Wang Wenxuan, who was listening in the hall, became interested and walked to the corridor. He only took a glance at the tiger's death and frowned.
Mr. Wang turned around and said gently to his eldest son, "Dad had this fox fur tanned. Wear it when the winter gets cold. Last year's fur is old and doesn't keep you warm anymore."
In his mind, his eldest son was frail and sickly, so he had to be taken good care of.
Young Master Wang Er has become accustomed to his father's favoritism, but in his eyes, his brother is really weak, so it doesn't matter if he gives in to him.
Besides, he looked down on fox skin scarves, thinking that they were only worn by women. A real man should wear a tiger skin scarf!
"Dad, please peel off this tiger skin and make a scarf for me!" He grinned and acted coquettishly to his father.
Unfortunately, his father was very hard-hearted towards him and refused directly.
"No, I'm going to exchange this tiger for a boat."
The corners of Wang Er Gongzi's mouth instantly fell. Then, hearing his father say he had to exchange two melons for ten peace apples and ten pears, he felt even more depressed. He didn't get the tiger skin, and there weren't many fruits left...
Jiang Yue didn't know that the Wang family kept the white fox fur, so she took the fruit as a stepping stone.
She hadn't left the house for the past two days, resting in the farmhouse as if it were a vacation. Uncle Jin and his family all lived there, and they were treated like honored guests. Although they didn't have meat every meal, at least they had dry rice.
Uncle Jin was a talkative person who answered all her questions. She would chat with him whenever she had nothing to do, and she also learned more about the situation in the local fishing village.
There are arable fields in the villages near Qingshui City, but there are no good farmlands to the south of here, and no crops can be grown.
Jinsha Village, Uncle Jin’s hometown, is a typical fishing village. It has no fields and cannot grow crops. At most, they grow some vegetables in the backyard and rely on fish from the sea to survive.
Most fishermen have only one small wooden boat, often a family heirloom, shared by the entire family. This small boat can't withstand strong winds and waves, so they can only catch small fish along the coast and sell them in the city for food. They can't fetch a high price locally, and they can't ship them further afield.
Many fishermen work as boatmen for the large sea vessels of local wealthy families to earn money and food, but it is common for them to be deducted by unscrupulous masters.
The sea is rich in resources, but the fishermen's harvest is greatly affected by the weather. When the weather is bad, they dare not even go near the beach for fear of being swept away by the wind and waves.
No household in Baisha Village dares to say that no one in their family has drowned in the sea.
According to Uncle Jin, they live by the sea, so they won't starve to death, but they can't expect to make any money either. They all live by the belt, and if they're not careful, they'll be swallowed by the sea.
Natural disasters are even more devastating for fishermen, and they can't even risk their lives.
With no food to exchange for, and the increased danger of going out to sea, after two years, there were only a few people left in the village.
Uncle Jin's family was nearly starving, so they "sold" themselves to the Wang family for twenty years as long-term laborers. Although they were slaves, at least they had enough to eat and wear. Especially during the years of natural disasters, he was even more grateful that his family had found a foundation for survival.
When Jiang Yue learned that his hometown was in a fishing village, she couldn't help but sigh that she was really lucky.
"Uncle Jin, has anyone in your family ever been to sea?"
"Besides me, there's a cousin from my uncle's family." Actually, there were a few brothers, but they're all gone. So, there are only four of my cousin's family left, living in the village.
"Well, we'd like to hire someone to take us fishing near the coast. We'll pay him two liters of beans a day. Do you think that's a good idea?"
Uncle Jin didn't expect such a good thing to happen, and quickly replied, "No problem!"
Two days later, Butler Wang came to her and told her that the boat was ready and was anchored by the sea.
Uncle Jin asked Butler Wang to go with him, and Butler Wang agreed.
He just couldn't imagine that this couple couldn't even row a boat, yet they dared to ask for a boat to go out to sea!
When a group of two carriages entered the village along a small road, they aroused the villagers' vigilance, and everyone picked up their children and hid in the cellar.
Jiang Yue stood in the car and looked into the distance.
There was a small hill in the southeast corner of Jinsha Village. The trees on it were sparse, as if many had been cut down. A fence had been erected between the village and the hill.
Uncle Jin followed Butler Wang in his car, followed her gaze, and explained, "The other side of the mountain is the government salt field. No one is allowed to approach. Anyone who violates the rules will be killed without mercy."
Some children don't understand the seriousness of the situation and, out of playfulness, crawl over and never come back. Even if their parents cry themselves blind, they still can't get justice.
Jiang Yue turned back when she heard this. This salt was indeed not something that ordinary people could touch.
There is a small pier in Jinsha Village, which is only used by villagers for daily use. It is not big and looks shabby and old.
The Wang family was thoughtful. They sent the boat directly here, fearing it would attract attention if they went to the main dock. There were few boats in the village, so they left two tall and strong men to guard the boat, fearing someone might do something bad.
They parked the mule cart and horse carriage by the roadside and walked down to the beach.
The sea breeze blew, and the air was filled with a salty and damp smell. The soles of the cloth shoes were thin and light, and Jiang Yue felt like she was walking barefoot on soft cloth.
The waves gently lapped the shore. Jiang Yue looked out at the azure sea and the endless coastline on the opposite side. She could feel the beauty of the contrast between the blue sea and the blue sky.
The vast nature always makes people open-minded, as if the depression in their hearts has dissipated with the ups and downs of the waves.
Uncle Jin is an old fisherman. When he saw the boat, his eyes lit up. He gently touched the hull with his calloused hands, and his love for it was beyond words.
Steward Wang smiled and said, "This boat isn't big, but nowadays, no one who has a boat is willing to sell it. Since we don't have many poultry and livestock, we can only make up for it by going out to sea and fishing."
Seafood spoils easily and doesn't keep well. Eating dried fish every day can become tiresome. The only fresh meat you have is caught by the boat owners. As long as they own a boat, they can make a killing, so they're generally reluctant to sell. It was only Mr. Wang who paid a small price to acquire it.
The boat was about six meters long and three meters wide, with a small cabin in the middle for people to rest. It was similar to the sightseeing wooden boats Jiang Yue had seen.
The hull was oiled, so it didn't look old. The Wang family wouldn't cheat her.
Jiang Yue nodded and said, "Thank you, Master Wang. This boat is enough for us."
She didn't want to go out to sea, so she just wanted to catch some things near the coast, just enough for her needs.
Seeing that they had reached an agreement, Uncle Jin ran to his cousin's house in the village to look for him.
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