Chapter 191 - Revealing the Formula

Madame Feng and Madam Gan were so agitated that they wished they could stay awake until dawn. Finally, when daybreak arrived, they joined the hunting party heading towards the Zhou and Zheng households. Wang Chunniang seized her opportunity and found a chance to speak with Lu Dalang alone in a cave.

"Are you aware of what Second Sister-in-law is up to?"

Lu Dalang was truly clueless about it.

Ever since Lu Erlang and Lu Sanlang—no, the hunters in the valley—had suddenly stopped returning, he had developed some resentment due to his ignorance. The elder matriarch noticed this and explicitly told him that chaos had erupted outside, and they were afraid of exposing the valley's location. Thus, the hunters couldn't return frequently and had to stay outside.

With just that one sentence, he no longer cared to know anything.

Wasn't it better to remain in the valley without venturing out?

In essence, he was living the life that only the weak, elderly, and children in the valley could lead. He was benefiting from it, so after that, he didn't ask any questions. He tended to the small plot of land in the valley, raised the chickens and ducks allocated to him, and tried his best to conserve food. When the children cried from hunger, and the elder matriarch or his younger siblings couldn't bear to watch, the kids would get a meal.

It was a bit humiliating, but he felt that it was good enough as long as he wasn't begging for food. This was the extent of his abilities, and that was how he could raise his children.

Lu Dalang was content with the current situation. Even if he was obviously isolated, he was fine with just tending to his small plot of land. There was nothing shameful about being rich or poor; everyone had their own way of living.

Satisfied with the present state of affairs, when Wang Chunniang inquired about Second Aunt's situation, Lu Dalang's initial reaction wasn't resentment but rather suspicion.

"What do you want?"

Is she causing trouble again?

Lu Dalang's face darkened. "What has it got to do with you what my second brother's family is doing? If you're tired of living peacefully, don't drag us down with you."

As soon as he finished speaking, footsteps approached, and upon turning his head to see Shuanzhu entering, Lu Dalang's expression remained grim. "It seems your mother isn't content with peaceful days. You and Dadao should be more cautious. Don't ask Grandma for the key to let her out lately. I still hope to live these remaining years in peace."

Wang Chunniang stared at Lu Dalang in surprise, and in the next moment, her face twisted. In the past, she would have scolded him loudly in her rage, but since Lu Dalang rationed her meals to only two per day, each with just a few bites, she lacked the strength to raise her voice. Instead, her gaze was venomous, and her tone sarcastic. "Lu Dalang, are you even a man?"

Even someone as submissive as Lu Dalang couldn't tolerate being called not a man. He became even less willing to engage with Wang Chunniang, focusing solely on Shuanzhu. "Don't take my words lightly. It's not safe outside now. Your second uncle and third uncle only come back to the valley every seven or eight days, and they have to do so under the cover of night. Don't let your mother cause any more trouble, or we won't have a chance to survive."

Shuanzhu appeared numb. He wanted to correct his father, to point out that if his mother caused more trouble, it wouldn't just be their family without a way out, but the entire valley would suffer. However, he lacked the energy even to move his lips, only nodding slightly as an acknowledgment.

Seeing her son nod, Wang Chunniang seemed to deflate. After Lu Dalang left, she turned to Shuanzhu. "You came out from my womb, yet you treat me this way?"

Shuanzhu sat on his bed, resting his head on his knees for a moment. Once he regained some composure, he spoke, "Mother, Father isn't speaking nonsense. It's truly not safe outside. Isn't it good for you to stay hidden safely in this valley? Why are you so concerned about Second Aunt?"

"Is asking a question staring at her? The world outside is said to be turbulent, but how would your father know? He's just one of those guarding against us."

Shuzhu looked at her. "Then why are they all guarding against us?"

Madam Wang immediately fell silent.

Lu Shuanzhu rubbed his face, many words had long since become worn-out; at this point, there was only one sentence he could utter: "Mother, you should rest."

As a professional novel translator, I will provide an elegant and contextually coherent translation for each line. Please provide the lines you would like translated.

When Sangluo and Shen Lie visited the Zhou family two days later, a rudimentary settlement had taken shape around the Zhou family, with the Zhou Lazi household and the Zheng Butcher's as its core.

It was called an outline because the land reclamation and wall construction were still in progress.

The Fengs were a family well-versed in concealment, having honed their skills in the outskirts. Hiding was their top priority. Yet, when they saw Zhou Laozhi's high walls filled with thriving soybeans and vegetables, even the Chengs, who had settled here later, had flourishing crops within their tall walls.

It was impossible not to feel envious. They had the seeds, but how could they dare to cultivate them outside, hidden away? They had been relying on wild vegetables for over half a year.

Once the thought of farming takes root, it's hard to suppress.

This was no longer the outskirts; they were deep in the mountains, and the vast range around Qiyang made it like scattering chess pieces into the Huai River – there was little difference between one person and another. Both the imperial army and the rebel factions vying for sovereignty were preoccupied with seizing and defending territories; they wouldn't waste substantial time and manpower to search for scattered civilians hiding in these remote depths. Their only concern now was guarding against ill-intentioned individuals. And with over a hundred people living together in this inner circle, they were well-equipped to do so.

They would resist if they could, flee if they couldn't, but they must still cultivate the land.

The most pressing issue was that their food supplies wouldn't last long. Even those as prepared as the Fengs and Gans had impoverished members in their clans. There were still those like Zhou Lazi who struggled to make ends meet. Hence, the newcomers quickly made a choice similar to Zhou Lazi and Butcher Zheng's on the night of their arrival.

They tilled the land to plant vegetables, hoping to sow a late autumn crop before winter set in. In a month or so, they would be able to enjoy the harvest.

With a large group, Shen Lie and the others frequently patrolled the area, deterring any particularly threatening wildlife. Thus, the new arrivals, whether they sought caves like the Zhous or built wooden houses like the Zhengs, only needed to fortify their living quarters. As for the farming areas, they first cleared the land and later erected simple fences.

When Sang Luo and Shen Lie arrived, the outlines of each household's settlement were visible, with much of the land already cultivated. At this moment, people from each household, whether building houses or tilling the fields, were being served meals, squatting on the ground to eat.

Dong Ge recognized Sang Luo from afar and, excitedly, stood up, waving at her. "Sang Lady! Brother Lie!"

Upon hearing his delighted cry of "Sang Lady," Dong Ge's mother was about to rush forward to greet her but almost grabbed him back. Fortunately, he also called out to Sang Luo's husband following behind.

This simple-minded second son seemed to be around the same age as Sang Lady. Why was he so earnest?

As Dong Ge's mother heaved a sigh of relief, Dong Ge had already dashed off. "Sang Lady, Brother Lie, have you had your breakfast?"

"I've eaten," Sang Luo glanced at the bowl in his hands, filled with wild vegetables, soybeans, and grass seeds.

Her gaze was heavy with concern. It was rare to see such a positive attitude from the boy, still managing to smile amidst adversity. She looked over at the half-tilled land and asked Dong Ge, "Are you cultivating this land?"

Dong Ge nodded eagerly. "Yes, our shopkeeper gave us some vegetable seeds. We're hurrying to cultivate it. That plot right there belongs to our family."

Following Dong Ge's direction, Sang Luo observed the area. Clearing land in the mountains involved cutting down and removing numerous plants. Something familiar caught her eye.

It was taro. When she first arrived here, she had nothing but relied on celestial tofu and taro to build up her livelihood. However, to the locals, the entire plant was toxic, and in the past, out of fear that children might accidentally eat it, any taro found near the village would be immediately dug up.

Sang Luo couldn't help but approach. She had mixed feelings about it.

It was time to harvest the taro. Squatting down, she used her knife to cut off the long stem and lifted the hefty taro, which weighed at least twenty pounds.

Dong Ge's mother grew anxious. "Madam Sang, they say this thing is poisonous. You shouldn't touch it."

Sang Luo smiled and shook her head. "The poison can be removed. This can be eaten."

Her words left the surrounding group stunned. Shen Lie, along with Shopkeeper Xu who had accompanied them, and the Gans were all taken aback. They turned to look at Sang Luo.

San Luo didn't hide anything and explained, "You've all tried it before. Shopkeeper Xu, this vegetarian 'mutton' is made from konjac, also known as devil's tongue."

This revelation stunned both Shopkeeper Xu, who had sold konjac before, and Madam Gan.

San Luo didn't waste any more time. She asked Dong Ge, "Where do you live? Show me the way, and I'll teach you how to detoxify the konjac."

Some people from the Feng family, who were nearby clearing land, overheard their conversation and gathered around to inquire. Konjac grew abundantly; once it sprouted, it spread in vast patches. Not only did Dong Ge's family find some, but other households had likely stumbled upon it too. Those who had grown up in the village had been warned since childhood that this plant was toxic.

Now, someone was saying that it was edible and that its poison could be removed.

How could this not attract attention? Suddenly, quite a few people followed them to take a look.

Madam Gan felt a little nervous. She looked at San Luo and called out, "Ah Luo?"

Without saying a word, her expression clearly conveyed that this was San Luo's livelihood.

San Luo glanced at Madam Gan, then turned her gaze to Dong Ge's family. Recalling the wild vegetables and grass seeds in Dong Ge's bowl just now, San Luo fell silent.

To be honest, she hadn't initially planned on revealing her trading business. Just like the divine tofu, she only picked some occasionally for her own consumption. Even the poorest family, Zhou Laizi's, had accumulated a fair amount of food with the help of Shen Lie and Chen Dashan.

What about the newcomers, then?

How many families like Dong Ge's could Shen Lie and Chen Dashan bring over? Besides, there weren't many edible plants left in this area that the locals were familiar with. Witnessing Dong Ge's family eating grass seeds and seeing edible taro being dug up and discarded, Sangluo suddenly lost the desire to hide.

"Let's just survive for now. There will be other ways to make a living in the future."

In fact, it wasn't just Dong Ge's family. The others who had come with Dong Ge, as well as those struggling in the Feng clan, had all gathered outside the cave where Dong Ge's family had settled. As Sangluo taught them step by step how to detoxify the taro and make taro tofu, more and more people arrived to learn.

After teaching everyone, as they waited for the final coagulation, Sangluo said, "If you peel and slice it, dry it, and store it properly, it can last a long time. It should still be edible next year."

Some were still uncertain. "Miss, is this really safe to eat now?"

The idea that the taro was poisonous was deeply ingrained in their minds.

Before Sangluo could answer, Xu Shopkeeper spoke up first, "Yes, it's safe. This has been sold in the county town for quite some time, at a decent price too. It's part of Miss Sang's livelihood."

To be honest, he hadn't expected that something like plain tripe would come from wild taro found in the mountains. What surprised him even more was that Sangluo was willing to share this method.

With this method in hand, it was truly a risk-free business. While it might not lead to great wealth, it would ensure a steady, modest income year after year.

Having taught this, Sang Luo was not reluctant to share more knowledge. Near Dong Ge's cave, she found the Guanyin Cabbage leaves and led everyone in identifying them, then they picked some. She then asked if anyone had gauze at home.

Several people responded, one of them volunteering, "My house is nearby, I'll go get it right away."

With that, she dashed off.

As she left and returned, more and more people gathered outside Dong Ge's small cave, including Zhou Lazi's family who had heard the news, followed closely by Chief Feng from Feng's clan.

Many had already learned how to make Silky Stomach and Immortal Tofu, so Sang Luo emphasized the key points to pay attention to, and estimated how long they would need to wait for the substances to solidify. Glancing at the sun, she realized they still needed to hurry up and hunt before bidding farewell hastily.

The crowd jostled, with latecomers asking those who arrived earlier about the specifics of the process. When they had their questions answered, they discovered that the young lady who taught them had already left.

They couldn't help but inquire further, only to learn that she was from Li Shi Village and called San Lady.