Chapter 221

Chapter 221

Old Man Zhao got a kick out of it.

Perhaps they were intimidated by the scale of his operation, or maybe they simply didn’t trust him—demanding that they hand over their savings before even setting off together. A few families who had initially decided to stay immediately changed their minds and scrambled onto the rafts to head for Qushan County.

As for the rest, they were straightforward enough. After a brief huddle with their own families, they untied their waistbands, loosened their hair, and pulled out whatever they had managed to stash away in their frantic flight—each person hiding their treasure in a different way, using all sorts of tricks.

Village Chief Sun gave the most, handing over twenty taels outright. Next was Old Man Jin, who gave fifteen taels. Then came Old Man Sun, who gave ten taels. The other families contributed anywhere from three to five taels, and not a single person tried to pass off copper coins as payment.

This generous gesture stunned the people of Wanxia Village into silence, their faces flushed red as they stammered, unable to find words.

Villages differed from one another, and even among peasants, there was a gap as vast as the sky and the earth. Their entire families—young and old—tore open their sleeves, collars, and pant waistbands, nearly stripping themselves bare, only to scrape together a few tiny silver fragments.

Most of them, however, pulled out strings of copper coins tightly bound with hemp rope—impressive in size but pitiful in value compared to the loose silver others casually produced. And even this shabby string of a guan or half a guan of copper coins was the entirety of their savings, holding back nothing.

They had always known that Liuhe Village was wealthy, but they had never realized the gap between them was so vast. In the past, they had envied Liuhe Village for its fertile fields, its convenient location by the mountains and rivers, and its comfortable life. Now, with this comparison, they finally understood just how remote and impoverished Wanxia Village truly was. They put in the same effort, sweat more, yet harvested less grain and lived less prosperously.

When the two piles of money were placed side by side, even Feng Shi fell silent. The others from Wanxia Village couldn’t even bring themselves to speak. Many of them gathered around, trying to count the money, but they couldn’t keep track of how much there was.

It was only when a group of boys dragged Qing Xuan over and whispered to him, asking how much silver was on the ground, that Qing Xuan replied that the people of Liuhe Village alone had given nearly a hundred taels.

A hundred taels? What did that even mean? The boys were so scared their lips trembled and their legs shook—they couldn’t even walk properly.

When the adults nearby heard this, they nearly fainted on the spot. Someone had to pinch their philtrum to revive them.

No one had any objections anymore. By then, it was impossible to say who was taking advantage of whom. Watching Old Man Zhao roll up the cloth bag, tie the silver securely, and tuck it into his chest, they could only console themselves with the thought that those who contributed money and effort were now their own people—the Liuhe Village folk who had chosen to stay.

They would share the steamed buns together, drink water together. They were all in the same boat, all heading toward survival, never abandoning one another.

Thinking of this, and feeling the bulging pouch of silver against his chest, Old Man Zhao almost burst out laughing.

He had struck it rich again! Another windfall!

Like he could actually buy grain in the prefectural capital now? Dream on. If it were that easy, why would Er Niang and the others have gone through all the trouble of transporting grain from their rural hometowns to the city? And why would the neighbors in town have hired them to help move it? Even before the disaster, grain was hard to come by. After the disaster, it would be even scarcer. Even if they could buy it, the price would likely be astronomical. He was no fool—he wouldn’t spend silver on overpriced grain.

Asking for the silver was just an excuse to have a reason to bring the grain back.

The immortals’ land naturally wouldn’t give their grain to outsiders, but back then, when they took ten thousand catties from the big granary, he could use this opportunity to take some out.

In particular, with the few families who had helped kill the bandits back then—he and Xiaobao had even taken back their grain taxes. Since everyone was paying, he couldn’t single them out for special treatment. It wouldn’t do to have exceptions.

But he kept it in mind. As for the five taels Feng Shi had given, once things settled down, if her family had some major happy event, he would find an excuse to return it.

How could he let his brother Da He suffer a loss?

His heart was full of delight. He felt his family’s wealth had grown again. By the time Xiaobao grew up and married a husband, the wedding feast could be a bit more lavish.

As for the silver from the Liuhe Village people, he didn’t feel guilty at all. Back then, Zhu Laicai had paid both money and meat just to be taken along. With so many people from Liuhe Village now, there would be plenty of friction ahead, and he didn’t know how much trouble it would take. Since he was providing grain, labor, and worry, this was his rightful compensation.

Nobody works for free, right? Old Man Zhao wasn’t stupid.

“Dad, what are you so happy about?” Zhao Xiaobao sat in her bamboo basket, wearing a hood her elder sister-in-law had sewn for her overnight. The hood covered her mouth and nose tightly, leaving only a pair of big, sparkling eyes visible.

The design was very unique. When Old Man Zhao saw it last night, he immediately thought it was perfect for some sneaky business. And sure enough, Zhu Shi and her two sisters-in-law had stayed up all night to make three more hoods. By now, the men on the raft all looked like bandits.

A row of bamboo rafts glided across the water, keeping some distance between them.

Old Man Zhao glanced around, then, avoiding prying eyes, crouched beside his daughter. He grabbed her little hand and let her feel the silver in his chest, whispering, “Xiaobao, this is the family fortune Dad is earning for you. Put it in your divine land, next to our family’s money chest.”

Zhao Xiaobao didn’t ask why the silver the village had pooled together had become their family’s fortune. Whatever Dad said, she obeyed. She moved the money bag to her own room and placed it together with the money chest from the aunt of her nephew Jinyu and the silver she had dug up while pooping.

She had never actually counted how much silver the family had now, but at a glance, those little ingots, gold bracelets, rings, hairpins, leaves, gourd-shaped pieces... Oh my, their family really was rich!

Zhao Xiaobao’s eyes sparkled. She sucked in a bit of drool, pulled her father closer, and the father and daughter whispered to each other, their two gray cloth hoods pressed together like two dusty mice discussing the fullness of their granary.

“That much?” Old Man Zhao pretended to be surprised, just to enjoy the sight of his daughter’s greedy little eyes.

“Mm-hmm!” Zhao Xiaobao gestured with her hands. “Dad, when Xiaobao grows up, I’ll build you a brick-and-tile house, a big courtyard, buy you a big horse to ride, and make you a grand old master!”

“Haha, good!” Old Man Zhao’s grin stretched to his ears, his heart warm and content.

Good thing he had a daughter! Look at the sweet words she said—building him a brick house, buying him a horse, making him a grand old master! Could a son be this considerate? Not driving him crazy would already be comforting!

“Dad is waiting to live in the brick house Xiaobao builds, waiting to ride the big horse, waiting to enjoy the blessings Xiaobao brings!”

“Hehe, okay.” Zhao Xiaobao counted on her fingers. “And I’ll buy Mom gold bracelets, gold hairpins, gold rings, and lots of beautiful clothes, so she can be the old madam.”

“Haha, good! Xiaobao is truly filial, such a good daughter to your parents!”

At the front of the raft, Zhao Ertian was paddling. He exchanged a glance with Zhao Sandi, who was on another raft with the Gan brother and sister and the couple Shi Dalang and his wife. The two brothers shook their heads and sighed. They didn’t know what their little sister had said this time to get Dad so dizzy he couldn’t tell north from south.

Rafts were faster than walking. As long as they kept the right direction, they didn’t have to detour. Before noon, they were nearing Qushan County.

The three of them waited at the front for a while, and the others came along slowly. Since those heading to Qushan County were all from Liuhe Village, Village Chief Sun had arranged for the men who had stayed behind to help pole the rafts. In daily life, the difference wasn’t obvious, but now it became clear: in terms of physical strength, the Liuhe Village men were far inferior to the Wanxia Village men.

Muscle bulk, poling strength, raft speed—none of them matched up.

“Uncle, you should head straight to the prefectural capital. I’ll take them to Qushan County,” said Village Chief Sun’s second son, wiping the sweat off his forehead. He looked around; the terrain and roads were familiar. He knew the way and could lead them there.

“It’s just a short while. I’ll see you to the county seat.” Old Man Zhao glanced at the people on the raft—men, women, children, all familiar faces, many of whom had helped them build their houses. Though they had chosen different paths, having received their help in the village, he didn’t dare claim that leaving Fengchuan Prefecture was the right choice, so he held back from giving advice. The road ahead was uncertain. Even Village Chief Sun couldn’t bear the weight of the whole village’s lives. As an outsider, he dared not take such responsibility.

The rest of the journey, out of both duty and sentiment, he ought to see them through. It was also a way to honor the bond they had formed during this time.

“Let’s go.” Without further words, he continued leading the way toward Qushan County.

Though he had never been there, he didn’t need directions. Near the county seat, more and more rafts and boats appeared on the river, almost all heading in the same direction. They, too, had probably heard the news and come from all around, possibly including people from other counties.

Many had their heads and faces covered, seemingly unable to bear the foul stench drifting across the river. Occasionally, suppressed coughs could be heard, sounding like they were hacking up blood. Old Man Zhao became more cautious, warning everyone to keep their distance from such people and not approach.

No matter what, staying away from the sick was always a good idea.

Qushan County was situated on higher ground, which meant the villages below had been severely flooded, but the county itself had been spared.

The small port was bustling with activity. The shore was packed with people, and the river was crammed with boats and rafts.

It was only now, in this lively place, that Old Man Zhao truly felt that the flood hadn’t drowned everyone.

Since the night of the flood, he had seen far more corpses than living people. Often, as he poled his raft along the river, all he saw were floating bodies and livestock. The surroundings were desolate, and it was rare to see a living soul for miles. Anyone with weak mental fortitude might have collapsed, feeling an overwhelming sense of loneliness and panic, as if they were the only person left in the world.

Now, seeing the hustle and bustle of Qushan County, he felt a sense of relief, as if returning from hell to the mortal world.

For a moment, he even felt the urge to go ashore and stay. But that impulse died when he saw the disaster victims lying on bamboo rafts, women and children being carried out of boats, their faces either flushed or pale, and heard their hoarse coughs. It was like a bucket of cold water being poured over him, instantly extinguishing any such thoughts.

The port was jammed with people. Minor officials were directing the chaos ahead, arranging for newcomers to line up and come ashore.

Old Man Zhao didn’t push forward. Instead, he moved to the side. When the village chief’s second son began to pole toward the port, he hesitated, then couldn’t help but speak up, even though he had just resolved not to give advice: “Fellow villagers, we’ve already reached Qushan County. Normally, I shouldn’t say this, but I can’t keep it to myself. Please allow me to say a few more words.”

He looked at the little children held in their parents' arms—their tender, innocent faces so naive and bewildered, now staring at him with wide eyes. His heart ached with a sour, bitter feeling he couldn't quite name.

"It's hard to flee disaster, but leaving your home and livelihood behind is even harder. Leaving behind ancestral roots and traveling far from home is a great unfilial act..." His gaze swept across everyone's faces one by one, his weathered face showing a sincerity he'd never shown before. "We have all experienced this, and we can truly understand how everyone feels. The houses at home, the fields in the ground, the ancestral graves on the back mountain—these are our roots. Who can easily give up their roots?"

"But no matter how hard it is to part with these things, this old man truly believes that none of them are more important than the children in your arms."

"What are houses, fields, and ancestral graves compared to the lives of the whole family? They're just crap. As long as you have your life, you can earn everything back. If you lose your life, even a hundred acres of farmland will belong to someone else."

"I know you don't trust me, and I don’t ask you to believe me completely. Saying more is useless since nothing has happened yet—they’re all things that haven't come to pass. But along this journey, you’ve also seen for yourselves: there are many sick people. They all look like refugees. Later on, you might have to share a room, sleep on the same kang, live day and night close together. If he spits in your face, you won't have anywhere to turn or dodge it. I’m not just being paranoid; I’m thinking—those sick people, were they soaked in the river for a long time before being rescued? What did they eat and drink to survive those days? Could they be dirty? If his spit gets on you, could you catch something?"

"In a shelter, conditions are bound to be bad. A hundred people might be crammed into one room with no air circulation. I’ve never experienced an epidemic myself, but I’ve heard the elders say that once one person gets it, the whole family and village are done for. The contagion is unbelievably strong."

"And it’s not just about spittle—you could catch it just by wiping yourself. You can't see it or touch it, and it's scary as hell."

"Before we came, you could've said I was just crying wolf."

"But now, after seeing so many sick people, I can’t help but worry. I’m truly scared. I just want to wrap my face tight and not breathe the same air as them."

"As long as our loved ones are by our side, as long as the family is together, no matter if we eat dirt, drink rain, or sleep on the street—life goes on, and we can build it back up."

"Only if you're alive can you have anything. If you die, it's all over."

"We can't just pretend disaster won't happen just because it hasn't yet. You may think I'm thinking too much right now, but when that day comes, we'll have a better shot than others."

"Before we go ashore, there’s still time to change your minds. Don’t feel pressured or embarrassed. The folks from Wanxia Village appreciate all your help. I, Old Man Zhao, say this plainly: if any of you say 'no' right now, if you don’t want to go ashore, if you want to go back, we’ll turn around immediately and head back."

"We'll keep doing it like before—work together, eat together, let the kids play together, and fight to survive together."

After speaking, he looked at them and quietly waited for them to make their choice.

The air got heavy.

Some faces showed hesitation, but most people gazed at the bustling crowds on the shore, they only heard the noise, not a word he said.

Someone even pushed, "Come on, let's get ashore. Maybe we can score half a cornbread for lunch!"

"Yeah, don’t waste time. There are so many people ahead—how long will we have to wait in line?"

Old Man Zhao glanced at the two who had spoken—they were the same families who had refused to pay earlier.

Ignoring their griping, he let his gaze sweep across everyone’s faces. Some flinched like they'd been burned when their eyes met his; others didn't even notice, just staring at the shore.

After scanning the crowd, he finally focused on the few families that showed hesitation, and asked softly, "And you?"

"Well... we’ve already come this far..." The old man who had made different choices for his two sons hesitated for a long time, rubbing his trouser legs with his palms, and finally sighed. "Brother Da Gen, we understand your meaning. We are grateful for your words. But... but it’s hard to leave our homeland..."

He just shook his head and sighed, out of words.

The ones who were wavering before suddenly made up their minds when they heard that. They all thanked Old Zhao, and a few even laughed, "Those sick folks probably just caught a cold from being in the river so long. What's there to be scared of? At worst, we'll go sleep in the yard, stay far away from them."

"Yeah, that’s what I think too. Quxian County is big. We can sleep on the streets, sleep in broken temples. As long as we can get some cornbread, we’ll make do and survive until the flood recedes, then go home."

"Da Gen, we really appreciate you bringing us here. Don't take it wrong if we seem ungrateful. But our ancestors have lived here for generations. When the sons grow up and split the family, each person has their own path. Sigh, you can’t force it!"

When he heard "you can’t force it," Old Man Zhao had nothing more to say.

He couldn’t force everyone anyway. He had said all he needed to say. So, "Each person has their own path!"

"Alright." He raised his hand. Zhao Ertian steered their family’s raft back a little further, making room for them to move forward.

He didn’t say anything more. He only said to the men who had escorted them, "Cover your mouths and noses tightly. Don’t talk to outsiders. After you send them ashore, come back quickly."

He glanced at the shore but didn't move to go closer.

"I’ll wait for you here."