Chapter 98 – 98

Chapter 98 - 98

◎Alright, alright, the fence is up, we can sleep soundly at night now.◎

"Time to eat!"

"Dahu, I think you should be the one hiding in the mountains more than us," chimed in both Taohua and Chen Dashi simultaneously. Wei Dahu turned to his wife and replied, "I'm coming," before turning to his older brother, understanding his meaning. He chuckled and said, "That's why I'm always in the mountains and rarely visit the town or county. Even if others have their eyes on me, they wouldn't be able to catch me."

There were requirements for conscription; how could he not know the difference between himself and an ordinary man? With his strength, he wasn't bragging, but if he had any interest in warfare, his raw power and martial skills would allow him to thrive on the battlefield, knocking out heads with a single punch. If military achievements were counted by the number of heads, achieving glory wouldn't be a difficult task.

Chen Dashi shared the same sentiment. If officials really came to the countryside for conscription, his cousin would undoubtedly be on their list, possibly even the most sought-after one. At this thought, he shuddered and called out to his second and third brothers, who were busy sawing wood and learning from the second, "Come on, let's have breakfast. Fill yourselves up, so we can put in extra effort later and cut down more trees. We'll finish the fence sooner."

Thinking was useless; it was best to focus on building the house first. Whoever had their eye on his younger brother, they would ignore them and just run into the mountains. He didn't believe that there would be an officer who would abandon ten others just to catch one person.

If there were such an idiot, they'd still have to find him. Considering the winding mountain path and the numerous natural traps like sinkholes, who could say it wasn't a natural obstacle?

Breakfast was a large pot of porridge, self-serve, take as much as you want. The moment they held their rice bowls, all thoughts vanished from the brothers' minds. Was there anything more important than a hearty meal? No! The porridge was thick, far from watery, and one bowl satisfied every organ. Who cared about cutting trees? A bowl of porridge, and they weren't tired anymore – not at all. They could keep chopping!

The side dish for the porridge was a refreshing salad of wild vegetables, freshly picked from around the house. What is most abundant in the mountains? Firewood and wild vegetables, of course; one could easily gather a handful on any outing. After blanching them in boiling water and draining, they were dressed with a savory sauce, creating a tangy and crunchy delight that complemented the porridge perfectly.

For several consecutive days, they would rise at dawn to chop trees, continuing until sunset. All the trees surrounding the area that Wei Dahu had marked out were felled, opening up the view and, with it, lifting their spirits.

Despite the brief span of days, the old house had undergone significant changes. The courtyard walls were gradually taking shape, and now it was Chen Sanshi who was handling the wood-cutting tasks, while Wei Dahu remained the main force in felling trees. The Chen brothers, Dashi and Sanshi, primarily focused on constructing the enclosure. Taohua was at a loss as to how they managed it all, with every tool in use and pits dug in circles around the area. They buried the cut logs underground and tightly bound them together, stacking them vertically, before securing them with sturdy ropes that wound back and forth. Eventually, they ran out of rope, prompting Wei Dahu to make a trip down the mountain to fetch more supplies. He was swift on his feet, and within half a day, he returned, not only with the tools but also with the cured pieces of pork belly he had been longing for, hanging from the eaves and tantalizing Little Tiger into leaping up, eager to take a bite.

These tasks were beyond Taohua's capability; however, her sister-in-law was strong and lent a hand in carrying the logs that Chen Sanshi had sawn from the woods. Taohua had tried too, but found them too heavy to budge. Although physically demanding work wasn't for her, apart from cooking, she would often assist in whittling wood. According to Dahu, not only should the fence be raised high, but its top should be sharpened to deter intruders. Sharpening large logs was a strenuous task, but smaller pieces of wood could be gathered for a makeshift defense. If any wild beasts attempted to scale the wall, oh dear, they would howl in pain as the sharp stakes pierced their paws.

But Wei Dahu held bamboo in higher esteem; it was a wonderful material. Bamboo tips could be honed to a sharp point, making them formidable against even thick-skinned creatures. As for the courtyard fence, there was no rule saying it could only encircle once, was there? One could construct a sturdy wooden perimeter on the outside and then follow it up with an inner ring of sharpened bamboo fence – a double layer of security.

In the face of safety, any inconvenience becomes secondary.

During lunch that day, everyone was scattered around the courtyard, casually sitting on logs with their bowls in hand, listening to Wei Dahu's suggestion of building a bamboo fence. Chen Dashi, his brother, nodded in approval, "Sounds good, it's a nice idea. Let's do it. We'll build the bamboo fence later after we finish the house."

Chen Ershi then asked, "Are there any bamboo groves nearby?"

"There aren't any close by, but there are some down the hill. I'll take you there when the time comes. No rush for now. Let's focus on building the house first. The bamboo fence can wait. I just wanted to mention it." Wei Dahu slurped a mouthful of porridge before continuing with village affairs, "You haven't been around the village for a few days. Everyone's been asking where you've been. Even Erniu inquired, but I didn't say anything."

Speaking of this, Wei Dahu felt a headache. Although he and Chen Erniu weren't blood relatives like his own uncles, they were still as close as brothers. Growing up together, they were inseparable friends since childhood, and despite Erniu's less-than-stellar intellect, he was a good-hearted and filial person. This very filial piety was the source of Wei Dahu's dilemma. He genuinely wanted to bring them all along, but with Wu Zhaodi's parents - the traditional, male-preferential couple who constantly caused trouble - he couldn't bear to include them.

This referred to two persistent sources of trouble he wished to avoid entirely.

Thus, when Erniu asked his older brother what they had been up to lately, he found himself tongue-tied, unable to articulate clearly. He could easily repeat the excuse he'd given outsiders - that they were doing odd jobs in the county, thanks to Dahu's connections, even his eldest sister-in-law was helping with cooking... The mere mention of the county made these uneducated villagers' knees go weak, and they dared not probe further.

However, he couldn't bring himself to speak, and even the simpleton Chen Erniu sensed that he was hiding something. Frightened, he quickly waved his hands, scratched his head, and chuckled awkwardly, "I won't ask anymore, I promise. Don't give me that look, you're even more innocent than me."

The thought left Wei Dahu feeling uneasy. No matter what, he couldn't let Chen Erniu know the truth. If it were just their family of three, Wu Zhaodi would surely be assisting his wife with cooking, and they would have a house on the mountain. But now, that wasn't possible. His heart was narrow, unable to accommodate outsiders. Not only Wu Zhaodi's parents, but even his own elder and second sisters-in-law's families, or his sister Dàyā's in-laws – all close relatives, yet he hadn't considered any of them.

In fact, if someone ever lost their senses, he'd send their whole family down the mountain to regain their clarity. He had even told his maternal uncles this: if they were clear-headed, he would treat them as his beloved nephew, but if not, they were merely relatives, and no relationship could withstand anyone's nonsense. Anyone who acted up in front of him would suffer the consequences, with no second chance.

Still, he kept these thoughts to himself, sharing them with no one. Why speak of something that hasn't happened? They weren't fools; after so many years, they knew each other's personalities. It was enough to understand privately; voicing it out would only take away its significance.

Life on the mountain proceeded methodically. Building the fence took about a week and a half, a necessary task considering the limited manpower. They had to chop trees, saw wood, and dig holes to bury the logs, all while panting heavily without a moment's rest. Finally, they managed to complete the enclosure.

The safety of the area had significantly improved, not only for the three hens but also for the people living there. The old house had undergone a complete transformation. Although still dilapidated, from afar, it looked impressive with its high and sturdy fence. A wild boar wouldn't stand a chance, let alone three or four working together.

As for the height? Wei Dahu raised his hand to make a point. Standing tall and straight, according to his own height, if one were short, they wouldn't see anything from the outside. However, someone his height could glimpse the top of his head.

At such a height, even a pack of trained wolves, apart from the agile alpha wolf, wouldn't dare to jump into the courtyard unless they had a small slope to cushion their landing. Moreover, he planned on surrounding the yard with a bamboo fence. Would they even dare to leap over it? They'd get impaled for sure. Of course, if a bear stood upright, it could catch a glimpse of the courtyard's scenery, but how would it even get in? Did he pile up all these logs just for show? They were sturdy and solid – he had specifically picked out hardwood!

Before the house construction began, the expanded courtyard was more than twice its original size, providing ample space for the hens to roam around. After days of anticipation, they finally started laying eggs, which was discovered by Little Tiger. It tugged at Taohua's pant leg, pulling her towards the kitchen, wagging its tail in circles, "Woof!"

Releasing its mouth, the dog turned and barked persistently at the shed where firewood was stored. Taohua sensed something and, as expected, found an egg nestled among the dry wood. She reached for it, still warm to the touch!

"Oh my, Sister-in-law, come quick! Our hens have finally laid an egg!" Taohua was ecstatic, holding up the egg to show Fang Qiuyan. The absence of eggs had been a concern for her sister-in-law as well. Why else would she carry them up here? Wasn't it so that they could lay eggs for the family to eat? If they didn't, they'd be no better than the village scolds who called their barren wives "barren hens." In that case, aside from their meat, they would be utterly useless – might as well slaughter them for food!

"Finally! Once they start, they'll keep going. We need to be careful not to let them lay eggs in the courtyard. They might step on them when they come in and out," Fang Qiuyan said, smiling as she received the egg from Taohua. Teasingly, she added, "Oh dear, you've been picking eggs daily at home; you should be used to it. But why are you so delighted now? It's like it's your first time finding one."

"That's right," Taohua crouched down, cradling Little Tiger's face in her hands, affectionately stroking it. "Good Little Tiger, be attentive. If the hen lays another egg, come find me!"

Little Tiger wagged its tail, gazing at her with dewy, round eyes, "Woof!"

Fang Qiuyan found this extraordinary. "Your dog seems to understand human speech and can even lead you to the eggs. It's quite a clever creature."

Taohua, already fond of Little Tiger, scooped it up and took it along to see the progress in the woods. Now that the fence was in place, they were ready to start building the house. Wei Dahu and Sanshi had already set out early to search for suitable clay nearby. He was even planning a trip to town for bricks and stones. He had a stone ax, and there were other tools at home, so gathering stones wouldn't be a problem – it might be laborious, but what mattered was that they were building a house. He wasn't going to fuss over a little exhaustion.

But bricks were a different story. Even if they needed a small quantity, they couldn't do without them.

Hearing from his father that the manager at Wang's Grain Shop had changed, Wei Dahu found it absurd that the new owner would be afraid of a few shop assistants turning violent. That was unlikely. Besides, he was still concerned about Beggar Dog, and since they needed bricks for their house construction, he decided to visit the town and check on him.

Determined, Wei Dahu approached his wife for some silver. His father was broke, and so was he, having not a single copper coin in his pockets. Only his wife held some savings.

This brick-buying trip might drain their savings, but the urgency of hunting sheep was pressing.

Wei Dahu even grumbled inwardly about the low price of selling sheep. He planned to hunt three, eat one, and raise the other two. If luck favored him and he caught a female, could he milk her? However, he didn't know much about it; it was just a thought.

His primary target was to hunt two fox pelts. He needed to deliver a message as a benevolent figure in the county, where wealthy people were numerous and generous. Two high-quality fox pelts would fetch far more than wolf pelts, easily bringing in dozens of taels of silver.

"Author's Note"

There might not be any more today, I haven't eaten yet. Gotta order some takeout. T,T