In times of chaos and famine, I traded one pound of rice for two royal flushes.

Qin Shaolang nodded slightly.

"Um."

Lin Hui immediately sensed something different about Qin Shaolang, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

It seems that none of the high-ranking officials she met in her early years, nor in her later life of wandering and now in her long life rooted in the village, have ever encountered such people.

The most obvious aspect of this indescribable feeling was his peculiar gaze.

There is no inherent arrogance that makes one superior, nor is there inherent humility that makes one inferior.

Even when he looked at her, his eyes were quite aggressive, scrutinizing her body, but they didn't make her feel uncomfortable.

It's more like...appreciation.

A pure appreciation and admiration based on equality of status.

Lin Hui was stunned for a moment before she came back to her senses and realized her rudeness, so she quickly lowered her head.

"Thanks to Young Master Qin for taking my husband in, I have specially invited the children to help out today."

Qin Shaolang simply smiled and turned his gaze to Li Hu.

"You've found a good wife."

Li Hu scratched his head with an honest expression.

"What Brother Qin said makes sense. I've listened to her more often over the years."

Qin Shaolang smiled and waved casually.

"Then you go help out first, and I'll come find you after I finish my training."

Li Hu quickly responded, unable to hide the joy on his face.

As expected, the lady was right. It wasn't Qin Shaolang who had a problem with him, but rather the others who wanted to work for him in exchange for benefits.

Next, as long as I do the same work as them, do the same things a farmhand should do, and work with them, my goal of joining Qin Shaolang's team will be completely achieved.

As long as you don't offend anyone, everything will go smoothly from here on out.

After seeing the family of three off, Qin Shaolang couldn't help but scratch his head.

"Although they brought food, it still meant there was an extra mouth to feed, which would be a problem in the long run."

Chu Wu, standing to the side, stepped forward and confidently patted his chest.

"Brother Qin, don't worry. We'll take care of that white-browed tiger in a few days. Once we collect the reward, we'll easily solve the problem of feeding these people. Besides, we even saw a wild deer the other day."

When this topic came up, Qin Shaolang looked at the soldiers who were still training diligently.

They bear obvious signs of military service and can execute his newly proposed combat methods with lightning speed; they only need a little time to get used to each other.

Based on the current progress, at most four days from now, they will have the ability to go into the mountains and kill the white-browed tiger.

Organizational ability is always the most core capability of a team.

Individual bravery is secondary.

Qin Shaolang pondered for a while, then suddenly raised his head.

"How about we go to the county town tomorrow? That white-browed tiger is not easy to deal with. Perhaps we can get some support from the county magistrate."

Chu Wu couldn't help but frown.

"Brother Qin, we have weapons and men, why do we need to see the magistrate?"

Qin Shaolang suddenly grinned.

"Hey, have you ever heard the saying: 'Liu Bei borrowed Jingzhou, but never returned it'?"

Chu Wu naturally didn't know this allusion, but he understood the meaning of "borrowing without repaying." His eyes lit up instantly.

"We absolutely have to go!"

Although the village blacksmiths can forge weapons for self-defense, can their workmanship and quality compare with those of the craftsmen who have been making weapons for the Great Wei for generations?

Moreover, since it is a military item, it is naturally designed to be sturdy and durable!

If a beast tide really breaks out, having a good weapon is far more important than anything else.

With Chu Wu's support, Qin Shaolang stroked his chin again.

"In that case, we can't go empty-handed. You take some money and go to the village to collect some wild game. We'll bring gifts with us so we can come back with something."

Chu Wu nodded immediately.

"Alright, Brother Qin, I'll go ask first. Just wait for my good news!"

Chu Wu left quickly, and Qin Shaolang pondered for a moment.

The chances of getting weapons for free from the county magistrate are very low, after all, there are costs associated with weapons, and there are also accounting and other issues to resolve.

However, if the white-browed tiger is actually killed, the magistrate will most likely deduct some from the reward.

In that case, it can be considered that he paid for the weapons.

As long as the weapons are durable and easy to use, it's not impossible. After all, these are things that money can't always buy.

……

After thinking it over for a while, Qin Shaolang continued to supervise the training of his men who were about to become his personal guards.

Before long, Su Jin hurriedly came looking for her.

"Husband, Er Mazi's wife and daughter are also working here. What should we do?"

Qin Shaolang immediately narrowed his eyes.

He naturally knew about Er Mazi's wife and daughter, especially since the woman had come over specifically to warn them that Er Mazi harbored ill intentions towards him.

Logically speaking, if there really is something wrong, you should come directly to him. Why go through such a big detour?

Could it be... that the thing she wants me to do this time is very troublesome?

Qin Shaolang then whispered the instructions.

"Leave her alone for now. Prepare some food for them at noon. Remember, you must make sure you appear worse than the other helpers."

Su Jin nodded hurriedly and then rushed off to prepare.

Qin Shaolang glanced at the direction of the earthen kiln from afar.

She brought her daughter along. If she's here to help out, it means she's not sick. So what could this be for?

Qin Shaolang ultimately softened, after all, he had only been in this world for less than ten days and had not yet adapted to the rules of survival here.

Whether it was Su Jin, Su Tang, Chu Wu and these "deserters," or Li Hu and Zhang Qiao, it was all out of his instinct to help them.

Although the external environment remains perilous, he still offered assistance based on the idea of ​​helping whenever possible.

……

Before they knew it, it was noon. Chu Wu returned in high spirits with several pheasants still adorned with their magnificent feathers.

"Brother Qin, look how shiny the pheasant's plumage is! It's a rare find this year."

Qin Shaolang smiled when he saw Chu Wu return with three pheasants.

It must be said that Chu Wu knew how to be an official.

When Qin Shaolang first saw these pheasants, he was also a little puzzled, as these pheasants were not particularly large.

But upon closer reflection, he understood.

For officials, their needs for food are already met, and their desire for wild game is merely a novelty.

But if these pheasants still have their feathers, there are many things that can be done.

If these feathers were cleaned and made into a feather fan, it would be a treasure that no amount of money could buy in the city!

Even if there is an investigation in the future, he can use this fan to prove his achievements in driving away wild beasts for the people.

Even more so, if someone of a higher rank sees it and finds it rare, the magistrate might give it away as a favor.

The scarcer something is, the more valuable it is.

For court officials, such a fan was far more eye-catching than an exquisitely crafted paper fan, and it better highlighted their extraordinary status.