Chapter 1067: Leaving Home

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

Qiao Xuan fought back tears, struggling with conflicting emotions and contemplating self-sabotage.

The joyful days they had spent together seemed to have vanished in an instant, and now it was time for Qiao Xuan and Shao Yunduan to return to the capital.

Despite Ms. Fang’s reluctance, she had to bid them farewell with a forced smile.

Qiao Xuan assured Shao Yunduan that she would return before the new year, bringing some relief to her family. However, he wouldn’t be able to come back for the time being. This reassured them.

Under the cover of dawn, Shao Yunduan and Qiao Xuan left Shaoding Village. They avoided the Land Officer and the elders, as neither of them desired such a heartbreaking scene.

After exchanging pleasantries with County Magistrate Yu in the county city, they continued their journey to the provincial capital accompanied by the original honor guard.

As the sun set, they entered the city.

The honor guards settled in the local posthouse, while Qiao Xuan and Shao Yunduan made their way to the Yuezheng Family residence.

First Madame greeted them with joy. She had already arranged for the yard to be cleaned, allowing them to move in immediately.

Yuezheng Xiao smiled and said, “The fruit saplings were just brought back two days ago, so I anticipated that you would arrive in the next couple of days! The seedlings are stored in the cellar, and someone waters their roots every morning. I’m skeptical, though. Can they really be successfully planted?”

Yuezheng Xiao had his doubts.

Qiao Xuan half-truthfully smiled at him and replied, “Of course! To be honest, after numerous experiments, I’ve developed something that aids in crop growth. However, the process is quite complex. I read about the delectable southern fruits in books, so I prepared in advance. Now, I can finally put them to use! I’m confident they’ll work well with dragon fruits and papayas, but I’m uncertain about the longan fruits, lychees, mangoes, and so on.”

“If they prove to be effective, we’ll have a bountiful harvest of fruits next year. I guarantee they’ll be highly sought after in this region!”

Qiao Xuan anticipated that people would take notice if she successfully grew plants that were seemingly impossible to cultivate. She had been pondering how to explain her methods.

Nevertheless, that was all she would reveal. If someone of high status pressured her into divulging the prescription, she would comply. However, she couldn’t guarantee their success. There were no certainties in such matters.

Besides, there was a saying: “The master paves the way, but each cultivates their own.” This principle applied to all industries. One couldn’t expect to master something simply by learning about it.

If it were that easy, scholars would effortlessly pass the intermediate exams, which was far from reality.

Yuezheng Xiao didn’t doubt Qiao Xuan’s words, sharing the same mindset. He smiled and said, “Sister-in-law has never failed before, and she won’t fail this time! I can’t wait to taste the lychees and longan next year!”

They both laughed as they spoke.

The following day, Shao Yunduan sent letters to the Xie Family, the magistrate, and a few local scholars. He then accompanied Qiao Xuan to the mountainside to observe the tree planting process.

Yuezheng Xiao and Xie Jingrong joined them to witness the spectacle.

The shipment included five types of fruit trees: longan, lychee, mango, grapefruit, and citrus, each with several different varieties.

They followed Qiao Xuan’s meticulous plan and planted everything accordingly.

Additionally, there were other fruits like egg fruits, pineapple honey, passion fruits, and mountain bamboo.