Ch 178: The Farmer Ger in the Apocalypse

Getting a household registration these days isn’t actually difficult, especially since Wu Guixiang has become the actual chief of Lantang Village. Whatever requests Shen Qing makes, Wu Guixiang wouldn’t refuse. The imperial court also welcomes registering more people—many families, in order to reduce their head tax, even underreport their children when they have too many. At that time, casually registering a vagrant as a settled resident wouldn’t even be a concern.

But the kind of household registration Shen Qing wanted was different. Especially since, to participate in the imperial examinations, one’s lineage had to be traced back three generations—father, grandfather, their places of origin, and occupations all had to be clearly recorded. If an ancestor had committed crimes or had been an actor, monk, Taoist priest, beggar, or government clerk, they wouldn’t qualify for the exams. Even if Wu Guixiang helped register a household record, it would only classify them as vagrants. However, Shen Qing hoped that in the future, Song Kaiji could obtain an official title—not necessarily to become an official, but at least to pass the entrance exams and earn a scholar’s title, gaining some respectability. That way, their lives would be smoother, and they could avoid many troubles.

It all depended on whether Magistrate Lin was willing to help.

That night, when Song Kaiji came over, Shen Qing brought up the matter with him. Song Kaiji had studied for over ten years, yet even after surviving the apocalypse and arriving in another world, he still had to start over by learning traditional characters. His expression immediately turned bitter, but seeing the expectation in Shen Qing’s eyes and the soft, fragrant, chubby baby girl in his arms, his sense of duty as a husband and father surged: “I’ll study! I’ll take the exams! I must!”

He didn’t have to become an official. Given his modern mindset, being an official was dangerous—having been raised in an egalitarian society, who knew if he might accidentally say something inappropriate in this feudal system? The bureaucracy was full of scheming people! Especially since his household record had to be forged. If he truly became an official and someone investigated his background, both he and Magistrate Lin, who handled his registration, would be in serious trouble. But holding a scholarly title, gaining the status of a gentry member, and earning some respect from others—that was worth considering.

Their family had too many secrets and wasn’t suited for drawing too much attention. It was better to quietly amass wealth in a small place. “If Magistrate Lin refuses, we’ll bribe him heavily.” Based on Shen Qing’s descriptions, Song Kaiji had a rough understanding of Magistrate Lin’s personality—he had the arrogance of a scholar and disliked receiving money and material bribes.

But everyone had something they loved. The key was to give gifts that aligned with his preferences. Magistrate Lin clearly valued political achievements. “He was already delighted with some improved grain seeds and modified crossbows. If we offer him the methods for gunpowder, cement, or steel refining, wouldn’t he have a clear path to promotion? And wouldn’t that ensure he helps us?”

After staying in the small courtyard at the foot of the mountain for only two or three days, they moved the whole family to their estate in East Mountain. The house had simply become too cramped. There were only two main rooms, without even a side chamber. Before Song Kaiji arrived, Shen Qing and Haitang shared a room—Shen Qing and the baby slept on the bed, while Haitang slept on a nearby couch. If Quan Jie’er cried for food at night, Haitang could help care for her.

Miao Chunlei shared a room with Xique, who handled all the household chores, including washing clothes and diapers. When Song Kaiji arrived, it was no longer appropriate for Haitang to stay in the western room, so she had to find a temporary place in the nearby workshop. But with so many people coming and going, it wasn’t safe or convenient for a young ger to stay there.

Now, Shen Qing and Song Kaiji shared the western room with Quan Jie’er, but caring for the baby at night made any intimacy between them difficult.

The estate in East Mountain was much more spacious. Gold-Tooth had overseen its construction with great care, using high-quality bricks, tiles, and wood. It was a three-courtyard residence with a wide garden, built against the mountain—a good omen, according to Gold-Tooth.

When digging a well, they even uncovered a small natural spring. Though it wasn’t a hot spring, it created a living water pond in the garden, adding both aesthetic appeal and convenience.

It was only then that the villagers learned that the East Mountain estate actually belonged to Qing Ge’er’s family. It turned out that the mysterious noble who bought East Mountain was Qing Ge’er’s husband? Some even speculated that the estate had always belonged to Qing Ge’er. After all, hadn’t the county magistrate personally rewarded him with a memorial archway after the wolf hunt? Regardless of ownership, now that they were a married couple, the estate was theirs.

Many villagers, even those who had no past grudges with Shen Qing, were still struggling to process it. They had watched Qing Ge’er grow up—his appearance was far from attractive, barely distinguishable from a man. In their village, which wasn’t short on brides, no family had been willing to marry Qing Ge’er. Even after he became wealthy, those who took interest in him only cared about his money, not him as a person. Who would’ve thought that a wealthy noble would have such picky tastes?

On moving day, many villagers came to watch the commotion and help out, only to be utterly stunned. Qing Ge’er’s husband never took his eyes off him, staring at him with such intensity that it sent shivers down people’s spines. Who would’ve thought a man could look at Shen Qing that way? And he treated their daughter like a treasure, holding her tightly in his arms. In the village, men typically valued grandsons over sons and rarely doted on daughters. Who had ever seen a father so attached to a baby girl?

What was even more shocking—this man wasn’t just keeping Qing Ge’er as a concubine or an informal partner. He openly declared that he would formally marry Shen Qing as his legal spouse, and they would hold a wedding feast in a few days!

The villagers gossiping weren’t necessarily ill-intentioned toward Shen Qing; they were just completely bewildered. This went against everything they had known since birth.

Some who prided themselves on being well-informed, having listened to storytellers in town, scoffed, “You lot are ignorant. The wealthier people are, the more extravagant their tastes. Some rich men don’t like women or gers—they prefer men! Strange, isn’t it?”

The gossipers gasped. What? A man liking another man? The men present instinctively glanced at their friends beside them, then quickly averted their eyes. The thought of kissing or touching another man made their skin crawl.

“How could anyone do that?”

The well-informed man chuckled, “You just don’t understand. Some rich men are exclusively into this! What’s it called? The love of Long Yang? You all say Qing Ge’er looks like a man—he’s taller and stronger than many of the young men in the village, and he can even have children. Isn’t that like striking gold for someone with such tastes?”

After hearing this explanation, the villagers, though still shaken by the idea of two men being together, finally understood why the noble took a liking to Qing Ge’er. Even those who had once considered scheming against Shen Qing dismissed the thought—after all, if that noble was only into this kind of thing, their families didn’t have any gers who looked like men!

After moving into the East Mountain estate, Shen Qing brought in some servants from town to live in the first courtyard, ensuring security and handling household chores. He and Song Kaiji lived in the second courtyard with Quan Jie’er, while Miao Chunlei stayed in the last courtyard. At night, Shen Qing could even have the maids take Quan Jie’er to another room to sleep, finally giving him and Song Kaiji some privacy.

As for the small courtyard at the mountain’s base, Shen Qing originally planned to renovate it into a school. However, Lian Ou hesitantly approached him.

Behind Lian Ou stood a figure wrapped tightly in a hooded cloak, face completely hidden. Shen Qing curiously observed them for a while before asking, “Why do you want to buy that courtyard?”

Lian Ou now supplied Shen Qing’s shop in the county and sold some imperfect products at village markets, earning quite a bit of money. Under Shen Qing’s guidance, he even recruited a few skilled village girls and young gers to help with basic weaving, allowing him to refine their work with secondary processing, saving both time and effort while increasing profits. He could certainly afford to buy the courtyard. But with the Lian family having just built a new house, why would he want another one?

Lian Ou nodded, then shook his head. “Not me, it’s… it’s…” He stepped aside to reveal the person behind him.

Shen Qing was a little curious. That small courtyard at the foot of the mountain wasn’t particularly good—barely had two rooms and was in a remote location. If he and Miao Chunlei hadn’t been hurriedly driven out by the old Shen family back then, they would have rather spent a little money through the village chief to buy land and build a house to their liking. Why insist on buying an existing house? Was there some urgent need?

Lian Ou’s face turned even redder, but after sneaking a glance at Shen Qing and hearing Song Kaiji coaxing the child outside, he thought about Qing Ge’er’s personality and felt that his own matter probably wouldn’t even be a big deal in Qing Ge’er’s eyes. So, enduring his embarrassment, he said, “Hui Ming and I… no, Brother Ming and I have already convinced my mother. He’s left Miaoqian Village, and it’s not convenient for him to return to the temple. My family also can’t take him in. He has nowhere to stay, and besides… we want to settle things before the new year. Building a house now would be too rushed.”

The monk Hui Ming removed his hood, revealing a head covered in a short layer of fuzz.

Shen Qing: ????

Lian Ou glossed over the matter with a few words, but only he knew the difficulties involved. When Hui Ming left the temple, the abbot didn’t make things difficult for him—there was no talk of breaking his legs or anything like that. Hui Ming himself didn’t even know which village he had come from. Some family, unable to afford too many children, had abandoned him at the temple gate. Of the young monks in the temple, eight out of ten had a similar origin.

They had grown up in the temple out of necessity, not out of true devotion to Buddhism—they simply had no choice. So when Hui Ming wanted to leave monastic life, he had an honest conversation with his master, and the abbot, being an understanding man, allowed him to go.

Moreover, the marketplace in Miaoqian Village had been entirely established by Hui Ming. He was a capable person, having come up with various ideas even as a ten-year-old. He had no other choice but to be resourceful—the temple was too poor, the incense offerings sparse, and even having enough to eat was a challenge. Yet, as just a half-grown boy, he had managed to turn the struggling temple into the center of a thriving market. Every vendor had to pay a stall fee to the temple.

Thanks to Hui Ming, the temple had been able to improve its living conditions. The abbot, in gratitude, allowed him to continue managing the market even after leaving the monastery, splitting the earnings evenly with the temple. He also granted him the surname “Ming,” so he no longer had to use his monastic name, Hui Ming.

Hui Ming chose to call himself Ming He—“He” sounding like “lotus,” subtly matching Lian Ou’s name.

That was exactly why Miao Hexiang was so displeased! Her ger, Ou Ge’er, was only seventeen, in the prime of his youth, yet this monk was already twenty-six or twenty-seven—practically an old man! Who would’ve thought that a monk, instead of following monastic discipline, would use his years to secretly seduce her son? But Lian Ou was dead set on being with him, and this ex-monk even took out a great sum of money to prove his sincerity, swearing that he would ensure Lian Ou lived a good life.

The standoff lasted for quite some time. Lian Ou lost a significant amount of weight before Miao Hexiang finally, though unwillingly, agreed to the marriage.

A ger marrying an ex-monk—this was bound to be the talk of the village. And what made it even more sensational was that this wasn’t an arranged marriage; it was a love match. Shen Qing never expected Lian Ou, who had always been so well-behaved, to do something like this. But he was genuinely happy for him—being able to choose one’s own partner, even if it was considered unconventional, was something to celebrate. Without hesitation, he agreed to sell the small courtyard to Lian Ou and Ming He, practically giving it away.

That good mood lasted well into the evening, even making Shen Qing’s steps a little lighter. Song Kaiji found it amusing. “Why are you so happy? Just because someone else found their soulmate?”

“I never imagined I could live a life like this,” Shen Qing replied. In the past, marriages in the village were always arranged by parents—finding someone “suitable” was all that mattered. No one talked about love, and even mentioning it felt embarrassing. Shen Qing himself had always been pessimistic about love, especially after witnessing Shen Zhigao’s betrayal. Seeing Lian Shi and Yu Ge’er had only reinforced his doubts.

But after choosing Song Kaiji for himself, he had come to understand just how wonderful it was to love and be loved in return. Naturally, he wanted the same happiness for his friends and other gers, hoping they could all find someone who truly cherished them.

Love was love. They had the freedom to love, the confidence to embrace it, and the security of a future to rely on.

He kissed Song Kaiji lightly on the lips, his eyes bright with joy. “It’s really wonderful.”

Song Kaiji, caught off guard, blushed down to the roots of his ears. With Quan Jie being taken care of by the maids in another room, it was just the two of them alone in their quarters. The candlelight flickered, and Song Kaiji tentatively slid his hand inside Shen Qing’s clothes. “You… you’re feeling better now, right?”

Shen Qing gave a low hum of agreement and pulled at Song Kaiji’s belt.

---

On the second day of the twelfth lunar month, Zhao Yu finally went into labor. This was his second child, and the birth was smooth—after just two hours, he delivered a healthy baby boy. Miao Hexiang, ecstatic, couldn’t stop grinning. Her bad mood from dealing with Lian Ou’s marriage had finally lifted as she cradled the newborn, reluctant to let go.

“I’m not one to favor sons over daughters. My Ou Ge’er and Rong Jie’er are both stronger than most of the village boys put together. But still, not having a son in the family always felt unsettling.” She also hadn’t forgotten how Wang shi had been running her mouth outside, saying Zhao Yu’s round belly was a clear sign he was carrying a daughter and that he wasn’t destined to bear sons. The second branch had fought so hard to split from the main family, but without a son, they’d eventually have to pass their inheritance back to the main branch.

The villagers all knew Wang shi was spewing nonsense out of jealousy, but hearing such talk still stung. “Let her see for herself! If she was hoping for our downfall, she can keep dreaming! She coddled her son Lian Bao like a treasure, but even now, he still stumbles when he talks and walks. Who can’t give birth to sons? My Yu Ge’er can just as well!”

Miao Chunlei inwardly agreed. Qing Ge’er didn’t care about whether a child was a boy or a girl, but how many in the village could compare to Qing Ge’er’s capability? Most people still had to live by the old traditions. If Zhao Yu hadn’t given birth to a son, then in the future, Rong Jie’er might have had to bring in a husband to continue the family line. Otherwise, if the lineage truly ended, the main branch really might try to shamelessly claim the inheritance. Such things were common in rural areas.

After discussing the newborn for a while, the conversation turned back to Lian Ou’s wedding. At the mention of it, Miao Hexiang’s face soured as if someone owed her a fortune. Reluctantly, she said, “The monk’s master picked a date—twelfth month, ninth day, right after Laba Festival.”

Wu Guixiang looked at her expression and tried to console her. “Since you’ve already agreed, don’t look so sour. If your new son-in-law sees it, it might upset him and strain their relationship.”

“He wouldn’t dare!” Miao Hexiang huffed but then deflated. It wasn’t the monk part that bothered her—if he had been a fresh-faced eighteen-year-old, she wouldn’t have minded. But Ming He was almost ten years older than Lian Ou! Miao Hexiang herself wasn’t even forty yet, meaning she was barely ten years older than that monk!

Not to mention, he was a seasoned figure in charge of a major market. He was far more scheming than Lian Ou. Miao Hexiang couldn’t shake the feeling that this old man had swindled her naive ger.

Still, he had shown sincerity—offering a large betrothal gift, immediately buying a house, and pledging to let Lian Ou control their finances.

She glanced at Miao Chunlei, her resentment easing. If Ming He turned out to be a bad man, they wouldn’t be afraid—Lian Ou had skills and a strong family to back him up. If needed, they could just divorce!

And with that thought, Miao Hexiang couldn’t help but smile. Life really was different now—who would have dared take such risks with a ger’s marriage in the past? It was all thanks to Qing Ge’er.

Since they were talking about weddings, they couldn’t avoid mentioning Shen Qing’s.

Miao Hexiang nudged Miao Chunlei. “Qing Ge’er’s husband is back now, and his injuries have mostly healed. Young people have strong bodies—before, he looked like a bloody mess, but now you can’t even tell. When are they holding their ceremony? I think they should hurry up.”

Even though there was no one else around, she still lowered her voice slightly and pursed her lips. “There are some shameless ones in the village eyeing your son-in-law. He’s handsome, rich—just the other day, Wang Liuzi’s wife was egging on her in-laws, trying to sell Wang Liuzi’s younger sister to your son-in-law.”

Miao Chunlei was speechless. “They want to sell their daughter, fine, but why are they fixated on our family? Just because they decided to sell her, does that mean my son-in-law has to take her?”

Miao Hexiang clapped her hands together. “Exactly.” At the end of the day, these people still looked down on Shen Qing. Deep down, they believed Qing Ge’er shouldn’t be living such a good life, that he wasn’t worthy of such a nobleman. If Qing Ge’er could do it, then surely their daughter was more than capable. Even though Shen Qing had already far surpassed them, they still clung to their outdated views, trapped in the past.

Miao Chunlei sneered and didn’t take it to heart. She had seen clearly what kind of person Song Kaiji was—his heart was completely tied to their Qing Ge’er, and he never spared a glance at anyone else. The way they acted as a couple was enough to make Miao Chunlei’s teeth ache from sweetness. Not to mention, the maids in their household—each one was more attractive than Wang Liuzi’s sister. Yet, Song Kaiji never so much as glanced at them. He was a true gentleman, unlike those pathetic men in the village who practically glued their eyes to any pretty girl or ger they saw.

She casually said, “Probably after the New Year. My son-in-law said he wants to bring his mother over first. How can they have a proper wedding without the elder present? Maybe they’ll even hold it together with Quan Jie’s hundred-day celebration. There’s still some time.”

At this moment, Shen Qing and Song Kaiji were indeed preparing to make a trip to the post-apocalyptic world to bring Zhang Sujuan over.

This time, Song Kaiji brought blood samples from Zhang Sujuan, Qu Weiwei, and Tang Wenjie. These three were people they absolutely trusted. The only other person was Mother Tang. Their plan was to bring Zhang Sujuan over before the New Year so they could have a proper family reunion and let her meet Quan Jie—Zhang Sujuan still didn’t know about the existence of the other world. Song Kaiji was extremely tight-lipped; since he had promised Shen Qing he wouldn’t say anything, he was waiting for Shen Qing to tell Zhang Sujuan himself.

Naturally, she also had no idea about Quan Jie.

After the New Year, they would gradually introduce the existence of the other world to Tang Wenjie and Qu Weiwei. If they could accept it well, they would first bring Mother Tang over to live here, minimizing any vulnerabilities in the post-apocalyptic world. The only thing they were hesitant about was Tang Wenjie’s relationship with Qi Zhan.

“I can’t even imagine how happy my mom will be when she sees Quan Jie,” Song Kaiji said, full of anticipation. Back when he gave the jade pendant space to Shen Qing, Zhang Sujuan had been a little reluctant, but in the end, she couldn’t argue against him. Now, with a safe environment and a chubby granddaughter, how could she possibly feel like she lost out? She’d be absolutely over the moon!

Shen Qing poured Zhang Sujuan’s blood onto the large blue stone. The stone showed no reaction, making Shen Qing uncertain about whether their hypothesis was correct. “Let’s go. The sooner we leave, the sooner we can get back. We might even make it in time for Second Aunt Lian’s grandson’s three-day bath ceremony.”

This time, when they returned, they exited the cave, and Song Kaiji first teleported Shen Qing to the highway before driving toward the new base. The closer they got, the better the road conditions and the fewer zombies they saw. Shen Qing even spotted several teams in metal cages nearby, systematically hunting zombies.

Through careful planning and numerous trials, they had established an efficient system for zombie hunting. The new base encouraged ordinary people to join hunting squads to extract crystal cores. A few ability users would attack in waves while teams of ordinary people quickly retrieved the cores, significantly improving efficiency.

Along the roadside, spatial ability users regularly collected zombie corpses and transported them far away for incineration. The closer they got to the base, the cleaner and more organized it became. Even the faint stench of rotting flesh had nearly vanished.

It was completely different from Red City Base.

There was also no massive refugee camp stretching for miles outside the new base. Within a two-kilometer radius, not a single zombie was in sight. Plant ability users strolled through the fields like pre-apocalyptic farmers, accelerating crop growth. Near the city gate, groups of ordinary people and earth ability users worked together to reinforce and expand the city walls.

It looked just like the civilized world Shen Qing had seen in pre-apocalyptic videos. Their base was far better than Red City Base—this realization only strengthened Shen Qing’s determination to take over Red City Base.

As Song Kaiji drove through the base, many people paused to watch, some even enthusiastically greeting him. Some newcomers, unfamiliar with Shen Qing, curiously asked others about his identity.

When Song Kaiji pulled into the parking lot, he noticed a vaguely familiar yet unfamiliar car nearby. He glanced around and saw Yu Le discussing plans for new housing construction with a group of people. The base’s population had grown rapidly, now exceeding seven thousand people, with about two thousand ability users. The rest were family members and a small number of skilled non-ability fighters proficient with crossbows and firearms. The original two hotels were already overcrowded, even with ten people crammed into each room, so they were planning to construct additional apartment buildings.

Yu Le’s eyes lit up when she saw Shen Qing. It had been a long time since they last met, and as an old employee, she knew that Shen Qing was the real boss behind the scenes. “Little Boss Shen!”

Song Kaiji pointed at the unfamiliar car. “Whose car is that? Did an outsider enter the base?”

“It’s Shao Nan,” Yu Le said. “He’s been coming here a lot lately—always alone. Right now, he’s upstairs talking with Weiwei and Jiaqian.”

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