Chapter 127: Choosing and Ancestry

Sang Luo hadn't expected to be the first to choose a cave, but given her familiarity with the families and acknowledging that Shen Liel and Chen Dashan had discovered the place, she didn’t decline.

Excluding the two higher caves, she had seen the others. The gorge was shaped like an L, with caves on either side. The differences among them were minimal, apart from size. All would need significant modification to become livable.

So, the real choice boiled down to size.

Among the six families, hers was the smallest, with just four members. Even the recently joined Xu family had five. With everyone insisting on her choosing first, Sang Luo couldn’t pick the largest cave, yet the smallest, at thirty square meters, seemed impractical. Once stocked with food supplies and necessary living essentials, fitting in two beds would be challenging.

Hesitation and indecision were inevitable.

Sang Luo looked from side to side, finally setting her gaze on a cave midway up the gorge, elevated about four or five meters.

It was indeed high. She pondered the feasibility of constructing a ladder for access. But would a ladder attract attention if someone climbed to the mountain's summit?

As this thought crossed her mind, Sang Luo considered concealing the ladder with vegetation. It wasn’t an insurmountable issue, and she found herself leaning towards choosing the elevated cave in the middle of the gorge. Its elevated position promised longer sunlight exposure, a significant advantage considering the inherent dampness and limited light in a cave.

Sang Luo and the others hadn't been to the two higher caves; they had only heard Shen Liel and Chen Dashan mention an exit in the highest one, which was also exceptionally large. Curious about the mid-height cave, she inquired Shen Liel about its size.

His response, however, was a letdown for Sang Luo. Based on Shen Liel’s description, she estimated it to be just over twenty square meters, possibly even less—smaller than the thirty-square-meter one.

This made her decision easier.

With a resigned smile, Sang Luo pointed to a cave closer to the ground, yet still four or five meters up. “Our family is small; we’ll take the smallest one.”

At thirty square meters, it was indeed small, but it wouldn’t be fair to cram families with more members into such a confined space. Aside from the larger families like the Zhou and Lu households, even the Shi family had eight members, and the Chen family seven. Squeezing into a thirty-square-meter cave would be extremely tight.

The Xu family had only five members, but considering the elderly matriarch, along with Wei Qinghe, an outside male, and three children, especially Wang Yunzhen and Xu Wenyin who were cousins, not siblings, certain proprieties needed to be maintained. Ancient norms often prescribed separation of male and female cousins, particularly in noble families, from a certain age.

If the Xu family’s situation were like the others, Sang Luo wouldn't have thought too hard about others and chosen a larger space for her family. Five people in a thirty-square-meter space was manageable for refugees.

Sang Luo understood the special circumstances of the Xu family; without the help of Storekeeper Xu, she wouldn't have managed to gather the grain for escape, let alone during their initial tax payment.

Now, Storekeeper Xu had entrusted his mother and children to her and Shen Liel's care, compelling Sang Luo to consider their well-being in her decision.

Although the cave she chose was smaller, its location was advantageous, being almost as high as the elevated one and situated in the middle of the gorge, guaranteeing the longest sunlight exposure each day—a factor that Sang Luo appreciated.

The other families felt uneasy seeing Sang Luo, who had the privilege to choose first, opting for the smallest cave.

For larger families like the Zhous and Lus, giving up space wasn’t feasible, and the Shis and Chens also had considerable family sizes.

Madame Xu intervened, "Sang Madam, perhaps choose a slightly larger one for yourself? The smallest one could suffice for us; our three children can manage in a tight space."

Madame Xu, aware that Sang Luo's modest choice was made in consideration of the Xu family, expressed her understanding.

Sang Luo, firm in her decision, responded, "Every family has many members, and with your age, Madame Xu, plus Wenyin now being nine, it’s inappropriate for her to share a space with her cousin and uncle. Your family should have a larger cave to create separate spaces. We can manage with the smallest one. If needed, we could use the unused larger cave for temporarily storing surplus grain."

By storing grain elsewhere, they could free up significant living space, with each family securing their food stores with locks and constructing small wooden storage units.

As for Shen Ning, who was ten and shared a sleeping space with Sang Luo, she didn't mention this to others.

Sang Luo's considerate words deeply moved Madame Xu. Her granddaughter was indeed growing up, and while sharing with her brother was fine, staying in close quarters with her cousin and uncle, especially as they aged, could become inappropriate.

Initially, Madame Xu had resigned to making do with cramped living conditions due to their late arrival. Still, Sang Luo's thoughtfulness was truly touching.

Touched as she was, Madame Xu glanced between Shen Liel, Sang Luo, and the younger siblings, Shen An and Shen Ning.

Both of the youngsters were ten years old.

Pulling Sang Luo aside for a private word, Madame Xu suggested in a low voice, "Since we can store grain in the larger cave, it's better for us to take the smaller one. The size is manageable with a partition. You and Shen Liel are newlyweds; it's not fitting to crowd in with your young brother-in-law and sister-in-law. Choose a slightly larger one for yourselves, where you can at least have two separate rooms."

Sang Luo was taken aback by this unexpected turn in the conversation.

Despite being inexperienced in these matters, Sang Luo, with her previous life's knowledge in an information-saturated era, was no stranger to romantic nuances, often enjoying them with a beaming smile in dramas.

But when the subject was her and Shen Liel? Their personal life was just that - personal. There was no romantic novelty in their relationship.

Yet, the way Madame Xu cautiously pulled her aside to whisper such a suggestion, Sang Luo couldn't help but let her mind wander along those lines!

And then, images flooded her mind!

Heat rushed from her neck to her ears at an alarming rate.

Stumped for a response and overcome with embarrassment, Sang Luo coughed several times before quickly leading Madame Xu back, whispering, "I appreciate your concern, Madame, but it's really not necessary."

Madame Xu, puzzled, wondered why it wasn't necessary.

By the time they rejoined the group, everyone looked at them curiously, asking, "What were you discussing?"

With a smile, Sang Luo brushed it off, "Madame Xu suggested I change the cave, but no need. We'll stick to my initial choice. Madame Chen, your family can choose next."

The topic having been diverted, Old Lady Xu, though still curious, felt it inappropriate to ask further.

Seeing Sang Luo set on the smallest cave, Granny Chen didn't insist otherwise, saying, "No objections here. We’ll take the one next to your chosen cave."

Sang Luo remembered that cave – about forty-two or forty-three square meters. Comparatively, the Chen family of seven living in a forty-plus square meter cave made her family of four in a thirty square meter cave seem not too cramped.

"Now that the Chen family has chosen their cave, who’s next?"

Everyone suggested Old Lady Xu pick next, acknowledging the help her family had received from Xu Zhanggui.

Without hesitation and grateful for everyone's consideration, Old Lady Xu, similar to Granny Chen and mindful of her son's instructions, chose a cave next to Shen Lian and Sang Luo’s.

"That cave," everyone knew, "was around forty square meters too, but its shape was somewhat awkward, bending inward."

"Aside from the small one chosen by Sang Luo, the one picked by Old Lady Xu was probably the least desirable."

"She seemed determined to be neighbors with the Shen family."

Next were the Lu, Shi, and Zhou families. Zhou Village Head declared they'd choose last. The Lu and Shi families, sensible heads of their households, agreed. With only these three families left, they selected caves suitable for their family sizes.

There were no underhanded schemes or disputes. Everyone considered the needs of others first.

Old Lady Xu, having observed their unity, was deeply impressed. Her son had befriended such commendable families. Fleeing disaster with them felt reassuring, as there was no fear of deceit or backstabbing.

The old lady felt truly fortunate.

Wei Qinghe was grateful too. His family had served the Wang family; his parents were capable stewards, and he grew up in the Wang household.

His eldest sister was wed to Xu Zhanggui and released from servitude, living peacefully. His second sister, once the old lady's favored maid, became the concubine of Wang's third son. As a child, Wei played with the young sixth son of the Wang family and became his page boy upon his education. Treated well by the old lady, Wei's upbringing was akin to that of a scholar, studying and learning to read and write alongside others, even sharing writing materials provided by the Wang family.

Growing up in such an environment, the siblings were no strangers to the intrigues of a large household, especially after the second sister became a concubine. Her death was mysterious, and moving to the third household wasn't her choice. Later, young Yunzhen narrowly escaped death. Their parents pleaded with the old lady, who, given the unclear circumstances of the second sister's death and Yunzhen's blood ties to the Wangs, decided to move the infant Yunzhen to an external courtyard and reassigned eleven-year-old Wei to oversee Yunzhen's care.

This care lasted ten years, from age eleven to twenty-one, with no moment of negligence.

Now, witnessing the camaraderie among Shen Lian's group, Wei felt an indescribable ease and peace.

He knew his brother-in-law had persuaded his employer to let him take Yunzhen away from Shezhou. Thanks to his brother-in-law, he joined Shen Lian's group. Otherwise, whether staying with the Wangs or elsewhere, he'd just be a name on a roster, defenseless against the manipulations of the third wife.