The Comeback of the Cannon-Fodder Supporting Actress

Chapter 981: Chapter 958: Glory Amidst Chaos 26

The Old Master thought at this moment that it’s fine for the relationship between the main family and the third branch to be bad.

Anyway, the family has been exiled to the Southern Yi, and what can happen in the future? At most, they will buy more land here to farm, and generations of descendants will be digging in the dirt for food, even if the brothers don’t get along, it won’t matter much.

What the Old Master didn’t expect was that within ten years, he would regret today’s decision.

The main family found a place to settle down, and Xiao Jue was holding back his anger, starting to buy land and build houses.

Xiao Su also wanted to buy land and build houses. Despite traveling to Southern Yi together, the relationship between the main family and the second family was not good either, so when Xiao Su bought land, it wasn’t near the main family, instead, it was far away. However, Fifth Xiao Fang’s land was right next to the main family’s.

After buying the land, these third branches also started building houses and such.

Xiao Yuan and Anning didn’t care about these matters.

They knew if the Old Master didn’t have any issues, he generally wouldn’t come to the third branch.

And during the Old Master’s quiet period, they had to hurry to farm.

In the Southern Yi, the weather is hot, it’s hot all year round, and there’s no cold weather. Even in the midst of winter, temperatures are around ten degrees, saving the hassle of coal fires and such, and farming can be done in several seasons a year.

Anning and Xiao Yuan first needed to farm.

If farming several seasons a year, the fertilizer must keep up.

Generally, people would enrich the soil with wood ash or farm fertilizer.

But in Southern Yi, people were few and land was many, enriching the soil with farm fertilizer was unrealistic, not having that many people or livestock, so where would fertilizer come from.

Anning’s idea was to use bio-fertilizer.

She spent several days collecting biological samples from the mountains for research.

Then gradually picked up the knowledge from several lifetimes ago when she was an agricultural scientist, plus Xiao Yuan, who had studied top-notch biology and medicine, assisted her, Anning created the Nutrient Liquid before winter.

This Nutrient Liquid couldn’t be compared to modern society, after all, the conditions weren’t there, and technology didn’t support it, but it was definitely better than regular fertilizer.

After the Nutrient Liquid was prepared, she and Xiao Yuan started spraying it in the field and began planting wheat.

Yes, they planted wheat.

In Southern Yi, really, no one planted wheat. Most fields here grew rice, or some beans, fruits, or vegetables, and some Southern Yi people didn’t even know what wheat was.

Fortunately, Anning collected some seeds on the way south, and now they became useful.

While they were busy, Xiao Jin and Xiao Ling were also busy.

Those two were really clever, didn’t care about work in the field, saying they couldn’t farm, leaving what to plant and how to Third Sister-in-law, they did work but needed Anning for direction.

So, these two were roped in for labor, working every day in the field. Fortunately, the three families also bought oxen, so they weren’t completely worn out.

Besides these two, some children needed to help in the field daily.

The children had no complaints.

They all knew they were no longer the sons and daughters of the Duke Mansion, and in the future, they would be country bumpkins, they couldn’t hold themselves high and had to quickly adapt to country life.

The older Xiao Ying and Xiao Zhong went to work in the field, while Xiao Fu stayed home to help the Hui Family cook, delivering meals to the field.

Their current lifestyle was much like most Southern Yi people.

After Anning planted wheat in several plots and rice in the paddy fields, and some vegetables in fields near home, trouble arose again with Fifth Xiao Fang’s side.

On the way south, Ms. Jin was humiliated, and in Xiao Fang’s mind, it was shameful. On the way, Xiao Fang couldn’t say anything, but upon reaching Southern Yi, he increasingly looked down on Ms. Jin.

Earlier, Xiao Fang treated Ms. Jin quite well, now he beat and yelled at her.

Ms. Jin was afraid Xiao Fang would abandon her, didn’t dare to say anything about the beatings and scolding, just endured.

Even so, Xiao Fang couldn’t tolerate Ms. Jin.

One day, Xiao Fang showed up at Xiao Yuan’s place, and as he arrived, Xiao Yuan’s family was having a meal. He swaggered in, dropped into a chair: ”Third Brother, I have something to tell you.”

Xiao Yuan put down his bowl: ”Speak.”

Xiao Fang said: ”I originally planned to divorce Ms. Jin, but thinking about how she followed me to Southern Yi wasn’t easy. Her family is all in the Capital, if I divorce her, she has nowhere to go, only a dead-end. But I really can’t stand her, so... I’m thinking of taking a concubine.”

Xiao Yuan still held chopsticks, at this moment, he slammed them on the table: ”Do Dad and Big Brother know?”

Xiao Fang nodded: ”They know.”

Xiao Yuan sneered: ”Since everyone knows, why tell me? It’s your business, nothing to do with me.”

Xiao Fang shamelessly grinned: ”I wanted to invite Third Brother to have a drink when I took a concubine.”

Anning served the children some dishes and took them to the kitchen to eat.

Xiao Yuan coldly stared at Xiao Fang: ”Take a concubine? What kind of person do you think you are to be talking about taking a concubine? You’re an exiled commoner, what qualifications do you have to take a concubine?”

Shooting several questions, Xiao Fang’s face changed: ”Not... not really taking a concubine, just adding a person at home, on the surface a servant girl, actually a concubine.”

Xiao Yuan’s expression grew colder: ”Your family buys a servant girl, and I drink for that? Fifth Xiao, this is way too arrogant.”

One comment left Xiao Fang unable to retort.

Xiao Yuan was right; no family invited brothers for drinks just for buying a servant girl, Xiao Fang talked about this just to pinch some money.

He meant that taking a concubine invites brothers for joy money, he used it as an excuse to beg money from the brothers.

Xiao Yuan saw Xiao Fang mute, anger rising within him: ”I understand what you’re thinking, but we’ve split branches. You’re one branch with Big Brother; we’re a branch. Even if you take a concubine, invite drinks, you can’t invite me, Fifth Xiao, do you take me for a fool, or have you habitually bullied me earlier, and want to continue bullying?”

Xiao Fang took a deep breath, suppressed his inner fire: ”I didn’t mean it that way, just wanted Third Brother to know we added someone.”

”Alright, I understand, but I also have to tell you, you despise Ms. Jin so much for not fighting to the death or dying for purity. But I think you shouldn’t despise her but despise yourself. You couldn’t protect your own woman, and as a man, that’s your incompetence. Talking badly about Ms. Jin publicly, won’t others ridicule you? Fifth Xiao, no need to say more, just your behavior disgusts people.”

After speaking, Xiao Yuan picked up his bowl and continued to eat.

Xiao Fang took in Xiao Yuan’s demeanor and knew Xiao Yuan was about to see him off.

He took several deep breaths but couldn’t hold back, standing up instantly: ”Third Brother speaks lightly, would you be capable of protecting Third Sister-in-law under those circumstances? I want to know if Third Sister-in-law was humiliated, Third Brother would still treat her the same without disdain.”

Xiao Yuan looked at Xiao Fang lightly: ”That situation wouldn’t happen; no matter what happens, I would protect your Third Sister-in-law to the end, as long as I’m alive, she’d be safe and happy, unless I die...”

He gently squeezed his right hand, and a crisp cracking sound was heard, he broke the chopsticks in hand evenly: ”Fifth Xiao, just based on what you said, if not for a bit of brotherhood, I’d have already made you incapable of taking care of yourself. Next time, if you bring up your Third Sister-in-law again, don’t blame me for being ruthless, alright, I have to eat, you better leave.”

Xiao Yuan’s gaze carried a hint of menace as he looked at Xiao Fang.

That sense of menace made Xiao Fang’s heart leap, instantly feeling as though he was being targeted by a fierce beast, sensing death, and within moments, he was drenched in cold sweat, legs turning soft like noodles, almost collapsing to the ground.

Xiao Fang struggled to crawl and scramble out of the third branch’s quarters.