Starting with a daily divination to build an immortal clan

Chapter 13 Favor
Shen Yuan had no idea how long he had been practicing boxing and stance training in the courtyard.

However, after the new divination results were updated, the little guy's heavy breathing could still be heard in the courtyard.

The next morning, when he got up, he found that Shen Wenxing was already standing in the courtyard practicing his stance.

"Didn't sleep all night?"

Shen Yuan approached, feeling somewhat guilty.

Although Sun Fuchun said that the blood toad's remains have no side effects, everything has its limits, and the overuse of highly nourishing substances is itself a side effect.

"I took a nap."

Shen Wenxing stood with his hands clasped and his knees bent, in a horse stance.

"Father, the medicinal diet this time has been exceptionally effective, and I don't want to waste it."

After saying that, he ignored Shen Yuan and slowly closed his eyes, feeling the power of the medicinal food flowing gently through his body.

Upon seeing this, Shen Yuan thought to himself.

Could it be bad?

That's the remains of a century-old blood toad, a highly coveted item among the sons of prominent families in the prefecture.

But next time you use it, you should use less.

Ignoring the eldest son, he ate something simple and then took Anu to Master Lu's house. He took the opportunity to discuss the selection and cultivation of seedlings with the mute man.

Although the mute man couldn't speak, he could read. The two of them sat on the edge of the field in the courtyard and communicated on the ground using a piece of wood as a pen.

After a conversation, he discovered that the mute man had a deep understanding of agronomy!
Shen Yuan couldn't help but bring up some of the more cutting-edge agricultural techniques from his previous life. Although the mute uncle had never heard of them before, he was able to provide timely guidance and offer suggestions for improvement based on the actual situation.

The two chatted like this until noon, when Lu Zhiyuan arrived, and the conversation was still ongoing.

【Mr. Shen, let's call it a day. This old servant should go and prepare dinner for the teacher.】

Upon discovering that the morning classes had ended, the mute man hurriedly wrote a line on the ground, bowed apologetically to Lu Zhiyuan, and rushed to the kitchen to prepare the meal.

Shen Yuan also stood up, preparing to take his leave.

"Young Master Shen, you know about agronomy?" Lu Zhiyuan asked curiously.

Shen Yuan smiled awkwardly: "I wouldn't say I understand, it's just some everyday experience."

Born into a rural family in my previous life, I did not pursue an agricultural career after growing up, but I learned some farming techniques from my parents during my childhood.

“Brother Shen, there’s no need to belittle yourself. As an expert in agronomy, Uncle Ya would never have worked so hard on something as simple as daily experience.”

Was Uncle Ya a renowned agricultural scientist?
Shen Yuan looked at the busy figures in the kitchen with some surprise after hearing this.

He originally thought that the mute man was just an ordinary servant who followed Lu Zhiyuan and, under his influence, learned some literacy skills.

Lu Zhiyuan seemed to see through his thoughts and said with a faint smile, "My relationship with Uncle Ya is not that of master and servant, but rather that of close friends."

"If Brother Shen has any questions about agronomy in the future, he can come to Uncle Ya for advice at any time."

Shen Yuan nodded slightly, understanding that Lu Zhiyuan wanted to find a kindred spirit for his close friend.

"Sir, I'll take my leave now."

After lunch, I still had to take my eldest son, Shen Wenxing, to the martial arts school. I had only planned to ask him a few questions, but I ended up wasting the whole morning here.

When Shen Yuan returned home, he was surprised to find that Yang Changlin, the village head, had been waiting for him for a long time.

"Why did you take so long? Uncle Yang has been waiting for you for half an hour," Hu Yufen greeted her and scolded.

"Hehe... It's alright, it's alright, I've got nothing else to do anyway." Yang Changlin said with a smile.

Shen Yuan apologized and hurriedly sat down in front of him.

"Ah Yuan, I've come to talk to you about Niu Erzhu's family's land."

Upon hearing this, Shen Yuan immediately asked, "Is there news from the county?"

Yang Changlin shook his head slightly: "The county's verdict will probably have to wait until after the annual memorial service."

“Now that the land ownership has changed, the Li family in the village has also set their sights on Niu Erzhu’s fifteen mu of land and plans to buy it directly.”

"You should know that the officials in the county don't want any trouble. They can sell the land directly, so they definitely don't want to rent it out."

Shen Yuan understood what he meant. This Scholar Li was also a wealthy man in Jinliu Village. The old man had passed the imperial examinations in his youth and become a scholar, but now he was over sixty years old and still had not passed the provincial examinations.

Before the establishment of the Mountain Patrol Captain's Camp, his three sons were all mountain smugglers who made a considerable fortune through smuggling.

After the establishment of the Mountain Patrol Battalion, Li's three sons were also clever. They did not continue their smuggling activities, but instead used their family property to buy up land and became landlords.

Now that he has his eye on Niu Erzhu's farmland, if it comes down to comparing family wealth, I definitely have no chance.

Shen Yuan smiled wryly: "This kid knows his own limitations; he's not as wealthy and powerful as Scholar Li."

"If he likes it, let him buy it."

If the government were to purchase fifteen mu of land directly, it would charge at least three hundred taels of silver, double the price of purchasing it directly from the common people.

His family is in dire financial straits right now, and he simply can't afford it.

“There is still room for maneuver in this matter,” Yang Changlin said in a deep voice. “I have heard that your Anu has now become a student of Master Lu.”

"Master Lu enjoys an extremely high reputation throughout the entire Yunzhong County..."

"No, no." Before he could finish speaking, Shen Yuan refused outright.

Anu had become Lu Zhiyuan's apprentice, but she couldn't trouble him with everything.

Lu Zhiyuan came to Jinliu Village for peace and quiet; it wasn't good to ask others for help with every little thing.

"Hehe... I was just saying it casually. If you don't want any trouble, then we'll just have to drop this matter."

"Alright, that's all for now. I'm going back."

Inside the kitchen, Hu Yufen came out and greeted, "Uncle Yang, the food will be ready soon. Why don't you stay and have a meal before you leave?"

Yang Changlin waved his hand and left the courtyard directly.

Watching his figure disappear, Hu Yufen hesitated for a moment before approaching him: "Uncle Yang is right. For Master Lu, this might just be a matter of making a small talk. We..."

Shen Yuan shook his head slightly.

Planting fruit trees was already a troublesome matter, so asking for help again to buy land made the master-disciple relationship between Anu and Lu Zhiyuan seem impure.

Seeing that he refused, Hu Yufen didn't say anything more.

Although she has her own ideas, she still listens to Shen Yuan on important family matters.

"Stone, take a break and get ready to wash your hands and eat," Shen Yuan called out. Stone, who was practicing his martial arts nearby, stopped with a strange expression and ran to wash his hands.

After the meal, Hu Yufen busied herself tidying up his washed clothes.

"Father, I want to go and say goodbye to my younger brother."

Shen Wenxing arrived at the cowshed and looked at Shen Yuandao, who was feeding the cows.

bid farewell?

Shen Yuan didn't take it seriously and said directly, "Go, and come back quickly, don't delay your return to the martial arts school."

Shen Wenxing agreed and ran out of the house.

As evening fell, Shen Yuan returned from town and was on his way to pick up Anu when Lu Zhiyuan stopped him.

"I have already written to Magistrate Su and purchased the Niu family's land."

"Next spring, I will rent those fields to you to cultivate. The rent is one shi of fine rice per mu. Is that alright?"

Shen Yuan was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, but then immediately realized that it must have been that brat Shi Tou who came to tell Lu Zhiyuan about this at noon.

Lu Zhiyuan knew that he didn't want to accept this favor, so he came up with this solution.

The rent of one acre of land for one shi (a unit of dry measure) of refined rice per year is considered very cheap.

"Thank you sir."

He didn't want to accept this favor, but having these fifteen acres of fertile land would indeed relieve a lot of the pressure on him.

As for favors, I'll have to find a way to repay them later.

(End of this chapter)