"Tell me more," Gu Qingcheng urged.
She didn't believe Dai Fa had returned empty-handed from the city, but his worried expression cast a pall over everyone.
Gu Qingcheng had already experienced the refusal of refugee acceptance by the officialdom in Jinsha City, so the authorities in Wangchun City not wanting refugees was no surprise. They feared disruption to the city's normal life order. "Better to be a dog in peacetime than a human in troubled times." Refugees, naturally, were looked down upon by locals.
However, while Gu Qingcheng could tolerate it, Da Ya and Luo Juan couldn't. They had come south with high hopes, having barely survived the perilous journey. Despite the warm southern weather, they found people's hearts to be cold.
"If they don't let us in, are we just supposed to live here forever?" Da Ya asked, her mind a jumble. She and Luo Juan were young women who didn't want to live outdoors indefinitely. They had no money and no possessions, relying on supplies from aid stations to get this far. If Wangchun City barred their entry, they had no way to earn a living. Were they to live in makeshift shelters forever? The inconvenience of living in such shelters, whether for eating, bathing, or using the latrine, was immense, especially for young women like them. They had envisioned a better life in the south, knowing they'd have to start from scratch, but they never imagined this: being turned away, unable to even attempt to improve their situation. It was also deeply humiliating. Everyone was a law-abiding citizen in their own home, and even ordinary people possessed dignity. Now, they felt like stray dogs.
Gu Qingcheng, however, remained calm, having encountered a similar situation in Jinsha City. No orderly city would allow a large influx of refugees without disrupting its normal life and production.
"Alas," Dai Fa lamented, "they refused us entry, and offered no proper resettlement plans. I suspect the officials are just afraid of the cost."
"It's alright. We didn't originally intend to live in the city anyway. We wanted to reclaim wasteland and become landowners!" Gu Qingcheng said lightly, trying to boost morale.
"Easy to say, but we have no money, and we don't know where to find wasteland to cultivate. How can we do it? Honestly, I don't fear hard work, but I need land to farm!" Luo Juan said anxiously.
"I did inquire about reclaiming wasteland. The official documents permit it, but they provided no clear guidelines," Dai Fa reported, indicating his trip wasn't entirely fruitless as he had managed to speak with some officials.
Gu Qingcheng checked the map's altitude readings. The current elevation was 400 meters, which she considered insufficiently safe. Most people lived in coastal areas below 200 meters, but a catastrophic rise in sea levels would bring disaster. When the surrounding sea level rose by 50 meters, much of the North China Plain and the middle and lower Yangtze River plains would be submerged. A rise of 500 meters would inundate most of southern Fujian. Their current location was in the mountainous region of Fujian, at 400 meters. For greater safety, they needed to ascend to over 500 meters.
Gu Qingcheng changed tack. "Uncle Dai, don't rush. It's good to get a feel for things on the first day. Tomorrow, we can ask the minor officials for information about suitable mountain areas for us to reclaim and cultivate. Don't worry about the expenses for bribes; I have the money."
Dai Fa's expression eased considerably upon hearing this. Money was the key to courage. Regardless of where one went, money was essential. He had tried to exchange his silver notes at the Zhaocai Bank in the city, but the bank there claimed to have lost contact with their northern counterparts and hadn't integrated their systems, so they couldn't process the exchange yet. This made him anxious, fearing they might refuse to honor the notes. In such situations, Dai Fa regretted not keeping more silver at home, blaming his pursuit of interest from the bank. A lesson learned, he resolved to keep more actual silver at home in the future, avoiding such dependencies. It was absurd to be inconvenienced by one's own money, to be questioned and bothered when trying to withdraw it. His own money, yet he had no control over it – a true oddity.
"Alright, leave this to me. It's too late and inconvenient now. I'll go into the city tomorrow and get all the information clearly. Our family of four has registered our household, but yours two haven't." Dai Fa clarified the situation.
Gu Qingcheng hadn't given Dai Fa her household registration documents to register because she didn't want him to know her origins. Maintaining an air of mystery was crucial. Moreover, registration was only a temporary necessity. When the next disaster struck and the Great Zhou dynasty fell, all such registrations would become worthless paper. As that day wasn't far off, Gu Qingcheng couldn't be bothered with these formalities.
"Dad, let's eat the noodles before they get soggy," Da Ya said, bringing the noodles to Dai Fa. The noodles were indeed a bit soggy but still quite delicious, earning praise even from Dai Fa, a merchant who had tasted many delicacies.
Zheng Wuniang, accompanied by her two daughters, was in good spirits and asked Dai Fa for cloth and needlework. When Dai Fa inquired why, Zheng Wuniang said she wanted to make shoes for the girls. Dai Fa was delighted. Seeing his wife in such a mood, he patted his chest and said, "My dear, don't rush. Whatever you want to buy, I'll get it for you in the city tomorrow. We're in Wangchun City now; it has everything." Zheng Wuniang nodded, her mind appearing perfectly sound.
While Dai Fa was in the city, more refugees arrived and settled down. They maintained a distance from each other as they erected their shelters. Many saw the practical triangular shelters Gu Qingcheng's group had built and began to emulate them, as they were the simplest and easiest to construct. By the time Dai Fa returned, at least a hundred triangular shelters dotted the surrounding open land. Perhaps it was the new environment in the south, or the uncertainty of the path ahead, but the tension that had gripped them for so long finally eased, and the camp had a relatively peaceful atmosphere. As night fell and the wind picked up, making it cold outdoors, everyone retreated into their shelters early. They had built four shelters in total: Gu Qingcheng and Mi Guo had one each, Da Ya and Luo Juan shared one, and Dai Fa and his wife had another. Gu Qingcheng first went to Mi Guo's shelter, took out thick bedding from her spatial storage, laid it down, and then gave him a light yet warm down comforter. Finally, she placed a rubber hot water bottle filled with hot water into the bedding, ensuring he wouldn't be cold. After Mi Guo lay down, Gu Qingcheng left the shelter and closed the simple wooden door.