Chapter 25.
The next afternoon, when Yu Ying returned from the mountains, Luo Shi was not at home, having gone to He's house, and Fu An had already prepared the bone porridge.
After using the bones for soup twice the previous day, Yu Ying instructed Fu An before leaving that morning to prepare bone soup, remove the bones, and then cook rice in it to make porridge, allowing for one more soup in the evening.
When Yu Ying went to the river to wash off the dirt from the herbs, Fu An and Fu Ning also followed to help.
After cleaning the herbs, they were taken back to the courtyard to be laid out on branches for drying.
Directly placing the herbs on the ground could result in sandy soil contamination, so yesterday Yu Ying, along with Fu An and little Fu Ning, had moved firewood from the house to the ground to create a drying area for the herbs.
With the strong sunlight these past two days, the herbs could be half-dried in just a day.
While drying the herbs, Fu An whispered to Yu Ying, “Auntie, I've noticed Uncle Fu has been acting a bit strange lately.”
Yu Ying glanced towards the thatched cottage, then back at him and asked, “In what way?”
Since Yu Ying had told Fu Wei about the demise of his elder brother and that he was the only remaining member of the Fu family, he hadn't shown any clear reaction.
Fu An quietly said, “When you weren’t here yesterday, Uncle Fu asked me to fetch Grandfather He from He’s house and made me leave the room, not allowing me to hear their conversation.”
Yu Ying's brows slightly lifted as she listened, and he added, “Not long after, Grandfather He left, and later he brought a saw, woodworking tools, various sizes of bamboo and small logs, and also some planks about this long.”
Fu An gestured a length of about one foot.
Yu Ying looked at the indicated length and then asked him, “What does your uncle need these for?”
Fu An shook his head, “I don’t know. He’s been working on those woods and bamboos all morning, and I didn’t dare to ask.”
Yu Ying gazed at the thatched cottage, pondering for a while, but couldn't figure out what Fu Wei was planning.
Returning to the present, she said to Fu An, “Besides helping with the ice cream, your uncle has his own projects to work on, which is good.”
It's better than doing nothing and having no purpose, which can quickly lead to a breakdown.
First, it would be a mental collapse, followed by a physical one.
Fu An nodded like an adult, "Right, it's good that uncle has something he wants to do. He always used to be silent and expressionless, which made him seem like a soulless person."
Yu Ying thought to herself, this was surely depression.
A turnaround was naturally a good thing.
After drying the herbs with the children, remembering that Fu Wei's bruise needed medicine, she asked Fu An to watch the fire in the kitchen. If the porridge was ready, he was to bring his grandmother back. Then, washing her hands, she walked up to the grass curtain.
"May I come in?"
Only after a voice inside said "Come in" did Yu Ying lift the curtain and enter the room.
Then she lifted the curtain and entered the room.
Inside, she noticed bamboo and wood shavings on the floor beside the bamboo bed and tools on the table, but the items he had been working on were nowhere to be seen.
Her gaze swept over the room lightly, noticing a bulge under the thin quilt, obviously covering something.
Since he didn't want her to know, Yu Ying decided not to bother asking him what he was doing.
She said, "I'll apply the medicine again today and give you another massage. After this, we'll do massages every five days."
Fú Wēi coughed lightly, covering his lips, "You're quite busy nowadays. There's no need to go through so much trouble."
Yú Yíng walked to the bedside, her expression calm, "It's no trouble. Please undress."
……
She was forthright, without a hint of hesitation.
Fú Wēi remained silent for a moment, then closed his eyes and resignedly opened his clothes, pulling off his shirt.
Yú Yíng, with a clear mind, picked up the medicinal wine, and as she had done in the previous two days, applied it to his wound.
The instant her palm touched his skin, Fú Wēi's body tensed subconsciously, his arm muscles tightening naturally.
Yú Yíng glanced at him but didn't ask him to relax.
After a while, Fú Wēi's body gradually relaxed, feeling the hands that were soft in the past days now seemed somewhat rough, causing his brows to furrow involuntarily.
Yú Yíng finished applying medicine to the bruises on his arm and shoulder, then skillfully massaged his shoulders and neck.
"For as long as she had pressed on, she had pondered just as long."
"After steadying her thoughts, she glanced out the slightly ajar window, then slightly bowed her head and asked him in a lowered voice, 'Did you take to heart what I mentioned a few days ago?'"
"Fuyan slowly opened his eyes, his gaze tinged with contemplation."
"A moment later, he spoke slowly, 'Even if I consider other solutions, until I find one, you will proceed with what you currently deem feasible, won’t you?'"
"Yu Ying expressed surprise: 'How did you know I would do that?'"
"'It's just what you would do,' Fuyan said without a hint of doubt in his tone."
"They hadn't known each other long, but through these days, Fuyan had gained some understanding of her."
"Yu Ying thought carefully about whether she would indeed do as he said and, after pondering, realized he was right."
"Before finding an effective solution, she would indeed follow the direction she believed to be useful."
"'Do you think I can save enough silver to get your elder brother and his wife out?' she asked."
"This was a question Fuyan had also considered during a sleepless night before."
"Her capabilities were certainly there, but in a remote and impoverished area, earning so much silver in one month either meant resorting to unorthodox methods, having a stroke of luck, or, as she was currently doing, selling ice cream and gathering herbs, which was unlikely to accumulate that much."
"Fuyan's expression was mild, but Yu Ying could tell he thought it unlikely."
"Yu Ying understood that his speculation was based on facts, not out of disbelief in her or underestimation."
"She fell silent, her hands continuing their movement."
"After a long pause, she said, 'Though I feel it's a long shot, I always want to try. What if it works, right?'"
"Fuyan hadn't seen someone as optimistic as her in a long time."
"When Yu Ying thought he wouldn't reply, he suddenly spoke up: 'Success depends on effort; without trying, it will never be achieved.'"
"Hearing this, Yu Ying's face lit up with a smile, and she said softly, 'That's exactly what I think too.'"
"Hearing her cheerful voice, Fuyan closed his eyes slightly, his voice a bit deeper: 'Just be careful.'"
"Mhm," Yu Ying responded softly.
"A moment later, Yu Ying emerged from the house, her face showing a hint of relief."
"Indeed, sometimes carrying the burden alone is not just physically tiring but also mentally stifling. Having someone to talk to had greatly eased her mind."
"Standing in front of the house, she looked at the herbs drying in the yard. The relief she had just felt began to weigh down on her again."
"Tomorrow morning would be her last chance to gather herbs, but even though she had collected a lot, they wouldn't weigh much after drying."
"Among these herbs, most were common, with only a few being valuable. She estimated they would weigh less than two kilograms when semi-dried."
"If only she could gather more valuable herbs..."
"Yu Ying quickly halted that train of thought."
"To find more valuable herbs, she would need to venture deeper into the mountains, where the chances were better."
"But with deeper exploration came greater danger."
"When Fuyan and Luo Shi returned, she put away her thoughts."
The next morning, as Yú Yíng was preparing to leave, Fú Ān came out of the house and called her, "Auntie, uncle is looking for you."
Fú Wēi was looking for her?
This was the first time in a long while that Fú Wēi had taken the initiative to see her, which made Yú Yíng quite curious.
Entering the room with curiosity, Yú Yíng looked towards Fú Wēi.
His hair was slightly damp, clearly having just been washed.
Yú Yíng asked, "What do you need me for?"
Fú Wēi glanced at her, then pulled out something from under the quilt... a crossbow?
He placed the object on the table, saying, "Make sure no one else knows, just take it with you for self-defense when you go into the mountains."
Yú Yíng stepped forward, staring in astonishment at the small crossbow on the table.
If she wasn't mistaken, it must be a crossbow.
She was somewhat uncertain, as this small crossbow differed from the bow crossbows she had seen before.
Its appearance resembled a wood planer used by carpenters, but it had a small bow about a foot and a half in length, and something like a sliding drawer mechanism.
Yú Yíng then realized that his secretive behavior in the past few days was because he was making this object.
Fú Wēi picked up the small crossbow, speaking in a deep, mellow voice, "I spent some time in the military and have studied various weapons."
Yú Yíng remembered his previous role as the son of the military governor of Wuling, which naturally afforded him such opportunities.
Fú Wēi then clearly explained to her, "This is a modification I made based on the repeating crossbow. Since I've only used this type of repeating crossbow and am unfamiliar with its construction, its power is not very great. The normal repeating crossbow can fire ten arrows in succession, but this one can only fire five. The bowstring is made of bark, lacking in flexibility, so it can only be used for self-defense and not cause much harm."
Yú Yíng's gaze shifted from the crossbow to the composed Fú Wēi, suddenly feeling an epiphany.
"No wonder, then, that he managed to survive the chaos of war and protect his nephew and niece. Although he couldn't save any of them due to various reasons, his capabilities were undeniable."
"It also explains why, despite his disability, the magistrate of Yuxian still sought him as an aide."
"A capable person, even if physically impaired, still possesses a valuable mind."
"I'll show you how to use it."
"Fuyan pulled out a thin bamboo strip from the top of what seemed like a flat box, which appeared to be the arrow box."
"He placed two sharp bamboo arrows, as thick as chopsticks but shorter, into the box and then slid the bamboo strip back into place."
"Picking it up, he aimed at the wall of the thatched cottage and pulled a lever on the box. A short arrow whizzed and embedded itself in the wall."
"Since the cottage was made of thatch, which was much softer than a solid wall, the arrow stuck firmly into it."
"She stepped forward to examine it; the arrow had penetrated only the tip. As Fuyan said, its lethality wasn't great, but it was adequate for self-defense."
"Now you try."
"Yu Ying glanced at him, hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward, giving him another look before taking the small crossbow."
"After all, she had never handled such a lethal weapon before and was understandably nervous."
"As she aimed at the wall, Fuyan extended his arm beside her, pointing to the lever, his voice gentle, 'Push this forward and then pull it back; the arrow will be released.'"
"Following his instructions, Yu Ying pushed and pulled, and the next moment the arrow shot out, striking the wall."
"Her heart skipped a beat as the arrow embedded in the wall."
"'Could it harm someone?' She was apprehensive, using it for the first time."
"Fuyan picked up the remaining eight arrows from the table and handed them to her, his expression serious and steady, 'Put them in your backpack. Load it when you enter the mountains and unload it when you leave. It's safer that way.'"
Chapter 25.
The next afternoon, when Yu Ying returned from the mountains, Luo Shi was not at home, having gone to He's house, and Fu An had already prepared the bone porridge.
After using the bones for soup twice the previous day, Yu Ying instructed Fu An before leaving that morning to prepare bone soup, remove the bones, and then cook rice in it to make porridge, allowing for one more soup in the evening.
When Yu Ying went to the river to wash off the dirt from the herbs, Fu An and Fu Ning also followed to help.
After cleaning the herbs, they were taken back to the courtyard to be laid out on branches for drying.
Directly placing the herbs on the ground could result in sandy soil contamination, so yesterday Yu Ying, along with Fu An and little Fu Ning, had moved firewood from the house to the ground to create a drying area for the herbs.
With the strong sunlight these past two days, the herbs could be half-dried in just a day.
While drying the herbs, Fu An whispered to Yu Ying, “Auntie, I've noticed Uncle Fu has been acting a bit strange lately.”
Yu Ying glanced towards the thatched cottage, then back at him and asked, “In what way?”
Since Yu Ying had told Fu Wei about the demise of his elder brother and that he was the only remaining member of the Fu family, he hadn't shown any clear reaction.
Fu An quietly said, “When you weren’t here yesterday, Uncle Fu asked me to fetch Grandfather He from He’s house and made me leave the room, not allowing me to hear their conversation.”
Yu Ying's brows slightly lifted as she listened, and he added, “Not long after, Grandfather He left, and later he brought a saw, woodworking tools, various sizes of bamboo and small logs, and also some planks about this long.”
Fu An gestured a length of about one foot.
Yu Ying looked at the indicated length and then asked him, “What does your uncle need these for?”
Fu An shook his head, “I don’t know. He’s been working on those woods and bamboos all morning, and I didn’t dare to ask.”
Yu Ying gazed at the thatched cottage, pondering for a while, but couldn't figure out what Fu Wei was planning.
Returning to the present, she said to Fu An, “Besides helping with the ice cream, your uncle has his own projects to work on, which is good.”
It's better than doing nothing and having no purpose, which can quickly lead to a breakdown.
First, it would be a mental collapse, followed by a physical one.
Fu An nodded like an adult, "Right, it's good that uncle has something he wants to do. He always used to be silent and expressionless, which made him seem like a soulless person."
Yu Ying thought to herself, this was surely depression.
A turnaround was naturally a good thing.
After drying the herbs with the children, remembering that Fu Wei's bruise needed medicine, she asked Fu An to watch the fire in the kitchen. If the porridge was ready, he was to bring his grandmother back. Then, washing her hands, she walked up to the grass curtain.
"May I come in?"
Only after a voice inside said "Come in" did Yu Ying lift the curtain and enter the room.
Then she lifted the curtain and entered the room.
Inside, she noticed bamboo and wood shavings on the floor beside the bamboo bed and tools on the table, but the items he had been working on were nowhere to be seen.
Her gaze swept over the room lightly, noticing a bulge under the thin quilt, obviously covering something.
Since he didn't want her to know, Yu Ying decided not to bother asking him what he was doing.
She said, "I'll apply the medicine again today and give you another massage. After this, we'll do massages every five days."
Fú Wēi coughed lightly, covering his lips, "You're quite busy nowadays. There's no need to go through so much trouble."
Yú Yíng walked to the bedside, her expression calm, "It's no trouble. Please undress."
……
She was forthright, without a hint of hesitation.
Fú Wēi remained silent for a moment, then closed his eyes and resignedly opened his clothes, pulling off his shirt.
Yú Yíng, with a clear mind, picked up the medicinal wine, and as she had done in the previous two days, applied it to his wound.
The instant her palm touched his skin, Fú Wēi's body tensed subconsciously, his arm muscles tightening naturally.
Yú Yíng glanced at him but didn't ask him to relax.
After a while, Fú Wēi's body gradually relaxed, feeling the hands that were soft in the past days now seemed somewhat rough, causing his brows to furrow involuntarily.
Yú Yíng finished applying medicine to the bruises on his arm and shoulder, then skillfully massaged his shoulders and neck.
"For as long as she had pressed on, she had pondered just as long."
"After steadying her thoughts, she glanced out the slightly ajar window, then slightly bowed her head and asked him in a lowered voice, 'Did you take to heart what I mentioned a few days ago?'"
"Fuyan slowly opened his eyes, his gaze tinged with contemplation."
"A moment later, he spoke slowly, 'Even if I consider other solutions, until I find one, you will proceed with what you currently deem feasible, won’t you?'"
"Yu Ying expressed surprise: 'How did you know I would do that?'"
"'It's just what you would do,' Fuyan said without a hint of doubt in his tone."
"They hadn't known each other long, but through these days, Fuyan had gained some understanding of her."
"Yu Ying thought carefully about whether she would indeed do as he said and, after pondering, realized he was right."
"Before finding an effective solution, she would indeed follow the direction she believed to be useful."
"'Do you think I can save enough silver to get your elder brother and his wife out?' she asked."
"This was a question Fuyan had also considered during a sleepless night before."
"Her capabilities were certainly there, but in a remote and impoverished area, earning so much silver in one month either meant resorting to unorthodox methods, having a stroke of luck, or, as she was currently doing, selling ice cream and gathering herbs, which was unlikely to accumulate that much."
"Fuyan's expression was mild, but Yu Ying could tell he thought it unlikely."
"Yu Ying understood that his speculation was based on facts, not out of disbelief in her or underestimation."
"She fell silent, her hands continuing their movement."
"After a long pause, she said, 'Though I feel it's a long shot, I always want to try. What if it works, right?'"
"Fuyan hadn't seen someone as optimistic as her in a long time."
"When Yu Ying thought he wouldn't reply, he suddenly spoke up: 'Success depends on effort; without trying, it will never be achieved.'"
"Hearing this, Yu Ying's face lit up with a smile, and she said softly, 'That's exactly what I think too.'"
"Hearing her cheerful voice, Fuyan closed his eyes slightly, his voice a bit deeper: 'Just be careful.'"
"Mhm," Yu Ying responded softly.
"A moment later, Yu Ying emerged from the house, her face showing a hint of relief."
"Indeed, sometimes carrying the burden alone is not just physically tiring but also mentally stifling. Having someone to talk to had greatly eased her mind."
"Standing in front of the house, she looked at the herbs drying in the yard. The relief she had just felt began to weigh down on her again."
"Tomorrow morning would be her last chance to gather herbs, but even though she had collected a lot, they wouldn't weigh much after drying."
"Among these herbs, most were common, with only a few being valuable. She estimated they would weigh less than two kilograms when semi-dried."
"If only she could gather more valuable herbs..."
"Yu Ying quickly halted that train of thought."
"To find more valuable herbs, she would need to venture deeper into the mountains, where the chances were better."
"But with deeper exploration came greater danger."
"When Fuyan and Luo Shi returned, she put away her thoughts."
The next morning, as Yú Yíng was preparing to leave, Fú Ān came out of the house and called her, "Auntie, uncle is looking for you."
Fú Wēi was looking for her?
This was the first time in a long while that Fú Wēi had taken the initiative to see her, which made Yú Yíng quite curious.
Entering the room with curiosity, Yú Yíng looked towards Fú Wēi.
His hair was slightly damp, clearly having just been washed.
Yú Yíng asked, "What do you need me for?"
Fú Wēi glanced at her, then pulled out something from under the quilt... a crossbow?
He placed the object on the table, saying, "Make sure no one else knows, just take it with you for self-defense when you go into the mountains."
Yú Yíng stepped forward, staring in astonishment at the small crossbow on the table.
If she wasn't mistaken, it must be a crossbow.
She was somewhat uncertain, as this small crossbow differed from the bow crossbows she had seen before.
Its appearance resembled a wood planer used by carpenters, but it had a small bow about a foot and a half in length, and something like a sliding drawer mechanism.
Yú Yíng then realized that his secretive behavior in the past few days was because he was making this object.
Fú Wēi picked up the small crossbow, speaking in a deep, mellow voice, "I spent some time in the military and have studied various weapons."
Yú Yíng remembered his previous role as the son of the military governor of Wuling, which naturally afforded him such opportunities.
Fú Wēi then clearly explained to her, "This is a modification I made based on the repeating crossbow. Since I've only used this type of repeating crossbow and am unfamiliar with its construction, its power is not very great. The normal repeating crossbow can fire ten arrows in succession, but this one can only fire five. The bowstring is made of bark, lacking in flexibility, so it can only be used for self-defense and not cause much harm."
Yú Yíng's gaze shifted from the crossbow to the composed Fú Wēi, suddenly feeling an epiphany.
"No wonder, then, that he managed to survive the chaos of war and protect his nephew and niece. Although he couldn't save any of them due to various reasons, his capabilities were undeniable."
"It also explains why, despite his disability, the magistrate of Yuxian still sought him as an aide."
"A capable person, even if physically impaired, still possesses a valuable mind."
"I'll show you how to use it."
"Fuyan pulled out a thin bamboo strip from the top of what seemed like a flat box, which appeared to be the arrow box."
"He placed two sharp bamboo arrows, as thick as chopsticks but shorter, into the box and then slid the bamboo strip back into place."
"Picking it up, he aimed at the wall of the thatched cottage and pulled a lever on the box. A short arrow whizzed and embedded itself in the wall."
"Since the cottage was made of thatch, which was much softer than a solid wall, the arrow stuck firmly into it."
"She stepped forward to examine it; the arrow had penetrated only the tip. As Fuyan said, its lethality wasn't great, but it was adequate for self-defense."
"Now you try."
"Yu Ying glanced at him, hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward, giving him another look before taking the small crossbow."
"After all, she had never handled such a lethal weapon before and was understandably nervous."
"As she aimed at the wall, Fuyan extended his arm beside her, pointing to the lever, his voice gentle, 'Push this forward and then pull it back; the arrow will be released.'"
"Following his instructions, Yu Ying pushed and pulled, and the next moment the arrow shot out, striking the wall."
"Her heart skipped a beat as the arrow embedded in the wall."
"'Could it harm someone?' She was apprehensive, using it for the first time."
"Fuyan picked up the remaining eight arrows from the table and handed them to her, his expression serious and steady, 'Put them in your backpack. Load it when you enter the mountains and unload it when you leave. It's safer that way.'"
