Chapter 187: Wishes

The autumn tinge had painted the mountains in hues of gold and red. Recently, the wild chickens that had been left to roam freely by Shen Lie and his group were once again hunted down. This time, a family consisting of a father, son, and brothers were chasing them, causing the chickens to flutter about wildly.

As one of the boys from the family pounced on a hen, he held it firmly, but upon seeing Shen Lie and his group, he was startled and almost dropped the bird. He quickly stood up and hid behind his father and brother, as the whole family gathered together, eyeing Shen Lie and his companions warily.

In chaotic times, the rule for survival in the mountains was to avoid encounters whenever possible. Shen Lie understood this, so he only paused for a moment before leading his group away swiftly.

However, when they were some distance away, Chen Dashan broke off from the group, took a circuitous route, and soon returned. "There's a decent-sized cave in the mountains behind those woods. It seems to be inhabited by quite a large family, at least sixteen or seventeen people. There might even be more inside the cave that we didn't see."

Until they found a safer place, they likely wouldn't move from this temporary shelter. If managed like the Zhou family's settlement, it could become a long-term residence.

Sang Luo recalled that there were a few small caves near Outskirts Village, and she felt a sense of unease. She didn't want any unknown neighbors under these circumstances.

No one wasted any more time. They hurried back to Outskirts Village, relieved to find that, perhaps due to the small size of the caves or their discovery of occupied ones, or simply because no one had passed through the area, there were no new neighbors.

Chen Youtian suggested, "Let's come back later and install doors on the habitable caves here. We'll decide later if the Zhou family will stay or not, but we need to claim the space first. We can't let strangers settle here."

If strangers established a home nearby, it would no longer be convenient for them.

Everyone nodded in agreement. Each family who still had locks offered theirs, and the group split into two. One team continued processing the goods they brought back from the mountains at the land between Shen Lie and Chen Dashan's houses, while the other started cutting trees to build doors and secure their territories.

The sun-drying mats had been brought back, spread out neatly by each household. The operation was orderly, with Shi Erlang's wife, Sang Luo, and Shen Ning safely nestled among them. She was somewhat worried. "A Luo, do you think our place will no longer be peaceful?"

Sang Luo, as she evenly distributed the mushrooms, replied, "There's nothing we can do about it. As long as we don't encounter large groups of bandits, we should be able to handle other situations. We're better off than outsiders; we have the option to retreat. Let's take advantage of the relative calm within the inner circle and stock up on food."

Upon hearing Sang Luo mention the valley, Shi Erlang's heart settled, and his brows relaxed. "You're right. We have a place to retreat to. Honestly, after hearing that old man's account of the situation outside and seeing that family with two dead and three injured, I'm still scared."

Having been protected by Shen Lie and Chen Dashan during their treks in the mountains, they had always felt safe. Someone would always take the lead in danger, and she was always at the end of the line. Since witnessing Sang Luo shoot a wolf, she even grew excited at the prospect of encountering one, eager to replicate the feat. Her fear had long faded.

Thinking about the several groups of people they encountered today, she sighed. "I wonder how my family and my sister-in-law's family are doing."

Her family had also sought refuge in the mountains early on, but there were clan rules. Just as they couldn't inform their family of their hiding place, the clan wouldn't reveal its own storage location to married-off daughters. Thus, she didn't know where her family was or how they were faring. Were they hidden deeply enough? Would they run into the lawless bandits that ventured into the mountains?

Sang Luo, aware of the situation outside, didn't know how to comfort her. All she could say was, "With early preparation and a large extended family, they should be alright. Perhaps they've found a settlement deep in the mountains, just like us?"

Shi Erlang's wife nodded. "Let's hope so. May the fortunate be blessed by heaven."

In such turbulent times, they were powerless to change anything; all they could do was pray for their parents and siblings to safely navigate the crisis.

...

When Shen Lie and his group returned in the evening, each family had already gathered their mountain produce and retreated to their respective caves.

Sang Luo, who had been drying the goods near her home, had prepared dinner for Shen Ning and herself. The meal consisted of a fragrant rice dish cooked with diced chestnuts, mushrooms, and cured meat, simmered over a gentle flame. Shen Lie, whose hands were still unwashed, couldn't help but let out an appropriate growl of hunger.

Sang Luo chuckled at the sound. She extinguished the fire and instructed Shen Ning to fetch bowls and chopsticks. Together, they served themselves generous portions and sat on a few large round stones that Shen Lie must have moved at some point near the entrance of the cave. Under the twilight sky, they began their dinner.

After an afternoon of separate activities, there was no longer any strict adherence to the rule of not talking during meals. Sang Luo asked Shen Lie, "Have you all discussed the arrangements for later?"

When men gather, such a significant matter would inevitably be discussed.

Shen Lie nodded and said, "Before the inner region becomes even more chaotic, we have to continue hunting and gathering mountain produce. We just discussed that from today onwards, the able-bodied men won’t return to the valley. Someone needs to stay out here at all times to guard against others getting too close. If people hide in the valley and are discovered, it will be troublesome to defend ourselves then. Anyway, as the inner region gets more populated, it won’t just be our few households farming; we won’t stick out."

From now on, we shall divide ourselves into three groups. One group will go out hunting, while the other two will tend to the fields here, drying mountain produce in secret as they keep watch over the valley. The three groups will rotate their duties, with Big Mountain and I taking turns leading them. We'll also have Uncle Shi from the Shi family join us outside the valley, while the night watch at the entrance will be handled by several individuals from Zhou Village who remain within the valley.

This arrangement was sensible. The valley was their optimal fallback position, and it was mostly inhabited by the elderly, the weak, and women and children – those who needed the most protection. With the unstable elements outside the valley, it was natural to place the core strength there. As for guarding the entrance within the valley, it was essentially a support role for the people like Zhou Cunzheng – they were there to ensure a smooth retreat should the outer defenses hold up. With no danger within the valley, these individuals were more than capable of handling the task.

Sang Luo was merely slightly concerned. "With only four or five people going out at a time, is hunting safe for you?"

Shen Lie nodded. "The mountains are actually the best place to hide. Both I and Big Mountain can be cautious when we're in the mountains. It wouldn't be too difficult to avoid others if we only bring a few people along. Besides, tomorrow Big Mountain will deliver the bows and arrows to the Zhou family. On his way back, he'll gather more medicinal herbs to make more poisoned arrows for self-defense."

Sang Luo considered this and agreed. How chaotic was the north back then? It probably wasn't much safer than present-day Qiyang County, right? They had still managed to survive.

While she was lost in thought, Shen Lie spoke up. "Should I send you, Ah Ning, and Aunt Shi back to the valley tonight? It's not very peaceful out here."

Sang Luo glanced at him upon hearing this. "What are you talking about?"

She wanted to suggest that Shen Ning return while she took a stroll in the inner area where it was less chaotic. But after thinking about the days ahead, she realized that it might not be convenient for her to venture out soon. So, she swallowed her words and said, "I'll go back and rest for a few days. In about seven or eight days, when you come in at night to deliver supplies, you can pick me up. At the very least, I might recognize more mountain produce than you do."

Many plants had only been discovered and domesticated after coexisting with humans for centuries. Although the timelines were different, it had been roughly a year since she arrived in this era. The flora and fauna of both worlds didn't differ significantly. Sang Luo had confidence in this fact. However, her statement sounded a little odd considering her identity in this life.

She found it strange, but Shen Ning wholeheartedly endorsed her. Without much thought, she nodded instinctively upon hearing that Sang Luo knew more about mountain produce. "Big Sister has read many books."

In reality, this had nothing to do with reading, but Sang Luo had pretended to be well-read a few times. Now, the villagers in the valley who knew her had formed this impression of her.

Of course, it was because she had presented the facts first, just like Shen Lie who was now speechless.

Indeed, most people were unaware of yam tubers, tuberous roots, or celestial tofu. Not to mention the snakehead herb they previously believed to be deadly and perilous – she could even remove its poison and turn it into a vegetarian version of tripe.

Seeing Shen Lie had nothing to say, Sang Luo smiled and said, "It's alright. Wherever you are, I'll be there too, never more than three steps away."

Her words made Shen Lie chuckle softly.

"Alright, in seven or eight days, I'll come and get you."

...

In Shi's cave, Shi Erlang was also saying the same thing to his wife. It was no longer safe, so he would switch with his elder brother and send her back to the valley.

He had expected her to agree immediately, but his wife was lost in thought by the hearth and didn't respond.

"Why? Don't you want to go back?"

Shi Erlang's wife looked up at him, unsure of how to reply.

She wasn't particularly brave, so naturally, returning to the valley was safer than being outside. Besides, with her eldest brother-in-law out, it would be inappropriate for her to continue occupying the small cave with just a bed.

Her thoughts were preoccupied with something else.

"You said, how are my parents and brothers doing now?"

It was only then that Shi Erlang realized that since his return, his wife's face had been clouded with worry. He had initially assumed she was concerned about the unrest within their inner circle, but he hadn't expected this to be the reason.

"Are you worried about your father, mother, and uncles?" he asked.

Shi Erlang's wife nodded. "How can I not be worried after hearing what happened today? We have Shen Lie and Big Mountain protecting us, which is why we've been able to hide so deeply. My parents and uncles, following the clan, probably haven't ventured too far in, right? There are many bandits outside, and I wonder what their situation is like."

In front of Sang Luo, she had managed to hold herself together during the day, but facing her own husband, tears streamed down her cheeks.

How could a child not think of their parents?

Seeing her cry, Shi Erlang hurriedly wiped away her tears. His lips moved, opening and closing, yet he was at a loss on how to console her.

What words of comfort could truly ease her worries?

No.

Scholar Shi felt a lump in his throat. "In truth, we're also under the protection of the Shen and Chen families. The valley is only so big, and everyone has their relatives. There's really no other choice."

He was afraid that his wife might give birth to a child with a left-handed disposition like Lady Lu's son.

Scholar Shi's wife nodded. "I understand. Back then, when we entered the mountains, it truly wasn't feasible to bring anyone along. I was just thinking… I was thinking, if my parents and brothers hadn't hidden deeply enough, perhaps they would have come to the inner circle by now? The situation now is different from when we first fled into the mountains. Both entrances are well-concealed, and there's a small village outside."

"I was thinking, could you be more vigilant when hunting outside? If you were to encounter them, you wouldn't need to come here. You could live next to the Zhou family and become neighbors, taking care of each other. We wouldn't have to expose the valley, and we'd still be able to help…."

In fact, ever since she had seen the Zhou family settle in the depths of the mountains, she had secretly envied them.

But at this point, she keenly realized that her thoughts were nothing but pipe dreams, equally unrealistic.

Scholar Shi's wife lowered her head and covered her eyes. "The mountains around Qi Yang are too vast. If our paths had diverged back then and we had ventured deeper, we would have drifted even further apart."

Scholar Shi hurriedly patted her back. "Don't think too much about it. Putting aside everything else, just look at how Uncle Tian and the others helped an unfamiliar person today. Let alone our own kin. If we were to meet them, we wouldn't lead them to the village, but we could surely help settle them near the Zhou family. But these matters are already beyond our control. It can only remain a wish, whether or not we meet them depends on fate."

His words were too pragmatic, causing Scholar Shi's wife's tears to fall once more.

At this moment, despairing at the heavens felt genuine; there was no place to exert their strength. Yet, everyone looked up at the sky, and weren't they the same? Natural disasters and human calamities could strike at any moment, anywhere. All they could do was strive to guard against them and prepare as much as possible.

Feeling that his words were veering off course, Shi Erlang wished he could slap himself. He quickly corrected himself, "Don't worry, what I actually meant is that the situation now is different. Ah Lie knows my brother. Back then, he even taught us archery. If we really encounter danger, he wouldn't need our request. If Father-in-law and Mother-in-law truly need help, he would lend a hand within his capabilities."

He reassured her repeatedly, "Don't be worried. Big Brother and I will be extra cautious when we go hunting outside."

...

After nightfall, Sang Luo and the others were escorted into the valley under the faint moonlight by Shen Lie and the rest. Since it was the middle of the night, Shen Lie's strength was indispensable for going up and down the valley. Chen Dashan went down alone to carry out their agreed plans. He knocked on the doors of his and the Zhou family's homes to fetch the locks they needed to take with them and to inform them about the current situation and their preparations.

Village Chief Zhou didn't want to disturb the other households and took on the task of guarding the night himself. He also roused his second son from bed, asking him to pack hastily and head out of the valley to lend a helping hand outside.

In the afternoon, Chen Dashan and the others had cut down trees and gathered plenty of firewood. Along with two baskets of fresh grass for the sheep, they stored these in the valley before leaving.

It was only the next day, when everyone in the valley woke up, that they learned from Sang Luo about the changes that had occurred outside. Many were worried about their own safety or, like Shi Erlang's wife, were concerned about their loved ones. The atmosphere became significantly heavier.

Only after the adults dispersed did Jin dare approach Sang Luo, asking if he could still follow his big brother outside later.

Sang Luo pondered for a moment and said, "Let's take a break for now. We have food and vegetables, so there's no rush. Wait until things calm down outside before you venture out again."

After all, he was still too young.

She picked a small basket of sun-dried chestnuts from the basket and handed it to him. "Take these home, but they need to be sunned for another three to five days. When you can hear the sound inside when you shake them, that means they're completely dry. Then hang them in a cool, well-ventilated place. Before eating, soak them in water for a few hours to let the chestnuts absorb enough moisture. Ask Ah Ning how to cook them properly."

Jin blushed. "Big Sister, I didn't come here for food. We have enough to eat at home for a while, and I won't be going out anytime soon."

Sang Luo smiled. "It's not much. You don't have chestnuts, so take them and give them a try."

Seeing that he didn't take them, she continued, "Didn't I get a small bag of grass seeds from you last time? Keep this, and next time you go out, bring me some tasty treats too?"

She stuffed the cloth bag into Jin's hands.

Jin caught the bag and held it in his hand. "Thank you, Big Sister."

...

From that day on, the valley took on a subtle difference. Several ponds had been dug on the inner side of the valley, and with the reduced space, the book-loving children would previously gather under a tree to read together in the mornings. However, after learning that people had entered the inner circle, even though they had tested that normal reading voices wouldn't carry outside the valley, no one dared to read together anymore.

A palpable tension weighed upon everyone, children included.

It was Shi Erlang's wife who secretly hoped that someday she might encounter her own kin, and they could become neighbors with Zhou Laizi's family, forming a half-bond.

Sang Luo learned of the news at the appointed time with Shen Lie. It was during the late-night return of Shen Lie and his group from their supply run, when they came to fetch her out of the valley.

A person Sang Luo never could have imagined.