Chapter 048

Chapter 048

Tong Sui hadn't paid much attention to the refugees passing by the door. However, upon learning that this family was moving into the Lu residence to become neighbors, she couldn't help but observe them more closely.

In addition to the woman who spoke, there were four others standing behind her—a gray-haired elderly lady, a father and son with lean yet strong builds, the father in his prime and the son in his early twenties, and a girl standing beside the elderly lady whose appearance was unclear.

It was clearly a family of five spanning three generations.

Tong Sui took a few extra glances at the elderly lady, noticing her slender figure without too many signs of hardship. She realized that this family was not ordinary.

When commoners faced war or famine, they would only leave their homes as refugees if they could no longer survive. The journey would inevitably be fraught with difficulties. Poor families might starve, freeze, or fall ill, while wealthy families might be robbed by other refugees, losing both their wealth and possibly even the women in their care.

This family, however, not only had their able-bodied members survive, but the elderly lady also seemed quite robust.

Huo Shi thought the same thing and was about to inquire when the family continued walking.

After the last person disappeared from sight, Huo Shi looked at the young man beside her.

Xiao Yuchan: "The men in that family look quite capable."

Liu Chu: "Are the empty houses in our village going to be allocated?"

Tong Sui: "That auntie spoke politely; she doesn't seem like an ordinary villager."

Tong Sui herself grew up in the village and didn't look down on the villagers. However, the villagers' speech often carried a rustic tone due to their upbringing. Anyone with slightly different manners would easily stand out, such as Old Master Xiao, Xiao Shouyi, and Xiao Zhen.

Xiao Yan, Xiao Ye, and Xiao She disliked reading and behaved similarly to the villagers.

Huo Shi: "Should I go ask around?"

Tong Sui: "Better not. The Lu residence hasn't been lived in for a while, and they'll need to clean it up. They'll be busy, and besides, they just asked us to take care of them. It wouldn't be polite to visit empty-handed on your first visit."

Going to satisfy one's curiosity and disrupting their settling-in would make one appear tactless.

Huo Shi: "... You're only eighteen, why do you have so many tricks? Liu'er and Yuchan combined don't match your wit."

Tong Sui smiled, unsure why she thought this way, but it came naturally to her.

Xiao Yuchan couldn't sit still anymore and stood up, saying, "Mother, you and Eldest Sister stay here. Second Sister and I will go check out the pond to see which refugee families have arrived."

Huo Shi wanted to go too, but someone needed to manage things at home. Liu Chu was too gentle, being a noblewoman teaching the children, so she wasn't reliable.

Huo Shi glanced at Tong Sui and said, "Go ahead, remember everything, and tell me when you come back."

The sisters-in-law headed straight for the pond. Along the way, Xiao Yuchan held onto Tong Sui's arm, causing her elbow to brush against her occasionally, making Tong Sui feel a bit flustered. Huo Shi's comment about "a body full of fat" was meant to tease her daughter, but Xiao Yuchan's plump figure would indeed stand out among the refugees, like a fat sheep thrown into a pack of wolves.

Tong Sui secretly glanced at Xiao Yuchan, wondering why she suddenly became so close.

Xiao Yuchan suddenly remembered something: "By the way, Second Sister, Third Brother wants to challenge you to an archery contest. He's been busy these past two days, but once he's done, he'll probably send you a challenge."

Tong Sui: "... Why does he want to challenge me?"

Xiao Yuchan huffed, "When you went up on the roof with your bow and arrows, I praised your archery skills. He got all snarky, saying women have weak arms and can hardly draw blood even if they hit someone. If he weren't my brother, I'd tell you to shoot him and see if he bleeds."

Tong Sui: "... How should we compete? I'm definitely not as strong as him."

Xiao Yuchan: "We'll figure it out when the time comes. Grandfather and the others will have a way to judge."

As they chatted, they arrived at the pond.

The sisters-in-law stopped in shock at the scene before them.

The nearly two-acre pond was lined with refugees. Starting from the large grinding stone where Sun Xinghai was located, they formed a winding line, carrying various bundles. With the villagers gathering to watch, the area was almost completely filled.

"Yuchan, Second Lady, over here!"

Tong Sui followed the voice and saw three young women sitting on the wall closest to the grinding stone, munching on sunflower seeds as if watching a show. A few children, both boys and girls, stood nearby.

Without hesitation, Xiao Yuchan pulled Tong Sui over.

One of the women was the daughter of the household, gesturing for the sisters-in-law to climb up using a stool.

After a brief detour, the sisters-in-law soon sat on the wall.

Now, Tong Sui could see the situation at the grinding stone. Sun Xinghai was asking the refugees about their original residences, household heads, and family names. Sun Wei sat on a small stool, recording everything, while a young man ground ink for him. Xiao Zhen stood at the head of the queue, maintaining order and preventing people from pushing forward.

Xiao Yan, Sun Dian, and several other young men patrolled the line, removing anyone who tried to cut in.

"You just arrived and might not know, but the village chief said to prioritize families with dependents. Single men are placed at the end. If there's room, they can stay; otherwise, they'll have to settle elsewhere."

"The single refugees weren't happy and caused trouble. Haha, Second Master, Third Master, and the Sun brothers beat them up, leaving them bruised and obedient."

The woman's laughter drew many gazes, including Xiao Zhen's, who looked over at Tong Sui.

She moved slightly closer to Xiao Yuchan.

Though not far away, the crowd below made it difficult for Xiao Zhen to approach. Seeing his wife looking guilty, he called out, "Yuchan, it's fine to watch, but be careful not to fall."

Tong Sui: "..."

Xiao Yuchan: "..."

Xiao Yuchan glanced at her blushing sister-in-law and understood, huffing, "If you want to care for Second Sister, just say it directly. Don't use me as an excuse."

The villagers laughed, and even the parched Sun Xinghai chuckled.

Tong Sui couldn't stay seated and jumped down to a small stool inside. Once the villagers shifted their attention, she climbed back up.

Due to the thorough questioning, the refugee line moved very slowly.

The sisters-in-law watched from the wall for an hour and managed to count only about twenty households.

Xiao Yuchan hadn't had enough yet, but Tong Sui glanced at the sun in the sky and forcibly pulled her back home to cook dinner.

---

In the evening, Xiao Zhen and Xiao Yan returned even later than the elderly gentlemen who had been working in the fields. They didn't get home until it was dark.

Mrs. He: "Did the Sun family provide you with dinner?"

Xiao Yan smiled: "We ate before coming back. Sun Dian tried to hide the wine at home, but I searched it out and drank two large bowls in one go. Come on, my second brother and I couldn't work for them all day for nothing."

Xiao Yuchan: "Just wine? Did you eat any meat?"

Xiao Yan: "That pond belongs to their family. They cooked two big fat fish. That part was fine; they weren't stingy."

The old man didn't listen to their conversation and called Xiao Zhen to the study.

"Besides settling the refugees, did Sun Xinghai mention anything about continuing night patrols?"

Xiao Mu hadn't anticipated that Lingshui Village would receive 150 refugee households, so he thought night patrols were unnecessary. Now, it seemed they still needed to patrol, this time to prevent internal disturbances within the village.

Xiao Zhen: "The Sun family has been busy dividing land for the refugees since yesterday and hasn't had the energy to think about this. I'll talk to him again tomorrow."

Xiao Mu: "Hmm, tonight is the first night those refugees moved in, so they probably won't cause trouble right away. By the way, are there enough empty houses in the village?"

Xiao Zhen: "We're short by more than fifty houses. We've arranged for two or three households to share courtyards with side rooms. Later, when they have the means, they can build their own houses."

Xiao Mu: "Two mu of land per household. Even if the first two years' taxes and corvée labor are waived, the yield from two mu of land can barely ensure that a family of five doesn't starve."

Xiao Zhen: "The county will distribute some grain and seeds to each family and encourage the refugees to borrow food and farming tools from the wealthy households in the village."

Xiao Mu shook his head but didn't say much more. When one is poor, one must take care of oneself. He couldn't help too much even if he wanted to.

---

Xiao Zhen returned to the eastern courtyard.

Tong Sui had already heated the water and was waiting for him to come back so she could wash. Otherwise, Xiao Zhen would have had to pry open the front door of the main room.

"Tired?" Tong Sui glanced at him as she poured hot water into the bathtub.

Xiao Zhen: "I just stood there. Didn't you see?"

Tong Sui: "..."

Xiao Zhen helped her adjust the water temperature, carried the bathtub into the south room, and then stepped out. She bathed inside while he washed himself outside.

Tong Sui tried to make conversation: "A new household from the Lu family in the east of the village moved in. Do you know their situation?"

Xiao Zhen, of course, paid attention to the new neighbors: "The head of their household is named Pan Yong, originally a blacksmith in his hometown. They should have some savings. His wife's surname is Wang, and their son is named Pan Dai. Both father and son carry iron swords. I didn't remember the names of the old lady and his daughter."

He remembered only those he might need to interact with. The old lady could be addressed as "Elder," and there was no need to talk to the girl.

Tong Sui: "They passed by our house during the day, and Aunt Wang greeted us. They seemed quite friendly."

Xiao Zhen: "Those who survived the journey here are tough. If they try to befriend you, stay alert."

Tong Sui: "Okay, I'll tell Second Aunt and the others tomorrow."

After washing up, she put on her underclothes. As soon as she opened the door and lifted the curtain, the man waiting outside scooped her up and carried her to the north room.

He wasn't wearing any clothes, and his damp, warm body pressed against her, making her break into a sweat.

"Weren't you supposed to let me rest until the fieldwork is done?" she asked weakly.

Xiao Zhen placed her on the bed facing the window, climbed onto the kang, and pressed down: "You were the one who tempted me."

Tong Sui hurriedly said: "I didn't!"

Xiao Zhen: "You climbed up on the wall to watch me in front of everyone. Wasn't that tempting?"

Tong Sui: "I was clearly watching the commotion and trying to recognize the new villagers..."

She earnestly clarified, but Xiao Zhen had already started getting busy.

Tong Sui gave up talking and glanced at the open window above, trying hard not to make a sound.