Chapter 4: 404 Goes Up the Mountain

In truth, the so-called "going into the mountains" referred to a crooked-necked mountain located not far from the entrance of Shangliang Village. The mountain's terrain wasn't very high; it was just a vast area of rolling hills. The people of Shangliang Village generally only went to the mountains near the village to chop firewood, pick mushrooms, or perhaps hunt small animals like wild chickens and rabbits.

In the past, people from Shangliang Village had indeed ventured deep into the crooked-necked mountain, but they never returned. Later, rumors spread that there were man-eating tigers on the crooked-necked mountain, and it was said that villagers who entered the deep mountains were all eaten by tigers. Over time, naturally, no one in Shangliang Village dared to enter the crooked-necked mountain again; at most, the villagers would just gather firewood or hunt around the outskirts.

Early in the morning, seeing that the weather was fine, Li Dazhu decided to make a trip into the mountains today because Li Menglan wanted to go along. For the sake of safety, Li Dazhu brought along both Li Zhiming and Li Zhihao; Li Menglan even excitedly brought two extra bags. It was hard to say if she might accidentally spot some treasures, and it was always better to be prepared.

"Grandpa, Grandma, Mother, I'm going into the mountains with Dad, Big Brother, and Second Brother!" Li Menglan waved goodbye with a beaming smile to Zhang Yuniang, Li Fujin, and Lin Sanniang in the courtyard.

"Go on! Come back early." Li Fujin and Lin Sanniang didn't say much, only telling Li Dazhu and his sons not to return too late.

"Lan-ya, once you get to the mountain, be careful and don't run around aimlessly. You must listen to your father, your big brother, and your second brother, do you understand?" Zhang Yuniang, worried about her daughter, gave her instructions with an uneasy heart.

"Mm." Li Menglan nodded. "Mother, I know. Don't worry about me; I'm not a little child anymore." Regardless, Zhang Yuniang's actions made Li Menglan feel very cared for; she couldn't help but reach out her small hands to wrap around the woman's waist and act spoiled.

"Oh, you!" Zhang Yuniang realized that after her daughter had survived a serious illness, she seemed to be getting more and more clingy. "Oldest, Second, you two are her brothers; you must take good care of your sister once you're on the mountain, do you hear me?" Zhang Yuniang turned to instruct the brothers, Li Zhiming and Li Zhihao.

"Mother, don't worry! I'll keep a close eye on my sister."

"That's right! Mother, don't worry, don't you still have me?" Li Zhihao also patted his chest in guarantee.

"Alright, alright! Child's mother, if you keep talking, the sky will be fully bright before you know it." Li Dazhu interrupted the conversation between Zhang Yuniang and her children, looking up at the sky as he spoke.

"Fine, I won't nag and delay you all; just be very careful yourselves."

Looking at her family, Li Menglan felt very satisfied in her heart. Hehe... these were her relatives in this strange world; although they had no money, they were full of warmth and harmony.

They left the courtyard, and since the sky had not yet fully brightened, the entire Daliang Village was quiet, still deep in slumber. By the time Li Dazhu and his sons climbed halfway up the mountain, the sky had finally brightened.

Li Menglan breathed softly, reaching out to wipe the sweat from her forehead. "Dad, Big Brother, Second Brother, let's rest here for a moment, shall we?"

Along the way, Li Menglan had been taken turns being carried on the backs of the two brothers, Li Zhiming and Li Zhihao. It was only when they reached the foot of the mountain that, under Li Menglan's strong insistence, she had walked this section of the mountain path herself. Unfortunately, her body was simply too weak; she was already out of breath after only a short climb.

"Alright, let's rest here for a bit, eat something, and then continue our journey." Seeing the sweat covering Li Menglan's head, Li Dazhu nodded quickly, feeling distressed for her.

"Whew." Li Menglan let out a soft sigh and sat down on a clean rock, gazing toward Shangliang Village at the foot of the mountain.

The sky was fully bright now, and the sun had revealed half its face. In the morning light, the people of Shangliang Village had begun to bustle about, and wisps of cooking smoke rose from the roofs of every household.

Below the mountain, the entire Shangliang Village was shrouded in morning mist, with the treetops and rooftops covered in a hazy layer of color. A small path wound its way out from the western fields, disappearing into the depths of the village. Trees were scattered in small groups along both sides, and at the end of the path, the houses of Shangliang Village—some high, some low, some new, some old—were arranged in an orderly fashion, hidden amidst the green mountains and clear waters. A few tall, ancient trees stood out from among the houses, looking down upon the entire village.

To the north of Shangliang Village, vast stretches of farmland extended all the way to the edge of the small Yunhe River. The fields of the entire village were concentrated on this side. The rice in the paddies had already been harvested, leaving behind rows of neat rice stubble. In the fields and along the riverbanks, small golden wild chrysanthemums were in full bloom everywhere. The villagers working early in the morning and the shepherd boys grazing by the river together formed a beautiful picture.

Looking at the picturesque scenery below the mountain, Li Menglan closed her eyes slightly and took a deep breath. A faint fragrance permeated the air; even the air itself seemed sweet. Such beautiful scenery would have long ceased to exist a thousand years later. "So beautiful... so comfortable," Li Menglan murmured unconsciously with her eyes half-closed.

When Li Menglan turned her head, she saw her father standing behind her. "Dad, why didn't we see any trees when we were walking up? Let alone wild chickens or rabbits?" Li Menglan's body was only ten years old; although people married early in ancient times, in the eyes of the newly arrived Li Menglan, there weren't that many such strictities.

"This section of the mountain path is close to the village. The trees that can be used for firewood have basically all been chopped down by the villagers; naturally, this half of the mountain is bare and empty." Li Dazhu was not surprised that his daughter would ask such a thing; after all, this was Li Menglan's first time entering the mountains, so it was normal not to know.

"Oh..." Li Menglan nodded thoughtfully, saying nothing more, but her brow involuntarily furrowed. If that was the case... were there even things left on the mountain that could be sold for money?

This truly was a case where a single penny could stump a hero; Li Menglan finally understood the meaning of the saying: money is not everything, but without money, one can do nothing.

"Eh... Dad, Big Brother, Second Brother, you can see our home from this crooked-necked mountain!" Suddenly, as if she had discovered a new continent, Li Menglan pointed toward the distant foot of the mountain and cried out in surprise.

Looking from afar, their thatched cottage sat with its back to the crooked-necked mountain, located not far from the foot of the mountain. The Yunhe River flowed out from the crooked-necked mountain like a jade belt, turning once from east to south in front of her house before winding its way toward the west. If it weren't for their houses being too dilapidated, it would truly be a fine painting!

A few earthen-walled thatched houses stood there; because many of the yellow mud walls had collapsed, Li Dazhu and his wife had simply enclosed a circle of bamboo fencing around the threshing floor in front of the door, planting some unknown small trees between the bamboo branches to create a small courtyard.

On one side of the courtyard, near the kitchen, was a small vegetable patch. It was planted with vegetables like crown daisy, spinach, garlic chives, and green onions, their colors a lush, dripping green. Hyacinth bean vines climbed the fence on that side, but they were already sparse and withered, looking as though they would need to be cleared away soon.

On the other side stood a low thatched shed where firewood was piled. A little further back were the latrine and what looked like a pigsty, but unfortunately, the family had no money and did not keep pigs in there.