Chapter 97 - 97: Fishing (requesting for monthly tickets and recommendation tickets)_l

Translator: 549690339

Chunniang led Youyou and said to her daughter sitting on the deer’s back, “Don’t just agree to treat people in the future. If anything bad happens to them, won’t it ruin your reputation?”

Yingbao nodded: “Hmm, I know, mother.”

She simply wanted to test the effect of the wound medicine, and Chen Zhu happened to be the best subject for this experiment.

After some time, she planned to go to the county town, buy more medicinal materials to make medicine, and see Wu Daozi while she was at it.

On her previous visit, sister Wen gave her a book of precious prescriptions. Yingbao had a quick read and decided to follow the instructions and buy some medical supplies to make some pills.

Back at their South Slope home, Yingbao unloaded the saddle from Youyou’s back, led it to a secluded spot in the courtyard, and fed it some fresh beanstalks.

She patted its neck and said, “After you’re done eating, go back home on your own. I need to check on how father’s well is coming along.”

Youyou nudged her with its head as if it understood what she said.

“Sister! Sister!” Xiaowu and Xiaojie came running at full speed.

Yingbao walked towards them, “What is it?”

“Brother Huzi and Brother Yuanbao have gone bird hunting. I also want a bow and arrows to shoot birds.” Xiaowu was particularly enthusiastic about archery. He pestered his father all day to make him a small bow and arrow set.

However, their father was worried that the two youngsters might hurt each other while playing, so he didn’t make them such objects.

Yingbao pulled her two younger brothers back, “Why do you want to shoot birds? We’re not short of meat. Birds are so pitiful, they are harmless, why do you want to kill them?”

Xiaowu scratched his head and felt that what his sister said made sense.

But he still really wanted a bow and arrow, even if he just shot trees with it. Xiaojie tipped his head and said: “We won’t shoot birds, we’ll shoot rabbits.”

Yingbao tapped him on the head, “Have you done your calligraphy for today? How far have you recited the Thousand Character Classic?”

Xiaojie rubbed his forehead and excitedly raised his small hand: “I’ve already memorized up to ‘Dragon is assigned to fire, bird to the sphere of humanity. Initially they made characters, then they clothed and dressed.’

Yingbao praised him: “Xiaojie is really good, you’ve already memorized up to this point. I’ll buy you something good to eat when I go to town.”

Xiaowu protested: “I’ve also recited it.”

Yingbao patted him too, generously praising: “Xiaowu is also very good, whatever gift you want, sister will buy it.”

“A bow! I want a bow! And arrows!” Both of them shouted in unison.

Yingbao was left speechless.

Oh well, the next time they go to the market she would buy a small bow and arrow set for each of them, making sure the arrows aren’t too sharp.

As soon as Chunniang came back, she started cooking.

First, she boiled a pot of rice, and when it was cooked, she deliberately simmered it a little longer on low heat. This made the rice form a crust at the bottom of the pot, which she kept as snacks for her children.

Then she made tofu with cabbage, boiled a few salted eggs and a couple of links of sausage. At home, they also had a small pot of bean paste, and a bowl of it as a side dish was delicious.

With the food ready, Chunniang instructed the twins to go and call their father and uncle in for dinner.

At the dinner table, Jiang Sanlang took a mouthful of rice and said to his wife,

“There’s a big market tomorrow. Look around the house and see what we need. Buy what’s missing. This year we should expect a lot of visitors during the New

Year’s celebration, so prepare plenty of food and meat to entertain our guests.”

Chunniang nodded, “Alright, I’ll have Dacheng help me take the donkey cart tomorrow, it will be easier to buy and bring back more things.”

“Don’t buy tofu. Dad said we’re making it ourselves this year, and we’ll divide it up amongst the families.”

“Alright, then I’ll buy some more fish.” Chunniang said.

Your banquet must include fish, otherwise, it will be disrespectful.

Yingbao lifted her head from the bowl and blinked, “Why don’t we go and catch some fish?”

Her cave was stocked with a generous amount of premium Xue’er fragments, which would otherwise go unsold. Since they couldn’t finish them at home, why not make them into fish bait? They could even save the money that would otherwise be spent on buying fish.

Jiang Sanlang was about to refuse, but then he heard his daughter say, “I have a lot of chopped Xue’er. Mixed with some flour and bran, it can be made into fish bait, sure to catch big fish.”

Jiang Erlang’s eyes lit up, “Sanlang, then let’s go fishing this afternoon.”

There’s no hurry for well digging; we can invite some villagers to dig it after the New Year festivities. Also, we can hire two professionals to guide us so that the well fills up with water in spring.

Because after the spring warmth returns, the water in the pond will contain insects, rendering it unsuitable for drinking.

Jiang Sanlang was initially not enthusiastic about the idea, but seeing his little daughter, nephews and brother looking forward to it, he had to nod: “Then let’s prepare the fishing gear, and look for a spot this afternoon.”

“Let’s go to the same spot as last time, it has a wide water surface, and we’ll certainly catch a lot of big fish.” Jiang Erlang had completely forgotten about getting soaked and falling sick previously.

“Okay, let’s go there.” Jiang Sanlang nodded and stuffed a piece of tofu into his mouth.

Yingbao decided to go along and see, anyway, she was riding a deer, it wouldn’t get in the way of her father’s plans.

After eating, Yingbao mixed the chopped golden and snow fungus into the bran, and then handed a large jar of fish bait to her father.

Jiang Sanlang grabbed a handful to inspect, seeing his hand full of bran and flour, he was pleased, and agreed to let his daughter go with them.

When harnessing the mule for the cart, it spotted Yingbao and started crying out, repeatedly pushing its large head towards her.

“Don’t worry, I have food for you.” Yingbao patted its large ears, feeding it a handful of bran, and also fed some to the deer.

Jiang Sanlang harnessed the mule to the cart, placed the fishing net, iron hooks, ropes, and baskets onto the cart, and then hopped onto the shafts in one swift motion.

After the two nephews and his brother also squeezed onto the mule cart, he wielded the whip to drive the mule on the road.

Yingbao mounted her deer and followed closely behind.

On the way, they ran into Chen Yin and a few villagers.

They initially wanted to invite Jiang Sanlang for a rabbit hunt in the mountains, but they unexpectedly saw him driving a mule cart towards the river.

Then, noticing the equipment piled on the cart, the men exchanged knowing smiles. “Sanlang, you’re going fishing. Take us along too.”

Could Jiang Sanlang refuse? Of course not.

With frustration, he responded, “Fine! But you must bring your own tools.”

The Chuanhe River wasn’t his property, these men were his good friends as well, bringing them along didn’t matter. However, whether they could catch anything depended on their luck.

Chen Yin and others cheered, running back home swiftly to fetch tools and yelling as they ran, “Sanlang, make sure to wait for us!”

By the time they returned, several other villagers had followed them, including the Li Dayong brothers and Wang Ke.

Well, now it had turned into a village event.

Jiang Sanlang felt exasperated, but there wasn’t much he could say.

Yingbao, riding her deer, followed closely behind the mule cart, receiving warm looks from the villagers on the way.

Alright, she was the center of attention. At a later time, she would give each of them a health check and see what was troubling them.

After traveling several miles, they arrived at a broad riverbank.

Jiang Sanlang, Jiang Erlang, and the two nephews began unloading their fishing gear and searched for a suitable spot.

Yingbao, on the other hand, was trotting around on her deer, appreciating the scenic surroundings.

“Sanlang, let’s spread the fish bait here,” Jiang Erlang pointed at a river beach and said.

It was here where they had caught fish the year before. There was a shallow water area about half a yard wide near the river bank, which was particularly good for dragging fishing nets.

“Alright, here it is then. I’ll spread the fish bait first, you guys watch the timing to use the fishing net. Dacheng, Erquan, you both are not very strong, be careful not to fall into the river!”

“Yes, Uncle San!” Dacheng and Erquan bubbled back cheerfully, picking up the nets in preparation for catching fish..