Chapter 27 My Son Has Suffered So Much
There were many pale-faced men and women lying on both sides of the canyon entrance. They were unable to even build a shelter to protect themselves from the wind and rain, and looked like garbage discarded at random.
She also saw a few familiar faces among them and was sure that they were the same group of people who were exiled with them.
Sang Yu’s previous guess was correct. The people who chose to chop wood were already injured, and after a day of hard work, they fell ill the next day.
The little money I earned the day before was little left after buying food, and I couldn't even afford medicine to treat my injuries.
It would be more accurate to say that they are waiting to die rather than being alive.
Sighing in his heart, Sang Yu stopped looking at them and walked towards the area of the thatched houses.
The people living in the canyon did not find it strange that a stranger suddenly appeared. Some brave children even ran over to talk to her.
"Where are you from?"
The person asking the questions was a little boy with three pigtails, about four or five years old. He was holding his left thumb in his mouth and his words were a little unclear.
Knowing that he wasn't asking where she lived now, Sang Yu didn't hide it: "Beijing."
"Oh, you're from Beijing again." The boy immediately lost interest.
Most of the people who come here are from Beijing. I don’t know why there are so many people there. Can they accommodate them?
He turned around and was about to leave, and Sang Yu hurriedly called out to stop him: "Hey..."
But the boy had already run away, so she could only withdraw her hand helplessly and ask others for directions.
The lady who was mending clothes on the roadside told her that the stone mill was not far ahead.
Sang Yu walked along the empty path in front of the thatched house and soon saw the stone mill.
It was a piece of bluestone about half a person's height. The surface had become a little bumpy due to years of rain and wind, and the wooden handrails were polished to a shiny finish.
Right now, someone is using a stone mill to husk the rice, and there are two people queuing behind him.
Sang Yu walked over to the two people who were talking and asked politely, "Auntie, I'd like to ask you, do I have to pay to use the stone mill?"
She only had one penny left, and if the stone mill charged a fee, she would have to wait until tomorrow to sell another batch of cattails to have money to grind rice.
The two women were chatting happily when they were suddenly interrupted by her and frowned with some displeasure.
Seeing that she was young, he didn't say anything more: "It doesn't cost any money, just clean it up." After saying this, he turned around and continued the previous topic.
If we really talk about the history of this stone mill, it may be longer than the existence of the village.
No one can tell when the stone mill was built here, but we only know that every household uses this stone mill to shell and grind flour.
When she heard that it was free, Sang Yu's eyes lit up. That was great. She would bring the seeds for shelling tomorrow.
After learning about the stone mill, Sang Yu did not rush back, but instead took a good walk around the village.
She pieced together the village's origin and current situation from people's brief conversations.
The village is called Xishui Village, with a population of about one to two thousand people.
Logging was originally a form of forced labor. Regardless of gender, age or status, everyone had to cut down trees, and it was inevitable that some people would be injured or lose their ability to work during the process.
They were left to die and accidentally discovered this precious land in the mountain canyon. Those who survived the serious illness settled down here and it gradually developed into the large village it is today.
They are not averse to outsiders, but they are not welcoming either. Many people even sell goods on street stalls for profit.
For example, the stall where Sang Yu bought salt before was opened with money contributed by the villagers.
The salt and iron business is not something that anyone can do casually. One must have a salt permit to purchase it from the government before selling it. Anyone who dares to sell private salt is guilty of a very serious crime.
Sang Yu walked out, thinking. This place was separated from their current temporary residence by several mountains, but it was much more prosperous.
Not only are there more people, but it's also easier to buy and sell goods. Why not move here?
Before she could figure out the result, she had unknowingly reached the entrance of the canyon.
There were several more corpses among the people lying on both sides.
But even the closest relatives would just close their eyes numbly, unable to squeeze out a single tear.
I wonder if there will be anyone who can help them close their eyes when they die.
The atmosphere was extremely depressing. Sang Yu couldn't bear to look at it, so he lowered his head and walked straight forward.
She couldn't help but wonder if the outcome would be different if these people hadn't come to cut down the trees. Unfortunately, there are no ifs in the world.
It was not until the pungent smell reached his nose that Sang Yu came to his senses and found that he had walked out of the road where the street stalls were set up and was almost in front of the shed.
She pinched her nose and hurried away. After walking for a long distance, she opened her mouth and took a deep breath.
The sanitary conditions in ancient times were really worrying. There were so many people here but there wasn't even a dry toilet. I really don't know how they could fall asleep at night surrounded by that stench.
Sang Yu squinted his eyes and looked at the red sun hanging in the sky, knowing that it was still early.
She wanted to say hello to Sang Yongjing and his son before leaving, but she looked around in confusion and had no idea where they were.
Forget it. Before she came, she said she would go back alone after changing her things, so it should be fine if she didn't say hello to them.
Sang Yu has a strong sense of direction. She led the way here, so returning the same way is naturally not a problem.
Xie Qiujin spotted her from a distance, put down the cattail leaf in her hand, and walked over to her and asked, "Why did you come back alone? Where are your father and elder brother?"
Sang Yu raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead and said, "They have gone to work. I will come back after I sell the cattails I brought with me."
Xie Qiujin finally felt relieved. She was like a trapped wild deer, her mind tense at all times, on guard against any unexpected accidents that might happen at any time.
"How much did it sell for?" she asked again.
Sang Yu took out the last penny he had and said, "I didn't bring much today. I sold five pennies in total. I bought two bottles of salt, so I only have one penny left."
A penny. Xie Qiujin almost forgot when was the last time she saw a penny.
In the past, even when rewarding servants, he had to give at least two cents of silver, but he didn't expect that he would almost cry when he saw a copper coin in Sang Yu's palm.
She took Sang Yu into her arms and said, "My son, you have suffered so much."
Sang Yu didn't think she had it that hard. After all, she had never really experienced the good days of the original owner. Looking back at her memories, she always felt that they were not real.
Compared with walking fifty miles every day with wooden shackles and anklets, walking a few miles to sell vegetables is nothing to worry about.
But she didn't push Xie Qiujin away, because she knew that her mother was worried about her.
The mother and daughter hugged each other and cried for a long time before they gradually stopped crying. Of course, it was mainly Xie Qiujin who was crying and Sang Yu who was comforting her.
Xie Qiujin let go of her hand, feeling that she had just lost her composure and for a moment she didn't dare to look up at Sang Yu.
Sang Yu finally broke free from the suffocating embrace, breathed a sigh of relief, and was about to say something to ease the awkwardness, but saw Sang Xinghao coming to her side at some point.
He didn't say anything, just stood there quietly, looking at the two of them curiously.
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