Chapter Seven, The Gift of the Bow

No one expected Han Qian to suddenly burst in, and the lively and noisy atmosphere instantly transformed into silence, as if a puddle of water had been absorbed by a sponge.

Seeing Han Qian's eyes fixed on the two golden pheasants hanging from the beam, Fan Xicheng slowly stood up and said

Everyone was foolishly standing there, as the young master Han Qian, in a fit of rage, took a knife to attack Old Master Fan. They were not surprised at all, and were instead waiting for the young master to be taught a lesson by Old Master Fan, yet they never anticipated that Han Qian would act in such a manner

This is a saber suitable for both foot and cavalry combat. The blade is narrow and straight, with a simple and slender edge that gives a sharp impression. It is forged from fine iron, leaving intricate forging patterns on the blade, which are quite aesthetically pleasing

"... ... Eat, eat, eat, do you only know how to eat? Is it only when you chop up my old bones and stew them that you can eat happily?" Fan Xicheng's temples were throbbing, and he scolded Fan Dahei fiercely, "Go to the back mountain and find a place to bury it!"

Fan Wucheng suddenly stood up, unfastened the dagger from his waist, and with a loud "clang" threw it onto the table, indignantly saying: "Even as the head of the family, he has always treated my father with great respect, never once speaking harshly—this young master is truly going too far. Do we really appear to the young master as nothing more than this dog, to be stabbed to death when he grows impatient?"

Stand up and speak, do not kneel at every turn, is it tiring to talk

... ...

Eat!

Han Qian drew his sword

The young man ignored Han Qian, keeping his head down.

Han Qian walked straight to Fan Dahei's side, sat down at the dining table where the soldiers were having their meal, picked up his chopsticks, and shoveled rice into his mouth. He began to eat vegetables in large bites. After finishing half a bowl of rice along with a pile of chicken, fish, and greens, he noticed that others were either standing or sitting still, and then waved his chopsticks, calling out:

Thank you, young master. Zhao Laoguan, unable to refuse the request, led the young man to repeatedly bow and express his gratitude to Han Qian.

The North Courtyard is a residence for soldiers and their families, and it also serves as a kitchen, stable, and storage area. Given the limited conditions, it naturally cannot be compared to the East Courtyard where Han Qian and Han Daoxun reside.

Han Qian had been staying at the villa for over a month, yet it was his first time entering the dining area for the servants. He did not expect the food for the household soldiers to be so meager, and in front of the household soldiers' children and family members, the meals were even inferior to dog food

Young master, the tenants in the mountains are cunning and treacherous. If we open the entrance for them to enter the mountains, we cannot imagine what they would do to the back mountain.

"Young master, please make your choice," said Old Zhao, kneeling on the ground.

Qingyun and the cook stood to the side, not daring to breathe, fearing that the young master would throw the bowls and dishes on the table at them. After a long while, the young master let out a long sigh and said

Fan Xicheng was so enraged that his whole body trembled; in the past, when Han Qian had pointed at his nose and called him an old bastard and an old mongrel, he had never been this furious.

Seeing Zhao Kuo silently take the two pheasants and lead the horse ahead, Han Qian thought to himself, if it were the dream figure Zhai Xinping in this situation, he would probably do the same, wouldn't he

Zhao Kuo stood up, his eyes darting between Han Qian and Fan Xicheng, seemingly unable to make up his mind

Alright, these two wild chicken bento boxes are my share of the mountain rent. You can take the rest back with you. In the future, if you hunt anything good in the mountains, remember to turn in half to the villa—go back and tell the other tenants the same; this is the rule I, Han Qian, have established

Fan Xicheng sat alone at a table by the window, able to see the stream outside. On the table were a bowl of fish, a bowl of chicken, a plate of cured meat, and a plate of green vegetables.

"Father, what should we do about that big black dog? Should we chop it up and stew it to eat now?" Fan Dahei asked foolishly

Fan Xicheng rolled up his sleeves, and the veins on his exposed arms were slightly pulsating; he remained silent, while the others also wore awkward expressions and did not respond to Han Qian

Han Qian noticed that Fan Xicheng remained silent, clearly indicating his disagreement. Turning his head, he saw the other soldiers; some were smirking with disdain, while others lowered their heads or turned away to look elsewhere—Fan Dahei was also huddled in the corner, avoiding eye contact. Only Fan Wucheng, having heard his words, looked on with eyes full of hesitation

It is evident that Fan Xicheng did not take his words seriously at all and had no intention of inviting Fan Dahei to join him for a meal

Yao Xishui poisoned the wine, intending to create the illusion of his sudden illness and death. It is said that Yao Xishui and the person behind her did not wish for his death to cause too much of a stir; otherwise, that night, they would have simply stabbed him, ensuring he would die more swiftly than anyone else.

Next, sixteen family soldiers were divided into two tables, with each table consisting of eight people sharing a large bowl of fish and a large bowl of stewed chicken, without any cured meat. However, there was a large bucket of green vegetables available in abundance, floating with a few stars of oil tea.

Han Qian washed his hands and face, changed into a fresh set of clothes, and walked to the dining hall in the west courtyard. The meals were still prepared in the same style as at noon, using ingredients sourced from the villa. While the variety was not particularly abundant, the freshness was guaranteed, though the portion sizes had been significantly reduced

Unexpectedly, the usually irritable young master not only refrained from pursuing the matter of Zhao and his son sneaking into the mountains to poach, but also decided to lift the mountain ban for the tenants of the estate. Zhao Kuo squinted his eyes and glanced at the young master Han Qian, remaining silent.

Alright, no need to say more, as long as what I say can still be taken seriously

Returning to the East Courtyard, the sky had already darkened

You are capable of shooting down the eagle, which indicates your archery skills are commendable. However, it is a pity to possess such a fine bow without a good archer. This Black Cloud Bow is of no use in my hands, so today I gift it to you. Han Qian disregarded what Zhao Kuo might think and took the Black Cloud Bow out of the quiver, handing it to the young man

The large black dog clearly did not anticipate that barking twice would bring about its demise. Upon seeing the knife thrust towards it, it suddenly jumped up, but was still a beat too slow, getting stabbed directly through the abdomen. Its body arched as it struggled to bite Han Qian's wrist, but Han Qian threw it out along with the knife, causing it to land in the muddy corner of the wall, where it struggled and whimpered, blood gushing out and quickly soaking the ground.

At this moment, Han Qian saw the two golden pheasants that he had awarded to Zhao Kuo, which were hanging from the beam. It was evident that Zhao Kuo had already informed Fan Xicheng about the encounter with the poacher who had entered the mountains to hunt, and he did not dare to keep these two golden pheasants for himself.

Since I have no way to invite the person over, I will go to them myself

Han Qian walked straight towards the northern courtyard

Many of the soldiers either lowered their heads to stare at the bowls and chopsticks on the table, or crossed their arms and glanced over with a mocking expression in their eyes. In their view, even if Han Qian had a knife in hand, he could do nothing to Fan Xicheng. However, there was a sharp glint in Fan Wucheng's eyes, perhaps hoping that he would act recklessly.

Since the young master has spoken, the villa will not take Zhao Laoguan and his son to the county office for punishment. After the old servant has eaten, I will have someone retrieve the other prey. The mountain ban must not be lifted lightly; this must be reported to the head of the family. Moreover, the Heiyun Bow was given to the young master by the head of the family with the hope that the young master would practice archery diligently; how could it be casually given to the tenant's son

Han Qian glanced at Fan Xicheng and questioned without yielding an inch: "Zhao Wuji is still young, yet he can shoot down a soaring eagle; his archery skills must be quite impressive. I was planning to have someone like him serve by my side in a couple of days. What does it mean for you to send someone to forcibly seize the prey and reclaim the Black Cloud Bow?"

Han Qian walked over, helped the old man Zhao up from the mud, and picked up two golden pheasants that had their wings shot off and were still flapping on the ground, saying

Respectfully, Young Master, my little brat is named Zhao Wuji! The older hunter kept bowing and pleading for mercy, saying, "We will never offend again, please grant us a chance to live!"

Now that Fan Dahei is not coming over, who will help him test whether there is poison in this dish

Since the Zhao family are tenants of the estate, apart from the period of mountain prohibition, they can pay the corresponding portion of what they hunt or gather from the back mountain to the estate according to the proportion of the land rent. Why must we inform the county office about this? Is it necessary for everyone to know that the Han family is incapable of managing the estate?

He cursed Fan Xicheng in his heart, calling him an old bastard, his face darkened, his eyes fixed on Qingyun and the kitchen maid who had come to help serve the dishes, suppressing the anger within him, barely managing not to flip the table over.

In the dining hall of the North Courtyard, seven or eight square tables are arranged in one room, also divided into three, six, and nine grades.

Han Qian continued to shovel food into his mouth, chewing heartily while leisurely conversing with Fan Xicheng

Han Qian did not know how the poison wine ultimately failed to kill him. At this moment, he might not need to worry about Yao Xishui or other assassins directly breaking in, but he still had to guard against them poisoning him again

An old pomegranate tree is flourishing with abundant branches and leaves, and I can see the smoke curling up from the rooftops to the north; this should be where the kitchen is located

The soldier was taken aback for a moment, glanced at Fan Xicheng, and then proceeded to unfasten his saber. He handed the sword to Han Qian and then shrank back, as if fearing that the irritable Han Qian might suddenly draw the blade and stab him.

Flipping over the food and refusing to eat is merely a temporary measure and cannot change one's situation. Han Qian thought to himself, if it were the person from his dreams, Zhai Xinping, in this situation, what would he do

... ...

Zhao Kuo, I would like to ask you a question. In your eyes, is it true that everything in Zhuangzi is determined by Fan Ye, and that my words hold no weight at all?" Han Qian turned around and asked, staring into Zhao Kuo's eyes

At this moment, he had no excuses either, and asked Qingyun to sit down and first taste each dish one by one

A large black dog was lying in the corner. Startled by the unusual presence, it raised its head and saw a stranger entering. It bared its teeth and barked twice, tucking its tail and arching its back, ready to pounce. However, it was kicked sharply by a guard sitting nearby, causing it to retreat to the corner, whimpering and no longer daring to show its teeth or claws

The young man was skilled in archery, and naturally could see the extraordinary qualities of the Black Cloud Bow. However, even though he was inexperienced in the ways of the world, he felt that Han Qian's sudden gift of the fine bow was too abrupt. He stared blankly at the Black Cloud Bow in Han Qian's hand, hesitating to reach out and take it.

Fan Xicheng shot a glare at Fan Wucheng, silencing him from continuing his nonsensical chatter. However, as he picked up his chopsticks and looked at the four dishes that he had all to himself, he recalled what Han Qian had just said about eventually having to share a table with the family soldiers. He found it impossible to swallow the food, feeling a surge of anger within him. With a loud "bang," he slammed the chopsticks onto the table and spoke.

Han Qian glanced at the stubborn-looking youth and asked, "What is your name?"

The remaining individuals serve as household servants, gathered around four large tables. The tables are only filled with green vegetables and dark pickled vegetables, and there is no white rice, but rather yellow millet or corn rice.

The old dog raised at home actually dared to bare its teeth and bark wildly at its owner, truly deserving of its fate! Han Qian wiped the bloodstains splattered on his wrist with a handkerchief and said to Zhao Kuo, "You go skin this old dog, chop it into pieces, and stew a pot of dog meat to satisfy everyone's cravings..."

Ah? Zhao Kuo was slightly taken aback and replied, "Old Zhao is a tenant farmer from the village, and it's his little turtle that has been caught several times but has not changed its ways. Master Fan has said that if we see them entering the mountains to poach again, we will send them to the county office to deal with them"

Watching Han Qianyang walk away, Fan Xicheng was so enraged that his whole body trembled, and it took him a long while to sit back down at the dining table by the window

At this time, it was mealtime. Han Qian listened to the noisy sounds as he passed through the narrow passage and entered a small courtyard

Han Qian noticed Fan Xicheng's subtle vigilance and, gripping his knife, lunged towards the large black dog curled up in the corner of the wall

Seeing the Orion father and son leaving with their catch, Han Qian threw two pheasants to Zhao Kuo and said: "I just whipped you twice, so take these two wild chickens back as a reward for accompanying me on horseback this afternoon"

Han Qian interrupted Zhao Kuo's words and said

I won't eat anymore, you all take these and share them!

The northern courtyard has built around forty to fifty houses, all quite rudimentary, with earthen walls and thatched roofs. When the wind and rain are a bit stronger, the houses leak incessantly.

Stay calm, you must stay calm

Fan Xicheng was slightly taken aback, as he did not expect the usually carefree young master Han Qian to harbor such thoughts.

The west wing consists of three interconnected rooms, furnished with seven or eight square tables, around which fifty to sixty people are seated, waiting for the meal to begin. This should be the dining hall used by the household soldiers and servants.

Han Qian chuckled and said, "This time I will not hold back, I will pick a few pieces of prey to take back to the villa"

... ...

Of course, Fan Xicheng did not agree with Han Qian's words, but at this moment, he did not want to argue with him in front of so many people

How could this happen? How could this happen? Zhao Laoguan said in a state of panic

That's good. I also know that Fan Ye is loyal to my father and to the Han family, and that he is looking out for me, not wanting me to get into trouble. I am not so ignorant as to not understand this. Han Qian finished the food in his bowl, did not look at anyone else, and returned to the east courtyard after putting down his bowl and chopsticks

Young Master, what you say is true. Master Fan is also concerned about disturbing you, as you are well-educated and carry the responsibilities entrusted by the family head. Furthermore, matters in the village involve dealing with these cunning and lowly commoners. Master Fan is worried that you may lack experience and be deceived by these base individuals

Are they all tenants of the Tianzhuang?" Han Qian asked

What you just said, Master Fan, makes sense. If there are no restrictions, allowing the tenants to freely hunt and gather firewood in the back mountains will surely lead to a situation that is beyond repair. However, I have already expressed my thoughts. If Master Fan were to send someone to retrieve the game from Old Zhao at this moment, the tenants might become confused about whether this estate belongs to the Han family or the Fan family. Such a situation may not be very favorable, right? Or perhaps, Master Fan, you have other intentions?

"This dagger of yours is quite nice; let me have a look at it," Han Qian said to the soldier sitting in front of him.

"Young master, you worry too much; how could this old servant dare to have any other thoughts?" Fan Xicheng said through clenched teeth

Zhao Kuo was momentarily taken aback, and it took him a while before he stammered out his words

The Qiu Lake Mountain Villa belongs to the Han family. Aside from my father, my word holds weight here. However, it is possible that some disobedient servants in the villa may come to trouble you. This bow serves as a token of trust!" Han Qian said, unceremoniously shoving the black cloud bow into the young man's hands.

Dining alone in the East Courtyard is quite dull for me. From now on, I will join everyone here for the communal pot meal, so there is no need to prepare separate dishes for me. You all are standing there without moving your chopsticks; are you waiting for Zhao Kuo to stew that old mixed-breed dog until it's ready to eat?