The day for harvesting sweet potatoes found Xie Jiang dragged out of bed by Xu Hengyan while it was still pitch black outside.
"Xu Hengyan, do you want to die? Digging damn sweet potatoes in the middle of the night? I'll dig a hole and bury you first!"
Xie Jiang raised her foot to kick Xu Hengyan's face, but he grabbed it, saying, "No swearing. If you swear again, I'll stuff your mouth."
Hearing this, Xie Jiang's temper subsided. As she let him dress her, she puckered her lips and brought them to his mouth, "Show me. Stuff it."
Xu Hengyan stared at her lips, momentarily lost in thought, but his hands didn't stop. He yanked off the sock he had just put on her and was about to stuff it into her mouth.
Xie Jiang's roar almost blew the roof off.
Xu Hengyan called for Aunt He to help, quickly dressing her.
Yawning and reluctant, Xie Jiang allowed Xu Hengyan to drag her towards the front hall.
There, she saw the courtyard in front of the reception hall filled with all sorts of old men, some standing, some sitting. What's more, these old men were all dressed in court attire.
Xie Jiang glanced at Xu Hengyan and realized he was also wearing court attire.
Still groggy, Xie Jiang patted her head, "With this kind of scene, am I still dreaming and haven't woken up yet..."
As she spoke, she looked back at Xu Hengyan, her eyes sparkling with excitement, "I dreamt I ascended the throne, and all my ministers are here to pay homage to me..."
Xu Hengyan slapped her forehead hard!
What nonsense was she spouting in front of so many people!
A handsome old man with a pale complexion stroked his beard and burst into laughter.
Duke of Qian, Yue Rong, glared at Xie Jiang, "Childish words, a child's nonsense!"
The old men beside him nodded in agreement, confirming they had indeed heard a child's nonsense.
Xie Jiang clutched her head and cried out in pain. Xu Hengyan felt no pity this time; how else could he make her sober up if he didn't hit her hard?
She had been dragged out of bed, why should she be sober!
Xu Hengyan gave her a warning look, then led her forward to pay respects to the old dukes and marquises.
"You've met Duke of Qian before. These two are the old Duke of Qin and Duke of Zhao."
Xu Hengyan introduced the two old men beside Duke of Qian, Yue Rong.
"This boy greets Duke of Qian, the old Duke of Qin, and Duke of Zhao..."
Xie Jiang bowed to the three dukes and took a longer look at the old Duke of Qin, finding him somewhat familiar. She then quietly asked Xu Hengyan, "Isn't the old Duke of Qin that Lu, Lu what..."
Xu Hengyan whispered to her, "The old Duke of Qin is Lu Zhiheng's grandfather. Due to poor health, the old Duke of Qin passed on his title early to the current Duke of Qin, who is Lu Zhiheng's father."
Afterward, he continued introducing the other old marquises.
"This boy greets all the old marquises."
Xie Jiang's gaze lingered on the old Marquis of Yongchang for a moment longer.
The old Marquis of Yongchang was also sizing up Xie Jiang discreetly.
They hadn't known who the person who saved his Shuyao at the foot of Xian Mountain was. However, as Xie Jiang's reputation grew in the capital, their Yongchang Marquis Manor's attention naturally fell upon this Young Master Xie.
"All the esteemed dukes and marquises have gathered at my humble abode. What is this for?" What was going on?
Duke of Qian, Yue Rong, said, "Aren't we harvesting sweet potatoes today? You boy, stop dawdling. Have you finished getting ready? If so, let's depart."
Xie Jiang knew they were harvesting sweet potatoes today, but were these old men really going to the fields dressed like this? Anyone seeing them would think they were burying an emperor in the fields.
"All the esteemed dukes and marquises are here to harvest sweet potatoes? When did you arrive in Ninghe, and I never heard about it?"
Xie Jiang did know that after harvesting the sweet potatoes from the county office last time, Xu Hengyan had people announce the specific time for the harvest. She also knew that many eyes were fixed on the sweet potatoes in the fields, but she hadn't expected so many high-ranking old men to show up all at once.
"Just arrived. You boy were still lazing in bed. Hurry up and go." The impatient Duke of Qian urged.
He then turned to ask Xu Hengyan if everything that needed to be prepared had been done.
Xu Hengyan reassured the Duke of Qian, stating that upon learning the old dukes and marquises had entered Ninghe County, he had already instructed people to make preparations.
Xu Hengyan knew that the old dukes and marquises would be coming to Ninghe today.
However, he hadn't expected them to be so eager.
They had even changed into their court attire right there in the courtyard of the Xie residence.
Xie Jiang's feet felt glued to the ground. "It's not even dawn yet, is there a need to be so hurried? Haven't all the esteemed dukes and marquises had breakfast yet? How about we eat first before heading to the fields?"
She had been busy until late at night and was still too sleepy to open her eyes. Was digging sweet potatoes worth such an early start?
The Duke of Qian said, "What breakfast? By the time we finish eating breakfast slowly, the auspicious hour will be missed!"
Xie Jiang was utterly bewildered. Why was there an auspicious hour for digging sweet potatoes?
The Duke of Qian beckoned everyone to depart and, with a gruff tone to Xie Jiang, said, "By the time we get to the fields and are ready, it will be dawn. You boy, stop with the nonsense and keep up. We've brought rations, we can just nibble on them on the way."
The shovels and hoes for digging sweet potatoes had long been prepared. What else needed preparing?
The Duke of Qin was somewhat frail and thin. Among the group of seasoned old men, he appeared exceptionally refined and amiable. He smiled at Xie Jiang and said, "I've heard sweet potatoes are fragrant, sweet, soft, and suitable for all ages. It would be fine if we ate sweet potatoes after digging them."
Xie Jiang yawned and said, "Then bring my cook along."
The Duke of Qian grabbed her by the scruff of her neck, "I say, you boy live a life of extravagance and indulgence, needing to bring a cook just to go to the fields! We don't know what sweet potatoes taste like, but who can't cook them by lighting a fire?"
Xie Jiang was forced to walk out.
Xu Hengyan, suppressing a smile, rescued her from the Duke of Qian's grasp. When had the majestic Young Master Xie ever been so weak and pitiful?
Xie Jiang wanted to go back to sleep. "If you're in such a hurry, why don't you go ahead first? I'll eat breakfast and then..."
The Duke of Qian glared at her and roared, "I'll share half of my rations with you, boy! How can you be so lazy at such a young age!"
"I..."
"Why are you making so much trouble, boy!"
As they spoke, the group arrived outside the gate of the Xie residence. The Duke of Qian grabbed Xie Jiang's arm, intending to throw her onto a horse. Xie Jiang, slippery as an eel, escaped his grasp.
"I can mount the horse myself. No need for the Duke of Qian's help."
A string of hoofbeats echoed through the quiet streets of Ninghe County.
Xie Jiang wanted to fall behind and then slip away unnoticed to return home. However, it was as if the old men had eyes in the back of their heads. The moment she lagged a couple of steps behind, they called her to hurry up and catch up!
"Are you trying to sneak away right under our noses, boy?" Duke of Qian, Yue Rong, whipped the hindquarters of Xie Jiang's horse fiercely.
The mount beneath Xie Jiang suddenly surged to the very front. "I can't carry anything with my shoulders, nor can I lift anything with my hands. I can't dig sweet potatoes, so why do you insist on me following?"
Even the roosters hadn't started crowing yet. What sweet potatoes was she supposed to be digging in the dark? Sweet potatoes wouldn't grow legs and run away!