Without having the necessary strength, how could someone survive, let alone be able to protect their family?

  Before Fang Yong joins the army, Ning Shu must deal with Bai Yiqiao.

  Considering Fang Yong’s archery skills, he will definitely stand out in the army.

  Either way, the mission this time had nothing to do with Fang Yong, so naturally, Ning Shu wouldn’t bother with Fang Yong. She would simply deal with Bai Yiqiao secretly.

  But if Fang Yong wanted to avenge Bai Yiqiao, then Ning Shu would definitely fight back.

  Ning Shu spent the entire night practicing. Early the next morning, Lady Li told Ning Shu to do her chores. Ning Shu had to wash the clothes, cook, feed the pigs and chickens, as well as finish the other household tasks.

  Father Chen and Chen Li had left very early in the morning for the fields. They only came back after the sunrise to have breakfast.

  They had to spend their days toiling over the fields as the sun beat down upon their backs. These days were very hard.

  Moreover, the crops that they grew were excessively taxed until almost nothing was left for them. So, the whole family had to eat sparingly.

  “It’s this year’s weather.” Father Chen sat on the kang, eating his coarse Chinese cornbread, his expression full of worry. “There hasn’t been a single drop of rain all year long. At this rate, we will be scorched to death.”


  “What will we do if we cannot pay the food tax?” Father Chen was very worried.

  The current imperial court was corrupt, so immoral officials were rampant. If the tax wasn’t paid, the government would take ruthless actions. They would beat anyone who couldn’t pay to death. Even if they survived, they would still be left at the brink of death.

  In any case, it was hard to live in such circumstances.

  When it was time for the autumn harvest, a large-scale peasant uprising broke out.

  Food was a matter of life or death for people, but the current government disregarded the suffering of the common people. Corruption tainted every part of the government until the weight that fell onto the shoulders of the citizens became unbearable. It was normal for the people to raise their torches and pitchforks to rebel, if the alternative was starving to death.

  Chen Li asked, “Father, do you want me to go work in town?”


  Ning Shu glanced at Chen Li. Chen Li was simply an unskilled worker. Even if he worked, his wages would not amount to much.

  Ning Shu took a bite out of her cornbread and said, “Father, how much money do we have? Let’s go buy some food. It doesn’t look like it will rain any time soon. As time goes on, the food will definitely become more expensive.”


  Father Chen glanced at Ning Shu. “Let’s wait and see, maybe it will rain soon.”


  The more you held onto unrealistic hopes, the more you would suffer later on.

  Ning Shu knew that as a girl, she had no say in family matters. So she didn’t insist or urge Father Chen to spend his money on buying food any longer.

  After the meal, Ning Shu took the initiative to wash the dishes and wipe the table. When she finished cleaning, Ning Shu said to Father Chen, “Father, I want to go to town.”


  Father Chen looked at Ning Shu, knocked on his pipe, then said, “You should stay at home. Don’t run around for the time being. You were recently involved with Li Gouzi, so you definitely shouldn’t be running around. And the town hasn’t been peaceful recently, I heard that many women went missing.”


  “You’re not allowed to go.” Father Chen said.

  Life was really hard in ancient times. The distance from here to town wasn’t small. It took an entire day of travel to go there and then come back.

  Without her family’s permission, Ning Shu didn’t dare to leave. Such a disappearance would have a large influence on a woman’s reputation.

  Ning Shu gave up on this plan. She was initially thinking of buying medicinal supplies from town to make jade herbal masks and earn some money to buy food.

  But now, she couldn’t go to town. Would she have to go to the mountain instead to pick the herbs?

  After harvesting the herbs, it was necessary to wash and dry each of the ingredients according to their nature, which would be extremely troublesome.