Chapter 293
Chapter 293
“Is he awake yet?”
Ji Yan’an slowly regained consciousness and heard a quiet murmur beside him.
Someone was holding his hand.
Jiang Yunsui was channeling Imperial Flowing Essence into him.
While unconscious, he had already been fed a good many blood-restoring pills.
The moment she felt Ji Yan’an’s hand move, Little Mushroom’s head sprang up. Her bright black eyes fixed on the man lying in bed.
When she saw him open his eyes, she immediately cried out in delight.
“Shen Qingzhu! Shen Qingzhu! Ji Yan’an is awake!”
Her shout summoned several people, all of whom crowded around the bed and peered down at him.
Ji Yan’an’s vision came into focus, only to be filled by several heads hovering very close to his face.
He instantly closed his eyes again.
“Ji Yan’an, how do you feel?”
At the sound of her young, worried voice, warmth stirred in his heart.
“I’m fine.”
“But your face is so white.”
With no regard whatsoever for propriety, she reached out and gently poked his cheek.
Nanshu said, “Young Master, the poison is gone! You’ll never have to worry about being unable to sleep or eat again. Boo-hoo…”
He actually began crying as he spoke.
Ji Yan’an: “…”
Shen Qingzhu said, “Enough. All of you, stop disturbing the Young Master.”
“He lost a great deal of blood, and his body can’t replenish it immediately. Of course he looks pale. He’s also extremely weak right now and needs nourishing food.”
Jiang Yunsui produced a Verdant Jade Mushroom.
“Here. We have as many Verdant Jade Mushrooms as you need.”
“And we have to slaughter a pig. Ji Yan’an can eat the pig’s blood and liver. And chicken, eggs, duck…”
The moment Jiang Yunsui heard that he needed nourishment, she began planning Ji Yan’an’s meals.
Ji Yan’an opened his mouth. He did not want to eat pig offal!
Shen Qingzhu stroked his chin. “Not bad. All of those nourish the body and replenish blood.”
Before Ji Yan’an could protest, Jiang Yunsui bustled away, shouting that they needed to slaughter a pig.
Nanshu said, “Don’t worry, Young Master. Those wild pigs we raised have grown wonderfully. They’re ready to be slaughtered and eaten.”
“We’ll definitely build your health back up. We’ll follow Doctor Shen’s instructions and make sure you eat plenty!”
Nanmo nodded.
Ji Yan’an said, “I don’t-”
Nanmo said, “That’s right. The Young Master doesn’t seem to like eating organs.”
Ji Yan’an nodded. Exactly.
Nanmo said, “I’ll hunt a deer.”
Then he left.
For now, Ji Yan’an ate only a little easily digested congee.
The squeals of a pig echoed through the estate, but the sound soon ceased.
By dinnertime, the table was exceptionally lavish.
There was pork, chicken, and venison.
In front of Ji Yan’an sat deer blood, cooked pig’s blood, stir-fried pork liver, and chicken soup simmered in a clay pot.
The soup also contained blood-replenishing herbs and Verdant Jade Mushrooms.
“Ji Yan’an, try some. This really is tasty.”
Jiang Yunsui continued doing her utmost to recommend the pork liver.
“I ate it too. It doesn’t smell bad at all.”
Indeed, pigs castrated and raised according to Jiang Yunsui’s method not only lacked the usual rank odor, but also produced wonderfully fragrant dishes.
Everyone else at the table was amazed after their first bite.
“Young Master, this pork really is delicious. Hurry and taste it.”
“I never knew pork would taste this good after the pig was castrated.”
Ji Yan’an tried some and was surprised as well.
“It truly is exceptional.”
Jiang Yunsui looked smug. “See? The pigs don’t just taste good. They grow fast too.”
Ji Yan’an’s gaze flickered.
Nanshu promptly voiced the thought in his mind.
“If we use this method in our military camps, wouldn’t the pigs we raise grow both large and delicious?”
The Ji Family maintained dedicated pig farms on its estates in this region so the Ji Family Army could occasionally eat meat and have an ample supply of lard.
The people who raised them were wounded soldiers who had been forced to leave the army and had neither work nor anywhere to go, or members of their families.
Ji Yan’an said, “When spring begins next year, issue orders for them to try this method.”
Pigs could eat almost anything. With sweet potatoes available, the plentiful vines and leftover pulp would provide more than enough feed. Nothing would go to waste, and they would obtain quality pork in return.
“Jiang Yunsui deserves credit for this.”
“Is there anything you want?”
For the moment, he could not think of anything to give her.
Jiang Yunsui said, “There’s nothing I want. Everything is already great.”
She had plenty of gold, silver, and treasures. She owned an estate and shops, and lacked nothing to eat, wear, or live in. Ji Yan’an was willing to protect her, so she was in no danger either.
Her little life was wonderfully comfortable.
She asked for nothing, but Ji Yan’an still made a note of her contribution. He would reward her when something better came into his possession.
In the end, Ji Yan’an was forced to eat some pork liver.
His refusal had mostly been a matter of psychological aversion.
The liver actually tasted quite good.
Over the next several days of his recuperation, everyone devised every possible way to feed him nourishing foods within the limits of what his body could tolerate.
Ji Yan’an grew sick of the very sight of them.
It was like a woman in postpartum confinement being fed endless stewed chicken and eggs. No matter what the food was, anyone would tire of eating too much of it for too long.
Now Ji Yan’an wanted nothing more than some crisp, refreshing vegetables.
Unfortunately, where could they find vegetables in this season?
There was nothing but napa cabbage and radishes.
Jiang Yunsui said, “We can grow vegetables! I know what I want now. Ji Yan’an, I want a greenhouse!”
Ji Yan’an looked at her in bafflement.
He had never heard of such a thing.
Leaning against the side of his bed, Jiang Yunsui muttered, “A greenhouse needs glass. If we build it with glass, it’ll last a very long time. We can also use oiled paper, but that won’t last as long.”
Ji Yan’an asked, “What is glass?”
Jiang Yunsui blinked. “Something even clearer than the clearest jade.”
Ji Yan’an knew the sort of jade she meant. Such nearly transparent stones were beautiful, but unfortunately extremely rare.
Jiang Yunsui said, “I’ll figure out how to make it myself, but I need craftsmen.”
Ji Yan’an said, “Very well. Once we return, I’ll assign several craftsmen to research this glass exclusively for you.”
He never refused Jiang Yunsui’s requests.
After all, he was always the greatest beneficiary of whatever the little girl ultimately created.
Jiang Yunsui said, “I’ll dig through my memories.”
On the seventh day of Ji Yan’an’s recuperation, Song Jin arrived at the estate through a fierce snowstorm.
At the time, Jiang Yunsui was feeding meat to the young eaglets.
She was delighted to see him.
“Song Jin!”
Her very next sentence stabbed him in the heart.
“Why do you look so much older?”
Song Jin: “…”
“That mouth of yours is as tactless as ever.”
Jiang Yunsui planted her little hands on her hips. “Nonsense. I’m showing concern for you.”
Song Jin could have done without that sort of concern.
“What, hatching eggs again?”
His gaze fell on the eaglets.
Little Mushroom huffed.
“You couldn’t hatch them even if you tried. I’m amazing.”
Song Jin smiled and rubbed her hair several times, successfully mussing it. Little Mushroom instantly bristled, raised a stick, and chased him around, jabbing it at him.