章節 10: Bountiful Farm
編輯: Atlas Studios
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"That's not it. Grandpa said that Sister will be getting married in only a few years." Wang Luojing pouted and said, "So she might as well help Brother improve his cultivation."
"Fourth Brother, I gave it to you willingly. Please-please don't blame him." Wang Ruotong explained nervously.
According to the clan rules, those who infringed on other people's resources would be severely punished. However, those who voluntarily gave it were not within the scope of punishment.
"Alas!"
Wang Shouzhe lamented heavily in his heart. It seemed that the Fourth Old Master valued males over females too much. However, this was a common phenomenon in the Wang Clan nowadays. The root of it all was being poor.
Wang Shounuo was not like him, Wang Shouzhe, who was the young patriarch of the direct line of descent, and was considered to be in the first tier for cultivation due to his natural talent. Naturally, the resources that Wang Shounuo could normally receive were far inferior.
However, in the cultivation of an Arcane Martial Artist, the more they attained when they were young, the better. Otherwise, when one reached an old age, their body would deteriorate, and it would be harder and harder for them to improve their cultivation. The Fourth Old Master probably had no choice but to persuade Wang Ruotong to help Wang Shounuo.
"It's all right. This is all my fault," Wang Shouzhe said with a sigh. "I take up too many resources alone. Invariably, my brothers and sisters have much less share."
"Fourth Brother is of the direct bloodline, highly talented, and also the mainstay of the clan. It is only right for you to be allocated more resources." Wang Luotong's eyes revealed admiration and hope instead. "I heard from Grandfather that Fourth Brother's talent is only slightly inferior to Ancestor Longyan. There is a high chance of you breaking through to the Spirit Tower Realm in the future. As long as Fourth Brother becomes a Spirit Tower Ancestor, our Wang Clan will have a better life."
"That's right, that's right. I also heard that Fourth Brother has already been admitted in the Violet Palace Academy." Wang Luojing also stared with her eyes wide open and said excitedly, "If it wasn't for Fifth Uncle's accident that compelled Fourth Brother to step up and become the Patriarch, Fourth Brother would already be on the way to Violet Palace Academy now, right? I heard that there are beautiful big sisters everywhere in the Violet Palace Academy. If Fourth Brother goes there, he will definitely be able to marry one."
Violet Palace Academy!
To all the young people in the entire Changning region, this was the holy land of their dreams, an unattainable dream.
"Don't spout nonsense. What's going on in your head, little girl?" Wang Shouzhe glared at her with a smile and stuffed a few candied plums into her hands. "I haven't even passed the final assessment, and I could have been eliminated."
Amidst the laughter, Wang Shouzhe felt a heavy pressure. It was the pressure placed on him for carrying the hope of the entire clan.
"In short, Fourth Brother is the strongest." Wang Luojing clearly had a blind reverence for him.
"The prosperity of a clan can't depend on one person." Wang Shouzhe looked at Wang Luojing with a smile. "You're also a member of the clan, and you have to work hard too. I think your natural talent is quite good. You're already at the high level of the first level of the Qi Refining Realm at such a young age. Work hard. Perhaps you'll be accepted by the Violet Palace Academy in the future, and you'll be as outstanding as Ancestor Longyan."
"Yes, yes. Jing'er will definitely work hard." Wang Luojing's eyes were filled with hope. "At least I can't let Sister Luoqiu surpass me again."
Luoqiu?
"It's Third Uncle's daughter, Wang Luoqiu, right?" Wang Shouzhe asked curiously. "Could it be that she's already at the peak of the first level and is about to break through?"
"She's already broken through." Wang Luojing pouted and said somewhat unhappily, "She even came to brag to me some time ago."
"Her talent is quite good too," Wang Shouzhe said in surprise. "I remember that she's only 11 years old, right?" Her talent seemed to be not much inferior to his own.
It seemed that the Wang Clan's younger generation was not inferior to the Liu Clan's. It was only because of resources that everyone's growth was limited. He frowned and kept thinking.
For example, Liu Yongzhou, who was at the advanced stage of the fifth level at the age of 23 or 24, could be considered relatively outstanding among the younger generation. If Wang Luotong was given more abundant cultivation resources, her future achievements might not be inferior to Liu Yongzhou's.
Unfortunately, firstly, she was a girl, and secondly, the clan was too poor.
Later, Wang Shouzhe casually tested them on their cultural homework. However, he realized that they were all mediocre in this aspect. Their learning in the Book of Arithmetics was particularly terrible.
This made Wang Shouzhe's face turn a little dark. He reprimanded them directly, "This is too embarrassing of you. Your beautiful heads are empty. Although the Arcane Martial Clans established ourselves through martial arts, culture and knowledge are also the foundations of a clan's inheritance."
"Fourth Brother, we won't do it again. We won't do it again."
"When you go back this time, study hard. I'll test you again in three months."
"Oh!"
Wang Luotong and Wang Luojing's heads drooped.
…
There were only 20 miles between the Wang Clan's main residence and the Bountiful Farm. The roads were all sturdy dirt roads that could accommodate two horse carriages traveling in opposite directions. Wheat was planted on either side of the dirt road, and the journey was very smooth.
It was the beginning of midsummer, and the plants on both sides were lush and full of vitality. Large patches of green wheat swayed in the wind like the waves of the sea. This season was the time when wheat grains were being filled. The weather was beautiful, and the rays of the sun were abundant. It was clearly a good omen.
While Wang Shouzhe was talking to his two sisters, they arrived at Bountiful Farm in less than two hours.
Most of the farms were located in relatively fertile lands. This piece of land was about seven or eight miles from the An River's mainstream. A small tributary about 100 feet wide meandered down and passed through the Bountiful Farm.
The forefathers then severed the tributary and opened up several 30-feet-wide gorges horizontally, allowing this stretch of water to look somewhat like a large "Feng"
Rows of staggered houses were built by the water source shaped like "Feng". Although those houses were simple and crude, they all had small courtyards in front and behind. Some fruits and vegetables could be grown and some chickens could be reared in these courtyards. There were also some simple stone steps leading to the river gorge in the backyard that could be used for washing and cooking.
In the big and small gorges, flocks of ducks and old geese were playing and hunting, making a huge ruckus.
In front of the houses were the cultivated and well-protected fields. Large swathes of wheat fields swayed in the wind, appearing extraordinarily magnificent and beautiful.
What a beautiful and idyllic scene.
Wang Shouzhe, who had lived in the city for a long time, was instantly attracted by this comfortable and carefree scenery. Originally, when he had just transmigrated, his understanding of the fantasy world had stopped at fighting and killing.
He did not expect such a beautiful idyll to exist too.
Previously, a clan guard had come to report. However, even so, Wang Shouzhe and his two sisters waited for half an hour before Wang Xiaozhi walked out from the depths of the vast farmland.
He was already over 70 years old. His skin was tanned, but he was still hale and hearty. He took off his straw hat and walked up to Wang Shouzhe with a smile. "Shouzhe, what brings you here today?"
"Fourth Grandfather." Wang Shouzhe politely bowed with cupped hands.
"Grandpa." The two girls, Wang Luotong and Wang Luojing, greeted Wang Xiaozhi obediently.
"What are you two girls doing here? Why aren't you focused on studying and cultivating at home?" Wang Xiaozhi, the Fourth Old Master, frowned slightly and reprimanded them. "There are more snakes, rats and ants than anything in the fields. What's so fun about that?"
The two girls turned pale from the rebuke. They lowered their heads and did not dare to speak.
"Fourth Grandfather," Wang Shouzhe chimed in, "Fourth Sister and Fifth Sister missed you, so I took the liberty of bringing them to visit you. It's not their fault."
"Shouzhe, don't spoil them too much. Otherwise, after they marry someone in the future, they'll feel aggrieved in their husbands' families for no reason." Wang Xiaozhi's attitude towards Wang Shouzhe was much more amiable. "You came at such a good time today. Yesterday, a group of swine came to the wheat field at night to eat. We've already hunted and killed the big one. It has been stewing in the pot since morning. Come, Fourth Grandpa will treat you to wine and meat."
"I knew it. I got up this morning on a whim and wanted to come to the farm to take a look. So it's a blessing in disguise. I could smell that there's good food here from afar." Wang Shouzhe grinned and said, "Looks like I'm really quite lucky."
"You're the mainstay of our family. Of course you're lucky." Wang Xiaozhi smiled and led Wang Shouzhe into the main courtyard of the farm. The two girls followed him step by step.
The main courtyard of the farm was a mix of brick, tile, and wood. Its design was rather simple and crude. It was mainly for the clansmen, clan guards, and clan servants to live here. There were some farming tools in the corners of the courtyard, and some free-range chickens. It really had the air of a farmhouse.
Wang Xiaozhi called out to Wang Shouzhe in the courtyard. There was a stone round table with five or six stone stools around it. After a few farmwomen served some fruits and tea, they began to work in the kitchen.
During this period, the two girls were also shooed to the kitchen by Wang Xiaozhi to help. In his opinion, girls had to interact more with the kitchen so that they wouldn't be at a disadvantage in their husbands' families in the future.
Wang Shouzhe knew that this was a tradition of the Arcane Martial World. Although the Arcane Martial Clans had specialized male and female cooks, personally cooking food represented sincerity.
For example, Madam Gongsun Hui often cooked for Wang Dingyue and Wang Shouzhe herself. This signified their closeness to each other.
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