The Shen brothers, harboring ill intentions—no, harboring great hospitality—exchanged a look and reached a consensus in a split second.
Having found a better life for themselves, they naturally couldn't forget their roots. One way or another, they had to get their good friend on board.
As the ancients said, true friends should share both joys and sorrows!
Although the Divine Lady Temple was being built with overnight labor, it was nearly finished thanks to everyone’s united efforts and hard work.
Essentially, nothing was likely to go wrong.
Thus, the two decisively called Zhou Bai over to oversee the final construction progress at the Divine Lady Temple, while they led Pei Du to the Governor's Manor, intending to take turns persuading him to stay in Xindu City.
Before long, they arrived at the Governor's Manor.
The three of them stood before the manor gates in silence.
The door to the main hall hung crookedly on one side, and the plaque for the central hall had been removed by someone unknown.
The entire manor was empty. The autumn wind whistled through the halls, kicking up a few withered leaves, making the place feel exceptionally desolate.
“How did the Governor's Manor end up like this?” He looked around, his brow furrowing. “Where is the Governor of Xindu?”
He had felt something was strange when he entered the city.
Yesterday, Xindu City was as quiet as a ghost town.
If it weren't for the fact that the streets were swept clean and the houses on both sides were still tidy, he would have almost suspected that Xindu City had suffered the ravages of war.
“You mean Governor Zhao?”
“That scoundrel preyed upon the commoners and committed countless crimes. He incurred the wrath of the Divine Lady and was struck down by divine punishment, dying on the spot.”
Shen Jue looked at the rickety door of the main hall.
Finding it an eyesore, he simply tore it down and tossed it onto the empty ground nearby.
Pei Du’s footsteps faltered as he turned to look at Shen Jue.
Fuyan’s elder brother had become famous at a young age and had always loathed talk of ghosts and gods. He had even offended the State Preceptor because of it, leading to his demotion from the capital and falling out of favor with the Emperor, which had ruined his career.
Logically, he should have hated such superstitions even more.
Yet, when he spoke the words “Divine Lady,” his tone was so matter-of-fact, without the slightest hint of mockery or hesitation.
This was extremely abnormal.
His frown deepened. “General Shen, since when did you start believing in these tales of ghosts and gods?”
“I didn't believe before because I had never met the Divine Lady. It’s like a frog at the bottom of a well who has never seen the world outside and assumes the sky is only as big as the well’s opening.”
Shen Jue moved the mountain of documents piled on the table, barely clearing a space.
Due to the shortage of manpower, everyone was doing the work of several people, so they simply worked together in one place.
The main hall of the Governor's Manor had now been converted into their temporary office.
Pei Du picked up a document at random and skimmed it.
“That Divine Lady killed a court-appointed official, seized the Governor's Manor, and had you all here registering household records.”
He raised an eyebrow and looked at the two of them. “What? Are you planning to follow her in rebellion?”
He spoke bluntly.
“Pei Zirang, you must not slander the Divine Lady.”
Shen Yu looked at him with a serious expression. “The Divine Lady is dedicated to saving all living beings. Even offerings are like fleeting clouds in His eyes. How could He covet earthly power?”
“Using the Governor's Manor as an office was merely our own decision as believers; we did not want to fail the Divine Lady’s good intentions.”
“The Divine Lady helped us punish a corrupt official and gave us the Divine Seed, the sweet potato, which yields two thousand jin per mu.”
“If we still cannot govern Xindu City well under these circumstances, then we truly deserve to take our own lives in shame, for we would have no face to continue living in this world.”
Shen Jue nodded. “Fuyan is right.”
He looked at Pei Du. “Zirang, you must never again speak such blasphemous words as the Divine Lady intending to rebel.”
“The Divine Lady is a deity from the Ninth Heaven. The mountains, rivers, and every blade of grass in the mortal realm should rightfully belong to the Divine Lady.”
“If we are being honest, it is the Great Yong Imperial Family that is occupying the Divine Lady’s mortal lands. How can you get the order of things so backward?”
Pei Du: “...”
He closed his eyes and came to a conclusion in his heart.
The Shen family is likely finished.
A young general who never believed in ghosts or gods now spoke of the “Divine Lady” at every turn, showing no respect for the sovereign. A brilliant talent had now become a fanatical believer of this “Divine Lady.”
The woman they called the “Divine Lady” must have some sort of ability to control people's minds; otherwise, this made no sense at all.
No, he had to take Wanning and leave as soon as possible.
Just as he was about to find an excuse to take his leave, a flurry of small footsteps suddenly came from outside the hall.
“Teacher! Teacher!”
A young girl's voice drifted in from outside the door, filled with irrepressible excitement and joy.
Pei Du looked toward the sound.
In the next second, he saw a young girl of eight or nine years old running in from the courtyard.
Her two braids bounced behind her, her small face was flushed, and fine beads of sweat stood on her forehead.
Although her clothes were patched, they were washed clean. Her eyes shone like two bright stars, and her entire being radiated a vibrant energy.
“Teacher, Teacher! It’s done!”
Shen Yu poured a cup of tea for the panting Cui He. “Ar He, don't rush. Speak slowly.”
Cui He drained the tea in one gulp and wiped her mouth.
“Teacher, those sweet potato seedlings have grown into vines.”
She grew more excited as she spoke. “We dug up so many, many sweet potatoes from the ground! We won't be able to finish them all even in a year!”
“Is that true?!”
The eyes of both Shen Yu and Shen Jue suddenly lit up, as if a fire had been ignited within them.
The blessing bestowed by the Divine Lady had filled Xindu City’s granaries until they were almost bursting.
However...
No matter how much grain there was, it would eventually run out.
They couldn't possibly rely on the Divine Lady to use Her divine powers every day to make the crops ripen early.
That was unrealistic.
Only self-sufficiency was the long-term solution.
“Yesterday, Lord Spirit Fox came to Creek Valley to deliver an oracle, telling us to bring the sweet potatoes to Xindu City.”
“Take me to see them!” Shen Jue’s voice was raspy.
Then...
The two followed Cui He out of the main hall.
Pei Du hesitated for a moment.
Ultimately, he couldn't resist following them.
When he reached the backyard of the Governor's Manor, he froze in place.
The courtyard was piled high with things.
Purple-red tubers, plump and firm, with damp soil still clinging to their skins.
They looked as if they had just been dug out of the earth.
He had never seen such things before and, for a moment, couldn't even tell what they were.
Beside him, Shen Yu’s voice came. “Zirang, quick, try one! These sweet potatoes taste wonderful!”
Just as he was about to speak, a piece of sweet potato was stuffed into his mouth. He instinctively took a bite.
A strange, delicate sweetness spread across his palate.
Pei Du was stunned; he had never tasted anything like it.
He chewed, then took another bite.
Finally, he looked up and asked, “What is this?”
Shen Yu was also munching on a sweet potato. “This is what I told you about—the Divine Seed bestowed by the Divine Lady!”
“It’s food?!”
Pei Du’s eyes widened, and his voice suddenly rose, completely failing to maintain the composure expected of a noble son.
Cui He smiled and said, “Big brother, yes! The Divine Seed sweet potato bestowed by the Divine Lady can not only be eaten raw but also roasted over a fire or boiled to be eaten as a meal...”
Hearing this, Pei Du looked at the sweet potatoes on the ground.
He suddenly grabbed Shen Yu and said with a trembling voice, “Fuyan, introduce me. I want to see the Divine Lady!”
Seeing this, Shen Jue patted Pei Du’s shoulder. “Is the Divine Lady someone mere mortals like us can see whenever we wish?”
Pei Du: “...”
“Ah!” Cui He slapped her forehead. “Teacher, I can't talk to you anymore. The Divine Lady brought another divine object from the Heavenly Palace today and is choosing people in the city. I have to get there quickly, or I won't even be able to squeeze in.”
If it weren't for her being young and having to listen to her elders to bring the news to the teacher and the others, she would have definitely grabbed a good spot to kowtow to the Divine Lady in the very front. Sigh.
Shen Jue: “!!!”
Shen Yu: “!!!”
Pei Du: “!!!”
Without a word, Shen Jue flipped onto his horse. “Fuyan, entertain Zirang well. I’m going ahead.”
Before his words had even faded, both man and horse had vanished.
Shen Yu: “...”
Pei Du: “...”
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