Chapter 76: Lost

◎Awakening to Trouble (Slightly Revised)

It was the height of summer, and the sun was scorching. The mushrooms and wild vegetables they had picked didn't take long to dry. They harvested two baskets full of mushrooms and another two of wild greens.

The women and children in the family squatted on the ground, marveling at their accomplishment.

The twins lifted their chins proudly and declared, "We picked them!"

Little Guo'er quickly nodded her tiny head.

Both the matriarch and Mrs. Chen, as well as Aunt Mei, felt a sense of achievement, albeit an odd one. It wasn't the season for farming or sowing seeds, so they couldn't experience the satisfaction of reaping what they had planted. However, the act of washing and drying the mushrooms and wild greens by hand gave them a subtle thrill.

This feeling made them look at the fungi and vegetables with affection.

Yu Lian made a spontaneous decision, "Let's slaughter a fat chicken to make soup today!"

Eyes shining, the women and children were delighted. The twins, remembering the delicious taste of chicken, could almost taste it, their mouths watering. Immediately, they raised their little hands, volunteering to catch the chicken.

Before Yu Lian could give her consent, the two boys darted towards the chicken coop, instantly causing chaos in the courtyard as chickens fluttered about, squawking in distress. Their hair disheveled by the pecking birds defending themselves, their little faces smudged with dirt, they each seized a chick and presented them triumphantly to their eldest sister. A near-scuffle ensued over which of their fatter chicks should be the one to be cooked.

Yu Lian decided to catch them both for slaughter. She had initially planned to kill one the day she gathered the mushrooms, but then she thought that the dried mushrooms would enhance the flavor of the chicken soup, so she waited until today.

She intended to prepare a bowl for the young scholar Hua Tianqu, another for her second uncle's household, and the rest for her own family. The generous portion would satisfy their cravings in one delightful feast.

Yet, here was the dilemma: not a single woman in the room knew how to slaughter a chicken. Even though Lady Mei had honed her skills in the kitchen to a fine art, she still lacked the know-how to do this particular task.

With both hands, Yu Lian held the chickens' necks, while Aunt Mei skillfully swiped her knife, sharpening it against the tender flesh, eliciting piercing cries from the birds as they scurried desperately around the courtyard.

In the end, it was the strict tutor who taught the three children who stepped in with a stern expression, swiftly putting an end to the chickens' suffering with one stroke.

By dinnertime, the much-anticipated mushroom and chicken stew was finally ready. Yu Lian, seeing her twins drooling with anticipation, instructed them to deliver a bowl each to the tutor and their second uncle's family. The family prepared a stir-fried green vegetable, another dish of wild vegetables scrambled with eggs, and cooked a pot of plain rice to complement the tender chicken.

As twilight fell, the teenager busied himself on the stove, simmering medicine and porridge. His mother's health was still fragile; she needed to finish her meal first, then take her medicine every half-hour before finally settling down to sleep.

The door roused from its slumber as it was knocked upon, and a boy's crisp voice called out anxiously, "Tutor, Tutor, quickly come and open the door!"

Hua Tianqu recognized the voices of his two students. Their urgency made him think that something was amiss, so he hurried outside.

Yet, he was presented with a large porcelain bowl brimming with chicken, its aroma mixed with that of mushrooms. The golden soup shimmered with oil, making him involuntarily swallow his saliva. Looking up, the two boys had already vanished.

They were eager to go home and enjoy the chicken.

The youth stood for a moment before carefully cradling the bowl and returning to his room.

At dinner time, he added half of the chicken and broth to his mother's porridge, transforming it into a chicken congee. As Widow Zhao savored the dish, her mouth glistened with grease. She asked her son where the meat came from.

The youth lifted his eyelids slightly. "From the family Mother said had ulterior motives."

Widow Zhao felt a pang in her heart.

After his mother finished eating, the youth served her medicine and watched her take it before he went out to have his own dinner.

He had not eaten dinner for quite some time. During the day, while teaching at the Hu family, he ate there. At night, he would return home and simply cook a small pot of porridge for his mother. To conserve food, he contented himself with just a bit of soup.

That evening's meal lacked rice as well, but he felt full from eating half a bowl of chicken heads. The bowl was enormous, filled to the brim. Even after giving half to his mother, it was ample for him.

As he lay in bed that night, he pondered how a basket of mushrooms and wild vegetables could be worth a bowl of chicken.

On the other side, Uncle Two's family also received the chicken from the twins. Overjoyed, Grandma Two gifted them several sweet cakes to enjoy as snacks. The twins were even more delighted, and their footsteps quickened as they carried the sweets back home.

After delivering the chicken, the boys encountered their father on their way back, driving a carriage from outside. They promptly called out to him, asking him to stop.

Climbing onto the carriage, they excitedly announced, "Father, you're in for a treat today! Our mushrooms and wild vegetables have been dried, and Little Master killed a chicken. Stepmother Mei cooked the chicken and fried eggs too! But Sister-in-law asked us to send chicken to others, so there's not much left."

Hua Zhan was confused by their jumbled account. Frowning, he scolded them gently, urging them to speak calmly and clearly.

The twins urged impatiently, "Come on, Father, hurry up! If you're late, there won't be any left for you."

Hua Zhan turned to fix them with a stare. "Speak properly."

The twins had no choice but to catch their breath and explain, "Aunt Mei and Grandmother don't dare to kill chickens. Little Master helped to do it. The chicken was simmered with mushrooms, so fragrant! Aunt Mei also fried eggs with wild vegetables. Today, we have rice cooked until dry, but Sister-in-law wouldn't let us eat first. She asked us to deliver the chicken to Little Master and Second Grandfather, but we barely have enough for ourselves."

Hua Yan swallowed. "If the chicken is that delicious, I could eat as much as an ox!"

Hua Xing replied, "I could eat a whole pig!"

Hua Yan retorted, "An ox is bigger!"

Hua Xing: "Piggy Big!"

The two boys began to argue.

Hua Zhan: "..."

Finally, someone gave them both a light tap on the head to silence them. Hua Zhan scolded, "In life, never be petty."

The twins, holding their heads, asked, "What's being petty?"

"When you have something delicious, but refuse to share it with those who care for you, that's being petty. It's good enough just to have food. Learn from your sister-in-law when she works; don't be greedy in all things."

The twins scratched their heads, not fully understanding but vaguely grasping that their father was saying it was good to share chicken with Grandpa Two and Little Scholar.

That was fine with them!

They quickly clung to their father, urging him to hurry up.

After a day of driving the carriage, Hua Zhan felt some aches in his waist, back, and shoulders. The pressure from the two only made it worse, but he said nothing, merely accelerating the pace of the whip, urging the horses to run faster.

The twins coaxed the horse, "We'll feed you plenty of grass when we get home!"

When the father and his three sons arrived, the food had just been served on the table, still steaming with a delightful aroma that wafted into the courtyard. The scent of the chicken was irresistible. The twins jumped down from the carriage, impatient to wait for their father, and rushed inside, completely forgetting their promise to the horse.

Hua Zhan, unperturbed, parked the carriage, gave the horse water and fresh grass, and cleaned his face and hands before entering the house.

Upon entering, he found the whole family seated at the table, waiting for him without touching their food.

The three children, with watering mouths, stared at the large platter of chicken, yet they obediently waited for their father, refraining from reaching for their chopsticks.

Hua Zhan sat down, picked up his chopsticks. The children glanced at their sister-in-law, who nodded, granting them permission. They eagerly grabbed their chopsticks, racing to claim pieces of chicken, savoring every bite.

The elderly matriarch asked her son, "What's going on lately? Why have you been coming home so late?"

She looked at her son's tanned face and weary eyes, feeling a pang of concern. "You're not getting any younger. Take care of yourself. What is it that keeps you driving the carriage around all day?"

Hua Zhan shook his head. "Nothing, Mother, don't worry. I've just been out for leisurely rides."

Mrs. Chen's eyes welled up with tears, secretly sensing that her husband was engaged in some activity outside. He came home each night, deep in sleep, more exhausted than when he was training soldiers back in the military days.

Zhu Ying lounged on the rooftop, his legs crossed, nibbling on a hard, dry steamed bun while inhaling the aroma of chicken wafting from below. Reflecting on the Marquis secretly working as a carriage driver, he wondered whose heartache was greater – his or the Marquis's. In that moment, tears began to flow from his lips.

After much contemplation, he realized he could not continue like this! His master had indeed instructed him to protect the family covertly, but nowhere did it say he must remain entirely in the shadows. Even with the emperor's men watching, if he found an opportunity to reveal himself to the Marquis and his family under a different identity, there was no reason why he shouldn't.

With a legitimate identity, he would be better equipped to safeguard the Marquis's household!

Determined to step out of the shadows, Zhu Ying began to search for the perfect moment. Fate seemed to favor the diligent, as the master's two wayward younger brothers caused trouble, presenting the opportunity he needed.

The following day, Yu Lian personally packed letters for her parents and a selection of mushrooms and wild vegetables. She climbed into the carriage, accompanied by her father-in-law, heading to town to entrust a courier service with their delivery.

Mrs. Chen was engrossed in embroidering a screen, her recently completed handkerchiefs and pouches sold well in town. A prominent family's matriarch had taken a liking to her craftsmanship and placed a large order for an embroidered screen to be used in her daughter's wedding. With the deadline looming, Mrs. Chen hadn't had the time to chat with the elder lady for several days, dedicating herself entirely to her work.

The elderly woman, too, was occupied with fattening up their pigs. Lately, she felt more energetic and ventured further to the riverbank's slope to gather more pig feed.

In their individual pursuits, the family didn't notice that the twins had taken their younger sister, Little Guo'er, along with them into the mountains.

Last time, they had heard from their young teacher that the wild bees' honey was sweet and could nourish their grandmother's health. Ever since, they had been longing to fetch some.

Initially, the twins intended to sneak up the mountain to collect the honey, but were caught by their sister. They had no choice but to cover Little Guo'er's mouth, urging her not to reveal their plan. As a compromise, they promised to take her along with them.

Little Guo'er hesitated, remembering her sister-in-law's warning not to wander off without permission. If they wanted to go far, they had to inform the adults first.

The twins rolled their eyes. "This is a surprise. We're secretly collecting honey to nourish our grandmother and sister-in-law. Do you think they'll be unhappy? And we can sneak a taste too. Maybe it will be sweeter than sugar canes."

As they spoke, they licked their lips. Little Guo'er imagined the taste, torn for a while. Before she could decide, she was swept along by her two older brothers up the mountain.

But once on the mountain, the twins realized they had no idea how to navigate. They soon lost their way, unable to find the honey-producing trees from before, let alone the path back home. The deeper they ventured into the mountains, the more frightened Little Guo'er became, on the verge of tears.

After wandering in the mountains for hours, the sun was high in the sky, and they were exhausted and thirsty. They cried out for their sister-in-law, their voices tinged with panic. To make matters worse, they stumbled upon a wild boar charging at them as it foraged for food.

Zhu Ying, having smelled chicken from his master's house all night and craving it, decided to catch a wild chicken to roast before dark the next day. However, just as he was halfway through roasting his catch, he heard the master's three children crying for help, calling out for their sister-in-law, parents, and grandmother in heart-wrenching sobs.

Yu Lian, having sent a package to town and bought paper and pens for the children, returned to find none of them at home. She rushed to Second Uncle's house, asking them to come home for dinner, but the kids there said they hadn't seen them. Yu Lian then went to Hua Tianqu's place, but they weren't there either. It was then that she realized something was wrong.