Chapter 128
When Auntie Miao called out, not only her family but even Quanzi’s family came running to see what was happening.
Such a massive wild boar placed at the entrance of the Shen family’s second branch drew more and more onlookers. Da Chen and his wife also came over, touching the boar’s tusks and gasping in awe, saying, “These tusks are really something.”
Many people patted and touched the boar’s body, not minding the dirt it had picked up from being dragged along the road.
The wild boar lived in the mountains and hadn't been castrated, so such a large male boar still had a strong, gamey smell.
While others were amazed by the boar’s massive size and didn’t leave, Ji Qiuyue couldn’t stand the smell and went back inside. Besides, with so many people outside and her being heavily pregnant, it was better for her to stay indoors to avoid being bumped into.
“Oh, why is the flesh on its neck missing?” The eldest aunt Zhou Yunzhi, hurried over to see the catch.
In the countryside, having meat to eat was already a luxury, so no one cared if it was tough or had a strong smell. Even though her family was well-off, seeing such a large wild boar made her eyes turned red with envy.
Before the Shen family’s second branch could explain, several villagers eagerly explained that the boar had been poisoned with numbing toxin.
Shen Xuanqing didn’t hide this fact. After all, the numbing toxin was still a kind of poison. If the villagers didn’t mind, they could buy the meat. If they did, he saw no reason to deceive them.
Lin Jinhu bent down and slapped the boar’s belly, watching it jiggle. He sighed, “It’s quite fat.”
A bold woman walked around to the bloodied head and was startled by the holes in its neck and forehead. But she didn’t back away, instead shaking her head as she stared at the boar’s unusually long snout. “The wild boars in the mountains are truly ugly.”
Lu Gu heard this and silently agreed. That day, he had been terrified, and even in his panic to escape, he had remembered the boar’s ugly, terrifying long snout and dark face.
Guaizi whimpered, and Lu Gu knew he was hungry. He took the dog inside to feed him.
Shen Shunde walked around the boar and finally stopped in front of its head, staring at the tusks for a long time. With his hands behind his back and an air of authority, he looked up at Shen Xuanqing, who was taller than him, and said, “Er Qing, these tusks are truly fierce.”
He didn’t ask for the meat or the bones, but everyone could tell he had his eye on the tusks.
“I’ve heard that polished wild boar tusks, bound with silver, can ward off evil spirits,” Shen Shunde hinted again.
Shen Xuanqing smiled and nodded along with his words, saying, “I’ve heard that too.”
Hearing this, Shen Shunde’s eyes lit up, and he was about to continue.
Shen Shunwang, standing nearby, frowned. He couldn’t stand his elder brother Shen Shunde, who was known for favoring the rich and looking down on the poor, always eager to take advantage of others. With their second brother gone, the two nephews had worked hard to build a decent life. As an elder, how could Shen Shunde have the nerve to ask for things from his nephews?
But before Shen Shunde could finish his request, Shen Xuanqing interrupted him.
“Thanks to Eldest Uncle’s reminder, ever since my sister-in-law became pregnant, there have been several funerals in the village. My unborn nephew hasn’t been doing well, so I was thinking of polishing these tusks and hanging them at home to ward off evil spirits for my sister-in-law and the child. With only a month left until the due date, it’s best to ensure their safety.”
Shen Xuanqing’s expression was sincere, and there was no hint of mockery or disrespect toward Shen Shunde. He even thanked him.
The Zhang family alone had lost two people, and an elderly villager had passed away earlier in the year. His reasoning made perfect sense, and even Shen Shunwang nodded in agreement, saying, “That’s the right thing to do. Adding a new member to the family is a big event. It’s best to be cautious.”
Having failed to get what he wanted, Shen Shunde’s face turned red with embarrassment. Zhou Yunzhi, his wife, was annoyed that he couldn’t even save face and couldn’t even secure the tusks. She glared at him discreetly.
When Shen Shunde noticed Zhou Yunzhi’s glare, his expression darkened. He always liked to maintain his dignity, but this time, he had brought the awkwardness upon himself. With so many people around, he couldn’t make a scene. His lips twitched a few times, and finally, he glared back at her with a grim expression.
The tension between them didn’t escape Shen Xuanqing’s notice, but his smile remained unchanged.
“It’s getting late. Tomorrow, we’ll butcher the boar and boil the medicinal herbs. If any of you uncles and aunties are interested, come by. We’re selling it for only ten copper coins per catty,” Shen Yaoqing announced cheerfully.
“Ten copper coins?” someone exclaimed. That was much cheaper than pork from other sellers.
“Yes, ten copper coins,” Shen Yaoqing confirmed, then added, “This boar still needs to be washed with the medicinal herbs, so it’s not as fresh as a freshly slaughtered pig. But since we’re all neighbors, we’re selling it cheap. However, we can’t go any lower than this price. Er Qing dragged it all the way down from the mountains, and hunting it was no small feat. Please understand.”
Shen Yaoqing was always good with words. He knew many villagers loved to haggle, but ten copper coins per catty was already a steal. They couldn’t go any lower, or it would be a loss for their family.
As the sky darkened, the crowd at the gate dispersed. Shen Xuanqing and Shen Yaoqing dragged the boar into the yard.
“Go wash your hands. I’ve already served your rice,” Lu Gu said, scooping water into a wooden basin and placing it on the rack.
“Alright,” Shen Xuanqing replied, standing at the rack to wash his hands. Lu Gu handed him some wild soapberries.
At the dinner table, the whole family was in high spirits. Shen Xuanqing had only eaten two cold buns at noon and was starving after the long journey back. He mixed the rice with stir-fried eggs and green peppers, then shoveled the food into his mouth. Once the initial hunger was satisfied, he said, “Wild boar meat is gamey. You need strong seasonings to cover the flavor and make it taste good.”
“I know,” Wei Lanxiang said, putting down her chopsticks. “It’s just wild boar meat. I’ve cooked it before. Tomorrow, you’ll see what your mother can do.”
Ji Qiuyue scooped a spoonful of steamed egg and said with a hint of regret, “It’s a shame I can’t eat it. Once the baby’s born, I’m going to eat as much spicy meat as I want.”
Seeing Shen Xuanqing eat so quickly that he didn’t even have time to pick up dishes, Lu Gu had no choice but to add stir-fried eggs and eggplant to his bowl. The food tasted better with some vegetables mixed in.
“It’s good to avoid certain foods,” Wei Lanxiang said, taking a sip of tea. Feeling sorry for her daughter-in-law, who couldn’t eat much, she added, “Tomorrow, you can have a few small pieces to satisfy your craving.”
Ji Qiuyue smiled and nodded eagerly. With only a month left until her due date, she had been eating well recently, and her face had noticeably become rounder. Having endured hardships in the past, she didn’t mind gaining a little weight.
The nights at the foot of the mountain were cooler, so leaving the boar outside overnight wasn’t a problem.
After night fell and everyone had washed up, they returned to their rooms to rest. Lu Gu stood behind Shen Xuanqing with a jar of ointment, ready to apply it to his wounds.
By the light of the candle, he saw a raw, rubbed mark on Shen Xuanqing’s right shoulder and a red welt on his left shoulder from dragging the heavy hemp rope. The boar was too heavy, and the mountain path was rough.
Before applying the ointment, Lu Gu instinctively blew on the wound on Shen Xuanqing’s right shoulder, eliciting a soft chuckle from the man.
“Go ahead, it doesn’t hurt.”
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