An eight-year-old kid emptied his scumbag father's warehouse and followed his grandparents into

The experience of entering the imperial palace for the first time left Jing Chunxi with an indescribable feeling of sadness. In the night, the towering palace walls cast heavy shadows, their vermilion walls gleaming coldly in the moonlight, as if countless pairs of eyes were peering in from the darkness.

I saw the flying eaves and pointed corners piercing the night sky, and the glazed tiles emitting a cold blue light in the moonlight. The entire palace was like a dormant giant beast, ready to devour any creature that strayed into it.

Although she had only taken a short tour of the Cining Palace, Jing Chunxi felt no regrets. She had never yearned for the magnificent palace; its carved beams, painted buildings, and golden bricks and jade masonry were nothing more than a gaudy prison in her eyes.

When she finally stepped out of the palace, the first ray of morning sunlight happened to fall on her shoulders. She couldn't help but take a deep breath, as if a heavy burden had been lifted off her shoulders, and even her steps became lighter.

As for Xu Zize's whereabouts in the palace throughout the night, the two of them remained silent. His pale face and slightly tired eyes said it all, and she considerately did not ask any further questions.

After meeting Prince Jing and leaving the palace to return to the Jing family compound, Jing Chunxi asked in a questioning tone, "Brother Xiaokang, shall we go to the two manors tomorrow? I haven't been to the manors we bought yet."

Xu Zize had been silent all the way, and now he only murmured a soft "hmm." He stood under the pear tree, the mottled shadows falling on his face, adding a touch of melancholy to his expression. "Let Ah Qi lead the way tomorrow."

His voice was a little hoarse. After saying goodbye to the two of them, he turned and went back to the house. His back looked particularly lonely in the morning light.

After returning from Jian'an County, Ah Qi and several of his men had returned to the capital to wait for orders. Now they were naturally available at any time.

The next morning, when the first rays of sunlight filtered through the carved window lattice, casting tiny specks of light on the bed, Jing Chunxi finally awoke from her chaotic dream. She opened the window and saw that the pear tree in the yard had sprouted new buds, its tender green leaves trembling gently in the breeze.

After breakfast, Xu Zize had changed into his indigo riding clothes and was chatting quietly with Ah Qi in the courtyard. Seeing Jing Chunxi emerge, he briefly instructed, "Let's go to the largest manor first." His voice was calm, but his eyes had regained some spirit.

The several farms purchased last time were of different sizes. The largest one was located in the southern suburbs of the capital, which was quite far away.

After leaving the South City Gate, the group galloped along the official road, their horses' hooves kicking up clouds of dust. The willow trees on both sides of the road had already sprouted new branches, and their tender green twigs swayed in the spring breeze.

After walking for about a dozen miles, they turned onto a country road barely wide enough for one carriage, though fortunately the path wasn't too difficult. After turning a few more corners and passing through a dense forest, Ah Qi finally pointed ahead and said, "Go inward from that big rock up ahead, and that's a whole area that's all our farm."

To speed up their journey, everyone chose to ride horses. Jing Chunxi rode a docile bay horse, while Xu Zize rode his majestic black horse. Even so, by the time they arrived at the village, the sun had already set, the blazing sun still showing its beauty.

In the distance, a massive blue-gray rock stood by the roadside. On it, three vermilion characters in cursive script, "Qiu Yi Zhuang," were written in a flamboyant style, strikingly striking in the sunlight. The brushstrokes were bold and unrestrained, yet somehow flowing, as if they were about to burst forth from the stone.

A few dozen steps further, the manor's black lacquer gate came into view. It stood open, and above the lintel hung a brand new plaque, the same three characters "Qiu Yi Manor" inscribed in a more neatly written style.

Looking inside from the gate, the view suddenly opens up - the vast fields stretch into the distance, and the tender green wheat seedlings ripple in the spring breeze; in the orchard in the distance, the plum blossoms are in full bloom, pink and white, like clouds and rosy clouds; further away, the green mountains are as dark as ink, one after another, connecting with the blue sky.

Jing Chunxi reined in her horse, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. The fresh mountain air permeated her heart, carrying the fragrance of earth and the delicate scent of grass and trees. She seemed to already behold the sight of autumn—rolling golden waves of rice paddies, fiery red maple leaves strewn across the mountains, orchards laden with fruit, and everywhere brimming with the joy of a bountiful harvest.

"Zhuangzi's name is very suitable for autumn." She couldn't help but sigh, with a happy arc on the corner of her mouth.

Xu Zize watched her relaxed brows and flowing hair, and the gloom he'd felt for days seemed to dispel a bit of the spring breeze. But when he turned his gaze back to the three powerful characters on the boulder, his expression became pensive again. Seeing this, Ah Qi explained, "The name was changed after the manor was purchased. It was given by Brother Jing, and the head steward also thought it was a good name."

Xu Zize nodded slightly, seemingly in agreement, but his eyes looking at Jing Chunxi became increasingly profound, as if he saw something deeper through her.

Ah Qi continued to introduce: "Qiuyi Manor is our largest property at present. Its area is 30% larger than Qingshuihe Manor. There is also a hot spring in the manor.

However, this isn't the place where the most people are placed, but all the children who have signed death contracts are gathered here first."

He paused, his tone tinged with pride, "According to Brother Jing's plan, after they receive unified training, they will be assigned to various locations based on their respective strengths. There are already hundreds of such children in the village."