Chapter 66
Field after field of rice paddies stretched out, one after another, with melon trellises connecting endlessly.
The rice seedlings were lush and green, while the cucumbers were round and long.
Even the large leaves covering the earthen walls couldn’t hide the plump, ripe pumpkins. Further in, rows of eggplants stood neatly, their fruits deep purple with ripeness.
String beans dangled like thick threads, swaying slightly in the wind like fluttering tassels.
Between the village houses, sheds and tiled buildings were everywhere. Fat chickens ran along the paths, while spotted ducks swam in the river.
"Tongzhou truly is prosperous and thriving!"
Uncle Fan, taking in the scenery of Tongzhou’s mountains, waters, and farmland, had a thousand thoughts in his heart, but in the end, they all condensed into this single sentence.
The men from the northern territories were already dazzled by the sight—such fertile land, such lively villages.
They had passed through several prefectural cities on their way down from the north, but none could compare to Tongzhou.
"The city is even livelier. When we have some free time in a couple of days, I’ll take you there. The food, the fun, the entertainment—you couldn’t exhaust it even in three days and nights."
They hadn’t taken the main road back, instead choosing a smaller path. With so many horses and people, it would have been too conspicuous.
Even so, it served as some publicity for their horses. However, Tongzhou’s streets weren’t as wide as those in the northern prefectural cities, and the population was denser.
The main streets were all bustling markets. If the horses were to spook and trample someone, it would be disastrous.
Ji Wenliang rode on horseback, the familiar sights of his hometown filling his eyes, bringing him an unprecedented sense of solidity and contentment.
Though he had only been away for a little over four months, the journey had been so fraught with hardships that he couldn’t help but feel a tinge of melancholy, inexplicably recalling a line his master once recited: "Leaving home young, returning old."
That might be a bit of an exaggeration, but he felt it captured the sentiment well.
Cheerfully, he turned to Huo Shou beside him: "When we get there, you’ll stay at my place. I’ll have my mother cook you some southern dishes. She’s a great cook!"
The prosperity of the south had already exceeded Huo Shou’s expectations. The wind here was moist, carrying the fragrance of mountains, forests, and grass. The people might not be as tall and imposing as northerners, but they were refined and scholarly—even some men had fair, delicate faces.
He nodded at Ji Wenliang and said, "There are six of us in our group. I doubt my brother’s house can fit so many. We’ll probably have to expand the place. The summer heat is intense, so sleeping outside wouldn’t be too bad."
Ji Wenliang replied, "My sixth uncle’s house is huge. It could fit ten of you, let alone six. No way we’d make you sleep outside! Even the long-term worker Daniu’s room in my sixth uncle’s house can sleep three or four people."
Huo Shou was a bit confused: "What does the size of your sixth uncle’s house have to do with us?"
Ji Wenliang said, "Didn’t Brother-in-law tell you?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Ji Wenliang realized it made sense that Huo Shou didn’t know—after all, his brother-in-law was a man of few words, and whatever little he did say was mostly reserved for his "Brother Taoyu."
"My sixth uncle is Brother Taoyu's father. He’s the village head of Mingxun Village."
Ji Wenliang patiently explained, "Sixth Uncle and Sixth Aunt only have Brother Taoyu as their child. Brother-in-law was afraid they wouldn’t want Brother Taoyu to go far, so he just lives at their place."
Huo Shou’s brow furrowed.
"You’re saying A-Shu married into their family?"
Uncle Fan, who was driving the horses nearby, overheard the young men’s conversation and couldn’t help but interject before Huo Shou could respond.
Ji Wenliang wasn’t entirely sure about the situation either. "Well, they live together, anyway."
Uncle Fan and Huo Shou exchanged glances, both looking troubled.
If that was really the case, things were a bit complicated. They had all followed Huo Shu here without considering that he might be living at his father-in-law’s house.
If they all showed up in such numbers and his father-in-law was displeased, wouldn’t that put Huo Shu in an awkward position?
"Uncle Fan, it’s fine."
"A-Shu isn’t a live-in son-in-law. My health has never been great, and he didn’t want me to strain myself by moving, so we didn’t build a separate house."
Ji Taoyu poked his head out of the carriage: "My father won’t interfere with A-Shu’s decisions either."
The northerners sighed in relief. "In that case, we’ll be imposing."
____
"Village Head, Tao ger and his husband are back!"
It was nearing noon, the sun scorching the ground. Ji Yangzong had just returned from the fields and plopped down under the shade of a tree in the cooling shed, about to take a sip of cold tea.
After the heavy rain, the weather had immediately turned blazing again without pause.
The rain hadn’t brought any relief—instead, the sun felt even fiercer.
At this hour, the crops were wilting under the heat, and people’s tempers were just as irritable.
He had been thinking of having some cooling porridge for lunch to settle the heat when he heard a shout from outside.
"What did you say?!"
"The merchant caravan's back! A whole crowd of them, dozens of horses, coming in from the village entrance!"
"Good heavens, what a spectacle!"
Ji Yangzong watched as the villager gestured excitedly, talking animatedly, and immediately stood up from his stool.
He hurried outside: "Are you serious?"
"Why would I lie? I was weeding by the main road when I saw a group entering the village. I spotted Wenliang from afar and ran straight here to tell you."
Ji Yangzong’s hands trembled with excitement. "I’ll go see, I’ll go see!"
After taking a few steps, he suddenly remembered something and called back into the house: "Manjing, the neighbors say Xiao Taozi is back!"
Without waiting for Huang Manjing to catch up, he rushed toward the village’s main road.
Once outside, he realized the village was already abuzz, everyone heading toward the main road.
"I heard there are so many horses! Big and tall ones!"
"Goodness, I hope they don’t trample the vegetables by the roadside."
"Don’t worry, they’re keeping the horses on the path. Such valuable animals won’t step on your crops."
Ji Yangzong quickened his pace. From a distance, he saw a grand procession approaching.
The villagers hadn’t exaggerated—thirty or forty horses marched in formation, pulling carts laden with goods, an impressive sight.
For a moment, Ji Yangzong didn’t know whether to look at the livestock first or check if everyone was safe. The villagers crowded so tightly he could barely push through.
"Make way!"
"Let me through, let me through!"
"Give the village head some space, will you?"
The village path narrowed under the press of bodies. Ji Yangzong carefully avoided trampling the crops while anxiously scanning the procession.
"Father!"
Ji Yangzong turned toward the voice and saw a beaming face waving at him from atop a tall horse.
It was their Xiao Taozi!
Huo Shu wrapped an arm around Ji Taoyu’s waist, and the two dismounted together.
The moment Ji Taoyu’s feet touched the ground, he dashed toward Ji Yangzong.
"You’re back… you’re back…"
Ji Yangzong muttered, still half-convinced it was a dream—until a figure crashed into his arms, and he finally felt it was real.
Steadying himself, he reached up to pat his child’s head, his eyes growing hot. "You didn’t even send word ahead! Your mother and I could’ve met you at the village entrance!"
Ji Taoyu buried his face in Ji Yangzong’s shoulder, tears welling up at the sight of his father’s familiar face.
He sniffled. "The messengers are slower than our group. By the time a letter arrived, we’d already be home anyway."
"Just coming back safe is enough. That’s all that matters."
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