A husband found in the village? I bought a regent for a penny!

During this period, local government offices arrested many bandits who took advantage of the chaos.

The bandit leaders were all executed in public, and the rest were also whipped or caned in the long street, the purpose of which was to make an example of them.

This approach has indeed worked. Recently, there have been no reports of robberies in any of the surrounding villages, and even news of petty theft has disappeared.

Huachidu Village then disbanded its village patrol team and returned to its former peaceful life.

Gu Xixi's home was also very peaceful.

Firstly, no assassins have appeared since Mu Nanzhao left.

He Jinglan's guards searched the surrounding area thoroughly and even checked the official road near the village entrance, but found nothing unusual.

It's probably because of the last all-out attack that the other side has no one left to use in the short term.

Secondly, everyone in the village knew that Chen Fang would return sooner or later. Once the news spread, people from both the village and other villages gave up the idea of ​​proposing marriage.

After all, Mr. Chen is both talented and handsome, and there is a hierarchy of arrivals. Anyone with sense would know that proposing marriage again would be a wasted trip.

In the afternoon, Aunt Zhang went to chat with the women in the village and do needlework.

Stone took Little Flower to play with Dog.

Only sisters Gu Xixi and He Jinglan were in the main room.

The shadows of trees sway gently on the window paper, and one can hear the cicadas chirping.

He Jinglan leaned against the window reading a book.

She had just had her guards buy the newly published storybooks from the city.

Unfortunately, this new story is not very interesting; it's just the same old tropes of talented scholars and beautiful women, unfaithful men, and souls leaving their bodies.

He Jinglan couldn't help but yawn, "It feels like it's been a long time since it's been this quiet."

"The key is to be calm. A calm person (yawns again)... just gets sleepy."

Gu Xixi was handling the newly separated seeds, soaking them in different germination-promoting solutions.

As she stared at the seedling tray on the table, she smiled and said, "Really? The house is usually quite quiet at this time of day."

He Jinglan said, "That's different. All those worries in front of me are gone, and I feel relieved."

Gu Xixi smiled, pursing her lips. "That's true."

He Jinglan asked, "How's things going in Anqing? He should be here soon, right?"

Gu Xixi nodded, "He didn't send any more messages, which means things are going well."

"It should only take a day or two."

The millet planted by each family has already sprouted, and it's time to apply the first batch of fertilizer and pesticides.

Bored, He Jinglan crawled over to look at the things Gu Xixi had placed on the table.

"Tomorrow is the clan gathering of your Gu family, isn't it?"

"I want to go with you, to see how impressive you are as the leader."

Gu Xixi chuckled, "Miss He grew up in the capital. She's seen plenty of officials, not to mention emperors and concubines. What kind of prestige do I, a mere head of a small clan, have to offer?"

He Jinglan pouted and said, "I don't care, I just want to go! The village chief and Aunt Qian were invited, and you're only taking me along. Nobody will say anything."

Gu Xixi thought for a moment, "Taking you there isn't a problem, but..."

She looked at He Jinglan and reminded her, "Tomorrow is not a day off from the village school. Are you sure you'll be alright coming with me to the clan gathering?"

He Jinglan froze, rolled onto the kang (a heated brick bed), and wailed dejectedly, "I forgot I had errands I couldn't leave behind!"

"Why hasn't Master Liu returned yet?!"

Master Liu went with Mu Nanzhao and has not returned to this day.

All the classes at the village school fell on He Jinglan's shoulders.

Although He Jinglan enjoys teaching and spending time with children.

However, her workload suddenly increased by half, giving this young lady her first taste of the hardships of working life.

Gu Xixi was momentarily lost in thought upon hearing the name of Master Liu.

I wonder if Mu Nanzhao arrived on time and if he is safe.

After venting her anger, He Jinglan sat up abruptly.

She noticed that the seeds on the table seemed to be the same three types that Mu Nanzhao had just given her, and couldn't help but ask in surprise:

"Didn't you say these are all good things to eat in the summer?"

"It's already midsummer, it's probably too late to plant now."

Having lived here for a long time, He Jinglan has also learned about the farming seasons through observation and experience.

Gu Xixi kept working and said, "Ordinary open-field planting is indeed too late. Even if it manages to bear fruit before the weather gets cold, it won't taste good."

"So I plan to build an experimental greenhouse inside the farm."

Another unfamiliar word appeared, and He Jinglan read it aloud, "Experimental greenhouse?"

After a moment's thought, Gu Xixi rephrased it as, "It's a greenhouse."

He Jinglan suddenly realized, "I know that."

Royal life was exquisite and luxurious. Even in winter, especially during the New Year holidays, they would enjoy flowers and fresh vegetables and fruits.

Besides cellar storage and tributes delivered by fast horses from the south, another way to obtain them was through greenhouses.

A shed was erected, covered with three layers of plain white gauze and one layer of transparent oil paper for warmth.

The outermost layer of oil paper is then evenly coated with a layer of animal fat to make it both translucent and waterproof.

Then, natural hot spring water is introduced to keep the greenhouse warm during the autumn and winter seasons.

Because the construction of greenhouses needs to be adapted to local conditions and is quite expensive, it also requires dedicated personnel to manage them.

Such luxuries were only available to royalty and a small number of nobles.

He Jinglan asked in confusion, "Are there any hot springs near the estate?"

Gu Xixi said, "There aren't any right now, so you see I only brought out this few seeds."

"Let's start by building a small shed and give it a try."

"The shed is small, so when it cools down, put a few charcoal stoves in and simmer them slowly over a low flame."

"At most a month and a half, these fruits will be ready to eat."

He Jinglan clicked her tongue in amazement, "You're really willing to spend a fortune to burn charcoal to keep the melons and fruits warm."

Gu Xixi laughed and said, "Now you know how expensive firewood, rice, oil, and salt are."

The next morning, Old Qian drove his donkey cart to pick up Gu Xixi.

Aunt Qian sat on the cart floor, smiling as she reached out to pull Gu Xixi up.

"I heard that your Gu family has a continuous banquet, and you hire a chef from the city."

“I didn’t cook this morning, and your uncle complained that I was starving him.”

Old Qian chimed in, "Do you think I don't know your petty nature?"

"I was planning to eat more at their place."

Aunt Qian didn't take it seriously. "So what? They invited us, and I'll eat there without hesitation."

"You agree, right, Xixi?"

Gu Xixi chuckled, "Auntie is right."

“Last time, because of me, the Gu family came to the village and caused Uncle Qian a lot of trouble.”

"This was originally their way of showing their goodwill."

Not far south of the banquet venue is a village called Sweetwater Village.

People in Northwest China regard water as a treasure, and this village got its name from a sweet water well.

Many local Gu family members live in this village.

Although the Gu family has never produced any prominent figures, they still don't even have an ancestral hall.

However, the local Gu clan members still tried their best to unite as one.

If something really happens, at least we'll have someone to rely on.

The annual clan gathering after the summer harvest is an important occasion for strengthening bonds.

Today's banquet was held in the threshing ground of Tianshui Village, and you could see many tables and benches set up from afar.

Many people were bustling about.

Before Lao Qian's donkey cart had even come to a complete stop, people enthusiastically surrounded him.

Among them was a handsome young man dressed as a scholar, whose temperament was clearly different from the others. Gu Xixi couldn't help but take a second look at him when she got off the car.