Mortals' aspirations to cultivate immortality

Autumn is getting thicker, and the cold is getting stronger, so cold that the jackdaws chirp from time to time, cursing the cold weather.

The sky was slightly bright and foggy.

A bamboo raft floated over on a small river. On the bamboo raft, a young boy who looked to be only eight or nine years old was scooping water into the river from time to time with a small bamboo basket.

The young man's name was Lin Yi. He looked ordinary. Long-term labor had made his skin darkened, his hair yellow, and his body thin.

Long-term malnutrition made him look as if he was eight or nine years old when he was already over eleven years old.

Lin Yi looked at the harvest in the bamboo basket and couldn't help but look happy: "The harvest this morning is quite good. If I work harder, it should be enough for our family to eat for a day."

Lin Yi's family are all fishermen. Most of the harvest from his parents' fishing was used as docking tax by the Jupai Gang who controlled the major waterways in Qiu'an County. The remaining small amount was also used to buy medicine to treat Lin Yi's sister. .

Therefore, since Lin Yi was eight years old, he drove a bamboo raft to the small river to catch some small fish and shrimps.

Although the family's life is a bit difficult, it is still manageable.

Put the small fish and shrimp caught in the bamboo basket into the smaller bamboo basket, and Lin Yi continued to put the larger bamboo basket into the water.

Gua-

In the autumn morning, the temperature was so low that the nearby jackdaws screamed again.

"What do you mean, you're cold and I'm still cold!" Lin Yi was only wearing thin clothes. His body was shaking from time to time, but he couldn't go back because he didn't catch enough fish.

After being scolded by Lin Yi, Jackdaw immediately became much quieter.

Lin Yi nodded with satisfaction and continued to fish with the bamboo basket.

Although the weather was cold, Lin Yi felt a sense of satisfaction when he thought about today's harvest.

"Catch some more fish and the day will be better."

The early morning sun came as promised and dispersed most of the dense fog.

"Now all those small fish and shrimps are hiding in the deep water." Lin Yi lifted the bamboo basket and looked at the few small fish inside and couldn't help but shook his head: "It's time to go back."

Having made up his mind, Lin Yi immediately turned the bamboo raft and wanted to follow the current back to his fishing boat.

"Huh?"

Lin Yi, who had just raised his head, saw a silver object floating down from the upper stream and his eyes lit up. He quickly used the bamboo pole to pull the object over.

"Silver swordfish!"

Silver saury is a specialty fish found in the waters of Qiu'an County. Its meat is delicious and expensive, and it often appears on the tables of high-end restaurants.

However, silver saury usually lives in the deep waters of large rivers or lakes, and I don’t know why it appeared in the small river where Lin Yi was.

"A one-foot-long silver swordfish is worth three taels of silver. The larger the silver swordfish, the more expensive it is. This silver swordfish is over two feet long and can be sold for more than ten taels of silver."

"It's a pity that it's already dead. The restaurants in Qiu'an City don't accept dead silver saury at all. Otherwise, our family wouldn't have to worry about the docking tax this year."

"Alas." Lin Yi picked up a dagger placed on the bamboo raft: "Although the taste of silver saury after death is not even as good as ordinary carp, it is meat after all. I hope it died not long ago and the meat can still be eaten."

As Lin Yi spoke, he used a dagger to cut open the belly of the silver saury. The silver saury didn't know how it died. There were no wounds on its body. To prevent poisoning, Lin Yi could only throw away its internal organs.

"Huh?"

Lin Yi looked at the internal organs of the silver knife fish strangely. For some reason, its internal organs had become as hard as vines.

"What's going on?" Lin Yi pulled at the internal organs, his mind filled with doubts.

This is the first time Lin Yi has seen such a situation in his life.

Not long after, Lin Yi took out a round bead about one inch in diameter and as big as a baby's fist from the internal organs of the silver knife fish.

This bead is extremely round and dark green in color.

In this cold late autumn, it actually feels warm to the touch.

"Did this silver saury fish die because it swallowed this ball?" Lin Yi looked at the silver saury fish and then at the ball.

Then he cut the silver knife fish into small pieces with a dagger and threw it into the river.

"Although silver saury is also meat, this round ball is really strange. It's better not to eat the meat of this silver saury."

Lin Yi put the ball in his arms, then propped up the bamboo pole and drove the bamboo raft down the river.

After leaving the small waterway, we came to Lanjiang River.

When the mist was completely dispelled by the sun, Lin Yi finally saw a row of fishing boats docked on the shore.

Holding a bamboo raft, Lin Yi quickly found his fishing boat.

"Eh? Could it be that Third Uncle is here?"

Seeing a familiar large cart near the fishing boat, Lin Yi knew that it was his third uncle coming.

Lin Yi's third uncle was named Lin Ye, and he worked in a restaurant in Qiu'an City.

Since this is where fishermen gather, Lin Ye often comes here to receive goods.

Skillfully docking the bamboo raft on the shore, Lin Yi jumped onto his fishing boat and saw his mother Jiang talking to his sister Lin Ling.

"After arriving at the house, you can do whatever the master asks you to do, but you must not contradict the master."

"You are still young, and their family will not make things difficult for you."

Lin Ling's face was pale, a typical fishermen's child, and her clothes were patched and slightly loose. She was nine years old and looked like she was only seven or eight years old.

Lin Ling nodded blankly, looking at her, it was obvious that she was afraid of something.

"Mom, what happened? What are you and Ling'er talking about?" Lin Yi put the bamboo basket with small fish and shrimp aside and walked over to ask curiously.

Jiang Shi is old and ugly. She is only in her thirties but already has silver hair and calluses on her hands.

After hearing the voice, she turned back to look at Lin Yi: "Yi'er, you are back."

"Brother, my parents want to sell me to a master in Qiu'an City." Lin Ling couldn't stop crying.

"What, what!?" Lin Yi looked at Jiang Shi in disbelief after hearing it, and looked at Jiang Shi: "Mom, this..."

Jiang Shi sighed: "It's Mr. Huang from Qiu'an City. Their mansion is recruiting maids."

"But Ling'er, she is weak and often sick. How can she be a maid?" Lin Yi frowned and asked.

The Huang Mansion in Qiu'an City has a bad reputation in the local area, and servants are often beaten to death.

Lin Ling is still so young and weak. If she is allowed to be a maid in Huang's house, what if she makes any mistakes? The consequences... Lin Yi doesn't dare to think about it anymore.

"Alas, we know that." Jiang sighed.

"Your third uncle also brought a piece of news this time, that is, the Giant Pai Gang was annexed by a gang called the Giant Whale Gang."

"I heard that the Giant Whale Gang's docking tax is even more excessive than that of the Giant Pai Gang. It charges us ten taels of silver a year."

"After paying the docking tax, how can we have extra money to treat Ling'er."

"It's better to sell Ling'er directly to Huang's house and get ten taels of silver at once, and see if Ling'er can be cured at once."

"Damn Giant Whale Gang!" Lin Yi clenched his fists hard. These gangs will do these things to bully the weak. If he has the strength, he will definitely find them.

Looking at the pale Lin Ling and the helpless Jiang, Lin Yi said, "There must be other ways! Ling'er can't be sold to the Huang family."

"Yier, we have thought of all the ways we can think of. This may be the fate of us poor people." Jiang said helplessly.

She never thought of selling Lin Ling to the Huang family.

Looking at the pale Lin Ling, thinking of how she had been following him to dig out bird nests and running all over the mountains and fields calling her brother.

As if Lin Yi had thought of a way, he suddenly asked, "Mom, where are my father and third uncle?"

Jiang pointed to the lower reaches of the Lanjiang River: "Your father is collecting fish with your third uncle."

Lin Yi nodded, touched Lin Ling's head, whispered, "Don't worry, your brother is here," and then he jumped to the shore to find his father and third uncle.