Chapter 26: Entering the City Again…

Fang Dahai quietly listened and watched. Once he confirmed that the wolves had indeed gone far, he immediately jumped up and began running toward the wolves lying on the ground.

With the knife in his hand slightly angled forward, he gave each wolf a quick slice as he passed—no need to bend down. All the way, he moved swiftly, collecting each wolf into his space as he went. Once all the visible wolves were gathered, Fang Dahai turned and began running south. In the bushes behind him, the injured remnants of the pack whimpered sadly, abandoned to their fate.

What does it mean to be truly abandoned? This was it. The wolves had forsaken them, and Fang Dahai had no interest either. They didn’t even deserve the courtesy of being skinned or eaten. Pitiful.

Fang Dahai ran wildly until he reached the slope of the next mountain. Feeling that he was finally at a safe distance, he stopped, gasping for breath. He perked up his ears and listened carefully for any sounds.

Just as he had expected, the place where the fight had taken place was now filled with unrest. The sounds of tigers roaring and bears growling echoed one after another, and the surrounding mountains were filled with the sound of animals fleeing in panic.

Fortunately, he had moved quickly. If not, he might now be the one surrounded by those beasts. As the saying goes, two fists can’t beat four hands—even if he were stronger, it would be hard to escape unscathed in such a situation.

But now things were looking good. At least three of the big predators in the area had been drawn over to that spot, so he could safely continue on his way.

Fang Dahai didn’t waste time. With his weapons stored in his space and no prey to carry, his lightened load allowed him to move at high speed. Even on mountain roads, he sped along with ease. By the time he emerged from the range, the first light of dawn was just beginning to rise in the eastern sky.

Now, he had to decide what to do next.

Should he continue rushing forward like this? That part was certain—at least until he reached the city. But after that? He had so much prey. He couldn’t just pull it all out after entering the city, could he? The city wasn’t like the mountain—if he suddenly showed up with so much game, it would definitely draw attention. And if someone realized that none of this had come through the city gates…

The city was crowded, people were suspicious by nature, and during chaotic times like these, any small thing could trigger trouble.

But if he brought it out before entering the city, could he still get the goods inside safely? Just think about the soldiers at the gate, the throngs of desperate refugees, and those bandit types always looking for a target. One wrong move and not only might he fail to sell the meat, he could even become a punching bag for someone looking to vent their frustrations.

Fang Dahai hesitated, but his steps didn’t slow. He continued quickly toward the city. Day was about to break, and the children at home must already be anxious. He could walk and think of a plan at the same time.

A plan? Sometimes fate delivers a solution right to your door.

Just as he passed Changping, he saw a familiar figure ahead—Uncle Laogen, the very first neighbor who had lent a helping hand after their village was devastated.

With such an adult present, Fang Dahai’s eyes quickly turned, and with a flicker of thought, a large basket suddenly appeared on his shoulders—one as wide as a person and half as tall. Inside the basket were two pheasants and a hare at the bottom, with a wolf, its belly slit open, placed on top. Most striking of all was the wolf’s head, which drooped over the edge of the basket, its mouth slightly open—no matter which angle you looked from, the sight was chilling.

“Uncle Laogen! Uncle Laogen!”

“Hey, hey, who… huh? Dahai? Why are you here?”

Hearing someone call out, Uncle Laogen instinctively responded, thinking it was a familiar neighbor. But when he turned around, he was surprised to see Fang Dahai—his distant relative who had moved away? He looked down the road, confused. Wasn’t this the road leading away from the capital? Had he misheard? Wasn’t the Fang family staying in Changping?

“I’m heading back to the city. My family’s living there now, in the courtyard of my cousin Yulan’s second uncle’s house.”

“Oh, right, right! You all moved to the city too. So this… wait, this is a wolf? Kid, are you crazy, going hunting at this time of year? Right now, the beasts in the mountains are at their most aggressive, and you still dared to provoke one? Do you have a death wish? Don’t forget, you’ve got a house full of children—if something happens to you, how are they supposed to survive?”

Perhaps because life had grown too bitter and the environment too harsh—where survival depended on community—people nowadays truly lived by the saying: “distant relatives are not as helpful as close neighbors.” Just look at Uncle Laogen. Even though they no longer lived nearby, the moment he saw the prey, his first reaction was to worry about Fang Dahai’s safety and think about the fate of the children at home.

Faced with such genuine concern, even if it came in the form of scolding, Fang Dahai couldn’t bring himself to argue. In fact, he even felt a bit guilty about the little trick he’d pulled earlier. So when he replied, his voice softened, and he explained a bit more, opening up about his difficult situation.

“Uncle Laogen, like you said, I’ve got a bunch of kids at home. Of course I know how important my life is. But… everything in the city costs money. I have to find a way to earn a living, don’t I? We country folk don’t have much. Even if I’m willing to do the hardest work, I’m already at an age where no one wants to hire me. If I don’t hunt, what else can I do?”

At those words, Uncle Laogen fell silent. After a long pause, he sighed deeply.

“That’s true… city folks—they just don’t welcome people like us, people with mud on their legs. I stayed in the city for five years and never got a proper job. Just scraped by carrying heavy loads to earn a bite to eat. When will these hard days ever end?”

Oh right—he almost forgot. Uncle Laogen’s family also had relatives in the city. His own younger brother was working as a laborer in the southern part of the city. He was already thirty this year and was famously known in the village for being particularly hard to marry off.

“Say, how’s Uncle Liugen doing these days? I don’t have an address for him, and I wouldn’t even know where to start looking once I get into the city. If possible, I’d like to visit him. It’d be nice to have more family around in the city.”

Relatives? Those words were music to Uncle Laogen’s ears—his face lit up with a wide smile that almost bloomed like a chrysanthemum, bringing a spark of energy to his weathered features.

“What’s the problem? Come back with me later and I’ll introduce you. It’s a real coincidence—your Uncle Liugen just got married. There’s a woman in the house now, so if you’re too busy to take care of Dajiang and the others, you can send them over and let his wife look after them.”

What? He got married? The notoriously difficult-to-marry “iron tree” has finally bloomed? How come he hadn’t heard anything about it while he was still in the village? Was it recent? Could it be that, with rising food prices in the city and a mouth too many to feed, the bride was sent out to ease the burden? If that was the case, then Uncle Liugen’s days might be even harder now.

“Married? That’s great news! Uncle Laogen, what family did he marry into? Anyone from our village?”

Even though a few doubtful thoughts crossed his mind, Fang Dahai still reacted with enthusiasm. A happy event was a happy event, after all. He said something nice first, and then gently probed for more details.

“Well, she’s from the city, technically. But… you know how it is—your Uncle Liugen is no young man anymore. Who could he possibly marry? She’s a widow, actually—a widow with a three-year-old daughter.”

These days, a man unmarried past twenty was already considered to have difficulties. At thirty, marrying a widow was not unexpected. Having lived through the Ming Dynasty himself, Fang Dahai knew how things worked and took it all in stride. His response reflected the values of the time.

“Having a wife is better than not having one at all. As long as she can give Uncle Liugen a chance to carry on the family line, does it really matter whether she’s a widow? These days, there are plenty of people who can’t even get a widow.”

“That’s exactly what I think!” said Uncle Laogen with a grin. “Exactly! So look—”

He lifted the bundle he was carrying and said proudly:

“I had someone trade this long cotton coat as a wedding gift.”

The patched-up bundle wasn’t tied very tightly. When he shook it, the fabric shifted slightly, revealing the greenish, thick corner of the long cotton coat inside. Fang Dahai glanced at it and immediately recognized where it came from. That was clearly the kind of garment the landlord from the Lao Fu family wore in daily life.

Seeing through it, Fang Dahai grinned and followed up with a teasing remark:

“That’s a good item. If you cut it right, you could make both an adult and a child-sized jacket from it.”

“Haha! You sharp-eyed rascal—you really saw through your old Uncle’s plan!”

Having someone understand and agree with his little calculation made Uncle Laogen extremely pleased. Subconsciously, he reached out a hand to pat Fang Dahai on the shoulder—and that simple gesture brought him face to face once again with the ghastly sight of the wolf’s head.

“Huh? How did the topic get sidetracked? Wasn’t he just trying to stop Dahai from going up the mountain?”

Uncle Laogen’s eyes flickered with confusion for a moment. Then, as his thoughts caught up, he slapped Fang Dahai heavily on the shoulder, scolding in mock irritation:

“You little rascal, trying to pull a fast one on Uncle Laogen? Hurry up and tell me—what’s the story with this wolf?”

So he’s circling back again? Knowing he couldn’t dodge it this time, Fang Dahai sighed helplessly and smiled.

“Uncle Laogen, you know my skills, don’t you? What else can I do besides digging pits, setting traps, and shooting arrows? This wolf—same as always, it got caught in one of those.”

“Nonsense. Wolves hunt in packs. How could one fall into a pit trap so easily?”

“Can’t there be lone wolves? Or blind ones? Or injured ones? Why not?”

“Do you think your Uncle Laogen is blind? This one is clearly in its prime—no head injuries, no signs of weakness. How could it be an old wolf driven out of its pack? And that stomach—looks like it was cut by a knife, wasn’t it?”

People are fierce these days, especially when it comes to arguing a point. Uncle Laogen, who had looked shocked just moments ago, was now practically ready to haul the wolf out and point to the wound as evidence.

“Who says a strong wolf can’t get driven out? And why couldn’t that stomach wound have come from the blade in one of my traps? Either way, I ran into it and I caught it. Just lucky, I guess—heaven’s sending food.”

Wait a minute… Why does this sound more like a debate now? A moment ago, Fang Dahai’s tone was still polite and respectful.

But strangely, the more Dahai argued, the more Uncle Laogen smiled. His eyes grew increasingly approving as he looked at the younger man. Why was that?

What kind of logic is this? One sentence from him seemed to explain everything.

“You brat—now you’re really growing up. Remember this: when you go back, say the same thing to everyone else. A man with real ability has nothing to fear—but being too showy is never a good thing. The brightest citron rots first. In this world, many capable people end up ruined because they shone too brightly and attracted envy.

You’re still young. Let people think you were just lucky—don’t let them think you’re special. What kind of praise is that? It’s worthless. Only your life is real. Keep yourself alive, and that’s the real deal.”

It’s said that anyone who can survive a time of war is an elite among men. That’s only half true. Just look at Uncle Laogen—an old farmer rooted deep in the soil—he still understands the value of keeping a low profile. Clearly, a chaotic world really does shape people.

Fang Dahai wasn’t someone who couldn’t tell good from bad. As soon as he heard those words, he obediently nodded. And that nod… well, it wasn’t awkward at all! His mouth had just been full of sass a moment ago—how could he respond now?

But lucky for him, he didn’t have to dwell on that problem. The two of them had been walking the whole time, and by now they were almost at the city gates. And at the gate…

“Brother! Brother—!”

The one jumping up and down and yelling—who else could it be but Fang Dajiang? How did this kid end up at the city gate? And who was that next to him? Wasn’t that He Yusong? What’s he doing here too? Wait—just the two of them? At the city gate? Were they here to meet him? Damn—it turns out he really did come back late after all!

“What are you two doing here? Dasong, does your father know you’re out like this?”

Fang Dahai didn’t care that Uncle Laogen was right there. He hurried over in three quick steps to the two half-grown kids, looking around as he spoke. He Maozhu wasn’t with them. He Yulan wasn’t either. It really was just these two! These brats had guts.

“Brother, why did you only just get back? We were so worried!”

Fang Dajiang had been fretting all night. Now that he finally saw his big brother—alive, whole, not a scratch on him—he relaxed. But the tears still came pouring out. He clutched Fang Dahai’s hands tightly, as if afraid he might vanish again at any second.

“Big brother’s fine, all right? Good, good. You’re little men now, what are you crying for? Dasong, didn’t you say you’d stay put? What are you doing here?”

From the moment Fang Dahai ran over, He Yusong had been staring wide-eyed at the wolf head sticking out of the basket on Dahai’s back. He didn’t blink once. Now, hearing Dahai’s question, he finally snapped out of it. He turned to look at Dahai, eyes full of awe. What came out of his mouth wasn’t exactly a proper answer—it was whatever words managed to tumble out first.

“Brother-in-law… you’re amazing!”

“Amazing or not, never mind that—tell me, does your father know you’re outside the city? Why are you being so bold?”

Maybe seeing his brother-in-law actually capable of hunting wolves had truly stunned He Yusong. Now, hearing Dahai ask again, the boy—usually a cheeky, grinning troublemaker—suddenly looked like he’d been possessed by a model student. He answered obediently and without a hint of mischief:

“Brother-in-law, don’t worry! My father sent us out early this morning. He even spoke to the guards at the gate. As long as we stay close to the entrance, everything’s fine!”

Huh? He Maozhu still has that kind of pull? That’s unexpected. But this “greeting”… it better not have involved pulling strings or slipping someone money. If it did, he’d owe a huge favor.

Still, now’s not the time to dwell on that. Getting into the city is what matters. Only once they’re safely home can he consider this ordeal truly over.

“Alright, this isn’t the time to talk. Come on, let’s go home.”

Right—he nearly forgot about Uncle Laogen behind him.

“Uncle Laogen, come with us. Just come to my place first and get familiar with the door.”

Old Uncle Laogen saw that the ones who came to meet Fang Dahai were just two kids, and his heart grew uneasy. He couldn’t help but worry that Dahai hadn’t been doing too well in the city. His relatives didn’t seem to take things seriously. So when Dahai extended the invitation, he quickly nodded and followed.

“Sure, I’ll come take a look. It’ll be easier if I want to visit you later anyway.”

As an old neighbor, Uncle Laogen was simple and straightforward. His intention was to make an appearance—let the family know that Fang Dahai still had elders around who cared, someone they could rely on.

Why this thinking? Because earlier, Fang Dahai mentioned they were turning to He Yulan’s second uncle’s family for support. These days, turning to a wife’s family wasn’t exactly something an old-timer would be proud of—especially not in the countryside. If it had been a child bride’s family, that’d be even more humiliating. Folks would gossip for years.

So, Uncle Laogen figured: if an elder from the village showed up, it might help lessen the embarrassment of seeking refuge. Let others see they weren’t completely without roots. And if anyone looked down on them—well, the presence of an adult might at least make them think twice. It might give the kids a bit of breathing room.

Meanwhile, Fang Dahai was busy comforting his tearful younger brother and dragging along He Yusong—who was still walking with his eyes glued to the wolf’s head and barely moving his feet. He didn’t bother checking what kind of expression Uncle Laogen was wearing, and so he had no idea the old man’s mind had gone through all that mental gymnastics.

But there were other things he did notice—like how, just as they reached the city gate, one of the soldiers standing guard grinned and called out to He Yusong:

“Yo! Got him? Hey, He family boy, since when did Xiangman House start sending little kids to do deliveries?”

Huh? What was that supposed to mean? Deliveries? Xiangman House?

Fang Dahai started to turn back to look at He Yusong, but something clicked in his mind. He stopped himself and just tugged lightly on Yusong’s sleeve, signaling him to play along.

“Ah? Uh—no idea! Anyway, my dad just told me to come pick up my brother-in-law!”

Sometimes, a clueless kid really came in handy. See? That answer was vague enough to be perfect. The power of being obedient and not too sharp was on full display. Honestly, how else could you get a city guard to shut up?

“Heh, you’re a gutsy little brat, but at least you’re obedient—coming to pick someone up without knowing anything. Still calling him brother-in-law? A milk-drinking baby is a brother-in-law now? Can you even get married? Don’t go crying if you end up sleeping in a ditch.”

…Seriously? Is that something you say to a kid? These soldiers, really…

“He is my brother-in-law! A doll-marriage brother-in-law is still a brother-in-law, right?”

Sure enough, Fang Dahai had been right not to butt in. Just look at He Yusong—what a solid comeback! In any case, the soldier clearly didn’t have the patience to keep messing with them. He just waved them through and let them into the city.