Chapter 362 Answering Questions

Yan Yu had yet again snuck some jerky from home.

Granny Rong had steamed it until it was soft and easy to tear apart.

She planned to add a few pieces to the porridge pot outside, and specially told the aunties to tear it into tiny shreds and simmer it until the meat melted into the porridge…

Only after it had soaked out every bit of meat flavor and squeezed dry every trace of nutrition would she feel it had been put to full use.

Porridge really is a wonderful thing.

On this unsettled night, a bowl of hot, fragrant meat porridge could slowly ease people from body to soul.

The salty bits of meat and the soft, almost dissolving grains of rice blended into one, soothing those still shaken and afraid.

Little by little, it chased away the chill of the cold night.

The remaining few pieces were especially set aside by Yan Yu for Fourth Uncle Qi. Uncle Qi and Qi Wu surely would not get jealous over this, since Fourth Uncle Qi was the one who was injured.

Qi Si did not see it that way. Even though his whole body was wrapped up like a rice dumpling, he felt he was fine.

When he had gone head to head with the Northern Rong, he knew he had been slashed a few times, but it had only hurt in those first moments. After that, it was like he could not feel much at all. What stuck with him most was how hungry he was, stomach empty and hollow. Ever since he could remember, he had never been this hungry!

Because he was hungry, all the strength had gone out of his body.

But now he kept eating and eating, his stomach warm and comfortable, and he felt his strength returning.

“Fourth Uncle Qi, there are still some here. Keep them by your side and eat when you’re idle.” Yan Yu patted his head. Good, not hot at all.

Fourth Uncle Qi’s body really was sturdy.

“Xiao Er, the jerky from your house is really tasty.” Qi Si felt strange being patted on the head by Xiao Er, but he quickly pushed that feeling aside.

He could not help biting off a strip of meat and slowly chewing.

Xiao Er cared about him, coming to see him over and over and bringing food each time. Now she had brought jerky again, and warmth spread through Fourth Uncle Qi’s heart.

“Fourth Uncle Qi, you can’t just shrug this off. Don’t use your good health as an excuse to ignore Physician Cui. Whatever my uncle asks you to drink, you drink. And these days you have to eat your fill, no more going hungry. The blood you lost would fill a big basin if you collected it. You have to make it up slowly by eating more. Don’t worry, we killed plenty of Northern Rong, we can exchange that for a lot of reward silver, so eat with an easy mind.”

Yan Yu lowered her voice, careful not to let others hear: “My family has simmered an old hen into broth. I’ll bring some over for you later, Fourth Uncle Qi. You drink it yourself, and don’t tell anyone.”

A flush rose on Qi Si’s face. “Xiao Er, you don’t have to. I, I…”

Country folk raised chickens for the eggs.

Unless an honored guest came, who would bear to kill one?

He knew exactly what that hen broth was. When his sister-in-law had been pregnant, his mother had stewed some especially for her. It was meant for expectant mothers. How could he possibly compete with Second Sister-in-law for it?

And Yan Yu being who she was, saw through what he was thinking at a glance.

In a small voice she said, “We can’t finish all those old hens. The Northern Rong did quite a bit of damage in our back yard, to the chickens and sheep… Not eating them would be the real waste. Listen to me. Eat and drink well and build your strength back up. Once you’re recovered, the two of us will secretly cross the mountain to the Northern Rong side. I heard they have lots of cattle and sheep there. We’ll go bring back a couple. Fourth Uncle Qi, we’re counting on you. I can’t carry them.”

Qi Si immediately nodded vigorously. “Don’t worry, you’ve got Fourth Uncle Qi. I can carry them.”

“Don’t tell anyone, okay? This is our secret.” Yan Yu earnestly reminded him.

“I won’t.” Qi Si looked just as solemn.

Yan Yu left beaming.

She was not hiding it from others so much as from Grandma Qi. Grandma Qi’s rules were too strict. Yan Yu had only come over a few times, and the old lady was already displeased. Yan Yu had sharp eyes; she had seen Grandma Qi secretly glaring at Fourth Uncle Qi.

Grandma Qi had also told Auntie Qi to make some meat, but it was far from enough. Physician Cui said there were several deep knife wounds on Fourth Uncle Qi’s body that had not been treated in time, and he had lost too much blood. He needed proper nourishment and better food, or he would hurt his health.

The so-called eating well in the Qi Family just meant letting Fourth Uncle Qi eat his fill, with an occasional bit of meat. That would never do. She had seen with her own eyes how weak he had been. At the entrance of the Arrow Tower, the soil they dug up there could be wrung for blood. If it had not been for the spirit snake jerky in time to replenish him, she did not dare imagine what state Fourth Uncle Qi would be in now.

“Mom, you’re awake!”

Yan Yu stood far away, not daring to come closer.

Heaven knew how close to breaking down she had been when she realized what she smelled like.

In that state, she had still ridden on the same horse as her eldest uncle, snuggled in his arms and even unconsciously rubbed against his clothes. It was really… mortifying!

A pregnant woman’s sense of smell should not be overstimulated, so it was better for her to keep her distance.

“Has the Prefectural City’s reinforcements arrived?” Li Xuemei asked.

She had just dozed off for a bit and did not know how much time had passed. She was also afraid she would sleep through any commotion, so as soon as she woke up she checked with her daughter.

Her child’s father was still at Crouching Tiger. Even though her elder brother had gone over, as long as they had not returned, her heart could not settle.

“Mom, you only napped for a bit. The Prefectural City must have received the message by now. There are probably a lot of people, so getting ready takes time.” Yan Yu was worried too, but she could not show it. She had to act relaxed.

“Mom, don’t worry. I’ve had Maomao lock onto Dad’s and Big Brother’s positions. They’re fine.” Yan Yu fed her mother a dose of reassurance.

Sure enough, after hearing that, Li Xuemei felt much more at ease.

“I hope your dad, your uncle, and Heng’er can all return safely.”

Yan Yu said, “Mom, a few scattered Northern Rong have gone into the mountains. I’m planning to chase them down. The news about our village’s Arrow Tower should reach the Northern Rong as late as possible if we can help it.”

Li Xuemei understood what she meant.

“Everything at home is fine. If you’re going alone, then take both Sanbao and Maomao with you.”

Yan Yu nodded. Tracking and killing to silence them was still easier done by herself.

With no outsiders around, Sanbao and the others would not have to be so restrained.

…

When the Prefectural City’s army reached Dashi Bridge, the scouts saw Da Tie and the others waiting there.

One unit stayed behind while the main force continued rushing toward Crouching Tiger.

The young officer leading the group first examined the scorch marks left by the fire on Dashi Bridge, then pointed there and asked, “May I ask, young man, when the Northern Rong burned the bridge, who put out the fire?”

Da Tie answered honestly, “The reinforcements from Gufeng City.”

The young officer asked again, “This bridge links Yongning, Gufeng, and Crouching Tiger. The Northern Rong set it ablaze in order to cut this route, so they would surely have left men here to oversee it. The Gufeng city garrison came from the opposite bank, yet there are no signs of a fierce battle here between the two sides. Why is that?”

Da Tie instinctively looked over at Xiao Er beside him.

Yan Yu had come here to wait for San Tie.

She needed to take back the donkey, then they would go into the mountains together.

She had been watching this young officer for quite a while and felt he did not seem like a typical soldier. The impression he gave her was more that of a scholar, gentle and polite.

But the arm exposed outside his armor looked quite solid, clearly well trained. So he was a young officer who had studied.

“They didn’t cross the river here. This spot was guarded by the Northern Rong, my uncle and the others couldn’t get through. So they went farther up that way. Our village has rafts. They tied the rafts together, and that is how the men crossed.”

Seeing a child answer so clearly, and with no one around stopping or contradicting her, the young officer smiled.

He bent down to continue asking her, “Who is your uncle?”

(End of chapter)