Wei Shiqi went to Xinyang Town to sell animal skins, and sold the money to buy Huoyanyanba tea. Meat is greasy, and the tea soup with salt can digest food and relieve greasiness, which is essential.
Passing by Kutenggou, I took the opportunity to visit the old Liu Tou who was lying in bed. His legs and feet were still severely swollen, red and purple. Although he applied herbal medicine, it took a few months to heal.
Old Liu Tou knew that he was going to the town, so he asked Mulian to carry the medicine basket and go together so that he could be taken care of.
The two came out of Kutenggou and meandered eastward along the mountain road. Mulian was too small to keep up, so Wei Shiqi had to slow down and didn't set foot in Xinyang Town until noon.
Xinyang Town is located in the remnant of Laoya Ridge, with mountains on its back and water on its side. The tributary of the Ximinjiang River passes through the town. It is connected by three stone bridges from the east to the west, namely Shangguan Bridge, Yuanlong Bridge and Xiapu Bridge. Most of the shops and vendors gather at Yuanlong Bridge. and Xiapu Bridge.
Wei Shiqi led Mulian to Chongyuan Hall first. He threw the animal skin at his feet and helped Mulian unload the medicine basket and put it on the counter. The shopkeeper's surname was Song. He had a bitter look on his face and was picky and disdainful of the items in the medicine basket. Mulian stared at her toes nervously, twisting her clothes with her hands, rolling them up and loosening them, not knowing what to do.
Shopkeeper Song picked out a dozen herbs, quoted a price, and said, "That's all, take the rest back." Mulian's face suddenly turned pale. She was waiting for the money to buy rice and salt, and she also wanted to give it to her father. It's not enough to boil a few plasters.
Wei Shiqi knew it in his heart. Shopkeeper Song looked at his face, so although he lowered the price by a few points, it was still fair. Old Liu Tou couldn't go into the mountains. It was not easy to find these just by relying on magnolias tossing around Kutenggou. He thought for a while, pushed in the remaining herbs picked by the shopkeeper, and asked for an extra hundred dollars.
Shopkeeper Song shook his head, "Brother Wei, these herbs are not worth anything. You'd better ask elsewhere."
Wei Shiqi asked casually: "How to collect bear bile?"
Shopkeeper Song's eyes lit up, "Do you have bear bile on hand?"
Wei Shiqi nodded slightly but made no move. Shopkeeper Song understood and took out half a bucket of money and put it on the counter. Mulian glanced at him and timidly put the money away.
Wei Shiqi took out a shriveled bear bile from the hide. It was gray-black in color and as big as an adult's palm. Shopkeeper Song took it carefully, looked at it in the bright light for a long time, nodded and said: "The quality is good, and it's worth four or five taels anyway..."
"Twelve taels of silver, I want official silver."
The official silver is of high quality, and the silver with ten lines can be used as an envoy. This lion's mouth is wide open. Shopkeeper Song took a breath. Just as he was about to bargain, Wei Shiqi suddenly added, "This is gold gallbladder."
Bear gall is divided into golden gall, iron gall, and cauliflower gall. Golden gall is also called copper gall. The gall kernel is golden and bright as amber. It is a rare and rare high-quality product. Shopkeeper Song knew that he was a sensible person and couldn't fool him, so he had to give him a real price, "Brother Wei, you are also a regular customer. The golden gall is not worth the price..."
Someone on the side interrupted, "Shopkeeper Song, is this the best gold gallbladder?"
Shopkeeper Song was a little annoyed. He interfered during the business negotiation and violated the taboo of Chongyuantang. He raised his head and looked up. He immediately changed his tone and greeted with a bit of flattery: "Steward Deng, you old man. You’re here, but do you want to take some medicine?” He greeted her while instructing the waiter to watch and pour tea.
The man who interrupted was an old man in his fifties, with a handsome appearance, gray temples, a goatee, and yellow eyes with bloodshot eyes. He looked Wei Shiqi up and down, and asked with a pleasant expression: "Is this little brother a hunter in the mountains?"
"Exactly."
Shopkeeper Song hurriedly introduced him, "He is Wei Shiqi, the hunter from Laoya Ridge. He is a good hunter. He can handle bears, tigers and leopards. He can collect the best tiger bones and bear bile every year. Brother Wei, come and meet him." Butler Deng, Butler Deng is in charge of the affairs of Yuan Zhao’s house in Shangguanqiao. You are lucky to have him take care of you."
Zhao Yuanwai was one of the most wealthy businessmen in Xinyang Town. He made his fortune by selling mules and horses, and his wealth was immense. His hands and eyes were astute. It was said that he was responsible for more than half of the military and horse business of the northwest frontier. He has three cronies under him, Deng Abacus, Wang Xiangma, and Xie Yitie. Among them, Deng Abacus is Deng Zhang, the housekeeper of the Zhao family who is in charge of Qiangu's access.
Wei Shiqi crossed his arms and saluted, "I've met Butler Deng."
Deng Zhang nodded, and said bluntly: "Zhao Mansion is short of bear bile. Shopkeeper Song, please take it first and send it to Zhao Mansion. Then go to the accounting office to collect the money. You can get as much profit as you want. No." Make it difficult for you.”
Shopkeeper Song agreed repeatedly. Making money was a trivial matter, but he had the final say. Therefore, establishing a relationship with the Zhao family and forming a good relationship was the top priority. He carefully put away the bear bile, took some silver and gave it to Wei Shiqi, knowing that Butler Deng must have a purpose in intervening, and he would have nothing to do next.
"Brother Wei, I have something to ask - have you ever eaten?"
"To be honest with Butler Deng, I came in a hurry and didn't eat."
"There is a restaurant nearby. They make good beef and mutton. The old man is here to serve as a host and we can talk while eating."
"Okay, thank you Steward Deng for your kindness." Wei Shiqi carried the animal skin on his back and gave Mulian a few words, asking her to buy some steamed buns to satisfy her hunger and then wait for him at Chongyuan Hall.
Deng Zhang listened to his straightforward conversation, neither humble nor arrogant, and felt a little admiration in his heart.
The two left Chongyuan Hall and walked along the revetment towards Yuanlong Bridge. They saw a restaurant in the distance with an unrolled green flag and the two characters "Dongxing" written on it.
The waiter led the two of them to the upstairs seating area. Deng Zhang told him to just serve the food and wine that he was good at. The waiter agreed with a smile on his face, but he was a little confused in his heart. Could it be that the man was a distant relative of the Zhao family and wanted to alert Butler Deng himself? Eat with him.
After a while, the waiter brought four plates of cooked vegetables and a jug of wine. The four dishes were braised beef tendons, white-cut mutton, crock pot chicken, and braised cabbage with dried sea rice. The wine was home-brewed Xi Minchun, which was fragrant.
Deng Zhang didn't move his chopsticks very much and just insisted on urging Wei Shiqi to drink wine and eat meat. Wei Shiqi was not polite and ate smoothly. He ate all the beef and mutton, most of the chicken fell into his belly, and he drank one pot and then another. Deng Zhang got to know him through small talk, and Wei Shiqi said one thing and another, without boasting or deprecating himself, and his answers were calm and honest.
After eating the meal for more than half an hour, Wei Shiqi was full of wine and meat, so he put down his chopsticks and waited for the next meal. He was a smart man, and Deng Zhang took another high look at him. He noticed that when Wei Shiqi introduced himself, he only said "I" and did not say "I" or "little". He had a bit of arrogance in his bones and was by no means an ordinary hunter. After pondering for a moment, he decided to get straight to the point.
"Brother Wei, I have something to ask of you."
Wei Shiqi smiled, "But Butler Deng said it's okay."
"The old man has a grandson who suffered from convulsions in his infancy and has not recovered for a long time. He asked a famous doctor to diagnose him and prescribed a prescription, which contained three precious ingredients. Two of them were already available, but one was missing: bear bile. The prescription was prescribed at that time The famous doctor said that this flavor of bear bile is the most important. It must be golden-backed bear bile that is more than fifty years old. If it is replaced by ordinary bear bile, the efficacy of the medicine will be greatly reduced, the disease will not be cured, and I am afraid that I will not live to be twenty years old. The old man will die. For such a grandson, I had no choice but to shamelessly ask my employer for help, and finally found out that there seems to be a golden-backed bear in Laoya Ridge."
Wei Shiqi thought for a while, frowned and said, "Could it be the old bear from Heisong Valley?"
Deng Zhang's eyes lit up, "Brother Wei, have you seen that black bear? Is there a streak of golden hair on its back?"
"If there's a golden retriever on its back, it's the old bear in Black Pine Valley."
About two years ago, Wei Shiqi was hunting in Laoya Ridge and saw two green wolves fighting with a golden-backed black bear from a distance. The black bear was so ferocious that it hit the green wolf on the head with a palm, which was connected to a tree stump as thick as a bowl. While on sale together, another green wolf pounced on its back and bit it hard, but was unable to tear the thick fur apart. Instead, the black bear hit it hard and broke its back. He lay down upwind, not daring to breathe, and watched helplessly as the black bear ate the entrails of the two green wolves and staggered toward the Black Pine Valley.
After learning the whereabouts of the golden-backed bear, Deng Zhang breathed a long sigh of relief and asked tentatively: "Brother Wei, how many manpower are needed to hunt that black bear?"
Wei Shiqi refused, "No matter how many people there are, it won't be enough. That old bear is not an ordinary ferocious beast. It is extremely powerful and can break a tree with one slap. It has been itching in the pine forest for many years, and the pine resin has seeped into its fur and become hard." Just like armor, even strong bows and sharp arrows cannot penetrate it.”
Wei Shiqi's reaction was as expected by Deng Zhang, "A golden-backed bear that is more than fifty years old is a monster that has become a spirit. Of course it cannot be an ordinary hunter. Let me arrange the manpower. Brother Wei will just lead the way without taking any action." After everything is done, how about I offer you three hundred taels of silver?"
Wei Shiqi lowered his head and thought for a moment, then asked tentatively: "Could there be an immortal master taking action?"
Deng Zhang narrowed his eyes, subconsciously tapped the table twice with his right index finger, and said slowly: "I have a distant nephew who worships under the sect of Xiandu."
