Chapter 63: 63

Chapter 63: 63

◎ Stockpiling (III) ◎

The Forking Forest is rather secluded, and usually, no one ventures this way at night.

The leaves rustled in the wind as the forest on the back mountain echoed with the shrill, unpleasant cries of unknown birds. The shopkeeper found himself bound to a large tree with a rope some young lad had procured from somewhere. Behind him stretched the dark expanse of the woods, while before him, his assistants bustled about, hastily examining the grains. The dozen or so toughs had been thoroughly intimidated by Dahu, who brandished a massive blade, ordering them to carry the newly harvested rice, sorted from the carts, to a designated spot where two sullen youths stood with their arms crossed, watching their every move with cold, unforgiving eyes.

Gazing at the towering figures of the enforcers, the boys, who were usually occupied with either emptying chamber pots at night or scavenging for odd jobs around town, with their backs bent almost to the ground, were seized by an overwhelming fear. But the eldest brother had instructed that no matter how terrified they felt, they mustn't show it; they needed to project an air of confidence, even if they didn't understand what that entailed. If all else failed, they should wear their most discontented expression, or simply keep a stern face, refraining from any smiles, especially not servile ones. Under no circumstances were they to bow, for tonight, they must stand tall and straight!

Bowing and scraping were ingrained in their bones, but for the first time, they found themselves in a position of being "feared" by others. In the past, they had always kept quiet, working tirelessly, hoping only to avoid the whip of the supervisor.

For the first time, they held the "whip" in their hands.

In the silence of the night, only the wind whispered; not a single person dared to speak. The plump shopkeeper, tied to the tree, trembled with fear, cold sweat drenching his body. A damp stain spread from his crotch, and the stench of urine carried far.

The enforcers moved the grain in silence, while the assistants, with ashen faces, meticulously sorted out the moldy, old, and rotten grains, piling them up into a heap of nearly forty or fifty bags.

Wei Dahu's expression grew colder with each additional bag of spoiled grain.

A sack of grain weighed two hundred catties; fifty sacks would total ten thousand catties. Thirty taels of silver could only buy roughly thirty thousand catties of grain, and yet he was expected to mix in one-third bad grain! And this wasn't even the end of it!

The more grain bags that were thrown out, the more indignant Wei Dahu became. He raised his broadsword and slashed open the nearest sack. Even though it was dark and hard to see, the stench of damp mold was undeniable. What was the point of eating this? He grabbed a handful of moldy grain and walked straight up to the plump manager, stuffing it into the man's mouth without a word. "Your Wangji Rice Shop is quite skilled at business. You expect me to pay thirty taels for only fifteen taels worth of edible rice, right?"

There wasn't a hint of a smile on Wei Dahu's face. His features were sharp and stern, and when he glared fiercely, not only did the manager who was forced to eat the rotten grain shudder, but even the brothers Doggy and the others, whom he had hired with a tael of silver each, felt a chill run down their spines.

Wei Dahu lost his patience. He lifted his broadsword to the manager's throat and pulled out the thirty taels from his pocket, forcing the silver into the man's chest while sneering. "Tonight, you've accepted my money. If you don't honestly deliver the grain I want, then for every missing sack, you'll pay with a human head!"

"Cough, cough, cough." The plump manager tried to spit out the grain, but the more he struggled, the more he swallowed. The unthreshed grains scratched his throat, making him choke until tears welled up in his eyes. With bloodshot eyes, he looked at Wei Dahu, humiliated yet still couldn't resist threatening him. "Don't you fear that I'll report you to the authorities?"

"Haha, report me?" Wei Dahu was now furious. He'd expected some dishonesty, but not to this extent. He smacked the man's face with the back of his blade, then pointed the sharp edge at him, sneering. "If I feared officials, would I dare to become a bandit in the mountains?"

"What? A bandit? Aren't you a hunter???"

Wei Dahu fabricated a story. "Do you really think my dear mother gave birth to more than a dozen brothers and over thirty nephews? Our Green Mountain stronghold has hundreds of people. Would we be afraid of a few soldiers?"

Hundreds of people?? He hadn't heard about any nearby mountains having bandits, let alone ones with hundreds of members. When did Jinghe Town become a den of bandits?

"Otherwise, why would I need so much grain if it's just my family of three? A joke, I'm not a bottomless pit who needs to eat three pounds of rice in one meal!" Wei Dahu smacked the man's face with his sword, impatiently stating, "Since you've taken my silver, you must deliver every grain without shortage. I'll give you one hour. If I don't see the grain by then, I'll chop off your head and hang it on a branch. By dawn, the birds will come to peck at it."

The plump shopkeeper was terrified once more, and Wei Dahu, with his acute sense of smell, instantly detected the stench of urine. He wrinkled his nose in disgust and stepped back, twirling the blade in his hand as he spoke in a deep voice. "We bandits who ventured into the mountains have blood on our hands. Our leader didn't want any conflict with Wang's Grain Shop, so he sent me down to buy grain. But who would've thought that some people wouldn't appreciate his goodwill? Since you were the one who started this by acting dishonorably, I suppose it's understandable if I were to do something drastic out of impulse. Do you agree, Shopkeeper Zhou?"

The plump shopkeeper trembled, nodding frantically. He wasn't an idiot; he realized that the bandit was threatening him. He wasn't a native of Dinghe Town and had no way of knowing if there really were bandits lurking in these mountainous, remote areas. Didn't they say that desperate times breed ruthless people? His sister had given birth to the only son of the master, and when his nephew grew up to inherit the vast estate, he, as the child's uncle, would live a life of luxury. Why would he want to meet his end here?

Forget 30,000 catties of rice, even if they demanded 100,000 catties, it would be nothing compared to his own life!

"I, I'll call for the workers to fetch the, the rice immediately! Hero, great, great hero, please wait just a moment, a moment..." The plump shopkeeper was genuinely frightened. He had urinated twice from fear, and his pants clung damply to his thighs, sending chills through his body.

Wei Dahu snorted coldly, lifting his head. Brother Dog immediately dragged two assistants over. Wei Dahu stood aside, holding his large blade, not bothering to look at them. He gazed into the darkness, his expression inscrutable.

The more he acted like this, the more frightened the plump shopkeeper became. The silver in his chest felt like a knife, reminding him of the day he had carried the wolf king's corpse through the streets. In his terror, the wolf transformed into his own image, with the bandit parading his corpse around for all to see. The townsfolk pointed and whispered, and the shopkeeper shuddered, coming back to his senses. Chattering his teeth, he stammered to the assistants standing before him, "Take the seal from my neck. Fetch the rice from the granary immediately, without delay, and don't even think about running!"

The two assistants' eyes darted nervously, and the plump shopkeeper glared fiercely at them. "I know where each of you lives. If you dare run, forget about whether the bandit will get angry and kill your entire family, even if I'm left unharmed, do you really think you can escape?" He was afraid that the assistants might secretly flee out of fear, leaving him unable to deliver the grain on time. If the bandit got angry, he might really cut off his head and hang it on a tree to feed the birds.

That was a real, honest-to-goodness broadsword! Not something a mere hunter could obtain. There must be someone backing this man! This was why the plump shopkeeper was scared. If it were just a hunter, he wouldn't be so frightened, but he didn't want to provoke a local tyrant, even if it wasn't the Dragon King himself! He had come to Dinghe Town to court Qingmei, not to risk his life!

The assistants, trembling, removed the seal from his neck. Their teeth chattered as they promised, "Shopkeeper, don't worry. We won't run."

The plump shopkeeper gave them a long, hard look. "Before you run, think about your aging parents and, if you're married, your young wife and children. Would you rather die alone or drag your entire family down with you?"

The assistants trembled in fear.

"Stop dawdling! You have only two hours. When the time is up, I'll be counting heads!" Wei Dahu said coldly from the side.

"One of us should call for help to push the carts," one of the assistants ventured cautiously.

"Fine, choose whoever you want." Wei Dahu looked at them with a half-smile, seemingly unconcerned about their escape.

The more he acted this way, the more frightened the assistants became. Not only were they intimidated by the shopkeeper's threats, but even if he let them go now, they wouldn't dare leave. As long as the shopkeeper was in their hands, they couldn't run away; otherwise, their entire families would pay the price. They knew that the shopkeeper's younger sister was the favorite concubine of the city lord, who had given birth to a precious son. In the eyes of major grain merchants, their two modest grain shops in Jinghe Town were nothing but mere drops of rain. How could a few thousand kilograms of grain compare to the shopkeeper's own brother-in-law? If his sister whispered a word into her husband's ear, they wouldn't be able to escape their fate. Therefore, they dared not run.

The assistants were responsible for transporting the grain, while the dozen or so henchmen continued grunting as they carried the grain up the mountain. It wasn't because they were obedient but because any slightest movement from them would trigger a threatening gesture from their companions. As long as they kept moving the goods, the henchmen remained passive. Although they were bullies, they only showed off their strength in front of ordinary people. When faced with real bandits, they immediately became submissive and did whatever they were told, as long as no knives were placed on their necks.

Doggy's brothers spent the night in a daze. Their faces were smudged with black ash, ensuring that no one could recognize them under the cover of darkness. Following the kind stranger's advice, they remained silent and simply stood by with their knives, intimidating others. The dozen or so brothers split into three groups: one watched the tied-up shopkeeper, another group stood guard at the fork in the woods, and the last accompanied the henchmen up the mountain, where the grain was stored. Earlier, the kind stranger had led them there once. It was dark, and they had relied on their sense of touch, unable to see their surroundings clearly.

Now, they knew that the bags contained grain, and it was impossible not to be tempted. Grain – they had never seen such a vast amount in their lives. From their eavesdropping on the conversation between the kind stranger and the plump shopkeeper, there were over thirty thousand kilograms!

Of course, that was after discarding the pile of stale grains, broken rice, and rotten kernels. But even then, it still amounted to nearly twenty thousand pounds!

If they had such a stockpile, not only would they avoid starvation this winter, but they'd be secure for the next two years as well.

However, despite their thoughts, none of them dared to entertain the notion of seizing the grain for themselves. Not even Doggy, who held a large blade in his hand, entertained the idea of robbing them. What did their numbers matter when faced with that towering giant? He seemed as formidable as a mountain, and he wasn't afraid to threaten even the head merchant with death. Would he show any fear towards them?

If anything were to happen to them, their grandmothers and younger siblings back home might truly struggle to survive the winter.

The enforcers transported the grain in silence, their labored breathing the only sound piercing the dark night.

In the oppressive atmosphere, the plump shopkeeper dared not even breathe too loudly. His heart beat faster and faster as the deadline of one hour approached, and still, his assistants had not returned with the grain.

He stole a glance at the tall bandit standing not far away, clutching his blade, and silently prayed in his heart that those fools wouldn't do anything foolish, let alone report to the authorities. All he wanted right now was to get the grain delivered promptly so they could conclude their transaction—"money for goods," settled in full. The thirty taels of silver in his bosom felt scorching hot against his skin; compared to his life, what were thirty taels of silver, really?

By all means, avoid unnecessary complications, by all means...

If they dared to report to the authorities or summon reinforcements to wipe out these bandits, he couldn't predict others' fate, but these bandits would certainly sever his head before fleeing!

The plump shopkeeper had his eyes closed, drenched in sweat from head to toe. He seemed as if he had just been immersed in a river, with an unpleasant mixture of urine odor and stinging body odor lingering in the air.

As the last sack of grain was carried into the mountains, the surroundings grew eerily quiet. The plump shopkeeper's legs trembled violently; if not for being bound, he would have curled up into a ball, shivering with fear.

In this suffocating atmosphere, the familiar sound of wheels echoed from afar. The plump shopkeeper abruptly opened his eyes, a glimmer of hope flickering in them as he eagerly craned his neck to look in the direction they had come. However, his night vision wasn't great, and all he could see was the pitch-black darkness. It was Wei Dahu who finally moved, heading towards the fork in the road where the woods began. Leading the group was the same apprentice who had asked him about the men earlier.

The exhausted group arrived, drenched in sweat. Upon seeing Wei Dahu, their legs turned to jelly, and they collapsed on the ground. Fortunately, they had made it just in time. Who knew what they had gone through on their journey? Some had tried to escape, but he had beaten them and coerced them back into compliance. Rushing to the granary, they were lucky that it wasn't too far away. With the shopkeeper's token, the guards didn't give them trouble, aware that they had previously stuffed it with spoiled grain. Now, their hasty return to fetch new supplies surely meant they had encountered a formidable opponent.

Since they had the shopkeeper's token, any issues that arose wouldn't be their fault. They could carry on as instructed.

Wei Dahu inspected the grain, his face breaking into a smile as his hand delved into a sack. This was the right texture. If they had been honest from the start, none of these complications would have arisen, wasting his time.

Smiling at Dog Brother, he nodded. Dog Brother then kicked one of the resting enforcers, growling in a low voice, "Sitting around? Get up and carry the grain! Slack off, and you'll lose your heads!"

The enforcers dared not complain, getting up to continue their task. The plump shopkeeper watched Wei Dahu hopefully, stammering, "T-they brought the grain, so can you let me go now?"

Wei Dahu ignored him. Dog Brother had a sudden idea, instructing his comrades to drag the collapsed apprentices up the mountain. Ignoring the panicked expressions of the apprentices, the waiting young men sprang into action, seizing the ropes securing the grain on the carts like herding chicks, hoisting them up, and tying them to trees three to a trunk. Then, they stuffed handfuls of leaves into their mouths.

The enforcers, still carrying the grain, stumbled in fear. Before they could react, they received a kick in their buttocks. Dog Brother and his brothers also lifted their loads, bellowing fiercely, "Hurry up, or I'll chop off your legs!"

Confused and terrified, the enforcers couldn't understand what was happening. They had delivered the new grain, and they were promised release. Why were they being tied to trees now? Were they planning to renege on their word and kill them?

The group was terrified, their bodies drenched in cold sweat, yet they dared not resist, each fearful of becoming the scapegoat, the one upon whom the knife would fall. It took several rounds of this harrowing task before all the grain was finally carried up.

At midnight, the hour often featured in tales of the supernatural, the forest grew even darker, obscuring their path. They dropped the sacks filled with grain onto the ground; those with better night vision could discern nearly two hundred such bags piled up.

With the final sack of grain hoisted up, the hired thugs were coerced down the mountain. Around the plump shopkeeper and his assistants, a tree was shared by three men, all bound and with their mouths stuffed with leaves.

Seeing the two men immediately leave them to enter the mountains without a word, the plump shopkeeper tilted his head and tried to speak amidst his muffled cries, but his bound limbs wouldn't budge. As he struggled, the thirty taels of silver in his embrace fell out. Upon seeing this, he kicked wildly with his legs, attempting to make some noise. He wanted to say that he didn't want the thirty taels of silver, nor would he report them to the authorities; all he wanted was for them to release him!

No matter how he stomped about, all he could hear was the swish of the wind, rustling through the leaves, intertwined with the eerie cries of birds deep in the mountains, sending shivers down their spines and beads of sweat rolling down their backs.

Departed, just like that? They left them behind? ?

Wei Dahu led his fellow brothers, the Dog Sons, to the granary. The group of sturdy young men silently lifted the grain sacks and, in silence, followed closely behind Wei Dahu as they ventured deeper into the woods.

Silence enveloped the surroundings, with only the distinct crunch of footsteps on leaves audible.

Huffing and puffing, the young men, burdened with two hundred jin of grain, were panting from exhaustion, yet no one complained of fatigue, nor did anyone speak. They were like ants moving their home before a storm, forming a long line for the family's migration.

Uncertain of their destination or how much longer it would take to reach it, Wei Dahu led them through a labyrinth of twists and turns. It could have been a quarter of an hour, perhaps even longer, before they finally halted at an open, level area.

Wei Dahu dropped the two bags of grain from his shoulders and glanced at his father, who stood nearby, clutching a large blade. Addressing the group behind him, he said, "Leave them here. Hurry up and carry the rest up. Once we're done with the last bag, I'll lead you down the mountain and give you your pay."

The eldest Doggy also noticed Old Wei. Despite being an elder, there was something about him that made the young man hesitant to meet his gaze. He seemed like a weary old wolf, appearing vulnerable but hiding a lifetime of turmoil in his aged eyes.

They silently dropped the grain bags on the ground and followed Wei Dahu down the mountain to continue their labor. In silence, they made several trips back and forth, their hands trembling and legs weakening. This journey was far more arduous than the one the hired hands had taken into the mountains. Indeed, there was no easy money in this world.

When the last bag of grain was carried up, Wei Dahu pulled out a tael of silver and handed it to Eldest Doggy. Under the cover of darkness, he sized up the silent young man, not missing the initial agitation that had flashed across their faces when they realized the bags contained grain. However, they had ultimately suppressed their impulses, which pleased Wei Dahu, so he gave them their payment promptly.

Eldest Doggy received the silver, gripping it tightly. A hint of excitement couldn't be concealed on his face. He had been worried that Wei Dahu might turn on them after they were no longer needed, especially since he had that big blade. Even if he killed them all and buried them in the forest, nobody would know or seek justice for them. They were orphans, having survived as children by begging and doing menial labor as adults. Their only concern was their siblings, other abandoned orphans living in the courtyard, who relied on them.

Their lives were worth little.

As Wei Dahu led them down the mountain, he broke his silence. "Not all the old grain and broken rice in the valley is spoiled. Some of it is still edible. If you want it, feel free to pick it out and take some back." He had paid for quality grain, and his workers, now frightened, had meticulously sorted out any imperfections. Some of it was indeed still good, likely from the previous year or two, and he assumed they wouldn't mind.

Upon hearing this, Eldest Doggy's eyes lit up. The silent youths following behind also couldn't resist asking, "Really? We can really just take what we want?"

"I've checked, quite a bit of it is still good to eat!"

"Mold or not, it doesn't matter. We'll clean it up when we get home. It's better than going hungry!"

"Abandon the moldy ones; who knows if they'll cause poisoning if consumed. Take whatever else is edible, as much as you can carry. But remember, burn the remaining spoiled grain before dawn, and make sure none of those people catch sight of your faces," Wei Dahu instructed.

"Thank you so much! You truly are a kind-hearted and generous person, Doggie didn't misjudge you!" exclaimed the youth walking in the middle, his voice brimming with excitement. "I often venture into the mountains to gather firewood, and I know of a cave where no one but me can find it. We can take advantage of the remaining daylight to hide all the still-edible old grains in that cave. Then, we can fetch some each day, little by little, and in this way, it won't draw attention!"

Upon hearing him finish, Wei Dahu smiled and nodded in praise. "You're very clever."

The boy's face flushed at the praise. Clenching his fists, his heart pounded rapidly. How could they disdain old grain? As Third Brother had said, even moldy food was edible if it could fill their bellies! However, he was willing to listen to the kind man's advice. He also feared that eating moldy grain would make them sick, and they couldn't afford treatment. Since there were still many unspoiled bits of old grain and rice, they would separate them out. They wouldn't go hungry this winter!

The silver they earned could take Grandma to the physician for medicine and also provide winter clothing for their younger siblings. With such thoughts in mind, the dozen brothers chattered animatedly, feeling no exhaustion. They eagerly longed to rush down the mountain to gather and store grains!

Upon nearing the foot of the mountain, Wei Dahu paused and turned to Doggy Brother, who was walking behind him. "Has there been an increase in ruffians in our town lately?"

Doggy Brother nodded, unsure why Wei Dahu asked this question. Nevertheless, he replied, "I'm not sure what's going on, but there has indeed been a sudden surge in troublemaking ruffians lately. They wander around the streets all day, harassing young girls and wives, and extorting protection fees from vendors. If the vendors refuse, they refuse to leave, disrupting business."

"A rise in pickpockets too," mumbled a youth.

"There was even a death at the gambling den, and nobody cared. It was just a waste," said the youth who had mentioned hiding the grain. "I saw it with my own eyes when delivering firewood to a family next to the casino. The man was beaten to death, apparently for failing to pay his gambling debts. He was a widower with no children to sell. He'd lost all his farmland through gambling, so when he couldn't repay, the casino manager had him beaten to death. They just wrapped him up in a mat and called it a day." Recalling the incident still filled him with horror, as he had witnessed the brutal killing with his own eyes. In broad daylight, a life was taken so casually, despite the possibility of seeking justice through the authorities. How could anyone be beaten to death like that?

Wei Dahu fell silent for a moment before he said, "Be on your guard these days. There was a murder in Ping'an Town as well. It was reported to the authorities, but the county magistrate hasn't taken any action."

Noticing the unusual tone in Wei Dahu's voice, Doggy Brother One felt a chill run down his spine. The gust of wind that blew across them after their arduous journey up and down the mountain carrying grain had left them shivering in the cold.

"Tell Doggy not to beg on the streets anymore. It's getting cold. He should stay at home."

...

Wei Dahu accompanied them halfway up the mountain, watching as they took a detour to avoid the bound group around the fat shopkeeper, then hurriedly descended to sort through and carry away whatever edible old grain and broken rice they could find.

Wei Dahu didn't pay attention to how much they managed to carry. After one last glance at the bound shopkeeper, his assistants, and enforcers, he turned and swiftly made his way back up the mountain.

This night was destined to be restless and busy.

The Doggy brothers practically moved all the old grain into the cave, leaving behind only a dozen damp, moldy bags that were completely spoiled. It took several trips back and forth by more than ten of them to empty the cache before dawn. Just as the sky began to show the first signs of light, they set a massive fire, burning the rotten grain in the forked path's woods to ashes.

The early morning flames drew the attention of passersby. Some approached, hearing noises coming from the forest. Curious onlookers followed the sounds and stumbled upon the group bound to the trees.

After spending the entire night shivering in fear, the unconscious fat shopkeeper had already fainted. His enforcers, who had spent the night with leaves stuffed in their mouths, finally managed to spit them out. Seeing people approaching, they cried out desperately in their disheveled state.

"SOS!"

Wei Dahu was unaware of the chaos that ensued in the village below. After sending Doggy and his brothers down the mountain, he hurried back to the grain storage without rest. Old Wei stood guard with his large blade, prepared for any unforeseen circumstances. Of course, everything went smoothly, as Wei Dahu had scouted the area the previous day. This part of the forest was quite deep, even loggers would avoid it, let alone at midnight. Apart from the mythical creatures in storybooks, no one else besides their father-son duo roamed these woods.

A total of thirty-six thousand catties of grain, not a single ounce less.

"Did you manage to deliver them?" asked Old Wei as he straightened up from leaning on the tree trunk, seeing Wei Dahu return alone.

"Mm," Wei Dahu replied without pausing for breath. He bent down, hoisted a bag of grain onto his shoulder. Witnessing this, Old Wei set aside his blade and helped lift the bag onto his son's back. Each bag weighed two hundred catties, so three bags equaled six hundred catties. Wei Dahu didn't even waver under the load. "I left quite a bit of old rice and grains for them down there. Free things shouldn't be wasted. After discarding the rotten grain, what remains should be enough for them to survive the winter."

"Aren't you worried they might harbor ill intentions, following you back into the mountains? They say money and wealth can corrupt people's minds. That's tens of thousands of catties of grain."

"I wouldn't want anyone tailing me. Who could keep up anyway?" Wei Dahu chuckled confidently. While he couldn't boast about it outside, in this deep forest, he was in charge. Making light conversation with his father, he carried the grain and swiftly navigated through the woods, heading towards their old home.

No one in Dinghe Town, or even Changping County, knew these mountain paths better than he did. Even if the plump shopkeeper regained his freedom and led his gang of henchmen to search for him, after carrying grain for half the night, the henchmen would likely get lost amidst the dense forest. Threatened by the hanging sword in the pitch-black night while carrying heavy loads, it was remarkable that they didn't lose their nerve, let alone focus on the path. Even if they remembered the way, it wouldn't matter. The route they took up the mountain was guided by Doggy and his brothers, and the way down was even more convoluted. Wei Dahu had deliberately led them in circles, so how could he not be cautious against potential trackers?

He was prepared for everyone, ensuring they wouldn't find him.

Not to mention that he had been transporting grain all through the latter half of the night, delivering it all to the remote mountain cabin. Even if the plump shopkeeper found Doggie Brothers and they decided to collaborate, they would still need to enter the mountains to locate the stored grains first.

But by the time they reached the spot, the grain would have long since been moved.

Of course, such a scenario was highly unlikely. The old grain and broken rice pieces at the foot of the mountain were like bait. Once Doggie Brothers touched those supplies, they would avoid the plump shopkeeper and his associates in the future. If they were accidentally caught, they would rather die than confess. What's wrong with old grain and broken rice? They were sold at Wang's Grain Shop with clear prices. It was all silver; the brothers had hidden quite a bit, which was worth a considerable amount.

Wei Dahu had spent thirty taels of silver, so he certainly didn't want a single bad grain.

As for Doggie Brothers, they had stumbled upon a pile of old grain tonight, not to mention the one tael of silver Wei Dahu had given them as compensation.

In this one night, Wei Dahu had bought grain and hired people to create an illusion of strength while moving the supplies. He neither gained nor lost.

Doggie Brothers had found a pile of grain for free and earned an extra tael of silver. They had profited greatly.

Only the plump shopkeeper had made a deal for thirty taels of silver worth of grain, but in the end, he had lost almost twenty thousand catties of old, spoiled grain. He had even been threatened with having his head cut off to feed the birds and was left tied up in the mountains to endure a cold night breeze.

What a night of mutual satisfaction it had been.

Wei Dahu didn't dare to rest for a moment. With thirty-six thousand catties of grain, each sack weighing two hundred catties, there were nearly two hundred bags. He could carry three bags at once, requiring sixty trips to transport all the grain back to the remote mountain cabin. Only after hiding all the grain in the cellar would he feel truly secure.

The path through the deep mountains was carved by Wei Dahu himself; even two people walking abreast would have to take turns. As Elder Wei had to stay behind to guard the grain, only Dahu made the arduous journey back and forth, carrying three bags at a time, each weighing a total of six hundred pounds. Despite Dahu's exceptional physical strength, he was drenched in sweat by the end, his clothes, pants, hair, and even his straw sandals soaked through.

Elder Wei was deeply concerned and insisted on swapping places with his son, asking him to hold the knife and rest while he carried two bags at once, albeit at a slower pace. It was still better than Dahu doing it all alone.

In this manner, the father-son duo alternated carrying the grain throughout the night and into the next morning. It wasn't until the sky was brightly lit, with the sun already high in the air, that the vast expanse which once held over thirty thousand pounds of grain was finally emptied.

Carrying nearly two hundred bags, they worked tirelessly for an entire night and morning to move the tens of thousands of pounds of grain to the old courtyard.

Indeed, just the courtyard – their manpower was limited. Their priority was to transport the grain deeper into the mountains as soon as possible, so they rushed against time, unable to directly carry it to the cellar without someone guarding the entrance. Maneuvering the heavy stones each time was a herculean task.

Fortunately, apart from wild beasts, there was not a single person in the depths of the mountains.

Their luck held out, as they encountered no mishaps throughout the night. No wild boars ventured into the old courtyard to root through the grain. When the exhausted pair lifted their last bag with trembling arms, they were greeted by a pile of full grain sacks in the yard.

Over thirty thousand pounds of precious rice, capable of yielding creamy white congee!

When purchasing the grain, Dahu hadn't considered any coarse cereals. Though cheaper, he had thirty taels of silver in his pocket, knowing he could buy tens of thousands of pounds. Why would he settle for anything less when he could afford rice?

In the future, he could eat three catties of rice in one sitting without any beans mixed in. He no longer needed to eat grain and bean meals.

Eating too much bean-rice made squatting in the latrine a challenge.

Wei Dahu rarely felt exhausted, but now he plopped down on a bag of grain, leaning against the firm yet slightly soft bags behind him. Surrounded by grains from all sides, he was engulfed by an abundance of rice. Basking in the mountain breeze and the sunlight on his face, he sighed contentedly.

"How satisfying," he murmured.

From now on, he would eat three catties of rice per meal, thrice a day, totaling nine catties. His father, being older, had a less hearty appetite, so he'd have two catties per meal, thrice a day, amounting to six catties. His wife, with her bird-like stomach, might not even be able to finish one catty in one sitting, but they'd count it as such. Three meals a day would be three catties. Nine catties plus six catties plus three catties...

Wei Dahu counted on his fingers. Six plus three equals nine, and two nines make eighteen. After a good sweat trying to figure it out, he finally understood – eighteen catties!

His family would consume eighteen catties of rice per day. If they got hungry between meals, they could add another, making it twenty catties a day. With a daily consumption of twenty catties, thirty-six thousand catties would last them... His fingers and toes weren't enough for this calculation. Frustrated, Wei Dahu decided to stop counting; they would have enough food to eat for years!

The new harvest could be stored for two or three years. As long as it was kept dry and free from mold, the taste might degrade slightly in the later years. Who knew what the situation would be like outside then? He'd still need to hunt for income and occasionally venture out to check things. If possible, he'd buy more grains, replenishing their stock while consuming it. Even if war broke out, his family wouldn't go hungry.

With these thoughts, Wei Dahu stretched out his arms and lay back, experiencing for the first time the sensation of sleeping on grain. It was truly exhilarating.

There was an abundance, more than they could ever eat.

He lay on the rice sacks with narrowed eyes, and within just a few breaths, his loud snoring filled the air. He had indeed been exhausted that night.

Old Wei didn't disturb him either. Instead of sleeping in the yard, he went inside to rest for a while. To be honest, age had caught up with him; after only a few trips carrying the bags, he was already struggling. How different from his son who single-handedly carried hundreds of pounds of grain back and forth dozens of times.

After a night's work, both father and son dozed off, and now, with their minds at ease, a wave of profound exhaustion washed over them. There wasn't a clean spot on their bodies; their clothes and trousers were drenched in sweat several times over, their straw sandals were broken, their thighs and arms felt weak and shaky, and the shoulders that had carried the grain all night were rubbed raw. The slightest touch of sweat on the wounds made them wince in pain.

They were tired, but their hearts were content.

With this supply of grain, they no longer needed to worry about how the troubled world might change. As long as there was food, people wouldn't starve, and as long as they didn't starve, what else was there to fear? They were hunters, mere peasants, and even in peaceful times, they barely managed to make ends meet. Thus, what happened outside had little relevance to their lives.

Now, they had nothing to worry about. Life would continue as it always had.

"Author's Note"

(Three-in-One)

It's mid-month, seeking Nutrient Solutions~