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Fu Bao, having listened to Chu Qingzhi’s instructions, swished its tail to show understanding.

Chu Qingzhi patted Fu Bao’s head, infusing it with some spiritual energy to make it smarter. This way, Fu Bao would be better at managing the herd, saving her more trouble.

Currently, the household had twenty adult horses and ten foals, all brought back from the mountains by Da Bai. They were excellent workers, and Chu Qingzhi marveled at Da Bai’s selection for their outstanding stamina.

However, they were also well-fed, with Chu Qingzhi ensuring they received carefully prepared food. Despite the daily labor, the horses remained robust and healthy.

After Chu Qingzhi left, Fu Bao entered the old house and emerged with the ten foals, heading towards their new home.

This scene captivated the villagers, who stopped to watch and praise Fu Bao for its intelligence and spirit.

As a celebrity among the village’s horses, Fu Bao appeared unfazed by the attention, leading the young ones with a show-like grace under the villagers’ admiring gazes.

On her way home, Chu Qingzhi was intercepted by Chu Lan’er, who was bubbling with excitement. “Sister Qingzhi!”

Chu Qingzhi turned to Chu Lan’er, “Did you go to class?”

Chu Lan’er, touched by Chu Qingzhi’s concern about her education, hurriedly responded, “Yes, class just ended.”

“How are your studies?” Chu Qingzhi inquired.

Chu Lan’er frowned slightly, honestly admitting, “Some parts I didn’t understand, but I got the rest. I’ll catch up on what I missed.”

“Take your time, no need to rush,” Chu Qingzhi encouraged.

“Okay.” Chu Lan’er then handed Chu Qingzhi a basket, “Sister Qingzhi, I made some rice balls for you.”

Seeing the girl’s sincerity, Chu Qingzhi accepted the gift gratefully, “Thank you.”

Chu Lan’er, happy that Chu Qingzhi didn’t disdain her offering, said, “You’re welcome. If you like them, I can make more for you in the future.”

“That would be lovely. Thank you for the trouble,” Chu Qingzhi smiled.

“It’s no trouble at all.” Chu Lan’er then became more serious, reporting, “Sister Qingzhi, Sister Ruyue gave me a silver tael to buy flower seeds at noon. I bought them all and have already planted them.”

A silver tael could buy many flower seeds, and Chu Qingzhi was impressed by the young girl’s initiative to plant them all, “Come with me.”

Leading Chu Lan’er to the workshop area, Chu Qingzhi asked her to wait a moment.

Chu Lan’er obediently replied, “Okay.”

Chu Qingzhi went to the workshop and wrapped some bread for Chu Lan’er. “This is bread. If you don’t mind, take it home to eat.”

The bread, being the trimmed edges sold at a lower price, was usually snapped up by the workers. Despite not looking as appealing, it was always in demand, with none left over by day’s end.

“I don’t mind at all.” Chu Lan’er had long wanted to try the bread but had hesitated to spend the money. Receiving it from Chu Qingzhi, she was delighted, “Thankyou, Sister Qingzhi.”

“Enjoy it at home.”

“Okay.” Chu Lan’er crisply agreed, happily taking the bread home.

Chu Qingzhi arrived at her doorstep when an eagle flew towards her.

She removed a message cylinder from its leg, finding a letter inside from Chu Qingyue.

“Fifth Sister, many people have approached me wanting to buy tissue paper, amounting to orders for thirty thousand boxes. When can you deliver?”

Chu Qingzhi returned to her room to reply, “In three days. Have Yuting send more people over then.”

She dispatched a different eagle with her reply to Chu Qingyue; the one that had just returned now rested under the eaves in one of the four eagle mansions.

These mansions housed a family of eagles, each nest belonging to a couple and their three chicks, with one spare for the parents.

As Chu Qingzhi prepared to head out to the kitchen to make soy sauce duck, a parrot flew in, its calls anxious, interspersed with the soft chirps of a fledgling. Turning towards the nest, Chu Qingzhi noticed a newly hatched parakeet.

After cleaning out the eggshell, she moved the chick to a new nest and prepared a special formula made from grain powder and goat milk.

“Shuang’er, I’m entrusting this little one to you,” Chu Qingzhi said, placing a small dish filled with the formula on the windowsill for Shuang’er to feed the chick.

“Of course, of course…” Shuang’er, taking on the role of a foster parent, did well. It pecked at the formula and then flew to the nest to feed the chick, patiently making more than ten trips without stealing a bite for itself.

After feeding, it even provided water, taking meticulous care of the fledgling.

“From now on, the parakeet is in your care.”

“Alright, alright…”

Chu Qingzhi tapped the dish with the remaining formula, “You can have the rest as a reward for your hard work.”

Shuang’er was thrilled, “Great, great…”

After watching Shuang’er eat for a while, Chu Qingzhi headed downstairs.

Li Qingyu had already prepared the duck; all Chu Qingzhi needed to do was to cook it.

“Mother, has Lihua returned home?” she asked.

Li Qingyu paused, “I haven’t seen her. Didn’t she go with you to buy cattle?”

Chu Qingzhi frowned slightly, “She ran into her Senior Brother on the way, and he was injured. She said she’d bring him back first, but she should have returned by now.”

Li Qingyu expressed concern, “Could something have happened on the road?” “Lihua is highly skilled in martial arts; she’s not easily defeated,” Chu Qingzhi pondered but remained uneasy, “Mother, let’s freeze the duck for another day. I’m going to look for her.”

“Alright, go quickly.”

After washing her hands, Chu Qingzhi called Fu Bao and rode off.

The path from Chu Village to Zhao Village followed a single main road. Chu Qingzhi rode along it to the point where they had parted ways, finding no sign of Lihua.

Even if Lihua had taken her Senior Brother to the county or elsewhere for care, she should have had enough time to return and inform them.

Where could she have gone?

Turning back, Chu Qingzhi tried to look for clues on the well-traveled road, but with the passage of time and the traffic, any signs might have been obscured.

After searching without success, darkness fell, making the task of finding clues even more challenging.

Chu Xuhua and Chu Xujin rode up urgently, Chu Xujin visibly distressed. Before his horse even stopped, he leapt down, frantic, “Fifth Sister, you didn’t find her?”

Chu Qingzhi frowned. “I didn’t find her.” There was a high chance that an accident had happened. She thought for a moment. “Let’s go back first and think about a plan.”

Chu Xujin looked devastated, “I won’t go back. I’ll keep looking for Lihua…”

Seizing a moment of distraction, Chu Qingzhi knocked Chu Xujin unconscious. His uncoordinated efforts would only hinder the search. She then placed him on the horseback and headed home.

Chu Xuhua muttered in admiration of Chu Qingzhi’s decisiveness, “Fifth Sister, what do we do now?”

“Let’s discuss it back home.” Chu Qingzhi’s expression was dark. Whoever dared to target her people would soon learn what regret truly meant.