Chapter Seventy-Six: The Autumn Guard Sets Out

When Han Li returned home, the first thing he did was gulp down a huge mug of chrysanthemum tea.

Thump, thump...

Draining an entire enamel mug of chrysanthemum tea had no effect at all; instead, his body began to stir with its own urges.

A cold shower, perhaps? But he felt even if he emptied the whole water barrel, it wouldn’t be enough.

So Han Li grabbed a towel in one hand, shoved the other in his pocket, and marched briskly towards the riverside where he often bathed. In a matter of moments, he stripped off his clothes and dove headfirst into the water. For a long while, he didn’t surface, and when he finally emerged in the middle of the river, he wiped water from his face, feeling that the burning restlessness in his heart had dissipated.

But then he noticed the male protagonist had also come to bathe in the river. Was he afraid his wife might find out if he went home?

"Accountant Zhang, you're here for a bath too."

"Han, the educated youth, you’re here as well."

"Yes, I’m done already. Take your time, Accountant Zhang."

Han Li dressed and waved to the male protagonist as he left, feeling as though the cold bath had been utterly useless. Because the words "good man, you’re amazing..." echoed once more in his mind.

But Han Li didn’t realize that an incident like this was hardly unusual in a village ruled by a single authority. Not everyone could endure, especially when hope seemed so distant.

After all, in their hands held the power to decide whether you could return to the city—so these kinds of exchanges were quite normal.

(It’s not worth criticizing; shrewd readers should know that in certain regions, there were cases where none returned with their integrity intact.)

Yet for such a thing to happen in Shanghe Village, which was ruled by three factions, was odd—was he just ignorant?

Did Accountant Zhang really believe himself indispensable among the three powers?

Han Li wiped his wet hair and went back home. When he entered, he saw the kang table already set up atop the bed.

On the table sat a bowl of stewed beans and meat, along with two coarse flour steamed buns. No doubt, these were sent over by the neighbors.

Just as well, for he was genuinely hungry now. After hanging up his towel, he devoured his dinner ravenously.

After eating and tidying up, he refilled the kerosene lamp and took out the Little Red Book.

He sat in the courtyard reading, and only when he heard sounds coming from the educated youth compound did he slowly walk over.

Han Li saw the female protagonist, who had loudly praised him earlier, sitting there shouting slogans as if nothing had happened. He couldn’t help but admire her greatly.

Even now, recalling it made his heart beat faster—she deserved an Oscar statuette, no question.

As the hour of post-dinner fervor drew to a close, our pitiable Comrade Zhang San was hauled out once again.

The male team leader Sun Yong and the female team leader Jiang Xiaoli both urged him to hurry and fill twenty baskets of manure, or else he’d be accused of slacking off.

After leaving the educated youth compound, He Mi quietly followed him and asked,

"I noticed the way you looked at Wei Chunlan just now was a bit odd."

Han Li replied softly, "You should keep your distance from her. And don’t go seeking Accountant Zhang alone."

"You mean...?"

"Ahem, I didn’t say anything. Don’t tell anyone else either."

Thus, the days passed peacefully. Every day was spent idly working while listening to everyone chatter about this and that.

Yet Han Li never heard a single rumor about Accountant Zhang. Either the affair had just begun, or their secrecy was impeccable.

In the meantime, Han Li traded for a rabbit pelt at a villager’s house, then had Qi Zhaodi sew him a knife sheath.

He also tinkered at home—fixing up the bathhouse, improving the doorway, digging a cellar—or else went up the mountain or down to the river.

He rarely had leisure, but his days felt full and steady.

The Yun sisters and He Mi’s house was finished and had been drying out for a couple of days.

During this time, the girls were curious about the small hut Han Li had built beside the main house, so they asked him about it.

But these were merely Han Li’s ideas; he wasn’t sure what the finished product would look like, so how could he explain it to outsiders?

Thus, he never gave a direct answer. However, under Han Li’s guidance, they began digging cellars in their own courtyards.

One day, villagers found wild boar tracks while gathering mountain goods.

The next morning, the team leader and the village chief announced that Shanghe Village’s autumn protection squad was being mobilized.

Wild boars caused the most damage to crops after sunset, when they emerged from the hills.

Of course, some came out during the day, but that was rare, and with people around, they could be spotted quickly.

So, under the team leader’s direction, the villagers first dug traps along the wild boars’ usual routes.

They also set up alarm devices using thin ropes, bells, and bits of iron, which could serve as warnings at night.

With so many hands, the work started early and was finished by three in the afternoon.

Team Leader Liang announced, "Now everyone go back and prepare your weapons. Educated youths without their own can fetch shovels or pickaxes from the warehouse. Eat dinner early, and gather here before sunset. I’ll assign your groups then."

Han Li returned home and strapped on his army knife, filled a basket with short javelins, and finally took out a section of iron birch, crafting it into a spear suited to his stature.

Although he’d received a thirty-meter-tall iron birch, even taking a section felt wasteful to him.

Iron birch was a rare treasure, its wood so tough it far surpassed ordinary steel.

Someone had once tested it with gunfire—the bullet struck the trunk as if it were hitting a steel plate.

Its extreme hardness made it resistant to all manner of rot, even prolonged soaking.

To certain people or under certain circumstances, iron birch was valued far above rosewood.

After preparing these things, Han Li ate dinner as everyone else returned from work.

He Mi was the first to arrive at his house; seeing the equipment inside, she said worriedly,

"Be careful tonight. I asked the aunties about it, and they said, 'First the boar, then the bear, then the tiger'—which shows how dangerous wild boars are. They also said wild boars travel in packs, at least ten in a group, and among them are armored boars whose hides even ordinary bullets can’t pierce."

Han Li replied with a carefree smile, "I’ll be careful. We’ve only found traces so far; there’s no guarantee they’ll come. Even if the armored boar is fierce, if it falls into a trap, it’ll have to wait to be dispatched."

(Armored boars usually refers to male boars. From a young age, they rub pine resin all over their bodies, then roll in sand and mud. Over the years, this forms a thick layer of armor, and locals call them 'armored wild boars.')

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