Chapter 26: Going to Town

“You have silver on you. If there’s anything you need in town, decide for yourselves whether to buy it or not. No need to ask me,” Wen Nuan Nuan instructed.

After all, what one person could think of was limited, and she didn’t know what the boys truly needed.

It was better for them to decide on their own.

“Thank you, sister-in-law!” The three little ones were practically bouncing with joy.

Leng Yun’s youthful face beamed with happiness as he said cheerfully, “Sister-in-law, hot water is already boiled in the pot.”

Wen Nuan Nuan nodded and headed toward the kitchen.

For breakfast, they had shrimp and corn dumplings, each with a full, large bowl.

Wen Nuan Nuan also heated up quite a few steamed buns with savory meat fillings, shaomai, steamed buns, boiled eggs, and braised beef, stuffing them all into the expanded space of the refrigerator. Whatever went in there came out exactly as it was, so they could have a warm meal at noon.

Convenient and practical.

There was a bamboo basket wrapped in cotton cloth on the flatbed cart. Later, they could just say the food came from there.

With Eldest Brother covering for them, the two younger ones wouldn’t find out.

~

The four of them ate until they were full and warm.

After carefully locking the kitchen, the main hall door, and the courtyard gate, the group ventured into the cool morning mist, quietly and cheerfully setting off for Tongcheng.

Looking at the dewdrop-covered grass by the roadside and the yellow and white wildflowers swaying in the mist, Wen Nuan Nuan felt as if she had rediscovered the excitement of going to town as a child—thrilled and exhilarated.

The air was so fresh, and the plants along the road were so lush.

There were even squirrels darting back and forth by the roadside!

Wen Nuan Nuan nearly stepped on one and let out a startled cry!

“Sister-in-law, don’t be afraid. Squirrels don’t bite,” Leng Yun reassured her eagerly.

Wen Nuan Nuan wasn’t afraid—she was excited!

Even though she had lived in the countryside with her grandparents as a child, that area was a plain, and she had only seen squirrels in textbooks or on TV.

And later, when she grew up and went hiking, she had never seen a squirrel up close like this.

She felt like a country bumpkin, finding everything new and fascinating.

“So many squirrels! They’re so cute.”

“Cute? These little things are terrible. When sowing seeds, you have to watch out for them the most—they often steal the seeds! Besides, they’re small and don’t have much meat. Catching them is too much trouble, so no one in the village bothers. There are tons of them in the mountains,” Leng Yun said, pursing his lips. He wanted to say squirrels were the worst, but remembering that Nuan Nuan had just praised them as cute, he worried that speaking bluntly might sound like he was contradicting her.

He quickly swallowed his words.

Wen Nuan Nuan glanced at the continuous mountains in the distance and grew curious, asking cheerfully, “Is there plenty of food in the mountains?”

“Tons! You live off the mountains if you’re near them, and off the water if you’re near it. Sister-in-law, don’t think the people in the mountain hollows have little farmland and less fine grains than the plains. Deep in the mountains, there are big ones like wild boars, wild horses, and deer, and small ones like hares, pheasants, and roe deer everywhere! Wild game, mushrooms, and fruits are all there in abundance! Even in famine years, you might not eat your fill, but you won’t starve. Right now is the season for hazel mushrooms—they grow all over the mountains, plentiful and good.” Speaking of the mountains, Leng Yun’s youthful face was full of pride.

If it weren’t for his second brother saying these days should focus on firewood, he’d have wanted to gather everything he saw.

“Wow, then I want to go into the mountains with you tomorrow! I want to pick mushrooms too!” Hearing Leng Yun’s description, Wen Nuan Nuan couldn’t wait to return and head into the mountains.

Hazel mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, fruits—wait for her! Tomorrow, she’d go up the mountain to pick them!

Watching mushroom-picking videos used to be so relaxing—seeing large clusters and one after another, never imagining she could experience such days in her lifetime.

How wonderful.

“Little Brother! Don’t talk nonsense.” Leng Chen lowered his voice to scold.

Leng Yun was somewhat puzzled, pouting as he retorted with grievance, “I’m stating facts, not talking nonsense!”

Everything he mentioned existed on the mountain—how was that nonsense?

Leng Chen shot a warning glance at his little brother, then turned to explain to Wen Nuan Nuan, “Sister-in-law, there are indeed many treasures in the mountains, but there are also many dangers.”

“Aren’t jackals, wolves, and tigers deep in the mountains? Even wild boars, wild horses, and deer rarely come out. We only gather firewood at the very foot of the outermost mountains, not even halfway up. What’s there to fear? If Sister-in-law wants to pick mushrooms, we can protect her.” Leng Yun argued back defiantly.

It was rare for Sister-in-law to show interest in where they lived—of course they should make a good impression so she would come to like this home. How could they forbid this and that?

Leng Yun couldn’t understand and didn’t agree. They couldn’t keep Sister-in-law confined to the small courtyard forever.

“Tigers?” Wen Nuan Nuan shifted the topic to ask.

“The white tigers in the deep mountains are rumored to be the kings of the entire mountain range. Ginseng diggers have seen one from afar easily killing a bear, and the white tiger even turned to glance at him with apparent intelligence, frightening him so much he never dared enter the mountains again. But who knows if it’s true or not.”

“Sister-in-law, if you really want to go see, it’s fine. There are plenty of mushrooms and fruits at the mountain’s base. If you want to venture into the mountains, we’ll have to wait for Eldest Brother to return. With him leading you, there’s nothing to fear.” Leng Tian, seeing their lively discussion, chimed in.

Wen Nuan Nuan was a bit curious. “Is your Eldest Brother that capable?”

Perhaps brothers always saw their elder brother as omnipotent.

“Absolutely! Eldest Brother is incredibly skilled. He learned to identify medicinal herbs when he was very young, and as he grew older, he followed ginseng diggers into the mountains. The three brick-and-tile houses we live in were built with the money from a particularly old mountain ginseng he found!

Not just our village, but even people from surrounding villages were extremely envious.

Later, Eldest Brother learned to hunt. Besides using the silver from sales for Mother’s medical treatment and medicine, we could occasionally eat meat.

The tuition for Eldest Brother’s Academy was also earned entirely by himself. When we grew older, he taught us how to identify medicinal herbs and the tricks to finding them.

But since we’re not skilled in combat, Eldest Brother forbids us from entering the deep mountains. We can only search at the foot or halfway up, earning much less than he does.”

Speaking of Leng Xiao, Leng Yun grew even more excited, pouring out everything in one go.

Wen Nuan Nuan thought in a daze: So the three brick-and-tile houses she lived in were earned by Leng Xiao.

So he not only knew medicinal herbs, ventured into deep mountains to dig ginseng, but also knew how to hunt.

Truly favored by heaven, capable in everything.

Only his early fate was unfortunate: father dead, mother ill, family fortunes declined, three younger brothers still small, lacking clothing and food—this family and these people relied entirely on him to pull through.

Painstakingly saving enough tuition, he entered Tianhong Academy on his own merits, yet was bullied by fellow students due to his poverty.

Yes, the official’s son she mentioned to the usury loan enforcers—the one who shared a student bond with Leng Xiao and borrowed silver notes.

They were indeed fellow students, but this classmate would never lend Leng Xiao money. Instead, he took advantage of his family background to lead the way in harassing and ostracizing Leng Xiao.

After Leng Xiao gained immense power, he naturally harbored no thoughts of repaying ill treatment with kindness, instead thoroughly eliminating all those who had bullied and humiliated him.

A classic tale of a male protagonist’s triumphant revenge.

She only knew that in a few years, Leng Xiao would rise to the highest echelons of power, commanding the wind and rain, his path smooth as if blessed by fate.

Power, treasures, beauties…

Countless in number.

Yet she never knew that the powerful minister’s youth had been so destitute and tragic.