Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, it's nearly the annual festival.
A heavy snow fell, and Shen Yuan traveled daily between the mountains and Jinliu Village. Through hard work, he finally cleared the five acres of forestland in his family's mountain forest.
He also expended great effort to dig up the stumps buried in the mountain rocks, clearing a patch of land suitable for planting fruit trees.
He just waits for the spring, when he will drag up the composted manure and can begin planting fruit trees.
"After this heavy snow, the price of firewood will surely rise again."
"Tomorrow I must go to the mountain to chop some more and sell them in town."
At night, the cold wind howled outside, Shen Yuan embraced Hu Yufen, stroking her slightly bulging belly as he spoke.
Hu Yufen worriedly gripped her husband's hand and said, "The snowy roads are slippery, climbing the mountain is dangerous. Why not wait a bit?"
The heavy snow had fallen for two days, and the snow on the road was already very thick.
"In the past month, we've sold firewood for twenty taels of silver, enough for now."
Shen Yuan listened and smiled bitterly.
Selling firewood for twenty taels of silver seems like a lot, but it's actually because of exhausting the resources.
Previously, when cutting wood, it was just trimming the dead branches off the trees, along with some brambles and shrubs.
This time was different; he had cleared all the trees from the five acres of mountain forest.
The firewood produced by the remaining five acres of forest is just enough for daily cooking and heating.
When spring comes and the fruit trees are planted, there won't be any harvest the first year.
He must find a way to make more money to be enough.
He didn't continue discussing this matter. He tucked Hu Yufen's somewhat cold feet under his leg, gently kissed her on the side of her face, and said, "Sleep now."
In the middle of the night.
Drowsily waking up, Shen Yuan habitually glanced at the hexagram in his sea of consciousness.
[Hexagram refreshed!]
[Today's Hexagram · Great Evil]: In the deep winter, the Western Wilderness Barbarian Race is facing food shortages. A squad of a hundred barbarians crossed Hidden Dragon Mountain and infiltrated Great Yu's territory. You went to the mountain to chop wood and accidentally encountered the barbarian squad; discovering their plan to raid Yunshui Town, you are brutally killed to prevent the news from leaking!
Blood-red characters flashed in the sea of consciousness, and Shen Yuan instantly lost all sleepiness.
Western Wilderness Barbarian Race's invasion!?
And planning to raid Yunshui Town!
Jinliu Village is only twenty li away from Yunshui Town, and the barbarians are notoriously fierce and brutal.
Their target is Yunshui Town, Jinliu Village has a high likelihood of being affected.
Thinking of the scene of those barbaric invaders storming into Jinliu Village, Shen Yuan couldn't help but feel a chill running through him.
This won't do!
This matter must be urgently reported to the Mountain Patrol Captain Camp!
Once these barbarian warriors come in, by the time the Mountain Patrol Captain Camp dispatches troops to intercept, it might be too late!
With trepidation, Shen Yuan barely managed to wait until dawn.
When Hu Yufen was about to get up to make breakfast, she found he had already dressed in thick cotton clothes.
"Husband, up so early?"
Shen Yuan found a fur hat and put it on his head, saying, "I'm heading to the town, don't wait for me for breakfast."
After saying this, he opened the door and headed outside against the wind and snow.
Yunshui Town's Martial Arts Hall, Shen Yuan arrived just past the hour of mao.
"Younger Brother Shen, Shi Tou has two more days before his holiday, why have you come here so early?" Huang Qingzhou asked somewhat surprised.
Shen Yuan cupped his hand in greeting, "Brother, I've come because I have something important to find Elder Brother Yunxiao."
Huang Qingzhou's elder brother Huang Yunxiao is currently a Mountain Patrol Captain of the Mountain Patrol Captain Camp and a Peak of Postnatal Martial Artist.
"Looking for elder brother?" Huang Qingzhou's expression turned somber and asked, "Did you discover those barbarian creatures in the mountain!?"
Shen Yuan hesitated, then nodded slightly.
He hadn't actually seen the barbarian squad, but since the hexagram indicated he'd encounter them today while chopping wood and be killed, it meant the squad had already infiltrated near his family's mountain forest.
The system definitely wouldn't be wrong.
"Brother, did you see how many people there are!?" Huang Qingzhou asked eagerly.
Shen Yuan glanced at the hexagram in his sea of consciousness, noting it displayed "a squad of a hundred," and sorted his thoughts, saying, "Many, probably no less than a hundred!"
"A hundred!?" Huang Qingzhou, upon hearing this, jumped up and paced in the hall.
A moment later—
"Brother, follow me!"
The two headed into the wind and snow to the Martial Arts Hall's entrance, got on a carriage, and hurried toward the outskirts of town.
The Mountain Patrol Captain Camp is in a government office over ten li from Yunshui Town. During the snowed-in season, the soldiers reside there.
Including Huang Yunxiao, there are two Mountain Patrol Captains and 150 soldiers responsible for patrolling the 200 li surroundings of Yunshui Town.
When the carriage arrived at the government office gate, two armored soldiers with long knives at their waists were about to step forward to stop them, but upon seeing Huang Qingzhou alighting from the carriage, smiled and cupped their hands, "So it's Master Huang, here to see Captain?"
Huang Qingzhou nodded, "Is elder brother inside?"
The soldier cupped his hand, "The mountain is closed by snow, no patrol tasks, both Captains are inside."
"Let's go inside." With this, Huang Qingzhou led Shen Yuan inside.
Government office quarters.
Near the age of fifty, wearing dark red casual clothes covered by a black fox fur coat, Huang Yunxiao's face was somber as he looked at Shen Yuan, "Did you see it yourself, brother?"
Shen Yuan thought for a moment and came up with a reason, "Not seen directly, just found many footprints when going to the mountain for woodcutting and judged from them."
Relying on the mountain, Jinliu Village borders the Hidden Dragon Mountain's ridges, village farmers possess certain hunting skills.
Judging human and beast numbers from footprints is a basic skill.
Though Huang Yunxiao had doubts, he knew Shen Yuan wouldn't joke about such matters.
More importantly, the Mountain Patrol Captain Camp has no patrol tasks in snowy mountain conditions, making it an opportunity for the barbarians.
"Brother, Ah Yuan's message should be correct."
"A hundred-man barbarian squad, this isn't an ordinary scout squad, they'll likely target Yunshui Town and surrounding villages."
Huang Yunxiao nodded slightly.
"You two should head back, I'll immediately invite Captain Zhang for a discussion."
"If needed, bring the martial masters over from the Martial Arts Hall to help."
After Huang Qingzhou cupped his hand, he left with Shen Yuan.
Soon after they left, the Mountain Patrol Captain Camp's soldiers assembled at the sound of a hurried horn.
With two Captains of Peak Postnatal Martial Artist strength and 150 elite soldiers, they marched boldly toward the distant mountains.
Shen Yuan followed Huang Qingzhou back to the Martial Arts Hall; he didn't rush to leave.
By the hour of shen, a warrior from the Mountain Patrol Captain Camp, covered in blood, arrived at the Martial Arts Hall on horseback.
"Master Huang!"
"Captain requests you bring the Martial Arts Hall's masters to assist!"
Upon hearing this, Huang Qingzhou immediately shouted and called the dozen martial arts masters to grab weapons and follow the soldier.
The Great Yu laws stipulate that civilian martial artists or ordinary common people may not earn merits but can trade an enemy's head for fifty taels of patterned silver.
Therefore, the Martial Arts Hall's masters are willing to lend a helping hand.
Since the Mountain Patrol Captains already encountered the barbarian squad, it confirmed the accuracy of Shen Yuan's information. Thus, he didn't linger at the Martial Arts Hall and, with daylight still remaining, returned to Jinliu Village.