Fenggu Farm

"It wasn't that. It's just that Grandpa said Sister would be married off within two years," Wang Luojing said, puffing out her little cheeks. "She might as well help Brother improve his cultivation a bit more."

"Fourth Brother, I gave them to Brother willingly. You... you mustn't blame him," Wang Luotong explained anxiously.

According to clan rules, anyone who appropriated another person's resources within the clan would face severe punishment. But resources given willingly did not fall within the scope of punishment.

"Alas!"

Wang Shouzhe sighed heavily to himself. It seemed Fourth Grand-Uncle favored sons over daughters somewhat, but that was practically a common phenomenon throughout the Wang Clan these days. When all was said and done, it was caused by one word: poverty.

Wang Shounuo was not like Wang Shouzhe. Though he was a direct-line Young Clan Leader and possessed good talent, he was being raised as part of the first echelon. The resources he normally received were naturally far fewer.

Yet for Profound Warriors, the younger one was, the higher one could climb in cultivation. Otherwise, once age caught up and the body declined, advancing one's cultivation would only grow harder and harder. Fourth Grand-Uncle had likely had no choice but to persuade Wang Ruotong to help Wang Shounuo.

"It's fine. When you get down to it, it's all my fault." Wang Shouzhe sighed. "I alone occupy too many resources, and without realizing it, I've left my older and younger brothers, elder and younger sisters with much smaller shares."

"Fourth Brother is from the direct line, has such high talent, and is the pillar holding up the clan. Of course you should receive more resources." A trace of admiration and hope appeared in Wang Luotong's eyes. "Grandpa said Fourth Brother's talent is only the slightest bit inferior to Ancestor Longyan's. You have a great chance of breaking through into the Spirit Platform Realm in the future. Once Fourth Brother becomes a Spirit Platform Ancestor, life will be much easier for our Wang Clan."

"Exactly, exactly! I also heard that Fourth Brother has already been admitted to Purple Mansion Academy." Wang Luojing widened her eyes excitedly. "If Fifth Uncle hadn't met with trouble this time, and Fourth Brother hadn't needed to step forward as Clan Leader, you'd already be heading to Purple Mansion Academy, wouldn't you? I heard it's full of beautiful big sisters there. If Fourth Brother goes, you'll definitely bring one home to marry."

Purple Mansion Academy!

To the young people of the entire Changning region, it was a dream sanctuary, a dream forever beyond reach.

"Don't talk nonsense. What on earth is going through that little yellow-haired head of yours?" Wang Shouzhe shot her a smiling glare and stuffed several candied fruits into her hands. "I haven't even passed the final assessment yet. For all I know, I might be eliminated."

Amid the laughter and teasing, Wang Shouzhe felt a crushing pressure—the pressure of carrying the hopes of the entire clan on his shoulders.

"In any case, Fourth Brother is the strongest." Wang Luojing clearly held a blind admiration for him.

"A clan's prosperity can't depend on one person alone." Wang Shouzhe looked at Wang Luojing with a smile. "You're a member of the clan too, so you must work hard as well. Your talent seems decent enough. At such a young age, you're already at the high stage of the first level of the Qi Refining Realm. Work hard, and perhaps one day you'll be admitted to Purple Mansion Academy and become as outstanding as Ancestor Longyan."

"Mm-hmm, Jing'er will definitely work hard." Wang Luojing's eyes brimmed with hope. "At the very least, I can't let Younger Sister Luoqiu surpass me again."

Luoqiu?

"Wang Luoqiu from Third Uncle's family?" Wang Shouzhe asked curiously. "Has she already reached the peak of the first level and is about to break through?"

"She's already broken through." Wang Luojing puffed out her little cheeks, sounding unhappy. "She even came to show off to me some time ago."

"Her talent is indeed quite good." Wang Shouzhe was somewhat surprised. "She's only eleven, if I remember correctly?" Her talent did not seem much inferior to Wang Shouzhe's own.

It seemed the Wang Clan's younger generation was no worse than the Liu Clan's or Zhao Clan's. It was only the issue of resources that had stunted everyone's growth. His brows furrowed as he pondered without pause.

Take Liu Yongzhou of the Liu Clan, for instance. At twenty-three or twenty-four, he was around the high stage of the fifth level, which counted as fairly outstanding among the younger generation. If Wang Luotong were given relatively ample cultivation resources, her future achievements might not be any worse than Liu Yongzhou's.

Unfortunately, for one, she was a woman. For another, the clan was simply too poor.

Afterward, Wang Shouzhe casually tested their academic studies, only to discover that both of them had learned rather poorly, especially arithmetic classics, which they had learned in a complete mess.

Wang Shouzhe's face darkened slightly, and he rebuked them directly. "This is far too embarrassing. Your pretty little heads are completely empty. Though the Profound Martial Aristocratic Clan established itself through martial arts, culture and a foundation of knowledge are also the roots of a clan's inheritance."

"Fourth Brother, we won't dare again. We won't."

"Once you return, study properly. I'll test you again in three months."

"Oh!"

Wang Luotong and Wang Luojing both drooped their heads.

Fenggu Farm lay only twenty li from the Wang Clan Main Residence. The road was a packed dirt road wide enough for two carriages to pass each other, with ripened wheat planted on both sides. The journey was smooth all the way.

It was early midsummer. Lush vegetation flourished on both sides, brimming with life. Vast fields of green wheat swayed in the wind like emerald waves across the sea. This was the season when wheat grains were filling out, and with gentle winds, bright sunshine, and abundant light, it was clearly a good omen.

As Wang Shouzhe chatted with his two younger sisters, they reached Fenggu Farm in less than an hour.

Farms were generally located where the soil was relatively fertile. This stretch of land lay seven or eight li from the main channel of the An River, and a small tributary some ten zhang wide wound its way down through Fenggu Farm.

Their forebears had further diverted the tributary, cutting several lateral channels around three zhang wide. Seen from above, this network of waterways somewhat resembled the Chinese character for "abundance," and so their ancestor had named it Fenggu Farm.

Rows of neatly scattered houses had been built around the character-shaped water source. Though simple, every house had small front and back courtyards. Fruits and vegetables could be grown in the yards, chickens could be raised, and simple stone steps in the backyards led down to the channels for washing clothes and preparing food.

Flocks of ducks and old geese frolicked and foraged in the channels of varying sizes, their quacks and honks making the place lively and noisy.

Beyond the houses lay well-cleared, carefully tended fertile fields. Vast wheat fields swayed in the wind, magnificent and beautiful beyond compare.

What splendid pastoral scenery.

Having lived in the city for so long, Wang Shouzhe was instantly captivated by the tranquil, leisurely scene. When he had first transmigrated, his understanding of a fantasy world had been limited to fighting and killing.

He had never expected to find such beautiful pastoral scenery as well.

A clan retainer had already come ahead to announce their arrival. Even so, Wang Shouzhe and his two younger sisters waited by the riverbank ridge for two quarters of an hour before Wang Xiaozhi emerged from the depths of the sprawling farmland.

He was already over seventy. His skin was dark from the sun, yet he remained vigorous and spirited. Removing his straw hat, he walked over to greet Wang Shouzhe with a smile. "Shouzhe, what brought you here today?"

"Fourth Grand-Uncle." Wang Shouzhe cupped his hands in a polite salute.

"Grandpa." Wang Luotong and Wang Luojing obediently saluted Wang Xiaozhi.

"What are you two girls doing here instead of studying and cultivating properly at home?" Fourth Grand-Uncle Wang Xiaozhi frowned slightly as he rebuked them. "The fields are full of snakes, insects, rats, and ants. What's so fun about them?"

The two girls turned pale from the scolding, lowering their heads and not daring to speak.

"Fourth Grand-Uncle," Wang Shouzhe put in, "Fourth Sister and Fifth Sister missed you, so I brought them to visit you without permission. It isn't their fault."

"Shouzhe, don't spoil them too much. Otherwise, after they marry, they'll feel wronged at every turn in their husbands' households." Wang Xiaozhi's attitude toward Wang Shouzhe was much kinder. "You came at just the right time. A group of wild boars came into the wheat fields to root around for food last night. We surrounded and shot the biggest one dead, and it's been simmering in the pot since this morning. Come, Fourth Grand-Uncle will treat you to meat and wine."

"I was wondering why I suddenly felt the urge to visit the farm this morning. So it was because good fortune had touched my heart—I smelled Fourth Grand-Uncle's delicious food from far away." Wang Shouzhe grinned. "Looks like I'm truly quite fortunate."

"You're the pillar holding up our family, so of course you're fortunate." Wang Xiaozhi laughed as he led Wang Shouzhe into the farm's main courtyard, with the two girls following close behind.

The farm's main courtyard was built from a mixture of brick, tile, and wood, plain and simple in design. It mainly housed the clan members, clan retainers, and servants left behind to guard the place. Farm tools were piled in a corner of the yard, and several free-range chickens were kept there as well, giving it a true rustic air.

Wang Xiaozhi received Wang Shouzhe in the courtyard. There was a round stone table with five or six round stone stools arranged around it. Several farm women set out fruits and tea before heading to the back kitchen to get busy.

During this time, Wang Xiaozhi also sent the two girls to help in the kitchen. In his view, girls ought to spend more time around the kitchen, so they would not suffer losses in their husbands' households in the future.

Wang Shouzhe knew this was a tradition of the Profound Martial World. Though Profound Martial Aristocratic Clans all had dedicated cooks and kitchen staff, personally preparing food represented one's heartfelt intentions.

Like First Aunt Gongsun Hui, who often cooked delicacies herself for Wang Dingyue and Wang Shouzhe. It represented a close relationship between them.