Chapter 422: Entering the Mountains
Chapter 422: Chapter 422: Entering the Mountains
Gu Xingyang was thrilled. She had finally escaped the eat-sleep-repeat phase and could spend more time being active. Moreover, her vision was no longer a blurry haze limited to what was right in front of her. Although she still couldn’t see very far, it didn’t stop her from taking in her surroundings. Compared to the city, she much preferred the countryside. The air here was incredibly comforting, and she loved it. She was born here, and this was their true home. As soon as the family of three entered the village, they felt their spirits lift, easing the lingering sadness of their recent departure.
The carriage didn’t stop along the way, heading straight for the end of the village. Dongmei, Chunxiang, and the others had received the news early and were already waiting for them.
"Master, Madam, Miss, you’ve finally returned!" Dongmei and Chunxiang tried to bow, but Bai Suihe quickly stopped them.
"Look at your conditions—don’t make any risky movements," Bai Suihe chided gently. "We’re all family here. There’s no need for these formalities."
"Tradition cannot be abandoned—"
"Nonsense. You’re both married women managing your own households now. At most, we just have an employer-employee relationship." Bai Suihe honestly didn’t know what to do with these two. She had already returned their contracts of indenture, yet they still adhered to the old rules. Besides, after staying by her side for so long, didn’t they know she didn’t care about such things?
"Is everything well at home?" Bai Suihe asked as they walked into the courtyard. The place looked much the same as before they left; everything was neat and orderly. She had to admit that the strict class system of this ancient era had some merits. At the very least, most people wouldn’t dare shirk their duties. Furthermore, these servants had been carefully selected by Mrs. Bai, so there was even less cause for concern.
"Everything is fine. The men are up on the mountain planting fruit trees. Should I go call them back?" The ones left at the house were all female family members. It wasn’t convenient for Dongmei and Chunxiang to go up the mountain, and someone needed to stay behind to cook and tidy up.
Bai Suihe waved her hand. "There’s no need for that. The weather is quite nice today. We’ll take a short rest and then head up the mountain to take a look ourselves."
The two young women naturally had no objections and even wanted to follow along, but Bai Suihe stopped them. She couldn’t help but lecture them a bit. Back when she was heavily pregnant and forced into exile, the journey had been a necessity. Yet she had cherished her life the entire way, never causing trouble for others or bringing it upon herself. That was how she managed to survive and safely reach Tian Village. Otherwise, given the Gu family’s knack for stirring up chaos, a single wave of assassins would have been enough to send her to an early grave.
After handing their belongings over to the subordinates to unpack, the couple carried their child and headed toward the back mountain with Nanny Pang. This time on the road, Nanny Pang was no longer as restrictive as before. Pointing out the inconspicuous weeds along the path, she taught Bai Suihe which ones had medicinal properties and which were toxic. Gu Kaiyuan had no interest in these things, but he cooperatively slowed his pace.
Gu Xingyang, however, was entirely different. She pricked up her ears to listen carefully. Just as her mother always said, it never hurt to learn more. She was still young and helpless anyway, so she might as well use this opportunity to memorize a few things. Even if she couldn’t put the knowledge into practice with her own hands, she could still mull it over in her mind to pass the time.
She thought, "I really wish I could grow up faster." But time passed day by day; it wouldn’t speed up just because she wanted it to.
Bai Suihe learned earnestly, occasionally asking questions about things she wanted to know. Nanny Pang shared everything she knew without reservation. When there were things she didn’t know, she suggested they look them up in books and discuss them together once they returned. Nanny Pang didn’t feel embarrassed when she couldn’t answer a question. Although her mistress had no prior experience with medicine, the questions she occasionally brought up often yielded great insights. Thus, Nanny Pang always took them very seriously. Her master had once told her that one was never too old to learn. There were countless people, creatures, and things in the world that one didn’t know, and there was no shame in that. Only the knowledge one actually acquired became true skill.
A proper path up the mountain had already been paved, making the climb much less arduous than before. They hadn’t been gone for long, yet the first mountain closest to the house had been almost entirely cleared. Only the original wild fruit trees were left standing, leaving the rest of the mountain looking rather bare. Huang Pingguo and the others were leading the men in digging holes to plant new saplings. It was easy to imagine these mountains eventually turning into lush orchards. By the time autumn arrived, the sight of branches heavy with fruit would surely be magnificent.
Nanny Pang looked at the barren mountain, a flash of pity in her eyes. She remembered that there used to be medicinal herbs growing here, but now they were all gone. However, she couldn’t blame Zhuang Datou and the others. What were valuable herbs in her eyes were likely just weeds to them.
"They’re working quite fast," Gu Kaiyuan couldn’t help but praise. It was known that spring in this region brought endless drizzles, and the weather had only cleared up a few days ago. To be able to clear a dense mountain in such a short time proved just how hard these men had worked.
The villagers of Tian Village didn’t know what he was thinking. Otherwise, they would have told him that such a good job was hard to come by, and they couldn’t afford not to cherish it. With several orchards in the village, there would definitely be a constant need for hired hands in the future. If they didn’t perform well now, when would they?
Prompted by someone’s reminder, Zhuang Datou finally noticed his employers’ arrival. He hurriedly wiped his hands clean on his clothes and sprinted over.
"Master, Madam, Miss, you’ve returned."
"You’ve done a good job. Clearing a mountain this quickly is no small feat," Gu Kaiyuan commended. "You’ve all worked hard."
"It’s only what we ought to do," Zhuang Datou replied. He was now mainly in charge of this area and was brimming with enthusiasm. He didn’t actually have to do the physical labor himself, but his peace of mind demanded otherwise. He stayed on the mountain every day, keeping watch, and occasionally pitching in whenever he felt things weren’t being done to his standards.
"Have you already arranged for the fruit saplings?"
"Yes, I’ve got it all arranged," Zhuang Datou said confidently. "I traveled to a few nearby towns and contacted several fruit farmers. Once we finish clearing these mountains, I’ll take some men to bring the saplings back."
"What kind of fruit trees are we planting?" Bai Suihe asked.
"Due to the climate, we can’t grow many of the varieties found near Shao County. We’ve selected some orange, peach, plum, pear, and chestnut trees. For anything else, we’ll have to take our time and search." Zhuang Datou hadn’t just blindly decided to plant every tree he came across. He had specifically visited nearby farms to ask for advice. For trees he wasn’t confident about, he planned to bring back at most one or two to test the waters, slowly adding more varieties later.
"That’s a very good start. You’ve done excellently," Bai Suihe said. Rainfall here was plentiful, but winter often brought heavy snow, making it genuinely difficult to cultivate tropical fruits.
"How did your search for your family go?" Gu Kaiyuan asked, suddenly recalling that Zhuang Datou and the others were originally from Lingnan. One of their main reasons for returning this time was to find their relatives.