Jin Shanyao her Spiritual Power and sat in the house, getting angrier the more she thought about it. Whose trees don't grow one by one? Two trees growing together is deformed, it's a sign that they haven't defeated the other tree, it's cowardly.
Still single... Pshaw... Ignorant humans don't know the power of being single.
Jin Shanyao up half the night in a huff, deciding to give her two children a good talking-to so they wouldn't look down on bachelors when they grew up.
The next day, as soon as Meng Anzhi and Meng Anci stepped into the main room, they sensed that something was amiss.
Meng Anci silently picked up a steamed bun, turned around, and quietly walked away.
"Stop."
Meng Anci... turned around and sat back down at the dining table. He picked up a bowl to serve his aunt some porridge, but his hand slipped as his sister snatched the spoon from the porridge bowl.
Meng Anzhi placed a bowl of porridge in front of Jin Shanyao, then put a steamed bun in her bowl before handing the spoon to Meng Anci, indicating that she should serve herself.
The two locked eyes in a fierce battle in the air...
" Anci..."
"Hey, Auntie, what's wrong..." Meng Anci quickly looked away and obediently glanced at Jin Shanyao. His heart pounded... Had he been caught cheating on his classmates at the academy and manipulating grades?
" Anzhi..."
"Oh, Auntie..." Meng Anzhi smiled innocently, wondering if her attempt to plant spies on the estate and secretly make poison had been discovered?
That shouldn't be the case; my aunt has never objected to making poison.
Just as the two were pondering this, the Jin Shanyao spoke slowly, "Listen carefully, you two... All things in the world have a spirit; you must not look down on independent individuals. For example: a tree..."
The siblings exchanged a glance and both breathed a sigh of relief.
Meng Anci peeled an egg and smiled, "Auntie, what are you thinking... I've always been very loving since I was little..."
He placed the peeled eggs into the Jin Shanyao bowl, saying, "I fed the stray cats on the street yesterday."
Jin Shanyao in satisfaction, "Not bad... very well done," then looked at Meng Anzhi.
"My aunt... I go to various villages every month to provide free medical care, and I also help deliver farrowing pigs... In my eyes, whether it's an animal or a plant... they all deserve respect."
Jin Shanyao couldn't help but admire from the bottom of her heart: the two children were becoming more and more outstanding under her guidance.
However, we must not be arrogant.
She looked at the siblings with feigned seriousness, "Remember, whether it's a tree or a person, if they can take deep root and live a good life, then they have real skills."
Don't listen to idle gossip, and don't let other people's opinions lead you astray.
The siblings' smiles grew even brighter.
Meng Anzhi looked at Jin Shanyao with admiration, "Auntie's words are so true..."
Meng Anci picked up a small dish with his chopsticks and put it into the Jin Shanyao bowl. "Auntie knows so much. Come and try these mushrooms. Fan Er sent them over the other day. There aren't many mushrooms left on the mountains these days."
Jin Shanyao looked at the two well-behaved and sensible children and nodded with satisfaction.
"After we finish eating, let's go to the village to take a look. We don't know how the medicinal herbs are faring this year due to the drought."
Meng Anci with great regret, "I have to go to the academy, I can't go with you..."
Jin Shanyao, "It's alright, your studies are the priority... Your sister and I will go over."
After the three finished their meal, they each went out.
Jin Shanyao and Meng Anzhi sat on the oxcart and slowly began their search for mountains. They first went to Ground Basin Mountain, Gazing Home Mountain, Chicken Foot Mountain, and Crescent Moon Mountain.
Although the herbs on the four mountains grow more slowly, they are resiliently green and show no signs of withering, unlike the herbs on other mountains which have been scorched and died.
After checking the last spot, Jin Shanyao felt a little more at ease, and then led Meng Anzhi toward Hat Mountain.
As they approached Hat Mountain, a cool breeze swept over them. Wu Yong and the people from the manor were enjoying the cool shade under the trees. Upon seeing their master arrive, they hurriedly got up.
Wu Yong stepped forward to explain, "Master, the work on the estate was all finished this morning. It's too hot, and I was afraid everyone wouldn't be able to stay awake, so..."
"It's alright, you can rest. Just don't go into the mountains, be careful not to get lost," he said, then looked at Meng Anzhi, "I'm going up the mountain, are you coming?"
"I won't be going up the mountain. Please give my regards to Uncle Xie. I still have some things to discuss with Steward Wu."
Wu Yong had always known that someone lived on the mountain, and that person was mainly responsible for valuable medicinal herbs such as Ganoderma lucidum, ginseng, and deer antler. It was just strange... he had never seen this person come down the mountain.
Apart from the three members of the main family, no one else on the estate had ever seen this person. If it weren't for the medicinal herbs that were transported down every year, he would have thought that this person didn't exist at all.
Jin Shanyao left Xiaoli behind and walked alone into the deep mountains. She followed the mountain path straight to the crooked tree, where she saw Xie Chao lying on the tree taking a nap.
Stepping forward, he placed his fingers on Xie Chao's pulse and discovered that his Spiritual Power was severely depleted. He disapproved, saying, "You've been using your Spiritual Power to nourish the entire Hat Mountain again. If you continue like this, you'll eventually wear yourself down."
Xie Chao slowly opened his eyes. "I just don't want to watch them wither and die."
Both of them fell silent.
With Jin Shanyao, she conjured a handful of ginkgo nuts and offered them to him. "Want some?"
Xie Chao sat up, picked up two pills and put them in his mouth, letting his Spiritual Power flow through his mouth and throughout his body. "Your cultivation is so high, how come I've never seen you in the Heavenly Court?"
Jin Shanyao up and sat on the crooked tree trunk. "There are so many gods in heaven, can you recognize them all?"
Xie Chao thought so too. He took all the ginkgo nuts and popped them into his mouth one by one, like eating candy Douzi. "I originally wanted to open up the underground water veins and bring the water to Hat Mountain, but I couldn't bear to..."
Jin Shanyao gently and said, "I can't bear it either. If we have to let the plants and trees for miles around starve just to have water on our own mountain, what's the difference between that and trading one's life for another?"
The two sat on the crooked tree, sighing deeply. Jin Shanyao took out a handful of ginkgo nuts and handed them to him, saying, "This can't go on forever."
Why don't you learn from me... use your Spiritual Power to shield the mountaintop, reducing the sun's rays. As for how much groundwater they can drink, that's up to them."
Xie Chao crunched on a ginkgo nut, "I'd like to live like that too, but every time I'm about to take action, I think of West Long."
Jin Shanyao's heart skipped a beat. Oh no, she had completely forgotten about this... Xie Chao was sent to this small world's prison because of his dereliction of duty, which led to the severe drought in West Long.
Her words struck right to the heart, and Jin Shanyao silently pulled out a handful of ginkgo nuts.
Xie Chao was puzzled. "Why are you being so generous today? You usually make a racket when you eat just two ginkgo nuts. Did you do something to offend me?"
Jin Shanyao her tongue. "I'm telling you, I can't be too nice to you. Want some? If not, I'll put it away."
"Eat, eat, eat... Why is your temper so explosive? You won't even let people talk to you," Xie Chao said, happily crunching ginkgo nuts in his clothes.
Seeing this, Jin Shanyao speechlessly... "One must look forward. You are already atoning for your sins, so you can't be too hard on yourself... From now on, you are not allowed to use Spiritual Power to nourish them anymore."
Xie Chao mumbled in agreement, but he didn't really take it to heart.
Seeing that his words went in one ear and out the other, Jin Shanyao knew that her words had been wasted. Oh well... she could only hope that this severe drought would help him to move on from his guilt.
Jin Shanyao patted Xie Chao on the shoulder and stuffed the remaining ginkgo nuts into his arms.
"Use your Spiritual Power sparingly; ginkgo seeds... you can't always have enough."
She jumped down from the crooked tree, shook her clothes, and formed a hand seal to reinforce the sun-protective barrier above Hat Mountain, making things easier for Xie Chao. Only after finishing did she leisurely descend the mountain.
Xie Chao stared in the direction she disappeared, remaining motionless for a long time. After a while, he tossed a ginkgo nut into his mouth, crunch... crunch... crunch... crunch...