After returning home, the Sun father and son immediately changed to the new ointment. The rate of wound recovery was astonishingly faster than before. The yellowish discharge stopped within two days. By the third day, scabbing had begun. Seven days later, the wound surface had turned black, and the pain was very mild as long as no drastic movements were made.
Sun Youli hesitated, then said, "Father, should we take this ointment to the other two clinics and ask about it?"
Sun Tieshan shook his head, suppressing displeasure in his chest. "Doctor He didn't say anything explicitly. At worst, he's just not skilled enough. We just won't go to Yao'an Hall for treatment anymore."
"Make twenty more short arrows for the crossbow. Give them to that young lady when she comes to collect the goods."
Sun Youli agreed and went to the front to work. Thankfully, that young lady had noticed; otherwise, who knows how long Father's injury would have dragged on.
Outside the window, the snow lay pure white, and large snowflakes like goose feathers fell from the sky. It had been snowing since midnight without stopping.
"It only stopped for a few days before starting again. Winter here truly is very long."
The Lantern Festival had already passed, yet there was no sign of the weather warming up. On the contrary, this heavy snowfall made it even colder than before the New Year.
Song Shixue looked up from her desk. "Wasn't it always like this before? It's only January now. The grass won't start growing until early March."
Song Jinzhao pulled her thoughts back, a faint smile curling her lips. "Perhaps in previous winters, I was too preoccupied with worrying about food all day. Now that I have some leisure, time feels exceptionally slow."
A full five months of snowy winter, and even when spring arrives, the temperature only rises above zero. The climate at the border is truly bitterly cold.
Villagers with nothing to do went to bed early to conserve energy, sleeping for more than half of the twenty-four hours a day.
Snow weighed heavily on the mountain ridges. Bare branches, unable to bear the weight, snapped in two mid-air and fell.
The mountains were a vast expanse of white, excessively quiet.
As temperatures plummeted, the mountain streams froze. A pack of wolves, having not had a proper meal for over a month, tread across the ice towards the back mountain.
Seven or eight lines of footprints crisscrossed, varying in depth, like mountain ghosts fleeing a wasteland, bringing slaughter and death.
"Awooo~"
Deep night.
A wolf howl that pierced the sky came from the mountaintop behind the village, startling the sleeping villagers awake.
By the later part of the night, a family of five at the village's rear had their main door tightly locked, desperately wishing they could pile everything in the house against the door and windows.
The morning light outside filtered through the tightly shut windows, illuminating the chaotic and fear-stricken main room. Only then did the hearts of the family of five settle back down from their throats.
Song Lahuang's family was using firewood to heighten their courtyard wall.
"Several wolves got into Shuanzhu's house at the village end last night. They killed and dragged off all the chickens and ducks in the yard, leaving behind a mess of feathers. His son is still having nightmares."
"I heard the wolf howls at midnight too. The sound was especially terrifying. They can't find food in the mountains, so they've come down to prey on people."
Village Chief Song Mancang stood in the middle of the road and shouted, "What nonsense are you talking? Round up all the livestock at home and hide them inside the house. Whatever you do, don't kill them. Wolves can track the smell of blood."
A villager said, "Chief, whether we kill them or not, the wolves are coming. It's been snowing for so many days. They can't find food in the mountains, so of course they'll come down to plague us."
At the old Song house, Oldest Song was sharpening a kitchen knife.
"It must be that wolf pack we saw last time. They've come over from North Mountain."
Song Shuanzhu said he saw three wolves, but the pack they saw on North Mountain was more than three.
Just from a visual estimate, five or six had shown themselves.
Old Man Song got up, opened the door, and walked outside. "I'm going to check on Jinzhao's house. They have two sheep in their yard. If discovered, the wolf pack would definitely charge in there first."
Song Jinzhao hadn't expected that before the northern bandits arrived, the beasts from the mountains would already be descending.
Herbivores began migrating before winter arrived. After so many days of snow, the remaining animals had died or had long since become meals for carnivores.
The lower the temperature, the more ferocious these meat-eaters, driven by hunger, become. Driven to desperation, they might even actively attack humans to survive.
Seeing the courtyard gate was closed, Old Man Song walked around the perimeter wall and nodded in approval.
A full three meters high, and made of newly made adobe bricks this year—wild wolves definitely couldn't jump over it.
Hearing a knock, Song Jinzhao opened the main room's door and went to open the courtyard gate.
"Grandfather."
Old Man Song strode straight towards the sheep pen, staring at the two figures, one large and one small, standing in the corner.
"Last night, the wolf pack attacked Shuanzhu's house at the village end. I'm worried they'll come again tonight. Take these two sheep into the west room. Put the chickens from the coop in there too. Close the doors and windows tightly. No matter what happens outside, do not come out."
Song Jinzhao glanced towards the main room. The bow and arrows and dagger were on the shelf.
"Grandfather, the courtyard wall is so high the wolves can't jump in. Even if they really got in, I could hide inside and shoot them."
Old Man Song said earnestly, "I know you're capable, Granddaughter. But no matter how capable, two fists are hard-pressed against four hands. Be cautious in all things and never take risks. You must remember you still have Qiming and the others at home."
What people fear most is having nothing to care for. Once one has no concerns, even one's own life isn't taken seriously.
Song Jinzhao nodded patiently.
What elders say always holds some truth. If you don't respond, they'll keep talking until you grow annoyed and angry.
Night merged with the landscape. Every household had their doors and windows tightly shut. Even chickens and ducks had their beaks and feet bound and were hidden inside.
The entire Song Village dared not make a sound, only closing their eyes to sleep when they couldn't stay awake past midnight.
Snow continued to fall outside the window. A group of dark gray figures charged down from the back mountain along the path.
"Crash!"
The sound of a heavy object collapsing suddenly jolted Song Jinzhao from her sleep.
Song Qiming's eyes snapped open as if he'd been startled from death. "Elder Sister," he called out.
Afraid wolves might break in, he and Song Shixue were sleeping in Song Jinzhao's room tonight.
Song Jinzhao got up to check the windows, confirming they were securely fastened.
"Awooo~" Two wolf howls sounded outside the courtyard.
Song Jinzhao turned back and instructed, "Cover Anhao's ears so he doesn't hear."
Song Qiming quickly picked up Song Anhao and wrapped both him and the child in the quilt to prevent them from catching a chill.
Song Shixue always slept deeply at night; even the loud wolf howls hadn't woken her.
The commotion outside grew louder. Song Jinzhao narrowed her eyes, opened the bedroom door, walked into the main room, and grasped the bow and arrows and dagger.
The crossbow and wrist-mounted arrows weren't ready yet; otherwise, she could have given them to the two children for self-defense.
A loud crash sounded outside, followed immediately by cries for help.
"Old man! Father!"
"Help! Someone, help!"
Song Jinzhao's pupils constricted. It was the neighbors. Something had happened.
She swiftly picked up a torch from the corner and shouted towards the room, "Qiming, come out and lock the door!"
Song Shixue, just waking up, found a child shoved into her arms.
Song Qiming quickly jumped off the kang bed, but the main room's door was already open.
"Lock the door. Don't open it unless I call for you."
