Chapter 287: Stay or Go
Editor: Atlas Studios
Bowen was the first to notice the snow. After he shouted, everyone saw the snowflakes floating outside. Then, the village chief’s family ran out noisily. Later, the entire village became noisy.
Some of the elders even stood at the door and looked up at the sky, disregarding the obstruction of their descendants. They reached out to touch a snowflake and said with tears streaming down their faces, “It’s snowing. The heavens aren’t out to get us.”
As the snow had just fallen, there were only some white marks on the ground. However, this did not affect the children from rushing into the snow. As they screamed, they raised their heads and opened their mouths to catch the snow.
The young and strong adults were careful not to let the elderly slip as they scolded the children to ask them to go back into the house.
Xiuhong also dragged Bowen out and laughed loudly a few times. Mu Yangling did not go out. She only looked at the snow falling outside the window, feeling both happy and worried.
She wondered if the road would be sealed because of the snow tomorrow, and also, when they would be able to return home.
She hoped the snow would stop soon, but she also hoped it would last longer.
Overjoyed, the village chief began to get people to reinforce the houses that were obviously problematic. He even informed the entire village, “Everyone, be more vigilant at night. I’ll get up from time to time to take a look. If the snow is too heavy, you have to get up and sweep the snow off the roof. The brick bed has to be heated up, too. You can’t fall asleep, do you hear me?”
The young and strong men gathered in the village responded.
“The women will prepare ginger soup at home. When the men return from sweeping the snow, the first thing they will do is drink ginger soup to ward off the cold. If they fall sick from the cold, no amount of money can cure it.”
The village chief gave a warning before going home. As he had said, the snow fell heavily. Around two in the morning, the village chief rang the bell at the head of the village and asked everyone to get up and sweep the snow.
Zhang Wu and Zhang Liu also got up to help sweep the snow off the roof.
The village chief’s family was overjoyed to have two more strong laborers. When it was time to drink the ginger soup, they gave the two brothers an extra bowl each.
Mu Yangling didn’t leave the room the entire night. Her hand was on her pouch the entire time. The next day, when she opened her eyes early and pushed open the door to take a look, she was almost blinded by the white light.
She blocked it for a moment and waited for her eyes to adjust before lowering her hand. The first thing she saw was whiteness. It was all white. The courtyard, the walls, the roof, the trees, and the distant mountain were all covered in white snow.
Mu Yangling’s feet made a creaking sound on the ground as she measured the depth of the snow with her fingers. In just one night, the snow on the ground was already as deep as a finger.
The village chief opened the door and saw Mu Yangling looking at the sky worriedly. Smiling, he asked, “Miss, why are you worried at such a young age?”
“Uncle Village Chief, do you think it will still snow tonight?”
The village chief also looked up at the sky. Although there were no clouds in the sky, there were several thick dark clouds on the horizon. He sensed the direction of the wind and said, “There’s an 80% chance that it will, unless the wind changes direction or those dark clouds get blown away.”
“Sigh, you’re worried about going home, right?”
Mu Yangling nodded.
The village chief was silent for a moment before suggesting, “I can’t tell if your horse is good or bad, but it looks young. It’s probably a little difficult to get it to bring you to Xingzhou Prefecture on such a snowy day. Why don’t you sell the horse for a mule? It is cheaper than a horse, and it’s also less squeamish aside from having a higher endurance than a horse. It’s more likely to travel well in such snow.”
Mu Yangling asked, “Is there a family in the village who sells mules?”
The village chief shook his head. “You need to go to Three Springs County to buy it. It’s not far from here to Three Springs County. If it doesn’t snow later, you can leave when the sun comes out.”
Mu Yangling nodded.
The village chief put his hands behind his back and sighed as he walked out. “These days are difficult. We worry whether it snows or not. We have to go and see if any houses in the village have been crushed. Considering the weather this year is so cold, I wonder how many old people will be left in the end.”
Mu Yangling watched as the village chief’s figure disappeared. When Zhang Wu, Zhang Liu, and the others woke up, she instructed them to pack their things and leave as soon as the sun rose.
The temperature today was higher than yesterday. Coupled with the fact that it had snowed, the air was a little moist, and the wind was much lighter. Other than the snow on the ground making it difficult for the carriage to travel, the situation was better than yesterday.
After breakfast, Mu Yangling and the others bade farewell. They planned to enter Three Springs County to buy a large mule. The size of the mule was larger than horses and donkeys. Moreover, horses could only be ridden after three years old. Of course, foals were just right for children to ride.
Blackie was one year old this year, which was just right for an 11 or 12-year-old like Mu Yangling. If she raised him like this for three years, the horse would be able to enter the battlefield when it grew up. By then, Mu Yangling would also have grown up.
However, mules were different. They were larger than horses, more tolerant of work, and more resistant to drought. They were also more capable of farming than donkeys and horses. At the age of two, they could pull a cart weighing about five hundred kilograms. At the age of two and a half, they were capable of military missions for adults.
The most important thing was that mules were cheaper than horses, although they could not reproduce.
In the carriage, Mu Yangling said, “I originally wanted to buy a cow. Forget it, I’ll buy a mule. It’ll make farmwork easier during spring plowing.”
Zhang Wu and Zhang Liu were a little nervous seeing as they were about to reach Three Springs County. They wondered if the lady would ask them to get out of the carriage.
Xiuhong glanced at the uneasy Zhang Wu and Zhang Liu and asked her cousin in a low voice, “Cousin, what about Brother Liuzi and his cousin?”
Zhang Wu and Zhang Liu instantly pricked up their ears. Bowen pursed his lips and smiled. Since his sister did not mention this topic last night, he knew she would keep the two of them behind. However, he glanced at the uneasy Zhang brothers and did not say anything.
Mu Yangling kicked the ball back to the brothers and asked, “What are your plans?”
Zhang Wu and Zhang Liu immediately knelt down in the carriage and said, “Miss, we’re willing to follow you as long as you give us a morsel of food to eat.”
Mu Yangling lowered her eyes and thought for a moment before saying, “Alright, then come with me. However, you have to listen to everything I say in the future. I don’t want you to sign an indenture contract. I’ll only hire you. I’ll make sure you’re well-fed. As for the monthly salary, I’ll decide after I go back and discuss it with my mother.”
The two of them immediately expressed that they did not need to receive a salary. They were already very grateful that Mu Yangling was willing to let them follow her.
Mu Yangling was embarrassed. Did she look so much like an exploiter?
Mu Yangling only retorted them with one sentence. “Are you planning to work for me for the rest of your lives? Are you not going to get married and have children?”
The two of them muttered, “Actually, there’s nothing wrong with not marrying.”
Given their previous situation, it was already good enough that they managed to stay alive. How could they dare to hope for a wife?
Mu Yangling ignored them. When they arrived in Three Springs County, she asked them to bid farewell to the villagers while she went to buy a tall, strong, and robust mule. Yes, the mule had just turned three this year and was in its prime.
With a price tag of 6 taels and 300 copper coins, it was a little cheaper than cows and a little more expensive than a donkey.
Mu Yangling attached a carriage to it, and Blackie followed beside it. When the group left the city gate, Zhang Wu and Zhang Liu were already waiting by the gate. When they saw Mu Yangling and the others, their hearts immediately relaxed.
Although they knew that Mu Yangling would keep her word and not leave them behind, they still lacked a sense of security. Before they got to see her, that fear would always linger. Now that they saw Mu Yangling and the others coming out of the city, the two of them realized that their hands and feet were a little weak.
Zhang Wu and Zhang Liu climbed into the carriage on all fours. Mu Yangling asked, “Have you bade farewell to the villagers?”
Zhang Wu nodded. “I just informed the village chief and kowtowed to the villagers before coming out.”