Mr. Lu didn't say much. He looked furious, barely touched his dinner that night.
Lu Chang'sheng asked Lu Haozi about it.
It was a while before Haozi finally blushed and said, "Xinghua's father is really a bastard. The marriage we agreed on? He went back on his word!"
"And that old man from the Zhao Family, doesn't speak like a human being! Siding with Xinghua's family!"
Lu Chang'sheng frowned and asked for the details.
Turns out, the two of them had gone to Xinghua's home that morning to talk about formalizing the marriage.
But they didn't expect that, even after half the day, they couldn't get past the front door of her house.
Xinghua's a Zhao, lives in Zhong Village, which is basically all Zhao Family people. They say, in generations past, the place only had the Zhao name and was called a "manor," not even a village. Later, after some others moved in, it turned into a village.
As they walked along the Zhong Village path, every so often, someone would stop them, demanding lucky money for the wedding.
If you didn't pay, you couldn't pass.
Mr. Lu had come prepared, handing out copper coins to each person along the way, but it was mostly just a formality for good luck.
Whether you gave a lot or a little, it was no big deal—everyone in the village is strapped for cash anyhow.
But after the lucky money was gone, they realized—they hadn't even seen Xinghua's house yet.
And those Zhao Family people blocking the way didn't move for them, just stared them down.
At first, they didn't think much of it, figured the Zhaos were just putting them through a little test, so they waited right there for most of the day.
Finally, one of those road-blocking Zhaos couldn't take it anymore, quietly tipped them off.
"It's not that we want to block you, it's just Xinghua's family asked us to. We're all Zhaos here, so we can't really refuse."
Lu Haozi was instantly furious and barged straight into Zhao Xinghua's house to demand an explanation.
But Zhao Xinghua wasn't home—only her father was there.
The old man's words were polite enough, full of apologies.
Said, on the one hand, Xinghua doesn't like him. If she's forced to marry, she'll jump in the river then and there.
Then said, given the Lu Family's situation, finding a wife should be easy enough for them, shouldn't it?
Just then, the village elder stepped up.
Anybody called "elder" in the village is someone really well-respected.
But right now, he was siding with Xinghua's family.
And in the end, all they got was a half-hearted apology from Xinghua's father!
"Tomorrow, I'll go find Xinghua myself. She'll definitely agree to marry me!"
Lu Haozi tightened his fists.
Lu Chang'sheng shook his head, saying, "Big brother, don't you get it yet? Xinghua definitely knows what's going on!"
"Let me ask, did her father say that's exactly what Xinghua said?"
"Yeah! Xinghua likes me, she wouldn't say something like that for real! Besides, the river's all dried up right now, even if someone jumped, they wouldn't drown, and Xinghua knows how to swim!"
Lu Chang'sheng started to get a headache.
It's clear now—his older brother's a total simp!
"You'll see in a few days."
Lu Chang'sheng couldn't help but shake his head.
The whole situation was pretty simple, really.
The Zhao Family blocked the father and son, hoping they'd just give up—and that way, Zhao Xinghua's reputation would be protected as much as possible.
"Big brother and Zhao Xinghua were already engaged, just not married yet. If this was some ordinary problem, there'd be no need for all this drama! So something else is going on!"
"Maybe it's also because I can't keep slacking off now."
Lately, the weather's been bone dry. Crops that aren't even ripe yet are starting to wilt.
There's talk all over the village about a big drought coming.
Droughts are nothing new, but when it's this bad, it's not going to pass in just a few months.
Maybe not even next year, or the year after that, things might not improve.
"We've got to figure out a way to bring in more resources!"
A few days later, sure enough, word got around.
Out of nowhere, Zhao Xinghua found some connection—said she'd go to Black Mountain Prefecture to work as a maid for a rich household.
Also talked about becoming a concubine.
Meanwhile, the Lu Family had basically become a footnote in her story.
But nobody talked about it for long—because the drought really hit.
"The timing's hellish—just before the fall harvest!"
Lu Chang'sheng looked at the old folks' worried faces, and it seemed to him they'd aged overnight.
Two days later, he made time to go out to the fields, only to find everything withered and dead.
Lu Chang'sheng felt his heart grow heavy.
Sometimes, he'd see Mr. Lu sitting on the doorstep, holding a pipe, watching little Heitu play nearby, lost in thought, unsure about something.
Whenever that happened, Lu Chang'sheng couldn't help rubbing Heitu's small head.
The little one would look up at him, smile, then look over at Mr. Lu and smile again.
Even though life had gotten a lot tougher, she still stayed cheerful.
"Tomorrow I've got to make a trip to Zhao Deshui's house."
Lu Chang'sheng thought to himself.
The next day, after practicing his archery as usual, he headed over to Zhao Deshui's place and saw him there.
"Mr. Zhao!"
Lu Chang'sheng greeted him respectfully.
"Er Dan? What brings you here?"
Zhao Deshui gave him a strange look, finding it funny to be having this talk with a kid.
"Is there a way you could take me to Black Mountain Prefecture?"
Zhao Deshui's expression changed a little.
After a brief silence, he drew a breath and replied seriously, "This year's drought happened at the worst time. Before year's end, the Zhao Family's organizing a group to go up to Black Mountain Prefecture. When it's time, come find me."
Lu Chang'sheng hadn't even brought up the money issue, but Zhao Deshui said, "It's not easy to go see Mr. Chen, so it'll take a while. Good thing I got you a spot. When you get to Black Mountain Prefecture, be careful. If it doesn't work out, just come home."
"Alright, Mr. Zhao!"
Lu Chang'sheng was secretly thrilled as he left.
A while later, someone came out from inside the house—turned out to be Zhao Deshui's married sister, Zhao Qing.
This time, she'd come back home without making any fuss.
"Everything's pretty much arranged, so I'll head back now. With things as they are, best I don't hang around."
"You're not staying a bit longer?"
asked Zhao Deshui.
Ever since Zhao Qing got married, they'd grown distant.
"If I stay too long and the old man finds out, he'll definitely have a go at me."
Zhao Qing changed into poor folks' clothes, just in case bandits targeted her on the road home.
But she'd hired two bodyguards, so wasn't worried at all.
"Besides, I have to keep an eye on Lin'Er!"
Zhao Deshui didn't press her any further.
Watching his sister disappear into the mist, he felt both emotional, conflicted, and a little jealous.
"No wonder she's one of the educated folks!"
His sister had always been proud, and when she got older, she did everything she could to get to Black Mountain Prefecture. When she came back, she was already Mr. Chen's concubine.
It really surprised them.
But even this proud bird ended up bowing her head before a scholar, always afraid to upset him.
Late at night.
Several shadows quietly slipped out of Zhao Family Village.
Zhao Qing led the way, followed by two swordsmen bodyguards and a girl who couldn't have been very old.
"Mrs. Qing, will I really get to marry into a wealthy family?"
"Don't worry! With me making connections for you, you'll most likely succeed!"
Zhao Qing said.
She looked at Zhao Xinghua, noticing her messy clothes, but delicate features and a plump figure—fix her up a bit and she'd have her own unique charm.
Soon as she made the rounds at a few rich homes, maybe one of them would take a liking to her.
If not, being a concubine works too!
"Xinghua, Black Mountain Prefecture isn't like the village. It's crowded and complicated. Cross the wrong person, even by a glance, and you might end up dead and nobody'd even know. I'm pulling you up now, so you'd better remember me for it!
"I will, Mrs. Qing!" Zhao Xinghua replied sweetly. She'd already forgotten all about her marriage business.
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After a few more days, nobody had any hopes left that the drought would ease up.
While Lu Chang'sheng was practicing archery, he suddenly heard Wang Heihou's voice.
"Chang'sheng! I'm gonna die!"
Wang Heihou walked over with Niu Dazhuang and Li Nangua.
"What kind of death are we talking about?"
"I've been abandoned by my folks! They're shipping me off to Black Mountain Prefecture!" Wang Heihou's eyes filled with tears.
Niu Dazhuang and Li Nangua weren't in much better shape.
Lu Chang'sheng felt amused. "Going to Black Mountain Prefecture is about your future. Why're you acting like it's a death sentence?"
"You don't get it! I heard them say Black Mountain Prefecture eats people alive—the road's covered in frozen bodies, bones stacked all the way to the sky!"
Wang Heihou's face had gone pale.
"That hellhole's only good for rich folk. For the likes of us, we're just meat on the chopping block!"
Lu Chang'sheng went quiet.
He didn't know a thing about Black Mountain Prefecture, and he couldn't help feeling a little lost.
Last time, when Zhao Deshui's sister Zhao Qing came back, lots of people joined the crowd. Anyone with any means sent over some money or gifts.
Lu Chang'sheng thought the news that day was a bit vague, but now, there's no point getting hung up on it.
"Just a couple more days and we're leaving."
Looking at the tear-streaked faces of the three kids, Lu Chang'sheng felt something stir inside him.
At that moment, he sensed something, looked down—
"You've gained the achievement for turning ten: Root Bone Value +1!"
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