Chapter 92: Indeed, Ming’er is Heading to the Mountains

Chapter 92: Indeed, Ming'er is Heading to the Mountains

With Taohua pulled into the house by her elder sister-in-law, Fang Qiuyan began to feel reluctant as she saw her two sons. Not daring to let them witness her packing their bedding and clothes, she instructed Duck Egg to take Goose Egg out to play in the courtyard.

The two boys were unaware that their parents would be heading into the mountains the next day to build a house. Thus, they had no suspicions. Goose Egg climbed onto Taohua's lap obediently and greeted her with a sweet voice, "Hello, Auntie. Auntie gave Goose Egg delicious hawthorn berries, and Goose Egg likes Auntie."

Taohua adored his cute demeanor and pinched his cheeks, smiling. "Our Goose Egg is so well-behaved. Auntie also likes you, such a good boy."

Not wanting to be outdone, Duck Egg also nestled on her other knee, wriggling around. "Duck Egg likes Auntie too, the most!'

"Auntie also likes Duck Egg, and you're a good boy too," Taohua said, caressing each of them with one hand, her face blossoming with joy.

Fang Qiuyan watched this scene, torn between laughter and tears. She waved them away, saying, "Off you go, your sweet talk is only because of the hawthorn berries from your aunt. Duck Egg, take your brother to play in the courtyard. Mommy needs to have a private chat with your aunt."

"Okay!" Duck Egg promptly pulled his younger brother by the hand and pushed open the door to exit.

Seeing this, Fang Qiuyan hurriedly closed the door. She wasn't really having a private conversation with Taohua but was secretly packing their belongings. She dared not let her sons catch sight of it, for they would surely pester her about why she was packing clothes. She didn't want to deceive her sons, but she was genuinely afraid of their tears. How could a mother bear to see her children cry? Even the hardest of hearts would soften under such circumstances.

"What do I need to pack? I have no experience with this. Please advise me." Fang Qiuyan had never ventured deep into the mountains before. Although she felt melancholic about leaving her home and son, she was also eager and looking forward to it. Despite the dangers of the wilderness, the thought of the instability that would surely come to Dinghe Town made her feel that the mountains were safer. The mere idea of a war breaking out, with conscription forcing all able-bodied men in her family onto the battlefield, sent shivers down her spine. What was there left to fear? They needed to hurry up and build a shelter in the mountains. Whenever there was any unrest outside, they could immediately retreat into the safety of the mountains.

Now, she wasn't worried about the mountains being too deep; instead, she feared they weren't deep enough!

The deeper, the better! Ideally, even deities wouldn't be able to find them!

Seeing Fang Qiuyan rummaging through her wardrobe, wanting to bring everything along, Taohua quickly stopped her. "The mountain trails are difficult to navigate. We can't carry much. Just bring two sets of thick winter clothes for you and your eldest brother. Nothing lighter, as it's much colder in the mountains than outside. Same for bedding, bring the thickest ones you can find. The old house only has two rooms. One was used by Grandfather when he was alive, with a sturdy bed frame. The other was Father's room when he was young, but the wood is rotten, and the bed frame has been eaten away by insects. It collapsed when I touched it, so I dismantled it for firewood. That room has no usable bed frame. Currently, only one room in the old house is habitable. With so many people going into the mountains this time, we'll have to sleep on the floor."

Sleeping on the floor during summer would be tolerable, but not in winter. Without sufficient bedding, one could freeze to death.

Fang Qiuyan promptly discarded the thin clothes in her hands and dug out two sets of thick winter clothing from the depths of the wardrobe – one for her husband and one for herself. There were no other equally thick clothes. Even one set was more than enough, as they were well-stuffed with cotton. Every member of her family, regardless of age or gender, owned such a set. Her parents hadn't shown favoritism towards anyone.

One set would suffice, as they'd be working during the day. Whether it was cooking in the kitchen or helping to carry logs, thinner clothes allowed for easier movement and work. As long as they kept moving, they wouldn't feel the cold. In this regard, Fang Qiuyan was experienced. Unlike her second sister-in-law, she preferred outdoor work. Even in winter, she'd wield a hoe and inspect the fields. As long as she was active, she wasn't afraid of the cold, even on snowy days.

Therefore, she packed two sets of thick clothes – one for each of them. She also took two slightly thinner sets, stuffed with straw instead of cotton. They wouldn't provide as much warmth, but they were better than nothing. For bedding, she took two thick sets, neither of which was of high quality. Though there were two, they seemed thinner than Taohua's family's single set.

Taohua watched silently without interrupting. Every household had its unique circumstances. She knew that Fang Qiuyan understood what they could afford. These were the thickest mattresses that their branch of the family could offer. In reality, even these mattresses were enviable possessions for many poor families in the village. During winter, most people slept on straw mats, with blankets passed down from their grandparents. No matter how well-maintained, decades of use rendered them stiff and uninvitingly cold.

Clothes, bedding, and shoes – Fang Qiuyan included several pairs of straw sandals and a pair of cotton shoes. The straw sandals were for daily work, easy to wear and replace if damaged. The cotton shoes were to be worn before bed, after bathing. Initially, she didn't plan to bring the cotton shoes, but Taohua insisted, reasoning that while they might be fine for working, it was better to have something thicker to rest in. Frostbite was no joke.

"Fang Qiuyan nodded with a smile. She suffered from frostbite every year, and even duck or goose eggs would freeze. Peasants didn't consider it a big deal – the itchiness would fade after a month in spring. However, she couldn't bear to see Taohua suffer through it, considering her delicate skin. Once you got frostbite once, it would recur annually, causing discomfort despite not being a severe condition.

After packing some personal items for women, as they might need them during their menstrual cycle, which would be inconvenient in the mountains. They had to prepare in advance.

Next came the food and meat for the journey. Meat was essential; they couldn't survive without it. Laborers needed fat to maintain their strength. Taohua refrained from interfering with these preparations.

As they emerged from the house, they saw Auntie Chen directing Chen Dashi to take down the cured bacon hanging on the kitchen wall. It was a whole piece, preserved during the New Year celebrations and had been saved all year. With both sons and their eldest daughter-in-law heading into the mountains for construction, she decided to bring the bacon along, insisting that they consume it without hesitation. After that, she instructed her second son, "Carry two loads of grain too. Fetch more if you run out. When doing such physically demanding work, you can't neglect your appetite. Your health is paramount." She had learned from Dahu that there were no roads in the mountains, and the path they had forged was barely passable for carts. They could only carry supplies on their shoulders or backs, limiting the amount they could bring each time. Women might move slower, but men could move quickly. They could always return home for more supplies if needed, but their bodies mustn't be neglected amidst the rush.

While Uncle Chen's family was efficiently preparing, Auntie Second arrived, asking what should be taken into the mountains. Her husband and son had simply told her to pack, but they had no idea what was necessary. The trio exchanged bewildered glances, and Auntie Second, frustrated, turned to Taohua for advice. "Taohua, come with me. We'll get some vegetables for you to take back."

At Auntie Second's house, Taohua repeated her advice to her: two sets of warm clothes and a thick blanket, as the mountains could be chilly. Regardless of whether Chen Sanshi had a robust constitution, he might struggle with the temperature drop at night.

Auntie Second agreed, gathering two sets of warm clothes and a thick blanket for her son. She also packed two pairs of cotton shoes and two pairs of straw sandals. Seeing this, Taohua inferred that Auntie Second's family might be slightly better off than Uncle Chen's. Although they didn't have as much land, they had fewer mouths to feed, and Big Sister Daya's marriage seemed prosperous, making their lives appear more comfortable.

After packing the clothes, Auntie Second filled a basket with vegetables for Taohua to take home. While she did this, Uncle Second had already loaded two large bags of grain, along with two slabs of bacon and numerous vegetables, all in baskets. Ming'er would be able to carry them on his way to the mountains.

He initially wanted to include eggs but was met with a disapproving glare from Auntie Second. "What are you thinking? The mountain path isn't easy. Bringing eggs would be more trouble than it's worth. It'd be better to catch a laying hen – it's convenient, and you could cook fresh fried eggs in a few days."

"Great idea!" Uncle Second applauded, appreciating his wife's quick thinking. He promptly caught a laying hen, planning to ask Ming'er to carry it into the mountains with them.

Taohua was dumbfounded by the scene. She wanted to say it wasn't necessary, but considering Second Uncle and Second Aunt's love for their son, she relented. If the hen laid eggs, she would boil them all for Sanshi as a supplement to his meals. Just as she was lost in thought, Second Aunt spoke up, "Your Second Uncle speaks his mind. But catching a hen is not a bad idea. With its eggs, you can add another dish to your table."

Taohua blushed slightly and waved her hand, "What dish? Sanshi is growing, I'll just boil eggs for him."

"Absolutely not," Second Aunt, usually a reserved person, elaborated, "He's no delicate lady. No need to cook eggs for him separately; he eats what you eat, no special treatment. Neither you nor Big Brother's wife should wash his clothes. He should do everything on his own. Although he's younger, he's stronger than both of you. Don't spoil him. This trip to the mountain is a good chance to toughen him up. Your Second Uncle and I have spoiled him too much, that's why he hasn't found a wife yet. No separate boiled eggs for him, everyone shares. Eat the hen before leaving the mountain, don't save it."

Taohua didn't dare nod, instinctively turning to look at Second Uncle, who glared, "Why are you looking at me? Listen to your Second Aunt. He's going to work, not to be treated like a young master. Let him wash his own clothes, and just make sure he has food. Don't worry about anything else. Eat the eggs and the hen, why save them? Our family contributes the least, so we're already benefiting from your help. Don't refuse any more!"

With Second Uncle's words, what could Taohua do but smile and nod in agreement.

Chen Sanshi stood aside, dejected. He had never washed his own clothes before. The thought of working tirelessly in the mountains and doing his laundry alone cooled his initial enthusiasm.

He also wanted a wife, regardless of appearance, as long as she could help with the laundry. He wouldn't be picky.

After leaving Second Uncle's house with a basket of vegetables, First Uncle and Second Uncle had their own instructions for their families. As the couple needed to prepare bedding and clothes, they didn't linger. They arranged to meet Ming'er at the foot of the mountain early the next morning before taking their leave.

Back home, there was more work to be done. Taohua packed clothes while Wei Dahu prepared meat. Apart from setting some aside for his father to eat at home, he packed all the pork belly from the pig slaughtering day, ready to smoke it in the mountains.

Longing for the beef liver and bacon rice stew, he was determined to savor it this winter.