Временные трудности / Temporary hardships: Глава 12

Chapter 12, in which the hero learns that one is sometimes better than two and overcomes the intrigues of his enemies

Camrad_RIP 14.01.24 в 20:26

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Camrad_RIP 14.01.24 в 20:26

For centuries, one of the main problems of peasant life has been food. It was an eternal, relentless battle in its cultivation, harvesting, and eating, where on one side of the battlefield stood hard peasant labor and abundant sweat, and on the other - hunger, crop failure, and the tax collector.

Camrad_RIP 14.01.24 в 20:29

The place where Duojia was located was as if it was created by the indecisive gods who couldn't decide what kind of terrain to set up in this forgotten corner of the Empire. On one side, there were tree-covered mountains that turned into large, steep hills and hills. From the mountains flowed several rushing rivers, which at the foot of the river merged into one large, equally fast river. Then there were dense forests, where the river, slowing down its run, overflowed and formed huge swamps.

Camrad_RIP 14.01.24 в 20:30

And even here, it wouldn't be all bad. Countless generations of farmers had worked hard to create cascades of terraces on the hills where they cultivated rice. The grassy slopes were well suited for grazing the unpretentious goats that provided wool and milk. There was also some fertile land where they grew soybeans, herbs, and vegetables. In the forest, there were nuts, mushrooms, and berries, and in the mountains, it was said, iron and copper had once been found, but long ago and in such small quantities that there was no point in setting up a mine. There were also occasional shiny black pieces of "hot stone," which the peasants often called "phoenix shit" because it burned hot and long, unlike bog peat, charcoal, or firewood.

Camrad_RIP 14.01.24 в 20:33

But it wasn't a blessed land, anyway. There was absolutely nothing here that couldn't be found elsewhere, closer to major cities and busy trade routes. Nothing important enough and in quantities that would attract miners, traders, or craftsmen. The swamps, mountains, and wild beasts here collected regular tribute, taking the lives of not only careless children but even skilled woodcutters and coal miners.

Camrad_RIP 14.01.24 в 20:33

But the main problem was still food. While in late summer and fall, there was always enough food, and the peasants tried their best to eat enough, in winter and spring, they had to make do with nothing but empty rice, a handful of soybeans, and the few nuts and dried vegetables they could procure for the winter.

Camrad_RIP 14.01.24 в 20:34

The peasants also harvested fish, and there was even some surplus during the rice harvest. But there was no way to preserve it. Salt was considered precious here, and there was never enough of it to afford to spend on salting. They tried to dry large fish - just in the sun or even by smoking them with smoke from smoldering twigs and bamboo chips to drive away insects and to smoke them at the same time. And still, the fish constantly spoiled, rotted, or was infested with fly larvae. Small fish at such times were simply used as food, knowing in advance the rest would be lost anyway. The same was true of animals if, of course, someone managed to hunt them alive. The fat was collected in pots. The rest was smoked, dried, or stuffed in their bellies while they had it.

Camrad_RIP 14.01.24 в 20:37

Therefore, no matter how nimble and skillful Feng was, the approaching winter was going to wipe out all the efforts.

Camrad_RIP 14.01.24 в 20:39

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Camrad_RIP 14.01.24 в 20:26

Feng had been preparing for this moment for a long time - a whole day, from early morning to late afternoon. He needed qi, as much as he could get. So Feng stopped using his qi vision, which was even more difficult for him, as he was used to the constant burning in his eyes and the tugging feeling in the depths of his skull. The world immediately changed, becoming faint and blurry, as if a piece of oiled rice paper had been placed over Feng's eyes. Although he was relieved to be free of pain and pain, Feng felt an unbearable urge to take it all back, which he quickly suppressed. The master wasn't lying, or rather, he wasn't lying about everything. Feng really got used to the new way of perception. His "qilin's eye" even began to find the differences between the most familiar colors seen by ordinary eyes and the flows of natural qi, the glow of life, the wandering sparks of spirits of forests, mountains, or rivers.

Camrad_RIP 14.01.24 в 20:44

Feng also stopped running and started moving at a normal pace. He needed to gather all the energy he had not spent during the day and use it for the realization of his plan. And the result was completely unexpected. Not only did the villagers not sigh with relief when they saw that the foolish Feng had taken to his senses, stopped showing off, and began to behave like a normal inhabitant of this remote place, but on the contrary, they became very worried. His parents, neighbors, and neighborhood kids came up to him one by one. Basketmaker Yao, Potter Kun, Aunt Zhao, and even the headman Wang asked if he was sick and feeling well. Of course, no one cared about his health, but Feng understood from their questions that they wanted to know if the disease was transmissible to others and if they should send Feng out into the forest before he infected anyone else.

Camrad_RIP 14.01.24 в 20:46

When they heard that Feng had simply decided to rest today and start again tomorrow, they nodded and went away, and, as it seemed to him, with a degree of disappointment. The news of a terrible, preferably fatal and painful, disease of one of the villagers could at least dilute the monotony of the peasants' everyday life, unlike the simple desire of the local fool to stop fooling around, and for a short time, just for a day.

Camrad_RIP 14.01.24 в 20:47

To Feng's surprise, instead of being pleased with his desire to "be like everyone else," his parents and brothers were not happy either. They were too accustomed to Feng doing everything quickly, to rushing from the house to the fields, river, or forest at the speed of the wind. But, fortunately, this dissatisfaction remained only in words, Feng was not even beaten, well, except for the usual daily slaps.

Camrad_RIP 14.01.24 в 20:48

All day long, he tried to absorb as much of the surrounding qi as possible. Actually, he did something like this all the time to grow his inner strength steadily and relentlessly, as all masters do when meditating in the mountains or caves. But today, he was taking in as much qi as he could, trying to cram in as much as he could, feeling that just one extra drop and his head would crack, shattering into a dozen dozen pieces and splattering everything around him.

Camrad_RIP 14.01.24 в 20:50

As he lay down to sleep on his stiff, prickly straw, he realized that he would not be able to sleep, and not from the sharp, skull-burning headache. It was not only energy but intense excitement, greedy, impatient anticipation. Today, he was going to use every drop of qi, every bit of strength to dive into the depths of memory and uncover all the secrets hidden there. Today, he would learn his master's name and thus his future name! A name that will be famous for a thousand accomplishments, which will be recognized by the entire Empire, and which, after viewing the crystals, will be repeated by children dreaming of growing up and becoming like this great hero!

Camrad_RIP 14.01.24 в 20:53

Feng would also browse through all the scrolls and books he had ever held in his hands, picking out and studying everything useful and everything that could be useful here in the peasant life, and also help to plan his development in the best way possible. And, of course, if he had enough qi, Feng would pay tribute to his favorite crystals. And it's not because he wants to have fun, not at all! By looking through the crystals, Feng will be able to peek at Bao Xiao's techniques, not only his but those of other heroes and villains as well, so that he can recreate them, reproduce them, and get closer to true power! After all, his father once said that a rogue master teacher is stronger than crystal heroes, so Feng needs a suitable benchmark, a visible target to surpass. And the fact that the master's favorite saying was a twist on the words of the villain from Impetuous Blade would also serve as an extra boost of motivation! The idea was so good and had so many benefits that Feng wondered why he hadn't thought of it sooner.

Camrad_RIP 14.01.24 в 21:19

Feng squeezed his eyes shut and concentrated. The first thing he decided to tackle was the most important. His future great name. No matter how disgusted he was with his master. No matter how painful the memories were, he recalled that scene in the small palace reception room and channeled the qi into his head.

Camrad_RIP 14.01.24 в 21:20

Fortunately, the recreation of this scene in memory did not bring the expected heartache. Unfortunately, it didn't happen only because the memories never appeared. Feng repeated the attempt several times until he was convinced of the utter futility of his actions. He frowned. Obviously, the vile master had thought of everything. He had used a particularly sneaky and insidious technique to prevent him from learning his name!

Camrad_RIP 14.01.24 в 21:37

Just in case, he tried to recall the forest herb scroll, and it immediately appeared in his mind as clearly as if Feng was holding it in his hands.

Camrad_RIP 14.01.24 в 21:38

He sighed heavily and rolled onto his other side. He sighed heavily and rolled over to the other side. The blocking of his memories had been a hard blow, but let the master hope for nothing. His former student Han would make a new name for himself and make him famous for centuries to come!

Camrad_RIP 15.01.24 в 09:29

The outburst of emotion had weakened his control, and his chi was churning, trying to escape and flood everything around him, so he needed to channel it into something that was not only useful but also energy-consuming. And what could fit better than an extended viewing of a favorite series of crystals? Feng summoned the first issue of Bao Xiao's Impetuous Blade, channeled the qi, and... Again, nothing happened!

Camrad_RIP 15.01.24 в 09:30

Was the master more sneaky and devious than Feng had imagined in his darkest expectations? Had he decided to deprive Han of his last joy... that is, the most useful and important material for gaining power? Feng tried his luck with the other crystals - all his deepest fears were confirmed: in place of the crystals about Jube and Zhang Chuan, there was also a gaping void.

Camrad_RIP 15.01.24 в 09:32

Feng was almost out of control with terror and excitement, so, to avoid being burned by his own qi and giving the villagers something to talk about, he tried to remember something else. And what could be longer, more monotonous and soothing than the endless process of rewriting scrolls whose contents he had no idea what they were?

Camrad_RIP 15.01.24 в 09:33

To Feng's delight, the memories dutifully materialized before his eyes: he saw his own hands, which were transferring the text from one scroll to another with frugal and very fast brush movements. He was able to read the text of the scroll freely and more than once!

Camrad_RIP 15.01.24 в 09:34

Maybe it wasn't the master. Maybe it was the spirits of the ancestors, the vengeful old chumps who had never forgiven Han's self-will. Han tried to recall the taste of his favorite dishes to relive those moments again. But alas, once again, nothing worked. The theory of spirits was confirmed, but it was too early to write off the master's shenanigans. So now Feng would never be able to taste the seven-layer plum cake, the fried pork ribs in sweet and sour sauce, or the crispy splendor of the Fujian bun...

Camrad_RIP 15.01.24 в 09:36

As soon as he thought of the bun, as soon as he felt the desire to eat it, his qi surged and materialized in his memory the moments of the last feast in Han's life, where he held the bun in his hand and took his first bite. And as it turned out, the taste, smell, and sensation of dragon fire and phoenix flame were no different from the real thing!

Camrad_RIP 14.01.24 в 21:39

Feng frowned. Something didn't add up. Neither master nor spirits would ever bother blocking out memories and leaving something so important behind! He began to flip through the memories of various episodes of his life and quickly deduced a pattern.

Camrad_RIP 14.01.24 в 21:39

Only those periods in which Han had already awakened and circulated qi were available for reproduction. The same was true for the new life - the very first episode in Duojia that could be vividly recalled was a relatively recent fishing trip. Realizing that it was not the intrigues of family guardians and master but some fundamental law of nature, where awakened qi takes on additional tasks and serves as a repository of memory, Feng felt a slight disappointment. After all, what is it worth overcoming the enemy's dastardly intrigues if the enemy himself is not even aware that he was building them for someone?

Camrad_RIP 14.01.24 в 21:42

He sighed and finally calmed down. The qi also calmed down and swirled in a calm whirlwind. It was a pity that he hadn't watched a single crystal after his master's appearance and had only eaten rice, vegetables, and chicken breast! But he still had the most important thing, which was a large library of various scrolls. This meant that there was simply no obstacle to Feng's plan. Feng focused his qi and dived back into his memories. He had scrolls to read!

Camrad_RIP 14.01.24 в 21:40

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Camrad_RIP 14.01.24 в 20:26

"One and two, one and two, and the head fell off," Feng hummed as he worked the sickle

Camrad_RIP 15.01.24 в 10:02

The sickle was a very expensive and valuable object, so one had to be careful - if one drowned it somewhere in the mud, one would not be able to find anything in return. Well, except for the invigorating blows from his relatives, who, unconsciously following the doctrine of the trinity of spirit, body, and mind, cleared the mind and toughened the spirit. Feng had lived in this world long enough to understand the values of the peasants, but it still sometimes struck him: how could something so pathetic, wretched, and poorly made have so much value?

Camrad_RIP 15.01.24 в 09:37

While his feet kneaded the mud, his hands worked on their own. He pulled rice stalks, cut them with a sickle, gathered and tied them into sheaves, which he threw on his back. After the water was released, the ground on the checks would suck, but Feng took it as a workout: not to lose concentration, to work on the precision of the cut and the strength of his feet, which came out of the ground with a loud chomp, and to circulate qi. Then came the jog, during which he would stack the sheaves in neat mounds, and then it was time to work with another implement that could easily become a weapon as well - a large heavy Flail. A weapon which he had learned to use by himself - without any help!

Camrad_RIP 15.01.24 в 09:40

There was also another basket hanging on Feng's side. After the water was drained, not all the fish in the checks had a chance to swim back into the river. Finding it was difficult and almost impossible, so the small fish carcasses would spoil and decompose, serving as fertilizer for the next year. But thanks to his qi vision, which Feng had already managed to keep around the clock, he could see the beating of life so that he could organize a real fishing trip. Alas, all the larger fish that the other peasants had not caught were gone, so Feng was left with the smaller fish. But it was enough not only to eat today but also to dry in the sun, making a winter supply for the whole family!

Camrad_RIP 15.01.24 в 09:42

"Here we'll cut, here we'll tie, and we won't be hungry," he continued to hum.

Camrad_RIP 15.01.24 в 10:03

Life around him was still hard, dirty, and disgusting, but he had managed to do something. And he did it himself, without any help, relying only on his wits, perseverance, and persistence. He survived and stood his ground. He began the way forward and upward. He was not lazy, did not slow down, did not give himself any indulgence for a single day or even an hour. After all, it was worth it to slow down just a little, just to decide that it was possible to rest and relax a little, getting bogged down in the peasant routine, to lose concentration on the goal, as the image of the master immediately came to mind, sometimes with Mei in his arms. The master did not say anything. He just looked with a satisfied smile and nodded, all his appearance as if to show: "I told you so!" A bright little sun burst out from within, any lethargy and apathy disappeared, energy flowed in, and the desire to move forward resumed. To avenge, to prove, to disprove everything that bastard had ever said about Hana! His hands began to move faster, his qi boiled furiously, and his hatred blazed like the breath of a fire god. It was still burning, and it had not subsided in the intervening time.

Camrad_RIP 15.01.24 в 09:45

111111111111111111

Camrad_RIP 15.01.24 в 09:45

And even if a hundred years, even a thousand, had passed, how could Han forget such a thing? Forget those words from his once favorite crystal, twisted, corrupted by a vile scoundrel?

Camrad_RIP 15.01.24 в 09:46

"If I had a plum pie, I could do better than that!"

Camrad_RIP 15.01.24 в 10:03

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Camrad_RIP 14.01.24 в 20:27

"Look, you bums, follow Feng's example!" Zanzen said, pointing her finger at him.

Camrad_RIP 15.01.24 в 09:48

Feng wrinkled his nose. If he was made an example in front of his brothers and older sisters, then they would want to retaliate by giving him a good beating so he wouldn't become conceited.

Camrad_RIP 15.01.24 в 09:50

"So what if he brought some herbs!" Aimin snorted, and was immediately slapped.

Camrad_RIP 15.01.24 в 09:52

"Not "some," but the proper ones!" Mother said. "Which will help you not to die in the winter!"

Camrad_RIP 15.01.24 в 09:55

Even though it promised painful consequences, Feng stuck out his chest and proudly raised his head. He would be beaten either way, so why not enjoy the moment of triumph?

Camrad_RIP 15.01.24 в 09:56

"How does he even know which ones are needed?" His sister persisted

Camrad_RIP 15.01.24 в 09:57

Feng's proud smile turned into a sour grimace. The origin of the knowledge that such a child was not supposed to have was a big problem. If the "son of the general" was written off as Feng being a fool, then the recipe for the mixture would not work. "I know how to store food!" it was enough for his mother, but the others might have unpleasant and untimely questions.

Camrad_RIP 15.01.24 в 09:59

"Everyone in the city knows it!" Feng blurted out, preparing himself for further confrontation. After all, no one could seriously think that.....

Camrad_RIP 14.01.24 в 20:28

"Did you hear that? Everyone in the city knows!" said Zenzen. "And instead of wiggling your ass in front of the whole village, you could do something useful too!"

Camrad_RIP 14.01.24 в 20:28