Journey to the West: The Immortal Clan Begins by Feeding Monkeys at Five Elements Mountain

Chapter 61 Announcement
Early in the morning, just as the sun rose above the corner of the wall, the Jiang family's courtyard became unusually lively.

Several people sat around a stone table, flipping through a thick, yellowed picture book.

The pages are slightly curled, the edges are frayed, and the book is decorated with lush vegetation and glistening fruits, outlined in light ink, giving it a somewhat antique feel.

Standing to the side was the tall attendant from Liu Family Village.

Dressed in coarse cloth, standing ramrod straight, yet speaking in a gentle, unhurried voice, he slowly pointed to the pages of the book and said:
"These small, green fruits are called Qingyang Fruits. They can calm the mind and spirit, and help people meditate and cultivate themselves. When planted in ordinary yellow soil, they will only bear fruit once every ten years, and then they will have to wait another ten years before they can be used as medicine."

As he spoke, he turned two more pages, revealing a string of blood-red fruits:

"This is the Five Spirit Fruit. It takes thirty years to flower and another thirty years to bear fruit, totaling sixty years, before one can taste its flavor. It can make the five senses clear, and the eyes, ears, nose, and tongue can all be connected."

He spoke slowly and deliberately, describing those legendary spiritual fruits and trees as if they were as commonplace as winter melons and beans growing by the fields.

Jiang Yi sat beside him, holding a teacup, his face gradually calming down, his eyes revealing a thoughtful expression.

When my eldest son was full of energy last time, he mentioned in casual conversation after dinner that he wanted to plant some rare fruit trees.

Today, when the attendant came to collect the Illusionary Yin Grass, he casually asked a question.

The attendant readily agreed and returned to the manor to bring back the illustrated book.

He only said that when he went to buy medicinal herbs another day, he could bring back some tree seeds along the way.

"However, let me make this clear from the start."

While speaking politely, they didn't forget to make their point clear:

“These rare and exotic fruits and plants are far superior to the common flowers and grasses in the market. If Patriarch Jiang is thinking of eating them next year, then he is wasting his time.”

"Without the nourishment of a spiritual spring or the cultivation of spiritual soil, it's already a miracle that it can bloom in this mundane mud for ten or twenty years. As for its medicinal uses..."

He paused, then shook the page meaningfully: "I'm afraid we'll have to endure another ten or twenty years."

Before Jiang Yi could speak, Jiang Ming, who was standing to the side, couldn't hold back any longer and nodded repeatedly.

He didn't ask about those ridiculous things like "aiding cultivation" or "purifying the mind," he just focused on asking questions about the fruits on the diagram:

Is this sweet?

Is that crunchy?

"Can I eat it directly once it's cooked?"

The tall attendant was quite patient and simply picked out several kinds of fruit seedlings according to their tastes.

The names of fruits like "Jade Peach," "Fire Dates," and "Fragrant Pears" all make one's mouth water.

Jiang Yi just smiled and didn't stop him.

Having agreed on a few types of fruit seedlings, the attendant didn't say much more, clasped his hands in a respectful greeting, and smiled:

"These seedlings will be used to offset the cost of the Illusionary Yin Grass in the account. They will be delivered another day, and the accounts will be settled together."

After saying that, he strode out the door.

As soon as the person walked away, Jiang Yi picked up the hoe from the corner of the yard, patted off the mud, and prepared to go out for a walk in the fields.

Just as I stepped out of the door, I heard footsteps on the village road, sounding somewhat hurried.

Looking up, I saw a man in front of me wearing an old cloth long gown. He walked slowly, his robe flowing in the sunlight, exuding a certain elegance.

Jiang Yi narrowed his eyes and recognized it as Teacher Cen from the academy.

There was another person following behind, with a sturdy build, steady steps, and hooked eyes.

It was Instructor Lin from the County Commandant's Office.

After a quick thought, Jiang Yi had a pretty good idea of ​​what was going on. He leaned the hoe against the courtyard wall, clapped his hands, and straightened his clothes.

From afar, Master Cen raised his voice, his tone faster than usual, carrying a rare hint of eagerness and joy:

"Brother Jiang! Congratulations! Your son has achieved the highest rank in the imperial examination, truly a joyous occasion!"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi's brow twitched slightly, his eyes revealing undisguised joy; he hadn't expected his son to be so promising. Instructor Lin then bowed respectfully, his voice booming like a bell: "Brother Jiang, congratulations!"

Jiang Yi didn't lose his composure. After regaining his senses, he simply smiled and completely denied any credit.

"How dare I accept such great joy? My child's aptitude is shallow, and he has only made some progress thanks to the guidance of the teacher and the encouragement of Instructor Lin."

His few words of refusal were delivered smoothly and fluently, neither humble nor arrogant, which made him appear calm and composed.

Instructor Lin took out a red lacquered plate, which was filled with a thick stack of silver coins, making his wrist feel slightly heavy.

"This is a reward from the county. It should have been presented with gongs and drums, and a procession should have been formed. Even the county magistrate and the county lieutenant wanted to come and offer their congratulations in person."

He paused after speaking, glanced around the small courtyard out of the corner of his eye, and then looked at the dirt road outside the gate.

"Unfortunately... your residence is located in Liangjie Village, which is really inconvenient."

Although the words were spoken lightly, they were very well-placed, conveying neither offense nor doubt, while also pointing out the suspicious nature of the matter.

Jiang Yi took the plate of silver coins; it was quite heavy, yet felt reassuringly substantial.

He then stepped aside to let the two distinguished guests into the house and called Liu Xiulian to boil water and serve tea.

In the courtyard, the wind rustled through the treetops, casting dappled shadows on the ground. The aroma of tea, barely begun, soon filled the room.

Jiang Yi then asked unhurriedly, "What's inconvenient about it?"

He had lived in Liangjie Village for more than ten years. The area was far away and no official documents came. He had never heard of anyone collecting taxes, nor had anyone mentioned the matter of household registration.

Hearing Instructor Lin mention that even the county magistrate and county constable were unable to come, a sense of curiosity arose in his heart.

Instructor Lin held his teacup, blew on it to cool it down, and spoke casually:
“This place is right next to the border of the Faqiang ethnic group. Look at the surrounding mountains and forests, which stretch for hundreds of miles, forming a natural buffer zone.”

"Strictly speaking, it belongs neither to Liangzhou nor to the Qiang tribe. No one should cross the border, and no one bothers to care. Our soldiers should especially not trespass, for fear of causing unnecessary trouble."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi nodded slightly.

No wonder this place has been so peaceful and quiet all these years, as if it had been forgotten by someone.

It turns out that it wasn't that no one paid attention to them, but that no one dared to.

This is indeed a good place to escape the world.

Instructor Lin took a sip of tea, his eyelids slightly drooping, his tone relaxed, as if he were chatting casually:
"Speaking of which, I only managed to get Jiang Liang's household registration changed after I went to the county and pulled some strings."

Before he could finish speaking, Jiang Yi thanked him repeatedly, accepting the favor.

Upon seeing this, Instructor Lin changed the subject and said with a smile:

"I overheard the county magistrate chatting the other day, saying that your youngest son is quite the celebrity in the prefecture..."

"They've got some nerve, daring to say some nonsense about 'secretly pledging their lives to each other' with Magistrate Tian's niece."

He said this last sentence with a smile and a sigh, and as he finished speaking, his eyes had already secretly glanced at Jiang Yi.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi paused slightly with his fingertips.

When he looked up, his expression remained unchanged, only his tone softened slightly, carrying a hint of helplessness typical of elders:
"This kid is good with his mouth and has no sense of propriety. If outsiders hear about this, wouldn't it ruin the young lady's reputation?"

Master Cen, standing to the side, took a sip of tea, a smile playing on his lips, and continued the conversation:

"The one from the Li family comes from a family of physicians. She has an elegant demeanor and a dignified appearance."

"As for Jiang Liang... he is a young talent, a first-class graduate, and of suitable age. If they can truly form a good relationship, it would be a win-win situation."

These words were spoken gently and tactfully, yet they contained flattery, a hint of matchmaking, and also a touch of probing.

Jiang Yi listened, but only smiled, gently changing the subject:

"It depends on the child himself. If he is willing, we, as his parents, have nothing to say."

(End of this chapter)