Chapter 119: Seventy Percent

Wang Pozi made a show of having a stomachache in the outhouse, wailing and moaning before coming out. After sitting at Lu’s place and drinking a bowl of water, she indicated she felt better. Knowing her daughter was busy with Lesser New Year preparations and also out earning a living, she didn’t stay long. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law left together, carrying a basket.

Lu Pozi escorted them to the outside of the courtyard, watching them walk away before turning towards the west wing.

The door was still locked, but a corner of the window paper had been carefully peeled open with a fingernail, looking normal at a glance. However, with a finger, one could lift it slightly to clearly see inside the room.

She hummed, turned, and went to the kitchen to get busy. Her family was going to Shen Lie’s small courtyard at midnight, and she needed to prepare three days’ worth of dry food.

Ten miles outside the village, finally leaving the village, with no one on the mountain path, Wang's eldest daughter-in-law couldn't contain her excitement: "Mother, do you know? Chunniang still kept some secrets. The Lu family’s grain is stacked on shelves, filling an entire room, at least forty bags! More than forty!"

Wang Pozi almost gasped in surprise: "More than forty bags?"

"Yes, many are those large bags used specifically for storing grain in the county stores, each bag equal to one 'shi'. There are also some smaller bags, probably their own harvested grain and beans. The Lu family’s grain must be at least thirty-six or thirty-seven 'shi'."

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law exchanged glances, silently calculating the Lu family's food consumption, "Isn't that enough to last three years?"

They reasoned, in times of great disaster and chaos, who eats normally? Wouldn't people ration their food just to survive? Surely, with such careful consumption, the supplies could last four or even five years.

"Does the Lu family really have such reserves? Even if their own harvest accounts for a portion, there's still more than half remaining. With the skyrocketing grain prices, how could they afford so much grain?"

They were skeptical about early purchases, especially since the Lu family had sent them a message when they were buying their own grain, which was already during the restricted sales period. Even the beans had shot up in price a few days later. Considering the limited purchasing capacity per day and the continuously rising prices, how much money would it have taken to accumulate dozens of bags for storage?

"I don't know, Chunniang must be really lucky."

The eldest daughter-in-law of the Wang family felt sour after peeking at the Lu family's grain reserves. She was more determined to ingratiate themselves with the Lu family, believing that if chaos ensued, it was crucial to have the Lu family align with the Wangs, ensuring they wouldn't gravitate towards the Feng family with their people and grain.

Unaware of this plot, the Feng family's elder and younger sons also visited the village in the afternoon, unaware that the Wang family had already been there in the morning.

Carrying baskets on their backs, the Feng brothers didn't enter from the village entrance but descended from the mountains behind the Lu's house. Though they took a shortcut, some neighbors still spotted them and remarked in surprise, "Aren't those brothers from the Feng family, coming to visit their in-laws today?"

"Also?"

Puzzled, the brothers learned from the neighbor about the Wang family's earlier visit.

Feng Dalang and Feng Erlang just went "oh," smiled, and said nothing, exchanged a few pleasantries and then headed towards Lu’s place.

Upon entering the courtyard, they called out to ask if the mother-in-law was there. Hearing the noise, Lu Pozi came out of the kitchen, and then the brothers walked inside with smiles.

Lu Pozi warmly ushered them into the main room: "Come in and have a drink of water. How was your day today?"

Feng Dalang, still at the entrance of the main room, first set down the basket he was carrying on his back. He removed the cover and took out a tightly tied pheasant, whispering, "We've learned well. My brother and I can now forage in the woods. Our parents have been wanting to thank you and also the Shen brothers. Today we caught three pheasants; one for Shen brother and one for you to add to your meal."

Lu Pozi's eyes lit up at the sight of the pheasant: "Did you two catch it yourselves?"

Feng Dalang nodded with a smile, placed the pheasant outside the main room, and whispered, "We won't drink water. There's unrest with refugees in the county, and our family is on edge. We need to go back and practice with our cousins with the slingshot. Mother-in-law, the Shen brother said he has taught us all he can; now it's up to us to explore and practice. We might not come over here as often for a while."

Lu Pozi understood; although they only mentioned guarding against refugees and didn't say much else, their family had elders who had experienced war, and they probably thought of planning an escape route. They had immediately prepared food supplies after hearing her family's advice. They couldn’t afford fine grains but had stocked up on cheaper beans. She suspected these items would also be hidden.

She nodded, "Alright, go on and be careful. Also, pass my regards to your parents and grandparents and tell them to take care."

"Yes, you too take care. When my sister returns from the county, could you please let her know not to worry about home? Your family has helped us a lot."

A warm tear appeared in Lu Pozi's eyes as she nodded firmly: "Alright, alright."

After delivering the pheasant to Lu Pozi and saying their farewells, the brothers left. Lu Pozi escorted them a long way out of the courtyard.

A similar situation existed with the Shi and Zhou families. Recently, Shen Lie had been busy in the village for more than ten days. Besides teaching five families' children, he privately discussed with a few families and selected a few reliable relatives' children to train. He only taught them hunting and some self-defense skills against refugees.

Each family communicated discreetly, ensuring not to attract attention. They all took mountain paths, meeting directly in the mountains, and their schedules did not overlap with the children's learning times. In the end, each family received a small bottle of a life-saving substance, carefully kept secret within their own and extended families. With refugees crowding at the county gates, this substance could be a crucial asset.

……

In Qiyang County, at the Dongfu Building, the shopkeeper Xu, who had returned from his hometown in Shexian, was back.

The demeanor of Shopkeeper Xu, after a trip to his old home in Shexian, a state capital, wasn't relaxed. Shexian, being a state capital, had much more information than a remote small county like Qiyang. Moreover, the owner of Dongfu Building was originally from Shexian, and had wider connections than Shopkeeper Xu.

Consequently, on his return, his expression had grown even more solemn.

The head chef and the accountant naturally gathered around to inquire about the news. Shopkeeper Xu was forthcoming, sharing what he knew. Everyone's expression turned serious. It wasn't unusual for rebellions to occur; since the founding of the Daqian Empire, its territories had been gradually reclaimed over the years, with occasional uprisings here and there.

But never before had there been so many rebels.

The accountant, who had been working closely with Shopkeeper Xu for years, couldn't help but ask if he had made any arrangements for his family.

Shopkeeper Xu nodded: "Given the uncertain situation ahead, even the owner is unsure how long the troubles in the north will last, or whether the imperial court can suppress them. I haven’t made other plans, just rented a courtyard near the Wang family's mansion to settle my family. I've shamelessly asked the owner for refuge in case chaos reaches us, allowing my wife, children, and parents to seek shelter in his home."

The owner of Dongfu Building was a member of the Wang family. The accountant knew about the Wang family's mansion and was aware that it was not a lack of desire on Shopkeeper Xu’s part to rent on the same street, but rather because the street had few houses, all owned by the Wang family and were all large mansions with no space available for rent.

The owner of Dongfu Building, at least in Shexian territory, had some influence. Although the current dynasty had banned the practice of maintaining private armies, influential clans and gentry had managed to retain numerous servants and tenants under different titles. It wasn’t about having substantial power; it was about having enough resources to protect the Wang family's mansion in critical times.

The accountant felt quite envious; only a longtime manager like Shopkeeper Xu, who had been with the owner for many years, would have such influence.

After discussing external affairs, Xu, the manager, turned to inquire about the inn's operations and noticed that the menu had fewer items. Upon closer examination, he realized that tofu, dried soy products, and vegetarian tripe were all removed.

"Has Mrs. Sang stopped supplying us?" he asked.

The accountant nodded, "They can't supply anymore. There are at least two hundred refugees encircling the county gates now. The county office tried to relocate them to a remote mountain area for settlement, but with only household registration provided and nothing else – no food, shelter, farming tools, or seeds, and not even a promise of tax exemption. They have nothing. How can they settle?"

Xu frowned deeply, "How did it come to this? What good does having refugees encircle the county bring? Isn’t the county magistrate concerned?"

The accountant shook his head and confided, "There's a standoff with the local gentry. They've reported the disaster, but without official orders from above, they dare not open the granaries themselves and are asking the gentry to provide food and money."

At this point, no further explanation from the accountant was necessary.

"The wealthy families aren’t willing to part with their money and grain easily. They are already doing a great deed by setting up porridge stalls. Many of them are likely seeing the refugees as an opportunity, thinking if people want to survive, they can sell themselves into servitude."

Of course, some are willing to become servants, but they are in the minority. Most have fled all this way without selling themselves into slavery. Now that survival seems within reach, few are willing to surrender their freedom.

This stalemate among the three parties has led to a deadlock.

Xu, left speechless by the situation, understood that in these circumstances, it was impossible to supply goods. Transporting money or grain in and out of the county was risky unless accompanied by a large group.

When the conversation turned to Sang Luo, the accountant mentioned her and Shen Lian’s recent visit to the county with eight wolf pelts and a black bear pelt, leaving Xu surprised. He asked Chef Yu, "Did they use to hunt these animals before?"

Chef Yu shook his head, "Not that I know of. They usually caught pheasants and hares."

Xu pondered on how Shen Lian and his companions had managed to return to Huainan Road, navigating through mountains and covering nearly half of Daqian's territory.

"He's quite capable."

It's good to be capable. That's how one survives.

……

Unaware that Manager Xu in the county had mentioned them, Shen Lian and Sang Luo recently obtained several pheasants, some caught by Shen Lian and others gifted by the disciples he trained from nearby families. Anticipating the need to take refuge in the mountains soon, Sang Luo didn’t consume all the pheasants, instead, she preserved them as cured chicken.

The village of Shili was extremely quiet at night. After all the families had retired to bed, Shen Lian waited outside. In the dark, rustling sounds were followed by three bird calls. Shen Lian responded, and soon, figures appeared at the foot of the mountain. Seventeen people, carrying empty yokes, emerged from the nearby woods where they had hidden, daring not to light any torches.

The Shen family’s main house showed no signs of light. Shadows swiftly entered, and the courtyard door was then shut.

Chen Dashan and his group, familiar with the place, placed their yokes in the backyard and headed straight for the Shen family’s main house. The main house had been cleared out to accommodate everyone sleeping on the floor, even the bamboo racks had been moved to the backyard days before.

The few who stayed behind had already prepared food, now laid out on the main house's table. Despite being the eve of the minor New Year, the meal was lavish.

The room was so crowded upon everyone’s arrival that there was hardly any room to step, causing Chen Popo and others to step out to make space.

Everyone was famished, having only snacked on dry food on the road. Upon seeing the spread, they started eating eagerly without even bothering to wash their hands.

Chen Popo cautioned from the doorway, “Don’t rush, eat slowly.”

The main workforce from the five families had a unique minor New Year this year.

After everyone had their fill, Sang Luo and Shen Lian began to lay out sleeping mats, and everyone gathered to discuss important matters while sitting on them.

From the 14th to the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month, they worked tirelessly, making three trips. The first trip consisted of twenty people, while the next two left three to guard the grain, with seventeen transporting it. Of course, the youngest, Tie Zhu, could only help with menial tasks.

The men, with greater strength, gritted their teeth and carried two stones of grain each trip. The women chose smaller bags from each family to carry, either one and a half or one stone per trip. Over three trips, they managed to transport over eighty stones of grain.

"With our current situation, apart from the Lu family’s grain, which we haven’t transported yet, Shen’s stock was the first to be emptied to make room for everyone. Both the Shi and Chen families, having fewer family members, also had less grain, leaving not much now. Only the Zhou family, with more members and better circumstances, hasn’t finished transporting their larger stock."

"Chen Dashan, who has always taken the lead, discussed with Shen Lian, 'Let’s make one more trip. Apart from the grain needed for daily consumption, our four families can finish moving the rest. We'll even have some capacity left. Tonight, everyone should check if there's anything else essential to take, like salt. Pack them in jars and we can transport those too. After this trip, we’ll return just before the New Year. Then, pack your bags as if returning from the county on the second day of the New Year, and we’ll carry the next load.'"

"This was the plan from the beginning: to first jointly move seventy percent of the grain, leaving the remaining thirty percent for the Lu family to transport to the first hiding spot."

"In fact, that remaining thirty percent, aside from the small portion each family kept for daily needs, was mostly the Lu family’s stock."

Lu Popo's eyes brightened upon hearing this. Finally, starting from the second day of the New Year, their family's grain could be moved! Although slower compared to the group effort, her excitement was palpable.

Sang Luo, smiling slightly, suggested, "It's perfect. Before the New Year, everyone will be back. Let's visit the county again under the guise of preparing for the New Year. If you have extra funds, keep some for emergencies and consider buying more salt or medicine."

"Considering that the Lu and Shi families haven’t yet purchased their medicines, I suggest trading whatever is difficult to carry for more supplies. In case of chaos, we’ll leave everything behind in the village. It’s better to exchange for resources like salt, which can last for years. I don’t know what will happen to the Da Qian Dynasty, but we’ve come this far. Isn't it best to prepare for the worst? In times of dynastic turmoil, survival isn't swift or easy. We must be ready to take refuge in the mountains for years."

Everyone took these words to heart.

"Years," they pondered.

Chen Lao Han agreed, "That's true. If we can have peace in a few years, that’s good fortune. Let's follow Aluo’s advice. Everyone think about what else you might need to survive in the mountains for years. It's the perfect time to make these purchases under the guise of buying New Year goods. Plus, these next few days are our last chance to gather and go to the county."

Everyone nodded, discussing within their small groups. Despite the limited space, the shared suggestions were audible to all.

Shi Erlang's wife, pulling her sister-in-law Gan Shi aside in the backyard for a private chat, discussed how their brothers had been learning archery skills from Shen Lian.

"To be safe, they were taught slingshots, but transitioning to bows and arrows isn’t hard. They’ve got the medicine too. Your brother asked me to assure you there's no need to worry."

Gan Shi, wiping her tears, nodded firmly, "Okay, okay."

Similar conversations happened between Lu Popo and Feng Liuniang, and the wife of Zhou Village Chief and their daughters-in-law. They found excuses to avoid Wang Chunniang, varying from needing to use the restroom to washing dishes in the kitchen.

"After discussing important matters, with the grain and dry food for the next day’s transportation ready, it was time to let those who had been trekking in the mountains for more than ten days rest. Chen Popo and others bid farewell and left."

"On their way, Chen Popo quietly reminded Lu Popo, 'We will all be back in a few days, make sure to keep a close eye on your daughter-in-law Wang Chunniang.'"

"She knows the location of the first grain storage point."

"Lu Popo reassured Chen Popo, patting her arm, 'Don’t worry, this time I’ll literally tie her up and gag her. Lock the door and she won’t be able to step outside, let alone make any noise. Even if her own mother comes to visit before the New Year, I won’t let her utter a word. I’ll explain the gravity of the situation to the kids. It's a matter of life and death for the family. I’ve made sure to instruct Shuanzhu and Tiezhu to keep an eye on her, guaranteeing she won’t cause any more trouble for everyone.'"

"Lu Popo no longer trusts Wang Chunniang. No matter whether she repeats her foolishness or not, the key is not to give her any opportunity."

"Shi Erlang's wife, who was walking with them, sighed in relief upon hearing this and whispered, 'Auntie, you really understand the situation. With your assurance, I can finally have a peaceful New Year.'"

"Chen Popo chuckled; Shi Erlang's wife was good in many ways, just a bit too outspoken. Well, that straightforwardness was quite endearing in this case."