Chapter 8
A few months quietly passed in the village, and life once again settled into its usual rhythm.
The rice fields stretched endlessly under the sky, villagers worked from dawn until dusk, and children’s laughter still echoed through the roads like before. From the outside, everything seemed peaceful and unchanged.
Until the day the imperial soldiers arrived.
Heavy footsteps broke the calm as armored troops entered the village, their presence instantly drawing attention from every direction. The villagers gathered nervously, whispering among themselves as the soldiers moved with disciplined precision.
At the front was an officer.
He stepped forward and made his way directly toward the house of Zan Yunxiao.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
The wooden door slowly opened.
The officer was slightly taken aback when he saw the person standing there. A young man with calm eyes and an extraordinary handsome appearance met his gaze. For a brief moment, even someone used to battlefield pressure felt a subtle pause.
The officer quickly cleared his throat.
“Ahem… Are you the village chief of this village?”
Zan Yunxiao looked at him calmly.
“Yes, I am.”
The officer nodded before speaking in a formal tone.
“I have come with orders from the empire. Your village has been officially rewarded.”
At that moment, several guards behind him brought forward heavy bags filled with gold coins, placing them on the ground.
Zan Yunxiao’s expression turned slightly confused.
“Rewarded?” he repeated. “For what reason?”
The officer straightened his posture.
“Your village has produced an extraordinary amount of grain—wheat, rice, and other supplies beyond record levels. This food has played a crucial role in supplying the frontline armies and even helped repel neighboring invasions.”
He paused briefly before continuing.
“In fact, the amount of food produced here is enough to sustain the empire’s soldiers for an entire decade without shortage.”
Zan Yunxiao’s eyes slightly widened.
“…That much?”
Only then did a realization slowly surface in his mind.
It must be because of my cultivation.
While cultivating over the years, faint traces of spiritual energy had unconsciously spread through the land. The soil had gradually become more fertile, crops had grown stronger, and harvests had increased beyond natural limits.
He had never intentionally done it…
Yet the land had benefited from it nonetheless.
The officer then added another matter.
“There is also one more thing.”
Zan Yunxiao looked at him.
“The records show that this village has no official name,” the officer said. “The empire requires all productive settlements to be properly registered.”
He opened his notebook and looked up.
“So, what is the name of this village?”
A brief silence followed.
Zan Yunxiao glanced back toward the familiar rice fields, the wooden homes, and the life he had built here with his family.
A place of warmth.
A place of peace.
Then he spoke calmly.
“Solhaven.”
The officer paused slightly.
“…Solhaven?”
Zan Yunxiao nodded.
“Yes. Solhaven Village.”
The officer quickly wrote it down in his records before bowing slightly.
“Understood. From this day forward, this village shall be recorded as Solhaven Village.”
After completing his task, the officer and imperial soldiers soon departed, leaving behind the reward and a village full of stunned villagers.
Only after they were gone did Zan Yunxiao slowly exhale.
The village had gained a name.
A soft voice came from behind Zan Yunxiao as the soldiers departed and the dust of their footsteps slowly settled.
“Husband…” Xueyun called gently, stepping closer while looking at the piles of gold coins left behind. “What are we going to do with all these gold coins?”
Not long after, Zan Tianming walked up as well, having watched everything from the side with bright but thoughtful eyes.
“That’s right,” he added quickly. “What are we going to do with this much money? We should… do something with it, right?”
Beside him, little Zan Wei bounced slightly on his feet with excitement, his eyes sparkling as he pointed at the gold.
“We’re rich, Dad! We’re rich!”
His innocent voice echoed through the yard, making Xueyun smile helplessly while Zan Tianming rubbed his chin as if seriously considering business matters at the age of fifteen.
Zan Yunxiao looked at the three of them and couldn’t help but let out a quiet laugh.
He stepped forward and glanced at the gold coins calmly.
To him, wealth like this no longer held much meaning. As a cultivator, mortal gold could not compare to even a single spiritual herb or cultivation resource. Still, seeing his family’s reactions made him feel strangely amused.
Xueyun tilted her head slightly.
“So?” she asked again. “What should we do with it, Husband?”
Zan Tianming also looked at him expectantly.
Zan Wei nodded repeatedly.
“Yeah, Dad! Tell us!”
Zan Yunxiao paused for a moment, then spoke casually.
“Keep it,” he said. “Use it for the village. Improve the fields, build better houses, help those who need it.”
He looked toward the rice fields stretching beyond their home.
“This village already fed an empire once. Let’s make sure it continues to live well.”
Hearing this, Xueyun smiled softly.
“As expected of you,” she said gently.
Zan Tianming nodded seriously.
“Understood, Father. I’ll manage it properly.”
Zan Wei immediately raised his hand.
“I’ll help too!”
Zan Yunxiao chuckled and lightly patted both of their heads.
“Just don’t cause trouble.”
The family stood together in the warm sunlight, the gold coins forgotten for the moment as laughter filled the yard once again.
Three years quietly passed like flowing water beneath the sun.
Solhaven Village was no longer the same humble settlement it once was. With imperial recognition and steady development, the land flourished rapidly. Roads were widened, storage granaries expanded, and trade routes slowly began to connect the village with nearby towns. What was once an ordinary farming village had now grown into a thriving estate under official recognition.
And at the center of it all stood the Zan Family.
The old wooden house had long been replaced by a proper manor. Though not extravagant like imperial noble estates, it carried a quiet dignity, clean courtyards, well-built halls, and cultivated gardens surrounding the residence. The villagers now addressed them with respect, acknowledging the Zan Family as the official noble rulers of Solhaven.
Zan Yunxiao, however, remained as calm as ever.
Titles, wealth, and status meant little to him. What mattered most was still the same: his family.
Inside the manor courtyard, morning light spread gently across the stone floor as Zan Tianming stood with a travel bag prepared at his side.
He was now eighteen years old.
No longer a boy running through the fields, but a young man with steady eyes and a firm posture. Today marked his departure to the imperial capital, where he would take the official examination to become a government official.
Xueyun stood beside him, carefully adjusting his clothes with a mother’s gentle care.
“Be careful on the road,” she reminded softly.
“I will, Mother,” Zan Tianming replied with confidence.
Not far away, Zan Yunxiao observed silently.
Over the years, he had taught his son many things, not cultivation techniques, since Tianming had no spiritual root, but knowledge from his past life. Logic, reading comprehension, critical thinking, strategy, even the structure of examinations and governance systems.
To him, these were simple things from his previous world.
But in this world, they were far ahead of the times.
Zan Tianming clenched his fists slightly.
“Father,” he said respectfully, “I will pass the exam. I will not disappoint you.”
Zan Yunxiao looked at him for a moment, then spoke calmly.
“Do what you believe is right,” he said. “Don’t try to prove anything to me. Prove it to yourself.”
Zan Tianming nodded firmly.
“I understand.”
After a brief silence, he turned and prepared to leave.
But before stepping out, he glanced back once more at the manor, at his mother, his younger brother Zan Wei waving excitedly, and his father standing calmly in the courtyard.
Then he smiled.
“I’ll be back,” he said.
And with that, Zan Tianming began his journey toward the capital.
Zan Yunxiao watched his figure disappear down the road.