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

Chapter 178: Beyond the Mountains

That night, each household gathered to discuss the plan. The conclusion was unanimous: “Plant!”

Zhou Lizheng said, “We can’t plant rice outside, but we can plant soybeans and vegetables. Any harvest we bring in is a gain, and come winter, we won’t have to worry about a shortage of vegetables. Soybeans can also supplement our grain supply.”

No one knew when peace would return, and saving food now was akin to saving lives.

With this agreement, the third day saw everyone setting out at dawn. They didn’t go hunting that day. Instead, they split into two groups, with Shen Lie and Chen Dashan each leading one. One group cut down trees to build doors for the other two caves and constructed simple earthen stoves, even cooking a couple of meals using firewood. The other group prepared the land, aiming to plant the autumn soybeans within a few days.

The fourth day was the scheduled day to go out of the mountains and transport grain, as arranged with Shopkeeper Xu. Six caves in total were now ready, three of which appeared inhabited from the outside. When the villagers left their homes, they brought their locks with them. Once these were placed on the doors, it looked like people lived there but were out hunting or gathering.

The initial construction of the “village outside the village” was thus completed. For the people in the valley, this new area became a strategic place they could use to either advance or retreat.

In normal circumstances, the young and strong could develop the outskirts in groups. If the situation became overwhelming, they could retreat to the valley, creating the illusion that the main family was away or that the cave was uninhabited.

Shi Da, Shi Er, Lu Er, and Lu San were tasked with guarding the inner valley. The sheep had accumulated some forage over the past few days. The Lu brothers and Shi brothers would work together to plant the soaked soybeans. With a few more “residents” around, there was no need to worry about leaving traces. They could easily gather leaves and grass from nearby areas. Shen Lie and Chen Dashan leaving for more than ten days was not a concern.

As they were transporting grain for the Xu family, Shopkeeper Xu, Uncle Xu, Xu Wenqing, and Wei Qinghe, who were capable of carrying the grain, all joined in.

Anticipating that there would be many people in the mountains, they left behind their carrying poles and baskets to avoid attracting attention, planning to find a way once they were out of the mountains. They only took weapons and essential items for the journey.

Among them, Shopkeeper Xu was nervous, but Xu Wenqing was excited. At fifteen, despite seeking refuge in the mountains, he didn’t find it difficult. It felt like a new world had opened up to him, especially traveling with Shen Lie and Chen Dashan. He was so excited that he borrowed a bow and arrow he had practiced with before.

However, his excitement was quickly extinguished on the second morning of their journey when they saw four skeletons, torn to pieces, along the forest path. The remains still had fragments of clothing, swarming with flies and emitting a strong stench.

Shen Lie, without time for pity, covered his nose and led the group quickly past the area. After they had gone a considerable distance, he lowered his hand and said, “People are moving deeper into the mountains, and they are clearly not well-prepared.”

After another hour, they encountered a similar scene, and everyone felt a growing sense of unease. The mountains were vast, and no one knew their exact size. Due to several wars, the population of the Daqian Dynasty was not large. The entire Qiyang County had only a few thousand people trapped in the county town. They didn’t know how many had managed to escape, but even if they had all fled into the mountains, they should have scattered widely. Yet, in such a short time, they had already encountered two instances of people dying from animal attacks.

This was very unusual.

By the afternoon, they finally saw some living people. Shen Lie wanted to inquire, but upon seeing them, the other party, especially noticing their weapons, looked terrified and quickly avoided them.

These were not bandits but seemed more like local villagers. There were more people than before, but everyone who saw Shen Lie and his group’s weapons and arrows fled quickly.

“What’s happening outside?” Chen Dashan asked Shen Lie.

Shen Lie watched the men disappear into the forest and said, “Maybe something’s wrong. Let’s be more cautious.”

This suspicion grew when, after the second day of traveling, they saw no one for three days. Not a single living soul appeared, making Shopkeeper Xu uneasy.

Clearly, something was wrong outside. Should they continue?

Feeling uncertain, he voiced his concerns.

Shen Lie looked at Chen Dashan. “We’ve come this far. In half a day, we’ll be out of the mountains. How about we avoid the main path to the county town and detour to Shili Village?”

Chen Dashan wanted to understand the situation outside. Being in the mountains and knowing nothing about the outside world was not wise, so he nodded. The group changed direction slightly, heading towards Shili Village.

…

Shili Village had become a deserted village. Shen Lie and his group sneaked in, finding many yards overgrown with waist-high weeds.

None of those trapped in the county had returned after it fell. Whether they dared not return or couldn’t return was unknown.

Chen Dashan looked at Shen Lie. “What now? Do we continue towards the county town?”

Shopkeeper Xu, feeling uneasy, said, “Maybe we should stop. This silence doesn’t seem right.”

Having come this far, Shen Lie wanted to find out what was going on. Whether they took the grain or not, they needed to know the situation outside.

He looked at Chen Dashan. “What do you think?”

Both of them were accustomed to traveling and could handle such situations. Chen Dashan and Shen Lie had the same idea: “Let’s place Shopkeeper Xu and the others in Xiao Jin’s shelter and go scout?”

They were in agreement.

However, halfway to the area where they had dug traps for Shen Jin, Shen Lie suddenly stopped.

Shopkeeper Xu and the others were puzzled, but Chen Dashan followed Shen Lie’s gaze and, after a few moments, suddenly realized, “The soybeans here haven’t been uprooted?”

He remembered that when they encountered Zhou Laizi and his son in Shili Village, they had heard that the crops were destroyed the day after the soldiers surrounded the village.

Shen Lie, observing the nearly ripe soybeans, seemed thoughtful. He went over to check and saw a few very shallow footprints in the dry furrows.

“Someone was just here.”

He stood up and looked around but saw nothing. Just as he was puzzled, he heard a very faint rustling sound. As the sound reached his ears, someone exclaimed joyfully, “Ah Lie? Dashan?”

Shen Lie, Chen Dashan, and the Xu family members looked in the direction of the voice. They saw, under a distant tree, a patch of grass suddenly rise and grow taller, becoming a standing figure.

It wasn’t grass at all; it was two people covered in grass!

Shen Lie and Chen Dashan immediately recognized them: it was Zhou Laizi and his son.

“Uncle Zhou.” They walked towards them. They hadn’t expected to encounter the Zhou family again in Shili Village. After seeing the desolation of the village, seeing familiar faces was a welcome surprise.

Zhou Laizi and his son were even happier, as if they had met their saviors.

“It’s so good to see you! What brings you back to the village at this time?”

Shen Lie and Chen Dashan, however, were more interested in the grass covering the two men. Zhou Laizi and his son had already started running towards them, and the grass cover stayed firmly in place.

He circled Zhou Laizi, examining closely. He found that not only was there grass, but also dozens of scattered leaves attached. When lying down, they blended into the ground so well that they appeared as part of the terrain. On closer inspection, it was revealed to be a garment made of sewn grass, with dense hemp threads securing the grass on the inside and leaves sewn onto the exterior.

Seeing Shen Lie and Chen Dashan examining the grass garment, Zhou Laizi smiled and said, “It’s too dangerous to go out these days. My wife came up with this idea and made these outfits for us. When we’re not wearing them, we sprinkle them with water to keep them fresh. One set can last quite a while.”

The elder Zhou took off his garment and handed it to Shen Lie and Chen Dashan for a closer look. It was actually like a cloak. If they sensed danger, they could lie down, cover their heads, and find a creviced spot to conceal themselves, effectively hiding their human contours.

Shen Lie praised, “Auntie’s idea is ingenious.”

At this point, the Xu family members had also gathered around to watch.

Zhou Laizi sighed, “We had no choice but to come up with this. Haven’t you noticed that there are hardly any people left in the mountains?”

This comment struck a chord with everyone. Shen Lie asked, “What’s going on? We’ve been puzzled too. We’ve been in the mountains for more than three days without seeing anyone. Are the bandits in the county still there?”

Both Zhou Laizi and his son looked troubled. Zhou Laizi replied, “Yes, they are. They’re conscripting people. After the bandits took over the county, they declared a king and appointed many officials. I heard them announcing this while hiding in the dark. I didn’t catch the name of the king.”

Chen Dashan asked, “What about the county’s residents? Did anyone escape when the city fell?”

Zhou Laizi shook his head, “Some did, but very few. There were some people entering the mountains on the first day, but after that, there was no movement. They’re likely still trapped in the city. The bandits frequently come out in small groups to recruit. When that didn’t work, they started conscripting men and women alike. They also recruited refugees, many from the north. Those refugees have joined the bandits. Recently, the bandits even took a large force to attack nearby counties and brought back a lot of grain. It seems they’ve taken another county. Nowadays, there are often bandits roaming the mountains, so no one dares to stay in the outer regions.”

He hesitated, seemingly wanting to say more but holding back.

Shen Lie glanced at the patch of soybeans and asked, “Did you stay here for these soybeans?”

Zhou Laizi quickly nodded, “Yes, we have no grain left. When the village’s grain was destroyed, we stayed nearby and saw this patch… As farmers, we can’t bear to see crops go to waste. Plus, we needed the grain. Once the soldiers left, we picked a few secluded spots and replanted some soybeans that hadn’t been too badly damaged. Some didn’t survive, but some did. When we last met you, we were not only scavenging the village but also watering these soybeans.”

Having said this, he fell silent again. His eldest son glanced at his father, feeling anxious but unable to speak up.

They had come today to harvest the soybeans and then planned to flee deeper into the mountains.

Facing the wild beasts in the deep mountains seemed better than dealing with the bandits who now ruled outside. The Zhou family had seen firsthand how the bandits treated those they caught. Compliant men were taken, non-compliant ones killed. As for women, they faced fates worse than death.

The thought of his mother and sister being discovered by those bandits made the eldest son tremble with fear.

He wanted to ask Shen Lie to take his family with them, but when a few families had escaped, Shen Lie had only pointed out the direction to his father without taking them along. This was already an answer in itself.

Who would dare take in people with no food?

Even if they now had some soybeans.

Zhou’s eldest son understood this well. But he also realized that Shen Lie and Chen Dashan’s departure might be the last chance for his family.

Summoning his courage, he asked, “Ah Lie, what are you out here for?”

Shen Lie glanced at him and said, “We’re planning to head to the mountains near the county. Do you know what the situation is like there?”

Before Zhou’s eldest son could respond, Zhou Laizi’s expression changed drastically. He quickly said, “Don’t go there. That area is crawling with bandits. We don’t even dare go near the mountains within ten miles of Sanli Village. If they catch you, there’s no escaping.”

Upon hearing how dire the situation was, Shopkeeper Xu immediately said, “Shen Lie, we don’t need to get the grain. People are more important than food. We can follow you and Dashan into the mountains to find food.”

Moreover, their stored grain, even if they couldn’t retrieve this batch from outside the county, would last their family for two and a half years if they only ate half full. By then, they could follow Shen Lie to find more food outside. They needed to learn to hunt, which would take time, but initially, they could rely on gathering. They wouldn’t eat well, but they wouldn’t starve.

The valley could still yield some crops. They had also started planting soybeans and vegetables outside the valley. If these weren’t stolen, they would supplement their supplies.

As for what would happen after two and a half years, who knew? They couldn’t risk everything now for a potential famine then. They couldn’t just risk their own lives but also Shen Lie’s and Chen Dashan’s.

Shen Lie and Chen Dashan were just helping. They hadn’t even accepted the 30% grain Shopkeeper Xu offered them.

If they all got caught here, what would happen to their families? If Shen Lie and Chen Dashan were caught, what would happen to the 53 people in the valley?

Thinking this through, Shopkeeper Xu decided they wouldn’t retrieve the grain. “We should go back to the mountains. Let’s return now.”

Even Xu Wenqing and Wei Qinghe said, “Let’s go back. We can come again when it’s safer. If we can’t get it, so be it.”

As for whether the grain stored in the cave would get damp, that was just something they’d have to accept.

Zhou Laizi and his son only now realized that Shen Lie’s group was out to get grain, and they felt a deep sense of disappointment.

Food.

Those without food understand its value better than anyone.

But Zhou’s eldest son still tried to persuade them: “You really can’t go. They’ve recruited many refugees, and every day they practice military drills outside the county gates.”

Shen Lie knew how much food Shopkeeper Xu had stored and would not risk himself for something uncertain. He nodded and said, “Alright, we’ll do more hunting and gathering in the future. We’ll deal with the food issue when we have a chance.”

Upon hearing this, Zhou’s eldest son became anxious. The words he had previously held back were now blurted out in his haste: “Ah Lie, if you leave, can you take us with you? It’s too dangerous outside. The bandits often roam the mountains. We’re hiding in the mountains, only daring to light a fire and cook beans in the middle of the night after sealing the cave. We don’t even dare go outside the cave. We were planning to escape into the mountains with the beans we’ve gathered today, but on our own, we might not handle wild beasts. Can you give us a lift?”

Zhou Laizi also looked at Shen Lie and Chen Dashan with pleading eyes: “Yes, Ah Lie, Dashan, can you take us with you? We don’t need to stay with you. Just take us further into the mountains, away from here. We’ll find a cave to settle ourselves.”

Zhou Laizi didn’t even dare think about how they would survive after finding a place to settle.

If this had happened in the past, Shen Lie might have hesitated, but he would have taken them a part of the way. How far he could take them was uncertain, but having just made arrangements for the village outside the village, and knowing that their fellow villagers were of good character, he felt they wouldn’t just abandon them in such times.

Exchanging a look with Chen Dashan, who had no objections, Shen Lie nodded: “We can take you a part of the way and help you find a place to settle. However, with so many people, we can’t guarantee the safety of the journey, and there are many wild beasts in the deep mountains. You need to be prepared for that.”

Zhou Laizi and his son were overjoyed. Seeing this lifeline, Zhou Laizi’s eyes filled with tears of gratitude. He hurriedly said, “Just taking us part of the way is enough. No one can guarantee safety in the deep mountains. If we go alone, things will only get worse. We’re aware of that. The outside is truly unbearable, otherwise, we wouldn’t have asked.”

The bandits outside were like beasts, dirtier and more ruthless than beasts. Falling into their hands would be worse than being killed by wild animals.

Chen Dashan, seeing that they were mentally prepared, said, “Alright, let’s all pitch in and quickly gather these soybeans. We’ll leave immediately.”

The two plots of land together were less than an acre, so they didn’t cut the straw, just picked the beans.

With eight people working, it didn’t take long. They collected three bags of beans in total, which, after drying, would probably amount to just over one bag of soybeans.

For this little bit of food, the father and son had taken so many risks. Not to mention that if the bandits patrolled the nearby small villages more carefully, checking remote mountain areas, they might have found these beans, which no one was guarding, and captured the father and son.

For this bit of food, if it weren’t for the hope of survival, they wouldn’t have gone through so much.

Shopkeeper Xu and the others felt a sense of empathy. Compared to them, they had prepared early and were in a much better situation. Not getting the food from outside the county was not such a big concern.

Shen Lie and Chen Dashan said nothing more and let Zhou’s family lead the way. The eight of them headed towards the cave where Zhou’s family was hiding.