Gu Qingcheng instructed him to organize a hunting team dedicated to hunting. The harvested prey would increase the villagers' nutrition and simultaneously eliminate hidden dangers from fierce beasts in the surrounding areas.
Yan Xin mentioned that the southern mountains harbored wild boars, pythons, and even wolves, and that tigers might be found deep within.
The tigers in the south would likely be South China tigers.
Tigers were large and ferocious. If they attacked humans, their bite would be incredibly precise.
In the past few days, they hadn't encountered any fierce beasts while venturing into the mountains. Perhaps it was due to their large numbers and imposing presence that wild animals had given them a wide berth. Gu Qingcheng had, for a time, let her guard down.
Now, upon hearing Yan Xin's description, she immediately felt the urgent need to establish a hunting team.
Assigning roles based on needs and leveraging each person's strengths…
Unconsciously, Gu Qingcheng found herself applying the development plans her parents had used for her to the villagers, and it felt remarkably smooth.
From her own growth experience, she believed the best profession in the world was doing what one loved.
For instance, one couldn't expect a carpenter to work as a blacksmith, could they? Wouldn't someone skilled in hunting suffer if forced to farm?
In addition to registering all the villagers of Fenghuang Village, Gu Qingcheng also had Huang Wenming compile a dossier of villagers with specialized skills.
This way, the demographic structure of the entire Fenghuang Village became clear and readily apparent, leaving the administrators fully prepared.
Yan Xin's appearance made Gu Qingcheng suddenly realize that the establishment of the hunting team was a matter of utmost urgency.
Fenghuang Village currently possessed no martial strength whatsoever. Not only could they not protect themselves from bandits, but they would also be helpless against an attack from fierce beasts.
At the nascent stage of a nation, the most crucial element was possessing its own armed forces. A small village, isolated and without external support, absolutely required the means of self-preservation.
Gu Qingcheng worked through the night drafting the plan for establishing the hunting team.
An armed force, to guarantee combat effectiveness, required robust logistical support, income for its combatants, and advanced weaponry and equipment…
Therefore, it wasn't a matter of simply gathering a group of people.
Gu Qingcheng also intended to transform this hunting team into a village guard force, responsible for hunting during peacetime and ready to arm themselves immediately to protect the village in times of conflict.
Mi Guo, confused, asked, "Sister, we have food and drink now. Why the rush to establish a hunting team? What if a villager gets injured while hunting? Won't they blame you?"
Gu Qingcheng replied, "You are correct. We have food and drink, and our village currently lacks only houses and cultivated land. However, all of this is merely an illusion of peace.
Previously, fierce beasts hadn't bothered us. But what if a tiger or several wolves were to enter the village? Can you imagine that situation?
If everyone lacked the ability to cope, how much panic would ensue? It might lead to more deaths and shatter everyone's confidence in continuing to live here."
"I see now. Sister, you think of everything so thoroughly!"
Mi Guo suddenly understood.
He had only been thinking of "contentment with a modest life," not considering the further implications as his sister did.
"You'll learn gradually. In the future, you'll be a key pillar of the village; you'll have to hold it up."
Gu Qingcheng didn't want to be constantly busy. She just wanted to relax.
But under the current circumstances, if she relaxed, she would perish. Thus, she could only "sit up in shock from a near-death illness"…
Mi Guo quickly volunteered, saying, "Sister, I want to join the hunting team for some training. I think it suits me."
Gu Qingcheng did not object. Although hunting was quite dangerous, in these chaotic times, what day was free from danger?
Their current stay in Fenghuang Village was, for them, only a temporary period of peace.
Gu Qingcheng considered that if floods were to strike, as the water levels continuously rose, Fenghuang Village, by then having developed into a considerable settlement, might become a target for various factions to plunder.
Therefore, Fenghuang Village absolutely needed to possess a powerful armed force.
The training of the hunting team would be the embryo of this armed force.
Mi Guo, who would later be entrusted with significant responsibilities, was doing well by actively participating in the hunting team.
For a period, Huang Wenming had become Gu Qingcheng's "personal secretary," accompanying her wherever she went.
Due to his scholarly talents, Huang Wenming's status in Fenghuang Village soared.
Gu Qingcheng treated him with great respect. Not only did she immediately arrange a ready-to-move-in wooden house for him and provide ample writing materials, but she also appointed him as the head of the village academy.
Of course, at this stage, the head was a commander without troops. The academy had only him as a teacher, and he had to undertake teaching duties. If more teachers joined in the future, he would then truly be the person in charge.
According to the treatment for the head of the academy, Mi Guo personally delivered 20 jin of rice, 10 jin of cured meat, one jin of salt, and a barrel of oil weighing approximately three jin to Huang Wenming's home.
According to Gu Qingcheng's words, Huang Wenming was the sole intellectual in the village and must be treated with great consideration.
Furthermore, Huang Wenming currently received a monthly salary of three taels of silver.
After this series of appeasement measures, Huang Wenming's loyalty score towards Gu Qingcheng reached the passing mark of 79 points.
Courtesy towards the learned was merely a means to win over Huang Wenming. To establish true loyalty, one needed ideological exchange, fostering trust, admiration, or respect.
No two strangers, after a short acquaintance and without in-depth interaction, would develop loyalty for no reason. Huang Wenming's current loyalty score was already quite good, and Gu Qingcheng was not in a hurry.
Gu Qingcheng involved Huang Wenming more in the handling of village affairs.
As seen in this instance, Huang Wenming played a crucial role in compiling the villager and talent archives.
However, what astonished Huang Wenming the most were the writing materials Gu Qingcheng provided him. These were all superior products. He had never seen such fine paper, which was smooth for writing and absorbent of ink, possessing all the qualities a writing paper should have—truly of the highest caliber.
He was unaware that such paper, in the stationery store of the Mountain Cat Supermarket, could be purchased by Gu Qingcheng in large packs for 100 yuan, enough for him to write to his heart's content.
After establishing the talent archive for artisans, Gu Qingcheng selected 20 of the physically strongest young men from the various teams and incorporated them into the hunting team.
Since these individuals lacked hunting experience, Yan Xin, with his hunting expertise, logically became the team leader of the hunting team, while Mi Guo served as his auxiliary deputy leader.
Gu Qingcheng also had Huang Wenming register these members one by one and convened the hunting team for an important meeting.
Huang Wenming read out the team rules drafted by Gu Qingcheng, one by one, and provided explanations.
The hunting team was an officially sanctioned unit of the village, receiving a monthly salary of two taels of silver, with potential increases based on years of service and actual circumstances.
The hunting team was loyal to Gu Qingcheng and Fenghuang Village and must obey orders at all times. When necessary, they must be prepared to fight against invading enemies.
The public would provide meals for lunch and dinner.
During peacetime, the hunting team would train, and in normal times, they would go hunting. All captured prey would be turned over to the public treasury.