Reborn as a Happy Wife in a Rural Family
Chapter 135: Digging Sweet Potatoes

Chapter 135: Chapter 135: Digging Sweet Potatoes

Everything was well-prepared. If any accidents happened in the future, people could hide here and survive.

"What do you think, Li’er?"

"Not bad. It’s impressive to dig such a long tunnel so quickly and have it so well-designed. Is this person Yun No. 200?"

"Yes, Li’er, you’re truly smart. It was a pity that the Secret Sect used them merely as assassins before. From now on, I will ensure they reach their full potential under my command," Xiao Yunjing declared boldly.

"I eagerly await to see it," Gu Qingli said with a smile. She believed her man was capable of this. This fellow must be a master strategist in warfare, able to plan victories from a thousand miles away. Lately, he had been receiving and sending messages with an air of calm composure.

It took them an hour to walk to the exit.

"Tired?" Xiao Yunjing asked. In the tunnel, he had offered to carry her, but she had refused, insisting that since it was her first visit, she had to walk.

Gu Qingli nodded. She was indeed a bit tired, and her ankles ached.

Xiao Yunjing swiftly scooped her up, giving her an exasperated look. She might be small, but her stubbornness is considerable, and I’m helpless against it.

He carried her directly into a large stone chamber where several people were cleaning. Seeing them enter, they stopped their work and said in unison, "Master, Madam."

Xiao Yunjing set Gu Qingli down and waved them away; they departed hastily.

"Li’er, we’ll store things here. This will be the warehouse. If you come here alone in the future, just come directly. No one will dare to stop you, and no one will dare to disrespect you."

"Alright, I understand."

This cave spanned seven to eight hundred square meters, ample space for their purchased items. While Gu Qingli was placing things, she also took out some suitable furniture they had moved from Dean Lin’s house.

Xiao Yunjing watched as she moved items out with a mere wave of her hand. Witnessing this astounding feat firsthand still moved him deeply.

The allure of such a treasure is immense. Anyone who saw it would covet it. If this treasure didn’t belong to Li’er, I couldn’t guarantee I wouldn’t be tempted myself. Especially during wartime, managing provisions and fodder is a troublesome and laborious task. With this Space, supplies can be stored with absolute security, and anyone scheming to target them would be wasting their efforts. Even if they racked their brains, our enemies would never imagine such a secure place exists. Xiao Yunjing sighed inwardly. These are all my people here, so I don’t have to worry about anyone getting any crooked ideas. But I must be cautious when using it out in the world. Prudence ensures safe passage.

After Gu Qingli finished moving everything, she and Xiao Yunjing went to another stone chamber, which appeared to be Xiao Yunjing’s office. It had a door and was locked.

He opened the door, and they both entered.

Indeed, it was Xiao Yunjing’s office. Inside, there was a desk and chair, and several new bookshelves that still exuded the fresh fragrance of wood.

"Li’er, come, sit here and wait for me. I’ll go make some arrangements, and then I’ll be back," Xiao Yunjing said, leading her to the chair.

"You go ahead; I’ll wait here."

Actually, she wanted to take a look around too, but she had been too stubborn, insisting on walking herself until her feet ached.

After Xiao Yunjing left, she idly picked up a thin booklet from the table. It was a roster, listing all the people who had arrived that day. She skimmed through it; there were more than five thousand people listed. Gu Qingli clicked her tongue in amazement. So many people, and they all managed to enter Qinghe County without being detected! Xiao Yunjing is truly capable!

A little under an hour later, Xiao Yunjing returned, pushing the door open. "Li’er, let’s go back."

"Okay." Gu Qingli put the booklet down and walked out of the stone chamber. Xiao Yunjing locked the door and then squatted down.

Gu Qingli obediently climbed onto his back, her arms around his neck.

When they returned to their quarters, everyone else was asleep. They moved quietly, not disturbing anyone, went back to their room, closed the door, and entered the Space to wash up and eat before coming out to sleep.

Not long after they lay down, Gu Qingli’s even breathing could be heard.

A small smile touched Xiao Yunjing’s lips as he held her close and closed his eyes. However, a flicker of fear, the reasons for which only he understood, was hidden deep within his gaze. Gu Qingli’s words from last night had indeed cast a shadow over his heart, leaving him perpetually uneasy. He only wanted to spend this lifetime with her, never imagining any accidents could occur. But who could truly predict the affairs of the world? He used to dismiss talk of strange powers and supernatural chaos, but his rebirth and Li’er’s arrival had forced him to believe. He had to do something.

「The next day.」

Both of them rose early. Xiao Yunjing went to practice his skills for two hours, then returned. After breakfast, he took Gu Qingli up the mountain.

Once up the mountain, they found twenty people already sitting in rows at the edge of a field. Just as they were about to salute, Xiao Yunjing stopped them.

"Li’er, the men are here. Just tell them what to do."

"Alright." Gu Qingli glanced at the twenty men; they were all young and carried tools. They must be from the group that arrived yesterday.

She walked over to them, stood before them, cleared her throat, and said, "First, go up the mountain and cut down trees and bamboo. For the trees, cut..."

Gu Qingli explained her requirements, then led them to the field, showing them how to drive in wooden stakes and then how to lay bamboo slats. It was similar to building a shed. Since there was no plastic sheeting available, she planned to make it more like a house, but a sealed one. The kind where you could build a fire inside during winter. In summer, there would be no need to dismantle it; they could just open the doors on both sides and remove the thatch from the roof.

As soon as she finished explaining, all twenty men understood. They then headed up the mountain, some to cut trees and others to cut bamboo, according to their tasks.

Meanwhile, Xiao Yunjing and Gu Qingli started by digging up that one mu of sweet potatoes.

When the sweet potatoes were unearthed, Xiao Yunjing was overjoyed at the yield. "Li’er," he exclaimed, "if we plant these sweet potatoes in large quantities in the future, imagine how many people’s food problems it could solve!"

"Yes, that’s why I brought them out. Back where I’m from, we only ate a few when we were young; the rest were used to feed pigs."

"What a reckless waste of nature’s gifts, to use such good food to feed pigs!" Xiao Yunjing sighed at the pity of it.

"Heh," Gu Qingli chuckled, continuing to dig as she whispered to him, "you’ve never seen the standard of living where I’m from." Xiao Yunjing listened, stunned, his eyes filled with yearning.

Forget eating meat every day or having white rice at every meal; it was already a blessing if the common people of Daqian could simply eat their fill. Qinghe County was in the southwest of the Daqian Kingdom, and its environment wasn’t even considered particularly harsh. Yet, every severe winter, people still starved or froze to death. Let alone the bitter, cold lands of the north. Whenever the Daqian Kingdom had criminals to exile, they were usually sent there. Those who managed to survive the journey would live there for generations, their descendants condemned to the same fate. Every year, countless people froze or starved to death; one could say the fields were littered with the bodies of the famished. If these sweet potatoes could be grown there, how many lives could be saved! Perhaps I should consider conquering that commandery first. We could have them start planting next year; there would be enough time. Although the north is a bitter, cold land, its territory is vast, easy to defend and hard to attack. It could serve as our main base for a future advance on Daqian.