The Reluctant Trip into the Mountains

Early the next morning, Liu-shi emptied the medicine cabinet.

Several little paper packets lay spread across the table. Once opened, they showed how few herbs remained.

Chen Mo had just come in when he heard his mother sigh.

"What's wrong?"

Liu-shi did not answer. She only handed him one of the packets.

"Take a look."

Chen Mo took it.

Inside were a few dried herbs, their color already darkening.

"This is all that's left?"

"Mm."

"Doesn't the town have any?"

"It does."

Liu-shi folded the packet back up.

"It's just expensive."

Chen Mo remembered what he had heard at the apothecary yesterday.

Fewer people were gathering herbs, so naturally they cost more.

Things that once cost a few coins had gone up considerably.

The family had never had much spare money.

Chen Huan's school fees were one expense, everyday rice, flour, oil, and salt another. His father's old leg injury sometimes needed medicine, too.

Bit by bit, it all added up. There was never enough money.

Chen Mo looked at the packets on the table.

"Mother, where's Father?"

"In the back courtyard."

Chen Mo turned and went out.

The back courtyard was small.

An earthen wall separated it from the neighbors. Several bundles of firewood lay piled at its base, along with two worn bamboo baskets.

Chen Shan crouched on the ground, repairing a broken basket with strips of bamboo.

A split ran across its bottom.

He threaded a strip through the crack, then pressed it tight.

Chen Mo walked over.

"Father."

Chen Shan looked up.

"You're back?"

"I didn't go to Blue Martial Arts Hall today."

"I know."

Chen Shan lowered his head again.

"Did your mother send you to hurry me in for breakfast?"

"No."

"Then what is it?"

Chen Mo crouched beside him.

"We're almost out of medicine."

Chen Shan's hands paused.

"I know."

"It costs more in town now."

"Mm."

"And we don't have much money."

"Mm."

Chen Mo stared at him.

"You're thinking of going into the mountains?"

Chen Shan did not answer at once.

He turned the basket over and inspected the spot he had just repaired.

"Not into the mountains."

"Then where?"

"Just to look around the edge."

Chen Mo's brow furrowed at once.

"Where?"

"West of the village."

"That's still the mountains."

"I know."

Chen Shan set the basket aside, stood, and stretched his back.

"I'm only going to gather some herbs."

"Who's going?"

"I am."

"Father."

Chen Mo's voice grew heavy.

"You know what's been happening lately."

Chen Shan glanced at his son.

"That's why I'm not planning to go deep."

"You still can't go."

"Hear me out first."

Chen Shan raised a hand.

"Three li west of the village, there's a gentle slope."

Chen Mo said nothing.

Of course he knew the place.

He had often gone there with his father to collect firewood when he was little.

Herb gatherers had worked there for years, too.

The slope was not high, and it was close to the village.

From its top, you could turn around and still see the village rooftops.

"That's as far as I'll go."

Chen Shan continued:

"It's the same path the herb gatherers always take."

"When I reach the slope, I'll gather some common herbs."

"Half a basket at most."

"Once I have enough, I'll come back."

Chen Mo asked:

"What if you don't have enough?"

"I'll come back."

"What if you see game?"

"If I can help it, I won't chase it."

"What do you mean, if you can help it?"

Chen Shan gave a small laugh.

"When did you start sounding more and more like your mother?"

"Father."

"All right, all right."

Chen Shan's smile faded.

"If something small like a rabbit or pheasant runs right into me, I'll bring it home."

"If it gets away, I'll let it go."

"I won't chase a few pounds of meat deeper into the mountains."

Chen Mo was still uneasy.

"What about your hunting knife?"

"I'll take it."

"What for?"

"Self-defense."

"Not hunting?"

"No."

Chen Shan's answer was firm.

"If I really run into something wrong, the knife won't be for fighting it to the death. I'll use it to hold it off long enough to run."

Chen Mo looked at his father.

After a moment, he asked:

"How far before you turn back?"

"Old Elm Tree."

"You won't go past it?"

"No."

"Really?"

"Really."

Chen Shan pointed west of the village.

"You know Old Elm Tree."

"Beyond it, the mountain path begins."

"I'll stay on this side."

Chen Mo said nothing.

Chen Shan walked over and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry."

"I'm not as young as I used to be."

"Back then, I went into the mountains to hunt."

"Now I'm going to gather herbs."

"It's different."

Chen Mo raised his head.

"But what's in the mountains is different now, too."

Chen Shan's hand stilled.

Father and son looked at each other for a moment.

Chen Shan withdrew his hand.

"That's why I'll go no farther than Old Elm Tree."

Liu-shi's voice came from inside the house.

"Are you two finished talking?"

Chen Shan turned back.

"Coming."

Liu-shi came out of the house, still holding the packets of medicine.

She looked at Chen Shan.

"Are you really going?"

"Just this once."

"Can't you stay home?"

"We're almost out of medicine."

Liu-shi pressed her lips together.

"We can buy it in town."

"It's too expensive."

"We have to buy it even if it is."

Chen Shan did not argue.

Liu-shi looked at him for a while.

"That leg of yours..."

"It's fine."

"I wasn't finished."

Liu-shi glared at him.

"You hurt that leg before. It aches whenever the weather changes. If something really happens, will you be able to run?"

Chen Shan rubbed his knee.

"I can run."

"Don't be stubborn."

"I'm not."

"You say that every time."

Chen Shan had no answer for her, so he said,

"Then I'll walk slowly."

Liu-shi gave a frustrated laugh.

"I'm being serious."

"So am I."

Chen Mo spoke up from the side.

"Mother, don't worry."

Liu-shi turned to him.

"You're taking his side too?"

"No."

Chen Mo shook his head.

"I'm afraid you'll talk all day and he'll still go."

Chen Shan couldn't help laughing.

"My son knows me best."

"You two, father and son..."

Liu-shi shook her head.

She picked up the herb basket and checked it again.

"Is the bottom of the basket sound?"

"It is."

"What about your hunting knife?"

"Inside."

"Take a length of rope."

"I will."

"Water?"

"I'll take some."

"Food?"

"That too."

Liu-shi stared at him for a long moment.

"Are you going to gather herbs or move house?"

Chen Shan laughed.

"If you want me to take less, I'll take less."

"Forget it."

Liu-shi waved a hand.

"Take everything you need."

At some point, Chen Huan had appeared by the door.

She held a book against her chest and gazed at her father with pleading eyes.

"Father."

"What is it?"

"When will you be back?"

"Around noon."

"That soon?"

"That soon."

"What if you're not back?"

"Then this afternoon."

"What if you're still not back this afternoon?"

Chen Shan paused.

"What's gotten into you?"

Chen Huan said earnestly,

"Mother said the hills aren't safe."

Liu-shi gave her a gentle pat.

"That's enough."

Chen Shan crouched down.

"I'll be just west of the village."

"You'll be able to see me from the village entrance."

Only then did Chen Huan nod.

"Then come back early."

"I will."

Chen Mo glanced at the sky.

It was not quite light yet.

Someone in the village was already carrying buckets toward the river.

Roosters crowed one after another.

In the distance, a man drove an ox past. The cartwheels rolled over the muddy ground with a creaking sound.

Everything was as it always was.

Chen Shan went inside and changed into an old coat.

When he came out, his hunting knife was tucked at his waist, and the herb basket was on his back.

Chen Mo followed him.

"Father."

"What else?"

"I'll go with you."

"No need."

"I won't go into the hills."

"Stay home."

"I'll just stay nearby."

Chen Shan shook his head.

"If you come, I'll have to keep an eye on you."

"You won't need to."

"Don't give me that."

Chen Shan hitched the herb basket higher on his shoulder.

"Stay home."

"If I don't come back, you can go tell the Blue Martial Arts Hall."

Chen Mo's expression changed slightly.

"Don't say that."

Chen Shan realized he had said the wrong thing.

"All right, I won't."

He patted his son's shoulder.

"I'm only going to gather herbs."

"Just on the lower slope."

"Don't scare yourself."

Chen Mo looked at him.

"Then remember."

"Turn back when you reach Old Elm Tree."

"I'll remember."

"Don't chase prey deeper in."

"I know."

"If you hear anything, leave at once."

"I know."

"And if—"

Chen Shan raised a hand to cut him off.

"Why are you so long-winded today, boy?"

Chen Mo closed his mouth.

Chen Shan smiled.

"I'll bring you back a rabbit."

"I don't want one."

"Wasn't rabbit your favorite when you were little?"

"I still like it."

"Then that settles it."

Chen Shan turned and left the courtyard.

Liu-shi hurried after him to the gate.

"Come back early."

"Mm."

"Don't go past Old Elm Tree."

"I know."

"If anything happens, run."

"I know."

Chen Shan stopped outside the gate and looked back.

"Wait for me at home."

With that, he carried the herb basket toward the west side of the village.

Chen Mo remained at the gate.

His father walked along a stretch of dirt road and stepped over a field ridge.

Crops had already been planted in the fields west of the village, and a few shallow ditches ran along their edges.

Chen Shan walked at an unhurried pace.

Once outside the village, he looked back.

The roof of the Chen family home was not far away.

From here, he could see a wisp of cooking smoke rising above the courtyard.

Chen Shan raised a hand and waved.

Chen Mo raised his hand too.

Then Chen Shan turned around.

Ahead lay the lower slope.

A narrow path, worn by footsteps, ran up from its foot.

Waist-high weeds grew on either side.

Herb gatherers usually came and went along this path.

There were plenty of footprints on the ground.

Some were human.

Others had been left by chickens and ducks.

Chen Shan followed the path uphill.

Before long, he spotted Old Elm Tree.

Its trunk was so thick it would take two people to wrap their arms around it.

Beside its roots was a patch of ground trampled flat.

Several herb gatherers used to stop here to rest.

Chen Shan stood there for a while, looking around.

He could still see the village.

He could still see the roof of his own home.

He set down his herb basket.

He took out a small trowel.

"Right here."

He said it to himself.

Then he crouched down and began looking for herbs.

Wind swept over the slope.

The blades of grass swayed gently.

Chen Shan raised his head.

A dog barked in the distant village.

He listened for a while, then lowered his head again.

With the small trowel in his hand, he slowly pushed aside the soil.

By noon, Chen Mo had paced back and forth by the courtyard gate several times.

Chen Huan was bent over the table, practicing her writing.

After a while, she looked up at her brother.

"Brother."

"Hmm?"

"Why hasn't Dad come back yet?"

Chen Mo glanced at the sky.

"It's still early."

"He said he'd be back by noon."

"Gathering herbs takes time."

"But..."

"Just wait a little longer."

Chen Huan lowered her head.

Before long, she looked up again.

"Brother."

Chen Mo looked over.

"What is it now?"

"Do you think Dad might catch a rabbit?"

Chen Mo smiled.

"Weren't you worried about him?"

"I am worried."

Chen Huan said earnestly:

"But he still needs to catch a rabbit."

"You little rascal."

Chen Mo ruffled her hair.

"We'll see when he gets back."

The afternoon sun slowly sank toward the west.

Liu-shi stood in the kitchen doorway and glanced toward the west end of the village.

"Why isn't he back yet..."

Chen Mo went to the courtyard gate too.

He stared down the dirt road.

There was no one on it.

Wind blew through the grass beside the fields.

Gust after gust.

Chen Mo stood there and said nothing more.