"What the hell? Are they starting this early?"
Zhao Wendong climbed out of bed with a sigh of resignation. He had no idea that Zhao Weiguo had been too excited to sleep last night. The man had rushed to the brigade headquarters at the crack of dawn, ready to broadcast the voice from the Capital to the entire production brigade.
"Son, you’re awake. Er Gou has been here for a while now. He’s already chopped all the firewood outside our house, that boy!"
As soon as Chen Yanmei finished speaking, Zhao Ergou walked in.
"Heh, Auntie, a little work like this is nothing!"
He then looked at Zhao Wendong.
"Brother San, I want to follow you. Take me with you to the mountains today!"
Seeing the anxious look on Zhao Ergou’s face, Zhao Wendong smiled and patted his shoulder.
"What’s this about ’following me’? Aren’t I your brother? Go tell your family. We’re heading into the mountains in a bit, and we plan to stay for a few days this time!"
"Alright!"
Zhao Ergou nodded vigorously, then turned and bolted for home.
Zhao Wendong went out to the latrine. He was still uncomfortable with the fact that the partitions were shorter than a person. ’I’ll just have to put up with it for a few more months. When we build the new house this summer, the latrine has to be fully enclosed.’ He noticed that many villagers had come out of their homes and were squatting under the loudspeakers, listening intently to the broadcast, unbothered by the cold.
’Looks like we’re finally going out today.’
General, having just had his collar put on, immediately sensed that today was different. Zhen Shan and Zhui Feng, on the other hand, had no reaction. No wonder General was the lead dog; his intelligence was clearly a cut above the other two.
Zhao Ergou returned quickly. Zhang Yufen was fully supportive of her son following Zhao Wendong into the mountains and had urged him to work hard and do well under his guidance.
The group had a hearty meal, fed the three dogs, and packed water and provisions. The provisions had been prepared by Chen Yanmei and Song Xiaoyu, who had gotten up before dawn.
Zhao Wendong pulled out newly purchased leather boots and dog-fur hats for his brothers to change into. Zhao Ergou grinned so widely his eyes nearly disappeared. Zhao Wendong had bought four of everything—boots and hats—and one set, the smallest size, had been intended for him all along.
Zhao Dashan pointed to the Golden Roc in a simple wooden cage hanging from the rafters.
"Take this and train it. I can’t win this battle of wills. If we leave it here, it’ll starve to death in another two days."
"Alright!"
Zhao Wendong nodded. The roc was exhausted and starving, almost at its breaking point. Now was the time to see if he could find an opening and perform the miracle of taming a mature raptor.
Zhao Ergou scrambled onto the kang to take down the roc’s cage, holding it in his hand. He knew he wasn’t as physically strong as the others, so he eagerly took on all the small tasks and chores he could.
"Third Brother, Third Brother, you have to come back soon, okay?"
"Sigh... you just got back and you’re not even resting for a couple of days," Chen Yanmei said, her voice laced with concern.
She had worried when her son used to lie on the kang all day with nothing to do, and now she worried that he was constantly rushing about.
"Little Tuanzi, be a good girl at home, okay? Brother San is leaving now! Mom, don’t worry. We’re not tired. There will be plenty of time to rest later!"
Zhao Wendong said goodbye to his family and quickly left the house. The other three brothers followed, each to their task—leading the dogs, carrying the roc, and pulling the sled. Xiaobai leaped from Little Tuanzi’s arms and streaked out after them like a flash of white light. Zhen Shan and Zhui Feng were about to snarl at Xiaobai when General let out two sharp barks, and they immediately fell silent.
The group of four men with their dogs was quite a conspicuous sight, and many of the villagers squatting by their doors listening to the broadcast noticed them.
"Dongzi, you just got back from the coast and you’re already heading for the mountains? Aren’t you going to rest?"
Aunt Wang called out from a distance, her face beaming. When the news spread yesterday that Zhao Wendong had caught four thousand jin of fish, she’d started to admire her husband’s foresight. Staying on good terms with Zhao Wendong definitely couldn’t hurt.
"No time to rest! Too many mouths to feed at home and not enough stored up. We’re heading back to the mountains to try our luck! Aunt Wang, have you gotten younger?"
Zhao Wendong’s teasing made Aunt Wang roar with laughter. All along the way, people greeted him, and he responded to everyone with a cheerful grin. Of course, many other villagers simply watched them pass, whispering amongst themselves.
"Look at Dongzi, his whole operation is getting bigger and bigger. Three guns, three dogs... and what’s that kid Er Gouzi carrying? Is that a Big Eagle?"
"He probably spent every penny he earned. Look at him—guns, leather boots, and matching dog-fur hats, all of them brand-spanking new!"
"Whoa, what’s with the big white cat? Oh my god, wait, that’s a fox!"
It wasn’t just the villagers who were whispering. Zhao Ergou, too, was looking at the rifles slung over the brothers’ backs, his gaze filled with confusion. He never knew Brother San and the others had so many guns, and they weren’t hunting shotguns, either. But he silently bottled up his questions. He had a very clear understanding of his position in the group: he was a follower. Talk less, do more.
Once again, they walked the path from the village into the mountains. The icicles on the poplar branches along the road glistened, crystal clear in the sunlight. Zhao Wendong’s party had now expanded to four people, three dogs under a year old, one devious fox, and one Golden Roc, still a captive.
"Third Brother, should we go to the stronghold first? We need to drop this stuff off."
Zhao Wenjun pointed at the grain, vegetables, and pile of quilts on the sled. They were the old ones from home, brought to make their stay in the stronghold more comfortable. Since the family had bought new cotton quilts, anyone who was cold could use a new one. Now that the old bedding had a use, Chen Yanmei no longer felt conflicted about replacing them before the New Year.
"Yeah, good idea."
Zhao Ergou grew even more confused. ’Stronghold? What’s that?’
When they reached the foot of the mountain, they left the sled in its usual hiding spot. After strapping the bundled quilts to their backs, they continued their trek deeper into the mountains. Xiaobai had long since vanished, its figure only appearing near them sporadically. The three dogs followed their masters obediently, constantly sniffing their surroundings. The listless Golden Roc seemed to revive at the scent of the mountain forest, and it began to flap restlessly in its cage.
"CHITTER CHITTER CHITTER!"
As they passed through a pine grove, a squirrel in one of the trees suddenly began to chitter frantically.
’It’s the humans who stole my food! They won’t find the stash under this tree, will they?’
"Third Brother, is that the same squirrel as last time?" Zhao Wenwu shouted excitedly, looking up at the gray-and-white squirrel that was chittering madly at them from a branch.
"Should we shoot it down?"
Zhao Wenjun asked, already starting to unsling his rifle.
"Forget it. Save your bullets. It’s too small to have any meat on it!"
Zhao Wendong stopped his older brother. ’Besides,’ he thought, ’since I just saved its life, taking a few of its nuts is only fair, right?’
"Second Brother, c’mere! Dig right under this tree the squirrel’s on. It’s definitely got another stash here!"
"You got it!"
Zhao Wenwu’s eyes lit up. They had already finished the nuts from the last stash, and he’d just been thinking about how much he missed them. ’And now another one just serves itself up on a silver platter?’
’Give me back my food, you damn humans!’
When the squirrel saw Zhao Wenwu start digging up its food, it flew into a rage. Squeaking furiously, it looked ready to charge down and bite him.
"WOOF WOOF WOOF!"
General, followed by Zhui Feng and Zhen Shan, let out a volley of ferocious barks, scaring the little squirrel so badly it scrambled back up the tree and vanished from sight.
"Heh heh! There’s a lot here! This little guy is quite industrious!"
With another of the squirrel’s storehouses raided, Zhao Wenwu grinned as he began stuffing his pockets. This stash was even bigger than the last one, and he filled both large pockets of his coat with all sorts of nuts.
Zhao Ergou watched, dumbfounded. ’They got food just like that?’
He and his younger brother had spent days searching from dawn till dusk, combing the seashore, turning over the soil, and digging in holes, all for practically nothing. Yet Brother San just ran into a squirrel and casually dug up a huge stash of nuts. There was simply no comparison.
By the time they reached the stronghold entrance, moved aside a stone slab, and led Zhao Ergou into the cave, Zhao Ergou was completely floored.
There really was a stronghold!