Chapter 560 - Chapter 560: Chapter 566: Yiyang City Falls (1/2)
Chapter 560: Chapter 566: Yiyang City Falls
Su Wenyue knew that Xiao Xi must have someone in her heart, and seeing Xiao Xi this way, she did not say anything. Since Xiao Xi did not wish to speak, there must be a reason, and Su Wenyue decided she would pay more attention in the future.
“Xiao Xi, besides the seeds kept on the farm, how much food can we gather right now?” Su Wenyue returned to practical matters.
Xiao Xi leaned in and whispered a number to Su Wenyue, who could not conceal her surprise on her face, “That much? Are you sure we have enough for our own use?”
“Madam, rest assured, this number already accounts for loss and various expenditures. Calculated with the bare minimum, it won’t affect next year’s harvest or operations in other areas,” Xiao Xi confidently and proudly said.
“This quantity is beyond my expectation. It seems enough for military supplies for the next two years, even if we expand our forces. Xiao Xi, you’ve done well. You truly are the most capable person by my side,” Su Wenyue said with a satisfied smile, praising Xiao Xi.
“Madam is being too generous with her praise. Xiao Xi is only doing what Madam instructed. It’s Madam who is impressive, managing to pick out those remote locations that are seldom touched by war chaos, allowing our folks on the farm to cultivate in peace. But most importantly, it’s the high yield of these seeds Madam obtained that’s remarkable. Even the seasoned farmers who tend the crops carefully have never seen such bountiful harvests before. You should have seen their shock when they learned about the yield of sweet potatoes and corn. They gaped in surprise—looking at them was utterly amusing,” Xiao Xi said.
“I had Big Brother and Second Brother specifically get those seeds from the outer domain because of their high yield and ease of cultivation, which is why I went to great lengths to obtain them. If they weren’t high yielding, that would have been strange. A high yield is good, but, Xiao Xi, we should not reveal this information for now, for fear it might attract unwanted attention and cause trouble, or even bring disaster. After all, food is too precious these days,” Su Wenyue who knew about the events that occurred later, had already instructed Xiao Xi to keep the yield of food a secret, but still felt uneasy and asked a few more questions.
“Madam, be assured, you reminded me, and I remember. Only a few trustworthy confidants know about the food production, and nobody else does. Even the food’s transportation is arranged by reliable people, and I’ve ordered absolute secrecy, taking every precaution to ensure there is no leak,” Xiao Xi, although unaware of what would unfold, had become more cautious due to the many years of running outside and a deep understanding of the treacherous world and the malice in people’s hearts following Su Wenyue’s instructions.
Su Wenyue felt relieved hearing Xiao Xi’s words, “That’s good. Store the food in a few safe places for now, and don’t move it. When the time comes, it might be very useful.”
“I understand, Madam. I’ll arrange everything,” Xiao Xi said, fully in tune with her mistress’s intentions.
However, the situation in Yiyang City had grown extremely dire. Liu Xiu stood on the city walls, frowning at the enemy’s increasingly fierce attacks. Because of leaked secret messages, the enemy had gained the upper hand. After several defeats, if this continued, they wouldn’t last much longer before the city fell, likely not even until Han Yu returned.
Speaking of Han Yu, Liu Xiu felt a pang of regret, berating himself for being fooled and heeding the slander of sycophants close to him, resulting in the underutilization of great talent, leaving him in this predicament, about to see the hard-won foundations crumble.
“Has there been any message from Xiu Qi?” asked Liu Xiu, clinging to a sliver of hope even though he knew it was too late.