Fields of Gold

Chapter 702 - A Sense of Loss

In a jiffy, the two of them had bought five mountains for their own use. By the time Imperial Prince Xu and his wife leisurely returned back to Jinling, it was already time for the autumn harvest. The experimental rice fields in Jinling were a beautiful golden color and the plants swayed gently, resembling a golden ocean.

They had found the sterile rice plants with great difficulty and they had been planted in the breeding fields. At this time, at harvest, they really couldn’t see a huge difference between those plants and regular rice plants. However, in the hybridization fields, where they planted the two complementary plants, there were rice tassels that were large and very plump. Each rice ear had around two hundred rice seeds in them.

Official Wu now had hope that they could produce high yielding rice plants in the future. After he saw Xiaocao, he was unable to restrain himself and cried like a child in front of her. Although they were still a bit away from making true hybridized rice crops, they just needed to persevere longer. After all, now he had hope, right?

Yu Xiaocao praised Official Wu a few times and saw that he became even more eager and excited about researching on how to produce hybridized rice. Within her heart, she admired this man, who worked wholeheartedly for the people and was throwing himself into ‘scientific research’, even more.

[In actuality, this divine stone could just use a bit of power and these rice paddies would get up to a thousand catties per mu without any issues. Furthermore, the seeds used for next year will also have the same high yield.] The little divine stone sensed its master’s thoughts and proclaimed in a somewhat arrogant manner.

“No need, if it’s too eye-catching, it’ll be hard to explain to outsiders. They will start believing that I’m a monster or something!” Yu Xiaocao refused the little divine stone’s good intentions, “The people’s potential is endless. As long as we give them a direction, I believe that they will very quickly get some results.”

[You’re willing to waste a few more years to get the exact same outcome? That’s up to you then!] The little divine stone suddenly felt that it had lost its meaning and felt a bit at a loss.

Xiaocao, who was intimately linked to it, naturally could sense its somewhat downcast thoughts. She comforted it, “Little Glutinous Dumpling, you possess great powers, but there’s no need for you to interfere in something that humans can do on their own——that’s right, in the past, you told me that when you regained all of your cultivation, you could alter seeds permanently. Doesn’t this mean...that you have already gained all of your lost powers?”

The little divine stone’s voice echoed prominently in her mind as it stated in a proud manner, [That’s right! This time, when we went to the border between the Great Ming Empire and Myanmar, this divine stone came across a great opportunity. All of the fetters that the Goddess of Spirits had left upon me are now gone. Now this divine stone could fly up into the heavens in full glory, ha ha ha!]

“Congratulations!” Xiaocao happily congratulated the stone at first. Suddenly, she became downcast, “Then...doesn’t that mean that you will be leaving this mundane world soon?”

When she transmigrated over, the little divine stone had given her earth-shattering powers to turn her life around. On the day before she got married, she remembered the ‘dream’ that seemed very real that her younger brother had told her.

In his dream, the delicate and weak Yu Xiaocao had passed away after getting hit on her head before Doctor You had the chance to treat her. Her callous grandmother wrapped her dead body in a bunch of broken straw and threw her onto the burial mound at the South Mountain before her father had come back from hunting. By the time her father went there to retrieve her corpse, her dead body had already been torn into pieces by wild dogs and even her face had been gnawed in half. It was truly a horrifying sight.

After more time passed, her father and Uncle Zhao had gone up into the mountain and he had gotten savaged by a bear. Because Madam Zhang only cared about money, they missed the most optimal opportunity to treat him and his wound became infected and he died. Her older brother, Yu Hang, had been beaten to death by Shopkeeper Zhang in one of his drunken frenzies but had been posthumously accused of being a thief. Finally, the money that was given to them in compensation had been confiscated by Madam Zhang.

Madam Liu and her remaining son and daughter had been driven out of the Yu Family’s home and lived in the broken old residence. Without undergoing renovations, the old house leaked and let in the cold wind from everywhere. Madam Liu’s originally weak body could only last another two years before she finally passed away. Even in death she still wasn’t at ease about her remaining two children and had died with her eyes still open.

Xiaolian and her youngest brother also didn’t escape their fate of early death. In the span of a few years, a family of six had completely died out. Even a single descendent wasn’t left over. Perhaps, the dream that her younger brother had was what had happened in a different timeline.

In this lifetime, she had transmigrated over and brought along the little divine stone, her golden finger. They had completely transformed the destiny of this family. Not only did Yu Xiaocao live past that accident, but the mystic-stone water had also transformed the family’s bodies and saved the head of the house, Yu Hai’s, life. It kept Yu Hang alive after being beaten to a pulp and even made her younger brother have a highly retentive memory...

All of her successes couldn’t be separated from the little divine stone’s help. With the little divine stone, even if she was able to grow and plant corn successfully, it wouldn’t necessarily be a high-yielding crop. In fact, in history, when corn first came over, the yield from the crop was only around two to three hundred catties per mu. Without the high-yielding corn, she wouldn’t be able to get the attention of Zhu Junyang and wouldn’t be able to be linked with him in marriage.

Without the little divine stone, the high-yielding wheat, the greenhouse grown fruits and vegetables, the extremely effective pills, the obviously effective cosmetics and skincare, the healing medicinal wines...all of these wouldn’t be able to become a reality. In the end, she could only be considered a little farmer girl who knew how to make braised food. How could she possibly be fit in terms of status to the noble and mighty Royal Prince Yang?

Thus, the little divine stone had already permeated into all of her life and every business required it. She was unable to imagine what her life would be like if she didn’t have the little divine stone.

Naturally, she would have never expected that the time when it was going to leave her was going to come so soon. However, this was also good! People couldn’t rely on luck for the rest of their lives. What was fated to come would come to them in the end! Since she couldn’t change this, then she should just accept it.

[Are you that eager for this divine stone to leave ah?] The little divine stone’s voice was quite upset. It thought that its master really wouldn’t want to part with it. After all, it had helped her with so many things. However, it had accidentally recognized a pitiless master, wah wah wah...

Yu Xiaocao rubbed the multicolored stone on her wrist and smiled bitterly, “You know I don’t want you to leave me. Don’t tell me that you can’t read my mind. Does it matter though? If I beg and plead, would you really not go? I’m incredibly grateful for your company and help all of these years. Just as parents are reluctant to let their children go, in the end, their children need to fly off on their own and find their own skies. Even if I beg you to stay, if you are unhappy by this, I will feel very guilty. The other dimension is your true home and place where you need to be. I can’t be too selfish.”

The little divine stone became silent for a long time after hearing her true thoughts before it finally replied, [In actuality, you can be a bit selfish ah. As long as you ask, then I will stay!]

“Really?” A look of pure happiness crossed her face but she very quickly became calm again, “No, you need to go back ah! Goddess Nuwa is waiting for you and cares about you. The Goddess of Spirits had worked very hard in order to find a way to polish your will and endurance. All of your good friends are waiting for you there...”

[So annoying! This divine stone had originally decided to stay behind and keep you company, yet you insist on saying these words to me. I’m so conflicted, what should I do?] The little divine stone had some feelings towards this small and weak master. Although this type of feeling was a bit hazy, it always seemed to feel a bit reluctant whenever it thought about leaving.

Perhaps this was what the Goddess of Spirits was trying to teach it before. Only when one understood ‘emotions and feelings’ could one truly achieve true enlightenment. In the secular word, ‘emotions and feelings’ encompassed tens of thousands of ideas. There was affection, friendly feelings, romantic feelings, homesickness, kindness, empathy...it had already reached the threshold of understanding ‘emotions and feelings’. If it left now, wouldn’t that ruin everything?

However, it really wanted to see Goddess Nuwa and tell her that it had missed her a lot. It also wanted to tell her that it wouldn’t cause trouble for her anymore and tell her stories of everything it encountered in the mundane world...

The little divine stone transformed into a beam of golden light and shot into the sky, disappearing in the vastness above. Yu Xiaocao couldn’t hold back her tears anymore and they fell to the ground like raindrops.

Many of the commoners in Jinling had seen a golden light appear in the area around the experimental rice paddies. Following that, news about the increased yields of rice had spread around. Some of them spread rumors that the God of Farming had descended to bless the commoners of Jiangnan.

The little divine stone had been gone for almost a dozen days and Yu Xiaocao had been depressed ever since it had left. Zhu Junyang had sensed the difference in her mood and asked her to find out what was going on.

Yu Xiaocao showed her empty left wrist to him. Zhu Junyang seized the opportunity to stroke her little hand and rub her arms before he asked, “What’s wrong? Does your wrist feel sore? Should this prince give you a massage? How about we go see a doctor? Doctor Zhen in Jinling’s Tongren Medicine Hall is said to be quite good...”

“It’s not that. Look, aren’t I missing something?” Yu Xiaocao felt her eyes grow hot after thinking about the little divine stone again and buried her face into her husband’s broad and sturdy chest.

Only now did Zhu Junyang discover that the multicolored stone, which had previously been inseparable from her, was no longer to be seen. He hurriedly asked, “What’s wrong? The stone is gone? Do you remember where you lost it? Did it get lost in the mountains in the southwest? Don’t be said, this prince will send some people there and find it for you...”

“No one will be able to find it! It returned back to its own world!” Yu Xiaocao sniffed and used the clothes on her husband to wipe her tears. She wrapped her arms around his neck and nestled against him, seeking comfort.

Zhu Junyang now remembered that all of the odd things that occurred around her were all related to that little stone. However, now that it was gone, it was gone. He no longer had to worry all the time that her unusual abilities would be discovered by other people and cause calamity for her. He could protect her against most people but what if the person above him found out? That would be more tricky to handle.

“If it’s gone, then it’s gone! Don’t you still have this prince ah?” Zhu Junyang lowered his head and gently planted a kiss on her head before sweetly patting her back. It was as if he was trying to comfort an injured little kitten.

“Will you always be by my side? Even if my businesses stop and fall to the ground and I only become an ordinary little girl? You will still stay by me, right?” Yu Xiaocao used her red eyes to look at Zhu Junyang as she emotionally said.

Zhu Junyang didn’t hesitate for a moment as he nodded his head, “I will! As long as you are you, I will always be yours. If you don’t leave me, I won’t abandon you!”

“You’re the best!” Yu Xiaocao quietly hugged her man’s waist and resembled a helpless child, “When we get back to the capital, the first thing I need to do is apologize to the emperor and leave my court position. All of the businesses in the capital also need to be organized around. The ones that need to be stopped should be stopped earlier rather than later...Husband, in the future, I will have to rely on you.”

“Isn’t it right and proper for me to keep my wife safe and sound? This prince has long thought that all of your businesses and ventures have used too much of your time. A tiny lady like you has a jammed packed schedule every day. In the past, you’ve ignored me too much. Now is the time to get that all back!” Zhu Junyang lowered his head to give his wife a deep kiss...