Chapter 34

The hunters have far more experience in hunting prey than Lin Bei does.

The red foxes are among the most cunning of the fox species, with agile bodies, fast speed, and high alertness. Unless they are caught in one go, one can only follow them and eat their dust. Therefore, the hunters can only use traps. However, fox dens are not easy to find, and without finding the den, it’s impossible to set a trap.

Now, there is an opportunity, so the hunters are very patient. They are afraid that the red foxes might become alert, so they secretly observe from a distance. After glancing at the entrance of the den, they pretend to see nothing and walk away, pulling on the grapevines.

Seeing that the hunters are considerate, Lin Bei naturally doesn’t say much. He can kill bears, tigers, and even elephants, but he has no good method for hunting quick and agile animals like foxes. Lin Bei runs fast, but foxes are not slow either. They can squeeze into any small space, which Lin Bei cannot do due to the difference in body size, a gap that cannot be bridged.

Once everyone left the Bird Valley, the hunters’ tense faces relaxed.

"A den of red foxes, if sold to the merchant, would probably fetch several thousand gold pieces, right?"

"About that much. The younger the red fox, the more valuable it is. Those high-born ladies love them. It’s said that even the empress loves to keep them. In the imperial palace, even a small trinket is worth several thousand gold pieces."

"But they want them alive. The fur isn’t worth much. We mustn’t fail to catch them alive."

"Let’s go back and ask Uncle Zhang Er. He caught a gray fox when he was young. Ask him what kind of trap he used."

"Right, right. The trap for red foxes is different from those for rabbits and pheasants. It seems to require the blood of a rooster, a three-year-old one. They say red foxes love this rooster blood the most. They get dazed when they smell it and are easily caught."

"If I had several thousand gold pieces, I’d buy a big house and a lot of land. I’d become a landlord."

"And take several wives, right? With expensive white powder on their faces, ha ha."

"Right, but I’d marry Guihua first..."

"But Guihua likes Daniu, not you, Wang Erlang."

"If I had money, Guihua would like me..."

Lin Bei found it amusing to listen to their conversation. It was quite interesting to live in this era.

Cui Ailan did not join in but nodded at Lin Bei, saying, "Thank you, sir."

Lin Bei was puzzled. Guihua didn’t like him, so why was she thanking him?

The hunters, upon hearing this, all thanked him, saying, "Thank you, sir," as if Lin Bei had done something remarkable. Eventually, Lin Bei understood that they were probably thanking him for leading them to the Bird Valley and showing them the red foxes. After all, red foxes are very valuable, and catching them would immediately change their lives from poor peasants to wealthy farmers, a seed of hope.

With gratitude and hope, the hunters and Lin Bei returned to Longtan. Next, Lin Bei had the hunters plant the grapevines.

The hunters were already diligent, and now they worked even harder. Under Lin Bei’s direction and Cui Ailan’s translation, the grapevines were planted on both sides of Longtan, a few on each side.

"Surround the roots with stones," Lin Bei instructed. "Then water them."

This would create a pot-like structure around the grape roots to retain water. Of course, this was only for the initial stage. Once the grapevines grow more roots and penetrate the ground, the stones can be removed, and the grapevines will be firmly anchored.

Tou Tou and Jiulang led five people to cut branches outside, the bigger the better, as Lin Bei planned to build a grape trellis.

For grapes to grow well, besides sunlight and water, space is also crucial. They cannot be crowded together. The large locust tree above Longtan is a natural trellis, but since the grapevines Lin Bei brought back are old, the locust tree is too small to serve as a trellis. Lin Bei needs to build a sufficiently large structure to avoid having to do it again in the future.

When Tou Tou and the others returned, Lin Bei personally climbed the locust tree and arranged the branches according to mechanics. The initial structure needed to support the weight of the grapevines, but later, the climbing ability of the grapevines would firmly attach them to the branches.

This project was not large but required careful planning. In some places, Lin Bei had to go out and bring back small trees to use as supports. They worked until the sun set, around 8 PM, and the large grape trellis was finally completed.

Starting from the locust tree at Longtan, the trellis extended around it, and some branches were also placed along the small river, covering about twenty meters. Since the grapevines were dragged back, the leaves and fruits were almost gone, leaving them bare. However, this was not a problem. Grapes grow quickly, and with ample water and good sunlight, the leaves would regrow in a month, turning the area green.

Lin Bei first went to the back mountain to catch a few wild chickens and had Cui Ailan prepare them. Then he lay under the grape trellis, happily looking at his work. This sense of accomplishment from building something step by step was what Lin Bei enjoyed the most. For example, when he observed trees in the past, seeing them sprout and grow leaves gave him a great sense of satisfaction.

"Sir, do you like grapes? These mountain grapes are small, sour, and astringent, not very tasty."

Lin Bei opened his mouth wide, which the hunters didn’t find scary, thinking it was a sign of happiness. Lin Bei thought to himself that they didn’t know that grapes can not only be eaten but also made into wine. The wilder the grapes, the better the wine. Lin Bei, being knowledgeable, knew the method of making wine. He planned to make wine for himself to drink and to transform into a python. If he didn’t find something to do, wouldn’t it be boring?

PS: Writing the second chapter, will upload later.