That meant dozens of pelts and over a dozen pounds of rabbit meat!
If she couldn't get her hands on them, she wouldn't feel right.
It was obvious that the little brat was no longer falling for her old tricks.
What should she do?
Go and grab them by force?
If Third Uncle Shi Kang found out, he would surely come over again and smash their front gate to pieces with a single palm strike.
Ever since the eldest brother Shi Batian died,
Third Uncle had become the strongest fighter in the stronghold.
Everyone was afraid of him.
At this thought, Shi Fengxian said with considerable annoyance, "That Third Uncle is just a stubborn block of wood!"
"Who is a stubborn block of wood? And what's wrong with Third Uncle this time? Don't tell me he came to bully my family again!"
Just as Shi Fengxian was muttering in irritation, the courtyard gate was pushed open and her husband Qiu Wanful walked in.
He had some harvest from the mountains yesterday slung across his back.
He looked quite dejected, because after a whole night of hard work, all he had managed to forage were some wild vegetables, along with just a single rabbit.
His legs were covered in bloody scratches.
His complexion didn't look too good either.
Shi Fengxian was an extremely domineering person, but in front of her husband, she was meek and held zero status whatsoever.
Seeing her husband return looking crestfallen, she hurried over to take the harvest from his hands.
"You must be exhausted, dear."
"How was the harvest in the mountains last night?"
Qiu Wanfu let out a long sigh and spoke with deep frustration.
"Everyone in the stronghold is up in the mountains scratching around just to find a bite to eat."
"What kind of harvest do you expect? I only managed to catch these things by boldly venturing close to the edge of the deep mountains."
"Life is getting harder and harder by the day."
"What about Shi Yi? I saw him heading into the mountains yesterday; did he get anything?"
"Go and trick him out of his things."
Qiu Wanfu was no good character either.
Over the past few years, swindling prey away from Shi Yi had somehow become taken for granted.
He felt not a shred of psychological burden.
Shi Fengxian wore a worried expression as she spoke, "Who knows what got into that kid, but he actually brought a woman back from town using a pound of rice."
"He had a bountiful harvest in the mountains yesterday, probably around twenty-some rabbits."
"Yet the woman he brought back has taken charge as the mistress of his house, and she's being stubborn as a mule, refusing to let me take the things away."
"How many?"
When Qiu Wanfu heard this, his eyes nearly popped out of his head.
"That good-for-nothing? He managed to catch twenty-some rabbits in the mountains in a single night?"
Qiu Wanfu found it utterly impossible to believe, because in his heart, Shi Yi was a good-for-nothing.
Utterly foolish—how could he possibly have the skill to get his hands on so much game?
Shi Fengxian quickly filled her husband in on the details.
Immediately afterward, the couple went together to the entrance of Shi Yi's house.
Staring at the pelts drying outside, the two of them turned green with envy.
Qiu Wanfu muttered inwardly, wondering what kind of blind luck that kid had stumbled into.
The rabbits in those mountains were craftier than humans.
Ever since the great drought, no one in the stronghold had ever managed to catch so many game animals in the mountains in a single night.
The longer they looked, the more unsettled they felt, convinced in their hearts that those things rightfully belonged to them.
Eventually, blinded by greed, a thought flashed through Qiu Wanfu's mind to just go over and seize them.
He swallowed hard, and just as he was about to make a move, a voice suddenly rang out from behind.
"What are the two of you doing over here? Are you plotting to get your hands on Yi'er's things again?"
The two of them turned around and saw a one-armed, yet extremely powerfully built man standing before them.
At the sight of him, both of them instantly felt guilty and even somewhat afraid.
After stammering for a long while, Shi Fengxian stuttered, "Third Brother, you've misunderstood. We were just coming over to take a look."
"We heard Yi'er bought himself a wife, so as his elders, we came to have a look. Surely there's nothing wrong with that, is there?"
The man was none other than Shi Yi's Third Uncle, Shi Kang.
Shi Kang was one of the top fighters in the stronghold and had always been on bad terms with the other brothers and sisters.
He never condescended to associate with them, and he still harbored deep resentment over the death of his eldest brother Shi Batian.
Consequently, all the other siblings were terrified of him.
Watching the two of them skulking around, it took him no time at all to figure out that they must be up to something.
Therefore, he let out a stern reprimand.
"Get lost immediately, and don't let me catch you hanging around Yi'er's place ever again."
Hearing this, the couple scurried away in a panic, fleeing like guilty rats.
Although this Third Uncle only had one arm, that single arm packed a hell of a painful wallop when he beat people.
Every single one of the siblings had suffered at Third Uncle's hands.
None of them dared to provoke him.
After driving the husband and wife away,
Third Uncle Shi Kang turned his attention to Wang Zhijiao and her daughter Shi Qianqian, who were busy working over there.
"Daddy, you're back! Qianqian missed you so much!"
Upon seeing her father, Shi Qianqian immediately ran over to him.
Meanwhile, Wang Zhijiao held a few pelts in her hands, looking with curiosity at the one-armed man.
...
In the afternoon, plenty of people were out digging for wild vegetables in the mountains.
Shi Yi even spotted several individuals chewing on tree bark while cursing the government for its incompetence.
He also overheard a few people discussing whether they should go and join the notorious mountain bandit Hu Mazi.
In an era where people starved to death, turning to banditry was a common occurrence, driven entirely out of desperation.
To avoid drawing attention and keep anyone from discovering the Zhuge Crossbow in his possession,
Shi Yi went straight to the edge of the deep mountains.
It was not until night fell like a curtain
that he finally trudged out of the mountains step by step, carrying his basket on his back.
His harvest this trip was once again exceptionally bountiful.
He had bagged close to thirty rabbits at the very least.
It was just that his basket couldn't hold any more and he couldn't carry any extra weight; otherwise, he would have continued his slaughter deeper in.
He returned to the dilapidated little hut.
Inside, Wang Zhijiao, hiding in the cave dwelling, hadn't slept at all.
During the day, Third Uncle had told her Shi Yi's story.
For reasons unknown, she felt deeply moved inside.
She felt that this man, in the mouths of others, was somewhat foolish and stupid.
Yet no matter what, he was someone striving hard to live; though his life was bitter, he had never given up his passion for living.
No matter how poor, he never cheated friends; no matter how bitter, he never schemed against those around him; no matter how difficult, he never calculated against others.
In this era where people ate their own kind, such a person was pure enough to tug at one's heartstrings.
At the same time, she felt a trace of worry, afraid that Shi Yi might be mauled to death by wild beasts in the mountains.
She also wanted to learn from Shi Yi the method for making that strange crossbow, as well as some medical knowledge.
Therefore, she had simply waited like this all along.
Hearing some movement outside the house, she immediately crawled out from the cave dwelling.
"While you were hunting on the mountain, I kept worrying that some people from the stronghold might come over to harass you."
"Good thing you're safe and sound."
Seeing Wang Zhijiao, Shi Yi felt a wave of relief wash over him.
Without a word, Wang Zhijiao kept her expression icy as she took the basket from his back.
She said, "Your Third Uncle came by today and made arrangements for the household. He told you to take the pelts to Wealthy Song's place tomorrow and find him."
"He said we can get a better price that way."