Chapter 132: Disguise

When Shen Lian and his group returned to Yun Valley with the grain, it was already February 20th.

At that time, the group was working on the outer edges of the field, near the entrance of the valley. Sang Luo and a few others, clearing the grass in front, thought they heard some noises. They all stopped working and listened intently, guessing it might be Shen Lian’s return. Everyone held their breath, not daring to speak.

The rocks at the entrance shifted. Sang Luo's heart raced as she motioned to the others behind her. Gripping her hoe, she tiptoed as silently as possible towards the entrance near the gorge.

Just as she reached the wall, one of the large rocks blocking the inner entrance was pushed from the inside and rolled down. The second rock was then lifted by a pair of hands. The half-person tall stone was moved aside.

Those hands were familiar, and so were the sleeves and style of the clothes. Sang Luo relaxed, feeling weak in her arms and legs, and called out, "Shen Lian?"

Shen Lian, just entering while moving the rock, heard her. Turning his head, he saw Sang Luo with a hoe in hand, anxiously pressed against the stone wall by the entrance. Behind her stood Chen family’s grandmother, Lu family’s grandmother, Shi family’s aunt, Zhou family’s aunt... all the adults who stayed in the valley, each holding farming tools.

Further back was a crowd of children, and seeing the fields being worked on, Shen Lian had no doubt that if a stranger had entered, Sang Luo would have struck with her hoe.

“Did we scare you?”

Sang Luo nodded, still shaken: “We guessed it might be you returning based on the timing, but suddenly hearing someone moving the entrance rocks really set our hearts racing.”

Shen Lian hadn’t expected everyone to be at the gorge entrance. Putting himself in their shoes, he realized it must have been startling. He suggested, “Next time we return, how about we use a secret signal? I could tap the rock three times quickly, then twice slowly?”

Sang Luo quickly agreed: “That’s a good idea. It’ll also prevent us from accidentally harming one of our own.”

Shen Lian chuckled at her response. Clearly, she had been ready to swing her hoe.

Chen Popo, who had relaxed a bit, listened to their discussion about the secret signal. Seeing Shen Lian still holding the large rock and laughing, she felt puzzled.

She glanced at the heavy rock in his arms and couldn't help but remind him, “Ah Lian, isn’t that rock heavy? Why don’t we put it down first?”

Shen Lian suddenly realized, feeling embarrassed. He had forgotten about the rock while talking to Sang Luo and hurriedly turned to place it down by the entrance.

Chen Dashan, who had entered behind Shen Lian, almost burst into laughter.

Seeing his wife make him forget himself, Shen Lian, that boy, really only acts like this around Sang Luo.

Speaking of which, I envy that strength of his. How did he get so strong? I don’t recall anyone in his family being particularly known for their physical prowess.

Back when his family fled in exile, Shen Lian had seen his grandparents, parents, and second uncle and aunt. His father was quite brave, but not exceptionally strong; otherwise, he wouldn't have perished during their escape.

Look at Shen An; he seems pretty normal. Only Shen Lian seems to have grown up on some kind of super-strength pill.

Even if I were smitten, could I hold a huge rock while being silly? My strength simply wouldn't allow it.

Others struggle to carry two stones of grain, but Shen Lian effortlessly carries three. How can one even compare?

Embarrassed by this incident, Shen Lian didn't linger to chat with Sang Luo. After the first batch of grain was brought in, he quickly went out to help move more.

The children, eager to be part of the excitement, abandoned their tasks and ran outside to help bring in items. They might not lift the grain, but they could surely carry smaller things.

The women busied themselves in the large cave, making space on the shelves, leaving Sang Luo alone at the entrance.

Sang Luo chuckled to herself; she hadn’t even noticed Shen Lian talking to her while holding the rock.

Taking advantage of the solitude, she tried to lift the rock herself but couldn't budge it. She stepped back, assessing its size and weight, wondering just how strong Shen Lian really was.

With his strength, could he knock out a wolf in the forest with a single punch, even without a weapon? They had encountered solitary wild animals which fled at their sight, and when encountering a pack, Shen Lian and the young men directly resorted to poisoned arrows and knives. Sang Luo had never seen Shen Lian fight barehanded.

Her thoughts wandered until Shen Lian re-entered. She glanced at him – tall, indeed, but not the wide, bulky type associated with great strength. So where did all his power come from?

As the Zhou brothers also came in carrying things, Sang Luo stopped musing. When another group left the narrow path, she quickly followed to help with moving items.

Besides grain, the Xu family's bedding, pillows, pots, pans, seeds, and other items were brought into the valley first, along with the medicines and a large cage of chicken and ducklings.

Seeing these items, the women and children were as thrilled as if it were New Year, showering Mrs. Xu with endless gratitude. These gifts were just perfect.

In the valley, they could grow their own vegetables, but for meat, they relied on hunting. Now, with few people around, it was manageable, but they'd have to be more cautious if outsiders arrived, preferring to eat less rather than risk exposing their hideaway.

Now, with the chickens and ducks, even if they didn't eat them, there would be eggs. They couldn't keep the roosters, but they could let the ducks hatch more.

These gifts truly warmed everyone's hearts.

Mrs. Xu was also pleased. People like Shen Lian and Chen Dashan had some hunting skills. The other families could manage to hunt if necessary, but for her own family, neither she nor Qinghe had such skills.

She had been worried about how the children would get to eat any meat in the future, but now, with no meat, they still had chicken and duck eggs - a great relief.

Seeing that her son had prepared for every family, not just their own, Mrs. Xu's smile never faded. Her son had done things right.

After learning from Qinghe about the grain and medicine donations, Mrs. Xu nodded in agreement: "That's the right approach."

Knowing that the families refused the grain, Mrs. Xu wasn't surprised. After spending over twenty days together, she understood them well, especially the women and the elders.

"Then let's do as they suggest. We'll keep it for now and offer it later if needed."

If turmoil worsened outside and the other five families struggled, her own family wouldn't be unaffected. Sticking together was crucial for survival.

Mrs. Xu believed that the families were capable, or at least reasonable and cooperative, which was essential for their collective survival in these challenging times.

……

The cage carrying the chicken and ducklings was quite large and couldn't be brought into the valley directly, so each family used baskets to carry the chicks and ducklings in. Once everything was moved, Shen Lian sealed the passages and then entered the main cave.

The chickens and ducks were brought in, but the challenge was how to raise them. Unlike inanimate objects that could simply be placed on a shelf, the chicks and ducklings, totaling seventy-two, required careful handling. Fortunately, under careful care by Chen Lao Han and others during the journey, they had all survived without loss.

However, chickens and ducks can't be raised too closely together; if one gets sick, it can quickly spread to the others. Therefore, it's important to separate them as soon as possible.

Moreover, everyone except Shi Da, Lu Er, Lu San, and Zhou Da Lang, who stayed behind at the first grain storage point to guard the remaining grain and belongings, returned with their share of grain. This included the Zhou family daughters-in-law who had been left behind to heal from injuries.

As it was already late February, everyone was anxious about starting the cultivation. Those who had returned this time, including the Zhou family daughters-in-law, decided to stay and help for a few days before Shen Lian and the other young men would go back for the remaining grain. This meant that almost everyone was now in the valley, and with the newly arrived grain and belongings, the main cave was overcrowded.

With so many people now in the valley, not only did the chickens and ducks need to be separated, but people also had to return to their respective caves.

Chen Lao Han, Lu Lao Han, and Zhou Cun Zheng took a tour of the valley and suggested everyone first settle into their caves. Belongings and grain could be temporarily stored in the main cave, but everyone needed to arrange their sleeping quarters before nightfall. Once that was done, they could discuss how to cultivate the land.

Everyone agreed and set off to their caves with their farming tools and families, the children excitedly running to the valley's interior.

Shen Lian didn't rush off; he had already inspected his family's cave on a previous trip. Considering the progress of land clearing in the valley, he guessed the other caves were likely still in their original state. But for the night's rest, the priority was having doors to keep out snakes and rodents.

Even a simple door, like the ones at the main cave, made from freshly cut, untreated logs, would suffice to block these creatures and ensure a peaceful sleep.

He approached Chen Lao Han and asked, "Chen Grandpa, should we start by making doors for each family's cave? Without them, I fear we won't sleep well. The valley has many trees, but will clearing them for farmland affect sunlight exposure? Should we fell trees right here or bring them from outside?"

This was also a concern for Chen Lao Han, Lu Lao Han, and Zhou Cun Zheng.

Chen Lao Han sighed, "Cutting trees would indeed improve farming conditions, allowing more sunlight for the crops. But we're wary of making the cleared area too conspicuous from the mountain top. Since you and Dashan have been to the peak, tell us, can you clearly see down from there?"

Shen Lian thought for a moment and said, "Indeed, it's very high. If there were houses, their roofs would be visible, which is conspicuous. Trees and grass appear as varying shades of green from a distance and are less noticeable. People moving around would be hard to spot. However, we need to be cautious not to plant too orderly. If our fields are as organized as those in Shili Village, it might attract attention from above. Planting denser should mitigate this concern."

Zhou Cun Zheng, after hearing this, asked Chen Lao Han and Lu Lao Han, "So, we won't divide the fields into distinct sections? Just one continuous stretch of land for all six families, with markers and boundary stones at the edges to denote each family's plot?"

This seemed to be a feasible plan, and both Chen Lao Han and Lu Lao Han had no objections.

Lu Lao Han suggested, "Planting densely is fine. Given the valley’s deep and narrow shape, plus the abundance of trees, sunlight is naturally limited. According to old farming wisdom, it's better to plant more densely to maximize sunlight exposure on the crops. As long as it's not overly dense, planting denser than we did in Shili Village should work."

Being experienced farmers, they knew the terrain well. Chen Lao Han and Zhou Cun Zheng concurred, "That makes sense. With shorter sun exposure in the valley, the rice cultivation period will likely be longer. We must start sowing by early March, before Qingming Festival."

"What about the trees? Do you think we should cut them down?" Zhou Cun Zheng asked Shen Lian.

Shen Lian had given this some thought and had visited the mountain peak, making him familiar with the area.

Nodding, Shen Lian said, "I think selective cutting is the way to go. Remove some trees while leaving others, especially those with dense foliage that block too much light. Keep trees like cypress that don’t take up much space. This will ensure the area isn’t too bare or too shaded for the seedlings."

This suggestion relieved Chen Lao Han and others, as it aligned with the need for camouflage.

Inspired, Chen Lao Han added, "Exactly. From above, it will just look like trees with undergrowth, blending in with other mountains. However, waterlogging might be an issue for regular trees. We should focus on water-tolerant species."

Looking towards a small waterfall, he said, "Perfect, the water-loving trees like Taxodium and Pinus growing around that pond seem suitable. Let’s transplant some of them to the middle of the fields. In a few days, we can bring in more soil to enrich the land and divert water from the waterfall to the fields."

Lu Lao Han liked the idea, adding, "We can trim the branches ourselves if needed."

He then asked Shen Lian, "Shen Lian, we saw a few ponds along the way. Can we transplant some trees from there?"

The biggest challenge was the valley entrance, as large trees couldn’t be brought through.

Shen Lian replied, "Transplanting trees of human height should be sufficient. From above, it’s hard to judge a tree's height; the key is variety. I’ll organize a team to bring several batches from nearby areas soon. A random assortment of sizes and types will make it even less distinguishable as cultivated land."

Sang Luo, having been a bit slow in packing up, hadn’t left yet and listened to the whole discussion. She almost wanted to give these wise elders and uncles a thumbs up for their remarkable wisdom.

Of course, Shen Lian wasn’t bad either, perfectly embodying the saying, "Four unskilled workers equal a Zhuge Liang."

Zhou Cun Zheng also chuckled, "Then I’ll go call Shi Er Lang and Wei Lang Jun to join us, so we can decide which plots are suitable for farming, and then call everyone else to start cutting trees."

The reason for determining suitable farming plots was due to the valley's limited space. Areas for activities, growing vegetables, and raising chickens and ducks needed to be reserved.

Deciding on these allocations required discussions among all families.

Wei Lang Jun referred to Wei Qinghe, the only adult male from the old Xu family here. He was naturally called for these matters, even if he might not understand much, as a gesture of involvement.

Shen Lian suggested with a smile, "Let's also invite the grandmothers, aunts, and sisters-in-law. Everyone will be living here for quite some time, so we should consider their opinions too."

Zhou Cun Zheng agreed, realizing the wider implications, and Sang Luo volunteered, "I'll go call the families on the right side."

She picked up her shovel and basket, adding with a smile, "I was heading to the cave anyway, so it works out."

Zhou Cun Zheng responded with a smile, "Alright, I’ll notify the families on the left side."

Shen Lian, noticing the tools in Sang Luo's hands, took them from her, saying, "Let’s go together."

The elders, Chen Lao Han and Lu Lao Han, watched Shen Lian caring for his wife, their eyes crinkling with laughter. Even Zhou Cun Zheng, who was ahead, glanced back and chuckled before moving on.

Chen Lao Han laughed, "Let's head inside too, rather than calling everyone back out."

The two old men, smiling, followed the others towards the inner part of the valley.