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Shen Youfu had Sun Shi support Shen Zhang shi and, in a hidden moment, gave Shen Zi’an a stern look before leaving with a dismissive gesture. The third son had already taken the fourth and fifth grandsons and departed.
Feeling unsatisfied with the outcome of his visit, Shen Ziping couldn’t bear the thought of the silver slipping through his fingers.
“Folks, since you’ve been here witnessing all the commotion, you must have heard that my fourth brother plans to build a house! They sold the millennium ginseng gifted by the sacred beast to construct a large house and a courtyard, intending to invite the sacred beast to live with them! This is a joyous occasion! It’s a matter of pride for our Riverside Village! When the time comes, everyone will have the opportunity to see the sacred beast and bask in its glory! Let’s share in this joy together!”
Shen Ziping addressed the crowd loudly, expressing his skepticism about Su Zhi’s ability to invite the sacred beast. How could a wolf possibly listen to human commands? He even harbored doubts that Shen Zi’an and the others had truly seen the sacred beast; it might have been a scheme devised with Li Shi to rid Su Zhi of her jinxed reputation, all while attempting to elevate their own status. The announcement of inviting the sacred beast to live with them seemed like a ploy to avoid paying them and to intimidate both them and the village residents with the sacred beast’s reputation!
Growing increasingly suspicious, Shen Ziping felt a sense of duty. He intended to inform the villagers about this matter, foreseeing that if the sacred beast wasn’t brought out, the entire village might turn against them!
Amidst the crowd, a chaotic discussion erupted. The mention of the sacred beast stirred excitement in everyone, especially given the magnitude of the situation – the sacred beast coming to live among them in the village!
“Brother Shen Zi’an! Are you really planning to invite the sacred beast? Will it not bite people? What if it comes and attacks us? How will we handle that?” a man inquired, voicing the concerns shared by many. This question resonated with the crowd, sparking a series of inquiries. While the sacred beasts were protected by royal authority in Liang Dynasty and revered as divine beings, the fact remained that they were wolves. And wolves do bite!
Shen Zi’an glanced at his wife and said, “Folks, rest assured. As you all witnessed, my wife helped the sacred beast, and in return, it gifted her with a thousand-year ginseng. This shows that the sacred beast can discern between good and bad individuals. Additionally, the ancestors of the sacred beast once saved the founding emperor of Liang Dynasty. Our country has thrived for so many years, indicating that the sacred beast saved a righteous ruler. A spiritual being like the sacred beast cannot simply be called a wolf; it is indeed a sacred beast! I believe that if it comes here, it will not harm innocent people.”
The villagers found his words logical and reassuring.
Su Zhi nodded to the crowd and continued, “Folks, the sacred beast is a symbol of prosperity in Liang Dynasty. It has been a long time since the appearance of the sacred beast was seen in our country. The fact that it can be found in the Daqing Mountain and here in our Riverside Village is a positive sign. Consider this – even if I don’t invite the sacred beast to our home, if it were to eat our livestock or harm our villagers, what recourse would we have?”
“That’s right! It’s not a crime for the sacred beast to bite people. Even if it does, it’s inconsequential!”
“Exactly!”
Everyone agreed with Su Zhi’s words, and she continued, “The people of Riverside Village are fortunate. The sacred beast we encountered is spiritual; it understands gratitude. I believe it won’t harm innocent people. As winter approaches, inviting the sacred beast into our home will alleviate the villagers’ fears, ensuring they won’t worry about the sacred beast coming down the mountain in search of food out of hunger!”
At that moment, Li Shi and Li Zheng arrived together. Li Shi stepped forward and addressed the crowd, “Folks, the sacred beast has offspring here, but it has never come down to disturb people. There are no reports of anyone being harmed by the sacred beast in the mountains. The sacred beast is just that – sacred – and it won’t harm people indiscriminately.”
Li Zheng nodded in agreement upon hearing this, recognizing the sound reasoning behind the decision. He also considered the positive impact on the reputation of Riverside Village if the sacred beast resided there. With Li Zheng’s approval and the consensus of the others, they concluded that even if there were no sacred beast, the mountains harbored other wild animals. The fact that Shen Zi’an’s family could manage the sacred beast, a creature with spiritual intelligence, meant it wouldn’t harm people. Keeping a sacred beast should pose no fear; it was simply a creature that might bite if provoked. After all, even pet dogs can bite when provoked, yet that doesn’t deter people from keeping them.
Shen Ziping felt frustrated upon realizing that Shen Zi’an and Su Zhi’s few words had persuaded the villagers to not be concerned about inviting the sacred beast down from the mountain. However, he held his emotions in check. His main objective in speaking out was to observe how things unfolded once Shen Zi’an and the others failed to bring the sacred beast down. That way, the villagers would accuse them of deception, providing him and his parents with a pretext to create further trouble.
“When do you plan to start building your house, Zi’an? How big of a courtyard are you planning to build? Will you need to purchase land for this?” Li Zheng inquired, knowing that the land surrounding Shen Zi’an’s family home was unclaimed village land. If Shen Zi’an intended to buy land, he would have to purchase it from Li Zheng, potentially benefiting him and the entire village.
Shen Zi’an replied, “Li Zheng, the sooner, the better. My wife and I have discussed it, and we will come to you to discuss how much land we plan to buy. We appreciate your assistance.”
Li Zheng responded, “Not a problem. Just come to me when you’ve made a decision!”
Shen Zi’an bowed to the crowd and said, “Once the house is built, I’ll host a gathering for the villagers and invite everyone to have a drink.”
Li Shi added, “When the time comes, we’ll need your help, and we hope you’ll join us!”
Su Zhi chimed in, “Folks, we have quite a bit of work ahead of us this time, so we’ll definitely need your assistance. Rest assured, everyone will be fairly compensated for their labor.”
The villagers’ eyes lit up at the mention of payment for the work, and they all expressed their willingness to help. As the lively gathering came to an end, people began to disperse.
Li Shi mentioned, “I need to deliver something to my father and heard about the happenings here, so I decided to stop by with Li Zheng. Zi’an, it seems like you really can’t keep still with your money. It’s best to hurry up and finish building the house! Sister, are you really planning to invite the sacred beast down from the mountain? Can you actually do it?”
Li Shi expressed some concern. While he believed Su Zhi had truly encountered the sacred beast and had seen the young white wolf, he hadn’t personally seen the large white wolf. He wasn’t aware of the exact circumstances surrounding Su Zhi’s encounter with the sacred beast, unsure of its level of intelligence. He worried that Su Zhi might have just been lucky not to be bitten by the sacred beast and receive the ginseng. The idea of inviting the sacred beast down seemed like wishful thinking to him.
Seeing Li Shi genuinely worried for them and noticing Shen Zi’an’s concerned gaze, Su Zhi appreciated their genuine concern. She thought to herself that having a husband and friend like them in this lifetime was truly valuable.
“Zi’an, Brother Shi, trust me, I will bring back the sacred beast. Even if they don’t stay permanently, they can visit often. I didn’t mention this before, but I actually met the two young wolf cubs long ago. It was right after we moved here. Zi’an, do you remember the day you didn’t see me in the yard when you came back? I was playing with the two young wolf cubs outside. They were very fond of me, and at that time, I mistook them for little puppies.”
Shen Zi’an recalled the incident.
Su Zhi continued, “Another thing I didn’t mention is that I told you about the black-furred dog alongside the large white wolf, right? That dog seemed gentle and is actually the mate of the white wolf. If it’s willing to live in a human-occupied area, the white wolf won’t object. So, I am quite confident. Relax. I’ll figure out how to make them appear, and the villagers can come see them. Meeting the sacred beast isn’t as simple as one might think, but we can handle this.”
Shen Zi’an and Li Shi both felt a sense of relief, accepting that this was the best course of action. Even if things didn’t go as planned, they would figure out a solution when the time came.
Li Shi promised to assist in building the house, offered to help find workers, and then went home.
After this eventful day, Su Zhi and Shen Zi’an were feeling a bit tired. They took a break, discussing the size of the house, the courtyard, and finalizing plans for the construction – considering the amount of wood, stone, labor, and land needed.
“Now that winter is approaching, we need to make the most of our time and ensure the house is built before December. However, I believe we shouldn’t rush the construction; it’s better to hire more help if needed to speed up the process. I’ll sketch out some plans, and you can review them to calculate the required materials.”
Su Zhi, this time, also prepared ink and paper, considering her past stay at the nunnery, it wasn’t surprising that she could write.
Creating detailed blueprints takes time. Eager to share her vision for their new home, Su Zhi pulled Shen Zi’an into the yard and began gesturing where the house should be built, its size, and design. The more Shen Zi’an listened, the more he appreciated his wife’s ideas, growing more excited about their new home.
“Let’s start with this size for the house. After winter, we can work on expanding. First, let’s purchase the land and fence off the courtyard. How about buying that low-lying area in the front yard? We could dig a pond there next year, given its proximity to the river for easy water supply. We can plant lotus flowers, rear fish, and have flowers and trees around the pond. We could relax there in the summer. Also, let’s acquire the land to the east, including the bamboo grove. If we need more space for the house in the future, we can build there and connect it with a corridor to the existing house. We can lay green grass on both sides, plant yellow chrysanthemums, and it will look beautiful. There’s a large tree there, and I want to hang a swing from it.”
Su Zhi spoke passionately about her vision of a warm and inviting home, pouring out her imagination.
Shen Zi’an listened with a smile and asked her, “With so many houses, will there be enough people to occupy them? Won’t having many houses make it feel too quiet?”
Su Zhi replied confidently, “No, not at all. In the future, when our children grow up and start families…”
She trailed off, realizing what she had said, blushing as she looked at Shen Zi’an’s amused expression. Playfully patting his chest, she then turned and went back inside.
Shen Zi’an chuckled as he watched Su Zhi walk away. Although they were still standing in the small courtyard enclosed by cornstalks, facing a few dilapidated grass huts, he could already envision the home Su Zhi described – a home belonging to both him and her.