Chapter 6: The Three-Stone Bow, Preparing to Enter the Mountains

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If it were just Lai San, Su Sheng wouldn’t be so concerned, but if Su Bin was involved as well, things would get complicated. Because of his father, Su He, who had always shown respect to his eldest uncle’s family and advised their children with the words, “In the end, we are one family; even if you break the bone, the sinew remains connected,” Su Sheng and Su Yu had long grown weary of hearing this.

When the village was recruiting soldiers, it was originally supposed to be Su Fu Gui, the eldest uncle, who went. But in the end, grandma couldn’t bear to let him go, so the second brother, Su He, was sent instead. Su He believed that it was the family who had given him this great opportunity. Since he couldn’t come back after joining the army, it was always the eldest brother who stayed by their parents’ side to fulfill filial duties, especially since the third brother, Su Yuan Zheng, was still a child. Su Yu’s father felt somewhat guilty, thinking he had pushed the family’s burden onto his eldest brother.

Although Su Yu’s grandmother favored the eldest son somewhat, Su He didn’t mind. After all, his eldest brother had been taking care of the family since he enlisted. It was understandable that their mother favored the eldest a bit more. But Su He was not foolish. Over the years, his salary had been used to support the eldest brother’s family, and he was fully aware of this. Yet he preferred not to cause a rift; rural communities placed great importance on filial piety.

“It’s fine. Don’t worry about Lai San, big brother. I have my own plan. Just don’t act impulsively. Clean up and get ready for dinner. No more fussing,” Su Yu said, patting his older brother, Su Sheng, on the shoulder. He then picked up an enamel basin and went outside to wash his hands, also cleaning little sister Su Jing in the process.

Huzi had already entered the room with Su Yu’s mother, carrying a pot of stewed fish. The meal was soon laid out on the table. Not long after, Su Jin returned, followed closely by Su Yu’s father. They had come by bicycle, which the commune brick factory provided but rarely used. Su Yu’s father often rode back if he had business to attend to. The brick factory had several bikes, and Su Yu’s father managed loading and unloading. Sometimes he even accompanied the trucks and was responsible for collecting final payments. In the village, he held a minor official position, roughly equivalent to a foreman for the construction team.

“Dad, you’re back?” Huzi greeted him, while several children gathered nearby. On the table was a large enamel basin holding seven pounds of fish, with both fish and broth emitting a tantalizing aroma. Even though little oil was used, it still smelled delicious in this era.

“Huzi, you’re here too? Sit down, don’t be polite,” Su Yu’s father said kindly.

Huzi’s father was a few years older than Su He, so Huzi addressed Su Yu’s father as “uncle” and Su Yu’s mother as “aunt.”

The two families lived close by and got along well. Since they hadn’t been estranged for five generations, they often visited each other during New Year’s to pay respects to the elders.

“Third brother, this fish is really delicious. Are you going fishing again this afternoon? I’ll go with you,” Su Jin, the fourth brother, mumbled incessantly between mouthfuls.

“No going. Stay home and finish your homework. School starts in a few days. If you have nothing to do, tutor your little sister. If you dare go near the river, I’ll break your legs,” Liu Yuzhi’s sharp words silenced the fourth brother immediately. Su Yu shot an apologetic glance, helpless to intervene.

Huzi chuckled foolishly, ignoring Su Jin’s complaints, and ate on his own. Seven pounds of fish for seven people meant the little sister barely ate any, so everyone ate their fill. No wild vegetables were served; everyone was full. It wasn’t that they couldn’t eat a pound of fish each, but after long periods of hunger, their stomachs had shrunk. A pound of fish, with some broth, was enough to fill them up.

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“Don’t run around this afternoon. Behave yourself and go help your big brother in the fields. Since you’re no longer going to school, help with farm work. Don’t be like your big brother, idling all day.”

The four elders sat in front of the house, full from the meal. Su Yu’s father smoked dry tobacco, joined by Huzi and three others digesting the food. Despite the talk, Su Sheng, the eldest brother, was unjustly blamed. The idler Su Yu’s father referred to was the old Su Sheng; since turning eighteen, he rarely went out to play and helped with farm work.

But even so, telling Su Yu to farm? Forget it. It might work once land was distributed to households, but under collective farming, no matter how actively you worked, you were just doing the chores others shirked.

In plain terms, it was a drop in the bucket, not very effective. Expecting a good harvest was rare, unless it was a bountiful year with sufficient rain. Otherwise, there still wouldn’t be enough food.

If you wonder why people only gradually prospered after land was parceled out to households, it was human nature—selfishness. Whether you worked hard or slacked off, you received the same work points in collective farming. People didn’t regulate themselves with morality or diligence. Take weeding, for instance; if you spent half a day working in the cornfield, you’d still drag it out as long as possible, since others would do the rest eventually.

Even implementing responsibility systems couldn’t prevent laziness, since ten work points were given per day regardless. Only if caught slacking would points be deducted. But who could catch many? Catching too many would offend people. Besides, it wasn’t one’s own land; it belonged to the collective. Who would be conscientious enough to police others and risk offending neighbors?

“This afternoon, I won’t go to the fields. Let big brother go; half a day’s work points aren’t worth it. I plan to go into the mountain with Huzi to catch some wild game.”

Sanshuiwan Village was near the mountains. When it wasn’t busy farming season, the village militia organized hunts, so there were many animals in the mountains—not unusual.

“You and Huzi going into the mountain? No, it’s too dangerous.”

Su Yu’s father refused outright, and big brother supported him. In short, they disagreed.

“Don’t worry. We won’t bring weapons or go deep into the mountains. We’ll only stay on the outskirts, catching some wild chickens and rabbits. It’s safe.”

Hearing they’d only be on the periphery, Su Yu’s father did not forbid it. Children living near the mountains rarely avoided the outskirts, whether gathering firewood, picking mushrooms, or hunting small game. The area near the village had no large predators, only small animals, so it was truly not dangerous.

“Do as you please, but be careful. Since you’re unwilling to go to the fields, then fine.”

Because his mother often took his salary to support the eldest brother, Su Yu’s father lacked confidence and tried to use a gentle approach in raising the children. This was one reason the eldest brother had once run wild.

After a short rest, Su Yu’s father left for work. His mother, Liu Yuzhi, and eldest brother went to the fields because the village’s work bell had rung, signaling everyone to start working.

“Fourth brother, stay home and watch the house. Help the girl with her homework. No wandering around, got it?”

After a stern reminder, under Su Jin’s resentful gaze, Su Yu and Huzi left the house.

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“Does your family have a horn bow? Let me try it.”

Outside the gate, Su Yu asked Huzi directly. Huzi’s father was in the militia, largely because Huzi’s grandfather was an old hunter. Huzi’s father spent a lot of time in the mountains. His skills with guns and bows were quite good, so joining the militia was natural.

“No way! That’s my dad’s treasure. If he finds out I borrowed it, he’ll break my legs.”

“What’s there to fear? You don’t tell, I don’t tell, who would know? You really just want to wander the outskirts? Don’t you want to go in and take a look?”

The horn bow was passed down from Huzi’s grandfather’s generation. Though there were guns now, hunters at least used old muskets with homemade ammo or iron sand. They were like shotguns, effective up to fifty meters, similar to bows and arrows. But the bow had a wider damage radius; within fifty meters, a spray of shot would hit everything in the vicinity.

The difference was, if you didn’t kill or missed the target, you’d have to run. Neither wild boars nor wolves would give you the chance to reload.

“Ahem… Our horn bow is a three-stone bow. Can you even draw it?”

One stone equals sixty kilograms. A three-stone bow requires 180 kilograms of force to draw; that’s 360 jin. The term “stone” refers to the weight needed to pull the bowstring to a full moon shape. One stone equals 120 jin, meaning it takes 120 jin of force to fully draw a one-stone bow.

A three-stone bow requires 360 jin—a feat only a great general could manage in ancient times.

Upon hearing it was a three-stone bow, Su Yu immediately gave up. With his physique, lifting 300 jin stones would be difficult, let alone drawing such a heavy bow. Having great strength doesn’t guarantee you can draw a bow of that weight—it’s a different matter entirely.

From this, it was clear that Huzi’s family bow was probably just a showpiece, likely unused for generations, kept as a family heirloom. It was understandable they didn’t want to take it out.