Chapter 36: Do Not Go to Da Tuan Mountain

With the intention to earn money, it was only natural for Ah Xun to think of how he sold that horse for forty taels last time. So he decided to go hunting in the forest and sell the game in town—wasn’t that a good way to make a profit?

He immediately took the big knife he had obtained from the robbers on the way to Pingzhou and went into the woods to hunt for prey.

However, while the ideals were abundant, the reality was harsh. The small mountain behind Shixi Village had very few animals, and after two days of hunting, he had only caught a wild chicken and a small rabbit, which he gifted to He Miao.

Seeing the delicious food, the girl who had been melancholy and deliberately distancing herself due to the token of affection was finally warming up to him again.

He Miao happily stewed the wild chicken, and when she saw the small female rabbit, which was adorable and petite, she couldn’t bear to eat it, so she decided to keep it in the backyard, hoping Ah Xun would catch a male rabbit in the future to breed.

While eating the chicken, He Miao asked Ah Xun where he had caught the animals. Ashamed of only catching such small prey in two days, Ah Xun simply replied that he had caught them in the nearby woods, not mentioning that he had gone deep into the forest.

One day, Ah Xun took his big knife and went back into the forest again. After wandering for five days, he thankfully spotted a wild boar. He clearly remembered He Miao mentioning wild boars and how delicious the meat was when roasted.

Since she liked it, he resolved to catch it today, no matter what. Ah Xun didn’t want to kill the wild boar; he only aimed to injure it enough to capture it alive, so he could keep it fresh. This first wild boar he caught, he planned to roast for He Miao tomorrow and share some with the villagers.

However, wild animals have robust life forces and don’t surrender easily. Even when facing death, they fight fiercely and know how to play dead to avoid danger.

Lacking a long-range weapon, Ah Xun could only fight up close. Not wanting to take the boar’s life, he chose to be gentle, delivering two shallow cuts, then struck the boar’s head with the hilt of the knife until it finally fainted.

With his hard-earned prize, Ah Xun carried the wild boar back home. Since it was his first time hunting, he felt somewhat clumsy and awkward.

He thought he really needed a long-range weapon. Then he remembered the bow and arrows in He Miao’s house, planning to borrow them from her later.

Having chased the wild boar far into the forest, he wandered around until it was dark before finding his way back to the village. 

He Miao had just returned from Ju Fang’s house and couldn’t find Ah Xun anywhere. Anxious, she was just about to go to He Shun’s place to discuss when she saw Ah Xun returning with a wild boar, covered in blood.

Unable to distinguish whose blood it was, her eyes turned red with worry and anxiety. “Ah Xun, are you hurt? You’re bleeding!”

“No, it’s not my blood.” The concern in her beautiful eyes was evident, and Ah Xun felt warmth in his heart, reassuring her, “Miao’er, it’s just the boar’s blood.”

Hearing it wasn’t Ah Xun’s blood, He Miao finally felt relieved.

The two of them entered Ah Xun’s yard together and set the wild boar down, tying it securely with rope. He Miao said, “Ah Xun, you should wash up and change your clothes.”

Although she knew it was the boar’s blood, she couldn’t help but feel startled seeing him in such a state.

“Okay, you wait for me at home. I’ll wash up in the river and come back to find you.”

“Hmm, I’ll make dinner while I wait.”

Ah Xun took a clean change of clothes and headed straight to the river to wash up. After changing, he went to He Miao’s house.

Since it was getting late, He Miao decided to make some simple hand-pulled noodles. But as she kneaded the dough, the more she thought about it, the more worried she became. Where had Ah Xun caught the wild boar? She had never seen wild boars in the nearby woods, and he hadn’t been around all day!

He must have gone deep into the forest to hunt!

Thinking about her father, He Feng, made her more frightened. 

Just as she was about to put the hand-pulled noodles in the pot, Ah Xun returned. After they finished their meal, as Ah Xun was about to ask to borrow the bow, He Miao cut in first, “Ah Xun, you came back so late today. Did you go hunting for the wild boar in the woods? It’s very dangerous without a bow and arrows!”

“Miao’er, I was just about to discuss this with you. Could I borrow the bow from your storage room? I want to hunt in the future; it might improve our meals, and I could also earn some silver.”

Ah Xun told He Miao everything he was planning. However, He Miao was reluctant to let him go hunting.

While there weren’t many wild animals in the small mountain behind Shixi Village, there were plenty on the adjacent big mountain.

He Feng often hunted on the big mountain and had encountered wild boars, deer, and mountain sheep without surprise.

However, the big mountain was fraught with danger; it was home to predators like tigers and bears. Years ago, He Feng, the only hunter in the village, was injured by a brown bear during a hunt and died after returning home.

Because of this, no one in the village was willing to risk hunting there anymore.

Though it was safer in the small mountain, He Miao worried that once Ah Xun discovered the wealth of game on the big mountain, he would be unable to resist the temptation to hunt there.

“I don’t want to eat wild boar meat anymore. Ah Xun, please don’t go hunting in the big mountain, okay?”

“Why?” Ah Xun sensed that she was hiding something and teasingly said, “Miao’er, even if you don’t lend me your bow and arrow, I’ll find a way to buy one in town.”

Upon hearing this, He Miao became anxious. The ordinary bamboo bows and arrows in town couldn’t compare to her father’s bow. If he was determined, He Feng’s yew bow would surely be the best choice.

Realizing she couldn’t stop this man, He Miao stepped back. “Alright, I can lend you my father’s bow, but you have to promise me that you won’t go too far into the big mountain, okay?”

After thinking it over, He Miao decided to tell him everything. After all, if he took up hunting, he would eventually have to sell the game in town and would definitely learn about the dangers of the big mountain.

To prevent future mishaps, He Miao explained the dangers of the big mountain and the reason for her father’s death in detail to Ah Xun.

“Ah Xun, you have to promise me that you absolutely cannot go hunting on the big mountain. It’s really dangerous!” He Miao stressed with seriousness. “If you don’t promise me, then I won’t lend you my father’s bow!”

“Alright.” Seeing her firm attitude, Ah Xun reluctantly agreed, but He Miao’s description of the dangers of the big mountain didn’t frighten him in the least; instead, it sparked a sense of curiosity and yearning within him.

After they reached an agreement, He Miao went to the storage room to retrieve He Feng’s yew bow.

As Ah Xun took the great bow into his hands, he felt how light it was. He tried drawing the string; it was wonderfully flexible. The arrows, about ten in total, were made of copper tips and decorated feathers—truly high-quality gear.

After examining the bow and arrows, He Miao asked Ah Xun to wait in the yard while she went into the house to fetch the clothes she had made for him.