Chapter 172 - Harvest

In the valley, the group of young boys, inspired by Shen Jin's hunting expeditions, after their customary morning reading, rushed home to retrieve their bows and arrows, gathering in a small clearing on the inner side of the valley to engage in lively play.

With Xu Wenqing and Xu Wenhong joining in, Wang Yunzheng and his companions, who normally studied together for an additional hour each day, also accompanied them to practice archery.

Sang Luo, with nothing better to do, practiced calligraphy at home using stone slabs. Xu Wenying and Shen Ning joined her, much to Wei Lingzhen's delight. She didn't disturb them and instead shared with Grandma Xu, "Having a good neighbor is truly invaluable. Wenying has never been so focused at home before."

Grandma Xu laughed, replying, "You haven't seen Yunzheng and Xiao An; they're just as competitive. Even Wenbo feels embarrassed to slack off with them around."

In this valley, all the children read books, but the most diligent were actually her two children and Shen An, along with Ah Xi, the son of Lu Erlang. He was always eager to follow Shen An and his friends, reading under trees and then joining them at their homes or the Shen family's for more. Despite his young age and slower progress, he didn't question the meaning, simply following along with the readings.

Hearing that her son was making progress, Wei Lingzhen's eyes crinkled with a smile, saying, "Improvement is great, but unfortunately, neither Wenqing nor Wenhong have their hearts in it."

Grandma Xu took it in stride, responding, "It's alright if their hearts aren't in it. As long as they can read, write, and handle accounts, learning business from their father is the same. Back then, Yuan Chang didn't have the time to teach them, but now he does. Let them study solidly here in the mountains. If they learn well, they won't worry about prospects when the world outside becomes peaceful. Apart from Yunzheng, who might have some hope, for families like ours, there's not much else to aspire to."

In this era, one could strive from poverty to modest wealth, but truly transcending social classes was extremely challenging. Entry into certain strata required consideration of one's background and origins. Merely reading and hoping to rise? How easy was that? Generations upon generations had followed this pattern, and the old lady didn't harbor unrealistic expectations. She merely wanted her children to read to understand their nature, broaden their knowledge, and develop their abilities. Beyond that, there was no need to indulge in vain hopes.

Wei Lingzhen nodded, then remembered something, adding, "I've noticed that Yunzheng seems much more cheerful now, often smiling and chatting."

Mrs. Xu chuckled. "We brought this child along for a reason. Although life in the valley is humble, the people here are sincere and warm-hearted. They also teach their children well. He interacts with such folks every day. How could he not be happy? Isn't this much better than being surrounded by those cunning and deceitful people?"

Wei Lingzhen felt reassured. "If he stays here for a few years, he'll have the ability to protect himself when he leaves. If your little sister knew, she would rest in peace."

Speaking of the Wang family, she couldn't help but worry about her own parents and their former master's safety. However, it was all just futile worrying since they were far away, and there was nothing they could do. As Mrs. Xu put it, "Everyone has their own destiny. Eldest Master Wang is resourceful; he might be able to protect his family. It's you girls who have truly been fortunate to escape with your lives."

Indeed, they had been fortunate.

It was all due to the characters of Shen Lie and Chen Dashan.

...

The mist in the valley lingered until late in the morning, even in the height of summer. It was only after the third hour of the day that sunlight finally broke through. Sensing the shift in light, Sangluo turned her head and her brows relaxed. She put down her brush and called out to Shen Ning, "Anning, come help me move the drying racks. We need to spread out half a bag of grain to dry."

Xu Wenying also caught on, "I'll go tell my mother and grandmother to do the same with our grains."

Grains stored in the mountain caves were prone to dampness. Since they had introduced bamboo to weave baskets and construct drying racks, every family would take advantage of sunny days to air out their grains.

While the families in Cloud Valley were busy drying their grains, Shen Lie, accompanied by Shen Jin, was setting traps, picking wild vegetables, and foraging for mushrooms outside. On a few occasions, they spotted flocks of wild chickens. Everyone immediately reached for their bows and arrows, but Shen Jin, being young and still transitioning from slingshots to archery, wasn't quite skilled enough. As a result, Shen Lie, Chen Dashan, Lu ErLang, and Lu SanLang all made successful catches, while Shi Da and Shi Er, as well as Shen Jin, came back empty-handed.

Shi Da was unable to use a bow, and Shi Er's archery skills were inferior to Lu Sanlang's. Their occasional successes came from traps, and if they happened upon a wild animal in close combat, they would also share in the spoils. The brothers had a very relaxed attitude, watching with smiles as Shen Lie and the others retrieved the pheasants.

Each bamboo arrow had a distinctive mark, making it clear who had shot it.

Around mid-morning, as they walked along, Shen Lie raised his hand to signal for them to stop and listened attentively.

Chen Dashan was well familiar with this reaction and followed suit, listening carefully. After a while, he realized, "Water?"

Shen Lie chuckled and gestured to the group, "Let's go."

Both humans and animals need water. Finding a water source was the easiest way to track animals. As they proceeded slowly, they examined the ground closely for signs.

It was a mountain stream. Shen Lie spotted chewed grass and disturbed soil not far from it, and after noticing several hoof prints, he confirmed, "Wild boars, quite a few of them."

He halted and said, "Withdraw. Don't leave any traces here. We'll come back in the afternoon."

Shen Jin was somewhat perplexed, but Shen Lie was willing to teach him, "Wild boars are more active in the evenings. It's unlikely we'll encounter them now. If we stay too long, our scent and tracks will give us away. It's better to return later and set up an ambush."

The group quickly retreated from the area, taking a detour that led them to catch a few rabbits. Of course, Shen Lie was most delighted to find the torchwort that Sang Luo desired.

This item was essential for every household. Apart from using it as wicks for lamps and stuffing for pillows, it was also great for weaving mats. Even Shen Jin, who was still a young lad, knew this well. He had been slicing away vigorously, and each of the adults carried a large bundle on their shoulders.

There was no need to linger any longer. The baskets were half-filled, and with so much rush grass to carry, they couldn't take anything else from the forest. After Shen Lie and the others set a few more traps in suitable locations, they began their return journey.

Shen Jin appeared somewhat dispirited; he hadn't made any catches during this trip.

However, he understood that this was normal. It had always been like this before. A trap might not yield any results on the same day it was set. Thankfully, there were still wild vegetables to collect.

Shen Jin's harvested rush grass was taken over by Shen Lie, so he continued gathering wild vegetables along the way. He even picked grass that could feed chickens and ducks. Occasionally, when he spotted raspberries, he would carefully wrap them in leaves and fill his basket to the brim.

Chen Dashan and the others looked on with smiles in their eyes.

Among the group, only Shen Jin, Shi Er, and Lu San seemed oblivious to the fact that although Shen Lie had ventured into a new area, he had actually deliberately chosen a region without any fierce beasts based on the tracks he found. In essence, he was looking out for Shen Jin.

The skinny child, although slightly stronger than his two younger brothers, was still limited in his abilities. However, due to the awkward situation involving Shen San and Li Shi, the three siblings were in a difficult position, especially the more mature Shen Jin. Didn't he beam with joy when he learned they could leave the valley that morning, clutching his bow and arrows?

For Shen Jin, being able to support himself and his younger brothers was something he desperately wanted to prove.

Thus, Chen Dashan and the others were more than happy to accompany him. When Shen Lie taught Shen Jin, he didn't hold back. Liu Sanlang and Shi Erlang could learn from the lessons, and even Shi Dalang and Lu Erlang occasionally benefited.

The return journey took nearly two hours. Fortunately, it seemed that this area was truly secluded, with its dense forest uninhabited by humans. Both large and small animals didn't exhibit much wariness towards people, let alone traps. Out of the dozen or so traps they had set in the morning, three had successfully ensnared wild fowl, one of which belonged to Shen Jin.

Upon seeing the wild chicken, he was overjoyed to the point of almost pouncing on it.

By the end of noon, they returned to Yun Valley. Sang Luo had just woken up from her nap. Hearing the soft whispers of the children, she opened her eyes, refreshed her senses, and then remembered it was already midday. She sat halfway up, lifting the curtain. Shen Lie had just reached the platform, preparing to place his weapons on the rack. Their eyes met at that very moment.

"Did we wake you up?"

Sang Luo shook her head. "I should be up anyway. You've just come back?"

She got up to fold the bedding and soon came downstairs. Sitting on the edge of the dais, she put on her shoes. Seeing several large bundles of rush lights placed by the entrance of the cave, her eyes brightened. "You really found this?"

Cattail grass, also known as Scirpus grass, is exceptionally fine for weaving mats. The bed she and Shen Ning now sleep in is slightly smaller than their previous one, hence the original mat no longer fits it well.

Shen Lie chuckled. "I found it, but I haven't picked the wormwood yet. The patch where I previously harvested fresh wormwood is too close to our valley. I don't want to leave any traces around the area, so I didn't go there to cut it. I'll search for another spot tomorrow."

Sangluo had no objections. She put on her shoes and walked out. Before she could reach the entrance of the cave, Shen Jin came in with a bamboo basket in his arms. Upon seeing that Sangluo was up, his eyes lit up.

"Sister-in-law, I picked some raspberries. They're incredibly sweet. Would you like to try some?" As she spoke, she lifted the bamboo basket slightly, revealing about two or three handfuls of freshly washed berries.

Sang Luo plucked one and tasted it - sour yet sweet, invigorating her senses. She smiled and picked two more before saying, "They're quite sweet. I'll have a few, and the rest you kids can enjoy."

Seeing her eat, Shen Jin was delighted but refrained from asking for more. Instead, he took a bowl to gather the raspberries, filling it halfway, then placed it on the table, saying, "If Big Sister wants more, just take them."

Shen Lie glanced at the scene, chuckled, and carried the rushes outside to the empty cave where Shen Jin and his brothers lived. The rushes needed to be dried for seven days before weaving mats. Since the outdoor drying racks were occupied with grain, it would be more convenient to dry them near the entrance of the upper cave.

Outside, Shen An, Shen Ning, Shen Yin, and Shen Tie were sorting items from the baskets. When Sang Luo approached, Shen Ning joked, "Big Sister, Little Jin gathered lots of wild vegetables and even harvested half a basket of grass to feed our chickens and ducks."

Their valley had been cultivated with vegetables wherever possible, leaving only a space for everyone's activities. Initially, they had cleared the grass due to snake concerns, but later transplanted some for the poultry. However, it was insufficient. Thus, Shen Ning, who oversaw the chickens and ducks daily, was genuinely pleased to see the half basket of grass.

Shen An, on the other hand, was envious. "Little Jin caught a pheasant."

Sang Luo examined it closely. "It's still alive? Then trim its wings and build a small coop. We can enjoy mountain eggs in the future."

Upon hearing this, Shen Jin said, "Big Sister, I've set many traps. Today, Big Brother shot three pheasants. They weren't alive, so we couldn't keep them. This one, we'll raise until the others are consumed. If I catch more, I'll continue to rear them."

Sang Luo looked at him, understanding his intention to repay their help. She then observed the grass for the poultry and the large basket of wild vegetables, a smile tugging at her lips. Seeing that Shen Jin wasn't forcing himself, she remarked, "Your brother is skilled in hunting, so we don't lack food. Your thoughtfulness is enough. However, your idea is good. Here's a suggestion: Keep the chicken first. After a few days, when you have five, give one to each grandparent, uncle, and aunt who have helped you. You don't need to send them every time you hunt, but since we all support each other in this valley, sharing your first hunting catch with everyone shows your gratitude."

"Today, we don't have enough pheasants. Later, you take Little Silver and Little Iron to deliver two bundles of wild vegetables to a family. It's the thought that counts, not the gift itself."

Children had it tough, and if Sang Luo hadn't been willing to push the matter, she might not have said anything. However, since Shen Jin himself was mindful, she was more than happy to guide him.

Shen Jin took her words to heart. He remembered saying to Madam Xu on the day he was rescued by the Xu family that he would catch mountain chickens in the future so everyone could enjoy chicken soup.

Although he had been promptly picked up by his elder brother and Big Mountain upon escaping and didn't get the chance to catch any mountain chickens himself, Shen Jin still remembered his promise. Hearing Sang Luo's suggestion, he nodded eagerly. "Alright, I'll prepare the wild vegetables and bring Little Silver and Little Iron along."

Jin An and Jin Ning chuckled nearby and offered their help, sorting through the vegetables and binding them into neat bundles with grass ropes.

Since there wasn't much to do, Sang Luo didn't join in. Instead, she went outside to inspect the grain and examined the three wild chickens that Shen Lie had brought back. She called Jin Ning to heat water, preparing to clean and process the birds later. One would be preserved as smoked chicken, while the other two would be cooked for immediate consumption.

With seven people, and Shen Lie having quite an appetite, Sang Luo decided to remove the chicken breasts and legs to make fried chicken cutlets. Since they would be focusing more on meat-based meals, experimenting with chicken and pork cutlets seemed like a good idea.

However, looking at the clay pot at home, she knew it wouldn't last long if used frequently for frying various meat cuts.

When Shen Lie came down from the small cave above, Sang Luo called out to him, "Would you accompany me on a trip outside?"

Of course, 'going outside' referred to leaving the valley.

Without inquiring about the specifics, Shen Lie agreed readily and then asked, "Are you looking for something?"

Sang Luo nodded. "I want to search the mountain stream we visited before to see if there are any hard, heat-resistant stones suitable for roasting meat without cracking."

This area was abundant with towering peaks and beautiful rocks, so there was no shortage of various types of stones. Sang Luo had seen plenty of granite in the valleys, but they were quite large. She couldn't possibly carve one out on the spot. Previously, when she went out with Shen Lie, they encountered mountain streams. Therefore, she decided to look for suitable stones there.

Upon hearing 'roast meat,' Shen Lie understood. Although he didn't comprehend why one would need a stone for roasting meat when skewering it on branches would suffice, there was nothing to argue about since Sang Luo wanted to go out.

"So, we leave now?"

Sang Luo nodded. Entrusting the chicken butchering task to Shen An and Shen Ning, she fetched an empty basket and prepared to head out.

Shen Lie fetched his weapons and ropes, took the basket from her, and watched as she securely fastened the rope around herself. After ensuring that everything was in order, he led the other end of the rope into the cave first, allowing her to follow.

Sang Luo had accompanied Shen Lie on many trips out of the mountains. Now, climbing up no longer made her legs tremble. Shen Lie's rope was merely a precautionary measure. However, as they reached the last two steps, the steepness of the peak caused Shen Lie to instinctively reach out and pull Sang Luo up.

Sang Luo didn't overthink it. Those final steps were indeed challenging. As for Shen Lie, he almost pulled her into an embrace. Fortunately, he retreated quickly enough, but not before experiencing a tingling sensation in his fingertips and a racing heartbeat.