Before dawn, Rong Zheng crossed a large mountain and reached a remote forest rarely visited by people. He kept watch on his surroundings as he moved cautiously forward with light steps.
Birdsong rang out constantly, with the occasional roar of a wild beast. Rong Zheng walked for most of the day without seeing a fox, so he had no choice but to sit down against a tree and rest.
Although hunting brought in money faster than tending fields, luck did not favor him every time. Traveling alone through the wilderness was no pleasant experience, either.
"Hiss, hiss, hiss." Suddenly, an extremely faint sound reached him. Rong Zheng's eyes snapped open, and he spotted a snake as thick as his forearm slithering toward him beneath the fallen leaves. He immediately drew his knife and sprang up. As the snake flicked its tongue and lunged at him, he drove the blade straight into its vital spot, killing it in a single strike.
"Even the snakes are this big out in these remote mountains."
He caught only a snake on the first day. Seeing that it was getting late, he lit a campfire in a cave and prepared to continue the next day.
On the second day, his patient search uncovered traces of a red fox. He lay in wait for an entire day before finally shooting the crafty fox with an arrow early on the third morning. While tracking it, he also happened upon a deep pool and caught two wild softshell turtles.
He had spent more than three days in the mountains, and overall, his haul was plentiful-two large softshell turtles, a red fox, and a snake. The trip had been worthwhile. Rong Zheng set off home by moonlight in the early hours of the fourth day. He reached the village just as dawn broke and happened to run into a villager.
Rong Zheng felt rather awkward. After days of eating and sleeping outdoors without bathing, he stank. He did not need to think about it to know how filthy and bedraggled he looked.
The villager, Uncle Wang, greeted him first. "Back from hunting, Rong Zheng? Haven't seen you for days. You spent quite a while in the mountains this time."
Rong Zheng tried to keep a few steps away from Uncle Wang so the man would not have to smell him. "Yes. Heading up the mountain for firewood so early, Uncle Wang?"
"Well, I'm going up to cut some more firewood for winter. Oh, right, what did you catch this time?" Uncle Wang craned his neck to look into Rong Zheng's carrying basket, then exclaimed in surprise, "Oh, is that red thing a red fox? It's been years since I've seen any hunter in our village catch one. You're quite something, lad!"
He went on praising him, clicking his tongue in admiration. Rong Zheng did not want to linger too long and could only interrupt him. "I stink all over, so I'll head home and wash up."
Uncle Wang had wanted to chat a little longer, but seeing Rong Zheng's hurry to leave, he could only reply, "All right." Watching his retreating figure, he sighed softly. "Well, well, well. Who would've thought a former scholar like Rong Zheng would be so good at hunting? Catching a precious red fox so soon-that's really something. Really something."
Hurrying home to bathe, Rong Zheng had no idea that word of his red fox had spread from Uncle Wang's lips and reached the entire village by noon.
Anhe Village's gossip intelligence station:
"That lad Rong Zheng really has a talent for hunting. It hasn't even been two months, and he's already caught a red fox."
"A red fox pelt is worth a lot. It could probably sell for dozens of taels. That's a whole year's income for an ordinary family like ours."
"Don't be envious. Red foxes are so hard to find that you usually won't even come across one. Besides, foxes are naturally cunning and extremely difficult to catch."
"Heavens, he's not just handsome, but so capable, too!"
"I heard the village hunters say there aren't any foxes left in the nearby mountains and woods. Surely he didn't cross the mountain and go deep into the wild forest? There are tigers and other fierce beasts over there. Wasn't his father mauled to death by a wild beast because he ventured over there?"
"Whether he went to the other side of the mountain or not, he certainly came back with a full haul."
"Exactly. If he really went deep into a dense forest hardly anyone visits and still came back alive, that's even more remarkable. Truly remarkable."
"Rong Zheng may only have three mu of land, but he's an excellent hunter. Marrying a ger or daughter to him wouldn't be bad. Thanks to his hunting, they might even get meat every day."
Everyone talked over one another, and some of the village aunties began considering marrying their own gers or daughters to Rong Zheng. They had not considered it before because he had no money and drank. They had also thought a scholar's skinny arms and legs would be no good for heavy labor.
Yet in just over a month, he had worked in the fields and gone hunting in the mountains, earning dozens of taels of silver from a single trip. They did not earn that much from a whole year of farming.
More importantly, Rong Zheng could read and write. As long as he mended his ways, even if he stopped hunting in the future, getting a job in town as a bookkeeper or something similar would be very good, too.
The more the interested women thought about it, the more they felt they had to snap up such an eligible match as Rong Zheng. They hurriedly found excuses to leave and went home to discuss it with their daughters and gers. When a good match appeared, they had to act quickly.
Rong Zheng still had no idea that people had their eyes on him and that he had suddenly become one of the village's most popular prospective marriage matches. He hurried home, bathed, then set off briskly for town.
He first visited the other restaurants to sound out their prices before going to the Delighted Phoenix Pavilion. Shopkeeper Li was astonished at the sight. "Brother, impressive! That snake is so thick, and plenty of people prize snake gallbladders. Those two softshell turtles are so plump, too. Brother, how about this: eight taels for the big snake and ten for the two turtles, eighteen taels altogether."
Seeing Rong Zheng hesitate, he quickly added, "Brother Rong, I'll add another tael. The Delighted Phoenix Pavilion is the best restaurant in town. None of the other establishments can afford to offer as much as we can."
Rong Zheng had compared prices, and the other restaurants had offered between sixteen and eighteen taels. Since Shopkeeper Li had added another tael, he naturally sold them to him.
As Shopkeeper Li handed over the money, he caught sight of the red fox still inside the carrying basket, and his eyes fixed on it.
"Isn't that a red fox? Such beautiful fur. You really are skilled, catching even a red fox. This pelt would be considered a rarity even in the prefectural city." He clicked his tongue in admiration.
"Brother Rong, this pelt is worth a lot. Let me tell you, go ask for a price at the Autumn Charm Pavilion, the biggest clothing shop in town. They say its owner is a high-ranking dignitary. They can definitely afford it."
"Shopkeeper Li, you've seen a great deal. How much do you think this fox pelt is worth?"
Shopkeeper Li held up two fingers. "Upward of twenty taels. I once saw red fox fur made into a neck wrap in the prefectural city. It could sell for fifty taels."
In the end, he sold the fox to the Autumn Charm Pavilion clothing shop. Shopkeeper Zhou stroked the red fox's fur, unable to put it down. "If this were made into a neck wrap, the ladies and young misses in the prefectural city would certainly love it. I'll offer twenty-five taels."
Seeing that the offer was fairly close to Shopkeeper Li's estimate, Rong Zheng readily completed the sale. As he left, Shopkeeper Zhou told him to bring any fine pelts he caught in the future to the Autumn Charm Pavilion. They could afford a good price and guaranteed his satisfaction.
This trip into the mountains had earned him forty-four taels in total. Although he had eaten and slept outdoors, it had still been well worth it. Selling wild pheasants and rabbits usually earned him only a few taels each time. Wild goats fetched a little more, at five taels apiece. Common game was easy to catch and not worth much.
He counted his savings and found they had reached fifty taels. Not bad.
Ah, fortune favored those who braved danger! He would have to make a few more trips in the future.
He still did not know that something had happened to Ye Yun!