Chapter 257: Impatience Can

In the past, firewood was extremely scarce in winter here, and only the wealthy households could afford to light a charcoal fire.

Now it's better; common folk don't need to spend money, they can obtain firewood from the forest farm, and when they have nothing to do, the whole family just waits at the forest farm gate.

The manager of the Bare Land throws many pine branches back and forth each day.

Now the common folk have seen the benefits of planting trees and recall what Yuan Jiaqi once told everyone.

"Everyone should plant trees; planting trees doesn't take up space on the trees. Whoever plants a few trees in front of their house will have firewood in winter, and when they build a house they'll also have beams and boats."

Some Village Heads are shrewd; as early as when Yuan Jiaqi led people to plant saplings, he had already begun planting with the villagers.

Now Shexian has several villages that have planted pine trees, using the saplings provided by Yuan Jiaqi.

He said, "Don't focus on the present; right now it's just a sapling, but look to the future—when it matures it will benefit us."

No wonder the poor remain poor all their lives; some have already planted the saplings, while others are still watching.

"I'm here, madam, what command?"

"Do you think I have a lot of silver?"

"We are our mother's son, how can we be called unfit? Our father passed the four‑yuan imperial exam, our mother excels in both civil and martial arts, our ancestor is a First‑rank Life‑bestowing Lady—aren't they all renowned figures?"

Seeing that Yuan Jiaqi has only been in office for three years and already achieved so much, how can Zhu Xianling be satisfied? He must have a share of this glory, hm!

Mu Guniang returned to Jingcheng as soon as the twelfth month began; before leaving she bought out the entire Qiao Ji Snack Shop and also bought out everything from the Jixiang Embroidery Workshop, only then did she leave satisfied.

Yuan Jiaqi has been planting trees for three years; some have studied along for three years, while others have been watching for three years.

"A good man aspires to the world; you waste your time on a woman, your destiny hasn't even taken a first stroke, yet you linger day after day—truly unambitious."

Qiao Mai didn't detour anywhere; she went straight to Zhen Guogong Fu.

Yuan Jiaqi lifted his head, thought seriously, and said, "I have loved you, madam, unlike anyone else."

"Earlier you said you'd repay me, that it would be fine once you became an official; now you are an official, and I have more silver than before."

"Then I'll kick you out; want to taste the feeling?"

"Which family's girl?"

"I just miss her,"

"Hmph, in previous years the Wang Family sent a hundred thousand taels of silver to our house each year, but starting this year I stopped, so don't entertain that idea any more."

"Snort,"

"I, I can't control myself either, sigh—she's just too outstanding, I'm always afraid I'm not a match for her."

"Is that all?"

Yuan Jiaqi couldn't bear to keep reading and said, "The Zhen Guogong family, huh? Their lineage is truly high; our family really can't hope to reach that level."

"I,"

"Have you ever loved?"

Couples in love wish they could become conjoined twins, especially a rash boy like Yunfeng, who has even been with Mu Guniang, a year older than him.

Yuan Jiaqi went away for half a day and only returned when it was pitch black.

"To become rich, first plant trees."

"Madam, you are water, I am fish; I cannot live without you. Madam, stop teasing your husband—what's going on that makes you say such words?"

"The eldest son may be in love; the other side's lineage is high, our family might be able to reach up a bit."

Yunfeng suddenly clutched his head and began to cry, "I know, I don't want to either, but I just can't stop thinking of her."

"Let me go check."

Fengyun became a bit anxious; Yunfeng waved his hands quickly, "No, I don't mean that. I'm just afraid her family will look down on ours; the marriage hasn't even been proposed yet and it's already doomed."

"Ah? If he wants the two to be together, he must work hard; no one will help him. Feng'er also expressed that he will definitely try. By the way, madam, speaking of this, I want to set up a county school in Shexian, free of charge—how about something like ours?"

Since so much silver has been spent, there must be some results; Qiao Mai went to see the place when the first winter snow arrived.

"That's for the future; we're still young. Why think so far ahead? Right now the most important thing is to study well, get good grades after the new year, let the Mu family see your excellence. If you're always anxious, mother will surely be disappointed."

She just wanted to see what attitude this servant girl had toward Yunfeng, and whether the Zhen Guogong family knew about it.

At this moment, Qiao Mai was listening to their conversation and sighed.

Seeing her increasingly gaunt son, Qiao Mai wished she could instantly fly to Jingcheng and bring Mu Guniang back.

"Have you ever been heartbroken?"

"Hehe, mother, you're right; it's because the husband was impatient."

Compared to his once completely bald appearance, he is much better now.

"Then let's wait until the Bare Land yields income before setting it up, okay? Mainly Shexian is too poor; the children are just idling at home."

Yuan Jiaqi bowed his head apologetically, "I'm sorry, madam; it's all my fault, being too eager for quick results."

"Hehe,"

"Madam, it's settled!"

"Brother, calm down and study well; otherwise in the end you'll lose everything. Only if you're outstanding will you have a chance to be with her."

"The Bare Land hasn't generated income yet, yet you keep thinking about this. If you have money, do it yourself; I have no money."

She glanced at Yuan Jiaqi, who was reading, and said, "Xianggong?"

"Zhen Guogong family's."

Mu Guniang was sitting by the window, watching the moon in the sky.

"Mmm mmm."

Zhu Xianling even specially took people to inspect; regarding Shexian's tree planting, he said Yì County could also learn from it.

"One cannot eat hot tofu in a hurry—I see you wish you could use the entire national treasury to fill Shexian's hole."

"As the husband, I will explain the pros and cons to him clearly; if he studies hard he'll have a sliver of chance, if not there will be no chance at all between them—it's all up to his choice."

"Her family is from Jingcheng; I heard they're of a distinguished lineage, and a family like ours would be completely unnoticed in the capital."

Qiao Mai felt it necessary to go to Jingcheng for a look, so on the night Yuan Jiaqi departed, she went alone to Jingcheng.

From the moment she left, Qiao Mai clearly saw that Yunfeng's morale was low.

"Brother, what are you doing? She's only going back to Jingcheng for the New Year to reunite with her family; she's not refusing to return. Look at what you've become?"

That damned Wang Jiaru's Servant Girl, lit a fire and ran— that's just setting a trap, right?

"Currently none."

"Jingcheng's?"

As it turned out, they happened to see this scene.

Being an official, whether for the people or for oneself, one must have some achievements.

"As long as Feng'er doesn't let me down, it's like the moon in the sky—our family would also take her as a bride. The problem is that he's like this now, really can't muster any enthusiasm; the person just left, and he's already fallen ill with lovesickness."

When the two younger brothers were studying together at night, Fengyun had advised him.

Yuan Jiaqi stayed at home for two days and then returned to Shexian; Yunfeng's condition also improved a lot, it seems the guidance was effective.

The premise is that Qiao Niang must help, but over there there's basically no activity; we can only wait until the New Year to contact Qiao Niang and see if we can provide some saplings to support his work.

Not to mention other things, just from this year's firewood you can see the significance of trees to Shexian.

Yuan Jiaqi, embarrassed, scratched his hair, "As your husband knows, then we'll wait until the Bare Land yields profit before speaking."

"What you mean is, you didn't get reborn into a good family, right?"

"Princess, just rested."

Fengyun sighed, "Thinking of her can solve the problem; if next year you even pass the imperial exam, don't even think of her; by then it might just fall apart."

Before, she needed two hours to go from Tianshui Town to Jingcheng, but because her cultivation has increased, tonight it only took one hour.

Yuan Jiaqi used Qiao Mai's slogan to announce to all the people of Shexian.

"I also don't know how Yunfeng is doing?"

"Princess, after the New Year he is only just sixteen, and you are already privately making a commitment with him; if the master finds out, he'll be furious."

"If you don't say, I don't say, who would know?"

Qiao Mai rolled her eyes; she knew that even the people of the Zhen Guo Gong Residence didn't know, and that servant girl was too bold.

(End of chapter)