Chapter 178: Beyond the Mountains

After discussing in the evening, the outcome was predictable. Everyone agreed: "We should plant!"

Zhou Lizheng said, "We can't grow rice outside, but planting soybeans and vegetables will be profitable as long as we can harvest them. We won't have to worry about a vegetable shortage in winter, and soybeans can also serve as food."

No one knew when peace would return. In these times, conserving food was equivalent to preserving lives.

With that decision made, everyone set out early on the third day. Instead of hunting, they divided into two groups, led by Shen Lie and Chen Dashan respectively. One group cut down trees to build entrances for the other two caves, and constructed simple earth ovens. They even cooked two meals using firewood. The other group prepared the land for planting soybeans within the next few days to catch the season.

The fourth day was the agreed date with Shopkeeper Xu to carry out the grain transport. Three of the six caves looked inhabited from the outside, and everyone had brought their house locks when they left the village. A locked door would indicate occupation, but with the owners out hunting or gathering.

The preliminary construction of the village outskirts was complete. For the people in the valley, this place served as a strategic location for both offense and defense.

In normal circumstances, the young and strong could develop the outer region together. If the situation became too much for them to handle, they could retreat to the valley, leaving behind an illusion of the owners being out or the caves being deserted.

As usual, Shi Da and Shi Er, along with Lu Er and Lu San, were to stay behind to defend the inner part of the valley. The sheep had accumulated some grass, and the Lu and Shi brothers would venture out together later to sow the soaked soybean seeds. With several 'households' nearby, there was no need to worry about leaving traces. They could easily gather leaves and grass close by. Shen Lie and Chen Dashan's departure for over ten days wouldn't cause any concern.

Since they were transporting grain for the Xu family, Shopkeeper Xu, Uncle Xu, Xu Wenqing, and Wei Qinghe, all capable of carrying the load, joined the mission.

It's safe to assume that the mountains are teeming with people now. To avoid drawing attention, I haven't brought any tools or supplies, planning to figure out a solution once I'm out of the mountains. I've only packed weapons and essentials for a long journey.

Among them, if Xu Changguang was nervous, then Xu Wenqing was excited. Just a fifteen-year-old youth, though he had sought refuge in the mountains, he didn't find it hard; instead, it was like opening up an entirely new world to him. Especially since he could travel with Shen Lie and Chen Dashan, he was exceptionally thrilled, even going so far as to bring along the bow and arrows he had borrowed for practice.

Yet, this excitement was abruptly doused the following morning, while they were on the road, when they stumbled upon four skeletons by the edge of Forest Edge Mountain Trail. The bones had been savagely gnawed down to mere scraps of flesh.

It was the skeleton of a human being, accompanied by tattered fragments of clothing that swarmed with innumerable flies, bearing a putrid stench.

Without pausing to pity anyone, Shen Lie covered his mouth and nose and led the group quickly around the area. It was only after they had traveled a considerable distance that he lowered his hand and said, "Someone has ventured deeper in, and they're clearly not up to the task."

After another hour or so, they encountered a similar scene, and everyone's hearts sank. The mountains in this region were incredibly vast and deep, and no one could accurately gauge their expanse. Having endured several epochs of war, the population of the Great Qian Dynasty was not substantial. Before the siege, there were only a few thousand people trapped within Qiyang County. They had no idea how many managed to escape, but even if everyone took refuge in the mountains, they should be scattered, not gathered closely together. Yet, they had already stumbled upon two sets of remains devoured by beasts in such a short time.

Something was seriously amiss.

By mid-afternoon, they finally spotted living humans. Shen Lie was keen on inquiring, but upon seeing them – especially the weapons in their hands – the others displayed panic, swiftly avoiding them.

These were not bandits preying on travelers; their reactions suggested they were local villagers. There were more of them than before, yet without exception, upon catching sight of Shen Lie's group armed with blades and arrows, their faces paled, and they fled hastily.

"Something must've happened outside," Chen Dashan looked at Shen Lie.

Shen Lie gazed at the men who had swiftly vanished into the depths of the forest, remarking, "Perhaps. We should be cautious from now on."

This speculation proved true as, after the second day, they didn't encounter anyone from the third day onwards. For three consecutive days, not a single living soul was spotted. This made Shopkeeper Xu feel increasingly uneasy.

With obvious issues lurking outside, should they still venture out?

Hesitant, he expressed his concerns.

Shen Lie glanced at Chen Dashan and said, "We've come this far. We can exit the mountain in half a day. Should we bypass Three Mile Village to avoid a direct encounter with the county town?"

Chen Dashan was also eager to know the situation outside. They couldn't remain ignorant of the world beyond the mountains. Thus, he nodded in agreement, and their group veered off course, heading towards Ten Mile Village.

...

Ten Mile Village had become a deserted ghost town. As Shen Lie's group infiltrated the village, they noticed that many yards were overgrown with weeds reaching waist height, leaving no clear path to tread.

It seemed that none of the people trapped in the county town when it fell had returned since its collapse. Whether out of fear or because they couldn't return, the truth remained unknown.

Chen Dashan looked at Shen Lie and asked, "What do we do now? Should we still investigate the direction of the county town?"

Shopkeeper Xu himself panicked first, saying, "Shall we just forget about it? I feel like this silence isn't quite right."

Having come this far, Shen Lie was inclined to investigate further. Whether or not they would retrieve the grain, he felt it necessary to understand the situation outside.

He looked at Chen Dashan and asked, "What do you think?"

Both of them were seasoned travelers and could handle such disturbances. Chen Dashan shared the same idea as Shen Lie. "Should we settle Shopkeeper Xu and the others in Little Jin's shelter and go check things out?"

Their thoughts aligned.

However, halfway through their journey towards the mountainous area where they had set a trap for Shen Jin, Shen Lie suddenly stopped in his tracks.

The others were puzzled, but Chen Dashan, following Shen Lie's gaze, soon realized something after a few moments. "These soybeans haven't been uprooted?"

He recalled encountering Zhou Laizi and his son in Ten Mile Village, where they mentioned that the crops in this area were destroyed after the soldiers surrounded the village two days later.

Shen Lie stared thoughtfully at the almost ripe soybeans. He went over to inspect and noticed a few very shallow footprints between the dry furrows.

"Someone was here recently," he said.

He rose to his feet and scanned his surroundings but found nothing. Just as he was puzzled, a faint rustling sound reached his ears. Immediately, someone exclaimed in delight, "A-Lie? Da-Shan?"

Shen Lie, Chen Dashan, and the Xu family members turned their heads, and they saw from a distance that a patch of grass beneath a tree suddenly bulged and grew taller, standing upright.

It wasn't just grass—it was two living men, completely covered in it!

Shen Lie and Chen Dashan recognized them at once: It was Zhou Laizi and his son.

"Auntie Zhou," they greeted as they approached. They never expected to encounter the Zhou father and son again in Shili Village, especially after witnessing its desolation. Seeing a fellow villager who was still alive and had a bit of a relationship with them was undeniably uplifting.

However, Zhou Laizi and his son were even more ecstatic than Shen Lie and Chen Dashan, as if they had met saviors!

"It's so great to see you! Why have you returned to the village now?"

What Shen Lie and Chen Dashan were more intrigued by, though, was the grass covering the pair. As Zhou Laizi and his son rushed over, the grass remained firmly attached to their bodies without falling off.

Shen Lie circled around Zhou Laizi and noticed not only the grass but also a few dozen scattered leaves clinging to it. When they lay down, they blended into a grassy terrain seamlessly. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was a garment made of grass, sewn together with a layer of tightly woven hemp threads on the inside. The leaves were also meticulously attached to the grass cloak using thin hemp strings.

Zhou Laizi, noticing the two examining his grass cloak, chuckled. "It's too dangerous to venture out lately, so my wife came up with this idea. She sewed these outfits for us to wear while traveling. When we're not wearing them, we sprinkle some water to keep them fresh. They last quite a while."

The eldest Zhou brother even took off his outer garment and passed it to Shen Lie and Chen Dashan for inspection. It was actually a cloak-like attire. Upon realizing its usefulness, he laid flat on the ground, covering his head as well. He sought out areas with crevices to hide, ensuring that the grass cloak wouldn't reveal the outline of a human body. This way, he could mostly conceal himself effectively.

Shen Lie praised sincerely, "Aunt Zhou has such a clever idea."

The Xu family members, who had been standing by, also came over to observe.

Zhou Lazi sighed, "It was a solution born out of necessity. Haven't you noticed that there's hardly anyone in the mountains?"

This struck a chord with everyone. Shen Lie responded, "What's going on? We were also puzzled. We've been walking in the mountains for over three days and haven't encountered anyone. Are the bandits from the county still around?"

A somber expression appeared on both Zhou father and son's faces. Zhou Lazi said, "Yes, they're conscripting men. After that group of bandits attacked the county town and occupied it, they declared themselves some sort of king and appointed many officials. They announced it in the mountains with gongs, and I overheard them from hiding, but I didn't catch the name of their king."

Chen Dashan asked, "What about the people in the county? Did anyone escape when the city fell?"

Zhou Lazi shook his head. "Some did, but not many. On the first day, there were still people entering the mountains, but after that, it was quiet. Most likely, they're all still trapped in the city. But those bandits often come out. Smaller groups go into the mountains to recruit soldiers, and if that fails, they conscript people, regardless of gender. They've also been recruiting refugees. Many refugees from the north have been lured into the county, and they've become part of their gang. Not long ago, they launched a large-scale attack on neighboring counties, plundered a lot of grain, and apparently occupied another county. Nowadays, bandits still frequently venture into the mountains every other day. No one dares to stay in the outer mountain areas anymore."

Pausing for a moment as if he wanted to say something, Zhou Lazi hesitated and remained silent.

Shen Lie glanced at the field of soybeans and asked, "Are you staying here because of these soybeans?"

Zhou Lazi quickly nodded. "Yes, our family doesn't have much food left. When the grain in the village was uprooted and destroyed, we didn't hide ours too far away. We came back to find it… You know, as farmers, how could we bear to waste our crops? Plus, we were short on food, so after the soldiers left, we selected two more secluded plots of land and replanted some of the less damaged soybeans. Some didn't survive, but others did. When we met you last time, we weren't just searching for supplies in the village, we were also here to water these soybeans."

At this point, he fell silent again. The eldest Zhou son glanced at his father with concern but, despite his urgency, found himself unable to speak as well.

They had come today to harvest the soybeans, and after that, they planned to flee into the mountains.

It was a given that they couldn't handle the wild beasts deep in the mountains, let alone ensure their safety on the journey. Besides, who knew what would happen in the future? But compared to the bandits who had now become tyrants outside the mountains, the Zhou family was more afraid of those 'kings' in disguise.

They had witnessed firsthand how those bandits treated the people they captured – obedient men were dragged back, while uncooperative ones were killed. As for women… death was a mercy they couldn't even beg for.

The eldest Zhou son's hands trembled at the thought of his mother and sister being discovered by those people.

He wanted to beg Shen Lie to take his family with them, but when the families had fled, Shen Lie had only instructed his father to head for the mountains without actually including them. That was already an answer in itself.

Who would dare take along a family without provisions?

Even if they now had some soybeans.

The eldest Zhou son understood this all too well, but he also knew that encountering Shen Lie and Chen Dashan as they emerged from the mountains might be their family's last chance at survival.

Gathering his courage, he inquired, "A-Lie, what's the purpose of your trip?"

Shen Lie gave him a glance and replied, "I want to head to the mountains near the county town. Do you have any information on the current situation there?"

Before the eldest Zhou could speak, Zhou Laizi's expression had already changed. He hastily said, "It's not safe to go there. The area is infested with bandits now. We don't even dare venture into the mountains three miles from Sanli Village, let alone further. If we were to encounter them, there'd be no escape."

Upon hearing how dire the situation was, Shopkeeper Xu immediately said, "Shen Lie, we won't retrieve the grain. People are more important than food. It'll be the same for us to follow you and Da Shan into the mountains to find sustenance."

Moreover, even if they couldn't obtain this batch of grain outside the county town, the family could survive on half rations for two and a half years with their stored grain in the valley. With Shen Lie guiding them, they could start hunting, though initially, they would likely rely more on gathering. The food wouldn't be the best, but they wouldn't starve.

There was still some harvest in the valley, and with soybeans and vegetables being cultivated outside, it would be a supplement as long as they weren't plundered or stolen.

As for what would happen after two and a half years, who knew? They couldn't risk danger now just because they might go hungry in the future. Not only would they be putting themselves in harm's way, but also Shen Lie and Chen Da Shan.

They were merely helpers who hadn't even accepted the 30% of the grain he had offered.

If anything happened to them, what would become of their families? And if something happened to Shen Lie and Chen Da Shan, what would happen to the fifty-three people in the entire valley?

With these thoughts in mind, Shopkeeper Xu firmly refused to retrieve the grain. "Let's return to the mountains. We'll leave right away."

Even Xu Wencheng and Wei Qinghe echoed, "Let's go back first. We can come again when there's an opportunity, and retrieve the grain when it's safe. If not, then forget about it."

As for the possibility of the grain getting damp in the cave, there was nothing they could do about it.

Only now did Zhou Lazi and his son realize that they had come out to fetch grain, which filled them with sorrow.

Grain, oh grain.

Those without food understood its value all too well.

Still, he advised, "We really can't go over there. They've attracted many refugees who are training as soldiers outside the city gates every day."

Shen Lie was also aware of how much grain the Xu family had in storage. He wouldn't risk his life for something uncertain, so upon hearing this, he nodded. "Alright, let's hunt and gather more in the future. We'll talk about the grain another time if we get the chance."

Upon hearing this, the eldest Zhou brother grew anxious. The words he couldn't previously express now slipped out in a panic, "Ah Lie, can you take us with you if you're leaving? It's too dangerous out here. Bandits roam the mountains from time to time. We're hiding in the mountains right now, only daring to light a fire and boil beans in the middle of the night after sealing off the cave entrance. Our family doesn't even dare to leave the cave. We originally planned to flee deeper into the mountains after gathering the beans today, but with just us, we might not be able to fend off wild beasts. Can you give us a ride?"

Zhou Lazi also looked at Shen Lie and Chen Dashan pleadingly. "Yes, Ah Lie, Dashan, can you give us a ride? We don't need to stay with you. Just bring us deeper into the mountains, a little farther away from here. We'll find our own cave to settle down."

Zhou Lazi didn't dare to think about how they would survive after finding a place to settle.

In the past, Shen Lie would indeed have hesitated, but he would still have taken them along for a while, though not necessarily to their destination. However, just before they left, they had set up traps around the village. Their neighbors were decent people, and in such troubled times, it wouldn't be right to turn a blind eye to their plight.

Exchanging a glance with Chen Dashan, who didn't object, Shen Lie nodded. "We can take you with us and help find you a place to settle down. But there are too many of you, and neither Dashan nor I can guarantee your safety on the road. Besides, there are many wild beasts in the depths of the mountains. You must consider this carefully."

Zhou Lazi and his son were overjoyed. Seeing a glimmer of hope in their desperate situation, Zhou Lazi's eyes moistened as he hurriedly said, "Taking us along is enough. No one can ensure safety in the depths of the mountains, and we'd fare even worse if we went alone. We understand the risks. It's unbearable to stay in the outskirts, otherwise, we wouldn't dare to ask."

The people in the outskirts were like livestock, dirtier and more ruthless than animals. Falling into their hands would likely be a more painful death than being mauled by a beast.

Seeing that they were mentally prepared, Chen Dashan said, "Alright, everyone, lend a hand to gather these soybeans quickly. We'll leave immediately."

The two plots of land were less than an acre combined, so they didn't harvest the stalks, only picking the pods.

With eight people working together, they finished swiftly. They collected three bags of pods and beans, which, after drying, might yield just over one bag of soybeans.

For this extra bag of soybeans, the father and son had risked much. If the bandits had patrolled the surrounding villages more thoroughly or ventured into more remote areas, they could have easily caught sight of these unattended soybeans and captured the duo by chance.

All for a bit of food. If not for relying on this grain for survival, how could they have come to this?

The Xu family watched with mixed emotions. In comparison, their early preparations had put them in a much better position. The loss of the grain outside the county no longer weighed heavily on their minds.

Shen Lie and Chen Dashan remained silent, allowing the Zhou father and son to lead the way. The group of eight proceeded toward the cave where the Zhou family had taken refuge.