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Yueyue, like all young children, would eagerly show off any treasures she had. In her little mouth, even the pets with four legs in the house seemed to understand human speech.
Su Zhi observed the surprised expressions on Qian Guang and Liang Fu’s faces, unsure whether it was a good or bad thing. As long as these two weren’t bad people, then it wouldn’t be a bad thing. Even if they were bad, they would have to think twice before doing anything wrong, considering how intelligent the sacred beasts were. Besides, it was forbidden for anyone to manipulate sacred beasts in Liang Dynasty.
With this thought, Su Zhi’s heart relaxed.
Qian Guang and Liang Fu also felt that the wolves and dogs in Shen Zi’an’s household were exceptionally intelligent. It seemed like they could understand human speech, even though they understood the meaning rather than the actual words. Nonetheless, they found it remarkable and felt even more affectionate towards them.
After playing for a while longer and seeing that it was almost evening, Qian Guang suggested they return to town.
Liang Fu, who had just grown closer to Big Black, felt a bit reluctant to leave when she heard they were leaving. However, she knew it was time to go, so she bid farewell to Su Zhi.
Su Zhi walked them to their carriage, but as she approached, she heard someone calling her name. She turned around and saw Li Qing’s Wife.
“Sister, come over quickly and take a look.”
Li Qing’s Wife hurried over, glancing at Qian Guang and Liang Fu, recognizing them as the young master and young miss from town. She greeted them respectfully before getting straight to the point. She grabbed Su Zhi’s hand and ran in the direction they came from.
Su Zhi asked hastily, “What happened?”
“Sister Zhao, you’re truly blessed. You don’t need to worry about anything. We wanted to dig a pond, and unexpectedly, a spring appeared. It’s really effortless.”
Su Zhi chuckled. She couldn’t deny that she was fortunate. Now, she wouldn’t need to fetch water from outside, saving her a lot of effort.
Qian Guang looked at the faint smile on Su Zhi’s face and thought to himself, “She truly is a woman favored by heaven.”
A crowd had gathered by the edge of the pond, animatedly discussing the situation. Upon seeing Su Zhi approaching, they made way for her, accompanied by two young ladies and gentlemen dressed in silk clothes with golden hairpins and jade hairpins.
When Su Zhi approached, she saw Shen Zi’an standing on one side of the depression, with Shen Shugen and Li Qing standing beside him. The three of them were engaged in conversation, with a large rock placed in front of them.
The depression was filled with weeds and rocks, and many people were picking weeds and stones. Whenever an area was cleared, someone would start digging there, speeding up the process. Su Zhi had joined the group of women in clearing the area in the morning, while others were digging nearby. Now, where Shen Zi’an stood was the area they had cleared, and they had begun digging in the afternoon, only to discover water.
Su Zhi descended and approached Shen Zi’an, calling out to him.
“Wife, you’re here. Don’t come down any further, it’s wet down here,” Shen Zi’an turned around, smiled at Su Zhi, and waved his hand, signaling her to stay back.
Qian Guang and Liang Fu watched the couple, observing their every word and gesture. Though they stood among the rural folks dressed in plain clothes, their demeanor was exceptional. The way they looked at each other and smiled made it evident that they were a deeply affectionate couple. Watching them stirred a sense of envy in the hearts of the onlookers.
Su Zhi glanced down and indeed noticed water just a few steps ahead. It seemed that the water had truly emerged. However, with the group of men standing there, the water didn’t seem to be rising anymore. There was a large stone in front of them, about half a meter tall, resembling a big winter melon covered in mud. Su Zhi guessed it must have been the stone they had dug up, which was now likely suppressing the water.
As Su Zhi pondered, she began to piece together the situation. It seemed that during the excavation, they had uncovered this stone, allowing water to bubble up from underneath. Now that the stone had been replaced, the water no longer surfaced. Looking at the depression covered in wild grass, she imagined that it might have been a pond in the past. However, due to the obstruction caused by the stone, the pond dried up, and people were unaware of the reason. It was a stroke of luck that they stumbled upon it.
This realization filled Su Zhi with joy. She felt fortunate indeed. With a new source of water, she could enhance the pond by planting lotus and raising fish. By adding some Lingquan water, the fish would thrive, the lotus flowers would bloom vibrantly, and the pond’s ecosystem would flourish. Others would attribute the prosperity to the presence of the spring water, without suspecting any other reasons. Moreover, the abundant underground water would benefit the growth of flowers, plants, and trees in the garden.
Su Zhi imagined that her garden would become a utopia in the future, and she would have a say in it.
“You all should come up now. Even though it’s the beginning of spring, the water is still cold. Don’t catch a cold,” Su Zhi said to the others.
Su Zhi was afraid that Shen Zi’an’s feet would get wet, seeing him standing in the muddy water, she felt concerned for him.
Li Qing’s wife laughed and said, “Zi’an, come up quickly. Sister-in-law will worry.”
Liu Siniang also chuckled.
Ignoring them, Shen Zi’an turned and walked to the side, supporting Su Zhi as they went up. Su Zhi blushed slightly when she heard Shen Zi’an being teased by others, but she still allowed him to support her and asked softly if his feet were cold, suggesting he should go back to change his shoes.
Qian Guang and Liang Fu watched the couple supporting each other as they walked over, speechless. Shen Zi’an nodded to them in acknowledgement.
“Congratulations, Fourth Brother Shen, this is truly a joyous occasion,” Qian Guang said with a smile. “Despite the lack of rain these past few days, you’ve managed to find a water source here. It seems the weather isn’t too dry after all, so there’s no need to worry too much.”
He glanced at the large stone pressing down into the muddy water, feeling a sense of relief. His family also owned a considerable amount of farmland, especially rice paddies. If they were to experience a drought, it would be detrimental to their livelihood. Moreover, the recent setbacks during the Rain Festival, first with Shen Zhu’s illness and then with Zhao Xiaohua’s accident, were not good omens. If a severe drought were to occur, discontented individuals might blame their misfortune on them. However, the discovery of a water source in Shen Zi’an’s family indicated that the groundwater was still abundant.
Qian Guang felt a sense of reassurance in his heart.
The surrounding villagers, upon hearing these words, also expressed relief, believing that the weather wasn’t too dry and that rain was on the horizon. Their anxiousness from the prolonged lack of rain eased considerably.
After exchanging a few words with Shen Zi’an and Su Zhi, they bid them farewell and boarded their carriage.
Inside the carriage, Qian Guang and Liang Fu sat quietly, each lost in thought.
“Cousin, what are your thoughts on this couple?”
Qian Guang asked Liang Fu. He knew that she was a smart person with good judgment, and considering Shen Zi’an had saved her and her aunt, he naturally sought her opinion.