The Sweet Litte Fulang (SLF)

Chapter 146 - Fox Pelts

The four of them entered the courtyard, chatting and laughing with bamboo baskets slung over their backs. As soon as they stepped inside, Lu Gu noticed the large bamboo basket that Shen Xuanqing often carried sitting in the courtyard. On the stump beside it lay two eggs.

Shen Xuanqing set down the bamboo basket filled with chestnuts and smiled. "Wild eggs. I was lucky to find them."

There were more wild eggs available in summer, but as the weather cooled, they became harder to find. These two eggs had been discovered by Da Hui in a patch of grass. Shen Xuanqing remembered that Lu Gu had once mentioned drying some ground vegetables but lamented having no eggs to fry with them, so he made sure to bring the eggs back.

"I didn't spot any pheasants, but I did catch a rabbit for us to eat." He pulled a plump hare from the bamboo basket and then took out four fox pelts, displaying them proudly for everyone to see.

"White fox fur!" Shen Yaoqing exclaimed in surprise, his eyes lighting up as he spotted the two pure white pelts.

Shen Xuanqing grinned and handed the furs over for them to admire. He had tracked the white fox for three cold nights, sleeping outdoors in harsh conditions. But the hardship had paid off handsomely. When he first arrived home and didn't see Lu Gu come out to greet him, he had been disappointed, but now that they were together, he felt his joy fully return.

Lu Gu and Shen Yan came closer to examine the pelts. The white fox furs were flawless, with not a single stray hair on them. Their pure, snowy white color reflected their rarity and value.

Having spent enough time with the Shen family, Lu Gu was no longer timid around hunting spoils. While in the past, he wouldn't have dared to touch something so valuable, he now ran his hands over the soft fur. Even though he didn't know the exact market price, he could tell that these furs were top quality and would fetch a high price.

Holding one of the fox pelts, Shen Yan looked up at Shen Xuanqing, her face beaming with admiration. "Second Brother, you're amazing!"

"How much do you think this is worth?" Shen Yaoqing asked, his hands trailing over the smooth fur. But his excitement quickly gave way to concern when he noticed how disheveled Shen Xuanqing looked. Dust clung to his hair and clothes, and patches of green grass juice stained his neck and sleeves. His face and hands were dirty, and there were small scratches from thorns all over his skin.

It was clear that his brother had endured a lot in the mountains. Remembering that Shen Xuanqing had spent three nights out in the cold wilderness, Shen Yaoqing's heart ached. He knew firsthand how tough rural life could be, but at least when they worked the fields, they could return home to sleep at night. Hunting was a much harder life, filled with exhaustion and danger—something only the truly determined could endure.

He sighed inwardly, thinking, Second Brother really earns every coin he makes the hard way.

Shen Xuanqing, however, was oblivious to the concern in his brother's eyes. Seeing the excitement in Lu Gu's gaze warmed his heart, and he couldn't help but smile with pride. The hardship was nothing to him—what mattered was making money to support his family.

"Second Brother, you should put these away quickly," Shen Yan urged, handing the fox fur back to him. "These are worth a lot of money."

Shen Xuanqing chuckled as he took the pelts. "Last year, I sold two silver fox pelts in Fucheng for 60 taels. These two are pure white, without a single flaw—they're even rarer. I'm sure they'll sell for more. Last year, I didn't dare push too hard for a higher price, but this time I'll make sure to ask for more. At the very least, the price of these white fox pelts will be higher than the silver ones."