Starting a Family

Starting a Family

Ming Shu naturally knew what Zhao Siqi was talking about, but the two of them were still too young. They could talk about that matter a few years later. There was no hurry.

Just as Ming Shu was at a loss for how to answer her, her personal maid, Lü E, finally returned. She was carrying several freshly prepared dishes.

Only when Zhao Siqi saw the few dishes placed on the table did she truly understand what Ming Shu and his father, Zhao Wuxu, meant by being "penniless and empty-handed."

Although she had once been a marginal concubine-born daughter within the Zhao Clan, her food, clothing, and daily necessities had still met the most ordinary standard in the household—a standard that at least meant she never had to worry about going hungry or being cold.

She had been mentally prepared, so she had no complaints. No wonder Zhao Wuxu had repeatedly prepared her for this before she came, while her mother had also been subtly enlightening her all along.

Now, she understood even more clearly what position she stood in. From here on, she had to put away her old worldview and start over as a new person.

Night fell. Zhao Siqi had changed into another set of simple clothes, and Lü E had done the same. She was no longer dressed in a maid's uniform.

They looked just like a pair of sisters from an ordinary household.

Zhao Siqi was calm and composed inside, while Lü E's heart was filled with unwillingness on behalf of her young mistress.

For the sake of the little boy in front of them, she had actually traveled thousands of li and abandoned her former life? Why should she?

The gathering outside could not even be called a banquet; it could only be called a meal. At last, they had nearly finished preparing it.

In an environment where everything was lacking, the three Old Zhaos, who were all quite experienced in living, had managed to put together enough dinner for dozens of people.

Ming Shu took Zhao Siqi by the hand, and the two appeared before everyone once more. Under everyone's witness, they did not merely officially become husband and wife; by supporting each other, they also became the backbone of everyone here.

The heads of the household, too.

In an era like this, most people admired the strong. They always felt that if the sky collapsed, some great figure would be watching over them.

And in everyone's understanding, the emperor was a great figure, the civil and military officials were great figures, and the heads of the various families were also great figures.

To those farming families who had just been rescued, Ming Shu was already a great figure.

Ming Shu introduced them first. "This is my wife, Zhao Siqi. From now on, you can consult her about all household affairs."

"This is Old Zhao, Zhao Youfu, our head steward."

After speaking, Ming Shu turned to look at the girl beside him. He had no other capable people at hand for the time being. Little Zhao was about the same as him and still needed time to grow.

Zhao Siqi waved, and two middle-aged Martial Artists stepped forward. "Zhao Dun and Zhao Chuan are both my uncles. Their martial skills are fairly good. You can arrange their duties."

She briefly introduced them one by one.

Before coming, Zhao Siqi had already explained their specific circumstances to Ming Shu, and the two of them had also discussed their assignments.

Zhao Dun had trained in the army for many years. He could serve as the head of the guards, organize the defenses, and oversee the daily drills.

Zhao Chuan, meanwhile, had spent many years infiltrating and investigating various places. He had far more experience in intelligence gathering and covert operations, so he could be used elsewhere.

That made three Old Zhaos. Only Zhao Youfu was clearly older, making him the First Old Zhao.

Anyone who did not know better might think this was Zhao Family Village rather than Zhang Family Village.

The soldiers were in danger and the fighting was fierce. The pirates who had just been driven away might return at any time. So tomorrow, Chong Li, Little Zhao, and Zhao Chuan would head to the northern valley first to contact the people there.

In particular, they would test whether the Butcher and the Hunter could be drawn in as allies. They would not discuss incorporating them just yet, but only see whether the two sides had a basis for cooperation. If necessary, they could coordinate and attack the pirates landing to assault Baishi Village from both sides.

They would not have an answer until Chong Li and the others arrived.

The personnel and division of labor were arranged during dinner, in front of everyone.

Tomorrow, Zhao Dun would select some people to lay traps around the area and prepare the defenses. Old Zhao would continue repairing the interior of the village compound.

As for the food shortage, a new investment was about to arrive. Qingtian Gate had made its second move: a batch of grain would be stored here, and one-third of it could be used as payment to supply Baishi Village's consumption.

Although they had not said exactly how many years it was to be stored, if they had enough time, they could simply use it first and then buy new grain to put back later.

Once it arrived in a few days, Ming Shu would decide how it was stored and used.

Their representative, Ren Yuan, could not fully represent them, either.

That was the loophole they had deliberately left behind. One side thought it had left one of its own people to watch over things, but Ren Yuan had not actually been assigned to guard the grain stores.

He certainly would not truly go watch over the grain.

The arrangements made by those great figures were truly subtle.

Things were fairly good on the Butcher's side. They only needed some wine and grain, and they could even supply some game meat.

The two sides made a friendly exchange and agreed on signals for coordinating in battle.

Given that they did not completely trust each other yet, this outcome was already quite good.

Ming Shu continued cultivating. Zhao Siqi took actual responsibility for managing and coordinating household affairs. Although everyone was new to this, Zhao Siqi had clearly dealt with all kinds of practical matters in a great family before, and she handled them far better than Ming Shu.

Lü E also adapted quickly to the new environment.

Little Zhao and the others recruited more than a dozen households from the nearby villages, totaling dozens of people, young and old. This was still because some of the people they had rescued earlier had relatives among them.

Many of them had once been tenant farmers under Bai Family Village. Over the past ten years, quite a few had been forced to leave this region, while these people had too many ties binding them to this land.

Some had relatives in several nearby villages. Some wanted to leave, while others did not. In the end, they had dragged things out and all remained here.

Those with good luck still had a chance of surviving when they encountered pirates. Others had not even met the pirates before falling ill and dying.

So, was there anything in this world more frightening than pirates? There was: disease, hunger, bullying, and betrayal from behind. They had already suffered ten years of torment here.

Having lost the protection of their family, they were like withered leaves adrift in the wind. Ming Shu understood that feeling especially well; he himself had endured three or four years of torment before.

That was why he was seizing every opportunity now and cultivating desperately to improve himself.

It was all so he could perform more outstandingly and obtain the cultivation method for the next stage from the Sky-Toppling Observatory.

He had no experience either and did not know whether suddenly breaking through to the second stage of the Spellcaster—the Spirit Awakening Realm—was too fast.

Would they capture him and cut him open for research?

That was why he had not told Chong Li for the time being. Core secrets could not be revealed to anyone.

He had also tried treating the Life Book as though it possessed a book spirit, attempting to converse with it through words and writing. Unfortunately, he had received no response.

Was it that there was no book spirit at all, or was his level too low to activate the relevant functions?

With the arrangements of the Sky-Toppling Observatory and the Zhao Clan, he could be considered to have started a family. Next came building a career!!