Chapter 75: Upgrade Again

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

Second Aunt Ning spat at the side. “Well snatch their business tomorrow. Let’s see if they can still be smug!”

At this moment, they were filled with jealousy. They did not feel guilty at all for what they wanted to do. Instead, they felt that it was only right and proper. They felt that the eldest branch owed them.

Everyone ate a full meal at Rong Yan’s house. Xiaoxiao had already prepared hawthorn soup for digestion. It was getting late, so everyone drank the soup and admired the not-so-full moon.

Shen Tianci burped and said that this was the best meal he had ever eaten. Ning Erlang smiled at him from the corner of his eye and said the same thing. Shen Tianci was very vexed. “I think I don’t want to eat after we get home. What should I do?”

Xiaoxiao held her chin and smiled. “Look at how inexperienced you are. Is this enough to make you sigh with emotion? If I let you see the glazed fish bones, cured goose breast, orange lamp shadows, and Formless Divine Soup, will you still be able to find your eyeballs?”

Shen Tianci did not understand, but he felt that it was very impressive. “When are you going to make them?”

Xiaoxiao said melancholically, “Wait for me to gather the ingredients.” Deep down, Shen Tianci felt that she was bragging because he had never heard of those dishes, but the names of the dishes lingered in his mind. What should he do? They sounded delicious.

Even the space was curious: [Master, these things you mentioned have never appeared in my database.]

Xiaoxiao immediately asked: [Then the points must be very high.]

The space expressed its affirmation and looked forward to it, but Xiaoxiao poured cold water on it.

She said: [Our family is too poor. Moreover, some of the materials needed can’t be bought with money. It’s hard to say if there are any in this era.] Then, she recorded the few strings of coins that she had hidden long ago into her space.

After a moment of silence, the space beeped a few times. [You have received 500 points. The total points in the gourmet space are 2,140. You have entered the upgrade mode.]

Xiaoxiao raised her eyebrows, very curious about what kind of surprise the upgraded space would give her.

After everyone finished eating and drinking, they returned home. Shen Tianci almost fell asleep when he got into the carriage. When he returned to the county office, he was sent to bed with his eyes closed.

The county magistrate’s wife’s heart ached, but she was relieved. She confirmed with the butler, “His appetite is really better than when he is at home?”

The butler nodded. “He ate very well. He even ran in the courtyard for more than an hour. Other than sweating a little, he doesn’t feel uncomfortable at all.”

The county magistrate took off his official uniform and nodded. “Have you investigated the background of those two families?”

The butler took out a piece of paper and handed it to the county magistrate.

“The Ning Family has lived in Fortune Village for generations. The family that is on good terms with Young Master is their eldest branch. They just split up some time ago. The Young Master of the Zhao Family who is treating them today has come here to escape from the famine. His father and Hunter Zhao Hu are biological brothers. Because his ancestral home is in Fortune Village, his father had wanted to return to his roots, but he was separated on the way.”

“The little master said that he came to wait for his father according to the agreement, but 1 guess the father’s already gone.”

There was a drought north of the river last year. Many people fled from their homes to the south. Who knew how many people died along the way…

The county magistrate sighed and his mood visibly dropped. “He’s also a pitiful person.”

His wife went forward and handed him a half-dried handkerchief. “You’ve already done enough. Other county cities might not accept refugees. You not only helped with their new household registration, but you also thought of ways to help them settle down.”

County Magistrate Shen accepted his wife’s kindness. As he wiped his face, he said, “Since I’ve become an official, I naturally have to pay more attention to the livelihood of the people. By the way, I plan to visit some villages to take a look at the farming situation. I can also take a look at the wasteland at the foot of Dayan Mountain.”

He said seriously, “The refugees have already encountered a calamity. Even if they settle down, their lives are not easy. I was wondering if 1 could let them explore the wasteland. The new decree of the Imperial Court allows those who clear the land to be exempted from taxes for three years.”

Seeing that he was about to talk about that endless business again, the county magistrate’s wife pinched his waist. “Are you still sleeping?”

Only then did the county magistrate stop talking.

It was already late at night, but there was no sleepiness in Xiaoxiao’s eyes, because a notification had just sounded in the space—

[Upgrade completed..]