Bountiful Rewards

"Ah, how could she leave just like that without even having a meal? This old man had wanted to speak with Zhiwei a little longer."

Beside a table at the Wang Family banquet, an elegant old man shook his head and sighed softly.

He was the father of the other girl with a Three-Element Spiritual Root, as well as the county magistrate of this county, Sun Xiuyuan.

The plump middle-aged man beside him laughed heartily at this.

"Lord Sun, you will have to get used to it. Once children enter an immortal sect, immortals and mortals are worlds apart.

"Look at mine. She was back for less than half an hour before she left again. As her own father, I only exchanged two sentences with her in total."

This man was Ma Ping, the Wang Family's live-in son-in-law and the biological father of the Wang Family's newly advanced Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Smiling, he raised his cup toward Jiang Fu'an and Sun Xiuyuan, whom he had specially invited to the table.

"You two, it seems we can be considered birds of a feather in the same boat.

"Come, for this shared fate, let us drain this cup!"

Jiang Fu'an did not dare slight them. He hurriedly lifted his wine cup with both hands.

Sun Xiuyuan and Ma Ping were no ordinary men. One was his local magistrate, while the other was a Qi Refining cultivator.

If their daughters had not all become disciples of the Melodious Sound Sect, he likely would never have had the chance to share a table and drink with these two.

Fortunately, with their daughters as a common topic, the atmosphere at the table gradually warmed.

The three raised their cups again and again, and their conversation grew ever more congenial.

Yue'er and Stone, meanwhile, did not care what the adults were discussing. Their chopsticks kept darting into the dishes, piling food into their bowls.

Only through their conversation did Jiang Fu'an gradually learn that this Spiritual Root test had been a spur-of-the-moment decision.

Ma Ping's daughter had happened to be carrying out a sect mission nearby. Since she was passing through to visit home, she had simply tested the Spiritual Roots of the children of suitable age in her clan and in the homes of their distinguished guests.

As for the female cultivator whose features resembled Seedling's, she really was surnamed Jiang. She was the senior sister among the group of five and was said to already possess Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivation.

As the sun slanted westward, Jiang Fu'an finally returned home beneath the twilight, carrying the faint scent of wine on him, Yue'er's hand in one hand and Stone's in the other.

Su Wanqing had been gathering the dried clothes in the courtyard. Seeing him return, she came forward to take the children and dusted the dirt from his shoulders.

When she heard that Seedling had been found to possess a Spiritual Root and had already left with the immortal sect,

Su Wanqing's reaction had seemed ordinary at the time, but that night, she was unlike her usual gentle self—exceptionally clingy.

Only after Jiang Fu'an gave her everything he had did she finally fall into a deep sleep.

Jiang Fu'an knew that she wanted to bear a child with a Spiritual Root as well.

Three days later, beneath the old banyan tree in Xu Family Village.

"Gong—!"

The long, ringing clang of a bronze gong shattered the village's peace.

Villagers pushed open their wooden doors one after another and gathered toward the village entrance in twos and threes.

They saw ten constables in matching indigo official uniforms, sabers hanging at their waists, surrounding a neatly robed middle-aged man as they walked toward the village.

The man had refined features. He was none other than the county magistrate, Sun Xiuyuan.

Sun Xiuyuan looked toward a village woman watching the commotion and asked,

"Do you know where Jiang Fu'an lives?"

The village woman was overwhelmed by the honor and hurriedly bowed.

"My lord, this humble woman knows. I will lead the way at once!"

With that, she turned and jogged toward the small blue-brick courtyard at the eastern end of the village, shouting at the top of her lungs as she ran.

"Fu'an—come out quickly! An important lord is looking for you—!"

More and more villagers joined along the way, forming a slowly moving stream of people as buzzing discussions rose around them.

"What happened?"

"Even the constables have come into the village. Could Fu'an have committed some crime?"

"Doesn't look like it. Look, the county magistrate is smiling..."

At that moment, Uncle Xu emerged from the crowd with his hands clasped behind his back, his chin slightly raised and his voice carrying a trace of pride.

"You all still do not know, do you? Seedling, that girl, was found to have a Spiritual Root a few days ago and was accepted as a disciple by an immortal cultivation sect nearby!"

Uncle Xu had always liked the three children of Jiang Fu'an's family, especially Seedling, whom he treated like his own granddaughter.

As he spoke of it now, even the wrinkles on his face smoothed out.

The words were like a stone cast upon the water's surface, and the crowd instantly erupted in an uproar.

When everyone looked again at Jiang Fu'an, who was coming out from the courtyard to greet them, their gazes had all changed—

Envy, jealousy, astonishment, eagerness...

"Lord Sun, you have traveled a long way and must be weary. Please, come inside and sit."

Jiang Fu'an cupped his hands in greeting, his tone calm and composed.

Sun Xiuyuan's arrival did not surprise him.

When they had parted in the Wang Family courtyard three days ago, the two had already arranged for him to visit today.

The court had always bestowed rewards upon families that sent their children into immortal sects.

After entering the small courtyard, Sun Xiuyuan did not exchange much small talk. He stopped in the center of the main hall and said solemnly,

"Jiang Fu'an, today I have come on behalf of His Majesty to thank you for raising a talented cultivator for our Song Kingdom.

"For this, His Majesty specially bestows one thousand taels of silver, ten bolts of Cloud Brocade, two luminous pearls, and one piece of Hotan Jade."

Jiang Fu'an bowed deeply.

"This commoner thanks His Majesty for his generous grace."

Since these rewards were distributed according to established precedent rather than through an imperial edict personally issued by the emperor, he did not need to kneel to receive them.

Two constables then carried in a heavy wooden chest. When it was opened, silver gleamed and brocade shone.

The villagers watching outside the door stood on tiptoe to peer inside, letting out hushed gasps of amazement.

Once the official business was finished, Sun Xiuyuan's expression relaxed, and a smile appeared at the corner of his lips.

"Brother Fu'an, though your courtyard is tidy, it is still somewhat small.

"Next year, you might as well build two more rooms. When your daughter returns in the future, she will have a place of her own to rest.

"You may also acquire more farmland. Families with children in immortal sects may enjoy tax exemptions on one thousand mu of land."

Jiang Fu'an's heart stirred.

This was an unexpected delight.

With this, the pressure of acquiring the thousand mu of fertile land needed to upgrade the Ancestral Home would immediately lessen greatly.

He promptly agreed with a smile.

"My lord is right. I had the same thought myself. If you do not mind, would you stay for a simple meal at noon?

"I will also need to seek your guidance on matters such as building houses and buying land."

Sun Xiuyuan stroked his beard and smiled.

"Haha, even if you had not invited me, this old man intended to impose upon you for a meal today.

"I also have a matter on which I wish to seek Brother Fu'an's advice."

Jiang Fu'an hurriedly invited Sun Xiuyuan into the main hall and seated him in the place of honor, then brewed a pot of clear tea.

He also instructed Uncle Xu to help settle the ten constables before returning indoors and asking,

"I wonder what instructions my lord has? Please speak freely."

"Ah..."

Sun Xiuyuan let out a deep sigh.

"Ever since Zhiwei left home these past few days, I have lost all appetite and sleep. I keep feeling that she is still wandering around the house, and I cannot even summon the spirit to attend to official affairs.

"That day, I saw that the wooden carving you gave your daughter was remarkably lifelike. I wished to come learn from you and carve one after Zhiwei's likeness as well."

As early as their previous banquet, Jiang Fu'an had noticed that this county magistrate was utterly devoted to his daughter and missed her terribly.

Naturally, he did not refuse. He immediately selected a piece of fine-grained wood from the firewood pile in the corner of the courtyard, fetched his carving knife, and carefully explained as he carved.

Jiang Fu'an had taught himself this craft of carving.

When he had first come to this world, without a phone or computer, the long days had been unbearably dull. He had pondered finding something to fill his idle time.

Carving cost little. A piece of wood and a knife could pass half a day, and little by little, he had actually developed some skill.