Chapter 4 Xuanbao Confronts Someone

Lei Popo excitedly said, "These persimmons look great. Since it's still early before they ripen, taking them to the city might fetch a good price. Leave a basket for Xuanbao and the kids to eat, sell the rest. Fourth brother, sixth brother, remember to buy some treats for Xuanbao with the silver."

This was all thanks to the blessings Xuanbao had brought.

"Sure!" the two brothers responded in unison.

Ruo Chuan had already figured out how to sell the persimmons for a good price. "These persimmons are well-grown, bright red, and large. They're fresh for now, and butlers from wealthy households will surely buy them once they see them. Fourth brother, I'll take four baskets to the city, and you take two to the town. Price them as you see fit, but don't go below fifteen coins per catty. If not, I'll sell them myself tomorrow. You can even sell them individually, ten coins each, not less than five coins apiece."

When it came to business, no one in the family could match Ruo Chuan.

The six Ruo brothers either loved literature or were dedicated to martial arts. The sixth, Ruo Chuan, was an exception—he loved to earn silver.

At the age of five, Ruo Chuan already knew how to weave baskets and sell them in the fields during the busy farming season. After selling baskets, he'd sell steamed buns, wild fruit, and water.

Everyone thought he was just messing about where no one would buy, but he ended up selling everything.

That busy farming season, at just five years old, he had earned twelve coins in silver.

Over the years, he traveled extensively with the Escort Agency but spent all his earnings on hiring renowned doctors from all over to treat his family's illnesses.

The wandering monk treating Xuanbao had also been brought by Ruo Chuan.

Ruo Shui nodded in agreement. "Sure!"

The brothers quickly decided and loaded the persimmons onto the cart and covered them tightly with thick straw.

Ruo Shui moved the remaining three baskets to the west wing, planning to sell them tomorrow.

Lei Popo wrapped some wild vegetable and mixed grain pancakes in cleaned, dried lotus leaves and handed them to Liu and Ruo Chuan. "Take these for the road."

"Thank you, Mom." The two took them.

Ruo Xuan, using her small arms and short legs, struggled to climb onto the cart.

This was certainly not easy for a grass that had just become human.

Finally on board, Ruo Xuan settled herself and declared, "Let's go."

Lei Popo couldn't help but laugh and cry. Once Xuanbao learned to speak, she was truly too adorable!

"Xuanbao dear, wait until next time grandma goes to the city, then I'll take you, okay?" As she spoke, she reached out to pick her up.

Lei Popo wasn't comfortable with Ruo Xuan going to the city.

Now that Xuanbao could walk, and with both parents going to the city to sell things, what if they got busy and didn't notice her wandering off and getting lost?

The kidnappers these days were really fierce.

Ruo Xuan refused Lei Popo's outstretched hand, puzzled as to why she must wait: "No, why do I have to wait? I don't want to wait. I've never been out of the town and want to see the city."

She had heard from a fox spirit sister who came to collect water from the Ruoshui Riverbank that the human world was beautiful, bustling, and flourishing with lots of delicious food and fun places.

As a flower, she could not move or walk before transforming her spirit. For hundreds of years, she had remained on the desolate, uninhabited Ruoshui Riverbank, a frozen landscape void of life.

Although the Ruoshui Riverbank was also beautiful, especially at sunrise and sunset, she longed to see the bustling world the fox spirit sister had described.

Her words nearly broke the resilience of the four adults!

Lei Popo looked into her granddaughter's bright, clear eyes, shimmering with grievance. How could she resist?

If she wanted to pluck stars from the sky, Lei Popo would willingly take her to do so.

With a sweeping gesture, she declared, "Go, if Xuanbao wants to see the city, then let's go!"

Previously, Xuanbao was different from other children; stepping outside meant being subjected to ridicule or pity. People even suggested abandoning her in front of her, with remarks about how useless it was to raise her and how she'd burden the family if she couldn't marry. Therefore, they rarely took her out.

Ruo Shui immediately agreed, "Let's go, wherever Xuanbao wants to go in the future, dad will take you."

Liu, with teary eyes, nodded, "Yes, wherever you want to go, mom will take you."

Ruo Chuan added, "Xuanbao, if your parents don't take you, Uncle Six will!"

Ruo Xuan laughed, "Grandma, dad, mom, little uncle, you're all so nice!"

Ruo Xuan thought to herself: It's so good to be human! Previously, as the only flower in her realm, apart from the occasional visit from Upper Gods or spiritually transformed animals coming to collect Ruo Water, loneliness was her constant companion.

Now, she had many family members and was no longer alone.

At this moment, she was unaware that the things adults often promise children are more for pacification, spoken with genuine intent at the moment but difficult to fulfill.

*

Two carts moved in separate directions.

The Ruo Family were outsiders, residing at the tail end of the village.

Taking the mountain road from the tail end of the village was the faster route to reach the prefecture city.

Going to the county city, however, was faster via the official road at the head of the village.

Heading towards the village head meant crossing half the village where Ruo Shui pushed the cart while Madam Liu and Ruo Xuan sat on it, moving towards the official road at the head of the village.

At that moment, dawn had just broken, the sun had not yet risen, and the village was quiet, only a few crowing of the roosters, barking of the dogs, and a few wisps of cooking smoke could be heard.

Ruo Xuan sniffed the air—is this the scent of the human world?

Delightful!

Ruo Xuan nibbled slowly on a wild vegetable pancake, curiously surveying the small farmyards around her, and realized that her family's house was the largest and most appealing in the village.

The blue bricks, stone pillars, pot ears, and the mottled patterns of flora and fauna all testified to the past wealth and prominence of the Ruo Family.

She looked up at the heads of Madam Liu and Ruo Shui and noticed a flash of dark aura; her little face pensive: Father, Mother, and my uncles—they all had the appearance of wealth and fortune; even Grandma should be enjoying life with such a blessed countenance.

Why would such a blessed family be plagued by misfortune?

Without her cultivation base, she could no longer see clearly.

The sun was about to rise; she should practice her cultivation.

Fortunately, as a spiritually awakened flower, she understood the "photosynthesis" mode of cultivation, which allowed her to sunbathe, eat, observe, and cultivate simultaneously.

Just as Ruo Shui pushed the cart onto the official road, they encountered Old Lady Tan from the village and her son Zhen Hu.

On seeing Ruo Shui pushing the cart, Old Lady Tan immediately stopped them, "Ruo Shui, are you going to the city to sell stuff? What are you selling?"

She first glanced at Ruo Xuan in Madam Liu's arms and then disdainfully shifted her gaze to the four baskets.

Her eyes seemed to wish they could penetrate the straw covering them to see what was inside.

The Ruo Family was so poor, could they still have things to sell?

As Madam Liu and Ruo Xuan were munching on wild herb pancakes, they only nodded in response, "Hmm."

"That's quite a coincidence, my son Hu is going to the city for his studies, in a rush. Ruo Shui, stop for a moment, let us hitch a ride, I really can't walk anymore. Ah, Ruo Shui's wife, are you eating wild vegetable pancakes? They smell quite good; my son Hu hasn't eaten yet!"

Zhen Hu said cheekily, "Aunt, I'm hungry, give me a wild vegetable pancake!"

"There are no more pancakes left. Aunt, if you can't walk, just take an ox cart, or let Zhen Hu carry you. Zhen Hu, you are fourteen and in the prime of your youth; Ruo Shui is old, the cart is overloaded, and there is no space left," Madam Liu refused directly as she disliked the mother and son.

What a joke? A fourteen-year-old still riding in a human-pulled cart? This is a human-powered cart, not an ox or horse cart.

Even though her husband was strong, the journey into the city was long!

Pulling two baskets full of persimmons and also them, how tired would he be?

If she didn't need to hold Xuanbao, worried she might fall, she wouldn't ride the cart either, making her husband tired.

Besides, Old Lady Tan was always a gossipy and greedy person, and Zhen Hu was known for sneaking around. If they saw the ripe persimmons in the baskets, who knew what they would do?

Madam Liu naturally would not agree!

Ruo Shui was of the same mind, opting for less hassle by bypassing Old Lady Tan and her son and continuing forward.

Old Lady Tan, pulling her son along, caught up, "Taking an ox cart costs four copper coins! You could just squeeze us in! My son and I aren't fat, it wouldn't bother Ruo Shui at all. Besides, my son Hu is a scholar, how could he have the strength to carry me? Riding in your cart, he could keep Xuanbao company! Xuanbao is so old yet can't speak, right? It would be good to let Hu teach Xuanbao to speak. My son Hu is very lucky, let Xuanbao share some luck!"

Zhen Hu is the only son in three generations of the Zhen Family. She had five daughters before she had him, treasuring him immensely! How could Old Lady Tan bear to let Hu carry her?

Zhen Hu looked at the dazed Ruo Xuan nibbling on her pancake disdainfully, "Xuanbao is just a fool; how could she be taught? Even if I were the reincarnation of Lord Literary Star, I couldn't teach a fool to speak! Aunt, isn't there still a pancake in Xuanbao's hands? It's so big; she can't finish it, just tear half for me. I'm so hungry, and she, a burden, eats so much—it's a waste of food! Better give it to me; if I become a top scholar one day, I will buy you pastries to eat, Aunt! I'll honor you, let you enjoy my fortune!"

Ruo Xuan, munching on her wild herb pancake and cultivating, heard Zhen Hu call her stupid and try to steal her pancake and was displeased.

That was too much!

She was the only spiritually awake Xuan grass by the Ruoshui Riverbank!

Even Lord Literary Star who came to Ruoshui Riverbank for Ruoshui ink was amazed and praised her intelligence.

"I'm not stupid; I can speak and don't need your teaching," Ruo Xuan looked at his face and stated truthfully, "You won't become a top scholar, not even a scholar. In the future, you will just be a disobedient, contemptuous, family-ruining son."

Ruo Xuan kindly warned Old Lady Tan, "Old lady, be careful your son might anger you to death! A doting mother often ruins her children—there's no hope left! Remember to do more good deeds in the future; who knows, it might extend your life."