Yun Heng was on his feet in an instant, his fists clenched protectively in front of Ye Sangwan. His presence was like a shield, solid and unyielding. Ye Sangwan felt a strange warmth surge through her chest—a mix of gratitude and something she couldn’t quite name. It was as if a gentle spring breeze had swept through her, soothing yet electrifying.

Her attention shifted to the commotion at the door. An old woman with a round, ruddy face and narrow, mung-bean eyes stood there, her voice shrill and dripping with venom. Behind her, a younger woman clad in patched clothing hovered nervously, clutching a sniffling boy of about four or five years old speaking to the old women, “Mother! Don’t be impulsive! You calm down……”

Ye Sangwan searched her memory but couldn’t place the old woman. However, the younger woman was familiar—Wang Tiezhu’s daughter-in-law, Li Cuizhi, from the neighboring Wang household. Li Cuizhi’s mother, the old woman, was notorious for her selfishness and her habit of mooching off her son-in-law’s family. The Twangs, once prosperous, had been driven to near poverty by her constant demands.

“Are you Ye Sangwan?” the old woman sneered, her beady eyes raking over Ye Sangwan’s slender frame. “You don’t look like much. Skinny as a stick, no curves to speak of. My grandson wouldn’t give you a second glance!”

Ye Sangwan blinked, caught off guard by the sudden attack. In the countryside, beauty standards favored plump, sturdy women—those who looked capable of bearing strong sons. Ye Sangwan’s slim figure and delicate features were often met with disdain, but she had never cared much for such opinions. Until now. Ye Sangwan was stunned speechless but she rebutted the old women, “Where is this barking coming from, looks like a mad dog is on loose ? I don’t understand why is it running around like a rabid dog ?”

“Who are you calling a dog?” the old woman screeched, her face turning an alarming shade of red, her eyebrows turning upside down and her mung bean like eyes staring at Ye Sangwan viciously.

“Whoever barks first,” Ye Sangwan shot back, her voice calm but laced with steel.

The old woman lunged forward, her hand raised to strike, but Li Cuizhi grabbed her arm. “Mother, stop! Please, don’t make a scene!”

The old woman turned her fury on her daughter, pinching and slapping her in a fit of rage. Li Cuizhi yelped in pain, dropping her son in the process. The boy, unfazed by the chaos made by the fight between his mother and grandmother , made a beeline for the dining table. With grubby hands, he grabbed a fistful of braised pork and stuffed it into his mouth.

Zhu Chaozhang, who had been watching the scene unfold, stepped forward. “Mrs. Hua, control yourself! That’s your daughter you’re hitting!”

The old woman, momentarily stunned, glared at him. “What do you expect me to do? My grandson’s in jail because of this… this hussy!” She pointed a trembling finger at Ye Sangwan. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll let him go, or I’ll make your life a living hell!”

Ye Sangwan finally pieced together the reason for the old woman’s outburst. Wang Ergou, the troublemaker who had impersonated an official and harassed her and her sisters, must have been arrested. And now, his grandmother was here to blame her for his misfortune.

“How amusing!” Ye Sangwan said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Your grandson breaks the law, and somehow it’s my fault? If anything, I’m the victim here. I was attacked and left with a head wound and a stab wound. If anyone should be demanding compensation, it’s me. Let’s say… five taels of silver.”

“Five taels?” the old woman shrieked. “You might as well rob me!”

Zhu Chaozhang also understood the cause and effect so he decisively sideed with Ye Sangwan, added, “Mrs. Hua, your grandson’s actions have consequences. If you don’t pay up, you won’t be leaving this village anytime soon. And everyone knows how many bad things Wang Ergou has done in town, it would have been a matter of time before he is imprisoned.”

Yun Heng, who had been silent until now, stepped forward with a coil of rope in his hands. His expression was calm, but his eyes were cold and calculating. The old woman paled, her bravado crumbling as she realized the seriousness of the situation she shrank behind Li Cuizhi.

“Don’t you dare touch me!” she squealed, backing away. “My uncle’s a hunter! Be careful, I’ll let him shoot you all!”

But her threats fell on deaf ears. Yun Heng swiftly tied her up with the help of Granpa Zhu, leaving her squirming like a trussed-up chicken. Meanwhile, Ye Chu’an burst into tears, his meal ruined by the grubby hands of Li Cuizhi’s son.

Yun Heng, his patience wearing thin, grabbed the boy and delivered a sharp smack to his backside. “Tell Wang Tiezhu to bring six taels of silver within the hour,” he growled, his voice low and dangerous. “If he doesn’t, I’ll toss this brat into Radish Lake to feed the water monkeys.” Yunheng was upset when he looked at the roast chicken specifically made for him by Ye Sangwan now with a black palm print.

The threat was enough to send Li Cuizhi scrambling. Radish Lake was infamous for its treacherous waters and the rumors of water demons lurking beneath its surface. No one dared to test its depths. And Yunheng was a person who had killed people on battlefield so she didn’t want to guess if he was bluffing or serious. Over the years, Li Cuizhi gave birth to only this one son who is like her lifeline to continue living so naturally she was afraid.

Within half an hour, Wang Tiezhu arrived, his broad frame towering over the crowd. When the hanging little boy saw his father he cried loudly, “Dad! Dad! They are going to throw me into the radish lake to feed the water monkeys!”

Ye Sangwan thought that there was still a tough battle to fight, but unexpectedly Wang Tiezhu handed over the silver without a word, his face a mask of resignation. “Village Chief, Brother Heng, Miss Wan… I apologize for the trouble. I still have something to do, so I won’t bother you. Next time I hunt something good, I’ll bring it by.”

With that, he left, dragging his son and mother-in-law behind him. The incident left Ye Sangwan with a newfound reputation—one that spread like wildfire through the neighboring villages. Looking at the backs of the three people, Ye Sangwan felt a little funny as she was surprised by Wang Tiezhu’s actions.

As the commotion died down, Ye Chu’an and Yunxiang cheered, their admiration for Ye Sangwan and Yun Heng evident. “Elder sister is amazing! Brother Yunheng is also powerful !” they chanted.

But Ye Sangyan’s expression was unreadable, her eyes lingering on Ye Sangwan with a mix of curiosity and suspicion.

Zhu Chaozhang, ever the peacemaker, praised Ye Sangwan for her quick thinking and resilience. “You’ve grown so much,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “Your parents would be proud.”

Ye Sangwan felt a pang of guilt. She wasn’t the same girl they remembered, but she was determined to honor their memory by building a better life for her siblings.

Knowing that he was polite, after promising to cook delicious food for everyone in the evening Ye Sangwan planned to send Zhu Chaozhang home. Along the way he praised her for her cooking and encouraged her to take a stand for herself. Speaking to her reminded him of old Ye and his son so much that he shed two tears.

The trust and care from someone who is not related by blood made Ye Sangwan grateful. She decided to repay him when she grows in future.

As they walked back to the village, Ye Sangwan noticed empty dry fields. The weather in August was still very sultry. It seemed to be raining heavily these two days. So she asked casually, ” Grandpa Zhu, what are you going to plant in autumn?”

Zhu Chaozhang was slightly stunned. Thinking that it was understandable that she, a girl, didn’t know about farming, he patiently explained, “Where can we get autumn seed from? After planting a crop, you have to give it rest for half a year. Otherwise, the land will not be fertile during next year’s spring plowing, and the harvest will be much worse. Now that the tax is getting older, it’s hard to survive this year…”

Ye Sangwan was not discouraged, since she broached the topic of farming. “Grandpa Zhu, have you ever thought about planting two crops a year? The land here is fertile, and the climate is mild. With the right techniques, we could double our harvest.”

Zhu Chaozhang’s eyes widened in surprise. “Two crops? But the land needs to rest…”

“Not necessarily,” Ye Sangwan countered. “Look at the areas near the pigsty and chicken coop. The soil there is richer, and the plants grow thicker. If we fertilize the fields properly, we could plant in both spring and autumn.”

Zhu Chaozhang’s looked suddenly enlightened and his face lit up with excitement. “You might be onto something, girl! If this works, you’ll be the savior of Banyuepo Village!”

Ye Sangwan smiled, her mind already racing with plans. She just mentioned it casually thinking that Zhu Chaozhangwould be relatively feudal and might not accept new ideas. It turned out that she was the narrow-minded one. Autumn planting will begin sooner or later so she started thinking about what to plant in their family fields.

Sweet potatoes, potatoes, and wheat—these would be their crops for the coming season. With hard work and a bit of luck, they could turn their fortunes around. In winter, she liked to eat roasted sweet potatoes the most, and this sweet potato is very versatile as it can be made into many dishes. Same as potatoes which is a good staple food source. As for rice, there is no paddy field in this dynasty. Rice is planted in dry land, or there is no hybrid rice. Not to mention the low yield, it is not easy to cure insects, so it is no wonder that they can’t eat enough. 

Moreover, the geographical location of Banyuepo Village is a bit similar to that of the modern south, with a pleasant climate. She herself is a native of the south, but she is more fond of rice.But the noodles are also not bad! And wheat is best planted in autumn.

In just a short amount of time, Ye Sangwan finalized the arrangement of autumn planting. She had to plant half a mu of sweet potatoes, half a mu of potatoes, and a mu of wheat.

She remembers that sweet potato vines are available in the vegetable field of the staff dormitory. Potatoes are a daily dish in the canteen, and the warehouse of the canteen will definitely have them. It is a little difficult to grow wheat. After all, the canteen will only buy flour in bags directly…

As she walked back home, lost in thought, Ye Sangwan bumped into Yun Heng. “Ouch! Watch where you’re going,” she teased, rubbing her nose.

Yun Heng smirked, his eyes glinting with mischief. “I’m heading to the mountains to hunt. Care to join me?”

Ye Sangwan hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “Why not? Let’s see what we can catch.”

Together, they set off, the promise of adventure and a brighter future ahead.