Chapter 203: Private Cultivators

Due to the participation of cultivators, the progress of the joint reclamation was extremely fast.

Under the control of whistling, surging spiritual energy, the nine-toothed iron plow galloped across the vast land like a bolt of lightning. Wherever it passed, it plowed up rolling waves of earth, and the scent of fresh soil instantly permeated the air as the new earth flew and settled.

Officials from the Fengzhou Prefecture methodically tallied and registered the reclaimed land, subsequently distributing it to many incoming commoners and providing them with the high-quality seeds selected the previous autumn, teaching them how to farm.

Thus, many strange sights appeared in Fengzhou: cultivators plowing in front, with commoners chasing behind their heels to sow seeds, while spiritual energy whistled all around, vast and boundless.

At this time, a group of men with gazes as sharp as hooks arrived from the Fengzhou border, dusty and travel-worn. They walked and watched along the way, their faces covered in flying soil. Drawing their swords to look around, they felt bewildered.

Everything they saw at this moment were scenes they had never witnessed in their lives.

"Big Brother Tie Xiong, I want to return to the mountains. If my parents had been born in Fengzhou back then, they wouldn't have been forced to their deaths, and I wouldn't have had to flee to the mountains."

"Nonsense, get back here!"

"That's right, Uncle Ba, since we're already here, how can there be any reason to go back?"

"Big Brother..."

"Uncle Ba, listen to your second brother. Big Brother is right. Although... it is very good, think about our children. Do you really want them to spend their whole lives hiding and dodging with us, and worrying about the pursuit of the Chu Xian Sect and the imperial court?"

"Stop arguing. Let's find an inn to stay in first. I'll go scout the situation. We'll discuss the follow-up plan, and then we'll act."

Tie Xiong's eyes flashed with a fierce light as he scolded Uncle Ba into silence. He then led the group toward the city. However, before they even reached an inn, they suddenly saw a row of vermilion slogans written on the wall opposite them.

【Since I was born between heaven and earth, I must leave some stories for those who come after to see.】

A long time later, Tie Xiong, who had been silent, lifted the hem of his robe, pulled a long saber from his lower back with a *clang*, and then glanced at the brothers behind him...

Between working at sunrise and resting at sunset, the farming area of Fengzhou continuously expanded, spreading outward like a painting.

And after the daily labor, government offices across Fengzhou would prepare big pots of stew in the threshing grounds.

Pigs were slaughtered and sheep butchered, slow-cooked in the open air, the fragrance drifting in the evening breeze.

Some cultivators often muttered that eating such mundane things would cause their cultivation to stagnate and was not conducive to a clear Dao heart; after all, appetite was also a form of desire.

But every time they finished grumbling, they would immediately follow up with, "Trouble yourself to save a lamb leg for me."

A few days before the Beginning of Spring, more than half of the joint reclamation had been completed. Iron pots were set up again on the threshing grounds within Fengzhou Prefecture, countless ingredients rolling in the broth, emitting a rich aroma that drifted in the soft evening breeze, making everyone's mouths water.

"Give me a lamb leg."

"Terribly sorry, the lamb legs are gone. Would you like ribs?"

"What is wrong with you? It is known to everyone here that I love lamb legs the most. Could it be that you are new?"

"I am new."

"What is your name?"

"Tie Xiong."

"Hey, this lamb stew of yours, the taste is truly excellent."

"It's ancestral, but I haven't made it for many years. The taste is only about seventy or eighty percent of what it used to be."

"Eh, Brother Tie Xiong is too modest. But remember to save the lamb leg for me next time!"

Zhao Zhao Ermin was adding water to the pot at this time and couldn't help but look up at Tie Xiong: "Big Brother, didn't we agree earlier that we were here to scout for information?"

Tie Xiong stirred the soup in the pot and looked at him: "We are scouting for information. Haven't we just found a place to work?"

Zhao Zhao Ermin's mouth twitched: "I saw Big Brother sharpening his sword this morning, and I thought Big Brother had already turned his heart to ice and was determined to make a move after arriving in Fengzhou."

"Those government runners carry spirit weapons, which means they know that private cultivators would come, yet they still let us cross the border. That person intends to take in private cultivators. We have been hiding and dodging in the mountains for so many years; it's quite good to be able to live like a human being."

"It is strange to say, but taking in private cultivators is a major crime in the Great Xia."

Tie Xiong stopped stirring at this moment: "Those slogans in the city are for us to see. If there really is a war, that person hopes we can leave some stories for those who come after."

Zhao Zhao Ermin was silent for a long time, thinking to himself that the logic was sound, but wondering if Big Brother was overthinking it. Before he could speak, he felt a sudden weight near his feet. Looking down, he saw a young child.

Silent for a long time, he opened his mouth wide, a trace of joy appearing in his eyes.

And from the direction the child had run from, Uncle Ba, who hadn't been seen for several days, was also walking toward this place.

He had thought Uncle Ba didn't want to join in and had left on his own, but at this moment, he discovered that he was leading more than a dozen children and several women and children behind him, standing in the night, looking toward him.

Qiu Zhong was also in the open field at this time, walking together with Xiang Kuangcheng, looking at the three or five young children running back and forth in the threshing ground, unable to help but fall into deep thought.

Ever since the Young Master established a family in Fengzhou, many children had dared to walk the streets where cultivators appeared. This year, there had been no more news of children starving to death at home.

Only, what about the Young Master's bloodline?

The Ji family now only had the Young Master left. He worried about this and that every day, yet he had never mentioned the matter of continuing his own bloodline.

A loyal servant is just like this; not only must he consider matters within the household, but he also worries about the continuation of the master's family.

Although news in Fengzhou traveled slowly, Qiu Zhong had roughly heard that several young ladies from noble families had taken a fancy to the Young Master, and also knew that the Young Master hadn't chosen any of them, which had made Qiu Zhong's mood heavy for quite a while.

At this moment, he couldn't help but turn his head to look at Xiang Kuangcheng: "Young Master Kuang, you are a close friend of my Young Master, so you must understand certain things. Old Qiu would like to ask you, does my Young Master not like women?"

"Uncle Qiu doesn't need to worry too much. Actually, there is already someone in Brother Ji's backyard. During the New Year, she even went to Shengjing. I have seen her."

Qiu Zhong opened his mouth: "Which family's young lady? Why not marry her into the house?"

Xiang Kuangcheng lowered his voice: "A young lady from the Three Families."

"?"

"There is also one drifting outside."

"How could there be one drifting outside? The Young Master is really something. Why not bring her back and give her a status?"

"It's probably very difficult to bring her back..."

Qiu Zhong was stunned for a moment: "Could it be very far away?"

Xiang Kuangcheng nodded, thinking to himself that you are really right about that; your mistress is truly one further away than the other.

Thinking of this, his gaze couldn't help but shift to the south side of the open threshing ground.

Under the dim night, several merchants of the demon race were standing there, observing from the edge. After whispering to each other for a while, they walked toward the distance, simultaneously taking paper and pens from their bosoms to write and draw.

Qiu Zhong also saw them and couldn't help but frown slightly.

Actually, ever since he learned that the Young Master had been to the Snow Region and almost lost both his hands upon returning, he had been very unwelcoming toward the demon race.

But the Si Chu Xian Ling Jian had changed the road to this place, so even if he was unwelcoming, they couldn't forbid people from crossing the border.

It was just that he didn't know why the demon race had recently become very interested in Fengzhou, always appearing in all sorts of places and being quite polite to people, but those vertical pupils just made people feel very eerie.

Xiang Kuangcheng looked at Qiu Zhong at this time: "Where did Brother Ji go today?"

Qiu Zhong came back to his senses and said: "The masters of several immortal manors came to visit today. The Young Master received them in the residence. A few days ago, the Young Master even took people to paint slogans. He has been exhausted these past few days."

"It's for the sake of Fengzhou."

"But if a war really breaks out, wouldn't everything the Young Master has done be in vain?"

"Just send your Young Master away."

"?"

Ji You was in the reception hall of the Ji stronghold at this time, with the masters of the Juguang, Tianyan, and Dongsheng immortal manors sitting before him, along with some accompanying offerings and elders.

Facing a group of old men and women who were concerned about elixirs, he wore a faint smile, using a look that said "you understand but don't say it out loud," making them glow with health.

The status of being from a noble family is a blessing, but at the same time, it is also a shackle.

After being marginalized by their families, their obsession with realms made their greed quite heavy, and this kind of greed, while disgusting, was also very easy to exploit.

Chatting about elixirs for a long time, Ji You sent them out the door. Returning to the stronghold along the night, he saw Qiu Ru running over in small steps.

The little girl had successfully awakened her spirit now. Under the condition of only thinking about eating every day, she could have such progress. Pei Pei Ruyi's evaluation of her was only one sentence: This girl is extraordinary.

At this time, Qiu Ru pulled Ji You's sleeve: "Young Master, elbow!"

"Where to?"

"Take you to steal a chicken leg."

It really was "elbow." Ji You looked at her and was silent for a long time: "Ruru, do you still not believe that this is our home?"

Qiu Ru showed an expression of surprise after hearing this: "?"

Ji You thought to himself that this gluttonous girl was truly terrified by poverty, so he led her to the kitchen to suck on a chicken leg.

The gluttonous girl didn't just eat one; she took three.

Ji You looked at her: "Why take so many? If you want to eat, just come again."

"Left for the Young Mistress."

"?"

Ji You was stunned for a moment, and then realized it was Xiang Kuangcheng who had told them.

The gluttonous girl was quite thoughtful. Actually, taking two would have been enough; she had even taken an extra one for herself.

After the stealing was over, Ji You led her back, and saw Xiang Kuangcheng burying his head in writing, not knowing what he was writing.

The last time someone was writing with such flair here was Brother Gongshu Chou, who directly buried a big mine for him, which made Ji You alert.

However, he didn't say much, but sent Qiu Ru back to her room, then pretended nothing was wrong and took a look through the window.

Kuang the Kuang Shusheng was indeed writing a book, but it didn't make Ji You serious enough to snatch it and tear it up, because he discovered that Xiang Kuangcheng was writing his biography, which made Ji You, who had been standing by and watching for a long time, feel a flush of shame.

The book praised him too well, making him feel uncomfortable.

Ji You couldn't help but speak softly: "Actually, I don't have any ambitions or ideals for the people. What you've written is a bit too great. It's not quite appropriate. If others see it, they'll think I'm really a noble person who has detached from low-level tastes. It's embarrassing; it gives me a sense of social death."

Xiang Kuangcheng raised his head: "?"

"Actually, I just did what I could. Make the road smoother, let the people around me live as well as possible, that's all. But no one can say for sure about the future."

"Maybe there will be a war tomorrow, maybe the foreign immortal manors in Fengzhou will riot collectively, then everything we are doing now will have no meaning."

"I thought so before, and felt that maybe it would be better for Fengzhou to maintain the status quo, but in the end, I still did it, because there were some things I truly couldn't stand. The nursing pavilion and so on, it's not that great; it was entirely to follow my own heart, unrelated to ideals."

"You wrote in the book that I am the guardian of Fengzhou. Actually, I'm not. It's like seeing a child on the side of the road; I can give him a copper coin, but I cannot raise him for a lifetime."

Ji You muttered a passage: "So, you'd better not let others see this biography. I'll keep it, lest people really think I'm some kind of savior."

Xiang Kuangcheng looked up at him: "Brother Ji has already done enough. Whether such a Fengzhou exists for one year or three years, the commoners will eventually thank you."

"No need to thank me, lest I lose my head one day and really want to leave a loyal heart to shine in the annals of history. I'm not afraid of my own cheap life, but I'm most afraid of others' expectations being too high."

"Brother Ji says this every time, yet every time he rushes forward faster than anyone else."

After Xiang Kuangcheng finished speaking, he picked up his brush and continued writing.

He wrote about the customs of Fengzhou, wrote about the beautiful Yuyang County, and wrote about some interesting anecdotes and wild history.

It was basically written from Ji You's perspective, such as Ji You's favorite Yinma Bridge in Yuyang County, where he often used to stroll.

There was also Xiangzi Lake in Danshui County, where he had improvised a poem when he went to Danshui Prefecture to recruit students with Instructor Cao.

Ah, lake, you are all water.

The most moving thing was that Xiangzi Lake had a beautiful legend. It was said that if lovers circled the lake once and happened to meet under a locust tree by the lake, they would never be separated for generations.

Cultural exchange is actually very necessary, because these are common things that will make people have imagination, have longing, and will make people feel that such beauty is worth preserving.

Ji You looked at the bright moon in the night and couldn't help but speak softly: "When will you finish writing this book?"

Xiang Kuangcheng dipped his brush in ink at this time: "Looking at the progress, it will probably take two days."

"You wrote this wrong here."

"Hmm?"

Ji You pointed to a line in the book: "After establishing the family in Fengzhou, the matter was going to the Snow Region to meet the Demon Emperor. Why did you only write a poem and then jump to spring plowing?"

Xiang Kuangcheng lowered his head and looked carefully: "There's no need to write this part. Just write about everyone's reaction when you returned."

Ji You looked at him, thought for a long time, and thought to himself that it was also true.

Although the seriousness of celebrity biographies is worse than historical records, they still need to be authentic and verifiable.

Xiang Kuangcheng had never been to the Snow Region, nor had he seen how he was beaten with knife wounds all over his body by that demon general with bare hands on the snowfield, nor had he seen him kill that demon general in return. It is difficult to write things authentically just by hearsay, so it is correct not to write it for the sake of seriousness.

Look, look, what is called professional ethics?

This, is called professional ethics.

Ji You couldn't help but think of Brother Gongshu Chou relying on his imagination to write the tail part, and had an urge to scold someone in his heart. He truly hadn't expected that Brother Gongshu Chou would be a novel writer.

"I'm going to sleep first. Don't stay up too late."

"Okay, Brother Ji."

Xiang Kuangcheng dipped his brush in ink and continued writing with flair.

After a while, Ji You's figure appeared again in the small courtyard in front of the guest room, holding a cup of tea, and handed it to Xiang Kuangcheng through the window.

At noon the next morning, the last piece of farmland for the joint reclamation was registered.

He Zhang from Fengzhou Prefecture came from outside and asked Ji You whether cultivators needed to participate in the sowing.

Ji You thought for a long time, then shook his head.

He wanted to see what would happen without the tax offering.

Thus, early the next morning, large-scale sowing began. At this time, the fields were filled with the figures of commoners.

However, it didn't take long before the cultivators who had participated in the joint reclamation also appeared. Although there were only half of them, it still increased the speed of sowing quite a bit.

Ji You stood at the edge of the field watching this scene, feeling that the picture was quite harmonious.

Just at this moment, a yawn made him come back to his senses. Turning his head to look, Xiang Kuangcheng was looking exhausted.

He was not a cultivator and still needed to rely on sleep to replenish his spirit. This state was clearly caused by staying up too late.

"Is the biography finished?"

"Finished."

"Actually, it wouldn't matter if it were a few days late. Besides, I'm not a big shot, and writing a biography—if it gets out, I might be laughed at. But since it's finished, then many thanks, Brother Kuang."

People all have vanity, even Ji You cannot be exempt; this is a common occurrence.

He had been looking forward to it these past few days, wanting to see himself from a different perspective, so he reached out his hand at this moment.

The scholar couldn't help but cough after seeing his hand: "It is finished, but Brother Ji might not know that the biography I just finished writing was lost."

A flash of astonishment crossed Ji You's eyes: "Lost?"

"Hmm, lost."

"Where did you lose it?"

"I lost it when I went out this morning. I went back to look for it but couldn't find it. It must have been picked up by someone."

"Point me in a direction, and I'll go ask. What if this kind of socially dead thing is picked up by someone else?"

As soon as the words fell, Ji You heard the sound of a carriage galloping. Turning his head to look, he discovered it was a merchant caravan of the demon race crossing the border and returning, whistling straight toward the north.

They were not using horses to pull the carriage, but demon beasts that had not yet opened their spiritual wisdom. The running speed of these demon beasts was extremely fast, and their hooves thundered when they stepped, making it hard not to be noticed.

Seeing this scene, he couldn't help but frown slightly.

This demon merchant caravan had just arrived a few days ago, specifically responsible for purchasing the items they needed. It was said that half of the item list from this morning had not been gathered yet. According to reason, they shouldn't be in such a hurry to return.

And this was too panicked. What if they hit a child?

One of the carriages hadn't even had time to raise its flag. The more he looked at it, the more it seemed like they had picked up something good at the door this morning, and after opening it, they were overjoyed, and then hurriedly wanted to take it home.

Ji You knew this feeling too well. When he was fighting the bare-handed demon general in the Snow Region, he had that feeling when he accidentally picked up two precious sabers.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 204 =====