Chapter 197 - Gentleness

Liu Dalang was speechless.

At dawn, Chen Dashan knocked on the door, leading such a large group to the entrance. Without Shen Lie's assistance, it would have been impossible. When Shen Lie returned, he brought back this message for Sang Luo.

Yesterday, only Wang Chunniang was mute. But within half a night, another one had joined her? It was none other than the usually inconspicuous Liu Dalang.

If Madam Liu really intended to take action, she could have easily dealt with both Wang Chunniang and Liu Dalang simultaneously. The sequential order of events was intriguing.

"In times of adversity, one can truly see the depths of human hearts."

Sang Luo thought about the five children of the Liu family and concluded that it was probably for the best that they were silenced.

...

Unbeknownst to Wang Chunniang, who had narrowly escaped death, another person in the imperial city of the capital, the supreme ruler of the entire land, did not escape the fate of being smothered to death by two eunuchs with soft pillows and luxurious quilts. His head was then hung on the city tower of the imperial city, which had been constructed with the lives of countless citizens.

In an era where dynasties rose and fell like flowing water, the once mighty Great Kan Dynasty had long decayed. Its collapse came as no surprise to anyone. Amidst the current situation, besides the now-deceased Great Kan Emperor, who among the aristocratic families and lords did not have their own schemes? Those with military power established their own territories, while those without sought higher ranks and positions amidst the chaos, each using their own abilities to secure their future. Even the concubines in the palace, whether they died or were captured, were those without any support. Those whose families held power had already secured their escape routes.

The imperial city and the capital were far from peaceful that night. Scores of rebellious kings emerged, and true aspirants to power who had been biding their time finally seized a legitimate opportunity. In this era of great contention, the struggle for supremacy intensified.

Of course, countless villagers like Shen Liesangluo, hiding deep in the mountains to escape calamity, were oblivious to these developments. Even if they knew, those suffering would only rejoice at the demise of their oppressors and eagerly wish for a strong ruler to swiftly restore order to the chaotic world.

The world outside had changed, but in the remote southern mountains, news traveled much slower. Those in hiding here were primarily concerned with sustenance and safety.

The Lius of the main family left quietly, as they had never ventured beyond the valley. Chen Dashan and Liu ErLang's departure did cause some unease, but the impact was limited.

That very night, Shen Yinfeng fell ill with a fever. Sharing a bed with him, Shen An noticed something amiss as dawn approached. Touching his forehead, Shen An leaped out of bed in alarm and rushed to call his elder brother and sister-in-law.

The child had seldom taken medicine since infancy, so the fever reducer was quite effective. There was still some fluctuation that night, but after another dose the next day, the fever subsided.

When the Lu brothers escorted the head of the Lu family out of the valley, Feng Liuniang returned. Old Man Lu and Old Lady Lu were still busy with farm work until all the rice was harvested, at which point they both fell ill. Feng Liuniang and Ah Wu attended to them, while families from around the valley paid their visits. Old Lady Lu lay in bed for several days before she held her daughter-in-law and remaining grandchild, Ah Wu, in a heartfelt cry. After a few more days of rest, she gradually recovered.

By the time Shen Yin was well, Shen Lie informed Sang Luo of his plan to take Shen An, Shen Jin, and Chen Ershan out of the valley for training. Actually, it wasn't just those three; there were others like the Shi brothers, Da Niu and Er Niu, the Xu brothers, Wenhong and Wenqing, and Si Lang from the Zhou village chief's family whom Shen Lie believed could be trained. However, he intended to consult each family first about their willingness to participate.

After witnessing the situation with the Lu family, Sang Luo couldn't agree more. But instead of responding to Shen Lie, she turned to Shen Ning and asked, "Will you learn, Ah Ning?"

Shen Lie was momentarily taken aback, instinctively wanting to say that this was different from archery practice and would be very tough. Then he remembered that Sang Luo was no stranger to hardship. In this chaotic world, she always advocated that girls should learn how to protect themselves. So, he also asked Shen Ning, "Do you want to learn, Ah Ning?"

Shen Ning had been deeply influenced by Sang Luo in this aspect, so how could she refuse? She immediately nodded and asked, "Are you really going to take me out of the valley?"

Sang Luo nodded. "Of course, why wouldn't I? In the past, your big brother and I were mistaken. We can't just stay cooped up in this valley because of it. Not only can we not guard against every possible situation, but I'm more afraid that we'll spoil you all."

If they raised a cowardly Lu Da, where would they even cry?

"It's best to make yourself strong. Living with me, you can learn too."

This was very much like Sang Luo.

Jin Lei couldn't help but laugh. "Yes, it's perfect. You can practice together with your big sister-in-law."

Shen An had been outside before and knew that the cave wasn't spacious. Hearing this, he asked, "Big Sister-in-law, where will Little Jin and I live? Should we build a wooden house? One that's big enough for a bed and to stand two people."

Jin Lei nodded. "Sure, squeeze in with Uncle You Tian for a few days first. There's another empty cave that can be used as well. Later on, you can build your own house."

Cutting trees, carrying logs, and building a house—practical skills were also a form of training. Previously, the heavy labor had been handled by the young and strong. It was just right to let these half-grown boys do some work as well.

After the family had reached an agreement, Jin Lei went up to ask his brothers, Jin, for their opinions.

Are Shen Jin and Shen Yin willing?

Absolutely. For the two brothers, their greatest sense of security now was to become stronger themselves. Shen Yin was still young and had Shen Tie, so only Shen Jin would be allowed to go out. Shen Lie informed the Chen family as well. Although Shen Jin was going out, Shen Yin and Shen Tie could take care of themselves, but it wouldn't be entirely reassuring. He entrusted Old Lady Chen with looking after them.

Old Lady Chen was more than willing. Second Mountain had also left the valley, leaving her with only Little Ya at home. The rice had been harvested, and they needed to plant some vegetables and raise chickens for winter preparations. There wasn't much work to do.

As for the other families, the Shi family's three adults were away. Shen Lie first asked the Zhou family. The Zhou family had five sons, named Ming, Li, Jian, Gong, and He, in descending order. The eldest three, Zhou Changming, Zhou Changli, and Zhou Changjian, were all outside the village. The youngest was too young to mention, and the fourth, aged thirteen, had never left because he had older brothers.

Upon hearing that Shen Lie would personally teach, Zhou Village Chief's eyes nearly lit up. Before he could respond, a youngster rushed out, "Study, study, Brother Lie, no, Teacher! I'll kowtow to you right now, you can't change your mind!"

It was none other than Zhou Changgong, the fourth son, afraid that his father wouldn't let him go.

Zhou Village Chief laughed heartily. "Ah Lie, there's no turning back now. I'll prepare the apprenticeship ceremony immediately. You can take this boy tonight."

Looking at the Lu family, wasn't Lu Dali obviously unsuitable before? It wasn't apparent. Only when faced with life-and-death situations would hidden qualities emerge. After this incident, who would dare to shield their children too much? Exposing them to the elements was the best thing.

If not for Wu Lang being too young, merely six years old, he would have sent even the youngest one out. In the small valley, any movement couldn't be concealed, especially among the children who had close relationships. Shen Lie hadn't yet asked the other families when their kids already got wind of the news. Da Niu and Er Niu from the Shi family, whose parents weren't home, dragged their aunt along. From the Xu family, Xu Wenhong, Xu Wenbo, and Wang Yunzheng came, followed by Wei Qinghe, whose age clearly set him apart from the group of children.

Madam Xu and her daughter-in-law also arrived, with Xu Wenying still holding onto Xu Wen Yin, who had been pestering her mother for a while after hearing that Shen Ning and Sang Luo would be learning. Wei Lingzhen, considering the vulnerable position of women outside, hesitated for a moment despite her traditional belief that young ladies should be gentle and quiet. After getting her mother-in-law's approval, she finally agreed.

"Learn then. It's always good to have some self-defense skills, especially with Shen Ning and Sang Luo learning together."

The pair also came prepared with gifts for their mentor.

...

The outskirts of the village became bustling overnight.

All the boys in the valley above the age of ten, including the nine-year-old Shen Jin, joined in. Even Wei Qinghe, who didn't possess much talent, tagged along. Xu Wenqing, who usually couldn't wait to dive into the mountains, refused to leave and insisted on finding a master. The martial arts enthusiasts, Second Brother Zhou and Third Brother Zhou, shared the same sentiment.

In the past few months, families had ventured out of the village for food and had started farming and raising livestock outside the valley. Thus, it made sense for them to stay, and Shopkeeper Xu, Uncle Xu, and First Brother Zhou could accompany Da Lang Shi and Chen Youtian in exploring the nearby area, allowing them to follow their hearts.

As a result, within a day, Shen Lie received a group of disciples, young and old, all calling him "Master." Even Wei Qinghe bowed to him with a smile, paying his respects as a disciple.

He never imagined things would unfold this way.

Unlike their initial training in Shili Village that focused on physical strength, endurance, archery, hunting, and tree-climbing, this time, Shen Lie emphasized not only these fundamentals but also taught the basic saber techniques, staff skills, and military formations he had honed during his years in the army.

Of course, those with high talent, such as Xu Wenqing, Zhou Changli, and Zhou Changjian, whose basic strength was adequate due to their age, Shen Lie took out a few sabers from his family's collection and directly taught them basic saber techniques. Xu Wenqing, with his exceptional talent and comprehension, would often prompt Shen Lie to share some of the killing techniques he had learned through life-and-death battles.

At this point, Sangluo and Shen Ning could only keep up with Shen An and the others. The Xu siblings found it more challenging, but perhaps due to their prolonged stay in the valley and hearing about the outside world from their elders, they all understood the importance of learning survival and self-defense skills. None of them shied away from hard work, including the newly initiated Xu Wenying.

The first day's training consisted of two-hour sessions in the morning and afternoon. Given their lack of exercise, any longer would be too much. After some rest, they were assigned the task of chopping trees and transporting wood. As the sun set, each returned to their respective caves, too exhausted even for basic hygiene, let alone a comfortable sleep.

Sangluo, Shen Ning, and Xu Wenying were fortunate; they didn't join in the tree-cutting. Instead, after a brief rest, they practiced archery at the targets Chen Youtian had helped set up. Gan, who had been observing from the outskirts of the village for quite some time, finally approached to join in the fun.

After dinner, everyone had a small task: to whittle a long staff for their upcoming practice. Shen Lie explained the requirements and instructed them to find suitable materials from the logs they had brought back. He had already selected the ones for his teaching and Sangluo's assistance. Before returning to their cave, the two of them started working.

Sangluo, playfully teasing Shen Lie, asked with a straight face, "Should I call you 'Master' too, given how everyone else in the outer village does?"

Shen Lie almost sliced the wood crookedly. Turning to look at Sangluo, he paused for a moment before responding, "Why don't you try it?"

She was becoming cheeky.

Sangluo smiled, ready to tease him further. As she opened her mouth, Shen Lie quickly placed the back of his hand against her lips, startled. "You're serious?"

At this moment, even common folk understood the principles of morality. If she were to genuinely call him "Master," his longing would be utterly shattered.

It was only when he felt the soft warmth near the wrist of his hand that Shen Lie became aware of what he had done, and he froze in place.

Sang Luo also froze, as if the air around them had thickened. Her heartbeat quickened.

Just then, footsteps echoed in the distance, followed by Shen An's voice as he announced that they had chosen the wood for the staff.

Sang Luo abruptly regained her senses, stepping back slightly to create some distance.

Shen Lie's wrist grew slightly cool where it had been warm, yet the tenderness and heat seemed to have seared into his heart, leaving him with an electrifying sensation that softened his bones and melted his heart.

"Big Brother, do you think this one is suitable?"

As the younger ones approached, Shen Lie hastily withdrew his hand. In perfect unison, one focused on carving the untouched staff, while the other turned to observe Shen An and his siblings.

Seeing Shen Lie earnestly presenting the wood to the three children, now with his side facing her, Sang Luo's lips curved into a smile.