After fleeing the famine, my older sister and I married the brother next door.

"Clang—clang—clang—"

The urgent and muffled sound of a gong abruptly broke the afternoon tranquility of Nanshan Village. This gong sound was unusual, carrying a solemn, official tone that instantly made the villagers busy in the fields, courtyards, and backyards tense.

The village head, his back hunched, walked ahead, carrying an old bronze gong. Behind him followed two constables dressed in black official robes, with broadswords at their waists, their faces solemn, their steps carrying the authority of government officials. The three went straight to the old locust tree at the village entrance—the usual place for village meetings and gatherings.

"Everyone, those in charge and capable of managing the household, come to the old locust tree! There's a notice from the county!" The village head shouted, his voice hoarse with the characteristic raspiness of an old man, yet it carried far.

Chen's mother, who was weeding in the vegetable garden in the backyard, paused and looked out into the yard. Chen Dashan, who was sanding wooden parts in the main room, stopped what he was doing and listened intently. Chen's father, who was hoeing weeds in the wasteland, also straightened up, his brows slightly furrowed. Chen Xiaohe and the Su sisters also came out from their respective places of work and gathered in the yard, their faces showing a hint of unease.

"Mother, the officials are here," Su Xiaoqing whispered, instinctively clutching her sister's sleeve. On their journey fleeing famine, they had an instinctive wariness of government officials and constables.

Chen's mother composed herself, patted the dirt off her hands, and said, "Let's go take a look. There's a mountain and a river; your father probably went over there from the fields too. Let's go over there."

When the Chen family arrived at the old locust tree, a large crowd had already gathered there, mostly men and elderly women from various households. Their expressions were solemn, and they whispered amongst themselves; an atmosphere of unease permeated the air. Seeing that most of the people had arrived, the village headman cleared his throat and bowed to an older constable beside him: "Officer, everyone is here. Please proceed with the announcement."

The constable stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. His voice was loud and emotionless: "By order of the County Magistrate! To ensure smooth flood control this summer, laborers must be conscripted to clear the silt from the upper reaches of the Qinghe River within the county. The work will last one month! According to the law, every registered household in this county must send one able-bodied man aged sixteen to fifty to serve! Registration begins tomorrow. Arrive promptly at the north gate of the county town the day after tomorrow, without delay!"

These words immediately caused an uproar among the crowd. Forced labor! And dredging the river! That was one of the hardest and most arduous jobs!

The yamen runners, seemingly used to this scene, raised their voices to quell the noise: "Those who are unwilling or unable to perform their corvée labor can pay silver in lieu of service, as per regulations! Each person must pay two taels of silver in full!"

Two taels of silver! Many families couldn't even save two taels of silver in a whole year! Sighs and gasps grew louder.

"Those willing to serve in the military will be provided with two meals a day by the government, but they need to bring their own bedding and luggage! They will also receive a daily wage of fifteen coins, which will be paid together at the end of the service period!" The constable added at the end, which was probably the only piece of news that could offer some reassurance, at least they would still get paid.

After the constable finished speaking, the village head quickly interjected, his voice both reassuring and urging: "Did everyone hear that clearly? Whether you go or pay the silver, each household should discuss it quickly! Those who decide not to go, please hand over two taels of silver to me before noon tomorrow, and I will submit them to the yamen. Those who are going, don't be late the day after tomorrow! Now everyone, go back and discuss!"

The crowd buzzed with discussion, their expressions varied as they dispersed. The Chen family silently followed the flow of people back, each feeling as if a stone was weighing on their hearts.

Back home, after closing the courtyard gate, the atmosphere in the main room was unusually heavy. Father Chen spoke first, his voice somewhat hoarse, yet carrying an undeniable resolve: "I'll do the corvée this year."

"Dad!" Chen Dashan and Chen Xiaohe shouted almost at the same time.

Father Chen waved his hand, interrupting them: "Listen to me. Dashan, your legs, although they're fine for regular work, will be too much for your old injury from cleaning the riverbed, being soaked in water and mud, and trekking and carrying things. Xiaohe," he looked at his youngest son, "you're still young, your body isn't fully developed yet. Doing this kind of heavy work for a month can easily leave you with health problems. I may be a bit older, but I'm a farmer, I still have the strength. Besides, the government is paying wages this year, fifteen coins a day, which adds up to four hundred and fifty coins a month, a considerable supplement. There's not much urgent work in the fields these days, just watching the seedlings and weeding. Dashan and Xiaohe, you two can take turns checking on them."

Chen's mother's eyes were a little red, and her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she said, "How about... how about we pay the money? Two taels of silver... This year we sold mountain products and did handicrafts, and we saved some money from the family coffers, so we can come up with it."

"No way." Father Chen shook his head, his tone resolute. "That's the savings our family worked so hard to accumulate. Clearing land costs money, and the children will need even more money in the future. We should save these two taels of silver wherever possible. I'll go. It'll be tiring, but it's fine. I did corvée labor when I was young, didn't I? I know what I'm doing."

Chen Dashan knew that once his father made a decision, it would be difficult to change it. He remained silent for a moment, then said, "Since you've made up your mind, we'll listen to you. But Xiaohe and I will definitely take good care of the house and the fields this month. Don't worry."

Chen Xiaohe also said in a low voice, "Dad, please be careful out there, don't overwork yourself."

And so the matter was settled. For the next two days, the atmosphere at the Chen family home was somber yet orderly. Chen's mother counted out one hundred copper coins from the communal funds, sewed a small bag out of old cloth, and stuffed it deep into the bundle that Chen's father was about to take: "Keep these one hundred coins close to your body. In case... in case the food is really too bad, or you get a headache or fever, buy yourself some food and medicine, don't suffer."

Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing weren't idle either. They took the previously smoked rabbit, carefully butchered the meat, soaked some dried mushrooms, and added lard, soy sauce, salt, and a few spices they could find. They slowly simmered it in a pot, making a large jar of fragrant, glistening red meat sauce. After cooling, they carefully packed it into several clean, scalded bamboo tubes and sealed them tightly. "Dad, this keeps well. We can scoop some out and mix it with our meals; it'll help us eat a few more bites," Su Xiaoyin said softly.

As Mr. Chen watched his wife and daughter-in-law busy themselves for him, his throat tightened, and he could only manage a heavy "hmm".

On the morning of his departure, before dawn, Chen's father carried a small bundle containing a worn-out set of bedding, a few changes of clothes, and the family's heartfelt wishes. The Chen family saw him off at the village entrance.

"Alright, go back now." Father Chen waved his hand, turned around and strode towards the county town. His back looked particularly thin and strong in the dim morning light, but also upright.

Only after their father's figure disappeared at the end of the road did the Chen family silently turn and go home. The courtyard suddenly seemed much emptier and quieter.

After a silent breakfast, Chen Dashan broke the silence first: "This month, Xiaohe and I will divide the work. I have difficulty walking, so I'll do more carpentry at home and take care of the livestock in the garden and vegetable patch. Xiaohe, you can do more of the work in the fields. Also, keep a close eye on the fish traps and pits we set and dug. If we can catch some wild game or fresh fish, we'll cook it and try to send it to Dad to help him recover."

Chen Xiaohe immediately nodded: "Okay, brother, leave the things in the fields and on the mountain to me!"

Su Xiaoyin also spoke up, "Mother, the chickens, ducks, and geese at home have all started laying eggs now. Let's save the eggs and I'll try to make some tea eggs, which will last for a few days. I think we can pickle the duck and goose eggs into salt. We'll send some to Father every few days. He works hard outside, and the government's food alone is definitely not enough; he needs some oil and salt."

Listening to her son and daughter-in-law's thoughtful arrangements, and seeing their worried yet determined expressions, Chen's mother felt a surge of warmth and comfort ease her heavy heartache. She nodded, her gaze sweeping over each of them: "Alright, we'll do as you say. We'll get your father through this month-long ordeal. While he works outside, we at home must make sure everything is alright and don't cause him worry."

Outside the window, the sky was bright. Life had to go on, and this family, which had just seen hope, was about to face another test. But this time, they were no longer adrift individuals, but a closely connected family, supporting each other. The temporary departure of Mr. Chen was like a touchstone, revealing beyond the warmth of affection, the family's resilient strength to weather the storms together.