Chapter 83

Chapter 83

They reached home under a moon already high in the treetops.

Although Sunset Village had only one main road into the village, there were many mountain paths. Outsiders couldn't find them, but Old Man Zhao was used to taking them. This time, he had taken the mountain path out of the village, unable to stand the reek of the several corpses on the main road.

The mountain path took a bit longer. He descended from the back hill and couldn't be bothered with the main gate, jumping directly from the gentle slope into the backyard. The little black dog, Xiao Heizi, dozing in the doghouse, was the first to notice. It whimpered a few times, wagging its tail as it came over, smart enough not to make a sound.

"Good boy, stay quiet." Old Man Zhao used his toe to nudge the little black dog circling his feet. Holding his daughter in one arm, he closed the wicker gate. By the time he circled from the backyard to the main room, the oil lamp in the main room was already lit, and sounds came from the side rooms as well.

"Your little sister and I are back. No need to get up, nothing's wrong. Go back to sleep."

As he spoke, the sound of a door bolt being moved came from inside the main room, and the door was pushed open. Wang Shi was inside, holding an oil lamp. She first raised the lamp to look at her daughter's peacefully sleeping little face, reluctant to wake her. She shot the old man a look and stepped aside to let him enter first.

Old Man Zhao carried his daughter to the main room. This was a rare opportunity, and he didn't want to miss it. The kid was now used to sleeping alone, and even coaxing her to sleep with her parents in the main room wouldn't work. Wang Shi saw through his little scheme, the corner of her mouth curving slightly. She didn't say anything, clearly giving silent consent.

She shooed away Xiao Heizi, who was trying to squeeze in, closed the main room door, and returned to the room holding the oil lamp.

Old Man Zhao sat on the edge of the bed, having already taken off his daughter's shoes. His rough, large hands were lovingly cradling her chubby little feet. He hadn't let her walk these past two days, so there were no blisters. After nuzzling them affectionately, he couldn't help but give her a little massage to ease her weariness.

"How did it go?" Wang Shi set the oil lamp aside and sat cross-legged on the edge of the bed.

"Quite smoothly. We got over eight thousand catties of new grain ourselves, and that clever little devil Xiaobao got nearly a thousand catties more." He briefly recounted the past few days' experiences, glossing over the close call while staking out the place. He focused on the granary: "There's so much grain. Just what I saw was an immense amount, and there were dozens of rooms I didn't even see. I really don't understand it. You'd think storing so much grain is just feeding the rats, new grain turns into stored grain, stored grain turns bad. But the officials would rather let it sit and rot than use it to relieve the common people. Even if they don't want to provide relief, couldn't they at least collect less grain tax each year? Instead, they don't reduce the tax, they don't stop 'kicking the hu' [a corrupt tax collection practice], skimming layer after layer from us. Tch, damn it all, they just hoard it and let it sit!"

He was also suppressing a bellyful of anger. These words weren't suitable to say in front of his daughter, but he didn't need to hold back in front of his wife: "As if letting it sit there will make it multiply!"

"The wool comes from the sheep's back. They don't let the sheep eat their fill, yet they still want to shear the wool. Damn it, the more I think about it, the angrier I get!" He grumbled in a low voice. Seeing a flatbread on the bedside table, he reached over, took it, and bit off a large mouthful fiercely, as if he were tearing into the officials' own fat flesh.

Wang Shi didn't share his anger. After all, what the officials thought was beyond the control of common folk like them. They thought the court's taxes were too high; the court probably thought it wasn't collecting enough. They thought letting grain sit was wasteful and it should be used to relieve the people; the officials might rather let the grain rot at the bottom of the granary than give it out... Wasn't it always this way? They were used to it, so what was there to be angry about?

It was like they didn't understand why the city entry fee was sometimes two wen. Couldn't it be one wen? The officials might even think two wen was too little, and that not charging three wen was an act of great charity.

Common people and officials were like two sticks that could never be aligned properly; they were on different wavelengths entirely, so how could they possibly think alike?

This trip brought back over eight thousand catties of grain, and it was new grain. If transported to the town grain shops to exchange for stored grain, it could be exchanged for over ten thousand catties. Over ten thousand catties! That was more than what they had bought with silver. Even if they ate their fill, combined with what they had bought before, they wouldn't have to worry about food for over ten years.

She was quite satisfied in her heart and said softly, "It's a good thing you didn't let greed cloud your judgment and didn't take it all. If you had taken everything, this matter would definitely have blown up. The grain collection isn't over yet. If the shortfall is too large, who knows what wicked schemes those officials might come up with... For those of us who have already paid, it's fine. I'm just afraid that group will think of ways to exploit the common people who haven't paid yet. Making each person 'kick the hu' a few extra times could add up to a large amount."

If the loss is small, compared to risking public discontent and widespread resentment, it's better to find other ways to fill the gap. Since ancient times, grain has been the lifeblood of the common people. Don't think that the peasantry are usually honest and obedient. But if you tamper with the grain without reason, they really can disregard everything and put up a life-or-death fight.

Everyone knows about the 'kicking the hu' practice. The people don't protest and even consciously bring extra grain for you to kick. But the premise is that you can't go too far. A couple of kicks is enough. If you're insatiably greedy, not only will they cause trouble, but even the great lords will have objections.

It's not a gamble worth taking. Peasants might endure nine lashes without resisting, but if you keep whipping without restraint, perhaps on the tenth lash, they might turn around, grab the whip, and strangle you with it.

Always leave a way out for others. Greed should have its limits. Losing a hundred thousand catties is too large a number. If it blows up, everyone will have to bear the consequences. Losing ten thousand catties, if you want to keep your job, you have to hide it and dare not let anyone know. You have to think of schemes secretly, being forced to eat a loss in silence, without affecting others.

Wang Shi approved of the old man's approach. Greed easily leads to big trouble. This way was good.

"What about the few hundred catties Xiaobao took?" She tucked the quilt around her daughter.

Old Man Zhao first told her about the hunting dog incident, then jerked his chin towards the village direction before smiling and shaking his head: "She has a mind of her own. I think she'll grow up to be clever too, thinking things through thoroughly. Even I didn't think of that angle, but she went ahead and did it on the sly."

Wang Shi was silent for a moment before saying, "Xiaobao has a kind heart. She's a good child. She never forgets her own people when something good happens. I don't know if that's good or not." She treats others well, and others treat her sincerely in return; that's mutual giving. But she was, after all, an old woman who had experienced many things. She knew that feelings in this world were fragile, they couldn't withstand much turmoil. Sometimes, they changed even without any turmoil, inexplicably.

Xiaobao's nature was pure and kind. As her mother, she worried that she might get hurt in the future.

"Worrying about things that haven't happened yet is just making yourself uncomfortable." Old Man Zhao really had no patience for this habit of his wife's. It seemed to be a common ailment among women, always fretting over things that hadn't even materialized, worrying and worrying, making themselves unhappy. "Do you think our daughter is stupid? I think she's even smarter than the two of us! She knows perfectly well in her heart who treats her well and who doesn't!"

Wang Shi shot him a sidelong glance. Knowing he had no patience for this kind of talk, she couldn't be bothered to argue with him, only thinking she'd find time to chat with her daughter later. "Even though Xiaobao brought back the grain for those few families, we can't just carry it to their homes. It would be hard to explain." How would you explain it? 'We went to the big granary and conveniently brought back your family's grain. Here, take it.'

Saying that would probably scare people to death.

And there was the matter of the hunting dog.

"That dog can't be let out either, at least not now. Let it stay in the Immortal Land." Since its appearance was unusual, it couldn't be let the villagers see it. Otherwise, if rumors spread and outsiders heard, and someone came looking based on the news, that would be disastrous.

Old Man Zhao nodded. He thought the same: "It's a hunting dog. I've seen dogs raised by hunters when I was young. They were like that, with long legs, ran very fast, and had a fierce temperament."

He then added: "Not as affectionate as our Xiao Heizi. It bit me."

Wang Shi wanted to roll her eyes. Xiao Heizi, affectionate? Go ask the villagers if they agreed. It'd start barking before it even saw who was coming.

Unaware of his wife's silent criticism, Old Man Zhao then mentioned passing by Falling Stone Village today and his hesitation about how to notify his in-laws. Then he heard Wang Shi say: "It's a good thing you didn't go. Yesterday, our third daughter-in-law's parents and eldest brother came to our village. The mother-in-law was carried on the eldest brother's back. They said she was so frightened by the corpses on the village road that she rolled her eyes and fell to the ground on the spot. Thankfully, the eldest brother reacted quickly and caught her before her head hit the ground, or there might have been an accident."

The Sun family also missed their daughter dearly. This autumn harvest, they waited and waited, but their daughter and son-in-law didn't come. It wasn't that they really expected them to come help, but after a girl gets married, she can only return to her parents' home during holidays and occasions like the autumn harvest. Old Lady Sun truly missed her daughter. She didn't come back for the harvest, and they didn't encounter any Sunset Village villagers when paying grain tax at Tongjiang Town either. They couldn't even find anyone to ask if something had happened at the in-laws' home.

So, they had to visit themselves.

As a result, the family of three traveled a long way, and before they even got close to the village entrance, they nearly lost two members.

Brother Sun had to catch his falling mother while also supporting his unsteady father. Just as he was in a dilemma, not knowing what to do, his mother pinched her philtrum, forcing herself to wake up. The old woman crossed past those corpses with the determination of someone going to their death. She was determined to go to her in-laws' house to see what had happened. Why were there corpses placed at the village entrance?!

What disaster had befallen the village?!

Of course, nothing was wrong. Sunset Village was still Sunset Village. The villagers were startled to see them, not expecting anyone to dare pass the corpses at the entrance. Fortunately, someone recognized them as Zhao Dagen's in-laws, people from the neighboring town, so everyone relaxed.

Neighboring town? It was normal that news hadn't reached them. It was far.

The old Sun couple's last visit to Sunset Village was for Zhao Xiaobao's full-month celebration, to attend the banquet.

They hadn't been for several years. They had originally thought they were coming for a funeral, but instead, they were greeted by the in-laws' newly built house. The courtyard was much more spacious than before. Xi'er had grown up, even sturdier than when they saw him last year. Their daughter also looked rosy-cheeked, clearly living well.

Their son-in-law looked good too. The whole family was very welcoming.

Only then did the old Sun couple's anxious hearts completely settle. After a hearty lunch with meat and rice, Wang Shi recounted the events of the past two months. The Sun family's shock and fear need not be mentioned. Wang Shi didn't hide the conscription matter either and advised them to think of a solution early, preferably to hide if possible.

She also told them about their village's current situation and emphasized that they must not say a word about it when they returned. Of course, it would be even better if they could act "worried after not seeing their daughter and son-in-law, having made the trip for nothing."

Since their family couldn't show themselves easily now, Wang Shi also, on behalf of her eldest and second daughters-in-law, asked Brother Sun to help notify the parents' homes of the two daughters-in-law. Zhu Shi and Luo Shi were from the same village, so one trip could accomplish two tasks. Brother Sun naturally agreed immediately.

Of course, she repeatedly emphasized that outsiders must not know, they should just keep it in mind themselves, and they should think of a way out early.

There was, of course, only one way out: hide.

Sunset Village had set up the whole theatrical performance to protect all the village's men. Other villages were different; each looked after their own. Even if they wanted to hide, it would be each family for themselves. Compared to townsfolk, country folk were the most afraid of conscription. Farm boys might not be clever, but they weren't stupid. They knew being conscripted meant ten lives wouldn't be enough. No one wanted to die. Once the conscription order was issued, who knew how lively the countryside would become.

Especially this time, aside from those with official titles, even wealthy merchants were included in the conscription, and they couldn't buy their way out. Of course, those people had their own methods, but country folk didn't have as many means. When the time came, even the Village Head's family would probably be in an uproar.

Knowing early certainly had its advantages. Like the Sun family: after returning, they first delivered the message to the Zhu and Luo families. Then, upon returning home, they immediately went up the mountain to find a hidden spot to dig a cellar, without letting the villagers know.

After digging the cellar, they secretly transported grain, bedding, dry rations, and such into the mountains late at night.

Once that was done, the Sun family men basically stopped staying home, spending their days in the mountains. Even the firewood they chopped was carried home by the women.

Being cautious never hurt. Even if soldiers suddenly entered the village to arrest people, they would have already hidden away at the first moment. As long as they weren't caught, the conscription order was just a piece of paper, utterly useless. The soldiers wouldn't stay guarding the village forever, nor would they arrest women and children. As long as the able-bodied men hid and avoided capture, later they might at most be called cowards by the families of those who were conscripted. But as long as they kept their lives, such words would feel like an itch, causing no pain.

The Zhu and Luo families did the same. This was the benefit of getting the news early: having time to prepare, being better able to take precautions, thus having a slightly better chance of survival than others.

They were all very grateful to their in-laws. The elders at home even kept saying their daughter hadn't married the wrong person, that this marriage was a good one... Of course, Old Man Zhao and Wang Shi didn't know about these things. They were discussing whether to transport the new grain to town to exchange for stored grain.

In previous years, we always had to exchange, because not doing so wasn't an option—the grain simply wasn't enough to eat, and without exchanging, folks would starve to death.

"This morning, my old sister came to visit and brought this up, asking what our family thought." One or two thousand catties of grain might sound like a lot, but with over a dozen mouths to feed, how could that be enough? Even if swapped for stored grain, we'd still have to live frugally, let alone with just this amount. "Given our village's current situation, they're also hesitant to go to town, worried about running into acquaintances."

"Then go to Qinghe Town. If distance isn't an issue, Shilin Town is also an option." Old Man Zhao thought for a moment before saying, "Our family won't exchange. Putting great effort into trading grain elsewhere isn't as good as reclaiming wasteland at home. New grain is always tastier than old grain. At our age, with one foot already in the grave, we're not looking to live in luxury, but since we have the means, there's no need to suffer. We should eat well when we can—nowadays, we're not lacking that bit."

Wang Shi nodded. She wasn't one to go hungry sitting next to a full granary either. In this regard, the old couple saw eye to eye. With Xiaobao around, as long as they weren't lazy, they wouldn't lack food.

"Later, you should go to the wooden house and expand another granary, make it bigger. Grain can't just be piled up in the yard—it needs a proper place." Wang Shi hesitated before adding, "How about letting the second and third sons go with Da He and the others? There's no work in the fields now, and they're just idle. Since Xiaobao helped them bring back a sack of grain, let the second and third sons swap it for stored grain. Last year, it was one *dou* of new for three of old. Though it's not great, it's edible. After swapping, set aside a separate spot for it. Grain kept in the Divine Land won't spoil; it can last three to five years. When the time comes later, we'll pass it on to them."

Old Man Zhao thought it over and nodded. "Alright."

Since they said they were family, they truly meant it. The old couple harbored no selfishness and even thought of giving them a leg up.

One hundred catties of new grain for three hundred of old—in a famine year, three hundred catties could save a whole family.

So, exchange it. Store it for them.