Ch 38: The Regent’s Farmer Husband

Of the four major households, three had sent people to spy on them—it was clear they wanted to find out where Jiang Ji and Jiang Yan were getting their seeds.

After circling the manor once more to make sure no one was around, the two returned inside, washed up, and got ready for bed.

They slept in the room on the east side of the main hall, which used to house the estate’s workers—a large shared sleeping space.

They had brought their own bedding and pillows from home. Once the blankets were laid out, they both lay down.

Jiang Ji asked, “Do you think they’ll send people again tomorrow?”

“If they come, we’ll deal with them—one by one,” Jiang Yan replied evenly.

“Mm. Three families sent spies, but the Lin family didn’t.” Jiang Ji yawned. “Guess they’re all dying to know who the merchant is.”

Jiang Yan glanced at him but avoided the topic. “Go to sleep. The magistrate’s men should be coming with the list tomorrow.”

“Yeah. I’ll fill up the rooms here first thing in the morning.” Jiang Ji turned on his side to look at him. “You’ve never asked me where the seeds came from.”

“…” Jiang Yan hadn’t expected the direct question. He turned his head toward him. “Aren’t you afraid I might betray you?”

The oil lamp was still burning, casting soft light across the room. Jiang Ji met his gaze and said quietly, “I trust you.”

Jiang Yan held his eyes for a long moment before replying softly, “…Thank you.” Then he added, “But trusting people too easily isn’t always a good thing.”

Jiang Ji grinned. “I don’t trust everyone, you know. You’re different—you’re an upright man.”

Jiang Yan looked at him in silence. The lamplight painted Jiang Ji’s face with a warm orange glow, and tiny sparks of light shimmered in his eyes.

Jiang Ji blinked. “Hey, Jiang Yan, aren’t you even a little curious?”

“I am,” Jiang Yan said, looking away.

“But you’ve never asked.”

“That’s your secret. You’ll tell me when you’re ready.”

“Heh, see? That’s what makes you dependable—and smart.”

Anyone else, upon discovering Jiang Ji’s mysterious ability to produce strange things from nowhere, would’ve been desperate to find out the truth—or worse, might have turned greedy and dangerous.

But Jiang Yan had never once pried. Instead, he’d focused on protecting him and coming up with ways to help.

The Zhang, Tian, and Sun families had sent spies only to trace the merchant working with Jiang Ji—all for profit.

But Jiang Yan clearly didn’t care about money. That much, Jiang Ji had already noticed.

Jiang Yan was silent for a while before saying, “I don’t even know what kind of person I used to be.”

“As long as you’re a good person now, that’s what matters,” Jiang Ji said casually. “Actually, people tend to show their true nature after losing their memories. Don’t worry—you’re definitely not a bad one.”

Jiang Yan gave him a look, then propped himself up and blew out the small oil lamp on the side table. “Sleep.”

…

The next morning, for convenience, Jiang Ji simply took out a few packs of instant noodles—ones that had been sent as gifts by viewers in his previous life.

“What’s this? Noodles?”

Jiang Yan curiously picked up one of the red, glossy packages. He touched it; the material was smooth and water-resistant, unlike anything he’d seen before.

“It’s called instant noodles,” Jiang Ji said as he boiled water. After getting the fire going, he tore open a pack and pulled out the dry noodle block, explaining, “It’s called instant because it’s quick to cook. Just soak it in boiling water for a few minutes, and it’s ready to eat—but it tastes better boiled.”

Jiang Yan sniffed the dried noodles. “Smells good.”

“They’re fried in oil,” Jiang Ji said. “That’s why they’re so fragrant and springy—you’ll like them.”

When the water boiled, Jiang Yan watched as Jiang Ji opened four packets, dropped the noodle cakes into the pot, and poured in the seasoning packets.

Before long, a rich aroma filled the kitchen—savory, spicy, and mouthwatering.

Jiang Yan stared at the reddish broth. “Why’s the soup red? What’s that red stuff?”

“That’s chili pepper. Ah…” Jiang Ji smacked his forehead. “Right, we don’t have chili peppers in this era. You’ve probably never had them.”

He used a ladle to scoop out most of the red chili oil from the soup.

“Why’d you remove it?” Jiang Yan asked.

“You’ve never had chili before. I don’t want it too spicy for you. If you can handle it later, you can add it back in.”

After a while, Jiang Ji served the noodles into two large bowls, cleaned the pot, and fried two eggs—one for each bowl.

“Alright, done! Time to eat.”

They sat at the kitchen table.

Jiang Yan lifted some noodles with his chopsticks. They were different from any he’d seen—curly, bouncy, almost alive as they wriggled between his chopsticks.

When he took a bite, the first sensation was springiness—then his brows furrowed as a sharp heat spread over his tongue.

“Hiss—” Jiang Yan opened his mouth slightly, tongue tingling. It wasn’t the pain of a bite, but a burning he’d never felt before.

Jiang Ji had been watching him closely. Seeing his frown, he asked, “So? Is it spicy?”

“This is chili flavor?” Jiang Yan asked, blinking. “It feels… stimulating?”

“Yep, that’s chili.” Jiang Ji grinned. “Spicy flavor. Good, right?”

Jiang Yan nodded. “Good. It’s intense… and hot? But after eating it, I kind of want more.”

“Chili excites the taste buds. And nobody can resist the smell of instant noodles,” Jiang Ji chuckled. “You can even eat the noodles dry—just crunch them.”

“You can eat them dry too?” Jiang Yan mused, eating another bite. “This really is good—and convenient. Would be great for traveling. Just need a small pot.”

He thought for a moment, then added, “It’d also be perfect for military supplies.”

Jiang Ji looked up at him. “Why’d you suddenly think of the military?”

Jiang Yan hesitated, frowning slightly. “…It just came to mind on its own.”

“I swear, you’ve got a real sense of duty,” Jiang Ji said sincerely.

“Isn’t that how it should be?”

Jiang Ji shook his head and gave him a thumbs-up. “That’s admirable.”

Jiang Yan looked at him. “You’re trying to spread new rice and crop seeds so people won’t go hungry—that’s also for the country’s good.”

“Yeah,” Jiang Ji said, sighing softly. “The people here live too hard. It’s painful to watch.”

“The people here?” Jiang Yan echoed.

Jiang Ji froze for a moment, then blinked. “Yeah. We live too hard. We need to change that. Anyway—finish eating. You wash the bowls; I’ve got to head to the front.”

Jiang Yan glanced at him. “Alright.”

*

In the city, as soon as the gates opened, Zhang Gui and Tian An ran into each other.

Both of them were bruised and battered. Since the gates had closed the previous night, neither could enter the city. One had slept in an abandoned temple, the other in a derelict hut. Now, seeing each other, they glared fiercely, spat on the ground, and went their separate ways.

At the Tian household, Master Tian had just woken up. When he saw Tian An’s face, his brows furrowed. “You were discovered?”

“Forgive me, Master. I don’t know how they spotted me—I thought I hid well.” Tian An rubbed his swollen cheek.

“Tell me everything.”

“Yes, Master.” Tian An recounted the events of the previous night. “…That’s about it.”

When he finished, Master Tian asked, “You said the Zhang family also sent someone, and he was caught too?”

“Yes, that bastard Zhang Gui. He sold me out,” Tian An said through clenched teeth. “But don’t worry, Master—I gave him up too.”

“You didn’t see anyone from the Lin household?”

“No.”

“Only those two brothers in the manor? No one else?”

“I followed them closely—never saw anyone else. The manor was quiet. Just the two of them.”

Master Tian thought for a moment. “I see. Go on then—find a physician to look at your face.”

“Yes, Master.” Tian An hesitated. “So… should we keep watching them?”

“No.”

Tian An blinked. “We’re giving up on finding the merchant?”

Master Tian replied, “That’s right. Drop it.”

Tian An scratched his head, confused, but obeyed and left.

After he was gone, the steward stepped forward and said, “Master, the Sun and Zhang families both sent people too. The Lin family didn’t. They seem closer to Jiang Ji—could they know something?”

Master Tian shook his head. “Not sure. But don’t be fooled by Lin Quan’s cheerful face—he’s a shrewd one. Otherwise, the Lin family’s business wouldn’t keep growing like this. He lent out the manor for free and didn’t send anyone to spy—that must be for a reason. The magistrate’s taking this matter seriously, so we’d best stay out of it.”

“But our men were discovered by Jiang Ji,” the steward said worriedly.

“So what? We were just gathering a bit of information, not stealing his business.”

The steward frowned. “What if he refuses to sell us seeds now?”

“Then do this,” Master Tian said. “Bring some gifts and apologize. Say it was a servant’s foolishness—make up an excuse, like the household has already punished the man.”

“Yes, Master.”

Meanwhile, at the Zhang household, Zhang Gui had also reported what happened to Master Zhang.

Master Zhang asked a few questions, then waved him away.

The steward approached. “Master, should we keep watching them?”

Master Zhang thought for a moment. “Send someone else—but don’t go near the manor. There’s only one road leading in or out, right? Have them wait by the official road instead. And this time, make sure they aren’t spotted.”

“Yes, Master.”

*

At the Lin family’s western manor.

After breakfast, Jiang Yan washed the dishes and returned to the front courtyard, only to find the main hall packed from floor to ceiling with sacks of seeds—so full they nearly touched the rafters.

Jiang Ji was in the next room. Jiang Yan found him and said, “Jiang Ji, you’ve stacked these so high you might crush the ones underneath. And you won’t be able to reach the top without stepping on them.”

“Don’t worry,” Jiang Ji replied. “I saw they’ve got special ladders here—in the storeroom. Several, actually. Tall ones, short ones. You can reach the top without stepping on the sacks, so nothing will get damaged.”

Jiang Yan recalled the ladders—different from those in the village, more like staircases with small platforms. Yes, that would work.

Jiang Ji continued, “I’ve distributed the seeds into different rooms according to rough proportions. Sweet potatoes and potatoes take up the most space, while rice, corn, and cotton are less. When one room’s stock runs out, we’ll move to the next. We’ll just shift a table and a scale near the door each time to save on hauling distance. What do you think?”

“Sounds good.” Jiang Yan saw the plan was well thought out, so he didn’t linger. “I’ll be in the main hall. Keep going.”

“Alright.”

Once Jiang Yan left, Jiang Ji quickly filled the eastern rooms too.

By late morning, two men from the county office arrived, carrying a thick stack of ledgers, over three hundred cotton-planting contracts, and a single sheet of paper.

“Brother Jiang Ji, these are from the magistrate. This stack lists all the villages, their seed orders, and quantities. The paper here—these are the totals, compiled by the accounting master.”

Jiang Ji’s eyes brightened. He hadn’t expected the magistrate to have already done the math for him. “Thank you both! Please thank the magistrate for me as well. Could you also tell him this—inform all the villages to come buy seeds the day after tomorrow, starting from the west side of town since it’s closer. The rest can follow his arrangement. Those farther away will need more travel time—he’ll know what to do.”

“Understood. We’ll pass it on.”

The two clerks glanced around the hall, amazed. “You’ve already moved all this in?”

“Still a few loads left. Should be done tomorrow,” Jiang Ji said. Then he paused. “Wait a moment—I’d like to send a letter to the magistrate through you.”

He asked Jiang Yan to write the letter, detailing the seed sale schedule and requesting the magistrate to lend them the accounting master.

After sending the officials off, Jiang Ji checked the totals from the county’s ledgers and now had a clear picture in his mind.

A while later, the Tian household’s steward arrived with some pastries and bolts of cloth.

Jiang Ji was surprised. “The Tian steward? To what do I owe the pleasure?”

The steward began apologizing at once. “Ah, it’s because of a foolish servant. I’ve come to make amends.”

“Apologize?” Jiang Ji raised an eyebrow, feigning confusion. “For what?”

The steward sighed. “It’s that Tian An. I saw him this morning—face bruised and swollen—so I asked what happened. I nearly jumped when I heard it! Turns out he caused trouble at your place yesterday. That brat’s been slippery since childhood, no sense of propriety. He said he went to steal your sweet potatoes of all things.”

“Steal sweet potatoes?” Jiang Ji’s mouth twitched. “That’s what he said?”

“Yes, yes! You gave our household some sweet potatoes before, right? His mother’s one of our cooks. He stole one to eat, liked it too much, and since we ran out, he thought of yours. Tch! Such a fool.” The steward smoothly shifted all blame onto Tian An. “Don’t worry—Master Tian already knows and has ordered a harsh punishment. He won’t cause you any more trouble.”

Jiang Ji just watched him perform quietly.

“My master was afraid you might misunderstand, so he sent me to explain personally.” The steward took the gift box from his attendant and offered it. “A small token of apology from the Tian household. Please accept it.”

Jiang Ji noticed the steward’s cautious gaze, studied him for a moment, then smiled faintly. “Master Tian is too polite. A servant’s mistake hardly calls for such a heavy apology. Just telling me would have been enough.”

“Not managing our servants properly is our fault,” the steward insisted, pushing the gifts forward again. “It’s just a small gesture of sincerity.”

Jiang Ji accepted the box with a smile. “Alright, I’ll take it, then. Please tell Master Tian not to worry about it anymore.”

“Of course, young master. You’re most generous—I’ll be sure to report back to my lord.” The steward cupped his hands. “I’ll take my leave now; there’s still work to do at the estate.”

“Safe travels.”

Watching the Tian family’s carriage disappear down the road, Jiang Ji turned to Jiang Yan and said, “The Tian household is really something—sending people to apologize after spying on us.”

Jiang Yan glanced at the gift box—two boxes of pastries and four bolts of cloth. He raised an eyebrow. “He’s probably just testing things out. Once he realized he’d been caught, he backed off. But since he’s worried you might stop selling him seeds, he sent someone to smooth things over.”

“These people really have too many little schemes,” Jiang Ji sighed. “Forget it. At least he came to apologize. Better that than tearing things open and adding another enemy.”

…

The next day, Jiang Ji had all the seeds prepared. The ones that didn’t fit in the rooms were neatly stacked under the eaves of the main hall.

Then he returned to the village and called Uncle Tu Gen and seven or eight trustworthy villagers to help for a few days. That night, they all came together to the manor to keep watch.

Early the next morning, Zhao Ru, Aunt Xiufang, and the village head’s daughter-in-law arrived to prepare breakfast. They would be helping here for the next few days, cooking and assisting with the work.

After breakfast, the manor gates opened. A desk was set up in front of the main hall, with registration ledgers and writing tools neatly laid out. Jiang Yan sat behind it, ready to handle records and accounts.

Uncle Tu Gen and the villagers stood by to help move and weigh the seed sacks.

The nearby villages had already received notice the day before, and soon villagers were arriving one after another, pushing handcarts to buy seeds.

“Line up properly, everyone—one household at a time!” Jiang Ji called out, keeping order while doing calculations with a pencil at the side.

Before long, Magistrate Xu arrived with the assistant county official, the scribe, and a few yamen runners. He had also brought the county accountant and his apprentice.

Magistrate Xu introduced them. “This is Accountant Luo from the county office. He and his apprentice will assist you for the next few days.”

“Perfect! That’s exactly what I needed.” Jiang Ji smiled, clasping his hands respectfully toward the middle-aged man. “Thank you both for your help.”

Accountant Luo returned the gesture. “You’re too polite, young man. Let’s begin.”

“Alright.” Jiang Ji handed him several ledgers and blank books, then called to the crowd, “Villages of Tupo, Xiaoqing, and Niushan—line up on this side!”

Another table was set up at the gate. Accountant Luo and his apprentice worked in perfect sync—one using the abacus, the other writing down the figures.

The buyers were split into two lines, and the process immediately sped up.

With yamen runners maintaining order and the magistrate himself present, no one dared cause trouble. Everything went smoothly.

Many villagers signed the cotton-planting contracts. Those from villages near Jiang Ji’s came earlier, so he selected mostly nearby households—easier for him to visit and supervise later.

Some from farther villages also wanted to sign, but Jiang Ji couldn’t take on that many.

“Sorry, we’ve filled the quota,” he told them, “but you can still buy cotton seeds. Trust me, cotton is valuable—there’s high demand. We can sell the extra outside the county. As long as you follow the planting guide I’ve written, your yield will go up a lot. Unless something unusual happens, you’ll all make a good profit. Don’t worry.”

Hearing that, the villagers quieted down.

The magistrate had also printed the planting methods for rice, sweet potatoes, potatoes, corn, and cotton. Each village head could pick up a free copy to take home and teach the villagers.

Meanwhile, Zhao Ru and Aunt Xiufang were teaching people how to sprout and transplant sweet potatoes and potatoes—the same techniques Jiang Ji had shown them.

They had prepared a basket of soil and another of plant ash, demonstrating the steps on the spot.

“When the time comes,” Jiang Ji said, “the magistrate will gather all the village heads again at the county office for another lesson. After that, they’ll go back and teach everyone in their villages. Don’t worry—it’s simple.”

“That’s good, that’s good.”

“Ah, looks easy enough!”

The trade went smoothly. The road outside the manor was full of villagers pushing carts and carrying baskets—coming and going nonstop.

Magistrate Xu came by every day, staying until dusk before returning to town. The accountant and yamen runners remained to help Jiang Ji and his team.

Three days later, the manor was still busy. People from all over the county kept coming, but everything was orderly and efficient.

More than half the seeds were gone, and sales had moved to the large rear warehouse.

In the room where Jiang Ji and Jiang Yan slept, several large chests were now filled with silver—the profits from the seed sales.

At noon, a yamen runner suddenly ran in to report to the magistrate, “Sir, the Prefect has arrived!”

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