Chapter 004: Affection

Seeing Lv Qingyao using a small axe to disassemble the pig's head, Sang Bai curiously asked, "Why do you need to take the pig's head off?"

Sangbai had eaten wild boar meat before. Many people say that wild boar meat is delicious, but in reality, wild boar meat is gamey and tough, far inferior to domestic pork.

What is the purpose of employing people

While twisting the rope, I did not expect to encounter you and suddenly take down two large wild boars. The rope we brought is insufficient, and in order to transport them back, we have no choice but to temporarily twist some rope and make a tree sled..." Chen Baoguo explained

The reason is simple: Liu Shu Village is too poor, and no woman is willing to marry here. In the past, during the era when poverty was considered honorable, the people of Liu Shu Village could still hold their heads high and marry wives.

At this time, the two large wild boars had already been divided into four sections, with the heads and large bones from the bodies removed, and the internal organs and other parts neatly set aside. In any case, all the detachable parts from the bodies of the pigs were neatly arranged on the snow.

Upon hearing Lü Qingyao's words, everyone seemed to come alive at once and quickly got busy.

After a few casual remarks, Chen Dongsheng began to inquire about various matters.

He glanced at Sang Bai and explained, "The two mules are already heavily burdened with meat. If we wear them out, what will we use for spring plowing when the season comes?"

Along the way, Lü Qingyao imparted some knowledge, and it was then that Sang Bai understood that these old mountain guides would leave special marks on the trees. As long as one followed the marks, it would be easy to find a way out of the old forest

Lü Qingyao said: "The pig's head is taken off, tied with a rope, and carried back on a person's back"

In the summer, not to mention snakes, scorpions, and poisonous spiders, just the venomous mosquitoes in the woods are enough to drive one to drink a pot of water

The area enclosed by the entire burrow is less than 20 square meters

The underground dwelling has become lively, with several people, two mules, and two pieces of wild boar meat. If the mules relieve themselves again after midnight, and once the door is closed and the fire is rekindled, the aroma in the underground dwelling will surely be extraordinary

It is precisely for this reason that when Sang Bo relinquished the wild boars, Lu Qingyao was only slightly courteous before accepting the two large fat pigs.

"If someone doesn't want to speak, then don't ask. It is probably their unique skill. As for freezing to death, if it were possible, he would have frozen to death long ago. Let's not worry about him; let's quickly stoke the fire, eat something so we can set off early tomorrow. Tonight, everyone should roast a piece of meat to satisfy our cravings and also to regain some strength," said Lu Qingyao.

Sang Bai was unaware of the twists and turns involved; by the time he began to take note of events, it was already the millennium. In vast China, has there ever been a shortage of grain?

Ji Lianwu took a small pot outside to collect some snow and brought it back, placing it on the fire to boil water.

I see that you have already removed all the bones, leaving only the meat, which shouldn't weigh too much. I estimate that the two pigs together weigh no more than 150 pounds, " said Sang Bai.

It is not to say that there is none; if there were money, the local military department could approve a box or half a box. However, Lü Qingyao and his associates happen to be without funds

Lu Qingyao thought for a moment and agreed, realizing that if one did not possess certain skills, it would not be possible to survive alone in the old forest until now

Lü Qingyao took out a small knife to cut strips of fatty meat, each strip two fingers wide and a palm long, with a thickness equivalent to the tip of a finger.

... ...

Upon arriving at the location, Sang Bai was taken aback by this place.

After approximately half an hour, Lü Qingyao and a few others simply divided the two large wild boars, and then they continued to head towards today's campsite, carrying the meat on their backs and with mules in tow

At this moment, Mr. Lü Qingyao was using a knife to dissect the pig intestines and stomach.

It is fortunate that I am accustomed to such situations here in Sangbai; for an eighteen-year-old brat to try to extract information from me is truly like a dream.

"Farming, what other way is there to live?" Sang Bai laughed.

If this is done, as soon as the livestock encounters a major problem or even dies, it can immediately plunge a family that was originally self-sufficient into poverty

Soon, the air was not only filled with the smell of blood, but also with a hint of sour and foul odor

Soon, Sang Bo discovered that Chen Baoguo was placing the bark he had retrieved on a stone and striking it with a small stone. With each ringing blow, the fibers of the bark were quickly extracted, transforming what was once a piece of bark into strands of plant fibers

Sang Bai said, "Forget it, I might as well find a place to stay with Qiu Shou for the night. With Qiu Shou here, I fear that the two mules and the two dogs will be frightened and lose their footing tomorrow."

Having left the burrow, after walking less than 100 meters, one could see the burrow from a distance. Sang Bai waved his hand and led the autumn harvest into the warm space.

It's fine, it's fine, I don't like eating these things. Even if you leave them for me, I would just throw them away

Upon hearing this, several individuals from Liu Shu Zhuang felt that this Brother Sang Bai was not someone who engaged in agriculture or farming

It was still two teams, with the people from Willow Tree Village in front, and Sang Bai and Qiu Shou bringing up the rear. However, it wasn't long before Chen Dongsheng came over with a smile and struck up a conversation with Sang Bai

Upon witnessing this scene, one would rather stand in the cold wind all night than retreat into a burrow, not even the mulberry and cypress trees would seek shelter underground

If they had money, they would directly buy food to eat, so why would they risk going into the mountains to hunt

Chen Baoguo returned and, upon hearing Sang Bai's words, chuckled and said

Not only did Chen Dongsheng fail to engage in conversation, but he also revealed his own bottom line

"It is cold outside," said Chen Baoguo

Now Sang Bai knows that there are only a dozen or so families in Liu Shu Village, and they all share three surnames: Chen, Ji, and Lü

Originally intending to lend a hand, Sang Bai quickly realized that he was of no assistance whatsoever, and that his presence would only complicate matters further

Moreover, it is worth mentioning that there are fierce beasts such as tigers, leopards, bears, and packs of wolves in this old forest. Even avalanches and landslides can be life-threatening

Squeeze in, and it will fit!

In the past, when militia training was frequent, ammunition was not too scarce, and one could typically have a dozen or twenty rounds by the end of the year. However, now that the country is facing difficulties, the militias in wealthier areas only engage in a few assassination drills from time to time to maintain appearances, let alone those in impoverished mountain villages like Lu Qingyao's.

Originally, everyone wanted to say something to Sang Bai, but upon seeing his smooth and radiant face, they all fell silent, feeling that there was no need to explain so clearly to a young master from a landlord's family

Now, with half a year's worth of food and half a year's worth of sweet potato porridge, there will still be a month or so of hunger, in a village where one cannot eat well or dress warmly, which woman would be willing to marry into such a place

Just then, Sang Bai saw a mule spreading its legs, and with a slight bend, he heard a series of plopping sounds as a pile of rice steadily fell to the ground

Do not mention the women from outside; even the girls who grew up in Willow Tree Village are now marrying out with a clear conscience

Hello!

Hunting in the old forest is not an easy task

"Uncle Bao Guo, what are you doing?"

Ji Lianwu asked: "Master Lü, how did he spend the night? Surely he didn't freeze to death?"

In summary, there is a somewhat inextricable connection between wild game, grain, and ammunition

Chen Dongsheng saw Sang Bai leaving the burrow, and while starting a fire, he said with a smile

Goodness!

Chen Baoguo took out several焦黄色的班米面饼子 from the bag and placed them by the fire to roast

In such a small place, it would be fine if it were only for people, but Lü Qingyao and his group have even brought in two mules!

Lü Qingyao spoke while busying himself

Lu Qingyao was very excited; the main task of this trip into the mountains was to hunt a big game to bring back and share with the villagers. Otherwise, if they had to endure until the summer harvest, the roundworms in everyone's stomachs would be starving to death.

With each slice, Lü Qingyao would skewer the pieces of meat onto a twig, one end close to the fire and the other end stuck into the ground. As the four pieces of fatty meat began to shrink and sizzle with oil over the fire, a rich aroma of meat immediately wafted through the air

Sang Bai Dao: "It's nothing, I am used to living here"

Sang Baige is indeed a young master; it seems this place is uninhabitable

Are we staying here today? Is there enough space to accommodate us?" asked Sang Bai

Haha! You have no idea, this livestock is quite precious in the village

Sang Bai and Chen Dongsheng are not far apart in age, one being just over 20 and the other just 18. However, the eras they lived in are completely different; one could hardly eat more than 10 jin of meat in a year, while the other worries about whether a meal at KFC is healthy. Thus, their understanding of poverty is certainly different.

The so-called earth pit is a hole dug into the ground, approximately waist-deep, with an outer structure about one meter high. The top of the earth pit is an irregular circular shape, resembling a conical form, supported by a central pillar. The roof is simply made of mud and straw.

Sang Bai was even more confused; clearly there were two mules, so why use a person to carry a pig's head

Then everyone started to take action, moving swiftly to finish the task quickly, so that everyone could return to the village early tomorrow morning

It is just ahead

Over there, resembling a thicket, is our resting place for today! It is also known as a burrow..." Chen Dongsheng said, happily sniffing his nose.

Thus, Sang Bai stood with his hands clasped, using the broad frame of the autumn harvest to shield himself from the wind and avoid the strong smell of blood, while watching Lu Qingyao and a few others busily at work

When winter arrives and heavy snow falls, no one knows what might be lurking beneath the snow. If one is unfortunate enough to be bitten, it is very likely that they will not survive to leave the old forest

"Brother Sang, how do you live in the forest?" Chen Dongsheng asked

There are several people with guns, but there are only four guns and six bullets. The main issue is that while guns are easy to find, bullets are hard to come by

Sang Bai looked ahead and found that there was nothing in front of him, so he asked, "Where is it?"

After pushing for a while, Lü Qingyao said, "Then I will not be polite."

Although there was a strange odor mixed in, the aroma of the meat still penetrated the noses of the crowd, enticing everyone's appetite.

In the view of these individuals, if a person is tired, resting for two days would suffice; however, if a mule is overworked and injured, it could cause significant delays in spring plowing, not to mention the consequences of driving livestock to exhaustion.

If the dish is still not to taste even with all the seasonings in place and a dedicated master chef at the helm, then one cannot expect much from the skills of people like Lü Qingyao and others.

To hunt large game, such as deer and wild sheep, one must venture deep into the old forest

Preparing to leave the sight of these people, Sang Bai then took the autumn harvest and entered the space.

The eldest generation in the village is represented by Lü Qingyao and his peers, totaling four or five individuals. The youngest generation is represented by Chen Dongsheng and his peers. The three surnames are interrelated, and the youngest person in the village is Chen Dongsheng's younger brother, who has just turned ten this year; there are no younger individuals.

After talking all the way, Sang Bai has generally understood that Liu Shu Village is very poor, but he truly has no concept of the specifics of their poverty

Sang Bai did not know that, merely because of his appearance, he had become the young master of a landlord in the eyes of others

For Lü Qingyao and his companions, hunting a large game in the mountains is not an easy task. The animals that once roamed the forest's edge have long been driven to extinction or have fled due to decades of hunting. There are hardly any large game left that would dare to approach human settlements.

This mulberry tree could be understood, so he moved closer to Chen Baoguo, watching him pound the bark into plant fibers. After gathering them into a bundle, he twisted the strands into a rope as thick as a thumb

Then he spoke up, saying: "Do not wander too far, and leave markers along the way. If we do not see you tomorrow morning, we can follow the trail to find you."