A Cannon Fodder Who Became The Future Queen - Chapter 22

Even as she was lost in thought, Ji Ping’an’s hands never stopped moving.

She heated the pottery pot, added oil, and then put in the washed amaranth and radishes. With a loud “sizzle,” the aroma of the oil mixed with the scent of the vegetables, and in a moment, a dish was ready.

She whisked two duck eggs into boiling water, and soon, beautiful egg flowers appeared. Finally, she sprinkled in a little salt and chopped green onions, and a simple egg drop soup was done.

Usually, when she finished cooking, Suisui would come over as soon as she smelled the food, but today was different. Neither Suisui nor Shen Zhiyu was there.

Ji Ping’an left the kitchen to look for them and saw them both in the yard.

The rain was intermittent, sometimes falling, sometimes stopping. It had been raining when they got up, but it had stopped now, though the sky was still overcast.

She walked over and asked, “Breakfast is ready. Why are you still in the yard?”

Suisui turned around, pulled her over, and said, “Sister, the vegetables we planted have sprouted.”

Ji Ping’an walked over and saw a neat patch of green by the wall of the otherwise desolate yard.

The seeds she had planted had all sprouted, pushing through the soil. The two tender leaves were covered in raindrops, looking full of life.

Ji Ping’an smiled. “In a little while, you’ll be able to eat the yard-long beans you grew yourself.”

Shen Zhiyu, who was next to her, looked at the green shoots and asked, “How long will that take?”

“Two months?” Ji Ping’an estimated the time. “They’ll grow faster after they sprout. The yard-long beans will be ready sooner, by early summer. The eggplants will take a little longer.”

Suisui leaned against her leg, listening intently. When she heard they could eat them by early summer, she said, “Sister, they’re growing so fast.”

“That’s right. They’ll grow even faster after the rain.”

Ji Ping’an had previously grown all kinds of vegetables herself to collect material for her short videos. She knew that natural rainwater was different from regular watering; it made things grow faster.

After she finished speaking, she lowered her head and gestured with her hand over Suisui’s head.

“Sister?”

Suisui was no longer afraid of her, but she didn’t quite understand what Ji Ping’an was doing.

Ji Ping’an patted her head, then turned to ask Shen Zhiyu, “Don’t you think Suisui has grown a little taller?”

“I remember before, Suisui was at my waist. She seems to be a bit taller now.”

Suisui was overjoyed, her eyes sparkling as she looked at them. “Really?”

Shen Zhiyu recalled the child’s height from before and compared it to Suisui now. There didn’t seem to be any difference.

But she looked at the certain expression on Ji Ping’an’s face and the happy Suisui, and after a moment of hesitation, she said, “She does seem to have grown a little taller.”

Ji Ping’an raised an eyebrow. “I knew it. My feeling is always right.”

Suisui nodded in firm agreement. “Sister is right. I can still grow taller!”

Shen Zhiyu: “…”

She felt as if the two of them were leading her astray.

As they were talking, the little chick came out of its coop and began to circle around Shen Zhiyu’s feet.

Ji Ping’an still hadn’t given up and tried calling “Xiao Huang (Little Yellow)” again, but the chick still ignored her.

It calmly came to Shen Zhiyu’s feet, its light yellow fluff rubbing against her ankle.

Seeing the little chick at her feet, Shen Zhiyu was reminded of something.

She looked at Ji Ping’an and asked, “Should we put a fence around it?”

Otherwise, the little chicks would likely peck all the seedlings away before they had a chance to grow.

“You’re right,” Ji Ping’an also thought of this. “Let’s put Xiao Huang back in its coop for now. We can let it out again after we eat and build the fence.”

Suisui immediately said, “I’ll go put Xiao Huang in its coop.”

Ji Ping’an smiled. “Okay, go put Xiao Huang away and then come back for breakfast.”

After she had finished cooking, she had kept the food warm on the stove, so she didn’t have to worry about it getting cold.

Shen Zhiyu helped to get the bowls and chopsticks, and Ji Ping’an dished out the food for the three of them. Suisui returned just then, and the three of them ate together.

After they ate, taking advantage of a break in the rain, Ji Ping’an began to build a fence around the planting area.

Since it was just to keep out chickens and ducks, the fence didn’t need to be too high, so she told Shen Zhiyu and Suisui to find only short branches.

Ji Ping’an was busy building the fence, and when she reached for another branch, she realized the pile of branches at her feet was gone.

“Suisui…” Get a few more branches for your sister.

Before she could finish her sentence, a few branches were handed to her from beside her. They were all of a neat and uniform length.

The fingers holding the branches were long and slender, looking fair and beautiful against the grayish-brown wood. It wasn’t Suisui’s hand.

Ji Ping’an turned her head and met Shen Zhiyu’s gaze.

Seeing that she hadn’t taken them, Shen Zhiyu asked, “Don’t you need them?”

“I do, I do!” Ji Ping’an quickly took the branches into her hands, not forgetting to say, “Thank you, Sister Jiu.”

Shen Zhiyu’s gaze lingered on her face for two seconds before she raised a slight eyebrow and said, “You’re welcome.”

Ji Ping’an asked curiously, “You seem to be in a good mood?”

“Why do you say that?” Shen Zhiyu didn’t know why Qianyuan would think that.

Ji Ping’an smiled and firmly pushed the branches into the ground. “Just a feeling.”

If Shen Zhiyu was in a bad mood, she wouldn’t have come to help, even if Ji Ping’an had screamed her throat hoarse.

Shen Zhiyu gently dusted the dirt from her hands, her voice flat. “Then your feeling might not be very accurate.”

“Is that so?” Ji Ping’an finished the last piece of the fence and subconsciously turned her head to ask, “Then what would it take to make you feel better?”

The corner by the wall was a bit cramped, and when she turned around, the distance between them closed.

Their gazes met. Ji Ping’an could even see her reflection in Shen Zhiyu’s light amber pupils. The similar scent of orchids on their bodies also seemed to blend together.

In the quiet, Shen Zhiyu spoke. “Do you want to know?”

Ji Ping’an answered without hesitation, “Of course, I want to know.”

But after she spoke, she remembered what had happened last time.

So she asked hesitantly, “It doesn’t require any silver, does it?”

Shen Zhiyu glanced at her. “You can give it if you want.”

Ji Ping’an cleared her throat, feeling a little guilty in her voice. “I’ll make it up to you later, Sister Jiu.”

Shen Zhiyu let out a soft laugh.

Ji Ping’an pretended not to hear and returned to the original topic. “So, what would it take to make you feel better?”

Shen Zhiyu looked at her, then suddenly raised her fingertips and pressed them against Ji Ping’an’s left shoulder.

The pressure was not too hard or too soft, but Ji Ping’an could feel it clearly through her clothes.

Ji Ping’an’s heart skipped a beat. She looked down at the pale, slender wrist and parted her lips. “What… what does this mean?”

She was only here to complete a mission, not to sell herself.

Shen Zhiyu’s voice was calm. “It means don’t get so close to me in the future.”

After saying that, she withdrew her hand and put some distance between herself and Ji Ping’an.

Ji Ping’an: “…”

Of course. Here is the next part of the novel, translated into English for you.

As expected, I was overthinking it. What was this about selling myself? I couldn’t even get close to her.

“So heartless,” I couldn’t help but say.

I didn’t try to lower my voice, so Shen Zhiyu heard me clearly.

Although she was dressed in a simple cloth outfit, Shen Zhiyu’s aura already had a hint of the empress she would become. “Do you have a problem with that?”

I immediately shook my head. “I wouldn’t dare.”

Only then did Shen Zhiyu let me off the hook. “That’s good, then.”

While we were talking, Suisui came over, still carrying branches in her arms. “Sister, I found a lot more.”

I took them from her. “The fence is done. We’ll save these for firewood.”

“Okay!” Suisui said, putting them in the pile we had made earlier.

After she finished, she looked up at me, pointed to my left cheek, and said, “Sister, you have something on your face.”

I touched my face, and when I looked at my hand, there was a little bit of dirt on it.

“…?”

I looked at Shen Zhiyu and asked, “Was there… something on my face the whole time?”

I had been talking to Shen Zhiyu for so long with a face full of mud?

It can’t be, can it? I felt like my image was ruined.

Unfortunately, Shen Zhiyu crushed my fantasy. “What do you think?”

After hearing those three words, I finally understood why Shen Zhiyu had been in a good mood just now.

A big, muddy face in front of her must have been even more entertaining than a circus performance.

Ji Ping’an’s appearance was actually not bad. Her features were well-defined, and her eyes were especially expressive, with all her emotions written in them.

For example, right now, Shen Zhiyu could feel a strong sense of accusation in my eyes.

Her eyes shifted slightly, and she decided to be a good person for once, reminding me, “There’s still some on your face now.”

Suisui also looked up, and with the innocent honesty of a child, she agreed, “Yes, Sister, there seems to be more now than before.”

It had just been a single streak of mud, but I had just smeared it evenly across my face.

Ji Ping’an: “!!!”

It would have been better if you hadn’t told me!

After washing my face, I went back into the room.

If I didn’t remember what had just happened, it was as good as if it never did.

The rain that had stopped began to fall in a drizzle again. I went into the room and found a rain cape that I hadn’t used in a long time.

Shen Zhiyu noticed what I was doing and asked, “Are you going out now?”

When I was washing my face, I had made a solemn vow not to speak to Shen Zhiyu for fifteen minutes. It hadn’t even been fifteen minutes yet.

But now that Shen Zhiyu had initiated the conversation, I immediately forgot my vow and replied, “I’m going to the mountain.”

Hearing that, Suisui remembered what the adults had said before. “It’s dangerous to go up the mountain in the rain.”

Shen Zhiyu’s gaze also fell on me.

“I won’t go deep into the mountain. I’ll just get some game and come back down. It’s not dangerous,” Ji Ping’an said.

For a hunter, a rainy day was actually better for going up the mountain. The fur of various wild animals would get wet with rain, making their movements more clumsy than on a sunny day.

Suisui was still a little worried. “Then be careful, Sister.”

“I will,” Ji Ping’an said, patting her little face. She didn’t forget to add, “Your room leaks pretty badly, so stay in this room to rest.”

Shen Zhiyu didn’t respond to that, only frowning slightly when Ji Ping’an picked up her basket.

Ji Ping’an noticed and smiled at her. “Don’t worry, I’ll be back before dark.”

Shen Zhiyu looked away. She didn’t know why Ji Ping’an thought she was worried about her.

If Qianyuan were to get into trouble on the mountain, it would be more convenient for her to act in the future.

After saying that, Ji Ping’an left the house with her basket.

There were few people on the road in the rain, and even fewer on the mountain.

The rain hitting the leaves was amplified a great deal.

Ji Ping’an had good luck today, getting two wild chickens and one wild rabbit in just an hour.

As she was about to go down the mountain, Ji Ping’an saw a gray rabbit by the side of the road. She raised her bow, and the arrow cut through the rain, pinning the gray rabbit in place.

Ji Ping’an picked it up and tossed it into her basket.

After coming down the mountain, Ji Ping’an didn’t go home immediately. Instead, she went to the village chief’s house.

When she arrived, a man from the Zhang family was also there with his child. “Uncle Li, that plot of land was originally ours. Just because they planted on it, it doesn’t mean it’s theirs, does it?”

Li Feng said, “When your family bought the land, I was the one who personally measured it for you. You said that the plot next to the road wasn’t good, so you didn’t take it. Later, that young couple paid 500 coins to buy it. After they finally turned the soil and planted things, how did it become yours again?”

“If you still want to say that this land is yours, then show me the deed, and I’ll definitely see to it for you.”

After listening for a bit, Ji Ping’an understood what was going on.

The land of the Zhang family man was next to a plot belonging to a couple who had fled from the famine. The man had disliked the thin soil at the time and didn’t buy it. But now that the seeds had sprouted and he saw how well their crops were growing, he wanted to seize the land.

Fortunately, the village chief was a reasonable man and did not agree to it.

The Zhang family man wanted to say something more, but he was interrupted by the village chief. “If you still think I’m the village chief and can manage the affairs of our village, then don’t say another word!”

The Zhang family man’s words were forcefully blocked. He squeezed out a stiff smile. “Uncle Li can definitely manage the village’s affairs. Just pretend I never came today.”

The village chief had a high status in the village, and even a fool like the Zhang family man knew not to provoke him.

It was at this moment that they saw Ji Ping’an. Li Feng helped open the door for her and asked, “Ping’an, why are you here at this time?”

Ji Ping’an put down her basket and said, “Uncle Li, I just hunted some new game. I came to see if you wanted any.”

She had sold the game she had caught in the past few days in the county town. She had specifically gone up the mountain today because she remembered that the village chief also bought game.

The child with the Zhang family man saw Ji Ping’an and couldn’t help but hide behind his father. He hadn’t forgotten that this was the person who had hit his father, and he was in pain for many days afterward.

The Zhang family man glanced at his disappointing child, then at Ji Ping’an next to him. The feeling of being wronged grew even stronger in his heart.

Just a while ago, Ji Ping’an was a scoundrel, but now everyone in the village was praising her. Even the village chief’s attitude toward her was exceptionally good.

But he couldn’t beat her, and he didn’t dare to provoke the village chief, so he could only deliberately ignore Ji Ping’an and say, “Uncle Li, I’ll be going now.”

Li Feng had long wanted to see him leave and waved his hand. “Go, go.”

Then he began to inspect the game Ji Ping’an had brought. “The bl00d on these wild chickens hasn’t dried yet. They’re so fresh!”

Ji Ping’an smiled. “Of course. Uncle Li said he wanted some game a few days ago, and I’ve been thinking about it ever since.”

“I had some free time today, so I went to the mountain to have a look around. Luckily, my luck was good, and I caught a few more pieces of game. Uncle Li can pick and choose to find the fattest ones, they’ll be tastier.”

When facing someone she wanted to befriend, Ji Ping’an knew how to speak to make the other person happy.

Sure enough, after she said that, Li Feng smiled and praised her. “I think all the game you’ve caught is plump. There’s no bad one. My family has a lot of people, so I’ll take both the wild chickens and the rabbits.”

Li Feng had three sons, all of whom were married. His youngest daughter had also married. Four pieces of game for over ten people was just a meal or two. He was very quick to agree to buy them.

“Alright, I’ll take them out for Uncle.” Ji Ping’an’s movements were quick and clean. “I’ll count it as ten pounds for you, so just give me 130 coins.”

Li Feng had also bought game in the county town and knew that she was lowering the price. “That won’t do. These are at least twelve or thirteen pounds. Uncle can’t take advantage of you. Here’s 150 coins.”

Ji Ping’an refused. “I don’t have to go to the county town to sell them to you, which is a lot more convenient, so the price should definitely be lower.”

“And I caused you a lot of trouble before when I was reckless. The extra is my way of apologizing to you, Uncle.”

She spoke with such sincerity that Li Feng couldn’t help but sigh. “With you like this now, your mother can rest in peace.”

“I’ll take the 130 coins this time, but next time you’re not allowed to do this. We’ll find a scale, and it will be whatever it is.”

Ji Ping’an smiled. “Okay. If Uncle wants to eat it again another day, just come to my house.”

Uncle Li nodded, and after giving her the money, he asked, “Is the Kunze in your house someone who came here from the famine?”

Because of last year’s flood and drought, a lot of people had fled here. In the beginning, the county office would make each village keep records.

Later, as more and more people came, the county office stopped managing the matter.

Ji Ping’an replied, “Yes, when I saw her, she hadn’t eaten for several days and had injuries on her body.”

“A poor soul. You should live well with her from now on.” Li Feng sighed and changed the subject. “Did you learn how to shoot a bow from your mother?”

“I learned a little from my mother before. I just picked it up again recently, so I’m a bit rusty,” Ji Ping’an said.

Fortunately, the original owner’s mother was a hunter, so her current change was logical and wouldn’t arouse any suspicion.

Li Feng now knew that Ji Ping’an was truly walking on the right path, and he wanted to offer her some more guidance. After all, he had watched all the children in the village grow up.

“It’s okay to be rusty. Just practice more, and you won’t be any worse than your mother. But be careful on the mountain. Money is important, but your life is more so.”

“If something were to happen to you in the woods, what would the Kunze in your house do? Don’t you agree?”

Ji Ping’an knew that Li Feng was thinking of her mother. She accepted his kindness. “Uncle Li is right. I only hunt in the forest that I’m familiar with, and I don’t go anywhere else.”

After saying that, Ji Ping’an began to think. If something really happened to her on the mountain, what would Shen Zhiyu do? She would probably be very happy.

Li Feng heard her words and knew that Ji Ping’an was a clear-headed person. “That’s good. You should practice your archery more and keep an eye out for any weddings in the county town. You can earn a lot of money.”

Ji Ping’an didn’t quite understand. “Do families getting married also buy game?”

Logically speaking, a lot of people would be invited to a wedding. In the village, having two or three meat dishes was considered a feast.

And most of the time, it was pork. The price of wild game was still too high.

As for the county town, those who could afford to buy so much wild game would probably hire a chef from a restaurant and wouldn’t need her at all.

Li Feng smiled. “I’m not telling you to sell wild game. Families who are getting married might buy a pair of wild geese as a betrothal gift. A pair of betrothal geese can sell for a lot of money.”

Wild geese were much harder to shoot than wild rabbits. They flew fast in the sky and couldn’t be raised by people, so they could only be bought from hunters.

Therefore, the price was also exceptionally high. A pair of betrothal geese could cost at least five silver coins. Any family who could give a pair of wild geese as a betrothal gift was giving the other party a lot of face.

Villagers couldn’t afford them, so they would use a pair of geese or ducks as a substitute. But the wealthy families in the county town were not short on money. It was a must for them to have a pair of betrothal geese at their weddings. Sometimes, if they couldn’t buy them, they would even have to go to the next county to do so.

This time, Ji Ping’an was truly grateful. “I see. Thank you, Uncle Li. Otherwise, I would never have thought of this.”

“It’s nothing. I just thought of it and wanted to tell you,” Li Feng waved his hand and sighed, “but wild geese are not easy to catch.”

Ji Ping’an agreed. “No, they’re not.”

But that was only for other hunters. For Ji Ping’an, it was very easy.

After returning home, Ji Ping’an went into the room but didn’t see anyone.

She took off her rain cape and walked towards the kitchen, where she saw Suisui and Shen Zhiyu making dinner.

This time, Shen Zhiyu was not making flatbreads. Suisui had assigned her the task of tending the fire and being a helper.

“Something smells good. What are you making?”

When Suisui heard my voice, she turned around and said to me, “Sister Jiu is braising some winter melon. I’ve also steamed some rice. It’ll be ready to eat soon.”

I looked at her, and she looked like a little adult. I decided not to help and sat down next to Shen Zhiyu. “Then I’ll just wait here for dinner, Sister.”

Shen Zhiyu put a piece of wood into the stove, and feeling my presence, she suddenly frowned.

She looked at me. “Are you injured?”

She had smelled the scent of bl00d.

Suisui also quickly looked at me. “Sister?”

“Am I?” I blinked. “My back feels a little sore, though.”

I hadn’t felt it just now, but after Shen Zhiyu said it, a dense, prickly pain spread across my back.

As I spoke, Shen Zhiyu’s gaze fell on my back.

The color of my clothes was dark, but you could still see some bloodstains and a few places where they had been torn.

Shen Zhiyu said simply, “There’s bl00d on your back.”

Suisui was also anxious to see, but I stopped her from going behind me.

“Suisui, you stay in the kitchen and watch the winter melon and the steamed rice. I’ll let Sister Jiu help me check the injury in the room, okay?”

Suisui nodded, her voice filled with worry. “Sister, remember to put on some medicine.”

“Okay,” I reassured her. “I was just scratched by a branch. It’s just a scrape. It’s not serious.”

It was then that I remembered how I had injured my back.

After shooting the game, I went to pick up the rabbit. There must have been a thorny branch next to it, and I didn’t see it when I stood up. My back just scraped against the branch.

At the time, I did feel something was off, but I was in a hurry to get to the village chief’s house and even forgot about the pain.

After we entered the room, the calm demeanor I had in front of Suisui instantly broke down.

I hissed through gritted teeth and looked at Shen Zhiyu. “How come it suddenly hurts so much after you said I was injured?”

Was this a psychological effect?

Shen Zhiyu had just gone to the other room to get the medicine for external wounds. When she heard me, she asked, “Is it my fault?”

I was a very reasonable person. “Of course, it’s not your fault. I should thank you.”

Shen Zhiyu was helping me get medicine. How much progress was that! The system really should kowtow to me.

Shen Zhiyu handed me the medicine. “Are you going to do it yourself?”

I took it and tried to turn my head to look at the wound on my back, but the injury was from my left shoulder down to my waist. I couldn’t see it at all, let alone apply the medicine myself.

I blinked and could only look at Shen Zhiyu. “I don’t think I can do it myself. Could my kind, beautiful, and generous Sister Jiu help… me apply the medicine?”

“Shut up.”

Before I could finish what I was supposed to say, Shen Zhiyu interrupted me.

I sighed inwardly. It’s good enough that Shen Zhiyu helped me get the medicine. I should apply it myself.

But just as I opened the lid of the medicine jar, I heard a cool voice say:

“Turn around and take off your clothes.”