Famine and Chaos: Weaving Cloth in Exile to Escape the War

"Huh?" Gao Xiuqin was stunned, almost thinking she had misheard.

There are still six wolves they shot and killed on the ground outside!

Although it was their arrows that ultimately ended the lives of those wolves, if Kyoto Haru hadn't first used poison to incapacitate the alpha wolf and weaken the pack, the couple would likely have had a difficult time dealing with those five or six ferocious wolves, and might even have been injured.

She had originally planned that if her family got a share of the flesh from the two wolves, the trip wouldn't have been in vain, and the rest would go to Kyoto Haru.

Unexpectedly, Jing Zhichun only wanted the pelts of the three poisonous wolves in his own yard.

"Mrs. Shen," Gao Xiuqin waved her hand somewhat embarrassedly, "Those six outside... although we shot them dead, if you hadn't poisoned them first, we would have only needed two..."

Yang Xiaoniu quickly chimed in, "My wife is right, we only need to take two of Shen's wives."

Speaking of this, Yang Xiaoniu felt a little sorry for those wolf meat.

This wolf meat probably weighs eight or nine hundred pounds.

This meat is more than a bear's meat.

However, he also knew that a wolf poisoned to death couldn't be eaten, so it would probably have to be thrown away.

Oh, what a pity!

Kyoto no Haru's division of the seasons was not without its own considerations.

She was grateful for the hunter couple's help tonight, and she had to repay their kindness.

In this place of exile, she would be all alone and vulnerable. If she could cultivate a good relationship with honest and kind hunters like the Yang family and receive their help, she would have more security in the future.

In social interactions, the key is reciprocity.

She then took less prey, which made the hunter's family treat her even more sincerely.

If she encounters difficulties in the future and asks for help, people will naturally be more willing to do their best to help her.

"Sister-in-law Gao, that's not how it works. If you hadn't arrived in time tonight and shot the escaped wolves, I would have been in real trouble. Those six wolves were hunted by you with your own skills, so they are naturally yours to deal with. Besides, I have something else I need help with."

"Madam Shen, what is it?" Gao Xiuqin asked hurriedly.

"I don't know anything about tanning these wolf pelts, so I'll have to trouble you to take them back and process them properly. Also, I need to go into the mountains to chop some firewood tomorrow, and I don't have a cart at home, so I'd like to borrow yours. If you don't accept those wolves, I'll feel embarrassed to ask for such a favor."

Yang Xiaoniu and Gao Xiuqin exchanged a glance, both thinking that Madam Shen was too generous.

However, upon further reflection, it became clear that Madam Shen was a woman with a child, and there would likely be many things she needed help with in the future. If they were to force all the prey onto her this time, it would seem like they were creating distance, and Madam Shen might find it difficult to ask them for help in the future.

Gao Xiuqin stopped refusing. "Alright! Madam Shen, you've put it that way, it would be pretentious for us to refuse. Don't worry about the wolf pelts, I'm quite skilled at tanning them, I guarantee I'll take good care of them for you. Once they're all sorted out, I'll bring over the two wolf pelts from a few days ago, along with the ones we had on them. We'll take the wolf carcass home in a bit and then bring them over to you."

"Okay, thank you then."

"Oh, you're welcome, you're welcome. If anyone should say thank you, it should be us thanking you. We've really gotten a great deal today."

The matter was settled.

Yang Xiaoniu was quick; he went home first to push the cart.

Jing Zhichun and Gao Xiuqin dragged the six wolf carcasses outside the courtyard back to the thatched hut and carefully cleaned up the bloodstains on the ground.

After they finished their work, Yang Xiaoniu returned pushing the cart, and the group worked together to load the wolf carcasses onto the cart.

Yang Xiaoniu and his wife then took their leave, pulling their cart as they disappeared into the gradually brightening sky.

After seeing them off, Kyoto Haru returned to the house.

Xiaoman had overheard the conversation outside and was now staring at Jingzhichun with bright, admiring eyes, her face full of curiosity: "Mom! You're amazing! Mom, how did you... kill all those wolves outside?"

"Mom, you're amazing!"

"Mother, I want to learn from you too."

"Mother, teach me how to kill wolves, so I can protect you from now on."

After that night, the little girl seemed to have grown up a lot all at once, and she had one question after another.

Jing Zhichun smiled and patted her head: "Mother used a little trick. I'll teach you when you're a bit older. Now close your eyes and go to sleep, it's almost dawn."

After coaxing Xiaoman to lie down again, Jingzhichun was exhausted, but there were still some things she had to deal with.

She washed her hands and face, and looked at the broken bowl and chopsticks in the corner that had once contained paraquat and rat poison.

These things must not be kept. If a child accidentally touches them, the consequences could be disastrous.

She picked up an axe, went to a secluded spot behind the house, dug a deep pit, carefully buried the bowl and chopsticks inside, and then tamped it down with soil and snow.

By the time all this was done, it was already dawn.

She had just returned to her room to catch her breath when she heard noises outside the door again.

Yang Xiaoniu returned and brought the cart he had lent her.

"Madam Shen, the car is parked at the door for you. Feel free to use it," Yang Xiaoniu said through the door.

"Thank you!"

After seeing Yang Xiaoniu off, Jing Zhichun looked at the cart at the door and felt much more at ease.

She managed to get a quick nap of less than an hour before forcing herself to get back to work.

The sky is overcast today, and it looks like it's going to snow.

Jing Zhichun didn't dare to delay. After eating something quickly, she pulled her cart into the mountains to move the firewood she had cut and hidden in the forest over the past few days.

With the handcart, efficiency indeed increased significantly.

The firewood that used to require her to make more than a dozen trips to carry back can now be hauled back in just a few truckloads.

She made round trip after round, not daring to stop, until it got dark again, before pulling the last load of firewood home.

At this moment, the snowflakes have begun to fall, and they are getting bigger and bigger, gradually turning into a light, swirling snowfall.

Jing Zhichun quickened her pace and had just reached the door of her thatched hut when she saw a tall figure waiting there, carrying a bag of things in his hand. It was the hunter.

However, he didn't look well; he had a worried expression on his face.

"Madam Shen, you're finally back! I have something urgent to discuss with you!" Yang Xiaoniu greeted her immediately upon seeing her.

"What's wrong? What happened?"

"Oh dear, this is a serious matter, Madam Shen!"

Kyoto Haru's heart skipped a beat.

Why is the hunter in such a hurry? Could it be that someone in his family is sick again?

Or perhaps, Kyoto Haru suddenly thought of this matter.

Could it be that the hunter family couldn't bear to throw away the meat of the poisoned wolves and ate it?

Thinking of this, Kyoto Haru asked, "Could it be that...you...you ate that wolf meat?"

"No, no!" Yang Xiaoniu waved his hands repeatedly, took the cart shaft from Jing Zhichun's hand, "Madam Shen, how could we be so foolish! We wouldn't dare touch that poisoned meat, we buried it long ago. I came to see you today because of another troublesome matter."

Kyoto Haru breathed a sigh of relief. "So what's bothering you so much?"

Yang Xiaoniu continued, "It's Young Master Liu... the same Young Master Liu Mingxuan who bought the whole bear a few days ago. He came to see me today."

Jing Zhichun stared blankly at Yang Xiaoniu, her anxiety growing.

Could it be that the young master got into trouble after eating a bear and is now causing them trouble?

That would make things even worse.

"Young Master Liu? What does he want with you?"