Chapter 2, The Fortune of Ironheart

Wang Rouhua quickly jumped into the bamboo basket with her son, then held tightly onto the washbasin without letting go, regardless of how the soldiers on the city wall shouted and scolded, she refused to release the washbasin

What are all these matters, green wheat is more valuable than yellow wheat

If it were not for the son starting to cry, I would probably not wake up for a while.

The helpless soldiers had no choice but to laboriously drag Wang Rouhua and her child, along with the large bathtub, up onto the city wall. Just as a soldier with a bushy beard raised his hand, Wang Rouhua pinched Tie Xinyuan's bottom hard. Receiving the signal, Tie Xinyuan could only cry out in anguish, as this woman was pinching him painfully.

Glancing at her son, who had already stopped crying, Wang Rouhua then realized that the washbasin had brought her and her child to beneath the city wall of Tokyo

Wang Rouhua wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and set the broken umbrella back over the bathtub, allowing it to take her and her child to a safe place

Although Wang Rouhua had never seen such a thing, this did not prevent her from having such fantasies. Gems are the brightest treasures, as Seventh Brother had long stated.

A son is one's own, Wang Rouhua immediately put her nipple back into her son's mouth, while she looked around to continue searching for a suitable place to come ashore

I have heard that they have created a new dish called green wheat, which is essentially fried wheat. They harvest the immature crops and then put the green wheat grains into a large pot to fry them, spraying them with saltwater. Once cooked, it becomes a very flavorful delicacy, and I have heard that a small bowl can be purchased for just 2 wen.

Such profitable livelihoods are managed by the soldiers, while the common people outside the city are unable to partake. Even if you harvest your own wheat and sell it, it is not permissible. The "Encouragement of Agriculture Order" issued by the authorities clearly states that farmers are strictly prohibited from harvesting immature crops

Wang Rouhua merely glanced at them, then quickly propped up the bathtub with a stick and left. As a person from Dongjing of the Great Song Dynasty, she could tell just by looking at those ragged individuals that they were all vagrants come to Dongjing to beg. If Seventh Brother were here, he would naturally not fear them, but now, as a widow left to her own devices, falling into their hands would have dire consequences

This child is so sensible; as long as he is well-fed, he does not misbehave at all. Even when he needs to urinate or defecate, he will only cry out a couple of times. Once these matters are resolved, he is always very quiet

The entire family's household registration is well kept in the swaddling, which was placed there by Brother Seven at the most critical moment. In such a great disaster, only the people of Tokyo can receive assistance from the authorities. As for those refugees, they are nothing but a group of lazy individuals who refuse to cultivate their land in their original hometowns and insist on coming to Tokyo to cause trouble.

It is evident that the little fox has come back to life, constantly wriggling in the swaddling. Tie Xinyuan's short arms are utterly incapable of controlling that creature, so he can only clamp his legs tightly to prevent the little fox from endangering his vital parts, as that creature treats any protruding object as a nipple to suckle on.

In the not distant place, there is a low hill, on which a crowd of people stands. Some of them, upon seeing Wang Rouhua and her child, could not help but shout out, and even some men have already entered the water, preparing to drag Wang Rouhua and her child to the shore

Tie Xinyuan held great admiration for his mother's wisdom. In such circumstances, a peasant woman was able to engage in conversation with the army and ultimately secure her own escape; this was truly remarkable

He believes that having such a mother, even without a father, he can still grow up happily.

Now you know how fortunate you are

After this fellow fell in, he cast a cold glance at the Iron Heart Source that was watching him, and then unceremoniously burrowed into the swaddling, finding an extremely comfortable spot under the rib of the Iron Heart Source, ready to sleep.

On weekdays, these ruffians have caused considerable harm to the surrounding villages, relying on their own strength to engage in theft and harassment of women. The crops in the fields are still green, yet many times they mysteriously disappear overnight, all stolen away by those ruffians.

Recalling the legends of foxes in the countryside, Wang Rouhua covered her face with her garment and shouted loudly to scare away the departing fox

Tie Xinyuan could sense the weakness of the little fox. Although its wet fur made him quite uncomfortable, he still accepted the little fox's presence due to an inexplicable feeling. There were some things he found difficult to express to others, but he could speak them freely to it

Wang Rouhua expressed her gratitude to the soldiers who had pulled her up, tightened the cloth bag around her waist, and then dragged the bathtub down from the city wall

Tie Xinyuan used his own not-so-capable hands to press the little fox's head into the swaddling cloth, and then he began to cry out loud.

Lowering her head, Wang Rouhua saw her son sleeping, his little face flushed. She affectionately pressed her forehead against her son's small face, believing that as long as the child was alive, there was still hope for her own life

In her haste, she did not notice that a small head seemed to be peeking out from under her son's arm in the swaddling, looking sorrowfully at the departing mother

In the end, Wang Rouhua emerged as the victor, while the fox received a blow to its nose and lamentingly called out as it was carried away by the water flow, frequently turning back to gaze longingly at the bathtub, as if trying to remember the appearance of Wang Rouhua

The soldiers on the city wall spotted the mother and child, and shouted loudly for her to quickly climb into the large basket that was hanging from a thick rope down from the city wall.

Sometimes, one can see the serious look of confusion in the eyes of children, which made Wang Rouhua feel somewhat proud. Which child possesses the same spirit as her own?

It is precisely because I have a soft heart that you and your son should be aware of the consequences if you were to be cast out of the city and taken away by the beggar gang

The pupils of the child are shiny and black, and upon closer inspection, there seems to be a hint of light blue. My own child's eyes are particularly beautiful, round like two black gemstones

In Tokyo, there are many terrifying legends, the most frightening of which is about the vagrants living in the sewers. They are said to drag the women and children of good families into the sewers, where the women will vanish without a trace, and the children are likely to become horrifyingly deformed, begging in the streets of Tokyo with various grotesque appearances.

She did not notice that her milk was flowing from the corner of her son's mouth, and then it fell into another hungry stomach...

Seeing that your husband has some connections with our military, you should leave quickly to avoid being discovered by the captain, lest you and your child be thrown off the city wall

The little fox caught the scent of Wang Rouhua's milk and stubbornly stretched its head out, wanting to lick the milk, which greatly displeased Tie Xinyuan

Wang Rouhua dragged the bathtub down from the city wall and left through the gate, finally letting out a long sigh. There are not many good soldiers in Tokyo, and the one she encountered today could be considered a decent person.

The bearded soldier, seeing the child crying pitifully, retracted his raised hand and glanced at the flood outside the city, sighing, "Forget it, a bathtub is worth something. Where is your husband?"

Today is different, this fox is baring its teeth and repeatedly trying to approach the bathtub. Wang Rouhua does not believe that anyone or any animal other than herself and her son is qualified to jump into the bathtub

Wang Rouhua's expression suddenly changed, and she murmured, "Is entry not allowed at the city gate?"

Wang Rouhua raised her voice and exclaimed: "That scoundrel, knowing full well that the flood is about to come, still abandoned us mother and son to go to the city to seek out some dubious friends for amusement. I am going to the military office to settle the score with him and teach him a lesson."

If Liu Gong were to survive this calamity, he would surely come to like Xin Yuan. He often says that the children of the Tie family are all rough and unrefined, that those who forge iron are good laborers but lack any spirit. Now that Xin Yuan has emerged, he must be satisfied, right

After checking the household registration, Wang Rouhua carefully folded it again and angrily spat at those vagrants. In her view, those who do not farm properly are all useless lazy people and good-for-nothings

Looking back at the vast flood, is there even a trace of Tiejiacun left?

The bearded soldier sneered and said: "I fear this matter cannot be resolved by him. Ever since the breach in the riverbank, the nine gates of Tokyo have been closed. Even if he wishes to leave, there is no way for him to do so"

As those men watched Wang Rouhua leave from a distance, they began to curse loudly. Wang Rouhua, feeling a lingering fear, patted her chest, thankful that Seventh Brother had warned her about the misdeeds of these individuals

The water flow has slowed down, and on the surface, one can even see some unharvested crops. The wheat has already fallen into the water, while only the soybeans stand strong, their fuzzy pods striving to emerge above the water. All of this fills Wang Rouhua with immense joy

Even when it fell into the water, the fox still held its head high, its strange light blue eyes fixed intently on Wang Rouhua. Time and again, it attempted to approach the bathtub from the front, only to be driven away by Wang Rouhua with a stick.

The rain had completely stopped, and the bathtub seemed to have ceased its swaying. Wang Rouhua rubbed her sleepy eyes and looked around, realizing that she had accidentally fallen asleep a moment ago.

On ordinary days, Wang Rouhua would be very pleased to catch this fox and use its fur to exchange for some coins to spend. She had long set her eyes on a pair of mismatched shoes, but she had no money to buy them. Seventh Brother would definitely not spend an extra coin on this matter

Wang Rouhua was far from as at ease as Tie Xinyuan; she was currently confronting a snow-white fox while holding a club. The fox was quite beautiful, with a coat of silvery white fur that spread out even when soaked in water. Its four paws were splashing in the water, and its black nose was held high, emitting a sound akin to a child's cry.

Tie Xinyuan was extremely frustrated. His mother was preoccupied with fighting the big fox and did not notice the situation behind her. After the big fox diverted his mother's attention, a small, wet little fox took the opportunity to climb up from the other end of the bathtub, but climbing out of the bathtub had exhausted all its strength.

The bearded soldier laughed heartily and said: "Seeing that you are also from Tokyo, the city is now surrounded by water on three sides. If the city gates were to be opened at this time, would there still be a place for anyone to stand within the city?"