Chapter 21 Catching Fish and Selling Them for Money
The next morning, Sui Yu woke up at the sound of a rooster crowing before daybreak. She walked into the kitchen in the dark and heard the squeaking of mice as soon as the door opened. She stamped her feet to drive them away, cursing, "You smell the lard from refining it! Get out! I can't bear to eat this."
He stuffed a handful of hay into the tree stump. Only when green smoke rose would there be fire. Sui Yu was afraid of burning his hands, so he took the firewood quickly and clumsily. He breathed a sigh of relief after stuffing the hay into the stove.
Zhao Xiping heard the noise and came out. He saw her making a fire with her head almost stuck in the stove. He looked at her with disgust and simply turned a blind eye to it. He walked into the woodshed and grabbed two handfuls of bean cakes to feed the camel.
Two hens followed him into the camel pen, squatted by the camels' mouths as if they were familiar with the place, and picked up the bean dregs that the camels had spilled.
A handful of bean dregs with an oily aroma awakened the camels' stomachs. After eating all the hay in the pen, the two camels kicked open the door of the pen and went out to eat grass.
"I'm going to work in the fields. When the meal is ready, bring it back to me." Zhao Xiping took the farm tools from behind the door and instructed, "It's still in the same field as yesterday."
Sui Yu agreed. She took out a ladle to scoop water and looked out the door. The person was gone.
At this time, the sky was dark and there was no light on the earth. Sui Yu felt uneasy because the man was not at home and the door was open. She walked over and bolted the door from the inside, feeling at ease.
In the morning, it was still dumpling soup. Sui Yu soaked some dried bitter vegetables last night. After soaking them overnight, he squeezed out the water and cut them into cubes. He fried them with lard, added water and boiled them, then sprinkled the dumplings on them. When removing the soup from the pot, he sprinkled a spoonful of salt on it.
The meal was ready and it was just getting light. Sui Yu and Sui Liang ate at home first, and then went to the field to bring the meal to Zhao Xiping.
"Bring a basket, I'll cut some vines when you come back." Sui Yu instructed.
Sui Liang quickly picked up the basket and ran out the door.
The meal was delivered to the field, and after the men finished eating, Sui Yu came back with the meal basket.
After soaking the rattan in water, Sui Yu went to the kitchen to wash the pots and bowls, then scrubbed the edges of the stove. She then covered the corners of the cabinets that had been gnawed by mice the previous night with mud. After leaving the kitchen, she scooped two basins of water and placed them in the sun to dry.
Sui Liang was squatting by the bucket, scraping fish scales for the chicken to eat. Sui Yu saw this and said, "Don't kill the fish! They're not small fish. They could be sold for two cents at the market."
She was so busy that she only took a look at the fish at this moment. She didn't know how Zhao Xiping caught it. The fish had no external injuries and was still alive and kicking after being kept in the bucket overnight.
The clothes on the clothesline were dry, so Sui Yu called Sui Liang to take them in. She took a basket and a shovel and went into the camel pen to shovel camel dung, pick up grass residue, and clean the water trough. After finishing all these, she dragged the chicken coop out to dry in the sun.
The dung basket was placed behind the gate. Sui Yu scooped some water and rubbed her face. Feeling that the water in the basin was no longer cold, she untied her hair tie and washed her hair.
"Brother Liang, get me two handfuls of grass ashes from the stove," she shouted.
Sui Yu's hair had been dirty for several months, so she scrubbed it thoroughly for the first time. She scrubbed it three times with grass ash. After rinsing it, she sat in the yard to dry it, combing the lice over and over again with a comb in her hand.
Sui Liang followed suit and soaked the lice he combed out in water to kill them.
The two hens circled around the two men, their heads stretching and shrinking, and the lice floating on the water surface went into their beaks.
After her hair was dry, Sui Yu put down the comb and started to weave the grass into a net. She called Sui Liang to learn, "It's just about tying grass knots. Watch and you can take over while I cook later."
This was also the first time for Sui Yu to do this. She recalled Sui Hu's movements in weaving straw sandals and slowly figured it out. She untangled the vines in her hands, untied them, and then tied knots again. It took her a long time to figure out how to weave a straw net.
The sun shifted little by little, and the two chickens, unable to withstand the sun, hid in the dung basket behind the gate. They dug out the camel dung in the basket, and Sui Liang quickly ran to chase the chickens away.
"It's almost noon. I'm going to buy some tofu. You wait at home." Sui Yu put down the straw net and stood up.
She went into the house to get the copper coins left over from yesterday, and when she came out she was carrying a linen sheet to dry in the sun, and she also dragged the bedding out to dry against the wall.
"I'm going to buy tofu, don't run around."
Sui Liang nodded, and as soon as his sister left, he ran to close the door.
At noon, we stewed a pot of tofu and fish soup, and then steamed a bowl of radish and millet rice. After the radish and millet rice was steamed, we mixed it with lard, and the millet became shiny.
"Brother Liang, can you go and deliver food to your brother-in-law by yourself? Don't come back after you deliver it. I'll weave the grass net and throw it into the river, then go straight to work in the fields."
Sui Liang hesitated.
"Don't be afraid of him. He looks fierce, but he won't hit anyone." Sui Yu smiled.
Sui Liang then nodded reluctantly.
A big bowl of radish and millet rice, a bowl of tofu stewed fish, a soup and a rice were put into the basket. Sui Yu asked Sui Liang to try, and when he saw that he could lift it, he let him go out.
When the sun rose to the top of his head, Zhao Xiping was hungry. He looked up at the ridge again and again, but saw nothing each time. He became angry.
When he saw that Sui Liang was the only one delivering the food, he quickly got up from the field, walked up the ridge to take the food basket, and asked in a hoarse voice, "Where's your sister?"
Sui Liang pointed at the fish in the bowl.
Zhao Xiping didn't understand and guessed, "Did he cut his hand while killing the fish? How stupid."
Sui Liang shook his head. He pulled two pieces of grass and tied them in a knot in his hand, then pointed at the fish.
Zhao Xiping took a bite of his rice and glanced at him, "You really can't speak? Open your mouth and let me see... Your tongue isn't short, so let me hear you scream."
Sui Liang shut his mouth and squatted on the ground digging the soil without saying a word.
Zhao Xiping snorted and ignored him, concentrating on eating.
He ate a bowl of rice and a pot of vegetables by himself, and even chewed the fish head into pieces before spitting it out.
"Okay, go back." Zhao Xiping put the bowls and chopsticks in the basket, stuffed the empty water bag in there, and said, "Bring me another bag of water."
Sui Liang didn't hesitate, picked up the basket and ran away.
Zhao Xiping went to the millet field to urinate, then came out and continued working. However, before he could cut a bundle of millet stalks, an uninvited guest came to the field.
"Brother Zhao, why did I hear that you don't plan to associate with me anymore?" Qian Wei asked with a smile.
"Who heard this from?" Zhao Xiping continued chopping the green poles.
"Your wife said that you didn't allow her to interact with Sui Ling and the others."
"Yes, that's what happened." Zhao Xiping finally stopped what he was doing and said bluntly, "I hate corrupt officials, and I don't want to be related to the children of corrupt officials. Why? Is this what you came to me for?"
"You are still like this, no wonder Captain Li can't tolerate you."
"Will he tolerate you? You've been his lackey, and he hasn't treated you well." Zhao Xiping was vicious and spoke without mercy.
Qian Wei's face darkened. He stared at Zhao Xiping for a long moment, then put on a smile again, as if nothing had happened. He said, "I'm having a wedding banquet at my house tomorrow night. You and your family can come over for dinner."
"No."
"Don't make fun of us. We are brothers-in-law and have shared life and death together. What's the big deal if you don't go?"
"Watching a joke? If I go, people won't laugh at me anymore?" Zhao Xiping waved his hand. "I'm not going. And don't talk about being brothers-in-law. I don't acknowledge it."
Qian Wei had nothing to say to him. Zhao Xiping bent over his work and ignored him, but Qian Wei stood at the edge of the field and refused to move. After a while, he said, "Your wife is here with your brother-in-law."
Zhao Xiping didn't even raise his head.
"Really." Qian Wei did see someone.
"Why aren't you leaving?" Zhao Xiping stood up straight and said impatiently, "Hurry up and leave. Don't delay my work."
"Go there tomorrow night and don't make things worse. Even if you don't consider Captain Li's face, you should consider Lord Hu and Captain Li. I asked Sui Ling, and Captain Li is a classmate of my father-in-law." Qian Wei nodded at him.
Zhao Xiping frowned. It was so troublesome. He hated these complicated relationships.
Seeing that he did not refuse again, Qian Wei left. Sui Yu was a concubine's daughter born to a concubine's son, and was not worthy of his staying and greeting.
Sui Yu also waited until he left before quickening her pace. Seeing that Zhao Xiping looked unhappy, she did not bother him and went straight into the millet field to cut the ears of millet.
"What did you do at noon?" Zhao Xiping asked.
Sui Yu felt that he was looking for trouble. She thought for a moment and answered honestly: "I made a net and threw it into the river. I will go see if there are any fish in the evening. If I catch any, I will stew it for you."
Zhao Xiping was speechless. He stared at Sui Yu's back for a while and said, "If I want to eat fish, I will catch it myself."
"What if I want to eat fish? Can I order you around?" Sui Yu turned and smiled at him.
Zhao Xiping glared at her with a gloomy face. She would get angry if he gave her any good treatment.
"Why did he come to see you? I think you look unhappy." Sui Yu tested him, not knowing whether he was willing to tell her.
"Let's go to give gifts and have a banquet tomorrow. I don't want to go, and you don't have to go either. By the way, what is the relationship between your Sui family and Captain Li?" he asked.
Sui Yu understood, and she inquired, "Where is my cousin now? If he's working on the Great Wall, then we're not so close. If he's staying at someone's house, then we're close friends."
Zhao Xiping understood. He looked at Sui Yu thoughtfully and said bluntly, "As expected of a daughter of a high-ranking official, she is quite capable."
"I'm ashamed to say that my father is just a lowly servant." Sui Yu said modestly.
Zhao Xiping ignored her, picked up the machete and continued working.
Sui Yu walked over and stood aside, staring at him until she annoyed him. Then she smiled and said, "I have an idea that would suit both of us. Since you don't want me to have any contact with Sui Ling, I won't go. Then she'll understand what I mean. You can go alone tomorrow night to attend your comrade's wedding banquet on your own behalf, and it won't give people any reason to criticize you."
Zhao Xiping felt that what she said made sense and couldn't help but look up to her. He was impatient with social interactions, so it was fine as long as she was good at it.
…
The next day, Zhao Xiping went to the Qian family's house alone. After he left, Sui Yusuo locked the door and took Sui Liang to the river to cast his net again. They had caught one fish the previous night. At night, when Zhao Xiping went to take a bath, she asked him to cast his net in the middle of the river. In the morning, they pulled it back and caught three more.
"If we can catch four more fish before dark, we can keep one for the two of us to eat at night and sell the rest at the market," said Sui Yu.
Sui Liang followed behind, nodding frequently and walking briskly.
The water flowed fast upstream, so Sui Yu didn't dare go down into the river. She could only poke the grass net with two sticks and search in the water grass nests by the river. Zhao Xiping said that fish liked to hide in the water grass nests at night, but she didn't know if there were any fish there during the day.
The stick in his hand sank, and Sui Yu was delighted, "There are fish, there are fish, Liang brother, quickly bring the bucket."
A foot-long white-bellied fish struggled in the grass net. Sui Yu stepped into the water, gripped the net's opening, and dragged the fish ashore. Out of water, the fish struggled even more fiercely. Fearing the net would break, she dropped her stick, scooped up the fish, and threw it into the bucket.
"Finally, there will be some income." Sui Yu was overjoyed when she saw the fish. She felt at ease when she had some money in her hand.
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