Chapter 13: Chapter 13: Entering the City to Gather News

Early the next morning, as the sky just began to lighten, the Qi Family was already up, except for the children who were still sleeping like little pigs.

Qi Dafu pushed a single-wheeled cart, with a few baskets on top, containing only a few empty cloth bags.

Qi Zheng didn’t carry his tobacco pipe this time but saw the family off at the gate, who were heading to the city.

Mrs. Qi sat on the cart as soon as she left the house, with two taels of silver tucked in her bosom.

His family had many children, especially boys.

As the saying goes, “half-grown sons eat their fathers into poverty,” their family had a large labor force, but they consumed even more. These two taels of silver were hard saved by Mrs. Qi.

“Eldest, second, third, fourth, you all protect your mother.”

Qi Zheng instructed.

The four sons nodded in unison, promising to do so.

Mrs. Qi felt warm inside, but still wore a disdainful look: “Alright, alright, it’s not the first time going to the city, nothing to worry about, hurry back home!”

Qi Zheng was used to being scorned by his old wife, didn’t get angry, just watched them go until they were out of sight, then sighed and turned back to the courtyard.

Other families were also going to the town to sell grain today, but none as early as they were.

So on the road, there was only the old lady of the Qi Family and her four sons.

The family didn’t talk much along the way.

After walking for nearly two hours, they finally saw the city walls.

Their village was remote, and usually, villagers rarely came to the city.

Therefore, there wasn’t much news reaching the village.

By now the sky was fully bright, but as they entered the city, they found it unusually tense, a far cry from the usual bustling atmosphere.

Even Mrs. Qi couldn’t sit still anymore, got off the cart, and called to Qi Ercai: “Second son, go ask what’s happened. Eldest, third, fourth, let’s go to the grain store.”

Qi Ercai responded and ran off in a flash.

He was the most resourceful in the family; he was often tasked with purchasing what the family needed.

He was quick-witted, could bargain, and sometimes bought things cheaper than if Mrs. Qi went herself.

When they reached the grain store, they found all the shutters closed, leaving only a gap big enough for one person to enter.

The store’s attendant was guarding the entrance, while many anxious-looking people stood on the vacant ground in front.

This was completely different from the usual scenes of autumn grain sales.

“Fourth brother, sneak over and find out what’s going on.”

Mrs. Qi didn’t let all her sons rush in.

Firstly, there were too many people, it was better not to crowd in, and secondly, she was afraid something might happen with so many people together.

Qi Quanjin, though not as eloquent as Qi Ercai, was still more agile compared to his other two brothers.

Qi Quanjin was also feeling tense, but nodded and moved to the edge of the crowd.

Before long, Qi Quanjin returned, looking as if he had seen a ghost.

“What’s the matter?”

Mrs. Qi pulled Qi Quanjin to her, whispering urgently, “What on earth has happened?”

“The grain store is only buying grain, not selling it, and they’re saying they’ll only buy today.”

Qi Quanjin didn’t mince words, “I heard others say that chaos has erupted in the south, and it seems it won’t be long before it reaches us.”

“What?”

Mrs. Qi’s voice instinctively rose several decibels, then dropping it again upon realizing the gravity, “Is this true?”

“That’s what everyone’s saying.”

Qi Quanjin’s mind was also in turmoil, but he tried to console his mother, “Mom, let’s wait for second brother somewhere. I think he’ll have more complete information.”

“Alright, alright, eldest, let’s wait on the opposite side.”

Mrs. Qi was now in a state of panic, feeling devoid of any sense of direction.

War in the south, and soon to be upon them here, what a disaster!

But if it really came to fighting, what would these ordinary folks do?

Mrs. Qi was momentarily at a loss for ideas.

Qi Ercai was quick, and Mrs. Qi and others hadn’t waited long in a shady corner before he came running.

Sweating profusely, his face was no better than Qi Quanjin’s earlier.

“Second brother, here!”

Qi Quanjin gestured.

Qi Ercai saw them and rushed over, wiping his face, urgently asking, “Mom, did you bring the silver?”

“Forget about the silver for now, quickly tell us what’s going on? Has the south really erupted?”

Mrs. Qi was so anxious she wanted to smack her second son.

Qi Ercai nodded, “It has erupted, I heard the rebels are burning, killing, and looting along the way, even the county magistrate fled days ago.”

“Oh dear mom, what are we going to do?”

Mrs. Qi was completely flustered, her complexion turning pale at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Qi Quanjin hurriedly patted his mother’s back to calm her, “Mom, don’t worry just yet. Didn’t second brother just ask whether you brought the silver? Let’s see what we can urgently buy, and then head back home to discuss with Dad and others what to do next.”

“Ah, yes, yes, buy something first, then go home.”

Mrs. Qi was out of ideas, and on hearing her son, she quickly pulled a handkerchief from her bosom, stuffing it into Qi Ercai’s hand: “Second, these are two taels of silver, see what you can still buy with it.”

Qi Ercai didn’t stand on ceremony, stuffed the silver into his own bosom, said to Qi Quanjin, “Fourth brother, protect mom and get out of the city first, we’ll meet in the small forest two miles outside the city. Eldest brother, third brother, you two push the cart and come with me.”

The group split into two, one supporting the old lady out, the other heading deeper into the town.

Mrs. Qi’s legs were so weak she could barely walk, and fearing she might fall, Qi Quanjin opted to carry her on his back.

Qi Ercai, with his eldest and third brothers, headed straight to the grocery store.

He already knew from the news that all the city’s grain stores were closed, and the few that were open only bought grain, not sold it.

So going to the grain store was a waste of time.

At the grocery store were also many people buying things.

The Qi Brothers were tall and burly; Qi Ercai left Qi Sangui to guard the cart outside and pulled Qi Dafu by the arm inside.

Squeezed to the counter, he directly asked, “How much for salt?”

“One tael of silver per jin.”

The shopkeeper replied offhand.

“What?”

Both Qi Dafu and Qi Ercai were dumbfounded.

Salt was always expensive, but never this absurdly so.

One tael of silver per jin, it was daylight robbery!

But Qi Ercai quickly regained his composure, pulled out a tael of silver, and handed it to the shopkeeper, “Give me a jin!”

The shopkeeper was swift, handed over an oil-paper package after taking the silver.

Qi Ercai handed the oil-paper package to Qi Dafu, then asked, “Do you have oil paper?”

“Yes, twenty wen per foot.”

“Give me ten feet!”

Qi Ercai then asked, “And sugar, how much for sugar?”

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