Chapter 127: Distribution

Chapter 127: Chapter 127: Distribution

Xu Panqing, Ling Qianfan, and Ling Yunge saw Ling Qianjun carrying a wild boar down the mountain. They quickly got up and rushed toward him.

Jogging along, Ling Qianfan shouted, "Qianjun, Qianjun, let me help you!"

Unable to contain her excitement, Ling Yunge dashed forward, her small face flushed. "A wild boar! Qianjun hunted a wild boar! We’re going to eat meat tonight!"

Seeing the two children stumbling as they ran, Xu Panqing could not help but call out from behind, "Slow down, both of you. Be careful not to fall." However, anyone hearing the tone of her voice would know how overjoyed she was.

By this time, the others had also snapped out of their daze and hurried forward, offering to help. They were sharp enough to realize that the wild boar was massive. The Ling family only had four people, and given the sweltering heat, the meat would spoil if kept for even a day. Therefore, it was highly likely that the meat would be distributed. Whoever lent a hand now might get a share. The cleverest ones immediately rushed to the front, while the slower-witted soon caught on and swarmed forward.

Seeing so many people swarming him to offer help, Ling Qianjun knew exactly what they were scheming. He did not resist, simply letting them take the boar. But chaos erupted in an instant. Ling Qianjun had been carrying the beast all by himself. Everyone knew he was incredibly strong, but they had also vastly overestimated their own strength. The few men surrounding him took the boar from his shoulders, but the moment he let go and stepped away, their faces paled. The sheer weight of the animal sent them crashing to the ground.

The onlookers could not help but burst into laughter at the sight. It wasn’t until the government officers rushed over, cursing and urging the rest to step up and lift the boar, that the crowd hastily pitched in. In the end, it took the combined effort of more than ten grown men to carry it. This stark contrast only deepened everyone’s fear of Ling Qianjun. Even the government officers cast profound glances at him.

This group of exiled prisoners consisted mostly of scholars or merchants who had never done manual labor in their lives. Normally, even lifting a sack of rice would be a struggle for them. On top of that, ever since the exile began, none of them had eaten a full meal. They were barely hanging on by a thread with the daily rations of hard cornbread, leaving them with no strength to carry heavy loads. Under these combined effects, they were far weaker than Ling Qianjun.

Ling Qianjun remained silent the entire time, watching as they hauled the boar away. Xu Panqing and Ling Yunge stayed by his side, checking him over for any injuries. Ling Qianfan, meanwhile, curiously sidled up to the group of men to get a closer look at the boar. This was the beast Qianjun had taken down, and he was immensely proud of him.

Once the boar was set down, everyone’s eyes fell on Ling Qianjun.

"Save half a rack of ribs for me. As for the rest, I’ll trouble Luo to distribute it," Ling Qianjun said. He showed Luo a great deal of respect, cupping his hands in salute as he spoke.

Luo had not expected such deference. He suddenly found Ling Qianjun much more agreeable, and the wariness he felt earlier gradually dissipated. "No trouble at all. It’s a small matter." Smiling, Luo waved his hand, accepting the task.

Ling Qianjun had chosen the ribs because he had seen people roasting them in the videos Hua Buwan downloaded for him. He had also browsed the seasoning section of the grocery store and noticed special spice packets meant specifically for roasted ribs. Hua Buwan had told him that he just needed to sprinkle it on the ribs without adding anything else.

He had observed earlier that this boar was quite fat, and the meat-to-fat ratio on the ribs was just right. Furthermore, once the whole rack was roasted, they could each hold a rib and gnaw on it. Lately, his family had been eating well, so there was no need to overindulge in fatty meat to replenish themselves. As for the rest of the people, he could not be bothered to care. Having gone without fatty meat for so long, eating too much at once would likely give them diarrhea.