Chapter 31 Rules for Entering the Mountains

Chapter 31 Rules for Entering the Mountains

Hearing someone calling her, Gu Tang stopped and looked back, a smile suddenly appeared on her face: "It's my sixth cousin, are you going into the mountains to chop firewood again today?"

"We have to chop wood. This year, we have two more people to feed. We need a lot more firewood in winter than in previous years."

The man whom Gu Tang called his sixth cousin was also surnamed Gu. Because he was the sixth child in the family, everyone in the village called him Gu Liu. He was from the same clan as the Gu family, and they were within the fifth degree of mourning.

He is about the same age as Gu Lianshan, and they grew up together. They have a very good relationship. When Gu Lianshan is too busy with work in the fields, he often calls him to his home to help.

Gu Liu put down the carrying pole, panting heavily, looking at the sheep in Gu Tang's hand with envy, and asked again: "Where did this sheep come from? It's really rare! Look at its head and fat, it must have been fed with grain!"

The other people who stopped to rest beside him also nodded repeatedly: "It's rare to see sheep grazing this fat and this big. You can tell from one look at this one that it needs at least two meals a day!"

Gu Tang paused, then calmly replied, "Uncles, please take a closer look. This goat is different from the ones we usually raise. It is a wild goat from the mountains. I went into the mountains to check the traps today, and just as I got to the trapping point, I saw this goat in the trap. I was so happy!"

When everyone heard this, their eyes instantly turned red, and they all asked Gu Tang where the trap was set and the person was caught.

That's a bit uncouth.

Gu Liu's face darkened as he blocked the attack for Gu Tang. He glanced at everyone and angrily scolded them, "What are you doing?! Have you forgotten the rules for entering the mountains?!"

Hearing this rebuke, the people who had been in a state of panic calmed down instantly. Their faces turned red with shame and they said in an embarrassed tone, “No, I didn’t forget…”

"Did you forget what you are doing?" Gu Liu glared at them. "Are you taking advantage of my thin skin? My master who collects herbs taught me how to set traps and hunt wild animals! In order to learn this skill, when I was a little kid, I worked like a slave for my master for three years for nothing!"

Everyone fell silent.

Gu Liu nodded at them and said, "You all know the temper of Gu Lao Er (Gu Lianshan). If he knew that you dared to bully his daughter, I will blame you!"

"Don't, don't... that's not happening! We are both uncles in terms of seniority, and we cannot bully our niece no matter what!"

Everyone smiled apologetically to Gu Liu and Gu Tang, feeling bitter as if they had eaten coptis root.

Gu Liu ignored them and waved his hand at Gu Tang: "Hurry up and go home. You are too eye-catching with the sheep."

"Oh!" Gu Tang responded happily, his mood not affected at all.

When he left, he said to Gu Liu enthusiastically, "The first day of the winter month is my father's birthday. I have kept the green wine I bought earlier. My father was still talking about it yesterday. On the first day of the month, I must invite you, my sixth cousin, to our house for a few drinks! You must come when the time comes!"

Hearing about eating green wine, Gu Liule was so angry that he said, "Go back and tell your father to rest assured. On that day, I will bring the meat to find him!"

Gu Tang smiled and nodded, then continued walking home leading the sheep.

Gu Tang didn't meet anyone for the rest of the journey. After a while, she saw the Gu family's house. She quickened her pace and soon arrived at the door of her house.

The courtyard door was ajar. Gu Tang pushed it open and a strong smell of medicine hit his nose!

There was no one in the courtyard at this moment, except for the two clay stoves for boiling medicine under the east wing corridor. Now there was one more, making it three in total.

There was a medicine jar on each of them, bubbling with white smoke, and the smell of medicine kept drifting towards the door.

Gu Tang looked at it curiously. Why was there another medicine jar?

Hearing the creaking sound of the courtyard door, Gu Lianshan stuck his head out of the west wing and the first thing he saw was the wild goat beside Gu Tang.

He was so shocked that his eyes widened, almost popping out of his head, and he shouted, "Good boy!"

Then he strode out of the house, looking at the wild goat with shining eyes.

"Caught in the mountains?" Gu Lianshan asked excitedly.

"Yes, I caught it in the mountains."

Gu Tang nodded, pointed outside, and discussed with her father: "Go borrow an ox cart and take it to Bei'an City to sell it today! And the wild animals in the sacks, it's better to sell them quickly while they are still alive and kicking."

"Right, right, right! Wild animals are hard to raise, so it's best to sell them while they're still alive!"

Gu Lianshan agreed with this very much. He asked Gu Tang to lead the sheep into the house first to avoid being seen by other people in the family, and then he went to borrow an ox cart.

Gu Tang led the sheep into the wing where her father lived, and saw Gu Ping'an sitting in the room, busy stuffing beaten reed fluff into his jacket.

Hearing the noise coming from the door, Gu Pingan took the time to look up, and then was stunned: "Where did this sheep come from?!"

"I caught it in the mountains!" Gu Tang shook the hemp rope in his hand.

Gu Pingan stood up suddenly, his eyes bright with surprise: "Second sister is really capable! She can actually catch a goat!"

As he spoke, he put down the clothes in his hands, walked forward and looked at the docile and honest goat with curiosity, wringing his hands continuously, with a look of hope on his face as he wanted to touch it.

Gu Tang put the rope in his hand and said, "I beat this sheep in the mountains. Now it is very obedient. You can touch it if you want."

Gu Ping'an hurriedly grabbed the rope, a smile on his face, and touched the goat's back a few times.

Gu Tang asked him curiously, "When I entered the courtyard just now, I saw another medicine pot in the east wing. Who in our family is sick again?"

"It's my aunt! I heard from Gu Lian that my aunt caught a cold and is now lying in bed. Gu Lian went to the doctor's house to get a bag of medicine. She was watching the fire in the east wing corridor just now."

When she heard that Wei was "sick", Gu Tang blinked and did not mention a word about Wei secretly following her into the mountains, pretending she knew nothing.

"By the way, after you left, Dad made a bowl of medicine for you. It's warming it in the kitchen now. I'll bring it to you."

Gu Ping'an returned the rope to Gu Tang, turned around and went to the kitchen to bring over a bowl of medicine.

Gu Tang took the bowl of medicine, tested the temperature with the back of his hand, and found it was not hot. Then he pinched his nose and drank it all in one breath!

The unbearable bitterness instantly rushed to Gu Tang's forehead, making him grimaced and tremble all over!

This medicine was specially prescribed by a doctor in a clinic in Bei'an City. The original owner's health was not very good, so she took the opportunity to take a good rest while she was still growing, hoping to make up for the previous losses.

Seeing how miserable she was, Gu Ping'an hurried to the kitchen to get a bowl of warm water and fed it to her, reminding her: "Next time you and Dad go to Bei'an City, buy some honeycombs if you see any. You can use them to sweeten your mouth when you take medicine in the future."

After drinking a bowl of warm water, the bitter taste in his mouth was diluted, and he was finally able to speak: "I know, I will go to Bei'an City with my father to sell sheep later, and you stay at home to look after the house."

"Today?"

Gu Tang nodded: "This goat is too eye-catching. It's not a good idea to keep it at home."

(End of this chapter)

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