Zhou Yunda and his wife, along with their eldest daughter-in-law Liu Guihua, grew increasingly alarmed as they listened, struggling to believe it could be true. When Li Wanting finished, Zhou Yunda urgently asked, “Mountain Lady, is everything you said really true?”
“Yes,” Li Wanting nodded firmly.
Zhou Yunda frowned. “What are we going to do? These past two years have been plagued by famine. There’s barely been any harvest, and it looks like this year will be the same. The wheat in the fields hasn’t even headed before it withered from the drought. The streams ran dry last year, the heavens refuse to send rain, and now the well barely yields half a bucket each time. Soon, it won’t yield anything at all. Food and water are becoming a problem. The government wages war constantly, and there’s no grain relief for the people. They don’t care about our lives. They’ve been at war for three years, and it only grows worse.”
“Exactly,” Mrs. Zhou said with worry. “Many families in the village have reduced to one meal a day. It’s almost like they’d have to sell their children to survive. No water, no food, and now the war is coming… how are we supposed to live?”
Liu Guihua put down her sewing, listening with a worried expression.
Zhou Yunda tapped his pipe on the ground a couple of times and said to the three, “Tomorrow, I’ll go to the county to check with your elder brothers Dafeng and Dalin to see what’s really happening. If it’s as you say and the war reaches us, us common folk will have no choice but to flee. What a disaster this is!”
“Grandpa, Grandma, we’re back!”
At that moment, the children’s cheerful voices rang out in the courtyard, lively and full of energy.
“My grandchildren are back!” Mrs. Zhou clapped her thighs and quickly went outside.
Hearing the commotion, Zhou Yunda and Li Wanting, along with the children, all stood up.
“Oh, my dears, you’re all back? Where are your parents?” Mrs. Zhou had barely stepped out when the three children ran inside.
“Grandpa, Grandma, Auntie.”
The children politely greeted them as they entered.
“They’re unloading the carts outside. We bought a lot of things,” said the eldest grandson, Zhou Zixuan.
“Father, Mother, we’re back.”
“Father, Mother, we’re back.”
Just then, the eldest son Zhou Dafeng and the second son Zhou Dalin, along with Dalin’s wife Zhang Jiaojiao, returned carrying their own full load of goods.
“Oh, little sister and the children are here too?” Zhou Dafeng greeted, noticing Li Wanting and the children.
“Yes, we’re back, Dafeng, Dalin, Jiaojiao,” Li Wanting replied with a smile, nodding politely to the couple.
Zhou Yunda had two sons and two daughters; both daughters were married. Eldest son Dafeng worked as an accountant for a wealthy family in the county, while younger son Dalin taught at the Northern Sichuan Academy and married Zhang Jiaojiao, the daughter of the local headmaster. Their three grandsons also studied at the academy, while the granddaughter and Dalin’s wife lived at the academy to help care for the husband and nephews.
“Why are you all back so soon?” Zhou Yunda asked, puzzled.
“Father, we first unloaded everything from the cart and then came to speak with you,” Dafeng said, heading outside with Dalin to move the goods.
The children gathered together, chattering excitedly. Zhou Yunda, still worried, asked his eldest grandson, Zhou Zixuan, to take the kids out to play.
Dafeng and Dalin made several trips, moving rice, flour, oil, and other necessities, along with water skins, oilcloth, tents, fruits, vegetables, pastries—everything the household could need. The family watched in disbelief.
“Finally done! I’m exhausted,” Dafeng said, plopping down on a stool.
Dalin was similarly winded, panting heavily.
“Here, husband, younger brother, have some water,” Liu Guihua hurriedly brought them each a bowl.
After a few sips, the two brothers finally caught their breath.
Dafeng set down his bowl and said to Zhou Yunda, who was smoking his pipe, “Father, something big is happening. The war in the north is about to reach us. My master and his household have already gone to stay with relatives, and the academy has been closed. We’ve learned that many wealthy families are fleeing. The county is in panic, everyone preparing to escape. Dalin and I are ready, which is why we’ve returned.”
“Is leaving really necessary?” Zhou Yunda asked solemnly.
“It’s unavoidable. Otherwise, it’s certain death. The sooner we leave, the safer. No one knows when the war will reach us,” Dafeng said, nodding firmly.
“Have you decided where to go?” Zhou Yunda asked.
“The headmaster said the southern Shuntian Prefecture is under the Ming Prince, who is wise and kind to the people. It’s a good place. We decided to go there. He even gave me a map, so we can follow it,” Dalin explained.
“If there’s no other way, then go to Shuntian Prefecture,” Zhou Yunda said, slapping his thigh in decision.
“Later, I’ll notify the village. Mountain Lady, you should go home and prepare too. We’ll leave together, so we can look after each other,” Zhou Yunda added.
“All right, Uncle, I’ll go home and get ready,” Li Wanting replied, leaving after the family’s arrangements were settled. She called her two children from the courtyard and headed home.
By the time they arrived, night was approaching. Li Wanting pulled ingredients from her space and the three of them quickly made dinner: fish-flavored eggplant, cold wood-ear mushroom with cucumber, millet and pumpkin porridge, and large white steamed buns.
Meanwhile, at the old house, Zhou Dahai returned from town carrying bedding and bundles. Entering, he called to Mrs. Zhou Zhang, “Mother, is there any food? I’m starving!”
“There is! Dahai, you rascal! Didn’t your uncle say you were hungry? Hurry up and cook!” Mrs. Zhou Zhang scolded sharply, seeing Zhou Wushi standing idly by.
“I-I’ll go now,” Zhou Wushi said, displeased but unwilling to defy her mother-in-law, and hurried toward the kitchen.
“Crack two more eggs,” Mrs. Zhou Zhang called out loudly as Dahai headed to the kitchen.
“Got it, Mother,” Zhou Wushi replied, pouting as she cracked the eggs. Her husband worked tirelessly every day without getting eggs; now her younger brother-in-law came home, and she had to follow orders. If not for the silver in the old lady’s hands, she wouldn’t be serving at all.
“Third son, why are you back now? It’s not even your rest period,” Old Zhou Gen asked, puffing his pipe in puzzlement.
“Oh, right, father. What happened?” Mrs. Zhou Zhang, caught up in happiness, hadn’t realized until the old man mentioned it.
“The war in the north is coming. My classmates have gone to stay with relatives, and the academy is closed. Mother, how much grain do we have at home? If it’s not enough, we need to buy more—we have to escape,” Zhou Dahai summarized.