Chapter 005: A Windfall from the Sky

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Xu Xudong exclaimed eagerly: "Brother, you are so amazing; you shot the large elk dead with a single arrow"

Xia Er really hunted a stag

Xu Xingxia nodded and said solemnly: "Uncle, it was indeed I who shot the elk."

The person who got off the cart is named Sun Dakun, and he is indeed a Jin merchant doing business in Ningxia. He is relatively young, only in his thirties. He is the resident representative of the Sun family from Jiexiu, Shanxi, stationed in Ningxia Town, specifically responsible for purchasing furs from various places in Ningxia Town. While in the cart, he inadvertently caught sight of a deer and quickly ordered the cart to turn back. Sun Dakun circled around the deer and straightforwardly asked, "One hundred taels, will you sell it?" While in the cart, he inadvertently caught sight of a deer and quickly ordered the cart to turn back. Sun Dakun circled around the deer and straightforwardly asked, "One hundred taels, will you sell it?"

It is said that the eldest son of the Xu family hunted a stag, a claim that almost all the townspeople do not believe. The group of people who had previously pointed fingers at Xu Xingxia in the shop were left speechless, shaking their heads repeatedly, finding the news too absurd. Especially those who had encountered a stag before were even more certain that this was definitely a rumor

Dada!

It was not until Xu Xingxia appeared before them, carrying a bow and arrow and lifting a stag, with his head held high and chest out, that they had no choice but to believe that Xu Xingxia had indeed hunted a stag. This time, it was truly a turn of fortune, and it was the Xu family's turn. Many of the townspeople of Weizhen Fort exchanged glances, their faces filled with suspicion and envy. They truly did not expect that the Xu family's young man had quietly become so formidable.

As he spoke, he crouched down and pulled the black-feathered arrow out from the neck of the stag. Upon closer inspection, he found that the arrowhead was surprisingly undamaged. After wiping off the blood, it should still be usable. Xu Xingxia then cleaned the black-feathered arrow of the deer blood using the grass nearby, and then reinserted it back into the quiver on his back

Heavens! The eldest son of the Xu family has truly hunted down a stag

Oh my, it really is a fool

The size of the elk is enormous, naturally attracting attention. As Xu Xingxia and his group returned from the woods, the people they encountered along the way expressed their surprise and envy. Many stopped to inquire about the details. Upon hearing that the elk had been killed by the eldest son of the Xu family, many could not hide their astonishment. Had they not seen this massive elk being carried back by Xu Xingxia and his family with their own eyes, they would never have believed it.

The youngest son of the Xu family hunted a stag

... ...

This is true

He dragged the stag a few times and said happily: "Such a large stag, with only this one wound on its hide, and the loss of blood is minimal. I estimate that in our Weizhen Fortress, it can sell for at least 100 taels of silver. If we take it to Pinglu City, it can sell for at least 130 taels. Xiazi, you are going to get rich."

Alright!

Liu Dachun and Liu Xiaochun, the brothers, were captivated by the enormous elk and quickly came to their senses upon hearing the words. They agreed and began to get busy. They threaded the rope underneath the elk, binding it securely, and then inserted a lever through it. The elk's weight was estimated to be around five to six hundred pounds, and they wrapped the rope several times around it. With all four of them working together, they finally managed to secure the elk and then lifted it with great effort. The elk's weight was estimated to be around five to six hundred pounds, and they wrapped the rope several times around it. With all four of them working together, they finally managed to secure the elk and then lifted it with great effort

Liu Guangliang said seriously: "Xiazi, you wouldn't understand this, hetushucom.com. The value of deer hide, let's not discuss it for now, is something everyone knows. Venison is inherently precious, only the high-ranking officials and nobles can afford it. I once heard the owner of a pharmacy in Pinglu City say that there was a person named Li Shizhen who wrote a book called something like 'Compendium of Materia Medica,' which mentions that deer antler, deer whip, deer fetus, deer blood, deer heart, deer kidney, deer sinew, venison, and deer bones can all be used in medicine. This means that every part of the deer, inside and out, can be sold for money... I once heard the owner of a pharmacy in Pinglu City say that there was a person named Li Shizhen who wrote a book called something like 'Compendium of Materia Medica,' which mentions that deer antler, deer whip, deer fetus, deer blood, deer heart, deer kidney, deer sinew, venison, and deer bones can all be used in medicine. This means that every part of the deer, inside and out, can be sold for money..."

Liu Guangliang could not help but believe it. He walked over and circled around the fallen deer, exclaiming in admiration, "It truly is a fatal shot! Xiazi, when did your archery skills become so proficient? The deer is quite elusive. The people in the fortress have tried several times to hunt the deer but have never had the opportunity. For over a decade, no one has managed to catch a deer. I didn't expect you to have such luck!"

Is it possible? The eldest son of the Xu family can hunt a stag?

Liu Guangliang did not inquire further; his thoughts were entirely on the elk. He was not wrong; the people of Weizhen Fortress had indeed not hunted elk for over ten years. This was certainly a significant boon for the struggling Xu family. The close relationship between the Xu and Liu families meant that an improvement in the Xu family's situation would also benefit the Liu family.

Xu Xingxia would naturally not reveal his peculiarities. In fact, he himself has not yet fully understood what is going on, so how could he easily disclose it to others? Not even to the closest person would he share this. He casually remarked: "Perhaps I am just lucky. When Dongzi discovered the elk, I quietly approached with my bow and arrow and took it down with a single shot"

At this moment, Wang felt that the way others looked at him had changed significantly. Previously, others viewed him from a position of superiority. Now, their gaze had shifted to one of looking up at him. These two different perspectives brought Wang two entirely distinct feelings

Xu Xingxia casually said: "Uncle is joking, how could so many be sold?"

Whether in Weizhen Fortress or in Pinglu City, there are no private carriages. The local populace is primarily composed of military households, and those with means generally travel on horseback. If that is not feasible, they might arrange a few sedan chairs for their family members. The cost of horse-drawn carriages is still too high, and even the average wealthy family cannot afford them

Am I seeing things? That truly is a foolish mistake...

What did you say? Xia Er hunted a stag?

Xu Xingxia noticed his uncle's expression and realized that he still had some doubts. He smiled faintly to himself and did not offer an explanation. In fact, if he were Liu Guangliang, he would probably be just as astonished. Who would have thought that the eldest son of the Xu family could actually hunt down a stag? Among the many skilled hunters in Weizhen Fortress, none had managed to hunt a stag, so how could the eldest son of the Xu family possess such luck and skill?

Xu Xingxia nodded in acknowledgment. Being from a later time, he naturally understood the value of the elk. This time, he indeed had the opportunity to make a small fortune. Of course, hunting the elk was not the end of the matter; he still needed to sell it. He turned to his two cousins and said, "Come on, Dachun, Xiaochun, let’s work together to carry it back first"

What are you saying? Are you a fool?

We are going back! Today we have meat to eat!

Under normal circumstances, Sun Dakun would not make such a price offer. The stinginess of the Shanxi merchants is well-known; they would split a copper coin in half. However, today is a complete exception. He is about to visit an important client in Ningxia City and has not found a suitable gift. After tirelessly searching around Weizhen Fort, he still did not discover a satisfactory present. Just when he was feeling dejected, he suddenly spotted this stag, and his spirits immediately lifted.

Niu Niu happily clapped her hands in front to clear the way

The abilities of Xu's eldest son are well known; he is someone who cannot even produce a fart with three punches. Within Weizhen Fortress, there are at least two hundred individuals whose skills surpass those of Xu Xingxia, if not three hundred. Given Xu Xingxia's capabilities and his timid and apprehensive nature, it is not an exaggeration to say that rather than hunting a stag, he would more likely be hunted by one.

Xu Xudong cheerfully carried his firewood, following behind the deer

Wang has also learned the news, which was conveyed by someone from the Liu Guangliang family. Like others, Wang did not believe that her son could hunt down a stag. After a long while, she finally accepted that this was not just someone making fun of her or waiting to see the Xu family's embarrassment. She anxiously stood at the fortress gate, waiting for her son to return

In the entire Ningxia Town, there is only one type of person who enjoys riding in horse-drawn carriages, and that is the merchants from Shanxi, commonly known as Jin merchants. The Jin merchants were the first to enter Ningxia Town and have established a very strong foundation here. All industries in Ningxia Town are intertwined with the influence of Jin merchants. Major commodities such as grain, coarse salt, and furs are essentially monopolized by the Jin merchants

When she saw her son and Liu Guangliang and others carrying a stag, she finally believed that it was all true. Her own son, her son who had little ability and a timid personality, had truly hunted a stag. For a moment, she felt as if she had been struck by a pie falling from the sky. The Xu family was about to turn their fortunes around

Xu Xingxia and others had not yet returned to the fortress gate when a carriage emerged from within Weizhen Fortress, heading towards Pinglu City. The person in the carriage suddenly noticed something, ordered the carriage to stop, and then slowly turned it back, positioning it right in front of Xu Xingxia and the others. The curtain was lifted, and a plump merchant descended from the carriage

Impossible! If he can hunt a stag, then I can hunt a leopard

The crisp sound of hooves suddenly echoed

By the time they returned to Weizhen Fortress, the news had already spread. Many townspeople, along with large groups of children, were gathered at the fortress gate, eager to witness the spectacle. The most active were the children, who could hardly contain their excitement as they rushed forward, crowding around the deer. Some children were tugging at the deer's tail, others were holding onto its antlers, and still others were stroking its body. It had been a long time since such a lively event had occurred in Weizhen Fortress.

Indeed, Liu Guangliang could not help but ask, "Xiazi, did you really hit this?"

Suan Dakun does not value items such as deer antlers, deer meat, deer blood, or deer fetuses. What he treasures most is the hide of this stag. Such high-quality stag hides, if given to an experienced craftsman, can produce at least ten pairs of deer skin boots. This is something that high-ranking officials and nobles favor the most. If they could see a living stag and witness with their own eyes that this is genuine deer skin, the significance would be even more extraordinary