Chapter 31

"Sir, Xu Datou is coming with a large group, and they are very aggressive. Although you are a demon, there is still a risk to your life. It would be wise to avoid them for the time being to ensure your safety." Cui Alán said sincerely.

The other hunters also agreed wholeheartedly.

Although Dongshan Village and Xishan Village were neighbors, they had a deep-seated enmity. The people in Nanyue were fierce, and deep-seated enmity often led to violent confrontations. To the hunters, although Lin Bei was a demon, they found his character to be excellent. Moreover, the recent transactions had been profitable for the hunters, so their feelings now leaned more towards Lin Bei.

Because of this bias, Cui Alán suggested that Lin Bei avoid the confrontation. After all, there were over a hundred roving knights, each one fierce and brave. Although Lin Bei was a demon, Cui Alán did not think he would have a chance of winning. Of course, this was partly because Lin Bei had not shown his 'demon powers.'

Lin Bei blinked. He was not worried about Xu Datou at all. Who was this guy? He didn't even make a ripple in the history books, so he must be a minor character. Lin Bei wouldn't be afraid of such a person. If it were Zhuge Liang or Guo Fengxiao, Lin Bei might be a bit more concerned. What's the big deal with a hundred people? This isn't a plain, and it's not a cavalry charge. The forest is Lin Bei's territory. A hundred people want to kill him? Dream on.

"Sir, don't take it lightly," Jiulang saw that Lin Bei was not taking it seriously and said, "There are skilled hunters in Dongshan Village. Wang Qiaozi is particularly good at tracking. He once boasted that he could smell a rabbit from a hundred paces away. Sir, you left traces in Dongshan Village, and Wang Qiaozi will definitely know where you are. Although you are powerful, you are still outnumbered. It would be wise to retreat to the deep mountains. The path in Fushan is difficult, and they might give up after a few days."

Smell a rabbit from a hundred paces away? Lin Bei was a bit surprised. He thought, "These hunters are truly skilled. Cui Alán is sensitive to danger, and now there's a hunter with a dog's nose. Ancient people are not to be underestimated."

If what Wang Qiaozi said is true, that would be a real headache. Lin Bei wasn't afraid of being hunted because he could move freely in the forest and launch surprise attacks. But if others knew his location, that advantage would be lost. His size might scare ordinary people, but it wouldn't intimidate these fierce roving knights. They came to kill him, so why would they be afraid of his size?

Thinking about this, Lin Bei nodded, indicating that he understood. He wasn't stupid. If the situation was hopeless, he would definitely retreat to the deep mountains. There wouldn't be anyone in the civilian world who could live in the forest better than him. If there were so many extraordinary people, Lin Bei would have to consider digging a hole and hiding in it for life.

Seeing Lin Bei agree, Cui Alán looked very happy and said gratefully, "Thank you, Sir." This left Lin Bei puzzled. Why thank him for this?

Seeing Lin Bei's confusion, Cui Alán picked up the lingzhi mushroom beside her and waved it. "Sir, I'm talking about this. This lingzhi mushroom is at least three years old and worth hundreds of gold. Now we have money to dig a well."

In the Han Dynasty, silver was not used; the standard was one gold equal to 1,500 coins. However, the value of the 5-coin pieces plummeted later. After Dong Zhuo entered Luoyang, he minted small coins, making the copper coins even less valuable. However, in Nanyue, although the value of the 5-coin pieces had decreased, they were still the most widely used currency, and gold was also used.

Hearing that they had money to dig a well, the hunters looked very pleased. After three years of drought, the Spring River was almost dry, and the crop yields were very low. Although the hunters relied on the mountains, the game they hunted sometimes wasn't enough to make ends meet. If they got injured, it would be a loss. Usually, a hunting trip lasted five to six days, and earning ten gold was considered a good haul. Hundreds of gold was a legend. Even the wild boars and wolves Lin Bei gave them the last two times were worth less than twenty gold. Game wasn't very valuable in the mountains, but the black bear sold well, and the manager of the Zhen family's business was very satisfied.

In this era, a natural disaster could ruin even the wealthiest families. Since the hunters met Lin Bei, good things kept happening. With this hundreds of gold, they would have a much better winter this year.

Cui Alán had noticed that the Dragon Sir liked to hear strange stories. The two tasks she had completed were both successful. As they ate beggar's chicken, she told Lin Bei about the news they had heard, including information about the Taiping Dao.

"Wow, that strange person just recited a few spells, pointed at the talisman paper, and it burned without any wind. When the paper fell into the water, the person drank the water and immediately jumped up, his belly deflated, and he was completely healed. It was truly amazing."

Such tricks could only fool the ancient people. The patient was probably a plant, but the propaganda effect of the Taiping Dao was excellent. When Zhang Jiao rebelled, his call was answered in eight provinces of the Han Dynasty, and a million people joined him.

While Lin Bei was listening to the hunters' stories, in a dilapidated wooden pavilion outside Yangdi County in Yingchuan, two people were saying goodbye. A convoy was slowly approaching on the distant official road. At the front of the convoy, a large flag fluttered in the wind, bearing the character 'Zhen,' indicating that it was the Zhen family's business convoy.

"Yuanzhi, take care."

Xu Fu, whose courtesy name was Yuanzhi, later changed his name to Xu Shu. This famous strategist had just been rescued from prison and now had to flee. His friend Zhang Zichuan had arranged a position for him in the Zhen family's business, allowing Xu Shu to pretend to be a merchant and leave Yingchuan. Whether he traveled or became a knight, it was clear that Xu Yuanzhi could not return to Yingchuan. The two had been friends for ten years and were close confidants, but they knew they might not see each other again for a long time, so they both felt a sense of melancholy.

"Zichuan, please take good care of my mother. I, Xu Yuanzhi, am unfilial."

Xu Shu was only twenty years old but had to go into hiding and leave his hometown. Reflecting on his past, Xu Yuanzhi felt that his decision to practice martial arts and aspire to be a righteous knight might have been a mistake. The young Xu Shu was already determined to change his situation.

"Yuanzhi, don't worry. Your mother is my mother, and I will not neglect her in the slightest. Yuanzhi, the Zhen family's business is heading to Nanyue, but after leaving Yingchuan, you are free to stay or leave as you wish. We will meet again someday."

Seeing the convoy approaching, Xu Shu bowed and stepped onto the official road, then mixed into the Zhen family's business convoy, which slowly moved forward.

PS: Ha ha, two updates in one day, that's unbelievable. Also, I want to reiterate that this is a serious historical novel. If there are any errors, consider it the author's whims. If the errors are severe and the tone shifts from serious to light, then the author's whims must be severe. Readers, please don't blame me.

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