Chapter 36

The next day, the hunters left Longtan early in the morning, preparing to return. Lin Bei did not come to see them off this time.

When the hunters reached the edge of Fushan, it was almost noon, and the weather was still fiercely stormy.

The moment they stepped out of the forest, Cui Ailan said seriously, "Don't get annoyed, but we must keep the adults' matters a secret. Don't tell anyone."

The hunters all agreed. This was something Cui Ailan had mentioned several times. Every time they returned from the mountains, she would remind them.

Jiulang, after agreeing, added, "Ailan, we definitely won't say anything about the adults' matters, but now every time we go into the mountains, we have a bountiful harvest. Many young men are hinting around, trying to find out where we hunt. For example, that giant bear last time, and the wild boar you brought back. People in the village are already suspicious. If we bring back the lingzhi this time, those people will definitely be extremely envious. We need to come up with an explanation."

After Jiulang said this, a few other hunters also chimed in, "That's right, Ailan. My wife has also been asking me, and I don't know how to answer."

"My father also asked me where I hunted. After all, the black bear only had its skull crushed, but its fur was intact, which is quite shocking. Even those wandering knights don't have this kind of skill."

Cui Ailan knew that the villagers' suspicions were very normal. She was also in a difficult position. The first time they brought back a few wolf skins, it was reasonable because Cui Jie was bitten by a wolf, and the hunters killing a few wolves was normal. However, the giant bear and the wild boar were harder to explain. In the mountains, there are three things you shouldn't provoke: bears and wild boars are among them. The hunters hadn't caught such fierce beasts in a long time, but Cui Ailan and her group kept bringing them back one after another. Could they be so lucky twice or three times in a row? Not to mention, this time they were bringing back lingzhi. The villagers were simple, but they weren't stupid.

Because of the bountiful harvest of Cui Ailan's group, many hunters wanted to join them, but Cui Ailan refused. They were all neighbors, and refusing once or twice was fine, but if she refused multiple times, the relationship with the neighbors would become difficult. So Cui Ailan was also in a tough spot.

"Let's think of an explanation. We need to have a consistent story to avoid any leaks," Cui Ailan suggested.

"It's not easy to deceive our uncles and aunts. Who doesn't know that shenggucao and lingzhi only grow deep in Fushan? We've only been in the mountains for two days."

The hunters all nodded. Their uncles and aunts were also hunters, with more experience. They knew very well what Fushan had. Bears and wild boars could run around, but lingzhi and shenggucao couldn't grow legs. If these things weren't deep in the mountains, they wouldn't be so precious.

"Maybe we shouldn't say anything at all." Cui Jie naturally supported his sister.

The hunters, upon hearing this, thought it was a last-resort solution. The more you say, the more mistakes you make. The less you say, the fewer mistakes. If you don't say anything, there won't be any mistakes.

As they talked, Xishan Village was already in sight.

Xishan Village and Dongshan Village had a similar architectural style, both like a village. The outer walls were made of earth, built a few years ago when the wolf packs were causing trouble. This was the closest part of Xishan Village to Fushan, the front line.

Xishan Village was not just the village area; there were many other villages behind it. On market days, villagers would come to Xishan Village. However, on regular days, there were only about a hundred households in Xishan Village, and the eight hunters all lived in the village.

When they reached the village gate, Cui Ailan was about to knock when the heavy wooden door opened, revealing an old man's deeply lined face.

"Uncle," the hunters greeted respectfully.

This uncle was a skilled hunter in his youth, and his son was also very promising. However, his son was later killed by a wild wolf, leaving the uncle with his grandson and his daughter-in-law. A few years later, his daughter-in-law died of illness, leaving only the uncle and his seven-year-old grandson. With no labor force at home, the uncle usually watched the village gate and received some money to supplement his household income.

"Back already?" the uncle smiled warmly. He had a good character and cared a lot for the younger generation, so he was happy to see the hunters return safely.

Cui Ailan, as she entered, noticed the bustling village and realized, "I forgot it was a market day today."

"Yes, it's a market day. Several peddlers have come, and there's even one selling perfume. Ailan, you should dress up a bit."

Cui Ailan felt a bit embarrassed. Not being able to get married was a constant pain in her heart.

Usually, after returning, everyone would go home to report their safety, but since it was a market day, they decided to take a walk first. Cui Ailan was a celebrity in the village, and people kept greeting her, making her face ache from smiling.

"Hey, Ailan, you're back." Cui Ailan frowned when she heard this voice. This was Aunt Wang, whose husband was the village constable. The hunters all called him Uncle, though he wasn't an official, he had some authority here.

Let me explain the term "constable." It's a position under the jurisdiction of the village head, considered a minor official, responsible for capturing bandits and having good information.

Aunt Wang was also quite gossipy. She often talked about household matters and would subtly bring up marriage when she saw Cui Ailan. Cui Ailan found her annoying but had to be careful in her responses.

"Aunt, we're back. What are you planning to buy?"

"I'm just looking. Why didn't you catch any game this time?" Aunt Wang glanced at the empty back of the ox.

"The wild beasts are preparing for winter, so they're quite fierce, but we did have a small harvest." Cui Ailan hesitated about whether to mention the lingzhi. If she didn't, it wouldn't stay a secret, but if she did, it might seem like she was showing off.

"What good things?" Aunt Wang was very good at reading people. The hunters all looked happy, and it didn't seem like they had just had a small harvest; it looked more like they had found a treasure.

"Three-year-old lingzhi, that's all." Cui Ailan decided to be honest to avoid Aunt Wang hearing it from someone else and then mocking her.

"Three-year-old lingzhi?" Aunt Wang's voice rose at least eight decibels, and almost everyone in the market heard.

"Three-year-old lingzhi, wow, that's worth hundreds of gold pieces."

"Ailan and the others have only been in the mountains for two days. How could they get lingzhi?"

"They even got a black bear last time, with its fur intact. It's said they sold it for a hundred gold pieces in the county."

"That's a stroke of luck."

"Where is the luck? Lingzhi doesn't grow in the outer part of Fushan; it grows deep inside."

"Oh, right. Could they really find lingzhi in just two days? Does it grow outside now?"

Cui Ailan and the other hunters all smiled bitterly. Indeed, this matter had stirred up the village. News spread quickly among neighbors, and by noon, it would probably reach Dongshan Village. Then, there would be more questioning.

PS: Today is National Day, and I went out to play in the afternoon, so there's only one update today. I'll resume updates tomorrow. Finally, I wish everyone a happy National Day.

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