Ruffians and Scoundrels

The appearance of the donkey cart made the two men stop laughing.

Wu Cheng pulled a dagger from behind his back and toyed with it in his hand, sneering at the slowly approaching donkey cart.

Li Cai had clearly realized that the two men were here to cause trouble as well. The moment the donkey cart stopped, he deliberately called out loudly, "Little Brother Lu, where did you put the vicious wolf you killed?"

As he spoke, he jumped down from the donkey cart and walked to the back to tug at the wolf carcass.

Wu Cheng's gaze was instantly drawn to the wolf carcass on the cart, as large as a calf. He slowly put away his dagger, did not even glance at Lu Shaolin, and turned to leave.

Li Sanbao hurried after him.

Lu Shaolin was utterly baffled. He had never had any conflict with these two ruffians, so why were they looking to make trouble for him?

Did they think that once Lu Zhong was gone, they could bully him just because he was a teenager?

Shaking his head with a smile, he too jumped off the donkey cart, opened the courtyard gate, and carried the wolf carcass into the yard with Li Cai.

"Little Brother Lu, those two were here to cause trouble for you, weren't they?" Li Cai asked.

"Probably. It's nothing—just clowns hopping about on a stage." Lu Shaolin shook his head and smiled.

He truly did not take two ruffians seriously. His strength was now greater than even Lu Zhong's, so how could he possibly fear the two of them?

"As long as you know what you're doing, Little Brother Lu." Li Cai nodded.

"Which member of your family passed away, Little Brother Lu? Why don't I see a mourning hall?" Li Cai looked around the house and asked in confusion.

"My father. His body couldn't be found, so I kept everything simple," Lu Shaolin replied.

"Right, take the coffin to the foot of the mountain for me. I'll go get the shovels," Lu Shaolin added as he went into the house to fetch the tools.

By the time he came back out with the tools, Li Cai was already sitting on the cart waiting.

Lu Shaolin said nothing more. He placed the tools on the cart, locked the courtyard gate, climbed aboard, and sat beside Li Cai.

Li Cai flicked the reins, and the donkey cart headed out of the village.

Before long, the donkey cart arrived at the foot of the mountain. Lu Shaolin chose a level patch of ground, and Li Cai volunteered to help. The two began digging together.

Both were strong, sturdy men. In only half an hour, they had dug a pit large enough.

Lu Shaolin returned home, took a set of Lu Zhong's old clothes, gathered some funeral offerings, and hurried back.

After arranging the clothes inside the coffin and closing the lid, the two men worked together to lower the coffin into the pit.

Fortunately, the pine coffin was not too heavy. Otherwise, the two of them might not have been able to lift it.

"It's getting late, and I've delayed you for so long. I can handle the rest myself. Thank you, Brother Li!" Lu Shaolin said, clasping his hands in thanks.

"What are you saying, Little Brother Lu? I, Li Cai, was willing to help because I admire your skills. There's no need for thanks." Li Cai shook his head.

"Thanks are still due. Brother Li, you should head back early, lest the shopkeeper punish you," Lu Shaolin said solemnly.

"That's true. I'll be going, then. I have been out for quite a while. If I return too late, I won't escape a scolding. When you have time, Little Brother Lu, remember to come see me," Li Cai said with a smile.

"Certainly!" Lu Shaolin replied with a smile.

Li Cai climbed onto the donkey cart, clasped his hands toward Lu Shaolin, cracked the whip, and drove toward the county town.

Lu Shaolin, meanwhile, raised his shovel and began shoveling earth.

Before long, a burial mound took shape.

There was no gravestone. The custom here was that one could only erect one after three full years.

Lu Shaolin arranged the offerings one by one before the grave, then respectfully kowtowed three times.

Since he had transmigrated into this boy's body, he naturally had to shoulder the responsibilities that came with it. Besides, Lu Zhong had been a good father—a father willing to cast aside his life for his child!

After kowtowing, Lu Shaolin rose to his feet and carefully engraved the grave's location into his mind, lest time blur his memory.

Then he took up his tools and headed back toward the village.

Upon returning to his little courtyard, Lu Shaolin rushed straight into the kitchen to cook. He had eaten only five buns over half a day, and his stomach was truly starving beyond endurance.

After putting the rice on to steam, Lu Shaolin came out with an Ox-Ear Pointed Knife in hand. He was going to skin the gray wolf and cut off its meat.

All the meat at home had already been eaten by him, and his body needed a great deal of nourishment. This gray wolf's meat was just what he needed.

Walking up to the wolf carcass, Lu Shaolin burst forth with strength in both arms and hung it from the iron hook on the osmanthus tree in one motion.

This was the old spot where his family processed prey.

Recalling the skinning techniques from his memories, Lu Shaolin raised the pointed knife and got to work.

A little less than half an hour later, Lu Shaolin had skinned off an intact wolf pelt.

He hung the wolf pelt to one side, cut off a hind leg with his knife, and carried it into the kitchen.

Before long, the rich fragrance of meat drifted out of the kitchen.

Lu Shaolin carried a basin of stewed wolf meat and a basin of rice to the wooden table. Once seated, he dug in with abandon.

After eating and drinking his fill, Lu Shaolin cut up and salted the wolf meat, then hung it inside the kitchen.

As for the wolf pelt, he would take it to the county town to sell tomorrow morning. After all, he only had a few copper coins left.

Meanwhile, at the Village Chief's home.

Wu Cheng said to a woman in the main hall who was cracking sunflower seeds, "Aunt, that Lu boy killed a vicious wolf as big as a calf. I reckon I'm no match for him."

"You really are useless, unable to beat even a boy! What else can you do besides harass women?" The woman spat out a sunflower seed shell with a "puh" and cursed viciously.

"It really isn't because your nephew is useless. That Lu boy was probably hiding his true abilities before," Wu Cheng defended himself aggrievedly.

"Enough. Jian will return from the county town in the next couple of days. I'll have him go with you to settle this matter and drive that Lu brat away," the woman said impatiently.

"Cousin will be back in the next couple of days? That's wonderful! I heard Cousin has already entered the Skin Refinement Realm in the Blackwater Gang. Dealing with that Lu boy will surely be as easy as turning over one's hand!" Wu Cheng said with a smile.

"Of course. My son is gifted and intelligent. He's already become a minor leader in the gang. Once this matter is settled, I'll have Jian bring you into the gang too, so you won't idle about all day!" the woman said with a proud look.

"Thank you, Aunt. I'll definitely stay by Cousin's side and follow his orders," Wu Cheng said, overjoyed.

"It's good that you understand." The woman nodded.

Early the next morning, Lu Shaolin stewed another pot of wolf meat.

After eating and drinking his fill, he slung his long spear over his shoulder, took the wolf pelt, and set off for the county town.

About an hour later, he arrived at the city gate.

The city guards at the gate were still the same few from yesterday. They glanced at the wolf pelt in Lu Shaolin's hand, then withdrew their gazes.

Sure enough, he was a young hunter!

Following his memories, Lu Shaolin made his way with practiced ease to a fur shop.

The signboard read, "Qiu Fur Shop."

His family had long been regular customers of this shop. The furs Lu Zhong had hunted before had all been sold here.

The shopkeeper was an acquaintance as well.

Lu Shaolin entered the shop carrying the wolf pelt. The attendant at the door hurriedly greeted him, "Isn't this Little Brother Lu? You came by yourself?"

"Mm. Is the shopkeeper here?" Lu Shaolin asked with a smile and a nod.