Chapter 136: Meeting the Taoist Priest

After National Day, not a drop of rain fell, and the scorching weather caused the water level in the creek to fall even further. A severe drought, unlike anything they had experienced the previous year, had descended. Although Ox Luo Village had a pond, everyone had begun anxiously storing water.

The rice seedlings had only just been planted. They could not afford to run short of water now, or there would be no harvest at all.

In some other villages, people had already begun fighting over irrigation water. Bloodied heads were a common sight.

Because something had gone wrong during her cultivation, Bai Xi had not become bedridden, but she looked listless and languid. Her small face had grown noticeably thinner, making her eyes appear even darker and brighter.

They had called several doctors to examine her, but none could determine what was wrong. All they could say was that her body was weak.

The people of Ox Luo Village were so furious that they nearly pointed at the doctors’ noses and cursed them. Their Great-Aunt had always been in excellent health, with a hearty appetite. How could they claim she was weak? It was utter nonsense.

Bai Xi knew the true condition of her body, so when the villagers urged her to go to the city for treatment, she flatly refused. Just obtaining the necessary introduction letter would require several trips. Besides, the doctors in the city would not be able to discover anything either. Why put herself through the misery of traveling back and forth?

The villagers were frantic. They often gathered together to discuss possible solutions.

“How much did Great-Aunt eat today?” Chen Zhaodi was currently taking turns with Li Jia to prepare Bai Xi’s meals, which was why the villagers were questioning her now.

Li Jia shook her head.

Chen Zhaodi said, “The same as the past few days. She didn’t eat much, and she’s been sleepy all the time.”

“Little Black hasn’t been eating much either, and he won’t go anywhere,” Li Jia added.

Little Black had lost his appetite because Bai Xi was unwell. He was worried and anxious. But to the villagers, that made the situation even more serious.

If Great-Aunt were not ill, how could Little Black possibly be eating so little?

Great-Aunt was sick, and now the village was facing a severe drought. Everyone in Ox Luo Village was nearly frantic with worry.

“Even the fried dough twists Fang Ya had someone bring from her hometown didn’t tempt Great-Aunt,” Chen Zhaodi said.

At those words, everyone grew even more anxious. Normally, Great-Aunt was as lively as a dragon and as vigorous as a tiger. She could eat an entire chicken or several fish in one meal. She could finish a large bowl of steamed egg custard in a sitting. Even pastries she did not particularly like would disappear by the handful.

And now she would not even eat fried dough twists. This was no minor matter.

“Quick, think of something!”

“That’s right. Everyone needs to come up with a solution.”

Chen Dalio slapped his thigh. “Whoever comes up with an idea will be rewarded with twenty work points.”

A strong young laborer earned seven work points a day. Twenty points was nearly three days’ worth. Yet the villagers merely lifted their eyelids to glance at Chen Dalio, and several people of greater seniority even glared at him.

Great-Aunt was ill. Who in the village was not worried? If anyone had thought of a solution, they would never have kept it to themselves. Why would they need work points as a reward?

Seeing their expressions, Chen Dalio hurriedly explained, “I know everyone is worried about Great-Aunt, but shouldn’t whoever comes up with a solution receive some kind of reward?”

Li Youcai scratched his head and suggested, “What if I go into town and see whether I can buy some fine flour? I could make Great-Aunt some red-bean buns.”

A couple of days earlier, they had steamed some red-bean buns, and Great-Aunt had eaten half a bun more than usual.

“Plenty of townspeople have been coming out to the countryside to buy grain this year. Where do you think we’ll find fine flour?”

Everyone knew that grain was currently distributed through the state purchasing and rationing system. The fact that townspeople had been forced to sneak into the countryside to buy food showed just how difficult things had become.

The villagers talked over one another, but no useful idea emerged. Finally, Chen Dalio slapped his thigh again and said, “Whatever the case, we have to try. Youcai, get yourself ready. You’re coming with me to town in the ox cart.”

They still had a dozen or so pounds’ worth of grain coupons. They would go and see whether the grain station happened to have any fine flour. Even two or three pounds would help.

Naturally, they failed to buy any fine flour. There was not even enough coarse grain with bran to go around; the moment it was put on the shelves, townspeople snatched it all up.

Chen Dalio and Li Youcai went with empty hands and returned the same way.

They had originally hoped to buy a couple of pounds of egg cake, but that had disappeared from the market two months earlier. Everything else either required pastry coupons or an introduction letter from the neighborhood office along with a ration book. There was no way Chen Dalio could obtain those things, so the two men could only return to the village empty-handed.

This could not continue. After discussing the matter with several elderly villagers, Chen Dalio set out before dawn the following day with two strong young men, driving the ox cart.

This time, apart from the village elders, even the two young men accompanying Chen Dalio had no idea where they were headed.

When they arrived, Li Youcai and Chen Youfu were dumbfounded.

“Village Chief, why have we come here?”

This was a Taoist temple several dozen li away. Of course, the temple had already been nearly demolished, and the Taoist priests who had once lived there were now undergoing reform in the cowshed.

The author honestly had no idea whether this part might be censored and suspected they were constantly treading on forbidden ground.

No one wanted to become entangled in matters concerning the destruction of the Four Olds.

Even in the countryside, anyone who tried to obtain such things did so in secret, terrified of being discovered and criticized.

“Why are you asking so many questions? Just follow me,” Chen Dalio scolded them in a low voice.

If he had not been out of options, why would he have come to this place? Great-Aunt absolutely could not afford to suffer anything more.

The two men immediately fell silent and followed Chen Dalio.

The village of Great Luo lay right beside the Taoist temple. It was also where the priests were currently undergoing reform.

Although the Taoists were now confined to the cowshed, every village within a hundred or more li had once come to the temple to burn incense and worship the gods. So even though the priests lived in a cowshed, their accommodations were merely poor; in other respects, they were treated much like the villagers.

Chen Dalio first sought out a daughter of the Chen family who had married into Great Luo Village. She then led him to the person he wanted to see.

Li Youcai and Chen Youfu stood outside the cowshed, keeping watch, while Chen Dalio carried two pounds of sorghum flour and half a pound of brown sugar inside.

Half an hour later, Chen Dalio emerged.

He pressed a hand against the object hidden inside his robe, filled with anticipation and excitement. After taking a deep breath and waiting several seconds, he said, “Let’s go.”

They returned to Ox Luo Village just after lunchtime.

When Chen Dalio reached the tree house, Bai Xi had just finished eating and was already drowsy. As usual, Little Black stood guard beside her.

“Great-Aunt, how are you feeling today?” Chen Dalio asked first. Only after Bai Xi nodded did he sit down.

“Didn’t you leave first thing this morning?” Bai Xi asked.

She knew because Little Black had told her.

The village was small, and the ox wore a bell around its neck. Little Black could understand what was happening with only the slightest sound.

Chen Dalio froze, then answered honestly, “I went to Great Luo Village to meet a Taoist priest.”

“To meet a Taoist priest?” Bai Xi asked in surprise. Even she knew that, in times like these, such a thing was no trivial matter. If someone caught hold of even the slightest evidence against you, you would be subjected to public criticism.

“Why would you go see a Taoist priest for no reason?”

“You’re the village chief of Ox Luo Village. You need to be careful about your words and actions. Don’t let anyone seize on some fault of yours and make trouble for you.” Bai Xi yawned as she offered the warning.

It was, of course, because of Great-Aunt.

Chen Dalio kept that thought quietly to himself.

“Yes, I’m sorry to have made you worry. There was simply something I needed to ask about.”