Becoming the Villain's Discarded Wife
Chapter 448: Hunting

Chapter 448: Chapter 448: Hunting

Having obtained the medicinal powder grinded by the deputy chief, they sprinkled it meticulously on the foul-smelling rat corpses before people poured some wine over them.

"Everyone, cover your noses and mouths, so as not to inhale this smoke," said the deputy chief.

He indicated that everyone should cover their noses and mouths, and after seeing them all comply, he threw in a torch.

The torch spun a few times in the air, and just at the moment it landed, a shimmering blue light flashed over the pile of rat corpses, then flames erupted, engulfing the ghastly, stinking bodies.

Gazing at the fields ablaze, the villagers seemed contemplative. Eventually, they all stood there for a while before returning to their homes.

The rats were eradicated, but they still had to head to the mountains to hunt.

Although they had been supplied with food by General Shen, they were reluctant to tap into those supplies unless absolutely necessary.

While they were in Qing Fenghan, they never lacked provisions—so now that they were in this village, it wasn’t the time for handouts.

Even though they could be labeled as "bandits", they were reasonable bandits.

The census of the hundreds of people in the village had been registered in this village, and they already owed General Shen a huge debt. Given the current food shortage in Yan City, how could they dare touch their hundreds of kilos of grain?

"Yuanbao, you should stay in the village today," the deputy chief, seeing Yuanbao starting to roll up her sleeves, hesitated.

Although the little lass could kill rats with her mediocre martial arts skills, if they were to truly go up the mountain, she would probably need someone to look after her.

The current situation was different from their time in Qing Fenghan.

Now that there is a plague everywhere, it wouldn’t be appropriate to let her have her own way. The priority should be hunting and rushing back to the village.

"Uncle, I know martial arts; I won’t slow you down!"

Upon hearing that the deputy chief wasn’t letting her go, Yuanbao’s face instantly fell.

She could also help!

Yueyue could help sew clothes and padded jackets in the village, but if Yuanbao had to stay in the village, there’s nothing she can do!

If she went to the mountains, she might even be able to bring back a couple of sparrows!

"Still no, now there’s a rat plague. Those rats are all hiding in the mountains. What if you get hurt? Also, there are fewer prey in the mountains these days, so everyone has to go deeper into the woods. If you come along, they would have to look out for you. Besides, with your slingshot, what can you even catch?"

The deputy chief got serious, showing no sign of backing down.

"I can catch sparrows!"

Not often being spoken harshly to, the little girl’s face flushed with embarrassment.

"Still, no! Just to catch a few sparrows and put you in danger, your dad would surely kill me when he comes back!"

Deputy chief didn’t say much else and just waved his hand and retraced his steps back to his own courtyard.

His brothers were getting ready to go hunting up the mountain, so he had to prepare some herbs that would repel insects and prevent harm for them.

Even if they didn’t catch much game, they have to make sure they safely return.

His elder brothers have been away for three days. Now, in the village, other than the village head of the Tian Family managing the original villagers, he, the deputy chief of the village, is the other one who can look out for them.

When they first settled in the village with the villagers of the Tian Family, they agreed to start brewing alcohol for profit.

However, with the rat plague, they couldn’t make any profit from brewing, so the most beneficial thing turned out to be the grain supplies.

With his elder brothers off looking for herbs, he must protect the village and not let anything go wrong.

"Yuanbao, Deputy Chief is correct, it’s dangerous in the mountains, it’s better for you to stay in the village."

Xiaoqi somehow managed to make his way to Yuanbao’s side, and upon seeing the stubborn face of the little girl, he pursed his lips and muttered these words.

"That’s not true!"

The young lass was already upset, and at that moment she was like a cat with its tail stepped on, her fur bristling.

After yelling this, she angrily stomped her foot and stormed off.

Watching her leave, Xiaoqi regretted his actions and felt a bit annoyed with himself for speaking out of turn.

Glancing at the little wooden sword he had kept hidden behind him, Xiaoqi withdrew his gaze.

He had found it on the ground when he went to the main courtyard earlier.

The sword was specially made for Yuanbao by their chief; even though it was made of wood, it was very handy to use.

Yuanbao especially loved it and it was surprising to find it on the ground.

Upon noticing the dried blood on it, Xiaoqi guessed Yuanbao must have gone to fetch her slingshot while everyone was out in the fields, using the opportunity to wash her little wooden sword.

But he never expected that his intent to return the sword would increase her anger.

The young lad was a little frustrated, but the majority of the troops were ready to ascend the mountain, so he hung the little wooden sword on the door of Yuanbao’s room, assuming she would see it when she returned.

With that thought, Xiaoqi quickly caught up

with the troops heading up the mountain, leaving behind the little wooden sword hanging lonesomely on the door.

Although Yuanbao was upset, she wasn’t the type of child to throw tantrums. After fetching her slingshot, she remembered her wooden sword.

She then ran to the main courtyard.

"Aunt, have you seen my wooden sword?"

After wandering around the courtyard for a good while and still not seeing her little treasure, Yuanbao started getting anxious.

There were many kids in the village. What if they picked it up, or if someone took it home and used it as firewood...

The more she thought about it, the more frightened she became, and her voice wavered with a sob.

"Yuanbao, what’s wrong? Why are you crying?" Aunt Li, who had just changed a patient’s medication, became anxious at the sight of Yuanbao almost in tears.

"My, my wooden sword, I, I can’t find it."

Yuanbao wiped away her tears, her tear-rimmed eyes making her look very pitiful.

"Yuanbao, honey, don’t worry, perhaps,perhaps one of your brothers saw it, thought it looked fun and borrowed it?"

Aunt Li addressed Yuanbao with a soft voice, although she herself seemed rather helpless.

Having been married in this village for many years, she knew exactly what the kids in the village were like.

The village was isolated, where only a few people lived; besides Yuanbao’s group, the others who settled in the village were people affected by natural disasters.

If it turned out that Yuanbao’s wooden sword had been picked up by them, who knows what they’d do with it.

After staying for a while in the courtyard, Yuanbao dried her tears and went to the east of the village.

She couldn’t find her wooden sword, but with the village’s food supplies running low, she had to help somehow.

Even if, even if the second uncle and the others didn’t take her to the mountains, she could still hunt some sparrows.

In the past, the aunties in the village would hang game like wild chickens and rabbits in the courtyard and boil them to eat in the winter.

Although sparrows are small, they are still considered meat.

Thinking this, the little girl took her task more seriously.