Chapter 433: The Unwelcome Stranger Woman

Lin Aunt's face lit up with joy, "We were just saying we haven't seen Boss Gu since early spring."

"This year's oats are growing splendidly; it looks like a bumper harvest. After the reaping, how could we celebrate without Boss Gu?"

Aunt Zhou laughed, "You've been talking about him all the time—look, your words brought him here!"

Everyone laughed and welcomed Gu Xixi to the shade of the trees.

It was mealtime, and everyone had food and drink.

Coming here, there's absolutely no need to worry about filling one's stomach.

One broke off a piece of flatbread to stuff with pickles, another shoved a rolled egg pancake.

One shared a bite of steamed bun, another gave a corner of sesame pastry…

As soon as Lv Jing sat down, she was bombarded with offerings, unable to fend them off.

In the end she could only say, "Enough, enough—I really can't eat any more."

She finally understood why Gu Xixi had brought her here to eat with such confidence.

People from Xi Bei excel at eating staple foods, especially those doing hard labor—they need more solid rations.

The kind and enthusiastic women needed only each to give a tiny bit to fill her up.

Moreover, they couldn't refuse.

Lv Jing suddenly thought of her mother, who always shoved food at her, this and that, fearing she'd go hungry.

Her eyes grew a little moist; she hastily lowered her head and stuffed the pastry into her mouth with all her might.

"Delicious!"

Lin Aunt handed over half a bowl of water, speaking softly, "Eat slowly,"

"This is the willow-leaf tea Boss Gu taught us to make; drinking a bit can reduce internal heat."

Lv Jing smiled gratefully, "Thank you, Lin Aunt."

As everyone ate together, Lin Aunt naturally reported on recent affairs in the Dependents Village.

Overall, everything went smoothly.

After the army returned, the Imperial Court's rewards came down shortly, and the Grand General also separately awarded merits in the military.

Thus the women of the Dependents Village each received some money brought back by their husbands, more or less.

What's more fortunate, none of the husbands in the Dependents Village had died, which was double joy.

Every household's life became noticeably more affluent.

Buying cloth for new clothes, acquiring long-desired household goods, sending children to study in the nearby county…

The wishes the women had once voiced before Gu Xixi are gradually coming true.

Now they have also welcomed their own harvest.

No wonder everyone looks radiant.

Lin Aunt added, "It's precisely that patch of pinpo fruit trees we scattered on the ground."

"We've tended them according to your method; the trees have survived, and since early spring their branches and leaves have grown considerably."

"But this isn't grain, and we don't really understand how it's supposed to be."

"We still need you to look at it yourself."

Gu Xixi nodded, "Fine, let's go after the oats are harvested."

"I think the soil around here might allow us to plant another grain crop after harvesting the wheat."

The barren lands of Xi Bei need improvement.

After last year's oat harvest, the army, following Gu Xixi's instructions, bought only short‑term crops like pumpkins and radishes.

The Dependents Village also received seedlings and planted them alongside.

But these ultimately can't compare to proper grain crops.

Upon hearing Gu Xixi say that grain might be planted again next season, the women couldn't help but be overjoyed.

The lunch break was ending, and people rose one after another.

Lv Jing saw someone slowly approaching from not far away, tugged Gu Xixi's sleeve, and asked, "Are they also villagers?"

"Why don't they come over and eat with everyone?"

Gu Xixi looked in that direction and saw two completely unfamiliar women.

Their skin was slightly dark, their eye sockets deep; although they wore ordinary Daye women's attire, they somehow seemed out of place.

The older woman had some gray at her temples, carefully supporting the younger woman.

Gu Xixi's gaze dropped, and she noticed the woman's belly protruding prominently—clearly she was far along in pregnancy.

Lv Jing noticed that everyone's expressions were guarded, some even openly unfriendly.

As the two women drew near, the people scattered, obviously unwilling to face them.

While Gu Xixi wondered, Lin Aunt whispered, "They're from Beili."

"They claim they came out to do business in Daye, but got separated from their husbands in the war."

"Now the Beili frontier has fallen back to the other side of the Great Mountain Valley,"

"With just the two of them, and being heavy‑bodied, they simply cannot cross that long uninhabited stretch."

Gu Xixi understood, "They've been forced to stay here."

Lin Aunt nodded, "The military interrogated them and said there was no problem."

"So they were allowed to go."

Gu Xixi asked, "How are they living?"

Lin Aunt sighed, "There's a separate ruined house west of the village."

"It was originally used to store weapons, abandoned for years, and now it's drafty on all sides."

Fortunately it's summer, and this place sees little rain, so it's barely habitable.

While they were speaking, two Beili women had already walked past from in front of the fields.

The young woman kept a cold stare, looking straight ahead, as if she also didn't want to have any contact with these Daye military dependents.

Lv Jing frowned, "So they're Beili people—no wonder nobody likes them."

Lin Daniang said, "Although nobody likes the Beili people, I still feel that woman carrying a child is quite pitiful."

Originally, when deciding whether to let them stay, half the villagers agreed and the other half disagreed.

In the end they compromised: they weren't allowed into the village, but were permitted to live there.

After she gives birth and finishes the postpartum period, they'll be made to leave immediately.

"I see." Gu Xixi mused.

Walking along the village lane, Lv Jing said indignantly, "Although I've never been to the frontier, I know that Beili has always been an enemy of our Daye."

"You said that pregnant woman just now—how can she be so arrogant, nose in the air?"

"She's only able to stay and give birth thanks to everyone's kindness, yet she doesn't even bother to be polite when she sees people!"

Gu Xixi said, "Perhaps she comes from a good background, her family is well-off, so she's not used to reading people's faces."

"Now that she's fallen on hard times, forced to live in a dilapidated house and shunned by others, she must feel terrible inside."

Lv Jing sighed, "Indeed."

Northwest Army's main camp.

Mu Nan Zhao went all the way to the commander's tent, only to find that there were already guests there.

One man and one woman.

The man was about twenty years old, the woman in her prime, both dressed as Beili nobility.

Mu Nan Zhao glanced at them, then strode in as if no one were there, merely greeting Ho Jiang before taking a seat.

Ho Jiang, knowing his manner, also chuckled and didn't rush to make introductions.

The ignored Beili man, however, was somewhat displeased.

"Who is this person? He holds no military post—how dare he barge into General Ho's tent?"

"Are Daye's civil officials all this useless, with no sense of propriety?"

Ho Jiang lowered his head to sip tea, his face wearing a smile of anticipation for the show.

After a moment, Mu Nan Zhao said, "Prince A Gu Na inherited his title at the age of twenty."

"He also owes it to your good elder brother, who died loyally for the state, his body separated from his head."

He lifted his gaze, curled a chilling smile, "Once, his head lay right on this table before you."