Zhao Yangshi, in his long blue official robe embroidered with waves and the character ‘shou’, meaning longevity, and a roaring qilin on the front, indicated the first rank in military. Beside him walked Zhao Yong Saiweihao, his son, dressed in a dark red official robe embroidered with a leopard. The two men, different in age but equally handsome, with an imposing demeanor befitting warrior. Any woman seeing the father and son would probably want to climb on the bed and serve them endlessly. Li Si found it unusual to see her father and older brother in their official robes, as she hadn’t seen them wear such attire for a long time, usually only seeing them in military uniforms. "Father, Big Brother, are you going to a meeting?" She was directing the servants to carry five large pots of porridge to the front of the manor. Seeing them come out, she called out. "Yes, His Majesty has called all nobles to a meeting in the throne hall to urgently discuss solutions to the famine." Yangshi patted his daughter’s little head. "Father, don’t forget what I told you. Please warn His Majesty." The father and son boarded a carriage heading to the royal palace. The vast throne hall was now filled with civil and military nobles waiting for the meeting to begin. Throughout the past month, nobles, the emperor, and high-ranking royals had been mobilizing efforts to overcome the region’s crisis. "Oh, General! Young General! It’s been a while. How have you been?" the Minister of Civil Affairs called out when he saw the father and son enter the throne hall. The Zhao usually stayed at military camps or borders, rarely attending meetings in the throne hall, as was common with most military nobles. "We’re well. How about you, Minister?" "Very well. I heard that Lady Li Si distributes rice and food every day. My wife admires her greatly. She is young but has great foresight," he said. "She can be good at times, but when she’s stubborn, she can be quite a headache.” "Haha, young girls are like that. Don’t worry, General. Why not find a wife to help take care of her?" "Minister, you jest. I spend my days fighting battles. How could I marry a wife?" "His Majesty is coming!" The high-pitch voice of a eunuch announced, silencing the conversations among nobles. A middle-aged man in a majestic dragon robe entered with a valiant demeanor, his eyes reflecting deep concern. "Long live His Majesty! May you live for ten thousand years." The nobles bowed according to custom. Shi Gaoyan raised his hand, then took his seat on the dragon throne. "Now, report the state of affairs." The emperor commanded the nobles responsible for various tasks to report their progress. One by one, the nobles presented their reports, outlining the issues and solutions they had implemented. "Your Majesty, currently, Fengfu is the only northern city that has not submitted a petition for assistance. Upon investigation, it was found that Governor Xin has managed resources well, resulting in much fewer deaths compared to other cities. Now, people from other cities are migrating to Fengfu because rice and food prices are lower there. The Governor has efficiently managed the city’s treasury to meet the needs of its inhabitants. However, other northern cities are in worse condition than the capital.” As the nobles reported the situation in the region, it became clear that even though the weather was warming, the crops covered by snow and ice for so long were completely ruined, while the demand for food remained the same. "Minister of Exchequer, release funds from the treasury to purchase and distribute rice and food to alleviate the current hardship. The weather is warming, and the ice has melted. Have the Minister of Agriculture distribute fast-growing seeds to the populace to quickly plant. During this time, encourage people to plant fast-growing crops. Temporarily suspend tax collection for one year." "Yes, Your Majesty." The Ministers of Exchequer and Agriculture accepted the Emperor’s orders eagerly. "Does anyone have any other issues to raise?" Shi Gaoyan asked. Zhao Yangshi, who had been bowing his head, looked up and spoke. "I have a small proposal, Your Majesty." "Fine, go ahead, General," Shi Gaoyan’s tone softened. It must be said that Shi Gaoyan held this general in high regard. "Now that the ice on the rivers has melted and water is flowing again, I propose that Your Majesty promote water conservation. Have people build check dams to slow down water flow and dredge rivers and canals to make them wider and deeper, reserving water for agriculture. Additionally, we should construct royal reservoirs to divert water for agricultural use, Your Majesty.” "With due respect, Your Majesty, why does the General propose this? Our region’s hardship is not yet over. We must carefully consider any construction projects and prioritize essential expenses. The waterways are not dry; we have always had enough water each year," the Minister of Royal Secretariat objected. He found this general quite irritating and wondered why His Majesty showed him such respect. Originally, Zhao Yangshi was just a low-ranking soldier, but he had an exceptional skill in martial arts. That was because he kowtowed to Master Xin Cheng, a famous martial artist, became his disciple. Once, a young prince sneaked out of the palace to visit a brothel but encountered a young soldier digging yams in a field. "Big Brother, what are you doing?" "Ah, I’m digging yams for Old Lady Gan Ye outside the city.” "Why dig for her?" the prince asked. "She’s a local doctor who spends all day grinding herbs and has no time to dig.” "If she has no time, she shouldn’t eat. Why do you dig for her?" Zhao Yangshi shifted his attention from the hoe then looked up at the young man whose face was handsome, like a sculpted jade. He dressed in cotton. The uncommon vibe he gave causing the guy to know he couldn’t look down on him. "Younger Brother, you don’t understand how good Old Lady Gan Ye is. She treats people with her herb without charging even a single brass coin. Many poor villagers have survived because of her help." "Why is she so foolish? Treating people without charging?" "She’s not foolish, just too kind." "Being too kind is not good; it leaves you with nothing to eat." "Yes, being too kind is not good. You don’t have to be a good person, just don’t be a bad one," Zhao Yangshi said. "But it’s easier to be bad than good." "That’s why there are so many bad people. Being good is hard and special." "So, are you good or bad?" Zhao Yangshi frowned slightly at the question. "Half good, half bad, I suppose." From then on, the young soldier became friends with the prince. They often traveled and drank together, becoming close. Eventually, Zhao Yangshi discovered that his friend was a prince, son of Guifei. Zhao Yangshi advanced in his role, while the prince grew up in political turmoil. The two were both friends and maintained a master-servant relationship. "General, why do you propose that?" Shi Gaoyan asked, not as a reprimand but out of a desire to understand the reasoning. "Your Majesty, normally our Yan Region is a lowland area that has never had issues with water shortages for agriculture, so we don’t have water storage dams. However, every 9-10 years, a drought occurs. It’s been over ten years now, so it’s likely that another drought is due. Thus, I dare to predict. Building water storage facilities won’t be a waste; they can be beneficial in the long run.” "General, are you relying only on predictions?" The Minister of the Royal Secretariat persisted. "Indeed, General, we cannot use regional funds based on mere guesses," another noble supported. "Alright, we will consider it further. The meeting is adjourned for today." Shi Gaoyan recognized that Zhao Yangshi’s proposal was significant and required careful deliberation. After the meeting, Zhao Yangshi’s proposal became a hot topic among the nobles, with both who agree and disagree with him. "Our Yan Region hasn’t experienced a drought in a long time. How could one occur now? Nonsense." "Indeed, there’s no need to panic. It’s just a prediction." "But to be fair, it might happen every ten years as the General said." Zhao Yangshi walked out of the hall, ignoring the nobles’ chatter. He had said what needed to be said and left the rest to fate. The father and son boarded their carriage to return home. Yong Saiweihao looked out the carriage window. The people were lining up to receive rice and food donations from benevolent merchants. Some were so thin that only bones remained, and despite the cold weather, many wore only tattered old clothes. After traveling through the market for a short while, the carriage stopped. "Why have we stopped?" Zhao Yangshi asked. "Master, there’s a villager being attacked ahead," the coachman shouted back. Yong Saiweihao leaned out to see a young man punching an old man. He was about to order the guards to intervene when he noticed the attacker’s tattoo of a black wolf on his neck, partially covered by a cloth that had slipped when he moved. Yong Saiweihao’s sharp eyes caught this detail, and his calm eyes darkened. His brows furrowed, displeased. He flicked his right hand, and suddenly the attacker froze in place. Thud! His body collapsed onto the road. Thɪs chapter is updated by 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝~𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖~𝕟𝕖𝕥 "A man is dead!" The villagers panicked at the sight of a sudden death before their eyes. A brief chaos ensued. Yong Saiweihao closed the carriage curtain. "Yes, Young Master," a shadow swiftly disappeared. This was a bandit from Mingshan Mountain. The authorities had declared that anyone spotted with such a tattoo could be killed on sight without question or consequence. By mid-March, the weather had warmed up, and all the ice on the ground had melted. Villagers began planting crops, but since it hadn’t rained yet, they had to rely on natural water sources like rivers, canals, ponds, or wells they dug. The new crop of red caomei filled the garden. The happiest person was Zhenzhu, who looked at the caomei trees as if they were money trees—money, money, and more money. "Big Sister, may I have some caomei?" He Yu ran into the orchard. "He Yu, how did you get here?" Although the vegetable garden and orchard weren’t far apart, He Yu had never been here before. "I came with Brother Xin Xi. Big Sister, I want to eat caomei." He smiled brightly at his older sister. "Alright, but you must help me pick some caomei first." "Okay. Let’s go pick them," the boy nodded eagerly. Zhenzhu picked up a basket and followed him. All morning, Zhenzhu led He Yu and the servants in picking ripe caomei from the entire orchard, gathering dozens of baskets full. He Yu was picking and eating at the same time until he was full. "Big Sister, I’m full." "Yes, I picked and ate until I was full," he grinned. "Yu’er! If Mother finds out you ate so many caomei and got full, she’ll scold you." Zhenzhu held her temples. She had been so focused on picking caomei that she hadn’t noticed how much He Yu had eaten. When he ate so much fruit, he wouldn’t want to eat his meals, and their mother would surely scold him. "Big Sister, please don’t tell Mother," the boy pleaded, holding her hand and swinging it. "If you go back and refuse to eat your meal, Mother will know anyway." "Eat, I’ll have a meal," he said. Zhenzhu looked at him and sighed deeply. “Sigh... I won’t tell this time. But if you do this again, I will punish you myself." After coming to an agreement, Zhenzhu had the servants take the caomei to the fruit shop. All winter long, she had Xin Xi and the workers build the He Family’s Fruit Shop. "Take them to the shop first. We’ll start selling in the afternoon," Zhenzhu instructed the servants before taking He Yu home, holding his hand. When they arrived, Miss Wang had already prepared lunch. "Oh. Perfect timing. Come eat, you two," Miss Wang called out. But unlike his usual eager expression at mealtime, He Yu looked as if he were being called to drink bitter medicine today. Zhenzhu led He Yu to sit down with the family for lunch. "He Yu, why are you eating so little today? This is your favorite herbal roast chicken," Miss Wang placed a drumstick in her youngest son’s bowl. He Yu looked at it as if he were staring at excrement. "Ah, yes, Mother," he shoved the chicken leg into his mouth with difficulty. Zhenzhu felt sorry for him. "Mother, it just so happens that an aunt came by selling steamed buns to the workers in the fields. I bought some for He Yu, so he might be full now. Is that right, Yu’er?" Zhenzhu turned to ask him. "Ah, yes, that’s right." The boy who had secretly eaten his fill of caomei nodded immediately. "Oh, I see. If you’re full, then that’s enough. Eating too much might make you throw up.” "Yes, Mother," He Yu quickly placed down his bowl and drank water before lying down on the bamboo bed. His bulging belly made Zhenzhu chuckle. See, that’s the result of being a greedy child. After eating, she walked to the He Family’s Fruit Shop next door to the He Family’s Vegetable Shop. When she arrived, the workers had already brought the caomei to the back of the shop. She selected one basket of the finest caomei to send to Li Si in the capital. Last time, Li Si had written back saying the caomei she sent was given as a birthday gift to Lady Guilan. This time, she sent a large basket for Li Si to share with the servants. "Take these two baskets home first." She chose two baskets, one was for her family. "Yes, Miss," a servant replied, taking two baskets of caomei to the He house using wheel cart. "Alright, let’s arrange the remaining Caomei on the shelves. Today is our first day selling them," she instructed the servants. Unlike vegetables, which had to be sold in the morning or evening for cooking, fruit could be sold anytime as people could eat it right away, without the need to cook. The servants busily arranged the caomei. Once they finished, Zhenzhu had them open the front of the shop. "Oh, it’s the He Family’s Fruit Shop?" "What is the He selling today? Why wasn’t there any announcement?" "How would I know? I just walked here with you." " What’s that fruit? It looks unusual." "Exactly. I’ve never seen it before either." The area, once desolate, was now lined with shops and street vendors. So, when people saw the He family shop suddenly open in the middle of the day, they were curious. "Here it is. Today, the He Family’s Fruit Shop is introducing a new fruit for the first time. This special fruit is called ’caomei.’ It has a sweet and tangy taste, with a soft texture and a fragrant aroma. Please, come and taste it." Zhenzhu told the servants to place a basket of samples at the front for passersby to try. "Can we try it, Miss He?" a woman asked. "Yes, you may, Aunt. Please, have a taste." With permission, the woman sampled the fruit and was delighted by the taste of it. "It’s delicious. How much does it cost?" "These caomei come in blue, dark blue, and indigo tier of spirit energy. The blue ones are 1 tael 5 qian per jin, the dark blue ones are 2 taels 5 qian per jin, and the indigo ones are 4 taels per jin." "Oh, I’ll take two jin of the blue ones." "I’ll take two jin of the dark blue ones." Soon, more people gathered to see what the He family was selling. Those who bought the caomei took them home for their families to try. When they found the caomei to be delicious, they returned to buy more. Word spread quickly, and soon the news of the He family selling new fruit spread throughout the city. Wealthy merchants sent their servants to buy large quantities. Spirit fruits were not very popular among agricultural spirit energy cultivators, so when these became available, they were highly sought after. Moreover, being from the He family guaranteed their quality. Zhenzhu counted money until her hands cramped. She sold until nightfall, and eventually, all the caomei were sold out. "Alright, today I’m feeling generous. Each of you gets 1 tael!" Zhenzhu’s eyes were gleaming as she looked at the money in the basket. "Thank you, Miss," the servants, both men and women, who had helped her all day, knelt and kowtowed. Life in He family was excellent. Besides their monthly wages, they often received extra money from Lady and Master He. If they hadn’t become servants in the He household last winter, they might have frozen to death on the streets. They could not have such a good life. Read ‘Rebirth: This Farmgirl Has Spirit Fish Scales’ before anyone else with more Chapters at https://www.jinovel.com/en