Chapter 99: Obtaining the New Fragrant Fruit

Hongxiang showed him no mercy at all. With a cold snort, she said, “You deserved this! You never cared for your own daughter. Instead, you sold her off just to please someone else’s child! Do you even count as a human being? Everything happening to you now is your karma! You don’t deserve to have children and grandchildren. If you want a child, wait for your next life!”

After finishing her words, she linked arms with the man beside her, ready to leave.

Before departing, Hongxiang even took all of Du Dajiang’s silver.

Du Dajiang scrambled to his feet and ran after them, shouting, “You shameless pair! Just you wait! I’ll report you to the authorities!”

Hongxiang turned back to look at him and sneered, “Go ahead, report us! Do you really think anyone will believe you?”

Her tone was soft and teasing, but the man beside her was far less patient. Without hesitation, he kicked Du Dajiang hard. “You’d better behave yourself. Forget about reporting us—if I wanted to, I have plenty of ways to make sure you never leave Xiangtan Village alive!”

Du Dajiang groaned in pain, wailing pitifully.

The man then pulled Hongxiang away, and the two of them quickly disappeared into the distance.

Du Dajiang was beside himself with rage. He struggled to his feet, still determined to report them to the authorities.

However, whether it was due to his injuries or sheer misfortune, he found himself feeling dizzy and disoriented. By the time night fell, he still hadn’t managed to walk out of Xiangtan Village.

With no other choice, he could only return home, eat a little food, and rest to recover from his wounds.

The Du family, which once had some degree of popularity, suddenly fell into decline. Du Dajiang had truly become a lonely man with no one left by his side.

Meanwhile, at the Zhou household, the guests gradually began to leave.

Doctor Xu was the last to stay. He took a small pouch of seeds from his pocket and handed it to Madam Zhou, saying, “I’m just a barefoot doctor and don’t have much to give you, but if you don’t mind, please accept these seeds.”

Madam Zhou took them with a puzzled expression. “What are these?”

Doctor Xu smiled and explained, “Back when I was stationed outside the pass during military campaigns, a friend gave me these fragrant fruit seeds. I heard they came from the Western Regions, and the fruit they produce is incredibly aromatic. Since your family makes incense, perhaps you could give them a try.”

Madam Zhou’s face lit up with joy. She had heard her older brothers mention before that the Western Regions had unique fruits not found in their lands, and it turned out to be true.

Doctor Xu continued, “However, I’m not sure if you’ll be able to grow them successfully.”

Madam Zhou looked down at the seeds in the bag and smiled. “We can. We definitely can. The mountains and rivers in this village are rich and fertile. These seeds will surely grow.”

Just then, Du Wanchun stepped out of the house and happened to overhear the conversation. She walked over and said, “Mother, this is wonderful news! With these fruits, we can make incense that no one else in the entire Xuan Yue Kingdom has ever seen before.”

Madam Zhou nodded. “That’s right.”

Doctor Xu looked at her with a sense of nostalgia and remarked, “Zhou family girl, you look so much like a friend of mine.”

Madam Zhou smiled. “What was your friend’s name?”

At that, Doctor Xu quickly closed his mouth and said no more.

Seeing that he was unwilling to talk about it, Madam Zhou did not press further. She then asked Zhou Zhao to escort Doctor Xu home.

After he left, Madam Zhou and Du Wanchun sat together, staring at the seeds with great anticipation.

“Wanchun, have you ever grown trees before?” Madam Zhou asked.

Du Wanchun shook her head. “No, but Mother, why don’t we try planting them the same way we plant vegetables?”

Madam Zhou nodded. “Alright. We’ll start by sprouting the seeds in the soil in the backyard, and once they’ve grown into seedlings, we’ll transplant them into the fields.”

However, after speaking, a trace of worry appeared on her face. “But how long will it take for these trees to mature and bear fruit? If we have to wait seven or eight years, we’ll be too old to benefit from it.”

Du Wanchun chuckled, her eyes curving into a smile. “No rush, no rush! Let’s plant them first and see. Who knows? They might grow faster than the radishes in our fields!”