The Tightening String

"Rustle—"

Another wild duck by the stream was startled and flew away, its grayish-brown silhouette swiftly skimming the water's surface before disappearing into the withered weeds shrouded in mist.

Gazing in the direction the duck had vanished, a thought crossed his mind: how great it would be to have a well-trained hunting dog.

Tracking, flushing, even retrieving downed game and arrows – the efficiency would be so much higher.

The thought flickered and passed as he focused on collecting duck down and feathers. In the process, his peripheral vision caught sight of a palm-width crucian carp with a dark back swimming slowly among the water weeds in the shallow stream. Its dorsal fin cut through the clear water, so clearly visible.

An opportunity! Less than ten yards away.

Cui Hao nocked an arrow, drew the bowstring, aimed, and released! Though his actions weren't as fluid as an old hunter's, they were clean and decisive.

"Whoosh—Thwack!"

The arrow split the air, arriving in an instant and piercing the fish's body with precision! The fish twitched violently, kicking up a spray of water, and its struggles quickly weakened.

The status panel updated accordingly.

[Archery]: Novice
[Progress: 20/300]
[Effects: Soreness -5, Arm Strength +5, Accuracy +5]

The progress value increased again. As he was feeling pleased, a rustling sound came from the treetops by the bank.

He looked up and saw a gray squirrel clutching a pinecone, its beady black eyes curiously observing him.

Try a moving target? The thought arose, and Cui Hao nocked another arrow, aiming at the nimble little creature. The distance was about fifteen to twenty yards; the squirrel was smaller than his fist, appearing and disappearing among the branches.

He took a breath, drew the bowstring to its fullest! Released!

"Whoosh—Crack!"

The wooden arrow shot out with a spinning fletching, grazed the squirrel's bushy tail, and embedded deeply into the tree trunk. The arrow shaft couldn't withstand the force, and with a "snap," it broke into two pieces.

Startled, the squirrel darted into the dense woods and vanished.

The arrow was ruined, but Cui Hao grinned.

Compared to yesterday, when even drawing the bow halfway was a struggle and his shots at stationary targets went askew, today he could draw the bow fully, and his accuracy was already quite impressive.

Missing a nimble little squirrel was normal. But what if it were a larger wild rabbit, a pheasant, or... a person?

Naturally, Cui Hao gained a more practical assessment of the bow and arrow's power.

He glanced at the sun, estimated the time, and continued searching along the stream. Fortunately, he found two temporary resting spots for wild ducks, still warm with residual feathers, and collected more down.

He even shot a foolish wild duck that thought it was safe hidden deep in the withered grass.

Finally, Cui Hao chopped a bundle of hard, slow-burning firewood and tied it with grass rope.

With the game and firewood, his pack became large and heavy, but Cui Hao felt much more at ease.

There was still ample time before the end of the month. He planned to proceed steadily and accumulate gradually.

The tax silver was a large sum, but not out of reach.

Carrying his heavy haul, he crossed Bald Head Mountain and set foot on the path back to the village. As he passed by Little Stone Village, the closest one to the mountain, several villagers basking in the sun or digging for wild vegetables at the village entrance noticed him.

His bulging, heavy pack, and the faint, fresh scent of game, so different from that of ordinary poor households, instantly drew all eyes.

Greedy gazes swept back and forth between his pack and the bow on his back, throats involuntarily working.

Some faces showed envy, while others held deep helplessness and hunger in their eyes.

In this era, not everyone had the right, the courage, or the skill to venture into the mountains to make a living.

Bows were expensive and hard to come by.

The dangers of fierce beasts in the mountains also deterred most people.

Cui Hao felt a surge of caution but maintained a calm expression. He simply raised his bow a little higher and walked past with steady steps.

The worst-case scenario did not occur. As the sun began to set, just before dusk, Cui Hao arrived outside the low courtyard wall of his home in Willow Tree Village.

He knocked and called out, "Sister Yun, I'm back."

With a creak, the wooden gate opened, and a slender figure appeared.

Su Yun had specifically finished work early today and prepared a meal. But she had waited and waited for her husband's return. Seeing the sky darken, she had paced anxiously in the courtyard countless times, almost ready to beg the neighbors to search the mountain with her.

"Brother Hao!" she exclaimed, her voice laced with lingering fear. "Why are you back so late! I thought... I thought something had happened to you!"

She looked Cui Hao up and down. Seeing that although he was covered in dust and grass, his limbs were all intact, she finally felt a little relieved. Her gaze then fell upon the large pack.

"There are many good things in the mountains. I got delayed," Cui Hao said, setting down the pack and dusting off his clothes. "Don't scare yourself. Come see the harvest; I guarantee you'll like it."

Su Yun quickly looked.

Cui Hao first set down a small bundle of duck down, then untied the firewood bundle, revealing a fish about a foot long and a plump wild duck.

There were also some segments of white, pinkish snake meat, with heads removed and skin stripped!

"Ah!" Su Yun's eyes instantly lit up, as if falling into starlight. "So much! Fish! Duck! And... is this snake meat?"

She looked at Cui Hao with a hint of disbelief.

"Mm, three King Cobras. Took some effort," Cui Hao's tone was flat, but the slight upturn of his lips revealed his pride. "I've found that I'm naturally suited for hunting."

"Brother Hao is amazing!" Su Yun praised him sincerely, a long-lost, relaxed smile blooming on her face. "Zhao from the east end of the village came back empty-handed today."

Being looked at with admiration by his woman, being praised by her lips, Cui Hao felt a surge of accomplishment, his voice even carrying a hint of pride. "Tonight, we'll stew snake soup. Wash the snake meat thoroughly several times to ensure it's cooked through. I hear there might be small worms hidden inside."

"Mm!" Su Yun nodded vigorously, then her smile faltered as if she'd thought of something. She whispered, "Brother Hao, when you were sick, we really couldn't make ends meet. I... I borrowed half a liter of coarse rice from Aunt Li next door, a spoonful of lard and two bundles of firewood from Uncle Li at the end of the village, and Aunt Yang also gave us a handful of wild vegetables... these kindnesses..."

The villagers of Willow Tree Village had mixed surnames, mostly refugees from earlier wars and famines to the west.

Cui Hao looked at the game on the ground and decisively said, "Set aside half the snake meat and half the fish. Let's try to repay everyone's kindness as much as possible."

With her husband's approval, Su Yun's face lit up again. She nimbly got to work. Using a chopping knife, she sectioned the snake meat. The fish were cut in half, tied with grass ropes, and she set out with a small basket.

Meanwhile, Cui Hao carefully sorted the duck down and feathers, contemplating saving more to make padded jackets for Su Yun and himself. Perhaps there would be enough left over for knee pads or hats, making this winter less harsh.

Before long, Su Yun returned, her face beaming, her eyes sparkling. "Brother Hao! Everyone was so happy to receive the gifts. They all said our family has a pillar again, and there's hope for the future! Aunt Li even quietly told me that Father is watching over us from heaven!"

Cui Hao smiled, thinking that the father he'd never met had indeed done a great thing – bringing Su Yun home early.

That alone was worth it.

Dinner was soon on the table. The snake meat, pan-fried to a light golden brown in lard, was stewed with well water. The broth quickly turned milky white and rich, filling the air with fragrance.

Though the seasonings were only coarse salt and a little dried wild onion, the rich, fresh aroma was enough to whet the appetite.

Su Yun, as usual, divided the rice into two unequal portions, pushing the noticeably larger bowl towards Cui Hao.

This time, Cui Hao didn't refuse. He needed the energy for more activities.

But he also felt for his wife. Cui Hao picked up a large piece of snake meat and a large piece of fish, placing them into Su Yun's bowl. "You eat more too."

Su Yun gazed at her husband, lost in thought. At this moment, she was utterly certain that Brother Hao had changed, for the better, and that their life now had hope.

After dinner, Su Yun brought out a small stool and sat in the yard, plucking the wild duck by the bright moonlight.

Cui Hao brought a stool and sat beside her, helping to pull out the fine down.

"Sister Yun..." Cui Hao looked at her profile, which seemed exceptionally gentle in the moonlight, and asked softly, "Does this down have to be done tonight? Can't it wait until tomorrow?"

"You go to sleep first," Su Yun said without looking up, her fingers moving swiftly. "I'll take my time, it'll be done soon."

Cui Hao didn't move. Instead, he leaned closer, his warm breath brushing Su Yun's sensitive earlobe, his voice dropping even lower. "Sister Yun, I want..."

Su Yun's body trembled, her earlobes instantly turning crimson. She lowered her head further, her voice as faint as a mosquito's hum. "No... no... it still hurts..."

However, moments later, the worn curtain of the bedroom was drawn.

The simple wooden bed creaked with suppressed, rhythmic sounds in the darkness, mixed with the woman's barely contained whimpers and the man's heavy breaths.

After a long while, everything returned to peace, leaving only the sound of their mingled breaths.

Su Yun poked her steaming, flushed face out from under the covers, pressing it against Cui Hao's sweat-dampened chest. Suddenly remembering something, she whispered, "Brother Hao, Aunt Li quietly told me she saw Zhou Menghu lingering around our yard wall for a long time at noon."

Zhou Menghu!

The name was like a basin of ice water, instantly extinguishing the lingering warmth in Cui Hao's heart.

That greedy, fierce face, which never gave up until its goal was reached, appeared clearly in his mind.

"Thump! Thump! Thump!"

"Open the door! Open it quickly!"

The violent pounding and arrogant shouts jolted Cui Hao awake from his deep sleep.

Looking out the window, the sky was already bright! He had slept little the night before, hunted and traveled all day, and 'worked hard' half the night. His extremely exhausted body had overslept.

Beside him, Su Yun also woke up, hastily covering her chest with the quilt, her face filled with alarm. "Brother Hao, someone's knocking..."

"I'll go see," Cui Hao quickly put on his clothes, slipped on his old dark blue cross-collared robe, took a deep breath, walked into the yard, and pulled open the wooden gate that was almost being hammered apart.

An official stood outside.

"Cui family!" The official's spittle almost sprayed onto Cui Hao's face. "When are you going to pay your Head Tax and mountain and forest fees? Give us a definite answer!"

Cui Hao steadied his mind, trying to answer in a calm tone. "Officer, didn't we agree last time that it would be paid by the end of the month?"

"End of the month? Hmph!" The official's voice suddenly rose. "You must pay within seven days at the latest! If you fail to pay, don't blame us for being impolite. Seizing cattle, burning houses, and taking people as collateral are the least of it!"

Soon, the entire Willow Tree Village was shrouded in this sudden bad news.

Cries, pleas, curses, and despairing sighs rose and fell.

Households that could barely catch their breath were instantly pushed to the brink of a cliff.

Before long, some people began to run around, trying to borrow money from slightly more affluent relatives and neighbors. But usury loans with a thirteen-for-ten return were like venomous snakes; once entangled, it could lead to selling children and daughters, and the ruin of the family.

Cui Hao closed the yard gate again and turned back into the house.

Su Yun had already dressed, her face deathly pale, her fingers tightly gripping the hem of her clothes. "Brother Hao... seven days... three taels of silver... What are we going to do?"

For Su Yun, the glimmer of hope she had just seen was instantly obscured by heavy clouds.

Cui Hao also felt the pressure bearing down on him. The relatively ample time he had was suddenly compressed, and his plans were completely disrupted. He wanted to go kill Zhou Menghu right now; that threat would be gone, and he'd have the money.

"Don't be afraid," Cui Hao took Su Yun's ice-cold hand, his voice steady. "Time is tight, so we'll hunt valuable big game. Wild boars, deer, muntjac... there will always be opportunities."

"Wild boars aren't that easy to hunt," Su Yun's eyes welled up with tears. "Dad... Dad was so skilled back then, maybe he ran into a wild boar that..."

Here, Su Yun dared not continue.

"Trust me, Sister Yun," Cui Hao squeezed her hand tightly. "When the cart reaches the mountain, the road will appear."

Su Yun forced back her grief and nodded, turning to walk silently towards the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

But her back, inadvertently, seemed to stoop a little.

Amidst this oppressive atmosphere, the courtyard gate was knocked on again.

Standing outside was the burly Zhou Menghu, a fake smile on his face. He seemed to have been waiting nearby, choosing this exact moment to appear.

" Xiao Haozi," Zhou Menghu, arms crossed, his gaze passing over Cui Hao's shoulder as if trying to peer into the courtyard, "Three taels of silver, that's an astronomical sum. What are you going to do?"

Like a wasp's sting, Cui Hao replied with a fawning smile, "Indeed, I'm dying of anxiety right now."

"How about this," Zhou Menghu lowered his arms. "The price I mentioned last time, Brother Hu will add another five taels! Fifteen taels of silver! Cash! You let me have Su Yun, and you can immediately pay the tax silver, with twelve taels left over, enough for you to study for two years with peace of mind and retake the imperial examination!"

Cui Hao looked at Zhou Menghu's undisguised greedy eyes, a deeper chill settling in his heart, yet he smiled and said, "Brother Zhou, give me three more days."

Before Zhou Menghu could say anything, a sharp, terrified scream suddenly came from the direction of the village entrance.

"It's bad! Something terrible has happened!"