People often say "one mu, three fen," which sounds like a small area, but according to modern calculations, one mu is over 600 square meters. Cheng Duo bought four mu, so this quantity needs to be multiplied by four…
(T/N: In Chinese land measurement, "mu" (亩) is a unit of area equal to 1/15 of a hectare or approximately 666.7 square meters. "Fen" (分) is a subunit of the mu, where 1 mu is divided into 10 fen. Therefore, "one mu three fen" means an area of land equivalent to 1 mu and an additional 3/10 of a mu, which is 1.3 mu or approximately 866.7 square meters.)
So Cheng Duo stood in the field, and what he saw in front of him was an endless expanse of green wheat, tender corn stalks, and a patch of green plants that hadn't grown yet…
Cheng Duo's memories of living in the countryside during his childhood had already faded, and since the apocalypse, he had been collecting supplies, so he was not very familiar with many crops.
That patch of green plants, Li Man Cang told him it was beans when he introduced it to him. Li Man Cang originally planted them with the intention of selling them to the oil mill or using them to make oil for his own consumption. Now that Cheng Duo had bought them, he could do the same.
However, this piece of land is now overgrown with weeds, and there are some insects that Cheng Duo doesn't recognize crawling in it. Without fertilizers and pesticides, crops in ancient times couldn't grow well on thin soil, and with the addition of pests, the harvest would be even smaller.
So many modern people don't understand why ancient farmers seemed to be busy in the fields all year round. Isn't it enough to plant and occasionally take care of them every three to five days? This may be true in modern times. But in ancient times, if you didn't tend to the crops for ten days or half a month, they would either wither or be eaten by insects.
Cheng Duo thought about when he went to find Yong-ge six days ago. At that time, Yong-ge was also weeding in the field. After so many days, he and his son should be done with their work, right?
That's right, Cheng Duo planned to ask Li Wang and Yong-ge for help. With himself included, three people should be enough.
When Cheng Duo returned home, he unexpectedly found two wolves lurking behind his house. One part of the adobe wall, where it connects to the ground, had already been dug out by them, leaving a large hole.
Fortunately, the fence he built was high enough, otherwise these two wolves would have climbed in and eaten the cured meat he had hung under the eaves.
Seeing Cheng Duo's return, there was suddenly a long wolf howl from the woods, and the two wolves that were digging the hole tucked their tails and ran away upon hearing the sound.
Cheng Duo happened to have brought a sickle when he went to the field. Without thinking, he threw the sickle, hitting one of the wolves' hind legs directly!
The wolf's hind leg was pierced by the sickle, and it struggled and howled on the ground, trying to escape. Cheng Duo approached and broke its neck.
It was at this moment that he felt a gaze from deep within the woods. Cheng Duo drew out the sickle and looked back, locking eyes with the leader wolf's sinister eyes.
Half of its face still bore the "medal" Cheng Duo had given it, a deep scar that reached the flesh.
The leader wolf didn't confront Cheng Duo for long and soon disappeared into the woods with the remaining wolf.
Cheng Duo pondered for a while, staring into the woods. Wolves were vengeful animals. The leader wolf had previously ambushed him when he went up the mountain, and now they had come to his house to steal things… Cheng Duo believed that it wasn't just the scent of meat that attracted them but also their grudge against him.
Now that he had killed one wolf, this enmity escalated once again.
…
Cheng Duo planned to process the prey he had killed himself. After all, the weather was gradually getting hot, and the meat wouldn't keep for long.
In fact, he had this idea before. That day, when he was carrying several wild chickens down the mountain, Second Uncle Shu, who happened to pass by, bought one from him.
Second Uncle Shu was the one Cheng Duo encountered on his first day in the village when Wu Gui Hua was cursing and Li Da Zhuang called out to inquire. It turned out that Second Uncle Shu's wife was in poor health, and he saw that Cheng Duo had caught quite a few prey that day. After hesitating for a long time, he approached and asked if he could buy one to take back and stew it for his wife's nourishment.
In fact, the villagers of Yang Village rarely eat meat. It's considered a luxury to have meat twice a month. Because there are few households that can afford to raise pigs, a piglet costs one or two silver teals. If it dies midway, that money would go down the drain.
Even if they are lucky enough to raise a pig that doesn't die, without feed and additives, it would take a whole year to raise it. After a year, the pig still wouldn't grow much because it grows on a diet of grains, resulting in lean meat.
It's completely impossible to have the kind of fatty meat that is one inch thick like in modern times.
The same goes for chickens, ducks, and geese. Moreover, when the villagers raise chickens, ducks, and geese, they are reluctant to kill them and keep them for egg-laying purposes.
This also led to Second Uncle Shu wanting to treat his wife and finally finding Cheng Duo.
Of course, there is also a reason why wild chickens are cheaper than domesticated ones.
Cheng Duo threw the wolf carcass into the yard, closed the door, and then went to chop a few pieces of bamboo. He split one of them open, mixed it with some red clay, and used it to plug the hole.
Then he dragged the remaining bamboo and went to Yong-ge's house. Yong-ge was sweeping the yard and drying bamboo shoots and some mushrooms. When he saw Cheng Duo, he was startled.
A few days ago, he had brought fresh bamboo shoots to Cheng Duo and had prepared some food for him. Why did he suddenly come to his house?
"Why are you here?" Yong-ge glanced outside the fence like a thief, then pushed Cheng Duo and said, "You should leave quickly. My father went to fetch water and will be back soon."
Cheng Duo found it amusing. "Why should I leave? I came to find your father."
"Find my father? What do you want from him?" Yong-ge thought for a moment and immediately understood. "You want us to help you with farming?"
"Yes," Cheng Duo nodded in agreement.
Without hesitation, he placed the bamboo at the entrance and directly entered the yard. He lowered his head to study the things Yong-ge was drying in the sieve and pointed at something he hadn't seen before, asking, "What is this?"
Yong-ge, knowing that he couldn't chase him away now, reluctantly motioned for him to sit down while he turned to enter the kitchen to fetch water. He replied casually, "It's ground-patch vegetable."
"How do you cook this ground-patch vegetable?" Cheng Duo asked humbly.
"You can stir-fry it, boil it in soup, or make it into a cold dish," Yong-ge explained while handing him the water bowl.
After taking a sip of water, Cheng Duo looked at Yong-ge sitting on a small stool next to him and suddenly noticed something different about him. "…You seem to have become fairer, and your skin has improved?"
In fact, it was more than that. Yong-ge had tidied himself up. Due to the gradually warming weather, he no longer covered his face with a animal skin headscarf and hair. His face and neck were clean, except for his skin condition not being particularly good. With his long eyebrows, deep-set eyes, delicate facial features, and contours, he resembled a handsome mixed-blood youth from before the apocalypse.
Yong-ge felt a bit embarrassed and touched his cheek. He didn't tan easily, and his previous complexion was due to the effect of medicine. As for his improved skin…
"Yes, thanks to the sheep fat you gave me."
"I see…" Cheng Duo seemed lost in thought. Yong-ge had disguised himself before because of his two reckless brothers, but now that Li Da and Li Er had disappeared, he had restored his true appearance. Perhaps now he could get married?
Cheng Duo's gaze involuntarily drifted from Yong-ge's slightly upturned nose and slid all the way to the red mole between his eyebrows. Thinking of its significance, his eyelid twitched, and he quickly retracted his gaze, feeling uneasy. He clenched his fist and coughed lightly. "Ahem, when will your father be back?"
Yon-ge also felt a bit uncomfortable. "Soon…"
Li Wang came back carrying water from outside and witnessed this scene. He furrowed his brow and quickly looked around to make sure no one else was there before hurrying to his house with the half-full bucket of water.
He had difficulty walking, so he couldn't carry a full bucket of water each time. To prevent the water from splashing out, he put fresh pumpkin leaves in the bucket. However, in his haste, some water splashed out from the edge of the wooden bucket.
"Father, you're back," Yong-ge hurriedly went to greet him, seeing that his pants were soaked halfway, and complained, "I told you to let me do it. Look at you, why were you in such a hurry?"
Li Wang glared at him, originally intending to make him behave a bit in front of Cheng Duo. But Yong-ge didn't understand his intentions. As he poured water into the water tank, he reminded Li Wang to change his pants inside to avoid catching a cold.
Li Wang was helpless and could only chase him away. "Alright, go back to your own room!"
Yong-ge stuck out his tongue and reluctantly left.
Li Wang tidied himself up as best as he could before limping over to Cheng Duo.
Cheng Duo had already stood up and hesitated for a moment before calling out, "Uncle Li."
Li Wang nodded and deliberately couldn't recall Cheng Duo's name, saying, "You're the… new hunter in our village, right? What's your name?"
"My surname is Cheng. Uncle Li can call me Cheng Duo." Cheng Duo suggested, "Uncle Li, shall we sit down and talk?"
Li Wang had no objections, so the two of them sat down, and Cheng Duo explained the purpose of his visit.
Li Wang listened calmly, but he was actually very disappointed. He almost thought that Cheng Duo had come to propose…
Seeing Li Wang's silence, Cheng Duo suddenly realized that he had been presumptuous. He had bought Li Man Cang's land, but now he was asking his brother, Li Wang, for help. Would Li Wang refuse or accept?
"Uncle Li…" Cheng Duo wanted to change his words and say that if it was inconvenient, they could forget about it.
Unexpectedly, Li Wang immediately agreed, "Sure. When Yong-ge and I help others, and we earn thirty wen a day. I'll charge you the same price, no problem, right?"
Cheng Duo thought it was too cheap. Zhao Shugen, a mountain villager, charged forty wen per person for labor. Besides, they were two people.
But then he realized that Zhao Shugen did heavy physical work, while Li Wang was a cripple and Yong-ge was just a ger, so it made sense that they earned less.
Cheng Duo thought for a moment and said, "Alright, I'll provide two meals for you. And Yong-ge can cook for us."
Li Wang suddenly looked up at Cheng Duo with a strange expression. After hesitating for a while, he didn't oppose. At this moment, he was already confused by Cheng Duo. If he said he liked Yong-ge, he didn't come to propose. If he said he didn't like him, he still wanted to provide food and drinks. Who would do such a thing?
Li Wang couldn't figure out Cheng Duo's intention for providing meals, which was to get Yong-ge to cook for him…
"Oh, by the way." After finishing the discussion, Cheng Duo remembered the bamboo he brought. "Uncle Li, can you help me weave a bamboo raft? It should be this long and this wide." Cheng Duo gestured.
"Sure, I can do that… But what do you need it for?" Li Wang was puzzled. It wasn't long or short enough to be used as a fence, and it was too long to be used as a winnowing basket..
"For selling meat," Cheng Duo explained. "With this, I can put the meat and the appropriately sized bamboo raft in a backpack. When I arrive, I can use four stones as a base and set up a stall to sell meat."
Li Wang nodded after listening, "That's easy. I can weave it for you this afternoon."
Actually, when he heard that Cheng Duo wanted to sell meat, a sense of crisis suddenly arose in his heart. He had thought that Cheng Duo had come as a refugee, with no land or money. But now, in such a short period, Cheng Duo had bought four mu of land, had good hunting skills, and had more meat than he could eat. He could even sell it.
In a little while, the matchmakers from the surrounding villages would probably be knocking on Cheng Duo's door!
Because Li Wang said he could finish weaving in the afternoon, Cheng Duo went back to skin the wolf fur and arranged to meet him at the big tree at the village entrance.
Considering the purchasing power of the villagers, Cheng Duo cut the meat into small pieces and wrapped them in leaves. Later, he would sell them in bundles for a few coins each, without the trouble of weighing them.
The most important thing was that he avoided arguing with the village women. He would sell only that much, and whether they wanted it or not was up to them.
As for the salted meat, he would sell it for an extra wen. It was a bit wasteful of his salt, but since the meat wasn't fresh anymore, he might as well sell it.
To Cheng Duo's surprise, it was Yong-ge who came to bring him the bamboo raft in the afternoon. When Yong-ge noticed Cheng Duo looking at him, he shifted uncomfortably and said, "My dad was worried that you're not familiar with the people in the village, and they wouldn't dare to ask about the price. So he sent me to check it out…"
Not being familiar was just a polite way of saying it. The truth was that Yong-ge's father thought Cheng Duo had a terrible reputation in the village. Not only could Cheng Duo punch a cow to death, but he could also kill a person…
It would be strange for anyone to approach such a fierce-looking person selling meat at the village entrance.
Of course, this was only part of Yong-ge's guess about his father's considerations. In fact, Li Wang intentionally sent Yong-ge to help Cheng Duo, perhaps to show him how capable and virtuous Yong-ge was.
Since they had already been hired by Cheng Duo to work on the fields, it wouldn't be a big deal for Yong-ge to help sell some meat as well.
Cheng Duo agreed straightforwardly, "Alright, you help me sell." The young ger was thin, just good to leave him a portion as wages.
Cheng Duo explained his selling method to Yong-ge. At first, Yong-ge thought it was cheap, but upon careful consideration, it didn't seem so straightforward.
However, compared to the pork that sold for over ten wen per jin, Cheng Duo's method was indeed more acceptable to the villagers. When they went to buy pork, it wouldn't be enough to buy just a few liang. They would have to buy at least half a jin. Otherwise, the butcher would look at them sideways, and everyone would feel embarrassed.
In fact, the poorer people were, the more they didn't want to be looked down upon. Rich people pretending to be poor at least had the confidence in their hearts, but the embarrassment of poor people couldn't be hidden. So sometimes, even though they knew that the offal at the meat stall was cheaper, they couldn't afford it due to the lack of money and didn't dare to ask for the price.
Yong-ge helped Cheng Duo set up the stall. Cheng Duo told Yong-ge which meat was fresh and which had been salted. Then, he irresponsibly became the sleeping boss—he climbed up onto one of the lower branches of the big tree and took a nap.
Of course, Cheng Duo had considered that if he stood in front of the meat stall, the villagers might be hesitant to come over. But if he wasn't there, he was afraid that Yong-ge might be bullied. Therefore, he chose a spot not too far away to stay.
Lying there, he could see the meat stall, and likewise, people coming to buy meat could see him. The distance wasn't too close or too far, allowing people to approach without hesitation.
Cheng Duo's meat stall had just been set up for a short while when a few curious children playing nearby poked their heads out.
"Tie Dan, Da Tou, come here," Yong-ge waved to them.
Tie Dan and Da Tou looked at Cheng Duo and saw him lying on the tree as if he were asleep. They nudged each other and walked closer.
At first, the children were a bit scared, but when they saw the piles of meat on the leaves, they couldn't take their eyes off them.
"So much meat!" Da Tou exclaimed, but then he covered his mouth in surprise. Da Tou himself was startled and timidly glanced at Cheng Duo. Seeing that he didn't react, the children all breathed a sigh of relief.
Yong-ge wasn't bothered by his young customers and pointed to a pile of wild chicken heads, necks, and some scattered meat on a leaf, saying, "This pile is three wen. Do you want it?"
Three wen!
Tie Dan and Da Tou's eyes lit up. This was meat! If they bought it, they could add some wild vegetables and black beans to cook together, and they could have a good and filling meal!
Tie Dan is the son of Li Da zhuang and also the eldest grandson of Village Head Li. Village Head Li was able to lend five taels of silver to Li Mancang in one breath, not only because of their kinship, but also because his own family conditions were good.
Otherwise, he may have the intention but not the ability.
So Tie Dan and a few others discussed it, and they decided that three of the children would contribute one wen each, while the other children would contribute other food items. After the discussion, they went home to get money and other things.
Of course, there are many ways to "get" things. Tie Dan had saved some money, so he just needed to dig into his small treasury. Da Tou and another child didn't have money, so they either pestered their parents for it or resorted to stealing secretly…
After Da Tou and the other child came out of their homes, their parents chased after them. They wanted to see what their own children wanted/stole money for?!
"Run!" Tie Dan and the others placed the money in front of Yong-ge and ran off with their portion of meat.
Da Tou's mother and Second Fatty's grandmother immediately noticed that they had taken something from Yong-ge's stall, but Yong-ge didn't stop them.
The two of them approached aggressively, but Yong-ge smiled and greeted them, "Aunt Cuihua, Grandma Dagui!"
Both of them spoke at the same time, "Yong-ge, what are you… selling meat?"
They both glanced at Cheng Duo simultaneously, not understanding what was going on between the two.
Yong-ge felt embarrassed, but still tried hard not to blush, "Cheng Duo invited my father and me to help him with farming, and he also said he wanted to sell meat. So my father asked me to come and help."
Then he changed the subject, "Aunt Cuihua, Grandma Dagui, do you want to buy meat? It's very cheap. Look at all this meat, it's only five wen for everything!"
Five wen was indeed not much…
Upon hearing that the meat was cheap, both of them gained confidence. They asked Yong-ge about the price of each pile of meat on the stall, and then they picked and chose, each selecting a pile they liked.
However, it wasn't easy to get them to buy. Since Yong-ge was easy to talk to, they haggled with him to lower the price by one or two wen.
Cheng Duo couldn't stand it anymore and impatiently sat up, saying, "The price is what it is. If you don't want to buy, then leave!"
Both of them were afraid of Cheng Duo, so they quickly paid the money, grabbed the meat, and ran off.
By this time, people had already noticed the stall at the entrance of the village. When they saw those two carrying things over, they curiously approached to inquire. As a result, the news spread like wildfire. Even the neighboring Niu Family Village and Yangshu Village came to know that a new hunter in Yang Village was selling meat at the village entrance. The key point was that the meat was especially cheap, only three to five wen per package, and the expensive ones didn't exceed eight wen…
As a result, those with a little spare money and a craving for meat came running to buy. Yong-ge's mouth became dry from talking, but he managed to sell most of it.
Cheng Duo also nervously felt that the wages paid to this "partner" were worth it, and he would give him more money…
During that time, three ruffians from the neighboring villages came and tried to get some meat on credit. They even harassed Yong-ge, but Cheng Duo jumped down from the tree and beat them up.
He thought that scaring those who wanted to buy meat away, but he underestimated the villagers' enthusiasm for spectacles. Not only did they not leave, but more and more people gathered around the stall.
Seeing that Cheng Duo finished beating up the people and returned to the tree, some of them were eager to come closer…
"Yong-ge, why are you selling meat?"
"How much is this meat sold for? I heard it's three wen for a bowl, is that true?"
There was also a sharp-eyed young woman who immediately noticed, "Yong-ge, why do you look better?"
The crowd suddenly erupted with laughter, "Yeah, you look much better when you're cleaned up."
"It's not just being cleaned up, obviously you've become fairer!"
"And it seems like you've gained a little weight…"
Some people took the opportunity while Cheng Duo wasn't paying attention and secretly asked Yong-ge, "You're helping him sell meat, does that mean… you two are getting closer?"
"No, no, I'm just here to help…" Yong-ge explained the reason again in front of everyone and tried to divert the attention of the uncles, aunts, and young gers to buying the meat.
Of course, these people had already decided which piece of meat they wanted and even grabbed it before paying. They hesitated because they didn't want to give money but didn't want to leave either, so they kept pestering Yong-ge.
Of course, there were also a few who couldn't afford even three or five wen, standing on the side and making sarcastic remarks…
Seeing the situation becoming chaotic again, Cheng Duo closed his eyes and cleared his throat, and it had an immediate effect. The people standing in front of the meat stall no longer hesitated and generously opened their purses. They were afraid that Cheng Duo would think they were there to steal meat and beat them up.
After buying the meat, everyone didn't leave. They wrapped the meat in leaves and stood nearby, chatting.
Even some well-off individuals took the opportunity to ask Yong-ge, "Will there be meat to buy every day from now on?"
Yong-ge didn't know, so he could only look at Cheng Duo. Cheng Duo, who knows when, started chewing on a stalk of grass and vaguely said, "We'll sell whatever we have left from hunting!"
When the villagers heard that he would continue selling meat, they suddenly began to think that Village Head Li was right to insist on keeping Cheng Duo in the village. They were no longer afraid of being unable to buy meat when they were craving it!
In a hurry, Village Head Li, who had arrived upon hearing the news, said, "…"
His thoughts were not as deep as they seemed!
Of course, Village Head Li's thoughts were not complicated either. He just thought that having someone in the village who could fight would be useful in case they needed to compete with other villages for water or if they were bullied in the Twenty-Li Slope… At least they had a way to seek justice.
As for whether Cheng Duo would agree or not, that would depend on whether they could convince him.
In any case, with someone like Cheng Duo around, no other village would dare to provoke the people of Yang Village easily!
Village Head Li looked at the people in his village and couldn't help but sigh: they were all stubborn and focused too much on their own interests!
In fact, not only Village Head Li, but some unmarried young women and young ger who heard the news also hurriedly came. They rarely went out, so when they heard there was something lively happening at the village entrance, they came in groups of two or three.
Among these people was Feng-ge, who had just sent a rich dowry.
He had secured a highly enviable marriage and had just received a pair of silver hairpins and bracelets. Naturally, he wanted to come out and let the villagers have a look, while also giving them a chance to praise him.
Otherwise, once he got married and left, he wouldn't be able to hear such things anymore.
Feng-ge's thoughts were not difficult to understand. Even the famous Xiang Yu once said, "Wealth and glory do not return to the hometown, like walking in the night with brocade robes." So one can imagine the psychology of this young ger who was marrying far away, eager to show off in front of his fellow villagers.
Moreover, he heard that Yong-ge had become more attractive and had befriended the new hunter, and there were even people envying him.
If he didn't go, how would others know that a hunter was nothing compared to the wealthy merchant's son he was going to marry!
Author's note:
[1] Quoted from "Records of the Grand Historian · Biography of Xiang Yu": "Wealth and glory do not return to the hometown, like walking in the night with brocade robes."
"Oh, Feng-ge is here!"
"Hey, Feng-ge has even brought a silver hairpin. It must cost at least two taels."
"Of course, what is Young Master Yan's background? His generosity wouldn't be lacking!"
"Oh my, there's a silver bracelet too! Feng-ge now looks just like someone from the prominent family in Twenty-Li Slope, so impressive!"
"When will the wedding be? Invite us to have a glass of wedding wine, won't you?"
Seeing Feng-ge deliberately dressed up, looking bright and wearing silver ornaments on his head and hands, the villagers approached and teased him with compliments to some extent.
Feng-ge also enjoyed this kind of flattery, and with Xi-ge and Nan-ge, he walked towards the meat stall.
Yong-ge seemed surprised by the other party's splendor, and somewhat embarrassedly tugged at his own washed-out and frayed sleeves. "Feng-ge, are you here to buy meat too?"
Feng-ge looked at him disapprovingly. "Yong-ge, you're my cousin. If our family is in real difficulty, you should let me know. I can figure out a solution for you after I get married. How can you come out to sell meat?"
Cheng Duo: "…"
Why does it sound so suggestive? They were just selling ordinary meat, nothing indecent!
"That's right, Feng-ge is about to marry into a wealthy family. You should come and ask him for help, instead of…" Xi-ge glanced in Cheng Duo's direction, then he shrank his neck and lowered his voice, "Instead of following that unknown hunter!
After he finished speaking, he looked at Feng-ge, seeking his approval, and instantly felt happy.
Nan-ge hesitated and remained silent.
In fact, in the past, it would have been a stroke of luck for someone like them to find a man like Cheng Duo with such conditions.
However, because Feng-ge was about to marry into a wealthy family, they had a good relationship with him and spoke well of him recently. Whenever Feng-ge was happy, he promised to find ways to introduce them to some rich young men in the future.
Xi-ge truly believed it and became even more submissive in front of Feng-ge. He disregarded the good marriage prospects that were previously out of reach and didn't care about them anymore.
Nan-ge was skeptical. On one hand, even Feng-ge himself said that Young Master Yan's family was not in Wudu County. What if they got married and left? How could they chase after them to the south and ask him for introductions? On the other hand, were wealthy young men really interested in marrying them, a group of rural gers, unless they had extraordinary looks? They found it difficult to even find a suitable marriage prospect, so relying solely on Feng-ge's words gave them an uncertain hope. If that hope fell through, they wouldn't know how disappointed they would be in the future…
When Yong-ge heard their words, the smile on his face faded slightly, but he still politely said, "No need, Feng-ge. My father always said that it's better to rely on oneself than to rely on others. I can earn money with my own skills, and it's not embarrassing."
"What relying on yourself? If you appear in public without being married, how will others view our Li family?" Feng-ge looked at him with a face of disappointment.
Now that he considered himself as a future high-class madam, he unconsciously imitated Liu Shusheng and started preaching with a series of grand principles. After taking a look at Yong-ge, he wanted to say that even though Yong-ge's looks were inferior to his, he could help him find a steward or a servant's child, which would be better than a lifetime of farming…
However, it was this one look that made him realize that Yong-ge had actually become more handsome, much more handsome! He was immediately shocked and exclaimed, "How… how did you change? Did you use some sort of beauty secret? You've become so fair in just a few days!"
Feng-ge was originally worried about his appearance because he was about to get married. At this moment, seeing Yong-ge's transformed appearance was like finding a lifesaving straw.
At this moment, Feng-ge didn't mind that Yong-ge's hand, which held meat, was dirty. He grabbed him and asked if he had used any elixirs or beauty secrets.
"No, I just applied some sheep cream…" Yong-ge couldn't tell him that he naturally had fair skin, so he had to bring up the topic of sheep cream.
"It's impossible. I apply sheep cream every day!" Feng-ge didn't believe it. "In addition to sheep cream, I also use a beauty cream made with pollen, musk, and honey. Why doesn't it have such a miraculous effect?"
"Maybe it's because… I haven't used it before, so the effects are more noticeable…" Yong-ge replied.
Seeing Yong-ge's evasive response, Feng-ge suddenly became angry and said without hesitation, "You still want to hide it from me! Is it so you can catch the attention of Young Master Yan!"
"Feng-ge, what nonsense are you talking about? I haven't even met Young Master Yan!" Yong-ge was shocked and speechless.
Wu Guihua had said this before, and Yong-ge had been angered by her many times, so he just ignored it. He didn't expect Feng-ge, who seemed understanding, to say such things!
Is this what they mean having the same blood as mother? Yong-ge recalled his father's warning to stay away from Feng-ge, and now he finally understood.
"Just because you haven't met him doesn't mean you're not jealous. Everyone in our village knows that Young Master Yan comes from a good family! Yong-ge, you really have no conscience. How did Feng-ge help you before? Isn't it fair for him to ask for a beauty secret?" Xi-ge chimed in.
"I really don't have any secrets!" Yong-ge insisted.
Feng-ge didn't listen at all. "Even if you don't admit it, it's fine. I'll pay for it. How much money do you want?"
In his excitement, Feng-ge's nails, which were already holding Yong-ge's wrist, suddenly dug into his flesh. Yong-ge struggled in pain, but Feng-ge's grip was terrifyingly strong, and he couldn't break free.
"Enough!" Cheng Duo couldn't bear to watch anymore. He leaped down from the tree branch and forcefully opened Feng-ge's hand. "He doesn't have any miraculous secret even if you pinch him. Whether you buy the meat or not, don't block my stall!"
He couldn't interfere in the argument between the brothers, so he diverted the topic to their dispute over the meat.
Feng-ge was startled, and when he stepped back, he accidentally stepped on a stone. His body swayed, and although he didn't fall, his silver hairpin on his head came loose and "crashed" against a stone, breaking in the process.
"My hairpin!" Feng-ge's face turned pale, and he quickly reached out to pick up the hairpin.
Xi-ge, who was standing nearby, curiously leaned over and looked, then asked with confusion, "Feng-ge, why is the inside of your silver hairpin black?"
"What? Black?" The onlookers were puzzled, and one by one, they gathered around, wanting to see what was going on.
But Feng-ge, who was quick-witted, had already concealed the damaged part of the hairpin in his palm before the crowd closed in.
His face turned pale, and his heart raced in a state of panic, but he forced himself to smile at everyone and said, "What black? Xi-ge, you must have seen it wrong."
Xi-ge hesitated, not completely convinced. "No, I clearly saw it inside—"
"I already said you saw it wrong! Why are you making baseless claims?!" Feng-ge's expression turned dark, and he spoke sternly, silencing Xi-ge instantly.
With a simple mind, Xi-ge still couldn't understand why. However, Nan-ge and some of the villagers who were watching had already guessed it. "Did you see it wrong? Why don't you show everyone the hairpin to clarify?"
"No need." Feng-ge's expression turned ugly as he tried to conceal it. "Cheng Duo accidentally broke the hairpin that Young Master Yan gave me. If he finds out, it might create problems between us. It's better to avoid unnecessary trouble…"
Feng-ge was about to come up with a random excuse to brush off the matter when Wu Guihua approached him and overheard his words. She immediately exclaimed, "What? That good-for-nothing broke your hairpin again? I knew he's not compatible with our family!"
She pointed at Cheng Duo and continued, "Last time, when the cow died, you claimed it wasn't you who killed it. And now, so many people saw the hairpin. You can't deny it, can you?"
"Mother, please stop—" Feng-ge desperately tugged at his mother, hoping to make her stop, but Wu Guihua didn't listen at all.
"You must compensate today! This hairpin was brought all the way from the south by Young Master Yan himself. Regardless of its design and style, it's the most fashionable one. You need to compensate… with twelve silver teals!"
"Twelve silver teals? That's outrageous!" The onlooking villagers exclaimed once again.
It was indeed unreasonable for Wu Guihua to demand twelve silver teals for just a minor damage.
Cheng Duo calmly crossed his arms and said, "I broke it, so of course, I will compensate…"
"It's none of your business. If anyone has to compensate, it should be me." Yong-ge, unaware of Cheng Duo's intentions, anxiously pulled at his sleeve but was pushed aside by a large hand, clearly indicating that he should not get involved.
"Cheng—" Yong-ge wanted to say something but was fiercely glared at by Cheng Duo, instantly silencing him.
"No need. It's just a minor crack, and no silver pieces are missing. I don't want you to compensate." Feng-ge interrupted him, speaking in a dignified manner. He then pulled Wu Guihua and tried to leave.
Wu Guihua was puzzled, but by now, she could read Feng-ge's expression. Besides, he was gripping her with such force that it was terrifying. Wu Guihua wasn't a fool. Reluctantly, she took a step and followed him.
"Hold on, did I allow you to leave?" Cheng Duo suddenly shouted, stepping forward from behind the meat stall, pointing to the space in front of him. "We won't let this matter go unresolved today. Nobody is leaving!"
"What… do you mean?" Wu Guihua turned around and saw Cheng Duo's stern face, standing confidently in front of the meat stall, appearing like a grim reaper… She suddenly felt a little intimidated.
Ignoring her, Cheng Duo looked at Feng-ge and said, "Don't say that I just pushed you away earlier. You couldn't even stand firm on your own… Even if I did push you, the force wouldn't be enough to damage the silver hairpin. And I already said I would compensate. Why did you run away?"
"I already said I don't want you to compensate." Feng-ge tightly held onto the hairpin, not daring to lift his head. At this moment, he just wanted to quickly take his mother home and find out what was going on…
"No, we need to figure out how the hairpin was actually damaged. Once we understand, we can decide how to proceed. I don't want to bear unfounded accusations!"
Saying that, he looked towards the crowd and continued, "Third Uncle Li, don't you agree?"
Village Head Li awkwardly stepped forward. "…Fine, I'll mediate and ensure fairness."
The reason he didn't step in earlier was that he felt it might be difficult to judge the situation accurately. Because Cheng Duo did lay his hands on Feng-ge, otherwise, Feng-ge wouldn't have retreated and stepped on the stone.
However, with Cheng Duo being so resolute and Feng-ge continuously evasive… Village Head Li now understood. Besides, Xi-ge claimed that the hairpin turned black, and it seemed there was some truth to it.
Village Head Li looked at Feng-ge and said, "Bring it out."
Speaking of it, Feng-ge is also responsible for his own misfortune. If he had just admitted that he didn't stand firm, everything would have been fine. But he insisted on blaming Cheng Duo, and now things have gotten worse.
Feng-ge's knuckles holding the hairpin turned pale. Yong-ge couldn't wait any longer and stepped forward, grabbing his hand and prying it open. That's when they saw the broken corner of the hairpin, and indeed, it was black inside.
"This… Is it just a layer of silver foil?"
Everyone exclaimed, "It's fake!"
"No wonder Xi-ge said the hairpin was black. Feng-ge even cursed him for seeing it wrong."
"I knew it! How could it break with just a touch?"
"If the hunter didn't keep them here, wouldn't everyone have misunderstood?" When this statement came out, the villagers' gazes towards Feng-ge became strange…
"It's impossible!" Wu Guihua refused to believe it. She snatched the silver hairpin and discovered that there was indeed a thin layer of silver foil at the broken part. She trembled as she tore it off, revealing more black underneath.
"How could this…?" She refused to give up and bit the silver bracelet on Feng-ge's arm, only to find that it was also fake. In disbelief, she muttered, "No way! Young Master Yan is so wealthy. Why would he give Feng-ge fake goods?"
She glanced at Feng-ge and suddenly connected the dots from his pale face and profuse sweating to something even more serious…
Oh no, Feng-ge's dowry!
Wu Guihua felt her head spinning, but fortunately, she didn't faint. When she regained her senses, she no longer cared about Cheng Duo. She grabbed Feng-ge and ran home, stepping lightly and quickly.
Village Head Li sighed and thought for a moment before following behind. "I'll go take a look."
Village Head Li's words acted as a reminder, and the villagers, as if afraid of missing out on a big show, rushed away in a commotion!
Aunt Qian, who had been hiding in the crowd, ran as well, feeling guilty: She just couldn't stand Wu Guihua's smugness, and accusing Young Master Yan of deception was more out of jealousy. She never expected it to actually happen!
I hope nobody thinks it's because of her jinxing.
Since everyone went to watch the excitement, Cheng Duo decided to pack up the stall. Yong Ge was still a bit stunned and asked, "Why are you packing up… aren't you going to sell the rest?"
"Everyone has left, who am I going to sell to?"
Fortunately, there were many people earlier, and he had already sold most of the meat he brought. The remaining portion was enough for him to eat.
Cheng Duo glanced back at Yong Ge and said, "If you're worried, go back and take a look. I don't have anything else to do here." He took out a large piece of fresh meat and gave it to him. "This is your wages. Keep it hidden, don't let others see."
Just like that, the rumors about him had already spread. Seeing him giving meat to Yong Ge, there would definitely be people who would be jealous and gossip.
Yong Ge hesitated as he accepted it. "I understand… Aren't you coming to take a look together?"
Cheng Duo shrugged lightly. "I'm not one to meddle in other people's business."
Yong Ge lowered his head. In that brief moment, he actually considered asking Cheng Duo for help, but Cheng Duo's response made him realize.
His aunt was just causing trouble earlier. Why should he expect Cheng Duo to help? If the help didn't work out, his aunt would probably turn the blame on Cheng Duo. He didn't need to think much to know that would happen!
Regardless of whether Cheng Duo was right…
"Well, then I'll leave." Yong Ge nodded at Cheng Duo and hurriedly ran away.
Something happened at his uncle's house, and they would definitely call his father. He needed to go back and take a look.
Actually, just a moment ago, Yong Ge was still angry with Feng Ge. He changed his appearance because of that Yan Gongzi whom he had never even seen. Wasn't that intentionally defaming him?
If it spread, how could he have the face to live in the village?
But people always have a compassionate side, just like when you originally disliked someone, and they often picked on you. But suddenly, one day, their family was ruined, and they became a complete weakling. You felt lost, unsure, and your grievances seemed insignificant…
That's how Yong Ge felt now, especially since he didn't dislike Feng Ge before today. He even thought his cousin was a pretty good person.
He just didn't know why things turned out this way now…
Li Wang saw through Feng Ge's true nature, but Feng Ge's dowry was related to his whole life… So when Li Man Cang called him to go with them to find someone in Twenty-Li Slope, Li Wang agreed without hesitation.
In addition to them, Li Man Cang's son Li Changsheng, Li San Ye's sons Li Dazhuang and Li Erniu also went together. The group of them carried torches and rushed to Twenty-Li Slope overnight. It was easy to imagine that an empty villa awaited them.
Li Man Cang felt like the sky was falling. It was Li Changsheng who reminded him that they could go find the intermediary from before – Boss Hong from the pork stall!
So, after daybreak, Li Man Cang and Li Wang stayed behind with Boss Hong, while the other three young men went to inquire at nearby shops. They eventually found out that the villa was indeed rented!
The responsible intermediary heard that no one was left in the villa and hurriedly led people to investigate. Fortunately, those people probably knew as well. They had already taken Feng Ge's dowry and some furniture, but they couldn't run away with larger items like tables and chairs.
So they only took some easily portable utensils and decorations. Including the money they owed and the unfinished rent, the loss to the villa owner was actually not significant.
But the Li family had put their entire fortune into it! Li Man Cang felt like vomiting blood. He could only drag Boss Hong to the officials.
As one can imagine, in ancient times, without surveillance cameras or internet communication, the officials who were responsible for investigating followed them, but in the end, they returned without any success.
The officials considered that Boss Hong was unaware of the situation, so they only fined him ten taels of silver as compensation to Li Man Cang. That was the end of the matter…
Ten taels, this amount of money is only enough for them to repay the borrowed debt. Their family's silver, land, and Feng Ge's dowry, all gone!
The group returned to the village on the third afternoon. Wu Guihua and Feng Ge were anxious at home. When they saw Li Man Cang and the others with a desolate expression, Wu Guihua's heart skipped a beat. "How did it go? What did Yan Gongzi say?"
(T/N : Gongzi is pinyin(chinese) for young master)
She still had hope in her heart, thinking that Yan Gongzi might have accidentally bought fake goods or lost his money carelessly, and did all this for the sake of face… If that were the case, it wouldn't be so bad.
Unfortunately, Li Man Cang's next words were like a bolt from the blue, shattering her hopes. "What Yan Gongzi? He's just a group of swindlers. They've already fled!"
"What?!" Wu Guihua's vision darkened, and she would have fainted if it weren't for Yong Ge supporting her.
"I don't believe it. Yan Gongzi is not a swindler. I want to go to Twenty-Li Slope to see for myself. Yan Gongzi said he would marry me. He… he wouldn't deceive me!" Feng Ge screamed and turned to run outside. But his brother Li Changsheng stopped him. "Don't go. That villa was rented, and there's no one there anymore!"
"Rented? No one?!" Wu Guihua trembled and looked at her eldest son. "What about Feng Ge's dowry and our silver?"
Li Man Cang's face turned ashen. "All gone."
Wu Guihua's body went limp, and she sat on the ground, crying and lamenting, "Those damned scoundrels! How could they just rent it? They have no conscience, deceiving even honest people's hard-earned money! Our silver, and the land… all gone, all gone…"
Feng Ge, with red eyes, still resisted stubbornly. "Brother, you're lying to me! Rented? I don't believe a single word! Let go, I want to see for myself…"
Li Changsheng tightly held onto him, looking at his younger brother's state, his eyes turning red as well. "Feng Ge, stop it. You know I wouldn't lie to you…"
Feng Ge struggled for a while and then seemed to lose strength, clinging to his brother and burst into loud sobs. Meanwhile, Wu Guihua on the ground and Li Man Cang wiping hidden tears, their whole family was immersed in a sea of misery.
Li Wang, on the other hand, didn't offer a single word of comfort. Even when Yong Ge tried to help Wu Guihua up, he reached out and pulled him aside, his face still somewhat cold.
"Dad?" Yong Ge was surprised.
Li Wang seemed to be suppressing his anger, his jaw tensed and relaxed, his gaze shifting to the pitiful appearance of Li Man Cang's family. In the end, he didn't say anything, only said, "Come home with me!"
Li Wang knew that Li Man Cang's family wouldn't be unable to make a living. Besides selling the four mu of land, they still had three mu left. Moreover, Boss Hong compensated them with ten taels of silver. Although they had debts, the creditors, including Li San Ye, were reasonable people and wouldn't come demanding it at this time.
So their lives were not impossible, just not as prosperous as before!
In fact, the villagers were also surprised. They didn't realize that Li Man Cang's family was so wealthy!
When Li Man Cang and Li Wang's father, Li Laosuan, were still alive, the Li family's life wasn't that great. It was only after Li Wang returned from outside the Great Wall that their family's life improved slightly.
Although Li Laosuan and his wife favored their eldest son, there was no way Li Wang could have remained silent if he had earned such a large fortune by himself during the separation.
The villagers speculated that when Li Wang separated from the family, he must have received some silver, but his two sons turned out to be incapable, leading to their downfall…
Only Li Wang knew it wasn't the case. When Li Man Cang reported to the officials, he told the truth. It wasn't until now that Li Wang realized how wealthy his elder brother's family was!
He knew very well what kind of life his family had lived before. His elder brother didn't have any special skills, so how did he accumulate such wealth?
Even the thought of a certain possibility made Li Wang furious!
Although he had been tired for the past few days, Li Wang tossed and turned all night after returning home. Early the next morning, with red eyes, he ran to Li Man Cang's sickbed and directly questioned, "Did you take the silver that Mom left for Yong Ge?"
"What silver? We didn't take anything from your family!" Wu Guihua, with her swollen eyes, was startled and subconsciously looked at Li Man Cang.
It was precisely this look that made Li Wang see through the truth.
Li Wang said coldly, "When Ah Da and Ah Er's mother passed away, I entrusted her to take care of them. When I came back, Yong Ge was wearing diapers, and I also handed him over to her for help with changing. Later, she suddenly went back to your house, no matter how I begged, she refused to come back and take care of Yong Ge. Is it because of that time…"
"What nonsense are you talking about? Are you suspecting Mom of stealing your things!" Li Man Cang pretended to be angry. "Li Wang, do you have any conscience? Mom has already passed away. Are you going to let her restless in the afterlife?"
"Since you don't want our mother to rest in peace, then tell me, how did you accumulate your fortune of ninety-nine taels?"
"I… I earned it myself!" Li Man Cang's eyes flickered. He couldn't possibly say that it was given by his parents. During the separation, he only received an additional twenty percent more than his younger brother openly. What if his younger brother thought he took more than his fair share and demanded it back?
After all, his younger brother was even poorer than he was and didn't even have any land!
But he couldn't explain specifically how he accumulated the wealth. Faced with Li Wang's questioning, his words became more and more incoherent.
Wu Guihua, seeing this, argued forcefully, "We've been farming, raising cows, and chickens for years. What's so strange about saving a few dozen taels of silver?"
Li Wang sneered, "During the separation, each family only received three mu of land. How did you manage to buy cows, chickens, and even earn an additional four mu of land and several dozen taels of silver?"
Li Man Cang and Wu Guihua couldn't answer. Three mu of land was barely enough for their family of four to survive. It was impossible for them to save money.
The more Li Wang looked, the colder he felt. Since his father's death, his mother had become more and more biased. He went to plead with the third master and the elders of the clan to make the decision during the separation. According to reason, his brother was the eldest son, so his mother followed his elder brother and sister-in-law. It wouldn't matter if they received a slightly larger share during the separation.
But he never expected that his mother would steal something from Yong Ge! At that time, Jin Tigu was worried that someone might be eavesdropping, so he spoke vaguely, only mentioning that he left something for Yong Ge.
He always thought that the items were in the bundle that Jin Tigu packed. Later, when he couldn't find it, he even worried that he had accidentally lost it and searched for it along the way back.
But in the end, he found nothing. He even considered that he had guessed wrong. Jin Tigu said that what he left behind wasn't silver but the tiger bone whistle, and he repeatedly instructed Yong Ge to keep it safe, after all, it was the only thing his grandmother left for him…
Now, Li Wang didn't want to say anything anymore. "Even if you don't admit it, from now on, anything concerning your family has nothing to do with me. Li Man Cang, we are done as brothers!"
"Second brother, have you gone mad?" Li Man Cang's face was filled with suspicion, and because he was still sick, he began to cough violently after speaking.
"Head of the family, don't bother with him. Take care of yourself." Wu Guihua patted his back while pretending to be tough. "I knew you didn't have good intentions. You even slander our deceased mother! You just can't stand to see our family doing well. Now that we're in trouble, you don't want to help…"
Before she could finish the three words "help us out," Li Wang angrily pushed aside the curtain and walked away without looking back.
Wu Guihua quickly chased after him, grabbing Li Wang's sleeve. "Second brother, you can't leave. You must help us get our land back!"
Get the land back?
Li Wang's gaze was sharp as a knife. "I've just found out for the first time how shameless people can be, reaching your level!"
After saying that, he forcefully pulled his sleeve back.
Stunned by his gaze, Wu Guihua let go of his hand. For a moment, she was at a loss.
"Second uncle?" Li Changsheng, who had come out of his own room, happened to hear Li Wang's words and was shocked. His second uncle, what happened to him? He had never spoken like this before!
"Don't call me second uncle. I'm not your second uncle. From now on, we cut ties with each other!" Li Wang declared again. He didn't feel guilty at all. On the contrary, an unprecedented sense of relief surged within him, as if he should have done this a long time ago!
"What?" Yong Ge, who had been waiting outside and heard the commotion, was startled. "Dad, what's wrong?"
"Nothing. I've completely severed ties with Li Man Cang's family!" Li Wang said, feeling no remorse. His family had not been deceived; they had simply lost the ill-gotten money they stole from Yong Ge. If anyone was to be pitied, it was Yong Ge and his family.
This time, Li Wang was truly determined. Regardless of Wu Guihua and Li Changsheng's entanglement and attempts to persuade him, he walked out of the courtyard with a grim face. His anger made his limp more pronounced.
"What?" Yong Ge thought his father was just angry and quickly comforted him, "Uncle Li and the others were just tricked. They're probably in a bad mood. Dad, don't be angry with them…"
"They deserve to be tricked!" Li Wang's face was icy cold as he interrupted, and his gaze towards Yong Ge was unusually serious. "Yong Ge, Dad isn't joking. Dad has no relationship with Li Man Cang's family anymore, and you shouldn't call him uncle anymore."
That whole family was nothing but trouble!
Li Wang took Yong Ge to the field, where Cheng Duo was already waiting. When Cheng Duo saw Li Wang walking ahead with a cold face, he took the initiative to call out, "Uncle Li."
Then he shifted his puzzled gaze to Yong Ge's face and asked what was going on.
Yong Ge couldn't explain properly. His father had gone to his uncle's house early in the morning and seemed to have had an argument with his uncle and aunt. He even threatened to sever ties. And from what Yong Ge overheard outside the courtyard, it seemed to involve Cheng Duo… How could he explain this?
Li Wang, however, noticed Cheng Duo's expression and adjusted his own, saying, "It's nothing, let's get to work."
"Alright," Cheng Duo didn't ask further.
Li Wang was an experienced farmer, even though he limped on one leg, he plowed the land quickly. Each hoe went in with the same depth, turning out the weed roots neatly, creating well-organized furrows.
Yong Ge had to work a bit slower, but he plowed the land more meticulously.
As for Cheng Duo, he wasn't familiar with the technique of using different depths for each hoe, so the furrows he plowed were completely different from the other two. It was like the difference between peacetime and the battlefield.
Fortunately, Cheng Duo had great strength, and he didn't feel tired from just plowing the land. By the time Li Wang stopped to rest, Cheng Duo had already surpassed the other two by a large margin.
Seeing this, Li Wang didn't let Yong Ge continue digging. He asked him to pick up the weeds from the field and put them in a basket, which would then be carried to the compost pit they specifically dug on the side of the field. These weeds would ferment for a while there and then be mixed with grass ash and other fertilizers before being buried back in the ground.
When Cheng Duo stopped, he noticed that the sun was already high in the sky. His front and back were soaked with sweat, and if it weren't for this being ancient times, he would have wanted to take off his clothes and work shirtless.
Cheng Duo glanced at Li Wang, who was still toiling away, and walked over to Yong Ge, who was picking up the weeds with the basket. "It's getting late, go back and cook."
Yong Ge replied, "I'll finish picking up this basket first."
He was also sweating profusely, with flushed cheeks. His slightly tan skin occasionally showed a hint of fairness, indicating that the effect of the medicine seemed to be wearing off.
Cheng Duo took a quick glance but quickly averted his gaze. He stood in place for a moment before giving a reminder, "The meat and grains for cooking are already placed on the stove, don't hesitate to use them."
He felt that after the hard work he had done in the morning, he deserved a big bowl of sizzling bamboo shoot stir-fry with meat. Of course, apart from that, he didn't prepare any vegetables at all, afraid that Yong Ge would just boil some veggies in water to fool him.
Yong Ge looked at him helplessly and said, "I know."
The two of them had become quite familiar, and Yong Ge spoke naturally. Li Wang, who was watching from a distance, suddenly felt a bit sad—Yong Ge wasn't as lively in front of him as he was in front of Cheng Duo!
At lunchtime, Li Wang was astonished to see the table filled with greasy stir-fried bamboo shoots and meat, salty vegetable and meat slice soup, and even pork fat residue stir-fried with baby bok choy. Yong Ge's bold cooking methods left him speechless.
Did Yong Ge make everything that Cheng Duo had in his house just because Cheng Duo treated him to a meal? This was too much…
And, he even made cornmeal rice!
Li Wang trembled as he looked at the three large bowls of rice that Yong Ge brought over. "Yong Ge, you…"
Was this excessive or what!
Yong Ge helplessly looked at his father. "Dad, Cheng Duo likes eating like this."
The baby bok choy was just picked from their own field. It had only grown a little because Cheng Duo's kitchen didn't have a single leafy vegetable, so Yong Ge had to pick some and stir-fry them.
Cheng Duo was indeed very satisfied. He picked up his chopsticks and grabbed a large piece of stir-fried meat, then took a mouthful of rice, feeling content. "Not bad, we'll follow this standard from now on."
While eating, he didn't forget to call out to Li Wang, "Uncle Li, you should eat too."
Li Wang cautiously reminded him, "Well… Cheng Duo, life doesn't work like this. You can't eat as much as you have on hand. What will you do once it's finished?"
"It's fine. After eating, I'll go to the mountains to hunt. I haven't finished eating the meat I sold at the stall yesterday. Having too much at home can attract wolves easily," Cheng Duo said, pointing to a row of cured meats hanging under the eaves. Because he believed pork was the most delicious, he had Yong Ge make pork dishes first.
Li Wang: "…" Would he have enough time to learn hunting now?
Most likely not. When his legs were still agile, he would go to the mountains to gather herbs, and he had seen wild chickens flying around, but he never managed to catch a single one. Moreover, he had seen other hunters, and those people only resorted to hunting in the mountains because they had no other means of survival.
Hunting wasn't as easy as Cheng Duo made it seem. During unlucky times, they could go for several days without catching any prey, let alone larger animals.
Li Wang's gaze shifted to the wolf pelt hanging on the rack, and he gained a new understanding of Cheng Duo's abilities.
But obviously, his understanding was still far from sufficient…
Yong Ge also noticed it by now and furrowed his brow. "No wonder I saw footprints in the vegetable field earlier. It was a wolf!"
Being targeted by wolves was not a good thing.
Yong Ge remembered the first time he saw Cheng Duo when he killed a wolf, and he began to suspect that the wolf pack was after Cheng Duo.
Cheng Duo didn't mind. "It's fine. They come to give me wolf pelts and wolf meat. I wish they would come more often."
"Still, be careful," Yong Ge reminded him with concern.
Li Wang also advised, "I've heard from those old hunters that wolves are cunning. If you can't beat them, they will attack from behind or drive their prey into traps like herding sheep… You often go to the mountains, so it's better to be cautious."
Cheng Duo paused for a moment but didn't mention that he had already been ambushed by the alpha wolf. For the sake of peace, he had to pretend to be a receptive student.
Yong Ge couldn't help but notice that Cheng Duo didn't seem to take their warnings seriously. However, he knew that Cheng Duo had great strength and could even fight off wolves barehanded, so he wasn't overly worried.
Li Wang worked with Cheng Duo for three days, and every day there was at least one meat dish on the table. As for the staple food, it was either steamed buns, pancakes, or rice.
Li Wang had privately reminded Yong Ge, but after Yong Ge reduced the food and increased the vegetables on the table, Cheng Duo complained to him. Yong Ge found himself caught in the middle and didn't know whose advice to follow…
The more Li Wang worked, the more he felt guilty. The tasks that originally took five days to complete were finished in just three days, mainly thanks to Cheng Duo. He increased the pace, and Cheng Duo followed suit.
Cheng Duo's strength seemed tireless. He carried heavy buckets as if they weighed nothing… Later on, Cheng Duo simply didn't let him carry anything and had him and Yong Ge water the fields instead.
Just as they were about to finish all the work on the four-acre plot, Wu Guihua, who hadn't shown up for several days and had a pale complexion, suddenly appeared with Uncle Li and the elders from the village.
As soon as Li Wang saw Wu Guihua, he frowned. "What are you all here for?"
"Second Brother, what's with that attitude? The hunter has shown you kindness, and now you're wholeheartedly helping an outsider?" Wu Guihua couldn't hide her anger.
Li Wang stood his ground and glanced at Uncle Li and the village elders who had come along. He didn't hold back as he said, "I've already said it once when I was at Li Man Cang's house, and today I'll say it again in front of Uncle Li: I have severed my brotherly relationship with Li Man Cang…"
"What are you blabbering about, Second Brother?" Wu Guihua shrieked, trying to interrupt him. But Li Wang paid her no attention and continued, "From now on, their family has nothing to do with me! Don't bother coming to me. Even if I die of poverty or hunger, I won't beg Li Man Cang for anything!"
"Li Wang, how can you say that?" Uncle Li frowned, disapproving. "After all, you're blood brothers. When there's a conflict, you should talk it out. Why cut off your relationship like this?"
Cheng Duo wasn't surprised at all. He knew that in ancient times, clan and family relationships were very close-knit, and severing ties meant cutting off one's own path in life. That's why he had specifically asked Yong Ge for his opinion before considering buying land from Li Man Cang's family. He knew that breaking such family ties wasn't something easily done.
Li Wang couldn't speak ill of his deceased mother, so he turned his face away and said, "Uncle Li, I have my reasons for doing this. You don't need to worry about it."
"Uncle Li, look at him! Our family has just encountered trouble, and he can't resist kicking us when we're down!" Wu Guihua was the first to slander. "Is this hunter instigating you? How much money did he give you that you disregard your own elder brother?"
Li Wang's face turned cold. "Wu, do you really want me to speak plainly in front of everyone?"
Wu Guihua hesitated. She really was afraid that Li Wang would disregard everything and expose everything!
Although filial piety was valued in ancient times, villagers who only knew how to farm were capable of anything once they shed their facade. Just like Li Da and Li Er, when Li Wang tried to control them, they even fought back against Li Wang. Moreover, local bullies and tyrants were terrifying. Most people didn't dare provoke them. If it hadn't been for them harming the interests of the majority in the village, they wouldn't have easily driven people away.
Driving someone away meant cutting off their means of survival. If they couldn't survive, who knows if they would come back for revenge against the villagers? They couldn't possibly seal off the entire village!
Uncle Li and the others looked at each other, knowing that there must be some hidden circumstances, but since Li Wang wouldn't speak, they couldn't bring themselves to ask. They were just unsure about why Li Wang, who was usually honest, had been pushed to the point of wanting to sever his brotherly relationship…
"Li Wang…" Uncle Li wanted to persuade him again, but Li Wang interrupted, "Uncle Li, in these years, how has Li Man Cang treated me? How has he treated me? I believe you all understand that in your hearts. There's no need for further persuasion. In any case, their family has nothing to do with me from now on… And don't bother provoking me, or else I might do something you won't expect."
It was evident that Li Wang's last words were directed at Wu Guihua. She was angry, but at the moment, she had more important matters to attend to, so she didn't resort to her usual tactic of throwing a tantrum.
"Uncle Li, do you have some business here?" Cheng Duo saw Wu Guihua's demeanor and realized there was something they didn't understand, so he took the initiative to ask.
Wu Guihua hadn't shown up earlier, but now she brought people along just as they were finishing their work in the fields.
Wasn't this all planned in advance? But if it was planned against him, she was probably being a bit too optimistic!
