Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Evil in the Cultivation World Chapter 4: Obtaining Treasure

"Has the dynasty truly reached its breaking point?"

Jiang Fan found himself momentarily dazed by the question.

At this point, the memories of his previous existence had not yet surfaced; he was merely a common resident of Osmanthus Village.

How could a simple villager like him be aware of the shifting tides in the world beyond?

He had never even bothered to seek out such information.

Naturally, his knowledge of current events couldn't compare to that of seasoned veterans like Uncle Fugui or Uncle Ziqiang.

It was possible that Father Jiang and Mother Jiang were aware of the situation, but they had chosen to keep Jiang Fan in the dark.

Still, based on the historical texts he had once studied, these circumstances mirrored the classic indicators of a falling empire.

If a Righteous Army were to advance toward Yunmeng Lake, these tiny fishing settlements could easily be reduced to ash.

In such a scenario, the casualties would be beyond counting.

Escaping Osmanthus Village was not a viable option either.

Truthfully, a place like Osmanthus Village was relatively fortunate; Yunmeng Lake provided an endless supply of large fish.

With water and fish available, survival was at least possible.

Conditions in the northern territories were far more desperate, plagued by constant drought, failed harvests, and parched riverbeds.

Up there, one might witness the horrific reality of people resorting to cannibalism and using human remains for fuel.

Consequently, even though the Dragon King Gang had hiked the monthly protection fees and made life a struggle, the fishermen refused to flee.

Lost in these thoughts, Jiang Fan turned away from the scene.

Though the plight of Uncle Meng’s family was heartbreaking, Jiang Fan was currently in no position to offer aid, no matter how much he wished to.

With his own family’s grain reserves set to run out in three days, he couldn't afford to worry about others.

He made his way back home.

"Brother Jiang, is Uncle Meng’s family going to be alright?"

Su Weiwei had realized by now that the commotion involved Meng Da’s household, though the specifics remained a mystery to her.

"It isn't life-threatening; they were just badly beaten," Jiang Fan replied.

"However, I expect it will take them at least half a month before they can even stand again."

Jiang Fan shook his head solemnly.

For the Meng family, this was a crushing blow.

Being bedridden for a month meant no fishing, which resulted in consuming their meager stores without any income.

Without surplus grain, they faced the very real threat of starvation within the next month.

Such was the harsh reality for fishermen in this age: a single misfortune could lead to total ruin.

"It’s a blessing we managed to pay our monthly salary, or we might have shared the same fate as Uncle Meng’s family."

A look of terror crossed Su Weiwei’s face.

The sheer tyranny of the Dragon King Gang was beyond her imagination.

One wrong move could result in the destruction of an entire household.

"Do not worry. As long as I am here, we will be fine," Jiang Fan said reassuringly, reaching out to pat her head.

"Mm."

At the touch of his warm hand, Su Weiwei’s cheeks flushed, and she looked up at him with shimmering eyes. Despite the chaos of the world, having a man in the house gave her a profound sense of security.

Gurgle~~

Suddenly, a loud growl erupted from Jiang Fan’s stomach.

Su Weiwei let out a small giggle and said playfully, "Hearing that, Brother Jiang, you must be starving. Let me prepare a meal for you."

She hurried off to the kitchen to begin her work.

"I'll help you," Jiang Fan offered, following her.

"No need! The kitchen is a woman's domain; you aren't allowed in here."

Su Weiwei gently pushed him back, ushering him out of the room.

Before long, she was busy at the hearth, tending to the fire and the pots.

In the soft glow of the sunlight, her delicate features and graceful figure seemed especially captivating.

Watching her work, Jiang Fan felt a surge of emotion; in his previous life, he likely never would have had the chance to marry such a woman.

Soon, the meal was ready.

A steamed snakehead fish sat on the dark wooden table, its aroma rising in a fragrant cloud.

Accompanying it were bowls of wild vegetable porridge and some sorghum cakes; that was all.

Being in a fisherman’s home made fish accessible, which was a luxury.

For ordinary farmers, a meal of just wild vegetables and cakes would be considered a feast.

"The taste is truly lacking," Jiang Fan thought as he took a bite.

Aside from the fish, the other items were difficult to get down, despite Su Weiwei's excellent cooking skills.

When the ingredients are poor, even the best chef cannot create a masterpiece.

The wild vegetables were flavorless and scratched at his throat, serving only to stop the hunger pangs.

For someone who remembered a world of abundance, this was a grim experience.

He had never before eaten such coarse food—the kind of grain that would have been used for poultry in his past life.

Yet, in this era, it was the staple diet of the masses.

Fortunately, humans are remarkably resilient.

He had managed to adapt to this diet in the days following the return of his memories.

There was no other choice; this was the food of the impoverished, and the alternative was death by starvation.

...

Time slipped away, and soon it was the third watch of the night.

Su Weiwei had long since fallen asleep.

A heavy silence hung over Osmanthus Village, broken only by the occasional chirp of an insect or the rustle of a bird.

The darkness was absolute; it was impossible to see even a hand held before one's face.

Without electricity or the means to buy candles, the villagers typically retired to bed by seven in the evening.

Jiang Fan rose quietly, grabbed a spade, and crept out of the house.

Guided by the mental map within his consciousness, he reached a spot about a hundred meters from the village entrance, stopping before a specific sweet osmanthus tree.

The tree appeared perfectly ordinary, showing no outward signs of what lay beneath.

He gripped the spade and began to dig into the earth.

After a short while, the blade struck something solid.

"Is there truly a hidden treasure here?"

Jiang Fan felt a rush of excitement. He had been skeptical of the visions in his mind, but finding a physical object confirmed their reality.

Driven by newfound energy, he dug frantically through the dirt.

Within moments, he pulled a weathered wooden chest from the ground.

The lock on the chest had been eaten away by rust over the years.

With a light pull, it snapped off.

He threw open the lid with anticipation.

"Unbelievable... there is actually money! A full twenty taels of silver."

The sight of the shimmering silver inside the box left Jiang Fan overjoyed.

He understood the weight of twenty taels; it was a significant sum of money.

A typical fishing family might toil for years without ever seeing that much silver at once.

If used carefully, it could sustain a household for two or three years, sparing them from the dangers of the lake.

However, if others learned of this wealth, it would surely bring trouble—perhaps even a lethal threat.

He had been worrying about how to provide for his family, and this discovery solved his most pressing problems.

"Wait, what is this? A book?"

After securing the silver, Jiang Fan noticed a volume tucked inside the chest. He realized then that the book might be the true prize, with the silver acting as nothing more than a secondary gift.