Chapter 183
After resting at home for a few days, Shen Xuanqing started preparing his hunting gear, as he would head into the mountains early the day after tomorrow. His long knife, idle for over two months, was an essential tool for chopping firewood and handling game, so he always brought it with him. Shen Xuanqing sharpened the blade in the yard, while Lu Gu watched from a distance after putting Lingjun to sleep.
Sharpening the knife required splashing water. Sitting with his legs apart, Shen Xuanqing noticed Lu Gu squatting beside him with a hesitant expression. He knew exactly what was on his mind. Testing the edge with his thumb, he found it still not sharp enough, so he splashed more water and continued grinding. Turning his head, he smiled and said, "This time, it's not that I don’t want you to come. We’ve hunted too many foxes in the past two years, so this year we’re moving to another part of the mountain. Most of the time, we won't be staying in the mountain house, just a thatched hut Shifu and I built years ago for shelter. It's rough, and the path is long, so it's not safe for you to come without the dogs. This trip, I'm only hunting foxes, so don't worry, I won't be disturbing any other game. "
Hearing this, Lu Gu couldn’t insist further. Besides, they still had little Lingjun at home, the child was too young for him to leave behind. His hesitation had only been out of concern that Shen Xuanqing wouldn’t have anyone to cook for him. Since that wasn’t the case, he had no choice but to let it go.
"Then I’ll pack more dry food for you. By the way, does the thatched hut have cooking utensils?" he asked.
Shen Xuanqing replied, "There’s a clay stove and a pottery jar, enough for food and drink."
Only then did Lu Gu feel somewhat reassured. He added, "Take a couple of changes of clothes. If they get dirty and you don’t feel like washing them, I’ll do it when you return."
"Alright." Shen Xuanqing agreed. Seeing him still squatting, he said, "Grab a stool to sit on, so your legs don’t go numb."
Lu Gu then fetched a stool and sat down. It was already past noon, and with nothing else to do, he felt a pang of reluctance knowing Shen Xuanqing would leave early the day after tomorrow.
"After hunting foxes once more this year, I won’t go again for the next two years," Shen Xuanqing said as he sharpened the knife, chatting idly with his fulang.
Lu Gu tilted his head slightly, looking puzzled.
Shen Xuanqing smiled and explained unhurriedly, "Hunting is an act of killing. After three consecutive years, I should rest for two years to let the fox population recover. Master calls this the way of nurturing and resting. Hunting doesn’t mean wiping them all out. Take wild rabbits for example, they grow fast and breed prolifically, so hunting small game yearly isn’t an issue."
"But for larger game like sika deer and roe deer, from spring until winter snow seals the mountains, I hunt at most ten to twenty a year. The same goes for wild goats and antelopes. Foxes are the most hunted in autumn, with at least twenty to thirty a year. Hunting for three years and resting for two or three years. Other hunters might not follow this, but it’s Master’s rule. Since he passed his skills to me, I must abide by it. For the next two years, we’ll have to give up fox furs, losing a hundred or two hundred taels of income, but at least I'll have a clear conscience."
So that was how it was. Lu Gu understood a little better. Even without hunting foxes this year, Shen Xuanqing had already earned nearly two hundred taels. A few days ago, they had rounded it up to a neat two hundred taels and combined it with last year’s savings of four hundred taels, making a total of six hundred taels of silver. They had both agreed not to touch this money unless faced with a major emergency, it was their family’s nest egg. Earning two hundred taels a year was already considered great wealth in the countryside, so skipping fox hunting wasn’t a big deal.
[A nest egg: a sum of money saved for the future, often for emergencies or long-term goals.]
Shen Xuanqing added with a smile, "Besides, foxes are nocturnal. Hunting them means being out at night or dawn, which is dangerous in the mountains. Resting for two years is just as well."
"Mm." Lu Gu nodded in firm agreement.
He had lived deep in the mountains before. The wild boar incident alone had terrified him. Although Shen Xuanqing rarely spoke about encounters with fierce beasts, it wasn't hard to imagine the dangers - wolves, jackals, tigers, and leopards were formidable foes. It really was better to rest at home for two years.
With the mountain trip plans settled, Lu Gu didn't linger. He headed to the kitchen to knead dough and bake flatbreads, so Shen Xuanqing could have a mix of steamed buns and flatbreads to eat during his journey.
By evening, as the sun slanted westward, little Lingjun had been unusually well-behaved, only waking up after the adults finished their meal. He had wet his pants, so Lu Gu laid him on the bed to change into clean clothes.
Shen Xuanqing took the damp pants and diaper outside, placing them in a wooden basin. When he returned, he saw Lingjun kicking his plump, milky-white legs. They were not as chubby as Zhao’er’s, but like two slender lotus roots. He couldn’t help but laugh.
The weather was cold, so Lu Gu quickly dressed the child. After putting on the tiny socks, he grabbed the little feet and kissed them, then pressed his lips to the soft soles and made playful "mmwah" kissing sounds. The lying Lingjun giggled, his laughter wasn't as loud as Zhao'er's, but his smiling face was enough to make Shen Xuanqing’s heart itch with affection. He grabbed his son’s small hands and kissed them twice.
When swaddling him, Lingjun squirmed and whimpered, clearly unhappy. Babies were like this - once their limbs were free and comfortable, they'd beam with happiness, only to fuss when wrapped up again.
The two adults played with the child for a while. Shen Xuanqing, delighted, kissed his son’s soft cheeks again. This time, Lu Gu clearly saw Lingjun's face scrunch up in displeasure. But Shen Xuanqing, undeterred and in high spirits, planted another kiss on Lu Gu's cheek.
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