Secondly, ever since hearing that Mr. Bolton was going to marry his daughter to Henry Stone, those matchmakers who had nearly worn out the threshold of the The Stone Family stopped coming altogether. Henry Stone's mother also understood that everyone was afraid of Mr. Bolton, and she had no choice left.

The only inappropriate thing was that Emily Bolton was only six years old this year, and in another two years, Samuel Stone would be of marrying age. By then, if the elder brother was still unmarried while the younger sister was getting married, it would be against the village customs.

Henry Stone's mother thought it over and decided that if it didn't work, she would discuss it with the Mr. Bolton family, maybe marry the daughter over early so they could live together. But she was also worried that Mrs. Bolton would be too fond of her daughter to let her come over so young and suffer. After thinking it over and over, she still couldn't come up with a solution and could only wait for Henry Stone's father to come back and discuss it further.

Before Henry Stone's father returned, that afternoon, the imperial conscription edict arrived.

Several sturdy horses galloped into the village, and the village head, Mr. Bolton, hurried out to greet them. The armored soldiers wasted no words, briefly explained the situation, slapped the edict stamped with a blood-red seal onto the old tree at the village entrance, leapt onto their horses, and rode off to the next village.

It wasn't until the sound of the soldiers' horses faded away on the mountain road that the villagers finally snapped out of it. The whole mountain village fell into silence, for everyone knew what it meant to go to war. Of those conscripted, half would never return.

Henry Stone and his group came back from the mountains in high spirits. Everyone had worked hard today and managed to hunt eight fierce beasts in one go, finally gathering enough pelts for everyone.

Uncle Bolton and the others were singing mountain songs loudly, a group of people carrying their game, laughing and joking as they came down the mountain. But as soon as they entered the village, they sensed something was wrong. When they saw the conscription edict on the old tree at the village entrance, even those who couldn't read understood what it meant.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and looked gratefully at Henry Stone, nodding gently.

Mountain folk aren't good with flowery words; gratitude and resentment are kept in their hearts. Their actions may be simple, but they are sincere. If it weren't for Henry Stone, they would be worrying about conscription like all their neighbors. If chosen for military service, half might never return.

……

Early the next morning, Uncle Bolton came to the door with a cloth bag in his left hand. Henry Stone's father was a bit surprised: “Brother Bolton, not going hunting today…” As he spoke, he scooped a bowl of water from the jar to serve Uncle Bolton.

Uncle Bolton took the rough porcelain bowl with one hand, took a sip, and with the other hand gripped the cloth bag tightly. The bag was tied tight and wrapped around his arm twice. He craned his neck to look inside: “Where's Henry?”

“Out in the fields.”

Uncle Bolton looked troubled, as if he wanted to say something but hesitated. Henry Stone's father grew impatient and gave him a shove: “What can't you say?”

Uncle Bolton put down the bowl, thought for a moment, loosened the bag, and carefully took out three strings of coins, placing them on the table.

Henry Stone's father was shocked: “Brother Bolton, what do you mean by this?”

Uncle Bolton pulled him aside: “Come with me.” Then pointed at the money on the table: “Have your family put it away.”

But Henry Stone's father refused to go: “If you don't explain, I'm not going with you.” Uncle Bolton waved his hand: “You'll understand when you get there.” Henry Stone's father grabbed the money from the table and was dragged out by Uncle Bolton.

At the village entrance, under the old tree, a large crowd had gathered. As soon as Henry Stone's father arrived, everyone dropped to their knees with a thud—a sea of people!

Henry Stone's father was stunned on the spot and grabbed Uncle Bolton: “Brother Bolton, Brother Bolton, what is going on?”

Uncle Bolton said helplessly, “Everyone wants to ask Henry to lead us hunting in the mountains. This money is what everyone pooled together.” Uncle Bolton was very embarrassed, but still said, “Old Shunzi, I know this puts you in a tough spot, but we're all neighbors. Please, just talk to Henry for us…”

Henry Stone's father clapped his hands: “What is this? Do you really need to do this?” He hurried to help the villagers up: “Oh, Mr. Smith, you're older than me… Uncle Clark, by seniority you're my father's brother, if you kneel to me, when I die and go down there, my father will slap me…”

“So you agree?”

“I agree, I agree, please get up, I beg you, I'll kneel to you if that'll do!”

……

When Henry Stone saw the huge crowd, he immediately understood what was going on. He sighed inwardly, thinking that what was meant to come had finally come.

“Henry.” His father called out, taking the hoe from his hand. “I'll do the work, you take everyone hunting in the mountains.”

His father's thinking was simple: whether it's a small group of hunters or a big crowd of villagers, it's all the same to lead.

Henry Stone gave a wry smile and thought to himself, if he refused now, the The Stone Family wouldn't be able to stay in the village anymore. But even putting aside whether there were enough fierce beasts in the surrounding mountains, with such a large, noisy group going up the mountain, all the wild animals would be scared away.

He cupped his hands to everyone: “Uncles, elders, everyone, we can't go up the mountain like this.”

Before he could finish, with a rumble, everyone knelt down again.

“Ah…” Henry Stone's father scratched his head anxiously, urging Henry Stone nonstop: “Henry, your father already agreed to everyone, you…”