Chapter 97: The Situation in the North

Chen Dashan looked puzzled and shook his head, “No, didn't you say you had washed?”

"After more than two years out there, I was as dirty as a wild man at my worst. Now, I’m actually quite clean in comparison."

Shen Lie felt reassured and said, “Alright, then I'll head back now. I’ve only eaten half of my meal.”

With that, he turned and strode away.

Just then, Chen Popo emerged from the Shen family's yard, and Chen Dashan hurried over, quietly asking his grandmother, “Grandma, what’s the deal with Shen Lie's wife?”

Upon hearing her grandson ask about Sang Luo, Chen Popo chuckled, “Shen Lie’s wife, eh?”

She smiled first, saying, “That boy Shen Lie is really lucky!”

Pulling her grandson closer, she whispered, gesturing towards the Shen family's yard, “Those two did no good, but with this one thing, they accidentally did something right!”

The old lady was delighted, no longer having to wrestle with the idea of finding Sang Luo another husband, and feeling relieved of her guilt.

Chen Dashan, seeing his grandmother so joyful at the mention of Shen Lie’s wife, asked in surprise, “Is she really that good?”

Chen Popo laughed heartily, “Good? She couldn't be better! There’s no finding anyone better than her!”

She had been so concerned for Sang Luo, such a fine young woman living as a widow, that she’d even considered persuading her to remarry. If not for worrying about Shen An and Shen Ning, she would have done it sooner.

“Now I'm just grateful I didn’t. Shen Lie has returned, completely and wholly.”

Reflecting on this, a sigh escaped involuntarily, acknowledging the fortune of being alive. Many had perished far from home.

Chen Popo tightened her grip on her grandson's arm, grateful for his fortunate return from near-death, safe and sound.

……

After the altercation, Shen Lie stopped at the spring near their home, using the thawing water to wash his hands.

By the time Shen Lie returned, Sang Luo and the children had finished dinner. Only his portion was kept warm on the stove due to the cold weather.

Shen An and Shen Ning were eagerly waiting in the courtyard for their elder brother. Upon his arrival, they excitedly offered to fetch his meal, but Shen Lie insisted on getting it himself from the kitchen.

The younger siblings, happy with this arrangement, cheerfully followed their brother to the kitchen like little tails wagging behind him.

Shen Lie stopped in surprise upon reaching the kitchen entrance.

He never knew a kitchen could be so fully packed with shelves, pots, jars, a stone mill, and an unknown wooden rack.

Sang Luo was washing dishes when she heard the siblings talking in the yard. Turning to Shen Lie's stunned gaze, she explained, "These are our means of livelihood. We've been relying on them to get by, and it's how we accumulated our belongings."

Pointing towards the stove, she added, "Your meal is kept warm in the steamer. Help yourself. I'll replace the large pot to boil some water for you to wash up later."

Still unclear about their exact businesses, Shen Lie instinctively followed Sang Luo's instructions, smoothly handling the tasks of setting up the meal and tending the fire.

Sang Luo observed his efficient movements and was relieved he didn't have any airs of a demanding master.

While Shen Lie descended the mountain, Sang Luo pondered her next steps: whether to have a frank discussion with Shen Lie, amicably separating their household registration and relocating to the deserted house in the west of the village, or to just wait and see how things unfold after the winter. Sang Luo was yet undecided.

After all, she single-handedly built this home, and having cared for Shen An and Shen Ning for months, it was difficult to simply detach herself from a home she created from scratch.

Before any final decision, she knew she had to coexist with Shen Lie, hoping their interactions wouldn’t be disagreeable.

Unaware of Sang Luo's contemplations, Shen Lie stoked the fire in the stove, glanced up to see her washing dishes, and suggested, "Leave the dishes; I can wash them all together after I finish eating."

Sang Luo continued her task without pause: “No need, I'm almost done. You should eat while it's still warm.”

Seeing her undeterred, Shen Lie didn’t insist further. He took his meal from the steamer and began eating at the side table.

Having journeyed through the jungle for months, it had been a long time since he had a proper meal. Initially too anxious to learn about his family, now he savored the satisfaction of a good meal.

The dish referred to as tofu by Shen An was delicious, and the green vegetables, though not as crisp after reheating, were still much tastier than what he had before, compelling him to eat heartily.

Sang Luo glanced over subtly. Shen Lie caught a glimpse and immediately slowed his eating pace, visibly more restrained.

Shen An, seeing his brother dining and his sister-in-law busy, walked over to the stone mill, looking at the beans soaking in a barrel: “Sister-in-law, are the beans soaked enough? Shall we start grinding them soon?”

Sang Luo nodded: “Yes, we can rest for another quarter or so; the beans need to soak a bit longer in cold weather.”

While talking to Shen An, her thoughts wandered far away, wondering if Shen Lie would agree to a separation if she suggested it. After all, she, along with her previous identity, had raised the two children for six months and created a comfortable home.

Even Sang Luo herself found it hard to let go of what she built.

As for the culinary skills, both children had learned well from her; they could manage making tofu and dried bean curd together.

She considered expanding her small enterprise with the mo yu (konjac) she had been saving, exclusively supplying Dongfu Lou with vegetarian tripe. With her relations with the Chen, Shi, and Lu families, establishing a business in the village seemed feasible.

As for the food and silver, given the high cost of grains, Sang Luo planned to only take a portion, sharing the rest, viewing it as an investment in the children's future. She believed Shen Lie, appearing honest and not greedy, would let her keep the remaining silver.

As she washed the dishes, she calculated the possibilities of setting up her own household independently from the Shen family.

Unaware of her thoughts, Shen Lie, remembering Shen An's mention of grinding beans, offered, "I'll be visiting the Chen family after my bath. If it's not urgent, I can grind the beans when I return."

To clarify he wasn't shirking responsibility, he added, "The situation in the north seems troubling. I've asked Dashan to invite the Shi and Lu families, as well as Zhou Cunzheng, to discuss and coordinate. Would you like to join us?"

The 'you' in his sentence obviously referred to Sang Luo.

Sang Luo's internal planning halted at his words. Pausing her dishwashing, she inquired, "What's happening in the north?"

With no reason to hide the truth, Shen Lie revealed, "Excessive conscription and military campaigns in recent years, especially the recent large-scale expeditions, have resulted in nearly a million casualties among soldiers and laborers. The people's resentment is profound. Coupled with disasters in northern states and the government's inaction, many have revolted. On our way back, we encountered three separate rebel forces claiming control over mountains."

Sang Luo's grip on the dish tightened, "You mean, rebellion?"

Shen Lie nodded, "Those were just the forces we encountered on our route. There might be more elsewhere, but the extent is unknown."

Shen Lie glanced at Sang Luo and the siblings, explaining the situation in the north and the reason for his late return: "On the battlefield, we were in the vanguard, deeply entrenched in enemy territory. When the rear army retreated, our vanguard was nearly abandoned. Uncle Shi lost an arm, and Uncle Lu was severely injured. Dashan and I had to escape with them, hiding in the deep forests for over two months to evade enemy search parties. We only dared to make our way back after recovering from our injuries."

"We couldn't use the official roads for fear of being spotted, so we navigated through the forests. It took us more than a month to re-enter Daqian territory. By then, the disaster in the northern provinces had become severe. Despite the hardships, taxes and forced labor were not reduced, leading people to turn to banditry and revolt against the government. These people, needing food and drink but lacking discipline, committed all manner of arson, theft, and murder once their numbers grew. The north is now in chaos. To avoid the rebels, we had to move through deeper parts of the forest, which is why it took us until now to return here."

"In fact, as we further retreated into the mountains, we inevitably encountered some of these rebels hiding from the government. In one encounter, we were forced to engage in a fierce fight, after which they wanted to recruit us into their ranks."

"With no escape and facing death or allegiance, we had no choice but to join them. We stayed in the rebel stronghold for over twenty days, earning the trust of their leaders. They sent us on a mission to attack a small county, and we seized the opportunity to escape amidst the chaos."

"I wasn't interested in their promises of luxury, titles, or military rank. We just longed to return to our families as soon as possible. Our only concern was getting back home safely."

"The chaos in the north was evident as we traveled. Our biggest fear was that the south might also fall into disorder, threatening the safety of our loved ones. Anxious, we hurried back, and fortunately, the south remained relatively peaceful upon our return."

Sang Luo, recalling the suspect refugees she had seen near the county gate a month ago, asked Shen Lie, "Are there many people like you who have escaped from the north to the south?"

Shen Lie shook his head: "Not many could escape intact. Those from the north had a better chance as they were closer to home and could reach their villages. But those trying to reach places like ours had little hope of making it through the treacherous forests alive, risking becoming prey to wild beasts. Those who took peripheral paths often encountered rebel forces. Due to blockades, disease, and starvation, most either joined the rebels or perished on the way. Few made it back."

"Our survival was largely due to our hunting skills. Chen Dashan's maternal family were hunters, and he had learned much from his uncles. After fleeing to the south, sixteen-year-old Chen Dashan and I, then fourteen, began hunting in the mountains, starting with small game and gradually venturing deeper."

"While others in the army relied solely on military rations, we would often venture into the mountains to supplement our diet, sharing our finds with Shi Dage and Lu Erge, who were stationed with us."

With years of experience, though not necessarily battling ferocious beasts, the two were adept at avoiding areas frequented by dangerous animals and were skilled at hunting for food. This skill set allowed the group of four to safely return home.

Of course, it wasn't without its dangers. The wolf pelts they wore for warmth were hard-won trophies from life-threatening encounters.

Hearing Shen Lie's story, Sang Luo speculated that the people they encountered a month ago might have been some of those few who managed to escape from enemy territory.

She asked tentatively, "Do you think the south might descend into chaos too?"

Shen Lie hesitated, "It's hard to say. Life in the south is relatively better than in the north. Most people, as long as they can make a living, won't consider rebelling. However, if the northern rebels gain momentum, there might be a ripple effect, inciting more uprisings."

"The current unrest is among the desperate northerners and those who escaped death in enemy lands, only to find their families dead or displaced. But what about the nobility and large clans? Are they without ambition?"

"They're likely just waiting and watching."

"In the Daqian Dynasty, as well as previous dynasties, it wasn't uncommon for nobles to usurp power and declare themselves emperor. Stories of dukes becoming emperors are accepted and known even among commoners like Shen Lie, as recounted by local storytellers."

"If these influential families decide the time is right, it will no longer be just a matter of whether the common folk choose to revolt."

"Moreover, the current emperor doesn't seem particularly concerned with the welfare of his people. Who knows how many days of peace are left?"

Sang Luo fell silent, then said after a moment, "Life in the south is tough too. This year we've had four rounds of forced labor and two rounds of taxes, with next year's taxes already pre-levied. If the government has started this trend, who knows if they will pre-levy taxes for the years beyond next year if the shortage persists?"

Shen Lie was stunned, "Two rounds of tax collection?!"

Shen An nodded, "It's not just twice. Even the families of those who died in battle must pay taxes, as there were no official death certificates provided by the government. But nobody has them."

"Those from our village who haven't returned... they too are taxed," he added, highlighting the plight of the families.

Clenching his fists, Shen Lie felt the injustice. He had survived, but most had perished in foreign lands, unburied. To exploit their families in such times fueled the rebellion.

With a sigh, Sang Luo said, "I'll join you for the meeting. Call me when you leave."

She needed to understand the situation and the villagers' plans.

Reflecting on her previous thoughts of separating from Shen Lie, she reconsidered, seeing the advantage of staying together for survival in turbulent times.

Valuing her life above all, Sang Luo always prioritized her safety.

Unaware of her rapid change of heart, Shen Lie smiled and nodded in agreement to her joining.

Before leaving, Sang Luo instructed Shen An to prepare bath towels for their brother, ensuring his comfort.

After leaving the kitchen, Sang Luo exhaled slowly. She glanced at the main house's door, thinking about where to sleep tonight and how to persuade Shen Lie to not act as a real married couple just yet.

Shen Lie was quite presentable and seemed reasonable in his actions and words, but that didn't mean they could be a real couple immediately. Sang Luo could only accept cohabitating for now.