APSIL -Chapter 1 A Chance Encounter by the Rice Fields

Volume 1 In the Countryside

The sky was a flawless blue, while golden rice stalks swayed in the breeze like rolling waves.

The farmers in the fields were drenched in sweat as they hurried through the harvest. Forget singing mountain songs—most of them didn’t even have time to stop for a breath or exchange a few words. Aside from the occasional noisy bird flying overhead, only the soft rustling of sickles cutting rice could be heard.

Standing on a narrow ridge beside the official road, Zhang Shou gazed happily at the bountiful harvest. Holding a bundle of ripe rice stalks in his hand, he smiled at the several farmers gathered around him.

“The harvest the year before last wasn’t even as profitable as growing wheat. But last year we finally had a bit of surplus, and judging from this year’s crop, as long as we finish harvesting in time, the income should be sixty percent higher than it was three years ago. Who says rice can’t be grown in the north?”

The surrounding farmers all voiced their agreement.

Thinking back to when he had first discovered that the abundant local waterways made the village ideal for cultivating rice, Zhang Shou couldn’t help but sigh with emotion. Even after his mother, Madam Wu, had reluctantly agreed to try planting rice, digging irrigation canals, and reducing rents, the tenant farmers had remained unwilling and skeptical.

Other people who transmigrated into another world usually started with incredible advantages and noble backgrounds.

He, on the other hand, had become the young master of a small landlord family and found every step difficult.

If this year’s harvest hadn’t been so successful, then after digging canals, introducing rice cultivation, experimenting with cotton fields, expanding oak silkworm farming, and even persuading villagers to spare time so their children could memorize poems and learn to read, he would probably have been cursed behind his back by every farmer in the village.

These days, landlords could evict tenants—but tenants could also resist their landlords. His household consisted only of an orphaned mother and son, and after stirring up so many changes, it was fortunate that he hadn’t caused a catastrophe. Instead, the village’s fortunes had steadily improved.

It really had been a matter of good luck.

Just then, from the corner of his eye beneath his bamboo hat, Zhang Shou noticed a carriage traveling slowly along the broad official road a few paces away.

Seven or eight well-dressed mounted guards surrounded a lacquered carriage, advancing at an unhurried, leisurely pace.

A slender, delicate hand lifted the carriage curtain high.

Though he caught only a brief side profile, he could tell it belonged to a young lady.

Knowing full well that this era was nothing like the modern world, Zhang Shou merely glanced once before withdrawing his gaze. Turning his back to the road again, he continued discussing future replanting plans with the farmers.

A moment later, however, he overheard a conversation coming from inside the carriage.

“Young Miss, you should know the situation in the residence. The Master’s military campaign has gone badly, and there has been no news from the Eldest Young Master or the troops under his command. Quite a few enemies at court are sharpening their knives. To preserve the family estate, the Second Young Master has no choice but to build alliances. Wanting to arrange a marriage with Minister Lu of the Ministry of War is…”

“Preserve the family estate? When he was busy fighting cocks and roaming around with dogs, did he ever think about improving himself? Father may only be pretending to lose the war, and Elder Brother is merely missing for now. Yet he already dares to make plans for my marriage!”

“I know you dislike Minister Lu’s spoiled youngest son, Young Miss. But surely you don’t really believe the old Madam’s so-called marriage contract? The Master has always doted on you. Why would he betroth you to someone of unknown background who grew up in the countryside? Besides, although the old Madam possesses the marriage agreement, she refuses to let either you or the Second Young Master see its contents. Whether it’s genuine remains uncertain.”

“That pig from the Lu family can’t succeed in either scholarship or martial arts. The only thing he’s good at is chasing women. Every time he sees me, he looks like he’s drooling. I want nothing more than to kick him over and beat him senseless! And he wants to marry me? Bah! A toad dreaming of eating swan meat! Besides, I never agreed to marry according to Grandmother’s marriage contract. I only came here to take a look.”

Hearing the first half of the conversation, Zhang Shou secretly sighed.

To think that even a noble young lady of such exalted birth could be forced into marriage. What miserable luck.

But after hearing her final fierce declaration, he couldn’t help thinking that she certainly didn’t need anyone’s sympathy.

The two inside the carriage spoke without the slightest concern that others might overhear them, probably assuming that no one in the countryside would understand matters concerning the great aristocratic families.

The very next moment, however, Zhang Shou lost all interest in sympathizing with others.

He suddenly realized the carriage had slowed, and the male speaker had begun using country folk like them as an example.

“Even if the marriage contract is real, the Master hasn’t mentioned it for years. Perhaps he regretted it long ago. The Young Miss was once treated like a precious jewel in the residence. Could she really spend the rest of her life in the countryside, managing a group of mud-legged peasants like these and dealing every day with illiterate farm women?”

Just as anger rose within Zhang Shou, the man directed his words straight at him.

“Young Miss, look at this young country boy. Raised in the countryside, unable to read or write, completely ignorant of poetry and literature. The only people he associates with are farmers, villagers, peddlers, and laborers. As long as he has enough food and clothing, he’ll be satisfied. He’ll never leave these fields for the rest of his life. He is a farmer’s son, his son will be a farmer’s son, and his grandson will still be a farmer’s son. Growing up among such people, how could he amount to anything but mediocrity?”

Even though Zhang Shou usually avoided arguing with strangers, he could no longer hold back.

Without even turning around, he replied, “A farmer’s son owns no permanent property, so of course he often cannot afford an education. That’s why most remain illiterate, laboring beneath the blazing sun, sweating into the soil, content if they have enough to eat.”

“But there are some people who enjoy the food on their plates without knowing how hard every grain of rice was earned, and yet they still look down on farmers. Haven’t they ever heard the saying, ‘Those who feast on meat are shortsighted, for they cannot plan far ahead’?”

The moment he finished speaking, a burst of bright, melodious laughter rang out.

Slightly startled, Zhang Shou removed his bamboo hat and turned around.

This time, he finally saw the young lady clearly.

She looked to be fifteen or sixteen years old.

She wore magnificent crimson gauze robes embroidered with colorful designs. Among her glossy black hair, a golden step-shaking hairpin trembled gently as she laughed. Its butterfly-shaped golden leaves seemed to flutter among golden blossoms, chasing the brilliant South Sea pearl hanging from the end of the ornament.

A pair of ruby bracelets adorned her wrists, making her fair skin appear as smooth as polished jade.

Perfectly matching her luxurious attire and exquisite jewelry was an extraordinarily beautiful face that dazzled the eye.

Their gazes met.

He saw the young lady suddenly stop laughing and stare fixedly at him without blinking.

So he simply smiled back at her with complete ease.

The instant he smiled, she froze in obvious astonishment.

Zhu Ying truly couldn’t help being stunned.

Back in the capital, she had seen countless people—from the imperial palace to the mansions of powerful nobles. She had even disguised herself as a man to visit the pleasure quarters for amusement, and often rode her horse recklessly through the city streets.

She could say without hesitation that among every young man of suitable age she had ever met, not one could compare to this country youth before her.

He wore nothing more than simple blue cotton clothes, and even his black cloth shoes were stained with mud.

Yet his features were bright and refined, his bearing graceful and elegant.

At first glance, he possessed an incomparable presence.

Better still, he had used Zhu Gongquan’s own words against him and left him speechless.

She remembered that her father often reminisced about how their ancestors had once come from farming families.

Recovering herself, she smiled brightly.

“Young Master, my apologies for what happened just now. Mr. Zhu here spoke carelessly and offended you. If you were to recite another poem like ‘Big Rats, Big Rats, Do Not Eat My Millet,’ he’d probably wish the ground would open up so he could crawl inside.”

Zhang Shou knew at once that the girl in the carriage came from an influential noble family.

Seeing that she was openly taking his side, he didn’t need to think very hard to know why.

Perhaps it was partly because of what he had just said.

But even more likely…

It was because of his face.

During the past three years, he had become thoroughly accustomed to such reactions.

So he merely smiled without saying another word and gave a slight nod.

As a trusted aide of the Duke of Zhao, Zhu Jing, who had remained in the capital to help manage affairs inside and outside the household, Zhu Gongquan had accompanied Zhu Ying into the countryside today to visit the home of her supposed fiancé.

Never had he imagined that a casual comparison using a country boy would result in someone mocking him for being poorly read.

To make matters worse, Zhu Ying had actually sided with an outsider instead of supporting him.

Embarrassed and furious, Zhu Gongquan gritted his teeth.

If that country boy hadn’t happened to possess such an exceptionally handsome appearance, none of this would have happened.

After all…

Zhu Ying had always adored beautiful people.

Exquisitely cute children, graceful young men, distinguished middle-aged gentlemen, elegant elderly men…

Even straightforward and beautiful women.

As long as someone was attractive, the willful young lady would treat them kindly from the very beginning.

Her favorite saying was: “A refined gentleman is naturally admired by a graceful lady.”

As for people who asked what would happen if she married a handsome man and he grew old, her answer was always simple.

“A true gentleman is gentle and cultivated. His appearance and character should complement each other. Even when the years pass, he’ll simply become a handsome middle-aged man… and later, a dignified old gentleman. If he can’t even manage that, then he doesn’t deserve to be called a gentleman. Besides, women know how to take care of themselves. Why shouldn’t men treat their own faces with the same care?”

Fortunately for Zhu Gongquan, taking revenge for today’s humiliation would not be difficult.

All he had to do was prove that this country youth possessed poor character and an unpleasant temperament.

After all, Zhu Ying’s personality was famous throughout the capital.

Many frivolous men, relying on nothing more than a handsome face, had developed inappropriate ambitions toward her.

In the end, every one of them had been exposed—and paid dearly for it.