Chapter 17: Hunting Tigers on Bullhead Mountain (Part 1)

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Jiang Yi fired ten bolts from his crossbow in quick succession, each striking near the bullseye. For a trained soldier, hitting the bullseye from sixty paces was barely passing. Chang Yushan once asked Jiang Yi if he had ever used a crossbow before. Excluding his previous identity from another world, Jiang Yi had never handled one. Chang Yushan believed Jiang Yi had a natural talent for archery; with military training, he could definitely become an expert marksman.

Unfortunately, Jiang Yi was an exile, and due to his special status, he was barred from holding office or joining the army locally. Chang Yushan invited the couple to stay for dinner, planning to take Jiang Yi, Chang Youliang, and a few comrades on a tiger hunt the next day. It would not only build the young men’s courage but also bring fame and fortune if they succeeded in killing a tiger.

Early the next morning, Chang Yushan arrived at Jiang Yi’s doorstep. “Good morning, come have some breakfast. Xiaorong’s cooking is delicious.” Shen Rong had prepared breakfast, and indeed, it was very tasty. Chang Yushan noticed the couple preparing to eat and said, “We brought some rations for the mountain. Why are you two eating so early?” Common folk in Daliang usually ate twice a day—breakfast at dawn and dinner at dusk. Jiang Yi, accustomed to three meals a day after his arrival from another world, was having buckwheat, millet porridge, and braised fish.

“Eat first. We’ll wait a bit,” Chang Yushan said, waiting outside the fence. There was no rush to ascend the mountain. Jiang Yi took several buckwheat cakes and filled a copper kettle with hot water, the kettle wrapped in wild boar hide. “If you get bored, go visit Aunt Li.” The two women at home made clothes and chatted, so there was no lack of company.

“Yes, husband is going to hunt tigers on the mountain. Take this fried fish with you,” Shen Rong said, packing food and weapons into a backpack for Jiang Yi. Jiang Yi shouldered the pack and said, “Uncle Chang, let’s set off.” They were eager to rid Funiu Village’s surroundings of tigers so that the villagers could live and work in peace. If they could kill the tiger before other hunters, they could claim the official bounty.

Chang Yushan handed Jiang Yi a crossbow with ten bolts, instructing him to use it if they encountered a tiger. “These are my comrades: Zhao Dou, Zuo Xuan, Chen Sheng, Li Bo, and Liu Kang. They are on leave at the same time as me.” The group had only four days off and planned to hunt the tigers threatening Funiu Village during this period. Eight men carried three crossbows, five bows, and each had a knife. The crossbows were borrowed from the Hanyang Defense Battalion, who showed some courtesy to Chang Yushan.

After an hour’s walk, they reached the foot of Niutou Mountain.

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“When we meet the tiger on Niutou Mountain, don’t panic. There are so many of us; dealing with a tiger will be easy.” Except for Jiang Yi and Chang Youliang, who were civilians, the others were rigorously trained soldiers. They would not fear even a fierce and powerful Liao soldier, let alone a tiger.

As Jiang Yi’s group ascended, they coincidentally met Cui Peng and others, who had arrived the day before but found no tiger. “You’re here hunting tigers too? Just a few of you—it’s dangerous,” Cui Peng said, seeing only eight men. He was sure they couldn’t handle a tiger and expected them to scatter in fear, with at least one falling victim.

Jiang Yi looked at Cui Peng disdainfully. “You came to Niutou Mountain yesterday and had no luck.” Cui Peng had excluded Jiang Yu and Chang Youliang from joining and spoke arrogantly. “We’ll hunt separately. Whoever kills a tiger keeps the reward,” Chang Youliang added, unwilling to share the bounty if the others joined.

“Good luck. If you can’t handle the tiger, let us know and you can leave,” Cui Peng sneered, confident his group of hunters would step in. Chang Yushan urged Jiang Yi’s party, “Let’s go, don’t waste time.” They parted ways to avoid interference. Jiang Yi’s group headed west, spotting fresh tiger tracks.

“Look, these are almost certainly tiger footprints,” Jiang Yi said, pointing to the ground. He carefully examined them, noting they were recent. “Our luck’s decent. The tiger passed here not long ago. If we follow the prints, we might find it.” “We need to kill the tiger first, so those hunters don’t steal our prize,” Chang Youliang said, annoyed by Cui Peng’s arrogance. They acted as if being professional hunters made it easy to kill fierce beasts.

Jiang Yi had predicted Cui Peng’s group wouldn’t find a tiger so quickly. “We’ll only search around Niutou Mountain’s outskirts. Don’t go deep into the mountains, where tigers are abundant,” Chang Yushan instructed. Their mission was to eliminate tigers threatening the outskirts and Funiu Village. As long as the tigers stayed deep in the mountains, villagers and beasts could coexist peacefully.

“Uncle Chang, if we kill all the tigers deep in the mountains, won’t everyone be safe to gather and hunt?” Jiang Yi asked cautiously. “As long as most tigers don’t threaten villagers, there’s no need to exterminate them. Tigers exist for a reason,” Chang Yushan replied vaguely, recalling what elders had said.

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In recent years, tiger attacks had been rare. “The tigers appearing near Niutou Mountain’s outskirts and Funiu Village must have been driven out by others in the mountains,” Jiang Yi reasoned.

They continued cautiously, alert to their surroundings, until they reached a forested area with deep tiger footprints in the snow. Suddenly, a tiger’s roar pierced the air, powerful and penetrating. The tiger was charging to drive off or kill intruders.

“Quick, climb the trees. It’s safer to shoot the tiger from above,” Jiang Yi urged, climbing swiftly. The others followed. Luckily, they encountered the tiger in the woods. Though tigers can climb, it can only attack one person at a time. Meanwhile, the others could attack simultaneously, killing it quickly.

Seeing them climb, the tiger retreated a short distance, lying in the snow and watching, waiting for them to come down. “This tiger’s smart. It sees our bows and crossbows and knows we’re close enough to strike if it climbs. It won’t attack recklessly.”

Such a standoff worked against Jiang Yi’s group. If night fell, the cold would be unbearable, though the tiger, well-fed, had patience. “I’ll go down first to lure the tiger over. Get ready to shoot it,” Chang Youliang said, descending with Jiang Yi. They couldn’t let him face the tiger alone. Chang Yushan and the others also climbed down, making the hunt easier with so many.

Jiang Yi’s suggestion to climb trees was sound, but this clever tiger rendered it ineffective. He placed the backpack under the tree, holding the crossbow in one hand and a knife in the other. He knew the tiger’s explosive power was terrifying. If it came closer, he would shoot it with the crossbow.

“Be careful. The tiger’s pounce is fast. Don’t let its forelimbs hit you,” Jiang Yi warned Chang Youliang. Even if the blow didn’t kill, it could break bones.

They gauged the crossbow’s effective range to minimize the tiger’s chance to retaliate.