The next morning, Xie Jiang, along with Tian Kangtai and others, went to Yongfeng Stockade with Luo Shou.
They stayed at Yongfeng Stockade for half a month.
When they returned, it was already dark. Xie Jiang had intended to surprise Xu Hengyan, but learned that Xu Hengyan was not at the county office and might not return until the next evening.
Xie Jiang went directly back to her small residence.
After bathing and changing, as she was about to eat, she heard that Lou Yi'an had also not eaten yet, so she asked Yan'er to call him over.
Lou Yi'an glanced at her, seeing that she was energetic and seemed to have not done anything reckless during this period. He then walked to the wooden rack and washed his hands carefully.
Without waiting for Lou Yi'an to be seated, Xie Jiang started eating as soon as the food was served. "What were you busy with that you're eating so late? Have you started treating patients? That's good. It's rare for you to be so diligent. Did you see my hard work and have a change of heart, planning to earn money to support the family with me?"
Lou Yi'an wiped his hands and sat opposite her. "I'm preparing medicine for Young Master Yi."
Yi Yangan's people had sent the medicinal ingredients, and some of them were quite time-consuming to process.
Xie Jiang: "Oh."
Lou Yi'an spoke to her as he ate, "Only Dahui and Nie Tong returned with you. Did Tian Kangtai and the others stay in Yongfeng Stockade?"
Xie Jiang ate much faster than usual. When she was starving, there was no need to chew slowly. "They have to stay in Yongfeng Stockade for a while longer."
Lou Yi'an ate like a whirlwind, not much slower than Xie Jiang. "Are you going to bring all the mountain villagers and bandits in the mountains under your command?"
Xie Jiang: "The bandits who have committed heinous crimes will be executed on the spot. I don't take in just anyone. Since I've taken them in, whether they are mountain villagers or bandits, they must be loyal to me, so loyal that they won't even think of rebelling."
Lou Yi'an: "So you threw money at them?"
Xie Jiang: "Do I look like I run a charity?"
Lou Yi'an recalled her past ways of doing things. "You're having Tian Kangtai teach them to make money for you, and then using the money they earn to win them over?"
Xie Jiang was displeased with this description. "What do you mean 'make money for me'? Both sides benefit."
Lou Yi'an nodded.
They would only be grateful to her.
She had never treated those who followed her poorly.
Xie Jiang glanced at Lou Yi'an. "To support you big spenders, don't I have to work hard to earn money..."
Lou Yi'an ignored her. She acted up occasionally, and didn't need his sympathy.
As they ate, Lou Yi'an had another question. "How can value be created in deep mountains and old forests?"
Xie Jiang raised her eyebrows mysteriously. "Deep mountains and old forests are full of treasures, more than you can dig up."
Lou Yi'an felt that she was the treasure.
But it was better to keep this thought to himself; otherwise, her ego would swell even further.
Xie Jiang finished eating and put down her bowl and chopsticks. She felt much more comfortable with a full stomach. "When do you plan to go to the capital? Yi Yangan is waiting for you to treat his illness."
Lou Yi'an said slowly, "Young Master Yi sent word that his injury is not urgent and asked me to take care of your health first."
Xie Jiang said, "My health is fine now. As long as I don't use my internal energy, everything is fine. You should also set off for the capital."
Lou Yi'an: "I've finished preparing the medicine and will depart in a couple of days."
Xie Jiang silently applauded in her heart, but outwardly showed no particular interest.
Lou Yi'an knew her well. "Once I leave, no one will force you to take medicine anymore, right? You must be very happy."
How could Xie Jiang admit it? "When you leave, there's still Aunt He. Aunt He will cry, make a scene, and threaten to hang herself. You just give her a cold face and turn away, but Aunt He is much more difficult to deal with than you."
Aunt He was displeased to hear this. "We've been worrying ourselves sick, all for Young Master's health!"
Never mind whether she cried, made a scene, or threatened to hang herself; as long as she could make the Young Master obediently take his medicine, that was enough.
Aunt He said to Lou Yi'an, "Doctor Lou, please rest assured. I will make sure Young Master takes his medicine, not missing a single dose."
Lou Yi'an had also finished his dinner.
The dishes and bowls on the table were cleared away, and replaced with a pot of clear tea and a cup of warm water.
Xie Jiang greedily inhaled the aroma of the tea, but a cup of warm water was placed in her hand.
"Speaking of which, I haven't seen Yi Yangan in a long time. Yi'an, when you go to the capital, remember to bring my regards to Yi Yangan."
"If you say any more disgusting things like that, believe it or not, I'll poison your tongue."
~
The lotus flowers, standing gracefully in the pond, gradually began to fade.
The sweet potatoes, after much anticipation from many, finally welcomed their harvest season.
Xu Hengyan first dug up the two rows of land planted in the county office's backyard. After estimating the approximate yield, he became so excited that Xie Jiang felt as if he wanted to devour her.
Xie Jiang was waiting for him to throw himself into her arms, but instead, he turned and rushed towards the sweet potatoes.
Xu Hengyan generously declared that lunch at the county office today would be sweet potatoes!
Guang Bai, with a beaming smile, instructed the servants to carry two baskets of sweet potatoes to the kitchen.
Today, everyone in the county office would eat sweet potatoes!
Everyone would get a share!
A cheer erupted throughout the county office.
Xie Jiang suddenly remembered that she had something important to do, something that could lose her a thousand taels of gold in half an hour.
She had to personally oversee it.
This time, Xu Hengyan was not gentle, considerate, or understanding at all. He insisted on dragging her along to share the fruits of the harvest with him.
How important was earning money compared to a bumper harvest of grain?
Xie Jiang suddenly felt that Xu Hengyan was not cute at all.
Wasn't earning money important?
She had so many people to support; if she didn't earn money, wouldn't they have to eat the wind?
Xu Hengyan was truly happy today. He didn't even bother to maintain his image in front of his subordinates, throwing an arm around her shoulder with his hands still covered in mud from digging sweet potatoes.
Young Master Xu's trouser legs were stained with mud. He was truly becoming more down-to-earth.
Xu Hengyan knew her well.
As soon as he heard about eating sweet potatoes for lunch, he saw her disdainful little glance.
Sweet potatoes were widely planted in Lan Yong, so they weren't a rare commodity in her eyes. She was probably already tired of eating them.
But who was it that brought sweet potatoes to him through Xu Hengyi back then?
Didn't she say at the time that she liked eating sweet potatoes very much, so her servants listed sweet potatoes as a food item and specifically loaded them onto a ship to bring to Dayu?
Xie Jiang wanted to kill him. Wasn't she doing it so that the people of Dayu could have enough to eat? And now he was holding this against her!
Besides, how aloof was Young Master Xu back then? His eyes were always in the sky, who would he even deign to look at?
Even though she had done the Duke of Wei's mansion a favor, Young Master Xu couldn't be bothered to spare her a glance. If she hadn't taken advantage of the naive Xu Hengyi, how could she have brought sweet potatoes to him?
Xu Hengyan thought back to when they first met. He admitted that he had been more than polite to her, but who exactly had their eyes in the sky?
Guang Bai lowered his head, not daring to look at the two of them embracing and exchanging meaningful glances.
There were so many eyes watching them in the county office.
The Young Master was simply too happy and didn't know how to restrain himself.
However, as Guang Bai looked up and scanned the surroundings, he noticed that everyone's spirits were high. Quite a few people were linking arms, and the Young Master and Young Master Xie were not out of place among them.
After two months of careful cultivation, the high yield had now been confirmed. Who wasn't overjoyed?
Guang Bai himself was so happy that his mouth couldn't close.