Amidst the puzzled gazes of the crowd, Jin Shu placed her homemade cutter on the ice. The cutter had serrated edges at the bottom, and she only needed to push the long handle around like a donkey pulling a millstone, and the serrated edges would embed themselves into the ice.
Jin Shu pushed it with ease, as if strolling in a garden, and in just a few turns, she had created a circular hole in the deep ice.
Green Screen was stunned. Her simple mind couldn't understand how this tool, which looked like a millstone, could so easily cut such a complete block of ice.
After many days, these people finally saw the flowing water beneath the ice after the ice was dredged up.
Everyone gathered around to watch, chattering amongst themselves.
"The reason people collect ice is because the ice on the river is too thick to be easily broken. Now that we have this tool, the ice can be easily cut open, making it much easier to collect water."
"Green Screen, go get the buckets, fill up several truckloads of water to take back."
Everyone helped fetch water, and soon all the wooden wheelbarrows were filled with buckets of water.
During this time, Jin Shu was not in a hurry to fetch water, but continued to rummage around in the shed next to her.
Just as everyone was about to leave, Jin Shu walked over carrying a fishing rod.
The two little ones, their faces red from the cold, stared curiously at the fishing rod in Jin Shu's hand and asked in a low voice.
"Sister, are there still fish in such cold water?"
"The thicker the ice, the more fish there are; there are plenty of fish in this water."
After saying that, Jin Shu directly dug an ice hole under the shed. While everyone was worried about what she would do next, she was already fishing with peace of mind.
Green Screen muttered to itself.
"Miss, where would you find fish on such a cold day? Let's not waste our time and hurry back. I heard that if we go back too late, even the firewood for cooking will be taken away."
"Then you go back first."
Green Screen thought it made sense. No matter what, she had to get some firewood to take back, otherwise the temperature would drop even lower at night and without firewood to light the stove, people would definitely freeze to death.
And so everyone pushed their carts back home. The Liang couple gave Jin Shu a few words of advice and then went back to report.
Liang's father was still making plans.
"I'll come back twice more later and bring back Shushu's cart of water. You take the two children to get firewood. Don't worry about saving face, take as much as you can. In this cold weather, no amount of firewood will be enough."
Mother Liang nodded repeatedly, and Liang Zhaozhao and Liang Mumu also made their promises from the side.
"Father, don't worry, we'll definitely grab as much as we can! My sister isn't well and needs firewood to keep her warm!"
Mother Liang patted the heads of her two children with satisfaction.
"Yes, remember that. My sister used to have a good life. It's because of us that she has to suffer here. So you two must be sensible and obedient from now on, and help my sister with chores, understand?"
The older brother, Liang Zhaozhao, nodded and clenched his little fist.
"Don't worry, Mother, I will protect my older sister and younger sister."
The family struggled towards the camp, battered by the cold wind.
When Liang's father returned, Jin Shu was no longer visible on the ice.
He panicked, abandoned his wheelbarrow, and ran over to look for Jin Shu, shouting her name loudly.
The cold wind howled, and the sound was quickly dispersed by the cold wind. Just as Liang's father was so anxious that his eyes were about to turn red, Jin Shu's voice could be faintly heard from the other side of the wind.
He quickly ran over, went around to the back of the shed, and immediately saw Jin Shu squatting there, holding a pole tightly in her hand and pulling it outward with all her might.
"Father, you've come at the right time. Come and help me."
Mr. Liang was taken aback for a moment, but he didn't ask any questions and quickly ran over to help her grab the fishing rod.
There was a tremendous force pulling the pole further inside the ice hole.
Mr. Liang's eyes immediately lit up!
There are big fish down there!
"Do as I say, Dad. Slowly loosen up a little, then pull up with force, three slow and one fast, take it slowly."
"Okay."
Liang's father gritted his teeth and listened to Jin Shu's instructions, pulling back and forth. At first, he was about to give up because he felt the strength of the fish, but then the force in the water gradually weakened until Jin Shu gave the final command.
"Alright, go ahead and bring it up."
The father and daughter pulled together, and in the next second, an extremely fat fish was pulled out. Jin Shu glanced at it and estimated that it weighed about thirty pounds.
No wonder it was so strong. Fish are supposed to be easier to catch in winter because they don't eat for a long time and the water temperature drops, so they don't have much strength to struggle.
When it's warm, it would be impossible for two people and this broken pole to pull up such a big fish.
There was a big fish in the bucket that was originally used to hold water. Liang's father's mouth never turned up in a smile the whole way, because this harvest made his originally gloomy mood much better.
"It's good to have fish. As long as there are fish, we can survive."
There's always a way out, and Jin Shu could see that the Liang family was optimistic and cheerful at heart. If the original owner hadn't died early in the original story, they would never have ended up in such a state of ruin.
Thinking of this, Jin Shu became even more determined to train hard. No matter where she was, as long as she was alive, there was hope.
Liang's father pushed the wheelbarrow to the thatched huts outside the camp. This area was full of low thatched huts, which were specifically for exiled prisoners to live in.
Five people share a room, and the only thing in the room is a hard mud bed; there is nothing else.
Jin Shu's family lived in one room, and Lü Ping squeezed in with them.
Seeing Liang's father mysteriously dragging the bucket into the house, Liang's mother was puzzled.
"This water is for an assignment, why are you dragging it home?"
"Keep your voice down! Quick, lend a hand!"
Confused, Liang's mother stepped forward and looked down into the bucket. A large fish with a black back emerged from the water and suddenly flicked its tail, startling Liang's mother so much that she cried out.
"Such a big fish?!"
"Keep your voice down! Shushu caught these; we're in for a treat tonight!"
If those soldiers found out, they definitely wouldn't be able to eat this fish; they might not even be able to get the fish bones!
So the couple quickly moved the big fish out of the water, and as soon as the fish was out of the water, the water level in the bucket that was originally full dropped by half.
Liang's father quickly replenished the water supply and delivered it to the military camp to report back.
After finishing the hard labor, the next step was to collect firewood.
Liang's mother was small in stature but strong. She carried two children, each with a full armful of firewood, and was happily preparing to go back to cook when suddenly a burly man in a fox fur coat walked out of the military camp. His face was covered with a thick beard and he was as strong as a brown bear.
"The one who hit one of my men, step forward, or the rest of you will be punished along with you!"
Liang's mother's heart skipped a beat, and she subconsciously glanced at Liang's father.
Seeing his daughter's emaciated body, the man steeled himself and was about to rush out to confess his guilt, but a hand grabbed him.
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