The rainy season settled over Willow Village like a wet, grey blanket. For days, the rain fell in varying intensities—sometimes a fine mist that clung to eyelashes and soaked through cloth, other times a torrential downpour that hammered the roof tiles like a thousand drumsticks.
For the farmers, this was a time of anxiety. Too much rain meant flooded fields and rotting seedlings. For Li Wei, however, the rain was a calculated variable.
He stood under the eaves of the new bunkhouse, watching the West Slope. The Gen II Ryegrass, now three days old, was thriving. The rain had washed away the dust and settled the soil, and the grass blades were shooting up with almost unnatural vigor. They were already an inch tall, a fuzzy green fuzz covering the once-barren terrace.
"It looks like a rug," Da Niu said, standing beside him. The boy was holding a large leaf over his head as an umbrella. "It's growing fast."
"Gen II likes the water," Li Wei said. "But the slope is getting slippery. We need to be careful moving the cattle."
He looked down at his feet. His straw sandals were soaked, his toes white and wrinkled from the damp. The mud on the hill was treacherous clay; one wrong step and a man could slide right into the river below.
"We can't work like this," Li Wei muttered. "We need boots."
***
**The Cobbler's Shop**
Later that afternoon, during a break in the rain, Li Wei visited the village cobbler, Old Man Chen.
Chen was a wizened craftsman who worked out of a shack that smelled strongly of leather and pine pitch. He looked up as Li Wei entered, his eyes sharp over his spectacles.
"Li Wei? You buying shoes? I have some sturdy cloth ones, but they won't last in this mud."
"I don't want cloth," Li Wei said, placing a few copper coins on the counter. "I want leather."
"Leather?" Chen raised an eyebrow. "That's expensive. Cowhide is reserved for the army or the wealthy. I have some pigskin, but it's tough."
"I have hides," Li Wei said. "Or rather, I will have. But for now, I need a custom job. I need high boots. Something that covers the calf."
He described the concept of a 'riding boot' or a 'wellington'—something that would keep the mud out and protect the legs from thorns and snake bites in the tall grass.
"Up to the knee?" Chen scoffed. "You'll look like a duck."
"I'll be a dry duck," Li Wei countered. "Can you make them? Use the pigskin for the sole, and maybe treated canvas or oilcloth for the upper if leather is too dear. I'll pay for the labor and the materials."
Chen scratched his chin. "Oilcloth… I can do that. Stitch it to a leather sole. It won't breathe, but it'll keep the water out. Two pairs?"
"Four," Li Wei corrected. "One for me, one for Da Niu, one for Qin Hu, and one for my brother Jun. We work the hill. We need the gear."
Chen's eyes widened at the order. "Four pairs? That's a lot of work. And a lot of oil."
"It's an investment," Li Wei said. "I'll bring the measurements tomorrow."
***
**The Stray**
On the walk back, Li Wei took a shortcut through the edge of the village, near the communal trash pit.
Usually, this area was quiet, inhabited only by rats and scavenging birds. Today, there was a commotion.
"Get out! Shoo! Stupid beast!"
A group of children was throwing stones at something in the bushes.
Li Wei frowned. He walked over. "Hey! Stop that!"
The children turned, startled. It was Li Wei, the boy who had bought the demon bull. They scrambled back.
"We're just chasing away a thief, Brother Wei!" one boy piped up. "It tried to steal a fish head!"
Li Wei looked into the bushes. A dog was cowering there.
It wasn't a cute puppy. It was a medium-sized, yellow-brown mongrel—a typical "Tugou" (Earth Dog). Its ears were torn, one eye was scarred shut from an old fight, and its ribs showed through its matted fur. It was trembling, a low growl rumbling in its throat, but its tail was tucked firmly between its legs.
It was ugly. It was fierce. And it was defensive.
**[System Scan Initiated.]**
**[Target: Local Mongrel Dog.]**
**[Age: 2 Years.]**
**[Health: Poor (Malnutrition, Parasites).]**
**[Temperament: Territorial, Loyal, High Prey Drive.]**
**[Hidden Trait: Herding Instinct (Dormant).]**
Li Wei's eyes narrowed. *Herding Instinct.*
Most village dogs were either pets or guard dogs that slept all day. But a dog with herding instinct was a working partner. A rancher's right hand.
"It's just a stray," the boy said, picking up another stone. "It bites."
"Don't throw that," Li Wei commanded, his voice dropping an octave. He stepped between the boy and the bush. "Go home. Now."
The children, intimidated by his serious tone, scattered.
Li Wei turned back to the dog. The animal stared at him, teeth bared, muscles tense, ready to fight or flee.
Li Wei didn't approach directly. He crouched down, making himself smaller. He avoided eye contact—a challenge in the dog's language. He turned his head slightly to the side.
"I'm not going to hurt you," Li Wei said softly. He reached into his pocket. He had brought a small piece of dried meat—a treat for Hei Feng, intended for training.
He broke off a piece and tossed it gently. It landed a few feet from the dog.
The dog sniffed. It didn't eat. It kept its eyes on Li Wei.
"Your choice," Li Wei said. He stood up slowly. "I have a dry shed. I have food. And I have a job for you. If you want to work, follow me."
He turned and began to walk away. He didn't look back. This was the test.
He counted his steps. One. Two. Five. Ten.
Behind him, there was a rustle in the leaves. Then, the soft *pad-pad-pad* of paws on wet earth.
Li Wei smiled.
***
**The First Herding Lesson**
They arrived at the bunkhouse. Da Niu was mending a fence rail. He looked up and saw the mangy dog following Li Wei.
"Boss? You brought a dog?"
"This is… Ranger," Li Wei decided on the name instantly. "He's the new security guard. And maybe a herder."
"Him?" Da Niu looked at the dog's torn ears and skinny frame. "He looks like he lost a fight with a thresher."
"He's a survivor," Li Wei said. "Like us. Get him some water and a bowl of that millet porridge. Mix an egg in it."
Hei Feng, the massive Black Bull, was in the lower pasture. He saw the dog and snorted, pawing the ground. He didn't like new animals.
Ranger froze, the fur on his back rising. He bared his teeth at the bull.
"Ranger," Li Wei said firmly. "Heel."
He didn't expect the dog to understand the word, but the tone was clear. Li Wei stepped forward, positioning himself between the dog and the bull.
"That's Hei Feng," Li Wei told the dog. "He's the flock. You guard the flock. You don't fight the flock."
The dog looked at the bull, then at Li Wei. He sat down, though his body was still tense.
"Smart," Li Wei murmured.
That afternoon, Li Wei began the training. He didn't have a whistle yet, so he used a piece of hollow reed.
*Tweet!*
The sound was sharp. Hei Feng ignored it. Ranger's ears perked up.
"Go left," Li Wei gestured with his arm, walking wide.
He tried to move the cattle (just An and Hei Feng for now) to a new patch of grass. Hei Feng was stubborn. He didn't want to move.
Usually, Li Wei would have to poke and prod him. Today, he pointed.
"Ranger. Go."
Ranger didn't know what "go" meant, but he knew the gesture. He saw Li Wei moving, pushing the space. The dog's instinct kicked in. He darted forward, barking sharply.
He ran to the right side of the bull, circling wide, nipping at the bull's heels, then dancing back just out of range of a kick.
It was chaotic. It wasn't the smooth ballet of a trained Border Collie. It was messy and loud.
But it worked.
Hei Feng, annoyed by the yapping pest nipping at his fetlocks, moved left to get away from the dog.
"Good boy!" Li Wei shouted, laughing. "Keep him moving!"
Ranger barked again, herding the bull towards the fresh grass. An followed, happy to be led.
Da Niu watched from the fence, his mouth open. "He… he moved the bull. Without a whip."
"Psychology," Li Wei grinned, wiping rain from his face. "The bull outweighs the dog a hundred times, but the dog has the attitude. That's leverage."
***
**Family Dinner: The Scholar's Path**
That night, the rain returned with a vengeance, rattling the windowpanes of the Li house. The family was gathered around the dinner table, the atmosphere warm and steamy.
Li Chen, the little brother, was frowning at a book by the light of the oil lamp.
"Trouble?" Li Wei asked, sitting down next to him.
"The county exam is in three months," Chen said, his voice small. "The teacher says I am good. But… there is a registration fee. And I need to go to the Prefecture City to take it."
"How much?" Father Dazhong asked, his chopsticks pausing mid-air.
"Five hundred coins for the travel and lodging. And the fee is two taels of silver," Chen said.
The table went silent. Two taels of silver. That was six thousand copper coins. It was a mountain of money.
"It's too much," Uncle Two (Li Jun's uncle) said from the end of the table. "We can't spare that. We barely bought the seeds. Let him wait another three years."
Li Chen's head dropped, his shoulders shaking slightly. He didn't cry, but the disappointment was a physical weight.
Li Wei looked at his little brother. He remembered the promise he had made to himself. *I'll get you there.*
"We have the money," Li Wei said quietly.
Everyone looked at him.
"We don't have it *now*," Li Wei clarified. "But we will. In three months."
"Wei'er, don't make empty promises," Father Dazhong said heavily. "The harvest is months away. The eggs… they bring in copper, not silver."
"The ranch," Li Wei said. "I'm not just selling eggs anymore. The silage is ready. The grass is growing. I'm going to increase the flock. I'll buy ten more chickens next week. And…"
He looked at Hei Feng through the window, standing strong against the storm.
"Hei Feng is a breeding bull. There are other cows in the village. I can rent him out. Breeding fees."
"Breeding fees?" Grandpa Li coughed. "Who would pay to breed with that monster?"
"People who want strong calves," Li Wei said. "Old Man Sun saw him plow. He knows. I'll charge fifty coins a service. If I can get twenty customers this summer, that's one tael of silver right there. Plus the eggs. Plus the vegetables."
He turned to Li Chen.
"Study, Chen. Don't worry about the cost. I promised you the ink, I'll promise you the exam. Just write the best characters in the county."
Li Chen looked up, his eyes wet. "Third Brother…"
"Eat your dinner," Li Wei smiled, ruffling his hair. "You're eating for two now—you and the future magistrate."
Father Dazhong stared at his son. He saw the calculations in Li Wei's eyes. He wasn't just hoping. He was projecting revenue. He was acting like a merchant.
"If you can get the silver," Dazhong said slowly, "I will match it. I have a small jar hidden away. We will make sure he goes."
Li Wei nodded. It was a pact.
***
**Night Patrol**
Later that night, Li Wei checked on the animals before sleeping. The rain had lessened to a drizzle.
He walked up to the pasture. Ranger was there, sleeping across the gate of the fence. The dog lifted his head as Li Wei approached, thumping his tail once against the mud.
"Good boy," Li Wei whispered, tossing him a piece of dried sweet potato.
He checked Hei Feng. The bull was lying down, chewing his cud. He looked peaceful.
Li Wei stood there, looking out over the dark village. The road to the Prefecture, where he had walked with his bull, was invisible in the night. But he knew it was there.
The path was opening up.
A bull. A dog. A patch of green grass. And a brother's dream.
It wasn't an empire yet. It was barely a foothold. But for the first time, the Li family wasn't just surviving the rain. They were using it to grow.
**[Ranch Status Update.]**
**[Livestock: 1 Bull, 1 Cow, 14 Chickens.]**
**[Workers: 2.]**
**[Facilities: Bunkhouse (Lv 1), Silage Pit (Active), Pasture (0.5 Acres).]**
**[Current Funds: Low.]**
**[Goal: The County Exam Fund.]**
Li Wei turned back to the warmth of the house. He had work to do tomorrow.