Famine and Chaos: Weaving Cloth in Exile to Escape the War

After everything was agreed upon, Jing Zhichun, carrying the child and leading Xiaoman, walked out of the Yang family's courtyard. Yang Xiaoniu and Sister-in-law Gao followed behind, helping to carry the grain she had brought back to the Yang family and the newly dug medicinal herbs. The group walked towards the thatched hut under the cover of night.

After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the group arrived at the thatched cottage of Kyoto Spring.

Pushing open the wooden door of the thatched hut, Kyoto Haru shivered from the cold.

After spending so much time in the warm, lively main room of the Yang family's house, the contrast with my own cold and drafty dwelling was stark.

Her thatched hut was like an ice cellar.

it's too cold.

Yang Xiaoniu and Gao's wife put down their things and looked at the bare walls and cold, eerie house. Instead of leaving immediately, they quickly helped Jing Zhichun tidy up.

Yang Xiaoniu took out a tinderbox and started a fire in the stove, while Sister-in-law Gao helped tidy up the house and settle the two children down.

The two only took their leave once the room had warmed up a bit.

After seeing Mr. and Mrs. Yang off, Jing Zhichun quickly bolted the door to keep out the biting cold wind.

Xiaoman had already thoughtfully put her younger brother under the covers and then snuggled into Jingzhichun's arms.

"Mother," Xiaoman looked up, her eyes full of confusion, "when...when did a stable boy die in our family? I don't remember at all!"

Kyoto Haru's lips twitched upon hearing this.

Oh no! I was so engrossed in making up stories at the Yang family's house that I completely forgot Xiaoman, who knew the truth, was right next to me.

Fortunately, the child was quick-witted and didn't expose him on the spot.

She quickly pulled Xiaoman into the bed, wrapped her tightly in the blanket, and continued to make up a story without changing her expression: "That was many years ago. Back then, you were about the same age as your brother is now, still breastfeeding, and sleeping all day long, so of course you wouldn't remember."

"Oh..." Xiaoman blinked her big eyes and nodded as if she understood. "I see. I knew it, how come I had no recollection of it at all?"

Jing Zhichun breathed a sigh of relief, but also found it somewhat amusing, and reached out to pat Xiaoman's head.

Children are so naive; they'll believe any plausible reason given to them.

Alas, it's both tragic and lamentable.

Xiaoman's simplicity is also a reflection of the ordinary people of this dynasty.

After settling the two children in, Jing Zhichun got up and added more firewood to the stove. Watching the flickering flames, she pondered the matter of disinfection.

Now that we've bought the lime, we need to put it to good use and disinfect the house.

Jing Zhichun picked up a water ladle and scooped up a lot of snow from outside, sprinkling it on the ground. Then, she took out the quicklime she had brought back and carefully sprinkled a layer of it in the corners of the room, along the base of the walls, and especially around the low cabinet where the grain was stored.

Instantly, the pungent smell of lime filled the air; though unpleasant, it inexplicably brought a sense of peace.

"Mom, if we sprinkle this white stuff, will the mice really stay away?" Xiaoman poked her little head out from under the covers and asked curiously.

Kyoto Haru was taken aback by the question.

The main functions of quicklime are to absorb moisture, disinfect, and sterilize. It can destroy the living environment of bacteria and some insect eggs, which helps to inhibit the spread of epidemics.

As for preventing rats...

She recalled the knowledge in her mind.

Ok.

Rats do dislike the dry, irritating environment of lime powder. While they may dislike the lime powder, it's probably not an absolute guarantee that it will prevent them from being harmed.

However, she didn't want to fool the child and hoped that Xiaoman could remember the function of lime powder, which would definitely be beneficial to her.

"Xiaoman, this stuff is called quicklime. Its function is like giving the house a special bath; it eliminates unseen dirt, like mosquitoes, flies, and small insects that mice might bring, or fleas and lice, making the house cleaner and less likely for people to get sick. Mice don't like this dry, pungent place, so they probably won't come here. But we still need to store our grain well, just in case. Xiaoman, do you remember its function?"

Xiaoman nodded as if she understood, "Mother, I'll remember."

After spreading the lime, Jing Zhichun carefully checked all the things in the house to see if any thieves had come to her humble abode while she was away.

After checking, she found that nothing was missing and breathed a sigh of relief.

After tidying up, Kyoto Haru picked up a grain sack that was on the ground and put it in the cupboard.

However, feeling the heavy weight in his hand, Kyoto Haru sensed something was wrong.

This bag of grain was the food ration she had taken to the Yang family for Xiaoman.

Although it's only for ten days, and Xiaoman can't eat much for just one child, it's impossible that the weight of the food hasn't changed at all.

The grain in this grain bag looked as if it hadn't been touched.

Jing Zhichun asked Xiaoman, "Xiaoman, haven't you eaten the food your mother left for you these past few days?"

Xiaoman peeked out from under the covers and whispered, "Mom, Aunt Gao wouldn't let me move. She said I'm too small to eat much, and insisted that I eat at her house with Brother Tiedan and Sister Daya. I... I know everyone's struggling financially, and I can't just eat their food for free. So, I shared the few pieces of sweet cake that Mom left for me with Brother Tiedan and the others."

As she spoke, Xiaoman's voice grew softer and softer, and her eyes showed some unease.

Jing Zhichun never expected the Yang family to do this, and she certainly didn't expect Xiaoman to be so sensible.

"Xiaoman did the right thing. We shouldn't accept other people's kindness for nothing. You did a very good job."

Xiaoman smiled after receiving Jingzhichun's praise: "Mom, I haven't finished the steamed buns and pastries you left for me yet."

As she spoke, Xiaoman quickly got off the bed, took down the cloth bag hanging at the door, and handed it to Jingzhichun.

Jingzhichun opened the package, looked inside, and smelled it; the buns and pastries were all intact.

There were still a lot of pastries, but it seemed like they didn't eat much of them, and they didn't eat many steamed buns either.

"Xiaoman, Mom saved this for you, why aren't you eating it?"

Xiaoman said, "Mother, I dare not eat too much."

Jing Zhichun was taken aback: "It's for you, it's for you to eat, why are you afraid to eat it? Did someone bully you?"

Xiaoman quickly shook her head. "No one bullied me, Mom. It's just that Aunt Gao let me eat at her house. I know her family doesn't have much food, so I didn't dare to eat as much as I wanted. So, sometimes when I was hungry at night, I would secretly take a little bit of the pastries and buns that Mom left to fill my stomach. I didn't dare to eat them because I was scared. I was afraid that if I ate them all, Mom... what if Mom didn't come back for a very long time... then when I was hungry in the future, I really wouldn't have anything to eat. So, each time I would just break off a small piece, drink some water, and then I wouldn't be so hungry."

Kyoto Haru felt as if something had hit her heart hard, causing a sore and swollen sensation, and her eyes instantly welled up with tears.

How old is this child?

They had already learned to calculate their food rations, to endure hunger, and to retain hope for themselves in an uncertain future.

This premature maturity made her feel uneasy.

Of course, the Yang family meant well.

Jingzhichun also has to thank the Yang family.