sinovels Chapter 1796 Zhao Jun, a follower of the Wealthy Cult, Asks the Tiger
Chapter 1796 Zhao Jun, a follower of the Wealthy Cult, Asks the Tiger
Chapter 1796 Zhao Jun, a follower of the Wealthy Cult, Asks the Tiger
“A-choo…A-choo!”
In the Zhao family compound in Yong'an Village, Xing San, sitting in the courtyard, sneezed several times in a row.
Xing San raised his hand and rubbed his nose with the back of his hand. As he took out a cigarette from his pocket with his other hand, he muttered, "Who's talking about me?"
"Who else would talk about you?" Old Master Zhao, who was waiting to get a cigarette, laughed and said, "It's Zhao Jun, that young man, who talks about you."
Xing San smiled upon hearing this. After so many years since his wife and children passed away, it was surprising that someone still remembered him.
Xing San, who used to be carefree, didn't feel anything special, but now that he's integrated into this big family, he feels that life is full of beauty.
Xing San pulled out the dented Shilin cigarette box from his pocket; it had been given to him by Zhao Youcai when he left in the afternoon.
After half a month of busy work, the work in the fields of several families was almost finished. Today, Wang Meilan and the women were at home tidying up the hides.
The large, yellow, and gray fox pelts collected after the New Year were all sold, but the fox pelts collected since the establishment of the Zhao Family Chamber of Commerce have remained in the Zhao family's possession.
Zhao Jun's plan was to wait until the price of fox pelts rose to 1,000 or 1,800 yuan each before selling them, and then make a hefty profit.
But hides need to be carefully managed to preserve them for a long time.
As the weather got hotter, Wang Meilan led a group of people to clean and maintain the fox fur to prevent it from getting infested with insects.
With someone at home, Zhao Youcai didn't need to watch the house or cook, so he slipped out of the house with his gun on his back.
It was past one in the afternoon when he left home, and no one expected him to be able to go up the mountain.
In fact, Zhao Youcai didn't go hunting. At that moment, he was teaching his apprentices in the poplar grove between Nandagou and Yong'an Village.
Zhao Youcai sat on a tree stump with his hands in his pockets and a cigarette dangling from his lips. Not far from him, Gu Yang knelt on one knee, his buttocks resting on his kneeling heel, holding a semi-automatic rifle and aiming at the distance.
It's unclear how long Gu Yang had been posing, but suddenly Zhao Youcai called out, so Gu Yang put away his gun and stood up.
"Master," Gu Yang called out, then asked Zhao Youcai, "When will I be able to shoot a gun?"
"What's your hurry?" Zhao Youcai glanced at Gu Yang and said, "You couldn't even hit the bullseye at 30 meters when you were shooting that crap this morning. Wouldn't you just be wasting bullets if you kept shooting?"
"Master," Gu Yang asked, puzzled, "Don't people say that good gunners are made by being fed bullets?"
"That has nothing to do with you, the problem is with yourself." Zhao Youcai frowned, then glared at Gu Yang with his small eyes and asked, "Why the hell did you keep pushing your shoulder forward when you were firing the gun?"
“Master,” Gu Yang said, “when I fire the gun, the butt of the gun is pointed at me.”
"You're talking nonsense!" Zhao Youcai said irritably, "What do you mean 'fire at you'? That's recoil, everyone has it when they fire a gun!"
After saying this, Zhao Youcai instructed his apprentice: "That's why you can't hit the target accurately. What does it mean to aim intentionally and fire unintentionally?"
You've already aimed, and just as you're about to fire, you remember it's going to hit you, so you jerk your shoulder forward. But after that jerk, your initial aim becomes inaccurate.
Finally, Zhao Youcai squinted at Gu Yang with his eyelids.
"Master, what should I do if it attacks me?" Gu Yang asked. Zhao Youcai replied, "Just tough it out!"
As he spoke, Zhao Youcai punched Gu Yang's right shoulder and said irritably, "Will punching you kill me? Aren't you just resting your head on your shoulder? Then why did I let you push so hard?"
Gu Yang fell silent. People his age had to participate in militia target practice every year. But of the twenty bullets Gu Yang was allotted each year, he could only fire two himself. The rest he gave to his mother to trade with the hunters for wild boar meat.
Seeing that Gu Yang remained silent, Zhao Youcai glared at him again, then waved his hand at Gu Yang and said, "Go, lean against the tree and serve me for another twenty minutes."
There are several common postures for hunting in actual combat. One is to kneel on one knee like Gu Yang just did, another is to stand against a tree, and another is to rest the gun in the middle of a tree branch.
Regardless of the posture, the goal is always to achieve stability.
Gu Yang picked up his gun and walked to the poplar tree next to him. He leaned against the tree, and as he brought the gun to his face, he turned to Zhao Youcai and asked, "Master, is it useful for me to hold this up like this every day?"
“It’s useful.” Zhao Youcai said decisively, “First, let me hold it and aim at it. Once you get used to holding it and aiming at it, you’ll be fine.”
Gu Yang obeyed Zhao Youcai's request and aimed his gun at the distance.
The master and apprentice taught and learned in the forest until nearly four o'clock. Just as the sun was about to set, Zhao Youcai called a halt.
At this moment, Gu Yang's arms felt like they were filled with lead, but the kid was quite strong. He didn't complain or show any signs of fatigue, and obediently followed Zhao Youcai out.
As the master and apprentice reached the edge of the woods, Qin Qiang and his wife, who lived in the same village, hurried past them.
After experiencing a series of setbacks, Qin Qiang stopped going up the mountain altogether.
But Qin Qiang, who didn't go up the mountain, quickly became obsessed with fishing and has been coming to Dongdagou to fish these past few days, rain or shine.
Qin Qiang's wife, Tao Hehua, was quite supportive when he went hunting. Of course, she supported him because hunting could earn money. Not to mention bear bile, they could also hunt wild boar and roe deer, and sell the meat at the market for money.
But in these days, fish are hard to sell in forest areas, or rather, they can't be sold at all.
Firstly, there are many fish, including three-colored, five-colored, and eighteen-colored varieties, indicating an abundance of cold-water fish resources.
Secondly, catching fish is easy. During this season, a few children can easily catch half a bucket of small crucian carp by finding a shallow pond to catch fish.
Although Qin Qiang caught some good large and small fish, Tao Hehua felt that Qin Qiang would rather help her with farm work than use that time.
Fishing, like hunting, can be addictive. No matter how Qin Qiang tried to persuade Tao Hehua, it wouldn't work; he insisted on fishing for this fish.
Tao Hehua was also in a fit of anger today, so she came to Dongdagou. Qin Qiang, whose fishing mood had been ruined, didn't tolerate the woman either, and the couple argued as they walked.
Women are easily angered, and in her fury, Tao Hehua cursed Qin Qiang, "You pretty Qin Laosan, I must have committed a terrible sin in my past life to kill Da Niu and marry you!"
Zhao Youcai: "..."
The older generation referred to horses, cattle, donkeys, and mules as large livestock, and in their view, killing large livestock was a bad thing.
In the old days, there was a rule in Yong'an that no large livestock could be slaughtered from the beginning of the twelfth lunar month until the fifth day of the new year.
Among large livestock, cattle hold a special place due to their hardworking and diligent nature. Some people even consider killing cattle without cause to be a sin.
The couple left amidst their bickering and arguing. Half a minute later, Zhao Youcai emerged from the woods with a gloomy expression.
Zhao Youcai remained silent, and Gu Yang dared not utter a sound either, following Zhao Youcai all the way back to Yong'an Village.
But before they reached the village, Gu Yang asked the question that had been on his mind for days: "Master, after you lead me up the mountain and we unload the goods, will I be able to make a little money?"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Youcai glanced at Gu Yang and said, "You haven't even figured out how to shoot yet, and you're already thinking about dividing the spoils?"
"No..." Gu Yang was about to explain when Zhao Youcai continued, "When you get rid of that habit of shooting, your master will give you meat."
From Zhao Jun's grandfather Zhao Dazhu to Zhao Youcai, and now to Zhao Jun, three generations of the Zhao family have all gone up the mountain to hunt, and they have never been stingy when it comes to sharing profits with their teammates.
Zhao Youcai said this to Gu Yang simply to encourage Gu Yang to strive for improvement.
Gu Yang understood his master's unspoken meaning and was deeply moved. Remembering the sarcastic remarks his mother and third brother had made, Gu Yang immediately expressed his gratitude to Zhao Youcai, saying, "Master, you're so good to your disciple. No matter what happens when we go up the mountain in the future, I'll take responsibility for you."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Zhao Youcai was taken aback by Gu Yang's nonsensical words and asked, "What trouble could our hunting possibly cause?"
"For example, if you accidentally kill a cow or a horse." Gu Yang, that brat, thought he was pretty good and said, "Even if my apprentice sells all his bones, I'll take responsibility for it!"
"Go to hell!" Gu Yang, who was feeling self-satisfied, was startled awake by the curse. He was immediately kicked in the butt, followed by two punches to the back, while Zhao Youcai cursed, "Pretty, huh..."
A string of profanities came out of Zhao Youcai's mouth, accompanied by punches and kicks. Seeing that things were not going well, Gu Yang ran away into the village.
He was tall and fast, and in the blink of an eye, Zhao Youcai could no longer see him.
"You little bastard, you're such a jerk!" Zhao Youcai stopped and cursed, "No wonder you can't find a wife, you worthless brat!"
Zhao Youcai grew angrier the more he thought about it, muttering to himself, "Even my little brat wouldn't dare mention this, and you're just bastardly spouting nonsense..."
"Achoo!" Zhao Jun, who was visiting the Shao family in Qiaotou Village, Lingnan, sneezed, prompting Li Baoyu, who was standing nearby, to ask with concern, "Brother, are you cold?"
"No, someone's probably talking about me." Zhao Jun replied, and then Shao Tianpeng called out to them, "Zhao Jun, come to the table quickly, let's eat first."
A large table was set up in the east room of the Shao family. The four generations of the Shao family, plus four members of the Canbang gang, made eight people. Adding the seven members of the Zhao family gang, fifteen people sat around the table, with white wine poured into their cups.
"Kid," Shao Yunjin called to Zhao Jun, "you really won't drink?"
"Want a drink, Zhao?" Xu Shanhe raised the green bottle of Xifeng liquor and said to Zhao Jun, "This liquor is quite good."
Zhao Jun certainly knew this wine was good; his family always used it to entertain guests.
But Zhao Jun was one of the few hunters who didn't drink alcohol, and he had never drunk alcohol in his two lifetimes.
“I don’t drink, Master Xu,” Zhao Jun said with a smile. “I never drink.”
Some people like to urge others to drink. As soon as Zhao Jun finished speaking, Lin Youcai said, "Zhao, why don't you learn to drink? How can someone so young not drink?"
After saying this, Lin Youcai adjusted the wine glass in front of him and laughed, "Wine is the essence of grain; the more you drink, the younger you become."
As he spoke, Lin Youcai gestured towards Shao Yunjin before continuing, "Look at how much the old man is drinking."
Everyone smiled, and Shao Yunjin grinned as well. Zhao Jun laughed and said, "No way, I can't drink anymore. If I drink it all, I might not be able to climb the mountain tomorrow."
Upon hearing Zhao Jun's words, Shao Tianpeng quickly said, "Then forget it."
As he spoke, Shao Tianpeng gestured to Shao Jun and said, "Go get two bottles of soda for your brother Jun."
And so, all fourteen people, including Li Ruhai, drank alcohol, while Zhao Jun drank soda by himself.
To entertain Zhao Jun and the Shao family, the Shao family prepared eighteen dishes.
Half of the dishes were stir-fries, made with seasonal wild vegetables, mushrooms, and wood ear fungus. In addition, there were four cold dishes and five stews.
The four cold dishes are peanuts, canned luncheon meat, stir-fried willow shoots, and garlic chili oil salad.
Besides the usual braised chicken with mushrooms, braised pork ribs, and braised river fish, the other two stewed dishes are braised bear paw and braised deer tendon.
"Kid," Shao Yunjin joked with Zhao Jun, "this dish isn't as good as the banquet you had for your business event, but you can make do with it afterward, haha."
"Oh, old man, what's there to say about this dish?" Zhao Jun laughed. "Well, who can get married every day?"
Everyone laughed, and Shao Yunjin then said to Zhao Jun, "Kid, try that braised deer tendon."
Zhao Jun picked up a piece of food with his chopsticks and savored it carefully.
This dish is first blanched and then braised, resulting in a soft, chewy texture. The savory and salty flavor of the braised dish suits Zhao Jun's taste perfectly, and he feels it would be quite delicious with rice.
Fifteen people sat around a table, and since they were all mountain runners, they started talking about hunting and grazing.
Zhao Jun, who had almost finished eating, took over the conversation and asked about the Siberian tiger in the old ditch.
"Master Shao," Zhao Jun asked Shao Tianpeng, "I heard that the big claws in Old Yin Gou aren't easy to deal with?"
"Ah!" Shao Tianpeng responded readily, saying, "Didn't my dad and I tell you before you came that time?"
"Huh?" Zhao Jun was taken aback and asked, "What did you say last time?"
"I was saying that tiger was elusive, it just quietly messed with us like that." As Shao Tianpeng spoke, he gestured with his chin toward Xu Shanhe and said, "Shanhe's brother-in-law snatched it away, and in the end, all we found was a piece of clothing."
Hearing Shao Tianpeng's words, Xu Shanhe picked up his wine glass and took a swig, then said to Zhao Jun, "Chief Zhao, this matter has been going on for three years now, and my brother-in-law still hasn't gotten his revenge."
As he spoke, Xu Shanhe looked at Zhao Jun and said, "After a while, the family stopped thinking about this, but this time when we go into the mountains, we have to be extra careful. These tigers are really something else!"
"This..." Zhao Jun blinked, recalling what the two elders of the Shao family had said when he first came to the Shao family.
Zhao Jun recalled that the two elders of the Shao family hadn't lied to him. They had come up with a small bag of tiger teeth and told him that they had a big claw here, and that he, the Tiger Subduer, should take action.
At the time, Zhao Jun was worried about not having a chance to enter the Lingnan region to hunt in the mountains, so he took the opportunity to make a request to the two elders of the Shao family.
After the two elders of the Shao family agreed, Zhao Jun, who returned home with more than twenty tiger teeth, felt that he had gotten a great deal.
They readily agreed to my demands. I even accepted their gifts. Now, it seems this battle is unavoidable.
"Master Shao." At this moment, Zhao Jun said to Shao Tianpeng, "I was chatting with Grandma Song today, and the old lady said that tigers can be hunted."
"Did she let you do it?" Shao Tianpeng asked Zhao Jun in return. Zhao Jun was taken aback, then said, "She said I couldn't take care of it."
"That settles it." Shao Tianpeng smiled and said, "That time, her eldest son brought over a group of demobilized soldiers, all carrying Type 81 rifles and Type 56 assault rifles. They wandered around Laoyingou for days without success."
Before this, we organized hunting trips up the mountain, with two gunners from each group. So later, when Old Mrs. Song saw that her eldest son's men couldn't handle it, she told us not to go hunting anymore, and not to go anywhere else.
"Ah..." Zhao Jun nodded slightly upon hearing Shao Tianpeng's words.
Zhao Jun didn't underestimate anyone. He knew that demobilized soldiers didn't know how to hunt, and going into the mountains would be difficult for them. But as long as they were familiar with the ins and outs of hunting, they would all be excellent hunters.
The eldest son of the Song family was a leader in the armed forces department, so the people he sent to hunt the tiger were naturally no ordinary people. The fact that the hunting teams organized in Lingnan also returned empty-handed shows that this Siberian tiger entrenched in Laoyingou was indeed not easy to deal with.
"I'll probably have to use some other methods," Zhao Jun thought to himself. Suddenly, he heard Zhang Yuanmin laugh and call out to him, "Boss, I have a plan that can help you get rid of this evil tiger."
I owed you a chapter from yesterday, it'll be quite late, brothers, go to sleep if you're tired.
I hadn't planned to stay up late today; I started writing early this morning. But after I heated up the herbal medicine and poured it out, I don't know what I was thinking, but my hand ended up resting on the bottom of the pot.
It burned three fingers on my left hand, and thankfully I had badger oil; applying it helped a bit...
(End of this chapter)