Falconry has been practiced throughout history, gradually moving from the imperial courts into the common populace since the Qing Dynasty, where the practice of keeping hawks became vastly more popular. It carries a certain residual spirit of martial pursuit and hunting inherent to the northern nomadic peoples—a generational custom of the Manchus and Mongols.

Back then, there were specialized households, the Yinghu, who lived solely by capturing falcons. Every year, they were required to pay taxes and corvée labor to the imperial court, but if they delivered falcons, the value of the birds could offset these dues. Legend has it that capturing the most prized Gyrfalcon (Haidongqing) and presenting it to the court could clear thirty taels of silver in taxes, in addition to receiving a ten-tael reward and twenty bolts of Maoqing cloth.

The Qing Imperial Household Department maintained the Yingyaochu (Falcon and Harrier Office), solely responsible for collecting and training falcons and harriers. These birds were used both for the Emperor’s hunting excursions and to catch pheasants for sacrificial rites or the imperial kitchen. The Yingyaochu also kept hunting dogs, hence its later name, the Yinggouchu (Falcon and Dog Office).

In the films and television shows many of you watch, you often see heroes of the martial world refer to those serving the court as "eagles and dogs" (yingquan). This term originated precisely from this Yinggouchu.

The late Qing period marked the zenith of falconry. It wasn't just about keeping them for pleasure; competitions and hunts were organized, giving rise to all sorts of intricate displays. Members of the elite aristocracy would only keep the finest breeds. They disdained buying prime birds from the bird markets; true enjoyment meant setting up nets in the suburbs themselves to capture young fledglings and hiring experienced handlers to train them.

After the establishment of the Republic of China, the practice of falconry gradually diminished. Following the founding of the People's Republic, it virtually vanished. However, in recent years, signs of a revival have begun to appear. It is a pity, though: those who know how to keep them lack the means, and those with means lack the time. Moreover, there are wealthy individuals interested in the hobby who simply do not know how to begin.

Yet, nobody expected that in this secluded mountain village, someone was actually raising hunting falcons.

"Shall we go take a look?" Unexpectedly, the suggestion came from Murong Guang. His face was alight with expectation, making his intentions perfectly clear.

"Brother-in-law, you want to keep a falcon?" Yu Feibai blinked.

"Yes."

Murong Guang admitted it without hesitation, his expression excited. "I've long wanted to keep a falcon, but after checking the literature, I realized it involves a lot of specific knowledge. I was afraid I couldn't keep it alive, so I never dared try. To think we’ve stumbled upon an expert falconer here—how could I possibly pass this up?"

In his private ideals, a true man should be skilled with bows and horses, galloping across the vast deserts, then giving a casual wave as a fierce raptor immediately descends from the sky to perch gracefully upon his arm...

Yu Feibai offered no commitment regarding Murong Guang’s aspirations but expressed genuine interest: "It wouldn't hurt to go see. I've heard whispers about falconers, but I don't actually know how they practice it. It would be good to witness it firsthand."

Two votes to one. Wang Guan’s opinion was irrelevant anyway, especially since he had no objection to begin with. With the three opinions aligned, they immediately set off toward the village. The saying goes that climbing a mountain can exhaust a horse, and their situation was similar. The village wasn't truly far, but the mountain paths were rugged, or rather, lacked any clear trail, forcing them to weave around.

After ten minutes or so, the three finally arrived at the village nestled in the mountain hollow. They didn't need to ask anyone for directions after that, because a hunting falcon circling overhead happened to descend, guiding them to their destination.

In a moment, the trio reached their goal: a house situated on higher ground. Compared to the towering skyscrapers of the city, its exterior was undoubtedly humble. As they approached the entrance, an old man happened to push the door open and step out...

"Lost?"

Seeing the three men, the old man paused momentarily before his expression eased. He gestured casually and smiled, "Follow this path straight down, cross four more peaks, and you’ll find the way out."

"Elder, we aren't lost."

Murong Guang quickly interjected with a genial smile, "We followed a hunting falcon here."

"Oh?" The old man frowned upon hearing this. "You’re looking to buy a bird?"

"Yes, yes..." Murong Guang nodded repeatedly, confirming his suspicion that he wasn't the only one inquiring about purchasing a raptor; many must have approached the old man before.

Murong Guang had already braced himself for a refusal and was mentally rehearsing ways to move the elder. To his surprise, the old man paused in thought, then gestured, "Come inside and talk."

As he spoke, the old man turned and entered the house. Murong Guang was somewhat surprised, but more so filled with mixed joy, quickly motioning for Wang Guan and Yu Feibai to follow.

Upon entering with the old man, they immediately noticed the house structure resembled a Siheyuan courtyard home, with a relatively spacious central courtyard. However, the most eye-catching feature was a tall, vertical perch erected beside the courtyard.

Currently, a raptor with sharply curved talons and a slightly hooked beak was perched there. Perhaps sensing the intrusion, it emitted an indistinct sound from its throat. Its demeanor, however, was haughty; it stood tall and proud, barely glancing at the newcomers.

Wang Guan and the others certainly didn't mind; instead, they couldn't help but stop and observe. Up close, they realized the falcon's feathers were not the solid black they might have imagined, but rather grayish-brown, marked with some linear and dotted patterns on its wings.

"Don't get too close," the old man warned at the same time. "If it senses the presence of strangers, it might attack."

The three immediately stopped. The falcon’s sharp, powerful claws were no joke; a single strike would surely tear skin and flesh, leaving bloody wounds. If it struck the face, it could cause permanent disfigurement.

Despite the warning, Murong Guang grew fonder of the bird the more he looked. He quickly turned back and asked, "Elder, how long have you had this harrier? Could you perhaps transfer it to me?"

The old man did not answer directly. Instead, he pulled out a long tobacco pipe, rubbed some tobacco flakes into the bowl, lit it with a lighter, and slowly exhaled the smoke.

After blowing out a plume of vapor, the old man beckoned, "Come and sit down. Have a drink of water."

Under the elder’s invitation, the three men walked over and sat on the simple wooden stools. As soon as they were seated, Murong Guang pressed eagerly, "Elder, I am very sincere about wanting to buy this harrier. You can name your price..."

The old man remained noncommittal, puffing smoke as he casually inquired, "Since you know this is a harrier, you must also be aware of its fierce nature. Do you know how to raise one?"

"Yes, yes," Murong Guang replied enthusiastically, "I’ve read the materials..."

"Then you don't know."

The old man had no patience for Murong Guang's talk of research materials. He casually pulled back his sleeve, revealing a crisscrossing pattern of uneven scars that looked somewhat ghastly and terrifying to Wang Guan and the others.

"These are marks left from when I raised my raptors," the old man stated calmly. "Seeing these, do you still dare to keep one?"

"Uh..."

Murong Guang was momentarily stunned, then suddenly laughed, "Elder, you're just trying to scare me. These must be scars left over from when you were hardening the bird, but once the harrier is tamed, this won't happen anymore."

Murong Guang wasn't lying. He genuinely was interested in falconry and had researched it extensively. He knew that birds of prey were naturally fierce and cunning, extremely difficult to train. Scratches were common, but once domesticated, they became docile and would never harm their owner again.

"Since you understand the temperament of the harrier, you should know even better that it only recognizes familiar people. If a different person feeds it, it will become suspicious, refuse to eat, or even revert to its wild nature."

The old man’s gaze intensified. "A few years ago, someone bought a harrier from me. But not long after, the man let the bird die from neglect. Later, when I heard about it, I made inquiries and learned that the man, angered by the bird’s disobedience, simply beat it to death. Since then, whenever someone comes asking for a bird, I refuse."

As he spoke, the old man's weathered face flickered in the smoke, his tone becoming somewhat distant. "Some people say a harrier is just an animal; if it dies, it dies. There's no need to dwell on it. But even an animal has feelings and remembers the person who feeds it. If I were to simply abandon it, wouldn't I be less than an animal?"

For a moment, Wang Guan vaguely understood. The old man had invited them in probably not with the intention of selling a falcon, but to make Murong Guang completely give up the idea so he wouldn't bother him again.

Murong Guang clearly grasped the old man's intent as well, his brow furrowing in disappointment. Having said this much, continuing to press would be unseemly.

Of course, Murong Guang wasn't ready to give up so easily. He made one last effort: "Elder, rest assured, I genuinely love raising falcons. I would never do anything to harm the harrier..."

The old man merely smiled at the declaration and continued puffing his pipe. On a first meeting, no matter how eloquent Murong Guang sounded, the old man was unlikely to believe him. After all, there were plenty of smooth talkers these days. Anyone could paint a rosy picture; the key was execution.

Murong Guang knew perfectly well that mere words meant nothing, and the elder wouldn't be convinced. But he didn't want to let go of this bird, so he looked quite helpless. Logically, at this point, the elder had stopped engaging them, signaling it was time for them to leave. Anyone with a modicum of perception should have taken the hint and quietly departed.

Wang Guan was already preparing for a retreat when Yu Feibai suddenly spoke up, "Elder, we understand your feelings. We won't insist on buying the falcon if you won't sell. But could you perhaps do us a favor?"

"What favor?" The old man sounded curious.

"Elder, we are out hunting."

Yu Feibai grinned now. "But we are novices and don't know how to track game. We can see you are an experienced master. Could you perhaps offer a little guidance, point us in the right direction?"

"Of course, we won't let you labor for nothing. We’ll split whatever game we catch with you half-and-half."

Yu Feibai’s calculation was sound. With the elder as a powerful external asset, hunting should be relatively easy. Besides, he also wanted to see if a hunting falcon’s prowess in the capture was as formidable as rumored.

"You want me to help you hunt?" The old man looked bewildered and quite surprised.

"Something like that," Yu Feibai added with a sly smile. "You don't need to lift a finger, Elder. Just tell us where the game is, and we’ll handle the rest..."