Chapter 53 (1/2): Extra (1)

In the fifteenth year of the reigning dynasty, summer arrived with an oppressive heat, unbroken by even a single drop of rain for nearly a month.

Fortunately, Fengyuan Town had been steadily developing these past years as a crucial trading post along the military route.

Five years after Cao Wen’s entire family moved into town, the county had officially established an official yamen in Fengyuan Town as its jurisdiction center.

Since the arrival of the yamen, the new officials wasted no time enacting reforms: encouraging farming and sericulture, expanding cultivated land, and reorganizing the market and town layout.

Now, barely two or three years later, Fengyuan Town had already grown to more than twice its original size when Cao Wen first arrived.

The streets were wide and orderly, with carriages and horses moving in neat procession.

Shops lined every street corner, many dealing in silk fabrics, jade, and jewelry that had never before appeared in the town.

Exotic delicacies, rare birds, and strange beasts were plentiful, while foreign merchants mingled with local traders, creating a bustling scene full of prosperity.

More land had been opened up around the town.

Last year, the town officials, together with county workshop clerks, had planned out water conservancy projects.

This year, during the drought, those efforts proved invaluable.

Otherwise, with such weather, this year’s harvest would have been doomed.

In the meantime, Cao Wen and Xu Duoyan hadn’t been idle either.

Their small stir-fry restaurant expanded from the town all the way to the county seat and even opened branches in the prefectural city.

They had bought several shops in town, which steadily increased in value and were now all rented out.

Farming had never been neglected either.

Over the years, they acquired any suitable land available, sometimes adding two or three acres annually, at other times more than ten.

Now, their holdings had surpassed a hundred acres.

This year, they had purchased a small, previously uncultivated hill, and Cao Wen hired workers to manage it.

That morning, after breakfast, Cao Wen planned to inspect the hill since the villagers said it was mostly tidied up.

“Do you want to come along?” he asked.

After washing up and dressing, Cao Wen looked back at the figure still lying in bed.

The morning breeze was rare and refreshing—perfect for sleep.

Xu Duoyan barely stirred, mumbling drowsily, “You go on ahead.”

Cao Wen sat down beside the bed.

“Really not coming?”

“I spent a fortune buying some pepper trees to plant on the hill. Don’t you want to take a look?”

“You go first. I’ll come later.”

Seeing her too sleepy to open her eyes, he couldn’t help but lean forward and kiss her twice.

“Then rest well.”

“Mm,” she murmured lazily before drifting back to sleep.

By the time she woke again, the sun had already climbed high.

Cao Wen got up. The screen beside the bed blocked the harsh sunlight, so the room was bright but not glaring.

He had just returned yesterday from inspecting accounts in the prefectural city.

Though weary from the journey, he hadn’t rested well the night before.

He stretched and rubbed his aching waist, then went to the inner room for a cup of tea, which helped clear his mind.

His whole body ached, making him regret last night’s excesses.

The so-called “absence makes the heart grow fonder” had turned into a reckless spree without restraint.

They had only slept for an hour or two, yet that guy somehow managed to wake up early, full of energy like an ox, giving Cao Wen quite a hard time.

Outside, the scorching sun and the noisy cicadas made the room stuffy.

After washing up, Xu Duoyan spoke briefly with Lu Lingbi, ate a light meal, then called the stable to hitch up the carriage to visit the village.

“Where did that little beggar come from? Shoo, shoosh! Go ask for alms on the street; don’t block the mansion’s gate.”

At the estate gate, Xu Duoyan spotted a small, shabby child in ragged clothes crouching in the alley, clutching a chipped ceramic bowl.

The boy was being chased off and carefully edged toward the side lane.

“He’s just a child; no need to scold him so harshly.”

Xu Duoyan walked over casually and called to the coachman.

“Second Master.”

The coachman bowed.

“Go prepare some cold drinks inside; we’ll take them up the hill later.”

“Yes, Second Master.”

After sending the coachman off, the little boy cautiously peeked at Xu Duoyan and whispered, “Thank you, brother.”

“It’s so hot today. Why are you out here?”

Xu Duoyan beckoned him over.

Though timid, the boy slowly approached.

“I’m begging for money,” he said.

Xu Duoyan frowned and crouched to look into the child’s eyes—about four or five years old.

Though small and thin, his face was still round with a bit of baby fat, and his eyes were like a little deer’s.

“Why do you beg?”

The boy lowered his gaze, voice choking slightly.

“Mother is sick. I want to get medicine for her.”

Xu Duoyan’s eyes immediately reddened.

Tears threatened to spill but he forced them back.

He reached out and gently patted the boy’s back.

“How much do you need? Brother will give it to you.”

The boy’s eyes brightened and he raised one hand, attempting to show two fingers, but hesitated and folded one back down.

“One coin.”

“Silly, one coin can’t buy medicine.”

Xu Duoyan pulled some small silver coins from his clothes and placed them in the child’s soft hand.

“Hold it carefully. Go home and get medicine for your mother. It’s hot—don’t wander outside too long, or you might get heatstroke.”

“Thank you, brother!”

The boy carefully tucked the silver away and happily ran down the alley, then looked back at Xu Duoyan with eyes curved in a smile.

Xu Duoyan watched until the boy disappeared before climbing into the carriage.

Over the years, the lands around the town had gradually been cultivated, stretching green and lush as far as the eye could see from the official road.

Several estates had been built in the village to facilitate autumn harvests and livestock raising.

Their own family had also constructed one in a valley.

The carriage reached the foot of the hill, where some farmers were tidying tools.

Seeing Xu Duoyan’s carriage, they respectfully saluted.

“Second Master.”

“Are you finished with the work?”

“The pepper trees are all planted. We’ll fertilize again in a few days.”

Xu Duoyan glanced at their hilltop.

If he hadn’t known the land, he might have thought they were on the wrong path.

The wild grasses and weeds from before were all cut away; the trees stood tall, and the forest opened up beautifully.

“Thank you all for your hard work.”

He signaled the coachman.

“I brought some food and drinks from the city. It was meant for your break, but I’m late. Good thing you didn’t leave. Rest a while, then we’ll head back.”

Covered in sweat, the farmers hurried forward.

“Thank you, Second Master.”

After the farmers dispersed, Xu Duoyan looked around for Cao Wen but didn’t see him.

“Where is the Big Master?”

“Just as Second Master arrived, Big Master left. He said there were some accounts to reconcile, so he went to the estate.”

“If you don’t find him, go to the estate.”

Xu Duoyan nodded but didn’t hurry over.

Instead, he explored the hill.

The hill had been thoroughly managed—not only were the weeds removed, but the soil loosened.

On the sunny side, many pepper trees, Jiangzi trees, and star anise trees were planted—varieties Cao Wen had gathered through purchases.

He had been busy with these projects.

Some focused on crops, others on fruit trees, but these specialty plants were rarely cultivated, mostly gathered from the wild and sold, leading to high prices.

If they could produce in bulk, profits would be considerable, hence Cao Wen’s purchase of the hill.

Feeling the heat even on the hill, Xu Duoyan walked a few rounds before descending to the estate.

He was sweating, the humidity sticky and uncomfortable.

Entering the estate, he wanted to ask for some cold tea but found no one around.

No surprise—it was nearly mealtime, and Cao Wen, who had come to the estate to eat, was likely busy in the kitchen.

At the corridor’s end, he spotted a beautifully dressed young woman in a fresh, watery green dress.