Chapter 8: Going into the Mountains to Store Food

The Xu family put their things in the west, and everyone carried a bag on their backs. Except for the five-year-old Xu Cai, even the seven-year-old Xu Ling was stuffed with two bamboo tubes by Zheng.

Xu Nian asked Wang for some hemp rope to tie her trousers. Xu Ji asked curiously, "Sister, why are you tying your trousers?"

"There will be a lot of bugs in the mountains after we get in, so this will prevent them from getting into our clothes.

You help me tie up my sleeves, and then you guys can do the same. I asked grandma for a lot of hemp ropes."

Xu Ji nodded obediently.

He felt that his eldest sister had changed a lot and became more talkative and cheerful than before.

Everyone in the Xu family tied up their trouser legs and sleeves. At this time, Xu Yaozu took the sickle and told Old Man Xu about his plan.

"Dad, let me walk ahead with the village chief and the others. This knife is very useful and is perfect for clearing the way."

Father Xu nodded and said, "Then be careful and go ahead."

Xu Yaozu came to the village chief and Wang the Hunter.

"Uncle, Brother Wang, I will lead the way with you."

If it was someone else, the village chief would really be worried, but Xu Yaozu was the most knowledgeable person in the village and he was also very strong, so the village chief was very relieved.

Wang the Hunter was also happy and said, "With Brother Xu here, I feel more at ease. Otherwise, I would be really afraid of taking the wrong path."

"Okay, let's hurry up and get into the mountains. If we're late, we don't know what will happen."

After the village chief finished speaking, he shouted to the troops: "Go into the mountains."

Xu Fugui and Xu Youliang pushed the cart in front, followed by the Xu family's women and children, and finally Old Man Xu and Xu Weian followed behind.

Because Xu Cai was small and could not walk fast, Xu Weian had to let him sit on his shoulders. Fortunately, the men in the Xu family were all strong, otherwise they would not know how they would have walked this way.

Xu Nian was also very energetic today. She didn't know if it was because of the stream water in the space. She planned to find an opportunity to go into the space and get some stream water to experiment with the effect.

The road on the mountain is not as easy to walk on as on flat land, but fortunately the lush greenery shows that there is no drought here.

But Xu Nian knew that the road ahead would become increasingly difficult, and they would have to face the difficulties of food and water shortages.

Therefore, during the break, Xu Nian was not idle and began to look around for edible wild vegetables and other things.

Xu Nian walked a little further away from the main force, and when he saw that no one was following him, he entered the space.

Instead of eating the food, she quickly filled her bamboo tube with water and left the space.

Fortunately, no one noticed what she did.

After putting the bamboo tube away, she began to look for wild vegetables. In fact, Xu Nian didn't know many wild vegetables. She had only seen them a few times when her grandmother took her to the mountains when she was a child.

But the original body Xu Nian knew quite a few of them, so she found several of them, including prickly ash, shepherd's purse and red amaranth.

Especially when he saw the red amaranth, Xu Nian hummed a little tune happily.

It is said that "Amaranth in August is worth more than gold." In modern times, it cost more than ten yuan per pound to buy it in the supermarket. It is no longer like now when she can just pick it at will.

Just as she was happily picking things up, she saw Wang coming towards her.

"Big girl, why did you run so far again? Wow~ there are so many wild vegetables."

Just as Wang was about to help pick the flowers, she was stopped by Xu Nian.

"Grandma, please bring a basket over here first, and ask my mother and the others to come over to collect some food. We definitely don't have enough food to eat, so we should store some now while we still have some."

Wang thought it made sense. If she had thought of this earlier, her mind would have been a mess after walking around for a few days.

Wang turned around and went to call her daughter-in-law, having long forgotten what she wanted to ask the mountain goddess.

After Wang told her three daughters-in-law the location of Xu Nian, she did not follow him because she had to protect the Xu family's food.

After Wang and her daughters-in-law had been gone for about half an incense stick of time, they finally arrived at Wang Huaishan's nearby house.

"Huaishan family, if you still have the strength, ask your daughter-in-law to pick some wild vegetables for you to eat on the road."

"Sister-in-law Xu, we have picked enough for two meals. If we pick too much, it will be tiring to carry it on our backs."

Wang disagreed and said, "Huaishan, didn't you hear what the village chief said? There are droughts in several places ahead. Do you think there are wild vegetables for you to pick in the mountains?

I am reminding you because the men in our two families have a good relationship. Believe it or not."

Mrs. Liu hurriedly grabbed Wang who was about to leave and said, "Don't be angry, sister-in-law. Of course I believe you. I thank you on behalf of our whole family."

Wang smiled and waved away Mrs. Liu's hand, "You don't have to thank me, old man. Go and do your thing."

In this way, one family led another, and during the two quarters of a minute's rest, almost every family had stored up some wild vegetables to varying degrees.

After sending Wang away, Xu Nian took some of the picked red amaranth and put it in the space.

When the three sisters-in-law of the Tian family arrived, Xu Nian had already picked a small pile.

"Oh~ Our eldest girl is still capable. Auntie, pack these up first."

"Sister-in-law, let's pick more. When we rest at night, roll them in water and let them dry in the sun during the day. Not only will they last longer, but they will also be lighter."

Tian nodded in approval, "Third sister-in-law, this is a good idea."

Xu Nian really didn't know how to dry the vegetables, he just wanted to make some space before taking them out.

This incident also reminded Xu Nian that she cannot rely on the magical object of space for everything, and she should use her brain more often.

The four of them didn't collect for long because Xu Nian walked a little too far, so in order not to delay the departure of the main force, the four of them hurried back.

We arrived in just the right time, so we put away the wild vegetables, picked up our bag, and continued on our journey.

Xu Nian held the dry grain in one hand and the bamboo tube in the other and ate without any taste. Compared with the chicken leg yesterday, the dry grain felt even harder to swallow.

There is also water in the bamboo tube. It tastes very sweet in the air and makes the body feel comfortable after drinking it, but when you take it outside, it is no different from ordinary water.

In the afternoon, the troop stopped after walking for less than three hours.

Because the situation in the mountains was unclear, in order to avoid any accidents, the village chief asked everyone to find a place to rest for the night before dark.

Although it was a rest time, the villagers were not idle and went out to look for food.

The three sisters-in-law of the Xu family and several boys also went to pick wild vegetables.

Xu Nian did not go. She looked at the sky which was already darkening and sighed helplessly. She was not afraid of anything except the dark.

Xu Nian stayed to accompany Wang to prepare dinner and also processed the wild vegetables picked at noon.

After Wang poured the rice and water into the pot, she whispered into Xu Nian's ear and asked, "Big girl, did the Mountain Goddess talk to you again last night?"

Xu Nian held back her laughter and whispered back, "Grandma, I was sleeping so soundly that I didn't dream."

Wang sighed and comforted Xu Nian, "Maybe the mountain goddess is busy. Maybe she can appear in your dream again in the future."

Xu Nian nodded seriously.

The villagers knew the seriousness of the matter and returned before it got completely dark. The Xu family also returned with half a basket of wild vegetables.

Before Xu Jian even arrived at the place, he exclaimed: "Sister, sister, Uncle Wang is really amazing. He caught a pheasant in one go."

Xu Nian shook his head in amusement, this must be gluttonous meat.