A Jiu had just dug into the soil when she discovered that only the top foot or so was moist.
Further down, the earth was dry again.
The rain had been too heavy and too sudden, lacking the penetrating power of a gentle shower.
Listening to the villagers' discussions, A Jiu couldn't help but marvel at the humaneness of the Nanming City's Prince. Perhaps they might actually receive some seeds.
"Sister A Jiu, we don't need to worry, do we? Don't you have seeds?" Tuoba Yan crouched beside A Jiu and asked.
"I only have a few seeds for watermelons, pomegranates, and peaches, but those can't be used as staple food."
If they intended to stay here temporarily, the primary concern had to be long-term food cultivation.
"Sister A Jiu, you can plant pomegranates, watermelons, and peaches, and then trade them for food, wouldn't that work?"
Tuoba Yan said with a carefree air.
A Jiu's eyes lit up. That was right.
But she quickly realized the flaw: "Are you stupid? All the villagers are out of food seeds. Who are we supposed to trade with?"
"Sister A Jiu, this time you're not as knowledgeable as I am, are you?"
Tuoba Yan said mysteriously and confidently:
"I'm serving as a soldier in the city. There's food in the military granary. I heard them say that no matter what, the military provisions cannot be cut off."
A Jiu found this reasoning sound. Even if some civilians starved, the military rations couldn't be compromised.
If the military rations were cut off, it would mean a complete lack of defense, leaving them vulnerable to attacks from other Princes.
"So, you mean I can grow fruits and trade them for some military rations as seeds, and then I'll have food, right?"
A Jiu chuckled and patted Tuoba Yan's shoulder, "This time, I really don't know as much as you do."
"Of course," Tuoba Yan puffed out his chest proudly, "I've learned a lot this time too. How about it, Sister A Jiu, I can still be helpful, right?"
"Yes!" A Jiu propped her chin on her hands and looked at Tuoba Yan with a silly smile, "It's settled then. Anyway, you're doing such a great job as a fake soldier. We'll plant tonight, and you'll take them to the city first thing tomorrow to trade for food."
"Leave this to me," Tuoba Yan was so happy his mouth couldn't close.
In the evening, the medicinal effects of the broad beans finally wore off, but Cai Lihua was already weak from diarrhea.
A Jiu, afraid that eating more fruit would cause more purging, simply lit a fire and boiled a pot of hot spiritual spring water:
"Mother, have some hot tea to warm your stomach." She thought it would be even better with a little salt.
"Give it to me," Meng Shaode, who never left his wife's side, took the bowl and looked at Cai Lihua with a worried expression:
"If something like this happens again, give it to me, I'll eat it, okay?"
"What's the difference between you eating it and me eating it?" Cai Lihua sat up, clutching her stomach, her face pale with a yellowish tinge from the purging.
When everyone else had fallen asleep, A Jiu stepped outside and saw Tuoba Yan already waiting by the door.
"Let's go."
One tall and one short, the two figures melted into the darkness.
There was no moonlight that night. Little Yan Yan followed closely behind A Jiu, her eyesight exceptionally sharp. Following Sister A Jiu, she would definitely not fall into any traps.
A Jiu glanced around the deserted village, then crouched down and said, "Dig holes. Let's see if you know how to plant."
"Piece of cake," Tuoba Yan skillfully took the ox horn knife from A Jiu and began to dig with great vigor.
He retreated while digging, quickly creating more than ten holes.
A Jiu took out several stored peach pits from her bosom and dropped them into the holes. She then planted a few pomegranate seeds, and the watermelons were planted behind.
She poured spiritual spring water into each hole, then sat aside, propping her chin on her hands, and waited.
"Sister A Jiu, the stars are so beautiful tonight," Tuoba Yan imitated A Jiu's posture, squatting beside her and looking up.
"Yes, it might be because of the rain. The sky feels much cleaner," A Jiu said, then suddenly remembered something important:
"Little Yan Yan, your military camp shouldn't be short of salt, right?"
"Short? How could we be short?"
A Jiu's heart sank. Even the military camp was short of salt. "Logically, you shouldn't be. Salt helps with strength and fighting, right?"