Banyan Village is located twenty miles away from the DaQi nation border. Thousands of miles away from the capital. With the river flowing from the village, the people there live in farming. The river allows them to plant all year round, giving them both fertiliser when the river overflows and cold water in the smouldering summer months. And because it is both near the sea and mountain, the people here can earn extra money on hunting and fishing.
But there is no such thing as a perfect place, while the place is suitable for agriculture and animal husbandry. The winter is bitter and harsh, in the three months of winter, the snow would cover all the place in white. Killing plants and animals, sometimes even people who are unfortunate to go out in the kind of weather.
Food would be scarce, the poorest family of the banyan village would be eating once or twice a day, trying to stretch their supply hoping that it would last long until spring where they would survive by eating wild vegetables found in the mountain.
Like always, after the busy planting season, the women, Ghers and children would go up the mountain to gather wild vegetables and woods while the men ready their hunting and fishing equipment.
In one of the numerous path towards the center of the mountain, a tall man holding a bow and arrow is seen hiking up. A full small burlap sack made of hemp clothes is tied on his side.
The man is Zhang Wei, two months of rigorous training and martial arts practice transform his weak and lanky body to a better and stronger physique. His skinny limbs become flexible and powerful.
One can’t say that Zhang Wei's overall appearance change drastically and body build doubled. At the very least, with his bronze skin due to three months of exposure to sun and those slight callouses in his hands, Zhang Wei is now starting to looking like a hunter and a farmer and not a weak scholar.
This is his second hunt, the first one is when he attempted to use a bow and arrow after months of training inside the house. Zhang Wei's first hunt is a success, with his martial arts skills that he got from his dream and surprising familiarity with weapons he hunted two rabbits and a pheasant.
This time, Zhang Wei planned to go hunting in the center of the mountain where bigger games are more abundant. So far, even without any prey to take home, Zhang Wei's harvest can be considered bountiful. As there are no hunters in their village that is knowledgeable about herbs and they don’t have a doctor, the mountain is teeming with it.
Monkshood roots, Ginsengs, Birthworts, Dioscorea roots, Sweet wormwoods, Angelica, Licorice, Aconite, Astragalus, Rehmannia and Chinese rhubarbs are all in his burlap sacks.
Zhang Wei had only known it because the Zhang Wei in his dream read and memorize some of the medical books that are compiled in the royal library.
The center of the mountain has a small spring lake that serves as a water hole. Sure enough, just like Li Tian says, as soon as he arrives, Zhang Wei sees a wild boar at the side of the lake.
Zhang Wei took a moment to observe a little. Using his lightness skills, he walks silently towards the boar. It was in the middle of drinking and didn’t pay much attention to his surroundings. Thus in the blink of an eye, a sharp arrow strikes out, killing the wild animal in one single shot.
Seeing that it is nearing lunchtime, Zhang Wei put the wild boar aside before cleaning and preparing a wild pheasant he hunted for his meal. He first rubs a mixture of coarse salt and dried red peppers for a taste before putting it the skewer to be roasted in a fire, coating it generously with honey that Yu Tian, his neighbour harvested.
Tomorrow, he intended to sell his harvested medicinal plants in the city and replenish his dwindling foods and supplies. Spices would be the number one priority.
One and half hour later, a delicious honey roasted pheasant is done. From the hot charcoal, Zhang Wei pulled out five big roasted wild potatoes he dug out near the lake.
Lunch is served!
He had only gone to fetch water when a slight rustling sound of dried leaves and twigs snapping caught his attention. Someone or something is walking towards his direction. It looks like the blood and innards of the pheasant and aroma of his roasted food attract a hungry animal.... Or not...
From the woods appears a Gher with a bamboo basket on his back. He looks disgruntled and apprehensive. One look and you can see that he appeared to be lost. The Gher is name Yu Yin, Yu Tian's younger and only brother.
In the entire Banyan Village, Yu Yin's appearance is top-notch, beautiful peach blossom eyes, rosy cheeks, small pouty pinks lips and a long black hair that frame his delicate and cute face. Standing over five feet and a slender built, he made one wish to comfort and protect him.
Regardless, Yu Yin at the age of eighteen remains unmarried, for the Gher, after seeing the death of his parents in the hand of the bandits stop speaking completely. He rarely socialize with people, preferring to stay home or go up the mountain on his own.
“Are you okay?” Zhang Wei asked softly not wanting to frighten the already scared Gher. He didn’t know how Yu Yin who usually stays at the outer area entered this part of the mountain but he can’t just make him go back down alone with all the wild beast that is roaming around. Plus, they are neighbours.
Seeing him nod, Zhang Wei walks towards the fire pit where his food is spread out, “It’s good that you're okay. Come and eat with me, we'll go down together later.”
Nodding his head in acknowledgement, Yu Yin walks towards him, placing his basket full of mushrooms aside and pulling out his pack lunch which is two big steam buns, pickled radish, stir fry wild vegetables and meat plus two boiled egg. Leaving the meat aside for Yu Tian is an accomplished hunter, with the two big steam buns alone, you can see that he cares a lot towards his brother.
Usually, the more filling steam buns is allocated to the working men while thin rice porridge is for the others. While the eggs... Eggs are a luxury, some parents give them to their children but most are sold in the city.
Yu Yin gives one of the steam buns to Zhang Wei before he starts eating his food but his eyes keep on glancing towards the roasted meat. He can’t help it, the meat looks delicious with a tantalising smell. Only that he is too shy to ask. He really likes to eat, his favourite food is meat, a fact that his older brother known too well, using it to coax him every single time.
Then a drumstick followed by a breast is put inside his food container.
“Eat.”
The two quickly finish their meal, eating heartily. Afterwards, tamp the fire and start their descent down the mountain.
YOU ARE READING
Zhang Wei
Romance"What is the use of fame and power if, in the end, you're not going to keep your life?" Zhang Wei, at the age of eighteen, has a very long dream. he sees his future life, his fame, his glory and his unfortunate death at the end. knowing his fate...
