Era: Started from raising livestock in the mountains

After his parents left, Lin Heng looked at Xiulan again. It was this woman who stood by him even though his parents objected.

Just like when her parents disagreed with her marrying far away, she still resolutely followed him to Fengshu Village.

"What are you looking at? Is there something on my face?" Xiulan blinked at him with a smile on her lips.

Lin Heng smiled and shook his head: "No, I just feel that I have a beautiful and virtuous wife."

"I am so proud of you to praise me like this. In the future, I will not cook or take care of the children, and will just eat at home." Xiulan joked.

"No problem, I will not let you do anything in the future, it will be fun." Lin Heng smiled, but this was what he really thought.

"Okay, okay, you look after my daughter, I will go to make lunch." Xiulan smiled and stood up with the picked vegetables.

"Let's have something good for lunch today, corn flour and cold fish." Xiulan turned around and said after walking halfway.

"That's great. I haven't eaten this for a long time. I'll help you." Lin Heng carried his daughter into the kitchen.

Xiulan first boiled two wild vegetables, shepherd's purse and gray-gray vegetable, and mixed them cold as a whistle, and then boiled water in the pot.

Cold fish is a delicacy eaten every summer in rural areas. It is simple in ingredients and tastes good, so it is very popular.

Xiulan took out a pound of corn flour (a relatively coarse corn starch) and added water to boil it, turning it into a paste.

Boil water in the pot, and prepare a basin of cold mountain spring water outside. When the water in the pot boils, pour the paste into it and stir it quickly. The corn flour will quickly turn into a light yellow semipermeable membrane colloid under the heat.

At this time, use a ladle to scoop up this semipermeable membrane colloid and pour it into a ladle with small holes as thick as an index finger. There is mountain spring water under the ladle.

The colloid will be divided into "small fish" with pointed ends when passing through the holes. After being cooled in water, it will be completely fixed, and it looks like beautiful small fish swimming in the water, so it is called cold fish.

In fact, this is jelly, but the production method is different and the tools used are relatively primitive.

Soon, a large basin of cold fish was ready. Xiulan changed the water again to make it completely cold, because the colder this thing is, the better it tastes.

After it was frozen, it was divided into bowls. Xiulan picked up some gray vegetables and shepherd's purse, added oil-splashed chili and patchouli leaves, garlic and chili, and poured a little vinegar. Lin Heng drooled from a distance before he ate it.

Salt does not need to be added. In order to preserve it for a longer time, garlic and chili made in rural areas are usually heavy in salt, and oil-splashed chili and vegetables also have some salt.

"Okay, it's ready to eat." Xiulan made three bowls and brought them to the seat.

It was so nice to have a bowl of cool and refreshing jelly on a hot day with a temperature of over 30 degrees. Just as Lin Heng was about to eat, a little hand beside him pulled him: "Ba Ba, eat~"

The daughter opened her mouth and looked at him with her big round eyes.

"Okay, okay, you eat first." Lin Heng took her portion without spicy food and fed her.

"You eat it, I'll feed you." Xiulan said.

"It's all the same, it doesn't matter." Lin Heng shook his head and scooped a small jelly fish with a spoon to feed Xiaoxia.

"Ah~"

The daughter took the spoon into her mouth in one bite and had to wait for a while before letting go.

"Eat it quickly, or I'll spank you if you don't eat it." Xiulan glared at her and turned to get a small branch.

"It's delicious, if you hit me with that branch, my butt will bloom." Lin Heng threatened while feeding.

Xiaoxia looked at the branch in her mother's hand, reached out to cover her little butt, and ate it obediently.

"I'm full!" After eating for a while, Xiaoxia didn't want any more and ran to the yard to play with the dog.

"What a delicious taste!" Lin Heng took a bite and squinted his eyes in ecstasy.

The cornmeal cold fish is smooth and chewy, and it is simply invincible with garlic and chili. The shepherd's purse and gray-gray vegetables are also very good, with a special taste and unique flavor. It is really perfect with the cold fish.

No wonder it is so popular in the countryside.

Life is hard, and it is not easy to eat such delicate food.

Lin Heng ate three bowls in a row before he was satisfied.

"There is still half a basin left, you can take it to Dad, he also likes to eat this." Xiulan looked at Lin Heng and said, she deliberately made so much just for Lin Heng to bring to his mother and father.

"Okay." Lin Heng nodded and came to the old house with the cold fish.

Pushing open the gate of the yard, he saw Lin's father drinking with his uncle in the main room, and there were only two vegetarian dishes.

"Dad, we made some cold fish and sent some to you." Lin Heng said with a smile.

Father Lin glanced at him and said, "Your mother is downstairs, you can take it back and eat it yourself."

"I just gave it to you." Lin Heng felt that his father was still a little angry, and put the basin directly on the table.

"Sit down and have a drink." His uncle said.

"Okay." Lin Heng sat down with a smile. He was not angry with his father at all and understood his mood.

If he had not been reborn and knew the future development, he would not dare to do such a thing.

After drinking two glasses of wine, Lin's father seemed not so angry.

"Lin Heng, have you asked Tian Baishun?" After taking a sip of wine, his uncle asked again.

"No, I think he will definitely be able to do it anytime. He was at home when I went there this morning, and he didn't grow many crops.

It's just that Xiulan asked me to help remove corn straw tomorrow, so I may have to wait until the day after tomorrow." Lin Heng shook his head and explained.

Father Lin looked up and looked at him coldly: "With your impetuous personality, I'm afraid you will weed the corn seedlings as well.

Your elder brother and I are enough, you should go up the mountain with your uncle as soon as possible. "

Lin Heng: "... This is not good."

"What's wrong with it? You will share the meat with everyone after hunting. It's the same."

Father Lin said coldly, "The main reason is that I don't like your farm work rack. Even the rice seedlings are planted crookedly."

Father Lin has a little obsessive-compulsive disorder and still remembers that Lin Heng planted the rice seedlings in an untidy manner.

"Okay, uncle, let's set off early tomorrow morning. I won't drink anymore. Let's go and notify Tian Baishun now." Lin Heng stood up and said.

"Take the turtle in the basin back to the fish pond. It's too small to eat. It's useless." Father Lin said again before leaving.

"Okay. "Lin Heng was not polite and picked up the grass turtle in the basin.

This grass turtle should be quite old, its body is shiny black, and the golden line on its belly is obvious, it looks good.

It's a pity that rural people only care about how big it is and whether it can be eaten.

First take it home and keep it in a wooden basin with the soft-shell turtle. It must not be put in the fish pond, otherwise it will become a buffet.

"Did the turtle's father give it to you?" Xiulan came over with Xiaoxia in her arms.

"Yes, my father also asked me to go hunting with my uncle tomorrow, no need to weed. I'm going to call Tian Baishun now, you prepare some food for hunting.

This time we will go into the mountains for two or three days at least. If there is prey, it may take a week. It is estimated that it will be difficult to come back for the Dragon Boat Festival. You can spend it with mom and others at that time." Lin Heng looked at his wife and said.

"It's okay, it's just a Dragon Boat Festival, it's the same when you come back. "Xiu Lan said with a smile, not caring.

Lin Heng didn't care too much either. In this era, celebrating the Dragon Boat Festival is just eating rice dumplings and frying a few delicious dishes. If there is meat, every day is the Dragon Boat Festival.

"Then I'll go find Tian Baishun. "

After saying that, he turned around and went out to inform Tian Baishun.

Tian Baishun's family lived on the hillside east of the village. There were many people there, more densely populated than here, and the village committee was also there.

Tian Baishun was an old bachelor with no children and distant relatives. He was not liked because he liked to gossip.

Especially when he heard that he liked to flirt with women, he was even more disgusting.

Lin Heng didn't want to hunt with him, but when he thought that this man was an old hunter, it would be nice to learn from him once or twice.

The old man's house was also a mud house. He rented out the fields to others to grow. He only needed a little food every year to eat. He also raised a sheep and an old hunting dog at home.

When Lin Heng came, the old man was taking a nap on the armchair in the main hall, and the sheep was tied outside the yard to eat grass.

"Woof woof! "

Under the eaves, a black and white spotted dog rushed towards Lin Heng, with its teeth exposed, looking extremely ferocious, but fortunately it was tied with an iron chain.

Tian Baishun woke up with a start, and when he saw that it was Lin Heng, he couldn't help but ask: "Are you going hunting?"

"Yes, we'll set off tomorrow, and you can just gather in front of my house early in the morning." Lin Heng nodded and said.

After he turned around and was about to leave, Tian Baishun quickly pulled him back: "Come and chat for a while, have a drink of water."

"What's there to talk about? Let's talk about the details tomorrow. I still have to go home to pack up. "Lin Heng shook his head and left.

Tian Baishun was a little helpless. He was bored and wanted to chat with someone.

When Lin Heng returned home, Xiulan was making food for him on the road. The easiest thing to preserve was definitely steamed bread. Bring a can of fermented bean curd for two days.

Lin Heng packed the things he needed. First of all, he had to bring more rainproof film paper, which could be used as a raincoat and as a roof for building a shelter.

Take apart the lighter and fill it with kerosene. Check the small flint on it. If it is not much, replace it with a new one. Be careful not to be unable to light a fire when going up the mountain.

Bows and slingshots should also be checked. The knives should be sharpened. One hatchet is used for opening the mountain, and one knife is used for cutting meat.

Several plastic bags, two ropes buttocks, an old-fashioned iron cup, a flashlight, and two dry batteries.

You also need to bring a pound of salt. When hunting in summer, sometimes you have to run far away, and sometimes the prey will stink before you can get it back, so you have to deal with it in the mountains first.

In addition to the dry food prepared by Xiulan, this is usually all you bring.

As for the medical bag, it doesn't exist at all. Minor injuries use herbs, and major injuries just wait to be carried back.

After getting the things ready, Lin Heng put them all in the backpack to avoid forgetting them tomorrow morning.

Xiulan used cornmeal and flour to make round pancakes for Lin Heng, put them in the pot to dry, and made a few steamed buns.

"I'll pack you some fried soybeans. This won't spoil easily. You can eat it for four or five days."

Xiulan shoveled some soybeans and fried them in the pot. After the stuff was fried, the fragrance filled the room.

"I'm afraid you can't help eating it all on the first day. "Lin Heng said with a smile, fried soybeans are really delicious.

"Then you can only hunt well next, but no matter what you do, safety comes first." Xiulan said with a smile.

After the soybeans were fried, she left a handful for Xiaoxia, and packed the rest for Lin Heng. She tasted two herself.

After finishing all this, it was already past three o'clock. Xiulan held Xiaoxia and went out. Lin Heng went to lead the sheep. The family of three went to the fields to help work together. When they reached the old house, they helped to get a bag of wood ash.

In this season, farm work can be said to be endless. Basically, corn, soybeans, red beans, and peanuts need to be weeded, and weeds in paddy fields also need to be pulled out.

Today is the third, and the day after tomorrow is the Dragon Boat Festival. During this period, the wheat is ripe and it is time to start harvesting.

Because of the high altitude here, the food here matures relatively late. Generally, the plain areas have taken over and they have just started to mature here.

Also, the sweet potatoes planted a month ago have also survived and need to be fertilized to turn over the sweet potato vines.

When they came to the sweet potato field, their mother, sister-in-law Liu Juan, and her two young sons were all digging sweet potato vines in the field.

"Lin Tao, come here and help me herd the sheep. Pull it to the edge of the field to graze and stop it from running away. By the way, take your sister with you so that she doesn't fall."

Lin Heng looked at his second nephew Lin Tao and shouted.

"Okay, Second Dad." After hearing this, Lin Tao quickly ran over to catch the rope. He was too tired to climb the sweet potato vines.

"You don't want to work, but keep an eye on your younger brothers and sisters. If they fall, you will be rewarded." Sister-in-law Liu Juan looked at her son and warned.

"Don't worry, Mom." Lin Tao nodded. Although he was only four years old, he already needed help in the fields.

"Xiulan, you put in the fertilizer and I'll weed it." Lin Heng picked up the hoe and said.

"Okay." Xiulan carried the plant ashes and sprinkled a handful of the roots of a sweet potato.

Lin Heng first dug out the weeds with a hoe, then loosened the soil, hooked it up to cover the roots of the sweet potatoes, and then turned the sweet potato vines over with their backs facing up to prevent them from growing lateral roots.

This kind of work is repeated until all the sweet potato fields of more than three acres are finished.

The most terrible thing is that this is only the first time, because the plant ash is not fertile enough, so it usually has to be done a second time.

The sweet potato vines must be plowed three times. If they are not plowed, the sweet potato vines will grow lateral roots and the sweet potato yield will be low.

When Lin Heng thought about this, he missed chemical fertilizers. This was really the greatest invention. It was only with chemical fertilizers that mankind began to get rid of famine.

If there is chemical fertilizer, you only need to apply fertilizer once and then turn the sweet potato vines three times, which will save a lot of time.

Unfortunately, at this time, chemical fertilizers were not widely available, perhaps only in some grain-producing plains.

After working for a while, Lin Heng couldn't help but rub his waist. It was already sore and weak, and having to bend down to hoe was really killing him.

"If you can't do it, rest for a while and take your time." Mother Lin glanced at her and said, knowing that Lin Heng wouldn't be able to do it for more than a few strokes.

"That's why I want to make money." Lin Heng shook his head and continued hoeing.

From three o'clock to five o'clock, it took four people to finish working the entire acre of land. After taking a break, there was still more than an acre of land left to work.

"Lin Heng, look, isn't that your uncle? Why did he come down from the mountain carrying the bamboo?"

During the break, Mother Lin suddenly said.

Lin Heng turned around and saw that indeed, a man in black clothes walked down the other side of the river carrying a clump of bamboo on his back. His walking posture was definitely that of his uncle.

"What he got should be purple bamboo. He dug it for me. I'll pick it up." Lin Heng put down the hoe and walked past.

The two met by the Shiban River. My uncle Li Baiquan spoke first: "I got the purple bamboo for you. These six chopped bamboos are old purple bamboo and can be used to make fishing rods."

"Okay, I'm ready. Let's go fishing together." Lin Heng smiled and took the bamboo. These purple-black ones are indeed old bamboos. The younger ones only have a little purple in the knots.

"Where are you going to plant?" my uncle asked again.

"The hill behind the yard, outside the pig pen, this thing can't be planted in the yard, otherwise it will overgrow in a few years."

Lin Heng said that he originally wanted to carry it for his uncle, but was rejected.

"That's a good place. Don't plant it too close. This thing will be dirty forever." My uncle nodded.

Arriving at the back hill of Lin's house, Lin Heng dug a big pit with his hoe and planted the purple bamboo in a fertile area.

After planting, he picked up two buckets of water and watered it down. The purple bamboo his uncle dug was soil-laden and had three bamboos, so it was very promising to survive.

"Uncle, go down and have a drink of water."

Lin Heng said with a smile.

"Okay." My uncle nodded, he was already very thirsty.

After entering the house, before Lin Heng could pour him tea, he went to the kitchen and drank a ladle of cold water.

"Hey, are you going hunting?" Coming out of the kitchen, my uncle asked after discovering the things placed in Lin Heng's room.

"Yes, I, my uncle, and Tian Baishun will form a team to go hunting. We will set off tomorrow morning." Lin Heng nodded.

As soon as he heard about team hunting, my uncle immediately became interested and said, "Add me in, I'll get up early tomorrow morning."

"Can my aunt agree to this?" Lin Heng was worried that he would be scolded by his aunt.

"How can I disagree? I'm doing business, not bad things. I'm going home right now. You must wait for me when I come down tomorrow morning."

The uncle said and walked out.

"Uncle, eat a corn tortilla before you leave." Lin Heng took a corn tortilla and chased after him.

"Okay, remember to wait for me." The uncle said and left with a smile. He originally wanted to eat here tonight, but he couldn't care less now.

Lin Heng was helpless. What could he do? He was an elder and he couldn't refuse. His uncle had been running around a lot recently and had not done any farm work. He really didn't want to ask him to go hunting again.

If he didn't hit anything, wouldn't he have to quarrel with his aunt again when he went back?

After picking up a bag of plant ash, Lin Heng reluctantly came to the second sweet potato field.

"Your uncle is gone?" Mother Lin asked when she saw Lin Heng coming over.

"Hey, he knows that we are going to hunt in the mountains tomorrow, and he insists on following us. I'm afraid that my aunt will beat me next time we come." Lin Heng said helplessly, spreading his hands.

"It's okay, this is a good thing. If you don't take him hunting, he might still run around." Lin's mother said. She knew her brother-in-law Li Baiquan too well.

He is a person who can't sit still. Although he also works, he just likes to join in the fun and drink everywhere.

But you can't say that he is not doing his job properly. He also works, hunts, and runs around the village.

Fortunately, his family has not yet split up, and his two sons and wives can still help with farm work.

"That's good." Lin Heng nodded. He actually thought his uncle-in-law was very good. Maybe because both of them like to play, they have some similar tastes.

On the contrary, he felt that his uncle was too serious and hunting with him was boring.

The farm work lasted until 7:30, and it was almost dark before it ended. Finally, the sweet potato fertilizer was applied.

When Lin Heng returned home, he was tired with back pain and leg cramps. He had a simple dinner of pickled cabbage noodles, took a cold bath, and went to bed.

There was no way he could go on any more tonight; he had to conserve his energy for going up the mountain to hunt tomorrow.