Previously, Qin Kun would occasionally take some meat from the Slaughter Room to supplement his body. It was fine for him to take a little, and the Steward of the Slaughter Room would turn a blind eye. However, if he took too much, the Steward would definitely not ignore it, making it not a viable method.
“Why not… go to Daze Mountain outside Changqing County? Daze Mountain has deep forests and many birds and beasts. I can hunt in Daze Mountain to satisfy my daily food needs.”
Qin Kun made a decision in his heart.
Daze Mountain, near Changqing County, supported many hunters. Qin Kun occasionally strolled through the market and saw hunters selling their hunted game there.
He could completely go hunting in the mountains, be self-reliant, and fill his stomach.
Of course, it sounded easy, but there were also many difficulties.
Qin Kun was a house slave of the Liu Family and was not allowed to leave Changqing County without permission. If he escaped privately, the Liu Family could report it to the authorities, who would then issue a warrant and arrest him.
Therefore, Qin Kun first needed to apply to the Liu Family and get their consent before he could leave Changqing County.
Besides that, to hunt, it would undoubtedly be very foolish to hunt wild beasts in the wilderness empty-handed. Qin Kun needed a hunting skill and had to make some preparations!
“I’ll talk to Steward Zhang tomorrow… I hope he agrees.”
Qin Kun muttered to himself. If Steward Zhang didn’t agree, he couldn't easily leave Changqing County.
With these thoughts in mind, Qin Kun arrived at the Slaughter Room early the next morning to work.
Steward Zhang also came to patrol the Slaughter Room as usual.
“Uncle Zhang, I have something I want to talk to you about.”
Qin Kun quickly said to Steward Zhang.
Qin Kun alone could do the work of several people in the Slaughter Room. He worked hard without complaint and was modest and honest, never causing trouble. He was very much liked by Steward Zhang, and their relationship was quite good.
Steward Zhang smiled and said, “Just say what you need to.”
“It’s like this… I recently met an old hunter, and he wants me to be his apprentice, to go hunting in the mountains with him. So… during my days off, I’d like to go to Daze Mountain with him to learn some skills.”
Qin Kun said, speaking half-truths, claiming he wanted to apprentice himself to an old hunter and go hunting in Daze Mountain.
As soon as these words came out, Steward Zhang’s brows immediately furrowed, and the smile on his face disappeared.
Qin Kun was a house slave of the Liu Family who had signed a deed of sale. If he suffered an accident outside, it would mean a loss of property for the Liu Family, as the Liu Family had spent ten taels of silver to buy Qin Kun!
“Uncle Zhang… please accept this small gift as a convenience. I will always show my respect to you, Uncle Zhang, in the future.” Seeing Steward Zhang’s expression, Qin Kun immediately took out a money bag from his in my arms and offered it with both hands.
These were the savings Qin Kun had accumulated over the past few years. Some were rewards given by the Liu Family during festivals, while others were remuneration Qin Kun received for helping neighbors Slaughter pigs, sheep, and cattle on ordinary days.
Qin Kun saved diligently and had accumulated about five qian of silver.
Steward Zhang quickly looked around and, seeing that there were only two people in the Slaughter Room, he breathed a sigh of relief and said with a blaming expression, “A Kun, put that money away. Are you trying to get me into trouble? Don’t make things difficult for me!”
“This junior wouldn’t dare.” Qin Kun could only obediently put the money bag away. He also knew that his request indeed put Steward Zhang in a difficult position.
Steward Zhang himself had served in the Liu Manor for many years and, being able to obtain the position of Steward, was an intelligent person. He knew that if he accepted Qin Kun’s money, it would be giving others leverage, and it could lead to big trouble! Therefore, he absolutely dared not accept Qin Kun’s money!
Seeing Qin Kun’s undisguised disappointment, Steward Zhang sighed.
Steward Zhang was very considerate of Qin Kun. Several years ago, Qin Kun sold himself into the Liu Family to bury his deceased parents. He always worked diligently, never slacking off, and Steward Zhang treated him like a junior.
Steward Zhang could also see that Qin Kun was so proactive and hardworking, not just living day by day, which indicated that he was full of hope for the future and was not content to merely be a house slave.
Now, wanting to apprentice himself to a hunter and go hunting in the mountains clearly showed his desire to learn a skill. People with skills could survive better, and even live better than others!
Perhaps, if there was an opportunity, he could even redeem himself in the future! And regain his freedom!
“I can’t control what you do on your days off…”
Qin Kun thought Steward Zhang was afraid of trouble and would not agree to him going out on his days off, but to Qin Kun’s surprise, Steward Zhang actually relented, making Qin Kun both surprised and delighted.
Looking at Qin Kun’s surprised expression, Steward Zhang warned, “But we must be clear, you must come to the Slaughter Room to work on time as before. If an accident occurs even once… then you won’t be able to easily leave Changqing County again.”
“Yes… Thank you, Uncle Zhang!”
Qin Kun repeatedly thanked him.
Steward Zhang secretly sighed. He himself came from a humble background, having been a slave in the Liu Family since childhood. He had pity for Qin Kun, who shared a similar fate, and treated him as a junior, unwilling to completely extinguish his hope. That’s why he chose to take some risks and agreed to Qin Kun’s request.
“Uncle Zhang… After I finish the work in the Slaughter Room, can I leave early? I want to make time to practice martial arts…”
Qin Kun then pressed his request while the iron was hot.
In reality, many servants in the Liu Manor had relatively light work, and in the Slaughter Room, with Qin Kun’s efficiency, he could actually finish a day’s work early. However, he still had to wait until the afternoon, and only after Steward Zhang called out names could he leave, which wasted a lot of his time.
“You little brat, you’re really pushing your luck!” Steward Zhang scolded with a laugh, saying exasperatedly, “Alright, as long as you complete your work on time and in full, just come to me for confirmation.”
“Yes, I will complete my work on time and in full shortly, and I won’t cause you any trouble, Uncle Zhang!”
Qin Kun naturally agreed to this.
At the same time, Qin Kun felt a bit of gratitude towards Steward Zhang. Steward Zhang agreeing to his going out on his days off actually carried no small risk. If something happened to him outside, Steward Zhang would be held responsible!
Within this Liu Manor, there were cruel and heartless people like Sun Changhe and Liu Xin who didn’t care about others, but there were also simple and kind people like Steward Zhang. Qin Kun secretly kept this kindness in his heart.
“Well then… back to work!”
After Steward Zhang agreed to Qin Kun’s request, he left the Slaughter Room, and Qin Kun then composed himself and focused on the work at hand, processing the poultry sent to the Slaughter Room.
“Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!”
Qin Kun’s movements were skilled. With his Perfection in ‘Slaughter’ skill and his extraordinary physical strength, his efficiency was like that of a machine. Slaughtering work that others would need one or two days to complete, he could finish in a single morning!
At noon, Qin Kun confirmed the completed work with Steward Zhang, then went to the ‘Dining Hall’ where the Liu Manor servants ate, had a simple, not-very-oily lunch, and then left the Liu Manor to return home.
“The best hunting method, of course, is archery, but I can’t get a bow and arrow, so I’ll have to settle for the next best thing.”
Qin Kun looked at the stones of various sizes in the wooden basin before him.
These stones varied in size; some were as large as pebbles, while others were only slightly larger than a thumb tip. They were stones that could be found anywhere by the river.
Archery requires a bow and arrow, and a good archer needs at least a few years of practice.
Qin Kun, on the other hand, was preparing to use these stones for hunting. With his physique far surpassing that of an ordinary person, the stones he threw would have considerable destructive power! As long as his aim was accurate enough, killing wild beasts would not be difficult!
In the films and historical novels Qin Kun had read in his previous life, there were also people who used readily available stones as hidden weapons, calling them ‘Flying Locust Stone’!
The advantage was that these stones were ubiquitous and could be carried around, making it impossible for enemies to guard against them!