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

It's cloudy today, and a cold wind is blowing outside.

The large earthen kang (heated brick bed) in the main room was slightly hot to the touch, but with a layer of kang mat, a layer of cotton mattress, and a layer of coarse cloth sheet between them, it was just the right amount of warm to sit on.

On the square kang table were tea snacks for guests: spiced fried beans, pine nut candy, and southern tangerines brought by Meng Chengping.

After Aunt Zhang finished making arrangements, she took Shi Tou to the kitchen to warm up and eat, so that the three young people could talk.

Meng Chengping sat cross-legged and upright, "Sister-in-law..."

Holding Xiaohua, Gu Xixi calmly looked up and smiled, "My surname is Gu, General Meng, would you mind using a different form of address?"

Compared to before, when Gu Xixi was called "sister-in-law," her reaction was either awkward or helpless.

Her current state made Meng Chengping inexplicably nervous, and his tongue stammered, "Gu..."

Remembering the task assigned by the general, he had a sudden inspiration: "Boss Gu!"

Gu Xixi was taken aback and asked, "You said you came on orders, but what exactly is the purpose?"

Meng Chengping took out a neatly folded piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Gu Xixi across the kang table with both hands.

"Besides that basket of oranges, the general told me to give this to Boss Gu."

Seeing his seriousness, Gu Xixi hesitated before taking it, glancing at Mu Nanzhao out of the corner of her eye.

Seeing that Mu Nanzhao's gaze was indifferent and showed no sign of warning, Gu Xixi felt relieved and unfolded the origami.

When unfolded, it turned out to be two silver notes, each with a face value of one hundred taels.

Her pupils contracted sharply as she looked at the person opposite her. "General Meng, what is the meaning of this?"

Meng Chengping said, "These two banknotes actually represent two separate matters. Firstly, thanks to the help of Boss Gu and your mentor, the prefectural government issued an official document the day before yesterday, officially declaring the rat infestation eradicated."

"Especially in the western villages that were the hardest hit, the spread of the plague was contained in time, many lives were saved, and peace was maintained throughout the Northwest."

"I have done a great service to the Northwest Army and to the General. On behalf of the General, I thank you."

At this point, he first solemnly cupped his hands and bowed to Gu Xixi.

Then he continued, "The General said that such meritorious deeds warrant building a temple for the people to worship, and should be reported to the court for commendation. But..."

Gu Xixi's expression changed slightly.

Report to the imperial court? That won't do! Mu Nanzhao is still hiding in her house under an assumed name!

Meng Chengping paused, "But the general heard that neither Boss Gu nor the divine doctor likes noise and doesn't care about empty fame."

Gu Xixi breathed a sigh of relief. "The General is absolutely right. It's best to keep a low profile."

Meng Chengping said, "Therefore, the hundred taels of silver notes as a token of my gratitude are also a small token of the General's personal appreciation."

"This..." Gu Xixi hesitated whether she should accept it.

Mu Nanzhao spoke up, "They also said it was just a small token of their appreciation."

"The rat extermination method you came up with, and Old Jiang's prescription, could fetch far more money if sold elsewhere. You can rest assured to accept this silver note."

Gu Xixi immediately agreed, "Okay!"

She looked down at the banknotes, feeling as if little flowers were uncontrollably blooming in her heart, making her happy!

Meng Chengping smiled wryly and begged for mercy, "Brother Mu, please at least show some consideration in your words."

“Our Northwest Army doesn’t have much to offer, and the General never does anything underhanded. Sometimes when we don’t have enough food, the General has to make up for it out of his own pocket. Giving him 100 taels isn’t because he’s stingy.”

Gu Xixi was in a good mood because she had earned a hundred taels of silver. She smiled and peeled an orange. Just as she was about to eat it, Mu Nanzhao reached out and took the whole orange away.

He broke off a piece and put it in his mouth, the series of movements perfectly natural.

"Gu Xixi, don't be so happy yet. General Meng has already started to complain about being poor."

"Be careful, if you can't get the second silver note, they might take back the first one as well."

Gu Xixi had just brought the orange to her lips when it was suddenly snatched away. She glared angrily at Mu Nanzhao. Judging from his expression, the orange must have been very sweet. Didn't he have hands? Couldn't he peel it himself?

Upon hearing Mu Nanzhao mention silver notes, Gu Xixi's sharp gaze shifted to the person opposite her.

Startled, Meng Chengping waved his hands repeatedly, "No, no, I promised to give Boss Gu the money, how could I dare to take it back?"

“That’s not what I meant,” Gu Xixi said seriously. “Since it’s related to supplies, it’s naturally even more important. General Meng, please stop beating around the bush and just say it.”

Meng Chengping was stunned; he hadn't expected a woman to be so decisive and efficient in her approach to things.

Moreover, she was very clever; he had only mentioned that a mouthful of provisions was not enough, yet she had guessed his most important goal for this trip.

Meng Chengping then straightened his posture and explained everything in detail.

The court had just experienced great turmoil last year, and the Grand General refused to collude with certain people in the court.

The grain and fodder allocated to the Northwest Army were not only delayed by various obstacles, but also subjected to layers of exploitation.

The Grand General has recently received news that several regional princes are showing signs of making trouble.

If this continues, it will inevitably lead to a decrease in the amount of grain and taxes collected by the imperial court from various regions.

How many would be left after being allocated to the Northwest Army?

If internal strife leads to foreign invasion, how can the soldiers and horses of the Northwest Army resist foreign enemies and defend the Northwest gateway if they cannot fill their stomachs?

Therefore, the general took a long-term view and came up with a solution.

In peacetime, could the large tracts of wasteland on the border be utilized and cultivated by the soldiers?

Farming can improve physical fitness and can be combined with military training. The grain produced can supplement military supplies.

In this way, both troop training and food supplies can be provided without any problems.

Meng Chengping said, "However, the general comes from a family of military officers and is not knowledgeable about agriculture."

"He just wanted to ask Boss Gu about the feasibility of this matter."

Gu Xixi pondered for a moment and said, "Most soldiers are physically strong, so it is indeed feasible for them to farm in their spare time."

"However, I need to see those wastelands in person before I can determine whether they are arable and what exactly to plant."

That means you've agreed to help.

Meng Chengping gratefully clasped his hands in thanks, "Thank you!"

He paused, then gave a hesitant smile, "Um..."

"I heard that Boss Gu has a secret method for growing grains that can more than double the income of others?"

Gu Xixi was stunned. "A secret technique?"

Little did she know that the story of her growing millet had not only spread beyond Huachidu Village, but had become so exaggerated.

Meng Chengping solemnly said, "The General said that if Boss Gu can impart this method to us in its entirety, he will be a benefactor to the Northwest Army."

"Not only can Boss Gu drive freely under any conditions."

"From now on, the entire Northwest Army will be Boss Gu's backer in the Northwest!"

Gu Xixi was still reeling from the shock when another one struck her: "Name your terms so casually? The Northwest Army as your backer?"

The temptation was too great, so Gu Xixi decided to drink some tea to calm down.

She sipped her tea slowly, finished the cup, and made up her mind.

"After I've inspected the site, if the conditions are suitable for cultivation, I can provide you with full guidance on how to do it."

"However, that is just a slightly different way of farming than others. It is not a secret method, nor can it be explained in a few words or on a piece of paper."