Chapter 41: Mid-Autumn Festival

Chapter 41: The Mid-Autumn Festival

Fortunately, in a remote place like Changxi County, endless mountains rise steeply, unlike the vast plains of the Central Plains. Here, ordinary folk find it hard even to gather firewood, let alone venture into the mountains for hunting or foraging.

With Feng Shaoping's mediation and County Magistrate Feng's genuine willingness to heed advice—especially after the incident at Wangjiazhuang served as a stark warning—the magistrate had no desire to see unrest among his people.

Thus, on the tenth day of the eighth month, Changxi County organized a contingent of over a thousand people to enter the mountains for hunting, gathering, and fishing. However, such a large number of people not only scared away predators but also smaller game, making the first two days of hunting rather unfruitful. Yet, on the first day, someone discovered a chestnut grove. Despite the risk of being pricked by the spiky husks, people eagerly climbed the trees to gather chestnuts, and the bountiful harvest left many feeling immensely satisfied.

Unfortunately, due to the sheer number of participants, what had seemed like an endless chestnut grove was mostly picked clean after just one day.

The people of Zhaojia Village, not wishing to be an exception, also sent fifty individuals to join the hunting and gathering expedition, just like other villages.

On the third day, five people returned to Zhaojia Village laden with large baskets of chestnuts and a few wild rabbits, while another five were dispatched to rejoin the main group in the mountains.

Zhao An also received over ten pounds of fresh chestnuts. That evening, he shelled them and prepared a chicken stew with chestnuts—a dish so soft, glutinous, and sweet that everyone in the household adored it. He then purchased another twenty pounds from villagers and sent them to his kiln workshop so his workers could also enjoy a version of the dish, albeit with more chestnuts and less chicken.

The four captured children, though working at the village kiln, ate their meals with Zhao An’s kiln workers. At noon that day, they each received a bowl of chestnuts. Though there was no chicken, they eagerly mixed the sauce with rice, savoring every bite. In truth, they rarely had proper meals at home. After just seven or eight days in Zhaojia Village, their gaunt, hungry-looking faces had already filled out a bit, making them appear healthier.

But during their post-lunch break, their spirits dampened again. "We're eating well here, but who knows how things are at home?"

"Didn't they say the county magistrate organized people to go hunting in the mountains? Perhaps no one will starve this year," they mused, ultimately finding solace only in such self-consolation.

There wasn't much time for reflection anyway. Aside from the brief lunch break, they toiled from morning till night, digging clay and making adobe bricks. By the time they returned to their sleeping shed in the evening, they collapsed into bed, utterly exhausted.

Zhao An also pondered that relying solely on wild game, foraged goods, pheasants, rabbits, and miscellaneous fish might barely see them through the spring, but what about next year’s seeds?

It wasn't that Zhao An wished to meddle; rather, he hadn't dared to enter the city lately. Besides the four children who had sneaked into the village to steal, many more children were being sold by their parents like livestock, with straw tags affixed to them.

The customary place for selling people was in the first alley after entering the city. Every time Zhao An passed by, it sent shivers down his spine. Recently, the showers and drainage pipes produced by his kiln had started generating income. With some extra money, he hired people from nearby villages who had good reputations but were struggling due to various hardships, hoping to prevent a few families from selling their children. However, his kiln could only employ a limited number of people, so he had stopped going to the city lately, entrusting business matters to Qintong.

Even so, Zhao An often lay awake at night, feeling there must be something more he could do to help. Finally, he sat up in bed. Why hadn't he thought of starting infrastructure projects? During the early days of the Great Disaster, the base had organized all ordinary people to repair city walls and renovate houses, providing them with daily rations to survive the hardest times.

Unfortunately, he had been too young back then to join the wall repairs. Instead, he continued his compulsory education while working in the base’s fields in the afternoons.

His sudden movement naturally woke Hu Sheng, who sat up and pulled him into an embrace. "What's on your mind now?"

Zhao An answered honestly, "I was thinking we could offer food to pay people without grain reserves to repair roads. The main road in the county is full of potholes and needs proper fixing. We could also widen the road to the prefecture city. Perhaps more trading caravans will come to Changxi County next year, and local shops could earn more."

Hu Sheng wiped the sweat from Zhao An’s forehead, grumbling, "Look how worked up you've gotten." Then, as he helped dry the sweat, he added, "Aren't these matters for the officials and gentry? Why is a country person like you worrying so much?"

In response, Zhao An turned and playfully bit Hu Sheng’s shoulder. "If you don't care, why did you take in so many rebel troops? Was it just to form trading caravans and send them to Tibet and South Vietnam to sell goods?"

"Exactly," Hu Sheng said, kissing his cheek. "I have to provide for my family, don't I?"

"Ah—" Zhao An sighed and lay back down. "I guess I'm no better. If things go wrong in the Dawn Kingdom someday, promise you won't abandon me and run off alone."

Call him a saint or accuse him of feigning kindness—he could kill without flinching, but he couldn't bear to see families torn apart or people starving to death before his eyes.

Besides, he possessed good seeds and methods to help these people. To bury his head in the sand like a turtle would be to betray his own conscience.

Feeling Zhao An’s restlessness fade, Hu Sheng held him tightly despite the heat, patting his back gently. "Sleep. No matter what happens, I'll take you with me."

Hu Sheng also knew Zhao An’s worries weren't unfounded. Friends from his childhood in the capital had sent word that the imperial court had dispatched people to investigate Zhao Nanyu’s disappearance.

He believed that, unfamiliar with the area and short on time, the investigators were unlikely to uncover how he had led thousands of men detouring through Jiaozhou before circling back to the Great Green Mountains. With multiple factions in the capital growing restless, these investigators probably wouldn't stay in the southwest for long.

But if the worst happened, the only option would be to take Zhao An and flee.

Despite the weight of these concerns, Hu Sheng remained calm. Since the age of twelve, he had been dancing on the edge of a blade, honing an almost instinctual skill for survival. The current situation wasn't enough to make him lose his composure.

As Hu Sheng had predicted, because Li Xiuye had sent over thirty people to the southwest to investigate Zhao Nanyu’s death and the disappearance of most rebel soldiers, his personal security was significantly reduced. In just a few days, he survived three assassination attempts.

The most dangerous occurred during the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet on the fifteenth day of the eighth month. A palace maid playing Chang’e descended gracefully during a dance but suddenly fired two crossbow bolts hidden in her sleeves at Li Xiuye. Though he dodged quickly, one bolt pinned the hem of his robe. The arrowhead was coated with a lethal poison that had a faint blue glow.

Though unharmed, Li Xiuye was humiliated after tumbling from the throne to evade the arrows. While ordering a thorough investigation, he had no choice but to secretly recall his shadow guards to ensure his safety. The investigation would have to take a back seat and be handled through official channels by lower-ranking officials.

On the same Mid-Autumn Festival day, most people in Changxi County were quite happy. Many households had foraged enough food in the mountains to avoid going hungry until the New Year.

Moreover, the magistrate was benevolent enough to provide grain for hiring laborers to repair the county’s main roads and the route to the prefecture city. Though no wages were paid, able-bodied workers now had a place to earn meals. It was also heard that Zhaojia Village’s kiln was buying wood and charcoal, so the elderly and women could gather wood in the mountains to sell.

What they didn't know was that both the grain provided by the government and the money used by Zhaojia Village to buy firewood largely came from Zhao An’s pocket. To persuade County Magistrate Feng to approve the road repairs, Zhao An had even promised him a ten percent share of future profits from selling drainage pipes in the prefecture city.

Doing good in this era wasn't easy—a misstep could make one seem scheming or attempting to buy loyalty. So, to expand his business, open up markets, and reduce transportation costs, hiring people for road repairs became a justifiable excuse.

As a result, the over one thousand taels of silver recently earned from the kiln all went right into these projects.

Biting into a flaky pastry mooncake he had made himself, Zhao An gazed at the bright moon overhead with mixed emotions. After a sip of newly brewed wine, he finally complained to Hu Sheng, "What did I pour all that money into this for?"

Hu Sheng looked at the beauty under the full moon and said, "For your peace of mind. You've been sleeping soundly these past few nights." He gently tucked a strand of Zhao An’s hair behind his ear. "But with such a lovely atmosphere tonight, you won't leave me to sleep alone, will you?"

"Haven't we always slept together?" Zhao An feigned ignorance, shooting Hu Sheng a glance before taking another sip of wine. "Perhaps I'm just not meant to hold onto wealth. If I grow old without savings, don't you dare look down on me for being poor."

Hu Sheng promptly pulled him close for a kiss. "I won't look down on you. My men have returned with over ten thousand pounds of sugar blocks. Once they turn them into granulated sugar and sell them, all the money will be for you to spend."

"You're so generous, but I've nothing to repay you with—" If Zhao An’s voice hadn't trailed off so suggestively, the mood might have remained serious.

Hu Sheng, taking the hint, picked him up and carried him indoors. "Then pay me back with yourself."