Being accepted by such a renowned scholar wasn’t a big deal to Xie Jue, as he spent most of his time in the capital, surrounded by well-known intellectuals. However, for families in Xingshan County, this was a rare and prestigious honor.
Before Xie Jue could continue his examination, Xie Ying impatiently interrupted, "Alright, alright, brother, stop dawdling! If you have anything to say, talk on the road. We need to get to the village before it gets dark!"
"Alright, alright," Xie Jue withdrew his careful gaze and signaled for the Xie family's entourage to prepare for departure.
Wei Ruo, Wei Jinyi, Xiumei, and the Xie siblings, along with their entourage, set off toward the west of the city.
They headed to Xishan Village, one of the many small villages in the area, which had been affected by a landslide. This village was their first destination.
When the villagers saw Wei Ruo and the others arrive, they greeted them warmly. Upon seeing the supplies they had brought, the villagers were moved to tears.
The elderly village chief, with a slightly hunched back and unsteady steps, came to the entrance of the village. Representing the villagers, he expressed his deep gratitude to Wei Ruo and the others:
"Young Master Wei, Young Miss Wei, we are already so grateful that you came to save us and protect our families. But now you’ve brought so many wonderful things for us, how could we ever..."
"Village Chief, these rice, cotton clothes, and quilts were all arranged by Young Master Xie and Young Miss Xie." Wei Ruo explained.
While the porridge they had distributed earlier came from Wei Ruo’s resources and Xie Ying’s efforts, the supplies for Xishan Village were primarily provided by the Xie family. Wei Ruo felt it necessary to clarify the credit.
Upon hearing this, the village chief immediately led the villagers to kneel and express their thanks to Xie Jue and Xie Ying.
Xie Jue quickly stopped the elderly village head, “Village head, please get up. We can’t accept this. This disaster is a matter of fate; in times of crisis, there’s no difference between us.”
Xie Ying agreed, “My brother is right, Village Head, there’s no need to be so formal with us.”
Hearing this, the village head’s eyes welled up with tears. This year’s harvest wasn’t good, and with the sudden cold snap, the villagers' crops in Xishan Village had rotted in the fields.
Then, the landslide destroyed many homes. Although no one was injured, this winter was going to be extremely difficult.
For Wei Ruo and the others to come now with supplies wasn’t just a timely rescue — it was saving their lives!
“Village Head, let’s not dwell on this now. The priority is to help everyone get through this tough time,” Wei Ruo quickly interrupted the conversation.
“Alright, alright.” The village head repeatedly agreed, then said, “But no matter what, the kindness from Miss Wei, Master Wei, Miss Xie, and Master Xie will forever be remembered by the villagers of Xishan. We won’t forget it!” The village head composed himself and expressed his gratitude.
Wei Ruo then instructed, “You all, start unloading the supplies and make sure to deliver them to every household without missing anyone.”
The Xie family’s servants immediately sprang into action, and Wei Jinyi and Xie Jue also joined in to help.
Although Wei Jinyi looked like a scholarly gentleman, he didn’t seem to struggle at all when lifting heavy items.
Xie Ying teased Xie Jue about it, “Older brother, look at him, and you still say you’ve been practicing martial arts regularly.”
Xie Jue, a bit annoyed, responded, "Sister, if you have time, ask Sister Wei what kind of tonic she gave to the Wei family, because it seems every one of them is so strong.”
Even that maid named Xiumei, she was obviously a personal servant, but she was skilled in martial arts and hit hard when fighting.
Now, this second young master of the Wei family was the same.
Xie Ying snickered, “Brother, are you trying to use me to ask Miss Wei for something again?”