Lin Jinyue spent the entire journey correcting their terminology details: "Don’t call it a map later on—in ancient times, it’s called a geographical chart. But given the urgent situation now, even without a chart, we have to keep heading south. Let’s just keep moving. Unlike modern times, illegal border crossing won’t get you shot here."
Jiang Yun wasn’t pleased: "Haven’t we already left Prince Jing’s territory and traveled for over ten days? Why is it still so urgent? I’m not being overly fussy—just look at our daughter’s clothes, dried up like pickled vegetables, reeking of sourness, and these rags they gave us…"
Jiang Yun pinched a corner of the fabric with her fingers, holding it far away, and upon seeing tiny black dots jumping on it, she quickly shook it off: "There are lice on this!"
Lin Jinyue shuddered all over.
But what conditions did they have now?
No matter how disgusting or difficult, they could only endure it.
Jiang Yun sighed helplessly: "With all this filth, how can we avoid getting sick? We lack everything here. What if someone falls ill later? Old Lin, you have to think of something. At the very least, we need clean clothes, some common medicinal herbs, and preferably a few silver needles. If any of you feel unwell, I can still do some acupuncture—it’s more effective than medicine."
Lin Xueqing sighed: "But Prince Jing has already launched his attack. By my estimate, he’s probably taken Lincheng by now. Even though it took us over ten days to get from Lincheng to here, on horseback, they could catch up in just two days. Who knows how long it’ll take us to reach Nan’an County…"
Jiang Yun could only resign herself: "Forget it. As long as we’re alive, that’s enough. Don’t worry about sickness for now—let’s just hurry and keep moving."
Lin Jinyue and the others also grew solemn, and the atmosphere suddenly turned somber.
They were truly caught between a rock and a hard place.
Their family had been driven out by the Lin clan. They had no money to speak of, and aside from the things given by the people of Lincun Village, they had almost nothing left. Thinking about the days ahead, Lin Shucheng felt utterly overwhelmed.
Lin Shucheng suddenly remembered something and asked his daughter: "Sweetheart, you mentioned earlier that the Farm System can provide supplies, right? Those two eggs came from the Farm System, didn’t they?"
Seeing her mother and brother looking confused, Lin Jinyue slapped her forehead: "Look at me—with all the emotional ups and downs today, from the car accident to fleeing famine, I completely forgot about my Golden Finger."
Lin Jinyue carefully explained her Golden Finger to her parents and brother, telling them to rest and recover first and search nearby for food and medicinal herbs. Ignoring their stunned expressions, she wasted no time and entered the Farm System again.
Inside the Farm System, she tinkered around and, guided by the System, gained an understanding of how it worked.
The Farm System allowed for planting crops, with time flowing five times faster inside than outside.
In other words, potatoes that would take three months to mature outside could be harvested in about twenty days inside the Farm System.
Items from the Farm System could be taken outside, and outside items could be brought inside, but with limitations.
Currently, her level was too low. If she wanted to bring outside items inside, she only had a small Storage Space of about two square meters to store them.
As she leveled up, she would be able to bring in more and more items. Moreover, after upgrading, she could also Unlock a preservation Storage Space, where items would remain exactly as they were when stored, without spoiling.
In ancient times, without refrigerators and while fleeing famine, this was incredibly practical.
However, unlocking the preservation Storage Space was still a long way off.
As for Farm Upgrades, they weren’t difficult either.
Experience Points can be increased by harvesting plants from the outside, as well as through planting and raising livestock. The System occasionally assigns tasks that offer substantial point rewards.
Lin Jinyue carefully read through the Farm System functions and was astonished to discover that she could bring others inside!
Although others could not stay in the Farm System for more than half an hour in real time—equivalent to two and a half hours inside—she hurriedly brought her parents in.
At the very least, they could come in to bathe and eat something warm.
When Jiang Yun saw Lin Jinyue emerge from the System Space, she was startled, even though she had been forewarned.
Lin Jinyue briefly explained the newly discovered functions of the Golden Finger, offering some reassurance to her family.
Even in these chaotic times, their family would not starve.
Lin Jinyue then said, "Mom, Dad, sharpening the axe won’t delay the work of cutting wood. Farming, clearing land, and harvesting all earn copper coins and Experience Points. The copper coins can be used outside, so we can buy whatever we can, bit by bit."
Jiang Yun, being impatient, urged, "Then hurry up and take your dad and brother to farm."
The family arrived in the Farm Space, each one exclaiming in amazement.
Jiang Yun directed her son and husband to farm while she used leaves to make simple grass skirts for modesty. She had everyone remove their clothes so she could wash them in the river.
Since they were all family, no one would laugh at anyone for being primitive inside the space.
Jiang Yun had the memories of the original host and recalled the pulse diagnoses she had performed. Many had suffered from intestinal diseases caused by consuming unclean things, leading to ineffective treatment and either death or abandonment.
Jiang Yun dared not overlook hygiene issues.
Meanwhile, Lin Shucheng cleared a small patch of land and planted all the seeds rewarded by the System in one go.
[System: Congratulations, host, for successful planting. Reward: Experience Points *70, Copper Coins *7. System Mall has been unlocked.]
Lin Jinyue checked the System Mall, which was filled with a dazzling array of items, though most remained locked and required further upgrades to unlock.
Currently unlocked items included steamed buns, mantou, and some grain seeds—basic necessities merely sufficient for survival.
Wanting to save some copper coins for emergencies, Lin Jinyue only bought the cheapest mantou, spending two coins for four coarse-flour mantou.
A single meal cost two coins, leaving them with little to spare, so they dared not eat their fill.
The four of them had been on edge, and upon seeing the fragrant white mantou in Lin Jinyue’s hands, they suddenly felt ravenous.
Each took one mantou and half an egg, quickly finishing them before immediately starting to clear the remaining land. With limited time in the Farm System, they dared not waste a single moment.
Earning more copper coin rewards meant more supplies and a greater chance of surviving in ancient times.
They discovered that the Farm System followed Lin Jinyue. No matter where the other three entered from, they would appear wherever Lin Jinyue was.
While the others farmed and cleared land inside the Farm System to gain Experience Points, Lin Jinyue traveled.
Lin Jinyue didn’t stay long in the space. After eating, she resumed her journey, collecting any mushrooms, fruits, or medicinal herbs she encountered along the way into the System Space, earning a considerable amount of Experience Points.
Four days later, nearing noon, they spotted Nan’an County in the distance.
From a distance, Nan'an County appeared peaceful and serene. The guards at the gate wore the attire of the Great Xia, and the common people moved in and out of the city with relative ease. The city guards even had the leisure to drink wine.
The family breathed a sigh of relief. Prince Jing had not yet advanced this far, so the town was temporarily safe. It was also a good opportunity for them to purchase supplies they would need for the journey.
Lin Jinyue entered the System to check how much money she had left.