Chapter 7: Going to the Capital…

Fang Dahai had the intention to share his plan of going to the capital with his younger siblings, but before he could speak, there was a commotion outside the village, and even some faint shouting and arguing could be heard.

What was going on?

Fang Dahai didn’t have time to explain and hurried to the entrance of his yard, peering over the wall to see what was happening. He was afraid another disaster might be brewing, and they might need to escape.

However, this time, it wasn’t anything bad. Someone had gotten something from the Fu family, and when they came out, someone saw them. Once the person was exposed, the remaining villagers naturally discovered the Fu family’s hidden stash and started flocking over there.

Fang Dahai saw this scene and couldn’t help but smile. With someone leading the way in front and so many people coming and going after, who would ever figure out that he was the first to get the best of it? Who would think that this little kid managed to get the biggest benefit? Ah, this cover-up was really clever.

Right, he still had to complete the final step.

“Dajiang, come with me. Let’s take another walk around the Fu family’s place.”

“Huh? The Fu family? Didn’t we just go there?”

“Hehe, no one saw us earlier, but now that everyone is going, how can we not? Wouldn’t that make it seem like we have something to hide? Hurry up, maybe we can get something else. When I went earlier, I was alone, so I could only take so much.”

Upon hearing that they could bring back more, Fang Dajiang, who was usually indifferent, was now eager. In this day and age, even a cotton jacket was considered valuable. Who would want to miss out on getting more?

“Alright, big brother, let’s go quickly, or others will take all the good stuff!”

Fang Dajiang was now even more eager than his older brother!

When the two brothers reached the Fu family’s front gate, they were met with an incredibly chaotic scene—almost the entire village was there, some even pulling and fighting with each other. It was a mess, far worse than a vegetable market.

Although Fang Dahai had brought some martial arts skills with him from his previous life, he hadn’t been in this world long enough, and his physical condition was still weak. They were also both not in the mood to fight with the villagers. So, Fang Dahai decided to pull Fang Dajiang along and walk around the back of the house, avoiding everyone.

“Big brother, isn’t the best stuff in the main house? Shouldn’t we go there?”

“Go where? The valuable stuff is all gone. What’s left is either heavy furniture or things we can’t carry. What’s the use of taking that? It’s better to look for something useful, something practical.”

“Useful? What’s useful?” Of course, it was the cart! With their family of four, including women and children, they couldn’t possibly walk all the way to the capital. How would they carry all their belongings? If they had a cart, even if they didn’t have animals to pull it, they could take turns pushing the cart to the city. And once they were there, they could sell the cart to make some money, providing them with a little extra cash.

A seasoned strategist like Fang Dahai had already worked it out in his mind. He listed the steps in his head, and his pace quickened as he walked.

Perhaps the villagers had been dazzled by the valuable items in the main house, because when they got to the back yard, the livestock shed area was completely deserted. This allowed them to easily find a two-wheeled pushcart.

“Big brother, what happened to the big cart used for hauling grain during the busy season?”

“The looting soldiers must have taken it. After all, they grabbed so many things and needed a way to transport them. It’s fine. This cart is just right for us. It might be a little big, but we’ll make it work.”

Fang Dajiang’s face softened after hearing this. He wasn’t someone who was just greedy. When he thought about their situation, he realized that the pushcart would be much more practical and nodded in agreement.

“Big brother is right. We’re still young and don’t have the strength. This cart will be easier to handle. But, big brother, should we only take this?”

“We’re already here. If we only take this, it’s a bit too little. You push the cart home first. I’ll go to the study to see if the books are still there. If they haven’t been touched, we’ll take those too. They can be sold for some money in the city.”

Anything that could be sold was valuable, and Fang Dajiang was pleased. He happily pushed the cart toward the back gate.

Seeing his younger brother so clever, knowing how to avoid people and use the back gate, Fang Dahai couldn’t help but smile. He turned around and headed toward the front where the crowd was thick, ready to block people off and give Fang Dajiang more time, all while boosting his own presence.

By the time Fang Dahai got back to the front, most of the villagers had already taken their share of the loot and were busy moving their things out. For example, Uncle Laogen, who had helped bury Old Fang earlier in the morning, was now carrying two armchairs and a basket. The excitement of finding a bargain made this man, who was in his thirties and already had wrinkles on his face, show a rare smile as he cheerfully greeted Fang Dahai.

“Haizi, you’re here too? Hurry up and grab something. The furniture at the Fu family’s house is solid. If you take it, it’ll last you ten or twenty years. You’ll be able to use it when you get married.”

Haha, Uncle Laogen was really thinking ahead for their family.

But when Fang Dahai looked inside, he was disappointed. The hall was empty except for the walls. Was he supposed to take a big bed from one of the bedrooms? He didn’t have the strength for that.

“I got it, Uncle Laogen. I’ll go take a look inside.”

As Fang Dahai spoke, he glanced around at the remaining villagers. Some nodded when they saw him; some didn’t even look at him; others were still looking around the side rooms for more stuff… Among all the different reactions, no one seemed to care that Fang Dahai had arrived, nor did anyone suspect that something was missing.

This made Fang Dahai’s heart even more settled!

Very well, no one noticed that someone had already taken things earlier. Now, he wouldn’t hold back.

In the study, the desk, chairs, and everything on the desk were already gone, and the narrow bed for resting had also disappeared. However, the bookshelf was still standing there, with no signs of being disturbed.

Fang Dahai wasn’t surprised by this situation. Why hadn’t any of the villagers taken the bookshelf? Because it didn’t have doors, and it wasn’t useful for storing things. Moreover, it was too narrow to even fit in the kitchen. For the common folk, it was quite impractical. Centuries of reverence for books and knowledge had instilled a deep respect for literature, so these villagers subconsciously avoided these items.

Since others didn’t take it, Fang Dahai would. Thinking about the space he had, 10 cubic meters—last time, he was in a rush and shoved things in without much organization. Now, with this shelf… if he used some storage skills, he could still fit a few more things, right?

Looking around, there were almost no people left outside, so he immediately shoved a box from his space under the bookshelf, found a cloth to lay on the ground, and began piling the books up. He filled the shelf with items from his space, and with a wave of his hand, he pulled the entire bookshelf into his space. Not only had everything fit, but he even managed to clear up more space inside.

Hmm, it looks like he really needs to think carefully about how to better utilize the upper part of his 10 cubic meters of space.

But that’s for later. Fang Dahai quickly tied the cloth with the books into a bundle, picked it up—surprisingly heavy—but he could still carry it on his back. With that, his trip to the Fu family’s house was pretty much over.

As he was heading out, a villager emerged from the side room. Upon seeing the large bundle Fang Dahai was carrying, the villager looked puzzled and glanced toward the main house before asking:

“Is there anything left in the main house? Dahai, what did you get? Such a big bundle?”

“It’s just some books no one wanted. I figured I could take them to the city and exchange them for some food, so I took them.”

This answer clearly caught the villager off guard.

“You don’t say, that might actually work. You’re quick on the uptake, kid.”

“It’s not that I’m quick, I just came late and had to take whatever was left.”

Hearing this, the villager immediately thought about the situation at Fang’s family and sympathetically said:

“You’ve had a tough time, haven’t you? You’re so young, yet you have to take care of everything. If you ever need anything, just let me know. We’re all from the same village. If I can help, I won’t just stand by.”

Fang Dahai wasn’t sure whether the villager was being sincere, but he appreciated the sentiment. After thinking for a moment, he slightly hinted:

“Thanks, Brother Erhu. But the village is in bad shape, and everyone’s struggling. I don’t want to add to the burden. Worst case, I’ll go visit relatives like the others.”

“Visit relatives?”

Brother Erhu’s curiosity was piqued.

“Isn’t your family from a refugee background? Have you found any relatives? I never heard your father mention it.”

“I just got word recently, not sure if it’s true, but I’m hoping it is. If it’s not, well, I have to try something, don’t I? My skills aren’t even perfected yet, and no one will hire me. I’ve got to find a way to survive.”

Brother Erhu sighed inwardly, nodding in agreement:

“If you can find an adult, even if they’re poor, it’s better than nothing. At least you’d have someone to rely on. Your thinking’s not wrong.”

Fang Dahai could see that his hint had already been picked up, so he wasn’t in the mood to waste any more time. He was ready to say a few more words and leave.

“Brother Erhu, why haven’t you left yet? It looks empty. Didn’t you already find what was buried?”

“No, I’m planning to dismantle the windows.”

Ah? After clearing everything out, you still want to tear down the house? Isn’t that a bit much?

“That damn fleeing soldier, who knows what’s wrong with him, but he set fire to the place. Now the roof’s gone, and the windows and doors are destroyed. It’s getting cold soon. If I don’t find something to patch up, when it rains, my whole family will get sick.”

Ah, if that’s the case, Fang Dahai could understand the behavior. But if this was the situation, the Fu family’s house… He looked at the roof, and it seemed like even the tiles wouldn’t hold up.

“That won’t work. My house is made of mud bricks with thin beams. It can’t bear the weight of tiles.”

Huh, was he really thinking aloud? This wasn’t something he had done before. He realized he was too careless and needed to pay more attention in the future.

“No worries, the straw’s plentiful. I can make a roof in a day. You continue with your work. I’ll head out now.”

Fang Dahai quickly quickened his pace, feeling a bit embarrassed.

…

The books, though they didn’t seem much, were quite heavy. And since he had never been full before, by the time he got home, Fang Dahai was so tired he was gasping for air, seeing double. Seeing that Fang Dajiang was already home, and the cart was in the yard, he tossed the bundle onto the cart and collapsed onto the ground in the yard.

Seeing this, Fang Dajiang, who had been talking about how lively things had been at the Fu family’s house, immediately rushed out.

“Big brother, what’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing, just tired. Yulan, hurry up and make something to eat. And, make a lot of rice. If I don’t get something to eat, I’m afraid I won’t be able to hold up.”

Upon hearing this, He Yulan’s face turned pale, and she hurriedly pulled Xiangcao into the kitchen. Fang Dajiang, being perceptive, immediately turned and fetched a ladle of water.

“Big brother, drink some water to calm down.”

Gulping down the water in one go, Fang Dahai finally caught his breath. Seeing that his big brother was feeling better, Fang Dajiang took the opportunity to ask about the package.

“Big brother, what’s inside?”

“Books. All books.”

“Books? What use are these? We can’t even read!”

This was a problem, because Fang Dahai could read. It would be difficult for him to pretend he couldn’t. Fortunately, he didn’t have to reveal that now, and the reason he gave was perfectly valid. He gave his younger brother a calm glance, then shot him a glare full of disappointment and said in a low voice:

“We can’t read, but can’t we still sell them? Although no one around here wants them, if we take them to the bookstore in the city, they’ll be worth much more than ordinary pots and pans.”

Huh? They can be sold? And they’re worth quite a bit?

Fang Dajiang’s eyes lit up instantly.

“How much are they worth?”

“I don’t know, but I noticed that a lot of them are thread-bound books. I’ve heard that such books can sell for a lot of money—several times more than regular ones.”

When he took the books off the shelf, he indeed saw several thread-bound ones, but whether they were ancient texts, Fang Dahai didn’t know and didn’t care. He didn’t even think that a family like theirs would have valuable ancient books. Why did he say this then? Because what he wanted was the reputation. As long as he could say they sold ancient books for a lot of money, it would justify him being able to buy a house when they arrived in the capital.

As expected, Fang Dajiang bit, and when he heard that they could sell for a lot of money, he became so happy he almost looked silly.

“So, we’ll have enough money for food?”

“Right, but we can only do that in the city. We won’t get a good price around here.”

“I understand. There are more rich people in the city, and they’re more willing to pay higher prices. So, big brother, when are we going to the city?”

Ah, so now you’re eager to leave? Well, that saved him some effort in convincing him.

“We’ll leave early tomorrow before dawn. So, today you need to eat well and sleep well, or we won’t have the energy to push the cart tomorrow.”

When it came to pushing the cart, Fang Dajiang’s smile faltered a little. He looked back at their house and thought about what his big brother had said about the journey. It seemed like he understood something.

“Big brother, are we, are we not coming back after this?”

“Right, we’re going to find some relatives.”

Fang Dahai lowered his head, searching through his memory for information. He spoke to He Yulan, who had come out of the kitchen and was about to wash pickled vegetables:

“Earlier, father received some news. There’s a chef in the capital named He Maozhu, who is very skilled at making Lu cuisine.”

“He Maozhu?”

He Yulan almost dropped the pickled vegetables, her eyes wide open as she repeated in disbelief:

“A Lu cuisine chef? His last name is He?”

“Yes, his last name is the same as your father’s—He Tiezhu—just one character different. I heard that he came from a rural background and was sent to the capital by his father to learn from a famous master. When father heard about it, he thought it sounded like your second uncle, but didn’t have a chance to confirm it before…”

The news came so suddenly that He Yulan was stunned, standing there in a daze, murmuring:

“I… I found second uncle…”

Tears suddenly streamed down He Yulan’s face, flowing like two mighty rivers.

Even though the Fang family treated her well, without her maternal family and without relatives, the feeling of being a guest in someone else’s home had made her live in fear for years, always feeling insecure and fearing abandonment. So, this news, even though she hadn’t met the person yet, was enough to shock and delight her.

Actually, Fang Dahai was also surprised. Especially when he found out from his memory that the He family had been famous for several generations as village chefs in the surrounding areas. When the Fang family fled, He Yulan’s father-in-law had even explained that he had a younger brother who was sent to a famous restaurant in the capital to apprentice in the kitchen. And he recalled He Tiezhu’s big eyes…

This was eerily similar to a novel he had seen in his past life! If not for the different names, he would have thought he had entered a TV drama. But no, it didn’t matter. What mattered was that he had found a new path for the He family.

Thinking about the timeline, if they didn’t go to the capital, were they just going to wait for the tide of the Liberation War to sweep through this rural area? While this would be a great opportunity for him personally, allowing him to join the army and gain the status of a veteran, it wouldn’t be a good idea for the others. He had three children to take care of, and if he rushed into the revolution, what would happen to them? One misstep, and he could lose several lives. This didn’t align with the promise he had made to Father Fang.

So, even though there were many unclear parts in the news, like not knowing the exact address, just the name of the restaurant, and whether it was even still open, at least he now had a reason to go to the capital. As for the rest… they would figure it out when they got there! He didn’t believe that someone like him, with his talents, wouldn’t be able to survive in a city with such a long-established heritage.

“Stop crying, quickly cook the meal. We’ll have one meal now, then another in the middle of the night. After that, make the rest of the rice into rice balls, and we’ll take them with us to eat on the road tomorrow morning. As for the journey to the capital, we’ll leave early. We should be able to reach the city by noon.”

“Alright, I’ll go now.”

At this moment, He Yulan was full of energy, even walking with a sense of purpose, as if the wind itself was behind her.