Chapter 33: A Correct Decision

Hao Yu always felt that Jiang Yuan had suffered a great injustice by living in this small mountain village, yet Jiang Yuan himself had always been quite happy and content.

His biological parents had ignored him for over a decade, depriving him of the opulent life he might have known, and some villagers, led by the Wang family, had indeed been unfriendly toward him. These could certainly be counted as the hardships and trials of his life.

But who, in their journey through life, does not face trials and tribulations? His world was not merely populated by these inconsequential strangers.

He had the genuine love of his foster parents and his sister, Wang Xiaozhi; the steadfast guidance and protection of Hao Yu, who had been like a father to him for over ten years; the mentorship and friendship of Chang Yao, who worried for his future; and Xie Wanniang, whom he had chanced upon and rescued, whose every word and action never failed to bring him joy.

As they spoke, they soon reached one of the lower mountains at a distance from Mingfu Village.

Once Xie Wanniang had chosen a spot, Jiang Yuan would first help her check the surroundings for safety before taking his tools deeper into the woods in search of game. Xie Wanniang, meanwhile, would teach little Xiao Yang while her own hands kept moving, harvesting the medicinal herbs she had identified as suitable for the season.

With June now arrived, she had stopped collecting honeysuckle and mugwort. Her primary targets now were Anemarrhena, safflower, Prunella vulgaris, Scutellaria barbata, Isatis leaves, and Apocynum leaves.

Xiao Yang was still young, and although she had agreed to bring the child along, she did not intend to treat her as a common laborer. After teaching her how to use scissors to trim the larger, more mature Isatis leaves from the outer parts of the plants, Xie Wanniang busied herself with her own work.

She had to finish harvesting this hillside as much as possible before Jiang Yuan returned from hunting. Of course, she did not forget to look up from time to time to check on Xiao Yang, ensuring the little girl had not wandered out of sight in silence.

To Xie Wanniang’s surprise, the little girl did not run off to pick wild berries or chase butterflies and dragonflies out of playfulness or gluttony. Instead, she worked earnestly and swiftly, helping her snip off quite a large amount of Isatis leaves.

When Jiang Yuan returned at noon and the three of them sat down for lunch, Xie Wanniang was tugged by Xiao Yang toward her own small wicker basket.

"Sister, look! These are all the ones I cut this morning!"

The little girl had filled an entire basket with Isatis leaves. Xie Wanniang carefully inspected them and found that every single leaf the child had cut was of excellent quality, perfectly meeting her requirements. She made no effort to hide her shock and delight, patting the girl’s head and praising her aloud, "Well done!"

The little girl’s eyes crinkled into crescents as she giggled.

Encouraged by the praise, the girl worked even harder in the afternoon. By the time Jiang Yuan finished hunting and came to call them down the mountain, she had helped harvest more than half a basket of Apocynum leaves.

The three of them returned home with their harvest, their steps heavy. Jiang Yuan immediately took the game to town to sell, while Xie Wanniang, with Xiao Yang’s help, began the simple processing of the medicinal herbs.

The two, one large and one small, were drenched in sweat from their work. It was not until Hao Yu, who had spent the day wandering, and Jiang Yuan, who had returned from town, arrived home one after another that they finally finished processing the day’s collection.

Seeing the rows of large bamboo trays drying in the courtyard, Hao Yu could not help but view Xie Wanniang in a new light. He had not expected that she could harvest so many medicinal herbs in just over half a day.

Judging by the sheer volume, Hao Yu could tell she had truly been working with diligence and focus. For a girl of good upbringing who had never known real hardship, this was truly rare.

In the evening, Xie Wanniang and Jiang Yuan prepared dinner together. Although Xiao Yang was clearly exhausted, she still ran back and forth to help them. Hao Yu, unable to find a task, squatted silently in the courtyard, tanning rabbit skins.

Jiang Yuan had kept two rabbits at home that day; Xie Wanniang used them to make a braised rabbit dish and a side of braised long beans with cured meat. For the staple food, she made griddled flatbreads. With two pots going, they had enough for dinner that evening and dry rations for the next day. Beyond that, under her direction, Jiang Yuan had washed plenty of cucumbers, scallions, bitter greens, and radishes to be eaten with dipping sauce.

As the aroma of the food wafted out, Hao Yu suddenly felt that Jiang Yuan’s decision to keep Xie Wanniang was indeed the right one. What a wonderful girl she was—hardworking, knowledgeable in medicine, skilled in embroidery, and even her cooking was no less than that of a professional chef.

The four sat around the table and enjoyed a hearty meal. After dinner, as was the custom, Jiang Yuan washed the dishes while Xie Wanniang fetched hot water to wash up.

Once she had finished and taken advantage of the last bit of daylight to pick up her embroidery hoop, Hao Yu called Jiang Yuan—who had finished cleaning the kitchen and washing up—into his room.

"This is the fifty mu of land and a house I have procured for you." He handed Jiang Yuan the red title deeds he had exchanged at the county office with the land broker earlier that day. "The fields lie between Baihe Town and Mingfu Village, all of them top-grade land. The house is on the east side of the county town, very close to the county office, the academy, the market, and the two busiest main streets."

Jiang Yuan frowned. "What are you doing? I have saved some money over the past two years, and I will earn even more in the future. You do not need to use your own savings to subsidize me."

Hao Yu had stayed in Mingfu Village to watch over him all these years, earning his keep through hunting and illicit dealings. Though Jiang Yuan did not know exactly how much he had saved, he could not bear to accept this gift.

Jiang Yuan’s attitude was firm. He pushed the deeds back toward Hao Yu. "Uncle, Master, I am the child you raised; you must have confidence in me. I can support myself, and I can earn the wealth and status that you believe I deserve."

If not for the accidental discovery of Xie Wanniang, he would have packed his bags and headed straight for Zijing Pass as soon as Hao Yu returned safely.

His biological parents were no different from strangers to him. He didn't even harbor the impulse to climb to a high position just to slap their faces, nor did he feel there was anything wrong with being a simple villager for the rest of his life. But he knew that Hao Yu had been holding back a deep resentment in his heart.

He was grateful to Hao Yu and wanted to see him hold his head high, so he was willing to strive for things he had no original interest in for Hao Yu’s sake.

As for whether he might die on the battlefield before attaining that glory, Jiang Yuan had not given it much thought. It was not that he feared the thought; it was simply that it didn't matter.

He was all alone; even if he died, no one would be left unable to survive because of him. His sister had her own family, and his master was in his prime, with his own resources and capabilities, needing no concern from him for his later years. If he were so unfortunate as to die in battle, they would surely be devastated at first, but in time, the living must always continue to live their own lives.

But since Xie Wanniang had appeared, Jiang Yuan no longer felt quite so indifferent. He did not want to die anymore.