Chapter 142
Seeing Manager Xu again was much more difficult than it was a month ago.
Three and a half days after leaving Yun Valley, there were more and more refugees hiding in the mountains. You never know which mountain might have people hiding, so Chen Lie and his companions were extremely careful. They did not arrive at the other food storage site until the afternoon of March 13.
The place that Chen Lie chose was in a dense forest. The trees blocked their view, so at least their movements could not be seen from the distant mountains. Everyone scattered and checked the forest to make sure there was no one there. Only then did they find a new food storage point and exchange secret signals with the people hiding in the cave.
Because Chen Lie and Chen Dashan will go out of the mountain together to meet Manager Xu, everyone has to hide in the cave for another night and wait for them to come back before leaving.
On the morning of March 15th, Shopkeeper Xu received a message from his old servant and hurriedly left the county and went into the mountains. Halfway to Shili Village, he met Chen Lie and Chen Dashan in a mountain close to the mountain road, but did not see his brother-in-law Wei Qinghe.
He looked a little anxious: "Why did you come out suddenly? What happened?"
Chen Lie didn't expect that Shopkeeper Xu had the wrong idea, and hurriedly said, "Shopkeeper Xu, don't worry, the old lady and the children are all fine. I have something to see you about because this is my last trip to pick up grain. Brother Wei has also come out, but because there are many refugees in the mountains along the way, for safety reasons, I asked him to hide with the people carrying grain in the grain storage point and didn't come."
As he spoke, he took out a small bamboo tube from his bosom and handed it to me, saying with a smile, "This is the letter from home that the old lady asked me to bring to you."
Chen Lie has been out several times. He met with Manager Xu last month to hand over grain. At that time, it was only Wei Qinghe who brought a verbal message. Now that he has pen and paper, the old lady thought of sending a letter home to report that he is safe and let his family feel at ease.
The letter was not even sealed at the time and was delivered to Sang Luo, who asked Chen Lie to help find a small bamboo tube to put it in to prevent it from getting wet in the rain.
There are many trees in Yun Valley, but there are no bamboos. However, asking Chen Lie to help find a bamboo tube is not the main point, because the last time Manager Xu sent a letter, there was a letter to the old lady, and a small bamboo tube could actually hold it. Besides, Wei Qinghe was also traveling with them, so the letter could have been taken away by Wei Qinghe.
The old lady avoided suspicion and gave the letter to Sang Luo because she actually wanted Sang Luo to take a look at it, so that Chen Lie and Sang Luo could rest assured that the letter did not reveal any inappropriate content such as information about the valley.
After Sang Luo sent the old lady away, she and Shen Lie smiled at each other, and the only word left in their minds was "particular".
It’s really reassuring to deal with the Xu family.
…
Shopkeeper Xu didn't know all this. He took out the letter from home from the small bamboo tube, unfolded it, and smiled: "It was written by Wenbo."
The first part of the letter was a greeting, which Shopkeeper Xu quickly skipped over. When it came to the main text, Xu Wenbo mentioned in the letter that they were in a place with beautiful scenery and very safe. Everyone lived in caves, but each family had a separate cave and they were not crowded together.
The cave has been leveled and a gate has been made by felling wood. We helped grandmother build a stove at the entrance of the cave. Uncle Chen helped make a bed for grandmother and sister to sleep on. My cousin, uncle and I are now using the bed board on the ground, and then covering it with hay and a mattress to sleep on. However, after we finish picking up the grain and everyone has time, we should be able to have a second bed.
I didn’t quite adapt when I first entered the mountains, but now I’m used to it and I like it very much. When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I hear is always the beautiful sound of birds singing.
Life in the mountains is good. The Laba porridge cooked by A Luo's sister-in-law is especially delicious. She can also make a kind of food called vegetarian tripe. The pickles sent by Chen's grandmother are also delicious. You can also taste various wild vegetables, which are also delicious. My grandmother stewed a pheasant for us a few days ago. My sister and Shen's sister learned how to grow various bean sprouts.
We raise chickens, ducks and grow vegetables at home. Some time ago, my cousin and I, along with the other kids in the village, learned how to farm from Grandpa Chen. There isn't much land, so it's not very tiring and it's a different experience. When I wrote this letter, the rice seeds at home had already been sown in the fields.
When I have nothing to do during the day, I will read with my friends. The friends in Shili Village are all reading and learning to read. I know quite a few words in the Thousand Character Classic. My cousin can already recite the Analects of Confucius, but I am still a little behind. Chen An is working very hard to catch up with us, and I also have to work hard to catch up with my cousin.
Then I concluded that it was good and very safe in the mountains, and it was almost impossible for outsiders to find this place. My grandmother liked it very much, and my sister had several playmates, but they all missed their parents and brothers very much.
Finally, I asked them to take care of themselves and hoped that the family could be reunited soon.
…
There wasn't much written on those three thin sheets of letter paper, and the words were very simple, just telling him about daily life.
But it was these daily routines that made Manager Xu feel heartbroken. Living in the cave, his mother and children had never suffered such hardship before. He had always been worried about them before, but now after reading what his son said in the letter, he could tell from every word that they were living well.
Really good.
Shopkeeper Xu raised his hand to bow to Chen Lie and Chen Dashan, but Chen Lie held his hand. He was still moved: "I didn't expect them to live so well."
He lived a peaceful and comfortable life, farming and studying. It was not as scary and difficult as he had imagined. Everything was arranged in an orderly manner, which was like a completely different world from the panic-stricken people outside.
Chen Lie laughed: "Life is harder than outside, but it is safer. After the last batch of grain is delivered, we will go out less often, and we can take care of our daily needs a little better."
Manager Xu said hurriedly, "This is already very good. Once this letter is sent to Shezhou, my wife will be able to rest assured."
Shopkeeper Xu carefully put away the letter from home, and then went on to ask about the business. When he heard that Chen Lie came out this time because he had figured out a new way to hide in the mountains and forests and taught him this method specifically, Shopkeeper Xu's eyes lit up.
Qiyang County is close to the mountains, and there are mountains not far from the county. If it is really as Chen Lie said, this method will be very useful to him.
Having said that, Chen Lie and Chen Dashan did not delay. Considering that Manager Xu spent most of his time in the county, and considering the terrain inside and outside the county, they directly chose the direction near the county town and sneaked into the mountains over there.
From the first step, he taught Manager Xu and his servant which way to escape from the county town, how to enter the mountains and forests, and how to choose the terrain, and how to build a hidden shelter. By the beginning of the afternoon, they had built a perfect temporary shelter in the deeper mountains and forests outside the county town.
Shopkeeper Xu had even forgotten how to be amazed.
If he hadn't seen with his own eyes what Shen Lie and Chen Dashan did, and if he hadn't joined in on the work, even now, standing outside the shelter, he really couldn't tell that there was a cave hidden underground that could hide several people.
There is even a wooden structure inside, so there is no need to worry about problems like collapse, and one can easily open the small door hidden in the bushes from the inside to observe what is happening outside before deciding whether to go in or out. Now the entrance is completely covered with grass, and there is no sign that there is a door there.
Moreover, breathing issues were also taken into consideration.
Shopkeeper Xu stepped onto the top of the shelter and touched the dead tree stump in the bushes with his hand.
It looked exactly like any other dead tree stump in the forest, planted deep and firmly. Who would have thought that this was a shelter that was completely hollowed out from a dead tree stump somewhere else in the forest? Inside was a ventilation hole in the yellow mud, and several fist-sized natural tree holes on the side of the stump were used for ventilation.
This means that if something happens in the county, as long as he can escape to the mountains outside the county and prepare enough food and water in advance, he will be fine if he hides there for a month or two.
The old servant of the Xu family's eyes lit up: "Ah Lang, with this, you will be much safer in Qiyang County."
The old servant became more and more convinced that it was right for Alang to send the old lady and the young master into the mountains. Both Mr. Chen and Mr. Chen were capable people, and they were sincere and grateful. This was evident from the fact that they took the risk to arrange a retreat for their own Alang.
Such a person is truly trustworthy.
Shopkeeper Xu also laughed: "Yes, if you learn this method, the chances of escaping to another place and surviving will be much greater."
He bowed to Chen Lie and Chen Dashan and said, "I cannot thank you enough for your kindness. I, Xu Yuanchang, will always remember your kindness in my heart."
Chen Lie and Chen Dashan both laughed, and Chen Lie said, "Okay, then we won't stay any longer. I want to go back to the village, so we should set out early and meet up with the people transporting the grain."
Speaking of returning to Shili Village, Shopkeeper Xu reminded: "If you want to go back to the village, you should go to see your little cousin, right?"
There is no reason to teach him such a good hiding method, as it would have harmed those children.
Shen Lie nodded.
Shopkeeper Xu said, "Then you'd better remind that child not to go into the mountains."
He told the story of Shen Jin's trap to collect pheasants and the old servant disguising himself as a peddler to collect pheasants.
It turned out that after Shen Jin caught his first pheasant, he had another harvest every two days. This was not a problem, but the day before yesterday he caught three at once.
The old servant of the Xu family kept a close eye on the situation. He followed Shen Jin into the mountains from a distance yesterday and found that he had gone quite deep into the mountains alone. He reported the matter to Shopkeeper Xu after returning yesterday. He had originally wanted to ask Shopkeeper Xu for a charter, but today Shen Lie and the others came back.
After hearing this, Shen Lie frowned and asked in detail about the approximate time and location of Shen Jin, the old servant of the Xu family, when he entered and exited the forest. Then he thanked Manager Xu and his servant, and he and Chen Dashan, one carrying a hoe and the other holding a machete, and carried a cloth bag that they had been carrying when they came, and fled from the forest.
…
Shili Village.
Shen Jin once again sent Shen Yin away under the pretext of going their separate ways to check the trap, and he quietly went deep into the mountains alone.
Chen Lie and Chen Dashan had already followed the approximate direction given by the old servant of the Xu family, and waited behind two trees not far from a trap that yielded a reward, following the traps set by Shen Jin.
The two men stayed there for quite a while. The trapped pheasant was still struggling at first, especially when it saw Chen Lie and Chen Dashan appear. It struggled so hard, but seeing that the two men had not done anything to it for a long time, it had no strength left. After struggling for a while, it was helpless and simply struggled for a while and then rested for a while.
On the path leading to this side from Shili Village, Shen Jin was walking towards this side carefully, carrying a small slingshot on his back and holding a bamboo stick in his hand, hitting the grass in front and on both sides of the mountain road from time to time.
Chen Dashan saw this from afar and couldn't help but chuckle: "Your cousin is quite capable. It's up to you to be brave."
The bitterness of life also follows the severity of the situation.
Look at what kind of life this young man is living.
Shen Lie didn't say anything. He relaxed a little when he saw Shen Jin was quite careful when he entered the mountain without rushing around.
Shen Jin didn't know that he was being watched at the moment. He kept observing his surroundings carefully until he got closer and closer to the trap he had set, then he finally paid attention and looked towards the trap.
As soon as he saw the pheasant struggling again because of the person coming, his eyes lit up. He wanted to quicken his pace, but he remembered his elder brother's words that he should be careful of snakes in the mountains in spring and summer.
He quickened the pace of clearing the grass until he was close to the trap. He checked the surrounding land, as well as the taller trees and branches, to make sure there were no snakes on the ground or climbing on the trees. Then he threw away the bamboo stick and pounced on the pheasant.
Seeing that momentum, Chen Dashan was afraid that if his hands couldn't hold the pheasant steady, he had to make sure his body could hold it down.
What a bear! He is not afraid of being pecked or scratched.
Looks like it, very much like it!
Chen Dashan couldn't help laughing out loud again.
Chen Lie looked at him speechlessly, and Shen Jin, who had just held down the pheasant, stiffened slightly.
Pheasant was very noisy, but he heard it right, someone was laughing!
"who?!"
"Me." Shen Lie responded and slowly walked out from behind the tree.
When Shen Jin heard the voice, he looked up and saw someone coming out from behind the tree. His eyes widened and he didn't know when he loosened his grip on the pheasant. The pheasant suddenly flapped its wings and struggled free. He was so scared that he quickly came to his senses and grabbed it again.
"Brother?" As soon as he called out "Brother" for the first time, his nose felt sore and his eyes turned red. He was so excited that he wanted to go to Chen Lie, but he was unwilling to let go of the pheasant. Later he realized that the pheasant was caught in the noose of a trap, so he let go and ran towards Chen Lie.
"Brother! Brother!" Shen Lie was also walking towards this side. Shen Jin ran up to Shen Lie, his face already covered with tears.
He raised his hand to wipe away his tears, and he dug the ground to grab Pheasant's hand, until his face was covered with blood, but he was not aware of it. His eyelashes were wet and stranded. He looked up at Chen Lie, his mouth flattened, becoming flatter and flatter. His throat was so sore and swollen that he could not utter a word, for fear that he would cry as soon as he opened his mouth.
Chen Lie was not feeling well either. He half squatted down to wipe Shen Jin's tears. He looked at the pheasant that was thrown around and smiled, "You've learned well."
With just one sentence, Shen Jin, who was trying hard not to cry, broke down. She bit her lip and tears fell.
He buried his head, wiped his tears with his sleeves, and hid his face between his arms. He wiped his tears and the runny nose that he couldn't control. After a while, he put his hands down and looked up at Chen Lie. With red eyes and wet eyelashes, he smiled loudly: "Brother, did you come back to see me secretly?"
As he spoke, he turned around and looked around. Although they were deep in the mountains, he was afraid that someone from the village would come and see his elder brother here.
Chen Lie smiled and said, "Yes, I came back to see if you were doing well and if you had learned what I taught you."
Seeing him looking around and looking a little nervous, he said, "Don't worry, your brother Dashan is here and will keep an eye on it."
Shen Jin stuck his head out and saw Chen Dashan behind him. His smile relaxed and he called him "Brother Dashan" before turning to present his treasure to Shen Lie.
"Brother, I can catch pheasants."
Pointing at the pheasant in the distance that no longer wanted to struggle, he said, "Look, that's what I caught. I can sell it for about a hundred coins each!"
Chen Lie nodded: "I see, it's amazing, but didn't I say that you can't go into the mountains unless you are extremely hungry?"
The smile on Shen Jin's face froze, he lowered his head, and grabbed the hem of his clothes with both hands and pulled unconsciously: "My mother is sick, very sick, I want to catch pheasants to exchange for money for her medical treatment."
His voice became quieter and quieter.
The eldest brother doesn't like his parents, so now he wants to save his mother, using all the skills his eldest brother taught him.
Shen Jin subconsciously felt guilty and didn't dare to look up at Chen Lie.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
