After exploring the city to their satisfaction, the two men were about to head to the Governor Manor when the sky suddenly darkened, and rain began to pour heavily. "Why did it start raining all of a sudden?" "I don’t know. Maybe it’s Taizi’s presence. I heard he was coming today." "Really? I think that must be it," the townspeople said. Hearing this, the Taizi could only chuckle. How could he make it rain? If he could, the entire region wouldn’t be suffering from drought. Both Wenlang and Yong Saiweihao were puzzled by the dark sky and sudden downpour, so they took shelter in a nearby restaurant. "Masters, we only have outdoor tables available. All the private rooms are full.” "The outdoor table will do," they ordered a few dishes. The rain continued for nearly two hours before it finally stopped. The crops would likely revive after this rainfall. When the rain ceased, the sky cleared instantly, as if it had never been stormy. Fengfu City continued to amaze them. "Brother, Brother, may I sit here? All the other tables are full.” Zhenzhu noticed two young men sitting at a table on the veranda with a clear view of the street below. There was an empty seat, and she had come all this way to catch a glimpse of Taizi. "Please," one of them said. They observed the young girl, dressed in fine cotton clothes, with a clean face and bright eyes looking at them. They saw no harm, so they nodded at her. "Thank you," she smiled widely, quickly taking a seat. "Have you seen Taizi yet? I rushed here from home because I heard Taizi was coming. Look, the crowd is waiting for him. There is no empty space," Zhenzhu started the conversation. The one she addressed paused for a moment. How should they answer? "Ahem... not yet," Wenlang said. "Oh, so he hasn’t arrived yet. Have you two ever seen Taizi?" she continued to ask. "What does he look like? Is he handsome?" “Cough, cough. Well... well..." How was he supposed to answer this? Praising himself would be funny. Probably good looking? "Why do you sound so hesitant? Is he very ugly?" The supposedly ugly man was speechless, while Yong Saiweihao, who usually kept a straight face, couldn’t help but smile. "H... He’s not that ugly," the one accused of being ugly replied. "So, what is he like? Is he a good Taizi?" If possible, she considered giving him the painting to help the people in every corner of this region, but she needed to find out what kind of man he was. If he was not a good person, she wouldn’t give it to him. "What makes a good Taizi?" Wenlang asked. "A good Taizi is skilled, puts the people before himself, sees the suffering of the people and doesn’t ignore it, doesn’t waste tax money, and works to relieve the people’s burdens.” "Oh, in that case, he’s probably a good Taizi," Wenlang said. "Really? That’s good. It will make my discussion easier." "What discussion?" Wenlang asked, curious about what such a young little girl as small as an ant could want to discuss with Taizi. "Discussing how to solve the drought problem, of course," Zhenzhu annoyingly made a noise with her mouth. "Oh, you even plan to discuss the drought problem with Taizi?" "Yes. You don’t know this, but Fengfu City still has water for crops because I advised the Governor on proper water management," Zhenzhu said proudly, lifting her chin slightly, which amused the two men. "Yessss, if not me, then who else? If you don’t believe me, you can ask the Governor.” "You’re pretty talented. What’s your name?" "My surname is He, and my name is Zhenzhu. You two can call me A’Zhu. And you?" "My surname is Si, and my name is Wenlang. His surname is Zhao, and his name is Yong Saiweihao. You can call us Brother Lang and Brother Hao," Wenlang said, starting to village girl. "Oh, your surnames are quite familiar. And your surname is the same as one of my friends’. Turned out it’s a very common surname," Zhenzhu nodded. This Brother Zhao was quiet; since she had been sitting there, he hadn’t uttered a word. He was so much like Sister Molan. If they got married and had children, their children probably wouldn’t dare to cry. Brother, are you merchants from another city? I don’t recognize you," Zhenzhu asked them before waving to the restaurant’s staff to bring some roasted nuts. Her mouth had nothing to do. She had been waiting for Taizi for a long time, and since he hadn’t arrived yet, she decided to chat with these brothers to pass the time. "Oh, we’re from the capital.” Zhenzhu’s eyes widened. "I have a friend from the capital too, but I haven’t seen her in months. Her name is Zhao Lisi. Have you heard of her?" "Yes, Zhao Lisi. She has the same surname as you, Brother Hao. And you are from the capital as well. Are you related?" Zhenzhu turned to Yong Saiweiihao. Both share the same surname and coming from the capital. "Yes," Yong Saiweihao nodded. He hadn’t expected to meet a friend of his younger sister here. Wasn’t this the friend Li Si kept praising for her skills every day? Judging by the girl’s straightforward, sincere, and energetic demeanor, she was exactly as his sister had described. "Hmm, you’re Lisi’s friend? What a coincidence, we know her too." "Really, Brother Lang? That’s great. I hope she’s doing well." "She’s doing fine. We heard A’Zhu predicted the harsh winter and drought problems?" Wenlang looked at the girl, amazed. They had stumbled upon quite a remarkable person. "Yes, yes, did A’Si tell you?" Zhenzhu chatted with them for a long time, growing quite familiar with Wenlang. However, despite the lengthy conversation, Taizi still hadn’t arrived. "Brother Lang, do you think Taizi will come? I’ve been waiting for so long, it such a waste of time," she started to get annoyed with this Taizi. Why was Taizi taking so long? How much longer would he let people wait? The two men exchanged glances. "A waste of time?" Yong Saiweihao asked. "Of course. I have a lot of work to get back to. My time is valuable. How can I waste it waiting for someone all day?" Zhenzhu pouted. "What kind of work do you need to get back to?" Such a young child had to work? She spoke like an adult. "A lot. I cannot finish them in time. I must weed, breed seedlings, brew alcohol, design fabric patterns, raise silkworms, and take care of herbs. Look at how much work I have to do." "Oh, that’s a lot of work. In that case, you should go back. Taizi probably won’t come today.” "Not coming today? Really?!" She had been sitting there waiting for so long. "Hey! Not coming today and making others wait. Brothers, I must leave now," she was so annoyed. She had waited so long and he didn’t come. Zhenzhu placed money for the roasted nuts she ordered on the table and excused herself with a scowl. "Si’er’s friend is truly straightforward and candid," Wenlang said. "Um, she is somewhat like Si’er," Yong Saiweihao said. He wondered how angry his sister would be when she found out he was in Fengfu City and hadn’t told her. She would probably come here soon enough. Zhenzhu, still fuming, left the restaurant and headed home. She walked toward her father who was breeding seedlings. “Father, should we give the painting to Taizi or not?” If they didn’t give him the painting, it wouldn’t be used across the entire region. Only the towns near Fengfu would rain. “How did it go when you went to see Taizi?” “I didn’t see him at all. They made everyone wait in vain.” “Then we’ll wait for now. When he goes to see the Governor, we can ask the Governor to help us.” He Lei intended to send the painting to the emperor on behalf of Grandmaster Huo Bi if it wasn’t given to Taizi. This way, it would be more widely used. They couldn’t personally use it across the region since they had other work to do. It would be a better use of the painting if the emperor uses it and sends it throughout the region with quick horses, benefiting the people more quickly. “I suppose so,” Zhenzhu helped her father with the seedlings, grumbling about Taizi in her mind. The next morning, Zhenzhu placed the painting in her dimensional bracelet and headed to town again. Her mother had heard from the butcher that Taizi was staying at Governor Manor. “Xin Xi, park the carriage and wait for me. I’ll go to the Governor Manor first.” “Yes, Big Sister Zhu.” Zhenzhu headed towards the Governor Manor, unsure if Taizi would see an ordinary villager like her. If he refused, she would have to ask the Governor for help. However, she didn’t have to go far before her eyes met a man. The man had a straight face with slightly cold expression that she immediately recognized. He had that handsome face, why didn’t he smile more? He kept making a ‘grandma is dying’ face. Which woman would want to approach him? “Brother Hao,” Zhenzhu called out, walking towards him. Yong Saiweihao stood with several guards, now dressed in fine silk garments, a stark contrast to the rough cotton clothes he wore the previous day. As Zhenzhu approached, a guard blocked her way. “Let her through,” Yong Saiweihao said in a lazy tone. “Brother Hao, what are you doing here? And where are you going?” Zhenzhu was puzzled by his attire. A change of clothes had elevated a person’s appearance significantly, making him look noble. She was polite enough not to ask why he was dressed so well. Probably not to negotiate a trade deal. “I’m going to inspect the villagers’ fields.” With Wenlang not around, the normally quiet man had to respond himself. “Inspecting villagers’ fields? Are you buying land? The land around Fengfu is quite expensive. If you buy it and lease it out, it will take years to recoup your investment.” “But if you have the money, go ahead and buy it. The land prices here keep rising. In a few years, you might profit by thousands of taels.” Yong Saiweihao looked at the girl who wouldn’t stop talking. She still believed he was there to buy land. The profits of thousands of taels weren’t enough to entice him. "Brother, have you made an appointment with the land broker yet? If not, I can recommend one. He can show you some excellent plots and charges a reasonable commission." Yong Saiweihao looked at the girl in front of him, who kept talking non-stop. Was she mute in her past life? So that was why she talked so much in this lifetime. He was about to tell her he already had an appointment with the Governor, but before he could speak, someone interrupted. "Young General, I apologize for keeping you waiting," Governor Xin led a tall horse over. Behind the Governor were several other horses, each one a tall warhorse. In the distance, Shi Wenlang was seen riding over. He wore fine silk garments embroidered with a golden dragon on his chest, all of his attire was of high quality and valuable. This air of nobility, why was he daring to wear dragon-embroidered clothes? Could it be... Zhenzhu’s mouth opened and closed wordlessly for a long moment. Her mind raced back. Shi... Shi... The surname Shi. She now realized why his surname sounded so familiar. What could it be if not for the same surname as the current royal family? The only surname currently ruling the region. Brother Wenlang was Taizi? What disrespectful things had she said to him yesterday? She wanted to cry, but no tears came. Was there a hole in the ground? She wanted to crawl into. Brother Wenlang was Taizi. That meant Brother Hao was probably a noble. The Governor had just called him Young General. How high-ranked was a Young General? Could he order her execution? She had thought he was a merchant about to buy villagers’ fields and had given him so much advice. Why wasn’t he at the military camp if he was a general? Why was he touring the town instead? This was too much. They had deceived her. A bad Taizi! A bad noble! In that moment, she grabbed her neck in panic to make sure it was still there and sighed in relief when it was. Thank heavens, my neck is still intact. My head hasn’t been chopped off! Wenlang and Yong Saiweihao, seeing her shocked and terrified expression, couldn’t help but find it amusing. Who would order her execution? "Lady He, what brings you here?" Governor Xin asked, seeing Zhenzhu standing there holding her neck. "I... I was just on my way to see you, Governor. But it seems you’re busy. I’ll take my leave now," she turned to leave. Fine, she would let her father handle this later. "Wait a moment, A’Zhu. Where are you rushing off to? Didn’t you want to discuss the drought problem?" Wenlang called out to her. The girl was so scared that she was thinking nonsense. He merely called her name, and she jumped. Zhenzhu turned back slowly, giving an awkward smile to the nobleman. "Zhenzhu... He Zhenzhu pays respects to Taizi." No. Don’t. Please don’t order my execution. "Why are you trembling so? I won’t order your execution," Wenlang amused by her behavior. "Really?!" Zhenzhu’s eyes widened. She hoped she hadn’t badmouthed him in his earshot. "Really. Let the Governor be a witness that I won’t execute you." Phew! Zhenzhu exhaled deeply in relief. Now, she could talk. "Thank you, Your Highness." "Just speak normally, like you did yesterday," he liked her natural demeanor more. His close companions, whether it was Yong Saiweihao, Lisi, or even Lady Guilan, all spoke in everyday language when they weren’t in public. This made their interactions feel more intimate. "Oh, yes, Your Highness. Oh? Yes.” She was not quite familiar. "So, Brother Lang, where are you heading?" "We’re going to inspect the villagers’ fields to see the irrigation dams they’ve built and the dredged canal. We’ll need A’Zhu’s assistance. Didn’t you say you warned the Governor? So come along.” "I... I can’t ride a horse." She would learn how to ride a horse. This was so inconvenient. "In that case, a guard can lead the horse while you ride," Wenlang solved the problem. So, Zhenzhu mounted a horse with the help of a guard who led the way. Taizi’s procession made its way through the city, heading towards the villagers’ farmland outside. Crowds of townspeople gathered to catch a glimpse of Taizi. Wenlang did not disappoint them, greeting them along the way. Watching this, Zhenzhu was reminded of politicians in her previous life. Once they reached the farmland and agricultural areas, the land was lush with green crops. Water from the irrigation channels was stored in the private ponds of the villagers. In the more remote fields, there were also wells to irrigate the crops. The rain from the previous day had replenished the canals and big rivers, so the farmers diverted the water to fill their ponds in preparation for dry spells. "The digging of ponds and wells in private plots was something I encouraged before winter, while there was still water flowing through the canals. This allowed the farmers to store water. Even though the drought occurred, they have enough water to plant crops and yams to sustain their living, preventing severe hardship. This also kept rice prices from rapidly increasing, unlike in other cities," explained Governor Xin respectfully. "The construction of ponds and wells must have required significant funds. Was this funded by the government or the villagers themselves?" "It was the villagers’ own money. The government only provided minimal support and encouragement.” "Why were the villagers willing to spend their money on digging ponds and wells?" Yong Saiweihao asked, puzzled. Villagers earned little from agriculture, why would they be willing to spend money on digging a water pond in their field? Especially when water was still plentiful and there was no drought in sight. "Uh... I used the tax reductions to persuade them, Young General." Governor Xin was a bit awkward. Reducing taxes is a sensitive matter and usually requires approval from the royal court. However, he had not submitted this proposal, so Governor Xin felt somewhat uneasy talking about it. "That’s a good idea," Wenlang praised. "I don’t deserve the credit. The idea was actually suggested by Lady He and Master He, Your Highness.” "Oh? Was it A’Zhu’s idea?" "A brilliant idea , who else could it be but me?" The young girl proudly lifted her chin while riding the horse. "Hehe," Yong Saiweihao smiled. His guards got goosebumps; it was rare to see him smile . Whenever he smiled, it usually meant he was about to execute someone. "Brother Hao, are you laughing at me?" What was ‘hehe’? He laughed ‘hehe’. What was that mean? If it wasn’t for her, would the townspeople live this well? "My apologies," Yong Saiweihao said with affection toward her. See, she was no different from Li Si. Zhenzhu turned away, crossing her arms. Laugh at me and then apologize? Just at that moment, in the distance, she saw a man drawing a bowstring to its limit, a sharp arrow reflected the light. This man was exceptionally skilled at hiding his breath; even she, who was the indigo-tier spirit energy cultivator, couldn’t detect his breath. His arrow was aiming at Shi Wenlang. Follow current novᴇls on 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩⁂𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢⁂𝔫𝔢𝔱 "Brother Lang! Watch out!" she shouted to warn him. The Shadow Guards around them immediately alerted her cry. But the one who moved fastest was Yong Saiweihao, who leaped towards Wenlang just as the arrow was about to hit. The arrow embedded itself into human flesh, quivering for a moment from the force. "Chase him!" Wenlang pointed at the assassin who had now disappeared into the forest. Several dark shadows instantly chase after him. Thud! The strong body hit the ground, the arrow sticking out of Yong Saiweihao’s chest. The pain was excruciating, like being trampled by a warhorse. He tried to channel his spirit energy to keep breathing. Blood stained his light purple garments, turning them black. Black. The blood was poisoned! "The arrow is poisoned, Your Highness," one of the guards reported gravely after examining Yong Saiweihao’s condition. "Take him to the physician immediately!" Wenlang ordered in a tense voice. One guard jumped onto a horse, and the others quickly lifted Yong Saiweihao onto the horse and tied his body to the guard’s. The warhorse galloped towards Fengfu City. At that moment, several dark figures appeared, one of them throwing something onto the ground. When Zhenzhu looked, she saw it was a human head. She recognized the face—it was the assassin! How had they decapitated someone so quickly?! Zhenzhu turned pale in panic. She had never seen a freshly severed head before, blood still dripping. Zhenzhu quickly covered her mouth to prevent herself from screaming. "The men of the Fifth Prince, Your Highness." "Hmm," Wenlang acknowledged. If anything happened to Yong Saiweihao, he would personally go and take the head of his Fifth Brother. Previously, if A’Zhu hadn’t cried out, the arrow would have hit him instead. "A’Zhu, you should return. This incident must have frightened you." Once he saw the young girl’s pale face, he felt so sorry for her. She probably had never encountered anything before. "Y... Yes," Zhenzhu mounted her horse, and a guard led the horse to escort her back to the city. Once she arrived in the city, she went straight home. The matters she wanted to discuss would have to wait. She had no idea how Brother Hao was doing now. Read ‘Rebirth: This Farmgirl Has Spirit Fish Scales’ before anyone else with more Chapters at https://www.jinovel.com/en