He hadn't eaten for days, and had even resorted to eating观音土. Seeing such a large hawk about to be fed to snakes made him feel extremely uneasy.
"Xiao Jiu, you're being too extravagant. If you're not eating it, why not give it to us? It would be good for my daughter-in-law to replenish herself."
Mrs. Wu's eyes were fixed on the hawk, her throat constantly bobbing, as if she were about to pounce and eat raw meat.
"What business is it of yours? This hawk was hunted by my man, and I'll do as I please. Daughter, just do as you said, Mom will chop it up." Cai Lihua couldn't stand Mrs. Wu's words right now.
Heard this, Mrs. Wu quickly waved her hand, "Yes, yes, chop it up. At least leave half for us to eat."
"Mom, we can't chop it, it has to be whole." Ah Jiu calmly took out the de-feathered hawk.
"Why? You're not leaving any of that large piece of meat? You're too wasteful, girl. If you marry into a family, people will gossip about you."
Mrs. Wu's eyes bulged out as she saw Ah Jiu holding the entire hawk.
Ah Jiu ignored her and exchanged a look with her mother, signaling her not to engage. Then, she bent down and entered the bamboo grove, placing the hawk meat on the ground.
There had been a severe drought for three years, and people had starved to death. Naturally, the snakes had also been eating little. Even a slight hint of blood would attract their attention.
However, if it were chopped into small pieces, the snakes would eat it one bite at a time, making it a clear case of feeding the snakes, and there wouldn't be enough time to hunt them.
"Ah Jiu, be careful, come back quickly," Meng Shaode quickly called her back.
Others might not know, but he and Wu Dalei had seen it: the largest snake skin was as big as a bowl.
Ah Jiu had noticed snake skins in the woods when she was cutting bamboo that morning.
"Dad, it's up to you later," Ah Jiu said mysteriously as she withdrew from the bamboo grove and squatted beside her parents.
"Think about it. If there are snakes, and you shoot them with arrows, wouldn't that be another meal of snake meat? If not, wouldn't the hawk meat be saved? No matter how you calculate it, there's no loss."
As soon as she said this, the couple exchanged a glance. Their daughter's reasoning was indeed very clear.
"Makes sense, makes sense." Meng Shaode grinned widely, quickly preparing his bow and arrows. "Who knows, we might have a dragon-phoenix feast tonight."
"Mom, what's a dragon-phoenix feast?" Ah Jiu asked, confused.
"Dragon-phoenix feast is a famous dish made by simmering a rooster or hawk with snake, adding astragalus, goji berries, red dates, and lotus seeds. It can replenish blood and qi. Men who eat it will gain virility." Cai Lihua showed off her culinary skills, which she hadn't had a chance to display.
"Virility?" Ah Jiu looked blank.
"Oh, no, you're too young to understand," Cai Lihua quickly corrected herself.
"Oh my heavens."
Mrs. Wu, on the clothesline, suddenly exclaimed in surprise, pointing at the bamboo grove, unable to speak.
Ah Jiu got up to look, and sure enough, a red snake with black rings, a scarlet snake, wriggled its way out.
Several grass snakes also emerged from the cave, the largest as thick as Ah Jiu's own arm.
Her scalp tingled. While her idea was good, it didn't mean she wasn't afraid of snakes.
"Brother Meng, quickly, that big one," Wu Dalei retreated a few steps, standing beside Meng Shaode and pointing.
Meng Shaode narrowed his eyes and shot.
The solid bamboo arrow hit the grass snake's abdomen, pinning it to the ground, its body twisting and writhing.
"My goodness, Brother Meng, look, that's a young king cobra."
Wu Dalei's face changed.
Fortunately, all the snakes were heading for the meat. If they had gone for the people, they would have had to run.
"Shaode, kill it," Cai Lihua was not afraid at all and even moved a few steps forward.
Ah Jiu, however, was so scared that she retreated.
It was a king cobra.
With a whoosh, Meng Shaode's arrow directly hit the snake's head as it flared its hood.
To their horror, the snake's head reacted swiftly and dodged. The king cobra instantly sensed danger, and venom bubbled from its fangs.
Its upper body rose vertically, looking in the direction of the threat.
Meng Shaode's face turned pale. "Damn it, this snake reacts too fast."