The Daily Life of Farming and Raising Children in Ancient Mountain Residences

Chapter 149: I Am Not Just Your Grandma

Mrs. Lu felt that Wang Chunniang had caused all the distress in her life.

Things that were given away freely, unwanted, all ended up in her lap.

Looking at her grandchildren kneeling before her, she couldn’t bring herself to blame them. It was normal for children to have soft spots for their mothers, perfectly normal.

She simply asked the grandchildren before her, “Do you think your father’s actions were too harsh?”

There was no need for the two children to answer; they both knelt down in supplication, clearly feeling that it was too severe.

Continuing on her own, she said, “Last time, almost causing trouble for several families, everyone was lenient. Only allowing you to pick grain, saying it was for you to pick, but in reality, it fell on the heads of your eldest family members. Including Shuanzhu, there were only three laborers. When escaping and seeking refuge, they took your whole family of seven. Do you think this was fair? Was it what you deserved? What significant contributions have you made? Should we still tolerate such disgusting behavior, making it difficult to part with you?”

“This is an old issue, we don’t need to dig it up. I just want to say, after the last incident, how long has it been? Have you ever considered that your mother could resort to stealing grain in the valley? Stealing when there’s no shortage, what could she do when there is a shortage? Can you imagine?”

“You can’t imagine, right? Even when there’s no shortage, you see, you couldn’t even imagine that she would steal grain. An unthinking person like her, you never know what she might do. Do you understand? Without confining her, do you think this valley is like the heavenly palace? No one can enter, right? Have you tested the sound? If your mother loses her mind one day, desperate to drag others down, running to the entrance and making a scene, if there happens to be someone outside, just imagine, everyone in the valley will be affected. Let me tell you something harsh; even if you think the people in the valley are less important than your mother’s comfort, think about your siblings. Do you still think your father’s proposal is too harsh?”

“Considering she’s your own mother, you can’t believe she would harm you, right? After what she’s done this time, have you thought about how you and your siblings will never hold your heads up in this valley again?”

“You can’t predict what she might do; her mind works differently.”

The old lady chuckled self-deprecatingly, “Shuanzhu, I regret it now. I should have been tougher back then, divorcing that troublesome woman directly, locking her up in the house, starving her to death. Once we had moved all the grain, left during the night, if you couldn’t bear it, you could have been bound with your whole family. When the villagers found out, they could have released you.”

“If it weren’t for left and right being considerate of you, where would we be today? Harming our own family is one thing, but hiring such a troublesome daughter-in-law, it’s my fault. What kind of bad luck did the other families bring upon themselves by getting involved with you as their mother?”

“You think your father is harsh? Real cruelty is not like this. Your father was trying to protect your mother, which is why he took the initiative.”

“Do you know what real cruelty looks like?”

“Times of peace are not the same as times of war. You’ve seen too little. Maybe, carrying our family, you’ve had it too easy, which is why you dare to kneel down and plead.”

“Real cruelty is silent, calm, and doesn’t raise a fuss. It doesn’t even let you know that it’s discovered someone stealing grain. Today, everyone in your family was taken out early in the morning, wild boars, wolf packs, scavengers, blind bears, large insects… whatever they encounter, they don’t need to hurt you, just save themselves or their own families. If someone can save you, they will, but if they’re a little slow…”

“See, handling your mother, who causes trouble, is so simple. If you want to avoid trouble, you can all be tied up together, and if encountered by wild animals, you won’t even need to bother burying the bodies.”

“So, the families in this valley are all honest people, with good hearts. But if they become impatient with you, they are capable of handling the situation honestly and sending you away.”

“Don’t say I’m afraid you won’t leave because I’m afraid you’ll leak the secret. It’s too early for that. Go out of this valley now and walk for a few days to see if you can run into someone. Without Alie and Dashan to lead and protect you, do you think it’s so easy to walk in the deep mountains and old forests? Are you still alive before you run into someone? Are you still alive before you run into someone? Are you still alive before you leak the secret? Even if you are alive, if you survive one or two of them and then run into someone, you will be alive? What a beautiful dream! The refugees in the north have been fleeing south. Do you know when they will escape to our land? Do you know what the refugees are like when there is real famine in the war? The north is not as mountainous as ours. When all the grass roots were eaten up, do you know how these people with no food survived to the south?”

“I tell you, those who are so hungry that they eat dirt are the truly honest people. They are also the ones who are most likely not to survive. Those who can really survive are either very capable or they are not human beings.”

“You know what? During famines and wars, people were called two-legged sheep. They really separated your meat into fat, lean, old and tender. At that time, you were no different from the pheasants and rabbits that are caught outside now. Whether you boiled or stewed, roasted or fried, you were just a pile of meat.”

“By then, will anyone know who owns the best meat?”

Shuanzhu was so frightened that he leaned back slightly, his face turned pale, his nostrils flared and trembled, and he was unable to speak.

But Mrs. Lu had no intention of letting him go. She looked at her eldest grandson with a blank expression, but pressed on: “As far as your family is concerned, the best meat is Shitou, followed by Huzi, then Danniu, Tiezhu, and then you! You are all still children, and this is the most tender meat.”

Lu Shuanzhu was forced from a kneeling position to a half-backward position. His hands softened and he fell backwards to the ground. He then stepped back and turned his eyes to look at Wang Chunniang, whose mouth was blocked by a cloth and whose forehead was already covered with a thin layer of sweat. “This time, the best meat, apart from children, is women, and that is you, Wang. At your age, it’s okay. The meat is tenderer than Dalang’s. Have you heard your parents or grandparents tell you about history? When people are extremely hungry, they can do anything. When it comes to eating human flesh, some people are a little bit taboo and will leave the head behind. The rest are just pieces of meat. Why did you crave pheasant meat a few days ago? If you run into the eyes of the hungry refugees, they will crave your meat.”

Wang’s family is in chaos, with her mouth blocked, only able to breathe through her nostrils, panting heavily, looking at Mrs. Lu as if she had seen a ghost.

Mrs. Lu’s gaze then fell on Mr. Lu, “He’s a first-rate man, around thirty years old. Even in a famine, no one would dare to complain. He may be tough and lean, but he’s tall and strong. There’s plenty of meat on him. If divided among a dozen people, it could last for several days.”

Mr. Lu’s legs went weak, barely standing with the help of his son, Mr. Lu Erlang.

Mr. Lu Erlang glanced at him, pretending not to notice, not interrupting his mother.

The faces of the eldest family members turned pale like ghosts, even Mrs. Feng Liu from the second family and Mr. Lu Sanlang, several steps away, felt their teeth chatter.

After Mrs. Lu finished speaking, she seemed to lose interest, casually sat down, looked at the eldest family of four, and instructed Mr. Lu, “Take the cloth out of her mouth.”

Mr. Lu’s lips trembled before he found his voice, “Mother?”

“Scared she’ll scream?” Mrs. Lu coldly smiled, “Let her scream if she wants. Do you think our family still cares about face after what your wife has done? She’s lost all sense of shame, not caring about her reputation or her family. Who does she expect to bail her out?”

“Your luck is truly good, too good in fact, that you neither appreciate nor show gratitude. But such good fortune won’t last forever.”

With that, she pointed to Wang Chunniang with her chin, “Remove the cloth, untie her feet, leave her hands bound. Your father and I will take her to gather the families and explain the grain theft today.”

“If they don’t press charges, we can’t lose face within our family. You’re not welcome here anymore. I can’t let those who helped our family be harmed by someone like you. Apologize, return the stolen grain, then your family can leave now. Live or die outside is up to fate.”

After this, everyone outside the eldest family was stunned. Mr. Lu even glanced at his wife.

Mrs. Lu’s expression remained unreadable.

Mr. Lu was initially stunned, but realizing his mother was serious, he knelt down, first pleading with Mrs. Lu. When she showed no response, he began to beg and plead desperately, even crying out for help.

Considering the children, being driven out of the mountains, they might not survive until dawn.

He went to grab his dumbfounded children, then went to pull Wang Chunniang. Even with her hands and feet bound, Wang Chunniang knelt down beside them, bowing repeatedly.

The previously quiet cave suddenly felt tense.

Mrs. Lu coldly glanced at Mr. Lu.

Mr. Lu Erlang also watched, waiting until it seemed enough, then with a nervous expression, approached to help speak.

Mr. Lu Sanlang, who always despised Wang Chunniang, was also stunned, neglecting to guard the cave entrance, walking to Mrs. Lu’s side and calling her “Mother.”

Mrs. Lu didn’t even glance at her other two sons and daughters-in-law, only focusing on Mr. Lu and his wife.

“Don’t want to leave the valley?” Mrs. Lu asked.

Mr. Lu nodded frantically, “Mother, for the sake of Shuanzhu, Tiezhu, Huzi, and Shitou.”

Wang Chunniang reacted quickly, whimpering in agreement.

She feared death, feared for the men, and feared for her children. Death used to feel distant, even knowing there was chaos outside, it hadn’t affected her yet. Even in the woods, where they were protected, they quickly returned to the valley, always feeling safe.

But if the family were all forced out, once outside the valley without its natural protection, not yet facing chaos but possibly attracting wild beasts at any moment.

She was genuinely scared, whimpering continuously, soaking the cloth with her saliva.

Listening to her cries, Mr. Lu finally reacted, pulling the cloth from Wang Chunniang’s mouth, allowing her cries to flow freely.

“Mother, spare me this time. I didn’t mean it. I was just tempted. I thought if rats can eat, so can we. I only took a little, truly just a little. I won’t dare again.”

“Shuanzhu and the others are your grandchildren. Mother, please spare me. As long as we stay in the valley, I will do anything.”

Suddenly, she remembered something, grasping at a lifeline, “Mother, if you must punish me, do it here in this cave. Lock me in a small corner, block my mouth, I promise not to leave, I won’t complain at all.”

Mrs. Lu sneered, “Lock you up? Even if your tongue is cut and your legs broken, it wouldn’t be enough.”

Her words terrified Wang Chunniang, causing her head to knock against the ground.

Mr. Lu repeatedly assured, “Mother, she can be locked up. I’ll make a wooden gate. She can occasionally move around in our cave, with me, Shuanzhu, and Tiezhu following her. If she steps out of this cave, then you can drive us out, and we won’t dare to plead anymore.”

The Lu family’s drama ended with Mrs. Lu eventually revealing the truth, binding Wang Chunniang, having Mr. Lu carve a stone cave. She and Mr. Lu personally took Shuanzhu, Tiezhu, and the others to each family, apologizing for the stolen grain, whether by mountain rats or Wang’s family. They returned the grain twofold, ensuring Wang’s family wouldn’t leave the cave again, with each family overseeing them.

Naturally, the grain was taken from the eldest family.

When they arrived at Chen’s house, Mrs. Chen sighed, finding Mrs. Lu’s actions typical of her style.

Looking at the bowed Shuanzhu and Tiezhu, she shook her head, “It’s just hard on the children. Comfort them as best you can.”

Mrs. Lu glanced at her two grandsons, “There’s nothing too hard. Keeping this secret might make them feel at ease, but knowing has its benefits. At least now they’ll understand what they should and shouldn’t do.”

At the Shen family’s house, Shen Lie and Sang Luo didn’t say much, feeling somewhat relieved by the swift resolution by the Lu family. After exchanging a few pleasantries, they saw the guests off.

At the Xu family, the old lady was surprised, feeling relieved after they left.

Her eyesight wasn’t great, but it wasn’t that bad either. Unsure if it was just her family short on grain or if all families were affected, she weighed her options before asking Sang Luo for needle and thread.

Not because of the little grain, but because she sensed trouble brewing.

In this valley, Chen Dashan and Shen Lie were actually the leaders, especially the Shen family. The Xu family could be considered under the protection of the Shen family, and Sang Luo’s status among the families was somewhat aloof. That’s why she chose to leak this matter to Sang Luo.

This morning’s restriction when leaving the valley, Mrs. Xu knew about it. Shen Lie and his wife probably guessed who was involved and made targeted responses.

After observing the whole situation, she vaguely guessed about the eldest family of the Lu family, but didn’t expect such a follow-up.

Fortunately, there were sensible people in the Lu family who managed to control Wang’s family.

Having a fool who can move freely during times of war is a terrifying thing.

The current situation is good.

She brought her grandchildren out, needing to be extremely vigilant, protecting them well and then handing them back to her son and daughter-in-law intact.

On the way back, passing by the waterfall at the innermost part of the valley, with no one around and the sound of water crashing against the rocks quite loud, Lu Shuanzhu, who had been silent for a long time, finally hesitated and asked the question that weighed on his heart.

“Grandmother, what you said today… is it true?”

Mrs. Lu stopped in her tracks, looking at her grandson, “What did I say? The part about driving you out?”

Lu Shuanzhu hesitated and nodded.

Mrs. Lu smirked, “You don’t believe I can even abandon you all, right?”

“Let me tell you, the part about driving you out is false. Because even now, there’s a tiny chance that kicking you out could harm the people in the valley. I won’t let that happen, but I will give up your mother or you if necessary.”

“Don’t think I don’t care about family ties. The chaotic times are cruel. I’m not just your father’s mother, but also the grandmother of you five siblings, the mother of your second and third uncles, and Ah Xu’s grandmother. Our family can only survive in these chaotic times under the protection of the Chen and Shen families. I won’t tolerate a potential threat that could harm everyone.”

Looking at her two grandsons, she spoke with unprecedented seriousness, “So, whether it’s for the well-being of your mother or for the safety of you siblings, watch over your mother. If she’s safe, your family, our family, and the six families in this valley can all be safe. I wasn’t lying to scare you about the ‘two-legged sheep,’ understood?”

Lu Tiezhu only knew about his mother stealing grain but not the details. He asked Lu Shuanzhu, “Brother, what are ‘two-legged sheep’?”

Lu Shuanzhu trembled, shook his head, “Let’s go back, don’t ask.”