Chapter 16 Chapter 16 She kept her promise.
A round piece of wood was erected a few dozen steps away from Zhang Jingxian and several teenagers.
She loosened her fingers, and the arrow shot out instantly, piercing the middle of the wood without any error.
The arrow feathers trembled slightly, and several people were stunned for a moment.
After Zhang Chun'er reacted, she cheered and ran over to check. She saw that the arrowhead had been completely embedded in the wood. She reached out and tried to pull it out, but it didn't budge.
The other people also tried to pull out the arrow one by one, but no one could pull it out.
Seeing that they had had enough fun, Zhang Jingxian walked over silently, grabbed the arrow and exerted a little force, and the wooden arrow returned to her hand.
The young people's enthusiasm was instantly ignited, and they gathered around Zhang Jingxian to learn from her.
Those who had bows at home took them, and those who didn't have bows and arrows raised wooden spears and stabbed at the standing logs.
Aunt Qin was rubbing the hemp rope in her hand, and when she saw her son Danniu throwing the branch in the same style, she couldn't help but look pleased. She said that Ah Xian was an outstanding girl in the whole area, and she had learned the archery skills from Zhang Shuanghu, so she was very capable!
Unfortunately, most of the villagers looked down on Ah Xian because she was a girl.
And Ah Xian's aunt... Aunt Qin smiled and sat next to Liu Pingniang, praising her husband Zhang Shuanghu for his teaching skills. She also said, "Pingniang raised her well, and I envy her."
"Sister-in-law is too modest. Daniu is also well-behaved and sensible." Liu Pingniang's expression was cold. If it weren't for the wild boar destroying the fields, which was a big deal, and if Ah Hu hadn't left home to inquire about the news of his eldest son, she would never let her children get close to that ungrateful person.
"Alas, Ah Xian has been so busy that she hasn't even had breakfast. Just now I saw that she was so hungry that she swallowed an egg in one gulp. It was so choking." Aunt Qin did not give up saying good things in front of Liu Pingniang.
Liu Pingniang did not respond and continued to rub the hemp rope given by the village elder in her hands.
Seeing this, Aunt Qin felt sorry for Zhang Jingxian. It was really not easy to get Pingniang's forgiveness.
But her "choking" was not useless.
Xie Yun retracted his gaze, which had been lingering on one spot. With a smile, he asked someone to invite the village elder over and said gently, "It's hot, why not make some thirst-quenching soup so that the villagers can rest for a while."
The village elder saw sweat on everyone's face and said yes respectfully.
Not long after, two heavy pottery jars filled with warm bean soup were lifted out.
The busy villagers stopped, went back to their homes to get bowls, and drank the bean soup mouthful by mouthful. The mulberry trees provided shade, which was quite comfortable.
It was inconvenient for Zhang Jingxian to go home, so she used the bowl and spoon that her cousin Chun'er gave her. She glanced at her aunt carefully and was relieved to see that her aunt was braiding Xia'er's hair.
The bean soup is made from mung beans and tastes slightly sweet. Zhang Jingxian likes it very much. She sits under the mulberry tree and relaxes her body.
Until Xie Yun pushed the sedan chair closer to her and looked down at her while she drank the soup.
Zhang Jingxian couldn't possibly be unaware of such a strong presence. She quietly raised her head and asked seriously, "My dear, are you confident you can handle those twenty or so wild boars?"
The results of the previous life were all happy, but my uncle and the others were all in the village at that time.
"Didn't Ah Xian say before that you believe me? Why are you asking this now?" Xie Yun held the wooden wheel with one hand, and leaned his upper body slightly towards the sitting woman. The mulberry tree blocked their figures, and at the same time, his presence trapped Zhang Jingxian in a small space.
Behind me is a mulberry tree, and in front of me is his close face and aggressive eyes.
When he moved closer, Zhang Jingxian was frightened and the spoon in her hand fell into the bowl.
It was so close, so close that she could clearly see her own reflection in Xie Yun's dark eyes.
"Of course I... trust you, sir. It's just that there are too many wild boars, and I'm worried that some villagers might get hurt." Zhang Jingxian carefully considered her words and said softly, "Your injuries haven't healed yet, so you should stay somewhere safe at night."
Xie Yun stared at her lips, and suddenly asked her, "Is the bean soup delicious?"
The sudden turn interrupted Zhang Jingxian's thoughts. She subconsciously pursed her lips, recalled the taste she had just tasted, and nodded.
“It’s delicious, a little sweet.”
Sweet. When Xie Yun heard these words, they seemed full of hints. His eyes darkened, and he unceremoniously ordered the woman in front of him to serve him a bowl of bean soup.
"Wash all the bowls and spoons, and then I'll tell you how to deal with a few wild animals."
Zhang Jingxian responded without hesitation. It was just a bowl of bean soup, which was a piece of cake for her.
She stood up and walked out from under the mulberry tree, carelessly leaning against his arm and shoulder. Finally, her green hairband brushed against his thin lips.
Xie Yun's expression didn't change at all, but he kept his eyes half closed, and didn't straighten up until the peasant girl was completely gone.
A bowl of bean soup was brought back by Zhang Jingxian. He bit the green beans and looked at her without saying a word.
The atmosphere became a little weird.
Zhang Jingxian had no choice but to ask again about the arrangements for dealing with the wild boar. She arrived late and was in a bad position, so she did not hear the conversation between him and the village elders.
"It's simple, catch and kill."
Xie Yun spoke word by word, first pointing to the hemp rope, and then casually hooked her finger at the cloth bag containing the wooden arrows.
"But wild boars are very strong, and the hemp ropes may not be able to trap them. Their skin is thick and covered with mud, and arrows and spears may not be able to penetrate it."
Zhang Jingxian whispered, silently putting some distance between herself and him.
Xie Yun was completely oblivious. She pulled out a wooden arrow from her cloth bag, casually stuck it into the ground, and then pulled it out. Her attitude was arrogant and indifferent. "Ah Xian will know in a moment."
"oh oh."
In the afternoon, when the women had twisted dozens of hemp ropes and the young men had made wooden spears with pointed tips, a group of people came to the edge of the field at the command of the village elder.
Xie Yun pushed the sedan chair along the farmland and directed Liu Bao to make a circle at several places.
At the designated location, men, women, young and old all picked up their hoes and started digging. They piled up soil on the edges of the deep and narrow pit and buried densely packed wooden spears underneath.
At this point, Zhang Jingxian finally saw the clue. She said no more and wiped her precious short bow.
Time soon came to evening, the village was very quiet, and a group of wild boars swaggered down the mountain.
The wheat in the field had not yet hardened and tasted sweet when chewed, which was just what they liked.
Yesterday, the humans had no way to deal with them. They were not afraid of anything and rushed into the farmland, digging up the fields, trampling and gnawing on them.
Suddenly, blazing torches lit up the sky.
The monkeys chirped and appeared in the direction the wild boar had come from, throwing stones at the wild boar in the farmland from above. Meanwhile, the young and strong men in the village raised heavy wooden sticks and began to drive the wild boar away.
Zhang Jingxian and the young boys in the village, as well as Aunt Qin and others, were shooting arrows and throwing wooden spears at the wild boars on the other side. They did not want to harm the wild boars, but just wanted to make them irritable and restless so that they would no longer destroy the fields at will.
The wild boars gradually became agitated, and the hot-tempered leader was the first to attack humans. Of course, the first targets were the weaker women and children.
Zhang Jingxian looked at the wild boar rushing towards her with surprising calmness. She pulled the bowstring to its maximum and shot at the wild boar's eyes.
Hit the target with one strike!
The wild boar went mad with pain and ran towards her howling. At the critical moment, Xie Yun pushed the sedan chair to her side.
He asked her lightly if she liked the moment when the blood splashed.
Two steps away from them, the huge wild boar suddenly fell and was pierced by the wooden spear. The smelly blood spurted everywhere, and a drop fell on Zhang Jingxian's face.
It was right under her eyes, and looked like a cinnabar mole, quite bright.
Xie Yun tightened his jaw and Adam's apple, watched her wipe away the blood nonchalantly, shook his head and replied, "I don't like it."
Blood represents death and turmoil, and Zhang Jingxian just wants to live a peaceful and stable life.
Hearing this, Xie Yun smiled softly. He really... liked it!
Several large pigs with thick skin were killed in the same way, with holes all over their bodies. Smaller pigs that were not as big were caught in a hemp rope net and stabbed in the neck to end their life.
Twenty-two wild boars died before the villagers' eyes, and soon they began to shout with joy.
With so many pigs, if each family gets a portion of pork, it will be enough to eat for many days.
Fearing that the smell of blood would attract wild beasts in the mountains, the village elders ordered them to boil water overnight to remove the hair and bleed the wild boar, and bury all the messy internal organs and other items in a deep pit that had been dug earlier.
Then came the most exciting moment, dividing the pork!
According to the previous agreement, Xie Yun got two little wild boars. The meat of the little wild boars did not taste as fishy as that of large pork.
Each other household received a pig's head, pig's leg, or pork chop, and everyone was delighted. Even though the meat didn't taste very good, it was still meat after all!
"Ah Xian, come here." The village elder was fair and knew that the crucial arrow was shot by Zhang Jingxian. He called Zhang Jingxian over and asked her what she wanted.
"Uncle, I don't want pork. Can the villagers give me some millet and wheat?" Zhang Jingxian has no shortage of meat. She even has two rabbits at home, but she lacks millet and wheat.
Because she was a single householder and still unmarried after seventeen, she paid the highest tax every year. Now with the addition of Xie Yun, the shortage of millet and wheat is even greater.
The village elder pondered for a moment, glanced at the nobleman not far away, and promised to give her a full bushel of millet and wheat this time. Although he believed that the nobleman must have given her a reward in private.
"Thank you, uncle!"
Zhang Jingxian smiled happily now that she had settled her tax payment for this year. She walked over to Uncle Leopard, who was cutting up the pork, and asked him for the wild boar's tusks.
Such hard tusks would definitely be useful for making arrows.
The group of people worked until almost midnight. Zhang Jingxian, holding a torch that had not yet been extinguished, returned to the high fenced courtyard with Xie Yun.
Before that, the villagers had enthusiastically carried up their two little wild boars and cleaned them up.
Zhang Jingxian erected the torch in the yard, then thought of something and took out her treasured charcoal and honey from the kitchen.
"My dear, I will make you roast pork with honey."
She kept her promise and looked at Xie Yun with a pair of clear eyes.
The mountain breeze blew gently, ruffling Xie Yun's long hair behind her shoulders.
The author has something to say:
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Muah, it's the wind that's moving, it's starting, please pick it up...
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