vstars Chapter 19 Big Brother Isn't the King of the Wishing Well (8)
Chapter 19 Big Brother Isn't the King of the Wishing Well (8)
As the saying goes, happy times are always short. Eating, drinking, and wandering around, time flew by, and soon it was mid-August, which also brought the highlight of this tour of the frontier: the Mulan Autumn Hunt.
Mulan is originally a Manchu word, and in Chinese it means "deer hunting," which is usually held between July and August each year, so it is also called autumn hunting. In ancient times, the names for hunting were also very particular: in spring it was called "sou," in summer it was called "miao," in autumn it was called "xian," and in winter it was called "shou."
Of course, Emperor Kangxi's autumn hunt at Mulan Hunting Grounds was not merely for leisure; it was more of an event of significant political and military importance. Firstly, he wanted to maintain the traditional bravery and fighting spirit of the Eight Banners soldiers, hoping they would remain vigilant and prepared for any eventuality. Secondly, this event also served to gather the princes and nobles of various Mongol tribes, thereby further consolidating Manchu-Mongol relations and strengthening control over the three major tribes of Outer Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Western Mongolia.
However, these political considerations were clearly not what Yinzhuo and the others were concerned about; they were currently making wishes around the eldest prince, Yinti.
"Brother, could you help me hunt a fox tomorrow? I want to take the pelt back to my mother so she can use it as a hand warmer in the winter."
"Brother, I also want a fox pelt, but I don't want a red one. If you can hunt a silver fox, that would be the best."
"Big brother, I don't want the pelt, I want a little rabbit to keep as a pet. Can you catch one for me when you go hunting tomorrow?"
"Brother..."
Yinti was so annoyed by the constant calls of "elder brother" that he felt dizzy and his temples were throbbing. So he reached out and pulled over Yinzhi, who was jumping the most enthusiastically, and lifted him up with one hand.
"Stop! All of you shut up! You still remember I'm your eldest brother? Do you think I'm some kind of turtle in a wishing well? Wanting a fox fur is one thing, but you're even being picky about the color. And you, Yinzhuo, do you even know how to raise rabbits?"
Yinzhuo stared in disbelief at Yinti, who had lifted him up with one hand. Only then did he belatedly realize what Yinzhen had once told him: this older brother in front of him was not a good-tempered person; he was a ruthless person who would bully children. Suddenly, he didn't want the rabbit anymore and pulled Yinzhen back several steps before stopping.
"Big...Big brother, I'm sorry, I don't want the little rabbit anymore. Could you please put Third Brother down first?"
Seeing Yinzhuo so frightened he could barely speak, Yinti was now the one who was frightened. He glanced at Yinzhi, who was being held in his hand like a little chick, and quickly put him on the ground. Then, looking at his younger brothers who were too scared to move, he suddenly felt a bit overwhelmed.
"I'm sorry, what happened earlier was wrong of me. I've noted down what you asked for. I'll keep a close eye out for it when we go hunting tomorrow and I'll definitely bring it back for you."
The young men, who had been frightened, no longer cared about what they had asked for. After hurriedly thanking Yinti, they turned around and ran out of Yinti's tent as if something was chasing them.
"Li Yu, is your grandpa really that scary? I just lifted the third brother up, is that all it took to scare them like this? And the sixth brother, when did that kid become so timid? Was he serious about taking those several steps back?"
Regardless of whether Yinti's question would be answered by Li Yu, the few who ran out of Yinti's tent ran all the way to the entrance of Yinzuo's tent before daring to stop. Yinzhi even looked back again and again, making sure that his elder brother hadn't caught up before patting his chest with a relieved expression.
"Thank goodness, thank goodness, my brother didn't chase after me. That was really terrifying. I knew he was incredibly fierce when he practiced Buku, but he was always the one throwing others. When he picked me up today, I really thought I was going to die. Thankfully, it was a close call, but it really scared me to death."
Seeing the Third Prince's relieved expression, as if he had just escaped a disaster, the others fully affirmed his words.
"Yes, Big Brother was really scary just now, and he has a bad temper too. We must be careful not to provoke him in the future..."
Fortunately, although the eldest brother was terrifying, he was also very skilled on the hunting grounds. Knowing that his unintentional actions the day before had frightened his younger brothers, Yinti did not immediately compete with the Crown Prince for the prey when they went hunting the next day. Instead, he led his men to hunt back what his younger brothers wanted.
"Hatu, take these hunted animals to the young princes. Give each of them one silver fox, and these two rabbits to the Fifth Prince and the Sixth Prince."
Yinti handed the game to Hatu, and after watching him ride away, he remounted and, with his guards, headed to his actual hunting ground for the day.
The guys left behind at the camp soon received a gift from the wishing well—no, it was the big brother of the wishing well. After sending Hatu away, Yinzhu handed the dead silver foxes to Dexi and asked him to take some men to deal with them. Then the brothers gathered around the two lively little rabbits and started discussing among themselves.
"Although my older brother is fierce, he is also really amazing. I heard my archery instructor say that silver foxes are very cunning and difficult to hunt. But my older brother not only hunted them, but he also hunted several at once. When will I be as amazing as him?"
Clearly, the Third Prince had forgotten the fear of being dominated by the First Prince last night, and his eyes were shining as he fantasized that one day he could be as powerful as Yinti.
"These little rabbits are so cute, Sixth Brother, would you like some roasted rabbit meat? Should we have someone clean them up and roast them for lunch?"
Yinqi reached out and touched the rabbits huddled together on the ground, as if he could already smell the aroma of roasted rabbits through them.
"Fifth Brother, how could you be so cruel? Rabbits are so cute, how could you eat them? So, is it savory or spicy?"
Yinzhen glanced at the two living devils, silently pulled the two little rabbits on the ground closer to his side, and while the two were arguing about whether to use soy sauce-flavored or spicy flavor, he called over Su Peisheng and asked him to take the two little rabbits away.
Yinzhuo and the others did indeed have roasted rabbit for lunch, but it wasn't the two that the First Prince sent over. After all, those two rabbits were too small; even if they were roasted, they probably wouldn't be enough to fill a few people's teeth.
Emperor Kangxi and his entourage, who had gone out hunting, did not return to the camp until the sun was about to set. Almost everyone had game hanging on their horseback, and it seemed that everyone had had a good harvest. After Kangxi and the others dismounted, the game was quickly unloaded by the guards and then carried and piled up on the open ground next to the camp.
Next, as is customary, rewards were given based on merit. The eldest prince, Yinti, stood out among the Mongol princes and nobles with his superb horsemanship and archery skills, winning the prize for this hunt: a finely crafted bow and arrow.
Regardless of whether the Mongol tribes rigged the competition, Emperor Kangxi, as a father, was very proud of his outstanding son. He praised Yinqi to everyone, making Yinqi blush with embarrassment. The Mongol princes were not oblivious to this, showering him with compliments as if they were free, making Emperor Kangxi feel extremely comfortable.