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

Chapter 159: News Spreads

The city gate war drums rang intermittently, and people scattered like a tide into the alleys and lanes of the county as both city gates faced enemy attacks. There was no escape; in their panic, people instinctively sought out their loved ones in their dwellings.

Mrs. Li finally caught her breath. Her hair was disheveled, and cries and wails echoed in her ears, but these sounds merely passed by her without touching her heart. All she could think of was the dried meat that had been snatched from her. She turned around to find it, but where was the dried meat?

Mrs. Li cried out in despair, slapping herself across the face repeatedly in agony and tears that couldn’t be restrained.

By now, the crowd had dispersed somewhat. She sat down, crying, and through her tears, she noticed a round soybean at her feet.

Soybeans!

She urgently reached out, half expecting it to be an illusion.

It wasn’t.

It was real soybeans.

Mrs. Li stopped crying. She crawled on the ground, picking up scattered beans.

In the chaos earlier, many beans had been spilled. Now that the crowd had thinned, these beans were visible. Mrs. Li wasn’t the only one picking them up; most were those who had lost their food. They were so distraught they couldn’t even rush back quickly.

The first batch to collect the beans were those who lost their food. Others who arrived later found beans to collect, turning the scattered grains on the ground into a new battlefield.

“That’s mine! This is from my family!”

“Don’t pick it up, it’s ours! You’re robbing us, you’re robbing us!”

All were hungry peasants, driven desperate by their need for food. Mrs. Li found a slightly larger pile and managed to grab two handfuls of beans mixed with dirt, stuffing them hastily into the hem of her lifted dress. As she tried to collect more, she was pushed aside.

Not only did she fail to collect more, but the beans in her bundle were almost scattered.

She held onto them tightly, scrambling to grab more until there were fewer beans on the ground. She ended up fighting with another man for the same handful of beans. Mrs. Li looked up and saw him staring at the beans she held in her left hand, his eyes filled with greedy intent. She swallowed hard, finally scared. Holding onto the few beans she had, she quickly ran back.

In their hut, Shen Jin’s siblings suddenly heard drums and then various chaotic shouts from afar. They ran to the door and saw people running back, shouting that bandits were coming, each one panicked like headless flies.

They waited anxiously for their mother to return. When they finally saw her approaching, they noticed her disheveled hair, swollen eyes, and tear-streaked face.

“Mother?”

Seeing her four children, Mrs. Li, who had been busy picking up food, burst into tears again. Unable to utter a word, she just cried incessantly until Shen Jin anxiously asked her what happened. Finally, Mrs. Li cried out in despair, “The dried meat is gone, all gone! It was all taken away. How are we going to survive?”

“Why did I go to collect food? Why did I go to collect food!” She slapped herself repeatedly, tears streaming down her face. “This little bit of food left, and it was stolen. Robbing people’s food! They deserve to be struck down by lightning, those heartless villains!”

Mrs. Li’s cries were like a thunderbolt, shaking those who understood, including Shen Tie who vaguely grasped the situation. But Mrs. Li’s crying was so intense that even he was overwhelmed and forgot to cry.

But the true despair was Shen San, staggering back with Mrs. Li, his hands empty.

The cries of despair were not confined to Mrs. Li alone. Throughout the day, countless families like the Shen family’s three rooms suffered from the loss of food, echoing Mrs. Li’s collapse in the Qiyang County, a microcosm of the suffering of countless families in this troubled world.

…

In the dilapidated mansion recently purchased by the Xu family in the west of the city, the closed courtyard doors hid the Xu family members who were digging underground tunnels. Shopkeeper Xu left his wife, children, and elderly servants to continue digging while he ventured out alone to investigate. Hearing the drums and learning that bandits were surrounding the city had changed the situation. He hurried back home, nervous as he recounted the situation, making everyone in the room tense. They considered the depth of the city walls and the risk of alarming the soldiers above and those living in nearby tents. They also feared collapse, so they began digging the tunnel nearly half a meter deep before widening it with the help of two people, while two others shoveled dirt into the adjacent room.

But now there was no time to widen it further. The three of them squeezed together in front, digging away, while two others shoveled dirt.

None of them really understood construction. They didn’t know if there would be ventilation problems, but if they didn’t quickly dig through the tunnel, once the bandits broke in, they would be in big trouble.

At this point, every moment saved was a matter of life and death. The Xu family only hoped that the 1,500 stationed troops in the city could hold on a bit longer.

…

As the Xu family of five tirelessly dug the tunnel, inside and outside the city, the battle raged fiercely. Qiyang County had already become the target of these bandits multiple times. Over two thousand bandits attacked two city gates, using ladders and catapults skillfully.

Inside the city, civilians were also conscripted. Rolling logs and stones needed transporting, boiling water and molten iron needed preparing, and the wounded needed care. All of this required manpower, and even the military had to reopen medical clinics and pharmacies.

The news of conscription spread throughout the shantytown area. For a small piece of bread a day, many were willing to go, especially those in the city suffering from shortages. Mrs. Li saw an opportunity but Shen San was afraid of battle and refused to go.

Mrs. Li was willing to go for the sake of her children, but the woman in charge of conscription said harshly that Mrs. Li was bad luck and told her to leave.

Until the second day, Shen San still refused to go. Whatever you do, nine out of ten times you have to go up the tower, arrows flying randomly, you might get pierced unintentionally, and you’d rather drink vegetable soup than go.

In fact, the Shen family had been starving for three months. In the first two months, they could mix some beans, but in the last month, they mainly relied on wild vegetables. They had just discovered dried meat one day, but before they could eat it, it was taken away. Now there was nothing left of the yellow beans or dried meat.

Either boiled wild vegetables or boiled vegetables, besides vegetables, there was nothing else. Just thinking of the beans and dried meat that had been stolen made their stomachs itch even more.

The family was so tired from eating vegetable soup that they were a little dazed. Mrs. Li was afraid to eat the two small handfuls of yellow beans she had brought back for fear that if they were all eaten, they would really starve to death one day.

Early on the third day, Shen San still refused to do conscript labor. Mrs. Li staggered out of the shack with a kitchen knife and held it to his neck when he wasn’t looking: “Will you go? If you don’t, we’ll all starve. I’ll chop you now, and we can all die together.”

Shen San really thought Mrs. Li was crazy, but she really did shock him. He moved his neck away from the blade: “What are you doing? Can’t I go?”

Mrs. Li still forced Shen San to do conscript labor, but she was too naive. Shen San wasn’t one to worry much about his family. He was half-starved, but wasn’t tired from working? As soon as he got the bread, he stuffed it in his mouth, but the first day, he didn’t bring anything back for his mother and four children.

The next day, Mrs. Li calculated the time, let Shen Jin and Shen Yin take the two little ones to stay put in the shack, and went to guard the bread at the city gate. Shen San was still in line, and when he was about to be next, Mrs. Li rushed over.

The nearby bailiff thought Mrs. Li wanted to steal food and raised his whip. Mrs. Li shouted, “I’m his wife, we need to take this bread home for the whole family to eat, or the children will starve.”

She was really crying, and several men in line to get bread looked at Shen San strangely.

Does a woman have to risk her life to get this bread? This is unheard of.

Shen San’s face turned red, but his stomach was even more hungry. He reached out to take the bread from the bailiff’s hand. When the bailiff raised his hand, he asked Shen San, “Are you really his wife?”

Shen San didn’t lie at the moment, subconsciously nodding his head.

The bailiff looked at his nod, and looked at Mrs. Li’s thin body, lifted his hand, and handed the bread to Mrs. Li without saying much. He just shouted, “Next!”

Mrs. Li took the bread, held it to her chest, bowed to the bailiff, and thanked him repeatedly.

Shen San was so angry that he couldn’t say anything to the bailiff. Seeing Mrs. Li walking back, he hurried after her. He kept muttering, “I’m doing all the hard work, risking being shot by stray arrows, and if I can’t even eat this bread, why should I do this?”

Mrs. Li held onto the small piece of bread tightly and said, “I didn’t say you can’t eat, but you have to give the children a bite. Shen San, you’re their father.”

Shen San was almost choked to death. He had never had such a big family to take care of.

With such a small piece of bread, could six people taste it?

But the bread was in Mrs. Li’s hand, and it was meant for the children. He couldn’t really go up and grab it.

Tired, too tired, eating less and working more, there was no strength to fight.

That evening, Shen Jin and his siblings finally tasted something other than vegetable soup. Tian Ya’er and Xiao Tie had been lying weak all day from hunger. With some food and hot vegetable soup in their stomachs, they finally felt a bit more spirited.

…

On May 6th, Shen Lie and his group of three finally arrived at the mountain cave where Shopkeeper Xu had passed on the information.

They retrieved a bamboo tube and about twenty narrow cloth bags from a concealed small cave. Opening one of them, they found salt.

Wei Qinghe was the most relieved.

The fact that there was still news from her brother-in-law and that they could bring some salt meant that it was still safe outside. She took the bamboo tube initiative and said, “I’ll check what the letter says.”

Unfolding the letter, she read it aloud to Shen Lie and Chen Dashan, and she also relaxed.

The letter mainly informed Shen Lie that there were people selling children in the village ten miles away and that Shen San probably intended to sell the children. Mrs. Li asked Shen Jin to reveal his hunting skills to protect himself.

Chen Dashan shook his head repeatedly as he listened, saying, “Your third uncle really isn’t a good person.”

Shen Lie didn’t bother to say anything and just asked Wei Qinghe, “When did your brother-in-law send this letter out?”

Wei Qinghe looked at the postmark and said, “About eight or nine days ago.”

Shen Lie furrowed his brow, thinking about the situation mentioned by Shopkeeper Xu in the letter. It sounded like Qiyang County was safe, but one possibility had to be ruled out — delayed information.

If the news Shopkeeper Xu received was already outdated, then Qiyang County might not be safe now.

He placed the bags of salt into the basket behind him and said, “Let’s go. Since we’re here, let’s scout the perimeter and see what’s going on.”

Chen Dashan had no objections. Roaming around Qiyang County was no different from strolling around their own backyard compared to their previous escape from enemy territory.

Wei Qinghe, however, was excited and bowed to thank the two.

She had been worried about the situation outside. Being able to see it firsthand was better than relying on a letter from eight or nine days ago. She had no ability to go out herself and was too embarrassed to ask Shen Lie and Chen Dashan. Unexpectedly, the two took the initiative to go outside to take a look. How could Wei Qinghe not be happy and grateful?

As they headed out, after two hours, both Shen Lie and Chen Dashan frowned.

Chen Dashan glanced at Shen Lie. “Have you noticed anything?”

Shen Lie’s expression was solemn. “It’s too quiet.”

While the number of refugees inside had increased, there was no one outside.

Both of them became serious. Shen Lie and Chen Dashan stopped and cut some branches and leaves. After confirming there were no insects, they found some vine bark and tied it around Wei Qinghe’s body and arms. Then they quickly began to do the same for themselves.

Wei Qinghe swallowed hard. “What’s going on?”

It didn’t seem like this in the forest before.

As Shen Lie covered himself, he said, “The bandits may have already reached the borders of Qiyang County. Be careful when moving, and if anything seems off, don’t make a sound. Hide behind bushes and trees.”

Wei Qinghe froze upon hearing this.

The bandits had already reached Qiyang. Then what about her parents, older sister, nephew, and brother-in-law?

Her breathing quickened, and she didn’t dare think any further.

Chen Dashan patted her shoulder. “Don’t panic. First, go out and explore the villages to assess the situation.”

Wei Qinghe could only nod. “Okay, okay. Thank you both.”

Initially, it was only her relatives outside. Even Shen San’s three children were not worth risking for Shen Lie and Chen Dashan. Regardless of whom they were going for or both, Wei Qinghe was grateful.

Shen Lie looked at her. “Alright, enough of that. Let’s go. You stay close behind me and Dashan.”

…

The group was most familiar with the Shili Village, so their first stop was directly there.

Shen Lie’s first visit was to the shelter and tunnel he had dug for Shen Jin.

No one.

There was no food left inside, even the slingshot was taken away, leaving only a few pots and bowls.

Shen Lie’s hand trembled at his side. The three of them prepared to sneak into the village for another look.

What used to be a lively village was now empty. The people had gone, the animals were gone, and even the vegetable fields were dug up. Even the haystacks piled up by the villagers were only left with scattered grass on the ground.

They proceeded to check each house, one by one.

Chen Dashan said, “There are no signs of fighting. They left voluntarily.”

That was the only good news for now, at least it wasn’t a massacre.

Shen Lie pursed his lips and said, “Let’s circle around from the mountainside and head towards Sanli Village to investigate.”

The group turned back towards the mountainside. Before long, they heard someone cautiously calling out, “A’Lie, Dashan?”

The voice was familiar. Shen Lie followed the sound and was surprised, “Uncle Zhou, you haven’t left the village?”

The person calling Shen Lie and Chen Dashan was none other than Zhou Laizi, with Zhou Family beside him.

Zhou Laizi and his son emerged from the bushes and hurried towards Shen Lie’s group with joy at seeing old acquaintances.

“We left the village. Remember you told me to come to your house and you’d tell me what to do? I went according to your instructions, but found your house empty. I figured out what you meant and followed suit.”

Shen Lie nodded. He wasn’t surprised by Zhou Laizi’s family making this choice. If they dared to die, what were they afraid of in the mountains? He asked, “Uncle Zhou, how have things been in the mountains?”

Zhou Laizi rubbed his hands. “Not bad, not bad. We didn’t dare go too deep into the mountains, but we found a hidden cave and sealed it with rocks. Most of the time, our family stays inside the cave. Only my son and I occasionally come out to find food.”

Chen Dashan saw that although the father and son were very thin, they seemed to have better spirits on their faces than before. He asked, “Uncle Zhou, do you know what’s going on in the village?”

This was exactly what Shen Lie and Wei Qinghe were eager to know.

Father and son from the Zhou family glanced at each other. Zhou Laizi sighed and said, “You don’t know yet. Recently, a lot of soldiers came, and the villagers from the villages outside the county were forced to move into the county. But within a few days, the bandits arrived. Now the county town is surrounded by bandits.”

As soon as they heard about the bandits surrounding the town, Shen Lie and the others’ expressions changed. They immediately pressed Zhou Laizi and his son for more details—when exactly did the siege happen, and how many bandits were there approximately?

Zhou Laizi shook his head. “We usually stay in the mountains and don’t dare to come out. I’m not sure about the specific day. I heard about it four days ago from people fleeing into the mountains. I gathered the courage to come back and see if there was anything to eat.”

He thought for a moment and added, “As for the number of people, I’m not sure. I heard it’s a lot of bandits, at least a few hundred, but I can’t be certain. We don’t dare to get close over there.”

Upon hearing there were over a thousand bandits, the blood drained from Wei Qinghe’s face.

“What about my brother-in-law…”

He was anxious, mouth agape but unable to speak.

With over a thousand bandits, who could possibly save them? Even the gods couldn’t save them now.