Chapter 73

Chapter 73

Shen Song was still rattled by the mental image of a fox being skinned, when it suddenly hit him—he had a protective talisman!

"I'm not scared of ghosts and monsters. The talisman you gave me will protect me."

Xie Zhiyu frowned. "So you're saying if someone prettier comes along, you'd like them instead?"

Shen Song: ???

"I never said that!" Shen Song said quickly. "I like pretty people, but only you."

He gestured vaguely at Xie Zhiyu's face, flustered. "It's only you, because you're Xie Zhiyu, that I like. No matter how beautiful anyone else is, I wouldn't like them. Even if you weren't good-looking, I'd still like you."

Xie Zhiyu reached out, cupping Shen Song's chin with one hand, thumb and forefinger on his cheeks, pulling him closer. He leaned in and kissed him lightly on the lips.

"You gotta keep your word, got it?"

Shen Song nodded, then asked, curious, "If there really were monsters, could you take them down and skin them?"

Xie Zhiyu curled his index finger, tapped Shen Song lightly on the forehead, and laughed. "Shen Song, what's running through that head of yours?"

This was a moment for sweet nothings, yet here he was, still thinking about demons and monsters.

"I'm thinking about you," Shen Song said, eyes sparkling. "Thinking about how awesome you'd look taking down monsters."

Xie Zhiyu grabbed Shen Song's hand and pulled him onto his lap.

By the time Shen Song realized what was happening, he was already on Xie Zhiyu's lap, still clutching his book.

"Why'd you pull me over?"

Xie Zhiyu tilted his head up to look at him, ears red, unable to say he wanted to kiss him. Instead, he reached up, pressed his hand to the back of Shen Song's neck, and kissed him.

After a long while, Shen Song's book hit the floor. The air around them felt hotter and hotter.

...

On New Year's Eve, Shen Song came by in the morning. He did some martial arts practice, chatted with Xie Zhiyu, and headed home before noon.

The holiday was special, and since they weren't officially betrothed yet, it wouldn't be right for him to stay for a meal at Xie Zhiyu's.

Not long after Shen Song left, a carriage pulled up outside the Xie family's front gate. It looked low-key at first glance, but the materials were top-notch.

There were two drivers—big, sturdy guys with straight backs and stern faces.

They didn't look like your average coachmen.

The gatekeeper took the visiting card and quickly sent it in.

Before long, someone came out, walked to the carriage, and said with a cupped-fist salute, "Eunuch Fang, the master requests your presence."

The carriage door opened, and a man bent to step out, a driver reaching up to help him.

Fang Zheng wore a black cloak, held a hand warmer, and had a fur hat on with the strings tied tight, not letting in a breath of wind.

The carriage was led to the stables by Xie family servants, and the group entered the residence.

Inside the Xie family study, Fang Zheng set down his hand warmer, took off his cloak and fur hat, and was led in to see Xie Zhiyu.

Once the attendants left, Fang Zheng knelt and paid his respects to Xie Zhiyu. "This old servant, Fang Zheng, greets the young master."

Xie Zhiyu sat behind the desk, eyes on official documents. He said flatly, "Have a seat."

Only then did Fang Zheng get up. He sat in a chair nearby, a cup of hot tea on the small table beside him.

He took a sip of tea, bracing himself for what he was about to say.

"Young master, this old servant has come on the orders of the Empress Dowager and His Majesty, bringing New Year's gifts for you. The gifts are still on the way and should arrive in a few days. This old servant came ahead to deliver the most important thing—a personal letter."

Fang Zheng got up, pulled a crisp new envelope from his wide sleeve, placed it on the desk with both hands, then sat back down.

Xie Zhiyu's gaze never left his documents. He picked up his brush and jotted notes in the margins.

He said nothing. Showed no reaction at all.

Fang Zheng sensed something was off. With a kind smile, he went on, "The Empress Dowager and His Majesty learned that you wouldn't be returning to the palace for New Year's again this year. They wanted to come in person, but state affairs are numerous, and His Majesty can't easily leave the palace. The Empress Dowager planned to use a trip to the imperial retreat for a warm winter as an excuse to visit you, but just as she started packing, she caught a cold and fell ill. That plan had to be put on hold."

"The Empress Dowager and His Majesty truly miss you, young master. When this old servant left, they told me again and again to take good care of you. If you need anything, just say the word—the Empress Dowager and His Majesty will grant whatever you ask. These are their exact words, which they told me to pass on to you."

Fang Zheng spoke with great sincerity. At the end, he even raised a hand to wipe his eyes.

Xie Zhiyu finished annotating one document, set it on the pile of completed work to his left, and picked up a new one from the right to continue.

The study fell silent. Seeing Xie Zhiyu's utter lack of response, Fang Zheng's last bit of hope finally died.

He'd thought that since the young master agreed to see him, had him sit down right after kneeling, and even prepared tea to warm him, maybe his attitude had softened over these past months.

He hadn't expected it to be just as cold and unyielding as before.

This couldn't go on. Fang Zheng braced himself and said, "Young master, please say something. The Empress Dowager and His Majesty really miss you and care about you."

Xie Zhiyu's brush paused mid-stroke. He set it down, as if fed up with the noise, utterly disgusted, and demanded coldly, "Is caring for someone supposed to mean sending them to their death?"

As the chief eunuch serving the Empress Dowager, Fang Zheng knew everything.

Not only did he know—he had been part of it.

He shook his head with a helpless sigh. "Young master, this was a grudge from the previous generation. You were an innocent victim. But none of this was the Empress Dowager's intention—she was forced into it. If not for that, you would have surely died. This old servant believes that if one acts to save a life, and in doing so causes harm that even those involved never wished for, that can be forgiven, can it not?"

Xie Zhiyu said, "I would rather die myself than put anyone I care about in danger. If you believe you were forced into it, then what fault is there to forgive? If there's no fault, why should I forgive? What is there for me to forgive?"

Fang Zheng could see that Xie Zhiyu would not easily relent or acknowledge the Empress Dowager and His Majesty. He remembered the task the Empress Dowager had given him—to resolve the young master's heart. He pleaded, "Young master, at least read the Empress Dowager's letter to you."

"My family is not them. How can their letter be called a family letter? Since it's a family letter, it's not meant for my eyes. Take it away."

Xie Zhiyu's stance was resolute, without the slightest give. He wasn't joking—he truly would not touch that letter from the capital's palace.

"Young master, hear the full story first, then decide whether to read the letter." Fang Zheng had no other choice but to reveal the truth of what had happened back then. "The Empress Dowager was originally the wife of the former Prime Minister Xie. During a palace banquet, the late emperor, in his cups, encountered the Empress Dowager, who was also somewhat inebriated. The details of what happened, we do not know. All we know is that from then on, the late emperor would visit the Xie residence in plain clothes, and would often hold palace banquets inviting ministers and their families. Later, the Empress Dowager—still the wife of Prime Minister Xie at the time—became pregnant, and it was a palace physician who confirmed it.

Once the pregnancy was confirmed, the Empress Dowager was brought into the palace by Empress Dowager Xiao'an under the pretext of being cared for as a foster mother. After ten months of pregnancy, she gave birth. The Empress Dowager bore twins—you and His Majesty. You were born first, making you the elder brother. After the birth, Empress Dowager Xiao'an still did not allow the Empress Dowager—still Prime Minister Xie's wife—to leave, saying she needed to properly observe the postpartum month. But even after that month passed, she was not released from the palace until you and His Majesty turned one."

At this point, Fang Zheng looked up to gauge Xie Zhiyu's expression. Seeing nothing, he continued, "During this time, Prime Minister Xie petitioned the late emperor and Empress Dowager Xiao'an, hoping to bring his wife and children home. But he was always turned away. With no other recourse, he settled for seeing his wife and children three or four times a month. The turning point came half a year later, when you and His Majesty were about a year and a half old. Empress Dowager Xiao'an and the late emperor discovered that you and His Majesty looked nothing alike. His Majesty resembled the late emperor as a child—anyone with eyes could see the late emperor's features in His Majesty's brow and eyes. But you, young master, showed no resemblance at all. You looked only like the Empress Dowager, not at all like His Majesty."

Fang Zheng let out a long sigh. Even now, recalling those days, his heart still raced.

"This old servant was originally the lowest of the low—a sweeping eunuch in the palace. I had made a mistake and was beaten by a noble in the palace, nearly losing my life. It was the Empress Dowager who saved me, tended to my wounds, and pleaded for mercy on my behalf. Later, when I was bullied by senior eunuchs, I was fortunate enough to be rescued by her again. This time, she brought me into her personal service. From that day on, this old servant finally lived like a human being.

Young master, I tell you all this to show you that I have known the Empress Dowager for many years, and I know she has the heart of a bodhisattva. When she took me under her protection, she was six months pregnant. Because it was twins, her belly was enormous, and she could barely move. She often couldn't sleep, couldn't eat, and suffered from back pain every day—even walking was difficult. But she looked forward to your birth. Every night, she would gently stroke her belly and say she couldn't wait to meet you."

Xie Zhiyu lowered his eyes, saying nothing, his face giving nothing away.

Fang Zheng, lost in recollection, furrowed his brow. "The Empress Dowager truly cared for her children; twins should have been a joyous occasion. But there was an unwritten rule in the palace—if twins looked different from each other, it was said one was another man's child. As I mentioned earlier, you and His Majesty look completely different. His Majesty resembles both the late Emperor and the Empress Dowager, while you, young master, take after only the Empress Dowager, with no trace of the late Emperor in you. That's where the trouble began. Later, the late Emperor listened to slanderous talk claiming that your eyes and brows had Prime Minister Xie's bearing, and the more he looked, the more he convinced himself.

But back then, you were in my care, and I had seen Prime Minister Xie as well. You don't look like him at all—only like the Empress Dowager. If anything, you had a hint of Empress Dowager Xiao'an in you. She was also stunningly beautiful in her youth, and after she passed, the portrait that hung was of her younger self, as she had requested. It was then, seeing that portrait, that I realized you looked like not only the Empress Dowager but also a young Empress Dowager Xiao'an."

But by then, it was already too late.

The seed of suspicion had taken root in the late Emperor's mind, especially since he had indeed taken another man's beloved—another man's wife.

They were the rightful couple; everything they did was proper and lawful.

Even if the Empress Dowager denied it, the late Emperor wouldn't believe her.

Fang Zheng didn't say these things out loud—they were too sordid.

He only said, "The real killer came later, during the blood oath test. Your blood and the late Emperor's didn't mix, which further confirmed you weren't his child. The late Emperor meant to kill you then. It was the Empress Dowager who knelt in the snow, begging for your life. It had snowed for three straight days—the whole capital was blanketed in white. She knelt for three days and three nights, nearly dying herself, just to save your life.

After that, you were sent back to the Xie family. Prime Minister Xie refused to divorce his wife, so the late Emperor had Empress Dowager Xiao'an announce that the Empress Dowager had died of illness. A tomb was built on the outskirts of the capital, and the funeral was grand—with the late Emperor and Empress Dowager Xiao'an both attending, every big name in the capital showed up. Prime Minister Xie mourned his wife, and the next year, the late Emperor arranged a new marriage for him. That same year, a young woman from Empress Dowager Xiao'an's family was sent to the palace, and a Consort Yuan entered the imperial harem. The young emperor was placed under her care."

Consort Yuan—that was the current Empress Dowager.

"Young master, if the Empress Dowager hadn't entered the palace back then, her other child would have died too. Carrying you was hard; she couldn't lose one child and then lose the other."

Besides, if she hadn't entered the palace, her old identity no longer existed—where in the world could she have gone?

Fang Zheng had been by Lu Yuanzhi's side the whole time, knowing her situation, her struggles, and her plans.

Only by entering the palace could she get revenge.

Only with power could she see her children again.

Fang Zheng told Xie Zhiyu everything—the whole story from start to finish.

He left Xie Zhiyu time to think, then took his leave, and a servant led him to a side courtyard to rest.

Xie Zhiyu sat in his study all night.

From the end of last year until dawn of this year.

In this world, too many people are trapped by circumstances beyond their control. Ties are shackles, but they're also impenetrable armor.

Xie Zhiyu thought of Shen Song—how seeing Shen Song appear before him had given him something to hold onto, a reason to keep living.

He longed for Shen Song.

He thought about him for most of the night.

In that longing, love surged up.

Xie Zhiyu also caught a glimpse of the former Consort Yuan's suffering—her helplessness born of loving her children.

At dawn, Xie Zhiyu opened the letter from home.

It had two sheets of paper, each with just a few brief words.

The handwriting on the first sheet was delicate and light.

It read: "My son Zhiyu, at this festive time of reunion, your mother misses you dearly. My longing for you keeps me from eating and sleeping. I await your reply."

The handwriting on the second sheet was bold and strong, sharp and striking.

It read: "My brother, in past years during the festival, I would climb over the wall to sneak a peek at you. Now three years have passed since you went to Yunxi, and aside from a brief meeting months ago, I haven't been able to see you. Mother misses you, and I miss you too. Brother, I'm waiting for you to come home."

The letter was short, easy to read in a moment. Yet Xie Zhiyu read it for over an hour.

Today was New Year's Day.

Shen Song had driven his ox cart out from home early in the morning, bundled up so tightly by Liu Chunxia that only his eyes were visible.

"You silly child, insisting on going to the Xie residence in this freezing cold. If you catch a cold, you'll be miserable."

Shen Song smiled to reassure his mother, "It's fine, Mom. I'm really healthy, and you've dressed me in plenty of clothes—I'm well bundled up and won't get sick. Yesterday was New Year's Eve, and today is New Year's Day. Even though Qi Yuanjing will be there to keep Xie Zhiyu company, I want to keep him company too."

As he spoke, Shen Song lowered his eyes, regretting that he hadn't realized this sooner and gone to see Xie Zhiyu more often.

Liu Chunxia could tell why Shen Song's mood had suddenly dipped—they say when you fall in love, you start to care for someone, and that's the truth.

When they arrived at the Xie residence, the servant who opened the back door was startled to see Shen Song, not expecting him to come on this day either.

He immediately invited him inside and sent someone to feed the ox.

You An heard and hurried over, taking over from the servant to lead Shen Song to Xie Zhiyu.

The courtyard with Xie Zhiyu's study was called the Study Garden.

As they passed through the wisteria corridor, Shen Song heard someone call from behind, "You two, wait up."

Shen Song and You An turned around at the same time.

Shen Song saw a beardless man, somewhat elderly. He wore a thick cloak, a fur hat, and held a hand warmer.

The cloak was large, and only when the man walked could you faintly see the small hand warmer.

Shen Song was sure he had never seen this man before, but You An beside him nodded to the newcomer without saying much.

Fang Zheng was helped forward, and as he got closer, he could only see Shen Song's round eyes.

Meeting those clear, bright eyes, Fang Zheng nearly blurted out, "You must be Song Geer, right?"

Shen Song was surprised—he didn't know this man at all, yet the man recognized him.

He was bundled up so well, and still the man could tell who he was.

Shen Song nodded. "How do you know me? I don't know you. Can I ask your name, and what should I call you?"

Fang Zheng smiled. "You can call me Old Man Fang. I came to know of you, Song Geer, by chance. In the future, you might learn why I know you."

Shen Song was a bit confused by Fang Zheng's cryptic last remark, but he dutifully called him Old Man Fang.

Fang Zheng gestured for his attendant to stop supporting him, then walked side by side with Shen Song, slowly heading inside.

Seeing they wanted to talk, You An fell back to walk behind Shen Song.

Fang Zheng wore a kind smile as he said to Shen Song, "I've heard you saved the young master before—I mean Lord Xie. You've saved our young master so many times, and our household has never properly thanked you with a gift. That was an oversight on our part."

"I don't need anything like that," Shen Song said. "Xie Zhiyu and I were good friends before, and Qi Yuanjing is my good friend too. When Qi Yuanjing asked for my help, and Xie Zhiyu needed me, of course I'd help. This is between us—we've already made our decisions, so Xie Zhiyu's family doesn't need to give me any gifts."

Fang Zheng smiled and said, "Actually, the thank-you gifts have been in preparation all along, but some rare treasures are truly hard to come by, which is why it's taken so long. Among the treasures we've gathered is a fist-sized night pearl. It's said that when placed in a room at night, it can light up the whole space without needing any lamps. This pearl is priceless—one pearl could be traded for an entire city."

Shen Song listened without much amazement, since he'd seen plenty of such things before.

Seeing that Shen Song remained unmoved, Fang Zheng continued, "Besides that, there are other rare treasures—blood-red coral, East Sea pearls, agarwood, fine silks and satins, gold and silver jewelry..."

Shen Song just listened.

Certain that Shen Song had no interest in any of it, Fang Zheng paused and said, "Song Ge'er, the family already knows about your relationship with the young master. You're a fine person, but the family's situation is a bit special. If you were to stay with the young master, it might not be the best fit. The family's intention is that if Song Ge'er is willing to leave the young master, they'll give you everything you want. Wealth, power, fame, and fortune—not just for you, but for your family as well."

To make Shen Song understand just how huge the benefits he was offering were, Fang Zheng gave an example: "Take Yunan Prefecture—if Song Ge'er agrees, no family in the entire prefecture will be able to outdo the Shen family."

Shen Song tilted his head and looked at Fang Zheng, asking in confusion, "Why does my family need to compete with others? Right now, we're already busy managing the farm and handling business—we don't have time for anything else. Fifth Brother said that once the fish fry in the pond grow up and the fruit trees on the mountain bear fruit, our family will be even busier. Go find someone else—my family won't agree."

Then he curled his lips into a smile and said, "And I don't think Xie Zhiyu and I are unsuitable at all. You don't know how perfect we are for each other."

Fang Zheng wasn't upset by this and continued in a kindly tone, "Song Ge'er, you're still young. When you fall in love in your youth, you think love is the greatest thing. But in life, how to live well is what truly matters. Your status and positions are too far apart. Even if the family agrees, in the future, gossip from the powerful, jealousy and malice, and other inexplicable things will slowly wear away all that love."

Shen Song shook his head, extending his index finger and waving it left and right, "I'm really strong too—like, super strong. The things you care about and the things I care about are totally different. So, none of those situations you're worried about will happen."

Fang Zheng was amused by Shen Song's lively demeanor, breathed a sigh of relief, and said, "In that case, I wish you and the young master a happy life together."

"Thank you," Shen Song said, his eyes crinkling into crescents as he smiled. He liked what Fang Zheng had said.

The two had nearly reached the study door when Fang Zheng stopped and said to Shen Song, "Everything I needed to say to Song Ge'er, I've said. I've enjoyed chatting with you today. The young master must be eager to see you, so I'll stop here—Song Ge'er, please go on in."

Shen Song said, "You wished me and Xie Zhiyu a happy life together, and that makes me happy too. So I wish you a long life with no worries, no sickness, and no bad luck."

Fang Zheng laughed.

"Thank you."

Xie Zhiyu didn't expect Shen Song to show up.

The moment he saw Shen Song, he almost thought his Gu poison was acting up and he was hallucinating.

It wasn't until Shen Song approached, touched his face, and asked why he looked so haggard that Xie Zhiyu wrapped his arms around Shen Song's waist and buried his face in his stomach.

His winter clothes were thick, so he couldn't feel the softness of Shen Song's belly, but he could feel how much Shen Song loved him.

Shen Song gently held Xie Zhiyu and said out of nowhere, but with total certainty, "Xie Zhiyu, we're well-matched, and we'll be happy together in the future too."

Xie Zhiyu swallowed hard, and his eyes got hot. "Mm, you better keep your word."

"I'll keep my word," Shen Song nodded.

Xie Zhiyu hadn't slept all night, but holding Shen Song calmed him down, and he started to feel sleepy.

He fell asleep still clinging to Shen Song's waist.

Seeing that Xie Zhiyu was asleep, Shen Song didn't want to wake him, so he scooped Xie Zhiyu up, set him down on the small couch, tucked him in with a thick blanket, and moved a brazier over.

After thinking about it, Shen Song went to find You An and had him bring in another small couch, right next to Xie Zhiyu's.

He took off his shoes, lay down, and shared the blanket with Xie Zhiyu, slowly falling asleep too.

Xie Zhiyu dreamed he'd been abandoned, all alone, and woke up with a jolt halfway through.

The second he opened his eyes, he saw Shen Song sleeping peacefully next to him. His heart settled right away, and the fear faded like the tide going out.

Pulling Shen Song into his arms, Xie Zhiyu fell back asleep, deeply.

This time, he didn't wake up again—he slept soundly.

Shen Song didn't stay for lunch at the Xie house that day either. Xie Zhiyu knew why and didn't push it, so he had the family carriage take Shen Song home.

A Xie household servant drove the ox cart back to the Shen house. As Shen Song was about to leave, Xie Zhiyu said, "I'll send a carriage to pick you up tomorrow."

Shen Song said yes.

At lunch, Xie Zhiyu had Fang Zheng eat with him.

After they ate, he asked, "After all those years scheming in the palace, they must have gone through a lot, right?"

Fang Zheng knew right away who Xie Zhiyu meant.

"They went through a lot—brushed with death more than once. Luckily, they made it in the end."

Xie Zhiyu nodded and didn't say anything else.

That evening, Qi Yuanjing showed up.

The two set up a little stove in the study, brewed some tea, and chatted.

Qi Yuanjing asked, "Why'd you send someone to my place yesterday, telling me to come by later today?"

Xie Zhiyu poked at the red dates by the stove with a pair of small bamboo tongs and said, "Someone from the palace came by."

Qi Yuanjing didn't say anything at first, just studied Xie Zhiyu's expression. When he didn't see anything off, he asked, "Your mom and brother sent someone? What'd they say?"

"They told me the truth about what happened all those years ago." Xie Zhiyu lowered his eyes and said, his voice flat.

Just six words—he didn't say anything else.

But Qi Yuanjing still smiled, relieved.

This time, Xie Zhiyu didn't get angry when Qi Yuanjing used those two titles in front of him.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing much."

Xie Zhiyu said he'd just let things take their natural course.

Qi Yuanjing didn't press further. After pouring the tea, he noticed Xie Zhiyu's lips curving into a smile he couldn't suppress, and he said, "Pretty happy today?"

With a crack, Xie Zhiyu crushed the shell of the longan in his hand and peeled out the flesh.

He tossed it into an empty teacup, his tone brimming with barely concealed excitement and a hint of pride. "Today, You An told me that Eunuch Fang made Shen Song choose between money, fame, power, and me—and Shen Song chose me. Then Eunuch Fang said we weren't suitable, and he retorted that we're perfectly matched. Shen Song chooses me every single time."

Qi Yuanjing let out a laugh. "Eunuch Fang is the one from the palace, right? Where is he? I want to meet him."

"What do you want to see him for?" Xie Zhiyu asked.

"I'll trade intelligence for power with him—tell him that to tempt Shen Song, he needs to use food. Promise Shen Song an endless supply of delicious things every day, and let's see what he picks."

Xie Zhiyu's smile immediately fell, and he threw a longan at Qi Yuanjing, telling him to shut up.

Qi Yuanjing laughed heartily, caught the longan, cracked it open in one go, and tossed the flesh into his mouth.

"By the way, what time is Shen Song coming tomorrow? I want to talk to him about the herb fields. We used to plant herbs on his family's land before, and after my master processed the harvest, he said the herbs had excellent medicinal properties. In the medical texts passed down, some pills couldn't be made before because we couldn't find herbs with strong enough medicinal properties.

My master said that if we use the Shen family's land to grow the herbs needed for those pills, we might be able to recreate some of those lost miracle medicines."

Xie Zhiyu said, "So you want to expand the current herb fields? There's no empty land left on their side. Don't pressure the Shen family about their land."

Qi Yuanjing clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction and said, "Do you really think I'm that kind of person? I want to partner with the Shen family to grow herbs. My master said that since herbs grown on their land have good medicinal properties, we can use less of them, which means regular folks can pay less for their medicine."

"That's not what you meant a second ago."

"The current herb field is for growing the herbs needed for those miracle medicines. I hadn't even gotten to the rest when you cut me off—what was I supposed to do?"

Xie Zhiyu looked down, thinking.

If partnering with the Shen family to grow herbs could benefit the people of Yunxi County, then it wasn't out of the question.

Xie Zhiyu said, "Ask Shen Song directly tomorrow. It's his family's land, so they get the final say."

-

The next day, when Shen Song arrived at the Xie residence, he saw Qi Yuanjing there too.

He smiled and asked Qi Yuanjing if he'd eaten the vegetables and meat his family had sent, and also asked how Shan Yue was doing and if he liked them.

Qi Yuanjing said he'd eaten them, and whether it was chicken, duck, goose, or pork, it was all delicious. His master loved them too—he usually only ate half a bowl of rice, but with the Shen family's veggies, meat, and rice, he could eat a whole bowl.

Shen Song said, "If you guys enjoy them, I'll send more later."

"No need, we can just buy them if we want some."

Shen Song: "If you buy them outside, you won't be able to get the meat at all."

The current production from the breeding farm can't even supply the restaurants and taverns, let alone sell to the public.

Qi Yuanjing thought about it and realized that was true, so he quickly changed his mind, "Thanks, Song Geer!"

Since Xie Zhiyu had official business to handle, he let Qi Yuanjing discuss the herb partnership with Shen Song himself.

When Shen Song learned that Qi Yuanjing had something to discuss with him, he followed him over to the arhat couch.

Xie Zhiyu had already had pastries and water prepared, and Shen Song listened while eating.

When he heard that herbs grown on his family's land had good medicinal properties and could treat illnesses at a lower cost, Shen Song agreed to partner up without a second thought.

"But no one in my family knows how to grow them—you'll have to send people over."

Qi Yuanjing hadn't expected Shen Song to agree so easily, so he asked, "How many more mu of your family's land can you spare for herbs?"

"For herbs to have good medicinal properties, they don't have to be grown on my family's land." Shen Song thought for a moment and then asked, "Have you heard of the Land God of Shen Family Gully?"

"I've heard of it."

The grain from Shen Family Gully didn't just taste good from the Shen family's fields—it was the same for other households in the village. Though not as good as the Shen family's, it was still tastier than regular grain.

The legend of the Land God of Shen Family Gully spread as the tasty grain sold better and better.

The Sun Family Grain Store even advertised that grain grown on land blessed by the Land God was good for your health.

As luck would have it, there were indeed people who had been weak and sickly, and after eating it for a long time, their health improved a lot.

That made the legend spread even more.

The land around Shen Family Gully had all been bought up by rich households.

Shen Song said, "Pray sincerely to the Land God. For things that benefit the people, the Land God will surely listen. The land where we plant the herbs will be blessed."

Qi Yuanjing didn't really buy it.

If it weren't Shen Song saying it, he would've stormed off.

"Everything grown in the soil of Shen Family Gully is different from anywhere else—this is all true. Qi Yuanjing, you've got to believe it."

Qi Yuanjing really couldn't come up with any other explanation. But it was too mystical, so to play it safe, he said, "It doesn't have to be your family's land, but it's got to be land in Shen Family Gully."

Shen Song said, "But all the land in Shen Family Gully has been bought up. As for the mountain land, the areas suitable for planting have also been bought up by my family."

"That's easy." Qi Yuanjing finished speaking and called Xie Zhiyu over.

Xie Zhiyu came over, first checked how much Shen Song had eaten, then sat down beside him, the two of them on the same side, pressed up against each other.

Qi Yuanjing couldn't stand to look and shot Xie Zhiyu a disdainful glance.

But business was business, and he didn't mess around, "You agreed to this herb planting for the people's benefit before, right? Can you free up those empty lands in Shen Family Gully that were snapped up later, so we can plant herbs? If there's too little land, it won't do much good."

Xie Zhiyu nodded, "I can first summon the buyers of those lands to the yamen to talk it over."

When Shen Song was about to leave, Xie Zhiyu went with him to the Shen residence, saying he had things to discuss with the Shen family.

Xie Zhiyu rarely visited, and his showing up caught the Shen family off guard.

When they heard there was something to discuss, all the adults of the Shen family gathered and sat around the main hall. Then Xie Zhiyu asked, "What are your future plans for the Shen family farm? Especially for the fruit trees on the mountain land—have you thought about what comes next?"

The old Shen couple nodded, but they didn't know how to put it into words, so they looked toward Shen Chong.

Shen Chong gave a slight nod and said, "After the fruit ripens, we'll sell some fresh, and the rest will be made into jam, dried fruit, and preserved fruit. We'll also apply for a brewing license ahead of time to make fruit wine."

Xie Zhiyu nodded in approval when he heard this—the plan was pretty detailed.

"Have you thought about how you're going to sell it? Your fruit orchard is pretty big. Aside from the fruit wine, relying only on those restaurants and taverns to sell these products won't move them fast."

"We'll sell through general stores, and also have the tavern owners hook us up with traveling merchants," Shen Chong said.

"That's a great approach." Xie Zhiyu continued, "I have another idea—see if it works for you."

Xie Zhiyu first gave a general rundown of the herb planting matter. To prevent herb prices from being inflated and to achieve the original goal of benefiting the people, the yamen would need to strictly regulate and be involved.

Most of those who bought the land were merchants—they wouldn't budge without seeing a profit.

"I'll tell those merchants who own land that if they cooperate with the government in planting herbs, they can buy your jams and other products to sell. The poor can't afford these things anyway, and the rich won't mind the price—there's good profit to be made.

The Shen family won't lose out in this, though it's true you could sell well even without my connections. I'll find ways to make it up to the Shen family elsewhere in the future."

The old Shen couple understood, and Liu Chunxia made the call, "Sir, your words make us feel ashamed. Since our family doesn't lose out and doesn't have to worry about anything—the goods are made and the yamen sends people to sell them, and the folks can get cheap medicine—this is good in every way. Why would our family need compensation?

Our family earns money to have peace of mind. It's settled—I think this is a great idea."

Shen Dashu also said he was fine with it. With the old couple on board, the rest of the Shen family had no objections either.

There really was nothing wrong with this arrangement, and it saved them from having to run around making connections and finding sales channels.

With the yamen now in the picture, the Shen family would no longer encounter the dirty dealings they had faced at the start.

With the matter settled, Xie Zhiyu thanked the Shen family and took his leave.

The old Shen couple asked Shen Chong and Shen Song to walk him out, and the two elders watched Xie Zhiyu's back for a good long while.

That night, as they lay down to sleep, they huddled together and talked for a long time.

It was all about Xie Zhiyu's plan to grow medicinal herbs for the people and how he used fruit preserves to deal with the merchants.

The more they talked, the more satisfied they became with Xie Zhiyu.

Liu Chunxia remarked with a sigh, "I never figured him for an official who actually has the common folk in his heart. I think he's quite impressive."

Shen Dashu nodded in agreement, "But I don't know about his family—are they easy to deal with? Also, doesn't a county magistrate leave once his term ends? Where is this Lord Xie from? Our Xiao Ba won't have to marry far away, will she? If Lord Xie is posted elsewhere, will Xiao Ba follow him or wait at her in-laws' home?"

Shen Dashu's barrage of questions made Liu Chunxia's good impression fade in an instant.