Chickens and dogs in chaos
In the courtyard of Kaoshan Village, the spring sun shines warmly, and early summer is approaching.
The vegetable patch had just been watered, and the tender seedlings were drooping and wilted.
Chen Yan, covered in dust and dirt, slumped on the stone mill, while Xuan Chenzi leaned against the wall, basking in the sun with his cane.
The children chased chickens and dogs...
Shen Yan wailed, "My back... my back is going to break... Old Daoist Xuan Chen! Where's that... that herbal soup you mentioned yesterday for relaxing muscles and tendons? Make me a bowl! Clearing land is simply inhuman!"
Xuan Chenzi squinted, sounding weak and listless: "Immeasurable... Heavenly Venerable... Brother Shen, this humble Taoist... this humble Taoist's legs are still trembling... those herbs... only fresh ones can be picked from the shady slope of the back mountain to be effective... look at this humble Taoist's legs..." As he spoke, he stole a glance in Ling Zhan's direction.
Ling Zhan said coldly, without raising his head, continuing to sharpen his knife: "Finish turning the ground?"
Shen Yan jumped up, pointed at the crooked vegetable patch, and said urgently, "It's all turned over! Look at it, old man! How flat it is! It's just these little devils... Er Gou! Fill in that hole you dug! San Ya! That's not how you hold chickens!"
Xuan Chenzi's eyes darted around, and he leaned closer to Shen Yan, lowering his voice to say, "Brother Shen, I have something to say, but I don't know if I should... Look at these new plots of land, they're full of rocks and the soil is thin. If we keep fertilizing them and planting crops, how many grains can we harvest? It's a waste of effort! It would be better to... plant medicinal herbs!"
Shen Yan's eyes lit up, and he slapped his thigh: "Hey! Great minds think alike, old Taoist!" He immediately turned to Ling Zhan, his face instantly becoming obsequious, and laughed: "Wife! Listen to this! The old sage's golden words! This wretched land of ours is destined to grow weeds! Why bother planting that lousy grain? It's a lot of work to harvest a bushel, why not plant some Panax notoginseng and Angelica sinensis! The pharmacies down the mountain will be scrambling to buy them! It's a sure thing!"
Xuan Chenzi stroked his disheveled beard, feigning profundity: "Indeed! I observe that the mountain energy here, though barren, contains a trace of sharp, metallic energy, perfectly suited for the growth of several potent medicines that invigorate blood circulation, remove blood stasis, and heal bones! To grow grain? That would be a waste of nature's resources!"
Ling Zhan stopped sharpening his knife, raised his eyes, and glanced at the two of them: "The wasteland we cleared before has been planted with medicinal herbs, and food is in short supply."
"You can never have too much medicine; you can sell it and exchange it for grain," Shen Yan insisted.
"Medicinal seedlings?"
Shen Yan choked: "Uh... this... old immortal?"
Xuan Chenzi coughed dryly: "Cough cough... Well... Young Master Shen is young and strong, quick and agile, why don't you go to the back mountain and search around? This humble Taoist has difficulty walking, but I can point out the direction and identify good breeds! I guarantee it..."
Ling Zhan stood up, the back of his woodcutter's knife clanging against the edge of the millstone, sparks flying. "You, and him," the tip of the knife pointed at Shen Yan, then at Xuan Chenzi, "together. Tomorrow we'll go up the mountain. To identify herbs, to gather seedlings."
Shen Yan and Xuan Chenzi exclaimed in unison, horrified: "Ah?!"
Shen Yan: "No... Ling Zhan! I'm already struggling enough with these little devils on my own! And now you're adding a lame old Taoist priest to the mix? And we have to go up the mountain?"
Xuan Chenzi: "Heroine! You mustn't! My leg... this mountain is high and the forest is dense... what if I fall again... besides, the immortal mountain has..."
Ling Zhan raised his hand to interrupt him, remaining unmoved, and said, "Then let's continue planting grain."
Shen Yan bristled: "Tyrant! Tyrant!"
Still not satisfied, he added, "You want me to share a room with him?! No way! Absolutely not! His snoring is like thunder! I could hear it even with my ears plugged in last night! And those feet... Good heavens! Old Taoist, have you not washed your feet in days?!"
Xuan Chenzi's face flushed red: "Slander! Utter slander! That's...that's the essence of immortality! My feet are dripping with sweat! What do you know, Brother Shen! I find your perfume too strong! Like a peacock spreading its tail!"
Shen Yan: "You old liar! Who looks like a peacock?!"
Xuan Chenzi: "Whose feet smell bad?!"
The two started arguing, spitting as they spoke.
Ling Zhan stepped forward, the back of his woodcutter's knife flashing like lightning, "Thump!" striking Shen Yan on the head; "Bang!" striking Xuan Chenzi on the forehead.
Shen Yan and Xuan Chenzi simultaneously crouched down, clutching their heads, exclaiming, "Ouch!"
Ling Zhan sheathed his sword: "If you make any more noise, you'll sleep in the pigsty." He turned and walked towards the stove, gesturing towards Chen Yan with his chin, "Cook."
The two men covered their heads, squatted on the ground, glaring at each other, angry but unable to speak out.
Su Wan walked in, covered her mouth, and laughed, "Sister Ling! I'll be cooking lunch at home from now on."
Just then, Sanya ran in and tugged at Chen Yan's sleeve: "Dad! Aunt Wang said... said there are two more little kids in front of the grain shop in town... even smaller than Simao... huddled in the corner trembling... without parents..."
The courtyard fell silent instantly.
Shen Yan and Xuan Chenzi forgot their pain and looked up at Ling Zhan.
Ling Zhan had just poured water into the pot to cook porridge when he paused for a moment, his voice devoid of emotion: "I understand."
The atmosphere at the lunch table was somber.
The children buried their heads in their porridge. Chen Yan poked at the pickled vegetables in his bowl.
She ate while sighing, glancing at Ling Zhan and complaining, "Ugh... this room... it's as cramped as an anthill... if two more little ones come in... where will we fit them? We can't even turn around if they sleep on the floor..."
Xuan Chenzi rubbed the bump on his forehead and muttered softly, "Wuliang... that Heavenly Venerable... more people are good... more people means more strength... clearing land, planting crops and herbs can all be done faster..."
Shen Yan rolled her eyes at him: "Hurry my ass! Where are we staying? On the roof beams?"
Ling Zhan put down his chopsticks and said clearly, "Tomorrow, I'll go to town." His gaze swept over Chen Yan, "Take good care of the house. Take good care of the children. Take good care of the vegetable seedlings." He gave the vegetable patch a special look, then looked at Xuan Chenzi, "Check the feng shui. Choose an auspicious day."
Shen Yan shuddered and immediately puffed out his chest: "Don't worry! Leave it to me! I guarantee not a single seedling will be missing! Old Taoist! Did you hear that? Tomorrow we have a tough task! Protecting the seedlings! Protecting the children! And checking the feng shui!"
Xuan Chenzi: "I heard you, I heard you... Protect the seedlings, protect the children... Boundless... Heavenly Venerable... This old Taoist's bones... the art of geomancy is only mine to use!"
After Ling Zhan finished eating, he got up and left.
Shen Yan lowered his voice and winked, "Old Taoist! You've got a lot of ideas! Do you think... she... went to see those two little kids?"
Xuan Chenzi rubbed his forehead, his eyes lighting up: "Eight...nine out of ten! Brother Chen! Our chance to shine has come! When the heroine returns and sees the seedlings thriving, the children behaving well, and the medicinal seedlings...uh...the seedlings are still nowhere to be found...but we've got a good attitude! When the new house is built, maybe...hehe...this humble Taoist can even snag a single room?"
Shen Yan patted him on the shoulder, his face saying, "You know what I mean!" "Good eye! Old man! Let's work together and get through this first! Tomorrow... you'll be in charge! I... I'll supervise the children watering! We must make sure Grandpa Ling comes back to see a... thriving garden!"
The two high-fived, their eyes sparkling with the hope of "overcoming difficulties together" and "a future single room".
Outside the window, the last rays of the setting sun sank into the western mountains.
The next morning, in the courtyard, dewdrops clung to the tips of the vegetable seedlings.
Shen Yan yawned loudly and pushed open the door to the west wing. Xuan Chenzi rubbed his lower back and followed behind with a messy beard.
Shen Yan fanned the air in front of his nose vigorously, looking disgusted: "Oh my! Wuliang... um... old Taoist! Your 'immortal aura' is too domineering! It kept me awake all night! What happened to the promised saliva production from the soles of your feet? I think it's more like poison gas bombs!"
Xuan Chenzi straightened his tattered Taoist robe with annoyance, pinching his nose as he said, "Brother Chen, stop talking nonsense! Your perfume and sweat are the most toxic thing in the world! You almost ruined my years of quiet cultivation! And the way you sleep, it's like you're performing for money. You almost sent me to meet the Three Pure Ones with one kick!"
The two were glaring at each other when Ling Zhan walked out of the main house.
He wore a simple, coarse cloth outfit and his hair was neatly styled.
Her gaze swept across the yard, where several children were playing and splashing water by the water vat, the water droplets wetting the soil at the edge of the vegetable patch.
Ling Zhan's voice was low and serious: "Water."
The laughter and chatter froze instantly. The children stiffened, turned around to meet Ling Zhan's eyes, and trembled!
Ling Zhan walked over, his finger precisely tapping the ground, then pointing to the wet mud on the vegetable patch: "Waste. Pollution." His gaze shifted to Chen Yan and Xuan Chenzi, "Manage it well."
Shen Yan and Xuan Chenzi simultaneously jolted, straightening their backs ramrod straight: "Yes!"
Ling Zhan walked to the water vat, picked up a small wooden basin, scooped out about half a basin of water, and then picked up a clean cloth. She deftly wet the cloth and quickly wiped her face and neck, her movements efficient and without spilling a drop. After washing, the basin of water was still clear, which she poured into a wastewater bucket next to her.
Shen Yan's eyes nearly popped out of her head as she stared, and she couldn't help but mutter under her breath, "...This...this is way too economical! Washing your face is like a cat licking its fur..."
Ling Zhan's ears twitched slightly, and she glanced at him coldly: "Water is life. This place is not...our homeland. The water cycle is limited, so we need to calculate precisely and avoid waste." When she mentioned "homeland," her eyes flickered with a very faint emotion for a moment. "If you can't learn it, then you'll remain dirty."
The children hunched their necks.
Shen Yan and Xuan Chenzi shut up, feeling for the first time the heavy weight behind that "harshness".
After breakfast, Ling Zhan took out an old cloth bag and said, "Tiger, Bean Sprout, Big Girl, Daya, change your clothes. Come with me to town."
The four children ran into the house in response.
Shen Yan and Xuan Chenzi hurriedly went to restrain the other children.
A moment later, the three children came out in clean clothes.
Ling Zhan picked up a faded, coarse cloth outer shirt with several symmetrical patches from his bag and prepared to put it on.
Shen Yan caught a glimpse of it out of the corner of her eye and blurted out with disdain, "Oh my! Madam Ling! Your outfit... is too... too 'back to basics'! At least go to town! With all these patches and patches, if people didn't know you were a heroine, they'd think you were a refugee! Look at mine!"
She proudly shook off the dusty but exquisitely made, bright red robe that Su Wan had specially embellished with gold thread, and said smugly:
"That's what you call presentable! Your attire reflects your image! You..."
Ling Zhan paused. He turned around. His gaze, sharp as a knife, locked onto Shen Yan.
That gaze was no longer cold; it was an absolute, crushing authority that could shatter any doubt.
Her voice was low and menacing: "You...disdain me?"
Shen Yan felt a chill run down her spine, her hair stood on end, and she took a step back: "No... it's not that I dislike you... it's just... it's just that I feel... you... you deserve better..." The words stuck in her throat.
Ling Zhan took a step forward, as fast as a ghost!
Sizzle!
A chill ran through Shen Yan's body—
His precious red robe, from collar to hem, was torn in two symmetrical halves by Ling Zhan's bare hands! The gold thread snapped, the tattered cloth fell away, revealing his inner garment.
Shen Yan froze, staring at the tattered rags on the ground, his lips trembling, his face pale.
"My...my...Flowing Cloud Brocade! Gold...Gold Thread Suzhou Embroidery! You...you...you spendthrift woman!!!"
Ling Zhan didn't even glance at the tattered cloth. He picked up the patched shirt and put it on neatly, fastening each button with a sense of ritual.
"Clothing should cover the body, keep warm, and be durable. Neatness is all that matters. Extravagance is a waste of resources and adds unnecessary burdens." He straightened his clothes, his gaze sweeping over the stunned crowd before settling on Shen Yan's pale face. "If you keep making a fuss, next time it'll be your skin that gets torn."
Dead silence.
The children dared not breathe. Xuan Chenzi covered his mouth tightly. Shen Yan slumped to the ground, staring at the tattered cloth, tears welling up in his eyes.
Ling Zhan said to Hu Zi and the other three, "Let's go."
Ling Zhan and his men disappeared.
The courtyard was left with a silent, trembling crowd: the weary mourner of the tattered cloth, the old Taoist priest suppressing his laughter, and the children who had come to a profound realization that "a mother's anger is terrifying."
In the morning, Shen Yanyan sat on the stone mill, clutching a tattered cloth and lamenting.
Xuan Chenzi mustered his spirits to "protect the seedlings and children." The children were quite well-behaved, only leaving a few small footprints along the edge of the vegetable patch, which the old Taoist priest quickly rectified.
Su Wan walked out from the backyard, took a few steps forward, gave Shen Yan a graceful curtsy, picked up the tattered cloth from the ground and looked it over, then smiled and said, "This red robe can still be repaired. Changing it to black cloud-patterned sleeves would better show off your free and easy temperament. The late emperor stipulated that only nobles could wear red robes, but that has been abolished now."
Upon hearing this, Shen Yan perked up and shook off his dejected state.
Xuan Chenzi had somehow slipped up to Shen Yan's side, lowered his voice, and said with a hint of mockery, "Amitabha... Shen Yan's son-in-law, you are truly blessed!"
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