It’s been over half a month since the application of farmyard manure, and the people of Linshui Village have noticed that the seedlings in the Wan family’s fields are growing taller and stronger than those in other fields. What’s more, the Wan family doesn’t even spend as much time tending to their fields as others do. It’s truly a strange phenomenon.

The villagers stared at the seedlings in the fields. Some of the old farmers touched them and found that they were indeed top-quality seedlings, likely to outshine all the seedlings in Linshui Village. Such fields would surely yield more grain.

“I heard the Wan family has farmyard manure?”

“What are you thinking? The steward from the Xie family took it all. It’s our fault for not seizing the opportunity.”

“Just because the seedlings look good doesn’t mean they’re strong inside. We still have to see if they produce a lot of grain!” someone said, unconvinced.

An old farmer, who had a plan in mind, didn’t bother listening to the villagers’ chatter. He took some good wine and homegrown vegetables to the Wan family at noon and returned home satisfied in the evening.

Seeing how shrewd Old Lin was, the villagers remained observant, waiting for the yield results before making any decisions. Otherwise, it would all be for nothing.

Meanwhile, the women and fu langs in the village loved to get close to Li Yun. Li Yun didn’t often go to the fields. She was taught embroidery by a famous teacher in the county town and knew many patterns. She generously shared these patterns with the women and fu langs who sought her advice.

“Mom, why do you associate with them?” Wan Xiuyue asked while eating. Today’s meal was still plain tea and rice, and Wan Xiuyue found it tasteless.

“Your big brother is preparing for the imperial examination, so it’s better to have a good reputation. Besides, we need to interact with these people in Linshui Village. You can also play more with the village girls and boys.”

Wan Xiuyue didn’t care much: “I can’t really talk to them.”

Wan Xiubai also couldn’t really talk to them. He kept his head down while eating. He had a friend he kept in his heart but hadn’t told his family about, fearing Li Yun would call him reckless. He had just met and already given a water bottle, but Xie Qiaoyu also gave him delicious pastries. He didn’t want to tell Wan Xiuyue and Li Yun about his matters.

As for his big brother, who had been staying home and studying diligently, he wouldn’t disturb him either.

He just kept his interactions with Xie Qiaoyu to himself.

On the other side, Xie Qiaoyu was furious when he heard that Wei Bowen had passed the provincial examination. The family’s servants picked chestnuts, and tonight they were making chestnut chicken. Watching the cook make the dish, he reached out with his chopsticks.

He wouldn’t be staying on the estate for long. Xie Weixia was getting married, and both he and Old Madam Xie had to return to the county town. The thought of facing Xie Weixia’s flaunting made Xie Qiaoyu bite into the chicken even harder.

“Do you find managing the accounts difficult?” Old Madam Xie asked.

Xie Qiaoyu immediately voiced his difficulties: “I don’t know the background of the stewards, nor do I know their character. As for the accounts, my arithmetic is too poor, and some of the confusing accounts are simply beyond me.”

The tutors hired by the family taught embroidery and matters of the boudoir, not accounting, which was usually taught by the head mistress.

“Let Liu Mama guide you.”

“Thank you, Grandmother.” Xie Qiaoyu’s eyes lit up. Liu Mama was Old Madam Xie’s maid who had accompanied her for many years and was very capable. With Liu Mama’s guidance, he was sure he could learn arithmetic.

Old Madam Xie looked at this silly boy still happily eating chestnut chicken, his pretty face unaware of what worry felt like. With Xie Weixia getting married, Xie Qiaoyu’s turn wouldn’t be far off. After the New Year, he would be sixteen, and it would be time to find someone to settle down with. After a few months at home, they would pick a good day for him to marry into another family.

She knew a few young men of the right age, with some modest family wealth, though none were officials. The highest status among them was a merchant. This merchant’s family was wealthy, with two concubines, and the main wife’s position was still vacant. The family’s old madam was on good terms with her and very strict with rules.

If Xie Qiaoyu married into that family, he would be the head fu lang, much better than being some concubine.

“Do you have someone you like?” Old Madam Xie suddenly asked.

“Cough, cough, cough…” Xie Qiaoyu choked and quickly drank a cup of tea to recover.

“Why does Grandmother ask?”

“With Weixia married off, your turn isn’t far. I don’t think your stepmother will find you a good match, so I wanted to get a sense of your preferences. Remember, no matter how wealthy, being the main wife is best.”

Of course, Xie Qiaoyu wouldn’t become a concubine. Seeing Old Madam Xie’s genuine concern for him, he felt touched: “Grandmother, I won’t become a concubine.”

“I’ve picked a few candidates for you to consider.”

Xie Qiaoyu had already made up his mind, but he was curious to hear what kind of matches Old Madam Xie had found for him.

Old Madam Xie said, “One is a distant relative of the Xie family, whose family runs a private school. He passed the scholar exam but is very ambitious, having failed the provincial exam several times. He has many relatives and little wealth.”

“What about his looks?”

Old Madam Xie pondered, “He’s probably a bit stout. After all, he’s a scholar, pampered at home, only needing to study and not involved in household matters.”

Xie Qiaoyu pouted.

“The other is a merchant’s son, with two concubines at home. His looks are decent, and he has a gentle temperament. His mother is in charge at home, and he’s very filial, never going against her.”

This one seemed like someone who only listened to his mother, with a soft personality. If the mother-in-law relationship wasn’t good, this man would be useless, and he already had two concubines.

Xie Qiaoyu lowered his eyes and said nothing.

“The last one is the son of a pharmacy owner, wealthy, handsome, and liked by many girls and boys. He also knows medicine, and his backyard is clean.”

Logically, this person was the best, and Old Madam Xie was quite fond of him. Xie Qiaoyu asked suspiciously, “Why is he so popular with girls and boys?”

“…It must be his personal charm.”

“Did these girls and boys all go to his pharmacy for treatment?” There’s no reason for someone to be popular without cause. In the Da Qi Dynasty, the restrictions on boys weren’t strict, but they wouldn’t express their feelings so openly before marriage, let alone be talked about as a topic to show off their charm.

Wan Mingji understood his intentions but never overstepped, always respectful. Handsome beyond compare, never arrogant. Even after falling from a wealthy family to the countryside, he remained ambitious, speaking eloquently, neither humble nor arrogant. His family had no messy affairs, and he cared for his younger brother, clearly a good person.

Xie Zhi often said Wan Mingji’s ideas were far beyond theirs.

“Grandmother, there’s such a person. His family was once wealthy but fell into hard times, yet he continues to study diligently, earning high praise from his peers. He cares for his younger brother and supports the whole family. He can even retaliate against those who are harsh to him. What do you think of such a person?”

Old Madam Xie sighed, “It’s a pity for such a good young man. If given a chance, he would seize it and make a name for himself.”

Xie Qiaoyu became excited, “He should make a name for himself!”

“What does that have to do with you getting married?” Old Madam Xie asked.

“Grandmother, helping someone in need is better than adding to someone’s wealth. This person doesn’t have a fu lang. If…”

Old Madam Xie suddenly stood up, “Nonsense!”

“Grandmother is tired. You may leave.”

Xie Qiaoyu responded with a pitiful “yes,” clearly wanting to say more.

He wanted to say that if he married that person now, he would be the wife who shared hardships. Living in the village, they were both fu langs, with no others involved. If he became wealthy in the future and abandoned him, his reputation would be ruined.

Seeing Old Madam Xie’s demeanor, Xie Qiaoyu carefully retreated.

Everyone on the estate belonged to Old Madam Xie. She didn’t know that the person wearing her husband’s clothes was Wan Mingji, but combined with what Xie Qiaoyu said, she understood everything.

Falling from a wealthy family matched Wan Mingji, and everything else aligned with what Xie Qiaoyu described. Truly bewitched!

“Don’t be angry, Laofuren. The third young master is still young and can’t distinguish right from wrong,” Liu Mama comforted.

“He doesn’t know? The Wan family is still living in the village. What good can come from such a family? Wan Mingji is also a notorious spendthrift, nothing more to say!”

Though Old Madam Xie said this, she still kept Wan Mingji in mind.

*

A month later, the fields were harvested, and Wan Mingji’s farmyard manure gained a reputation. In the fields, the grain was weighed, and the Wan family’s yield increased by one-fifth. Don’t underestimate this one-fifth. Ancient farmland was different from modern farmland, and the farmyard manure wasn’t as effective as modern fertilizers. Yet, after just a month of application, the results were impressive. If they had used it from the start of transplanting seedlings, the yield might have doubled.

“Congratulations, this field yields two hundred jin!” The village head’s hands trembled.

Everyone was astonished.

“Two hundred jin!”

“My goodness, if we all used Wan Mingji’s farmyard manure, wouldn’t we have much more grain?”

“Isn’t this taught by the gods?”

“Who dares say he doesn’t know farming? And their farming tools are different from ours, seemingly faster!”

…

At the center of the discussion, Wan Mingji shot a wild chicken on the mountain. Yesterday, he set a trap and caught a lamb, perfect for keeping at home for milk.

This milk should be given to Xie Qiaoyu, along with the wild duck eggs he found on the mountain.