The Obsession with Farming

Lin Xuan set down his bowl and chopsticks, looked at his mother busy in the kitchen, and spoke softly:

"Mother, the house has half a year's worth of grain stored, and we have over a dozen taels of silver; we lack for nothing in food or clothing. Let's stop farming those few mu of land from now on."

Chen Fang paused, her hand wiping the stove, and turned around with a frown: "The land is perfectly fine, how can you just say we'll stop farming it?"

"I haven't finished yet. I mean we should let other farmers manage it, and we can just collect a share of the harvest."

"Farming is exhausting work. These past few years have been plagued by disasters, and we barely harvest a few grains; it's all wasted effort."

Lin Xuan's tone was calm.

"You should just rest at home, pick some wild vegetables, and focus on preparing meals for me and Lin An. You don't need to worry about anything else."

"Nonsense!" Chen Fang replied stubbornly: "The land is our root; abandoning it is a sin! The crops are already growing green, how can we let others take over now?"

Lin Xuan sighed helplessly: "Even if we harvest this field, there's no guarantee how much will actually make it into our home. We aren't short on rations, there's no need for you to suffer like this."

Chen Fang touched her right leg, which had long since stopped swelling. Her tone softened, but she remained insistent: "Mother's leg is healed; it doesn't ache or itch, and I can still work."

"I've farmed for half my life. If I just sit idle, I feel uneasy all over. Seeing the land go to waste makes me feel unsettled."

Seeing his mother's firm attitude, Lin Xuan knew he couldn't persuade her and stopped trying to hold her back.

Fortunately, her leg injury had healed; otherwise, no matter what, Lin Xuan would never have let her tend to the fields again.

"Fine, farm if you want to. But you are not allowed to overexert yourself. If there is heavy work, call me or Lin An. You must not carry it yourself, or you'll end up like last time, unable to get off the bed for days."

A look of relief appeared on Chen Fang's face: "Mother knows, I won't overwork myself. I'll handle the light tasks in the fields, and I'll wait for you to help with the heavy lifting when you're resting."

"Lin An, we need to pick up the pace. We won't do anything else this month; we'll focus on martial arts training and finish all this bear meat."

Lin An nodded.

A month later, Lin Xuan finished the bear meat, drank the bear bone soup, and consumed the bear's organs. Having eaten every last bit of these resources, he ended his grueling training.

Using the rice jar as a reference, his strength was now capable of lifting over four hundred catties, reaching an incredibly exaggerated level that had completely distanced him from ordinary people.

The contribution of [Super Strength] was indispensable; it truly increased strength by a percentage rather than just a one-time boost.

With high-quality goods like the Black Bear Spirit meat, combined with days of bitter training, Lin An's progress was also rapid. She could lift one hundred and twenty catties, already surpassing many able-bodied laborers. She now had the ability to protect herself, and if she practiced her martial techniques further, she would no longer be a weak woman to be slaughtered at will.

Although Chen Fang had eaten some of the bear meat, she refused to eat more after a few bites, leaving the meat for the two children.

The elderly woman had no interest in martial arts, and given her advanced age, her vitality was declining and her bones were set; there was little room for improvement. During this period, Lin Xuan had not only gained strength but had also grown significantly taller.

A Great Jin foot was about thirty centimeters by his past life's standards. He estimated his height to be about six feet, and Lin An had also grown to five feet five inches.

Both of them now stood taller than the vast majority of men and women of this era.

Lin Xuan could now pull a six-strength bow, and he estimated he could fire fifty arrows in succession, though he didn't know the exact limit because he didn't have that many arrows.

A bow cannot be dry-fired, as it damages the limbs, so it was impossible to calculate.

Lin An had also started practicing archery, but her accuracy was average, and she often missed the target, though she could manage to draw the bow fully a dozen times.

Lin Xuan felt he should go buy a stiffer bow; this six-strength bow was like a large horse pulling a small cart for him now.

It was also time to hunt more game to eat.

He stood up, took a small Sleeve Arrow from a box in his room, and strapped it to his arm.

Qin Sheng had already had someone deliver two sets of these a while ago. He had opened them to look at them but hadn't touched them since. Carrying it for self-defense while heading out was a good idea.

"Lin An, Mother, I'm heading to the Garrison." Lin Xuan grabbed his short blade and bow, hung them at his waist, and hurried out.

As Lin Xuan walked, he kept a watchful eye to see if anyone was tailing him. With the bonus of [Sharp Eyes], his counter-surveillance skills were no longer what they used to be.

Soon, he noticed that within a hundred paces behind him, someone seemed to be following him.

He walked for a mile, and the person behind him maintained a constant distance, neither too close nor too far.

Lin Xuan frowned. He wasn't sure if this person was tracking him or just heading to the Garrison as well, so he deliberately stopped by the side of the road, pretending to sit and rest, to see if the person would follow.

If they kept walking, they weren't necessarily tracking him, but if they stood still, it was definitely the situation he suspected.

Sure enough, the other party didn't continue walking but hid in that spot, acting all sneaky.

Lin Xuan continued walking, and after about two miles, he stopped again. The person still didn't follow, so Lin Xuan confirmed that this person was indeed tracking him.

He sneered: "Like a persistent ghost. Since you're so eager to die, I'll grant your wish."

He chose not to act right now, intending to go to the Garrison first to purchase two suitable weapons.

Soon, Lin Xuan arrived at the Garrison and went to the Qin family's residence within the Thousand-Household Office.

"I am Lin Xuan, I'd like to see Young Master Qin Sheng. Is he in today?" Lin Xuan asked the Qin family servant.

Because Lin Xuan had established his reputation at the training grounds and had hunted the bear with Qin Sheng, he was quite well-known. The servant, having heard the name, dared not be negligent.

"The Young Master is out, but the Master is in. If you wish to see him, I will pass the message along."

"Good, thank you for the trouble."

The servant hurried inside to deliver the message. A moment later, Qin Sheng's father, Qin Lie, came out to greet him personally.

Qin Lie was dressed in a worn military robe with a saber hanging at his waist; before he had even stepped out of the courtyard gate, a hearty smile had already spread across his face.

"So it is nephew Lin Xuan who has arrived, please, come in."

Qin Lie raised a hand, inviting Lin Xuan to enter.

"Sheng'er left early this morning and didn't say where he was headed. Whatever business you have, you may speak to Uncle Qin directly."

Lin Xuan stepped forward and offered a solemn salute to Qin Lie: "Uncle Qin, I have come today because I wish to purchase a heavy bow and a suitable weapon. I am unsure where in the Garrison one might procure such things, so I came to seek your guidance."

Upon hearing this, Qin Lie laughed immediately: "That is no difficult task. The Garrison Armory and the Military Craftsman Shop are fully stocked with bows and weapons. How is your strength these days? Tell me of your strength first, so I may help you select a bow that suits you."

Lin Xuan pondered for a moment before answering truthfully: "I have never measured it precisely, but I tested it simply at home and can lift a grain vat of about four hundred catties."

As these words reached his ears, the smile on Qin Lie's face froze abruptly, his eyes widening in sheer shock.