"Chapter 120: Good Fortune Comes/Parting Ways"

"The Wang family, as Lu Popo expected, began to regard the Lu family's grain as their own. On the day before the New Year, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law duo speculated that Wang Chunniang should be returning and made another visit."

Wang Chunniang and her family were out of sight. After Lu's matriarch had a serious talk with her eldest daughter-in-law, she bound Wang Chunniang securely, gagged her, and locked her in the west wing where the grain was stored. Hidden behind sacks of grain, her sons Shuanzhu and Tiezhu kept her company.

Wang Chunniang realized that resisting would exclude her from future plans of fleeing and could endanger her children. She remained compliant, staying quiet even when she heard her mother and sister-in-law outside, listening as her mother-in-law managed to send them away.

A major incident occurred on New Year's Eve in the eleventh year of Jianye. In Ji'an County, two counties over, a wealthy family living outside the county was slaughtered, their money and grain looted, presumably by refugees.

By the second day of the first lunar month, news reached Qi Yang County. The locals kept their doors shut tightly during the day, and the streets were mostly deserted, with the few passersby hurrying along.

The Qi Yang County magistrate, along with some local notables, especially those living outside the town, realized their lives were at stake. They set aside their personal agendas and finally came together to discuss the resettlement of the refugees outside the city.

All parties made sacrifices, and the county magistrate likely offered some incentives. On the third day of the first month, announcements were posted outside the city gates. Every adult male agreeing to settle in Qi Yang County and clear land for farming would receive a stone of grain, while minors would receive half a stone.

A whole stone of grain per person!

In the hands of the refugees, used sparingly and supplemented with wild vegetables and seeds, it could sustain them for over a year.

The announcement caused a stir among the refugees. They flocked to inquire about the amount of land allocated and where they would be settled.

The county magistrate, no fool, dispersed the several hundred refugees for resettlement, resulting in two families being allocated to Ten Mile Village. Sang Luo was just relieved that they weren't placed near her home, as any minor actions on their part would have been easily noticeable.

Even though the refugees were scattered, the tension among the townspeople increased. Those traveling to other states and counties were inevitably surrounded and questioned about various news, with each day bringing more unsettling updates.

Eastern Fortune Restaurant is the largest eatery in Qi Yang County and naturally serves as a hub for news and information. Those who frequent the restaurant tend to have more extensive connections and access to information than most.

There have been uprisings in Henan and Shannan roads; Chen State is under siege, rebels have broken into the city, a certain branch of the gentry has been slaughtered, and an entire well-off commoner family has been murdered.

Once the refugees join the rebels, they seem to specifically target these gentry and commoner families, as if driven by deep-seated hatred, perhaps even desiring to consume their flesh and blood. Or, more likely, it's because these families have the most hidden wealth and grain.

Therefore, the news heard at Eastern Fortune Restaurant indicates that whenever a state or county falls to the rebels, the local elite suffer the most, unless they have substantial power to protect themselves, often faring worse than the average citizen.

Among those reportedly wiped out, some had even more influence and resources than the Wang family.

Day after day, as Xu, the manager of Eastern Fortune, heard these terrifying reports, his anxiety grew. The backup plans for his family now seemed perilously fragile. Haunted by nightmares, he eventually decided to hastily return to his hometown of Shexian.

……

This growing unease was borne by those in the county with access to information. Meanwhile, the common villagers, oblivious to the extent of the turmoil, lived relatively peaceful lives until early February.

On the first day of February, the village head, who usually avoided visiting the village without good reason, arrived, accompanied by the familiar sound of gongs and the posting of official notices.

Another round of early tax collection! In the spring of the twelfth year of Jianye, the tax for the autumn of the thirteenth year was being levied. This time, it was the village head himself posting the notice, his face finally showing a serious demeanor, no longer nonchalant, seemingly weighed down by the gravity of the announcement.

Upon hearing the village head's announcement, most of the villagers collapsed on the spot, sitting on the ground, beating their thighs in despair, crying out, "They're not letting us live; this is unbearable!"

It's like death by a thousand cuts - each time you barely survive one, another swiftly follows.

The two families of refugees who had just settled in Shili Village were in shock. The grain they had just received wasn’t even enough to cover the new taxes and rent, despite only recently setting up their simple straw homes.

Chaos ensued in Shili Village. People cursed the heavens, the earth, and the government. Zhou Lizheng, once commanding respect, was now in a pathetic state, desperately trying to calm everyone down as he unfurled another official notice.

“There’s still a way out! Listen to me, you don’t have to pay these taxes in grain!”

Hearing this, the villagers fell silent, all eyes fixed on Zhou Lizheng.

Swallowing hard, Zhou Lizheng announced, “His Majesty has decreed a personal campaign to reclaim lost honor. He’s calling for soldiers from all over the nation.”

Suddenly, someone hurled a clump of dirt at Zhou Lizheng!

“What kind of solution is this? Are you sending us to our deaths?”

As the crowd’s anger surged, Zhou Lizheng, wiping dirt from his face, quickly added, “Families providing volunteers for the army, especially those who serve on the front lines, will be exempt from this year's taxes and labor obligations!”

While some villagers hesitated, others continued to hurl clumps of earth at Zhou Lizheng. Shielding his face, he left a notice about the assembly on the third day of the second month and the grain tax due by the tenth, before making a hasty and embarrassed retreat from the village.

The villagers, still gathered at the drying ground, hadn’t dispersed when a girl burst into the village, crying out, “Sister, Chunhua, sister! Our father broke his leg! He broke it!”

Chunhua, a woman from a neighboring village who had married into Shili Village, was initially crying on the ground with her mother-in-law. Hearing her younger sister's cries, she sprang up in alarm: “Huahua, what are you saying? How could father’s leg be broken? He was fine!”

The younger sister, named Huahua, was inconsolable: “He chopped it off himself… hurry, we need to go back and see.”

Her sobs choked her words.

The two villages were close, and Huahua was about to take Chunhua back home. Suddenly, Zhou Lizheng grasped something and stopped them: "Child, explain clearly, how did he end up cutting off his own leg?"

Chunhua, equally eager to understand, urged her sister to speak quickly.

Sobbing uncontrollably, Huahua managed to say, "They say if you break your leg, you don’t have to pay taxes or serve labor anymore. I think my brother also wants to do it to himself."

Zhou Lizheng seemed to be struggling for breath at this revelation.

Someone in the crowd also realized the implication: "Indeed, it’s not about being handicapped, it’s about being 'fortunate hands and feet.'"

"Fortunate hands and feet, yes, fortunate hands and feet," echoed another person.

Laughing amidst tears, Zhou Lai’zi, a tall and sturdy man, repeated these words with a mixture of sorrow and irony. Seeing this, Sang Luo felt a chill, sensing the despair and absurdity of the situation.

Zhou Lai’zi then returned home, taking along his eldest and second sons, as well as his frail wife.

The founding emperor of Daqian was renowned for his benevolence, enacting policies beneficial to the country and its people. Among these was the exemption of disabled persons from paying taxes and serving labor, leading to the ironic term "fortunate hands and feet" used among the disabled with a sense of pride.

Sensing trouble, Sang Luo pulled on Shen Lai's sleeve, "Let's follow them. I'm afraid Uncle Zhou might be contemplating self-harm."

The very thought of someone deliberately maiming their limbs, risking blood loss and infection, both of which could be fatal, was horrifying.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Shen Lai and Sang Luo hurried towards Zhou Lai'zi’s house.

……

Upon returning to their halfway-up-the-mountain courtyard, people from several households who stayed behind gathered around, including Lu Erlang and Lu Sanlang, who had been hiding in the back courtyard of Shen’s house in recent days.

"What do we do now?"

Paying taxes was out of the question. Not only did they lack the grain to pay, but even if they had it, handing it over in these times of high grain prices and turbulent conditions would be like surrendering their lives.

They had been preparing to flee, but when the moment of departure actually arrived, an unsettling fear of the unknown future was unavoidable.

Shen Lie spoke decisively, "Da Shan and the others must have almost finished transporting the second batch of grain. We can't delay any longer. Keep things quiet outside, but prepare diligently within. Pack up after dark and leave before dawn."

Indeed, if they delayed further, would they just wait for the officials to come and forcibly recruit them?

Lu’s family had moved their grain to the first hidden cache half a month ago. They couldn’t go to the second one, so after helping others move some essential household items to the first cache, they were done.

Except for Lu Erlang and Lu Sanlang, who were of higher combat value and stayed at Shen Lie's courtyard to guard the villagers, the rest of Lu’s family involved in transporting the grain were now at the first cache, guarding it with Shi Da.

To ensure everyone’s safe departure, the true protectors were Shen Lie, Lu Erlang, and maybe Lu Sanlang. The women and teenagers had also been practicing these past days; they wouldn’t be a burden in an emergency. Hence, leaving overnight was feasible.

Everyone seemed to know what needed to be done; Shen Lie's directive gave them the confirmation needed, and soon everyone dispersed to prepare.

The Lu brothers went to the backyard to make bamboo arrows, while Shen Lie and Sang Luo, with the young Shen An and Shen Ning, bolted the front gate from inside and started packing.

Most valuables were already transported by the Lu family. Now, they only needed to pack daily essentials, the most valuable of which were some remaining grains, needles, fabrics, bedding, and pillows. Also, some oil, salt, soy sauce, pottery pots, steamers, and wooden barrels in the kitchen.

Efficient packing was key, distributed among four people. Shen Lie and Sang Luo would carry loads on poles, while Shen An and Shen Ning would carry backpacks. Discarding some items, they managed to pack almost everything.

“Sister-in-law, what about our chickens, ducks, and geese?”

Geese were excellent for guarding the house, and the chickens were laying eggs; even the ducks would soon start. Having not slaughtered any for New Year, Shen Ning felt deeply pained at the thought of leaving his carefully raised poultry behind.

Sang Luo, having previously inquired about the situation in Shen Lie's gorge, shook her head and said, “We’ll have to kill the geese and the rooster. They make too much noise, and we’re fleeing for safety. Although it’s deep enough that people might not venture in, it’s safer not to keep them. The hens and ducks can stay for their eggs.”

"Surrounding the gorges, the mountains are exceedingly tall and vast. As long as there's no rooster crowing or geese honking – those loud disturbances – keeping just the hens and ducks is fine. Their noises won’t be heard even from the mountain tops."

Shen Ning, understanding the situation, accepted the inevitable loss of the three geese and the rooster. Wiping his eyes, he went to boil water.

Sang Luo didn’t want to burden him further, so she and Shen Lie took the task of slaughtering the birds to the backyard for discretion.

While Shen Lie was busy with the task, he seemed distracted. Sang Luo, noticing his preoccupation, presumed he was worried about the Shen Gold brothers. She sighed, "If you have any final instructions, go out and give them. Just be careful not to reveal anything, we don’t want your uncle and aunt to ruin our plans at the last moment."

Shen Lie, slightly embarrassed, nodded in agreement, "I’ll step out for a bit."

He called Shen An to join him.

……

When Shen Gold heard the cuckoo's call outside thrice, he took the chance to sneak out and headed towards the mountains, where he unexpectedly found not only Shen An but also his eldest cousin.

His eyes lit up, "Big brother!"

He admired his eldest cousin immensely, wishing he could follow him around all day.

Shen Lie’s expression was complex as he asked, "Shen An mentioned there’s more arguing at home. What’s it about this time?"

He had his suspicions; with military conscription impending, and without him as the easy scapegoat, he wondered what tactic his uncle would try this time.

Shen Gold stiffened, then sheepishly, unsure of what to say.

Having spent so much time under Shen Lie's guidance, Shen Gold didn’t hide anything and finally said, "It's about military conscription. Dad wants to pawn a pair of gold bracelets to pay for exemption, but Mom disagrees. She says we might need them in case of emergencies or to barter for grain."

Gold bracelets – Shen Lie’s face showed a trace of scorn.

Shen San couldn’t have earned gold bracelets; Shen Lie knew of a heavy pair that belonged to his grandmother, said to be her dowry. However, according to his so-called 'benevolent uncle,' they were lost during the turmoil of relocating.

"Turns out, the bracelets were hidden in their personal stash all along."

"Back then, having me, their dispensable nephew, they deemed the bracelets more valuable than my worthless life, so they sent me off instead."

"Now that it's Shen San's turn, his life suddenly holds value, and he's willing to part with the gold bracelets."

The coldness and scorn on Shen Lie’s face made Shen Gold gradually lower his head. At nine, he wasn’t ignorant and knew that mentioning this would only deepen his elder cousin's disdain for their family.

However, Shen Lie didn’t grow more resentful; his loathing for the third branch was already at its peak. He suppressed any impulse to blame his younger cousins, exhaled deeply, and patted Shen Gold, asking, "You're aware of the issues with refugees around here, aren't you?"

Shen Gold nodded, "I know."

"Many have been settled, but more keep arriving. There's ongoing unrest."

Shen Lie then asked, "Have you remembered the strategies I taught you for dealing with refugee attacks on the village?"

Puzzled by his cousin's question but obedient, Shen Gold nodded again, "I've remembered."

"Good. Come with me into the mountains for a bit."

"Shen Jin didn’t question the purpose of going into the mountains. Over the past month, his elder cousin often took him and little An into the woods. He just followed along."

"Shen Lian led the two youngsters deep into the forest, through twists and turns, to a rarely trodden area. He uncovered a bush revealing a patch of soil with a large rock embedded in it."

"To Shen Jin’s surprise, his cousin embraced the rock and with a few movements, loosened and lifted it out."

"Once the rock was removed, there was a hole as big as the mouth of a pottery jar."

"‘Big brother, what is this? A rabbit hole? Why block it with a stone?’ Shen Jin asked, puzzled."

"Shen Lian barely smiled, 'Crawl in and see.'"

"Bewildered, Shen Jin bent down to enter headfirst, but Shen Lian stopped him, 'Use your hands to support yourself at the entrance and go in feet first.'"

Shen Lie also listened to advice and, changing his plans, tried entering the cave. He trusted his elder brother, who wouldn't lead him into harm; if he was told to crawl in, there surely wouldn't be anything frightening inside.

He cautiously descended into the pitch-black hole, expecting it to be shallow, but it took a while before his feet touched the ground. Following Shen Lie's timely reminders, Shen Jin carefully descended and, once accustomed to the darkness, realized it wasn’t just some rabbit hole. It was deeper and, at first, so narrow he could only carefully slide down, but it widened at the bottom, large enough to hide several of him.

He explored a small area inside and found a jar with a lid in a corner, obviously prepared by someone. Feeling around, he touched something else – a slingshot!

Shen Jin almost jumped with excitement. Climbing out using the small steps inside the hole, he poked his head out, eyes sparkling as he looked at Shen Lie: "Big brother, it's so big inside! There’s a small jar and a slingshot!"

He was both excited and trying to keep his voice down.

"Alright, come up."

Without lending a hand, confirming that Shen Jin could climb out by himself, Shen Lie then carefully blocked the entrance with stones and covered it with bushes.

"This isn't a rabbit hole. Xiao An and I dug it. If refugees really enter the village, this place can hide people. You and your siblings can all fit inside."

Shen Jin: "???"

At first confused, then overjoyed: "Is this a hiding place that Big Brother and Xiao An made for me, Xiao Yin, Xiao Tie, and Tian Ya? And is that slingshot for me too?"

Shen Lie nodded: "Right, that's why this place must be kept secret. Whenever you can, stash some food in here and regularly replace it with fresh supplies."

Shen Jin, curious: "Big Brother, do you have a hideout like this too?"

Shen Lie looked at him, fell silent for a moment, and then said, "We will have one."

Understanding his meaning as not yet dug, Shen Jin was deeply touched and asked, "Big Brother, do you need my help? I'm small, so it's easy for me to crawl in and dig. Also, why didn’t you call me when you and Xiao An were digging this one? It would have been faster with an extra person."

Shen An: "..."

He knew his family was about to leave. This trip out, seeing Shen Jin, he always felt a reluctance to part, his eyes slightly teary. Earlier, he had avoided making eye contact with Shen Jin, but now he felt a bit better and interrupted his older brother, saying, "We had to dig our own hideout, and it wasn't right to let you know about it. Otherwise, wouldn't it defeat the purpose if your parents found out?"

Shen Gold, well aware of his parents’ difficult nature, replied with a hint of embarrassment, “I won’t tell anyone. I’ve never shared anything with my family so far. Don’t you trust me?” His voice conveyed a touch of hurt.

He felt somewhat wronged.

Shen An scoffed, “You’d better keep it to yourself. We dug this hole for you, not to mention it to anyone. See, it’s just big enough for you, Xiao Gold, Xiao Silver, and Tian Ya. Our family has severed ties with your parents; this hole wasn’t dug for them. If you want to protect them, you'll need to find another spot and dig a bigger hole quietly.”

Shen An's voice softened, and his eyes welled up, nearly bringing him to tears. He bent his head to tend to the bushes, hiding his emotions from Shen Gold. While working, he suggested, “Better dig a few more holes, stash some food and water in each. If refugees storm the village, you might not have a chance to reach this one. Store what our brother taught us – food that can last long and be eaten without cooking, just with water.”

Having cooked for himself for a couple of months and trained by Shen Lie, Shen Gold felt confident about sneaking out some food. He took the lesson seriously, inquiring about suitable digging spots and the stability of the holes.

Shen Lie patiently answered all his questions.

As they reached the mountain path's fork, with a choked voice, Shen Lie acknowledged their diverging paths.

Crouching down, Shen Lie affectionately ruffled Shen Gold’s hair, gazing at his cousin whom he had carried and cared for since childhood. “That’s it between your father and me,” he said solemnly. “Some things you kids shouldn't know. I hope you don't hold it against me. Practice the skills I taught you well. Knowing how to hunt means you can survive in the wild. Except for severe droughts or epidemics, you should be able to make it through with these mountains.”

“Yes!” Shen Gold nodded vigorously. “Big brother, is that slingshot really for me? Do I have one like Shen An now?”

Shen Lie confirmed with a nod, “It's yours. Practice quietly in the mountains, but don’t bring it home.”

“Thank you, big brother, thank you, Xiao An,” Shen Gold beamed, his eyes curving into crescents. The Shen family members were generally good-looking, and Shen Gold was no exception. His sweet, charming smile was especially endearing.

Feeling a tightness in his chest, Shen Lie forced a smile and patted Shen Gold’s back. “You should head back, or your parents will start looking for you.”

Shen Gold pouted, “They’re too busy arguing to look for me. Who knows how long they'll keep at it.”

Still, Shen Gold waved at Shen Lie and called out to Shen An, "Remember to take me with you when you practice slingshot in the mountains tomorrow. I have one now too."

Shen An, finding it difficult to meet his eyes, just nodded silently, head lowered.

As soon as Shen Gold turned away, Shen An's tears began to fall, streaming down his face. He silently wiped them away, sobbing without a sound.

When Shen Gold was far enough away, Shen An looked up and asked Shen Lie in a soft voice, "Big brother, are we really going to leave Xiao Gold like this?"

Shen Lie, also pained by the situation, patted his brother's head, "If Chen Grandpa and Grandma said they don't trust me and your sister-in-law and wanted to take you and Ning away secretly, would you go with them?"

Shen An shook his head without hesitation, "We'd stay with you and sister-in-law."

Realizing the implication, Shen An wiped his tears, "I understand now, big brother."

As bad as their third uncle and aunt might be, they are still Xiao Gold and Xiao Silver's parents. They might treat him, Ning, and their big brother poorly, but they still cherish their own children, especially their aunt.

Just as he would instinctively choose his big brother and sister-in-law, Shen Gold and the others would naturally choose their own parents.

Seeing Shen An come to terms with it, Shen Lie started walking back with him, reassuringly saying, "Don't worry. We've taught them so much. Unless they're directly in a den of rebels, and as long as their luck isn't terribly bad, they should be able to hide through the initial chaos. They should be okay after that."

It will be a harder life, though, likely similar to what Shen An and Ning experienced. If their food gets stolen, they'll probably have to survive on roots and wild greens, maybe even worse. At least An and Ning didn't have to be overly cautious during peaceful times while hiding in the burrows.

But these concerns were no longer within his scope as a cousin, tied by some lingering sentiment. If their third uncle and aunt, living by the same mountains, can't even ensure a morsel of food for their own children, then they'd be failing as parents.