<Lin Zaozao> cleared her throat and walked to the front. She helped up an elderly woman kneeling at the very front and said loudly, "Everyone, please get up quickly. I've heard your gratitude. Please get up."
Behind <Lin Zaozao> stood <Dashan> and <Xiao Taohua>. Seeing this moving scene before them, they also stepped forward to help <Lin Zaozao> get the people kneeling in front back on their feet one by one.
Once everyone who had been kneeling on the ground was standing, <Lin Zaozao> pointed to the variety of foods spread out in the yard and said loudly, "Everyone, I understand your feelings. But there aren't too many people in my family. It's very likely that I'll be going on a long trip in a few days. So take all this food back with you! Otherwise, it'll just be wasteful left here with me."
As soon as <Lin Zaozao>'s words fell, everyone standing outside the yard instantly went silent.
Master Lin, could she be looking down on their gifts?
Seeing everyone silent, <Lin Zaozao> also realized they had misunderstood. But with a whole yard full of stuff, she really couldn't eat it all!
Just as <Lin Zaozao> was wondering how to persuade the villagers outside, a cold, clear voice clearly reached everyone's ears.
"Everyone, Zaozao understands your feelings. We'll keep some of this food and you can take the rest back so it doesn't go to waste.
Also, to show her appreciation, she has specially prepared some herbal medicine to clear heat and detoxify for you all. Take this medicine back and drink it twice a day. Within three days, your health will be restored."
<Lin Zaozao> turned her head to see <Little Xibei> in white robes trimmed with golden tassels.
At this time, his expression was cold, but his behavior somehow inspired a sense of conviction.
<Little Xibei> cut quite a mysterious, noble figure right now.
He really deserved to be called a royal tutor!
With his current bearing, he did not look like an ordinary person at all.
But when <Little Xibei> turned and casually raised his brows at <Lin Zaozao>, she realized the magical, mysterious aura he had exuded just now had vanished without a trace.
As expected, most of this royal tutor's act was for show!
After <Little Xibei> smiled at the stunned <Lin Zaozao>, he turned back around. Some soldiers dressed in black and red armor came over, carrying dozens of boxes of herbal medicine and placing them at the gate.
"Everyone, although these medicines aren't worth much money, they represent Master Lin's feelings. Take them back with you to alleviate your urgent needs."
As soon as <Little Xibei> finished speaking, the villagers at the gate knelt down before <Lin Zaozao> once more.
Seeing the villagers kneeling at the gate again, <Lin Zaozao> was about to go help them up but was stopped by <Little Xibei>.
<Little Xibei> leaned in next to <Lin Zaozao>'s ear and whispered,
"Zaozao, as an auspicious omen and great immortal master, you must keep up the image.
Helping people up personally would diminish the master's aura."
After hearing <Little Xibei>'s words, <Lin Zaozao> looked at the villagers kneeling at the gate. She turned back and asked <Little Xibei> doubtfully,
"What should I do now then? I can't just let them keep kneeling outside!"
"It's simple. Zaozao, stand tall, speak deeply and slowly, and then tell them to rise."
"Alright, I'll do as you said. I just need to put on an act as the great immortal master! I'm best at that."
Having said so, <Lin Zaozao> immediately drew herself up proudly, took a deep breath, and prepared to tell the people kneeling on the ground to stand up.
"Everyone... cough, cough..."
Seeing <Little Xibei> shoot her a puzzled look, <Lin Zaozao> turned aside and whispered,
"Sorry! I'm a little nervous and didn't perform well. Don't worry, I'm not nervous anymore. I'll definitely do great now."
Seeing <Lin Zaozao> brimming with confidence, <Little Xibei> also turned aside and resumed his aloof, noble demeanor.
But when <Lin Zaozao> opened her mouth, <Little Xibei>'s eyes widened in surprise.
"My fellow villagers, I'm just a country bumpkin immortal master, so you all don't need to be so polite with me.
If you really want to show your gratitude, then when I fall on hard times in the future and can't even put food on the table, just give me a little something to eat if I show up at your door.
Come now, we're all country folk, no need to stand on ceremony with me. Take back what you've brought, and I'll keep some of it. If you have any headaches or fevers in the future, just come to me.
I'll treat your illnesses without any money from you, just bring some local specialties. If you don't have any of those, helping me work the fields for a few days will do.
Alright, no more kneeling, my fellow villagers, or else you'll have over flattered this immortal master.
Too much courtesy between us will make our close kinship strained and awkward. How unpleasant!"
As soon as <Lin Zaozao> finished speaking, the villagers who had been tense and kneeling on the ground just now all softly laughed and got to their feet.
Now when they looked at <Lin Zaozao>, there was no more restraint or nervousness, only pure gratitude and respect.
"My fellow villagers, let's line up in two rows and come get the medicine one by one. When you come for the medicine, take back the stuff you brought.
We're all country folk and know it's not easy to farm the land. We can't let this good stuff go to waste."
As soon as <Lin Zaozao> stopped talking, the villagers at the gate neatly lined up into two rows in just a moment.
Under the soldiers <Little Xibei> had brought, they orderly collected the medicine.
Master Lin said this medicine wasn't valuable, how could it not be?
With the plague going around now, all the herbal medicine in the drug stores had been bought up by the wealthy. Even the wild mountain herbs had been completely dug up by people.
Just one packet of medicine they held in their hands could fetch a good price outside!
The villagers held on tightly to the medicine in their hands, and their gratitude towards <Lin Zaozao> deepened even more.
Once the soldiers finished handing out all the medicine and the villagers outside had left, <Lin Zaozao> finally heaved a long sigh of relief.
She looked at the baskets still laid out in the yard and couldn't help sighing.
The villagers had left behind everything they brought.
She didn't know who had brought each item. Just now when she asked, they all said it wasn't theirs.
In the end, her yard was still filled with all kinds of food.
Looking at the food filling up her yard, this was truly a sweet burden! How many stomachs would she, <Lin Zaozao>, need to eat all this?
[Hey host!]
[Mangy system, back from the dead?]
[Piggy host, according to the system's statistics, the host has now received 10,000 people's heartfelt gratitude. So the next time the host levels up to Level 3, the host can choose which rewards to receive.]
[10,000 people's heartfelt gratitude? What does that mean? Also, how do I choose the rewards?]
[Host, because when you lifted the plague on <Canglan Country> this time, you received 10,000 people's sincere thanks at the same time. So after the host clears the plague in <Fengshuo Country>, when helping others alleviate their illnesses in the future, you can choose rewards.
Aside from upgrading the <Marrow Washing Liquid> and beauty fluids, the system will also randomly give out other rewards for the host to choose between.
Aside from the <Marrow Washing Liquid> and beauty fluids, the host can also apply those random rewards to other people without having to gain weight yourself.]
[That's so great! Then System, when I reach Level 3, aside from getting <Marrow Washing Liquid> and beauty fluids, what kinds of rewards does the system usually give out?]
[Host, the rewards given out are random, so this system does not know.]
[That's pretty good too. System, I love you! Mwah!]
[Host, go away!]
[Alright, I'm going! Bye!]
After conversing with the system, <Lin Zaozao>'s mood immediately improved.
Over mountains and rivers we go, doubting there is no road ahead. Yet past the willows and flowers, another village comes into sight!
The system's approach just now was still quite clear!
Thinking about how aside from <Marrow Washing Liquid> and beauty fluids, she would also get rewards to choose between in the future, <Lin Zaozao> grinned gleefully with eyes narrowed to slits.
What were those rewards for choosing one out of two options!
Would it make her more and more overbearing? Or would it make her richer and richer? Or maybe, would it make her smarter and smarter?
No matter what the rewards were, she was happy. Free gifts that could also be given to others should not be turned down.
"Good morning, what are you thinking about? Why do you look so happy?"
Facing Little Xibei's inquiring eyes, Lin Zaozao hugged his head and gave him a loud kiss.
"I was thinking about how the villagers gave us so many things, and wondering what I should do with them. There are so many things that we simply can't finish eating."
"Is that it? It's quite simple. I will send people in a bit to distribute these things to the poor people on your behalf."
Little Xibei's words made Lin Zaozao's expression involuntarily freeze for a moment. She looked up at Little Xibei, hesitated for a second, and said:
"Little Xibei, do you know the saying 'Raise a grain of rice to earn a grain of enmity'? Once I unconditionally give things to others, won't they come looking to me again if they encounter difficulties in the future?"
"Zaozao, leave this to me. I guarantee they won't dare come to you again and ask for things without reason.
Besides, you saved so many lives during this plague, let alone you not agreeing to help, those disaster victims you aided wouldn't agree either."
Little Xibei's words made Lin Zaozao involuntarily breathe a sigh of relief.
That works too. Giving things to people in need prevents waste and earns some goodwill, not bad.
"Okay then, you handle things here. It's getting late, let's go eat!"
Lin Zaozao took Little Taohua and Little Xibei in hand and gestured for Dashan to follow them.
But she had only taken a few steps when she suddenly stopped.
"What's wrong, Zaozao?"
"Little Taohua, it looks like we forgot something."
"Forgot something? Zaozao, what did you forget?"
