Chapter 3

In the scorching heat of August, the chill of September, and the flying yellow leaves of October, every month, there was a bowl of spirit porridge at home, a welfare for the family. Each time, Ye Jiangchuan would only take a small sip, and the remaining spirit energy would be infused into the tavern.

On the first day of October, the tavern transformed into an ancient inn resembling the Tongfu Inn, and the bartender Lao Hei turned into a waiter resembling Bai Zhantang.

The signboard also changed, from "Feilong Tanyun" to "Xianrou Ruchu."

Card: Xianrou Ruchu

Ordinary level, the card depicts a meat shop with hanging strips of white meat.

Below is an explanation: Activating this card can keep meat fresh, as if it were just slaughtered, and it will not rot for years.

The final slogan: The freshest meat, just ten coins per pound.

But Ye Jiangchuan was speechless. This card had no value at all. Was he supposed to buy it and become a pork shop owner, with the pork never rotting?

This card had no meaning for Ye Jiangchuan, and fortunately, he couldn't afford it.

Actually, this miracle card might not be useless. It says the meat won't rot, but it doesn't specify what kind of meat. Dragon bones, phoenix hearts, and demon meat all count as meat, and if used well, it could be valuable.

There are no useless miracle cards, only useless miracle card masters!

Ye Jiangchuan could only silently pray that the card that would change in the New Year would be valuable.

For so many years, ever since the cards appeared, even though he couldn't afford them, Ye Jiangchuan remembered them meticulously, not missing a single detail.

If the card at the beginning of the year was also a lousy one like Xianrou Ruchu, what would he do?

Ye Jiangchuan asked himself countless times.

Finally, he gritted his teeth. If it was a lousy card like Xianrou Ruchu, he would give up. He would just endure another year; obtaining gold essence coins was not easy.

To gain, one must give. Only by giving can one gain!

He must be steady, even if it meant being cautious, to ensure safety.

He must choose a miracle card that could change his fate; otherwise, he would be cautious. After all, he was considered a fool and didn't have to follow the clan rules to join the army and risk his life.

Time flew by, and soon it was December. In fact, after October, it was impossible to collect dew.

By December, the spirit energy in the pond was scarce, with only one strand every seven or eight days.

At this point, Ye Jiangchuan had gathered nine gold essence coins and eighteen strands of spirit energy, still far from the ten gold essence coins he needed.

But Ye Jiangchuan was not worried because he knew his fourth sister would return soon.

His fourth sister, Ye Jiangling, was four years older than him. Among the thirteen children of Ye Ruoshui, she was his full sister, sharing the same parents.

Besides this fourth sister, there was also his twenty-fifth brother, Ye Jiangyan, who was also his full brother, but he looked down on Ye Jiangchuan, treating him like a fool.

The "fourth sister" and "twenty-fifth brother" were the rankings among the Jiang generation of the Ye family in Baiqi Township, with Ye Jiangchuan ranked seventeenth.

In a large family, this was just the ranking among the Jiang generation of the Ye family in Baiqi Township. If the ranking included the direct lineage in Tieling City, it would be over three hundred.

One could say that his fourth sister was the closest person to Ye Jiangchuan. She had taken care of him since childhood, never treating him like a fool, and showing him special care. She had even argued with their mother several times because their mother was particularly biased towards the twenty-fifth brother.

Two years ago, Ye Jiangling reached the seventh level of Body Tempering and, according to the clan rules, left Baiqi Township to make a living outside.

She then met her lover, Wang Qishan, and they fell deeply in love.

Unexpectedly, Wang Qishan was from the Wang family in Tieling City, a wealthy and powerful family. In the end, they both returned to Tieling City and no longer had to struggle in the outside world.

Suddenly, Ye Jiangling rose to the top, becoming the lady of the Wang family, enjoying a life of luxury. The relatives of the Ye family's fifth branch gossiped and envied her for three months.

A month ago, news came that the fourth sister and her husband would return before the New Year to visit their parents, as was the custom in this realm.

Ye Jiangchuan was happy for his fourth sister and knew that her return would bring him benefits.

He waited eagerly, going to the entrance of the Ye family compound every day to look out.

No matter how cold it was, he endured!

Finally, on the tenth day of the twelfth month, Ye Jiangchuan saw several ox carts in the distance.

The front carts carried people, and the rear carts were loaded with gifts.

"They're here, they're here!"

Ye Jiangchuan immediately rushed over, shouting, "Fourth Sister, Fourth Sister!"

A figure also rushed out from the first ox cart, hugging Ye Jiangchuan and shouting:

"Jiangchuan, Jiangchuan, my brother, my dear brother, your sister is back."

It was his fourth sister, Ye Jiangling. After two years, she was completely different, no longer the naive girl she once was.

She hugged Ye Jiangchuan tightly, overjoyed to see her brother.

Ye Jiangling held Ye Jiangchuan and examined him carefully, saying:

"Brother, you're still so thin. Do you still space out?"

Suddenly, she paused and said:

"This, this is the clothes I prepared for you two years ago when I left..."

Then she became furious and shouted, "Chen Xiangyun, for two years, you haven't even given your son a new set of clothes. How do you call yourself a mother?"

As she raged, a refined young man appeared, Wang Qishan, and said:

"Ailing, don't shout. So many people are watching. Let's talk about it at home."

Ye Jiangling obediently suppressed her anger and stopped shouting.

Wang Qishan looked at Ye Jiangchuan and said, "Your face is so red from the cold. You must have been waiting here for a long time."

The nosy aunts and uncles who had gathered to watch the commotion immediately said, "This silly boy has been waiting outside every day for the past few days, no matter how cold it was, he wouldn't go back to warm up."

"Yes, this boy is really silly, but he has been waiting outside every day for you."

"He's been waiting for days. I was afraid he would freeze to death here!"

The aunts and uncles spoke, and Ye Jiangling's eyes turned red. Wang Qishan's expression also softened, and he nodded slightly at Ye Jiangchuan.

At this moment, Ye Jiangchuan's mother, Chen Xiangyun, appeared to welcome her future son-in-law. His rarely seen father, Ye Ruoshui, also appeared.

The heads of the first, second, fourth, and fifth branches, along with countless relatives, came to meet the Wang family's young master.

With the fourth sister surrounded by people, Ye Jiangchuan quietly left.

At dinner, a grand feast was held, and bowls of spirit porridge were served. Ye Jiangchuan absorbed thirteen strands of spirit energy, a bountiful harvest.

In the evening, Ye Jiangling appeared in Ye Jiangchuan's courtyard, bringing him new clothes, deer leather boots, delicious beef jerky, and various gifts.

Finally, she carefully took out a pill and said:

"Brother, they all say you're a fool, but I know you're not."

"I'm giving this to you, the Body Nourishing Pill. Take it, and your body will get better."

She carefully handed the pill to Ye Jiangchuan. The pill was precious to her, possibly obtained at great cost.

She spoke to Ye Jiangchuan, tears streaming down her face.

"Actually, Brother Shan already has three concubines and two children."

"But he promised to treat me well."

"His mother looks down on me, calling me a white-boned demon..."

Perhaps only in front of her foolish brother could she speak of the hardships and difficulties of the past two years. Her life was not as good as others imagined.

"Brother, take it quickly. It's good for your body. I'll watch you take it, or Mother will take it away."

"Although Qingyan is also my brother, I just can't help but be good to you, care for you!"

"Brother, don't worry. Even if my husband calls me a sister-mad, I will help you."

"Your sister will do anything, endure any hardship, to bring you to Tieling City, find you a good wife, and ensure you live a good life."

"Brother, I will definitely help you, and I won't let you be bullied!"

"My poor brother, after taking the Body Nourishing Pill, if there's no change in your body, your fate is too bitter!"

"Wah, wah, wah..."

Watching Ye Jiangchuan take the pill, Ye Jiangling burst into tears, saying more words. She didn't leave until midnight.

Ye Jiangchuan just smiled foolishly. After Ye Jiangling left, he sighed and said softly:

"Sister, don't worry. Your brother won't let you suffer or be bullied."

"Wait, your brother will protect you!"

After taking the Body Nourishing Pill, Ye Jiangchuan's body showed no change, as if he hadn't taken it at all. Seeing this, Ye Jiangling cried out loud.

Ye Jiangchuan remained silent. In fact, when he took the Body Nourishing Pill, he only refined a small part, and the rest was absorbed into the tavern, converting into spirit energy.

One hundred and ninety-three strands of spirit energy!

Gold essence coins: eleven!

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