Ch 57: The Regent’s Farmer Husband

After Jiang Yan finished writing, he set the piece on the table to let the ink dry. Jiang Ji entered the prize settings, scanned the calligraphy into the system, and then the two of them went back to the fields to pull weeds.

By four-thirty, Jiang Ji stood up, went to the irrigation ditch to wash his hands, and walked toward the rice paddies. Once he made sure no one was around, he opened the livestream to start the grand prize draw.

“Alright, everyone, it’s time for the grand prize!”

The stream was packed—twenty million more viewers than in the morning. Everyone was watching, hoping for that one life-changing moment.

【Hurry up, hurry up! I’ve already bathed, changed clothes, and lit incense!】
【Me me me! Streamer, pick me!】
【God of Creation, please make the streamer pick me!】
【Grand prize, let’s go!】

Jiang Ji opened the raffle interface, the screen flashing rapidly with the scrolling names of the viewers.

“I’m drawing now.”

He tapped the button in the center, and after three seconds, the winner appeared.

“Congratulations to ‘System System You’re the Handsomest Please Pick Me’ for winning the grand prize!” Jiang Ji looked at the name and burst out laughing. “This viewer took an unconventional path and won the system’s affection. Folks, take notes!”

【What the hell, how did I not think of that!】
【Oh right, the raffle is run by the system! Quick, change your names!】
【What’s the point of changing names now—it’s over already!】
【Next time then!】
【So the system’s actually narcissistic!】
【Confirmed, everyone—this system really loves being flattered!】
【Aaaah I won! Aaaah!】
【Stop screaming, we all know you won—don’t rub it in!】
【If I’d won, I’d probably faint right now.】
【Same here, I’d pass out from joy.】

“Congratulations to the winner! Don’t be discouraged if you didn’t win—there will be more chances later. As usual, the calligraphy will be sent tomorrow after I have it mounted and framed.”

After finishing the draw, Jiang Ji was about to close the stream and return to weeding when the screen suddenly flashed with a golden shower of reward effects and a new message appeared.

——Xiao Xuehai tipped ten rice seed gifts.
——Xiao Xuehai tipped another ten rice seed gifts.
——Xiao Xuehai tipped another ten rice seed gifts.

【Xiao Xuehai: Streamer, I remember there’s a special task where rewards can be earned through tipping. I have a very respected senior who’d like one of your calligraphy pieces—same as I did before. How much would it take?】

Huh?

Jiang Ji blinked and replied, “Mr. Xiao, yes, that special task still exists—but the requirement’s pretty steep.”

【Xiao Xuehai: That’s fine. He’s rich.】

Jiang Ji: …

【He’s rich! Aaaaahhh!】
【I’m broken again!】
【Mr. Xiao, you can’t just flex on us like this!】
【Look at him, just buying his way through life!】
【Be honest, Mr. Xiao—is that ‘friend’ actually you?】

Having someone help him complete the task was a great deal for Jiang Ji, so he happily opened the special task panel, found the relevant one, and said, “This one requires a total of fifty million yuan in tips within a single day to qualify for a prize chosen by the streamer.”

【Xiao Xuehai: Perfect. He wants a piece of calligraphy.】

Jiang Ji’s eyes curved with a smile. “Alright then—let me go ask Jiang Yan.”

Jiang Ji ran over to Jiang Yan, crouched beside him, and poked his arm. “Jiang Yan, Jiang Yan.”

The two were in the tomato field, half-hidden among the tall, leafy vines. Clusters of green, round tomatoes hung everywhere—glossy and beautiful.

Jiang Yan wore a straw hat, sweat glistening on his forehead. He looked up and asked, “What is it?”

“We need another piece of calligraphy.” Jiang Ji lowered his voice since others were working nearby.

Jiang Yan wiped his forehead with the back of his hand and raised an eyebrow. “Now?”

“Not right now—just sometime today.” Jiang Ji couldn’t hold back a grin.

“Alright. I’ll write it when we get back,” Jiang Yan said, then asked, “What should I write this time?”

“I’ll tell you when we’re home.”

Jiang Ji got up and walked toward the edge of the field. Once he reached a spot where no one could hear, he said, “Mr. Xiao, Jiang Yan agreed. What should he write? Keep it within four characters—it’ll look better.”

【Xiao Xuehai: He’s a major business figure. He said you can decide, as long as the meaning is good.】

“Oh, I see.” Jiang Ji thought for a moment, then picked up a small stone and wrote four characters on the dirt path: “厚德载物 (Virtue Supports All Things).”

He then explained the meaning to his viewers: “It’s a saying that means ‘great virtue carries all things.’ It’s similar in spirit to ‘a sea that accepts all rivers’—that one emphasizes open-mindedness and inclusivity. But ‘厚德载物’ focuses more on moral character: those with noble virtue can shoulder great responsibility. It’s like saying ‘with great power comes great responsibility.’ It’s about bearing the weight of the world with integrity and compassion—a reflection of personal cultivation and social duty.”

“Mr. Xiao, is your friend satisfied with these four characters?” Jiang Ji asked.

【Xiao Xuehai: Very satisfied—those four are perfect!】

【Wow, the streamer’s culture is so deep.】
【Those words have real meaning—the more I think about them, the more profound they feel. I like them too.】
【‘A sea that accepts all rivers,’ ‘great virtue carries all things’—just hearing them feels grand and expansive.】

Jiang Ji smiled. “Our traditional culture really is fascinating. In my previous life, my country was one of the four ancient civilizations—rich history, brilliant culture, and once a global leader in human progress. There’s immense depth and continuity in that heritage.”

【Now I kinda want to see the streamer’s old world.】
【Alright, alright, stop bragging.】
【Listen to that pride in his voice—too bad we can’t see his face right now.】
【Bet he’s grinning from ear to ear.】

And indeed, Jiang Ji’s smile was radiant. He said cheerfully, “Mr. Xiao, when will your friend start sending the tips?”

【Xiao Xuehai: Give him a moment—he’s registering an account.】

【Oh wow, so it really is a friend!】
【I thought it was Mr. Xiao himself!】
【Same here.】

Jiang Ji reminded him, “Mr. Xiao, please have your friend use the most expensive gift item. That way I can exchange it for more rice seeds. Thanks!”

【Xiao Xuehai: Got it.】

Moments later, the screen filled with shimmering golden rice seed effects.

——Mu Zhengxiong sent ten rice seed gifts.
——Mu Zhengxiong sent another ten rice seed gifts.
——Mu Zhengxiong sent another ten rice seed gifts.
…

【Ahhh! It’s Elder Mu!】
【Chairman Mu!】
【It’s really Elder Mu!】

Judging by the flood of comments, this Elder Mu was clearly a highly respected and well-known figure.

Jiang Ji blinked. “Elder Mu? Folks, can someone tell me who that is?”

【Elder Mu is the leading figure in our country’s robotics field. He and his team developed a range of intelligent robots that have made everyday life so much easier.】
【Yeah, he’s basically the godfather of the robotics industry here.】

“Wow,” Jiang Ji said, intrigued. “Robots, huh? What kinds are there? What can they do?”

【Domestic robots, like housekeepers—they do chores, clean, even cook.】
【Medical robots can diagnose most common illnesses—no more waiting forever at hospitals.】
【There are also companion robots—they’re super considerate.】

Jiang Ji looked amazed. “Oh, that sounds fascinating. Are they machine-shaped or humanlike?”

【Both—you can customize them.】
【Whatever you want.】
【I have robots doing all the housework now—it’s amazing.】
【Same! Having domestic robots makes life so much happier. My parents don’t argue about chores anymore.】

Jiang Ji sighed enviously. “That’s wonderful. I want one too.”

【Hahaha, you don’t even have electricity yet—forget it.】
【Sending lots of sympathy your way.】

Jiang Ji laughed and shook his head. On-screen, the golden rice-seed effects kept streaming nonstop. The system’s tipping limit per transaction was 100 gifts, so a total of fifty million yuan in tips was taking a while to reach.

“Elder Mu, Mr. Xiao, I’m going back to weed the field. You can keep track of the total yourselves—five million is the goal.”

He returned to weeding, chatting with Zhao Ru and Jiang Yan about delivering lettuce to the restaurant tomorrow.

“Oh right, Xiao Ji,” Zhao Ru asked, “didn’t the Lin family also plant an acre of lettuce? Have they sold theirs yet?”

Jiang Ji shook his head. “No idea. Haven’t seen any at the market.”

“Maybe they’re keeping seeds too?” she guessed.

“Possibly. Brother Qiang and the others are saving chili seeds, so everyone’s probably thinking the same thing.”

“Then do we have enough chili seeds ourselves?”

“Plenty.”

After a while, Jiang Ji checked the livestream backend again. On the tipping leaderboard, Mu Yinghao had climbed to first place with 51 million yuan—and soon it rose to 52, then 53 million.

Jiang Ji said quietly, “Elder Mu, that’s enough—you can stop tipping now.”

【Xiao Xuehai: Elder Mu says thank you for celebrating our National Day. He really likes the meaning of those four characters. Calligraphy like that is rare, and he hopes this can help you exchange for more rice seeds—to help your people achieve food security sooner.】

Jiang Ji was moved. “Thank you, Elder Mu.”

The final total of the tips stopped at sixty million.

He was weeding the row next to Jiang Yan’s, separated only by the tomato plants between them. Hearing Jiang Ji murmur those words, Jiang Yan didn’t understand what they meant, but when he turned and saw Jiang Ji smiling from ear to ear, he asked, “What are you so happy about?”

Jiang Ji pushed aside the tomato branches, stepped over to Jiang Yan’s ridge, and squatted down beside him. His grin widened as he covered his mouth and whispered, “Your calligraphy just earned us three times more rice seeds than last time.”

“Three times?” Jiang Yan stared at him in shock.

Jiang Ji nodded. It was the first time he’d seen Jiang Yan with that expression—his eyes slightly widened in disbelief, his face blank for a moment—before he quickly composed himself again.

“Want me to write a few more pieces?” Jiang Yan asked quietly.

Jiang Ji froze for a second, then chuckled. “If only! There’s no such thing as that much luck. This was a one-time chance.”

Jiang Yan sighed. “Opportunities like that don’t come often.”

“True, but it’s already a huge gain,” Jiang Ji said softly. “This time, everyone will definitely plant the new rice seeds. Your calligraphy could sell across nine or ten counties easily—and whatever profit comes from that will all go to you.”

Jiang Yan paused, then shook his head. “No need. My writing isn’t worth that much. Without you, none of it could have been exchanged for seeds anyway.”

Jiang Ji was astonished. “You don’t even want the money? It’s not a small amount, you know—it’s a lot!”

Of course, Jiang Yan understood exactly how much that meant, but he still said, “You could buy a calligraphy piece on the street for a few hundred coins. It doesn’t have to be mine.”

That was true—any random painting or calligraphy piece from their world would become a priceless antique once sent to the viewers’ world.

“Who says so? No one’s calligraphy looks as good as yours!” Jiang Ji countered. “Only yours gets such a warm response.”

Jiang Yan looked at him. The young man’s face was earnest, his eyes bright with reflected sunlight.

Jiang Yan’s gaze softened. He said quietly, “Didn’t you say we’re family? Then whoever earns it, it’s still the family’s money.”

Jiang Ji blinked, then patted his arm and laughed. “So virtuous.”

Jiang Yan: “…” What kind of word choice was that?

Jiang Ji looked at him again and sighed. “Sometimes I really wish you’d never regain your memories.”

“Then you could stay with us forever.”

Jiang Yan’s heart stirred. He looked at Jiang Ji but said nothing.

“Xiao Ji, I’m going to herd the cattle home—you all come back soon,” Zhao Ru called from not far away.

Jiang Ji came back to himself and turned his head. “Okay!” he shouted back.

Then he patted Jiang Yan’s shoulder. “I’ll save the money for you. If you ever need it, just tell me.”

Before Jiang Yan could reply, Jiang Ji stood and called to the neighbors who were helping weed the field. “Uncles, aunties, it’s about time—you can head home now. Thank you for helping.”

One of the aunties replied, “There’s just a little left; we’ll finish it for you.”

Jiang Ji glanced at the remaining patch. It was small—maybe another half hour of work. “Alright then, thank you.”

When the sun set, the last of the weeds were gone, and everyone headed home.

As Jiang Ji and the others returned, Jiang Nan and Jiang Bei were feeding the ducks. Since the rice plants were now filling out, the ducks were no longer allowed into the paddies. They’d built a temporary duck pen in the courtyard, and the once tiny ducklings had grown into full-sized ducks—over a hundred of them quacking loudly, quite the spectacle.

Jiang Ji asked, “Why aren’t you two doing your homework?”

“We’ll write after feeding them,” Jiang Nan replied, then turned to ask, “Brother, I want roast duck—can you make it tomorrow?”

“Can’t tomorrow, but I’ll bring one back for you.”

“Oh, that’s fine too.”

Jiang Yan washed his hands and went to write, while Jiang Ji helped grind the ink.

Jiang Yan set aside the previous piece of calligraphy and asked, “What should I write?”

“‘Virtue Supports All Things.’”

Jiang Yan lifted the brush and began writing. Jiang Ji stood beside him, watching.

He loved watching Jiang Yan write—the graceful hands with long fingers, the way the soft brush seemed alive in his control.

Jiang Ji had tried calligraphy before; it demanded far too much patience. He’d given up after a few attempts.

He and calligraphy were destined to remain strangers in this lifetime.

“Wow, that’s so pretty!” Jiang Bei said, leaning on the table with his chin in his hands.

Jiang Ji said dryly, “You’re looking from the side—how can you tell it’s good?”

Jiang Bei said with full confidence, “Because Brother Jiang Yan’s writing is always beautiful! I don’t even have to look to know that!”

Jiang Ji: “…” A little fanboy, clearly.

…

The next morning, Zhao Ru cooked breakfast while Jiang Ji and Jiang Yan harvested three baskets of lettuce from the fields.

After eating, Jiang Ji loaded the vegetables onto a handcart and headed for town. He first delivered the lettuce to the restaurant, then went to the county office to see Magistrate Xu and Lord Chen.

“Gentlemen, I just got word—we have enough rice seeds for another nine or ten counties.”

“What? Ten counties?!”

Both officials were stunned. Lord Chen asked excitedly, “Are you serious?”

Jiang Ji nodded. “Absolutely. Please spread the word.”

“This—this is fantastic!” Lord Chen slapped his thigh. “Old Xu, let’s decide which ten counties to add.”

“Good, good!” Magistrate Xu said with delight. “We’ll start with the ones closest to ours—it’ll be easier for distribution.”

Seeing them bent over the map in excitement, Jiang Ji quickly added, “Magistrate Xu, is the estate I asked for ready?”

“Oh, yes, yes—it’s ready. Same one as before. The Lin family’s steward will bring you the key shortly.”

Jiang Ji nodded. “Alright, then our county will start tomorrow.”

“It’s already been announced,” Magistrate Xu replied.

After leaving the county office, Jiang Ji stopped by the calligraphy shop to have the two scrolls mounted, then swung by the restaurant again to pick up a roast duck before heading home.

When he arrived, the Lin family’s steward, Lin Fu, was already waiting.

“Young Master Jiang, I’m here to deliver the key to the estate—it’s been cleared out overnight. Would you like me to take you there now?”

“No need, we can find it ourselves.” Jiang Ji took the key and asked, “How’s your lettuce growing? It should be ready to eat by now, right?”

Lin Fu replied cheerfully, “It’s growing wonderfully! It’s quite easy to cultivate, and everything went smoothly following the instructions you wrote in that book. Our household has already eaten it twice—both the madam and the young mistress love it. My master said he’ll keep some seeds and the rest for our own table. We’re not planning to sell any.”

“Alright. Next year, we’ll have chili seeds and a few other new crops. I’ll save some for your household.”

Lin Fu’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Then on behalf of my master, I thank you, Young Master Jiang.”

That afternoon, Jiang Ji went to find the village chief and gathered the same men who had helped last time, asking them to come to the estate after dinner to guard overnight. He also recruited a dozen more people to help during the day.

Then he and Jiang Yan packed clothes, bedding, and toiletries, and headed for the estate.

It was the same place as before. After checking every corner, Jiang Ji took out all the seeds he had exchanged—the two warehouses, empty rooms, and even the corridors were soon filled to the brim.

The next morning, Changping County came alive as every household set out to buy seeds.

The rice grains in the fields had ripened full and heavy, promising a good harvest. When people heard that they could now plant the new second-season rice, everyone grew eager and excited.

There was no need for Jiang Ji to spread the word; every villager decided to replant all their paddies with the new seeds.

*

As Jiang Ji’s side grew busy selling, the news spread from county to county—until it finally reached Prefect Hu.

“What? Fifteen counties in total?” Prefect Hu jumped to his feet in shock. “Yesterday’s report said it was fewer than five—how did it suddenly increase so much?”

The adviser was equally baffled. “The people we sent found out that Jiang Ji himself also received the news suddenly.”

“Have they tracked down the merchant transporting the seeds?” Hu demanded.

“That’s the strange part, sir.” The adviser frowned. “Our men learned that the county yamen assigned him the same estate as before. They’ve been guarding the main and back roads near it, but no one has seen a single cartload of grain seeds being delivered.”

“No one?” Hu’s eyes widened. “Then where did Jiang Ji get all those seeds?”

The prefect and his adviser exchanged looks of disbelief.

“I don’t know,” said the adviser. “Our men said Jiang Ji went to the estate in the afternoon, and by the next day, he was already selling. The seeds just… just seemed to appear out of thin air.”

“Nonsense! How could that much seed appear out of nowhere?!” Hu paced in anger. “Are you sure those men aren’t lying to you? Maybe they were slacking off somewhere and missed it!”

The adviser wiped the sweat from his forehead. “I don’t think they’d dare, sir.”

“They’re far from the capital—of course they’d dare! Otherwise, explain to me how he got those seeds! Jiang Ji’s no immortal—he can’t conjure things from nothing!”

The adviser said nothing.

Prefect Hu was furious. Still no sign of the merchant—and now fifteen counties’ worth of seeds had already been sold!

That’s an enormous amount of silver!

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, slamming his hand on the table. “Useless fools—can’t do anything right!”

All that money, straight into Jiang Ji’s pocket. The thought of it—and of how Jiang Ji had outplayed him—made Hu’s teeth grind with rage.

If he couldn’t profit from it, then that boy wouldn’t either!

“Send word to Skull Mountain,” Hu ordered coldly. “Tell them Jiang Ji is selling seed to fifteen counties. No need to explain anything else—they’ll look into it themselves.”

The adviser hesitated. “Do we want our men to stay and watch?”

“Let them do as they please. Don’t say anything unnecessary.”

“Yes, sir.”

*

Back in Changping County, the seed trading at the western estate was in full swing.

To speed things up, Magistrate Xu sent both yamen clerks and accountants from the county office, and even borrowed several from the Lin family to help with bookkeeping.

Master Lin dispatched four clerks, which made the process much faster.

The locals of Changping bought theirs first—small household quantities weighed and sold by the catty. Within a day and a half, the entire county was done.

Then delegations from other counties began to arrive, organized directly by their own county offices. They came with carts and workers, loading full sacks at a time—faster than the locals had bought. As before, each county issued promissory notes to Jiang Ji, to be repaid later in silver.

With official backing, Jiang Ji wasn’t worried about collecting payment.

After six or seven days of nonstop work, all fifteen counties’ worth of seeds were sold.

When the last county’s convoy departed, everyone finally exhaled in relief—it had been exhausting work.

Jiang Ji raised his voice. “Everyone, thank you for your hard work these past few days! It’s too late today, so go home, wash up, and rest. Tomorrow at noon, I’ll treat you all to a meal at Jiang Ji Dining Hall as thanks! Don’t you dare skip it!”

The mention of eating at Jiang Ji Dining Hall immediately lifted everyone’s spirits.

“Great, I’ve been wanting to go there for ages!”
“What a treat!”
“Thank you, Brother Jiang Ji!”

The next day, the entire second floor of Jiang Ji Restaurant was cleared out to host those who had helped with the sale.

Table after table was filled with fine food and good wine, and everyone ate to their heart’s content.

Jiang Ji and Jiang Yan went from table to table, toasting and thanking the helpers before joining the county officials.

During the meal, Magistrate Xu asked, “Lord Chen, you mentioned before that the provincial inspector would be coming for an inspection. Why hasn’t he arrived yet?”

Lord Chen, cheerful and slightly flushed from drink, replied, “He meant to come earlier, but two counties in Luzhou were hit by floods. He’s been occupied there for over a month, and once he returned, new matters held him up again.”

“Oh? Something important?” Xu asked.

Chen nodded. “It seems so. I heard he’s helping the capital search for someone.”

Jiang Ji and Jiang Yan exchanged glances at that.

“Someone from the capital?” Xu asked, already tipsy but curious. “Who could be important enough for the inspector himself to lead the search?”

Lord Chen said, “I’m not sure, but it must be someone very important. They say the person disappeared somewhere in our province, and the capital has already sent people down to search.”

Jiang Ji’s brow twitched. “My lord, our province is huge—do you know which area this person went missing in?”

“I don’t,” Lord Chen admitted. “Lord Fan and the people from the capital are keeping it very secret. What little I know came from a friend.”

Jiang Ji glanced at Jiang Yan, who shook his head slightly.

After the banquet, when they saw the guests off, Jiang Ji personally handed each helper a pouch of pastries—and discreetly slipped them a thank-you banknote as well.

Once everything was wrapped up, he finally felt a weight lift from his chest.

On the way home, Jiang Ji asked, “Do you think that person the inspector’s looking for could be you?”

Jiang Yan shook his head. “Probably not.”

“Why not?”

“If the provincial inspector himself is helping with the search, the missing person must be extremely important,” Jiang Yan said, looking at him. “Do I look like that kind of person to you?”

Jiang Ji nodded seriously. “You do.”

Jiang Yan: “…”

Jiang Ji scratched his head. “I wonder who the inspector sent to investigate. Should we tell Lord Chen, just in case?”

Jiang Yan glanced at him and refused flatly. “No.”

“Why not? Don’t you want to go home?”

After a moment of silence, Jiang Yan said, “Did you forget? When you found me, I was covered in injuries. What if the ones looking for me are enemies? Otherwise, why would they search in secret instead of posting notices?”

Jiang Ji froze, then nodded. “You’re right—that is suspicious.”

Now that Jiang Yan said it, the more Jiang Ji thought about it, the stranger it seemed. “Good point. We’d better wait until you remember what happened to you. If your enemies find you first, that’d be suicide.”

“Mm.” Jiang Yan turned to look at him. “Why are you so eager to help me find my family anyway?”

“I’m not,” Jiang Ji said, blinking in confusion before scratching his head. “Don’t take it the wrong way—I just thought if you found your family, maybe being around familiar people or places could help you regain your memory sooner.”

“I’m not in a hurry.” Jiang Yan paused, then added softly, “I think things are fine the way they are. Peaceful.”

Jiang Ji rubbed his nose and muttered under his breath, “But I want you to remember.”

“Hm?” Jiang Yan turned toward him. “What did you say?”

Jiang Ji stopped walking and looked at him. “I said, I want you to remember.”

Jiang Yan also stopped. His brow arched slightly. “Didn’t you say the other day you didn’t want me to remember?”

“The point that day wasn’t the first part—it was the second,” Jiang Ji replied, meeting his gaze.

Jiang Yan thought back to that conversation.

—Then you could stay at my house forever.

Jiang Yan froze for a moment.

Their eyes met, some unspoken tension rippling between them.

Both had drunk a little at lunch; whether it was the wine or the blazing afternoon sun, even the air between them seemed to grow hot and still.

Jiang Yan spoke softly. “Are you drunk?”

“Maybe.” Jiang Ji looked away, letting the emotion fade from his eyes. He took a few steps forward. “Come on. It’s too hot to stand around.”

Jiang Yan watched his back for a moment, pressed his lips together lightly, and followed after him.

🌾🌾🌾🌾🌾