The soldiers from Qi Yuanshan's barracks had all returned, and the anxious hearts of everyone finally found peace.
It was only fitting to have a good meal.
Dinner was considerably more elaborate than usual, featuring a generous four dishes and one soup.
Seeing fish and meat on the table, Qi Yuanshan felt an indescribable sense of contentment.
“In the past winters, we never would have dreamed of such good days,” he mused.
As Qi Yuanshan finished speaking, he suddenly remembered the large saber that Qianhu Lei had forcibly bought from him. A pang of guilt struck him, and he took out the five hundred tael silver note from his embrace, pushing it towards Grandpa Meng.
Grandpa Meng accepted it, but upon seeing it was a five hundred tael silver note, he felt as if it were burning his hand and pushed it back to Qi Yuanshan.
“Uncle, this silver note is for Xin Ci.”
Grandpa Meng was somewhat bewildered. “Yuanshan, why are you giving Ci’er such a large sum of money for no reason?”
“Sigh, Uncle, don’t mention it. The more I think about it, the more infuriated I become.” Qi Yuanshan, with a dejected expression, recounted how Qianhu Lei had shamelessly extorted his beloved saber.
Grandpa Meng was also quite shocked. He found it hard to believe that a dignified Qianhu would stoop to such an act of taking what someone cherished.
Even though it was just a saber, it couldn't be denied that it was Yuanshan's treasure, loved deeply from the heart.
“Alas,” Grandpa Meng sighed, not knowing what to do with the five hundred tael silver note.
After dinner, as expected, Fu Xin Ci received the five hundred tael silver note.
It was Qi Yuanshan's insistence. Having failed to protect the saber, he felt he had already let the child down. This five hundred tael silver note had to be given to her, no matter what.
Fu Xin Ci thought: She might as well accept it. She hadn’t realized that such a saber could be so valuable.
She had no idea how many martial artists yearned for that saber.
This time, it was Qianhu Lei who slept soundly, embracing the saber, completely forgetting about his newly acquired concubine. His main wife was so delighted, she wished he could extort another saber, completely forgetting about any concubines.
…
That night, Meng Village and Wujia Village, under the jurisdiction of Eagle Beak Cliff Garrison, were more peaceful than ever before.
With the Tatars driven away, there would be several months of tranquility.
Everyone knew that in the freezing winter, the Tatars would not venture into Liaodong, fearing they would freeze to death on the way.
As night fell, Fu Xin Ci wandered around in her supernatural space again.
Alas, habit was a formidable thing. She had grown accustomed to exchanging notes with her friends every evening.
Tonight, to accommodate her friends, she reluctantly refrained from opening the notice board panel. kuAiδugg
The long night stretched on,
Without her friends, it was truly boring.
The night was endless,
Without her friends, the night was truly lonely.
“Squeak, squeak.” That creature was back, demanding food.
Fu Xin Ci, bored to the point of wilting, heard Xiao Bai's voice from her room. She asked, “Which creature?”
“Squeak, squeak.” Of course, the one that flies in the sky.
“Heh, sorry, I forgot about Xiao Hei today.” Fu Xin Ci said, taking a fried chicken leg out of her space.
She listened carefully, the surroundings were silent. She got out of bed, put on her shoes, and in the dark, picked up a thick coat and draped it over herself.
She went from the washroom to the east wing room, and then out the door of the east wing room.
“Chirp, chirp~”
“Squeak, squeak.”
Xiao Hei, perched on the wall, saw someone (a marten) coming to meet him. He immediately flew down, precisely caught the large chicken leg in Fu Xin Ci’s hand, and flew away again.
“Squeak, squeak.” Human, that creature gets delicious food, why don’t I?
“Didn’t we just eat dinner not too long ago? If you eat now, aren’t you afraid of indigestion?”
“Squeak…”
“Let’s go, back to sleep.”
Xiao Bai could only reply, “Alright.”
…
The villagers in both villages knew that the Tatars had been repelled. This morning, without exception, every household woke up late.
Indeed, sleeping in had its benefits; it saved food.
As the weather grew colder, everyone prepared for winter hibernation. In the harsh cold, with short days and long nights, there was little one could do but eat and sleep.
To conserve food, during this season, people ate only two meals a day. The poor might survive on just one meal of watery porridge, so sleeping more was preferable.
As Fu Xin Ci pulled back the curtain, she saw the sky outside was a hazy gray. She had a premonition that it was going to snow again.
Thinking of the Han family from yesterday, Fu Xin Ci quickly ate breakfast and then told her grandfather where she was going.
“Ci’er, are you going with Xiao He?”
“Yes. Last night, Qi He and I went to Wujia Village to find Shan Xiaocong. Judging by Shan Xiaocong’s tone, that family seems to be struggling.”
“Then take ten catties of cornmeal and ten catties of sorghum rice.”
“Alright.”
“Don’t forget to also send ten catties of cornmeal to the Shan family. After all, that boy from the Shan family initiated this matter.”
“Yes, Grandfather, I’ve noted it down.”
“The sky looks very gloomy. You two should take the donkey cart and hurry back.”
“Alright.” After finishing her conversation with her grandfather, Fu Xin Ci went out to find Qi He.
Fortunately, Yu’er had gone to play with Meng Yulin and the others.
Qi He hitched the donkey cart and took Fu Xin Ci to Wujia Village again.
Thanks to their earlier arrangement, Shan Xiaocong did not go out to play today and waited obediently at home.
However, throughout the morning, he had peeked out from the yard gate three times. “Why haven’t Xiao He and Xin Ci arrived yet?”
Aunt Zhang was good at comforting her grandson. “Xiaocong, look at the gray sky outside. It looks like it’s going to snow. Perhaps they’re not coming after all.”
“Grandma, it won’t happen. Since Xiao He and Xin Ci promised, they will definitely come.”
However, Aunt Zhang didn't think so. She felt there was no need to take a promise between two children so seriously.
But before she could voice her thoughts, she heard someone calling her grandson’s name from outside.
“Shan Xiaocong.”
“Hey!” Judging by the voice, it was Qi He. Shan Xiaocong jumped up excitedly and bounded out.
Aunt Zhang chuckled and scolded, “This mischievous monkey, he’s never still for a moment.”
Shan Yinyin secretly curled her lips beside her, thinking: Mischievous monkey, aren’t you still doting on him?
As Shan Xiaocong put on a thick coat and ran outside, he saw Qi He and Fu Xin Ci waiting by the courtyard gate with the donkey cart.
Qi He, seeing Shan Xiaocong emerge, didn’t say much. He lifted a sack of flour from the donkey cart and handed it to Shan Xiaocong.
“What is this?”
“This is ten catties of cornmeal. Grandpa Meng said it’s so you’re not helping for nothing by making the connection.”
“What do you mean for nothing? It was just a word. Elder Meng is even arranging for ten catties of cornmeal? That’s too much.”
“It’s not too much. Quickly take the cornmeal inside, and then we can go to the Han family next door.”
Shan Xiaocong hesitated for a moment, but then, thinking of the family’s not-so-full rice bin, he accepted it.