Chapter Twelve: Searching for Water

Qi Jun already had a plan in mind. In the morning, when he and Qi Feng passed by the riverbank outside the village, Qi Jun deliberately paused to observe the dried-up riverbed.

He noticed that the pebbles on the riverbed were not particularly large and were quite smooth and uniform, indicating that this section of the river belonged to the middle or lower reaches, where the water should flow relatively slowly. After inquiring with the villagers, he learned that there was no historical record of the riverbed remaining dry for long periods, which meant that droughts were not a frequent or prolonged occurrence. Therefore, there should be a substantial amount of water stored beneath the riverbed due to infiltration.

Coupled with the abundance of limestone he had seen in the mountains, Qi Jun believed there was a high possibility of subsurface streams beneath the riverbed.

With this in mind, he had originally intended to discuss with the clan elders about organizing the villagers to dig down into the riverbed and see what they might find. Unexpectedly, Liu Qiwen stirred up the villagers to cause trouble, presenting Qi Jun with the perfect opportunity to put his theory to the test.

The people of Dongling Village had no experience with well-digging; for generations, their water had always come from the peaceful river outside the village. Even in times of drought, the river had never completely ceased to flow—until this year, when an unprecedented drought had reduced the once-vibrant river to nothing.

Such capriciousness of the heavens was a sudden and fatal blow to the villagers of Dongling.

“Tomorrow morning, gather some people and bring tools to the riverbank and wait for me. Whether there’s water or not, we’ll know with one attempt,” Qi Jun said, not making any grand promises, but still providing the villagers with a glimmer of hope.

Hearing his words, hope brightened the eyes of the crowd, and their craving for meat seemed to diminish a little.

After a few more instructions from Qi Jun, he judged that the lamb had been divided up fairly and sent everyone home.

That night, the villagers harbored mixed feelings about what Qi Jun had said. Some were glad, some were disappointed, but most were skeptical.

A frail scholar, known only for his books, who suddenly learned to hunt and now claimed he could find them water—everything was happening so abruptly that it left the villagers bewildered.

When most of the villagers had left, Liu Kui called out a farewell to Qi Jun, intending to go home as well.

The aroma of roasted meat tugged at his heart—of course he wanted a taste—but he knew how hard-won this meat was and, being the clan elder, he could not bring himself to take advantage of Qi Jun, so he refrained from asking.

“Uncle Liu, please wait,” Qi Jun called after him.

Startled, Liu Kui halted and turned.

“Take this leg of lamb home, as a small token of my gratitude for the elder’s care,” Qi Jun said, retrieving a roast leg from the house and handing it to Liu Kui.

“Oh, I really shouldn’t…” Liu Kui’s heart leapt with delight, his Adam’s apple bobbing as his eyes lit up.

“It’s only right. Please, you must accept it!” Qi Jun insisted, thrusting the lamb into Liu Kui’s arms. “We may not find water tomorrow, but I hope the elders will support me.”

“You’re too polite! The water shortage has been weighing on the elders’ hearts for some time. What you’re doing is a righteous act to help the village out of its plight!” Liu Kui accepted the lamb gratefully. “On behalf of the elders, let me thank you in advance!”

With a bow, Liu Kui left, carrying the lamb and filled with emotion.

When the last of the villagers had dispersed, Qi Jun cut some meat from the roasted lamb and shared a hearty meal with Qi Feng. Exhausted from the day’s labor, the two soon collapsed into a deep sleep.

After Liu Kui returned home with the lamb, he found the clan chief and the others still awake, waiting for him. He recounted the events of the evening to his father, who listened with narrowed eyes and, after tasting the lamb, looked even more approvingly upon Qi Jun.

Yunfei, seated to one side, listened quietly. Once she was sure Qi Jun was unharmed, she finally let out a breath of relief. As her father finished speaking, a subtle, unreadable glimmer flashed in her eyes.

At dawn the next day, the fragile wooden door of the little house was knocked upon.

“It’s Liu Kui. Are you ready to set out?” called the voice outside, knocking again until the door nearly fell off its hinges.

Qi Jun sat up, annoyed. His habits from a previous life had made him an early riser, but after yesterday’s hunting, his scholar’s body was so weary that his muscles and joints ached all over.

A chilly breeze drifted in, and he sneezed. Without waking Qi Feng, he responded to Liu Kui and got up to open the door.

“Let’s go…” Qi Jun yawned.

Realizing he’d been a bit abrupt, Liu Kui felt awkward for disturbing Qi Jun.

“Here, this is for you.” Liu Kui handed him a small cloth bundle.

“What’s this?” Qi Jun asked, puzzled. When he opened it, he caught a faint fragrance—inside were two millet cakes, still warm from the griddle.

“Is this from the elders?” Qi Jun did not stand on ceremony, taking one and tasting it. The warmth soothed his throat.

“Yes. My father is very grateful for the lamb, and sent this as a token of thanks. Though times are hard, I hope you won’t mind,” Liu Kui explained with a smile, then added pointedly, “These were made by my daughter, Yunfei. If you like them, you should come by our house and try more.”

At this time of year, water and grain were most precious; two millet cakes as a gift spoke volumes of their sincerity. Qi Jun, however, paused—he sensed a hidden meaning behind Liu Kui’s words. Was the elder seeking to draw him in, or…?

Qi Jun quickly pondered, then replied casually, “If I get the chance, I’ll be sure to visit! The cakes are delicious—please thank the elder for me! I’ll save one for Xiao Feng.”

He wrapped the remaining cake and placed it by the bed, then left with Liu Kui to head down the mountain.

“You care for your brother so deeply. If your parents could see you now, they’d surely be comforted…” Liu Kui sighed.

Qi Jun smiled. Regardless of his relationship with Qi Feng in this life, for now, his brother was the only person in this world he could wholly trust.

The two walked and talked as they made their way down the mountain.

From a distance, they saw a crowd already gathered on the riverbank outside the village.

Before Qi Jun and Liu Kui could draw near, Liu Qiwen ran out from among the villagers with a fawning smile.

“Brother Liu, Young Master Qi, you’re here!” Liu Qiwen greeted them respectfully. “Everyone who’s got some strength is here—just tell us what to do.”

Liu Kui nodded, saying nothing, and looked to Qi Jun.

Qi Jun stepped forward, surveying the riverbank strewn with pebbles. He could only deduce that there might be water below, but as for exactly where to dig, he couldn’t be sure.

In his previous life, such a task would call for professionals and specialized equipment, but in this era of primitive productivity, it all depended on experience.

Not only did Dongling Village lack wells—so did the county and the surrounding villages. The people could only trust Qi Jun, but even he was uncertain about where and how to dig a well; all they could do was try.

Qi Jun walked along, observing the terrain, occasionally stopping to inspect the withered reeds by the river.

Liu Kui, Liu Qiwen, and the others followed, not understanding what he was doing, but not daring to ask.

After half an hour of wandering and pausing, just as Liu Kui was about to speak, Qi Jun stopped.

“We’ll dig here!” he declared, pointing to his feet. “Dig until the color of the soil changes, then keep going. If after half a zhang the earth is still dry, we’ll try on the other side.”

This spot, where the land dipped between two higher points, was likely where groundwater would converge. The lushness of the reeds suggested their roots were often soaked, giving Qi Jun hope that water was close by.

Liu Qiwen and the other villagers looked at Qi Jun, then, confused, turned to Liu Kui.

“What are you looking at me for? Start digging!” Liu Kui snapped, impatient.

“But, Brother Kui, all we have are our farming tools. What if they break…” Liu Qiwen ventured nervously.

Liu Kui understood their concerns. Qi Jun had simply walked a few steps, picked a spot, and told them to dig—hardly reassuring. If they found no water and broke their tools, the loss would be great.

“Young Master Qi knows what he’s doing. Start digging! The sun will be up soon,” Liu Kui said, steeling himself. They had no better option than to put their faith in Qi Jun.

Liu Qiwen and the others said no more. Spitting into their palms, they hefted their hoes and shovels and set to work.