Chapter 529: Heartbroken

Gu Jinli: "Hmm?"

Qin San Lang explained: "In Great Chu, there are only two kinds of people who wear tall military leather boots: one is those in the military, and the other is the Shadow Guards."

The so-called Shadow Guards are guards who lurk in the shadows to protect their masters.

"The pair of leather boots were covered in mud, obviously freshly worn. Elder Mi, being a hunchbacked poor old man, couldn’t possibly wear such boots for work." Qin San Lang looked at Gu Jinli and asked, "Did his son really die of illness? Or could it have been a feigned death?"

Faking death to join the Shadow Guards as a spy is not a new thing in the Capital.

But in this remote and impoverished area, it’s something novel.

"The Mi family is not simple. You’d better not ask him to check on the manor just yet. Wait until I’ve looked into it," Qin San Lang said worriedly, not wanting Gu Jinli to get too close to the Mi family before finding out more about them, for fear of her being in danger.

After hearing this, Gu Jinli did not agree but said, "Don’t worry, Elder Mi and his wife can be trusted."

Qin San Lang frowned upon hearing this and asked her, "Do you already know the background of Elder Mi and his wife?"

Gu Jinli nodded and then shook her head, making Qin San Lang anxious: "Do you know or not?"

Gu Jinli thought for a moment and replied, "I know a little. They are connected to Hu Yun Temple, and the temple master wouldn’t harm our family."

She had thought before that Elder Mi and his wife were involved with Hu Yun Temple because Elder Mi’s mother grew up with the temple master. Now it seems that Elder Mi and his wife, including Elder Mi’s mother, are the eyes and ears of the Lu Family in Qingfu Town, placed by Hu Yun Temple.

Upon hearing this, Qin San Lang became even more worried: "What do you mean by this? Is it something you can’t tell me?"

Gu Jinli looked at Qin San Lang, not wanting to hurt his feelings, but said, "Yes."

Upon hearing this, Qin San Lang was truly heartbroken... Xiao Yu had secrets she didn’t share with him.

Seeing his reaction, Gu Jinli could only say, "Don’t worry, the temple master won’t harm me, nor will he harm my family."

Feeling that her explanation was a bit too dry and insincere, she looked around, and since there was no one on the road, she suddenly reached out and tickled his armpit.

Qin San Lang was stunned, his eyes wide with disbelief. She, she, she, actually tickled his armpit... Men and women aren’t supposed to have such contact!

Seeing that she didn’t make him laugh, but instead stunned him, Gu Jinli felt a bit defeated and asked, "Why aren’t you laughing?"

Qin San Lang: "..."

He felt that at this moment, he should be blushing.

But still, he stretched his lips into a smile for her.

Gu Jinli: "Your smile looks so forced. Aren’t you ticklish?"

Qin San Lang honestly replied, "Not really."

When his family taught him the skills of being a scout in the army, they specifically trained him in this area; he shouldn’t laugh, as laughing while in ambush outside could reveal his position.

Gu Jinli’s face scrunched up upon hearing this: "How boring, not to laugh when being tickled."

Qin San Lang hurriedly said, "Then in the future, when you tickle me, I’ll laugh."

Gu Jinli smiled upon hearing this, conceding reluctantly, "Alright."

Gu Dashan turned his head and saw that they had fallen far behind, so he called out: "San Lang, Xiao Yu, why are you walking so slowly? Hurry up, it’ll take us over an hour to get home."

"Coming!" Gu Jinli quickly grabbed her basket and ran.

Qin San Lang was faster than her, and soon caught up, taking the basket from her hand: "I’ll do it."

The two chased after Gu Dashan one after the other.

Gu Dashan, seeing the two little ones running towards him, couldn’t help but laugh and said to Qin San Lang: "San Lang, slow down. You’re carrying so much, you’ll fall if you run too fast."

He then glared at Gu Jinli and said: "Didn’t you say you were going to help San Lang carry things? How come you didn’t even carry a single basket?"

Gu Jinli smiled and said: "It’s Brother Qin who said he didn’t need me to carry anything. Right, Brother Qin?"

Qin San Lang responded: "Mhm. Uncle Dashan, don’t blame Xiao Yu. I told her not to carry anything. I’m strong and this little bit of stuff is nothing to me."

But Gu Dashan still took the bamboo basket and carried it himself: "Let’s go."

The trio didn’t return to the village until the late afternoon.

The house was lively; people from several families were gathered, holding land deeds and talking about the fields they had bought.

Mrs. Chen’s voice was particularly loud: "Look at these thirty acres of paddy fields my family bought, a whole thirty acres! Although it’s in Xianggui Town and quite a distance from our place, I’ve already thought it through. When it’s time for harvesting and farming, I could just stay over there. In the meantime, I’ll have He Wazi and the others help keep an eye on it."

He Wazi and He Wanli went to Xianggui Town every day to sell bean products and spices and were already well acquainted with the locals there.

Village Chief He, hearing that a few families at the end of the village went to the county to buy fields today, also came over to join the excitement. Hearing this, he laughed and said: "Da Gui’s wife, rest assured. Wazi and Wanli will definitely take good care of your paddy fields."

He then exclaimed: "You’re really lucky to be able to buy such connected paddy fields. These can be passed on to future generations, how fortunate you are, how fortunate!"

Village Chief He knew how difficult it was to buy contiguous paddy fields at a low price, but the Qin, Gu, Luo, and Tian families were able to do so. It showed that these families were truly favored by the Lord County Magistrate who was taking care of them. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have been able to buy so much paddy land.

After hearing this, Mrs. Chen laughed even more joyously.

However, Gu Dagui was thinking that once his elder brother’s house had enough money, he would sell ten acres of paddy field to them for five silvers per acre, so that his elder brother’s house could also accumulate more paddy fields for their descendants.

Gu Daya’s house also bought twenty acres of paddy fields and twenty-five acres of dry land, which were in Hukou Town. As for managing the fields, Gu Jinli had already said she would write to Old Man Xue in Hukou Town and ask him to help keep an eye on them.

Third Grandpa’s Family, Uncle Tian’s Family, and Old Mrs. Yan Family’s fields were bought in Daxing Town.

Gu Dalin said that he would often travel to Daxing Town in the future to help look after the fields of the three families, and also take the opportunity to inquire if there was any news about their wives and daughters.

Meanwhile, the Qin family, Gu Jinli’s house, and Luo Family’s fields were bought in Qingfu Town.

Luo Wu worked at the government office and had already chosen good fields for his family. The Qin Brothers were rewarded for their contributions in bandit suppression, and County Captain Jiang had held the fields for their family. Gu Jinli’s house was the first to pick, and they bought Songzi Manor just outside the town.

Village Chief He was shocked to hear that Gu Jinli’s house had bought Songzi Manor in Qingfu Town - he almost passed out: "Oh my, Dashan, your family has really made it. To think you’ve bought Songzi Manor - that manor is so big, with nearly a hundred acres of paddy fields alone."

Village Chief He clutched his chest, continuously expressing his amazement, his old eyes looking at Gu Dashan’s family as though he was seeing a group of Gods of Wealth, each of them radiating golden light.

Village Chief He couldn’t take the excitement. After watching the commotion for a while, he had He Jinseng help him back home.

Before leaving, he asked Gu Dashan: "When is Brother An coming back? He’s been gone for quite some time now."

He heard that Brother An went to Jinling Prefecture to discuss scholarly matters with a noble - what a promising prospect, to even make connections with the nobles of Jinling Prefecture.

Gu Dashan smiled and said: "Soon, he’ll be back after a while."

Hearing this, Village Chief He said: "When Brother An comes back, let my Jin Sheng go and receive some guidance in his studies. It’ll broaden his horizons."

His Jin Sheng had never even been to the Prefecture, let alone the bustling Jinling Prefecture.

"Sure," Gu Dashan smiled and agreed.