Chapter 142

When I was younger, I had never left my hometown. I always felt the outside world was so big and other cities were so far away.

But in fact, that was just an illusion.

For example, it takes five days from Xieyang County to Anshui Prefecture if you eat and drink well, and only run enough to stay overnight at an inn.

But if you ride a single horse without rest, you can reach your destination in a day and a half at most.

Zheng Ruqian had also been to Anyang County, Yunshui County, and several other places. Only after exploring other cities did he realize the world was so vast with many more distant places.

By comparison, the distance from Anshui Prefecture to Xieyang County was nothing.

At least the five days of travel passed in the blink of an eye.

Sitting in the carriage was not comfortable, but two or three people were not too cramped. The siblings laid half-reclined during the trip and felt refreshed when they got off.

Jiang Sheng was brimming with vitality and pointed to the sugarcane skewers on the straw stack, "Second brother, sugarcane skewers!"

With big brother not around to supervise her, she wanted to indulge in eating to her heart's content.

But her imagination was better than reality.

In fact, Zheng Ruqian only bought one skewer. He used his mouth to peel off half the skewer, leaving only four red fruits pitifully standing on the wooden stick.

"....Bad second brother." Jiang Sheng was stunned, pouted, and almost cried out loud.

Zheng Ruqian did not indulge her. He pretended to put it into his mouth, "Eat it or not? If not, I'll eat them all."

Jiang Sheng widened her eyes. She didn't dare to pout anymore or make a fuss. She hurriedly grabbed the remaining four sugarcanes and stuffed them into her mouth with relish.

She had to eat them quickly before second brother could swallow them in one bite with his big mouth. If he swallowed them in one mouthful, there would really be nothing left.

Only when the wooden stick was bare without even the seeds left did Jiang Sheng reluctantly throw it away.

Wang Xiaosong beside them felt a little distressed and said in a low voice, "Young miss, if the lady likes to eat, just buy her more."

Zheng Ruqian glanced at this silly boy and said, "Do you think I don't cherish my own sister? Eldest brother said her baby teeth are about to fall out. Too many sweets are not good."

Otherwise he wouldn't have painfully eaten half a skewer of the sour sugarcane himself.

Even now, his teeth still felt a little soft. He didn't know how Jiang Sheng liked it so much. Tsk tsk.

Wang Xiaosong didn't speak again. Although he was a few years older, he had to admit that he really couldn't compare with the young master's knowledge and experience.

As expected, traveling thousands of miles is the best way to broaden one's horizons, right?

Looking forward to his own future travels, he was full of hope.

After eating their fill on the street, the siblings found an inn to stay in. The small courtyard they had previously rented was given up because they rarely came back.

Fortunately, inns in Xieyang County were inexpensive. A room for a few dozen wen was enough for three to five days. Miss Jiang could afford it.

"But we can only stay three to five days." Jiang Sheng reminded Zheng Ruqian, "Second brother has to decide quickly what to plant."

Zheng Ruqian was speechless.

Although the family was not lacking money now and had accumulated some savings after going from utter poverty, why was his sister still so stingy?

But he still had to verbally agree, "I'll do my best, my best."

That day, they did not go back to Shili Town to see the thirty mu of land. Instead, they went to nearby villages to find some old farmers and asked about the planting and harvesting times of different crops.

For example, peanuts are planted in March and harvested in September.

Wheat is sown in November and harvested in early summer the following year.

Although just a child ignorant of agriculture, he was forcibly made to memorize the planting and harvesting dates of dozens of vegetables. He also learned that some vegetables could be harvested twice a year in early spring and early autumn.

Over the next two days, under Zheng Ruqian's sweet talk of "auntie" and "granny", the old ladies had told him all the planting and harvesting dates of vegetables and grains grown in Xieyang County.

But he still hadn't found a crop that could be planted in September and harvested in April that was also relatively valuable.

Zheng Ruqian felt frustrated. He took Jiang Sheng for a stroll on the busy street and stopped subconsciously when he reached the entrance of You Ran Ju.

Although Xieyang County was just a small town, You Ran Ju still maintained high customer traffic. Its dishes were also exceptionally expensive, making it an absolutely upscale restaurant.

When he was younger and ignorant, he had daringly delivered mushrooms and vegetables here. Now when he thought back, he must have been really foolishly bold.

If he was his current age and mental state, Zheng Ruqian was unsure if he would still have the courage.

"Look, it's White Uncle!" Jiang Sheng saw an old acquaintance and happily skipped over. "It's rare to run into him. I want to buy him something and ask if he wants my specially made cured meat when I make them."

She dared to ask the restaurant if they wanted her products even before she had made them.

Zheng Ruqian was shocked and turned to ask, "Little Jiang Sheng, let me ask you... if you were as poor now as two years ago, would you still dare to sell things to You Ran Ju?"

Jiang Sheng looked back puzzled, not understanding why her brother would ask such a question.

But she answered honestly, "Why not sell? How can we earn money without selling? How can we eat without earning money?"

"But..." Zheng Ruqian still felt a little confused, "What if You Ran Ju doesn't want them?"

"If they don't want them, someone else will. " Jiang Sheng tilted her head and smiled. "If we can't earn money from that person, we'll just find someone else!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Bai Shopkeeper from the restaurant also saw them and waved his hand with a smile.

Jiang Sheng was immediately delighted and rushed over, not forgetting to ask Jiang San to buy some pastries.

Perhaps a restaurant owner didn't need some insignificant pastries, but they bought them because they would always remember Bai Shopkeeper's kindness in buying their produce.

"White Uncle..." The little girl's voice was as clear as ever. "Long time no see. How have you been?"

"Still hale and hearty as always." Bai Shopkeeper's face was full of kindness. "Aren't you staying in the prefecture city? How can you bear to come back to Xieyang County?"

"Oh, the prefecture city is nice, but it doesn't have White Uncle. We missed you so we came back!" "You little girl, your mouth is so sweet..."

There was an affectionate conversation between young and old inside You Ran Ju.

Outside You Ran Ju was Zheng Ruqian's shock and awakening.

His sister's words opened up a new world to him. Suddenly he realized it was not a coincidence they could sell mushrooms and vegetables back then. It was because he had a brave little sister.

She didn't care about other people's wealth or cold stares. She just remembered her own goals. No matter how much she ran, the destination was still the same.

It was precisely because of this that she was not afraid of setbacks or difficulties, and had no sense of "awe".

She dared to go to You Ran Ju in Xieyang County, and she would not fear You Ran Ju in the prefecture city either.

But Jiang Sheng's biggest shortcoming was that she didn't have great ambition. She just wanted to eat her fill and live well. She didn't yearn for a life of luxury and finery.

Fortunately, Zheng Ruqian was ambitious.

The courageous Jiang Sheng met the ambitious Zheng Ruqian. The siblings went further and further on the road to riches, complementing each other. Neither could succeed without the other.

After realizing all this, Zheng Ruqian's spine suddenly straightened.

He might be timid and cowardly for half his life, but as long as his sister was with him, he would forge ahead fearlessly.

"Shopkeeper Bai, long time no see." The twelve-year-old little boy had already begun to be sophisticated and courteous as he laughed and walked into You Ran Ju.

Bai Shopkeeper took a deep breath. His gaze at Zheng Ruqian was somewhat complicated.

He had watched this boy grow up from his initial cowardice to now buying land and hiring laborers. At twelve, the brat already had a reputation and prestige in Xieyang County. He heard many people secretly called him "Zheng the Young Master."

Who knew what kind of person he would grow up to be.

Based on this, Bai Shopkeeper showed his greatest goodwill. "I just heard the little lady say you guys want to plant something from September to next April. There's nothing suitable in Xieyang County. You can check other counties. As long as the temperature is similar, anything that can be planted is fine."

Coincidentally, a waiter walked by carrying a platter of jicama and another of stir-fried burdock root with eggs.

Zheng Ruqian's eyes instantly lit up.

He had Jiang San and Jiang Si take Xieyang County's specialties, then hug ten catties of cured sausage on the bumpy road to Yunshui County. While paying respects to Magistrate Pang, he also asked about the planting and harvesting times of jicama and burdock root.

Jicama had two seasons, but the latest harvest was still June, conflicting with snap beans.

Then there was only burdock root, which could be planted in both spring and autumn.

Autumn burdock, planted in August and September, harvested in March and April the following year, had a good price and perfectly met all the requirements.

In the future when the thirty mu of land was harvested, they would not only be able to sell it to Leisure Residence, but also take it to other cities for even more profit.

Zheng Ruqian was extremely happy. He hauled a cart of burdock himself, and had Pang Dashan haul another cart. They also hired some temporary workers to go to Yunshui County to learn more, and finally got the burdock seeds planted.

For a time, Zheng Employee's reputation grew somewhat.

Zheng Ruqian was a little complacent, and planned to take his sister back to the prefecture city to proudly show off to his brothers - you haven't achieved success yet, but I already have a title.

But they had just left the inn and got in the carriage when they were blocked.

It was a group of women in red and green, with extremely excited looks on their faces, blocking the way ahead.

The one leading them was not particularly outstanding in appearance, except for her very large and beautiful eyes, identical to Zheng Ruqian's.

When she opened her mouth, she called out plaintively, "Qian'er..."