Chapter 57: Punishment

Huang Yuanying smiled and nodded.

Tian Mi went on to report to Zuo Zhengfeng, “Bai Dongyuan has run far away. There’s no trace of him within a 300-mile radius. He won’t come back to cause trouble.”

Bai Dongyuan no longer posed any threat, so he was no longer a concern. However, Tian Mi couldn’t say that they had found him; otherwise, the missing items would be hard to explain.

Zuo Zhengfeng sighed in relief and said, “It would be great if we could find him.”

Only by finding him could they discover the silver he had hidden.

Unfortunately, even if they found him, there would be no silver! Heh heh heh!

Zuo Zhengfeng relaxed, feeling that Prince Ding could now proceed with dealing with Nanjun City without worries.

Zuo Zhengfeng said, “This melon is really a treasure! I’ll take a few back with me later.”

Tian Mi, of course, agreed, and immediately took him to the field to pick some melons.

She also informed him that the potatoes were almost ready for harvest and that one mu of land could yield 2,000 jin. This year, everyone could finally rest easy.

She promised to treat him to fries and chips once the potatoes were ready.

Zuo Zhengfeng nearly dropped the melon in his arms, exclaiming, “Did you say one mu yields how much?”

Tian Mi replied, “Two thousand jin! This land was just cleared this year, so if it had been earlier, it could’ve produced even more.”

Zuo Zhengfeng had never heard of such a yield from one crop. If this were true, how could the common people still be lacking in food?

He couldn’t believe it and asked, “Are you sure it can yield 2,000 jin?”

Tian Mi rolled her eyes and said, “In about seven days, we can harvest it. Come see for yourself.”

Zuo Zhengfeng nodded in agreement.

The wedding feast today was one of the liveliest events in a long time, especially for the people of Fengqiu Village. Many had never tasted such a lavish spread—each table had a whole roasted lamb and a variety of dishes, with a large table full of food. Everyone, regardless of age or gender, was smiling with joy.

In the evening, Zuo Zhengfeng and Huang Yuanying left, bringing the melons Tian Mi had given them.

Seeing Huang Yuanying still feeling unsettled, Zuo Zhengfeng comforted her, “Alright, don’t be upset. Even though you didn’t get a good daughter-in-law, you’ve gained a good niece, and you have a great brother-in-law. That’s enough! There will still be suitable young women for you in the future.”

Back at the county office, Zuo Zhengfeng reported to Bai Mucheng, bringing four melons to show that Bai Dongyuan had fled far away and posed no more threat.

He and Huang Yuanying couldn’t resist keeping one melon for themselves, since Tian Mi had given them the melons. Heh heh heh.

He handed the melon to Bai Mucheng, saying, “Your Highness, this wonderful melon was grown by Tian Mi. It’s truly delicious. Should I cut some for you to try?”

Bai Mucheng, busy planning the siege of Nanjun City, glanced at the melon when he heard it was from Tian Mi. It was green, large, and oval-shaped, weighing over ten jin. He nodded and said, “Sure.”

Zuo Zhengfeng immediately fetched a knife and began to cut it. The melon looked incredibly tempting just from its appearance.

It was as captivating as the woman’s lips, peach-red with a faint shimmer.

He took a bite of the melon. It was crisp, juicy, and exceptionally sweet—unlike anything he had ever tasted. His eyes lit up. This was a flavor his parents and older brother had never experienced.

She was truly outstanding, incredibly enticing!

But she had rejected him! Bai Mucheng’s eyes dimmed.

Zuo Zhengfeng remarked, “Tian Mi is really an extraordinary woman! She’s grown a kind of food called potatoes, and it can yield 2,000 jin per mu. In about seven days, it will be ready for harvest.”

Bai Mucheng was stunned and quickly asked, “Is that true?”

Zuo Zhengfeng nodded, confirming it.

Such an extraordinary woman should be a model for the nation!

Bai Mucheng was eager to resolve the situation in Nanjun, and said to Zuo Zhengfeng, “Send someone to borrow Yanzu from her. You and Huang Yuanying will handle things here, and Jin Ming will defend Qinghe County. In two days, I’ll head to Nanjun City!”

The main army should be nearly there as well.

The pharmacy had been renovated, and Tian Mi had contacted a supplier for the medicinal materials. She had used silver to purchase them, while they gathered their own herbs. Tian Mi would make the medicine, and all that remained was to pick an auspicious day for the opening. The pharmacy’s name, passed down from her ancestors, would be—Miaoren Hall.

The tavern was still under renovation and would take about ten more days to complete.

The next day, everyone arrived in Qinghe County, leaving only Tian Dabiao and his wife to take care of the baby and Aunt Feng.

Aunt Feng was going to teach the people of Fengqiu Village how to raise sheep and pigs, while Minghui Jie would teach them how to milk the sheep.

At present, people raised pigs by simply feeding them food without any proper care, and the meat wasn’t tasty. Once they found a place to buy piglets, Tian Mi would teach them how to properly raise pigs and cook them for food.

The group rode horses toward Qinghe County, enjoying the warm morning sunlight. They were all laughing and talking, with Tian Mi riding alongside Xu Feiyan, who was full of excitement.

As soon as they arrived at the city gate, they encountered Zuo Zhengfeng, who had come to see Tian Mi. Tian Mi told them to go ahead with their tasks, and she stepped aside to speak with Zuo Zhengfeng. Xu Feiyan, however, stayed on Xu Yunpeng’s horse and continued on.

Zuo Zhengfeng said, “Your Highness is heading to Nanjun City, and we need to borrow Yanzu from you. Is that alright?”

Could Tian Mi say no? The last time she refused to lend Yanzu, that guy’s face had turned sour. In the end, it wasn’t just Yanzu that was lent to them—she was too.

Tian Mi reluctantly took out the bamboo whistle to summon Yanzu and handed it over, also giving him the whistle.

She then took out a porcelain jar from her small bag. Inside were pieces of meat soaked in spiritual spring water, instructing him to give two pieces to Yanzu every day.

Zuo Zhengfeng was overjoyed and repeatedly thanked her. Just then, a group of prisoners was escorted out of the city gate. They were disheveled, their faces covered in filth, looking pitiful.

Zuo Zhengfeng explained, “These are Bai Dongyuan’s people, his followers. Your Highness is kind enough to have them sold off to distant lands.”

The “sold off” was a reference to the punishment of marking their faces with the word “slave” and consigning them to a life of servitude.

To prevent any future threats, Bai Mucheng had decided to sell them to places far away.

Tian Mi couldn’t help but notice three familiar faces among the prisoners: Xu Yunzhou, Ye Shi, and Zhou Rongrong.

Their appearance had changed drastically. They were dressed in tattered gray hemp clothes, their hair was a mess, and their faces were filthy. Their eyes lacked any vitality.

Tian Mi didn’t feel the slightest bit of sympathy for them. It was their own choice. Back then, they had chosen to stay in the mountain valley, not understanding how difficult it was, and if not for their perseverance, everyone in the valley would have already turned to bones. Yet, when they followed Bai Dongyuan, they never received any protection or favors from him.

Xu Shichang had even led people to attack them. Hmph! This was their deserved punishment.

Tian Mi pretended not to recognize them, watching as they were driven away in their miserable state. Ye Shi and Zhou Rongrong didn’t recognize her, while Xu Yunzhou looked at her, feeling like she seemed familiar but couldn’t quite place her, as the original owner had only gained weight in recent years. It was normal for him to think she looked familiar.

Tian Mi bid farewell to Zuo Zhengfeng and went to her residence.

Upon arriving in the backyard, she checked on the soy sauce and vinegar she had brewed, and they already smelled good. She was pleased, though the tasting would still take some time.

Today, she planned to buy some workers for the household from the slave market. The house needed people to help with the chores, and she also intended to open a few workshops in the future, which would require more workers.

As she walked toward the slave market, she noticed that Qinghe County had become noticeably livelier. Everywhere she looked, there were shops being renovated and people with smiles on their faces, creating an atmosphere of hope and renewal after the war. The streets were crowded, and for a beautiful girl like Tian Mi, she definitely stood out.

Last time when she went shopping, she had figured out the location of the slave market. It was on the street at the very back, where they not only dealt in human trafficking but also sold livestock like cows, donkeys, sheep, and horses.

Tian Mi felt like someone was following her. Hmph! Looking for trouble! She had to pass through a few alleys to reach the slave market, where there were fewer people.

Before long, as she entered a narrow alley, three strong men suddenly rushed out from behind, flashing their yellow, dirty teeth and grinning, “Miss, where are you going? Let us escort you!”

Tian Mi turned around and acted as if she were startled, looking panicked like a frightened little rabbit.

“Don’t! Who are you? I don’t know you!”

The three men laughed at her seductive act, completely unaware of the dark glint in her eyes.

When they excitedly rushed toward her, she struck the first man in front, breaking his nose with a punch, and kicked another one in the groin with lightning speed. Both men collapsed to the ground, crying out in pain, unable to get up.

The third man realized the situation was bad and tried to run. Tian Mi immediately took off her shoe and threw it at him, hitting him squarely. He instantly fell to the ground.

“Brother, weren’t you going to escort me? Why are you running away?”

The man fell to his knees, pleading, “I’m sorry, miss, I won’t do it again, please let me go!”

Tian Mi put her shoe back on and kicked him in the face. He collapsed, crying out in pain.

If you commit a crime, you must face punishment.

This fairy had gotten rich by robbing people, and yet there were still fools who came to cause her trouble.

“Give me all the silver on you.”