"Everything is valued for its rarity. Wild fruits that were once commonplace are now considered rare species," said Mama Yun, watching her two children gather around their grandfather, listening to him describe various wild fruits, and couldn't help but smile.
Yun Qi looked at his mother thoughtfully, then slapped his thigh. "Why didn't I think of that?"
"Such a jumpy reaction! You're a mother now, yet you're still so unsteady." Having just scolded her, Mother Yun asked curiously, "What didn't you think of?"
“Things are valued for their rarity. We can process the wild boar into cured meat or jerky and then exchange it with people in other places,” Yunqi said, sharing his idea.
“I thought it was something serious. With animals so rampant these days, everyone must have plenty of these,” said Mother Yun, throwing cold water on the idea.
Yunqi said, "I didn't say we could exchange it in this area. We can exchange it inland. They suffered such a severe drought there, so they definitely don't have as many animals as we do. Besides, we've added salt to it. They only need to boil some each day to solve their salt needs. Isn't that killing two birds with one stone?"
“Don’t be so optimistic. If the drought were really that severe, people would have already migrated south. Why would they stay put and die of thirst? If they were only after salt, they could just exchange it for table salt. Why would they need to throw in wild boar meat?” Yun Zhiming retorted.
Yun Qi said, "If that's how you put it, then there's really nothing we can do. But we can't just leave it unattended!"
Si Cheng said, "We need to clean it up by tomorrow. Even if it wastes a little salt, we can't let it go unchecked. Besides, taxes are due soon, so let's see if we can lower the tax rate then."
Si Cheng knew that for a base to operate, it would definitely need to generate revenue, and these crops would be an important support for it, so it was only a matter of time before taxes were introduced.
"Hopefully, the tax will be kept within reasonable limits, otherwise who knows what kind of trouble will arise." Yun Zhiming was more concerned about the public's attitude, as not everyone might be able to accept it.
He then turned to Sicheng and instructed, "If the conditions aren't too unreasonable, our village should try its best to support us. After all, only when this area is stable can our future be smoother."
At this point, as long as it's truly for the benefit of the people, it's acceptable for everyone to give up a little personal gain.
Si Cheng nodded. He had made a point about this to everyone at the meeting before, because it would take some time for everyone to accept it, so as not to cause a rebellious reaction if they were suddenly notified.
“The climate has returned to normal, and the air is much better than before. The harvest this time looks pretty good. If things continue like this, order will definitely be restored soon. So now is the time for everyone to unite.” After saying this, Yun Zhiming stood up and walked out.
Yun's mother immediately stopped him, "Why are you going outside at this hour? It's almost time to eat."
As Yun Zhiming gave his instructions, he continued walking out, saying, "I'm going to my second uncle's house for a bit. Don't wait for me."
Watching the person leave, Yun Qi turned to Si Cheng and asked, "Are you really going to use cured meat to offset taxes? Won't that be a bad deal?"
Si Cheng said, "It will definitely not be worth it, and this is just a plan. We'll see if we can exchange it in a more distant place later. After all, not every place has such a large-scale breeding industry as us."
Since Si Cheng had the idea of traveling far away last time, he had planned the route in his mind many times. Moreover, the further he went into the village, the more he needed things. In the absence of places to buy them, he had no choice but to look for them outside.
"However, we need to control our poultry farming. There are more and more poultry in the village now. If we continue to develop like this, it will be bad if we attract some kind of plague," Mother Yun reminded them.
Although we usually keep our house very clean, as the number of poultry increases, a foul odor always wafts through the backyard.
For other families who were relatively lazy, the smell was somewhat unbearable, so people could only try to reduce the number of times they visited each other, or simply gather in the square to chat.
Mother Yun thought of the topics they had discussed earlier and told them, "Especially those families living in the back mountains, as the climate recovers, the mountain winds blow into the village, and the smells from the ditches directly impact them. Sometimes when the wind is strong, we can feel it here."
Si Cheng and Yun Qi never expected that the trench breeding grounds that everyone used to be so proud of would become a disliked object, especially since they were frequently cleaned.
Yunqi said, "If all else fails, let's just get rid of all those wild boars! Otherwise, with their reproduction rate, we'll have trouble every now and then."
Si Cheng also stood up and walked out. "I'll go to the back mountain to take a look. If there are too many, I'll try to clean them up this time."
"These people all rush out as soon as it's time to eat. Can't they wait until they've finished eating before going?" Yun's mother complained as she watched her daughter chase after them.
In her view, even the most important things should wait until she has filled her stomach before she can talk about them.
"It's growing way too fast! This one must weigh three or four hundred pounds!" Yun Qi exclaimed in surprise as he looked at the wild boar in front of him. It had only been a month or so since the last time they had cleared it.
"Now that they have plenty of food and are kept in captivity with no room to move around, they're bound to gain weight like crazy." Dr. Xia, who was about to go home, stopped to chat with the couple when she saw them there.
"It's a good thing they're so fat. We can fry more oil, and everyone can hold out for a while longer." Looking at the big, fat pigs, Yunqi's first thought was that it would help alleviate part of the village's oil shortage.
“The problem of oil is solved, but the other meats are also a problem, since they require a lot of salt.” Dr. Xia thought of the suggestions from other villagers, “Some people have even gone to Dr. Yun to see if he can prepare some Chinese medicine for curing meat so that it can be preserved for a long time.”
Yunqi asked, "Has Uncle Nan Yao finished concocting it yet?"
The doctor laughed at her question. "Do you really think you can concoct anything? Even if Chinese herbs can be pickled, which is more precious, the herbs or the salt?"
Yun Qi chuckled at his own foolishness. Indeed, if medicinal herbs were used as salt, it would be a laughing stock for miles around.
"However, these wild boars really need to be cleared out. Not only do they smell bad, but they also pose a safety hazard."
This wasn't the first time Dr. Xia had made this suggestion; it's just that in the past, people lacked food and would be slaughtered as soon as they grew up, so the wild boar population wasn't as large as it is now.
Now things are different. Since the climate has returned to normal, there is an ample supply of both green plants and wild vegetables. The village's poultry are growing and reproducing like they've been injected with hormones, far exceeding everyone's consumption.
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