My Fulang is a Delicate Flower Chapter 65 Part 3

Standing on the high ridge of the field, he gazed at the lush green mountains and wilderness after the rain, his heart heavy with melancholy.  

When Ji Taoyu left with Huo Shu, this land had still been a withered, gray expanse. Without him noticing, the trees had budded, bloomed, and now stood thick with foliage.  

Nearly four months had passed, yet there was still no sign of their return.  

With yesterday’s heavy rain, he couldn’t help but worry, had the caravan been caught in the summer storms wherever they were now?  

"Village Head."  

"Village Head!"

Ji Yangzong turned around abruptly, realizing a villager had been calling him.  

"What's the matter? The rice fields flooded again?"  

"This rain's been even—every household got hit a little. But that’s not what I’m here for. I just wanted to ask the village head if Tao ger has sent any letters home."  

Ji Yangzong sighed at the village woman. "It’s been a while since I got any letters too."  

"It’s been nearly half a year since they left, and all we’ve heard are a few scraps of news. Now with this heavy summer rain, I’m just sick with worry."  

The woman fretted, "Village Head, you don’t think they’ve run into danger on the road, do you?"  

Ji Yangzong said, "Nobody has smooth sailing when they’re away from home. But they’re all folks from nearby villages, they’ll look out for each other."  

"Besides, traveling merchants live rough. It’s not easy to send letters back, and even if they do, it takes time for the news to reach us."  

Ji Yangzong was plenty annoyed himself, but he understood how the villagers felt. With their strongest laborers gone, and now this summer disaster, they couldn’t afford any more misfortune for the men out there.

Worry was only natural.  

"Last month, I got a letter saying they’d reached Yuchang Prefecture. By now, they should’ve made it to the northern territories. Who knows—they might’ve already sold their goods and be on their way back."  

The woman felt a little reassured by Ji Yangzong’s words, her hopes lifting slightly.  

"A while back, when I went to town to buy candles, I heard bandits are real bad in those remote areas. That incense-seller from Pingxiang, her husband was killed by bandits while traveling with a merchant group."  

A sudden voice cut in, and the woman’s heart leaped back into her throat.  

"Third Sister, what nonsense are you bringing back from town now?"  

Ji Wanglan, clutching two rain-battered celery stalks, said, "It’s true! If you don’t believe me, go ask her yourself. That incense-seller breaks down crying every time she talks about it."  

The village woman’s eyes reddened at Ji Wanglan’s words, immediately imagining the worst for her own husband.  

"If anything happens to my man, what’ll I do with the old and young at home? This year’s crops are already hopeless, we’ll have to sell the land to survive!"  

"Good heavens, Sister He, it’s not come to selling land yet!"  

Ji Yangzong scowled and snapped,  

"Third Sister, what kind of talk is that? You know perfectly well Sister He’s man is out there, why fill her head with such fears?"  

"I just say what’s on my mind. Ugh, fine, I’ll shut up."  

Ji Wanglan waved a hand dismissively, then noticed the village woman wiping her eyes. She grabbed her arm. "Look at you, crying over someone else’s troubles. Here, take these celery stalks home and make some soup."  

After sending the woman off, Ji Yangzong stewed in silent anger, ignoring his sister as he turned toward home.  

But Ji Wanglan hurried after him. "Xiao Liu, I heard yesterday’s rain washed out your shrimp pond?"  

"What about it?"  

"Those shrimp are delicate. Once they’re tossed around in the mud, they won’t survive if you put them back. Such a waste if they die in there. Yuan Fei’s back recently, isn’t he? The boy’s been working hard, let me take a couple to make him some nourishing soup."  

Ji Yangzong’s chest tightened. This was the first year raising shrimp in the pond, and the plump ones ready for eating were meant to be shared among the family.  

He’d already gathered some yesterday to distribute, so when his sister asked, he didn’t argue, letting her trail him home.  

There, he found his seventh brother waiting.  

"Sixth Brother, Third Sister’s here too."  

"Oh, Xiao Qi’s here as well?"  

Ji Wanglan spotted the basket in Ji Yangcheng’s hands and rushed over. "Oho, shrimp?"  

"Yeah, Sixth Sister-in-law ran into me and told me to come get some."  

Ji Wanglan pursed her lips. "Your sixth sister-in-law sure favors you."  

Ji Yangzong said, "The shrimp are in that vat, Third Sister. Help yourself."  

"I need to get back and cook for Yuan Fei. Xiao Qi, you’re in no hurry, let me take this basket first, then you can get more from the vat."  

Without waiting, Ji Wanglan snatched the basket from Ji Yangcheng, probably thinking Huang Manjing had given him the better shrimp.  

Ji Yangcheng didn’t argue. "Yuan Fei’s back?"  

"Sure is."  

At the mention of her son, Ji Wanglan preened. "He went out with Eldest Brother’s work crew at the start of the year and just returned. Made a tidy sum too! Now he’s sure to marry a wife, you uncles just wait for the wedding wine."  

Hearing Yuan Fei had earned money and might soon marry, Ji Yangcheng genuinely felt happy for the boy.  

"Honestly, Xiao Qi, you shouldn’t have let Wenliang go with that merchant group. Been gone so long with hardly any word, what if something happens? If he’d joined Eldest Brother’s crew like Yuan Fei, he’d be back with earnings by now."  

Ji Wanglan added, "Times are tough these years, most merchant groups are losing money. Even if Wenliang makes it back, he probably won’t have earned half what Yuan Fei did. Might as well have stayed farming. He’s not getting any younger, and without prospects, no decent family will marry their daughter or ger to him!"  

Ji Yangcheng’s face fell.  

"Third Sister, weren’t you going home to cook? Hurry along."  

Ji Yangzong’s frown could’ve crushed flies as he all but shoved her out.  

"Yuan Fei bringing back a few coins has gone to Third Sister’s head. She’s got no filter left, don’t take it to heart."  

Ji Yangcheng forced a smile. "I’ve known her temper for years, why would I start holding grudges now? Arguing with her is a losing game."  

Still, his sister’s words gnawed at him, deepening his worry for his son.  

But with his sixth brother’s frail ger also out there, he couldn’t bring himself to voice his fears.  

The brothers offered each other empty comforts, both hearts heavy with concern for their children far from home.