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

Chapter 168: Returning to the Valley

Shen Lie said to leave, but he only walked a few steps away to compose himself. Afterward, he told Chen Dashan he was going to Shen San’s small courtyard to gather some of Shen Jin and his brothers’ clothes, two quilts, and pillows they had left behind.

Shen Jin knew his big brother was collecting their things. He borrowed a hoe from Shopkeeper Xu and personally dug a grave for Mrs. Li in a piece of mountainside not far from the shelter.

There was no tombstone, just a burial beside a tree, remembering its location.

Shen Yin and Shen Tie were not in good condition. Shen Jin knelt, said a few words, bowed three times, and then followed Shen Lie and the others, leaving Shili Village together.

…

By the time they reached the cave where they had communicated with Shopkeeper Xu, it was already completely dark.

On the way, Shen Lie and Chen Dashan caught two wild chickens and a nest of wild rabbits. Wei Qinghe, having gained some experience from several trips in and out of the mountains, picked up a lot of firewood along the way. Thus, when they entered the cave, they had no shortage of firewood.

The cave was long and narrow. They lit a fire and checked every nook and cranny to ensure there were no hidden insects or snakes before settling the children inside.

The Xu family took over the tasks of killing chickens, stewing soup, and roasting rabbits. By evening, the last bit of rice soup and salted sugar water had been given to Shen Yin and Shen Tie. Wei Lingzhen made a small pot of chicken porridge with skimmed chicken soup, finely chopped chicken meat, Wei Qinghe’s leftover rice, and wild vegetables picked by Shen Jin, specifically for the three younger ones.

The pottery jars and bowls were the ones Shen Jin had left in the shelter, which he had retrieved and carried in Wei Qinghe’s basket. These were considered the brothers’ family possessions.

They ate five meals that day. Although each meal was small and mostly liquid, compared to the past few months, they were eating well. Shen Yin and Shen Tie, though still weak, were much better than during the day. At least now, they didn’t seem like they might sleep and never wake up again.

As for the Xu family, they ate chicken soup and roasted rabbit meat. After being trapped in Qiyang County for so long, they hadn’t had a proper meal in a while. Once they were full, they felt sleepy.

The day’s escape had exhausted their physical and mental strength. Shen Lie volunteered to guard the cave entrance, allowing the Xu family and the Shen Jin brothers to rest.

Chen Dashan was also supposed to rest and take the second watch, but remembering Shen Lie’s unusual silence and the fact that he hadn’t eaten anything, he went to the cave entrance after everyone had fallen asleep. He found a stone to sit beside Shen Lie and asked, “Still not feeling better?”

Shen Lie shook his head.

He was certainly sad. The situation and the moment of realization had been a big shock. But once his emotions settled, Shen Lie knew that the children’s current plight was ultimately due to his despicable third uncle. He didn’t blame himself too harshly.

Chen Dashan glanced back at the cave, seeing that they were far enough away, and asked in a low voice, “Is it that you don’t know how to explain to your wife?”

He knew about Sang Luo nearly starving because his grandparents were the ones who saved her.

Yes, but not entirely.

Shen Lie didn’t know how to put it into words.

He said, “If I explain the situation clearly, Sang Luo should not be angry with me. If she were here today, she would probably make the same decision as I did.”

He paused and continued, “It’s just that her not minding is her kindness. As for me, I truly don’t know how to tell her when I return.”

Even if he could hunt more, taking three more children into the valley would inevitably add pressure. They might survive a year of chaos outside, but what about two or three years?

He wouldn’t let Sang Luo go hungry, but while meat was plentiful, grain would be scarce.

Shen Jin might say they would eat grass seeds, but neither he nor Sang Luo nor Xiao An and An Ning could really eat rice while watching the brothers eat grass seeds.

He smiled self-deprecatingly and told Chen Dashan, “Looks like I’ll have to live like we did in the deep mountains again.”

Living off meat and wild vegetables.

He could live that way, and Xiao An, An Ning, and the Shen Jin brothers could too. But he couldn’t ask Sang Luo to endure that life.

After all, he and Sang Luo were only temporarily living together. He couldn’t drag her into the deep pit that was the Shen family.

To avoid troubling Sang Luo, he couldn’t merge their lives completely. Shen Lie was already considering the possibility of using the smaller cave above their own to house the Xu brothers and the Shen Jin brothers separately.

Shen Lie planned to take some fine grains from home. Once the three children were healthy again, their daily food would come from his hunting, with occasional grains saved from his own portion.

Chen Dashan, though unaware that Shen Lie and Sang Luo weren’t truly husband and wife yet, knew that most of the Shen family’s grains were saved by Sang Luo through hard work. Shen Lie had brought back ginseng and pelts from hunting, which they traded for grains and medicine, mostly coarse grains.

Managing a household wasn’t typically done with such detail, especially since Shen Lie also hunted. Sang Luo wasn’t the type to fuss over such matters. It was understandable that Shen Lie felt hesitant about supporting not just his three siblings but six in total.

Chen Dashan patted Shen Lie and said, “Don’t worry about it. I haven’t spent much time with your wife, but I understand her character well enough. She wouldn’t mind. And really, our year in the mountains wasn’t bad. Eating meat and wild vegetables is far better than grass seeds.”

This made Shen Lie smile, feeling somewhat reassured.

…

After a short rest, at dawn, they woke everyone up, prepared some food to take along, and continued their journey as the day began to brighten.

Due to the arrival of thousands of bandits, the return journey went smoothly. For the first two days, they encountered almost no one in the forest, likely because everyone had fled inward. By the third and fourth days, they saw groups foraging for wild vegetables.

Shen Lie, mindful of Shen Yin and Shen Tie’s condition, didn’t want to delay by taking longer routes. When they did encounter people, the two children were carried by Xu Wenqing and Wei Lingzhen. Wei Qinghe, Shopkeeper Xu, and Uncle Xu all carried swords. Whether they had martial skills or not, just seeing their group of five armed with military-style swords was intimidating enough. Additionally, they weren’t carrying any food, so no one dared approach them.

On the fifth day, the forest was empty of people. By noon on the sixth day, they reached the vicinity of Yun Valley.

Wei Qinghe, exhausted from the journey, brightened up at the sight of their destination. He turned to his sister and brother-in-law, saying, “We’re almost there. Just a bit more climbing.”

The Xu family looked around curiously, trying to spot the cave Xu Wenbo had mentioned. Shen Jin, however, tightly gripped the bundle slung across his shoulder, the fabric stretched taut in his nervous grasp.

Shen Lie and Chen Dashan scouted around, seeing no signs of people. The dense forest quickly concealed their presence as they twisted and turned through the trees, finally stopping at a spot. They circled some large rocks and, after some searching, uncovered a hatch identical to the one at their shelter.

As soon as the hatch opened, a voice called out, “Who’s there?”

It was Lu Erlang’s voice.

Shen Lie smiled, “Uncle Lu, it’s me.”

He guided the Xu family to enter first.

Recognizing Shen Lie’s voice, Lu Erlang saw a group descending.

He recognized Shopkeeper Xu and the two young men resembling Xu Wenbo. Realizing Shen Lie had brought the Xu family, he greeted Shopkeeper Xu. Then he saw Wei Lingzhen and Uncle Xu carrying Shen Yin and Shen Tie.

Seeing the emaciated Shen Yin and Shen Tie, Lu Erlang’s expression changed slightly. He asked Shopkeeper Xu, “Is it chaotic outside?”

Shopkeeper Xu, while examining the cave, nodded and sighed, “Fortunately, Ah Lie and Dashan went out. Otherwise, our family and these three children might have lost our lives.”

Shen Lie and Chen Dashan erased some traces outside before bringing in Shen Jin, who was the last to enter. Lu Erlang didn’t say much. Once everyone was inside, he locked the entrance hatch from within and led the group toward the cave’s mouth.

The Xu family then realized that Shen Lie’s hidden refuge was in such a secluded valley.

With so many people, descending into the valley wasn’t easy. Lu Erlang went down first to deliver the news. Shen Lie and Chen Dashan had to either help each person down or use ropes to lower them.

The Xu family and the Shen family were closest to the entrance, so Sang Luo received the news first, with Shen An running to notify the Xu family.

Hearing that Shen Lie had returned with Shopkeeper Xu’s family and the Shen brothers, Sang Luo finally felt relief after five or six days of worry.

Shen Lie had been gone for over twenty days. For the first ten days, Sang Luo was relatively calm. But as fifteen days passed with no return, her anxiety grew each day.

She and Shen Ning ran out of the cave, looking up at Shen Lie as he descended the cliff with a child in his arms. The sisters-in-law, heads tilted back, were filled with joy.

Shen Ning, upon hearing that Shen Jin and his siblings were coming, was extremely excited. Seeing her older brother descending with a child, she guessed, “Sister-in-law, who do you think it is? Tianya?”

But the figure didn’t quite match, so she guessed again, “Is it Xiao Tie?”

Sang Luo nodded, “It looks like Xiao Tie. We’ll know once they’re down.”

Grandmother Xu, with the three children, also hurried out with Shen An, all looking excitedly at the cave entrance above. If not for the need to remain quiet in the valley, they would have called out.

There is nothing more thrilling than reuniting with loved ones amidst chaos.

When Shen Lie reached the bottom of the cliff, he turned and saw Sang Luo waiting a few steps away, smiling at him.

After being away for over twenty days, seeing Sang Luo and the children waiting there felt like a warm breeze sweeping over his heart. He tightened his hold on Shen Tie, his throat constricting, and walked a few steps toward Sang Luo.

“I’m back.” The words caught in his throat, and after a brief pause, he added softly, “I’ve brought Shen Jin and his brothers back too. I’ll explain everything later?”

As he spoke, he kept a close eye on Sang Luo’s expression, nervously holding Shen Tie, whose bony frame was now visible, and sweating slightly from his palms.

Sang Luo, seeing Shen Tie’s gaunt appearance, recognized he was now just skin and bones, completely different from her memory. Noticing he was still asleep after descending, she guessed something had happened. She nodded, “Alright.”

She reached out to take Shen Tie.

Shen Lie quickly stepped aside, saying, “His clothes haven’t been changed for days. I’ll carry him in. Could you please cook some plain congee? These kids are very hungry and weak; they can only eat plain congee for now to slowly recover.”

Sang Luo nodded. “Alright, something happened outside?”

Shen Lie nodded. “Yes, Qiyang County was attacked by bandits.”

Shen An and Shen Ning stood there, dumbfounded. Even in their hardest times, they had never been this thin. They couldn’t imagine what had happened. The siblings quickly followed their brother and sister-in-law into the cave.

Shen Tie was placed on the bed where Shen Lie usually slept. The weather was hot, and the thick bedding had been put away, leaving only straw and a grass mat, covered with a light summer quilt.

Shen Lie had to go back to the upper cave to help others down. Shen Ning volunteered to cook the congee. Sang Luo, concerned about the situation outside, instructed Shen Ning to make the congee clear and add a beaten egg when it was ready, to nourish the body better.

Shen Ning quickly agreed, washing the rice while frequently glancing at Shen Tie lying on the bed.

He still hadn’t woken up, and her eyes turned red. After washing the rice, she efficiently started the stove.

…

Shen Yin and Shen Jin were carried down by Shen Lie and Chen Dashan. Shen Yin was in better condition than Shen Tie, though he was still very thin. Seeing Sang Luo and Shen An, his eyes reddened, but he could still call out “Sister-in-law” and “Second Brother.” Shen Jin, on the other hand, was more reserved, calling out to each person, carefully observing the valley, only daring to look ahead and not turning his head to look around.

Shen An, seeing that Jin, Yin, and Tie were all down, looked at Shen Lie in a daze. “Brother, where’s Tianya?”

After asking, he looked up at the cave entrance above, where there were still people.

Shen Lie just patted Shen An and said, “Take Xiao Jin and Xiao Yin inside to rest.”

Shen An stood there, stunned. He looked at Shen Jin, his throat tightening, and finally managed to ask, “Where’s Tianya?”

Shen Jin just lowered his head, tears falling, and even Shen Yin’s eyes reddened instantly.

Sang Luo could already guess. She patted Shen An, took Shen Jin and Shen Yin by the hand, and said, “Let’s go inside first. We’ll talk inside.”