Chapter 7, Takurai

This person is now blocking Ouyang's path, and it can almost be said that he is walking into a trap. However, Ouyang does not want to lose the watermelon while picking up sesame seeds. If this person truly reveals the hiding place of Sheng Di, the rewards from this hunt will be very substantial

Ou Yang had breakfast with Mu Rong Ming and then took his leave. He had his own tasks to attend to, and just before leaving, the latter gifted Ou Yang a set of books, which could be considered a form of investment. Mu Rong Ming's steward escorted Ou Yang to the grain store, which was owned by the school supervisor's family. Ou Yang glanced at the price list and found that, apart from the lowest grade of third-class grains, which had a fixed price set by the state, the prices of other grades of grain were exceptionally high, with even the slightly better second-class grains priced at 0.5 yuan per jin. The steward explained to Ou Yang that the agricultural yield in the Western Regions was very poor, and even after collecting the land tax each year, the amount left for local consumption was insufficient. Ou Yang looked at the price list again and noted the same situation: aside from the fixed price of the third-class grains, the prices of other grains were exorbitant, making it difficult for ordinary citizens to afford good quality food. Transporting grain from the eastern mountains was also not feasible by rail, leading to astonishing costs during the round trip. Even if the grain was transported, a significant portion would have to be allocated to the military. Therefore, apart from the third-class grains, which had a price set by the empire that was truly unmanageable, the prices of other grains were exorbitant, making it challenging for ordinary citizens to access quality food.

Ouyang called He Heli and others to load the grain onto the cart. He then turned to find the local garrison's Qian Zongguan. This was Ouyang's direct superior, and he had already reported to Qian Zongguan upon his arrival, but it was always necessary to inform him before going on a hunt. Otherwise, if an alarm were raised and Qian Zongguan gathered the garrison while he was absent, it would not be a matter of just a simple penalty. Demotion or reduction in rank could be a possibility.

To this end, General Huang Qian also lent Ouyang ten war bows and 120 heavy arrows. It was agreed that upon returning from the hunt, Ouyang would give him a bear skin and a pair of bear paws as interest. As a recognition of his subordinate, General Huang Qian also presented Ouyang with a set of chainmail.

However, that was summer, a time of busy farming, and the imperial garrison had no leisure for hunting. Winter, on the other hand, was entirely different; once the logging quotas were met, the garrison had nothing to do but look forward to hunting. At this time, all the wild beasts and the various tribes that appeared before the imperial people were natural prey, the best source of slaves

Ouyang asked He Li and Batu to help put away the bows and arrows. He then went to buy 5 handcarts. These small carts are common transportation tools in the northern border, resembling a unicycle cart that Ouyang had seen in another dimension, except that this type of cart has two sled-like supports. When it snows, the wheels can be removed, allowing it to be used as a sled that can be pushed or pulled by people, making it particularly suitable for areas west of the Congling Mountains, which experience snow year-round

However, the imperial army is currently formidable, and the surrounding tribes do not pose a significant threat. To achieve a first-class merit, one must take the heads of second or third-class enemies, and this must be done on the battlefield. Engaging primitive tribes does not count, as the value of their heads has depreciated significantly, and there are not enough battles to fight. Fortunately, the border villages have other means—by going out to hunt and capturing more slaves, they can also count these as heads for merit. If the border villages have extensive connections, capturing a single living person can count as a first-class merit. Fortunately, the border villages have other means—by going out to hunt and capturing more slaves, they can also count these as heads for merit. If the border villages have extensive connections, capturing a single living person can count as a first-class merit.

In order to make a good impression on the supervisor, Ouyang woke up particularly early the next day and took the opportunity to read for a while. Limited by the era, the scientific level of this country is roughly equivalent to that of the late 18th century on Earth. However, in the humanities, perhaps due to historical legacies, the main focus of the examinations here is still on the eight-legged essay, with only a small space left for poetry and prose. In future examinations, whether for the degree of juren or jinshi, Ouyang is confident that he can achieve high scores in the science subjects, but he is almost certain to stumble in the humanities. As for physical education, it essentially tests strength and marksmanship. Being young and strong, he does not suffer in the examination standards aimed at scholars. Currently, marksmanship mainly focuses on firearms, but archery is also acceptable if one wishes to pursue it. Ouyang believes he can guarantee his performance in the two subjects, but for the humanities, he will inevitably need the extra points from border service to have any chance of passing.

In the empire, becoming a commoner allows one to own slaves and become a master. This is a dreamlike opportunity for the Di Yi, who come from a background of being half-slaves and half-primitive society.

Lord Huang, the chief of the thousand, was somewhat surprised that this scholar wanted to go hunting right away. However, this is also a good thing for him; if he captures a new slave, it can help make up for the shortfall among his subordinates. The eight villages under his command have only recently been established, and none of them have reached the standard of one hundred households. Having more able-bodied individuals will be beneficial for his future evaluations.

Now, Heheli feels that he has already touched the edge of his dreams

Caught off guard, Ouyang was startled and quickly reined in his horse. Beside him, Heheli and others shouted angrily, drawing their axes to confront the foreigner. The foreigner, with the axe blade at his throat, continued to shout: "Please, my lord, take me in! I know where the barbarian's tribe is! I can lead you there!"

Generally speaking, the military strength of the imperial garrison is somewhat stronger than that of the barbarians and the indigenous peoples. The imperial garrison, which is heavily mixed with the commoners and slaves of the barbarians, is not significantly inferior to the civilizations of the barbarians. Warfare occupies a considerable part of their lives, and given the empire's substantial industrial strength, it is relatively easy to gain an advantage in equipment—at least every soldier can have an iron axe. Among them, the accompanying Han people (mostly armored officials) mostly possess pseudo-steel swords and firearms. Tribesmen who mostly still use stone tools and bone arrows are certainly no match.

He He Li replied: "All of this is provided by the Master Qian! The Supervisor provides the rations, and Master Qian provides the weapons. Our Master Pai Jia truly lives up to the reputation of a scholar; there are benefits wherever he goes. If we serve him well, we might just earn a good position in the future"

Now, a person claiming to be able to find talents from the Shengdi tribe is kneeling before his horse, and Ouyang begins to suspect whether Huang Qian is intentionally sending him a gift. However, if Huang Qian has such subordinates, he should go hunting himself to capture these slaves.

Everything was ready, and Ouyang led his men back to the village. However, as soon as they exited the city, they saw a strong middle-aged foreigner throw himself in front of Ouyang's horse, repeatedly bowing his head while loudly pleading: "Please, my lord, take in this servant! Please, my lord, take in this servant!"

The Takulai's Mandarin was not very fluent, and coupled with his anxiousness, he rambled on incoherently, leaving Ouyang completely unable to understand. However, Hulan Mountain, having spent a long time with Di Yi, was familiar with Di Yi's speaking style and could comprehend it somewhat. He helped explain to Takulai, and Ouyang finally understood: this Takulai was a young man from a nearby barbarian tribe. Before the snow fell, he had come here to conduct some trade, but upon returning home, he found that his house had been ransacked. The culprits were from a rival tribe, the Shendi, who had somehow acquired iron weapons. They killed all the elders of the Takulai tribe and took away all the women, children, cattle, sheep, and other possessions, leaving Takulai with only a few fortunate companions who managed to escape. A few bereaved individuals discussed among themselves and felt that it was impossible to seek revenge with their own strength. They concluded that the best way to retrieve their children was to sell themselves and seek refuge with the Han people. However, some expressed doubts, wondering why the Shendi suddenly had so many iron weapons. The only ones in the vicinity who could possess such iron were the Han, raising the possibility that the others had already sold themselves. If that were the case, it would truly be a case of walking into a trap. In desperation, Takulai returned to the town alone to see if the Han were planning to exterminate them.

Commoners and slaves in the Di Yi society also have the opportunity to rise to the status of common people and citizens, with the simplest method being to enlist in the military and fight. According to the earlier military regulations: achieving a beheading in battle counts as one merit point, with 10 merit points allowing a slave to rise to commoner status, 20 merit points for a commoner to ascend to citizen status, 10 merit points for a citizen to elevate to noble status, and with an additional 20 merit points, a citizen could even be granted a title among the lower nobility

The supervisor found it somewhat strange why Ouyang had rejected his goodwill the previous night. However, upon seeing Ouyang up early in the morning studying, he felt somewhat relieved. This can only indicate that Ouyang himself does not regard the Western Regions as his future; after all, he is still young. If he were to pass the imperial examination, he would likely be reassigned in the future.

Moreover, as a martial man, he places great importance on those subordinates who possess a certain degree of brute strength, believing that these individuals are the foundation of his achievements. He is also aware that these people are not particularly skilled in agriculture, leading to a very difficult daily life, and they all hope to gain some benefits from hunting. However, the current subordinates are the ones in charge, and if they are unwilling to hunt, he cannot assign them extra tasks. Now, there is a subordinate who is both a scholar and eager to hunt, which is simply the best example for him. As long as Ouyang can gain benefits this time, he is not worried that other subordinates will not follow suit.

Currently, the empire does not prohibit the private possession of armor; after all, as long as there are no magical spells attached, no armor can withstand a rifled gun. In fact, most of the regular army of the empire no longer equips iron armor.

The best archer, Ukeshan, whispered: "So many battle bows! And so many heavy arrows! This year will be better!"

Ou Yang dismounted and approached the man, contemplating for a moment before asking: "What is your name? Why do you wish to serve under me?"

In contrast, finding these tribes poses the greatest challenge for hunters. They typically stockpile food for the winter before the snow falls, and once it snows, they remain hidden in their burrows throughout the winter unless absolutely necessary.

Ouyang is somewhat peculiar. During warm weather, it is not uncommon to see the barbarians in Anxi Town. These savages also exchange their hunts for essential goods such as grain, salt, hemp rope, and hemp cloth when the climate is suitable. Occasionally, they can even trade for iron, but the merchants set the prices for ironware very high, making it difficult to obtain. In fact, Anxi Town holds markets in June and July, engaging in large-scale trade with the Shendi and Shengyi. During this period, the Empire does not attack these tribes, and some tribes even have the opportunity to redeem their captured relatives.

Ou Yang carefully observed this person. He was dressed in a garment made of deer skin, secured at the waist with a hemp rope, with a stone axe inserted above it, and carrying a sheepskin pouch on his back. This attire was completely different from that of the Di Yi Tun Ding of the Empire. The Di Yi Tun Ding of the Empire typically sold or exchanged large pieces of hides for grain, and an iron axe was an essential tool for production and a weapon. This man, dressed in deer skin and carrying stone tools, was clearly a primitive barbarian. The Di Yi Tun Ding of the Empire typically sold or exchanged large pieces of hides for grain, and an iron axe was an essential tool for production and a weapon. This man, dressed in deer skin and carrying stone tools, was clearly a primitive barbarian.

The man remained kneeling there, seemingly aware that an opportunity had arisen. He bowed his head and said: "I am called Takulai. My tribe was raided by barbarians a few days ago. I know where those barbarians are and can lead you there, only asking that you return my child to me!"

Even the likes of Heheli and Wukeshan felt envious. The master of the card armor possessed firearms, and such a multitude of war bows was naturally meant for them, the servants. With such a fine bow, these seasoned hunters were confident in their ability to hunt tigers and bears, and this hunting expedition was sure to yield a bountiful harvest

The people brought out by Ouyang are still transporting grain, so Huang Qian sent two private slaves to help Ouyang move the weapons. Upon returning to the granary, these war bows caused quite a stir. The villagers from various villages gathered together, waiting to buy grain, and the group from 8 Jia loaded 1,000 jin in one go, which was already quite enviable. Now, Pai Jia has brought ten more war bows, which is simply eye-catching. Currently, a war bow from the North is worth 1 yuan and 500 fen, and when transported to the border, it can fetch 2 yuan, which is something that commoners and slaves cannot accumulate on their own.

Merchants with connections have turned the sale of swords, armor, and other weapons to foreign markets into a lucrative business. In particular, the easily produced and inexpensive plate armor is exported in large quantities. Conversely, the more complex to manufacture scale armor and chainmail have become increasingly rare.

Previously, Ouyang had made some preparations and had heard some precautions regarding hunting from General Huang Qian, so he was naturally aware of these matters. This was also an important reason why he agreed to bring along the young man from the Di people, Hamuhaha

Ouyang decisively set aside 1,000 jin of third-grade mixed grains. Although citizens are not restricted from purchasing grain, it is essential that the grain store has it available for sale. The grain store owned by the school supervisor provides grain according to demand, which can be considered a small favor.

This set of chainmail is a trophy captured by Lord Qianzong during the conquest of the Golden Horde long ago. Although this armor is hardly worth anything in the interior, it is made of sufficient iron and can be considered a treasure in this frontier region

"What are you saying? Do you know where the tribe of the Shengdi is?" The last sentence of this person caught Ouyang's attention. Ouyang waved his hand, signaling Heheli and others to release this person, and asked, "Who are you? How do you know where the tribe of the Shengdi is?"