Chapter 31: White Fox Causes Death

“Ah, Uncle Zhu! Please come inside! Ah Hong, boil some water, make some dandelion tea for Uncle Zhu.”

The young man Du Yi warmly entertained the old temple keeper. Du Yi remembered seeing the old temple keeper when he was five, and at that time the old temple keeper even brought him candy to eat!

Du Yi ushered the visitors into the house. Immediately the stunning beauty Ah Hong brought several empty bowls, put some dried dandelion in them, and brewed them with hot water.

Du Yi then smiled and said, “Uncle Zhu, you must be thirsty, drink some dandelion water. There is no tea in the mountains, so drink this instead. It can clear heat and detoxify, and is very good for the body, but those with a cold constitution should drink with caution.”

“Ha ha ha… as expected of Old Du’s son, well versed in pharmacology. By the way, you’ve been talking for a while, but where is your father?” The old temple keeper took a sip of dandelion water and asked about the old man.

Du Yi’s expression suddenly turned ugly, and after a long moment he said, “He’s dead!”

The old temple keeper said, “What?”

The old temple keeper was greatly astonished. Old Du was two years younger than him and knowledgeable about herbs and health maintenance. How could he be dead?

“How did he die?” The old temple keeper pressed for an answer.

Du Yi ground his teeth and said, “Killed by a fox!”

After saying this, Du Yi walked out with a sullen face and said, “Uncle Zhu, please sit for a moment. I’ll take the animal I just caught, remove its tendons and skin it, and stew the meat for everyone.”

After saying that, Du Yi went out with his head down. The beauty Ah Hong called out, “My husband, that fox is still a living creature, don’t—”

Howl!

Before Ah Hong finished speaking, Du Yi was already outside skillfully slaughtering the fox, removing tendons and skinning it with practiced ease. It was clearly not his first time doing this.

Ah Hong stood at the doorway and, seeing the fox being skinned, could not bear it and turned her head aside. Du Yi did not look back and said, “Ah Hong, go back inside. You are too kind, don’t watch.”

Ah Hong sighed, covered her face, and went to the backyard to avoid the bloody scene. Li Chaosheng kept watching Ah Hong and Du Yi, feeling somewhat strange. Ah Hong had seemed to shed tears a moment ago. Although she turned away, Li Chaosheng still saw tears at the corner of her eyes for an instant.

“This woman is too kindhearted, crying over killing a fox?” Li Chaosheng murmured.

But Li Chaosheng did not dwell on it. After all, he had encountered such people in his previous life. An animal lover? He could understand.

The old temple keeper frowned throughout, as if he could not accept the news of Old Du’s death.

Half an hour later, steaming dishes were ready in the small courtyard atop the mountain. The main dish was stewed fox meat. Side dishes included stewed chicken and several tasty greens. Du Yi also brought out his homemade yellow wine and poured for everyone.

Although not lavish, the meal tasted very good. The stewed fox meat had Chinese herbs added to remove the gamey smell, making it quite palatable. The chicken was also delicious, with some wild mushrooms the family had picked added to enhance the flavor. The homegrown greens were tasty, and the yellow wine was good. It was made from pure grain with no blending.

Everyone ate. Li Chaosheng and Zhou Bo ate heartily. The other three restrained themselves, though nearly all took a few bites of fox meat. Only Ah Hong did not eat the fox meat, she ate the chicken instead. Li Chaosheng sipped his wine and said nothing.

The old temple keeper drained the cup of yellow wine, looked up at Du Yi, and said, “Tell me how your father died. Can you give Uncle Zhu the details?”

At that question everyone’s chopsticks paused. Du Yi clenched his fist and said, “A fox, a fox bit him to death!”

Du Yi shouted, “A fox bit him to death!”

The old temple keeper frowned at this. For a fox to bite someone to death it would at least have to be spiritually powerful. And a fox would not kill someone without reason.

“Tell me the details. I want to avenge my brother!” the old temple keeper said.

Du Yi replied, “That fox I’ve already killed. No need for that, Uncle Zhu.”

“You killed it? What exactly happened? Do not hide it from me, tell me the specifics,” the old temple keeper urged.

Du Yi raised his head, took a sip of wine, then exhaled and said, “Alright, I will tell you.”

“That was ten years ago. I was eleven. I had been learning herbal medicine from my father for a while and could already distinguish valuable herbs.”

“That day I was passing the cliff on the west mountain and saw a large lingzhi mushroom growing on the cliff face. My father had been overworked and his health was poor, so I wanted to pick that lingzhi to nourish him. The mushroom’s position was not too tricky, and trusting my nimble body I went down the cliff without protective gear to collect it.”

“But unexpectedly, when I had climbed halfway, a strong gust rushed by my side. With my peripheral vision I saw a black shape the size of a wolf, its mouth wide, leap down from the cliff and pounce on me.”

“It knocked me off the cliff in an instant. I thought I was done for and surely dead. Luckily there were some small trees below and I landed on them, saving my life. But the violent impact made my head spin and I was about to lose consciousness. I knew fainting was dangerous and could mean death, but my body was beyond control and I passed out.”

“I don’t know how long passed, but I was suddenly awakened by rustling sounds. I forced my eyes open a slit and saw a white fox the size of a wolf standing before me, baring its teeth and staring at me with a vicious look. A rancid smell hit my nose. I knew then it was over, I was about to be fed to the fox.”

“But at that moment I suddenly heard hurried footsteps from the distant woods, and then my father’s hoarse cry. Although my father could not speak, I could hear the urgency in his voice. The big fox heard my father’s call, gave me a resentful look, and then turned and ran.”

“Then I saw my father running over holding a stick. I could no longer hold on and passed out again. Before I fainted I heard my father’s anxious calls. Though he could not speak, he managed to convey his feelings.”

“When I woke again it was three days later. My arms, legs, and cervical vertebrae were all broken, and my organs were displaced. I do not know by what means my father revived me. Later I lay in bed for over a year before regaining mobility.”

“But after that I could always see that big white fox near my home. It always looked at me with a vicious gaze, as if it could not accept that I had escaped death, waiting for the next chance to strike. I knew the fox and I had become mortal enemies, and unless one of us died, it would not end.”

“From then on I slept with a firewood chopper by my pillow every night, and during the day I kept watch in the yard with that knife. Perhaps my resolve scared the big white fox. Although it prowled at my gate, it never entered the yard. It always stayed far away, staring at me with malice.”

“Then, after about six years, I went down the mountain again to replenish some pots, bowls, and salt for the house. I went to the county to get those things, and when I returned I found my father lying at the door, covered in blood…”

At this point Du Yi could not help but cry, as if that scene were unfolding before him.

“I was terrified. I rushed over and found the big white fox standing behind my father, looking at me with a ferocious gaze. I was furious. I grabbed the knife from my bed and charged to fight that fox. But the beast saw me come and turned to run. I wanted to chase it, but my father’s breathing was shallow and fading fast. He was clearly dying!”