Three Kingdoms: A Million Soldiers Grown from the Fields

Chapter 58 Arrives in Person (Please Read On)

"Mother!"

Upon seeing the person alighting from the carriage, Huang Xu practically ran towards them.

His running away terrified Huang Zhong: "Xu'er, don't run! Don't run!"

The woman who had just gotten off the carriage was also frightened.

"Xu'er, how can you run around like that? You're going to scare your mother to death!"

The woman ran a few steps and hugged Huang Xu tightly.

"But Mother, I miss you so much. How come you've aged so much?"

Huang Xu hugged the woman's neck, buried his head in her arms, and mumbled something.

Huang Zhong, who caught up, was speechless, his eyes filled with heartache as he looked at his wife.

"Yue Rou, you've suffered so much these past years."

With just one sentence, tears welled up in the woman's eyes.

"My lord, your words are enough."

"This must be my sister-in-law. You must be exhausted from your journey. We have prepared food and wine at the estate, so please come and join us."

Zhang Xian also came out of the manor to greet them. After speaking to Huang, he replied to the caravan leader, "Leader Zhou, please go and fetch the wine. We're all acquaintances, no need for formalities."

"Haha, that's settled then. You won't have to worry about selling your wine, Zhang. The Mi family of Xuzhou specifically requested your wine, so you'd better prepare plenty."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, the carriages and horses entered Peach Blossom Spring and headed to the wine storage area to load the wine.

As for the money and goods, they were naturally unloaded from the carriage.

The people of Taoyuan have stopped their training today; they're just waiting to move the goods.

Huang Zhong's family was still there. Zhang Xian felt embarrassed by the slight delay and quickly stepped forward to show his hospitality.

"Sister-in-law, please don't be offended. It's just some business. Please come quickly."

His smiling welcome eased Huang's unease somewhat, and she looked at Huang Zhong with a slightly questioning gaze.

The latter slapped his forehead and said, "It's my fault for not explaining clearly. This is Peach Blossom Spring, and this is the master of Peach Blossom Spring, who is also the head of my family. From now on, you can call him the head of the family. It was the head of the family who cured Xu'er's illness. You saw it yourself, and now he is as normal as ever."

Upon hearing this, Madam Huang was filled with gratitude: "Your Excellency's kindness is beyond repayment."

"Sister-in-law!" Zhang Xian looked at Huang Zhong with displeasure and reproach.

"We've already said we're family, so why are you talking like family now? Hansheng and I are like brothers, so sister-in-law, please don't talk about repaying me anymore."

"This"

Huang was a little flustered, but Zhang Xian picked up Huang Xu.

"Xu'er, quickly call your mother into the village, or your favorite meatballs and pumpkin cakes will get cold."

"Mother, Mother, let's go eat. The head of the family made a lot of delicious food early this morning. It won't taste good if it gets cold."

"Alright, alright." Huang Xu spoke up, and her words carried more weight than either Huang Zhong or his wife. Hearing her son urging her, she didn't care about being impolite anymore.

As the group entered Peach Blossom Spring, dozens of Peach Blossom Spring residents were helping to load and unload money and grain along the dirt road. Zhao Yun was among them, and when he saw Huang Zhong's wife, he addressed her as "Sister-in-law."

Huang Zhong introduced from the side: "This is Zhao Yun. He has not yet come of age, but his martial arts skills are already comparable to my husband's. He is a hero of our time and is currently the head instructor of Taoyuan, my superior."

"Young Master Zhao is handsome, and I, his wife, am grateful for his help."

At the age of fifteen, Zhao Yun didn't have much social interaction, and after Huang Shi said that, he became embarrassed.

Seeing this, Zhang Xian burst into laughter: "My brother Yun is still a bit too thin-skinned, sister-in-law, please don't tease him."

"Brother Yun, hand over the matter to Huwa and come with me to entertain your sister-in-law." "Yes, Brother Xian." Zhao Yun agreed and handed the matter over to Huwa, while he followed behind Zhang Xian.

Huang Xu held his mother's hand and skipped along the ridge of the field. His little face was flushed with excitement. Looking at her son's lively appearance, Huang's worries finally disappeared.

She looked up and around. The fields of Taoyuan Village were neat and open. In the distance, the villagers were busy carrying grain sacks, and several teenagers were chasing each other and running past, their laughter ringing out.

“Mother, look!” Huang Xu pointed to a row of thatched huts not far away: “That’s our home!”

Huang Zhong walked beside his wife and said in a low voice, "The head of the family specially ordered a new house to be built. Although it is not as spacious as the mansion in Nanyang, it is quieter."

Madam Huang nodded gently, her gaze softening: "Being able to live a peaceful life is better than anything else."

The aroma of food wafted through the peach orchard at noon.

Zhang Xian set up several long tables in his small courtyard, covered them with coarse cloth, and Zhou Cui and Li Zhen, along with several women, brought in steaming hot food.

Stewed chicken, stir-fried shredded radish, pumpkin cakes made from pumpkin and glutinous rice flour, golden-yellow steamed eggs, oval-shaped white salted duck eggs, and a large bowl of meatball soup, Huang Xu's favorite.

"Sister-in-law, have a taste!" Zhang Xian said with a smile. "There's not much fancy food on the estate, but it's all fresh."

Madam Huang blinked in surprise: "It's so lavish..."

After everyone sat down and Zhang Xian started eating, Huang Xu busily served food to Huang Shi.

"Mother, please try this! It's made from pumpkins that Uncle grew himself!"

"Alright, alright, I'll eat now." Madam Huang picked up the pumpkin cake from the bowl, took a small bite, and her mouth was immediately filled with sweetness.

"It tastes so good! And what is this pumpkin?"

Huang Xu's little face beamed with pride: "Pumpkins are yellow gourds, and they're so sweet, sweeter than honey! I even helped water them, and there are those too." He held his mother's hand, pointing at the chickens and ducks in the village, chattering away.

Huang Zhong remained silent, only continuing to pour wine for Zhang Xian, but his eyes revealed a deep sense of happiness.

As evening fell, Taoyuan Village gradually quieted down.

An oil lamp was lit in Huang Zhong's thatched hut. Huang Shi was tidying up the clothes she had brought, while Huang Xu was lying on the table, fiddling with the small wooden sword that Zhao Yun had given him.

"My lord," Madam Huang said softly, "this paradise... is quite nice."

Huang Zhong was sharpening his knife by the door when he heard this. He looked up and his gaze softened. "Hmm."

"The head of the family treats us as national heroes."

"Yes." Huang Zhong nodded: "Therefore, my life belongs to him."

Huang didn't say anything more, but simply held her husband's hand gently.

Outside the window, the night wind rustled through the air.

The first night in Taoyuan was peaceful and tranquil.
-
The next morning.

Zhang Xian got up early; he was feeling drowsy from drinking too much the night before.

The first thing I did after waking up was to reflect: "Drinking is such a waste of time, I can't drink anymore!"

The noise inside woke up Li Zhen in the next room. The little girl quickly got up, ran out of the thatched hut, and fetched some water for Zhang Xian in the yard.

As the door opened, the little girl placed a basin of water beside her master's bed, saying, "Master, please wipe your face."

Zhang Xian's eyes were still a little blurry, but he was fully awake when he saw Li Zhen: "I've told you many times, sleep in a little longer in the morning, I don't need to serve you."

"You should go back to your mother's room to sleep tomorrow. You've gotten used to being waited on by her every day."

He stood up and poked Li Zhen's forehead.

"Hehe." The little girl tilted her head back and gave a silly smile.

(End of this chapter)