Ch 163: The Farmer Ger in the Apocalypse

Six wolves, each carcass carried high by two strong men, with others beating gongs at intervals as they walked. The procession from Xiahe Village to the county inevitably passed through Lantang Village and Shiqu Village. Many villagers, upon witnessing the spectacle, were astonished and stepped forward to ask what had happened. The village chief of Xiahe had his men retell the story of how Shen Qing single-handedly wiped out the wolf pack.

Although Shen Qing had indeed taken some pride in the achievement, he couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed by all the attention.

Meanwhile, the people of Shiqu and Lantang Villages were both surprised and found it entirely reasonable.

“My goodness, those were wolves! Wolves are far more cunning than wild boars!”

“But it’s Qing Ge’er we’re talking about… Didn’t he also hunt wild boars all on his own? He killed over ten of them without a single helper.”

“That’s right, that’s right. If Qing Ge’er could take down a wild boar herd, then taking out a wolf pack isn’t all that surprising.”

“It still feels even more impressive than killing the wild boars. Qing Ge’er’s dogs haven’t fully grown yet, and this time, no one even heard of him asking for help setting up nets…” Proper hunting dogs were formidable—they could at least hold their own against wolves for a few rounds.

“Qing Ge’er’s archery is incredible. Just look at those two wolves—they’re riddled with arrows like porcupines! He nearly shot them clean through…”

…

All along the way, Shen Qing was showered with praise and surrounded by onlookers. Even when they reached the county, the enthusiasm didn’t wane. By then, it wasn’t just the people of Xiahe Village—many villagers from Lantang and Shiqu had also followed along to witness the spectacle, forming an overwhelming crowd.

When County Magistrate Lin heard that Shen Qing had single-handedly wiped out a wolf pack, he nearly choked on his porridge. “Who? That Shen Qing?” He looked utterly incredulous. That ger certainly looked more like a man than most, but even if he were a full-fledged man, could he really kill an entire wolf pack alone?

Unless… he had just thrown money around, hired some people to hunt the wolves for him, and then took all the credit to glorify himself?

Lin Ning nearly slammed his bowl down in anger. “Father, you look down on people too much! Qing Ge’er is nothing like that. He never lies—what he says is always the truth!”

Magistrate Lin looked a bit embarrassed. “You can’t blame me for thinking that way. It’s just that he does have a questionable track record…”

Lin Ning snorted. He had spent enough time with Shen Qing to pick up a lot of new expressions. “Father, you’re just prejudiced and narrow-minded! You think Qing Ge’er is bad because he likes to give gifts, but have you ever thought about why? He was just a village ger who didn’t even know how to read. What could he possibly have understood about social norms? People taught him how to act, and he followed their lead! He used to hang around Gold-Tooth, and that guy taught him to bribe the head registrar and Clerk Yang—so of course, he thought that’s just how you deal with officials! You blame Qing Ge’er for giving gifts, but why don’t you ask your own subordinates why they love receiving them so much? If they weren’t always so willing to take, Qing Ge’er wouldn’t have thought giving gifts was perfectly normal in the first place!”

He fumed on Shen Qing’s behalf.

“What’s the big deal about killing a few wolves? The wild boar head we used for the ancestral rites last year? That was Qing Ge’er’s kill. If he could take down a dozen wild boars, what’s a few wolves to him? Is it that hard to acknowledge that someone else might actually be capable?”

Magistrate Lin was scolded so harshly by his own ger that he couldn’t even lift his head. The magistrate’s fulang, who had been listening nearby, could barely hold back his laughter. He quickly stepped in to smooth things over. “Your father simply never had the chance to interact with Qing Ge’er much before. Now that you’ve told him, he understands what kind of person Qing Ge’er really is.”

Then he turned to his husband. “From what Ning Ge’er says, Qing Ge’er is talented, just lacking proper guidance. Instead of nitpicking his faults, maybe you should rein in those greedy officials under you first. Then, have a proper talk with Qing Ge’er. If you clearly explain what’s right and what’s wrong, he won’t keep treating bribery like some sacred rule.”

Lin Ning muttered under his breath, “Father really thinks giving gifts is wrong? That bastard’s family used to send plenty of things to our house too—”

His father shot him a glare.

“—Well, before Uncle divorced him, at least. Most of it was returned afterward, but back then, Father wasn’t saying ‘no’ at all! You were smiling so much your eyes turned into slits!”

“Bastard” was Lin Ning’s pet name for Lin Xiangcao’s ex-husband. Ever since the divorce, that man had lost the right to be referred to by his actual name.

Magistrate Lin cleared his throat. “That was different. At the time, that bastard was our in-law.”

“Father, you’re so contradictory. It’s fine from relatives, but not from friends?” Lin Ning grumbled a bit longer before adding, “Anyway, you should hurry over. Give Qing Ge’er some respect and show him some appreciation—he has something good for you! And it’s not a bribe. Just wait and see, I guarantee you’ll like it.”

Magistrate Lin finished his porridge in a single gulp, wiped his mouth, and headed to the front hall, instructing his men to bring the reward money. This had been decided in advance—whoever killed the wolf pack was entitled to a reward.

When he arrived, he saw six wolf carcasses laid out on the ground. Some well-meaning bystanders had even tied red silk ribbons around them, making the whole scene look strangely festive. Shen Qing stood among the crowd, surrounded by people. Before he could say a word, the village chief of Xiahe rushed forward in excitement, recounting the entire event from start to finish.

Normally, the village chief would have been too intimidated to speak in front of the magistrate. But today, in his excitement, he completely forgot to be afraid. He spoke passionately for a long time, even tearing up at the end. “Our village lost a child to those wolves—it was truly heartless! There are so many livestock in the village, but no, the wolves just had to take a child! If not for Qing Ge’er—Shen Qing! Who knows how much longer our villages would have suffered from this wolf plague?”

The magistrate had spent ages trying to recruit hunters to deal with the problem, but none had succeeded!

Hearing this, Magistrate Lin was somewhat moved. But as he looked at the massive holes in the wolves’ bodies, still embedded with arrows, a sliver of doubt lingered. He clasped his hands together and offered a few words of praise for Shen Qing’s bravery and wisdom before changing the topic. “This village chief speaks so highly of the Shen family’s ger—such a shame we haven’t had the pleasure of witnessing his skills. Since we happen to have bows here, why not let Shen family’s ger show us firsthand?”

The surrounding spectators immediately cheered, clapping enthusiastically. Everyone was eager to see an even grander display.

Shen Qing didn’t think too much of it. He simply assumed the magistrate was bored and wanted a performance for entertainment. An archer quickly stepped forward, offering him a bow. Shen Qing tested its weight—it was a bit too light for his liking, not as smooth as the ones he used in the apocalypse, but it would do.

A bailiff placed a fruit ten meters away.

Shen Qing took a glance. “Put it farther.” If he was going to put on a show, he might as well make it a good one.

Miao Yu eagerly chimed in, “Cousin! Use me as a target! I’ll put the fruit on my head and you can shoot it off—just like in the stories! And do it blindfolded! That’ll really blow their minds!”

Shen Qing: “…Are you trying to get yourself killed? Stop fooling around.”

The fruit was placed about fifteen meters away, and Shen Qing finally nodded. Drawing the bow to its full length, he released the arrow. The fruit exploded into pieces, its juice splattering everywhere.

The leader of the archers clapped loudly. “Qing Ge’er is truly impressive! Even I can’t do that!” He could hit a target five zhang away, but only to embed an arrow in it—not to completely shatter it. This level of skill required not only accuracy but immense arm strength.

For a ger to have such ability—it was astonishing.

Magistrate Lin was left gaping. He had no more doubts. And when Shen Qing, in front of everyone, presented the seeds he had brought and explained their yield, as well as the benefits of the soil fertilizer formula, the magistrate wished he could slap himself. Why had he been so petty with a ger who was doing great things for the people?

The crowd erupted.

“What? Seeds that can double crop yield? Is this real?”

“Would he dare present something fake to the magistrate? That’d be suicide! It must be real—Boss Shen really has skills!” Gold-Tooth, blending into the crowd, beamed with pride as if Shen Qing’s success was his own.

“Does this mean Anping County is about to prosper?”

The villagers who had followed along felt their blood boil. Doubling their harvest meant no more barely scraping by, no more having to rely on vegetables to stretch their meals. Qing Ge’er was truly a blessing to their community.

The couple who had lost their child wept uncontrollably, first bowing to Shen Qing and then to the magistrate. Their sorrow dampened the celebratory atmosphere of the wolf hunt, leaving a heavy feeling in the hearts of all who heard their cries.

At this moment, Magistrate Lin found himself growing more and more fond of Shen Qing. Clearly, it was Gold-Tooth who had been a bad influence, along with the head registrar and Clerk Yang. They had led an otherwise good ger astray! From now on, he would make sure Lin Ning spent more time with this youth, guiding him onto the right path. For now, though, he only praised Shen Qing verbally, calling him a fine person.

That night, back in the inner residence, Magistrate Lin sighed to his family, “Shen Qing is truly remarkable. It’s just a pity he was born into such a family… and as a ger at that.” He had heard bits and pieces of Shen Qing’s background from Lin Ning. If he had been born into a better household—say, into their family—just imagine how accomplished he would have become!

Hearing his friend being praised so highly, Lin Ning could barely contain his pride. He beamed and said smugly, “I told you Qing Ge’er was the real deal! Father, you must reward him properly. That silver he got was for the wolf hunt, but what about his contribution in bringing those seeds?”

Magistrate Lin ran his fingers over the paper bundle of seeds. If what Shen Qing claimed was true, then this wasn’t just a blessing for the common folk—it was an immense achievement for himself as an official. If he managed to double Anping County’s grain yield under his administration, and these seeds were later distributed to other regions, within a few years, the entire dynasty could benefit. His political career would be dazzling!

And he knew—Shen Qing wouldn’t joke about something like this. It had to be real! The thought of future harvests set his heart ablaze. “Reward him—he must be rewarded!”

But then, Magistrate Lin sighed with regret. “It’s such a shame he’s a ger. If he weren’t, just based on his achievements—hunting the wild boars, eliminating the wolf pack, and even outshining the county’s best archers today—I could have granted him a position as a du tou (captain), putting the entire yamen’s forces under his command.”

But a ger holding an official position? That was impossible in this world. The only governmental roles open to gers or women were within the imperial palace, serving as attendants to noble consorts—essentially glorified eunuchs, palace maids, or inner court managers. But holding a true office? That was out of the question.

Lin Ning also felt regret on Qing Ge’er’s behalf but said, “That doesn’t mean we should just leave him empty-handed! Qing Ge’er built a manor on the eastern hills of Lantang Village and even paved a road there—that’s a great service to the people! Father, you should grant him an honorary archway, placed at the entrance to his estate, so everyone passing by will know about the good he’s done for the county!”

Magistrate Lin considered the idea and found it quite reasonable. Officially sanctioned archways were far more prestigious than the wooden ones that country gentry and scholars erected outside their homes. The most common official archways were those honoring virtuous widows, but there were other categories as well, recognizing various merits.

He decided he would personally inscribe “Benefactor of the People” on the plaque. Better yet, he would have Shen Qing’s deeds carved into the stone pillars beside it, ensuring that future generations—and even future magistrates—would recognize and respect him.

Still, he sighed again. If only Shen Qing could at least receive an honorary du tou title. Normally, when such recognition was restricted, the honor could be granted to a close male family member instead. By tradition, that would have been Shen Zhuang, a male of the same clan and close bloodline. But after asking Lin Ning, he confirmed that Shen Qing had long severed ties with the Shen family. There wasn’t a single male relative left in his household, and Shen Zhuang especially despised Shen Qing, considering him bad luck.

“Then how about this, Father,” Lin Ning suggested after some thought. “Qing Ge’er seems closer to his mother’s side of the family.” Though even he wasn’t entirely sure—he had seen Shen Qing throw Miao Qiuduo and her husband out of his shop before. “Instead of us making assumptions, why don’t we just ask Qing Ge’er? If he wants to lift up his maternal relatives, we can grant them two positions as yamen officers or village guards. But if he doesn’t care for them, we shouldn’t make arrangements that don’t align with his wishes.”

“His mother’s relatives… That’s the one who wanted to balance a fruit on his head so Shen Qing could shoot it blindfolded?” Magistrate Lin chuckled at the thought. But Lin Ning’s reasoning was sound—rewards should be given in ways that fit the recipient’s desires. He could certainly spare two yamen officer positions, so he agreed and sent Lin Ning to ask Shen Qing directly.

When Shen Qing heard the offer, he was shocked. Getting Magistrate Lin to change his opinion of him was already a huge win, but he hadn’t expected the magistrate to regret not being able to give him an official post.

It reminded him a little of when they allied with the military in the apocalypse, and Qu Weiwei was appointed as a leader at the Third Farm. The difference was that Qu Weiwei could take office, while here, he could not.

Still, this was too good of an opportunity to pass up. Just like he had advised Qu Weiwei to take the position at the farm, he knew that having a personal connection in power was far more reliable than depending on external benefactors. But this decision wasn’t his alone—he needed to discuss it with the Miao family.

In Shen Qing’s opinion, the best candidate for the yamen position was Miao Yu. He was close to him, trustworthy, and had decent skills.

The only drawback was that yamen officers were considered part of the bureaucratic system. Though the position was at the county level, it was still respectable and could be inherited by descendants. However, taking the role would bar Miao Yu from ever participating in the imperial exams—similar to how merchants were excluded from certain privileges. There were always trade-offs.

Yet, when he brought it up to the Miao family, they barely cared about those restrictions. “Of course he’ll take it! This is an enormous opportunity—why wouldn’t he?”

To Shen Qing, losing the chance to take the imperial exams seemed like a real drawback. But to the Miaos, it was laughable. “Imperial exams? You think our family has that kind of fortune?”

Their entire village had only ever produced two scholars and one tongsheng (elementary student in the imperial system). Even then, none of them had become officials. At most, they had gained some minor prestige, which allowed them to avoid kneeling in court.

Meanwhile, yamen officers? To the Miao family, they were real government figures—wearing official robes, carrying swords, and visiting villages to collect taxes. In their eyes, that was practically being an official!

“Our family is going to have an official!” they rejoiced. “It’s all thanks to Qing Ge’er! Miao Yu will be an officer, and Miao Ren will take over the family’s tofu shop—official and merchant working together, how can we not thrive?”

Since the Miao family was delighted, Shen Qing agreed. The magistrate had granted two slots, so for the second one, he approached Tieshan’s family.

Tieshan and Aunt Yanzi were stunned beyond words. Never in their wildest dreams did they think such good fortune would fall into their lap. Like the Miao family, they considered being a yamen officer a prestigious, government-backed role.

Aunt Yanzi was overwhelmed. “How can this be? This is too much! We’re just grateful Tieshan gets to work in the county under Qing Ge’er. How could he also become an official?”

Shen Qing smiled. “Why not? Tieshan has always treated me well. When someone tried to make trouble for me before, he didn’t hesitate to stand in front of me.” Though Shen Qing could have handled himself, he was touched by Tieshan’s actions. Besides, having an ally in the village’s local governance was beneficial—if any conflicts arose, even Zhao Youdang would have to think twice before challenging him.

Tieshan’s family was overjoyed and thanked Shen Qing profusely. Tieshan, on the other hand, solemnly swore, “Qing Ge’er, you got me this position, and I didn’t do a thing to earn it! From now on, whatever you say, I’ll do! If I ever disobey you, may I be reincarnated as a big, dumb turtle!”

Shen Qing was laughing so hard he nearly bent over, almost straining his back in the process. He wasn’t sure if it was from all the exertion during the wolf hunt, but these past couple of days, his lower back had been feeling sore.

It seemed he hadn’t been working hard enough lately. Shen Qing reflected on himself—he hadn’t gone hunting in the mountains for a long time. Back in the apocalypse, his missions mostly involved crouching inside metal cages and mechanically firing at targets. There was no need for movement, strategy, or body coordination. This time, perching on a tree for so long must have pulled something.

Regardless, it wasn’t long before Miao Yu and Tieshan went to report for duty at the yamen. Since Magistrate Lin had promoted them on Shen Qing’s account, he naturally looked after them well. He kept them by his side daily—not assigning them any important tasks yet, but giving them plenty of opportunities to observe and learn. It was clear he was grooming them as future trusted aides.

Miao Yu was lively, sharp-witted, and young, while Tieshan was steady, honest, and physically strong. The two complemented each other well. And because Miao Yu was Shen Qing’s actual cousin, he received even more attention and mentorship.

Meanwhile, the honorary archway granted to Shen Qing had already been commissioned, with the government covering all costs. The plaque itself wasn’t finished yet, but Lin Ning had already spread the news throughout the entire city. With this, even fewer people dared to look down on Shen Qing. Those pawnshops that had once offended him—along with the powerful backers behind them—were now so terrified that they barely dared to make a sound, practically tucking their tails between their legs.

At the same time, the vacant Cuihua Shop, which Gold-Tooth had been handling, was finally ready to open for business. Shen Qing had no patience for managing such trivial matters, so he handed everything over to Gold-Tooth and had Ruyi oversee things on the side. His only responsibility was providing goods—most of which he sourced from wholesale markets. Some items were modified for added value, like the small mercury mirrors, which were refitted into decorative wooden jewelry boxes by carpenters. Others included the handwoven knots and hair ribbons made by Ou Ge’er.

“Young Master Shen, there’s no need to rush,” Gold-Tooth said cheerfully. “Once our shop gains a reputation, local girls and gers from the marketplace will naturally bring their embroidered goods to sell. We’ll just have to sit back and collect the merchandise.”

He also introduced Shen Qing to a new shopkeeper, someone with genuine expertise and a solid family background. “This kid’s father used to be the head shopkeeper at that pawnshop, quite skilled in his trade. But later, he offended the owner and got kicked out. No other shop dared hire them, not wanting to provoke the pawnshop’s powerful backers. With their skills going to waste and their family in decline, they recently heard that you weren’t afraid of that pawnshop’s influence and came to me for help.”

“I saw that they truly have talent, so I made the decision to take them in,” Gold-Tooth explained.

Shen Qing nodded casually. “Thanks, Brother Jin. If you picked them, I trust they’re good.”

Gold-Tooth had been acting a little awkward around Shen Qing for a few days after the wolf hunt, but he quickly returned to his old self, once again treating Shen Qing as his equal. Ever since Shen Qing had taken down an entire wolf pack alone, Gold-Tooth had genuinely stopped thinking of him as a ger.

What kind of ger could single-handedly fight off a pack of wolves?

He started thinking like some of the villagers in Lantang—Shen Qing must have been born into the wrong body. He was supposed to be a man! His soul must have been that of a real man, which was why he was still his good brother!

Shen Qing had no idea about Gold-Tooth’s inner musings. In truth, he didn’t put much thought into the shop’s business at all. Now that the fifteen days were nearly up, his entire mind was fixated on the apocalypse. He was impatient to return and see what was happening.

◦°˚(*❛‿❛)/˚°◦

Thandar: I’m curious toooooo