Journey to the West: The Immortal Clan Begins by Feeding Monkeys at Five Elements Mountain

Chapter 209 A Pregnant Woman in the Belly, Peace and Tranquility Begin to Appear

The village of Liangjie, after the earth dragon turned over, was not as gloomy and desolate as people had imagined.

The lingering panic was shattered by the clanging and banging sounds.

As soon as the sun rises, the courtyards and yards of every household come alive with activity.

It wasn't cooking smoke, but sawdust from sawing wood and dust from rammed earth, mixed with the sweat rising from the men's bodies.

At this time, crying and wailing will be of no use.

If a house collapses, it has to be rebuilt, one pillar at a time.

Even if the wall is crooked, you still have to carry loads of mud to fix it.

Life goes on.

Another year has passed in the blink of an eye.

The roof tiles, repaired in early spring, have been soaked by summer rain, weathered autumn frost, and then seen winter snow; their color is now indistinguishable from the old walls.

The cracks that appeared on the village road were smoothed out by the footsteps and oxcarts passing by.

The earth dragon turned over twice more during that year.

One late summer night, the noise was faint, like a muffled clap of thunder in the distance.

People who sleep soundly only turn over in their dreams, and when they hear about it the next day, they just say "oh".

Another time, in early winter, it was close by and the shaking was intense.

The feeling was like having the whole village placed on a broken gong and being pounded on seven or eight times.

In previous years, such a commotion would have caused at least a dozen houses to collapse.

But now, apart from more tiles falling off and a few fine lines appearing on the wall, nothing has collapsed.

Only Zhang the butcher's newly built pigsty collapsed on one side. The two-hundred-pound fat pig was so frightened that it grunted and squeaked, and crawled out of the yard, wandering around the village for half the night, adding to the joke.

The more disasters one witnesses, the stronger the nerves in one's heart become.

The day was perfect, with just the right amount of sunlight, neither too hot nor too cold.

Liu Xiulian and her granddaughter Jiang Jin went into the medicinal herb field next to the house, which was the most spiritually rich, early in the morning.

This place is nourished by spiritual energy every year, and the plants and trees here grow vigorously.

Ordinary angelica and chuanxiong herbs, when grown in this place, all have a stronger medicinal aroma.

After a busy morning, carrying two large baskets full, the grandmother and granddaughter, their faces covered in sweat but also smiling, headed straight for the ancestral hall.

The basket was filled with angelica, chuanxiong, mugwort, scutellaria... neatly arranged, the roots still covered in the freshly turned mud.

Inside the ancestral hall, incense smoke curled gently, and several pieces of clothing and bedding prepared in advance were neatly folded.

Liu Xiulian placed the basket under the offering table and called out loudly:

"Liang'er, come out and lend a hand! When you deliver the grain this time, take this with you and give some to Rui'er and his wife."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the cigarette flickered, and Jiang Liang's figure appeared in the hall.

When he saw the pile of things, his expression first warmed, but then turned somewhat helpless:

"Mother, Rui'er has plenty of food and clothing now, you..."

"What's outside is outside, and what's at home is at home. How can they be the same?"

Liu Xiulian glared at him, cutting him off, "Just send it over, and tell that kid to remember that someone in his family still cares about him."

Just then, Jiang Yi strolled in from outside.

He glanced briefly at the basket of medicinal herbs before looking away.

These are all medicines that gently nourish and strengthen the body, and are used to calm the fetus and soothe the mind.

He knew everything perfectly well, but his face remained impassive, with only a faint smile playing on his lips.

For more than a year, Jiang Rui has been quite busy on the Liangqiang border.

Before the earth could even begin to stir, his troops and provisions arrived.

They set up tents to distribute porridge, rescued the wounded and treated the sick, gathered refugees, and comforted the people.

The name "General Jiang of Tianshui" has become quite well-known in the Liangqiang area.

However, reputation is ultimately an empty thing.

It is still far from reaching the point where incense burns brightly, temples are erected, and people are worshipped.

Such matters cannot be rushed, nor can they be left to chance.

On the other hand, good news came first from Zhao Qiqi's side.

She's pregnant; another baby is on the way.

Liu Xiulian went on and on, giving instructions on everything she could think of, until her mouth was dry. Only then did she take a breather, still feeling like she hadn't said enough.

Turning around, she saw her husband standing behind her, his hands behind his back, his expression indifferent.

She understood immediately.

So he brushed the grass clippings off his clothes, pulled Jiang Jin aside, and said with a smile:
"Let's go, Jin'er, let them talk about men's matters."

As he spoke, he led his granddaughter out of the ancestral hall, closing the creaking wooden door behind him.

As soon as the door closed, the light in the hall dimmed, and the aroma of incense and old wood filled the air, as if even the breath carried the scent of bygone years.

Jiang Yi ignored his son behind him and walked to the offering table.

He reached for a slightly worn rag and slowly wiped the dusty memorial tablet.

Fortunately, thanks to the blessings of Heaven, this ancestral hall has been built for so many years, and it only enshrines this one piece of artifact.

"What's the situation outside?" he asked flatly, without looking up.

Jiang Liang lowered his eyes and said in a low voice:
"The imperial court is still the same as always. The national treasury is overflowing with money, and expenditures are insufficient. They're simply pretending not to see anything about disaster relief."

His voice was neither hurried nor slow, without anger or emotion, as if he were recounting an old story that had been forgotten for many years.

“There are undercurrents in every prefecture and county now. There are quite a few, big and small, like Rui’er, who have opened granaries to distribute grain.”

Jiang Yi paused slightly as dust settled on a corner of the offering table.

He didn't turn around, but said softly:
"Go on."

"...However, their fates differed greatly."

Jiang Liang lowered his voice even further, as if afraid of disturbing some deity, or as if his words were not meant to be heard too clearly.

Jiang Yi finally frowned.

He stopped wiping the cloth in his hand and slowly raised his head.

That gaze, neither deep nor fixed, sent a chill down Jiang Liang's spine.

Jiang Liang dared not hesitate any longer and continued in a low voice:

“Those prominent families like the Yuan family of Runan and the Xun family of Yingchuan donated some grain and immediately received praise from the court. They must have donated quite a bit. The plaque inscribed with ‘charitable and generous’ personally written by the Emperor is probably already on its way to the ancestral hall.”

At this point, he paused slightly, his tone shifting to a more serious tone:

"But there are also those who are short-sighted. For example, there was a wealthy merchant in Yunzhou Prefecture, whose family had been merchants for generations and whose wealth was substantial. Seeing the plight of the refugees, he distributed half of his fortune to provide relief. As a result..."

He sighed softly, his voice low, as if afraid of disturbing the incense offerings.

"A few days ago, the local prefect accused me of 'colluding with rebels and plotting rebellion.' My head was hung on the city gate. As for my half of my family's wealth, it has probably already been confiscated."

The ancestral hall was so quiet that only the soft crackling of burning incense could be heard.

Jiang Liang raised his eyes, a slight smile playing on his lips, and continued:
"There's also a gang called 'Juyitang' that followed our example of distributing porridge and medicine, and gathered a lot of disaster victims. Last month, they were surrounded by a passing government army. The charge was 'inciting a mob to rebel'."

"Of the more than three hundred people in the hall, not a single one was left."

He paused, then spoke even softer, "The commander of that government army has now been promoted one rank for his 'meritorious service in suppressing the rebellion'."

After listening, Jiang Yi stood quietly, his expression somber but showing no sign of surprise.

He had seen this kind of thing before.

It happened once a few years ago during a severe drought.

This world.

Even when it comes to doing good deeds and saving people, one's social standing is taken into account.

Seeing his father's expression, Jiang Liang understood the situation and became more composed in his speech.

“Rui’er’s act of distributing porridge to Liangqiang to help the people win over the hearts of the people could not be hidden from those who were watching.”

As he spoke, his tone gradually became more resolute, as if he were comforting himself or confiding in his father: "Fortunately, his father-in-law, Colonel Zhao, is there to guard the front, and several old friends I made in the army in my early years are now in important positions. I'm not worried about anyone stirring up trouble and taking credit for Rui'er's achievements."

Having said that, he smiled, a smile tinged with bitterness:

"But he didn't bother to cultivate connections in the imperial court at all. He didn't contribute a single penny of the required 'donation' money."

"Therefore, this matter of bestowing rewards and honors... is probably just like before, we should forget about it."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi simply responded with a soft sound.

To him, those bestowed titles and honors were as insignificant as a wisp of dust.

He turned and left the ancestral hall, standing under the eaves.

The sunlight was being sliced ​​into pieces by the wooden eaves, falling on his sleeves, half bright and half dark.

After a moment, he asked again:
"How's Rui'er's mindset?"

His tone was calm, yet it concealed a subtle concern.

The fame and fortune of the current court are nothing but illusions to him.

What he cares more about is his grandson, weathered by time, and whether his heart is now shining or gray.

Jiang Liang followed him out and stood half a step behind him.

The incense smoke had not yet dissipated, casting their shadows in a hazy, indistinct pattern.

He remained silent for a moment, his hesitation as subtle as ripples on water, yet it caught Jiang Yi's eye.

"To be honest," Jiang Yi said calmly without turning around.

“...Yes.” Jiang Liang replied in a low voice, his voice slightly hoarse.

"On the surface, Rui'er was still the same as always, doing everything by himself, and his face showed no emotion."

He paused, then sighed softly.

"But my child... is, after all, his father."

"It's clear that he's become somewhat disheartened."

The wind outside the ancestral hall was so fine it was almost inaudible, swirling a few withered leaves slowly across the blue brick floor.

Jiang Yi stood with his hands behind his back, his expression calm, listening without saying a word.

He wasn't surprised.

The merits of pacifying the Qiang region back then were lightly erased;
Now, he has spent his family fortune to save the common people, but in return he has been met with the cold shoulder of the court, the scheming of powerful families, and a pack of wolves who want to use his head to gain promotion.

In this world, one bucket of cold water after another is poured on you.

Even the most valiant heart, when drenched like this, will eventually be reduced to nothing more than wisps of smoke.

It would be strange if someone didn't feel disheartened.

He didn't ask any more questions about his grandson's state of mind.

Some hurdles cannot be overcome by others; you have to step over them yourself.

He was silent for a moment, then said calmly:
"Have you made any progress on those non-worldly forces that took advantage of the earth dragon's upheaval, as I asked you to inquire about before?"

The voice was very soft, falling into the depths of the fragrant mist, like the wind brushing against an old curtain.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Liang's expression turned solemn, and his semi-transparent figure seemed to solidify slightly.

He knew that this was the real topic of conversation today.

"Have."

He hesitated for a moment, then slowly said:

"In the end, it's not much different from the secular world."

These words sound mature, carrying a hint of world-weariness.

“Some evil forces, such as the ‘White Lotus Sect,’ set up altars and spread their teachings in the states most severely affected by the disaster, gathering a large number of believers. They do indeed have some real skills.”

"But the commotion was too great, and after only a few days of running around, it was suppressed by the local local gods and the orthodox Taoist sects."

"The heads of the ringleaders are still drying under the eaves of the City God Temple."

Jiang Yi listened quietly, without even blinking.

Sure enough, Jiang Liang changed the subject and said:
"There are also some sects that have taken advantage of the chaos and are operating with an extremely low profile."

"Their people also came out to provide disaster relief and rescue the people. Some set up medical tents and gave away some herbs; others sent their disciples to help repair houses."

"Without raising banners or shouting slogans, once the deed is done, one can leave without a trace, concealing one's merits and fame."

"Those who are well-behaved, just do their jobs and don't cause trouble, will naturally be overlooked by their superiors, and no one will bother with them."

As Jiang Liang said this, his tone became more speculative:
"I think most of these sects have a solid foundation. Whether they come from orthodox lineage or have powerful backers, they all know the rules."

"Knowing what you can do and what you can't do allows you to gain fame and popularity without getting yourself killed."

Incense smoke curled up inside the ancestral hall. Jiang Yi stood with his hands behind his back in the interplay of light and shadow, his expression unchanged.

After a moment, he suddenly spoke:
"Among the forces you just mentioned, is there one called the 'Way of Peace'?"

He spoke those three words very softly, but his heart was heavy.

Jiang Liang lowered his eyes, his eyelashes swaying lightly in the cigarette smoke.

It's like meticulously examining a vast, intricately woven intelligence network within the depths of one's mind.

After a long while, he finally said:

“The Way of Peace… Father, now that you mention it, I do have some recollection of it.”

He frowned slightly, then added as if remembering something:

"This branch was mentioned in a message sent from Jizhou some time ago."

"It is said that there is a group of Taoist priests who operate under the banner of 'Peace,' and they do have some real skills. They are quite famous in the Jizhou area."

He paused, his tone softening:
“This group of people are very steady in their actions and know the rules. They only take on disciples for disaster relief in Jizhou and never cross the line.”

“The local deities and the Taoist sects must have made arrangements long ago, keeping to themselves and living in peace.”

He pondered for a moment before continuing:
"I don't know the specific details yet. But..."

At this point, his tone shifted slightly, taking on a touch of worldly-wise coldness:
"Nine times out of ten, those who can stand firmly in this chaotic world must have some background or connections."

Jiang Yi stood still, his gaze slightly unfocused.

This situation seems somewhat different from the old story he remembered.

Jizhou, Taipingdao, and disaster relief all seem like old dreams repeating themselves, but with a few of the familiar bloodshed missing.

He weighed the options in his mind, but couldn't quite see through it.

Such changes, which involve the very fate of heaven and earth, should never be predicted rashly.

One wrong step and you're doomed.

After a long while, he finally collected his thoughts.

The yin and yang energies within the soul shifted, and the turbulent currents returned to calm.

"Keep an eye on things outside," he said softly, his voice gentle but firm.

"Especially the Taiping Dao branch in Jizhou, report to them as soon as possible, no matter what they do."

The words stop here.

No explanation, no speculation, just a simple command.

Jiang Liang nodded in agreement.

He never questioned his father's decisions, nor did he need to ask any more questions.

There are too many things in this world that, if you ask too many questions, it's better to just trust them completely.

He walked to the offering table and flicked his sleeve.

The medicinal herbs and clothing were all transformed into light and shadow, and collected into the celestial realm.

Amidst the swirling smoke of cigarettes, Jiang Yi stood with his hands behind his back, his expression unchanged.

Jiang Liang's figure had already faded into the fragrant mist.

It wisps up like smoke, then gently dissipates.

Along with the lingering scent of wood and the ashes of paper, it all returned to silence.

(End of this chapter)