Unlimited Resources: Raising a Minister with a Pocket Supermarket

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

She thought about how Madam Sun cooked porridge every day. As long as the rice was cooked, it would look the same.

Therefore, Yu Xiaolian decided to cook the porridge before Madam Sun cooked every day and try her best not to let Madam Sun touch this rice bag.

In the evening, Yu Xiaolian rummaged through the herbs. Before Madam Sun returned, she cooked the porridge, three duck eggs, and all the quail eggs.

Yu Xiaolian finished cooking and returned to the front yard. She saw Yu Changfu politely invite Granny Hao into their room.

Why was Granny Hao here? Yu Xiaolian was curious and ran to ask Yu Changhe, who was weaving a basket.

“I think Zishu is about to take an exam. Your Eldest Aunt wants to ask Old Madam Hao to make one.”

Ah, it was meant for prayer and blessings!

Yu Xiaolian didn’t expect them to be so superstitious. They even had to spend money to ask the witch for help for the exam.

If the witch was really useful, the streets would probably be filled with top scholars. Who would still work hard to farm?

Thinking that Madam Sun hadn’t returned yet, Yu Xiaolian squatted beside Yu Changhe and helped him sort out the willow branches of about the same size and length. At the same time, she removed the willow leaves.

Just as he was doing it, a basin of water mixed with talisman ash suddenly poured down.

Yu Xiaolian was furious. She turned around and saw Yu Ziyi holding an empty wooden basin. She shouted angrily, “Yu Ziyi, what are you doing?”

Seeing that Yu Xiaolian was drenched, Yu Ziyi didn’t feel that it was inappropriate. Instead, he said proudly, “Granny Hao said that this talisman water can ward off evil spirits and can restrain all the ominous things in the family. She asked me to sprinkle some on every corner of the house. When I came out and saw you, I felt that the most ominous thing in the family was you, you wretched girl. Of course, I have to help you clean yourself from head to toe so that you won’t hinder my brother from taking the entrance examination.”

“If your brother can’t become a scholar, it’s because he’s useless. What does it have to do with me? I think your family is crazy.”

“To be honest, my mother spent money to hire someone to boil talisman water for you. Third Uncle didn’t pass the Elementary Scholar examination last year because you jinxed him. If my brother doesn’t pass the examination this time, see if Grandma will chase you out.”

Yu Xiaolian didn’t expect Yu Ziyi, a scholar who had just returned from school, to be so superstitious. Moreover, she couldn’t tell at all that he was educated.

Had he fed all his knowledge to the dogs?

Yu Xiaolian knew that the current stability of their family was only temporary. When Yu Changyu was about to get married, Old Madam Yu would chase Yu Changhe’s family out on the grounds that they did not have a house.

It seemed that she should have made plans long ago. After all, when their family was chased out, it would be winter and they would have nowhere to go. They had no choice but to go to Madam Sun’s family in the neighboring village. However, Madam Sun’s sister-in-law did not like them very much. They would live under someone else’s roof for a few months before Yu Changhe spent a lot of effort to build a small hut.

“Ah, why are you pouring it all on Xiaolian? Didn’t I tell you to use willow branches to sprinkle it on the four corners? Why didn’t you do as you were told?” Granny Hao scolded Yu Ziyi.

“Then… will this blessing not work?” Madam Cao looked at Granny Hao. “Auntie, can you boil some more talisman water? I’ll definitely sprinkle it on the four corners later. I’ll do it. I don’t need this child anymore. This child is impatient with work and spilled it on Xiaolian.”

Then, she looked at Yu Xiaolian. “Xiaolian, your Brother Ziyi didn’t do it on purpose. Go into the house and change your clothes!”

Yu Xiaolian was speechless. Just now, Yu Ziyi said that he did it on purpose. What was the point of doing this now?

When she thought about how Yu Zishu would really pass the entrance examination, she got angry.

Yu Changhe escorted Yu Xiaolian into the house. “Lian’er, let’s not argue with them. Our Lian’er is not their unlucky star. On the night Father picked you up, there was a glowing jade pendant beside your head. It shone on your little face. It was white as jade, like you were an immortal child.”

Yu Xiaolian was changing her clothes in the inner room. Yu Changhe stood guard at the door and continued, “It’s just a pity that the jade pendant was snatched away by that damned Pan family. It’s all Father’s fault. It’s all Father’s fault…”

Yu Xiaolian hurriedly changed her clothes and pulled out the curtain. “Father, the Pan family broke your legs for that jade pendant, right?”

Yu Changhe nodded. He recalled that a few months ago, the Eldest Young Master of the Pan Clan, Pan Jinrong, had somehow found out that he had a glowing jade pendant.

Pan Jinrong came to him and expressed that he wanted that jade pendant. Yu Changhe was naturally unwilling.

This jade pendant might be a keepsake left behind by Yu Xiaolian’s biological parents. How could he give it away?

In order to obtain the jade pendant, Pan Jinrong used both hard and soft methods. One night, Pan Jinrong was drunk. In a fit of anger, he brought people to break Yu Changhe’s legs. He even threatened to find someone to kill Yu Changhe’s entire family if he didn’t see the jade pendant tomorrow.

After Zhao Kuo sent Yu Changhe home, he also tried his best to persuade Yu Changhe to recognize the situation and stop opposing that bully, Pan Jinrong. Pan Jinrong’s family was rich and powerful. Fighting with the Pan family was like using an egg to hit a rock.

Yu Changhe’s broken leg was in unbearable pain. Thinking that his family might be destroyed because of a jade pendant, Yu Changhe finally handed the jade pendant over.

“Father, who knows about this jade pendant?”

“When I picked you up, other than the jade pendant, you also had gold ingots on you. At that time, I gave the gold ingots to your grandmother, and I kept the jade pendant myself. Other than my family, only your Uncle Zhao knows about this. However, it’s impossible for your Uncle Zhao to tell Pan Jinrong about this. It’s possible that your uncle and your third uncle bragged about this jade pendant in the village and someone with ulterior motives heard about it.”

Yu Xiaolian sighed. Her silly father had even treated Zhao Kuo as his good brother. In a while, the news of Zhao Kuo’s promotion and salary increase would probably be sent back to the village.

Even if she told Yu Changhe that it was Zhao Kuo who betrayed him, Yu Changhe would not believe her without concrete evidence.

Madam Sun was holding an embroidery basket. As soon as she entered the courtyard, she saw Madam Cao with the talisman water. The entire courtyard was filled with the smell of paper ashes from the talisman.

“Sister-in-law, what are you doing?”

“Our Zishu is about to take the exam. I invited Granny Hao to our house today to pray for blessings. This is talisman water boiled by Granny Hao. It’s very useful.”

“Didn’t Sister-in-law used to complain that Granny Hao’s cultivation skills was low? Why is she willing to spend money to invite her to pray?”

“It can’t be helped. She’s the only one in the village who knows about these things. If I don’t look for her, who else can I look for?

“Besides, didn’t she save your Xiaolian? No matter how ingenious she is, she knows more than us laymen. In my opinion, the anniversary of Brother Kuang’s death is approaching. You have to find her and see if Brother Kuang has reincarnated.”

As Madam Cao spoke, she poured the last bit of talisman water in the basin at Madam Sun’s feet. “At least he became your son for a while. You have to care about him. Sigh, it’s not easy to be alone!”

With that, Madam Cao left with the wooden basin.

Madam Sun stood there, her face pale. She only came back to her senses after a while.