At the inn.

After Huang Rang finally managed to deal with Qu Manying, she took Xie Hongchen’s jade pendant and left the city.

She did leave the city, but she had no intention of delivering the message.

After all, what did that noble and prestigious Xirang clan have to do with her?

She wandered around the outskirts of Kanyue City, tempted to seek out Di Yiqiu, but they had only just parted ways. To run after him so soon—

No matter how one looked at it, it seemed too eager.

Huang Rang was no naive young girl. Such matters as budding romantic feelings were still far too embarrassing.

She strolled leisurely, passing by a small plot of farmland, when the bean sprouts in the field caught her eye.

The farmland was narrow, appearing to be no more than two-tenths of an acre. Yet inside grew bean sprouts she had cultivated with her own hands.

To see her own quality seeds in such a place naturally interested Huang Rang.

She squatted at the edge of the field and plucked a tender leaf. These bean seeds were being tended extremely well—not a single weed in the field. On a whim, Huang Rang pulled out the ledger Qu Manying had given her today.

She had been browsing casually, yet she actually found this very plot recorded.

Ten li north of Kanyue City’s outskirts, two-tenths of an acre of poor-quality land.

It stated that the field owner was named Cao Yuan, who had received one liang of bean seeds.

Even such a meager one liang of bean seeds was recorded in the ledger?

Huang Rang felt astonished. She flipped through the ledger, which documented the quality seed allocation situation around Kanyue City—far more than just this one plot of farmland. Huang Rang found many more nearby.

The types and quantities of quality seeds were all precisely accurate.

Following these poor fields, she gradually walked into a village.

Many plots of land in the village were planted with seeds she had cultivated.

“Young lady? It’s already dark. Why haven’t you gone home?” Huang Rang was absorbed in her observations when a voice suddenly came from behind her.

She turned around abruptly, only to discover an old woman standing behind her.

The old woman bore no ill intent, otherwise with Huang Rang’s alertness as a sword cultivator, no matter how distracted she was, she wouldn’t have remained completely unaware.

She smiled and said, “Ah, Grandmother, I was visiting friends and relatives but took the wrong road. Now that it’s dark, I truly cannot make out the direction.”

“Oh my! Young lady, how could you be so careless?” Upon hearing this, the grandmother grew anxious on her behalf. “Then you mustn’t keep walking. With darkness and few people about, you might encounter bad people.”

She thought for a moment and said, “Come inside first. Grandmother will make you a bowl of hot soup.”

Huang Rang wanted to ask about the quality seeds, so she didn’t decline and followed her inside.

This was an ordinary earthen house with hoes, bamboo baskets, and such placed inside. Though there were many items, they were arranged fairly neatly.

The white-haired old grandmother walked into the kitchen, started the stove, thought for a moment, then took out an egg. Huang Rang surveyed the kitchen and saw smoke stains on all four walls. This house appeared to have quite some years on it.

Huang Rang said, “Does Grandmother have no family?”

The old grandmother ignited kindling and placed it in the stove opening, saying, “All dead. Years back when times were bad, my two sons couldn’t endure it. Later when the old man fell ill and we had no money for treatment, only this lonely old woman remained.”

When she mentioned her family, it amounted to just these one or two sentences, even her sadness extremely shallow.

Huang Rang was slightly taken aback. “I recall the court distributes quality seeds every year. How did things come to this?”

The old grandmother got the fire going well, sighed deeply, and said, “The court does distribute quality seeds, but those superior seeds are all given to large households for unified planting. How could it ever be the turn of people like us with few family members and little land? Before, we could only buy ordinary grain seeds.”

As she spoke, she kneaded dough, planning to make Huang Rang some soup noodles. “These ordinary grain seeds depend on heaven’s favor. When disaster strikes, there’s no harvest at all. But the land tax cannot be reduced by even half a bit.”

Huang Rang frowned, saying, “Just now when I came, I saw the land outside planted with excellent bean sprouts.”

When she mentioned this, the grandmother became happy. The wrinkles on her face smoothed out as she said, “These past few years have been much better. Speaking of it, it’s all thanks to the Bodhisattva Huang Rang.”

“Ah?” Huang Rang froze.

The grandmother put the soup noodles in to cook and added an egg, saying, “Those seed cultivators are all unwilling to sell quality seeds to scattered small households. We can’t afford high prices either, so normally where would we get such good seeds? Ten years ago, Miss Huang Rang sent people to deliver these seeds, saying they were free for us to plant. In this village, for ten years now, no one has starved to death.”

She ladled out the noodles and sprinkled some scallions, saying, “Our old man truly had bad luck. His whole life, he never encountered good times.”

Huang Rang listened to her rambling, yet her heart held mixed feelings.

Renowned seed cultivation masters indeed would not allow their quality seeds to be sold to scattered small households.

Even before, when Huang Rang managed the Huang family, her quality seed contracts also had explicit stipulations.

Small households had small plots, couldn’t afford fertilizer during trial planting, and couldn’t manage and care for them well. These seeds might not achieve the yields of trial planting.

If production decreased or mutations occurred, it would severely damage the seed cultivator’s reputation.

Moreover, small households couldn’t afford the price. If quality seeds were sold cheaply, how could the seed cultivator maintain their worth and status?

Therefore, there was almost an unwritten rule in the world—only seed cultivators of low ability would have their quality seeds sold cheaply to scattered small households.

Thus, when the court made bulk purchases each year, this would also be noted in the contracts.

The most renowned seed cultivators, such as the famous seeds cultivated by Elder Xi, could not be used by those with less than a thousand acres of land.

Even Huang Rang’s seeds required over a hundred acres before they could be planted.

This was a marker of a seed cultivator’s status.

Everyone followed such rules.

Only no one had ever thought about what the scattered small households should do.

Because quality seeds had fairly high yields, the government increased taxes. And small households who couldn’t buy quality seeds used ordinary grain seeds while paying taxes meant for specially cultivated quality seeds.

Even if the court’s annual quality seed purchases had surplus, due to contract stipulations, they dared not distribute them.

The mutated quality seeds stabilized the kingdom and society, yet became frost upon snow for the common people at the bottom.

The old grandmother brought the soup noodles to the table, wiped her hands on her apron, and said, “Good girl, come eat some noodles. From your clothing, you’re clearly a child from a wealthy family. I’m afraid simple food won’t suit your taste. But it’s already so late, you should at least make do with a bite.”

Huang Rang sat at the table and inadvertently saw red paper pasted on the wall. On the red paper was written her name. Before the name, incense, candles, melons, and fruits were offered.

“What is this?” Huang Rang pointed at the offering table.

The old grandmother said hurriedly, “Ah, this is a longevity tablet. Many households in the village have them. Miss Huang Rang is a reincarnated Bodhisattva. We common folk probably won’t see her venerable self even once in our lives. So we established this longevity tablet for her, making offerings morning and night. Hoping she prospers in all things.”

Huang Rang buried her head to eat the noodles, yet her throat choked with bitterness. Though born humble, the Huang family was still of the earth demon clan with fairly lucrative business.

She had never experienced such misery—how could she understand the helplessness and desperation of the mortal world?

Where was any Bodhisattva descended to the world? She, like all seed cultivators, had once strictly forbidden her quality seeds from appearing in any small household’s hands. The Huang family even had dedicated household servants to patrol and inspect.

Even the quality seeds appearing here now were definitely not free.

After eating a few bites of noodles, Huang Rang suddenly asked, “Grandmother, have you heard of He Xijin?”

“He what?” The old grandmother looked blank.

She had never heard of him.

Huang Rang asked again, “What about Wu Zichou and Zhang Shujiu?”

“Who are these people?” The grandmother thought for a long time, saying, “This old woman is getting on in years and doesn’t leave the village much. I only know the village chief and land supervisor here. I don’t recognize other people.”

Huang Rang silently finished the bowl of soup noodles. The flour used in these noodles came from wheat she had cultivated with her own hands.

She knew.

But these wheat seeds were actually cultivated using silver sent each month by He Xijin, Wu Zichou, Zhang Shujiu, and the others.

Huang Rang herself had made no contributions whatsoever.

In this world, could there truly be people who, without seeking fame or profit, would spend their own money to help those in difficulty?

Huang Rang didn’t believe it. She had never encountered such people before.

Despite the old grandmother’s attempts to make her stay, she still left the village alone. She took out the ledger and, disregarding the darkness, went to find the fields marked above.

Qu Manying kept very detailed accounts. Even the smallest bit of seed was clearly marked with accurate location according to the land deed.

It wasn’t difficult for Huang Rang to find them.

With her martial cultivator’s body, she traveled day and night without rest, even using the transmission talismans Xie Hongchen had given her to cross-reference the ledger everywhere.

But all the scattered small households strictly followed the ledger’s records, earnestly tending to these quality seeds.

This year’s batch of seeds was completely recorded in the ledger, with nothing omitted.

Huang Rang sat by the field ridges until dawn. Those lush green leaves reached over as if playing with her. Huang Rang pushed aside the green leaves and saw the small stone shrine people had built at the field’s edge.

In the past, villagers would offer worship to mountain gods and earth deities inside. But now, only a name was simply carved there—Huang Rang.

The incense had not yet burned out, the fruits still bore dew.

Not only had He Xijin and the others distributed all the quality seeds to scattered small households, they had done so entirely in Huang Rang’s name.

So much so that no one knew the true origin of these quality seeds.

Kanyue City, the inn.

It was already quite late. Qu Manying sat on the edge of the bed, saying, “I finally saw Ah Rang today. I even touched her little hand. Oh my, that little hand was so tender… She also practices swordsmanship—how is it her hands don’t develop calluses?”

He Xijin brought her foot-washing water, saying, “Yu-Yu-Yuhu Xuan-Xuanzong… has-has…”

He spoke slowly. As he talked, he rolled up his sleeves and washed Qu Manying’s feet.

Qu Manying neither rushed him nor interrupted. Thus He Xijin was able to finish: “Has pills-pills-pills that can-can pro-pro-protect hands.”

“Mm!” Qu Manying nodded. “Seems the effect is good. I should also buy some later.”

He Xijin said, “Can-can do.”

Qu Manying thought for a moment, then said, “That child is truly beautiful, somewhat like Xiyin when she was young. Today when I held her hand, my mind just went blank. I don’t know if I said anything wrong. Alas, such a pity our Dan’er is too simple-minded to match her.”

Speaking of this, she began to feel frustrated. “Tell me, they’re all children, and Xiyin passed away early too. How is it her daughter is a dragon among people while my children are rice buckets among pigs?”

Outside the door, He Dan was just about to pay respects to his parents. He had raised his hand to knock when he heard this statement.

“Mother…” He Dan pushed open the door, his face helpless.

“You still have the nerve to come!” Qu Manying grew angry just seeing him. “Has Ah Rang returned?”

He Dan said, “Not yet.”

Qu Manying could only say, “Sigh, today I rashly called myself her aunt. I wonder if the child will take offense. Her mother passed away early, she grew up under Huang Shu’s care, and must have suffered considerably. Looking at her attitude toward the Xi family, she doesn’t seem willing to claim that kinship either.”

He Xijin comforted his wife, saying, “Don’t-don’t-don’t need to wor-wor-worry. She-she-she… is-is a good-good-good child.”

Qu Manying said, “How would you know a young lady’s thoughts?” She turned to instruct He Dan, “You go guard outside the door. If she returns, come inform Mother. After thinking it over, I still need to explain things to her again. Can’t let the child harbor any concerns.”

He Dan acknowledged and was about to leave when Huang Rang was already standing at the doorway.

Huang Rang had originally wanted to talk with Qu Manying about the quality seeds. Seeing the situation inside at a glance, she was caught—neither entering nor retreating seemed right.

But Sect Leader He calmly rubbed his wife’s feet, completely unfazed.

“Oh my, Ah Rang!” Seeing her come, Qu Manying was so happy she didn’t even wipe her feet, jumping up and running to the doorway. “Good child, you’ve finally returned. Did you see the Xi family?”

Seeing her, Huang Rang didn’t know what to say for a moment.

If it were just putting on an act, she was very skilled at that. But to interact sincerely, especially with such an enthusiastic aunt, she actually didn’t know how to respond. She could only speak truthfully. “I didn’t go. I don’t want to see the Xi family.”

“That’s fine, that’s fine.” Qu Manying said, “Then come keep me company and chat.”

She took Huang Rang’s hand and was about to walk out. He Xijin held up shoes, saying, “Shoes-shoes.”

Qu Manying quickly supported He Xijin’s arm with one hand while slipping on her shoes with the other, saying, “Come, we’ll go to the back courtyard for tea. Ah, today your uncle brought some sugar-roasted chestnuts. We’ll bring them.”

Having said this, she indeed picked up the oil paper bag from the table. Inside was truly a bag of sugar-roasted chestnuts.

—Today was the final round of the new disciple demonstration, which would directly determine rankings. He Xijin must have been extremely busy. Yet on his way back, he had still brought back a bag of sugar-roasted chestnuts for his wife.

The married couples in Huang Rang’s eyes—in childhood like Huang Shu and Xiyin, and upon growing up, like her and Xie Hongchen. In her memories, all the warmth combined probably couldn’t compare to this bag of sugar-roasted chestnuts.

Qu Manying held her hand, saying, “Ah Rang, let’s go to the back courtyard to eat chestnuts.”

“Aunt’s entire family is here. You should still have much to discuss. I shouldn’t intrude.” Huang Rang didn’t really want to go. She still wasn’t accustomed to such warmth.

He Xijin nodded at Huang Rang, saying, “New-new-new dis-disciple rank-rank…”

Uh… Huang Rang began looking around for Zhang Shujiu and Wu Zichou, but unfortunately the two couldn’t very well follow He Xijin into his bedroom. Qu Manying covered her mouth and laughed secretly. With great difficulty, He Xijin finally finished speaking.

He told Huang Rang the new disciple rankings had come out, with Huang Rang in first place.

Huang Rang thanked him. Sect Leader He continued, “Rare-rare-rare-rarely we meet-meet-meet, let’s-let’s-let’s have a good-good chat-chat.”

You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you! Huang Rang immediately turned to Qu Manying, saying, “Aunt, I’d like to go to the back courtyard with you to eat chestnuts.”

Qu Manying laughed heartily and ran off pulling Huang Rang along.

Huang Rang looked back to check that He Xijin hadn’t followed before relaxing.

Qu Manying laughed even harder, saying, “That man, thank goodness he has a speech impediment, otherwise he’d definitely be a chatterbox.”

When she brought this up, she showed no avoidance regarding He Xijin’s speech impediment.

Such teasing completely free of malice had never appeared in Huang Rang’s upbringing. Her smile became much more genuine.

“You don’t know—when he came to my family to seek my hand in marriage, my father originally refused. But later it was truly too exhausting talking with him, and he was endless. My father was so annoyed by him that in desperation, he finally agreed to the match…” When Qu Manying spoke of the past, every word was vivid.

Huang Rang imagined He Xijin pulling at his father-in-law, stammering through a marriage proposal, and couldn’t help but laugh. “Sect Leader He is truly an extraordinary person. Aunt, if you quarrel with him, what could you possibly do?”

Qu Manying waved her hands repeatedly. “We don’t quarrel, never quarrel. Before he finishes one sentence, my anger has already dissipated.”

The two shared the joke, laughing together.