Chapter 16: Jiang Yi Shows His Skills
Successfully hunting a tiger would bring both fame and fortune.
Zhao Shengkui was very disappointed in the villagers’ behavior, as it made others mock the people of Funiu Village for being as timid as mice.
He admired the courage of Jiang Yi and Chang Youliang and hoped that the two of them could bring renown to Funiu Village.
Hunters from various counties arrived at Funiu Village, where the villagers prepared meat and wine to entertain them.
Among the hunters, only Shen Rong caught their eye when they glanced at the women in the crowd.
Shen Rong hid behind Jiang Yi, and the looks from those men made him quite uneasy.
He feared that the hunters might harbor inappropriate intentions toward him or even make unreasonable demands.
Cui Peng and the others abstained from drinking, only eating some of the meat the villagers had prepared.
After eating their fill, it was time to head into the mountains to hunt the tiger.
If they succeeded, they would be hailed as tiger slayers.
Their fame would spread throughout the counties of Hanzhou, and in the future, anyone struggling with wild beasts would hire them to hunt, with the spoils belonging to the hunters.
“Why don’t you consider letting Jiang Yi and Chang Youliang join? They won’t hold you back,” someone suggested.
“I’ve already said no. They’re not professional hunters. If you want to hunt the tiger, form your own team,” Cui Peng insisted.
He was unwilling to let others join, not wanting to share the bounty.
Jiang Yi remained silent amid the crowd, uninterested in joining their team.
Being a professional hunter meant nothing—he might just end up dead in the tiger’s mouth.
“Let’s go home,” Jiang Yi said, taking Shen Rong’s hand as they returned to wait for news of the hunt.
Shen Rong picked up her sewing in the main room, disappointed in the performance of Funiu Village’s young men.
“There are quite a few young men in Funiu Village, besides you and Brother Liang. The rest don’t dare to form a team to hunt the tiger. Though it’s dangerous, I know there’s strength in numbers.”
With proper cooperation, killing a tiger would not be too difficult.
“There are no decent weapons in the village, so no one dares to risk their lives. I have a feeling those hunters won’t succeed this time,” Jiang Yi said.
Cui Peng and the others were overconfident in their abilities, thinking hunting a tiger was easy.
“Why do you think so?” Shen Rong asked, puzzled.
“You should know the tiger is the king of beasts, with speed and power far exceeding other wild animals. If you don’t understand the tiger well, you might suffer losses.”
Tigers have keen hearing and scent; once they detect many people nearby, they will hide.
Those hunters surely wouldn’t dare stay overnight in the mountains, so today’s hunt would yield nothing.
“Of course, I hope they succeed so I can hunt in the mountains without worry,” Jiang Yi said.
He cared little for the fame or fortune from killing a tiger and would never act without confidence.
When Cui Peng repeatedly refused to let him join the hunting team, Jiang Yi neither got angry nor disappointed.
An hour later, Jiang Yi saw many villagers passing by his door.
“Do you want to see? Chang Youliang’s father has returned,” someone passing by said.
Hearing that Chang Yushan was back, Jiang Yi naturally wanted to see.
The village was filled with the sound of drums and gongs, which could mean only one thing: Chang Yushan had gained military merit.
Shen Rong heard it too and put down her sewing.
“Let’s go to Uncle Chang’s house to see,” she said.
The small Funiu Village was surprisingly lively, full of interesting people and happenings.
A large crowd gathered outside Chang Youliang’s yard, even filling the house itself.
Jiang Yi and Shen Rong arrived but couldn’t get inside.
If this were Daliang, they’d be setting off strings of firecrackers to celebrate.
Chang Yushan had distinguished himself in battle against the Liao army, capturing several prisoners and earning rewards.
He was promoted to Military Captain of Wuan, commanding a force of five hundred men.
News of his achievements spread throughout Funiu Village, bringing the entire village great honor.
“Everyone, please go home,” Chang Yushan said.
He had heard about the recent tiger sightings near the village and that the young men hadn’t dared to form a hunting team.
If soldiers behaved like that in the army, they’d be treated as deserters.
He had also heard of Jiang Yi’s bravery and invited him to join any hunting team formed.
He repeatedly warned the villagers about the tiger, which had killed many animals recently, earning money.
“Jiang Yi is outside. Let him in,” Li Cuiyun said, noticing Jiang Yi and Shen Rong could not enter due to the crowd.
“Bring him here. I want to speak with him. Everyone else can leave,” Chang Yushan ordered again, driving away the others.
They feared his anger, and even the village head would blame them.
Jiang Yi led Shen Rong into the main room and looked Chang Yushan over.
Chang Yushan was tall and burly, his skin darkened from long military training.
“I heard you’ve hunted many animals recently. You’re truly brave. Would you be willing to join the army?” Chang Yushan asked.
He sized up Jiang Yi, noticing his slight frame but sensing talent, wanting to keep him nearby for training.
“I was exiled here by the court. Unless the court permits, I cannot join the army,” Jiang Yi replied.
His identity was special—involving local authorities reporting to the court, which would certainly deny approval. Some did not want him to join and gain merit.
Sent to Hanyang, he was given only a thatched hut and no farmland.
“That’s a pity. I think you’re a talented man,” Chang Yushan said.
Chang Yushan had also heard from his wife about how hard life had been for Jiang Yi and Shen Rong before they caught any game.
“Do you want to hunt the tiger?” Chang Yushan asked.
“I do, but no one in the village dares to form a team, and I wouldn’t dare hunt the tiger alone,” Jiang Yi answered.
“Since you want to hunt the tiger, I’ll call a few men tomorrow to go with you and Youliang,” Chang Yushan said.
The tiger had been a menace to Funiu Village and needed to be dealt with quickly.
Though Chang Yushan had just returned home, Li Cuiyun had updated him on recent village affairs.
“Since you warned the villagers about the tiger, none have formed teams to hunt it. They’re so cowardly, it disappoints me,” he said.
He was firmly against such cowardly men joining the army.
Once on the battlefield, they would either desert or surrender and betray their comrades.
“I admire your courage. Though you’re not originally from Funiu Village, you’re far braver than the locals,” Chang Yushan added.
“Funiu Village is my second home. Since the tiger is nearby, I’m willing to help,” Jiang Yi said sincerely.
The only condition was not to face the tiger alone.
Though skilled in various martial arts, standing alone against a powerful tiger left little chance of victory.
“Do you know how to use a crossbow?” Chang Yushan asked.
“A little,” Jiang Yi replied.
Chang Yushan handed him a crossbow from the table. “Shoot a few arrows and show me.”
He asked Chang Youliang to set up a target by the courtyard wall for Jiang Yi to practice.
If Jiang Yi’s marksmanship was good, he would join them on the tiger hunt.
Jiang Yi took the crossbow and stepped outside.
Once the target was ready, he cocked the crossbow and aimed—about sixty paces away.
The first shot hit the bullseye perfectly.
The second arrow was slightly off-center.
Overall, Jiang Yi’s shooting was quite good.
He fired a third arrow, which landed not far from the center.
Chang Yushan increasingly felt Jiang Yi was talented but wondered if he had ever used a crossbow before.
“Have you used a crossbow before? Your aim is quite accurate,” he asked.
“This is my first time using a crossbow. I was just lucky to hit the target with three shots,” Jiang Yi said modestly.
Given his current status, he truly hadn’t used one before.
Of course, he wanted to perform well before Chang Yushan, as this might lead to joining the tiger hunt.