Chapter 114 "Peach Blossom Spring"

Sang Luo was busy in the kitchen but faintly heard some noise. Carrying an oil lamp outside the courtyard, she saw Shen Lian approaching from the mountain. The night was too dark to see clearly from a distance. Uncertain, she raised the lamp and asked, "Shen Lian?"

"It's me."

Sang Luo relaxed completely, then felt joy. She stepped forward to greet him, and as they met outside the courtyard, she inspected Shen Lian and, seeing no harm, smiled warmly, "Good to have you back safely."

His return was quicker than expected, but the past ten days, especially the last few, had been tense. Every family had hoarded grain, and the atmosphere was strained, particularly for their isolated household, which had caused worry among the neighbors.

"Just met Uncle Shi Er and the others at the mountain base. I've heard about the refugees. Don't worry, we'll make arrangements. Dashan and I found a good place to settle. The others will be here shortly to discuss further plans."

Hearing that they had found a place to settle, Sang Luo's eyes brightened, thrilled by the news. She couldn't help asking, "What's the place like?"

Before Shen Lian could answer, Shen An and Shen Ning, hearing the commotion, rushed out, calling "Big brother" and hurling themselves joyfully towards him.

Shen Lian hastily raised a hand to stop them: "Don't come closer, I'm covered in dirt."

After trudging through the deep forests for a full thirteen days, scrambling, climbing, and even tree-hopping, Shen Lian felt that if it weren't for the cold weather, he'd be quite smelly by now.

Shen An and Shen Ning halted their eager approach upon seeing Shen Lian's gesture, and only then did Sang Luo notice the large bundle he carried in his other hand. Bringing the oil lamp closer, she asked, "What's this?"

Before she could finish, the light revealed the bundle, causing Sang Luo to step back in shock, exclaiming aloud.

Shen Lian, unable to hide it in time, hurriedly reassured, "Don't be afraid, it's just a hide."

Sang Luo couldn't help but be frightened; she recognized it as a black bear's hide because it still had the bear's head attached.

Disturbed, she looked at Shen Lian, "Did you encounter a bear?"

While illuminating him with the oil lamp, she asked, "Are you injured?"

Perhaps amused by Sang Luo's reaction, Shen Lian couldn't suppress a smile, "No, thankfully we waited those extra days and had the medicine with us. Despite being just the two of us, we managed to handle it. And it was precisely being chased by this bear that led us to a good spot."

His eyes shone with excitement, "It's a bit far but very safe."

Sang Luo glanced outside, suggesting, "Let’s go in to talk. Put down your stuff first. Have you eaten dinner yet?"

Knowing they must have hurried home, she assumed they hadn’t eaten.

Shen Lian nodded, "We rushed to avoid traveling in the dark, so we skipped dinner. There's some dried meat in the backpack."

Sang Luo smiled, "Let's go to the kitchen. I'll make you a bowl of dumpling soup."

She led the way inside, carefully holding the oil lamp, while Shen Lian followed a step behind. Shen An and Shen Ning trailed, trying to catch a glimpse of the bear hide in the faint light of the lamp.

In the dark night, the black fur was indiscernible until they reached the courtyard and the light from the main house shone through. Only then did the siblings see it and instinctively stepped back in surprise.

Shen Lian: "......"

Shen Lian felt a bit embarrassed, aware that it wasn't ideal, but only by skinning like this could he get a good price.

He hid the weapons under the bed and placed his backpack against the wall by the main house's entrance, with the large bundle of hides on top of it. While Sang Luo and Shen Ning went to prepare food and light the fire, Shen An fetched warm water for his brother to wash his hands and face.

Amidst all the hustle, before Shen Lian and his family could catch up properly, Zhou Village Chief, Old Man Lu, Lu Er, Old Man Chen, Chen You Tian, Chen Da Shan, and Shi Da Lang arrived.

Just as the dumpling soup was put to boil, Sang Luo asked Shen Ning to watch it and hurried out to greet the guests. In the cold weather, it was inappropriate to have them stand in the courtyard, and with the kitchen busy making dried bean curd, she invited everyone into the main house.

Four stools were arranged for the elders, while the younger ones stood.

Upon entering the room, Zhou Village Chief and the others immediately noticed the large bundle of animal hides near the door, recognizing it as black bear fur. Gasping, he looked at Shen Lian, "Can I take a look?"

Shen Lian nodded in agreement.

Zhou Village Chief and the others gathered around, examining the bundle of furs which included bear and wolf pelts. Judging by the thickness of the fur bundle, there were several wolf hides.

"You encountered a bear and a pack of wolves? How many were there?"

Shen Lian replied, "Eight wolves. I have three wolf hides and one bear hide here; the remaining five are with Da Shan."

Not only Zhou Village Chief, but also Shi Da Lang and Lu Er, who had trekked through mountains and forests together, were startled. Shen Lian and Chen Da Shan had ventured into the mountains as a duo this time.

Lu Er swallowed nervously, "How did you deal with it?"

"Safely and soundly, without any injuries, and not a single wolf escaped."

Shen Lian glanced at Chen Da Shan and chuckled, "We owe it to Chen Granny. Her family, being hunters, had a recipe that worked wonders. We dipped our arrowheads in the poison, and the animals fell within a few steps after being hit, unable to survive. When we encountered the wolves, Da Shan and I climbed up a tree. The wolves circled beneath us, so we were unharmed."

Chen Da Shan added quickly, "The money for the poison was provided by Shen Lian and his sister. We've prepared quite a bit. In the future, those skilled in archery among us will carry a small vial for self-defense. The poison is extremely potent; it's lethal upon entering the bloodstream, so be very careful when using it."

He had actually contributed some of the money he made from selling mountain chickens, but Shen Lian accepted only a token amount, urging him to prioritize stocking up on grain, salt, and medicinal herbs for his family.

Hearing about this effective remedy, everyone in the room rejoiced. The biggest fear in the mountains is encountering venomous snakes and fierce beasts.

Over the past half month, everyone, especially the younger ones, had been diligently practicing archery. Those who were proficient had secretly upgraded their bows and arrows. With this new protection, venturing into the deep mountains felt much safer.

The conversation then turned to the refuge Shen Lian and Chen Da Shan had found. Although Zhou Village Chief was considered somewhat of an insider, the two men were quite open about the details of the location.

The place they found, starting from Shi Li Village, was a five-and-a-half-day journey for Shen Lian and Chen Da Shan, moving at a fast pace. The location was well-hidden, with a clear path forward and a way out at the back. They stumbled upon it while being chased by a bear. The entrance was a narrow mountain crevice just wide enough for one person, impassable for the bear, which Shen Lian killed with an arrow while it was stuck between the rocks.

After killing the bear, they didn't rush to process it. Since they were looking for a hiding place, they explored further and found that the narrow gap led through a mountain, revealing a hidden paradise.

“Venturing deeper into that cliffside leads to a clearing surrounded by several interconnected peaks. It's not large, about a third of the size of our Shi Li Village, but it's lush with vegetation and has a water source - a mountain spring seeping out of the terrain, not a large waterway. There are several caves and cave-like structures in the cliffs that can provide shelter.”

Sang Luo imagined the scene described by Shen Lian, conjuring up images of 'The Peach Blossom Spring', albeit a more rugged version.

Zhou Village Chief and Old Man Chen, along with the other elders, became excited: “Did you climb to the top of the surrounding peaks? Is it possible to descend from there?”

Chen Da Shan nodded: “Shen Lian and I split up to check. You can only reach the summit the normal way; descending is impossible due to sheer cliffs. You must return the same way you came. So, besides our entry path, it’s not feasible to enter from the surrounding peaks. Moreover, due to the height and dense trees, it’s hard to see clearly from above.”

Shi Da Lang and Lu Er also showed signs of relief. This meant they could live relatively normally in the valley without constantly hiding.

They had alternative hiding places in mind, but now both felt this journey was well worth it.

Sang Luo asked Shen Lian, “Is there any other way in or out besides the path you used?”

Shen Lian and Chen Da Shan exchanged glances, both nodding. Shen Lian explained, “There is another passage, but it’s easier to find from inside than from outside.”

“What do you mean?”

Shen Lian replied with an odd expression, “There’s a deep cave leading to an upward-sloping exit that opens to the outside, but… that exit looks more like a slightly larger rabbit hole from the outside.”

Normally, anyone seeing such a hole would guess it’s either a rabbit burrow or perhaps a snake's lair. No one would be brave enough to explore it, let alone put their foot in.

In fact, Shen Lian wondered if the hole might have been initially dug by a rabbit or something else, accidentally creating a passage to this hidden haven, leaving the animal bewildered.

Otherwise, that cave wouldn’t seem naturally formed; who would carve out an entrance barely larger than a rabbit hole?

Sang Luo found humor in the situation: “This exit is perfect. If there were only one entrance, I'd worry about being discovered and trapped. Having an escape route is reassuring.”

Shen Lie and Chen Dashan also smiled. Chen Dashan added, “That's exactly what we thought. We've temporarily blocked the smaller exit from the inside, but it can be easily opened if needed for escape.”

Old man Chen, having already heard from his grandson about the situation in the valley, now understood more clearly. He laughed, “That’s great! With a cave, water source, entrance and exit, it’s an ideal hideaway. Deep in the mountains, hidden from people, and if we seal and camouflage the passages well, not even large threatening beasts could get in. It’s perfect for our families to take refuge.”

Hope glimmered on everyone’s faces.

Lu Er looked at the group, pondering, “What's our next step? Refugees have started to appear in the county. Do we stick to the original plan and transport grain first, or should we seek refuge too?”

Zhou Lizheng shook his head at this suggestion.

He glanced around Shen family’s main room. Aside from two beds and a table, the room was cramped with people, as bamboo racks filled with grain took up most of the space.

“Our manpower is limited, and each family has stored considerable grain. It would take six or seven trips to transport it all. Hence, we can’t leave yet; we need time to move the grain. Besides, as long as the Dagan Empire still stands, if we all leave, our lands, houses, and years of hard work would no longer belong to us.”

“Otherwise, our descendants would have to hide in the mountains as refugees, unable to enter the city or show their faces, confined to the forest, or conscripted by the authorities to start all over.”

Those who had once started from scratch, like the Chen family, understood this deeply. It's easy to abandon one's home, but incredibly hard to build a new one.

Old Man Chen nodded, “First, we transport the grain. We'll consider other options once it's done. I visited the city gates recently. For now, refugees are just clustered there, receiving food and clothes from wealthy households. It's not chaotic yet. We just need to stay alert without acting rashly.”

Everyone agreed on this point. Being a refugee is challenging, and as Zhou Lizheng and Old Man Chen said, it would take six or seven trips to move all the grain. There must be someone to watch over the houses.

The discussion then focused on organizing the transportation of grain.

To Sang Luo's surprise, Old Man Chen first proposed how to transport her family's grain.

Old Man Chen explained, “As everyone knows, Sang Luo, along with Xiao An and Ah Ning, live in a secluded area. It’s fine during peaceful times, but not now. Instead of each family sending someone for night watch, I suggest we help transport her family’s grain. For every three bags our families carry, we help carry one of Shen Lie’s. This way, Shen Lie can stay in the village, ensuring his family's safety without needing our night watch. Plus, if we need to move grain to the mountains, we won’t be able to help with the night watch anyway. Also, having Shen Lie in the village for defense reassures us all.”

Essentially, some men need to stay for defense, others to transport grain to the mountains, with Shen Lie consistently handling village defense.

Everyone agreed, and Shen Lie felt reassured by this arrangement. He expressed his gratitude: “Thanks for your care, everyone. I'll stay in the village, continue training the children, and keep an eye on the surroundings.”

The matter was settled, though Zhou Lizheng felt a bit awkward. His family had plenty of grain and sons, but he had earlier stated they wouldn’t concern themselves with the location of the refuge, offering to let Shen Lie’s family transport half of their grain.

Now faced with the practicalities of grain transportation, Shen Lie explained a single trip would take over five days. Carrying grain would extend it to six days each way, totaling twelve days for a round trip.

“With all the grain his family has, letting others transport it...” pondered the head of Zhou family, who wasn’t involved in arranging the refuge plans or in financing the purchase of medicine like Shen Lian, nor did he find the hiding place. Given Sangluo's unique status among the families, could he really justify having others transport his grain without contributing anything in return?

However, as the village head for many years, he quickly formulated a plan. He inquired of Shen Lian, "Along the route, are there places to stay overnight, like caves suitable for storing grain? If so, we could split the journey into two stages. Each family could mark their grain, and part of us could carry it halfway, then hand it over to you for the rest of the journey."

This way, they wouldn’t need to know the exact location of the refuge and could contribute without exerting too much effort.

Old man Chen and Lu were excited by this suggestion: "Great idea! We older folks can join the kids in carrying the first half of the journey, leaving the younger and stronger ones to follow Da Shan for the second half."

Everyone glanced at each other with smiles. The four families gathered and decided right there in Shen's main room who would contribute labor and how much grain each would carry.

"Let's prepare some dry food and water at home. We'll set off before dawn tomorrow. It's convenient to say we're going hunting with Da Shan."

The hunting excuse was perfect, considering they had been practicing outside the mountain and now needed real field experience.

Chen Da Shan didn't get a break this time; he had to lead the way again. Before leaving, he patted Shen Lian's shoulder, "Those pelts, find a buyer for mine too when you go to the county. No matter the price, sell them and give the money to my grandma. Also, that medicine is effective; we should get more."

Originally a private conversation, Zhou Village Chief overheard and quickly added, "About the money for the poison arrows, we’ll contribute to the new batch. I’ll bring it to you tomorrow."

This last comment was directed at Shen Lian.

He mentioned this because Old Man Chen had already suggested helping transport Shen's grain as a contribution, so it wouldn’t be appropriate to bring it up again.

Shi Da Lang and Lu Old Man also expressed their willingness to contribute. Their businesses hadn’t been doing well lately, so they hadn’t saved much, but they felt obligated to contribute to the cost of the medicine.

Shen Lian looked at Sang Luo, who shook her head and said, "We appreciate your intentions, but considering everyone’s help in transporting our grain, we'll cover the cost of the medicine."

Actually, Old Man Chen was favoring their family. Guarding the village and transporting grain into the mountains were not comparable tasks. Sang Luo understood that Shen Lian staying outside was for their family’s safety.

Plus, she was aware of each family's financial situation. They hadn’t even managed to stock common medicines, so it wasn't fair to burden them further.

Zhou Village Chief tried to interject, but Sang Luo insisted with a smile, "Thank you, Zhou Uncle, but we really have a lot of grain. Transporting it isn’t easy, so consider the medicine cost as payment for your help."

Zhou Village Chief saw Sang Luo’s firm expression and turned to Old Man Chen and Lu Old Man.

Old Man Chen finally agreed, "Alright, let’s do as Ah Luo says."