69 Chapter 69

Death is unpredictable

"Your coming... is, a blessing... From now on... I'll leave it to you... the crops... You... ask more questions, Madam Cheng..."

Mr. Zhao spoke haltingly, but Cheng Mu could understand what he was saying. "I promise you. Go ahead and do your best."

Mr. Zhao finally breathed a sigh of relief.

His daughters-in-law, sons-in-law, and grandsons-in-law suddenly burst into tears. Before, when the man was still hanging on to his last breath, they had only shed tears silently, but now that he was gone, they finally cried out loud.

Cheng Mu: "Eighth Grandma, I'm so sorry."

The Zhao clan members outside also had a look of sorrow on their faces. Cheng Mu came out and saw Zhao Shitou, who stepped forward and greeted her, "Madam Cheng."

Cheng Mu said, "Your master is ill. Please take some time every day to visit him."

Cheng Mu did not leave immediately. She waited here for them to change Mr. Zhao's burial clothes and set up the mourning hall. She burned incense before leaving.

It’s so cold, the ground is frozen, how can we bury it?

Zhao Shitou came over that day, and Yu specially stewed chicken soup and asked him to bring it to Zhao Datian.

Soon, the stinking dog from the hillock behind came over. Cheng Mu had sent a message to the family closest to the hillock to call him. He came to shovel snow for a while and repaired the part of the barn that was about to collapse. Cheng Mu told him and Wu Yong to take turns, coming every other day to help shovel snow.

By the way, he was given two jars of wine and asked to take the old cow and two sheep over to settle down.

"The main thing is to take good care of the cattle and not let them freeze to death. We still need to plow the land next year."

Cows are important assets and cannot be lost like this.

"Madam Cheng, you're the one who can find a solution," Yu praised. With just one trip, she solved the problem that had been bothering them for days.

But, Madam Cheng seemed to be coughing.

Xiaoqi is also a cause for concern. His fever subsided in the morning, but now he has a fever again.

Cheng Mu said, "Xiao Qi's fever will probably recur several times. Let me take care of him."

Cheng Mu thought that since both she and Xiaoqi were sick, it would be better for her to sleep with Xiaoqi so as not to infect Yu and Xiaoliu.

"No," Yu disagreed, "Madam Cheng, you are also a patient. How can you let a patient take care of a patient?"

"Would it be okay if everyone got infected?"

Seeing that Cheng Mu was angry, Yu agreed.

Before leaving, Zhao Shitou came to tell them about his master's situation.

"Master, he seems to have broken his leg."

Yu was furious when she heard this. "When I asked him before, he kept saying it was okay. Now look!"

"Master originally told me not to tell you," Zhao Shitou said. "The heavy snow blocked the roads, and even knowing his leg was broken, there was nothing we could do. It would only add to our worries. But I've already checked it and fixed it with a plank."

Cheng Wei asked, "Can you set bones?"

"No." Zhao Shitou said honestly, "I only know how to tie wooden boards."

Cheng Mu: ...

It was inconvenient for the two of them to take care of Zhao Datian, so they asked Zhao Shitou to come over once a day. Zhao Shitou said, "Taking care of Master is my responsibility."

Mr. Zhao Ba died, Zhao Datian was injured, and Madam Cheng was ill again. Yu couldn't help but nag at Gui'er: "This damn girl doesn't care about home at all!"

The next day, when Wu Yonglai was there, Yu asked him to go to Songzhuang to call Gui'er and the others back, "Just tell them her eldest father is dying."

Zhao Shitou is already nailing Zhao Datian's coffin.

Zhao Datian was a carpenter, so it was very convenient for him to prepare a coffin for himself. He had already prepared every board in advance and all he had to do was assemble them.

Zhao Datian, alone, pointed to his apprentice to see him off to the grave. He said he would not recover and wanted to see his own coffin with his own eyes. He asked Zhao Shitou to quickly prepare it so that he could lie in it and try it out.

Yu said he was confused and sick.

Yu had no good ideas either. She sighed and cried all day long.

"It was all caused by helping us shovel snow, Aunt Yu," Cheng Mu said, pulling out five ginseng roots weighing over six taels. "As the saying goes, life depends on breath, and when energy gathers, life is possible. Since we don't have a doctor, we'll just use some strong medicine ourselves."

Zhao Shitou didn't know how to straighten bones, so she did her best to fix it by tying a wooden board. She also didn't know how to treat illnesses and didn't have any medicinal herbs, only these ginseng.

Yu was dumbfounded. "Mrs. Cheng, where did you get so much ginseng?"

"One was returned by Zhao Dezi, and the rest were given by Mu Yun."

Yu couldn't help but burp, "This, this can be exchanged for dozens of taels!"

"It's worth saving a life. Make him a bowl of thick ginseng soup."

Yu took the life-saving item very carefully.

When Yu finished boiling the ginseng soup and brought it over, Gui'er and the others finally came back.

Xu Xiuying and Saohu also joined them.

Cheng Mu asked, "How's the greenhouse over there?"

Xu Xiuying replied: "Two places collapsed and a lot of vegetables froze to death." They picked all the remaining vegetables and each carried a bag back, sweating profusely as they walked.

Cheng Mu: "Let's forget about it for now. Let's talk about it after spring."

Leave some in the main room and move the rest to the cellar under the kitchen. Cheng Mu asked Li Yu and Chen Hu to look after Zhao Datian here, while Sao Hu and Wu Yong returned to the hills behind to take a letter to Zhao Datian's two daughters early tomorrow morning.

With Li Yu and Chen Hu shoveling the snow, they don't have to come to the hill behind the mountain often.

Xu Xiuying asked with concern: "Madam Cheng, are you sick?"

"It's okay, I just caught a cold."

Zhao Datian's condition improved significantly after drinking the ginseng soup and he was able to get out of bed again.

He was very happy and lay down in his coffin to try it out. It fit perfectly.

Gui'er returned, Zhao Datian got up, and Yu Shi also put down her heavy worries. "After all, Madam Cheng has a solution."

Taking advantage of this good omen, Yu used the five ginseng roots that had been used to make soup to make chicken soup, so that the chicken soup would have the flavor of ginseng, and added red dates to replenish everyone's qi and blood.

That night, Li Yu and Chen Hu were guarding Zhao Datian at his home.

Gui'er and Xiuying joined Cheng Mu and Yu Shi respectively, living in two side rooms. Xu Xiuying said, "I am not afraid of getting sick. I will take care of Madam Cheng and the Seventh Master."

Many people came back. Even though it was snowing from time to time and the temperature was minus 20 or 30 degrees Celsius, Cheng Xi no longer felt insignificant and powerless because she had companions.

The next day, Zhao Datian was still in good spirits.

At night he insisted on sleeping in his coffin.

On the third day, Zhao Datian lay in the coffin forever.

Yu cried loudly beside the coffin, "Daddy! Why did you leave?"

The Ginseng Soup did not save his life, but it allowed him to pass away with a happy heart.

That's enough.

If everyone is going to die, when Mr. Zhao died, he was worshipped by his children and grandchildren, and Zhao Datian died without any regrets and was at ease. Both are very enviable.

Maybe because she was sick, Cheng Xi's thoughts were somewhat negative.

Death is unpredictable, so it’s enough to be content in your heart.

Xiaoqi should be well soon, but Cheng Mu's condition is serious and she has started to have a fever.

In ancient times, people had to bear the consequences of illness on their own. If they could bear it, they would live; if they couldn't, they would die. Ordinary people didn't have the money or luck to see a doctor. Cheng Mi knew how to see a doctor and had the money to buy medicine, but in such a snowstorm, she could only bear it on her own.

In a snowstorm like this, there's no way to bury the dead.

The coffin has to be placed outside first, and then a hole is dug and the coffin is placed in after the ground thaws.

After hearing the news, villagers came one after another to pay their respects, and Zhao Datian's two daughters also came to attend the funeral. That day, they first heard that there might be wolves nearby.

It was said that Zhao Hulu, a young man in his twenties, fell asleep in the snow while drunk and was killed by a wild wolf. Wolves usually appear in packs, and the wild wolves attacked the village, most likely because the snowstorm had left them without food.

At the beginning, we just reminded each other to close the doors and windows and not to go out without permission, day or night.

It was not until three days later that wild wolves attacked Zhao Afu's barn. Almost every family heard the sound of animals running quickly on the snow. Badou's mother said that the wolves had been guarding outside her house for a long time.

After Mr. Zhao Ba was gone, Zhao Zong took the initiative to step forward, organized the young and strong people in the village, took the kitchen knives and farm tools from their homes, clattered them, and patrolled the village.

Gui'er stayed at Zhao Datian's house, where she, Li Yu, and Chen Hu sharpened every knife they could find. She also polished the weapons and bows and arrows that Xiaoliu and Xiaoqi had bought when they were six or seven years old. Fearing they wouldn't have enough arrows, she carved some wood herself and made a quiver to carry on her back.

Mu Yun’s archery skills are good, and after seeing that, Gui Er feels that she needs to practice more.

Everyone else was scared when they heard about the wolf, but Zhao Guier was the only one who was eager to try.

The village patrol team was initially assembled by Zhao Zong, and Guier took over after a few days.

It is the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, and the New Year is about to begin.

Xiaoqi's illness has been greatly improved. Yu and Xu Xiuying took Xiaoliu and Xiaoqi to make dumplings with mutton filling.

I originally planned to go to the kitchen to use a steamer to steam Xiaoqi's favorite red bean buns, but because I was afraid of wolves coming, I decided to stay in the front room. Moreover, Li Yu and Chen Hu have been burning the kang at Zhao Datian's house recently, and a lot of wood chips have been consumed. Cheng Mu has been burning two kangs day and night, and the usable firewood and charcoal are almost gone. In order to save firewood, I have to spend this year with a cold pot and a cold stove.

Today, Yu said that they decided not to heat the kang anymore and only leave a warm kang on Cheng Mu's side, so that less firewood can be used.

Cheng Mu disagreed. She had already made preparations to demolish the house. She could use the firewood on the roof of the shed first. She could also chop up the best wood that Zhao Datian hadn't used yet and use it as firewood.

Cheng Mu's illness showed no signs of improvement, and she felt drowsy day and night.

She sleeps most of the time.

She thought she had a viral cold or a lung infection. She had died of a lung infection in her previous life.

She thought it was just a common cold, but she didn't expect it to bring her to this dynasty.

Maybe she will go back soon?

The seeds she improved have been circulated in this dynasty. If this is her mission, then she should be considered to have completed her mission. If she can go back after death, she has a vague expectation.

Xiaoliu ran out of the east wing. Xiuying and Yu looked at her. Before she could say anything, tears quickly filled her eyes and burst out one after another. Her hands were covered with flour, and her face looked like a little cat.

"What's wrong? Why are you crying?" Xiuying put down the bowl in her hand and wiped her face with the corner of her clothes. "Mom said, do you want to eat now?"

"Mom said, mom said," Xiaoliu cried, "She's probably going to leave, she's going back..."

Yu Shi didn't understand, "Where are you going?"

"Pfft, pfft, pfft," Xiuying dodged and stamped her feet. "Your mother is sick and confused. She's talking nonsense."

Xiao Qi suddenly started crying too, "Is he going to die like Grandpa Datian if he gets sick and confused?"

"No way!" Yu gasped, dropping the wooden spoon in her hand to the ground. She covered her mouth with her hands, tears streaming down her face. "Go and have a look quickly."

Several people squeezed into the side room together.

"Madam Cheng!"

"Madam Cheng!"

"Mom, wake up, Mom!"

“…”

There was no response even after shouting, so Xiuying tried to feel the pulse like a doctor, but she couldn't find anything, only that the pulse was very weak.

“What should I do?”

They were all helpless and could only cry together in the house.