Chapter 295: Our Village Stands Alone

Why was she suddenly feeling so nervous?

Was Uncle trying to trick her into saying something?

“Uncle…” Yan Yu called out softly.

And then, silence. The kind of silence that makes your heart skip a beat.

Uncle, say something already!

Yan Huaiwen chuckled, his gaze sweeping across the training ground.

“Xiao Er, would you be willing to give your uncle a demonstration?”

Yan Yu nodded without hesitation. Of course she was willing.

Thank goodness—anything to stop her from having to think right now. Her brain was already on the verge of shutting down from overload.

Uncle’s thoughts were way too hard to read.

Better to charge ahead without thinking.

Clear your mind. Go!

The small figure, barely half the height of an adult, darted across the training field like a newborn leopard.

She leapt over tree stumps with agility, clumsily navigated obstacle runs, sprang up to touch hanging objects, crawled low to avoid traps, and scaled walls with the ease of walking on flat ground…

A glint of sharp light flickered in Yan Huaiwen’s eyes.

This training method, though seemingly chaotic, was in fact a comprehensive exercise in power control—arms, waist, legs, and more.

The human body naturally adapts and coordinates with its environment. Through repeated drills and mutual observation, one eventually develops the most efficient way to exert strength suited to their own physique.

Moreover, this child… her physical strength was impressive, far beyond what one would expect of someone her age.

Could it be as the world says—she was born with the makings of a martial artist?

No. Martial arts could strengthen the body, but she must not be consumed by it.

Yan yu was far too intelligent to let brute force take the lead. To pit civil and martial pursuits against each other was a false dichotomy. Of the six noble arts, archery and charioteering would suffice for her.

With a strong bow in hand, everything within sight becomes our hunting ground.

Yan Huaiwen quickly made up his mind.

The training field would remain. With long-term use, she would grow nimble and strong.

Xiao Er’s studies would be intensified. The child had energy to spare and could handle the extra workload.

As for archery and crossbows, those could be resumed.

But caution was key. No rushing.

Tian You and Xiao Er had clearly been planning this for some time, yet hadn’t dared tell him outright.

A tree branch swayed, and a lone golden leaf drifted gently to the ground.

Yan Huaiwen smiled faintly, extending his palm to catch the falling leaf.

He was no rigid man, bound by convention.

Our village stands alone, like this leaf in my hand—its veins clear, its form distinct.

Only with towering trees and dense forests can we shield it from the howling winds, allowing it to rest and await rebirth, to bloom again with the land it calls home.

…

Thanks to Granny Rong’s meticulous care, the Yan family’s fields were thriving better than anyone else’s.

The rows were evenly spaced, each plant standing straight like soldiers lined up for inspection.

Today, Yan Huaiwen played the role of the inspecting general.

He wasn’t unfamiliar with farming. He picked up a handful of soil, examined it, then smelled it. Pressing it in his palm, he found it rich and cohesive, not falling apart. He nodded in satisfaction.

“Good soil,” he praised without holding back.

Since taking office, he had never visited the northern regions, only reading about this bitterly cold land in official reports.

Northern Rong, natural disasters…

It was far from peaceful.

With only one growing season a year and few farmers in the region, yields were low. The land couldn’t support a larger population. Fewer people meant fewer industries, creating a vicious cycle that severely hindered Guanzhou’s development.

If farming methods could be improved and idle lands put to use, Guanzhou’s ability to withstand disasters—natural or manmade—would increase significantly.

When it came to farming, Yan Yu finally felt confident enough to speak up.

“Madam Rong said our vegetables can be harvested a few days earlier. Then we can quickly plant cabbage, mustard greens, and radishes.”

“The village elders say that if summer’s warm, winter will be cold. But Madam Rong says as long as we keep things warm, even if the yield’s lower, it’s still better than leaving the land empty.”

Yan Yu had no idea what kind of storm her words stirred in Yan Huaiwen’s heart.

“Madam Rong knows how to keep farmland warm in winter?”

Yan Yu replied casually, “It’s kind of a hassle. You have to build shelters. When it’s sunny, you open them up. At night, you cover them. When it gets really cold, you even have to heat the ground to keep the plants warm. It’s a lot of work through the whole winter, and it costs more too.”

“But Dad says vegetables are definitely more expensive in winter. And we’re not just planting radishes, cabbages, and mustard greens. We’re mixing in some of the stuff we already harvested. If any of it survives, we’ll have fresh veggies to eat in winter. Hehe, and we can sell them too.”

Yan Yu felt a bit regretful. They didn’t have the right materials to build proper greenhouses, so they had to rely on manpower to manage everything.

But just like the family had discussed, any harvest in winter was a win. Guanzhou might be poor, but there were still wealthy folks in Yongning City. Their vegetables were meant for those people. If they were lucky and found the right market, selling at meat prices wasn’t out of the question.

Well, that last part was something her dad said.

But she and her mother both believed in him.

Because the one thing her good father feared most wasn’t earning too little—it was losing money.

Greenhouses… heating the ground…

Yan Huaiwen thought it over. The former was easy enough. As for the latter, the mountains were full of firewood. The only cost was labor. It was worth trying.

Without revealing his thoughts, he suggested they go check out the charcoal-burning forest they were partnering on with the Qi family.

Yan Yu had no objections.

Deep in the forest, the Qi brothers had expanded the charcoal-burning site significantly.

The charcoal mounds, reinforced again and again by fire, had gradually taken shape.

There had only been ten mounds at first, but the Qi brothers often took turns staying overnight in the area. With nothing else to do, they kept building more. One after another, the mounds multiplied. Now, the scale was far beyond what it had been.

It was honestly impressive!

Yan Yu hadn’t expected to see such a sight.

What was this?

Neatly chopped logs stacked in one area, branches piled separately nearby, finished charcoal arranged on wooden racks under rain shelters—and not just one setup, but two.

Yan Yu: …

Uncle Qi and his brothers sure knew how to burn charcoal!

Just imagining all those earthen kilns firing at full capacity—it’s enough to warm the entire forest.

The two of them headed down to the river again.

There were two more rafts at the ferry crossing now.

Yan Yu couldn’t help but marvel. The villagers really were industrious.

It hadn’t even been that long, yet not only had they finished building the rafts, they were already out on the water casting nets.

Turns out, after seeing how simple the raft design was, some of the villagers had gone ahead and built two more, planning to venture farther down the river.

Their hope was to haul in a bigger catch.

Besides, having a raft was just plain convenient. No need to make the long detour to Dashi Bridge to cross the river—just a few pushes with the pole and you were on the other side.

Back when the Northern Rong invaded the village, some folks had crossed the river to seek refuge in Yongning. They’d stayed briefly outside the city.

It had to be said, the allure of a prefectural city was pretty strong.

Now that they knew the way, and had recently ventured out to Xiqiao Town and even visited the Grand Market, their courage had grown considerably.

Maybe they hadn’t made up their minds to head for Yongning City just yet, but subconsciously, they were already preparing for the possibility by building these rafts.

Yan Huaiwen asked how long it would take to reach Gufeng, how far it was to Changping, and how many days it would take to seek the turtle’s fate in Linhai…

Yan Yu answered each question truthfully.

When the topic turned to the scenery along the river, Xiao Er’s chatterbox opened right up.

But before they could get too far, Uncle struck again with another sneak attack.

“Do you remember the spot where the sunken chest is?”

Yan Yu pressed her lips together and braced herself, fully alert.

This time, no matter what, she wouldn’t let Uncle trick her into spilling anything!

Author Note:

P.S. Old Yan is a scholar. It’s perfectly normal for him to value literature over martial arts—don’t judge him by modern standards. He’s a reincarnated ancient man.

As for farming in winter, yes, you can build greenhouses without plastic or glass, but it’s the most primitive kind, incredibly troublesome and costly. Ordinary families couldn’t afford it. This is just a story, so don’t overthink it~

Also, when planting vegetables, it’s best not to grow the same leafy greens two seasons in a row—it attracts pests. But since we’ve got Granny Rong, who’s basically a walking cheat code, we can ignore that here~

(End of chapter)