A husband found in the village? I bought a regent for a penny!

Chapter 445 You decide on our family's heir.

Seeing Gu Xixi's very serious expression, Mu Nanzhao couldn't help but chuckle and said indulgently:

"You just said that if she is a noblewoman from the Northern Li, you should stay away from her to avoid suspicion."

"Now you want to protect them? Doesn't that seem too opportunistic?"

Gu Xixi didn't take it seriously. "What's there to be afraid of? She doesn't know what I think."

"Besides, I never harm anyone. We're just strangers, each of us getting what we need."

"Stubborn as a mule." Mu Nanzhao sighed. "If all you care about is personal gain, why bother saving her?"

"Did you recoup your costs by giving her those pills?"

Gu Xixi, having been exposed, pouted and muttered under her breath, "When you're in a hurry to save someone, you don't have time to think about these things."

"That doesn't stop me from wanting to use her later."

"I really hope she can have a boy right now."

She frowned in confusion, "Does this count as favoring boys over girls?"

In this society, men are considered more important than women. The idea that men are like heaven and women are like earth is a conventional truth.

Because everything is taken for granted, there is neither accusation of favoring sons over daughters, nor does this concept exist.

Mu Nanzhao was also hearing the term "preferring sons to daughters" for the first time.

In the past, he might have been a little confused.

But after getting to know Gu Xixi, he not only understands her meaning smoothly, but also doesn't feel there's anything wrong with it.

"Well..." Mu Nanzhao pondered, "It shouldn't count."

"Your wish for him to be a boy is no different from your wish for the workshop to make more bags of fertilizer."

"Not to mention, having a son is probably also the Second Princess's own wish."

Gu Xixi's lips twitched. The words weren't wrong, but the metaphor was...

At this moment, Mu Nanzhao turned around and said with a half-smile, "That child isn't there to carry on our family line."

"You could consider whether our family will inherit the inheritance by a daughter or a son?"

Gu Xixi was preoccupied with her own thoughts when she subconsciously replied, "Of course I like both boys and girls, and I'll try my best to treat them equally."

As soon as she finished speaking, she saw Mu Nanzhao laughing heartily and immediately realized that she had fallen into his trap.

Gu Xixi, embarrassed and annoyed, kicked him.

"What nonsense are you spouting! Who's talking to you or us!"

"I haven't agreed to your request yet, so don't try to claim kinship with me!"

"Stop laughing! Stop laughing! You're not allowed to laugh anymore!"

Mu Nanzhao smiled and let her kick and hit him, thinking happily that it was only a matter of time!

In the evening, General Liu came to the courtyard in person, firstly to deliver the payment for this settlement, and secondly to consult Gu Xixi on the plan for clearing land and planting next season.

Upon hearing that crops could be planted in the second season of this year, General Liu's reaction was the same as everyone else in the village.

He stood up happily, then sat down again, rubbing his hands together and saying, "Planting sorghum, that's wonderful!"

“Coarse grains are still grains. In our Northwest, sorghum seeds are easy to obtain.”

General Liu then asked, "Are we still planting pumpkins?"

He seemed a little cautious.

Because the general had said beforehand that the entire process of reclaiming the land should be done according to Boss Gu's instructions.

Do not act on your own initiative, and even more so, do not interfere with Boss Gu's decisions.

Gu Xixi nodded. "Of course you can."

"Not only last year's pumpkins and red and white radishes, but now that the soil has accumulated some fertilizer, we can plant some winter vegetables that are easy to store, such as green onions and Chinese cabbage."

General Liu was overjoyed, "That's wonderful!"

"Those old pumpkins were a great help last winter. We used them in stews, soups, stir-fries, braised pork, and flatbreads."

"Everyone says this stuff is good; it can be served as a side dish or a main course to keep you full."

"The cook asked me to inquire whether it's still possible to plant this year."

Although the Northwest Army is no longer subject to ration deductions as it used to be.

But the entire undertaking still needs to be rebuilt and restored, and how much food can the Northwest possibly have?

General Huo Jiang was well aware of the importance of being prepared for danger even in times of peace.

Therefore, the reclamation of the border areas could not be stopped. He even submitted a memorial to the emperor, formally requesting permission to continue the reclamation.

Gu Xixi calculated the required quantities of various seeds, made a list, and handed it to General Liu.

"You can make your purchases according to this list first."

"I'll have to wait until I get back and plan it out before I can tell you the details."

The land in the Northwest is precious and must be utilized to the maximum extent and in the most rational way.

For example, sorghum fields can be intercropped with cabbage, which does not require much sunlight.

Pumpkins and radishes can be grown on land that is heavily sandy or not very flat.

……

After thanking Gu Xixi repeatedly, General Liu was still grinning as he took his leave.

General Liu's smile vanished abruptly after Mu Nanzhao whispered a few words to him.

He solemnly clasped his hands in a military salute, saying, "This humble general will certainly inform the general of every single word."

Lü Jing saw the guest out.

She heard nothing, and although she was curious, she understood that not everything was something she should know.

Gu Xixi knew exactly what Mu Nanzhao had said.

The fact that Yina might be the Second Princess of Beili must be told to Huo Jiang as soon as possible.

As for how Huo Jiang should further verify this, that's a matter between him and the Northwest Army.

The next morning, Gu Xixi set off to return.

Mu Nanzhao will stay for a few more days.

He saw Gu Xixi off to the carriage, saying, "We can't stay away from the capital for too long."

"I'm going straight back to Beijing this time. I'll come back to the village to find you next time I'm in the Northwest."

Gu Xixi nodded in agreement.

Mu Nanzhao suddenly leaned close to her ear, "Once things get moving at the tea plantation, Magistrate Jiang will have a reason to meet with you frequently."

"And that An Qinghe, he'll probably be back soon too."

Gu Xixi smiled and pretended not to understand, "Why are you suddenly thinking about those two?"

Mu Nanzhao said helplessly, "I'm just reminding you not to even think about climbing over the wall, you can't even if you want to."

Gu Xixi tilted her head back and said slyly, "What if I don't listen?"

Seeing her mischievous appearance, Mu Nanzhao couldn't bear to be harsh with her.

He gritted his teeth and laughed at the same time, saying, "Well, I can't guarantee what I might do if I go crazy."

……

After the wheat harvest, the weather was sunny for several days in a row. By the time Gu Xixi returned home, all the wheat in each family had been stored away.

After deducting the portion of food already paid to the hired workers, the granary in Gu Xixi's backyard was completely full.

For farmers, nothing provides the greatest sense of security.

From the moment Gu Xixi entered the door, she saw Aunt Zhang coming and going with a smile on her face, busy with various tasks.

Aunt Zhang said that she would make cold noodles for lunch using new wheat flour, without mixing in any other coarse grains. She would hand-roll the noodles into long strips and serve them with fresh vegetables and shredded chicken in a seasoned broth. The whole family would enjoy a delicious meal.

Gu Xixi laughed and said, "That's why I always say home is the best."

"I only thought about this meal on the way home, but when I got home, my aunt had already prepared it without me even having to say anything."

Observing that Aunt Zhang was in a good mood, she paused and said, "Auntie, do you still remember the Regent's proclamation?"

Aunt Zhang nodded with a smile as she picked vegetables, "How could I not remember?"

"One is surnamed Mu, and the other is surnamed Gu, just like our family."

Gu Xixi nodded, "Yes, the Gu family on the notice is me."