CHAPTER 88: CHAPTER 88: FOUND SWEET POTATOES FOR THE WINTER

This time’s harvest was quite substantial, but given the number of people in the third house, it was still not enough.

Hunting here was relatively easy, and none of them intended to return; they continued hunting nearby.

Taking advantage of everyone’s attention on the game, Pei Shu’er started digging through the snow with a shovel, looking for plants under the snow.

As she dug, she suddenly discovered there were wild sweet potatoes underground.

While digging, she called out to those who had walked away.

"Come quickly and see, there are wild sweet potatoes here."

She quickly expanded the hole with the shovel.

Indeed, there were quite a lot of wild sweet potatoes here, densely packed in a large area.

Although there was snow on the ground, and the sweet potato leaves above the surface were wilted by frost, the tubers underground were still alive.

It seemed it was because winter had just begun.

No one knew how long these had been growing here, but the ground was full of sweet potatoes!

Lai Fufu and Wangcai were overjoyed, not even needing Pei Shu’er to hand them a shovel, they directly used their hands to scoop away the snow and soil.

Seeing the relatively small sweet potato, they were as happy as children.

"With these sweet potatoes, we won’t have to go hungry this winter."

Pei Shu’er hurriedly handed everyone a shovel, and they dug with great joy and vigor.

Fortunately, Lai Fufu and Wangcai each had two baskets on their backs, and they quickly filled them with sweet potatoes.

The two servants were extremely happy.

Seeing still a large patch of wild sweet potatoes here, they were somewhat reluctant to leave.

Pei Shu’er smiled and said, "It’s okay, I’ve marked this place, we can come back to dig tomorrow."

Lai Fu worriedly said, "Just not sure if others will find this place tonight."

They were really scared of being hungry along the way, and finally, there was so much food...

Tang Zan said, "Let’s go, after we get back, bring more people and the wheelbarrow, we can also come back at night to dig."

Everyone was quite happy, but this time on their way back, Lai Fu and others didn’t dare to make a sound, carefully walking to the straw hut before showing everyone the sweet potatoes.

But even if they were cautious and with so many people watching the third house, the sweet potatoes couldn’t be hidden from others’ eyes.

When Lai Fufu and Wangcai carried the two baskets of sweet potatoes into the hut, everyone stared at them, then approached with joyous expressions.

This stuff is really good; not only does it fill you up, but it’s also nutritious.

And after adding Lai Fu’s vivid description of how many wild sweet potatoes there were, everyone was excited with flushed faces.

Now, they no longer needed to worry about starving to death this winter.

Granny Zhang and the elderly couple cooked dinner that night, boiling sweet potatoes, washing rice, and reheating the previous day’s wheat cakes, making everyone’s dinner quite hearty.

As for the few birds they caught, Pei Shu’er selected a few big ones to cook a bowl of soup for everyone.

This winter, they needed some fat, otherwise, they’d suffer.

Once that bowl of soup was consumed, everyone sighed contentedly.

Before they were exiled, they thought life here would be about suffering.

They never imagined they’d find stability here one day, with a hot soup to drink.

Though their current residence was a straw hut, it was still a place that sheltered them from the wind and rain, and everyone was very satisfied.

Compared to other small groups, their place was peaceful and serene, like another world.

Everyone was united and friendly, each playing their part, working together in harmony.

Meanwhile, Pei Shu’er selected a few still energetic birds to breed, specifically asking Zhang Chao to build a chicken coop.

As for those that weren’t too spirited, Pei Shu’er killed them on the spot and salted them for tomorrow’s dinner.

Everyone also discussed the plans after dinner that night.

"Just right as everyone’s lands have been reclaimed, tonight let’s dig out all the wild sweet potatoes, store them in this straw hut so they won’t be damaged by the snow, and it’ll be easier for us to eat," said Liu Xu.

The exiles of the Deserted Mountain all saw Lai Fufu and Wangcai bring back two baskets full of sweet potatoes, so they’d surely be eyeing that place.

This matter should be done sooner rather than later.

Pei Shu’er thought for a while, then suddenly said, "Why don’t we dig a cellar and make it a bit hidden. For future food storage, we should store it in there."

Everyone naturally had no objections; after all, the way those exiles looked at the third house was like eyeing a piece of fatty meat.

It’s not the thief stealing that worries them, but the thief’s lingering intention that does.

With the cellar, they could also hide their food.

After resting for just half an hour, the people of the third house divided the young and strong into two groups.

One group dug the cellar, located under the straw hut, which could effectively avoid being discovered.

The soil quality was also suitable for digging a cellar.

The digging was handled by that elderly couple and Granny Red Flower from Zhang; they were experts in this area.

Liu Xu and Tang Qingning were helping to carry the excess soil aside.

Alongside them, Tang Qinghuan and Tang Shuo, the two little ones, used small baskets to transport soil.

Additionally, the siblings Zhang Chunhua and Zhang Chunlin joined in to help.

The rest of the people took advantage of the night to head to the back mountain to dig sweet potatoes.

Pei Shu’er hadn’t even reached the area where the sweet potatoes were when she saw there were already many silhouettes moving in that patch.

With torches in hand, they seemed eager to uncover every inch of the snowy ground.

Clearly, they were here for the sweet potatoes discovered today.

Zhang Chao and the others didn’t look pleased; these people coming under the cover of night were here to intercept them, weren’t they?

It seemed they had traced Pei Shu’er and the others’ footprints to get here.

Pei Shu’er and the others walked forward, with others following behind, eyes glowing, occasionally licking their lips.

When Pei Shu’er and her group stopped, those people also stopped and began digging sweet potatoes in the area.

No one stopped them because this mountain wasn’t theirs; everyone got a share.

Otherwise, if others were starving and saw someone having a good life, they’d certainly do anything.

Everyone focused on their own digging without interfering with each other; this way benefitted everyone.

But some people just came looking for trouble.

While the people from the third house were concentrating on digging, more than twenty gathered around, looking like they wanted to grab by force.

It was a skinny, dark man with a mouth full of big yellow teeth, exuding a foul stench.

And the twenty plus people with him were clearly man-eaters.

Pei Shu’er had seen this more than once.

Pei Shu’er coldly asked, "What do you want?"

Huang Ya smiled and said, "Of course, we’re taking the sweet potatoes you’ve dug for our brothers. We have many people; it’s not enough to eat."

This was simply a threat.

Tang Zan’s eyes were full of ruthlessness, and he couldn’t be bothered to waste words with these people. He drew the large knife strapped on his back and charged at them.

These people weren’t kind; they had long spears and wooden sticks in their hands, and they confronted Tang Zan.

The fight was on the verge of starting, and Pei Shu’er quickly drank some Spiritual Spring Water and joined the melee.