Oldest Song nodded emphatically, thinking Old Man Song was worrying over nothing.
Song Jinzhao was so capable, who knew who would be helping whom in the future.
Second Song asked curiously, "Jinzhao, can you really make money selling mushrooms?"
Second Aunt Song stomped on his foot and shot him a sharp glare.
Wasn't it obvious? Otherwise, where would the money come from to treat everyone to a meal, even abandoning the crops?
Song Jinzhao's gaze swept over the group. In the days since her arrival, she had gotten a fairly clear picture of the Song family's situation.
Among the six elders, the couple from the second branch had the worst character—selfish, stingy, lacking a sense of responsibility, only thinking of themselves.
But they weren't malicious or cruel-hearted people either.
In this era, farming households were generally poor, and it wasn't uncommon for people to starve when crops failed. In their view, survival was more important than anything.
She had refused the "auspicious marriage" and adoption scheme, and they hadn't forced Song Shixue and Song Anhao just to get their hands on those twenty-three taels of silver. When it came down to it, it was all because of poverty.
"It earns more than doing hard labor in the city. A pound of dried mushrooms can sell for at least twenty copper coins. The catch is the season is short; mushrooms in the mountains stop growing by the ninth month."
Second Aunt Song's eyelids fluttered slightly as she suppressed the shock in her heart, her smile like a carefully applied mask.
"You can't forget us poor relatives with such a good opportunity. Take your Second Uncle with you next time you go up the mountain."
Elder Aunt Song couldn't help but glance at her sister-in-law. If anyone in Song Village had the thickest skin, it was her, without a doubt—her face was as thick as a city wall.
Old Man Song's gaze showed little displeasure at this, he merely asked, "The mountains are dangerous. Aren't you afraid something might happen to Second Son?"
He also wanted his other two sons to live better. Since selling mushrooms could make money, letting his eldest granddaughter take them along was fine.
Second Song's heart sank. He had almost forgotten about that—there were fierce beasts in the back mountains that could eat people.
Just as he was about to say he wouldn't go, Second Aunt Song cut in first, "With Jinzhao there, what is there to fear? If it were truly dangerous, Qiming wouldn't have gone up either."
Song Qiming lifted his head from his bowl. "It is dangerous. The first time I went up the mountain, I was almost bitten to death by a poisonous snake. Luckily, Elder Sister was nearby and chopped the snake's head off with an axe."
Second Song looked uneasy; he certainly didn't want to be bitten to death by a snake.
Seeing everyone looking at her, Song Jinzhao spoke up, "The mushrooms in the back mountain are pretty much all picked. Tomorrow I plan to go to North Mountain. If Eldest Uncle and Second Uncle want to come along, you can come over first thing in the morning."
"But I'm only one person and can't look after too many. There will definitely be danger."
Old Man Song agreed, "Jinzhao is right. You need to think it over for yourselves."
Second Aunt Song hesitated, on the verge of speaking. She wanted the money, but she also didn't want anything to happen to her man.
If Song Jinzhao didn't risk her life to protect him, and something did happen, wouldn't she become a widow?
Second Song was already having second thoughts in his heart; he didn't want to die.
Oldest Song and Elder Aunt Song exchanged a glance, deciding to discuss it at home that night.
The second branch ate the most at the table; Song Yaozu hadn't stopped stuffing his face since he sat down.
Fortunately, there was plenty of food, and everyone left with full stomachs.
Old Man Song said, "Since you're picking mushrooms tomorrow, the well-digging will have to be postponed for a couple of days. Having a well-digger isn't enough; we still need people to help with the digging."
Song Jinzhao replied, "The mushroom season will be over in a few days. We can dig it then."
In the kitchen, Song Qiming's small front teeth kept worrying his lip, his expression conflicted.
"Elder Sister, are you really taking Eldest Uncle and Second Uncle up the mountain tomorrow?"
He had no issue with Grandfather, but he held some resentment towards his two uncles.
Song Jinzhao put all the washed bowls into the cupboard and wiped several clay pots dry with a cloth, placing them on the counter. "You don't want them to go?"
Song Qiming lowered his gaze, his inner thoughts struggling between wanting to speak and holding back.
"They wanted to send Shixue and Anhao away before."
Song Qiming was born after the three Song branches had already split the household. He didn't have much affection for his two uncles.
The impression left by the "auspicious marriage" and adoption affair was too deep in his mind; he remembered it and couldn't forget.
Song Jinzhao took Song Qiming's hand and led him to sit down in the courtyard.
A silver platter of a moon hung in the pitch-black sky, stirring a rare, deeply buried homesickness within her.
"When our parents were alive, they would rather go hungry themselves to save a bite for us. Why do you think that was?"
Song Qiming recalled the old days and couldn't help his eyes reddening.
"We were born to them. They loved us and couldn't bear to see us suffer."
Song Jinzhao tilted her head and continued, "And what about towards our cousins?"
Song Qiming thought for a moment and slowly shook his head, as if a black cloth covering his eyes had been lifted a crack. "Not as good as to us."
Song Jinzhao gave an example, "If Yongnian and Yaozu tried to take something from you and Shixue, what would our parents have done?"
Song Qiming remembered the egg snatched by Second Aunt Song during the New Year celebration at the old house last year. At the time, Father had insisted on getting the egg back to share between him and Shixue, and Mother had even quarreled with Second Aunt over it.
He answered firmly, "Father and Mother wouldn't have let them take it."
Song Jinzhao countered, "If you only had one piece of meat, would you be willing to share it with Yongnian and Yaozu?"
Song Qiming shook his head: "I wouldn't be willing. But I would share it with you and Shixue."
Song Jinzhao smiled faintly. "And if you had a whole plate of meat?"
Song Qiming thought it over and nodded: "I could share a little."
Song Jinzhao's tone became serious: "If Eldest Uncle and Second Uncle were as rich as Master Zhao, do you think they would still be willing to take care of us?"
Song Qiming recalled that day at the old house, how his uncles kept saying they couldn't afford to raise Anhao, had no silver for medicine, and didn't have enough food, risking starvation. In the end, it was because they had no money.
"If they had money, they probably would take care of us."
Song Jinzhao patted his shoulder. "So it's not that they are too heartless, but that the burden is heavy and they feel trapped. Everyone has their own self-interest; it's the most normal thing."
"Carrying water is exhausting, yet Grandfather still took Eldest Uncle and Second Uncle to finish watering the remaining six acres of land. Even Eldest Aunt and Second Aunt helped. That's already good enough."
"They helped us carry water, we treated them to a meal and will take them to pick mushrooms. Next time we face difficulty, they will be more willing to help us proactively, without holding any resentment in their hearts."
Song Qiming blinked, understanding somewhat but not fully, his mind unable to untangle so many words in such a short time. He just felt what his sister said made sense.
He tried to voice his own thoughts: "We have to help each other, give and take, and not get shortchanged. Otherwise, we'll feel uncomfortable, all stuffy inside."
Just like how he felt now.
Song Jinzhao didn't expect him to grasp it so quickly and smiled in agreement: "Exactly. That's the principle."
Song Qiming nodded slowly: "Elder Sister, I'll remember."
Eldest Uncle also went when we caught the mother goat.
Even someone as capable as Elder Sister finds carrying water tiring, yet Eldest Uncle and Second Uncle carried it for several days.
Song Qiming began to reflect on whether he was being a bit petty and narrow-minded.
While the siblings sat together talking heart-to-heart and sorting through the intricacies of family relations, the situation at the old house and the second branch was completely different.
In the old house, Elder Aunt Song frowned deeply, her tone full of worry. "Are you really going? No one from the village has been to North Mountain. I'm not at ease."
Oldest Song gripped his wife's hand, lying down to reassure her, "Didn't you want to make new clothes for Yongnian and Qiaoniang? If we gather mushrooms and sell them, we'll have the silver to buy the cloth."
"With Jinzhao there, there's no need to fear danger even if we encounter it. She can kill a leopard."
No one understood better than he did just how capable his eldest niece was. His earlier words were merely to explain the risks to them, so they wouldn't blame her if anything truly went wrong.
Elder Aunt Song's face remained clouded with worry. "No matter how capable, wasn't she nearly killed by a poisonous snake before?" The doctor had even said to prepare for the worst.
Oldest Song patted the back of her hand. "Nothing will happen. Father will be going too."
At the second branch of the family's home.
Second Song buried his head under the quilt and grumbled, "Everyone says the mountains are dangerous, why are you forcing me to go? If you want to go, you go. I'm not going."
Second Aunt Song tugged hard at the quilt. "With Jinzhao there, would she really let you die? You can't even follow along to make money. If I go, you're going too."
Where else can you find mushrooms that sell for twenty coppers a catty? The more you gather, the more you earn.
Second Song hid under the covers like a turtle retreating into its shell. "We're living just fine. Why are you sending me to my death?"
Second Aunt Song cursed angrily and threw a pillow at Second Song's form. "Fine, my foot! We can't even eat our fill."
