Don't farm, cultivate immortality!

Just like you have to take your dog out for walks regularly, meeting the running needs of horses is also a very important part of horse breeding.

Zhuang Xing then led Wuzhui to the outside of the village, mounted it, and rode it freely around the village in the snow.

The cold wind kept blowing; most people probably couldn't stand such a blast.

From this perspective, he and Wuzhui are quite a good match, and he quite enjoys the feeling of galloping in the wind.

Zhuang Xing rode his black horse, galloping back and forth around the village. While walking the horse, he also checked the surrounding area for any unusual signs, hoping to spot any traces of wild animals or monsters as soon as possible.

After about fifteen days, a new group of officials arrived in the village.

This group included not only military officers but also civil officials, including agricultural teachers and officials from Yidu, who all came to the village.

It was a huge team, with over a hundred people, who came with a convoy and supplies.

Upon arriving at the village, they simply set up camp near the farmland, enclosing the field where wheat was planted.

They studied there very seriously, writing down everything they saw and learned in black and white, in a very formal manner.

On the twenty-eighth day after Zhuang Xing returned to the village, Daoist Qingxuzi also arrived in the village.

The old Taoist priest did not come alone; he brought Master Yuan Yan, Yun Ling, and some disciples who were proficient in pharmacology to the wheat cultivation area.

In addition, the old Taoist also sent a small number of Kuroko disciples and some skilled elders to lead the Akako disciples to conduct investigations in areas outside the jurisdiction of Gensei-kan.

Because of the unusual weather, monsters might also exhibit abnormal behavior, so it's necessary to take precautions in advance. That's why the disciples went down the mountain in the heavy snow.

It was deep winter, and the ground was covered with a thick layer of snow, but the village was not cold and desolate; instead, it became even more lively.

The disciples gathered around the wheat field; they had come to cultivate wheat seeds.

That being said, only Master Yuanyan and Yunling truly possessed the ability to cultivate wheat seeds.

Only the combined true qi of the two of them could make the wheat sprout in winter.

If there were any wheat monsters somewhere, they would surely be deeply moved by this scene.

I, who was once despised by countless people, can now enjoy such high-class treatment.

Perhaps the wheat monster once said something like "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river" to the millet monster, rice monster, and barley monster.

However, since the purpose of cultivating wheat is to eat it, Mr. Wheat Monster might miss the days when he could plant wheat in front of others and no one would even glance at him.

Unfortunately, such days are about to end. Soon, the people living on this land will know that wheat is such a beneficial grain, and it will become a staple food for many people.

The wheat spirit...maybe it'll become a rare and exotic creature like the ginseng spirit someday...

That day, after Zhuang Xing had put his little sister to sleep, he went to the wheat field.

He wasn't idle all the time; Master Qingxuzi took him to walk around the nearby villages several times to check on the situation.

He chopped wood for many people so that they could get through the winter.

I only had time today, so I came here to take a look.

Yunling and Daoist Yuanyan were planting the newly sprouted wheat in the field when the officials from Yidu called on the villagers to help dig away the snow covering the field and plant the wheat.

In order to grow as much wheat as possible, the master and apprentice had almost no time to rest. What they did every day was to make as much wheat as possible sprout.

Seeing that the wheat had been successfully planted, Yunling breathed a sigh of relief.

She finally had a little free time. After several days of hard work, she hadn't had time to take care of herself. Her hair was simply tied up, and even her tunic was covered in slush.

She looked quite tired; the constant depletion of one's vital energy would make one look like this.

When she saw Zhuang Xing arrive, she tugged at her sleeve and pursed her lips.

The two hadn't seen each other for over a month and hadn't spoken a word to each other.

She came up to Zhuang Xing, who reached out to help her brush the snow off her shoulders and hair.

She seemed completely exhausted, both physically and mentally.

She was like that from the moment Zhuang Xing met her. If something involved someone's life, or even a small animal's, she would become very serious, even to the point of being extreme.

She instinctively resisted anything related to death because she had witnessed her father's death and therefore valued life all the more.

She personally strongly resists killing unless it is necessary for survival; she is a non-killer. With this kind of personality, she would be very suitable to go to a place like the White Horse Temple to practice.

Because of the wheat seed issue, which involved the snow disaster and meant whether many people would have enough to eat, she was on high alert. But being in that tense situation all the time must have been exhausting.

"Can we rest today?"

"Ah."

"Come to my house and sit for a while, I'll cook you a bowl of noodles."

"it is good."

Yunling hasn't gone back to her second uncle's house these past few days; she's been staying in the tent.

Zhuang Xing held her small hand; her hand was a little cold, so Zhuang Xing warmed it with his hands.

When she got inside, her parents welcomed her warmly.

The younger sister had just fallen asleep when Zhuang Xing cooked a bowl of hot noodles for Yunling.

After they finished eating the noodles, Zhuang Xing took her inside to warm herself by the stove and helped her comb her hair.

She leaned on Zhuang Xing's shoulder, slowly closed her eyes, and fell asleep.

Even when she was asleep, she held Zhuang Xing's hand.

Mother suddenly whispered a few words to Father, and Father nodded in agreement.

Zhuang Xing pretended not to hear, but with his hearing, it would be difficult for him not to hear the two whispering right in front of him.

Well, that was his original plan anyway.

However, we'll have to wait at least another six or seven years before discussing this further.

Well, it's still early.

But as Zhuang Xing looked at the girl's peaceful sleeping face and held her little hand, he became a little worried.

If another six or seven years pass, and we become extremely close, will I hear things like "I've always considered you a friend"?

Perhaps it's appropriate to keep some distance, but to be honest, I really miss her after not seeing her for a month.

He was used to Yunling standing beside him, used to looking at her face.

I originally planned to buy her a gift from Yidu, intending to go when the city is bustling in the spring, but now I don't know if that opportunity will ever come...

Feeling a little guilty, I could only let her sleep in my arms to make her more comfortable.

...

On the 26th day of the twelfth lunar month, the prefect finally returned to the village with the imperial decree.

"By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: The Great Yu Kingdom is currently facing disaster, with heavy snow falling in the south..."

The announcement was very formal, but the meaning was quite straightforward: the village and its surrounding area should be enclosed, and as much wheat as possible should be planted before the winter of the following year. On this premise, they could freely seek support from the government and the imperial court, and use all privileged channels.

The prefect returned to the village with a huge amount of manpower and resources.

Oxen, brand-new farm tools, agricultural experts from the capital, breeding masters sent by the emperor, elite soldiers and strong men, and fine horses for transporting goods...

More people came to the village than there were in the village itself.

Even a road construction team has arrived; they're going to build an official road directly from the village to Yidu and the Grand Canal.

The scene was enormous; the villagers had never seen anything like it before and were all taken aback. The sheer number of people, let alone the number of cattle, was enough to inspire awe.

The emperor also bestowed a name upon the village, calling it "Manggu Village," meaning the origin of wheat.

In the future, when Zhuang Xing introduces himself to others, he can say that he comes from "Manggu Village" and ask others if they know where the "Mang" in "Manggu Village" comes from.

In any case, this project received tremendous support from the government.

The village will become a key development area in the future, and my parents will benefit from it.

One person's strength is so insignificant in such a vast place as the world, but with the full assistance of the government, the wheat will surely spread rapidly.

Chapter 131 The White Rat as the House Spirit (Part Two)

With the prefect taking over the affairs of Xiaomai, the people of Xuanqing Temple no longer need to be so busy.

The prefect and his entourage set up many tents around the village, creating the impression of a military procession, with officials and constables everywhere.

This year's Spring Festival was very lively, with the village packed with people.

The prefect met with Zhuang Xing once to explain the matter of the reward.

"Master Zhuang Xing's offering of wheat is a great achievement, but rewards and punishments are not absolute. We will only reward him after the wheat seeds have been promoted to Dayu and the disaster has been truly resolved."

"If there is anything you wish for, Daoist Master, you may speak to me first, and I will certainly ask the Emperor for clarification."

Is there anything you want...?

Ask the emperor for some rare medicinal herbs?

Do you need some valuable spirit ore?

Or perhaps we should simply ask for two magical artifacts?

Since they are relatives of the royal family, they should have plenty of these things.

To be honest, Zhuang Xing is quite satisfied with his current life, and with disasters happening all over the country, he feels bad about accepting rewards at such a time.

He wanted some fried potatoes, roasted corn, and chili powder, but the emperor couldn't afford them.

Anything else he wanted was merely icing on the cake. The Great Yu Dynasty had only been established for a little over a hundred years, and its history was not even as long as that of the Xuanqing Temple. Judging from the level of the monks sent by the emperor, the imperial family was not as good as the Xuanqing Temple in terms of Taoist practices.

Secular officials and aristocratic families came and went, but what remained constant were the Taoist temples and secluded Buddhist monasteries in the mountains. The imperial foundation was probably not as profound as that of Xuanqing Temple.

After thinking it over, Zhuang Xing decided to ask for some benefits for his family.

"Your Excellency, I am living a quiet life in the mountains and have no desires. However, my family lives down the mountain, and I just hope they can live peacefully and comfortably."

"Master Zhuang is truly filial. Since that's the case, then I, Li, will take the liberty of exempting your family from taxes, gifting you a mansion in Yidu, and changing your family's registered residence to Yidu. What do you say?"

Should we move our family to Yidu...?

It feels pretty good. Yidu has city walls and guards, so it's safer to live inside the city. It's a big city, and if you have money, it's much more convenient to buy and sell things, seek medical treatment, and so on.

However, after Zhuang Xing went home and asked his parents, they were not willing to move at all.