Refugee Father and Son

The next day.

The Golden Crow rose in the east as usual.

The mechanisms had all been dismantled as well, lest someone accidentally trigger them.

In the courtyard.

Xu Chuan and Xu Mingwei practiced the Lesser Dragon Elephant Technique together.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The sound of their sparring rang out continuously, waking Bai Jing.

She draped on some clothes and walked out, yawning as she said, "Husband, Shitou, when did you get up?"

Xu Chuan chuckled. "It's still early. Wife, you can go back to sleep for a while."

"I'm not the lazy sort. Since Husband and you are both up, naturally I should be too. Are there any clean clothes? I'll wash up first."

"Yes, they're in the usual place."

Bai Jing nodded, went back to get dressed, then carried a wooden basin to the nearby Square Pond.

"Father, will Mother find out?" Xu Mingwei looked at Xu Chuan with some concern.

Xu Chuan smiled. "Though we handled it simply, it isn't foolproof. But it doesn't matter if she finds out. Your mother understands the bigger picture, and besides, isn't your father here?"

"Mhm." Xu Mingwei answered, then shouted, "Father, watch out! Take this—Fire Dragon Wags its Tail!"

He sank into a left-legged bow stance. As he inhaled, he raised his right knee; as he exhaled, his lower leg swept out like a whip of flame.

This was—

A tail sweep bore a thousand jun, burning away evil and filth; feet stepped upon the Li position, tempering true fire.

The two sparred for two or three quarters of an hour. Their bodies were drenched in sweat, yet neither showed the slightest fatigue.

One possessed [Innate Divine Strength], excelling in sinews, bones, and physical power.

The other possessed [Dragon's Vigor, Tiger's Might], excelling in abundant, enduring vital energy and blood.

"Pfft—"

A strange phenomenon suddenly burst from Xu Mingwei's body. The next moment, he said delightedly, "Father, I've opened another Acupoint."

"Youth really is wonderful." Xu Chuan stopped. "Practice it a few more times, then rest as well."

"Mhm."

Xu Mingwei was young and full of vitality. In less than two years, he would be able to overtake those who had gone before him.

But Xu Chuan possessed not only [Dragon's Vigor, Tiger's Might], but also [Heaven Rewards Diligence].

Thick accumulation gave rise to a sudden burst.

The further others progressed, the slower they became. They had to rely on medicinal herbs that boosted vital energy and blood to open their Acupoints.

Yet even without the aid of medicinal herbs that boosted vital energy and blood, Xu Chuan's pace would not slow. Instead, it would grow faster.

Days passed one by one.

Recently, more and more refugees had begun to appear.

Some flooded into Qingjiang County Town, while others simply remained in Dongxi Village, begging for a meal.

Chen Ergou's Home rented thirty mu of farmland, adding it to the previous twenty mu to grow the fruits and vegetables Xu Chuan had specified.

All the Green Jade Fruit trees in the thirty mu of woodland had also been removed and replaced with other fruit trees.

There was no shortage of work, so they had hired more than a dozen refugees as temporary laborers.

"Mother, there are refugees at the gate." Xu Mingyuan's voice rang out.

Behind him, Xu Mingxuan poked out half his head, looking timidly at the ragged man outside.

The man was tugging along a skeletal little boy of three or four, whose eyes were dull and vacant.

Bai Jing came out, swept her gaze over them, and said to Xu Mingyuan, "A Yuan, go bring them some water and dry rations."

"Yes, Mother."

"Many thanks, Female Bodhisattva!"

The man dropped to his knees and kowtowed repeatedly, his forehead striking the ground with loud thuds. He even pulled the little boy beside him down with him.

"No, no, get up quickly. The child is right here. You'll frighten him like this."

"Yes, yes, yes."

The man agreed again and again, no longer kowtowing.

Before long, Xu Mingyuan came out carrying food and dry rations.

After accepting them, the man began wolfing them down, not forgetting to have the little boy eat as well.

Xu Mingxuan suddenly thought of something and ran back inside, returning with some finely made pastries.

They were sweet, soft, and glutinous little snacks Xu Chuan had made for him in his spare time.

"This is for you. Father made it for me. It's really delicious."

Xu Mingxuan handed the pastry to the little boy.

The little boy accepted it blankly. He glanced at the filthy man, and only began eating after seeing him nod.

After one bite, light immediately appeared in his clouded eyes.

Xu Chuan had taught him to learn how to share. Xu Mingxuan had never felt much about it before, but after doing so this time, his heart felt especially happy.

Bai Jing fondly stroked Xu Mingxuan's head.

Under Xu Chuan's guidance, every one of the children was exceptionally outstanding. Who knew how many Common Folk of Dongxi Village they made burn with envy.

After seeing the man finish a large flatbread, Bai Jing asked, "Did you come here fleeing disaster too?"

"Yes. We came from Xishan County. A flood seen only once in a century struck there. Many people were swept away, their homes destroyed, their farmland submerged.

We had nowhere to go and could only leave our homeland behind, heading south."

"How pitiful. Then what do you plan to do from now on?"

"Nothing." The man sighed. "On the road here, my Eldest Daughter starved to death. His mother saved her dry rations for us, and she starved to death too."

As though recalling something, he hurriedly knelt and began kowtowing again, pleading, "I beg the Female Bodhisattva to show mercy and take in my son and me. We are willing to serve as slaves and servants, asking only for a mouthful of food."

"Even if that isn't possible, please at least pity this child."

"He doesn't eat much grain."

Xu Mingxuan tugged at Bai Jing's clothes and said sympathetically, "Mother, they're so pitiful."

Xu Mingyuan watched quietly without speaking.

Whether they took them in or not was not for them to decide. If Father did not speak, Mother could not make the decision either.

Moreover, there were said to be hundreds of thousands of refugees this time. How could they possibly help them all?

Bai Jing was somewhat troubled. After hesitating for a long while, she said, "Then stay by the gate for now. I'm only a woman and cannot make the decision. We must wait for my Husband to return and let him decide."

"Yes, yes, yes, we are willing to wait. Even if it does not work out, that is all right."

At noon.

When Xu Chuan and Xu Mingwei returned home, they saw the refugee father and son at the gate. Xu Chuan asked in surprise, "You are?"

Bai Jing walked over and briefly explained the situation to Xu Chuan.

Xu Chuan considered it for a while. "We'll discuss this tomorrow. But you father and son may settle down on the vacant ground beside my home for now. This afternoon, I'll have My son bring you a simple tent."

"We'll give you some food as well."

"Even if we do not keep you, we will still give you some dry rations and water for the road."

"Thank you, Master. Thank you, Master."

At the Xu Family's current scale, it truly ought to begin expanding gradually. Recruiting Household Guards and Guards was naturally necessary as well.

But he would not accept just anyone.

The next day.

After waking up, Xu Chuan began using the Destiny Talent [Daily Divination].

[Today's divination: Auspicious]

[You took in Li Father and Son. They were once a Prominent Family of Xishan County. Both possess Martial Arts Talent. Li Father's talent is ordinary, but his son's talent is quite good and has hope of reaching Xiantian.]

"A Prominent Family?"

"That skeletal little boy actually has the potential for Xiantian?"

"No wonder it is auspicious. As long as I take them in, they will be of no small help to the Xu Family's future."

"But if they were a Prominent Family, how did they end up in such a state? Most refugees are ordinary Common Folk—unless it was a vendetta killing."

Xu Chuan lay in bed, pondering for a long while.

Xishan County was thousands of li from here. To have survived all the way here, they probably carried some measure of fortune with them.

"Since it is auspicious, there probably will not be any trouble behind it."

"To have influence spanning several prefectures... perhaps only some of the great families in the Prefecture City could manage that."