Ch 35: Eaten By Someone?

Zhou Wan’er hurriedly explained, “Think about it, this year… this year is only the tenth year of Qian Wu, and Great Qian has only been established for ten years. Great Zhou has experienced five generations of monarchs. Although the four countries haven’t had an easy time these past few years, all engaged in war and suffered various natural disasters, in terms of development, Great Zhou is definitely better than Great Qian!”

“But Husband is a Great Qian person…”

Gu Zijian paused, not accepting Zhou Wan’er’s weak explanation.

Great Zhou experienced five generations of monarchs, but wasn’t the new generation of monarchs also gained through Military Mutiny?

Great Zhou itself suffers from internal and external troubles. Besides, who says the career prospects of officials are judged by the number of people in the monarch’s lineage?

The Sui Dynasty, the predecessor of Great Qian, also experienced several generations of monarchs. Didn’t many loyal ministers and talented people die tragically?

In comparison, Great Qian, which is in the midst of recovery and needs people, has a brighter future. Moreover, Sun Jian is originally a Great Qian citizen, and he certainly won’t face many restrictions and suspicions about his status if he becomes an official in Great Qian!

“What does it have to do with which country someone is from? Isn’t your Great Qian’s current Chancellor also from Great Zhou…”

Zhou Wan’er was still arguing.

“Our Great Qian? Aren’t you…”

“What are you whispering about back there? Hurry up and catch up!”

“Oh, coming.”

Gu Zijian wanted to argue further with Zhou Wan’er, but unfortunately, Sun Jian in front had stopped and called out to them. She then gave Zhou Wan’er a complex look and chased after him.

Zhou Wan’er sighed helplessly and thought to herself:

If someone like Sun Jian really goes to Great Qian to be an official, I’m afraid Great Zhou, Great Song, and even Great Xia will never have peace, right?

With someone like Sun Jian assisting, it’s not impossible for the other three countries to be annihilated!

It’s a pity that she can’t contact Great Zhou Kingdom now. If she ever regains her position as a princess, she will tie Sun Jian to Great Zhou, no matter the cost, as long as Sun Jian is willing to assist Great Zhou…

The hillside closest to their home had a patch of potatoes planted. It wasn’t too far, but when Sun Jian stood on the hillside, he was dumbfounded.

As far as the eye could see, there were withered vines and branches everywhere. The potato sprouts were strewn about.

The two acres of potatoes that had been carefully planted were ruined, as if they had been gnawed by dogs.

“This…”

Seeing this scene, Sun Jian’s heart ached. A feeling of helplessness welled up.

“How could this happen? Is the land no good?”

Zhou Wan’er and Gu Zijian also arrived, and both were stunned by the sight.

“It doesn’t look like a problem with the hillside. It looks like something has gnawed on them.”

“You’re right, it’s deliberate, not a land problem.”

Sun Jian sighed and answered Zhou Wan’er’s question.

These were Super Potato sprouts! Even in suitable water, they could survive, let alone in the soil.

Gu Zijian frowned slightly and said, “Deliberate?”

“Could it be that someone in the village has it out for Husband? Deliberately sabotaging it? That shouldn’t be the case.”

“Huh, who in the village dares to go against him now? This clearly looks like wild cats, wild dogs, or some wild animals gnawing on them.” Zhou Wan’er analyzed from the side.

Sun Jian didn’t bother to pay attention to the Princess of Great Zhou, who had never done farm work. He crouched down and examined the damaged vines. “From the gnawing marks, it’s clear that it was done by people, and they only ate the leaves and the tips of the stems; the bitter vines weren’t eaten.”

After hearing Sun Jian’s words, the two women also squatted down, picked up some broken branches, and observed them.

“Hey, it really was done by people. Look, the tooth marks are still there.”

“Goodness, what kind of people are these? They actually ate this?”

“Yeah! I can’t understand, is this edible…? They actually put it in their mouths.”

Sun Jian rolled his eyes at them, looking helpless.

One is the daughter of a rebel, and the other is a Princess of Great Zhou. Both have noble statuses and have probably never been truly hungry before. Since marrying him, he hasn’t neglected them either. They naturally haven’t seen what real starving refugees look like.

When people get really hungry, what can’t they eat? Tree bark, leaves, even mud.

If they get even hungrier, people with weak willpower might even eat each other!

Living in this era, this isn’t an exaggeration. Many places are probably experiencing this right now.

Compared to this, Sun Family Village is relatively better off!

Sun Jian sighed. He didn’t intend to tell them all of this. Instead, he continued to calmly analyze:

“Have any refugees passed through or stayed in the village recently?”

“I don’t think so?” Gu Zijian replied.

Zhou Wan’er shrugged. “Don’t ask me, I don’t know. I was talking to people in the village a few days ago, it was Sister Gu and Sister Chu.”

“Forget it, let’s not think about it.”

Sun Jian patted his dust-covered hands.

“It’s a good thing it was potatoes. If it had been other vegetables and grains, they would have been ruined!”

“Forget it, let’s not think about it.”

“Husband, shall we go home?”

“Don’t rush home. Help me dig up some potatoes before we go back.”

Having said that, Sun Jian started to crouch down again and dug into the soil.

Although Gu Zijian and Zhou Wan’er had eaten potatoes, they didn’t know their growing environment. They thought potatoes were like winter melons and watermelons, growing on stems. After Sun Jian dug up a potato, they realized.

“This… this potato actually grows underground?”

Sun Jian shrugged helplessly. “When did I ever tell you that potatoes grow above ground?”

He picked up a potato the size of his palm, examined it, and nodded satisfied.

“These are Super Potatoes, Despite the shorter time, they haven’t reached maturity yet, but they are already quite large. Not bad.”

“Those refugees who gnawed on the potato stems probably didn’t know, like you, that the food is actually underground. If they had tried harder, they would have eaten the food instead of just grass roots. It’s a fortunate event, in a way.”

“Sigh! Let’s not talk about this.”

“Don’t just stand there, come on.”

Sun Jian directed the two women to work with him.

In the blink of an eye, the three of them dug up dozens of potatoes.

Since they hadn’t brought any containers, they couldn’t carry too many more. Sun Jian refilled the soil and finished.

“Okay, this should be enough to eat and take with us.”

“Let’s go home.”

With that, the three of them walked home with their arms full of muddy potatoes.

Passing by their front door, Sun Jian found that their doorway was once again surrounded by people.

It was probably the Village Head and several respected elders who had learned that County Magistrate Wang was at his house, and had come to visit.