Chapter 110: The Rice at Home is Fragrant and Sweet

Madam Zhou nodded firmly. “That’s right.”

Lu Yan then recounted his experiences in the military over the years to Madam Zhou. He also told her that it wouldn’t be long before he received a promotion and had his own army.

Madam Zhou immediately understood his meaning.

He was planning a rebellion.

If it had been in the past, she would have tried to dissuade him, but now, there was no need. If they did not rebel, they would not survive.

Lu Yan then mentioned a few strange occurrences—how he had escaped danger multiple times recently and had been rapidly promoted. He wondered if the heavens had finally decided to intervene and help the Lu family.

Madam Zhou listened with great relief, then shared the current situation of their family with him.

When Lu Yan heard that they had opened two incense shops in Cheng’an County, he immediately said, “Second Sister, I now hold an important position in the military, and with General Mo’s protection, if anyone in Cheng’an County dares to bully you, just let me know, and I’ll take care of it.”

Running a business often meant encountering trouble with local ruffians, but Master Fang had been looking after them, so things had been relatively peaceful. However, if a high-ranking official ever caused problems, that would be another matter entirely.

With Lu Yan’s assurance, Madam Zhou and Du Wanchun both felt relieved.

The family sat together, talking for a long time. It was only late into the night that Lu Yan finally left with his wife.

Before leaving, Miss Mo respectfully bowed deeply to Madam Zhou and Zhou Ruiyuan—a formal salute meant for an empress and a crown prince.

This was a sign that the Mo family acknowledged their identities.

Madam Zhou was deeply moved and quickly stepped forward to help Miss Mo up. Supporting her, she escorted her all the way to the carriage.

After the Mo couple departed, Madam Zhou sat alone in the house and silently wept, as if she had finally let go of all the tears she had been holding back.

Zhou Ruiyuan and Du Wanchun stood at the doorway but did not try to comfort her.

They both understood that Lu Yan’s return represented real hope for the Zhou family—he was their most important asset in turning the tide.

Du Wanchun slowly looked at her husband, her eyes filled with longing. A man like him was destined to stand in the grand hall of power.

Sensing her gaze, Zhou Ruiyuan reached out and gently wrapped her small hand in his, just like an ordinary loving couple.

The warmth of his palm made Du Wanchun’s heart tremble. Her husband was not only capable of standing in the grand halls of power, but he could also share a simple, humble life with her, enduring hardships together like ordinary folk. Such a man was rare in this world.

A deep sense of warmth filled her heart.

Outside, the silver-white moonlight gently illuminated the night. She tightened her grip on Zhou Ruiyuan’s hand, and together, they walked to Madam Zhou’s side. One prepared a handkerchief, while the other poured water.

Zhou Feng and Zhou Zhao also came out from the kitchen—one carrying freshly boiled eggs, the other bringing a bowl of hot porridge.

Under the dim glow of the candlelight, the small brick house radiated warmth, even in its tiniest crevices.

As the first rays of morning sunlight streamed in, the household returned to its usual bustling routine.

That day, Du Wanchun did not go to the shop. Instead, she joined Madam Zhou and Zhou Zhao in the fields.

The rice was ready for harvest, and everyone was busy cutting it. The entire family pitched in.

Zhou Ruiyuan and Zhou Zhao were in charge of cutting the stalks, while Madam Zhou bundled them together. Master Wang and Wang Qiu helped carry the loads, and Madam Wang stayed home to prepare the meals.

Harvesting rice was a major event for farming families. Not only the Wang family but also Du Wanchun’s eldest aunt and several close neighbors came to help.

Du Wanchun mainly assisted in the vegetable garden, fetching water and helping with minor tasks.

Madam Zhou, worried that she would tire herself out, constantly urged her to sit down and rest.

Unable to refuse, Du Wanchun sat by the field, nibbling on a radish.

Perhaps because the weather was favorable, they managed to harvest the rice quickly. In just three days, all the rice had been cut. After that came the threshing, followed by drying the grains—altogether, the process took ten days.

This was the Zhou family’s first grain harvest, yielding over forty sacks of rice, nearly filling their entire granary.

At noon, Madam Zhou specially milled a bag of their newly harvested rice. The grains were plumper than the ones usually bought at the market, and the cooked rice was noticeably more fragrant.

She specifically asked Zhou Zhao to bring some freshly cooked rice to the neighbors who had helped with the harvest. The rich aroma spread throughout the entire village.

Even those who were not on good terms with the Zhou family couldn’t help but salivate—they had never encountered rice that smelled this good before.

News of the Zhou family’s exceptionally fragrant rice quickly reached Master Fang, who became curious and wanted to taste it himself.

However, Du Wanchun was sharp-witted. Before Master Fang even had to ask, she personally delivered some of their rice to him.

Master Fang received her warmly, took a handful of rice grains in his hand, and examined them with a smile. “Thank you, Lady Du.”

Du Wanchun smiled and replied, “Master Fang, if you like this rice, we can bring more in a few days.”

Master Fang gazed at the rice grains in his palm and slowly remarked, “Typically, rice ripens in the autumn. But yours ripened early and grew so well. How did you cultivate it?”