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

Chapter 191: Revealing the Recipe

Feng Liuniang and Gan were so excited they could barely wait for daylight with their eyes open. Finally, when the day broke and they joined the hunting party heading towards the Zhou and Zheng families, Wang Chunniang finally seized the opportunity and found a moment when only Lu Dalang was in a cave.

“Do you know what the second family is up to?”

Lu Dalang genuinely had no idea.

Since Lu Erlang and Lu Sanlang, or rather, the hunters in the valley had stopped returning frequently, he had been somewhat emotional due to being kept in the dark. The old lady had noticed and told him openly that things outside were chaotic, and to avoid exposing the valley’s location, the hunters couldn’t return often and had to stay out.

With just that one sentence, he no longer wanted to know anything else.

Being able to stay hidden in the valley without having to go outside was far better than anything else.

To put it bluntly, he was living the life that only the old, weak, women, and children in the valley could live, clearly benefiting from the situation. So, from then on, he asked no questions, planted his small plot of land in the valley, raised the few chickens and ducks allocated to him, and tried to save as much food as possible. Even though his children were often hungry and cried out, when the old lady and his siblings-in-law couldn’t stand it, the children would get something to eat.

It was somewhat humiliating, but he felt it was fine since he wasn’t begging for food; this was just how capable he was, and he could only raise his children this way.

Lu Dalang was very satisfied with the current situation. Even if he was obviously being isolated, he just kept his head down and tended to his small piece of land. Whether rich or poor, there was nothing shameful about it.

Because he was content with the status quo, when Wang Chunniang probed about the second family’s affairs, Lu Dalang’s first reaction wasn’t dissatisfaction but wariness.

“What do you want to do?”

Was she still not settled?

Lu Dalang’s face immediately darkened. “What does it matter to you what the second brother’s family is doing? If you’re not happy with a peaceful life, don’t drag us down.”

Just as he finished speaking, they heard footsteps. Turning around, he saw Shuanzhu coming in. Lu Dalang, with a sullen face, said, “I think your mother doesn’t want to live peacefully. You and Daniu should keep an eye on her. Don’t go to your grandmother for the key to let her out. I still want to live a few more peaceful years.”

Wang Chunniang was stunned as she looked at Lu Dalang, and in the next instant, her face twisted. Normally, she would have screamed insults in a fit of anger, but due to Lu Dalang’s food rationing, only giving her two small meals a day, she couldn’t even raise her voice despite her fury. Her eyes filled with venom, and she taunted, “Lu Dalang, are you even a man?”

Even someone as cowardly as Lu Dalang couldn’t take being called not a man. He increasingly ignored Wang Chunniang, focusing instead on Shuanzhu. “Don’t take my words lightly. Things outside aren’t safe right now. Your second and third uncles only return to the valley once every seven or eight days and only at night. Don’t let your mother cause trouble again, or our whole family won’t survive.”

Shuanzhu looked somewhat numb. He wanted to correct his father, that if his mother caused trouble again, it wouldn’t just be their family in danger but the entire valley. However, he lacked the energy even to open his mouth and only slightly nodded, acknowledging his father’s words.

Wang Chunniang, seeing her son nod, felt as if her spirit had been drained. When Lu Dalang left, she turned to Shuanzhu, “You, who came from my womb, are treating me like this too?”

Shuanzhu sat on his bed, resting his head on his knees for a while before responding, “Mother, father wasn’t wrong. The outside isn’t safe. Can’t you be content hiding in this valley? Why focus on the second aunt?”

“Just asking a question means focusing on her? How dangerous can it be outside? It’s all what they say. What does your father know? They’re just all guarding against us.”

Shuanzhu looked at her, “Then why are they all guarding against us?”

Wang Chunniang fell silent immediately.

Lu Shuanzhu rubbed his face. Many words had been said many times before, but at this point, he could only say, “Mother, take a rest.”

…

Two days later, when Sang Luo and Shen Lie went to the Zhou family, a settlement had already begun to take shape around theZhou Laizi family and Zheng the Butcher’s family.

It was called a settlement because the land clearing and wall building were still in progress.

The Feng clan, experienced in hiding in the outskirts, prioritized concealment. However, when they saw the tall walls enclosing Zhou Laizi’s family’s fields full of soybeans and vegetables, even the Zheng family’s crops, although they settled later, were growing well inside their high walls.

It was impossible not to be envious. They had seeds but dared not plant them while hiding outside, surviving on wild vegetables for more than half a year.

Once the thought of farming took root, it was hard to suppress.

This place wasn’t near the outskirts; it was deep in the mountains. The mountains around Qiyang were vast, and scattering people into them was like scattering pieces into the Huai River—there wasn’t much difference. The imperial army and those rebels vying for power outside didn’t have the time or manpower to search deep into the mountains for these scattered small civilians. The main concern was guarding against people with bad intentions. But to guard against those with bad intentions, their current settlement of over a hundred people in the inner area was enough.

Endure if you can, flee if you can’t, but the land must be cultivated

.

The most practical issue was that their food supply wouldn’t last long. Even for those like the Feng and Gan families who had prepared early, there were still poor people in the clan. Some were as impoverished as Zhou Laizi. So, the newcomers quickly made choices similar to Zhou Laizi and Zheng the Butcher’s family on their first night here.

They started clearing land and planting vegetables, taking advantage of the fact that it wasn’t winter yet and they could still plant a crop of autumn vegetables. The quickest could be harvested in just over a month.

Because there were enough people, Shen Lie and his group moved frequently in this area. There weren’t many particularly dangerous animals nearby, so the newcomers had an easier time compared to the Zhou family, who initially lived here alone. Whether they found caves or built wooden houses like the Zheng family, they only needed to fortify the living areas. As for the planting areas, they just needed to clear the land and put up simple fences.

When Sang Luo and Shen Lie arrived, the outlines of each family’s dwellings had already taken shape, and much of the land had been cleared. At this time, people from each household, whether building wooden houses or clearing land, were being served food and were squatting down to eat.

Dong Ge’er recognized Sang Luo from a distance and excitedly stood up, waving vigorously at her. “Miss Sang! Brother Lie!”

Dong Ge’er’s mother, hearing his joyful shout of “Miss Sang,” saw him rushing off to greet her. She almost grabbed him back, but fortunately, he also called out to Sang Luo’s husband.

This simple-minded boy, why was he so naive at his age?

As Dong Ge’er’s mother sighed with relief, Dong Ge’er had already run over. “Miss Sang, Brother Lie, have you had breakfast?”

“We have.” Sang Luo glanced at the bowl in his hand, which contained wild vegetables, soybeans, and grass seeds.

The sight weighed heavily on her. Despite everything, this boy maintained a positive attitude and seemed quite cheerful. She looked over at the half-tilled land and asked Dong Ge’er, “Is this land being cleared?”

Dong Ge’er nodded repeatedly. “Yes, our shopkeeper sent some vegetable seeds. Our family is hurrying to clear the land and plant them. That piece over there belongs to us.”

Following Dong Ge’er’s pointing finger, Sang Luo saw that clearing land in the mountains involved removing many plants. She immediately recognized something familiar.

Konjac. When she first arrived here with nothing, she relied on making “fairy tofu” and konjac to gradually build up her resources. However, for the locals, this plant was known to be toxic. In the village, to prevent children from accidentally consuming it, they would dig it out whenever they saw it near the village.

Sang Luo couldn’t help but walk over, feeling somewhat conflicted.

The konjac was ready to be harvested. She bent down and used her knife to cut off the long stalk, lifting a konjac bulb that weighed at least twenty pounds.

Dong Ge’er’s mother was nervous. “Miss Sang, they say this thing is poisonous and shouldn’t be touched.”

Sang Luo smiled and shook her head. “The toxins can be removed. This plant is edible.”

Her words stunned the surrounding people, including Shen Lie, Shopkeeper Xu, and Gan, who had come along.

Sang Luo decided not to hide the truth. “You’ve all eaten it. Shopkeeper Xu, the vegetarian tripe is made from this konjac, also known as devil’s tongue.”

Her statement left Shopkeeper Xu and Gan, who had sold konjac before, dumbfounded.

Sang Luo didn’t elaborate further and asked Dong Ge’er, “Where do you live? Lead the way, and I’ll teach you how to remove the toxins from this konjac.”

There were members of the Feng clan clearing land nearby. Hearing bits of the conversation, they gathered around to inquire. Konjac grew abundantly, often forming large patches. Not only Dong Ge’er’s family but other families had also unearthed some. Growing up in the village, they had always been warned by their elders about its toxicity.

Now, someone was saying it was edible and that the toxins could be removed.

How could that not attract attention? Soon, many people followed to watch.

Gan was a bit anxious and glanced at Sang Luo. “A’luo?”

She didn’t say anything, but her expression made it clear that she was concerned about Sang Luo sharing her livelihood secret.

Sang Luo looked at Gan, then at Dong Ge’er’s family. Remembering the wild vegetables and grass seeds in Dong Ge’er’s bowl, she fell silent for a moment.

Honestly, she never intended to share her business secrets, like with the “fairy tofu,” which she only occasionally made for her own family. Even the destitute Zhou Laizi’s family, with the help of Shen Lie and Chen Dashan, had gradually accumulated enough food.

But what about these newcomers?

Families like Dong Ge’er’s couldn’t all be supported by Shen Lie and Chen Dashan. Moreover, the area was already heavily foraged and hunted, leaving little known food. Watching Dong Ge’er’s family eating grass seeds and seeing edible konjac being dug up and discarded, Sang Luo suddenly didn’t want to hide it anymore.

“Let’s survive first. There will be other ways to make a living in the future.”

In fact, it wasn’t just Dong Ge’er’s family. As Sang Luo taught them how to detoxify and make konjac tofu outside Dong Ge’er’s family’s cave, many others came upon hearing the news.

After teaching everyone, and waiting for the final solidification, Sang Luo finally said, “If you peel, slice, and dry this konjac, it can be stored for a long time and should still be edible next year.”

Someone still wasn’t completely convinced. “Miss, are you sure this thing won’t be poisonous?”

The concept that this plant was poisonous was deeply ingrained in their minds.

Before Sang Luo could speak, Shopkeeper Xu stepped in. “It’s not poisonous. This stuff has been sold in the county for a long time, and it fetches a good price. It’s part of Miss Sang’s livelihood.”

To be honest, he had never imagined that vegetarian tripe, made from wild yams found everywhere in the mountains, would be something Sang Luo would share. This method, if kept secret, was practically a business without any cost. While it wouldn’t make anyone rich, it would ensure a steady, modest income year after year.

Having shared this, Sang Luo didn’t mind teaching a bit more. Near Dong Ge’er’s family’s cave, she found some Achyranthes bidentata leaves, showed everyone how to identify them, and picked some. Then she asked if anyone had any gauze.

Five or six people responded, and one said, “My house is nearby. I’ll get some right away.”

With that, he ran back home.

As he left and returned, more and more people gathered outside the small cave where Dong Ge’er’s family lived. Even Zhou Laizi’s family came over, followed closely by the Feng clan’s patriarch.

Many people had already learned how to make vegetarian tripe and fairy tofu. Sang Luo repeatedly explained some crucial points and how long it would take for the mixture to solidify. After checking the position of the sun and remembering that she still needed to hunt, she hastily said her goodbyes.

A crowd of people gathered closely together. The newcomers asked those who had been there earlier about the details of making these foods. By the time they had all their questions answered, they realized the young woman who taught them had already left.

Naturally, they inquired further and found out that she was from Shili Village and was known as Miss Sang.