Chapter 98: Risking one's life to make money.
At the dinner table, the Zong family gathered together for a rare occasion.
If it hadn't snowed last night, Qiu Xuan and the others would have definitely gone to the bun shop this morning.
The roads are difficult to travel now, but the family can have breakfast together.
"After this snow, next year will definitely be a good year."
People often say that auspicious snow indicates a good harvest, and this is also what the people hope for.
This year has been full of disasters and people have had a hard time. This snowfall means that the past is completely over.
Qiu Xuan also thought so. In fact, their shop business was not as good as before after the plague.
If it weren't for the bun shop, the small restaurant would have gone out of business long ago.
People have less money in their pockets, and no one wants to go out to eat anymore.
If the economic downturn continues, this restaurant will have to close.
Huaixue was eating wontons and had no idea that the world outside had changed.
She asked innocently, "Is Second Uncle coming back soon?"
Everyone has actually been counting the days, but no one says it out loud.
Now that it has been brought to light by the children, people no longer hide it.
"It should be almost time. I wonder where my second brother and the others are now." Zong Anji stuffed a small spoonful of egg custard into Shuyun's mouth.
The child clapped his hands happily, attracting everyone's attention.
"It's been over half a month. If it's early, we should be able to get home in ten days or so."
Qiu Xuan said this, but in fact she was not sure in her heart. After all, when Zong Xiao said it would take a month, he actually said the fastest.
The north is bitterly cold, and if a horse walks slowly it may take more than a month.
But everyone thinks positively and no one thinks negatively.
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Further north is the northern border, which is also the final destination of this delivery.
A few days ago, the group split into two groups. One group returned to the mountain along the official road, while the other continued into the mountain and passed through the mountain road.
After walking such a long way, everyone was tired.
At night, everyone found a place sheltered from the wind, built a fire and started roasting.
Three or five people walked around in a circle to prevent wild beasts from attacking them.
In this deep mountain, with such heavy snow, the wild animals cannot find food and may risk their lives to eat humans.
No one dared to relax, and they never left their torches and swords.
A hunter sat in front of a fire, warming his hands.
Not knowing what he was thinking about, he smiled bitterly and said, "Brother, do you think we can return alive?"
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone's faces turned ugly.
It's really inappropriate to say such unlucky words at a time like this. It's too easy to disturb people's hearts and make them panic.
"Yes." Zong Xiao turned the hare over. This was the food they caught today. Everyone would eat it together. After each bite, there would be at least some food in their stomachs.
Before entering the mountains, everyone shared their things. Now that the dry food they brought has been almost eaten, everyone eats whatever they can catch.
Especially since Zong Xiao and his friends are hunters, it is easier for them to find food in the deep mountains than for the bodyguards.
"How long will it take us to get out? I really..."
"If it weren't for this snow, we could get out of the mountain in one day." Although this was Zong Xiao's first time on the mountain, he had already gotten to know the terrain well.
They had already walked more than halfway, and now it was time to go down. As long as nothing unexpected happened, they would be able to get down the mountain safely.
"If I had known it would be so hard, I wouldn't have made this trip no matter how much money you offered me." The hunter complained.
"When you get the money, you won't say that." Fushun tore off a piece of rabbit meat and stuffed it into his mouth. He was the least pessimistic among the group.
His heart started pounding at the thought that he could get more than one hundred taels of silver if he successfully delivered the goods.
With the money, his younger brother's illness can be cured, his house can be rebuilt, and his life will be better.
What hope! This is something that ordinary people may not be able to achieve even if they work hard all their lives.
"Yes, silver is still tempting."
Sparks flew from the fire blown by the cold wind, and everyone took turns watching and sleeping.
Until the sun came out and I saw the daylight, I finally spent another uneventful night.
The nights in the mountains are full of dangers, but the daytime is much better.
As soon as the day broke, everyone started on their journey again. People led the way and cleared the space for the carriages to pass.
They even wrapped cloth around the horses' legs for fear that they would catch a cold and be unwilling to move forward.
The carriage swayed slowly on the snow, leaving a trail of wheel marks.
Everyone was just thinking about getting out of the mountain quickly, and no one noticed that something was following the team.
Six or seven wild wolves sniffed the ground. It was the smell of living things, but also the smell of humans.
These wild wolves have seen humans before, and they know that humans are not to be trifled with, so they never target humans.
It was the horses they wanted.
The horses are tall and fat, and one can fill their stomachs.
"Why do I feel weird? Is it because it's too quiet around here?" Fushun touched Zong Xiao's shoulder and chatted with him.
"Indeed, I could hear wolves howling on the mountain over there a few days ago." Zong Xiao looked up at the snow-capped mountains on the left.
That place is quite a distance away from here. The sound of wolves howling was indeed heard a few days ago, but because of the distance, no one took it seriously.
But now the wolf howls have stopped. This behavior is very strange. Either something has hunted the wolves, or the wolves are deliberately not howling.
But no matter which one it is, it is dangerous for this group of people.
Zong Xiao retreated from the front team to the back. He came to the leader of the escorts and told him his concerns in detail.
"Wolves are cunning and good at hunting. I'm afraid we've been targeted."
Zong Xiao's voice was very soft, but when it reached the man's ears it was like a stone thrown into a lake, startling the escort.
"How is that possible?" The escort didn't believe it.
If the wolves really set their sights on them, could they bear without making any noise?
"Let's make plans early so our brothers won't be distracted."
Zong Xiao has a unique ability to predict the approach of danger, especially since he has hunted wolves and witnessed their cunning.
Now... he felt that the wolves were around, but he couldn't tell how many there were.
The escort didn't want to tell everyone at first, but he was also afraid of being attacked by wolves. After much consideration, he finally told everyone the news before nightfall.
As the sky grew darker, everyone had no choice but to find a new place to stay.
Someone in the team didn't believe it. He laughed and said, "They are beasts, they can't possibly capture us."
"That's right. If a pack of wolves really set their sights on us, can we make the journey without making any noise?"
As soon as he finished speaking, bursts of wolf howls were heard from the hills not far away.
The few people who were originally sitting on the ground stood up suddenly, their faces pale and full of fear.
"this..."
The sound is too close!
Zong Xiao didn't move. He stood there quietly listening to the wolf howling.
One sound after another, and after the last one stopped, he waited quietly for a long time.
"At most seven," he said firmly.
"Seven what?"
"Wolves." Zong Xiao raised his hand and pointed at the hill behind them. "Luckily it's just a small pack. They don't have to worry about our large numbers."
The escort had traveled far and wide and had seen a lot, but no matter how much he had seen, he had never imagined that he would be surrounded by a pack of wolves in the deep mountains.
"There really are wolves! Good thing they're here! I haven't eaten wolf meat in ages. Let's have a feast today if we hunt one!"
There was another hunter among them. He flexed his wrists and looked into the distance with anticipation.
He is not afraid of hunting wolves.
Perhaps inspired by him, the others picked up the things in their hands, formed a circle, and protected the carriage in the middle.
The horses must be protected. Without them, the goods cannot be transported.
Time passed minute by minute, and finally two lights emerged in the darkness.
Then one wolf after another appeared in the darkness.
There really were seven of them! The leader was actually a one-eyed wolf.
"Everyone, protect your wrists and necks. As long as you don't get bitten, the other injuries will be minor." Zong Xiao drew his bow and aimed it at the wolf closest to them. "Don't be soft-hearted, just chop it down."
The moment the bows were released, the wolves pounced.
Although there were only seven wolves, they had a clear division of labor. Three of them were in the front, attracting everyone's attention. The remaining few rushed to the side of the horses.
The howling of wolves, the neighing of horses, and the roar of people suddenly mixed together.
After Zong Xiao shot and killed a wolf, he quickly changed to a big knife and went to rescue people nearby.
This battle between man and werewolf took just over half an hour.
Fushun wiped it off his face;
Wolfblood gasped, "It was so close! That beast actually jumped on me from behind."
"Hiss!" Someone gasped. "This beast's bite is really painful. Can I still save my leg?"
Zong Xiao quickly went forward to take a look. Fortunately, the wolf's fangs had only made a cut and did not tear any flesh.
Zong Xiao brought medicine with him, and at this moment he took out the pill and fed it to the man.
"You should be fine tonight. Let's set off early tomorrow. I think your leg will be saved."
The leader of the escorts was not injured, but several of his brothers were injured.
Looking at the bloodstains on everyone's faces and bodies, he actually felt a sense of regret.
It was almost, almost, that his brothers could not be saved.
"What are you thinking about hiding here alone?" Zong Xiao came to look for him after comforting everyone.
After what happened tonight, we are now all friends who are willing to die for each other.
The escort no longer had the airs he had at the beginning and was even more polite when speaking to the hunters.
"I'm wondering how the brothers down the mountain are doing now."
This was something Zong Xiao didn't understand. He hadn't asked along the way, but now that he had the chance, he asked, "Since you can take the official road, why do you have to go into the mountains?"
The escort no longer concealed the truth. He was the only one in the entire team who knew the reason.
He raised his chin towards the cargo and said, "The things inside cannot be taken on the official road."
Zong Xiao frowned, "Aren't those brothers down the mountain in danger?"
"Changed." The escort said calmly, "Before leaving, he left all the important things with us."
At that time, the contents of the ten carriages were half official silver and half cloth and porcelain.
Those brothers went down the mountain via the official road, so they couldn't transport the silver. Therefore, this thing was exchanged to them early on.
Zong Xiao finally understood why the carriages were chosen by the leader of the escorts when they went down the mountain.
It turns out there is this trick.
At this time, the group of people coming down the mountain were being strictly checked by officers and soldiers.
Those people seemed to have received some news, and they checked every carriage and even the bottom of the carriages.
After finally confirming that there was nothing they were looking for in the car, they let the people go.
No one dared to breathe, but fortunately everything went smoothly and we finally passed the checkpoint safely.
"Master Qin, what do you think these people are investigating?"
The officers and soldiers not only checked their carriages, but also checked all the carriages passing by.
The people in the escort agency didn't know the reason, and the hunters were even more confused.
"Who knows? Don't ask about things that have nothing to do with us." Manager Qin frowned and raised his hand to signal everyone to follow.
They took the official road, and their speed increased significantly after passing this area.
Within two days they reached the northern border.
The contact person was waiting outside early, but the agreed date had passed but no one from the escort agency showed up.
The person who was in charge of the contact was extremely anxious, but fortunately he finally saw the person today. There was a flag on the carriage, and he recognized him at a glance.
"But Manager Liu?"
"My surname is Qin. Manager Liu didn't come with us."
The person who was contacting him was stunned for a moment, but soon returned to his normal expression.
He brought the people back to the inn, arranged superior rooms for them, and then went to see Manager Qin.
The people in the north received a letter at that time, which said that a group of people with ten carriages would arrive in half a month.
But now the person in charge is not here and half of the things are missing. This is a big deal.
Manager Qin didn't know the inside story, he only told them what he knew.
"We separated on the mountain?" the contact person was surprised.
"Yes, the mountain road is difficult to walk on. The snow is up to the calves. If you want to walk, you have to lead the way."
Manager Qin drank the hot tea, and his whole body finally warmed up.
He didn't even dare to think whether he would still be alive if he hadn't gone down the mountain.
"Okay, I'll send someone into the mountains to look for it. Thank you for the hard work."
As soon as the contact person left the house, he immediately arranged for people to go into the mountains. There was only one mountain leading to the north, and only one way down the mountain.
If those people were still alive, they should be found.
The wind was bitingly cold on the mountain, but everyone's heart was pounding.
After they killed the seven wolves, they handed them over to hunters to skin them.
The wolf skin was given to the hunter, and they all roasted and ate the wolf meat together.
The meat actually doesn't taste good, but for them who are in the deep mountains and lack food, it's good enough to be meat.
One of the escorts held a piece of meat that was bigger than his palm and swallowed his saliva and said, "This is my first time eating wolf meat."
The people next to him chuckled, "Who wouldn't? This stuff is only bought by rich people in the capital. I thought it was delicious, but it turned out to be so unpalatable."
"This meat is really tough. Even after roasting it like this, the fishy smell can't be covered up."
Although everyone said this, they didn't eat less at all.
Because it would take some time to get down the mountain, everyone hurried on their journey after the meal.
The injured sat in the carriage, while the uninjured continued to lead the way.
Anyway, it was already several days late, so everyone was not in a hurry to travel like they were in the previous few days.
The group walked for another day, and just as they were preparing to rest, they suddenly saw a fire not far away!
The presence of fire means there is someone nearby.
No one wanted to rest anymore. They hurriedly loaded their things back into the carriage and continued walking towards the fire.
About half an hour later, the two groups finally met.
The people who came to meet them were from the North. They were all fully armed and wrapped tightly.
"Finally I found you."
"A brother is injured. Is there a doctor down the mountain?" asked Manager Liu.
The man replied: "We have it right here."
As he spoke, a young man walked out of the team. He was carrying a medicine box on his back and looked like a doctor, but not quite.
Fortunately, there were not many injured people and all of them were only slightly injured. After giving them medicine and the two sides handed over the work, Zong Xiao's people were finally able to rest.
They all got into the carriages, and the men from the North led the horses and took them down the mountain.
In fact, the place where they were found was not far from the foot of the mountain, but there was still snow. If they walked alone, they would have to walk for another half a day.
But now the road has been cleared and carriages can run on it.
The faster the speed, the shorter the time it takes to get down the mountain.
At daybreak, the 23-member escort team finally met at the inn.
The journey was full of dangers but no one was left behind.
The North thanks everyone for their hard work and gives each person ten taels of silver.
They also took the money that the escort agency should have paid to the hunters.
Zong Xiao touched the banknotes in his hand, stuffed them carefully into his purse, borrowed needle and thread, and sewed them into his clothes.
These are four fifty-liang silver notes. This trip is really worth it.
The other hunters received about the same amount of money as them. As for the escorts, they were paid by the escort agency after they returned.
So these people only got ten taels of silver given here.
The team needed to rest, so everyone stayed in the north for another day.
One day, Zong Xiao and Fu Shun went out on the street. It was the first time for both of them to come to the Northern Territory, and they found many things new to them.
The north is bitterly cold, and many clothes are made of fur. Zong Xiao took a fancy to a pure wool vest and asked for two taels of silver.
The price was high, but it was nothing for him who had just made a fortune.
As for other gadgets, he bought one for each family member according to their preferences.
Zong Xiao thought that his family would definitely like these when they saw them.
The next day, the escort team returned as soon as they finished breakfast.
They did not go back empty-handed. They took another order and started walking back with leather goods.
This time we took the official road and reached the provincial capital in just thirteen days.
However, the round trip had already taken almost forty days, which was much longer than originally agreed.
Zong Xiao was anxious, so he didn't stay in the city for two more days like the other group of people.
He rented a mule cart and rushed back overnight.
As for the Zong family, a few days ago, because Qiu Xuan was unwell, everyone simply closed the restaurant.
She was reluctant to close the bun shop as it had regular customers, and Qiu Xuan wanted to earn more money from it.
She asked Zong Anji and the others to go to the bun shop.
As long as a shop is open, it means income.
That night, everyone went back to their rooms after finishing their work.
Qiu Xuan was not feeling well and went to bed early.
In a daze, she seemed to see someone enter her room, and the shadow looked very much like Zong Xiao.
Very similar.
She thought it was a dream and murmured, "Zong Xiao."
Then a pair of rough hands came up and held onto it, and the shadow replied, "I'm here."
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