Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 850 How Can People Live?

After the crisis, Xu Xuan became a prominent figure in the village thanks to his feats of "capturing two snakes with his bare hands" and "facing the tax collector head-on".

Now he walks with a swagger in the cliff village.

Literally, because those rickety suspension bridges are still crossed with trepidation.

Through casual conversations with villagers like Da Niu, Xu Xuan finally got a basic understanding of the village's situation.

The name "Da Niu" sounds like someone who's naive and easily fooled.

But those naked kids in the village aren't easy to fool; they're all new to the world and talk very fast.

"Brother Xuan!" A child suddenly swung down from the suspension bridge. "Why do you keep asking these questions? Did the giant snake replace your heart?"

Xu Xuan: "..."

Isn't this the same trick Ah Xuan used to scare kids back in my memory?!
Now they've been retaliated against, and this has also subtly touched a nerve with someone.

"You little brat!" He made a move to grab him, but the child darted up the suspension bridge and disappeared into the mountain mist in a few leaps.

His skills were like those of a monkey that had come to life.

This scene was enough to give modern parents a heart attack. Although Xu Xuan didn't have any children, he was still terrified and didn't dare to disturb their escape.

"Okay, okay..." After breaking out in a cold sweat, he gritted his teeth, "Although I can't fly over walls..."

But the despicable outsider has his own tricks up his sleeve!
That evening, all the children in the village suffered.

"Mother! I knew Brother Xuan was possessed! He was..."

"Snapped!"

"You dare to make fun of Ah Xuan?!"

The aroma of stir-fried pork with bamboo strips filled the cliffside, making it impossible to hide Xu Xuan's achievements and fame.

After the chaos of daily life, he finally calmed down and compared the memories he received with the information he collected, gradually piecing together the cruel truth of this world.

They confirmed their initial map and initial identity.

First of all, this village has been around for quite some time. Initially, people moved to the mountains to settle down because they couldn't make a living due to the excessive taxes and levies imposed outside.

However, with a large number of people, they could no longer hide and were still being watched by officials.

Fortunately, the Imperial Preceptor's Office issued an order to use snakes to pay taxes and exempt people from labor service, which gave everyone a way to survive.

So... everyone is actually very grateful to the Imperial Advisor.

Although the mortality rate for catching venomous snakes is high, it's still better than in the villages outside.

Da Niu squatted by the fire pit, counting on his rough fingers as he explained to Xu Xuan: "My father and two older brothers were all bitten to death by snakes... but if it weren't for the Imperial Advisor wanting snakes, the government would have arrested my mother and sister long ago to pay taxes."

He scratched his head and gave a simple smile: "The grass in the mountains, as long as it can survive, that's fine."

Xu Xuan remained silent, their views differed, and he didn't know what to say.

And I have verified my information.

Having grown up without parents and relying on the kindness of many families, they were spared the risk of being discovered by their relatives.

The "semi-literate" man, who had learned a few words from the barefoot doctor, could both treat patients and keep accounts, and thus held a special position in the village.

Because he was a leader among children, almost all the young and middle-aged men in the village were on his side, and he could command a large following.

The basic necessities were a dilapidated house and half a jar of coarse rice, enough to keep one from starving.

This starting point is still acceptable for Xu Xuan.

Even if they offend the tax collector as soon as they arrive, it doesn't matter. After all, it's a crisis for next month. Besides, the snake-catching matter seems to be a very high priority, so there is still some room for maneuver.

The next step is to understand the era we are in now, and the surrounding situation.

Although the administrative division of Jiangnan West Road is very historical, the term "National Preceptor" is quite peculiar, as there is a National Preceptor who needs to catch snakes.

No matter how you look at it, this world seems a bit unorthodox. Plus, there are legends in the village about monsters in the mountains. Maybe it's some kind of fantasy world.

So many unknowns left him unsure of what he could do or what he should do.

It's like the confusion of a time traveler.

Then, a thought struck him, and the corners of his mouth began to turn up.

But... how am I so amazing?

Xu Xuan was very satisfied with his performance today. His calm and resourceful handling of the situation, as well as his ability to feint and deceive, was truly impressive.

It's like an instinctual awakening.

Meanwhile, Xiao Bai was still floating in the water. The guards of the Imperial Preceptor's Mansion mobilized soldiers from Jiangnan West Circuit to conduct a search, determined to bring the assassin to justice.

The next day, the village chief invited them.

Xu Xuan straightened his patched-up coarse cloth clothes and stepped into the village chief's low thatched hut.

"Wow! There's meat!"

His eyes lit up!
The bowl of stewed snake meat on the table was steaming hot, and next to it were several plates of wild mountain vegetables, glistening with oil, clearly indicating that more salt had been added than usual.

To thank the young man, the village chief brought out many good things today, including his most treasured possession: a type of cloudy wine that could only be drunk during the New Year.

"Ah Xuan has really grown up. He eats so politely, just like a scholar from the city."

"You were only this tall when your parents were bitten to death by the five-step snake..." the old man gestured with the table leg, "but now you can save my life."

Xu Xuan also adhered to the principle of "less talk, less mistakes," which meant listening attentively and, incidentally, eating more delicious food.

This dish has a lot of salt in it, it's a real feast.

The two sat facing each other, with limited food and drinks, so they skipped the usual rounds of drinks and dishes and went straight into heart-to-heart talks.

He rambled on and on, getting more and more carried away. The village chief took another gulp of turbid wine, his rough fingers gripping the rim of the bowl tightly, his knuckles turning white.

“Ah Xuan…” his voice trembled, “reading really is useful… your few elegant words yesterday saved my old life.”

The wine bowl slammed onto the wooden table with a thud, splashing a few drops of murky wine.

This old hunter, who had lived in the cliff village for three generations and was considered a leader with some influence in the village, finally couldn't hold back his emotions any longer.

"That corrupt official...that corrupt official really wanted to beat me to death on the spot!"

A calloused hand suddenly grabbed Xu Xuan's wrist with astonishing force: "I just said 'the tax is too heavy'... and he..."

The old man's tears, mixed with the smell of alcohol, streamed down his face as his lingering fear completely overwhelmed him.

In this world where imperial power reigns supreme, ordinary people are like weeds facing a sickle, unable to muster any thought of resistance when facing the government, and dare not even think of hiding.

The fear of suddenly walking on the edge of life and death is truly terrifying.

If Xu Xuan hadn't stood up and said a few words at the crucial moment, he might really be gone.

After crying about herself, she started crying about the village, mainly because the newly added taxes were too much.

Using snakes to pay taxes is essentially using one's life to pay taxes. Snake catchers risk their lives walking between cliffs and precipices, and they also fight with venomous snakes. If they are not careful, they will die in the mountains and forests and their bodies will not be found.

Thinking about it makes me even more sad.

"Oh God, why..."

Of course, I did say a few important things at the end.

“Ah Xuan… If that beast comes again next month, you hide in the mountains.”

"My old bones... are good enough for them to whip me a few more times."

He shook his head with a wry smile: "What future do we snake catchers have?"

It's not that we can't physically leave; the nearest town is only a day and a half's walk away. It's that even if we do leave, we'll always be considered "lowly."

These "snake farmers" even had to pay extra "filth money" when they went to the city to sell goods.

In the end, he hadn't actually drunk many cups, but the old man managed to drink himself into a stupor.

As the sun set, Xu Xuan dragged his weary steps back to his little thatched hut.

Having eaten and drunk their fill, overcome the initial crisis, and completed the initial integration process.

However, his youthful vigor after time travel has been somewhat worn down.

He slumped onto the stone steps in front of the door, staring blankly at the fiery red maple forest at dusk. After all, this world doesn't collect taxes.

The golden sunset dyed the entire cliff crimson, and the maple leaves burned in the twilight, as if a flowing scroll of flames had been unfurled across the heavens and earth. When the mountain breeze swept through, thousands of red leaves tumbled and swirl, a breathtakingly beautiful sight.
Yet the people living in such a beautiful environment live worse than pigs and dogs.

This extreme sense of separation made Xu Xuan feel somewhat uncomfortable.

"grass!"

He uttered a phrase from the national quintessence, but it's unclear whether he was criticizing this cannibalistic world or lamenting his own powerlessness.

As night deepened, the sky was filled with stars.

Lying on the hard bed, I still tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.

The stream outside the window gurgled, and the mountain breeze rustled through the maple forest. Staring at the hole in the thatched roof, a few cold stars could be seen through the crack.

If he were truly a native snake catcher, he would probably be fast asleep by now, ready to get up early tomorrow to go into the mountains to catch snakes.

But he is not.

"God..." he murmured to himself, "How are people supposed to live?"

In the end, all I could do was sigh and say, "This bed is really hard," and then I closed my eyes.

Meanwhile, in the mountain stream.

Xiao Bai's pale fingertips hooked onto a piece of driftwood. In her hazy consciousness, the hairpin behind her head suddenly emitted a faint light.

The patterns on the hairpin wriggled like living creatures, seemingly in discontent.

According to her predetermined fate, she should have met "Xu Xuan" by now!
But that man... he's clearly building an absolute love story, so why does he have such little desire for "love" and can't advance the plot?

There was no way around it; the hairpin emitted a brilliant white light!

"Wow——!"

An invisible force propelled Little White faster, heading straight for the village.

Day 3, Morning
Xu Xuan, sporting dark circles under his eyes, pushed open the creaking wooden door, and the mountain breeze carrying the scent of morning dew rushed towards him.

"Ugh—this bed board is inhuman!"

He rubbed his aching back, having tossed and turned on the hard bed like a maggot all night, only managing to close his eyes at the crack of dawn.

But when the sun fully rose above the mountain peak... a thousand feet of golden light poured down!

The maple forests covering the mountains are ablaze with color after the frost, their crimson, golden orange, and ochre hues blending in layers, as if a god had spilled his palette. The mountain waterfalls cascade down like silver ribbons, refracting rainbows in the morning light.

Xu Xuan stared blankly at all of this, and suddenly understood why the ancients would climb to high places to express their feelings, using the vastness of heaven and earth to express the spirit in their hearts.

Living in this cliffside village, you are greeted by a vast and magnificent world right outside your door, and even the most troubled mind will be soothed by the mountain breeze.

The power of the sun descended upon him, gradually dispelling the gloom in his heart.

Take a deep breath; the mountain air is as clear as a spring, carrying the fragrance of grass and trees.

Looking up at the distant, rolling mountains, the maple leaves, ablaze with color, shimmered in the morning sun, like burning flames.

(End of this chapter)