10: Chapter 10 The Battle of the Hunting Grounds

After spending two days in the forest, the group ventured deeper into the mountains.

After trekking several miles over the mountains, the group arrived at an open valley where towering trees reached for the sky, white mist swirled, and the flickering shadows of animals could be faintly seen.

Even outside the valley entrance, there were messy footprints.

Any experienced hunter could tell at a glance that the valley was teeming with prey, making it an excellent hunting ground.

Zhang Youqiang immediately announced that this valley belonged to Chen Family Village, while the people from Liu Village were to stay in the outer forest.

Upon hearing this, Wang Laosan of Liu Village was extremely indignant and immediately cried out.

"Unfair! Zhang Youqiang, what right do you have to occupy the valley with the most prey! Leaving us with the outer forest where there's hardly anything!"

Over the past few days, the hunting party had been hunting separately. Zhang Youqiang, leading the way, had quite overbearingly seized the area at the valley entrance with the most prey, which quickly drew the ire of Wang Laosan from Liu Village.

They had been deep in the mountains for several days now without catching any valuable prey. Now that they had finally found a valley rich with game, Zhang Youqiang had claimed the entire place without a second thought.

How could the people of Liu Village accept this!

Tensions quickly escalated between the two parties.

Zhang Youqiang slowly turned around, followed by several men from Zhang Family Village. All of them were broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, their faces filled with disdain, clearly looking down on Wang Laosan and the people of Liu Village behind him.

"Wang Laosan, you should use your brain before you speak." Zhang Youqiang let out a sneer and pointed toward the valley entrance.

"This forest isn't the private property of your Liu Village. Besides, our Chen Family Village has far more people than yours! Count your own people—there are only ten of you, including the old and the young. Even if we gave this valley to you, how much could you hunt in a day?" Zhang Youqiang said forcefully.

He pointed to the group behind him. "Over twenty of us came from Chen Family Village. We have elderly and children at home waiting for prey to pay the tax silver. This little bit of game isn't even enough to fill our teeth! Besides, if you run into a Blind Bear or a wild boar, could you even handle it?"

Wang Laosan's fingers trembled with rage. He wanted to argue but found himself unable to; what Zhang Youqiang said did make sense. However, if they allowed them to keep occupying the best hunting grounds, the people of Liu Village wouldn't catch anything good!

"Wang Laosan, forget it," said someone just as Wang Laosan was fuming.

Ye Jing stepped forward, patted his shoulder, and comforted him, "Zhang Youqiang is right. There is plenty of prey ahead, but there are also many fierce beasts. We have fewer people, so it's safer for us to hunt on the outskirts of the mountain."

"Yeah, Brother Wang, Father is right. There are only a few of us; there's no need to fight them over this dangerous valley," Ye Xuan also advised from the side.

Ye Yi added, "That's right! Uncle Laosan, just listen to Father!"

Wang Laosan cracked his knuckles, looking begrudgingly at the smug backs of Zhang Youqiang and his men. He said helplessly, "Fine, Uncle Ye, we'll listen to you."

Ye Jing stared at the tracks of beasts in the forest, patted Hei Feng at his side, and gave him some meat scraps. "Old partner, it's up to you now!"

Hei Feng took the meat scraps and ate them greedily. Once satisfied, he let out a long howl and ran into the forest.

Ye Jing said to the villagers, "Follow Hei Feng!"

Hei Feng's figure flashed through the trees, his black fur looking as if it had been oiled.

A dense forest like this was most suitable for a hound to track.

It was thanks to this hound that they were able to catch prey in the forest.

After following Hei Feng for over a mile, he stopped and barked at Ye Jing and the others.

Ye Jing patted his head. "What is it? Did you find something?"

Just as he finished speaking, Hei Feng suddenly ran toward a nearby thicket and began growling at it.

Seeing this, Ye Jing said to the two brothers and the villagers like Wang Laosan behind him, "Hei Feng has found prey. Xuaner, Yier, come with me. The rest of you wait here."

Wang Laosan and the others trusted Ye Jing implicitly, so they halted their steps and waited for his next command.

The mountain mist carried the cool dampness of the vegetation as it brushed against their faces. Ye Jing saw Hei Feng run to a nearby thicket and crouch low, his front paws slightly scratching the dirt. He was alert but did not rashly pounce in.

Ye Jing led his two sons slowly into the thicket. Although the two sons were farmers, Ye Jing had often taken them hunting in the mountains when he was younger. They still knew the basics of using bows and arrows to catch prey.

Looking through the gaps in the leaves, Ye Jing's heart suddenly skipped a beat.

On a patch of bright green grass, a yellow-furred doe was grazing on fresh leaves, with two fawns nearby.

"It's a deer!"

A light flashed in Ye Jing's eyes, and he quickly patted Hei Feng gently. Ye Xuan and Ye Yi were also filled with joy.

"Xuaner, go tell Wang Laosan and the others about the deer, and then..."

Ye Jing whispered his plan to Ye Xuan and then sent him to carry it out.

Beside them, Ye Yi asked curiously, "Then what about me, Father?"

Ye Jing said helplessly, "You just stay with your father and give me a hand!"

After all, his second son was quite thick-headed and couldn't handle tasks that required finesse.

Following his father's orders, Ye Xuan ran back and forth, quickly informing Wang Laosan and the others about the discovery of the doe and fawns.

Upon hearing the news, Wang Laosan immediately led the villagers, moving stealthily as they followed Ye Xuan toward the thicket.

At this time, Ye Jing and Ye Yi were clearing a hidden "Deer-Luring Path" around the perimeter of the thicket.

They scattered some of the tender grass that deer loved most on the path.

"They're here!" Ye Xuan arrived with Wang Laosan and the others, their steps as light as if they were walking on cotton.

Ye Jing made a "Surround on three sides, leave one open" gesture to them. This was the most basic hunting Formation, intentionally leaving a gap to guide the prey toward a pre-set trap.

Having hunted with Ye Jing for the past few days, Wang Laosan and the other villagers understood perfectly. They spread out hemp rope nets, securing them between large trees, and placed some animal traps nearby just in case.

Seeing that they were all ready, Ye Jing untied a Blowgun from his waist. The darts in this Blowgun were dipped in anesthetic, capable of silently knocking out a rabbit.

He aimed at the doe's front leg and blew. With a zip, the bamboo dart instantly pierced the doe's front leg.

The doe felt a sudden pain in her front leg and then collapsed onto her knees as it went numb. Startled, she instinctively ran toward the gap ahead.

"Go!" Ye Jing shouted. Hei Feng instantly charged forward, avoiding the doe's vital spots and biting at her hind legs to slow her down.

As she tried to leap forward again, an animal trap on the ground snapped onto her front leg. Overcome with pain, she stumbled into the net ahead.

Wang Laosan and Ye Xuan quickly rushed out, pinned down the netted doe, tied her legs, and captured her.

Seeing the doe captured, the two fawns also tried to flee in fear, but the villagers who had been lying in wait nearby caught them immediately.

Wang Laosan carried the doe, his eyes crinkling with laughter. "Uncle Ye! This doe weighs at least fifty catties! With the fawns, the meat and hides could sell for twenty taels of silver!"

This was their biggest harvest since entering the deep mountains a few days ago.

Ye Jing nodded and signaled for everyone to tie up the doe and fawns and carry them away. They needed to continue to the next location to find more prey.

"Roar!" Just as everyone from Liu Village was rejoicing, a roar erupted from the nearby valley. It was so loud that the entire valley trembled.

"Father! That direction seems to be the valley Zhang Youqiang entered!" Ye Xuan cried out.

Ye Jing narrowed his eyes and said, "Yes, from the sound of it, they've encountered a formidable beast."

"What? Could they be in danger?" Wang Laosan asked quickly.

At these words, the people of Liu Village also grew tense.

Seeing this, Ye Jing waved his hand and said, "Let's go! We'll go take a look. If something happens to them, it won't bode well for us either!"

After all, they had come up the mountain together. If the people from Chen Family Village were wiped out by some fierce beast, Liu Village would be in danger as well.

Everyone nodded and ran toward the valley entrance together.