Rebirth: Phoenix Riding the Ninth Heaven

Qi Jianlin and his companions didn't have to wait long before they heard Wang Laowu's wife say the water was boiling. They hurried to the kitchen, but Wang Laowu's wife was long gone. They could only see the hot water bubbling and steaming in the pot. Qi Jianlin knew that Wang Laowu's wife was afraid of them, the men. Who wouldn't be afraid of so many men suddenly moving into their house? And what about an old woman?

Qi Jianlin said to his brothers with a smile, "Hurry up, take a shower and go to bed. We have things to do tomorrow! Hurry up! By the way, we used so much water. Wang Ming, you have to get up early tomorrow morning and fill the water tank for this family! We can't let the old man fetch water for us so early in the morning. You guys have plenty of strength. Fetching water is a piece of cake!" Wang Ming responded readily, "Okay, leave it to me!" With a loud shout, Qi Jianlin and his men sprang into action like a tiger descending from a mountain. With their agility and sharp movements, they subdued the enemies in the blink of an eye. The battle was over extremely quickly. Before long, they had cleaned up the area around them.

After a brief rest, Qi Jianlin led his men into the two main rooms. Qi Jianlin and one of his men chose the westernmost room, while the others were assigned to the other two rooms in the east wing and the remaining room. As for who would share a room with whom, it was entirely up to them.

After some discussion, the room assignments were quickly completed. However, Qi Jianlin was already exhausted. The journey had been one of hardship, day and night, without a single break. Furthermore, his anxiety, preoccupied with the successful completion of this mission, had left him in a state of intense tension. Finally, having finally reached his destination and met Hongshu, the key figure, Qi Jianlin finally felt a sense of relief.

Exhausted, both physically and mentally, he collapsed onto the bed as soon as he entered the room, feeling a sense of relief. Almost instantly, a deep sleep overtook Qi Jianlin, and his eyes slowly closed, soon he was deep asleep. That night, all was silent, not a single sound or movement. Qi Jianlin, lost in sweet dreams, slept through the night until dawn. When the first rays of morning sunlight filtered through the window, he slowly awoke, refreshed and ready to face the challenges of a new day.

Qi Jianlin slowly awoke to the sound of faint whispers in the courtyard. Listening closely, he discovered Wang Ming was conversing with Wang Laowu's wife. Meanwhile, Wang Laowu's signature loud voice echoed from time to time, recounting various trivialities of daily life.

Wang Laowu's wife, Liao Xianke, was eagerly asking Wang Ming about something. Wang Ming, truly the most sociable and diplomatic of the group, managed to elicit a few quiet laughs from her with a few words. The atmosphere between them was surprisingly harmonious and delightful.

A short while later, Wang Ming returned from fetching water and, without a word, began helping Wang Laowu's wife light the fire and cook. He worked swiftly, chatting away with her. The two of them joked and worked in perfect harmony, their coordination seamless.

Qi Jianlin, who was inside the room, heard this and unconsciously raised his lips in a pleased smile. He thought to himself, "I really wasn't wrong about Wang Ming! He's been able to get all the information about Wang Laowu's wife so quickly in just a short while. It seems Wang Laowu's wife has no secrets left to hide from him!" Thinking of this, Qi Jianlin couldn't help but admire Wang Ming even more, secretly feeling fortunate to have met such an outstanding young man.

Qi Jianlin slowly stood up and walked into the yard with steady steps. He first looked around and carefully observed the surrounding environment. After confirming that everything was normal, he slowly sat down.

Not long after, figures appeared from different directions. These were Qi Jianlin's men. They entered the courtyard one after another, and the originally quiet courtyard instantly became lively.

Just then, a clear voice rang out: "Come over and help serve the food! It's time to eat!" It was Wang Min calling out. Qi Jianlin quickly stood up and rushed to the kitchen in two steps. Seeing this, the others followed his lead and quickly rushed into the kitchen.

Soon, people filed out like a long dragon, each holding a steaming plate of food. While these dishes weren't delicacies or rich fish and meat, they were still delicious farm-style dishes. The most eye-catching item was the pot of thick rice porridge. In rural households, such pure rice porridge was a rare treat; most people usually drank more multi-grain porridge.

Wang Laowu also came out of the kitchen at this time. He smiled, bowed to everyone in the yard, and said loudly: "Brothers, don't be polite, eat it while it's hot! We have to hurry and leave for work in a quarter of an hour. My wife and I will just have a quick bite in the kitchen, you guys enjoy it slowly."

After hearing this, Qi Jianlin stepped forward quickly and said very humbly: "Brother Wang, you are too polite. It would be so lively if we all sit here and have a meal together!" However, Wang Laowu waved his hands repeatedly to refuse: "No, no, we old couple are more comfortable eating in the kitchen. You young people should get together!" After that, he turned around and went back to the kitchen.

Seeing Wang Laowu like this, Qi Jianlin stopped being polite and without a word, picked up the bowl of steaming, fragrant rice porridge in front of him, opened his mouth and started to eat voraciously. His cheeks were puffed up like two small balls, and he ate mouthful after mouthful, devouring the food in no time.

Before long, everyone present had devoured every last drop of food on the table, leaving not a grain of rice or a single vegetable leaf behind. Li Jianlin, patting his round belly, muttered with a hint of complaint, "Hey! You little bastards, how come you're eating so much? Are you full?" As soon as he finished speaking, the others immediately responded with laughter, shouting, "We're already stuffed to the bone!" "We're about to burst!" "We're full!"

Hearing this, Qi Jianlin's face, which had originally been smiling, instantly became serious. After looking around with a bright gaze, he said solemnly: "Now that everyone has eaten and drunk enough, let's get to work! Let me tell you first, today we must find out the growth conditions of the sweet potatoes in this area clearly, and also count the number of sweet potatoes owned by each household. In addition, arrange for two more people to go hunting in the mountains. Remember, leave some for us every day, and also send some to Niu Dabao's home.

During this time, we must ensure the safety of Niu Dabao and his family, as well as their daily food supply, so that he can focus on working with us on this great project. Only in this way will they help us work diligently and do their job honestly and beautifully, without any ulterior motives. So, listen to me, everyone. If anyone dares to slack off or act cunningly, don't blame me for turning my back on you! Do you understand?"

When everyone heard this, their expressions instantly grew serious. They straightened their backs and said in unison, "Got it, Boss! Don't worry, we'll definitely handle this little thing for you securely and flawlessly!"

Qi Jianlin's tense expression finally relaxed slightly as he watched everyone express their seriousness. However, he still gave a worried reminder, "That's good. For the next month, we should all learn how to farm. We can't just rely on those two people to do the work when the time comes. We have to master this skill ourselves. If we're overwhelmed, at least we'll have a helping hand, right? If the Fourth Prince asks about the relevant situation, we can't just be clueless! Do you understand?"

Everyone responded in unison: "Got it! Got it!" The voices were so uniform and loud that it seemed to shake the entire yard.

Qi Jianlin nodded with satisfaction, waved his hand, and said, "Now that everything is clear, let's get started! What are you all doing standing here like wooden sticks?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the crowd dispersed like a startled flock of birds. Some hurried to the fields, ready to consult the two experienced farmers; others hurried back inside to gather tools and seeds; and still others enthusiastically discussed how to better learn farming techniques. In the blink of an eye, Qi Jianlin was the only one left standing in the vast courtyard. He watched the busy crowd and wondered if this mission would be successfully completed.

Every day here is ordinary and busy. When the first rays of sunlight shine on the earth at dawn, people begin their day's work. When the sun sets and the afterglow paints the sky orange and red, they drag their tired bodies home to rest.

Every day, everyone toiled diligently on the small but crucial acre of land. Qi Jianlin paid particular attention to the crops, especially the thriving sweet potatoes. They seemed to possess a life of their own, exhibiting new forms and transformations each day. Watching the sweet potatoes grow and mature day by day, Qi Jianlin couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. He knew that when the sweet potatoes were fully ripe, the special day everyone had been eagerly awaiting would arrive.