Picnics always have a unique charm.
The river flows gently, and the blue-green lake is like a blue-green gem embedded in the mountains and forests. The withered trees and cold stones by the lake are covered with moss. The world is a vast expanse of green, with only the sky being blue.
Lin, who was drinking soup, suddenly opened his eyes wide and pointed to the fish trap they had placed by the lake: "It...it moved."
Jiang Xi was the first to react when she called out to Yan Zheng. He put down his chopsticks and went to the lake to retrieve the fish trap. Luckily, it was a blackfish longer than his forearm.
That's a pretty good start.
I casually used stones to create a small pond in the shallows by the lake, threw live fish in, and then killed them before going back, so I could have fresh fish to eat that night.
After eating and drinking their fill, they extinguished the open flames and got back to work.
The division of labor was very clear. Yan Zheng carried a bow and arrows and went into the woods and reed marshes by the lake. At this time of year, there were many wild ducks, pheasants and water birds.
Jiang Xi originally planned to go with him, which would also serve as practical training, but today's time has already been wasted too much.
The most important thing is to dig up enough root potatoes, which are an important source of carbohydrates. Relying solely on Yan Jing'an and Lin's speed, they'll probably have to come back again in a couple of days, which will not only delay things but also be exhausting.
The group worked and chatted, and time flew by. The afternoon passed quickly. Before the sun began to set, Yan Zheng emerged from the reeds carrying three wild ducks and an unidentified bird.
Jiang Xi was overjoyed to see all this duck meat, plus the small-eared pork she had caught that morning.
Making it into cured meat and jarred meat ensured that everyone would have enough meat for at least the next month.
Moreover, the fish and pig offal left over at noon were plentiful, and the fish traps yielded a bountiful harvest in the afternoon. The fish traps, which were over a meter long, contained three or four fish: two blackfish, one yellow and white flatfish, and one silvery-white fish.
Although no one had tried the latter two, they were both quite large, so they probably didn't have many thorns.
Yan Zheng scooped out the fish, cleaned them, wrapped them in banana leaves, and put them in his basket.
Jiang Xi looked at them, frowned and said helplessly, "It's a pity. Without a refrigerator, they will eventually turn into salted fish and hang in the granary."
Yan Zheng smiled upon hearing this and said in a deep voice, "To ensure you have no regrets, it seems we have a new mission when we get back."
Jiang Xi raised an eyebrow: "What?"
Yan Zheng picked up the deer, turned his head and slowly said to her, "Since there is a spring, why not dig a new waterway and bring the water into the yard, build a pond, and then bring the pond water into the ditch outside the yard? That way, we can raise the live fish we bring back in the pond."
Jiang Xi raised an eyebrow. "Good idea."
Yan Jing'an perked up at the suggestion and added, "Great! Let's dig up some lotus roots and plant them in the pond so we'll have both vegetables and fish."
Jiang Xi's heart was already itching to try it; surely no Chinese person would refuse to have a pond at home.
If we could build a pavilion, we could sit by the pond and enjoy the breeze when we're bored. Life would be wonderful.
Lin, who was tidying up her tools, listened attentively. Although she couldn't quite grasp some of the words and sentences, she understood the general idea. She had forgotten what a pond looked like; they were having such a pleasant discussion, it must be beautiful.
Before setting off, Yan Jing'an and Yan Zheng hurriedly dug up another half basket of lotus roots, while Jiang Xi took Lin to pick another half basket of soap pods. This delay made it late, and the four of them had no choice but to hurry back under the golden sunset.
As dusk fell, the woods, the meadows, and the shimmering lake were bathed in a dazzling golden light.
Along the way, Jiang Xi looked at the wildflowers growing in the woods. There was a wildflower that looked like lavender, with clusters of purple that caught her eye. Yan Zheng knew she liked it, and said with great interest, "This is delphinium. If you like, you can pick some to put in a vase."
So Jiang Xi enthusiastically picked a large bunch.
There is another kind of long, bright red fruit, which looks like a love bean. Lin said it's inedible because it's bitter.
Jiang Xi thought it was time to replace the willow branches in the vase on the Eight Immortals table, so she broke off a few branches and put them in her basket, which looked like a big red bunch from a distance.
Yan Zheng noticed that she was unusually in high spirits today, while Lin remained silent, following the carriage the whole time.
He said to Lin, "Pick whatever you like and take it back. We're going to travel at night anyway, so there's no rush."
After saying that, he instructed Yan Jing'an: "Be careful when it gets dark. Let's switch places. You lead the way and I'll bring up the rear."
Yan Jing'an hummed in agreement and pulled the rope from his waist, wrapping it around his arm.
Lin, who had been silent, bit her lip and thought for a moment. She went to the tree and picked two bright red mushrooms. Wild Bear used to forbid her from eating them, but she had seen Jiang Xi cook them before, and they were edible and delicious.
When Jiang Xi saw this, she was so frightened that she quickly taught her about mushrooms, telling her which kind to pick and helping her identify the non-poisonous ones. She learned very quickly and picked mushrooms all the way.
Lin had always wanted to raise ducks, so whenever she saw a wild duck running around, she would chase after it.
Jiang Xi was both amused and exasperated, telling her that raising ducks requires feed, and unless she could find some aquatic plants and fresh fish and shrimp for them every day, Lin felt that this would be difficult and couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.
Finally, Jiang Xi told her that she would get one when the baby rabbits were born, and only then did her dimples reappear on her face.
They kept pestering Jiang Xi with questions along the way, and even picked a lot of champagne fruit for them. The group ate as they walked, and didn't feel tired at all.
Jiang Xi was also thinking about the hungry little creature at home, so she dug up some wild vegetables and wild grasses that animals like to eat.
When we arrived at the village, night had already fallen, the moon was bright and the stars were few. The silvery moonlight illuminated the mountains and forests, and we could see the village roads clearly without torches.
Jiang Xi quickly took out the wild grass from her basket and fed it to the rabbits and sheep, and also fed the deer a few sweet potatoes.
Hearing their voices, Xiao Hei in the yard scratched at the gate and whimpered.
Yan Zheng and Yan Jing'an began unloading the yams they had dug up that day from the truck into the granary.
Jiang Xi carried the fresh flowers she had picked into the house.
The red berries weighed down the branches, and when placed in a vase, their perfect height and gentle drooping curve made the house feel even more like springtime.
The purple delphiniums are blooming vibrantly, adding a unique charm to the bedroom.
Thinking that everyone hadn't eaten yet, Jiang Xi took out the prepared black carp from her basket and asked Lin to help start a fire.
She simmered a pot of rich blackfish soup and added pepper. Before serving, she sprinkled on some tender wild vegetables, about the length of a finger, that she had brought back from the lake that day. After a quick blanch, the snow-white fish soup and the bright green wild vegetables looked exceptionally appetizing.
While the fire was still burning, I made another plate of shepherd's purse and scrambled eggs.
The four of them enjoyed a hearty dinner.
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