Chapter 27: The Craftsman…

Fang Dahai found it very strange. The huge wolf head in his backpack didn’t seem to shock anyone—neither the soldiers at the city gate nor the people they passed along the way. Yet clearly, just earlier, both Uncle Laogen and He Yusong had been visibly surprised at the sight of it.

So why wasn’t anyone else reacting?

He didn’t get the answer until they returned to the yard. As it turned out, someone as clever and experienced as Uncle Laogen, upon seeing the wolf head and realizing how conspicuous it was, had quickly acted. While Fang Dahai was talking, Uncle Laogen quietly took the bundle in his own hands and placed it over the wolf head inside the basket, covering it up.

Because He Maozhu had informed the city guards in advance, they didn’t bother to inspect them closely. As a result, the wolf head remained hidden the entire way back.

With it never exposed, who would have been alarmed? And besides, a boy with a basket on his back doesn’t draw much attention in the city. So they made it to the yard smoothly.

As for once they arrived at the yard… at that moment, Fang Dahai didn’t even have time to lift the basket off his back. The most pressing matter was calming down the two girls who had rushed over and burst into tears the moment they saw him, throwing their arms around his legs and refusing to let go.

“Big Brother Dahai, why did you only just come back?”

“Big brother! Big brother!”

“Alright, alright, I’m back—I’m fine, see? I’m fine.”

But what use were words? After such a long time apart, everyone needed to let out their emotions. Whether it was the two girls or Fang Dajiang, who had silently followed them all the way back, they were all carrying a heavy load of worry.

Fang Dajiang was relatively better. After all, he had seen with his own eyes that his big brother had returned safely. Though he hadn’t said much on the road, he had kept his eyes fixed on Dahai the entire time, which gave him some comfort and relief.

The youngest, Xiao Dajiang, was also easier to calm. She was still small, and most of her tears were due to not seeing her big brother for so long. Once she cried it out and got some sleep, she’d probably be okay.

But what about He Yulan?

From the moment Fang Dahai left, her heart had been in her throat. She understood why he went out, and she knew that for a family made up of children, this was a necessary step—they needed to find a way to survive and stand on their own. So she held back the fear and worry in her heart.

But as night fell, and the sky grew darker, and still there was no sign of him… her anxiety began to boil over. Once it was completely dark and she knew he wouldn’t be able to return due to the city gates being closed, the panic and unease were almost unbearable. For a girl so young, it was torment. She ended up unable to sleep all night. If she hadn’t been hugging Xiao Dajiang the whole time, she might not have been able to lie in bed at all.

So before dawn, she hurried to the middle courtyard to find her second uncle, hoping he could help look for someone. That was also why He Yusong had accompanied Fang Dajiang to the city gates, and why He Maozhu had gone ahead to notify the guards.

But just because someone was sent out to search didn’t mean her anxiety was lessened. On the contrary, the very act of having to search made her mind wander even more. If she didn’t keep reminding herself not to overthink, she feared those thoughts might become a curse—what if Fang Dahai was seriously injured, or worse, in some life-threatening danger?

So when she finally saw Fang Dahai return safe and sound, all that pent-up fear burst forth. How could she possibly hold it in?

Clinging tightly to Fang Dahai’s arm, she began to sob. The sound of her crying drew attention, and in an era as conservative as this one, such behavior—so emotional, so unreserved—was considered inappropriate for an unmarried girl. Someone like He Maozhu, who might ordinarily chide her with something like, “You’re not even married yet—young women should act with more restraint,” didn’t say a word this time. He didn’t have the heart. Instead, he simply turned to call his daughter-in-law over to help comfort his niece.

As for himself, he instinctively looked toward the unfamiliar elder standing in the courtyard—the old man who had entered with Fang Dahai. Stepping forward, he greeted him and inquired politely:

“And you are…? Forgive my poor memory, but do you know Dahai?”

“I’m Uncle Laogen, from the same village as Dahai,” the man replied with a smile. “I happened to be coming to the city today to visit my brother. Dahai came along to help guide the way. Since we’re all in the city now, I figured it’d be good if my brother’s side and Dahai’s family could get to know each other better. We’re neighbors after all—good to be nearby in case we need to lend a hand.”

Adults don’t need to say much to understand each other. He Maozhu immediately understood the old man’s meaning. He turned to glance at the group of children from the Fang family, then smiled and nodded.

“They really have had a hard time. It’s their good fortune to have someone like you looking out for them.”

“And I should be thanking you, Second Uncle,” Old Gen replied sincerely. “Without your protection, these children would’ve had a rough time coming into the city. Kids these days really need an adult around.”

Human relationships are funny that way. Though strangers just moments ago, their shared concern for the Fang family formed an instant bond. With mutual praise and understanding, the two middle-aged men quickly found themselves talking like old friends. Especially He Maozhu—he started to vent:

“This boy Dahai, really! It’s freezing outside and he just left without saying a word. Out hunting, no less! I only found out this morning. I mean, what kind of nerve does he have? These kids are relying on him to survive—how could he not be more careful? Two whole days and nights! I nearly died of worry.”

He Maozhu really hadn’t expected this. With so much food already stored—enough to last several months without worrying about food or drink—how could this child still be so reckless? Just half-grown, and he actually dared to go up the mountain to hunt! And not just for a short trip—he was gone for two full days and nights! If people on the street heard about this, they’d be scared out of their wits.

When Uncle Laogen heard He Maozhu say Fang Dahai had been gone for two days and nights, his eyes went wide. He stretched out two fingers, waved them in front of his own eyes, and confirmed in disbelief:

“Two days and two nights?”

“Yes! Tell me, how can kids today be so daring?”

Daring? Was this just about being daring?

Uncle Laogen didn’t even bother with politeness. He hurried over to Fang Dahai, gently pushed the two crying girls aside, and pulled the basket off the boy’s back. Before Fang Dahai could even put it down himself, the old man was already inspecting him—kneading his arms and legs, feeling around anxiously, his mouth firing off rapid questions:

“Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”

Because of Fang Dahai’s age, Uncle Laogen had always assumed that if he encountered a wolf, it must’ve been just a stroke of luck near the edge of the forest. But after hearing that Dahai had been out for two full days and nights, that assumption crumbled. If he hadn’t gone deep into the mountains, how could he have stayed out so long?

And deep mountains… gods above. Even if you’re desperate enough to fight ghosts, no one would go there unless they had no other choice. Wolves, tigers, leopards, wild boars, bears—every last one of them could kill a man.

To think this child had gone to such a place… As He Maozhu said, it really made your heart want to leap out of your chest. Until he was sure the boy was in one piece, Uncle Laogen couldn’t even get his breathing back to normal.

“Uncle Laogen, I’m fine,” Fang Dahai said calmly. “You walked all the way back with me—did I look the least bit unwell?”

Oh—right. He had walked, talked, even joked along the way. He looked perfectly fine.

But still… this kid had hunted wolves in the deep mountains… Damn. Wolves aren’t something you want to encounter. Yet not only had he come back alive, he’d brought prey with him. This boy might be more formidable than any of them had imagined.

At that moment, Uncle Laogen’s gaze toward Fang Dahai changed. It was as if he were looking at a living warrior.

“You’ve been hiding your skills in the village all this time, haven’t you? No way—I’m not old enough to be blind yet.”

What could Fang Dahai say to that? That he’d gained his skills while traveling? Of course not. He could only sigh and put on a tired face, replying:

“Until this time, even I didn’t know I had this ability.”

He knew that sometimes, things didn’t need too much explanation. Once there was proof—something real—people would come up with their own stories, fill in the gaps however they liked.

So that was all he said. Then he turned to the basket, intending to take something out and shift the conversation.

It was only then that he noticed the small package Uncle Laogen had placed on top of the basket. He smiled, looked up, and gave the old man a big thumbs-up.

“Uncle Laogen, thanks a lot. Your trick really worked.”

“It’s just a bit of life experience,” the old man said, brushing it off. “Nothing much. But I am quite curious about what’s in that basket of yours.”

He had sharp eyes and quick hands when it came to helping Fang Dahai, and he had been proactive in covering for him earlier. But as for actually pulling things out of the basket on someone else’s back—he wouldn’t do that. People these days were very particular when it came to anything involving food.

After all, no family had it easy. If you saw something in someone’s hands, you had to wonder: Will they share it with me? If they do, will their own family have enough to eat? And if they do share, then how will you return the favor?

The so-called “favor” always implied a return. If you couldn’t give anything back, then it was best not to reach out at all. That was just the simple and honest logic of the common folk.

Uncle Laogen understood boundaries well. But Fang Dahai, at this moment, had no intention of hiding anything. On the contrary—he wanted everyone to see.

This was a chance to prove his family had a source of income. It was also a chance to establish his authority in the courtyard. Only if others saw that he had ability and shouldn’t be underestimated would the children of his household gain respect in the neighborhood—not as dependents of the second uncle, seen as weak and easy to bully.

Because in this era, weakness meant you were fair game. Fang Dahai didn’t want his family to be bullied again and again, forced to fight back every time. That kind of life was exhausting and irritating.

With his mind made up, Fang Dahai smiled, lifted the package, and tossed it into Uncle Laogen’s arms. Then, to the gasps of the watching crowd, he raised the wolf’s head—and with one smooth motion, pulled the entire wolf carcass from the basket and laid it on the ground.

“Uncle Laogen, your eyesight is still as sharp as ever. You’re right—there’s more than one thing in here. After all, I went all the way up the mountain. How could I come back with just one prize? Look—there are pheasants and rabbits too.”

On the side, He Yulan, who had been comforted by Uncle Laogen earlier, had finally stopped crying. But when she saw the wolf, she almost couldn’t bear it. She rushed over, looked Fang Dahai up and down with flushed cheeks, and seeing that he was standing there smiling and completely unharmed, she burst into tears again—this time with relief. She pounded his arm a few times in mixed frustration and affection.

When the two pheasants and a hare were taken out of the basket one after another, her expression turned into a mix of tears and laughter.

“You’re really too bold. You should’ve just come back after hunting pheasants and rabbits!”

What could Fang Dahai say to that? No explanation would sound right, so he simply laughed and stayed silent, playing dumb to let it pass.

Now the people in the courtyard also gathered around. They looked at the prey, then at the smiling Fang Dahai, and couldn’t help but start muttering and discussing among themselves.

One person said, “Aiya, this Fang family boy doesn’t look strong, but he really knows how to hunt. He even managed to take down a wolf!”

Another chimed in, “Goodness, he shot this with a bow and arrow? Look at that accuracy! Back in the day, he could’ve been chosen for the palace archery contests.”

Yet another commented, “Was this wolf killed with a knife? That’s impressive. As they say—copper head, iron tail, tofu waist. He must’ve struck right at the soft spot.”

Of course, some sharper minds knew what to ask and went straight to the point: “Dahai, where did you hunt this? These days the price of food in the city keeps rising. If I could go get some meat myself, maybe I could finally eat a proper meal.”

Listening to the chatter around him, Fang Dahai’s smile only grew wider. He tilted his head and simply replied:

“Just northeast, near the Thirteen Tombs. Lots of mountains and forests over there. Good place for hunting.”

As he spoke, his gaze swept across the crowd and happened to land on Uncle Laogen’s face—which was full of understanding. Fang Dahai playfully winked at him. Uncle Laogen couldn’t help but laugh too.

On the side, He Maozhu, who was sharp-eyed and clear-headed, also caught the wink. He likely understood Fang Dahai’s intentions, so he helped smooth things over by saying:

“This kid’s got skills. With what he can do, not to mention the few mouths at home—even if there were more, I bet he could feed them all. As his second uncle, I can rest easy.”

Now that wasn’t just idle reassurance—it was a message to everyone: Don’t underestimate Fang Dahai just because he’s young. He’s capable of being the man of the house. From now on, treat him like an adult.

Fang Dahai smiled at He Maozhu, then—under everyone’s watchful eyes—reached behind his waist, pulled out a short dagger, and began skinning the rabbit. As he worked, he said to Fang Dajiang nearby:

“What are you standing there for? Go get me a stool. Yulan, boil some hot water.”

In just a few swift moves, he had peeled the rabbit’s skin off cleanly—even the head—without a single tear or wasted piece. The whole pelt was intact.

When Fang Dajiang handed over the stool and Dahai sat down, he casually pulled the wolf over and, with a single slice, began separating the pelt from the body. Everyone watching was stunned by how skillfully and quickly he worked.

“Dahai, your hands—this looks like you’ve done it a thousand times. Don’t tell me you know how to tan leather too?”

He Maozhu hadn’t expected this. He thought his new nephew-in-law could hunt, sure—but skin animals with such ease? Wasn’t Dahai’s father a carpenter? Since when were carpenters this multi-talented?

“It’s nothing much,” Dahai replied modestly. “I learned a little from an old hunter. Not professional, but good enough to be accepted by a leather goods shop.”

He was being humble. In his past life as a secret agent, his cover identity was a leather merchant. Of course, he had to pick up some real skills to keep the disguise. He didn’t just learn casually—he’d studied hard, mastering every survival trick he could. He hadn’t expected to use those skills again in the Ming Dynasty, but now that he’d crossed over and found a reason to use them, they weren’t wasted.

“Aiya, this is already excellent craftsmanship! If you learn tanning too, you could easily earn a skilled worker’s wages at a leather shop. Maozhu, your niece’s husband here—he’s a good catch for sure!”

“Leatherworkers are real craftsmen. These days, if you’ve got a skill, you’re not afraid of going hungry.”

See? The praise and approval from those around him said it all. In their eyes, Fang Dahai had already become a skilled artisan—someone who could earn a living with his hands.

Of course, there were exceptions. Amid all the praise, Uncle Laogen frowned slightly, trying hard to recall when this boy had ever learned such a craft. None of the neighbors seemed to know either.

But then again—they weren’t family. Who says neighbors have to know everything? So although he remained suspicious, Uncle Laogen didn’t hold back on compliments when the time came to celebrate Fang Dahai’s ability.

“Dahai’s a clever one. To be this skilled at such a young age—I’ve rarely seen that in my life.”

Wait—how old is Uncle Laogen again? Not even forty! Saying “in my life” might be stretching it a bit…