"A mature sow weighing over three hundred jin, plus five piglets," Chen Lei mused. "Enough to cover the tax and leave a surplus." Yet the challenge lay in transporting such a haul—deep in the mountains, dozens of lifrom the county town, a single man could hardly manage it, let alone carry the game. He decided to shoot a hollow-head arrow into the sky. "I'm far from where I parted with Uncle Zhao. I wonder if he'll hear the signal."
Soon, footsteps echoed outside the bamboo grove. But it was not Zhao Qiao, but a burly man with a scarred face. His gaze swept the boar, first with envy, then disbelief at the sight of an unknown youth's kill, and finally settled on a peculiar expression.
"Brother!" The man strode over, sizing up the pale, delicate-looking youth. "Haven't seen you around."
Chen Lei introduced himself: "Uncle Zhao Qiao from Yanbian Village brought me up the mountain. I'm Chen Lei."
"I've roamed these parts for three or four days with nothing to show," the man said, squinting. "You bag all this on your first day?"
"Pure luck," Chen Lei replied, clasping his hands. "Could you help haul the game to the county town? I'll pay per local custom."
"Happy to help," the man said, though his eyes darted greedily. "But it's a long way. The price…" He hadn't had a catch in days, his family near starvation. Today was his chance to squeeze a few extra coppers.
As he schemed, a thunderous bowstring crack exploded beside him. Looking up, he saw Chen Lei had loosed an arrow. A fleeing hare dropped dead seventy paces away—through dense foliage, the man hadn't even noticed it. Most startling: Chen Lei had drawn the bow using only a single finger.
A single finger, effortlessly pulling a four-strength bow, with such precision…If conditions allowed, could he draw a stone bow? When had Poyang County produced such a prodigious young archer?
All greed vanished. The man broke into a radiant smile: "Brother Lei! No—Brother Lei! Don't move. I'll fetch the hare and haul your game for free. Let's be friends!" He dashed toward the hare.
Chen Lei lowered his bow, shaking his head. His sharpened senses missed nothing; he'd seen the man's ulterior motives and deliberately demonstrated his prowess. Strength was the only shield against exploitation.
The man chopped two branches with his hatchet, and together they carried the boar downhill. "I'm Wu Da, from the next village over. Sixteen this year. Brother Lei, take me under your wing!"
Chen Lei stared at the scarred "sixteen-year-old," speechless.
"Wild boar!" "Brother Lei hunted a whole litter!"
By the time they reached Yanbian Village, the news erupted. A three-hundred-jinsow, usually requiring two or three hunters, taken solo by a scholar-turned-hunter—within half an hour, Chen Lei was a legend in neighboring villages.
At Treasure Hall Tavern, Manager Liu Hongda tossed a coin pouch: "Sow: 320 jinat 18 coppers/jin. Piglets: 60 jin2 liangat 20 coppers/jin. Total 6,964 coppers. I'll round it up to seven taels of silver for you, Little Stone. Bring future kills here, not elsewhere!"
Seven taels! Enough for taxes and winter clothes. "Thank you, Uncle Liu."
"You've got talent," Liu said. "Soon you'll move to town. Learn martial arts, and you'll rise above."
"Any recommendations for a school?"
"The top four are Tianyuan, Tailei, Yunhe, and the Zhao Clan, but they've closed recruitment. For commoners, basic moves to intimidate suffice. If you insist on the big schools, ask Shunzi."
"Shunzi?"
"He's been treating martial arts disciples to meals. Look—there he is."
Across the street, Zhang Shun waved, flanked by two white-robed youths. "Brother Lei! I've been meaning to find you—about last time…"
"Don't worry, I've got the money," Chen Lei cut in.
"Your brother bagged a whole boar today! Earned seven taels from me," Liu interjected.
"Really?!" Shunzi's eyes widened. "How long would fishing take to earn that?!"
Pure admiration, no envy. Chen Lei pressed three-tenths of a tael into his hand: "Repay the debt, including interest. Your father needs money for his leg." After a tug-of-war, Shunzi accepted.
"Are you treating martial arts disciples?"
"Yeah. Missed Tailei's recruitment. I've been buying meals to ask them to vouch for me." He'd spent three dinners at a cheap inn.
Chen Lei glanced at the two disciples. One chewed toothpicks; the other belched, patting his round belly. "Little Shunzi, hurry up! We're going for drinks. I'll introduce you to my senior brother—the master favors him. You know what I mean?"
"Coming, Senior Brothers!" Shunzi rushed off.
Chen Lei watched them go, uneasy. "I'll warn Shunzi later."
He hurried to the yamen, paying the three-tael tax. Seeing the official check the ledger, a weight lifted. "Only Qi Xiong remains… I must get home before Qinglian worries."
At the door, Qinglian was chatting with neighbors, their voices dripping with envy: "So clever, so handsome, so good with money!" A man who earned was flawless.
"Qinglian, hurry up and give him a son!"
"Look, your man's back!"
Qinglian ran over, ignoring the chatter. "Tonight, we'll have rabbit," Chen Lei said, handing her the unsold hare. She barely glanced at it, touching him all over: "Are you hurt? I heard boars are vicious!"
"Fine, don't worry," he said, touched by her fuss. "Go cook. I'm starving." Watching her bustle in the kitchen, he felt a special sense of belonging. He had a home here.
The aroma of cooking wafted out, making his stomach rumble. Knock knock knock—just as they sat down, a knock.
"Who is it?"
"Me! Qi Xiong!"
Qinglian paled, clutching his sleeve. "Don't go!"
"It's fine," Chen Lei said, strapping a kitchen knife to his belt.
He expected threats, but Qi Xiong stood there beaming, holding a cheap jar of yellow wine. "Ha! Little brother! I'm here to apologize!"
Chen Lei frowned. "Apologize?"
"Yes! Let's bury the hatchet in front of the neighbors, eh?" Qi Xiong clapped his shoulder, trying to assert dominance, but Chen Lei didn't budge.
Damn! Where does he get his strength?Qi Xiong had heard the youth soloed a boar—ferocious in autumn, when sows protect litters. A scholar? Impossible. Maybe he was born strong, just misguided.
Qi Xiong abandoned his designs on Qinglian. He'd risen to power by knowing who to provoke. Crossing a skilled hunter meant losing access to the mountains—one arrow to the back, and he'd be done. Women were replaceable.
"Little brother, let's call it even," Qi Xiong said loudly, drawing neighbors out. When Chen Lei remained silent, he thought him ungrateful—until the youth smiled: "Brother Qi jokes. I don't hold grudges. We were never enemies."
"Magnanimous! Truly a scholar!" Qi Xiong set down the wine jar. "Consider this an apology. I'll leave you be."
"Goodbye, Brother Qi."
Closing the door, Chen Lei eyed the recurve bow on the wall. Call it even?Preying on me in my hour of need, plotting ruin, now trying to brush it off? The world doesn't work that cheaply.