Chapter 109: The Mouse Head

Sang Luo accompanied Shen Lian down the mountain because she also needed to ask the villagers if they had any fabric to sell.

Their first stop was Chen’s house. Upon mentioning applying poison to arrowheads, surprisingly, Chen Dashan had no idea, but unexpectedly, Granny Chen did!!!

The old lady spoke proudly, “I’ve seen my father work with this. It's a medicinal herb called 'Mouse Head,' found in our mountains. My father and his brothers used to make some every year. They’d carry it when going deep into the mountains, not using it regularly as the game becomes inedible. But in the face of larger beasts, it's a lifesaver. It acts fast on arrows, just dip the tip into a prepared jar of it. The prey hit by these poisoned arrows dies within a few steps.”

Chen Dashan looked baffled, “It's that powerful? How come you never mentioned it to me before?”

Granny Chen glanced at him, "You used to just snare some mountain chickens nearby. You think it's just some snake repellent powder? This stuff is deadly. How could I dare teach you? When you and A-Lie secretly went deep into the mountains and brought back a wild boar, I was scared enough. I wanted to teach you, but we don’t have that herb around here. I thought about asking at the pharmacy, but before I could, you were conscripted."

She then turned to Shen Lian, "If you're looking for this herb, the pharmacy might be your best bet. I remember how to make it, but listen to what the pharmacy has to say. Just remember, keep it away from the children; it’s extremely poisonous. Whether it's a child accidentally touching or eating it, or a misfired arrow, it could be fatal."

Shen Lian nodded, making a mental note: “Okay, I’ll inquire when I go to the county town tomorrow.”

They planned a discreet trip to the county town the next afternoon to fetch more grain. The carts, pulled by Chen Youtian and others, would leave before dawn, store the grain at Dongfu Tower, and return mid-afternoon after protecting the women at the market stalls. Then they’d go back empty-handed, retrieve the grain before the city gates closed, and transport it home under the cover of night.

As for the 'Mouse Head' herb, there was no need to visit other places; he would start by asking at the same clinic where they bought the medicine.

Having given her instructions, Granny Chen directly shared the family's recipe for making poison for wild animals.

Yes, she directly shared it.

Although it was a family secret, wasn't it for everyone's safety in the mountains? There was no point in hiding it now. Besides, there was no one else around, just her grandson, Chen Dashan, and Shen Lian, so she felt comfortable sharing.

Moreover, detailing the recipe meant that Shen Lian could ask more informed questions at the clinic.

Without knowing anything, how could you expect a doctor to teach you the recipe?

Wishful thinking.

You need to have some prior knowledge for a reputable doctor to give you additional advice.

With Shen Lian's task completed, it was time for Sang Luo to buy fabric.

Granny Chen shook her head, “We don’t have much fabric left; we need to keep some for our own use. Try asking at your Uncle Zhou’s house; his daughters-in-law are skilled weavers.”

The Lu family’s fabric used to be good, but recently they changed weavers. Wang Chunniang’s weaving skills aren't on par with Feng Liuniang, so Granny Chen didn’t recommend the Lu family.

Sang Luo thanked her with a smile, then turned to Shen Lian: “I’m going to Uncle Zhou’s. Do you want to go back first?”

Shen Lian replied seriously, “I also have something to discuss with Uncle Zhou.”

Chen Dashan glanced at him; it was just about including Zhou Sanlang, Silang, and Wulang in the training, hardly something requiring a special visit.

But seeing Shen Lian, a young man newly married and attached to his wife, seemed normal enough.

The Chen family, grandfather and grandson, smiled as they saw the couple off from their courtyard.

……

While Sang Luo and Shen Lian headed to Zhou's house, Shen An, Shen Ning, and several other children were playing near the riverbank.

They were looking for Shen Jin and his brothers.

Since the snow, Shen Jin hadn't visited their home again, and even after the snow melted, he hadn’t come by, something Shen An and Shen Ning were aware of the reasons for.

"Big brother hit Uncle San and said they'd cut off relations," Shen An explained.

Hu Zi and the others, who had witnessed the excitement, repeated this to Shen An and Shen Ning.

Shen An didn't care much for Uncle San, but he was still concerned about Shen Jin and his brothers: “Many families in the village are buying beans in the county now. Has your family bought any?”

Shen Jin shook his head: “My dad’s still lying in bed at home. He says we have beans. If we need more, he'll buy them once he's recovered.”

In reality, since being beaten, Shen San had used his injuries as an excuse to stay in bed, avoiding his December labor duty. It was initially agreed that Li's wife would serve the November duty and Shen San would take December's.

Shen San had indeed been beaten quite badly, wailing miserably for two days. Now he had a ready excuse to have his wife continue serving his labor duty for December.

He felt the need to appear weaker and increasingly relied on it, leaving Shen Jin to cook the two daily meals, balancing on a stool at the stove.

Shen An and Shen Ning exchanged glances.

As semi-grown children, they half-understood these matters and weren’t sure what to say.

The group of children sat together by the riverside, sighing.

They used to pity Shen An and Shen Ning, but now, compared to others, Shen An and Shen Ning seemed to be living the best life in the village. Aside from the very poor families, Shen Jin's family seemed the most pitiable.

Among these children, who didn’t have grain at home? Their parents were quietly buying more. Like Da Niu, Er Niu, Hu Zi, and A Xu, whose maternal families were in nearby villages, their parents had informed them on the first day to stock up on grain and beans and had discreetly advised others to hide grain in the mountains.

As for collaborating on hiding the grain, that hadn't happened; each family had its own methods.

Of course, children couldn’t grasp all this complexity, only understanding that their parents, uncles, and grandparents were all busy making preparations, unlike Shen Jin’s family which showed no such response.

Looking at his cousins Shen Yin and Shen Tie, both clueless and innocent, Shen An felt worried and said to Shen Jin, “There’s a war going on outside, many people are dying. My brother said it might reach our area too...”

"How will you manage then?"

He kept this last thought to himself, not voicing it out loud.

Because the relationship between their families wasn’t close enough for such frankness anymore.

Shen Jin looked dejected too. The village head had already notified each family the night his elder cousin returned. The villagers had been discussing it for the past couple of days, and many had gone out to buy beans that day. He had suggested it to his father several times, only to be scolded and sent away.

Shen Jin could only watch as other families were bringing back grain, while his own did nothing, feeling utterly helpless.

“I guess we'll have to wait for my mother to come back.”

Once his mother returned, whether his father went to serve the labor or his mother went again, at least there wouldn't be an adult lying in bed all day.

Although Shen San had indeed been beaten, it wasn’t so severe that he couldn’t get out of bed after a few days. Shen Yin and Shen Tie were unaware, but Shen Jin had a vague understanding of the situation.

His father simply didn’t want to serve the labor duty, especially in the cold, often looking at Shen Jin with a certain expression that made him feel small and helpless.

Shen Jin felt that if he were a few years older, around twelve or thirteen, his father might have even sent him to serve the labor duty in his place.

His father had repeatedly said that this year’s county labor duty was much lighter for women and younger boys compared to a grown man like himself.

Not mentioning buying grain anymore, Shen An looked at Shen Jin and hesitantly asked, “My brother and Dashan are going to teach us how to use slingshots and climb trees. Do you, do you want to join and learn too?”

"My brother said we’re learning skills that could save our lives in critical situations."

Shen Jin’s eyes brightened, then dimmed as he mumbled, “My brother wouldn’t teach me, would he?”

The day his brother returned, he barged into their home and declared the end of their relationship. Shen Jin wasn’t there at the time, but he’d heard enough from his father's curses and others’ remarks.

So, after the snow melted, the brothers didn't dare approach the main house.

Shen An himself wasn’t entirely sure. His brother was still the same towards them and very kind to his sister-in-law, but he could also be quite intimidating when angry.

Blinking, he suggested, “Why don’t you try? Just follow quietly and see if my brother allows it.”

He thought his brother might dislike his uncle and aunt but would probably still be okay with Shen Jin and his brothers.

If Shen Yin and Shen Tie were raised by him and his sister, then he, his sister, and Shen Jin were raised under his brother's care.

Shen Jin could be annoying at times but had always been good at ingratiating himself with his elder brother, who often brought home food.

Shen An remembered much of it; seven or eight times out of ten, there would be something for Shen Jin, though he and his sister got more, and Shen Jin less.

His brother's favoritism was clear, as he and his sister had less food at home compared to Shen Jin.

Because of this, Shen Jin, who had something tasty, would often share with him and his sister, then go to please their brother.

It was only after their brother left, when Shen Jin was around six, that he started to mimic his uncle and aunt’s behavior, becoming increasingly obnoxious.

Remembering this, Shen An pursed his lips, “My brother never saw you being rude and annoying, so he probably won’t turn you away.”

He recalled his brother mentioning some good deeds of Shen Jin, like helping to clear land and passing on messages, but he didn’t bother telling Shen Jin that.

Shen Jin blinked, “So, should I give it a try?”

……

Shen Lian's training plan was set to start early the next morning.

This was communicated to each child at home the night before, with instructions to wake up early the next day, join the adults heading to the county town to build stamina and endurance, start with a warm-up jog behind the carts using the torchlight before dawn, and then pick up the pace as it got lighter.

Therefore, Shen Jin’s plan to sneak into the group failed on the first day, as everyone learned of it too late in the evening, and none of the children by the river had a chance to inform him.

Sang Luo, who agreed to only learn quick and essential skills like archery and tree climbing, felt the urge to join the morning run, but the ancient undergarments were a major hindrance!

Despite the original body’s young age, soon to be sixteen, it had the necessary curves, making running quite out of the question, at least for now.

For the first time, Sang Luo felt the need for a bra, even a makeshift one unlike those from modern stores, but something she had to create herself.

With this in mind, she grabbed her money pouch and followed Shen Lian and the others.

Shen Lian looked at her in surprise: “Are you going too?”

Sang Luo shook her head: “I'll just walk with the aunts. I need to buy something in the county.”

The county’s ready-made clothing shops sold not only clothes but also fabric scraps. Previously, Sang Luo had only bought rougher, cheaper fabric pieces for making shoe soles and purses, noticing that finer fabrics like silk were also available, priced at just a few wen per jin.

However, she wasn’t looking for tiny scraps but rather slightly larger pieces of silk, more expensive than scraps but much cheaper than buying full lengths. Sang Luo planned to buy several pieces for her and Shen Ning’s undergarments.

It was a bit luxurious, but for personal clothing, she wouldn't need much fabric. She felt it was reasonable to buy smaller pieces and piece them together for a few garments.

As for the bra, she’d start with a conservative design, first practicing with rough fabric and then making a couple of finer ones once she got it right, even considering using the good fabric for the lining.

That was the plan.

Shen Lian initially thought of offering to buy whatever she needed, but deep down, he really wanted Sang Luo to accompany him. Wisely, he kept quiet, simply helping her lock the door.