Chapter 129: Startling the Snake/Testing the Sound

Shen Jin and Shen Yin returned quickly, fetching a mortar from the kitchen to grind the freshly washed herbs. When it came to applying the medicine, Li Shi sent the children out, asking them to close the door, as she struggled to remove her clothing for the treatment.

Unable to reach her back, she had no choice but to leave it untreated, not wanting her sons to help with the medicine.

The one who should have cared for her the most had run off and vanished. Reflecting on the two months of service she endured earlier that year, Li Shi felt a cold, desolate chill in her heart.

She had once reveled in Shen San's indifference and selfishness, even encouraging it. Now, she saw the folly of her ways.

Looking back, it was laughable. Had she ever truly understood the person beside her? Did all those years really require her provocation?

Only now did Li Shi realize her own foolishness.

Redressing in her cotton-padded jacket, she lay in bed, pulling the quilt over herself and closing her eyes, unwilling to open them again.

The door was knocked several times. It was Shen Tie, bringing Tian Ya'er to see her. She responded, allowing them to enter, then pretended to sleep, remaining silent.

Shen Tie stayed in the room with Tian Ya'er, while Shen Jin and Shen Yin went to their own house where the family's food was stored.

The brothers stared silently at the meager amount of grain.

Shen Yin voiced his concern with a hint of anxiety: "Brother, with only this little grain, what will we do in the future?"

Shen Jin, managing to stay calm, reassured his brother: "Don't worry, we can forage for wild vegetables. Big brother and sister-in-law taught me many edible types, both fresh and those we can dry for storage. We'll rely on wild vegetables for now and save the grain for when we're truly in dire need. Let's also dry more wild vegetables for storage."

With all that his elder brother and sister-in-law had taught him, and surrounded by mountains, he was confident they could survive.

Shen Yin nodded in agreement, and the two brothers quietly informed Shen Tie about their plan before heading out with a basket, a small hoe, and a sickle.

Once outside, Shen Yin commented somberly, "Brother, our situation now is just like what our second brother and sister experienced right after our family split last year."

Their circumstances had completely reversed.

Shen Jin hummed in acknowledgment, recalling his own naivety back then.

He remained silent for a while before expressing his hope: "I just hope big brother and everyone else are safe in the mountains."

……

In Yun Valley, Shen Ning, noticing her playmates' subdued mood, decided to take charge. Dropping the leaves in her hand, she said energetically, "Let's go pick wild vegetables! I saw some shepherd's purse and mustard greens while we were checking the caves. They are really tasty."

Her suggestion successfully diverted the attention of the other girls, who promptly stood up, ready to join her.

Mustard greens Xu Wenyin had eaten before, but she wondered, "What is shepherd's purse?"

Pondering this, she asked, to which Chen Xiaoya replied with a smile, "It's a type of plant that grows in spring. You can cook and eat it; it's really tasty."

The four little girls, holding hands in pairs, ran into the cave to fetch small baskets.

The larger baskets and backpacks couldn't fit inside, but there were a few small baskets handy enough for the children to carry.

Shen Ning, Chen Xiaoya, and Shi Qiao quickly identified their own belongings and quickly emptied their baskets, pulling Xu Wenyin along as they dashed outside.

Shi Erlang's wife glanced at them and asked, "Where are you going?"

Shi Qiao grinned, "Mom, we're going to pick wild vegetables."

Everyone chuckled, and Chen Granny instructed, "Just stay close to the adults and don't venture into dense grassy areas; there might be snakes."

The children crisply acknowledged and soon reached the area recently hoed by the adults, starting to forage.

Indeed, the adults were mindful in their daily tasks. Discarded grass was piled separately from potential wild edibles, making it easy for the children to pick.

Xu Wenyin finally learned what shepherd's purse looked like and saw the raw form of mustard greens, joyfully foraging alongside Shen Ning and Chen Xiaoya.

Foraging progressed much faster than hoeing, even surpassing the efforts of the adult men. The children's light work made it an efficient task, and they quickly caught up with Lu Sanlang, who was hoeing ahead.

Lu Sanlang, seeing the kids had collected the set-aside vegetables, laughed, "Be careful where you step, and head over to the areas we've already dug up."

Indeed, picking wild vegetables was much easier than their work in the field. The four of them cheerfully agreed and ran ahead.

Shen An, Huzi, Erniu, and their gang of boys were further ahead. As Shen Ning and her friends approached to greet them while picking wild vegetables, they suddenly heard cries of alarm: "Snake! There's a snake!"

Xu Wenyin, terrified, halted abruptly, her face turning pale: "Where's the snake?"

In a panic, not knowing what to do, she stood frozen in place. She then saw Shen An and the other boys scatter, each bending down to grab something.

They picked up stones and started throwing them in one direction. Xu Wenyin realized they were aiming at a central point where the snake must be.

While throwing, they shouted, "Quick, aim well!"

"Over here, it's coming this way!"

The more timid ones screamed, but their fear didn't slow their stone-throwing, which became even more vigorous. They quickly picked up more stones as soon as they ran out. The area was abundant with stones, ensuring a continuous supply.

Xu Wenyin, still in a panic, was unsure whether to retreat or ask Shen Ning and the others for help. She saw them, without a second thought, start searching for stones too. Even the youngest, Shi Qiao, cautiously moved closer to the boys to help.

She was extra cautious; braver compared to Xu Wenyin but still kept her distance from the boys.

Then Xu Wenyin watched her three friends rapidly throw stones toward the center of the action.

"Quick, quick, it moved!"

"Surround it, keep throwing here, don't let it get close! Ahhh!"

They were both frightened and fierce.

Perhaps their fierceness was born out of fear, determined to keep the snake from getting close to anyone.

Xu Wenyin was dumbfounded by her friends' bravery.

She had never seen a snake before, but everyone had cautioned against them during the journey, constantly applying powder to their legs and shoes, scattering it during rest stops, and around the treehouses at night.

Snakes seemed terrifying to Xu Wenyin. She couldn't understand why they would confront such a frightening creature instead of running away.

Conflicted, she pondered whether to run, stand still, or join in and throw some stones too.

While she hesitated, Shen Ning and the others were already picking up their third round of stones. Each of the dozen kids had thrown at least a dozen stones.

Xu Wenyin wondered if the snake was dead by now.

Curiosity loosened her grip, and she cautiously bent down to pick up a large stone for defense, then took a step forward, followed by another, gradually moving closer to Shen Ning and the others.

Closer now, she finally saw the scene clearly. Overwhelmed, Xu Wenyin burst into tears, dropping the stones she was holding, narrowly missing her own feet.

Hearing her sudden crying, adults rushing to the scene feared she might have been bitten by the snake.

Xu Lao Tai Tai and Wei Qinghe, already on their way over, panicked at the sound of Xu Wenyin's wails, with Xu Lao Tai Tai almost stumbling in her rush.

Upon arriving, they realized the snake was at least a yard away from their granddaughter and was already severed in two, with its head smashed beyond recognition.

Worried there might be other snakes, they quickly checked Xu Wenyin, especially her legs and feet: "What happened? Did it bite you?"

Xu Wenyin, finally daring to move, buried her head in her grandmother's embrace, her sobs intermingled with her words: "No, it didn't bite me. I was just scared, grandmother. Its head is gone but it's still moving!"

Xu Lao Tai Tai glanced at the snake, its body twitching despite being decapitated and cut in half. Even she felt a chill seeing it, quickly comforting her granddaughter: "It's okay now, don't be scared. Let's go back."

Protecting his granddaughter, he led her away from the sight of the snake and back to the large cave.

The sturdy village kids were bewildered.

They even forgot about smashing the snake.

Of course, there was no need to smash it anymore. They all stood far away, and half of the snake's head was already crushed under a rock. Its body was twisting grotesquely, which was quite disgusting and frightening. But that's how snakes are; they don't die quickly and can keep writhing for a while.

These kids often roamed the hills and encountering snakes wasn’t new. Usually, either the kids or the snake would get scared off. If they got too close and there were enough of them with handy rocks, they'd react like they did this time and go on the offensive.

Once engaged, everyone from the oldest, around ten years old, to the youngest, about five or six, knew what to do. They'd quickly scatter, then use stones to either scare away or eliminate the threat from a distance.

But none of the village kids, not even the girls, would cry out in fear.

It's not that they weren't scared; they just didn't have the luxury to show it. The more frightened you are, the quicker you need to act to ensure your own safety, right?

Hands that had just grabbed stones were now scratching their heads in confusion, all because of Xu Wenying's sudden burst of crying.

Wang Yunzheng and Xu Wenbo were also baffled. The cousins hadn’t really grasped what was happening initially. They just reacted instinctively with the group, not pausing to feel scared. Seeing their cousin/sister terrified, and everyone else looking puzzled, Xu Wenbo hurriedly explained, "My sister has never seen a snake."

Truth be told, he hadn't either.

Now, seeing the snake severed into three pieces and still twisting, it was indeed frightening. Xu Wenbo swallowed hard, unable to look anymore: "I'm going to check on my sister."

Once Xu Wenbo said this, everyone realized what was happening. Shen Ning also ran over, saying, "Right, right, I’ll go check on Wenying too."

Shen Ning had rushed to help without considering Xu Wenying, not anticipating that she'd be frightened to tears.

As she ran back, she didn’t forget to pick up the basket left aside. Regarding the snake, she dared not get close. Anyway, the adults had arrived, and they would handle the snake. The group of kids all scampered back towards the big cave.

Inside the large cave, Xu Wenying was still crying, but her sobs had quieted considerably. Being away from the snake and surrounded by adults had calmed her significantly.

The adults reconvened, with Lu Erlang disposing of the snake, carefully avoiding bringing it near the caves to prevent frightening the children again.

Sang Luo, recalling Xu Wenyin's tears and the children's screams about the snake, realized something important. She approached Shen Lie and said, "Gather a few men and go out. Seal the cave entrances and position yourselves at different spots around the surrounding mountains – at the base, midway, and the peak. I'll have the children make noise from various locations to see if you can hear them."

This was a crucial measure.

Given the vastness of the forest, they might not be the only ones who had sought refuge here. Although the mountains were thick and tall, they had to be cautious, avoiding raising chickens to prevent noise. To ensure utmost safety, they needed to understand how sound traveled in this environment, as it can be influenced by various factors. Only through this test could they establish a safe limit for noise.

Shen Lie immediately understood the importance, saying, "These mountains around the gorge are quite tall, some reaching two to three hundred Zhang. Climbing to the top takes time. We've done a preliminary test before; using different sound levels at the bottom, I couldn't hear anything at the top, midway, or even at the base, but the areas outside the two entrances are relatively vulnerable."

Hearing the mountains were between six to seven hundred meters to nearly a kilometer tall, Sang Luo was astounded, realizing why the peaks were not visible from below. Even for someone like Shen Lie, climbing such steep and treacherous mountains would be challenging, let alone in less than half an hour.

Since Shen Lie had already tested this, Sang Luo suggested, "Then let's test other spots at the mountain base and midway."

Shen Lie agreed without hesitation. Testing with just him and Chen Dashan was not as effective as having dozens of people spread across various internal and external locations. After discussing potential test spots with Sang Luo, he called for volunteers to join him.

Upon hearing about the sound test, Xu Wenyin stopped crying, realizing her crying might have been too loud and potentially unsafe.

Sang Luo joked with her, “You can cry again later during the test.”

Xu Wenying, looking dazed, subconsciously sniffled, "I... I can't cry anymore."

Old Mrs. Xu couldn’t help but chuckle.

Shen Ning and the others also laughed. But Shi Tou and San Niu, grinning, approached: "Sister A-Luo, do you need someone to cry? Does it matter if there are no tears? We can do it."

Pretend crying – they all knew how.

A-Luo smiled, "No need for tears, just being able to wail is enough. When I tell you to cry later, you can start then."

The two kids seemed to accept an important task, puffing up their chests, patting them confidently: "We promise to cry well!"

Seeing this, the youngest Ah Xu also joined in, "Sister A-Luo, I can cry too."

Their enthusiasm caused Feng Liu Niang to bend over laughing, and the older kids like Hu Zi, Er Niu, and Da Niu laughed heartily too.

Seeing the older boys laughing at the three young ones, A-Luo pointed at them, saying with a smile: "None of you can escape. Stand in different places, and when I tell you to cry, you all have to cry."

This turned the tables, as the older boys' laughter ceased, while Shi Tou and the others covered their mouths to stifle their giggles.

A-Luo reminded Feng Liu Niang and the others, "Aunties, be careful later on. Let’s avoid encountering snakes or anything like that again."

After a wait of one or two quarters of an hour, everyone was set off. The women and children of the valley were mobilized, stationed at intervals throughout the valley, including inside the caves. Once everything was ready, A-Luo positioned herself at the entrance of the gorge to easily coordinate with Shen Lian outside.

Shen Lian, timing it right for everyone to reach their positions, communicated through a small gap left in the cave entrance, indicating they could start.

A-Luo directly had Zhou Cunzheng, who was running messages, tell the kids inside to start wailing loudly.

Shi Tou, San Niu, Ah Xu, Qiao Er, and Xiao Ya, the younger kids, cooperated the most. The older ones were a bit shy at first but got into it after the first cry, stretching their necks out and enjoying the fun.

As A-Luo mentally timed it, after about three minutes of wailing, she had Zhou Cunzheng relay the message to gather the kids together. They didn’t do anything else but had Shen An lead them in reciting the Thousand Character Classic in unison.

From the deepest part of Cloud Valley, they moved from spot to spot, reciting a section in each location. Their recitation was smooth, and their voices unified.

Wang Yunzheng, Xu Wenbo, and Wei Qinghe were astonished.

"The children of Ten Miles Village... are this impressive? How come they all can read and write?"

Old Mrs. Xu was also stunned. She didn’t believe these children could have attended private schools, given the modest means of their families. But then, what did her son mention before?

Something about A-Luo possibly coming from a respectable background?

Seeing that Shen An from the Shen family was leading, and even the little girl Shen Ning knew it so well, she felt she had her answer. These children must have been taught to read and write by A-Luo.

"What fortune, what destiny! I wonder what good deeds were done in their past lives to accumulate such blessings."

Understanding the value of literacy in a time when it wasn't easily accessible, Grandma Xu knew all too well the advantages it brought. Her son's literacy and business acumen had elevated him to the position of head shopkeeper.

Unaware of the Xu family's astonishment, Sang Luo led the group through various tests. Once completed, Shen Lie removed the large stone blocking the entrance and returned to the valley, followed by the others.

Upon inquiry, it was found that the collective howling of the children could not be heard elsewhere in the mountains, but faint sounds reached the gorge's entrance. At the sealed halfway point, noises were audible during certain periods when the children were closest.

Normal reading levels, without shouting, could be heard at the outer perimeter of the valley by Shen Lie standing at the entrance, but not deeper within or at the midsection.

The adults cautioned the children about the importance of keeping noise levels down inside the valley, emphasizing that normal reading without loud shouting was sufficient for safety.

The children acknowledged the lesson, vowing to be more mindful in the future, including Xu Wen Yin promising not to cry.

With a smile, Sang Luo pinched Xu Wen Yin's cheek before suggesting to Zhou Cunzheng and others to clear an area in the deepest part of the valley for the children to play and learn. She envisioned building a pavilion under trees for shade, with tables and chairs for various activities, emphasizing the need for moderate noise levels.

The placement of the pavilion under the trees was a strategic decision by Sang Luo, aware that it would be hidden from view from the mountaintops, according to Shen Lie.

Building other structures under the trees was deemed impractical, considering the limited arable land in the valley vital for farming.

Everyone welcomed Sang Luo's idea of creating a space for children's activities, recognizing its importance for their well-being.

Zhou Cunzheng appreciated the plan and mentioned they needed to gather grain soon. He assured that once grain transportation was complete, they would gather wood for the pavilion and furniture.

Zhou Cunzheng was particularly pleased that all the children were literate, hoping this environment would encourage his younger children to value education.

He noted how impressed he was with the children's fluent recitation of the Thousand Character Classic and believed it would motivate his children to take learning more seriously.

Zhou Cunzheng was visibly delighted.