Shen Mingqing asked the youths, “Have you all memorized the route?”
“We have.”
“Do not bring others along this path. If truly threatened, avoid this route.”
The youths nodded.
So they had taken a shortcut. Zhao Nuan quietly memorized the route as well.
They began climbing the mountain next. Shen Mingqing led the way with a machete, explaining the mountain’s conditions to Zhao Nuan as they walked.
“Most people build shacks on the mountainside. Because when snow melts in spring, the foothills tend to accumulate water. As for the mountaintop, it’s strenuous to go up and down.”
“What about us? Did you spot any suitable building sites when you were here?”
“Yes, we’re heading for the summit.”
Shen Mingqing paused to wait for those behind: “The mountaintop has a natural platform, with a higher peak on one side blocking the wind. This is one of the locations I selected for the Shen Family.”
Zhao Nuan looked up at him: “That must be an excellent spot.”
She began to understand why the Marquise didn’t believe Shen Mingqing was the murderer.
A fourteen-year-old youth, surviving alone in this remote wilderness, not just living but supporting a group of beggar children.
He had even anticipated the fates of the Zhou and Shen families and made preparations beforehand.
Someone who lived with such clarity wouldn’t commit such a foolish act.
Fortunately, this mountain had few cliffs or rocky precipices.
Zhao Nuan kicked at the ground where decaying leaves piled up—a veritable paradise for vegetable growers.
“Hahaha, thank you, brother!”
Yan’er’s laughter carried over. Zhao Nuan turned to look.
One of the youths had woven her a grass crown with wildflowers, with a string of bright red wild berries dangling near her ears.
The youth looked somewhat embarrassed: “You should call me uncle. I call your mother sister.”
“Ah…”
Yan’er looked troubled.
Zhao Nuan smiled to ease the situation: “Let’s keep separate rankings. You’re only in your teens—calling you brother is fine.”
The youths adored little Yan’er, gathering numerous wild berries and wildflowers for her along the way.
Her small back basket was filled to the brim.
Of course, Yan’er was delightful too, addressing every one as “brother” without missing anyone, treating all equally fairly.
She had even memorized all the youths’ names, which surprised Zhao Nuan.
When they reached the summit, half of Suizhou was already shrouded in the mountain’s shadow. Zhao Nuan estimated it was around three or four in the afternoon.
With so many people, they encountered no fierce beasts along the way and progressed quite smoothly.
After finding a spot to set down their belongings, everyone began felling trees.
Shen Mingqing spoke from experience: “Start by cutting arm-thick trees for building a temporary shack.”
The youths were clearly accustomed to such tasks—some felling trees, others weaving fences.
Zhao Nuan took Yan’er and Zhou Ningyu to survey the surroundings.
Duan Zheng reminded them: “Don’t wander far. Just look around nearby. We’ll explore other areas later.”
“Don’t worry, Uncle Duan. I won’t leave your sight.”
In less than two hours, they had created the framework for a simple shack.
Goods were covered with oilcloth, with trimmed branches piled on top for double protection.
Seeing there was still time, Shen Mingqing had everyone cut more trees to erect a courtyard wall.
They tethered the mules in three different directions inside the courtyard walls to prevent them from running away while also serving as an early warning system.
As darkness nearly fell completely, Zhao Nuan lit a large bonfire in front of the shack, warm and bright.
Sweet potato ginger soup simmered in the earthen pot, while fist-sized potatoes buried in the fire emitted a fragrant aroma.
Zhao Nuan busied herself and instructed Yan’er, who was playing with Zhou Ningyu nearby.
“Yan’er, call uncles and brothers back for dinner.”
“Alright. Mother, watch over little brother.”
“Okay.” Zhao Nuan responded with a smile. “Don’t go beyond the fence either, just call out a couple times.”
Soon, Yan’er’s clear child’s voice echoed through the valley.
Duan Zheng, Shen Mingqing, and the young men all responded to her.
Standing atop the mountain, the last orange-red glow of the sun sinking below the horizon filtered through the withered yellow leaves on the trees. Everything in Zhao Nuan’s sight seemed to be burning.
“Mother, it’s so beautiful. An’er has definitely never seen this.”
Yan’er leaned against the fence, peeking through the gaps, her small face filled with wonder.
At this moment, Zhao Nuan felt refreshed and clear-headed. Since transmigrating here, she had appeared well-adapted but was actually compromising.
In this feudal society of monarchs and scholar-officials, where men were superior to women, she felt like the Monkey King pinned under the Five-Finger Mountain – possessing seventy-two transformations yet unable to use any of them.
Now, she had an opportunity.
“Little girl, see what Grandpa Duan brought you.”
Zhao Nuan followed the voice and saw Duan Zheng and the others returning bathed in the evening glow.
The young men chattered excitedly – within less than a hundred meters nearby, they had gathered many chestnuts and walnuts.
Shen Mingqing carried two plump rabbits, while Duan Zheng held a nest of newly-furred baby rabbits in his clothes.
Yan’er spun around excitedly, shouting that she wanted to raise them.
Zhao Nuan also came over to see the excitement, though she preferred the two plump wild rabbits.
Shen Mingqing weighed the rabbits: “I’ll go process them by the spring behind us. They won’t be fresh if we keep them until tomorrow.”
“Alright, I’ll go with you to learn how to skin rabbits.” Zhao Nuan took a knife and wooden basin, following Shen Mingqing behind the shack.
The mountain peak Shen Mingqing found was excellent – the foothills had abundant weeds, the mountainside was covered with small shrubs.
Besides large trees, the mountaintop was flat with only sparse small shrubs and grass.
Moreover, the entire mountaintop was strangely L-shaped, as if half the peak had been cut off.
They were now on the horizontal platform of the L-shape, open in front and backed against a thirty-foot high cliff.
Not only did it block the wind, but there was also a spring at the base of the cliff.
The water pit wasn’t large – only about ten feet wide and no more than three feet deep.
The water was transparent and clear to the bottom, faintly visible as seeping from the cliff wall.
The overflowing water flowed along the cliff to one side, probably converging into some mountain stream.
Zhao Nuan had plans – later they would clear a vegetable plot. Then dig a small storage pond beside it. Divert a stream of water there for both watering vegetables and convenient washing and cooking.
Shen Mingqing brought two stone slabs to place by the water pit, but Zhao Nuan called him to move further downstream.
Reaching for leaves in the water, she said: “It wouldn’t be good to get blood in this pool. Later I plan to build a shed above to block falling leaves and dust.”
“Hmm, that’s true.” Shen Mingqing looked up. “It would be safer too, in case there are falling rocks or something from above.”
It had to be said Shen Mingqing was very deft – with just a few cuts of the knife and a pull, the entire rabbit skin came off cleanly.
“You women don’t typically have such strength, but you can burn off the rabbit fur with fire. It’s edible with the skin on.”
Zhao Nuan held the still blood-stained rabbit pelt, cherishing it dearly: “In these mountains, rabbit pelts are more valuable than the meat.”
After speaking, she set down the rabbit pelt in her hands and picked up another rabbit.
She turned it over a few times, then began processing it by following Shen Mingqing’s example.
Shen Mingqing watched wide-eyed as she used both hands to forcefully tear off the entire rabbit pelt.
He had been thinking that since Zhao Nuan had served as a wet nurse in the Zhou Family for many years, she must have long grown accustomed to a life of comfort and privilege…