Chapter 190 - Preparation/Discontent

Merciful heavens, while running, she was filled with excitement and joy. When she finally came to a halt three steps away from Sangluo, she saw not only her but also Shen Lie, and recognized Shi Dalang and Sanlang, two familiar faces. Tears immediately welled up in her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.

She cried, laughed, and wiped away her tears all at once. In normal times, this would be considered foolishness, but amidst the chaos, it wasn't strange to react this way when seeing familiar faces, especially more than one. As proof, Ganning's mother had also rushed over, her eyes brimming with tears as she laughed and cried, just like Dongge.

Sangluo finally reacted, looking at Dongge's hair that resembled a bird's nest, with burnt patches still visible. She couldn't bear to see it. "Did you escape from a fire?"

Dongge nodded repeatedly.

Shi Dalang was also overcome with emotion seeing his mother-in-law and brother-in-law. However, he was currently being pulled aside by Ganning's mother, who was asking about the well-being of her daughter and grandson.

On that side, Ganning's mother kept repeating that everything was fine, fine. Feng Dalang, Feng Er-lang, and Ganning were more composed, able to take notice of the odd pair before them—Jin Lie and the strangely dressed boy who had been following them. "Do you know each other?"

Both Jin Lie and Sangluo nodded. "We do."

Sangluo found it peculiar. "How did you end up together?"

Before Feng Dalang could speak, Dong Ge self-consciously ruffled his unruly hair, resembling a bird's nest. "After we fled from the county, we spent some time in the mountains. But when we couldn't find any more food and it wasn't safe to venture further inward, we stumbled upon them and have been following them ever since."

Only now did he properly express his gratitude to Feng Dalang and his group. "Thank you for looking out for us."

Feng Dalang waved his hand dismissively. "It's not about looking out for you. We were already acquainted, and it was just a coincidence."

The rest of the Feng family, Dong Ge's parents and siblings, had also approached.

Dong Ge's parents had overheard their son's exclamation. Truth be told, upon realizing that it was San Niangzi, who taught them how to dig hiding places last year, they were both eager to express their gratitude. However, unlike their son's boldness, they observed that the large group they had initially followed seemed to be acquainted with their savior, leaving them with much to say but too timid to interrupt.

Reunited with friends and relatives at such a critical moment, there was naturally much to catch up on. Shen Lie glanced at the sky and asked the older gentlemen from the Feng family, "Do you have a specific destination in mind?"

Without hesitation, the elders shook their heads in unison. Feng Da Lang's grandfather said, "We only ventured deeper into the chaos because it was too unsettled on the outskirts. We didn't have any particular place to go."

Pausing for a moment, he considered that survival truly depended on unity now. Moreover, his clan had been able to prepare and hide in the mountains thanks to the reminders of their in-laws, the Lu family, and this young man before him. They had even learned survival skills in the mountains from others. Thus, without any qualms, he asked, "Young Master Shen, do you see any suitable places where our clansmen could settle down?"

His question was tactfully phrased. He didn't inquire about where Shen Lie and the Lus were, but rather if Shen Lie knew of any recommended locations to lead them to establish a home. This expressed the Feng clan's desire to stick together, leaving the decision of where to take them entirely up to Shen Lie. For their part, they were simply asking for his suggestion, and whether or not it was suitable would be evaluated collectively by the clan members.

Given the current situation, Shen Lie wouldn't put them in a difficult position. He observed Zhou Laizi and Zheng Butcher's eldest son, both visibly excited, clearly eager to have a reliable group of neighbors to support each other.

Familiar with Shen Lie and seemingly on good terms, Zhou Lazi perceived this as a positive sign. The Zheng family had also become acquainted with Shen Lie, and they relied heavily on his support and Chen Dashan's. They all nodded in approval, trusting Shen Lie completely.

Seeing that both parties had no objections, Shen Lie turned to Elder Feng and said, "There is a place to go. It's getting late today, so why don't you all come with us first? You can rest, and if it suits you, you can settle down nearby."

Upon hearing this, the Feng family and Gan Erlang's family were overjoyed. Dong Ge's parents were somewhat anxious, but Dong Ge, being quick-witted, promptly asked Shen Lie and Sang Luo, "Sir Shen, Lady Sang, would it be possible for you to take our family along too?"

Sang Luo laughed and replied, "Of course."

She seemed like family to them at that moment; how could they not bring them along? Besides, Xu Shopkeeper would likely be delighted to know about it.

With a group now having a destination, those who had previously joined Dong Ge's family halfway hesitated to approach but didn't dare. It was evident that these people knew each other, so how could they just barge in? However, leaving wasn't an option either. They decided to follow at a distance, waiting until these people found their places before seeking a similar spot for themselves.

Their assumption was correct. After all, the mountains didn't belong to anyone. As long as they weren't harboring ill intentions and didn't cling too closely, nobody would chase them away.

...

That evening, the vicinity of the Zhou and Zheng households buzzed with excitement. A large group of around seventy or eighty people arrived, startling the families left behind. Upon recognizing Shen Lie and his group through the lookout window, they were relieved. When they learned that most of the newcomers were from Lu Erlang's wife's clan, their concerns turned into anticipation and joy.

The more reliable neighbors they had, the safer they felt in their current situation.

Choosing a shelter was no easy task, and it was already late in the day. The group didn't split up; instead, they found a nearby cave to settle in for the night, as they needed protection from the rain in the mountains, especially since they had food and bedding with them. The cave was cramped, but it allowed the elderly, women, and children to rest while the men took turns keeping watch.

Both the Feng and Gan clans still had food supplies, but Dong Ge's family, who had initially stored some grain, lost it all when the bandits took away anyone they could before leaving, suspecting that there were still people hiding in the city. They also set fires across Qiyang County to deny resources to those following them. Dong Ge's family barely escaped with their lives, let alone their food, so they relied on wild vegetables for sustenance during their journey.

Shen Lie and Sang Luo had learned about the situation along the way. Seeing that the others had scavenged clothes from the abandoned village, they offered a pheasant and a hare from their hunting catch, along with some mushrooms and wild fruits, and promised to inform Shopkeeper Xu and the Lu brothers about their encounter. Only then did they depart.

...

By the time they returned to the outskirts of the village, it was almost dark. Those who had stayed behind in the village had heard the news, and none were more excited than Shopkeeper Xu and the Lu brothers. Shi Erlang was also delighted for his sister-in-law.

It had only been five days since their last visit to the valley, but given the magnitude of today's events, everyone was eager to send word inside. They agreed to return to their caves to sort out their recent gains and, once the night grew quiet, send a few people to enter the valley secretly.

Sang Luo and Shen Lie arrived at their own cave, where they placed the two small rabbits, carried separately in a basket, into a rabbit hutch beside the entrance.

Since most villagers remained in the outskirts, whenever they hunted and encountered live game like pheasants or rabbits, they would try to capture them alive. Each family would share the catches and rear them. Rabbits not only grew quickly but reproduced astonishingly fast. With abundant grass for grazing outside, raising them was stress-free, and they served as a valuable source of food in the long run.

Today, they discovered a litter, which they divided among the other families, keeping only two for themselves. Thanks to occasional captures, Sang Luo's family now had seven rabbits in total.

While she tended to the seven rabbits of varying sizes, Shen Lie started a fire and turned to ask Sang Luo what she wanted for dinner.

Taking advantage of the leisure time in the deserted village, with the stone slabs and millstones now available, the first batch of leafy vegetables were ready to be harvested. Vegetables like radishes and pumpkins from within the valley were also being transported out. Sang Luo pondered, "Let's steam some bean rice, slice some meat for a carrot soup, and we'll see what other dishes you'd like. If you want grilled meat, you can cut it yourself; I'll take care of the seasoning later."

Shen Lie understood that she was craving some soup, so he smiled and agreed. The bean rice had been prepared earlier for breakfast. Now, he added water to the clay pot, placed the wooden steamer that Sang Luo had made, covered it with a layer of gauze, filled it with the bean rice, and then set the wooden steamer on top of the clay pot, sealing it with a wooden lid before heading to the vegetable garden.

Outside the cave, a simple cooking shelter had been built with a rainproof roof, along with a small stove for grilling meat and a wooden cutting board for convenience. Inside the small cave, a small rectangular wooden table had been added, which was placed next to the bed during meals and moved aside when finished eating. The surroundings had been regularly cleared of potentially threatening animals by Shen Lie and others, making it relatively safe to move around the village now. After attending to household chores, the couple prepared dinner together and enjoyed a hearty meal. Only then did they start packing items to be hidden in the valley.

As more people settled in the mountains, hunting yields decreased over time, especially if they didn't venture too far. A portion of the harvest was kept for their own consumption, while the rest was sent into the valley. It wasn't a large quantity, but there was an abundance of chopped firewood, fresh grass, and grass seeds for the sheep, chickens, and ducks. The sheep ate fresh leaves, and Sang Luo had mixed in quite a bit of Vicia villosa leaves, which she intended for Shen An and his sister to make their own "divine tofu."

With Shen Lie around, Sang Luo didn't need to make the night trip. After he left, she closed the cave door and rested.

...

Inside the valley, everyone had grown accustomed to receiving items delivered at night. However, previously, these items were marked and lowered down with ropes. Today, Manager Xu, Lu ErLang, and Shi DaLang returned to the valley.

Manager Xu was easy to convince. He had heard from Sang Luo about Dong Ge's family, who had escaped a devastating fire in the city with nothing. He discussed the matter with his mother and wife, deciding to provide some food rations and seeds from their home to give to Dong Ge's family when they visited them tomorrow.

When the old lady and Wei Lingzhen learned that this was related to the staff of Dong Fu Lou, and knowing the circumstances, they had no objections. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law personally helped prepare the package, selecting practical and inconspicuous items like beans and wild fruits, as well as adding two pieces of preserved meat and even some salt, albeit not much. Though scarce, with careful rationing, they could still occasionally enjoy a hint of saltiness.

With quite a number of chickens and ducks at home, the elderly lady took a look and shook her head. "This is too obvious. Have you and Wenqing been raising pheasants and rabbits outside as well?"

Xu Shopkeeper nodded. "Yes, we've planned to give them two rabbits and a pheasant once they settle in. They can feed them with grass and weed seeds. It'll be extra food for them. We can't do much more than that. Wenqing can teach them how to trap wild rabbits and pheasants later. Once they're in this mountain, living together with so many others will ensure their safety, and they'll be able to stand on their own feet."

"Mother, could you also package some vegetable seeds for them?"

Before she finished speaking, Wei Lingzhen had already taken out a few small packages wrapped in dried leaves. "They're all packed. It's not easy to write on them, but I assume they can recognize them, right?"

Xu Shopkeeper smiled and nodded. "I think so. They're from poor families, and there are farmers in the outskirts of the county as well."

In the Xu family, it was relatively peaceful. On the Shi side, Madam Gan was both laughing and wiping away tears with excitement. When she heard that her sister-in-law had been pushed by Uncle Wu into a dangerous situation, almost losing her life, and now her face was almost ruined, she felt a deep ache of sorrow.

Medicines were prepared at home, so she discussed with her sister-in-law about taking some to send to her own sister-in-law. Madam Shi II nodded repeatedly, "Yes, yes, yes, Elder Sister, you have no idea how envious I am of you."

Madam Gan knew what was on her mind and reassured her, "Don't worry. Your family also took refuge in the mountains early on. Good people are blessed by heaven; they will be safe and sound. Look at our clan members and even Lady Liu's clan, they're all doing well."

Madam Shi II nodded, knowing that the Feng and Gan clans, who had prepared early, had not encountered any major mishaps. This was her greatest comfort at the moment.

Gan was busy searching for medicine, holding up unfamiliar characters to the children nearby and asking them to help identify them. Seeing her busyness, Shi Erlang's wife, aware that the Gan family had initially stored food, offered to assist by packing some cured meats and mountain produce into a basket for her sister-in-law to carry when she left.

Indeed, Gan intended to venture out of the valley.

With her family visiting and such a significant incident involving her brother's wife, she felt compelled to pay them a visit. However, due to the presence of many people and the restriction on frequent movement between villages, if someone recognized and remembered her, it could arouse suspicion if she suddenly disappeared for an extended period.

Therefore, if she were to leave, she would need to stay outside the valley for a long time.

Gan was no stranger to hardship. With Sangluo away, she had nothing to fear. After discussing with her husband and sister-in-laws, they agreed that Shi Erlang's wife and a few children could manage the fields and livestock in the valley. Thus, Gan decided to stay outside and cultivate the land, reducing her visits to the valley. This way, she could also contribute additional income to the family.

As for accommodation, two unused caves were locked up earlier. Shi Erlang planned to claim one near their home temporarily while vacating their current cave for his elder brother and sister-in-law.

...

On the Lu side, Feng Liu also made similar preparations. Regardless of emotional concerns for her family, it would be inappropriate for her, as a married daughter of the Feng family, not to show her face now that relatives had arrived.

Lu Granny supported her decision, assuring that she and her old man could handle the fields in the valley. She only asked that Lu Er take great care of Feng Liu when they were outside.

Relieved after confirming that Lu Sanlang could share accommodations with Shi Erlang, she began helping with the preparations.

Although the conversation between mother, son, and daughter-in-law was concluded at the entrance of the valley, Feng Liu's items to take with her had to be retrieved from their cave. Living together in that cave, with Feng Liu so agitated and the old lady bustling around, even picking out two sets of clothes for her, as well as bedding, how could Wang Chunniang not be suspicious?

The small cave was devoid of any oil lamps, so Wang Chunniang watched her mother-in-law and sister-in-law packing in the shadows, and also saw Second Brother Lu waiting outside. She couldn't help but wonder what else this large family was hiding from her. Her lips pressed into a straight line.

During the day, she dared not show her dissatisfaction for fear of the old lady's disapproval. But now, under the cover of night, she no longer needed to hide her feelings.

Yes, she felt like a rat living in a drainpipe, where any discontent could only be freely expressed in the darkness of night.