Chapter Nine: Striking It Rich This Time!

A thick porridge made from white rice steamed hot, steam rising in waves. Those around couldn’t help but swallow their saliva.

Zhao Zheng wore a stern face and said, “Didn’t you say there was none?”

“Uncle Zhao, it’s my fault. Please accept it,” Zheng Chunmei said, her heart bleeding. Clearly, he had extorted her, yet she still begged him to accept it—how black-hearted she must be.

Deep down, she couldn’t help but think that if her husband were still alive, life wouldn’t be this hard.

Xu Youde also advised, “Forget it. Since she’s already taken it out, don’t make a fuss. Just give uncle some face, alright?”

Only then did Zhao Zheng’s expression soften slightly. “Fine, I’ll give uncle Youde some face.”

Seeing Zhao Zheng yield like this, a faint smile appeared on Xu Youde’s face. He turned to Zheng Chunmei and said, “Considering your family’s behavior, I’ve decided to give you a small punishment. Zhao Zheng’s foot is injured and he can’t carry water these days. Until his foot heals, let your son, Erdan, fill his family’s water tank. If you cheat or slack off, see how I deal with you!”

Zheng Chunmei nodded tearfully, “Yes, we’ll listen to the village elder.”

“Zhaodi, Xiao’e, bring the things upstairs!”

The two women were overjoyed to see the food that had been lost now returned.

They never expected that their father-in-law would truly bring the Li family to heel so thoroughly.

The two exchanged glances, both surprised by each other’s eyes.

After thanking the three village elders and everyone once more, Zhao Zheng limped back home.

At home, Li Erdan had already carried back the firewood.

Just as he was about to leave, Zhao Zheng called out, “Go draw water. I’m telling you, if you dare to spit or urinate in the water, I’ll tell the village elder.”

Li Erdan clenched his fists in anger. He had indeed thought about it, but after being harshly scolded by his mother, he dared not talk back, only muttering, “Just wait. I’ll have Ma Dabai teach you a lesson!”

With that, he lifted the wooden bucket and went to fetch water.

“Father-in-law, isn’t this a bit... too much?” Yang Zhaodi looked at Li Erdan’s frail body with some sympathy.

Zhao Zheng was stern. “Zhaodi, Xiao’e, in this world, only the wicked live well. Sometimes, we have to make ourselves appear not easy to bully, so others will fear us.”

“Your kindness may not be appreciated. Since we’ve fallen out, we might as well scare them thoroughly this time. If they want to bully you or cause trouble again, they’ll think twice. Understand?”

Yang Zhaodi pondered, “Father-in-law, we understand.”

Zhao Zheng smiled, then picked up a woodcutting knife and a carrying basket, ready to go out.

“Father-in-law, are you still going to chop wood?”

“Going to take a look,” Zhao Zheng said. “Once that kid finishes fetching water, let him drink his fill. If he refuses, then he must have tampered with it.”

“Understood,” Yang Zhaodi nodded silently. After all, she was well aware whether her father-in-law’s foot was injured or not.

Watching Zhao Zheng limp away, Zhang Xiao’e said, “Sister-in-law, I don’t quite understand what father-in-law meant just now.”

Yang Zhaodi nodded at her. “It’s okay if you don’t understand. Just listen to father-in-law.”

Zhang Xiao’e said “Oh,” then whispered, “Sister-in-law, I think father-in-law is... different now. Not exactly good or bad, just not the same as before.”

Yang Zhaodi said, “Father-in-law isn’t bad. He’s just doing this to protect us. In my eyes, he’s very good!”

“Yes, yes, that’s exactly what I mean!” Zhang Xiao’e agreed.

“Father-in-law has changed. Isn’t that a good thing?”

“Yes, I can hardly believe he would become like this, but I’m so scared!” Zhang Xiao’e hugged Yang Zhaodi tightly. “I’m afraid this is just a dream and that when I wake up, everything will go back to how it was.”

Yang Zhaodi held her close. “It’s not. Don’t be afraid...”

In truth, she too feared this was only a dream.

...

Zhao Zheng limped out of the village. Only after he reached a deserted spot did he return to his original self.

He had set three traps yesterday and had to check them.

Hunting held more promise than chopping wood.

If only he could catch two more weasels today.

Two hours later, Zhao Zheng reached near Golden Rooster Mountain. After observing for a while and ensuring no one was around, he hurried over.

This time, he was wiser. In the thick weeds, he used a wooden stick to probe ahead—who knew if others had set traps here?

He didn’t want to get caught himself.

The first trap was empty.

The second trap was empty as well.

Zhao Zheng was frustrated.

Had he come this far only to return empty-handed?

At the third trap, there was something—though it wasn’t a weasel, but a gray mouse, about the size of a palm, caught tightly in the trap.

“A mouse?”

Zhao Zheng’s face fell.

Damn it, after running so far, he only caught a mouse?

[Notification: Captured one wild mountain mouse, weight one jin (about half a kilogram), value forty wen. Store or sell?]

Wow.

This mouse weighed just about one jin but was so expensive?

Converting the value, it was almost as expensive as a weasel of similar size.

Were modern people really this bizarre, eating mountain mice?

He glanced at the description and discovered it was considered a top-grade tonic.

He couldn’t understand it.

“Sell!”

[Notification: Forty wen credited to your balance!]

Zhao Zheng’s mood lifted considerably; at least the trip wasn’t in vain.

Steeling himself, he bought another trap, set it carefully, and scattered some rice grains inside. Only then did he nod in satisfaction.

Looking at the time, he decided to chop more wood for storage.

He purchased an axe from the market.

“This tool is more efficient for both attack and chopping trees.”

Zhao Zheng headed deeper into Golden Rooster Mountain.

He stored another hundred jin of firewood.

This wood was excellent for emergency sales, cooking, or heating.

Still, chopping wood was tedious; burning coal was much more durable.

At that moment, he felled a tree trunk about the thickness of an arm.

[Notification: Cut down 40 jin of diamond wood, value 200 wen. Store or sell?]

Diamond wood?

Zhao Zheng’s eyes brightened. That tree looked familiar—called “turtle bone,” it was a tree unique to northern regions.

It grew slowly; a trunk that thick had taken at least thirty to fifty years.

In modern times, such trees were almost extinct.

They could be used as art pieces and had been very popular for a while.

Zhao Zheng had known about this before.

Was it really that valuable?

Five wen per jin—one tree worth as much as ten ordinary trees.

The wood was very hard, causing numbness in the hands from the vibrations.

“Sell!”

[Notification: 200 wen credited to your balance!]

Zhao Zheng grinned. This wood was valuable in the modern era, but not here. Many people disliked it because it was too hard and might damage their axes.

Zhao Zheng had no such worries.

Glancing around, he saw several more trees.

His spirits soared.

For such hard wood, a cleaver was best.

He bought a cleaver.

[Notification: Cut down 45 jin of diamond wood, value 225 wen...]

[Notification: Cut down 50 jin of diamond wood, value 250 wen...]

Zhao Zheng laughed heartily. “This time, I’ve hit the jackpot!”