Hunter Xu didn't end up taking everyone at once. Instead, he planned to split them into two teams. One team would go out to gain experience while the other was responsible for patrol and guard duty.
Qin Sang naturally wanted to join the group searching for fruit. Eldest Girl and Si Jin were very interested, so Qin Sang brought them along. Da Huang wagged his tail and followed. Turning her head, she saw Eldest Brother's Wife's younger sisters had also tagged along. Qin Sang instructed them:
"First, use a stick to beat the grass before you walk through. This is called 'beating the grass to startle the snakes'."
Everyone did as Qin Sang said. Instantly, the hillside echoed with rhythmic thumping sounds. If a snake really appeared, everyone would probably not be scared but would instead whack it with a stick, killing it just right to eat roasted snake.
"Mother, will the locusts eat the fruit too?"
Si Jin was somewhat worried because when she looked up, all she could see was a bare canopy with nothing at all.
Qin Sang comforted her:
"Then let's see if any have fallen on the ground. I've found delicious apples and oranges in the mountains before."
Qin Sang knew in her heart that even if there were any, they would surely be sun-dried and shriveled by now.
"Si Jin, keep an eye on Eldest Girl. I'm going over there to relieve myself."
Si Jin took Eldest Girl's hand:
"I will. Don't worry, Mother."
Qin Sang ran toward the large rock higher up the slope. Da Huang followed her, and she couldn't shoo him away.
When she saw that everyone's attention was on their feet and no one was watching her, Qin Sang exchanged for fifty catties of oranges from the Mall, scattering quite a few around and even rolling some down the opposite hillside.
Considering the hunting team was nearby, Qin Sang also bought a fat pig from the Mall. She slapped it on the rump, and the pig scampered off towards the hunting team's direction.
Da Huang's dog eyes widened. Coming to his senses, he tried to chase the big white pig, but Qin Sang grabbed him by the tail and yanked him back:
"Don't you go scaring the pig now."
After calming Da Huang, Qin Sang watched the direction where the pig had disappeared into the woods and murmured:
"Please, you'd better manage to catch it. That's over two thousand mall coins."
Not long after, Qin Sang heard commotion from the hunting team's direction:
"Wild beast, run!"
"A wild boar! It's a wild boar!"
"A white wild boar. First time seeing one."
"It has no tusks! Quick, hack at it! Kill it!"
"We hit it! We hit it! We got a wild boar!"
Qin Sang smiled to herself. This big white pig was a breed introduced from abroad only after the reform and opening-up era. Of course, these ancients had never seen one before.
The women's fruit-gathering team on this side also heard the commotion. Only when they heard a wild boar had been caught did everyone collectively relax:
"Does that mean we get to eat meat today?"
"Look, what's that?"
"Fruit! There really is!"
The gathering team on this side also discovered the oranges Qin Sang had thrown.
For a moment, the hillside was filled with joyful shouts of discovery.
"Grandma, eat an orange." Eldest Girl and Si Jin also found oranges. Eldest Girl, holding a large orange, walked over to Qin Sang and offered it to her.
Qin Sang didn't stand on ceremony. She had paid for them, of course she was going to eat.
The orange peeled easily, and its refreshing, fragrant scent was invigorating.
Peeling a large orange, Qin Sang gave two segments to Eldest Girl, two to Si Jin, ate two herself, and half remained:
"Keep these for your father and Mother to eat."
Eldest Girl smiled sweetly, took it, covered the remaining half with the peel, and placed it into the small cloth bag Qin Sang had sewn for her.
"Auntie, let's keep looking. We need to find lots of oranges."
Qin Sang also pretended to search, of course. She had already stuffed many into her own bundle and into the bundles of the four Xia family children.
After about half a shichen, everyone had their own harvest; even the least fortunate had found two large oranges.
When that big white pig was carried back on poles by everyone, they were all stunned:
"This... such a huge wild boar? You guys caught it?"
"This... this must be four or five hundred catties, no?"
"Good heavens, this... why is this wild boar so white? Whiter than my wife."
For a moment, everyone burst into laughter:
"Then why don't you marry this pig as your wife."
"Go away, Old Sixth Tian."
"Such a big pig, how should we divide it?"
Da Zhuang and San Gui from Qin Sang's family had both gone with the hunting party, so their family would get a share regardless. Therefore, Qin Sang wasn't anxious and wanted to see what the villagers' opinions were.
Ordinary interactions didn't reveal much, but one feared matters touching on vital interests.
The Village Chief hadn't arrived yet when someone spoke up:
"Should be divided equally among all households, such a big pig."
"How can that work? Your household didn't send anyone to the hunting team. What right do you have to an equal share? That's not fair. My eldest son was nearly gored by the pig earlier. I don't agree with equal division."
"Of course it can't be equal. I say, it should be divided by headcount. Otherwise, look, the Village Chief's House has over ten people, Old Man Qiao's house only has two. If not divided by headcount, the Village Chief's House would lose out big time."
"Hey, Old Sixth Tian, your family isn't small either. Why not use your own family as an example instead of dragging in the Village Chief? Your family didn't send anyone either, huh? What, you want a bigger share?"
For a while, opinions varied, and arguments continued without resolution. The Village Chief was also summoned.
The old Village Chief leaned on his cane, stroked his beard, glanced at the big white pig, but didn't speak. Instead, he walked over to Qin Sang:
"Da Zhuang's Mother, what are your thoughts on how this pig should be handled?"
Qin Sang had been listening nearby for a while and had a rough idea. These villagers who followed into the mountains didn't have evil intentions, but each had their own little schemes. Qin Sang could understand:
"Times are different now. Once we entered the mountains, we became one large collective."
"The hunting team isn't just people from our village. Heizi has three or four people, and the Zhao family's eldest and second sons also participated. Why not invite them over to discuss how to divide it?"
Soon, they were called over. Heizi and his group had no special demands; having a share for them was enough, quantity didn't matter. As long as they could stay with the group, everything was fine.
The Zhao family felt the same, passing the responsibility back to the Village Chief and Qin Sang.
Actually, it was passed back to Qin Sang. In everyone's hearts now, who else should they listen to but her, the one who let them drink water and eat thick porridge in such a famine year, and who helped them avoid being slaughtered by Rebel Soldiers?
Qin Sang was the decision-maker for this large group.
The Village Chief also turned his gaze to Qin Sang.
Qin Sang declared clearly:
"So, what you all mean is, if I decide how to divide it, no one will object, right? If you have objections, state them now. Don't let me talk my mouth dry only for you to disagree later."
As her words fell, others laughed:
"Da Zhuang's Mother, divide it however you like. Even if it's not equal, it's fine."
"Right, what you say must be correct. We'll absolutely listen."
"Da Zhuang's Mother, just tell us."
Receiving everyone's gazes and trust, Qin Sang hesitated no longer and spoke:
"This pig was hunted by the hunting team. The team members took risks and worked hard; they definitely shouldn't suffer a loss."
Everyone nodded. Qin Sang continued:
"Although Heizi and Carpenter Zhao are from other villages, now we're all grasshoppers tied to the same rope. Let's not distinguish between 'us' and 'them' anymore. Count them as part of Tianjia Village."
This statement gained quite a bit of agreement:
"Alright. Carpenter Zhao is a good man. He just reinforced my family's Wheelbarrow."
"Heizi and his group also contributed a lot. My Mother even rode in their ox-cart for a while."
"Might as well have them join Tianjia Village from now on. The village is short a few households anyway; they could fill the numbers."