Xu Yue directed her older brother to cut down a relatively small paper mulberry tree, then had her strong brother carry it back to the edge of the pond while she and her older sister followed behind.
The three siblings descended from the hillside. The paper mulberry tree’s massive canopy spread out through the mountain forest, creating quite a commotion and startling countless birds into flight.
As Xu Yue reminded her brother to watch his step, she scanned the surrounding thickets to see if she could spot any more taro.
However, the villagers of Dawang Village had already swept through the area yesterday. She didn't see any taro, but she did see plenty of soil pits and scattered leaves left behind from their digging.
In truth, taro stems are edible, but the texture is somewhat "anti-human." Without the proper conditions to cook them, Xu Yue didn't recommend eating them.
Plus, with the mountains full of game, there was no need to worry about food for the time being, and taro stems were difficult to preserve, so she didn't bring it up.
The three siblings carried the tree back to the pond, drawing the attention of Tong-shi and the others.
Wang-daniang held her thin, small younger brother, standing not far away. She watched the three siblings with wide, curious eyes as they processed the paper mulberry tree and peeled off the bark. Her small mouth was slightly agape, as if she hadn't expected that tree bark could be peeled off and used in such a way.
Xu Yue tore the peeled bark into small, long strips and handed a handful to Xu Da, who was busy making straw sandals.
"Father, take a look and see if this will work."
The best material for making straw sandals is rice straw; when twisted into thin ropes and woven into shoes, they are the most common footwear for the common people.
Didn't Uncle Liu (Liu Bei) start his career by selling straw sandals?
That was because straw sandals were a necessity for ordinary households. Plus, straw sandals didn't have high durability, so the frequency of replacement was high, and the repeat purchase rate was also high.
However, most farmers around Changyi knew how to weave straw sandals, so Xu Yue didn't know if a straw sandal business could take off here.
Still, it was better to learn the craft first—it never hurts to be prepared. Perhaps it could even be a path to prosperity.
Xu Da had been struggling with the fragile, easily broken grass stems. When he saw the strips of bark Xu Yue brought, he gave them a tug. Feeling their immense toughness and durability, his inspiration exploded. He tossed aside the unsightly and useless grass stems and began weaving with great enthusiasm.
The three siblings exchanged a look and acted in silent coordination.
Xu Dalang peeled the tree, Xu Erniang tore the bark, and Xu Yue wove the bark into thin ropes to hand to Xu Da.
Half an hour later, a pair of flip-flop-style straw sandals appeared in Xu Da's hands.
With the shape of the shoe established, they added two more grass ropes, threading them through the pre-reserved holes, turning them into a pair of shoes that could be tied to the feet without falling off.
However, at a glance, the weave was a bit loose; even a slightly sharp pebble might be able to pierce through.
But the father and his three children were still very excited.
Xu Da put them on and walked a few steps, his brows lifting. However, when he accidentally stepped on a pebble, he could still feel a dull pain.
Xu Erniang suggested, "How about we make the soles double-layered and add another layer of grass matting?"
"Besides, it's easier to make than weaving with rice straw. If they aren't sturdy, we can just make two more pairs to rotate."
Hearing this, Xu Da had a flash of insight. He took off the new shoes and buried his head in research once again.
The bark of the large paper mulberry tree had been completely stripped by Xu Dalang, piling up on the grass like a small hill.
Fearing it wouldn't be enough, Xu Yue left her sister—who was very interested in the straw sandals—and their "cheap" father behind, and led her brother to cut down another paper mulberry tree.
However, this time, the siblings had two little followers behind them.
It was Wang-daniang and Wang Dahai’s nine-year-old son, Wang Youliang, who had lost his mother.
The two little tykes looked even less sturdy than Xu Yue, yet each held a heavy wood-chopping knife in their hands.
The forging level of the Daqing Kingdom was low, and the ironware contained many impurities, making it much heavier than the ironware of later generations.
In any case, Xu Yue couldn't even swing a wood-chopping knife, so she couldn't help but take another look at the two of them.
Wang-daniang was young, and it looked quite strenuous for her to carry the knife. Wang Youliang was a bit older and seemed to handle it with ease.
Moreover, both of them were barefoot. Xu Yue didn't know how they managed to walk on the stone-filled mountain forest as if it were flat ground.
Seeing her look over, the two shrank back nervously, afraid she would drive them away.
Fortunately, she only glanced at them before looking away. The two followed her closely, and when they saw her cut down a paper mulberry tree, they followed suit and found one themselves.
The trunk was too big to cut, and even if they did, the two little beans couldn't carry it back. So, they chopped off the branches, each dragging a large armful back to the pond.
Tong-shi looked at her daughter in surprise. Wang-daniang pointed to Xu Da, who was weaving bark shoes not far away, then pointed to her own badly worn feet, and said in a childish voice
"Mother, make shoes. Wearing new shoes won't hurt."
After saying that, she added expectantly, "Daniang wants to wear shoes, and little brother wants to wear them too."
A look of shock flashed in Tong-shi's eyes. Since birth, her daughter had never liked playing with children her own age, didn't like to talk, and always liked to stare blankly at something.
The neighbors said the child might have something wrong with her head. As a mother, she didn't want to think that way, but watching her daughter's frequent dazed spells, she couldn't help but wonder if there really was something wrong with her.
As for the word "clever," Tong-shi had never thought it would apply to her own daughter.
But now, looking at the daughter who had brought back branches for her to make shoes and was the first to lead her to find taro, Tong-shi could be certain that her Daniang’s head was perfectly fine!
Not only was it fine, but she was also very smart!
Tong-shi happily stroked her daughter's little head and nodded heavily. "Alright, I'll make shoes for Daniang and little brother."
"But Mother doesn't know how to make them. When Father comes back, let Father make them for you, okay?"
"Mm-hmm!" Wang-daniang smiled with satisfaction. She turned and ran to the side of Xu Yue's camp, watching their movements and silently memorizing the order of making the shoes, waiting for her father to come back and make them for her.
Wang Youliang didn't have such patience. His father was out hunting, so he tried to figure it out himself, only to end up making a mess of the bark.
Xu Yue watched secretly, finding it amusing, and enjoyed this rare moment of peace.
At noon, Wang-shi and the others had not yet returned. Xu Da, whose stomach was growling, set aside a portion for Wang-shi and led the children to eat lunch first.
They were eating clear-stewed rabbit—two of them.
It was bland, and although it filled them up, Xu Erniang still wanted to eat taro.
Thinking about how there was plenty of taro but her "cheap" father wouldn't make it for her, the "friendship boat" between the father and daughter, who had been getting along so well while researching straw sandals, capsized instantly.
Xu Da thought to himself, *You're lucky to have something to eat, and you're still being picky!*
But he suppressed his temper and explained, "Taro keeps well; we need to save it as a reserve. These wild animals don't keep well; if we don't hurry and eat them, they'll go to waste."
With sound reasoning, Xu Erniang's face fell. She had no choice but to pick up the rabbit leg she was given and gnaw on it fiercely, muttering as she chewed, "Damn God..."
Xu Yue silently handed the rabbit meat she couldn't finish to Xu Dalang, then turned her back, took out the taro she had saved from the morning, and chewed slowly, savoring it.
Xu Erniang: *You really are a dog!*
(End of chapter)