Chapter 1730: Yuan Gui Offers Help

 Chapter 266.2

Chang Suining did not drink alcohol, so she substituted tea and drank with everyone.

Those who wished to pay her respect were indeed many—one after another. While others were drinking a bellyful of wine, she drank a bellyful of tea.

The soldiers did not overindulge either; after all, they were on the march, and even on New Year’s Eve, vigilance could not be neglected.

After leaving enough soldiers for night patrols, the remaining people returned to their tents to rest one by one.

Fang Chao was the last to leave. Before departing, he could not help but ask Chang Suining for confirmation:

“Fang has one thing I do not understand… Young Miss Chang excels in horseback riding, archery, and swordsmanship. Aside from natural talent, she must have trained diligently for many years… Yet, why is it that Young Miss Chang’s strength appears so weak?”

As an experienced Head Master, repeatedly engaging with Chang Suining had made him more perceptive than most. He had thought and thought but could not come up with an answer.

“Skill is cultivated through hard practice. As for lacking strength…” Chang Suining spoke while walking, “that is because I fell seriously ill last spring.”

Fang Chao understood at once.

A serious illness could reduce one’s strength, but it would not erase the techniques one had already learned—this explanation made perfect sense.

“No matter. With Young Miss Chang’s extraordinary talent, as long as you continue to practice diligently, in time, your strength will surely return,” Fang Chao comforted her.

Chang Suining smiled and nodded. “I believe so as well.”

Everything she had lost before, she would reclaim—not only her strength.

And now, she was going to see Ah Dian.

…

Meanwhile, Xiao Min had just come out of Chang Kuo’s tent. He had just escorted Chang Kuo back—not because Chang Kuo had drunk too much, but for convenience in discussing matters.

Chang Suining’s and Ah Dian’s tents were on either side of Chang Kuo’s main tent. At this moment, Xiao Min happened to encounter Chang Suining.

Chang Suining raised her hand. “Commander Xiao.”

“Young Miss Chang.” Xiao Min approached, speaking with admiration, “Young Miss Chang, today you have truly opened my eyes.”

Finally, he found a chance to speak. Previously, many people had surrounded Chang Suining, and as the commander, he could not push through with dignity.

Now having the opportunity, he no longer concealed his astonishment and admiration. After lavish praise, he sighed, saying:

“Fortunately, Young Miss Chang is exceptionally talented; otherwise, the crown prince’s spear techniques might have been lost…”

Chang Suining vaguely sensed that he had heard something even she did not know, so she only nodded and said nothing further.

Xiao Min said no more. “Young Miss Chang must be tired; please return to rest.”

Chang Suining raised her hand in farewell. “Commander Xiao, take care.”

Xiao Min left accompanied by an aide-de-camp.

After walking a short distance, the advisor sighed. “Why does the commander humble himself so, being so attentive to a young girl…”

Xiao Min paused, frowning. “What do you mean by that?”

“I mean nothing else. I just feel that if you continue treating them this way, the Chang family father and daughter may not see your true status… Currently, the army’s loyalty leans toward the father and daughter. If you indulge them so highly… in time, who will remember that the commander’s surname is Xiao, not Chang?”

Seeing the advisor’s solemn expression, Xiao Min remained silent for a moment, then asked seriously, “Deputy Commander Dong, have you been drinking?”

Otherwise, how could he speak such nonsense?

Deputy Commander Dong was taken aback, about to reply: “Commander, I—”

“Enough. I know my own limits. Since you have drunk too much, return to rest.”

With that, Xiao Min patted his shoulder and left.

Watching his back vanish, Deputy Commander Dong felt utterly puzzled.

If he understood, he would know that Xiao Min’s daily practice was to self-reflect before sleep:

—Have I made sufficient progress today?

—Did I heed advice today in dealing with General Chang and Young Miss Chang?

—Were my words and actions proper, without repeating the mistakes of Li Yi?

Only after confirming that everything was on the right path, without straying, could he rest with peace of mind.

This convenient commander was literally “picked up standing,” achievements “earned while lying down”—he had done nothing, yet sought prestige and loyalty. If one could think like that, why not reach the heavens?

Ah, someone like that had indeed already reached the heavens.

Xiao Min admitted he did not possess great skill, only self-awareness.

Without this opportunity, with no one in court available, the Empress would not have easily entrusted him. How else could he have become commander?

How else could he travel alongside General Chang, a truly remarkable figure?

As for the Chang family daughter, though young, her reputation was already well established—she was a solid, genuine figure.

He was fortunate to accompany such people. To grow from this opportunity was urgent; to meddle in trivial, thankless tasks—who would want that? He could not.

Xiao Min returned to his tent, continuing his self-reflection.

…

Before Chang Suining arrived at Ah Dian’s tent, Yuan Xiang was keeping him company.

Ah Dian was unusually spirited tonight. During the brief interval when Chang Suining returned, he did not forget to instruct Yuan Xiang:

“…I told you that Xiao Ah Li could win. Yuan Xiang, next time don’t be so shameless!”

Yuan Xiang listened, half laughing, half crying, responding repeatedly.

“I can give you one chance to correct it,” Ah Dian said seriously. “This time, I won’t tell Xiao Ah Li… but next time, no exceptions.”

Yuan Xiang scratched his head. “Much obliged, General Dian.”

Ah Dian yawned.

Seeing this, Yuan Xiang took his leave, agreeing to return the next day.

After Yuan Xiang left, Ah Che advised Ah Dian to rest. Ah Dian shook his head, still sitting cross-legged, yawning and rubbing his eyes:

“No, I’ll wait until Xiao Ah Li finishes her work.”

But his eyelids were rebellious, nodding drowsily.

Before long, he felt a pair of cool hands cover his eyes from behind.

Ah Dian jolted awake.

“Guess who I am?” a girl’s voice asked mysteriously.

“I of course know… Xiao Ah Li!”

Yet the familiar voice replied:

“Nope.”

It had been a long time since asking for a monthly vote; has everyone forgotten me? (Ah Dian cried aloud)

Good night!

 Chapter 266.1: Visiting the Chief Instructor

That one address of “Head Instructor,” Fang Chao called out with heartfelt conviction, filled with both respect and self-reproach.

He maintained his posture of cupping his fists in salute for a long while, until the Commandant officially announced Chang Suining’s victory.

Cheers erupted like waves, a roaring fire that set the New Year’s Eve ablaze, destined to be etched in the memory of all who witnessed it.

As the defeated opponent, Chief Instructor Fang did not find the applause harsh, nor did he feel humiliated. For he too had received kindness.

Those who are favored by goodwill find it hard to harbor bitterness.

At this moment, he was perhaps more sincere than the spectators themselves in believing that this round of applause was what that young lady truly deserved.

Watching the motionless figure who stood like a sculpture, hands still clasped in salute, Xiao Min murmured with Chang Kuo, “Miss Chang possesses great virtue…”

Though she lost the final bout, she had won something far greater — something that cannot be attained by victory alone.

And that single “Head Instructor” spoken from Fang’s lips carried far more weight than if it had come from the mouth of their nominal Commander.

It signified that henceforth, when Miss Chang issued commands as the Head Instructor of these one hundred and seventy thousand troops, none would dare obstruct her orders.

Amid the uproar of voices, the ashamed Chief Instructor Fang lowered his head, only to see the young maiden step toward him, the heels of her dark crow-green boots glinting in the firelight.

Many others approached as well, but Fang Chao saw only her.

She raised her hand slightly, motioning to help him up. “I have offended you much today, Chief Instructor Fang — I ask your forgiveness.”

“No… it is I who should apologize.” Fang Chao straightened himself, guilt written across his face. “I wonder if I injured you just now, Miss Chang?”

Chang Suining smiled. “Just a small wound — nothing to worry about.”

At that smile, Fang Chao’s shame deepened all the more. He wished he could slap himself. Looking at her, then at himself — how vast the difference! His loss was not merely one of skill.

He bowed his head again. “It was my fault for not holding back my strength…”

“In sparring, when skill falls short, it is no disgrace,” said Chang Suining. “I am weak in strength. I must ask Chief Instructor Fang for much guidance in the future.”

By now, several rings of onlookers had formed. The young girl’s voice was neither soft nor timid — open, clear, and sincere, never hiding her shortcomings nor begrudging others their due.

Perhaps from the very beginning, Chang Suining had known exactly what she sought.

She did not fight to satisfy pride or vanity. What she wanted was only to shatter the prejudice that stood against her.

To break the bias was enough — there was no need to crush another’s dignity or backbone.

The man before her was not her enemy — at least, not now.

At this moment, they were comrades-in-arms.

And in her view, there was never any reason to drive one’s comrades to ruin — nor would there ever be. Therefore, she must set the example herself.

Moreover, this match had been provoked by her own taunting, to spur the contest. In a sense, she had stood on higher ground, seeing the full picture and the outcome — while her opponent had not.

Since she had held the advantage, she should now yield a round in turn — otherwise, it would not be the conduct of a true person.

At last, some of the other instructors realized the true intent behind that frail-looking girl’s insistence on finishing the final round despite her weakness in strength.

“Earlier, we failed to recognize your greatness, Miss Chang. Our words were offensive — please forgive us!”

“……”

They all lowered their heads before her in apology.

Each heart differed — whether they spoke out of genuine remorse, or merely followed Fang’s lead, or bent to the demands of future necessity — yet no matter their reason, Chang Suining’s goal had already been achieved.

She lifted her hand with a faint smile. “A fight makes friends of strangers. I thank you all for your regard. In days to come, when we work together, I shall still rely on your guidance and care.”

“Miss Chang speaks too kindly!”

“It is we who must trouble Miss Chang instead — if we act clumsily, we beg your tolerance.” Fang Chao’s voice was hoarse, his face still flushed with shame. By contrast, tonight’s match had shown him the truth — why back in Hezhou, the Cui forces had been able to repel Xu’s army.

The troops they now led were indeed a scattered mass, useless as they were.

Yet while two hundred soldiers could be drilled easily, to reform a host of one hundred and seventy thousand inside and out was no simple feat.

Chang Suining knew this clearly — hence why she sought unity above all else. To bond with her future subordinates through goodwill and kinship was of great importance.

So she spoke with warmth and curiosity, giving comfort while drawing closer to them. “Chief Instructor Fang, is this your zodiac year of birth?”

Her gaze fell upon the dark red padded garment revealed beneath Fang’s torn uniform.

He was momentarily startled, then glanced down with a self-conscious smile. “Indeed it is.”

“If you had told me earlier, I would have given that red-fletched arrow to you instead,” said Chang Suining sincerely.

Deputy Commander Jin, who had squeezed his way to the front, laughed heartily. “Had that been the case, perhaps Chief Fang might have won!”

Fang Chao could not help but laugh. Even if the red arrow had truly blessed him, even if his ancestors of eighteen generations had come to aid him, he still could not have won tonight.

Yet speaking of such superstitious matters reminded Fang of something.

After this New Year, he would be forty-eight. Before he set out on this campaign, his old mother had personally sewn him a red coat and trousers, instructing him to wear them on New Year’s Eve — and to do so as long as he lived.

For his mother had sought a Daoist’s reading for him: that in his forty-eighth year he would face a great obstacle — that he must not contend or boast, and must know when to bow his head. If he crossed that hurdle safely, a noble person would come to aid him, and he would yet have the chance to earn great merit.

He had believed it only halfway.

But now, looking down at his red garment, and then at the young lady before him…

Could it be that this hurdle — and that noble person — were both right here?

Fang Chao pondered silently.

“Big Sister Jiang Cai! Are there any dumplings left?” someone called, laughing as they approached Jiang Cai and her companions.

Jiang Cai swept her eyes around, seeing that Miss Chang still smiled, and so she too broke into a cheerful grin. “Since you call me big sister, then even if there weren’t, there must be now!”

She was never one to haggle over trifles. She might not understand much, but she knew one thing — whoever treated the young lady with respect, she would return it in kind.

And whoever dared show disrespect — her mouth and her blade would both refuse to agree!

Laughter rippled all around; the air turned warm and harmonious once more.

Soon, steaming hot dumplings were brought over again.

Chang Kuo and Xiao Min did not return to their tents either, but joined the circle around the bonfire, drinking together with the soldiers.

“Smells just like the ones my mother makes!”

“As the saying goes — dumplings with wine, the more you drink, the better it feels!”

Instructor Zhu raised his bowl. “Miss Chang, this cup to you — consider it my apology!”

Another instructor eagerly reached to pour her wine.

Chang Suining smiled and declined. “Thank you, but I cannot drink.”

Everyone thought the young lady simply had poor tolerance, and some began to coax her to take at least one sip — when she explained, still smiling, “My liquor temper is bad. When I get drunk, I start grabbing people to fight.”

“……” The crowd froze, goosebumps rising.

The memory of her match just moments ago made that line far too convincing.

Indeed, not a single person dared insist further. The instructor holding the jug immediately halted and withdrew, even taking the bowl with him, not daring to let her taste a drop.

“I can attest to that!” said Ah Dian, sitting beside Chang Suining, raising his hand eagerly. “Xiao Jing was once— mmmph!”

Yuan Xiang moved fast, clapping his hand over the boy’s mouth.

Ah Dian blinked at him in confusion.

Yuan Xiang grinned broadly. “General Dian, care to guess what filling these dumplings are?”

Ah Dian’s eyes spun in thought.

At last, he lifted his chin proudly. “I know! They’re filled with dumpling filling!”

Yuan Xiang gave a dramatic thumbs-up. “…General Dian, truly a prodigy!”

Ah Dian beamed with pride.

And once again, laughter rose around the fire — gentle and full of goodwill.

 Chapter 916: The Imperial Marriage (1)

Xiao Ruiyuan returned to the Wei Yuan Marquis’ residence, stepping through the starlit courtyard. After changing into his casual attire, he sat down at the dining table, where three dishes and a soup were already laid out. Given his status and the wealth of the Wei Yuan Marquis’ family, the meal seemed rather simple.

The Wei Yuan Marquis’ family held a noble title and had inherited a large fortune, much of which had been passed down to Xiao Ruiyuan. However, he had been raised in the military and was accustomed to hardship. He often went whole days without eating during battles, so his standards for food were not high.

Yet, despite the meal looking ordinary, there was a distinct, rich fragrance in the air that was noticeably different from usual, greatly stimulating his appetite.

Thinking it was due to a change in the kitchen staff, Xiao Ruiyuan didn’t pay much attention. But when he took a sip of the creamy fish head soup, he realized that it tasted much better than usual. He turned to Xiao Shiyi, saying, "This fish head soup is quite good. Ask the cook to make it again tomorrow."

Xiao Shiyi, like Xiao Jiu, had once been a shadow guard. Later, when Xiao Ruiyuan needed someone trustworthy to manage his daily affairs, he took Xiao Shiyi in as both a guard and a servant.

Xiao Shiyi, inhaling the fragrance of the fish head soup, couldn’t hide his greed and swallowed his saliva. "This fish was raised by Madam. Today, Qi Nan went over and brought a few back for the master to try."

Since Xiao Ruiyuan and Mo Yan were betrothed, Xiao Shiyi and the others had taken to referring to Mo Yan as "Madam" in private. They had discovered that when these two words were mentioned, their master became unusually easygoing. As a result, this form of address had become more frequent in Xiao Ruiyuan’s presence.

Without Xiao Ruiyuan’s approval, Qi Nan had dared not address Mo Yan so casually the first time they met, as it would have led to a heavy punishment.

Hearing that the fish had been specially sent by Mo Yan, Xiao Ruiyuan’s expression softened significantly. He ignored Xiao Shiyi’s envious gaze and finished all five bowls of rice with the fish head soup, leaving no soup behind, though he didn’t touch the other dishes at all.

After finishing the meal, Xiao Ruiyuan wiped his hands and face. He looked at Xiao Shiyi, who had an envious expression, and said, "You look hungry. You can have the remaining three dishes."

Without waiting for Xiao Shiyi’s reaction, he left the dining room and went to his study to handle official matters.

Xiao Shiyi stared at the three large dishes, feeling his stomach already full from earlier. He glanced at the direction his master had gone and looked utterly disheartened.

The next morning, before the Prince’s residence had received its usual ingredients, three live fish appeared in the kitchen: two from Wei Yuan Marquis’ residence and one from the Wu’an Marquis’s residence.

In reality, the fish was so delicious that neither Xiao Ruiyuan nor Yan Junyu was willing to share it with anyone else. However, since there were several fish and they couldn’t finish them all at once, they decided to send some to the Prince’s residence so that Prince Chu Heng could try it.

The Prince’s residence didn’t lack fish, but the fact that it was sent personally by Mo Yan made it special. The kitchen staff, understanding the significance, made sure the fish would be served to Prince Chu Heng and not to anyone else.

That evening, when Prince Chu Heng returned to the residence, a pot of fresh fish soup was added to the dining table. The fragrance of the fish filled the air, greatly increasing his appetite.

As he was about to sit down and have his meal served, Xiao Ruiyuan and Yan Junyu arrived together, clearly hoping to join him for dinner.

Although they saw each other daily, it wasn’t often that the three of them shared a meal. Prince Chu Heng, in high spirits, ordered a jar of wine to be brought out, planning to enjoy a good gathering with his two cousins.

However, just as the seal on the wine jar was being broken, a servant rushed in urgently. "Your Highness, His Majesty has arrived. He is at the front gate."

A look of surprise flashed across Prince Chu Heng’s face. He quickly stood up and headed outside. As ministers, Xiao Ruiyuan and Yan Junyu could not remain seated, so they followed him. At the second gate, the three of them saw Emperor Hui'an in plain clothes, accompanied only by Liang Gonggong and two palace experts for protection.

[End of Chapter]

 Chapter 915: Revenge and the Arrival of a Stranger (5)

Tang Xin was panting heavily as she said, "Yan Yan, someone’s here looking for you. They claim to be a subordinate of Lord Xiao and came specially to find you. You should head back quickly!"

Upon hearing this, Mo Yan handed the wooden bucket to Tang Xin. "I’ll head back first. You take the fish home, clean them, and cut them up for pickling."

"Got it, leave it to me. You hurry back, Yan Yan!" Tang Xin took the bucket and urged her on.

Mo Yan quickly made her way home and saw a burly man standing in the hall. The man’s back was turned toward her, so she couldn’t see his face, but his imposing posture exuded an immense sense of pressure.

Hearing the noise behind him, the man turned around. His facial features were sharp and deep, and his face held a stern, unyielding expression. After briefly sizing Mo Yan up with a piercing gaze, he suddenly walked toward her, cupped his hands, and greeted her with a bow. "Greetings, Madam!"

Madam…?

Mo Yan almost fainted at this unfamiliar form of address. She stared at the man in front of her, wanting to ask him not to call her that, but his serious face left her speechless.

After a long pause, Mo Yan managed to digest the new title and with a slightly stiff smile, said, "May I ask, Sir, what is your name and the purpose of your visit?"

"Subordinate’s name is Qi Nan, Madam may call me by my name," Qi Nan bowed again and spoke.

Qi Nan… Could he be that Qi Nan?

A flash of surprise crossed Mo Yan’s eyes. Not only had Xiao Ruiyuan mentioned this person in his previous letter, but he was also the rumored general who delayed his marriage and later married the official’s daughter, who had tragically drowned after getting drunk. 

Suppressing her curiosity, Mo Yan smiled and said, "So you are General Qi. Lord Xiao has spoken of you, and indeed, hearing about you is not as good as meeting you in person."

"Madam is too kind," Qi Nan didn’t catch the playful tone in Mo Yan’s voice and directly stated his purpose, "The Great General has sent me to assist Madam with settling the soldiers who are stranded at the border. I would like to know if Madam has a plan for this?"

Mo Yan was growing increasingly uncomfortable with the constant use of "Madam." She couldn’t help but say, "General Qi, I’m not yet married to your Great General. Calling me 'Madam' is not appropriate. You can simply call me 'Miss Mo.'"

A faint smile flickered in Qi Nan’s eyes, but his voice and demeanor remained as serious as ever. "Since Madam and the Great General are already betrothed, calling you 'Madam' is not improper."

Mo Yan helplessly rubbed her forehead. She knew she couldn’t change his mind, so she just gave up. "Alright then, you may call me that. It’s not like it’ll cost me anything."

The two of them sat down and began discussing how to settle the disabled soldiers at the border.

There were 20,000 such soldiers at the border. Due to the limited relief from the government and many sending their compensation money back home, only about 2,000 who had skills could barely support themselves. The rest struggled to survive by farming, but sometimes even that wasn’t enough. Some had even starved to death.

Currently, Mo Yan’s fruit orchard and herb fields could accommodate at most 300 people, and that was under the assumption that two people would count as one laborer. Compared to 20,000 soldiers, 300 was hardly significant.

Mo Yan wanted to help more people and accumulate more merit. The space could produce an abundance of food, and feeding 20,000 people wouldn’t be an issue. However, if the soldiers were willing to accept help from others, she wouldn’t be the one doing this.

After thinking for a moment, Mo Yan said, "How about this, General Qi? You can send the most needy soldiers first. If more are needed in the future, I will inform you. How does that sound?"

Qi Nan had already considered this matter before coming and largely agreed with Mo Yan’s idea. He said, "I will bring these 300 soldiers to you as soon as I return to the border. When would it be convenient for Madam?"

Mo Yan had already thought about this and replied, "The weather is too hot for travel right now, and the housing for the soldiers isn’t ready. If possible, General Qi, you can bring them after the  chongyang Festival. If anything changes, I will inform you in advance, and you can make the arrangements accordingly."

Qi Nan thought it was a good plan and nodded in agreement.

The two of them settled some other details, and once they were in agreement on everything, Qi Nan declined Mo Yan’s offer to stay for a meal and stood up to leave. Before he left, Mo Yan went to the Qing River and caught a full bucket of fish for him to take back. She wanted him to try the fish herself, and also asked him to deliver the remaining fish to Xiao Ruiyuan and Yan Junyu.

Although Qi Nan didn’t care much for fish and neither did his family, once he returned to the city, he had most of it sent to the Wei Yuan Marquis’ residence, with the rest going to the Wu’an Marquis’s residence.

At that moment, no one knew that these few fish would nearly lead to a major incident…

[End of Chapter]  

 Chapter 914: Revenge and the Arrival of a Stranger (4)

After a hearty meal, Xin'er collapsed into a chair, rubbing her swollen belly and said, “Sis, why don’t we just keep the fish instead of selling them? We can enjoy them slowly!”

Hearing this, the others turned their eyes toward Mo Yan. While eating the fish, they had all secretly wished they could eat like this every day, though they didn’t dare to say it out loud, knowing it wasn’t very realistic.

Mo Yan easily saw through their thoughts and couldn't help but laugh. “These fish have been caught in nets and can’t roam around for food. Before long, they’ll get skinny and won’t taste as good. Besides, if you eat them every day, you’ll probably end up getting sick of them soon.”

Xin'er pouted and said, “But these fish are really delicious. The ones we bought on the street or caught from the river don’t taste as good as these.”

Seeing that Xin'er was genuinely fond of these fish, Mo Yan thought for a moment and said, “Old Master Ding said there are two more rounds of fishing. For the first two rounds, we’ll sell them or give them away. For the last round, we’ll dry the fish. Even if they aren’t as fresh, they’ll still have their own unique flavor.”

“That sounds good! We’ll make dried fish, and that way we’ll have something tasty to eat in the winter.” As soon as Xin'er finished speaking, she immediately agreed with the idea. The others also felt this was a good plan. Dried fish could taste just as good as fresh fish once properly prepared.

Mo Yan smiled and was about to add something when a voice from her mind interrupted—Snow Tuanzi’s voice, “Yan Yan, why go through all that trouble? I can dig a pond in the space for you. You can just raise the fish there!”

Mo Yan’s eyes lit up as she asked, “You can raise fish in the space? But won’t the spiritual energy in the spring water cause the fish to burst?”

“Just use regular water, duh! Yan Yan, you’re so dumb!” Snow Tuanzi’s voice was filled with disdain.

Mo Yan slapped her forehead. Why didn’t she think of this? Raising the fish in her space would be so convenient. Whenever she wanted fish, she could just pull them out. It couldn’t get any easier!

Mo Yan urged Snow Tuanzi to dig the pond right away. She planned to bring water from the Qing River into the space and then throw a few pregnant female fish into it next time she caught them. In just a couple of days, she’d have fresh fish ready to eat.

After resting through the afternoon, Mo Yan found that Snow Tuanzi had already dug the pond and was just waiting for the water to be added. Mo Yan grabbed a wooden bucket and headed for the Qing River. She was met by the sight of two large dogs guarding the fishing nets, shaking their heads and running over from the shade. She smiled and petted their heads, pulling out two roasted wild rabbits from the space. “Good dogs, here, eat up!”

“Woof woof!”

The smell of the roasted wild rabbits immediately caught the dogs’ attention. They barked a couple of times at their owner, then grabbed the rabbits and ran quickly to the shade to enjoy their meal.

Mo Yan didn’t pay them any more attention. She quickly walked over to the riverbank, squatted down, and dipped her right hand into the water. As soon as her palm touched the water, a whirlpool the size of a bowl appeared, and a few river plants were sucked into it.

Fortunately, no one was around at that moment. Otherwise, they would surely be terrified by such an unusual sight.

The water flowed into the space and was guided by Snow Tuanzi into the newly dug pond. Although the pond was small—only about two-thirds of an acre—it still took Mo Yan almost half an hour to fill it completely.

Snow Tuanzi had set up an array around the pond to ensure the water didn’t seep into the land. If not, the large space with its highly absorbent soil would have made it impossible to fill the pond in just one go, even if they worked for three full days and nights.

Before heading home, Mo Yan caught seven large fish from the net. She threw six into the pond in the space, planning to roast them for the six animals that night. The remaining fish was kept to make fried fish chunks for dinner.

On her way back, Mo Yan spotted Tang Xin hurriedly running toward her. Her heart skipped a beat as she feared something had happened at home. She quickly rushed over to meet her. “Tang Xin, is something wrong at home?”

[End of Chapter]   

 Chapter 913: Revenge and the Arrival of a Stranger (3)

“It should be, the net is heavy!” 

“Two hundred pounds in one go, if we do this ten more times, won’t that be two thousand pounds?” 

“Not with just one acre of pond, there’s no way there are that many fish. But these fish grow fast. In just a little over a year, they’ve grown to two or three pounds.” 

“Yeah, they grow quickly. The water quality is good, and there’s plenty of food from the mountain fields, which helps them fatten up.” 

As the large fish leapt out of the water, the villagers discussed happily. Following Old Master Ding’s orders, they quickly sped up the process of pulling the nets. Soon, all six nets were hauled to the shore.

In the bright sunlight, the plump fish thrashed their tails, trying to escape the nets and return to the water. But the nets were strong, and even the fish’s tails couldn’t break free.

Other villagers brought over large wooden tubs and basins filled with clean water to transfer the fish from the nets. 

Seeing a few fish with large bellies, clearly gravid females about to lay eggs, Mo Yan quickly said, “Throw the ones with big bellies back in. We won’t need to worry about gathering fry from the river with them around.”

“That makes sense!” the villagers agreed, tossing back the pregnant fish and also releasing some of the smaller fish.

When all the fish had been cleaned from the nets, several large tubs and basins were filled to the brim. Worried the fish might die in the heat, Old Master Ding quickly ordered them to transport the fish to the small Qing River in the nets for temporary storage.

While everyone was distracted, Mo Yan secretly poured a few drops of the spring water from her water pouch into each of the tubs and basins. 

The fish could easily be raised at home, but the fact that they had grown so large in just over a year was surprising. If they could survive a full day and night in the heat of summer, it raised suspicions.

After several rounds of hauling, aside from the pregnant and small fish, each round yielded nearly two hundred pounds. By the end, they had already gathered about nine hundred pounds of fish.

As noon approached, the heat grew unbearable. Even standing by the water, everyone was starting to feel faint.

Worried about heatstroke, Mo Yan suggested, “Let’s stop for today. We can finish the rest once the fish are sold.”

Old Master Ding, the oldest and least tolerant of the heat, agreed and called for the others, “Let’s head back for now. We’ll finish the rest in a few days; it should only take two more rounds.”

Everyone had no objections and began carrying the nets, tubs, and basins back toward the village.

Once back at Mo's house, Mo Yan gave each of the villagers who helped with the fishing two large fish as thanks. Compared to a small payment of a few dozen coins, two fish were worth much more. They could either eat them or sell them in the village or at the market.

Old Master Ding and the others were very pleased. After thanking Mo Yan, they left with the large fish.

Mo Yan kept two fish for herself, planning to make boiled fish slices and fish meatballs for lunch. The remaining fish, about several dozen pounds, were carried by Li Xiu and her niece to be returned to the Qing River.

By the river, two large, muscular local dogs stood guard. No one dared steal the fish.

There were only six people in the family, and the two fish together weighed nearly five pounds, enough for a hearty meal. When the fiery, red boiled fish slices and the round, delicate fish meatballs were served on the table, everyone’s mouths watered. The smell was simply irresistible!

The fish, already fresh by nature, tasted even better because they had been raised in a pond enriched with spring water. The meat was tender and smooth, with a noticeably lighter fishy smell, making even people who didn’t like fish fall in love with it.

The fish meatballs were devoured in no time, and the boiled fish slices were even more flavorful. However, they were so spicy that everyone had to eat slowly, sweating profusely and soaking their clothes halfway through the meal.

[End of Chapter]  

 Chapter 1729: Granny Fang's Hidden Story?