Reborn as a Landlord

"This is thanks to the Emperor’s... goodwill and the Sixth Master’s... assistance," Lian Shouxin said, speaking with a slight stiffness.

Such statements were common politeness in official circles. Lian Shouxin was not naturally adept at delivering them, but Wu Lang and Lian Manman had taught him beforehand. In different scenarios and with different recipients, only slight adjustments were needed to make such phrases universally applicable.

"I admire how you thought of digging ponds to grow lotus roots..." Shen Liu remarked. Clearly, all the flowery words aside, he was most interested in this lotus-growing endeavor.

"In our Liaodong Prefecture, winters are bitter cold, and it’s difficult to get fresh vegetables. Even when autumn harvests are stored in cellars, they don’t last long. This winter, we were fortunate to taste lotus roots, which are durable and can be stored, but they’re scarce locally and mostly transported from the south. We have a river stretching out in front of us with vast riverbanks. When spring came, it felt wasteful to leave all that area unused, so we thought of digging ponds to grow lotus roots. If it goes well, it’ll be a good thing indeed," Lian Manman explained.

Shen Liu’s gaze settled once more on Lian Manman.

Truly, she was a daring and resourceful young lady with an extraordinary vision. Without such a disposition, matters like sweet potatoes and corn wouldn’t have unfolded as successfully as they had. The Lian Family’s rapid growth over such a short time likely owed much to this young woman’s foresight and character.

Shen Liu’s gaze finally focused intently on Lian Manman’s face.

At first, he hadn’t imagined things would progress this far. But going forward, could they go even further?

"The Sixth Master’s household may not lack these things, but if the Sixth Master ever needs them, the first harvest from our Lotus Pond will always be delivered to the Sixth Master’s house first," Lian Manman said with a smile, seeing Shen Liu momentarily lost in thought.

Lotus roots, lotus leaves, gorgon fruit—all were rare in Liaodong, though southern merchants occasionally brought them in. Wealthy families who wanted such delicacies could buy them, but not fresh ones. The produce from the Lotus Pond—fresh lotus seeds, dried lotus nuts, fresh lotus roots, water caltrops, and gorgon fruit—would sell easily in Liaodong Prefecture.

But since both Shen Liu and Shen Jiu were here, it was natural to notify them first. The Shen Family always topped the Lian Family’s supply list—this was an unwritten rule. Even if shipping goods to Prefecture City from Thirty Mile Camp was more troublesome due to the distance, this priority arrangement wouldn’t change.

"Very well," Shen Liu said, regaining his composure and nodding lightly.

"Thank you again, Sixth Master, for the crabapple trees you sent over," Lian Manman expressed her gratitude to Shen Liu, having just heard from Fatty Shen that Shen Liu had personally chosen the trees.

"You’ve just moved into a new residence, but I’ve been busy at the barracks and couldn’t visit in person. Those crabapple trees were sent as supplemental gifts," Shen Liu said.

"Thank you, Sixth Master, for remembering us," Lian Shouxin and his sons immediately stood up to express their gratitude.

"Please sit down. I’ve already said, when you’re with me, there’s no need for such formality. Dispense with all the unnecessary etiquette," Shen Liu replied.

They all sat back down again.

Lian Manman held a faint smile on her lips—Shen Liu seemed far more approachable during this visit than ever before. He even spoke more than he usually did. Not just her, but Lian Shouxin, Wu Lang, and Xiao Qi must have noticed the same.

"Have the trees been planted already?" Shen Liu asked.

"They’ve been planted," Lian Manman replied.

"I helped plant them in the backyard," said Fatty Shen.

"Oh..." Shen Liu glanced at Fatty Shen.

"Would the Sixth Master like to take a look?" Lian Manman asked.

"No need," Shen Liu shook his head.

The backyard was naturally part of the private quarters of Manman’s Family. Shen Qian was still young and counted as a playmate of Lian Manman, Wu Lang, and Xiao Qi, so wandering around wasn’t inappropriate. But things were different for Shen Liu.

"The new residence we’ve built hasn’t been shown to the Sixth Master yet—how about taking a look around?" Lian Manman proposed.

In farmstead households, there weren’t rigid rules about propriety, especially since they were all gathered in the front yard. Inviting Shen Liu to tour the new residence posed no issue.

Shen Liu thought for a moment, then unexpectedly stood up.

Everyone surrounded Shen Liu, accompanying him through the passage to the backyard, then through the arched corridor leading to the Moon Gate on the left, which opened into the west wing of the second courtyard.

This west wing connected with the garden behind the main house. A living-water channel diverted from the river meandered through the grounds, which were lined with various flowering plants, many of them fruit trees. This season, the fruit trees’ blossoms were in full bloom, making it a pleasant sight to behold as they walked.

After giving Shen Liu a tour, they returned to the backyard through the Moon Gate of the eastern wing.

Shen Liu paused on the arched corridor, casting his gaze around. The courtyard brimmed with lush flora, and under the sunlight, the fragrance of flowers filled the air. The windows of the Upper Room were all glazed, showcasing the neat arrangements inside. Beneath the eaves were two new swallow nests, with swallows busily darting to and fro, feeding their chicks.

The scene was not only clean and tranquil but also vibrant with life.

"...No wonder Tao Yuanming wrote of ’Return to the Countryside’..." Shen Liu remarked softly as he looked at the scenery before him.

Return to the Countryside—Shen Liu knew this too, apparently. Lian Manman turned her head slightly to study Shen Liu’s profile. He stood there with one hand resting on the railing, half of his body bathed in sunlight and the other half cast in shadow from the corridor. Amid the red bricks, black tiles, verdant trees, and colorful blossoms, Shen Liu’s figure, dressed in a light blue robe, had already become part of the painting.

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Offered as a double-update. Near the end of the month, I humbly ask for your support with pink votes.

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Book Recommendation

Title: "Noblewoman"

Author: Mushui Game

Synopsis:

Upon waking in a coffin, Ye Nanxi witnessed a scene that would influence all her choices thereafter.

She had never seen a man utter such an affectionate statement with such ruthless detachment.

Thus, when faced with the prospect of returning to her husband’s sprawling estate, she chose to decline without hesitation. Yet, a life-or-death struggle was not her wish either...(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you’re welcome to cast recommendation votes and monthly votes at Qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation.)