Vol. 2 - Ch. 18 - Tiger Fang

Yuhang County.

South of the city, in a dense forest.

"Thud! Thud! Thud!"

A sharp iron axe struck heavily against a tree trunk.

Da Ming’s tanned hands gripped the axe tightly, his arm muscles bulging as he swung with all his might.

After several powerful swings, fatigue began to set in.

He wedged the axe into the trunk, releasing his grip, and took a few deep breaths.

"Huff..."

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Da Ming’s honest face lit up with joy.

This tree would be fully chopped down today.

Tomorrow, the coffin shop’s boss would send men to collect it. It was a large tree—worth a good sum of money.

If he saved up a bit more, he could finally afford that new eighty-jin axe he had been eyeing.

Still grinning, Da Ming plopped down onto a large stone nearby, grabbed his water pouch from the ground, and took a long drink.

It had been five days since he met that girl.

In those five days, she had often crossed his mind.

But his father was right.

Some people were simply never meant to meet again.

No use clinging to a hopeless crush.

At least now, he could focus on his work without his thoughts running wild.

Draining more than half the water in his pouch, Da Ming stared at the tree trunk, a trace of melancholy crossing his face.

Even though his father’s words made sense, he still thought about that beautiful girl.

At night, he would dream of her smiling at him.

In those dreams, he always wanted to ask for her name.

But just as he opened his mouth, before any sound could escape, the dream would shatter.

And when he woke, only the cold night awaited him.

Perhaps, after some time, when he could no longer recall her face, he would finally be able to move on.

That thought lingered in his mind as he sipped his water, a quiet bitterness settling in his chest.

"Da Ming!"

"Da Ming!"

A voice suddenly called out from the forest path.

Looking up, Da Ming saw a man in rough winter clothing running toward him.

He recognized him—one of Zhang Long’s friends, also a woodcutter.

"Uncle Xu!"

Da Ming stood up from the stone, flashing his usual honest grin.

Uncle Xu jogged up, grabbing Da Ming’s arm excitedly.

"Da Ming, your luck is turning!"

"A noble from Yudai Alley has specifically asked for you to deliver firewood."

"They’re offering a good price!"

"If you don’t have enough firewood, take some from me first."

Uncle Xu, about the same age as Zhang Long, had always been fond of Da Ming.

Da Ming chuckled twice, pointing to the neatly bundled firewood beside the stone. "Thanks, Uncle Xu, but I’ve got enough for today."

Uncle Xu nodded. "Good! Then hurry up, don’t keep the noble waiting."

"Alright!"

With another foolish grin, Da Ming yanked his axe from the tree trunk, secured it at his waist, picked up the bundle of firewood, and followed Uncle Xu back toward town.

---

As they entered Yuhang County and walked along the main street, Uncle Xu gave him a few words of advice.

"Da Ming, remember to be respectful when you meet the noble."

"If they take a liking to you, they might let you supply all the firewood for their household in the future!"

"The silver they drop between their fingers would be enough for you to live well."

"If you save up for four years, you could build yourself a small house."

"When you and Wan’er get married, you can’t still be living in the orphanage, can you?"

Uncle Xu spoke earnestly, meaning well.

Da Ming just smiled and remained silent.

They walked down the long street for a while, approaching Yudai Alley.

Suddenly, a young servant in a dark cap and blue robes stepped out from the side, blocking their path.

He glanced at Uncle Xu before settling his gaze on Da Ming.

"You are Chen Da Ming?"

Uncle Xu, recognizing the servant’s attire as that of a noble household, quickly responded, "Yes! This is Chen Da Ming."

The young servant nodded indifferently. "Come with me."

Da Ming grinned.

Uncle Xu patted him on the shoulder, offering one last piece of advice. "Do your best."

"Go on."

Da Ming nodded, hoisted his firewood, and followed the young servant.

But instead of heading into Yudai Alley, they took a turn, moving toward a lake behind it.

---

By the lake, a small pavilion stood.

From a distance, two figures could be seen inside.

One was dressed in a purple robe, standing to the side.

The other, seated on a stone bench, wore a silk dress embroidered with floral patterns in a soft shade of goose yellow.

Judging by the figure, it was a young girl.

Da Ming followed the servant closer.

With each step, his gaze fell on the girl’s back, a strange sense of familiarity creeping over him.

Soon, they arrived just outside the pavilion.

"Miss, I have brought him."

The young servant bowed respectfully.

The figure on the stone bench turned around.

She was stunning.

Her delicate face was porcelain fair.

Her bright, almond-shaped eyes were clear and round.

Her lips, the color of pale cherry blossoms, were pressed lightly together.

Dressed in that elegantly embroidered silk robe, she exuded the grace of a noble lady.

Da Ming froze.

It was her!

The girl he had met in the woods that day!

Inside the pavilion, the eunuch in the purple robe, Zhang Heng, scrutinized Da Ming with sharp eyes.

"You may leave," the girl said, her tone calm, carrying the effortless authority of nobility.

The young servant bowed and withdrew.

Zhao Jiangzhu shifted her gaze to Da Ming.

Their eyes met.

A strange nervousness welled up in Da Ming’s chest.

He instinctively lowered his head, not daring to meet her gaze.

Something about her felt different from the girl he had met that day.

Her expression remained composed as she spoke.

"Your name is Chen Da Ming?"

Hearing her clear, melodic voice, his palms began to sweat.

"I... I am," he stammered.

Zhao Jiangzhu studied him carefully. "You’re really only twelve years old?"

"Yes..."

Standing outside the pavilion, Da Ming clenched his fists, his voice faltering.

Seeing his flustered state, a glimmer of amusement flickered in Zhao Jiangzhu’s eyes.

Her lips curled slightly, as if she wanted to laugh but held back.

Composing herself, she spoke again.

"You saved me that day."

"I have yet to repay you."

At those words, the eunuch Zhang Heng stepped forward, pulling a thick stack of silver notes from his sleeve.

From the looks of it, no less than five hundred taels.

He handed them to Da Ming.

Staring at the large sum, Da Ming instinctively shook his head.

"N-No... Th-Thank you... but I..."

His voice trembled.

For some reason, looking at that thick stack of silver made his chest ache.

Zhang Heng, not giving him a chance to refuse, grabbed his hand and stuffed the notes into his palm.

Da Ming quickly shoved them back.

Zhang Heng frowned slightly, pressing the money into his hand once more.

Da Ming glanced at him.

His strong arm tensed—

And with a single push, Zhang Heng staggered backward.

"???"

Zhang Heng was utterly dumbfounded.

Da Ming looked him in the eye and muttered in his deep, rustic voice, "I don’t need it."

Watching the scene unfold, Zhao Jiangzhu could no longer hold back—

"Pfft!"

A crisp, melodious laugh escaped her lips, as clear and sweet as the chime of silver bells.

Da Ming and Zhang Heng both turned to look at Zhao Jiangzhu.

Zhao Jiangzhu’s small face froze for a moment. She quickly straightened her expression, pretending nothing had happened.

She cleared her throat lightly and said calmly, “Since you don’t want the silver notes, then you must accept this instead.”

“This is the tooth of that tiger.”

Zhao Jiangzhu stood up and casually took a brocade pouch from her waist.

She stepped out of the pavilion and walked toward Da Ming.

Opening the pouch, Zhao Jiangzhu took out a necklace strung with three tiger fangs.

One of the fangs was large, while the other two were smaller. They had been polished to a smooth, jade-like luster, with intricate carvings etched into their surfaces—clearly the work of a master craftsman.

The string holding the fangs was woven from gold threads mixed with red silk, giving it an extraordinary appearance.

Da Ming wanted to refuse again, but Zhao Jiangzhu placed the necklace back into the brocade pouch and firmly pressed it into his hand.

Her tone carried a hint of displeasure as she pouted slightly and said in a delicate voice, “You saved me, so you’re not allowed to refuse.”

Da Ming, who had been about to decline, froze for a moment upon hearing her words. Then, a simple, honest smile spread across his face.

His cheeks turned slightly red as he scratched his head and nodded with a silly grin.

Taking the brocade pouch, Da Ming suddenly felt something else inside.

Zhao Jiangzhu turned slightly away from Zhang Heng and gave Da Ming a playful wink.

Her bright, round apricot eyes gleamed mischievously.

Da Ming immediately understood. He nodded slightly and grinned. “Thank you.”

“You saved me, so you deserve this,” Zhao Jiangzhu said seriously.

After speaking, she huffed lightly, turned gracefully, and returned to the pavilion, taking a seat on the stone bench.

Eunuch Zhang Heng gave Da Ming a deep look, his gaze lingering on the brocade pouch in his hands.

The Dawu Dynasty honored martial strength.

Every three years, the military held a grand tournament.

Only the bravest and most formidable warrior—one who surpassed all others in strength—would be awarded the "Tiger Fang Necklace".

The necklace now in the hands of this simple-minded young man was crafted to the same standard as those given in the military.

More importantly, the military-issued necklaces contained only a single tiger fang.

But the one in his hands had three.

If anyone from the military saw this, it would undoubtedly cause a massive uproar.

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