TL update: I will be going on a trip for the next two weeks, so no chapters until December.
“Consider it done, boss. I will set out right away with Liao Song and some capable personnel to get it done.”
Although he was slightly puzzled by Su Jin’s orders, he did not question her. He had sworn absolute loyalty to her. As long as it was an order from her, he would follow them to the T.
Their boss might be brutal and ruthless, but she had a compassionate heart. She was the only person who reached out to them when they were at the most desperate and worst time in their lives. It was only natural for them to repay this debt of gratitude, even if it cost them their lives!
The System quietly poked its head out from the corner and patted its chest. The overwhelmingly eerie aura from its host earlier had left the System with lingering feelings of fear.
Now that Su Jin had dealt with the important matters, the System quickly acted to overwrite the oppressive atmosphere by singing her praises. “Host, you were so suave last night~! I would fall for you if I had a physical body! Kyaaah~!”
Su Jin felt amused by the foolish behaviour of her digital pet and deliberately teased it. “Oh? Then please elaborate, how amazing am I?”
The system was lost for words. There’s a follow up question!? Why was this not mentioned in the textbook? Bootlicking someone… requires that much of an effort?
After scratching its head for a while, it finally thought up of an appropriate reply. “You’re as amazing as a shooting star, as mighty as a lioness!”
Su Jin: “…”
(Really can’t expect anything more from an idiot.)
……
The next day, Su Nian returned from the academy as he was now having a semester break. The estate became more lively than usual. Even Su Dalang and his family of four had come to visit Su Jin. It was a good occasion to enjoy some quality hotpot.
The little ones squatted at a corner, helping Qin Shi with washing vegetables. Although there was no shortage of servants and maids in the manor, Qin Shi preferred to handle some of the household chores personally. After living a large part of her life as a peasant, she could never get accustomed to a life of being served by others.
“Look at me. Guaibao has a different flower today. Isn’t it pwetty?”
Guaibao leaned her head forward, revealing a flower with white cloud-shaped petals held together by brown bracts, adorned on her fringe. It gave off a fluffy and mellow image.
Guaibao raised her hand and made several poses to flaunt it, obviously very satisfied with that gift she had received from Dabao. She loved it as it greatly resembled the fluffy clouds in the sky.
“It’s pretty, very pretty. Our lovely Guaibao looks amazing in everything…”
Qin Shi gave the answer Guaibao wished to hear, but it was not mere empty flattery to please a kid. Those were her honest thoughts. Out of the three kids, Guaibao had the most exquisite appearance. If she had to give a breakdown, approximately two-tenths of Guaibao’s physical traits had been inherited from Su Jin, while the rest probably came from the father she had never met before.
When she was reminded of this fact, Qin Shi couldn’t help but sigh with complicated feelings.
“Are my uncles and aunts not gonna show up?”
Su Jin casually asked Qin Shi, popping a piece of fruit into her mouth.
“They are workaholics. I bet they would choose to stay permanently in the fields if body fatigue was not an issue.”
Ever since her business expanded rapidly, Su Jin could no longer keep up with the demand for spices and seasoning by herself. Knowing that her maternal relatives were diligent workers, she roped them in to grow the crops for her business. Naturally, Su Jin paid them well and their standard of living had increased dramatically over the past two years. As such, they had treated those crops like precious babies, tending to them with great love and care.
Su Jin was just about to continue chatting when a striking object caught her attention. “Guaibao, that thing on your head… Where did you find it?”
Guaibao heard her name being mentioned and quickly wiped her hands dry. With her sweet and high-pitched voice, she proudly replied: “It’s a gift from Dabao! Isn’t it pwetty?”
Su Jin beckoned her to come closer and Guaibao happily hopped over in an instant.
“System, if I am not mistaken… Isn’t this cotton?”
“Yes, you are right, host. Do you wish to cultivate this plant?”
The technological level of the textile industry in this era was a far cry away from the modern society Su Jin had known of. Cotton had yet to be discovered as a valuable fabric in this world. Most ordinary households had their clothes made from weaved willow catkin or other similar plant fibres, while the wealthy nobles wore clothes made from either silk, satin or animal hides.
“I don’t feel like it though. It’s too much trouble.”
She had never come across cotton after all these years living as Su Jin. It was only thanks to Dabao’s absurd luck that this plant had appeared before her eyes.
Noticing that her mother couldn’t take her eyes off the flower on her head, Guaibao sighed. She tilted her head and gently removed the flower, carefully giving it to Su Jin as if parting with a precious treasure.
“You can have it. If there is anything mom wants in the future, just tell Guaibao. Guaibao’s belongings are also mom’s property. There’s no need to hold back.”
Su Jin: “…”
Should she feel touched in this situation?
The corners of her mouth twitched. She could only accept it with a wry smile as she affixed the flower on her hair.
(Hmm… Not bad at all.)
While Su Jin was admiring her new hair accessory, housekeeper Xiao approached in quick pace and whispered to her: “Here’s the report of our investigation into the young man. He had arrived in Fengyuan County a few days ago, accompanied by a group of highly skilled knights. Approaching any closer would only increase their level of alertness. His actual identity may be greater than our expectations.”
“Also, to add on, the waiter at the restaurant overheard one of the knights addressing him as .”
Su Jin suddenly lifted her head and stared at housekeeper Xiao, hoping that her ears had just played a trick on her.
(A Prince… for real!? My journey for love ended before it began…?)
There was no way a prince would be lacking in candidates for a partner. How was she supposed to capture the heart of someone with this kind of status?
(But putting that aside for now…. How much dowry should I prepare if I want to propose to the emperor’s son?)
Su Jin immediately straightened her back from the recliner seat.
“System, help me compile the most effective methods of growing cotton.”
The System looked at her skeptically and ranted. “Didn’t you just shrug that idea off, claiming that it was too much of a hassle? What caused the sudden change of heart?”
“Times have changed. Life is just a fleeting moment. It would be a waste not to live life to the fullest!”
Taking baby steps, one at a time, she resolved herself to work earnestly towards her ultimate goal! To start it off, she had decided that her first step was to become the richest person in the Great Yuan Dynasty!
The System became extremely frustrated and cursed the man it had never met for monopolizing its host’s attention, hoping that he would suffer from hair loss and become a baldy.
“Inform the others to stop investigating. If he is really of distinguished birth, then there is no point digging any further…”
The time was not ripe yet. She could not risk drawing his attention at this moment. It would take some time before she could grow her wealth for dowry and confirm that he was unmarried, before sending a marriage proposal to the royal family.
A matriarch of the family simply does not back down from any obstacles in the conquest for her fair gallant! All shots that were not taken were guaranteed flops. She could contemplate the aftermath if her offer did get rejected then. In the worst case scenario, she could simply find another stepfather for her three darlings.
……
“Achoo!” Ming Jue covered his nose and sneezed.
“Feeling unwell, Your Highness? I’ll ask the servants prepare some ginger tea.”
“It’s nothing to worry about. Inform everyone to commence preparation for departure. We will set off for the capital tomorrow.”
His main purpose of stopping at Fengyuan County was to deal with the Dark Reaper Guild, but they seemed to have disappeared without a trace two days ago. It happened too quick and sudden, as if that group of assassins had never existed.
Ming Jue had a sullen expression. All the effort and time he had invested here had gone down the drain. There was no point in wasting additional time and resources. He had other tricks up his sleeve to hunt them down. For now, he would return to the capital to regroup and reorganize his men. In this current timeline, he would deprive them of any chance of turning into Ming Sheng’s underlings like what transpired in the previous iterations.
……
The warm, golden rays of sunlight cascaded over the courtyard of the Su family estate and the warm gentle breeze embraced the area. Near the perimeters of the residence, a small figure was sneaking around like a cat, avoiding the watchful gaze of the guards and servants. The owner of the shadow scampered further and further away from the manor. Thanks to the cover of the shade, the little figure was able to escape the premises unnoticed.
……
“Sister Niu Niu, let’s pway hide-and-seek…”
Like a caged canary enjoying its newfound freedom, Guaibao tottered over happily and tugged at Niu Niu’s clothes.
Niu Niu placed the basket she was carrying on the ground and turned to her little niece with a helpless look. She knitted her eyebrows. “Did you play truant again, Guaibao? You should be having lessons at this time of the day.”
“Ehehe~” Guaibao tilted her head and giggled foolishly. She blinked innocently, pretending not to understand what her older cousin was saying.
“Fine, let’s play for a bit. Don’t blame me when Aunt Su Jin comes looking for you later.”
“Sister Niu Niu can hide first. Guaibao will hunt for chu~.”
After saying that, Guaibao skillfully covered her eyes with her chubby hands, leaving a small gap in between her fingers.
“No peeking allowed. Okay?”
“Guaibao won’t peek. Guaibao is a good girl!”
As she began the countdown, the gap between her fingers gradually widened.
Guaibao squinted her eyes, peeping in the direction where Niu Niu was going, silently chuckling in her heart. But before she could start her hunt, an old lady staggered towards her with a suspicious smile.
“Little girlie, are you here alone?”
Guaibao lowered her hands and turned to face the old lady. Her eyes fluttered as she put up a sweet smile, forming dimples on her cheeks. With a pure and innocent face, she asked the old lady while subtly taking few small steps back.
“Do I know you, granny?”
But that subtle movement did not escape the granny’s sharp eyes.
(What a smart little girlie we have here. Not like it changes anything though. No matter how vigilant she is, there is nothing much a child can do against me.)
She straightened her back and executed a swift motion unbefitting for her age. In the blink of an eye, a silver needle had flown out with terrifying accuracy, stabbing Guaibao’s neck on an acupuncture point.
“Don’t make any noise, little girlie.”
Guaibao felt the cold sensation from the needle on her neck and felt aggrieved. Why would anyone hurt a cute and harmless little girl like her? She curled her fingers into a fist, readying herself to strike at the old lady’s tummy.
Baddies who harm little children without reason deserves a lesson!
But just before she retaliated, Guaibao caught sight of slight rustles within the dense weeds at the ditch some distance away. As if she had recalled something, she frowned and loosened her clenched up fist.
She discreetly glanced at the ditch, before lowering her head and closing her eyes in silence, allowing the old lady to tie her up and carry her away obediently.
She had no fear. She knew that her mother would come to save her in no time.
After some time had passed, Niu Niu shoved the weeds aside and looked around, wondering where Guaibao had gone.
Why was Guaibao taking so much time to find her? Niu Niu was certain that the hiding spot was not that far away.
Niu Niu scratched her head in confusion, calling out in a low voice. “Guaibao, Niu Niu’s over here. Come catch me~.”
After several rounds of calling to no avail, Niu Niu began to worry. She came out from her hiding spot and shouted for Guaibao.
……
Back at the estate, Su Jin was crouching in the field, conducting research on growing cotton. She telepathically communicated with the System, discussing about the optimal climate and soil condition.
The approaching cries of a child interrupted her.
Su Jin lifted her head and saw Niu Niu running towards her, with tears streaming down her face. Signs of abrasion could be seen on her knees, which were still bleeding. Su Jin reacted immediately and jumped over the ridge to calm her down with a hug.
“Aunt, Aunt Su Jin… Sniffle… Guaibao has gone missing, I can’t find her at all! Hic… hic…~”
Niu Niu came crying all the way, her mind focused solely on seeking help as soon as possible that she ignored the wild branches and rocks along the path which injured her knees. She tried to explain the situation to Su Jin with a desperate face.
Su Jin was alarmed by her niece’s state of panic and firmly held her by the shoulders to reassure her. “Calm down and speak slowly, Niu Niu. Tell me what happened? Don’t worry, there is no problem too difficult for your aunt. Guaibao will be back in no time.”
“We were playing hide-and-seek and I hid for a very long time. But Guaibao never came even after I called out to her. I tried searching for her but could not find her at all. Hic….”
Su Jin’s face became serious. She gently caressed Niu Niu’s head and comforted her. “You should return home first. Guaibao must have wandered off elsewhere to have fun. Good girl, don’t worry.”
Although Guaibao was a mischievous kid, she had never deliberately caused people to worry for her. Disappear without a sound was not something she would do.
“System, are you able to detect any traces of her within your scan radius?”
“Negative. Hurry up and depart, host! Let’s head over to the location she was last seen so that I can scan for her traces.”
The System anxiously urged Su Jin.
“Don’t panic. Haste makes waste. With Guaibao’s superhuman strength and durability, no one is capable of harming her. Abducting her without any noise would be impossible unless she…”
Su Jin had arranged for guards to watch over the three children from the shadows at all time. But somehow, Guaibao had managed to slip away from their surveillance today and wandered off to play.
A naughty kid deserves a good spanking.
Su Jin chuckled lightly with a cold expression. After taking a moment to analyse the situation, she summoned her guards and dispatched them to search the entire region for traces of Guaibao.
She personally set off on the main road leading to the county. If Guaibao had indeed been kidnapped, this was the only possible road the kidnapper could have taken to escape, narrowing the area to search.
……
Meanwhile, Guaibao was taken to a carriage by the old lady, Granny Hu.
“I have brought the hostage you wanted. Remind your master to fulfill his end of the deal.”
A husky voice came from that enigmatic existence. If she had not appeared in person, it would be impossible to discern her gender solely from her voice alone.
The other party, comprising of a group of men, avoided her sinister gaze and nodded in silence, even though they had no inkling of what she was talking about. The group of men were merely hired mercenaries and knew nothing outside of their current assignment.
After sensing that she had left, the men heaved a sigh of relief. Granny Hu was famous in the underworld, nicknamed as the Spectral Granny, due to her competency in using silver needles as projectiles to silence her foes.
None of them had any intention of risking their life just to satiate their curiosity.
After lifting the curtain of the side window, a little girl came into their view, staring right back at them. She did not cry or make a fuss, obediently cooperating with them. Seeing that she was small and unarmed, the men simply tied up her limbs and left her alone.
Guaibao twisted her wrist and tugged the rope lightly, breaking it with little to no effort. She was deliberating over something… When would she start making her grand escape?
Perhaps after night fall when visibility was obscured by the darkness
At that moment, a group of armoured knights closed in from a distance. The leader of the group exuded an imposing aura from his tall and gallant figure, pressuring the hired mercenaries to give way for the knights as they steered their carriage to the side of the road.
Guaibao felt the abnormality from the vibrations and cautiously lifted a corner of the curtain to satiate her curiosity.
“Wow… so many big horsies!”
……
Ming Jue frowned when he noticed a carriage in their path. Several burly men stood in front of the carriage, engaged in a discussion. As his contingent approached closer, the opposite side lowered their heads and steered their carriage to the side of the road.
Ming Jue glanced at them briefly before losing interest. But that short period of time was all that was needed for the fated encounter. In his peripheral vision, a small chubby hand caught his eye.
A child?
He looked back at the group of men who still had their heads down, seemingly adamant on avoiding any direct eye contact… except for one person who looked up and met his eyes. That single exchange caused him to break into a cold sweat. His eyes flickered and he instinctively tried to block the side window of the carriage.
Ming Jue narrowed his eyes and pulled the reins of his steed.
“What’s the matter, Your Highness?” Zuo Yi asked, puzzled by his lord’s abrupt action.
“Go and question that group of people. Interrogate them thoroughly.” Ming Jue issued the command from his mount.
“Roger that!”
Zuo Yi turned back and observed the earlier group, who had begun to resume their journey. Understanding that his lord must have detected something amiss with that group, Zuo Yi signaled to his subordinates to intercept them as he trailed behind.
……
The mercenary’s relief was short-lived. His face paled in an instant when he noticed the knights approaching their carriage once again. One of his companions noticed his bad complexion and spoke to him.
But that man had no time to spare. He shouted with trembling voice. “Get on your horse and leave immediately! Quick!”
(The appearance of the person leading the knights…)
He subconsciously glanced towards the carriage where the little girl was being held.
Despite the sudden chaos, the other mercenaries were experienced and had quickly mounted their horses, ready to leave in an instant.
“Hold up!”
But it was a tad bit too late. The knights had already caught up with them and blocked off their path.
“How may I help you, kind sirs?”
“What is your occupation, where did you come from and where are you headed to?”
The knights questioned him bluntly.
Zuo Yi crossed his arms and thoroughly observed the group of mercenaries, keeping a look out for suspicious activity within that group. He glanced over each and every individual, before landing his eyes on the carriage.
“Is there someone else in the carriage? Open the door for us to check…”
The mercenary’s heart pounded rapidly as he replied with a poker face. “No sir, there is no one else within. We are just an ordinary merchant group, operating a caravan and conducting legitimate trading business between towns.”
Zuo Yi’s eyelids twitched. It turned out that his lord was right after all. There was indeed something amiss with the group.
Ignoring the man’s answer, Zuo Yi walked straight up to the carriage and lifted the curtain.
When the mercenaries understood that their shady business was exposed, they abandoned the act. Drawing their swords hidden under the carriage, they charged forward ferociously. One of them made a quick detour and pulled the child out of the carriage.
Guaibao was taken aback. She was merely enjoying the commotion when she was dragged out in a sudden. How could anyone mistreat a little fairy like her?
Guaibao became slightly upset and retaliated against the man with a punch.
There was a muffled cracking sound and waves of tremendous pain followed after. Did something break? The man’s face twisted in horror and his body trembled from the pain. Agony could be seen from his face as he flung the girl he had been dragging.
Feeling that she was soaring through the air, Guaibao let out a squeal and protected her face with her chubby hands.
After all, she still needed to live off her face in the future.
“Huh? Why doesn’t it hurt at all?”
Guaibao squirmed around, only to notice a pleasant scent enveloping her. She shifted her hands slightly and quietly stole a glance…
A well-defined chin appeared before her. Guaibao was momentarily stunned. Her hands fully fell off her face as Ming Jue lowered his sights to look at her at the same time. The two of them exchanged gazes for a moment and both of them turned into astonishment simultaneously.
TL Corner: I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Do let me know in the comments or discord if there are any errors or mistakes.
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Thank you!
