Chapter 20: Punishing the Sister-in-Law, A Wife’s Bowl of Pork Fat Rice

Everyone was ultimately brought to the town. Due to the involvement of soldiers from the Great Xia, the matter quickly drew the attention of all the officials in the local government. Even the county magistrate became aware of the incident.

Chu Feng arrived in town alongside the villagers. Contrary to expectations, the government officers did not target Chu Feng or the villagers, nor did they imprison anyone. Instead, they arranged a place for them to rest properly. The group exchanged puzzled glances, unsure of what was happening.

The following day, Chu Feng and the villagers were summoned to the government office. The proud and arrogant county deputy, Liao Zi’ang, approached Chu Feng with great courtesy and patted him on the shoulder.

“Little brother, congratulations!”

Chu Feng was still unclear about the situation when Liao Zi’ang produced a document—a letter of appointment.

“Can you read?” he asked.

“A little,” Chu Feng replied, taking the letter. Upon reading it, he felt a mix of amusement and disbelief.

It stated that Chu Feng, a villager of Yulong Village, was officially appointed as the Mountain Patrolman of Yulong Mountain for his meritorious service in patrolling the mountain and for having slain two enemy soldiers of the rival nation and captured one.

“In short, from today onwards, you are part of our government. You will receive a monthly salary and are exempt from paying grain taxes.”

After saying this, Liao Zi’ang turned and left, no longer mentioning anything about arrests or punishment.

The title of Mountain Patrolman was a kind of minor official position—not exactly a high-ranking post. Chu Feng had encountered such roles before in his previous life—tough yet leisurely, with modest pay. This role was likely similar to that of a forest ranger.

At the very least, Chu Feng’s hunting trips up the mountain were now officially sanctioned.

Upon hearing that Chu Feng had been made a patrolman, the villagers immediately stepped forward to congratulate him. Holding an official position, no matter how small, was a source of pride and honor for the family. Moreover, exemption from grain taxes was an enviable benefit.

Yet, the villagers rarely envied Chu Feng, knowing well the price he had paid. The image of him tossing enemy heads still lingered vividly in their memories.

Sun Can clung to Chu Feng like a loyal hound, constantly calling him “Brother Feng.” Wang Wei remained bedridden at home, but both had been questioned by curious neighbors about what had transpired on the mountain.

Fearing embarrassment, neither Wang Wei nor Sun Can revealed their own capture experiences. Instead, they emphasized how dangerous the Great Xia soldiers were, thereby highlighting Chu Feng’s extraordinary bravery.

This, however, was a story for later.

The moment Chu Feng received the letter of appointment, he breathed a sigh of relief—they would not be imprisoned.

Led by Du Dahai, the entire village returned home. Their first stop was Chu’s family household. Chu Long and Wei Xiaoxia seemed to have anticipated the news. Upon learning that Chu Feng had become a mountain patrolman, their jealousy was unmistakable.

In the end, Wei Xiaoxia suppressed her envy and forced a smile.

“You truly are the pride of the Chu family, Chu Feng. Well done. From now on, the family’s grain supply is yours, and you may come and go as you please without any chores.”

“Is the Chu family even worth being part of?” Chu Feng retorted coldly, casting a glance at Wei Xiaoxia before turning away.

Chu Feng paid no mind to how the villagers dealt with the two of them. Chu Long had already committed a grave offense against the village, nearly causing ruin for everyone, including Chu Feng himself.

In this unfamiliar ancient society, Chu Feng was no saint. Having served as a soldier, he possessed a hardened streak. Otherwise, he would never have managed to kill two Great Xia soldiers. Though Chu Long and Wei Xiaoxia were blood relatives, they had betrayed him. Showing mercy by not killing them was already generosity on Chu Feng’s part.

Du Dahai soon applied village law to sentence the two: they were expelled from the village. This was the harshest punishment the village could impose.

From that day forward, they were forbidden from setting foot in the village and had to stay at least ten miles away. Should they be found, they would be beaten to death with sticks.

Chu Feng was unsurprised by this verdict and chose to disregard the affairs of the Chu family. At that moment, all he wished was to return home swiftly. His wife and daughter were surely worried about him.

Sure enough, before he even reached his doorstep, he saw Zhou Xiaoxiao’s figure. Just as when he first went up the mountain, Zhou Xiaoxiao was waiting at the gate.

When she saw him return safely, she immediately rushed forward and embraced him.

“You scared me to death,” she cried, tears streaming down her face. She truly had been terrified. Not only her, but many women in the village were frightened. Once taken by the government, what chance was there for a good outcome? To return unscathed was nothing short of a miracle.

Seeing Chu Feng appearing unharmed, she whispered over and over, “As long as you’re alright, that’s all that matters...”

“Don’t worry, your husband is fine. I’m hungry—let’s hurry and cook,” Chu Feng reassured her.

Usually at this hour, Chu Miaomiao and Benben would already be asleep, but to his surprise, both came out to greet him upon entering the courtyard.

“Don’t cry. Daddy’s fine,” Chu Miaomiao said, her previously beaming smile fading.

Seeing his daughter’s adorable round face, Chu Feng burst into laughter.

The lighting was dim in the evening. Villagers rarely ate dinner, often surviving on just one meal a day. Survival was the priority.

Since Chu Feng’s rebirth, his family had been eating two meals daily. The lard rendered from the wild boar was still stored in the jar.

Zhou Xiaoxiao took out two bowls of sorghum rice gifted by Du Dahai, placed them in the pot to steam, then retrieved the pork cracklings and a couple of wild onions that Chu Feng had picked.

Before long, a simple yet fragrant bowl of pork crackling rice was ready.

“I want some too! I want some!” Chu Miaomiao called from the side.

Chu Feng scooped a spoonful and fed it to her. She took a bite.

He and Zhou Xiaoxiao watched her expectantly.

“How is it?”

“I don’t know,” Chu Miaomiao shook her head.

“Was that bite eaten by the dog?” Chu Feng glanced at Benben.

“No, I ate too fast and didn’t taste it. Give me another bite,” she tugged at Chu Feng’s arm.

Both Chu Feng and Zhou Xiaoxiao laughed heartily.

“There’s more rice. Let’s serve this little foodie another bowl.”

The family of three enjoyed their pork crackling rice heartily before settling onto the kang to sleep.

But then, recalling his new role as a mountain patrolman—a semi-official position, even higher than the village head—Chu Feng felt a renewed responsibility. From tomorrow onward, his hunting would be completely legitimate.

They still had some cured meats and fresh stored meat, with pig and sheep skins drying in the woodshed.

Chu Feng planned to sell these goods the next day to save some money and purchase other necessities. The household couldn’t rely solely on meat, or they’d suffer health issues.

As these thoughts drifted through his mind, sleep began to overtake him.

Just as he was about to drift off, there was a sharp clatter—the sound of animal traps snapping together.

Chu Feng threw off the quilt, leapt up, and rushed outside.