Chapter 19: Corvée

Zhao Liya and the other person were very happy. They took everything back and also gave some to Widow Qu.

Zhao Liya had noticed yesterday that Widow Qu must really like eating fish.

The fish fillet and shrimp porridge made for breakfast, with a handful of chopped chives added, is very delicious.

After breakfast, everyone planned to go to the wild to cut bamboo, wooden strips and bamboo branches to build the melon shed. However, just after breakfast and before they went out, Gu Laoer came.

Seeing that the Zhao family members were very calm, they felt like "It's finally here!"

"What do you two need?"

Zhao Xiang, the head of the family, stepped forward and asked.

"Hmph!" Gu Lao Er smiled maliciously. "I'm just here to tell you it's time for you to do some corvée labor. The higher-ups need some Ganoderma lucidum. Your family needs two that are over a hundred years old. You have one month to hand them over. But let me be frank: if you don't hand them over by the deadline, you'll be punished with a beating and hard labor!"

This sudden news made everyone in the Zhao family pale.

"Besides our family, is there anyone else who wants to pay for this Lingzhi?"

Gu Laoer was waiting for this, and sneered, "Just you! Your family is very capable and wealthy, haha, such a small matter can't be a problem for you, right?"

Zhao Xiang said calmly: "Okay, we'll figure it out ourselves."

Gu Lao Er wanted to say something, but Zhao Xiang's attitude made it impossible for him to continue. He could only glare at him fiercely and sneer: "Then I'll wait!"

After saying this, he walked away arrogantly.

As soon as he left, the Zhao family's forced calmness immediately disappeared.

"What should I do?"

"How can I find a Ganoderma lucidum that's over a hundred years old?"

"Godfather and mother, I'm going to the mountains to try my luck tomorrow. No, I'm going today."

"Oh, what a sin!"

Zhao Liya said calmly, "Dad, Mom, we've just arrived, so things won't always go smoothly. It's just two Ganoderma lucidum plants, right? Let's just look for them. Since the government wants them, it means they can be found. It's just a little difficult to find."

Also, is it just their family? She didn't quite believe it, and always felt that Gu Laoer was lying.

"Okay, Ya'er is right, Madam, you don't have to worry. Everyone should be calm. So, Ah Ling and I will go into the mountains and look for it."

Now that things have come to this, there's no point in getting anxious.

The Gu family was responsible for all of Yancun's affairs, and they had no choice. So they just had to do it.

"Godfather, you don't have to go, I can go."

"Dad, you and Mom stay home and take care of our vegetable garden and the newly planted fruit trees. My brother and I will go into the mountains."

"No!" Zhao Xiang and his wife and Hu Ling said in unison.

However, Zhao Liya would not obey obediently. "Dad, Mom, don't worry. I'm not afraid of a few hooligans. Going into the mountains is nothing. Besides, I have my brother here. We won't act stubbornly. If we really can't find them, we will come back as soon as possible. We still have some money at home. At worst, we can use the money to make up for it when the time comes."

The so-called century-old Ganoderma lucidum is just a term. As long as it is big enough and is 70, 80, or 50 or 60 years old, it should be able to pass for a century.

They now have about 990 taels of silver, which is enough to deal with this matter.

Zhao Liya had already made plans. If they did find it, they would hand it over directly to Yu Gongcao and would never pass it through the Gu family. They would also give Yu Gongcao a gift.

Upon hearing this, everyone subconsciously relaxed a little. Deng said hurriedly, "If that's the case, why bother going into the mountains and taking the risk? Just pay the money!"

"No, mother, this will make the Gu family hold us even tighter!"

If the Gu family wants to see them suffer, then why not suffer in front of them? If you give them money easily, the Gu family will definitely intensify their efforts!

After this happens, we can make long-term plans.

Zhao Liya then said to Aunt Li Shiyi, "Aunt Li Shiyi, while we're away, please help me out and remind my parents about everything. You're familiar with this area, so please, I'm counting on you."

Aunt Li Shiyi nodded quickly: "Don't worry, I'm here, it's okay! You guys should be careful too."

"Well, we will!"

Zhao Xiang and Deng Shi saw that she had made arrangements in such a leisurely manner that the matter was finalized, and they didn't know what to say for a moment.

After all, they couldn't change Zhao Liya's decision, so they could only remind her again and again.

Zhao Liya was not in a hurry to leave immediately as she had to take care of the things at home.

The melon shed still needs to be built. I'll ask Aunt Li Shiyi about the things happening in the mountains. When it gets dark, I'll ask Aunt Qu about it.

You also need to prepare clothes, shoes, medicines, food, etc.

There are yams in the mountains, fish are easy to catch in the streams, and there are also some wild fruits in the mountains at this time of year, all of which can satisfy hunger. Then, fry some rice and bring some with you. When you are hungry, chew a handful to help you stay full.

There is rice at home, and Aunt Qu secretly gives some vegetables from time to time. Aunt Li Shiyi said that she can bring some back to Zaihu Village, so there is no need to worry.

Zhao Liya stopped worrying about this matter.

The Gu family was just watching how they were embarrassed by the Ganoderma lucidum incident, and they didn't expect them to come and cause trouble in the near future.

Two days later, at daybreak, Zhao Liya and Hu Ling set out with their backpacks on their backs.

Mrs. Deng and Aunt Li Shiyi prepared a lot of fried rice for them, carefully wrapped it in oilcloth, and then put it in a sack.

The two men even got up early, boiled twenty eggs in water, and put two tubes of cooked rice in bamboo tubes for them to take with them.

The whole family watched with tears in their eyes.

Zhao Liya and Hu Ling didn't feel much. They knew each other better, so they were calm.

If nothing else, self-protection should not be a problem.

Zhao Liya even had the leisure to joke, "Maybe we'll get lucky and actually find a century-old Ganoderma lucidum! Well, if we do find one, we might as well keep it a secret and sell it in the provincial capital for a good price, then buy two younger ones to make up for it. But we can't make up for it too perfectly, otherwise who knows what's waiting for us next time."

Hu Ling smiled and said, "Okay, let's do it!"

The two of them looked at each other and laughed, as if they had already obtained the hundred-year-old Ganoderma lucidum.

The two of them were on the road almost all day, and only stopped in the forest around four o'clock in the afternoon.

This area is no longer flat and hilly. The mountains are rolling and there are countless big trees that are as thick as a man's embrace. The trees and grass in the forest are growing wildly and lush. When the wind blows, the rustling and rustling sounds make people subconsciously feel that dangerous wild animals are hiding everywhere.

The two of them spent some time and found a cave halfway up the mountain where they could spend the night safely.

The entrance to the cave is not too big, but the space inside is quite big.

There are many mountains and caves in the Lingnan area, which is a good thing for survival in the wild.

Zhao Liya: "Let's check the cave to see if it's safe first, do some simple cleaning, and then take a walk around and bring back some firewood to make do. Tomorrow, we'll pick up more firewood and chop some thick branches to block the cave entrance. Then, familiarize ourselves with the surroundings and the environment, and then go out and try our luck the day after tomorrow. We're tentatively planning to stay here for three to four days, spending the night here. What do you say?"

This arrangement was very comprehensive. Hu Ling nodded and said, "Okay!"

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(End of this chapter)