Chapter 151: Truly Dazzling

Sang Luo estimated the height to be over nine meters, which was manageable for Chen You Tian.

The measuring scale of the Daqian dynasty was around three zhang (approximately ten meters).

Shen Lian and Chen Da Shan handled the ropes skillfully. Shen Lian held one end of the rope while Chen Da Shan secured the safety harness on Chen You Tian and accompanied him down, guiding his posture, techniques, and footholds.

Chen You Tian descended smoothly. Soon, the rope was pulled up by Shen Lian, and Chen Da Shan returned to the cave.

Now it was Sang Luo's turn. She had observed closely when Chen Da Shan tied the safety harness on Chen You Tian but, considering the stakes, she let Shen Lian take the lead while she learned the technique.

Tying the safety harness inevitably involved contact around the waist or legs. Sang Luo was unfazed, while Shen Lian seemed a bit tense. Fortunately, Sang Luo was focused on learning the knotting technique and didn’t pay attention to his unease.

Once the safety harness was secured, Shen Lian stepped back, finally exhaling a sigh of relief. He then looked at Sang Luo with a smile and asked, “Nervous? There are two ways for you to descend. The first is like Uncle You Tian’s, with Da Shan pulling the rope from above, and I’ll accompany you, teaching you how to find footholds and grips. After going up and down a few times, you can manage on your own with a safety rope. The second way is you descend alone, but I control the rope, lowering you down directly. You just need to be mindful of the footholds and push off with your feet to avoid any protruding rocks.”

Chen Da Shan, enjoying the scene, chuckled at Shen Lian’s suggestion: “I should be there to back you up. Both of us can control the rope for you. Why not just tie both of you together and lower you down as a couple? I guarantee my sister-in-law won’t be scared.”

Sang Luo and Shen Lian ignored him.

Both were aware of their pretend marital status, knowing they were far from being close enough for such intimacy, and there was no need for it either.

Sang Luo considered Shen Lian's two suggestions. The first required some courage but was doable with Shen Lian’s guidance; the second was almost foolproof, depending only on Shen Lian’s arm strength.

Having seen him carry heavy rocks and lift trees, Sang Luo was confident in his strength.

She clasped her hands, took a deep breath to boost her confidence, and looked at Shen Lian: “The first option!”

Shen Lian’s eyes curved in amusement, “Alright, let’s go. Don’t worry, it’s not as bad as it seems. The rock face here is manageable with plenty of footholds and grips. It’s just a bit steep, but with the rope, it’s safe. It’s those inward-sloping cliffs that are the real trouble.”

……

Chen You Tian’s rappelling had already attracted attention in the valley. By the time it was Sang Luo’s turn, a crowd had gathered to watch.

Many were eager to try, but Shen Lian and Chen Da Shan were too occupied to assist anyone else, as they had to leave the valley, taking the rope with them.

Sang Luo and Chen You Tian, having already experienced the descent, were surrounded by inquisitive villagers. The most curious were the children, especially the older boys, even studious ones like Wang Yun Zheng had come out to join the excitement.

When asked about her experience, Sang Luo said it wasn't as scary as she initially thought. Each foothold was carefully selected by Shen Lian, and she only had to focus on her immediate surroundings, not the valley floor. Whenever she hesitated, Shen Lian was there to assist, and the two times she stumbled, he was quick to secure her, making the whole experience a mere scare, thanks to the safety rope.

As for the odd flutter in her heart when Shen Lian held her, that was a secret Sang Luo kept to herself, not something to share with others.

……

Chen You Tian and Sang Luo each brought back two baskets of wild vegetables. After discussing with Qin Fang Nian, they each spared two bundles, distributing them among the other four families, including freshly tender broom sprouts and some aromatic mugwort leaves.

Shen An and Shen Ning took on the task of washing the vegetables brought by two baskets, joined by Xu Wen Yin, Chen Er Shan, and Chen Xiao Ya, who were eager to help with washing vegetables for their families amidst the excitement.

During this, Chen You Tian came over to exchange two bowls of glutinous rice with Sang Luo for rice flour and also borrowed the stone mortar, asking how much rice flour Sang Luo needed, offering to grind enough for both their families.

Since it was a task requiring strength and Shen Lian wasn't around, Sang Luo didn't refuse. She measured out a bowl of rice for Chen You Tian to help grind, while she herself started boiling water to soak red beans for making red bean paste.

When Shen An and Shen Ning returned after washing the vegetables, the red beans had already been soaked in boiling water in the pottery basin.

Shen Ning, always keen on cooking, naturally inquired why hot water was used to soak the beans. Sang Luo was happy to teach, as she liked the young siblings and saw no need to keep culinary secrets. Also, the siblings were diligent and often volunteered to help with tasks, maintaining their helpful attitude even when Shen Lian was around.

Consequently, household chores were quite easy for Sang Luo, as the siblings enthusiastically took on any tasks they could manage, leaving little for Sang Luo to do. This was why Sang Luo was open to teaching them anything they wanted to learn.

Eventually, the red bean paste was made entirely with Shen Ning's assistance.

With Shen Lian not yet back and no rush to prepare dinner, Sang Luo continued processing fresh mugwort leaves with Shen Ning, planning to teach the girl how to make green dumplings after Chen You Tian delivered the rice flour.

The sisters-in-law were busy and joyful, and soon, Xu Wen Yin, unable to stay idle in her cave home, joined them, turning one apprentice into two.

Shen Lian and Chen Da Shan returned later than Sang Luo expected. It was only after their return that Sang Luo understood why Shen Lian had taken the rope with him when he left.

The rope was needed to transport heavy and bulky items from the high cave down below.

Shen Lian came down first to ask Shen An to keep an eye on the area directly below the cave, ensuring no children wandered close by, before returning to the high cave to join Chen Da Shan. Together, they used ropes to lower several bamboo poles and two carrying baskets down.

These baskets had been stored outside the valley because they couldn't fit through the original entrance. After expanding the entrance and checking the traps, Shen Lian and Chen Da Shan chopped some bamboo and brought back the carrying baskets that had been left outside, now able to fit through the enlarged entrance.

One of the baskets contained several large pieces of stone, while the other held a dozen bamboo shoots, four pheasants, and plenty of fresh grass for feeding chickens and ducks.

Hearing the commotion, children from the three households living nearby flocked to see the chickens and ducks, while Sang Luo bent down to examine the stones in the other basket.

These stones...

They seemed familiar to her.

As Shen Lian came over to move the stones, he noticed her interest and smiled, saying, "The stone mill at home is made from this type of stone. You haven't had soy milk or tofu for a long time, right? I plan to make a smaller stone mill for our home use when I get a chance."

Sang Luo's eyes lit up, having longed for soy products for quite some time.

Unable to lift the stones, she picked up a few bamboo shoots and followed Shen Lian, asking, "You can make a stone mill? The grooves inside must be specific, right?"

Shen Lian nodded, "Before leaving, I carefully examined the two grinding plates; I should be able to replicate them."

He wouldn't have left the original stone mill outside if he wasn't confident in his ability to make one.

"And that largest stone, is it for making a stone mortar?"

Sang Luo guessed that in the valley, what they needed most and lacked was precisely a stone mortar.

Shen Lian chuckled, "Exactly. That one is for the elders to work on slowly, a communal tool for all six families. It'll make rice pounding easier."

Small stone mortars were useful but quite labor-intensive.

……

In the evening, the aroma of stewed chicken wafted through the valley.

It's not that they didn't want to keep them; chickens and ducks could be fed with cut grass, but they also needed bran. The dozen or so chickens were particularly difficult to raise and were kept alive on previously cooked and dried bean dregs. Raising more wild chickens would have been too taxing.

Therefore, aside from one of the Chen family's chickens that laid eggs and was kept, families like Sang Luo, who brought three egg-laying hens into the mountains, could only use them as meat to nourish their bodies.

For rugged mountain dwellers like Shen Lie and Chen Dasha, however, such delicacies were not a rarity, so that night each family slaughtered one chicken.

Knowing there were wild chickens, Sang Luo asked Shen An to take a few freshly steamed green dumplings to trade with the Gans for a bowl of pickled vegetables.

The Shen family's dinner consisted of bamboo shoot stewed wild chicken, stir-fried chicken offal with sauerkraut, cold mixed broom buds, and a plate of plump and adorable green bean paste dumplings.

Just looking at these dishes, Shen Lie felt it was a disservice to serve such fine food without a proper dining table.

By the time Sang Luo returned with half a bowl of stewed chicken and a plate of dumplings for the neighboring Xu family, Shen Lie had cobbled together two rice barrels and placed a stone slab used as a temporary table on top, crafting a makeshift stone table.

He also arranged four log stumps for seats.

Sang Luo's spot even had a cushion placed on it for extra comfort.

"Tomorrow let's take everyone out of the valley to gather some wild vegetables. When we return, I'll start working on the items from your drawing, beginning with tables and chairs."

Sang Luo, amused, arranged the dishes on the stone table. As Shen An and Shen Ning finished adding rice and brought it over, she sat down laughing: "This stone table isn't bad. Don't rush with the tables and chairs; start with the bed first. Seeing you and Shen An sleeping on the floor while I'm in a bed makes me uneasy."

This comment made Shen An and Shen Ning laugh.

The family sat down to a lively and flavorful dinner. Shen An, eating his meal, suddenly remarked, "Aside from not being able to leave the valley, we're actually quite good here. We don't have to pay taxes or serve in the army. I can learn farming, and my brother can hunt. It's much freer than before."

Sang Luo laughed out loud upon hearing this.

"Such admirable aspirations for a young man."

"A time of peace will eventually come. Study well alongside Yun Zheng and Wen Bo. When peace reigns, the more you know, the greater your opportunities."

Shen Lian paused mid-meal upon hearing this, a contemplative expression crossing his face.

……

After dinner, Shen An and Shen Ning went to wash the dishes. Sang Luo noticed Shen Lian fiddling with his sleeping mat near the rack.

Curious, she was about to ask what he was doing when she saw him pull out a wolf pelt, examining it closely, then retrieving scissors from her sewing basket.

"What are you doing?"

She couldn't help but ask.

Turning to see it was Sang Luo, Shen Lian shared the idea he had during dinner.

"I remember your writing brush seems to be made from animal hair. I thought maybe wolf fur could work too. I want to try making a brush tip. Tomorrow, I'll find some thin bamboo sticks for the handle and see if I can make a brush. If we don’t have ink, do you think writing with water on a stone slab would work?"

Sang Luo was stunned.

She wondered why she hadn't thought of practicing calligraphy this way.

Wasn't this better than using a twig on a sand tray?

"Yes, that's a great idea." She promptly took out her carefully preserved writing brush and handed it to Shen Lian. "Use this as a model. If you succeed, it'll make practicing calligraphy much easier."

As the weather warmed, writing on stone dried quickly. Water was readily available, making it an affordable option.

This reminded Sang Luo of the chicken feathers she had de-greased and stored. She retrieved them from a large sack on the rack, handing them to Shen Lian: "Chicken feathers can also be used for brushes. These have been degreased. I hadn't found a use for them. Start practicing with these, and once you're skilled, you can try using wolf fur."

"Using wolf pelts as practice material, you might end up balding the wolves."

Handed a sack full of chicken feathers, Shen Lian's attention remained on Sang Luo. He tilted his head slightly, asking, “Do you like wolf pelts?”

Sang Luo paused, puzzled by the sudden shift of the conversation to her, but nodded, "Yes, I do. I remember reading somewhere that wolf pelts can prevent or cure rheumatism. I’m not sure if it's true, but living in this cave, especially during the cold, wolf pelts are certainly valuable.”

“Oh.” He seemed thoughtful, remembering that since the bed was made, the wolf pelts in the house had been used as his mattress. His eyes and lips curved into a smile involuntarily.

He tried to hide his smile, but standing face to face with Sang Luo, even when he lowered his head, his smile was fully visible to her.

Sang Luo didn’t quite understand why his mood brightened so suddenly, but that smile...

It was dazzling.

Did Shen Lian realize how he looked when he smiled?

Captivated for a few seconds, Sang Luo finally averted her gaze, saying, “Well, you carry on.”

Leaving those words, Sang Luo turned to walk away. After a few steps, she paused, came back, picked a few nice chicken feathers from the sack, and retrieved a piece of scrap cloth, two copper coins, and a length of hemp string from the shelf.

“I'll make a little craft.”

Only then did she walk away.

But she hadn’t gone far before stopping again.

Realizing belatedly that Shen Lian had a heap of unfinished tasks, she returned and took the sack of chicken feathers and the brush from his hands.

“I thought about it, and I can try making the brush. Your skills are better utilized for carving the stone mill and making furniture. That’s where your talent truly lies.”

The items suddenly pushed into her arms and then taken away left Shen Lian momentarily empty-handed.

Watching Sang Luo’s retreating figure, Shen Lian’s eyes and lips curved into a smile again.