Chapter 79 Hunting Wild Game

Several men then carefully knocked the chestnuts down from the lower parts of the tree using small shovels they had prepared beforehand.

Zheng Xiuhua and Zhu Xiaofang were responsible for picking up the thorns from the ground, while the children were busy using twigs to remove the thorns.

In no time, the basket was filled with fluffy chestnut balls.

Back in the open space, everyone sat together and peeled chestnuts.

Lu Mingyue taught the children that by gently stepping on the chestnut ball with the sole of their shoes, it would crack open and reveal the chestnut inside.

Leilei learned very well and quickly peeled out the first whole chestnut, proudly holding it up to show his mother.

"I'll make you roasted chestnuts when we get home,"

Looking at the basket full of haul, Lu Mingyue smiled and said, "I guarantee it will be sweet, soft, and delicious, so good you won't be able to stop eating it."

The children cheered with joy upon hearing this.

We peeled a few fresh chestnuts to try, and their crisp and sweet taste was highly praised by everyone.

But there are many mosquitoes in the mountains, buzzing around people, making it really inconvenient to peel skins outdoors for a long time.

Lu Mingyue glanced at the sky and suggested, "Let's pack all the chestnuts first and peel them slowly when we get home."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Huo Zheng opened the sack, and Qin Lie and Ji Dashan picked up all the chestnut balls on the ground and put them inside.

The children were responsible for picking up the scattered chestnuts and putting them back into the bag.

After packing, Huo Zheng placed the sack in a hidden place to ensure it wouldn't be discovered.

"Let's go, the sour jujubes are waiting for us ahead!" Lu Mingyue clapped her hands and led everyone to continue walking up the mountain.

The children walked along excitedly, discussing how they would eat the chestnuts when they got home.

Some people want to eat roasted chestnuts, some want to cook chestnut porridge, and some want to try stewed chicken with chestnuts.

Watching the children chattering away, the adults exchanged smiles and quickened their pace.

They continued up the mountain path until they reached a place even further than yesterday before stopping. Looking around, they found no trace of wild jujubes, so it seemed they had returned empty-handed.

"You can't go back empty-handed after coming here."

Qin Lie suggested, "We men will go hunt some wild game, while you women and children can stay here and pick fruit. Don't go too far."

He hadn't been up the mountain in a long time and was itching to find some wild game to enjoy.

"Will it work?" Lu Mingyue asked with some concern.

If the higher-ups find out, will there be a reprimand? After all, these are all public property now.

Huo Zheng said, "It's alright. The leaders understand the situation here. Everyone turns a blind eye to these kinds of things. Just don't be too conspicuous."

"Alright, then don't stay out too late."

Huo Zheng smiled and nodded: "Okay, let's go and come back quickly."

So, the men took ropes and bamboo baskets and walked along the path into the depths of the mountains and forests.

Huo Zheng, being experienced, led the way, occasionally bending down to check the footprints on the ground.

As I walked, I used a machete to whittle down a few arrows. I cleaned up any readily available branches, making them perfect for hunting.

“Look, these are rabbit footprints,” Huo Zheng said, pointing to the marks in the mud. “They’re heading that way.”

Qin Lie and Ji Dashan exchanged a glance and quietly followed.

The forest was quiet, with only the rustling of leaves in the wind and the occasional birdsong.

A moment later, a slight noise came from the bushes ahead.

Huo Zheng made a gesture, and the group immediately held their breath and slowly surrounded them.

With a soft thud, a grayish-brown hare darted out in a panic.

Huo Zheng reacted quickly, releasing the arrow in one fluid motion.

The rabbit fell to the ground with a thud, and Huo Zheng quickly stepped forward to pick up the prey. "A great start!" he said with a smile, putting the rabbit into the bamboo basket.

The group continued their search in the mountains and soon found several pheasants under a large tree.

After a clever encirclement, they successfully captured two.

As the sun set, when they returned to the agreed location, the women and children had already gathered a variety of wild fruits.

Seeing the game in the bamboo basket, the children clapped their hands excitedly: "We're having wild game tonight!"

Qin Lie said with a smile, "Tonight we'll make pheasant stew with chestnuts and roast two wild rabbits so everyone can have a good treat."

With a bountiful harvest, the group returned home.

After returning home, Lu Mingyue and the others got busy.

They washed and dried the grapes, put some into jars, added rock sugar, sealed them, and prepared to make wine.

The other part is mixed with steamed glutinous rice, mixed with yeast, and made into rice wine.

A few days ago, Lu Mingyue made some rice wine. She carefully opened the jar, and a sweet and sour aroma wafted out.

She scooped out a little, tasted it, and couldn't help but squint her eyes: "It's a success! It tastes really good."

Taking advantage of her free time, she thought of the system again.

Since arriving in this world, she has occasionally exchanged the mountain goods she collected with the system for some resources.

Sometimes it's a condiment, sometimes it's a rare seed.

This time, she traded her extra mint and grapes for several packets of dessert ingredients.

Looking at the mint leaves drying in the yard, the wine in the jar, and the newly arrived ingredients on the table, Lu Mingyue couldn't help but smile. Life was simple, but it was full of surprises and anticipation.

As night fell, a bonfire was lit in the courtyard.

Soon, the aroma filled the air.

In the large pot, pheasant stew with chestnuts was bubbling away, the rich aroma of the meat mixed with the fresh fragrance of the chestnuts, making one's mouth water.

The wild rabbit roasted over the fire was golden and crispy, with oil droplets dripping down its skin and making a sizzling sound.

There are many people in my family, and many children.

After discussing it, the group decided to cook everything, and if there was any left over, they could share it among themselves.

The children gathered around the fire, their eyes wide open, sniffing occasionally.

Niu Niu couldn't help but ask, "Dad, when can we eat? My mouth is watering!"

"Almost there," Ji Dashan said with a smile as he turned the roast chicken. "Just wait a little longer, and I guarantee you'll be eating until your mouths are greasy."

Finally, dinner is ready.

The table was laden with delicious food: stewed pheasant with chestnuts, roasted wild rabbit, and freshly boiled chestnuts.

Everyone sat together and raised their glasses to celebrate the day's harvest.

Qin Lie said, "We have had a great harvest today, thanks to the joint efforts of all the women and the children. Otherwise, we wouldn't have been able to discover so many treasures."

The children, each holding a bottle of grape juice, beamed with joy, their eyes practically closed.

"Old Qin, stop with the official talk, I'm starving, let's eat quickly," Ji Dashan urged him.

Several people burst into laughter, and everyone quickly...

Zheng Xiuhua first put a piece of pheasant meat into her son's bowl, then put a piece for herself, praising repeatedly, "Mmm, this tastes amazing! It's much better than the meat you buy at the supply and marketing cooperative."

The children preferred roasted rabbit, with its golden-brown skin that was crispy with a single bite, while the meat inside was tender and juicy.

Niu Niu ate with his mouth full of oil, and still gave a thumbs up: "Delicious!"