Feng Yu Heng’s Pride
In the residence, the only males aside from children were servants. Xuan Tian Feng had brought clothes of his own, but after changing while on the road, he had no clean clothes left when he reached the capital. He could only wear the roughly-made clothes made for servants. Although the look was a bit simple, he did not lose his scholar’s aura.
Feng Yu Heng very quickly saw him and quickly had Fu Sang go and take care of things. She then walked over to Xuan Tian Feng and called out with a faint smile: “Sixth brother.” She then looked at the slightly short and grey winter coat and said with an apologetic tone: “This residence truly does not have any good clothes. Sixth brother, just make do with them for now. It’s better than wearing wet clothes and getting sick.”
Xuan Tian Feng nodded, “Many thanks. This too is fine. People and clothes are the same, with no original difference between high and low status. If it can keep me warm, they are good clothes.” While speaking, he tugged at the lower hem of the coat and specially said to Feng Yu Heng: “You treat the servants of this residence very well. These clothes look a bit plain, but the people that know this material know that this is not something a normal servant is able to wear. Moreover, the cotton inside the fabric is very soft, and it is very fluffy to wear, and it is very warm. It’s definitely new cotton from this year.”
Feng Yu Heng smiled and said: “The servants do work for us, so even if we aren’t able to provide them with fish and meat to eat each day like masters, the most basic things like clothes to keep warm need to be provided. It’s as sixth brother said, there is no difference in high and low when it comes to people. The servants do their all to take care of their masters, and the master should have a conscience.”
Xuan Tian Feng nodded and agreed with this, “This is a life that people should have.” After he finished speaking, he looked around the yard then asked her: “Is younger sister in a rush to return?”
Feng Yu Heng shook her head, “No rush. I will be staying to accompany the children for dinner before leaving.”
“I am also in no rush. How about younger sister brings me to take a look around this residence? On my way back, I heard that Imperial Daughter Ji An had opened a residence that not only takes in orphans to be taught medicine, but they also have their own farm. Even a number of farms in the surrounding areas were bought. Not to hide it from younger sister, but brother is quite curious.”
Xuan Tian Feng was a scholar. On his way back to the capital, the closer he got to the capital, the more rumors he heard. Gradually, he became more and more curious about this residence. Adding on his coincidental meeting with the two children that wanted to seek aid, he personally sent them here and wanted to take a look at exactly what sort of place this was.
Feng Yu Heng did not reject it. Xuan Tian Feng gave off a very good initial impression, and it was as Wang Chuan and the others had said. The sixth prince did not seem to be a prince and was more like a teacher, treating people with courtesy and speaking warmly. She gestured for him to enter and said: “Since sixth brother is interested, please follow A-Heng to the back to take a look.”
She led him through the front yard and headed toward the back. First, she brought him to where the orphans lived. The main room and wing rooms were filled with children. Although there were many people in each room, it definitely would not reach the point of feeling cramped. Each child was guaranteed the space to rest and sleep. She told Xuan Tian Feng: “This residence was originally comprised of two lots, and there were a total of 12 rooms that could house people. It was far from being able to handle this many people. Later on, we negotiated with the owner of the nearby residence to see if we could rent their properties; however, the owner of that residence happened to want to leave the capital for a different province, and they simply sold us the residence. His residence is a bit bigger and had a bit of empty space, thus I had some people build a few rooms to allow people to live in them.”
The two continued to talk while walking further in. Finally arriving at the farm behind the buildings, Feng Yu Heng pointed at the farmland that lay unused in the Winter and said: “The residence did not have much farmland originally. Later on, we bought quite a bit. Aside from learning about medicine, these children need to do their own work. Planting vegetables and raising crops, there is no demand for them to plant too much. They just need to produce enough for themselves. Sixth brother, look.” She pointed at an orchard to the side of the fields, “That place is specifically for growing fruits. Aside from grains and vegetables, the children also planted a number of fruit trees. Pear trees, apple trees, jujube trees, etc… they don’t worry about whether they look good. As long as it can be eaten, there are always fresh fruits that can be eaten in the proper season. It’s really quite good. Of course, there are many birds being raised in the residence. When we were in the yard earlier, sixth brother also saw it. Chicken, ducks and geese are all being raised by the children. At the very least, they are able to produce quite a few eggs each day.”
Feng Yu Heng spoke with great pride. These children were like her own children. Watching and listening to the children energetically climbing up in life, she would feel a sense of pride and accomplishment. She told Xuan Tian Feng: “In truth, even if they didn’t do all of this, my imperial daughter’s manor would be able to provide for them. But this sort of residence will not be just these two. They will exist in many provinces. The imperial daughter’s manor is able to handle one or two, and even three or four are fine, but it can’t support the entire world. That’s why I told them that they had to survive on their own power. It’s not just for the sake of them being able to have some food to eat right now. It’s also to teach them that in this world, there is no job that sees returns without effort. To lead a quiet life, work must be done. We took them in and taught them about medicine, but not every child has talent in this area. There will always come a day when they will grow up, and when that time comes, they will need to leave this residence and live on their own. They will need to have the ability to continue living and not die of starvation.”
Xuan Tian Feng was born a scholar. He had never liked the life of the imperial family and was very fond of the common people. He still remembered a time from when he was young. While in the palace, the first time that he had attended class in an academy, he developed this fondness when he heard his teacher speak. He hoped that he himself would be able to be like that teacher, teaching the things that he had learned to the students that wished to learn. He recounted this matter to Feng Yu Heng; however, he also helplessly told her: “Unfortunately, when I grew up later on, I finally understood my own status, and I finally understood that it would always be impossible for me to realize that sort of wish. It was because of this that I was quite dejected for a number of years.” He smiled bitterly; however, it was as though he had seen his dreams come true with this residence, “This place is really good.” These sincere words came out of his mouth, and Feng Yu Heng could tell, “Not only are teachers brought here for the children, but they’re also given hope. It’s really good.”
Feng Yu Heng had not yet finished speaking of her pride. Pointing at a mountain that was not too far away, she said: “Sixth brother, look over there. That is the mountain closest to the residence, and we have reclaimed it. Sixth brother, guess what’s being grown up there?”
Xuan Tian Feng was stunned, reclaiming a mountain? Heavens, just how much ambition did this girl have? He could not guess what it was, but he asked another question: “The children grow so much, yet they still need to plant a field in the mountains? Can… they handle the distance?”
Feng Yu Heng laughed, “How could something like reclaiming a mountain be done by children? That was something that I hired peasants from outside the city to do. I gave them plenty of compensation, and they provided me with labor. Aside from this, I provided them with clothes, food and tea, and the gains that they brought me were just as good.”
Xuan Tian Feng did not understand what gains meant, but he knew that it would be roughly the same meaning as “benefits.” Only then did he guess at what could be growing in the mountains. He thought for a bit then said: “Younger sister is a divine doctor, so could it be that there are medical herbs growing in the mountains?”
Feng Yu Heng nodded and could not help but give him a thumbs up: “It’s no wonder for sixth brother. When I first came up with this idea and told Xuan Tian Ming, even he could not guess.” She had subconsciously called Xuan Tian Ming by his name, and this left Xuan Tian Feng feeling absent-minded. She, however, did not notice and continued to glowingly speak: “In the past, medical herbs were harvested by people that went into the mountains then sorted in the shops. The amounts would be quite lacking, and there would often be some medicines that would run out of stock, affecting people’s ability to obtain medicine to treat illness. I reclaimed the mountain to plant large quantities of medical herbs to put an end to the problem of not having enough medicine. As for the people that relied on the money obtained from going into the mountains to fetch medical herbs for money, we will not mistreat them. I called for them to join the work of farming those medical herbs. Farmwork doesn’t require them, but they are knowledgeable about medical herbs. What should be planted, which ones are most frequently used, which ones are easiest to buy, and which types of medical herbs grow in what types of environments, that’s where their expertise is. With them coming here to work, the recompense is far better than if they went into the mountains on their own to put in hard work.”
She looked at Xuan Tian Feng with a bright smile: “How is it sixth brother? My gains aren’t bad, right?”
How could this simply be considered not bad? Xuan Tian Feng sighed: “This has truly allowed me to expand my horizons. As a prince, I grew up in the palace, established a manor outside of the palace and protected the country’s peace at the border; however, there has never been something that has shaken me quite like today. I know that you are just doing these things around the capital as an experiment. Once they succeed, there will be numerous mountains that end up reclaimed like this around the world. There will also be many orphanage schools like this, and there will be numerous experienced doctors. Da Shun will be left with a completely new look, and this is a contribution that will push policies forward.”
Xuan Tian Feng spoke with a bit of emotion, and his hands were both clenched. It was as though he had already seen that day. He turned his head and looked at Feng Yu Heng. The girl was still looking at the mountain ahead with a smile on her face. Seeing her full of youthful spirit, Xuan Tian Feng felt as though he had truly never seen a girl like this. She was like the sun that gave life. From the moment it pokes its head out, it uses its own warmth to provide light for the people.
In the past, he only knew that Feng Yu Heng was divine doctor Yao Xian’s granddaughter. She knew medicine and was quite famous for it. He also knew that her archery was outstanding. Together with Xuan Tian Ming, she had gone to the North to lead soldiers into battle. She had conquered Qian Zhou and was a sharp female general. At the same time, he had heard many people say that Imperial Daughter Ji An was arrogant and bossy, and she did not look up to a single person. Even the ninth prince, the ninth king of hell, could be stopped in his tracks, and she was quite outrageous. But seeing her today, he had a new understanding of her, and his admiration of her soared along with it.
He took a step back and cupped his hands to salute Feng Yu Heng: “Imperial Daughter Ji An has great ideals. This lowly prince admires it.”
Feng Yu Heng turned around and looked at him, saying with a smile: “Your Highness Prince Xian does not speak of status, flaunt your power and compiled books for the country. A-Heng admires this.”
Xuan Tian Feng shook his head and smiled bitterly, “That can’t be considered anything. I just don’t have a choice. Otherwise, I would rather come to this residence and teach those children to read and write, and that would be better than staying at the border. Da Shun is not lacking in generals; however, I am unable to pursue my desires and do what I truly want to do.” He looked at Feng Yu Heng, feeling that under her lead, he felt something that he had suppressed for many years begin to awake. That thing that he had believed to be impossible now did not seem to be impossible.
However, at this moment, there was another matter that he had to handle first…