This roe deer weighed 30 jin, and the people from the Sihe Commerce Association gave him 36 large coins.
Li Yuan immediately spent 13 large coins to buy 30 jin of millet and 10 jin of beans, packed into two bags.
Then he spent 5 large coins to purchase 1 jin of salt; spent another 5 large coins to buy a small bag of frosting and some candles.
Thus, he had 13 large coins left.
In these times, salt and sugar are luxuries. Carrying back this much, Li Yuan was already very satisfied.
However, Zhao Feng's face looked a bit grim because it seemed the other party was planning to stay for a while, not planning to leave with him.
He thought about it, looked at Li Yuan's distant figure, and ran through the snow shouting, "Wait, wait!"
Li Yuan stopped in his tracks and politely said, "Brother Zhao, what's the matter?"
Zhao Feng said, "Li Yuan, let me tell you something candidly.
If you join the Sihe Commerce Association, you will be with me following the Third Miss.
Although the Third Miss is suppressed, she is very capable and will surely have a place in the association.
If you follow the Third Miss with me now, when she rises to power, we will all be great contributors, and there will be benefits for sure."
His words completely dispelled the last bit of hesitation Li Yuan had.
Indeed, any power will have factions.
Where there are factions, there will be conflicts.
The lady wants to ascend, so she needs people below to fight and struggle.
While there is chaos outside, there are internal power struggles...
Moreover, Zhao Feng is just an unranked person; how much power does he have in the association? If he had power, he wouldn't have been assigned to sell grain in a place like the Little Ink Workshop.
"Thank you, Brother Zhao, I will consider it carefully after I return.
If I want to join the Sihe Commerce Association, I just need to come here within three days, correct?" Li Yuan pretended to ponder.
"Correct! Just come here within three days..." Zhao Feng said, "I shall await your good news."
Li Yuan nodded, carried his bags, and returned through the snow.
The snowflakes were flying thick and fast.
All traces of people were erased from the myriad paths.
The young man made footprints one step at a time over a not very long distance back to the eaves of the small house.
He put down the sack and shook off the snow.
Lady Yan had already heard the sounds, opened the door, and seeing his head covered in silver white, giggled, "You look like a little old man."
Then, she turned to get hot water so her man could wash his face and hands.
But she hadn't taken two steps before Li Yuan grabbed her hand.
With a yank, Lady Yan cried out in surprise as if a blue butterfly had flown out.
Li Yuan hugged her tightly and spun around in circles in the snow.
It was only after spinning three or four circles that he stopped.
Lady Yan, not being one to lack humor, said nothing after stopping, only tightened her arms quietly around her man's waist.
Li Yuan also hugged her.
The two stood foolishly clinging to each other in the middle of the snowy courtyard.
The snow remained uncleared, piling up to knee height.
Above in the sky, it was still dense with large snowflakes.
In no time, their hair had turned white.
Lady Yan giggled, "What are you doing?"
Li Yuan said, "Your hair is white too."
Lady Yan laughed, "That... is a good omen. This is Heaven telling us we will grow old together."
Growing old together, in this world, is such a fairy-tale dream...
Li Yuan thought of his "immortality," paused slightly, then hugged her tighter and said, "I bought you some frosting."
"Frosting!" Lady Yan laughed joyfully.
Li Yuan lifted her up and walked into the house.
...
...
At night.
The young couple lay together talking.
"When I went to the Sihe Commerce Association, I heard them say they will be leaving in three days."
"Why?"
"They said the Red Lotus rebels have risen."
"Red Lotus rebels? It should be the Red Lotus Sect, right? I... I've heard a bit, but I can't remember who said it..."
"Red Lotus Sect?" Li Yuan searched his memory and found nothing; it showed that his previous self had very little information exchange with the outside world.
Lady Yan said, "The disasters in the south are too serious, and the Red Lotus Sect emerged at this time.
It's said that the Sect Leader of the Red Lotus Sect can turn talisman water into food. Drink a bowl, and you won't be hungry for a day.
Many refugees have followed him, and even set up his portrait at home, worshiping him like an immortal."
"Drink a bowl of talisman water and not be hungry for a day?" Li Yuan sneered.
But suddenly, he thought of something.
If the Red Lotus rebels really attacked, would the government conscript?
If there was conscription, he would have to go, which wouldn't be good...
For a moment, he fell into silence.
Could it be that he still had to leave with Zhao Feng?
No, that path was even more unstable.
It was like a gambler seeing a bad situation and pushing all his chips into an uncertain bet, thinking it couldn't get worse.
But the result often wasn't as expected.
Li Yuan suddenly spoke seriously, "Sister Yan, I need to tell you something."
"What is it?" Lady Yan was taken aback for a moment.
Li Yuan whispered in her ear, "If news comes out in some time that the Red Lotus bandits are attacking the county town, I'll hide on the mountain ahead of time and return home quietly at midnight."
"Huh?" It took a while for Lady Yan to process this.
Once she understood, Lady Yan whispered, "Won't you be discovered? And... is it safe to hide in the mountains?"
Li Yuan replied, "I won't be discovered."
...
...
Time flew by.
Three days later, Zhao Feng didn't wait for Li Yuan, nor did he come to visit; he left directly with his people.
Li Yuan continued hunting as usual.
Uncle Wang and the tavern deal also went through, and the business line was established.
Uncle Wang was a sincere person, and Li Yuan's game was of excellent quality, so the tavern was happy to purchase meat from this "first-hand market."
...
In the blink of an eye, another nine days passed.
At the Little Ink Workshop, Li Yuan began to keep a low profile. One time, he deliberately scraped his skin with a stone and then claimed he had encountered a bear, showing a look of fear afterward.
This act significantly diminished his "reputation."
In the few instances that followed, he returned later and later each time, with his hunted game growing smaller and smaller.
On the ninth day, he came back empty-handed, claiming he hadn't caught anything.
Brother Xiong heard this and couldn't help but laugh heartily, while Feng'Er was already lying in his bed, rolling with him.
Upon hearing the news, Feng'Er said seductively, "Brother Xiong, you're truly amazing, that Li Yuan is far inferior."
Brother Xiong chuckled, "He's okay, not too bad."
Feng'Er asked, "Brother Xiong, when are you going to marry me?"
Brother Xiong replied, "Soon, soon."
On the other hand, Qian Er also chuckled upon hearing this.
...
Another five days passed in the blink of an eye.
On this day, the entire Shanbao County seemed to be boiling.
Government Officials were running everywhere, forcefully conscripting people to defend against the strong enemy.
"The Red Lotus bandits have attacked! It's time to protect our homeland!"
"What are you talking about? It's not about whether you want to go, you have to go!"
"There are two men in your family? Then draw lots and pick one."
"Only one man? Then he must go!"
"Go, go, go! What are you dawdling for? If you don't go, could it be you have colluded with the Red Lotus bandits? Hurry up!"
For a moment, complaints about livelihood were everywhere, scenes of families being torn apart, couples being separated, were rampant.
...
At the Little Ink Workshop.
Brother Xiong was still holding Feng'Er in his sleep when there was a "bang bang bang" knocking on the door.
"Who is it?" Brother Xiong asked in a rough voice.
Feng'Er chimed in with a strange voice, "Don't you know Brother Xiong is resting? No eyes..."
Just as she finished speaking.
Bam!!
The door was kicked open, and an Official glanced inside, peeked in, and said, "Lu Ergou, right?"
Brother Xiong: ...
Seeing the fierce Official, he lowered his head, avoided Feng'Er's gaze, and replied honestly, "Yes."
The Official said, "Conscription! Get dressed quickly and come with us."
...
Elsewhere...
The gates of the Qian Family were also pushed open.
Qian Er was drinking and eating meat with a group of hooligans when Officials rushed in.
Qian Er was momentarily stunned and said, "You guys..."
The Official said directly, "I was wondering why so many houses were empty, turns out they were all here with you! Come on, conscription!"
Qian Er secretly took out two pieces of silver from his pocket and handed them over quietly, whispering, "I'm brothers with your Constable Liu..."
The Official knocked the silver out of his hand with a slap and said, "Constable Liu is no longer working here, come on, go, go!!"
Behind him, a plainclothes Official leaning against the door frame coldly watched the scene.
A few hooligans still wanted to argue, but the plainclothes Official stepped forward and, like an eagle grabbing chicks, easily tossed them to the ground, stopping their resistance.