Super System in the Early Tang Dynasty

Chapter 219 Farming (Part Two) (Long Chapter!)

The valley entrance was still very narrow, leaving only a sliver of space for people to pass through. Li Xingzhi walked ahead with practiced ease, leading Zhou Rou'er into the valley.

As soon as Pu entered the valley, he felt a cool breeze permeate his body, constantly moisturizing his skin and hair, and penetrating into his lungs with each breath!

Although it was early spring, the sun had already risen, and the weather was quite hot due to the tropical climate. However, once you entered the valley, the heat disappeared completely.

What followed was a thunderous roar! Li Xingzhi knew that it was the sound of water crashing and splashing.

This small valley has transformed into a completely different world, isolated from the outside. Looking up, one is greeted by lush greenery, the chirping of birds, and the occasional glimpse of a few agile fish swimming in the cool water near the small stream flowing into the cave. The valley is filled with moisture and shrouded in mist, creating a hazy, dreamlike atmosphere, like a celestial abode!

Despite this, the people of Wangjia Village took it all for granted, while the two men, who had experienced many extraordinary peaks and spiritual sites in Sichuan, were only slightly surprised before setting it aside.

On one side of the valley, a waterfall cascades down dozens of feet, carving out a small pool. The clear water overflows, forming a stream that meanders along the rock face. And below the waterfall, in front of the pool, and beside the stream, lie dozens of acres of incredibly fertile, dark, and fertile farmland!

However, at this moment, a burly man was mechanically bending and standing up in the field, working.

Li Xingzhi, barefoot, walked steadily towards the waterfall. The burly man's ears twitched; even amidst the roar of the waterfall, he managed to hear the faint sound of his footsteps. He calmly finished planting all the rice seedlings before looking up. A flash of surprise crossed his face when he saw the newcomer's appearance and attire—he was covered in mud. He bowed respectfully and said, "My lord, what brings you here?"

"I'd like to ask you, how did you end up on my land!" Li Xingzhi said with a laugh and a scolding tone. "You have your own land, why don't you go and farm it instead of running off to someone else's? That's not a good thing!"

Wu Laoliu gave a stiff smile and said nothing. He quickly stepped forward to take the heavy object from Li Xingzhi's body. "Brother, let me carry this."

"Go away, go away, go away. Since I'm here, I'll take care of the fields. You just need to look after your own little plot of land!"

Hearing this, Wu Laoliu didn't insist and took the small bamboo basket from Zhou Rou'er's hands. This time, Li Xingzhi didn't stop him.

Urged on by Li Xingzhi, Wu Laoliu had no choice but to pick up the items and leave the valley, leaving the two of them in the vast valley.

Farming here is easy, as the soil is loose and fertile, and there's no need to plow or fertilize. The only problem is that the weeds grow quickly and require frequent clearing. The weeds in front of him had been cleared away by Wu Laoliu a few days ago, so Li Xingzhi didn't have much to do—just dig holes, plant the seeds, cover them with soil, and water them. Even with such a simple method, compared to the extremely extensive and even crude agricultural techniques of the Tang Dynasty, it was already quite good.

“I’ll dig the pit in front, and you can plant the seeds behind. If you get tired, just stay here, or go home by yourself,” Li Xingzhi said to the girl beside him.

The girl didn't speak, but simply looked at Li Xingzhi and quietly nodded...

As the sun rose high, in the small courtyard where Li Xingzhi and his companions lived, in the back bedroom, a young girl lay on the bed. Intense sunlight streamed through the window, shining on her small, slightly hot bottom, which was covered by her clothes. The girl's whole body was burning hot, her face flushed, and she was making incoherent, babbling noises.

"Brother Li, I know I was wrong, please don't hit me..." The girl was still asleep. She mumbled in her sleep, but her voice grew softer and softer, and a blush crept onto her face. Her hand went to her bottom and touched it tightly, as if someone was really spanking her.

The girl mumbled in her sleep, her eyes narrowed to slits, then slowly opened, gazing at the clear, golden sunlight that gradually brightened. She looked at her hands, which were tightly covering her bottom, and suddenly remembered something, her face flushing with shame. She narrowed her large eyes, glancing around furtively and furtively, observing her surroundings with a hint of trepidation. Seeing that she was the only one in the room, she breathed a sigh of relief. The blush on her face gradually faded, leaving only a pale, delicate blush on her fair skin, still hinting at something.

Seeing that no one was around, the girl touched her burning bottom, pouted, and glanced at the golden sunlight streaming through the window, seemingly plotting something. Then, happily, she put on a tight-fitting, narrow-sleeved outfit, paired with a pair of mandarin duck swords and a whip, and, clattering in her little boots, walked towards the door.

With a creak, the bedroom door opened. Apart from the sound of the door opening, the small courtyard was unusually quiet. Even the hundred or so large hens had gone to the woods to forage for insects and grass.

Li Linzhi's ears twitched. Seeing that she couldn't hear any human movement, she opened each door one by one, but still couldn't find a single person. There was only a bowl of white rice porridge warming in the stove.

She wasn't in a hurry, but her lips were pursed. "She must have gone out to play again. She never calls me!"

That's what he said, but his hands were quick. He picked up the bowl of porridge from the big pot, poured it directly into his mouth, and slurped it down like water. In less than half a minute, he had finished it.

It's hard to imagine that a beautiful young girl could eat so decisively and readily.

"Sister Rou'er's rice porridge is still the best!" After finishing a bowl of porridge, the girl's 'wronged' heart was instantly cheered up.

Seeing that no one was inside, she walked out of the yard and headed towards Wu Laoliu's house, ignoring the still wide-open door.

The girl walked to Wu Laoliu's door. Looking at the wide-open doorway, she didn't rush in. Instead, she stood at the door and called out, "Is anyone home? Is Wu Liu here?"

A series of light footsteps sounded, and a woman appeared at the door. Her clothes were slightly disheveled, and she was holding a small child. The child was babbling and playfully blowing bubbles. Behind her, a little girl was peeking out curiously.

Upon seeing Li Linzhi, Liu's expression became much more reserved. "What business do you have with my husband?"

"It's nothing, I just wanted to ask if you've seen my husband. I woke up this morning and couldn't find a trace of him." The girl said to herself, unaware of the increasingly strange expression on Liu's face.

Liu was, after all, a traditional woman, and living deep in the south, with strong Han customs. She had never seen Li Linzhi get up so early and come to someone's house to find her husband. However, having witnessed the strange behavior of Li Xingzhi's family, Liu did not say much and simply said that she did not know.

Just as Li Linzhi was about to leave, Liu said softly, "Go ask someone else, I don't know if they've gone to the fields."

The girl inquired about other places and headed towards 'Liuxi Valley' along the road.

Meanwhile, Wangjia Village was bustling with activity again. Li Xingzhi's arrival had been unassuming, and few had seen him. But this morning, he had brought a beautiful, slender young woman with him, and not long after, another stunning beauty came to see him. While everyone was envious, they also sighed at Li Xingzhi's good fortune with women. The young men and strong men, seeing Li Linzhi, were even less able to work.

Zhou Rou'er's beauty was largely obscured by her peasant attire; from a distance, it was even harder to discern her delicate charm. Li Linzhi, on the other hand, was always flamboyant and passionate. Wearing a form-fitting outfit that perfectly accentuated her graceful figure, she was dazzling and alluring.

Li Linzhi's visit to the village gave Wangjia Village a lot more to talk about.

The girl walked into the valley, her spirits lifted from the sun's heat, and she let out a soft breath. As far as the eye could see, there was only cool green. Lowering her gaze, she saw a man and a woman working in a patch of black field.

The man walked ahead, hoe in hand, digging holes in the ground, while behind him followed a graceful young woman, sowing seeds into the soil. What a picture of husband and wife in perfect harmony! Anyone who saw them would surely say they were a happy couple.

Looking at the two figures almost overlapping each other in the vast field, Li Linzhi felt a strong sense of bitterness amidst the beauty she felt.

She felt she shouldn't ruin such a beautiful scene, but somehow a voice seemed to be urging her to step forward.

"Great! This is so much fun, and you didn't even call me!" the girl exclaimed, hands on her hips. She wished she were the one following behind Li Xingzhi, sowing seeds. Besides, she had never farmed before, so she found it incredibly novel and exciting.

The two had already noticed Li Linzhi's arrival, but they simply ignored her.

"How could we possibly disturb Miss's rest?! I wonder if the sun is already high in the sky?" Li Xingzhi laughed.

Upon hearing the phrase "the sun shines on your butt," Li Linzhi's face immediately flushed red with embarrassment. "Do they know?" she wondered, her almond-shaped eyes cautiously scanning the two men's expressions like a guilty little thief. Seeing Li Xingzhi smiling broadly, though with a hint of teasing, she felt relieved.

"Hmph! You're the one who's sunbathing in the sun!" Although she hadn't been discovered, the girl was still furious and embarrassed that some of her 'secrets' had been exposed. She shouted loudly to hide the slightly different expression on her face.

Although Li Xingzhi sensed the girl's unusual behavior, he didn't think much of it. He lowered his head again, gripped the hoe, dug a small hole, took another step forward, and continued the mechanical movement he had been doing.

Seeing that the two ignored her, Li Linzhi felt rather bored. She walked over to Zhou Rou'er, looked her over carefully, and called out, "Rou'er, let me do it. You go and rest first." Her expression was one of complete self-righteousness.

Zhou Rou'er was a little tired, so she handed the remaining seedlings to Li Linzhi and sat down next to her. She took a piece of pastry and ate it, gazing at the serene and beautiful scenery of the valley and feeling the cool, misty air. Her already tranquil heart felt even more at ease.

She then looked at the two people working in the fields, a wonderful feeling welling up inside her. She, who had always been confined to that so-called 'mansion', destined to be married off one day and forever at the mercy of others, never imagined she would one day escape that cage and live a carefree life!

Sometimes, she would even wonder if this was a dream! Only when she saw the man in front of her did she feel at ease and comforted.

Mechanical exercise is the most tiring. Although Li Linzhi was in excellent physical condition, nearly half an hour of sowing had made her impatient. The frustration in her heart manifested in her body, and she felt uncomfortable all over, especially in her wrists and waist, which were very tired.

At this moment, she no longer envied the scene of the two of them working together. Instead, she was thinking about how to get rid of the job.

"Sister Rou'er, I'm tired, you do it." The girl finally mustered her courage, tossed the remaining seeds into a pit, patted her hands casually, and said to the leisurely Zhou Rou'er beside her. After speaking, she walked over, picked up a piece of pastry, and swallowed it without any hesitation. She then took a sip of tea, showing no trace of ladylike grace, as if she was truly exhausted.

Li Xingzhi found it amusing to look at the girl with a pained expression. However, he was still quite surprised that Li Linzhi could hold out for more than half an hour.

"Oh, then sister, you rest, let me do it."

Zhou Rou'er walked over, carefully picked up the seeds that had been thrown down, and then followed Li Xing to sow them. The two figures together created an unusual harmony. However, this time, Li Linzhi felt no envy.

At noon, Li Xingzhi, who had originally planned to eat dry food and pastries, caught a few fish from the pond and grilled them at Li Linzhi's insistence. He then continued working until the moon was high in the sky before leaving with his hoe on his back.

The next day, Li Xingzhi and Zhou Rou'er got up early to work again, while Li Linzhi got up even later. She didn't go to the fields, but instead enjoyed playing with Wu Laoliu's two children.

The days passed uneventfully, and another ten days went by.

That morning, a burly man dressed in gray clothes and wearing a small hat ran into the small courtyard where Li Xingzhi lived.

"My lord!" The burly man stood panting in the courtyard, not even going inside, and called out loudly. He had run all the way from Tanzhou City.

"What is it?" Li Xingzhi, dressed in shorts, came out of the kitchen and asked, looking at the burly man whose clothes were soaked with sweat.

He recognized the man before him as a strong servant from the Li family, who was learning martial arts under Zhao Laowu.

"Brother, Boss Zhao sent me to tell you that your uncle has arrived at the manor and hopes you will return soon!" the burly man said, wiping his sweat.

Hearing the burly man's words, Li Xingzhi knew that Li Shun had come from Jianzhou. He immediately dared not delay, quickly tidied himself up, took the two women with him, called over Wu Laoliu to give him some instructions, and then followed the burly man into Tanzhou City...

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Two chapters are finally finished! (To be continued.)