The peacock went berserk
The banquet lasted for three consecutive days.
Although the atmosphere remained lively after the government's "inspection," it seemed as if an invisible veil had been placed over it.
As soon as the county magistrates left, the men immediately began discussing the war in the west.
The reason for the heavy casualties is the lack of enough warm clothes and quilts in winter, which is heartbreaking!
Ling Zhan sat at a slightly off-center table. After three days of lavish meals, she had only a bowl of plain porridge and a few side dishes in front of her.
I listened quietly to the old women from the village chatting at the table.
Little Stone sat close to her, taking small bites of the steamed egg custard that Su Wan had specially steamed for him.
An elderly woman named Chen, with gray hair and a face full of wrinkles, was talking incessantly.
"...Speaking of cotton, the old cotton variety we grow here has white fluff, but the fibers are short, resulting in low yields and making it difficult to spin. When I was young, my grandfather told me about a type of cotton boll he saw near the snow-capped mountains when he traveled west. Wow, it was huge! The cotton bolls were like snowballs, long and soft, and the cloth spun from them was fine and warm. I heard that one acre of that land could yield the same harvest as two or three acres of our land! Unfortunately, that area was too dangerous, it was called something like... 'Eagle's Sorrow Gorge' or 'Ghost's Sorrow'? Anyway, nobody dared to go there, and that cotton variety became a legend."
The elderly women at the table listened with amazement, then shook their heads and sighed.
"Alas, the best things are always in dangerous places; how can ordinary people afford them?"
"Exactly, just listen to it and forget about it."
Ling Zhan paused almost imperceptibly in the hand holding the chopsticks.
She looked up, her gaze calm as she looked at Granny Chen: "Granny, which side of the snow mountain is that place exactly? Do you remember?"
Grandma Chen was flattered by Ling Zhan's question and tried hard to recall: "Oh dear, this is really difficult for this old woman... It seems... it's on the southern slope of the snow mountain? They say it's after crossing several knife-like mountain ridges, in a valley shrouded in clouds all year round? My grandfather only heard it from an older camel caravan leader; he himself had never seen it with his own eyes. He just told it to us younger generation as a story. Ling Niangzi, don't take it seriously. That place is very eerie; I heard that few people who go in come out."
Ling Zhan nodded, no longer asking questions, and simply said, "Thank you, Grandma."
She looked down and met Little Stone's curious eyes, then reached out and removed a grain of rice from the corner of his mouth.
Xuan Chenzi strolled over at some point, just in time to hear the second half of the conversation. He stroked his beard and replied with a profound and inscrutable expression.
“Amitabha! What Granny Chen said may not be false. When I was traveling, I also heard that deep in the snowy mountains of the Northwest, there is a place of ancient treasures, with rare flowers and exotic plants growing in abundance, and perhaps even divine cotton. However, such a remote place cannot be approached by anyone without great opportunity and great perseverance.”
His words added an air of mystery and credibility to the legend.
Amid the clamor, Ling Zhan's gaze swept past the crowd and landed on the distant, mist-shrouded mountain peaks.
Little Stone noticed her distraction and gently tugged at her sleeve: "Mother?"
Ling Zhan snapped out of his reverie, looked down into the child's clear eyes, reached out and ruffled the top of his head, and said softly, "It's nothing. Let's eat."
The joy of building a new home shouldn't last too long, as the winter wheat harvest season is approaching.
Besides the two mu of land allocated to Shen Yan's family when they first arrived in Kaoshan Village, they planted wheat.
The reclaimed wasteland was later used to grow medicinal herbs.
There isn't much work to do in the fields, but after harvesting the wheat, planting new grain is a must.
After all, his family is too big!
The older ones have reached the age where "a half-grown boy can eat his father out of house and home."
After a few days of hustle and bustle subsided, the atmosphere at the table became more relaxed.
Shen Yan's voice was a little hoarse, but his energy remained undiminished.
They were discussing the upcoming winter wheat harvest and subsequent sowing with several experienced villagers.
"Uncle Wang, look at the weather. In a few days, the wheat will be ready for harvest, right?" Shen Yan pointed to the rolling wheat fields in the distance.
"Almost!" Old Wang smacked his lips on his pipe. "This year the weather has been favorable, and the wheat ears are heavy. It's a good year! Young man, your family only has two acres of land, so the grain definitely won't be enough! Take advantage of the harvest and buy some from the village; it will be much more affordable!! If you have any extra money, buy some cultivated land. Newly reclaimed wasteland might not even be able to fatten up after several years."
"Good! Good! Thank you, Uncle Wang!"
Shen Yan grinned so wide his eyes disappeared as he mentally planned all the tasks of harvesting, threshing, drying, and storing the crops. A few tigers would be enough; the main issues were the land vacated after the harvest and buying new land… He subconsciously looked at Ling Zhan.
They wanted to discuss planting cotton, but after searching for a long time, they couldn't find Madam Ling.
The banquet was finally coming to an end.
Su Wan, along with the older children like Da Niu and Er Mao, began to inventory the remaining ingredients and dishes, and carefully checked the expenses of the past few days. She whispered to Shen Yan, "Master, there is still a surplus of rice, grain, meat, and vegetables. As you wished, I have distributed some of the fresh meat and vegetables that are not easy to preserve to the widows and orphans in the village, and pickled and dried the rest. The dishes, tables, and chairs will be returned to their respective families later."
Shen Yan nodded in satisfaction: "Good, good, Miss Wan has made the arrangements perfectly!"
Before the feast ended, Shen Yan cleared his throat and announced loudly to the villagers and craftsmen who had helped him: "Fellow villagers and craftsmen! Thank you for your hard work these past few days! There's something I need to do right now. The land can't be left empty after the wheat harvest! I plan to get some 'cold-weather short-staple cotton' seeds to plant right away! This cotton is cold-resistant and will be perfect for catching up with the winter wheat! When it's time to plant, I'll need your guidance. I'll provide plenty of wages and food!"
"Of course, of course!"
"Don't worry, Brother Shen! We'll definitely be there!" the men replied in unison.
"Growing cotton? Brother Shen, you've got guts!"
"That was a good start!"
"With so many children, buying cotton would be too expensive; you'd have to grow your own!"
The crowd discussed it animatedly, all feeling that Shen Yan's arrangement was both tight and bold.
Farmers who only grow crops are also full of curiosity about the "cold-region short-staple cotton".
The banquet eventually ended, leaving behind a mess of cups and plates.
The villagers who helped dispersed with gifts distributed by Chen Yan, mostly meat and pastries, chatting and laughing.
In the courtyard, Su Wan led the children to begin the final cleaning.
Exhausted, Shen Yan collapsed onto the newly built stone bench in the courtyard, rubbing his aching back.
Xuan Chenzi leaned closer to Ling Zhan and whispered, “Heroine, the matter of going into the mountains to find cotton seeds is no small matter. I have observed the celestial phenomena and believe that it is auspicious to travel far away in three days. Moreover, the fog in the mountains may dissipate in those days, making it easier to find the way. As for the wheat harvest, with Brother Shen and Madam Su in charge, plus the strong laborers in the village, there should be no major problems.”
Ling Zhan's gaze shifted from the mountaintop to the rows of children's clothes, which had been washed and neatly mended by Su Wan, drying in the courtyard. It then swept over the small stones that were diligently sweeping the floor, finally settling on Shen Yan, who was groaning from exhaustion.
"Mmm," she replied, indicating that she understood.
I hate pointed ears!
Upon hearing the words "go into the mountains," he sat bolt upright with a start: "Go into the mountains? Ling Zhan, you're going to find that divine cotton? It's too dangerous! Granny Chen and the old Taoist both said that place is eerie! Let's discuss it first!"
Ling Zhan glanced at him, her voice calm yet authoritative: "You're in charge of the wheat harvest. You're in charge of manpower. You're responsible for safety." She paused, then added, "Su Wan, the housekeeper, will manage the accounts and take care of the children. Xuan Chenzi," she looked at the old Taoist priest, "take good care of the household. If there's an emergency, use your methods." She was referring to Xuan Chenzi's few tricks for sending messages, which sounded like supernatural powers.
Shen Yan opened his mouth!
Seeing Ling Zhan's unwavering gaze, she swallowed her words of dissuasion and said sullenly, "...If you insist on going, you... wait three days. I'll organize some local militia and prepare enough rations before we set off."
Ling Zhan turned and went back into the house. Little Stone followed: "Mom, where are you going?"
"Something came up. I'll be back in a few days." Ling Zhan raised his hand, his fingertips pausing slightly before gently touching the top of Xiao Shitou's head.
Several days later, in the sunset, Ling Zhan's figure appeared at the village entrance.
He was travel-worn, his robes torn in several places by thorns, a small scratch on his cheek, and his boots covered in dried mud. His steps were still steady and powerful, but his brows showed the weariness of a long journey, while his eyes were unusually clear and sharp.
Push open the courtyard gate.
Little Stone rushed over like a cannonball and hugged her leg tightly: "Mom! Mom is back!"
Su Wan hurried out of the embroidery room, her eyes filled with joy: "Sister Ling! You're back! Was your journey safe?"
She naturally reached out to take the small bag from Ling Zhan's shoulder, but Ling Zhan didn't move.
Tiger, Bean Sprout, Big Girl, and Big Girl rushed out upon hearing the sound, surrounding Ling Zhan and affectionately calling him "Mother."
Xuan Chenzi stepped forward, leaning on his cane, and let out a long sigh of relief: "Amitabha! The heroine has returned safely, and this old Daoist... cough, the children can finally rest easy!"
Ling Zhan gently patted Xiao Shitou's back, his gaze sweeping over everyone before pinpointing the key information: "Successfully. Where's Chen Yan?"
The courtyard was missing that figure who always had a strong presence.
Su Wan's smile froze slightly, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.
Little Stone pouted and blurted out, "Dad's angry! He's gone! He said he doesn't care about us anymore!"
Xuan Chenzi quickly interjected, looking helpless: "Alas! The day after you left, Young Master Shen only learned that you had gone to the snowy mountains alone to search for seeds! The look on his face at that time... I've never seen anything like it! He paced anxiously in the courtyard for most of the day, then locked himself in his room all day, without eating or drinking! The next morning, he gave Su Niangzi a lot of instructions about the accounts and household matters, and then... he packed his bags and left! He said... he was going to town to visit old friends and clear his head! This family... he can do whatever he wants! Even the children crying and calling 'Father' couldn't stop him..."
Ling Zhan stood quietly listening, his face calm, only his fingers gripping the bag strap were slightly white.
She carefully placed her baggage on the stone table, and took out a heavy cloth bag tightly wrapped in oilcloth. Inside were the ordinary cotton seeds she had found, ready to be planted immediately. Then, she took out a smaller, specially made waterproof leather pouch from her bosom, inside which were a few precious, warm and jade-like "divine cotton" seeds.
"The seeds have been found." She placed both on the table, as if she had simply completed a routine task.
"That's wonderful!" Su Wan exclaimed with genuine joy as she looked at the plump seeds. The children also gathered around curiously.
Ling Zhan's gaze once again fell upon the empty courtyard gate, his eyes calm as a deep pool, yet seemingly filled with icy coldness.
"Su Wan, Xuan Chenzi, take good care of the house and the children."
The instruction was given clearly, and before the words had even finished, she had already turned around, her steps swift yet silent, disappearing into the twilight leading to the town like an arrow released from a bow.
They didn't even stop to drink a sip of water.
At this moment, the backyard of the "Four Seas Gambling House" was filled with smoke and the smell of alcohol.
Shen Yan, his sapphire blue silk shirt open, chest heaving, was playing dice and rock-paper-scissors with several men with unfriendly faces, his laughter loud and clear.
"Brother Chen! Fill it up! We're not leaving until we're drunk tonight!"
"Exactly! While my sister-in-law can't find a place, we brothers are at ease!"
"drink!"
Shen Yan laughed loudly as he downed a bowl of cheap liquor. The burning sensation spread from his throat to his stomach. He bet even harder and laughed even louder!
Home? Children? Responsibility? And that woman who always does her own thing and treats him like he's invisible?
Get out, all of you! Get out, all of you!
"Bang!!!"
A loud bang! The wooden door to the backyard shattered! Splinters flew everywhere!
All the noise froze instantly.
The gamblers and thugs stared in horror. Against the last rays of sunlight, stood a tall figure by the doorway. Her coarse clothes were stained with dust and bits of grass, her hair was slightly disheveled, and her cheek bore a scar. She simply stood there quietly, without any exaggerated movements or expressions, yet she exuded a suffocating, icy silence and invisible pressure that instantly rendered the entire backyard deathly quiet.
A drunkard slammed his fist on the table, ready to curse, but as soon as he met those eyes—so calm they could freeze to the bone—all the drunkenness and profanity instantly caught in his throat—and he sobered up instantly!
This guy is the one who wiped out an entire mountain stronghold!
The smile on Shen Yan's face froze completely, then was replaced by an even more raging rage.
He jumped to his feet, swaying slightly from the alcohol, pointed at the door, his voice hoarse and distorted with anger and alcohol: "Ling Zhan! You actually know how to come back?! Don't you even respect me as the head of the family?! What are you doing here trying to show off your power! Get out of here! Get out of here! Get out of here now!"
Ling Zhan slowly walked into the courtyard.
Ignoring the silent thugs around him, he fixed his gaze firmly on Shen Yan.
"go back."
The sound wasn't loud, but it was as clear as shattering ice, striking everyone's heart.
"Go back? Ha!" Shen Yan laughed as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world, slamming his hand down and knocking over his wine bowl. "Go back to your home?! You think you can come and go as you please? What am I to you?! Just a decoration?!"
The pent-up grievances, worries, and anger at being disrespected that had been suppressed for several days finally erupted.
"Yes! You're amazing! You're so capable! You just went off to that desolate, snowy mountain region all by yourself! But your family isn't just yours! The children call you 'Mom'! They need you! Do you even know how I felt at home when you ran off to that godforsaken place without a word?! Huh?!"
His eyes were bloodshot, and his finger pointing at Ling Zhan trembled slightly. "I can't eat or sleep! I'm afraid you'll slip and fall to your death! I'm afraid you'll be torn apart by wolves! I'm afraid you'll freeze or starve to death on that godforsaken mountaintop! I'm afraid you'll risk your life for a few worthless seeds! Have you thought about that?! Do you even care about this family?! Do you even care about me, your father?! Do you even care about those children waiting for their mother to come home?!"
His cry of "Dad" was heart-wrenching.
Dead silence. You could hear a pin drop in the backyard.
The thugs held their breath.
Ling Zhan stood rooted to the spot, enduring Shen Yan's furious and relentless accusations, his face remaining expressionless, like a lifeless stone statue. Only in the depths of his unfathomable eyes seemed to be a silent, icy vortex churning, calculating, and weighing.
"The seeds have been found." She spoke, her voice eerily calm, as she handed out another small leather pouch containing the seeds of "divine cotton." "This thing can bring people back to life. It can keep children warmer in winter."
This is the optimal solution she arrived at based on data, Chen Apo's description, Xuan Chenzi's corroboration, and her own on-site investigation.
This represents a substantial increase in the survival probability of the family unit.
"It can keep people alive?! And it's even warmer?!"
Shen Yan was completely ignited by this cold and rational response, and her pent-up emotions erupted like a volcano!
He suddenly waved his hand!
"Snap!" A crisp sound!
The small pouch was violently knocked to the ground! The pouch opened, and a few warm, jade-like seeds, imbued with the chill of the mountain peak, rolled out, instantly covering the ground with mud, wine stains, and phlegm.
"Is this all you see?! Is it only about usefulness or uselessness?! Is it only about the goals you've set for yourself?!"
Shen Yan pointed at the filthy seeds on the ground, his roar hoarse with despair, "Are they more important than living people?! More important than children's longing for their mother to come home every day?! More important than this one of mine...this one..." He choked up, the immense disappointment and chill in his heart making him feel cold all over, almost unable to stand, "Damn it!" In the end, it only turned into a rough curse.
Ling Zhan's gaze fell on the seeds rolling in the filth, those few seeds embodying the fruits of her life-or-death struggle while climbing the snow-capped mountains.
Then, she slowly raised her gaze and placed it on Shen Yan's face, which was contorted with pain and anger.
That question, "Do you even care about this family? Do you even consider me your father?"
Like an invisible hammer, it slammed down on the walls she had built with absolute rationality and survival logic. She habitually shouldered all risks alone, pursuing maximum efficiency, but ignored the enormous damage this model caused to the "family," a unit that requires emotional connection and cooperation.
For the first time, cold calculations lost to something that could not be quantified.
She remained silent. There was no defense, no explanation.
He simply stood there, with an almost cruel calm, bearing all of Henyu's anger and pain.
This silence is more oppressive than any roar.
Looking at her unyielding attitude, as if all the accusations had nothing to do with her, Shen Yan's raging anger was instantly extinguished, as if it had collided with ancient ice. All that remained was endless exhaustion and a deep-seated sense of powerlessness.
He staggered back a step, leaning heavily against the cold earthen wall, his voice hoarse as if sandpaper rubbing together: "Ling Zhan... I'm not your soldier, not your possession. This family... needs two people to support it. The children... need a father, and they need a mother too."
The last few words, light as a feather, landed heavily in the silent courtyard.
Ling Zhan's body seemed to tense up very slightly for a moment.
She slowly crouched down, her movements still steady. Ignoring the filth on the ground, she reached out her hands, covered in mud and rock debris, and carefully picked up the grime-covered "divine cotton" seeds, one by one. She didn't wipe them with the corner of her clothes—that gesture seemed pretentious at the moment.
She simply brushed away the most unsightly clumps of mud with her fingertips, her movements focused and slow, as if confirming some kind of irreversible loss.
Then, she put the seeds back into the same stained little sac and clutched them tightly in her palm.
She stood up and walked to Chen Yan.
The two were very close, and Shen Yan could clearly smell the lingering, chilly scent of the high-altitude snow line on her body, as well as a very faint smell of blood, soaked in sweat and dried by the wind, and the abrasions on her cheeks from rock climbing.
"It was my fault."
Ling Zhan spoke, his voice still steady, but beneath that steadiness, it was as if a tiny crack had been carved into something hard, revealing an unfamiliar rawness beneath, "I shouldn't have gone up the mountain alone. I shouldn't have... made you all worry."
Her gaze fell on Shen Yan's bloodshot eyes, paused for a moment, as if she were struggling to calibrate a certain parameter.
"The seeds... are for the family's livelihood. I'll talk about that later."
This is the biggest commitment she can make, based on a cognitive correction of the dysfunction of the "family unit".
Shen Yan was completely stunned.
He never imagined he would hear "it was my fault" and "I'll speak first" from Ling Zhan!
This woman, who is always right and always at the forefront, is actually... admitting her mistakes?
He looked at her face so close to his, and in those eyes that were always unfathomable and seemed to see through everything, his own disheveled reflection was clearly visible. In the depths of those eyes, there seemed to be some kind of... unfamiliar, regret-like glimmer.
The anger, grievances, and worries that had been building up for days began to melt away uncontrollably in the face of this unexpected "admission of wrongdoing," like ice and snow under the sun. Shen Yan opened his mouth, but his throat felt blocked, and he couldn't utter a single word.
He abruptly turned his face away, took a deep breath, and tried to suppress the soreness in his nose and the heat in his eyes.
"The house is... a mess."
Ling Zhan's voice was low, yet it reached Shen Yan's ears clearly, "The children... are all waiting for you." She paused, seemingly organizing her thoughts, before finally choosing a more accurate but still somewhat awkward expression, "This family... needs you."
These words were like the last straw, completely breaking down the barrier that Shen Yan had been holding up.
He whirled around, his eyes bloodshot, staring intently at Ling Zhan. His lips moved for a long time before finally managing to squeeze out a heavy, nasal "Hmph!" through gritted teeth. He shoved aside the stool that was in his way, bent down to pick up his bundle that he had dropped on the ground, haphazardly brushed off the dust, and strode out without looking back. As he passed Ling Zhan, he muttered, "...What are you still standing there for? Waiting to pay these bastards? Or pay for the door you smashed? Let's go!"
Ling Zhan looked at his angry but clearly softened back, then looked down at the stained leather bag he was clutching in his palm.
She silently and carefully put away the leather bag, then turned around and followed Chen Yan's footsteps without a word.
The two stood one in front of the other, about half a step apart.
Silently passing through the astonished crowd in the backyard of the gambling den, leaving the smoky atmosphere behind, I embarked on my journey home, shrouded in twilight.
The moonlight quietly climbed onto the treetops, its cool glow falling on the two of them and casting long shadows.
Although we were not side by side, we were heading in the same direction.
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