Li Xiangli's heart warmed as she fed the corn cake into her mouth. Perhaps it was because the original owner had gone so long without proper food, but this ordinary cornmeal cake seemed unusually fragrant to her. She ate two in one sitting.
"It's a pity we don't have any meat. These cakes would taste even better with some meat. When we have enough money one day to buy meat, I'll make some for you," Li Xiangli said with a smile.
Le'er cheered, "Le'er loves meat the most!"
Xiaozhu glared at her, "What is there that you don't love to eat?"
Le'er lifted her head defiantly, "Hmph! I love eating! I love everything my mother makes, right, Mother?"
Li Xiangli patted her head, "Yes, yes, Le'er is the best."
"Tomorrow, Mother is going to the mountain to see if she can find anything to sell. This rice and flour can only last three meals at most. We need to plan our livelihood better for the future," Li Xiangli said while eating.
Xiaozhu and Le'er immediately chimed in, "I'll go too!"
Li Xiangli hesitated, thinking her home wasn't very safe, and she wasn't at ease leaving the children alone. She nodded in agreement, "Mother isn't going deep into the mountains—just the outskirts. Bringing you with me will be fine."
Li Xiangli had lived on the mountain with her grandfather for a time as a child. Her grandfather was a traditional Chinese medicine doctor and liked to tinker with medicinal herbs. She learned a few of them, though she was too young at the time to ever consider learning medicine. After her grandfather passed, she was brought to live in the city.
But that time spent with her grandfather was undoubtedly the happiest time in her life. She had spent her days running wild like a mountain child, climbing trees, and catching fish. Because of those experiences, Li Xiangli felt confident she could survive even in this tough situation.
"Hurry up and eat. The sky is almost dark. Once we're done, wash up and go to bed early," she said.
The family had no candles, of course. Who would spend money on those when they were so poor? Sleeping early would save the trouble of having to stumble around in the dark.
Their bed was just a thin wooden board covered with a thin cotton blanket and an old, worn-out sheet. Early spring was chilly, and even sleeping on the bed now felt cold. She couldn't fathom how they managed to survive through winter.
The next morning, Li Xiangli woke early, careful not to disturb the children. She cooked porridge for them. The children had spent many days waiting for their mother to return, and their sleep hadn't been restful. This morning, however, their hearts seemed lighter, and they slept soundly.
With no oil left at home, she could only make porridge. She worried the children might not have enough to eat in the morning, so she made it thicker. However, this meant the little bit of rice Aunt Chen had sent was already gone. If they didn't make money today, life would become even harder.
Li Xiangli clenched her fist. She had confidence. If she couldn't find medicinal herbs on the mountain, she could always fish by the river. There would always be something to eat, even if the river was colder in early spring. Fortunately, her skills—trained in her childhood—weren't bad.
When the two children awoke, Li Xiangli had already warmed the porridge in the pot and was busy tidying up their winter clothes. With spring arriving, the winter clothing would have to be stored away.
"Are you awake? Hurry and eat breakfast. We've got a lot to do today," she said cheerfully.
The two little ones sped up their pace, quickly finishing their porridge and tidying up to head out.
Li Xiangli carried a basket with a sickle inside, one hand holding a child in each hand. After locking the door, they were about to head out when they bumped into Wei-shi.
The cottage was near the Guo family, which originally stored their miscellaneous goods there. Naturally, it was close.
Wei-shi saw her and sneered, "Oh, what are you doing so early this morning? Going up the mountain to dig for wild vegetables? I guess that's all you can eat, huh? Yesterday, Father went to the clan and had you and your children removed from the family registry. Now you won't get any of the clan's food. I wonder how long you'll live eating wild vegetables all day."
"Who will starve first? You're just comparing for no reason, Second sister-in-law," Li Xiangli retorted without paying her mockery any mind, pulling Xiaozhu and Le'er along.
Wei-shi stomped her foot angrily, "I'll bet you won't last long!"
Hearing Wei-shi mention being removed from the family registry, Li Xiangli began to consider how to establish her family's official record. Regardless of era, official registration was crucial. Without it, marriage would be difficult, and pursuing education and official work would be impossible. With the Guo family no longer being an option to rely on, her only choice was to create her own official record.
Li Xiangli resolved that when she had enough money, she would buy a piece of land and register a household first. Once they had settled their status, she could send Xiaozhu to school in a year or two. She didn't expect to pass any exams or gain fame, but having some education would at least be better than being illiterate.
Climbing up the mountain, she worried the two children would struggle, but they knew the path well. It turned out they were regular visitors to this mountain to dig wild vegetables, so they were already familiar with the way.
"Mother, I know there are a lot of wild vegetables over there. Let's gather some and sell them at the town," Xiaozhu said confidently.
Wild vegetables might earn a few copper coins, but how much could they really earn? The effort for an entire morning might only amount to three or four coins—certainly not enough.
Li Xiangli crouched down, "Don't hurry about wild vegetables yet. Mother wants to look for something more valuable to sell."
Xiaozhu nodded vaguely but trusted her mother and followed behind. Drawing on memories from her past life, Li Xiangli began searching for medicinal herbs. Her eyes suddenly lit up when she found something.
The villagers were all uneducated farmers and wouldn't recognize these herbs, which meant no one had picked them. Li Xiangli saw an opportunity.
She carefully plucked the plant and smiled, "This is called Plantain Grass. It's a medicinal herb that's worth more than wild vegetables. It can treat urinary tract inflammation, difficulty in urinating, and hematuria. It's very useful. We'll harvest this and sell it in the town."
Xiaozhu's eyes brightened. "Really? That's great! I'll start gathering some right away!"
The two children immediately went to work with newfound energy. Li Xiangli continued searching and found other medicinal herbs like White Quill and Six-Sided Yao Grass. Though she only remembered a few from her childhood, they would suffice. All three of them worked diligently for most of the morning, filling half a basket with their finds.
This marks the beginning of their journey as they aim to survive by exploring opportunities and finding resources to make money and ensure their survival.
Disclaimer:
I am not the original author of this work. This is a translated version of the original text, shared for reading and reference purposes only. All rights to the original content belong to the original author. I do not claim ownership of the original work or its characters. This translation is intended solely for informational and entertainment purposes.