Chapter 15: A Debt of Gratitude

A wild boar.
A badger!
Enough to pay for the year’s grain.

Next, Lu Chuan needed to divide his attention and take care of some other matters.

Fix up the house.
And deal with Zhou Tong.

If he really wanted to eliminate Zhou Tong, it had to be done quietly, without a trace, making the other party vanish silently.

Moreover, it couldn’t be linked back to him.

From his conversation with Sun Zhi, Lu Chuan could sense that Zhou Zheng was a very clever person.

If Zhou Tong got into trouble, Zhou Zheng might suspect him.

In this era, there was no need for evidence—mere suspicion was enough!

Suspicion alone could lead Zhou Zheng to do many things.

It was also enough to drag a person into an endless abyss.

So, killing Zhou Tong was only a last resort. Even then, if he wanted to kill Zhou Tong, he also had to find a way to deal with Zhou Zheng at the same time.

Once the pig’s blood had solidified, Lu Chuan scraped off the fat from the meat.

Then, he began to render the pig fat.

It wasn’t easy to get some oil these days.

And in Bingzhou, once winter arrived, apart from the staple grains, all that was left were radishes and cabbage. Getting any other vegetables was quite difficult.

So, oil was in short supply.

While rendering the pig fat, Lu Chuan carefully got a wooden basin.

He washed it inside and out.

It had originally been used for washing his face, but since there was nothing else in the house, he decided to use it for this.

It seemed there were still many things the house needed!

“No brains, no mood! Come here…”

At this point, two young wolves came running in, their paws tapping the ground.

Lu Chuan threw two bones, stripped of meat, at his feet.

…

Late at night.

Lu Chuan, Bai Siyu, and Su Ruan had just finished their meal and were about to sit down and chat.

Suddenly, they heard a loud, echoing wolf howl outside. The howl was sharp and distant, giving off an eerie feeling, one that made them feel a chill down their spines.

However, the howl seemed a little distant.

“Is a wolf coming down the mountain?” Su Ruan immediately became alert.

Wolves usually don’t hunt alone, unless it’s an old wolf driven out from the pack. Even then, such wolves wouldn’t dare to come down the mountain or provoke humans.

If you hear a wolf howl near your door, it’s likely a wolf pack looking for food.

Lu Chuan’s brows furrowed deeply.

He looked at Su Ruan and then casually grabbed his bow.

“You two stay here. I’ll go check the situation…”

As he spoke, he carefully opened the door.

To his surprise, he saw three wild chickens that had been killed by bites, neatly arranged outside the door.

Lu Chuan stood there, startled, before stepping outside.

Looking into the distance, he could clearly see some flickering candle lights down the mountain.

On a protruding rock high on the mountain, a majestic wolf stood against the cold wind. However, the wolf seemed to be somewhat weak, with a wooden stick tied to its leg!

Around it, a few strong-looking wolves had gathered.

Seeing this, Lu Chuan was stunned.

This wolf pack seemed to be planning something?

Damn it!

This wolf is pretty clever, isn’t it?

Why had it been so passive before? Perhaps it was because it couldn’t leave its cubs behind? Or maybe its body was too weak?

Now, it no longer had any reservations.

Lu Chuan speculated in his mind.

When the wolf saw Lu Chuan’s door open, it turned and swiftly disappeared into the forest with great elegance.

The surrounding wolves also vanished in an instant!

“Master? What happened?”

At this moment, Su Ruan came out, her face filled with concern, and asked.

Lu Chuan smiled and glanced at the three wild chickens that had been killed and left on the ground. “Looks like the clueless one and the grumpy father know how to show gratitude. They even sent three wild chickens over!”

“We can have meat often these days!” Lu Chuan added.

“Mm!” Su Ruan nodded, casting a surprised glance at the three wild chickens and asking curiously, “People say wolves repay kindness. It seems that’s true!”

Lu Chuan chuckled helplessly.

“Maybe it was afraid I’d starve its cubs!”

As he spoke, he picked up the three wild chickens.

He casually grabbed the clueless wolf and held it in his lap, gently rubbing it.

The clueless wolf seemed a little troubled and tried to resist, but it didn’t have the strength to do so, eventually falling asleep in Lu Chuan’s arms.

It was still early.

The three of them weren’t tired yet.

Su Ruan then began to talk about her and Bai Siyu’s backgrounds.

The two had known each other since they were young.

Bai Siyu’s father had been the governor of Xihe County in Bingzhou. He was considered one of the top officials in the entire region.

Originally, Bai Siyu could have followed her father and lived a life of prestige. Unfortunately, after the King of Bingzhou passed away, the eldest prince, whom Bai Siyu’s family supported, failed to inherit the throne.

Instead, the second prince, who had kept a low profile, unexpectedly seized power at the crucial moment.

Then came the bloody purge!

Su Ruan’s family had experienced something similar to Bai Siyu’s situation.

Both of them had supported the eldest prince.

This was only natural since the eldest prince was the legitimate heir. Moreover, the second prince had never shown any notable talent, and anyone with eyes could tell that he wasn’t worth backing.

However, the second prince secretly had his own faction.

He endured for more than ten years and, when everyone was caught off guard, seized control of Bingzhou.

He quickly took control of the army, using ruthless methods that left people speechless.

“I see now!” Lu Chuan said, feeling a sense of regret.

What does it matter if you’re a noble or a general? Sometimes, it’s not because you made a mistake or did something to incur the wrath of the heavens. It’s simply a matter of where you stand!

However, the second prince was indeed a formidable person.

“Tonight…” Su Ruan spoke up. “Let Xiaobai accompany you. Now that we’re yours, we need to make it official.”

When Bai Siyu heard this, her face immediately turned red.

She couldn’t help but lower her head.

Lu Chuan paused for a moment, surprised, before looking up at her. After a few seconds, he asked, “Are you ready?”

He didn’t like playing the lone part in such matters.

He certainly didn’t want Bai Siyu to just lie there, unmoving. That would be uncomfortable!

True enjoyment comes from those unplanned moments when emotions take over!

What he truly resisted was acting like a beast in such a situation.