Chapter 71

Zhao Village Chief beamed with pride as he invited credit, "As soon as the village gate opened, I had someone rush over to inform Qian Village Chief."

How about it? It's been eleven days since I last saw my family; seeing them come out to greet you, are you happy?

Gu Xixi darkened her face, thinking, "I'm happy? Your head!"

The ox cart continued forward, stopping at the village boundary marker.

Zhang Shen came forward to meet her, her smile harboring the calm before a storm.

Do you still know that this place is your home?

Mu Nan Zhao silently turned his head away; after all, it was Gu Xixi who caused this, so naturally he let her deal with it herself.

Lao Langzhong had already broken out in a sweat; he didn't dare speak, just grinning.

Zhang Shen's gaze finally fell on Gu Xixi's face, "Who said they'd support me in my old age?"

"She went to her death without even telling me—are you afraid I'd stop you from doing good deeds?"

Gu Xixi swallowed dryly; even when she had to burn the village that day, she hadn't been this scared.

"Aunt," Gu Xixi said, lowering her head solemnly, "I was wrong. I shouldn't have left home without saying goodbye, and stayed away so long, making you worry."

Zhang Shen stared at her; in just a few breaths, it felt as if several years had passed.

Suddenly Zhang Shen bellowed, "Everyone, get down!"

Gu Xixi was the first to jump off the cart; Lao Langzhong moved nimbly, not at all like a blind person.

Even Zhao Village Chief, who was driving the cart, got down trembling.

Only Mu Nan Zhao remained calm and composed, stepping down from the cart, hands folded at his side, waiting to watch the show.

Zhang Shen first grabbed Gu Xixi, examining her up and down to confirm she wasn't injured or ill, then snapped, "Do you even know where you went wrong, rushing into such a dangerous place?"

Do you have any idea I couldn't find you for a day and a night? I went to ask Gu Qingye, and only then learned you might have gone to Shitou Village!! Do you know what my heart... my heart... was like back then?

Zhang Shen grew more sorrowful as she spoke, beating her chest and bursting into tears: "I heard people died in Shitou Village, and that the Government Office planned to burn Shitou Village; I've been sleepless night after night, unable to eat,"

Gu Xixi stepped forward to take Zhang Shen's hand, trying to comfort her.

Zhang Shen shook off her hand, pointing at Lao Qian, "It's all your fault, you with the Qian surname! You're the one who brought Gu Xixi into this! With your good intentions, why didn't you go yourself? You're dragging other people's children into trouble."

I'm telling you, if Gu Xixi comes to any harm this time, neither of our families will survive!

Lao Qian, knowing he was at fault, nodded and bowed, "Yes, yes, yes, I failed to consider enough; it's all my fault."

Zhang Shen then turned to Lao Langzhong, "In the past, how people treated you, you were almost driven out by the folks of Shitou Village! Yet you actually brought Gu Xixi along to go to your death!"

Lao Langzhong apologetically bowed, "I was wrong. I know you're just worried about us, but worry leads to chaos."

But we've come back safe and sound, haven't we?

Zhang Shen wiped her tears, "We're old bones now; can't we just live peacefully?"

Zhao Village Chief and Gu Xixi were also brought up, and they had to come out to mediate.

Gu Xixi said, "Aunt, it was I who insisted on going."

Zhao Village Chief laughed, "Everything you scolded us for is right; what our village did in the past was improper."

However, don't hold a grudge against Lao Shenyi and Gu Qingye; thanks to them, our village has been preserved, and not just our village—I've heard the rat plague in other places is gradually being contained as well.

They're just ordinary folks, naturally unwilling to see the rat plague running rampant everywhere.

Moreover, Zhao Village Chief is ultimately an outsider; Zhang Shen glanced at him and barely suppressed her anger.

This must be Zhao Village Chief; thank you for personally bringing my family back.

Zhao Village Chief breathed a sigh of relief, quickly changed the subject, pointing at the cart full of goods and saying, "These are just a small token from the villagers. Also, Lao Shenyi's belongings—I'll send them home for you right away."

After seeing Zhao Village Chief off at home, Zhang Shen had Lao Langzhong pack up his bedding and go to Houyuan.

Next to the grain store in Houyuan there had been a small shed, always used to store miscellaneous items.

But now it had been cleaned spotless; Zhang Shen took Lao Langzhong's hand and led him to familiarize himself with the furnishings inside.

Against the wall stood a shelving unit, an old wooden crate, and on the opposite wall a small bed was set up.

I know you love tinkering with those bottles and jars, but this place is near the grain store, so try to avoid open flames as much as possible.

If you need to heat things for preparing medicine, you must go to the front courtyard, understand?

Lao Langzhong was deeply moved, "I never expected to have my own room."

"Oh come on," Zhang Shen said with a disdainful tone, though she couldn't stop smiling, "You're Gu Xixi's master; from now on, just settle in peacefully and stop treating yourself like a guest."

Outside the door, a golden-yellow leaf fell, and little flower chased after the wind's direction to catch the leaf.

Autumn has truly arrived.

Another month passed; the final harvest season of the year came quickly and ended just as quickly.

Gu Xixi stood at the edge of the field, watching Chen Dafu and others measure the millet.

According to contemporary measurement standards, one dan of millet with a single husk layer weighs about twelve catties.

Chen Dafu loaded one dan after another; after finishing measuring the first mu, he couldn't stop smiling.

"Master, just as you said, it's about six hundred twenty catties."

The onlookers were stunned; they only knew that Gu Xixi's household had that afternoon directly paid wages to eight hired workers, so they had come specially to watch the spectacle.

With wages of 150 catties per mu, after Gu Xixi paid them out, what did she have left for herself?

Someone shouted, "Are you trying to deceive us? You wouldn't be adding the yield of two mu together, would you?"

Gu Xixi lightly laughed and shook her head, offering no explanation.

Chen Dafu turned to face the crowd, hands on his hips proudly, "You haven't seen anything, have you?"

"Let me tell you, today is to let you see with your own eyes our master's abilities!"

Saying this, he picked up the measuring dan for grain and walked toward the next field.

The millet piled up like a small mountain, dan by dan...

The result was slightly less than the previous mu, just over six hundred catties.

Just like that, as the weighing continued, the voices of doubt gradually faded.

Cart after cart of grain was transported back to Gu Xixi's home.

Thinking of her family's granary, long empty, now filling up again, this was the moment Gu Xixi felt most secure after transmigrating into the book.

The rest was to be given to the hired workers.

Gu Xixi called out loudly, "Chen Dafu, four mu, six hundred catties!"

"A Fu, three and a half mu, five hundred twenty-five catties!"

……

The sun slanted west, yet the villagers were reluctant to go home and cook.

Someone regretted, "Too much, perhaps. If I had known we could really give this much, why let outsiders take this bargain?"

Another mocked him, "Stop dreaming. I've seen those eight people work—each is a top-notch farmer, especially the leader Chen Dafu, who alone tends four mu. Do you have that ability?"

Among them, someone even wiser said, "Hey, instead of thinking about how to give others land to farm, why not wonder how Gu Xixi achieved a yield of six hundred catties per mu?"

Someone agreed, "Exactly! Earlier, the Qin family grew water spinach—it was also Gu Xixi's idea!"

The crowd exchanged glances, recalling their past contempt and ridicule of Gu Xixi, and their expressions turned a little awkward.