Fu Tian didn’t expect this person to have the audacity to say such shameless things. After holding back for a long moment, he could only curse, “Disgusting.”
Then, fuming, he shifted on the bed, turning his back to Chu Xiangtian to leave just enough space for one person to sleep.
Behind him came the faint rustle of clothing, and the empty space softened as a warm body pressed against him.
Burying his face into the pillow, Fu Tian didn’t move.
Who knew this person would push their luck further—stretching out a long arm, pulling him into an embrace, and then, pressing close to his ear, deliberately lowering his voice to whisper, “I’m only disgusting to you.”
The warm breath brushed the back of his neck; the low voice in the dead of night bred a subtle intimacy, sending a tingling sensation spreading down his nape.
“No talking!”
The little marquis, teased once again, turned around in annoyance, covering Chu Xiangtian’s mouth with his hand and ordering fiercely, “Go to sleep!”
Chu Xiangtian lowered his eyes and looked at him. His usually sharp and cold gaze was now filled with warmth and an emotion that made one’s face flush and heart race.
His mouth was covered, so he stuck out his tongue and licked the palm covering his mouth.
Wet and tingling.
Startled, Fu Tian pulled back his hand, his eyes a mixture of confusion and irritation. Yet he had no way to stop him. Frustrated, he grabbed a nearby quilt and wrapped himself up entirely.
This really got under Chu Xiangtian’s skin. He hid a mischievous grin but then wore a helpless expression and gently tugged at the bundled quilt, “I won’t bother you anymore.”
The person inside the quilt muttered a muffled grunt in response and ignored him.
He couldn’t force it, so Chu Xiangtian had no choice but to scoop the quilt into his arms and gently soothe him.
Only after the little marquis truly fell asleep did he peel him out from the quilt, plant a kiss, and then, satisfied, hold him close as he drifted off.
They had a night of sweet dreams—only to startle Dai Fu again, who was carrying a basin of water.
Last night when he left, there was clearly only the little marquis alone. But after the night, two people lay in the bed. He had no idea when the second person had come.
Taking a deep breath, Dai Fu suppressed his shock and fear, forcing himself to act as if he had seen nothing.
He pushed open the window, brought in another set of toiletries, laid them neatly, then carefully backed out.
Fu Tian was roused awake by the faint rustling. He yawned groggily before fully waking up.
A strong arm was still wrapped tightly around his waist. Thinking of the man’s various brazen acts last night, Fu Tian’s irritation flared and he reached out to pinch the sleeping Chu Xiangtian’s nose.
Chu Xiangtian, struggling to breathe, opened his eyes and immediately saw the little marquis’s smiling face.
“Cheeky.”
Instinctively, he pulled him into an embrace and kissed him. Then he sat up to look outside.
The sun was already high in the sky, long past his usual time for morning exercises.
Fu Tian broke free from his embrace, grabbed his clothes from the side, and got dressed.
“Today we’re going to Xishan Manor. Are you coming?” he asked while carefully straightening his collar.
“Mm.”
Chu Xiangtian sat up, took the belt from Fu Tian’s hands, and fastened it for him. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he said, “Wait, I’m going to get something.”
He hurriedly threw on his outer robe and strode outside. When he returned, he held a fish-shaped jade pendant in his hand.
Squatting down, he hung the pendant at Fu Tian’s waist, squinting his eyes with a satisfied smile. “There. Done.”
“What’s this?” Fu Tian curiously picked up the pendant to examine it.
The jade pendant was shaped like a carp curved into a semicircle, intricately carved with each scale distinct and lifelike. If not for the white jade color, it looked as if it were alive in water.
“A love token,” Chu Xiangtian smiled. “Accept it, and you’re one of the Chu family now.”
Fu Tian glared at him while holding the pendant. “This is forced upon me.”
Chu Xiangtian shamelessly nodded, “Mm.”
“You’re so lovable, I have to steal you away and hide you at home to feel safe.”
Fu Tian had no argument against this flawed logic. He turned to wash up and ignored him, but he never took off the jade pendant at his waist.
After breakfast, he greeted Fu Youqin, and the two headed to Xishan Manor.
Riding there, from afar they saw the earth spread out in a golden hue. Many people were working the fields, busy harvesting rice.
As they approached, familiar faces from West Mountain Stronghold appeared.
Having moved to a new location, these former bandits were unusually motivated. There was plenty of farmland, and the men couldn’t handle it all alone, so even the women had joined in the work.
Fu Tian greeted them and dismounted to inspect the crops.
The golden rice stalks reached waist-high, their roots thick and sturdy, topped with plump, full grains that bent the stalks with weight.
The people of West Mountain Stronghold were all joyful; this was much better than farming the barren lands in the mountains. The crops grew well and yielded a bountiful harvest.
In recent days, to prevent the grain from spoiling over time, they’d been harvesting nonstop.
After inspecting the fields, someone led them to the village. Along the way, large areas had already been harvested, with only a small portion still being reaped.
At the village, they were shown the ledgers. According to Fu Tian’s request, each acre’s yield was recorded. The numbers surpassed his estimates.
Fu Tian had planned ahead; the higher-than-expected yield actually favored his strategy.
“Keep some of the harvested rice as seed for the next season,” he said. “Don’t sell the rest. I’ll exchange the grain with you in sufficient quantity.”
Since Xishan Manor had already been given to Xiao Qiao and transformed into the living place of the West Mountain Stronghold people, its ties to Fu Tian were limited.
Yet out of gratitude, they were always willing to cooperate with him.
The trade proposal didn’t disadvantage them, especially since the seeds for this season had been provided to them for free. No one objected to exchanging rice.
They stayed in the village for two days. Once all the crops at Xishan Manor were harvested, Fu Tian left with the caravan transporting the rice.
After the rice returned, it would be divided to various villages as seeds for the new season, aiming to maximize grain production.
Before leaving, the West Mountain Stronghold sent people to see them off. Fu Tian reminded them again not to rush to sell all their grain. If money wasn’t tight, they should stockpile for a while.
Whether they listened or not, he had to say it once more—it was only fair given their help.
***
After transporting the grain, Fu Tian arranged for the seeds to be properly stored, then began planning land purchases.
With October approaching and time running short, Fu Tian was growing anxious.
Chu Xiangtian accompanied him in the study, pondering strategies.
Fu Tian had confided in him and already sent a letter to the imperial capital. He and the emperor were close since childhood—one scholarly, one martial.
The emperor guarded the court, Fu Tian pacified the borders.
There was no suspicion or envy from outsiders, partly because the three of them—their mother and two brothers—had lived a precarious life in the harem since childhood, forging an extraordinary bond.
But Fu Tian’s reincarnation was strange. Chu Xiangtian didn’t want to put him in danger or suspicion.
In the letter, he frankly revealed he had met an old immortal who prophesied a severe drought next year that would cause widespread suffering. He advised the emperor to prepare accordingly.
Chu Xiangtian rarely spoke of superstition or the supernatural. Though the emperor was skeptical upon receiving the letter, he had to take it seriously.
After several exchanges, the emperor finally believed his younger brother.
Chu Xiangtian was not one to act recklessly. Besides, the Canal was already under construction.
If a drought did occur, the court’s priority was to speed up the Canal’s completion and urge local governments to accelerate farmland water conservancy projects. Beyond that, they could only stockpile grain.
Fortunately, Sifang Town’s gold mine reserves were substantial, easing the treasury’s immediate strain.
Besides investing silver to expedite the Canal, the emperor also covertly sent trusted men disguised as wealthy merchants to quietly purchase large amounts of grain from major grain dealers.
Regardless of whether the prophecy was true, these precautionary measures wouldn’t raise too much suspicion.
Even if the drought didn’t occur, the Canal and water conservancy projects were beneficial to the nation and people—no loss.
All of this proceeded quietly.
Chu Xiangtian had mentioned some of this to Fu Tian but kept details sparse, as Fu Tian was focused entirely on buying land and estates.
Fu Tian had his sights set on Xingdong Commandery, neighboring Nanmíng Commandery. The two regions were close, with similar climate and soil, making it the least risky place to plant new rice seeds.
He had even identified several contiguous estates.
Chu Xiangtian frowned slightly as he looked over the prices reported by subordinates.
The three estates Fu Tian favored surrounded Xingdong Commandery and bordered the soon-to-be-completed Canal.
The location was excellent. The land was vast and fertile, so naturally the price was much higher.
Setting aside whether the owners were willing to sell, even if they were, the cost would be steep.
“Is the silver enough?” Chu Xiangtian asked, putting down the documents and pulling the little marquis into his arms.
Fu Tian instinctively rubbed his face against his. Thinking of the treasure trove he hadn’t yet seen, he boldly declared, “We have all the silver we could ever need.”
Chu Xiangtian rested his chin on Fu Tian’s head and chuckled softly, “The little marquis is so rich, why not buy me and take me home too?”