Chapter 222

After the shouting subsided, Huo Jiang walked over, took a glance, and said, "Just cripple his two hands and give him a quick death; I didn't expect you to be so merciful."

Mu Nan Zhao threw his long sword to the soldier beside him, his slender, handsome fingers not stained with a speck of blood.

"Because someone told me, only take what you need; there's no need to waste effort on superfluous things."

"Whatever evil this person has done, he just needs to pay the corresponding price."

Huo Jiang waved his hand, ordered someone to take down the corpse, and while laughing said, "The someone you're talking about must be Gu Xixi, right? It sounds like her way of doing things."

"Rest assured, this person's head will be hung outside Qing Tian Xiancheng as a warning, his remaining followers will be dealt with severely. Moreover, the government offices of all prefectures and county seats will post notices clearly stating that bandits who dare to rob Huachi Du Cun will meet this fate."

"This way, anyone who again thinks of moving against Gu Xixi's village will have to think twice."

Mu Nan Zhao had no intention of accepting this favor, he glanced sideways lightly and said, "It should have been done long ago."

The war hasn't even started, yet our own backyard is in chaos—where is the dignity of the grand Xi Bei King?

Huo Jiang gritted his teeth, "Surname Huo, I actually helped you this time; saying a nice word won't kill you!"

"'Help me?' Mu Nan Zhao looked at Huo Jiang, as if hearing something utterly hilarious."

"Gu Xixi is someone you begged to come, the person in charge of your Northwest Army's grain depot; if she encounters trouble, the one who suffers the greatest loss will be your Northwest Army."

"But they relied solely on their own defense today, the bandits were captured by the whole village themselves; speaking of it, it saved you trouble."

"As for the aftermath, it's just mending the pen after losing the sheep; if I were you, I'd be embarrassed to mention it."

Having said that, he gave Huo Jiang a mocking glance and strode away.

Huo Jiang was so angry he blew his beard and glared, yet he found himself unable to retort.

He panted heavily as he paced back and forth a few steps, only able to vent his anger at the sky, shouting, "Vicious tongue! Bastard! Annoying!!"

Huachi Du Cun

The villagers relied on their own abilities to repel the bandits, winning the initial battle; everyone's spirits were high, thus sweeping away the previously low‑strung, tense atmosphere in the village.

At dinnertime, Gu Xixi's household received many delicious foods.

Steamed stuffed buns with gourd and egg from Aunt Qian, fried sugar‑oil cakes from Qin Dasao, and freshly pickled vegetables from Zhou Dasao's new jar.

Plus red‑date steamed buns, cooled mung bean soup, hand‑pulled noodles, and pepper‑leaf pancakes sent by other villagers.

Everyone said these were to calm Gu Xixi's nerves, but Zhang Shen couldn't politely refuse them one by one.

Some individuals, having previously openly questioned Gu Xixi and spoken ill of her, felt uneasy upon entering; before Zhang Shen could even speak, they placed the food on the windowsill and fled.

The kang table and square table in the main room were filled to capacity.

Zhang Shen sighed helplessly, "They sent all this at once—how can we possibly eat it all?"

An Qinghe chuckled as he looked over each dish, his proud expression as if all this food had been sent for him.

"We can eat it, we can eat it—our family is big."

"Someone as good as Xixi naturally attracts everyone's liking—it's completely normal."

He Jinglan burst out laughing, "Attracting people's affection? Normal? You arrived earlier than I did—surely you don't not know how the villagers used to gossip about her?"

An Qinghe seemed not to have heard, still wearing a full‑face smile, "Eh, what is this? I've never eaten it. And this, this—thanks to Xixi's favor, today I can finally try something fresh!"

He Jinglan looked at Gu Xixi speechlessly, "You say his condition is just the so‑called lover's bias……"

Gu Xixi decisively stuffed a red‑date steamed bun into He Jinglan's little mouth.

"You've worked hard today—you were just shouting about being hungry a moment ago; eat more."

To say the least, He Jinglan also exerted great effort today.

In the morning, after quelling the bandit turmoil, Gu Xixi knocked open her own gate and saw He Jinglan standing ready in the courtyard.

The kitchen knives, hatchets, fire tongs, axes, and so on were all dug out by her and laid on the ground.

The reason was, if bad people broke in, having more weapons would make them easier to use.

At that moment, Gu Xixi closed her eyes and sighed, "I said……"

"Aren't the people protecting you all here? You just need to watch that the others in the household don't go running off recklessly."

He Jinglan reasoned firmly, "How could that work? If a large group suddenly rushes in all at once, my guards would be stretched thin, unable to cope, and there would surely be a chance for me to step in."

Besides, I promised you—Meng Dangni zi, Zhang Shen, Shitou, Qinger—not a single one may come to harm.

The He family's Shadow Guards hidden outside the courtyard wall were left speechless, choking on their indignation.

Their master so openly questioning their professionalism—heart‑wrenching! Suffocating!

Returning to the dinner table.

A furry little paw stretched out from under the kang table, straining to hook a plate of small river shrimp.

Qinger was the first to notice; she glanced sideways at the adults, furtively scooped up a small river shrimp, hid it in her palm, and placed it under the table.

Shitou saw it, kept a straight face, and continued to eat earnestly.

It was Meng Dangni zi who noticed, saying, "Qinger, you're not eating rice—what are you doing with your hand under the table?"

Several adults bent over curiously to look.

They saw Xiao Hua lying there, crunching away with a satisfying snap, half‑eyed in bliss.

The river shrimp grow in the mountain spring water, clean and sweet, though there isn't much meat.

They only need to be slowly baked in light oil over low fire until crisp outside and tender inside; after being taken out of the pot and tossed with salt and seasoning powder, they become a dish resembling a small snack.

He Jinglan laughed, "We've been busy eating ourselves, no one looked after Xiao Hua's cravings—still, Qinger is good, standing up for Xiao Hua's justice."

Just as he spoke, Xiao Hua, having tasted the sweetness, sprang from under the table, watching expressions and cautiously extending a paw onto the dining table.

Zhang Shen was both annoyed and amused; she lightly tapped the flower cat, "You little rascal, with no one to discipline you, your boldness keeps growing—you dare go straight to the plate and grab vegetables!"

Despite the scolding, Zhang Shen still picked up a shrimp, shook off the seasonings specially, and fed it to Xiao Hua.

Because Gu Xixi had said earlier, cats can't eat too much salt or their fur will become unattractive and it's bad for their health.

In the following two days, households throughout Huachi Du Cun gradually finished harvesting their wheat.

Although Gu Xixi's family had the most land and the highest wheat yield, she had several hired workers harvesting at the same time.

On the last day of the school's wheat-harvest vacation, Chen Dafu and the others had already spread out the wheat ears and had been drying them under the scorching sun for most of the day.

The new wheat was about to be stored; Gu Xixi was tidying the granary at home, and aside from Lao Langzhong, the whole family got to work.

Only when the sun slanted westward and it wasn't so hot outside did Gu Xixi prepare to go out.

The village had a drying ground.

The large courtyard inside the Tudimiao counted as one spot; not far outside the Tudimiao, a large flat open space had also been cleared in earlier years.

If a family's grain couldn't be dried in their own courtyard or doorway, they could bring it to these two places.

When Gu Xixi arrived, Chen Dafu and the others were still holding iron hoes, vigorously tossing the wheat ears.

The mule Blessing pulled the family's cart, responsible for transporting the wheat load after load.

Many villagers had gathered at the edge of the field, some of them likewise there to dry wheat.

Upon seeing Gu Xixi again, the people's gazes, which had been filled with contempt, disbelief, and envy, turned into pure admiration.