Chapter 112

Chapter 112

When the old man finished speaking, the family got ready to turn in.

They placed the three-legged stool against the wall and together they lifted a large wooden plank, laying it across the stool.

The old woman brought over dry grass and spread it on top, then added a layer of patched burlap sheet.

"I just stuffed some more straw into the quilt today. If we huddle together as a family, we can keep a bit warmer."

During winter, it wasn't uncommon for people to freeze to death, and the snow outside showed no sign of stopping; instead, it fell heavier and heavier. The old man grew deeply worried.

The audience watched as the grandparents and two grandchildren huddled together on the makeshift wooden bed, trembling slightly. The dense snowfall accompanied by the howling wind made their hearts ache.

Were they really not going to freeze to death?

The earlier performance had subtly drawn the audience in through various ways, with visual and auditory details enhancing the sense of reality.

Regardless of who they usually were, in that moment, almost everyone felt their hearts soften a little.

There were also those who remained unmoved, but they didn't show it, masking their indifference with well-feigned expressions of pity.

The howling of the wind and the falling snow grew louder, and the candlelight on stage gradually dimmed, as though much time had passed.

Suddenly, there was a "crack," and something fell from above the stage. Looking closer, it was a chunk of yellow mud, the kind found on thatched roofs.

"Wake up." The old man, too uneasy to sleep deeply, immediately woke the old woman and the grandchildren.

Outside, the wind howled, and snow blew into the house. The children shivered uncontrollably from the cold.

The two elders took the children to a corner. They moved the dry grass from the wooden board to the corner, placing the children in the middle, with the old woman and the old man protecting them on either side.

The old man held a wooden stick, his voice filled with worry. "If this keeps up, I'm afraid we're in for a disaster."

Both nearly sixty years old and having experienced several snow disasters, the old couple knew what to expect.

"You and the children sleep for a while. I'll stand watch," the old man said to the old woman.

"Alright, wake me for the second half of the night."

The children were cold, sleepy, and still hungry.

Their meager evening meal couldn't fill their stomachs. With limited food at home, they had to ration their food to make it through the winter.

The two children tried to force themselves to sleep quickly, thinking that if they fell asleep, they wouldn't feel hungry.

The family of four huddled in the corner. The old man shivered from the cold, tugging the quilt up to ensure everyone was covered.

At this moment, staff standing on both sides slowly drew the curtain. The vocal performer continued to mimic the sound of wind and snow, making the audience shiver involuntarily.

Soon, the curtain opened, revealing a changed scene.

What once looked like the interior of a house now looked more like ruins.

Above the ruins was a white blanket, like heavy accumulated snow.

A steady knocking sound and an aged voice came from the stage.

"Help! Someone save my two grandchildren!"

The old man's voice grew weaker and weaker. When he accidentally dozed off, the roof had completely collapsed.

There was no time to dodge; he could only instinctively shield the children beside him. Fortunately, their location avoided the main beams, so the heavy wooden structures didn't fall on them.

But they were trapped inside the collapsed house, unable to get out.

The longer they stayed, the more dangerous it became, as they were in sub-zero temperatures with no way to keep warm.

The collapsed house blocked some of the wind and snow, allowing the family to hold on a little longer.

The curtain was drawn again. When it opened, the scene of the collapsed house transformed into a magnificent palace hall, where officials rushed in to discuss countermeasures.

As the officials moved on stage, the scenery gradually changed.

Unconsciously, the magnificent palace hall turned into a snow-covered outdoor scene.

Snow continued to fall from above, and the howling wind grew louder.

A squad of soldiers advanced against the wind and snow, wearing straw raincoats to block the snow and keep out the cold. They shielded their forearms in front of them, leaning their bodies forward, taking difficult steps.

Some even took a small step back, leaning backward, nearly blown over by the wind and snow.

The performance was so realistic, with such attention to detail, that the audience felt as if the stage and their world were separate—as if a severe blizzard was truly raging on stage.

At some point, a mound appeared on stage. The wind howled as if trying to pierce people's eardrums. The soldiers rescuing the disaster victims couldn't even hear the cries for help.

The leader said, "Pay attention to the knocking sounds!"

"Yes!"

The audience was somewhat puzzled. Why listen for knocking sounds? Shouldn't they listen for cries for help?

The curtain closed.

"Help! Is there anyone who can save us!"

Hua Er cried out for help. Hearing her grandfather's weak voice, she immediately turned to him and asked with concern, "Grandpa, how are you feeling?"

The old man lowered his head, his calloused hand resting on the child's head, stroking it over and over with reluctance.

"Hua Er, save your strength. Use this to knock on the wood." The old man handed the wooden stick to his granddaughter, his voice hoarse and dry. His cloudy eyes looked toward his wife opposite him, who had closed her eyes and was tightly holding their grandson. "Your grandmother has fallen asleep. Hua Er, don't be afraid. Grandpa is tired and wants to sleep too."

Hua Er obediently nodded, taking the wooden stick from her grandfather's hand. "Don't worry, Grandpa. I'll definitely knock on the wood properly."

Hua Er didn't know how long she had been knocking. Held tightly by her grandfather, she was shielded from some of the cold.

She felt her grandfather growing colder, and her own body growing colder too. Her head felt dizzy and heavy, her eyelids drooping, wanting to close.

Remembering the task her grandfather had given her, Hua Er forced herself to stay awake.

But she couldn't hold on for much longer and was about to close her eyes again.

"Thump—thump—thump—"

The leader of the rescue soldiers suddenly raised his hand, signaling the team to stop.

On stage, one side showed Hua Er knocking for help, while the other side showed the rescue soldiers.

The sound of wind remained, but the noise of footsteps moving through the snow was gone. The thumping sound became more distinct.

"Help! Someone's calling for help!"

The group listened carefully, trying to pinpoint the sound as they slowly moved toward it.

The audience below held their breath. When the soldiers on stage almost looked in the wrong place for a second time, one spectator couldn't help but stand up and shout, "They're right in front of you, diagonally! Under the wood and snow! Don't miss them again!"

The performance continued, and an attendant hurried over to remind the audience that it was only a play and not to interfere.

The spectator realized he had gotten too caught up in the moment, anxiously fearing the soldiers would be too late to save the family of four. He felt a wave of embarrassment.

He quickly sat back down, covering his face with his sleeve, and offered an awkward smile to those around him who had turned to look.

Well, this play was quite different from those of the South Country. Plays from both places were enjoyable, but the people here lacked the deep heritage of Southern opera. Some Southern tunes were hard to understand, and the allusions were only vaguely grasped.

In terms of experience, it ultimately felt like something was missing.

The play on stage, however, was different. It was performed in their native Wu language, with such realistic scenes and sounds that the immersion was intense. Emotions were stirred, making the fiction feel alarmingly real.

The soldiers on stage finally found the people. Working together, they dug through the snow and moved the wooden beams.

Once everything was cleared, the scene revealed two white-haired elders, their frail and hunched bodies encircling and protecting the younger children.

The older girl's eyes were closed, but her hand still tapped weakly.

But she couldn't hold on any longer; she had reached her limit.

The final *thump* was unusually heavy.

It sounded like death itself knocking, a heavy blow striking the audience's hearts.

Was this family still alive?

The soldiers dug them out but couldn't pry the elderly couple's hands from around the children.

A young soldier there was at a loss. "Captain, we can't separate them. What should we do?"

The next moment, as the squad leader reached out to pull, the old couple's hands loosened.

"The two elders are still alive!" the young soldier exclaimed with joy.

The squad leader's expression was grave. He lifted the two children, one under each arm. A flicker of anguish crossed his resolute face, and his eyes reddened slightly.

"Carry out the bodies of the two elders."

The young soldier froze in place. "But... they just heard you speak, sir. How could they be dead?"

Disbelieving, he crouched down to check their breath.

There was none.

Why?

The squad leader glanced at the two children and said somberly, "Their fierce, protective love for their grandchildren... that final breath holding them together has gone."

The people below watched the motionless elders on stage, still in their original posture but with their arms now hanging limp. Tears welled in their eyes.

Some thought of their own grandparents; others were moved by this love that transcended life and death.

Nature's disasters are merciless, but human compassion endures.

They could only hope those two children would survive.

During the subsequent rescue efforts, several soldiers collapsed.

They dug through the snow tirelessly, rescuing those buried within. Many fainted from sheer exhaustion.

Not only that, their faces were red from the cold, their hands torn and bleeding. Fresh red stains marred the white snow, a heart-wrenching sight for the onlookers.

The audience wondered if the soldiers of their Wu Country were really like those on stage.

They also thought: *They should stop, or they won't survive either.*

This wasn't just a rescue; it was trading their own lives for the survival of the common people.

Could soldiers like this truly exist?

If Wu Country had soldiers and officers like this, how indestructible would they be?

Or rather, whichever country possessed such soldiers and officers would become indestructible.

The soldiers on stage built a wall with their own flesh and blood, blocking the wind and snow, burning their own energy, sparing no cost to rescue person after person.

"Official, please have some hot water."

An old woman, carrying a worn-out tea pot, offered to pour them water.

A young soldier shivered violently from the cold, but his gaze remained firm. "No, thank you, Grandma. The time I spend drinking could be used to dig a little deeper into the snow."

The old woman's eyes reddened. The wind and snow made her tremble uncontrollably. She was on the verge of tears. "Child, please drink some. Otherwise, this old woman's heart won't be at ease. Look how frozen you are. It pains my heart to see it."

The squad leader looked at his own troops, the soldiers he had trained. How could he bear to see them truly freeze to death?

So he ordered everyone to take a brief rest, to drink some hot tea and warm themselves.

At his command, it wasn't the soldiers who moved first, but the common people not far away.

They had somehow already prepared hot food and water and quickly came over.

They themselves were still hungry and freezing.

Yet they offered their remaining food to the soldiers.

"If you give it all to us, what will you eat?"

"Eat, Official. We're not hungry."

How could they not be hungry?

The soldiers knew in their hearts they were lying. No matter how the soldiers tried to give the food back, the people refused, growing agitated if pressed further.

The soldiers accepted the people's kindness. With tears in their eyes, they ate the meal, warming their bodies and stomachs.

The blizzard trapped not only the villagers below the mountain but also those on the mountain, who also needed rescue.

Another squad of soldiers tied something to their feet. Incredibly, they could carry people and slide directly down the mountain.

Although the segment was very short due to venue and safety issues, it was enough to astonish the audience, who had never seen anything like it.

"What is this? It’s so fast!"

"They can actually move like that in the mountain snow!"

The story continued. This snow disaster brought too many heart-wrenching partings. The audience followed the story, witnessing parents losing children, middle-aged spouses losing partners, newlyweds separated by death, and the elderly burying the young...

The merciless natural disaster caused one tragedy after another to unfold in the mortal world. The sounds of weeping and wailing were so sorrowful that those listening covered their faces and wept.

The imperial court quickly sent grain for disaster relief and provided supplies for the survivors. The soldiers worked tirelessly day and night to rescue the people.

In the imperial court, discussions were also underway on how to address the subsequent disaster situation.

The officials debated fervently until the Prime Minister proposed a "relief-for-work" program.

The imperial capital had also been affected; many old, dilapidated palaces and houses had collapsed under the snow and needed proper repair. It also happened that the imperial mausoleum required construction, so they could have the common people work on these projects.

Large-scale construction requires materials like wood and stone, which also need people to chop, dig, and transport.

Feeding more people would require cooks and provisions.

This could kickstart many livelihoods at once, giving people work to do.

Having work meant having a way to survive.

After watching this segment, the audience quickly turned the idea over in their minds.

So, when the government provided relief before, they just gave out grain, but it was never enough.

If this method were used, it might actually work!

On stage, the disaster-stricken people, led by the soldiers, made snow bricks and built snow houses. They carefully filled the gaps between the bricks to prevent the cold wind from entering.

For the roof, the snow bricks were slightly tilted to form a dome that allowed a person to stand up inside.

While the snow house was being built, the audience watched with rapt attention.

How novel! Can you really build a house to live in from snow? Isn't it cold inside?

In the final scene, little Hua Er and Yu Er were busy gathering branches everywhere to dry. The dried branches became firewood, which they could sell to the army cooks for a few copper coins.

The court implemented the relief-for-work policy, and the nation united to combat the disaster.

Although there were casualties, people helped each other and moved forward together.

It wasn't until all the actors on stage bowed to the audience in thanks that the spectators realized the play had ended. After a moment, someone shouted, "Bravo! This old man wants to give a reward!"

Immediately, everyone else joined in cheering and clamoring to give rewards.

Shen Yuan was well-prepared. Attendants went forward with empty trays and returned with small "hills" of coins piled on them.

After the rewards were given, no one left. Instead, they ordered "steamed sugar pastry" and began heated discussions about the play.

"Why did the old man tell his granddaughter to knock with wood instead of shouting?"

"I also heard the foreman say to listen for knocking sounds earlier."

"Shouldn't shouting be louder?"

"I'm more curious about the snow house. I wonder if it can really be built. I'll go back and have my servants try it."

"Do you think this relief-for-work thing could really work?"

"Looking at how it played out in the show, it does seem like a viable method."

"Isn't anyone curious about what those soldiers on the mountain were wearing on their feet? They were so fast, it was like they were flying."

"Ah, this story is truly remarkable. Clearly, so many people died, and there were so many tragic events. Yet, towards the end, everyone was striving for survival. It was like seeing the most hopeful sight in the midst of utter despair."

"Don't you feel that the relationship between the Wu Country court, the soldiers, and the common people in this story is completely different from ours?"

"I noticed. The court in the story always considers the people, reacting extremely swiftly during the snow disaster. And the people not only aren't afraid of the soldiers but also trust them immensely."

"Those soldiers are also unbelievably good to the common folk."

"Does such a relationship really exist?"

"How could it possibly exist?"

"Maybe it does. Isn't it said that State Preceptor Shen has a connection to the immortals, with knowledge beyond our understanding? Back when 'Love Between Human and Ghost' was performed, there was a song said to depict the celestial realm from his dreams, with jade palaces and towers. Perhaps the stories and plays he brings to the stage are things that exist in the immortal realm of his dreams."

"That's true. Otherwise, how could he know such details so clearly?"

Everyone chatted animatedly about all sorts of things. Besides these topics, some were talking about how the stage scenery was created, how the candlelight effects were achieved, and what the snow on stage was made of...

For a time, the theater was abuzz with conversation, extremely lively.

Backstage, Shen Yuan congratulated everyone. "Congratulations on the complete success of our first official performance! Today, everyone gets a bonus of one tael of silver. Ji Shuang, take it from my personal account!"

"Understood, President."

"Big brother, big brother, look at me!" Shen Xi looked up, his face full of expectation. "Does Xixi get a bonus too?"

The child wasn't short of money, but Shen Xi cherished the silver he earned with his own hands.

Shen Dong and Shen Nan also looked over. This was the first time they had earned money by themselves; they were full of hope.

"Yes!" Shen Yuan chuckled, ruffling the heads of his three younger brothers. "Everyone gets one!"

Shen Xi happily spun in a circle. "Yay! I'll buy sticky rice cakes for big brother, auntie, and little uncle!"

Shen Dong grabbed Shen Xi to steady him, saying maturely, "Third brother, don't spin until you get dizzy and fall. Big brother, I'll buy some for you all too."

Over there, Shen Nan had somehow gotten close to Shen Yuan. He tugged Shen Yuan's hand, and when Shen Yuan bent down, Shen Nan whispered in his ear, "The money Nannan earns is all for big brother to spend."

Shen Yuan was deeply moved, hugging the child and making exaggerated happy noises.

Shen Nan secretly peeked at Shen Dong and Shen Xi. Seeing their confused expressions, the little guy suddenly covered his mouth with his hand.

Shen Xi, sharp-eyed, suspected his fourth brother was secretly laughing.