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

Chapter 155: Can’t Leave

Shopkeeper Xu raised his eyes, and when he saw the person coming in from outside, his eyes widened. He stood up with a start and exclaimed, “Lingzhen!”

He hurried over, “How did you come over?”

In the blink of an eye, he saw his eldest son Wenqing and second son Wenhong following behind his wife.

The person he was thinking about just a moment ago was now right in front of him. Shopkeeper Xu was both surprised and delighted. Delighted because his family had arrived safely, but surprised because the situation outside was not peaceful. Though the refugees from the north had not arrived yet, many locals had turned into refugees.

“How did you all come over?”

Wei Lingzhen understood his worries and reassured him with a smile, “We asked a few escorts from the Wang family escort to bring us over. We didn’t bring much attention to ourselves, and the journey was relatively peaceful.”

Shopkeeper Xu breathed a sigh of relief.

Wei Lingzhen then turned and gave a slight nod to the accountant, thanking him for guiding them.

The accountant and Shopkeeper Xu were old partners and recognized Wei Lingzhen. They exchanged smiles, and the accountant, mentioning some urgent matters outside, excused himself, leaving the space to Shopkeeper Xu’s family and discreetly closing the door behind him.

This room was where Shopkeeper Xu usually rested during his time at the inn. As soon as the accountant left, before Shopkeeper Xu could ask his wife and children to sit down, he noticed that the smile on his wife’s face had turned into a forced one, now tinged with worry.

He paused, took the package from his wife’s hands, helped her sit down, and asked, “You don’t look well. Is something wrong?”

Wei Lingzhen sighed and nodded, “Indeed, something has happened. I couldn’t make a decision, so I brought Wenqing and Wenhong here to discuss a plan with you.”

Shopkeeper Xu’s expression changed slightly, “What happened?”

Wei Lingzhen’s face turned pale. She hesitated for a moment before speaking, “The maternal family of the Wang family’s eldest lady, except for two nephews and nieces who were taken away by the Wang family’s escorts, the rest of the family is gone.”

With that sentence, Shopkeeper Xu’s heart almost stopped. He held his breath, struggling to process the information. “What did you say?”

The maternal family of the Wang family’s eldest lady was a prominent family in Yu County, and now the entire family was gone… What could have happened?

Wei Lingzhen continued, “According to the escorts who escaped from Yu County, the county town was surrounded by a group of two to three thousand bandits. It was breached in just five days. The lady’s father and brothers died during the siege, and most of the clan perished. There were hardly any survivors left. The lady’s mother, sister-in-law, and a few nieces refused to be dishonored…”

Wei Lingzhen, originally a maid from the main family, had served by the side of the Wang family’s eldest lady for two years before being released from service. Thinking about the tragedy that befell her former mistress’s family, tears welled up in her eyes. She wiped her eyes and continued, “They all hanged themselves at home.”

Shopkeeper Xu’s teeth chattered, and he couldn’t find his voice for a while. He finally understood why there had been frequent movements at the county yamen in the past few days, with hundreds of strongmen conscripted, and military officers coming and going from the county yamen.

He also realized that Yu County was only separated by six or seven small counties from Shezhou. He broke out in a cold sweat, “How could you still dare to run outside at this time? Isn’t the capital city safer than our small county? The Wang family is also here.”

The brothers, Wenqing and Wenhong, exchanged glances and remained silent.

Wei Lingzhen sighed, “We are afraid we can’t stay at the Wang family’s residence any longer. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have dared to come here at this time.”

Shopkeeper Xu was puzzled, “What do you mean?”

Wei Lingzhen forced a smile, “The eldest lady fell ill upon hearing the news from her maternal family and hasn’t been able to get up since. The one in charge now is the third lady.”

The second lady of the Wang family was always unwell and unable to manage the household. With the eldest lady falling ill, the responsibility fell to the third lady.

Upon hearing this, Shopkeeper Xu understood.

In times of chaos, outsiders like their family who sought refuge might be at the mercy of the lady in charge. Given the third lady’s dislike for the Wei family, they might not receive protection, and worse, they might not even know why they were harmed.

“My parents suggested that if you can accommodate us, Wenqing, Wenhong, and I should come to your place. Originally, we sought refuge on our own, but if everyone has left… I’m afraid it might put you in a difficult position.”

Shopkeeper Xu shook his head, “The Wang family is aware of the situation between the third and our family. If the household changes hands to the third lady, you should understand the reasons for coming to us. I will write a letter explaining the situation more tactfully.”

He paused and added, “However, my small county may not be the safest place.”

With a sigh, he continued, “If I had taken you and your family to the mountains with my mother and the others a few days ago, I would feel more at ease now. Even if I wanted to send you to seek refuge with Shen Lie and the others, I can’t find them now.”

Wei Lingzhen had received a letter from her younger son, and her husband had mentioned Shen Lie and the others in the letter. She also knew that her husband didn’t know where they were hiding. She held her husband’s hand and said, “It’s okay if we can’t go to the mountains. As long as I’m with you, no matter what happens, at least I feel secure. But I’m worried that if we bring food with us, we might be robbed by refugees. I’ve hidden the food stored in Shezhou with my parents.”

“That’s not a problem. I have some food prepared here. But what about your parents?”

Wei Lingzhen understood his concern and reassured him, “My mother is serving by the old lady’s side. She should be fine. My parents have been with the Wang family for half a lifetime and are unwilling to leave.”

But where is truly safe?

Shopkeeper Xu nodded, got up, paced a few steps, and said, “Let me take you back to my place first. Uncle Xu is out delivering a letter and won’t be back until tomorrow at the earliest. If you had arrived a bit earlier, I could have included a plea in the letter to Shen Lie and Madam Sang. If luck is on our side, and Shen Lie really comes out, reads the letter, there’s a chance he might help the three of you leave.”

The bandits are getting closer, especially after hearing about the tragic situation of the Wang family, Shopkeeper Xu now feels chills down his spine.

He knows that the hope is slim. Shen Lie and the others must be hiding deep. Although they agreed to check the messages he sends periodically, it’s unlikely they will come out frequently given their reclusive nature.

If Yu County has fallen, how far is Shezhou? If Shezhou falls into chaos, then their Qiyang County might also be in trouble.

Even if he sends another letter the next day, he fears that Shen Lie might not discover the message in time.

Wei Lingzhen is more optimistic, saying, “Whether we can leave or not, we will go together as a family, or stay together.”

She is unwilling to leave her husband and sons behind. If there is a chance to leave, she won’t let her husband stay alone. At this critical moment, the role Shopkeeper Xu plays seems trivial to Wei Lingzhen.

Shopkeeper Xu didn’t say much more. Time was of the essence, and he needed to make arrangements quickly.

Leading his wife and children out, he greeted the accountant and then took them back to his temporary residence.

Along the way, he inquired about how so many bandits had gathered in Yu County. His eldest son explained that many were not refugees from the north but local villagers from the south. Some were desperate due to the lack of food, while others feared the bandits and chose to ally with them. In short, many were originally residents of the surrounding counties.

He sighed.

The central government and local officials were too harsh, leaving the common people with no way out. At present, things were manageable, but in a month or so, there might be more people facing starvation. He still hoped to contact Shen Lie, but staying outside was becoming worrisome even for himself.

The next day, the elderly servant and the brothers returned to the county in the late morning. They had changed into tattered clothes before reaching the city to avoid looking like refugees.

The city gate was now under strict scrutiny, with around forty to fifty guards visible.

As they approached the city gate, a sudden rush of footsteps from behind startled them. Unsure of who was approaching, they hurried to enter the city. Despite showing their papers, the guards were preoccupied and didn’t thoroughly inspect them. Instead, they pushed them through, hands on their weapons, ready for any threat.

Unable to enter the city, the elderly servant and the brothers couldn’t force their way past the guards and could only wait anxiously.

The sound of approaching footsteps grew louder and closer. Turning back, they realized it was soldiers. The elderly servant, who had spent time in Shezhou, recognized their clothing and suspected they were the stationed troops from Shezhou.

Relieved, he thought, “Good, it’s the army. If it had been bandits, it would have been dangerous.”

Led by a few riders at the front, a group of hundreds arrived, with what seemed to be a commander leading the way.

The people waiting to enter the city stepped aside as the commander rode up to negotiate with the city gate guards. After a brief discussion, the guards stepped aside, gesturing to open the gates wide. The soldiers then rode into the city, followed by hundreds of infantrymen rushing in.

Once the commotion subsided, one of the brothers, feeling relieved, said, “That was scary. Why are there so many stationed troops? Could chaos be approaching our area too?”

No one knew for sure.

The three of them looked worried as they quickly passed the inspection and paid the entry fee to enter the city, heading straight to Dongfulou.

At Dongfulou, Shopkeeper Xu had also heard about the large number of stationed troops entering the county. There was no way such a significant event could go unnoticed.

He stood on the second-floor balcony, observing the situation outside and feeling anxious. He paced back and forth, worried about the unfolding events.

At that moment, the elderly servant and the brothers returned.

Seeing them back, Shopkeeper Xu exclaimed, “Uncle Xu, you’re back just in time. The situation is urgent. Did Shen Lie leave a message for me?”

The elderly servant shook his head, “No, Master Shen hasn’t come out.”

Disappointed but not surprised, Shopkeeper Xu quickly retrieved a sealed letter from his sleeve, saying, “I’m afraid I have to ask you to make another trip and deliver this letter to Shen Lie.”

Perplexed, the elderly servant asked, “Why another letter?”

Shopkeeper Xu explained the situation of his wife and children seeking refuge and briefly mentioned the chaos in Yu County. He said, “With the stationed troops arriving, trouble might not be far from us. I feel uneasy, so Wenqing will accompany you this time.”

As for the brothers, with chaos approaching, he couldn’t risk involving them further. They also had their families to take care of.

The elderly servant nodded, “Is Master Shen at home? Time is of the essence. I’ll go find him right away.”

The two servants acted swiftly, unaware that in the Qiyang County Yamen at that moment, the officer the elderly servant had seen before was handing a document to the county magistrate.

“Lord Wei, this is an order from above. Please take a look and act promptly.”

The county magistrate glanced at the document and was astonished, looking at the officer, “Move all the rural people to the county? How do we accommodate them? What about the fields? Will they go to waste?”

The officer smirked, “It’s not my concern. All I know is that with bandits nearing dozens of surrounding counties, about forty to fifty percent of the rural people will eventually surrender to them. This is a decree from above, and I’m just following orders. I’ll assist you in enhancing the city’s defenses. As for how to accommodate them, that’s for you to consider, Lord Wei.”

The county magistrate was aware of the situation with the bandits and refugees in neighboring counties. Thinking about what might happen if the villagers around Qiyang County also sided with the bandits, he felt a chill down his spine. He put aside the irrationality of the decree and said, “Indeed, we can’t let these people all turn to banditry.”

He turned to the officer, “General Chen, when do we begin?”

General Chen replied, “Sooner rather than later.”

The Qiyang County Yamen was in motion.

The newly arrived troops were quickly organized by the yamen officials and dispatched in dozens of teams out of Qiyang County.

The commotion was so significant that the residents of the county were starting to panic, yet they had no idea what was happening.

When Shopkeeper Xu, his son, and the elderly servant rushed to the city gate, intending to go out, they were stopped by the guards raising their hands, “By the county’s order, no one is allowed to leave the city gates starting today!”

Originally living in the rural areas, those who usually came into the city to buy things or run errands were curious about the increased presence of stationed troops in the city. However, as the guards spoke, the villagers waiting to leave were stunned.

One of them hurried forward, showing his papers, “I’m from the nearby Shijiatang. Can I return home?”

The guard glanced at him, “No one in, no one out. Didn’t you understand?”

The villager grew anxious, “No, I want to go back to my own house. Why can’t I leave?”

The guard remained expressionless, “We are just following orders.”

Others in the same situation rushed over to reason with the guards, causing a commotion at the city gate.

The commotion was so loud that even the residents who had come out to observe the stationed troops were drawn over. Learning about the strict city gate policy, which allowed only entry and no exit, even the nearby villagers who had entered the city were not permitted to leave. The crowd was in an uproar.

Listening to the chaos, Shopkeeper Xu sought out a familiar guard and tried to discreetly offer him money to allow the elderly servant and his son to leave at night. Surprisingly, the guard refused to accept.

“It’s not that I don’t want to help, but this time is different. There are more than just us city guards here.”

Glancing at another location, the guard continued, “There’s a young officer sitting on the city tower, and things are different now.”

Shopkeeper Xu felt disheartened but still discreetly placed the money in the guard’s hand to inquire further.

The guard hesitated, squeezing the silver ingot in his hand before saying, “I’m not entirely sure, but it seems like they want to gather the villagers from the surrounding areas and settle them in the county. Shopkeeper Xu, if you have any connections, you better stock up on food quickly.”

With little food left in the villagers’ hands and the harvest not yet collected, the shortage of food was inevitable once people were forced to move to the county.

Feeling a chill down his spine, Shopkeeper Xu thanked the guard and swiftly returned to his family.

Seeing him return, his son anxiously asked, “Father, what happened?”

Shopkeeper Xu shook his head, “We can’t leave. Let’s go back immediately.”

Most of his food supplies were hidden in the shelter outside the county, with only a limited amount at home. He needed to secure more food immediately. The Dongfulou couldn’t continue operating, and the remaining food was crucial for survival – his own, as well as for the inn’s chef and staff. Even if the landlord blamed him, he had to bear the consequences.