Ch 188: The Farmer Ger in the Apocalypse

Although Tang Wenjie and Qu Weiwei had no plans to settle down in ancient times, they were determined to spend a proper New Year here. On the afternoon of the first day of the New Year, Shen Qing and Song Kaiji took a trip to their new base, gave a speech, and distributed benefits to the residents to stabilize morale. By the second day, they had returned to Lantang Village.

This time, they also brought Mother Tang along. The experience was undoubtedly a shocking, worldview-shattering moment for her. But upon seeing Zhang Sujuan, now fully immersed in ancient life and seamlessly blending into the household, Mother Tang gradually accepted the reality—her old friend had been secretly living the good life behind her back!

From the second day of the New Year all the way until the Lantern Festival, they feasted continuously. Now that the household had maids dedicated to kitchen work, and with Miao Chunlei and Mother Tang both being culinary experts, the two quickly hit it off. For them, cooking wasn’t just housework—it was a hobby. They often spent entire afternoons in the kitchen, exchanging ideas and creating new dishes.

After the Lantern Festival, once the holiday break was over, Qu Weiwei reluctantly returned to work. Meanwhile, Tang Wenjie found himself constantly traveling between two places, balancing time between his mother and his partner. Fortunately, their base had recently expanded its territory significantly. Even during the holiday season, many ability users had voluntarily worked overtime to build a defensive barrier along the new borders.

The primary effort was led by earth, metal, and wood ability users. Earth ability users constructed walls, metal ability users set up barbed wire, and wood ability users wove vine nets. This way, they could first enclose the territory, preventing new zombies from wandering in. Then, they could systematically eliminate the zombies and mutant creatures inside before sending ordinary non-ability users to construct solid walls along the barriers.

With work as an excuse, Tang Wenjie was able to sneak away from time to time to visit his mother. Initially, Mother Tang felt nervous and uneasy in this unfamiliar environment, needing her son’s company more often. But as time passed and she grew closer to her old friend Zhang Sujuan, made new like-minded friends, and regularly went on outings to the village and county, she became less concerned about how often Tang Wenjie visited.

“It’s just that there’s no internet here—it’s so inconvenient. If we could just make a phone call or video chat every day, why would we need all this trouble?” Mother Tang sighed. Everything has its imperfections. She pulled out her phone and showed Miao Chunlei her collection of cooking videos.

Miao Chunlei had seen a phone before. Before Song Kaiji was able to travel here, she had relied on recorded videos to communicate with him. Later, after Quan Jie’er was born, Shen Qing often used his phone to record moments of the child’s growth. But that was about the extent of her exposure—she had never truly used one herself.

Recently, Mother Tang and Zhang Sujuan had been teaching her how to use a phone while sharing stories about modern times. Miao Chunlei was instantly hooked. Who could resist the allure of playing with a phone?!

After the Lantern Festival, Shen Qing and Song Kaiji also had another important task—to visit Magistrate Lin’s residence and finalize the sworn brotherhood ceremony with Lin Ning. This wasn’t something Shen Qing had to worry about personally; Magistrate Lin was paving the way for Lin Ning and had already arranged everything. A grand feast was prepared, and invitations were sent to all the prominent families in the county. Whether they attended or not didn’t matter—once the invitations were sent, the news of Lin Ning and Shen Qing becoming sworn brothers was officially announced.

Magistrate Lin even consulted a fortune teller to choose an auspicious day for the event. The grand banquet attracted not only those who received invitations but also merchants who, upon hearing the news, showed up uninvited. After all, this was an excellent opportunity to curry favor with the magistrate. At the same time, no one dared to underestimate Shen Qing anymore.

Although he was just a ger, anyone seeking a favor from the magistrate now had an undeniable connection through him. After all, Magistrate Lin had only one ger child, and if Shen Qing was now his sworn brother, wasn’t that practically the same as being his son-in-law?

As a result, another wave of people flocked to Shen Qing, eager to befriend him. The only ones who were left regretting their past actions were the pawnshop owner and his backers, who had once made things difficult for Shen Qing. They were absolutely sick with remorse.

Who could have predicted such a turn of fate? The shabby village ger they had looked down upon was now someone they couldn’t even approach.

Meanwhile, Lin Ning spent the entire day feeling flustered. The first time he met Shen Qing, he had been captivated by his beauty. Yet, by a strange twist of fate, they had ended up becoming sworn brothers instead. This was far from what he had initially imagined, but family was family. Even Shen Qing’s strikingly handsome husband had somehow become his sworn cousin—what a dream for a face-lover!

At long last, Song Kaiji obtained his official household registration in this world. To him, this was a matter of utmost importance because it meant he could finally marry Shen Qing and obtain a marriage certificate!

Although the two had long been committed to each other, with a child together, Shen Qing had never cared about an official marriage document. But Song Kaiji cared—a lot.

Not caring meant that he was free in both soul and body, not bound by any piece of paper. Caring, however, meant respect, a sense of ritual, and possessiveness.

“I want everyone from ten miles around—no, the entire world to know that I belong to you! Hehehe!”

Song Kaiji had long been preparing for their wedding. Today, after witnessing the grandeur of Magistrate Lin’s banquet, he recalled how he had also observed every detail of wedding customs when Ou Ge’er got married. Now, hugging Shen Qing, he declared excitedly:

“I want to invite the entire village! No—everyone from Shiqu Village too! I want them all to come to our house for the feast. And I’ll set up a banquet under the archway that lasts three whole days and nights!”

Since he and Shen Qing were already living together, he couldn’t go through the traditional process of fetching the bride in a grand procession through the village. This alone was enough to make him feel wronged!

What was the purpose of a wedding ceremony, if not to make a grand announcement and receive everyone’s blessings? Holding a massive banquet for three days and nights was his way of making sure that happened.

After all, the villagers would at least have to say a few kind words in exchange for the feast, right?

Shen Qing couldn’t hold back his laughter. “Are you being childish?”

Song Kaiji nuzzled his ear, the ticklish sensation making Shen Qing shrink away. “Love makes people childish. It makes you want to show off. Not only will I flaunt our wedding, but when Quan Jie’er reaches one hundred days, I’ll show her off like crazy. I’ll make sure the whole world knows that my darling Qingqing gave me the cutest daughter in existence!”

Shen Qing’s toes curled in embarrassment, but he was laughing uncontrollably. In the end, he gave in to Song Kaiji.

Because, deep down, he also wanted to show off.

Ever since his early teens, people had called him ugly, saying no man would ever want him. Shen Qing had always claimed he was indifferent, dismissing their words as the nonsense of petty fools. But people had emotions. No matter how much he tried to ignore it, some part of him still felt unsettled by it.

Now, he wanted to let all those who once looked down on him see—though most of them were no longer even in the same world as him, and some wouldn’t even have the chance to speak to him now—he still wanted to show off a little. He had the best man in the world, one no one else could ever find, and he was worthy of being loved by him.

But before the wedding, there was still a village matter—one that wasn’t particularly big or small.

Now that the new year had passed, Zhao Youwei and his group were finally set to be exiled. Since most of those involved had been the primary breadwinners of their families, many households chose to sell off their properties and follow them, planning to carve out a new life together in the wilderness. As long as a family stuck together and had some silver on hand, they could survive.

Zhao Youwei’s wife was a quiet and submissive woman. After marrying into his family, she had given birth to two daughters and a son. The older daughters had already married well, while the son had just recently gotten engaged. Unfortunately, on that fateful day, he had accompanied Zhao Youwei to Shen Qing’s house and was arrested alongside him. The bride’s family had come to break off the engagement before the New Year, and since the woman had no opinion of her own, it was her two sons-in-law who helped finalize the matter.

What else could they do? Were they supposed to let their daughter follow them into exile? The fact that they hadn’t demanded compensation was already a mercy.

With both her husband and son being exiled, Zhao Youwei’s wife wanted to follow them. However, as a woman without a man at home, she didn’t dare make decisions on her own about selling the house and land. In the end, she had no choice but to go to Zhao Youdang’s house, crying and pleading for help.

According to Wu Guixiang, she had always been like this—whatever her husband said was final, never once arguing back. However, she was an excellent housekeeper, incredibly diligent and capable. Even after Zhao Youwei had broken his leg, she had cared for him meticulously without a single complaint.

“She’s quite pitiful. Now she’s all alone. Even though she has two sons-in-law, they can’t take care of her forever. Our two families haven’t had much interaction for years, but when she came begging, My husband couldn’t bear to turn her away. So he sent me to ask—could you pull some strings to let her meet with her husband before he’s exiled? They need to decide whether to sell the house and land,” Wu Guixiang explained. Her face showed some sympathy, but there was also frustration. Her husband and son are gone—who else is supposed to make decisions now? In her opinion, Li Jiaofeng was the smart one. She had cut ties with Shen Zhigao completely, shut her doors, and carried on with her life.

Shen Qing responded casually, “That’s hardly a big deal. Just tell her to go to the prison, slip the jailer twenty or thirty coins, and she’ll get to see him. I wasn’t blocking her from visiting.”

While he despised Zhao Youwei, he wouldn’t go out of his way to make things difficult for an innocent woman. But he also wasn’t going to offer any special favors—he simply pointed out the path, and it was up to her to walk it.

Wu Guixiang breathed a sigh of relief. “People in our village just don’t know these things. The moment they have to deal with an official, they freeze up and don’t even know where to go. It’s not just her—I wouldn’t have known either if you hadn’t said so.” She immediately sent her daughter-in-law, Qin Yingzi, home to inform Zhao Youdang.

On the wall, a fat orange cat—Wu Guixiang’s pet—stood up as if ready to follow Qin Yingzi. But after glancing back at its unmoving owner, it hesitated, tilted its head in thought, then sat back down. Meanwhile, in the courtyard, two dogs—Da Huang and Er Hei—sat under the wall, staring up at the cat without making a sound, their tails wagging furiously.

Quan Jie, who was cradled in Shen Qing’s arms, watched the scene intently. Then, all of a sudden, she broke into a wide, toothless grin.

“Oh my! Quan Jie’er can smile now!”

The entire room instantly forgot about the Zhao family’s troubles, their attention entirely captured by the baby. Wu Guixiang even scooped up the cat and held it close to Quan Jie, who, upon seeing it, smiled again. The atmosphere in the house grew lively, and the matter of Zhao Youwei’s exile was momentarily pushed to the back of everyone’s minds.

The next day, Zhao Youdang hitched a cart and personally escorted Zhao Youwei’s wife into the city. Say what you will about him—whether he was weak-willed or just a kind-hearted fool—but even after everything Zhao Youwei had done to him, he still extended a helping hand.

As expected, once they reached the prison and paid the jailer twenty coins, they were allowed inside. The meeting was brief, only lasting a quarter of an hour.

The moment Zhao Youwei’s wife saw him, she burst into tears.

Zhao Youwei, meanwhile, looked completely haggard. The time spent in prison had not been kind to him. The Lantang villagers had all been locked up together, and while they had once respected Zhao Youwei enough to follow his lead, now that they were facing exile, they blamed him for dragging them down. As a result, Zhao Youwei had suffered constant torment behind bars, his body wasting away, his eyes sunken deep into his face.

Seeing his wife, he looked somewhat embarrassed. But when he noticed Zhao Youdang standing behind her, his face immediately darkened. “Why are you here? Did you bring my wife just to laugh at me?!”

But while Zhao Youwei hated Zhao Youdang, the other prisoners had a different reaction. They surged forward, some dropping to their knees, wailing in desperation.

“Village Chief, we were wrong! Please save us! We never should have followed Zhao Youwei’s foolishness!”

“I don’t want to be exiled! My parents are still waiting for me at home—I’m their only son!”

“Village Chief, please talk to Qing Ge’er! I was wrong! Tell him to spare me—I’m his father! He can’t do this to me!”

This last plea came from Shen Zhigao.

Zhao Youwei let out a heavy sigh. “What can I do? The county magistrate has already passed the verdict. You think I have the power to overturn it? Some of your families have already sold their properties and are prepared to follow you. When you get there, live properly. Don’t be so easily swayed by others’ words again. Before you act, think—do you have the brain or the ability to handle the consequences?”

“If you have anything to say to your families, I can pass the message along.”

At this, several prisoners lowered their heads, sobbing. Some were filled with regret; others cried for their elderly parents, who now had to suffer exile with them. But after venting their sorrow, they slowly came to accept their fate. They began entrusting Zhao Youdang with messages for their families.

Only Shen Zhigao continued to wail, begging to see Shen Qing. Zhao Youdang ignored him entirely.

Zhao Youwei scoffed at the pathetic sight. “You think begging him will help? He’s just a dog being ordered around by his wife and a ger! He wouldn’t dare defy Shen Qing to pass along your words.”

Zhao Youdang froze. Then, he slowly turned to look at his brother, his expression dark and unreadable. After a long pause, he let out a soft chuckle.

Even the most patient of men had their limits. He had been willing to help Zhao Youwei’s wife, yet this was the thanks he got.

In a calm voice, he said, “You always thought you were better than me—that the only reason I became village chief was because Father favored me after you broke your leg. You blamed my wife’s family for your injury, and that’s why you’ve always hated me.”

Zhao Youwei gritted his teeth. “Am I wrong? If I hadn’t broken my leg, Father would never have given the position to a useless coward like you!”

Zhao Youdang simply smiled. “You say I let my wife control me, but you’re the one who never would. Just look at your wife—she doesn’t even have the authority to decide whether to sell your land.”

Zhao Youwei hadn’t had a full meal in days. His body swayed as if he could barely hold himself up. Zhao Youdang looked into his eyes and let out a cold laugh.

“Father knew you had a bad temper, so he found you a wife who would always yield to you, someone with no temper and no opinions of her own. He never planned for you to be the village chief.”

With that, Zhao Youdang no longer spared a glance at the staggering Zhao Youwei, nor at the pitifully groveling Shen Zhigao, and simply turned to leave the prison.

In the end, Zhao Youwei’s wife sold the land. This time, she didn’t go to Zhao Youdang for help but instead asked her two sons-in-law to handle it. They were the ones who negotiated with the village chief to finalize the paperwork. It was clear that Zhao Youdang’s words had struck a deep wound in both her and Zhao Youwei.

As for Wang Liuzi’s family, they ultimately didn’t sell their daughter to Song Kaiji. Instead, they arranged a marriage for her with a family in Xiaoji Village, demanding a high bride price. Apart from this hastily married-off daughter, the rest of the family packed up their belongings and joined the exile group, heading toward the bitter cold lands.

In one sweep, six or seven families left the village. As the group set off, Shen Zhigao hobbled along with a wooden cane, anxiously scanning the crowd, looking left and right.

“Where’s my family? My mother wouldn’t just abandon me! Is my father struggling to walk? Did you all leave them behind?”

Frantic, he grabbed every Lantang villager he could find, questioning them. His desperation earned him scoldings and shoves from the impatient officers.

“Stop running around! Are you trying to escape?”

A whip cracked across his back. Though the strike wasn’t too forceful, it still stung. Shen Zhigao hunched over, gasping in pain. Most of the Lantang villagers present resented both him and Zhao Youwei and had no desire to talk to him.

Finally, an elderly man with a softer heart sighed and answered, “Your parents are gone. Your mother went first. After she passed, there was no one to care for your father, and he followed soon after.”

Shen Zhigao froze, standing in stunned silence for a long time before finally stammering, “Then… then what about Jiaofeng?”

The old man shook his head. “Never heard anything about Li Jiaofeng selling her house or land. But she did split from Shen Zhuang, kicked him out of the house. She’s raising your boy, Shen Qiang, by herself now.”

The old man glanced at Shen Zhigao, his expression unreadable—whether it was meant to comfort him or to cut deeper.

“At least you have a son. Even if you don’t survive the journey, your bloodline won’t be cut off. Wasn’t that what you wanted most in life? You should be satisfied.”

A long silence followed.

Then, from the depths of the exile procession, a wretched, heartbroken wail rang out.

But the march did not stop.

Aside from a few brief glances, no one paid it any mind.

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NOTICE: EXTRA CHAPTERS WILL BE PASSWORD LOCKED. Pw info in TOC