"It's not just this."
Chen Xingluo said, "The hill behind Zhuangzi is full of red fruits but they are so sour that even the villagers won't use them to make candied haws. Some people say they are cursed."
The red fruit used to make candied haws, isn’t that hawthorn?
Cheng Xi was stunned for a moment and said thoughtfully, "It should be a matter of different varieties."
"Variety?"
"Yes, hawthorn... is a red fruit. There are more than a dozen varieties. Although they all look similar at first glance, their tastes are very different."
"There are so many kinds of red fruits?"
Shen Xingqi found it novel, "I always thought it was used to make candied haws."
"There's nothing strange about this. Just like the peach grove in our city, there must be five or six kinds of peaches."
Peaches are a fruit that everyone often eats. Whether they are nectarines or peaches, they are very common in everyone's eyes. However, few people cultivate wild fruits like red fruits. On the contrary, no one understands its characteristics, so they naturally assume that it has only one taste.
The sour hawthorn cannot be made into candied haws, so people will think it is abnormal. In addition, the court official happened to be convicted. The two coincidences add up to make such a rumor possible.
"Sister-in-law, is it true that you can't eat the red fruit?"
"We're not sure yet, we have to see the real thing first."
Although Cheng Xi said this, he had some idea in his mind.
Even though there are more than a dozen varieties of hawthorn with different tastes, in modern times, people have long developed different ways of eating hawthorn according to the different degrees of sweetness and sourness, ranging from pastries to drinks.
In the eyes of foodies, no hawthorn is innocent.
The carriage soon stopped in front of a village. After a few people got out of the car, the first thing they saw was the hawthorn trees all over the mountains and plains.
There's no way, it's just too eye-catching.
"Wow - it's such a big piece!"
The hawthorn trees are all growing strong, with thick branches stretching everywhere. Now is the ripe season, and small red fruits are crowded and covered with branches.
At a glance, they are all red.
"Isn't this too much?"
"Red fruits are already highly productive, but the people around them dislike them because they taste too sour and no one picks them. But there are so many of them."
Since Zhuangzi is still some distance away from the nearest hawthorn tree, Cheng Xi cannot determine its species.
Upon seeing this, Chen Xingluo told Su Zhan, "Go pick some back later."
"yes."
"Go in first."
No one had lived in the courtyard for a long time. Since the original servant was sent out of the capital after the master was convicted, the place was not cleaned daily and no buyer took it over. It soon became deserted.
But it was obvious that Shen Xingluo had been prepared. When a few people pushed open the creaking door and entered, they found that the yard was very clean, with only a few yellow leaves that had just fallen in the wind on the ground.
"My subordinates hired some hard-working tenant farmers to clean it yesterday, and the bedding was replaced with new ones. Madam, do you have any other instructions?"
"It's already very good. Let's take a walk first."
The layout of the courtyards near the capital is similar. The first two entrances are no different from the one in the city. The extra third entrance due to the north is for guests, and the east and west wings are still servants' rooms.
The hundred acres of fertile land attached to Zhuangzi have been leased to nearby people. Starting this year, only 30% of the grain will be given to Zhuangzi as rent.
Shen Xingluo and Cheng Xi had no idea about this, and they had no plans to farm in the suburbs.
The reason why I bought Zhuangzi was because the second courtyard in the city was too small, in addition to having to keep the badger pork in the space out of the way.
"This can be used as a place to stay. If you feel bored one day, how about we come over and stay for a few days?"
"Of course, it feels like Shenjia Village here."
Shen Xingqi found some familiarity in Zhuangzi and was the happiest among them.
"Hey...there seems to be some noise outside?"
Shen Xingluo and Cheng Xi also heard it. At this time, several people were standing in the front yard. When they opened the door and looked out, they saw a familiar figure not far away being besieged. There was a luxury carriage behind him and several people around him. The guards also fought hard.
"Qu Shaojing?"
"Brother Shen, Mrs. Shen?!"
When the other party heard the voice, a happy expression suddenly appeared on his face.
Cheng Xi was speechless, "Why is it you again?"
How much is this person hated? It's okay to be hunted down wherever he goes, but this time he even injures others.
She did not miss the panicked faces of Qu Shaoya and Jiang Yuyao on the carriage.
He must have been implicated.
"Mrs. Shen, it's great that you are here!"
Sure enough, there is no perfect path.
Qu Shaojing was almost ecstatic when he saw Cheng Xi, "Mrs. Shen, please help me take care of Miss Jiang and my sister!"
"..." Those last few words were just added, right?
Now even Shen Xingqi behind him heard it.
In this assassination, the opponent obviously spent a lot of money and would not give up until the goal was achieved. The number of men in black doubled compared to last time. More than thirty assassins crowded around a carriage, and there were only five guards responsible for protecting the master. Six.
In a one-to-many situation, the guards were quickly injured in the siege, and a strong smell of blood gradually filled the air.
However, the Shen family soon realized that something was wrong.
"Aren't the men in black trying to kill the young marquis? Why are there still some people targeting Miss Jiang? Is it because Miss Jiang is the fiancée of the young marquis? This is so pitiful!"
"Save people first."
Cheng Xi pulled the little girl behind him out, "It's time to test your actual combat. Don't be afraid. Just go ahead and fight. I'm watching from the side."
Shen Xingqi was stunned for just a moment and became full of fighting spirit.
"What if I break someone?"
"Take it easy, just save your life."
It wouldn't really be a big problem if he died, I'm just afraid that the little girl would have some psychological shadow.
However, Cheng Xi's worries were unnecessary after all. As soon as she finished speaking, she saw Shen Xingqi looking eager to try. She took out the dagger from her waist and quickly joined the fight.
Cheng Xi asked Wang Shu to support Qu Shaojing, while he paid more attention to the little girl's safety.
This scene was so unusual for the Shen family that no one thought it was inappropriate. However, the two girls in the carriage and Qu Shaojing's eyes almost fell out of shock.
Are you sure that the girl who kicked the man in black away is the second young lady of the Shen family?
So cruel!
If I remember correctly, this girl is just over 15 years old, right? With one against three, not only did Feng Yinyin not fall behind at all, but she also had the potential to crush her. She was about to play tricks on that dagger!
Master, master!
"No, didn't you say that sister Xingqi just learned martial arts?"
"Yes, she said last time that she had only studied for a few months."
Who can train themselves into a martial arts master in a few months?
How talented is this girl?
Qu Shaoya was in a mess, and Jiang Yuyao, who was as gentle as Jiang Yuyao, also had a shocked expression at this time, her little mouths opened wide, and she almost screamed.
