"Alright, we'll do as you say, nephew," Meng Qingping was very pleased with Qi Yuanshan's suggestion.
"Uncle Meng, I'll go back and find people now," Qi Yuanshan said, about to get on his horse.
"Nephew Qi, wait a moment."
Although it was embarrassing to ask to borrow things, it was better than having someone finish the work for you and your household having nothing.
If his family was truly destitute, it would be understandable. But with the ten thousand taels of silver notes from the Emperor, pretending to be poor would not do.
Understanding this, Meng Qingping gritted his teeth and spoke, "Nephew Qi, could you help us borrow some rice from the garrison today? We'll return it tomorrow when we buy our own."
"Certainly, I'll bring it over with me later," Qi Yuanshan replied, then rode back to find people.
Qi He watched his father ride away and came over to discuss with Fu Xinci, "Sister Fu, shall we go for a stroll over there?"
"A stroll" was the coded phrase that Qi He and Fu Xinci had developed. Whenever one of them suggested a stroll, it meant going out to find food.
Fu Xinci had been wanting to go for a while. After informing her grandfather, she picked up the family's only basket and was about to run off in a certain direction.
Just then, Yu'er shouted from behind, "Brother Qi, Sister, I want to go with you too!" Yu'er insisted on following when he saw the two going out to play. He understood their secret signal.
Fu Xinci hadn't wanted to bring the little one, but seeing Yu'er's pleading eyes, she relented without a word.
"Let's go, Brother Qi will pull you," Qi He knew his place. In some respects, he had to admit that Sister Fu was an absolute lucky charm and a master. With him taking care of Yu'er, Sister Fu could focus on... hehe, finding food.
When Qi Yuanshan returned with ten men, they heard the excited shouts of the three children from a distance.
He curiously asked Fu Yu, "Brother Fu, what are the three children doing? They're shouting 'wu ao' and making quite a racket."
"They're gathering straw mushrooms."
"Straw mushrooms?"
"Yes, we've been hearing them shout for a while. They're more excited than if they'd found a treasure."
"Is that so?"
"We'll be eating straw mushrooms soon. They're very delicious. If only we had soybean paste here, we could fry some straw mushroom paste, that would be truly tempting."
"Soybean paste? We have some at the garrison. Xiaolinzi, go ride my horse and bring a small jar."
"Yes."
"Oh, you shouldn't have."
"We'll taste the straw mushroom paste shortly to see if it's as delicious as Brother Fu says."
"It certainly will be."
"Good, let's start working. We'll try to finish by noon, otherwise, we'll be too embarrassed to taste their straw mushroom paste."
"Commander, rest assured, we guarantee to complete the task ahead of time."
"Good, I've noted that. Uncle Meng heard it too, we can't go back on our word."
"We won't."
"Let's get to work."
"Yes."
Meng Qingping liked this spirit.
As they began to set up shelters, Fu Xinci's basket was nearly full.
"Sister Fu, there's another patch here, what should we do?"
"Gather it all. We can dry it for winter."
"Mmm, how could I forget? My father said last night that the winters here are very cold, and there's little to eat. People go hungry."
"Brother Qi, don't worry. This winter, I'll make sure you don't go hungry."
"Thank you, Sister Fu. But Brother has a request: please don't let my father go hungry either."
"Alright," Fu Xinci felt another responsibility settle upon her shoulders.
"Thank you, Sister Fu."
"Thank you, thank you, we'll be dismantling things soon if we keep thanking each other."
"Ha~"
"Shh~" Fu Xinci merely made a shushing gesture, dropped the straw mushrooms she had gathered onto the ground, and darted off quickly.
Watching Sister Fu dart off so far, Qi He and Yu'er's mouths fell open, and then they both covered their mouths in unison.
As a pheasant's clucking was heard, Fu Xinci's bell-like laughter followed. "Brother Qi, a pheasant, and chicks too!"
"Haha, I'll help you," Qi He said, then glanced at the basket at his feet and the Yu'er beside him, looking a bit conflicted.
"Sister Fu, I..."
"It's alright. You pack all the straw mushrooms into the basket and take Yu'er back. I'll catch up soon."
Fu Xinci finished speaking, then used her wood-element ability to create a simple straw basket, loaded the chicks into it, and then ran back, carrying the pheasant whose legs she had tied.
Yu'er, seeing the pheasant his sister was carrying, whimpered, "Sister eat chicken."
"Yes, we're eating chicken today."
Hearing they were having chicken, Qi He was also delighted. He pulled Yu'er along and ran faster.
"Ouch." Yu'er's legs were short, and he was running too fast. He accidentally tripped over a grass root. Fortunately, the ground was covered in grass, and Yu'er wasn't hurt. He got up and wanted to continue running with Brother Qi.
Fu Xinci promptly realized her mistake. Yu'er was only three years old; it was impossible for him to run with them. She quickly stopped.
"Sister Fu?"
"Brother Qi, it will be very tiring for Yu'er to run with us."
"Mmm, it seems so." Qi He also realized his carelessness and felt a little embarrassed, scratching his head for making Yu'er and himself tired.
"We won't run this time. We'll just walk back."
However, both of them had sharp eyes. As they passed by patches of straw mushrooms, they couldn't bear to leave them behind. The basket was quickly filled.
Qi He was about to take off his outer garment, but Fu Xinci stopped him. They looked at a patch of white straw mushrooms not far away and really couldn't bring themselves to leave.
"Brother Qi, you all continue picking here. I'll take the pheasant and chicks back and then come to pick you up."
"Okay." Since learning that dried straw mushrooms could be stored for winter, Qi He didn't want to miss a single one he saw.
Fu Xinci was already contemplating whether to buy a few more baskets when she went to town with her grandfather tomorrow.
Qi He was still shouting from behind, "Sister Fu, bring your back basket. There are so many here."
Qi He was thinking that once Sister Fu's back basket was also full, they would go back together.
They emptied the straw mushrooms from the back basket and the regular basket onto the shed roof to dry, and then continued picking.
"Mmm, I understand."
When Fu Xinci returned carrying the pheasant and chicks, Qi Yuanshan and Meng Qingping were overjoyed.
One large pheasant and seven or eight chicks.
"This is a good omen, a truly auspicious beginning."
"Yes, a good omen."
After the two of them finished their remarks, Fang Shi, with a smile on her face, quickly asked her husband to go to the large willow tree by the river and break off some willow branches to make a cage to temporarily hold the chicks.
"Okay, I'll go right away." Fu Yu was also quite happy.