Chapter 21: The Feng Family's Additional Investment

"Just lucky, I suppose," Feng Siniang said with particular pride. "When my little Huer was not even a year old, the first time her tiny foot touched the ground, she stepped right onto a Silver Moon Grass seedling. We sold it that very day for six thousand red gold coins.

With luck like that, why be surprised if fish leap onto the shore to be eaten by her?"

Had Qinghu heard these words, she would have grumbled inwardly that she’d spotted that pale little grass long before. Its spiritual energy was far greater than the withered trees and weeds around it. Why else would I step on it? Who could have known that just as I was about to take a bite and see what it tasted like, Mother would snatch me away!

Shen Fangxu, not knowing his daughter’s little tricks, could only awkwardly admit his daughter’s luck to his wife.

"But even with good luck, how could she get so many big fish? Think about it—your son and daughter are both so bold, and both such gluttons. I’m just worried those two won’t listen to anyone, and will run off to cast nets and hunt for themselves.

The new village they’re clearing is right next to a vast, ethereal lake—Serpent Coil Lake."

Feng Siniang’s mouth dropped open in astonishment.

"It’s true, the lake is enormous. Dense, white vapors of water spiritual energy coil over its surface, layer upon layer, like rolling seas of clouds," Shen Fangxu explained to his wife. "And you know the temperaments of Qingtin and Qinghu—those two will do anything for food.

With so much to eat in that lake, do you really think your son and daughter would let it go?"

At these words, Feng Siniang’s spirits deflated at once, and she asked anxiously, "What should we do, then?"

"Why not let me have some of the frozen fish, and I’ll have my clan send over a batch of cultivator guards?" Shen Fangxu offered calmly.

"You’re dreaming." Feng Siniang might not be clever, but after being tricked by her husband countless times, she’d learned to be wary whenever he mentioned giving things to the clan. Even if he hadn’t said it outright, she wouldn’t be fooled.

"Can’t I hire guards myself? Why should I give those annoying people any fish?" she retorted. "I’ll ask my father and my elder brother—they can handle it for me. And the price is decent: a hundred pounds of fish meat to settle the matter."

A determined gleam shone in Feng Siniang’s eyes. Her father, upon hearing that his precious Qinghu had been sent off to that desolate Eastern Wilderness, had already sent word that if she needed any cultivator guards, all she had to do was ask.

Unfortunately, Qinghu and the others were sent away in such a rush that her father’s guards didn’t make it in time.

But sending them now would do just fine.

Without a second thought for her husband, Feng Siniang prepared to return to her family home. "Siniang, where are you going?" Shen Fangxu, still red-faced after being flatly refused, saw her push past him and head out.

"I’m going home to ask my father for men," she replied.

"Well… go then." As soon as Shen Fangxu spoke, Feng Siniang stopped in her tracks, looked back at him with suspicion, then her face lit with realization. "Steward Guan, open the small storeroom for me—I want to take all ten big chests of fish meat.

In all my twenty years of marriage, I’ve hardly ever brought anything back to my family. Now that my daughter has sent me some fish, I’ll bring it all to my father."

Shen Fangxu was so vexed he nearly coughed blood. That was over twenty thousand red gold coins’ worth! He spent all year hustling, and barely saved eight or ten thousand, if that!

"Yes ma’am, I’ll open the storeroom right away," Auntie Guan called out, already hurrying off.

News soon spread that Feng Siniang had sent a thousand pounds of fish meat to her family in exchange for ten cultivators at or above the sixth level of Qi Refinement, plus five hundred able-bodied commoners, all to be sent to the Eastern Wilderness.

Clan Leader Shen nearly smashed the inkstone at his side. What kind of fish meat was worth ten cultivators at the sixth Qi Refinement level, plus five hundred commoners?

It had to be ninth-rank beast meat!

Feng Siniang was utterly outrageous!

He immediately summoned Shen Fangxu. As soon as Shen Fangxu appeared, the clan leader shouted, "Are you even a man? Can’t you control your own wife? She gave away a thousand pounds of ninth-rank beast meat to her family without a care for the Shen clan—what is she thinking? Is she not afraid you’ll divorce her?"

At this, Shen Fangxu wailed, "No, I can’t do without her—I would never divorce my wife, not even in death!"

The clan leader’s face turned so dark it was almost black. "You’re useless. If you were my son, I’d have kicked you to death by now.

Get out! From now on, don’t expect a single red gold coin from the clan for your branch!"

Shen Fangxu slunk away at once. So be it—so long as he didn’t have to divorce his wife. But as for Qingtin and Qinghu, who’d caused all this trouble, he ground his teeth in frustration. Why did those two brats send so much ninth-rank beast meat home?

He’d already forgotten the delight of the fish porridge he’d enjoyed at breakfast.

In truth, Feng Siniang only used five hundred pounds of fish to settle matters with her family; the rest she kept for herself.

The elders of the Feng family were overjoyed—their little Qinghu would no longer go hungry.

Their darling would surely grow up healthy and strong.

As for the younger ones, they muttered curses, hoping the little glutton would grow as round as a ball and be unable to run, so she’d never come to snatch food from them again!

Who could understand the misery of sharing a table with a gluttonous little sister? The dishes would be scraped clean before they’d had enough—a most tragic experience.

...

No matter where people live, building a house is a major affair for the human race.

After all, it’s the foundation for their future lives. Especially in the Eastern Wilderness, and with Shen Fangxu’s careful planning, the Shen family’s new village was built with unique features—it was constructed in the style of a stone fortress.

They clearly intended to put down roots for the long term.

On the sixth day since little Qinghu began her new life in the Serpent Coil Territory of the Eastern Wilderness, she found herself suffering from too much meat, and with her fourth brother Qingtin—whose lips were also blistered from excess meat—she ate a meal of stir-fried greens.

Having grass for breakfast left Qinghu a little melancholic.

Stepping out of her little stone house, she saw that Uncle Zhao had built two more stone cottages nearby, saying it was good to have places for guests to stay.

Besides the stone cottages, many stone courtyards had been constructed as well. These were for the able-bodied commoners—the new residents of Serpent Coil Territory. Nearly every family had their own little courtyard.

Of course, the stone they’d brought from the Shen family was nowhere near enough to build all the houses.

Fortunately, the old ruined village had plenty of stones and timber. With a bit of dismantling, washing, and sunning, they were ready for use.

Strangely, when they first arrived, the village was often shrouded in mist even in broad daylight, making it seem colder and gloomier than the mountain pass.

But ever since they moved in, each day had become brighter, the sunlight stronger. Now, laundry hung out for just an hour would dry completely, infused with the warm scent of sunshine.