Chapter 66:
Pretending not to hear his deliberately probing tone, she narrowed her eyes and stared at the Black Bear on the ground.
The man’s scrutinizing gaze fell on her, recalling that she seemed to be selling Bird’s Nest at the apothecary last time, and she had even helped that young woman.
Knowing she was probably searching for some mountain goods again, she wasn’t lying. Seeing her gaze fixed on the Black Bear on the ground, her eyes gleaming.
“Hehe, I wonder how the young master plans to handle this Black Bear?”
Without waiting for him to speak, she quickly picked up the bear paw that had fallen on the ground. “My goodness, this is the legendary bear paw, it’s so big! Haha!”
Her eyes darted around. “Young master, I have a presumptuous request. Can you let this little woman take this back?”
The young master nodded slightly. “As long as you can carry it!”
“Really? It’s just carrying it, of course that’s no problem!”
“You helped me just now, so let this bear paw be my thank-you gift to you!” Luo Zhi’er was overjoyed upon hearing this, as if she had gotten some great treasure.
Goodness, this is a bear paw, a precious bear paw!
Do you know what mountain delicacies are?
This bear paw is a mountain delicacy. Li Sanmao has been hunting for so many years and has never caught a Black Bear!
Looking again at the Black Bear lying on the ground with its four feet up in the air, motionless, the remaining three paws still intact on its body…
Hmm… one made into braised bear paw, one steamed in broth, one clear-steamed—simply the world’s mountain delicacies. As for the one in her hand, make it into medicinal herbs, and the white silver will come rolling in.
Her feet felt heavy, and she couldn’t bear to move a step…
The man saw her narrow her eyes but didn’t care what she was thinking. He picked up the sharp sword in his hand and suddenly thrust it into its chest, digging out the bear gallbladder on his own…
Luo Zhi’er was stunned, covering Miaomiao’s eyes. Seeing him separate the gallbladder from the flesh, she finally understood that he had come to take the bear gallbladder?
It seems this man specializes in hunting large wild game like this to obtain their precious medicinal herbs for money!
Judging by his fine clothes, he must have earned quite a bit of silver! Who knows how many precious wild game have died at his hands… Thinking of the danger they encountered earlier, it was like snatching food from the tiger’s mouth—not easy…
The man swiftly took the bear gallbladder with his sword, turned back to look at Luo Zhi’er, saw them still behind him, and suddenly said, “Sister-in-law, you… do you have other matters?”
“Uh… no!”
She was just looking. Can’t she look if there’s nothing wrong?
The man took out a bottle, put the bear gallbladder inside, and put on the lid!
“If there’s nothing, then I’ll take my leave. It’s very dangerous here; you should leave early. See you later!”
“What? Excuse me, this, this bear… you don’t want it anymore?”
Luo Zhi’er was speechless. Leaving behind this huge pile, isn’t that wasteful? Bear paws are valuable; you’re just walking away without them?
This Black Bear’s meat all over is treasure too. If you didn’t want it, you should have said so earlier!
Hey! She hadn’t planned on taking it originally!
“Hehe! Young master, may I ask, do you not want the other parts of this bear either?”
The man looked at her puzzled, glanced at the pile of heavy objects on the ground, and nodded… “Anyway, I can’t take it all… I’ll just take what I need!”
“Then can you give it all to me?”
“Hmm… are you sure you can take it back?”
The man thought she was being fanciful. This Black Bear weighs six or seven hundred pounds; one bear paw is enough for her to carry. She already took one earlier, and there are still three left…
On second thought, it made sense. She could make several trips to carry it. He hadn’t thought of that earlier. But in this wilderness, wasn’t she afraid of encountering more fierce beasts?
Villagers who had come once probably wouldn’t dare come again.
“How about this: I’ll help you chop it up, skin it, and take the parts you think are important!”
The man had a good impression of her. Looking again at the young maid called Miaomiao, he felt a bit uneasy and kindly suggested.
To his disappointment, Luo Zhi’er didn’t use his sword to chop off the bear paw. Instead, she bent down, pulled up one leg of the Black Bear, dragged it, turned around, and was about to leave…
“Hehe, no need!”
“Miaomiao, hurry and follow Mother.”
Dragging it to the bamboo basket, she put on the bamboo basket and dragged the Black Bear away again!
She looked as if she was afraid the man would change his mind!
The man was nearly shocked speechless, watching her go. With the blood flowing on the ground, her… strength was truly great!
He had never seen a woman with such great strength, except… her.
“Mother, Mother, wait for Miaomiao. Miaomiao is scared!”
Miaomiao held a stick and obediently followed behind her, shouting.
“Miaomiao, don’t be afraid. With Mother here, the bear is dead!”
“But it’s bleeding so much…”
Luo Zhi’er felt heartbroken. This blood was treasure too.
“It’s okay. If Miaomiao is scared, walk in front of Mother.”
Miaomiao ran in front of Luo Zhi’er. Mother and daughter, one in front and one behind, entered the forest again…
The man stood behind, silently watching them leave…
Her name is… Luo Zhi’er, right?
Say she’s greedy: she only took one bear paw and didn’t ask for more. Say she’s not greedy: when she learned he didn’t want it, she dragged it all away… like robbing, not leaving a scrap…
“Master, your subordinate arrived late. I wonder why you insisted on coming to this mountain forest?”
“When I was young in my motherland, I often heard that the Dongli Kingdom is vast and rich in resources, with many treasures even in the deep mountains. I campaign year-round, and it’s rare to have a moment of leisure to come here. I came specifically to see…”
“I see…”
“Just in time, I saw this Black Bear and got this bear gallbladder, which should help curb my illness.”
“Has Master found any treasures?”
“None!”
Luo Zhi’er felt a chill on her back. Looking back at him, dressed in fine brocade, with phoenix eyes dazzling, how did another person appear by his side?
That person waved at her and smiled with pursed lips!
Luo Zhi’er shouted, “Miaomiao, hurry!”
The two quickly disappeared into the mountain forest…
Luo Zhi’er and Miaomiao dragged the Black Bear all the way, still finding it very strenuous. After walking nearly an hour, she found a place and set down the bamboo basket.
She hid the Black Bear in a concealed spot, marking it with cogongrass and trees.
Speaking of which, this bloody smell might attract wolf packs, tigers, or other wild game. Better to first safely take Miaomiao back, then call Li Sanmao to help her figure out how to transport this bear…
That man earlier, she didn’t trust him at all.
