Qin Shiqian made his way into the mountains. First, he twisted a few lengths of grass rope and set several simple snares beneath the trees and in the grass.
While silently praying that he would catch a pheasant or a hare, he walked some distance away and buried his head in digging up wild vegetables.
Changbai Mountain was exceptionally abundant in summer.
People here lived off the mountain. Even if they did not know how to hunt, as long as they were willing to work hard, they would not starve, and they could still just barely get by.
The hardest time here was winter. Heavy snow sealed off the mountains for a full half a year.
When that time came, the weather would be bitterly cold, with insufficient clothing and food. It truly became a case of crying to Heaven with no answer and calling to Earth with no response.
The Qin family had arrived in early spring this year and had not yet experienced the winter here, but they had heard that quite a few people froze to death every winter.
Before Old Master Qin was still around, and before Qin Shiqian had been injured, the two of them had often managed to hunt game in the mountains.
As a result, there had been meat to eat every few days during that period. Otherwise, Madam Zhang’s child might not have survived.
Whenever they had food that was inconvenient to store, they would even generously give it to the poorer families in the village.
That was precisely why the Ginseng Boss had suspected that they were deliberately trying to win over the villagers and plotting something sinister.
But ever since everything had gone wrong, the family had not only been unable to eat meat—even their wild-vegetable gruel had to be carefully rationed.
Madam Zhang was in confinement now and needed to nurse the child. She could not afford to eat too little and fail to nourish her body.
As Qin Shiqian dug up mountain greens, he was also thinking that once his leg had healed completely, he would have to go hunting in the mountains.
Only by stockpiling more food could they face the winter that lasted half a year.
After digging up more than half a basket of wild vegetables, he saw that it was getting late and headed back to check the snares he had set on his way there.
The sight left him utterly stunned.
He had set five grass-rope snares, and at this moment, every single one of them had caught something.
Looking at the pheasants and hares flapping and struggling, Qin Shiqian rubbed his eyes doubtfully, then pinched his thigh, afraid that he was dreaming.
Only after confirming it again and again did Qin Shiqian remember to look around. Seeing that no one was nearby, he hurried forward and twisted the necks of the pheasants and hares one by one.
He had practiced martial arts from a young age. Twisting a person’s neck was nothing difficult for him, let alone the necks of a few pheasants and hares.
Qin Shiqian dumped all the wild vegetables out of his carrying basket, hid the pheasants and hares at the very bottom, then covered them with the wild vegetables. After making certain that nothing suspicious could be seen, he hoisted the basket onto his back and hurried home.
His luck today was simply too good. As Qin Shiqian walked home, he happily began humming a little tune.
Who would have thought that as soon as he reached the gate, he would hear the voice of Eldest Brother Hu coming from the courtyard?
“Every household in the village has to send someone into the mountains to dig for ginseng. Your family is no exception!
“This is a task assigned by the imperial court…”
There were elderly people and children in the family, as well as a woman in confinement. Afraid that they would be bullied, Qin Shiqian quickly sped up and rushed into the house.
Seeing him, Eldest Brother Hu said directly, “You came back at just the right time. The village’s ginseng-collecting progress is clearly behind last year’s, and your family even caused my father to injure his leg.
“If we fail to dig up enough wild mountain ginseng, then when the court officials come in autumn, none of us will be able to answer for it!
“So my father has said that the four of us brothers will each lead a team. Every household in the village must send someone, and we’ll enter the mountains to dig for ginseng tomorrow.”
This was the method Old Madam Hu had worked out after returning to discuss the matter with the Ginseng Boss.
First, the Ginseng Boss’s leg would be difficult to heal in the short term. Whether he would ever be able to lead a ginseng expedition again was uncertain, and he also wanted to see which of his four sons could take over his duties.
Second, he had to find something for the villagers to do. Otherwise, trouble would inevitably arise.
Finally, he had to continue weakening the Qin family’s strength. Since Zhou Shi could not be touched, they would start with Qin Shiqian instead.
Eldest Brother Hu now wore an official, businesslike expression, leaving Qin Shiqian with no apparent reason to refuse.
Madam Zhang said anxiously, “But my husband’s leg injury hasn’t healed yet. How can he go into the mountains…”
Eldest Brother Hu glanced at the carrying basket on Qin Shiqian’s back and said coldly, “Since he can go into the mountains to dig up wild vegetables, collecting ginseng should be no problem either.
“I don’t care what status you had in the past. Since you were exiled here, you need to understand your place.
“Every household has to send someone. Why should your family be allowed to bargain?”
“I understand!” Qin Shiqian put the carrying basket down to one side and calmly used his body to block it.
If Eldest Brother Hu discovered the game beneath the wild vegetables, they would surely lose it.
Fortunately, Eldest Brother Hu’s attention was not on that. He tossed out the remark that they would set off in three days and left.
Madam Zhang could no longer control her emotions and burst into tears.
“Husband, you absolutely mustn’t go!
“They just want to trick you into the mountains so they can harm you!
“Father is proof of what they’re capable of. If you go into the mountains with them again, how are we, a widow and an orphan, supposed to survive…”
Qin Shiqian understood that Madam Zhang was not being overly suspicious.
Songjiang Village had not originally been a village. It had merely been a place where several ginseng hunters stopped to rest during their ginseng expeditions.
Later, many imperial officials were exiled here with their entire families. Only after the population increased did it gradually become a village.
The Ginseng Boss had once been merely a ginseng hunter living here, with his entire family relying on his expeditions to earn a living.
Later, under assignment from the imperial court, the Ginseng Boss began leading the people exiled here into the mountains to collect ginseng.
As long as they provided enough of the mountain ginseng the imperial court wanted, the palace eunuchs who traveled over the mountains and rivers each year could not be bothered to meddle in other matters.
As time passed, in this impoverished mountain ravine where the emperor was far away, the Hu family became the unquestioned local tyrants.
Qin Shiqian had heard others say that the Ginseng Boss had once drunkenly boasted:
“Never mind what rank of official you used to be. Once you arrive at my Songjiang Village, whether you’re a dragon or a tiger, you’ll coil up or lie down for me!”
Old Master Qin had gone up the mountain with him to collect ginseng and ended up disappearing without a trace, neither dead nor alive.
Now they wanted to force Qin Shiqian into the mountains as well. How could Madam Zhang not worry?
Zhou Shi, however, was much calmer. Holding Xiaorenshen, she said, “What Eldest Brother Hu said is true. We’re no longer in the capital. Since we’ve been exiled here, we have to follow other people’s arrangements.
“But Third Brother, once you enter the mountains, you must keep your wits about you and be careful in everything you do.”
“Yes, Mother. I know.” Qin Shiqian’s voice was low and grave.
Feeling that the atmosphere at home was far too oppressive, he hurriedly said to Zhou Shi, “Mother, guess what I caught in a snare in the mountains?
“What? Don’t tell me you caught a hare?” Zhou Shi asked, forcing herself to perk up.
“Not just that!” Qin Shiqian gave a deliberately mysterious smile, leaned closer, and lowered his voice. “I caught three pheasants and two hares!”
“Really?” Zhou Shi’s eyes lit up when she heard that. “That’s wonderful!”
Although Xiaorenshen neither cried nor fussed, Zhou Shi had given birth to several children and had also cared for grandchildren. She could tell at a glance that Madam Zhang’s milk was clearly insufficient.
After a few sucks, there was nothing left. The child had never truly eaten her fill.
But Zhou Shi also understood that this could not be blamed on Madam Zhang.
Madam Zhang could not even fill her own stomach. How could she have enough milk for the child?
So when she suddenly heard that her son had caught pheasants, Zhou Shi was overjoyed.
Chicken soup was the most suitable thing for nourishing a woman after childbirth and increasing her milk supply.
“Keep an eye on the child. I’ll clean the pheasants and stew one for your wife.”
Zhou Shi promptly stuffed Xiaorenshen into Qin Shiqian’s arms, then pushed aside the wild vegetables, pulled out a plump pheasant, and carried it to the kitchen.
Qin Shiqian did not forget to call after her, “Mother, remember to take a bowl to Aunt Yu and Xiaohua next door after it’s stewed.
“Sweetie’s hand healed so quickly thanks in large part to the medicinal ointment they gave us.”
As he spoke, Qin Shiqian took his daughter’s little hand and examined it from side to side. After confirming that there was nothing wrong, he leaned over and kissed it.
“Do you really need to tell me that?” Zhou Shi said with a laughing scold. “Am I the kind of person who doesn’t understand human relationships?”
She efficiently began preparing the pheasant.
Before long, the long-missed fragrance of chicken soup drifted out of the kitchen.
Smelling it, Madam Zhang could not help licking her lips, then immediately felt embarrassed.
She was no longer a child. How could she be so greedy?
But the fragrance really was too tempting, stirring up her appetite.
Madam Zhang quickly turned over, facing the earthen wall with her back to Qin Shiqian and her daughter, and desperately swallowed her saliva in secret.
She was a mother now. She absolutely could not be this greedy.
Qin Shiqian thought his wife had fallen asleep. When he saw that his daughter’s bright black eyes were blinking without the slightest hint of drowsiness, he held her and paced back and forth around the room.
The whole family was tormented by the tempting smell of chicken soup. Zhou Shi endured her stomach rumbling wildly and insisted on stewing it for a full hour before finally lifting the lid.
The pheasant had been stewed until it was tender and falling apart, while golden oil droplets floated across the surface of the thick chicken broth.
Zhou Shi chose the best pieces, filled a large bowl until it was heaped over the top, and told Qin Shiqian to take it to the grandmother and granddaughter next door first.
Then she quickly ladled another large bowl of rich broth and carried it inside to Madam Zhang.
“The pheasant Third Brother caught this time was quite plump. The fat in its belly was golden yellow.
“Just look at how rich this broth turned out!”
Zhou Shi set the soup down on the edge of the heated brick bed and helped Madam Zhang sit up.
“You can’t eat anything too salty right now, so I only added a little salt. Hurry and drink plenty while it’s hot.”
“Mother, why did you give me so much?” Madam Zhang asked. “You and my husband should eat some too!”
“Oh, don’t worry!” Zhou Shi hurriedly said. “This soup is for you to drink. I also put meat in the bottom.
“Third Brother did well today. He brought back three pheasants and two hares.
“It’s hot now, so the meat won’t keep. We have to eat it quickly.
“Besides, you’re not eating only for yourself anymore. If you don’t eat enough, the child will have to go hungry with you.
“So eat as much as you like. There’s still more in the pot if it isn’t enough!”
Only after hearing this did Madam Zhang stop trying to refuse. She lowered her head and took a sip of the chicken soup.
The soup was fragrant, rich, and smooth as it entered her mouth. As its warmth flowed into her stomach, Madam Zhang immediately felt comfortable all over.
“Mother, you really are an excellent cook.” Madam Zhang could not help praising her after just one sip.
“If it’s good, then drink more.” Zhou Shi stood to one side, gazing at Madam Zhang with a loving expression. Seeing her drink the soup made her even more gratified than if she had drunk it herself.
Qin Shiqian carried a large bowl of chicken to the neighboring house. “Xiaohua! Are you home? I brought you some chicken!”
Xiaohua happily came out when she heard his voice. But when she saw that he was also holding Xiaorenshen, the smile on her face unconsciously faded a little.
“Uncle Qin, it wasn’t easy for you to catch a pheasant. You don’t need to bring us any. We still have food at home.”
“Go ahead and take it. No matter how much food your family has, it belongs to your family. This is just a token of my goodwill.” Qin Shiqian forced the bowl into Xiaohua’s hands.
Xiaohua did not care in the slightest about the fragrant chicken soup. She only stared enviously at Xiaorenshen in Qin Shiqian’s arms.
Qin Shiqian completely failed to notice Xiaohua’s feelings. He even said proudly, “Look, Sweetie really loves clinging to me.
“Once I pick her up, I can’t put her down.”
His words sounded like a complaint, but in truth, the happiness in his heart was practically overflowing.
Xiaohua raised her head and looked at Xiaorenshen in Qin Shiqian’s arms with tear-filled eyes. Forcing back a sob, she said, “That’s wonderful. Little Sister has parents who dote on her. Unlike me…”
“Xiaohua, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.” Qin Shiqian panicked at the sight of her tears. “Don’t take it to heart. That’s not what I meant…”
Seeing how flustered he was, Xiaohua instead broke into a smile through her tears. She raised her hand to wipe them away and said, “Uncle Qin, it’s not your fault. Actually, I don’t even know what it feels like to have parents.
“I just couldn’t help thinking that if my father and mother were still alive, they would definitely be like you and Auntie—kind, and spoiling me, too!”
Qin Shiqian felt even more guilty and hurriedly tried to make amends. “Xiaohua, have you ever heard the saying that a close neighbor is better than a distant relative?
“We’re neighbors now, so we’re just like family.
“You and your grandma have helped us so much. We’ll definitely cherish you like family, too.”
Xiaohua did not hear the answer she wanted. Her heart felt faintly disappointed, but she still revealed a sweet smile.
“Uncle Qin, you’re so kind!”
But someone as kind as you should be my Papa.
What I want isn’t to be cherished like family.
I want you and Auntie to be my parents and, from now on, to devote all your love to me alone.
“All right, hurry back and eat with your grandma!”
After Qin Shiqian finished speaking, he wanted to reach out and pat Xiaohua’s head.
But Xiaorenshen in his arms did not want him touching Xiaohua. The moment he reached out, she immediately began wriggling and whining.
Qin Shiqian’s attention was instantly drawn to his daughter.
“Is Sweetie hungry?
“Papa will carry you home right now. Let’s go find Mama and eat until we’re nice and full.”
In Qin Shiqian’s eyes, there was instantly room for nothing but his daughter. He had no time to pay attention to Xiaohua and turned around, carrying the child home.
Xiaohua angrily ground her back teeth together, wishing she could smash the bowl in her hands.
But when the enticing fragrance rising from the bowl reached her nose, she still did her best to control her anger.
After carrying the bowl back inside, Xiaohua proceeded to feast on it by herself, leaving only a pile of chicken bones that still had scraps of meat clinging to them for Old Madam Yu.
Meanwhile, when Qin Shiqian returned home, he first let his daughter have a feeding. Only then did he and Zhou Shi eat a delicious, filling meal of the remaining soup and chicken.
It was the first time since her birth that Xiaorenshen had eaten her fill of milk, and she was indescribably happy.
After eating her fill, her little belly had even puffed out slightly.
As Zhou Shi gently patted her, she let out a milk burp, so content that her eyes narrowed into slits.
After the meal, darkness soon fell.
Most households in the village had neither lamp oil nor candles, so as soon as night came, they lay down and went to sleep early.
After eating her fill, Xiaorenshen soon drifted off into dreamland.
Madam Zhang was utterly exhausted from giving birth. Although her heart was full of worries, she was unable to resist the wave of drowsiness that overcame her.
Mother and daughter soon fell fast asleep, completely unaware that, taking advantage of the cover of night, several groups of people would arrive at the house one after another that very evening.