Chapter 402: Tastier Than Any Fruit in the Palace

Chapter 402: Tastier Than Any Fruit in the Palace

When it came to meals, if the two elders did not request separate dining, she would have no objections.

At mealtime, they could simply go to the elders' courtyard and dine together.

This arrangement of living separately was not only favored by He Ziran but also by Mo Jiuye.

Who wouldn't want a place for a couple's private world?

Especially for He Ziran, who had to enter and exit the space daily; having her own courtyard would be much more convenient.

The same went for her brothers and sisters-in-law; they all felt that their current small families were warm and comfortable.

That night was the most comfortable one since the Mo family arrived in Xiling Village.

Living in the spacious and unique courtyard, sleeping in a large bed, and most importantly, being together with the entire family without anyone missing.

The next morning, the whole family woke up early and gathered in the courtyard of the elderly couple.

On one hand, the elders had not mentioned dining separately, and on the other, they were preparing to see off Seventh Brother, who was heading to the Southern Region.

Although Seventh Brother's journey to the southern border seemed safe on the surface, He Ziran still carefully prepared many self-defense items for him.

For instance, sedatives, which could quickly resolve situations if he encountered a large number of enemies.

Additionally, the antidote pills that were essential when Mo Jiuye went to the Imperial City were also indispensable.

Furthermore, He Ziran prepared some dried meat for easy consumption during the journey.

Seventh Brother, carrying the items she had prepared, bid farewell to his family. He dared not look at his wife's reluctant eyes as he rode away.

While Seventh Brother went to the Southern Region to find his former subordinates, He Ziran did not idle.

Since she had promised that a thousand soldiers would suffice, she needed to develop gunpowder as soon as possible. Otherwise, the thousand soldiers would indeed be unable to resist the enemy army or the people sent by Emperor Shunwu, as her father-in-law worried.

Seeing her return to their courtyard after seeing off Seventh Brother, Mo Jiuye hurriedly followed.

"Ziran, are you planning to research hand grenades?"

Last night, the young couple chatted in the space, and He Ziran told Mo Jiuye about her plans.

No one understood the power of such weapons better than Mo Jiuye.

Even though his wife said that the weapon she planned to manufacture would not be as powerful as a hand grenade but could be called a bomb, it would still be an invincible existence in this era.

Mo Jiuye was more excited about this than anyone else.

After returning to their courtyard, the two entered the space.

Although He Ziran knew the ingredients needed to formulate gunpowder, to increase the success rate, she decided to seek help from the little collector.

She asked him to look up the precise formula on Duniang, so she could avoid unnecessary detours.

The little collector now responded to He Ziran's requests without hesitation, after all, she was his biggest benefactor.

Soon, he sent the accurate formula in the chat box.

He Ziran received the formula and had Mo Jiuye write it on rice paper with a brush pen to give to Fifth Younger Brother.

Among the brothers, Fifth Younger Brother was the most meticulous, and He Ziran felt most assured entrusting the task of developing gunpowder to him.

Of course, Fifth Younger Brother could not do it alone; he called upon Eldest Brother, Second Brother, and Third Brother to join him.

Fourth Brother also wanted to participate in such matters.

He always felt like a cripple since being rescued by Ninth Younger Brother.

Though he could walk a few steps with support, his legs felt weak and lacked strength.

Fortunately, his hands had recovered to about seventy or eighty percent, and he could manage tasks that did not require much effort.

Thinking of Fifth Younger Brother making weapons, even if he could not stand for long periods, he could at least do some manual work.

However, the location chosen for making gunpowder was on a mountain, to avoid harming innocent people. Additionally, He Ziran considered the high possibility of explosions during the process, which could easily damage buildings if too close to residential areas.

Because it involved going up the mountain, Fourth Brother's plan to participate was impractical. His legs were not strong enough to let his brothers carry him up and down the mountain.

Reluctantly, Fourth Brother gave up on the idea.

The brothers went into the mountains to research gunpowder, but on the first day, they were not well-prepared and returned before dark.

On the second day, they gained experience and brought plenty of food, planning to stay and continue their research on the mountain.

He Ziran and Mo Jiuye knew that it was best not to disturb them while they were researching gunpowder, so Mo Jiuye did not go up the mountain to check on them.

He had been out for over a month, and now it was already early June. The vegetables and fruits in the fields were beginning to ripen.

For example, the muskmelons. Early in the morning, Sixth Brother reported back after checking, saying that the sweet fragrance spread everywhere. He saw one that had split open and picked it to taste, describing it as sweet as honey.

Since returning from the Western Region, He Ziran had not checked the melon field.

Hearing Sixth Brother's description and calculating the planting time, the muskmelons should be ripe by now.

Mo Jiuye was busy dealing with the livestock and poultry breeding grounds recently, so He Ziran called Lan'er to accompany her to check the melon field.

Currently, the Mo family's farmland was managed by hired workers, except for the special melon fields, which were usually guarded by the dogs, and inspections were conducted by family members.

It's not that He Ziran doesn't trust the hired people; after all, muskmelons and watermelons are rare delicacies in this era, and she plans to sell them for a good price.

Though these villagers are all honest and straightforward, when it comes to food laid out before them, no one can resist the temptation to touch.

Especially with muskmelons, which aren't very large; sneaking a couple into one's bosom wouldn't be noticed by anyone.

Therefore, the melon fields are managed only by family members.

Supported by Lan'er, He Ziran walked toward the melon field, and even from a distance, a sweet fragrance wafted over.

"Ninth Lady, the last time I accompanied you here, there was no such scent!" Lan'er was clearly excited.

She had accompanied the Ninth Lady to check on the melon field many times, and she could say that she had watched these muskmelons grow from seedlings.

Moreover, she often went down to the field to weed and tend to the melons herself. With her own careful nurturing, the melon field now bore fruit, how could Lan'er not be delighted?

As they approached the melon field, the sweet aroma became even more intense.

The dogs responsible for guarding the field wagged their tails and came over to greet their owners.

He Ziran patted each of their heads before leading Lan'er into the melon field.

Looking at the quality of the muskmelons, about half of them were already ripe.

He Ziran picked one nearby and shared it with Lan'er, each taking half.

Lan'er took a bite, her eyes closing in bliss.

"Ninth Lady, the muskmelon is really sweet, better than any fruit in the palace."

The Fourth Princess treats her and Yu'er like sisters, sharing whatever delicious treats she has with them. So, Lan'er has had the privilege of tasting the finest fruits of this era.