Chapter 19: Indifferent to Fame and Fortune

Jiang Yi had killed the tiger with his own hands, performing more impressively than anyone else. If news of this feat were to spread, he would undoubtedly be hailed as a tiger-slaying hero—a title that commands great respect, as someone capable of killing a tiger is clearly no ordinary man. This was an opportunity to gain both fame and fortune, and it opened the door for recommendations for official posts from the regional inspector and the prefect.

Chang Yushan had long been looking for a way to secure a government position for his son, Chang Youliang, and this hunt provided the perfect opportunity. Having already made arrangements with the inspector and the prefect to send letters of recommendation to the Ministry of Personnel, Chang pulled Jiang Yi aside to discuss a proposal.

"Xiao Yi, I have a request. If you allow Youliang to take the credit as the tiger-slaying hero, I will give you my share of the reward as well as his. Would you be willing?"

If Jiang Yi agreed, he would receive two hundred and fifty strings of cash. Considering the help the Chang family had provided to him and his wife, Jiang Yi felt he could part with the title of hero. However, he insisted on the reward, which he viewed as a way to repay the favor he owed the family.

"I can give the honor of the tiger-slayer to Brother Liang, but I want both shares of the reward money."

Chang Yushan, driven by his desire for his son’s future, understood that he was asking something difficult of Jiang Yi. "I will decide on his behalf. You shall have his share of the reward, and we will not speak of who actually killed the beast." As for the other soldiers who accompanied them, they would certainly keep silent.

With the deal struck, Jiang Yi agreed to wait until the tiger was delivered to the Hanyang Prefectural Office. To him, the title was of little use; he preferred to remain low-key, as excessive fame offered few tangible benefits. "If the title is useful to Brother Liang, I am happy to let him have it. I have no desire to be famous."

"Since you are willing to let Youliang take the name, both our shares of the bounty are yours," Chang replied. From that day forward, the world would only know that Chang Youliang was the one who had slain the tiger. For Jiang Yi, money was practical, while hollow fame was useless. With more wealth, he could secure anything else he might need in the future.

"Xiao Yi," Chang continued, "I saw the sparks and smoke erupting from your iron rod when you struck the tiger. Could you tell me how you did that?"

"The rod I used is called a firearm. Its range and lethality are not as good as a crossbow, but I had a blacksmith craft it for hunting."

Chang Yushan found the "three-eyed gun" quite impressive. He imagined that if it were equipped by the army, it would be effective against the Liao cavalry. "Are you considering using these in the military? I don't think that's a good idea; this device has several flaws." Jiang Yi explained the shortcomings of the weapon, hoping to dissuade Chang from the notion of military use. He had only brought it along this time to test its power, and it had proven effective enough against the tiger from sixty paces away.

"Your firearm not only spits fire and smoke but also makes a loud noise. It would surely terrify the enemy's warhorses. If you are willing to give me the blueprints, I will have General Cao pay you a handsome sum."

"It isn't about the money. This thing is truly not fit for warfare, and I don't want it to bring harm to the soldiers of the Great Liang," Jiang Yi replied. He did not care for the money; if something went wrong, it would only bring him trouble. "Uncle Chang, please don't make things difficult for me. Let me just use it for hunting."

After a while, Chang Yushan had to set aside his request for the blueprints. When Chang Youliang rejoined them, he was unaware of what had been discussed.

"Youliang," his father said, "when we return, you will let everyone know that you are the tiger-slaying hero. You will also give your share of the reward to Xiao Yi."

Youliang understood the implication of his father's words. He felt uneasy, knowing he hadn't killed the tiger himself. "Father, having Xiao Yi give me the credit... is that really appropriate?"

"I have already discussed it with him. You will receive the appreciation of the inspector and the prefect, who will recommend you for a post. If you don't take this path, you surely won't pass the imperial examinations, and buying a position would only invite gossip. This is the natural way to secure your future."

"It is decided," Chang added. "Tell everyone that you killed the tiger, and that we merely assisted."

The others, including Zhao Dou, would not speak otherwise; they were content to receive the generous reward from the Hanyang Prefectural Office for the hunt. "Let us head down the mountain and deliver the tiger to Hanyang City as quickly as possible."

Following Chang's instructions, they took turns carrying the carcass down the mountain. Over an hour later, they arrived at Funiu Village. When the villagers heard the news that Chang Youliang had killed the tiger, they were filled with admiration. It was truly a case of a tiger father raising a tiger son—the father had been promoted to a military officer, and now the son had returned in triumph.

No one mocked Jiang Yi this time, even though they assumed he had done little to help. His courage alone was worthy of respect, especially since no one else in the village had dared to face the beast. Zhao Shenkui summoned the villagers to the east end of the village to witness the massive tiger.

"Look, everyone! This is the tiger they hunted. Remember this: Youliang is our village's hero!" Zhao Shenkui was ecstatic. With the tiger threat removed, Funiu Village would no longer be mocked by neighboring villages for cowardice.

"The tiger is massive; its legs are thicker than a man's," one villager remarked. "It has many wounds, but if the pelt is intact, it could fetch a high price."

"It was hard enough to kill it; why worry about the pelt?" another countered.

The villagers whispered among themselves, some envious, some regretful that they hadn't joined the hunt to claim a share of the reward. Chang Youliang was brought to the center of the crowd to say a few words. Shen Rong, standing by her husband’s side, knew well that it was Jiang Yi who had killed the tiger, but she understood his desire to avoid the spotlight.

"Tiger-slaying hero! Invincible!" the villagers cheered. Before long, Youliang’s fame would spread across all the counties of Hanzhou.

"Youliang is the pride of our village," Zhao Shenkui declared, his voice trembling with excitement. He envisioned high-ranking officials personally meeting the young hero, leading to a prestigious appointment that would bring honor to the Chang family and, in turn, benefits to the village.

Watching the scene, Shen Rong wondered if her husband would harbor resentment over the arrangement. She hoped not. If Jiang Yi had taken the credit, others would have looked at him with new eyes, and he would no longer be seen as a good-for-nothing.

"Fellow villagers," Chang Yushan announced, "we must deliver this tiger to the Hanyang Prefectural Office. If another tiger appears on the outskirts of Niutou Mountain, you must organize yourselves bravely to hunt it. We have set the example today—killing a tiger is not impossible, and the rewards are great."