Zhang Guoqing got up early in the morning and ran happily to the yard to sweep the snow. He almost opened his voice and shouted, "We ordinary people are so happy today."
Thinking about going up the mountain to hunt soon, Tiequ swung his hammer quickly.
Today, except for Zhang Guoqiang who went to work, all the men in the family had to go up the mountain to bring dry food. At this time, Zhang's mother was lying in bed. When she heard the sound of sweeping the floor outside, she knew that her eldest son had got up.
She quickly threw back the quilt and hurriedly got dressed.
Father Zhang was woken up by her, "Why rush? Take your time. It's still early."
"Just lie down. I'm going to find my old son."
Zhang Dad sat up and realized that his son had already gotten up, so it must be five o'clock. He followed his wife and they both smiled when they heard the doors of the east and west wing rooms open.
In the bedroom, Zhou Jiao began packing the dry food and clothes she'd brought for Zhang Guoqing. Even though he'd said he'd only be staying for two nights at most, it was still important to have everything ready, just in case. For example, medicine for injuries and fever-reducing medication—just in case.
Last night, several young wives from the neighboring families stayed up too late chatting at her place. She had no idea what was going on outside and didn't know if she could do some small business now.
As soon as Zhang Guoqing came in, Zhou Jiao pulled him into the bedroom.
After hearing this, Zhang Guoqing shook his head repeatedly. If he really wanted to sell couplets, his wife would be exhausted to death.
She was the only one who had to write the big characters, spending all the money and effort, and if something went wrong, she would feel guilty. If his father-in-law knew that his precious child was so exhausted from writing a couplet for a penny, he would definitely scold him to death.
Zhang Guoqing looked into her eyes and couldn't bear to refuse. He turned away and said softly, "Jiaojiao, your intentions are good. But the human heart is hard to predict."
Maybe they made money, and you warned them, but Lin Juhua didn't keep her mouth shut and said it out loud? Let's avoid trouble as much as possible. If something really goes wrong, we will still have to contribute manpower and money, and we won't get any benefits."
Zhang Guoqing hugged her and whispered, "They have money. My eldest sister-in-law has saved a lot of money privately. I understand that you are giving me money out of gratitude to her. If the eldest and second sons have jobs arranged, there is no need for us to make arrangements. We cannot cultivate greed in people, nor can we let them rely on us."
After saying that, he held her and sat on the kang, pretending to be distressed and teasing her, "Jiaojiao, I've become a gigolo. I found that my monthly salary is not enough to support my wife and son."
"Haha... pretty boy. Can't you support me and my son with one month's salary? My eldest sister said that a female worker in her factory earns just over 20 yuan a month and supports five of her brothers and sisters in the countryside. I think you have some extra money every month. Don't hide your intentions from me. This time I plan to catch some valuable animals. If you come back injured, I'll show you how I'll deal with you."
Zhang Guoqing watched her grow increasingly nervous as she spoke, and quickly patted her comfortingly, "I'm not stupid. Are you looking for trouble when you have a good life? I went there just to have fun. Safety first. Even if we get anything valuable, we'll share it. I know what I'm doing."
Zhou Jiao listened and nodded. She had only mentioned it briefly. She trusted him to understand the importance of the matter. Seeing it was getting late, she pushed him aside, pointed at the items on the table, and explained their uses.
After breakfast, they heard the announcement on the loudspeaker that Dad Zhang and his men were going to meet Uncle Zhang and his younger uncle's families, bringing their hunting tools such as hunting wood bins and carrying bamboo baskets.
Except for Zhou Jiao who was in confinement after giving birth, all the members of the third branch of the Zhang family went out, and men, women, old and young, went to the village drying yard in a mighty manner.
The drying yard was filled with people of all ages, and all the men who had gone up the mountain stood in the middle. The old captain stood on a pile of dirt, with gongs and drums in front of him.
Everyone was waiting for everyone to arrive, and when the drum sounded, they started to climb the mountain.
When the old captain saw the tall and strong men of the Zhang family from afar, he was so happy that he couldn't even close his mouth.
After more than ten minutes, he saw that everyone had gathered and repeatedly reminded everyone of the precautions for going up the mountain and asked everyone to ensure safety. Only then did he let Uncle Zhang lead the team up the mountain.
After a burst of gongs and drums, and amid the cheers of the villagers, young and old, Uncle Zhang led the men of Zhangjia Village to the foot of Daqing Mountain.
After meeting up with the men from the two neighboring villages who had been waiting for a long time, nearly 400 people were divided into several teams and set off towards Daqing Mountain.
Zhang Guoqing led the team in front, accompanied by an old hunter. Zhang Qingshan led the team at the rear, managing the group, while Zhang Qingya stood guard in the middle. The entire team consisted of about fifty people.
The group included not only the men of the Zhang family but also men in their twenties from various villages. Several wolfhounds accompanied them—this was the group with the best chance of bringing back prey from the three villages.
On the north and south sides, there are teams led by several old hunters including Uncle Zhang, ready to support each other at any time.
When they reached halfway up the mountain, the teams split into three groups.
According to the agreement, the three teams advanced and retreated together, and immediately provided support when they heard the whistle.
Before dark, everyone will rush back to the small valley halfway up the mountain to spend the night.
Following Uncle Zhang's arrangements, several old hunters pulled their hunting dogs, carried whistles, and led everyone cautiously further up the mountain.
After passing halfway up the mountain, you will reach the territory of the big prey.
This was the destination of this hunting trip. Further in was deep in the mountains, so no one dared to bring so many people in this time.
The further you go inside, the denser the forest becomes and the more weeds grow on the ground. The person leading the way has to use a hatchet to clear a path.
Without the physical strength, it is impossible to go hunting in the mountains. When walking in the mountains and forests, you have to pay attention to the surrounding movements, and you have to carry the prey back and forth on your back.
Seeing that the people behind could not keep up with the team, the old hunter found a nearby stream and began to set traps there with the people in front, hoping to get some gains on the way back.
Zhang Guoqing felt an inexplicable excitement when he entered Daqing Mountain. Looking at the distant mountains in his memory, he was eager to go in and take a look.
He remembered the last time he had picked ginseng, not far away. He didn't know about medicinal herbs at the time, but if he remembered correctly, there was Ganoderma lucidum in Yixiantian.
After the people in the team behind caught up, the old hunter saw that there was no hope of getting anything with the big commotion, so he asked Zhang Guoqing to start explaining the main matters of hunting to everyone.
Zhang Guoqing knew that many of the team had never hunted before. He really wanted to talk about the key points - this was something the old captain had mentioned several times and entrusted him with.
After everyone quieted down, Zhang Guoqing began demonstrating how to walk softly in the forest, paying attention to every branch and leaf beneath your feet to avoid disturbing the animals. Many animals have more sensitive hearing than humans and are also timid. They will flee at the slightest sign of movement.
Zhang Guoqing then talked about the importance of wind direction when hunting.
Many animals have a very sensitive sense of smell. If they smell something they're not of their species, they'll run away very quickly. If you encounter one that doesn't run away, it's likely a large wild beast and very dangerous.
Wind direction is also very useful for hunting with the wind. For example, hunting wild boar with the wind is more difficult and requires closer range than hunting against it. Often when you're facing the wind, you can see the boar's head tilt upwards to sniff. Wild boars have poor vision, so if you don't move, they won't notice.
After saying this, he began to talk about animals in the mountains, such as wild boars, wild deer, spores, etc., and their habits at different times.
For example, if wild boars are seen in groups, they're called herds. These animals are timid and easily frightened. After eating, they'll emerge into the woods or streams at dusk to rest and play. When startled, they always flee in the same direction, ultimately gathering together.
There's also a type of solitary pig weighing 700 to 800 kilograms. Be extremely cautious if you encounter one. This solitary pig is very aggressive and will attack anyone or any animal. The saying "one pig, two bears, three tigers" refers to this type of pig.
Be especially careful if you've killed a wild boar. Don't approach immediately. First, check the boar's condition. A dead boar will lie flat on the ground with its hooves stretched out. A wounded boar will tuck its hooves under its body and will leap up and attack you if you approach.
Seeing everyone's attention, he smiled and continued, "There's also a common species called the silly roe deer. They jump and run the fastest, but they're also stupid because they'll always look back. Sometimes they're so frightened they can't move. They're the most timid. In early winter, they love to eat green grass in ditches and streams."
Seeing that everyone was happy to listen, Zhang Guoqing then talked about sika deer.
In early winter, red deer often come down from the mountains to the river to drink water after sunrise, and they always like to walk along the same path. You should pay attention to the animal's footprints along the way.
Secondly, wolves often move around near where people live, and they like to walk along paths that people often use. When people return home at night, they often secretly follow behind them.
They don't have the courage to attack by surprise, this is their observation and testing. Let everyone not be afraid, stay calm, don't shout, and don't provoke it. Usually look back and they will run away;
Blind bears usually hibernate in sheltered caves at the beginning of winter. If you occasionally see one, you'll be fine. Foxes often catch small animals by the river.
Finally, when following their group, it's best to find clear signs that indicate the general direction. If you get separated and have no direction, don't move; wait where you are and wait for someone to find you. Everyone in their group should remember who is in front, behind, and around them, and notify everyone immediately if they are missing.
The old hunter laughed heartily. "Remember what Xiaowu said. This is old advice you don't hear often. We must always remember safety first. Don't chase wild animals when you see them. Don't shout when you encounter an ambush. Okay, keep going. Now, remember to step lightly."
Seeing that he was about to go hunting in the mountains, Zhang Guoqing put down the basket, tied a straw rope around his waist, and put the hatchet on his belt. He touched the dagger at his calf, put the basket on his back, and then reached back to touch the bow. In his left hand, he held a torn bag filled with stones, and in both hands, he held small stones.
After he was ready, he looked at his elder brother who was waiting behind him with concern. Seeing his elder brother smiling at him, he thought that he could still protect him.
Walking beside the old hunter, protecting his elder brother, Zhang Guoqing was completely immersed in the situation. Apart from the barking of dogs, any movement in the distance could be heard clearly.
A venomous snake coiled nearby, and he flicked a stone at it, its head already bloodied. The old hunter gave him a thumbs-up and gestured, then cleared the way, leaving Zhang Guoqing to watch his surroundings.
The old hunter led everyone to the woods in front and moved forward quietly, following the animal footprints on the ground.
Zhang Guoqing immediately understood that he was looking for a herd of pigs. If he remembered correctly, or heard correctly, there was a herd of wild boars digging in the soil for food not far away.
He didn't offer any hints. As long as he could keep the team safe, he'd be done. As for wild game, Daqing Mountain had no shortage of it. What haunted him most was the Ganoderma lucidum found in Yixiantian. He wondered if he'd have the chance to go there this time. Even without selling it for money, it would be good for Jiaojiao's health.
After two days and one night in Daqingshan, Zhang Guoqing saw that his son's full month was approaching, and Zhou Jiao would be worried sick if he didn't return. Seeing that several teams still had people injured, Zhou Jiao asked him to use up all the medicine he brought.
Zhang Guoqing ran over to talk to Uncle Zhang and decided to call it a day. Many of the people who had just entered the mountains were already exhausted, so they decided to return in a group in the freezing weather.
Seeing everyone in such a state of disarray, Uncle Zhang consulted with the leaders of the other two villages and asked for everyone's opinion. The majority agreed, and finally everyone agreed to return with a full load.
Zhang Guoqing, excited and brimming with excitement, led the team down the mountain. Once at the foot of the mountain, he and the old captain reported the village's safety. He didn't even bother to consider how much game they were supposed to get, instead dragging his eldest brother along for the ride. The brothers' haul would only be confirmed after meeting Zhou Jiao.
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