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

Chu Wu understood Qin Shaolang's meaning, and immediately pulled over a trusted family soldier, taking out a considerable amount of silver from his pocket.

Tell him to do it immediately.

Chu Wu then returned to Qin Shaolang's side.

"Brother Qin, we don't need to carry heavy things over tomorrow. Four or five people should be enough."

Qin Shaolang shook his head directly.

"Tomorrow it will be just you, me, and Li Hu. No one else needs to come. Too many people will leave a scent."

……

Er Mazi watched Qin Shaolang and the others leave with great resentment, his anger rising rapidly.

He came with the intention of mocking Qin Shaolang, but instead of succeeding, he was rendered speechless by Qin Shaolang.

"That Qin Shaolang deserves to die. Let's go back first and find a way to hunt tomorrow. We can't let them get there first."

With a plan in mind, Er Mazi walked down the mountain, but halfway down, he suddenly sensed that something was wrong.

He had previously thought that his mind was a little foggy because of his dissatisfaction and anger towards Qin Shaolang.

But so much time has passed, and his symptoms have not only not lessened, but have worsened. His temples are throbbing wildly, as if they are about to burst.

My nose kept running.

When the hunters nearby saw Er Mazi stop, they quickly gathered around.

"Qin Shaolang was right, Captain, you've caught a cold."

The mere mention of Qin Shaolang filled Er Mazi with resentment.

Moreover, if he were to fall ill, it would mean that the hunters in the village might not work for him, but would instead follow Qin Shaolang!

If we capture the white-browed tiger, he won't even get a drop of meat soup!

He immediately became furious and pushed away the hunter who was helping him.

"It's just a minor illness. I'll be fine after having a couple of sips of warm wine when I get home. What's there to be afraid of?"

The two hunters said nothing more, but carefully protected Er Mazi from the front and back.

Regardless of Er Mazi's past behavior, this is mountainous terrain. If he were to fall down without careful attention, given his current condition, his life would likely be in danger!

They had no deep-seated hatred for each other, so naturally they wouldn't stand idly by and watch Er Mazi die for no reason.

They carefully escorted Er Mazi back to the tavern.

As soon as Er Mazi entered the room, he slammed his hand on the table.

"Bring some hot wine; the wind on this mountain is really cold."

The hunters who remained in the house quickly served hot wine. Er Mazi drank a bowl in one gulp and felt a surge of heat dispel the chill in his body. He wiped his mouth and looked triumphantly at the two men who had accompanied him earlier.

"I told you it wouldn't hurt. One sip of wine, and there's not a single problem."

The hunters accompanying him nodded in agreement when they saw Er Mazi's reaction.

"Yes, it's because the captain is in good health."

Er Mazi was flattered again, and he was overjoyed. He immediately seized the opportunity and presented his plan to hunt the white-browed tiger to the others for discussion.

……

"Master Qin, Er Mazi has been drinking all day and is discussing with everyone how to set up a huge trap on the road so that when the white-browed tiger falls in, they can capture it alive."

Li Hu earnestly reported to Qin Shaolang what he had learned that day.

As for the title "Master Qin," it was naturally because Lin Hui saw that these family soldiers didn't seem to dislike them much, so she had Li Hu change his address.

Hearing these words, Qin Shaolang looked at the wine bowl beside him and pondered for a while.

The alcohol content of wine from Dawei is very low, and if it is hot, the alcohol content is even lower, so it is no exaggeration to call it a flavorful drink.

A small amount of alcohol can indeed help to dispel wind and cold, but that applies to those with mild symptoms.

"How much did he drink, and was it all mulled wine?"

When Li Hu heard Qin Shaolang's question, he was puzzled, but this did not stump him. He immediately got up from the dining table.

"Master Qin, I'll go and ask the others carefully."

Seeing that Li Hu was about to leave again, Qin Shaolang coughed lightly.

"You're just going to go ask empty-handed? Take a jar of stewed meat from over there, and find someone who can get information from you."

Li Hu scratched his head awkwardly and quickly replied.

"That's Master Qin's flesh. How could I take it without Master Qin asking?"

Madam Lin Hui had given him a lot of instructions these past few days, especially regarding following orders, and Li Hu had truly taken them to heart.

Qin Shaolang suddenly grinned.

"Li Hu, you've truly married a wonderful wife; you must cherish her."

Seeing that Qin Shaolang had seen through his scheme again, Li Hu didn't feel embarrassed at all and nodded with a simple smile.

"I'll listen to Master Qin."

Qin Shaolang then waved his hand.

"Go and come back quickly; this news is very important to me."

Li Hu left immediately, while Qin Shaolang fell into deep thought. Er Mazi's physical condition was crucial information, as it would affect his plans and whether he could snatch the white-browed tiger from among so many hunters.

To put it bluntly, hunters rely on prey to supplement their income, and there was only one white-browed tiger. If he took it, no one else could.

If the hunters unite and cause trouble, the difficulty of this matter will increase dramatically.

We also need to find a way to turn the people who originally supported Er Mazi into supporters of ourselves, or at the very least, keep them neutral.

However, Qin Shaolang had very little experience with this kind of thing. After thinking for a while without success, he looked at Chu Wu.

"What benefits do you think I should offer those hunters to get them to be a little more friendly towards us?"

Chu Wu raised his eyebrows, thought about it carefully, and then suddenly grinned.

"It's actually quite simple, Brother Qin. The magistrate promised six hundred taels of silver. Even if he cuts it back, we'll still get at least three hundred taels. There are no more than a hundred hunters in the village, so one tael per household is enough. That way, Brother Qin will get two hundred taels of silver, which is a pretty good income."

Qin Shaolang thought about it carefully, then secretly glanced at the family soldiers sitting in the room.

He promised to pay these people for digging the kilns, which would be another expense, and since they helped with the hunting, they could at least take a place in the bounty.

After all this calculation, I think I'll only get seven or eight taels of silver after all this work.

It might be enough for others, but don't forget that he also has thirty personal guards and two women under his command. The daily expenses for so many people are not a small amount.

Just as Qin Shaolang was feeling distressed, Chu Wu suddenly stepped forward and lowered his voice.

"Brother Qin, you're not actually thinking of splitting the reward money for your own troops, are you?"

Qin Shaolang nodded subconsciously.

"This is what they should do..."

Before Qin Shaolang could finish speaking, Chu Wu immediately grabbed Qin Shaolang's arm and lowered his voice to a very low hue.

"Be careful not to overdo it; we'll discuss this in more detail later."

Qin Shaolang frowned, but relaxed, at least Chu Wu wouldn't harm him.

It's not too late to hear what he has to say later.

Before long, Li Hu hurriedly ran back into the earthen cave dwelling.

"The wind is really strong outside today. I've heard some news, Master Qin."