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

Chapter 160: Capturing Ding (Siege, Oppression, Tragic. Please choose to purchase or skip.)

Wei Qinghe’s hands and feet turned cold. He had long understood the cruelty of chaotic times, but that cruelty had only been a concept until now—today, it had solidly smashed into reality before his eyes.

Wei Qinghe took refuge in the mountains under his brother-in-law’s arrangement and escaped this disaster. But now his parents, sister, nephew, and brother-in-law were all trapped in it.

His parents and sister were far away, but his brother-in-law was just ten miles away. Yet, despite this proximity, there was nothing he could do upon hearing the news.

Wei Qinghe experienced for the first time the feeling of being tormented by powerlessness, sinking into despair.

Shen Lie and Chen Dashan furrowed their brows. Having served in the military, they knew that when soldiers drove civilians into the county and left the land in ruins, the immediate response would be scorched earth tactics.

For those who had lived a difficult life but managed to survive with the help of their surroundings, could they still survive now that they were trapped inside the city?

Chen Dashan looked at Shen Lie. “What do we do now?”

They had a clear understanding of the situation outside, but Shen Jin’s younger children and the shopkeeper Xu were probably trapped inside the city.

“What now?” This question momentarily lifted Wei Qinghe from his despair, but it was only momentary. With just the three of them, how could they possibly get past over a thousand bandits to rescue people?

As expected, Shen Lie shook his head.

“There’s no way. The fact that over a thousand bandits have been besieging the city for days without breaking through means that the city’s defenses are not weak. Crossing the blockade of two to three thousand people to rescue others is beyond our capabilities.”

They were already in the midst of a siege, with guards stationed at every point on the city walls. Even attempting to use ropes to climb over the walls was impossible.

They knew this would be the outcome, but when even Shen Lie said there was no way, Wei Qinghe’s last glimmer of hope faded away.

He dared not entertain any other thoughts and could only ask, “If the city falls, what are the chances that the people inside will survive?”

Shen Lie shook his head. “It’s uncertain. It depends on how the bandits behave. Pillaging is almost certain. Among these rebels, most harbor resentment towards officials and the wealthy. Those who were oppressed before, once they gain power, may be driven by a desire for revenge. In their eyes, human life may not be valued any more than grass or insects. It’s all up to fate.”

The first targets when a city falls are usually the wealthy. Even if they’re not wealthy, if they encounter someone by chance who bears a grudge, they could easily lose their lives with a single swing of a sword.

“The most dangerous thing now isn’t the city falling,” Shen Lie continued. “As long as they don’t encounter someone crazy enough to massacre the city, some people should survive. What’s more frightening now is if the city continues to hold out.”

Wei Qinghe didn’t quite understand, but Chen Dashan picked up. “Too many villagers have entered. Taxes have been too heavy these past few years, and this year’s crops haven’t even been harvested. Almost none of the villagers have any food left. Unlike outside where they could still find something in the mountains, there’s nothing to eat inside the county of Qi Yang. If the standoff lasts too long, there might be cases of cannibalism.”

Cannibalism.

Wei Qinghe’s knees weakened, and he was steadied by quick hands of Zhou Laizi, who had observed the young man’s predicament.

Zhou Laizi had also sensed that this young man, a stranger to him, might have relatives trapped inside the city.

Shen Lie glanced at Wei Qinghe. “There may still be hope, but we don’t know if the shopkeeper Xu has seized it.”

Wei Qinghe grasped at this lifeline. “What hope?”

Shen Lie said, “When Chen Dashan and I came out to set up the refuge for Shopkeeper Xu, if he acted quickly and managed to escape and hide there, he should be safe. If he didn’t make it out in time, he could try to dig a tunnel near the city wall to escape. Once outside the city, if he can hide in the refuge, there’s still a chance.”

Wei Qinghe’s heart warmed again upon hearing Shen Lie’s words.

His brother-in-law had always been quick-witted and decisive in emergencies. He had followed Shen Lie and Chen Dashan when they set up the refuge, so he should have thought of digging a tunnel to escape.

“If he digs out, will he encounter the bandits besieging the city?”

Shen Lie nodded. “It’s possible. However, if there are only one or two thousand bandits outside, Qiyang County has two city gates. Their main force should be focused on attacking those gates. There might be patrols in the nearby mountains, but they won’t be there all the time. With caution, it should be possible to avoid them unless luck is exceptionally bad.”

Shen Lie then looked at Chen Dashan and asked, “Shall we try to take a longer route around the mountain bandits and get closer to the refuge?”

Rescuing people directly inside the city was unrealistic. Digging from outside to inside and vice versa were two different scenarios. Inside the city, the population was too dense, making it almost impossible to avoid detection. They might not only fail to rescue anyone but also endanger themselves.

But if Shopkeeper Xu had already escaped, they could at least provide support and bring people back to Yun Valley. Otherwise, if the bandits took over the county town, whether hiding long-term in the refuge or seeking other escape routes, the prospects looked grim.

Chen Dashan nodded. “Let’s do it.”

They had developed a deep bond by now and weren’t strangers. They would naturally help each other out. For them, sneaking through the mountains was risky, but making the journey was a way to repay this bond.

Moreover, Shen Jin’s children were likely trapped inside the city now. However poor Shen San and Mrs. Li might be, the children were still innocent. As close relatives, Shen Lie couldn’t bear to truly abandon them. But he didn’t know if Shopkeeper Xu had already escaped or if he had the capacity to bring the children along. Chen Dashan found it difficult to think about. If Shen San and Mrs. Li were both inside, the chances were even slimmer. It would be easy for someone to ambush them from behind or slow them down, which would lead to the death of the very young. He could only sigh and say it was fate.

The fate of Shen Jin’s children was now really in their hands.

When Wei Qinghe heard that the two were going to take a risk to see the city, he was too grateful to mention it. It was quite dangerous, and Shen Lie and Chen Dashan were likely to be safe, but there was no certainty about bringing Wei Qinghe along.

After instructing Zhou’s father and son to come close and be more cautious, as well as to avoid coming out, leaving food for Wei Qinghe and hiding in the shelter that Shen Lie had previously dug for Shen Jin’s children.

Wei Qinghe felt genuinely ashamed. Originally, he had come to rescue his brother-in-law, but now, Shen Lie and Chen Dashan were going instead, leaving him, the legitimate younger brother-in-law, behind for safety.

Shen Lie and Chen Dashan made it clear that taking him along wouldn’t guarantee his safety and might even burden them. It was the truth.

Before parting, Wei Qinghe thanked them profusely once again. After the two left, he hid himself in the refuge.

…

At the same time, on the city tower of Qiyang County, Shen San watched as a man who had just helped him lift a rolling log nearly succeeded in scaling the city wall, only to have his head split in half by a bandit’s sword stroke. In the next moment, the bandit who had just killed the laborer was decapitated by the defending soldiers. One of the heads happened to hit Shen San’s face.

Shen San let out a horrified scream, feeling as if his soul had nearly left his body. He flung away the flying head, abandoned the rolling log and ignored the bread, scrambling and rolling in a panic back down the city tower.

Mrs. Li hadn’t had the chance to go out and guard the bread yet that day when she saw Shen San return, his face covered in blood, looking like he had lost his soul. She grabbed a cloth, dampened it with water, and began frantically wiping his face. Seeing the blood-stained cloth, she trembled even more violently.

“What happened to you?”

After uttering this question, Shen San’s suppressed fear seemed to find an outlet all at once. He threw the bloodied cloth at Mrs. Li’s face. “Don’t be reckless with knives and guns anymore. I can wield a knife too. If we’re going to die, let’s all die. Let the laborer love whoever he loves. Even if I starve to death, I won’t go up there again. If there’s nothing to eat, I’ll eat dirt!”

…

Shen Lie and Chen Dashan did take a long detour. The bandits besieging the city had clearly gained some experience as they came from the south. Despite the siege, various routes were guarded to prevent reinforcements from arriving or other forces from flanking them. Thus, Shen Lie and Chen Dashan spent two full days avoiding these guards, finally managing to quietly reach the refuge they had dug for Shopkeeper Xu.

After opening the refuge and ensuring it was safe inside with no signs of movement, Shen Lie shouted for Shopkeeper Xu, but there was no response. Both men felt a chill in their hearts.

After feeling around, Shen Lie discovered that there was plenty of food in the refuge, but no people. When Chen Dashan closed the lid securely and came down in the dark, Shen Lie whispered, “Shopkeeper Xu probably didn’t get a chance to come out.”

Leaving the refuge, they stealthily moved to a dense forest where they could observe the siege from a distance.

The city was not as fiercely contested now.

Chen Dashan observed, “It looks like they’re besieging the city?”

Just by looking at this side of the city gate, the bandits likely numbered over a thousand. How many garrisons could there be in such a small county like Qiyang? Despite their numerical advantage, they couldn’t take the city in one go. Choosing to besiege meant there was a good chance the outsiders understood they could win by besieging.

Shen Lie tightened his grip. “The city is probably running out of food.”

But knowing this, what could they do? Ultimately, there was nothing they could do.

Chen Dashan sighed. “Let’s go back and wait a few more days.”

Even digging a tunnel for escape would take time.

They didn’t dare linger for long, stealthily returning to the refuge to wait, hoping against hope that someone might still manage to escape.

…

As Shen Lie had suspected, Qiyang County was indeed running low on food.

The soldiers and the wealthy, who had previously stocked up on provisions, were not lacking. However, about one or two-tenths of the poor original residents of the city and two or three-tenths of the villagers were beginning to run low on food.

Especially the villagers, who had already been eating wild vegetables mixed with bean residue for several months. Now that they had entered the city, they had no wild vegetables left to eat. With so many people, how long could they sustain themselves on just those few vegetables?

Having lived in the city for nearly half a month, the poorest and those whose food had been plundered had already eaten up even the leaves.

Without food, they couldn’t go to the county government office, which was empty, or beg from others, as no one dared to show such kindness. Therefore, they could only start scraping tree bark, grass roots, leaves, and bugs from the corners of the county city.

But there weren’t many of these things in the county to begin with, and they couldn’t withstand so many people scavenging. Eventually, they started pulling straw from the huts and pounding it into powder to eat. Straw powder wasn’t satisfying, so they even ate dirt.

Shen Jin and his siblings had their first and only meal that day, which was a piece of dirt cake.

They picked out the stones from the loose soil, sifted and washed it in water to get fine soil. They chopped up rotten vegetable leaves into tiny bits, mixed in some dried wild vegetable scraps, and added crushed soybean residue and bran to make dirt cakes.

Shen Jin cried as he took a small bite, not daring to chew, just swallowing it down.

When a person is extremely hungry, even a dirt cake turns into a delicacy, and dirt becomes something one can swallow.

Shen Jin still knew how to cry, but his youngest siblings, Shen Tie and Shen Tian, were so afraid they didn’t even know how to fear anymore. They stuffed food into their mouths, choking on it, and then grabbed the water bowl to pour into their mouths.

Mrs. Li had become numb. She had tried every method possible to find food, but there was none left.

She could only clutch the last handful of soybeans and a small bag of dried wild vegetables and bran, hoping it would help them survive another day.

As long as the garrison won, they could leave the city to find food and survive.

At times like these, she would think again and again, if only they had escaped earlier. No, she couldn’t bear to leave the younger ones behind. But if she had left Shen Jin in that underground hole, with those soybeans and dried meat, he could have trapped some mountain chickens and wild rabbits. Then they wouldn’t be stuck in the city eating dirt like this now.

There were no “ifs” anymore.

If there were “ifs,” they wouldn’t have mistreated the elder siblings back then, and they wouldn’t have ended up in this unprotected situation now.

When someone does something wrong, they will eventually have to pay for it, sooner or later.

Only Shen San remained silent.

He didn’t want to die, so he would rather eat these wild vegetable dirt cakes than go up the city tower. Eating dirt for too long would kill a person, but if it could sustain him for another day, maybe he could hold on until they could get out.

He held onto a thread of hope.

However, he was hoping too much.

In war, sometimes you can’t avoid facing things you don’t want to face. Over six hundred soldiers were killed or injured, and both sides of the city gates were hard to defend. They started grabbing able-bodied men directly from the city.

When the turmoil around the county school started, Shen San heard the commotion and cautiously peeked out, realizing something was wrong. He grabbed the dirt cake and ran.

The soldiers who were conscripting men from the villages didn’t have a specific list. They stormed into Shen’s shack but, finding no adult men, moved on to the next house, thus Shen San narrowly escaped.

Outside the western outskirts of the city, the tunnel dug by the Xu family had already extended quite a distance, leaving only about ten feet to reach the city wall. The tightly closed gate of the small courtyard suddenly echoed with loud knocks.

“Open the door!”

Wei Lingzhen, who was carrying dirt outside, was startled by this shout.

Too afraid to respond, she hurried back into the room where the tunnel was being dug and told her second son to quickly find old servant Xu to hide in the tunnel. She quietly locked the room where the dirt was piled up and then retreated.

Impatient outside, someone kicked the door hard. “Open the door! Can you hear me?”

Wei Lingzhen trembled with fear as she retreated. Old servant Xu came out and, seeing no loose soil on the ground, gestured for the mistress to hide in the tunnel while he locked the room where the tunnel was being dug. He then approached the door, tremblingly asking, “Who is it?”

“Conscription by the garrison, open up!”

Old servant Xu’s heart skipped a beat, but he still opened the door and nodded politely, “Sir.”

The soldier held a scroll with names and checked it against the records. He looked inside and asked, “Xu Zhong?”

Xu Zhong nodded nervously, “Yes, yes, that’s me, old man.”

The soldier glanced around, “Why did it take so long to open the door? Is anyone else in the house?”

Old servant Xu quickly shook his head, “It’s just me, sir. I happened to be passing through Qiyang County and got stuck here, so I found this place to stay. I didn’t dare open the door because too many villagers have been banging on doors for food lately. Living alone, it’s really unsafe.”

His words matched the records, and the soldier didn’t say much more. “Alright, come with us.”

Old servant Xu bowed and looked hesitant. “At my age, I can’t really defend the city…”

The soldier grew impatient. “That’s your business.”

Xu Zhong only nodded compliantly, pretending to be fearful, “Alright, sir. Wait a moment, let me lock the courtyard.”

He locked the courtyard door from the outside and then followed the soldiers.

Inside the main house, the Xu family covered their mouths, not daring to breathe until the footsteps outside faded away. Wei Lingzhen whispered anxiously, “What do we do now?”

Old Master Xu was uneasy as well, but there was no other way at the moment. They had to comfort his wife, “It’s alright. Old servant Xu is old; he probably won’t go up the city tower. They rotate the guard duty, someone will come back to rest. Let’s hurry and finish digging the tunnel so old servant Xu can escape.”

Wei Lingzhen wiped her tears and nodded, “Okay.”

Without delay, she entered the tunnel herself and picked up the shovel old servant Xu had been using to continue digging.

…

Shen San ran like a lost dog for half a day until dusk before finally settling down. The bit of dirt cake he had eaten in the morning couldn’t stave off his hunger any longer. He stealthily moved back towards the huts, hungry and desperate.

As he crept along, he caught a whiff of meat cooking.

His feet moved involuntarily towards the scent until he reached the door of the shack where the aroma emanated. He stared greedily at the pot of stew bubbling inside until the people inside noticed him. He reluctantly tore his gaze away from the pot and recognized Wang Meiniang huddled in the corner.

“You’re Wang’s daughter-in-law’s husband?”

Seeing the large pot of stew, he couldn’t help but lick his lips and said, “Meiniang’s nephew-in-law, that counts as half my nephew. Um…”

He paused and swallowed, “Can I have a few sips of the soup? No need for meat, just a bit of soup. I’m so hungry.”

The three brothers of the Wang family looked at each other and chuckled. “Uncle?”

One of them nodded to Wang Meiniang, “Serve Uncle a bowl, add two pieces of meat.”

Wang Meiniang trembled like a sieve but didn’t dare to argue. She shook as she went to fetch a bowl.