and asked shamelessly, ¡°Your Zhao Yuan has earned enough money. Give these two acres of mushroom house to your three brothers!¡± ¡­.. ¡°Just teach the others casually. Only when your brother and the others are living well will they have the confidence to support you, right?¡± She demanded righteously and didn¡¯t want to pay a single cent. She just wanted to get two mushroom sheds for free and learn the technique to growing mushrooms. Previously, when Madam Qu was causing trouble, Yan Tingting had already cut off all contact with her. However, she was still her biological mother after all, and it was still hard to sever all ties. Madam Qu was no longer as arrogant as before, and Yan Tingting had resumed contact with her maternal family. She had a weak personality and was soft-hearted. As long as it was not too much and she could accept it, Yan Tingting was still willing to give her some good things. Unexpectedly, this fueled Madam Qu¡¯s arrogance and made her eye the mushroom sheds. In Madam Qu¡¯s opinion, if her son-in-law, Zhao Yuan, was capable, her daughter would not have to worry about food and clothes for the rest of her life. Why not help her family? If they could not register for the mushroom cultivation, they could just let Yan Tingting give it up. Moreover, two acres of mushroom sheds did not cost much. Madam Qu felt that Yan Tingting would definitely not mind. Auntie Yang had helped her two daughters-in-law fight for the chance to grow mushrooms from Bai Wutong. Moreover, Bai Wutong had personally taught them how to plant mushrooms. This represented an honor that belonged to them alone. In the future, the mushroom shed would still be their private property. When mushrooms became abundant, who would dare to say behind their backs that they were just lucky to have married a good man? How could Yan Tingting give up the mushroom shed? Besides, she had already given her family a lot of things. Madam Qu wanted to renovate the villa a little more, but she did not have money. As her daughter, Yan Tingting even gave her 10 taels of silver. If Madam Qu had not said that she wanted a mushroom shed and only wanted to learn the technique of growing mushrooms, Yan Tingting would not have been so angry. Now, there was only one phrase in Yan Tingting¡¯s mind¡ªinsatiable greed! Yan Tingting¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Mother, 1 can¡¯t accept your request.¡± Her firm rejection made Madam Qu lose face. She immediately said angrily, ¡°You¡¯re living a luxurious life now, but you don¡¯t want to acknowledge me as your mother, right? It¡¯s just two mushroom sheds! So what if you give it to me! The Great Empress didn¡¯t say that only the person who signed up can plant it! Besides, I¡¯m your mother!¡± Madam Qu kept saying that she was her mother, but in fact, she did not take her daughter to heart at all. She did not care about her difficult position at all and only wanted her to keep supporting her three useless brothers. Yan Tingting and Madam Qu would cause a huge commotion every time they argued. Although her mother-in-law would support her, it was inevitable that she would feel that the Qu family was not presentable. Yan Tingting said directly, ¡°Mother, it¡¯s useless to say anything else. 1 won¡¯t give you the mushroom shed. Give up. If you still have me in your heart, leave quickly. I¡¯m tired.¡± Yan Tingting actually chased her out. Madam Qu was furious and raised her hand to slap Yan Tingting. Fortunately, Zhao Yuan returned in time and grabbed Madam Qu¡¯s hand. ¡°Mother, what are you doing?¡± The last time Madam Qu acted atrociously at their house, she hit and scolded Yan Tingting. At that time, Zhao Yuan had already accumulated some anger. If not for the fact that he could not bear to see Yan Tingting being sandwiched in the middle, Zhao Yuan would definitely not allow Madam Qu appear at their house to cause trouble again. Zhao Yuan¡¯s dark expression frightened Madam Qu for a moment, but she said confidently, ¡°An unfilial daughter should be taught a lesson!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t ask her to give much money. I just asked her to spend some effort teaching her brothers how to grow mushrooms, yet she is making all kinds of excuses.¡± ¡°We¡¯re all family. What¡¯s there to fuss about? Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Zhao Yuan also understood and said without hesitation, ¡°Tingting¡¯s decision is my decision. Please leave.¡± Madam Qu could not figure it out. They were already living so well. What was wrong with helping them? Which daughter didn¡¯t want to help her maternal family? Moreover, if everyone had learned the technique after one person spent money on mushroom planting, wasn¡¯t it much more profitable? Madam Qu said angrily, ¡°You don¡¯t treat me as your mother at all!¡± When Madam Qu raised her hand to slap her, Yan Tingting¡¯s heart had already turned cold. She had compromised this time, but there would definitely be a next time. Yan Tingting said, ¡°We¡¯ve already severed ties previously. You can think whatever you want.¡± Madam Qu could not hold it in anymore. She had already boasted to others that she would definitely be able to get a mushroom shed and even secretly accepted money from others. She also said that when her sons learned how to plant mushrooms, she would teach them. If Yan Tingting refused to teach her, how would she explain it to her son, daughter-in-law, and the people who paid? Madam Qu immediately cursed at Yan Tingting, ¡°I raised you with my feces and urine. Now that your wings have hardened, you¡¯re going to turn the world upside down. You¡¯re so capable!¡± ¡°You¡¯re heartless and ungrateful. You don¡¯t even acknowledge your biological mother. What¡¯s the difference between you and a beast!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to die. You¡¯re so arrogant just because you know how to plant mushrooms.¡± Her curses spread outside through the tent and surrounded them to eavesdrop. When Madam Qu¡¯s three sons heard their mother¡¯s shout, they immediately rushed in. Yan Da scolded Yan Tingting without hesitation, ¡°You heartless dog, look at how angry you made our mother!¡± Zhao Yuan could not help but punch him. Yan Da was punched to the ground by Zhao Yuan. Seeing this, Yan Er and Yan San immediately went up to help. They fought in the tent. How could Zhao Yuan defeat three people alone? Yan Tingting went forward to break the fight. Yan Da waved his hand and Yan Tingting fell heavily to the ground. She groaned and her stomach suddenly hurt. In the next second, she felt a heat between her legs. She was no longer an inexperienced woman. She thought of something and immediately shouted at Zhao Yuan in fear, ¡°Brother Yuan, stop fighting. Hurry up and call the doctor. I think I might have a miscarriage..¡± Chapter 398 - Chapter 398: Who Dare to Commit Crime? Chapter 398: Who Dare to Commit Crime? Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yan Tingting shouted with all her might. In an instant, the chaotic tent fell silent. Zhao Yuan immediately struggled to break free and hurriedly ran to Yan Tingting¡¯s side. ¡°Tingting, hang in there. I¡¯ll call the doctor!¡± When Madam Qu saw the blood under Yan Tingting, she finally reacted. She hurriedly held Yan Tingting¡¯s hand and shouted hypocritically, ¡°Daughter, don¡¯t scare me!¡± If Yan Tingting really had a miscarriage, not only would she not be able to learn how to grow mushrooms, but the two families might really end their ties. The Zhao family was a highly regarded family by the Great Empress and they were at the peak. If the relationship between the two families were really broken, they would lose much more than if they did not plant mushrooms. At this moment, Madam Qu was really worried about Yan Tingting, but Yan Tingting pulled her hand back hatefully, her eyes filled with resentment. Zhao Yuan wanted to call a doctor, but he was worried about Yan Tingting being taken care of by them. Fortunately, Auntie Yang rushed over when she heard the news. When she saw Yan Tingting lying in a pool of blood, she immediately said decisively, ¡°Yuan¡¯er, don¡¯t delay anymore. Hurry up and call a doctor! Go quickly!¡± ¡­.. With Auntie Yang here, Zhao Yuan no longer hesitated and quickly ran out of the tent. Not long after, Gu Zhongxun was asked over by Zhao Yuan. Everyone watched anxiously. Madam Qu asked even more anxiously, ¡°Doctor, is my daughter alright?¡± She looked like a loving mother who really doted on her daughter. After taking her pulse, Gu Zhongxun shook his head grimly. ¡°The fetus is only more than a month old. It suffered a violent impact just now. Even if the child is born, it¡¯s very likely that it will be lifetime disabled. Its development in the womb is affected, so it¡¯s also very likely that it will be born prematurely or there will be difficulty during birth. The mother and child¡¯s lives might also be in danger.¡± There was another point that Gu Zhongxun did not mention because there were too many people around. If Yan Tingting forced herself to have this child, she might not be able to have another child in the future. Although Yan Tingting and Zhao Yuan already had a son and daughter, she could not bear to part with this child. Yan Tingting begged Doctor Gu with tears in her eyes, ¡°I beg you, Doctor Gu, help me protect him. 1 want to give birth to him. He¡¯s reincarnated into my stomach. How can he go back just like that!¡± She was careless and did not even realise that her period did not come. If she had noticed, it would definitely not have turned out like this. Gu Zhongxun sighed. ¡°1 can¡¯t do anything. It¡¯s up to you to decide. You can keep it for the time being, but after that¡­¡± Zhao Yuan held Yan Tingting¡¯s hand tightly and advised with heartache, ¡°Our two children can¡¯t lose their mother!¡± If he gave birth to a disabled child and let him live pitifully in this world, it was better to let him reincarnate and find a good family. Yan Tingting understood what Zhao Yuan meant, but she really could not bear to part with this child! Yan Tingting cried. She blamed herself for not being careful, and also blamed Madam Qu for not letting her off. She cried so hard that she fainted. Everyone called for the doctor again and again. When Yan Tingting woke up, she finally agreed to Zhao Yuan¡¯s decision to abort the child. A good child was lost just like that. Village Chief Zhao rushed back to receive the news and said to Zhao Yuan without another word, ¡°Report to the authorities!¡± As soon as he said this, Madam Qu¡¯s expression immediately changed. Yan Da, who had caused Yan Tingting¡¯s miscarriage, also revealed a frightened expression. Although causing an abortion was not considered murder, one would still have to suffer extremely serious punishment and compensation. Yan Da stammered, ¡°He¡­ He was the one who attacked first. That¡¯s how I was careless and shook off my sister.¡± Madam Qu hurriedly said, ¡°It was all an accident. If Zhao Yuan hadn¡¯t made the first move, and also if she had not been tired from planting mushrooms recently, Tingting wouldn¡¯t have had a miscarriage. Anyway, Tingting can still give birth in the future. We¡¯re all family. How can we make a fool of ourselves in the government?¡± Auntie Yang immediately said angrily, ¡°You caused us to lose our grandson, yet you still have the cheek to call us a family. We don¡¯t have a shameless family like you!¡± ¡°Yuan¡¯er, quickly report it to the officials! Let the Lord seek justice for us!¡± Auntie Yang had completely had enough of Madam Qu¡¯s family. Even if she let others watch the show, she would definitely send Yan Da to seek justice that day. Yan Da immediately hid behind Madam Qu and said nervously, ¡°Mother, quickly call Sister. I really didn¡¯t mean it.¡± He was still hoping that Yan Tingting would teach him how to plant mushrooms, so how could he deliberately cause her to have a miscarriage? When Madam Qu saw Zhao Yuan run out, she said angrily, ¡°How can I not know my daughter? She was abused by you guys. Even with a weak body, she still had to plant mushrooms, that¡¯s how she had a miscarriage! 1 haven¡¯t settled the score with you yet!¡± Madam Qu was really shameless. Auntie Yang picked up a broom and hit her. ¡°Tingting is really unlucky to have a mother like you!¡± Madam Yang had tried to frame them, and the Zhao family was all eyeing them fiercely. Madam Qu¡¯s sons did not dare to stand in their way and watched as Madam Qu was beaten up. They could only shout at the tent where Yan Tingting was, ¡°Tingting, can you really bear to see Big Brother go to jail? Aren¡¯t you going to care if Mother is beaten up?¡± Yan Tingting had drunk the abortion medicine and the child had yet to completely flow out. When she heard their shouts, the anger in her heart burned and the blanket under her hand was almost torn apart. Bai Wutong went to the mushroom cultivation shed to check on the growth of the mushrooms. When she saw He Guihua but not Yan Tingting, she asked casually. He Guihua told her everything about Madam Qu coming to their house and causing Yan Tingting¡¯s miscarriage at home. Bai Wutong had experienced Madam Qu¡¯s way of handling things back in Youjia Village. Relying on her thick skin, she wanted to obtain Bai Wutong¡¯s instant noodles recipe for nothing. Now, she had even caused a life to be lost in order to plant mushrooms, which really displeased Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong summoned the investigating official. After hearing the official¡¯s preliminary verdict, she said to the official, ¡°If you obtain the victim¡¯s understanding, you can be given a suspended sentence. However, if this compensation doesn¡¯t meet the victim¡¯s satisfaction, you can mortgage the house.¡± The official understood that Bai Wutong wanted to support Yan Tingting, so he immediately increased the amount of compensation that Yan Da had to pay. If Yan Da could not pay the compensation and could not obtain Yan Tingting¡¯s understanding, he would be thrown into jail and serve a three-year sentence. Bai Wutong had previously modified and added onto the country¡¯s laws, but it was not fully complete yet. The low intensity of punishment and chance of escaping punishment were very likely to allow the perpetrator to take advantage of the loophole. The stronger the punishment, the more it could deter crime. Bai Wutong listed a few more things on the criminal law records. Anyone with a criminal record was not allowed to hold public office for three generations. They were not allowed to participate in the bank¡¯s various loan businesses and were restricted from leaving the southern frontier. The criminal records would follow them until death. After Bai Wutong announced the latest law regulations, everyone was shocked. Who would dare to commit a crime under such strict rules! Madam Qu pestered Yan Tingting because she wanted her three sons to be successful. In the end, not only was her son going to jail, but her grandson¡¯s future was also ruined. She secretly hated the Zhao family for being heartless, but she still had to beg the Zhao family to be magnanimous. She shouted and made a fuss at Yan Tingting outside the tent. Yan Tingting did not see her. Instead, it attracted the soldiers to drag her away. There was really no other way. Madam Qu could only bring her eldest daughter-in-law to stop Village Chief Zhao, who was at work.. ¡°Tell me, what should I do for you to be willing to give the letter of forgiveness!¡± Chapter 399 - Chapter 399: You’re Heartless Chapter 399: You¡¯re Heartless Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios How could it be so easy to get forgiveness after harming a grandson of the Zhao family? Village Chief Zhao did not give them any face and left. Madam Qu hurriedly chased after him again. Her eyes were filled with tears as she questioned as if she had been wronged, ¡°In-law, are you really so heartless?¡± Village Chief Zhao felt disgusted when he heard the word ¡°in-law¡±. ¡°Get lost!¡± With such in-laws, he must have done something immoral in his previous life and not been forgiven by the heavens. Madam Qu flew into a rage out of humiliation and shouted at Village Chief Zhao, ¡°My son is going to support me until my death. If you send my son to jail, without a job, Yan Tingting will be in charge of the rest of my life! My monthly retirement money can¡¯t be less than 50 taels of silver!¡± If Yan Da was sent to prison, Madam Qu still had two sons. She was still young, but she actually had the cheek to let her married daughter pay for her life expenses! ¡­.. This was too shameless. The surrounding people who knew what Madam Qu had done could not help but retort, ¡°You have two sons! You just caused your girl¡¯s child to be lost. How can you have the cheek to make such a demand!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! I¡¯ve never seen such a shameless person!¡± ¡°A married daughter is like water that has been splashed out. How can you let your daughter take care of you when you¡¯re old? It¡¯s not like all your sons are dead.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine if she treats her youngest daughter better, but all she cares about is scheming against her daughter. If not for the fact that Yan Tingting has a good husband like Zhao Yuan, 1 don¡¯t know how much she would have suffered.¡± Zhao Yuan could earn a lot of money in a year. Many families even wanted to marry their daughters to Zhao Yuan as concubines. Zhao Yuan was a sincere person. He only had eyes for Yan Tingting. Yan Tingting had a miscarriage, was already old and had such a difficult mother. Many people could not wait for Zhao Yuan to despise Yan Tingting and divorce her before marrying them. When Madam Qu heard them criticize her, she argued, ¡°Since ancient times, it has always been the eldest branch who pays for the parents¡¯ retirement. Their family sent my son to jail, so they should support me until my death!¡± Village Chief Zhao sneered. ¡°Is your son dead?¡± Madam Qu rolled her eyes and said righteously, ¡°Bah, your son is the one who is dying. If my son goes in, his job will be gone. Without a job, he will lose his income. Without his income, he won¡¯t be able to support our family. Yan Tingting is my daughter, so she naturally has to bear this responsibility. Besides, her brother didn¡¯t do it on purpose. It¡¯s all because you made her body so weak that she accidentally had a miscarriage!¡± ¡°Either you give me silver every month, or ask the Lord to let my son go!¡± Madam Qu¡¯s eldest daughter-in-law even added righteously, ¡°The Great Empress has already stipulated that a married daughter has the same obligation to support and protect her parents! Our family is poor, so Yan Tingting should be responsible!¡± Previously, they did not know. Now that they had asked around, when Yan Da was released, Madam Qu would still have to argue with Yan Tingting about how much silver she should give every month. Village Chief Zhao was so angry that he laughed. ¡°Alright, as long as the Lord gives the order that we should give you money, 1 will definitely not miss a single cent, but your son can forget about being spared from jail!¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll live to be 60, the day my daughter-in-law gives you alimony.¡± Every child has an obligation to support his or her parents. The first condition is to meet the age of 60. If not, there is an obligation to help unless it is clear that one had no source of income or that one has a physical disability. Village Chief Zhao knew more than them. When Madam Qu heard Village Chief Zhao curse her to not live past 60 years old, her face turned green with anger. ¡°You, you, you, I don¡¯t care. You have to get the Lord to let my son go. Otherwise, I¡¯ll go to your house every day!¡± Village Chief Zhao was not to be trifled with. ¡°If you don¡¯t want your entire family to be jobless, go ahead and make a fuss!¡± The workshop had the right to fire people with bad character. In an instant, Madam Qu¡¯s heart turned cold. If her other sons and daughters-in-law lost their jobs because of their eldest son, the entire family would really be in trouble. Madam Qu was stunned. Her mouth opened, and her strong unwillingness made her unable to say anything. She could only watch Village Chief Zhao leave resentfully. As soon as they returned home, the officials rushed them to compensate Yan Tingting with money. The second and third branches had long hidden themselves. Madam Qu made a scene and said, ¡°1 have no money! Yan Tingting is my daughter. How can she make me pay!¡± If Madam Qu claimed that she could not fork out the money, it was impossible for Yan Tingting to really force her biological brother to a dead end. However, the officials did not care who Yan Tingting was. They only had one mission that day, and that was to get Madam Qu to pay. If Madam Qu said no, it was very simple. The officer in the lead took out the official order. ¡°If you don¡¯t have money, use your house to pay for it.¡± As soon as he said this, Madam Qu and her eldest daughter-in-law were dumbfounded. How could they compensate with the house? It was such a good house, and everyone was eagerly waiting to move in. In order to make herself more comfortable living with the eldest branch, Madam Qu specially took out 10 taels of silver and exchanged it for a larger villa. Not only was there a front yard, but there was also a spacious backyard. After she moved in, she would show off to everyone. This house could not be mortgaged! Madam Qu hurriedly said, ¡°Sir, the one who had a miscarriage is my biological daughter. She was just angry for a moment and won¡¯t be angry in two days. Don¡¯t take our house! My house is worth at least 50 taels!¡± The leading soldier could not stand Madam Qu¡¯s behavior. Although she said that Yan Tingting was her biological daughter, she did not show any concern at all. Instead, she complained that Yan Tingting should not have had a miscarriage and should not have asked them to compensate for the money. A trace of disgust flashed across his eyes. ¡°The value of the mortgaged house definitely can¡¯t be calculated according to the market price. Hurry up. 1¡¯11 say it one last time. Without money, your house will be mortgaged to the government from today onwards.¡± No one could go against the government¡¯s words. Madam Qu and her eldest daughter-in-law finally panicked. They did not want everyone to live in the villa, while they continued to live in tents or under someone else¡¯s roof. Madam Qu could only borrow money from her second and third sons. Everyone had a job, so they must have saved up some money. She should be able to raise 20 taels of silver. Unexpectedly, her two sons were surprisingly in unison. ¡°Mother, you still have the silver for your retirement. Help Big Brother pay for it first. When Big Brother comes out and earns money, he will return it to you.¡± Madam Qu could tell that they did not want to give her silver, but she still had to save the remaining silver in her hands as retirement money! She gritted her teeth and said fiercely, ¡°I don¡¯t have money either. If you don¡¯t want to give me money, 1 don¡¯t have anywhere to go. I¡¯ll live with you in the future and ask you for money to spend.¡± As soon as she said this, Yan Er and Yan San¡¯s expressions froze. They felt uncomfortable when they thought about how Madam Qu would still have to subsidize their eldest brother¡¯s family after taking their silver. They looked at each other and thought that it was impossible for Madam Qu to let the eldest branch become homeless. She would definitely take out the silver to compensate the Zhao family. They did not say anything. In an instant, Madam Qu felt that she had raised a family of ingrates. She had done her best for them, but no one was willing to give up their silver. She sat on the ground and cried, ¡°1 risked my life for you.. If you didn¡¯t want to plant mushrooms, why would your brother go in? You¡¯re heartless!¡± Chapter 400 - Chapter 400: Mushrooms Can’t Be Eaten As Meal Chapter 400: Mushrooms Can¡¯t Be Eaten As Meal Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios It was true that they wanted to plant mushrooms, but the eldest branch also wanted to plant them. They clearly had money on hand, but they were forced to give it to them. Their mother was just biased. They had yet to blame their eldest brother for letting their younger sister miscarry and implicated them to offend the Zhao family. They were determined not to give her money, which made Madam Qu furious. Her eldest daughter-in-law almost fought with her two sisters-in-law. While Madam Qu was overwrought over the 20 taels of compensation and her two sons, it was time for the mushroom cultivation shed to reap its harvest. Everyone thought that it was an exaggeration to harvest mushrooms in a month. It was not until He Guihua excitedly brought out baskets of fat milky mushrooms from the mushroom shed that everyone widened their eyes and wanted to go to the mushroom shed to find out more. Especially those who had already signed up to plant mushrooms. If not for Bai Wutong standing at the door of the mushroom shed, everyone would have rushed in. One basket, two baskets, three baskets¡­ Everyone kept counting in silence. ¡­.. Each basket contained about 10 kilograms of mushrooms. In the end, they counted and realized that they had picked 20 baskets of mushrooms per mu of land, which was almost 250 kilograms! Everyone was boiling with excitement. This was too much. It was even more productive than the rice they planted! The mushrooms were tender, smooth, and refreshing. They could be eaten for a long time after drying and tasted the same as meat. They were a popular ingredient anywhere. With such a high yield, it was even more worth it than planting rice. Everyone wanted to eat the mushrooms as their staple food. Especially those who wanted to sign up but did not manage to, their intestines turned green with regret. If they had not hesitated to sign up to plant mushrooms from the beginning, they would not have had to watch with regrets. The four acres of mushroom shed that Bai Wutong had asked He Guihua and Yan Tingting to be in charge of were planted with different types of mushrooms. Each mushroom had different living conditions. Although the mushrooms were planted at about the same time, the yield of the abalone mushrooms was dozens of times higher than that of the milky mushrooms. When baskets of abalone mushrooms were brought out, everyone¡¯s eyes were about to blur. This was too much. Based on a rough estimation, the yield of an acre of abalone mushrooms was at least 1,000 kilograms! Everyone could not believe their eyes. Everyone present wanted to transform into a little mushroom picker and go to the mysterious mushroom shed to investigate. Yan Tingting was in charge of planting the abalone mushrooms. She was not there, but everyone was proud of her for being able to plant so many mushrooms. He Guihua was not envious. Although it was not time to pick the enoki mushrooms that she was in charge of planting, they were growing at an astonishing rate. If nothing went wrong, she would be able to harvest at least a few thousand kilograms of enoki mushrooms. When Bai Wutong saw everyone surrounding the piles of mushrooms, as they discussed whether they should change their staple food to mushrooms in the future. ¡°Mushrooms are delicious, but they can¡¯t be eaten as meal!¡± ¡°If you are asked to eat mushrooms every day, try and see if you can last a month.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t we last a month? We can even survive a month eating tree bark and weeds on the way to escape.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If we all plant mushrooms, we won¡¯t have to be afraid of starving anymore.¡± Many people felt that with the conditions to plant rice, wheat, and other food crops, there was no need to plant mushrooms that were classified as vegetables on a large scale. More starving commoners squeezed in front of Bai Wutong and begged her, ¡°Great Empress, we also want to plant mushrooms. We¡¯re willing to pay to build a mushroom shed!¡± One mu of land could harvest so many mushrooms in a month. Moreover, the mushrooms could be picked every time. At least four types of mushrooms could be planted every year. This was an irresistible temptation to the commoners. The commoners who had signed up in advance were unhappy. If everyone planted mushrooms, what profit would they earn? There would be mushrooms everywhere, and their mushrooms would become worthless. When would they be able to earn back the money to build the mushroom shed? However, they did not dare to show it openly. After all, who did not want to live a good life? If they said it, they would definitely be hated. Bai Wutong looked at the expectant citizens and said word by word, ¡°Everyone, listen to me. If you still want to plant mushrooms, sign up.¡± Everyone looked at Bai Wutong quietly, waiting for her to continue. ¡°Mushrooms are rich in fiber. This fiber can¡¯t be absorbed by all of us, so compared to the original staple food, we have to eat more mushrooms every meal to make up for energy provided by rice or noodles. If we take in mushrooms that we cannot digest for a long time, it will cause us to excrete more times. We will waste more time on eating and going to the toilet, greatly reducing the efficiency of our daily production life.¡± ¡°Of course. Some people say that they like to eat mushrooms and it¡¯s not a big deal to go to the toilet a few more times. Anyway, the production of mushrooms is high. You can eat them however you want.¡± ¡°However, has anyone ever thought that planting mushrooms also has a cost? First of all, you need a mushroom shed with suitable conditions. You also need to cultivate fungi packs, make nutritious soil and constantly pay attention to the growth of mushrooms. These all require a cost. Most importantly, if everyone plant mushrooms now, the mushrooms that originally cost five coins will become one coin or be worthless. This is because everyone is producing mushrooms. Then, when can the cost of planting mushroom sheds be recovered? If it¡¯s not profitable, you will continue planting and invest. If the mushroom house is left idle, why did you plant mushrooms in the first place?¡± ¡°If you still have plans to plant mushrooms now, go and sign up. Anyway, everyone knows the consequences. Just think carefully.¡± Bai Wutong told everyone the consequences of everyone planting mushrooms. Many commoners who were afraid of losing money from planting mushrooms immediately wanted to change plans. At that time, the mushrooms would really be worthless. They might as well use this money to plant a few acres of land or buy an apartment. The rich people did not care about the investment of 10 taels of silver. In any case, they could learn the technique of planting mushrooms with 10 taels of silver. If the mushrooms could not be sold, they could still provide for their own consumption. If they really incurred losses, they could stop planting and stop the losses immediately. In any case, they had the capital to try it out. In the end, many people still signed up to plant mushrooms. However, compared to before, the number of people had greatly decreased. Those who signed up were all bold and had the capital. Even if the mushrooms really became worthless and caused the market to be flooded, they still had the courage to regroup. Bai Wutong glanced at the new high-quality mushroom farmer and smiled. An industrial chain had been perfectly formed again. The mushrooms were abundant, so everyone bought them on the spot. They realized that the mushrooms growing in the mushroom shed were all about the same size and of especially good grade. Everyone spent money to buy some. When they returned home, they would cook all kinds of mushrooms. The entire area of Carefree City smelled like mushrooms. Everyone tasted the mushrooms, and Village Chief Zhao exclaimed, ¡°If only our rations could have as high yield as the mushrooms!¡± He Guihua smiled and said, ¡°I heard from the Great Empress that if we keep researching and planting food like mushrooms, we can find a way to increase the yield!¡± ¡°Father, if you can improve on the yield of rice, you might be the next winner of the Fei Tian Award!¡± As soon as she said this, Village Chief Zhao¡¯s eyes immediately lit up. He rushed out of the house with his chopsticks. Everyone shouted at him from behind, ¡°Where are you going?¡± Village Chief Zhao said without turning around, ¡°Farming..¡± Chapter 401 - Chapter 401: Not Knowing Better Chapter 401: Not Knowing Better Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Carefree City had a subtropical climate. It was summer and it rained frequently. From time to time, hurricanes would appear on the sea. Without equipment to accurately predict the weather, Bai Wutong was worried that there would be a typhoon. Where there was typhoon, fishing boats of all sizes were not allowed to go out to sea to fish. Unexpectedly, before the typhoon arrived, the rain suddenly turned into a heavy rain. The torrential rain fell again and again like hard fists, smashing everyone¡¯s tent into a mess. The bottom of the tent overflowed like a river, and the top of the tent was filled with leaky holes. The commoners¡¯ belongings were also soaked in the rain. If the rain stopped, it was not impossible for everyone to endure it for a day or two and clean up their things. However, the rain was very heavy, and it did not seem to want to stop even after the people shouted their hearts out. Apart from Bai Wutong and a group of people who had moved into the villa earlier, the other houses were still incomplete houses. Many of the internal structures had yet to be completed. However, it was raining so hard. If the commoners continued to stay in the tent, many of them would definitely catch a cold and fall sick, and their assets would be damaged. Bai Wutong ordered, ¡°Arrange for the people to enter the houses to take refuge in an orderly manner.¡± ¡­.. Under Bai Wutong¡¯s order, everyone quickly took action. Based on the population records, they arranged for everyone to take refuge in different houses. Apart from the slaves, everyone else had their own houses and could enter their houses to stay. Even though it had not been renovated, everyone was still excited and happy. After confirming the house where they were taking refuge, the entire family carried their belongings and ran crazily in the heavy rain. The slaves did not have much belongings, so they carried a small package in. Seeing the others discussing about theor new house in the rain with smiles, they felt like floating duckweed and did not feel happy. By evening, the rain was even heavier. Fortunately, most of the livestock, food, and supplies had been transferred. The pouring rain was accompanied by thunder and lightning, like an earth-shattering symphony. The wind blew, and a woman weighing 50 kilograms could be blown away easily. Bai Wutong gave her instructions again. No matter what else was in the tent, no one was allowed to leave the house without permission. After everyone finished counting their things, they finally had time to rest. They changed into fresh clothes and surrounded the charcoal stove to warm themselves. Lin Siyu invented the sewing machine and improved the textile machine. She led the entire family out of slavery and obtained three acres of land and a villa. No one was allowed to enter the villa during the construction stage. This was the first time they had entered their real home. Lin Siyu¡¯s husband and son were so excited that they even forgot to change their clothes. They jumped up and down around the villa and sized it up carefully. As Lin Siyu had donated the sewing machine and the spindleless textile machine to the Imperial Court for free, the size of this villa was also one of the largest houses. The villa had a total of four floors. The basement was used as a cellar and utility room. The first floor had the kitchen, a large bathroom, and a living room. It was connected to the poultry pen which could be used to raise pigs, chickens, ducks, or pets. It was also very convenient to park a bicycle. The second and third floors were all rooms that could be designed according to their preferences. Most importantly, the master bedroom on each floor had a unique bathroom. The bathroom had a washstand and toilet made of ceramic. It was specially designed. The water could be transmitted up through the pipe, which was very magical to them. In the future, when she renovated, she could even go to the glass factory to customize a mirror and hang it in the bathroom. Jiang Cong and Jiang Zhi could shave cleanly in front of the mirror, and Lin Siyu could sit comfortably and dress herself up. There was also a small garden on the top floor. It could be used to grow vegetables, dry rice, or raise fish. It could also be used to build a pavilion and allow one to have a wide view of the scenery. From time to time, one could hold a barbecue party with one¡¯s family. The two courtyards in front and behind were extremely spacious. Their combined area was about three acres. Even if it was an incomplete house, Lin Siyu¡¯s entire family was already extremely satisfied. They could even accept moving in immediately. Lin Siyu lit the beehive charcoal and said to Jiang Cong, ¡°I¡¯ve already asked the foreman. He said that our house is basically completed. The rest is up to us to renovate. How do you think we should renovate?¡± Jiang Cong was lucky enough to have been to the Great Empress¡¯s residence and had seen Bai Wutong¡¯s exquisite, low-key, but warm interior design. They had 500 taels of silver on hand, so Jiang Cong said, ¡°After all, it¡¯s a house we have to live in for the rest of our lives. If we want to renovate it, we have to renovate it nicely. Qinghe Academy has a special design studio that has cooperated with our factory. Let¡¯s go and ask! If it¡¯s expensive, so be it. We can still earn money in the future.¡± The price of their design was not cheap. While Lin Siyu was a little hesitant, Jiang Wei said, ¡°Mother, Father is right. Our house is so good. If the renovation is too shabby, it will be a waste of this house.¡± Lin Siyu thought about it and agreed. She gritted her teeth and nodded. ¡°Alright, then we¡¯ll find a specialized master to design it!¡± Everyone reached an agreement and started talking excitedly as they looked at the house. Su Yue and Granny Su, who had temporarily moved into the mass apartment, were also looking around the apartment. The layout of each apartment was different. There were apartments with three bedrooms, two bedrooms and single room. Su Yue and her mother were assigned a single room apartment. The kitchen and toilet were along the corridor. If they wanted to cook, they could only share the briquettes stove with everyone and take turns cleaning the toilet. This condition was much better than the tent. The small single room was completely enough to accommodate them. Originally, everyone was very satisfied until they visited and realized that the three-bedroom, two-bedroom, and one-bedroom apartment all had an attached toilet and kitchen. Everyone with slave status all revealed their envy. How good would it be if they weren¡¯t slaves! If they weren¡¯t slaves, they could also own such a good apartment. Everyone discussed enthusiastically in the corridor, looking forward to the day when they could invent something as impressive as Lin Siyu. They could get rid of their slave status and move into the apartment. Su Yue bit her lip and looked at the villa area that was blurry in the wind and rain, her eyes filled with unwillingness. If the apartment was already so good, one could imagine how good the villa would be. Granny Su comforted her. ¡°Master treats us very well. He definitely won¡¯t let us continue living in the tent in the future.¡± Su Yue turned around and glanced at her coldly. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely move into the villa!¡± Granny Su thought that her daughter had changed after experiencing so much. She did not expect her to not know better. Granny Su sighed helplessly. ¡°Why are you doing this!¡± It could not be hidden that Su Yue had lost her virginity. How could a decent man be willing to marry Su Yue? Moreover, Su Yue was a slave. Who would want their child to be born from a slave¡¯s stomach? Unless the Great Empress abolished slavery, in Granny Su¡¯s opinion, Su Yue just had unrealistic rosy thoughts. Su Yue did not think much of it. The people of the southern frontiers were open-minded. If a woman could have multiple husbands, why couldn¡¯t she? She remembered that the third son of the Zhao family, Zhao Pengfei, was not married yet. He was a good candidate.. Chapter 402 - Chapter 402: He Must Like Men! Chapter 402: He Must Like Men! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Bai Wutong sat on the soft sofa and looked at the heavy rain outside the window. She tightened her cloak and couldn¡¯t help but worry about how much the crops planted would be affected. ¡°Whoo¡ª¡± The wind howled and black shadows quickly passed by the horizon. It was probably someone¡¯s tent that had been blown away again. The trees outside the door swayed crazily, as if they were playing rock and roll. ¡°Bang¡ª¡± Something fell and shattered outside the door. Xiaobai rushed to Bai Wutong immediately, as if she was facing a great enemy and wanted to protect her. ¡­.. Xiaolv and the cubs followed closely behind and surrounded Bai Wutong. In the cold night, Bai Wutong felt extremely warm as she looked at their furry backs. She touched the top of Xiaobai¡¯s head and comforted it to not worry. Only then did Xiaobai relax and rub its head against the back of Bai Wutong¡¯s hand. The cubs were unwilling to fall behind and fought to be patted on the head by Bai Wutong, pushing Xiaobai to the side. Bai Wutong touched them one by one, and her lonely heart was filled because of these cute furry things. The child in her stomach suddenly kicked her. Bai Wutong chuckled and gently stroked her stomach. ¡°1 didn¡¯t forget you.¡± The rain did not stop, but it was time for Bai Wutong to rest. She returned to the bedroom. The wide bed looked empty without Chu Tianbao¡¯s traces. Disappointment flashed across Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes, and her sleepiness dissipated. She sat on the desk and picked up a wooden figurine to study it carefully. This was a set of gifts that Chu Tianbao had specially carved for her after learning that she was pregnant. There were a total of 10 figurines, and each figurine was a lifelike version of herself. Every little figurine smiled so brightly and beautifully. Chu Tianbao had given them souls. He had exquisite carving skills and a heart that loved her deeply. She wondered where he was and if things were going well. Bai Wutong closed her eyes and thought of his gentle expression. Her heart skipped a beat. Suddenly, she missed him very much¡­ Suddenly, she felt a strange touch on her hand. Bai Wutong suddenly opened her eyes and took the little figurine closer to look. She realized that there was a circle of small words on the base of each little figurine that was not easy to discover. Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes lit up. She picked up the other little figurines and sized them up carefully. In the end, she placed them neatly in a line. It was a sentence that Chu Tianbao had left for her. ¡°Tianbao and my wife will be together forever.¡± The moment Bai Wutong said it, her nose stung and tears rolled out of her eyes. She hurriedly wiped her tears and replied while looking far away, ¡°Definitely.¡± Bai Wutong hugged the little figurine and fell asleep blissfully. When she woke up the next morning, as she had expected, more than half of the crops were destroyed. Everyone was waiting for Bai Wutong to organize them and arrange work. After Bai Wutong heard the preliminary report of the disaster from all sides, she looked at the cloudless sky with a mere glance. Countless seabirds cried out and circled around, as if they were foreshadowing something. Bai Wutong looked at the situation. The heavy typhoon was still waiting for them. It was not convenient to save the crops at this time. It would be very dangerous if a typhoon suddenly struck. Bai Wutong asked everyone to clear the roads blocked by the rainstorm sludge and check the drainage and dangerous buildings and areas. She sent someone to remind them and check the population to ensure that everyone had food to eat and clean water to drink when seeking shelter from the typhoon. She also arranged for people who needed treatment to be saved in time. Everyone did as they were asked and hurriedly worked until the afternoon. As expected, another huge wave rose on the sea, like the mouth of a huge beast, trying to engulf Carefree City. Fortunately, Carefree City was in an excellent location and would never be submerged by the seawater. The drains in various areas were also operating very smoothly. So far, Carefree City was not too affected by the typhoon. Another night passed. The next morning was bright and sunny. The world was finally calm. Bai Wutong personally patrolled the disaster situation. The crop loss rate was as high as 60%, and the sapling loss rate was as high as 70%. Fortunately, they had saved a portion of the vegetables and food previously. Otherwise, their losses would have been even greater. Yu Suisheng¡¯s newly recruited citizens were about to reach Carefree City, and the population would increase to more than 500,000. If they did not have this batch of food, they would have to buy food again. Previously, it was relatively easy to buy food, but Bai Wutong had already established her own country. It was definitely not easy to buy food from the Central Plains. Therefore, it was very important to plant more food. Village Chief Zhao looked at the farmland that they had carefully taken care of and felt sorry for it. Many acres of land here were planted with Bai Wutong¡¯s high-yielding seeds. They were still waiting to plant a large number next year after the harvest. Now, it was all ruined! Village Chief Zhao¡¯s heart ached. In particular, he wanted to cultivate corn and wheat with high yield according to the genetic grafting method mentioned by Bai Wutong. No matter how much Village Chief Zhao¡¯s heart ached, it was useless. He could only send people to save the food crops that could still be planted. Apart from the serious destruction of the crops, several large fishing boats had also suffered varying degrees of damage. For the time being, they could not go out to sea to fish. The pearl farmers were even more miserable. Many fish baskets containing sea clams had been swept away by the typhoon and waves. The houses were still being built. The wooden frames had either collapsed or the building materials were soaked with water. They could no longer be used. There was too much water in the mushroom cultivation shed, and many mushrooms that needed to be picked had already rotted before they could grow. There were also the various losses by each family. It was quite heartbreaking. Bai Wutong arranged for people to be transferred to support areas where there were insufficient manpower. She introduced a series of disaster support policies for the workers, farmers, and merchants who had suffered heavy losses. Soon, under Bai Wutong¡¯s guidance, everyone resumed work. Zhao Pengfei was in charge of repairing the road. Su Yue was one of the people transporting the supplies, so she finally had a chance to approach Zhao Pengfei. She sized up Zhao Pengfei and was very satisfied with his tough appearance. She took out a few peach crisp biscuits from her pocket and handed them to him with a face full of love. ¡°Engineer Zhao, you¡¯ve worked hard. Eat something before continuing. Don¡¯t tire yourself out.¡± Zhao Pengfei did not know Su Yue at all. He naturally refused to accept what she handed over and waved his hand. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± Su Yue was not discouraged. ¡°Then Engineer Zhao, drink some water.¡± With a delicate voice, she looked at Zhao Pengfei with gentle eyes. She looked very similar to Mingyue back then. Zhao Pengfei¡¯s expression suddenly darkened. ¡°This is where 1 work. Unauthorized people can¡¯t walk around casually!¡± Su Yue¡¯s smile froze, but she quickly reacted and explained, ¡°I¡¯m not an idler. I¡¯m here to deliver cement to you.¡± Zhao Pengfei said even more bluntly, ¡°Since you¡¯ve already sent it, leave quickly! Don¡¯t delay things here!¡± He said it especially loudly, and everyone around looked at Su Yue strangely. Su Yue could not hold back the smile on her face anymore and turned to leave in embarrassment. She cursed in her heart that he was old-fashioned and did not get married at such an old age.. He must like men! Chapter 403 - Chapter 403: I’m Going to Divorce You! Chapter 403: I¡¯m Going to Divorce You! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Zhao Pengfei rejected Su Yue¡¯s attempt to hit on him. The women gossiped behind his back and agreed that Zhao Pengfei did not like anyone, so there must be something wrong with him in that aspect. Otherwise, why was he still unwilling to get married when he was already 20 years old? The women even secretly felt that it was a pity. Such a good body was actually just a wax spearhead that was useless. When the rumors reached Auntie Yang¡¯s ears, she sighed deeply. She didn¡¯t know what to do with Zhao Pengfei. She could only hope that one day, Zhao Lanzhi would change her mind on account of Zhao Pengfei¡¯s sincere regret. Su Yue did not manage to get close to Zhao Pengfei, and the other capable young elites had long gotten married or settled down with capable in-laws. After repeatedly encountering obstacles, Su Yue finally understood that she had a widowed mother and was a slave. It was impossible for her to become someone else¡¯s official wife. For a family with slightly better conditions and culture, she did not even have the right to be a concubine. ¡­.. When Su Yue was in the princess¡¯s residence, she was a first-class personal maidservant. Since she was young, she was equivalent to half a master. Although as slaves, they could still receive their monthly salary from the work Sheng Huaixuan had arranged for them, it was too different from their previous life of luxury. Su Yue was determined to get rid of her slave status, so she targeted Cripple Zhao. Cripple Zhao had never been full since he was young. He was only 1.6 meters tall and had suffered a lot when he was young. He was only in his thirties, but he looked to be in his forties. When he stood with Su Yue, they looked like a father and daughter who did not match at all. However, Cripple Zhao was a demolition worker from Youjia village and was not smart. Su Yue only curled her finger and easily took him down. As a personal maidservant, Su Yue had the temperament and insights different from that of a countryside woman. In a few days, Cripple Zhao was charmed by her. Not only did he redeem Su Yue and Granny Su, but he was also going to take Su Yue as a concubine. The matter between Cripple Zhao and Su Yue was discussed fervently among the villagers. The women openly scolded Cripple Zhao for being a scumbag. Back then, Zhang Cuilian did not despise him for being ugly and poor. She had been with him for so many years and even gave birth to a daughter for him. His daughter was about to get married, but he actually did such a despicable thing behind her back. He was really arrogant with just some money. If he was in the field, he would be nothing. Especially the women who were close to He Cuilian, not only did they scold LCrippleme Zhao, but they also scolded Su Yue. Wherever they saw Su Yue, they would shout, ¡°Come and take a look. The vixen is here!¡± They were helping He Cuilian as well as themselves. Who could guarantee that their husbands would not have such thoughts? Su Yue¡¯s matter had to be blown up and let the men deeply realize the seriousness of the consequences. Su Yue was criticized by everyone, and her work in the workshop was often affected. She simply quit her job and cried to Cripple Zhao. Cripple Zhao was head over heels with her. When he found out that his precious woman was being bullied, he immediately bragged, ¡°When we get back, I¡¯ll help you teach that woman a lesson. I guarantee that our marriage will go smoothly. She won¡¯t even dare to fart!¡± Su Yue¡¯s eyes moved, and she was still not satisfied. Cripple Zhao¡¯s bones went limp under her gaze. He immediately brought Su Yue to the newly built business center and spent a lot of money to win the beauty¡¯s smile. Cripple Zhao walked intimately on the street with a beauty. The men secretly envied Cripple Zhao for being lucky with women. Thinking that their conditions were even better than Cripple Zhao¡¯s, why didn¡¯t they find a beauty more beautiful than Su Yue to bring home and spend time with? At night, Cripple Zhao, who had been fooling around all day, finally returned home. His daughter, Zhao Yuxiang, was waiting at the door. She questioned Cripple Zhao angrily, ¡°Father, why are you doing this? Do you know that everyone is laughing at us? Mother¡¯s eyes are swollen from crying today. I¡¯m getting married next month. If you take in a concubine now, how can I face anyone in the future? How can I raise my head in my in-laws house!¡± Cripple Zhao found a beauty like Su Yue and was proud of it in front of his group of friends. Zhao Yuxiang¡¯s condemnation immediately made Lame Zhao dissatisfied. He shouted at her coldly, ¡°What is she crying for! If she could give birth to a son for me, I wouldn¡¯t have gone out to find a woman. I haven¡¯t settled the score with her yet, but she¡¯s talking nonsense everywhere. Otherwise, how would the people outside talk about our family!¡± ¡°What does it have to do with you that I have another woman? Even the heavens can¡¯t control me from marrying a wife and taking in a concubine. I doted on you in the past not to let you have your way. If you despise me for embarrassing your in-laws, then don¡¯t marry. I can save on your betrothal.¡± Zhao Yuxiang¡¯s eyes widened. She did not expect Cripple Zhao to say such a thing. Her eyes were red and her tears were about to fall. In the past, Cripple Zhao would comfort her. Now, Cripple Zhao¡¯s heart was filled with thoughts of Su Yue giving birth to a fat boy for him after she married over. Su Yue was good-looking, so the child would definitely look good like her. Unlike Zhao Yuxiang, whose nose was just a nose and eyes were just eyes. One could tell that she was a person, and from her figure, she was a woman. It was already good enough that he did not divorce He Cuilian, who looked just like her. Zhao Yuxiang thought of the scene of the family of three happily living in Youjia village and working hard to earn money to live a good life. Her tears could no longer be restrained as she cried and shouted at Cripple Zhao, ¡°I hate you!¡± ¡°Even if I don¡¯t get married, you¡¯re definitely not allowed to marry a concubine and let my mother down!¡± II Pq ?? Cripple Zhao¡¯s sudden slap stunned Zhao Yuxiang, and her tears stopped. He Cuilian, who had been hiding in the dark, realized that her daughter had been beaten up. She suddenly rushed out and stood in front of Zhao Yuxiang, and started reprimanding Cripple Zhao. ¡°You¡¯re not human, not human! You actually hit your daughter for a woman!¡± Perhaps it was because of the alcohol or because he was really arrogant, but he could not stand He Cuilian disobeying him. Cripple Zhao grabbed He Cuilian¡¯s hand and slapped her again. H p^ 11 He Cuilian¡¯s face was visibly swollen. It could be seen how much strength Cripple Zhao had used. Cripple Zhao did not have a good background. After marrying He Cuilian, he had been trying his best to please her. This was the first time he had attacked her. It was all for a woman who had yet to enter the family! He Cuilian¡¯s suppressed anger suddenly erupted. Her energy poured out, and the short Cripple Zhao was ridden to the ground by He Cuilian. She attacked him fiercely again. Cripple Zhao¡¯s scream attracted the residents of the neighboring villa. Seeing that Cripple Zhao was being held down and beaten up by He Cuilian and could not fight back, they actually sympathized with Cripple Zhao for insisting on taking a concubine. With such a shrew in their family, if it were them, they would definitely want an understanding beauty to accompany them. Cripple Zhao¡¯s face was swollen and his face was disfigured. He had lost all his face in front of everyone. When he was pulled up by the officials, he shouted firmly at He Cuilian, ¡°I¡¯m going to divorce you!¡± A shrew who couldn¡¯t even give birth to a son should have been divorced long ago.. Chapter 404 - Chapter 404: Women Are Not Playthings Chapter 404: Women Are Not Playthings Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios He Cuilian had always been the dominant person in the relationship between her and Cripple Zhao. Although He Cuilian had despised him when she first married him, how could their relationship not be deep after all these years? Now, Cripple Zhao had threatened to divorce her in front of so many people. He Cuilian suffered a huge blow and her world spun. Her vision darkened and she fainted amidst everyone¡¯s exclamations. However, Cripple Zhao thought that she was pretending and was still scolding her loudly, ¡°It¡¯s useless to pretend. 1¡¯11 go to the government to hand in the divorce letter tomorrow!¡± Zhao Yuxiang cried and looked at Cripple Zhao. ¡°Father, do you really have to be so heartless! She¡¯s my mother! Your wife! Is your relationship for so many years fake?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that it¡¯s enough as long as I¡¯m your daughter? Why do you despise my mother for not being able to give birth to a son!¡± ¡­.. Cripple Zhao recalled back then and sneered. ¡°Your mother wasn¡¯t so barbaric back then. Now, she¡¯s like a shrew.¡± He was clearly the one who injured them first. She only attacked because she was angry. Zhao Yuxiang realized that Cripple Zhao had been completely bewitched by Su Yue. She couldn¡¯t help but cry in despair, ¡°Mother, why is our life so bitter!¡± Seeing He Cuilian and her daughter¡¯s pitiful expressions, the women could not help but curse. None of the rich men were good. They could only suffer together and not enjoy wealth together. Fortunately, they still had jobs. Even if they had divorced, they were not afraid of not being able to live on. When Su Yue heard that Cripple Zhao was going to divorce He Cuilian, her eyes immediately lit up. Ignoring the fact that it was not dawn yet, she stood at the door of Cripple Zhao¡¯s house and shouted loudly, afraid that Cripple Zhao would change his mind the next day. As long as Cripple Zhao married her as his official wife, she would be able to get rid of her slave status and not have to wait 20 years. Cripple Zhao did chicken out, but when he saw the beautiful Su Yue standing in front of him and smiling at him, and even caring about his injuries, compared to He Cuilian, who had beaten him, one was a bright white moon in the sky, and the other was a leech that bit on the cement, his decision to divorce his wife immediately became firm. How could a man go back on his word? After imparting some Youjia village¡¯s cultural knowledge and education from the factory, with Su Yue¡¯s help, Cripple Zhao finally stammered out a divorce document. Holding the divorce document, he glanced at Su Yue, who was waiting for him outside the door. Thinking that he would have to spend the rest of his life with Su Yue in the villa in the future, he immediately mustered his courage and pushed open the door. He Cuilian naively thought that Cripple Zhao was there to apologize. On account of their many years of relationship as husband and wife, she could forgive him this time. Unexpectedly, what came was Cripple Zhao¡¯s cold words. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the government office.¡± He Cuilian was stunned. After a long time, she held her chest and gritted her teeth. ¡°Are you really going to divorce me?¡± Cripple Zhao glanced at He Cuilian guiltily. ¡°I¡¯ll buy you an apartment with silver. You and our daughter can move there.¡± Zhao Yuxiang was about to get married, but Cripple Zhao wanted to chase the mother and daughter to an empty apartment. It was really heartbreaking. He Cuilian did not expect him to be so ugly in heart, just like his appearance. All these years, she had really been blind to treat sh*t as human. He Cuilian lifted the blanket and got up. She snatched the divorce letter from Cripple Zhao¡¯s hand and rushed out. ¡°Sure, don¡¯t you want to divorce me? Let¡¯s find the Great Empress to judge if you are divorcing me or I am divorcing you!¡± ¡°You want to send us away with just an apartment? Cripple Zhao, in your dreams!¡± Cripple Zhao panicked when he heard the word ¡°Great Empress¡±. Just as he was about to chase after her, he realized that He Cuilian was running faster than a rabbit. She was already at the door. Su Yue also heard that she was going to look for the Great Empress and hurriedly went to stop her. However, she was kicked by He Cuilian and fell to the ground heavily. Cripple Zhao hurriedly went to help his beloved woman up. Afraid that the Great Empress would fault him, he hurriedly shouted at Zhao Yuxiang, ¡°Xiang¡¯er, Father would not divorce your mother anymore. Hurry up and chase your mother back. Let¡¯s not disturb the Great Empress!¡± Zhao Yuxiang had just heard what Cripple Zhao said to He Cuilian outside the door. She sneered, ¡°Then our entire family shall die together!¡± Even if they had to die, it would not benefit the vixen! Just as the teachers had said, they would perish together! After saying that, Zhao Yuxiang went to look for He Cuilian. Cripple Zhao and Su Yue looked at each other and finally felt a trace of fear. It was difficult for an official to resolve family matters. The Great Empress probably wouldn¡¯t interfere! Moreover, the Great Empress had so many things to do, so how could she receive He Cuilian? Cripple Zhao comforted himself and pushed Su Yue away uneasily. He limped in the direction where He Cuilian had disappeared. He Cuilian¡¯s luck was not bad. Bai Wutong was about to patrol the facilities of the apartment when she shouted at the team, ¡°Great Empress, seek justice for me!¡± Bai Wutong saw her. Bai Wutong knew He Cuilian. They had a good relationship when they were in Youjia Village. She was a straightforward and warm-hearted woman. Hearing her cry for injustice, Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t help but stop and let her speak. He Cuilian was so agitated that tears streamed down her face. ¡°Great Empress, my husband wants to divorce me for a woman! He even wants to chase me and my daughter out! Please seek justice for me!¡± Bai Wutong usually handed such a small matter to others. However, as she stared at the grief-stricken He Cuilian, she suddenly realized that the marriage system in Carefree City was still very disorganized. Because there were many local ethnic groups, each ethnic group had a different understanding of their other half. For example, the Syrians could be polygamous. For example, Ah Duo¡¯s tribe only had one partner, but they did not object to their partner having sex with others. The proportion of Central Plains people in Carefree City was 10%. In the minds of most people, it was only right for men to have a large number of wives and concubines. There was no problem at all. But at the core, it gave every woman the misconception that she should bow down to men. Only by establishing a just marriage that was in line with women¡¯s rights would women not be oppressed and brainwashed in their marriage. If Cripple Zhao wanted to repudiate his wife and remarry, he should consider the consequences carefully. Before Bai Wutong could speak, Cripple Zhao rushed over and hurriedly said, ¡°Great Empress, please forgive me. 1 just want to take a concubine, not divorce my wife!¡± He confidently said that he wanted to take in a concubine. Bai Wutong recalled the happy scene of their family of three in Youjia Village and actually felt that his face was a little ridiculous. A reputable family had strict restrictions on concubines. The children they gave birth to could not pose any threat to the children of the first wife. However, Cripple Zhao was someone who had never received any education. Bai Wutong knew very well what he would be like after he took in a concubine. He Cuilian handed the divorce letter he had personally written to Bai Wutong. ¡°Great Empress, I¡¯m not lying! The divorce letter is here. Please seek justice for me!¡± Cripple Zhao hurriedly knelt down and said in fear and trepidation, ¡°Great Empress, 1 was just muddle-headed! 1 really didn¡¯t want to divorce my wife!¡± The corners of Bai Wutong¡¯s mouth curled up. ¡°Then do you want to take a concubine in first and dote on her before killing your wife? If everyone is like you, won¡¯t you be able to fool women as you please! You can treat woman as nonchalantly as a plaything.¡± Bai Wutong was clearly smiling, but her smile did not reach her eyes, making all the men present shiver. Cripple Zhao was so frightened that he did not dare to speak. However, Bai Wutong looked at He Cuilian. ¡°How should we deal with the matter between the two of you? You might have to wait until I announce the new marriage law before making a choice..¡± Chapter 405 - Chapter 405: I’ll Marry You Chapter 405: I¡¯ll Marry You Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡®A new marriage law?¡¯ The men intuitively felt that the marriage law set by the Great Empress was not beneficial to them, while the women looked expectant. Bai Wutong returned to the Great Empress¡¯s residence and carefully listed out the new marriage system. The new marriage law made monogamy compulsory. The legitimate wife was acknowledged as the legal wife. From now on, apart from the assets before the marriage, the assets earned after the marriage were jointly owned. Locals could only have one legal partner. Only the legal partner had the other party¡¯s inheritance rights, custody, and shared property. Apart from a portion of the inheritance rights, children born to concubines were not allowed to infringe on any rights and interests of the legitimate wives. ¡­.. If the husband used the common assets of the husband and wife to give it to others privately, one could file a case in the government office and request for the assets to be returned. A child born to a concubine had custody of the child if she had a stable income. For example, all the expenses of the concubines in the 30 families of Qinghe were from the man¡¯s own assets. After so many years, the concubines must have a lot of private assets. After the marriage law was enacted, they temporarily had no job or place to go and could also rely on the private assets on hand to transition. If a man forcefully kept a concubine at home or kept her outside, he would have violated the cohabitation rules in the marriage law and would be considered a guilty party. When the relationship between the two parties was completely irreparable, it was very easy for the person to lose the custody of the child when they had to file a lawsuit for divorce. The division of assets would also be more inclined towards the complainant. Bai Wutong handed the listed regulations to every important official present. Everyone looked shocked. Xu Ke suggested on the spot, ¡°Isn¡¯t this regulation too unfair to men!¡± He had three concubines and two female partners at home. According to Bai Wutong¡¯s rules, if they wanted to leave, he had no way to stop them. The children might also be taken away by them. How could he tolerate this? Moreover, in everyone¡¯s opinion, it was normal for a man to have three wives and four concubines. If the monogamous system was implemented, wouldn¡¯t it be too biased towards a group of women who were idle at home? If they threatened to divorce and split the assets, wouldn¡¯t the house be in a tizzy all day? He asked what most of the men were thinking. Everyone held their breaths and waited for Bai Wutong¡¯s answer. Bai Wutong looked at Xu Ke. ¡°What¡¯s unfair about that? A woman can only have one husband, and a man can only have one wife. Isn¡¯t that fair?¡± ¡°If you want to find another woman, you can get a divorce and be a groom every night.¡± Everyone in the hall immediately held back their laughter. If he was a groom every night and divorced every day, not long after, Xu Ke would probably become a beggar. Xu Ke was choked by Bai Wutong. After a while, he said again, ¡°How can a child be taken away by a woman! They can¡¯t take good care of the child at all.¡± Bai Wutong raised her eyebrows. ¡°Why can¡¯t a woman take care of a child? Weren¡¯t you raised by your mother? Did your father usually take care of you?¡± Xu Ke choked again and said with difficulty, ¡°How can a woman raising a child be compared to a man educating a child? Besides, if it weren¡¯t for a man earning money, a woman wouldn¡¯t have the time to raise a child.¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°Why can¡¯t they be compared? Women can teach them kindness, but they can also teach them to be indomitable, brave, and fearless. Women can also read and write, and women have the ability to settle down and raise their children. If you stay in the backyard and take care of your children, you might not be able to do better than women.¡± ¡°At the very least, without a woman to take care of your children and settle down in your backyard, how are you going to earn money and enjoy life without worry?¡± ¡°How is there any peace and quiet? It¡¯s just that someone is carrying the burden for you and you don¡¯t know it. You still have the cheek to say that it¡¯s unfair.¡± Bai Wutong rarely scolded others fiercely. Xu Ke¡¯s face turned pale and red. He stammered and did not dare to say anything else. Seeing that Bai Wutong¡¯s attitude was firm, the others did not dare to raise any more objections. They only thought that if their wives did not object to them raising concubines and did not want a divorce, it should not affect anything. They still believed that the authority of their family head could intimidate the women. The marriage law was quickly promulgated. Not long after, it spread throughout the entire Carefree City. Apart from the tribes that advocated monogamy, everyone was stunned. When women heard that after the divorce, their assets could be divided equally, they immediately became excited because their husbands had violent tendencies, was alcoholic and had gambling habits, and they could even take their children away from their in-laws¡¯ houses. The marriage law was simply too awesome! An indescribable ripple stirred in every woman¡¯s heart. They had never thought that they would one day be able to truly decide their lives. After He Cuilian learned the contents of the marriage law from the bailiff, she could not believe her ears. She stood rooted to the ground in a daze. After a long while, she grabbed the sleeve of the soldier in disbelief. ¡°Really? Is this true?¡± Since ancient times, unless the in-laws did not want children, women had no way to take them away. Moreover, not only could she take the child away, but she could also split half of her husband¡¯s assets. Although it was only after the marriage, when He Cuilian married Cripple Zhao, his family only had two acres of land left. A month after the marriage, he had relied on selling her meager dowry to survive for a few days. Therefore, if Cripple Zhao divorced her, she would get more assets because he was the one at fault. In an instant, He Cuilian¡¯s heart burned. Since he was heartless, he could not blame her for being heartless. He Cuilian immediately said to the official, ¡°Officer, please inform the Lord that I want a divorce!¡± As soon as she said this, the women who had thoughts but did not dare to get a divorce immediately looked at her with hero-like admiration. More women were also secretly paying attention. If He Cuilian¡¯s divorce was really feasible¡­ then even if they did not get a divorce, they could still make their husbands at home stop thinking about other women. He Cuilian was the first woman to ask for a divorce. Lord Shi walked out and looked extremely concerned. He knew very well that if he was a little biased towards a man and did not strictly follow the marriage law, he would definitely be reprimanded by the Great Empress. After He Cuilian¡¯s request was registered, Lord Shi read it in detail and immediately sent someone to find Cripple Zhao. When Cripple Zhao heard about the marriage law, he was dumbfounded. He had never heard of a woman taking away her husband¡¯s family assets. Cripple Zhao pointed at He Cuilian and scolded, ¡°Is there something wrong with your brain? I¡¯ve already said that I won¡¯t divorce you. Why are you doing this? You¡¯re already so old. Do you really think that someone will marry you if you leave me?!¡± He Cuilian took a deep breath and retorted loudly, ¡°When I¡¯m divorced, our child is mine and half of your assets are mine. 1 have a job and money in my hands. What kind of man can¡¯t I find? If 1 don¡¯t get a divorce, I¡¯ll be the one with something wrong with my brain!¡± As soon as these words were spoken, the surrounding people immediately clapped and cheered! It had to be said that He Cuilian¡¯s idea was very useful! The men who wanted to get rid of their slave status all felt that He Cuilian, who was in her thirties and still had money, was a good choice. Moreover, women in their thirties could still give birth. There were more men than women in Carefree City. It was already good enough that they could get married, so why would they be picky? Immediately, someone boldly said, ¡°i¡¯ll marry you!¡± Cripple Zhao turned around and saw that the person who spoke was actually a tall, powerful, and upright man. He was not a slave, but a soldier who had been single for decades.. Chapter 406 - Chapter 406: Let’s Distance Ourselves After Parting Chapter 406: Let¡¯s Distance Ourselves After Parting Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Cripple Zhao panicked and hurriedly scolded He Cuilian for being uncouth. A woman¡¯s virtue was like a mountain, a shackle in the hearts of many women. He Cuilian bit her lip. After a long while, she retorted, ¡°You are the one without any virtue.¡± Everyone laughed loudly. Cripple Zhao was so angry that his face was ashen. He scolded the men, ¡°Laugh, you¡¯re still laughing. Your wives will try to divorce you when you return home later!¡± As soon as these words were spoken, the men¡¯s expressions immediately changed. They changed their stand and slandered He Cuilian for being shameless, that she was already anxious to find a man before the divorce. He Cuilian was a weak woman after all. She was shocked by the men¡¯s eloquence, but no woman stood up for He Cuilian because they were afraid of being implicated. Until Cui Lingyi stood up from the crowd and said angrily, ¡°The virtues of women have long been abolished. Are you questioning the Great Empress?¡± ¡­.. In an instant, the men obediently shut up. He Cuilian looked at Cui Lingyi gratefully. Cui Lingyi comforted her. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. The marriage law will uphold justice for you!¡± He Cuilian mustered her courage again and said firmly, ¡°Lord, I want a divorce!¡± If she had some hesitation before, now, Cripple Zhao had completely stripped away that hesitation. Cripple Zhao was furious. He rushed forward and wanted to hit someone, but he was stopped by the officials on the spot. Cui Lingyi was the Great Empress¡¯s good friend. Her presence here meant that the Great Empress had been secretly paying attention to this case. Lord Shi immediately felt his scalp tingle and asked Cripple Zhao if he would accept the divorce. If half of his assets were to be taken away, he would become the greatest joke in history. Of course, Cripple Zhao refused. If he refused, Lord Shi could only follow the divorce procedure. First, they had to confirm all the assets of Cripple Zhao and He Cuilian and confirm if Lame Zhao had really made a mistake. Finally, they need to obtain all evidence before making a decision. It was impossible to finish the case in a day. The women followed the discussion eagerly, while the men waited uneasily to berate the marriage law. Finally, seven days later, the case was tried again. Lord Shi confirmed He Cuilian¡¯s decision to get a divorce and confirmed all the assets under her name. Cripple Zhao realized that the apartment he had bought for Su Yue and all the things he had bought had been converted into silver and included in the assets. He said in disbelief, ¡°This is my silver. Don¡¯t I have the right to use it?¡± Lord Shi said what the women were looking forward to. ¡°All your assets were saved up after marriage. He Cuilian has the right to control the couple¡¯s common assets, so these things should be included.¡± Cripple Zhao was petrified. At the same time, he regretted showing off so openly when he bought something for Su Yue. If he had not been so flamboyant, Lord Shi would definitely not have been able to find out. The women¡¯s eyes lit up. They couldn¡¯t wait to go back and snatch things from the vixens. The men immediately wailed. In the past few days, their wives were about to fly above their heads. If they waited for this case to be settled, how could they live freely in the future? After four hours of careful trial, He Cuilian¡¯s divorce was finally approved and she obtained 60% of the couple¡¯s joint assets. Her daughter, Zhao Yuxiang, was already an adult and could freely choose to follow either party. Even if the couple remarried after the divorce, Zhao Yuxiang had the legal right to inherit the assets. Of course, she had to bear the corresponding responsibility of taking care of her parents. After the children left their fathers, they could still get a share of the family assets. The women¡¯s eyes were about to shoot lasers. Especially those women who had always wanted to leave their husbands but could not bear to part with their children, their hearts were in turmoil. Although she was being pointed at, after Cripple Zhao and He Cuilian had successfully divorced, Su Yue was still happy. After all, Cripple Zhao¡¯s remaining 40% family assets were considered generous. They could still live a good life. Su Yue took the initiative to look for the dejected Cripple Zhao, but the way he looked at her changed. He angrily told her to get lost. Cripple Zhao wanted to be envied by everyone, not become a laughing stock in everyone¡¯s eyes. There were even people who took their anger out on him because of the Great Empress¡¯ marriage law and even threatened to teach him a lesson. All of this was because of Su Yue! Su Yue was a jinx. If not for her, how could he have been bewitched and want to divorce He Cuilian, causing the Great Empress to be involved and the current outcome? 40% of his assets! The villa could only be sold and divided evenly. Even if he worked in the workshop for his entire life, he might not be able to earn back 60% of his assets. At the thought that He Cuilian would marry another man and use his money to give birth to a child that did not belong to him, the more Cripple Zhao disliked Su Yue. In order to ensure Cripple Zhao¡¯s divorce, Su Yue had done everything except for the last step. Now, she had not gained any benefits and her reputation had been ruined. How could Su Yue be willing to accept this? ¡°Are you still a man! Weren¡¯t you the one who said that you will be responsible for me and marry me?¡± Cripple Zhao sneered. ¡°I¡¯m already divorced. What kind of woman can¡¯t I find? Why should I find a withered woman?¡± Previously, he liked Su Yue and could choose to ignore it. Now that he disliked Su Yue, Su Yue¡¯s past became the sharpest knife in his mouth. Su Yue was only strong on the surface, so how could she not care? She staggered back a few steps. Cripple Zhao still said angrily, ¡°If I play with someone like you, I¡¯ll only feel dirty!¡± The gazes and comments of the people around her were like sharp arrows that pierced her heart. She just wanted to make herself live better. What was wrong with that! Su Yue¡¯s eyes turned red as she squatted on the ground with heartache. Granny Su squeezed in and protected her daughter in her arms. ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. Mother has a job. Mother will raise you for the rest of your life!¡± Su Yue hid in Granny Su¡¯s warm arms and finally couldn¡¯t help but cry. ¡°Mother She regretted it so much. When Xu Ke returned home, his concubine, Lin Zhen¡¯er, was carrying a bag in her right hand and holding her daughter¡¯s hand in her left. She bade him farewell. ¡°Let¡¯s part ways. Qiaoqiao won¡¯t come back to fight for the family assets in the future. Master, don¡¯t look for us in the future.¡± Xu Ke was immediately stunned. ¡°What did you say?¡± Lin Zhen¡¯er thought that she had made herself clear enough. After thinking for a moment, she opened her bag and said, ¡°These things were given to me by Master, and Madam doesn¡¯t want to fight over it. Just treat it as Qiaoqiao¡¯s dowry. I¡¯ve served Master for so many years, so we¡¯re even.¡± Xu Ke was furious. He grabbed her arm. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about leaving with my daughter!¡± Lin Zhen¡¯er¡¯s eyes moved with an unprecedented spirit. She smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ve already submitted a letter to the government. If Lord Xu wants to imprison us, you can try.¡± The delicate and weak concubine actually became firm. Xu Ke looked unconvinced, but he quickly reacted and said gently, ¡°You don¡¯t have a job. How can you raise a child? If you don¡¯t think about yourself, you should think about the child.¡± However, Lin Zhen¡¯er had already made full preparations. She raised her head and looked straight at Xu Ke with a burning gaze. ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to worry, Sir. I¡¯ve already found a job. I¡¯ll teach at Qinghe Girls¡¯ Academy. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely raise Qiaoqiao well and let her grow up happily..¡± Chapter 407 - Chapter 407: Men Who Think They Have Privilege Chapter 407: Men Who Think They Have Privilege Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Lin Zhen¡¯er had even found a job behind his back. It seemed like she was determined to leave. Xu Ke clenched his fists and looked at his daughter with a dark gaze. ¡°Qiaoqiao, isn¡¯t Father good to you? Are you going to abandon Father?¡± Qiaoqiao looked at Lin Zhen¡¯er in confusion, then at Xu Ke. She suddenly hugged Lin Zhen¡¯er¡¯s thigh tightly. ¡°I¡¯ll be wherever Mother is.¡± Lin Zhen¡¯er stroked Qiaoqiao¡¯s head and held her daughter¡¯s hand. She avoided the stunned Xu Ke and gradually left. Xu Ke shouted behind them, ¡°Lin Zhen¡¯er, if you leave this house, you won¡¯t be a member of the Xu family anymore. Have you really thought it through?¡± Lin Zhen¡¯er had no choice but to be his concubine. She disliked Xu Ke to begin with, so how could she let go of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? Lin Zhen¡¯er left decisively without looking back. Her slender body seemed to have grown steel bones that could support the sky. ¡­.. In an instant, Xu Ke wanted to rush up and imprison her in the backyard, but his rationality made him stop. He recovered and was about to settle the score with his wife when his concubines, Ruixue and Zhu Qin, braced themselves and walked up to him. ¡°Master, we¡¯re leaving too.¡± Who would want to be a concubine if they could be the first wife? Lin Zhen¡¯er had even taken away her daughter. They had no children, so why should they stay? Besides, they were still young and there were many bachelors in Carefree City. It was impossible for them not to find a partner. Although they were not as good at reading and writing as Lin Zhen¡¯er, their embroidery skills were not bad. It should not be difficult for them to become female workers in the workshop. Xu Ke only had three concubines in total, and three of them were leaving at once. He pointed at the two of them and said angrily, ¡°Then get lost!¡± As soon as the marriage law was introduced, all his concubines ran away. This was too embarrassing for Xu Ke as a man. This meant that without the previous marriage system, no woman would have liked him at all. Rui Xue and Zhu Qin thought that Xu Ke had agreed. They were delighted and immediately said, ¡°Thank you for agreeing, Master!¡± They quickly packed their things, as if they couldn¡¯t wait to escape. Xu Ke¡¯s eyes widened. For the first time, he knew that he was so disliked by his concubines. He flicked his sleeves angrily and rushed into his wife¡¯s room angrily. He immediately questioned Yu Fanghui, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be such a jealous woman! You can¡¯t even tolerate them!¡± Now, he only wanted to blame Yu Fanghui for all his concubines running away. If someone asked the next day, he would have an excuse to respond with. Yu Fanghui glanced at him coldly. ¡°I think there¡¯s something wrong with Master¡¯s brain. If they want to leave, what has it got to do with me?¡± Xu Ke was stunned. He did not expect Yu Fanghui to retort him. It took him a long time to react. He slammed the table in anger, spilling tea all over the table. ¡°You¡¯re going against the heavens!¡± Ever since Xu Ke married her and she gave birth to two sons, he rarely entered her residence. All these years, Yu Fanghui was no different from a widow. She had long stopped caring and said casually, ¡°Master, if you don¡¯t want to live with me anymore, we can get a divorce.¡± ¡°Our child is ten years old. Master, guess who he will choose to be with?¡± The assets would be divided in larger portion towards the parent that the child choose to be with. The child had always been afraid of him, so Yu Fanghui was clearly fearless! Xu Ke was so angry that he overturned the table. With a clang, all the things fell to the ground. Yu Fanghui stood up slowly. ¡°Master only knows how to flip tables, right?¡± Xu Ke raised his hand, ready to hit her. Yu Fanghui stood still, her eyes filled with disdain. As if he had never known his wife like this, Xu Ke revealed an expression of hatred. The unhappiness in Yu Fanghui¡¯s bones seemed to have suddenly been sucked away, and her lips curled into a happy smile. The marriage law was really awesome! Thank you, Great Empress. One week after the marriage law was introduced, divorce cases accounted for 80% of the government¡¯s cases. Domestic violence, difficult mothers-in-law, and conflicting personalities¡­ The pain that was once difficult to understand could be openly presented in court and asked for a divorce. Everyone was in the midst divorce. The men detested the marriage law and the women were enthusiastic about it. After Yu Fanghui joined Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s workshop as a perfumer, Xu Ke was afraid that she would really ask for a divorce and make him a complete laughing stock. He secretly encouraged many men to try to use public opinion to make Bai Wutong retract the marriage law. Public opinion accused Bai Wutong of ignoring the rules that had been passed down for thousands of years and letting a woman take away the child, causing them to be too ashamed to face their ancestors in the underworld. Cui Lingyi couldn¡¯t help but be a little worried. She asked Bai Wutong, ¡°Isn¡¯t it too abrupt to suddenly implement a monogamous marriage law? Don¡¯t you think there is a need to transition?¡± After all, it was difficult for men to accept changing their viewpoints that had been around for thousands of years. Many women also even felt that it was not right because they were afraid that their sons would only have one female partner. How could they have more children like that? Bai Wutong stopped approving her documents and smiled at her. ¡°The marriage law seem to favor women, but they¡¯re actually helping most men.¡± Cui Lingyi looked puzzled. ¡°Why?¡± Bai Wutong explained, ¡°In any dynasty, women don¡¯t have to worry about marrying.¡± ¡°And men, in order to carry on the family line, do not hesitate to use the entire family¡¯s influence to marry a wife.¡± ¡°But most of them can¡¯t get a wife because men more powerful and capable than them can have countless women. The emperor¡¯s harem can have tens of thousands of beauties.¡± ¡°Monogamy will allow more men to have the chance to marry.¡± ¡°Most men won¡¯t ask to take a concubine because it¡¯s not easy for them to even get married. Actually, monogamy doesn¡¯t affect the commoners at all. It only affects 1% of the men who think they have special privileges.¡± Cui Lingyi came to a realization and couldn¡¯t help but look at her in admiration. ¡°Then what if the 1% of people continue to cause trouble?¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°Just wait and see. Someone will naturally teach them how to be a human.¡± There were many divorced women, and the men quickly realized that they also had a chance to find a partner. Although there were still more wolves and less meat, it was much better than not being able to see meat before. If it was in a polygamous system, men with better conditions than them could have many female partners. Even if more women came in the future, they might choose men with better conditions and not look at them. Suddenly, they felt that the marriage law seemed to be not bad! At least one man could only have one woman. It was fair in that aspect. Xu Ke was passionately promoting the evil consequences of the marriage law in the forest when a group of men suddenly came out. ¡°If you¡¯re unhappy with the marriage law, get lost. We¡¯re all men. Why should you have another woman!¡± Xu Ke said, ¡°We are protecting the common dignity of men. The women can leave, but how can they take our children away!¡± They were all men. Who didn¡¯t know how to say a few dignified words to hide their embarrassment? A child was a woman¡¯s weakness. If they didn¡¯t take the child away, how could they leave a man? ¡°You¡¯re doing better than the women. How can an adult let a woman take away a child? To put it bluntly, you¡¯re not good people. After your wives have children, you don¡¯t care to keep them..¡± Chapter 408 - Chapter 408: There’s Really a Great Empress in the Southern Frontier! Chapter 408: There¡¯s Really a Great Empress in the Southern Frontier! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Xu Ke¡¯s face was ashen. He couldn¡¯t help but curse, ¡°You¡¯re a bunch of bachelors. Even if we don¡¯t want a woman, you won¡¯t be able to marry her!¡± It was not easy to get a wife to begin with, yet they were cursing them for not being able to get one in their lifetimes. How could they tolerate this! The angry men swarmed forward and beat him up. When the soldiers rushed over to break up the fight, Xu Ke had already been beaten to a pulp and could no longer say anything against the marriage law. After all, he did not want to suffer a second time. With 1% of men obedient, the marriage law was completely settled in Carefree City. ¡­.. While Bai Wutong was waiting for news from Chu Tianbao, the citizens that Yu Suisheng had attracted with high salary finally arrived at Baye. A portion of the commoners stayed in Syria to mine oil, and a portion stayed in the Sacred Mountain to mine jade. The remaining 250,000 people travelled towards Carefree City. There was a very wide cement road in the boundary of the Baye City. This cement road was 300 meters wide and could accommodate 20 carriages walking side by side at the same time. There was a white line in the middle. The construction team led by Zhao Pengfei was still building the cement foundation. Everyone was very curious, including Yu Suisheng, who was leading the team. Although he had guessed that this was the cement road described in Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s letter, he could not help but jump on the cement road. The cement road was even sturdier than the bluestone road in many towns. It was really surprising. Yu Suisheng asked Zhao Pengfei, who was focused on construction, ¡°What¡¯s the use of this white line in the middle?¡± Zhao Pengfei explained, ¡°We are using the white line to divide the road. The carriages coming and going will take one side, so the traffic won¡¯t be congested.¡± Yu Suisheng came to a realization. He saw a sign with a drawing of a wolf¡¯s head not far ahead and asked curiously, ¡°What does that mean?¡± Zhao Pengfei said, ¡°There are often wolves on this route. It¡¯s to remind everyone to be careful.¡± Yu Suisheng was surprised and praised, ¡°This is really a good idea.¡± Zhao Pengfei couldn¡¯t help but show off his hard work. ¡°There are still signs to warn of bents ahead, slopes, zebra crossings, and so on.¡± Yu Suisheng could not help but be curious. ¡°What is a zebra crossing?¡± Zhao Pengfei smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s a landmark to signal to avoid passersby. It¡¯s like a pattern on a horse.¡± Yu Suisheng marveled at how particular the cement road was. Many men suddenly appeared on tricycles carrying goods. Yu Suisheng¡¯s eyes widened in confusion. The commoners behind him were even more surprised. This carriage actually did not need a horse. It could move with humans pulling it and was not slow. If they got one of these tricycles, they wouldn¡¯t have to raise horses. The tricycle drew many people¡¯s attention. Everyone craned their necks and ran in front of Yu Suisheng to take a look. On the tricycle, Zhong Bisheng said to Zhao Pengfei, ¡°Brother Zhao, we¡¯ve transported another batch of cement and steel. The Great Empress even asked us to collect the petroleum. How are we going to load it?¡± The oil extraction workshop was a little far from Carefree City. It was to prevent pollution and made it easier for the corresponding factories to expand in the future. They would transport it over on a tricycle, and the carriage would be repaired in Carefree City. The commoners did not understand the words cement, steel, and oil. The word ¡°Great Empress¡± stunned everyone. What Great Empress? There was a Great Empress in the southern frontier? Then what was Emperor Ling Hui, who was far away in the Imperial City? Now was not the time to tell them that the southern frontier had changed owners again. Yu Suisheng ignored everyone¡¯s doubts and said to Zhao Pengfei, ¡°The oil is in the convoy behind. I¡¯ll bring you to load the oil!¡± The commoners were too curious about the tricycle. But the topic had suddenly changed. They followed the tricycle and sized up it again and again. How did this iron thing operate? When Zhong Bisheng and his brothers were loading the oil, the commoners could not help but reach out and touch it. As if they were afraid that it would be damaged, they carefully retracted their hands. By the time the oil was loaded and they set off, it was almost dark. Zhao Pengfei also wanted to return to the camp to rest, so he returned with them. Instead of taking a carriage, he rode a black bicycle. The car that only had two wheels immediately caused the commoners to cheer. This was too awesome! Wasn¡¯t the southern frontier a barbaric place? How could there be such advanced transportation tools!!! Zhao Pengfei rode on the bicycle, looking handsome and cool. Yu Suisheng¡¯s eyes were filled with envy. ¡°Brother Zhao, this is a bicycle, right?¡± Sheng Huaixuan had described the bicycle to him in the letter, but it was really too different from what he had imagined. It was lighter, convenient, and more desirable to have. Zhao Pengfei smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s right, this is a bicycle!¡± Yu Suisheng¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°I wonder if I can buy a bicycle too?¡± The journey was too far, and it was too slow for Sheng Huaixuan to get someone to send a letter. Yu Suisheng did not know that the bicycle had already reached the standard of mass production. As long as he saved a few months¡¯ worth of money, it was still very easy to buy a bicycle from Carefree City. Zhao Pengfei smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s not very expensive. It¡¯s only 15 taels of silver. Master Yu will definitely be able to afford it.¡± Yu Suisheng was relieved, but the commoners widened their eyes and stammered, ¡°Is it really only a dozen taels?¡± It should cost thousands for such a magical two-wheeled car! It actually only cost a dozen taels, making it seem like they could buy it after saving up for more than a year. Zhao Pengfei smiled and nodded. ¡°Yes, you can buy it for 15 taels of silver!¡± Then he encouraged these citizens who were worried about the future, ¡°Our Carefree City is very good. As long as you work hard, you can quickly buy a house and a car.¡± As soon as he said that, everyone became excited. ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± They stayed at the camp for the night. The next day, Yu Suisheng continued to set off with everyone. The rugged road was changed to a flat cement road, and everyone¡¯s footsteps became much lighter. Along the way, they could see people riding bicycles from time to time. When they realized that the bicycles had different colors, everyone was excited and looked forward to their arrival at Carefree City even more. When the news that 250,000 citizens were about to reach Carefree City came, Bai Wutong happily got someone to prepare various reception matters. They checked the tent apartments where the commoners were staying, the food, clothes, medicine, and various emergency measures prepared for them. After Carefree City entered everyone¡¯s line of sight, the team led by Yu Suisheng was all petrified. Why was it completely different from what they had imagined? There were plazas, gardens, and beautiful and rare buildings. This was more stunning than any city they had passed by. They were dirty and looked at the clean stone path. Standing here, they were afraid of damaging the beautiful environment. Bai Wutong, who was dressed formally, welcomed them warmly. ¡°It¡¯s been hard on you to travel so far.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, the commoners who were blocking the way knelt down in unison. ¡°Greetings, Great Empress.¡± The new citizens suddenly widened their eyes. This¡­ This was the Great Empress? There was really a Great Empress in the southern frontier! Then what were they now? Slaves who had been tricked into coming here? Chapter 409 - Chapter 409: Are You Sure It’s Not The Last Meal? Chapter 409: Are You Sure It¡¯s Not The Last Meal? Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The commoners froze, not knowing if they should kneel or not. Or perhaps they were not well-informed. The southern frontier had been allowed by Emperor Ling Hui to have a leader. It just so happened that this person was called the Great Empress, and this person was a woman. Everyone looked uneasily at Sheng Huaixuan, who had brainwashed them along the way, as if they were waiting for a belated explanation. The recruitment was clearly a notice from the Ling Kingdom¡¯s government. There was even an official seal on it. Yu Suisheng was drinking and chatting happily with those officials. Why did a Great Empress suddenly appear? Although there had been several new emperors recently, he had to give them an explanation, right? Yu Suisheng looked at the pregnant Bai Wutong and knelt down without hesitation. ¡°Greetings, Great Empress!¡± When the commoners saw that they were surrounded by mighty soldiers, although they were puzzled, they still knelt down obediently. ¡°Greetings, Great Empress!¡± ¡­.. Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°Rise quickly. Bring the new citizens to eat first. The place to settle down has been prepared for you.¡± This Great Empress, who had appeared out of nowhere, had a gentle tone. She arranged a meal for them and a place to stay. She did not look like she wanted to treat them as slaves. Everyone¡¯s worried hearts finally relaxed. No matter what, they had to save their lives first. ¡°Thank you, Great Empress!¡± Yu Suisheng stood up, and the commoners also stood up carefully. The person in charge of receiving them was Cui Shize. He had a handsome and kind face. The commoners muttered in their hearts that he should not be a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing. After following Cui Shize for a while, everyone arrived at a cement square with colorful flags. This square was especially big. It could easily accommodate 250,000 of them and even more. After walking along the square for a while, everyone could smell the rich fragrance of food coming from the shops. They had breakfast at dawn. In order to speed up their journey, they had yet to eat lunch and were already hungry. Everyone smelled the meat and secretly swallowed their saliva. A child shrank in his mother¡¯s arms and said eagerly, ¡°Mother, I want to eat meat.¡± Although Yu Suisheng had not mistreated them along the way and the instant noodles that they ate were very delicious, the number of times they had eaten meat could be counted on one hand. Su Susu stroked the child¡¯s head and coaxed gently, ¡°Be good Ming¡¯er. I¡¯ll give you meat in a while.¡± If there was meat, Yu Suisheng would definitely let the children and women in the team eat it first. As they got closer, they saw countless temporary brick stoves built in the square. There was a large steaming pot on each stove. The fragrance came from inside. Cui Shize instructed the people, ¡°Distribute the cutlery and get everyone to line up in an orderly manner to get food!¡± Everyone was already familiar with queuing up to get food on the way. Everyone obediently queued up according to their number. What was given to them was a large wooden bowl. Everyone held the wooden bowl and could not wait for the team to move faster. In modern times, 250,000 people were not even as many as the population of a small town. However, it was still quite troublesome for them to eat at the same time. Cui Shize had to transfer a lot of people from various units at the last minute to organize the two meals that day. After these two meals, these commoners would be arranged to enter all kinds of industry and work in an orderly manner. The workshop would also make arrangements for their meals. Not long after, it was Su Susu¡¯s turn, while she was carrying her child. The big pot in front of her was white rice. Su Susu looked disappointed, not knowing how to explain to Ming¡¯er that there was no meat that day. The lady who was serving food urged, ¡°Sister, quickly give me the bowl. There¡¯s still a queue behind.¡± She had never eaten such exquisite white rice before. Su Susu adjusted her mindset and quickly handed her bowl and the child¡¯s bowl to the lady. The lady¡¯s hands did not tremble. She had filled the bowl with a lot of rice and they would probably be full. Su Susu was about to carry the child to the side to eat when the soldier who was maintaining order reminded her gently, ¡°Madam, walk along here and continue to collect your food.¡± ¡®There¡¯s more food?¡¯ Su Susu walked over in confusion. When Ming¡¯er saw the mushroom stewed chicken in the big pot, he immediately shouted excitedly, ¡°Mother, Mother, there¡¯s so much meat! So much meat!¡± Su Susu was also stunned. The moment she reached out her bowl, the lady steadily scooped a large spoonful of mushroom stewed chicken for them. There was so much meat that she had never eaten this amount during festive seasons. The moment Su Susu saw her son drooling and envious, her eyes turned red. If it was a last meal, it was worth it to be a starving ghost. Su Susu thought that it would be over after so many potatoes and chicken stew. The lady who was serving rice shouted at her again, ¡°There are two more dishes ahead!¡± And two more dishes?¡¯ Su Susu¡¯s eyes widened! Potato stewed chicken and rice were already good enough, but there were actually more dishes! Was this really not her last meal?! Su Susu was a little timid, but she could not resist the temptation and walked to the next table. It was actually a golden and crispy fried fish fillet! Ming¡¯er was already clapping excitedly. ¡°Mother, Mother, there¡¯s still fish!¡± Su Susu looked at the two large fried fish in the bowl in a daze, feeling indescribable complicated feelings. The last dish was a crispy and refreshing seaweed stewed with sea mussels. However, it was a dish she had never seen before. It was green and she did not know what it tasted like. By the time she collected the dishes from the three food collection points, the wooden bowl had already formed a peak. Su Susu was about to find a place to wait for her husband when the soldier who was maintaining order said to her, ¡°There¡¯s still a place to get soup over there. Everyone can only have one bowl. After eating, go and get it. There¡¯s a place to drink water over there. If your child is thirsty now, you can go there to drink water first.¡± Su Susu was shocked again. There was actually soup! The people from the southern frontier were too generous! It was not convenient for her to fetch water with two bowls, so she waited for her husband. Wang Fu found the mother and son after getting his food. His first words were, ¡°Susu, the food is too good!¡± Su Susu looked at Wang Fu¡¯s bowl. His food was actually different from hers. It was probably because they had finished serving the previous dishes and changed a few more dishes. The bamboo shoots stir-fried with pork belly, abalone stewed with vermicelli, and stir-fried melon slices also looked very tempting! Seeing that his father was back, Ming¡¯er immediately asked impatiently, ¡°Father, can we eat now?¡± Wang Fu smiled and nodded. Ming¡¯er could not be bothered to pick up his chopsticks and directly grabbed a piece of chicken with his small hands and stuffed it into his mouths. After swallowing it, he hurriedly said, ¡°Father, Mother, quickly eat! It¡¯s too delicious!¡± Wang Fu picked up a piece of pork belly and placed it in Su Susu¡¯s bowl. Su Susu picked up a piece of fried fish and placed it in his bowl. The couple looked at each other and smiled. They picked it up and placed it in their mouths. The amazing texture instantly melted happiness into their mouths. The couple looked at each other and couldn¡¯t help but exclaim again. The food was too good! It should be the most sumptuous and delicious meal they had ever eaten in their lives. Those who had been recruited by Yu Suisheng to work in the southern frontier were all people from poor families who were starving all year round. When they saw the people who were serving the food, and all of them returned with lots of sumptuous food, their necks were almost broken from extending too much. Especially the people at the back of the team, they were afraid that they would have anything to eat. Fortunately, the food was sufficient. Every new citizen was full of praise for the meal.. Chapter 410 - Chapter 410: You Must Thank the Great Empress Chapter 410: You Must Thank the Great Empress Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After everyone ate and drank their fill, they couldn¡¯t help but sigh at how good the food was. If they could eat such delicious food every day, it wouldn¡¯t be bad to stay here for the rest of their lives. While everyone was discussing, it was time to distribute the residence according to the name list. Families had privilege to the house distribution, so Wang Fu¡¯s family was assigned to a separate apartment with a toilet. The others stayed in four-person rooms or tents. Because there were many people, even a four-person apartment was not enough. No one knew the difference between a family apartment, a mass apartment, and a mass tent. When Wang Fu¡¯s family stood in front of the tall apartment building, they were dumbfounded. ¡­.. They¡¯re going to live in such a beautiful, big house? It couldn¡¯t be true, could it? It was not only their family. The others were also dumbfounded. Some people even muttered in confusion, ¡°How did the locals think of such a strange big house!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. There are windows on it one after another. It¡¯s like a beehive. It looks quite good from afar, but it¡¯s a little scary up close.¡± Someone even thought of something and said eerily, ¡°The house is squarish like a large coffin. These southern frontier people must have brought us in because they want to sacrifice us alive!¡± As soon as he said that, the children immediately screamed in fear. Many women and men also felt that it made sense. They were so frightened that they trembled and did not dare to enter the building. With them blocking the way, the people behind could not enter. The soldier stepped forward and asked. The apartment manager in charge of settling them in sighed. ¡°They¡¯re afraid of being sacrificed alive and are unwilling to enter the building no matter what!¡± If they were forced in, it would make these commoners panic even more and make them believe that there was something bad here. When Cui Shize received the notice, he immediately walked to the front of the team and said firmly, ¡°I¡¯ll stay at the same place with you. If anything goes wrong, I¡¯ll die with you!¡± ¡°However, the person who spread the rumors of a living sacrifice and caused everyone to panic will also be dealt with severely!¡± Cui Shize seemed to be a high-ranking official. If he was going to move in with them, everyone would indeed feel much more at ease. The woman, who had been talking nonsense just now, was so frightened that her hair stood on end. She was afraid that she would be pulled out in the next second. Fortunately, everyone was willing to enter the building, so Cui Shize did not pursue matters with her. This apartment had a total of five levels. Wang Fu¡¯s family was assigned to the fourth level. The fourth level was more or less inauspicious. Thinking back to what the woman had said just now, Su Susu was a little afraid. Fortunately, the entrance of the apartment was facing the sun and was not gloomy at all. They were led to the door of the room. The building manager handed them the key and taught them how to open the door. When they entered the room, the family of three instantly widened their eyes. There was a large bed in the one-bedroom apartmer. The seasonal bedding was prepared on the bed. It was all distributed according to the number of people. There was no need to worry about not having enough blankets. There was also a clothes hanger in the room, a dining table in the living room, a mirror in the toilet, and a toilet bowl. They touched an object and looked at another one. The snow-white wall made their curiosity peak. The mirror that could reflect their pores clearly made them feel that the rumors were deceiving. The southern frontier was clearly rich and everyone could use such good glass! Su Susu was afraid that she would anger the building manager if she asked too much, so she only asked the question she wanted to ask the most. ¡°Auntie, the bucket in that small room is a toilet bucket, right? Why is it fixed to the ground? Then how can we pour away the filth?¡± The building manager explained proudly, ¡°This is called a toilet bowl. There¡¯s a wrench at the back. When you pull it, water will automatically come out and the feces will wash down.¡± ¡°Let me also tell you today that you can¡¯t throw anything into the toilet or the sink, not even your hair. If you block the pipe, you¡¯ll have to pay to clear it yourself.¡± Su Susu only planned to ask one question. Afraid that she would have to spend money to clear the pipeline, she could only brace herself and ask again, ¡°Auntie, what¡¯s a sink?¡± The building manager was still quite patient. She led them to a counter outside the toilet and said, ¡°This is the sink. When you turn the tap, water will come out.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lucky. Many people haven¡¯t even had time to install a tap in their assigned apartments!¡± Ming¡¯er tried it and water flowed out of the pipe. Their eyes widened and they held their breaths in surprise. This was too magical. Wouldn¡¯t it be very convenient to wash clothes and cook in the future! God, could it be that their hometown was the uncivilized place? The water flowed smoothly. The building manager immediately turned off the tap and said to them sternly, ¡°You can¡¯t waste water. There¡¯s a fee for this water.¡± ¡°Fee?¡± They had yet to officially earn money, but they already had to pay a fee. The building manager¡¯s words were like a basin of cold water that extinguished their excitement. The building manager knew that these people were all poor people. She explained patiently, ¡°It won¡¯t cost much. For our family of eight, the water costs less than a tael of silver a month. Your family of three would probably only need 50 coins a month.¡± Apart from the taels of silver provided by the Imperial Court, they also had a month¡¯s salary in advance from Yu Suisheng. They had saved money along the way and still had two to five taels of silver in their hands. The water fee of 50 coins was indeed not expensive. Su Susu¡¯s worried heart was put back to her stomach. She was all smiles as she thanked the building manager for answering their questions. If the window was closed while burning charcoal, one would be poisoned. Therefore, charcoal burning was strictly prohibited in the room. The building manager brought them outside again. They were taught how to cook in the corridor and how to use the coal stove. She repeatedly emphasized that they were not allowed to cook in the apartment again and only stopped nagging after receiving their assurance. It was so convenient to cook and use the toilet. Although the room was a little small, their family was already very satisfied. In addition, the building manager also said to them, ¡°Put your things away and come down to collect your clothes later. If you still lack anything, there¡¯s a market and streets on the left side of the apartment. You can buy whatever you want.¡± Su Susu and Wang Fu said in unison, ¡°There¡¯s also clothes?¡± ¡°Is it free?¡± The building manager said, ¡°It¡¯s free. Two sets per person, nothing more.¡± Gosh, gosh, what kind of godly place was this! Why didn¡¯t they come to the southern frontier earlier! This was too blissful! Su Susu and her son stayed in the room to pack their few luggage. Wang Fu followed the building manager to collect their clothes. He asked, pretending to act casual, ¡°Auntie, we probably have to pay for this house, right?¡± Water and the honeycomb coal both cost money. Wang Fu felt that such a good house was definitely not for free. The building manager said, ¡°You have just arrived here. Considering your situation, the first month is free. You¡¯ll be charged for the next month. The monthly rent is three taels of silver, but little brother, don¡¯t worry. The monthly salary in our Carefree City is very high. You can also earn one tael of silver a month from ordinary jobs. As long as you¡¯re willing to work hard to earn money, it¡¯s not a problem to earn a few taels of silver a month.¡± She added, ¡°Our Great Empress is good. You have to thank her!¡± Wang Fu readily accepted good advice. ¡°I¡¯m very grateful to the Great Empress, but what can I do to earn a few taels of silver?¡± The building manager smiled and said, ¡°You look well-built, so you should be quite strong. You can earn a lot of money by going to the mine or the stone or cement factories. When you earn money and buy the apartment, you won¡¯t have to worry about paying rent in the future.. It¡¯s very worth it!¡± Chapter 411 - Chapter 411: Free Education Chapter 411: Free Education Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Wang Fu¡¯s eyes lit up. He asked carefully, ¡°Then how much does it cost to buy this apartment?¡± It was every non-local¡¯s dream to have a real place to stay in a foreign land. The building manager smiled and said, ¡°The apartment isn¡¯t too expensive. In terms of its space area, the one you¡¯re living in now is only about 50 taels.¡± ¡°50 taels!¡± Wang Fu was tongue-tied. ¡°This is too expensive!¡± The building manager smiled and said, ¡°This is nothing. A villa is the most expensive! 50 taels of silver seems to be a lot, but it will only take you two to three years if you earn five taels of silver a month. Moreover, our Carefree City has other benefits. You can borrow money from the Imperial Court to buy a house. As long as you have a fixed job, you can buy a house in advance.¡± Wang Fu confused. ¡°What is a loan?¡± ¡­.. Why were there always such strange new words when they arrived at the southern frontier? The building manager could not explain the loan clearly, so she said, ¡°Aiya, you¡¯ll understand when you get there. Don¡¯t be anxious. Anyway, as long as the loan is approved, the house will belong to you after you pay the interest every month.¡± Wang Fu could tell that the building manager was getting impatient, so he noted down the loan to buy a house and would ask about it when he had started work. He carried the clothes distributed to them by the building manager back to the apartment. Su Susu and Ming¡¯er had already decorated their small house and it was heartwarming. Seeing him return with the clothes, Su Susu immediately took them happily and unfolded the clothes with Ming¡¯er. When the clothes were unfolded, their eyes froze again. This shirt was too strange. There was only half of the sleeve left. Su Susu sighed and said, ¡°We can only wear it inside.¡± However, Ming¡¯er said, ¡°Mother, I think many southern frontier people wear such clothes outside.¡± They were too nervous after arriving here, so they did not notice. Su Susu was stunned as memories surged. It was true. Many citizens of the southern frontier were wearing short-sleeved shirts and long pants. Su Susu looked at Wang Fu. ¡°Are we going to do as the Romans do?¡± Apart from exposing his arms, the clothes were not too revealing. Wang Fu said hesitantly, ¡°Let¡¯s see the situation first.¡± ¡°Yes, but the material is really good. The color is beautiful and wear-resistant. One look and you can wear it for a long time.¡± Ming¡¯er smiled and said, ¡°Mother, I want to try.¡± It had been a long time since he had worn new clothes. Su Susu thought for a moment. It should be fine for the child to wear it. Anyway, Ming¡¯er was a boy. She smiled and said, ¡°Yes, Mother will boil water later. Let¡¯s take a shower and change into clean clothes, okay?¡± Ming¡¯er said eagerly, ¡°There¡¯s no need to boil water. It costs money to boil water. The weather here is hot. I¡¯ll just wash with cold water!¡± Su Susu knew that he wanted to save money for the family. She smiled and said, ¡°It won¡¯t cost much. It will cost more if you¡¯re sick. Moreover, cold water can¡¯t eliminate the smell of sweat. Listen to me, let¡¯s use hot water. Our entire family can bathe happily!¡± Ming¡¯er¡¯s eyes lit up as she said happily, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll help Mother carry water!¡± At the mention of water, Su Susu remembered that they didn¡¯t even have a wooden bucket at home. They still had to buy some daily necessities. Their family came out of the apartment and quickly found the market in Carefree City according to the directions given. The market was divided into various sections for daily necessities, food, clothes, nursery, livestock, and so on. They entered from the daily necessities area. Soon, Su Susu saw all kinds of bamboo tools, wooden containers, pots, and pans. They were also very cheap. It was really as the building manager had said. He could earn at least one tael of silver a month in the southern frontier. Compared to the price of goods, the standard of living was really low. They only bought necessities. They could make their own cutlery at home, but they had to buy a wooden bucket, an iron pot, or a clay pot. They also had to buy a few feet of fabric and cut it into period ribbons. It was too uncomfortable to use wood ash on the way. After buying the wooden bucket, Wang Fu carried the items while Su Susu held her son¡¯s hand and walked forward. Some tribal woman, who was only wearing a few pieces of cloth, walked past them. Su Susu hurriedly covered her son¡¯s eyes, but Wang Fu¡¯s eyes followed. Su Susu coughed lightly before he came back to his senses and smiled awkwardly. Su Susu couldn¡¯t help but complain, ¡°It¡¯s really uncultured to be able to go on the streets dressed like this!¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Cui Lingyi entered everyone¡¯s line of sight in a red dress that outlined her curves. Cui Lingyi¡¯s snow-white skin was dazzling under the red dress. Su Susu was dumbfounded. She did not understand why this woman was still so elegant and charming in such revealing clothes. The girls behind Cui Lingyi were also wearing all kinds of dresses. They were holding a book in their hands. They were beautiful and intellectual. They smiled happily. Apart from the new citizens who were shocked and drooling, the local citizens seemed to be used to it and were not surprised. Su Susu couldn¡¯t help but ask the owner selling wooden buckets, ¡°Why are they holding books?¡± The boss smiled and said, ¡°They¡¯re all university students from Qingfeng Women¡¯s Academy. It¡¯s normal for them to be holding books. We often hold books too!¡± The boss raised his neck slightly as he spoke, clearly a little proud. ¡°A women¡¯s academy?¡± Su Susu was surprised. The boss snorted. ¡°The girls here can go to school like boys. If they pass the assessment, they can even become officials. The one in the red dress just now is the dean of our Qinghe Women¡¯s Academy and the director of the Women¡¯s Rescue Center!¡± Su Susu was shocked again. Not only was there a Great Empress in the southern border, but even women could go to school and become officials. Was there a place more enlightened than the southern frontier? Su Susu¡¯s limited knowledge told her that there wasn¡¯t. She did not expect herself to be like them, but she felt a little envious. However, Wang Fu was very concerned. ¡°Is there any requirement for a child to attend school?¡± Ming¡¯er¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. He couldn¡¯t believe his father was sending him to school. One had to know that not a single child in their village had gone to school. The boss was a very talkative person. He smiled and said, ¡°The children under the age of 10 in our southern frontier go to school for free. Moreover, if they don¡¯t go to school, they will chase after you. You just arrived, so I¡¯m not too sure. You can go to the elementary school in front and ask.¡± Free education!!! Oh god! Wang Fu¡¯s entire family felt like they were in a dream. They hurriedly bade farewell to their boss and arrived at the entrance of Qinghe Elementary School. Through the fence, he saw many children about the same age as Ming¡¯er playing football happily in the field. Ming¡¯er¡¯s eyes were filled with envy, while Su Susu was very puzzled. Weren¡¯t they supposed to be studying? Why did she see the children playing all the time? Wang Fu had the same doubts, so they walked forward and asked the old man on duty at the door, ¡°Sir, is this an academy?¡± The old man looked up at them with his glasses and pointed at the stone tablet. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Qinghe Elementary School written there! What are you here for?¡± Ming¡¯er stood on his tiptoes and stuck his head out. ¡°Grandpa, I want to go to school too. I heard that it¡¯s free here.¡± The old man looked down and chuckled. ¡°Aiyo, the little guy is here. Then go in and ask the teachers..¡± Chapter 412 - Chapter 412: Only Vixens Wear It! Chapter 412: Only Vixens Wear It! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The old man let them pass. When they approached the teaching area, they heard the bright sound of children reading in the classroom. It turned out that some children were playing and others were learning. They looked around the academy and were quickly called into the office by an amiable teacher. In the huge space, there were several teachers sitting. They were wearing convenient long robes and glasses like the guard. They were elegant and graceful. Wang Fu¡¯s family had a natural reverence for the educated people. They immediately felt nervous and did not know where to look. Mr. Liu asked about Ming¡¯er¡¯s age. Ming¡¯er mustered his courage and said, ¡°Sir, I¡¯m seven years old.¡± Ming¡¯er was seven years old, but he looked to be only five or six years old. It was obvious that he had not eaten enough for a long time and his development was slow. ¡­.. Mr. Liu continued to ask, ¡°Have you studied before?¡± Ming¡¯er shook his head. ¡°No.¡± Children who had not studied before had to enter the foundation class to learn. If they learned quickly, they would be transferred according to their progress. Mr. Liu looked at the apprehensive Wang Fu and Su Susu and said, ¡°Our Qinghe Elementary School has a total of two core classes and six compulsory classes. The lessons will be one and a half hours in the morning and one and a half hours in the afternoon. They will eat and rest at the academy at noon.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the time for us to enroll students now. The children can only enter the school in the autumn. Come and sign up in the autumn. Remember to bring your household register the next time you come.¡± ¡°Also, our academy has two semesters a year, one in spring and one in autumn. There¡¯s no need for tuition fees, but the book fees and lunch fees have to be paid separately. Each semester is about one tael of silver.¡± One taels of silver for three months per semester was too cheap. In the Central Plains, a book already cost one taels of silver. Thinking of how poor their family was, Ming¡¯er immediately said, ¡°I¡¯m not going to school anymore.¡± Mr. Liu said, ¡°If your family has financial difficulties, you can register and we will give you a bursary allowance.¡± No matter how poor they were, the children should not be deprived. Besides, it was not like they could not earn money, so why should they receive bursary allowance? Wang Fu shook his heads and said, ¡°Thank you for your kind intentions, Sir. Do we have to pay the money now?¡± Ming¡¯er tugged at Wang Fu¡¯s sleeves anxiously. Su Susu comforted him. ¡°Father and Mother have money. Ming¡¯er, go to school and listen to the teachers in the future, understand?¡± Ming¡¯er¡¯s heart ached and he was touched. He nodded with a choked voice. ¡°I definitely will!¡± Mr. Liu smiled and said, ¡°You can pay the fees when school starts in the autumn.¡± Wang Fu immediately heaved a sigh of relief. They only had more than two taels of silver to begin with, so they felt flustered if they had to spend one tael of silver in one go. There was still more than a month until autumn. If he and Su Susu could have a good job, they would be able to earn enough in a month. After signing up, Ming¡¯er¡¯s smile never stopped. He kept saying, ¡°I¡¯m going to school soon!¡± Wang Fu and Su Susu looked at each other with smiles and said, ¡°I think these teachers are very reliable. They don¡¯t look down on us at all.¡± Wang Fu nodded. ¡°Yes, this place is really great!¡± They said sincerely like the locals, ¡°Thank you, Great Empress!¡± Su Susu and Ming¡¯er also said, ¡°Thank you, Great Empress!¡± ¡°Long live the Great Empress!¡± The street was at the entrance of the elementary school. The street was filled with three-story buildings that specialized in selling the goods sold by the factories. They had yet to buy cloth. They still had to make a school bag for Ming¡¯er. If white cloth was not enough, they had to choose a different color. As they walked along the street, they saw exquisitely decorated hotels, pink and tender cake shops, spectacle shops, snack shops, seafood products shops, bicycle shops, stationery shops, clothing shops, beauty shops, simple and quiet bookstores, pharmacy, toy shops, glass shops, baby supplies shops, meat shops, and all kinds of gourmet shops¡­ The style of every shop was so unique and eye-catching that it left a deep impression. Su Susu and Wang Fu walked around and almost couldn¡¯t hold back the temptation to spend money several times. Fortunately, the small amount of silver in their arms pulled them back to their senses. Wang Fu looked at his wife and children¡¯s eager gazes and swore to earn money well so that they could live a life where they could spend money as they pleased. After walking around, they finally saw a shop selling cloth. Su Susu looked at all the cloth and her gaze landed on the same denim fabric as the one in their house. ¡°How much is this for a foot of cloth?¡± The shop assistant was a neat auntie. ¡°It¡¯s 20 copper coins for a foot. It¡¯s the most unique canvas in our southern frontier. It¡¯s sturdy and resistant to wear and tear, and it is windproof. How many feet do you want, young madam?¡± 20 coins for a foot was really not expensive. Su Susu suddenly thought that if these cloth were transported to the Central Plains, it would definitely be very expensive. Then the boss would definitely be able to earn a lot of money. However, she revealed a trace of pity. The journey to the southern frontier was too difficult, especially the desert. If there was no water and she died there, there was no need to mention earning money. Su Susu said, ¡°Give me five feet.¡± Then she lowered her voice and asked, ¡°What fabric is the cheapest? I want to make some period ribbons.¡± The auntie quickly found her a bolt of white cloth that was good at absorbing water. ¡°This one is not bad, but it¡¯s too troublesome for you to use a period ribbon. You have to wash the bedsheets from time to time. It¡¯s fine in the summer, but your fingers will freeze off in the winter. There¡¯s a shop next door that sells sanitary pads. You can take a look. If you think it¡¯s not suitable, you can come back and buy my fabric.¡± This was the first time Su Susu had met a shop assistant who recommended her to buy something from another shop. She looked at her gratefully, paid for the denim, and went next door. The renovation next door made it seem as though she had entered the clouds. The surroundings were white and soft. Even the decorations on the head were hung with beautiful cloud lamps. It gave off a very clean feeling. Su Susu asked in a low voice, ¡°What is a sanitary pad?¡± A young shop assistant with a sweet smile pointed at the paper bag beside her and said, ¡°This is it. Do you want to use it at night or for day?¡± Su Susu was dumbfounded. ¡°What¡¯s for day use? What¡¯s for night use?¡± She didn¡¯t even know how to use it. The young shop assistant took out two bamboo fiber sanitary pads and said, ¡°One is used at night and the other is for day. The amount of water absorption is different. It has to be thinner for daily use so that it¡¯s easier to change. If it¡¯s not changed for a long time, it¡¯s not good for the body, especially the plant ash. If it¡¯s infected by bacteria, it will even cause a very serious gynecological illness.¡± The older generation had all used plant ash to survive. How could they fall sick because of it? Su Susu suspected that the shop assistant was lying to her to sell products, but when she saw the shop assistant show her how to use the sanitary pads, she was stunned. ¡°You still have to wear such garment!?¡± This was too much! Only a vixen would wear such a small piece of cloth! The shop assistant said, ¡°Yes, yes. Underwear can effectively block bacteria and is healthier for women. Even if your period doesn¡¯t come, it¡¯s recommended to wear undergarments.¡± ¡°Our Great Empress wears them too! If you wear them, it¡¯ll be the same model as the Great Empress!¡± ¡°We are having an event now.. If you buy six packs of sanitary pads, we will give away two pairs of underwear and a pack of toilet paper!¡± Chapter 413 - Chapter 413: Don’t Miss It When You Pass Chapter 413: Don¡¯t Miss It When You Pass Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The underwear that even the Great Empress was wearing¡­ The publicity was quite attractive. Su Susu subconsciously turned around and looked at Wang Fu standing at the door. Thinking of how she looked in it, she immediately blushed and asked in a low voice, ¡°How much is a bag of sanitary pads?¡± If she had to wear underwear to use the pads, she could make countless strips using some cloth. The shop assistant said enthusiastically, ¡°Our sanitary pads are made of natural bamboo fibers. They are smooth on the skin and are light and airy. It¡¯s very comfortable even when you sleep at night. There are a total of 20 pieces in a pack for night use and it costs 50 coins. There are 25 pieces in a pack for daily use and it can last for about two months.¡± The shop assistant made it sound grand, and the price was quite high too. In the past, she did not even spend a single coin on plant ash. Now, she needed to spend 50 coins. 50 coins were enough for a month¡¯s water bill. ¡­.. No matter how good this thing was, Su Susu thought about it and shook her head. ¡°Forget it, thank you.¡± The shop assistant¡¯s attitude was really good. When she said that she didn¡¯t want to buy it anymore, the shop assistant still gave her a pad and a small packet of toilet paper. She already knew what the sanitary pad was. The toilet paper was snow-white and stacked in a small paper bag. Su Susu asked awkwardly, ¡°What is this?¡± The shop assistant quickly took out a piece of toilet paper and enthusiastically explained, ¡°This is toilet paper. It¡¯s used to clean yourself after using the toilet. It¡¯s especially soft and doesn¡¯t hurt your skin at all. Especially women, you have to take good care of yourself.¡± ¡°Paper for toilets? Shouldn¡¯t paper be used to write?¡± Su Susu was shocked and felt like she was dreaming. How could paper, that was treated like a treasure by the scholars, be used for dirty things? The shop assistant smiled and said, ¡°There are many types of paper. Ours are used professionally for cleaning. Every family in our Carefree City uses toilet paper.¡± Su Susu took the paper from the shop assistant¡¯s hand in confusion. It was soft and silky, like superior-class silk. The lives of the people in the southern frontier were too good! Why would they think of cleaning with paper! Su Susu held her breath and asked, ¡°Can this paper still be used after washing?¡± The shop assistant couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Of course not.¡± She asked a shop assistant beside her to bring over a basin of water and placed another piece of white paper into the water. ¡°The toilet paper is dissolved in water. You can even throw it into the toilet.¡± The white paper scattered into transparent white pulp in the water like magic. She sighed at the wisdom of the people of the southern frontier and could not help but ask, ¡°Then how much is this toilet paper sold for?¡± These things were all too magical. It was difficult not to be tempted by each one. If it was not expensive, she could try buying some for her family. When Ming¡¯er went to school, he could bring it to the academy to use, so that others would not look down on him. The shop assistant actively promoted, ¡°There are many types here. There are drawing paper, roll paper, and this kind of paper that is weighed. Each type has a different grade and is differentiated according to the color and softness. It depends on which one you want to use.¡± Su Susu looked at the different packagings of toilet paper and guessed that the toilet paper that was priced by weight was the cheapest. She asked, ¡°How much is this for a catty?¡± The shop assistant smiled and said, ¡°10 copper coins per catty. This is also very useful. It¡¯s a popular product in our factory.¡± Su Susu thought for a moment. ¡°Then give me a catty!¡± The shop assistant immediately took out a scale and weighed for a catty. Su Susu looked at it eagerly and was happy. One catty was not a small amount. If she used it sparingly, she could use it for at least two months. When Ming¡¯er saw Su Susu coming out of the shop with something, he looked over happily and immediately said excitedly, ¡°Mother, you bought me paper?¡± He thought that Su Susu had bought it for him to write. Su Susu was stunned. She looked at the toilet paper and shook her head. ¡°This is called toilet paper. It¡¯s used by the people of the southern frontier to clean after using the toilet. Don¡¯t use it the wrong way in the future and be laughed at.¡± Ming¡¯er and Wang Fu were shocked at the same time. ¡°Toilet?¡± God, how could paper be used in the toilet? The people of the southern frontier were too bold! Ming¡¯er stammered and asked, ¡°Is¡ªis it nice to use?¡± He never expected that he would also use paper to clean his butt one day. Su Susu chuckled. ¡°How would I know? You can try it when we get back.¡± Ming¡¯er blushed and was extremely excited. Using paper was definitely cleaner than a stick. Wang Fu asked, ¡°Is this paper expensive?¡± Su Susu smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s especially cheap. It¡¯s only ten coins!¡± Wang Fu was stunned and looked at the shop that sold toilet paper and did not understand how they could sell it so cheaply. In the Central Plains, a piece of white paper could be sold for a few copper coins. The things in the southern frontier were really too magical. As long as any item was spread to the Central Plains, there was none that would not earn money. Su Susu bought some cloth. On her way back, she passed by the stationery store that had multiple floors. She couldn¡¯t help but bring Ming¡¯er in to take a look. No matter how poor they were, they could let their child live poorly. They would look at the price first and see how long it would take before they can afford the stationery. This stationery store was different from the one in the Central Plains. One could look at the items and choose them up close. As soon as they entered, there were all kinds of brush. There was also a huge wolf hair brush hanging above their heads, making Ming¡¯er extremely excited. The shop assistants were wearing the same half-sleeved staff uniform. From their clothes, they could tell that they were the citizens of Carefree City who had just arrived. He immediately recommended an item to Ming¡¯er. ¡°Madam and Master are buying school equipment for the Young Master, right? We have an event here. The stationery for primary school students only costs 50 copper coins. It includes a brush, ink, writing paper, charcoal pencil, eraser, notebook and workbook. You won¡¯t lose out if you buy it! Don¡¯t miss it when you pass! The original price is 108 copper coins! You can buy it as long as you show your new household register!¡± The staff brought them to the front of the stationery set for primary school students. Wang Fu¡¯s family were dazzled. It felt quite worth it to buy so many things for 50 copper coins. The shop assistant promoted even more. ¡°Everything in the stationery set can be used by primary school students in Qinghe Elementary School. Madam, don¡¯t worry. The quality of our shop is guaranteed. You can be bold in your purchase. The event only lasts a few more days. If you miss it, you¡¯ll have to buy it at the original price!¡± No one from Wang Fu¡¯s family had gone to school. Since the shop assistant said that they have to buy these things, they just bought them. In any case, 50 coins was really quite cheap. He remembered that an ordinary wolf hair brush cost two taels of silver in the stationery store in their town. However, Wang Fu was a little puzzled. ¡°Don¡¯t we need to buy an inkstone?¡± As the shop assistant packed things for them, he explained, ¡°There¡¯s no need for an inkstone anymore. You can still buy it if you want. The cheapest one costs a few taels of silver. It¡¯s better to use ink instead of grinding it. Isn¡¯t it better to save time to study?¡± Only then did the Wang Fu realize that the pen ink had replaced the inkstone. He could not help but sigh at how smart the people of the southern frontier were. On the way back, Wang Fu looked at his son who was happily holding the stationery. Then, he looked at Su Susu¡¯s smiling face that had not had enough shopping and looked forward to knowing the work arrangements that day. Otherwise, if he came here two more times, he would really have no money left.. Chapter 414 - Chapter 414: I’ll Do It! Chapter 414: I¡¯ll Do It! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Wang Fu¡¯s family returned to the apartment. Just as they put their things away, the building manager came to inform them that they would gather at the People¡¯s Square an hour later. The Great Empress had arranged a recruitment event for them. The word ¡°recruitment¡± made the couple¡¯s eyes light up. In order to get better jobs, the couple also put on the denim clothes issued. His arm was empty, but it was much lighter. He no longer felt hot. However, Su Susu was still not used to it, so she found a thin coat and put it on. Locals also dressed like this. Su Susu looked in the mirror and was quite satisfied. Ming¡¯er said sweetly, ¡°Mother is so beautiful!¡± ¡­.. Su Susu pinched his little face and instructed, ¡°Wait for us at home obediently. Don¡¯t open the door and don¡¯t run around, understand?¡± Ming¡¯er wanted to go to the recruitment event, but he knew that finding work was very important to the entire family, so he nodded obediently. ¡°Yes, I won¡¯t go out. I¡¯ll wait for your good news at home.¡± Wang Fu and Su Susu went out. Before they left, they asked the building manager to help take care of their son. The building manager agreed repeatedly, and they were relieved. The recruitment event for 200,000 people was extremely lively. There were stalls everywhere, and there was a grand red carpet in the middle. As soon as Bai Wutong appeared, everyone squeezed to the side to look at her. In a short amount of time, everyone had already deeply experienced the benefits of staying in Carefree City. They were no longer resistant to women being the empress. When Bai Wutong appeared, they even knelt down with the local people and shouted, ¡°Greetings, Great Empress!¡± Bai Wutong waved at them and said without any delay, ¡°The summer recruitment event officially begins. Go find whatever job you like.¡± In the past, the high-ranking officials of the Central Plains would speak a lot nonsense before doing anything. They would move themselves and make the commoners suffer under the hot sun. The Great Empress was so straightforward. Everyone cheered excitedly and went to find suitable jobs for themselves. In order to save time, everyone tried to find a suitable position as soon as possible. Positions would be recommended according to their age and gender. For example, if Su Susu knew how to make clothes, she would be recommended to the textile and clothing factories first. Wang Fu was tall, so they would recommend him to mines, sandstone factories, and brick factories first. As long as the old people were not very old, they could still do easy work. In order to understand the needs of the new citizens, Bai Wutong also became a professional consultant and was in charge of introducing suitable jobs to the people. However, as the Great Empress, she had a group of cold-looking dark guards beside her. Even though Bai Wutong revealed a kind expression, no one dared to approach her. Su Susu was small and was squeezed to the back by the aunties. She did not know when she would be able to get into the queue. Seeing that there was no one in front of Bai Wutong, she was afraid that she would lose her chance to take on a new job. She finally mustered her courage and stood in front of Bai Wutong. Seeing his wife stand in front of the Great Empress, Wang Fu held his breath and hurriedly stood over. Everyone¡¯s gazes landed on the couple. It was as if they were admiring them for being so bold. Su Susu was uneasy, and her hands were trembling. Fortunately, Bai Wutong asked her gently, ¡°Do you know how to make clothes?¡± Only then did Su Susu¡¯s nervousness ease a little. She stammered, ¡°Yes, yes. I can make any style.¡± Bai Wutong said, ¡°You can go to the textile factory, or the clothing factory, or the stuffed toy factory. The work hours is eight hours a day. You will have seven hours work a day and one hour to teach you how to read. You still have four days of rest every month. The basic monthly salary is one tael. In the future, the monthly salary will slowly increase.¡± The cement road that ran through the southern frontier had yet to be completed, and the local market was limited. The production of these things had to wait for the ship to pass before they could launch in the overseas market. If Chu Tianbao¡¯s return did not go well, or if Emperor Ling Hui did not acknowledge the Carefree Kingdom at all and wanted to fight them, they would encounter obstacles in entering the Ling Kingdom¡¯s market. There were also fewer people hired for such non-essential jobs. Su Susu didn¡¯t know how to choose. She asked carefully, ¡°Is the stuffed toy factory difficult?¡± It sounded like something rare. ¡°None of the three jobs are very difficult. If you pass the interview, you¡¯ll be able to start work quickly.¡± Bai Wutong was very gentle. She gently ate away at Su Susu¡¯s nervous emotions. She thought for a moment and said, ¡°I heard that there¡¯s another job with higher monthly salary.¡± Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°The work with a high monthly salary is more tiring. Or you will require a higher level of education and skills to be able to enter more important positions.¡± Su Susu was illiterate and did not know any skills. Just as she revealed a trace of embarrassment, Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°The monthly salary at the seafood processing factory is three taels. You have to be in charge of transporting and processing seafood. It¡¯s very tiring physical work. You have to work for eight hours a day and only can rest two days a month. The time when the ship returns is affected by various factors. You will often work overtime at the last minute. If you work overtime, there will be an additional pay of 50 copper coins an hour.¡± Three taels of silver a month! And an additional pay! Su Susu immediately wanted to agree to it. Seeing that she was still young, Bai Wutong reminded her, ¡°The seafood processing factory will tire out your body and make you not have the energy to do anything else or time to learn other skills. We have the Qinghe Women¡¯s Technical College. If you master a skill there, you will be assigned a special position.¡± As soon as she said that, Su Susu immediately froze. After a while, she asked excitedly, ¡°I can go to school too?¡± After giving birth, she was only in her early twenties. She was at the age of a flower bud in the modern world. Why couldn¡¯t she have a new future? Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°Not only can you learn technical skills, but you can also enter a university, complete your studies in a university, and participate in the administrative examination. You can become an official like men and serve the commoners.¡± Su Susu thought that learning to be assigned a position was already the peak of her life. She did not expect to be an official like a man! Who didn¡¯t want to be an official! She was deeply shocked. Her eyes were blank, as if she could not believe it, but also as if she had been in a dream since she entered the southern frontier. When the dream shattered, she woke up. She pinched herself hard. The pain stimulated her nerves. Su Susu said excitedly, ¡°It¡¯s not a dream, not a dream!¡± Wang Fu, who was behind her, did not want her to work so hard. He squeezed her hand and emphasized, ¡°Don¡¯t go to the seafood processing factory.¡± Since her husband had already spoken, Su Susu followed her thoughts. ¡°Great Empress, I want to go to the stuffed toy factory!¡± Even if there was only one tael of silver a month, it was enough for their family¡¯s expenses. She could still work hard! She could work hard to learn and change to a better job. Bai Wutong smiled and gave her directions. ¡°Yes, all the best. Go there and queue up for the interview. Don¡¯t be nervous. You can definitely do it.¡± Wang Fu had heard everything Bai Wutong said to Su Susu. He felt that he was not cut out for studying. The most important thing now was to buy a house and give his wife and children a good life. If his wife wanted to work hard, he would fully support her. Wang Fu went straight to the point. ¡°Great Empress, I want to find a job with the highest monthly salary.¡± Strong laborers like Wang Fu were the ones who were lacking the most in the southern border. Bai Wutong said, ¡°Do you know any skills? For example, woodworking and blacksmithing?¡± Wang Fu shook his heads. Bai Wutong said, ¡°The job that suits you and has the highest monthly salary is mining. It¡¯s five taels of silver a month and has a certain degree of danger.¡± Five taels of silver was equivalent to five months of work for others! There were people who fell to their deaths while walking.. What kind of job wouldn¡¯t it be dangerous? For the sake of his wife and children, Wang Fu said firmly, ¡°I¡¯ll do it!¡± Chapter 415 - Chapter 415: The Only Remaining Home They Had, She Must Protect It Chapter 415: The Only Remaining Home They Had, She Must Protect It Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Everyone swarmed forward. Suddenly, Chu Tianbao¡¯s letter came. Wang Fu and Su Susu went through the interview for the ore mining factory and plush toy factory respectively and passed it quickly. The couple cheered excitedly in the square, attracting a lot of attention. They also had an interview, but the one by Bai Wutong was clearly more relaxed. The line in front of Bai Wutong that was originally empty suddenly became long. At this moment, You Huaijie suddenly came over and said to Qingfeng in a low voice. Qingfeng immediately told Bai Wutong that Chu Tianbao had sent a letter. Bai Wutong suddenly stood up and hurriedly returned to the Great Empress¡¯ residence. ¡­.. After opening the letter, she saw that Chu Tianbao had written in the letter that he had just arrived at the Imperial City and was preparing to save Noble Consort Ling. He would try his best to reach Carefree City when she was due for delivery and told her not to miss him. Looking at the time, if Chu Tianbao had already successfully saved Noble Consort Ling, he would be able to reach the border of the southern frontier in a month and a half. At that time, it would be just in time for the child to be born. Bai Wutong had just been happy for a short moment when her smile froze as she opened the other letter sent by the dark guard. Emperor Ling Hui was furious that Noble Consort Ling had been kidnapped. He had sent the entire country to look for her. Moreover, he threatened that whoever dared to hurt Noble Consort Ling would die without a burial place. Suddenly, all the exits in the Ling Kingdom were closed. Noble Consort Ling did not know martial arts, and the journey was long. Chu Tianbao would definitely encounter all kinds of dangers on the way back. There were even people investigating their identities everywhere and reporting to the Imperial Court, so there were countless experts sent out to stop them. Even if Chu Tianbao knew how to disguise Noble Consort Ling, he could not guarantee that Emperor Ling Hui would not see through it since he had been married with Noble Consort Ling for many years and knew some of her special habits. The most suffocating thing was that there was only one exit from the Ling Kingdom to reach the southern frontier! Emperor Ling Hui was a sly old fox, so there was a high chance that he would guess that Chu Tianbao had kidnapped Noble Consort Ling. Gu Chilie was Chu Tianbao¡¯s adoptive father and was guarding the southern frontier. It was not difficult to guess that Chu Tianbao would bring Noble Consort Ling to the southern frontier. Thinking of this, Bai Wutong¡¯s heart tightened. If only she had a phone or a wireless telegraph, she would know about Chu Tianbao¡¯s situation. Bai Wutong looked at the two letters and calm herself down to think for a long time. She suddenly stood up. She couldn¡¯t sit back and do nothing. She couldn¡¯t put Chu Tianbao in danger. She was going to send someone to pick them up! And the faster they set off, the better. There were still a group of dark guards beside her. They were skilled in martial arts and could reach ahead of time. There were still 80,000 cavalry who could reach the border of the southern frontier first and prepare to receive them. Bai Wutong asked Qingfeng to call all the dark guards over and give them an order to set off immediately! Chu Tianbao and the dark guards beside him had a special way of contacting each other. As long as they were alive, they would definitely be able to find them. After Chu Tianbao took Noble Consort Ling away, Emperor Ling Hui would definitely pay attention to the movements of the southern frontier. The matter of Bai Wutong establishing her own Carefree Kingdom and taking the position as the Great Empress would definitely not remain hidden. Since it was a matter involving the kingdom¡¯s land, even if Emperor Ling Hui pretended, he would definitely send an army to attack the southern frontier. Emperor Ling Hui still had 300,000 elite soldiers on hand. Now that he had the entire Ling Kingdom, it was not impossible for him to gather another 500,000 troops at the last minute. Although fighting a war was tiring for the people and cost them money, if Emperor Ling Hui was so angry, it was still likely for him to do as he wished. After all, there was probably no emperor who could accept that his son was not the emperor, but his daughter-in-law was. And the more serious matter was that he had even taken his wife away. Where could his face be placed? However, even if Bai Wutong gave up the position of Great Empress, as his daughter-in-law, she would probably still be a thorn in Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s eyes. This battle was unavoidable. If they mobilized the entire country¡¯s hundreds of thousands of troops to suppress the other party, they would still not have a high chance of winning even if they had 80,000 elite soldiers. If they wanted a way to protect themselves, they could only increase their military strength. There were only two ways to increase military strength: manpower and equipment. If the traditional explosives had been modified, coupled with more powerful firearms, it was really uncertain who would be on the upper hand. Sooner or later, mankind would attain greater advancements. They were already preparing to build a power station, so why should she worry so much? The improvement of weapons was a threat, but also a safety net for them! She had had enough of fleeing and migrating. She had to protect the only remaining home she had. Bai Wutong finished a bowl of bird¡¯s nest porridge, touched her stomach, and said with determination in her eyes, ¡°They will definitely be safe.¡± Bai Wutong drew the production design of landmines, grenades, pistols, assault rifles, and self-propelled artillery overnight and described the key points in the forging process in detail. These weapons were all commonly used by her in the apocalypse and she was familiar with their structure. Moreover, there were blueprints in the space. From night till day, Qingfeng brought over two meals. Bai Wutong had huge dark circles under her eyes before she drew out all the production blueprints in detail. When she was done, she still felt that she had made up her mind too late and had wasted so much precious time. But it didn¡¯t matter. Even so, she believed that she would definitely be able to make it in time. Bai Wutong washed her face, put on light makeup, and held an emergency meeting. All the officials and cadres of the military forces were present. Gu Chilie was detained. Many generals who were good at leading troops to war were executed after trying to save him. However, there were still some who obediently led their troops to farm and train at the same time. They quickly became a part of Carefree City. Among them was Lu Ye, who admired Chu Tianbao and had grown up with him. He had completely adapted to life in Carefree City and worked hard to live and work. He looked forward to the day when he could also afford a villa. Previously, they had rebelled with Gu Chilie and had to work diligently for 10 years before they could own land and buy houses. Bai Wutong¡¯s announcement that she was going to defend the borders meant that there was a high chance of a war. If they fought a war, they could earn military merits. If they earned military merits, they might have the chance to own land and buy houses in advance. The soldiers¡¯ eyes suddenly lit up. Bai Wutong did not hide the possibility of an intense battle with the Ling Kingdom. She announced that anyone who represented the Carefree Kingdom to protect the country would not only be able to obtain war allowance, but they would also be able to buy land and houses on their own after returning. In an instant, the soldiers¡¯ hearts surged and their fighting spirit was instantly filled. He thought that he would have to farm and mine for the rest of his life. He did not expect to have a chance to make a contribution and achieve something. The soldiers responded actively to the call. Bai Wutong had also arranged special training for them so that they could effectively increase their combat efficiency while waiting for the weapons to be forged. The craftsmen gathered, along with the teachers who were very knowledgeable in mathematics, physics, and chemistry. They were very confused when they saw the blueprint and could not tell what it was at all until the knowledgeable Sheng Huaixuan said, ¡°Could this be an improved iron fire machine?¡± The iron fire machine could not fire metal pellets and could only spray gunpowder. At the mention of the iron fire machine, the military weaponsmiths present immediately had an impression of it. They said one after another, ¡°It looks like it! However, this structure is too complicated..¡± Chapter 416 - Chapter 416: The God Is Angry At A Woman Being Empress Chapter 416: The God Is Angry At A Woman Being Empress Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Bai Wutong showed them the blueprint for the external structure of the pistol, but she did not show them the most important internal structure. This was the top military secret of their Carefree Kingdom. All the parts of the weapons had to be forged separately to prevent the blueprint from being leaked. Bai Wutong said, ¡°The structure of this blueprint is complicated, but the power of the fire machine will also increase by more than a hundred times.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, there was silence. Everyone was imagining what it would be like when the fire machine was too times stronger. Could it be that the huge flames that spewed out could burn the entire city to ashes? If that was the case, why would they still have to guard against the Ling Kingdom? It was better to directly take down the Ling Kingdom. ¡­.. Although they were complaining, everyone still agreed with Bai Wutong¡¯s plan to use weapons to increase their military strength. Bai Wutong could tell that no one believed that the power of the fire machine could increase by more than a hundred times. She smiled and said, ¡°The fire machine has been produced in the state for hundreds of years, but it¡¯s still the same.¡± ¡°However, on the other side of the ocean, some foreigners had used fire machines to create astonishing weapons. This is the fire machine they modified and it is called a pistol.¡± When the state did not restrict merchants from traveling or suppress them, Western trade was very prosperous. There were western mirror, magnifying glass, Kunlun road¡­ These were all traces left behind at that time. Bai Wutong said that the Westerners had used fire machine to create a shockingly powerful weapon. Everyone present was subconsciously shocked. ¡°No way?¡± In everyone¡¯s hearts, their state was the smartest and most powerful ancient civilization state. In any case, they would not be able to travel to the west for a while. Regardless of whether they really had it or not, Bai Wutong nodded affirmatively. ¡°That¡¯s right. I was also very stunned when I saw the records in the book. Our Carefree Kingdom is just opposite them. I¡¯m afraid they will use such a lethal weapon to cross the sea and attack. Therefore, we have to increase our firepower with all our might to prevent that day from coming.¡± ¡°The future of Carefree Kingdom requires everyone¡¯s joint efforts. Please, everyone!¡± Bai Wutong did not expect them to come up with any lethal weapons in a short time. It would be good enough if they could make a few fog bombs. She had gathered them together purely to find a reason to explain the source of the blueprint. If someone pursued the matter, it would be easy to say that one of them was talented and developed it not long after. For the sake of confidentiality and to ensure the person¡¯s safety, they could not reveal his identity at all. Bai Wutong¡¯s words instantly motivated everyone. They wanted to develop a pistol similar to a foreigner¡¯s in the shortest time possible. Apart from the pistol, Bai Wutong also mentioned grenades, landmines, rocket launchers, and other inspirations to them. They were greatly shocked and opened up to more ideas as they discussed intensely. After they discussed for a week, Bai Wutong began to arrange for the craftsmen to distribute the location, the blueprints, and the techniques to make weapons. The job definitely earned a high salary and required absolute confidentiality. As long as anything was revealed, he would be punished on the basis of treason. Therefore, even their families did not know what work the workers involved in weapons production were doing. Assault rifles and grenades were commonly used on the battlefield. The most antique models were not that complicated to make. After the production of the boilers, steam engines, and cutting machine tools was successful, the production capacity could reach 100 assault rifles per day, 50 grenades, and more than 1,000 bullets. The production of these weapons alone was enough to threaten Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s throne. They could also produce landmines and rocket launchers. No one could shake her determination to protect her home. Assault rifles and grenade parts still needed to be assembled separately. Bai Wutong arrived at the military workshop and looked at these parts. She felt a sense of familiarity from within. She picked up the parts and quickly assembled the assault rifle in less than a minute. Qingfeng revealed a strong curiosity about the new weapon. Bai Wutong asked her to familiarize herself with it according to the blueprint, but Qingfeng used about the same time as her to complete the assembly of the assault rifle. Although it was an obsolete model from the apocalypse, it was still brand new and powerful. Bai Wutong raised her assault rifle and nimbly loaded it with bullets. She fired three bullets in a row. As expected, all of them hit the bullseye. She was not as good at martial arts as Qingfeng, but she should be the most skilled for modern weapons. Unexpectedly, when Qingfeng saw Bai Wutong use an assault rifle and instantly pierce through the target, and her speed and recoil were so shocking, Qingfeng¡¯s eyes immediately lit up. She quickly loaded the bullets. ¡°Pa pa pa pa~¡± She fired a series of shots. Bai Wutong looked over and was dumbfounded. Some people were really talented. She had practiced for so many years before she was 100% confident that she could hit the target, but Qingfeng did it effortlessly. The entire bullseye of the target had been shot through by Qingfeng. Bai Wutong praised, ¡°How impressive!¡± Qingfeng touched the pistol as if a new world had opened up. For the first time, she said to Bai Wutong, ¡°Can 1 have one?¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°Sure. If nothing goes wrong, our great scientific researchers have prepared an even bigger surprise for you.¡± Qingfeng smiled slightly. Lin Yue would probably be sad when he saw this. He was actually not as attractive as an assault rifle. After one pulled the ring on the grenade, it needed to be thrown in five seconds. It was so powerful that it could blow up the concrete floor. Bai Wutong and Qingfeng arrived at the empty training ground. After the training, the energetic soldiers had already lined up and were waiting to experience throwing grenades. Bai Wutong did not waste her breath. She emphasized on safety and let them carry out the explosion test. She was pregnant. Even with the noise-canceling earplugs, the loud noise would still shock the child in her womb. Therefore, she was standing relatively far away. Even if the grenade exploded, it would not affect her. The first soldier to obtain the grenade was Lu Ye. He had already memorized the key points of the grenade¡¯s safety operation and experimented with the core several times. After all, if he didn¡¯t do it properly, he might explode into meat paste, so he was especially careful. At the same time, this thrill of hovering between life and death made him feel extremely excited. Lu Ye took a deep breath. Under everyone¡¯s nervous gazes, he lifted the lid of the grenade, pulled off the ring, and threw it towards the target scarecrow in the distance. ¡°Boom¡ª¡± With an earth-shattering bang, the ground seemed to tremble. In Carefree City, the moment they heard the terrifying commotion, the commoners covered their heads and squatted on the ground, or they panicked and ran around. Especially the women whose husbands worked in the mine, they stood up and shouted in fear, ¡°Did an earthquake happen? I¡¯m going to look for my husband!¡± The man who was extremely dissatisfied with Bai Wutong ran to the street and shouted, ¡°The heavens are angry that a woman is the empress!¡± There were many people who echoed him. All of them knelt on the ground and begged for God¡¯s forgiveness. If they wanted to punish someone, they should punish Bai Wutong. It had nothing to do with them. Some people were still those who usually tried to butter up to Bai Wutong. When they saw this scene, the people who were really convinced by Bai Wutong were immediately angry. ¡°The heavens are angry because they can¡¯t stand you ingrates.. It wants to kill you!¡± Chapter 417 - Chapter 417: Land Blessed by the Heavens Chapter 417: Land Blessed by the Heavens Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Boom¡ª¡± There was another earth-shattering bang, and everyone screamed in fear. More commoners thought that the heavens were angry and knelt on the ground to beg for their forgiveness. They did not want a woman to be the emperor, but they had no choice! While they were trembling, the lion dance team suddenly appeared. Everyone looked up in surprise. Accompanied by rhythmic music, You Huaijie said loudly, ¡°The Great Empress is an auspicious being and blessed by the heavens. Our Carefree City¡¯s first grenade has been successfully detonated!¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes widened strangely. ¡°What¡¯s a grenade?¡± ¡­.. You Huaijie said, ¡°A grenade is a weapon with the power of heavenly lightning. It can instantly kill a group of enemies!¡± ¡°Whoever dares to invade our Carefree Kingdom will definitely suffer the tribulation of 10,000 lightning bolts with such a shockingly powerful weapon!¡± It sounded impressive and awesome. Thinking about the commotion they had heard just now, the commoners, who were originally afraid of fighting with the Ling Kingdom, felt relieved and knelt down. ¡°We are blessed by the Great Empress!¡± Who would want to return to Ling Kingdom to live a hard life in such a good Carefree Kingdom? The men who claimed that Bai Wutong was the one who caused the earthquake to appear were immediately dumbfounded. That was actually not an earthquake! It was just a grenade. It must be a lie! How could a weapon cause such a huge commotion? Xu Ke, who was restrained by the soldiers, shouted, ¡°That¡¯s impossible. They must be lying to you!¡± ¡°Just you wait. If the woman continues to be the emperor, there wall be a huge dragon turning the tables. At that time, all of you will die!¡± As soon as these words were spoken, the commoners all looked terrified. Coincidentally, the timing was bad. ¡°Boom¡ª¡± There was another earth-shattering bang. The ground shook as if confirming Xu Ke¡¯s words. Everyone was terrified and at a loss. Could it be that a woman would really be punished by the heavens when she became the emperor? Then who would be more suitable than Bai Wutong as the emperor? You Huaijie did not panic at all. He looked at the crazy Xu Ke and sneered. ¡°If the earthquake has happened, why isn¡¯t this place damaged at all?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t believe that this is the power of a grenade, you can climb to the top of the West Mountain and take a look.¡± Xu Ke¡¯s solemn words were immediately dispelled by You Huaijie¡¯s convincing explanation. However, he still did not believe that it was a huge commotion caused by a grenade! Xu Ke said loudly, ¡°Then let¡¯s go! 1 want to see what a grenade looks like.¡± You Huaijie sneered. ¡°You can¡¯t build a country but you are the best at insulting the Great Empress and inciting the people to cause trouble. You should stay in jail obediently!¡± Xu Ke and a few of the leaders who were causing trouble were still shouting when they were brought away. Everyone was a little hesitant. The commoners who did not need to work agreed to climb the West Mountain to verify You Huaijie¡¯s words and witness the moment of history. If there was really a weapon as powerful as an earthquake or heavenly lightning, their Carefree Kingdom would definitely be the safest, strongest, and blessed land protected by the heavens. The commoners climbed up the West Mountain and heard countless loud bangs. When everyone stood at the top of the mountain and looked in the direction of the martial arts arena, they heard a loud bang. Thick smoke rose from the direction of the martial arts arena. Behind them were rows of soldiers in unison, as if they were really throwing weapons. With such a huge commotion and such a large amount of dust, they would definitely be able to kill countless enemies. In an instant, everyone¡¯s hearts surged. To be able to create such a shocking weapon in such a short period of time, our Carefree Kingdom is really too amazing! Everyone no longer had to be on tenterhooks, afraid that the Ling Kingdom would attack. The beautiful life they had could also continue on.. Chapter 418 - Chapter 418: If Carefree Kingdom Didn’t Win, the Heavens Won’t tolerate it Chapter 418: If Carefree Kingdom Didn¡¯t Win, the Heavens Won¡¯t tolerate it Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The grenade was stronger than Bai Wutong had imagined, but the soldiers in the martial arts arena were so excited that their hands and feet were trembling. With such a powerful weapon, not to mention defending against the attacks of the Ling Kingdom, it would be easy for them to even take down the Ling Kingdom. The soldiers looked in Bai Wutong¡¯s direction and felt heartfelt admiration and grateful for choosing to stay. Otherwise, they might die under these shockingly powerful grenades one day. They had thought that grenades were the most shocking weapon. Unexpectedly, after a few days, when they returned to the Baye training base, they received another assault rifle each. Unlike the grenades that would be used up once thrown, the assault rifle would become their personal weapon. Although it was not as powerful as the grenade, its range was several times that of throwing a grenade. ¡­.. As long as one loaded the bullet and aimed at the enemy, one could kill the enemy from a few hundred meters away. When the enemy had a large number of people, even if they did not aim accurately, a casual shot could cause countless casualties. The combination of grenades and assault rifles was completely invincible on the battlefield. The soldiers touched the gun shaft and felt very safe. Lu Ye had already received guidance on gun training. He had to raise the gun, load it, aim at the bull¡¯s-eye, and pull the trigger in one smooth motion. ¡°Bang¡ª¡± Lu Ye hit the bullseye, and the target was actually 500 meters away. Everyone knew that the assault rifle could shoot so far, but seeing it shoot for hundreds of meters with their own eyes still shocked them. Lu Ye, who was holding an assault rifle, felt his hands go numb from the powerful recoil. Through the target that was shot, he seemed to have seen a rising military empire. He was so excited that he could not calm down for a long time. He looked at the dumbstruck soldiers behind him and waved his arm. ¡°1 pledge my loyalty to the Great Empress!¡± The soldiers shouted excitedly, ¡°We pledge our loyalty to the Great Empress!¡± Pledging loyalty to the Great Empress was a bright future that they could see, even though the total population of the southern frontier was only slightly more than the Ling Kingdom¡¯s Imperial City. They also believed that their Carefree Kingdom was unstoppable. The soldiers¡¯ enthusiasm for training was high. Many brave men had heard of the power of the assault rifle and even took the initiative to join the army to serve the country. Bai Wutong took the opportunity to select some outstanding and loyal soldiers. The new commoners smiled and said, ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen people so enthusiastic about joining the army.¡± No matter how strong the military was, there would be times when people died. In the past, before the Yan Kingdom was destroyed, the commoners were most afraid that the soldiers would come to the village to capture men for military service. There was a high chance that he would not be able to return. The soldier who had just returned from training said, ¡°You don¡¯t know how powerful our Carefree Kingdom is! When those little fellows from the Ling Kingdom come, they will definitely pee their pants and cry for their parents!¡± For the time being, the new citizens only wanted to earn money steadily and live a small life. They waved their hands. ¡°No matter how good it is, we won¡¯t enlist!¡± The soldier immediately smiled smugly. ¡°You can¡¯t enlist even if you want to. The requirements for becoming a soldier are very high now. Not only do they have to look at your height, but they also have a doctor check your body. Most importantly, they will pay you five taels of silver a month! The more educated you are, and if you pass the test, will earn at least ten taels of silver a month!¡± ¡°Ten taels?¡± The eyes of the people around widened. If they earned ten taels a month, wouldn¡¯t that be 120 taels a year! God, how could being a soldier earn more than being an official? If they could also be chosen, wouldn¡¯t they be able to buy two apartments a year! ¡°Really? Will they not give us money?¡± It was common for the Imperial Court to be stingy on the salary and rations. Everyone subconsciously felt that Bai Wutong would not use so much money to keep the soldiers. The soldier raised his eyebrows. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, why are you still working in the workshop? Isn¡¯t that also a workshop run by the Imperial Court?¡± As soon as he said this, the new commoners were stunned for a long time. When they reacted, they immediately asked excitedly, ¡°Where can we sign up? Tell us quickly!¡± The soldier chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m not telling you.¡± Then he stalked off. If it was true, they would miss a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The new citizens stomped their feet and had no choice but to ask around themselves. When they found out where the registration was, they learned that the registration for the army had ended. Moreover, the soldiers who did not pass the first training would be eliminated. In order not to be eliminated and embarrass themselves, every soldier secretly practiced harder. Every time their relatives saw them doing push-ups at home, they could not help but tease, ¡°If our Carefree Kingdom doesn¡¯t win, the heavens won¡¯t tolerate it!¡± In a war, soldiers and weapons were an important component, and so was medical care at the rear. Although there was a high chance that not many of them would die in a battle of firearms, compared to the number of people participating in the battle, the number of medical staff they needed was still very little. If the doctors were transferred away, their local medical care would be severely in shortage. When Cui Lingyi founded the Qinghe Women¡¯s Technical College, Bai Wutong specially asked her to establish a medical course. They knew how to deal with basic external injuries and also knew how to use basic medicine to treat illnesses and care for patients. They were equivalent to modern day nurses. After all, it was impossible to become a doctor in a year. In modern times, it would take years for a nurse to undergo professional training. However, most of the injuries on the battlefield were superficial. What they had learned during this period was enough to be of use. Bai Wutong issued an order to gather the medical staff. There was no restriction on gender, and it suddenly caused a commotion. After all, in everyone¡¯s impression, the women in the army were only military prostitutes and old aunties. It was clearly difficult to recruit women as a military doctor. As soon as recruitment flyer was distributed, the disciples of the Medical Hall established by Gu Zhongxun and Wen Renhua responded to the call. There were both men and women in the Medical Hall, but only male disciples responded to the recruitment. Even if a woman wanted to follow her senior brothers, she would be stopped by her family. Firstly, they did not want their daughter to be involved with men in the military and affect her reputation. Secondly, there was danger on the battlefield. What if something happened? They had only been learning for a few months, and their skills were only semi-professional. They could not even check a person¡¯s pulse, so it was even more impossible for everyone to be at ease. However, it was different for male disciples. No matter how bad they were, they were still men. If they could not save the patients, at the very least, they could go into battle to kill the enemies and provide logistics support. Therefore, their families agreed and even applauded them for having such courage. Bai Wutong knew the girls¡¯ concerns very well. She specially found Lu Ye to promise everyone that the army was strict with its laws and would definitely not let them suffer any harm. She would ensure their safety and even warned all the soldiers. Even so, the girls were still worried. Insufficient medical care at the backend would make the soldiers feel insecure. Therefore, faced with the situation of insufficient manpower, Bai Wutong extended the recruitment to all the citizens of Carefree City. Even if they did not have any medical knowledge, after they were selected, they would be trained to become official medical staff in the army. They would still have two taels of silver a month and enjoy all the benefits and treatment officially arranged by the Imperial Court. After they returned, outstanding members would still have a chance to become medical teachers. As soon as the notice was issued, the commoners immediately signed up. After all, medical work was easier and more respected than other physical work.. Chapter 419 - Chapter 419: Village Chief Zhao Was Stumped Chapter 419: Village Chief Zhao Was Stumped Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Men who did not meet the requirements to join the army because of their physical condition and did not want to do manual labor ran to sign up crazily after receiving the news that there was a recruitment for accompanying medical doctor. The women whose husband was in the army had also signed up after careful consideration and discussion with her husband. With so many people signing up to be accompanying military doctors, there were also quite a few women. The female students of the Qinghe Women s Technical College were even more swayed. Originally, after entering the Qinghe Women¡¯s Technical College, they chose this major to treat illnesses and save people. In the end, they did not even dare to come into contact with patients in the army. Wasn¡¯t that ridiculous? Besides, everyone had the courage to protect their country. Why couldn¡¯t they? Sister Qingfeng was even the leader of a group of men. ¡­.. At the thought of this, they suddenly made up their minds. Ignoring the strong objections of their families, they went to sign up. They were all girls with foundation knowledge, so it was naturally easier for them to be chosen than the others. Soon, on the day they entered the base for training, when they saw the well-trained soldiers who did not dare to look at them again, the last worry in everyone¡¯s hearts disappeared. Everyone¡¯s lives were precious. After the medical staff were dealt with, the medicine needed to treat the injured also needed to be prepared in case of any accidents. Their Carefree City had Gu Zhongxun, Wen Renhua and the disciples taking care of everyone. There were many effective medicines. Some of them were even better than Bai Wutong¡¯s modern pills. In ancient times, medical treatment was outdated because firstly, it was not easy for a good doctor to become a doctor. Secondly, the knowledge of planting herbs was outdated. It was expensive to take medicine, and rare herbs were even more scarce. Regarding the first point, Bai Wutong asked Gu Zhongxun and Wen Renhua to establish a medical school to nurture talents. They categorized various illnesses into internal medicine, surgery, ear, nose, throat, and so on. This way, it could greatly shorten the learning period for doctors and allow the people to find good doctors for different illnesses. For the second point, when they arrived at the southern frontier to explore the land, Bai Wutong asked everyone to actively plant all kinds of herbs and study the growth habits of the herbs. Medicinal herbs for daily colds, fevers, inflammation, and treatment of diarrhea had already reached the season where they could be harvested. Bai Wutong went to the medicinal field to patrol. The herbs were growing extremely well. Village Chief Zhao sighed and said, ¡°There are so many herbs. Why didn¡¯t we think of planting them in the past!¡± If they had thought of planting in the past, they would have made a lot of money selling it to the pharmacy. Zhao Yuan chuckled. ¡°Father, you didn¡¯t recognize these herbs back then! Moreover, without the seeds obtained by Lord Sheng, how could you plant them?¡± Village Chief Zhao laughed. ¡°That¡¯s true. Look at how senile Father is.¡± Bai Wutong also smiled and said, ¡°These herbs are all growing very well. We can plant some on a large scale next year. I¡¯ll have to trouble you to continue researching the other herbs.¡± Village Chief Zhao was happy to bring everyone to farm. He hurriedly said, ¡°These herbs have already reached the harvest stage. When they¡¯re harvested and we have turned over the soil, we can plant other herbs.¡± Bai Wutong said, ¡°Continued farming will cause the land to become barren. Remember to control the scale.¡± Village Chief Zhao nodded. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s open up more land.¡± Bai Wutong shook her head again. ¡°The overhaul of logging and cultivation will destroy the environment, causing the ecology to be destroyed. Small animals will lose their homes and we won¡¯t be able to see such good rivers and mountains in the future.¡± This did not work, and that did not work either. It really stumped Village Chief Zhao. Then how could they expand their farming area next year? Fortunately, Bai Wutong continued, ¡°The climate in the southern frontier is quick to change, and there are many types of herbs. Many precious herbs have extremely strict requirements for the environment, but required in large amounts. You can bring people to the local area to teach the commoners how to plant them..¡± Chapter 420 - Chapter 420: Immediate Impact Chapter 420: Immediate Impact Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios There were indeed some herbs that Village Chief Zhao could not plant well. They would either die when they sprouted, rot halfway through their growth, or not bloom at all. Bai Wutong¡¯s idea was good. Going to the local area to plant suitable herbs could not only increase the economic benefits of the local area, but also ensure the quality of the herbs. If the herbs were in a suitable environment for growing, it was also convenient for research to increase production. Village Chief Zhao said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll bring everyone to plan during this period of time.¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°Thank you.¡± Bai Wutong was already the Great Empress. Village Chief Zhao was flattered. ¡°No, it¡¯s something I should do.¡± The herbs in the medicinal field were quickly harvested. After being sorted, washed, and dried, a portion was sent to the Chinese medicine hall. The rest was made into various over-the-counter medicines that could be bought according to the prescription. Over-the-counter medicine was medicine that could be bought without a doctor¡¯s diagnosis but with just the patient¡¯s own judgment. ¡­.. Some of the prescriptions for these medicine came from doctors like Gu Zhongxun and Wen Renhua, while most of them came from Bai Wutong¡¯s modern prescriptions. They were all prescriptions that had been developed after many years of clinical experimentation. The risk of harm after taking them was very low. With over-the-counter medicine, they could greatly reduce manpower required to brew medicine during war. The sale of over-the-counter medicine in Carefree City could also greatly reduce the pressure on the doctors. The cost of taking medicine would also greatly decrease by more than a few times. Most people had minor ailments such as catching a cold and pain in their waist and legs. If they could be cured by directly buying medicine, everyone would definitely be happy to buy the medicine themselves. Sometimes, when there were too many people looking for a doctor, they still had to roll the dice and spend a lot of time waiting. There were many types of over-the-counter medicine. It was extremely convenient. They were packaged in glass bottle, porcelain or waterproof paper bag that was clean and ensured a long shelf life. If anyone had any emergency medicine at home, they could take it directly to treat serious conditions. Over-the-counter medicine was officially put on sale in the pharmacy. The lively opening ceremony attracted many people. Everyone surrounded the pharmacy and said, ¡°Hasn¡¯t it been open for a long time? Why are there gongs and drums again?¡± The pharmacy staff said enthusiastically, ¡°We¡¯re selling over-the-counter medicine now. If you have any illness, you can buy your own medicine.¡± When the commoners heard this, they were amused and teased, ¡°If 1 knew what was wrong with me, I wouldn¡¯t have fallen sick. I would have become a divine doctor!¡± The pharmacy staff said patiently, ¡°If you have a headache and fever, how can you not tell? If your stomach or legs hurt, or if you have burns or cold, as long as it¡¯s not serious, there¡¯s no need to look for a doctor. You can just go to our pharmacy to buy medicine.¡± ¡°If you buy now, there¡¯s still a promotion. If you buy a tael of silver worth of medicine, you¡¯ll be given 50 eggs, if you spend five taels of silver, you will get 50 eggs, two rolls of paper, for 10 taels of silver, you will receive 50 eggs, two rolls of paper, and a bucket of peanut oil that has just been produced this year!¡± They would even get a gift if they bought medicine from the pharmacy. The commoners immediately surrounded over. ¡°Really? Is this medicine effective?¡± They were going to see a doctor anyway. When they heard that there was a free gift for buying medicine, they were immediately tempted. The pharmacy staff struck while the iron was hot. ¡°Of course, our medicine is not expensive and you can even save the money to see a doctor. Especially since our over-the-counter medicine can be taken directly, you don¡¯t have to spend time and effort to brew the medicine at all. If there are patients at home who need to be taken care of, you can also be more relaxed.¡± It was indeed good not having to boil medicine. Everyone was puzzled. ¡°Over-the-counter medicine? Then what is prescription medicine?¡± The pharmacy staff smiled and explained, ¡°If you can¡¯t tell what¡¯s wrong with you, the medicine prescribed by the doctor is called prescription medicine.¡± ¡°But don¡¯t worry. Our over-the-counter medicine has been developed by the best doctor. It will definitely be effective.¡± ¡°If we don¡¯t see the doctor and buy the medicine, what if we take the wrong medicine?¡± an auntie asked worriedly. The pharmacy staff smiled and said, ¡°Madam, even if you don¡¯t go to see the doctor, our pharmacy still has a professional apothecary. Tell her about your physical problems and she will only recommend you to buy medicine based on your condition. It¡¯s not that you can just take whatever medicine you want. Even if you want to take it, we won¡¯t give you a chance.¡± After the pharmacy staff finished explaining, everyone was much more relieved. The auntie from before immediately said, ¡°My waist often hurts. Then what medicine should I buy?¡± The pharmacy staff said, ¡°Madam, with your waist, it¡¯s very likely that your lumbar spine is damaged. You must have hurt it when you were young. If you go in, we have several medicines for you to choose from. Let the apothecary recommend them to you.¡± The auntie was a little hesitant. ¡°Is it expensive?¡± If it was expensive, she wouldn¡¯t buy it. In any case, it wouldn¡¯t hurt when she entered the coffin. The others pricked up their ears. The pharmacy staff said sincerely, ¡°I can guarantee that there¡¯s no cheaper medicine than our pharmacy. Auntie, go in and take a look. If it¡¯s not suitable, it¡¯s fine even if you don¡¯t buy it. Just treat it as coming in for a walk.¡± The auntie¡¯s heart was burning. When she entered the pharmacy, the Apothecary welcomed her warmly. Not only did he recommend her to take bone-strengthening medicine internally, but he also recommended a poultice that would take effect quickly. A bottle of bone-strengthening medicine cost one tael of silver per bottle and could be eaten for two months. The ointment patch cost ten copper coins for two patches. It could be used when she was feeling uncomfortable. Comparing one tael and ten copper coins, the auntie immediately said, ¡°Then give me two patches first.¡± Even if it did not have any effect, she could still afford ten copper coins. The auntie bought two patches of ointment, and the others who were in pain squeezed forward to watch the commotion. ¡°Try applying it. If it works, we ll buy some too.¡± The auntie rolled her eyes. ¡°Do you think you can look at me put it on?¡± Everyone laughed. ¡°You can stick it inside.¡± Who would want to look at you? The auntie also wanted to know if the medicinal patch was effective. If it was not, the remaining patch could be returned to them. She went into the inner room of the pharmacy, tore open the ointment, and applied it. In an instant, a warm comfort crawled into her lower back. Her eyes widened. The effect was immediate! This ointment was too useful! When the auntie came out, everyone rushed forward and asked, ¡°How is it? How is it? Is it useful?¡± The aunt took a deep breath, her expression abnormally solemn. Everyone held their breaths nervously. ¡°It¡¯s useless? Tell me quickly!¡± Seeing that they were anxious, the auntie immediately laughed out loud. ¡°It¡¯s too useful! 1 feel like I¡¯ve returned to my youth.¡± She turned around and said to the Apothecary, ¡°Give me another ten patches and a jar of the calcium tablets you mentioned.¡± If she could be cured, so what if she spent a little more money? The people around her looked puzzled. Why did it sound like she was paid to market this? The apothecary beamed with joy. ¡°Madam, don¡¯t you need to keep some medicine for fever and cold at home? We are having a promotion now, so you will be given 50 eggs as long as you buy a total amount of one tael of silver!¡± ¡°You won¡¯t have the chance after three days!¡± 50 eggs were worth three taels of silver. The auntie rolled her eyes. ¡°My husband coughs often. What medicine should I buy?¡± The husband had a cough from smoking a pipe all year round. The Apothecary hurriedly recommended medicine to the auntie to treat his cough. The auntie and granddaughter often caught a cold, so the Apothecary recommended the child to have a cold medicine. In total, the auntie, who had only planned to come in for a walk, finally spent one tael of silver and got 50 eggs. The auntie bought a pile of medicine and only spent one tael of silver and got 50 eggs for nothing. Compared to finding a doctor to prescribe medicine, it was too cheap. Soon, the pharmacy was filled with people.. Chapter 421 - Chapter 421: If Only My Brothers Had Medicine Too! Chapter 421: If Only My Brothers Had Medicine Too! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios He Chun was the youngest son in the family. His family was really poor, and his three brothers had asthma like him. Coincidentally, Yu Suisheng came to their hometown to recruit people. Before he started work, he could get an advance payment of one tael of silver. In order to obtain these one tael of silver to improve the family¡¯s income, even if the future was a dangerous fire pit, he would jump into it without hesitation. He Chun found the village chief to change his age by two years. He received two taels of silver and handed it to his family before secretly coming to the southern frontier. Fortunately, he had food and drinks along the way. He was young and had received a lot of care, so he did not have an asthma attack. Afraid that others would find out that he was sick, he did not want to join the recruitment event. He Chun hid his illness and successfully entered the woodworking factory to become an apprentice. As an apprentice in the woodworking factory, he only earned one tael of silver a month. Most of the daily work he had to do was physical work, but He Chun was already very satisfied. It was another exhausting day. On the way home from work, He Chun would take out a small notebook and revise the words he had learned that day. When he had learnt all the words, he would have a chance to become an advanced master in the woodworking factory in the future and earn more money to bring back and improve his family¡¯s situation. ¡­.. Suddenly, a man who was rushing on his way accidentally knocked He Chun to the ground and his book fell beside him. He Chun wanted to pick it up, but his asthma suddenly acted up. He Chun tried his best to control himself and kept adjusting his breathing, but he was too afraid that others would realize that he had asthma and stop him from working. He Chun became nervous, and his breathing became even faster. The man who had knocked him down saw that He Chun¡¯s face was red, looking like he was about to die, and he was at a loss. The onlookers hurriedly reminded him, ¡°Hurry up and bring him to a doctor!¡± The man suddenly reacted and carried He Chun to the doctor. There was an apothecary in the pharmacy, and also two doctors. The man immediately rushed into the crowded pharmacy and said, ¡°Someone! Save him! He¡¯s going to die!¡± As soon as he said that, the surrounding people immediately made room for him. The doctor had yet to arrive. Seeing that He Chun¡¯s face was red and he was out of breath, someone immediately said, ¡°Oh no, he has asthma. He won¡¯t be able to breathe and will die immediately!¡± Soon, Doctor Xiao appeared. He only took a brief look at He Chun¡¯s condition before saying to the Apothecary, ¡°Hurry up and get the Shuning Medicine!¡± The Apothecary ran to the top of the medicine cabinet and handed a jar of medicine to Doctor Xiao. Doctor Xiao pulled the lid off the Shuning medicine and placed the mouthpiece into He Chun¡¯s mouth. ¡°Breathe in! Keep breathing!¡± When He Chun heard Doctor Xiao¡¯s words, it was as if he had caught a life-saving herb. He listened to his instructions and breathed on the Shuning medicine for 10 seconds. When the Shuning medicine entered his body, most of the stifling feeling dissipated. He Chun immediately felt much better. He couldn¡¯t help but hold the Shuning medicine and take a few more breaths until his condition was suppressed in less than a minute in front of everyone. Everyone widened their eyes in surprise and called Doctor Xiao a divine doctor. Doctor Xiao did not dare to take the credit. He smiled and said, ¡°This is all thanks to the doctor who developed the Shuning Medicine. Everyone, don¡¯t misunderstand!¡± Everyone asked which divine doctor it was. Doctor Xiao did not know either. He only knew that this divine doctor did not care about fame and fortune and had developed many special medicines. He did not reveal his identity, causing many doctors who had developed a new prescription to also be unwilling to leave their names behind. There were benefits to doing this. Even if some medicine did not work on some patients, they would not be scolded badly. But they would still receive a share of the money behind their backs. Even so, everyone still praised Doctor Xiao for having good judgement and quick reactions. Moreover, this pharmacy had all the divine medicine for saving people! If not for the timely use of medicine, He Chun¡¯s situation at that time would have been dangerous. After He Chun¡¯s breathing stabilized, he looked at the medicine bottle in his hand in a daze. However, he suddenly cried.. ¡°If only my brothers had this medicine too!¡± Chapter 422 - Chapter 422: You Can Only Save Yourself Chapter 422: You Can Only Save Yourself Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios He Chun¡¯s three brothers¡¯ asthma was much worse than his. If he could bring this medicine back, his mother would not have to worry all day. When his brothers recovered, their lives would no longer be so difficult. At the thought of this, He Chun¡¯s tears streamed down his face. He cried and asked, ¡°Divine doctor, what medicine is this?¡± He wanted to buy many, many of this. When he received his monthly salary, he would get someone to help him bring the medicine back to his hometown. Doctor Xiao said, ¡°This is called Shuning Medicine. It can only suppress the onset of asthma and can¡¯t cure it completely.¡± Even if it could only be suppressed, the effect of this medicine was too good. ¡­.. In just 10 seconds, He Chun felt that his condition was under control. The medicine prescribed by those doctors in the past had no effect at all. He Chun wiped his tears. ¡°That¡¯s good too. Then, Divine Doctor, is this medicine expensive?¡± Doctor Xiao smiled. ¡°It¡¯s not expensive. It¡¯s just one tael of silver.¡± One tael of silver was already considered expensive for He Chun, but with this medicine, he did not have to worry about being fired from the workshop. If he was not fired, his monthly salary could slowly increase and he could buy more medicine. Moreover, looking at the dosage of a bottle, as long as his relapse was reduced, a bottle could last for at least a few months, or even a year. He Chun immediately said happily, ¡°Thank you, Doctor. When I have money, I¡¯ll come to buy medicine immediately!¡± His monthly salary was on credit now. If he ate two meals a day at the workshop, he would only get the silver next month. He Chun looked like a half-grown child. He was thin and pitiful. The man who had knocked him to the ground immediately said, ¡°This medicine has been unsealed. I will buy it for you.¡± As soon as he said this, everyone around him cheered enthusiastically. He Chun wanted to refuse. He was sick to begin with, and it might not be because of the man. However, the man had already said it in front of so many people, so how could he go back on his word? He Chun came out of the pharmacy with the medicine and saw a row of valiant soldiers who had finished their training walking past him. He couldn¡¯t help but say to himself, ¡°If there¡¯s a war, won¡¯t my brothers be dragged to join the military? It would be nice if I can just let them move to Carefree Kingdom now.¡± Their family was very close to the southern frontier. Before Gu Chilie took down the southern frontier, he often recruited soldiers in their hometown. Although Carefree Kingdom was still very small, those weapons called grenades were quite shocking. He was very afraid that his brothers would be dragged into the battlefield and injured by the grenades. Coincidentally, He Chun¡¯s fellow villagers heard this and could not help but worry. ¡°That¡¯s right. If only there was a way to send a letter back.¡± Most of the people who chose to come to the southern frontier had no way out or were forced into a corner. In the end, there were still a few people who had worries in their hearts. As long as the war did not affect their lives now, it was fine. The business in the pharmacy was very good. Ordinary minor illnesses could be treated after buying medicine from the pharmacy. The doctors at the medical halls had much reduced workload and could use more energy to treat patients who were seriously ill. When Bai Wutong saw the revenue of the pharmacy, she couldn¡¯t help but sign. If the entire Ling Kingdom was their territory, all the citizens would gain access to cheap and good medicine. Unfortunately, the Ling Kingdom was not like their Carefree Kingdom. With the Ling Kingdom¡¯s policies and local officials around, even if they could produce a large amount of cheap medicine, the price they would sell to the commoners would not be much cheaper. They would probably benefit more from the sales. Xu Ke was a direct descendant of the Xu family, one of the 30 families of Qinghe. He was quite talented and had a bright future. However, his wife and concubines had all run away because of the new marriage law. He could not take it anymore and took the lead in deliberately causing trouble and insulting the Great Empress. He had been locked up in prison for a long time to wait for a verdict. He had thought that Master Xu would speak up for him and get him out, but after so long, he was almost rotting in jail, and no one had come to see him. This prison was not a place where one could lie flat just because they wanted to. There were three meals a day at a fixed time. Apart from the time they slept, they had to work. The previous day, when he went to the mountains to carry wood, his shoulders were scraped. Even though he had experienced the escape, as a master, it was not too difficult for him. However, after being in jail for a short ten days, he had experienced what it meant to be better off dead! He wanted to run, but he was surrounded by guards or in the deep mountains and forests. He didn¡¯t even know how to catch a chicken, so how could he survive in the forest? Moreover, it was fine if he escaped successfully. If he failed, he would only die. Xu Ke was unwilling to be tortured to death just like that. When he leaned against the pharmacy to check his wound, a guard said to another guard, ¡°The army is about to set off. If only we could go too.¡± ¡°1 want to go too. I still have a few uncles in my hometown who refused to move to the southern frontier. If there¡¯s a war, they¡¯ll be conscripted too. That¡¯ll be terrible.¡± ¡°Although our weapons are powerful, we don¡¯t have many people, right?¡± They had only seen the grenades explode from afar, but they did not know how lethal they were. Therefore, everyone was still a little worried about the total number of troops. The other guard comforted him. ¡°Your hometown is so far away. There should not be any conscription.¡± ¡°Aye, I hope so.¡± If they really joined the army, he would not know what to do if they met on the battlefield. It was impossible for him to run in front of the cannon fire and shout, ¡°This is my relative. Stop fighting.¡± When Xu Ke heard the two soldiers¡¯ words, he suddenly had an idea, and his heart beat violently. When it was time to eat, Xu Ke packed his food and sat in front of Yan Da. Yan Da knew that he had been imprisoned because he had insulted the Great Empress. He subconsciously wanted to change seats, but Xu Ke had already placed the steamed bun and the only fried fish onto his plate. He said with concern, ¡°I see that you haven¡¯t been full. My appetite is small. You can eat.¡± Yan Da¡¯s eyes lit up. Who cared what Xu Ke¡¯s motive was? He would eat it first. He ate the steamed bun and chewed the fried fish. Xu Ke drank the kelp soup and silently swallowed his saliva, waiting for the fish to take the bait. After eating and drinking their fill, they still had an hour of lunch break before they had to continue working. Yan Da¡¯s cell was next to Xu Ke¡¯s. After eating Xu Ke¡¯s food, Yan Da¡¯s guard naturally lowered. He even took the initiative to chat with him. He lowered his voice and asked curiously, ¡°What did you take so hard that you even insulted the Great Empress?¡± To be honest, apart from the fact that Bai Wutong was a woman, there was nothing wrong with her being the emperor. If their family had not followed Bai Wutong from Zhao Village, they would probably not even have been able to eat the corn flour steamed buns in prison. If he hadn¡¯t accidentally caused Yan Tingting¡¯s miscarriage, he wouldn¡¯t have entered this place and even lost his house. Xu Ke lowered his head. In order to achieve his goal, he revealed the sore spot that he did not want to be mentioned. ¡°As soon as the marriage law came out, my wife and children ran away.¡± As soon as he said that, Yan Da looked at him sympathetically. ¡°No wonder you would do such a stupid thing.¡± ¡°However, you¡¯re a master after all. You can still find another woman if she¡¯s gone. Why do you have to ask for trouble?¡± Xu Ke also regretted it, but what could he do? He had already committed a capital crime! Now, he could only rely on himself to save him! Chapter 423 - Chapter 423: We Can’t Escape Now, Can We? Chapter 423: We Can¡¯t Escape Now, Can We? Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Xu Ke glanced around and suddenly lowered his voice. ¡°You really think she has stabilized her position? How can Emperor Ling Hui tolerate a woman becoming the emperor and give away his hard-earned land? Just you wait. Before long, the southern frontier will be occupied by the Ling Kingdom¡¯s army, and all of you who follow her will be executed one by one!¡± As soon as he said this, Yan Da immediately shivered. His eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be so easy to take her down!¡± After all, it had taken Gu Chilie many years to take down the southern frontier. Xu Ke said, ¡°Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s methods are impressive. He was originally a general and used troops like a god. If he personally led the troops, their morale would be greatly boosted. It¡¯s just the southern frontier, so how can they not take down tens of thousands of soldiers?¡± ¡°When Emperor Ling Hui takes down the southern frontier, everything you have now will be for naught. Only idiots like you think that following a woman will have a good outcome.¡± Xu Ke was a cultured person. Previously, he was an official. His words were very credible. The more Yan Da listened, the more flustered he felt. He muttered, ¡°Then what should we do?¡± He was still hoping to live a good life after he went out. ¡­.. Xu Ke observed his facial expression and confirmed that the fish had bitten the hook. Then, he said unhurriedly, ¡°I have a way to let your entire family retain their wealth forever and become officials! You can even become the most popular person in front of Emperor Ling Hui and be a huge contributor!¡± ¡°Emperor Ling Hui?¡± Yan Da was stunned. When he reacted, he said in disbelief, ¡°You¡¯re already a clay Bodhisattva crossing the river and can¡¯t even protect yourself. You even want me to become the most popular person in front of Emperor Ling Hui and be a huge contributor. What a joke.¡± ¡°If you have the ability, why don¡¯t you save yourself first!¡± Faced with Yan Da¡¯s question, Xu Ke said calmly, ¡°Believe it or not, I¡¯m just giving you a chance. If you miss it, it¡¯ll be too late for you to regret it when I get out of here.¡± Yan Da suddenly remembered that Xu Ke was from the 30 families of Qinghe. Perhaps someone could save Xu Ke. In any case, it was not a loss for him to listen out to Xu Ke¡¯s method. Yan Da asked, ¡°What exactly is it? Lord Xu, can you tell me?¡± Yan Da calling him Lord Xu meant that he desperately wanted to become a huge contributor. Such a person was the easiest to be used. It was also his only chance now. Xu Ke looked around warily and muttered in a low voice for a while. Yan Da¡¯s frown deepened. In the end, he said, ¡°How can that work? Definitely not!¡± Xu Ke said, ¡°Are you willing to be locked up here for half a year? When you get out, according to the laws of the Carefree Kingdom, you won¡¯t be able to find a good job. When the war starts, your entire family will be imprisoned. Do you want to live such a hard life? Or do you want to die?¡± Xu Ke¡¯s words made sense. No matter how good Carefree Kingdom was, it was just a small place. It was just that the risk was too great. If things went wrong, his entire family might lose their heads. Yan Da was really afraid, but he could not reject the opportunity to become a popular person in front of Emperor Ling Hui. He said, ¡°Let me consider, I will think about it¡­¡± Yan Da did not sleep well that night. When he woke up with two panda eyes, he was informed that his wife had come to visit him in prison. As soon as Xia Dongmei saw Yan Da, she cried, ¡°Mother has been roped in by the second branch. We originally agreed to mortgage the house. When you come out, the money she placed in the bank can buy another big house for our entire family to live in. Now, they¡¯ve forgotten that Doudou and I are still living in the apartment and suffering. When you come out, I¡¯m afraid all the money will be gone.¡± Hearing this, Yan Da¡¯s expression suddenly changed. He said in disbelief, ¡°No way! Mother dotes on us the most.¡± Xia Dongmei snorted. ¡°That¡¯s when you¡¯re useful. You¡¯re useless now, and you won¡¯t be able to find a good job when you come out in the future. Naturally, she won¡¯t care about us anymore.¡± She cried again, ¡°What should we do without a house? Doudou was mocked in school and was even bullied yesterday.¡± Yan Da¡¯s expression darkened. He slammed his fist on the table, causing the guard to give him a warning look. At this moment, Yan Da made up his mind. He lowered his voice and said to Xia Dongmei, ¡°Dongmei, I have a way to make our entire family rich.¡± Xia Dongmei immediately pricked up her ears and asked nervously, ¡°What method? What should I do?¡± Yan Da glanced at the guard and said carefully, ¡°Come and see me another day. I¡¯ll tell you what to do.¡± Xia Dongmei was anxious, but seeing that there were many guards here, she nodded and hurriedly said a few more words before leaving the visiting room at the appointed time. When Yan Da returned to the cell, he immediately said to Xu Ke, ¡°Lord Xu, I¡¯m willing!¡± Xu Ke was also feeling uneasy about whether Yan Da would take the risk. Seeing that he had agreed, he immediately felt relieved. While the guard was still not here, he pulled off a piece of white cloth on his body, bit his finger, and wrote a long string of bloody words on it. He quickly handed the blood letter to Yan Da and deliberately said, ¡°Your name is on it. After the matter is done, you will be a great contributor to Emperor Ling Hui!¡± As if he had been guaranteed a bright future, Yan Da was overwhelmed with emotions. He hurriedly hid the blood letter and said to Xu Ke, ¡¯¡¯If it succeeds, Lord Xu will be a great benefactor to our entire family. I will never forget it.¡± Xu Ke smiled and leaned against the prison fence. ¡°Come quickly, army.¡± He would be saved and become Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s favorite. Emperor Ling Hui would definitely give him an important position. Perhaps the entire southern frontier would be handed over to him to manage. Yan Da, who was illiterate, was just a stepping stone for him. Xia Dongmei could only visit Yan Da twice a month. She waited for a long time before finally meeting him again. When she found out that Yan Da wanted to convince the second branch to get the grenade, Xia Dongmei¡¯s legs went weak from fear. Her face was pale as she said, ¡°Are you crazy? If you are caught, our entire family will be killed by you!¡± Yan Da repeated what Xu Ke had said. ¡°Do you really think that the Carefree Kingdom can resist the Ling Kingdom¡¯s army with such a small number of troops?¡± ¡°But, but what if we die now?¡± ¡°Second Brother is in the army. Isn¡¯t it easy to secretly take out a throwing grenade? When I come out of prison, you¡¯ll be almost done preparing. Let¡¯s set off for Ling Kingdom together and live a luxury life.¡± ¡°If the matter is exposed, you can pretend to not know anything. It¡¯s just Second Brother¡¯s own idea.¡± This was a good point about Carefree Kingdom. A crime would not implicate the family. Xia Dongmei felt a chill run down her spine. She did not expect Yan Da to be so ruthless. While she was hesitating, Yan Da said, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to become an official¡¯s Madam and let Doudou become a young master?¡± Xia Dongmei thought of the grievances her child had suffered over the past few days and immediately had the will and determination. Since Carefree Kingdom would be destroyed sooner or later, it might as well become their stepping stone. Xia Dongmei and Yan Da looked at each other and reached an agreement. When she returned, she looked for Madam Qu and suppress her voice to say that the Carefree Kingdom was at war and sooner or later, it would be destroyed and everyone would perish. Madam Qu was frightened and immediately asked, ¡°Then what should we do? We can¡¯t escape back now, right?¡± Chapter 424 - Chapter 424: Blinded By Greed Chapter 424: Blinded By Greed Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios If they escaped from the southern frontier, how could they live such a comfortable life? There was no need to worry about labor or taxes. Even the children¡¯s tuition fees were free. Xia Dongmei hurriedly said, ¡°Husband told me that as long as we get Second Brother to steal a grenade from the army, we can bring it back to the Ling Kingdom and hand it to an official that husband knows. Then, we can become the most popular person in front of Emperor Ling Hui and contribute greatly. At that time, our entire family can become officials. Even if our children don¡¯t become scholars, they can still be young masters of officials. It¡¯s a thousand times better than living in the southern frontier. We can be rewarded with ten thousand acres of fertile land, servants, mansions, and gold, silver, and jewelry.¡± Madam Qu was shocked and said fearfully, ¡°Will it work? Just a grenade will do? Doesn¡¯t Ling Kingdom have explosives too?¡± Xia Dongmei said, ¡°It¡¯s not like you haven¡¯t seen the power of explosives. It¡¯s already good enough that they can kill two or three people. But the grenades are so powerful that everyone thinks that it¡¯s the earthquake. The soldiers have already said that they killed 50 people at once!¡± ¡°If our family handed such a powerful weapon to Emperor Ling Hui, he would be overjoyed!¡± Madam Qu was stunned by her great promises. On second thought, she thought, ¡°The Carefree Kingdom has powerful weapons here. What if they defeat the Ling Kingdom!¡± Xia Dongmei comforted her. ¡°Mother, how big is the Ling Kingdom? It¡¯s many times bigger than the southern frontier. How can an army of hundreds of thousands be defeated by the Carefree Kingdom just like that!¡± ¡°When the two countries go to war and Emperor Ling Hui sees the power of the grenade, he will definitely think of a way to study it. At that time, our family will make a great contribution by offering the grenade! Who will dare to look down on us anymore?¡± Madam Qu hesitated. ¡°Isn¡¯t this something that only traitors do? Won¡¯t we be criticized! After all¡­¡± Bai Wutong had treated them quite well. Previously, they had been living peacefully in Youjia Village. Their lives were not difficult. Why take such a huge risk to do such a dangerous thing? If they were caught, they would definitely be sentenced to death. At first, Xia Dongmei thought so too. ¡°Mother, the Carefree Kingdom will be destroyed sooner or later. If we sit back and wait for death now, we¡¯ll be prisoners in the future! Think about it, if we succeed, our entire family will be the Exalted Ones. Besides, we¡¯re just stealing a grenade in advance. When husband comes out of jail, the two countries will definitely be at war. If the Carefree Kingdom can really defeat the Ling Kingdom, we can just not take out the grenade.¡± ¡°Besides, Mother, the Zhao family has already sent my husband to jail. Don¡¯t you want them and Auntie Yang to look up to you and live under your nose?¡± Madam Qu had been comparing herself to Auntie Yang for her entire life. Xia Dongmei¡¯s words pierced her heart. She gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get your second brother to steal a grenade now!¡± After Madam Qu agreed, Xia Dongmei heaved a sigh of relief and said, ¡°Mother, what if Second Brother doesn¡¯t agree?¡± Madam Qu was stunned. Only Yan Er was working in the army¡¯s logistics. If Yan Er couldn¡¯t do it, Yan San couldn¡¯t either. Xia Dongmei had already expected this and suggested an idea to Madam Qu. ¡°Mother, you can do this¡­¡± Madam Qu looked at Xia Dongmei in surprise. She did not expect her eldest daughter-in-law to be so scheming. Yan Er had stolen two fruits from the army. As soon as he got home from work, he quickly slipped into his courtyard. Just as he stepped in, Madam Qu suddenly appeared, scaring him. ¡°Oh my god, Mother, you scared me to death!¡± Madam Qu glanced at his bulging clothes bag and said solemnly, ¡°Follow me!¡± Yan Er met Madam Qu¡¯s stern gaze and took out an orange in fear and placed it in her hand. ¡°Mother, what¡¯s going on? Why are you so scary?¡± Madam Qu did not answer him. She entered the house and closed the door tightly. She even looked around warily before saying, ¡°Son, our family¡¯s chance to soar has arrived.¡± Yan Er was stunned. ¡°Who¡¯s going to soar? How?¡± Madam Qu slowly explained Yan Da¡¯s plan. Yan Er was so frightened that his legs were trembling. ¡°This won¡¯t work! How can this work? I am just helping out in the kitchen in the army. How can 1 steal a grenade! If we¡¯re caught, not to mention our future success, our entire family will die!¡± He actually did not know that his mother and brother were so bold! Even if the Carefree Kingdom was going to be destroyed, it would take a few years. What if the Carefree Kingdom was taken in as a vassal state by the Ling Kingdom? Wouldn¡¯t they still be able to live well? For the sake of his future riches, Yan Er did not dare to risk his life. Madam Qu was already blinded by greed. She advised, ¡°Why can¡¯t you? Isn¡¯t this your forte? There are so many people in the army. There should be someone who can come into contact with grenades, right? Let him take one along the way. We can just pay to buy one.¡± ¡°There¡¯s also a risk in letting others steal it! Can¡¯t we live a good life like now?¡± Madam Qu said, ¡°Alright, if you don¡¯t look someone to do it, I¡¯ll look for the person myself!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like we have to send the grenade to the Ling Kingdom after obtaining it. Isn¡¯t Mother doing this to put a lock on our family¡¯s wealth!¡± ¡°What if Emperor Ling Hui is determined to destroy the southern frontier? What should we do? Go back and starve? Are you willing? Are the children willing? Is your wife willing?¡± After a series of questions from Madam Qu, Yan Er was worried that someone would report Madam Qu if she went looking for someone. He finally gave in a little and hesitated. ¡°What if no one is willing to steal the grenades?¡± Madam Qu suddenly smiled. ¡°How can there not be any? Just specially look for those gamblers, drunkards, and those who are in urgent need of money. He definitely will do it!¡± A name suddenly popped up in Yan Er¡¯s mind. Liu Tiezhu! He agreed for the time being. ¡°I¡¯ll try first. If it doesn¡¯t work, Mother, can you stop shouting about this? We will really lose our heads!¡± Madam Qu immediately beamed with joy. ¡°As expected of Mother¡¯s biological son. The wealth of our entire family is entrusted to you. The feng shui has changed. Let¡¯s see how arrogant the Zhao family still dares to be with Bai Wutong¡¯s support!¡± When Yan Er found out that Liu Tiezhu was still in charge of transporting the grenades, he asked Madam Qu and his wife to prepare a sumptuous table of good wine and tea that night and invited Liu Tiezhu to his house. Liu Tiezhu had just lost all his monthly money from the previous month and was so poor that he could not even use toilet paper. When Yan Er suddenly invited him to dinner, Liu Tiezhu was very happy and agreed without hesitation. A table of good wine and tea was placed in front of him. Liu Tiezhu did not even wash his hands. He picked up the drumstick and began to eat. His eating manner was so ferocious that Yan Er was stunned. After Liu Tiezhu finished a drumstick and felt that his stomach was no longer so empty, he raised his wine glass and said, ¡°Thank you for your hospitality, Brother Yan Er. Sister-in-law¡¯s culinary skills are really excellent! Brother Yan Er is really lucky to be able to marry a virtuous wife like Sister-in-law!¡± Yan Da replied, ¡°Not at all. Brother Liu is dignified and is a soldier in the army. He will definitely have a beautiful wife in the future!¡± If Liu Tiezhu had not gambled, he might really have married a wife after saving up. Now, it was completely hopeless. He waved his hand. ¡°I¡¯m just waiting for Brother Yan Er to introduce me to someone good.¡± As soon as he said this, Yan Er immediately said, ¡°As long as Brother Liu has a house and money, he won¡¯t have to be afraid of not finding a wife!¡± Chapter 425 - Chapter 425: We’re Not Done Yet! Chapter 425: We¡¯re Not Done Yet! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios But he had to be rich! Liu Tiezhu said sadly, ¡°Sigh, 1 don¡¯t have money! 1 still owe other people 10 taels of silver!¡± If he continued to be chased for money, Liu Tiezhu would probably starve for a few months. Yan Er took the opportunity to say, ¡°Brother Liu, if you can help me, I¡¯ll return these 10 taels of silver for you.¡± Liu Tiezhu¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Really? What is the favor? I¡¯ll definitely do my best!¡± Yan Er looked around and whispered into Liu Tiezhu¡¯s ear. Liu Tiezhu held his breath and widened his eyes. ¡°For 10 taels of silver, you want me to help you do such a thing that will cost my life?¡± Yan Er said, ¡°I¡¯m just envious that others can touch it and want to try. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m taking it for anything.¡± What nonsense were these? Even if Yan Er wanted to try the grenade, he would be discovered after it was detonated. He must have an ulterior motive for wanting a grenade! Liu Tiezhu took advantage of the situation. It was very easy for him to steal a grenade. He rolled his eyes and said, ¡°I won¡¯t do it! It¡¯s such a huge risk, yet you are merely giving me 10 taels of silver. What nonsense!¡± Yan Er finally understood. It was not that Liu Tiezhu did not dare to, but he felt that the money was too little. He gritted his teeth and said, ¡°I just want to see if I can create a more powerful grenade and win the Flying Sky Award so that the entire family can hold their heads high.¡± ¡°If you can help me get one, I¡¯ll give you another five taels of silver!¡± Yan Er¡¯s blockhead appearance did not look like a person who could obtain a grenade. Liu Tiezhu subconsciously laughed, but he believed his words a little. ¡°No, if 1 help you steal a grenade and I was discovered to be the one who gave it to you and they want to hold me responsible, wouldn¡¯t I be in trouble? You have to give me at least 20 taels of silver!¡± 20 taels of silver! Yan Er worked in the army¡¯s logistics. He only had two taels of silver after working a month with only three days rest. Liu Tiezhu was too ruthless. If he paid for it but it did not succeed in the end, wouldn¡¯t he have paid for nothing? Yan Er looked hesitant. Liu Tiezhu said, ¡°Apart from me, no one else will help you with this!¡± On the surface, Liu Tiezhu did not seem to mind, but he really wanted to agree. If Yan Er asked him to steal the grenade, he would have Yan Er¡¯s weakness. Yan Er¡¯s family lived in a villa, and his hometown was from the same place as the Great Empress. He still had a large sum of money in his hands. If Liu Tiezhu have something to control Yan Er, he would not have to worry about not having money to use or marry a wife in the future. Yan Er gritted his teeth and said, ¡°I don¡¯t have that much money on hand. Let me think about it.¡± Actually, he could take out 20 taels of silver, but he felt that he was unhappy that he had taken such a huge risk to buy the grenade, yet his family could take advantage of him without doing anything. So he decided to let the eldest branch, third branch, and his mother pay for it. Liu Tiezhu was afraid that the duck in his hand would fly away, so he emphasized, ¡°If 1 can¡¯t get the silver today, I won¡¯t do it anymore!¡± Yan Er left Liu Tiezhu in the room. As soon as he went out, Madam Qu surrounded him and asked, ¡°How is it?¡± Yan Er said, ¡°He wants 20 taels of silver. Mother, I don¡¯t have any silver. Let Eldest Brother and Third Brother pay. We can¡¯t let them do nothing, right?¡± When Madam Qu heard this, she said, ¡°Why does he want so much?! Why doesn¡¯t he go rob people instead!¡± Yan Er said helplessly, ¡°That¡¯s all he wants. If you ask someone for help, you have to listen to his request.¡± Madam Qu thought for a moment and said with heartache, ¡°Your brother is in jail. Let¡¯s forget about the money! Besides, aren¡¯t we expecting him to hand the grenades to others? I¡¯ll ask your third brother to fork out some. You should also fork out some!¡± Yan Er immediately jumped up. ¡°Without me getting the grenade, how could Big Brother have anything to do with it? No, he has to pay for it. I definitely won¡¯t pay anything! Why don¡¯t we forget about this matter!¡± Madam Qu couldn¡¯t help but say angrily, ¡°We¡¯re all family, so why are you saying such things! Isn¡¯t your brother in trouble now!¡± Yan Er retorted, ¡°It¡¯s all your fault. If you didn¡¯t bring us to find our sister, how could she have a miscarriage!¡± The underlying meaning was that even if Yan Da couldn¡¯t fork out this sum of money, it should be her paying. The silver in Madam Qu¡¯s hands still had to be kept in the bank for interest! She stomped her feet and said, ¡°You heartless thing, who am I doing this for! How dare you talk to me like this!¡± In any case, he had already said it. There was no way he could take out money. Yan Er laid down his words and said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll get him to leave now!¡± Madam Qu had no choice but to hit him twice. She could only look for the third branch and see if they could take out 20 taels. Although Yan San was a simple-minded person, Yan San¡¯s wife, Song Tianxian, was smart. She leaned against the door and heard Madam Qu instigating her husband to use 20 taels of silver to do something immoral and heartless. She immediately pushed open the door and rushed in. ¡°If you want to do it, you can do it but we won¡¯t pay a single cent. If anything happens to you, don¡¯t blame it on us!¡± Madam Qu held her frightened heart. ¡°It¡¯s not your turn to make decisions in this family!¡± Song Tianxian sneered and looked at Yan San. ¡°I can¡¯t afford to enjoy your monstrous wealth. If you dare to fork out a single cent, we ll get a divorce tomorrow. 1 won¡¯t let the lord hand over the child¡¯s custody to you!¡± Madam Qu roared, ¡°How dare you!¡± Song Tianxian rolled her eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s see if I dare! If I accidentally spill anything, our entire family will die. Don¡¯t blame me!¡± Madam Qu was frightened and explained, ¡°I¡¯m just trying to increase our family¡¯s wealth. Why can¡¯t you be more flexible-minded?¡± Song Tianxian was already shocked by their boldness. She steeled her heart and said, ¡°I¡¯ll say it one last time. If you dare to fork out a single cent, we¡¯ll get a divorce!¡± Song Tianxian had given birth to two children for him. How could Yan San get a divorce? He gritted his teeth and looked at Madam Qu. ¡°Mother, I really don¡¯t have money. You don¡¯t want to see the children without a mother, right?¡± Madam Qu glared at Song Tianxian in exasperation, but she could not do anything to her. She could only leave dejectedly. The second branch refused to pay, and the third branch refused to pay. Madam Qu found Xia Dongmei and said, ¡°Dongmei, no one has any silver. What do you think we should do?¡± Yan Da instructed them to complete this matter. Xia Dongmei bit her lip and whispered into her ear, ¡°Mother, you won¡¯t be afraid of wearing shoes if you¡¯re barefoot. Listen to me, Third Sister-in-law will definitely agree.¡± After receiving Xia Dongmei¡¯s guidance, Madam Qu found Song Tianxian again. ¡°If you don¡¯t let Third Brother fork out io taels of silver, I¡¯ll report you for stealing from Zhao Lanzhi¡¯s makeup shop!¡± Song Tianxian subconsciously wanted to retort, but Madam Qu sneered. ¡°1 still have a few bottles of flower dew from you in my room. It¡¯s impossible for Zhao Lanzhi not to find out!¡± Song Tianxian stomped her feet. ¡°You¡¯re going to lose your heads like this!¡± Madam Qu said, ¡°Then you¡¯re going to jail now!¡± ¡°Anyway, we haven¡¯t done it yet!¡± Song Tianxian took a deep breath. Helpless, she could only hand io taels of silver to Madam Qu. Her eyes looked like they were about to eat someone. Madam Qu smiled proudly. ¡°You¡¯re still too young to beat me!¡± When Madam Qu received these io taels, and squeezed out another five taels from Xia Dongmei, she endured the pain and took out another five taels. Finally, she accumulated 20 taels and handed it to Yan Er. Yan Er first gave Liu Tiezhu io taels of silver. After the matter was complete, he would pay the other io taels. Liu Tiezhu was drunk. As he walked, he held the io taels of silver in his hand and smiled.. ¡°The Yan family is indeed rich!¡± Chapter 426 - Chapter 426: No Potion of Regret Chapter 426: No Potion of Regret Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The soldiers would train every two days. Liu Tiezhu belonged to the logistics management warehouse. The captain counted the number of grenades that were going to be thrown that day and asked Liu Tiezhu and the others to carefully place the grenades in the small cart. In a while, these small carts filled with grenades would be transported to the martial arts arena to let the soldiers familiarize themselves with the feeling of throwing grenades so that they would not be nervous on the battlefield and cause problems. Liu Tiezhu looked around. The other soldiers were carefully counting the grenades thrown. No one noticed him. Liu Tiezhu stared at the grenade in front of him and quickly reached out to place a grenade that should have been placed in the cart into his pants. He had specially modified his pants. When the grenade was placed inside, it could cover the key position without being especially obvious. In just an instant, Liu Tiezhu broke out in a cold sw¡¯eat. Realizing that no one around him had discovered him secretly taking a grenade, Liu Tiezhu heaved a sigh of relief. He wiped his sw¡¯eat and smiled smugly. Everyone packed the grenades and pushed the small cart out. The captain suddenly stopped Liu Tiezhu. ¡°Hey, fellow, stop!¡± Liu Tiezhu instantly panicked. His legs were trembling. His remaining rationality told him not to panic. When he met the captain¡¯s probing gaze, he almost knelt down. The captain glanced at him meaningfully. While Liu Tiezhu couldn¡¯t help but beg for mercy, the captain suddenly patted his shoulder and said happily, ¡°1 didn¡¯t expect you to have such weight!¡± Liu Tiezhu was stunned. When he realized that everyone was glancing at his pants, he subconsciously blocked them and stammered, ¡°No, no. Captain is the mighty one!¡± The captain laughed. ¡°Kid, you¡¯re still so thin-skinned. No wonder you couldn¡¯t get a wife!¡± Everyone joined in. ¡°You should take off your pants and show those women!¡± ¡°They will be shocked by your majestic aura and want to follow¡¯ you wholeheartedly!¡± Liu Tiezhu was so nervous that he broke out in a cold sweat. He pretended to scold, ¡°If you act like a hooligan, you¡¯ll be thrown into jail. 1 won¡¯t do it!¡± Everyone laughed even louder. Seeing that it was about time, the captain said, ¡°Alright, kid, stop pretending to be a serious person!¡± He pointed at the others and said, ¡°Stop laughing! Hurry up and transport the things over!¡± The storeroom regained its calm. Liu Tiezhu still did not dare to relax. He was careful not to let his buddies take off his pants out of curiosity. He avoided everyone until after work. He held his breath and was home at last. After closing the door, he took out the grenade from his crotch. Liu Tiezhu kissed it over and again and said ecstatically, ¡°It almost took my life!¡± He pulled out the box he¡¯d prepared and placed the throwing grenade inside. The smile on his lips deepened. It had almost killed him. How could 20 taels of silver be enough! Holding the grenade and sleeping for the night, Liu Tiezhu got up at dawn and hid it in the cabinet. Feeling that it was not safe, he took it out and stuffed it into his smelly shoes before changing into his most presentable clothes and knocking on the door of the Yan family. It was just dawn, and it was not time to start work yet. The Yan family was in the same boat and were anxiously waiting for news from Liu Tiezhu. Hearing the knock on the door, Madam Qu immediately rushed over to open the door. Her eyes lit up when she saw¡¯ that it w¡¯as Liu Tiezhu. Liu Tiezhu looked at Yan Er and looked at him. Yan Er knew that the matter had been settled. Yan Er led Liu Tiezhu into the room and asked with a smile, ¡°How¡¯ is it, Brother Liu?¡± Liu Tiezhu smiled proudly. ¡°If 1 make a move, 1¡¯11 definitely succeed!¡± Yan Er sized up him. ¡°Where¡¯s that thing?¡± Liu Tiezhu rubbed his hands and gestured for him to take out the silver first. Yan Er frowned. ¡°We wdll do the transaction at the same time. Brother Liu, you should let me see the goods first, right?¡± Liu Tiezhu said, ¡°I¡¯ve already stolen it, so why would 1 lie to you? 1 can¡¯t eat it even if I keep it. Give me the silver first!¡± Yan Er refused firmly. Liu Tiezhu said, ¡°Alright, then give me another 20 taels. 1¡¯11 personally bring the things over tomorrow!¡± Yan Er¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree on 20 taels?¡± Liu Tiezhu recalled the scene of him almost peeing his pants the day before and said bluntly, ¡°I stole a grenade and was almost discovered by the captain! 1 exchanged my life for it. 30 taels is even too little!¡± Yan Er said angrily, ¡°How¡¯ can you change your mind after we have agreed upon on it!¡± Liu Tiezhu was fearless. ¡°1 have just changed my mind. It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t want it. Anyway, I won¡¯t lose out with those io taels!¡± Yan Er said angrily, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll expose you!¡± Liu Tiezhu looked at him as if he was looking at a fool. ¡°You exposing me? If you didn¡¯t instigate it, why would 1 steal a grenade? Do you really think the Lord is a pushover?¡± ¡°In any case, he who is down need fear no fall. I¡¯m all alone. It¡¯s not bad to have your entire family die with me!¡± Yan Er glared at Liu Tiezhu. Liu Tiezhu sat down sw¡¯aggeringly. ¡°It¡¯s useless to glare at me. If you pay, I¡¯ll give it to you!¡± Yan Er had no choice but to go out and discuss with Madam Qu. When Madam Qu heard that Liu Tiezhu had raised the price, she rolled up her sleeves and w¡¯as about to beat him up when Xia Dongmei stopped her. ¡°Mother, the walls have ears. Don¡¯t be agitated!¡± Madam Qu said angrily, ¡°Then what do you think we should do!¡± ¡°Now, w¡¯e can only give him money!¡± Xia Dongmei said. She couldn¡¯t let the duck in her mouth fly aw¡¯ay. If the Yan family wanted to soar, the grenade was indispensable. Madam Qu glared at her. ¡°Where can w¡¯e get the silver?¡± In the end, everyone looked at her. They all knew¡¯ how much silver Madam Qu had back then. Yan Er even said, ¡°Mother, if there¡¯s no silver, forget it.¡± In any case, he was not the one who paid for the ten taels of silver. Yan Er did not fork out any money but Song Tianxian had already paid ten taels of silver. Her family still needed other expenses in the future, so she hurriedly said, ¡°We don¡¯t have money either!¡± Xia Dongmei was even poorer. At this point, Madam Qu looked at her selfish sons and daughters-in-law¡¯ and gritted her teeth. ¡°I really owe you little bastards!¡± So be it! Compared to her future wealth, this bit of money could not affect her retirement stash. Madam Qu ran to the bank to withdraw¡¯ ten taels of silver. When Liu Tiezhu received the silver, Yan Er followed him home and brought home the grenade that Liu Tiezhu had hidden in his leather shoes with a basket. He looked nervous along the way and bumped into a few¡¯ people, almost attracting the attention of the patrol officer. Fortunately, his son had ended school and saw him and walked up to hold his hand. Only then did Yan Er¡¯s expression relax a little. As soon as he reached home and closed the door, Yan Er knelt on the ground weakly, panting heavily as if he was about to suffocate. His sensible son brought him a cup of tea, but the others were all focused on looking at the grenade in the basket. ¡°Father, are you alright?¡± Meeting his son¡¯s concerned gaze, Yan Er suddenly felt a monstrous sense of regret. What should he do if he was caught! Unfortunately, since it had been done, there was no medicine for regret.. Chapter 427 - Chapter 427: Consequences Chapter 427: Consequences Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios They had already heard from Liu Tiezhu how to use a grenade. Remove the lid and pull down the ring to detonate. If it touched an open fire source or high temperature, it would also explode. It was a dangerous item after all, and it could only be used when Yan Da came out of prison. Madam Qu thought for a moment and decided to bury the grenade under the banyan tree in the backyard of the villa. They dug a deep hole that night and buried the grenade in it. They thought that there would be no more trouble. Liu Tiezhu, who had obtained 30 taels of silver from the Yan family, had lost again after gambling with someone in private. This time, he owed even more, 50 taels of silver! If he could not pay back the silver within a month, he would have to go to the army and ask the army to give his advance pay for more than two years to repay his debt. Liu Tiezhu immediately thought of the Yan family. The Yan family was rich and would definitely help him return the silver. There were so many people in their family, so it was quite a lot of money if each of them earned one tael of silver. Moreover, they had a villa and so much land. Old Madam Qu even bragged to everyone that she had invested in many projects in the bank and could earn at least dozens of taels a year. He had always had something on the Yan family. They definitely did not dare reject him! Hence, Liu Tiezhu, who owed a huge debt, came looking for them again. He asked for 50 taels of silver directly, causing Madam Qu to hit him with a broom. ¡°Do you have any shame? If you have the ability, go and make a fuss. At most, our entire family will fight to our deaths with you!¡± Liu Tiezhu knew that the Qu family did not dare to fight to death at all. People with huge losses were most afraid of death. He sat on the ground and shouted shamelessly, ¡°Someone! Someone! Old Madam Qu wants to kill me! Their family forced me to do dirty things and even wants to kill me!¡± Although the Yan family was in the villa and the land was wide, it was not that no one would pass by. When Liu Tiezhu shouted, a few people immediately surrounded the door to watch the commotion and shouted inside, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Do you want us to help you call the patrolling soldiers?¡± Madam Qu and the others were immediately dumbfounded. If they really came, they would be walking into a trap if the army counted the grenade. Madam Qu was so angry that she gritted her teeth, but there was nothing she could do. She could only lower her voice and say nicely, ¡°Tiezhu, you earn two taels of silver a month. Our entire family¡¯s monthly salary is not much higher than yours. We have to live our lives too, right? If you pity us, please be magnanimous!¡± With Madam Qu giving in, Liu Tiezhu acted as arrogant as a halfwit, pea-brain. ¡°You are asking me to pity you. Who can pity me? I¡¯ve already said that the debtors want me to take out 50 taels of silver now, or they will force me into a desperate situation. I have no choice either!¡± ¡°How about this, Auntie? As long as you give me the last 50 taels, I promise I won¡¯t look for you again!¡± 50 taels! Who could take out 50 taels? Even Madam Qu s remaining retirement stash was only 40 taels! If she took them all out, she would lose all her daily interest. Madam Qu was so angry that her heart ached. She regretted looking for Liu Tiezhu to steal the grenade. The others looked at each other, wishing they could beat Liu Tiezhu to death. 50 taels of silver was enough to buy an apartment! Why should they pay off his gambling debt! Gamblers were holes that could not be filled. If there was a first time, there would definitely be a second time! They definitely could not give it to him again! Yan Er said, ¡°So be it! I¡¯ll turn myself in now. Let¡¯s see who dies first!¡± Liu Tiezhu panicked for a moment, then right on the heels of that, he said, ¡°Alright, 1 don¡¯t want to live either! I just pity your child. He¡¯s about to become a beggar without a father, mother, and milk!¡± Everyone from the Yan family clenched their fists angrily. ¡°Get lost! Get lost!¡± Liu Tiezhu smiled evilly and shouted fearlessly at the sky, ¡°Officer, come and catch me! I have a shocking secret to tell you!¡± Yan Er was really afraid of him. He rushed forward and covered his mouth. ¡°We¡¯ll give it to you! Can¡¯t we just give it to you!¡± At this point, there was no way out. When Yan Da came out, they would quickly set off for the Ling Kingdom and offered the grenade in exchange for wealth. They could forget about the 50 taels of silver. In any case, when they arrived at Ling Kingdom and the investigation continued, Liu Tiezhu would pay the price sooner or later. Liu Tiezhu smiled smugly. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll wait for you here.¡± Yan Er resigned himself to fate and looked at Madam Qu. ¡°Mother, take out your silver!¡± Madam Qu cried, ¡°How do 1 have silver? I can¡¯t even take out a tael of silver!¡± ¡°What are you crying for? Who doesn¡¯t know that Old Madam Qu is rich?! Be quick, or I¡¯ll have to stay at your house for dinner tonight!¡± Yan Er glanced at Liu Tiezhu, who was urging her, and lowered his voice to whisper in Madam Qu¡¯s ear, ¡°Mother, give it to us. After these days, let¡¯s return to Ling Kingdom to earn money!¡± Even if it was not as Yan Da had said, they would definitely become important people in front of Emperor Ling Hui. With their work experience in the workshop, they could still find a way to earn money. Madam Qu could not bear to part with her money. That was her own money stash. She said with tears in her eyes, ¡°Son, you should fork out 20 taels. I¡¯ll get your brother to pay more!¡± Yan Er said, ¡°Mother, you know that I don¡¯t have much money at all. All the expenses at home require money.¡± Yan Er refused, while Song Tianxian glared back at her. ¡°Neither do l!¡± Madam Qu simply sat on the ground. ¡°Just force me to death!¡± Madam Qu cried. Under Liu Tiezhu¡¯s repeated coercion, in the end, the second and third families paid 10 taels of silver. Madam Qu paid another 30 taels of silver before barely gathering 50 taels of silver. These 50 taels of silver had already drained all the Yan family¡¯s money on the surface. In the end, less than two days later, Liu Tiezhu came looking for them again. This time, he had taken a fancy to a girl from a family and wanted to ¡°borrow¡± some silver as a betrothal gift! The Yan family exploded again. If not for the fact that they had a few acres of land at home, they would not be able to eat their fill. Yet, Liu Tiezhu still wanted money as a betrothal gift! There had to be a limit to being shameless! Yan Er cursed angrily, ¡°Don¡¯t you have any shame!¡± Liu Tiezhu said, ¡°Where can I get the money if I¡¯m shameless? Who asked you to let me steal the grenade!¡± The word grenade was like a bomb. The Yan family members kept peeping out of the door, afraid that they would be heard. Facing Liu Tiezhu¡¯s insatiable appearance, they could not do anything. They could not really let this idiot expose the matter. When Tiedan and Doudou returned from school, they saw this uncle sitting at their door. They couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Father, what is he doing?¡± The children¡¯s confused gazes pierced Yan Er¡¯s heart. If they continued to let Liu Tiezhu continue like this, their family might not be able to last more than half a year. He had to think of a way to prevent future troubles. Suddenly, Yan Er saw a kitchen knife shining coldly under the roof. A cruel plan suddenly came to mind. Liu Tiezhu was still shouting, ¡°It¡¯s really just borrowing some silver. 1 promise, I really promise this will be the last time!¡± If he kept pulling the wool, even the sheep would become bald. Liu Tiezhu really planned to borrow 20 taels of silver first and come back again in a year or two to ask for money. Unexpectedly, when Yan Er heard his words, his eyes turned cold and he finally made up his mind. ¡°Alright, we promise you!¡± Chapter 428 - Chapter 428: Lord, I Was Wronged Chapter 428: Lord, I Was Wronged Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Liu Tiezhu looked at Yan Er greedily, waiting for him to give him the silver. Madam Qu lowered her voice and said ferociously, ¡°Where do 1 get the money? 1 don¡¯t have it!¡± There were only 10 taels of silver left in the retirement stash that she had saved up. Even if she took them all out, she did not have enough! Yan Er hid the hostility in his eyes and said to Liu Tiezhu, ¡°We only have this much silver on hand, we still have to gather more.¡± Liu Tiezhu frowned. Yan Er said, ¡°We have our weakness on you, so we definitely will give it to you. We really don¡¯t have any money left. 20 taels of silver is really not a small amount. Even if we sell the land for you, we have to take some time to recover, right?¡± When Liu Tiezhu heard this, he said with much reluctance, ¡°Alright, then I must see silver the day after tomorrow!¡± Yan Er agreed immediately. ¡°Sure!¡± After Liu Tiezhu left, Song Tianxian smashed the bamboo chair at the door. ¡°1 can¡¯t live like this anymore!¡± Yan Er suddenly said, ¡°If we let him continue to pester us, we will be captured by the government sooner or later. There¡¯s only one way now!¡± When Madam Qu saw the cold glint in his eyes, she trembled in fear. ¡°This, this won¡¯t do!¡± The others objected. ¡°No! No!¡± Yan Er said coldly, ¡°Do you have a better idea?¡± Everyone fell silent. There was indeed no better way. Xia Dongmei had had enough of being on tenterhooks for the past few days. ¡°We will die no matter what. Why don¡¯t we forcefully make a way out?¡± ¡°Anyway, we¡¯ve already stolen the grenade. What¡¯s there to be afraid of!¡± Song Tianxian said fearfully, ¡°You¡¯re all crazy!¡± Xia Dongmei said coldly, ¡°Then you can fork out this money!¡± Song Tianxian stomped her feet. ¡°What money do 1 have? 1 have already given you all the money! At most, we will sell the land. There¡¯s no need to take action!¡± Yan Er mocked, ¡°Then what if he comes to us and asks us to sell the house too?¡± It was easier to arouse the suspicion of others if they suddenly sold their land and house. Song Tianxian¡¯s face turned pale. She bit her lip and finally agreed to Yan Er¡¯s decision. The army was well-disciplined and everyone was not allowed to be late. Liu Tiezhu had not reported to the army for a day. If he still did not come, he would be severely punished by the army. The captain sent someone to Liu Tiezhu¡¯s house. There was no one at home, so he did not know where this guy had gone. On the fifth day, still no one saw Liu Tiezhu. The captain felt that something was wrong. A few days ago, Liu Tiezhu had excitedly told his brothers that he was getting married and would treat them to a wedding banquet. If Liu Tiezhu did not come to the camp, how could he raise his wife without his monthly salary? The captain sent someone to Liu Tiezhu¡¯s house to check on him again. The surrounding neighbors said that they had not seen Liu Tiezhu for a few days. Sensing that something was wrong, the captain asked the old man in charge of the apartment to open the door. The door was opened. Liu Tiezhu was not around, and it did not look like anyone had returned home. Regardless of whether this person was dead or what, there was no one left. The captain had to report it. Liu Tiezhu¡¯s disappearance was a missing person case on the Carefree City wall. Everyone discussed fervently. You Huaijie was in charge of the case and immediately investigated the last person who had seen Liu Tiezhu. The apartment master had seen him leave the apartment in the evening. No one had seen Liu Tiezhu again in the direction the apartment master had pointed. It was as if this person had disappeared into thin air. The discussion about his disappearance reached Bai Wutong¡¯s ears. Bai Wutong looked at Xiaobai, who was playing in the grass, and immediately got someone to call You Huaijie over. She called Xiaobai back and asked Xiaobai to help You Huaijie find someone. The small pests in the field had been chased away by Xiaobai¡¯s family. Just as it was feeling bored, Bai Wutong arranged work for it. Its blue eyes immediately lit up as it sniffed Liu Tiezhu¡¯s smelly shoes. After a while, Xiaobai brought You Huaijie into the mountain. Everyone could not help but wonder if Liu Tiezhu had gotten lost in the mountains and was trapped. What was he doing in the mountains at night? Although they were puzzled, they followed Xiaobai around and arrived at the edge of a cliff. Below was the turbulent sea. Did Liu Tiezhu jump off the cliff after entering the mountain? Xiaobai looked up at the sky and howled. You Huaijie frowned and sized up the surroundings. He found a trace of cloth on the surrounding branches. He picked up the cloth and placed it under Xiaobai¡¯s nose. Xiaobai sniffed and started running again. Everyone chased after Xiaobai crazily. It actually took another path and they returned to Carefree City and arrived at the military courtyard. Xiaobai rushed in and bit Yan Er¡¯s arm. Yan Er was shocked and subconsciously kicked Xiaobai. Xiaobai pounced on him and bared its teeth at him as a warning. The people around them were extremely afraid that Xiaobai would bite them as well. In the end, after a while, You Huaijie rushed in with the soldiers. Just as everyone thought that You Huaijie was here to chase Xiaobai away, You Huaijie ordered someone to capture Yan Er. ¡°We suspect that you are related to Liu Tiezhu¡¯s disappearance.¡± Hearing this, Yan Er¡¯s legs immediately went weak. He stammered, ¡°Sir, I¡¯m innocent. 1 have no grievances with Liu Tiezhu. Why would I harm him?¡± You Huaijie¡¯s gaze suddenly turned sharp. ¡°Who told you that Liu Tiezhu was killed?¡± Yan Er hurriedly said, ¡°I, I guessed it. That¡¯s what everyone is talking about.¡± You Huaijie sneered. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Take him away!¡± Yan Er was brought into the government office for interrogation. You Huaijie showed him the strip of cloth. ¡°Tell me, why did you kill Liu Tiezhu and throw his corpse off the cliff?¡± Yan Er gritted his teeth while trembling. ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Then why are the strips of cloth on your clothes on the cliff?¡± Yan Er said, ¡°I went to the mountain previously and might have left it there unintentionally.¡± He felt guilty and couldn¡¯t meet You Huaijie¡¯s eyes. The identity of the murderer was obvious, but there was no direct evidence. You Huaijie looked at him coldly. ¡°Do you think that without a body, there¡¯s no way to investigate the case?¡± Yan Er clenched his fists. ¡°1 don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. I¡¯ve really never seen Liu Tiezhu.¡± You Huaijie said unhurriedly, ¡°The body has just been found.¡± Yan Er suddenly looked up in panic. You Huaijie continued, ¡°The night Liu Tiezhu disappeared, someone saw you and Yan San leave the house sneakily. 1 advise you to confess to avoid further torture.¡± Yan Er¡¯s entire body was trembling, but he was still holding on. ¡°I was just going to the beach with my brother to pick some seafood.¡± ¡°Do you have witnesses?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just the two of us.¡± ¡°Sir, if you want to abuse your power on me, I¡¯ll just hold on!¡± You Huaijie chuckled. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll ask your brother.¡± Yan San was pitifully timid, but he had one strength ¨C he was obedient. They had previously discussed that if they were investigated, they could not admit it at all. Faced with You Huaijie¡¯s interrogation, Yan San muttered a few words, ¡°I don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t know¡­¡± In this situation, without direct witnesses and evidence, Yan Er and Yan San could only be considered suspects. Now, they could only find the motive for their crimes and make them take the initiative to tell the truth or find other key evidence. You Huaijie brought his men to the Yan residence to check. At the same time, he sent someone to investigate Liu Tiezhu¡¯s relationship with them.. Chapter 429 - Chapter 429: Ungrateful Beast Chapter 429: Ungrateful Beast Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios When You Huaijie brought his men to the door, Madam Qu and the others looked especially uneasy. Their faces were pale. You Huaijie said that they were going to search the house and they almost knelt on the ground. Madam Qu cried, ¡°Sir, we¡¯re all good citizens. We don¡¯t dare to commit crimes!¡± ¡°We¡¯re not familiar with Liu Tiezhu either!¡± Many commoners outside the door who were watching the commotion muttered softly, ¡°If they don¡¯t dare to commit a crime, why is her eldest son in jail?¡± ¡°What do you mean not close? 1 even saw Liu Tiezhu coming out of their house drunk.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. 1 even heard Liu Tiezhu shouting something at their house.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t hear him clearly.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± Hearing others mention her eldest son, Madam Qu thought of the grenade buried under the big banyan tree and her body stiffened. She immediately stopped crying and followed closely beside You Huaijie, afraid that he would notice something. Not long after, the soldiers checked the Yan residence inside and out, but they did not find anything related to Liu Tiezhu. You Huaijie walked into the backyard. Madam Qu¡¯s nervous gaze subconsciously turned to the big banyan tree. You Huaijie was about to walk over when Madam Qu hurriedly stood in front of him. ¡°Dongmei, hurry up and cut a pot of good tea for Lord.¡± ¡°My lord must be tired. Let me take you for a cup of tea.¡± You Huaijie ignored her and walked straight towards the big banyan tree. ¡°Sir!!!¡± Madam Qu screamed, with her voice almost breaking. You Huaijie did not fall for her trick at all. He squatted down and took a closer look. The soil under the big banyan tree was all new. There must be something buried under it that made the Yan family so nervous. He ordered, ¡°Dig it open!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The soldiers picked up the Yan family¡¯s shovel and hoe and dug. After digging for a full meter, they finally found a box. The moment she saw the box appear, Madam Qu sat on the ground and said with a pale face, ¡°It¡¯s over, it¡¯s over, it¡¯s over¡­¡± Before Yan Er and Yan San could be investigated for killing a person, the grenade was dug out. If they had known, they wouldn¡¯t have hidden it at home. The soldiers wiped the soil off. You Huaijie opened it and saw that it was a brand new grenade. Why would a grenade appear in the Yan residence? ¡®What are they going to do with it?¡¯ Liu Tiezhu was in charge of managing the military supply warehouse in the army. As for Yan Er, he was only from the army¡¯s kitchen logistics. He had no chance to come into contact with grenades. Therefore, it was very likely that Liu Tiezhu had given this grenade to the Yan family. Stealing a grenade was a capital crime for stealing state secrets. It was impossible for the Yan family not to know. You Huaijie suddenly lowered his eyes and looked at everyone from the Yan family. ¡°Take them all away!¡± Song Tianxian hurriedly knelt on the ground and cried, ¡°Sir, I don¡¯t know anything. It was them who did it. 1 really didn¡¯t participate in anything!¡± You Huaijie raised his eyebrows. ¡°You¡¯re not involved in anything. Then do you know what they did? Confess and 1¡¯11 give you a chance.¡± Song Tianxian paused and looked at her young children. She cried and said, ¡°Sir, they were the ones who wanted to buy the grenade. In the end, they were extorted by Liu Tiezhu, so they killed him! 1 really didn¡¯t do anything!¡± Madam Qu was so afraid that she could not speak. However, Xia Dongmei stood up and said, ¡°Sir, we don¡¯t know why the grenade is in our courtyard. Third Sister-in-law was too frightened, so she spoke nonsense. Sir, don¡¯t believe her!¡± You Huaijie looked at Xia Dongmei coldly. ¡°You have a good mouth!¡± Unfortunately, there were many loopholes. You Huaijie brought everyone from the Yan family back, while the young children were temporarily taken care of by other people. The news about the Yan family quickly reached Bai Wutong¡¯s ears. Bai Wutong originally thought that this was just an ordinary murder case. She did not expect it to involve a grenade. It was very likely that they had an ulterior motive for hiding the grenade, or they were spies from the Ling Kingdom lurking here. Bai Wutong lowered her eyes and said, ¡°Investigate strictly!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± You Huaijie interrogated them separately. Song Tianxian was the least capable of enduring stress. Soon, she confessed everything she knew. In the beginning, they only wanted Liu Tiezhu to steal a grenade. After Yan Da was released from prison, the entire family would return to Ling Kingdom to offer it to Emperor Ling Hui. Unexpectedly, Liu Tiezhu was insatiable and kept asking for money. Afraid that the matter would be exposed from Liu Tiezhu, they wanted to kill him. Yan Er arranged to meet Liu Tiezhu in the suburbs. When Liu Tiezhu arrived, Yan Er knocked him unconscious with a rock while he was unprepared. He used a sack and followed the path into the mountain and finally threw Liu Tiezhu¡¯s corpse on the cliff. Liu Tiezhu had come to the southern frontier alone. Yan Er reckoned that no one would look for him if he went missing. Even if they did, they would not be able to file a case if they did not find his body. Unexpectedly, Xiaobai¡¯s sense of smell was so sharp. It had been five days and it had rained for three consecutive days in five days, washing away the smell. Xiaobai had found the place where they had dumped the corpse and even found him according to the strip of cloth he had left at the scene. After Song Tianxian finished, she immediately asked, ¡°Sir, 1 didn¡¯t participate in anything, and I don¡¯t agree with them doing it. I shouldn¡¯t be guilty, right?¡± You Huaijie said, ¡°You didn¡¯t report what you knew, causing a murder to happen. Wait for the verdict.¡± Song Tianxian¡¯s vision darkened and she fainted from fear. At first, Madam Qu was still pretending to be crazy. When she heard that Song Tianxian had confessed about Yan Da who was still in prison, she finally couldn¡¯t take it anymore and cried. ¡°We didn¡¯t want his life, but he didn¡¯t want to live. How can we be blamed!¡± Xia Dongmei still wanted to protect Yan Da and take all the blame. ¡°It was all my idea. Song Tianxian is spouting nonsense. She just wants to drag my husband down.¡± After You Huaijie obtained Song Tianxian¡¯s confession, he immediately went to the prison to look for Yan Da personally. Soon, he found the allegiance that Xu Ke had given him from his cell. He had wiped them out in one fell swoop. ¡°If nothing goes wrong, you¡¯ll all be sentenced to death.¡± When Xia Dongmei heard this, she immediately cried in despair. If they had not listened to Yan Da¡¯s arrangements, they would still be a happy family when he came out of jail. Now, it was all ruined. The moment Yan Er saw that his entire family had been arrested, he finally couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore. He pounded the wall with all his might, wishing he could turn back time. They had stolen the grenade and planned to offer it to Emperor Ling Hui. They had already committed a serious crime of treason. Yan Er and Yan San had killed someone. The rest of the people did not report it and even helped to cover it up. They were considered accomplices. Based on the laws, apart from Song Tianxian, who had taken the initiative to confess, everyone else was sentenced to death. As soon as the news was out, everyone scolded the Yan family for being evil. Back then, Bai Wutong had treated them so well in Youjia Village. She asked them to make the Phoenix Tail Wine and even gave them a chance to earn money. When they arrived at the southern frontier, they were also the first batch of people to stay in the villa and be allocated houses. In the end, they actually wanted to steal the military grenade and offer it to Emperor Ling Hui! They were simply ungrateful beasts. No, they were even worse than beasts. Xiaobai even knew how to repay kindness and brought his entire family to catch field mice! Liu Tiezhu had easily stolen the grenade. It was Lu Ye¡¯s negligence. When he came to receive punishment, Bai Wutong did not blame him. Instead, she sent someone to help him tighten the rules and regulations of the military camp. Cui Lingyi couldn¡¯t help but worry. ¡°There are already people stealing the firearms secrets now, it will really be troublesome in the future!¡± Bai Wutong gently stroked her stomach and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s fine.. By the time they steal it and develop it, we¡¯ll already have a stronger weapon!¡± Chapter 430 - Chapter 430: Bring Noble Consort Ling Back Unharmed Chapter 430: Bring Noble Consort Ling Back Unharmed Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Bang¡ª¡± The expensive white jade vase shattered into pieces. The servants cowered at the side and did not even dare to breathe loudly! Emperor Ling Hui slammed the table, picked up the jade seal, and was about to smash it when Eunuch Lin hurriedly stopped him. ¡°Your Majesty, Your Majesty, General Gou wall definitely be able to find Noble Consort Ling.¡± He carefully took the jade seal and put it down. ¡°Your Majesty, don¡¯t be too anxious. If Noble Consort Ling finds out, she will definitely be worried about your health.¡± Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s eyes darkened. Thinking of Noble Consort Ling¡¯s smile in the past, he ruthlessly swept the table clean. ¡°Ask Commander Zhang to get in here!¡± Noble Consort Ling¡¯s disappearance was kept a secret. The entire harem only knew that Noble Consort Ling was sick and was still recuperating. As soon as Commander Zhang entered the imperial study room, he felt a terrifying dragon might. He looked up trembling. ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty!¡± Emperor Ling Hui looked down at Commander Zhang, and the pressure was even more terrifying. Commander Zhang could not help but be puzzled. Could it be that he had committed some crime? It should not be to this extent when he had only visited the brothel! Fortunately, Emperor Ling Hui did not waste his breath on him. He ordered, ¡°Bring all the imperial guards and investigate all the intersections in the capital now. You must bring Noble Consort Ling back unscathed!¡± Commander Zhang was stunned. Wasn¡¯t Noble Consort Ling in the palace? Meeting Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s cold face, Commander Zhang thought of the tight security in the palace the previous night and couldn¡¯t help but shiver. Noble Consort Ling had been kidnapped? Which expert had the guts to kidnap the emperor¡¯s woman? However, this robber really had good taste. Noble Consort Ling was completely worthy of being called a peerless beauty. It was no wonder that Emperor Ling Hui had not even conferred the Empress title to the Eldest Prince¡¯s biological mother and only doted on her. However, it was too difficult to investigate without a portrait of her. Moreover, even if Emperor Ling Hui could hide such a huge movement on the surface, it was impossible for the wily old foxes in the capital not to know. Commander Zhang hesitated and said, ¡°Your Majesty, can you give me a portrait of Consort?¡± ¡°Pa pa pa~¡± Dozens of white marble brushes hit Commander Zhang¡¯s head. Emperor Ling Hui scolded angrily, ¡°Are you stupid? Even if there¡¯s a portrait of her, can¡¯t she disguise herself?¡± ¡°Investigate all the suspicious women and men of the same height. Don¡¯t let any of them off!¡± ¡°Especially in the direction of Qingyang City, investigate carefully!¡± Hearing Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s tone, Noble Consort Ling might have escaped from the palace on her own. Commander Zhang received the order and escaped to prevent the angry Emperor Ling Hui from smashing the flower pot at him again. Commander Zhang rushed out of the imperial study room. When the Eldest Prince, who had come to pay his respects to Emperor Ling Hui, saw this, he secretly asked the young eunuch at the door, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The young eunuch smiled and said, ¡°I was too far away and didn¡¯t hear them clearly.¡± He was Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s subordinate. If he revealed it to the Eldest Prince, he could forget about his head. The Eldest Prince knew that the young eunuch was unwilling to tell him, so he snorted and could only send someone to report to Emperor Ling Hui about his visit. Emperor Ling Hui shouted at the young eunuch, ¡°Tell him to get lost!¡± The huge dragon might frightened Eunuch Lin so much that he did not dare to breathe loudly. At the door, Chu Mingxuan¡¯s face was ashen, as if he had eaten feces. He was clearly Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s only son, but he was not favored at all. When he was young, the Emperor would still comfort him and say that he loved him deeply. Now, even dogs knew that he was treated worse than the eunuch beside Emperor Ling Hui. Chu Mingxuan clenched his fists and persuaded himself to be more patient. Emperor Ling Hui would die before him sooner or later. ¡°I have something important to report to Father!¡± The young eunuch had no choice but to brace himself and report again. This time, Chu Mingxuan was invited in. However, Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s expression was still very ugly, especially the way he looked at him, as if he was looking at some trash. Chu Mingxuan greeted respectfully, ¡°Greetings, Father!¡± Emperor Ling Hui lowered his eyes and the hostility on his face subsided a lot. ¡°What is it?¡± Chu Mingxuan replied, ¡°Father, there are rumors at the border of the southern frontier that Gu Chilie has rebelled and ascended the throne.¡± Emperor Ling Hui immediately exploded in anger. ¡°Did you send someone to investigate?¡± Chu Mingxuan replied carefully, ¡°The journey to the southern frontier is long. I sent someone to investigate, but I don¡¯t know when there will be any news, so 1 wanted to report to Father in advance.¡± Emperor Ling Hui suddenly thought of Noble Consort Ling, who had suddenly disappeared, and what had happened back then. He immediately burned with anger and shouted at Chu Mingxuan, ¡°Didn¡¯t you recommend You Huaijie? Why didn¡¯t he send any news back!¡± He had been too busy recently, so he did not have the time to ask about the southern frontier. The fire suddenly spread to Chu Mingxuan, scaring him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Emperor Ling Hui looked at him in disgust. ¡°Trash! Get down!¡± Chu Mingxuan hurriedly got lost. Emperor Ling Hui suddenly fell into deep thought. It was impossible for a weak woman like Noble Consort Ling to bribe the people around her to escape from the heavily guarded palace. If Gu Chilie wanted to rebel, it was impossible for him to arrange for someone to kidnap Noble Consort Ling. Then there was only one person left. After being angry, Emperor Ling Hui actually smiled and said to Eunuch Lin inexplicably, ¡°I knew that brat wouldn¡¯t die easily!¡± Eunuch Lin had a guess in his heart, but he did not dare to speak without permission. He only glanced at the sky outside. If it was true, things would change. As soon as Commander Zhang left the city, he was called back by Emperor Ling Hui. Commander Zhang thought that Noble Consort Ling had been found and that there was no need to look for her. In the end, he heard from Emperor Ling Hui that he had to investigate all the exits in the southern frontier and find the Young General and Noble Consort Ling. Commander Zhang was stunned again. Wasn¡¯t the Young General dead? His tombstone was already covered in grass. Also, why did the Young General kidnap Noble Consort Ling and why was the order to not hurt him at all? Commander Zhang¡¯s mind was filled with question marks. He would appear dumb if he remained stunned there. Emperor Ling Hui frowned. ¡°Do you understand? If you hurt them, 1¡¯11 cut you!¡± Commander Zhang¡¯s scalp tightened. He hurriedly said, ¡°Yes!¡± He ran away in a hurry, but Emperor Ling Hui was still shaking his head. ¡°He¡¯s so stupid. Can he find them?¡± Emperor Ling Hui thought for a moment and summoned the Dark Guard that he had carefully trained, Nine Heavens. He gave him an order to bring Chu Tianbao and Noble Consort Ling back unscathed. As for Gu Chilie¡¯s rebellion, Emperor Linghui narrowed his eyes. When Chu Tianbao returned, he would let him personally recover the southern frontier. Commander Zhang had entered the palace twice and brought many people to investigate each exit. This immediately attracted the attention of some people. When the Eldest Prince received the exact news, he rushed to the An Le Palace. The once arrogant Consort Chu now only had the title of Madam Chu and lived in the dilapidated palace without any status. All the servants were secretly guessing what treason Consort Chu had done to make Emperor Ling Hui so angry that he abandoned her here, completely disregarding the Eldest Prince¡¯s reputation. As soon as the Eldest Prince arrived, Quan Qiaorong¡¯s complexion instantly improved. When she learned from her son that Noble Consort Ling was missing, she immediately laughed crazily.. ¡°Go, go and report to the world!¡± Chapter 431 - Chapter 431: Young General, You’re Still Alive? Chapter 431: Young General, You¡¯re Still Alive? Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Quan Qiaorong grabbed Chu Mingxuan¡¯s clothes and said fiercely, ¡°As long as the entire world knows that she has been kidnapped, even if that b*tch is found, she won¡¯t be able to return to the palace!¡± Chu Mingxuan suddenly pressed down on Quan Qiaorong¡¯s shoulder and was also quite excited. ¡°Mother, that bastard might not be dead! Father wants to find him!¡± Quan Qiaorong asked in surprise, ¡°How can that be? Didn¡¯t you see him die with your own eyes!¡± Chu Mingxuan¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°He was severely injured and should have died without a doubt, but Father asked Commander Zhang to secretly investigate his whereabouts. If he wasn¡¯t dead, how could Noble Consort Ling have escaped from the palace alone!¡± He was already certain that Gu Junyan was not dead. ¡°Mother, what should we do?¡± If Gu Junyan was really found, their status would definitely be in danger. Quan Qiaorong was also very flustered. ¡°We can¡¯t let the mother and son come back. We can¡¯t let them come back!¡± She had spent a lot of effort to get to where she was. Her entire family had fallen to such a state. Not only did she not win Chu Shixiong¡¯s heart, but she also had to give up her son¡¯s throne. How could she be willing? Quan Qiaorong only thought for a moment before her gaze turned cold. She said without hesitation, ¡°If you can kill him the first time, you can do it a second time!¡± She instructed Chu Mingxuan, ¡°Don¡¯t go. Go find your uncle. He will arrange it for you!¡± Chu Mingxuan frowned and was a little hesitant. ¡°What if Father finds out or the plan fails? I¡¯m afraid Father has already sensed what happened previously and will definitely be watching us in secret.¡± After all, Gu Junyan was his eldest son and Noble Consort Ling was his favorite first wife. Quan Qiaorong sneered. ¡°When they return, we¡¯ll lose our lives. So what if he realizes it? They have to die. Even if the matter is exposed, you¡¯re still his only son. No matter how angry Chu Shixiong is, he won¡¯t do anything to you!¡± Chu Mingxuan was still a little hesitant. ¡°What about Uncle?¡± Just because Chu Shixiong would not take his life did not mean that he would not take the lives of Quan Jiuzhou. Quan Qiaorong looked at him gloomily and ordered, ¡°Since Gu Junyan is not dead, he should have taken the initiative to return to the capital to meet the emperor. But he didn¡¯t. Instead, he kidnapped the emperor¡¯s woman. He has already committed the crime of deceiving the emperor and committing a crime punishable by death. Since Chu Shixiong didn¡¯t spread the news and your uncle accidentally discovered his traces, what¡¯s wrong with helping the emperor resolve his worries!¡± ¡°Besides, didn¡¯t you say that Gu Chilie rebelled?¡± ¡°Gu Junyan was raised by Gu Chilie. It¡¯s impossible for your father not to be afraid!¡± ¡°Also, even if Chu Shixiong really wants to kill your uncle, your uncle¡¯s death will be worth it if you ascend the throne!¡± ¡°This time, we must not give them any chance to make a comeback. We must do it at all costs!¡± When Chu Mingxuan met Quan Qiaorong¡¯s sinister gaze, he felt a chill run down his spine. Seeing that he was frightened, Quan Qiaorong¡¯s lips curled up into a gentle smile. However, her smile was even more creepy. ¡°Son, everything I¡¯ve done is for you. There¡¯s no way out for us, and there¡¯s no way out for the entire family. You have to be the emperor. You can¡¯t make any mistakes.¡± Chu Mingxuan clenched his fists. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go find Uncle now!¡± He had to ascend to the throne. He could not let anyone laugh at him. If he could not give birth to a son, he would raise a child! After Chu Mingxuan left the palace, he returned to the residence and came to another residence through the secret passage. He went out of the residence and took many turns. After confirming that no one was following him, he entered a bookstore warily and came to a small courtyard through the secret passage in the bookstore. After getting someone to report, Quan Jiuzhou entered from another secret passage in the small courtyard. Quan Jiuzhou had already received the news. He knew exactly what Chu Mingxuan wanted him to do. He sat down and poured himself a cup of tea. A slightly cold wind blew over. He coughed weakly a few times. His tall back was like swaying jade bamboo, making one feel sympathy for him. Chu Mingxuan liked his uncle very much, but he desired the imperial power even more. In the end, he opened his mouth and said, ¡°Uncle, help me kill Gu Junyan and Noble Consort Ling!¡± Quan Jiuzhou looked at him indifferently and took a sip of the bitter tea. He agreed in a cold voice, ¡°Okay.¡± Chu Mingxuan was excited and hurriedly said, ¡°Uncle, it¡¯s all thanks to you!¡± If Quan Jiuzhou died, the suicide soldiers that the entire family had carefully nurtured would no longer listen to their orders. It was indeed all thanks to him. Quan Jiuzhou smiled faintly, like a wet spring rain. ¡°We¡¯re all family. I don¡¯t have much time left. I just hope that Sister and you can be well.¡± Chu Mingxuan felt even more guilty. He did not even dare to look at Quan Jiuzhou¡¯s gentle and handsome face as he hurriedly bade farewell. April said in a low voice, ¡°Master, let¡¯s go back. The wind is strong here.¡± Quan Jiuzhou glanced at the sky and muttered, ¡°¡­The wind is rising.¡± Noble Consort Ling was Chu Tianbao¡¯s biological mother. Gou Houxing knew about it. It was precisely because he knew and was Chu Tianbao¡¯s good brother that Emperor Ling Hui sent him to look for Noble Consort Ling. He would definitely be more serious than anyone else and do his job. He guarded the gate and checked them one by one. He also had to personally check the long queue of people. Noble Consort Ling, who was pretending to be a blind old woman, hunched over. She carried a basket on her back and walked towards Gou Houxing step by step. Gou Houxing stopped in front of Noble Consort Ling and met her turbid eyes. He only looked at her for a few seconds before waving his hand. ¡°Go!¡± Noble Consort Ling secretly heaved a sigh of relief and quickened her pace. The surrounding dark guards quickly followed and protected Noble Consort Ling as she left the city. Suddenly, Gou Houxing shouted, ¡°Stop!¡± Noble Consort Ling¡¯s bamboo basket fell to the ground. The dark guard helped her pick it up, but Gou Houxing rushed in the opposite direction and stood behind a tall woodcutter. ¡°General, is that you?¡± Chu Tianbao turned around and saw a rough and weathered face. It was not similar to Chu Tianbao¡¯s handsome appearance at all. How could there be such an exquisite disguise in the world? Gou Houxing revealed a trace of disappointment. Just as he was about to wave his hand and say that he had recognized the wrong person, a familiar voice sounded in his ear. ¡°Little Gou.¡± Gou Houxing suddenly looked up and widened his eyes in disbelief. Chu Tianbao said, ¡°How have you been?¡± This voice was clearly that of the Young General! Gou Houxing said excitedly, ¡°Young General, you¡¯re still alive?¡± Chu Tianbao nodded. ¡°It¡¯s not suitable to talk here for long. I¡¯m leaving.¡± Gou Houxing said without hesitation, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you!¡± He joined the army to follow Chu Tianbao. Now that Chu Tianbao was no longer around, in order to protect Noble Consort Ling, he rushed onto the battlefield with all his might, hoping that he could support her one day. Now that Chu Tianbao had returned and was about to take Noble Consort Ling away, Gou Houxing was tired of the bureaucracy and had to follow him! Chu Tianbao nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Gou Houxing was overjoyed. He immediately went to change his clothes and followed Chu Tianbao out of the city. Commander Zhang was anxiously waiting for Gou Houxing to send some news. In the end, while this person was investigating, he was gone. He immediately sent someone to report to Emperor Ling Hui.. Chapter 432 - Chapter 432: Killing Chu Tianbao Is More Important Chapter 432: Killing Chu Tianbao Is More Important Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios If Emperor Ling Hui could not be sure before, now it was definitely Chu Tianbao who had kidnapped Noble Consort Ling. Otherwise, Gou Houxing would not have run away silently. Apart from that brat, no one could make Gou Houxing move. This way, they could confirm the direction they had fled in. Emperor Ling Hui ordered again that they must strictly investigate all the customs entrances in the southern frontier. They must not miss out the water and mountain path. Commander Zhang was even more puzzled. If this kidnapper was the Young General, what was he trying to do by sending Noble Consort Ling to the southern frontier? Even if he wanted to use Noble Consort Ling to threaten Emperor Ling Hui, this was too far away. Was he not afraid that Emperor Ling Hui will forget about Noble Consort Ling after finding an even more beautiful woman? Commander Zhang could not figure it out, so he could not be bothered to dwell on it. In any case, he would naturally know after capturing the person. The checks at all the customs entrances in the Southern Frontier had become abnormally strict, but they had never found Chu Tianbao¡¯s whereabouts. At the thought of Gu Chilie hugging his wife and son, Emperor Ling Hui almost couldn¡¯t help but want to look for them himself. Chu Mingxuan was also very anxious. He went to look for Quan Jiuzhou a few times, but there was no result. On a small mountain in the Jing state, Noble Consort Ling, who had been traveling at high speed, fell ill. Even after taking the medicine, she had to recuperate for a few days. Noble Consort Ling knew that Chu Tianbao was in a hurry to return to the southern frontier and was determined not to find a place to rest. However, her body was tortured by Quan Qiaorong and could not take any more blows. Chu Tianbao found a small mountain courtyard and asked Noble Consort Ling to recuperate. Seeing that he would take out a piece of wood to carve when he had nothing to do, Gou Houxing leaned closer and saw that it actually looked like a woman. Her facial features were still unclear, but one could tell that she was a beauty. Gou Houxing was instantly as excited as a husky. ¡°Is this Sister-in-law?¡± He thought that Chu Tianbao would not answer, but Chu Tianbao actually said, ¡°Yes, my wife.¡± His tone was filled with pride. Gou Houxing suddenly widened his eyes in disbelief and shock that Chu Tianbao would actually get married. He stammered, ¡°Brother, you¡¯re married?¡± Chu Tianbao suddenly smiled. ¡°Yes.¡± The young general did not get close to women. He was known as the cold-faced Lord of Death. Now, he was smiling so intoxicated and infatuated! Gou Houxing really wondered if his young general had been changed. However, he also admired his sister-in-law, whom he had yet to meet, for being able to tame the Lone Wolf. ¡°Sister-in-law must be very beautiful, gentle, and virtuous!¡± Chu Tianbao smiled again, his eyes filled with gentle affection. ¡°Yes.¡± It was as if there was no woman more beautiful, gentle, and virtuous than Bai Wutong in this world. After watching his display of affections, Gou Houxing wanted to sneak up the mountain to get a pheasant, but he heard Chu Tianbao say in an extremely boastful tone, ¡°When you go back, you¡¯ll be an uncle.¡± Gou Houxing¡¯s eyes widened. That was fast! In the blink of an eye, he was excited for Chu Tianbao. ¡°That¡¯s great. I¡¯m going to be an uncle. No, I have to prepare some greeting gifts for Sister-in-law and nephew!¡± Chu Tianbao continued to carve the wooden block in his hand. ¡°You don¡¯t have to give anything too expensive.¡± Gou Houxing was happy for him from the bottom of his heart and said enviously, ¡°Later, Big Brother, please get Sister-in-law to introduce me to a woman too!¡± Chu Tianbao glanced at him and actually agreed. ¡°Okay.¡± Gou Houxing shouted excitedly, ¡°Sister-in-law is so kind! What does Sister-in-law like? Oh my, does Big Brother have money? Lend me some.¡± He was not like Chu Tianbao, who could do anything and could even make mini figurines. It was better to buy something on the way so that he wouldn¡¯t make a fool of himself the first time they met. Chu Tianbao reached into his pocket and handed him a piece of silver. Gou Houxing took a look. ¡°Only one tael of silver? Brother, are you a miser?¡± Chu Tianbao looked up. ¡°Are you a Gold Devouring Beast?¡± Gou Houxing was speechless. You win. One tael was enough. One tael could buy dozens of rattle drums. Noble Consort Ling had recuperated for three days. When she recovered, she continued on the way. Commander Zhang chased desperately and finally brought his men to the Three Gorges Pass. This was the only path that led to the southern frontier. Noble Consort Ling¡¯s body was weak, so Chu Tianbao would definitely not bring her to dangerous places. Commander Zhang led a big wolf dog and led his men to completely block the Three Gorges Pass. Chu Tianbao gave the dark guards and Gou Houxing a look, and they knew that they were preparing to break through forcefully. Before Noble Consort Ling could reach Commander Zhang, the big wolf dog began to bark wildly. Commander Zhang suddenly looked nervous and ordered everyone, ¡°No one is allowed to move!¡± He led the big wolf dog towards Noble Consort Ling¡¯s location. Suddenly, a group of mysterious black-clothed people appeared at the Three Gorges Pass. They had no scruples and kept throwing explosives at the crowd, shooting arrows. Chu Tianbao reacted quickly and protected Noble Consort Ling behind him. The dark guards also pulled out their weapons and blocked the arrows from all directions. Before Commander Zhang could be happy to find Noble Consort Ling and the Young General, he was shocked. Who wanted to kill the Noble Consort Ling? If Noble Consort Ling died in front of him, the consequences would definitely be worse than if he didn¡¯t bring her back. Commander Zhang made a prompt decision. ¡°Stop them quickly!¡± There were many people in black and their strength was outstanding. They even kept throwing explosives, completely ignoring the fact that there were still innocent people there. They seemed to be bent on capturing Noble Consort Ling, Chu Tianbao, and the others in one fell swoop. Commander Zhang dodged the explosives and shouted, ¡°Protect Noble Consort Ling!!!¡± The palace guards formed a shield to protect Chu Tianbao and the others. Without Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s instructions, they would definitely not do this. A trace of heartache flashed across Noble Consort Ling¡¯s sad eyes. Even so, she did not want to return to the golden silk cage in the palace. The black-clothed people had the upper hand, and many of the imperial guards were injured or dead. Commander Zhang said, ¡°Young General, take Noble Consort Ling and leave quickly. Well cover you!¡± Chu Tianbao did not stand on ceremony and led Noble Consort Ling out of the encirclement. The black-clothed men quickly gave up on dealing with Commander Zhang and chased after Chu Tianbao and Noble Consort Ling. Commander Zhang hurriedly led his men to catch up. ¡°Quick, stop them!¡± Chu Tianbao was stopped and the two sides fought. A powerful black-clothed man suddenly attacked Noble Consort Ling at the speed of a meteor. Chu Tianbao¡¯s palm collided with him. Not only could this person take his palm, but he could also counterattack. Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes suddenly turned cold as he pushed Noble Consort Ling to Gou Houxing. ¡°Leave first!¡± Gou Houxing nodded solemnly. The dark guards and the imperial guards fought their way out. The powerful black-clothed man stopped them again. Chu Tianbao pulled out his sword and fought with all his might. The two of them fought like quicksand. Sword light danced and collided with each other, producing surging sparks. Compared to killing Noble Consort Ling, killing Chu Tianbao was more important. Apart from a small number of black-clothed people who went to chase after Noble Consort Ling, the others all aimed their attacks at Chu Tianbao. Commander Zhang was severely injured, and the Imperial Army had suffered countless casualties. Chu Tianbao was still fighting the black-clothed man. From time to time, he had to divert his attention to deal with the sneak attacks of the others. Suddenly, another group of masked men in black appeared. Commander Zhang¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and he thought that it was over. However, in the blink of an eye, two waves of men in black actually started fighting! Chapter 433 - Chapter 433:1 Won’t Shave Your Fur Chapter 433:1 Won¡¯t Shave Your Fur Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Commander Zhang held his injured arm and watched as they fought in a dazzling manner. It took him a long time to react. The new wave of black-clothed people was here to help them. Commander Zhang immediately ordered the imperial guards, ¡°Cut down the black-clothed people who are not wearing masks!¡± The imperial guards rushed forward. The disparity in strength between the two sides was even, and they even had the upper hand. Chu Tianbao and the Nine Heavens cooperated. The powerful black-clothed men were far from being a match for them. They lowered their eyes and quickly retreated. The remaining black-clothed men also retreated quickly. Those who were injured could not escape. As soon as Commander Zhang caught one, the man would bite through the poison in his back teeth and commit suicide. He turned around and saw that the other men in black were all dead. It seemed that they would not be able to find anything out. Commander Zhang was about to persuade the Young General to go back with him. From the looks of it, as long as Noble Consort Ling was intact, Emperor Ling Hui probably wouldn¡¯t do anything to him. He turned around and saw that he was gone. Commander Zhang was shocked and heard his Left Guard say, ¡°Commander Zhang, they¡¯re going in that direction!¡± Commander Zhang widened his eyes and took a look. Good lord, they had run away in just a short while. The young general seemed to have become a horse. He slapped the left guard¡¯s head hard. ¡°Don¡¯t you know to ask me to chase after him, idiot!¡± The left guard rubbed his aching head and said honestly, ¡°1 thought you weren¡¯t chasing anymore!¡± Commander Zhang was exasperated. ¡°Then hurry up and chase after him!¡± ¡°Uh-oh¡ª¡± If this person ran away from the Three Gorges Pass, it would be difficult to chase after him again. Commander Zhang mounted his horse and chased after them crazily. Chu Tianbao was also forced to the edge of a cliff by Nine Heaven. Nine Heavens said respectfully, ¡°Young General, please follow me back.¡± Nine Heaven¡¯s martial arts were a third stronger than Chu Tianbao¡¯s, but because of Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s order not to hurt Chu Tianbao, he could only follow behind and stop Chu Tianbao. Behind Chu Tianbao was the cliff. Nine Heavens was afraid that he would rather die than return. He flew forward and tried to restrain him. The moment he stepped forward, Chu Tianbao took out his pistol and pulled the trigger. Nine Heavens was shocked and barely avoided the attacks at his vital points. The bullet hit his right arm. In just an instant, Nine Heavens attacked Chu Tianbao again with a normal expression. An expert like Nine Heavens could not withstand the speed of the bullet at all. Chu Tianbao only used it unexpectedly. His body flashed and he jumped off the cliff without hesitation. Nine Heavens quickly grabbed, but he could only watch as Chu Tianbao fell into the rapid river. When Commander Zhang rushed over and saw this scene, his heart immediately rose to his throat and he did not even dare to breathe loudly. If the Young General was dead and he could bring Noble Consort Ling back, he should be able to keep his life!!! Nine Heavens stood up and looked in the direction of the river. He suddenly ordered, ¡°Go after Noble Consort Ling.¡± As long as he caught up to Noble Consort Ling, Chu Tianbao would definitely appear. Commander Zhang asked foolishly, ¡°Brother, who are you?¡± He was stealing credit from him. Nine Heavens ignored him and reached out to dig the bullet out of his arm. He even took a closer look, as if he felt that this mysterious weapon was interesting. His arm was bleeding profusely. Commander Zhang kindly handed him a handkerchief. Nine Heavens glanced at the handkerchief, poured in the medicine, took it unceremoniously, and tied it up. In the next second, he flipped over and jumped. He snatched Commander Zhang¡¯s horse and ran. Commander Zhang¡¯s face was covered in dirt. He stomped his feet on the spot. Did he still have a conscience? Was he even human!!! Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s orders were to bring Chu Tianbao and Noble Consort Ling back. Otherwise, he would be killed. Commander Zhang¡¯s intuition told him that if he followed Nine Heavens, it would be easier for him to find them. He found another horse and quickly followed. ¡°Tianbao¡ª¡± From her nightmare, Bai Wutong recalled the scene of Chu Tianbao falling off the cliff and still had lingering fears. She touched her stomach. The child kicked twice, as if to comfort her that his father would be fine. Bai Wutong was still a little sad. She took Chu Tianbao¡¯s doll, hugged it, and kissed it. ¡°Tianbao, how long will it be before you come back? I miss you so much¡­¡± No one responded to her. Bai Wutong sighed deeply and lay down again to close her eyes. The child in her stomach was growing bigger, and it was pressing more on her spine. Even a good sleep was extravagant. Especially since the weather was hot and humid, it made people extremely irritable. She remained sleepy for a long time before she slowly fell asleep. It was clearly autumn, but the weather in the southern frontier was even hotter than in summer. The surface temperature at noon was almost 45 degrees. Bai Wutong¡¯s imperial study room had a special device to dehumidify and relieve heat. It didn¡¯t seem to have any effect anymore. After all, it was not an air-conditioner, but it was already much cooler than elsewhere. Xiaobai¡¯s family loved to play together. Now, they were all lying on the ground languidly like boneless fur carpets. Stinky ran in and stepped on Xiaobai without noticing. Xiaobai jumped up and was about to howl when it saw that the person was Stinky. Thinking of their friendship over the past few years, it let it go. It fell to the ground listlessly and sprawled out. It did not seem to have any image at all. Stinky was here to look for Bai Wutong and show her the blueprint of his latest small house. When he saw that Xiaobai was soft and listless, Stinky squatted on the ground and pinched Xiaobai¡¯s handsome double chin. ¡°Xiaobai, are you sick? 1¡¯11 bring you for an injection!¡± Bai Wutong had begun to popularize the basic vaccine for the children. Stinky had been injected several times. Sheng Huaixuan said that he would not get sick as long as he was injected. He did not want Xiaobai to get sick, so he wanted to take Xiaobai for an injection. Lin Yue chuckled. ¡°How can Xiaobai get an injection? It¡¯s a wolf. The doctor won¡¯t give it an injection.¡± Bai Wutong had been busy with work. She only thought that Xiaobai was too hot. But when Stinky suddenly said that he wanted to give Xiaobai an injection, only then did Bai Wutong feel that something was wrong with Xiaobai. She walked closer and saw that Xiaobai¡¯s white teeth were dry and there were skin flakes on its nose. It was panting heavily and its eyes were unfocused. It was obvious that it was having a heatstroke. Bai Wutong looked at Xiaobai¡¯s wife and children again. Only Xiaobai had such symptoms. She suddenly remembered that Xiaobai was originally a gray wolf breed that lived in Youjia village. It might not be used to the high temperature. Bai Wutong asked the dark guard to carry Xiaobai and went straight to Gu Zhongxun¡¯s consultation room. When he saw Bai Wutong, he thought that she was feeling unwell. ¡°Why is the Great Empress here?¡± Bai Wutong said, ¡°Xiaobai seems to have had a heatstroke. Please help it take a look!¡± Heat stroke was an acute disease. It was so serious that it could even cause convulsions and comas. There had to be a safe way to deal with it. Gu Zhongxun immediately checked Xiaobai¡¯s pulse. After a while, he said to Bai Wutong, ¡°It¡¯s heatstroke. I¡¯ll prescribe it some medicine and try to prevent it from a high-temperature environment. Drink more water. If it¡¯s really hot, help Xiaobai shave its fur!¡± Xiaobai suddenly jumped up and glared at Gu Zhongxun, wanting to protect its beautiful fur. Wolf fur had the effect of resisting the cold and could also prevent and control skin diseases. It was not good to shave it casually. Bai Wutong pressed it down. ¡°I¡¯m not shaving your fur.. Behave yourself and take your medicine first!¡± Chapter 434 - Chapter 434:I Won’t Ask You About It Anymore Chapter 434:I Won¡¯t Ask You About It Anymore Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Anything was fine so long as it did not need to shave its fur. Xiaobai lay down like a master again. It looked at Gu Zhongxun with shifty eyes. The medicine that Gu Zhongxun prescribed for Xiaobai was a common heatstroke medicine. It was produced in the workshop. Xiaobai ate two according to the child¡¯s dosage and drank some salt water. Bai Wutong brought it back and settled it in the coolest place in the villa area. It had to rest well that day and take another medicine at night. When they heard that Xiaobai was sick, Cui Muzhi and Lan Jingbai came to visit and even brought Xiaobai delicious beef. Xiaobai smelled the beef and instantly changed from its lazy appearance. It ran excitedly to Cui Muzhi and Lan Jingbai and sat in front of them, waiting to be fed. Its wife and children also followed. Faced with a group of furry animals, Cui Muzhi rubbed left and right lovingly. Soon, the beef jerky in his hand was gone. As soon as the beef jerky was gone, Xiaobai gave Cui Muzhi a cold and heartless look and slipped away with his wife and children. Cui Muzhi said happily, ¡°Xiaobai is so heartless.¡± Lan Jingbai chuckled. ¡°Yes.¡± Bai Wutong took out the iced watermelons from the well to entertain them. Xiaobai led the entire family over and sniffed the watermelon. He stuck out his tongue and licked it before nudging Bai Wutong¡¯s leg with his head. Bai Wutong stroked its head and instructed the servants, ¡°Prepare some for them. Not too much.¡± After all, wolves were carnivorous. They could eat some fruits, but they would have diarrhea if they ate too much. Cui Muzhi ate the watermelon and sighed. ¡°It¡¯s sweet and cold. It will definitely taste better when made into a crispy mountain!¡± Cui Muzhi was studying at Qinghe Academy. At the same time, he opened a dessert shop. When he had nothing to do, he liked to invent new products. Every time he came to Bai Wutong¡¯s place, he would always receive some pointers and inspiration. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°You can make it.¡± Cui Muzhi said, ¡°Without ice stored in advance, we can only wait until next year.¡± When the ancient people used ice, most of them had to build an icehouse first and store the ice in winter. Then they would use it in summer. They did not know how to use saltpeter, so they could only turn water into ice. Wherever Bai Wutong went, the temperature would be controlled to an appropriate range. If it was too cold, she would be worried about catching a cold and affecting the child in her stomach. Cold food was rarely seen in her usual diet. Watermelons were considered cold and she could only eat a small piece. After all, she had been poisoned previously. Her child might be weak at birth, so she paid special attention to her diet. It was already past summer, so she did not care about using ice. Bai Wutong suddenly smiled. She had always wanted everyone to invent a refrigerator and icehouse so that they could better store food, but she had forgotten to teach everyone to use saltpeter to make ice. It was true that pregnancy made one stupid for three years. Bai Wutong said, ¡°Without ice, we can make ice.¡± ¡®Making ice?¡¯ Cui Muzhi blurted out curiously, ¡°How do we make it?¡± If he could make ice, wouldn¡¯t he be able to survive the weather? Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°I also read about it in a book. Whether it works or not, we still have to experiment. Go and prepare some purified saltpeter.¡± Saltpeter was usually used to make gunpowder. How could it be used to make ice? Cui Muzhi was really too curious. He immediately stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll go now.¡± He was afraid that Bai Wutong would forget to teach him when she got busy later. Saltpeter was often used to make black gunpowder, fuses, glass, fireworks, and so on. It was very common in Carefree City. After a while, Cui Muzhi bought pure saltpeter. Bai Wutong also prepared a jar and a container larger than a jar to fill the jar and container with water at the same time. Then, she placed the jar in a large container and kept putting the saltpeter in the container. After a while, the water in the jar gradually froze and emitted shocking cold air. Cui Lingren and Lan Jingbai were both shocked by the magical scene. Knowing that all the water in the jar had frozen, they were still in a daze for a long time. Bai Wutong ordered someone to take out the jar and pour the ice into the glass. The crystal clear ice shone under the sunlight. It was beautiful and resplendent, symbolizing extraordinary intelligence. The ice that should have been stored in winter was actually made so easily by Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°You can make crispy mountains now.¡± Cui Muzhi was pleasantly surprised. ¡°Yes, I can make crispy mountains and add ice to the sour plum soup.¡± Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± After the saltpeter was melted in water, it could also be extracted and reused by cooling the crystal or evaporating the crystal. Bai Wutong tried the evaporation crystal method. This was relatively simple. It just so happened that the laboratory on the second floor could operate it. Not long after, the crystallized saltpeter appeared in everyone¡¯s line of sight again. Cui Muzhi¡¯s eyes widened. The consumption of saltpeter each time was too little. Compared to digging a cellar to store ice, it was convenient and fast. The cost was also low. It was simply a huge profit. Cui Muzhi asked secretly, ¡°Great Empress, can I use this method to make ice?¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°Of course you can. Others will know too.¡± Making ice with saltpeter relied on an important chemical principle. It was a classic example that had to be added to the textbooks. Cui Muzhi did not plan to use it to earn money. He was already satisfied that Bai Wutong could let him use this method to make ice. After Cui Muzhi and Lan Jingbai left, Xiaobai leaned over. Bai Wutong took out two ice cubes for it. Xiaobai took a bite and the cold sensation pierced into the tip of its teeth. Xiaobai spat it out again and widened its eyes in vigilance. Its comical appearance was abnormally cute. Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°It can be eaten.¡± Xiaobai took another step forward and licked the ice with its tongue. It was cold and like water. Xiaobai¡¯s eyes lit up and it started biting. The wolf cubs also came over to ask for ice. Their gazes melted one¡¯s heart. Bai Wutong stroked their heads. She gave each wolf an ice cube. Cui Muzhi returned and quickly made many flavors of crispy mountains with ice. Unlike the single-flavored crispy mountain, he added a large amount of cream and fresh fruits to the crispy mountain. In the end, he poured special jam on it and poured fruit tea. It was bright and had a strange shape. At a glance, it made one¡¯s appetite increase. Cui Muzhi would let Lan Jingbai try every flavor. It was the season for mangoes to ripen. The rich mango fragrance was mixed with grapes, lemon juice, and mint. Cui Muzhi said expectantly, ¡°Hurry up and try this crispy mountain. There are mangoes that Huang Zhong just sent over. This fruit is very delicious. I think you should like it too.¡± Lan Jingbai used Cui Muzhi¡¯s special glass fork spoon to put it into his mouth. The mango was sweet and delicious, and the ice melted in his mouth. The lemon and mint were refreshing and not too strong, and the combination of sweet and sour fruit jam was delicious. Lan Jingbai said affirmatively, ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± His evaluation of every crispy mountain was three words. It was delicious! Cui Muzhi smiled and sighed. ¡°Can¡¯t you say more? For example, which one tastes better!¡± Lan Jingbai did not have high expectations for food. When he met Cui Muzhi¡¯s expectant gaze, he thought for a moment. ¡°The food you make is very delicious. I like it very much.¡± It was the same as not answering. Cui Muzhi¡¯s ears turned red and he looked proud. ¡°Hmph, forget it. I won¡¯t ask you again if it¡¯s so easy to feed you..¡± Chapter 435 - Chapter 435: Get Back With Me! Chapter 435: Get Back With Me! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Yes, as long as there¡¯s food.¡± Cui Muzhi¡¯s eyes widened and his ears turned even redder. ¡°Who wants to feed you! Hmph!¡± Lan Jingbai looked disappointed. ¡°Can¡¯t I?¡± Cui Muzhi pretended to be reluctant, but he couldn¡¯t hide the smile on his face. ¡°Then finish this.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Cui Muzhi watched him eat one bite after another. ¡°What should we name it? The mango is yellow and refreshing.¡± Lan Jingbai looked up. ¡°Yellow crispy mountain.¡± Cui Muzhi was stunned. ¡°That¡¯s too unpleasant sounding.¡± Lan Jingbai said again, ¡°Mango crispy mountain.¡± Cui Muzhi sighed. ¡°I¡¯d better ask someone else.¡± Lan Jingbai chuckled. His distinctive facial features were gentle and bright. Cui Muzhi¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and two words immediately appeared in his mind. Summer lover. ¡°What?¡± Lan Jingbai looked puzzled. Only then did Cui Muzhi react. He had just muttered it and his face instantly became ripe like tomatoes. He stammered, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Hurry up and eat!¡± After Lan Jingbai finished the entire bowl of crispy mountain, Cui Muzhi wanted to look for Qin Xiao to design a promotional sign. Lan Jingbai wanted to follow, so Cui Muzhi immediately shook his head. ¡°No, you can¡¯t go!¡± Lan Jingbai did not ask further. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll wait for you to come back.¡± Cui Muzhi stole a glance at him and ran away guiltily. When they arrived at Qin Xiao¡¯s studio, everyone was busy. Qin Xiao and Cui Muzhi had a good relationship. Everyone in the studio knew him, so they led him into Qin Xiao¡¯s workspace. The hot weather made Qin Xiao a little frustrated. He was dissatisfied after drawing a few blueprints. Cui Muzhi walked closer and picked up his discarded blueprints. ¡°Isn¡¯t this good? Why did you throw it away?¡± Qin Xiao said, ¡°I keep feeling like something is missing.¡± Cui Muzhi smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯re asking too much.¡± ¡°The drawings for all the students must be perfect.¡± Cui Muzhi was extremely impressed. ¡°Then if you don¡¯t have time, can you find someone to design a new sign for me?¡± Qin Xiao had just designed the packaging of a dessert box for him and even produced a series of souvenirs. He had already developed a new product so quickly. He couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What kind of sign do you want? I¡¯ll squeeze out some time to draw it for you and let someone else be in charge of docking with the workshop.¡± Cui Muzhi smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ve developed several fruit-flavored crispy mountains. I want to make a signboard on the wall and want a few good-looking posters.¡± Qin Xiao was feeling hot. When he heard the word crispy mountain, he felt a chill run down his spine. ¡°How did you make crispy mountain without ice?¡± Most of the information among the 30 families of Qinghe was shared. The Qin family did not store ice, so the Cui family naturally did not either. Cui Muzhi smiled and said, ¡°The Great Empress just told me a way to make ice.¡± Qin Xiao was immediately shocked. ¡°It can actually be used to make ice?¡± Cui Muzhi nodded. Qin Xiao took a deep breath. The Great Empress was too good to Cui Muzhi. If he had known long ago, he would have tried to build a relationship with Bai Wutong. Thinking of Chu Tianbao, who had never left Bai Wutong¡¯s side, Qin Xiao felt that if time had gone back, he would not have been able to build a relationship with her. The weather was very hot, and everyone was thinking of ways to make ice. Qin Xiao was envious, but he knew his limits and asked Cui Muzhi to teach him. ¡°When are you selling it? I want to be the first to support you.¡± Cui Muzhi smiled and said, ¡°Hurry up and help me design it. Then I can quickly release the new products.¡± Qin Xiao said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll draw it tonight. You can come back to check on it tomorrow.¡± Cui Muzhi nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll also design two types of crispy mountain plates. Help me modify them.¡± Cui Muzhi looked like he did not care about his studies. But he was also taught by many masters in different aspects. Any of his painting could beat an entire street. Qin Xiao said affirmatively, ¡°Do you still need me to change it? You can even come to my place to be a master.¡± Cui Muzhi laughed. ¡°How can I be as outstanding as Brother Qin? I¡¯m counting on you for my shop in the future.¡± The two of them flattered each other. Cui Muzhi happily wrote down the words ¡®summer lover¡¯. When he returned home, he realized that Lan Jingbai¡¯s face was covered in a terrifying rash. Lan Jingbai had yet to notice when Cui Muzhi rushed over and held his face. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Madam Cui wanted to see what her son had been up to recently, but she bumped into this scene before she could enter the room. The surging shock hit her chest. After calming down, she quickly retreated and gestured for the maidservants to remain silent as she fled. Lan Jingbai saw Madam Cui leave in a hurry. His lowered eyelids were obscure as he shook his head at Cui Muzhi. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Cui Muzhi frowned. ¡°You still say you¡¯re fine? It¡¯s never been like this. You¡¯re not allergic to seafood either!¡± If it wasn¡¯t seafood, then it might be caused by other reasons. ¡°Come with me to see a doctor.¡± Lan Jingbai said distractedly, ¡°I should be fine after applying some ointment.¡± ¡°Do you know what ointment to apply? Come with me!¡± Before Lan Jingbai could refuse, Cui Muzhi pulled him out of the door. Lan Jingbai quietly broke free from his hand and came to Gu Zhongxun¡¯s consultation room. Gu Zhongxun was about to finish work and eat with Wen Renhua when Cui Muzhi rushed in. Gu Zhongxun thought that it was something serious. He only glanced at Lan Jingbai and said, ¡°You¡¯re allergic. Is it seafood?¡± Cui Muzhi said for him, ¡°He¡¯s not allergic to seafood. Last time, we were roasting prawns by the sea.¡± As Gu Zhongxun brought him medicine, he asked, ¡°Then what food have you eaten recently? Or have you come into contact with anything?¡± Cui Muzhi thought for a moment. ¡°Will he be allergic to mangoes? I gave him somemangoes. He¡¯s never eaten them before.¡± Gu Zhongxun had never taken on a patient who was allergic to mangoes, but Wen Renhua had one. ¡°That should be a mango allergic reaction. His symptoms are not too serious, but it¡¯s better not to eat it in the future. If you eat too much, you will have blisters, a rotten face, and an acute death.¡± Acute death! Cui Muzhi was really frightened. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault for letting you eat mangoes.¡± Lan Jingbai shook his head. ¡°You don¡¯t know either. It was all an accident.¡± Wen Renhua looked at them meaningfully and reminded, ¡°Don¡¯t scratch if you feel itchy. Your skin will fester and become worse. You¡¯ll be fine after applying medicine for three days.¡± Cui Muzhi hurriedly thanked him. As soon as he received the medicine, he was about to apply it on Lan Jingbai. Wen Renhua said to them, ¡°Remember to help us close the door. We¡¯ll leave first.¡± Cui Muzhi nodded. As soon as Wen Renhua and Gu Zhongxun went out, Cui Shiji appeared at the door. His face was filled with anger. He greeted Wen Renhua and pushed the door open. Seeing that Cui Muzhi was applying medicine for Lan Jingbai, he immediately scolded, ¡°Get back with me!¡± Startled, Cui Muzhi dropped the medicine. ¡°What?¡± Cui Shiji¡¯s eyes widened in anger. ¡°Hurry up and leave!¡± Cui Muzhi did not know how he had provoked his father. He picked up the ointment and stuffed it into Lan Jingbai¡¯s hand. He walked up to him obediently and looked back at Lan Jingbai. Cui Shize was even angrier.. ¡°What are you looking at? Walk properly!¡± Chapter 436 - Chapter 436: Are You Angry That I’m Embarrassing You! Chapter 436: Are You Angry That I¡¯m Embarrassing You! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Cui Muzhi and Cui Shiji walked further and further away. Lan Jingbai looked at the ointment in his hand and smiled bitterly. The flickering oil lamp was like his uneasy soul at this moment. In the Cui family¡¯s study. Cui Shiji glared at his son for ten minutes before suddenly saying, ¡°You¡¯re not young anymore. It¡¯s time to get married! Tomorrow, I¡¯ll let your mother choose a good girl for you!¡± Cui Muzhi jumped up and objected. ¡°No!¡± Cui Shiji blew his beard and glared. ¡°Nonsense. Marriage is a big deal that you have to listen to your parents and the matchmaker!¡± Cui Muzhi immediately retorted, ¡°The Great Empress even advocates mutual love!¡± Cui Shiji was exasperated. ¡°As long as I¡¯m alive, you have to listen to me if you want to get married!¡± ¡°Then I don¡¯t want to get married now!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no room for discussion. A man has to start a family to understand what responsibility is.¡± Cui Muzhi complained, ¡°Don¡¯t I have you to support me!¡± Cui Shiji looked at him coldly. ¡°This family will be handed over to you sooner or later!¡± Cui Muzhi could also tell that Cui Shiji knew so he no longer held in. ¡°But I really don¡¯t want to get married. If you let me marry a girl, won¡¯t you be harming her?¡± Cui Shiji smashed the table and pointed at his nose. ¡°Get lost!¡± Cui Muzhi left, making Cui Shiji even angrier. The men in his family had been fine for generations. How did he become like this? No, he had to think of a way to change him back. Cui Shiji came to Lan Jingbai¡¯s room and cast a shadow on him. He looked at the child he had seen growing up and had mixed feelings. Lan Jingbai knelt piously. ¡°It¡¯s all Jingbai¡¯s fault.¡± Cui Shiji looked down at him. For the first time, he used his authority as the head of the family and ordered, ¡°Go join the army. From now on, you¡¯re no longer a member of our Cui family. Don¡¯t meet Muzhi again.¡± Lan Jingbai was silent for a long time. ¡°Okay.¡± Cui Shiji said, ¡°I¡¯ll arrange it for you. You shall leave for Baye tonight!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Cui Shiji glanced at him and sighed heavily. ¡°Jingbai, don¡¯t disappoint me.¡± If Cui Shiji had not picked him up back then, he would have died. Lan Jingbai looked up and had already made his choice. ¡°Master, take care!¡± Cui Muzhi did not sleep well that night. He wanted to look for Lan Jingbai, but he was afraid that Lan Jingbai would be worried, so he endured it until the next day. When he realized that Lan Jingbai was missing, he looked around for him. Everyone in the family said that they had not seen Lan Jingbai before Cui Muzhi realized something. He panicked and immediately ran to the study to look for Cui Shiji. ¡°Where¡¯s Jingbai? Where did you ask him to go?¡± Cui Shiji didn¡¯t even look at him. ¡°How would I know?¡± he said calmly. Cui Muzhi was anxious. ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me, I¡¯ll go look for him!¡± Cui Shiji sneered. ¡°Sure, go find him. If you find him, don¡¯t come back. I don¡¯t have a son like you either!¡± Cui Muzhi¡¯s eyes were red. ¡°Father! I always thought you were a reasonable person. How can you vent your anger on him like this?¡± Cui Shiji stood up and slammed the table. ¡°So what if I¡¯m not reasonable!¡± Both sides were in a tense state and unable to communicate. Madam Cui hurriedly rushed over and advised, ¡°Muzhi, how can you make your father angry? He¡¯s doing this for your own good.¡± Madam Cui¡¯s words were like a thousand-pound hammer pressing on Cui Muzhi¡¯s chest. He said fiercely, ¡°I¡¯ll never get married in my life!¡± Cui Shiji picked up the pen holder and smashed it at him. ¡°How dare you!¡± Cui Muzhi did not dodge. He took a blow and his gaze was firm. ¡°I¡¯ll leave now!¡± Cui Shiji was completely annoyed. ¡°Someone, lock him up!¡± Cui Muzhi rushed out with all his might. The guards rushed forward and quickly restrained him. ¡°Let go of me! Let go!¡± Cui Muzhi was locked up. Cui Shiji sat on the desk dispiritedly, as if he had aged several years overnight. Madam Cui comforted him carefully. ¡°Muzhi has always listened to Little Jiu since he was young. Why don¡¯t we let her persuade him?¡± Cui Shiji did not want more people to know, so he looked hesitant. ¡°The young man is just being impulsive and doesn¡¯t know what the right person is at all. With Little Jiu¡¯s guidance, he will understand. It¡¯s already like this. It¡¯s not good to keep him locked up.¡± Cui Shize nodded and agreed to Madam Cui¡¯s suggestion. The room was in chaos. Cui Muzhi sat in a corner in a daze, no longer in his usual high spirits. Cui Lingyi sat at the table. ¡°Muzhi, I brought lychee-flavored Phoenix Tail Wine. Want a glass?¡± Cui Muzhi¡¯s voice was hoarse and pitiful. ¡°Cousin, can you help me escape?¡± Cui Lingyi filled his cup. ¡°Muzhi, so what if I help you escape? Do you really have the courage to face the judgment of the world?¡± The southern frontier was open-minded, but 90% of the people in Carefree City were still from the Central Plains! Cui Muzhi stared at the wine glass and thought for a long time. He suddenly picked it up and drank it in one gulp, his gaze firm. ¡°I can!¡± Cui Lingyi filled his glass again. ¡°What about Jingbai? Why did he leave without saying goodbye?¡± The anger that Cui Muzhi had condensed dissipated in an instant. ¡°Jingbai¡­¡± Perhaps it was not that he did not have the courage, but that he could not face the Cui family¡¯s kindness. Cui Muzhi picked up his glass and drank it in one gulp. The usually mellow wine was now extremely bitter. Cui Muzhi seemed to have grown up overnight. He no longer made a fuss to look for Lan Jingbai. Instead, Cui Shiji felt a little uneasy when he let him out, as if he had done something wrong. After secretly observing for a few days, Cui Muzhi returned to normal. Only then did Cui Shiji feel relieved for the time being. After many days, the crispy mountain was launched in the dessert shop. Looking at the new signboard, Cui Muzhi finally revealed a faint smile. The various fruit-flavored crispy mountains were unanimously praised by everyone. The dessert shop¡¯s business was booming, so Cui Muzhi had no choice but to add a new window outside the shop. There was no space in the shop, so everyone could take it away. The weather was so hot. It was an incomparable pleasure to be able to eat crispy mountains. Madam Zhang of Qinghe could not stand the heat. She bought some ice cubes from Cui Muzhi and went back to make heat relief juice for her husband and children. The heat relief juice made by her own family was naturally not as delicious as the one specially developed by the dessert shop. However, there was ice inside, so it was still welcomed by her family. Seeing that her husband was drinking so readily, Madam Zhang couldn¡¯t help but say sourly, ¡°The Great Empress is too good to the Cui family. She only gave Cui Muzhi the method to make ice.¡± ¡°If only we could make ice too. We wouldn¡¯t have to spend the money to dig the icehouse. We can use it whenever we want.¡± ¡°If I go to the Great Empress, will she tell me how to make ice?¡± Patriarch Zhang glanced at her. ¡°The Great Empress can give it to whoever she wants. Don¡¯t cause trouble and let others hear it.¡± ¡°Just like how if you have something good, you will still prioritize giving it to those close to you. Do your job well and catch the Great Empress¡¯s eye first!¡± When Madam Zhang heard Patriarch Zhang mocking her, she snorted. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ve embarrassed you? Why are you drinking the sour plum soup then!¡± Master Zhang was speechless. He said, ¡°Unreasonable,¡± and returned to the study.. Chapter 437 - Chapter 437: This Should Be Very Suitable for Eating Fish Chapter 437: This Should Be Very Suitable for Eating Fish Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Madam Zhang was just asking casually. It was not that they could not afford ice, but she felt that the Great Empress favored the Cui family too much and was a little unhappy. After being rebuked by Patriarch Zhang, Madam Zhang looked at the sour plum soup in the cup and shouted irritably, ¡°So annoying!¡± Her daughter suddenly walked in and said to Madam Zhang, ¡°Mother, it¡¯s so hot. I want to eat crispy mountains.¡± Madam Zhang was in a frustrated mood. ¡°Eat what? We just drank iced sour plum soup. Aren¡¯t you afraid of having a stomachache!¡± Zhang Tiantian licked the corners of her mouth. ¡°It¡¯s not as delicious as the crispy mountain. Mother, let¡¯s go eat the crispy mountain!¡± Madam Zhang frowned. ¡°Annoying!¡± Then she asked the steward, ¡°How much ice is left? Make a bowl of crispy mountain for Miss.¡± The steward said, ¡°Madam, there are still two small buckets.¡± ¡°Why is there only so little left?¡± The steward hurriedly explained, ¡°The weather was hot, so it melted a lot after I bought it.¡± Madam Zhang thought that two small buckets were enough to make a crispy mountain. ¡°Alright, make her a small bowl. She¡¯s a girl, so don¡¯t be too greedy!¡± If not for the fact that the weather in the southern frontier was really too different from Qinghe, Madam Zhang would definitely not agree to her young daughter eating crispy mountains. Zhang Tiantian pouted in dissatisfaction. ¡°I want to eat the crispy mountain in Brother Cui¡¯s shop!¡± Madam Zhang glanced at her coldly. ¡°Then don¡¯t eat!¡± Zhang Tiantian forced herself to say, ¡°I¡¯ll still eat it!¡± Not long after, the kitchen brought over two bowls of crispy mountain mixed with jam. Its appearance was so different from the one in Cui Muzhi¡¯s shop. Zhang Tiantian took a look and said, ¡°There¡¯s no ingredients. There¡¯s only jam. How can it be placed in a bowl! It looks better in a rabbit bowl!¡± Zhang Tiantian criticized the crispy mountain so much that Madam Zhang gave her a warning look before Zhang Tiantian picked up the spoon and took a bite reluctantly. ¡°This ice is too big and it hurts my teeth. The ice in Brother Cui¡¯s shop melts in the mouth. It¡¯s like fine sand and is sweet but not greasy. I¡¯ve only taken a bite of this, but it¡¯s making me sick.¡± Madam Zhang rolled her eyes at her daughter. ¡°It¡¯s already good enough to have something to eat!¡± ¡°Hmph, then eat it, Mother!¡± Madam Zhang elegantly picked up the bowl and took a small bite. Her expression paused, and she actually felt that her daughter¡¯s comment made sense. She coughed lightly and looked at the steward. ¡°Put less honey in the future.¡± The steward was innocent. ¡°Madam, I used to do this too!¡± Madam Zhang pretended to be calm and refused to admit that the desserts from the dessert shop were too delicious. ¡°Maybe my taste has changed.¡± Zhang Tiantian exposed her bluntly. ¡°It¡¯s just not nice. Mother, let¡¯s go to Brother Cui¡¯s shop to eat!¡± Madam Zhang glared at her. ¡°Eat your food!¡± Zhang Tiantian took a bite and her brother, Zhang Xiu, suddenly returned. She immediately rushed forward. ¡°Brother, let¡¯s go to Brother Cui¡¯s shop to eat crispy mountains! It¡¯s your treat!¡± Zhang Xiu patted her head and smiled. ¡°Aren¡¯t you eating now!¡± Zhang Tiantian said coquettishly, ¡°It¡¯s not delicious. Brother, bring me there.¡± Zhang Xiu glanced at Madam Zhang who seemed unhappy, ¡°Ask Mother if she wants to come along.¡± Zhang Xiu also had to show respect to Madam Zhang. Zhang Tiantian had no choice but to pester Madam Zhang again. ¡°Mother, it¡¯ll be a waste if we don¡¯t eat the crispy mountain in such hot weather!¡± Madam Zhang was caught between laughter and tears. ¡°Alright, you little troublemaker.¡± This was the first time Zhang Xiu had come to Cui Muzhi¡¯s dessert shop. The shop assistants were busy. The upper and lower floors were filled. The decoration of the dessert shop was very unique and romantic. There were dolls everywhere and beautiful flower glass decorations. It was even more dreamy. They were a little late. Flowers swayed by the window. The mountains and sea in the distance and the sun on the horizon dyed the sky red. It was like a colorful and dazzling painting that made one feel refreshed. Suddenly, a slightly cold wind blew. The wind chimes at the window produced a crisp and pleasant sound. Even someone like Zhang Xiu, who did not like desserts, was looking forward to it. Zhang Tiantian looked around but did not see Cui Muzhi. A trace of disappointment flashed across her face. The shop assistant walked over and handed them a menu. Every product in the shop was painted in special oil paint. It was lifelike and looked extremely delicious. Zhang Tiantian ordered a few types of cakes and snacks, a bowl of summer lovers, and Madam Zhang ordered a bowl of pink ice river. Zhang Xiu looked at the picture book and felt that everything was not bad. He even praised the artist¡¯s skills. Zhang Tiantian was anxious from waiting and urged, ¡°Brother, you can look at the picture book later. Can you order the food first?¡± Zhang Xiu smiled dotingly and realized that there were several flavors of Phoenix Feather Wine on the last page. Zhang Xiu had yet to taste the sweet peach and peppermint-flavored Phoenix Feather Wine, so he ordered them. After a while, the shop assistant served the pudding, bear biscuits, milk cake, and egg tarts first. Each type of snack was very exquisite. If Zhang Tiantian had a cell phone, she would definitely take a lot of photos. There were several flavors of egg tarts. Madam Zhang took a blueberry flavored one. As soon as she took a bite, she exclaimed, ¡°Delicious.¡± Zhang Tiantian took a pineapple-flavored one and smiled until her eyes turned into crescents. ¡°It¡¯s indeed the best when freshly made!¡± Zhang Xiu tasted the cute cartoon pudding. It was tender, sweet, and very special. It was no wonder his sister liked it so much. He praised, ¡°Muzhi¡¯s culinary skills are really amazing.¡± Madam Zhang pursed her lips. ¡°A gentleman stays away from the kitchen. What¡¯s so amazing about it? Don¡¯t learn from him. Study hard.¡± Zhang Tiantian suddenly put down her spoon. ¡°Young General even cooks for the Great Empress every day!¡± Madam Zhang glared at her. ¡°How can that be the same!¡± ¡°How is it different!¡± While the mother and daughter were arguing, the sweet peach and peppermint phoenix feather wine was served. The light pink Phoenix Feather Wine in a glass goblet was decorated with two slices of lemon and mint. It was exceptionally beautiful. Madam Zhang and Zhang Tiantian were both attracted. Zhang Xiu took a small sip and placed an ice cube in. The taste was even better, cold and clear. The slightly tipsy taste lingered. Zhang Tiantian also wanted to order a cup to try, but the staff was not on the second floor. Zhang Xiu personally went downstairs to order and happened to bump into Cui Muzhi, who had entered the shop. Cui Muzhi also saw him. The two of them greeted each other. When Zhang Xiu returned to the second floor, the shop assistant suddenly brought up an exquisite iron bucket and said, ¡°The boss specially prepared this for you.¡± Zhang Tiantian was surprised and happy. ¡°Brother Cui is the best!¡± Madam Zhang also felt that Cui Muzhi knew how to treat his customers. The small metal bucket was covered in ice, and the exquisite fruit platter inside seemed even larger. Zhang Tiantian ate a piece of melon and said exaggeratedly, ¡°This must be a melon personally cut by Brother Cui. It¡¯s cold and delicious!¡± Madam Zhang looked at her daughter¡¯s expression and suddenly had a suspicion. Could it be that her daughter liked Cui Muzhi? She thought about it carefully. Apart from the difference between the two of them, they were quite compatible in all aspects of family background. If Cui Muzhi was liked by the Great Empress, her daughter would definitely be liked by the Great Empress. Therefore, she praised, ¡°Muzhi is really considerate and talented with such skills.¡± Zhang Xiu was very interested in the small ice bucket. He smiled and said, ¡°This thing should be very suitable for eating fish..¡± Chapter 438 - Chapter 438: Why Didn’t I Think Of It! Chapter 438: Why Didn¡¯t I Think Of It! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The weather was hot, and the fish meat was almost cooked when it entered the mouth, causing the texture to be much worse. If the fruits in the ice bucket were replaced with fish, it would definitely taste good after drinking a few glasses. Unfortunately, even with this ice bucket, it was useless without ice. Madam Zhang sighed. ¡°We can¡¯t make ice either. If only we could make ice.¡± Zhang Tiantian said, ¡°Why don¡¯t we just buy some ice?¡± ¡°The weather is so hot. It takes four hours for your father and brother to eat a meal of fish. How much ice does that cost? You¡¯re really wasteful. You don¡¯t know how expensive wood, rice, oil, and salt are.¡± Zhang Xiu smiled and said, ¡°If you want to buy ice in the future, you can deduct it from my monthly allowance.¡± Madam Zhang waved her hand. ¡°How can I spend your money? If you want to eat fish, we can tell the kitchen. It¡¯s just that we have to buy this ice in advance.¡± Madam Zhang sounded strict but she was soft-hearted. The two children looked at each other and couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Master Zhang learned about the use of the ice bucket from his son. It had been a long time since he had eaten fish, so he instructed Madam Zhang to buy ice in advance. Madam Zhang wanted to ask the housekeeper to buy 10 buckets of ice, but the dessert shop did not specialize in selling ice. At most, they could only sell five buckets to them. The servant carried it back and a bucket of ice had even melted on the way. There were still four buckets left. Madam Zhang hurriedly got someone to put them in the newly dug cellar, afraid that the ice would melt when the father and son returned from school. They sat and waited. Master Zhang and Zhang Xiu had yet to return. There were only three buckets of ice left in the cellar. If they did not return soon, it would really melt away. Just as Madam Zhang was about to send someone to Qinghe Academy to see why they had not returned, the servant said happily, ¡°Madam, the Patriarch and Young Master are back!¡± Madam Zhang hurriedly informed the housekeeper to prepare the fish. When Patriarch Zhang heard Madam Zhang¡¯s instructions, he said, ¡°Wait a moment before preparing.¡± Madam Zhang hurriedly said, ¡°If you don¡¯t eat now, the ice we bought will melt.¡± Patriarch Zhang said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s fine. We also know how to make ice.¡± Madam Zhang was stunned and suspected that there was something wrong with her ears. ¡°You know how to make ice?¡± Seeing her son nod energetically, she asked in surprise, ¡°Did the Great Empress teach you? Or did the Cui family tell you?¡± Ice was so expensive in the summer. Cui Muzhi¡¯s dessert shop was profitting so much. How could the Cui family bear to teach it to everyone so easily? Patriarch Zhang said, ¡°Yes, the Great Empress got someone to write it in a book. Let¡¯s give it a try.¡± Madam Zhang had just thought that since their Zhang family knew how to make ice, they would build a few large ice storage cellars and store all the fruits, vegetables, and seafood in the season. They would be able to earn more money by selling them every few days. Unexpectedly, the Great Empress actually wrote in a book. If everyone knew how to make ice, how much money could they earn? Madam Zhang had just been happy for a while when it was like a bucket of cold water was poured over her. Fortunately, she did not have to worry about eating fish without ice in the future. Patriarch Zhang and Zhang Xiu were focused on experimenting it and did not notice Madam Zhang¡¯s thoughts at all. They were late because they had gone to buy saltpeter. Fortunately, Zhang Xiu was young and fast, so he only managed to snatch 25 kilograms of saltpeter. Madam Zhang said in surprise, ¡°Isn¡¯t saltpeter used to make gunpowder?¡± Patriarch Zhang said impatiently, ¡°Aiyah, why are you asking so many questions? Just watch!¡± After a while, the servants brought over two containers, one big and one small. Both containers were filled with some water. Zhang Xiu placed the small container into the larger one. Patriarch Zhang added saltpeter bit by bit according to the exact ratio. Everyone craned their necks curiously, unable to take their eyes off it. After a while, the water in the container changed. First, some ice crystals gradually formed, emitting traces of cold air. Everyone was stunned. It was too magical to turn water into ice. Patriarch Zhang stroked his beard and laughed. ¡°Our family no longer has to worry about having no ice.¡± Madam Zhang looked at the ice in the container and was also overjoyed. ¡°So it¡¯s so simple to make ice! The price of saltpeter will definitely increase. We¡¯ll buy more saltpeter tomorrow.¡± Patriarch Zhang said, ¡°It¡¯s already sold out. It will probably take a few days.¡± Madam Zhang revealed a look of pity. It seemed that she could forget about earning money with ice. The fish was spread on the ice-covered porcelain plate. It was crystal clear and ethereal. When dipped with a mouthful of hot sauce and accompanied with a sip of wine, and looking up at the bright moon, it was completely like a day for immortals. Zhang Tiantian had just bought a manual fan that day. She felt that it was very useful and deliberately showed it to everyone. ¡°Father, look at my fan. The wind produced is especially cool. I¡¯ll give you and Brother one each. It¡¯s also convenient to use when you bring it to the academy.¡± The structure of a manual fan was very simple. As long as one repeatedly pressed the handle, they could make the small fan turn. It looked more interesting than a hand fan. Patriarch Zhang took one and tried it happily. The faster he pressed it, the faster the small fan spun. He quite liked it and praised, ¡°Not bad, you¡¯re so considerate. Father likes it very much.¡± Zhang Tiantian smiled even more sweetly and looked at Zhang Xiu expectantly. Zhang Xiu held it upside down and pressed it twice. The wind blew against Patriarch Zhang¡¯s face. With this blow, Patriarch Zhang felt that something was amiss. Why was it that the small fan that Zhang Xiu had pressed was even cooler than his own? Soon, he found the reason. As long as he blew at the ice, the cold air could move and make people feel comfortable. Realizing this feature, Patriarch Zhang¡¯s mind paused. In a flash, he realized something and was momentarily confused. Looking at the fan in his hand and the fish in front of him, he fell into deep thought. Madam Zhang wanted to interrupt. At this moment, Patriarch Zhang suddenly stood up and laughed. ¡°I got it! I got it!¡± Madam Zhang asked, ¡°What do you know?¡± ¡°I know how to make the room cool! I¡¯ll find someone to build a machine now. If it¡¯s successful, our family can build a workshop!¡± As the 30 families of Qinghe migrated, 80% of their assets were lost. Everyone had money in their hands, but Carefree City was developing rapidly. For example, Village Chief Zhao¡¯s third family branch had produced two scientific research talents and obtained countless patents. Even if they did not do anything, the Imperial Court would provide them with silver. Moreover, patents could be sold for money for other investments. The Zhao family had long shown signs of becoming a new noble. Their Zhang family had always been closely following current affairs, but they did not have any good projects in hand. Their overall income was considered small among the 30 families of Qinghe. Patriarch Zhang was afraid that the Zhang family would decline in his hands. He paid attention to the children¡¯s studies and also wanted to have a money-making project to maintain the dignity of a large family. The weather in Baye was very hot. If there were products that could quickly cool the room, they would definitely be able to earn a lot of money. He did not know how to make it. He told the craftsman about his inspiration and provided the funding for the development. If the development was successful, it would be considered a patent under his name. The next day, Patriarch Zhang rushed to the research lab, hoping to find a talent to cooperate with him. However, those who could enter the research lab were all big shots who had already made some achievements. Everyone had their own research projects on hand. Patriarch Zhang returned in disappointment and could only try his luck at the various workshops. A few people expressed their interest. When Patriarch Zhang asked them to use the fan and ice to make heat-reducing device, everyone was at a loss. In the end, no one accepted the task. When Patriarch Zhang returned home in a daze, Zhang Xiu suddenly said, ¡°Father, why don¡¯t you find the person who made the fan to try?¡± Master Zhang¡¯s eyes lit up as he came to a realization.. ¡°That¡¯s right! Why didn¡¯t I think of that!¡± Chapter 439 - Chapter 439: He Can’t Underestimate Me Like This! Chapter 439: He Can¡¯t Underestimate Me Like This! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Patriarch Zhang hurriedly went to look for Zhang Tiantian. ¡°Tiantian, where did you buy the small fan for Daddy?¡± Zhang Tiantian recalled for a few seconds before saying, ¡°I bought it at the stationery shop at the school gate. There are many other designs.¡± Patriarch Zhang looked a little happy. ¡°Yes, Father plans to take a look.¡± Zhang Tiantian immediately said, ¡°I¡¯ll go too!¡± Master Zhang still had serious matters to discuss. He shook his head and said, ¡°Daddy will bring Tiantian to the beach to play another day, is that okay?¡± Ever since there was a drowning accident at the seaside, Zhang Tiantian could not go to the seaside without Madam Zhang¡¯s permission. Master Zhang personally promised to bring her there, so Zhang Tiantian naturally agreed. After Patriarch Zhang left, she found her brother and asked, ¡°Why was Daddy asking about the little fan?¡± Zhang Xiu smiled and said, ¡°Children don¡¯t need to know too much about adults¡¯ matters.¡± Zhang Tiantian glared at him. ¡°I am not a child!¡± Zhang Xiu smiled but did not say anything. Zhang Tiantian felt that she was being despised and went to school angrily. When Patriarch Zhang arrived at the stationery store, before he entered, he saw many cute little fans placed at the door. They were not especially big. They could be pressed or shaken by hand. However, the principles and structure were similar. Patriarch Zhang stared at these small fans. The shop assistant walked out and introduced enthusiastically, ¡°Master, are you intending to buy some to give children? These styles of fans are the most popular.¡± Patriarch Zhang nodded and casually asked his subordinate to take a few types of fans. He asked, ¡°Who designed these fans?¡± The shop assistant didn¡¯t know either. She shook her head. ¡°Probably only the store manager knows.¡± Patriarch Zhang asked again, ¡°Can you help me call your store manager over?¡± Seeing that he was holding so many fans, the shop assistant hesitated for a moment and smiled. ¡°Alright, Master, wait a moment. I¡¯ll go see if our store manager is around.¡± Not long after, the manager of the stationery shop came. He asked politely, ¡°Master, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Patriarch Zhang picked up a fan. ¡°The design of the small fan is very ingenious. I want to see the craftsman. I wonder if it¡¯s convenient?¡± The store manager¡¯s job was to manage the store. He said awkwardly, ¡°You have to ask our boss.¡± The owner of the stationery store was Yu Suisheng. He had gone to Syria to deal with the jade mine and petroleum business. Patriarch Zhang thought for a moment. He could only look for Sheng Huaixuan now. He was very lucky. As soon as he left the stationery store, he bumped into Sheng Huaixuan picking up Cui Lingyi. Patriarch Zhang quickly chased after him. ¡°Lord Sheng!¡± Sheng Huaixuan turned around and was surprised for a moment. ¡°Patriarch Zhang?¡± They did not have much interactions. Sheng Huaixuan was surprised that Master Zhang would stop him. After exchanging a few pleasantries with Sheng Huaixuan, Master Zhang couldn¡¯t help but ask about the master who designed the small fan. Sheng Huaixuan asked cautiously, ¡°Why is Patriarch Zhang looking for him?¡± Patriarch Zhang was not embarrassed at all. ¡°I want him to help me design a heat-reducing device similar to a small fan. I¡¯ve found others, but no one can make it. I just want this master to give it a try.¡± Sheng Huaixuan suddenly smiled. ¡°I see.¡± When Patriarch Zhang learned that the master who designed the small fan was actually a child who had just turned 10 years old, he immediately revealed a surprised expression. Sheng Huaixuan said, ¡°Little Cat is extremely smart. Patriarch Zhang, why don¡¯t you give him a try?¡± No matter how smart a ten-year-old child was, he shouldn¡¯t be able to make what he wanted. Originally, Patriarch Zhang had already wanted to beat a retreat. Sheng Huaixuan asked him to give it a try, so Patriarch Zhang could only try his best. He found out about Little Cat¡¯s family and that he was still in school and Tao Yinzhen was still working, so he went to the entrance of Qinghe Elementary School to wait for him. When the students left school, Patriarch Zhang learned that Little Cat had long skipped a grade to Qinghe Middle School. Before school ended at Qinghe Middle School, Patriarch Zhang rushed over. When Zhang Tiantian saw his father appear at the school gate, she thought that he was here to pick her up. Just as she was about to rush up excitedly, Patriarch Zhang did not notice her at all. He rushed in front of Little Cat and smiled like a human trafficker. ¡°Little Cat, do you remember me? We met in Youjia Village.¡± Little Cat looked up and nodded. ¡°Hello, Uncle.¡± Patriarch Zhang said enthusiastically, ¡°Uncle has a favor to ask. Is it convenient to find a place to talk?¡± As Little Cat frowned, Zhang Tiantian rushed over angrily and glanced at Little Cat. ¡°Father, what are you doing here?¡± Patriarch Zhang said seriously, ¡°Father and Little Cat have something serious to do. Go home first.¡± Zhang Tiantian widened her eyes. Why was it a serious matter when it came to Little Cat? When it came to her, it was a child¡¯s matter. Reluctantly, she stepped aside and pricked up her ears to listen to their conversation. Patriarch Zhang wanted to reprimand her, but because there were so many people around, he held back. Little Cat glanced at Zhang Tiantian and said to Patriarch Zhang, ¡°The seaside is not bad ahead.¡± When they arrived at the beach, Patriarch Zhang calmly told him what he had in mind. He waited quietly for Little Cat to answer. Little Cat did not hesitate for long before rejecting, ¡°Little Cat is inexperienced. Uncle, you should find someone else.¡± Little Cat was not even reach his waist. Master Zhang did not bear much hope initially. ¡°Sorry to disturb you.¡± Little Cat nodded and left after bidding farewell to Master Zhang. Zhang Tiantian watched him leave before asking Patriarch Zhang, ¡°Father, why are you looking for him?¡± Little Cat was two years younger than her, but Patriarch Zhang spoke to him solemnly. Patriarch Zhang¡¯s plan to earn money was gone and he was in a bad mood. ¡°Child, don¡¯t interfere in the adults¡¯ matters!¡± Zhang Tiantian was speechless. She just had to interfere then! When she returned home, she bought the most expensive cake and used both soft and hard methods on the servants of Patriarch Zhang. Finally, she got something out of them. Patriarch Zhang wanted a young brat to make a heat-reducing device, but he was rejected. When Zhang Tiantian saw Little Cat in the academy, she inexplicably became angry. She stopped him and questioned, ¡°If you can make a small fan, why can¡¯t you study it further?¡± Little Cat looked up. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± Zhang Tiantian felt like her punches had landed on cotton. She couldn¡¯t help but say angrily, ¡°You¡¯re an idiot!¡± After scolding him, she met Little Cat¡¯s faint gaze and regretted it again. The upbringing she had received also made uncomfortable for being angry at other people for no reason. She wanted to apologize to Little Cat, but he had already walked away from her. She wanted to chase after him again, but she no longer had the courage. She was the kind of person who felt uneasy when there was something on her mind. In the next few days, when she met Little Cat in the academy again, Zhang Tiantian felt suffocated. After making up her mind, Zhang Tiantian stopped Little Cat again. ¡°Junior Brother, I have something to tell you!¡± Little Cat¡¯s stiff sentence of ¡°We have nothing to say¡± made her furious. Zhang Tiantian was about to chase after him when her best friend stopped her. When she turned around, Little Cat was gone again. As she walked home, she remembered that she had been ignored by a brat and suddenly stomped her feet.. ¡°No, I have to make things clear to him today! I can apologize for my mistake, but he can¡¯t underestimate me like this!¡± Chapter 440 - Chapter 440: You’re a Liar Chapter 440: You¡¯re a Liar Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios It was quite easy to find out about the location of Little Cat¡¯s house. Zhang Tiantian found out not long after. Little Cat¡¯s house was also a villa with its own front and backyard. Standing in the front yard, one could see the sea. It was very beautiful. Zhang Tiantian wanted to knock on the door, but she suddenly felt afraid standing at the door. Her maidservant, Xiao Xue, reminded, ¡°Miss, we¡¯re here.¡± Zhang Tiantian glared at her and suddenly realized that there was a low wall. Standing on the small slope, she could see the front view of Little Cat¡¯s front yard. She immediately said, ¡°What if Little Cat isn¡¯t around and someone else opens the door? What should we do? Can we see if there¡¯s anyone at home over there? Let¡¯s go over there and take a look first!¡± Xiao Xue hesitated and said, ¡°Miss, that¡¯s not good!¡± Zhang Tiantian said, ¡°We¡¯re not going over the wall to enter. We¡¯re just taking a look.¡± ¡°If Master finds out, I¡¯ll be punished.¡± ¡°Aiya, why would I let him know? If he wants to punish you, I¡¯ll bear the responsibility. Hurry up and go! Lower your voice.¡± Zhang Tiantian secretly climbed up the slope. Xiao Xue held her hand carefully. As soon as she stabilized herself, Xiao Xue lowered her voice and exclaimed, ¡°Miss, he¡¯s there. Let¡¯s go down quickly. We don¡¯t want to be discovered.¡± Zhang Tiantian hurriedly asked, ¡°Where, where, why didn¡¯t I see him?¡± Xiao Xue pointed. Zhang Tiantian finally saw Little Cat fiddling with something seriously at the foot of the wall. She wanted to go down, but she was curious about what Little Cat was doing sneakily. She carefully took a few steps forward. Xiao Xue panicked and gestured for her not to go any closer. Instead, Zhang Tiantian took a few more steps closer and peeped her head above Little Cat¡¯s head. Xiao Xue¡¯s heart was almost frightened out by her actions. Zhang Tiantian widened her eyes and looked around. She saw that the back of Little Cat¡¯s head was quite round. She looked again and realized that his fingers were quite long. She looked again and again. Little Cat was actually making a larger fan! This fan was quite magical. Not only could it spin automatically, but it could also produce white mist. She felt cold here. Suddenly, Little Cat looked up and said as if he had long discovered her, ¡°How much longer do you want to peek?¡± Zhang Tiantian¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She slid down the small hill and her knee hit the rock. She immediately screamed. ¡°It hurts!¡± Xiao Xue shouted in panic, ¡°Miss, are you alright? I¡¯ll call the doctor!¡± Zhang Tiantian got up and waved her hand. ¡°What are you shouting for? If Father and Mother find out, it¡¯ll be over.¡± Little Cat suddenly stuck his head out of the wall. He was clearly two years younger than her, but his eyes were as sharp as an 80-year-old man. Zhang Tiantian said guiltily, ¡°I¡¯m not peeping at you. I¡¯m just sunbathing on the hill.¡± It would have been fine if she hadn¡¯t explained, but once she did, her words had revealed what she intended to hide. Little Cat¡¯s gaze landed on the back of her hand and suddenly disappeared from the wall. Zhang Tiantian and Xiao Xue quickly slipped away. Not long after, Little Cat came out of the front yard and was waiting for her. Zhang Tiantian immediately took two steps back like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. ¡°What do you want?!¡± Little Cat reached out his hand. Zhang Tiantian craned her neck to see that it was a few band-aids. She glanced at the back of her hand, which was oozing blood. She blushed and took it nonchalantly. ¡°Thank you.¡± Little Cat nodded and turned to return to the courtyard. Zhang Tiantian suddenly stopped him. ¡°Hey, Junior Brother, last time¡­ I¡¯m sorry!¡± After saying sorry, the rest of her words were much easier to say. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to call you an idiot. I was just a little angry and impulsive. You¡¯re very smart. And that fan you just made was amazing.¡± With that, Zhang Tiantian wanted to slap herself. Wasn¡¯t that telling Little Cat that she was not sunbathing just now and was actually peeping at him? Little Cat finally looked at her. ¡°Got it.¡± His words were clearly very calm, but they sounded very arrogant. Seeing that he had given her a band-aid, Zhang Tiantian chose to ignore it and asked curiously, ¡°How do you have white mist coming out from your fan?¡± Little Cat did not want to respond, so Zhang Tiantian leaned in front of him again. ¡°Why? Could it be that the sun was too hot and it was burnt?¡± Little Cat seemed to be unable to bear her intelligence and said, ¡°It¡¯s not white mist, it¡¯s cold air. There¡¯s ice on the back of the fan.¡± As soon as he said this, Zhang Tiantian suddenly widened her eyes and said angrily, ¡°Isn¡¯t this my father¡¯s idea? How can you secretly use my father¡¯s inspiration? He asked you to improvise the fan, but you still said no. You¡¯re a liar!¡± Little Cat¡¯s expression darkened. Zhang Tiantian felt a little afraid, but she also felt that she had done nothing wrong. She puffed out her chest and looked like Little Cat had to give her an explanation. Little Cat stared at her for a long time, making her hair stand on end. Then he said, ¡°Your father didn¡¯t mention anything to me.¡± Zhang Tiantian was stunned. No way? Her father didn¡¯t tell him? ¡®So he thought of it himself? He made it in advance?¡¯ Then why did she scold him for no reason? Zhang Tiantian panicked. Little Cat had already entered the courtyard. The fence divided them into two. Looking at his lonely back, Zhang Tiantian felt even worse than before. She hurriedly rushed home to find Patriarch Zhang. ¡°Father, didn¡¯t you tell Little Cat?¡± Patriarch Zhang was confused. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I saw him make a fan that can emit cold air. It¡¯s cooling. Didn¡¯t you tell him?¡± Patriarch Zhang shook his head. ¡°No.¡± Then he hurriedly asked, ¡°What kind of fan? How did you see it?¡± Zhang Tiantian immediately jumped. ¡°Ahhh, what should we do!¡± She had offended him again and said guiltily, ¡°I saw it by accident.¡± Master Zhang was very excited. Even if he was not the one who provided the silver to Little Cat to make the heat-reducing device, as long as Little Cat was willing to sell the patent to him, he could still use it to build a workshop. Patriarch Zhang immediately wanted to look for Little Cat. Zhang Tiantian hurriedly stopped him and stammered, ¡°Father, I thought he secretly used your inspiration to make a fan, so I scolded him.¡± When Patriarch Zhang heard this, he immediately frowned and reprimanded, ¡°How many times have I told you? You can only make a conclusion after understanding everything thoroughly!¡± Zhang Tiantian said dejectedly, ¡°But I¡¯ve already scolded him. Is it too late to apologize now?¡± Patriarch Zhang said angrily, ¡°Hurry up and apologize!¡± Then, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you!¡± Zhang Tiantian panicked. ¡°Can¡¯t I go myself!¡± ¡°No way!¡± Not long after, Zhang Tiantian and Patriarch Zhang stood at the door of Little Cat¡¯s house with an official visitation gift. When Little Cat saw the father and daughter, he politely invited them into the house and even brought them tea. Patriarch Zhang coughed lightly. Zhang Tiantian thought for a long time before saying, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Little Cat nodded casually. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± It was this attitude again. It was too torturous. The father and daughter looked at each other uneasily, not knowing how to speak next. Little Cat seemed to have seen through people¡¯s hearts. ¡°The spray fan is not perfect yet. When it is, I will offer it to the Great Empress..¡± Chapter 441 - Chapter 441: Your Snot Is Going to Flow to Your Mouth Chapter 441: Your Snot Is Going to Flow to Your Mouth Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Patriarch Zhang never expected Little Cat to offer it to the Great Empress. He thought for a moment and decided to forget it. He could not snatch things from the Great Empress. Patriarch Zhang pretended to be calm and smiled. ¡°In that case, sorry to have disturbed you.¡± Zhang Tiantian knew how much the Zhang family wanted to obtain Little Cat¡¯s patent. When she heard Patriarch Zhang say such a thing, she was extremely sad and her eyes subconsciously turned red. Master Zhang noticed her expression and was afraid that she would be rude in front of Little Cat, so he hurriedly bade farewell to Little Cat. As soon as he left the courtyard, Zhang Tiantian cried. ¡°Father, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll definitely work hard to develop a heat-reducing device that¡¯s even more powerful than his.¡± Master Zhang was very touched that Zhang Tiantian had such intentions. However, he still knew how much his daughter weighed. He stroked her head and comforted her. ¡°It¡¯s not like our family has to build a factory. Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s all good as long as you study hard and grow up happily.¡± Zhang Tiantian agreed and cried even harder. Little Cat stood on the second floor and saw the warm scene of the father and daughter accompanying each other. He glanced at Ren Shuixing, who was like a withered person in the room. His lowered eyes covered all his expressions, and there was no warmth in the bright sunlight. Master Zhang returned home as if nothing had happened. A father knew his son best. Zhang Xiu knew that his father was in a bad mood, so he brought Zhang Tiantian¡¯s favorite pudding to her room. Surprisingly, when Zhang Tiantian saw the cute little bear pudding, she only thanked him listlessly. Zhang Xiu couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why are you unhappy when you went out with Father?¡± Zhang Tiantian felt uncomfortable holding it in. Anyway, he was her biological brother, so she told him everything. When Zhang Xiu heard this, he stood on the spot and thought for a moment. He suddenly said, ¡°Even if Little Cat offers the spray fan to the Great Empress, the Great Empress will definitely get someone to build a workshop to produce such a good thing.¡± ¡°If Little Cat can put in a good word for our father when he presents it to the Great Empress, perhaps the production rights will be handed over to our father.¡± Zhang Tiantian¡¯s eyes lit up and she suddenly lowered her head. ¡°He hasn¡¯t even completely taken out the spray fan. Besides, what if he¡¯s unwilling to speak up for our father? I¡¯ve even scolded him twice. What if he bears a grudge?¡± Zhang Xiu said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you saw that he had already made a very big, cool fan that was emitting cold air? Perhaps he¡¯s almost done.¡± Zhang Tiantian immediately said, ¡°Then Brother, go find him to help!¡± Zhang Xiu frowned. ¡°Brother is already so old. It¡¯s not appropriate for me to look for him. People will think that we¡¯re threatening him.¡± With that, he looked at Zhang Tiantian meaningfully. Zhang Tiantian pointed at herself. ¡°No way. You want me to go?¡± Zhang Xiu patted her shoulder. ¡°Whether Father can be happy or not depends on you, Sister!¡± With Zhang Xiu entrusting it to her so seriously, Zhang Tiantian suddenly felt that the responsibility on her shoulders was very heavy. She nodded firmly and promised, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll definitely make him promise personally!¡± After laying down her ambitious promise, Zhang Tiantian ate four little bear puddings and started to worry again. How could she get Little Cat to agree to speak up for her father? She thought about it, but she still had no clue. Little Cat¡¯s personality was so arrogant that he would definitely not agree even if she begged him. Xiao Xue suddenly said, ¡°Miss, didn¡¯t he say that the spray fan is still incomplete? If you help him perfect it and build a relationship with him, even if he doesn¡¯t want to speak up for Master, he won¡¯t be able to refuse.¡± Zhang Tiantian suddenly jumped up and praised in surprise, ¡°Aiya, Xiao Xue, you¡¯re so smart!¡± Then she was stunned. ¡°He can¡¯t even perfect it himself, so how can I perfect it for him! I don¡¯t know woodworking either!¡± Xiao Xue shook her head. ¡°Then I don¡¯t know either.¡± Zhang Tiantian thought for a moment and made up her mind. ¡°Then let¡¯s use perseverance to move him! Let¡¯s start from scratch!¡± Xiao Xue nodded in confusion. ¡°Yes, yes.¡± That afternoon after school, Little Cat was stopped by Zhang Tiantian again. ¡°Junior Brother, I also plan to make a fan. Let¡¯s do it together, okay?¡± She held several pieces of wood in her delicate hand, as well as sawteeth, sharpening knives, and other tools. Little Cat couldn¡¯t understand her thoughts and rejected her. ¡°No.¡± Zhang Tiantian¡¯s heart was filled with anger. She smiled and said, ¡°Let¡¯s do it together. You¡¯re an expert in this aspect. Perhaps if you watch me make a fan and get inspiration from it, you can make a perfect spray fan and give it to the Great Empress as soon as possible.¡± Little Cat simply ignored her and quickened his pace to return home. Zhang Tiantian chased after him. ¡°Why are you running? Wait for me.¡± She chased all the way to Little Cat¡¯s house. Little Cat locked her outside, but she did not leave. She simply asked Xiao Xue to find a stool and set up a table. In front of Little Cat¡¯s house, she sawed at the wooden strips with a saw. After a while, her palms turned red. Zhang Tiantian glared at the empty front yard. Suddenly, a woman¡¯s voice sounded. ¡°What are you doing?¡± When Tao Yinzhen returned from work at the textile factory, she saw this scene in front of her. Zhang Tiantian hurriedly greeted, ¡°Madam, my name is Zhang Tiantian, Little Cat¡¯s senior. I want to ask Little Cat to teach me how to make a fan.¡± Tao Yinzhen hesitated for a moment. When she met Zhang Tiantian¡¯s likable face, she finally said, ¡°Then come in and sit first.¡± Zhang Tiantian¡¯s eyes lit up and she quickly followed Tao Yinzhen into the house. Little Cat was cooking when she suddenly jumped out from behind. He suddenly frowned and shouted, ¡°Get out!¡± His harsh voice frightened Zhang Tiantian. ¡°Why are you so fierce She cried and complained, like a pitiful white mouse. Tao Yinzhen walked over to smooth things over. ¡°Little Cat, how can you be so rude to a girl? Apologize quickly.¡± Little Cat looked at Zhang Tiantian without saying anything. His scrutinizing gaze was sharp and threatening. Zhang Tiantian felt extremely aggrieved. Tears streamed down her face. ¡°I don¡¯t want your apology anymore!¡± She rushed out. Xiao Xue chased after her. ¡°Miss! Miss, slow down and wait for me!¡± Little Cat stood still and held the spatula tightly. Tao Yinzhen scolded, ¡°Girls are hot-tempered. If you talk like this and she runs so fast, what if something happens¡­¡± Little Cat suddenly put down the spatula and ran out without saying goodbye. Zhang Tiantian hid under the coconut tree and wailed, ¡°I¡¯ve never been so embarrassed! Boohoo, it¡¯s too embarrassing! Burp¡ª!!!¡± When Little Cat suddenly came out, Zhang Tiantian could not hold in her burp. In a moment of panic, she sounded like a pig snorting. Meeting Little Cat¡¯s indescribable gaze, Zhang Tiantian cried even louder. ¡°What are you doing here!!!¡± Little Cat said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave?¡± Zhang Tiantian¡¯s cries stopped abruptly and she wailed even louder. ¡°Boohoo, you¡¯re so cold-blooded. I¡¯m already crying like this, but you still want to leave!¡± Women of all ages were probably inexplicable creatures. Little Cat took out a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to her. Zhang Tiantian said angrily, ¡°I don¡¯t want it!!¡± Little Cat said calmly, ¡°Your snot is about to flow to your mouth.¡± Zhang Tiantian¡¯s eyes widened. She immediately snatched the tissue and turned her face away to wipe it.. Chapter 442 - Chapter 442: Ren Shuixing Is Really Dead Chapter 442: Ren Shuixing Is Really Dead Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After crying, Zhang Tiantian¡¯s mood improved and she thought of the serious matter again. She turned around and her expression changed instantly. She smiled brightly. ¡°Junior Brother, are you willing to make a fan with me?¡± The tears on her face had yet to dry. She had an expression to flatter him, like someone who wanted to steal oil. Little Cat paused. ¡°You can buy one.¡± Zhang Tiantian was the daughter of Patriarch Zhang. It would not be a problem to buy hundreds or thousands of them. Little Cat¡¯s tone was much gentler, and his expression was not so cold. Zhang Tiantian felt that there was a chance and continued to say. ¡°Aiya, it¡¯s only interesting if you make it yourself. Anyway, you¡¯re also studying the spray fan. We¡¯ll have company if we do it together.¡± Her tone was familiar, and her eyes were big and round. She was just short of scribbling the words ¡°agree to it quickly¡± on her face. Little Cat did not speak. Zhang Tiantian immediately changed her plan. She placed her hands on her hips and said rudely, ¡°If you don¡¯t agree, I¡¯ll follow you every day and block your door to ruin your reputation!¡± Little Cat looked at her with a complicated expression, as if he did not understand why Zhang Tiantian, who was clearly two years older than him and half a head taller, was still so childish. However, if he did not agree to Zhang Tiantian¡¯s request, with her stubborn personality, she would definitely not stop. Little Cat didn¡¯t want to attract attention. To, avoid trouble, he finally nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± Although he sounded forced, she had still achieved her goal. Zhang Tiantian jumped up excitedly. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you agree long ago? You made me cry.¡± Little Cat didn¡¯t answer. He glanced at her red eyes. ¡°What kind of fan do you want?¡± Zhang Tiantian immediately started talking. ¡°I like the ones with little bears, as well as flowers and Little Cat.¡± After muttering Little Cat¡¯s name, Zhang Tiantian blushed and immediately explained, ¡°I¡¯m talking about the fan, not you.¡± She was afraid that Little Cat would misunderstand and looked anxious. Little Cat didn¡¯t mind. ¡°Pick one. I¡¯ll teach you how to draw a sample.¡± Zhang Tiantian smiled happily. ¡°Alright, then. Let¡¯s use a fan that¡¯s like a small flower. Every petal will be painted with different colors. It will definitely be especially beautiful.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± When she finally found Zhang Tiantian, Xiao Xue panted and said, ¡°Miss, Madam is looking for you everywhere. Let¡¯s go back quickly!¡± Zhang Tiantian¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Why is my mother looking for me?¡± Xiao Xue said anxiously, ¡°I thought you ran home. I didn¡¯t expect Madam to bump into me. She sent people everywhere to look for you.¡± Zhang Tiantian felt a headache coming on. She looked at Little Cat bitterly. ¡°I¡¯ll go back first. Remember to wait for me after school tomorrow.¡± With that, she ran home without waiting for Little Cat¡¯s response. As soon as Zhang Tiantian left, the sea quietened down. When Little Cat returned home, Tao Yinzhen suddenly rushed over and hugged him. She sobbed softly and said, ¡°Your father, your father has left.¡± Little Cat was shocked and rushed to the room on the second floor. Ren Shuixing was lying quietly on the bed as usual, but at this moment, it was too quiet. Ren Shuixing was really dead. Little Cat walked to the bed and slowly closed his eyes. Suddenly, he felt an itch on his face. He reached out and wiped it. It was tears. Ren Shuixing¡¯s funeral needed to be held and there would be many things to do. Little Cat could not go to school. Cui Shize was worried that Little Cat and Tao Yinzhen would not be able to handle it, so he brought his fellow disciples to help. That afternoon after school, Zhang Tiantian did not see Little Cat and rushed to Little Cat¡¯s house angrily to settle the score. However, there were white tents and white lanterns hanging at Little Cat¡¯s house. From afar, she saw Little Cat kneeling at the door with his head lowered, welcoming every family and friend who came. The shadows on the wall cast on his small figure, making him look lonely and pitiful. After knowing that Little Cat¡¯s father had passed away, Zhang Tiantian felt even more sorry for him. ¡°It was no wonder he didn¡¯t smile at all.¡± The funeral matters in the ancient times were extremely complicated. The way to conduct it in Carefree City was slightly simplified. After more than half a month, when the weather was no longer hot, Zhang Tiantian finally saw Little Cat again. After not seeing him for more than half a month, Little Cat had lost weight and grown taller. Zhang Tiantian rushed forward. ¡°Junior Brother!¡± She pounced on him like a chick. Little Cat remembered his agreement with her. ¡°Sorry, something cropped up at home.¡± Zhang Tiantian shook her head. ¡°It is fine. Are you alright?¡± Little Cat shook his head, his expression as cold as ever. ¡°You still want to make a fan?¡± But who would be happy after losing their father? Zhang Tiantian said considerately, ¡°Yes, yes, we can make it anytime. If you have anything to do, we can do it in the future.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The fan that Little Cat had taught her to make was the simplest in structure, but it would take Zhang Tiantian at least a few months to slowly polish a complete piece of wood into parts for the fan. Little Cat directly asked her to give up on the wood and give her a wooden board. She asked her to outline the prototype on the wooden board according to the blueprint. Zhang Tiantian was quite good at drawing. After a while, she drew a model. Little Cat picked up the sawtooth and cut while she watched from the side. Little Cat sawed for a long time, and Zhang Tiantian was tired from standing. She was listless and even felt a little bored. Little Cat suddenly said, ¡°Sit down. If you still want to make a fan in the future, you can hand it to your servants.¡± Zhang Tiantian¡¯s face heated up, but she did not answer. She turned to look at Little Cat¡¯s huge fan and asked curiously, ¡°I felt that it was quite cool last time. How is it not perfect yet?¡± As Little Cat polished the wooden board, he said, ¡°You have to use an endless stream of ice for the spray fan. Secondly, even if you shake it for 15 minutes, you can¡¯t maintain the wind circulation for 15 minutes.¡± After Zhang Tiantian heard this, she did not think that it was difficult. ¡°You have to use ice for the spray fan. Anyway, it¡¯s not like the Great Empress can¡¯t afford to use ice. You don¡¯t have to worry about it. Also, can¡¯t the waterwheel keep spinning? Why don¡¯t you ask the windmill driver? Perhaps the melted ice water will become the driving force for the circulation!¡± Her seemingly unintentional words actually made sense. Little Cat was stunned for a moment. He suddenly put down the wooden board in his hand. ¡°I¡¯ll try now.¡± Zhang Tiantian said happily, ¡°See, I told you that I would give you inspiration, but you didn¡¯t believe me.¡± The power of the waterwheel circulation looked simple, but it was not as simple as he had imagined. Even after Little Cat sent Zhang Tiantian away, he still lit the lights and polished the parts in the courtyard. After another seven to eight days, when it was finally autumn, Little Cat¡¯s spray fan was completed. The spray fan was quite big. There was a square container for ice at the back and the fan in front. As long as the ice was placed in the container and one shook it once, the circulatory structure connecting the fan to the base would be activated. It could keep spinning and blow out cool air, causing the temperature in the room to quickly decrease. Some of the melted ice water was collected, and some was constantly supplied to the circulatory system. Little Cat had tried it. A bucket of ice worth 50 copper coins could keep the temperature in the room low for an entire day. Even without ice, it only took some water to keep the room cool. There was no need for it now that it was autumn, but it would definitely be useful the next year. Little Cat had already treated Zhang Tiantian as a friend. The moment it was complete, he let her see the complete spray fan first.. Chapter 443 - Chapter 443: I’m Not a Little Liar Chapter 443: I¡¯m Not a Little Liar Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Zhang Tiantian touched the huge spray fan and even placed her face on the vent. She said excitedly, ¡°You¡¯re too awesome. I said you can do it, didn¡¯t you make it!¡± Little Cat smiled. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s all thanks to you.¡± The words ¡®all thanks to you¡¯ affirmed her contribution to the spray fan. Zhang Tiantian rolled her eyes and probed, ¡°It¡¯s already autumn. Are you still going to offer it to the Great Empress?¡± Little Cat nodded without hesitation. ¡°Yes.¡± If Bai Wutong built a workshop to produce spray fans now, they would be able to sell them before next summer. Zhang Tiantian stole a glance at him. ¡°Everyone will definitely want such a good thing. If you offer it to the Great Empress, she would get someone to produce it, right?¡± Little Cat nodded. ¡°The Great Empress is diligent in governing and serving the people. She probably will.¡± Zhang Tiantian held her breath and asked carefully, ¡°Then, then can you put in a good word for my father to offer the spray fan production rights to us?¡± The smile on Little Cat¡¯s face disappeared. Zhang Tiantian suddenly felt a little cold. She stammered nervously, ¡°Anyway, the Great Empress will give it to others. Isn¡¯t it fine to give it to my father?¡± Little Cat suddenly sneered. ¡°You¡¯ve been following me and asking me to teach you how to make a fan. This has always been your ultimate goal, right?¡± Zhang Tiantian wanted to refute, but she couldn¡¯t. When she met Little Cat¡¯s disappointed expression, her heart skipped a beat and she hurriedly explained, ¡°I really wanted to make a fan too.¡± Little Cat laughed self-deprecatingly. ¡°Since I¡¯m offering it to the Great Empress, the Great Empress will have full authority to decide.¡± Zhang Tiantian couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°It¡¯s just a few words. I was the one who gave you the inspiration for your production!¡± After he accepted Zhang Tiantian, he suffered such a blow. No matter how mature he was, he was still a child. Little Cat said coldly, ¡°Do you think you¡¯re the rightful owner just because you said it casually? Or perhaps, did your family give me money or sign a contract? Why must this thing be produced by you?¡± Little Cat had never been so harsh. Zhang Tiantian¡¯s eyes turned red as she said aggrievedly, ¡°I just asked you to say a word or two. I didn¡¯t say that it had to succeed. Why are you so fierce to me?¡± She was clearly the one who had ulterior motives first, but she still gave a perfectly guileless look and complained. Little Cat walked straight out of the courtyard, as if he felt disgusted to stand with her. Zhang Tiantian was also angry. She grabbed his sleeve. ¡°I¡¯m not as bad as you think!¡± Little Cat shook her off and Zhang Tiantian chased after him angrily. ¡°Is it so difficult to say just one or two sentences? The Great Empress is benevolent and kind to the people. It¡¯s not like my father can¡¯t fulfill the Great Empress¡¯ request. Can¡¯t he?¡± Little Cat suddenly stopped in his tracks and picked up a conch from the ground. He mocked Zhang Tiantian, ¡°As long as you can find it, I¡¯ll help you!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Little Cat threw the conch towards the sea. With a splash, the conch that she had yet to see clearly, was submerged in the waves. The rolling waves would definitely roll the conch into an unimown place. Even if Zhang Tiantian found it, Little Cat could deny that it was the same one from before. No matter how one looked at it, it was a dead end. Originally, Zhang Tiantian had planned to give up. Just as her father had said, if they did not earn a single cent, their family could still stand strong for a hundred years. However, Little Cat looked down on her, so she had to find it. She took off her bracelet, the necklace around her neck, and the beaded jewelry on her head. ¡°Just you wait!¡± Xiao Xue said anxiously, ¡°Miss, don¡¯t do anything stupid. You don¡¯t know how to float at all.¡± Little Cat left silently. Zhang Tiantian did not stop him and rushed towards the sea. Xiao Xue screamed, ¡°Miss, don¡¯t!¡± It was already autumn, and the seawater was especially cold. Once one fell sick, it would definitely leave behind a long-term illness. Xiao Xue couldn¡¯t care less about keeping her jewelry. She threw it to the ground and hurriedly went to stop her. Zhang Tiantian said angrily, ¡°Let go!¡± When she exerted strength, Xiao Xue was caught off guard and pushed to the beach. The sound of water splashing accompanied Xiao Xue¡¯s scream. Little Cat turned around and saw that Zhang Tiantian and Xiao Xue had already entered the sea. ¡°Miss, we won¡¯t be able to find it. Let¡¯s go back. If Master and Madam find out, we will all be punished.¡± Zhang Tiantian did not care. ¡°Even if I drown, freeze to death, or be laughed at, I have to find it!¡± The waves came one by one. It was the high tide now. The shallow water was originally not dangerous, but it had become dangerous. Zhang Tiantian choked on the seawater and trembled. She gritted her teeth and wanted to dive into the water. Little Cat suddenly appeared. ¡°Go ashore!¡± When Zhang Tiantian saw him, the cold seawater could not hide her anger. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business!¡± A large wave swept them again. The adults on the shore blew their whistles and gestured for them to quickly go ashore. Zhang Tiantian refused to listen. Xiao Xue had just pulled her up a little when she buried herself in the sea again. Little Cat could not let anything happen to her. He roared angrily, ¡°I¡¯ll promise you!¡± Zhang Tiantian was drenched and trembling from the cold. When she met Little Cat¡¯s burning eyes, she did not feel happy at all. Instead, she felt even more suffocated. They returned to the shore. The wind was blowing and it felt even colder. The adults helped wrap them up in their coats. Zhang Tiantian looked at Little Cat and hesitated. Little Cat said coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I mean what I say.¡± Zhang Tiantian bit her lip and suddenly said, ¡°It¡¯s better if you don¡¯t tell the Great Empress. My father actually doesn¡¯t know about this.¡± ¡°Also, I¡¯m sorry for making things difficult for you.¡± Her face was pale and she was still trembling. She tugged at him and apologized pitifully. Little Cat¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She gritted her teeth and turned around. ¡°I never go back on my word.¡± Zhang Tiantian wanted to stop him, but Little Cat had already run away. Bai Wutong¡¯s due date was next month. She was not as energetic and would only deal with some government affairs in the morning. When Little Cat came to see her, Bai Wutong was relieved to see that Ren Shuixing¡¯s death did not affect him much. Little Cat could tell that Bai Wutong was tired and quickly cut to the chase. ¡°Great Empress, I want to offer the spray fan to you.¡± ¡°Spray fan?¡± Bai Wutong was quite familiar with this term. Before the apocalypse, Bai Wutong had also bought it on a certain website. All the celebrities would get their assistants to carry a mini fan in their hands. She wondered if Little Cat¡¯s spray fan was the same. After a while, the two guards brought up the spray fan that had been checked. This size was a little larger than the wall air conditioner. Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°It looks very powerful. How does this work?¡± Little Cat had already filled it with ice. He walked to the back of the spray fan, reached in, and tried to break the internal power structure. There was a cracking sound like gears turning. The fan blades quickly turned, and after a while, cold air sprayed out. With a few glances, Bai Wutong realized that the spray fan made by Little Cat was a little different from the modern hand-held cooler. However, the operating principle and structure were similar. However, one relied on the battery to provide energy, while the other relied on circulating power to provide energy. Speaking of which, Little Cat¡¯s fan was even more powerful.. Chapter 444 - Chapter 444: Electric Light, So Beautiful Chapter 444: Electric Light, So Beautiful Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Little Cat introduced confidently, ¡°You can put ice or not. As long as you bend it at the beginning and make it spin, the spray fan can keep spinning.¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°The design is very ingenious. It must be very comfortable in the summer.¡± He was very talented. If he could use electricity, in time, Little Cat would definitely be able to design a real electric fan or air conditioner. There were detailed teaching guidelines in the books of the Electromagnetic Induction Formula that could allow everyone to fully understand how magnets produced electric current. Little Cat had yet to come into contact with this knowledge and did not study electric current. Bai Wutong led him to the research lab to see the small electric motor. This was the first time Little Cat had entered the research room. Here, every big shot in the research field had their own separate area. There were the most researchers in the electromagnetic induction area. Little Cat was led by Bai Wutong. The researchers all respectfully retreated to the side and waited for Bai Wutong to ask them questions. Little Cat¡¯s eyes were filled with curiosity as he looked at the small generator. Bai Wutong introduced, ¡°This is called a generator. It can generate electricity, and electricity can provide energy. This energy is like the power driven by your spray fan using water circulation.¡± Little Cat was surprised that there was such a thing. Bai Wutong summoned He Jinchuan, the engineer in charge of repairing the power plant. ¡°How¡¯s your research progress?¡± He Jinchuan had already created the prototype of an incandescent lamp according to the idea provided by Bai Wutong. He had originally wanted to report to Bai Wutong. When Bai Wutong asked, he immediately got someone to bring up the research results of their team. He Jinchuan and the others were inexperienced. The circuit boards were densely packed and messy. One could see a wick that had yet to be connected to the electric current. He Jinchuan introduced enthusiastically, ¡°Great Empress, please take a look. As long as you connect the circuit here, the wick will light up. If electricity can be produced on large scale, and electric lights are popularized, it can completely replace candles in the future.¡± Little Cat¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. The strange thing in front of him was just a pile of messy metal. How could it replace the convenient and easy to burn candles? At Bai Wutong¡¯s signal, He Jinchuan connected the circuit in the next second. The wick lit up. The weak bit of light was not obvious in the bright room, but it was enough to make one click their tongues in surprise. Little Cat couldn¡¯t help but be excited, while Bai Wutong was abnormally calm. He Jinchuan thought that Bai Wutong was dissatisfied with their research results or that she had seen brighter electric lights from foreigners. He hurriedly covered the wick that was emitting a weak light with a round transparent glass cover and asked everyone to extinguish the candles around them and close the curtains in the room. The room darkened, but the small wick lit up the entire room in an instant. This was the first time many people had seen the research results of He Jinchuan¡¯s team. They were amazed by this and could not help but ask, ¡°Won¡¯t it go out?¡± He Jinchuan raised his head proudly. ¡°Not as long as we keep supplying electricity!¡± ¡°Besides, electric lights don¡¯t produce thick smoke, nor do they need to be re-ignited. Even outside, as long as there¡¯s a protective shield above your head, electric lights can still last for a long time and illuminate the world.¡± It sounded much more convenient than candles, but more researchers were very interested in the principle of electric current supplying energy. Especially Zhao Yuan. After he developed the bicycle and made everyone¡¯s daily journey more convenient, he had always wanted to surpass the speed of the bicycle. The sudden illumination of the electric light gave him a flash of inspiration. He wanted to grab something, but for a moment he couldn¡¯t make sense of it. Bai Wutong looked at the electric light and smiled in fascination. ¡°The electric light is so beautiful.¡± He Jinchuan thought that Bai Wutong was praising him and hurriedly said, ¡°We can still improve it a little and make it brighter and more convenient.¡± The idea to make electric lights was given by Bai Wutong, but he was really a genius to be able to make electric lights in such a short period of time with Bai Wutong¡¯s description and hints. Bai Wutong praised him generously, ¡°Mr. He¡¯s circuit energy board structure will definitely change the entire world.¡± He Jinchuan felt smug from the praise, but he did not forget that this was all thanks to Bai Wutong. He hurriedly said, ¡°No, no. It¡¯s all thanks to the Great Empress¡¯s guidance.¡± Bai Wutong smiled and silently thanked Einstein for taking care of all of humanity. Little Cat kept staring at the electric light, his face filled with curiosity. Bai Wutong pointed at the electric lamp and said, ¡°The electricity produced by the generator can be converted into energy and light up the wick, turning it into an electric lamp that illuminates the world. If you can think of a way to apply the energy of electricity to the spray fan, you might be able to create a more convenient and small spray fan.¡± Little Cat widened his eyes in excitement, as if a door had opened in his heart. When Zhao Yuan heard this, he was immediately enlightened. If he could also use the energy of electricity on the bicycle, would he be able to design a traveling tool that could run faster? Afraid that he would forget, he hurriedly recorded his inspiration. After he did, he did not forget to ask Bai Wutong, ¡°Great Empress, if the energy of electricity is transferred to the bicycle, can it also make the bicycle run faster?¡± The Great Empress was knowledgeable and talented. The basic knowledge of mathematics, physics, and chemistry that they had learned was summarized by the Great Empress. She would definitely be able to give him the right guidance. Little Cat and the others also watched eagerly, waiting for Bai Wutong¡¯s answer. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°The electricity produced by the magnetic field can be converted into energy. In the end, it still depends on your ingenious design. If the electric lights can be lit, I believe the other things can too.¡± She looked at Zhao Yuan, who was looking at her, and encouraged, ¡°Maybe next time, even if we don¡¯t use our feet, as long as we maintain a specific direction, the bicycle can run on its own.¡± Zhao Yuan¡¯s eyes shot out lasers. He wished he could pull He Jinchuan along and discuss how electricity could be converted into energy. The others stared at the circuit board in deep thought. What better thing could they make with electricity? Bai Wutong looked at Little Cat again. ¡°Do you think this place is interesting?¡± Little Cat quickly nodded. ¡°Yes, yes, it¡¯s very interesting!¡± He wanted to understand the principles of the generator now, but he was too embarrassed to ask. This was because he was still a child in everyone¡¯s eyes. How could a child enter the research lab? He had yet to even attend university. Moreover, something like this must involve the internal secrets of Carefree Kingdom. Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°Do you want to see how electromagnetic induction is produced?¡± Little Cat nodded crazily. ¡°Yes, yes, yes.¡± He said yes three times in a row. Bai Wutong brought Little Cat out of the research room and arrived at Qinghe University. Physics was set up as a major by her. Any student who entered Qinghe University could choose any of the courses. Bai Wutong led him to a physics experiment classroom at Qinghe University. There was a lot of experimental equipment here. Bai Wutong asked Little Cat to sit down and took out a coil, a powerful magnet, and a small wick. ¡°Let¡¯s play a fun game..¡± Chapter 445 - Chapter 445: Seeing Another Magical World Chapter 445: Seeing Another Magical World Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Little Cat held the same experimental equipment as Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong demonstrated and placed the magnet in the middle of the coil. The magnet was a powerful magnet, and the center of the coil was hollow. This way, the magnet could move freely left and right. Bai Wutong picked up the small wick again and smiled. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived at the key point of the game. Look carefully. Connect the two ends of the wick to the two threads of the coil and press down with your left hand to prevent them from loosening.¡± Her movements were very slow. Little Cat quickly followed her and completed it exactly. Bai Wutong praised, ¡°Our Little Cat is really good at it.¡± Little Cat¡¯s ears turned red as he looked forward to the next step. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°Now is the time to witness a miracle.¡± Bai Wutong pressed both ends of the coil with her right hand, blocking the magnet inside and preventing it from falling out. She shook it hard in the direction of the round hole, and the magnet moved back and forth freely in the coil. Suddenly, the small wick lit up. Little Cat¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. He Jinchuan had to use such a complicated circuit board to light the wick. Bai Wutong only used a coil and a magnet to do it. It was really unbelievable. Little Cat¡¯s dazed appearance was quite cute. Bai Wutong smiled gently and said, ¡°Is it magical? This game is the electromagnetic induction principle of a generator. The magnet in your hand passes through the closed coils. Every coil and magnet will produce an invisible voltage. The more coils there are, the higher the voltage and the brighter the wick.¡± Little Cat was still slowly digesting it when Bai Wutong instructed, ¡°Try it too.¡± His memory was very good. Little Cat recalled Bai Wutong¡¯s movements just now. Not long after, the wick lit up. The light seemed to have opened the door to his heart and his world completely. He shouted in surprise like a real child. ¡°It¡¯s lit up, it¡¯s lit up!¡± Bai Wutong stroked his head. ¡°Yes, you did well.¡± ¡°In addition, the stronger the magnet, the stronger the electricity generated, and the brighter the bulb.¡± Little Cat knew that Bai Wutong was patiently teaching him. He nodded excitedly and engraved every word into his bones. It was unforgettable. Apart from letting Little Cat know the principle of producing a generator, Bai Wutong got someone to find two potatoes and two freshly ripe lemons. Little Cat picked up the potatoes excitedly. He knew that Bai Wutong would definitely teach him some more interesting knowledge. Apart from potatoes and lemons, Bai Wutong also prepared wires, zinc, and copper. Bai Wutong cut the potatoes into four pieces and smiled. ¡°There are many principles for electricity generation. Do you believe that potatoes can also generate electricity?¡± Little Cat nodded without hesitation. Bai Wutong chuckled and inserted a copper piece and a zinc piece into each potato. The ends of a wire were connected to the zinc and copper slices of a potato respectively, and so on. Finally, she connected one end of the other two wires to the remaining copper and zinc pieces and the other end to the wick. Before they made contact, Bai Wutong smiled mysteriously. ¡°It¡¯s time to witness a miracle again.¡± Little Cat widened his eyes. The wick lit up with a whoosh! Bai Wutong had indeed done it! Bai Wutong had learned this interesting experiment in junior high school. At that time, she thought it was only natural, but Little Cat seemed to have seen a miracle and looked at her with incomparable admiration. After being shocked for a while, Little Cat asked, ¡°Why can potatoes also generate electricity?¡± Bai Wutong explained, ¡°Because there¡¯s an acidic substance in potatoes that can be used as an electrolyte. The zinc and copper slices act as positive and negative polar ends. After they are connected, they will react and form an electric current. With electricity, the wick will light up.¡± Little Cat was extremely surprised and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Then how do you know that the acid in potatoes can be used as an electrolyte? The potatoes aren¡¯t sour either?¡± Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t possibly say that it was written in a book and that their teacher had asked them to memorize it. She explained, ¡°It¡¯s actually very simple to determine if there¡¯s any acid in food. As long as you burn the food to ashes and see if it¡¯s soluble in water, you can get the results. Usually, solubilizing in water is acidic, and insoluble in water is alkaline.¡± As soon as Little Cat came to a realization, Bai Wutong added, ¡°An acidic food might not necessarily be acidic. The most important thing is to judge the ingredients. The Westerners have an instrument that can detect the ingredients inside the food. According to the ingredient table, it will also be divided into strong acidity, weak acidity, alkaline, and so on for research on food and herbs.¡± Little Cat was extremely surprised. ¡°What kind of instrument is so powerful?¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯ve seen the glasses the teachers are wearing now, right?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯ve even worn it before!¡± He was rather smug, his eyes filled with light. ¡°The Westerners¡¯ equipment is made of lenses. It¡¯s said that as long as you cut off a small piece of food and place it under the lenses, you can see another magical world.¡± Bai Wutong was so knowledgeable that Little Cat was extremely fascinated. Bai Wutong cut open the lemon again. ¡°Do you want to try it? Let¡¯s see if the sour lemon can generate electricity.¡± Little Cat took the lemon and nodded heavily. ¡°Yes.¡± After a while, the wick suddenly lit up after repeating the same circuit connection steps as the potatoes. Little Cat said excitedly, ¡°Lemons contain acid. It can generate electricity!¡± Bai Wutong smiled in relief and said, ¡°Yes, what I wanted to tell you today is that there are many ways for everything in the world to generate electricity. As long as you master the principle, you can do it.¡± ¡°Electricity is very dangerous, but it can also bring endless power. If used appropriately, it can be used in our lives. For example, the weak wick in front of us can illuminate the entire night sky and form a dazzling galaxy.¡± Little Cat sensed Bai Wutong¡¯s painstaking guidance and nodded firmly. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely go back and study it carefully. I¡¯ll strive to create a more convenient fan before next summer.¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s good that you have a goal, but you have to take care of your body. If there¡¯s anything you don¡¯t understand, you can go to the research lab to ask for guidance. I¡¯ll give you a pass.¡± Little Cat did not expect Bai Wutong to do this for him. His eyes suddenly turned red as he knelt down and kowtowed heavily. ¡°Thank you, Great Empress!¡± Bai Wutong asked Qingfeng to help him up and said, ¡°The spray fan you¡¯re making now is also not bad. The cost is not high. If it¡¯s placed outside for everyone to enjoy the shade, it will also be a unique scenery. I believe everyone will also fight to buy the production rights.¡± Little Cat hurriedly said, ¡°I¡¯ve already given it to you, so I won¡¯t sell the patent.¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°Silly child, if everyone offers up something like you, everyone will wonder if they have to offer it up after creating it. I¡¯ve already received your share. I like it very much. I¡¯ll put it in the courtyard in the future.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a little tired. You can follow Lord Sheng to register it.¡± Little Cat nodded obediently and said firmly, ¡°Great Empress, I will definitely let you use a better fan next year!¡± Chapter 446 - Chapter 446:1 Requested Him Before Chapter 446:1 Requested Him Before Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios She praised Little Cat for being amazing and being able to create air conditioners with electricity. She did not accept his offer and hugged Little Cat. Bai Wutong was only willing to accept the spray fan he had personally made. Sheng Huaixuan led him to the patent registration office and asked Minister Zheng to be in charge of registering him. This was someone Sheng Huaixuan had personally brought over. Zheng Guo did not dare to underestimate Little Cat at all. He carefully registered the use of the spray fan, the construction cost, and the production difficulty. After a while, he made a business evaluation of Little Cat¡¯s spray fan. The cost of Little Cat¡¯s spray fan was medium-class, its comfort level was superior-class, and its production difficulty was medium-class. However, it was only suitable in the summer season. Moreover, such things were not necessary. If the weather was too hot, they could survive by hiding in the room. Therefore, Little Cat¡¯s spray fan patent was judged to be medium-class. If Little Cat wanted to sell the patent directly, Zheng Guo could give it to others to choose from. If Little Cat wanted to build his own workshop to sell his products, Zheng Guo could also help him contact the suppliers. Little Cat thought of Zhang Tiantian and said to Zheng Guo, ¡°Thank you, Sir. I have decided who to give the patent to.¡± Zheng Guo smiled and said, ¡°Of course. If you can¡¯t sell it, you can contact us later.¡± Little Cat nodded and unknowingly walked to the front of the Zhang family¡¯s villa. They had all been from Youjia village previously. When they arrived at the southern frontier, their villas were not far apart. Little Cat stayed at the door for a while before bumping into Zhang Tiantian, who had sneaked out and was planning to buy cake. Ever since that farewell, Zhang Tiantian no longer had the courage to bother Little Cat. When she suddenly saw Little Cat, her eyes almost fell out of their sockets. Xiao Xue said in surprise, ¡°Miss, Little Cat is here for you, right?¡± Zhang Tiantian was not sure. ¡°Probably.¡± But he was standing there. Why wouldn¡¯t he dare to greet her? Just as Zhang Tiantian was feeling uneasy, Little Cat suddenly walked towards her. His expression was solemn, as if he wanted to settle scores with her. Her heart couldn¡¯t help but beat faster. She subconsciously took a step back. Little Cat stood in front of her. ¡°Does your family still want my spray fan?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Zhang Tiantian was a little confused. Little Cat frowned and waited for her answer. Zhang Tiantian reacted and immediately nodded crazily. She guessed and asked, ¡°The Great Empress has agreed? She wants to give us the production rights?¡± Little Cat¡¯s tone turned cold. ¡°The Great Empress only accepted the spray fan from me. The patent is still in my hands.¡± With that, he took out a complete blueprint of the spray fan and a patent transfer document. ¡°Keep it well.¡± Just as Zhang Tiantian held it firmly, Little Cat had already turned around coolly, leaving her with a cold back view. Zhang Tiantian opened it and her eyes widened. She forgot about her cake, turned around and rushed into the house to look for Madam Zhang. ¡°Mother! Hurry up and call Father back!¡± Madam Zhang frowned and stood up. ¡°How many times have I told you not to make a fuss? Look at yourself. You¡¯re not even as obedient as Little Peach next door.¡± Zhang Tiantian didn¡¯t talk back and placed the patent authorization in front of Madam Zhang. Madam Zhang glanced at it strangely and was so shocked that she couldn¡¯t close her mouth. ¡°Where did you get this?¡± Zhang Tiantian said excitedly, ¡°Little Cat gave it to me!¡± Madam Zhang was even more surprised. ¡°Why would he give it to you?¡± Zhang Tiantian said, ¡°I have an agreement with him, but it¡¯s not good for him to give it to us like this, right? We have to at least visit him and thank him, and ask Father to give him money, right?¡± She did not know how much money she should ask Patriarch Zhang to give. In any case, she felt that she could not let Little Cat down. Madam Zhang was stunned. ¡°He didn¡¯t say how much silver it cost?¡± Zhang Tiantian widened her eyes. ¡°He said it was for me. I don¡¯t think he wants my silver.¡± Madam Zhang walked around and looked at the housekeeper. She urged, ¡°How long until Master comes back?¡± The housekeeper smiled bitterly. ¡°Madam, the subordinate has just been sent out. It will take at least an hour or two.¡± They waited for a long time before Patriarch Zhang rushed back. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Madam Zhang quickly gave him the blueprint given by Little Cat and the patent transfer authorization. When Patriarch Zhang saw this, he was dumbfounded. ¡°Isn¡¯t he going to offer it to the Great Empress?¡± Zhang Tiantian said, ¡°He said that the Great Empress has already accepted it, but the patent is still in his hands.¡± Patriarch Zhang: ¡°Then why did he give it to you again?¡± Zhang Tiantian blushed. ¡°I requested him previously.¡± Patriarch Zhang said excitedly, ¡°This kid is not bad, very good! Hurry up and prepare a generous gift. We¡¯ll thank him properly.¡± Zhang Tiantian emphasized, ¡°Father, you have to give him money!¡± Otherwise, she would lose face. Patriarch Zhang laughed loudly. ¡°Is your father that kind of person? Father will definitely give him as much as he wants. If he wants a dividend, there¡¯s no problem.¡± Satisfied, Zhang Tiantian went to count the gifts with Madam Zhang. Little Cat was in her filial period, so it was not good for them to wear clothes that were too bright. Madam Zhang chose some simple and low-key silk and satin, jade jewelry, and asked Master Zhang to bring some books that Little Cat might like. When Zhang Xiu returned home, the entire family would visit him officially. Little Cat politely invited them into the house. Tao Yinzhen was not around, so Madam Zhang placed the gift on the table. Little Cat directly rejected it and bluntly said that he would not ask them for a single cent since he had given them the patent. Patriarch Zhang shook his head firmly. ¡°How can I accept such an expensive thing casually?¡± Little Cat glanced at Zhang Tiantian, who was secretly looking at him. She was caught off guard and met his gaze. She hurriedly cowered. ¡°If Patriarch Zhang doesn¡¯t accept it, then you can tear it.¡± Little Cat actually gave such an answer. Patriarch Zhang was stunned for a moment. He could tell that Little Cat was a straightforward and decisive person, so he cupped his hands solemnly and said, ¡°Thank you! If I can help in the future, please don¡¯t hesitate to ask.¡± Little Cat nodded. ¡°Patriarch Zhang, you¡¯re welcome.¡± After bringing the things over, he brought them back intact. On the way, Madam Zhang complained, ¡°This child is quite arrogant!¡± Patriarch Zhang stroked his beard and smiled. ¡°Which talented person doesn¡¯t have some pride? If I had another daughter, I would definitely settle this marriage now.¡± Madam Zhang glanced at Zhang Tiantian and thought about her marriage with the Cui family. Madam Cui had always avoided talking about it and did not seem to like their Zhang Tiantian. Madam Zhang rolled her eyes and quietly said to Patriarch Zhang, ¡°You¡¯re so satisfied with Little Cat, and Little Cat even specially fulfilled his promise to Tiantian. Tiantian is two and a half years older than Little Cat. Isn¡¯t she quite compatible?¡± Little Cat was deeply liked by the Great Empress and was Cui Shize¡¯s final disciple. He was extremely intelligent. Apart from his family being a little small, he was quite good in every aspect. Patriarch Zhang was stunned. ¡°Don¡¯t you want Tiantian to marry into the Cui family?¡± It was very common for the 30 families of Qinghe to arrange marriages. Patriarch Zhang thought that even if Madam Zhang could not negotiate a marriage with the Cui family, she would choose other suitable direct descendants. Logically speaking, Little Cat was not within her choice at all. Madam Zhang chuckled. ¡°The others don¡¯t like our Tiantian, so why should I go? Besides, Little Cat is next door. I¡¯m not afraid of her being bullied if she¡¯s married over..¡± Chapter 447 - Chapter 447: A Blessing Others Can’t Get! Chapter 447: A Blessing Others Can¡¯t Get! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Patriarch Zhang smiled and said, ¡°There are many young men nearby. Why did you set your eyes on Little Cat?¡± ¡°Little Cat treats our daughter well now. He definitely won¡¯t let our Tiantian suffer in the future. Besides, didn¡¯t you say that if we have a daughter, we should settle this marriage?¡± Patriarch Zhang was amused. ¡°Tiantian is three years older than him!¡± Madam Zhang glared at him. ¡°What three years old? It¡¯s two and a half years old. Besides, a woman older by three years is a golden brick. How is she not suitable?¡± Patriarch Zhang smiled and said, ¡°That depends on whether the two of them are in love, right?¡± Madam Zhang thought for a moment. ¡°I¡¯ll just ask tomorrow. If Tiantian doesn¡¯t object, I¡¯ll ask Little Cat¡¯s mother¡¯s thoughts.¡± Patriarch Zhang hesitated. ¡°Little Cat is still a child. Isn¡¯t it a little early to get engaged?¡± ¡°What early? They are childhood sweethearts. Didn¡¯t we go through the same thing?¡± Master Zhang recalled that Madam Zhang had followed behind him like a stalker when she was young. He chuckled and replied gently, ¡°Okay.¡± The next day, Madam Zhang came to Zhang Tiantian¡¯s room. Zhang Tiantian was still sleeping in when Madam Zhang woke her up. She yawned and asked sleepily, ¡°Mother, I am not going to school today. Why are you here so early?¡± Madam Zhang held her hand. ¡°I have something to discuss with you.¡± Why did she have to come so early in the morning and look so serious? Zhang Tiantian¡¯s sleepiness was dispelled by curiosity. She pricked up her ears. ¡°What is it?¡± Madam Zhang said naturally, ¡°You¡¯ll have to get married in a few years.¡± Zhang Tiantian almost drowned herself in her saliva. She said helplessly, ¡°Mother, you know there are still a few years. You even woke me up early in the morning to talk about this.¡± Madam Zhang tugged at her ear. ¡°Good marriages are all arranged in advance. It¡¯ll be too late by the time you remember to pick one.¡± Zhang Tiantian covered her ears and admitted defeat. ¡°Please continue.¡± Madam Zhang smiled. ¡°I originally wanted to set you up with Cui Muzhi. Unexpectedly, Madam Cui avoided talking about it. You and the Cui family¡¯s boy are both jumpy. He¡¯s a little more mature now, but he seems to be hiding something. If there¡¯s someone who you like, I definitely won¡¯t let you suffer. How about Little Cat?¡± Cui Muzhi was handsome and carefree. He also knew how to make all kinds of delicious snacks. His appearance when focused at work was mesmerizing. Which girl wouldn¡¯t fall in love? Zhang Tiantian was disappointed for a moment when she heard that he had someone he liked. Then, she heard that her mother had taken a fancy to Little Cat, who was even younger than her. She was immediately shocked. ¡°What?¡± Madam Zhang gestured for her to calm down. ¡°Isn¡¯t Little Cat good to you? He worked hard to develop a blueprint that can be sold for countless taels of silver and specially gave it to you for free. There¡¯s nothing wrong with his character. I think Little Cat is not bad. What do you think?¡± Zhang Tiantian blushed and thought of Little Cat¡¯s lonely back. She whispered, ¡°But I¡¯m older than him! Will I be laughed at?¡± Apart from often pulling a long face, Little Cat was indeed quite good to her. It didn¡¯t seem bad for him to keep treating her like this. It was just that he was a little small, tanned, and thin, but he looked alright¡­ Seeing her daughter¡¯s expression, Madam Zhang could tell that she did not dislike Little Cat. She chuckled and said, ¡°What would they laugh about? A woman three years older is a golden brick and can be raise well. It¡¯s a blessing that others can¡¯t even ask for! If you think it¡¯s okay, Mother will go and ask around?¡± Zhang Tiantian stammered, ¡°Then what if he doesn¡¯t grow tall? I don¡¯t like anyone shorter than me.¡± Little Cat was still half a head shorter than her. Madam Zhang was overjoyed. ¡°Boys develop later, he will grow taller. The Great Empress advocates drinking more milk to strengthen one¡¯s body. When the two of you are engaged, you can deliver milk to him every day.¡± Zhang Tiantian blushed. ¡°How can I give it to him every day?¡± Occasionally, she would just give him. ¡°Why not? Your mother used to follow behind your father every day to ask for candy.¡± Zhang Tiantian snorted and couldn¡¯t help but think of how Little Cat would look when he found out that they were engaged. He would probably still be cool and disdainful, but secretly ecstatic, right? After Madam Zhang settled Zhang Tiantian, she thought about how to talk to Tao Yinzhen. After all, Little Cat¡¯s father had just passed away not long ago. Although she would only ask a few questions first and get engaged after some time, she still had to consider the other party¡¯s feelings. Madam Zhang looked at the almanac. The mid autumn festival was coming soon, so she customized some exquisite mooncakes, took out the aged wine at home, and personally visited. Tao Yinzhen opened the door and was surprised for a moment. She hurriedly invited Madam Zhang in. Tao Yinzhen no longer had any thoughts towards Chu Tianbao, and she returned to normal. Madam Zhang was very satisfied with their conversation. She was neither unscrupulous nor rude. Madam Zhang beat around the bush and asked Tao Yinzhen about her thoughts of her future daughter-in-law. Tao Yinzhen sighed. ¡°He has his own mind and can decide for himself. I don¡¯t have to worry about him yet.¡± When Madam Zhang heard this, it was even better. In any case, Little Cat was interested in their Tiantian, so she took the opportunity to propose the marriage between the two families. Tao Yinzhen was stunned. She never expected Madam Zhang to take a fancy to their Little Cat. After all, a starving camel is still bigger than a horse. Their family was still far inferior to the Zhang family of Qinghe. Madam Zhang smiled brightly. Tao Yinzhen took a sip of tea to calm down. After a long time, she said, ¡°Madam Zhang, can you allow me some time to think?¡± She really couldn¡¯t decide on behalf of Little Cat now, although she really wanted to agree to the marriage. Madam Zhang nodded. ¡°Then sorry for bothering you today.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send Madam Zhang off.¡± After Madam Zhang left, Tao Yinzhen drank two more cups of tea before Little Cat returned. Seeing that Tao Yinzhen had yet to cook, he put down his bag and went to wash his hands to cook. When Tao Yinzhen heard the sound of cooking coming from the kitchen, she came back to her senses. Little Cat packed a plate of green cabbage and glanced at Tao Yinzhen, who wanted to say something but hesitated. ¡°It¡¯s almost time to eat.¡± Tao Yinzhen said apologetically, ¡°Mother was just about to stir-fry when Madam Zhang suddenly came.¡± Little Cat looked up in surprise. ¡°What are they doing here?¡± Tao Yinzhen was silent for a moment. ¡°Madam Zhang wants to set an engagement with our family.¡± The egg in Little Cat¡¯s hand slipped and fell to the ground, as if he had heard wrongly. Tao Yinzhen hurriedly picked up the broken eggs. Little Cat frowned and asked, ¡°With who?¡± Apart from the direct descendants, the Zhang family also had four to five branches. ¡°Patriarch Zhang¡¯s only eldest daughter, Zhang Tiantian.¡± Little Cat paused. Tao Yinzhen wiped the floor and stood up. ¡°Mother didn¡¯t agree to it yet. If you¡¯re unwilling, Mother won¡¯t interfere.¡± Little Cat¡¯s eyes were filled with complicated emotions. He did not respond to Tao Yinzhen for a long time. ¡°Let¡¯s eat first.¡± Tao Yinzhen and Little Cat ate dinner in silence. Then, Little Cat went straight to wash the dishes. Tao Yinzhen glanced at him and knew that she probably wouldn¡¯t get an answer that day. The next day, for the first time, Little Cat took the initiative to block Zhang Tiantian¡¯s way. He said simply, ¡°I have something to ask you..¡± Chapter 448 - Chapter 448: Do You Know About Our Engagement? Chapter 448: Do You Know About Our Engagement? Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Madam Zhang had already been to Little Cat¡¯s house. When she met Little Cat¡¯s deep eyes, Zhang Tiantian blushed and came to a seaside garden with him. Little Cat was facing the sea. Both of them were clearly in a uniform. For some reason, Little Cat gave her an extremely imposing pressure. Zhang Tiantian asked softly, ¡°Why are you looking for me?¡± Little Cat turned to look at her and said unhurriedly, ¡°Do you know about our engagement?¡± Zhang Tiantian did not expect him to be so straightforward. Her face instantly turned red. After a while, she stuttered and said, ¡°Yes.¡± Little Cat looked at her as he fell silent again. Zhang Tiantian¡¯s heart skipped a beat. No way. Could it be that he didn¡¯t like her? Her face was getting paler and paler. She was biting her lip so hard that it was about to bleed. She couldn¡¯t help but want to beat someone up. Little Cat suddenly said, ¡°Do you want to play a game?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Zhang Tiantian was stunned and subconsciously nodded. Little Cat brought her to the market. Zhang Tiantian looked at the variety of fruits with a puzzled expression. Little Cat asked her, ¡°Which fruit do you like?¡± Zhang Tiantian was stunned. No way. The silly Little Cat actually knew how to buy fruits to please her. Zhang Tiantian was delighted and was too embarrassed to answer. Xiao Xue spoke on behalf of her, ¡°Our Miss likes oranges.¡± Little Cat took an orange and picked a lemon, an apple, and a kiwi. The fruit seller was a local tribe member. He charged Little Cat very cheaply and even gave him a net to hold the fruits. After Little Cat received the fruits and returned to the park with Zhang Tiantian, there was no one around. Xiao Xue tactfully hid to the side. Zhang Tiantian glanced at the orange in his hand and thought that it was time for him to give it to her. As expected, Little Cat moved and took out a small knife from his bag. Zhang Tiantian thought that he was going to skin the orange for her and was filled with joy. She felt that her fiance, who was two years younger, was not bad. Unexpectedly, Little Cat cut open the orange. Zhang Tiantian reached out her hand, but Little Cat inserted zinc and copper slices into the orange. Zhang Tiantian¡¯s hand hung awkwardly in the air. The atmosphere was strange. Zhang Tiantian¡¯s puffed-up cheeks were like a fish in the sea, and they would explode when she was angry. He hid the smile that flashed in his eyes and placed the remaining half of the orange in front of her. ¡°The orange is very sweet. Try it?¡± Zhang Tiantian took it angrily and took a bite of the orange. ¡°It¡¯s considered sweet.¡± Her mood improved for a moment before she asked curiously, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Little Cat was busy and suddenly said mysteriously, ¡°It¡¯s time to witness a miracle.¡± With a whoosh, the wick suddenly lit up. Little Cat enveloped it with his hand so that they could see more clearly. Zhang Tiantian asked excitedly, ¡°What is this? A lamp? Why don¡¯t you light it?¡± Little Cat suddenly smiled. ¡°This is an electric lamp.¡± ¡°Electric lamp? Isn¡¯t electricity only available in the sky? How can there be one in an orange? And how did it light up?¡± Zhang Tiantian felt that everything was so magical. Unknowingly, she moved closer to Little Cat. Little Cat took another lemon, apple, and kiwi. ¡°It¡¯s not just oranges. As long as it¡¯s acidic food, it will work. Guess which one produced the most electricity among them?¡± When Zhang Tiantian heard this, she immediately chose lemon. ¡°This!¡± Little Cat brought her along for the experiment. Zhang Tiantian felt that it was very interesting. She followed his steps slowly and asked from time to time. The atmosphere was extremely harmonious. Xiao Xue carefully turned around and saw this scene. She couldn¡¯t help but cover her mouth and laugh. They tested the four fruits one by one. Zhang Tiantian came to a conclusion. ¡°The kiwi has the most electricity and it¡¯s the brightest.¡± Then she asked curiously, ¡°But I think lemons are the sourest.¡± Little Cat replied seriously, ¡°The substance in each fruit determines the strength of the acid. We can¡¯t see these substances.¡± Zhang Tiantian seemed to understand and smiled. ¡°You¡¯re amazing! You know everything!¡± Little Cat clenched his fists slightly. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s fun?¡± Zhang Tiantian nodded. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s very interesting. We can make electric lights using energy generated from fruits. If only I could put one at the head of the bed, it would definitely be very beautiful at night and I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about a fire.¡± Little Cat was deep in thought. He sent Zhang Tiantian home and looked around for the generator metal used in the research room. However, the metal material of the generator was specially made by Bai Wutong. He went to all the surrounding shops, but he could not buy what he wanted. He thought of the pass to the research room that Bai Wutong had given him and ran to the place. The guard stopped him. He showed his pass, provided his name, and registered his detailed information. After the specialized personnel reviewed the corresponding files, Little Cat was allowed to enter the research room. There was a special accommodation area in the research room. If the researchers did not want to go home, they could stay here. Even though it was almost dark, there were still many people around. It was especially abrupt for a child like him to be here. Zhao Yuan saw him at a glance. ¡°Little Cat, why are you here?¡± Little Cat¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°The Great Empress allowed me to come in.¡± Zhao Yuan smiled. ¡°Why? Or do you want to take a look?¡± Little Cat immediately said, ¡°Uncle, I can¡¯t find the raw materials to make a generator.¡± The materials needed in the research lab were all specially made. Moreover, how much each person used had to be recorded in detail. Little Cat did not belong to the research lab and could not use the materials without permission. However, he was let in by the Great Empress. Zhao Yuan asked, ¡°You want to make a generator?¡± Little Cat nodded. ¡°Yes, yes. I still want to make automatic fans and self-controlled electric lights.¡± This little child was quite ambitious. Zhao Yuan thought for a moment and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go tell the higher-ups, you can use whatever materials you want here, but you can¡¯t bring them out of the research lab, understand?¡± Little Cat nodded happily. ¡°Okay, okay! Thank you, Uncle.¡± Zhao Yuan led him to the materials room to choose the materials. Fortunately, Zhao Yuan had also received them himself previously. Little Cat quickly gathered the materials and even received Zhao Yuan¡¯s guidance. After interacting with Little Cat for a while, Zhao Yuan felt that the child was really smart. He had spent a few days fiddling with it before he understood the principle of the generator, but this child actually understood it in a short while. He never expected Bai Wutong to give Little Cat special treatment. After they assembled the simple generator, Little Cat still wanted to immediately start operating the automatic lights. As long as the automatic lights could work, the automatic fans could definitely work too. Zhao Yuan looked at the clock on the wall and said, ¡°Little Cat, you should go back. It¡¯s too late. Your mother will be anxious.¡± Little Cat was reluctant, but he knew there was a limit. He immediately bowed deeply to Zhao Yuan. ¡°Thank you, Uncle. I¡¯ll come back to look for you tomorrow.¡± Zhao Yuan waved his hand. ¡°Come directly to this room tomorrow. When you leave, put the things in my storage box. I still have something to do.¡± Little Cat knew that it was already very good that Zhao Yuan had accompanied him for so long. He thanked him again, ¡°Thank you, Uncle. It¡¯s been hard on you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t stand on ceremony. Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± Little Cat rushed home. Tao Yinzhen was about to go out to look for him. ¡°Where have you been? Why didn¡¯t you tell Mother? What time is it!¡± If it were in the past, she would have hit him with a stick.. Chapter 449 - Chapter 449: There’s a Great World Inside Chapter 449: There¡¯s a Great World Inside Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Little Cat met Tao Yinzhen¡¯s worried and forbearing red eyes and took a step closer to hug her. ¡°I went to the research institute. I won¡¯t be so late in the future. Don¡¯t worry.¡± The research institute was a place that only outstanding talents in various fields could enter after obtaining the recognition of the Great Empress. Tao Yinzhen had mixed feelings. She admired the Great Empress¡¯s kindness and magnanimity, and she regretted it back then. She put on a smile. ¡°Yes, Mother understands. The food is still in the pot. Let¡¯s eat.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Little Cat ate very quickly. He could not wait to draw the design concept of automatic electric lights. Tao Yinzhen suddenly stopped him. ¡°Little Cat, the Zhang family is still waiting for an answer. If you¡¯re unwilling, I¡¯ll use the excuse that you¡¯re still young to reject this marriage.¡± Little Cat stopped in his tracks and looked at her. ¡°Mother, you can agree to them.¡± Tao Yinzhen thought that he would not agree. After all, the two children seemed to have had a conflict previously. When Little Cat agreed, she was surprised for a moment before saying happily, ¡°Okay, okay, okay.¡± Little Cat returned to the room and lit a candle. On the basis of the electric light, he designed a Little Cat doll. He planned to stuff the small power generation device into the doll and install small lights as the cat¡¯s eyes. After school the next day, he hurriedly rushed to the research lab, wanting to turn the generator that he had assembled the day before into a light. However, he quickly realized that it was very easy for the generator to heat up if it was placed in the doll like this. It was very inconvenient for the wick to come into contact with it, so it could not light up easily. He was still trying to figure out how to solve this problem when the wick suddenly went out. He checked around and consulted the others. Only then did he know that the generator he had made was too small and did not have enough power. The wick could only be lit for a while. There were only two ways to make the doll light up longer. One was to replace with a large generator and continue to power it, or find a way to continuously transmit electricity into the generator inside the doll. If it was changed to a larger generator, the entire doll would be abnormally cumbersome. What should he do to transfer the electric current to the generator inside the doll? What should he do with the connection? Little Cat was at a loss. He asked everyone in the research room and He Jinchuan, who was in charge of repairing the power station, said to him, ¡°As long as the wire is long enough, just plug it in.¡± Little Cat still did not know about the power station, so he could not help but ask, ¡°What if there are no outlets around? Can you think of a way to store the electricity in the doll or make it convenient to carry?¡± By the time the power station was completely built, it would take at least half a year for it to fully supply the electricity to the entire Carefree City. Little Cat wanted to have a way to turn on the lights without plugging in. He Jinchuan was stunned by Little Cat¡¯s question. After a long time, he said, ¡°You can think about it yourself.¡± Afraid that he would run to ask Bai Wutong, he reminded, ¡°The Great Empress is due for delivery soon. Don¡¯t disturb her for small matters.¡± Little Cat nodded. ¡°I won¡¯t disturb the Great Empress. I¡¯ll think of a way myself.¡± He Jinchuan chuckled. ¡°A young child knows no fear.¡± He threw him a book. ¡°Take it and read it carefully. Perhaps you¡¯ll find the answer.¡± Little Cat took He Jinchuan¡¯s book. It was a book of advanced mathematics, physics, and chemistry. He thanked He Jinchuan ecstatically. He Jinchuan smiled and said, ¡°Ask me if you don¡¯t understand, although there are some things I don¡¯t understand too.¡± Little Cat bowed deeply again and said gratefully, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome. I¡¯d also like to know if there¡¯s any other way to light up the electric lamp after it¡¯s detached from the wire device.¡± The two of them looked at each other and smiled before going back to their respective research. Little Cat had to go to school in the day. After school, he would go to the research institute. Sometimes, he would stay up all night in the research institute. He did not have enough rest so he often dozed off in class. However, Little Cat¡¯s results were also the best, so it was inevitable that some people would think that he was arrogant and did not take his teacher and the others seriously. They would gossip about him behind his back. Little Cat¡¯s form teacher was good friends with Cui Shize, so he specially went to look for Cui Shize and told him about Little Cat¡¯s recent situation to prevent him from being isolated by everyone. No matter how talented a person was, they could not escape the criticism of this world. His form teacher still hoped that Little Cat would not be so antisocial. Cui Shize knew Little Cat well and knew that he was definitely not arrogant. He thanked the form teacher for his reminder and found Little Cat to ask about his situation. After knowing that Little Cat had been staying up late to do research and that the middle school curriculum was too simple, that¡¯s why he was so tired that he fell asleep. However, ever since he found out about everyone¡¯s discussion, he would drink a large cup of tea every day after class to get rid of his sleepiness. This made Cui Shize¡¯s heart ached. Cui Shize thought for a moment and said, ¡°If you complete a test and meet the requirements, you can enter Qinghe University in advance.¡± Since Little Cat was smart, there was no need to waste his talent in middle school. The curriculum of Qinghe University was chosen by each student. The time could also be adjusted according to one¡¯s personal situation, and the curriculum was not as intensive as in middle school. Little Cat¡¯s eyes lit up and he hurriedly nodded. ¡°Thank you, Teacher.¡± This way, he would have more time to deal with the way to store electricity. Cui Shize quickly arranged an admission test for Little Cat. Apart from the basic examination, there were also many specialization categories for the entrance examination of Qinghe University. According to the requirements of the one plus three examination, Little Cat did the tests in one go and took the examination for four hours in a separate examination hall. As soon as the exam papers were collected, Yang Quanzi and the other teachers personally graded the basic exam paper. The other three specialization exam papers were also personally reviewed by the respective teachers. In two hours, Little Cat¡¯s results were out. Apart from the open-ended questions, Little Cat scored almost full marks. Cui Shize could guarantee that even the teachers of Qinghe University might not be able to obtain such an outstanding result. He successfully entered Qinghe University. Apart from the research room, he would ask all kinds of questions to the physics professors. Although they were teachers, they had not been in contact with physics much longer than Little Cat. They had only listened to Bai Wutong teach a few more lessons. Soon, they could not keep up with Little Cat¡¯s pace. They were even a little afraid that Little Cat would keep looking for them. The news that even the teachers of Qinghe University were afraid of Little Cat spread. The originally rumors about him were swept away and he even became an existence that many students looked up to and admired. Madam Zhang also felt that she had picked up a treasure by choosing Little Cat for her daughter in advance. At this moment, Little Cat did another earth-shattering thing. He researched hard and finally found a way to store electricity separately. After Bai Wutong heard the news, she immediately went to the research lab. There was a doll in front of Little Cat. The doll¡¯s eyes were lit. Everyone said, ¡°Isn¡¯t this just storing the generator in your stomach?¡± He Jinchuan smiled and shook his head. ¡°This doll has been lit up since yesterday. The electricity should have been used up long ago. There¡¯s a great world inside..¡± Chapter 450 - Chapter 450: You Created a New Era Chapter 450: You Created a New Era Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Bai Wutong¡¯s due date was at the end of the month. Everyone carefully avoided her and carried a comfortable chair for Bai Wutong. Bai Wutong looked at Little Cat and said gently, ¡°I heard that you can deliver electricity into the doll, so I came to take a look.¡± Bai Wutong could have summoned him over, but she came personally. Little Cat hurriedly introduced, ¡°Yes, I set up a device similar to a generator in the doll. This device can generate electricity and allow the electricity in other generators to be stored in it. When the doll has no electricity, it can be connected to other generators in the device and charge electricity.¡± A researcher said, ¡°Then we¡¯ll need another generator to replenish the power. Won¡¯t it be very troublesome?¡± He Jinchuan shook his head. ¡°When the power plant is built and perfected, there¡¯s no need to use a small generator. By connecting the wiring to the interface, you can directly use electricity and turn on the electric lights. It¡¯ll be very convenient to use such portable lights where the wires can¡¯t be inserted. This is a great creation.¡± He Jinchuan¡¯s explanation made everyone¡¯s eyes light up. Indeed, if they could use electricity portablely, then even if they were far away, the machinery they had created that needed to be supplied with electricity could still be used. Especially Zhao Yuan, his eyes seemed to shoot out lasers. He did not expect Little Cat to really accomplish it. He said excitedly, ¡°Can you show me the internal structure?¡± He had also been trying to combine a generator with a bicycle, but the energy required was too great. There was no way to operate at high frequency without connecting to the wires. Little Cat¡¯s invention was like timely rain to his idea. The others also looked curious. If they could use this technology, they would definitely be able to make Carefree City stand at the peak. After receiving He Jinchuan¡¯s affirmation, a smile appeared on Little Cat¡¯s face. He opened the doll¡¯s stomach and took out the power storage device. He let everyone see the internal circulation structure up close and explained in detail where he had obtained his inspiration. Bai Wutong thought that the power storage device that Little Cat mentioned was like a lithium battery. However, what was magical was that it was different from the principle structure of a lithium battery. Instead, it was similar to the energy change structure caused by the recent apocalypse. It was seen through by Little Cat from the books and he directly skipped the lithium-electron era that would cause pollution and entered the era of environmentally friendly energy. It had to be said that some people were born geniuses in this field. Bai Wutong had only used space to impart some knowledge, but he could already draw inferences and reach the peak of the era. Bai Wutong sighed. ¡°The wirelessly stored electrical devices can allow machines to be unrestricted by the electric wires. We can also have light when we travel at night. Little Cat, you¡¯ve created a new era.¡± Little Cat said humbly, ¡°Although the power storage device is convenient, the power is still not as high as wire transmission. We need to use high-power electric lights, so we still have to rely on wired devices.¡± Most modern large mechanical cars relied on oil to circulate. Electric cars needed specialized conversion equipment, while solar hover cars needed solar light speed plates. Bai Wutong had detailed steps, processes, blueprints, and videos, but she could not reveal them all in one go. In the future, she would reveal a little and let them continue to explore before learning these technologies. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to be humble. You¡¯ve made a great contribution to our Carefree Kingdom.¡± Little Cat revealed a rare look of embarrassment. ¡°I just want the Great Empress to be able to use a more convenient fan, but I haven¡¯t made it yet.¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯ll be done soon. Are you willing to become a high-level core researcher of the research institute?¡± Little Cat looked up suddenly. ¡°Can I?¡± Bai Wutong looked around. ¡°Everyone can see your talent. If you don¡¯t join the research institute, it will probably be our loss.¡± The researchers in the research institute were evaluated on several levels. There were only a few high-level core researchers now. They enjoyed the treatment of national treasures and were specially protected by guards. Little Cat was not even 10 years old, but he was already comparable to the others. Envy flashed across the faces of the other researchers, but they had to admit that Little Cat was talented. Perhaps they would not be able to achieve his results in their lifetime. There were people and things that Little Cat liked in the research institute. If he could obtain the title of a high-level core researcher, he could freely enter the research institute¡¯s library and various research rooms. Little Cat held his breath and nodded excitedly. ¡°I¡¯m willing.¡± Bai Wutong smiled and personally awarded him the medal of a high-level core researcher. She said to the others, ¡°After the power station is established, daily electricity usage will become a common occurrence. I hope everyone can continue to work hard and create a new world for the lives of the commoners.¡± ¡°We will remember the Great Empress¡¯ instructions.¡± The tools for the workers in the mine were still torches. It was inconvenient to use torches. With Little Cat¡¯s charging device, they could produce flashlights and headlamps in large quantities, making it safer and more convenient for the miners. Bai Wutong asked He Jinchuan to develop a flashlight with strong lighting and build a temporary charging table in the mining area. When the flashlight and headlamp ran out of battery, they could charge at the charging table. When Little Cat heard this, another idea appeared in his mind. What if there was a portable charging device? Would it be able to be replenished in time if there was a temporary power outage on the way down the mine? The use of different filaments could make the wick appear in different states. After a week of hard research and experimentation, He Jinchuan finally created a portable flashlight and headlamp for the mine. Zhao Yuan borrowed it to study it and even designed a bicycle headlamp. On the other hand, Little Cat had modified the Little Cat doll into a Little Cat lamp on the basis of He Jinchuan¡¯s improved wick. A hat with light grew out of the cute little cat¡¯s head. It was novel and cute. Little Cat tried it for a few nights. Compared to the flickering dim kerosene lamp, it was more convenient and did not have any smell. The light was also much more stable. He felt that the device to pull the string was too inconvenient. If the string broke, Zhang Tiantian would have to carry it back to him. Little Cat stayed up for another night and modified the string on the device to a button switch. As long as he pressed the button, the Little Cat lamp would light up. If he pressed the button again, the Little Cat lamp would be turned off. He was very satisfied with his settings for the button switch. He even specially let He Jinchuan take a look. He Jinchuan designed a switch for the flashlight and headlamp. When he saw Little Cat¡¯s button switch, he praised, ¡°When household electric lights are popularized to thousands of families, the button switch you designed will be more compatible with the wall aesthetics. Hurry up and apply for a patent.¡± Little Cat thought that this was not a big achievement, but He Jinchuan said, ¡°If you don¡¯t register and someone beat you to it, you¡¯ll vomit to death if someone uses it to publicize your achievements in the future. Go and register. It won¡¯t take much effort.¡± He Jinchuan was teaching him to avoid future trouble. Little Cat accepted his kind suggestion, but Zheng Guo, who was in charge of registering patents, was dumbfounded.. In just a short period of time, Little Cat had already registered three patents with him! Chapter 451 - Chapter 451: When the Time Comes, You Can’t Call Me Stinky Chapter 451: When the Time Comes, You Can¡¯t Call Me Stinky Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Zheng Guo looked incredulous. Little Cat was abnormally calm. When he saw the badge on the other party¡¯s body, he clicked his tongue even more. His official rank was actually higher than his. Zheng Guo could not help but speak much more politely. ¡°Your patent evaluation is at the national level and can¡¯t be sold without permission. However, you will receive a large amount of allowance every month, as well as the income from various patent sources. You can go to the bank to confirm and withdraw these allowances every month.¡± Bai Wutong gave a lot of allowance for national patents. When Zheng Guo saw this amount, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder why he didn¡¯t have the brain like Little Cat. Little Cat was not short of money. He took the bank passbook from Zheng Guo and looked at it calmly before taking the Little Cat lamp to the Zhang family. Little Cat had become the youngest high-level core researcher in the research room. Madam Zhang had been proud of it for a long time. Even now, she was still full of smiles and looked a few years younger. Even Patriarch Zhang praised her for having foresight. If she had been a step later, Little Cat would have many pursuers and the marriage engagement might not have been possible. As soon as Little Cat arrived, the servants of the Zhang family invited him in enthusiastically. Soon, Zhang Tiantian rushed out like a whirlwind and said happily, ¡°You¡¯re here!!!¡± After Little Cat entered Qinghe University, he was nowhere to be seen all day long. Zhang Tiantian had not seen Little Cat for a few days. Now that everyone said that she had picked up a treasure, Zhang Tiantian was especially proud. Little Cat nodded and handed her a large cloth bag. Zhang Tiantian took it. ¡°What is this?¡± Little Cat said, ¡°Doll lamp.¡± Zhang Tiantian opened it and saw a tall hat on the Little Cat doll¡¯s head. There was a big glass wick inside. Every stitch and thread seemed to have been made by him. She said excitedly, ¡°Thank you. It¡¯s very cute. I like it very much.¡± Hearing that she liked it, Little Cat felt relieved. He reached out and pressed the switch on the chest of the Little Cat doll. With a whoosh, the light on the head of the Little Cat doll lit up. This was much brighter than the fruit-generating wick she had seen last time. It was like a small sun suddenly appearing on the head of a Little Cat doll. It was dazzling. Xiao Xue was shocked. The other servants¡¯ eyes widened in disbelief. Zhang Tiantian said excitedly, ¡°It¡¯s so bright. I really like it!¡± Little Cat smiled. ¡°You can place it at the head of the bed to light up at night. If the battery runs out, come find me. I¡¯ll charge it for you.¡± Zhang Tiantian had only said it casually the last time, but Little Cat had really developed it. It was no wonder that he could enter the research lab. This was too amazing. Zhang Tiantian was all smiles. ¡°I really like it so much. There¡¯s no better gift in the world than yours.¡± When her best friends saw this, they would definitely envy her to death. No, she couldn¡¯t let anyone see this. She had to hide it well. Little Cat still had to go to Qinghe University later. After saying a few more words to Zhang Tiantian, he hurriedly left the Zhang residence. As soon as he left, Madam Zhang and Zhang Xiu ran over to look at the gift Little Cat gave. Although the Little Cat doll¡¯s workmanship was a little simple, the sun-like lamp above its head really surprised them. Zhang Tiantian stared at it in admiration. ¡°It¡¯s really beautiful, so beautiful!¡± Madam Zhang also felt that it was beautiful. Patriarch Zhang and Zhang Xiu also looked envious. They really wanted such a lamp. Patriarch Zhang said eagerly, ¡°Daughter, can you lend it to your father for the night?¡± This thing was really too precious. If it could be sold, he would definitely make a killing. However, Patriarch Zhang had also asked around. All the core parts of this thing were produced by the Imperial Court. He could not start this business at all. However, he was considered the luckiest person in all these years to have picked up such a powerful son-in-law like Little Cat. Zhang Tiantian protected it in her arms. ¡°No, Little Cat gave it to me. You can only look at it and not take it away.¡± Madam Zhang couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°When can we have such a thoughtful gift?¡± Zhang Xiu echoed, ¡°That¡¯s right. When will I have someone give me such a thoughtful gift?¡± Zhang Tiantian could tell what they meant and smiled proudly. ¡°Little Cat said that it won¡¯t be long before everyone can use it. The Imperial Court is increasing its production!¡± Then she said, ¡°Don¡¯t ask for it. Little Cat is so busy. How can he have the time to make it for you?¡± Madam Zhang couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re protecting him so quickly. It seems that our Tiantian has chosen the right person for her marriage.¡± Zhang Tiantian blushed and said shyly, ¡°Mother, he¡¯s been very good to me to begin with.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s study also used a table lamp. Looking at this bright table lamp, memories seemed to pull her back to the modern world. She turned around and saw the cute Stinky sitting on the desk beside her, writing and drawing. She couldn¡¯t help but smile. Suddenly, there was a knock on the study door. ¡°Come in.¡± Granny Wang led a group of servants in and served a few sets of exquisite afternoon tea. Stinky looked up and his gaze landed on the exquisite plate. When he realized that there were some snacks that he liked, he couldn¡¯t help but lick his lips with a look of envy. Bai Wutong walked up to him and picked up the small house he had just drawn. ¡°It¡¯s a good drawing and the color is used beautifully. How about I reward you with some snacks?¡± Stinky jumped off the table happily. ¡°Thank you, Mother.¡± They sat together at the French windows. Autumn was overflowing, like a beautiful golden painting. Stinky took a bite of his small dessert and looked at the slowly sliding leaves. He sighed in a mature voice. ¡°It¡¯s autumn.¡± Bai Wutong chuckled. ¡°Winter is coming soon. Will spring be far away?¡± Stinky shook his head. ¡°No.¡± He just missed his father. Bai Wutong knew that he missed Tianbao but was reminded not to mention him in front of her. She patted his little head with heartache. ¡°Stinky is about to become an elder brother. Do you like a younger brother or sister?¡± Stinky¡¯s eyes lit up and he said decisively, ¡°I like both!¡± Bai Wutong stroked her larger stomach and smiled gently. ¡°They will definitely be very happy to have a brother like Stinky.¡± Stinky raised his head high. ¡°You can¡¯t call me Stinky when the time comes.¡± ¡°Then what should I call you?¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°Lord Ling Yun?¡± Stinky said proudly, ¡°Brother Stinky!¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°Yes, Brother Stinky. Our Brother Stinky is so cute.¡± Stinky finished his snack in satisfaction and obediently returned to the desk to quietly draw his blueprint. After Bai Wutong finished dealing with usual matters, Cui Shize handed over the scrolls. There was not enough cotton in the workshop. The southern frontier was only one-fifth the size of the Ling Kingdom, but the climate was diverse. There was an area where cotton was specially planted. However, the yield of this area was not enough for the locals even before they came to the southern frontier. The Syrians raised sheep. Wool could replace cotton, but as they bought it in large quantities, the price increased, and even doubled.. Chapter 452 - Chapter 452: M45i^SsRnUiitiit_i Chapter 452: M45i^SsRnUiitiit_i Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios If Bai Wutong had not ascended the throne and become the Great Empress, the southern frontier would still be the territory of the Ling Kingdom. They could have bought a large amount of cotton from the Ling Kingdom. But now, it was clearly impossible to trade with the Ling Kingdom. They had planted a lot of wisteria, but the linen and clothes made of wisteria were far inferior to the comfort of cotton. With poor craftsmanship, it was even rough to wear them. The increase in the price of wool was caused by the situation where the supply could not meet the demand. Forcefully suppressing the price would cause dissatisfaction among the Syrians. However, blindly accommodating their prices would also keep the price of cotton high. The commoners could no longer afford low-cost and comfortable cloth. It is time to both regulate market prices and market demand. Actually, cloth made of cotton and wool and silk was not cheap compared to the price of linen. In modern times, a short-sleeved shirt marked with 99% pure cotton was often very expensive. Everyone was used to it. Synthetic fibers and other artificially synthesized materials were popular in the city. Synthetic fiber was the most common man-made material extracted from petroleum. It was also called brocade, nitrile, and so on depending on the material type. It was a compound that had been transformed into liquid by oil refinery processing and then compressed to form synthetic fibers. These fibers had many advantages, such as anti-UV, preventing clothes piling, resistance to wear, and so on. It made up for the shortcomings of natural fibers. Therefore, many modern clothes labeled with pure cotton products had actually added a lot of synthetic fibers. With the shortage of cotton, Bai Wutong immediately thought of petroleum as a substitute for raw materials. Previously, a batch of petroleum had been transported over. A portion of it had been extracted from fuel, and the waste had been made into asphalt. There was still some left. Bai Wutong thought for a long time. In any case, since they had already gotten to this point, it was not too surprising to use petroleum to make clothes. She got someone to tear the high-temperature burning of the oil waste into a filament and found another big shot in the research lab, Hai Dongli. Hai Dongli was a mute. Before Bai Wutong discovered his talent, he had always liked to fiddle with strange things. Everyone thought that he was a lunatic. Only Bai Wutong, who had seen the flying mold he had made, said that he was a genius and recruited him into the research institute. Hai Dongli was very grateful for Bai Wutong¡¯s recognition of him and was very satisfied with the environment of the research institute. He stayed in the research lab every day and often forgot to eat. People gave him nicknames, like big bee, the kind that wanted to ascend to the heavens all day long. After Bai Wutong found out, she specially instructed someone to be his assistant and take care of his food and daily life. He was even more grateful to Bai Wutong. As long as Bai Wutong needed something, he would do his best to research it. He even explored the prototype of an engine under Bai Wutong¡¯s guidance and could skip the steam engine era. When Bai Wutong suddenly looked for him, Hai Dongli¡¯s sloppy beard could even be used as a broom. Afraid that his smell would affect Bai Wutong, he quickly washed up and tidied up before meeting Bai Wutong. Hai Dongli could not speak. But his eyes were especially lively and filled with wisdom. Bai Wutong went straight to the point and placed the oil waste that had been torn into shreds in front of him. ¡°I think this material can replace cotton and become the main fabric for daily use. What do you think?¡± Bai Wutong had extraordinary courage, intelligence, and an unfathomable mysterious aura. Before Hai Dongli could pick up the oil waste, he felt that Bai Wutong was not asking a question, but making a statement. He tugged at the pieces of the petroleum waste, sniffed under his nose again, and felt that his previous thought had been wrong. The oil waste that smelled so bad was black and hard. How could it be made into a soft material that could replace cotton? Hai Dongli couldn¡¯t make any promises. He gestured with his hand. ¡°I can try.¡± It was impossible for Bai Wutong to let him research on it like a headless fly. If he didn¡¯t have a rough direction, she did not know how long it would take him to master the real technology. Bai Wutong handed him the old blueprint. ¡°This is the metal forging and purification method I saw in an ancient book. I think you should be able to use it.¡± Although it was only a rough and simplified hint, Bai Wutong believed that if he was given a little time, it would not be too far for synthetic fiber to become popularized. Hai Dongli took Bai Wutong¡¯s blueprint and looked at it. It was the process of transforming oil into a certain substance and condensing it into some advanced product like resin. It was the process of spraying out silk threads through compression. However, it was drawn in a different form. This process looked quite simple, but it was unknown if it was simple to operate. Hai Dongli took the blueprint and gestured at Bai Wutong again. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely do my best.¡± Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for your good news.¡± Hai Dongli kowtowed and left the study. Bai Wutong looked out of the window at the falling leaves. The process of making the fiber was actually not difficult. What was difficult was to mass produce the equipment to circulate the fiber. This required him to understood many principles. She hoped that it would go smoothly. Otherwise, she would have more work to do when the child was born. When Hai Dongli returned to the research lab, many people brought him a large amount of oil. The others in the research lab thought that he had created something again and obtained Bai Wutong¡¯s recognition as a reward. They came over to watch the commotion, but the entire room smelled of oil. They wanted to ask him what he was doing with the oil, but they remembered that he couldn¡¯t speak, so they swallowed their words. Oil was considered a flammable and explosive dangerous product. Bai Wutong also opened up a separate venue for Hai Dongli in the backyard of the research room for him to experiment. Hai Dongli alone already had many experimental areas. Now, there was another one. Everyone was extremely envious. Hai Dongli was indifferent to other people¡¯s curiosity. He was focused on his experiment to refine the fiber. He repeated the steps on the blueprint and quickly produced the spinning silk fluid. However, the color and feel of the spinning silk fluid were unsatisfactory. Even the clothes made from bark were softer than this. Hai Dongli also did a lot of research on the spinning fluid and found a textile worker to get inspiration from him. He also flipped through all kinds of books that might be relevant. Finally, in the materials that Bai Wutong had handed over to everyone to make white paper, he found the relevant mixing, filtering, defoaming, and other processes to overcome the spinning fluid. After a while, he finally obtained the snow-white spinning silk. During this period, he even made a silk extractor and quickly gathered all the spinning silk so that it was easier for the female workers to use it directly. When the female worker produced the first batch of synthetic fiber fabric overnight, Hai Dongli touched the soft silk-like fabric and his hands trembled uncontrollably. He had succeeded. He had used the black oil to develop the fabric that the Great Empress wanted to replace cotton. Hai Dongli danced excitedly. The others in the research room walked in and did not look at the cloth in his hand.. Instead, they walked towards a few dark containers in the field and asked, ¡°Is this a new product you¡¯re researching?¡± Chapter 453 - Chapter 453: Unbelievable Chapter 453: Unbelievable Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Hai Dongli was a little stunned. He did not know why they thought that the waste was the result of his research. He walked over and saw that some of the oil used to produce the fibers had condensed in various experimental containers for some reason, forming a layer of black structure that looked like plastic. One of the larger ones was accidentally poured out of the bucket by him. It was like a tough jelly that could bounce and move around, as people poked it. Hai Dongli was a little interested himself. He picked one up and studied it for a moment. He realized that this kind of material was not as heavy as iron, nor was it as fragile as glass. While it was very elastic, it was also very tough and flexible. Someone said, ¡°It¡¯s quite good to carry water with this thing. It has a texture. It¡¯s not very heavy, nor will it leak easily like other wood containers.¡± ¡°Well, this kind of plastic seems to be quite malleable. It should be able to be cast into all kinds of things like glass.¡± ¡°Is it too soft?¡± someone asked. Hai Dongli poured out the material from the other molds. When he picked up one of them, he realized that each plastic had a different feel and soft hardness. Some were as hard as ironwood, and some were as soft as paper. As someone had just said, this thing was very malleable, dense, and strong. It could be made into many products that were durable, useful, and not easily broken. Everyone praised the new product developed by Hai Dongli. It was just that the color and smell was a little strong. If it could be improved, this material should be able to be used as pipes and a container for transportation. Suddenly, their gazes landed on Hai Dongli¡¯s arms. They realized that there were actually a few textile machine in the entire laboratory. There was also an unfamiliar textile worker here. They could not help but ask curiously, ¡°Are you trying to improve the textile machine?¡± Hai Dongli¡¯s attention was completely focused on the black plastic in his hand. It took him a long time to recover and he shook his head. Everyone was even more puzzled. Why would Hai Dongli get someone to weave here? Hai Dongli couldn¡¯t speak and it was too troublesome to explain to them. He only gestured with his hand. ¡°The fabric is made of oil.¡± Everyone was at a loss as to what he was gesturing at. At this moment, Hai Dongli¡¯s assistant, Lin Qingcai, arrived. Lin Qingcai was in charge of taking care of Hai Dongli¡¯s food and daily life. At the same time, he was also Hai Dongli¡¯s assistant disciple. He was delighted to see the fabric in Hai Dongli¡¯s hand. He leaned forward. ¡°Sir, is it made of liquid petroleum?¡± As soon as he said this, the others revealed doubtful expressions. How could oil be used to weave cloth? Did they hear wrongly? Hai Dongli nodded happily, confirming Lin Qingcai¡¯s words. Lin Qingcai immediately wanted to reach out and touch it. His excited smile was about to overflow. ¡°That¡¯s great! I told you we could definitely do it!¡± Lin Qingcai had contributed a lot to Hai Dongli¡¯s success in developing the synthetic fiber in such a short period of time. Before his hand could touch the fabric, Hai Dongli hid it and gestured with his hand. ¡°You have to wash your hands first. Come with me to meet the Great Empress later.¡± They had spent so much effort to make so much textile fabric. They could not dirty it. Lin Qingcai nervously retracted his hand and ran to the fountain at the side to quickly wash his hands. Then, he quickly ran back and touched the fabric under everyone¡¯s confused gazes. It was smooth and soft, like snow silk that was only offered to the emperor. Lin Qingcai widened his eyes in disbelief. ¡°Sir, this is too good!¡± It was a thousand times better than he had imagined. Hai Dongli nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go see the Great Empress now.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Lin Qing replied. They gestured to each other the whole time. No one had yet to figure out what was going on. Someone stopped them and asked anxiously, ¡°What¡¯s going on? What¡¯s going on with your fabric?¡± Lin Qingcai smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯ll know when we get back.¡± As soon as they left the place, Hai Dongli reversed back and carried all the plastic buckets. He left the research institute under everyone¡¯s puzzled gazes. ¡°Could this big bee have produced two research inventions at once?¡± ¡°Making fabric from oil? Do you believe it?¡± ¡°Unbelievable!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Bai Wutong was taking a lunch break. Hai Dongli and Lin Qingcai waited anxiously for a long time before seeing her. Bai Wutong thought that Hai Dongli had encountered some technical difficulties. Unexpectedly, with just a rough process blueprint, and the most primitive one. Not long after, he extracted the synthetic fiber from the petroleum and weaved the fabric to showcase to her. Bai Wutong picked up the fabric. If no one had told her that this was fabric produced from synthetic fiber, she would not have been able to tell the difference between it and ordinary satin. No, there was still a difference. The silky texture would not have the feeling of static electricity. Bai Wutong picked up the fabric again and sniffed. There was a slight smell, but it was not pungent. Bai Wutong said happily, ¡°The fabric is very good. How is the production? How long will the production process take?¡± Hai Dongli quickly wrote on the paper, ¡°A barrel of oil is estimated to produce 30 bolts of cloth. Excluding the time to weave into fabric, it will take about seven days to extract the raw materials.¡± A barrel of oil could produce 30 bolts of cloth. It was much more worth it than cotton. Moreover, it only took seven days each time, which was much shorter than Bai Wutong had imagined. Bai Wutong said, ¡°Is there a way to produce it in large quantities?¡± Hai Dongli quickly wrote on the paper, ¡°That requires reassembling and modifying our machinery to produce it in large quantities.¡± Their machinery was made as they fumbled around. There was still a lot of room for improvement. Bai Wutong nodded and reminded him, ¡°I remember that you created an engine last time. Perhaps you can use it this time to replace energy supplied by heating and greatly reduce the amount of coal required.¡± Hai Dongli¡¯s engine was still in the experimental stage, but Bai Wutong¡¯s affirmation made him feel much more confident. He immediately wrote on the paper, ¡°I¡¯ll speed up the production when I get back.¡± Bai Wutong commended the two of them and made a suggestion. ¡°Since oil can be used to make cloth and it¡¯s very malleable, we can further study materials for different applications.¡± Lin Qingcai immediately nodded. ¡°The softness and hardness of textile fluids are different at different temperatures and times. As long as you grasp the differences or add other textile materials, you can definitely make different fabrics.¡± Hai Dongli was still in charge of further developing the engine and improving the machinery, so Bai Wutong handed the task of developing cloth to Lin Qingcai. Lin Qingcai was extremely excited that Bai Wutong was willing to believe him. He gladly accepted the task. Suddenly, Hai Dongli took a step forward and placed a few strangely shaped black buckets in front of her. Although the shape was strange, Bai Wutong still recognized it as a plastic bucket at a glance.. Chapter 454 - Chapter 454: What If They Can’t Afford? Chapter 454: What If They Can¡¯t Afford? Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Hai Dongli wrote on the paper, ¡°This is a container that I unintentionally condensed when extracting the spinning thread. I think this material is very malleable and can be used for many applications. I can further study it.¡± In modern times, plastic became an indispensable part of human daily life. Water bottles, plastic bags, television sets, cell phones, printers, trash cans, transmission boxes, synthetic latex, and so on all required plastic. Plastic has many advantages. It is light and can be modified to fit different requirements. It has excellent chemical stability and is extremely resistant to corrosion, and is often used in pipes. It is excellent in electrical insulation and allows extensive protection of cables. It also had the effect of noise and shock absorption. If plastic was combined with glass and used in residences, wards, and hotels, they could stay warm in winter and cool in summer. The best thing about it was its shaping properties. It can be as hard as a rock and as soft as paper. However, plastic also had its obvious shortcomings. It was flammable, its toughness was not as strong as metal, and it was not resistant to heat. At the end of the 21st century, plastic pollution caused serious damage to marine ecology, resulting in the production of degradable plastics. With pollution under control, plastic became even more indispensable in life. From the beginning, Bai Wutong could get everyone to make plastic products, but she felt that even if they did not use plastic products, it would not affect everyone¡¯s lives. However, as the industrialization process gradually began, the appearance of plastic was unstoppable. Since she had expected it to happen, she might as well set up a system to prevent pollution now. Bai Wutong took the strange plastic bucket and looked at it carefully. ¡°It does look very malleable. If you can handle it, study it carefully. If you can¡¯t, you can find someone else to be in charge.¡± Hai Dongli wanted to focus on building the engine even more. He turned to look at Lin Qingcai. Lin Qingcai¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Sir, can I?¡± Bai Wutong had just considered letting Lin Qingcai be in charge of studying plastic products, but she had just given him a task, so she was afraid that he would not be able to cope with it. He was full of confidence. Hai Dongli looked at Bai Wutong, indicating that he could give him a chance. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°Since you¡¯re willing, you¡¯ll be in charge.¡± ¡°Thank you, Great Empress.¡± As soon as they left, Bai Wutong summoned Sheng Huaixuan and asked about the transportation of the next batch of oil. Sheng Huaixuan said, ¡°The road we built has shortened the original three-month journey to half. The oil we mined previously has already set off. It should be able to arrive soon.¡± If there was a car for transportation, the month and a half journey could be shortened to a week. Bai Wutong thought of Chu Tianbao and Noble Consort Ling. She wondered if they had already arrived at the Ling Kingdom and if they were not safe. She had never had a way to communicate with him. It was really worrying. Suppressing the uneasiness in her heart, Bai Wutong handed the oil-made cloth to Sheng Huaixuan and smiled mysteriously. ¡°Do you see anything different?¡± Sheng Huaixuan touched the fabric carefully and did not notice anything different. He leaned closer and smelled a much fainter smell of oil. ¡°There¡¯s a strange smell.¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s made of oil extract.¡± ¡°Oil?¡± How was that possible? Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s face was filled with disbelief. Bai Wutong continued, ¡°Yes, with enough petroleumr, we won¡¯t have to worry about not having enough cotton. At the price we offered, if the Syrians don¡¯t sell wool, so be it.¡± If they knew that the black oil could be made into white satin, their eyes would probably pop out. Sheng Huaixuan touched the fabric in shock again. He looked up and was pleasantly surprised. ¡°Apart from the local oil mines in Syria, we have two more oil mines.¡± After discovering the petroleum in the southern frontier¡¯s Syria area, Bai Wutong got someone to look for oil mines elsewhere. These three oil mines could supply the southern frontier for at least a few hundred years. Bai Wutong nodded and said, ¡°Yes, recruit some more people in the next few days to be in charge of oil extraction and textiles. Then arrange for them to coordinate with the female workers in the textile factory.¡± Sheng Huaixuan said excitedly, ¡°Yes.¡± As soon as Sheng Huaixuan left, Bai Wutong searched for an effective way to deal with pollution on the computer in the space. When she sorted out all the ways to deal with the pollution and arranged for someone to build a waste treatment plant and sewage treatment plant, another day had passed. She was unusually tired. After a few hurried bites, she fell asleep. Qingfeng entered the room to check on her, closed the door, and waited quietly at the door. Zong Bang and his clansmen had been in the temporary apartment for a week. Life here was really comfortable. The water was filtered and it was convenient to cook. It was not expensive to eat outside, and there were all kinds of novel things. Even his smelly feet had been cured by buying some medicine. If not for the fact that the purpose of this trip was to sell the wool in the clan, he would have bought some businesses here and settled down. Zong Bang¡¯s cousin, Zong Ming, bought a lot of interesting things for his wife and medicine for his mother¡¯s stomach pain. He wanted to sell the wool for a good price as soon as possible and buy more things from Carefree City to earn another large sum when he returned. However, the price Zong Bang wanted was too high, making him very uneasy. He was afraid that these Central Plains people would not buy it. If these Central Plains people stopped buying and no other Central Plains people could enter Syria to collect wool, they could forget about earning a single cent this year. Zong Bang drank the Phoenix Tail Wine and ate the barbecued meat. He glanced at Zong Ming, who was busy, and said confidently, ¡°Don¡¯t panic. The Central Plains people must be even more anxious than us. There are so many of them. If they don¡¯t have enough wool, they won¡¯t know how to survive the winter!¡± Zong Ming frowned and sat down. ¡°But Brother, it¡¯s been so long, but no one is bothering about us!¡± Zong Bang said, ¡°Are you stupid? The price we want is so high. They must have to think carefully, think of a countermeasure, or prepare to bargain. When they figure it out, all of this will be useless. They will naturally buy it at the same price.¡± Zong Ming still felt uneasy when he did not see the real money. He poured a mouthful of wine into his mouth. ¡°What if they can¡¯t afford it?¡± Zong Bang was stunned for a moment before he quickly smiled and said, ¡°If they can¡¯t afford it, then pay with the goods. I¡¯m quite interested in the goods here. My father will definitely be happy if I brought a few bicycles back.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, there was a knock on the courtyard door. Zong Ming quickly hid the stove that he had moved into the house. Zong Bang opened the door and saw that it was Xu Yao, the official in charge of purchasing cotton. He immediately looked at Zong Ming proudly. Just like what he had said, they must have come to discuss the price. Zong Bang let him into the house. As soon as he entered, there was a strong smell of coal. Xu Yao suddenly frowned and reminded, ¡°You can¡¯t use the coal and stoves in the house. It¡¯s easy to catch fire. If your doors and windows are closed, you¡¯ll be poisoned. The furniture in the house will also be damaged.¡± Zong Bang smiled indifferently. ¡°It¡¯s just once. We¡¯ll extinguish it immediately.¡± He pointed at the window in front and said, ¡°Look, it¡¯s open..¡± Chapter 455 - Chapter 455: Wouldn’t It Be Fine If I Buy This House? Chapter 455: Wouldn¡¯t It Be Fine If I Buy This House? Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Xu Yao thought about the seriousness of matters and suppressed the anger in his heart. He went straight to the point and said, ¡°Tribe leader Zong Bang, we¡¯re willing to pay this amount to buy the wool you brought this time.¡± Zong Bang looked at Xu Yao¡¯s hand gesture. It was actually only slightly higher than the previous price suggested. He smiled and said, ¡°Sir, we only shave wool twice a year. There¡¯s only so little amount produced each time, and we have to carefully take care of the sheeps¡¯ food, drinks, and poop. We really can¡¯t sell at this price.¡± Xu Yao¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Tribe leader Zong Bang, what do you think of this number?¡± Xu Yao gestured a slightly higher price under his sleeves. Zong Bang shook his head. ¡°Our family relies on these sheeps to survive. This won¡¯t do.¡± Zong Bang¡¯s family had thousands of sheep and hundreds of cows, but he actually had the cheek to say that he relied on these sheeps to survive. Since the price could not be agreed, Xu Yao stopped smiling. ¡°In that case, forget it.¡± As soon as he said this, Zong Bang, who was waiting to bargain again, was dumbfounded. Was he going to give up so easily? No way! Zong Bang panicked for a moment, and Zong Ming¡¯s face was filled with anxiety. If they really did not buy it, the wool they had bought at a low price would be wasted. Xu Yao continued, ¡°The seven days are up. If you want to continue living here, you have to pay the accommodation fee. If you want to move out now, there will be people coming to collect the house later. If there are damaged items, you have to compensate according to the price. You know this, right?¡± Zong Bang thought that Xu Yao was chasing him away because the price had not been agreed upon. Relying on the fact that it was impossible for Carefree City to buy wool through other channels, he said arrogantly, ¡°Sir, why are you threatening me? If I don¡¯t sell it, the other tribe leaders won¡¯t sell it either.¡± Xu Yao looked at him indifferently. He was clearly half a head shorter than Zong Bang, but his aura was not inferior at all. ¡°Thank you for the reminder. Since they are not selling, it will save my time.¡± Xu Yao turned around and left without hesitation. Zong Bang punched the wall, creating a huge hole. He cursed softly, ¡°Damn Central Plains people, none of them are good!¡± Zong Ming was anxious. ¡°Brother, why don¡¯t we sell it at the same price as before? Otherwise, we can¡¯t just transport the goods back like this. The other tribe leaders will object to it.¡± Zong Bang also knew that the other tribe leaders would have objections, but he did not believe that these Central Plains people could beat him. He said to Zong Ming, ¡°This must be the doing of the Central Plains people. They¡¯re deliberately provoking us and making us anxious. We have to stabilize ourselves at this time and not be fooled!¡± Zong Ming was nervous. ¡°But what if they really chase us out of the house? If it rains, the wool will be wet.¡± ¡°Also, what if they ask for a high price?¡± Zong Bang was stumped by the question and said vexedly, ¡°No matter how high the price is, we can afford to stay. Besides, they still want to buy wool from us, so they won¡¯t dare to be so ruthless.¡± After a while, there was a knock on the door. ¡°Open the door, open the door quickly!¡± It was the tribe leaders of the other tribes. Zong Bang opened the door. Before they entered the house, they asked, ¡°Is it true that the Central Plains people say you don¡¯t want to sell the wool?¡± Zong Bang said, ¡°The price they offered is not suitable, so we naturally can¡¯t sell it.¡± One of the tribe leaders frowned and said, ¡°He¡¯s offering this number. It¡¯s higher than in the past years. Why can¡¯t we sell it? If we don¡¯t sell it, they¡¯ll chase us away with sticks.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. They came to inform us just now. The price of a single apartment is 10 taels of silver a month. We haven¡¯t earned any money yet, but the silver has already been spent.¡± ¡°If we don¡¯t sell the wool, we won¡¯t have a single piece of wool left for ten taels of silver a month.¡± Zong Bang said, ¡°He¡¯s talking about a single building. There are 20 apartments in each building. On average, each building doesn¡¯t cost much money every month. Moreover, they¡¯re just trying to take us a notch down. As long as we persist, they will definitely obediently buy wool at three times the price.¡± Zong Bang analyzed with confidence. Everyone¡¯s anxious hearts were slightly comforted. The district housing manager suddenly appeared with a few soldiers. Zong Bang and the others were very sensitive. They suddenly grabbed the knives on their bodies to guard themselves. The district manager said unexpectedly, ¡°We just received a report that you used a stove to roast meat in the room without permission, causing the room to be in a foul state. We¡¯re going to enter the room to check now. If there¡¯s any damage, you will have to compensate according to the price.¡± Then he asked, ¡°Who lives in Room 103?¡± Zong Bang and Zong Ming stood up. The district manager said, ¡°Let¡¯s go in together.¡± Zong Bang thought to himself that it was not like he could not afford it. He waved his hand domineeringly. ¡°Just do your check. I can afford it.¡± The district manager entered the house to check. When he saw the blackened wall and found three items that needed to be replaced, he said to Zong Bang, ¡°One of the cabinets is broken. You burned a hole in the rattan chair. A pair of slippers is missing. The wall is damaged. Compensation is a total of one tael of silver.¡± Zong Bang thought that it was more, but it was only one tael of silver. He took out his money bag as if he was sending a beggar away and handed two taels of silver to the district manager. ¡°There¡¯s no need to return the change.¡± The district manager looked at him expressionlessly and accepted one tael of silver. He returned the change and placed it in front of him. ¡°According to the rules of the apartment management, you have to pack your luggage and move out immediately when you use the prohibited stove in the apartment.¡± This time, Zong Bang¡¯s expression was ugly. He said fiercely, ¡°You¡¯re deliberately targeting us and our tribe.¡± There were several soldiers behind him. The district manager was not afraid of him at all. ¡°We¡¯ve previously informed you in detail about the administrative rules of the apartment. If you make a mistake, you¡¯ll be punished. If you haven¡¯t packed your luggage in half an hour, we¡¯ll personally help you pack your luggage.¡± There were people around, and the tribe leaders of the other tribes were even laughing at him. Zong Bang clenched his fists and said hatefully, ¡°At most, I¡¯ll just buy this house.¡± The district manager said meticulously, ¡°The house for receiving guests is not for sale. Hurry up and stop wasting time.¡± Zong Bang gritted his teeth. He had never been so embarrassed in his life. Zong Ming was afraid that their luggage would really be thrown out, so he could only get someone to find a new residence first while he packed his things. Seeing Zong Ming and Zong Bang being chased out just like that, the other tribe leaders became even more worried. If they did not sell wool, would they be secretly targeted like this? The brothers that Zong Ming had sent out went to several shops before they found a place that was willing to give them the warehouse to store the wool. As a result, the price was very expensive. It cost 10 taels of silver a month. Apart from being able to store wool, the conditions really could not compare to the apartment arranged by the Imperial Court. Zong Bang did not feel that he had done anything wrong. He even blamed the Imperial Court for being petty and swore that he would sell the wool at a high price so that they would regret offending him.. Chapter 456 - Chapter 456: Lead the Way Chapter 456: Lead the Way Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios In order to strengthen the determination of the other tribe leaders, Zong Bang treated them to a meal in Carefree City every day. Needless to say, this Central Plains person really knew how to eat. For example, they had hotpot, barbecue, fish, beggar¡¯s chicken, cake¡­ They all tasted extremely good. Apart from needing to spend money, there were almost no shortcomings. With Zong Bang treating, everyone was stabilized for a few days. However, after treating these people to a meal frequently, yet there was no movement from the Imperial Court at all, seeing the money being spent like water, Zong Bang¡¯s heart gradually ached. However, if he could not sell the wool, it would be a huge loss. Even if Zong Bang treated them every day, it was impossible for these people to stay in Carefree City without spending money. Some of the tribesmen did not know when the tribe leader would be able to sell the wool and how much it could be sold for. When they saw that Carefree City was recruiting workers and that they were being paid a lot every month, they even went to do manual labor. However, the Imperial Court was still not in a hurry to buy the wool. The leaders of the various tribes looked for Zong Bang again to discuss. ¡°Why don¡¯t we sell it at the same price stated by the Imperial Court? We can¡¯t continue like this. It¡¯s almost winter. We have to hurry back to the tribe.¡± Zong Bang¡¯s family had more cows and sheep than them, so he was even more anxious. However, he still felt that he could not be controlled by the Imperial Court so easily. He did not want to be so embarrassed. He said to the other tribe leaders, ¡°They are making use of our intention to sell. The price next year will only be lower.¡± ¡°Then what should we do? Can¡¯t we just not sell it!¡± Ah Yu was a little angry. She shouldn¡¯t have been afraid of the threat of the other tribes in the first place, causing the sale of the wool to be delayed for half a month. Zong Bang had also thought for a long time over the past few days. He said, ¡°Just because the Imperial Court doesn¡¯t buy it doesn¡¯t mean that others won¡¯t buy it.¡± ¡°When the weather gets colder, the commoners will fight to buy clothes to ward off the cold. The merchants of the Central Plains are even more cunning than us. They will definitely be willing to hoard them and make a huge profit. I¡¯ll look for them. At most, I¡¯ll sell them at a slightly cheaper price.¡± Zong Bang¡¯s suggestion sounded good, but anyone with a brain would know that it was impossible for the local merchants in the southern frontier to offend the Great Empress who controlled the entire country for some profits. Ah Yu did not believe that Zong Bang could make others buy the wool at all. She directly retorted, ¡°If they still want to cam a living in Carefree City, they won¡¯t buy our batch of wool.¡± As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of all the tribe elders changed. Ah Yu said, ¡°If you want to stay here, stay. I¡¯m going to sell the wool and go home.¡± She did not give Zong Bang any face and walked straight out of the door. Zong Bang shouted behind her, ¡°You¡¯ll regret it. I¡¯ll definitely let them buy the wool.¡± The other tribe leaders originally wanted to leave with Ah Yu, but they thought about what would happen if Zong Bang and the other merchants succeeded in negotiating. In any case, they had waited for so long. Zong Bang asked the hotel about the richest businessmen in Carefree City. The waiter only knew that Yu Suisheng was the largest boss in Carefree City. Secondly, many of the rich people were from the group that had followed the Great Empress from Youjia village. Yu Suisheng was not in Carefree City. Zong Bang thought of all kinds of methods, but he could not even meet his steward. When he visited the 30 families of Qinghe, they tactfully said that the master was not around. The direct meaning was that he would not accept any wool. Zong Bang failed in his attempt. As for Ah Yu, she found Xu Yao and agreed at a price without any hesitation. She successfully sold all the wool and took the silver to purchase goods, preparing to return. When the tribe leaders could not wait longer but to sell to Xu Yao, the Imperial Court published in the weekly political newspaper that the research institute had extracted a large number of fibers from a special raw material. This fiber could replace cotton. In half a month, the fabric would be officially launched in the fabric shop. The commoners were all very curious about what special raw material was extracted from. Zong Bang and the tribe leaders were shocked. It was no wonder that the Central Plains people were not worried at all. It turned out that they were not afraid of not having wool. How could they have discovered the raw material that could replace cotton so easily? Zong Bang could not read or understand the newspaper, but he felt that this must be fake news. He immediately shouted angrily at the man reading the news in the restaurant, ¡°That¡¯s impossible. This must be a lie!¡± As soon as he said that, the other Central Plains people in the restaurant stood up and retorted to Zong Bang, ¡°This is the news published by the Imperial Court. With the Great Empress¡¯ jade seal, it must be true.¡± Zong Bang could not believe that his dream of selling the wool at high price had been shattered. ¡°Then why not sell this fabric now, why make an announcement in advance?¡± Everyone sneered. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business when the Imperial Court wants to make an announcement or sell cloth.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Who do you think you are?¡± Zong Bang was so angry that he wanted to hit someone. He couldn¡¯t control his anger and flipped over all the tables and chairs. The patrolling soldiers rushed over and locked Zong Bang up in jail. The tribe leaders panicked completely and hurriedly found Xu Yao to sell wool. Xu Yao had long known that they would come looking for him. He did not show any arrogance. Instead, he said amiably, ¡°What do you think of this price?¡± When everyone arrived, they were already mentally prepared to be underpriced. They did not expect Xu Yao to calculate the money for them according to the previous wool price. The tribe leaders nodded excitedly. ¡°Yes, yes, we¡¯ll sell them all.¡± Now that they could sell it at the original price, they were all very happy. Zong Bang was locked in jail. No matter how he shouted, no one paid attention to him. It was not until Zong Ming received the news and rushed over to help Zong Bang compensate for the losses in the restaurant that the shopkeeper did not pursue the matter. Zong Bang was given a warning before he was released. The other tribe leaders had already sold the wool. Zong Ming hurriedly said, ¡°Brother, go and sell it to Lord Xu too. If you don¡¯t sell it, you¡¯ll really lose money in your own hands.¡± In order to cam a lot of money in Carefree City, Zong Bang had bought a large amount of wool. If he could not sell it, he would have to drag it back. The losses were immeasurable. Moreover, if this continued, when the synthetic fabric in Carefree City was officially launched, the Central Plains people would definitely be even more fearless. Zong Bang¡¯s eyes darkened and he said with an embarrassed expression, ¡°Go and sell it. As long as the price is the same as before, it¡¯s fine.¡± Zong Ming immediately looked troubled. He stammered, ¡°Even Lord Xu knows that I have sold my wool. If I go, he will definitely know that it¡¯s yours and might not accept it. Why don¡¯t you apologize to Lord Xu? We still have to sell our wool in the future.¡± Zong Bang said fiercely, ¡°You sold it? You sold it too?¡± Zong Ming did not dare to speak. Zong Bang suddenly leaned close to his ear and lowered his voice. ¡°How much did you sell it for?¡± Zong Ming was stunned and said slowly, ¡°It¡¯s the same price as before.¡± Zong Bang could not believe it. ¡°He didn¡¯t lower the price?¡± Zong Ming shook his head and hurriedly said, ¡°Lord Xu is especially easy to talk to. He gives everyone the same price. It¡¯s still higher than last year. Brother, go quickly.¡± Zong Ming pretended to be reluctant. ¡°If not for the fact that my family is still waiting, I definitely wouldn¡¯t have sold it to those Central Plains people.. Lead the way!¡± Chapter 457 - Chapter 457: Not A Bad Idea Chapter 457: Not A Bad Idea Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Zong Bang came to Xu Yao¡¯s door and hesitated for a long time before Zong Ming pushed him in. Xu Yao looked up at him. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Tribe leader Zong Bang?¡± As Zong Ming had said, his tone was especially polite. The uneasiness in Zong Bang¡¯s heart dissipated a lot. He summoned up a great deal of courage. ¡°I want to sell my wool.¡± Hearing Zong Bang take the initiative to sell wool, Xu Yao did not mock him. Instead, he placed two forms in front of him in a businesslike manner. ¡°It¡¯s the same price as before. If you agree, sign on it.¡± These two forms described the transaction process in Syriac and Central Plains language respectively. The price was stated clearly. Although Zong Bang wanted to hide it, he could not completely hide the smile in his eyes. ¡°I agree to it.¡± He was about to sign when Xu Yao stopped him. ¡°Wait.¡± Zong Bang¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Could it be that he wanted to make things difficult for him now? Zong Bang secretly wondered if he should endure it. Xu Yao continued, ¡°Let¡¯s go and count the wool together before we sign the contract. If the grade is not reached, the price will be slightly lower. Take a look at this form.¡± Zong Bang was almost frightened to death by him. He reached out and took the classification table for wool grades. He felt that the price was reasonable and nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± They went to the hotel to take stock of the wool. The hotel warehouse was not dampproof. The wool on the surface was still passable. Many of the wool under it had been soaked in water to varying degrees, and some of it had yellowed and molded. Zong Bang immediately found the hotel owner and asked him to make up for his losses. The hotel owner was even angrier than Zong Bang. ¡°At that time, I was unwilling to let you use the warehouse. You were the ones who begged me. I only agreed in a moment of soft-heartedness. I was only in charge of letting you use it. I didn¡¯t say that I would check on the wool. Moreover, it¡¯s just a warehouse. It¡¯s not that you haven¡¯t seen what¡¯s going on inside. You¡¯re the one who didn¡¯t manage the wool well. Why should you blame it on me?¡± The more the hotel owner spoke, the angrier he became. His eyes had even turned red. Zong Bang gritted his teeth. ¡°We gave you silver. It¡¯s your business if the wool molds!¡± The hotel owner was so exasperated that he wanted to stab someone with a knife. Xu Yao tried to stand up for them, ¡°The shop owner didn¡¯t hide the actual situation of the warehouse. It has been stored here for so many days. It¡¯s your responsibility to check it in the future. It¡¯s better not to blame others.¡± Previously, Zong Bang had sent someone to the warehouse to check every day. However, the environment of the guest apartment arranged by the Imperial Court was too appropriate. There was a special storage room for different goods from various tribes. This made him careless and forget that after moving out of the guest apartment, the warehouse was completely different. He also knew that he was being unreasonable, but he just wanted someone to help him bear the losses. Xu Yao pointed him out directly. Zong Bang still wanted to struggle and ask the hotel owner to pay a smaller amount. Xu Yao said, ¡°If you report it to the officials and lose the lawsuit, Tribe leader Zong Bang will still have to compensate the hotel owner. You have to think carefully.¡± Thinking about their chances of winning and thinking that this was the territory of the Central Plainsmen, Zong Bang gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Forget it, I won¡¯t stoop to his level. Lord Xu, count the wool quickly.¡± The hotel owner still felt that it was his misfortune and glared at him hatefully. ¡°We won¡¯t take in any outsiders in the future.¡± ¡°You!¡± Zong Bang raised his hand. Zong Ming was afraid that he would be thrown into jail again, so he quickly stopped him. ¡°Brother, we¡¯re going home soon. Bear with it.¡± Zong Bang endured it. Xu Yao sent someone to count the wool and he lost a quarter of the profits from the wool. Fortunately, he still earned a lot of silver. Only then did Zong Bang feel better. Xu Yao and Zong Bang signed an official procurement contract. Zong Bang was overjoyed when he received the gold. He found Xu Yao much more pleasing to the eye and even asked to treat him to a meal. Public officials could not accept any invitations. Xu Yao refused and asked Zong Bang if he wanted to sign a long-term wool purchase contract. Zong Bang was stunned. ¡°A long-term contract. How do we settle on the price?¡± If it was always at this price and wool was in high demand, wouldn¡¯t he make a loss? Xu Yao said, ¡°We will adjust the annual wool purchase price according to the market price. After signing this contract, we will prioritize buying your wool.¡± Zong Bang frowned. ¡°Then you will decide the price?¡± Xu Yao said, ¡°It won¡¯t be lower than the market price. There¡¯s a guarantee in the contract. To you, signing this contract will give you a stable channel to sell your wool. Of course, if Tribe leader Zong Bang is unwilling, we won¡¯t force you.¡± How could he hand over the control rights of the price to others? Zong Bang refused without hesitation. ¡°Forget it.¡± He was not worried that there would be no one buying his wool. If Carefree City did not want it, he could just secretly bring people to Ling Kingdom to sell it. Xu Yao did not continue to persuade him. ¡°Alright.¡± He waved his hand and told him that he could leave. He was letting him go so easily. Zong Bang could not help but think that he should have begged him to sign the contract. He had just walked out of the office when Zong Ming, who had been waiting for a long time, said mysteriously, ¡°Brother, do you want to deposit the silver into the bank?¡± Zong Bang was stunned. ¡°What bank?¡± Zong Ming explained, ¡°It¡¯s a silver storage place established by the Central Plains people. If we deposit the silver into it, we can earn a lot of interest. Didn¡¯t I go to do odd jobs for a few days some time ago? I deposited some money and it really came back with interest.¡± ¡°They also said that there¡¯s a bank in our area. If we deposit it now, we can use the bankbook to get money!¡± Zong Bang had heard of the bank, but he did not trust the Central Plains people. He was afraid that the place would be corrupted and he would lose everything in the end. Zong Bang said earnestly, ¡°These are all bait. If you get a small profit, you¡¯ll want to invest more money. When they get this money, it won¡¯t be long before they take the money and run. Don¡¯t do anything stupid.¡± Zong Ming had just received the silver and did not believe Zong Bang¡¯s words. ¡°How can it be a lie? I asked many people in Carefree City, and everyone had deposited their silver.¡± Seeing that he was already bought in by the idea, Zong Bang sighed and said, ¡°I told you not to deposit. When your silver has been cheated, you won¡¯t be able to explain it to your family when you go back. I won¡¯t help you then.¡± Zong Ming did not say anything, but he thought to himself that he would save a third of his money. With the silver in hand, they were about to prepare to return. Zong Bang had already planned to buy more medicine. This was something that was profitable, light, and necessary for everyone. The other tribe leaders had the same thoughts as him. When Zong Bang went to every shop, he could see them filling all the carriages. Zong Bang went to the stores late. There was actually not a single bicycle that he had wanted to buy previously. The rouge and cosmetics that he had wanted to buy for the women at home had all been sold out. The pharmacy had even hung a limited-purchase sign. Zong Bang was furious. This trip to Carefree City had not gone smoothly. He cursed and kicked the corner, causing him to end up in pain. Zong Ming suddenly said, ¡°Brother, since we can¡¯t buy medicine, why don¡¯t we open a shop in Syria¡± Zong Bang was about to scold him that after being unable to buy the medicine, how could he open a shop? But he suddenly came back to his senses. This was not a bad idea.. Chapter 458 - Chapter 458: There’s Definitely Something fishy Chapter 458: There¡¯s Definitely Something fishy Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios It took Zong Bang and Zong Ming a lot of effort to find out that the pharmacy was directly operated by the Imperial Court. If he wanted to open a shop, he could only look for the person-in-charge of the Imperial Court. Zong Bang had interacted with the Central Plains people a few years ago and knew that the person-in-charge with such an official position must be very greedy. If he wanted them to agree, he had to pay a huge price. Zong Bang planned to bribe the officials of Carefree City, but Zong Ming felt that it would not work. ¡°Brother, we¡¯ve been here for so many days, and the officials here are all very upright. It¡¯s unlikely that they will accept our money. Moreover, I heard that if we¡¯re caught with bribes, we¡¯ll be thrown into jail to serve our sentence. It¡¯s unlike the punishment that you had for fighting before.¡± Zong Bang was also a little afraid. ¡°Then do you think they will agree to let us open a shop?¡± Zong Ming said, ¡°Let¡¯s give it a try. How will we know if we don¡¯t try? The local tribesmen are all doing well here and living in luxurious houses.¡± If not for the fact that he could not bear to part with the cows and sheep at home, Zong Ming would also want to live in such a good house. He even wanted to live in Carefree City. In just a few days, he had earned a third of his annual income. Zong Bang thought about it and agreed. He would only know after trying. They found a doctor from the pharmacy and said that they wanted to open a branch. They asked him to help ask the higher-ups. From the way they were dressed, Guan Faren could tell that they were not locals. How was it possible to open a pharmacy that did not have enough supplies outside? Guan Faren took a sip of tea calmly. ¡°Our boss is very busy. It¡¯s not easy to meet him.¡± Zong Bang and Zong Ming looked at each other and instantly understood the meaning behind his words. They took out their money bags and pushed them forward. This was a private room. Guan Faren was not afraid of being seen. He weighed the weight of the money bag and was quite satisfied. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll help you ask later.¡± Zong Bang was a little anxious. ¡°How long will it take?¡± They had to go back as soon as possible. Guan Faren raised his eyebrows again. ¡°I have a lot to do too.¡± Zong Bang gritted his teeth in his heart, but he still had to show a fawning expression. He took out a piece of turquoise stone from his waist. ¡°Thank you, doctor.¡± The quality of the turquoise stone was not bad. Although it was not as valuable as supreme-grade jade, his new wife would probably be happy with it. After Guan Faren accepted it, he finally agreed. ¡°Wait for my news here tomorrow.¡± The next day, Zong Ming and Zong Bang waited for Guan Faren to arrive as promised. Guan Faren said helplessly, ¡°I¡¯ve asked the inspector. He said that medicine stock is tight and there¡¯s no way for you to open a shop.¡± Zong Ming and Zong Bang were greatly disappointed. They asked with their remaining hope, ¡°Then can you help us buy the medicine in advance?¡± Guan Faren knew that they were about to return to Syria. He wanted to say that there was no medicine, but he suddenly remembered that his wife said that she was envious that other people could live in a villa and grow flowers and fruit trees in the backyard. He changed his mind. ¡°I can get the medicine now, but the price is also expensive.¡± The ordinary price was not enough for him to take the risk. If they were willing to pay a few times the price, he would have a way to convince his cousin in the pharmaceutical factory and ask him to get some medicine. When Zong Bang heard this, he hesitated and asked, ¡°How much?¡± Guan Faren smiled and gestured three. ¡°It has to be tripled.¡± ¡°Triple the price?¡± Zong Bang almost bit his tongue off. Not only was Guan Faren¡¯s heart black, but even the soles of his feet were black. He was about to refuse when he thought about it. The price of medicine in Carefree City was not expensive. It was better to pay triple the price than to visit a doctor and take all kinds of medicine that did not work. If it was expensive, he could just increase the price and sell it to others. Zong Bang bargained. ¡°Can¡¯t it be cheaper? We¡¯ll buy medicine from you next time.¡± Who knew if he would be skinning the sheep? Guan Faren refused to give in no matter what. If they wanted to buy it, they would have to pay three times the price. Zong Bang gritted his teeth and agreed. Zong Ming felt that it was too expensive, so he changed to buying stationery supplies. These things would definitely earn him a lot of money. Guan Faren went back and found his cousin, Gong Er. ¡°Cousin, it¡¯s three times the amount. As long as we casually take out some medicine, it¡¯s equivalent to our monthly salary. Aren¡¯t you also envious of others living in a villa and being able to spend money as they please? The opportunity is right in front of us.¡± Gong Er said, ¡°We won¡¯t be able to buy a villa even if he buys it this time.¡± Guan Faren tempted him patiently. ¡°Cousin, if he buys medicine at three times the price, there will definitely be others who will be willing to do the same. Apart from outsiders, there are also locals. Even if we give them the same price or cheaply, we can still earn a lot.¡± Gong Er was still a little hesitant. Guan Faren said, ¡°Cousin, you don¡¯t have to worry about anything else. Leave everything to me. You just have to take the medicine.¡± Gong Er said, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to do it, but it¡¯s not easy to take back this medicine at all. There are records of how many medicines were produced.¡± Guan Faren was in charge of selling medicine in the pharmacy and guide everyone in using it. He quickly thought of a way. ¡°Only the medicine from the factory has an accurate record. We can take the medicine before they are packaged.¡± Gong Er objected. ¡°The medicine can only maintain its effect if they are packaged. If it¡¯s not packed, you might die from eating it.¡± Guan Faren did not think much of it. ¡°I¡¯m just a doctor. The medicine effects will decrease a little, but it won¡¯t kill anyone. Cousin, you¡¯re a manager. Even if someone sees it, they won¡¯t dare to say anything.¡± ¡°As long as Cousin is careful, it will definitely be fine. Didn¡¯t Sister-in-law still want to buy the best dowry for Little Cai?¡± Gong Er softened and said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll give it a try today. If it doesn¡¯t work, you should give up on this idea.¡± The machinery in the pharmacy was producing medicine continuously. Gong Er was in charge of the workshop and four workers on duty. They were focused on picking out the defective products. Gong Er also took a basket and sat down far away. He was clearly picking out the defective products, but his hands were very fast. Sun You, who was closest to Gong Er, could tell that something was wrong. When he met Gong Er¡¯s vigilant gaze, he quickly lowered his head and pretended not to see anything. Gong Er filled a basket with ¡°defective products¡± and quickly left the workshop. Because he was the manager, no one could ask about his actions. Sun You said to his other colleagues, ¡°I¡¯m going to the toilet. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± He hurriedly followed quietly. When he turned the corner, he saw that Gong Er did not place the defective products in the cart. Sun You suddenly realized something, and a small flame lit up in his eyes. As long as he knocked Gong Er down, he would be able to become a manager. He secretly stared at Gong Er and realized that Gong Er¡¯s defective products had been placed in the trash disposal box at the back door. He quickly ran away. Just as he was feeling puzzled, another figure quietly crawled out of the darkness. He opened the trash disposal box and quickly took the defective products away. Sun You¡¯s heart was pounding as he hurriedly followed. During this period, the person turned around several times, and he barely avoided being seen. In the end, he saw the person enter an apartment building. When he learned from the building manager that this person was Gong Er¡¯s cousin, the flames in his eyes burned even brighter. What Gong Er had taken away was definitely not defective products. Even if it was defective, one would still be severely punished for taking away the things from the pharmaceutical factory.. Chapter 459 - Chapter 459: Nonsense Chapter 459: Nonsense Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Guan Farcn wrapped the medicine in oil paper overnight. The next morning, he carried his things to the hotel¡¯s private room. Zong Bang had been waiting for a long time. When he saw the big sack that Guan Faren was carrying, his eyes lit up. Guan Farcn opened the sack and held out his hand. ¡°Pay the silver first.¡± Zong Bang took a look and frowned. ¡°Why is it like this? Why isn¡¯t it medicine in a glass bottle?¡± Guan Farcn said, ¡°It¡¯s not easy to take it out in a glass bottle. It¡¯s all the same medicinal effect. I won¡¯t fool you. Besides, when you took the medicine previously, did you still care about packaging?¡± Zong Bang could not rebut and immediately said, ¡°Then you have to charge me less.¡± Compared to the exquisitely scaled glass bottle, the cost would definitely be greatly reduced. Guan Farcn had complete control over Zong Bang. ¡°You can choose not to buy it. I can sell it to others.¡± Zong Bang was furious. As he carefully calculated the number of herbs, he asked, ¡°Why is there only one kind of herb?¡± Guan Farcn said proficiently, ¡°There¡¯s a shortage of all kinds of herbs now. It also takes time to brew the medicine. You¡¯ll have more the next time you come.¡± At least the quantity was large and it was a fever medicine. He would definitely make a huge profit. As soon as Zong Bang handed the silver to Guan Faren, he said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll send someone to get the medicine.¡± The door was knocked open by a group of soldiers. Zong Bang subconsciously drew his saber. ¡°What do you want?¡± When Sun You saw the medicine bag in Zong Bang¡¯s hand, he hurriedly said to the soldier, ¡°Officer, look, it¡¯s them. They stole the medicine from our factory and sold it privately! With such a huge crime accused, Zong Bang did not respond. He roared, ¡°What the f*ck are you talking about? I spent three times the price to buy the medicine. What¡¯s the point of stealing? If I wanted to steal, I wouldn¡¯t have to spend money.¡± The joy on Sun You¡¯s face intensified when he heard that. Selling drugs at high price was explicitly forbidden in the factory. Guan Faren was Gong Er¡¯s cousin. The two of them were now accomplices. Guan Farcn had never expected to be caught red-handed on his first transaction. His entire body trembled as he explained, ¡°Officer, this barbarian forced me. If I didn¡¯t sell it to him, he would hit me. I really had no choice.¡± Zong Bang did not expect Guan Faren to be so shameless. He kicked him hard. ¡°The silver is still in your hands, yet you dare to frame me. Do you really think I¡¯m made of mud?¡± Zong Bang snatched the silver and kicked Guan Faren again. ¡°Get lost. I won¡¯t do business with you Central Plains people anymore.¡± Guan Farcn was still accusing him. ¡°Officer, look. He hit me even harder behind your back. I was forced to accept the money.¡± Zong Bang was so angry that he laughed. He raised his fist and wanted to punch Guan Faren a few times. ¡°You say that I hit you. I regret not killing you from the beginning. You¡¯re so evil. You even dare to bite me back after asking for three times the price of the medicine. If I¡¯m forced to death by you today, all my clansmen will avenge me even if they have to die.¡± The soldier quickly rushed forward and stopped him. ¡°What exactly is going on? When you go to the government office, the Lord will judge the case for you. We won¡¯t wrong a good person, nor will we let any villains off. As long as you¡¯re innocent, we will definitely let you out safely.¡± Guan Farcn met the soldier¡¯s clear eyes. Zong Bang wished he could beat him to death. He curled his head and planned to push all the responsibility to Gong Er. Not long after, Zong Bang and Guan Faren were brought to the government office. There was a huge amount of stolen medicine from the factory, and there were also problems of inadequate supervision and discrimination. Cui Shize would personally handle this case. After questioning Sun You, Zong Bang, and Guan Faren, he quickly sent someone to bring Gong Er to the government office. Gong Er was afraid when he entered the government office. Before Cui Shize could ask, he confessed. ¡°Sir, I only did such a thing under Guan Faren¡¯s persuasion. Please show mercy and spare me this time.¡± Guan Farcn hurriedly denied, ¡°Sir, it¡¯s not like that. He was the one who said that he could get the discarded medicine and begged me to help sell it. He even promised to give me some profits after that. I was bought over for a moment, so I thought of selling the medicine to those outsiders.¡± Gong Er widened his eyes in disbelief. ¡°Sir, don¡¯t listen to his nonsense. He was the one who said that he had already confirmed the buyer. I just need to get the medicine. I was really blinded by greed and believed his nonsense. Sir, you have to believe me.¡± Guan Faren knew the difference between an accomplice and a mastermind. He said pitifully, ¡°Sir, I can¡¯t get my hands on the medicine. How can I dare to sell it? Sir, I¡¯m really innocent.¡± Zong Bang had been stabbed in the back by him before. He sneered. ¡°What nonsense are you accusing me of? You just said that I forced you to sell the medicine. If I wanted to force you, would I have to give you three times the silver? You¡¯re spouting nonsense.¡± Cui Shize suddenly looked at Zong Bang. ¡°When did he say that he wanted to sell you three times the price of the medicine?¡± Zong Bang immediately said, ¡°Two days ago, my brother and I went to look for him. We wanted him to help us find the supervisor and ask if we could open a branch. He said no, and I wanted to buy some medicine back, so I asked him if he could sell medicine.¡± Cui Shize nodded and looked at Gong Er. ¡°Then when did he look for you?¡± Gong Er¡¯s eyes lit up and he hurriedly said, ¡°A day ago!¡± After confirming the buyer, Guan Faren looked for Gong Er, which meant that Gong Er was indeed not the main culprit. Cui Shize¡¯s eyes were sharp. ¡°Guan Faren, if you still refuse to confess, your crime of distorting the truth will be even worse!¡± Guan Faren had no way to continue twisting facts. He kowtowed. ¡°Sir, please spare me. I know my mistake. Please forgive me.¡± Guan Farcn instigated Gong Er to steal the factory medicine and sell it at a high price for huge profits. He was sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment and fined 50 taels of silver. Gong Er had committed theft and was an accomplice. As he had a good attitude in taking the initiative to confess, he was removed from his position in the factory and was sentenced to ten years of imprisonment and fined 20 taels of silver. Zong Bang bought the medicine at a high price. Fortunately, he was only buying the medicine and did not collude with Guan Faren, so he was released. However, Cui Shize still reminded him kindly, ¡°Even if it¡¯s medicine bought through legal channels, selling it at a high price is equivalent to committing a crime. You have to know.¡± Zong Bang was stunned. ¡°Why can¡¯t I set a price for my own things?¡± Cui Shize¡¯s expression suddenly turned serious. ¡°This is Carefree Kingdom. There are national laws and family rules. As a member of Carefree Kingdom, you should abide by them. Moreover, the original intention of developing over-the-counter medicine was to let the people of the world have effective low-cost medicine.¡± Zong Bang was especially unhappy. ¡°I helped to transport the medicine back. I can¡¯t make a loss, right?¡± Cui Shize said, ¡°As long as it doesn¡¯t exceed the sale price.¡± Zong Bang felt that he was joking. ¡°I can¡¯t even buy medicine now, but you still want me to sell it to others at a price that doesn¡¯t exceed the sale price. With your brain, you can even become an official. I wonder how you become an official.¡± He didn¡¯t believe that he could control him after leaving Carefree City and secretly selling medicine.. Chapter 460 - Chapter 460: Working for the People Chapter 460: Working for the People Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Cui Shizc suddenly said, ¡°There will be a time when the agent gets the wholesale medicine.¡± Zong Bang was stunned, but he quickly realized that agents and wholesale medicine might be something good. He hurriedly asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Cui Shize said, ¡°We didn¡¯t plant enough medicinal fields this year. When the sufficient herbs can be produced next year and you¡¯re chosen to become an agent, you can get wholesale medicine at a low price and legally sell regular medicine.¡± Bai Wutong had long expected a drug dealer to appear. She had already discussed the countermeasures with everyone. Zong Bang was stunned for a moment before hurriedly saying excitedly, ¡°Then how can I become an agent?¡± Cui Shize said, ¡°First of all, you have to be someone with a clean background and good character. You can¡¯t have a criminal record and have to be considerate of the people.¡± Zong Bang immediately said, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m working so hard now. I want to bring medicine back for everyone.¡± Cui Shize suddenly smiled and glanced at him meaningfully. ¡°Is that so? Then you can participate in the agent assessment in April next year. If you pass the assessment, you will be qualified to open a chain store.¡± Zong Bang was stunned. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that it¡¯s fine as long as we have a clean family background, good character, and think for the people?! We¡¯re opening a shop, not becoming an official. Why do we have to take an exam? I don¡¯t even know a few of your characters. Aren¡¯t you lying to me and wasting my feelings?!¡± Cui Shize¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the content of the assessment isn¡¯t difficult. As long as you¡¯re sincere about serving the people, you can get what you want.¡± Then he said, ¡°The passing rate of the Syrians will increase.¡± Zong Bang complained in his heart. He was also a commoner. Why couldn¡¯t he sincerely think for the people and let him earn money!!! Even though he thought so, Zong Bang still smiled and asked, ¡°Then what will the test be? Can you reveal a thing or two so that I can be mentally prepared?¡± Cui Shize still said, ¡°Do your best for the people.¡± Zong Bang couldn¡¯t help but roll his eyes. He wasn¡¯t becoming an official anyway. Ahhh!!! No matter how he tried to get close to Cui Shize, Cui Shize still had a perfunctory attitude and asked him to fill out a registration form. Zong Bang was helpless, so he resigned himself to coming to Carefree City to test the agent next April. He thought that it would be best for him to come and take the assessment alone. Unexpectedly, as soon as he returned to his residence, Zong Ming rushed over and told him, ¡°Brother, our chance to open a pharmacy is here!¡± Before Zong Ming could finish, Zong Bang¡¯s heart skipped a beat. No way, no way! Could it be that these Central Plains people had announced it in the newspapers again! Did they have to publicize the role of a small pharmacy agent?! ¡°The Great Empress published in the newspaper that they are recruiting agents for chain store. Not only will they be selling medicine, the rouge and powder that women like, the toys and snacks that children like, the tricycles and bicycles used for traveling, the toilet paper used to clean, the toilet bowl used for squatting, and the grilled intestines that we often eat can all be sold by agents.¡± Zong Bang¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Will everyone only be able to sign up in April next year?¡± Zong Ming was stunned by the question. ¡°I don¡¯t even know. The burly man reading the newspaper said that the situation in every specialty store is different. We have to ask them alone.¡± He said excitedly, ¡°I came to inform you as soon as I received the news. Let¡¯s go quickly. I want to open a toilet paper chain store. I discovered that there¡¯s nothing that the people of Carefree City don¡¯t use. Compared to wiping feces with a stick, it¡¯s indeed easier.¡± Zong Bang suddenly stood up and rushed out. Zong Ming chased after him. ¡°Brother, why are you running so fast?¡± Zong Bang turned around and looked at him. ¡°Faster, what if you can¡¯t register later?¡± ¡°Oh, oh, oh. Wait for me, brother..¡± Chapter 461 - Chapter 461: There’s No Overnight feud between Father and Son Chapter 461: There¡¯s No Overnight feud between Father and Son Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Gou Hoaxing led Noble Consort Ling in the direction of the southern frontier. Chu Tianbao¡¯s whereabouts were unknown, and the weak Noble Consort Ling was sick again. If anything happened to Noble Consort Ling, Gou Houxing would not forgive himself even if he died. lust as he was about to bring the remaining dark guards to find a place to stay and let the dark guards who knew medicine nurse Noble Consort Ling back to health, a group of people caught up to him again. They were all ruthless suicide soldiers who wanted to achieve their goals even if it meant their lives. Moreover, there were many of them. Gou Houxing1 s heart turned cold when he met their cold gazes. Noble Consort Ling couldn¡¯t bear to implicate them and said to Gou Houxing, irAs long as I die, they won¡¯t chase after me anymore. Run away.¡± If not for the fact that she was looking forward to seeing Chu Tianbao again one day, Noble Consort Ling would have died long ago. Now that she had seen him and knew that he was already married and about to become a father, she felt at ease and did not dare to ask for too much. Gou Houxing suddenly widened his eyes and said firmly, ¡°No! Even if my blood runs dry today, I¡¯ll escort you out!¡± Noble Consort Ling sighed and clenched the hairpin in her hand, ready to commit suicide at any moment. Once the dark guards and the suicide soldiers started fighting, Nine Heavens and Commander Zhang arrived. Nine Heavens aimed at Noble Consort Ling and jumped up to capture her. He said, ¡°Your Highness, sorry to have offended you.¡± Noble Consort Ling knew of this person. He had appeared several times when Chu Shixiong was assassinated. If she was caught by him, she probably would not be able to reunite with Tianbao in the southern frontier. Gou Houxing raised his sword and rushed forward to fight Nine Heavens to the death. The moment Nine Heavens raised his hand, Noble Consort Ling stopped him. ¡°Don¡¯t kill him! I¡¯ll follow you back obediently!¡± Nine Heavens stopped his hands, and his subordinates held Gou Houxing back. The moment the entire group of suicide soldiers saw Nine Heavens capture Noble Consort Ling, they rushed towards Nine Heavens like a swarm of bees, intending to kill the Noble Consort. Nine Heavens had brought more people than the entire group of suicide soldiers. Before Commander Zhang could join the battle with his sword, more than half of the entire group of suicide soldiers had died. Not everyone could nurture so many suicide soldiers. Only¡­ the Quan family had the capability to do so. Commander Zhang was shocked, and the joy of finding Noble Consort Ling was washed away. How was he going to tell Emperor Ling Hui when he returned? If he did, would it implicate him? The Eldest Prince was Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s only son at the moment. If he really said it, wouldn¡¯t it ruin his future career? Wait, since it was the future, there was no telling when. Commander Zhang suddenly prayed in his mind that Emperor Ling Hui would definitely survive. After ail the suicide soldiers were dealt with, Gou Houxing watched as Nine Heavens was about to take Noble Consort Ling away. Just as he was hating himself for being useless, Chu Tianbao suddenly appeared, followed by a group of dark guards. Chu Tianbao attacked Nine Heavens. In order for Nine Heavens to resist his attack, and to be careful not to injure Noble Consort Ling, he fought with much difficulty. ¡°Swish¡ª¡± Chu Tianbao suddenly spat a stream of rod gas in his face. The moment Nine Heavens covered his mouth and nose, the red powder entered his eyes. It was a burning pain. He closed his eyes and his tears flowed continuously, but he was unwilling to let go of Noble Consort Ling. In the next second, Chu Tianbao stabbed him in the chest and kicked him away. Seeing this, Commander Zhang hurriedly stood in front of Chu Tianbao and emphasized again, ¡°General, come back with us. The emperor really won¡¯t blame you.¡± ¡°Bang!¡± Gou Houxing kicked him away from behind again. Commander Zhang covered his butt and shouted at Chu Tianbao¡¯s back, ¡°Young General, you can¡¯t leave. If you leave, there¡¯s no turning back.¡± Chu Tianbao only left him with a back view without hesitation. Seeing that they had run far away, Commander Zhang hurriedly went to help Nine Heavens up. ¡°Hey, are you alright? Brother, you can¡¯t die yet!¡± If you died, who would tell the emperor? Nine Heavens looked at him coldly. ¡°Gather all the officials and troops in the remaining cities. We must stop them before they enter the southern frontier!¡± Commander Zhang spread his hands. ¡°I don¡¯t have the right.¡± Nine Heavens suddenly took out a token from his chest. On it was a hole pierced by a sword. It was this golden token that had saved his life. ¡°Take it!¡± Commander Zhang widened his eyes in disbelief. ¡°You actually have the golden token?¡± It was rare for Nine Heavens to show a trace of emotion. He glared at him. ¡°Hurry up!¡± Commander Zhang nodded repeatedly. ¡°Okay okay okay.¡± As soon as he left, Nine Heavens spat out a mouthful of blood. Even though he had luckily dodged Chu Tianbao¡¯s fatal strike, that kick still injured him badly. Noble Consort Ling had a serious fever. Fortunately, the group of dark guards sent by Bai Wutong to receive them had brought special medicine for emergencies. After Noble Consort Ling took the medicine, her condition stabilized. Chu Tianbao heaved a sigh of relief and continued on his way. Commander Zhang used the golden token that signified the emperor¡¯s arrival to contact the officials guarding various places and mobilized all the commoners to search for Chu Tianbao and the others. Their traces were constantly exposed. When they were about to reach the southern frontier, there were already three cities¡¯ troops chasing after them. Gou Houxing complained, ¡°There might not even be so many people in a war!¡± Emperor Ling Hui really had nothing better to do. In any case, he already had the land he wanted, so why couldn¡¯t he let Chu Tianbao and Noble Consort Ling off? Chu Tianbao frowned because Quan family¡¯s suicide soldiers had yet to give up on chasing after them. They had wasted much more time on the way than he had expected. Now that he thought about it, it was very likely that they would not be able to catch up to Bai Wutong¡¯s delivery. He clenched his fists tightly. He was expressionless, but he was extremely frustrated. Suddenly, Quan family¡¯s suicide soldiers appeared again. Their numbers were constantly depleting, and there were less than 20 of them left. Chu Tianbao lowered his eyes. The anger all over his body was like monstrous flames. He rode his horse over and attacked like lightning. A few suicide soldiers fell off their horses. He fought for the heads again as if he was venting his anger. After a while, he slaughtered the suicide soldiers like melons. Suddenly, a large number of people appeared in front of him. Gou Houxing was shocked. ¡°It¡¯s Zeng Sanshui¡¯s army!¡± Zeng Sanshui was a capable general who had followed Emperor Ling Hui before the rebellion. After Emperor Ling Hui ascended to the throne, he sent him to guard Guanglin. He did not expect him to actually appear at the border of the southern frontier and lead an army to stop Chu Tianbao, This was clearly an arrangement that Emperor Ling Hui had long expected. There were wolves in front and tigers behind. Gou Houxing cursed angrily, ¡°Damn it, why is this old man here to join in the fun!¡± Chu Tianbao gripped the sword in his hand and lowered his eyes. ¡°Prepare to break out!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Zeng Sanshui looked at Chu Tianbao. With just a glance, he saw the shadow of young Emperor Ling Hui on Chu Tianbao¡¯s face. He glanced at Noble Consort Ling again and discovered an incredible truth in a flash. It was no wonder that Emperor Linghui had written to him and asked him to stop Chu Tianbao. ¡®I see. 1 see.¡¯ Zeng Sanshui said politely, ¡°Young General, the southern frontier is a barbaric place. Why make Your Highness suffer?¡¯1 Chu Tianbao only had one word. ¡°Move!¡± The more he looked at his sharp gaze and domineering aura, the more he looked like he was carved from the same mold as Emperor Ling Hui. This was the Eldest Prince who would convince the public. Zeng Sanshui persuaded tactfully, ¡°Why do you have to do this? There¡¯s no overnight feud between father and son..¡± Chapter 462 - Chapter 462: Bullsh*t Father and Son Chapter 462: Bullsh*t Father and Son Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios It was rare for Chu Tianbao to say more, ¡°Bullsh*t father and son!¡± Zeng Sanshui¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He did not know what to say, but Chu Tianbao had already rushed over with his men. He immediately ordered the others, ¡°Don¡¯t hurt Young General and Noble Consort Ling.¡± He couldn¡¯t hurt anyone, but he still had to capture them. This was really difficult. Fortunately, they had a lot of people. Not long after, they surrounded Chu Tianbao and the loo-odd people. They did not step forward or attack. They wanted to force them to the end of their rope and take the initiative to surrender. Chu Tianbao tried to break out of the encirclement, but this was an army. They were surrounded by layers of people. After being trapped for a day, Commander Zhang and the weak Nine Heavens caught up. This time, it was even more difficult to escape. After being trapped for two days, Zeng Sanshui said, ¡°Young General, come back with us. Ling Kingdom cannot be without you!¡± Even if Chu Tianbao could endure it and hold on, Noble Consort Ling would not be able to take it. Chu Tianbao was expressionless. The dark guard gave him a secret signal. Noble Consort Ling had already changed her appearance and was about to break out of the encirclement. ¡°Boom¡ª¡± A loud bang shook the sky. The hooves of the horses kicked up billowing smoke and dust. Zeng Sanshui turned around and saw a group of well-equipped cavalry appear in their vision. ¡°Boom¡ª¡± Another grenade came from the sky with an earthquake-like sound. In the blink of an eye, Zeng Sanshui¡¯s army had left a gap open. The soldiers screamed repeatedly. Zeng Sanshui suddenly realized that the enemy was throwing a powerful heavy weapon. As his heart skipped a beat, he gestured for the army to dodge. ¡°Boom¡ª¡± One grenade after another exploded like a fairy scattering flowers. Commander Zhang had seen Chu Tianbao use such powerful hidden weapons before and thought that there were only a few extremely precious ones. Who would have thought that the other party would throw them out like they were free? If Gu Chilie could keep producing such a powerful weapon, wouldn¡¯t they be able to attack from the southern frontier very quickly? He suddenly trembled. It was not easy for them to settle down, must they go to war again! With the attack by the grenades, the Ling Kingdom army that was surrounding them dodged everywhere. Soon, a hole was blasted open. Gou Houxing looked at the bombs that filled the sky and was extremely excited. What kind of weapon was this? It was actually so powerful. Chu Tianbao¡¯s lips curled into a rare smile, filled with the joy of returning home. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± If Chu Tianbao escaped from here, there would be no possibility of catching him. Nine Heavens had to stop him despite his injuries. Before he could approach Chu Tianbao, ¡°Pa¡ª¡± The horse under him was hit in the forehead. Before it could make a sound, it fell heavily to the ground. Nine Heavens flew forward. ¡°Pa¡ª¡± A bullet hit his thigh. He fell from the sky like an eagle with broken wings. If not for the fact that someone had caught him, he would have been trampled by the frightened horse. Gou Houxin looked at Nine Heavens¡¯ thigh that had a hole in it, and the flames in his eyes burned even brighter. How impressive. It could hit him from so far away! Under the cover of the Carefree Kingdom¡¯s army, Chu Tianbao and the others quickly broke out of the encirclement until they disappeared. Nine Heavens dug out a bullet from his leg. Including the one Chu Tianbao had shot previously, there were already two. He let others bandage him and placed the bloody bullet in Commander Zhang¡¯s hand. ¡°Go back and inform the emperor that Gu Chilie¡¯s army has an invincible weapon!¡± Zeng Sanshui said, ¡°Should we find out what¡¯s going on first? What if this is all they have?¡± Nine Heavens said, ¡°If there is, they can continue creating them. This matter can¡¯t be delayed!¡± Commander Zhang also knew the seriousness of the matter and nodded heavily. ¡°Yes..¡± Chapter 463 - Chapter 463: M462^+^^^?_1 Chapter 463: M462^+^^^?_1 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Chu Tianbao returned safely with Noble Consort Ling. Lu Ye was extremely happy. ¡°Young General, it¡¯s great that you¡¯re fine! The Great Empress specially sent us to receive you.¡± Chu Tianbao was not surprised. Instead, Gou Houxing suspected that there was something wrong with his ears and asked in a daze, ¡°What Great Empress?¡± Even if Gu Chilie ascended the throne, he was still a man! Lu Ye knew Gou Houxing and explained, ¡°The Great Empress is the Young General¡¯s wife. Now, the southern frontier is no longer called the southern frontier. It has been changed to the Carefree Kingdom. Our imperial city is called Carefree City!¡± Gou Houxing was still a little confused. ¡°Huh? Carefree Kingdom, if the General¡¯s wife becomes the Great Empress, will our Young General still be the Young General?¡± Lu Ye was also a little confused. He glanced at Chu Tianbao. ¡°Uh, this, this, I think so.¡± Gou Houxing¡¯s eyes widened. Even this could work!!! Then wouldn¡¯t their Young General still be a member of the Great Empress¡¯s harem? While Gou Houxing was doubting his life, Chu Tianbao asked, ¡°How is she?¡± They had already arrived at the southern frontier and had the army as their solid backing. Chu Tianbao only wanted to return to Carefree City as soon as possible and to Bai Wutong¡¯s side to watch the child be born. Lu Ye hurriedly said, ¡°The Great Empress is very good and misses you very much, Young General. We¡¯ve already prepared a carriage. If you¡¯re in a hurry to travel, you can rest for a while. We¡¯ll send someone to escort you back to Carefree City.¡± He still had to stay here and lead the army to resist the Ling Kingdom¡¯s army that might attack at any time. Chu Tianbao smiled. ¡°Okay.¡± Gou Houxing was especially interested in the weapons they had used previously. ¡°What weapon did you use just now? Why is it so powerful?¡± At this point, Lu Ye was also very excited. ¡°That¡¯s called a grenade. It¡¯s a throwing weapon with astonishing explosive power.¡± He did not expect that the Ling Kingdom¡¯s army would be defeated after just throwing a few. The medical staff who followed them were completely useless. However, everyone was also happy. This meant that their national defense was safe and impregnable. Gou Houxing hurriedly asked, ¡°Then what¡¯s that long black tube you¡¯re holding? How can it shoot so far!¡± It knocked Nine Heavens down with two shots, and his eyes almost popped out. Lu Ye said proudly, ¡°That¡¯s a sniper rifle. It can aim at the enemy from afar and kill them. The range can reach up to 800 meters. As long as our aim is accurate, there¡¯s no enemy we can¡¯t hit.¡± 800 meters!!! Gou Houxing said excitedly, ¡°Can you show me?¡± Lu Ye shook his head. ¡°No one is allowed to touch a gun without training.¡± Meeting Gou Houxing¡¯s disappointed gaze, he said, ¡°You can take a look.¡± Gou Houxing¡¯s tail, which had just hung down, stood up again. He excitedly followed Lu Ye out of the tent. Lan Jingbai was like a still poplar tree in the wind. He was upright and neat, and there was a hint of gloominess in his eyes. He was extremely steady. Gou Houxing saw that he was like a good soldier and admired him a few times before his gaze landed on the sniper rifle on his shoulder. Lu Ye smiled and said, ¡°Lan Jingbai, show him your skills!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Gou Houxing raised his sniper rifle and aimed at the small tree 300 meters away. He clipped it to his shoulder and aimed. After a few seconds of silence, he suddenly pulled the trigger and the tallest branch on the top of the small tree broke. Lu Ye smiled and said, ¡°Very good!¡± Gou Houxing rushed forward and wanted to touch him. Before he could approach, Lu Ye grabbed him. ¡°You can¡¯t touch him! If it goes off, someone will die!¡± Gou Houxing hurriedly said, ¡°You can ask him to teach me, teach me!¡± Lu Ye smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯ve been travelling a long way. Hurry up and take a shower. When you reach Carefree City, there¡¯s a training ground there. You can practice every day.¡± Gou Houxing could not wait. ¡°If I don¡¯t touch it now, I won¡¯t feel good all over. I promise not to do anything rash. Let me have my fun first!¡± Lu Ye gave in. ¡°Lan Jingbai, teach him how to hold a gun.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Lan Jingbai first introduced the structure of the sniper rifle to Gou Houxing. After he could remember the function of every part of the sniper rifle, he allowed him to hold the sniper rifle and feel it. Gou Houxing pulled the trigger expectantly, but what came out was a hollow sound. He was immediately disappointed. ¡°Can¡¯t you put a bullet in for me?¡± Lu Ye smiled at the side. ¡°We practiced with an unloaded gun for a long time before we had a chance to shoot. Bullets are not meant to be wasted.¡± Gou Houxing¡¯s face was filled with regret. Chu Tianbao took a shower and shaved his beard before walking out. Seeing the clean Young General, Gou Houxing felt a little sloppy. He had to take a shower. When Chu Tianbao reached out and gestured for Lu Ye to give him a sniper rifle to try, Gou Houxing stopped in his tracks. Lu Ye said awkwardly, ¡°The army also stipulates that you can¡¯t touch guns without training.¡± Chu Tianbao suddenly took out an especially small pistol. It was a model that Lu Ye had never seen before. It turned out that the young general had used a gun before them. Lu Ye immediately handed over the sniper rifle with both hands. No man could escape the charm of a gun. Chu Tianbao picked up the heavy sniper rifle and narrowed his eyes. His gaze made him look like a god of death. ¡°Pa¡ª¡± A small seedling 400 meters away was suddenly shattered. Lu Ye exclaimed, ¡°Young General is really good at shooting!¡± Gou Houxing¡¯s face was filled with envy. ¡°Too awesome!¡± Chu Tianbao stared at the small tree that was 300 meters away, but he didn¡¯t explain that he actually wanted to shoot the small tree. Chu Tianbao returned the sniper rifle to Lu Ye. Noble Consort Ling had already taken a bath and eaten. Chu Tianbao immediately said to Gou Houxing, ¡°We¡¯re setting off.¡± Gou Houxing, who had messy hair that could have oil squeezed out, had a shocked expression on his face, as if asking, ¡®we are setting off just like that?¡¯ He had yet to do anything. Probably reading the meaning from Gou Houxing¡¯s expression, Chu Tianbao added, ¡°You can stay here.¡± Gou Houxing immediately shook his head. What a joke. He still had to go back and hug the Little Young General! Lu Ye led them into the carriage. The carriage was huge and had all the necessary facilities. It was not that Gou Houxing had never seen a bigger one, but under the carriage, the road that stretched for thousands of miles shocked him. He kept asking like a wild monkey who had never seen the world, ¡°What is this?¡± Lu Ye laughed and said, ¡°This is a cement road built with cement. In the future, we will build asphalt roads. Don¡¯t be too surprised.¡± Gou Houxing jumped on the road. It was firm and hard enough. ¡°Amazing.¡± Chu Tianbao pondered for a moment and suddenly asked, ¡°How long will it take to travel to the southern frontier?¡± Lu Ye said excitedly, ¡°Only half a month!¡± Chu Tianbao suddenly got into the carriage and said to Noble Consort Ling, ¡°Houxing will escort you to Carefree City. There won¡¯t be any danger on the way back. My wife is about to give birth, so I want to go first.¡± Noble Consort Ling had just wanted to persuade Chu Tianbao to leave first. She smiled and nodded. ¡°Go. There are so many people protecting Mother.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mother..¡± Chapter 464 - Chapter 464: I’m Here Chapter 464: I¡¯m Here Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Chu Tianbao rode his horse to rush back on the road. When he was hungry, he would eat two mouthfuls of flatbread and continue without stopping. On the other side, Bai Wutong was about to give birth. No matter how uncomfortable it was, she would insist on taking a walk in the garden, do some boxing, and welcome the two small lives in her womb at her best condition. The entire Carefree City knew that Bai Wutong was about to give birth. Everyone was even more nervous than Bai Wutong and kept praying that Bai Wutong could successfully give birth. A woman giving birth was no different from going to the gates of hell. Especially in ancient times where medical standards were backward, the mortality rate during childbirth was especially high. Without Bai Wutong, there would be no good days for Lin Siyu and her family. She hired a Guanyin Bodhisattva at home and changed the fruits every day. She kowtowed piously to pray for Bai Wutong. When Lin Siyu¡¯s husband and son returned to see her kneeling, they also kowtowed. Who would be willing to have another rule with such a good Great Empress? When Lin Siyu went to work, she heard the female workers in the workshop discussing softly, ¡°If anything happens to the Great Empress, guess who will succeed the throne?¡± ¡°If the child is saved, regardless of whether it¡¯s a boy or a girl, he or she will definitely succeed the throne!¡± ¡°What if¡± Before she could finish her sentence, Lin Siyu couldn¡¯t help but scold, ¡°There¡¯s no ¡®what if¡¯. The Great Empress will definitely be safe and sound! If you have the time to gossip, you might as well weave a few more bolts of cloth.¡± The female workers trembled in fear when they were discussing the Great Empress behind her back and were even caught red-handed by the deputy factory manager. They hurriedly said, ¡°The Great Empress will definitely be safe and sound!¡± Auntie Yang lay on the bed and felt uneasy. She said to Village Chief Zhao, ¡°Is the midwife for the Great Empress dependable? If not, I can go.¡± Auntie Yang had delivered her two daughters-in-law¡¯s babies several times. She was really afraid that something would happen to Bai Wutong when she gave birth. Village Chief Zhao said earnestly, ¡°She¡¯s a professional. She has been trained by Miracle Doctor Wen and the others in turns. Don¡¯t interfere with your half-baked skills.¡± Auntie Yang said, ¡°If I don¡¯t do the delivery, I can also help in other ways!¡± ¡°If everyone wants to help, the delivery room will be in chaos!¡± Auntie Yang asked again, ¡°Do you think it¡¯s a boy or a girl?¡± Village Chief Zhao suddenly smiled and said, ¡°Whether it¡¯s a boy or a girl, they will definitely be as handsome as their parents. It¡¯s better if it¡¯s a boy, but a girl will definitely be as smart as the Great Empress and can rule the world well.¡± Auntie Yang lowered her voice and secretly touched him. ¡°I think the Great Empress is pregnant with twins.¡± Although Bai Wutong did not say anything, her stomach seemed a little bigger. Village Chief Zhao was delighted. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, it looks like it!¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good thing! It¡¯s a huge blessing. If Master Chu comes back and sees his children, he will definitely be very happy.¡± At the mention of Chu Tianbao, the smile on Madam Yang¡¯s face darkened. ¡°I wonder where Master Chu went. He hasn¡¯t appeared for so long. Women are the most worried when it comes to giving birth. The two of them are still so close.¡± Village Chief Zhao looked at the starry sky outside the window. ¡°Master Chu must have his own difficulties. When the child is born, he will definitely rush back as soon as possible.¡± ¡°I hope so.¡± It was almost the day of her due date. Bai Wutong¡¯s stomach was already very big. Cui Lingyi would come to accompany her for a walk every day. Bai Wutong sat on a special chair in the garden and gently stroked her stomach. ¡°They¡¯re quite well-behaved today. They didn¡¯t dance with spears and swords in my stomach.¡± Cui Lingyi smiled and said, ¡°They¡¯re old enough to understand Mother¡¯s difficulties.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Bai Wutong¡¯s stomach hurt violently. In order to give birth, Bai Wutong had learnt a lot of prenatal knowledge. This was a sign before contractions. It was very likely that the child was about to be born. Seeing her expression change, Cui Lingyi immediately asked, ¡°How is it? Do you want everyone to prepare?¡± Qingfeng¡¯s expression also darkened as she paid close attention to Bai Wutong¡¯s condition. Her stomach ached violently again. Bai Wutong stabilized for a moment and felt a sharp pain again. A regular contraction meant that she was really about to give birth. Bai Wutong nodded at them. ¡°Call them.¡± Cui Lingyi hurriedly called for someone to prepare the delivery. While Qingfeng helped Bai Wutong back to her room, a dense group of people surrounded the Great Empress¡¯ residence like an iron bucket that even flies could not enter. After a while, the pain in her womb gradually intensified. Bai Wutong knew that giving birth would hurt, but she never expected that she would feel like she had died again and again in a minute. Qingfeng comforted her. ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯ll be over soon!¡± Bai Wutong also wanted to endure it, but it was not within her control at all. Her stomach hurt so much that it felt like it was about to tear open. She kept adjusting her breathing. The midwife in charge of delivering the child came in to check. ¡°Great Empress, it¡¯s not time yet. You still have to endure it.¡± Bai Wutong gritted her teeth. ¡°How much longer do we have to endure?¡± The midwife said, ¡°It¡¯ll take a while. If it is ready, I¡¯ll ask you to use more strength. Try to save your energy now and don¡¯t shout. There¡¯ll be more to shout when it requires energy later.¡± Bai Wutong felt dizzy. Giving birth without painkillers was indeed not tolerable. After a while, the midwife suddenly said, ¡°The amniotic fluid has broken. Great Empress, use force!¡± Then she shouted to the people outside, ¡°Bring hot water and wipe the Great Empress¡¯ body.¡± Bai Wutong cooperated with the midwife¡¯s guidance and kept adjusting her breathing. She exerted so much strength that her nails turned white. ¡°Great Empress, exert force, exert force!¡± ¡°Ahhh¡ª¡± Hearing the commotion in the delivery room, everyone¡¯s hearts tightened. ¡°God bless, God bless, the Great Empress must be safe and sound!¡± Du Xiangping carried the basin into the delivery room. Everyone¡¯s attention was on Bai Wutong. She carefully wiped her wrist and accidentally put her fingertip into the basin. She quickly walked over and quickly wrung a hot towel. The moment Qingfeng was about to take the towel, the travel-worn Chu Tianbao returned with Xiaobai. Before it reached the front yard, it smelled danger in the air and rushed towards the delivery room. Chu Tianbao knew Xiaobai very well. He was shocked and used his qinggong with all his might. Under everyone¡¯s surprised gazes, he rushed into the delivery room. In an instant, Du Xiangping, who was holding a towel, was pushed to the ground by Xiaobai and bitten crazily. Du Xiangping shouted for help. When the midwife met Chu Tianbao¡¯s murderous gaze, her legs went weak from fear. While Bai Wutong was in pain, she saw Chu Tianbao appear. She almost thought that it was an illusion. Chu Tianbao had already replaced Qingfeng and was holding her hand tightly. His gaze as if he was looking at a treasure made Bai Wutong suddenly wake up. She was not dreaming. Chu Tianbao was really back! Looking at his unshaven face, Bai Wutong¡¯s heart ached. Her eyes suddenly turned red. ¡°Tianbao Who didn¡¯t want to be accompanied by the person they loved the most when they were at their most vulnerable? Chu Tianbao held her hand tightly and placed it on his heart. His calm and powerful voice comforted her, ¡°I¡¯m here..¡± Chapter 465 - Chapter 465: Soak Her in the Chili Pot Chapter 465: Soak Her in the Chili Pot Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Chu Tianbao said, ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± The child in her womb seemed to have sensed that his father had returned. It suddenly twitched violently a few times. Bai Wutong cried out, ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s heart was in his throat. ¡°Wife, don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m here!¡± ¡°Mmm¡­ Ahhh¡ª¡± It hurt even more! Bai Wutong gritted her teeth and kept adjusting her breathing. Chu Tianbao wished he could give birth for her. He was so nervous that his eyes had turned red. Bai Wutong felt his fear and forced a smile at him. ¡°I was lying to you. It actually doesn¡¯t hurt that much.¡± Chu Tianbao kissed her palm. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault.¡± Bai Wutong still wanted to say something, but the midwife said excitedly, ¡°Great Empress, it¡¯s almost out. Use more strength!¡± Bai Wutong could not care about anything else. The moment she used all her strength, the midwife said happily, ¡°It¡¯s out. It¡¯s a little prince!¡± She turned the child upside down and slapped his butt a few times. The child opened his mouth and the liquid in his mouth was discharged with his cries. The midwife said some auspicious words, ¡°The little prince¡¯s voice is like a bell. In the future, he will definitely be healthy, strong, and intelligent!¡± Bai Wutong glanced at the child. Chu Tianbao finally smiled. ¡°Wife, the child is born.¡± Bai Wutong chuckled weakly. ¡°It¡¯s not over yet.¡± Chu Tianbao was stunned. He probably didn¡¯t understand what she meant. The midwife had already carried the child to the assistant doctor beside her and said again, ¡°Great Empress, rest a while and exert more strength. This will be done soon!¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes widened. He asked in surprise, ¡°Twins?¡± Bai Wutong smiled and nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Chu Tianbao held her hand tightly in joy and self-reproach. ¡°I¡¯ve made you suffer.¡± Bai Wutong chuckled. ¡°Yes, I have no choice. Who asked you to be so powerful?¡± Chu Tianbao was speechless. He could actually be more powerful. After the first child was born, it would be much easier for the second child to pass through the delivery channel. ¡°Wah wah wah wah¡ª¡± There was another loud cry. The midwife said excitedly, ¡°It¡¯s a little princess. The dragon and phoenix are auspicious! It¡¯s an auspicious sign!¡± They placed a pair of well-wrapped children in front of Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao. Although she was carrying a pair of twins, Bai Wutong had taken care of herself well. The siblings were about 2.5 kilograms. They were small and red, but they both had thick black hair and long eyelashes that were like butterfly¡¯s wings. They inherited their parents¡¯ strengths, so their facial features were also exquisite. The midwife said that she had never seen such a good-looking child in so many years. It was really not a out of courtesy. Bai Wutong looked at Chu Tianbao. ¡°They¡¯re so cute.¡± Chu Tianbao looked at Bai Wutong. ¡°Not as cute as you.¡± Ever since Chu Tianbao entered the delivery room, everyone had heard a lot of sweet nothings. When they saw their affectionate gazes, they pretended to be deaf and blind. Chu Tianbao¡¯s words were too sweet. Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°Go to the outer room and carry the children. I¡¯ll clean up before carrying them in to feed them.¡± Chu Tianbao thought of the woman Xiaobai had pounced on and was very afraid. ¡°I¡¯ll help you clean up.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s lower body was covered in blood. It was completely different from taking a shower and wiping her body. Without thinking, Bai Wutong pulled a long face. ¡°Go out first and think about what nickname to give the child.¡± Chu Tianbao had no choice but to get up and go to the outer room to carry the child. The midwife was about to teach him how to carry the children when Chu Tianbao already picked up the baby girl with ease. The baby girl opened her eyes and sized up Chu Tianbao curiously. She was soft and much smaller than Stinky back then. Chu Tianbao¡¯s heart was about to melt. He blurted out gently, ¡°Tuantuan, I¡¯m Daddy.¡± Tuantuan opened her mouth and made a sound. It was so cute, as if she was responding to Chu Tianbao. She was really too lovable. Her brother¡¯s head was round, and his little hand, which was struggling to break free from the blanket, was also round and chubby. Chu Tianbao carried Tuantuan and leaned closer. He made a quick decision. ¡°Yuanyuan, don¡¯t you think Sister is very cute?¡± Yuanyuan looked at them in confusion and kept smacking his lips. Cleaning up her body was as painful as giving birth again. Bai Wutong endured it and finally wiped it clean. The old woman who was helping her to breastfeed rubbed her chest. It was so painful that she gasped and sighed at how difficult it was to give birth. Her chest was overflowing with breast milk. The old woman immediately said, ¡°Great Empress, you can let the Little Prince drink milk now.¡± Bai Wutong asked, ¡°How¡¯s the milk? Is it enough for them?¡± If it wasn¡¯t enough, she would have to hire a nanny. Perhaps it was because of her possessiveness towards the child, or because history books recorded that nannies had often taken over the biological mother, Bai Wutong did not really want to hire a nanny. If she could feed it herself, she would do so. The old woman smiled and said, ¡°The Great Empress¡¯ breast milk is sufficient. As long as you are relaxed and well-nutritioned, it¡¯s definitely not a problem to feed the little prince and princess.¡± The midwife placed Yuanyuan in her arms and taught her how to breastfeed. Yuanyuan tried her best to suck it. Bai Wutong looked at his cute and hardworking appearance and then at Chu Tianbao, who was carrying Tuantuan. ¡°Have you named them?¡± Chu Tianbao said, ¡°The boy¡¯s name is Yuanyuan, and the girl¡¯s name is Tuantuan.¡± Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°Tuantuan and Yuanyuan sounds pretty good.¡± A newborn baby had a small appetite. After eating for about 15 minutes, Yuanyuan was full. After replacing with Tuantuan, half an hour had passed. After the children were fed and placed in the crib, Bai Wutong was so tired that she could not open her eyes. Chu Tianbao hugged her with heartache. ¡°Go to sleep. I¡¯m here. If the children need milk, I¡¯ll bring them over.¡± Bai Wutong turned around and bit the corner of his mouth. She shrank her head into his arm and closed her eyes in bliss. ¡°Yes, thank you, Tuantuan and Yuanyuan¡¯s Daddy.¡± Chu Tianbao leaned closer and kissed her face. He said softly, ¡°Thank you, Tuantuan and Yuanyuan¡¯s mother.¡± A basin of salt water was poured over and caused the wound to corrode like sulfuric acid. Du Xiangping cried out in pain and could not move his hands and feet. Qingfeng raised the red-hot soldering iron and slowly approached. Du Xiangping¡¯s eyes widened in fear. Before she could beg for mercy, the sound of flesh being lacerated suddenly sounded, as if she did not care if she wanted to explain herself. Qingfeng was expressionless. She did it again and again until there was no good flesh on Du Xiangping¡¯s chest. Then, Qingfeng concocted a bowl of thick chili water in front of her. Just as Qingfeng raised the chili water and was about to splash it at her, Du Xiangping¡¯s psychological defense was suddenly broken. She cursed ferociously, ¡°Bai Wutong is a b*tch and a woman! What right does she have to be the emperor!¡± ¡°What right does she have to kill my husband?¡± ¡°She¡¯s a demon from hell. If you serve her, you¡¯ll die a horrible death sooner or later!¡± Chu Tianbao walked out of the shadows, his cold aura filled with killing intent. ¡°Who is her husband?¡± Qingfeng greeted him. ¡°Ding Xuanwu.¡± Ding Xuanwu was a valiant general under Gu Chilie. After he was captured to save Gu Chilie, he was executed in public. Chu Tianbao remembered that Ding Xuanwu¡¯s wife was a beautiful woman and not Du Xiangping, but he had no intention of asking further. ¡°Soak her in the chili jar.¡± When Du Xiangping heard this, she shouted miserably, ¡°All of you will die a horrible death!¡± Chapter 466 - Chapter 466: Not Fat, I Like It Very Much Chapter 466: Not Fat, I Like It Very Much Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Even if a newborn child had a small appetite, they would have to eat eight or nine times a day if they were fed every two hours. The confinement period that was supposed to be giving the pregnant woman time to recuperate made Bai Wutong even more tired after giving birth to two children. It was not just fatigue. The little child¡¯s appetite gradually increased, so Bai Wutong gradually felt that she was lacking energy to continue breast feeding, so everyone began to change her diet. She ate four meals a day and two snacks to ensure sufficient nutrition. Bai Wutong lay on the bed. When she saw Chu Tianbao come in with fruits, she felt like a pig that only ate and sleep. Chu Tianbao raised an apple to her mouth. Bai Wutong wheedled lazily, ¡°I feel like I just ate.¡± Chu Tianbao said seriously, ¡°It¡¯s been two hours.¡± Bai Wutong chuckled and pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°Then I will eat some for nutrition.¡± Only then would there be enough milk. Bai Wutong ate some apples, pears, and a few tomatoes. She touched the flesh on her stomach that felt soft even with the band around it. ¡°I¡¯m so fat.¡± Chu Tianbao reached out and squeezed it. He leaned in front of her and kissed her forehead. ¡°You¡¯re not fat. I like it very much.¡± Bai Wutong felt itchy and smiled charmingly. ¡°There¡¯s nothing you don¡¯t like.¡± ¡°Indeed not.¡± It was too mushy. Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Tuantuan suddenly moaned in discomfort. Yuanyuan, who was easily frightened, immediately woke up and started howling. Chu Tianbao picked her up with ease. ¡°Yuanyuan, don¡¯t cry, don¡¯t cry¡­¡± After coaxing her for a long time, Yuanyuan was still crying, and it made Tuantuan cry too. Bai Wutong hurriedly reached out, picked up Tuantuan, and patted her gently. ¡°Tuanuan, be good. Let¡¯s sleep, sleep¡­¡± The two children cried even louder. They had already coaxed them like this, but they still couldn¡¯t calm down. That meant that the child wasn¡¯t feeling well. Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao looked at each other and placed Tuantuan and Yuanyuan on the bed. As expected, they were twins. Even the frequency of pooping was the same. After changing their diapers and wrapping them tightly in a cloth, they obediently fell asleep again. Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao heaved a sigh of relief. They glanced at the cute children and felt happy again. Chu Tianbao said, ¡°You should rest for a while more too?¡± Bai Wutong shook her head. ¡°Some of the nation¡¯s matters have to be dealt with.¡± Cui Shize and the others had settled some of the matters for her, but the scrolls that she had to look at had accumulated a lot over the past few days. Chu Tianbao frowned. ¡°It will be tiring for your eyes.¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°Read it to me. We can settle them together.¡± Chu Tianbao thought for a moment and nodded in agreement. They came to the study, and the children were taken care of by Granny Wang. Chu Tianbao let her lie on the soft armchair while he sat beside her. He opened a scroll and slowly read, ¡°Great Empress, the power station facilities have been completed. Should we install lighting equipment in the main city area now?¡± He called out the Great Empress with no hesitation. Bai Wutong suddenly had an evil idea. She got up and hugged his lower back. ¡°You called me wrongly. How should I punish you?¡± Chu Tianbao turned around with a burning gaze. ¡°You can do whatever you want.¡± The little flame in his eyes and the instinctive reaction of his body were too strong. Bai Wutong was afraid that she would attract trouble, so she quickly slipped away. ¡°Next time.¡± Chu Tianbao stared at her as if reminding her not to forget next time. His gaze was too resentful and beautiful. Bai Wutong chuckled and got up to hook her arms around his neck again. She kissed him lingeringly. ¡°This is the punishment in advance.¡± Chu Tianbao suddenly pouted, as thick-skinned as when his memories had yet to recover. ¡°I want more.¡± Bai Wutong pinched his handsome face and chuckled. ¡°In your dreams.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Chu Tianbao had already pressed against her domineeringly. After dealing with the scrolls, Bai Wutong looked a little tired. Chu Tianbao picked her up horizontally and placed her on the soft bed. ¡°Shall I massage you?¡± Bai Wutong looked at him warily. After confirming that he only wanted her to relax, she relaxed and leaned back. ¡°Okay!¡± They were both a married couple and had already given birth, so Bai Wutong was far more open-minded than before. Chu Tianbao pressed her temples and his gaze wandered unintentionally. His eyes gradually darkened. Bai Wutong snorted comfortably. Chu Tianbao suddenly said, ¡°Isn¡¯t it time to apply essential oil?¡± Gu Zhongxun and Zhao Lanzhi jointly researched and specially produced an essential oil for her that could remove stretch marks. As Bai Wutong had two children, there were some stretch marks on her stomach. There was no woman who did not like to look beautiful. She applied it carefully every day. Chu Tianbao suddenly wanted to help her. Bai Wutong was feeling comfortable, so she nodded unsuspectingly. Chu Tianbao immediately took out the essential oil from the bedside table. Bai Wutong had just sensed a trace of danger when Chu Tianbao¡¯s hot hand was already on her. His stomach was warm and every pore in her body felt like it was breathing. Bai Wutong immediately swallowed what she wanted to say and lay down like a salted fish until Chu Tianbao¡¯s warm breath sprayed on her neck. ¡°Do you want more?¡± Bai Wutong snorted without anyone noticing. After obtaining permission, Chu Tianbao poured more essential oil into his hand and swept his burning gaze across every inch of Bai Wutong¡¯s skin. By the time Bai Wutong realized that Chu Tianbao was misbehaving, she was already intermediately immersed in his gentle methods. Previously, she was worried that there wouldn¡¯t be enough breast milk for Tuantuan and Yuanyuan to drink. After adjusting her diet, Bai Wutong clearly felt different. If Tuantuan and Yuanyuan didn¡¯t drink it in time, she would feel uncomfortable. Granny Wang quickly determined that her breast milk was blocked. If it was not cleared in time, it would cause an inflammation. That feeling was said to be worse than death. Bai Wutong obediently drank the herb soup and cooperated with Granny Wang¡¯s massage. Although it worked, the yield was even greater. She felt uncomfortable even when she slept. Bai Wutong had worked too hard. Chu Tianbao¡¯s heart ached. ¡°Why don¡¯t we stop feeding and let the nanny feed them?¡± She had already persevered until this point. How could she give up halfway? Bai Wutong shook her head firmly. ¡°I have a way!¡± As long as she squeezed out the excess milk, everything would be fine. However, it was too tiring and troublesome to squeeze with her hands. Bai Wutong quickly found the blueprint for the manual milk pump and sent someone to rush it out overnight. With the manual milk pump, the milk that was squeezed out was placed in the fridge for safekeeping. When the child was hungry, and Bai Wutong wanted to rest, the others could heat it up and give it to the child at any time. Due to the manual milk pump, Bai Wutong¡¯s sleep quality had increased exponentially, and she had more free time during her confinement period. Stinky really wanted to visit Bai Wutong and his younger siblings, but he sensibly followed the customs and did not disturb Bai Wutong, who was in confinement. However, he was still a child. He had not seen Bai Wutong for more than ten days and was a little sad. He secretly ran to Village Chief Zhao¡¯s rice field to watch everyone harvest the rice grains. Xiaobai led its wolf cubs to fool around in the field. From time to time, they would be reprimanded by Village Chief Zhao. Stinky sat alone on the field. Xiaobai stuck its long nose to the ground and ran to Stinky. The squeaking little field mouse was in his arms.. Chapter 467 - Chapter 467: A Three-Year-Old Child Chapter 467: A Three-Year-Old Child Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Stinky was not frightened or happy. He glanced at Xiaobai weakly and stared at the paddy field in a daze. The little field mouse ran away and Xiaobai brought it over again. Stinky was still not very happy. He was clearly very happy before. Xiaobai did not know what was wrong with him. He quietly sat in front of Stinky and let him rub its soft wolf skin. Xiaolv also sat over obediently and craned her head, glancing at Stinky with her beautiful green eyes. Stinky reached out and rubbed Xiaolv again. Xiaolv narrowed its eyes with a look of enjoyment. Xiaobai lay in front of Stinky and rolled around again, asking Stinky to rub its stomach. Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter were tired from playing. When they saw their parents lying in front of Stinky, they also came over. Stinky¡¯s small body was surrounded in the circles of furry creatures, and his mood was unknowingly lifted. When Sheng Huaixuan found him, Stinky was already asleep on Xiaobai¡¯s stomach. The little child was sleeping soundly. Sheng Huaixuan picked him up and rubbed his eyes. He said sleepily, ¡°Daddy.¡± Sheng Huaixuan nodded. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go home.¡± Stinky nodded and looked down to see Xiaobai¡¯s family standing there. He waved his chubby hand at them. ¡°I¡¯m leaving. You guys should go home quickly too.¡± Xiaobai raised its head arrogantly and gestured for him to take care of himself first. Stinky was amused by it. It was rare for Sheng Huaixuan to see Stinky so happy these few days, so he invited Xiaobai¡¯s entire family. ¡°Xiaobai, do you want to eat at our place? There¡¯s your favorite roasted chicken.¡± Xiaobai looked at the sky reservedly. After eating Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s meal, it could still have a meal at home. Suddenly, it jumped on the spot and gestured for his wife and children to follow. Sheng Huaixuan carried Stinky and walked home. Behind him was a line of wolves, forming a unique scene. After eating happily at Stinky¡¯s house, if they didn¡¯t go back, they would have to face Qingfeng¡¯s curfew again. Stinky suddenly hugged Xiaobai, who was still licking its mouth. There was a hint of cunningness on his chubby face. ¡°Xiaobai, Daddy said that you have to repay others for their kindness. Can you do me a small favor?¡± Xiaobai licked its claws and glanced at him arrogantly. It had a smug expression on its face. Stinky immediately took out the letter he had just written. ¡°Can you help me give the letter to Mother?¡± Xiaobai glanced at the letter and turned to leave. Just as Stinky was feeling disappointed, Xiaobai returned with a rice bowl in its mouth. The meaning was self-evident. Stinky said excitedly, ¡°Yes, yes, yes. I¡¯ll still treat you to roasted chicken tomorrow.¡± Xiaobai reached out a claw and Stinky held it. The wolf and the baby made a deal happily. Seeing Xiaobai take the letter away, Sheng Huaixuan suddenly said to the happy Stinky, ¡°Since you¡¯re the one who treated Xiaobai, I¡¯ll deduct the money for the roasted chicken from your monthly allowance.¡± Stinky widened his eyes. His monthly allowance was only five copper coins. If he treated Xiaobai¡¯s entire family to a meal, wouldn¡¯t that all his pocket money be used up? With a sad face, he acted cute pitifully. ¡°Daddy¡­ Daddy¡­¡± Sheng Huaixuan raised his eyebrows and smiled like a fox. ¡°You¡¯re already a three-year-old child. You have to learn to earn money independently. When your father was your age, I already did not have pocket money.¡± Stinky was speechless. It was so pitiful to have a stingy father. Xiaobai squatted in front of the Great Empress¡¯ residence with the letter in its mouth. His wife and children also maintained the same posture as him. After a while, Qingfeng walked over with two dark guards and checked them routinely to prevent them from returning with dirty items. The letter in Xiaobai¡¯s mouth landed in Qingfeng¡¯s hand. After checking that there was nothing wrong with the letter, Qingfeng handed it to Bai Wutong. There were four childish words written on the envelope. Bai Wutong immediately thought of Stinky writing seriously under the lamp. She smiled and gestured for Chu Tianbao to come over and read the letter. ¡°Mother, Stinky misses you very much!¡± He did not know how to write, so he painted a big black dot and marked it with pinyin. ¡°Stinky also misses his younger siblings very much. They must be very cute and beautiful!¡± ¡°I¡¯m making a blessing bracelet for my younger siblings. I¡¯ll be able to give it to them myself when I see them.¡± He did not know how to write the word ¡®bracelet¡¯, and probably couldn¡¯t remember the pinyin, so he drew a cartoon and it looked especially cute. ¡°I hope my younger siblings will like me. I¡¯ll be a good brother and help Daddy Tianbao take good care of Mom and my younger siblings.¡± ¡°Mother, you must be healthy.¡± ¡°From Stinky.¡± Then he added a row of small words. ¡°If only Mother could write me back.¡± Stinky did not know that Chu Tianbao had returned, so he said that he would take care of his younger siblings for him. Bai Wutong felt very guilty. Because Stinky was under the care of Sheng Huaixuan and the others, and she had spent all her energy on Tuantuan and Yuanyuan for the past few days, she had neglected Stinky¡¯s feelings. Her nose felt sour as she said to Chu Tianbao, ¡°Go and bring Stinky over tomorrow to see Tuantuan and Yuanyuan, okay?¡± ¡°He hasn¡¯t seen you in a long time. He¡¯ll be so happy.¡± Stinky was a child he and Bai Wutong had personally protected along the way. Even if he wasn¡¯t their biological son, their relationship had long surpassed that. After hearing this letter, Chu Tianbao didn¡¯t feel good either. He pulled Bai Wutong, who was blaming herself with red eyes, into his arms. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. It¡¯s all my fault.¡± Bai Wutong had just recovered and had many things to do. It was inevitable that she had neglected Stinky. He was the one who had not fulfilled his responsibility as a father. Stinky was filled with anticipation to receive a reply from Bai Wutong. He did not expect to see Daddy Tianbao, whom he had not seen for a long time. He stood where he was, a little confused. He suspected that his eyes were playing tricks on him. He turned around and continued to build the building blocks of the small house. Then, he suddenly turned around. Chu Tianbao was still there! He ran over in surprise and flew into Chu Tianbao¡¯s arms. ¡°Daddy! Daddy! Daddy¡­¡± Chu Tianbao picked him up and rubbed his chubby face. ¡°Daddy is late.¡± Stinky chuckled and said, ¡°Daddy is indeed late. Mother has already given birth to a younger brother and sister.¡± Chu Tianbao glanced at Sheng Huaixuan beside him. ¡°Daddy will bring you to see your younger siblings, okay?¡± Stinky said in surprise, ¡°Really?¡± Before Chu Tianbao could reply, he said obediently, ¡°Mother needs to recover. No one can disturb her.¡± Chu Tianbao said gently with heartache, ¡°Stinky is not anyone else. Mother also wants to see Stinky.¡± Stinky¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up. ¡°Then I also want to see Mother and my younger siblings.¡± Chu Tianbao was about to use his qinggong when Stinky said in shock, ¡°The blessing bracelet I made for my younger siblings is not ready yet!¡± This was the first time they were going to meet. Without a greeting gift, what if they did not acknowledge him as their brother in the future? Chu Tianbao comforted him. ¡°Your younger siblings are still young. They¡¯ll be very happy if Stinky can visit them.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Daddy is going to bring you high into the sky now. Sit tight!¡± ¡°Oh yeah, oh yeah, let¡¯s fly!¡± Chapter 468 - Chapter 468: You Can Return It When You Grow Up Chapter 468: You Can Return It When You Grow Up Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Stinky and Chu Tianbao tiptoed into the nursery. It was rare for Tuantuan and Yuanyuan to be awake after drinking milk. The two soft balls were wrapped in swaddling clothes, and their dark round eyes looked around curiously. Bai Wutong waved at Stinky. ¡°Brother Stinky, come and see Sister Tuantuan and Brother Yuanyuan.¡± Stinky carefully walked up to Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao picked him up. Stinky widened his eyes and couldn¡¯t help but lower his voice in surprise. ¡°Little brother and sister are so small and cute.¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°Look, Tuantuan is smiling at you.¡± Stinky took a closer look. The soft Tuantuan opened her small pink mouth, and Yuanyuan¡¯s eyes narrowed into crescents. It made one¡¯s heart melt. Stinky smiled like the sun and introduced himself seriously. ¡°Tuantuan, I¡¯m Older Brother.¡± Surprisingly, Tuantuan actually howled, as if she was responding to Stinky. Stinky seemed to have his heart captured by her and said excitedly, ¡°You like me, right? I like you very much too.¡± Tuantuan¡¯s reply was an even sweeter smile. Babies also had their personalities. The elder brother, Yuanyuan, was obviously much more aloof than his younger sister, Tuantuan. No matter how Stinky greeted him, Yuanyuan remained indifferent. He was so annoyed that he even closed his eyes. His subtle expression was almost imperceptible, but Bai Wutong, who had transmigrated, sensitively caught it. She stared at Yuanyuan a few times, then glanced at the happy Tuantuan beside her. She must have thought too much. Stinky interacted happily with Tuantuan and Yuanyuan. When the two little babies fell asleep, Bai Wutong led him to the study next door to eat snacks. With Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao by his side, Stinky ate happily. Bai Wutong stroked his little head. ¡°How many more small houses have you drawn recently?¡± At the mention of drawing houses, Stinky¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°I¡¯ve drawn many different houses for Xiaobai¡¯s entire family!¡± Bai Wutong praised him daily. ¡°Our Stinky is really amazing. He will definitely become the greatest architect in the future.¡± Stinky looked at them shyly and ran to the desk to quickly draw two more drawings. He placed them in Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao¡¯s hands and said expectantly, ¡°I¡¯ve also drawn a house for my younger siblings.¡± Bai Wutong looked at the blueprint in her hand. It was a house made of all kinds of flowers, and the other blueprint was a house made of all kinds of rocks. She chuckled. ¡°What was the inspiration for Stinky¡¯s design?¡± Stinky puffed out his chest and said, ¡°Girls like beautiful flowers, so Tuantuan must like them very much. If she can live in a house filled with flowers, she will definitely be happy every day.¡± Bai Wutong looked at the stone house again. ¡°Then what was the inspiration for this house?¡± Stinky looked up. ¡°Little Brother Yuanyuan enjoys silence. A house made of stone is the most soundproof.¡± Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao looked at each other. ¡°Yes, Tuantuan and Yuanyuan will definitely like the house designed by Brother.¡± Stinky smiled even more happily and chattered as he added a lot of things to the blueprint. For example, the dressing room necessary for girls, the martial arts room that boys liked, and so on. Just as they were about to send Stinky back, Stinky suddenly said in embarrassment, ¡°Mother, do you know how to earn money?¡± Bai Wutong was stunned. ¡°Why do you want to earn money?¡± Sheng Huaixuan couldn¡¯t be asking Stinky to earn money at such a young age, right? Stinky told him that he owed a huge amount of money for roasted chicken. Bai Wutong chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll lend it to you. You can return it when you grow up.¡± Stinky shook his head firmly. ¡°No, it¡¯s better to teach people how to fish than to help them fish!¡± The child was very sensible. Bai Wutong thought for a moment. ¡°There are a few walnut trees in Mother¡¯s backyard and some vegetables and fruits. There aren¡¯t many people in our residence and we can¡¯t finish them. I¡¯ll give you two choices. One is that you help Mother sell these things and I will give you a salary. The other is that you buy these things back and sell them.¡± Stinky immediately asked smartly, ¡°How much is the salary?¡± Bai Wutong calculated and said, ¡°The harvest time of these fruits and vegetables in our residence will take about a month. If we hire a worker, the monthly salary will only be two taels of silver. If you help me sell these things, I¡¯ll naturally give you two taels of silver.¡± Two taels of silver sounded like a lot. It was enough to treat Xiaobai¡¯s entire family to two full meals. But what if he had to treat Xiaobao more in the future! Moreover, he was already an elder brother now. If his younger siblings wanted to buy something in the future, but he could not fork out the money, it would be so embarrassing. Stinky asked again, ¡°If I buy these fruits and vegetables, what price will you charge me?¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°A quarter of the market price.¡± Stinky¡¯s eyes widened. Wasn¡¯t this giving him money for free? He said firmly, ¡°If the price is too high, I won¡¯t be able to accept it easily.¡± He looked as shrewd as an adult. He was too cute. Bai Wutong¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°The price is actually not high. You have to pick the fruits on the tree yourself and process them well. You have to spend a lot of energy and time to transport them to the market to sell them. Moreover, most importantly, if you buy my things, I can receive the money now. If you want to sell them, you¡¯ll still be at risk of not being able to sell them. These are all included in the price.¡± With this explanation, Stinky had no objections to the price. He said readily, ¡°Alright, should I count the fruits and vegetables now?¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°You have to pick them to count them.¡± Realization dawned on Stinky. He remembered that he didn¡¯t have any money on hand and had to go home and get it. ¡°Then can I come and count it tomorrow?¡± Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°Of course.¡± Stinky was extremely satisfied. When he returned home, he found Sheng Huaixuan. ¡°Father, how can I sell vegetables and fruits at a high price?¡± Sheng Huaixuan turned around. ¡°What vegetables and fruits exactly?¡± Stinky tried to recall. ¡°Sugar cane, walnuts, dates, corn, potatoes¡­ Uh, there¡¯s a lot more. I can¡¯t remember the names.¡± Sheng Huaixuan said seriously, ¡°These are all common fruits and vegetables. Firstly, you have to work hard on the quality, and secondly, you have to work hard on the publicity. Only by doing both can you sell them at a good price.¡± ¡°In addition, processing them into luxury food is also one of the ways to sell it at a high price.¡± Stinky recalled the fruits and vegetables in the Great Empress¡¯s residence. They were big and fresh. He immediately asked, ¡°Then how should we publicize them?¡± His son looked serious, so Sheng Huaixuan also taught him seriously. ¡°Then we have to find the key characteristics of these fruits and vegetables. For example, corn is so sweet that it can be eaten as sweets. Or that these are precious fruits from a thousand-year-old tree that can extend one¡¯s life.¡± Stinky scratched his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think corn can be eaten as sweets. The walnuts aren¡¯t fruits from the thousand-year-old tree either. They¡¯re from Mother¡¯s residence. Can¡¯t they be sold at a high price?¡± It turned out to be fruits and vegetables from the Great Empress¡¯ residence. Sheng Huaixuan suddenly smiled and said, ¡°The celebrity effect is also the fastest way to sell at a high price. The fruits and vegetables in the Great Empress Residence arc destined to be extraordinary..¡± Chapter 469 - Chapter 469: It’s Auntie Qingfeng! Chapter 469: It¡¯s Auntie Qingfeng! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After hearing Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s explanation for a long time, Stinky finally understood that the fruits from the Great Empress Residence could be sold for a high price. Apart from the quality, the packaging of the fruits would definitely have to be top-notch. Under Sheng Huaixuan¡¯s guidance, Stinky wrote and drew on the paper in his small notebook. He finally sorted out a few important points. First of all, there had to be a beautiful packaging and he had to choose the best fruits and vegetables from the Great Empress¡¯ residence. Secondly, he had to get a trademark certified by the Great Empress residence and let everyone know that this was a specialty of the royal family. In the end, there would be delivery service to elevate the class of the fruits. Of course, the most important thing was to find the right sales audience. The expensive food was generally only welcomed by the high income population. Sheng Huaixuan asked Stinky to think about how to find customers. Stinky immediately thought of Lin Yue. Lin Yue¡¯s publishing company was doing well. He was earning money by selling serial novels. He was also very generous to Stinky. He gave him whatever he wanted. Whenever there were new products released, he would bring Stinky around and buy a lot for Qingfeng. Stinky immediately ran to the publishing house to look for Lin Yue. ¡°Uncle!¡± Lin Yue was extremely happy to hear him call him uncle. ¡°Why are you here? Do you want to eat cake? I¡¯ll bring you there.¡± Stinky immediately shook his head. ¡¯ Uncle, Lin looking for you for something.¡± The little kid¡¯s solemn expression made Lin Yue nervous. ¡°What is it?¡± Stinky lowered his voice mysteriously and leaned close to his ear. ¡°Uncle, are you buying potatoes?¡± ¡°Huh???¡± That¡¯s all? ¡°Why are you asking?¡± Stinky said, ¡°I¡¯m selling potatoes! They¡¯re big, soft, and very sweet. They were planted in Mother¡¯s residence!¡± On the way to escape, Lin Yue ate too many potatoes and did not like them anymore. When he met Stinky¡¯s big watery and fawning eyes, he immediately blurted out, ¡°I¡¯ll buy it!¡± Stinky immediately took out a small notebook and wrote, ¡°Uncle eats a lot. Sister Qingfeng also likes to eat potatoes. It should be at least 25 kilograms!¡± Lin Yue widened his eyes. Why was he the uncle and Qingfeng the sister! Lin Yue said solemnly, ¡°It¡¯s Auntie Qingfeng!¡± Stinky immediately changed his words. ¡°Auntie Qingfeng must like to eat sweet sugarcane. Uncle, can you buy another 25 kilograms?¡± Lin Yue nodded readily. ¡°Sure!¡± Stinky said eagerly, ¡°Uncle, I also sell beautiful dates, sweet and soft corn, huge cabbages, sweet potatoes that even immortals won¡¯t exchange for¡­¡± Before Stinky could finish his lines, Lin Yue was stunned. ¡°Are you going to sell the entire Great Empress residence?¡± Stinky raised his chin.¡¯Tve already bought them. Tin going to sell them and earn money now!¡± He patted Lin Yue¡¯s thigh. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t cheat you. I¡¯ll just earn a little. I asked Daddy to customize the packaging. The Double Ninth Festival is happening soon. You can give it to others.¡± Even if he wanted to earn money, he could not just rely on a buyer. Lin Yue suddenly asked, ¡°How many more grams of fruits and vegetables do you want to sell?¡± Stinky counted on his fingers. ¡°It adds up to a few thousand kilograms.¡± A few thousand kilograms was too much for Lin Yue to buy. He glanced at the newspaper and suddenly had an idea. He said happily, ¡°Uncle has a way to help you sell all the fruits!¡± Stinky accepted his help excitedly. ¡°What way?¡± Sheng Huaixuan picked up the newspaper and said, ¡°You already said that it¡¯s almost the Double Ninth Festival. We have to pay respects to our ancestors on the Double Ninth Festival. We also have to hold a banquet, so the demand for fruits and vegetables is high.¡± ¡°Those who read the newspapers and books arc all rich people. When they see us selling high-quality fruits and vegetables from the Great Empress¡¯ residence, they will definitely buy them.¡± ¡°When the time comes, you just need to take down their contact and deliver it to their residence!¡± The more Lin Yue spoke, the more excited he became. If it worked, it would still generate income for the publishing house in the future. ¡°Our publishing house is just about to implement color printing. I¡¯ll get Qin Xiao to draw a few promotional paintings for you later. If you print the paintings like this and add the slogan, the effect will definitely be better.¡± Stinky rubbed his chubby face against Lin Yue¡¯s thigh. ¡°Uncle, you¡¯re too kind! When I earn a lot of money, I¡¯ll donate a portion to buy books from you for everyone to read for free. I won¡¯t embarrass Mother.¡± Lin Yue squatted down and picked him up. He was filled with confidence. ¡°Uncle has to thank you for finding me a way to get rich.¡± Stinky took out all his savings and successfully packaged the ripe fruits and vegetables in the Great Empress¡¯ residence with the help of Lin Yue, Sheng Huaixuan, Bai Wutong, and the others. Lin Yue printed a large advertising page in that day¡¯s newspapers and weekly magazines. He placed the fruit basket and various fresh vegetables at the door and waited for everyone to come and ask. On the Double Ninth Festival, one must have the royal specialty! The huge bright red promotional slogan, coupled with the lifelike and exquisite fruits and vegetables oil painting, immediately attracted everyone¡¯s attention. Everyone read carefully and realized that it was fruits and vegetables from the Great Empress¡¯s residence being sold and it was only for a limited time. Although the price was expensive, it was still within the acceptable range. They immediately had the idea of letting their ancestors try the royal specialties. The families with land did not lack fruits and vegetables. However, those influential families had bought the fruits and vegetables, so it would be embarrassing if they had not. Moreover, if the Great Empress was secretly observing this matter and was intending to sell the excess fruits and vegetables in the residence as soon as possible, wouldn¡¯t they have missed the opportunity to leave an impression on the Great Empress? Soon, an endless stream of ladies from wealthy families found the address on the newspapers and weekly magazines and arrived at the publishing house. As there were too many people, and in order to better reflect their class. Lin Yue even specially opened a few cubicles for these ladies to fill in their addresses and choose the goods based on the paintings. When everyone bought a certain amount, they would even become exclusive members. When the Great Empress¡¯ residence had any new products, there would be priority purchasing service. In order to receive the treatment like the Great Empress, everyone did not think too much about fruits and vegetables. In order to enjoy the service, they made up their minds to buy a huge quantity. After all, these things were very practical. Apart from eating the fruits and vegetables themselves, they would be gaining face if it was known that the fruits and vegetables they gave out were from the Great Empress¡¯ residence. After paying the deposit, the fruits and vegetables they had ordered were delivered. The exquisite packaging and the complimentary bags and dolls immediately captured the women¡¯s hearts. They had even earned back its worth from these bags and dolls. In order to support the fruits and vegetables sold by Stinky, Zhao Lanxiang also bought some sugarcane and peas that were not available in the land at home. Although she did not buy much, the packaging sent to her house was still exquisite and beautiful. Most importantly, the amount was not light. Moreover, she was also given a beautiful shopping bag and a small doll. When Zhao Erwa saw the little doll, she instantly snatched it over. ¡°Sister, can you give this to me?¡± Zhao Lanxiang smiled and said, ¡°Sure, but you must take good care of it. Don¡¯t lose it.¡± Zhao Erwa was overjoyed. He planned to look for Little Peach later. Little Peach would definitely take good care of it.. Chapter 470 - Chapter 470: Can’t Use the Great Empress’ residence as a marketing gimmick chapter 470: can¡¯t use the great empress¡¯ residence as a marketing gimmick translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios madam zhao spent some time peeling the peas. she did not waste a single one. the green peas were very fresh. they were grown from seeds that bai wutong had brought from the modern world. what carefree city was planting now were all cultivated in youjia village. there were a smaller quantity of them, and many people had never tried them. madam zhao asked happily, ¡°how do we eat these peas?¡± old master zhao said with certainty. ¡°this belongs to the great empress¡¯ residence! go buy a few pork trotters. we¡¯ll stew pork trotters with peas and have a good meal together!¡± a pig only had four limbs. even though everyone¡¯s standard of living had improved, pig trotters were still expensive goods that could not be bought often. madam zhao smiled and said, ¡°alright, i¡¯ll go immediately!¡± when she heard that she could eat pork trotters, zhao erwa immediately cheered. ¡°okay, okay! i¡¯ll go with mother!¡± he could also look for little peach along the way. madam zhao rolled her eyes at him. ¡°do your homework well. if you still score zero for your test at the end of the semester, 1¡¯11 skin you alive.¡± zhao erwa looked at zhao lanzhi for help with a sad face. zhao lanzhi pretended not to see and chuckled. zhao erwa wanted to run, but father zhao squatted at the door and sharpened the kitchen knife. the sharp blade made his butt sit firmly again. then he should finish his homework as soon as possible. after he was done, he could look for little peach. fortunately, madam zhao had left early. she had bought the last two pork trotters. the hair on the pork trotters was burned clean on the stove. father zhao waved the kitchen knife and chopped it into pieces. madam zhao¡¯s method of stewing the pea and pig trotters was relatively simple. she placed the pig trotters in the pot, added ginger, onions, garlic, and peppers, and washed them with hot water. after scooping them up, she slowly stewed them. only when the pig trotters were cooked and tender did she pour the peas into the pot and stew them at low heat. the hot pea stewed pork trotters were served on the table. coupled with red oil dumplings and a bowl of rice, it was tempting. madam zhao filled a bowl for her husband and children and left the pork trotter that was most difficult to chew for herself. when zhao lanzhi saw this, she silently scooped a few more pork trotters for madam zhao and placed them in her bowl. zhao erwa nibbled on the pork trotter and said happily, ¡°mother, your skills are too good! 1 almost bit my tongue off.¡± madam zhao chuckled. ¡°these peas are also very delicious. they¡¯re soft and sweet.¡± zhao erwa, who did not like to eat vegetables, actually ate a large bowl in one go. he licked his lips and said, ¡°as expected of the peas from the great empress residence. they¡¯re just delicious.¡± everyone looked at each other and smiled involuntarily. it was indeed quite delicious. perhaps because there were many servants in the great empress¡¯s residence who fertilized and took care of the vegetables carefully. even the soup was extraordinarily delicious. everyone finished the entire pot of pea stewed pork trotters. zhao erwa touched his round stomach and broke off a few more sections of sugarcane. he rubbed them with a towel and handed them to everyone. ¡°a little sweet dessert after the meal. it¡¯s like filling an immortal¡¯s mouth with joy.¡± the sugar cane in the great empress¡¯ residence was very big and thick. it was filled with sweet juice that quenched one¡¯s thirst. zhao erwa clicked his tongue. ¡°how sweet! it¡¯s like drinking sugar water!¡± old master zhao suddenly said, ¡°we can leave some roots behind. our family will also plant some sugarcane next year! there must be many people buying such sweet sugarcane.¡± zhao erwa agreed. this way, he could achieve the freedom of eating sugarcane anytime he wanted. sugar cane was the main ingredient for sugar production. if it could not be sold, it could be made into white sugar or sold to the candy workshop. madam zhao agreed and looked at zhao lanzhi. ¡°let¡¯s order some more sugarcane from the great empress¡¯ residence. we can sell sugarcane next year. we can also publicize that it¡¯s sugarcane from the great empress¡¯ residence.¡± without the permission of the imperial court, any discussion that involved the great empress¡¯ residence were not allowed, let alone selling sugarcane in the name of the great empress¡¯ residence. madam zhao did not know about this. but zhao lanzhi had opened a cosmetics factory and already understood all the regulations. she shook her head. ¡°we can buy more and keep them for planting, but we can¡¯t use the great empress¡¯ residence as a marketing gimmick.¡± zhao lanzhi was becoming more and more like a career woman. madam zhao and father zhao would basically listen to her. ¡°alright, let¡¯s not talk about it then.¡± zhao erwa found little peach reading under the tree. little peach looked up. ¡°why are you here?¡± zhao erwa sat down. ¡°to see what you are doing.¡± ¡°what else can i do? i¡¯m just reading. little cat has already entered the research institute, but we haven¡¯t entered secondary school.¡± zhao erwa felt his butt hurt at the mention of little cat. ¡°why are you mentioning him? look, what did i bring you?¡± ¡°what?¡± zhao erwa suddenly took out the sugar cane and doll from behind. ¡°dang dang dang, the sugar cane produced by the great empress¡¯ residence and the limited edition doll.¡± little peach said in surprise, ¡°it¡¯s really for me?¡± zhao erwa raised his chin. ¡°of course!¡± little peach took it and rubbed her snow-white face against the soft doll. she was pleasantly surprised. ¡°it¡¯s really too cute. i saw that everyone else has it. i happen to want one too.¡± ¡°thank you!¡± zhao erwa blushed and scratched his head. he skillfully changed the topic. ¡°eat the sugarcane, it¡¯s especially sweet.¡± little peach tore open the sugarcane and took a bite. she immediately smiled and narrowed her eyes. ¡°yes, it¡¯s really sweet!¡± she looked so sweet when she smiled! zhao erwa kept staring at her in a daze. little peach was puzzled. ¡°why aren¡¯t you eating?¡± zhao erwa suddenly came back to his senses and his face turned red. ¡°i ate too much at home just now. eat it. i¡¯ll get you more after you¡¯re done.¡± little peach said seriously, ¡°you¡¯re the best.¡± her big round eyes were watery as she looked at him. because she was sitting so close, he could even count how many eyelashes she had. suddenly, zhao erwa stood up and ran without saying goodbye. confused, little peach asked, ¡°why did he leave?¡± ¡°how strange.¡± during the double ninth festival, stinky earned more than a hundred taels of silver. he meant what he said and asked lin yue to help him buy the books for everyone to read for free. without another word, lin yue specially opened a shop. apart from buying all kinds of books, he also placed all the weekly magazines, novels, and newspapers on sale. one could read without spending money and quickly attracted a large number of readers. however, the room was less than 20 square meters. how could it accommodate so many people? moreover, with more people, the difficulty of managing the books increased. lin yue had no choice but to restrict the flow of people into the reading room. even so, it did not stop everyone from reading. early in the morning, the entrance to the reading room was filled with people. stinky came to look for lin yue and was stunned to see so many people. he did not expect everyone to have such a strong desire for books. a little boy who was not much older than stinky looked at the queue eagerly, hoping that the queue would move faster. unfortunately, when he was brought back by his parents, he still could not enter the reading room to see the weekly magazine he had been longing for. the little boy¡¯s gaze was so pitiful. stinky said to lin yue, ¡°uncle, i¡¯ll give you another 50 taels. buy more books for everyone to read!¡± although paper was produced at a cheaper cost, different books needed to be written by specialized people, printed by workers, and all these add up to a cost. buying a book was a huge burden for ordinary people. in the free reading room, one could read all kinds of books that usually cost money. of course, it would become a place that everyone would flock to.. Chapter 471 - Chapter 471: Tianbao’s Father Can Fly! chapter 471: tianbao¡¯s father can fly! translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios lin yue knew very well how much money stinky had earned. he had basically taken out all the money he had earned. the child was filled with sincerity. lin yue accepted the 50 taels and smiled. ¡°if 1 buy more books, that room won¡¯t be able to hold them. uncle will get someone to tidy up the second floor attic for everyone to read for free.¡± stinky said ambitiously, ¡°i¡¯ll earn more money in the future and build a big, big house so that everyone can go in and read.¡± lin yue stroked his head. ¡°young master stinky is really amazing!¡± stinky returned home happily and told sheng huaixuan proudly, ¡°father, i donated another 50 taels of silver to buy books for everyone to read.¡± businessmen doing charity, firstly, could help them gain a good reputation. secondly, they could gain the favor of the commoners and their business would become better. stinky seemed to have contributed a lot of money to charity, but lin yue was actually the one behind it. the store area in the central area, the manpower to maintain order and clean up, and the new weekly magazine and newspaper that were regularly replenished all cost more than what stinky had donated in half a year. since it was what stinky wanted to do, how could he let lin yue pay for it? stinky knew that he had caused lin yue a lot of trouble, but he had basically donated all the money he had earned. he could not even afford to hire xiaobai¡¯s entire family. if he borrowed money from sheng huaixuan, he might not be able to return it. after all, he had sold all the fruits and vegetables in his mother¡¯s residence. his monthly salary was only five copper coins. how could he afford the rent and manpower cost? stinky was so troubled that he felt that his rice was no longer fragrant. just as he was feeling guilty and uneasy, he suddenly heard sheng huaixuan say that there was a way to resolve it. his eyes lit up. ¡°father, father, father?¡± sheng huaixuan smiled and said, ¡°didn¡¯t you say that there are many people in the reading room, so many that everyone can only queue outside?¡± stinky nodded in a daze. sheng huaixuan continued, ¡°since there are many people in the reading room and it¡¯s troublesome to manage, why don¡¯t we let them borrow the books to read at home?¡± ¡°to prevent them from damaging the books, we¡¯ll collect a certain amount of deposit. if the books returned are intact, we¡¯ll refund the deposit. this way, we can also reduce manpower cost.¡± ¡°as for the new books that lin yue¡¯s publishing house has just released, it¡¯s specially divided into areas so that everyone can spend money to rent them. compared to buying books, renting a book for a day is much more cost-effective. they will definitely be willing to rent books.¡± ¡°there are many people coming and going in the reading room. it can also increase the sales of other books in the publishing house. we can also set up a pantry in the publishing house, sell tea, and sell cultural products of various books to increase the profits of the publishing house.¡± after saying that, sheng huaixuan lowered his head and saw stinky looking at him with admiration. ¡°father, you¡¯re too awesome!¡± sheng huaixuan thought to himself that this was nothing. if he was in charge of the reading room, not only would he be able to increase the sales of the publishing house, but he would also be able to take over the entire street. he pretended to be low-key and humble. ¡°father still has many shortcomings.¡± the little kid thought for a moment and nodded solemnly. ¡°indeed daddy, you can¡¯t fly, but daddy tianbao can!¡± ¡°daddy, you don¡¯t know how to make wood carvings, but daddy tianbao will make all kinds of wood carvings for me.¡± ¡°daddy tianbao even knows how to cook. daddy can even burn the kitchen from cooking noodles.¡± ¡°daddy tianbao-¡± sheng huaixuan¡¯s glabella twitched. he suddenly changed the topic. ¡°shouldn¡¯t you be looking for uncle lin yue?¡± stinky stopped abruptly and ran out of the door. when he reached the door, he thought of something and turned his head to give sheng huaixuan a fragrant kiss. ¡°thankyou, daddy.¡± sheng huaixuan chuckled. this child was not that infuriating. stinky had a good memory. he found lin yue and repeated sheng huaixuan¡¯s words almost word for word. lin yue picked up stinky and rubbed his rough face against him. ¡°aiyo, you¡¯re uncle¡¯s money-maker!¡± he hugged stinky for a while and said solemnly, ¡°uncle has decided to help you build the largest library!¡± stinky said excitedly, ¡°uncle, it will cost a lot of money!¡± lin yue laughed loudly. ¡°i earned a lot of money selling the weekly magazines for the bosses. don¡¯t worry, the method your father mentioned will earn a lot of money in the future!¡± as there was too little printing space on the newspapers and weekly magazines, lin yue¡¯s publishing house also had a new business. printing flyers for everyone. if the price was average, they only printed ordinary black and white flyers. if the price was high, they would print colored flyers. if the price was especially high. sheng huaixuan would also collaborate with qin xiao¡¯s design studio and get them to design higher-standard and unique flyers. stinky only wanted everyone to realize the freedom to read. he did not mind the person who was building the library. lin yue said that it was all thanks to him that he had money, so he was naturally overjoyed. he turned around and excitedly told bai wutong and chu tianbao about this. after stinky worked hard, the remaining silver was only enough for xiaobai¡¯s entire family to eat a meal. bai wutong¡¯s heart ached and she felt grateful for stinky¡¯s kindness. she pinched his chubby little hand and decided to pass on this positive energy. she discussed it carefully with chu tianbao and decided to make the great empress¡¯ residence a charity trademark. every autumn, they would recruit ail kinds of high-quality merchants. after obtaining the approval of the imperial court, they would sell things for charitable reasons. the quality and price of the goods from the merchants would be assessed. if the merchants earned money within a reasonable range, a portion of the profits would be donated for charity. the event would last for a quarter of the year. the imperial court would pay for the venue and all the maintenance activities. it was equivalent to a modern exhibition hall, allowing the commoners to understand the new products at the forefront of the market better and faster. obtaining the certification of the imperial court meant that the quality of the goods was very good. even if the exhibition was over, the merchants would gain reputation and earn more profits. moreover, after the exhibition ended, every merchant who participated could also obtain a charity honor medal and souvenirs. those with great potential could even apply for the support of the merchants in carefree kingdom. therefore, merchants participated in the exhibition and donated a portion of their profits to repair public toilets, provide assistance to children from families in remote areas, help families with major illnesses, and so on. the benefits were far greater than the cost. when the news that the charity exhibition would be held the following year spread, it immediately caused a commotion. when madam zhao saw that everyone had surrounded the noticeboard, she immediately went up and asked, ¡°what is all this about?¡± a passerby explained kindly, ¡°the imperial court has launched a merchandise charity event to select high-quality goods. it provides a venue and advertises for a charity sale. if it catches the great empress¡¯s eye, she will even give money to support the merchant.¡± madam zhao thought of their zhao lanzhi¡¯s rouge workshop. ¡°it¡¯s so good? what are the conditions for the selection?¡± the passerby said, ¡°there are too many people and i didn¡¯t see it. anyway, there must be different industry standards. it¡¯s survival of the fittest.¡± madam zhao tiptoed and looked around. there were many people around and she really could not see the board. she thanked the passersby and rushed home to find zhao lanzhi. ¡°do you know about the new event that the imperial court has?¡± zhao lanzhi reached out and placed the newspaper in front of madam zhao. she said calmly, ¡°the imperial court has long invited me to participate..¡± Chapter 472 - Chapter 472: Abuse My Child chapter 472: abuse my child translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios madam zhao was stunned. ¡°don¡¯t you have to take the assessment?¡± zhao lanzhi chuckled. ¡°the imperial court said that all the indicators of my rouge workshop have reached the standard. be it the type or style, they are all benchmarks of the industry. they hope that i will participate.¡± madam zhao widened her eyes in disbelief. it took her a long time to digest the information. she said proudly and excitedly, ¡°aiyo, you¡¯re really amazing!¡± who would have thought that zhao lanzhi would have such great achievements in the year she made up her mind not to marry? even men could not compare to her. madam zhao smiled like a flower. ¡°you must have accumulated good deeds to earn money and obtain the great empress¡¯s recognition. i¡¯ll kill an old hen now. tonight, our family will celebrate!¡± she was about to leave in excitement when zhao lanzhi suddenly grabbed her hand again. ¡°the exhibition is also selecting high-quality agricultural by-products. if daddy grows sugarcane, you can also participate in the selection next year.¡± madam zhao smiled and said, ¡°none of us have planted it before. there are still people in the imperial court who are in charge of planting sugarcane to make sugar. their sugarcane must be growing better than ours, so we can forget about participating in the event.¡± in the beginning, they felt that the sugarcane was sweet. if they planted some for their family to eat and sold the excess, they would definitely be able to earn a little money. zhao lanzhi only meant it as a suggestion. it was fine if they did not want to participate. unexpectedly, when father zhao returned, he suddenly said, ¡°your mother¡¯s hot sauce is very delicious. can we participate in the exhibition with that?¡± zhao lanzhi knew that all the mushroom sauce from the food factory had participated in the event, so she immediately said, ¡°of course!¡± father zhao immediately looked at madam zhao. ¡°even our child has said that you can participate, go and sign up when the time comes. it doesn¡¯t matter how much you sell it for. most importantly, you can show your face.¡± madam zhao said, ¡°i heard that if we participate, we have to go through food hygiene inspection and confirm the production address. our family doesn¡¯t even have a shop. how can we do the inspection?¡± zhao lanzhi smiled and said, ¡°we can do this. we can rent a small shop and do it ourselves, or we can apply for a small food workshop at home to make goods and supply them to the food store.¡± there was no need to rent a small store just to make chili sauce. if no one bought it, they would suffer a huge loss. their house was spacious, so it was a not bad idea to open a small workshop at home. madam zhao could not help but ask, ¡°then how are we going to build this small workshop? do i have to produce hundreds of bottles of chili sauce a day before the imperial court will approve it?¡± zhao lanzhi was already familiar with this area. she smiled and explained, ¡°as long as the environment and the quality of the goods meet the standard, once we have a production permit, we can produce them at any time. moreover, the amount of production will be up to you to decide.¡± madam zhao was shocked. she did not expect that they could do this. however, she was worried that the chili sauce made was not popular and she would make a fool of herself. zhao erwa immediately said, ¡°i think mother¡¯s chili sauce is very delicious. many people will definitely buy it!¡± ¡°if you make chili sauce, i won¡¯t study anymore. i¡¯ll come back and help you sell chili sauce!¡± as soon as she finished speaking, madam zhao, who was touched, flicked zhao erwa¡¯s head. ¡°what sauce are you selling? i don¡¯t need your help. study well!¡± zhao erwa touched his red forehead, looking regretful that his evil plan had failed. madam zhao¡¯s chili sauce was indeed very delicious. be it for stir-frying vegetables or used as dipping sauce, barbecue, or cooking noodles, the sauce was very suitable. she encouraged, ¡°mother, you don¡¯t have to be in a hurry to open the workshop. in any case, next autumn is the time of the exhibition. you can make some chili sauce first and give it to everyone to try. if there¡¯s anything that needs to be improved, you can adjust it slightly. or you can make a few more flavors to suit different preferences, just like the mushroom sauce in the food factory and sell it on the market.¡± ¡°if it sells well, we can choose the best flavor and open a small workshop at home.¡± ¡°when the time comes, i¡¯ll help you find the owner of the food store to discuss a collaboration.¡± zhao lanzhi instantly made proper arrangements for madam zhao. madam zhao was immediately filled with confidence. ¡°i can make some chili sauce for everyone to try first!¡± father zhao gave her full support. ¡°if the chili sauce is done well, we won¡¯t be planting sugarcane next year. we¡¯ll renovate the factory!¡± madam zhao smiled shyly, feeling inexplicably expectant. if her daughter could do it, she should be able to too. madam zhao carefully chose some fresh chili from the field and carefully chopped it with a kitchen knife. with all kinds of high-quality ingredients, she brewed a pot of fragrant chili sauce. with the shimmering spicy sauce and a bowl of snow-white and smooth beancurd, the taste would definitely be good. zhao erwa leaned over and sniffed hard. he said gluttonously, ¡°mother, i want to eat pea stewed pork trotters.¡± madam zhao rolled her eyes at him. ¡°eat, eat, eat. you only know how to eat. we just ate it a few days ago. aren¡¯t you afraid that you¡¯ll eat until your brain turns into a pig¡¯s head! hurry up and go study!¡± zhao erwa lowered his standards. ¡°then eating pork ribs with stewed radishes is fine too. don¡¯t worry, i¡¯ll definitely eat more radishes this time. i guarantee that i won¡¯t be picky.¡± how would madam zhao not know his thoughts? she scolded with a straight face, ¡°i¡¯ll count to three. if you don¡¯t get lost, i¡¯ll take the broom!¡± zhao erwa looked up at the sky helplessly. ¡°abusing your own son, abusing your own son¡­¡± madam zhao pinched his ear hard. ¡°i¡¯ll show you what abuse is!¡± zhao erwa shouted in pain, ¡°mother, mother, i still have class. i can¡¯t hear if my ears are damaged.¡± madam zhao glared at him, her face filled with the word ¡°get lost¡±. zhao erwa did not dare to provoke her anymore and slipped away. the chili sauce had cooled down. madam zhao had specially bought a glass bottle and filled more than a dozen bottles. apart from giving some to the relatives from the zhao family village, because of zhao lanzhi and cui lingyi¡¯s teacher-student relationship, madam zhao and madam cui also had a good relationship. for this, she specially tied a beautiful big red bow to the container, took a beautiful small bamboo basket, along with the lipstick that zhao lanzhi developed and visited. madam cui welcomed her warmly into the residence and invited her to sit on the warm bed to drink tea and eat snacks. madam zhao first took out zhao lanzhi¡¯s lipstick, causing madam cui to start talking endlessly. only then did she solemnly introduce her chili sauce. madam cui was the representative of the upper echelon. if madam cui liked it too, there would be a wider audience for selling chili sauce. madam cui could tell that madam zhao was nervous and comforted her considerately. ¡°what a coincidence. over the past few days, i¡¯ve been craving chili sauce mixed with eggs.¡± madam zhao said expectantly, ¡°then madam, try it when you¡¯re free. give me some feedback so that i can improve it further.¡± madam cui smiled and said, ¡°i think the color of this chili sauce is tempting. it must be delicious.¡± madam zhao smiled in embarrassment, looking forward to madam cui¡¯s evaluation. that night, chili mixed with eggs appeared on the cui family¡¯s dining table. cui shiji glanced at it. ¡°why did you think of eating eggs today?¡± madam cui smiled and said, ¡°zhao lanzhi¡¯s mother gave us a bottle of chili sauce and wants us to give her some feedback. try it. it looks good.¡± cui shiji glanced at the silent cui muzhi and picked up a piece and placed it in his bowl. cui muzhi placed the egg in his mouth. the egg was refreshing and delicate. combined with the chili sauce, it was even more delicious. it was rare for cui muzhi to take the initiative to say something to cui shiji. ¡°it¡¯s spicy and delicious..¡± Chapter 473 - Chapter 473: Buy a Cake to Celebrate chapter 473: buy a cake to celebrate translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios the relationship between her son and husband finally eased. madam cui happily picked up a century egg and placed it in her mouth. the refreshing taste of the chili sauce rushed straight to her taste buds. it was not very spicy, but it was just right. madam cui nodded in satisfaction. ¡°it tastes good. i don¡¯t think there¡¯s a need to improve it. what do you think?¡± madam cui could eat spicy food, but cui shiji could not take any spiciness. he tasted it and felt that it was very fragrant without the stimulation of chili. he nodded. ¡°it¡¯s moderately salty and spicy. there¡¯s also a little burnt fragrance. i also think it¡¯s just right.¡± madam cui smiled and said, ¡°in that case, i can let her know.¡± madam zhao received everyone¡¯s feedback one after another. it was just delicious. madam zhao was very happy and even tried to add a new flavor to the original chili sauce. zhao erwa took a bottle to the school to eat steamed buns, and the children fought over it. zhao erwa thought of an idea and immediately set the price. one tael of silver per jar. since it was so expensive, the brats all fell silent. du rui, a direct descendant of the du family of qinghe, slammed the silver on the table and shouted generously, ¡°give me ten jars!¡± zhao erwa returned happily with the silver. he did not hide it and smiled like a cat stealing food. ¡°mother, look!¡± madam zhao turned around. ¡°where did you get the silver?¡± as zhao erwa spoke, he ironed his words. ¡°my classmate especially liked your chili sauce, so he gave me a tael of silver and asked me to sell him ten bottles.¡± madam zhao was shocked. ¡°this is too much. it¡¯s not worth so much money!¡± zhao erwa smiled and said, ¡°how much do you think is appropriate? i¡¯ll return it to him later. i can¡¯t give it to him for nothing, right?¡± ten bottles of glass jars and the ingredients would cost a lot. madam zhao thought for a moment. ¡°then give him two more bottles!¡± if not for the fact that glass jars were expensive, madam zhao would have given him at least a few more bottles. when zhao lanzhi returned, zhao erwa bragged to her, ¡°sister, i helped mother sell ten bottles of chili sauce for a tael of silver!¡± many ordinary workers only earned one tael of silver a month. if it was placed on the market, no one would buy it. even if it was sold in a food store, compared to the cheap mushroom sauce, the price was quite high. zhao lanzhi praised zhao erwa before asking madam zhao softly, ¡°mother, do you plan to sell it for one tael of silver per bottle?¡± madam zhao sighed. ¡°i don¡¯t want to sell it at such an expensive price, but the cost of the glass bottle is higher. we can¡¯t sell it at a lower price.¡± she said enviously, ¡°the glass bottle in the food factory is even sturdier than the one i bought, but the price is so cheap.¡± zhao lanzhi knew a lot about the production of the workshop. she explained, ¡°the glass factory directly supplies to the food factory, so the intermediate costs are saved. moreover, the food factory is purchasing in large quantities. the glass factory is selling at a low profit, so the cost of mushroom sauce is naturally lower.¡± madam zhao sighed again. ¡°we can¡¯t just buy from the glass factory from the start, right? how could we sell so much?¡± zhao lanzhi chuckled. ¡°mother, you¡¯re confused. previously, we didn¡¯t have glass jars, so we used clay jars to store chili sauce. pottery is cheap. if we buy more pottery, the cost will decrease.¡± madam zhao felt that the clay jar was fine, but she said regretfully, ¡°but the glass jar is so beautiful.¡± ¡°the glass jars are beautiful, but the most important thing is the taste! moreover, even if the clay jars are beautifully designed, they are still very attractive. i¡¯ll help you customize a batch of clay jars later. don¡¯t worry about this.¡± zhao lanzhi found the ceramic factory. in a few days, a batch of clay pots was sent to the zhao family. each small clay pot was printed with the words wanyu chili sauce. madam zhao was especially happy and could not stop smiling. ¡°why is my name printed on it?¡± zhao lanzhi said, ¡°this is called brand awareness. when everyone sees the jar, they will know that this is your chili sauce. they will definitely come because of its reputation in the future.¡± madam zhao said proudly, ¡°as long as we can earn a little money.¡± zhao lanzhi encouraged, ¡°definitely!¡± then she said, ¡°do you want to set up a stall tomorrow? i¡¯ll help you find a stall.¡± his daughter was really thoughtful. she was busy but she still took it to heart. madam zhao shook her head. ¡°don¡¯t worry. your father has already helped me seek some information. you should be busy with your work. don¡¯t delay your matters.¡± zhao lanzhi nodded. ¡°then i¡¯ll arrange a carriage for you.¡± madam zhao immediately said, ¡°it¡¯s not the first time your father and i have set up a stall. there¡¯s no need for a carriage. your father and i are just going to test the water tomorrow. we¡¯ll carry a basket over.¡± they had their own ideas, so zhao lanzhi did not ask further. madam zhao and father zhao had previously been selling vegetables. that day, they were specially there to sell chili sauce, so they spent money to find a permanent stall. they placed the bottles of chili sauce neatly and waited for a long time. the steamed bun stall beside them and the food stall had already opened, but their stall still had no crowd. madam zhao and father zhao were very anxious. they thought about the reason why no one came. after a round of summary, they finally had an idea. old master zhao returned home and brought over a large jar of chili sauce. he also plucked some coriander, green onions, and garlic from the field, two baskets of small potatoes, and various seasonings. madam zhao went to buy some tofu pudding, century eggs, side dishes, steamed buns, and cooked meat. she borrowed someone else¡¯s stove and poured the side dishes into water, mixing them into all kinds of tempting cold dishes. soon, the stall was filled with people. everyone looked at the rich dishes and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°what are you selling?¡± madam zhao said, ¡°i¡¯m selling my own chili sauce. customers, you can try it first.¡± everyone decisively picked up toothpicks and tasted the free food. it had to be said that the taste was really good! suddenly, someone said, ¡°give me a serving of this small potato, a serving of pig head meat, and this¡­¡± he didn¡¯t even ask for the price. it seemed that it really suited his taste. madam zhao¡¯s eyes were glowing as she explained enthusiastically, ¡°sir, i¡¯m selling chili sauce. if you like it, you can buy a bottle of chili sauce. when you get back, get your wife to make it for you. it¡¯s very easy. you just need to put in chili sauce and some ginger, onions, and garlic.¡± so she was selling chili sauce, not the cold dishes. although he did not have a wife, the cooking method was really simple. this person simply said, ¡°alright, give me a bottle.¡± madam zhao and father zhao looked at each other and saw surprise in each other¡¯s eyes. after selling the first bottle of chili sauce, the second bottle, the third bottle¡­ were sold one after another. they thought that they would definitely not be able to sell all 50 jars of chili sauce that day. unexpectedly, they were all sold out! the amount they earned in a day was more than what they could earn from farming an acre of land. zhao erwa ran over after school and realized that his parents were closing the stall. he immediately asked in surprise, ¡°how is it? is it all sold out?¡± madam zhao nodded happily. ¡°it¡¯s sold out!¡± zhao erwa immediately said, ¡°then let¡¯s buy a cake to celebrate! we can give big sister a surprise later!¡± Chapter 474 - Chapter 474: Then Don’t Give Me This Money chapter 474: then don¡¯t give me this money translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios he was clearly the one who wanted to eat, but he still said that he wanted to give zhao lanzhi a surprise. fortunately, madam zhao was in a good mood and agreed readily. ¡°alright, let¡¯s go buy a cake! pick the mango flavor that your sister likes.¡± no matter what flavor it was, zhao erwa liked it as long as it was cake. he jumped up happily and said enthusiastically, ¡°mother, the basket is heavy. let me help you carry it!¡± there was nothing in the basket, so madam zhao let him do as he pleased. when he passed by the stationery store, he saw someone selling rubber balls. zhao erwa looked interested, and madam zhao even generously bought him one. zhao erwa was secretly delighted. he had saved another sum of pocket money that day. the cake was 12 inches in diameter. the thick cream was filled with tempting mangoes, and a few blueberries were scattered among them, making it look even more exquisite and tempting. when zhao lanzhi returned home, there was a mango cake in the middle of the sumptuous table of dishes. she instantly realized something. ¡°mother, is the chili sauce very popular with everyone?¡± madam zhao said humbly, ¡°it¡¯s only the first day. everyone wants to watch the show. we¡¯ll try again tomorrow.¡± zhao lanzhi chuckled. ¡°the employees in our factory all say that chili sauce is delicious. mother, sell me a batch too. i¡¯ll get the canteen cooks to cook with it.¡± madam zhao agreed immediately. ¡°then don¡¯t give me this money.¡± zhao lanzhi said solemnly, ¡°there are so many people in our factory. even if mother gives me a cheaper price, you can¡¯t not charge me anything.¡± madam zhao thought about it and agreed. when the time came, she would not even have money to buy the materials and would have to ask her daughter for them. she might as well accept them generously. the next day, madam zhao and father zhao went to the market to sell chili sauce again. the business was thriving, and even the business of the surrounding steamed bun shops was improving. madam zhao and father zhao looked at the stall that seemed as if a tornado had swept past and were extremely happy. it seemed that it should be feasible to build a small workshop to produce chili sauce. old master and madam zhao planned to apply for a workshop permit. on the other side, elder lin was also planning to participate in the exhibition the following year. when elder lin was young, he often entered the mountains to hunt and catch some deer, wild boars, roe deer, rabbits, and so on. for deer, the skin had been perfectly preserved from beginning to end. it was even more valuable than deer meat. elder lin learned the craftsmanship of leather making after continuous learning and accumulated some wealth for the lin family. later on, it was not easy to catch prey. it was too dangerous to enter the mountains, so his three sons only knew a little about this skill. when he arrived at carefree city, he happened to discover that the leather used by rich families was much more exquisite than the skills he had painstakingly studied. he immediately sighed that there was always someone better. he was like a frog at the bottom of a well in lintian village. leather shoes and boots were popular in the upper-class of carefree city. lin wang was envious of the children in the class who were carrying leather bags. elder lin immediately had the idea of making leather bags for his grandsons. he went to the market to buy sheepskin and used the old method to make the leather. however, the leather he made was not especially beautiful compared to the ones made by other craftsmen. the pores were thick and the patterns were rough. elder lin was a strong-willed person, so he put this sheepskin aside and bought another sheepskin to study. unfortunately, even though he did not sleep or eat, he still could not make a piece of leather that satisfied him. it was not until he happened to hear that the qinghe vocational and technical college had a leather major and would teach the most advanced leather production technology in detail that elder lin was tempted. this was because qinghe vocational and technical college did not have any age restrictions. as long as one paid the fee and passed the exam, they could successfully graduate. elder lin wanted to go to qinghe vocational and technical college. his three sons said, ¡°father, our family doesn¡¯t lack that bit of money. you¡¯re already so old. don¡¯t torture yourself. just stay at home and rest in peace in your old age!¡± his eldest son and second son planted mushrooms, and his third son raised pearls for aquaculture. their family was indeed not short of money. elder lin envied the teachers who were the same age as him for still teaching in the academy and having outstanding achievements. ¡°who said that i can¡¯t do it? i insist on doing it for you to see!¡± everyone really did not think highly of it. after all, no matter how outstanding elder lin¡¯s skills were, he could not compete with the workshop skills. however, no one dared to offend the old man with his temper. so be it. they would just treat it as spending money to find fun. elder lin successfully registered at qinghe technical college. after half a year, elder lin graduated. if not for the fact that he was too old, he could have directly been assigned to a workshop. he had learned too much in the past six months in the workshop. the origins of leather, the craftsmanship of leather, the art of leather, the prospects and development of leather, the style and design of leather, as well as the career path of people in the field. before elder lin graduated, he had already made all kinds of works. leather shoes, leather boots, leather bags, leather jackets, leather pants, leather suitcases, sofa seats, toy decorations, and so on. after constant polishing, his works became more and more liked by everyone. his grandchildren were carrying leather bags, using wallets, and wearing leather shoes. they were often the most beautiful children in the crowd. if his daughters-in-law wanted the same leather boots as the great empress, he could replicate them exactly the same. they might even be more exquisite and have all kinds of different designs added. as a result, elder lin received many orders. this also made him think of setting up a studio. elder lin did as he felt. after confirming that leather shoes and boots were the most popular, he crazily designed all kinds of styles and even asked teacher xiao, who was dozens of years younger than him, for his opinion. when teacher xiao saw the blueprint, his eyes lit up. he directly proposed to introduce elder lin to the design department of the leather workshop. while elder lin was happy to be recognized by teacher xiao, he was also determined to establish a studio. if a girl from youjia village could become a big boss, he also had to work hard after living for so many years. elder lin wanted to build a design room. teacher xiao stared at his blueprint. the more he looked at it, the more he felt that it was promising. he asked elder lin, ¡°are you going to take the high-end route or the intermediate route?¡± elder lin already knew what such professional words meant. he wanted to take the high-end route, but firstly, he did not have any connections, and secondly, he did not have the money to buy expensive rare leather. he thought about it and said, ¡°let¡¯s take the intermediate route.¡± teacher xiao immediately looked regretful. ¡°it¡¯s best to take the high-end route with such a good design. otherwise, the first batch of designs will quickly be replaced by similar designs from the workshop.¡± ¡°the price of the studio is definitely not comparable to that of the workshop, but the unique design and exquisite workmanship can firmly capture the hearts of the upper-class customers. the profits are also very high. it can also make the studio famous and have a long history.¡± elder lin said awkwardly, ¡°but i can¡¯t afford expensive leather, nor can i afford to hire someone to do a lot of publicity.¡± teacher xiao was a direct descendant of the xiao family in qinghe and could be considered wealthy. he said, ¡°how about this? if you lack any materials, i¡¯ll help you buy them. if you don¡¯t have enough funds, i¡¯ll go to the bank to attract funds.. how about we open a studio together?¡± Chapter 475 - Chapter 475: It’s So Expensive, Who Won’t Be Jealous? chapter 475: it¡¯s so expensive, who won¡¯t be jealous? translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios elder lin never expected teacher xiao to be willing to open a studio with him. teacher xiao had connections, assets, and knowledge. he was more suitable to operate the studio than him. elder lin immediately agreed. ¡°alright!¡± with teacher xiao as the vanguard, elder lin hired a few more skilled classmates. soon, he made a batch of luxury leather shoes and boots. teacher xiao¡¯s operating methods were quite impressive. he rented a three-story building in the center of carefree city where every inch of land was as valuable as gold. he asked qin xiao to specially design it. it had a high-class and luxurious style and used transparent display windows to display the scenery. at a glance, it would make people stop and look at the building. teacher xiao knew that the research department had already developed electric lights and that the mine workers were using them for lighting. in order to make the building look classier, he went to the research department to ask if he could buy some electric lights at a high price. the price he offered was really high. there was actually already a production line for electric lights, but the circuit lines to the power station had yet to be set up. he could only buy headlamps or table lamps. after the battery was used up, he had to bring them back to charge them. in order to make a name for his studio, teacher xiao insisted on spending a huge sum of money to buy 18 floor-to-ceiling lamps. there were six of them on each floor. the gorgeous light was enough to make the entire shop breathtaking. on the day of the opening, he invited all the madams of the 30 families of qinghe and big shots from all walks of life to take part. the entrance of the shop was filled with beautiful flowers. any lady who entered the shop could obtain a beautiful bouquet that had been carefully wrapped. there were not many flowers left in this season. teacher xiao had spent a lot of money to send people to pick these flowers. apart from the decorations inside and outside the shop, the shop assistants had also dressed up carefully. all of them were slender and were wearing the same uniform with shiny pointed thin red leather shoes. they greeted every customer respectfully with bright smiles. it was also a dazzling scenery in the shop. the leather shoes, boots, leather gloves, and leather hat were carefully displayed in the glass window, showcasing their unique textures and exquisite workmanship under the light. when madam zhang and zhang tiantian entered the shop, they were attracted by the floor lamps. this shop was too capable. they even managed to buy electric lights. it must be expensive. madam zhang took a fancy to a pair of leather gloves. when she asked the price, she was immediately dumbfounded. it actually cost 20 taels of silver. it was really expensive. however, the leather was as smooth as water, and the fur lining was soft. the design was also beautiful. 20 taels of silver was actually nothing to their family. madam zhang asked zhang tiantian, ¡°do you like it? i¡¯ll buy you a pair.¡± zhang tiantian was afraid of the cold. it was good to have a pair of leather gloves in winter. she immediately nodded. ¡°okay.¡± the shop assistant was especially happy. with 20 taels of silver, she could earn quite a bit of commission. she worked even harder to introduce the other goods. madam zhang and zhang tiantian had servants accompanying them when they went out. it did not matter if they bought bags or not. however, the small leather bags sold were all extremely beautiful. she thought about how it would be good to have a small bag that could store her belongings when she went out. as such, madam zhang bought an exquisite pearl cross-body bag for herself and her daughter. in order for zhang tiantian to go to school, she bought another red shoulder bag. after touring around the three floors, seeing everything so perfect under the light and the environment, madam zhang had unknowingly spent 200 taels of silver. they were considered to have spent little. madam li, whom madam zhang was familiar with, had spent nearly 1,000 taels in one go just to become a top member who could enjoy priority access to limited edition products and personal door-to-door services. the men¡¯s purchasing power was also very strong. in order to please their wives, they waved their wallets and bought almost everything. it made the women burst with joy and brag about their husbands. after a day, the storefront was almost empty, and they were running low in stocks. not counting the capital amount, even the net profit that day had earned him more than 1,000 taels of silver. after elder lin got half, there would still be a few hundred taels. they had never seen so much money in the entire lin family. their eyes were about to pop out. the daughters-in-law desperately expressed that their desire to help at the store. the dark faces of his three daughters-in-law were incompatible with the staffs¡¯ appearance in the shop. why would elder lin let them ruin the business? he might as well give each of them 100 taels of silver and let them raise his grandchildren in peace. instead of going to the shop, they could just take the silver and shop around. in the past, their father-in-law had been stingy with one tael of silver as if it cost his life. now, he was actually willing to give them 100 taels of silver. it was really too generous! it made his eldest and second sons want to learn how to make leather. elder lin also hoped that they could learn it and agreed readily. the business was the best on the opening day. in the next few days, the sales volume stabilized. the profits for a day were at least 500 taels. even so, elder lin was very satisfied. in order to make the shop more famous and leave a deep impression on the commoners of carefree city, teacher xiao spent another huge sum of money to print advertisements in the weekly magazines and newspapers and invite the bicycle team to hang colorful flags. they circled the city and publicized, ¡°eternal envy because of lin xiao.¡± this advertising slogan was confusing. however, the effect was still very obvious. the commoners were all interested to find out what eternal envy was. when they arrived outside the shop and looked from afar through the window, they immediately understood. who wouldn¡¯t be envious of such an expensive product? teacher xiao¡¯s marketing tactic was really outstanding. soon, other businessmen followed suit. since the imperial court had suddenly launched an exhibition, teacher xiao would definitely participate actively in such a good opportunity to increase the popularity of the store in the entire southern frontier. he brought his own goods to the official in charge of reviewing the exhibition. after testing the quality, he successfully obtained an admission ticket to the exhibition hall. the imperial court would support and subsidize merchants with high-quality goods. the quality of their goods was too high, but there was no substantial advantages in their goods. they did not even have the right to submit the goods to the great empress for review. he did not care if he could not get the support funds from the imperial court. teacher xiao thought for a moment and quickly arranged another wave of exaggerated advertising to let the commoners know that lin xiao¡¯s leather was a top-notch item certified by the imperial court. with him doing this, more merchants were interested to participate in the exhibition. 500 meters away from carefree city, there was an area very suitable for planting crops on a large scale. in addition, this was the gathering place of several local tribes, so bai wutong got someone to build a small town here. noble consort ling had been knitting hats, clothes, and socks along the way. when she arrived at the town, the small hat that was about to be completed was still short of a piece of yarn. she went to the only fabric shop in town with gou houxing to see if she could buy a suitable piece of yarn. as soon as she entered, everyone was stunned by noble consort ling¡¯s astonishing beauty.. Chapter 476 - Chapter 476: She Deserved It chapter 476: she deserved it translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios noble consort ling was not surprised and walked straight to the front desk. ¡°storeowner, is there yarn like this?¡± she knitted a scarf and a hat for bai wutong along the way and made several sets of clothes for the child. she was just short of completing another small hat. her gentle and moving voice finally pulled the storeowner back to his senses. he hurriedly said, ¡°yes, yes. it¡¯s winter now, and wool is very popular.¡± with that, he turned around and went to get the yarn from the drawers. the moment the storeowner handed over the yarn, a haughty female voice sounded. ¡°i want this yarn!¡± the storeowner suddenly turned around. the person who spoke was actually the mayor¡¯s wife, wen caixiu. he hurriedly smiled and said, ¡°madam wen, there¡¯s a lot of yarn here. you probably won¡¯t be able to finish using it.¡± wen caixiu glared at him. ¡°how do you know i can¡¯t finish using it? i want it all!¡± wen caixiu was a fat woman with acne and pockmarks on her face. before the marriage law was implemented, she had suffered all kinds of grievances. whenever she saw a woman who was more beautiful than her, she felt unhappy. after the marriage law was implemented, if jiang shiqing wanted to divorce her, he had to hand over half of his assets. if she fought for her son¡¯s custody, she could even take him away. if jiang shiqing dared to cause trouble, his hard-earned official position would naturally be affected. jiang shiqing cowered. not only did he often go to her room, but he also asked his concubine to apologize to her and serve her like a maidservant. with the rise of wen caixiu¡¯s status, coupled with the fact that jiang shiqing had become an official and come to changqing town, everyone here had to give her face. wen caixiu suddenly became full of herself. a peerless beauty like noble consort ling was not only beautiful, but also had a unique charm and gentleness that was even more attractive. the moment she entered the shop, the inferiority complex in cai wenxiu erupted like a volcano. noble consort ling was the bright moon in the sky, and she was the mud on the ground that had been stepped on. seeing that the storeowner was even more respectful to noble consort ling than to her, her inferiority complex instantly turned into jealousy. for no reason, she wanted to provoke noble consort ling. gou houxing said angrily, ¡°everything is on a first come, first served basis. why are you so unreasonable?¡± wen caixiu sneered. ¡°i am using my money to buy the storeowner¡¯s things, and the storeowner also sold them to me first. how am i unreasonable? if you have the ability, let the storeowner sell them to you first. if not, shut up!¡± gou houxing reached for his waist. noble consort ling thought that he was about to draw his sword, so she hurriedly said, ¡°forget it.¡± then she looked at the storeowner. ¡°is there any better yarn?¡± when she was buying yarn in syria, there were many types of quality yarn for her to choose from. the storeowner quickly said, ¡°there¡¯s another type. it¡¯s in the attic.¡± as soon as she finished speaking, wen caixiu tried to make things difficult again. ¡°i want those yarn too!¡± the storeowner said softly, ¡°madam wen, those yarn have 60 rolls. you won¡¯t be able to finish them.¡± when noble consort ling asked if there were any other fabrics, the storeowner could have said that there were none. however, he was also a discerning person. noble consort ling was so good-looking and had a servant by her side. there seemed to be cavalry waiting outside. her status was definitely not inferior to madam wen, or far higher than her. 60 rolls were indeed a lot. if she bought them, she could just return them later. wen caixiu said loudly, ¡°you¡¯re so long-winded. what can¡¯t i afford?¡± gou houxing flew into a rage. ¡°you¡¯re going too far!¡± gou houxing had broken through a mountain of corpses and a sea of flames. when he was angry, it was like the terrifying hades suddenly losing his temper. wen caixiu sensed danger and subconsciously took a step back. thinking that she was the dignified mayor¡¯s wife, she shouted stubbornly, ¡°how am i bullying you when 1 was just buying things?¡± her gaze landed on noble consort ling¡¯s snow-like hands and she deliberately said, ¡°1 think the thing you weaved looks good. how much is it? i¡¯ll buy it too.¡± it was a small hat that noble consort ling had painstakingly made for his little nephew. gou houxing was completely furious. in a flash, he kicked wen caixiu over. wen caixiu leaned against the wall like an overturned tortoise. the storeowner and wen caixiu¡¯s maidservants were petrified by this scene. although noble consort ling wanted to avoid trouble, it did not mean that she was still a weak sheep that could be bullied. after gou houxing was done kicking, she calmly looked up. ¡°storeowner, can you let me take a look at the yarn in the attic?¡± before the storeowner could react, wen caixiu held her stomach and got up in pain. she shouted ferociously, ¡°how dare you hit me?! i¡¯ll get someone to arrest you and lock you up for the rest of your life!¡± before she could finish her sentence, the cavalry outside the door rushed in and pressed the head of wen caixiu to the ground. the maidservant screamed and covered her mouth in fear. the storeowner met gou houxing¡¯s murderous gaze and was so frightened that his legs trembled. noble consort ling¡¯s expression was still calm as she emphasized, ¡°storeowner, can 1 see the wool?¡± the storeowner looked up in a daze. only then did he feel that every move that the gentle noble consort ling made had the aura of a superior. he woke up with a start and nodded. ¡°right away, right away!¡± after a while, the storeowner went to the attic to personally carry an entire roll of yarn down. this was a product that had just arrived. the quality and color were good. noble consort ling chose the yarn and got into the carriage. only then did gou houxing order someone to let go of wen caixiu. after they left for a while, only then did the maidservant dare to help wen caixiu up. ¡°madam, madam, please wake up. don¡¯t scare me!¡± wen caixiu woke up slowly. her neck and stomach hurt as if they were on fire. she slapped the maidservant. ¡°useless trash! where are they?¡± the maidservant held her red cheek and said softly in fear, ¡°they¡¯re heading towards carefree city.¡± wen caixiu forced herself to stand up. ¡°where¡¯s my husband? where is my husband?¡± the maidservant said, ¡°today is the day master returns to carefree city to report on official matters.¡± wen caixiu had a dark expression. ¡°perfect! get someone to prepare a carriage for me now. 1 want that vixen to know that even with a huge backer, there¡¯s a price to pay for hitting someone under the rule of the wise and mighty great empress!¡± the maidservant obediently did as she was told, but the storeowner shook his head to himself. she clearly deserved it. noble consort ling was about to reach carefree city. bai wutong had yet to complete her confinement period when chu tianbao brought stinky and led xiaobai¡¯s entire family outside carefree city to welcome her. in order to welcome noble consort ling, stinky even plucked sheng huaixuan¡¯s precious orchids. he sat on chu tianbao¡¯s shoulder, holding the orchid with a big red bow in his chubby hand as he looked eagerly at the winding road in the distance. suddenly, a small black dot appeared on the road. he shouted in surprise, ¡°father, grandmother is here! she¡¯s here!¡± chu tianbao smiled. ¡°yes, grandmother is here.¡± chu tianbao was the empress¡¯ husband and the great empress had even given birth to a pair of children for him. chu tianbao¡¯s appearance outside the city gate naturally attracted many people¡¯s attention and they secretly watched him. among them was jiang shiqing, who had just finished his official duties and was preparing to return to changqing town.. Chapter 477 - Chapter 477: I’m Asking Who You Are chapter 477: i¡¯m asking who you are translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios the moment gou houxing saw the buildings in carefree city, he became excited. ¡°her majesty, we¡¯re here. we¡¯re almost there!¡± noble consort ling smiled and reminded, ¡°call me madam you.¡± gou houxing patted his mouth and hurriedly corrected himself. ¡°yes, madam you!¡± behind noble consort ling¡¯s carriage was the carriage of wen caixiu. wen caixiu kept snorting as her maidservant rubbed her stomach. ¡°madam, we¡¯re about to reach carefree city. let¡¯s see a doctor. it won¡¯t hurt anymore in a while.¡± wen caixiu suddenly sat up and pulled open the curtain to look outside. ¡°turn to the side and look for uncle zhao!¡± wen caixiu was village chief zhao¡¯s distant relative. village chief zhao¡¯s family had a good relationship with the great empress. the reason why jiang shiqing could become mayor of changqing town was more or less because of their relationship. now that wen caixiu had been beaten up, she immediately thought of village chief zhao. she wanted village chief zhao to seek justice for her. it would be best if she could even go to the great empress and let her teach them a lesson. the carriage turned to the side and arrived at the food cultivation base. before wen caixiu got out of the carriage, she learned that village chief zhao had brought his men elsewhere in the southern frontier to plant the medicinal field for the season. since village chief zhao was not around, she would look for auntie yang. after all, they were family. auntie yang would definitely not ignore her. noble consort ling¡¯s carriage approached. when jiang shiqing realized that his family¡¯s carriage was following behind noble consort ling, he was immediately shocked. to be personally welcomed by chu tianbao, this must be a big shot. his family¡¯s carriage was so close. there must not be any conflict between them. wen caixiu suddenly saw auntie yang and her three daughters-in-law in the crowd, she shouted at the coachman, ¡°overtake the carriage in front!¡± the coachman turned around. ¡°there¡¯s a carriage escorted by cavalry ahead. we¡¯ll offend someone if we overtake them.¡± wen caixiu was really brainless. ¡°i told you to overtake them. the great empress said that the cavalry is to protect the commoners, not bully them. when 1 make my complaint later, they will no longer be able to stay arrogant.¡± the coachman was extremely unwilling. wen caixiu pulled the reins angrily. the horse was frightened and suddenly sped up, charging towards noble consort ling¡¯s team. wen caixiu cried out in surprise. the dark guard flew up from the horse¡¯s back and instantly controlled the carriage. after the false alarm, wen caixiu was filled with lingering fear. in the next second, the dark guard kicked her out of the carriage. wen caixiu rolled a few times in front of everyone. her hair bun was in a mess and she was made a fool. she shouted angrily at auntie yang, ¡°auntie, help me report to the authorities. they¡¯ve hit me twice!¡± auntie yang stood still and looked at her in a speechless manner. the three daughters-in-law beside auntie yang simply rolled their eyes. the person they hated the most was the pretentious wen caixiu. everyone knew that the people in the carriage were very important to chu tianbao. it was not enough for her to cause trouble herself, but she even wanted to implicate their family. noble consort ling was helped out of the carriage by chu tianbao. the eldest daughter-in-law was flustered and retorted angrily, ¡°if you didn¡¯t do anything, will she hit you? you deserve it!¡± wen caixiu got up and shouted righteously, ¡°what did ido!! it¡¯s not right for them to hit people!!!¡± ¡°even if i have to go in front of the great empress, 1 am not in the wrong!¡± as soon as she finished speaking, jiang shiqing suddenly jumped out and slapped wen caixiu. wen caixiu was stunned by the slap. she was in a daze for a long time before jumping up crazily and roaring at jiang shiqing, ¡°how dare you hit me? 1 want to divorce you. our two sons won¡¯t follow you! i won¡¯t let those vixens take advantage of my assets!¡± she shouted at the top of her lungs, like a resentful woman who had been abandoned. normally, everyone would sympathize with her. however, she had just offended someone that even chu tianbao valued! jiang shiqing did not want to continue living with the ignorant and rude wen caixiu. seeing that she had offended chu tianbao, he did not hesitate to throw away his pawn to protect the carriage. ¡°so be it! let¡¯s go now! i¡¯ve had enough. i won¡¯t give you any of our sons. with your behaviour, you are not fit to be a mother at all.¡± wen caixiu was agitated and directly attacked him. ¡°jiang shiqing, you¡¯re a piece of trash! if you want me to give up my position to the vixen, bah, dream on. even if i die, 1 won¡¯t let you get your way!¡± suddenly, wen caixiu glanced at chu tianbao from the corner of her eye and then at noble consort ling, who was standing beside chu tianbao. in an instant, her cursing stopped. why was chu tianbao standing with this woman? the two of them were still so close? no matter what their relationship was, wen caixiu panicked. she was so frightened that her legs began to tremble. chu tianbao looked coldly at wen caixiu and asked gou houxing, ¡°what¡¯s wrong with her?¡± gou houxing got angry when he saw her. ¡°madam went to the shop to buy yarn, but she insisted on snatching it. her majesty gave in, but she still pushed her luck and bought all the yarn in the shop. the worst thing was that she insulted madam and even insisted on buying the little hat madam knitted, so 1 beat her up.¡± chu tianbao¡¯s gaze turned cold. ¡°bring them here!¡± ¡°yes!¡± when wen caixiu was dragged over, she only had one thought in her mind. it was over, it was over. she wondered if chu tianbao could spare her this time on account of their relationship in youjia village. she really thought that noble consort ling was just a vixen raised by some man from the 30 families of qinghe. if she reported noble consort ling for being arrogant, she could even let her husband make his presence known in front of the great empress. who would have thought that she had such high status that even chu tianbao would personally come out to welcome her? meeting chu tianbao¡¯s cold scrutinizing gaze, wen caixiu shrank her neck like a turtle. chu tianbao questioned coldly in public, ¡°who are you?¡± wen caixiu trembled in fear. ¡°i know my mistake. master chu, no, duke chu, please let me off this time. i shouldn¡¯t have snatched her things!¡± her words were extremely misleading. those who didn¡¯t know better would think that noble consort ling was bullying others. chu tianbao¡¯s expression changed. ¡°i¡¯m asking who you are.¡± his unquestionable tone made wen caixiu finally respond directly, ¡°i¡¯m wen caixiu.¡± jiang shiqing did not dare to say another word of nonsense. ¡°i¡¯m mayor changqing, jiang shiqing.¡± chu tianbao looked at wen caixiu. ¡°why did he hit you twice? tell me clearly. the storeowner will be brought over later to verify your claim.¡± he might as well make her confess. wen caixiu looked at auntie yang bitterly, begging her to help her say a word. after all, nothing had happened to noble consort ling, and she had always been the one at a disadvantage. when auntie yang received her distress signal, she turned around and left. the three daughters-in-law hurriedly followed and heaved a sigh of relief. fortunately, their mother-in-law did not interfere. seeing that she did not say a word for a long time, gou houxing said. ¡°do you want me to help you answer?!¡± wen caixiu was kicked by him and her stomach was still aching. she braced herself and opened her mouth. ¡°i¡­¡± gou houxing said, ¡°are you speaking to the mosquitoes? louder!¡± Chapter 478 - Chapter 478: Grandmother, Don’t Cry chapter 478: grandmother, don¡¯t cry translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios wen caixiu¡¯s teeth were about to shatter from gritting too hard. ¡°i shouldn¡¯t have been complacent and snatched the madam¡¯s things, nor should i have caused trouble by buying all the yarn in the shop, nor should i have thought¡­¡± she really couldn¡¯t continue. when she met chu tianbao¡¯s cold and murderous gaze, she had no choice but to force out the words. ¡°i shouldn¡¯t have tried to force madam to sell me the hat in her hand. i deserved to be beaten up. i was wrong. i really regret it!!!¡± at this point, wen caixiu was already crying uncontrollably. beside her, jiang shiqing even felt like killing her. it had not been easy for him to become a small official, but now, she had completely ruined it. wen caixiu was choking on her tears and the onlookers were all pointing at her. if chu tianbao hadn¡¯t forced her to make things clear in public, everyone would really think that noble consort ling was bullying her. she was crying so hard that she was out of breath and she sat like a lump of fat on the ground. there was no pity in chu tianbao¡¯s eyes. ¡°continue!¡± wen caixiu gasped and sobbed. ¡°i, i shouldn¡¯t have forcefully overtaken the carriage team and snatched the reins, causing the horses to lose control and scare madam and everyone. i, i really regret it. i know my mistake. boohoo, please spare me!¡± the reason why wen caixiu dared to be so arrogant was definitely because jiang shiqing had become a small official. she had abused her authority to bully others. in the end, she was facing the bitter outcome of her actions. everyone discussed fervently. they even suspected that jiang shiqing was a corrupt official who had secretly used his power to steal oil. although jiang shiqing had thought about it, he really did not dare to do it. he knelt on the ground and kept kowtowing to chu tianbao. ¡°it¡¯s all my fault for not disciplining my wife well. please forgive me, your highness.¡± as the official¡¯s family member, she was abusing her authority to bully others. chu tianbao instructed you huaijie, ¡°punish them according to the law.¡± ¡°as you command.¡± wen caixiu and jiang shiqing were dragged away. even if they did not have to go to jail, his official positions would definitely be stripped. if she dared to bully others now, who knew what she would do in the future? the commoners cheered. stinky handed the orchid with a bow to noble consort ling. ¡°grandmother, the flowers are for you!¡± stinky¡¯s chubby face smiled like a bright sunflower, looking very much like chu tianbao when he was young. the first time noble consort ling saw him, she liked him very much. she took him from chu tianbao¡¯s arms and held him steadily. ¡°you¡¯re ling yun, right? you¡¯re so cute. thank you for your flowers. i like them very much.¡± noble consort ling looked only a few years older than chu tianbao. her skin was delicate and fair, her facial features were exquisite, and she had a gentle temperament. stinky smiled sweetly. ¡°grandmother is as good-looking as daddy!¡± noble consort ling rubbed his cheek affectionately. ¡°you¡¯re as good-looking as your father.¡± when the people nearby heard their conversation, their eyes widened. ¡®grandmother?¡¯ stinky¡¯s grandmother? was stinky¡¯s grandmother chu tianbao or sheng huaixuan¡¯s mother? no matter how busy sheng huaixuan was, he would definitely welcome his mother personally. however, the person who came was chu tianbao! then this dignified and gentle peerless beauty would be the current great empress¡¯s mother-in-law! oh my god! oh my god! wen caixiu was unlucky to have done something so offensive the moment she came. she was considered lucky that the dark guards did not stab her to death. however, chu tianbao¡¯s mother was too young. ¡®wait!¡¯ ¡®wait!¡¯ wasn¡¯t gu chilie¡¯s wife long dead? what was going on? could it be that she had returned to ask the great empress to let gu chilie and gu liancheng go? what if the great empress was in a difficult position? gu chilie had wanted to kill the great empress back then! while everyone was worried about bai wutong¡¯s situation, noble consort ling had already returned to the great empress¡¯ residence with chu tianbao. bai wutong stood in front of the french window on the second floor and raised a small homemade banner, waving it enthusiastically. although the banner was small, the words ¡®welcome home, mother!¡¯ were clearly visible. xiaobai and his family also circled noble consort ling enthusiastically. from time to time, they would howl happily, making stinky giggle. bai wutong stood on the second floor. the moment she waved the banner, noble consort ling felt a lump in her throat and her eyes turned red. she smiled and waved gently at bai wutong. chu tianbao said simply, ¡°mother, we¡¯re home.¡± noble consort ling couldn¡¯t help but cry. stinky hurriedly took out the small handkerchief he carried with him and coaxed in a childish voice, ¡°grandmother, don¡¯t cry. your eyes will spoil.¡± noble consort ling smiled and nodded. ¡°thank you, yun ling.¡± stinky really liked his grandmother, who smelled nice and was a great beauty. he said proudly, ¡°grandmother can call me stinky. daddy gave me the nickname.¡± noble consort ling glanced at chu tianbao and chuckled. ¡°yes, stinky is so cute. grandmother would like to thank you.¡± chu tianbao said, ¡°mother, you must be tired from the journey. let¡¯s go back to your room and rest first. i¡¯ll bring you to see my wife, tuantuan, and yuanyuan later.¡± noble consort ling hurriedly said, ¡°wutong is in confinement. i¡¯m not in a hurry. i¡¯ll go after she¡¯s out of her confinement.¡± chu tianbao shook his head. ¡°it¡¯s fine. it¡¯s just in the room, it won¡¯t disturb her.¡± noble consort ling did not refuse anymore. she looked gently at stinky in her arms. ¡°grandmother has also prepared a small gift for you. i hope you like it.¡± stinky¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°thank you, grandmother!¡± he sensibly jumped down from noble consort ling¡¯s arms and waited obediently. noble consort ling knitted a scarf for stinky. on it were countless beautiful koi fish surrounded by lotus flowers. it was a unique crocheting technique. the lotus flowers were beautiful and moving, and the koi fish were lifelike, as if they were about to jump out. stinky said in surprise, ¡°it¡¯s so beautiful! thank you, grandmother. i like it very much!¡± as soon as he finished speaking, another furry hat appeared on stinky¡¯s small hairy head. the hat was very cute and could cover the ears. there were also beautiful clouds and bamboo leaves on it. it was blue and white with green embellishments. it was elegant and cute. noble consort ling had knitted it for chu tianbao before. unfortunately, she had never been able to see him put it on. when stinky put it on, it was like seeing chu tianbao when he was young, and her heart palpitated. when he put on the hat, his ears would not be cold anymore. stinky was overjoyed. ¡°thank you, grandma. grandma, you¡¯re so skilled!¡± noble consort ling bent down to carry him. ¡°i will make more for you next time.¡± stinky acutely sensed that noble consort ling was a little sad. he reached out his chubby hand and gently patted noble consort ling¡¯s back, comforting her cutely, ¡°grandmother, don¡¯t be afraid. we¡¯re already home.¡± the child¡¯s warmth was as warm as the sun. noble consort ling looked up and scratched his tall nose. ¡°yes, grandmother knows.¡± noble consort ling entered the room. the room was classical and filled with an ingenious aura of the modern day. when the two were combined, not only was it not abrupt, but it was also extremely minimalist and retro. noble consort ling walked into the bathroom. the huge bathtub entered her sight through the transparent glass. even in the palace, she had never seen glass used on such a large scale. ¡°what¡¯s that?¡± qiu si used to be a dark guard, but now she was noble consort ling¡¯s maidservant. her actions were simple and straightforward. ¡°that¡¯s a bathtub for madam to bathe at any time..¡± Chapter 479 - Chapter 479: Let’s Write ‘Welcome Home, Husband’ chapter 479: let¡¯s write ¡®welcome home, husband¡¯ translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios the white container that emitted a gem-like luster was actually a bathtub for her to bathe in. noble consort ling was surprised. she turned around and saw an abnormally clear mirror stuck to the wall of the sink. it was so clear that even the pores on her face could be seen. this was probably the first time in many years that she had seen her face so clearly. it was too surprising. the mirror could actually be so clear. with noble consort ling¡¯s shocked expression, qiu si finally realized that she needed to take the initiative to introduce the use of the bathroom. she said while touching the tap on the sink, ¡°this is the sink. as long as you turn the tap, water will automatically come out.¡± with that, she turned on one of the taps. the water flowed into the sink and out through the water pipes. noble consort ling was shocked by the sudden appearance of water and couldn¡¯t help but take a few steps back. she curiously reached out and touched the water flow. she said in surprise, ¡°how does this water come to the second floor?¡± qiu si said, ¡°it¡¯s through the pipes.¡± she did not know the rest. noble consort ling couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°the design is really ingenious. it¡¯s indeed much more convenient to use water. however, how can one bathe in cold water?¡± as soon as she finished speaking, qiu si turned on the faucet with a red logo at the side. ¡°this faucet is connected to the hot water in the boiler room. as long as you turn on this faucet, the hot water will be transported up through the pipe. as it can¡¯t automatically adjust the temperature, if madam wants to use hot water, you can ask me to mix it with water at any time. if i¡¯m not around, and madam really wants to use hot water, but it¡¯s not convenient to call others, you can use a wooden ladle to adjust the water temperature.¡± being able to produce cold water was already very surprising to noble consort ling. she did not expect it to produce hot water! noble consort ling couldn¡¯t help but exclaim at the craftsman¡¯s ingenious design again. qiu si said, ¡°madam, do you want to take a shower and change your clothes now? hl prepare water for you now.¡± noble consort ling did want to take a shower. ¡°okay.¡± in the cubicle beside the bathtub, there was an even stranger object. ¡°what is this?¡± qiu si walked over to take a look. ¡°this is a toilet bowl. it¡¯s used for toilet business.¡± she pointed at the paper trough beside her and said, ¡°there¡¯s toilet paper and sanitary pads inside.¡± noble consort ling came to a realization. she had already used the toilet paper on the way. before she could ask what the sanitary pads were, qiu si pushed down the handle on the back of the toilet bowl. the toilet bowl actually automatically produced water. qiu si said, ¡°after using the toilet, push this down and the filth can be washed away through the pipe.¡± noble consort ling was extremely surprised. ¡°how magical!¡± it was even more magical than the first time she had seen a bicycle on the road. noble consort ling wanted to know the use of the sanitary pad even more. ¡°what¡¯s the use of this?¡± qiu si picked up a sanitary pad and unfolded it. ¡°a sanitary pad can replace a period band.¡± ¡°madam, wait a moment.¡± she checked the temperature of the water in the bathtub, went to the outer room, took out the clothes, and came to noble consort ling. noble consort ling looked at the small piece of cloth in her hand and was a little puzzled. qiu si said seriously, ¡°to use sanitary pads, madam needs to wear undergarments.¡± she actually had to wear such a small piece of fabric. noble consort ling¡¯s snow-white face instantly turned red. qiu si unfolded the sanitary pad and demonstrated. indeed, in these underwear, it would be much cleaner and more comfortable to use sanitary pads. she thought that she would only wear it when her period came, but qiu si suddenly said, ¡°wearing underwear can effectively prevent female illnesses. there are all kinds of styles here. madam, you can choose.¡± when noble consort ling heard this, her ears were about to bleed. she chose the simplest underwear under qiu si¡¯s waiting gaze. she finished choosing her underwear with difficulty. qiu si brought her a few more sets of pajamas. there was nothing wrong with the pajamas. noble consort ling heaved a sigh of relief. she could finally bathe in peace. the bathtub was neither big nor small, and it was quite comfortable to lie in. qiu si took out all kinds of toiletries for noble consort ling to choose from. there were camellia, orchid, lemon, honeysuckle, and milk scented ones. noble consort ling chose the orchid scented one. qiu si poured it into the water and reached out to stir it. immediately, white bubbles appeared. qiu si asked again, ¡°does madam want peach blossoms, mint, jasmine, sea salt, or aloe scented shampoo?¡± there were actually so many options to shower and wash her hair. noble consort ling had never seen the sea before. she smiled and said, ¡°then let¡¯s have sea salt.¡± qiu si squeezed some shampoo into her palm and massaged noble consort ling¡¯s scalp. without any worries, noble consort ling almost fell asleep. qiu si reminded her that the water temperature was about to turn cold before noble consort ling got up from the bathtub. after coming out of the bathroom, noble consort ling felt unprecedentedly comfortable. she lay on the soft bed. qiu si glanced at the sky and suddenly lit all the electric lights in the room. noble consort ling couldn¡¯t help but ask again, ¡°what is this?¡± as if knowing she would be surprised, qiu si handed over a small table lamp. ¡°this is a lamp lit with electricity.¡± only then did noble consort ling realize that there were two similar ones in the bathroom just now. however, unlike this, this one could be moved, but the two were hanging on the wall. noble consort ling looked up and down curiously and was delighted. ¡°does the southern frontier use this?¡± qiu si said truthfully, ¡°it hasn¡¯t been completely popularized, but it will be soon.¡± such a magical thing could actually be popularized to thousands of families. it completely shattered noble consort ling¡¯s understanding of an uncivilized place. if the southern frontier was still not civilized, there would be no place that was civilized. it was really impressive that bai wutong could become the great empress of the southern frontier. it was no wonder that her son, who did not get close to women, had changed a lot because of her. noble consort ling looked at the courtyard. several electric lights that were as dazzling as pearls were quietly lit. she sighed softly. ¡°this place is really nice.¡± bai wutong knew that noble consort ling must be very good-looking. otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have given birth to such a handsome son. however, the moment she saw noble consort ling, it still exceeded her imagination. bai wutong stared at chu tianbao for a closer look and suddenly smiled. ¡°apart from your skin being a little darker, you¡¯re quite similar to mother.¡± the word ¡°mother¡± sent an electric current into chu tianbao¡¯s chest. chu tianbao hugged her and placed his thin lips close to her earlobe. he slowly came over. ¡°our mother likes you very much. the banner is very beautiful.¡± bai wutong turned to look at him with a smile. ¡°uh-huh, i think so too.¡± ¡°you can make me one next time,¡± he requested childishly. ¡°write what?¡± bai wutong smiled charmingly. ¡°just write, ¡®welcome home, husband¡¯.¡± bai wutong¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°you¡¯re getting more and more cheesy!¡± chu tianbao grabbed the back of her head and kissed her lightly, looking a little silly. ¡°don¡¯t you like it?¡± ¡°i won¡¯t allow you to not like it!¡± bai wutong couldn¡¯t help but laugh loudly. in the next second, chu tianbao picked her up by the waist and pressed her against the soft blanket, severely punishing her.. Chapter 480 - Chapter 480: Thanks For the Kind Thought chapter 480: thanks for the kind thought translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios noble consort ling walked into the nursery. she tried her best to soften her footsteps. bai wutong shouted crisply, ¡°mother, it¡¯s fine. they¡¯re awake.¡± bai wutong called her mother. noble consort ling hurriedly handed over a greeting gift. ¡°it¡¯s a token of my appreciation. it¡¯s the bracelet my father gave me back then. i¡¯ll give it to you now.¡± bai wutong took the box and opened it. it was a transparent white jade bracelet. bai wutong put it on and the size was just right. her snow-white skin matched the white jade very well. bai wutong had many bracelets of better quality, but what noble consort ling had given her were the memories that tianbao¡¯s grandfather had left for noble consort ling. looking at the transparency of the bracelet, she knew that it had been cherished for many years. bai wutong was very happy. ¡°thank you, mother.¡± her daughter-in-law was the great empress but did not have any airs of a great empress. noble consort ling looked at chu tianbao, her heart becoming gentle. apart from the bracelet, noble consort ling also knitted a hat for bai wutong and an elegant scarf embroidered with orchids for use during her confinement period. bai wutong marveled at noble consort ling¡¯s skills. ¡°mother¡¯s knitting is too beautiful. i¡¯ve never seen these embroidery techniques before.¡± there were very few people who were more exquisite at knitting than embroidery. however, noble consort ling used her knitting skills to the extreme. apart from what she gave her, she also prepared some for tuantuan and yuanyuan as well. the clothes, hats, socks, and gloves were all extremely exquisite. if they set up a stall, they could be sold in minutes. noble consort ling smiled humbly and said, ¡°i have nothing to do, so i was thinking hard about the design. it¡¯s good that you like it.¡± bai wutong put the baby hat on tuantuan and yuanyuan¡¯s heads. their big round eyes were like little angels who had descended to the mortal world. noble consort ling looked at tuantuan and yuanyuan in the crib and smiled. ¡°the children are so obedient. is this yuanyuan?¡± bai wutong nodded gently. ¡°yes, this is yuanyuan. he¡¯s much calmer than his sister. he doesn¡¯t cry or make a fuss usually. he¡¯s the easiest to take care of.¡± ¡°mother can hug him.¡± noble consort ling looked happy and carefully carried yuanyuan. yuanyuan¡¯s eyes widened as he lay in her arms. his bright gaze was a little arrogant. he looked exactly the same as chu tianbao when he was young. noble consort ling lowered her voice kindly. ¡°yuanyuan, i¡¯m your grandmother. you¡¯re so cute.¡± her heart was about to melt for him. at this moment, all the years of pain seemed to have turned into smoke. unexpectedly, yuanyuan did not close his eyes impatiently and looked like an obedient child. bai wutong was extremely relieved. it was unknown if it was because her brother was being carried away that she felt uneasy, or if she had been ignored by everyone and wanted to attract attention. tuantuan suddenly howled. her cute little voice sounded as if she had eaten something cute. chu tianbao took yuanyuan over. noble consort ling gently picked tuantuan up and coaxed her gently, ¡°tuantuan, don¡¯t cry. grandmother is here. our tuantuan is really beautiful.¡± hearing the praise, the little girl seemed to be satisfied. she suddenly stopped howling and even smiled at noble consort ling. noble consort ling¡¯s chest was overflowing with sweetness. she coaxed tuantuan even more skillfully. ¡°our tuantuan is as beautiful as mother and also intelligent.¡± afraid that she would neglect yuanyuan, she added, ¡°brother yuanyuan will definitely become strong in the future. just like your father, you will be skilled in martial arts and will protect tuantuan.¡± yuanyuan opened his eyes lazily and glanced at his sister, who was smiling foolishly beside him, before looking away casually. he was cold and arrogant, but it was obvious that he still cared about tuantuan. bai wutong¡¯s eyes darkened. yuanyuan seemed to really be different from ordinary children. however, there was no lack of babies with extremely high iq in this world. perhaps yuanyuan was also one of them. the children were still young and did not have enough energy. they were tired after a while. noble consort ling gently put down yuanyuan and followed bai wutong and chu tianbao to the hall. the hall had transparent floor-to-ceiling windows that were countless times larger than the bathroom. the view was wide and bright, and she could see the scenery outside, but bai wutong would not catch any wind. the soft sofa looked very comfortable. noble consort ling sat down with them, and a servant brought over an exquisite cake. chu tianbao said, ¡°my wife and i made this cake ourselves this morning. mother, try it.¡± noble consort ling was about to praise the snacks when she heard that they were personally made by chu tianbao and bai wutong. her smile became brighter. ¡°thank you. it looks delicious.¡± bai wutong cut the cake. even though the cake did not seem large, there were many layers of fruits in between. the soft cake was paired with fresh fruit cream that was sweet and delicious. coupled with a cup of yogurt, it was a delicacy that noble consort ling had never eaten before. she looked stunned. bai wutong patiently introduced the fruits on the cake, the ingredients, and the craftsmanship. chu tianbao spoke from time to time, and everyone got along very well. after returning to her room, bai wutong suggested to chu tianbao, ¡°mother is still very young. after wasting so many years, it¡¯s time for her to have her own life.¡± ¡°there¡¯s no baby item store in carefree city yet. you¡¯ve seen the clothes that mother made for tuantuan and yuanyuan. they¡¯re especially beautiful and exquisite. if mother has such plans, even if she opens a shop, it won¡¯t affect her getting along with tuantuan and yuanyuan when she gets home.¡± although noble consort ling was young, there was always a tired look in her eyes. bai wutong hoped that she could pull herself together and live brightly like the sun. chu tianbao agreed with bai wutong¡¯s suggestion and kissed her forehead. ¡°thanks for the kind thought.¡± his gentle words had a hint of nostalgia and tenderness. his eyes were filled with love. bai wutong kissed him back. ¡°that¡¯s our mother, it¡¯s my duty.¡± bai wutong found the right time to ask noble consort ling for her opinion. ¡°mother, the little hat you made for tuantuan, yuanyuan, and stinky is especially beautiful. many people have asked who made it and want to buy one. mother, do you have any thoughts about opening an exclusive store for mothers and children?¡± noble consort ling was stunned. after a while, she understood what the exclusive store meant. she said humbly with a red face, ¡°it¡¯s tuantuan and the others who are cute. many of them knit better than me.¡± bai wutong smiled and said, ¡°mother, you don¡¯t have to belittle yourself. the people of carefree city have to work usually and don¡¯t have much time to make clothes for their children. the clothes you made are so beautiful and comfortable. there will definitely be many people patronizing them.¡± ¡°moreover, we can also sell pregnancy clothes, breastfeeding clothes, pregnant women¡¯s pillows, pregnant women¡¯s skincare lotions, and so on in the maternity shop. we can also sell baby bottles, milk powder, talcum powder for stopping itchiness, baby toys, toiletries, carts, and so on in the maternity shop.¡± ¡°previously, when i was pregnant, i sighed at how troublesome it was for women to give birth. how good would it be if it was an integrated mother and child shop that could prepare everything?¡± ¡°if mother wants to try, she will definitely be able to resolve the worries of tens of thousands of pregnant women..¡± Chapter 481 - Chapter 481: Where Is Your Highness? chapter 481: where is your highness? translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios before noble consort ling gave birth to chu tianbao, she had also spent a long time preparing the delivery kit. after the child was born, she had eczema and jaundice. it even frightened her. she had been in carefree city for a few days and knew that women in carefree city were the same as men. they could go out to work. it was difficult to begin with if a woman was pregnant. if she still had to care about her work, she indeed did not have the energy to carefully prepare those complicated things. if there were cheap and convenient mother and child products, as bai wutong had said, they would definitely be very popular. before noble consort ling was cooped up in the backyard, she was also a wife in charge of the family. she had also managed several businesses. but after so many years, her edges had been blunted. noble consort ling said weakly, ¡°i only know how to make some clothes. i¡¯m afraid i won¡¯t be able to manage the business well.¡± bai wutong immediately said, ¡°mother, there¡¯s no hurry. you can learn from the others first and understand the preparations for opening a shop before confirming the direction you want to take. those were all my suggestions just now. you can also sell baby clothes alone. it¡¯s not as complicated as opening an exclusive store for mothers and children. no matter what you want to do, chu tianbao and i will support you.¡± tuantuan and yuanyuan were personally taken care of by chu tianbao and bai wutong. noble consort ling had a lot of free time in the residence. occasionally, when she saw women rushing to work, she would reveal a trace of melancholy. bai wutong was just being sincere. noble consort ling couldn¡¯t bear to refuse and mustered her courage to accept it. ¡°alright, i¡¯ll learn it first.¡± bai wutong smiled. as long as noble consort ling took the first step, she would definitely be able to be regain her life. before opening the shop, she had to learn the business regulations of carefree city. she also had to understand the market and target the products. bai wutong had trained many managers under her. chen yao was in her early thirties. previously, she could not read a word, but with her unyielding attitude and resilience, she learnt all the characters and mastered all kinds of basic arithmetic and store management methods. she also used her intelligence to achieve top-notch results. she became the manager of a female products shop in one go and managed dozens of people. bai wutong felt that she was the most suitable person to guide noble consort ling and arranged for her to learn from her and understand how a female products shop operated. since she had decided to do it, she had to do it well! noble consort ling was not hesitant at all. the next day, she became chen yao¡¯s assistant. noble consort ling¡¯s identity had never been published in the newspapers, and only a small number of people had seen her appearance. as soon as she arrived at the shop, everyone was dazzled by her astonishing beauty. in their minds, they could not help but think of the word that the great scholars usually muttered ¨C dazzling! everyone could not help but be puzzled. ¡°you are?¡± noble consort ling pointed. she was wearing the same clothes as them and said with a smile, ¡°i¡¯m the new assistant store manager.¡± as soon as she said that, tian chunli, who had dreamed of becoming the store manager¡¯s assistant, immediately turned hostile. she turned around fiercely and placed the goods especially down loudly. the others rolled their eyes at tian chunli and surrounded noble consort ling to ask enthusiastically, ¡°you¡¯re so beautiful. why have we never seen you in carefree city?¡± ¡°aiyo, your skin is so fair.¡± after saying that, she even touched her hand. ¡°it¡¯s like tender tofu!¡± ¡°your family must be very well-off. why are you thinking of coming out to work?¡± as soon as the woman finished speaking, the other women gestured for her to stop. noble consort ling might be a concubine chased out by some family¡¯s madam. wouldn¡¯t asking her this be putting her at a spot? noble consort ling did not know that they would think that way. she replied gently, ¡°it¡¯s a blessing to be able to come out to work.¡± she could take control of her life and have freedom without fear of being locked in a cage again. the women did not know what she meant. they only felt that noble consort ling¡¯s aura was extraordinary. she was like a virtuous young lady from a wealthy family, making people pity her and not dare to say anything harsh. only tian chunli said sarcastically, ¡°pretentious!¡± she looked so weak, yet she could even be the store manager¡¯s assistant. it must be all thanks to her relationship with men. everyone told noble consort ling to ignore her and arranged for her to wipe the glass at the side first and that manager chen would be here in a while. when chen yao knew that noble consort ling was going to be her assistant, she was even more shocked than when she had become the store manager. she rushed to the shop. unexpectedly, she was hit by a bicycle on the way. after being stopped and forcefully sent to the doctor, they were delayed for a while and arrived at the shop a little later than noble consort ling. as soon as she entered the shop, she searched everywhere for noble consort ling. however, as soon as she found her, she saw tian chunli carrying a pile of goods and ordering noble consort ling to place it at the highest point of the counter. noble consort ling was about to accept it good-naturedly when chen yao hurriedly walked over and snatched it away. she suddenly stuffed it back into tian chunk¡¯s arms. ¡°do your own job. why are you instructing others!¡± tian chunli was angry but did not dare to say anything. she glared at noble consort ling. chen yao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. afraid that tian chunli would cause trouble and implicate her, she introduced to everyone, ¡°madam you will be learning and observing in our shop for a period of time. don¡¯t treat her badly.¡± madam you? and not to treat her badly. how was this an assistant? it was clearly a master to serve! moreover, who would be so bold as to pull strings and stuff someone in to fool around? just as everyone was looking at each other and making wild guesses, a woman who had come to the shop to buy an umbrella complained, ¡°why have there been more soldiers on the street?¡± in the next second, she touched the umbrella. the moment she saw noble consort ling, she was stunned on the spot. ¡°your highness, your highness¡­¡± as she did not know what to call her, she stopped when she called out ¡°your highness¡±. the shop assistants were stunned. ¡°your highness? where is your highness?¡± their carefree kingdom only had one duke, which was the great empress¡¯s husband. chen yao suddenly said, ¡°call her madam you!¡± only then did the woman bow to noble consort ling as if a burden had been lifted from her shoulders. ¡°greetings, madam you!¡± noble consort ling knew that she would definitely be recognized and accepted it calmly. ¡°there¡¯s no need to be so polite.¡± your highness, madam you, greetings! wasn¡¯t it rumored a few days ago that chu tianbao¡¯s biological mother had been brought to carefree city? was¡­ was that the person in front of them? before the shop assistants could react, they were already dumbfounded. they hurriedly bowed to noble consort ling and expressed that they shouldn¡¯t have instructed her to wipe the glass just now. tian chunli, who had thrown countless cold faces at noble consort ling and was deliberately targeting her, could barely stand steadily. a few days ago, she had even mocked that unlucky fellow, wen caixiu, for offending the great empress¡¯ mother-in-law. in the end, retribution fell on her so quickly. she had been wronged. who knew that noble consort ling would not continue living like a noblewoman and would come to the shop to be a small assistant? she did not tell them her identity at the beginning. wasn¡¯t this on purpose! tian chunli looked at noble consort ling bitterly and forced a smile, hoping that noble consort ling would not stoop to her level. noble consort ling was used to all kinds of cold treatment in the chu royal family. tian chunli was not worthy of her anger. she was as gentle as before. ¡°there¡¯s no need to be reserved. please guide me well.¡± her gentle voice was like the spring breeze sounding, and everyone was instantly less nervous.. Chapter 482 - Chapter 482:I Love You chapter 482:i love you translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios chen yao managed a special store for women that sold many daily necessities that women often used. for example, they sold slippers, shopping bags, socks, gloves, thermal flasks, mirrors, stuffed toys, hats, scarves, cosmetics, pajamas, notepads, makeup, perfume, nail clippers, incense, hairbrushes, and other good things. all the products were purchased directly from the manufacturers. as soon as women entered the shop, they were greeted with all kinds of goods. the dazzling array of goods would arouse a strong desire to shop. bai wutong suggested that noble consort ling open a maternity product store in the same way. it would gather all the goods from the mother¡¯s pregnancy to the baby¡¯s delivery so that everyone could choose the items to buy. as the store manager, chen yao¡¯s main job was to replenish the stock in time and count the daily turnover. she would carry out different business activities according to the seasons and festivals and adjust the items on sale based on the demand. at the same time, she had to manage the conflicts and competition between the employees. noble consort ling could get someone to take care of these, but she had to learn them. chen yao taught noble consort ling very seriously. in less than a month, noble consort ling had even learned how to layout the shop, when to change the new season¡¯s goods, how to increase customers¡¯ initiative to spend, and so on. noble consort ling followed chen yao every day and went to various factories. she also learned how to speak to the factory manager¡¯s workers. she meticulously organized her notes and quickly determined the direction for the shop she was opening. she wanted to hand over her design to the female workers in the workshop to make and put the products up for sale in the shop. this would prevent her from being distracted by the work at the workshop. however, when she took the blueprint to the workshop, the factory manager quickly pointed out many things that did not meet the requirements. the factory could not do the crocheting technique. even if it was made into a printing style, her design blueprint was not up to standard. as the blueprint did not meet the standards, the female workers could not make the exact same dimensions of baby clothes. noble consort ling compared the sample diagram that the factory manager had shown her. she had understood the differences, but she could not draw it. the factory manager said directly, ¡°if you don¡¯t want to hire someone to teach you, you can go to qinghe university to learn.¡± she could learn to draw clothes and make blueprints at qinghe technical college. however, with noble consort ling¡¯s status, it should be easy for her to enter qinghe university. if she wanted to enter qinghe university, noble consort ling did not want to get in through the back door. she had to participate in the examination and selection like her classmates before she could study there. noble consort ling did not know if she could pass the examination. she remembered that there was still a qinghe technical college, so she planned to ask qiu si about the situation first. the person-in-charge of qinghe technical college was originally cui lingyi, but she had too many things to deal with, so she promoted mr. liu to become the dean of qinghe technical college. mr. liu recognized noble consort ling. after greeting her, he invited her into the office. ¡°what can i do for you, madam?¡± noble consort ling said, ¡°sir, i want to learn how to make clothes. i wonder if i can do it too?¡± the qinghe technical college did not restrict one¡¯s age and education. as long as one paid enough and met the graduation criteria, they could arrange jobs and issue a graduation certificate. if noble consort ling wanted to learn, mr. liu naturally would agree. however, qinghe university also had a new fashion department. mr. liu said, ¡°madam, why don¡¯t you try to enter qinghe university? qinghe university has more rigorous curriculum for fashion design. after graduating from qinghe university, you can even obtain a certificate. if you pass the public service examination, you can also become a teacher of the school.¡± it was difficult to get into qinghe university. just graduating would take a long time. noble consort ling only wanted to learn how to make clothes for the time being. she thought for a while and signed up for the qinghe technical college¡¯s fashion design class first. if she wanted to enter qinghe university in the future, there was still time. since noble consort ling had signed up, mr. liu said happily. ¡°the outstanding graduates of our academy also have a chance to receive direct recommendation to qinghe university. good luck, madam.¡± noble consort ling smiled. ¡°thank you for your guidance, sir.¡± in order to open a maternity store, noble consort ling worked harder and harder, and the smile on her face deepened. every time bai wutong saw the radiant noble consort ling, she wondered if she could still be so young at her age. thinking that chu tianbao was almost ten years older than her, she suddenly pounced on him on the sofa. ¡°you¡¯ve been through a lot in the past few months!¡± chu tianbao raised his eyebrows. ¡°my wife despises me?¡± there was danger in his eyes, as if he would swallow her alive if she dared to admit it. bai wutong was not afraid at all. she pinched his cheek and leaned over to take a bite. ¡°do you think i despise you?¡± chu tianbao was a little satisfied and was about to hug bai wutong and take another bite. bai wutong stopped him obediently. ¡°be good and don¡¯t move.¡± her bright eyes hooked onto chu tianbao¡¯s soul. even when she walked into the bathroom, chu tianbao¡¯s gaze did not leave her. as soon as bai wutong got the things on the cabinet, chu tianbao suddenly barged in. he was so silent that bai wutong almost pulled out her sword. bai wutong glared at him. ¡°didn¡¯t i tell you to stay obediently?¡± chu tianbao was like a big wolf dog. ¡°1 miss you.¡± his straight gaze kept hinting at her to give him some benefits. bai wutong was caught between laughter and tears. ¡°chu tianbao, how old are you this year?¡± chu tianbao said without hesitation, ¡°one year old!¡± realizing that his gaze was on her chest, bai wutong remembered how thick-skinned he was. she gave him a hard knock on the head and quickly distanced herself from him. she ordered him to lie on the bed. chu tianbao¡¯s gaze deepened and became even stranger. bai wutong smiled like a blooming sunflower. she opened the jar and wiped his face. there was a cold touch and a salty smell. chu tianbao looked at the bridge of his nose. it was something like cement. bai wutong saw his confusion and the disappointment that flashed past. she sat on him. ¡°this is a salt mud mask. you have to take good care of yourself.¡± chu tianbao recalled the amazement in bai wutong¡¯s eyes when she first saw him. he suddenly became nervous and asked in a deep voice, ¡°what if someone is better-looking than me?¡± bai wutong was stunned by his train of thought. she was just asking him to take care of himself, but she actually suspected that she was just coveting his beauty. bai wutong leaned down angrily. ¡°how can you be so lacking in confidence!¡± chu tianbao¡¯s pupils dilated, as if he had been greatly stimulated. the rhythm in his heart was almost comparable to a bumper car. as soon as bai wutong finished speaking, she felt that she had been infected by chu tianbao and was becoming more and more cheesy. when she met chu tianbao¡¯s expectant gaze, she felt that she could be even cheesier. ¡°i love you.¡± the only person she¡¯d ever loved in either her previous life or this one. the air froze for a moment, and then in an instant, it emitted strong hormones. chu tianbao bit bai wutong¡¯s face full of sea mud, and his mouth was salty.. Chapter 483 - Chapter 483: Scheming Dog chapter 483: scheming dog translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios she sat up and pinched chu tianbao hard. she took out a small mirror from the drawer and looked at herself. forget it, he had saved money. his face was a mess after applying the mask. chu tianbao pulled her to lie down. bai wutong estimated that it would be a while before she could wash her face mask, so she lay in his arms. she took out her cell phone from her space and chose a comedy show. she turned down the volume. ¡°i didn¡¯t have time to watch it in the past. now, someone is finally watching it with me.¡± this was not the first time chu tianbao had seen a cell phone. last time, bai wutong had even secretly taken photos of him sleeping with her phone. he had caught her on the spot and taken revenge on her. however, this was the first time he had seen a movie. he curiously watched bai wutong operate it. as the screen of the phone kept changing, it was as if he could see the tip of the iceberg of that world. he looked at bai wutong¡¯s lowered eyes and felt extremely glad. there was nothing left in that world that his wife wanted to return to. bai wutong had chosen an ancient comedy. chu tianbao felt very immersed in it and even asked her, ¡°is tang bohu really painting with a human body?¡± seeing his serious expression, bai wutong also replied seriously, ¡°it¡¯s just to make it humorous. you don¡¯t have to take it seriously.¡± chu tianbao nodded obediently and asked, ¡°what about the beautiful fist?¡± chu tianbao had almost dismantled the bed when he saw the battle just now. bai wutong explained, ¡°it¡¯s all special effects. none of them are more powerful than you.¡± chu tianbao transformed into a person who had hundred thousand questions. ¡°what are special effects?¡± ¡°the special effect is a computer-generated dazzling light. it looks powerful, but it¡¯s all fake.¡± ¡°then your qinggong is also a special effect?¡± chu tianbao asked again. bai wutong smiled and said, ¡°yes, actually, there¡¯s a rope hanging behind every actor. the production team uses the rope to control it and ensure the safety of the actors. finally, they use the computer to do the processing. after removing the rope, this effect will be created.¡± chu tianbao exclaimed, ¡°how magical.¡± bai wutong glanced at him. ¡°this is nothing. there¡¯s still movies that can create a virtual scene and control the simulator to act directly.¡± ¡°but it¡¯s too advanced. i¡¯ll show you next time.¡± chu tianbao showed strong interest. ¡°is the next time tomorrow?¡± bai wutong chuckled. ¡°it depends on your performance.¡± chu tian¡¯an immediately approached her ear as if he was seducing her. ¡°wife, let me massage you?¡± bai wutong grabbed his wandering hand and pulled him up from the bed. ¡°alright, you should have washed your face long ago.¡± chu tianbao looked regretful and stood up obediently. in the next second, she was caught off guard and he picked her up. ¡°i¡¯ll carry my wife.¡± bai wutong chuckled. ¡°you¡¯ve worked hard enough.¡± tuantuan and yuanyuan had reached 100 days of age. under the strong suggestion of the officials, they held a lively loo-day-old banquet. cui shize was too particular about this aspect. after a complicated set of etiquette to follow, the children were fine, but bai wutong and chu tianbao were exhausted. bai wutong decisively cut back on her schedule, leaving only the three main events: blessing, drawing lots, and the banquet. even so, cui shize meticulously invited all the tribal leaders of the carefree kingdom. the jimei tribe that luosang was in was second only to the heavenly wolf army. after chu tianbao effortlessly killed the heavenly wolf army, luosang¡¯s father cowered. even if bai wutong, a woman, dominated the entire southern frontier, he did not dare to act rashly. luosang couldn¡¯t stand her father being so cowardly, so she snatched the position of tribal chief. he wanted to attack carefree city, but before he could approach, he was surrounded. seeing that he could not win, and luosang was also a man who could adapt well, he immediately brought his clansmen to express their submission. in the future, he would definitely be loyal to the great empress. there were not many people in the southern frontier. if they could not kill them, it was naturally good to make them submit. bai wutong summoned luosang and sent someone to follow him back to plan the future development of the local residents. luosang thought that a woman who could become the great empress must be a fierce and cruel person who would not even look at men. unexpectedly, bai wutong, who did not seem pregnant, was actually a beautiful and moving flower that could arouse a man¡¯s desire to protect her at a glance. luosang was in a daze when looking at her, causing qingfeng to almost cut off his head. the sharp blade cut through his flesh and blood flowed. the beautiful great empress did not even blink. her slightly cold gaze was as bone-chilling as an icicle. it turned out that she was not a delicate flower, but a thorny flower from hell. she was dangerous and filled with a soul-stirring charm. at that moment, luosang experienced the feeling of being moved. he knelt down obediently and hid his determined gaze. when he returned to the tribe, he shouted excitedly at his father, ¡°as long as we conquer that woman, the southern frontier will still be ours.¡± luosang¡¯s father suddenly poured cold water on him. ¡°her husband killed feng xun. you can¡¯t even defeat feng xun, yet you still want to take her down. you should give yourself to her to play with!¡± luosang paused for a moment before saying,¡±¡­ it¡¯s not impossible for her to play with me.¡± luosang¡¯s father was speechless. he hit him with the club and said, ¡°stop it. this woman will kill you sooner or later.¡± luosang raised his head, which had been knocked by his father. ¡°she¡¯s already the great empress. isn¡¯t it normal to have a few more men? if she gives birth to a child for me and inherits the throne, it¡¯ll still be my credit!¡± luosang¡¯s father said, ¡°dream on!¡± luosang said, ¡°father, why are you so cowardly?¡± luosang¡¯s father said, ¡°if you¡¯re not cowardly, why are you being escorted back? if you¡¯re not afraid, why aren¡¯t you dominating the southern frontier now?¡± luosang was speechless. his heart ached and he suddenly felt like killing his biological father. although he had been dealt a blow by his father, luosang believed that one day, with his extraordinary aura, he would definitely be able to take down bai wutong. during tuantuan and yuanyuan¡¯s loo-day-old banquet, luosang finally had a chance to meet the great empress. from the moment she entered the hall, luosang¡¯s starry eyes had never left bai wutong. chu tianbao¡¯s murderous gaze swept over, but he was automatically ignored by this idiot. chu tianbao was filled with so much jealousy that even bai wutong could sense it. afraid that he would draw his knife and slash someone in public, bai wutong glanced at him as a form of signal. chu tianbao actually glared at her, as if he was accusing bai wutong of provoking a rotten suitor. bai wutong was caught between laughter and tears and couldn¡¯t help but want to laugh. suddenly, chu tianbao¡¯s hand felt warm. he lowered his head and glanced. at some point, bai wutong¡¯s hand had quietly reached out of the robe and held him tightly. their fingers were intertwined. they stood at the highest point, so their every move naturally could not escape everyone¡¯s eyes. however, everyone pretended not to see it so that they would not have to watch them be lovey-dovey. only luosang met chu tianbao¡¯s gaze and gritted his teeth in anger. what a scheming dog, wasn¡¯t he just a little more handsome, fairer, and better at martial arts than him? what was there to be proud of? Chapter 484 - Chapter 484: Delusional To Dream of Becoming the Great Empress’ Father-in-law chapter 484: delusional to dream of becoming the great empress¡¯ father-in-law translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios the blessing ceremony officially began. after a long string of fancy performances. tuantuan and yuanyuan were carried up by qingfeng and noble consort ling and sent into the arms of bai wutong and chu tianbao. surprisingly, the two little fellows cooperated without crying or making a fuss. tuantuan reached out to grab the tassel on bai wutong¡¯s crown and grabbed it. then, she let out a long string of childish voices. the officials knelt down in unison. ¡°congratulations to the eldest prince and princess!¡± at this point, the highlight of the loo-day-old banquet was over. they drew lots indoors. afraid that the children would be scared, the crowd was scattered. the big round table was filled with many things. there were a miniature jade seal, jade pen, golden abacus, sutra, sword, steamed bun¡­ the chubby tuantuan and yuanyuan were carried by bai wutong and chu tianbao respectively. tuantuan was more curious and had a lively personality. seeing the things on the table, she reached out with her small hand, looking like she wanted to grab everything. yuanyuan was completely different. he glanced around coldly and finally stopped at the sword made by chu tianbao. tuantuan was more anxious, so bai wutong hugged her and let her grab it first. everyone widened their eyes in anticipation, not knowing what the little princess would grab. tuantuan was quite fast. she grabbed the jade seal in one go. everyone was stunned. in the next second, tuantuan happened to throw the jade seal into her brother¡¯s arms. she turned around and grabbed the big sword that yuanyuan was about to grab. yuanyuan was a little speechless. he wanted to grab the jade seal and throw it away, but everyone cheered even louder, as if he had ascended the throne that day. yuanyuan glanced at his sister, who was waving the sword foolishly, and secretly rolled his eyes. his expression was captured by bai wutong again. when yuanyuan met bai wutong¡¯s gaze, her eyes almost popped out. but then, bai wutong smiled gently at him. it was as if she was telling him that no matter who he had been, he was only her child. yuanyuan was stunned. the moment the jade seal fell to the ground, chu tianbao quickly grabbed it. bai wutong¡¯s smile that saw through everything seemed to be his imagination. after the lot-drawing banquet ended, the children finished their day¡¯s schedule and it was time for them to drink milk and sleep. bai wutong and chu tianbao still had to meet the tribal leaders of the various tribes with the ministers and accept the tributes. regardless of tribe size, there were a total of 38 tribes. in order of the number of people in the tribe, the luosang tribe was the first. this time, his father had come along. it was to prevent his silly son from picking up girls and causing trouble for himself. surprisingly, luosang looked at bai wutong obediently. his behavior was also honest and there was nothing wrong with it. bai wutong stole a glance at chu tianbao and saw a trace of regret in his eyes. she knew that his plan to throw him out after catching luosang¡¯s weakness was ruined. luosang¡¯s father looked gratified. his son had indeed grown up. he didn¡¯t have to worry anymore. as soon as the tribute ceremony was over, luosang rushed out. he stopped a servant and asked, ¡°who was the woman who carried the child out?¡± the servant recalled for a moment and said, ¡°commander qingfeng?¡± luosang took a deep breath. even qingfeng¡¯s name was so beautiful. he asked anxiously, ¡°where is she now?¡± the attendant said, ¡°the commander has to protect the great empress personally. she will only go home after the 100-day-old banquet for the little prince and the little princess is over.¡± luosang was shocked. she could actually protect the great empress? she looked so weak. bai wutong was too cruel! luosang hurriedly asked, ¡°where is her house?¡± he would wait now, until she returned. qingfeng¡¯s house was next door to the great empress¡¯s residence. many people knew about it. the servant felt that there was nothing wrong with revealing it to luosang. even if there was something wrong, luosang would be the one beaten up, so she told him the truth. women from the central plains liked to express themselves using indirect ways. luosang specially bought a pair of mandarin duck pouches, intending to confirm their relationship first before marrying her the next day. he waited and ate two roasted chickens along the way. it was dark when two figures could be vaguely seen under the light in front of the door. luosang rubbed his palms and hurriedly stood up. two figures gradually walked in, but it was not the woman he had been thinking about. he sat down on the steps again and took a sip of the strong wine to relieve his frustration. lin yue, who was sending qingfeng home, was extremely unhappy. ¡°why are you drinking at our house door?¡± luosang glanced at him and said, ¡°it¡¯s not your house. what are you shouting for? get lost!¡± lin yue exploded in anger. he held qingfeng¡¯s hand and declared his ownership. ¡°this is my fiancee¡¯s house. you should get lost!¡± luosang looked up and glanced at the valiant qingfeng. ¡°what woman? you¡¯re like a man.¡± lin yue pulled out his sword. as the sword light flashed, half of luosang¡¯s beard fell off. half of his beard had fallen, and he had become less handsome! luosang was furious. he took out a small dagger and wanted to fight lin yue. in the next second, qingfeng kicked him fiercely and luosang was sent flying like lightning. lin yue placed his hands on his hips and shouted arrogantly, ¡°get lost!¡± luosang got up in exasperation. ¡°i¡¯m not leaving!¡± lin yue rolled up his sleeves and qingfeng held his wrist. ¡°let him be.¡± that day was the 100-day-old banquet of the eldest prince and the little princess. they should not cause any commotion. since qingfeng did not mind, lin yue could only let it go. lin yue was as angry as a pufferfish. his face was slightly red, and it was easy for him to catch a cold after sweating. qingfeng said, ¡°do you want to come to my house?¡± lin yue¡¯s eyes lit up and he nodded crazily. the two of them were about to enter the house when luosang suddenly realized something and asked loudly, ¡°are you qingfeng?¡± lin yue turned around unhappily. ¡°what are you shouting for? you¡¯re not allowed to call her that. this is my fiancee¡¯s name!¡± luosang completely realized the situation. ¡°you¡¯re qingfeng. then who was the woman who carried the child to the hall with you today?¡± as soon as he finished speaking, qingfeng narrowed her dangerous eyes. ¡°what do you want?¡± luosang puffed out his chest and said, ¡°1 like her. i want to marry her!¡± luosang already had more than a dozen women, but he still dared to covet noble consort ling. qingfeng sneered. ¡°you¡¯re courting death.¡± luosang was stunned. why did he not know what was good for him? none of these central plains people were easy to talk to. lin yue reacted for a long time and understood. this silly girl thought that qingfeng was noble consort ling. he came in the middle of the night to court her. he was quite delusional to dream of becoming the great empress¡¯ father-in-law. let¡¯s see if chu tianbao can beat him to death. qingfeng suddenly whistled and two men in black descended from the sky. she ordered, ¡°tie him up.¡± luosang said angrily, ¡°what right do you have to tie me up? is there any law here? is there any humanity?¡± after a long day, bai wutong and chu tianbao were about to rest when qingfeng returned. ¡°great empress, luosang has taken a fancy to madam you. he thinks that i¡¯m madam you and is blocking the door of my house. to prevent him from disturbing madam you, i¡¯ve already sent someone to tie him up..¡± Chapter 485 - Chapter 485: I’m Your Father! chapter 485: i¡¯m your father! translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios bai wutong exclaimed in her heart. every time, luosang would only trigger chu tianbao. chu tianbao clenched his fists, the veins on his forehead bulging. he was probably already thinking of killing someone. bai wutong hurriedly comforted him. ¡°it¡¯s normal for a a gentleman to pursue a graceful lady. however, luosang is too unreliable. let¡¯s deal with him first and reason with him, okay?¡± chu tianbao understood what bai wutong meant. if this guy still had other thoughts after hearing their warning, he would teach him another unforgettable lesson. luosang was thrown into the underground prison by the dark guards. there was no heating in the dark prison, and it was cold, as if it was specially for ghosts. he hugged the prison¡¯s iron pillar and shouted, ¡°someone! let me out! let me out!¡± ¡°is there any law? you central plains people are even more unreasonable than me! 1 didn¡¯t do anything, so why are you arresting me?! ahhh!!! i¡¯m going to shit and pee in your cell. i¡¯m going to stink you to death!¡± perhaps it was the threat that had worked, but the prison door suddenly opened and a beam of light shone in. luosang hurriedly shouted, ¡°bastard, come to me!¡± ¡°i¡¯m your father!¡± a familiar voice sounded, and a figure gradually walked in. luosang looked over and saw that it was really his father! luosang said excitedly, ¡°father, why are you here?¡± luosang¡¯s father looked at him, speechless. he thought that he had matured! in the end, in the blink of an eye, he had set his eyes on chu tianbao¡¯s mother. it was late at night, but the great empress asked him to pick his son up. he was so angry that he almost had a heart attack. luosang¡¯s father felt his hair stand on end. luosang hurriedly said, ¡°father, why are you standing there? let me out!¡± luosang¡¯s father sighed deeply. ¡°why should i let you out? you¡¯ll go back in sooner or later!¡± luosang was confused. ¡°why would i go in?¡± even now, he still felt so wronged. he had been locked up for no reason without doing anything. luosang¡¯s father was still hesitating. ¡°father, if you¡¯re a man, let me out first. i still have to seek justice from the great empress later. where did that woman get the right to lock me up casually?¡± luosang¡¯s father frowned even more. his chest was heaving up and down. it was obvious how much anger he had accumulated. ¡°father, do you know who that woman is? on the way, i¡¯ll get the great empress to marry her to me!¡± as soon as he finished speaking, luosang¡¯s father, who couldn¡¯t take it anymore, hit him with his club. ¡°idiot! idiot!¡± luosang was caught off guard and cried out in pain, ¡°father, are you crazy? why did you hit me!¡± luosang¡¯s father said with a trembling voice, ¡°can¡¯t you control the lower half of your body? do you know who she is? yet you are just charging forward!¡± luosang was confused by his scolding. ¡°father, it seems that you¡¯re really sick. if i knew, why would i ask the great empress!¡± luosang¡¯s father suddenly hit his head a few more times. ¡°idiot! that¡¯s the great empress¡¯s mother-in-law! if you dare to have any thoughts, you won¡¯t be far from becoming a eunuch!¡± the great empress¡¯ mother-in-law¡­ that would be¡­ chu tianbao¡¯s mother! recalling chu tianbao¡¯s cold gaze, luosang couldn¡¯t help but shiver. he asked in disbelief, ¡°are you sure it¡¯s not his sister?¡± luosang¡¯s father glared at him again. ¡°how can i give you the wrong information!¡± luosang refused to give up. ¡°isn¡¯t gu chilie locked up in jail? if chu tianbao is a little filial, shouldn¡¯t he find his mother a partner?¡± he looked like he thought that he was very suitable to be chu tianbao¡¯s father. luosang¡¯s father wished he could pry open his skull with a stick and see if it was filled with feces. if chu tianbao and the great empress agreed to it, would luosang be locked up in a cell? after all, he was his son. if this one died, the others would be even more stupid. luosang¡¯s father sighed and warned, ¡°the great empress has sent someone to inform us that harassing a woman will result in a maximum sentence of 50 years. you should experience the feeling of being imprisoned here in advance. when you figure it out and behave, i¡¯ll come and pick you up.¡± luosang glared at him. ¡°i really like her. how can you call it harassment?¡± ¡°your son is so outstanding. what if she likes me!¡± luosang¡¯s father was so angry that he almost laughed. ¡°look at you, you look like a toad. how can you expect others to like you?¡± ¡°¡­if i¡¯m a toad, aren¡¯t you an old toad?¡± luosang¡¯s father smiled and hit his stupid son a few more times. after venting his anger, he turned around coldly and put on the domineering glasses he had just bought. ¡°reform yourself well and strive to be a human.¡± luosang didn¡¯t expect him to really abandon him. he hurriedly shouted, ¡°father, come back. the tribe can¡¯t be without me!!!¡± luosang¡¯s father waved his hand without looking back. ¡°fortunately, i still have a few obedient grandsons. even if you don¡¯t come back, there will be people in the tribe who can manage it.¡± luosang panicked. there were so many fun and delicious food in carefree city. how could he waste his time here? ¡°father, i understand now and i regret it. let me out. there are women everywhere in the southern frontier. i definitely won¡¯t hang myself on one tree!!!¡± how could luosang¡¯s father not know his character? he would not give up until he hit the wall! only after suffering would one know what was good for them. ¡°this environment is not bad. behave well. i¡¯ll bring the crispy duck in to see you next time.¡± ¡°ahhh!!! father, can¡¯t we go out to eat!!!¡± all he had in response was the closing dungeon door. as winter came, the temperature plummeted. there was a heavy fog in the mountains that lasted for several days, and visibility plummeted. it was too dangerous to enter the mountains to pick herbs and hunt. even the locals could be in danger. bai wutong issued a mountain ban and an order to stop people from going to sea. unexpectedly, the fog lasted for a long time. a week had passed, but the fog still did not dissipate. the entire carefree city seemed to be in heaven. they could not go to sea or enter the mountains. the price of seafood and wild animals and herbs from the mountains naturally rose. the cow knee was a commonly used herb. it had the effect of expelling bruises, treating menstrual pain, strengthening the liver or kidneys, treat waist and knee soreness, headache, bloating, toothache, and so on. it can only be dug in winter when the stems and leaves wither. the demand for the pharmaceutical factory was huge. xia shui was an apprentice in the pharmacy. the last time he entered the mountain, he accidentally found a piece of cow knee. if he picked them all back, he would be able to make an unexpected windfall. this way, it would be less of a burden for his parents to support the three of them. he had originally planned to enter the mountain quietly alone. unexpectedly, he was discovered by his two younger brothers. seeing the basket and tools he was holding, they knew that he was going into the mountains to dig for herbs again. xia lin immediately said, ¡°brother, the imperial court said that we can¡¯t enter the mountain!¡± xia qing echoed, ¡°that¡¯s right. it¡¯s so foggy. you will get lost in the mountains!¡± xia shui gestured for them to speak softly. ¡°the herbs are at the edge of the mountain. i won¡¯t go in. i¡¯ll be back soon.¡± xia maomao frowned. ¡°but there are man-eating wild beasts in the mountains!¡± xia shui immediately said, ¡°if i don¡¯t go deep into the mountains, wild beasts won¡¯t come over.. besides, isn¡¯t xiaobai also a wolf? isn¡¯t the great empress still keeping him a dog?¡± Chapter 486 - Chapter 486: I’ll Give You An Additional Chicken Leg When You Come Back chapter 486: i¡¯ll give you an additional chicken leg when you come back translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios xia shui insisted that he would definitely be fine. xia lin and xia qing immediately pestered him and said, ¡°then we will come along too!¡± xia shui immediately pulled a long face. ¡°no, you can¡¯t go! study at home and prepare dinner before father and mother come back.¡± xia lin and xia qing looked at each other and agreed obediently on the surface. but after he left, they picked up the sack, and quietly followed. when xia shui discovered them, what was done was done. he would naturally ask them to stay and help. even in the city, it was foggy. xia shui did not notice xia lin and xia qing at all. after walking for about half an hour, the fog became heavier. he could vaguely see towering trees at the edge of the forest. xia shui was delighted. he was almost there. he quickened his pace and entered the forest. xia qing and xia lin quickly followed. when they entered the forest, the fog that filled the sky was like a ghost, entangling everywhere. in the blink of an eye, xia shui was gone. they could have gone back, but they were afraid that their brother was in danger, so they took a few steps in. ¡°brother, brother, brother¡ª!!!¡± they shouted, but the only response was frightened birds. xia lin said fearfully, ¡°let¡¯s go back and tell father and mother first!¡± xia qing nodded. ¡°yes, let¡¯s go back quickly.¡± they ran in the opposite direction for a long time, but they were still stuck in the forest. the vegetation was even thicker, and the visibility was getting lower because of the fog. xia lin couldn¡¯t help but guess fearfully, ¡°don¡¯t tell me we¡¯re lost?¡± xia qing¡¯s face turned pale as he shouted in panic, ¡°brother, father, mother!!!¡± the only response they got was a quiet echo. in an instant, the two children felt their blood run cold. they were terrified and panicked to the extreme. they ran through the forest like headless flies. when old master and madam xia returned home, it was pitch-black and quiet. they lit the oil lamp. the apartment was empty. old madam xia was puzzled. ¡°where did the children go to play?¡± old master xia frowned. ¡°it¡¯s already dark. they¡¯re not insensible children. i don¡¯t think they are playing.¡± old madam xia panicked. ¡°did something happen to them?¡± ¡°some time ago, the yan family killed someone and threw his corpse into the sea.¡± the more old madam xia thought about it, the more flustered she became. old master xia suppressed the uneasiness in his heart and comforted her. ¡°don¡¯t panic first. go ask the neighbors first. i¡¯ll ask the dormitory manager!¡± old madam xia and father xia acted separately. ¡°not long after lunch, i saw the three children go out one after another,¡± said the dormitory manager. since they had gone out, they would eventually come back. but it was already after dinnertime!!! old madam xia was so anxious that tears were about to fall. old master xia still had some rationality left. he asked the dormitory manager again, ¡°which direction did they go in? did they take anything out?¡± xia shui often sneaked into the mountains to dig for herbs. father xia suspected that they had entered the mountains together. the dormitory manager thought for a moment. ¡°the older one carried a basket on his back. i didn¡¯t see clearly for the younger two.¡± with that, he pointed in a direction for father xia. father xia¡¯s heart skipped a beat. he was 100% sure that the three little brats had entered the mountain. everyone in carefree city was forbidden to enter the mountain. it could be seen how dangerous it was to enter the mountain. old master xia went to look for them alone. the area was too wide and it was not easy to find them at all. he said to old madam xia, ¡°go find our relatives for help and prepare to enter the mountain. i¡¯ll go to the patrol camp to look for the officials.¡± ¡°okay, okay, okay.¡± not long after, the news of the three children¡¯s disappearance spread like a bolt of lightning cutting through the night in carefree city. wang qiong gathered some men and entered the mountain. every patrol team member was equipped with torches, flashlights, headlamps, and first-aid kits. if they found the child, they could immediately take care of him. it was noisy outside. huang zhong stood at the window on the second floor of his house. the flames that kept heading to the forest were like fireflies with a target. not long after, wang qiong raised his torch and arrived at the entrance of his villa, shouting, ¡°zhong¡¯er, zhong¡¯er, it¡¯s time to work!¡± huang zhong was stunned. why was there work for him in the middle of the night? as soon as he went to open the door, wang qiong said anxiously, ¡°three children have entered the mountain. hurry up and put on another set of clothes. come into the mountain with our patrol team to look for the children. your sense of smell is sharp. the earlier we find time, the less likelihood they are in danger.¡± huang zhong did not hesitate at all. he returned to his room, put on a coat, leather boots, and quickly set off with wang qiong. huang zhong stood at the edge of the forest, closed his eyes, and sniffed hard. the faint smell of the children instantly appeared in his mind. wang qiong asked nervously, ¡°how is it? can you determine the location?¡± huang zhong¡¯s expression was solemn. ¡°the children should have been separated. the smell is coming from different directions. the humidity in the forest is very strong. if we can¡¯t find them in time, the smell will gradually dissipate, making it even harder to find them.¡± ¡°i can bring you in a general direction.¡± he continued, ¡°uncle, you can look for xiaobai. its sense of smell is even more sensitive than mine. if the great empress knows about this, she will definitely agree to let xiaobai save people.¡± it was an emergency. wang qiong quickly nodded. ¡°okay.¡± bai wutong had long received the news. when wang qiong arrived, xiaobai was already sitting obediently and waiting. bai wutong put on its handsome work clothes and grabbed one of its big claws. ¡°xiaobai, you can do it. i¡¯ll give you an additional drumstick when you come back.¡± xiaobai¡¯s eyes lit up. he extended his other paw and bargained for two. bai wutong chuckled. ¡°glutton. alright, two then!¡± the addition of drumsticks instantly attracted the playful spring, summer, autumn, and winter. their furry heads kept rubbing against bai wutong, expressing strongly that they also wanted to eat the drumstick and go on missions with xiaobai. they were still too young and wild. they would not listen to instructions at all. bai wutong did not let them go. xiaobai moved very quickly in the forest. when the patrol team was struggling to keep up, it would slow down and wait for them. the forest was dark. fortunately, some genius had invented fluorescent clothes, so they could see xiaobai¡¯s location clearly in the dark environment. otherwise, they would be the ones who would get lost in minutes. after a while, xiaobai suddenly howled and ran in a direction. everyone hurriedly caught up. it had been a long time since xia shui had stepped into a trap and was hanging from a tree. he was cold and hungry. from time to time, he heard the roars of wild beasts and was even more afraid. suddenly, a strange light shot towards him. xia shui shouted in shock, ¡°help! help!!!¡± he struggled with all his might. the beautiful, long howl of the wolf calmed him. xia shui mustered his courage and looked over. it was the great empress¡¯s beloved pet¡ªxiaobai! with it came the gradually approaching flames. xia shui shouted excitedly, ¡°i¡¯m here, i¡¯m here. help! help!!!¡± wang qiong was also very excited and quickly saved him. xia shui was saved and immediately asked, ¡°sir, where¡¯s my brother? they also followed me into the mountains. have they returned home?¡± since they could not contact huang zhong, wang qiong did not know the exact situation. ¡°we¡¯ve already sent someone to look for them. there will be news soon. don¡¯t worry.¡± if he had not insisted on entering the mountain, his younger brothers would not have followed him. xia shui was filled with regret. he hurriedly knelt on the ground and cried and kowtowed to xiaobai. ¡°lord wolf god, please help me find my younger brothers.. please!¡± Chapter 487 - Chapter 487: There’s no what if, it’s only death chapter 487: there¡¯s no what if, it¡¯s only death translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios if xiaobai could find him, he would definitely be able to find his two younger brothers. xia shui was afraid that if they were a second late, something would happen to his two younger brothers. if anything really happened, he would never forgive himself. he could only place his hopes on xiaobai. wang qiong helped him up. ¡°everyone is trying their best to find your brothers. we¡¯ll send someone to send you back first.¡± xia shui refused to go back, nor did he have the face to face his parents. unless he could go back with his younger brothers. he looked at xiaobai pitifully and begged again, ¡°lord wolf god, please bring me to find them.¡± xiaobai looked at him a few times and suddenly stood up and walked in a direction. they did not follow so he turned to look at xia shui, as if to say, ¡°what are you waiting for? do you still need me to wait for you?¡± xia shui¡¯s eyes lit up. he wiped his snot and tears and said in surprise, ¡°thank you, lord wolf god. thank you, lord wolf god!¡± this was the first time the patrolling guards had come into contact with xiaobai. they were stunned by xiaobai¡¯s intelligence. it was no wonder that the locals knelt down when they saw xiaobai. wasn¡¯t xiaobai the legendary lord wolf god who protected the people! xiaobai led them to a shortcut. after a while, wang qiong saw a series of flames. it was probably another wave of patrolmen. xia shui shouted excitedly, ¡°xia lin, xia qing, are you guys here?¡± after a while, two children shouted loudly, ¡°brother, brother, brother!!! we¡¯re here, we¡¯re here!!!¡± the moment xia shui felt relieved, tears welled up in his eyes. he bowed deeply to xiaobai, wang qiong, and the others. ¡°thank you, lord wolf god. thank you, lord.¡± the two groups of people met up. although the three brothers were in a sorry state, they had replenished their strength and were in good spirits. it was just that huang zhong was more unlucky. he stepped on the trap and injured his foot. he had thought that the night¡¯s mission was over. unexpectedly, when the children returned, a few more people went into the mountains to look for them. the forest was so big that it was easy to get lost even in the day. it was naturally easier in the middle of the night. old madam xia had just hugged the children happily for a while when she found out that the children¡¯s father and uncles had not returned. her eyes rolled back and she almost fainted on the spot. huang zhong¡¯s leg was injured, so they could only rely on xiaobai. the three xia brothers knelt down in unison to xiaobai and cried bitterly. ¡°lord wolf god, we¡¯ll treat you to roasted chicken. please help us find father and the others again!¡± xiaobai raised its head proudly and howled at wang qiong. wang qiong immediately said, ¡°follow, follow, follow quickly!¡± everyone immediately felt much more at ease. with xiaobai around, they would definitely be able to find them soon. when bai wutong heard the news, she shook her head secretly. she shouldn¡¯t have let people who were unfamiliar with the terrain and had poor sense of direction enter the mountain to look for the missing people. however, it was the first time. it was normal for them to not have any experience. however, if these people were all separated, not only would xiaobai be tired, but it would also delay the best time for the others to save the people. bai wutong looked at the other furry animals playing in the courtyard and said to chu tianbao, ¡°let¡¯s go too.¡± chu tianbao would definitely support what bai wutong wanted to do. ¡°okay.¡± spring, summer, autumn, and winter put on the same fluorescent uniform as xiaobai. xiaolv took a look and bai wutong picked up the uniform. it was very resistant, so bai wutong did not force it. after all, among these few wolves, only xiaolv was a pure wild wolf. it was already good enough that it did not bite when it lived in human society with xiaobai. bai wutong and chu tianbao led a group of wolves into the mountain. the commoners said excitedly, ¡°great empress, don¡¯t go. it¡¯s too dangerous in the forest.¡± bai wutong smiled. ¡°there are many of us. it¡¯s fine. we can¡¯t delay further. goodbye.¡± everyone looked left and right. they wanted to follow, but they were afraid that they would cause trouble for bai wutong and the others. they could only shout at their backs, ¡°bless you, great empress!!!¡± after entering the forest, the wolves ran all the way, but suddenly stopped and howled excitedly. when father xia and niu jun heard the terrifying wolf cries, they immediately had goosebumps. niu jun trembled. ¡°don¡¯t tell me we encountered a wolf pack!¡± old master xia trembled and said, ¡°that can¡¯t be. xiaobai is the boss of this place. no other wolves would approach.¡± ¡°but, but what if!¡± ¡°¡­¡± there¡¯s no what if, it¡¯s only death. ¡°howl¡ª¡± there was another long wolf howl. father xia said, ¡°ignore the wolves. let¡¯s climb the tree first.¡± niu jun was about to climb up when a pair of green eyes locked onto him. he was so frightened that he retreated under the tree. ¡°don¡¯t bite me. don¡¯t bite me. i still have a family at home.¡± he closed his eyes, but the bite he expected did not happen. niu jun slowly opened his eyes. father xia held a torch and illuminated a gray wolf in front of him. he made a bold guess. ¡°this is xiaolv, right!¡± ¡°xiaolv?¡± how could niu jun know the difference between xiaolv and a gray wolf? it was fine as long as it did not bite him. before he could let down his guard, a dozen flames appeared in the distance. father xia immediately said excitedly, ¡°it¡¯s really xiaolv. xiaolv must have brought them to look for us.¡± niu jun finally heaved a sigh of relief and said gratefully to xiaolv, ¡°wolf highness, please wear something next time, okay?¡± he was almost frightened to death. a group of people holding flames walked in. old master xia was so excited that he could not even speak. the great empress and the lord had actually come to look for them together! niu jun and father xia knelt down. ¡°i¡¯ve troubled the great empress.¡± bai wutong shook her head and said, ¡°let¡¯s go back first. your children have been found.¡± old master xia choked. ¡°thank you, great empress. thank you, prince. thank you, lord. thank you, xiaolv.¡± so many people had been thanked, but they were not. spring, summer, autumn, and winter looked up and expressed their dissatisfaction. ¡°howl, howl, howl-¡± bai wutong stroked their furry heads and chuckled. ¡°thank you too. i will add more drumsticks when we go back.¡± niu jun clicked his tongue. when the wolves were in the hands of the great empress, it was as obedient as a dog. after finding father xia and niu jun, bai wutong and chu tianbao found two more enthusiastic citizens who were alone. on the way, they even met xiaobai and wang qiong. they also found a few people. after counting the people, everyone heaved a sigh of relief. very good, there were no missing people left. when the news that bai wutong and chu tianbao had entered the mountain to help find someone spread, the commoners stopped sleeping and went to the entrance of the forest to wait. there were too many people. gou houxing had sent an army to manage the order at the last minute and had to prevent more people from running into the mountains again. when bai wutong and chu tianbao appeared with a group of furry people, the dense crowd of commoners at the edge of the forest stretched as far as the eye could see. when old madam xia saw that father xia and her younger sons were safe and sound, tears streamed down her face. she pulled the three children to kneel down. ¡°long live the great empress!¡± she was a true good empress for taking the safety of ordinary people to heart. if they were in trouble, the great empress would definitely not give up on them. the commoners felt the same way and knelt down in unison.. ¡°long live our emperor!!!¡± Chapter 488 - Chapter 488: It’s Too Dog-like chapter 488: it¡¯s too dog-like translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios bai wutong smiled. ¡°everyone has worked hard. let¡¯s go back. it¡¯s too late.¡± everyone was unwilling to disperse for a long time. helpless, bai wutong and chu tianbao could only lead the pack of wolves under everyone¡¯s eager and excited gazes. zhao erwa shouted, ¡°xiaobai, you¡¯re so handsome!!!¡± everyone shouted, ¡°xiaobai is especially handsome!¡± not to be outdone, niu jun shouted, ¡°xiaolv, you¡¯re so beautiful!!!¡± in order not to disappoint spring, summer, autumn, and winter, everyone shouted in unison, ¡°spring, summer, autumn, and winter are beautiful and handsome!!!¡± it was very similar to a scene where fans were supporting their idols. bai wutong looked at chu tianbao and smiled, as if saying her children were really outstanding. chu tianbao looked at xiaoba, who had a smug expression. he was outstanding, but he was too dog-like. when they returned home, xiaobai¡¯s smug expression was swept away. like a wild horse that had escaped its reins, it rushed out quickly and ran over like a tornado. it even had a huge rice bowl in its mouth. with a clang, the bowl fell to the ground, as if it was saying, ¡°hurry up and give me more food.¡± after it did this, spring, summer, autumn and winter also imitated. they held the rice bowl in their mouths and smashed it on the ground. xiaobai raised his head proudly. they also raised their heads in unison, their cute expressions spreading. in comparison, xiaolv was much more calm. like a trainer, she squatted in front of bai wutong. chu tianbao lectured xiaobai, ¡°it¡¯s rude to take the lead and drop the rice bowl like this. i¡¯ll take away a drumstick.¡± xiaobai was dumbfounded for a moment. in an instant, he looked askance like a husky, expressing his dissatisfaction. his claws were still holding onto the rice bowl, making a sound. chu tianbao picked up the rice bowl with a threatening expression on his face. xiaobai immediately complained to bai wutong aggrievedly. whoever looked at him with his watery blue eyes could not bear it. bai wutong stroked xiaobai¡¯s pitiful furry head like an old mother who had no bottom line. ¡°xiaobai made a great contribution today. what¡¯s wrong with an additional drumstick? then let¡¯s have another drumstick.¡± xiaobai nodded. realizing that something was wrong, he widened his eyes and condemned bai wutong. ¡®you don¡¯t love me anymore.¡¯ bai wutong was amused. in the end, she gave them two drumsticks as a reward. it was as if two drumsticks could only stuff between their teeth. xiaobai was not satisfied. it secretly looked at them as if it was planning to ask for a few more drumsticks next time. they had scoured around in the forest. they were dirty and their fur had become stuck together. bai wutong let them take a shower. when they came out, she fed them a basin of chicken. the next day, bai wutong and chu tianbao woke up. when they pulled open the curtains, they saw a large group of commoners gathered in front of the great empress¡¯ residence. some were bringing pigs, some were bringing sheep, and some were carrying a few chickens¡­ they were probably here to thank xiaobai¡¯s entire family. bai wutong asked qingfeng to bring xiaobai¡¯s entire family around. for the sake of xiaobai and the others¡¯ health, not only did she confiscate the commoners¡¯ things, but she also instructed the commoners not to feed them casually. xiaobai looked at the roasted chicken and drooled, but he could not eat it. when he returned, he tore down the house and the wolf¡¯s den. in the end, it rained and his entire family became drenched. xiaolv bit its skin and refused to let go. it was so painful that xiaobai could only run around. bai wutong carried tuantuan to look down, making tuantuan giggle. the cold yuanyuan extended his little finger and xiaobai suddenly floated in the air for a few seconds. in just a few seconds, xiaobai was running. bai wutong did not notice it. yuanyuan looked at his little hand in shock, wondering why his superpower could suddenly be used again. when it was late at night, he tried again, but the vase in the distance did not fall. this puzzled him. he tried again, and a small flame suddenly reached the curtain. yuanyuan was shocked. he glanced at his sleeping sister beside him and used all his strength, causing his face to turn red. the small flames were only extinguished by water afterwards. when granny wang entered the room, she smelled the burnt smell and was shocked. she looked around. as soon as she checked, she saw a hole in the curtain. there were traces of water being poured on the hole. there was no one in the room. it was really strange. granny wang quickly informed chu tianbao and bai wutong. bai wutong and chu tianbao also found it strange. there was no reason, and no one could sneak into the great empress¡¯ residence. why was there a hole burning at the top of the curtains in the nursery? it was impossible to say that the sunlight was too strong. it was already night. yuanyuan met bai wutong¡¯s worried expression and hid his little finger guiltily. unable to find out the reason, bai wutong and chu tianbao were a little afraid, so they changed yuanyuan and tuantuan¡¯s rooms. yuanyuan didn¡¯t dare to try his superpower anymore. xu fei¡¯e had come to the southern frontier with her husband. her husband had stayed in the jade mine in syria to mine. she did not have a job, so she followed the main group to carefree city. who would have thought that carefree city would have more jobs to choose from and the standard of living was better? even if she was just a fish drying worker in a food factory, she could still earn two taels of silver a month. the canteen even provided a meal for lunch. if she stayed in a four-person room and spent only the basic expenses, she could save at least one tael of silver a month. during the holidays, she could still receive gifts from the food factory. when she retired, she would still receive basic monthly allowance. this was a life she had never dreamed of. now, not only had it been realized, but every tael of silver stored in the bank could also be used to make money. thinking of the children at home, she hated herself for not gritting her teeth and bringing them over. the situation between carefree kingdom and ling kingdom was not good now. a war might break out at any time. it was unknown when their family would be reunited. putting aside the distant jobs, even the jobs nearby, xu fei¡¯e had asked several times so that her husband could transfer jobs, but the same answer was given. there was no position that required more manpower. if he wanted to come over, he could only resign and come back to look for work. if they had come over from the beginning, her strong husband would definitely have found a good job. but now, everyone was crazily thinking of getting the good jobs in carefree city. it was really not easy to find another suitable job. although the jade mine was a little tiring, the monthly salary was high. they could also learn all kinds of knowledge and skills about jade and go to the abandoned riverbed to find materials to sell for a lot of money. her husband did not really want to come over either. xu fei¡¯e could only ask people to pass him the items that only carefree city sold. she was looking forward to meeting as a couple at the end of the year. she found chen hong again. if he went to syria to transport oil, he could help her bring the things to her husband. unexpectedly, the price that they had agreed on previously doubled with a raise of chen hong¡¯s hand. he even said, ¡°there are so many people begging me to help bring things. sister, how can this amount be enough!¡± xu fei¡¯e already felt the pinch of one tael of silver. he actually asked for two taels of silver, and the items he needed to bring were not many. xu fei¡¯e said angrily, ¡°you¡¯re too untrustworthy.¡± chen hong looked up. ¡°sister, do you think i can live on credibility?¡± based on his attitude, xu fei¡¯e did not want to ask him to bring her along anymore. she turned around and looked for someone else. in the end, the prices were each higher than the other. he was deliberately helping chen hong bully xu fei¡¯e. xu fei¡¯e was furious. she carried the things and walked back. suddenly, a woman grabbed her wrist. ¡°fei¡¯e, i remember that your husband is in syria. there¡¯s a post office in front that specializes in sending things. if you need anything, you can ask..¡± Chapter 489 - Chapter 489: Why Have You Become Fatter? chapter 489: why have you become fatter? translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios xu fei¡¯e was extremely excited. ¡°is it expensive to send things?¡± her colleague said, ¡°i didn¡¯t go in to take a look either. go and ask. 1 think many people are sending things! if it¡¯s expensive, no one will go.¡± after thanking her colleague, xu fei¡¯e hurriedly rushed to the post office. at the entrance of the post office, the queue was a few hundred meters long. half of them were tribe people and half were central plainsmen. the tribe members wanted to mail things back and sell them locally. whereas, some other people were in a similar situation as xu fei¡¯e. how cheap must it be for the tribesmen to find the post office to transport the goods? xu fei¡¯e queued for a long time before it was finally her turn. there were several counters, each with a staff member. she handed over the package and said carefully, ¡°hello, i want to mail these things to the jade mine in syria. how much does it cost?¡± the young man picked up the package and weighed it in his hand. his expression was gentle. ¡°auntie, what are the things in your package? i have to open it and confirm.¡± xu fei¡¯e had only sent her husband some dried prawns, dried fish, mushroom sauce, chili sauce, paper towels, and other daily necessities. there was nothing that could not be seen. she nodded before the young man opened the package. after taking a closer look, he said to xu fei¡¯e, ¡°your mushroom sauce and water bottle are fragile items. we have to pack them up for you separately.¡± xu fei¡¯e hurriedly asked, ¡°do 1 still need to pay extra to pack it separately?¡± the young man nodded and calculated with his abacus. ¡°the packing fee is chargeable. the weight of these things is 10 catties. including the packing fee, it¡¯s a total of 80 coins when mailed to the jade mine in syria.¡± when xu fei¡¯e heard that the packing fee was chargeable, she was about to take the items and not mail them. in the end, the young man calculated seriously for a long time and it was only 80 coins. xu fei¡¯e could not help but widen her eyes. ¡°how long will it take for it to be delivered?¡± ¡®it¡¯s so cheap. it can¡¯t be half a century, right?¡¯ the young man looked at the timetable for the mail cart to set off. ¡°it¡¯s estimated to take 15 days at the earliest and 20 days at the latest.¡± when xu fei¡¯e asked chen hong to help deliver it, he said that it would take him a month to reach the southern frontier because he could not make the decision on the oil transportation cart. now, it only took half a month for the post office to send things, and the price was still so cheap. xu fei¡¯e nodded excitedly. ¡°where can i pay? i¡¯ll pay now.¡± the young man said, ¡°there¡¯s no hurry. please confirm the address and see if the types and quantity of items are correct. this way, your husband can confirm the receipt.¡± xu fei¡¯e had never thought that sending something could be so easy. in the past, those postmen in the ling kingdom would change the things inside, and there was still no way to reason with them. xu fei¡¯e blushed. ¡°i don¡¯t recognize some of the words.¡± the young man read it to her. after confirming it one by one, xu fei¡¯e heaved a sigh of relief. she was once again grateful for the good service attitude of the post office. fortunately, she did not fork out two taels of silver for chen hong to deliver the items. otherwise, she would have suffered a huge loss. with more money, she could do anything. she could even buy enough sanitary pads for her to use for a long time. luosang had been in prison for half a month. he went to the mountains to cut stones and mine in the coal mine. when luosang¡¯s father came to pick him up, not only had he become stronger, but he had also saved up half a tael of silver. he cried and wailed to luosang¡¯s father, ¡°the food inside is so disgusting. you can¡¯t buy roasted chicken even if you spend money. father, you¡¯re so ruthless.¡± luosang¡¯s father glanced at him and said, ¡°then why have you gained weight?¡± luosang glared at him. ¡°i¡¯m weak, not fat! let me out, i want to eat roasted chicken! barbecued meat, fruits, spicy hotpot, fish, cake¡­¡± his mind was filled with food. the reform was very successful. luosang¡¯s father picked him up and the two of them had a hotpot meal. luosang wolfed down the food like a tornado. he had spent a total of 20 taels on beef. he burped in satisfaction and heard luosang¡¯s father say that he was preparing to go back. as soon as luosang was released, he said, ¡°father, you can go back first. 1¡¯11 observe the methods of the central plains people. in a few years, i¡¯ll replace them and become the overlord of the southern frontier!¡± before he could say the word ¡°overlord¡±, he was knocked away by luosang¡¯s father. he glared at him and said, ¡°scram back with me!¡± luosang had no choice but to say, ¡°there are so many good things in carefree city. have we bought enough?¡± not only had luosang¡¯s father bought enough, he also couldn¡¯t store anymore in his carriage. he planned to transport a portion back first and send someone to transport it back. or perhaps he could find a team of horses in carefree city and help them transport it back. if they could reach a satisfying price, luosang¡¯s father felt that the second method was more suitable. luosang¡¯s father was about to ask someone when he heard from the next table, ¡°we¡¯ve sent so many mirrors back. can we sell them? what if they shatter along the way?¡± ¡°don¡¯t worry. i¡¯ve bought insurance. the post office made sure it¡¯ll be compensated if it breaks.¡± ¡°it¡¯s that good?¡± ¡°then let¡¯s buy more medicine and send it back? medicine is the most profitable. we don¡¯t have to worry about not being able to sell it.¡± ¡°there¡¯s a limit to the amount of medicine we can buy. we can¡¯t leave in large quantities. it¡¯s already not easy to send fragile items like mirrors and glass bottles. including the ones we carried ourselves, we can earn a lot of money. next time, we can directly buy them wholesale in the workshop and buy a villa to settle down in carefree city. awesome!¡± luosang¡¯s father interrupted curiously, ¡°brothers, what¡¯s a post office?¡± ¡°the post office is where the imperial court helps us send things. as long as it¡¯s not a contraband item, we can send it.¡± luosang asked curiously, ¡°what are the contraband items?¡± ¡°we¡¯re not too sure. military supplies for guns and ammunition, i think.¡± luosang¡¯s father asked again, ¡°what¡¯s the price?¡± ¡°the price depends on what you¡¯re sending. there¡¯s a corresponding price list. if you send more, the price is cheaper. you¡¯d better ask them yourself.¡± after the person finished speaking, he glanced at the sky and said, ¡°the post office is probably closed now. you can ask tomorrow.¡± after receiving this news, the next day, luosang¡¯s father and luosang appeared at the entrance of the post office. they had thought that they had arrived quite early. unexpectedly, everyone had arrived earlier than them. with such a long queue, luosang said, ¡°i¡¯m the tribe leader after all. the great empress will definitely give me face. let¡¯s go look for the great empress directly!¡± luosang¡¯s father said, ¡°if the great empress gives you face, why were you still in jail?¡± luosang was speechless. in the end, the father and son went to find sheng huaixuan. he was in charge of the economic overview of carefree city and was also in charge of supporting the economic development of the region. luosang and his son explained their intentions. sheng huaixuan wanted them to look for the person in charge of the post office, but he suddenly remembered that they had found gypsum in luosang¡¯s tribe region. gypsum was a medicinal herb that could be processed. it could bring glow and heat in buildings, art, ceramics, food additives, fertilizers, adhesives, medical plasterboard, and so on. carefree city was in a period of rapid development. there was a huge demand for gypsum, and the transportation of resources from various regions was also in high demand. there was a serious shortage of horses. sheng huaixuan smiled and looked at them. ¡°i was just about to look for you. 1 wonder if you have any thoughts about setting up a special transport team to expand the close connection between the tribe and carefree city.¡± for the time being, the post office could only take on the mailing needs of the commoners. a large amount of commercial transportation required a large number of transportation teams. the luosang tribe had many good horses and strong laborers. it was very suitable to establish a transportation team. if the various tribes followed suit, they would be able to solve the problem of insufficient transportation capacity in carefree city and promote economic development and cultural exchange in various areas.. Chapter 490 - Chapter 490: The Prison Food Is Not Tasty chapter 490: the prison food is not tasty translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios luosang rushed to ask, ¡°will establishing a transport team be of any benefit to our tribe?¡± if there were no benefits, who would do a losing deal just to help them transport? sheng huaixuan smiled and said, ¡°the imperial court has its own transport team. 1 am suggesting you to set up a transport team on your own because we want more high-quality goods and technology from carefree city to flow into your local area and allow your local products to quickly enter the market. the economies of the various regions will blend together. when your local area develops, everyone will have money on hand and can buy all kinds of goods. they won¡¯t have to worry about difficulties seeing a doctor. they will be able to afford to live in a good house like the southern frontier, drink from a clean water source, and use a convenient coal stove. the children will also be able to go to school.¡± ¡°without a professional transport team, we won¡¯t be able to enter or exit with all kinds of raw materials. everyone will hire private carriages and ox carts. the cost is huge. who would be willing to spend the effort to open a shop and build a factory in your local area to develop?¡± ¡°if you can¡¯t develop, everyone¡¯s living conditions will not be good. how can you send the children to school then?¡± ¡°if a tribal race doesn¡¯t have a powerful culture to support them, they will sooner or later be annihilated in the long river of history.¡± they were clearly talking about the transport team, but it suddenly involved the annihilation of a tribal race. luosang¡¯s father and luosang were frightened. they retorted softly, ¡°our tribe has existed for hundreds of years without going to school.¡± sheng huaixuan raised his eyebrows and smiled mysteriously. ¡°what about in the future? you should have seen the development of carefree city. the children are all very hardworking.¡± what he meant was that if luosang¡¯s people didn¡¯t go to school, even if the tribe still existed, it would gradually decline. luosang¡¯s father said, ¡°if we establish this transport team, can we let our people go to school?¡± sheng huaixuan said, ¡°the carefree kingdom treats everyone equally. as long as they want to go to school and meet the criteria, we will accept everyone.¡± cultural fusion was the best way to unite the people. sheng huaixuan continued, ¡°you don¡¯t have to be anxious. in areas where the population meets the standard, new elementary schools, middle schools, and technical colleges will be built. those with outstanding results will be directly promoted to qinghe university. you can be exempted from all tuition fees, but without a transport team, even building an academy and transporting materials will be troublesome.¡± after sheng huaixuan said so much, no matter how stupid luosang was, he understood that no matter what, the transportation hub between the tribe and carefree city had to be built. luosang asked, ¡°then how can we transport the goods? we can¡¯t transport them for free, right?¡± ¡°these horses and rations also cost money. our brothers¡¯ food and accommodation also cost money. the families¡¯ living expenses also cost money. won¡¯t there be any compensation if there¡¯s no one to accompany the women in the family?¡± at the end of his sentence, sheng huaixuan couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°how can there be no money given when establishing a transportation team? all the major merchants will want to transport goods to various areas to sell. you can help them transport the goods at a fee or import their products at a low price. then, you can return to the tribe to sell them. wouldn¡¯t that be all silver?¡± ¡°of course, your fees also need to be standardized and come with corresponding cargo guarantee. then, everyone will prioritise choosing your transport team for service.¡± luosang felt that it was a little troublesome, but luosang¡¯s father felt that it was not bad. this time, none of the things they bought were cheap. if they could buy them wholesale, they would definitely make a lot of money when they transported them back. luosang¡¯s father agreed immediately. ¡°we¡¯ll go back to the tribe and set up a transport team. when the time comes, i¡¯ll have to trouble lord sheng to help us contact the merchants.¡± sheng huaixuan smiled. ¡°there¡¯s no hurry. take a look first and establish the transportation requirements.¡± luosang¡¯s father and luosang took the translated version of the report. when they saw it, they were dumbfounded. ¡°you have to pay a pass fee?¡± ¡°taxes? what¡¯s this?¡± sheng huaixuan said, ¡°we¡¯ve invested a huge amount of manpower and resources in the construction of our road. there will also be road repairs in the future. the horse dung of the transport team also needs to be cleaned by professionals to ensure the safe transportation on the road. every convoy has to pay this passing fee.¡± luosang was displeased. ¡°can¡¯t i just choose not to travel on the road?¡± sheng huaixuan smiled and said, ¡°you can choose not to travel on the road. if you do, we will have to collect a passing fee.¡± it was much faster to travel on the road. compared to the time spent on other methods, luosang¡¯s father felt that the fee was quite reasonable. when he went to the central plains in the early years, the imperial court also collected tolls. the road was much better than those broken paths and it only cost this little money. luosang asked again, ¡°then why do we have to pay taxes to set up a transport team?¡± there had never been a tax on the southern frontier since ancient times. sheng huaixuan explained patiently, ¡°you¡¯re now a part of the carefree kingdom. be it the transport team, textile factories, mines, or barbecue shops, as long as your income reaches a certain amount, you¡¯re obligated to pay taxes.¡± luosang couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°what obligation? what benefits have you given us? we didn¡¯t earn much money, but we still have to give you money. previously in the yan kingdom, they always gave us money.¡± at that time, in order to show off the style of a big country, the yan kingdom sent money and things to the southern frontier every year. the southern frontier had also accumulated strength during that period of time. sheng huaixuan smiled and said, ¡°the imperial court protects everyone¡¯s lives and assets. the road you saw, the army, the academy, medical center, and so on need a large amount of silver. the people are paying taxes for their own benefit.¡± ¡°if you deny that you¡¯re a part of the carefree kingdom, we can expel you from this place now.¡± luosang grabbed sheng huaixuan¡¯s collar and gritted his teeth. ¡°i¡¯ve been here decades before you!¡± sheng huaixuan was not afraid at all. ¡°this is carefree kingdom. you¡¯re the tribe leader luosang. taxes are necessary and can¡¯t be avoided.¡± luosang gritted his teeth in anger. seeing that they were about to fight, luosang¡¯s father coughed and said, ¡°the prison food doesn¡¯t taste good.¡± luosang suddenly regained his rationality and let go of sheng huaixuan¡¯s collar. he said angrily, ¡°hmph, i won¡¯t be petty with you since the tax is less than io%.¡± sheng huaixuan tidied his clothes calmly. ¡°if the two of you have no other objections, 1¡¯11 get someone to discuss the operation method of the transport team with you.¡± luosang¡¯s father smiled and nodded. ¡°alright, thank you, lord sheng.¡± after coming out of sheng huaixuan¡¯s room, luosang cursed, ¡°tax? tax my ass. if i don¡¯t do the accounts, how can he find out?¡± luosang¡¯s father rolled his eyes at him and said, ¡°the tax rules in the central plains have been in place for thousands of years. if they really investigate us, you¡¯ll have to spend decades in jail. just report is as it is. the imperial court can expand the transportation team themselves, but they¡¯re already very kind to hand over this profitable business to us.¡± ¡°if our tribe can be as good as carefree city, it¡¯s worth it no matter how much taxes we pay.¡± luosang thought of the villa that was warm in the winter and cool in the summer. there was a medical center with superb medical skills, an institute that imparted knowledge and technology, all kinds of delicacies, strange but useful toilet bowls, toilet paper that they couldn¡¯t do without now, and water pipe circulation technology¡­ thinking about it, he felt that it wasn¡¯t impossible for the imperial court to help them develop the tribe into such a state.. Chapter 491 - Chapter 491: The Greenhouse Cultivation Is Too Amazing chapter 491: the greenhouse cultivation is too amazing translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios after madam zhao¡¯s chili sauce obtained good reviews in the market, she immediately went to apply for a private workshop. as soon as the workshop was built, zhao lanzhi helped her negotiate business everywhere. it was not even enough for madam zhao to sell 200 bottles of chili sauce a day. as soon as there were more orders, there was a problem. the price of chili in winter rose crazily. the chili that madam zhao and father zhao had bought in large quantities before autumn was completely insufficient for the workshop to process into sauce. the production of hundreds of bottles a day gradually decreased to 100 bottles, 50 bottles, 20 bottles, and finally not even a bottle could be produced. before madam zhao could expand her business, she stopped because of the lack of raw materials. it was not only their small workshop that could not buy chili, even the food factory did not have enough chili. many products that required chili as the raw material had to be stopped. they could only continue production after the chili was harvested next year. for people who liked to eat spicy food, not having chili was simply a suffering. especially when it came to eating dumplings, what was the point without chili oil? tian qi¡¯s family had planted 10 acres of chili. he dried them and planned to sell them to the restaurant later because their purchase price was more expensive than the factory. who would have thought that after half a month, the price of the chili had soared. when tian qi¡¯s wife was in a hurry to sell the chili, tian qi saw the opportunity and patiently waited for another half a month to bring the chili to the market to sell. unexpectedly, the chili was sold at a price more expensive than beef. the food shops of rich families that could not do without chili as ingredients were all fighting to buy his ¡°precious¡± chili. tian qi had made a killing. he could not stop smiling even in his dreams at night. apart from chili, fresh fruits and vegetables became rare in winter. even the price of green onions and ginger rose exponentially. families with ground heating planted green onions, lettuce, and so on at home. apart from eating themselves, they could also occasionally go to the market to sell for some silver. the canned fruits became a top-notch luxury delicacy in winter. bai wutong looked at the quarterly price report submitted by sheng huaixuan. ¡°the demand for vegetables and fruits is very high. the price is so high. we have to recalculate the total number of acres to be planted next year.¡± sheng huaixuan nodded. ¡°based on this year¡¯s needs, i¡¯ve summarized the estimated number of acres of food crops to be planted next year.¡± bai wutong flipped it open and exclaimed, ¡°it¡¯s a very detailed summary. however, if the greenhouse vegetables are promoted to the public, i reckon we might have to make adjustments.¡± sheng huaixuan was surprised. ¡°greenhouse vegetables? do you mean planting them indoors?¡± stinky had obtained a few strawberry seedlings from bai wutong and guarded the house every day. if indoor gardening was promoted to the commoners, the cost of the ground heating infrastructure alone would be immeasurable. there was no need to do this to achieve economic income. bai wutong smiled and said, ¡°it¡¯s indoor gardening, but not the kind you think.¡± sheng huaixuan couldn¡¯t imagine how it would be done. bai wutong smiled and said, ¡°come with us to take a look. you¡¯ll know after taking a look.¡± no matter how many explanations they could say, it was best to view it himself. sheng huaixuan followed bai wutong and chu tianbao into village chief zhao¡¯s experimental planting area. when village chief zhao saw them coming, he said excitedly, ¡°great empress, i was just about to report to you. you can harvest the persimmons planted in the greenhouse.¡± the last time bai wutong and chu tianbao came, it was still green. when they walked into the shed that was covered by straw, it was actually filled with a joyous red color. the plump persimmons looked extremely tempting. sheng huaixuan was extremely surprised to see the vegetables and fruits that could only be seen in the summer. he sized up the greenhouse in disbelief, really not understanding how they were grown. bai wutong squatted down and picked two small persimmons. she rubbed them and placed them beside chu tianbao¡¯s mouth. ¡°is it sweet?¡± this was the seed she had brought from the modern world. previously, she had planted them in youjia village and had only obtained such a large shed of persimmons after a year of cultivation in the southern frontier. many people had never seen such fruits. chu tianbao chewed and swallowed. ¡°it¡¯s sweet, juicy, and refreshing.¡± bai wutong put one in her mouth and commented, ¡°it¡¯s just the right amount of sweetness and sourness. it can be made into a pot of beautiful ketchup with french fries. it will be extremely delicious.¡± village chief zhao smiled and said, ¡°the persimmons planted in the greenhouse are indeed sweet.¡± sheng huaixuan ate three in a row before asking, ¡°how long will it take to harvest this greenhouse?¡± village chief zhao said, ¡°the growth period of persimmons is short. they can be harvested in four months. in total, we can plant three batches of persimmons a year in a greenhouse.¡± ¡°in the future, we can eat persimmons whenever we want.¡± sheng huaixuan was shocked. ¡°if we can plant three batches a year, can we also plant three batches of other fruits and vegetables a year? doesn¡¯t this greenhouse need to be rebuilt and replaced?¡± village chief zhao explained patiently, ¡°the temperature in the greenhouse can be adjusted at any time. each vegetable has a different growth cycle, so the number of times it can be planted will be different. however, ordinary vegetables can basically be guaranteed to grow at least two batches a year.¡± ¡°as long as the greenhouse is secure and the structure doesn¡¯t shatter or collapse, it can be reused.¡± knowing that sheng huaixuan would definitely ask about the cost, village chief zhao chuckled again. ¡°the materials and the technology to build the greenhouse were all taught to me by the great empress. i¡¯m not too sure either.¡± sheng huaixuan was not in a hurry to calculate the cost. he still wanted to see what other vegetables and fruits the greenhouse could grow. village chief zhao led them to another greenhouse. what greeted his eyes were all green strawberries. bai wutong said, ¡°stinky likes to eat strawberries. he must be very happy to see so many strawberries.¡± chu tianbao said, ¡°we can bring him here to pick as many as he wants.¡± they visited several more large sheds one after another. they planted melons, eggplants, cucumbers, peas, leeks, onions, and other crops. the crops in every greenhouse were growing extremely well. sheng huaixuan exclaimed, ¡°if the greenhouse technology can be promoted, the prices of vegetables and fruits in carefree city will be stabilized all year round.¡± at the end, he still asked about the cost of the greenhouse. bai wutong replied, ¡°because it¡¯s near the sea, the structure of the greenhouse can only be stabilized with reinforced concrete. if it¡¯s not built by the sea, the cost will be relatively low. the main cost will be the greenhouse frame and the shed membrane. the maintenance of temperature and structure, plus the investment of an acre of land will add up to about five taels of silver.¡± sheng huaixuan asked, ¡°how long can it last with five taels of silver?¡± bai wutong smiled and said, ¡°as long as the shed is not damaged, it can be used forever.¡± if one acre of strawberries could yield 3,000 catties, they could earn dozens of taels. if there were two batches a year, they could earn more than 100 taels. the investment cost was nothing compared to the earnings. sheng huaixuan said excitedly, ¡°the greenhouse cultivation is really amazing..¡± Chapter 492 - Chapter 492: Who Can Afford It? chapter 492: who can afford it? translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios village chief zhao and auntie yang gathered their farm workers and picked all the ripe fruits and vegetables in the greenhouse. after a simple tidying, they packed them into small portions. after a while, the three-wheeled convoy sent by sheng huaixuan arrived. everyone happily placed the fruits and vegetables in the car and sent them to the market one after another. after a while, the stall was filled with people. it was too surprising to see such fresh cucumbers, canola, eggplant, chili, persimmons, and strawberries in this season. the baskets of beautiful strawberries were like flowers blooming in the winter. zhang tiantian liked to eat strawberries. be it strawberry jam, strawberry biscuits, strawberry cake, or strawberry cheese, she could eat a lot in one go. little cat¡¯s birthday was coming up. she wanted to give him the best strawberry cake in the world. unexpectedly, when she went to cui muzhi¡¯s shop to customize the cake, she learned that he had even used up all the strawberry cans, let alone fresh strawberries. he asked her to customize other flavors of cake. however, she just wanted to give the best strawberry cake to little cat as a birthday gift. with a faint hope, zhang tiantian went to the market to look for strawberries. what if there was a family that planted strawberries at home? it would just be enough for her to make a strawberry cake. after walking for a long time, she did not even see a strawberry seedling. suddenly, xiaxue exclaimed, ¡°miss, look there, there!¡± ¡°what¡¯s that?¡± zhang tiantian looked in the direction of xiaxue¡¯s finger and her eyes widened. she said in surprise, ¡°strawberries, so many strawberries!¡± she rubbed her eyes again. ¡°am i dreaming?¡± xiaoxue smiled excitedly. ¡°no! miss, let¡¯s go over quickly. what if someone buys everything later?¡± zhang tiantian immediately rushed to the front of the stall and said to village chief zhao, ¡°uncle, give me ten baskets of strawberries.¡± ten baskets of strawberries were really a generous amount. village chief zhao said happily, ¡°sweet girl, the strawberries will spoil if you can¡¯t finish it.¡± zhang tiantian shook her head. ¡°it¡¯s okay. i have many family members. i can even make canned jam.¡± since she had said so, village chief zhao helped her pack them. ¡°it¡¯s a total of one tael of silver.¡± the people around them gasped. this was too expensive. one tael of silver was equivalent to their monthly salary, and it was only for ten baskets of strawberries. even strawberries could not be eaten as a meal! however, zhang tiantian shouted, ¡°uncle, you¡¯re selling it too cheaply. give me another 20 baskets!¡± ¡°my sisters, i¡¯ll give each one a basket and make some more jam and cans.¡± everyone gasped again. they wondered if zhang tiantian still lacked sisters. apart from strawberries, zhang tiantian bought a few baskets of small persimmons. seeing that there were many fresh vegetables here, she bought everything that her brother, parents and she liked. village chief zhao calculated the price. ¡°it¡¯s a total of six taels of silver.¡± xiaoxue took out the silver. village chief zhao returned the change and got someone to help them transport it back. some fruits and vegetables were sold for six taels in a short while. village chief zhao still had such a big stall. at the very least, it would be sold for dozens of taels of silver. with such a huge profit, everyone asked village chief zhao excitedly, ¡°how did you plant this? my house has ground heating, so i planted a few small strawberries. the fruits are not even the size of a thumb. your strawberries are red and big. they look sweet. is there a trick to it?¡± ¡°that¡¯s right. how did you plant this? our family¡¯s chives grew so poorly. look at your eggplant. it¡¯s as fresh as a girl.¡± ¡°old zhao, doesn¡¯t the ground heating in your house cost money? you sold them for six taels of silver just now. you probably only earned eight coins right?¡± zhao hongyun, who was talking, tried to plant vegetables at home with ground heating. he planned to earn a little money during the winter. unexpectedly, he made the house smell like feces. his wife scolded him for causing trouble. he did not understand. others could receive unanimous praise for planting mushrooms. if he did agricultural research, he might even win the flying sky award. why not? although he had failed, zhao hongyun did not give up. for the past few days, he had been wondering if the ground heating was too hot. the temperature in the mushroom room could be controlled, but the interior was too dark. if they wanted to plant vegetables and fruits, they had to have light. when zhao hongyun was at his wits¡¯ end, he came to the market to shop and saw the person he hated the most selling fruits and vegetables. his farming skills were clearly much better than village chief zhao¡¯s. why could village chief zhao become a crop researcher and enjoy all kinds of benefits? zhao hongyun did not like village chief zhao criticizing him and gradually stopped interacting with him. zhao hongyun was excited and a little dejected to suddenly see village chief zhao selling vegetables and fruits that were off season. he was indeed inferior to village chief zhao. however, he was still very curious about how village chief zhao had planted these fruits. the most important thing for village chief zhao to sell the greenhouse vegetables and fruits that day was to attract more people to understand the greenhouse technology. this way, they would invest in the planting of the greenhouse vegetables next year to resolve the problem of the supply of insufficient vegetables in the winter. village chief zhao smiled and said, ¡°these are vegetables planted in a greenhouse. as long as you plant the vegetables in the greenhouse and keep it warm, you can plant them as you please all year round.¡± as soon as he said that, everyone asked in confusion, ¡°it¡¯s so magical. what¡¯s this greenhouse like? is it more expensive than the mushroom house?¡± village chief zhao said, ¡°if it wasn¡¯t built by the sea, the cost of an ordinary greenhouse would be about the same as that of a mushroom house. if you want to build it in our carefree city, in order to resist the typhoon, the cost of the greenhouse and the maintenance naturally will be higher. however, compared to the investment costs, the benefits are still high.¡± ¡°the imperial court is recruiting farmers to contract the greenhouse. if you¡¯re interested and have any ideas, you can register first. i¡¯ll arrange for you to take a look at the greenhouse.¡± if they went elsewhere to build a greenhouse, they would be unfamiliar with the place. there would also be transportation fees. how many locals were as rich as the people carefree city to buy fruits and vegetables to eat? unlike mushrooms, vegetables could not be dried and preserved for a long time. moreover, there were only fewer vegetables in the southern frontier in the winter. they could still eat pickled vegetables and radishes for a long time. everyone thought about it and felt that no matter what, they would not be able to earn much money. regardless of whether he was contracted or not, zhao hongyun wanted to see what was going on in the greenhouse. ¡°do 1 have to sign up for the contract before i can see the greenhouse?¡± village chief zhao smiled and said, ¡°no, you can take a look first before deciding. the imperial court¡¯s intention is to let the people plant while the imperial court pay for the greenhouse. if you want to grow anything, just pay a certain rent. the imperial court will also provide the technology. your investment is not big. it¡¯s more or less giving you money. the amount of land contracted has to be at least 100 acres per family.¡± 100 acres!!! who could afford this? this was too much.. Chapter 493 - Chapter 493: The Largest Vegetable Wholesaler chapter 493: the largest vegetable wholesaler translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios madam zhao had built the chili workshop less than two months ago, but she had stopped working because of a lack of raw materials. in the few days after they had just stopped work, she had even grown a few more wrinkles. in order to make her happy, zhao erwa brought her out to watch the craftsmen prepare an ice sculpture exhibition. they were surprised to see a tricycle pulling carts of fruits and vegetables to the market, including fresh chili peppers. their eyes lit up and they followed the tricycle to the market. after knowing that the greenhouse could grow chili at any time throughout the year, zhao erwa immediately said, ¡°mother, you can get father to contract 100 acres. our workshop will have chili at any time!¡± with bai wutong¡¯s chili seeds, an acre of chili could produce 1,500 to 2,500 kilograms. a hundred acres of chili could be piled into a mountain. why would their small chili workshop need so much? moreover, it would cost money to contract 100 acres! if it was contracted, they would have to hire people to manage it. the manure also cost money. this was another huge expense. she could totally estimate how much chili she needed next year. it was better to stock up than to spend effort to plant 100 acres of land. seeing that madam zhao had no intention of contracting, zhao erwa immediately asked village chief zhao anxiously, ¡°uncle, uncle, how much is the rent for 100 acres?¡± village chief zhao smiled and said, ¡°it¡¯s not expensive. it¡¯s only one tael of silver a month.¡± one tael of silver for a month. in 12 months a year, the basic expenditure was 120 taels of silver. everyone clicked their tongues in unison. how could this not be expensive! which ordinary family could spare 120 taels a year! 120 taels were enough to buy two villas. zhao erwa was very smart. he could earn profits from every project led by the imperial court. they could farm however they wanted all year round and be completely unaffected by the seasons. even if zhao erwa did not know how much the cost was, he knew that they would definitely not lose out. for example, if they could not use the 100 acres of chili themselves, they could sell it to restaurants and other food factories. there was also his sister¡¯s rouge powder factory and the red colour extract from the chili. there was a high demand for them every year. besides, it was not just to plant chili. the flowers that girls liked, strawberries that were suitable for the old and young, and other plants could all be grown. zhao erwa felt that the return would definitely be higher than the risk. if madam zhao did not want to contract, he would do it himself. anyway, he did not like to study. coincidentally, he could inherit his father¡¯s business and return home to farm. zhao erwa rolled his eyes and asked, ¡°uncle, can we pay the rent monthly?¡± he had saved up 20 taels of silver, which was only enough to pay two months¡¯ rent. if they still had to hire someone to buy seedlings, 20 taels was completely a drop in the bucket. many people were concerned about this. village chief zhao smiled and shook his head. ¡°contracting the greenhouse requires signing a contract with the imperial court. it has to be contracted for at least two years in one shot and paid a year¡¯s rent in advance.¡± hearing this, many people immediately dropped the idea of visiting the greenhouse. an investment of more than 100 taels a year. even if they knew it would earn money, they did not have the money! zhao erwa also choked. it was more than 100 taels, so he could only borrow it from his sister. suddenly, village chief zhao said, ¡°you can take a loan from the imperial court using the house or land. you only have one chance. everyone, you have to seize it.¡± those without houses or land were immediately discouraged. this was not a project they could take on. it was better to work obediently. zhao erwa had heard from village chief zhao that there was only one chance. he must be hinting that it was very profitable. zhao erwa was excited. ¡°uncle, uncle, my mother and 1 want to register first!¡± madam zhao glared at him, indicating that she could not plant for 100 acres. zhao erwa immediately lowered his voice and said, ¡°mother, look, uncle zhao has sold so many vegetables and fruits in a short while. it can be seen how much the market demand for vegetables and fruits is. let¡¯s go take a look first and calculate the cost. if you think it¡¯s not suitable, then forget it. in any case, we would not lose a single piece of meat.¡± madam zhao felt that it made sense. if she took a look, it could broaden one¡¯s horizons, so she agreed. zhao hongyun definitely could not take out 120 taels of silver, but he wanted to see how the greenhouse planted off-season vegetables and fruits. he was experimenting with ground heating at home. what went wrong with it? cui muzhi¡¯s cake shop sold strawberry-flavored cakes the best. without the strawberry ingredients, it did not affect the cake shop much, but it made customers miss it. madam zhang gave madam cui a basket of fresh strawberries. they were big and sweet and of excellent quality. cui muzhi ran to the market to buy strawberries. the person selling strawberries was village chief zhao. he said, ¡°uncle, how many strawberries do you have left? i¡¯ll buy them all.¡± he wanted to buy all the strawberries now and stock up on them. village chief zhao smiled and said, ¡°we only planted an acre of strawberries. the food factory has already reserved the 250 kilograms produced.¡± ¡°it¡¯ll be a few days before you can buy it.¡± cui muzhi frowned. ¡°then can you also produce a few hundred catties in a few days?¡± village chief zhao smiled and said, ¡°yes.¡± cui muzhang heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°that¡¯s great.¡± if it was processed and stored, it should be able to last a month in the shop. village chief zhao knew that cui muzhi¡¯s cake shop had a high demand for fruits. he asked him, ¡°the imperial court has hired contractors to plant strawberries all year round. do you want to try contracting 100 acres?¡± cui muzhi was stunned. he did not have the energy to manage 100 acres of strawberry fields at all. however, if he had his own strawberry base and the cake shop could supply fresh strawberries at any time, he could open a few more branches. he could go home and ask madam cui, who was good at managing the family clan¡¯s businesses, if she was willing. cui muzhi nodded. ¡°uncle, tell me the details about the greenhouse first.¡± seeing that there was a chance, village chief zhao hurriedly introduced the benefits of gardening in the greenhouse. when cui muzhi returned home, he told madam cui about the greenhouse. madam cui immediately asked excitedly, ¡°if it can be planted all year round, can we plant herbs?¡± the medicinal herbs in carefree city had always been in short supply. if they could plant medicinal herbs all year round, this would be an endless way to earn money. cui muzhi said, ¡°mother, you can visit the greenhouse the day after tomorrow and ask uncle zhao. if you can plant cucumbers, cabbages, and strawberries, you can probably plant herbs too.¡± madam cui nodded happily. ¡°alright, mother will go take a look.¡± apart from them, there were also many big families who had signed up. 120 taels of silver was not a lot of money to them, but if they followed the movements of the imperial court, they might be able to earn a lot of money from farming pearls, planting mushrooms, building workshops, and opening businesses. they had to seize the opportunity they had missed previously. it was snowing heavily outside. village chief zhao led them into the greenhouse, and the greenhouse that was filled with life caught their attention. everyone saw all kinds of vegetables and fruits. they picked them along the way and ate them. zhao erwa held his small notebook and calculated in detail the input, basic cost, labor, and profits that could be earned. the profits would be reduced when the market was saturated in the future. after obtaining the estimated average profit, zhao erwa¡¯s eyes widened.. he said to madam zhao firmly, ¡°mother, 1 want to become the largest vegetable wholesaler!¡± Chapter 494 - Chapter 494: Pretending to be a Master! chapter 494: pretending to be a master! translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios madam zhao was dumbfounded. ¡°what is a vegetable wholesaler?¡± zhao erwa raised his chin and explained calmly, ¡°vegetable wholesaler is to buy a large number of vegetables from farmers and distribute them to small vendors at a low price. it¡¯s a small profit but a lot of sales!¡± madam zhao was stunned and said, ¡°who would lack vegetables? it¡¯s only during winter, but there are vegetables everywhere in the summer. it won¡¯t earn much money. don¡¯t waste your effort.¡± zhao erwa shook his head. ¡°mother, you don¡¯t have to care about other people¡¯s lives. many families who moved here don¡¯t have land. even in summer, the demand for fruits and vegetables is still very high.¡± ¡°although the profits from selling vegetables are small, everyone has to eat, right? if we sell hundreds of thousands grams of vegetables a day, even if we earn a copper coin, how much money can we earn?¡± madam zhao calculated that it was an astronomical figure. however, how could zhao erwa plant so many vegetables? moreover, what if these vegetables could not be sold? zhao erwa said confidently, ¡°1 can let others plant them and sign an acquisition contract with them. i¡¯ll specify that they plant different types of fruits and vegetables and list them according to the season and everyone¡¯s needs.¡± as he spoke, the prototype of a fruit and vegetable business was formed in his mind. just like madam you¡¯s maternity shop, it had all kinds of targeted products all year round. with the population of carefree city, having two markets were already insufficient. many people had to walk far to buy vegetables. in order to save time and effort, everyone would buy a lot at once and stock up on them. it was fine in winter, but they would spoil easily in summer. apart from the large-scale wholesale vegetable and fruit merchants, he could also open a few small ones that were distributed throughout the entire carefree city as a vegetable retail location to provide convenience to everyone. it had not been long since they arrived at carefree city when everyone was living frugally. this year, with the money on hand, they naturally would not be harsh on themselves in terms of basic living. moreover, a large number of fruits and vegetables could be provided to the workshop academy¡¯s canteen and sold to the food factories to be processed into various pickled food. they could be stored for a longer time and sold elsewhere. madam zhao¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°even if you want others to plant it, you have to give them a deposit, right? what if you can¡¯t sell them?¡± zhao erwa smiled and said, ¡°master sheng said that as long as we understand the market¡¯s needs well and formulate a precise estimate report, it¡¯s difficult to incur losses.¡± madam zhao¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°you¡¯re bragging so much. how much money does it cost? let me tell you, don¡¯t look for your sister. it¡¯s not easy for your sister to earn some money.¡± zhao lanzhi had not gotten married, so she was counting on the family business to find her a good husband in the future. previously, zhao erwa had wanted to borrow money from zhao lanzhi. now, he had a new idea. he could pull in investments and look for his eldest sister to invest, but it was not considered borrowing. he could also gain profits without risking anything of his own and use the vegetables he had planned to plant to trade with the various partners before paying the deposit to the farmers. the more zhao erwa thought about it, the happier he felt. seeing his silly smile, madam zhao grabbed his ear. ¡°let me warn you, even if you want to do these things, you can¡¯t not study!¡± her family was all doing business, but none of them were officials. madam zhao felt very guilty. zhao erwa covered his ears in pain. ¡°i¡¯ll definitely study. let go of me first!¡± he still had to accompany little peach to the university, so how could he not study? moreover, lord sheng had said that an endless stream of talents was the way to eternal wealth. he was not seeking endless wealth, but he could not be inferior to little peach¡¯s brothers. after hearing his promise, madam zhao let go in satisfaction. zhao hongyun saw the growth of the greenhouse vegetables with his own eyes. he looked at the transparent greenhouse membrane and pondered for a long time. then, he privately looked for village chief zhao. ¡°can 1 plant 20 acres?¡± village chief zhao smiled and said, ¡°you can find someone to work together to plant 100 acres.¡± this meant that 20 acres was not enough. zhao hongyun had a strange personality. his family could not get along with him, so he could forget about working with others. he thought for a moment and asked, ¡°then i¡¯ll buy some materials myself. can¡¯t you guide me in building it?¡± village chief zhao smiled and said, ¡°it¡¯s not that i¡¯m unwilling to guide you, but these materials were all given by the imperial court. if you want to buy materials to build it, you have to buy them.¡± zhao hongyun looked at him and lowered his face to beg, ¡°then can you help me ask? we¡¯re all from the zhao farmyard. help me. if i farm well and earn money, i¡¯ll buy a sheep to thank you later.¡± village chief zhao shook his head. ¡°there¡¯s no need for the sheep. i¡¯ll help you ask. i can¡¯t guarantee the decision of the higher-ups. wait for the news first.¡± zhao hongyun said excitedly, ¡°thank you, thank you.¡± then he hurriedly said, ¡°an acre of greenhouse materials is fine too!¡± just planting an acre of strawberries could earn dozens of taels a year. village chief zhao found lin qingcai, who had developed the shed membrane, and asked if he could allow farmers to buy some shed membrane themselves. lin qingcai had spent a lot of effort to develop the plastic membrane. under the great empress¡¯ instructions, he created a greenhouse membrane. he was only in charge of inventing. whether he could give it to the farmers depended on the great empress. after all, the great empress had the priority to deal with all the scientific research products developed after the researchers entered the research institute. village chief zhao conveyed zhao hongyun¡¯s intentions to bai wutong through cui shize. apart from being a greenhouse, the shed could also create a friendly environment for crops that was moisturizing, resistant to disasters, and sunny. by the 20th century, the use of greenhouse membranes in agriculture was widespread. agriculture was the foundation of a country¡¯s food infrastructure. if it was effective in improving the canopy that helped crops grow, it must be popularized to thousands of households. bai wutong smiled and said, ¡°the contracting system of 100 acres is for the development of agriculture on a large scale. it¡¯s naturally possible for the commoners to use the greenhouse to plant crops. when the production of the greenhouse membrane and steel reaches the required amount, we can supply it to the commoners to buy.¡± village chief zhao said happily, ¡°thank you, great empress. 1¡¯11 go back and tell everyone now.¡± after knowing that the imperial court would sell greenhouse building materials in the future, zhao hongyun was extremely happy. on second thought, he asked, ¡°can i buy greenhouse building materials from the imperial court and sell them elsewhere?¡± it was expensive to build a greenhouse by the sea because of the typhoon, but there was no typhoon in other regions. they only needed to buy a greenhouse membrane, which would be cheap. no matter what, the commoners could afford one tael of silver to build an acre of greenhouse. if he sold the greenhouse building materials, he would definitely be able to earn a lot of money. village chief zhao thought that he was bent on farming. he did not expect him to have such an idea. ¡°you can ask when the construction materials are produced.¡± zhao hongyun said shamelessly, ¡°brother, since you have a good relationship with the higher-ups, help me ask them again.¡± village chief zhao put on a serious expression. ¡°the imperial court is not my relative. you can¡¯t do whatever you want. 1 still have something on. forgive me for not helping you.¡± village chief zhao was unhappy. zhao hongyun stomped his feet on the spot. ¡°why are you pretending to be a master!¡± if not for the fact that village chief zhao had a good relationship with the great empress in the beginning, how could he have such a great fortune? since he had taken advantage of others, he was mocking others. ¡°bah, shameless!¡± Chapter 495 - Chapter 495:1 Did It On Purpose chapter 495:1 did it on purpose translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios an important component of the medical school is the drug laboratory. after many experiments and confirmation of the medicinal effect, the medicine could then be produced. there were all kinds of illnesses in the world. due to the scarcity of herbs, many drug experiments were forced to stop halfway. in order to cultivate rare herbs in time, bai wutong asked lin qing to study the greenhouse membrane. after figuring out the greenhouse membrane, bai wutong immediately asked everyone to speed up the cultivation of the herbs. however, this was far from enough. this was because the prescription would continuously change and there would be more medicine developed. when madam cui saw that so many people were going to plant greenhouses, she was afraid that there would be limited profit after the market was saturated. just as she was wondering if she should contract them, the medical school released the news that they needed a large number of herbs of excellent quality. if they could guarantee the quantity, they could sign a long-term contract to purchase herbs. as soon as the news was out, everyone immediately became excited. to be able to build a relationship with the medical school was equivalent to having the source of money in their hands. everyone asked around, but they were dissuaded by the strict requirements of the medical school. most people could not cultivate the precious herbs that the medical school requested. first of all, you had to have the ability to buy precious medicinal seedlings. if you couldn¡¯t buy them, you had to send people to look for them everywhere. if you couldn¡¯t find them, the contract would be invalidated, and you would have to pay. without a strong economic foundation, they would not be able to get involved in this enviable business. those who knew their limits retreated. the stronger families wanted to beat in signing the contract first. in order to be fair, wen renhua, wrote out 10 precious herbs. whoever could find these herbs in the shortest time could sign a contract with the medical school. madam cui sent people to search everywhere. soon, half a month later, she found all the precious herbs that wen renhua needed. the wang family delivered the herbs almost at the same time as her. however, the medicinal herbs sent by the wang family were far superior from the quality sent by madam cui. madam cui ordered people to use all kinds of methods to keep the herbs fresh and preserve their medicinal effects to the greatest extent. with this meticulousness, madam cui successfully signed the contract with the medical school. at the same time, she had also signed a contract with the imperial court for 1,000 acres of greenhouse. she had also recruited a large number of farmers and was prepared to carefully nurture professional medicinal herb management talents. it snowed a few more times in a row. the snow was heavy, and the craftsmen participating in the ice sculpture festival had a lot more natural materials. everyone was busy preparing to beat the rest at the first ice sculpture exhibition. apart from ice sculptures, an ice skating rink was also built. bai wutong and chu tianbao walked to the skating rink hand in hand. when they saw the children playing with the sleigh, they thought of the scene of them escaping the wilderness and using the sleigh to catch fish. chu tianbao rode the sleigh and jumped into the sky, attracting everyone¡¯s envy. bai wutong couldn¡¯t help but smile and say to chu tianbao, ¡°at that time, you were really¡­ handsome!¡± chu tianbao couldn¡¯t bear to recall his past memories. he quickly changed the topic. ¡°i heard that there¡¯s a creature in the north called a sled dog.¡± after a while, the snow wolf team formed by xiaobai¡¯s entire family was formed. bai wutong and chu tianbao sat on it. the sleigh ran as fast as lightning and immediately became the most enviable focus of the crowd. the children cheered loudly. ¡°it¡¯s the great empress and xiaobai!¡± ¡°wow, so handsome!¡± ¡°i want to raise a wolf too!¡± ¡°but you don¡¯t even have a dog!¡± the wind blew past her ears. chu tianbao suddenly covered her ears. ¡°are you cold?¡± bai wutong shook her head. ¡°it¡¯s not cold. hold on tight. be midnful of xiaobai and the others throwing you off.¡± as soon as she finished speaking, she remembered that chu tianbao¡¯s qinggong was amazing and he would not be injured. when she realized that everyone was staring at them with wide eyes, she secretly pursed her lips and chuckled. ¡°everyone is watching.¡± ¡°that¡¯s even better.¡± he did it on purpose to see who dared to covet his position as the emperor. the smile in bai wutong¡¯s eyes deepened. after regaining his memories, they already had tuantuan and yuanyuan, but chu tianbao was still as childish in front of her as before. after a while, stinky shouted from behind, ¡°daddy, mummy stinky had come out with sheng huaixuan and cui lingyi to look at the ice sculpture. he reached out for a hug, and chu tianbao picked him up and sat him down. stinky said, ¡°daddy tianbao, there¡¯s a huge and cold xiaobai in front. it¡¯s especially beautiful.¡± bai wutong and chu tianbao had already seen it. bai wutong smiled and said, ¡°the official opening of the ice sculpture festival will look better with electric lights on. we¡¯ll bring you here then.¡± stinky¡¯s eyes lit up and he said happily, ¡°are you going to light the electric lights? uncle lin yue and i have built an ice house. can we also light the electric lights?¡± bai wutong touched his chubby hand. ¡°stinky is so smart and knows how to make an ice house. of course you can light the lights. i wonder if we have the honor to visit the ice house in advance.¡± stinky cheered. ¡°let¡¯s go now.¡± stinky was afraid that the small house would be destroyed by the people visiting the ice sculpture exhibition, so he specially built the house in his backyard with lin yue. he introduced proudly, ¡°uncle lin yue and i placed every piece of ice block ourselves. we even set up street lamps at the door!¡± not only did bai wutong see the street lamps, but she also saw the courtyard wall. in front of the courtyard wall, there were many little snowmen of different sizes. when bai wutong saw the little snowman on all fours, she guessed, ¡°this is xiaobai, right?¡± stinky hurriedly said, ¡°yes, this is xiaobai. it¡¯s just not as nice-looking as others.¡± bai wutong looked at xiaobai. ¡°who do you think did it well?¡± xiaobai glanced at the inexplicable snow and met stinky¡¯s sparkling eyes. he raised his neck and howled. bai wutong immediately said, ¡°look, xiaobai said that he likes what you make more.¡± stinky immediately pounced on xiaobai and rubbed its furry neck. ¡°xiaobai, you have good taste.¡± xiaobai was speechless. it was all because they had grown up together. apart from xiaobai, stinky also introduced the other little snowmen. tuantuan and yuanyuan were among them. stinky squatted down and stared at the little snowmen. his face was red as he sighed with emotion like an old man. ¡°it would be great if little sister tuantuan and brother yuanyuan grew up quickly, then they would be able to come out and see the little snowmen.¡± bai wutong thought for a moment. ¡°then let¡¯s bring the little snowmen home and show it to tuantuan and yuanyuan, okay? they¡¯ll definitely be very happy to know that it¡¯s a little snowman given by brother stinky.¡± stinky jumped up happily. ¡°okay!¡± then he quickly ran back to his room and pasted the little red flower he had cut on the head of a little snowman. he introduced it to everyone. ¡°tuanuan¡¯s sister is wearing flowers!¡± bai wutong and chu tianbao looked at each other. ¡°yes, tuantuan looks even better now because of brother stinky.¡± when they brought the little snowmen home, tuantuan and yuanyuan were still sleeping. bai wutong led stinky and carefully placed the two little snowmen on the window sill. stinky was in the warm room. his chubby face was pressed against the glass window, and he exhaled a mouthful of mist. he said cutely, ¡°how nice. they¡¯re here. tuantuan and yuanyuan can see them when they wake up.¡± chu tianbao carved an ice sculpture in the courtyard and froze it on a few square windowsills.. Chapter 496 - Chapter 496: They Had Run Away chapter 496: they had run away translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios noble consort ling had been missing for months. there were rumors in the palace that noble consort ling had fallen out of favor or was dying of a terminal illness. that was why she had not appeared for so long. when many madams of the imperial court heard the news, they thought that emperor ling hui had come to his senses and was preparing to confer the title to the eldest prince¡¯s biological mother and him as the crown prince. they all worked hard and used their connections to prepare to send their daughters into chu mingxuan¡¯s backyard. when zhang youcai returned to the residence, madam zhang pulled him into the room and discussed carefully, ¡°our daughter has also reached the appropriate age. i think assistant minister li¡¯s eldest son is not bad. what do you think?¡± zhang youcai suddenly objected. ¡°no, i have my own plans for yanyan¡¯s marriage. don¡¯t interfere!¡± madam zhang knew zhang youcai¡¯s ambitions to become an exalted one. she sensed that he had the intention to use her daughter as a bargaining chip, so she wanted to get yanyan engaged as soon as possible. zhang youcai directly warned her to stay out of it. madam zhang forcefully suppressed the anger in her heart and said nicely, ¡°then which family¡¯s young master does my husband like? why don¡¯t you tell me? if you don¡¯t tell me, as her mother, i won¡¯t be at ease.¡± zhang youcai glanced at her and suddenly smiled. ¡°i¡¯ve read our daughter¡¯s fortune. she has a lot of luck!¡± madam zhang¡¯s heart was trembling. she expressed her conjecture, ¡°you want to marry your daughter to the eldest prince as a concubine?¡± she would rather her daughter be a poor man¡¯s wife than a noble lady concubine. not to mention the royal family, how could madam zhang bear to let her daughter be a thing that could be sold at any time? zhang youcai smiled proudly and said, ¡°what eldest prince? what right does he have to marry my daughter!¡± ¡°our yanyan is going to be the empress of ling kingdom!¡± madam zhang asked in shock, ¡°you want to bring her into the palace?¡± zhang youcai¡¯s face was filled with greed. ¡°of course!¡± their yanyan was somewhat similar to noble consort ling. she was young and delicate. as long as she could enter the palace, she would definitely be doted on by emperor ling hui. emperor ling hui was at an age where he was strong. even if there was really something wrong with him and could not let yanyan give birth to a son or daughter, he could also advance to the next level. madam zhang cried, ¡°yanyan is so innocent. how can she enter the palace? no!¡± suddenly, a pleasant voice like a yellow oriole sounded. ¡°mother, i¡¯m willing to enter the palace.¡± madam zhang was stunned. zhang yanyan had already pushed the door open and entered with snacks. madam zhang thought that zhang yanyan was forced by zhang youcai. when she met zhang yanyan¡¯s ambitious eyes, she was shocked. she was really willing. zhang yanyan said confidently, ¡°mother, don¡¯t worry. i will definitely become the emperor¡¯s wife!¡± she looked like noble consort ling, which meant that emperor ling hui loved beauties like her. she was young and would definitely be able to seduce emperor ling hui. thinking of the handsome and noble man in the portrait, her heart could not help but race. zhang youcai said happily, ¡°father has arranged everything for you. you can enter the palace in a few days.¡± madam zhang took a long time to react and questioned, ¡°i didn¡¯t hear that there was a consort selection. how are you arranging for your daughter to enter the palace?¡± since the family had already made things clear, zhang youcai did not hide it. ¡°i bribed a eunuch in the palace. yanyan will enter the palace as a palace maid first and he will think of a way to arrange for yanyan to meet the emperor.¡± madam zhang said in panic, ¡°what if someone finds out?¡± zhang youcai chuckled. ¡°there are only a few elders from the chu royal family in the palace. noble consort ling, who is doted on, has already lost her favor. no one will be able to find out.¡± moreover, only by taking high risks would there be high returns. madam zhang felt flustered. ¡°what if something goes wrong? it¡¯s a capital crime to impersonate a palace maid and enter the palace!¡± zhang yanyan¡¯s smile froze and she said unhappily, ¡°mother, father has arranged it so well. how can anything happen? don¡¯t scare me. when i see the emperor, he will definitely like me very much.¡± zhang yanyan was completely bewitched and did not heed any advice. madam zhang could not persuade zhang youcai to give up on his plan to send their daughter into the palace. she could only pray that everything would go smoothly. after a few days, zhang yanyan successfully sneaked into the palace. she had been washing clothes in the laundry bureau for a few days, and her delicate fingers had become as thick as radishes, but she still did not have the chance to meet emperor ling hui. she had suffered a lot in the past few days. if not for the fact that she had the intention to become the empress, she would have quit long ago. after waiting for a few more days, not only did she not have the chance to meet emperor ling hui, but she also used up all the money she had brought into the palace. the eunuch who had brought her into the palace no longer took care of her. zhang yanyan finally understood that this was true hell. from morning to night, there were mountains of clothes that she could not finish washing. the food they ate was even worse than dogs. what was worse was that she had a fever. if she didn¡¯t see emperor ling hui soon, she would die in the palace first. zhang yanyan was indignant. that night, she changed into the palace maid¡¯s clothes and ran out of the laundry bureau. coincidentally, she arrived in front of noble consort ling¡¯s palace. coincidentally, she met emperor ling hui, who had come to the palace to see noble consort ling. when zhang yanyan discovered the figure, she thanked the heavens for not letting her down. she immediately pretended to fall and screamed. emperor ling hui looked over. the moment his gaze landed on zhang yanyan¡¯s face, his expression changed. he walked towards zhang yanyan. just as zhang yanyan was thinking about how to talk to emperor ling hui, emperor ling hui grabbed her chin and questioned coldly, ¡°who sent you into the palace?¡± zhang yanyan was forced to look up. her palm-sized face and red eyes made her look pitiful. she was slightly similar to her when she was young. however, she would never have such a dirty gaze! emperor ling hui was even more handsome than in the portrait. his aura was astonishing, but his cold gaze was like a fatal knife that was about to fall at any moment. zhang yanyan was a little afraid and stammered, ¡°no one sent me into the palace. i was originally a palace maid in the palace.¡± she was a palace maid in the palace to begin with. how could emperor ling hui believe such nonsense? ¡°someone, cut away her tongue!¡± even if she didn¡¯t say it, emperor ling hui had a thousand ways to find out. zhang yanyan did not expect that emperor ling hui, after meeting her, to not like her, but also wanted to pull out her tongue. she shouted in fear, ¡°your majesty, please spare me. your majesty, i really admire you, that¡¯s why 1 want to enter the palace. your majesty¡ª¡± emperor ling hui sneered, his eyes filled with disgust. ¡°rip off her face!¡± zhang yanyan shouted in horror, ¡°no¡ªplease, your majesty. 1 know my mistake. please don¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°ahhh ¡ª¡± on the night zhang yanyan¡¯s tongue was cut off and her face was peeled off, the zhang family was surrounded by the imperial guards and their entire family was executed for assassinating the emperor. when the zhang family was suddenly executed, the entire court was alerted that something was wrong and secretly asked around. after learning that someone had impersonated noble consort ling and entered the palace, they were immediately shocked. they once again realized noble consort ling¡¯s status in emperor ling hui¡¯s heart. for a moment, no one dared to admonish emperor ling hui about conferring the title of consort chu. emperor ling hui waited and thought to himself that since he had already sent zeng sanshui to intercept chu tianbao, he would definitely be able to bring the mother and son back with so many people. in the end, commander zhang, this piece of trash, returned and told him that they had run away! Chapter 497 - Chapter 497: Why Should She Die For Bai Wutong? chapter 497: why should she die for bai wutong? translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios before commander zhang could finish, the inkstone fell at his feet and shattered. commander zhang was secretly shocked. if emperor ling hui had been a little calmer just now and hit his head, his life would have ended that day. emperor ling hui cursed, ¡°a bunch of trash! where¡¯s nine heavens?! don¡¯t tell me that he was killed by that kid!¡± commander zhang braced himself and said, ¡°he¡¯s severely injured. he is waiting for me to return with the updates so that we can get your majesty¡¯s instructions.¡± emperor ling hui was so angry that he almost laughed. in the blink of an eye, he roared, ¡°he¡¯s even more arrogant than me, right!¡± commander zhang was almost deafened by his voice and hurriedly interrupted, ¡°your majesty, it¡¯s not that we can¡¯t stop them, but tens of thousands of cavalry suddenly appeared. all of them even have shockingly lethal firearms in their hands. we had already surrounded young general and noble consort ling for three days. when they arrived, we couldn¡¯t fight back at all.¡± emperor ling hui¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°a firearm with shocking lethality and can¡¯t fight back at all?¡± commander zhang hurriedly took out the bullet wrapped in a handkerchief and carefully presented it. ¡°this was fired from one of the firearms. commander nine heavens was injured by it.¡± emperor ling hui picked up the bullet. he could not imagine how this iron thing, which was not even the size of a thumb, could injure the number one martial artist, nine heavens. he frowned. ¡°what does the other firearm look like?¡± commander zhang said, ¡°there¡¯s another weapon that¡¯s like a club. it¡¯s dozens of times more powerful than gunpowder. it blew a huge hole in the army led by general zeng effortlessly, allowing young general to escape.¡± emperor linghui lowered his eyes. gu chilie had actually hidden such a powerful weapon for so many years. he even instigated his son to abduct his wife. ¡®well, he¡¯s capable! very capable!¡¯ emperor ling hui clenched his fists, his veins bulging. the imperial study was suddenly pindrop silent, like a precursor to a storm. commander zhang was suddenly afraid that he would not be able to walk out of the imperial study after saying what he had to say. seeing his constipated expression, emperor ling hui scolded, ¡°if you have something to say, spit it out!¡± commander zhang took a deep breath and told the truth. ¡°your majesty, we also found out a little information.¡± emperor ling hui looked at him with a fierce expression. commander zhang¡¯s heart trembled. he accepted his fate and said, ¡°the southern frontier has rebelled and established a place called carefree kingdom. the empress is young general¡¯s wife.¡± when emperor ling hui heard that the southern frontier had rebelled, he thought that gu chilie must have rebelled. unexpectedly, he heard the strange saying that the empress was the young general¡¯s wife. emperor ling hui had a ferocious expression on his face as if he was joking. commander zhang shrank his neck. ¡°i was in a hurry to return to report, so this is all i heard. the commander should still be sending a message back for the exact situation.¡± it took emperor ling hui a long time to confirm that commander zhang was not spouting nonsense. gu chilie did not become the emperor, and chu tianbao did not become the emperor. instead, his wife became the emperor. what the f*ck was going on! how did a woman like her become the emperor? she even made the proud gu chilie listen to her and subdued his eldest son, who did not get close to women. could she be a local tribal woman from the southern frontier? because they had created a weapon with astonishing lethality, they led the tribe to subdue them. if gu chilie had a lethal weapon long ago, the throne under his butt would have changed ownership long ago. emperor ling hui frowned and looked at commander zhang sharply. ¡°who is that woman?¡± commander zhang had just said that this was all he had found out. he cried, ¡°i don¡¯t know either. before 1 returned, i sent someone to ask around, but they all went and never returned. their weapons are really too powerful. they can shoot from hundreds of meters away.¡± emperor ling hui was shocked that their weapon could be shot from hundreds of meters away. if this woman had the ambition to dominate the central plains, wouldn¡¯t the entire ling kingdom be easily taken over? he had given up his promise to stay with the person he loved in exchange for only a few years of the throne. emperor ling hui suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. if that was the case, wouldn¡¯t he become the greatest joke among the previous emperors? emperor ling hui slammed the table. ¡°when will there be a letter from nine heavens?¡± commander zhang¡¯s scalp went numb. ¡°i don¡¯t know either.¡± emperor ling hui cursed, ¡°you don¡¯t know either. you¡¯re extremely stupid. what¡¯s the use of me keeping you!¡± commander zhang hurriedly lay down. ¡°i¡¯m incompetent. please punish me, your majesty.¡± he had never thought that he could return unscathed that day. just as emperor ling hui was about to send him to receive a hundred military beatings, he suddenly instructed, ¡°don¡¯t reveal anything about the southern frontier. go and find someone who has just returned from the southern frontier to find out the identity of that woman!¡± there was actually no need to be punished. commander zhang looked incredulous and said excitedly, ¡°yes, 1 accept the order!¡± commander zhang secretly asked around about the people who had returned from the southern frontier. the journey to the southern frontier was long. as long as a few of them returned, everyone had a deep impression of them. commander zhang quickly found out that qu liangyu¡¯s parents had just returned from the southern frontier. commander zhang was overjoyed. he immediately went to the qu family and tied madam qu and qu yuanxian up in front of emperor ling hui. they had suddenly arrived in front of the emperor. madam qu trembled in fear. on the other hand, qu yuanxian was braver and he kept his back straight. emperor ling hui was not afraid that they would reveal anything, so he directly took out chu tianbao¡¯s portrait. ¡°have you seen this person?¡± madam qu looked up and widened her eyes. she was about to say something when she was stopped by qu yuanxian¡¯s light cough. emperor ling hui did not have much hope at first. after all, the southern frontier was not small. unexpectedly, madam qu¡¯s expression clearly showed that she knew chu tianbao and was abnormally familiar with him. emperor ling hui¡¯s gaze suddenly turned sharp. with a whoosh, the sharp sword was placed on qu yuanxian¡¯s neck. madam qu immediately cried, ¡°emperor, please spare us. i know this person. he¡¯s the dead young general. he disappeared before we left the southern frontier.¡± chu tianbao was probably already on the way to save noble consort ling at that time. emperor ling hui asked in a low voice, ¡°why did the southern frontier fall into the hands of a woman?¡± madam qu was stunned for a moment and instantly thought of bai wutong. she cried, ¡°marshal gu rebelled and young general is missing, so those people listen to her. we don¡¯t want to listen to her, so we came back from the southern frontier.¡± emperor ling hui asked again, ¡°who is she? what¡¯s her identity?¡± madam qu received the signal from qu yuanxian to stop talking, but the emperor¡¯s sword was on his neck. she still had a son. why should she die for bai wutong? madam qu replied nervously, ¡°her name is bai wutong. we don¡¯t know her exact identity either. we only know that young general is very infatuated with her. she probably saved young general when he went missing and he married her.¡± ¡°bai wutong? from the central plains?¡± madam qu hurriedly nodded. ¡°yes.¡± emperor ling hui suddenly asked coldly, ¡°then how did you meet her?¡± Chapter 498 - Chapter 498: The Southern Frontier Was Taken Over by a chapter 498: the southern frontier was taken over by a woman translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios madam qu said, ¡°we met her in youjia village. at that time, young general had yet to recover his memories. later, a gold mine was discovered at youjia village, so we migrated to the southern frontier together.¡± when emperor ling hui heard the words ¡°youjia village¡±, he suddenly had an impression of it. then, he got someone to bring over the dossier on youjia village. of the memorials that qu yuanxian had once reported, eight out of ten mentioned bai wutong. he explained bai wutong¡¯s contribution to the entire woqian town and the entire ling kingdom. emperor ling hui suddenly asked qu yuanxian, ¡°your teacher is yang quanzi?¡± qu yuanxian replied, ¡°yes, he¡¯s my teacher.¡± emperor ling hui narrowed his eyes and examined qu yuanxian. ¡°what¡¯s so extraordinary about this woman who was also recognized by a great scholar?¡± qu yuanxian thought that emperor ling hui was going to harm chu tianbao and bai wutong. he wanted emperor ling hui to see bai wutong¡¯s value and show mercy. ¡°madam bai has the character and talent that the world admires.¡± unexpectedly, emperor ling hui¡¯s expression changed drastically. ¡°she has the character and talent that everyone in the world admires¡­¡± for a moment, emperor ling hui actually felt an unprecedented crisis. the southern frontier was easy to defend and difficult to attack. now, not only was chu tianbao holding down the defense, but they also had shockingly powerful firearms. it was even more difficult to take down the southern frontier. emperor ling hui thought about it carefully for the entire night. unless he developed a firearm with the same power and could take down the southern frontier, it was best to persuade bai wutong to surrender. if she surrendered, he could spare her life for the sake of chu tianbao and noble consort ling. however, she could only stay at home and take care of her husband and children for the rest of her life. a few days later, emperor ling hui received another letter from nine heavens. bai wutong had given birth to a pair of twins for chu tianbao. after knowing that he had biological grandchildren, emperor ling hui was much happier. his daughter-in-law was the empress, and in the future, his grandson would definitely succeed the throne. in fact, the southern frontier was still the territory of his ling kingdom. emperor ling hui was less dissatisfied with bai wutong, so he asked commander zhang to secretly summon qu yuanxian again. qu yuanxian and madam qu had not been able to leave the palace since the last time they entered. after a while, they arrived in front of emperor ling hui. he knelt down and bowed. ¡°greetings, your majesty.¡± emperor ling hui waved his hand. ¡°get up. i want to confer you as the special envoy of the southern frontier and ask you to do something especially important.¡± qu yuanxian was surprised that he could still be placed in an important position by emperor ling hui. when emperor ling hui finished telling him what to do, qu yuanxian was petrified. bai wutong had become the great empress of the southern frontier? chu tianbao was emperor ling hui¡¯s biological son! chu tianbao even kidnapped noble consort ling and brought her back to the southern frontier! his mission was to convince bai wutong to surrender to the ling kingdom and bring her entire family back to the ling kingdom to confer a title! previously, qu yuanxian was only a county official. now that he had actually heard such a shocking secret, his eyes widened like copper bells and he could not react for a long time. finally, emperor ling hui said again, ¡°i know that you are capable and talented. i will hand over the stability of the ling kingdom to you.¡± when qu yuanxian walked out of the imperial study, his mind was still in a daze. ever since he was taken away, madam qu had been terrified that something would happen to him. qu yuanxian returned unscathed. she was extremely excited and hugged him. ¡°are you alright? the emperor didn¡¯t do anything to you, did he?¡± realizing that he seemed to have lost his soul, madam qu was extremely worried. ¡°say something. don¡¯t scare me.¡± qu yuanxian sat down and held his chest for a long time before saying, ¡°let me calm down first.¡± madam qu became even more anxious. what was it that could scare the usually calm qu yuanxian so much that he was sweating profusely? after a long time, qu yuanxian finally said, ¡°yuling, the emperor has appointed me as the special envoy of the southern frontier. i¡¯m going to the southern frontier. stay at home and wait for me to return.¡± madam qu was stunned. ¡°a special envoy to the southern frontier?¡± then she said excitedly, ¡°why did the emperor confer you the title of special envoy to the southern frontier? is it because we¡¯ve been to the southern frontier? what grade is the special envoy from the southern frontier? is that higher ranked than our son? then do i have an official title?¡± qu yuanxian smiled. ¡°that is because i¡¯ve been to the southern frontier and there are some things that the emperor thinks it¡¯s better for me to do. the special envoy to the southern frontier is a first-rank official, and you¡¯re now a first-rank official¡¯s wife. i¡¯ll return as soon as possible when i go to the southern frontier this time. the journey is too tiring. you should stay by our sons¡¯ side.¡± madam qu¡¯s smile froze. ¡°aren¡¯t you bringing me along?¡± qu yuanxian comforted her. ¡°don¡¯t you also dislike the southern frontier? just stay in the capital.¡± madam qu did not like to go to the southern frontier because she was looked down on. now that she was the wife of a first-rank official, everyone had to respect her, so why should she not go? what if qu yuanxian had someone by his side and brought back a bastard son for her? she thought about it and said firmly, ¡°i definitely have to go! when you didn¡¯t have an official position, i accompanied you. now that you have an official position, don¡¯t tell me you despise me?¡± qu yuanxian said helplessly, ¡°the emperor¡¯s mission is more important. 1 really can¡¯t bring you along this time.¡± madam qu pursed her lips. ¡°who can¡¯t bring a wife with them when they¡¯re in office? you just don¡¯t want to bring me along.¡± ¡°yuling¡­¡± madam qu met his eyes and her heart softened. she leaned her head on his shoulder. ¡°then i¡¯ll wait for you to come back. you¡¯re not allowed to bring me a bastard son.¡± qu yuanxian smiled. ¡°why are you letting your imagination run wild? we already have two sons.¡± at the mention of her sons, madam qu became happy again. ¡°then we can leave the palace later, right? when we go back, we¡¯ll call liangyu and lianghua over to celebrate.¡± emperor ling hui had sealed off the matter of bai wutong becoming the emperor in the southern frontier. if madam qu celebrated with great fanfare, it would attract others¡¯ attention. qu yuanxian said, ¡°the emperor has an important mission in the southern frontier this time. we have to keep a low profile. stay at home and don¡¯t tell anyone for the time being that i¡¯m the special envoy of the southern frontier.¡± after becoming a first-rank official, he had to hide it. madam qu immediately felt that something was wrong and asked warily, ¡°can¡¯t we tell our sons?¡± qu yuanxian nodded. ¡°yes, wait for me to return from the southern frontier.¡± madam qu suddenly cried. ¡°how dangerous is it that no one can know about it? i want to go with you!¡± qu yuanxian wiped her tears. if he could, he would have brought his wife and children along. ¡°don¡¯t worry, i¡¯ll be back soon. be good and don¡¯t let the children worry.¡± just as qu yuanxian was preparing to pack his luggage and set off for the southern frontier, chu mingxuan found quan jiuzhou again and asked anxiously, ¡°uncle, why is there no news until now? have you really sent someone?¡± there were hundreds of suicide soldiers in the family. how could there be no news at all after a few months? quan jiuzhou coughed lightly and took out a letter. ¡°it¡¯s a letter that just arrived. take a look.¡± chu mingxuan snatched it over. after looking at it carefully, he immediately revealed an incredulous expression. ¡°the southern frontier was taken over by a woman?¡± quan jiuzhou said, ¡°this woman even gave birth to a pair of twins for gu junyan. gu junyan probably won¡¯t return. he won¡¯t be a threat to you.¡± as long as chu tianbao was alive, he was a threat. chu mingxuan questioned, ¡°there are so many suicide soldiers in the entire family.. can¡¯t we go deep into the southern frontier and kill him?¡± Chapter 499 - Chapter 499: This Woman Is the Great Empress of Carefree Kingdom chapter 499: this woman is the great empress of carefree kingdom translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios quan jiuzhou said, ¡°the soldiers of the southern frontier all have shockingly lethal weapons. they are also very vigilant. our people were found out after asking a few questions as soon as they entered the southern frontier.¡± weapons with astonishing lethality. what if chu tianbao directly led his troops to attack? chu mingxuan gritted his teeth. ¡°he must be eliminated!¡± quan jiuzhou coughed again and said with a pale face, ¡°uncle will think of a way to plant people in the southern frontier as soon as possible to assassinate them.¡± none of the things that quan jiuzhou did went smoothly. chu mingxuan¡¯s expression turned cold. from the corner of his eye, he saw a portrait of a woman in the letter. he took it out and found it familiar. quan jiuzhou said, ¡°this is gu junyan¡¯s wife. i found her painting in woqian town.¡± chu mingxuan looked at it carefully and felt that these eyes and nose were a little similar to his secondary consort. he couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°what¡¯s her name?¡± quan jiuzhou said, ¡°bai wutong.¡± ¡°bai wutong?¡± ¡°her surname is bai!¡± chu mingxuan suddenly grabbed the writing paper and rushed out of the door. quan jiuzhou watched as he left and slowly bent down to pick up the envelope. he muttered in a low voice, ¡°it¡¯s interesting that his brother has married his wife¡¯s sister. interesting, cough, cough¡­¡± chu mingxuan rushed back to the residence and suddenly pushed open bai xinshui¡¯s room. bai xinshui dodged back in fear, afraid that chu mingxuan would torture her in broad daylight. chu mingxuan stared at bai xinshui¡¯s face and looked at it again and again. he picked up the portrait and grabbed her wrist. ¡°do you have a sister?¡± chu mingxuan¡¯s current appearance was too ferocious and terrifying. bai xinshui was so frightened that she cried. ¡°1 do have a sister, but she¡¯s already dead.¡± chu mingxuan took out the portrait and threw it at her face. ¡°she might not be dead!¡± bai xinshui took the portrait and asked in confusion, ¡°what?¡± chu mingxuan pinched her face. ¡°you¡¯ll know soon.¡± the next day, chu mingxuan entered the palace. emperor ling hui knew that he had secretly sent someone to assassinate chu tianbao and noble consort ling, so he wanted to deal with him. just nice that day, they had delivered themselves to his door. emperor ling hui threw the memorial away. ¡°let him in.¡± chu mingxuan bowed respectfully. ¡°greetings, father.¡± he carefully thought about his words in his heart. emperor ling hui raised his eyelids. ¡°what are you doing here?¡± chu mingxuan said, ¡°father, there¡¯s news from the border. the southern frontier has established its own carefree kingdom and is controlled by a woman.¡± emperor ling hui had blocked the news, but he was spreading the news everywhere. ¡°so, what are you trying to say?¡± chu mingxuan took out a portrait. ¡°this woman is the great empress of the carefree kingdom.¡± emperor ling hui suddenly became interested in wasting time with him. after all, if his daughter-in-law was not good-looking, she would definitely lower his grandson¡¯s looks. emperor ling hui took it. he was quite satisfied, but it was a little worse than chu tianbao¡¯s. he asked again, ¡°what else do you want to say?¡± chu mingxuan pretended not to know that bai wutong was chu tianbao¡¯s wife and said cautiously, ¡°i followed the clues and found a trace. she¡¯s the sister of my secondary consort. bai shining disappeared when he moved south to take office. if we can send bai shining to the southern frontier, we will definitely be able to persuade her to surrender to the ling kingdom.¡± if bai shining went to the ling kingdom, he would be able to let bai shining obtain the blueprint of the firearm. then, he could let all of them die in an accident and replace them. he would no longer have to look at chu shixiong¡¯s expression and could become the emperor himself. he specially told chu shixiong because he wanted to show that he had no selfish motives and lower chu shixiong¡¯s guard against him. chu mingxuan¡¯s head was only the size of a dung beetle. emperor ling hui did not know his plans, but he could roughly guess. however, if bai shining was really bai wutong¡¯s biological father, it was not impossible to send him to the southern frontier to give it a try.. Chapter 500 - Chapter 500: Conferred As the Imperial Noble Consort chapter 500: conferred as the imperial noble consort translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios emperor ling hui did not tell chu mingxuan directly if he should send bai shining to the southern frontier. instead, he asked in a low voice, ¡°i heard that you¡¯ve taken in eight concubines recently?¡± chu mingxuan did not expect emperor ling hui to care about his backyard. he was even more afraid that emperor ling hui would realize that he was impotent. he was also afraid that emperor ling hui would urge him to have a child. he broke out in cold sweat and lowered his head. ¡°i have eight concubines, but they were all given to me by other people.¡± he had taken in these concubines firstly to hide from others and prove that he was very capable, and secondly, to win over the ministers in the court. at this moment, when he met emperor ling hui¡¯s deep eyes, he regretted it for a moment. emperor ling hui had not had any other children for so many years. perhaps he had long understood that there was something wrong with his body and was counting on him to carry on the family line. if he could not give birth to a son or daughter despite having so many concubines, it would definitely arouse emperor ling hui¡¯s suspicion. chu mingxuan¡¯s imagination ran wild to answer emperor ling hui¡¯s question about why he had not had an heir for many years. he heard emperor ling hui suddenly flare up. ¡°your mother is not feeling well. you¡¯re not worried at all, but you¡¯re only focused on playing with women. look at you, you¡¯re not decent at all!¡± chu mingxuan hurriedly knelt down with a plop. he wanted to refute that he had just been thinking for the imperial court and suggested sending bai shining to the border to persuade bai wutong to surrender. emperor ling hui did not give him a chance to speak. ¡°you¡¯re unfilial and dirty. get lost. 1 want you to tidy yourself up!¡± chu mingxuan was shocked. could it be that emperor ling hui already knew that quan family had sent people to kill chu tianbao and noble consort ling and deliberately punished him? if he knew that he had sent someone to assassinate noble consort ling and chu tianbao, but only punished him to go to the temple to reflect on his mistakes, it seemed that emperor linghui was not completely heartless to him. chu mingxuan accepted the order respectfully. ¡°i know my mistake. i will definitely reflect on myself in the temple and pray for father and mother, and bless the ling kingdom to be peaceful and prosperous.¡± emperor ling hui waved his hand. ¡°get lost!¡± chu mingxuan rolled away. emperor ling hui sneered. ¡°you¡¯re not my son after all, you coward.¡± emperor ling hui thought for a moment, summoned eunuch fu, and threw him an imperial edict. eunuch fu picked it up and walked out of the imperial study to open it. he was immediately stunned. emperor ling hui had actually conferred the title to consort chu, and she was even the imperial noble consort second only to the empress. could it be that after noble consort ling lost her favor, consort chu had regained her favor? if she had regained his favor, why didn¡¯t emperor ling hui bestow the empress conferment or remove consort chu¡¯s ban? the gaze he threw at him when handing over the imperial edict was also so disgusted. eunuch fu thought about it carefully. he still had to wait and see for the time being. if he hugged the wrong thigh and provoked emperor ling hui, he would be finished. he led everyone carefully into the hanxiao palace. when granny xu saw them, she immediately ran into the room and exclaimed, ¡°consort, consort, eunuch fu has brought an imperial edict and court clothes!¡± since he had brought the court clothes, that vixen must have completely fallen out of favor. emperor ling hui was about to confer the title of consort chu. everyone in the entire hanxiao palace smiled happily. they had finally made it. quan qiaorong revealed a rare smile and thought to herself, ¡®chu shixiong still has some conscience.¡¯ she combed her hair proudly and asked granny xu, ¡°what color is the imperial robe?¡± granny xu did not take a closer look just now. it was generally yellow. she smiled and said, ¡°wife, i just took a look. it¡¯s yellow.¡± quan qiaorong immediately could not hide the smile on her face. she knew that chu shixiong only had one son, xuan¡¯er. sooner or later, the position of empress would be hers. she raised her chin arrogantly. she was definitely going to make everyone who saw her make a fool of herself to drop their jaws. when eunuch fu announced the imperial edict, she knelt down to receive it. ¡°by the will of the heavens, the emperor has declared that the quan family is virtuous and has specially conferred the title of imperial noble consort.¡± when she heard that the she was only conferred title of imperial noble consort, quan qiaorong suddenly stood up with a questioning expression. eunuch fu did not care so much. ¡°your highness, accept the decree and thank your majesty.¡± quan qiaorong¡¯s expression darkened as she looked at the jade seal in the tray. thinking about how the imperial noble consort was already the highest-ranking consort second to the empress in the palace, and she also had the right to manage the harem. as long as her son was well and she managed the harem well, someone would naturally request for her to be conferred the title of empress in a few days. quan qiaorong thought it through and knelt down to receive the imperial edict. as soon as eunuch fu left, she couldn¡¯t wait to change into the imperial noble consort uniform. the calm yellow color on her body and the heavy crown made her look even more luxurious. granny xu and the servants shouted in unison, ¡°congratulations to the imperial consort. congratulations to the imperial consort!¡± quan qiaorong raised her armor and smiled. ¡°prepare a carriage for me to go to yangxin palace.¡± granny xu sent someone to call for a carriage. the servant returned after a while, but his face was pale as he said, ¡°granny, they said¡­ there¡¯s no carriage for her majesty. the only one is exclusive to noble consort ling.¡± when quan qiaorong heard this, she suddenly threw a box of high-quality rouge. ¡°how dare you? i¡¯m the imperial noble consort. how can 1 be worse than a slut!¡± the servant trembled and did not dare to say another word. quan qiaorong stood up. ¡°i¡¯ll go personally!¡± quan qiaorong walked out of the hanxiao palace angrily. as soon as she reached the door, she was stopped by a guard. ¡°her majesty can¡¯t leave the hanxiao palace!¡± quan qiaorong slapped her. ¡°i¡¯m the imperial noble consort. you want me to stay in the cold palace? get lost!¡± no matter how high the imperial noble consort¡¯s status was, she could not beat the emperor. the guard was unmoved after being slapped and stopped her firmly. quan qiaorong could not break through several times and finally understood it. emperor ling hui had only conferred her the title of imperial noble consort to stop the world from gossiping. he had no intention of handing over his harem to her at all. quan qiaorong pulled off her crown and threw it to the ground. ¡°chu shixiong, you bastard!¡± quan qiaorong scolded him at the palace gate. when emperor ling hui heard the news, not only was he not angry, he even asked eunuch fu, ¡°what are the commoners saying now?¡± eunuch fu hurriedly said, ¡°the commoners all think that you love the imperial consort very much.¡± emperor ling hui raised his eyebrows again. ¡°what else?¡± eunuch fu¡¯s neck stiffened. ¡°and you have no regrets about being deeply in love with consort ling. even if she doesn¡¯t have any children, you are still doting on her only¡­¡± he didn¡¯t hesitate to let quan qiaorong, who should have become the empress, only get the title of imperial noble consort. emperor ling hui suddenly smiled, and it was a sincere smile. ¡°very good!¡± when chu tianbao and the others returned in a few days, she would be able to go where she really should go. eunuch fu only felt that emperor ling hui was unfathomable and too terrifying. the person he had slept with for so many years had only ended up being placed under house arrest. bai shining thought that it was already the bai family¡¯s greatest blessing for a daughter to marry the eldest prince as a secondary consort. he never expected that not only would his eldest daughter marry chu tianbao, who had the royal bloodline, but she would also become the great empress of the southern frontier. while he was still in a state of shock, he was poisoned by chu mingxuan. this was a secret medicine specially used by the royal family to control the dark guards before the yan kingdom was destroyed. as long as he dared to be disobedient, it would make his life a living hell.. Chapter 501 - Chapter 501: How Is Bai Wutong Worthy! chapter 501: how is bai wutong worthy! translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios chu mingxuan deliberately wanted to let him understand how strong the toxicity of this poison was. after seven days, bai shining experienced a pain that was thousands of times worse than cramps, bones, and flesh scraping. no one wanted to experience such pain a second time. bai shining did not want to die yet, so he could only listen obediently. even if chu mingxuan asked him to kill his own grandson and daughter, he could only agree obediently like a dog. in the imperial study, emperor ling hui had a domineering aura and a sharp gaze. bai shining knelt at his feet and did not even dare to breathe heavily. after reading the news reported by the imperial guards, emperor ling hui was very disdainful of bai shining. ¡°how did your eldest daughter disappear?¡± bai shining replied shakily, ¡°not long after 1 went to the jingnan residence to take office, i sent someone to pick up my family. on the way, they encountered bandits. shen¡¯er unintentionally fell off the cliff and her whereabouts are unknown.¡± emperor ling hui raised his eyebrows. ¡°in that case, why hasn¡¯t your second wife and concubine¡¯s daughter disappeared?¡± after bai shining helped jia yuqin become the legitimate wife, bai xinshui was the legitimate daughter. emperor ling hui called her a concubine¡¯s daughter. it was obvious that he suspected that jia yuqin and bai xinshui were dissatisfied with their positions and even suspected that they were plotting to harm the eldest daughter. bai shining trembled and hurriedly explained, ¡°they were lucky to escape. it¡¯s all my eldest daughter¡¯s misfortune.¡± emperor ling hui¡¯s gaze suddenly turned cold. he doted on his concubine and killed his wife, allowing his legitimate daughter to be humiliated. in the end, he only claimed that it was his daughter¡¯s misfortune. emperor ling hui was about to curse when he thought of himself. although he had no choice but to let the mother and son down, he was also not a good person. he changed his words. ¡°do you know why i¡¯m looking for you?¡± bai shining pretended not to know. ¡°i¡¯m afraid not.¡± the corners of emperor ling hui¡¯s mouth curled up. ¡°you¡¯re quite stupid. fortunately, you have a daughter who became the emperor.¡± bai shining had long known, but when he heard it from the emperor again, he could not help but feel excited. his daughter was the emperor, so wasn¡¯t he the emperor emeritus, an existence even more noble than emperor linghui? a flash of joy flashed across bai shining¡¯s eyes. emperor ling hui easily captured it and sneered, ¡°are you happy, emperor emeritus?¡± bai shining¡¯s expression paused and he hurriedly kowtowed and begged for mercy. ¡°how can that unfilial daughter of mine become the great empress? please investigate carefully, your majesty.¡± he really felt that chu mingxuan and emperor ling hui might have made a mistake. emperor ling hui stared at him. he really could not figure out how bai shining could have nurtured a great empress apart from his slightly handsome face. however, this was the truth. emperor ling hui could not be bothered to waste his breath. ¡°i only want you to convince your daughter to bring my family back!¡± emperor ling hui sent bai shining to find out if bai wutong would forgive bai shining. if an idiot like bai shining could be forgiven, would he still have a chance to make up for it? bai shining¡¯s heart trembled. he did not dare to deny that his eldest daughter was not the great empress of the southern frontier. ¡°1 accept the order.¡± just as bai shining thought that he could leave, emperor ling hui suddenly stopped him. ¡°how is my eldest daughter-in-law getting along with your concubine¡¯s daughter?¡± how did they get along? bai shining¡¯s mind was filled with images of bai wutong being submissive and useless in front of them. he could not figure out what emperor ling hui meant. chu mingxuan was clearly the child of consort chu and had the support of his entire family. however, emperor ling hui seemed to value a bastard of unknown origin very much and even wanted to support bai wutong. bai shining braced himself and replied respectfully, ¡°your majesty, they got along extremely well. there has never been any quarrel.¡± his expression was sincere. if emperor ling hui hadn¡¯t seen the news that the guards had found, he would have believed him. emperor ling hui smiled. ¡°in that case, i¡¯ll allow your family to reunite. let your concubine¡¯s daughter and the second branch go with you.¡± bai shining was suddenly stunned. as his madam, it was only right for jia yuqin to follow him. however, why was bai xinshui, who had already become the eldest prince¡¯s secondary consort, following him? bai shining took a while before he stammered, ¡°but, the eldest prince¡­¡± before he could finish speaking, emperor ling hui told him, ¡°he¡¯s gone to the temple. he doesn¡¯t need your daughter to serve him. go to the southern frontier. aren¡¯t the sisters very close? help me persuade her.¡± his words sounded like they were filled with good intentions. chu mingxuan had already been sent to the temple. emperor ling hui had given the sisters a chance to meet, so bai shining did not dare to refuse. ¡°thank you for your kindness, your majesty¡­¡± he stood up and wanted to leave, but emperor ling hui stopped him again. in an instant, bai shining¡¯s hair stood on end. no way, no way. could it be that emperor linghui¡­ emperor ling hui really wanted to facilitate a family reunion. ¡°i heard that your son is also very ¡°close¡± to her. let him tag along. anyway, his studies are not good, so he can go and broaden his horizons.¡± when bai shining heard this, he almost lost his footing. he knew very well how close jia yuqin and the others were to bai wutong. although every country had a rule not to kill envoys, if bai wutong¡¯s disappearance was really related to jia yuqin, they would be in danger. bai shining was terrified, but when he thought about how he was bai wutong¡¯s father and how she was the most obedient and should not disobey him, he swallowed his heart and calmed down for a moment. when bai shining returned to the residence from the palace, jia yuqin thought that the emperor was looking for him for something good. she was grabbed into the room by bai shining who questioned her, ¡°did you have anything to do with shen¡¯er¡¯s disappearance back then?¡± when she was suddenly asked about bai wutong, who should have turned into bones, jia yuqin was shocked and denied with all her might, ¡°master, what nonsense are you talking about? how can her disappearance have anything to do with me? if master doesn¡¯t believe me, there are still witnesses in the residence. she was forced down the cliff by bandits.¡± bai shining stared into her eyes and clenched his fists tightly. ¡°it better be.¡± even if she really did it, she should have wiped her butt clean after so many years. jia yuqin forced herself to calm down and carefully probed, ¡°cousin, why are you asking this out of the blue?¡± bai shining looked at her coldly. ¡°you¡¯ll know soon.¡± when jia yuqin heard his words, she panicked even more. she hurriedly sent someone to seek an audience with the eldest prince¡¯s secondary consort. unexpectedly, a moment later, bai xinshui returned to the residence in a hurry. bai xinshui asked anxiously, ¡°father, is the imperial edict real?¡± bai shining said coldly to his beloved youngest daughter, ¡°how can the imperial edict be fake!¡± jia yuqin was at a loss. ¡°what¡¯s wrong?¡± bai xinshui suddenly sat on the chair in disbelief. bai wutong, who had been submissive and did not even dare to fart in front of her back then, had become the great empress of the southern frontier in just a few years. even the slut who pimped at the corner of the street looked more like the great empress than her. yet she was living a life worse than death.. how was bai wutong worthy! Chapter 502 - Chapter 502: It’s Like Entering Another World chapter 502: it¡¯s like entering another world translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios the power station in carefree city was finally completed. after bai wutong and chu tianbao visited together, while the wiring device was constantly being perfected, they also began to seek the wishes of the people to install wires in thousands of families and popularize the use of electric lights. there were people promoting it in every area. when su susu returned from work and saw many people surrounding the building manager, she squeezed in and heard the building manager announce loudly, ¡°on the fifth of next month, someone has to stay at home on the first floor. the imperial court will send someone to install wires at your door and you can use electric lights in the future. if there¡¯s really no one at home, come to me to register.¡± su susu asked in confusion, ¡°what are wires and electric lights?¡± the building manager explained in a hoarse voice, ¡°wires are a way to allow electricity to be transmitted. it¡¯s like a tap and pipe. as long as it¡¯s implemented, there¡¯s no need to buy candles and oil lamps in our building in the future. everyone just has to pay the electricity fee regularly.¡± as soon as he said that, many people said unhappily, ¡°1 don¡¯t even light candles and oil lamps at home, but i still have to pay. isn¡¯t that too much?¡± the building manager emphasized again, ¡°i¡¯ve already told you that it depends on how much electricity you use. if you don¡¯t use it, you won¡¯t have to pay at the end of the month. if you use it, you will definitely have to pay.¡± su susu was puzzled. ¡°is it better to use electricity than candles and oil lamps?¡± the building manager¡¯s voice was abnormally hoarse. after moistening his throat with a large cup of tea, he said, ¡°you¡¯ve seen the leather shop in the center of the city, right? through the glass window, the shiny and eye-catching thing inside will replace candles and kerosene lamps in the future. not only will there be no smoke, but it won¡¯t catch fire. even if you count the electricity cost, it¡¯s no different from candles and oil lamps.¡± as soon as he said this, everyone was surprised and delighted. ¡°then if such high-quality things are installed at home, they will only be at the same price as oil lamps and candles?!¡± the building manager said affirmatively, ¡°why should i lie to you? hurry up. i will register the people on the first floor first. on the sixth of next month, i will register those on the second floor, and so on. if you¡¯re not sure, you can look at the timetable on the noticeboard. if you can¡¯t read, ask others.¡± the building manager spent a lot of effort talking, but su susu understood. another wave of people came to stop her and asked their questions. su susu felt tired for her. when she returned home, the next day, she had already sensibly prepared the food. wang fu would be home that day. su susu took another piece of meat from the balcony, cut it into thin slices, and stir-fried a plate of pepper meat. the sound of wang fu¡¯s footsteps came. su susu and ming¡¯er hurriedly went to welcome him. his wife and children were smiling happily, and there was a sumptuous meal on the table. wang fu felt that this was the best day in the world. wang fu picked up their son and circled him. ¡°let daddy take a look and see if you¡¯ve gained weight.¡± ming¡¯er said happily, ¡°i have become fatter. mother said that my chin has gained weight.¡± wang fu laughed loudly. ¡°it¡¯s a blessing to be fat. when father gets his monthly salary next month, our family will be able to buy an apartment bigger than this.¡± wang fu could earn five taels of silver a month from mining. he often worked overtime, and with the seasonal allowance, he could earn seven taels of silver at the most. coupled with what su susu had earned, their family earned about 10 taels of silver a month. the apartment was a one-bedroom apartment. ming¡¯er was still young and it was still suitable for living, but when he grew older, it would not be enough space. they could not afford the villa but it was more than enough to buy a three-bedroom apartment with a down payment after loaning from the bank. ming¡¯er said in surprise, ¡°really?¡± wang fu pinched his increasingly chubby face. ¡°why would i lie to you? soon, our family will be able to move into a big house. in a few days, i¡¯ll bring you to see the house.¡± after su susu scooped the rice, she asked, ¡°i remember that houses are in high demand now. i don¡¯t think there¡¯s an available house.¡± many of the commoners who had come with them had just moved out of the tent. everyone worked hard. now that there was a bank that could lend money, who didn¡¯t want to have a real home? once there was a new building, they would fight to book it. wang fu chuckled and said, ¡°if there¡¯s no available house, we can buy it from others!¡± in the first batch of houses built in carefree city, some people wanted to change to villas, so they had an empty house in their hands. when wang fu heard the agent introduce it to him, he had some ideas in mind. su susu¡¯s eyes lit up and she said happily, ¡°that¡¯s great. we¡¯ll take a look when we have time.¡± wang fu met his wife¡¯s satisfied smile and picked up some meat for ming¡¯er in extreme satisfaction. ¡°eat more so that you can become smarter and find a good job in the future.¡± ming¡¯er nodded and suddenly said, ¡°then will our new house also have electric lights installed? we used them in primary school. they¡¯re especially bright and there¡¯s no smell. they don¡¯t dazzle the eyes at all and we won¡¯t have to be afraid of accidentally setting the book on fire.¡± wang fu smiled and said, ¡°then it must be installed. it¡¯s quite good and it¡¯s popular in our mine. at that time, i thought that it would be good if our family could use such convenient electric lights. i didn¡¯t expect to be informed not long after.¡± su susu looked at the father and son and smiled. ¡°in just a year, our current life still feels surreal.¡± wang fu also smiled. ¡°yes, it¡¯s like entering another world! in the past, when 1 was still farming in my hometown, if others told me that the carefree kingdom was like this, i would definitely scold him for bluffing.¡± ming¡¯er said happily, ¡°father, if you go back and tell them now, they will also scold you for bluffing.¡± wang fu thought of his eldest brother and second brother in their hometown and suddenly felt a little sad. they decided to leave back then because their family really could not support so many people. for a few taels of silver, he decided to risk it with the mentality that he would never return. who would have thought that it would be such a great fortune? he couldn¡¯t help but think that if only he had persuaded his eldest brother and second brother to come along. one look at his expression and su susu knew what he was thinking. she comforted him and said, ¡°our carefree kingdom¡¯s firearms are so powerful. the ling kingdom definitely won¡¯t dare to attack. one day, we will reunite with eldest brother and second brother.¡± wang fu smiled. ¡°our great empress is wise and mighty. she will definitely do so.¡± the apartment belonged to the imperial court and was mandatory to install wires. it was voluntary for the villa and countryside to install wires. if they wanted to install it, they had to pay the installation fee themselves. it was not expensive. it was only one tael of silver and they were even given an electric lamp. but it was this amount of money that made old madam luo unhappy. when she heard that she would have to pay the electricity fee in the future, she was even more unhappy. her two sons also did not allow their house to install wires. they even emphasized, ¡°we don¡¯t usually use oil lamps and candles. when it¡¯s dark, we¡¯ll sleep. when the sun gets big, we¡¯ll get up. one tael of silver is definitely too much!¡± their family really did not lack this bit of money. however, old madam luo was determined. she was already old and they were afraid of agitating her, so eldest and second son luo gave up on installing wires. when everyone¡¯s house was electrified and brightly lit, old madam luo even scolded them for being prodigals. in the end, the neighbor bought a headlamp and charged it. in the middle of the night, he went to the reef to catch crabs. he caught a large basket and sold it for a lot of money. old madam luo immediately ran back and asked her eldest son, ¡°hurry up and get someone to install the wires at our house! i just bought a headlamp..¡± Chapter 503 - Chapter 503: The Cheesy Baby Wife Likes It chapter 503: the cheesy baby wife likes it translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios big luo was surprised that old madam luo had suddenly thought it through and even bought a headlamp. ¡°mother, why did you buy a headlamp?¡± old madam luo beamed with joy. ¡°let¡¯s go to the beach tonight to catch crabs, sea cucumbers, and abalones. with a headlamp, we can see them. the sea breeze can¡¯t blow them away.¡± then she said smugly, ¡°this headlamp cost your mother half a tael of silver. we have to earn it back.¡± ¡°half a tael of silver! it¡¯s so expensive! mother, let me see.¡± luo da reached out to see what the headlamp looked like. old master luo reminded carefully, ¡°don¡¯t break it.¡± luo da took a closer look and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°mother, how does this work?¡± old madam luo said proudly, ¡°look at you. you don¡¯t even know how to use a headlamp. you¡¯re not even as good as an old lady like me.¡± she reached out and pressed the button inside the headlamp. with a bang, the headlamp lit up. it was broad daylight, but it was still a little eye-catching when it lit up. this was the first time luo da was looking at the lights at such a close distance. he was a little curious. ¡°it¡¯s so beautiful and bright. if we use this to go to the beach, we¡¯ll definitely be able to catch a lot of seafood.¡± then he said, ¡°i can also use it to fish. the fishes in this season are especially fat. it can be sold for a good price.¡± he put it on his head again and tried it on in the house. it felt especially good and their movements would not be restricted at all. when he was fishing, others would definitely envy him to death. old madam luo wanted to use it to pick up seafood herself, so the headlamp was extremely precious. ¡°when we earn money, i¡¯ll buy you another one.¡± when luo da heard his mother¡¯s words that she did not want him to use it, he immediately had the intention to buy one himself. luo da asked, ¡°where did you buy this?¡± old madam luo said anxiously, ¡°don¡¯t worry about where i bought it first. hurry up and get someone to install the wires. there are no wires at home. when this bit of electricity is used up, there¡¯s no way to charge it.¡± luo da was stunned. ¡°so it still has to be charged. 1 thought 1 could use it forever after buying it.¡± old madam luo also felt the same. ¡°that¡¯s right. buying it once and charging it continuously is just wasting money. the imperial court is really good at thinking of ways to earn our money. hurry up and find someone to install the wires.¡± even though that was what she said, compared to the price of charging the headlamp, she was more willing to go to the beach to pick up seafood. luo da hurriedly went to ask someone. after a while, he returned dejectedly. old master luo asked, ¡°how is it?¡± luo da shook his head. ¡°we didn¡¯t sign up previously. now that we¡¯re signing up, we¡¯re placed on the waitlist behind everyone. we¡¯ll have to wait for at least a month.¡± old madam luo widened her eyes and said angrily, ¡°they agreed that if the people have needs, they will resolve the problems for us. these officials are all f*cking bullsh*t!¡± luo da lowered his voice and advised, ¡°mother, don¡¯t say that. the imperial court isn¡¯t just servicing for our family. it¡¯s already good enough that they¡¯re willing to put us on waitlist.¡± previously, when the imperial court came to visit, old master luo kept saying that he would not install wires even if he died. he cursed and offended the district head. when luo da went to look for him, he felt embarrassed. old madam luo snorted and said angrily, ¡°go and ask again. our family needs it urgently.¡± luo da sighed. ¡°mother, don¡¯t make things difficult for me. there¡¯s no one in our family who can talk to the higher-ups.¡± old madam luo panicked. ¡°then what should we do? we can¡¯t charge it at home. if we take it to the shop to charge it, it will cost us 10 copper coins at a time!¡± if she had to charge every day, wouldn¡¯t it cost three taels of silver a month? others had already said that it would definitely be cheap if it was charged at home. luo da calculated and felt that it was really expensive. if he bought another headlamp now, it would be even more expensive. if only he had not listened to his mother back then and installed the wires like other families, actually, if he did not use it, it would not have cost him money. luo da sighed heavily and heard old madam luo say happily, ¡°let¡¯s go to your uncle¡¯s house to charge! we¡¯re all family. it won¡¯t cost much to charge.¡± luo da thought to himself that luo shi was even more stingy than old madam luo. how could he agree to let them charge every day? he might as well spend money to charge in the shop. since old madam luo was urging him, he had to pretend to ask. however, he regretted it even more. it was just pulling a wire. why didn¡¯t he have any foresight back then? tuantuan twisted her little body on the bed, her chubby little hands and feet kicking, looking especially effortful. yuanyuan was still the same. he was quiet and steady. in comparison, his sister had completely different personalities. noble consort ling sat by the bed and looked at the siblings affectionately. she said to bai wutong and chu tianbao, ¡°after three flips and six sittings, tuantuan is learning to turn things around now.¡± bai wutong smiled and said, ¡°let them take their time to learn. there¡¯s no hurry.¡± it wasn¡¯t easy for tuantuan to put one of her small feet over. she twisted her body, but it was really too heavy and she couldn¡¯t twist it. relying on her toothless mouth, she howled, indicating that she, tuantuan, would definitely flip over. noble consort ling¡¯s heart melted. she couldn¡¯t help but remind, ¡°i reckon tuantuan will learn it in the next few days. we have to make the others pay more attention so that she won¡¯t be suffocated when she flips over.¡± bai wutong nodded. ¡°mother is right.¡± at night, bai wutong and chu tianbao went to see tuantuan and yuanyuan in the crib. the little fellows had just drunk milk and were sleeping well. their small stomachs rose and fell, making them look especially cute. bai wutong smiled. ¡°i guarantee that tuantuan will sleep crookedly soon.¡± as soon as she finished speaking, tuantuan kicked the blanket and nudged yuanyuan. yuanyuan frowned slightly. as if he was used to it, he couldn¡¯t be bothered to open his eyes. chu tianbao covered tuantuan with the blanket like a father. after a while, tuantuan kicked the blanket away. chu tianbao covered her again and said gently, ¡°you¡¯re not even obedient when you sleep.¡± bai wutong recalled that when stinky was young, he would still attack them at night like a worm. ¡°you were also like this when you were young. yet you are saying this about our daughter.¡± suddenly, she remembered that when she had just picked up chu tianbao, he had wanted to climb into bed every day. she couldn¡¯t help but laugh evilly. ¡°oh no, chu tianbao was still like this two years ago.¡± chu tianbao¡¯s expression paused. he suddenly hooked his arm around bai wutong¡¯s waist and whispered in her ear, ¡°i¡¯m like this now.¡± he was staring straight at her, hinting at her. how shameless. bai wutong was amused by his cheesy appearance. she said in a low voice, ¡°big cheesy baby.¡± chu tianbao was still very proud. ¡°what¡¯s wrong with being a big cheesy baby? my wife likes it.¡± yuanyuan knew that they were loving, but she didn¡¯t expect them to be so intimate. with just a word from his cheesy father, he could dig out a seaside villa with his toes. three days later, tuantuan finally learned how to turn her body sideways. ever since she learned how to turn her body sideways, she no longer liked to lie down and sleep. moreover, every time she turned her body, she would stick close to yuanyuan. when she woke up at night, she would even kick yuanyuan. however, yuanyuan was so steady. every time he opened his eyes and glanced at tuantuan, he would close them again, making granny wang say that he was too doting on his sister. after a few more days, tuantuan tried her best to turn over. her entire body was exerting strength, and her head was tilted back. her face was red from holding it in. bai wutong felt that her neck was about to bend, and her heart skipped a beat. after she lay tuantuan flat, she kicked her legs hard to express her strong dissatisfaction. in the end, her hard work paid off. one day, tuantuan finally succeeded in flipping over. everyone was happy, so noble consort ling asked nervously, ¡°tuanuan has already learned how to turn over.. why isn¡¯t yuanyuan reacting at all?¡± Chapter 504 - Chapter 504: Yuanyuan Turns Over chapter 504: yuanyuan turns over translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios with noble consort ling¡¯s reminder, everyone really found it strange. logically speaking, children who were about a month old should have turned over about the same time. yuanyuan had indeed not moved much until now. he was a little different from ordinary people. feeling uneasy, everyone told chu tianbao and bai wutong. chu tianbao suddenly frowned, but he felt that it shouldn¡¯t be a big deal if it was a little late. yuanyuan might be someone who did not like to move. when chu tianbao said that, everyone stopped discussing. however, when chu tianbao lay in bed with bai wutong that night, he couldn¡¯t help but worry. ¡°should we look for doctor wen to take a look?¡± if yuanyuan was feeling unwell and they did not notice it, it would delay the best treatment time. bai wutong smiled and said, ¡°doctor gu comes for a checkup every few days. he only came the day before yesterday. how can there be a problem? there¡¯s nothing wrong with yuanyuan. he¡¯s just lazy and doesn¡¯t like to move.¡± chu tianbao immediately sat up straight and asked nervously, ¡°how can our son be lazy?¡± he even looked determined that since they were not lazy, his son would definitely not be lazy. bai wutong chuckled. ¡°that¡¯s the truth.¡± the next day, yuanyuan did not move. on the third day, yuanyuan still did not move. on the fourth day, yuanyuan moved his legs and small hands, but he still did not look like he was going to turn over. chu tianbao and noble consort ling couldn¡¯t sit still anymore. they unanimously decided to guide yuanyuan to flip over. chu tianbao held the large rattle that gou houxing had given him and waved it in front of yuanyuan. ¡°yuanyuan, yuanyuan, look here. do you like it? if you do, come and get it?¡± yuanyuan was annoyed by chu tianbao. he looked up coldly and reached out his hand. chu tianbao took a little more of the rattle and looked at bai wutong proudly. ¡°yuanyuan, come and get more. it¡¯s right here. it¡¯s a fun rattle. dong dong, listen. it¡¯s so fun.¡± yuanyuan really did not like rattles. if it was possible, he would rather touch xiaobai¡¯s head. however, this person was his father. he had not been able to have a father in his previous life, so he reached out again. chu tianbao moved back again. yuanyuan thought about it. he had already been quite cooperative just now, so he pretended to be sleepy and yawned. he was a powerhouse with five types of superpowers in the apocalypse and was busy protecting everyone¡¯s survival all day long. it was not easy for him to be reincarnated. as a cute baby, he only wanted to lie down now. chu tianbao was a little disappointed that yuanyuan had given up so quickly. noble consort ling was also a little afraid that there might be really something wrong with yuanyuan. logically speaking, it was a little late to turn around. after a while, chu tianbao perked up again and used a huge sword to tease yuanyuan. yuanyuan quite liked the big sword that his father had carved. although it was small, the totems on it were very exquisite and the craftsmanship was very exquisite. this was something that could not be seen or bought in an apocalypse. when he had used enough of his hands, chu tianbao guided his patiently. ¡°yuanyuan, how about this? roll over like your sister. daddy will let you play with the big sword.¡± yuanyuan finally understood why he did not want to be intimate with his mother and came over to torture him. so he was worried that he wouldn¡¯t make a turn. actually, he had turned over too. it was just that no one had noticed when he flipped over at night. since his father wanted to see it, he would reluctantly perform a roll. yuanyuan shifted his butt. chu tianbao looked at bai wutong in surprise, looking excited. then, they saw yuanyuan flip over agilely.. Chapter 505 - Chapter 505: I’ll Make It for You Now chapter 505: i¡¯ll make it for you now translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios yuanyuan gave his sister the sword, then rolled around and kissed her. when yuanyuan received the huge sword, chu tianbao¡¯s eyes were filled with excitement. ¡°wife, yuanyuan has flipped over.¡± bai wutong¡¯s eyes were gentle as she smiled and said, ¡°yes, i saw it. he even rolled very quickly. he should be able to crawl in a few days.¡± chu tianbao was really happy. he said to yuanyuan expectantly, ¡°yuanyuan, flip another one. daddy will give you a rattle.¡± yuanyuan¡¯s big round eyes met chu tianbao¡¯s. he decided to roll over again. he rolled around and the big sword in his hand slipped, landing in front of tuantuan. tuantuan¡¯s eyes lit up. she grabbed the big sword and giggled. she thought it was a gift from her brother. she held it tightly and didn¡¯t let go at all. fortunately, yuanyuan did not insist on having the big sword. he generously gave the big sword to his sister and held the large rattle that chu tianbao had rewarded him. he even shook it hard and let out a crisp drumbeat. this made noble consort ling exclaim excitedly, ¡°yuanyuan is so smart!¡± yuanyuan raised his chin in front of his beautiful grandmother, as if he was saying that¡¯s right. it caused chu tianbao to leave the room and complain to bai wutong, ¡°our yuanyuan is smart and knows how to do it after being taught. he¡¯s just too lazy. when he¡¯s older in the future, you can¡¯t spoil him. you have to let him learn martial arts from me.¡± bai wutong chuckled. ¡°you clearly dote on them more than me.¡± chu tianbao raised his chin exactly the same way as yuanyuan and proudly expressed that he was a strict father. bai wutong¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°yes, yes. i¡¯m the one who¡¯s doting on them.¡± even though she usually took care of tuantuan and yuanyuan, she did not forget to bring stinky out for an outing. it was spring and flowers were blooming. going out to sea to fish had become one of everyone¡¯s sightseeing activities. stinky carried his small fishing rod, a small bucket, and his small drawing board. if he had any inspiration, he would draw a few strokes. after getting on the boat, bai wutong took out her hat and put it on stinky. she also put on a windbreaker for him. this was not the first time stinky had gone out to sea, but this was the first time everyone had gone fishing together. he stood at the bow excitedly and leaned on the railing to shout, ¡°sea, i¡¯m coming!¡± then he shook lin yue¡¯s arm. ¡°uncle, shout with me!¡± the vast sea made people happy. lin yue shouted cooperatively, ¡°sea, i¡¯m here soon, the boat slowly sailed towards the middle of sea and arrived at the fishing spot. chu tianbao taught stinky to use his small fishing rod. lin yue raised the fishing rod and ran to qingfeng. he said proactively, ¡°i¡¯ll help you hang the bait.¡± qingfeng shook her head and showed him the fishing rod that had already been hung with bait. lin yue was not disappointed and said happily, ¡°let me show you my skills!¡± recently, he had also become addicted to fishing in the sea. his skin, which was not fair to begin with, was now red from the sun. later, qingfeng gave him a bottle of sunscreen, so that he did not become tanner. he was confident that he could catch a big fish to broaden everyone¡¯s horizons. unexpectedly, the hook did not move for a long time. he changed the bait. the others had already caught some fishes, and chu tianbao had even caught a big flat fish, but he still hadn¡¯t caught a fish. he was glad that qingfeng had yet to catch the fish. unexpectedly, in the next second, qingfeng¡¯s fishing hook trembled violently. it was an extremely big fish. the fish was very strong. qingfeng grabbed the fishing rod tightly and spent a lot of effort to catch it. good lord, it actually weighed five kilograms. and it was an especially tender yellow fish! it was really rare for it to grow so big. lin yue was excited and looked at his fishing rod with disappointment. qingfeng suddenly said to him, ¡°i want to eat the fish you cook.¡± lin yue immediately perked up.. ¡°i¡¯ll make it for you now!¡± Chapter 506 - Chapter 506: Untying a Bell Requires The Person Who Tied It chapter 506: untying a bell requires the person who tied it translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios lin yue dragged the big yellow croaker that qingfeng had caught to the back of the kitchen to deal with it. qingfeng also put down her fishing rod and followed him. gou houxing¡¯s face was filled with envy. was this the happiness of having a partner? when would he be able to have a partner? he suddenly remembered that chu tianbao had promised him that he would find the great empress to introduce him to a partner when he arrived at guangling. he walked up to chu tianbao, wanting to talk to him. chu tianbao¡¯s attention was all on bai wutong. the fishes kept coming up, and he kept retrieving the fishes and hanging bait for bai wutong. he couldn¡¯t be bothered to give him a look. on the other side, sheng huaixuan took care of stinky while instructing cui lingyi to fish. the two of them looked at each other and smiled from time to time. the fishes in the sea could not help but jump up when they smelled them being lovey-dovey. everyone was in pairs, except for cui muzhi, who was alone at the side. gou houxing felt like he was in the same boat as cui muzhi. he ran up and patted cui muzhi¡¯s shoulder, sighing as if they were close friends. ¡°sigh, we¡¯re the only ones who don¡¯t have a partner. how pitiful.¡± cui muzhi looked at him indifferently and retracted his gaze. he pulled up the fishing rod. it was a heavy black fish. everyone was pleasantly surprised. only gou houxing realized that he had been despised just now. after another hour, as if they had poked a fish nest, they kept catching fishes. basically, as soon as they put down the fishing rod, they could catch a fish. the fishing rod in bai wutong¡¯s hand suddenly became heavy. the fishing line straightened in an instant and was very, very fast. she was almost pulled out. chu tianbao quickly helped her hold the fishing rod, but this fish was really not small and was especially strong. if she wanted to pull it to the side of the boat, she had to wait until it was exhausted. after a while, the fish finally couldn¡¯t swim anymore. chu tianbao pulled it over and everyone finally understood why. there was an extremely huge bass floating on the water. it was estimated to weigh 10 to 15 kilograms. its huge mouth looked like it could swallow a baby. it felt really good to catch such a big fish. bai wutong couldn¡¯t help but arrange for the next time they were going to fish in the sea. after fishing for four hours, stinky was so tired that he went to the kitchen to see what delicious food lin yue had made. only then did they put away their fishing rods and prepare to eat. lin yue stewed pickled vegetables with yellow fish and made dishes with flagfish, bass, and other fish. in addition, there were cold fish, braised prawns, boiled fish slices, fishball soup, prawn balls, and other delicacies. gou houxing looked like he had never seen the world. his eyes widened. ¡°you made all this? this is too amazing!¡± lin yue scooped a bowl of fishball soup for qingfeng and smiled. ¡°i only made pickled vegetable with fish. the rest was made by the chef.¡± the pickled fish looked especially appetizing. the fish was exquisitely decorated, and the fish slices were as thin as cicada wings. it was obvious that they were at the professional level. gou houxing could not think of anything to praise him. he just exclaimed, ¡°amazing, amazing, amazing!¡± stinky finished a mouthful of delicious fishball soup and praised with a smile, ¡°because auntie qingfeng likes to eat fish, uncle specially went to learn it.¡± gou houxing couldn¡¯t help but look at lin yue in admiration. it was no wonder that he had a partner. after dinner, everyone played mahjong in the boat. cui muzhi walked to the bow alone, took out the jade pendant, and fell into deep thought. gou houxing walked over and realized that he was in a daze with the jade pendant. he could not help but tease, ¡°who are you thinking of?¡± cui muzhi suddenly asked him in a daze, ¡°has general gou ever seen a person at the border of the southern frontier?¡± ¡°who?¡± cui muzhi suddenly fell silent again. after a moment, he shook his head. ¡°nothing.¡± for some reason, he looked like he had been possessed. gou houxing judged that he must be troubled by love, so he comforted him casually. ¡°the falling flowers have feelings, and the flowing water is heartless. there are plenty of fish in the sea. let it go. you¡¯ve grown up to be so handsome. many women must be attracted by you.¡± cui muzhi forced a smile. when gou houxing saw the depression in his eyes, he couldn¡¯t help but secretly ask bai wutong when he returned, ¡°sister-in-law, does that kid from the cui family like anyone? he looks a little troubled by love.¡± at the mention of cui muzhi, bai wutong¡¯s smile suddenly froze. chu tianbao glared at gou houxing. ¡°why are you worried about other people¡¯s matters? did you train today? if not, go quickly!¡± gou houxing said in confusion, ¡°it¡¯s my day off!¡± seeing chu tianbao¡¯s silent expression, he hurriedly said, ¡°then i¡¯ll go back first today. remember to call me if there¡¯s an activity next time!¡± gou houxing ran far away in a hurry before he remembered that he had forgotten to ask chu tianbao and bai wutong to introduce him to someone. bai wutong really hoped that cui muzhi could be with the person he loved, but whether they could be together depended on whether the two of them could withstand all the obstacles. she would not interfere. however, she still had to tell cui lingyi about the things that cui muzhi was suppressing and think of a way to counsel him first. if he suffered from severe depression, it would be extremely harmful to his body and mind. when cui lingyi heard bai wutong finish, she sighed. ¡°didn¡¯t i persuade him? i¡¯ve tried many times, but he won¡¯t listen at all. untying a bell requires the person who tied it. i think this will remain unresolved unless jingbai comes back.¡± when lan jingbai returned to see cui muzhi, cui shiji was probably the one who would be depressed. bai wutong shook her head. ¡°then let¡¯s think of a solution.¡± cui lingyi sighed heavily. ¡°why have it come this far?¡± bai wutong smiled and said, ¡°who can say for sure when it comes to relationships?¡± everyone had the right to pursue love. chu tianbao came to the martial arts arena to practice his spear. gou houxing immediately put down his spear and ran over. ¡°brother, young general! have you forgotten what you promised me!¡± chu tianbao shot the bullseye a few times and frowned at him. ¡°what is it?¡± gou houxing¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°you forgot?¡± his face was filled with condemnation for chu tianbao being so irresponsible. chu tianbao thought for a moment and finally remembered. ¡°i told your sister-in-law before, but she was busy and probably didn¡¯t remember. i¡¯ll help you ask when i get back.¡± bai wutong was indeed very busy, but he also wanted to have a partner! it was time for him to start a family. gou houxing rubbed his hands and licked his lips. ¡°brother, i¡¯ll leave my lifelong happiness to you! you must not forget!¡± bai wutong had good taste and would definitely be able to introduce him to a particularly good partner. chu tianbao nodded. ¡°okay!¡± when he returned home, bai wutong was still at work. chu tianbao walked over quietly and massaged her. bai wutong glanced at him, closed the book, and leaned back in enjoyment. ¡°today¡¯s tasks are settled. i¡¯m so tired. you came at the right time ~¡± chu tianbao bent down and kissed her face. bai wutong chuckled and narrowed her eyes in bliss. then, she heard chu tianbao ask, ¡°is there any progress on houxing¡¯s marriage?¡± Chapter 507 - Chapter 507: I’ll Treat You to Red Eggs As Soon As Possible chapter 507: i¡¯ll treat you to red eggs as soon as possible translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios bai wutong opened her eyes and smiled. ¡°i think zhao lanzhi is very good. she¡¯s beautiful and outstanding. i wanted to ask her previously, but she went to xuya and hasn¡¯t returned yet. however, i¡¯ve already told old madam zhao that when zhao lanzhi returns, if she¡¯s willing, they can participate in the local blind date in baye. it¡¯s quite interesting.¡± chu tianbao remembered what had happened between zhao lanzhi and zhao pengfei. ¡°is it really over between them?¡± if gou houxing became interested and zhao lanzhi got together with zhao pengfei, how sad would he be? bai wutong smiled and said, ¡°once a woman¡¯s heart is broken, she won¡¯t look back. moreover, zhao pengfei has been wooing her for so long, and lanzhi¡¯s attitude is firm. don¡¯t worry.¡± chu tianbao suddenly stared at her without saying anything. bai wutong found it strange and touched her cheek. ¡°is there something on my face?¡± chu tianbao kissed her forehead and promised firmly, ¡°i definitely won¡¯t make you sad.¡± bai wutong thought that something had happened to him. it turned out that he was frightened. her eyes darted around and the corners of her mouth curled up. ¡°uh-huh, you really won¡¯t make me sad?¡± chu tianbao hurriedly nodded. ¡°definitely!¡± bai wutong immediately whispered into his ear. when chu tianbao heard this, he suddenly objected. ¡°that kind of thing doesn¡¯t count!¡± bai wutong glared at him. ¡°you just said you didn¡¯t want me to be sad!¡± chu tianbao leaned closer and shamelessly said, ¡°isn¡¯t my wife also very satisfied? i¡¯ll massage you more after this, okay it would have been fine if he hadn¡¯t mentioned the massage, but once he did, bai wutong felt her entire body heat up. she glared at him. ¡°uh-huh, you promised me just now. do you want to go back on your word? or do you want me to be sad?¡± chu tianbao immediately blushed and said aggrievedly, ¡°wife, wife¡­¡± bai wutong pinched the bridge of his nose and smiled helplessly. ¡°you¡¯re already a father, yet you¡¯re still behaving like a kid!¡± chu tianbao didn¡¯t care about what he did, as long as it was useful. only three times a week. that would suffocate him. ¡°wife¡ª¡± seeing how pitiful he was, bai wutong chuckled. ¡°alright, alright. i didn¡¯t expect you to be obedient.¡± chu tianbao heaved a sigh of relief and thought to himself that he would never fall for bai wutong¡¯s trap again. the local women of xuya also applied powder made from a yellowish-red rock on their faces on important holidays. even after this powder was filtered, the sensation on the face was still rough. it was far inferior to the exquisiteness of the talcum powder. however, the color was abnormally beautiful. it could be extracted and made into a color palette. zhao lanzhi took some samples and planned to bring them back and ask gu zhongxun to help her test if these two rocks were harmful to the human body. with the road built between xuya and carefree city, trade became more and more frequent. zhao lanzhi¡¯s cosmetics were very popular locally. the beautiful lipstick and blush were often in high demand. however, after a few middlemen, the prices of the cosmetics they bought had increased several times. zhao yunning wanted to open one or two branches in xuya like carefree city. the aesthetic taste of women in every area was slightly different. baye was close to the forest, sea, and grassland. it was rich in resources and they could obtain many colors. all kinds of color decorations could often be seen on their faces and bodies. xuya was sandwiched between the grassland and the desert rocks. the locals liked bright colors the most¡ª red and gold. zhao lanzhi adjusted the types and color tone of the cosmetics that were to be supplied to xuya according to their preferences. after returning to carefree city, she could add some new products. opening a shop in carefree city, which was personally controlled by bai wutong, was completely different from opening a shop in xuya, which had the most locals. they had to pay attention to many aspects. otherwise, it would arouse the disgust of the locals. even if they were not expelled, if the locals were unwilling to buy their products, the shop would close down. zhao lanzhi figured out these things and got someone to rent the shop. it had been a month since she was ready to start. by the time she returned to carefree city, two days had passed since the local blind date in baye. as soon as she entered, madam zhao beamed and led her into the house. she said to her, ¡°lanzhi, the great empress wants to introduce you to a partner. do you want to take a look?¡± although madam zhao asked her for her thoughts, she looked unyielding. zhao lanzhi was not so resistant to marriage, but she had never met anyone who moved her. madam zhao was too anxious. since the great empress had introduced the person, it should be alright. zhao lanzhi nodded. ¡°sure.¡± old madam zhao finally waited for her to speak. she smiled and said, ¡°the great empress is just too influential. i nagged so much, but you were unwilling to go. now, you¡¯ve finally thought it through.¡± previously, zhao lanzhi was unwilling to go because she was not sure if she had given up on zhao pengfei. later, she confirmed that zhao pengfei could not stir up any ripples in her heart and was busy with all kinds of things. madam zhao hurriedly said, ¡°the day after tomorrow is baye¡¯s blind date. i¡¯ve prepared a few sets of clothes for you. come here and try them on!¡± zhao lanzhi had just arrived home and was especially tired. ¡°mother, i want to take a shower and rest first. can we try another day?¡± madam zhao was too excited and slapped her head. ¡°look at me. hurry up and rest. 1 will look at the clothes sold outside to see if there is anything more suitable for you.¡± madam zhao left in a hurry. zhao lanzhi smiled tiredly. if it was another household¡¯s daughter, if she refused to get married, she would probably have been beaten up long ago and asked to get lost. gou houxing had no parents and had been begging on the streets since he was young. it was chu tianbao who gave him food and taught him martial arts. he did not know how to woo girls at all. afraid that he would scare his future wife away, gou houxing even specially asked chu tianbao what to do and prepare on the day of the blind date. as if chu tianbao had long known that he was going to ask, he took out a few sets of clothes tailor-made for him. ¡°your sister-in-law prepared these for you. remember to change and wash them diligently. don¡¯t go to meet people in dirty clothes.¡± gou houxing was excited. ¡°sister-in-law is the best!¡± he couldn¡¯t wait to try it out and bragged in front of the mirror. ¡°as expected, there¡¯s a saying that goes, a man depends on his clothes.¡¯ i didn¡¯t expect myself to be so handsome.¡± gou houxing was about the same height as chu tianbao. he had distinct edges on his square face. he had the aura of a soldier. looking at him from afar, he was also a handsome man. chu tianbao continued, ¡°she will meet you at muzhi¡¯s snack shop. if she doesn¡¯t want to go for a walk by the sea with you, don¡¯t force her, understand?¡± when gou houxing heard zhao lanzhi¡¯s name, he burst with joy and hurriedly nodded. chu tianbao instructed again like an old father, ¡°we¡¯ve already arranged snacks and tea for you. don¡¯t rush to pay for it, and don¡¯t scare people with your loud voice.¡± gou houxing¡¯s eyes were wide. ¡°brother, you¡¯re so good to me chu tianbao also wanted him to have a home of his own. he patted his shoulder and cheered him on. ¡°best of luck!¡± gou houxing¡¯s gaze was firm. ¡°brother, don¡¯t worry.. i¡¯ll definitely treat you to red eggs as soon as possible!¡± Chapter 508 - Chapter 508: Better Understanding chapter 508: better understanding translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios on the day of the blind date, gou ilouxing woke up before dawn. he hurriedly washed up, took out the clothes he had tried on the previous night, and changed into them. then, he carefully tidied his hair. he felt that he was inhumanly handsome. when he looked outside, he could not even see his fingers. this was too torturous. gou houxing sat by the window and waited. when the rooster crowed and the bell of the bell tower sounded, he couldn¡¯t help but change his clothes and run ten rounds in the training ground. his slightly tired body finally calmed him down. after eating a bowl of noodles at the stall outside, gou houxing returned home and washed up and changed his clothes again. when he heard the bell ring, he immediately went out in high spirits. it only took him ten minutes to walk to cui muzhi¡¯s dessert shop. when he reached the entrance of the shop, it had just opened. there were no customers yet. gou houxing squatted by the roadside and waited. his sharp movements and gaze frightened the people around him. gou houxing looked puzzled and touched his face. he was clearly decent-looking that day, so why were these people afraid of him? little did he know that the aura was like he had charged through the mountain of corpses and sea of flames. it was not something ordinary people could withstand. gou houxing glanced at them. everyone¡¯s actions of secretly burying themselves in the ditch had deeply frightened him and he was scare d that his unmarried wife would be the same. in order to increase his chances, gou houxing remembered that chu tianbao would bring back a bouquet of flowers for bai wutong from time to time. bai wutong was very happy every time. immediately, he had an idea. there were many flowers blooming in baye in early spring. he had seen many of them on the way here. he rolled up his sleeves and began to plucked them from the roadside. the brighter it was, the more he would pluck. unfortunately, he had plucked the grass. after a while, ye wu came over with his men. when he saw who the flower thief was, he asked with a headache, ¡°general gou, why are you pulling out the greenery?¡± gou houxing was stunned. from his tone, it sounded like he couldn¡¯t pluck them. he looked cautious as if he had made a mistake. ¡°can¡¯t i pluck them?¡± there was still a long way to go in a civilized society. ye wu nodded helplessly. ¡°this is a greenery specially planted to decorate carefree city. you can¡¯t pluck them.¡± everyone also gathered around to watch the commotion. zhao lanzhi happened to pass by and saw the tall man¡¯s dignified and domineering face holding a large bouquet of greenery and flowers. he asked pitifully, ¡°but i¡¯ve already pulled it out. can¡¯t i buy them?¡± afraid that ye wu would still have to go through some complicated procedure, he hurriedly said, ¡°i¡¯m in a hurry to meet my future wife. guard ye, can i apologise again when 1 come back?¡± ye wu thought about it and said, ¡°general gou, you can¡¯t pick flowers from the roadside next time. if you want to give them to your wife, you can buy them in the flower shop or go to the mountains to pick them.¡± when zhao lanzhi heard the words ¡°general gou¡±, she stopped in her tracks and looked at gou houxing for no reason. after all, this surname was really too rare. and a general at that. most importantly, he had just said that he was in a hurry to meet his future wife. zhao lanzhi¡¯s face turned red. who would call someone their wife before meeting her? from his tone, gou houxing knew that he did not intend to confiscate his flowers. he chuckled. ¡°thank you, patrol guard ye!¡± afraid that zhao lanzhi had already arrived, he quickly waved his hand. ¡°i¡¯ll treat you to a drink another day.¡± zhao lanzhi followed behind him and watched as gou houxing entered the dessert shop and confirmed that he was her blind date. although he did not seem to be very smart, it seemed alright to have a better understanding.. Chapter 509 - Chapter 509: You’re In Charge Both Inside and Outside! chapter 509: you¡¯re in charge both inside and outside! translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios from where gou houxing was, he could see the bell tower. he thought that zhao lanzhi would take a while to arrive. unexpectedly, while he was thinking about how to tie the flowers better, a beautiful figure appeared in front of him. gou houxing¡¯s heart raced as he slowly looked up. he had thought that zhao lanzhi would definitely be beautiful, but he did not expect her to be even more beautiful than he had imagined. her delicate makeup and confident smile were even more dazzling than the stars on the mountains. gou houxing was dumbfounded and even forgot to greet her. if the men on the street stared at her like this, zhao lanzhi would definitely be displeased. however, after witnessing how silly he was for plucking flowers on the roadside, she felt that it was normal for him to have such an expression. zhao lanzhi greeted him with a red face. ¡°hello, i¡¯m zhao lanzhi.¡± her voice was gentle but strong. gou houxing looked intoxicated. even her voice was so perfect. as expected of his future wife. gou houxing did not react. zhao lanzhi coughed lightly again. ¡°aren¡¯t you general gou?¡± gou houxing finally came back to his senses and hurriedly said, ¡°yes, yes, yes.¡± it was obvious how excited he was. zhao lanzhi nodded. the moment she sat down reservedly, gou houxing stuffed a huge bouquet of flowers in front of her. ¡°you¡¯re even more beautiful than these flowers!¡± who would hand over flowers the moment they met? moreover, he was praising her so bluntly and the entire table had become covered in leaves. gou houxing had yet to realize what was wrong. his eyes lit up as he looked forward to zhao lanzhi accepting his flowers. if she accepted it, she was definitely interested in him. then he would be able to invite her to the beach. zhao lanzhi hesitated if she should take the flowers. just as she took them and thought about where to place them, the shop assistant appeared with the cake. seeing that the staff did not know where to start, gou houxing realized that he had made a mess of the table. he carefully stole a glance at zhao lanzhi, like a big boy who had made a mistake. it was a little silly and cute. he looked like he would be obedient in the future. zhao lanzhi smiled and said to the shop assistant, ¡°can you help me store the flowers for the time being?¡± the store assistant smiled. ¡°of course.¡± gou houxing could tell that she was willing to accept flowers. his entire face was filled with joy, as if he had won millions. zhao lanzhi couldn¡¯t help but smile in her heart. he was really easy to coax. gou houxing stammered as he introduced himself. at the end, he even emphasized, ¡°in the future, you will be in charge of both the family and outside. if you ask me to go east, i won¡¯t dare west. if 1 go against my words, i will definitely be struck by lightning!¡± after saying that, he even stole a glance at her with a sincere expression. who would look for a partner like an instructor? zhao lanzhi had a new understanding of his silliness, and the smile on her face relaxed a little. she might as well tell him the truth. ¡°if i get married, i definitely won¡¯t stay at home. i still have my own things 1 want to do. if you want to marry a good wife and mother who is devoted to the family, i¡¯m not.¡± gou houxing had known before that she had opened her own workshop and many shops. her conditions were much better than his. it was already a rare blessing for her to agree to meet a rough man like him. if she could marry him and he could listen to her in everything, why would he mind her going out? gou houxing immediately said something that made her happy. ¡°1 already said that you¡¯re in charge of both the family and outside!¡± he seemed to be sincere, unlike some men. on the surface, they would say that they didn¡¯t mind, but they couldn¡¯t wait for the woman to be weaker than them in every aspect.. Chapter 510 - Chapter 510: Pearls Symbolize Romantic Love in Baye chapter 510: pearls symbolize romantic love in baye translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios zhao lanzhi did not answer. the smile in her eyes was definitely not because she disliked him. gou houxing felt as if an active volcano had erupted in his heart. he happily introduced his family assets, how much chu tianbao had given him, how much his monthly salary was, and what he usually did in the army. it did not take zhao lanzhi long to understand his situation. gou houxing even said excitedly, ¡°1 have a lot of vacation time. wherever you want to go, 1 can accompany you!¡± zhao lanzhi met his serious eyes and couldn¡¯t help but blush. he had even planned their life after marriage. suddenly, the bell tower opposite rang. gou houxing recalled the activities by the sea and suddenly blushed. he stammered, ¡°are you willing to take a walk by the sea with me?¡± his heart was pounding. he was afraid that even after so much effort, he still could not catch zhao lanzhi¡¯s eye. however, he had already taken a fancy to zhao lanzhi. if zhao lanzhi did not like him, he would work harder. while letting her imagination run wild, zhao lanzhi lowered her eyes to hide the nervousness in her expression and agreed softly. the girl¡¯s soft voice pierced gou houxing¡¯s softest spot. he was extremely excited. the images of his and zhao lanzhi¡¯s children already popped up in his mind. zhao lanzhi and gou houxing, who were smiling foolishly, left the cake shop. the shop assistant chased after them. ¡°miss, your flowers.¡± zhao lanzhi wanted to say that she would come back to get it later, but gou houxing had already run to the shop assistant. ¡°give it to me!¡± he followed beside her with a bouquet of flowers. everyone thought they were husband and wife. ¡°this couple is so loving,¡± someone said. gou houxing was overjoyed. he felt that pulling out the greenery would definitely be the wisest decision in his life. an uncomfortable look flashed across zhao lanzhi¡¯s face. fortunately, she was someone who had seen big scenes and quickly regained her composure. when they arrived at the seaside, zhao lanzhi saw many tribesmen setting up stalls in the wilderness. as soon as zhao lanzhi appeared, they waved at her excitedly and shouted in broken central plains language, ¡°choose me! choose me!¡± zhao lanzhi was a little puzzled, then she heard gou houxing shout at them, ¡°choose my ass!¡± how dare other men have designs on his partner? it was obvious that gou houxing was not to be trifled with. these men gave up and shouted at the other women with all their might. when the women stopped in front of their stall, they would stuff all the shells, pearls, and beautiful jade into the woman¡¯s hand. zhao lanzhi saw with her own eyes that afer a tribal girl had accepted a man¡¯s things, they left intimately. she suddenly remembered the local custom. once a woman accepted a man¡¯s things, she could become a partner who could spend the night together. the central plains people who followed the traditional wedding rules naturally could not adapt to this yet. therefore, it was basically all locals and outsiders participating. gou houxing naturally did not bring zhao lanzhi here because he wanted her to be eyed by other men, but to participate in an activity. pearls symbolize romantic love in baye. in order to give his partner pearls, someone would die every year from fishing for pearl clams. it was different now. ah duo and the others had pearls specially cultivated. for the sake of the tribe, she had specially organized this event. there were 99 pearl clams in the one-meter-deep sea. as long as a couple signed up together, the man could go into the sea to fish for pearl clams. the pearls that were opened were given to their partners on the spot. the organizers could even design jewelry for them. of course, if they couldn¡¯t fish it out, they could also buy pearls directly.. Chapter 511 - Chapter 511: Date chapter 511: date translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios the encircled sea was only a meter deep and there were specialized rescuers. however, the seawater was bone-chilling at this moment, so it was really not easy to catch sea clams. the men of the tribe who lived by the sea were not afraid at all. they brought their partners to sign up. when gou houxing heard that they were holding this event, he wanted to bring zhao lanzhi along. if she was willing to sign up with him, she recognized him as her partner. even if they were not husband and wife yet, gou houxing was still very happy. he mulled it over for a long time and probed carefully. ¡°i¡¯m very good at swimming. why don¡¯t we participate too?¡± he emphasized, ¡°it¡¯s a waste not to take the free pearls!¡± zhao lanzhi was stunned and said hesitantly, ¡°the weather is very cold. it¡¯s easy to catch a cold.¡± she did not refuse directly. instead, she was worried that he would catch a cold. gou houxing immediately raised his arm and showed zhao lanzhi his strong muscles. ¡°1 definitely won¡¯t get sick! 1 can definitely fish out a lot of pearls for you!¡± he looked eager to get into the water, like a big dog wagging its tail. zhao lanzhi smiled shyly. ¡°alright then.¡± after they registered, someone explained to gou houxing what to take note of when entering the water. there was still a while before the event officially began. while waiting, everyone could view the pearl jewelry. the pearl clams that ah duo had placed were pearl clams that had been farmed for less than a year. the pearls they produced would not exceed the size of a pinky finger. the pearls on the display table at the side were pure wild pearls. they had been made into beautiful jewelry with various gems, gold, and silver. each of them was exquisite. zhao lanzhi¡¯s gaze landed on a display shelf and she could not help but reveal a happy expression. looking at the price, good lord, a pearl phoenix hairpin cost 200 taels. even if it was pure gold, it shouldn¡¯t cost so much money. seeing that she liked it, gou houxing immediately said to the servant beside him, ¡°wrap it for this lady.¡± zhao lanzhi immediately shook her head. ¡°general gou, this is too expensive.¡± it was only the first day. how could she accept such an expensive gift? gou houxing chuckled. ¡°no matter how precious it is, it¡¯s not as precious as you.¡± if she didn¡¯t know that he was a simple-minded person, she would have thought that he was an expert at coaxing women. zhao lanzhi blushed and was about to refuse when she heard the servant say, ¡°sir, you have good eyesight, but the jewelry we¡¯re displaying are all unique and not for sale.¡± gou houxing was stunned. ¡°if you¡¯re not selling it, why are you displaying it?!¡± his gaze was solemn, and he looked like he was about to fight someone. the servant hurriedly explained, ¡°these are all masterpieces. the boss borrowed them to make it convenient for customers to see the craftsmanship at close range. if you like the style, you can customize it.¡± gou houxing reacted. ¡°then ask him to come out now. we want to customize it.¡± the servant smiled and said, ¡°before customizing, you still need to provide the raw materials for the jewelry you like.¡± then, he introduced many pearls and gems to gou houxing. seeing that he was so enthusiastic about choosing, zhao lanzhi was afraid that he would buy whatever the servant said. he could even use up all his assets, so she hurriedly said, ¡°general gou, the event seems to be about to begin.¡± gou houxing turned around and smiled. he patted his chest valiantly. ¡°i¡¯ll go now.¡± the moment the incense was lit, gou houxing plunged into the water with the others. after a while, gou houxing came out of the water and raised a sea clam. ¡°miss zhao, i¡¯ve caught it!¡± he shouted and everyone looked at zhao lanzhi with smiles on their faces. even if the pearl clams were relatively small, if the quality was good, they would be worth a lot of money when made into necklaces. seeing that he had caught it, zhao lanzhi endured her embarrassment and shouted at him, ¡°then come up quickly. the water is cold!¡± it was a little far away, and gou houxing was in the midst of excitement. he put the pearl clam in the net and went into the water again to look for it. he opened his eyes in the clear water and found several in a row. he held his breath and picked them all up. zhao lanzhi was a little anxious when she did not see him on the shore. she was afraid that something had happened to him. just as she was about to call for the lifeguard, gou houxing suddenly emerged from the water. before he could wipe his face, he waved at her excitedly. ¡°miss zhao, look!¡± zhao lanzhi saw the gains in his net and felt relieved. she couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°what a fool.¡± the time for an incense stick to burn quickly passed. everyone had more or less gained something. when they came out, it would be time for everyone to open the clams. sea clams were different from freshwater clams. they could usually only breed one or two pearls. moreover, the mortality rate of sea clams was higher than that of freshwater clams. however, freshwater clams could breed more than 10 to 20 pearls at once. therefore, modern seawater pearls were much more expensive than freshwater pearls. not only was the yield low, but the quality and luster were also much better. gou houxing had never opened pearls before and found them quite interesting. he used a small knife to pry open the clam¡¯s body and quickly touched something hard and round. he took it out and saw that it was indeed a milky-white pearl that emitted a five-colored light. it was about the size of his little fingernail and was quite round in shape. its grade was quite good. he washed it in the water and immediately raised his hand to show zhao lanzhi the product, attracting countless women¡¯s envious gazes. gou houxing had only opened one clam. he still had more than a dozen clams. he could at least string a necklace for zhao lanzhi. gou houxing looked confused as to why she did not take it and even suspected that his hands had not been washed clean. zhao lanzhi took it with a red face before he said excitedly, ¡°1 hope we can get something bigger than the pearls in the shop!¡± everyone knew that it would not be especially big, but when gou houxing said that, everyone could not help but look forward to it and crane their necks to look forward. after a while, zhao lanzhi couldn¡¯t carry anymore pearls. the attendant quickly placed them in the glass jar for her. the snow-white pearls shone with a lustrous luster in the jar, complementing gou houxing¡¯s wet appearance. zhao lanzhi was slightly touched. when gou houxing finished opening the last sea clam, he said to the servant unhappily, ¡°your pearls are all the same size!¡± the servant smiled, but he muttered in his heart, ¡°how can pearls cultivated at the same time have different size?¡± if you really got a big one, what would they be selling? gou houxing had a total of 25 pearls. if he wanted to make a necklace, he would have to purchase at least 25 pearls. the servant recommended him to buy another 25. zhao lanzhi hurriedly said, ¡°i like bracelets more.¡± gou houxing recalled chu tianbao¡¯s instructions. it was better to listen to the other party! he immediately nodded at the attendant. ¡°then make it into a bracelet!¡± a trace of disappointment flashed in the attendant¡¯s eyes. he had thought that gou houxing would be a big buyer. he had tried his best to recommend to him, but in the end, he did not gain anything. however, when he turned around, gou houxing quietly found him and asked him to wrap up all the pearls and gems she had taken a fancy to just now so that the craftsman could customize for him.. Chapter 512 - Chapter 512: Capturing the High Flower chapter 512: capturing the high flower translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios the attendant was overjoyed and the expression on his face as he attended to zhao lanzhi became even more solicitous. zhao lanzhi was quite embarrassed. she had not bought anything and had even strung it into a beautiful pearl bracelet for free. yet the attendant¡¯s attitude was still so good. the employees of her shop had to be trained well later. gou houxing sent zhao lanzhi back to her house door. when they parted ways, they spoke in unison. they paused in unison and gestured for the other party to speak first. zhao lanzhi raised the box containing the pearl bracelet and smiled gently at him. ¡°thank you.¡± gou houxing¡¯s heart seemed to be pounding, tie rubbed his head nervously. ¡°you¡¯re welcome. it¡¯s all free. if you give me more time, i can scoop up all the clams and make you a necklace.¡± he felt that zhao lanzhi would definitely like the necklace more than the bracelet. zhao lanzhi chuckled. ¡°i know you must have the capability, but i really like this bracelet better.¡± zhao lanzhi had gotten along very well with him that day. now, it was even more obvious that she liked what he had given her. gou houxing stole a glance at her and suddenly asked in a low voice, ¡°will we meet again in the future?¡± zhao lanzhi felt that he was really not bad and respected her enough. previously, she already had the intention to continue trying. she immediately smiled and said, ¡°i¡¯m going to the flowerbed to take a look in a few days. general gou, are you willing to come with me?¡± gou houxing¡¯s nervous heart instantly fell into his stomach. he nodded excitedly. ¡°i¡¯ll go, i¡¯ll go!¡± they set a time. just as zhao lanzhi returned home, madam zhao, father zhao, and zhao erwa ran out of the dark and asked excitedly, ¡°how is it? how is general gou?¡± madam zhao looked at the flowers and smiled until her eyes crinkled. ¡°this child knows how to give our lanzhi flowers on the first day. he will definitely dote on his wife in the future.¡± zhao erwa stared at zhao lanzhi¡¯s jewelry box and exclaimed, ¡°sister, not only did he give you flowers, but he also gave you jewelry, right? i¡¯ve seen this jewelry symbol. i heard that even a broken hair tie is sold at a high price!¡± madam zhao and father zhao were surprised that zhao lanzhi was willing to accept such an expensive thing. what did this mean? it meant that zhao lanzhi was satisfied with gou houxing. otherwise, with lanzhi¡¯s personality, if she did not fancy him, she would definitely not be willing to have anything to do with him. zhao lanzhi was a little embarrassed by everyone¡¯s gazes and explained, ¡°these are pearls from participating in the sea clam fishing event. they didn¡¯t cost money.¡± madam zhao knew very well about that event. the two of them had participated as partners as soon as they met, so she was even more certain that they liked each other. madam zhao was overjoyed and hurriedly asked, ¡°when will you meet again?¡± madam zhao looked solicitous as if she wished that she could marry gou houxing immediately. zhao lanzhi couldn¡¯t take it anymore and hurriedly found an excuse. ¡°i¡¯m a little tired and want to rest for a while.¡± madam zhao hurriedly chased after them. ¡°sigh, you guys didn¡¯t set an appointment!¡± on the other side, gou houxing returned home. thinking of what had happened that day, he sat by the bed and smiled like a fool. when he thought of the agreed time with zhao lanzhi and how there was still half a month, he felt flustered. half a month was too torturous. gou houxing¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up. he stood up and hurriedly ran to the great empress residence¡¯s to look for chu tianbao. chu tianbao was taking a brush to bathe xiaobai¡¯s entire family. the row of wolves were in front of him, allowing chu tianbao to wash them one by one. at a glance, one would think that they were radishes. as gou houxing ran closer, xiaobai suddenly stood up and splashed water on him, scaring him. chu tianbao raised his eyelids and looked at him. ¡°is the meeting over?¡± gou houxing nodded and took the brush from chu tianbao¡¯s hand. he wanted to wash the burly xiaobai for him with an eager smile. the date should have gone smoothly. xiaobai was very dissatisfied with gou houxing¡¯s strength. it howled and chu tianbao pointed. ¡°xiaobai told you to be gentle. his butt hasn¡¯t been rubbed yet.¡± gou houxing hurriedly rubbed his butt and asked, ¡°brother, miss zhao asked me to meet her in the flowerbed next time, but 1 calculated the time. it¡¯s still more than half a month. brother, do you think it¡¯s good for me to pick her up every day?¡± chu tianbao glanced at him. ¡°if she doesn¡¯t refuse the first time, you can go every day.¡± gou houxing had been waiting for chu tianbao to say this. he threw the brush excitedly, which hit xiaobai¡¯s head heavily, and gave chu tianbao a big hug. ¡°brother, i¡¯ll treat you to red eggs soon!¡± xiaobai stood up angrily and splashed both of them with water. gou houxing was extremely motivated. in order to let zhao lanzhi go home comfortably, he even specially bought a flashy tricycle. when he thought of him riding the tricycle and zhao lanzhi sitting behind him being pulled home by him, he was overjoyed. the next day, zhao lanzhi went out and saw gou houxing standing at her door like a pole. beside him was a brand new tricycle. there was also a red rose on the front of the car. as the breeze blew, it emitted a fragrance. gou houxing smiled and said, ¡°i bought a tricycle. the training ground is not far from where you work. why don¡¯t we take the same way?¡± how could the training ground be not far from where she worked? he was deliberately sending her to work. besides, he must have specially bought this car. zhao lanzhi suddenly felt a little sweet. she looked at him shyly. before she could speak, madam zhao, who was eavesdropping at the side, hurriedly said, ¡°lanzhi, take the tricycle, there¡¯s also general gou escorting you. it will be comfortable and safe. quickly say thank you!¡± zhao lanzhi glanced shyly at gou houxing, got on the tricycle, and thanked him softly. gou houxin was overjoyed. he hurriedly bowed 180 degrees to madam zhao and said in a loud voice, ¡°auntie, don¡¯t worry. i¡¯ll definitely guarantee to send miss zhao safely!¡± seeing that he was tall and had an extraordinary aura, and was so considerate to zhao lanzhi, madam zhao looked satisfied and hurriedly smiled. ¡°i¡¯ll definitely be at ease!¡± gou houxing kicked with his long legs and the tricycle moved steadily. even if his strong body pulled a few more people, it seemed effortless. after sending zhao lanzhi to the door, many female workers saw them and sized up them in surprise. afraid that she would be embarrassed, gou houxing left a message that he would pick her up at noon and leave. zhao lanzhi wanted to say that she was not going home at noon and that they were all eating in the canteen and did not need to go home. but gou houxing ran away as if he had stepped on fire wheels. she sighed and smiled slightly. ¡®then 1¡¯11 wait for him here for a while at noon.¡¯ gou houxing had fetched zhao lanzhi for consecutive days. when he found out that zhao lanzhi liked to eat cake, he even went to cui muzhi¡¯s cake shop to learn. he changed the flavors every day and sent small cakes on time for lunch. the entire workshop¡¯s female workers were gossiping about them. ¡°general gou is considerate and handsome. he¡¯s a rare good man. guess how long it will take for them to get engaged?¡± ¡°tomorrow, i guess!¡± ¡°hahahaha, that¡¯s too fast.¡± zhao lanzhi suddenly appeared with a tray, startling them. ¡°hello, boss!¡± zhao lanzhi nodded and ate as if nothing had happened. there was still a cute little cake beside her. everyone stole a few glances. seeing that zhao lanzhi was not angry, they were even more certain that gou houxing would definitely be able to win over their boss.. Chapter 513 - Chapter 513: Beaten One-sidedly chapter 513: beaten one-sidedly translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios a coal mine had been discovered in the southern sea. to make it convenient to mine it, they naturally had to build a road. there was a small mountain blocking the road. if they took a detour, it would take a lot of time. zhao pengfei thought about it and felt that digging a tunnel was more suitable. this small mountain only needed to a 100 meter tunnel at most, but no one had any experience digging tunnels. they discussed for a long time before starting work. after spending a month to build the tunnel, it was considered a symbolic milestone on the carefree kingdom¡¯s road. with the experience, they would not waste so much time building tunnels in the future. zhao pengfei rushed back to report the good news. bai wutong praised him and even rewarded everyone. she also brought him to see the asphalt extracted from oil extraction and taught him how to pave the way with asphalt. zhao pengfei was surprised that petroleum could have such a wonderful use. he was also curious about the asphalt road built with asphalt. bai wutong guided him. ¡°if you want to be rich, you have to build roads first. roads that are accessible and stable are very important to a country. when a disaster occurs somewhere in the country, we can quickly save people using the carts.¡± ¡°the road built with asphalt is very resistant to wear and tear and worthy of being widely promoted. i plan to let you build another asphalt road that goes straight to ling kingdom. if you encounter mountains, drill through them and build bridges on rivers. the half-month journey can be shortened to a week.¡± she pointed at the map. ¡°it can also lead to the rapid development of the surrounding tribes.¡± zhao pengfei had observed the surrounding terrain when he was building the road. it was fine to build a bridge, no matter how deep the water was, they had experience. however, building the tunnel was too difficult. zhao pengfei braced himself and asked bai wutong how much time she would give him. bai wutong smiled and gave him a book. ¡°there¡¯s no hurry. three years is fine.¡± zhao pengfei felt that three years was a little short, but when he returned home and opened the book, he was immediately excited when he saw the construction plans for various tunnels. if he could study this book thoroughly as soon as possible, he might be able to do it in a year or two. zhao pengfei originally wanted to share his happiness with his family. when he came to the kitchen, he heard auntie yang sigh at village chief zhao. ¡°it looks like lanzhi is about to be engaged. our third son has no intention of getting married yet.¡± then she asked worriedly, ¡°what if our third son still can¡¯t let go of lanzhi and runs to find trouble with general gou?¡± village chief zhao comforted him. ¡°he has already grown up and become sensible. is general gou someone to be trifled with? he will be obedient after a beating.¡± auntie yang was caught between laughter and tears. ¡°he¡¯s our son. how can you let him be beaten up!¡± ¡°besides, our son is extremely strong and has even practiced martial arts with the commander. it¡¯s still uncertain who will be beaten up.¡± village chief zhao smiled. ¡°alright, alright. he won¡¯t be beaten up.¡± then he said, ¡°it¡¯s good that lanzhi is getting married. it¡¯ll completely stop him from thinking about it. if he see all the couples, he might even want to get married next year.¡± auntie yang sighed again. ¡°that works too.¡± he was already so old, but his parents had been worried about him. zhao pengfei felt deeply guilty. he glanced in zhao lanzhi¡¯s direction and couldn¡¯t help but want to see what kind of person she had chosen. after zhao pengfei asked around, he came to the entrance of zhao lanzhi¡¯s workshop and waited quietly. the moment he saw zhao lanzhi¡¯s figure appear, his heart beat violently again. not long after zhao lanzhi appeared, a tall man appeared on time on a tricycle. zhao lanzhi smiled and said, ¡°are you still going to our canteen to eat today?¡± if it were anyone else, they would definitely not be able to eat in the canteen. naturally, the boss¡¯s fiance could do whatever he wanted. gou houxing stopped the tricycle and took out the freshly baked egg tart. ¡°dang dang dang. 1 was afraid that you would get tired of the cake, so i bought the egg tart!¡± zhao lanzhi took the egg tarts and felt very sweet. she couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°you send desserts every day. i¡¯ve gained weight recently.¡± gou houxing chuckled foolishly. ¡°you¡¯re even more beautiful.¡± zhao lanzhi blushed. she didn¡¯t know how he could say such heart-wrenching words at any time even though he was clearly very silly. gou houxing suddenly said to her, ¡°one of the parts of the tricycle is loose. i¡¯ll tidy it up. go in first. i¡¯ll be right there.¡± zhao lanzhi nodded. ¡°what do you want to eat? i¡¯ll help you get it.¡± zhao lanzhi took the initiative to get food for him. gou houxing was bursting with joy, but he couldn¡¯t bear for her to be too tired. ¡°it¡¯s fine. 1¡¯11 be right over.¡± zhao lanzhi could tell what he was thinking and chuckled. ¡°it¡¯s just getting food. it¡¯s not some heavy physical work. if you don¡¯t mind eating anything, i¡¯ll just get some food for you.¡± the smile on zhao lanzhi¡¯s face reminded zhao pengfei of the past. she always looked at him with such a smile. unfortunately, he had never cherished it. gou houxing nodded happily. when zhao lanzhi disappeared from sight, his smiling eyes instantly became sharp. gou houxing joined the army and was in charge of investigating the enemy for many years. as soon as he arrived, he realized that zhao pengfei was secretly spying on zhao lanzhi. he had long known that this person had been pestering zhao lanzhi. when zhao pengfei returned, he had even taken a look in private. it was so that he could be recognized in the crowd and be beaten up. gou houxing¡¯s knife-like gaze shot over, but zhao pengfei did not avoid it. the strong smell of gunpowder filled the air. without any warning, gou houxing punched him. ¡°get lost!¡± zhao pengfei did not dodge and took the punch. he fell to the ground dejectedly. his heart ached, as if he wanted to be beaten up by gou houxing and cut off this feeling. he was still thinking about zhao lanzhi¡¯s gaze, making gou houxing go crazy with jealousy. since he wanted to be beaten up, he would satisfy him! gou houxing threw an upper and lower hook, kicked sideways, and kicked with his right foot. after a while, zhao pengfei¡¯s facial features were swollen like a pig¡¯s head. gou houxing originally wanted to punch him a few more times, but when he thought of zhao lanzhi still waiting for him in the canteen, he said fiercely, ¡°we¡¯re in love. if you dare to ruin it, i¡¯ll make you regret coming to this world!¡± zhao pengfei was not angry. instead, he smiled. ¡°i¡¯m relieved that you have the ability to protect her.¡± gou houxing frowned and punched him again. ¡°why are you pretending to be affectionate? you¡¯re just trash in my eyes. if you want to act, stay away from us. it¡¯s disgusting!¡± ¡°a person like you is not worthy!¡± after gou houxing left cursing, zhao pengfei collapsed to the ground. he looked up at the sky and slowly shed a tear. ¡°that¡¯s right, he¡¯s not worthy!¡± ¡°he¡¯s no longer worthy!¡± zhao pengfei limped back home. auntie yang was stunned. ¡°son, how did you end up like this! don¡¯t tell me you went to fight someone?¡± village chief zhao was even more worried. ¡°you beat someone up like this too?¡± zhao pengfei shook his head. ¡°i didn¡¯t fight anyone.¡± he was just being beaten up one-sidedly. he turned around and returned to his room. village chief zhao brought in some medicine. as he applied the medicine, he probed, ¡°your mother thinks that the girl from the luo family is not bad. do you want to meet her?¡± zhao pengfei buried his face in the pillow and said weakly, ¡°father, let me recover first.¡± if he compromised and got together with another girl now, wouldn¡¯t he be harming her? village chief zhao thought of zhao lanzhi back then and let him be. in any case, it was not too late for a man to get married.. Chapter 514 - Chapter 514: Yearning for Life chapter 514: yearning for life translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios meng gui had been in carefree city for more than a year. in this year, he had personally witnessed the rapid development of carefree city. in a short period of time, the construction materials workshop he was in had undergone a tremendous change. there were also many cement factories, wood factories, furniture factories, steel rebar factories¡­ when he entered the workshop, his monthly salary was two taels of silver. when there were many orders in the workshop, he could earn four taels of silver a month by working overtime. seeing that others were fighting to take out loans to buy a house, he thought that the work in the workshop was stable, so he also took out a loan for a two-bedroom house. although he was happy to have a house, the debt was weighing on his heart. it also gave him the intention to open up another channel to earn money. especially after knowing that his colleague had set up a stall to sell clothes at night and earned a lot of money, he became even more anxious to earn money. he was short. even if he bought a house, although the southern frontier was now monogamous, there were more men than women. until now, no one liked him. if he could earn more money, he might be able to get a wife. he also tried to go to the clothing factory to sell some clothes, but he had poor taste and he was not likable with his words. when the season passed, he did not sell many clothes. after the clearance sale, he even lost some money in the end. because of this, meng gui was even mocked by his colleagues that he was envious of everything, but was useless and a fool. meng gui endured it but swore in his heart that he would make a name for himself and impress everyone. every day after that, he would go to the night market to observe carefully what he could do. soon, he realized that the snack stall in the night market was also doing very well. suddenly, he thought of the fact that some workshops had a canteen, while others did not. many people needed to eat at noon and often ate in the canteen. since they had to spend money anyway, they would want to change their food options outside. meng gui suddenly had the idea of setting up a stall outside the workshop. before meng gui came to the southern frontier, he was working in an inn. later on, his business was really poor and he could not afford to support his workers. he had nowhere to go, but he did not want to sell himself as a slave, so he signed up for the southern frontier. he studied in the kitchen and knew a few home-cooked dishes. he thought that his culinary skills were not inferior to that of the canteen. if he could set up a stall, he would definitely be able to earn money with the daily traffic of the workshop. however, in order to be safe, meng gui still decided to make a signature dish for himself. when he saw that the roast duck shop was doing well, he wondered what kind of duck he could make. stewed duck and roasted duck still felt a little ordinary. suddenly, he saw someone selling tea eggs. meng gui immediately bought two tea eggs and tasted them carefully. the salty tea egg was very fragrant and gave him inspiration. perhaps he could use the secret recipe for tea eggs to make ducks. for this, he spent a lot of money to buy the recipe for the tea egg with five taels of silver. for the first time, the duck that he had braised with the tea egg formula tasted very light and tasteless. he felt that it was a matter of proportion, so he increased the dosage of the tea egg formula. however, the taste of the duck still did not meet expectations. when he went to the canteen to eat, he suddenly ate a plate of very delicious pickled fish. inspiration popped up in his mind. would it be enough to soak and marinate the duck in advance before braising it? he left work in a hurry and returned to the apartment to experiment again. moreover, he added the tea egg formula to the oyster sauce and soya sauce newly developed from the food factories. the next day, before the braised ducks could come out of the pot, the entire apartment emitted an irresistible fragrance. the neighbors surrounded him and asked, ¡°meng gui, what are you making? it is too fragrant for us. can you give me a taste too?¡± in the past, meng gui would definitely not be willing to share food with them. however, he needed everyone¡¯s opinions and comments now, so he smiled and said, ¡°it¡¯s not cooked yet. when it¡¯s ready later, everyone can try a little.¡± hearing meng gui¡¯s words, everyone hurriedly moved the stool and sat in the corridor of the apartment, waiting for meng gui¡¯s braised duck to be ready. after a while, the fragrance became stronger. even the dormitory manager ran up and waited to take a bite. looking at so many people surrounding him, meng gui seemed to envision many customers surrounding his stall and constantly throwing money into the money box. his anticipation for the braised duck in the pot increased. finally, meng gui felt that it was time. the moment he lifted the lid of the pot and scooped up the braised duck, the golden and shiny duck looked extremely tempting. everyone swallowed and couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°it smells so good. it¡¯s really too fragrant. i didn¡¯t expect the quiet meng gui to have such amazing skills.¡± when meng gui heard this, he was extremely happy. he had braised a total of two ducks and cut them up like others. in the end, his skills were too lousy and everyone urged him. he might as well chop them up and fill the plates haphazardly. he brought it to the dormitory manager first. the dormitory manager was very satisfied that he knew to serve him first. he picked it up and tasted it. suddenly, his eyes widened, scaring meng gui a little. ¡°does it taste bad?¡± the dormitory manager said excitedly, ¡°this is too delicious!¡± he wanted to try another piece, but when he looked at the people behind him, he retracted his hand and asked, ¡°i¡¯ll give you a duck. can you help me braise it?¡± then he said, ¡°i won¡¯t let you do it for nothing. help me braise one. i¡¯ll give you 20 copper coins.¡± 20 copper coins was a lot of money. the other party was the dormitory manager, so how could meng gui accept it? he kept rejecting it. the imperial court was very strict about corruption and bribery. if someone reported that he had used his authority to get someone to braise duck without paying, even if he was not fired, it would be a huge problem. the dormitory manager said firmly, ¡°if you don¡¯t accept it, forget it. i won¡¯t look for you to braise duck.¡± since the dormitory manager had already said so much, if meng gui did not accept it, he would have offended him. he quickly accepted the money. he was also very happy. the fact that the braised duck could be recognized by the dormitory manager meant that it would definitely become the signature dish of the stall. when the neighbors tasted it, they all praised meng gui¡¯s culinary skills and said that he could even open a restaurant. this gave meng gui great confidence. that day, he wondered where he could set up a stall at the entrance of the workshop. he realized that there was the greatest traffic at the crossroads of the workshop. after confirming that he would not be chased away at that spot, he went to the market to buy a cart. then, he went to buy the wooden stools, rice buckets, pots, bowls, and other things needed to set up the stall. in order to have a place to park the cart and cook, he even rented a family¡¯s villa courtyard. this time, the investment was huge and the preparations were sufficient. he looked at the various vegetables he had bought with a firm gaze. if he did not succeed this time, he would obediently work in the workshop in the future and trouble himself again. on the day of meng gui¡¯s vacation, he pushed his cart and carried all his hope to the entrance of the workshop. at this moment, everyone had already entered the workshop to start work. there were not many people on the way. meng gui took everything down from the cart and set up pot to heat up the rice. then, he stir-fried a few home-cooked dishes and poured them into the large iron plate to accompany the braised duck that had just been cooked. the tempting dishes instantly attracted many passers-by.. Chapter 515 - Chapter 515: Value Bestowed by the State chapter 515: value bestowed by the state translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios when everyone asked about the price, apart from the braised duck being more expensive, the other dishes were actually at the same price as the canteen. after knowing that the braised duck could be put together and that it was not expensive to rent a stall, meng gui opened for business. a group ordered a roast duck, five plates of dishes, and five bowls of rice. the men ate until their mouths were covered with oil and praised, ¡°brother, your food is even better than the ones in my hotel!¡± after receiving the praise, meng gui was even happier than if he had earned money. he even gave them a few bowls of seaweed egg soup. this made these men very happy. ¡°brother, the food is so delicious. we¡¯ll help you spread the word later!¡± meng gui also said likably, ¡°brothers, it¡¯s already my blessing that i have people visit my small stall and sit here.¡± the food meng gui sold was affordable and delicious, especially the braised duck. the taste was even more praiseworthy. when those workers who originally only wanted to eat cheap food heard others praise how delicious this braised duck was, they thought about how they had not rewarded themselves even after being busy for a month. the price of braised duck was actually very cheap compared to the dishes in the restaurant, so they started to order. ¡°give me half a duck!¡± ¡°we want a full duck at our table!¡± ¡°we have ordered just now. why isn¡¯t it ready yet? boss, can you hurry up!¡± meng gui was the only staff. if the stir-fried vegetables were all served, he still had to stir-fry them. if he ran out of soup, he still had to replenish the soup and chop ducks. he still had to clear the table and was so busy that he almost had to fly. when his colleagues in the same workshop saw that he was the one who opened this stall, they wanted to give it a try. they did not expect it to taste so good and even joked, ¡°meng gui, your business is so good. are you not coming to work tomorrow?¡± meng gui did not expect business to be so good. he was so busy that he was overwrought and there were not enough bowls and chopsticks left. however, who knew if everyone was just looking for something new? his business might not be good the following day. meng gui shook his head. ¡°i am only setting up this stall during my break.¡± when the guests at the next table heard this, they hurriedly advised, ¡°everyone likes your food so much, yet you are opening your stall only when you¡¯re resting. you¡¯ve suffered a huge loss. why don¡¯t you ask a few people for help?¡± it was just a small stall to begin with. if he hired someone, he would earn lesser money. meng gui hesitated. in the next second, he saw that all the dozens of braised ducks prepared in the pot had been sold out. the guests were still shouting, ¡°what¡¯s going on? where are the ducks?¡± meng gui¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up. the secret recipe for the braised duck was in his hands. if he was in charge of braising duck, he could hire person if the price set was high enough. with the braised duck sold out, everyone was a little disappointed, but the other dishes were still delicious and cheap. there was an endless stream of customers. soon, all the ingredients that meng gui had expected to sell that night were sold out. the nighttime was the most leisurely time of the day for everyone. there were many employee apartments nearby. logically speaking, he should be able to earn a lot. meng gui stole a glance at the filled money box, his heart pounding. he quickly packed his things and returned to the courtyard of the villa he had rented. uncle wang was very surprised to see him back so early. ¡°have you sold out your food?¡± meng gui nodded in embarrassment. ¡°it¡¯s the first day and everyone wants to try something new, so there are more people, and it¡¯s sold out. there probably won¡¯t be many people left tomorrow.¡± uncle wang had seen how much he had prepared. he smiled and said, ¡°then are you still going tomorrow?¡± meng gui had planned to go, but he would not be able to find a suitable person to help him for the time being. besides, it was already a little too late to prepare the items for the stall the next day. the braised duck had to be marinated at least a day in advance. meng gui shook his head. ¡°i still have to work. i won¡¯t be going tomorrow. it¡¯s indeed a little difficult to handle the stall alone. 1 want to find a helper first.¡± uncle wang really wanted to agree to it. ¡°i¡¯ll help you find someone later.¡± meng gui thanked him and returned to the apartment to count his heavy money box. he opened the lock and counted them one by one. he was immediately stunned. he had actually earned more than half a month¡¯s worth of money in a day. if there was so much every day, he could buy a villa in a month. he did not have to live under someone else¡¯s roof and be on his guards when making braised duck. meng gui was too excited. he counted the copper coins again and strung them up with ropes. he looked around for a place to put them. the next day, he went to work. as soon as he reached the entrance of the workshop, he saw that his stall location from the day before had been occupied. it was actually selling something similar to his! his colleague even teased him gloatingly, ¡°why are you here at work? now, someone else has taken advantage of your absence.¡± meng gui was also very angry, but he did not dare to resign. after all, there was a risk in doing business. if he devoted himself to it and ended up losing his job, how could he survive? he ignored the gossips and found a suitable helper. after he returned from work, he made a plan to marinate the braised duck and prepare the ingredients for the stall the next day. as for the stall that occupied his space, it did not sell food with the same taste. although he had also earned some money, his business was far inferior to meng gui¡¯s. in fact, the number of customers at his stall was gradually decreasing. until meng gui¡¯s stall was set up again, the remaining customers had all run away. although meng gui had worked a little harder, he was overjoyed as he looked at the copper coins that he had accumulated day by day. half a month after setting up the stall, meng gui realized that there were more and more copper coins. he could not keep them all in his apartment. he went to the bank and deposited several boxes of copper coins in a row. there were thousands of them in each box. the staff member had finished counting the copper coins of the other stall owner for four hours. his hands were about to turn into the thousand-handed guanyin. he did not expect another stall owner to come. the bank manager, li nian, had no choice. after all, this was their work. he could only make everyone perk up. however, with such a huge workload every day, everyone could not take it anymore. sooner or later, they would get arthritis. however, they could not stop the rapid economic development of carefree city. manager li nian frowned and was about to hire a few more employees when he suddenly saw a big client exchange a banknote of 100 taels of silver for two banknotes of 50 taels of silver. in a flash, he suddenly thought of what would happen if they had replaced all the copper coins with banknotes. he carefully thought about changing the copper coins to banknotes. it was convenient for everyone to pay for change, and it was convenient to carry them every time they went out. on second thought, could everyone accept that banknotes had replaced silver? ¡®that doesn¡¯t seem likely.¡¯ no, banknotes could have the same value as silver and gold. as long as their bank approved of it and the country approved of it, banknotes could become a convenient universal currency. simply put, it was to reduce the denomination of banknotes and make it more convenient for everyone to use. thinking of this, li nian couldn¡¯t help but feel excited. if the great empress felt that it was feasible, the efficiency of their bank would also increase rapidly. he would probably be rewarded! he quickly wrote a report to their bank president, zhang zhang. zhang zhang stroked his beard and felt that this plan was very good. he immediately went to look for bai wutong. bai wutong looked at the report written by li nian and was a little surprised. everyone¡¯s thoughts had developed so quickly. it was now understood that money had no value in itself and the value was given by the state because of its circulation.. Chapter 516 - Chapter 516: The Popularization of Banknotes chapter 516: the popularization of banknotes translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios zhang zhang carefully observed bai wutong¡¯s expression and talked about the advantages of implementing the circulation of banknotes. ¡°if we replace copper coins and silver pieces with banknotes, everyone¡¯s pockets won¡¯t be so heavy when they go out for transactions. every time they come to the bank to deposit money, there will be less manual labor involved. it¡¯s also convenient for everyone to make transactions in private, and the banking industry can increase its efficiency.¡± bai wutong suddenly smiled. ¡°i think this plan is feasible, but you have to budget well. the amount of banknotes issued cannot cause inflation in the market. if there is inevitable inflation in the market, you need to react quickly enough and make timely market adjustments. at the same time, you have to ensure that fake currencies don¡¯t appear. you have to increase the use of banknotes by the commoners and control the exchange rate of gold and silver prices.¡± as the bank president, zhang zhang already had a lot of understanding of inflation and the market economy. bai wutong¡¯s proposal and request still surprised him. the great empress¡¯ knowledge was too impressive. zhang zhang hurriedly said, ¡°i accept the order.¡± zhang zhang was only the bank president. the issuance of banknotes still had to go through a multi-sectoral consultation to formulate the amount of banknotes, the style of issuance, and other complicated work. after sheng huaixuan took a look at the proposal and the specific regulations, they would be handed over to bai wutong for review. by the time the banknotes were implemented and circulated, it was already three months later. when the commoners heard that copper coins and silver pieces were to be recycled, they were all very confused. until the government announced the banknotes of different denominations in the entire carefree kingdom, they still found it unbelievable. this was a very important matter. the issuance of currency meant a change in the way the transactions were conducted. all the merchants were extremely concerned. they ran to the bank and asked, ¡°if we don¡¯t exchange the copper coins and gold on hand now, will we not be able to use them in the future and buy property in carefree city?¡± this question was the most urgent for everyone at the moment. li nian held the instruction manual and explained to everyone in detail, ¡°the issuance of banknotes is to make life more convenient for everyone. after a three-month exchange period, copper coins and silver pieces can no longer be used in circulation. however, gold is an exception. even after the three-month exchange period, gold can still be exchanged for banknotes in the future. gold will also become the only hard currency.¡± ¡°if you don¡¯t want to exchange your money for banknotes, you can also exchange it for gold. however, gold has a high value and it¡¯s very inconvenient to use. 1 suggest that everyone exchange it for banknotes and deposit it in the bank to increase interest.¡± when everyone heard this, they asked again, ¡°then can¡¯t the interest on gold increase?¡± li nian explained, ¡°as i said just now, gold will become a hard currency to exchange for banknotes. the exchange rate will adjust according to the changes in the market. this also means that gold itself will have a risk of lower value and there¡¯s uncertainty. the bank can help store the gold, but they won¡¯t give any interest.¡± the commoners were confused but they understood the last sentence. if their money was exchanged for gold, there was no interest when depositing it in the bank. they might as well not exchange for gold. in any case, banknotes could be used. as for smart merchants, their eyes lit up. they could buy a large amount of gold and rely on the fluctuating price to generate profits. it was like treating gold as property. when it rose, he would sell it and earn some profits. when it fell, he would buy another batch. continuously selling at high prices and buying at low prices might result in high returns. it was simply a good deal. when meng gui found out that the banknotes were being issued and the copper coins and silver had to be recycled, he quickly searched his house and gathered a large pile of copper coins and silver. he was afraid that there would be too many people in the bank. after the three-month deadline passed, the silver would no longer be worth money. after learning that there was no interest even if it was exchanged for gold and deposited in the bank for hundreds of years, meng gui hesitated for a moment. he was afraid that if they were to merge with the ling kingdom in the future, the country might issue a policy that banknotes could not be exchanged for gold. he divided all his assets into two. one half was used to exchange for gold, and the other half was used to earn interest in the bank. even the interest on half of his income was completely enough for him to repay the apartment loan. when he had saved enough money in a few days and the stall was completely stabilized, he would buy another villa. he withdrew the estimated small change for the next day and put it in his pocket. it was light and he was still in a daze. who would have thought that he would use banknotes one day? oh no, everyone would have to use banknotes one day. a farmer from qinghe technical college saw the release of banknotes and decisively abandoned the use of money bag. she designed a wallet that could store the banknotes and asked the female workers to help sew it for the price of five coins. the next day, at the entrance of the bank, her business was booming and she earned a few taels of silver. after enjoying the profits, she designed several different and novel wallets. they were long, short, zippered, and buttoned. she went straight to the clothing factory and customized a batch of goods. everyone wanted to take good care of the brand new banknotes. after all, this thing was not like copper coins and silver pieces. it could be torn with teeth and lost after a little rubbing. apart from setting up her own stall to sell wallets, she also sent them to the stationery store, women¡¯s supply store, and clothing store. she sold them to the shopkeeper at a low price and earned money easily. in a few days, she had earned more money than she had ever thought possible in her life. at the same time, seeing that the farmer was earning money, the other female workers also began to make wallets in private. there was also a small family clothing workshop that imitated her wallet and produced them in large quantities. the farmer did not earn as much money as before, but she had already earned her first bucket of gold. she might as well take the high-quality route and use the money she earned to plan to open a wallet shop for herself. she designed wallets with cartoon characters, leather, canvas, and shell decorations. she made full use of her professional standards and designed countless styles in one go. while she successfully opened up a new field, she also gained a foothold. after the academy found out, they even let her give a speech as an outstanding student. it caused a wave of entrepreneurship among the students. meng gui had used half of his assets to buy gold. after hearing that the price of gold would fall, he had been paying attention to the price of gold. he was afraid that the price of gold would fall and he would lose half of his assets. he was constantly considering whether he should sell it before the price of gold fell and exchange it for banknotes to deposit in the bank for interest. but soon, he was glad that he had spent half of his assets on gold. many rich families still felt that it was safe to exchange it for gold. after all, this was the common currency used by the ancestors. therefore, as a result, more and more people bought gold. the production of gold did not increase. as the supply did not meet the demand, the price of gold increased. if he sold his gold, meng gui would be able to earn 30% profits! this was much easier than setting up a stall to earn money. it was also much more than the interest in the bank. he was so excited that he wished he could exchange all his belongings for gold. however, with the policies of the imperial court, the price of gold gradually stabilized. there were ups and downs, but the risk was still very high. meng gui thought that he did not have the ability to gamble, so he gave up on his idea to exchange for a large amount of gold. after the three-month transition period, the commoners were completely used to the benefits of banknotes. the other areas of carefree kingdom also quickly popularized them.. Chapter 517 - Chapter 517: Chu Tianbao’s Hope chapter 517: chu tianbao¡¯s hope translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios on the first day of july, hai dongli created good news that shocked the carefree kingdom. the engine that he had painstakingly developed had achieved great results. the production of engines could completely and quickly advance the development of the industrial era. after bai wutong received the news, she immediately ran to the research laboratory with chu tianbao. all the researchers were very interested in hai dongli¡¯s new research, but they did not know what that big metal object was for. with the great empress here, everyone could finally step into hai dongli¡¯s laboratory. hai dongli did not know how to speak and gestured excitedly to bai wutong, making everyone look confused. they still did not know what use this thing had. bai wutong had a hard time understanding it. hai dongli hurriedly wrote on the small blackboard, ¡°this is called an active engine. it¡¯s powered by oil and is completed by a cylinder. the piston has to go through four strokes in the cylinder. in turn, it has to go through the intake stroke, compression stroke, expansion stroke, and exhaust stroke. as long as the engine is combined with other auxiliary systems, it can make the large machinery in the workshop run on its own and directly replace the duplex power machine with steam energy.¡± bai wutong smiled. ¡°that¡¯s great. in the future, the efficiency of machinery will be faster. it¡¯s an amazing breakthrough of the era.¡± hai dongli hurriedly wrote again, ¡°with an active engine, we can go to the sky in the future.¡± seeing that what he had written previously was quite reliable, everyone could not help but laugh when they heard that they would be able to ascend to the heavens in the future. it was obvious that they did not believe that they could ascend to the heavens. however, bai wutong did not laugh. she told him seriously, ¡°yes, i believe in you. you will definitely be able to let humans realize their dream of soaring in the air.¡± tears welled up in hai dongli¡¯s eyes. the great empress was his soulmate. without the great empress, he would probably only be a lunatic in the eyes of others for the rest of his life. zhao yuan had always respected hai dongli¡¯s ability. when he heard bai wutong¡¯s affirmation of hai dongli, he asked, ¡°great empress, if we supply mr. hai¡¯s moving engine to my tricycle, can it move with oil?¡± bai wutong smiled and said, ¡°in theory, it should be possible. you can discuss it with mr. hai. perhaps the first autonomous oil car in the world can be created.¡± zhao yuan was extremely excited. ¡°thank you for your guidance, great empress!¡± hearing zhao yuan and bai wutong¡¯s words, everyone belatedly realized that this thing could also be used for their relevant research. for example, power generation devices, building welding devices, medical equipment devices, powerful drilling machines, and so on. everyone¡¯s gazes at hai dongli immediately became fervent. they wanted to communicate with hai dongli before zhao yuan did. for a moment, the research room was as noisy as a market. however, bai wutong seemed to see modern civilization waving at her again. when chu tianbao and bai wutong returned home, stinky was playing with tuantuan and yuanyuan. yuanyuan, who had turned over slowly and was annoyed by everyone, did not dare to be lazy anymore. he cooperated well. chu tianbao and bai wutong joined them and quickly built a beautiful castle. when they were tired of playing, chu tianbao and bai wutong returned to their room and quietly took out their tablets to watch a movie. this was the entertainment time chu tianbao looked forward to the most every day. especially modern sci-fi movies, it could update his worldview and eyeballs every time. when he was excited, the bed frame could shatter. it made the servants in the house steal glances at them in ambiguity and shock. bai wutong thought of the engine that hai dongli had developed that day, so she found a movie about car racing for chu tianbao. before they started, bai wutong specially reminded chu tianbao, ¡°you¡¯re not allowed to scream, or break the bed!¡± chu tianbao nodded eagerly. the movie began with an extremely exciting scene of racing. the thrilling actions and special effects made chu tianbao feel like he was there. his heart was pounding, and the words ¡®impressive¡¯ were written all over his face. bai wutong glanced at him and couldn¡¯t help but smile. she could try putting on 5d glasses for him next time. the movie lasted for nearly two hours. after chu tianbao finished watching, he looked like he wanted more. he was also extremely interested in cars and couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°if only cars could be developed earlier.¡± he looked like he wanted to try it immediately. bai wutong smiled. ¡°the engine has been successfully developed. it will be soon.¡± bai wutong had expected it to be soon. she never expected zhao yuan and hai dongli to research so quickly. after a month, a tricycle powered by an engine was built. bai wutong and chu tianbao were also quite excited and hurriedly rushed to the research lab. it was still a little different from what she had imagined, but this car already had some characteristics of a modern car, such as a frame made of steel pipes, spark ignition, rear wheel drive, front wheel turn, water-cooling cycle, and so on. zhao yuan hurriedly introduced, ¡°great empress, look, as long as we add oil, it can move.¡± he gripped the joystick and pushed forward. the tricycle moved forward. its speed was about 15 km/h, so it did not have much power, and its ability to climb the slope was not great. the horsepower was not even one-tenth of the horsepower of a modern car, but this was already an actual car. zhao yunning said happily, ¡°your research is very good. in time, the power will increase. i believe the speed and load of the car will be significantly improved.¡± zhao yuan also felt that the speed could be improved. after chu tianbao watched the movie, his surprise at the tricycle was greatly reduced. he thought for a moment and said, ¡°can this car brake?¡± zhao yuan was stunned. ¡°what is a brake?¡± chu tianbao said, ¡°it¡¯s an emergency stop after encountering danger.¡± zhao yuan was ashamed. ¡°there is no such function yet.¡± he hurriedly took a piece of paper and wrote it down, preparing to improve it. when hai dongli heard this, he took out a piece of paper and wrote it down. even if it was a flying device, there had to be a way to stop it. chu tianbao asked again, ¡°can you change directions?¡± zhao yuan hurriedly said, ¡°yes, yes.¡± then, he grabbed a metal rod that looked like a steering wheel and turned it. however, it was too difficult to twist it. moreover, it was not fast enough. it took zhao yuan a herculean effort to change the direction. chu tianbao watched from the side and was so nervous that he almost wanted to come down and carry it. chu tianbao continued, ¡°thedirection change can still be improved!¡± after thinking for a moment, he said, ¡°we can design a wheel similar to the one on the ship.¡± zhao yuan¡¯s eyes widened as he was enlightened. ¡°as expected of his highness!¡± chu tianbao continued, ¡°what if it¡¯s raining and there¡¯s a typhoon?¡± zhao yuan smiled and said, ¡°your highness, i have a roof design.¡± then he hurriedly pieced the roof of the carriage together. chu tianbao shook his head. ¡°it¡¯s so troublesome. why don¡¯t we just design the carriage? the rain won¡¯t get in, and the wind won¡¯t blow.¡± zhao yuan was stunned.. ¡°if it¡¯s the carriage, how can we see the road clearly and breathe?¡± Chapter 518 - Chapter 518: Congratulations on Creating History chapter 518: congratulations on creating history translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios chu tianbao pointed at the glass window of the research room. ¡°can¡¯t you just use glass? the kind that can be lowered with a press.¡± a glass that could be lowered with a press was quite challenging with the current technology. zhao yunning smiled and added, ¡°the glass that can be lowered with a press won¡¯t be possible. but it can be lowered with a twist of the handle.¡± zhao yuan¡¯s eyes lit up and he hurriedly noted it down. he couldn¡¯t wait for chu tianbao to continue suggesting what else could be improved. chu tianbao really wanted to drive a modern car. he said, ¡°you can only drive the tricycle alone and travel alone. if it¡¯s a family, do you have to buy a car for everyone and learn how to drive it?¡± ¡°since you have to design the carriage anyway, you can design seats next to you and a few people in the back.¡± ¡°oh, you can also design a carriage at the back so that there¡¯s also space to store the pork when we go to the farm.¡± according to chu tianbao¡¯s description, zhao yuan had already drawn the prototype of a car on the blueprint. chu tianbao continued, ¡°if this kind of car is used to carry people, only a family of three can be carried. you can also think about carrying dozens or hundreds on a vehicle at once.¡± zhao yuan widened his eyes in disbelief, but he wanted to note down the key points. he hurriedly asked, ¡°your highness, what do you think a car with dozens of people look like?¡± chu tianbao recalled the bus. ¡°it¡¯s like a big square box with four big wheels, headlights, and a lot of seats. the commoners can sit on the vehicle, and there are headlights and horns. the driver drives in front. he opens and closes the door, and people can enter and exit through the door.¡± the more chu tianbao spoke, the more detailed he became. he was just short of saying the word ¡®bus¡¯. fortunately, everyone¡¯s acceptance was extremely high, so they did not think about whether chu tianbao had seen it with his own eyes. otherwise, how could he explain it in such detail? zhao yuan even looked surprised and praised chu tianbao for giving him a lot of inspiration. he asked again, ¡°the cars for hundreds of people shouldn¡¯t have only four wheels, right?¡± chu tianbao thought about the train and said, ¡°you can connect countless carriages.¡± zhao yuan was stunned. he had an expression that said, ¡°how long will this car be? how can it move?¡± bai wutong added for chu tianbao, ¡°it¡¯s not impossible. we can specially build a lane for such cars.¡± zhao yuan imagined it in his mind and felt that his imagination was really not wild enough. ¡°great empress, what about reversing the car? it can¡¯t be that we won¡¯t be able to return after driving this car over, right?¡± bai wutong smiled and said, ¡°perhaps we can design a two-headed carriage that can drive in both directions.¡± zhao yuan immediately had an expression that said that his brain was indeed too small. he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°but isn¡¯t it too resource-consuming to specially build a road for a car?¡± bai wutong shook her head. ¡°we can also have another car.¡± she took out a pen and paper and drew a temporary parking path on the map. when the car in front set off, the next car would enter the normal track. zhao yuan came to a realization. he said excitedly, ¡°if we can carry hundreds and thousands of people at once, that will be too convenient.¡± chu tianbao continued, ¡°we can also transport goods.¡± zhao yuan hurriedly recorded it down. on the other side, hai dongli also received a lot of inspiration from chu tianbao and bai wutong¡¯s words. he leaned forward and wrote on the paper. ¡°if your highness wants to fly into the sky, what method will you use?¡± chu tianbao couldn¡¯t help but think of the rocket bai wutong had shown him. he blurted out, ¡°shoot into the sky with a whoosh.¡± bai wutong chuckled. hai dongli also looked embarrassed. he also wanted to shoot up into the sky. however, he wanted to know how to soar into the sky. bai wutong felt that since they already had a car, it should not be too surprising for the plane to appear. she picked up her pen again and drew a simple schematic of the first plane in the 1990s on the paper. she said, ¡°i think the aircraft that can fly in the sky is probably like this. there are two rudders in front, two rudders behind, and two propellers. the control cables are connected to the control handle.¡± ¡°when air of equal mass passes through the upper and lower surfaces of the wings at the same time, it forms a different flow rate above and below the wings. when air passes through the upper surface of the wings, the flow rate is large and the pressure is small. when it passes through the lower surface, the flow rate is small and the pressure is strong. therefore, at this time, the plane will have an upward force, which allows the plane to leave the ground and fly in the air.¡± bai wutong explained in detail, as if she had personally participated in the design of the aircraft. or perhaps this was already a mature design. hai dongli looked at bai wutong with admiration. he firmly believed that bai wutong had the ability to design such an aircraft. if not for the fact that she was going to be in charge of the entire carefree kingdom, she could completely beat the entire research lab with her outstanding ability. no, she was the one who created the entire research lab. she was also the one who organized all the mathematical, physics, and chemistry knowledge. hai dongli wrote his promise on the paper. ¡°the first human aircraft will definitely not disappoint the great empress.¡± bai wutong affirmed them. that day, they led their dozen or so assistants into the laboratory. auntie yang had not seen her second son for an entire month. she looked for her eldest son every day to ask. zhao sheng was so busy that his feet flew up. he did not have time to ask about his second brother at all. of her three sons, two were research maniacs, and one had gone out to build a asphalt road. he was inspecting the road every day in the wind and rain. even village chief zhao studied life grafting, insect repellent, medicine, and genetic research every day for the sake of the crops in the fields. auntie yang couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°they¡¯re indeed biological father and son.¡± zhao yuan¡¯s research were carried out day and night. from time to time, chu tianbao would come to check on the progress and give some suggestions. after the first petroleum tricycle, the four-wheeled car was finally completed. apart from the difference in speed and performance from modern cars, basically, all the basic functions had reached a reasonable standard. chu tianbao personally tried the car. everyone was extremely excited. everyone in the research room ran over to watch. if they could succeed, it meant that their carefree city would enter a new generation. boom! boom! chu tianbao started the engine. the noise was a little loud, but not too loud. the moment he gripped the steering wheel and stepped on the accelerator, chu tianbao was also excited. ¡°whoosh¡ª¡± the petroleum four-wheeled car rushed out. in an instant, the entire place was filled with deafening cheers. he had succeeded. he was driving a car. chu tianbao drove two rounds in a row. it was faster than a horse. he tried reversing again and turned the steering wheel. good. it wasn¡¯t silky like in the movies, but its reaction wasn¡¯t slow. he tried the brakes again and again. it wasn¡¯t bad. since the highest speed the car could go was no more than 20 kilometers per hour, this standard of braking was considered timely. the moment chu tianbao stopped the car, the researchers, who seemed to be judged for their performance, heard an unforgettable sentence. ¡°congratulations on making history..¡± Chapter 519 - Chapter 519: Car Frenzy chapter 519: car frenzy translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios as soon as he finished speaking, the cheers on the field rose. they had succeeded and obtained the duke¡¯s approval. in the future, they would have a place to shelter from the wind and rain outdoors. zhao yuan¡¯s eyes were filled with tears, and his assistants¡¯ eyes were also red. at the same time, they also envisioned the prototypes of tractors, trucks, and other vehicles in their minds. the idea was beautiful, but the cost of building a car was very high. some parts had been painstakingly developed by all their researchers. they were unique parts. if they wanted to mass produce it, they had to first design the machinery for production and overcome the technological difficulties. it would take at least a few years, or even decades, to popularize cars everywhere on the road. bai wutong did not expect them to be even more anxious than her. they had just learned how to walk, but they already wanted to be busy. however, thinking about it, the fastest development period in china¡¯s modern history had only been 50 years. with the guidance she provided, they were already standing on the head of the giant. what was so strange about it being faster? in order to let the people fully understand the power of technology, the wonders of the petroleum car, and the hard work of the researchers, bai wutong announced the first petroleum car exhibition. although there was only one car, they had to let the commoners bask in the joy and experience the growing power of the country. as soon as the petroleum car exhibition was announced, all the commoners and merchants were looking forward to the event. any activity personally launched by the imperial court would definitely have a huge business opportunity hidden. as long as they grabbed the opportunity, it would definitely not be a dream for them to soar into the sky. auntie yang finally saw her unshaven second son and eldest son return together. although they were slovenly dressed, the light in their eyes was abnormally bright. it was obvious that their research had succeeded. auntie yang asked a question on behalf of the entire family, ¡°son, is the petroleum car exhibition related to your invention?¡± zhao yuan nodded mysteriously. ¡°yes.¡± he insisted on hiding what the petroleum car looked like, making everyone curious. previously, zhao yuan had created a bicycle and won a flying sky award. this time, the imperial court actually wanted to hold an exhibition separately, so his achievements must be even greater. if he didn¡¯t say anything, they could only wait and see the car exhibition the next day. the next day, the car exhibition was held as promised. everyone appeared at the entrance of the great empress¡¯ residence early in the morning. the patrolling dark guards were mobilized in large numbers to ensure the safety of bai wutong and chu tianbao. the moment the great empress¡¯s residence door opened, everyone craned their necks to look inside. the moment chu tianbao drove the petroleum four-wheeler with red and shiny paint out of the great empress¡¯ residence, everyone widened their eyes in surprise and exclaimed. someone even asked foolishly, ¡°they are moving without horses. could it be that the great empress and his highness are stepping on the pedal inside?¡± hearing his question, the adults and children looked under the carriage and said loudly, ¡°there are no pedals, only four wheels!¡± ¡°oh my god! this is amazing!¡± ¡°how cool!¡± ¡°i want one too!¡± ¡°look, there seem to be a few more people sitting behind.¡± ¡°if only we could sit in it too.¡± ¡°it¡¯s good-looking, but this car is slower than a horse.¡± as soon as he finished speaking, the flyers about the petroleum four-wheeler were distributed by the servants. everyone rushed to receive the flyers. when they saw the information, everyone immediately had a new understanding of the petroleum four-wheeled vehicle. it turned out that not only could it shelter from the wind and rain, but it could also run faster than the best horse. moreover, they only needed to provide fuel, unlike horses that had to be fed and rested. originally, the journey to ling kingdom would take half a month. after the highway to ling kingdom was built, it would take at most five days. only five days! when they first arrived at the southern frontier, it took them two months to reach baye from the border. it was simply a speed that the locals of the southern frontier did not even dare to dream about. it was too fast. this made everyone yearn for the petroleum four-wheeler even more. chu tianbao slowly drove around. after greeting all the citizens of carefree city, he quickly drove towards the suburbs with bai wutong on the car. his speed was like the wind, causing everyone to involuntarily chase after him, but they still could not catch up. peach was extremely excited. she said to zhao yuan, ¡°father, you¡¯re amazing! you¡¯re really amazing. look, your name is even on the poster!¡± zhao yuan smiled. ¡°it¡¯s all thanks to everyone¡¯s hard work.¡± yan tingting was also extremely proud of her husband. auntie yang asked softly, ¡°son, when can we buy a petroleum four-wheeler?¡± everyone was very concerned and unknowingly leaned over. although it seemed like they could not afford it, they could still know about the price and give up. zhao yuan was caught between laughter and tears. ¡°the entire research institute has tried their best to build a petroleum four-wheeler. if we want to produce it in large quantities, and everyone can afford it, it will take some time.¡± yu suisheng suddenly patted his shoulder. it was obvious that he was here to look for him. it was not convenient to talk here, so he went to yu suisheng¡¯s teahouse. yu suisheng went straight to the point and said that he wanted to produce the petroleum four-wheeler. he asked zhao yuan if it was feasible. zhao yuan smiled and said, ¡°building a petroleum four-wheeler requires not just a little manpower and resources, but also the approval of the great empress. i can only tell you that it¡¯s very difficult.¡± yu suisheng could provide a large amount of manpower and resources. he had only come to zhao yuan to check the feasibility of building a factory. if there was, he would visit bai wutong and see if he could invest in cooperating with the country to build a car factory. cars would definitely replace horses as a new mode of transportation in the future. it would be a greater profit than real estate. even if he funded the capital amount and the country only gave him 50% of the profit, this deal was worth a try. although zhao yuan said that it was very difficult, it did not mean that there was no hope. yu suisheng decided to visit bai wutong. unexpectedly, many family heads of the 30 families of qinghe had submitted requests to meet bai wutong. it was obvious what their goal was. however, bai wutong did not meet any of them. on the contrary, the announcement of the state-run car factory completely dispelled everyone¡¯s thoughts. when yu suisheng saw the words ¡°state-owned car factory¡±, he immediately wondered if it would be possible for him to build a private car factory. for this, he even specially looked for sheng huaixuan, hoping that he could help him ask if he could build a private car factory if he found someone to develop the car himself. if he developed his own car and built a private car factory, it was naturally allowed. the imperial court also encouraged innovation so that they could nurture more talents in this area. sheng huaixuan said, ¡°if you get someone to research on it, it might take 10 to 20 years. i¡¯ll help you ask if cars can be patented. if it¡¯s possible, you can use the patent, but you have to pay a large amount of patent fees.. you know all this, right?¡± Chapter 520 - Chapter 520: Missing Ship chapter 520: missing ship translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios as long as he could get the patent, not to mention spending a large amount of patent fees, even if he did not earn money for a few years, yu suisheng would agree. sheng huaixuan was willing to help him because of their past friendship. yu suisheng hurriedly thanked him. ¡°thank you for your help, lord sheng.¡± sheng huaixuan was not only doing this to help him. bai wutong already had plans to promote the development of the car industry. after bai wutong found out, she did not think about it for long. she said, ¡°car manufacturing requires precise parts and the most advanced technology. our country lacks such talents. if we let them establish a private car workshop, even if they have the technology, it will take them some time to figure out the technology. the research institute has already created better cars. if they want to gain a foothold in the market, they have to constantly improve their products and nurture talents. this is beneficial for our country.¡± after understanding what bai wutong meant, sheng huaixuan immediately screened the applicants for car patents and asked them to participate in the patent bid. yu suisheng¡¯s good reputation, strong capability, and his confidence in the future of the private car industry quickly stood out from the many candidates. the candidates were disappointed, but they could not bear to let go of this business opportunity. if the imperial court did not set their eyes on them, they could find a skilled craftsman to imitate the technology and study them further. for a moment, all the blacksmiths in carefree city were placed upon high hopes. they all wanted to become the next zhao yuan and all the businessmen were fighting over the blacksmiths. although yu suisheng had a patent, he could not understand it! the workers under him could not understand either. the people from the research institute were all elites and had countless projects under their control. moreover, they were too busy to design car assembly lines themselves, let alone help yu suisheng. in other words, what yu suisheng had painstakingly fought for was only a patent blueprint. with the blueprint, he had to find someone who could understand it first and lead these people to build the car workshop. yu suisheng thought about it and went straight to qinghe university to meet yang quanzi. he explained his intentions and wanted yang quanzi to recommend a few intelligent disciples. with yang quanzi¡¯s introduction, yu suisheng took in a few young people to study the blueprint. he was hopeful that if they could understand the blueprint, the car would be ready for production soon. unexpectedly, none of the craftsmen could reach the required standard even though they could barely understand the blueprint. if they wanted to successfully make various parts of the car, they still needed to undergo a lot of basic technical training. the construction of a private car workshop was put on hold again. however, yu suisheng also understood that it could not be rushed. if the technology was learnt so easily, he would vomit to death after spending nearly half his assets bidding for the patent. in any case, there would always be results from persevering. they were afraid that by the time they could produce cars, such cars would be outdated. yu suisheng also specially established a private research laboratory. while developing cars, he wanted to improve its technology. the shipbuilding technology of the carefree kingdom had already reached the peak of history. countless fishing boats that went out to sea would bring back a large amount of seafood every time they went out to sea to supply to the market of carefree city. they would also make all kinds of canned goods, dry goods, and processed goods and sell them all over carefree city. there was a big fishing boat that was supposed to return on time that day, but it did not return even in the evening. everyone quickly realized that something was wrong and sent out ships to search and reported it to bai wutong. the fishing boat¡¯s fishing location and route had been repeatedly searched along the way, but they could not find it. perhaps it had hit a reef and sank. the relatives of the crew were in a panic. they could only beg the heavens that they were still alive and floating somewhere in the sea, waiting for the rescue ship to be found.. Chapter 521 - Chapter 521: Phone Call chapter 521: phone call translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios the next day, everyone expanded their search area along the perimeter of the missing fishing boat. finally, they saw the ship¡¯s scattered remains and a few crew members in floating rings lying on the wooden planks and shouting for help. everyone¡¯s eyes lit up and they hurriedly rescued them to the shore. they had been floating on the sea for a day and night. they were thirsty, hungry, and completely exhausted. after drinking a large mouthful of water, someone answered. on the way back, the fishing boat encountered a dragon sucking in water. the fishing boat was instantly sucked in. at that time, they were on the deck and were thrown out by powerful force, so they were lucky to escape. the rest of the people in the cabin had sunk to the bottom of the sea. hearing this, the atmosphere became heavy. after a while, the subordinate asked wang qiong, ¡°general, should we continue searching?¡± wang qiong looked at the endless sea. ¡°search! continue searching! if they¡¯re still alive but did not receive any help, how desperate would they be?¡± ¡°yes!¡± another search and rescue ship returned. the relatives of the crew stood up again and looked over excitedly, hoping to see their husbands and sons on the ship. as the search boat docked, five familiar figures appeared. everyone was in an uproar. ¡°found them, found them!¡± they were happy for a moment, but when they learned that only five people had returned, other than the relatives of the five crew members who were still smiling, the others cried. wang qiong consoled them. ¡°we definitely won¡¯t give up on the search and rescue. please don¡¯t worry.¡± the people and the boat had sunk to the bottom of the sea. how could they be alive? everyone knew that it was impossible, but they still held on to their last hope. what if they survived? when bai wutong heard that the ship had sunk and only five people had been found, and that 18 people were still missing, a story suddenly appeared in her mind. it was the robinson crusoe. what if they were swept away and happened to land on a deserted island? the exact number of islands around baye had yet to be completely calculated. bai wutong, wang qiong, and the others went to the surrounding islands to search. after searching for about ten days, just as everyone had completely lost their confidence and the imperial court was preparing for the follow-up compensation, ah mi brought song benhua to look at the starry sea. they coincidentally saw three missing crew members who were trying their best to row the self-made raft towards the shore. ah mi and song benhua hurriedly saved them from the boat and heard them say, ¡°there are still ten people on the island waiting for everyone to save them.¡± previously, they had been trapped on another small island. the island was especially small and did not have any fresh water for human survival, so they worked together to build a sturdy raft and rowed it to the current island. there was water on this island, and the fruits and vegetation were relatively abundant. they gathered some and prepared to go ashore, but they realized that the direction here was the opposite of the mainland. bamboo rafts could not travel across. for safety, they could only wait patiently and hope that the imperial court would discover them. just like that, half a month passed, but the imperial court did not come. they finally had a chance to travel in the direction of the wind. hence, it was decided that three people who were the best at swimming would go back and report first before coming to save them. coincidentally, the ship encountered ah mi and song benhua. song benhua took out a drawing book and marked the location of the island. he brought the three of them back and quickly reported it to wang qiong. the survivors appeared again and carefree city was in an uproar. all io people on the island had been brought ashore, and five of the crew members were still missing. their family¡¯s hopes were dashed again. they sat on the ground in grief and cried, ¡°can god tell me where my son is?¡± ¡°can you give me a message so that 1 can find my son? boohoo¡­¡± everyone could only comfort them. perhaps one day, their sons would return, just like these people. this incident made bai wutong realize that she had to speed up the development of the communication tools. when the ship went out to sea, bai wutong had already noticed the weather changes. if she had had communication equipment at that time and informed everyone to return quickly, the tragedy of the five families might not have happened. with a convenient way to communicate, everyone could remain in contact no matter where they were. the principle of a telephone was to conduct electricity. the spiral would emit noise and simulate the fluctuating sound waves of the current to achieve transmission. after bai wutong made up her mind to let everyone develop the communication equipment as soon as possible, she went back and designed a transmission box that was mainly made up of speakers and receivers. although it was very simple, bai wutong had to work busily in the laboratory of the great empress¡¯ residence for a long time. she did not even have time to eat. chu tianbao knocked on the door and imitated the male protagonist from the movies. ¡°baby, it¡¯s time to eat.¡± bai wutong did not turn around. ¡°i¡¯ll be right there.¡± chu tianbao stood at the door and urged her silently. bai wutong looked at him helplessly and put down the transmission box that was just short of completion. ¡°i¡¯m coming.¡± after dinner, bai wutong plunged into the laboratory again. chu tianbao watched quietly from the side and did not disturb her. bai wutong exclaimed, ¡°done!¡± before chu tianbao could ask, bai wutong placed the receiver beside chu tianbao¡¯s ear. she picked up the speaker and shouted softly, ¡°husband ~¡± bai wutong¡¯s voice came clearly from the receiver. chu tianbao¡¯s eyes lit up and he blurted out, ¡°you invented a phone?¡± bai wutong smiled. ¡°yes, this is the original principle of the phone. if we modify it, we can eventually use a wireless phone, smartphone, and so on.¡± chu tianbao sized it up curiously. bai wutong explained in detail to him, ¡°try the transmission device in the room at the end of the corridor and see if you can hear it.¡± chu tianbao did as he was told, keeping his ear over the transmission device as he walked to the room at the end of the corridor. ¡°darling, tianbao, can you hear me?¡± chu tianbao subconsciously replied, ¡°yes.¡± only then did he realize that this was only a transmission device and not the phone bai wutong had given him. there was no bilateral communication for the time being. chu tianbao and bai wutong stuck their heads out at the same time and couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°you can hear me?¡± ¡°yeah.¡± that day, bai wutong brought the device to the research laboratory and provided the blueprint for the wireless phone. she asked he jinchuan to be in charge of the device and popularize it to thousands of families as quickly as possible. the communication distance of the simple transmission box was only dozens of meters. if they wanted to expand the range of communication, they had to rely on the construction of signal poles. apart from getting someone to speed up the production of the phone requested by bai wutong, he jinchuan brought people to build the poles in carefree city. everyone was curious about what he was doing. when he jinchuan thought of his life after the popularization of telephones, he couldn¡¯t help but say proudly, ¡°the great empress has developed a magical way to communicate. you can hear the voices of your friends and relatives from thousands of miles away.¡± as soon as these words were spoken, the scene fell silent for a moment. even if bai wutong was powerful, it was impossible for her to be so powerful. shouldn¡¯t gods be the ones who could do this? Chapter 522 - Chapter 522: Voice Transmission From A Thousand Miles chapter 522: voice transmission from a thousand miles translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios every time they doubted it, they would only be shocked afterwards. everyone had learned their lesson this time. even if they suspected that he jinchuan was exaggerating, they still said flatteringly, ¡°with a woman¡¯s intelligence, a voice transmission from a thousand miles is nothing!¡± he jinchuan nodded in satisfaction. ¡°everyone, let¡¯s wait and see. soon, our research lab will be communicating directly with the great empress¡¯ residence.¡± after another half a month, when the electric poles in the research room were about to be forgotten, he jinchuan ordered someone to place the brand new phone in the conference center of the research room and introduce to everyone the scientific research personally developed by the great empress. hearing that this was something created by the great empress, hai dongli, who was busy building the flying device, hurriedly put down his work and rushed to the conference center of the research room. when everyone was present, he jinchuan introduced solemnly, ¡°this is the phone that can lead to the world and bring happiness. now, let us witness history together!¡± he jinchuan lifted the red veil and a shiny wireless landline appeared before everyone¡¯s eyes. it looked strange. he jinchuan picked up the phone and said to everyone, ¡°as long as you dial the connection signal to the great empress¡¯ residence like me, the great empress can talk to everyone.¡± without waiting for everyone to react, he quickly dialed the number. he was afraid that bai wutong, who was on the other end, would be anxious from waiting. ¡°ding, ding, ding¡ª¡± the phone suddenly rang. it was specially designed to be on loudspeaker. the conference room in the research room was as quiet as a chicken and everyone could hear it. it automatically bounced like a lively instrument, and everyone could not help but look forward to it. suddenly, the ringing stopped. a gentle female voice came from inside. ¡°hello? i¡¯m the great empress of the carefree kingdom.¡± everyone suddenly widened their eyes and looked around. there was indeed no sign of the great empress, but they heard her voice. he jinchuan suddenly felt a little nervous and stammered, ¡°greetings, great empress.¡± everyone reacted and hurriedly said, ¡°greetings, great empress!¡± no one dared to impersonate the great empress. the person on the phone must be the great empress. heavens, as long as he held that little thing, wouldn¡¯t he be able to report his work to the great empress at any time? if they fought a war, wouldn¡¯t they be able to send back news at any time? if there was a disaster, wouldn¡¯t they be able to prepare supplies immediately? if their relatives and friends were separated from them, wouldn¡¯t they be able to report their safety even from thousands of miles away? this was too awesome! previously, they did not believe it. it turned out to be true. the great empress was really a god! everyone suddenly knelt down in front of the phone, their eyes filled with admiration. ¡°long live the great empress!¡± on the phone, bai wutong asked everyone to dispense with the formalities and announced that today was the commemoration day of the carefree kingdom¡¯s first call. there would be phone booths set up all over the country to facilitate communication between the commoners. it was provided to the commoners all over the country! our carefree kingdom is impressive, awesome, and domineering! the production of telephones was not difficult. soon, they were made in large quantities. while the city was being built intensively, it was expanding in a systematic manner to ensure that the communications needed for military and political matters were smooth as soon as possible. bai shining and qu yuanxian set off from the imperial city with emperor ling hui¡¯s 80 carriages as a gift. it had been a day since they arrived at the border between ling kingdom and the southern frontier. after a day, their people were still unable to approach the border. as long as anyone tried to barge in, they would be mercilessly killed. zeng sanshui thought that emperor ling hui was going to order him to take down the carefree kingdom. in the end, he sent an envoy to the carefree kingdom to negotiate peace, no, persuade them to surrender.. Chapter 523 - Chapter 523: Are You Willing to Go Back and Be the Emperor? chapter 523: are you willing to go back and be the emperor? translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios qu yuanxian asked zeng sanshui, ¡°how can we let them know that we¡¯re not here for confrontation?¡± zeng sanshui raised his eyebrows and looked at him. ¡°envoy qu returned from the southern frontier. i should be asking you this, right? don¡¯t you know anyone in the military camp?¡± qu yuanxian fell silent. as long as he crossed the border of the southern frontier, he would be killed. he could not shout here. suddenly, he remembered the telescope that bai wutong had asked someone to develop. it could see clearly from afar. immediately, he had an idea. qu yuanxian asked his subordinates to buy white cloth from the nearest county city and wrote a few words in dye. ¡°the special envoy of the ling kingdom is here to visit the great empress of the southern frontier!¡± afraid that one bolt of cloth was not eye-catching enough, qu yuanxian got someone to write more than ten bolts of cloth. after writing it, he propped it up with a wooden stick and waited for the soldiers of the southern frontier to notice it. when zeng sanshui saw the banner, he could not help but snort. ¡°envoy qu, aren¡¯t you making the people of carefree look down on us?¡± qu yuanxian glanced at him. ¡°this is the emperor¡¯s decree!¡± zeng sanshui snorted and stopped talking. the white banner swaying in the wind quickly attracted lan jingbai¡¯s attention. he used the binoculars to read the words on it. soon, he got someone to report it to lu ye. lu ye did not know if he could let the ling kingdom¡¯s envoy enter the southern frontier. after he gathered all the information on the envoy, he rode his horse at full speed and returned to tell bai wutong. when bai wutong received the letter and saw the words ¡°bai shining¡± on it, the sealed memories of her original body suddenly broke out of the ground. bai shining was the biological father of the original owner. when her original mother gave birth, he brought jia yuqin, who was pregnant outside, home. this caused her original mother to be agitated and have a difficult labor. she died before she could take a look at her daughter. jia yuqin was also naturally promoted as the legitimate wife. on the surface, she doted on the original bai wutong, but in fact, she was tortured in all kinds of ways. jia yuqin had originally planned to send the original bai wutong away casually. unexpectedly, the second young master of the duke took a fancy to her beauty and wanted to marry her. this marriage attracted bai yushui¡¯s jealousy, so she instigated jia yuqin to kill the original bai wutong. killing someone in the courtyard would attract a lot of trouble, especially for the eldest daughter of the bai family, who was about to come of age and could be sold as a bargaining chip. the opportunity came quickly. bai shining transferred to jingnan prefecture and chaos broke out in the capital. bai shining had a bad feeling and on the way to pick them up, jia yuqin arranged for bandits to force the original bai wutong to jump off the cliff on the spot. bai wutong transmigrated just like that. when she woke up, she happened to save chu tianbao. when bai wutong saw that there was still bai xinshui on the list, she was stunned for a moment. bai xinshui had already become chu mingxuan¡¯s secondary consort. how would she accompany her family to the southern frontier? could it be that she had been divorced? or perhaps someone else had deliberately arranged it. emperor ling hui had long known about bai shining¡¯s relationship with her. he had also investigated the truth back then and specially sent them over for her to deal with. from the looks of it, emperor ling hui had the intention to maintain peace when he sent people to the southern frontier this time. he would probably not start a war with them for the time being. bai wutong showed the letter to chu tianbao and asked him seriously, ¡°if emperor ling hui wants you to go back and become the emperor, are you willing?¡± chu tianbao closed the letter and said firmly, ¡°impossible.¡± it was already his greatest tolerance not to kill him. bai wutong smiled and leaned forward to kiss his face.. ¡°hmph, how can being an emperor be better than sleeping with an emperor, right?¡± Chapter 524 - Chapter 524: Way of Treating A Guest chapter 524: way of treating a guest translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios after sending the message back and forth for more than a month, qu yuanxian and the others were about to become furious from waiting at the border of the southern frontier. finally, lu ye appeared at the border with lan jingbai and the other soldiers. they were familiar faces, but everyone faced them with different identities. qu yuanxian could not help but sigh. if he had firmly decided to stay in the southern frontier back then, he might have represented the carefree kingdom. qu yuanxian exchanged pleasantries with them. his gaze landed on lan jingbai¡¯s face and he wanted to ask how muzhi was. when he met his cold gaze, the words were swallowed in his mouth. lu ye said in a businesslike manner, ¡°the things you brought have to be checked routinely before they can enter our carefree kingdom.¡± bai shining immediately said, ¡°this is a reward from our emperor to your great empress. how dare you be rude!¡± lu ye looked at him coldly. ¡°reward? you¡¯d better open your mouth and explain clearly. otherwise, those who insult our great empress will be executed on the spot!¡± bai shining couldn¡¯t help but shiver. he braced himself and argued, ¡°the two countries have a good relationship and do not kill the envoy. you¡¯re indeed barbaric people!¡± lu ye ordered bluntly, ¡°arrest him!¡± bai shining shouted in fright, ¡°what are you doing? what are you doing!!!¡± zeng sanshui drew his sword and the soldiers faced each other. lu ye and the others had guns and were not afraid at all. they even took a step forward. ¡°what kind of envoy is insulting the great empress? you¡¯re just a rebel who is barging into our carefree kingdom!¡± lu ye was serious, scaring jia yuqin and bai xinshui so much that their faces turned pale. they had yet to enter the southern frontier, but they were already threatening to kill them at the mention of bai wutong. when they met, if it was really her, wouldn¡¯t they be dismembered! qu yuanxian hurriedly cupped his hands and stood in front of him. ¡°general lu, calm down. this is just a gift from our emperor to express his friendliness to the carefree kingdom. he has no other intentions.¡± lu ye pointed at bai shining and said, ¡°make him explain himself!¡± it was as if they would fight at any time that day if he did not make things clear. zeng sanshui was also so angry that his teeth hurt. previously, it was not that he had not thought of launching a sneak attack and bringing back a few guns to study. unexpectedly, he did not manage to snatch any guns back and their tent had been burned by this group of bastards. if they really fought, it would only allow the carefree kingdom to expand its territory. at that time, where would he put his face? he was the number one general of the ling kingdom! qu yuanxian had been very polite to bai shining along the way, but at this moment, his face turned cold. ¡°the harmony between the two countries is of utmost importance. make it clear to others what you are tasked to say!¡± bai shining thought that he was the great empress¡¯ father and could do whatever he wanted. however, he was afraid that his head would be beheaded by lu ye before bai wutong could see him. after a long time, he said, ¡°it¡¯s all because i was rude and didn¡¯t understand what the emperor meant.¡± lu ye sneered. ¡°even if you don¡¯t understand what your emperor means today, 1 won¡¯t give you a second chance after you enter our carefree city!¡± ¡°check the items carefully and confirm their identities. don¡¯t let a traitor sneak in!¡± zeng sanshui suddenly pulled qu yuanxian back. ¡°i¡¯ll go with you!¡± he had stayed at the border of carefree city and seen many things that confused him. he had long wanted to go in and investigate. qu yuanxian was stunned and looked at the army behind zeng sanshui. ¡°what about them?¡± zeng sanshui said indifferently, ¡°don¡¯t worry, someone will take care of them! we¡¯re already on a diplomatic mission to carefree kingdom, and the emperor has no intention of fighting.¡± moreover, chu tianbao¡¯s face was very similar to emperor ling hui¡¯s when he was young. since he did not want to fight, it meant that this son was still very important to him. the southern frontier would definitely become the territory of their ling kingdom again. qu yuanxian saw excitement and seriousness in his eyes. moreover, if he did not agree, he would forcefully follow, so he nodded in agreement. after checking everything and confirming that there was no mistake with their identities, lu ye followed the standard of a professional welcoming envoy. everyone stood on the spot and saluted. they fired their guns at the sky as a form of welcome. ¡°welcome to the carefree kingdom.¡± at this moment, it was as if they had walked into a utopian country. zeng sanshui was already curious about their weapons. he leaned over and tried to get close to lu ye. ¡°what¡¯s the name of this thing?¡± lu ye said matter-of-factly, ¡°rifle.¡± zeng sanshui instantly pushed his luck. ¡°we¡¯re on a diplomatic mission to your carefree kingdom and have brought so many gifts. when we go back, can you give me a rifle too?¡± lu ye glanced at him. ¡°firearms and ammunition are under the military¡¯s control. those who steal, sell, or use firearms without permission will be punished. in serious cases, they will be sentenced to death. i can¡¯t. if you want them, you can ask our great empress.¡± zeng sanshui pursed his lips. he thought for a moment and knew that bai wutong would definitely refuse to give him the gun. he pointed at their watchtower and asked, ¡°what¡¯s the thing that sparkles every night?¡± everyone pricked up their ears. on their first night here, when they saw the patrol lights lit up, they thought that the people of carefree kingdom knew magic and had plucked the stars in the sky. zeng sanshui had simply asked what they were most curious about. lu ye said casually, ¡°that¡¯s a patrol light. it¡¯s also a type of electric light. there¡¯s no need to make a fuss.¡± the southern frontier was clearly the place that was known to be uncivilized, yet they looked at them as if they were country bumpkins, and no one could refute him. indeed, their ling kingdom did not have electric lights yet. zeng sanshui was filled with complaints and could not help but spit them out at qu yuanxian. ¡°you said that you stayed in the southern frontier. have you really stayed there? why don¡¯t you know anything?¡± a bitter smile appeared on qu yuanxian¡¯s face. when he was in the southern frontier, there were indeed no electric lights. such a magical thing must have been developed by bai wutong with everyone. thinking about it, he was filled with regret that he could not witness these miracles. after walking past two undulating mountains, they saw buildings made of cement. they were squarish and did not have any extra decorations, but they were abnormally dignified and solemn at the border. lu ye said to them, ¡°rest here for the night. we¡¯ll set off at five tomorrow morning.¡± bai xinshui looked at the gray cement house and suddenly put on airs. ¡°how can 1 stay in such a simple residence?¡± ¡°that¡¯s right. these houses are so eerie. is this how your carefree kingdom treats guests?¡± jia yuqin said. when bai wutong replied in the letter, she told lu ye that if the envoy was polite, they would be polite. otherwise, they would follow the rules. bai xinshui had not even gone in to take a look, but she already despised the place. lu ye did not spoil them either. ¡°we only have such a simple house. since this consort doesn¡¯t like it, i think you¡¯re quite used to living in tents. then go stay in tents!¡± before bai xinshui could speak, lu ye said loudly, ¡°team one, come out and build a tent on the grass field for this consort as a show of hospitality..¡± then he asked qu yuanxian, ¡°is there anyone else who wants to stay in the tent?¡± Chapter 525 - Chapter 525: Not Scaring You chapter 525: not scaring you translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios lu ye set up a tent just like that. he did not even give bai xinshui the chance to say no. a bed was naturally more comfortable than living in a tent. everyone chose to remain silent. bai xinshui gritted her teeth in anger. what could he do to her if she didn¡¯t stay in the tent? lu ye led them upstairs. everyone was in a separate cubicle. qu yuanxian was not surprised by the layout of the house. after all, when he left carefree city, they had already built many cement houses. there were also many other things, such as toilets and sofas. he had seen them before. however, the others did not think so. zeng sanshui entered the cubicle and was surprised to see the spring bed. he sat down and almost sank into it, scaring him. he exclaimed, ¡°why is this bed so soft? aren¡¯t you soldiers afraid of breaking your backs!¡± lu ye explained, ¡°this is specially for guests. we don¡¯t sleep in beds like this.¡± zeng sanshui nodded in satisfaction with an expression that said, ¡°you know what¡¯s good for you.¡± he looked around again and felt around. he noticed something strange on the desk and asked, ¡°what is this?¡± lu ye explained patiently, ¡°this is a table lamp. like the chandelier and headlamp, it¡¯s a kind of electric lamp.¡± only then did zeng sanshui notice that the house was as bright as day thanks to the light above his head. he didn¡¯t want others to think that he was a country bumpkin, but this thing was too bright. his eyes were dazzled. ¡°what¡¯s the difference between a lamp and a chandelier? it¡¯s not even lit up.¡± lu ye liked to watch these people appear so ignorant. he raised his chin slightly and pressed the switch proudly. the table lamp lit up with a click. the light was in a warm yellow mode, clearly different from the bright white light above his head. it was more like a yellow gem. to be able to see the bright table lamp at such a close distance, zeng sanshui carefully poked his head down and looked into the lamp cover. ¡°how does this light up?¡± lu ye pressed the switch again and the lamp suddenly went out. this was simply too magical. zeng sanshui couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°can you give me one?¡± this time, lu ye actually agreed readily. ¡°sure.¡± zeng sanshui felt like he was dreaming. ¡°really for me?¡± the smile on his face was about to fly out. lu ye nodded again. ¡°of course. i¡¯ve always kept my word.¡± lu ye was only in his twenties, but zeng sanshui could already be his uncle. under the temptation of a lamp, his arrogant words were replaced by a smile. ¡°then 1 can install it now.¡± however, lu ye said, ¡°even if i¡¯ve given you the table lamp, but it doesn¡¯t mean that you can use it when you get home.¡± zeng sanshui was confused. ¡°can¡¯t you just press it like this?¡± lu ye pointed at the table lamp. ¡°as i said just now, the table lamp and chandelier are all a type of electric lamp. electric lamps have to be supplied with electricity before they can be used.¡± zeng sanshui was even more confused. ¡°are you talking about the electricity in the sky?¡± lu ye thought for a moment. ¡°if the electricity in the sky can be charged into the table lamp, it might work. however, our electricity is produced by ourselves. you can take the table lamp back. however, when the electricity stored inside is depleted, it won¡¯t be usable anymore.¡± zeng sanshui did not understand and was exasperated. ¡°you¡¯re playing with me! if you don¡¯t want to give it to me, why do you have to beat around the bush!¡± it was difficult for lu ye to explain to him. after all, carefree city and the current ling kingdom were like two different worlds. he simply said, ¡°general zeng, pack it up first. you¡¯ll slowly understand when you reach carefree city. i¡¯m not scaring you..¡± Chapter 526 - Chapter 526: Deep Doubts chapter 526: deep doubts translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios no matter what, lu ye had packed the table lamp for him. zeng sanshui was overjoyed. he would present it to his old mother afterwards to make her happy. lu ye glanced at the sky. ¡°the dining hall is just below. at seven o¡¯clock, food will be served. general, please help yourself.¡± zeng sanshui waved his hand. ¡°alright, we will help ourselves. i didn¡¯t expect you to treat us well either.¡± these words were really not pleasant to hear. lu ye pretended not to hear and left the room. as soon as he left, zeng sanshui stuck his head in the room and fiddled with the electric light. he turned it on and off repeatedly¡­ clearly having a great time. lu ye and the soldiers stood at the lower level and saw the room lights flickering as if they were dancing. they could not help but laugh. after zeng sanshui was done playing with the electric light, he entered the bathroom and was shocked by the clear reflection on the mirror. he closed the door and mustered his courage to take another look. realizing that it was just that the mirror was too bright and clear, he couldn¡¯t help but exclaim, ¡°oh my god, how did they make a mirror like this? this is the first time i¡¯ve seen myself look like this.¡± he touched left and right and couldn¡¯t help but exclaim. how could the southern frontier be an uncivilized place like this? if he sold the table lamp and mirror, he would earn lots of money. he turned around and looked inside. there were also two strange basins, one big and one small. the sm,alter one still had water. he didn¡¯t want to call anyone else and be treated as a country bumpkin. after thinking about it for a long time, he said, ¡°this should be a bucket for the feces, right?¡± ¡°why can¡¯t 1 pick up this bucket?¡± he saw towels on the wall again, paper towels, a razor, soap, shampoo, disposable underwear, and other usual hotel disposables. zeng sanshui really did not know how to use them. in addition, he really wanted to shit. he opened the door and called the soldier guarding the corridor. ¡°hey, come here.¡± when the soldier came over, zeng sanshui pretended to be calm and asked, ¡°is that a toilet bucket there?¡± the soldier nodded. ¡°yes.¡± thinking of lu ye¡¯s instructions, he said carefully, ¡°general, pee here. then, press this button and it will be flushed away.¡± zeng sanshui was shocked. ¡°what? what did you say?¡± the soldier was a little confused. ¡°pee!¡± zeng sanshui was so anxious that he frowned. ¡°where?¡± the soldier said, ¡°pee here.¡± zeng sanshui muttered, ¡°it¡¯s like conversing in another language!¡± after calming down himself, he asked, ¡°how do i flush the urine away?¡± the soldier finally came to a realization and said matter-of-factly, ¡°press here.¡± as he operated the button, the sound of water suddenly sounded. zeng sanshui looked surprised. ¡°why is the water coming out from here?¡± after the mistake just now, the soldier finally became smart. ¡°because there¡¯s a pipe in the room. water can come out of the pipe. it will naturally come out after pressing the toilet bowl.¡± zeng sanshui could not help but be shocked. this design was too amazing. for a moment, he was not sure if they were from the southern frontier. he pinched himself hard. it hurt! it wasn¡¯t a dream. what kind of geniuses were the people of the southern frontier? zeng sanshui held back his pee and asked, ¡°what¡¯s that thing for?¡± he did not feel embarrassed anymore. the other party had probably long seen through that there was nothing like this in the ling kingdom. the soldier said, ¡°this is a bathtub for bathing. if general wants to take a shower, i can help you fill the bathtub. if you want to take a shower, there¡¯s a sprinkler beside it.¡± zeng sanshui had never felt that he had so many questions. ¡°how do i use this spray?¡± the soldier removed the nozzle and then adjusted the water temperature. he said to him, ¡°adjust to the left for hot water and cold water on the right. it¡¯s best not to shower for too long. there are too many people using water in the boiler room and the water supply suddenly stop.¡± he could understand every word separately, but when combined, he could not understand it. ¡°this thing can even adjust the water temperature?¡± ¡°how can hot and cold water be produced together?¡± the soldier was stumped by the question. ¡°well, we only found out after we used it.¡± there was no more explanation. he was just an ordinary soldier. he really did not understand the technology behind the facilities. seeing that he couldn¡¯t explain it, zeng sanshui asked another question, ¡°then why is there a roll of paper here?¡± the soldier said matter-of-factly again, ¡°of course for you to use it.¡± zeng sanshui gritted his teeth. ¡°how am i supposed to use it?¡± the soldier was so frightened by him that he almost took out his gun. ¡°it¡¯s used to wipe your hands, and in the toilet?¡± zeng sanshui¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°for toilet use?¡± the soldier nodded carefully. ¡°yes.¡± zeng sanshui exclaimed again, ¡°oh my god, you guys really know how to enjoy yourself!¡± chu shixiong had probably never enjoyed something like this before. because of the toilet bowl, bathtub, and shower, zeng sanshui was very curious about this small and especially exotic hotel room. from the electric lights to the soap, shaver and disposable underwear, he used them all. when he lay in bed feeling refreshed, he felt as if he had never treated himself as a human in the past ten years. he couldn¡¯t help but grab the soldier whose mouth was dry from all the explanation and ask, ¡°are all the houses in your southern frontier like this?¡± if it was all like this, how far behind would their ling kingdom be? the soldier replied hoarsely, ¡°not all.¡± zeng sanshui heaved a sigh of relief. he knew it. how could all the houses be built so well? the great empress of the carefree kingdom must have specially spent a huge sum of money to build this place for the sake of her reputation. she was waiting for their envoy to visit so that she could earn emperor ling hui¡¯s favor. the soldier did not know what he was laughing about. he glanced at the sky and reminded him, ¡°general, don¡¯t you need food? the food will run out in the dining hall once it¡¯s past the time.¡± zeng sanshui was indeed hungry. seeing that the soldier had been dutifully talking for so long, and had worked hard, he took out his money bag and rewarded him with two taels of silver. ¡°take this to buy wine.¡± the soldier said honestly, ¡°we¡¯re very disciplined and can¡¯t accept silver. if others find out, 1 won¡¯t be able to work as a soldier anymore.¡± then he said, ¡°also, in our carefree kingdom, silver is not a common currency and can¡¯t be spent.¡± zeng sanshui was stunned. ¡°what? you can¡¯t spend silver? what are you spending?¡± the soldier took out a few notes from his pocket. ¡°we use banknotes and gold.¡± zeng sanshui pursed his lips. ¡°then you can just exchange silver for gold.¡± the soldier said, ¡°then you have to exchange it first before you can use it in carefree kingdom. otherwise, you won¡¯t be able to buy anything.¡± zeng sanshui was stunned. ¡°then who should 1 exchange it with?¡± he really had a feeling that he would not be able to spend money after going to carefree kingdom with the silver. the soldier said, ¡°you¡¯ll have to ask our general lu about that.¡± zeng sanshui made a note of this and went to the dining hall downstairs to eat. ht had thought that the food would not be good. unexpectedly, there were all kinds of delicacies, fruits, and desserts. everyone was given a plate. zeng sanshui could eat whatever he wanted. zeng sanshui looked at the golden abalone in the pot and could not help but question, ¡°do you usually eat these?¡± Chapter 527 - Chapter 527: How Are You Soldiers! chapter 527: how are you soldiers! translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios the soldier chuckled and said proudly, ¡°our southern frontier is near the sea and has a rich aquaculture. we can eat it six days a week.¡± ¡°the dishes today are more sumptuous than usual, but we usually eat well.¡± zeng sanshui did not understand. their military camp had been set up here for so long, but they did not feel that this place was so close to the sea. they could actually eat so much delicious food. compared to them, they felt that their lives as soldiers were completely not for humans. looking at the braised fish in the other pots, steamed bass, crabs the size of a palm, and delicious seaweed and prawn soup¡­ he swallowed and asked as he continuously scooped the dishes, ¡°then how did these fish, prawns, and shells get here?¡± the soldier smiled. ¡°it was vacuumed packed, of course, or marinated and shipped over.¡± zeng sanshui had once eaten the sea fish. there was always a stench. it was really strange that these seafood did not have such stench at all. zeng sanshui thought that if the taste was not bad, he would buy some back for his old mother to try. after taking a few steps, zeng sanshui¡¯s plate was already piled up to the height of a small mountain. the soldier reminded him, ¡°general, you can¡¯t waste food that you can¡¯t finish.¡± zeng sanshui frowned. ¡°how do you know 1 can¡¯t finish it? i can definitely finish it!¡± since he said so, the soldier did not try to persuade him further. there was braised pork that was glistening and not greasy. there were charcoal-roasted chicken wings, braised duck feet, stir-fried chicken gizzard, stewed chicken with potatoes, braised beef brisket, spicy beef tendon, thousand-layer tripe, stewed pork in a pot, mushroom stew in a casserole, pepper fermented eggs, sour and spicy cabbage, white fungus and wolfberry soup¡­ zeng sanshui looked at them one by one and was dazzled. it was no wonder lu ye told them to help themselves. how could such a big table be served? each of them had a plate and could take whatever they wanted. they had really put in a lot of effort. zeng sanshui was very satisfied. the others also revealed happy expressions. this should be the best meal they had since they left the capital, oh no, since they were born. when they reached the last section, there were all kinds of drinks, snacks, and fruits. there were chinese-styled cakes and many western pastries. there were all kinds of food, and each one was beautiful. zeng sanshui saw the big metal jar with oolong tea, sour plum juice, milk, and yogurt label stuck on it and asked in confusion again, ¡°can you guys drink it?¡± the soldier chuckled. ¡°we usually drink water and milk. milk can help us grow taller and increase immunity. the great empress said that it¡¯s best for men and children in the army to have a cup every day.¡± zeng sanshui couldn¡¯t help but roll his eyes. ¡°damn it, what kind of soldier are you!¡± they drank a cup of milk a day, whereas they guarded the borders and ate dried buns every day. the huge difference was really infuriating. it was no wonder that they kept talking about the great empress. if his soldiers also received such good treatment, they would probably kneel on the ground and call him their ancestors every day. when the soldier heard zeng sanshui say that they were not soldiers at all, he suddenly became a little anxious. ¡°we passed the assessment under the witness of the great empress. only then did the most outstanding soldiers have a chance to come to the front line. even if there¡¯s no war, we have to train to raise our guns, practice our shots, march, and fight every day. we have to run 10 kilometers. there are special training for different special forces and often special training exercises! we¡¯re not like you who only know how to raise sticks every day.¡± zeng sanshui was extremely shocked. ¡°is this how every soldier trains?¡± the soldier looked up proudly. ¡°of course, those who don¡¯t qualify will be eliminated periodically.¡± he was also specially picked to be a logistics soldier and could be paid five taels a month. zeng sanshui¡¯s main goal in coming to the carefree kingdom was to investigate the true strength of the carefree kingdom. no matter how powerful the weapons of the carefree kingdom were, they were only a small country. they had an overwhelming advantage in terms of numbers. however, if a soldier could fight against a hundred enemies alone and had elite and powerful weapons, coupled with a strong fighting spirit and a strong awareness of protecting the territory, then the carefree kingdom would definitely be invincible. zeng sanshui was suddenly especially shocked by the rapid development of the carefree kingdom. the heavenly wolf army had clearly been destroyed by gu chilie not long ago. if the carefree kingdom great empress had already secretly accumulated strength, it was no wonder that she had the guts to challenge emperor ling hui. if bai wutong was ambitious, she might really be able to take down the ling kingdom within a hundred years. while he was worried, the soldier suddenly stuffed an egg tart into his mouth and said happily, ¡°this is especially delicious. if you buy it in carefree city, it will cost ten copper coins!¡± outside the crispy tart skin was thick and fragrant cheese. zeng sanshui didn¡¯t like snacks but even he felt as if the top of his head was opened. he stuffed it in one bite and chewed, sweeping away all his worries. ¡°what is this? why is it so delicious!¡± the soldier chuckled, feeling happy that his recommendations had been recognized. ¡°this is called egg tart. it¡¯s a kind of food invented by the great empress!¡± in zeng sanshui¡¯s mind, a woman sitting in the imperial hall suddenly appeared. her eyes were red as she waved the kitchen knife and rolling pin crazily. he couldn¡¯t help but shiver. chu tianbao¡¯s taste shouldn¡¯t be that bad, right? she could cook and make such delicious snacks. she should at least be somewhat virtuous and gentle. the soldier even said happily, ¡°our carefree city still has wine specially brewed by the great empress. red wine, beer, and phoenix feather wine are all delicious!¡± ¡°if the general has a chance, you have to try it.¡± hearing the words ¡°phoenix feather wine¡±, zeng sanshui immediately retorted, ¡°the phoenix feather wine was clearly invented by our ling kingdom. when 1 entered the capital, 1 even drank the priceless phoenix feather wine!¡± the soldier retorted with a red face, ¡°the phoenix feather wine was brewed by our great empress! it is not very expensive, it¡¯s only one tael for five jars and it is nice to drink!¡± seeing his angry expression, zeng sanshui thought that the drinks might have the same name, so he nodded reluctantly. ¡°alright, what¡¯s yours is yours, and what¡¯s ours is ours.¡± only then did the soldier smile in satisfaction. he asked zeng sanshui which beverage he wanted to drink, and he went to get him a cup. zeng sanshui thought for a moment. he had never drunk yogurt before, so it was worth a try. he pointed at the big metal jar of yogurt and said, ¡°this one then!¡± the soldier went to get a cup. zeng sanshui placed the plate that had piled up into a small mountain on the dining table beside him. he went to the snack area to get mangoes and pineapple that he had never eaten before. seeing that the freshly baked pizza was tempting, he took a piece, and another 50 skewers of mutton. as soon as the soldier returned, he saw that his dining table was filled with food. it was as if he hadn¡¯t eaten in hundreds of years. the soldier said, ¡°general, i¡¯ve already eaten. i can¡¯t help you eat later.¡± zeng sanshui ate skewers in big mouthfuls and was enjoying himself. he felt that he could finish another table, but when he heard his words, he felt disappointed. ¡°if 1 can¡¯t finish it, how can i let you force it in?¡± the soldier said softly, ¡°we might as well force it in.. if we waste a grain of rice, we¡¯ll have to train for a kilometer immediately!¡± Chapter 528 - Chapter 528: Clearly Treated Like an Ancestor chapter 528: clearly treated like an ancestor translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios zeng sanshui was shocked by their harsh training. what if he accidentally dropped dozens of rice grains? he shook his head. ¡°isn¡¯t this enough to kill the soldiers?¡± the soldier lowered his voice and said, ¡°you won¡¯t even have a chance to die from training. if you fall, someone will send you to the doctor immediately. you don¡¯t have to come back after you have recovered.¡± zeng sanshui couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°isn¡¯t that good? you can go home and enjoy your warm bed with your wife and children.¡± the soldier pursed his lips. ¡°general, you don¡¯t know about this, right? if we become soldiers, it¡¯s a cradle-to-grave job in our carefree kingdom. we¡¯ll get five taels of silver a month and all kinds of allowances during festive seasons. if we die on the battlefield, according to our military achievements, our families will have at least 50 taels of silver as compensation!¡± ¡°of course, it¡¯s even better if we don¡¯t die. when we are old, we still have pension every month. even if we don¡¯t do anything, we will get a few taels of silver every month and there¡¯s even a subsidy for seeing a doctor. it¡¯s been a year since i saved my money in the bank and 1 have earned quite a bit of interest. my greatest dream is to buy a villa for my son beside the great empress residence or qinghe university. then my life will be considered perfect.¡± zeng sanshui could not understand most of the phrases he used. he could still barely understand a cradle-to-grave job. what the hell was pension, subsidy, bank, and villa? after a long time, seeing that the soldier was only 16 or 17 years old, zeng sanshui was puzzled. ¡°you have a son already?¡± the soldier chuckled. ¡°the great empress said that one has to have ambitions and hope in life. i don¡¯t have one now, but i definitely will in the future.¡± he couldn¡¯t help but show off to zeng sanshui. ¡°i¡¯ve saved up a lot of money now.¡± zeng sanshui¡¯s monthly salary of 50 taels of silver was obtained after risking his life with emperor ling hui. the monthly salary of a soldier in the carefree kingdom was five taels. this monthly salary was really a lot. if he had been younger, he would probably have wanted to come to carefree kingdom to become a soldier. it was safe, and they were given a lot of money. they ate well and slept well. the more he thought about it, the more zeng sanshui felt upset. how was this a soldier! they were clearly treated like an ancestor. zeng sanshui ate with mixed feelings. his stomach bulged and he burped a few times. the fruits, milk, and snacks on the table had yet to be touched. zeng sanshui thought that since he was a guest, it should be fine to have some leftovers. he turned around and saw the soldier in charge of the dining hall walking to the table beside them. he said to bai xinshui and the others, ¡°if you can¡¯t finish it, do you want to pack it up?¡± bai xinshui¡¯s stomach could not eat anymore after eating a little. on her table, there were all kinds of food, much more than what zeng sanshui had taken. there were many that she especially liked, but she really couldn¡¯t eat them. bai xinshui immediately said, ¡°alright, wrap it up carefully for me.¡± as soon as she finished speaking, the soldier took out a notebook, a plastic bag, and a scale. he weighed it carefully. zeng sanshui suddenly had a bad feeling and hurriedly asked the soldier, ¡°what are they doing? why are they using those strange things to pack?¡± the soldier said, ¡°didn¡¯t i remind the general just now? if you can¡¯t finish it, you will be punished to run. if you are packing it, we¡¯ll charge you according to the market price.¡± zeng sanshui was completely dumbfounded. ¡°when did you say that?¡± the soldier scratched his head. ¡°didn¡¯t i say that?¡± he wasn¡¯t sure if he had said it. just as he was feeling a little guilty, he saw the words on the wall and immediately said excitedly, ¡°general, didn¡¯t you read the words posted on the wall? it¡¯s shameful to waste food.. charges will be incurred for packing leftovers!¡± Chapter 529 - Chapter 529: We Only Accept Gold chapter 529: we only accept gold translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios zeng sanshui looked up. sure enough, all the walls were pasted with posters containing the words ¡°it¡¯s shameful to waste food. charges will be incurred for packing leftovers!¡± zeng sanshui looked at his leftover fruits, skewers and snacks and said, ¡°then pack them up!¡± just as the soldier was about to speak, he heard the soldier beside him say to bai xinshui, ¡°consort, the food you need to pack costs a total of 86 taels of silver.¡± then he emphasized, ¡°we only accept gold, not silver and copper coins.¡± bai xinshui even suspected that there was something wrong with her ears. ¡°86 taels? you¡¯re robbing money, right!¡± the soldier said seriously, ¡°according to the market price, it¡¯s already considered cheap. originally, you should have paid 108 taels of silver.¡± bai xinshui was furious. ¡°i¡¯ve never heard of an envoy having to pay when visiting other countries. are you crazy from being broke?¡± the soldier suddenly pulled a long face. ¡°it¡¯s shameful to waste food. our carefree kingdom¡¯s money is the taxpayer¡¯s money. why should we let you be extravagant and wasteful?¡± ¡°we allowed you to eat and drink here, but we didn¡¯t say that you were allowed to pack them away for free!¡± ¡°according to consort li, you¡¯re guests and if you fancy our carefree kingdom¡¯s mineral ores vein, do we have to hand it over with both hands?¡± bai xinshui¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°you, you¡¯re clearly twisting facts! if the country can¡¯t even afford a meal, don¡¯t treat me from the beginning!¡± the soldier did not give in to her. ¡°since the consort doesn¡¯t like our food, we won¡¯t prepare any more for you. please pay for the takeaway and leave quickly!¡± before bai wutong even met them, this group of soldiers was already as arrogant as a halfwit. anyone could give her an opening gambit. there were scrutinizing gazes all around. moreover, they were already in the territory of the carefree kingdom. it was impossible for them to fight this group of soldiers head-on. bai xinshui had already guessed that emperor ling hui had ill intentions when he asked their entire family to come to the southern frontier to persuade bai wutong to submit. now there were tigers in front and behind. they could not escape anywhere. seeing that bai xinshui and the soldiers of the carefree kingdom were in a deadlock, bai shining frowned and walked over. he took out a banknote. ¡°take it!¡± his tone was as if he was dismissing a dog. he said to bai xinshui, ¡°there¡¯s really no need to lower yourself to argue with a group of rude people.¡± the soldier was not annoyed and emphasized, ¡°we only accept gold.¡± bai shining¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°you¡¯re too much!¡± the soldier reasoned, ¡°how can our carefree kingdom use your ling kingdom¡¯s banknotes? you¡¯re the ones who are going too far!¡± seeing that the argument was about to escalate, the smarter people hurriedly went outside to look for qu yuanxian. qu yuanxian learnt about the entire situation. when he saw the piled delicacies at bai xinshui¡¯s table, he understood why the soldiers were charging them for it. just the abalones and prawns on the table cost no less than dozens of taels of silver. besides, there were so many rare delicacies. all of them were so expensive. if it was in the capital, they might not even be able to pay for the meal with a thousand taels of silver. the soldiers only charged around 80 taels according to the market price of the southern frontier. it was really considered cheap. moreover, as soon as they entered the dining hall, the soldiers of the southern frontier had already reminded them that they would have to pay a fee if they could not finish it. moreover, they had indeed put in a lot of effort to entertain them. qu yuanxian looked at bai shining, whose face was dark and green, and suppressed him with his position. ¡°lord bai, give them the corresponding amount of gold. this is the carefree kingdom, so you have to respect the rules of the carefree kingdom.¡± bai shining only had banknotes and silver on him and no gold at all. jia yuqin knew his situation and hurriedly took off the golden hairpin on her head. she said angrily, ¡°keep the change.¡± the soldier said meticulously, ¡°we can¡¯t take any of your excess money.¡± he actually got someone to carry a special instrument and melt the golden hairpin in front of bai shining and the others. this golden hairpin was the most popular design in the capital¡¯s craftsmen workshop. it was difficult to obtain it. bai xinshui had used the eldest prince¡¯s residence¡¯s influence to purchase one. they had actually melted it just like that. it was simply infuriating. however, zeng sanshui¡¯s attention was on the automatic fire gun. he asked in surprise, ¡°what¡¯s that thing? how can it spew fire at once? the firepower is so strong that it can melt gold in an instant.¡± the soldier said, ¡°that¡¯s a firearm that¡¯s specialized in melting gold. it¡¯s used to purify gold. later, after weighing it, you¡¯ll know how heavy the real gold is and if there¡¯s any fake material mixed in.¡± zeng sanshui was shocked. ¡°is it so troublesome to collect gold here?¡± the soldier shook his head. ¡°only outsiders or people who sneak into our carefree kingdom would have such troublesome procedures.¡± a scene suddenly flashed in zeng sanshui¡¯s mind. he was penniless in carefree kingdom and could not even afford a steamed bun and had to be chased away. after a while, jia yuqin¡¯s golden hairpin was completely melted. there was still a layer of black material inside. the soldier said bluntly, ¡°madam¡¯s golden hairpin is not pure. we have to filter it first.¡± the golden hairpin was impure. this came as a huge embarrassment and jia yuqin¡¯s face burned. zeng sanshui also looked over and saw a layer of black junk outside the gold. it was really not pure. after the soldiers purified the golden hairpin and weighed it, jia yuqin¡¯s face became even redder. the soldier said, ¡°madam¡¯s gold is only worth 80 taels of a tael. you still need to pay another six taels.¡± just now, jia yuqin had even said that they could keep the change. in the end, it was still insufficient. there was a burst of gossip around him. bai shining had never been so embarrassed in his life. he glared at jia yuqin angrily. bai xinshui hurriedly took out another golden jade hairpin from her head. ¡°this should be enough!¡± her jade hairpin was a high-quality hetian white jade, a royal tribute. unexpectedly, the soldier took a look and said, ¡°you have to smash the jade hairpin before we can take out the gold inside.¡± bai xinshui looked shocked. ¡°are you guys stupid? this is high-quality hetian jade. isn¡¯t it more valuable than gold?¡± the soldier said meticulously, ¡°we only accept gold.¡± bai xinshui almost died from frustration. zeng sanshui asked in confusion, ¡°the hetian jade is clearly very valuable. can¡¯t you exchange it for gold?¡± the soldier smiled and said, ¡°our carefree kingdom has an excellent jade mine. this hetian jade is very common!¡± after saying that, he even took out an especially white hetian jade from his pocket and bragged to zeng sanshui, ¡°i spent a month of salary to buy this. isn¡¯t it much better than hers?¡± zeng sanshui did not know much about jade, but he just felt that the round jade the size of a soldier¡¯s palm was too beautiful. she asked incredulously, ¡°five taels?¡± the soldier chuckled. ¡°uh-huh. our troops are camped at the foot of the jade vein. i bought it at the last minute and didn¡¯t have time to carve it. when i have a leave, i¡¯ll find someone to help me design it properly and keep it as an heirloom.¡± zeng sanshui was envious. ¡°1¡¯11 give you 10 taels.. sell it to me!¡± Chapter 530 - 530 Rude Dog 530 rude dog the soldier couldn¡¯t help but roll his eyes at him. ¡°that won¡¯t do. i carefully chose this and it wasn¡¯t easy for me to open it. if you want it, general, you can choose the raw stones yourself. you might even be able to get imperial jade.¡± zeng sanshui suddenly became interested. ¡°then how do we choose?¡± the soldier chuckled. ¡°i don¡¯t know about that. i just pick them at random. the quarry vendors cut open one side of the stone. if you like it, you can make a bid.¡± zeng sanshui nodded. then, he saw bai xinshui angrily take off her gold earring and throw it at the soldier before leaving. the soldier calmly picked it up and suddenly locked his gaze on him again. zeng sanshui followed his gaze and saw a pile of food on his table. paying money or not was one thing. the key was that it was embarrassing. zeng sanshui grabbed the skewers and stuffed them into his mouth. seeing that he still wanted to continue eating, the soldier did not walk over. after taking two bites, zeng sanshui felt that his stomach was about to explode. his faint gaze locked onto the soldier. ¡°help me eat some.¡± the soldier shook his head. ¡°i¡¯ve eaten.¡± zeng sanshui forced it into his mouth. ¡°you want to eat more!¡± the fat but not greasy mutton skewers were really delicious. the soldier¡¯s appetite was aroused, so he reluctantly helped zeng sanshui eat some. after eating everything on the dining table, the soldier and zeng sanshui held their stomachs and went out. when lu ye saw this, he chuckled. ¡°these guys have learned a lesson today. they won¡¯t waste food in the future.¡± afraid that these people would not be able to get on the road the next day, lu ye even thoughtfully prepared digestive medicine for them. zeng sanshui had diarrhea when he returned. when he was almost out of energy, the door rang. the soldier handed him two bottles of pills. ¡°general, did you have diarrhea? it¡¯s very uncomfortable to eat too much food. these are digestive medicine and diarrhea medicine. take two at once.¡± zeng sanshui held his stomach and took the two plastic bottles. he opened them and saw yellow and blue pills inside. he couldn¡¯t help but be puzzled. ¡°this? it¡¯s medicine?¡± it was far from the medicine he had imagined. the soldier said, ¡°it¡¯s very effective. the general will know after you eat it.¡± zeng sanshui took two pills with the intention of giving it a try. after going to the toilet again, as expected, he felt much better. zeng sanshui lay on the bed and held an unknown medicine bottle. he looked at the label on the bottle carefully. ¡°a digestive tablet that strengthens the stomach. take two pills twice a day.¡± zeng sanshui muttered, ¡°it¡¯s really convenient. i don¡¯t know how they came up with a way to turn the medicine into a pill.¡± he fell into a deep sleep. on the other side, bai xinshui was feeling extremely uncomfortable. she thought that the digestive and diarrhea medicine that the soldiers had sent over were poison that would harm them. she directly turned him away and shouted for a doctor to come over. lu ye arranged for the female military doctor to come over and prescribe her the same medicine, but she did not stop her rants. ¡°do you know how to treat illnesses? your carefree kingdom only knows how to feed poison to others, right?¡± the female military doctor¡¯s gaze was a little cold. ¡°we have a professional assessment. we definitely won¡¯t prescribe the wrong medicine to the patient. if you don¡¯t want to take it, there¡¯s no other way!¡± her words had an underlying meaning. bai xinshui thought of the grievances she had suffered these days and raised her hand to slap the female military doctor. the female military doctor was not to be trifled with since she could enter the military camp. she grabbed bai xinshui¡¯s wrist and threw her to the ground. ¡°we respect that you¡¯re here as envoys, but it doesn¡¯t mean that we¡¯ll let you behave atrociously on our land!¡± the female military doctor left and took the medicine she didn¡¯t want. bai xinshui cursed angrily, ¡°you¡¯re all a group of rude dogs!¡± the door was open. in an instant, the entire corridor heard it. Chapter 531 - 531 Deportation 531 deportation it was intolerable. she was the one who attacked first, but she was the one who cursed at others. the female military doctor immediately reported to lu ye. lu ye had long been unhappy with this crown prince¡¯s secondary consort. she was just a secondary consort. if she was favored, why would she be sent to the southern frontier? lu ye¡¯s face turned cold. ¡°i don¡¯t know who you are referring to as rude dog, but she is just abiding by the rules. detain her.¡± ¡°yes!¡± tao yue did not expect lu ye to give the order to detain her. her beautiful peach blossom eyes immediately lit up. realizing that the female officer had yet to leave, lu ye said to her, ¡°don¡¯t worry, i¡¯ll get her to apologize to you. if she does not apologize, she will be detained for half a month according to the laws.¡± tao yue smiled. ¡°yes, thank you, general lu.¡± her tone was especially gentle, so lu ye took a few more glances at her. their gazes inadvertently met in the air before retracting as if they had been electrocuted. lu ye said unnaturally, ¡°i think it¡¯s a little hot.¡± tao yue also felt hot. her face was hot, and her heart was hot. bai xinshui did not take any medicine. in the end, she had diarrhea. she could not even stand steadily when there was a knock on the door. the maidservant went to open the door. when she saw a group of tall soldiers outside, she was so frightened that she immediately shouted, ¡°what are you trying to do!¡± then she said without any confidence, ¡°our miss is the crown prince¡¯s secondary consort. don¡¯t be impudent!¡± her voice attracted many people on the same floor. jia yuqin was in the room next to her daughter¡¯s. when she heard the maidservant¡¯s cry, she immediately opened the door and shouted in shock, ¡°master, master, come quickly!¡± before they could do anything to her, jia yuqin looked like she was about to die. when bai xinshui heard the commotion, she simply became a coward and hid in the bathroom, refusing to come out. bai shining rushed over and saw several soldiers blocking the door of bai xinshui¡¯s room. he was immediately furious. ¡°you¡¯re going too far!¡± qu yuanxian frowned and asked lu ye, ¡°general lu, what are you intending to do?¡± lu ye sneered. ¡°we respect you as envoys and treat you well. we even sent a military doctor to inspect your body condition.¡± ¡°your consort doesn¡¯t treat the people of the carefree kingdom as humans. not only did she act mighty and attack our doctor tao, but she also called us rude dogs!¡± ¡°lord qu, we still want to ask you. is this how you show your sincerity to our carefree kingdom? if that¡¯s the case, why don¡¯t you repay the amount of money we¡¯ve spent on you and scram back to ling kingdom?¡± when qu yuanxian was in carefree city, lu ye was always polite to him. now, they were standing in opposite stance to each other. qu yuanxian cupped his hands. ¡°we still need to ask carefully about what exactly happened. if that¡¯s really what happened, i will definitely apologize to this lady.¡± lu ye raised his head and looked straight at him. ¡°apologize? of course she has to apologize in person. could it be that she thinks that her status is higher than others, so she can bully others nonchalantly in my carefree kingdom?¡± bai shining glared and scolded, ¡°we¡¯re the envoys of the ling kingdom. you¡¯re just a small country!¡± lu ye¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°in that case, there¡¯s nothing else to talk about, and there¡¯s no need to listen to your apologies. all soldiers, listen up and send them out of the border. we will prepare for war.¡± ¡°yes!¡± the soldiers¡¯ morale was high, and they looked like they could not wait to fight. they had guns. as a military base, baye city would provide them with endless ammunition. what was there to be afraid of? they could earn military merits in war, marry a wife and build a big villa! the soldiers knocked on the doors of all the rooms, as if they really wanted to chase them out. qu yuanxian¡¯s face turned pale. if he couldn¡¯t complete emperor ling hui¡¯s mission¡­ he didn¡¯t know what would happen to his wife and grandchildren in the capital. bai shining was even more anxious than him. thinking of the pain of not being able to live or die, he hurriedly shouted, ¡°we¡¯re the envoys of the ling kingdom! how dare you chase us away!¡± Chapter 532 - Chapter 532: Low-quality Charcoal Smells Bad (1) chapter 532: low-quality charcoal smells bad (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios lu ye looked at him coldly. ¡°this is our carefree kingdom. if you can¡¯t even respect us, why should we be on good terms?¡± bai shining said angrily, ¡°you were also from ling kingdom back then!¡± lu ye sneered. ¡°before the ling kingdom was established, i was still a citizen of the yan kingdom!¡± ¡°hurry up and pack their things and send them out of the border.¡± the soldier took another step forward, looking like he was going to tie them up. as the envoy to the southern frontier, even if not for his wife and children, if the mission ended like this, the world would still laugh at him. qu yuanxian¡¯s face darkened as he looked at bai shining and said loudly, ¡°lord bai, quickly invite the consort out and apologize to this female military doctor!¡± bai shining¡¯s face turned pale. he looked arrogant, as if questioning how his daughter, who was the crown prince¡¯s secondary consort, could apologize to a military doctor. qu yuanxian could not help but scold, ¡°don¡¯t tell me you want the emperor to punish you?¡± bai shining suddenly came to his senses. if he messed up this mission, not only would he lose his life, but bai xinshui would also lose his position as the secondary consort. he hurriedly went to the room to pull out bai xinshui, who was worn out from diarrhea, and scolded loudly, ¡°hurry up and apologize to the military doctor and the soldiers!¡± bai xinshui and bai shining were indeed father and daughter. their faces were filled with disdain. they represented the ling kingdom, and the carefree kingdom was just a small country. what was there to be afraid of? bai xinshui had never seen the power of pistols and bombs, but zeng sanshui and the others understood it very well. if they really fought, it would be easy for the other party to fight a hundred people alone. especially since the soldiers of the southern frontier were eating so well and the training intensity was so high. before completely understanding their background, it was really not appropriate to fight a war casually. he did not want his soldiers to be sacrificed so easily. moreover, carefree kingdom was much more interesting than he had imagined. he still wanted to spend five taels of silver to gamble on stones. zeng sanshui¡¯s sharp gaze swept across bai xinshui with killing intent. ¡°consort, do as the romans do when in rome. hurry up!¡± bai xinshui could hear the threat in zeng sanshui¡¯s words and recalled emperor ling hui¡¯s terrifying imperial might. if she wrecked the diplomatic mission, the two countries would be at war. emperor ling hui originally only wanted to let the country be at peace and recover. there was no guarantee that she would not be dismembered. bai xinshui bit her lip with a pale face and did not speak for a long time. lu ye did not want to see her dawdle. ¡°deport them.¡± the soldier accepted the order again. ¡°yes!¡± the soldier stepped forward to grab them. bai xinshui finally panicked. she lowered her head and said like a mosquito, ¡°i spoke without thinking. it was all unintentional.¡± these words were really forced, as if anything could be resolved if she said that it was ¡®unintentional¡¯. lu ye waved his hand with a firm expression as he continued to chase them out. bai xinshui clenched her fists tightly, feeling humiliated. under the gaze of zeng sanshui, her father and qu yuanxian, who gestured for her to continue, she had no choice but to compromise. she half bowed to tao yue. ¡°doctor, i was rude just now. 1 hope you won¡¯t hold it against me.¡± she did not dare to say the word ¡®secondary consort¡¯ again and really gave in. tao yue¡¯s lips curled up slightly as she looked at lu ye with bright eyes. lu ye¡¯s heart skipped a beat. he retracted his gaze and said to qu yuanxian, ¡°this is the last time. if you dare to behave atrociously in our carefree kingdom again, it¡¯s useless even if you apologize.¡± qu yuanxian cupped his hands in return. ¡°thank you, general.¡± lu ye led the soldiers back. qu yuanxian looked at bai shining and instructed solemnly, ¡°lord bai, please be careful with your actions!¡± qu yuanxian left tirediy. bai shining clenched his fists and cursed in his heart, ¡°who does he think he is?¡± his youngest daughter was the crown prince¡¯s secondary consort, and his second daughter was the great empress of the carefree kingdom. it was not qu yuanxian¡¯s position to criticize him. when he met bai wutong, he would definitely make that idiot lu ye pay the price. zeng sanshui spent the night comfortably. bai xinshui and jia yuqin, who had not taken any medicine, tossed and turned in bed the entire night. the next day, they did not even have the strength to get into the carriage. zeng sanshui mounted his horse and looked at the wide road in the southern frontier, feeling pleasantly surprised. this was too f*cking rich! the great empress of the carefree kingdom must have plundered countless people to build such a road. the soldiers could not return to carefree city, so no one provided explanations to zeng sanshui along the way. zeng sanshui¡¯s gaze landed on lan jingbai¡¯s silent face. he rode his horse alongside lan jingbai and asked as if they were close friends, ¡°young man, how long have you been building this road? what material did you build it with?¡± Chapter 533 - Chapter 533: Low-quality Charcoal Smells Bad (2) chapter 533: low-quality charcoal smells bad (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios lan jingbai glanced at him and said, ¡°i don¡¯t know.¡± zeng sanshui¡¯s endless questions were immediately stuck in his throat. he felt extremely uncomfortable. lan jingbai was boring. zeng sanshui looked at the other soldiers again. unexpectedly, these cavalry soldiers had the same attitude as lan jingbai. they had probably been instructed not to talk to them much. zeng sanshui was helpless. lu ye rode a tall black horse over and said to them, ¡°see the line on the road clearly. we can only take the right side and not the left.¡± zeng sanshui was confused and asked him, ¡°why?¡± unlike the others, who did not say anything, lu ye said, ¡°there will be other vehicles and people passing on the left. the right lane is spacious enough. please strictly follow the rules of the carefree kingdom and stick to the right lane.11 zeng sanshui pursed his lips. ¡°there¡¯s not even a feather on the road.¡± however, after the trouble bai xinshui had created the previous night, no one dared to disobey lu ye. the ling kingdom s diplomatic team was surrounded by the carefree kingdom¡¯s cavalry and they hurried on their way in an orderly manner. however, zeng sanshui felt like he was being detained as a prisoner. after walking for a while, zeng sanshui saw a towering greenhouse and couldn¡¯t help but ask qu yuanxian curiously, ¡°what is that thing? is it a rent? it s so big?¡± qu yuanxian shook his head. ¡°it shouldn¡¯t be a tent.¡± he asked lan jingbai, who was beside zeng sanshui, ¡°jingbai, what is that?¡± lan jingbai said calmly, ¡°it¡¯s a greenhouse for planting vegetables and fruits.¡± zeng sanshui asked before qu yuanxian could, ¡°why did you guys have to make an unnecessary move to build a house for the vegetables and fruits?¡± lan jingbai replied, ¡°with a greenhouse, we can plant vegetables and fruits in winter.¡± his calm tone revealed a shocking information. zeng sanshui said in surprise, ¡°you can plant even in winter?¡± lan jingbai nodded, looking like he didn¡¯t want to say anything else. qu yuanxian originally wanted to exchange a few more words to him. thinking of his current position, this probably involved the technical secrets of carefree city. while he held his questions in his heart, he felt extremely regretful. zeng sanshui did not think as much as he did. he asked lu ye, ¡°can 1 go to the greenhouse to take a look?¡± he wanted to see what was different about the vegetables and fruits planted in the house. could it be that the people of carefree kingdom had planted some strange and biting plant? it was impossible for lu ye to make the team stop just to satisfy zeng sanshui¡¯s curiosity. he replied, ¡¯the greenhouse is very common in our carefree kingdom. general zeng can stili see it when he reaches carefree city. we have to reach the rest station as soon as possible so that we don¡¯t have to sleep in the open tonight.¡± zeng sanshui thought of the soft bed and perfect facilities the previous night and felt that lu ye s arrangements were very good. if they could stay at the rest station, why would they stay in a tent? he nodded. ¡°alright, we¡¯ll see when we reach carefree city.¡± in the blink of an eye, it was noon. it was time for them to eat. it had to be said that the construction of the public facilities in carefree kingdom was really good. there was also a pavilion specially built for passers-by to rest for a short time. it was quite huge and everyone could hide under it from rhe sun. this area was an endless wilderness and there was no water to cook. they thought that they were going to eat cornbread, but lu ye got someone to set up a briquet stove and a big pot. zeng sanshui stared at their charcoal stove and sized it up. ¡°the design of this thing is ingenious. it can directly be used as a stove and to burn coal. don¡¯t you find it troublesome to make it like a honeycomb?¡± lu ye glanced at him, as though judging him for being a country bumpkin. ¡°making coal into a honeycomb can allow the coal to burn longer and save more energy. so what if it¡¯s a little troublesome? besides, we have a specialized workshop, so it¡¯s not that difficult.¡± zeng sanshui choked and muttered, ¡°everything has become so strange in your southern frontier.¡± bai shining sneered. ¡°nonsense. it¡¯s just changing the shape of the coal. how can it burn longer?¡± lu ye could not be bothered to argue with him. instead, bai shining got someone to bring the charcoal over and wanted to compete with him. bai shining used high-quality golden-silk charcoal. bai xinshui glanced at their honeycomb charcoal and said, ¡°low-quality charcoal smells bad.¡± after saying that, she even glanced ar lu ye. how could lu ye nor understand her sarcasm? he felt that this woman was really annoying. it was unknown if emperor ling hui had deliberately sent them to disgust them. after a while, the golden-silk charcoal gradually turned to ashes, but the honeycomb charcoal used by lu ye and the others to stir-fry vegetables was still burning very vigorously. after comparing the two, bai shining was completely asking for humiliation. bai xinshui tried to preserve bai shining¡¯s dignity. ¡°father, they only burned for a long time because they used a deep stove and a lot of coal.¡± bai shining felt that his face had more or less been saved. however, he saw qu yuanxian and zeng sanshui ask lu ye, ¡°why can making it into a honeycomb shape allow the coal to burn longer? what¡¯s the principle?¡± in carefree kingdom, one could easily find out what the specific ingredients of honeycomb charcoal were. the most important thing was the production technology of the factory, so lu ye did not hide it. he said, ¡°when making honeycomb charcoal, there¡¯s clay added in it. the clay can slow down the burning and allow the heat to be continuously released. itrs made into a honeycomb shape because it¡¯s not easy to ignite with clay. if it¡¯s made into a honeycomb shape, the surface of the coal in contact with air will be larger. in addition, the honeycomb coal burns vertically. each hole in the honeycomb is equivalent to an upward chimney¡¯. the air can be constantly supplied, so rhe burning can continue.¡± after saying that, he said proudly, ¡°you only need low-quality coal to make honeycomb charcoal, bur the efficiency of burning is several times that of your charcoal. it¡¯s an amazing research result of our carefree kingdom.¡± lu ye was just a general. when he suddenly said such profound and knowledgeable sentence, qu yuanxian and zeng sanshui were shocked. it made bai shining¡¯s face turn pale and red. clearly, the last sentence was meant for him to hear by lu ye.. Chapter 534 - Chapter 534: Magical Two-Wheeled Car chapter 534: magical two-wheeled car translator: atlas studios editor: attas studios zeng sanshui asked curiously about the price of honeycomb charcoal. lu ye said indifferently, ¡°2,000 catties cost only one tael of silver.¡± zeng sanshui looked shocked. ¡°why is it so cheap?¡± this was too cheap. wouldn¡¯t it be more cost-effective than firewood? lu ye smiled and said, ¡°our army obtains direct supplies from the coal factory, so it¡¯s naturally cheap. the people buying from outside will definitely be charged a higher rate.¡± zeng sanshui was stunned. ¡°how much higher?¡± lu ye thought for a moment. ¡°if it is whole sale price, it¡¯s probably only five coins per catty.¡± five coins per catty! that was also very cheap! carefree kingdom¡¯s money was too valuable. if they could buy such cheap coal, why would they enter the mountains to pick firewood? everyone ate the hot instant noodles, except for bai xinshui and jia yuqin. only then did they remember what the soldier had said in the dining hall the day before. he would definitely not prepare any more food for them. bai xinshui was furious. but she didn¡¯t care about eating their lousy noodles. they turned around and entered the carriage to eat their sesame seed cake. bai xinshui felt displeased when she heard the slurping sound outside and smelled the noodle fragrance. this lousy place! zeng sanshui finished the refreshing instant noodles soup and was puzzled. ¡°where did this water come from?¡± there was clearly not even a pond nearby. unexpectedly, lu ye pointed at the row of taps beside him. ¡°there¡¯s water there.¡± zeng sanshui stood up magically and turned on the tap. it was clear and free of impurities. he asked in surprise, ¡°there¡¯s a tap here too. how did you bring the water over?¡± lu ye smiled. ¡°our carefree kingdom has its own way.¡± he looked proud. zeng sanshui could not deny how great it was. it had to be said that everything zeng sanshui had seen in the carefree kingdom was too shocking. after dinner, everyone continued on their way. not long after, they saw the locals grazing. the dense flock of sheep bleated continuously. zeng sanshui drooled. ¡°what a fat sheep!¡± after a while, a group of horses galloped past him. zeng sanshui said enviously, ¡°what a handsome horse!¡± it was said that the southern frontier was full of tribes riding on horsebacks. the valiant movements of the herdsmen were really pleasing to the eye. suddenly, he saw a stall in front selling something by the roadside. zeng sanshui immediately went to take a look. it was the herdsmen selling beef jerky and dairy products. in the ling kingdom, cattle could not be killed. eating beef was completely a luxury. with so many beef jerky here, zeng sanshui had the intention to buy some. fortunately, he had listened to the soldier and specially exchanged for some banknotes from lu ye. only now did he have the money to buy things. he tasted the beef jerky. it was very fresh and fragrant. it was chewy and the fibers were rich. while admiring the scenery along the way, zeng sanshui ate the snacks. it was rare for him to feel so happy as though he was out for a vacation. apart from beef jerky and dairy products, there was also the yogurt he had drunk in the dining hall previously. the stall owner also sold it here. for a few coins, he could buy a large bucket of it. the price was really cheap and worth it. zeng sanshui happily bought many things. he even gestured to the stall owner and learned a few local dialects. zeng sanshui generously distributed the things he bought to his subordinates. qu yuanxian also received a piece of beef, but bai shining¡¯s family of three did not get a single piece of wool. it was obvious that they were ostracizing them. bai shining did not want his things too. thinking that lu ye would not prepare food for bai xinshui, he had another idea. he walked straight to the stall owner and took out an ingot of gold. ¡°wrap the rest of the things for me.¡± the sudden appearance of the nouveau riche made the herdsman very happy. he turned around and took out a large pile of beef and dairy products from the tent. the amount of gold was too huge, and they still had to return the change. the herdsman took out a pile of crumpled banknotes and handed them to bai shining with a smile. when bai shining saw his rough, dark, and calloused hands, he lost interest in the food. he did not accept the banknotes. he waved his hand and said generously, ¡°keep the change, don¡¯t give it to me!¡± the herdsman was very simple-minded and determined not to take advantage of him. he picked two more sheep and sent them to bai shining. bai shining had regained his pride in front of the herdsmen and ordered someone to kill the sheep and bring them along. he would treat everyone to roasted whole sheep that night. he secretly reminded himself that he definitely wouldn¡¯t let zeng sanshui and the others take a bite. when the sun was almost setting, they finally saw the rest station. beside the rest station, there was a medium-sized gathering place for the herdsmen. many herdsmen had even built houses here. zeng sanshui had just entered the rest station to settle down when he looked down from the window sill and saw one or two people riding a strange iron thing. they moved past him with a whoosh. zeng sanshui ran downstairs in surprise. qu yuanxian and the others were the same as him. they looked at the bicycle leaving with disbelief. zeng sanshui grabbed lan jingbai and asked, ¡°what is that? why is it moving so fast?¡± lan jingbai said calmly, ¡°bicycle.¡± this word sent them away. zeng sanshui wanted to know more, so he asked lu ye, ¡°what is a bicycle? how can it move with your feet?¡± lu ye raised his eyebrows and said matter-of-factly, ¡°a bicycle is naturally a car that can move with your feet.¡± it was as if he hadn¡¯t explained anything. zeng sanshui went straight to the point. ¡°1 want to see the bicycle.¡± after he finished speaking, the others also looked at lu ye expectantly. as soon as zeng sanshui finished speaking, a little girl appeared leisurely on a pink bicycle. the people of ling kingdom beside the road widened their eyes in disbelief. indeed, they looked very much like country bumpkins who had never seen the world. the little girl was frightened by them. she was originally riding her bicycle leisurely, but she suddenly disappeared as if she had stepped on fire wheels. zeng sanshui¡¯s face was filled with envy. ¡°so cool!¡± he looked at lu ye even more intensely. lu ye smiled proudly. ¡°the bicycle is just a means of transportation here. you can buy it if you want.¡± zeng sanshui¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°you can buy it?¡± lu ye grunted. ¡°there¡¯s a bicycle shop ahead. we can take a look.¡± zeng sanshui immediately said, ¡°let¡¯s go! let¡¯s go quickly!¡± everyone followed lu ye towards the herdsmen central area. it was not a big place, but there were all the necessary stores. as soon as he entered, zeng sanshui saw the eye-catching bicycle shop. there were all kinds of color and styles of bicycles in the store. even though it was almost dark, there were still many local people surrounding the store. zeng sanshui squeezed in and saw a child testing the bicycle. there were dozens of horses at the child¡¯s house. the bicycles were actually for the child to play with. the child circled on the spot on his bicycle and kept ringing the bell. envious gazes surrounded him. the child raised his head high, and the parents also felt proud. most of the people who bought bicycles were local officials of the imperial court. a horse had to be taken care well, and it was not cheap and time consuming. there were not so many things to do when buying a bicycle. after buying it, they could ride it anytime and anywhere. although it was not especially fast, it was enough for them to ride it to work and gather statistics and information about the herdsmen.. Chapter 535 - Chapter 535: Dark Dragon Mountain chapter 535: dark dragon mountain translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios zeng sanshui and the others were dazzled. like curious children, they touched left and right. from time to time, they would press the bell and look in the mirror. zeng sanshui walked in and discovered something even more interesting. not only were there bicycles with two wheels, but there were also tricycles with three wheels! some tricycles could accommodate people at the back, but some had an iron trough at the back, probably used to carry goods. zeng sanshui pointed at the black and stylish-looking bicycle and asked the boss for the price. ¡°how much is this bicycle worth?¡± the boss smiled and gestured with two fingers. zeng sanshui guessed, ¡°20 taels?¡± the boss smiled and shook his head. before he could speak, bai shining interrupted, ¡°200 taels of silver for just this lousy thing? it¡¯s not even as fast as a horse! it¡¯s just a pile of trash after you buy it!¡± bai shining felt that they had carriages and servants and had no use for the bicycles at all. the bicycles were also tiring to pedal. who would be happy to hear others say that their things were not good? moreover, he had said it in front of others. the boss¡¯ expression darkened. qu yuanxian quickly tried to salvage the situation. ¡°boss, the workmanship of this bicycle is exquisite. it¡¯s convenient to ride and there¡¯s no need to feed grass or clean the horse pen. i also want to buy one and bring it back for my daily travel.¡± when the boss heard him say this, his expression improved a little. he replied to zeng sanshui¡¯s question, ¡°these bicycles all cost one silver.¡± ¡°the ones in front cost two taels and five coins. they¡¯re for children. depending on the sizes, there are bicycles that cost two taels and six coins or two taels and eight coins.¡± zeng sanshui¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°two taels?¡± was there something wrong with his ears? even in their carefree kingdom, it would cost a few taels to buy a sword. after using so much iron to make such an exquisite thing, especially the mirror at the front and the headlights, it would cost more than a few dozen taels in the ling kingdom! but it was only two taels here. it really shocked zeng sanshui. he even had the thought of not being a general and specializing in importing and selling bicycles. but the boss nodded seriously. ¡°that¡¯s right. it¡¯s only two taels.¡± two taels of silver did not seem like much to zeng sanshui. in fact, even to those people with high salary in carefree kingdom, two taels of silver was half a month¡¯s salary. in the ling kingdom, 80% of the commoners might not even have two taels of silver in their entire lives. zeng sanshui said excitedly, ¡°i¡¯ll buy one!¡± lu ye reminded him, ¡°if you buy it now, someone will have to hold the horse for you later. if you want to buy it, it¡¯s best to buy it when you come back.¡± zeng sanshui¡¯s eyes revealed a trace of regret. ¡°alright, then i¡¯ll buy it when i get back!¡± moreover, he had to buy a few bicycles and give one to each of his eight sons. his mother would also get a tricycle. if he had nothing to do, he would take her out for a ride. she would definitely be the most beautiful old lady in the entire imperial city. zeng sanshui paid a huge amount of deposit. fortunately, he had exchanged for banknotes when he came. otherwise, he really wouldn¡¯t have been able to buy anything. when he paid, zeng sanshui even exclaimed at how convenient it was to use banknotes. bai shining did not ride a bicycle, but he also felt that a bicycle worth two taels of silver had a lot of potential in ling kingdom. he could buy it back and develop the product so that he could specialize in selling bicycles in ling kingdom. bai shining took a closer look at the bicycle. at first glance, it was not complicated. with a few more glances, one could tell that the structure was exquisite. the forging process was also very complicated, it was practically an art piece. bai shining could not help but think that the carefree kingdom was indeed much more developed than he had imagined. he looked at the boss and ordered 50 bicycles in one go. even if they could not make the same bicycles, the mirrors and headlights on these bicycles could be sold for a good price. he could make a killing. bai shining still felt that he had a chance to return alive. after all, he was bai wutong¡¯s father and he was the one who gave her life. so what if he took it away! unexpectedly, the boss said, ¡°everyone is restricted to buying only one!¡± bai shining¡¯s eyes widened. thinking that the boss was targeting him, he asked angrily, ¡°why can he buy 10 bicycles?¡± the boss said calmly, ¡°because this buddy has 10 people accompanying him.¡± bai shining counted all his servants and there were only 10 of them. he could only grit his teeth and say, ¡°then save 10 for me!¡± it would be a fool not to accept a business deal. the boss readily asked bai shining to pay the deposit. then, he recommended other additional products to bai shining, such as headgear, car bag, sunglasses, and so on. he was looking at him as if asking if he could afford it. this made bai shining buy another pile of things in one go. some of these accessories were even more expensive than a bicycle. the boss said every time, ¡°you have to buy it for at least 10 people, right?¡± in a short while, bai shining had already owed more than 500 taels of silver. he thought that paying the deposit was enough, but the boss said, ¡°apart from the bicycle that can be paid in advance, everything else cannot. buddy, you have to pay now.¡± with so many people standing at the side, lu ye even said, ¡°don¡¯t worry, this is an official from the ling kingdom, and this is the crown prince¡¯s consort. they¡¯re definitely not people who cannot afford.¡± bai shining could not say anything. he gritted his teeth and paid another few hundred taels! although the amount was not worth mentioning to him, he was very unhappy that the other party had gotten their way. by the time they came out of the bike store, it was dark. the neighboring shops were also closed. zeng sanshui actually felt like he had not shopped enough. the next day, the team set off early. at noon, a huge mountain range appeared in their vision. there were more pedestrians, carriages, and bicycles coming and going. it seemed extremely lively. zeng sanshui asked excitedly, ¡°is that dark dragon mountain?¡± lu ye nodded and replied, ¡°that¡¯s right. that¡¯s the dark dragon mountain. you can take half a day to walk around here.¡± after all, they were here to sightsee as envoys. and to spend more money. it would contribute further to their country¡¯s tax collection. this time, they did not stay at the rest station. instead, they stayed in a hotel built by the locals. it was especially big. from afar, it was dozens of meters tall and had countless windows. it was majestic and much more imposing than the dormitory they stayed in at the border. before they entered, they saw all kinds of exquisite stone sculptures at the door. these stone sculptures were fertilizer for mining jade. however, they were still exquisitely carved and were suitable for placing in the garden and at the entrance of the villa. central plains people liked to buy such items to protect their homes. the shop owner had further innovated so his business was quite good. when lu ye led them into the hotel, zeng sanshui¡¯s attention was immediately attracted by the automatic fountain. he ran over like a big child and reached out to touch the fountain. ¡°how does this water fly?¡± lu ye smiled and said, ¡°naturally, we have our ways!¡± actually, he didn¡¯t know either. song yao glanced at them disdainfully. ¡°i think second aunt is not just crazy. there¡¯s something wrong with her eyes too. he¡¯s lying outside our house and hasn¡¯t even entered the house. how did it become that we¡¯re hiding a man?¡± li feiqiao roared, ¡°then how is it a coincidence that i¡¯m lying at your door? i don¡¯t believe that you don¡¯t have any ill intentions!¡± she was shouting so loudly that if the villagers heard her, how could song yao raise her head to meet others in the village? wu huizhen bumped her head into li feiqiao.. ¡°get lost! get lost!¡± Chapter 536 - Chapter 536: Export Tax chapter 536: export tax translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios zeng sanshui had stayed in many inns and hotels, but he had never seen such a bold one. it shone so brightly that it blinded him. why the need to open such a hotel? if these crystals were brought to the ling kingdom, they could be sold for an astronomical price. lu ye said indifferently, ¡°these are all man-made glass. they¡¯re not very expensive.¡± zeng sanshui was even more shocked! the people behind him were also dumbfounded. ¡°such a beautiful gem is actually man-made?¡± zeng sanshui immediately asked, ¡°then can i buy a lot and bring them back?¡± his wife and concubines would definitely be overjoyed if he brought back such sparkling glass. lu ye nodded. ¡°you can buy it, but¡­¡± zeng sanshui asked anxiously, ¡°but what?¡± he was hemming and hawing. it sounded like nothing good was going to come out. could it be that there was a restriction on buying? only then did lu ye say, ¡°even if you¡¯re envoys and spend more than 1,000 taels, you¡¯ll still have to pay taxes when you bring the items back to the ling kingdom.¡± zeng sanshui¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°tax? because i¡¯m not from your country?¡± lu ye smiled. ¡°our country¡¯s products are all for the citizens of carefree kingdom. you¡¯re not from carefree kingdom and did not contribute to our country. if you buy a large number of products and bring them back, you naturally have to pay a high tax.¡± ¡°our great empress knows very well how valuable our things are in the ling kingdom.¡± ¡°we only charge taxes when you have spent 1,000 taels because you¡¯re envoys. if ordinary people enter our carefree kingdom and want to bring the items back, as long as the total amount exceeds 10 taels, they have to pay taxes accordingly.¡± zeng sanshui was furious. he had planned to buy a lot of things. ¡°why didn¡¯t you say so before?¡± lu ye raised his eyebrows. ¡°i didn¡¯t expect that 1,000 taels was not enough for you to buy?¡± zeng sanshui was speechless. he actually did not expect to spend so much money in the carefree kingdom. moreover, most of the money he had spent on the bicycle previously was on credit from lu ye. that was because carefree kingdom only accepted gold and banknotes. he only had the banknotes and some silver pieces from the ling kingdom. he could only go to the nearest town in the ling kingdom to exchange for the banknotes when he returned to the border of the carefree kingdom. he had a feeling that he would definitely spend a lot of money, so he bargained with lu ye. ¡°those who come are guests. this is our first time here. why are we still paying taxes? if we buy here, won¡¯t we be contributing to your carefree kingdom?¡± lu ye smiled and said, ¡°there¡¯s a way to not pay taxes. as long as general zeng joins our carefree kingdom and becomes a citizen, there won¡¯t be an issue.¡± how could zeng sanshui join the carefree kingdom! without thinking, he rolled his eyes at lu ye. ¡°in your dreams!¡± lu ye was not angry. he said slowly, ¡°general, you¡¯re only qualified to join our carefree kingdom because you lead the troops well. apart from the relatives of the commoners, those who want to join our carefree kingdom have to be talented. those who can pass our carefree kingdom¡¯s assessment can then obtain immigration approval.¡± although he recognised some things in the carefree kingdom, it was only a small country. how was it worth living in a small country for a long time? they even have to attain immigration approval before they could be a citizen. zeng sanshui did not believe that anyone would give up everything and move to carefree kingdom. when he saw the stone stall outside, he could not wait to change the topic. ¡°can we go pick rocks now?¡± lu ye nodded. ¡°you can go after taking note of your room number.¡± zeng sanshui was stunned. ¡°you¡¯re not going?¡± he had an expression that said, ¡°if he doesn¡¯t go, how can i choose?¡± lu ye spread his hands. ¡°i don¡¯t know how to pick rocks. all the raw stones were bought by me.¡± there were less than a million people in carefree kingdom, and jade was not a necessity. however, smart businessmen knew that sooner or later, their carefree kingdom would become a place where everyone in the world yearned to go. in particular, the quality of the jade mine in the dark dragon mountain range was good. at this time, if they collected more high-quality jade, regardless of whether they sold it now or in the future, they would be able to earn a considerable amount. zeng sanshui couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°are the stones expensive?¡± lu ye thought for a moment. ¡°there are expensive ones and inexpensive ones. in any case, it¡¯s definitely much cheaper than in the ling kingdom.¡± zeng sanshui¡¯s eyes immediately lit up. ¡°then bring me and lord qu to take a look?¡± lu ye still had something to deal with, so he called lan jingbai to bring them there. bai shining did not want to go with them, but he also wanted to walk around. he brought bai xinshui and jia yuqin in the opposite direction. walking past the stone stalls, lan jingbai brought them into the stone product market. the stone that had just been cut was placed on the display board. as long as anyone took a fancy to one of the materials, be it a jade bracelet or a jade pendant necklace, they could ask the boss to cut it. bai shining saw a piece of material that was especially green and moist. it was especially clear when the light shone on it. the boss introduced to him, ¡°this is the best green material. please take a look. there¡¯s no cotton at all and the quality is quite good.¡± this stone was more than a meter long and half a meter wide. the material in the middle was the best. it was clear green and the color was beautiful. although it was a little inferior to the imperial green, it was moist enough. the boss hit it with the flashlight. the light penetrated and it was very beautiful. zeng sanshui was immediately tempted. ¡°how much is this ring of green material?¡± the boss smiled happily. ¡°this piece of material can be made into a bracelet and you will receive a free bracelet core. the price is 200 taels.¡± zeng sanshui¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°200 taels!!! this is too expensive!!!¡± the soldier had bought a very good raw stone for only five taels of silver. the boss hurriedly said, ¡°sir, don¡¯t you see how good this material is? you won¡¯t be able to find many pieces of such good material even if you walk through the entire dark dragon mountain.¡± 200 taels was a little expensive, but the material was indeed good. in the ling kingdom, it would definitely be even more expensive. after all, it was already material that had been processed. it was not risky like the soldier buying raw stones. zeng sanshui was a little hesitant. lan jingbai asked him, ¡°do you want to buy it?¡± zeng sanshui subconsciously nodded. in the next second, he heard lan jingbai say to the boss, ¡°20 taels.¡± zeng sanshui and qu yuanxian were also stunned. lan jingbai was bargaining for 20 taels for such good material? the boss had a huge reaction. ¡°officer, are you kidding me? how would i dare to sell it to you for 20 taels of silver? if you like it, you can consider the material beside it that doesn¡¯t have green color. it¡¯s as beautiful.¡± seeing his expression, lan jingbai reluctantly raised the price. ¡°only this one. 50 taels. if you don¡¯t want to sell it, forget it.¡± the boss said bitterly, ¡°officer, increase it a little more. i really can¡¯t sell at this price!¡± lan jingbai gave zeng sanshui and qu yuanxian a look, indicating for them to leave quickly. he had just taken two steps forward when the boss gritted his teeth and said with a pained expression, ¡°alright! then i¡¯ll give it to you!¡± zeng sanshui watched as the boss removed the stone. he immediately looked excited.. Chapter 537 - Chapter 537: Stone Gambling chapter 537: stone gambling translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios the boss wanted to polish the stone into a high-quality jade bracelet. he held the bracelet core in the middle and asked zeng sanshui, ¡°sir, do you know what you want to carve on this bracelet?¡± zeng sanshui shook his head. ¡°what do you think looks good?¡± the boss smiled and said, ¡°the man wears guanyin and the woman wears buddha. if you don¡¯t have any idea, you can choose these two.¡± zeng sanshui thought of his mother being a buddhism. ¡°then carve a buddha for me. you must carve it carefully and make it look good!¡± the boss chuckled. ¡°we¡¯ll charge another ten taels of silver for the processing fee for the carving. if there¡¯s a specific buddha style, you can specify a technician and the price will have to be further discussed.¡± these were all standard charges. lan jingbai did not say a word and waited for zeng sanshui to make his own decision. zeng sanshui thought for a moment. ¡°which technicians and buddha statues are there for me to choose from?¡± the boss reacted quickly and took out a thick stack of buddha statues from the cabinet beside him. in addition, there were introductions for each technique and the technicians¡¯ qualifications. it was quite detailed. zeng sanshui was about to choose when he remembered something important. ¡°i¡¯m leaving tomorrow. when can i collect this?¡± the boss smiled and said, ¡°the buddha statue is carved piously. it can¡¯t be rushed. it will take at least ten days.¡± ¡°if you¡¯re in a hurry, i still have a lot of stock here. you can take a look.¡± it was impossible for zeng sanshui to stay here for more days. he thought of how they were going to continue walking, so he said, ¡°i¡¯m not going to choose anymore. arrange for the best technician for me to carve this buddha. i¡¯ll come back to collect it when i return to the ling kingdom.¡± the boss smiled and nodded. ¡°alright, i¡¯ll definitely keep it for you.¡± zeng sanshui was very satisfied with the boss¡¯ service attitude. beside him, lan jingbai and qu yuanxian were already sipping on their tea. before leaving, zeng sanshui took a few glances at the stone that had a hole removed and asked qu yuanxian, ¡°lord qu, why didn¡¯t you choose a style?¡± this stone was really good. it was bright and shiny, and the texture was very good. if he bought a few, he could earn a lot when he brought them back. it was not that qu yuanxian did not want to buy it. their family¡¯s wealth could not compare to zeng sanshui¡¯s. moreover, a few dozen taels did not seem like much, but as mentioned by lu ye previously, if they spent more than 1,000 taels, they would have to pay an export tax. qu yuanxian had bought a lot of things. just now, he had asked about the tax rate on jade. it was even more expensive than the original price of jade. although it was still much cheaper than in ling kingdom, qu yuanxian wanted to shop around first and buy it after comparing the goods. he smiled and said to zeng sanshui, ¡°let me take a look first.¡± zeng sanshui thought about it and agreed. this was only the first stall. it was normal for qu yuanxian to want to continue looking. they continued walking forward. when they reached the second stall, they saw an extremely beautiful purple jade. the color was dreamy like the misty rain in jiangnan. qu yuanxian¡¯s gaze froze. this refreshing material was very suitable for his granddaughter, qu xin¡¯er. qu yuanxian asked for the price. ¡°how much material does it take to make a set of headwear?¡± the shopkeeper took out five bracelets for them at once. the color was similar and it was clear. there was no cotton inside at all. it was the best among all the stone material. qu yuanxian looked around. the shopkeeper was shining his flashlight at the side. the crystal clear texture made it look even more beautiful. satisfied, qu yuanxian asked the boss, ¡°how much money do these five bracelets cost?¡± the boss pointed at the first row of small words at the bottom of the bracelet. ¡°the price is all here.¡± qu yuanxian looked at it. each one actually cost 100 taels. the purple jade beside it that was not as clear also cost at least 80 taels. qu yuanxian looked at lan jingbai, hoping that he would help to bargain. lan jingbai received his signal and took a step forward. ¡°ten taels per bracelet.¡± the boss immediately looked heartbroken. ¡°how can it cost only 10 taels? 10 taels isn¡¯t even enough to buy a raw stone outside.¡± lan jingbai said lightly, ¡°1 know my way around. 10 taels. if you want to sell it, sell it.¡± the boss was stunned by lan jingbai. he gritted his teeth and said, ¡°alright, i¡¯ll give it to you!¡± zeng sanshui¡¯s eyes widened in shock. it cost 10 taels of silver for each bracelet, and there were even bracelet cores inside. such good material was worth at least a few hundred taels in the ling kingdom. if all his prodigal concubines spent their money here, how much money could they save! zeng sanshui was so generous that he did not even bargain further. he said to the boss, ¡°wrap up the rest of this stone for me!¡± he felt that it was really too cheap. the boss was overjoyed. ¡°alright, customer!¡± qu yuanxian frowned slightly. ¡°general zeng, aren¡¯t you going to look at the other stalls?¡± this stone material could be processed into at least a dozen bracelets. that was too much. when zeng sanshui returned, he would definitely pay a lot of taxes. zeng sanshui did not understand what qu yuanxian meant and laughed. ¡°it¡¯s fine. i have many women at home.¡± since there were many women at home, qu yuanxian did not say anything else. in any case, even if they paid the taxes, it was still cheaper to buy in carefree kingdom. moreover, this piece of material was quite good overall. it was fine if they did not bargain further for 10 taels of silver. after leaving the stall, zeng sanshui asked lan jingbai, ¡°do you really know the market here?¡± lan jingbai shook his head. ¡°1 heard from an expert that the best bracelet in the market can¡¯t exceed 100 taels of silver.¡± zeng sanshui¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°then is the green jade material i bought far from it?¡± lan jingbai said, ¡°for things like jade, the price difference is almost astronomical. yours isn¡¯t too bad.¡± zeng sanshui was very happy. he thought about making a few more sets of pure imperial jade for himself and showing off to those old fellows when he returned. they continued to shop. all kinds of finished jade materials were displayed in the market. be it the decorations, jade pendants, or jewelry, they were all the most exquisite ones. although zeng sanshui was a man, he also experienced the pleasure of shopping here. after walking around, zeng sanshui bought some blue, white, red, and jade jewelry carved by the masters of two studios. they were especially exquisite and eye-catching. he also spent a lot of money to buy two masterpieces. qu yuanxian was not as rich as him. he only bought one for his family within his budget and spent less than 200 taels in total. however, zeng sanshui had spent nearly 20,000 taels. fortunately, lu ye guaranteed that he would give him some money on credit. otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to spend it even if he wanted to. every time the pure imperial green jade was mined, everyone would fight to buy it back for their collection. if zeng sanshui wanted to buy it now, he could only go to the stone quarry to see if he was lucky. zeng sanshui had long wanted to try gambling there. after seeing so many jade, he no longer had his eyes on the white jade that the soldier had bought for five taels of silver. he wanted to soar into the sky and buy a stone to get imperial jade. as soon as they arrived at the stone factory, they saw many stone merchants and tourists who had come to open stones because of the place¡¯s reputation. bai shining¡¯s family of three was also here. they had even spent a lot of money to buy a piece of 500 kilograms of raw material.. Chapter 538 - Chapter 538: Peerless Good Luck chapter 538: peerless good luck translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios bai shining buying such a big piece of material really stunned zeng sanshui. he squeezed into the crowd and asked the jade merchant who was watching from the side, ¡°how much did this guy spend on the stones he bought?¡± the jade merchant lowered his voice and said, ¡°100,000 taels!¡± he chuckled as if he was looking at a fool. ¡°the most expensive stone we sold here was only 50,000 taels, and it was 1,500 kilograms of raw stone.¡± in other words, bai shining must have made a loss. zeng sanshui held his breath, wondering how bai shining could take out so much money. the locals of carefree kingdom only accepted their own banknotes and gold. but soon, zeng sanshui¡¯s attention was attracted by the raw stone in front of him. at the front of the raw stone, there was a one-meter-long cut that revealed a large patch of green. this was also the reason why bai shining was willing to spend 100,000 taels to buy this raw stone. zeng sanshui had just thought that bai shining was foolish and rich. when he saw the imperial jade revealed from the stone, he was immediately envious. with such a bright color and such a big material, bai shining would definitely be rich if he transported it back to the ling kingdom. even if he did not process it, he could easily earn hundreds of thousands of taels. zeng sanshui was envious and wanted to buy a big piece of material himself to try his luck. he heard the jade merchant say with a smile, ¡°if you can¡¯t get anything good, you will suffer a huge loss.¡± zeng sanshui asked in confusion, ¡°it¡¯s already dewy green and the color is very good. why would we lose money?¡± hearing his question, the jade merchant knew that he was an amateur. since he had nothing to do and was waiting to open the stone, he said, ¡°look, the cut surface is very big, but compared to the entire stone, the cut surface is actually very small.¡± ¡°the green material takes up a third of the cut surface, and the white jade takes up two-thirds. the white jade contains a high amount of cotton and is low-quality material. there¡¯s a high chance that the composition of the imperial green in the raw material is very small.¡± zeng sanshui took a closer look. the jade merchant¡¯s analysis was really good. the jade merchant suddenly smiled and said, ¡°this person is about to open the stone. let¡¯s see if he will make a loss.¡± zeng sanshui felt that even if he could not get all imperial jade, bai shining would not lose out as long as he could get 100 catties of finished materials for 100,000 taels of silver. however, he was puzzled. ¡°how are you going to open such a big piece of material?¡± he remembered that it took a lot of time to open the jade material. the jade merchant said happily, ¡°1 don¡¯t know who invented the water knife in our country, but it¡¯s especially fast and neat when cutting stone. even such a big material can be cut out in a short amount of time.¡± this was the first time zeng sanshui had heard of a water knife. just as he was feeling puzzled, he saw the stone mover lift the stone and slowly walk towards the stone processing workshop at the side. after zeng sanshui became familiar with the jade merchant, under his guidance, he bought a raw stone from a roadside stall. it could be opened in the stone processing workshop. the stone-cutting masters surrounded bai shining¡¯s material. no one opened the material for zeng sanshui, so he waited at the side. the water knife was really magical. it looked like a water column that moved fast, but when it touched the edge of the stone, it easily cut off a layer of the stone surface, shocking zeng sanshui. he asked, dumbfounded, ¡°how did the water knife move?¡± ¡°with such shocking power, killing people is as easy as chopping melons and vegetables.¡± the jade merchant smiled. ¡°it needs electricity, otherwise it won¡¯t move.¡± on the way, zeng sanshui had heard the people of carefree kingdom mention countless times that they used electricity. many products had to be charged with electricity. even if he liked the products, it was useless to buy them back. that was because their ling kingdom did not generate electricity. thinking of the table lamp that lu ye had given him, zeng sanshui felt a little regretful. when he returned, he would ask emperor ling hui to build a power plant and install an electric lamp. bai shining was very excited when the water knife cut through the stone. he had borrowed 100,000 taels from the local bank as an envoy. as he had a different nationality, the interest was quite high. as long as this material could produce material that was of decent quality, even if it was not imperial jade, he would have made a killing. the water knife completely entered the stone, revealing a deep cut that attracted everyone¡¯s attention. zeng sanshui felt like there was a cat scratching his heart and wished he could crawl in and take a look. the water knife suddenly stopped. bai shining held his breath and the master in charge of cutting the stone said, ¡°everyone, step back. the material is going to be unvealed.¡± a few meters of empty space was formed around the stone. the huge stone that the stone mover had split into two slowly unfolded. bai shining and his family could not wait to take a look and were immediately stunned. the entire stone material only had a tuft of imperial jade at the incision. the rest were all white cotton. it was not sufficient for further processing. even if bai shining was an amateur in the field, he could tell that this material was not very good. everyone said, ¡°hey, this material isn¡¯t good at all.¡± ¡°let¡¯s go. there¡¯s nothing to see.¡± ¡°how much did you buy it for? this is a huge loss.¡± they had thought that if bai shining could get a good imperial jade, they would also buy some from the jade merchants at a high price. they started to laugh in front of bai shining, thinking that it was fortunate that they did not buy it at that time. only a fool like bai shining would dare to spend 100,000 taels to buy such a huge piece of trash. he must have even lost his underpants. bai shining would not lose his pants for 100,000 taels of silver. however, it was really uncomfortable to be treated as a fool. fortunately, this material was not worth much locally, but could still be transported back to the country to make a small profit. only then did bai shining¡¯s expression improve. zeng sanshui was overjoyed. 100,000 taels of silver only allowed him to open an ordinary jade stone that was regarded as trash in dark dragon mountain. zeng sanshui almost vomited out of anxiety for bai shining. he looked at the materials he had spent 20 taels of silver on. with bai shining as a comparison, he felt much more relaxed. he handed the stone to the stone-cutting master and waited patiently. before the saber could land completely, he heard the master shout, ¡°there¡¯s green material, there¡¯s green material!¡± jade had many colors, and pure imperial jade was the most expensive. the master was experienced and knowledgeable. when he shouted so excitedly, it immediately attracted many people. the jade merchant who asked zeng sanshui to buy this material said in surprise, ¡°good material! good material!¡± zeng sanshui could tell too and exclaimed excitedly, ¡°it¡¯s so green, so green!¡± with such green material, even if it was not imperial jade, it was not far from it. bai shining leaned closer and happened to see zeng sanshui¡¯s stone material completely exposed to everyone¡¯s line of sight. other than the layer of stone skin on the outside, the inside was actually filled with an even color and an astonishing imperial jade! the color was lustrous and translucent. it was already top-notch before it was polished. if he brought it back to the ling kingdom, such a good material would definitely be presented to the palace as a peerless treasure. comparatively, his 1,500 kilograms of stone was simply trash. zeng sanshui was extremely excited. he wanted to get the imperial jade, but he did not expect it to really appear! most importantly, he had only spent 20 taels! the surrounding people looked at him enviously. zeng sanshui couldn¡¯t help but laugh wildly. ¡°ahahaha, what kind of peerless luck i have!¡± bai shining thought that he was saying it for him to hear on purpose, and his face turned green with anger. when he returned to the hotel and heard that he had to pay an export tax to transport 1,000 catties of jade back to the ling kingdom, his face turned even greener.. Chapter 539 - Chapter 539: Selling By Box chapter 539: selling by box translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios zeng sanshui obtained a piece of imperial green jade, which used up all his good luck. the few rocks he bought after that were not very good. fortunately, zeng sanshui¡¯s gambling addiction was not strong. he stopped while he had some gains. when he returned to the hotel, he bragged to lu ye about how lucky he was. lu ye had seen many people open good stones, but not many imperial jade. he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°you want to bring the materials back to the ling kingdom?¡± zeng sanshui chuckled. ¡°of course i have to bring it back. why? you won¡¯t let me?¡± he emphasized, ¡°1 bought it with my money!¡± lu ye raised his eyebrows. ¡°then have you calculated the export tax?¡± zeng sanshui was stunned. ¡°no, it¡¯s just some export taxes. i¡¯ll give it to you. i won¡¯t take advantage of you.¡± he had the cheek to say that he wouldn¡¯t take advantage of him. if he was not going to take advantage, he wouldn¡¯t have been so enthusiastic about stone gambling in dark dragon mountain and bought so many things to bring back. lu ye smiled and said, ¡°ask lord qu to help you calculate the export tax before deciding if you want to bring it back.¡± zeng sanshui could tell that something was wrong and subconsciously looked at qu yuanxian. qu yuanxian followed him all the way. seeing how many things he had bought, he knew the amount in his heart. he said to him, ¡°the export tax of carefree kingdom is extremely high. moreover, you have to calculate it according to the value of the goods and collect the corresponding tax rate. i¡¯m not sure how much tax you have to pay for this imperial jade. it depends on who evaluates it.¡± zeng sanshui was stunned. ¡°i have to pay taxes according to the market price? but 1 bought it for 20 taels of silver!¡± lu ye gave him the simplest example. ¡°if you buy the entire dark dragon mountain for 20 taels of silver, can you bring it back to the ling kingdom?¡± ¡°you have to pay as much tax as the item¡¯s worth. there¡¯s a special appraisal agency set up at the border. someone will give you an estimate when the time comes.¡± ¡°it will definitely be cheaper than buying it in ling kingdom.¡± zeng sanshui was about to die of anger. ¡°then if i don¡¯t bring it back and sell it here, will the earnings be taxed?¡± lu ye shook his head. ¡°if you sell it, you can only sell it at our domestic market price.¡± the underlying meaning was that he would not be able to earn much money. zeng sanshui suddenly stood up and said angrily, ¡°you guys are really stingy. i¡¯ve never seen a country so stingy!¡± his dream of bringing it back to show off the 20 taels of imperial green jade was suddenly shattered. lu ye said indifferently, ¡°general zeng, why are you angry? think about it, it¡¯s impossible for you to buy such good things in the ling kingdom. isn¡¯t it right for our great empress to protect the rights and interests of our people?¡± zeng sanshui almost vomitted. ¡°can¡¯t you treat me better since the two countries have good relations?¡± lu ye smiled and said, ¡°of course. as long as you stay in our country, the children will enjoy free education.¡± zeng sanshui pursed his lips. it wasn¡¯t like he couldn¡¯t afford to pay for his son and grandson¡¯s education. it was even useless to say this. zeng sanshui could not bear to part with the imperial jade. in the end, he still could not bear to sell it locally. if he had to pay taxes, so be it. didn¡¯t he work so hard for so many years just to live a carefree life where he didn¡¯t have to worry about food and drinks? that was what he muttered. but when they traveled later and encountered some novel things, he did not dare to spend money casually anymore. he was afraid that something that did not look eye-catching would be charged a high export tax again. at that time, if he brought a bunch of things back to the country but exhausted all his assets, he would really have to send his grandsons to the carefree kingdom to study for free. when the team entered xuya, the extreme difference in environment of the desert and grassland was apparent. finally, zeng sanshui and the others felt that this was the true southern frontier, a barren land. bai xinshui looked at the endless desert and asked bai shining worriedly, ¡°father, is there enough water for us to drink?¡± although it was late autumn, it was still very hot here. bai xinshui was afraid that if they entered the desert, there would suddenly be no more water and they would all die of thirst. bai shining said to her, ¡°don¡¯t worry. father has already gotten someone to prepare several cartons of water. there¡¯s no issue.¡± bai xinshui was slightly relieved. realizing that lu ye and the others basically only had one water bag, she lowered her voice and asked, ¡°they¡¯re out of water. they won¡¯t snatch our water, right?¡± bai shining¡¯s heart skipped a beat. he thought for a moment and shook his head. ¡°1 don¡¯t think so. they must have their own way.¡± bai xinshui¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°as long as they don¡¯t come to snatch our water.¡± the team traveled for the entire morning. the sun was getting hotter and hotter, as if they were roasting in a mountain of flames. bai shining and the others expected their water supply to last a long time, but its depletion rate was visbly faster. zeng sanshui finished his water and asked lu ye, ¡°why did your great empress build her capital in such a place?¡± ¡°could there be a legendary desert state?¡± lu ye smiled and said, ¡°our country is all in baye. baye is not like here. our terrain is vast and we¡¯re surrounded by mountains and seas. it¡¯s a very good environment. you¡¯ll know when you get there.¡± zeng sanshui finished the water in his water pouch. after a while, he was thirsty again. the weather was dry and hot, as if he had entered a large steamer. zeng sanshui asked his subordinate for water. his subordinate said with a troubled expression, ¡°general, we don¡¯t have water anymore.¡± zeng sanshui looked at lan jingbai. he also only had a bag of water. he couldn¡¯t help but frown and ask, ¡°there¡¯s no more water. where are we going to drink water?¡± lan jingbai looked up and said very calmly, ¡°there¡¯s water at the rest station ahead.¡± zeng sanshui looked over. there was no rest station! he just wanted to drink water now! bai shining pretended not to hear anything, afraid that zeng sanshui would ask them to give them water. zeng sanshui said irritably, ¡°where¡¯s the rest station? 1 don¡¯t see any rest station!¡± lan jingbai said, ¡°five kilometers away.¡± zeng sanshui almost vomitted. ¡°you guys can still endure another five kilometers to drink water?¡± his underlying meaning was that he could not take it anymore. bai shining and qu yuanxian¡¯s subordinates, those with weaker physiques, were already showing signs of heatstroke. lan jingbai still had a calm expression. he pointed at a few stone houses standing quietly in the sandstorm in front and said, ¡°you can buy water there.¡± zeng sanshui was overjoyed to be able to buy water. he hurriedly said, ¡°then hurry up!¡± after a while, the team arrived at the stone house. a xuya woman wearing a headscarf asked them, ¡°do you want to buy water?¡± zeng sanshui hurriedly nodded. ¡°yes! i want to buy water!¡± the xuya woman said, ¡°how many boxes of mineral water do you want?¡± zeng sanshui was confused. ¡°what is mineral water? why is it sold by box?¡± lu ye did not explain. he stood forward and looked at the team. he said with familiarity, ¡°15 boxes. just record it under my name.¡± these stone houses belonged to the imperial court. they are a rescue station specially used to sell water and provide help. soon, the xuya woman asked the men inside to bring out 15 boxes of mineral water. when lu ye opened the box, zeng sanshui immediately saw clear water in the transparent plastic bottle. he picked up the water bottle and the material immediately gave him the feeling that it was light, strong, and resilient. incredulous, he asked, ¡°what bottle is this that¡¯s so beautiful and light?¡± Chapter 540 - Chapter 540: Installing a Signal Device chapter 540: installing a signal device translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios lu ye smiled and said, ¡°plastic bottle.¡± zeng sanshui was filled with curiosity and asked, ¡°what material is it made of?¡± the plastic bottle was processed from oil extraction. this was not a secret in the southern frontier. even if zeng sanshui was told, he would not understand. lu ye did not want to waste his breath because zeng sanshui had too many questions. if he answered, there would definitely be another question. he did not want to answer, but he saw qu yuanxian and the others looking at him curiously. lu ye remembered that they were envoys and it was necessary to promote the achievements that their country was proud of. he held the plastic bottle and said, ¡°this is a plastic bottle made of black gold water.¡± ¡°black gold water?¡± everyone looked unconvinced. the black gold water was black, oily, and smelly. it could only be used as a flammable material. how could it be made into such a beautiful bottle? however, lu ye said, ¡°there¡¯s a special substance in the black gold water. we call it naphtha. it¡¯s the main raw material for making plastic. after extraction from the black gold water and processing, it can become plastic. plastics are very common in our carefree kingdom. you will often see food, medical packaging, and daily necessities made from plastic.¡± they could understand every word that lu ye said. but when combined, it was strange and puzzling. zeng sanshui stared at the plastic bottle in his hand with a puzzled expression, as if doubting that this thing was really made of black gold water. he really could not imagine how the people of carefree kingdom had caused the black gold water to become like this. however, it had to be said that the people of carefree kingdom were too smart. he even wanted to bring such a plastic bottle back to his country and place it at home to worship as an ancestor. however, the people of carefree kingdom was used to it. zeng sanshui once again felt the difference between the southern frontier and their ling kingdom. qu yuanxian was surprised that even lu ye knew such a detailed production process. ¡°has general lu seen plastic production with his own eyes?¡± lu ye laughed and said, ¡°when this thing first came out, we were also confused. as usual, the imperial court will send someone to explain the benefits and disadvantages of plastic. that¡¯s how we all know.¡± qu yuanxian could not help but be puzzled. ¡°there¡¯s disadvantages?¡± in his opinion, this thing only had benefits. it was convenient to carry, beautiful, and had high functionality. it could perfectly seal food, medicine bottles, cosmetics, and so on. lu ye said, ¡°after it burns, it will produce gases that pollute the environment. therefore, our carefree kingdom has a rule that we can¡¯t burn plastic casually. we have to recycle and use it again. we will collect plastic bottles like this that have been used and pull them to the waste treatment plant for degradation and separation.¡± qu yuanxian was stunned. he had only left not long ago, but he felt like a lifetime had passed. after everyone gulped down the water, lu ye¡¯s soldiers automatically flattened the bottle and placed it in a box that was specially for recycling. zeng sanshui and the others followed suit. however, they felt that it was a pity and asked lu ye, ¡°can we bring the plastic bottle back to ling kingdom?¡± lu ye said, ¡°it¡¯s up to you. as long as you don¡¯t throw it anywhere.¡± he thought of something and reminded them, ¡°in our carefree kingdom, if you¡¯re discovered throwing trash, not only will you face a fine, but you¡¯ll also be asked to do volunteer work. this is so that you¡¯ll fully understand the importance of protecting the environment. don¡¯t be caught in our capital city. the punishment will be even worse.¡± zeng sanshui had seen the freedom of the citizens of the carefree kingdom. he did not expect them to be so strict with conserving the environment. meeting lu ye¡¯s serious gaze, zeng sanshui hurriedly nodded and instructed his subordinates carefully. suddenly, qu yuanxian saw some simplified words on the paper on the wall. when he left, zhao yunning had yet to introduce the simplified words, so he asked lu ye, ¡°is this your local characters?¡± lu ye explained, ¡°these are simplified chinese characters. it says that ice water, mineral water, instant noodles, sausage, and pickled vegetables are being sold.¡± qu yuanxian came to a realization. it was no wonder there were some characters that looked familiar. it turned out to be simplified chinese characters. it was indeed much simpler to write like this. however, bai shining mocked, ¡°how dare you change something left behind by our ancestor!¡± lu ye looked at him and retorted, ¡°that¡¯s better than a country full of illiterate people.¡± bai shining glared. ¡°a group of boorish people. it¡¯s useless even if you learn it.¡± lu ye was about to flare up when qu yuanxian hurriedly pulled bai shining away. zeng sanshui also diverted lu ye¡¯s attention and asked him, ¡°there¡¯s actually ice water here. 1 want a bottle.¡± lu ye¡¯s expression softened a little. he said to the lady boss, ¡°give him a bottle of ice water.¡± the lady boss quickly took out a bottle of frozen mineral water from a large metal box at the back and recorded it in the account book. zeng sanshui thought that the lady boss would dig out some ice from the cellar. in the end, she directly gave him a bottle of frozen mineral water. he looked confused. ¡°how did she do that?¡± lu ye smiled and said, ¡°we have a machine to make ice. it¡¯s not difficult.¡± didn¡¯t that mean that the machine that made ice could make ice at any time and as much as they wanted? zeng sanshui once again suspected that he was actually having a strange dream. if it was not a dream, the difference between them and the carefree kingdom would be too huge. even commoners could use ice in this desert. zeng sanshui was extremely curious about the machine that made ice. ¡°can 1 take a look at that machine?¡± lu ye nodded. ¡°sure.¡± zeng sanshui entered the house and looked carefully around the big refrigerator. he really could not figure out how such a small box could be used to make ice. the lady boss opened the fridge and he stuck his head in. he immediately felt the cold air on his face. it was especially cool. when zeng sanshui saw the lady boss freeze a watermelon in the fridge, he could not help but be envious at the fresh and watery watermelon. the lady boss glanced at him. ¡°it¡¯s not for sale. we eat it ourselves.¡± zeng sanshui revealed a trace of regret. he also wanted to eat iced watermelons. these people were too good at enjoying themselves. he had already become a general and was in charge of hundreds of thousands of troops. he did not even know how to enjoy himself as well as them. lu ye could tell what he was thinking. ¡°after we leave xuya and reach baye, you can eat as many melons as you want.¡± zeng sanshui looked happy. he looked at the fridge and asked, ¡°how does it make ice?¡± lu ye did not understand all of it, so he casually said, ¡°you have to use electricity. let¡¯s go, the horses still have to be fed at the rest station.¡± the team arrived at the rest station before dark. zeng sanshui looked into the distance and saw many huge telephone poles on the road ahead. there were also people renovating their courtyard. zeng sanshui looked at the wires on the man and asked curiously, ¡°what are you doing?¡± one of them looked up at him. ¡°installing a signal device.¡± ¡°a signal device?¡± it was another strange phrase again. zeng sanshui was about to ask what the signal device was when he heard the person say excitedly, ¡°it¡¯s connected, it¡¯s connected!! hurry up and try if the phone works..¡± Chapter 541 - Chapter 541: Witchcraft chapter 541: witchcraft translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios before he could figure out the signaler, he received another call. zeng sanshui felt like there were cats causing a ruckus in his heart. he locked his gaze on the workers and saw them rush into the station office. they were probably going to get some call. hearing the call, lu ye looked excited and followed them into the office. zeng sanshui stood at the door and saw them surrounding a strange thing. they reached out theirs finger and poked the thing with a book. after a while, the thing actually rang. zeng sanshui was so frightened that he thought that they were doing some kind of witchcraft. he grabbed qu yuanxian¡¯s arm and said, ¡°that thing can make sounds!¡± qu yuanxian gestured for him to calm down, but his gaze did not leave the phone for a moment. after a while, the call went through. the installer picked up the phone and asked on the other end, ¡°hey, hey, hey, can you hear me?¡± they turned on the loudspeaker and a man¡¯s clear voice immediately came from the phone. ¡°this is baye no. 1 station. can you hear us clearly? we can.¡± the installer immediately said excitedly, ¡°we¡¯re from xuya no. 3 station. we can hear you clearly!¡± then he asked, ¡°is the line stable? is there any noise?¡± ¡°no!¡± the installer was overjoyed. after hanging up, he called the signal station and reported to the director, ¡°reporting to the director, the communication on the xuya no. 3 relay station line is complete!¡± the man¡¯s deep voice sounded. ¡°very good! congratulations. i look forward to your next stop, hope your work goes on smoothly!¡± ¡°yes, i¡¯ll definitely do my best to complete the task!¡± after both parties hung up, qu yuanxian and zeng sanshui were still in shock. however, they heard lu ye say happily, ¡°can 1 talk to the great empress now?¡± the installer nodded. ¡°i¡¯ve dialed. someone will answer. that should do it.¡± lu ye became excited. ¡°then teach me how to dial. 1 don¡¯t know how to use it yet.¡± he took out the communication number of the great empress¡¯s study room. the installer taught him to dial. when he turned around and saw so many people blocking the door, he reminded, ¡°there¡¯s people behind us.¡± what if they heard something confidential? lu ye hurriedly waved his hand and asked lan jingbai to bring them out of the station office. unable to hear lu ye talk to the great empress, zeng sanshui kept asking lan jingbai, ¡°what is that? why is there human voice coming from there? do you people from carefree kingdom know witchcraft?¡± that was why they could make plastic out of black gold water and have such powerful firearms. they could also make the lightning of the gods work for them and move the stars into the house. lan jingbai said expressionlessly, ¡°that¡¯s a phone call, not witchcraft.¡± he cherished his words like gold, making zeng sanshui about to die of anxiety. ¡°then how can we talk?¡± lan jingbai¡¯s explanation was almost useless. ¡°because there¡¯s a signal being transmitted.¡± at this point, zeng sanshui could no longer pry open his mouth. as for zeng sanshui, he felt his scalp tingle. if the carefree kingdom could send a voice transmission from afar, wouldn¡¯t bai wutong be able to learn of their movements immediately and command them all in the future? this was really too terrifying. he even had the thought that he had to quickly fly back and report the situation in the southern frontier to emperor ling hui. they could reach baye at the border in half a month if they rode fast. qu yuanxian and the others had brought a lot of things. coupled with the delay on the road, it would be at least a week before they reached baye. after lu ye informed bai wutong about the progress and came out of the office, he was caught by zeng sanshui and qu yuanxian.. ¡°can we buy one of that thing so that we can call whoever we want?¡± Chapter 542 - Chapter 542: Lenient Punishment chapter 542: lenient punishment translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios the telephone line was not fully mature yet. the signal line was also not completely established. they could not even use the phone as they pleased in carefree city. lu ye shook his head. ¡°our carefree kingdom¡¯s phone is only for the use of the imperial court now. even if you buy it, you won¡¯t be able to use it without wires and signals.¡± zeng sanshui looked disappointed. he had thought he could buy one. it turned out that he needed electricity again. when he returned to meet emperor ling hui, he had to talk to him and quickly build the power plant. after staying at the rest station for the night and after another three days of travel, the team walked out of the desert and gradually saw some boldly dressed local women. bai xinshui looked at their revealing clothes and pulled down the curtain in embarrassment. ¡°shameless!¡± jia yuqin also said, ¡°all of them are dressed like vixens. how do they have the face to stand on the street? could it be that they are all prostitutes recruiting customers on the street?¡± at this point, jia yuqin was suddenly worried that bai shining would be seduced by these foreign women. she looked back at the carriage and as expected, she saw a crack in the curtain of bai shining¡¯s carriage. not only was bai shining secretly looking, but zeng sanshui also glanced left and right, not knowing where to look. lu ye reminded them, ¡°don¡¯t have any ill intentions towards the women of our carefree kingdom. otherwise, the consequences will be very serious.¡± zeng sanshui suddenly retracted his gaze and asked carefully, ¡°then is there no brothel for me to go?¡± lu ye¡¯s expression suddenly darkened. ¡°it¡¯s illegal for our carefree kingdom to engage in prostitution. you will be imprisoned for at least half a year. general zeng, if you want to see what our carefree kingdom¡¯s prison looks like, you can go and take a look.¡± zeng sanshui hurriedly tried to salvage the situation. ¡°i was just joking with you.¡± he had no choice but to look around. along the way, bai shining had never seriously wanted a woman. baye¡¯s women had strong figures, arrogant eyes, and mysterious exotic aura, which immediately ignited the lust within him. bai shining was restless. when he arrived at the rest station, he asked the steward to find two beauties to serve him the steward said with a headache, ¡°master, there are no brothels in carefree kingdom.¡± bai shining was stunned. ¡°if there¡¯s no brothel, why are they wearing so little? go and look for one. 1 will just pay them enough money.¡± the steward had no choice but to brace himself and go. he remembered bai shining¡¯s request. he wanted someone young and beautiful. the steward squatted on the street. after a while, a local woman in jeans and boots appeared in his field of vision. the steward made up his mind and walked over to talk to ziya. ¡°our master is the governor of the ling kingdom, lord bai. as long as you serve our master well tonight, these two taels of gold are yours.¡± ziya¡¯s family had tens of thousands of sheep and thousands of cows. she was the greatest successor of the local tribe and had 20 taels of gold. it was simply a huge insult for her to serve a man. ziya¡¯s expression suddenly darkened. she kicked the steward and gathered a group of men and women using their local language. the steward and subordinates were surrounded covetously and immediately panicked. ¡°what are you doing! our master is here as an envoy. if you dare to touch us, you¡¯ll have to bear the consequences.¡± so what if they were here as envoys? in their carefree kingdom, they had to follow their rules. the steward and subordinates were swarmed by them and beaten up. they were hung from the tree and the patrol officers quickly came over. ¡°what¡¯s going on?¡± there was a subtle boundary between the patrolling guards and the local tribes. as long as it was not especially overboard, they would not interfere with the tribe¡¯s actions. however, the four people hanging from the tree were clearly envoys from the ling kingdom who had come with general lu, so they had no choice but to interfere. ziya said coldly, ¡°they insulted me. they offered 20 taels of gold and asked me to serve an old man!¡± when ziya¡¯s father received the news, he rushed over. when he heard his daughter¡¯s words, he whipped the steward and the others twice and emphasized angrily, ¡°great empress, you must give my daughter an explanation!¡± it was as if they were going to publicize bai wutong¡¯s injustice in all the tribes if they were dissatisfied. the patrol officer hurriedly reported this matter to lu ye. lu ye had previously instructed these people not to be rude to women. bai shining actually sent someone to openly recruit prostitutes. lu ye¡¯s eyes darkened and he said to the captain of the patrol team, ¡°deal with them as they should.¡± ¡°yes!¡± the patrol team arrived at bai shining¡¯s door. when bai shining heard the knock on the door, he thought that the steward and subordinates had brought someone back. when he opened the door, he saw that it was a team of patrol officers. his heart skipped a beat. ¡°what are you guys going to do?¡± he asked defensively. the captain of the patrol team said coldly, ¡°lord bai, you openly insulted a woman in our carefree kingdom. according to the laws of our carefree kingdom, you will be detained for more than half a year.¡± bai shining¡¯s old face burned as he hurriedly shouted, ¡°you¡¯re mistaken. 1 have not insulted anyone. i¡¯ve been staying in the room.¡± when he shouted, zeng sanshui and the others also came out of the room. when they saw the scene in front of them, they revealed a trace of confusion. jia yuqin and bai shui looked at each other and knew that bai shining must be fooling around again. he felt ashamed, but he could not let this crime become official. bai xinshui said loudly, ¡°my father is an upright person. how can he recruit prostitutes? it must be the servants who are using my father¡¯s name to do things. besides, the women of your carefree kingdom are so indecent. it¡¯s normal for the servants to mistake them for prostitutes.¡± before bai wutong and the others came to the southern frontier, the locals had always dressed like this. the theory that a woman was a slut if she wore little was really too much. lu ye¡¯s face darkened as he said to bai shining, ¡°we¡¯ll know if it¡¯s true or not when we testify.¡± bai xinshui stood in front of bai shining. she could not let bai shining be taken away. if word got out, she would lose face as the eldest prince¡¯s secondary consort. lu ye ignored her and said to the captain of the patrol team, ¡°take him away!¡± after a while, bai shining was detained in the local court. there were circles of prisoners outside. the steward and subordinates were bruised and swollen. they were handcuffed and kneeling on the ground. it was a surprise to them that bai shining had really been arrested. they were still hoping that bai shining could help them get out. meeting bai shining¡¯s fierce gaze that was demanding them to take responsibility, their hearts couldn¡¯t help but turn cold. lu ye asked, ¡°were you instructed by him to insult women?¡± the steward and subordinates stiffened their necks and did not dare to speak. lu ye asked bai shining again, ¡°did you instruct them to insult women?¡± of course, bai shining refused to admit it. ¡°no.¡± lu ye continued, ¡°then let me ask you, did they steal these 20 taels of gold?¡± the steward glanced guiltily at bai shining and heard ziya say, ¡°he said that their lord bai gave it to him!¡± the steward was shocked and didn¡¯t know where to look. lu ye said in a low voice, ¡°if you¡¯re the mastermind, you¡¯ll be detained in our carefree kingdom for a year. if you¡¯re not, take the initiative to admit it and plead guilty with a good attitude, you will receive a lenient punishment for a year..¡± Chapter 543 - Chapter 543: I’m the Great Empress’ Father chapter 543: i¡¯m the great empress¡¯ father translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios the steward and subordinates did not want to be thrown into jail, but if they rat on bai shining, they would not have a good life either. just as they were hesitating, a few tough-looking locals beside them pointed at the steward and subordinates¡¯ noses and said, ¡°after you enter the prison, see if 1 will let my brothers beat you to death!¡± lu ye immediately berated, ¡°don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡± the steward and subordinates were still in pain. when they met their ferocious gazes, they thought that they would really dare to beat them to death in the prison. immediately, they cowered. the steward and subordinates kowtowed to the ground. ¡°general, please spare us. it was our master who asked us to do it. otherwise, we wouldn¡¯t have the guts to harass that girl.¡± bai shining¡¯s face immediately turned green. ¡°nonsense! these ridiculous lackeys are deliberately framing and ruining my innocence!¡± in any case, he had already confessed. the steward hurriedly said, ¡°general, i wouldn¡¯t dare. master is in charge of the gold himself. if he doesn¡¯t give us the gold, we won¡¯t be able to take out 20 taels of gold.¡± ¡°general, if you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask around and investigate carefully. ever since we entered the southern frontier, we only have a few pieces of silver on us. we can¡¯t even use them in the southern frontier.¡± ¡°the gold that master gave us was exchanged in the name of an envoy and mortgaged at the bank.¡± the steward thought of something and hurriedly said, ¡°general, if you don¡¯t believe me, you can look at the mark on the gold and the emblem of your carefree kingdom.¡± bai shining was furious. ¡°he must have stolen this gold from outside!¡± lu ye smiled and said, ¡°since he stole it, why would he spend 20 taels of gold on you at once?¡± bai shining argued, ¡°so he deliberately wanted to frame me!¡± the steward was shocked. ¡°no, i don¡¯t!¡± ziya¡¯s father said fiercely, ¡°that old thing dares to do it but doesn¡¯t dare to admit it. general lu, imprison him for a few more years!¡± bai shining panicked and stammered, ¡°how dare you? i¡¯m an envoy from the ling kingdom, and i¡¯m the great empress¡¯ biological father!¡± he could not go to jail. if he went to jail, how could he give chu mingxuan the antidote? once he was in jail, he would definitely die. as soon as these words were spoken, the scene fell silent for a moment. immediately after, there was another burst of laughter. ¡°how dare you pretend to be our great empress¡¯ father!¡± ¡°pfft, the great empress is unlucky for eight lifetimes to be harrassed by a disgusting thing like you.¡± ¡°hahaha, of all people, why did you say that you are related to the great empress? even my teeth will fall out from laughing at this.¡± ¡°how dare he insult our great empress? this is an even worse crime. we have to lock him up until the end of his life!¡± only a few ling kingdom soldiers muttered softly, ¡°the great empress of the southern frontier has the surname bai, and governor bai also has the surname bai. it can¡¯t be true, right?¡± ¡°the great empress of the southern frontier is in the southern frontier. moreover, the people of the southern frontier admire her so much. how can they be related?¡± ¡°that¡¯s true. that governor bai is really good at bragging.¡± ¡°don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s really going to be locked up? if he¡¯s locked up, our ling kingdom will lose face and we might go to war?¡± ¡°who knows!¡± the soldiers discussed, but zeng sanshui and qu yuanxian¡¯s expressions turned ugly. before bai wutong came to the southern frontier, her identity was unknown. it was inevitable that it would arouse suspicion when emperor ling hui asked the eldest prince¡¯s secondary consort to follow him on a diplomatic mission even though he knew that chu tianbao was his real eldest son. but now bai shining had claimed to be the father to the great empress of southern frontier. qu yuanxian¡¯s expression immediately changed. perhaps it was true? emperor ling hui had sent them here because he wanted bai shining to persuade bai wutong to submit to the ling kingdom and return with chu tianbao. lu ye did not have a good impression of the bai family. yet, bai shining still dared to say that he was the great empress¡¯ father. his expression immediately darkened and he said without hesitation, ¡°lock them all up and detain them in the southern prison!¡± bai shining struggled with all his might. ¡°i¡¯m her biological father. if you dare to treat me like this, i¡¯ll definitely make you suffer the consequences!¡± bai xinshui did not expect bai wutong to really be the great empress of the southern frontier, nor did she expect the person she married to be the real eldest prince. however, at this moment, she had to take advantage of her position. ¡°whoever dares to pull my father away, 1¡¯11 get bai wutong to destroy you!¡± at that time, it was the bandits who pushed bai wutong down the mountain. there was no other evidence. even if bai wutong suspected something, they could deny it. bai xinshui called the great empress by her name, and lu ye¡¯s expression darkened even more. he definitely did not believe that the great empress would have such a lowly family. ¡°take him away!¡± the soldier pulled him away. bai xinshui stomped her feet. ¡°just you wait!¡± however, lu ye was not afraid of them. with a serious gaze, he went to the rest station¡¯s communication room and called the great empress¡¯ residence. when chu tianbao picked up the phone, lu ye hurriedly reported the situation to chu tianbao. chu tianbao¡¯s expression suddenly turned cold. ¡°lock them all up!¡± lu ye was stunned. ¡°including the eldest prince¡¯s secondary consort?¡± chu tianbao grunted in a low voice and hung up. he was clearly furious. lu ye could not help but be puzzled. could it be that these people from the bai family were really related to the great empress? however, looking at chu tianbao¡¯s attitude, even if they were related, it was not a good relationship. lu ye immediately arrested everyone in the bai family. bai xinshui widened her eyes in anger. ¡°what right do you have to arrest me?¡± jia yuqin hid behind the maidservant and shouted at zeng sanshui and the others, who had run out, ¡°these people from carefree kingdom are just capturing us for no reason. are you going to let us be bullied just like that?¡± zeng sanshui looked at lu ye with a dark expression. ¡°you still have a reason to capture bai shining. what¡¯s the reason withforcapturing their female members?¡± lu ye said coldly, ¡°they know very well what they did that the great empress has to personally interrogate them!¡± zeng sanshui and qu yuanxian looked at each other and thought of their previous guess. their hearts skipped a beat. even so, zeng sanshui insisted, ¡°if you want to capture someone from our ling kingdom, you have to give a legitimate reason.¡± the corners of lu ye¡¯s mouth curled up. ¡°the reason is that they have pretended to be the great empress¡¯s close relative and damaged our great empress¡¯s reputation. it¡¯s a serious crime in our country!¡± zeng sanshui could not deny it. he could only watch as bai xinshui and jia yuqin were taken away. the soldiers passing by muttered, ¡°we¡¯re too cowardly!¡± ¡°shh ~ don¡¯t let the general hear you.¡± zeng sanshui also felt quite aggrieved. a small country like them actually did not take them seriously. however, chu tianbao and the great empress of the southern frontier had already given birth, so the carefree kingdom was also theirs. zeng sanshui¡¯s mood suddenly improved again. when he saw chu tianbao, he must tell him to popularize electricity in ling kingdom first! at that time, his lamp would be usable. they should also install phones so that they could call whoever they wanted at any time and anywhere! then, they could also buy an ice machine and place it in their houses in the summer. there would be many frozen watermelons and they could take turns to eat them. if they could not finish the watermelons, they could hold a frozen watermelon gala for those old fellows to watch enviously. after bai xinshui and jia yuqin were locked in the cell, they looked at each other and became afraid.. ¡°mother, could she have found out something?¡± Chapter 544 - Chapter 544: Production Can Free The Labour Force chapter 544: production can free the labour force translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios jia yuqin was not certain either. she said with a trembling voice, ¡°it¡¯s impossible for her to know. at that time, it was chaotic. she fell down purely because of an accident!¡± then she emphasized to bai xinshui, ¡°it has nothing to do with us. remember!¡± bai xinshui bit her lip. ¡°but what if she knows and doesn¡¯t let us go?¡± she suddenly had a guess that emperor ling hui had asked her to come to the southern frontier to allow bai wutong to vent her anger. the more she thought about it, the more terrified she became. even if emperor ling hui did not mean that and simply wanted their family to persuade bai wutong to submit to the ling kingdom, now that their family could not play a role, they would probably blame them for being useless and embarrassing. bai xinshui could not help but regret it. why had she listened to bai shining¡¯s nonsense back then and felt that marrying chu mingxuan was a good thing? not only had he cruelly humiliated women, but he had also not consummated their marriage after being married for so long. thinking of bai wutong, who had married chu tianbao and had both children, she couldn¡¯t help but feel deeply jealous. jia yuqin¡¯s heart trembled. ¡°i¡¯m her mother and you¡¯re her biological sister. if she dares to attack us, that would be killing her own family for no reason, and the spit of the world can drown her!¡± bai xinshui looked at the deep cell and was extremely anxious. this was the southern frontier and bai wutong had an extremely high status. she was just afraid that bai wutong could say whatever she wanted. if she spat, the ones who would drown would only be the mother and daughter. the mother and daughter hugged each other in the cell that had a drastic change in temperature between day and night and endured the entire night. the next day, someone brought food for them to eat. they were handcuffed and taken out of the cell. he saw his wife and daughter handcuffed and looking disheveled. bai shining, who had been obedient the entire night, shouted, ¡°if you dare to treat us like this, you¡¯ll regret it sooner or later!¡± without looking at him, lu ye shouted at the team, ¡°continue setting off!¡± as soon as he finished speaking, ziya rode a white horse and appeared with a group of people. ¡°wait, i¡¯ll go with you!¡± she wanted to see with her own eyes if bai wutong would let them go after meeting these people. ziya sneaked into the team as if they were close friends. her gaze landed on lan jingbai¡¯s face and her eyes lit up. it was rare to see such a good-looking man. ziya rode her white horse forward and spoke to lan jingbai. ¡°hey, what¡¯s your name?¡± lan jingbai did not speak and ignored her. good-looking men all had their own reason to be proud. just like the men in ziya¡¯s family, she had spent a lot of effort to marry them. ziya smiled and narrowed her eyes. ¡°even if you don¡¯t tell me, i¡¯ll find out sooner or later.¡± then she chattered in his ear, ¡°this thing you¡¯re carrying is called a gun, right? i heard from my father that this thing is very powerful! can you show me?¡± lan jingbai¡¯s gaze turned cold. he finally said to her, ¡°apart from the army, no one is allowed to touch guns and ammunition!¡± ziya only felt that his deep voice was so cool. his handsome face was extremely charming. ziya was experienced and knew that pursuing such a man would only have the opposite effect. she nodded obediently and remained silent. she specially stared at him with her pair of beautiful amber eyes. after a day¡¯s journey, they finally entered baye¡¯s territory. after entering the baye territory, they could clearly feel that the local construction was better. not only was the road wider, but there were also exclusive sidewalks and greenery around them. those who passed by this place to graze had to prevent the horses and sheep from running over to munch on the plants. there were too many bicycles on the road to count. the clothes worn by the pedestrians became more and more varied. it was as if they had entered a diverse world. zeng sanshui saw that many people on bicycles, regardless of gender, were wearing wide clothes of the same color. he could not help but ask curiously, ¡°are they wearing the same clothes to symbolize a tribe or a large family?¡± lu ye shook his head. ¡°they¡¯re all workers from different factories. they¡¯re wearing the uniforms of every factory.¡± zeng sanshui was stunned. ¡°then you really have a lot of factories here.¡± lu ye pointed at the other road on the right. ¡°that¡¯s the gathering place for the agricultural processing plant, so there are many people.¡± ¡°there¡¯s not much here. only around carefree city will you know what it means to have a lot.¡± zeng sanshui asked again, ¡°what is an agricultural processing plant?¡± lu ye said, ¡°it¡¯s for the pickles, dried vegetables, noodles, instant noodles, sauce, seasonings, and so on that you ate at the rest station. they¡¯re all in the category of agricultural processing.¡± ¡°some agricultural products, such as chili, can be made into chili sauce and chili powder. you can also extract chili elements and make it into rouge that women like.¡± zeng sanshui could not help but find it strange. ¡°your carefree kingdom doesn¡¯t have that many people. why build so many unnecessary processing factories?¡± in his opinion, the commoners could completely make chili sauce and chili powder at home. lu ye looked in the direction of carefree city and said to him, ¡°production can free the labor force. when there are these goods in the market at a good price, there¡¯s no need to waste time and effort making them at home. there will be more time to do more value work.¡± zeng sanshui was completely dumbfounded. ¡°production can free the labor force?¡± ¡°for example, a woman who originally had to take care of the family¡¯s food, accommodation, and transportation tried her best to save money. when she realized that she could buy better and more cost-effective food outside, how would she choose?¡± zeng sanshui subconsciously replied, ¡°of course she will buy from outside.¡± but what did this have to do with labor? lu ye smiled. ¡°if she buy from outside, she can save a lot of time and energy. women can use this time to do other value work.¡± zeng sanshui understood. ¡°oh, isn¡¯t it just saving time to do other things? why explain in such a complicated way?¡± ¡°you guys produce so much, but you can still sell it?¡± lu ye raised his eyebrows. ¡°you don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± zeng sanshui pursed his lips. so be it, it was not because he wanted to ask. after a while, the team entered the greenhouse planting area. on both sides of the road were greenhouses. zeng sanshui said, ¡°there are so many greenhouses! isn¡¯t it expensive?¡± he had too many questions, so lu ye couldn¡¯t be bothered to say anything else. ¡°we¡¯ll stay in this farmyard for the night. you can take a look.¡± zeng sanshui became happy and asked, ¡°then what are we eating tonight?¡± along the way, the food arrangements prepared by lu ye had won his heart. lu ye said, ¡°it should be stewed goose in an iron pot.¡± stewed goose in an iron pot! zeng sanshui¡¯s eyes lit up. if there was two bottles of wine, it would be perfect! zeng sanshui was thinking about eating the goose happily. as a prisoner, bai shining and his family were handcuffed. their faces were pale, and the soles of their feet were already bleeding. they just wanted to reach the rest station as soon as possible, rest for a while, and eat their fill.. Chapter 545 - Chapter 545: Is Muzhi Well? chapter 545: is muzhi well? translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios it was almost dark when they finally reached the farmyard. village chief zhao had received their call previously and had already arranged for food and accommodation. looking at the fragrant goose meat in the pot and the roasted bun at the side, zeng sanshui felt that he could finish 10 bowls of rice alone. zeng sanshui picked up a piece of goose meat and placed it in his mouth. the rich fresh taste and the just right texture immediately captivated his taste buds. zeng sanshui wolfed down the meat as if he had never eaten in his life. after eating the meat, he gulped down a few more bowls of seafood soup. he touched his round stomach and recalled his question for village chief zhao, who was eating with him, ¡°i¡¯ve also eaten many stewed goose in an iron pot. how is it that the one prepared here are more fragrant than the ones made by others!¡± village chief zhao smiled. ¡°our geese were raised by eating small fish and prawns and good ingredients. on a normal day, they even have vegetables and fruits as add-ons. if the meat is not good, it doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡°when cooking, we added the unique seasonings of our carefree kingdom. there is oyster sauce, soy sauce, and seasoning, so it will definitely be delicious!¡± zeng sanshui knew nothing about cooking. in the past, as long as he could cook it and not die from eating it, it was enough. this journey to the southern frontier in less than a month had made him become a picky eater. there was too much delicious food. zeng sanshui couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°then give me some seasoning. 1¡¯11 bring it back and let my chef make it for me.¡± with that, he thought of something and hurriedly asked, ¡°don¡¯t tell me we have to pay taxes too?¡± village chief zhao laughed and said, ¡°it¡¯s not worth much. i can give it to the general. there¡¯s no need to pay taxes.¡± lu ye smiled too. ¡°unless you want to buy a few thousand bottles at once and bring them back.¡± why would zeng sanshui buy so many seasonings and bring them back? it was not a necessity, nor was it a particularly precious thing. he also smiled. ¡°thank you, old mister.¡± it was obvious from village chief zhao¡¯s temperament that he was a very cultured person. village chief zhao shook his head. ¡°general zeng, you¡¯re too polite. it¡¯s already late. general, you can visit the greenhouse tomorrow.¡± after eating and drinking his fill, zeng sanshui became a little sluggish. he nodded. ¡°alright.¡± he wandered around the courtyard of the agricultural garden, looking at the big pumpkins on the vines, then at the beautiful koi fishes in the water. bai shining and his family were locked up in a room with a small window and eating a lunchbox with two meat and one vegetable dish. after dinner, bai shining relieved himself on the simple bucket. thinking of the room provided by the rest station, he felt that he was not even living like a person now. he kicked the corner of the wall hatefully and jumped in pain. ¡°bastard!!!¡± thinking that it was not far from the next time the poison acted up, he was burning with anxiety. if bai wutong couldn¡¯t even meet him, he would definitely die. he had to think of a way to make these people believe that he was the biological father of the great empress. bai shining shouted anxiously, ¡°i¡¯m your great empress¡¯ biological father!¡± when village chief zhao heard this, he looked puzzled. he heard lu ye say, ¡°we don¡¯t have to care about the lunatic we caught halfway!¡± bai shining shouted. bai xinshui also thought the same as him and also howled, ¡°i¡¯m the sister of your great empress!¡± jia yuqin shouted, ¡°i¡¯m the great empress¡¯s mother! you¡¯re disregarding the influence of the royal family! it¡¯s a capital crime!¡± village chief zhao immediately frowned. ¡°there are so many lunatics.¡± lu ye said, ¡°i¡¯ll get someone to take a look.¡± after a while, footsteps came from outside the small house. bai shining reached out his hand through the iron window. ¡°i¡¯m really the great empress¡¯s biological father. as long as you let me go now, 1¡¯11 let bygones be bygones. i¡¯ll even let her reward you. if you don¡¯t let me go, i¡¯ll definitely not let you off.¡± the soldier frowned and shouted, ¡°behave yourself. if you continue to make noise, 1¡¯11 gag your mouths.¡± bai shining was shocked. he could tell that the soldier was serious and immediately fell silent. bai xinshui and jia yuqin, who were next door, were trembling in fear. if they had known that their situation would turn out like this after coming to the southern frontier, they would have fled halfway. at the thought that even if they escaped, they would be caught by emperor ling hui, they felt even more despair. now, they could only pray that they could meet bai wutong before they were locked up in the southern prison. the next day, zeng sanshui was woken up early in the morning by the sound of people outside. he sat up in bed and looked at the window. it was still dark. zeng sanshui and qu yuanxian put on their clothes and came to the courtyard. they saw village chief zhao carrying a hoe and preparing to go to the field. when village chief zhao saw him and qu yuanxian, he said with a smile, ¡°breakfast will take a while. wait a moment.¡± hearing village chief zhao¡¯s kind and polite words, qu yuanxian had mixed feelings. it was as if they had returned to youjia village and village chief zhao was warmly inviting them to his house for dinner. it seemed like nothing have changed, or everything might have changed. after eating too much the previous night, zeng sanshui was not very hungry. ¡°are you going to the fields? are you going into the greenhouse? i¡¯ll go with you to take a look.¡± village chief zhao smiled and said, ¡°sure.¡± lan jingbai followed with a hoe, looking like he wanted to help village chief zhao. ziya quickly followed and even took the initiative to pick up the sickle. she looked very valiant. village chief zhao turned around, narrowed his eyes, and asked ambiguously, ¡°jingbai is about to start a family, right?¡± lan jingbai immediately denied it. ¡°no.¡± he glanced at ziya, who seemed to be wagging a tail, and emphasized, ¡°1 have nothing to do with her.¡± village chief zhao had the expression meaning to say, ¡°young man, do not be shy. they were all experienced people¡±. he suddenly asked, ¡°have you communicated with muzhi? he¡¯s sick and has a big cut on his waist.¡± before he could finish speaking, lan jingbai¡¯s expression changed drastically. the hoe on his shoulder fell to the ground and he almost crushed ziya¡¯s foot behind him. seeing his frightened expression, village chief zhao was about to say that he was fine and doctor gu said that it was some acute gastroenteritis and that he would be fine after it was removed. but lan jingbai had already disappeared like the wind. village chief zhao was stunned. when he reacted, he shouted, ¡°slow down, don¡¯t fall!¡± ziya waved her sickle and chased after him. ¡°wait for me!¡± village chief zhao couldn¡¯t help but laugh again. how good was jingbai¡¯s relationship with muzhi? he didn¡¯t even care about his sweetheart. lan jingbai used his remaining rationality to apply for leave from lu ye. he mounted his horse and waved his whip. he forcefully shortened the one-day journey to half a day. when he arrived at carefree city, he could not ride horses anymore. lan jingbai did not even bother to tie the reins and ran all the way to the cui family¡¯s villa. coincidentally, cui shiji and madam cui came out of the house. lan jingbai knelt in front of them. his messy bun, pale face, and heaving chest made one¡¯s heart ache. cui shiji subconsciously wanted to help him up. his hand was in midair, but his face turned cold and he retracted it. ¡°what are you doing here?¡± lan jingbai¡¯s rough voice said with difficulty, ¡°is¡­ is muzhi alright?¡± Chapter 546 - Chapter 546: Rush Up To Snatch! chapter 546: rush up to snatch! translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios cui shiji had a complicated expression on his face. after a long time, he said solemnly, ¡°he¡¯s fine. leave.¡± hearing that he was fine, lan jingbai¡¯s worried heart relaxed, and he couldn¡¯t help but look inside. cui shiji said in a low voice, ¡°have you forgotten what you said?¡± lan jingbai¡¯s heart trembled, and his expression gradually darkened. he stood up numbly and bowed to madam cui shiji. she looked at his zombie-like appearance and thought of cui muzhi¡¯s empty eyes lying on the bed. they were all children raised together. madam cui couldn¡¯t bear it. ¡°why don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°impossible, absolutely impossible!¡± cui shiji was so angry that he blew his nose and glared at him. he couldn¡¯t even be bothered to go to the flower appreciation event. he turned around and entered the house. he even instructed the steward, ¡°don¡¯t let a fly in!¡± then, he glanced in cui muzhi¡¯s direction and said, ¡°take good care of young master. before he recovers, don¡¯t let him leave the door for even a half-step.¡± when the steward received the order, he immediately instructed everyone in the house to take action. madam cui felt uneasy. when she arrived outside cui muzhi¡¯s door, the servant bowed to her and whispered, ¡°young master seems to be asleep.¡± since she was asleep, madam cui would not enter. after she took two steps out, her gaze landed outside the villa. she suddenly walked back and knocked on the door. ¡°muzhi, it¡¯s mother.¡± there was no response from inside. madam cui¡¯s heart skipped a beat. she took out a spare key and quickly opened the door. in the empty room, the window was open. madam cui went forward and saw the scattered ropes. she immediately shouted in shock, ¡°hurry up and find muzhi!¡± the wounds on his body had yet to recover. how could he get out of bed casually? moreover, even if he went to look for jingbai, what outcome would there be? it wasn¡¯t like he didn¡¯t know that with his father¡¯s temper, he would never allow the two of them to be together. cui muzhi held his stomach and dragged his leg that had twisted after he jumped off the wail. he gritted his teeth and chased after lan jingbai. ding, ding, ding ¨C gou houxing passed by while carrying zhao lanzhi and asked in surprise, ¡°cui muzhi, didn¡¯t you just undergo surgery? why are you here? what happened to your leg?¡± cui muzhi turned a deaf ear to it. it was already like this, but he still rushed forward. when zhao lanzhi saw that cui muzhi¡¯s stomach was bleeding, she hurriedly jumped out of the car and said to gou houxing, ¡°hurry up and send him to doctor gu.¡± seeing that he did not seem to listen to his advice, gou houxing carried him and pressed him against the back of the tricycle. ¡°tell me where you want to go. if it¡¯s settled, let¡¯s go to the doctor, okay?¡± cui muzhi stopped insisting and pointed. ¡°this way!¡± gou houxing turned around and said to zhao lanzhi, ¡°be careful on the way. if 1 don¡¯t come after work, 1¡¯11 get old li to pick you up.¡± zhao lanzhi nodded. ¡°go quickly. i understand.¡± she stood where she was and watched them gradually leave. then she turned and walked towards the cui residence. seeing cui muzhi run out like this, she must inform the cui family about this. gou houxing strode forward with his long legs. cui muzhi quickly discovered that familiar figure in the crowd. he was about to jump out of the carriage in joy when a beautiful figure ran to lan jingbai¡¯s side like a butterfly. she reached out and brushed lan jingbai¡¯s messy hair behind his ears affectionately. gou houxing followed his stunned gaze and looked at ziya. ¡°your sweetheart?¡± he glanced at lan jingbai and said, ¡°if you¡¯re a man, rush up and snatch her!¡± cui muzhi held his stomach and jumped out of the carriage in a sorry state. gou houxing regretted it a little. would he be beaten up if he rushed up like this? thinking of the relationship between the cui family and his sister-in-law, gou houxing hurriedly followed. if there was a fight, he would carry him away. in any case, there would be plenty of opportunities to snatch her away in the future. he couldn¡¯t let him become crippled now. cui muzhi approached step by step. as if they were telepathic, lan jingbai turned around and their gazes met in the air. the corners of their eyes were red. ziya looked at the thin young man in the crowd and wondered why he was standing there. she also wondered why lan jingbai kept staring at him. could it be that they knew each other? ziya asked, ¡°is he your friend? he seems to be injured.¡± in the next second, lan jingbai rushed towards cui muzhi at the speed of light, picked him up horizontally, and headed towards the medical center. gou houxing, who was guarding against the two of them fighting, and ziya were shocked at the same time, their expressions filled with disbelief. gou houxing looked at their backs. no way, no way. could it be what he thought? ziya was a native of the southern frontier and was not surprised. it was just a pity that she quite liked lan jingbai. in the end, it ended just like that. ziya sighed deeply. from the corner of her eye, she saw the tall and mighty gou houxing, and her eyes immediately lit up. this was not bad either. he was bursting with masculinity and would definitely be even more ferocious in bed. most importantly, his looks were her type. ziya swayed her hips and walked towards gou houxing. she flicked her beautiful hair and had just smiled when gou houxing ran away as if he had seen a ghost. the local women of the southern frontier were quite bold. gou houxing had already experienced it before. when zhao lanzhi saw him with one of them, she did not speak to him for a few days. he did not want to get himself into trouble again for no reason. the two men he had taken a fancy to had run away. ziya stomped her feet when a man in a helmet suddenly bumped into her. zhao pengfei hurriedly apologized, ¡°i¡¯m sorry, miss. i didn¡¯t mean it.¡± zhao pengfei was certainly handsome since he had been admired by zhao lanzhi for so many years. although it was not as domineering as gou houxing, as cold as lan jingbai, he had wheat-colored skin and looked knowledgeable with his eyes. he was quite uniquely charming. ziya pretended to be angry. ¡°if you hit someone, shouldn¡¯t you treat me to a meal?¡± zhao pengfei was still in a hurry to teach. without thinking, he took out a stack of bills from his pocket and handed it to her. ¡°miss, this is all i have on me.¡± ziya asked him to treat her to a meal. this blockhead actually thought that she was extorting money. exasperated, she said, ¡°i want you to treat me to a meal, not give me money!¡± zhao pengfei was not stupid. he could tell that this beautiful girl in front of him was interested in him. however, he really did not have the mood to do so now. he might as well take a detour. he had apologized and paid for it. he was not afraid that she would be unreasonable. ziya blocked his way. ¡°there¡¯s no way you can escape!¡± zhao pengfei circled around her again. ziya stopped him again. ¡°ding, ding, ding-¡± a bicycle was approaching. ziya could dodge, but she did not. she was waiting for zhao pengfei to pull her. at the critical moment, while the bicycle owner was cursing, ziya was pulled in front of zhao pengfei. she looked at him with bright eyes and said righteously, ¡°you saved me. according to you central plains people, i have to devote myself to you! come back to the tribe with me!¡± zhao pengfei felt as if he had created trouble for himself. he let go of her hand but was grabbed by her again. ¡°you¡¯ve already grabbed it. isn¡¯t it a little too late to let go now?¡± ¡°don¡¯t worry, i¡¯ll definitely treat you well.¡± she had spoken in a familiar tone to countless people. zhao pengfei frowned and pointed behind her. ¡°look!¡± ziya turned around. she did not see anything abnormal but zhao pengfei had already run dozens of meters before she realized that she had been tricked.. Chapter 547 - Chapter 547: What’s Going On? chapter 547: what¡¯s going on? translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios the wound on his abdomen hurt so much that cui muzhi could not open his eyes. he curled up his entire body and lay on the bed, waiting for gu zhongxun to come in and stitch his wound again. he still held lan jingbai¡¯s palm tightly with one hand. gu zhongxun entered the room and said, ¡°let go first. he has to enter the operating theater.¡± cui muzhi slowly opened his eyes and asked with a pale face, ¡°can¡¯t he come in with me?¡± gu zhongxun shook his head. ¡°the operating theater has to be preserved in a sterile state. he can¡¯t go in. it won¡¯t be long before you come out. let him wait.¡± cui muzhi glanced at lan jingbai and actually said, ¡°then i don¡¯t want to be treated anymore.¡± lan jingbai had left a huge trauma on him the last time he left without saying goodbye. he was afraid that if he went in, he would disappear again after the anesthesia was applied. he was already in so much pain and had lost so much blood. lan jingbai¡¯s heart ached. with a gentle gaze, he said firmly, ¡°listen to doctor gu. i¡¯m here. i¡¯ll definitely wait for you to wake up.¡± cui muzhi¡¯s eyes turned red again. this was what he had been waiting for. cui muzhi was pushed into the operating theater by the nurse. lan jingbai was guarding the door with a worried gaze. wen renhua passed by and comforted him. ¡°it¡¯s just a wound stitch. it will be fine.¡± even so, he couldn¡¯t help but worry. after a while, urgent footsteps came from the corridor. when cui shiji and madam cui saw lan jingbai and looked into the operating theater, they immediately asked wen renhua anxiously, ¡°miracle doctor wen, how¡¯s my son?¡± wen renhua said, ¡°he¡¯ll be fine. it¡¯s just that the wound has opened up. we just have to stitch it up again.¡± less than two days after the surgery, cui muzhi¡¯s wound had already opened up because of lan jingbai. he did not care about his life at all. if he could do this that day, he would die for lan jingbai another day. cui shiji was furious when he saw lan jingbai. he ordered with a dark expression, ¡°get out!¡± madam cui looked at him with a pained expression. thinking of her son¡¯s pained expression after stitching up the wound, she sighed deeply. ¡°jingbai, you should leave first.¡± lan jingbai stood where he was with a firm gaze. ¡°master, madam, please let me wait for muzhi to wake up. when he wakes up, i¡¯ll leave immediately.¡± cui shiji was exasperated. ¡°do you think my words don¡¯t matter? how miserable are you trying to make him become?¡± lan jingbai lowered his head and avoided cui shiji¡¯s pained gaze. ¡°master, please grant me my wish.¡± he just wanted to wait until he woke up and did not dare to hope for more. cui shiji was so angry that he could not care less about being refined. just as he was about to roll up his sleeves and hit someone, cui lingyi arrived. she saw lan jingbai in a sorry state, and her gaze landed on cui shiji, who seemed to have aged several years overnight. cui lingyi said to cui shiji, ¡°uncle, muzhi can¡¯t take any stimulation now. let him stay first. you don¡¯t want muzhi¡¯s wound to open again, right?¡± cui shiji thought of cui muzhi¡¯s stubborn temper. if he did not see lan jingbai when he woke up, he would definitely make a fuss and try his best to escape from home. it was better to listen to cui lingyi and temporarily let lan jingbai stay. cui shiji¡¯s expression changed again and again. he did not speak again, but he did not chase lan jingbai away. after a while, the operating theater door opened. gu zhongxun walked out, and cui muzhi was pushed out by the nurse. he lay quietly on the operating table. lan jingbai subconsciously grabbed his hand. cui shiji¡¯s eyebrows twitched in disbelief. his eyelids rolled back and he actually fainted. gu zhongxun hurriedly squatted down and checked cui shiji¡¯s condition. lan jingbai was at a loss. he looked at cui shiji and then at cui muzhi, feeling extremely pained. madam cui hurriedly asked, ¡°doctor gu, is he alright?¡± gu zhongxun pinched cui shiji¡¯s acupuncture point, and cui shiji woke up slowly. gu zhongxun smiled. ¡°master cui is in good health. madam cui, don¡¯t worry. he was just anxious and got overly heated. after taking some medicine to relieve the heat, he will be fine if he calms down.¡± how could he be calm when there was this brat at home? cui shiji said angrily, ¡°just let me die.¡± madam cui was helpless. ¡°master, what are you saying?¡± in the end, lan jingbai waited for cui muzhi to wake up under cui shiji¡¯s surveillance. cui muzhi opened his eyes and saw cui shiji. thinking that it was the wrong way for him to regain consciousness, he closed his eyes again and opened them. when he realized that it was still cui shiji¡¯s big face approaching, he was immediately frightened. he wanted to sit up and look around for lan jingbai. he only heaved a sigh of relief when he found lan jingbai in the corner. sure enough, it wasn¡¯t another nightmare. when cui muzhi woke up, he was only thinking about lan jingbai. cui shiji felt even more suffocated. he glanced at lan jingbai with a dark expression, indicating that muzhi was already awake and it was time for him to get lost. lan jingbai¡¯s expression gradually darkened. under cui muzhi¡¯s happy gaze, he steeled his heart and turned to leave. cui muzhi hurriedly wanted to jump out of bed. ¡°jingbai!¡± cui shiji stopped him. ¡°what are you doing? your wound has just been stitched up! do you want to suffer a third time?!¡± he had jumped hard when the anesthetic effects kicked in. immediately, he felt the pain of ten thousand arrows piercing his heart. cui muzhi¡¯s face was pale, but he was still shouting, ¡°jingbai¡ª¡± lan jingbai leaned against the door of the ward. tears welled up in his eyes. he had to use all his strength to close his eyes to prevent himself from rushing in. the more cui shiji pressed him down, the more he resisted. he almost pushed cui shiji to the ground. seeing that he was extremely unstable and his face was as pale as a piece of paper, cui lingyi hurriedly said, ¡°jingbai didn¡¯t leave. he went to get you water. he¡¯ll be back soon.¡± cui muzhi looked up with red eyes. ¡°really? sister, you¡¯re not lying to me?¡± cui lingyi gave madam cui a look. madam cui hurriedly said, ¡°no, he¡¯ll come back soon!¡± cui muzhi said in a daze, ¡°¡­then why isn¡¯t he back yet¡­¡± he looked like he was about to get out of bed to look for him again. after all, he was her biological son. she couldn¡¯t force him to death. cui shiji sighed in resignation. he knew that lan jingbai must be hiding in some corner. he turned around and was about to look for him when lan jingbai appeared with a glass of water and smiled at cui muzhi. cui muzhi¡¯s emotions were comforted immediately. he reached out to ask lan jingbai for water. ¡°why were you gone for so long?¡± lan jingbai handed him the water. ¡°i¡¯m sorry i¡¯m late.¡± cui lingyi gestured to leave them some space to prevent cui shiji from getting agitated again. cui shiji left the room angrily. he was still lying outside the window indignantly, staring at their every move. cui lingyi and madam cui felt their heads ache. they advised him, ¡°don¡¯t agitate muzhi. let jingbai stay first. we¡¯ll talk about it after muzhi recovers.¡± cui shiji looked inside and saw lan jingbai and cui muzhi smiling like a painting. he felt strange. he felt dispirited because his child had grown up and no longer listened to him. cui shiji slowly turned his back and did not speak for a long time. when he looked up again, the man who had been strong all his life actually had tears in his eyes. madam cui couldn¡¯t help but cry.. what was going on? Chapter 548 - Chapter 548: Where Is the Great Empress? chapter 548: where is the great empress? translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios zeng sanshui followed village chief zhao into the greenhouse to take a look and saw countless herbs, fruits, vegetables, and food planted on a large scale. not only were there scientific planting techniques, but there was also a specialized fertilizer. there was even a careful standard for the temperature and humidity and how much water to use. however, it had to be said that what grew out of the greenhouse was really good quality. it was bigger and sweeter than what they could find in the season. in the fruit shed, one was already half full from eating strawberries, tomatoes, and watermelons. village chief zhao even enthusiastically asked the guests to pick as much as they wanted and bring it along the way. zeng sanshui was eating happily when he thought of asking, ¡°you built so many greenhouses to plant these things. is it very expensive and only supplied to big families?¡± village chief zhao smiled and shook his head. ¡°our agricultural garden specializes in research. the fruits and vegetables we research on are usually not sold to the outside world. the imperial court consumes them when they are supplied internally.¡± he pointed at the greenhouse in front and said, ¡°the fruits and vegetables planted by the commoners will have different prices because of the cost of the greenhouse. however, they are all within the acceptable range of our local people. everyone can afford to eat them.¡± ¡°if we plant them in large quantities, we won¡¯t have to worry about not being able to sell them. the factory canteen or the video processing factory will come to buy them themselves.¡± zeng sanshui secretly clicked his tongue. everything carefree kingdom did was interconnected. even if it was just planting vegetables, they had already thought of all kinds of backup plans. if there were many vegetables planted, they would be processed. if they were processed, they would have to hire workers. if the workers did not have time to plant vegetables, they would have to buy vegetables and form some consumption cycle. this was what lu ye often mentioned about driving the economy. he could not help but be puzzled. ¡°is your great empress going to let everyone do business just as they wished?¡± the reason why merchants had low status was not because they were exploiting the people, but because they had a more sensitive mind than ordinary people. after controlling a certain amount of money, they would become extremely arrogant. moreover, they also knew that the so-called heavenly might imperial power was just because this person controlled enough money and status. in order to prevent merchants from standing out and consolidating their status, the previous emperors would push for an economy with only small farmers. letting the commoners guard only one acre of land at home would not only protect the population, but also restrict their thoughts and make them easier to control. in a place like the southern frontier, where there were many ethnic groups to begin with, with the development of the economy and everyone¡¯s active thinking, the awakening consciousness of resisting the imperial power would also awaken. zeng sanshui thought that no emperor would want to see such a thing happen. therefore, in the past dynasties, knowing that economic development would bring benefits, in order to consolidate the imperial power, they would rather defend the old rules and let the world be in their control. village chief zhao was no longer the village chief zhao who only wanted to save the entire village. he had talked to many great teachers, been educated, and even became an official of the agricultural sciences institute. he naturally understood what zeng sanshui meant. he smiled meaningfully and pointed to the great mountains and rivers at the end of the greenhouse. ¡°isn¡¯t that good?¡± zeng sanshui was stunned as he thought of everything he had seen and heard along the way. they did not say anything bad about bai wutong. instead, everyone praised bai wutong as the great empress. even the strongest tribe in the area did not dare to be disrespectful to bai wutong. it had clearly driven the economy, it had clearly awakened everyone¡¯s consciousness, but they were willing to serve her and let her control the entire southern frontier. zeng sanshui seemed to have only just had an epiphany. bai wutong was a rather amazing woman. even though he had yet to see her, she had unknowingly influenced everyone and made them think that she was an extremely outstanding emperor. village chief zhao had not returned home for a long time, so he could return to the city with them. when the sun was about to set, the lights of the houses were all lit up. zeng sanshui and the others looked from afar and could not help but exclaim, ¡°this is a city of miracles!¡± compared to the previous towns and tribes, the huge and tall buildings of carefree city immediately looked extremely magnificent. zeng sanshui saw the tall bell tower and asked again, ¡°what is that?¡± the person explaining changed from lu ye to village chief zhao. ¡°that¡¯s the bell tower. at midnight, it will ring.¡± zeng sanshui was puzzled. ¡°bell tower?¡± he had heard of lighthouses, water pagodas, relic pagodas, demon-locking pagodas, but he had never heard of any bell towers! seeing his expression, village chief zhao felt very proud. he raised his arm and showed him the watch in his hand. ¡°this is a watch. it¡¯s used to determine the time. the bell tower is an enlarged version. at the right time, it will remind all the citizens of carefree city of the time.¡± zeng sanshui¡¯s eyes lit up. he grabbed village chief zhao¡¯s arm and looked at it again and again. ¡°how can i read it?¡± village chief zhao taught him how to identify the time. zeng sanshui exclaimed, ¡°does it turn on its own? or does it need to be charged?¡± village chief zhao smiled and said, ¡°this is a gift from my son in the research institute. there are automatic spinning gears inside and there¡¯s no need to charge it. there are many kinds of watches in the market that can be charged.¡± it could move without charging! zeng sanshui was excited. ¡°brother, can you ask your son to give me one too? i¡¯ll pay!¡± when lu ye heard this, he couldn¡¯t help but shake his head. ¡°i don¡¯t even have one. if you want one, don¡¯t keep your hopes high. not everyone can get what¡¯s in the research institute.¡± zeng sanshui was doused with a basin of cold water and could not help but ask, ¡°1 know that the agricultural garden is for agricultural research. what does the research institute do?¡± all of them looked very proud of their work. village chief zhao smiled. ¡°it¡¯s also a place to contribute to the country. it¡¯s just that researching things is a little complicated.¡± lu ye knew that village chief zhao was keeping a low profile. his two sons were both national researchers and had many scientific research projects in their hands! lu ye said proudly for him, ¡°the research institute is where the elites of our carefree kingdom gather. the electric lights, bicycles, refrigerators, water knives, flashlights, phones, guns, and so on you see on your way here are all from the research institute.¡± zeng sanshui¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°then they¡¯re too awesome!¡± village chief zhao smiled and said, ¡°our great empress is even more powerful. many things were taught to us by the great empress.¡± zeng sanshui took another deep breath. this woman was not human. she was probably a god. how could she think of such impressive and awesome things? ¡°pa-¡± the roadside lights suddenly came on too. the spacious road was as bright as day, as if it led to another world. zeng sanshui looked adrift. no, he had already arrived in another world. this was because he saw a huge steel monster suddenly appear in front of them. it was driving towards them unhurriedly. behind it were groups of capable soldiers. on both sides of the monster, there were tall horses accompanying them. qingfeng, who was filled with heroic spirit, was domineering and had a serious expression, as if she was facing the enemy. however, there was another wedding team playing gongs and drums in front. the atmosphere was quite mixed. before zeng sanshui could come back to his senses, lu ye said excitedly, ¡°the great empress is here to welcome us!¡± zeng sanshui craned his neck to look forward and kept asking, ¡°where is the great empress? where is the great empress?¡± he did not see anyone who looked like the great empress.. Chapter 549 - Chapter 549: Emperor Linghui Is Their Biological Grandfather chapter 549: emperor linghui is their biological grandfather translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios lu ye smiled and said, ¡°our great empress is in the car.¡± zeng sanshui was confused again. ¡°what is a car?¡± zeng sanshui had heard of bicycle, tricycle, horse carriage, but he had never heard of a car. lu ye¡¯s gaze landed on the black car that bai wutong was in. he said to zeng sanshui, ¡°you¡¯ll know soon.¡± ever since the research institute developed cars, automobile manufacturing had developed rapidly. the great empress¡¯ residence had already gathered several cars of different colors. yu suisheng led the team to continuously uncover the technology provided by the research institute and gradually built car engines. in a few days, they would be able to put the sale of cars on the agenda. as for the small number of trucks and cars produced by the imperial court, most of them were supplied to the army, the munitions factories, and the people from carefree kingdom who had contributed a lot. whoever had a car delivered to them certainly had a high status in the carefree kingdom. the huge monster in zeng sanshui¡¯s eyes also stopped when the gong and drum stopped. through the front window, he could see that there seemed to be someone inside. suddenly, the door was opened by qingfeng, who had jumped off the horse. a young, beautiful, and extraordinary woman walked out of the steel monster. zeng sanshui had seen many beauties, and there were a few who were comparable to the woman in front of him. however, she had a unique temperament that was as dazzling as the moon in the sky, making one unable to look away. just as zeng sanshui was praising this woman¡¯s astonishing appearance, he was stunned in the next second. this was because on the other side of the steel monster, chu tianbao had come down! this guy had made countless contributions since he was 16 years old. his reputation at the age of 20 had completely covered him and he had become the young general that everyone admired. if he appeared with this woman, didn¡¯t that mean that this young and beautiful woman was the southern frontier great empress? was this because she was good at maintaining her looks, or was the southern frontier great empress like this to begin with? zeng sanshui had thought that the great empress of the southern frontier would definitely be a fierce and smart woman who could easily suppress chu tianbao in bed. in the end, it seemed that chu tianbao had not lost out at all! he heard that he was the only husband of the southern frontier great empress. moreover, she had given birth to a pair of children for him. as soon as bai wutong and chu tianbao appeared, the atmosphere immediately reached an unprecedented climax. the commoners cheered excitedly. ¡°greetings to the great empress and king!¡± bai wutong waved at them, but the cheers of the commoners became louder. it could be seen that bai wutong was loved and respected by the local people from the bottom of their hearts. bai wutong and chu tianbao dazzled in the crowd. when qu yuanxian thought of his gaze on this trip, the smile on his face faded. what reason did he have to convince such a good country to submit to emperor ling hui? qu yuanxian thought of his relatives in the distant ling kingdom¡¯s imperial city and was extremely conflicted. perhaps if he could not persuade bai wutong to submit, he could ask chu tianbao to write a letter to emperor ling hui. if emperor ling hui was appeased, he would not punish his wife and children. when bai shining learned from chu mingxuan that the southern frontier great empress was his daughter, he did not believe it at all. even now, when he saw the appearance of the southern frontier great empress, he was still in a daze. could he have recognized the wrong person? there was no lack of people in this world who looked extremely similar. moreover, how could the noble aura of the southern frontier great empress be like his timid eldest daughter? jia yuqin and bai xinshui were even more shocked than him. it was true. bai wutong was really still alive. moreover, she had become the respected great empress of the southern frontier. the man standing intimately with her was extraordinarily handsome, like an immortal. the biological son of emperor ling hui and noble consort ling, the real eldest prince, was 80% like emperor ling hui. no one would believe that he was not his biological son. bai xinshui bit her lip and trembled. bai wutong probably already knew the truth about falling off the cliff back then. she was also jealous that she had such a great fortune after falling off the cliff. on the other hand, although she was the eldest prince¡¯s secondary consort, she was living worse than a servant. before chu tianbao became the eldest prince, he was still the young general of the gu family that the commoners praised! bai wutong was inferior to her in every aspect. how could she have such a great fortune! but now, they had no choice but to recognize the situation and let bai wutong and bai shining acknowledge each other. otherwise, be it chu mingxuan or emperor ling hui¡¯s anger, they would not be able to withstand it. the moment bai shining reached out to shout at bai wutong, the soldiers who were already on guard quickly sealed his mouth, preventing him from saying a word. when bai xinshui saw that bai shining¡¯s mouth was covered, she was afraid that she would be brought into the cell. she hurriedly looked at qu yuanxian for help. their seats were behind, and qu yuanxian was facing them again. qu yuanxian did not see it at all. even if he did, he could not interfere with bai wutong¡¯s decision to deal with them. there was a commotion. bai wutong walked towards the team, but bai shining¡¯s family was detained in the prison. qu yuanxian took the lead and bowed to bai wutong. the team also bowed to bai wutong in unison. ¡°greetings, great empress of the southern frontier.¡± the ling kingdom¡¯s envoy took the initiative to bow to their great empress. the citizens of carefree city immediately felt a strong sense of pride and became even more welcoming of qu yuanxian and the others¡¯ visit. zeng sanshui greeted chu tianbao as if they were close friends. ¡°young general.¡± then he asked, ¡°where¡¯s marshal gu?¡± the news of gu chilie¡¯s rebellion was suppressed by emperor ling hui. zeng sanshui had always thought that gu chilie was enjoying life in the southern frontier. as soon as he said this, the originally peaceful atmosphere suddenly froze. qu yuanxian immediately glanced meaningfully at zeng sanshui not to ask further. so be it. he couldn¡¯t be bothered to ask. after all, they were here as envoys. bai wutong had prepared a grand welcoming banquet for them. as they ate the delicacies, they could also admire the local dance songs. looking at the sumptuous food on the dining table, zeng sanshui touched his stomach and laughed at bai wutong. ¡°there are many delicacies in the southern frontier. i¡¯ve gained much weight here.¡± bai wutong smiled and said, ¡°if general zeng is satisfied with the food, your trip to the southern frontier will not be in vain.¡± ¡°dong dong dong¡ª¡± the bell in the tower suddenly sounded. everyone looked up in the direction of the bell. ¡°bang bang bang¡ª¡± the fireworks that suddenly rose were dazzling and colorful. the night scenery of the entire carefree city was like an ancient castle that only existed in the legends. the corners of everyone¡¯s mouths curled up unconsciously as they admired the fireworks. zeng sanshui drank a lot of good wine at the dining table and was carried back to the detached villa specially arranged for them by his subordinates. qu yuanxian came to yang quanzi. yang quanzi looked at him. although he was happy, he still had to ask what he should ask. ¡°why did emperor ling hui send you to our carefree kingdom?¡± he said, ¡®our carefree kingdom¡¯, as if excluding him. qu yuanxian¡¯s eyes could not help but flash with disappointment. ¡°emperor ling hui asked me to persuade the great empress to submit to the ling kingdom and asked chu tianbao to bring the children back to the ling kingdom.¡± yang quanzi suddenly frowned and his tone was filled with anger. ¡°he wants our princess and prince to stay in the ling kingdom as hostages?¡± qu yuanxian quickly shook his head. ¡°no, emperor ling hui is their biological grandfather. it¡¯s impossible for him to harm them..¡± Chapter 550 - Chapter 550: Indecent Chapter 550: Indecent Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Emperor Ling Hui was the grandfather of the little princess and prince! Yang Quanzi was completely dumbfounded. ¡°What did you say?¡± He even suspected that there was something wrong with his ears. Qu Yuanxian could only say slowly, ¡°Master Chu is not Gu Chilie¡¯s biological son. Back then, something must have happened. Emperor Ling Hui entrusted the real Eldest Prince to Gu Chilie to raise him. He named him Gu Junyan.¡± Yang Quanzi¡¯s eyes widened. When he thought of Chu Tianbao¡¯s mother, You Qingshu, he couldn¡¯t help but blurt out, ¡°Noble Consort Ling is Madam You?¡± Qu Yuanxian nodded. ¡°It¡¯s been more than a year since Emperor Ling Hui announced that Noble Consort Ling is unwell.¡± Yang Quanzi recalled the time when Chu Tianbao disappeared and the time matched. His expression suddenly became serious. He thought for a moment and said, ¡°If our Great Empress is unwilling to submit to the Ling Kingdom, what does Emperor Ling Hui want?¡± Qu Yuanxian shook his head. ¡°Teacher, i don¡¯t know either, but he seems to care a lot about Noble Consort Ling and Master Chu.¡± Yang Quanzi¡¯s tone was a little cold. ¡°If he values Noble Consort Ling, he won¡¯t separate the child from his mother!¡± ¡°He only values the throne. Now that the throne is secure, he wants to have the best of both worlds.¡± Qu Yuanxian could not deny it. After thinking for a moment, he told Yang Quanzi about the Bai family. When the envoys from the Ling Kingdom entered, Bai Wutong had already learned of their identities. If Bai Shining was really Bai Wutong¡¯s biological father, how could Bai Wutong ignore him completely? Yang Quanzi said to him, ¡°Don¡¯t interfere in this matter. The identity of the Great Empress is not something we can investigate.¡± Even if Bai Wutong was unwilling to admit that he was her biological father, he would not be. As a subject, opening one¡¯s eyes when it was time and closing them when it was time was also a cultivation method. Qu Yuanxian nodded in agreement. Yang Quanzi knew that if he could not persuade Bai Wutong to submit, his wife and children in the Imperial City of Ling Kingdom would definitely be in danger. He comforted. ¡°It¡¯s definitely impossible for our Carefree Kingdom to submit to the Ling Kingdom. However, our Great Empress is kind-hearted and has no intention of starting a war. It¡¯s very likely that the two countries will build diplomatic relations peacefully and do business on friendly terms. This, you will have a way to explain when you return.¡± When Qu Yuanxian heard Yang Quanzi¡¯s comforting words, he felt a little better. After talking about serious matters, Yang Quanzi took out the teaching materials that he had yet to complete before he left. He listed them in front of him and said proudly, ¡°This is the teaching plan of our Carefree Kingdom¡¯s primary school! The parts you wrote previously are also here.¡± The textbook printed in color paint shocked Qu Yuanxian. He touched the glossy book. ¡°These were painted on one by one?¡± Yang Quanzi smiled and shook his head. ¡°No, we modified it on the basis of the printing technique and created a color printing machine. 1 think such a textbook can be printed in less than 15 minutes.¡± Qu Yuanxian was deeply shocked. With the rapid development of culture, how could Carefree Kingdom not be powerful? He flipped open the book page. It was filled with simplified Chinese characters. On the way here, he had already learned a lot of simplified Chinese characters. There were still some characters here that he could not recognize, but he could guess based on the gist of it. It was fine when he read the Chinese literature materal. He could understand the content at the level of elementary and middle school. Moreover, he felt that these teaching materials were very enlightening. The modern ideas that he thought were very controversial were actually placed here for the students to discuss. He could also understand math textbooks in the first and second years. After all, he had memorized the multiplication formula and learned the Arabic numerals previously. However, for content above third grade, those Olympiad questions that were filled with chickens and ducks immediately made his head spin. Like Yang Quanzi, he had an extremely unbalanced study capability. His mathematics was really bad. He really wondered if the students could understand such a difficult question. Apart from Chinese literature and mathematics, there were other classes, such as children from the local tribes who had to learn their own tribal language. Horse riding, sports, ideological politics, vocal singing, biology, history¡­ All had to be learned, and the subjects were incremented according to the different grades. Seeing that the children had to learn so much, Qu Yuanxian asked, ¡°Does every child have to learn these?¡± He had heard that every child in the Carefree Kingdom had to go to school. If they did not go to school, their parents would be punished. Yang Quanzi smiled and shook his head. ¡°Apart from primary school, children have to finish secondary school. They can choose high school and university freely.¡± The education of children was divided into four specific stages starting from a young age. Moreover, they received specialized education at different stages. Even children who did not like to go to school were accepted by the vocational education college and specially nurtured their various skills to provide new manpower for the various factories. And the remaining children. With such an elite and comprehensive education, how could they not be knowledgable? Qu Yuanxian kept flipping through the book and saw classical articles in the books. In the blink of an eye, it was already late at night. He closed the book and sighed deeply. He was not from the Carefree Kingdom and had no reason to stay there. Moreover, his wife and children were still in the Ling Kingdom¡¯s Imperial City. If he could not complete the mission, their lives might be in danger at any time. Qu Yuanxian could not sleep. He stood on the balcony and looked over. The entire Carefree City could be seen at bird¡¯s eye view. He looked towards a villa in the west. If he had not left the southern frontier at that time, that should have been his home. Now, it was useless to regret. Bai Wutong had drunk a little too much wine and felt a little dizzy. Chu Tianbao carried her horizontally and walked into the Great Empress¡¯ residence as light as a swallow. Bai Wutong hooked her arms around his neck and bit his chin in her drunken state. She even chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s hard.¡± Chu Tianbao¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Wife, bite again. There are some places that is not hard.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s face was hot. It was unknown if she was embarrassed by him. ¡°Indecent.¡± Tuantuan and Yuanyuan, who could already walk, leaned against the huge floor-to-ceiling window. Tuantuan looked curious. What were Mother and Father doing? Afraid that she would see more inappropriate scenes, Yuanyuan held her small hand and shouted, ¡°Xiaobai.¡± After a while, several beautiful wolves jumped out of the room. Tuantuan immediately forgot about her parents and climbed onto Xiaobai¡¯s back with ease. She babbled and kept patting Xiaobai¡¯s butt. Xiaobai moved a few steps perfunctorily, while Yuanyuan sat at the side, constantly preventing Tuantuan from falling off Xiaobai¡¯s back. When she almost fell, he would make use of the wind power and let her sit steadily. Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao stayed in the garden for a while. When they returned to their room, they saw Tuantuan holding onto Xiaobai¡¯s fur tightly. She looked like a valiant female general who was raising her spear and fighting. She kept waving her chubby arms. When Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao appeared, Xiaobai immediately looked at them with an expression saying, ¡°Brother, I¡¯ve been helping you take care of the child for so long. It¡¯s time for you to take on the responsibility of a parent.¡± Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t help but smile. She looked around for Yuanyuan. ¡°Yuanyuan? Yuanyuan?¡± Yuanyuan crawled out of from under a pile of wolves. His face, body, and head were covered in fur. Chu Tianbao looked at the wolf fur floating in the air. ¡°It¡¯s time to brush their fur..¡± Chapter 551 - Chapter 551: Past Memories Chapter 551: Past Memories Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Xiaobai and the others had shed too much fur. There was no vacuum cleaner at home, and their wolf fur was everywhere. When Chu Tianbao said that he wanted to brush their fur, Bai Wutong agreed and carried Tuantuan from Xiaobai¡¯s back. The family went to the glass living room. The wolves lay down in unison. Chu Tianbao held a special hairbrush and combed them one by one. After a while, he combed off a large pile of wolf fur. Bai Wutong looked at the basket of wolf fur and smiled. ¡°We can knit towels now.¡± Chu Tianbao was still combing them. Yuanyuan squatted at the side and helped him collect the fur that had fallen to the ground and put it in the basket. Chu Tianbao said, ¡°You can make wool felt.¡± Chu Tianbao was especially good at handicraft. He was very good at carving jade and wood, and cooking. Ever since he learned how to play with his cell phone and computer, he often looked at the videos on his cell phone and computer. The wool felt was something he had just learned. The last time, before Xiaobai shed its fur, he had pulled its fur off and made two small wool felts. Then, he gave them to Tuantuan and Yuanyuan. It was still placed in the nursery. Every time Bai Wutong went in, she had to take a look. Xiaobai would also sniff it when it passed by. That¡¯s right, it smelled like him. Bai Wutong smiled and said, ¡°Then how many do you have to make?¡± Chu Tianbao looked up. ¡°1 can make a bigger one and place it in your study?¡± There were many things in Bai Wutong¡¯s study. They were all given by Chu Tianbao. He actually had a hobby of collecting. However, who would mind receiving too many gifts? Bai Wutong smiled happily. ¡°Yes, we can place it in the study.¡± After combing their hair, Xiaobai¡¯s family felt more comfortable. They lay lazily on the sofa, each of them more arrogant than the master. Seeing that they were already so big, Bai Wutong asked Chu Tianbao, ¡°Do you want to put them back in the forest?¡± It was said that wolves were the overlords of the grassland, but Xiaobai was like a salted fish just eating and waiting to die. Sometimes, it would catch some prey and treat it as training. Xiaobai¡¯s wife, Xiaolv, was still fine. She had grown up in the wilderness. Although she was close to Bai Wutong and the others, she still maintained her vigilant wildness. Xiaobai¡¯s children had inherited their father¡¯s lazy personality. Usually, when they wanted to move around, they would catch some rats and rabbits to play with. If they did not want to move around in the hot summer, they would hide in the villa. They would even steal the fruits from the trees in the backyard and make a huge hole in the vegetable field in the backyard. With them, Bai Wutong and the others were also very happy. However, the little fellows were about to enter the rutting period. They had to adapt to the life of returning to nature. Chu Tianbao thought for a moment and said, ¡°We¡¯ll see. It¡¯s useless to be anxious. If they want to leave, they¡¯ll naturally leave.¡± Bai Wutong thought about it and agreed. Just like Xiaobai, after he left, he still returned with his wife and children. Moreover, although they usually did not do anything, when the patrol team needed to search and rescue, they would quickly get on the job like an official worker. Perhaps spring, summer, autumn, and winter would also be like Xiaobai and bring back a group of wolf cubs to Carefree City. The idea was good, but wolves were ultimately aggressive animals. She hoped that the time for them to part would come slower. The envoys from the Ling Kingdom were not here just to eat, drink, and have fun. They naturally had to talk and deal with the people who should be dealt with. When Bai Wutong walked into the underground cell, some light filtered into the cell. Bai Shining opened his eyes and shouted excitedly, ¡°I¡¯m the father of your Great Empress! Let me out! As long as 1 meet your Great Empress, you¡¯ll know that I¡¯m not lying. 1¡¯11 give you wealth and glory. Let me out quickly!¡± There was no response to his roar, just the sound of approaching footsteps. Bai Shining suddenly had a feeling that Bai Wutong was here. He shouted excitedly, ¡°Is it Wutong? I¡¯m your father. I¡¯ve been looking for you so hard. Why haven¡¯t you sent a letter to your family all these years?¡± ¡°When the news of your disappearance came back, Daddy missed you so much that I almost passed away.¡± ¡°Wutong ~ Wutong ~ Forgive me for not taking good care of you all these years, okay? Come back with me and let¡¯s meet your mother properly. I¡¯ll burn incense for you, okay?¡± He shouted so many times, but there was still no response. Bai Shining stuck his head towards the iron fence and could vaguely see two shadows. He could not help but wonder if it was not her. The footsteps gradually approached, and Bai Shining¡¯s excited heart was pounding. When Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao appeared, he immediately shouted again, ¡°Wutong, I knew you wouldn¡¯t care about me. I miss you so much He squeezed out two tears. He was genuinely happy. He was saved. As long as they got out of here, they would be able to eat the Crown Prince¡¯s antidote next week. As for killing Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao¡¯s children, he was not in a hurry. He still had to wait for Chu Mingxuan¡¯s army to attack. Bai Wutong looked at him coldly. There was no joy in her eyes, only coldness. Bai Shining¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°Wutong, I¡¯m your father. Why don¡¯t you recognize me?¡± Bai Wutong had already remembered how the original Bai Wutong died. She also knew if Bai Shining, her father, was sincere towards her. He did not care and looked coldly at her when she was living in the backyard. After being tortured by Jia Yuqin for so many years, she was even living worse than the Bai family¡¯s maidservant despite being the eldest daughter of the Bai family. Bai Shining still had the cheek to say that he missed her. It was complete bullshit. Bai Wutong came to see him only to ask him the truth about the death of her mother. Since she had taken over the original body, she would abbot justice for her. As for such a father, it was fine even if she did not want him. Bai Wutong looked at Bai Shining for a long time until he felt a chill run down his spine. He realized that the current Bai Wutong was no longer the weak and incompetent daughter from before. Only then did he hear Bai Wutong say, ¡°Let me ask you, was it you who colluded with Jia Yuqin to cause my mother¡¯s difficulty in giving birth?¡± The mother of the original Bai Wutong was beautiful, gentle, and virtuous, but she was born to a family of merchants. Bai Shining had passed the High Scholar examination back then, but he was the lowest-ranking High Scholar. In order to get a good position, he married her mother. After they got married, the two of them were harmonious for a period of time and was pregnant with the original Bai Wutong. However, the good times did not last long. Bai Shining¡¯s cousin, Jia Yuqin, came. Although Jia Yuqin¡¯s appearance was not as good as her mother¡¯s, she had known Bai Shining since they were young and were childhood sweethearts. Bai Shining was very touched that she was willing to be his mistress. Not long after the original Bai Wutong¡¯s mother became pregnant, Jia Yuqin became pregnant. Just as the original Bai Wutong was about to be born, something big suddenly happened in Jia Yuqin¡¯s family. Jia Yuqin¡¯s father found a Daoist priest who could refine immortal pills and offered them to the emperor of the Yan Kingdom at that time. The emperor was overjoyed and rewarded Jia Yuqin¡¯s father with countless treasures. He even ignored the objections of the court officials and conferred him a second-grade official who could earn a lot of money. The Jia family immediately became an influential family. Even Jia Yuqin could live arrogantly. In fact, someone even advised her that as long as she returned to her family, she would be the biological daughter of a second-grade official. Why should she become a mistress of Bai Shining, a small official? Jia Yuqin was persuaded and ran back to her mother¡¯s house with her big stomach.. Chapter 552 - Chapter 552: Consumed the Immortal Spirit Pill Chapter 552: Consumed the Immortal Spirit Pill Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Jia Yuqin was still pregnant with Bai Shining¡¯s child. How could Bai Shining let her marry someone else? Therefore, Bai Wutong had ample reason to suspect that Bai Shining had deliberately killed the original Bai Wutong¡¯s mother. However, when her mother was about to give birth, all the doctors had said that the position of the baby was very correct and there was a high chance that there would be no problem. However, she had died of blood loss during birth. Not long after her mother died, the midwife in charge of delivering the child disappeared without a trace. All the servants around her were also sold. A maidservant who was loyal to the original Bai Wutong ran back to her mother¡¯s house and cried that Madam had been killed. Her family came to demand an explanation, but was chased out by Bai Shining. Later on, the original Bai Wutong¡¯s maternal family committed a crime and were all decapitated. The original Bai Wutong only knew these things because when she grew up, she was told by a short-legged beggar by the roadside, who was her mother¡¯s maidservant. The original Bai Wutong had wanted to take revenge, but the person who had killed her mother was most likely her biological father. She had been raised to be weak and timid. How could she dare to go against Bai Shining and the others? But she was buried in this monstrous hatred again and could not extricate herself from the pain. The bandit only planned to mar her reputation, but the original Bai Wutong had long wanted to die and had chosen to jump off the cliff. She was still praying that when she jumped off the cliff, if the heavens had eyes, it would definitely seek justice for the mother and daughter. Bai Wutong was probably the justice arranged by the heavens. She had become her. Now, she had the absolute power to avenge them. When Bai Shining heard Bai Wutong mention what had happened back then, his face turned pale. He said in a panic, ¡°Wutong, how can you suspect your father like this!¡± ¡°The cause of your mother¡¯s death was an accident. You can blame me for not taking good care of you, but you can¡¯t hurt me like this.¡± If he was honest, why would he hide and not dare to look her in the eye? Bai Wutong said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t admit it. We have plenty of ways.¡± ¡°Qingfeng.¡± As soon as she said Qingfeng, Bai Shining¡¯s legs trembled. No way, no way. Could Qingfeng be the commander of the previous dynasty? Shouldn¡¯t she have died because the previous emperor did not give an antidote? When Bai Shining saw Qingfeng appear like a ghost, his eyes suddenly lit up. If Qingfeng was not dead, some secret medicine must have cured her. As long as he had such a secret medicine, he could become the emperor in the Carefree Kingdom without having to guard against Chu Mingxuan¡¯s control. It was impossible for Bai Shining not to know Qingfeng. But now, he looked strangely surprised and not afraid at all. Bai Wutong raised her eyebrows. Just as she found it strange, Bai Shining reached out his hand towards the gates and shouted at Bai Wutong, ¡°Wutong, I¡¯m your father. I really didn¡¯t kill your mother. Believe me.¡± He had dealt with the midwife back then and seen the corpse buried with his own eyes. He definitely did not believe that Bai Wutong could find out. He was her father after all. Bai Shining was betting that Bai Wutong would soften her heart and not let Qingfeng torture him. Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°It seems that Lord Bai hasn¡¯t figured out the situation yet. Then let him wake up.¡± Qingfeng stepped forward and suddenly threw out two chains, and hung Bai Shining on the execution rack. Then, holding two sharp iron hooks, she slowly walked towards him. He remembered this kind of punishment. The Dark Guards Team was famous for making prisoners wear lute bones. Bai Shining widened his eyes in fear and shouted, ¡°Bai Wutong, I¡¯m your father. If you treat me like this, you¡¯ll be struck by lightning!¡± Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°What father? Do you have evidence? There are so many people in the world who look alike. I was born noble. How can I have a useless father like you?¡± Bai Shining¡¯s face turned red as if he had been humiliated. He cursed, ¡°If I had known, I would have drowned you when you were born.¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s gaze suddenly turned cold. Chu Tianbao had already swung his sword. A cold light flashed, and Bai Shining¡¯s right arm was cut off. Bai Shilling¡¯s scream echoed in the dungeon. Qingfeng calmly stepped forward and blocked his mouth. When he recovered from the pain, he was brought over and waited for Bai Wutong to continue asking questions. Bai Wutong didn¡¯t even blink. She was really ruthless and not faking it. Bai Shilling¡¯s face was pale. He held his broken arm and finally said, ¡°Wutong, you can stop calling me father, but your mother is still waiting for you to go back and pay your respects¡­¡± Bai Wutong gave Qingfeng another look. ¡°Put on the lute bone. He talks too much.¡± Qingfeng did not have any excessive actions. The sharp hook suddenly pierced into Bai Shilling¡¯s back. The sharp pain seemed to be draining his blood. Bai Shining groaned in pain and cursed in a daze, ¡°Bai Wutong, I¡¯m your father. No matter what I do, I¡¯m your father! You¡¯re worse than a beast.¡± ¡°Swish¡ª¡± The circling sword flashed in the air. ¡°All¡ª¡± Bai Shilling¡¯s other arm was also cut off by Chu Tianbao. After losing his arms, Bai Shining finally broke down. ¡°She deserves to give birth to a monster like you!¡± He wanted to die. Bai Wutong¡¯s expression was as usual. She was not smug after obtaining the truth, instead she was like a stranger calmly examining this matter. And she was like the judge. Bai Shining was stung by her gaze and spat out a mouthful of blood. He said fiercely, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know? Then I¡¯ll tell you how your mother died.¡± ¡°I got someone to give her a nourishing medicine. Sure enough, it took effect that night.¡± ¡°Then, you¡ªyou evil creature was born. I deliberately let the midwife cut open her body and let her¡­ continuously¡­ die in torment, just like you are torturing me now.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, you¡¯re indeed my child. How ruthless!¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that I also¡± ¡°Pfft¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand. You were so cowardly previously. Why did you suddenly become so smart?¡± Bai Wutong¡¯s expression remained unchanged. Even if everyone knew that she was not the original Bai Wutong. However, she still existed. She was the Madam Bai in everyone¡¯s hearts, the Great Empress. Bai Wutong suddenly smiled. ¡°What about Jia Yuqin? Does it have anything to do with her?¡± Bai Shining sneered. ¡°How can it not be related? If she hadn¡¯t forced me to marry her, your mother would have been able to live a few more years.¡± Since the matter was clear, Bai Wutong looked at Qingfeng and made a decision. ¡°Treat his injuries and lock him up. Let him be live in despair and loneliness for life.¡± For those who had committed heinous crimes, living forever without hope was the greatest punishment. ¡°Yes!¡± Qingfeng nimbly removed the lute bone. Bai Shining struggled with all his might, and blood flowed all over the ground. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about torturing me. No one can control my life. No one can¡ª¡± His eyes were bloodshot as he turned around and hit against the sharp lute thorn. ¡°Bang¡ª¡± Qingfeng knocked him unconscious and invited Wen Renhua to the dungeon. Wen Renhua took his pulse and immediately sensed that something was wrong. As soon as Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao walked into the female prison where Jia Yuqin and Bai Yushui were locked up, Qingfeng rushed over and said, ¡°Bai Shining has taken the Immortal Spiritual Pill..¡± Chapter 553 - Chapter 553: Consort Ling Chapter 553: Consort Ling Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios When Qingfeng mentioned the Immortal Spiritual Pill, Bai Wutong recalled the pain of the medicine taking effect. The person who could give it to Bai Shining must be someone with high status. It was either Emperor Ling Hui, the remnants of the previous dynasty, or the ghouls behind the scenes. Bai Wutong looked at Qingfeng. ¡°Did he say who gave it to him?¡± Qingfeng said, ¡°He¡¯s under anesthesia and hasn¡¯t woken up yet.¡± Bai Wutong nodded. ¡°Keep an eye on him. Find out who gave him the medicine and secretly keep an eye on everyone from the Ling Kingdom.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Even if he did not give Bai Shining this secret medicine, Bai Shining would not dare to resist Emperor Ling Hui. Bai Wutong felt that the person who drugged her behind her back must have other motives. As a result, even if Bai Wutong wanted to enter the female prison alone, Chu Tianbao wouldn¡¯t let her, afraid that she would be in danger. Bai Wutong could only compromise and get someone to bring Bai Xinshui and Jia Yuqin to the interrogation room. She had the memories of the original Bai Wutong and could directly convict Jia Yuqin and Bai Xinshui. However, she knew that the original Bai Wutong must really want to see them regret their evil deeds. Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao stood in front of the gates. The entire interrogation room seemed to have become bright. On the other hand, Bai Xinshui¡¯s disheveled appearance was no longer dignified like the Eldest Prince¡¯s secondary consort. When she saw Bai Wutong clearly, she said excitedly, ¡°Sister, save me, save me!!!¡± Bai Wutong said indifferently, ¡°Your sister is long dead.¡± Bai Xinshui met her cold and cruel gaze and couldn¡¯t help but feel a chill run down her spine. She was so frightened that she took a few steps back. ¡°You¡¯re an evil spirit! An evil spirit! I¡¯m going to get someone to take you in!¡± Her gaze landed on Chu Tianbao and she hurriedly said, ¡°She¡¯s an evil spirit! Kill her quickly. She wants to harm me.¡± Chu Tianbao looked at her with obvious disgust. It was as if he would shut her up forever if she dared to say another word. Bai Xinshui was so afraid that she cowered in a corner, not knowing what Bai Wutong was going to do to her. Bai Wutong just wanted her to admit her crimes back then. ¡°You and your mother caused my death. Now, you¡¯re afraid?¡± Bai Xinshui¡¯s face turned pale. She knew?! How could she know? Bai Xinshui trembled and denied, ¡°I didn¡¯t. You¡¯re talking nonsense! You¡¯re talking nonsense!¡± Bai Wutong clapped her hands. A woman was brought in. Bai Xinshui recognized her and shouted excitedly, ¡°It¡¯s all her idea. It has nothing to do with me. I¡¯m the Eldest Prince¡¯s secondary consort. If you touch me, wait for our Ling Kingdom¡¯s army to annihilate you!¡± Granny Li, who had yet to speak, hurriedly said, ¡°Great Empress, it was the mother and daughter who instructed me. I was forced into a corner. My entire family was under a death contract. I don¡¯t dare to disobey.¡± Bai Xinshui did not expect Granny Li, who had always been loyal and well-behaved, to sell them out. ¡°Do you believe that I¡¯ll get someone to smash your dog mouth?¡± At this time, she was still a secondary consort! The moment she saw Bai Wutong, Granny Li knew that her death had arrived. People had to pay for what they did. But it wasn¡¯t time yet. Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes were filled with coldness. ¡°Do you really not understand why Emperor Linghui sent your entire family over?¡± Bai Xinshui cried in despair. ¡°I really don¡¯t know. I¡¯m the Eldest Prince¡¯s secondary consort. You can¡¯t kill me!¡± Bai Wutong suddenly smiled. Bai Xinshui thought that she had softened her heart. ¡°Sister, don¡¯t kill me. I¡¯ll listen to you. When I return to the Ling Kingdom, I¡¯ll tell Your Majesty that the Ling Kingdom and the Carefree Kingdom are willing to be on good terms for a hundred years. Just let me go back. Boohoo- I¡¯m begging you- I really know my mistake. I¡¯m just jealous of you, I was afraid that you will be chosen by the marquis. I¡¯m wrong- I didn¡¯t expect you to fall off the cliff. 1 just asked the bandits to scare you.¡± Bai Wutong looked at her. ¡°I won¡¯t kill you, but I won¡¯t let you have it easy either.¡± Bai Xinshui suddenly shouted heartbreakingly, ¡°I¡¯m your sister! Your biological sister!¡± Bai Wutong sneered. ¡°Sister? Do you have any shame?¡± Bai Xinshui saw the determination in Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes that insisted on making her suffer. She turned her gaze and looked at Chu Tianbao pleadingly. ¡°Young General, no, Eldest Prince, I¡¯m your sister-in-law. Let her let me go. I beg you. If I die, your brother will be very sad.¡± She could find any excuse to get Chu Tianbao involved with Chu Mingxuan. Bai Wutong gave the female warden a look and Bai Xinshui was pulled out of the interrogation room. Bai Xinshui had expected that she might not be able to get out of jail for the rest of her life. She forcefully grabbed the cell door and shouted, ¡°Let me go. I¡¯ll tell you Chu Mingxuan¡¯s plan. He wants to kill you! He also wants the entire southern frontier.¡± Chu Mingxuan thought that she did not know, but in fact, she was hiding behind the screen and had long heard his conversation with Bai Shining. Bai Wutong didn¡¯t even look up. She waved her hand, indicating that the female warden didn¡¯t have to care about her. Bai Xinshui exclaimed, ¡°Bai Wutong, I¡¯ll tell you everything. I¡¯ll tell you everything. Please, on account that we grew up together, please listen to me and give me another chance.¡± What she wanted to say was that Chu Mingxuan had sent someone to the team to kill them. Bai Wutong could guess it even with her toes. Her guess was probably even more accurate than what she had said. Bai Xinshui was forcefully dragged out of the interrogation room. What awaited her was endless penance. Jia Yuqin was next door to Bai Xinshui. When she heard Bai Xinshui¡¯s wails, she cursed the moment Bai Wutong appeared, ¡°You little bastard, you even dared to attack your biological sister. I should have ended your life back then!¡± Chu Tianbao instructed the female warden, ¡°Cut her tongue.¡± The female warden took out a dagger, and Jia Yuqin¡¯s legs immediately went weak from fear. ¡°No¡ªNo¡ª¡± She ran and struggled, but it was useless. The female warden cut off her tongue alive and she lay on the ground like a struggling maggot. Bai Wutong couldn¡¯t help but recall the scene when she asked the original Bai Wutong to wash her face with chili, causing her to almost go blind. It was really good for that there was karma. Who could forgive who? The evil person had received the punishment he deserved. The remnant soul of the original Bai Wutong seemed to have finally let go. When Bai Wutong walked out of the prison, she felt her body lighten. However, Chu Tianbao was afraid that she would be in a bad mood, so he said, ¡°Let¡¯s go to Mother¡¯s shop to walk around?¡± Bai Wutong smiled and nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± The pedestrians on the street kept greeting them, but it did not affect their journey. After a while, Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao arrived at the children¡¯s clothing store opened by Noble Consort Ling. As long as it was a child¡¯s daily necessities, they could buy it here. As soon as Bai Wutong walked in, she saw Noble Consort Ling blocked by Zeng Sanshui. He bowed respectfully. ¡°Greetings, Consort Ling.¡± Chu Tianbao was very likely to win Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s heart more than Chu Mingxuan and inherit the throne. Zeng Sanshui bowed because he wanted to build a good relationship. The people around him were stunned by his words. Consort Ling? Could it be the one in Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s harem? Chu Tianbao called her mother. And he was Gu Chilie¡¯s son.. Then what was his relationship with Gu Chilie? Chapter 554 - Chapter 554: Our Whole Family Will Be Together Forever Chapter 554: Our Whole Family Will Be Together Forever Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Then whose son was Chu Tianbao? Could it be that Noble Consort Ling was having an affair with two men? Thinking of how Gu Chilie¡¯s deceased wife had passed away many years ago, everyone could not help but guess that she had actually been snatched away by Emperor Ling Hui. The reason why Chu Tianbao was so ruthless to Gu Chilie and let him become a cripple and be locked up in the sanatorium was because Chu Tianbao was not his biological son. He was the cuckold that Noble Consort Ling had made for Gu Chilie. In that case, wouldn¡¯t Chu Tianbao be the prince of Ling Kingdom! Heavens, wouldn¡¯t the future of the entire Ling Kingdom be theirs too? Everyone¡¯s minds were filled with thoughts. Zeng Sanshui even said foolishly, ¡°I have not seen the Consort Ling for a long time, and your complexion has improved.¡± He really thought that Chu Tianbao would reveal the secret of his identity sooner or later. After all, that was the entire Ling Kingdom. Wasn¡¯t it better to inherit the throne than to be the Great Empress¡¯s husband? Chu Tianbao¡¯s expression darkened when Noble Consort Ling revealed an awkward expression. He stepped forward and punched Zeng Sanshui. Zeng Sanshui was dizzy from the punch. ¡°Damn it, who dares to hit me!¡± Just as he was about to grab his weapon, he saw Tianbao and Bai Wutong clearly. He immediately looked puzzled as to why he had been beaten up. Was it wrong for him to bow? Chu Tianbao still held back with this punch. If he hadn¡¯t held back, Zeng Sanshui would probably have lost half his life. Bai Wutong also looked at him angrily. ¡°Don¡¯t say anything else. Leave this place quickly.¡± Noble Consort Ling had just walked out of her past and found a new life not long ago. She could not be affected by this. Zeng Sanshui stole a glance at the gloomy Chu Tianbao. Later on, he realized that everyone might not want to be related to Emperor Ling Hui and hurriedly ran away. As he ran out, he even muttered, ¡°There¡¯s no one left to be emperor these days.¡± If that trash Chu Mingxuan succeeded the throne, should he also buy a house in Carefree City first? The villa with its own pool the night before was quite good. Unfortunately, it was not for sale. Zeng Sanshui felt that it was better to prevent trouble before it happened. He could go and take a look at the property. In any case, it was cheap. It was better and cheaper than the houses in the Imperial City. The renovation was even more beautiful and exquisite, like a house that only existed in legends. Chu Tianbao brought Noble Consort Ling to the third floor. The three of them sat down and took a sip of tea. Noble Consort Ling said, ¡°It¡¯s all in the past. Mother isn¡¯t upset. Everyone will eventually know.¡± Chu Tianbao and Noble Consort Ling refused to return to the Ling Kingdom. If Emperor Ling Hui was forced into a corner, he would definitely announce their identities. Thinking of this, Bai Wutong said, ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. Even if everyone finds out, Mother will live happily with us forever and watch Tuantuan and Yuanyuan grow up safely.¡± After Emperor Ling Hui announced Chu Tianbao¡¯s identity, the world would only be scold him for being a scumbag, a top-notch scumbag among scumbags. Bai Wutong felt that he shouldn¡¯t be so daring. Even if he wanted Chu Tianbao and Noble Consort Ling to return, he would not apologize for what had happened back then. He would probably still feel that it had been hard on him to endure all these years and that he was crying for Noble Consort Ling and Chu Tianbao. There was even less of a need to explain to the world. He would directly confer an imperial edict and fabricate a reason to avoid an explanation. As for those who wanted to gossip, he would just kill them. Thinking about it, Bai Wutong felt quite disgusted. Noble Consort Ling smiled. ¡°Yes, our entire family will always be together.¡± Zeng Sanshui walked around several buildings. In the end, it all ended because he was not from the Carefree Kingdom and did not have the right to buy and sell houses. He looked for Qu Yuanxian angrily. ¡°How¡¯s your matter going?¡± Zeng Sanshui was referring to convincing Bai Wutong, Chu Tianbao, and the others to go to Ling Kingdom.. Chapter 555 - Chapter 555: Enjoying It Too Much Chapter 555: Enjoying It Too Much Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Qu Yuanxian put down the cooperation agreement in his hand and shook his head at Zeng Sanshui. ¡°How can the Great Empress agree to it?¡± Zeng Sanshui also felt that it was unlikely. He sat on the soft sofa, peeled open a piece of smooth chocolate, and threw it into his mouth. ¡°So when are we going back?¡± he asked. To be honest, he could not bear to go back. The Carefree Kingdom was strange. But after adapting, it was quite enjoyable. Especially since there was a democratic ruling here, it was extremely enviable. Although some things were difficult for him to accept, such as monogamy. However, if they joined other minorities, the Carefree Kingdom¡¯s Imperial Court would not care about them. Zeng Sanshui felt that if the Carefree Kingdom and the Ling Kingdom merged and wanted to implement monogamy, he could go and inspect which race was most suitable and had the best conditions. Qu Yuanxian was sorting out the information on the cooperation trade and said to him, ¡°The Great Empress has the intention to open up a trading path between the two countries and communicate peacefully. When the specific agreement with Lord Sheng is clear, we can set off for home.¡± He knew that since Chu Tianbao refused to return to the Ling Kingdom, it was not a problem for him to stay here. Zeng Sanshui¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°How can we collect taxes from doing business? Are they also going to buy things from our Ling Kingdom?¡± If they wanted to buy something from their Ling Kingdom, why would they set an export tax? He wanted to see how Carefree Kingdom could scam them. Qu Yuanxian said, ¡°The exact plan is still in discussion. Moreover, we still have to go back and hand it to the emperor to decide.¡± Zeng Sanshui immediately said, ¡°If it¡¯s an agreement, we have to make them lower the export tax. Their own country¡¯s people bought it so cheaply, but it¡¯s so expensive for us!¡± He thought of something and hurriedly said, ¡°If the two countries are doing business and have a friendly relationship, can we also talk about building a hydropower plant, car factory, greenhouse, advanced rice production, weapons, pharmaceuticals, villa building technology, and so on?¡± These things that could benefit the people had to be discussed. However, the initiative was in the hands of Carefree Kingdom. Of course, they had to pay a certain price to achieve a satisfactory collaboration to share what they had painstakingly developed. Qu Yuanxian said, ¡°Lord Sheng has already drafted a cooperation agreement. We will definitely talk about it.¡± Zeng Sanshui was happy. If they could cooperate, he would be able to enjoy what he could in Carefree Kingdom and Ling Kingdom. He would not have to keep thinking about it. In the blink of an eye, more than a month passed. It started to snow. Bai Wutong was held in Chu Tianbao¡¯s arms. She reached out and thought to herself, ¡°It¡¯s the first snow of the year.¡± Chu Tianbao thought of a drama he had watched and blurted out, ¡°The first snow and fried chicken and beer are the best match.¡± Bai Wutong smiled. ¡°Then let¡¯s eat fried chicken and drink beer tonight and watch a short movie?¡± Chu Tianbao looked happy. ¡°Okay, should we make it ourselves or get someone to make it?¡± Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao usually cooked themselves, apart from when they were too busy and would instruct the kitchen to prepare. When they cooked together, the couple¡¯s relationship would be well maintained. Bai Wutong had finished her work for the day. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s make it ourselves.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Chu Tianbao continued, ¡°Don¡¯t let Tuantuan see it.¡± Tuantuan and Yuanyuan were running very fast now. Moreover, they would bite anything they saw. Their stomach were still very weak now. Bai Wutong did not allow them to eat the fried chicken that was very oily. However, Tuantuan was a foodie. When no one was paying attention, she stuffed it into her mouth in a flash. Her parents didn¡¯t even have time to pick it out. Bai Wutong¡¯s eyes curved. ¡°Then we have to be wary of her.¡± They prepared a plate of original flavoured fried chicken, a plate of fried chicken with soy sauce, a plate of spicy fried chicken, a plate of snowflake fried chicken, and cheese fries and fried chicken buns on the table. Together with the bubbling beer, it looked extremely appetizing. Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao sat on the sofa and turned on the tablet. The snow outside was getting heavier and heavier. It gradually piled up on the ground and wrapped to form a beautiful silver outfit. Through the glass, Zeng Sanshui stepped on the warm ground and said excitedly, ¡°The second floor is even heated.. These people are really good at enjoying themselves!¡± Chapter 556 - Chapter 556: The Last Time Chapter 556: The Last Time Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Zeng Sanshui lay on the comfortable sofa and thought about returning to the Ling Kingdom the day after tomorrow. He had only been in Ling Kingdom for a few months, but he actually felt a little reluctant. He felt for a piece of chocolate and put it in his mouth. It was not surprising that he was reluctant. After all, life in the Carefree Kingdom was too comfortable. The private car factory founded by Yu Suisheng had successfully produced three Beetle cars. Zeng Sanshui wanted to buy it, but he was rejected because he did not have money in his pocket and was not from Carefree Kingdom. He also understood that with such high-end technology, it would be a huge loss to them if he brought the car back and it was made. Since he couldn¡¯t buy a car, he had to hurry up and buy more things. He had to buy the medicine that his mother needed to take, as well as glass, pearl, clothes, rouge, and makeup that the women at home liked. In any case, it was not expensive. His eldest son and youngest son were a little short-sighted, so he bought a few glasses. He had to buy sunglasses too. In case of a war, he could still act cool and block the sun and observe the terrain. He also had to prepare more snacks and canned food for the children. Especially the chocolates he loved. It would be best if he could get a hundred boxes. The local sports shoes and cowskin boots were comfortable and convenient. He could also buy dozens of pairs and bring them back as gifts. He did not have much knowledge, but the local education in Carefree Kingdom was still very good. He even found a few books interesting. He could buy some textbooks, magazine and novels for the children. They should like them too. There were also those convenient and useful learning tools that he could buy and stock up on. Zeng Sanshui had bought more than a dozen carts of things. After paying taxes, the total price had more than tripled. It made him afraid that if he stayed for a few more days, his assets would really be emptied by the Carefree Kingdom. However, at the thought that he might not be able to eat or use the things on the way back to the country in the future, he steeled his heart and kept buying. It took them a full month and a half to set off from Carefree City and return to the border. When they returned to the Ling Kingdom¡¯s Imperial City, if it was fast, it would take four to five months. If it was slow, it would take at least half a year. Zeng Sanshui was envious again. He had heard that they were going to build some trams on the wide road in the Ling Kingdom. The originally half-month journey would be covered in less than a day. If he had first arrived, he would have found it unbelievable. However, after seeing the cars, cruise ships, phones, and refrigerators made by the research institute¡­ Not only did he believe it, but he was also looking forward to it. Zeng Sanshui and Qu Yuanxian staggered back to the country. Chu Mingxuan had been under house arrest in the temple for almost a year. For the past year or so, he had lived an isolated life. Fie had three meals a day and only vegetables. There was no meat or fish at all. He did not know when such bitter days would end. Finally, it was almost Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s birthday banquet. The ministers felt that Chu Mingxuan could not be missing, so they asked Emperor Ling Hui to release him. Chief Zhang, who knew some inside information, felt that Emperor Ling Hui would definitely not let him go easily. However, when someone asked for a decree, Emperor Ling Hui immediately got someone to release Chu Mingxuan. It made people think that Emperor Ling Hui had not let Chu Mingxuan go because he was actually waiting for a way out. When Chu Mingxuan saw the people from the palace, his ecstatic expression was filled with ruthless determination. He could not wait for Bai Shining to poison Chu Tianbao¡¯s family to death. As long as Emperor Ling Hui died, he would be the legitimate heir. He found Quan Jiuzhou and knelt in front of him.. He hid the maliciousness in his eyes and begged, ¡°Uncle, help me one last time!¡± Chapter 557 - Chapter 557: Your Death Is Not Far Away Chapter 557: Your Death Is Not Far Away Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The thin Chu Mingxuan appeared in the hall. The ministers greeted him, but they were wondering if Chu Mingxuan was seriously ill. Why did it look like he only had bones left? Emperor Ling Hui already had only a few children, so his position was in danger. Emperor Ling Hui did not have a brother clan yet. Even if he wanted to choose an inheritor from the collateral relatives, there was nothing he could do. ¡°The emperor has arrived¡ª¡± The eunuch¡¯s sharp voice sounded. Everyone gathered their thoughts and quickly knelt down. ¡°Long live the emperor!¡± Emperor Ling Hui was dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe. The dignified and domineering handsome face of a mature man formed a sharp contrast with Chu Mingxuan. Emperor Ling Hui sat at the head of the table. He was clearly the emperor, but there was no one beside him. Even Noble Consort Ling, whom he doted on the most in the past, did not appear. This inevitably made people suspect that the rumor that Noble Consort Ling had escaped from the palace and eloped with someone was true. While everyone was having different thoughts, Chu Mingxuan stood up gracefully and raised his wine glass. ¡°I wish Father a long life and peace every day in the year.¡± Emperor Ling Hui raised his wine glass and glanced at Eunuch Li, who was pouring the wine. He laughed. ¡°What a good saying. There¡¯s always this day every year.¡± When he met Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s unfathomable eyes, Chu Mingxuan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Could it be that he had been discovered? Emperor Ling Hui instantly finished the wine in one gulp before Chu Mingxuan could be relieved. In a while, Emperor Ling Hui would die and he would be the emperor. Chu Mingxuan could not help but be happy. Unexpectedly, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his stomach. His face was pale, but he saw Quan Jiuzhou smiling at him. Chu Mingxuan widened his eyes in disbelief. How could this be!? ¡°Clang¡ª¡± Emperor Ling Hui held his stomach and shouted, ¡°Assassins!¡± The delicacies on the table were also swept to the ground. Everyone was flustered and hurriedly shouted for the imperial physician. At the same time, guards rushed over from all directions. Everyone was on guard. When they saw that Ming Xuan¡¯s face was even paler than Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s, they could not help but feel afraid. The emperor and the only legitimate heir were dead, so who would inherit the throne? The intense pain gradually spread to his limbs and bones. Chu Mingxuan did not want to die. He used all his strength to grab Quan Jiuzhou¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Save me! Uncle!¡± Quan Jiuzhou¡¯s usually indifferent gaze revealed a strong maliciousness. ¡°Everyone from your Chu family deserves to die!¡± Chu Mingxuan widened his eyes in disbelief. In his fear, he shouted, ¡°Why?!¡± Everyone¡¯s attention instantly shifted to Quan Jiuzhou. Quan Jiuzhou was probably already prepared to die. He was as proud as a pine tree on a cliff as he said coldly, ¡°Because you¡¯re an idiot!¡± ¡°You are trying to kill your father and brother. But you are brainless and has embarrassed our Quan family. No wonder Emperor Ling Hui wants Gu Junyan to inherit the throne.¡± As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the hall was shocked. What was Quan Jiuzhou saying? Emperor Ling Hui wanted Gu Junyan to inherit the throne? Wasn¡¯t he Gu Chilie¡¯s son? Besides, wasn¡¯t he dead? Everyone was puzzled when they heard Chu Mingxuan roar like a trapped beast, ¡°Who do you think you are? You¡¯re just a cripple who¡¯s taking advantage of others!¡± Quan Jiuzhou¡¯s face turned cold. He suddenly coughed twice, as if to confirm Chu Mingxuan¡¯s words. ¡°Heh.¡± Before he could finish his sentence, the Cloud Piercing Arrow shot straight into Quan Jiuzhou¡¯s chest. He looked down. There was no anger or curse.. Instead, he smiled mysteriously and said to Emperor Ling Hui, who had sat up in the throne room,¡±¡­ Your end is not far away either¡­¡± Chapter 558 - Chapter 558: Decree for the Eastern Palace Chapter 558: Decree for the Eastern Palace Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Quan Jiuzhou fell heavily. Chu Mingxuan held his stomach, the veins on his forehead bulging. Perhaps because he knew that he was about to die, he suddenly became bolder. He pointed at Emperor Ling Hui and called him by his name. ¡°Chu Shixiong, you¡¯re an ungrateful dog. You¡¯ve wasted my mother¡¯s life and my grandfather and the others¡¯ efforts to help you, but you¡¯ve humiliated us to this extent!¡± The ministers were so frightened that they wished their ears had never grown out. Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s sharp eyebrows raised slightly, and his cold aura suddenly erupted. ¡°Humiliate? You still have the shame to mention this in front of me!¡± ¡°If I hadn¡¯t been prepared, 1 would have been killed by your Quan family!¡± Chu Mingxuan roared ferociously, ¡°I¡¯m your son. Why should you look at him differently? Since I was young, how am 1 inferior to him?¡± Chu Shixiong suddenly chuckled and knocked over the table, scaring the minister so much that he fell to the ground. ¡°Because you have a mother who gave me poison to become infertile!¡± ¡°Your Quan family is overly ambitious. You only have yourself to blame!¡± Chu Mingxuan suddenly widened his eyes in disbelief. How did Chu Shixiong know? Chu Shixiong had clearly taken this medicine for many years. Moreover, this medicine would not be easily detected. It would only make people think that Chu Shixiong had a problem. He wanted to ask Chu Shixiong when he found out, or if he had known from the beginning, and all these years, he had been pretending to be nice to him. The effects of the poison swept through his body again. He opened his mouth, but all he spat out was thick blood. When the court officials saw Chu Mingxuan¡¯s expression just now, they knew that he knew that Chu Shixiong had taken the infertility posion. No wonder Chu Shixiong was in his prime years but could not bear any child. It turned out that Quan Qiaohong had fed him infertility poison. Quan Qiaohong was really ruthless! She directly eliminated the threat from the root. However, they missed Chu Tianbao. It was unknown what Chu Shixiong had arranged for a prince to become Gu Chilie¡¯s child. His child had experienced many battles, the emperor was really willing to nurture him. When the ministers thought of this, they suddenly understood. Chu Mingxuan had been abandoned by Emperor Ling Hui from the beginning. Chu Tianbao was the heir he had painstakingly nurtured. Suddenly, Quan Qiaorong¡¯s crazy shout came from outside. ¡°Chu Shixiong! I¡¯m going to kill you! I¡¯m going to kill you!¡± The minister secretly glanced at Chu Shixiong¡¯s expression. Chu Shixiong raised his hand high and asked someone to bring Quan Qiaorong in. The once high and mighty Consort Chu had messy hair. When she saw Chu Mingxuan lying on the ground, she screamed miserably and rushed towards Chu Shixiong without care. ¡°I want to kill you!¡± ¡°Whoosh ~¡± Before Quan Qiaorong could approach Chu Shixiong, an arrow pierced through her chest. She looked at Chu Shixiong fiercely. After she fell to the ground, she said with all her might, ¡°I regret marrying you the most in my life!¡± Quan Qiaorong lowered her head weakly. Her slightly parted lips seemed unable to take her last breath. A strong coldness flashed across Chu Shixiong¡¯s eyes. If she hadn¡¯t insisted on marrying him back then, he wouldn¡¯t have separated from his wife! Chu Shixiong hated her as much as Quan Qiaorong hated him. The banquet ended in a rebellion. While the ministers were feeling uneasy, Chu Shixiong smiled as if nothing had happened. ¡°My son was continuously assassinated back then. For his safety, I handed him over to General Gu to raise as an adopted son. Now that he has grown up, it¡¯s time for him to reveal his identity to the world.¡± Prime Minister Yu was extremely tactful and immediately knelt down. ¡°The Eldest Prince is a genius and has made many extraordinary contributions. The people favor him.. Please issue a decree for the Eastern Palace!¡± Chapter 559 - Chapter 559: Poisoned Chapter 559: Poisoned Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Emperor Ling Hui glanced at Prime Minister Yu and smiled. The officials immediately knelt down and shouted in unison, ¡°We agree!¡± Emperor Ling Hui nodded in satisfaction, and his sharp eyes softened. ¡°A country can¡¯t be without a ruler for a day. I¡¯m old, and it¡¯s time to prepare for my funeral. I¡¯ve let the mother and son down, and it¡¯s time to compensate them.¡± Prime Minister Yu was smart and immediately guessed that Chu Tianbao¡¯s biological mother was Noble Consort Ling. He hurriedly said, ¡°Noble Consort Ling is virtuous, dignified, and magnanimous. She has a good upbringing and has the demeanor of a mother of the country.¡± These words caused the smile on Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s face to widen. Back then, the Quan family had threatened the lives of the mother and son. He could only beat them at their own game and use the power of the Quan family to occupy the country and surpass everyone, giving the mother and son the best protection. Although the process was complicated and difficult, he still succeeded in the end. Whether history scolded him for being heartless or for being ungrateful, as long as no one dared to bully them in the future, all of this was worth it. Emperor Ling Hui waved his hand and immediately issued an imperial edict. The imperial edict was issued, but no one was there to receive it. The courtiers wanted to ask, but they did not want to provoke Emperor Ling Hui when he was happy. After the banquet ended, Prime Minister Yu quietly went to ask Commander Zhang. ¡°The Crown Prince¡¯s safety concerns the entire country. Commander Zhang, do you know anything?¡± Previously, Commander Zhang had been busy searching for people in the Imperial City and the rumors that the Empress had been kidnapped made Prime Minister Yu feel that he knew a little. Commander Zhang did know a lot, but it was still unknown if the Crown Prince could return! He had already married into the Carefree Kingdom! Even the Empress had run away. He had even given birth to two children with the Carefree Kingdom¡¯s Great Empress, so the chances of them returning were even lower. However, it was not necessarily the case. Who could give it up? The entire Ling Kingdom. Moreover, Chu Tianbao was the only heir. Commander Zhang had all kinds of thoughts, but he did not give a single useful word to Prime Minister Yu. They could only secretly pay attention to the movements of the southern frontier. Gu Chilie was in the southern frontier and was the crown prince¡¯s adoptive father. It was very likely that he was in the southern frontier now! When Emperor Ling Hui returned to the bedroom, the lively atmosphere was replaced by silence. Sitting on the dragon bed, he suddenly felt lonely. He had been busy for half his life but had nothing. He sighed deeply and took out the jade pendant in his arms to look at it. He called out affectionately, ¡°Lanshu, how can you forgive me and return to my side.¡± There was no response from the empty palace. Emperor Ling Hui sighed again and wondered if he should wait for Qu Yuanxian and the others to return before making a trip to the Carefree Kingdom. With that kid¡¯s temper, if he didn¡¯t go personally, he probably wouldn¡¯t be willing to see him again for the rest of his life. As Emperor Ling Hui was thinking, he suddenly felt a burning pain all over his body. Suddenly, he recalled Quan Jiuzhou¡¯s words before he died and immediately summoned Imperial Physician Lin. He could not die now. Even if he died, he had to see Lanshu one last time before he died and hand this empire to Chu Tianbao so that they would not have anything to worry about. When Imperial Physician Lin rushed over, Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s entire body was already greenish-purple, and his eyes were gray. One could tell at a glance that he had been poisoned. Imperial Physician Lin was shocked and immediately went forward to take Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s pulse. Emperor Ling Hui asked, ¡°What poison is it? Can it be cured?¡± Imperial Physician Lin¡¯s medical skills were very good. Without waiting for a reply, he immediately took out silver needles and sealed all of Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s acupoints before saying, ¡°I¡¯m incompetent and don¡¯t know yet. I can only stop the poison from spreading for the time being..¡± Chapter 560 - Chapter 560: Like a Bodyguard Chapter 560: Like a Bodyguard Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Imperial Physician Lin checked the source of the poison. The dragon robe that Emperor Ling Hui had taken off quickly revealed the poison in the golden threads. It was fine to have short-term contact with this poison. After a long time, it would slowly invade the human body¡¯s internal organs. Apart from Emperor Ling Hui, who would dare to touch the dragon robe? Everyone was fine, so how could they realize that the dragon robe had been poisoned? Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s face darkened. He ordered someone to burn the dragon robe before asking, ¡°How long can I live?¡± Imperial Physician Lin did not expect Emperor Ling Hui to ask such a question. He trembled and did not dare to answer. Emperor Ling Hui glared at him and immediately said, ¡°Your Majesty, about three months, but I will definitely do my best to develop an antidote.¡± When Imperial Physician Lin said this, he was already determined to die. Unexpectedly, Emperor Ling Hui did not punish him. Instead, he said, ¡°If we find Divine Doctor Gu, he should be able to concoct an antidote, right?¡± He remembered that Qu Yuanxian¡¯s Madam had said that Gu Zhongxun and his disciple were going to the southern frontier. Imperial Physician Lin¡¯s eyes lit up and he said excitedly, ¡°Divine Doctor Gu¡¯s medical skills are brilliant. Perhaps there¡¯s a way!¡± If he could find Divine Doctor Gu, he would also want to learn from Gu Zhongxun. Emperor Ling Hui suddenly quietened down. After looking out of the window for a moment, he suddenly made a decision. There were only three months left. It would take three months to reach the southern frontier. He could not wait for Qu Yuanxian to return. He had to set off now. Emperor Ling Hui looked at Imperial Physician Lin. ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone about what happened today! Pack your things and set off with me immediately.¡± Imperial Physician Lin was stunned. Set off? Could it be that he was going to look for Divine Doctor Gu? Imperial Physician Lin¡¯s eyes immediately lit up as he nodded crazily. He went to pack his things, and Emperor Ling Hui ordered someone to find Prime Minister Yu. When Prime Minister Yu saw Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s expression, he was shocked. ¡°Your Majesty, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Emperor Ling Hui did not explain much. ¡°I¡¯m going to bring my son and wife back. For any important matter in the court, send an urgent message to me in southern frontier.¡± Prime Minister Yu¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°The emperor is going to the southern frontier?¡± His guess was right. Chu Tianbao was in the southern frontier. Emperor Ling Hui nodded. ¡°If I don¡¯t come back, Nine Heavens will send my will back.¡± Prime Minister Yu understood Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s intentions and nodded in agreement with red eyes. Commander Zhang quickly prepared the carriage. Emperor Ling Hui was carried into a carriage and drove out of the capital overnight. After driving for about half a month, they encountered Qu Yuanxian¡¯s team returning to the capital. When the team was stopped, Zeng Sanshui looked displeased. When he saw Nine Heavens and Commander Zhang, Zeng Sanshui¡¯s expression immediately changed drastically. Could it be that Emperor Ling Hui had personally arrived? When he entered the carriage and saw the ¡°Master¡± clearly, he immediately knelt down and paid his respects. ¡°Long live the emperor!¡± Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s dark purple expression shocked him even more. Emperor Ling Hui asked him to get up and asked, ¡°Did you see the Crown Prince and the Empress?¡± Zeng Sanshui was stunned for a moment. What Crown Prince and Empress? There was only Chu Tianbao and Noble Consort Ling! In the blink of an eye, he understood and hurriedly said, ¡°The Crown Prince and the Empress are fine. Don¡¯t worry, Your Majesty.¡± Emperor Ling Hui smiled. He did not want to be a dignified emperor at all. He was like a husband who doted on his wife and child. ¡°Where are my grandchildren?¡± ¡°The little prince and the little princess are both very smart and well-liked by everyone.¡± He only took a look from afar and could not approach at all. In the end, Emperor Ling Hui stood up and asked Zhao Yunning, ¡°Where¡¯s the Carefree Kingdom¡¯s Great Empress?¡± Zeng Sanshui thought for a moment. This must be because the father-in-law wanted to ask if his daughter-in-law was virtuous and if she had given Chu Tianbao a hard time. He hurriedly said, ¡°The Carefree Kingdom¡¯s Great Empress and our crown prince are especially in love. They are inseparable wherever they go.¡± Emperor Ling Hui imagined it and frowned slightly.. Why did he feel that his son was like a bodyguard? Chapter 561 - Chapter 561: The Charm of Chocolate Chapter 561: The Charm of Chocolate Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Beep, beep, beep ~ Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s gaze landed on Zeng Sanshui¡¯s wrist and he discovered something strange. ¡°What is this?¡± Zeng Sanshui immediately became interested and introduced excitedly, ¡°Your Majesty, this is a watch. It¡¯s used to check the time!¡± ¡°Time?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the time. There¡¯s machinery in them that¡¯s fully automatic. It¡¯ll remind you when a specific time is up.¡± Emperor Ling Hui became interested and ordered Zeng Sanshui to take off his watch for him to see. This fully automatic mechanical watch was not available on the market in Carefree Kingdom. He was the one who shamelessly asked Village Chief Zhao¡¯s eldest son, Zhao Sheng, for it. He had carefully protected it along the way. When he handed it to Emperor Ling Hui, Zeng Sanshui looked extremely pained. Emperor Ling Hui chuckled and took the watch. He wanted to turn it. Zeng Sanshui¡¯s heart was in his throat as he hurriedly said, ¡°Your Majesty, you can¡¯t touch it casually. There¡¯s no watch repairer in our country. If it¡¯s broken, it would become useless. Just take a look. I¡¯ll teach you how to read the time.¡± Emperor Ling Hui raised his eyebrows. ¡°Is it that complicated? There are so few people in Carefree Kingdom and so many of us. Aren¡¯t we afraid that we won¡¯t be able to find a craftsman who can repair it?¡± Zeng Sanshui subconsciously looked at him. ¡°The watch is exquisite. Even in the Carefree Kingdom¡¯s National Research Institute, only a few people have mastered this technology.¡± His abnormally respectful attitude towards the Carefree Kingdom made Emperor Ling Hui ask, ¡°What is a scientific research institute?¡± Zeng Sanshui was stunned and said carefully, ¡°The scientific research institute is a place specializing in research and development of technology in the Carefree Kingdom. There are many outstanding talents in all fields gathered together to develop all kinds of technological products.¡± ¡°Technological product?¡± Emperor Ling Hui looked at the sneakers at Zeng Sanshui¡¯s feet and asked curiously, ¡°Is this also a technological product?¡± Zeng Sanshui chuckled. ¡°This isn¡¯t a technological item. This is a pair of sneakers. They¡¯re especially comfortable and light when walking. They¡¯re also smell-proof. Although it¡¯s not a technological item, it¡¯s specially developed in Carefree Kingdom. The salesperson said that it¡¯s made of rubber, like the rubber on the tires of cars.¡± Emperor Ling Hui did not understand a few phrases. ¡°Car? Tire?¡± Did Zeng Sanshui go to the Carefree Kingdom or another world? Zeng Sanshui hurriedly explained, ¡°Cars are the most advanced technology in Carefree Kingdom. They can make iron-skinned machines move easily without relying on livestock!!! Their speed far exceeds that of carriages. When the Great Empress of Carefree Kingdom goes out, she always takes that thing. There¡¯s a leather sofa inside. I¡¯ve tried sitting on it once and it¡¯s especially stable. There are also red, blue, and black cars. 1 want to buy one for you, but they won¡¯t sell it!¡± ¡°The tires are also the wheels of a car. The outer ring is made of rubber, so it has elasticity and extremely strong gravity bearing.¡± When Emperor Ling Hui heard this, he felt that it was a fantasy. He was about to continue asking when the poison acted up in his body again. Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s entire body was visibly purple. Zeng Sanshui was frightened and hurriedly called for a doctor. Doctor Lin was always around. When he heard someone shout, he immediately entered the carriage and quickly administered acupuncture and medicine to Emperor Ling Hui. When Emperor Ling Hui woke up again, he was extremely tired. It was difficult for him to speak. The team did not delay any longer and quickly headed to the southern frontier. Zeng Sanshui and Qu Yuanxian had yet to return to the capital when they followed them back again. On the way, Zeng Sanshui secretly ate chocolate and was caught by Emperor Ling Hui. It was difficult for him to speak, so he gestured with his eyes to give him one. Chocolate was a snack for everyone in Carefree Kingdom. It was purchased at limited quantity every time. Zeng Sanshui had just left the southern frontier and did not have much left. It was fine if Emperor Ling Hui ate one, but he became addicted to it. Whenever the poison acted up, he would ask him to take out chocolate.. Chapter 562 - Chapter 562: Chasing Emperor Linghui Away Chapter 562: Chasing Emperor Linghui Away Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The closer they got to the southern frontier, the weaker Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s body became. Zeng Sanshui no longer felt heartache over the chocolate. All of it entered his mouth to reduce the pain when the poison acted up. After Imperial Physician Lin took Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s pulse again, he revealed a heavy expression. Emperor Ling Hui asked everyone to leave and asked him, ¡°How long can I last?¡± Imperial Physician Lin sighed. ¡°If it¡¯s good, you can live more than half a month.¡± If it was not good, Emperor Ling Hui would not be able to survive seven days. Emperor Ling Hui understood and lifted the curtain with difficulty to take a look. The snow that filled the sky fluttered as if foreshadowing his bleak end. When Commander Zhang saw Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s thin face, he was anxious. ¡°Your Majesty, we¡¯ll reach the border of Carefree Kingdom in two days!¡± Zeng Sanshui also came over and said, ¡°The border defense base of the Carefree Kingdom should have already connected the phone lines. As long as they make a call and the Great Empress of the Carefree Kingdom receives the news, she can get someone to drive Divine Doctor Gu over.¡± Emperor Ling Hui nodded with a pale face, but he thought that even if he could not see the mother and son before he died, it would be good to hear their voices. The carriage moved quickly and soon arrived at the border of the southern frontier. Just as Lu Ye was about to rest, he heard someone say, ¡°General Lu, General Zeng from Ling Kingdom requests an audience!¡± Lu Ye suddenly frowned. It had only been a few months since he was sent away. Why was he back? He quickly put on his clothes and rode his horse. After a while, they saw a huge team under the border lights. Lu Ye suddenly became vigilant. He picked up the loudspeaker and asked from afar, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, General Zeng?¡± Even if he was sent to the country once a year as an envoy, it had not even been a year. Zeng Sanshui also picked up the loudspeaker and said, ¡°Brother, I have something urgent to discuss with you. Please allow me to come over!¡± Zeng Sanshui approached alone so they were not afraid that he would play any tricks. Lu Ye picked up the loudspeaker and shouted again, ¡°Then come over.¡± After a while, Zeng Sanshui came over. When he saw Lu Ye, he immediately pulled him over and whispered, ¡°Our emperor is here.¡± Lu Ye¡¯s eyes widened as he asked in disbelief, ¡°What is he doing here?¡± The world had only stabilized for a short while. How did Emperor Ling Hui dare to come to the border of their Carefree Kingdom? Wasn¡¯t he afraid of being chopped up? Thinking of the rumors that Chu Tianbao¡¯s mother was Noble Consort Ling, Lu Ye was even more shocked. Could Chu Tianbao really be Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s son? Zeng Sanshui¡¯s words confirmed his guess. ¡°Our emperor came to the Carefree Kingdom to pick up the Empress and the Crown Prince. Secondly, he asked the Great Empress of the Carefree Kingdom to send Divine Doctor Gu to help him treat his poison.¡± At this moment, Emperor Ling Hui was about to die. There was no need to hide his motive. Lu Ye¡¯s eyes widened even more. For a moment, his brain did not react. Zeng Sanshui emphasized again, ¡°This matter is urgent. General Lu, please quickly call Divine Doctor Gu over!¡± Lu Ye finally came back to his senses. After carefully confirming Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s current situation, he said, ¡°Wait for me first. I¡¯ll make a call now!¡± Regardless of whether Emperor Ling Hui was related to Chu Tianbao or not, if the emperor of Ling Kingdom suddenly died, this would be a huge matter. When Lu Ye returned to the border base, he quickly called the Great Empress¡¯s residence. There was someone from the Great Empress¡¯s residence who would answer the call. If it was not an important call, they would not let it disturb Bai Wutong¡¯s rest. The call continued for so long. Bai Wutong was the first to be woken up. She sat up in Chu Tianbao¡¯s arms, still a little confused. What could happen in the Carefree Kingdom now that she needed to get up in the middle of the night to make a decision? Bai Wutong came to the study and connected to Lu Ye. After listening for a while, her expression darkened. Chu Tianbao pinched her palm. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Bai Wutong hung up and was silent for a moment before saying, ¡°Emperor Ling Hui has arrived at the border. He¡¯s been poisoned and wants Doctor Gu to rush over to treat his poison. Otherwise, he won¡¯t live for more than half a month.¡± Chu Tianbao hated Emperor Ling Hui and would never forgive him in this life. However, Emperor Ling Hui had already announced Chu Tianbao¡¯s identity to the world and even personally conferred the position of Crown Prince. If something happened to Emperor Ling Hui, with Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s character, he would definitely announce to the world that Chu Tianbao would inherit the throne. The Ling Kingdom was such a huge mess, but Chu Tianbao had to bear the burden of managing it. If they did not do anything, it would be easier for other trouble to happen. It was not easy for the commoners to settle down, and it was very likely that they would become a bargaining chip for someone to rule the world again. It might even affect their Carefree Kingdom. Most importantly, Bai Wutong wanted to know Chu Tianbao¡¯s attitude towards Emperor Ling Hui. If he didn¡¯t want to save him, she wouldn¡¯t. If he did not want to be the emperor of Ling Kingdom, no one could force him. Chu Tianbao¡¯s expression was heavy. After a while, he said, ¡°Let Doctor Gu go, as long as he doesn¡¯t appear in front of Mother.¡± It was not easy for You Lanshu to walk out of the past and have her own life. Bai Wutong did not want her to be disturbed again. Bai Wutong nodded and immediately called back, telling Lu Ye to send Gu Zhongxun there. At the same time, she sent Qingfeng to monitor Emperor Ling Hui. After receiving the notice, Lu Ye let Emperor Ling Hui enter the country. He had originally wanted to bring Emperor Ling Hui to the base. After knowing that Emperor Ling Hui might die at any moment, in order to obtain Gu Zhongxun¡¯s treatment as soon as possible, he could only continue forward. After three days, when it was difficult for Emperor Ling Hui to even eat, they finally met up at the hotel in the Dark Dragon Mountain Range. When Imperial Physician Lin saw the legendary Divine Doctor Gu, he was very excited and hurriedly told him about Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s situation. After Gu Zhongxun examined Emperor Ling Hui, he praised him, ¡°You controlled the poison in time. He can still be saved.¡± Imperial Physician Lin was too happy to be acknowledged by the divine doctor. Realizing that Gu Zhongxun had no intention of chasing him out, he shamelessly watched him treat Emperor Ling Hui. Gu Zhongxun performed three operations on Emperor Ling Hui in a row. After various infusion tests and treatments, his condition finally improved. However, he was still very weak and needed to recuperate for a while. Qingfeng asked every day, ¡°He won¡¯t die, right?¡± Gu Zhongxun finally answered, ¡°There¡¯s basically no danger to his life.¡± In that case, Qingfeng could be at ease to issue the expulsion order. Zeng Sanshui was very angry when he received Qingfeng¡¯s message. He had even bought a new hairdryer! ¡°Your Carefree Kingdom¡¯s hospitality is too poor! How can you chase someone away as soon as they arrive!¡± Qingfeng had been guarding here for almost two months. What did he mean by just arriving? She raised her eyelids and looked at Zeng Sanshui coldly. ¡°Leave quickly tomorrow. Otherwise, I¡¯ll personally send you off.¡± Zeng Sanshui was exasperated. ¡°We still have to bring the Crown Prince and the Empress back!¡± These words were like stepping on thunder. Qingfeng pulled out her sword and pressed it against Zeng Sanshui¡¯s head. ¡°If you want to die, try it.¡± Zeng Sanshui¡¯s neck hurt. He must have bled from the cut. Chu Tianbao was really heartless. It was his biological father but he chased him away just like that. To think that before Emperor Ling Hui died, he even instructed him to help Chu Tianbao ascend the throne. If he was unwilling to return to the Imperial City, he would let the Carefree Kingdom integrate into the Ling Kingdom and move the Imperial City over.. Chapter 563 - Chapter 563: The End Chapter 563: The End Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Emperor Ling Hui heard their argument from inside and smiled bitterly. The fact that the mother and son were willing to save him proved that they still had him in their hearts, but they still could not forgive him. Zeng Sanshui straightened his neck and retorted to Qingfeng, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m afraid of you!¡± Just as Qingfeng was about to forcefully send them back, Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s desolate voice came from the room. ¡°I want to say a word to Lanshu.¡± The emperor said in a begging tone. Zeng Sanshui was almost touched. However, Qingfeng was not moved at all. She only said, ¡°No!¡± Emperor Ling Hui lowered his eyes in disappointment and finally set off for the Ling Kingdom. After all, under the powerful force of the Carefree Kingdom, they had no choice but to leave. As soon as they left the border, Emperor Ling Hui ordered Commander Zhang to move the Imperial City over. As soon as he said this, Zeng Sanshui widened his eyes in confusion. Which country¡¯s imperial city would just be beside another country¡¯s? Moreover, the Carefree Kingdom still had such powerful weapons. Even if they did not cross the border, they could blow up the Imperial City in a few moves. Zeng Sanshui even suspected that Emperor Linghui¡¯s brain had become damaged from the treatment. The empire that he had worked so hard to build for Chu Tianbao and You Lanshu had been sent over to his daughter-in-law like this. However, on second thought, Zeng Sanshui became happy again. Wasn¡¯t the child of the Great Empress the child of the Ling Kingdom¡¯s royal family? Even if there were two countries now, they would definitely be the same country in the future. The Imperial City was close, so it was convenient to buy chocolate. Economic development was also at a closer location. The tram from Carefree Kingdom to Baye was connected. The journey took less than a day, and he could still often go to Carefree City to play. Even if he couldn¡¯t buy a car, he could still try it out every day. Zeng Sanshui¡¯s disapproving expression immediately turned into positive approval. He even comforted Emperor Ling Hui that in a few days, Chu Tianbao would understand how difficult it had been for him back then and bring the Empress back to his side. This was Emperor Ling Hui¡¯s plan. He would give all kinds of benefits to the Carefree Kingdom. He did not believe that he would not be able to move the mother and son in the remaining decades. When Bai Wutong heard that Emperor Ling Hui had moved the capital, it did not affect her and Chu Tianbao much. In any case, as long as they could not see him, everyone was in a good mood. And his various actions to liberalize the economic cooperation between the two countries were all quite good. When Bai Wutong encouraged the two countries to build relations, the citizens of the Carefree Kingdom would also know that Chu Tianbao was the Crown Prince of the Ling Kingdom, and You Lanshu was the Empress of the Ling Kingdom. Apart from being surprised, they would be even more relieved to go to the Ling Kingdom to do business and return to their hometown to pay their respects. Emperor Ling Hui could not enter the Carefree Kingdom, but he did not stay idle every day. He got someone to send all the items to the Great Empress¡¯ residence and created an image that he was waiting affectionately for You Lanshu to change her mind. It was almost summer, and he mailed Tuantuan and Yuanyuan a large box of gorgeous new clothes and jewelry. Bai Wutong had asked You Lanshu for her opinion. The grudges of the previous generation should not implicate the next generation. After all, Emperor Ling Hui was their biological grandfather. Therefore, they showed Tuantuan and Yuanyuan everything that Emperor Ling Hui had sent before sending it into the storeroom. Tuantuan had a lively personality. She stuffed herself into these small clothes and groveled around, she quite liked it. Yuanyuan sat calmly at the side and played with Xiaobai¡¯s big tail. Bai Wutong looked at them and smiled. She asked Chu Tianbao, ¡°When the children grow up in the future, will you let them see him?¡± The Carefree Kingdom was really not big. The children might not want to be restricted to this world when they grew up. Chu Tianbao said, ¡°When they are older, why should we care so much?¡± Bai Wutong nodded. That¡¯s right. When the time came, she might not be able to control it. Then let nature take its course.. Chapter 564 - Chapter 564: Side Story Chapter 564: Side Story Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios In the year 678 of the apocalypse, a small number of humans awakened their superpowers. Most people had the same ability. For example, they could control fire out of thin air, or they could stimulate plants to grow quickly. And 1 have five. 1 can control wind, water, fire, and teleport. I can even control everything from afar. However, my descent was not a coincidence. It was the result of genetic research by scientists. The goal was to protect the only remaining human security base in the world. My existence can resist powerful zombies and mutated animals. 1 can adapt to the rapidly changing environment. I was worshipped as a god by the human base and forced to fight for them forever. 1 did a good job until irreversible destruction suddenly descended and 1 died. When I opened my eyes again, 1 am alive. I became a small baby with a sister, a loving mother and father, a loving grandmother, a pack of wolves who were ready to pounce on me, and a lot of friendly people. This was a novel world. Because of mother, I became even more prosperous and strong. She has a spatial superpower. 1 noticed it a long time ago. She also noticed my abnormality. But she was still very, very good to me. It made me understand how blissful it was to be protected. So, in my previous life, I protected the human base. They should have had a short period of happiness, right? My sister and 1 grew up well. My grandfather, who was far away at the border, would basically send us things every year to express his longing for us. My sister had originally liked our grandfather. Later, after hearing how our grandfather had hurt our grandmother and father back then, she was very angry. She took the small whip and wanted to ask his grandfather why he had done this. She asked me if I was going. I was her brother and I had to protect her. If she was going, I naturally followed. Not only did she call me, but she also called Sheng Yunling. Seeing my sister sit in Sheng Yunling¡¯s front passenger seat, chatting and laughing, I regretted following her. A few hours later, we arrived at the border of the southern frontier. If the cars wanted to pass, they had to be checked by the border guards. She happened to meet Lan Jingbai. My sister went forward to greet him and even asked about his gossip, ¡°Uncle Jingbai, are you and Uncle Muzhi not ready to get married yet?¡± Lan Jingbai blushed and replied softly, ¡°Soon.¡± 1 saw the same helplessness on Sheng Yunling¡¯s face. My sister was relieved. Before she left, she even said that she wanted to go to the Ling Kingdom to find the most interesting gift for them. Lan Jingbai smiled and sent them away, his eyes filled with hidden joy. Actually, I didn¡¯t understand why they had been in love for so many years but had been separated for so many years just because others weren¡¯t happy about it. But everyone had a different understanding of life, didn¡¯t they? My sister quickly met our grandfather. He looked very much like his father. He was tall, dignified, and handsome, but he had an additional beard and wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. His sister confronted him aggressively to seek justice for father and grandmother. Our grandfather did not argue. Instead, he sincerely admitted his mistake and said that he would wait for our father and grandmother¡¯s forgiveness for the rest of his life. My sister was very understanding and quickly stopped being angry. Just as our mother had said, this was all a grudge from the previous generation. They didn¡¯t have to care. They just had to do as they pleased. My sister became interested in traveling the Ling Kingdom again and quickly realized that there was a huge difference between the countries. There were many people who had a difficult life and could not afford to use electricity. They had never even heard of a telephone. Our grandfather was very sneaky, and used this opportunity to deceive my kind sister to govern the Ling Kingdom and become a respected Great Empress like his mother. Dumbfounded, my sister agreed. This was because she really wanted everyone in the world to live a good life like the citizens of Carefree Kingdom. Sheng Yunling and 1 stayed with her and watched her gradually grow into a leader. Xiaobai was already 20 years old when my sister and Sheng Yunling got married. It was still beautiful. Its jewel-like eyes looked at me docilely and slowly closed again. Not long after Xiaobai passed away, Xiaolv also passed away. Our parents were very sad and personally buried Xiaobai and Xiaolv in their favorite wilderness. 1 looked at the felt wolf doll in the room. I was already missing it. After another five years of hard research, Hai Dongli finally succeeded in building the first self-driving plane. Everyone in the country cheered. History has taken us one step further. The year our grandfather passed away, the Ling Kingdom officially integrated into the Carefree Kingdom. Mother abdicated and went around travelling with Father. My sister officially ascended the throne. From time to time, I would be assigned all kinds of missions. Although I didn¡¯t want to move, of course I had to dote on my sister. That same year, Sheng Ruan and 1 got married. She was ten years younger than me. I had rejected her many times. Unfortunately, she was too cute. I finally couldn¡¯t help but want to spend the rest of my life with someone..