Pig Killer

Chapter 179

"No need to inform my third brother and fourth sister, they will definitely choose food." Shen Changsheng said without thinking, "My mother-in-law is right, food is more important than anything else now." He said solemnly, "I will go find the chief clerk now."

"I'll take you there." Shen Hui'e jumped off the bed and said in her straw sandals.

Shen Hui'e and the others sent Shen Changsheng out. Da Chong looked at his uncle's departing back and said worriedly, "Mother, can my uncle convince me?"

"Yes!" Shen Hui'e said confidently, "It's just a matter of how much money we have to spend."

"What do you mean?" Li Nu looked at her in confusion and asked.

"They will definitely ask for a sky-high price." Shen Hui'e looked at them with a cold gaze and said, "The county magistrate is so greedy that he will definitely agree."

"If we don't collect enough grain, how are we going to explain this to our superiors?" The big tiger looked at her with his dark eyes and said, "I wanted to ask you this the last time I bought grain. Isn't the county governor afraid? The quantities don't match!"

"There will be food loss, but this loss is acceptable." Shen Hui'e said as she looked at them with her deep and penetrating eyes.

"Mother, the number is too large. I don't believe the people above are fools." The big tiger looked at her with its black eyes and said.

"Anything can happen during the grain transportation. It could rain heavily and feed the cattle and horses. Or the grain transport ship could hit a reef and sink." Shen Hui'e looked at them with a cold gaze and said, "Even a fire could burn it down and settle the account directly."

Da Chong's eyes almost popped out of the window, "This... this... is it possible?"

"Why are you so surprised? This is all legal and legitimate embezzlement, and the jewels are pocketed." Shen Hui'e said with cold eyes.

"Damn it, this is how we buy food." Huang's mother found her voice again and stared with thieves' eyes.

"Yeah! Even if you don't have any connections, you still can't buy it!" Shen Hui'e took a deep breath and controlled her temper and said.

"How abominable." Huang's mother said angrily, "Doesn't the court know about this?"

"If they don't know, the imperial court is incompetent and its control over the local areas has declined. If they know but don't punish, then maybe they will go along with the corruption?" Shen Hui'e raised her eyebrows slightly, "Who knows?"

"You...you...how do you know? It's as if you saw it with your own eyes." Huang's mother looked at her with eyes as big as copper bells.

"From what I've seen on the bamboo slips, there's nothing new under the sun. If you read the bamboo slips more often, you won't be surprised. It's just deceiving the superiors and hiding the truth from the subordinates, pretending to obey but actually disobeying!" Shen Hui'e snorted coldly and lowered her voice, "Just like the increase in grain taxes this time, we plan to use money instead of grain!"

"Shhh..." Huang's mother put her index finger on her lips and said, "Don't speak loudly."

"No one." Shen Hui'e looked around and saw an empty street. "Everyone is at home worrying about the increased grain tax!"

"Walls have ears. Don't say that again." Huang's mother looked at her nervously and said.

"No more talking, no more talking." Shen Hui'e responded obediently.

"This is the saddest time of the year. It's the gap between the harvests and the summer harvests, and collecting grain at this time is really unbearable." Huang's mother sighed.

"Let's go! Let's go inside and talk." Shen Hui'e looked at him with her gentle eyes and said, "Grandmother Da Chong, what about you?"

"I'll go home first, the house is still a mess!" Huang's mother said anxiously.

"Is your tofu stall still open?" Shen Hui'e asked with concern.

"No, why put it on display now!" Huang's mother waved her hands and said, "How dare we sell it in this situation?" She looked at them seriously and said, "Hide the food."

"Hide food?" Da Chong looked at her nervously and said.

"You have never experienced anything, so you don't know what people will do when they are hungry. The food must be well hidden." Huang's mother looked at them seriously and warned, "Don't let our Huang Er outside, lock him up at home and let him go."

"What are you afraid of?" Li Nu looked at her nervously and said.

"We're worried that they might catch Huang Er and kill him for meat." Huang's mother looked at them grimly and said, "It's better to be cautious just in case."

"Woo..." The raccoon covered his eyes and stared at his grandmother in disbelief.

"I'm leaving. Be careful." Huang's mother left in a hurry.

"Mother!" Li Nu grabbed her hand and looked at her worriedly.

"Don't panic, don't be afraid." Shen Hui'e pulled her towards home, "Come on, let's talk at home."

Shen Hui'e sat on the bed and looked at Da Chong and the others and said, "Don't be afraid! Anyone who dares to come to our house with bad intentions should be beaten out." She looked at them with warm eyes and said, "Put what you have learned into practice, understand?"

"Will it really develop into something unimaginable?" Da Chong said nervously, twisting his fingers.

"Prepare for the worst. I certainly don't hope that what your grandmother said won't happen." Shen Hui'e stretched out her long arm and covered his hand, "But the bridges your grandmother has walked are longer than the roads we have walked. It's better to listen to her and be careful."

"Oh!" Da Chong pursed his lips and nodded.

"Mother, can we still practice our boxing and kicking moves?" The tiger looked at her worriedly and said, "I'm not full, so I don't have the strength!"

"Yes!" Shen Hui'e looked at them with her deep and penetrating eyes and said, "I will never let you go hungry!" She looked at them and said, "Let's go find your uncle."

"What are you doing?" Da Chong looked at her in confusion.

"Make some arrows and shoot pheasants and wild ducks." Shen Hui'e said frankly.

"It's not enough to just catch fish, I have to catch those flying in the sky." The big tiger looked at her with a smile on his face.

"That's right." Shen Hui'e looked at them with her bright eyes, her gaze fell on Xiao Douzi and said, "Xiao Douzi, look after the house, we'll be back soon."

"Yeah!" Xiaodouzi nodded heavily.

After sending the people away, Xiaodouzi and the others went to the backyard to practice boxing and kicking. They couldn't help and didn't want to be a burden to this family.

&*&

"Arrow?" Tiefeng looked at his second sister in surprise.

"Yes! The new imperial decree for grain collection has been posted. Don't we have to find a way to save ourselves?" Shen Hui'e looked at the couple with clear eyes and said, "Draw your bows and shoot arrows. Let's go hunting."

"Cough cough..." Shen Yun'e was so frightened that she kept coughing.

"Why are you so surprised?" Shen Hui'e looked at her with amusement and said, "What can we do if we don't think of a solution? Waiting to starve to death! Waiting for others to rescue us, how is that possible?" She said with a gleam in her crystal clear eyes, "God helps those who help themselves!" She said thankfully, "Fortunately there is no drought or flood, otherwise we would have no place to hunt."

"Why?" Da Chong asked her with his innocent eyes.

"Because we are in trouble, the small animals will also be in trouble. They are smart and will run away before us." Shen Hui'e looked at them with her black pupils and said, "By then we won't be able to find food, not even grass roots or tree bark to eat. That would be the most terrifying thing."

"Okay! I have no problem with arrows. We have iron lumps in the shop." Tie Feng responded readily, "But I don't know how to use a bow and arrow!"

"Let's try Brother Liu." Shen Hui'e said quickly.

"But none of us know how to do it!" Tiefeng scratched his head and looked at her and said.

"You can always learn by copying others!" Shen Hui'e said as she looked at them with her deep and penetrating eyes. It was just a gimmick for her. In fact, she could catch a pheasant with her bare hands.

"Okay! Now that we have the bow and arrow, can second sister draw the bow?" Tiefeng said, looking at her with thin arms and legs.

"Yes! Although I am thin, I am very strong." Shen Hui'e patted her arm and said, "If I have no strength, I can't kill a pig!" She smiled and said, "Archery, just practice more."

"Okay, no problem. Leave the arrow to me." Tie Feng responded readily.

"Oh! By the way, my eldest brother went to find the chief clerk and planned to exchange the grain we have to pay for silver. What do you think?" Shen Hui'e looked at them with her dark eyes and said.

"It would be great if we could pay. Food is precious and you can't buy it even if you have money." Tiefeng said happily, "Pay money, we will pay too."

"Okay, big brother, we'll pay the money." Shen Hui'e looked at them with her inky black eyes and said, "I'll go find brother Liu now and make the bow as soon as possible. We can still endure hunger, but we can't let my eldest nephew starve."

"Second sister!" Shen Yun'e looked at her with moved expression.

"Don't cry! I can't stand your hypocrisy. My eldest nephew will call me second aunt from now on!" Shen Hui'e looked at her with eyes as gentle as jade and said, "We have to feed our own stomachs too." She smiled and said, "I won't chat with you anymore." She called Da Chong and Li Nu and said, "Let's go."

"I'll take you there." Tiefeng stood up and said.

&*&

Shen Hui'e and the others said goodbye to Tiefeng and went to find Liu Ding.

"Bow and arrow?" Liu Ding looked at her in surprise and said, "The bow is fine, but the string is hard to find. It requires beef tendons, and we rarely kill cows here."

"I'll find a way." Shen Hui'e said as she looked at him with her black eyes flashing.

"Then I'll make it for you as soon as possible." Liu Ding responded readily.

"It won't delay your business, will it?" Shen Hui'e looked at him worriedly.

"My current business has been greatly affected. I have to save money for myself now!" Liu Ding looked at her gently and said.

"Everyone would hold their purse tighter in this situation." Shen Hui'e sighed and said, "How is your life?"

"I'm alone, and I can make ends meet. I made a lot of money last year." Liu Ding looked at her with his dark eyes, and said with a cupped hand, "I also want to thank my second sister for her wonderful ideas, which made me not so panicked now."

"No, no, your craftsmanship is excellent." Shen Hui'e complimented with a smile.

"Then we won't bother you anymore." Shen Hui'e looked at him with her bright black eyes.

"I'll take you there." Liu Ding sent the three of them out of the house and started making bows.

"Mother, what should we do with the bowstring?" the tiger asked as he walked.

"If we can't find beef tendon, let's find a substitute and use pig intestines and process them." Shen Hui'e looked at him with eyes like glass beads and said.