RWNEFE -Chapter 144 Brothers Settle Accounts Clearly

Early the next morning, Liu Yanhui came to report news.

“It’s done!”

Shen Lanxi nodded. “Continue with the shopping, and also prepare some things we’ll need for hunting.”

Hunting?

Liu Yanhui was puzzled but didn’t hesitate—he immediately went to carry out the task.

Soon, intermittent cries could be heard from outside.

The women from Liu-Zhao Village brought news.

“A small local leader went hunting in the mountains yesterday. He encountered a tiger, and while running, he tumbled down the mountain and died!”

Shen Lanxi said calmly, “At least there’s still a whole body left.”

“Yes. If the tiger had carried him off, maybe only some tattered rags would remain!”

Liu Yanhui’s remark was effectively a way of holding Zhang Liao accountable.

Today, only four carts went out to shop—two fewer than yesterday. Most of the supplies had been bought, and they were starting to conserve.

“Big sister!” Shen Yuanjing arrived with his siblings.

“Big sister, my mother made these clothes for you!”

“Big sister, my mother made this crispy meat!”

“Lanxi, my parents asked me to bring you these eggs!”

“Lanxi…”

Everyone had brought something in their hands. Shen Lanxi motioned for them to place the items aside.

“Today, Nanny Li will start making pastries. If there’s any dish you want, you can tell her, and she’ll make it for you!”

The children were overjoyed.

Shen Lanxi continued, “These are your rewards. But taking rewards from me comes with conditions!”

“First, you must practice martial arts. Second, you must complete the tasks I assign!”

Shen Yuanjing quickly replied, “Big sister, even without rewards, we’ll still listen to you!”

“Yes, we all listen to big sister!” the others chimed in.

Shen Lanxi smiled slightly. “Don’t get too happy yet. Today, big sister will give you a lesson!”

The Shen siblings were speechless.

“Brothers settle accounts clearly. Everything you take from me isn’t for free!” Her lips curled, eyes sharp and piercing.

Shen Yuanjing and the others didn’t fully understand, but after these days of being gradually tamed by Shen Lanxi, they believed following her was the right choice—everything she said made sense.

“First, go practice martial arts. You’ll understand later!”

Puzzled, they left.

…

“Young General, this is the last dose of medicine,” Zhang Niu said after checking Wei Dongzhu’s injuries.

Looking in the bronze mirror at his mostly healed face, Wei Dongzhu couldn’t contain his joy.

“Master Zhang, please trouble you to treat my brothers’ facial wounds!”

Zhang Niu waved it off with a smile. “As long as you recover, it’s fine. Why call it trouble? Don’t treat me as an outsider.” If it weren’t for the Wei Family Army taking him in back then, he wouldn’t have learned medicine. Zhang Niu treated every member of the Wei Family Army as family.

“Master Hu…” Shen Yuanjing and the others called from outside.

Zhang Niu glared toward the door and started swearing. “These little rascals, not a shred of awareness, all so irritating!”

The Shen siblings entered.

“Master Zhang, yesterday when we went shopping, we saw some wine for sale, so we bought you two jars—one Shaodaozi, one sorghum wine. Both are the best locally sold!”

Zhang Niu pursed his lips and stopped swearing.

After a moment, he said, “Next time you buy Shaodaozi, I prefer strong liquor!”

“All right!”

Wei Dongzhu looked at the young-looking Shen family members and thought of the siblings again.

“I told Xiao Fang: from today on, you’ll train with him. He’ll teach you properly!”

Shen Yuanjing and the others were wide-eyed in surprise. Before they could ask questions, they heard Xiao Fang’s voice from the courtyard: “Brother Hu, I bought some charcoal from the county. I’ve unloaded it in your yard!”

The siblings were shocked. Weren’t they supposed to be enemies before?

How did Master Hu get the bandit leader to obey so easily?

Zhang Niu started shooing them away. “Hurry off! Master Hu’s injuries are at a critical stage. Don’t expose him to wind. You lot come in and don’t even close the door. Once he’s well, I’ll deal with you!”

The Shen siblings didn’t want to be scolded any further and quickly scrambled away.

The exiles and the women of Liu-Zhao Village soon integrated into Hongliu Village.

Three days later, Zhang Liao took the exiles into the mountains to gather firewood and hunt.

The women gathered together—some patching shoes, some grinding beans, some watching the children.

“Who lives in that innermost stone house? I’ve never seen anyone come out!”

“There are quite a few men and women. At first, I thought they were couples, but they live separately!”

“The men seem unable to speak—I saw them writing instead.”

“Could they be fugitives from somewhere?”

Zhang Liao’s wife, Madam Wang, explained, “I heard from our Zhang that they seem to have fled famine from the north.”

“Ah, fleeing famine? I heard the refugees there revolted. No wonder they’re running this way.”

Seeing that the women’s attention had shifted entirely to the famine, Madam Wang slowly closed her mouth.

The next day, the weather turned suddenly. After a few days of sunshine, dark clouds rolled in again with strong winds.

Zhang Liao looked toward the ominous clouds and shouted, “Today we must bring back thirty bundles of wood from the mountains!”

The military households weren’t too worried—they were prepared. Their firewood stockpiles could last past the New Year.

The newcomers, however, had reason to worry.

“Work quickly and diligently. With this weather, we might not get back to the mountains for ten to fifteen days!”

“Even if we can go, it won’t be good for gathering firewood.”

“This cursed weather—one day without fire could freeze you to death!”

Most exiles had bought some charcoal. Those willing to spend had plenty; those frugal had less.

To survive winter comfortably, firewood was essential. Even those with enough charcoal wanted more firewood.

Plans were going smoothly until noon, when snow began to fall—not light snow, but heavy, fluffy flakes. Zhang Liao had no choice but to transport the chopped wood back.

Suddenly, a black-gray shape darted past. Shen Yuanjing froze and instinctively swung his stick.

“Whoa!”

He managed to scare those around him.

“Rabbit! This young master has some skill!”

…

“Master, today in the county, I happened to buy a wild boar and a deer from hunters. I’ve brought them all back,” Liu Yanhui reported from the cart to Shen Lanxi in the courtyard, holding the purchase list.

Shen Lanxi said, “Since arriving here, we’ve been busy settling in. Tonight, we’ll kill a wild boar—consider it a housewarming feast!”

“Yes! I’ll go tell Nanny Li!”

Shen Lanxi looked toward the capital, eyes dark and unreadable.

In the afternoon, Shen Yuanjing and the others finally had free time. They immediately carried rabbits over to Shen Lanxi.

From a distance came the strong scent of meat. Instinctively, they quickened their pace.

“Wow! Such a huge wild boar!”

It must weigh two or three hundred jin. Compared to this boar, the rabbits in their hands were just a snack.

“Mr. Liu, where did this wild boar come from?” Shen Yuanjing asked, curious as he approached Liu Yanhui in the courtyard.