Chapter 5: The Mountain Mouse
According to Zhang Fugui's memory, this should be a mountain mouse
Retrieve the potatoes back into the dice, while Fang Xiaoyue attempts to put a sickle into the dice.
If it were not for this, Fang Xiaoyue could craft some exquisite small baskets, backpacks, and the like, take them to the town and sell them in the county, which might very well be a way to earn her first pot of gold
Moreover, in this day and age, potatoes are not a rare commodity. Every year, Qianqiao Village cultivates potatoes, but due to the lack of detoxification, the yield is not high
Returning to the thatched cottage, Fang Xiaoyue peeled the remaining chestnuts and ate them. After filling his stomach, he lay on the bed and began to ponder.
If he cannot find food in the mountains, it means he will go hungry
After weighing it in her hand, Fang Xiaoyue smiled. This mountain rat truly lives up to its name of little mountain pig, as this one weighs at least seven or eight jin
However, due to a light rain, the grass rope became soaked and loosened, causing the stones to fall prematurely, ultimately allowing the prey to escape.
Positions such as women's director and militia company commander are typically held by individuals who have only completed elementary school education
For a boy who has been in a state of hunger for a long time, this is undoubtedly a significant gain
What renders those hunters of the past futile is that this type of mountain mouse is extremely alert, with highly developed hearing, and when someone approaches, it often quickly burrows into its hole or retreats into the treetops
Individuals like Zhang Fugui, who have not even completed elementary school, were promptly eliminated by others
What can three potatoes do
As the sky gradually darkened, Fang Xiaoyue took her small basket and went to the captain's house
His disguise is effective
For those generals of the Three Kingdoms, such meat has already become a delicacy
He speculated that if Zhang Fugui were not only to be well-fed but also to live well, then perhaps he would receive more fate points after completing the main quest
This indeed left him somewhat disappointed
Regarding the rain that fell last night, he was indeed somewhat apprehensive about whether the trap would be effective and whether it could capture the prey
The "mountain mouse" referred to here is not simply a field mouse, but rather a species unique to the Dulong Mountain region. It is larger in size compared to the house mouse and prefers to feed on grass seeds and wild fruits. Its habits reflect a preference for cleanliness, which contributes to its tender and flavorful meat, naturally infused with a fruity aroma
Just think about it, even for the workers in the city, each person only receives two taels of meat coupons per month
By circumventing the aerial roots sprawling from two banyan trees, Fang Xiaoyue saw that the stone trap she had set up on a certain animal path had already turned into a pile of wreckage
Xiao Yue Fang placed the mountain mice and the porcini mushrooms into the backpack, and also gathered some thatch for weaving to cover them. Carrying two bundles of somewhat damp firewood, she finally set off on her way home.
The potato is fine, but if a low-quality toolbox is seen by others while being carried around, it could lead to significant trouble
However, for Fang Xiaoyue, who comes from a modern and affluent society, the sight of pale, fatty meat before her is nothing but a pungent smell that assaults her senses; the taste of consuming it is something only those who eat it can truly understand
The porcini mushroom has become a rare and exquisite delicacy in later generations
Fang Xiaoyue took out the three potatoes from the dice and looked at them, shaking his head. These potatoes were quite large, each resembling a small basin, yet he found himself unable to take such potatoes outside
For him, this uncertain and precarious life is truly difficult to endure
Moreover, we are currently under a work points system, where everyone works together. As long as one contributes labor, the amount of work done or the number of books produced is of no difference.
It is unknown how much good food this mountain mouse has consumed, as it has grown at least two sizes larger than the usual mountain mouse, its body plump and round, nearly equal in size to that of an adult orange cat
Cannot even fill a single meal.
Only when he attempts and fails will he understand that the things in reality cannot be placed into the dice; only the things drawn from the dice can be placed in.
In this day and age, material scarcity makes it quite difficult to obtain sugar
On the way back, I happened to encounter Liu Sanmu, who was herding cattle for the village
Fang Xiaoyue immediately killed the mountain mouse after catching it
The next morning, he got up early, finished the last few chestnuts, and took the sickle to head up the mountain once again
Zhang Daniu not only has the gratitude of having delivered meals to him, but he is also the team leader, responsible for all matters, big and small, in the village. Fang Xiaoyue hopes to obtain some information to improve her own life
Ultimately, his thoughts still rested on his own skills
It is evident that this trap has captured its prey
It has been mentioned before that relying on the mountains for sustenance can only be done occasionally here, as the risks are too great
Indeed, the dice contains an inherent space, unlike those inferior toolboxes where even potatoes can be stored
Yang Xiaohong turned over and saw the chestnuts inside, immediately grabbing him and asking: "Fugui, what do you mean by this?"
This gave him some strange ideas; if he could incorporate certain things from this dimension into the dice, would it not be of great use
Due to the recent light rain, Fang Xiaoyue wandered around the woods a few times and found several clusters of freshly sprouted porcini mushrooms.
Upon thinking of this, Yang Xiaohong involuntarily loosened her grip on Fang Xiaoyue's hand a little.
In such circumstances and with such books, those hunters, even with their hunting dogs, have very little to show for their efforts
It is said that hundreds of years ago, this type of mountain rat was referred to as the little mountain pig and was offered as a tribute to the imperial palace for the emperor's consumption
To put it this way, there are only two graduates from the entire Lianqiao Village Junior High School: one is the team leader Zhang Daniu, and the other is the clerk Zhang Jianxin
It was neither appropriate for Yang Xiaohong to call out nor to remain silent, so she could only grit her teeth and take the small basket back, thinking that she would quietly let the two children have a taste in the evening, thus fulfilling a wish.
After removing the skin, fur, bones, and internal organs, there should still be about 3 to 4 pounds of meat left
After all, in a place like Lianqiao Village, it is very difficult to recruit workers or anything of the sort
After searching around, five out of the eight traps collapsed due to rainwater, while three caught prey, but the prey escaped
Opportunities like today, where one can obtain ten pounds of chestnuts in one go, may not be encountered again in the near future
Whose son, if fortunate enough to be accepted as a worker, can return to the village and be regarded as having returned in glory, bringing honor to the family
Many children stay at home to help with farm work
In that case, it would rather be a significant hassle
Yang Xiaohong heard that Fang Xiaoyue had eaten by herself, and thought that the two children indeed had not enjoyed much. Although Zhang Daniu was the team leader, he was also a farmer. Last time he went to the town to handle some affairs, he took the two children with him
Team leader Zhang Daniu is not at home. According to Yang Xiaohong, there was a problem at the youth station where two young intellectuals had a dispute and got into a fight. As the team leader of Lianqiao Village, he naturally needs to address the situation
In addition to needing money, there must also be sugar tickets
Therefore, he needs to find a more reliable way, not only to fill his stomach but also to make money
As for engaging in business, there is no need to mention it; that would be akin to courting disaster
If the dice and the graphical book subspace cannot contain real objects, their utility is significantly diminished
However, as much as she thought about it, Fang Xiaoyue could only regard it as a contingency plan
Farm households are not regular workers, so where could they possibly have luxury items like sugar coupons? Even if they managed to obtain sugar coupons, they would not have the inclination to buy hard candy; with that spare money, it would be better to purchase more oil and salt instead
Although it is quite enjoyable to rely on the mountains for sustenance, the recent years of flooding and drought have left little surplus grain in the mountains
Due to concerns that the trap might collapse because of the struggles of the mountain mouse, Fang Xiaoyue hurried over with large strides
The two children stared at the hard candy sold by the supply and marketing cooperative in the town, drooling, which made Yang Xiaohong feel distressed
Moreover, when workers consume the state-provided grain, being situated in Lianqiao Village is certainly not merely about being well-fed; it represents the iron rice bowl in everyone's mind
This is also a regrettable matter, as the mountain rat is too agile, and its fur is fine and soft, making it nearly impossible for him to catch it with both hands
A light rain fell during the night, making the mountain path somewhat slippery, but the refreshing scent of the plants that greeted him invigorated him considerably
Fang Xiaoyue did not inquire about the situation of the educated youth, but simply put down the small basket and turned to leave
Wealth and honor? How did you go up the mountain? Did you find anything good?
Liu Sanmu is well-known in the village for being a big mouth, even more so than those gossiping aunts. He enjoys spreading rumors and is fond of taking small advantages. It is said that he often steals corn feed meant for water buffaloes to take home, but he has simply not been caught.
However, as a 15-year-old youth, it is indeed quite difficult to find a way out, especially since this is not a time of economic activity in the future. Even if you go out to work, you cannot find a place to finish your job.
Fang Xiaoyue seized the opportunity to escape, quietly reminding her: "Aunt, please do not spread this around, otherwise Uncle Ba will take me out for a public display."
No matter how many potatoes are produced, he cannot share much of them.
Upon reaching the mountain, Fang Xiaoyue headed straight towards the nearest trap
Of course, even so, the dice space is still very useful
Fang Xiaoyue would naturally not say that this is a gift for Zhang Daniu's family; she merely made a remark while borrowing the words of the two children
After reviewing her existing abilities and resources, Fang Xiaoyue realized that aside from the technology she had brought from her original world, she was left with only the three potatoes she had drawn from the dice.
Fang Xiaoyue did not have much good food in the small realm of the Three Kingdoms, where there were only two cooking methods: one was grilling, which involved sprinkling a little salt, and the other was boiling, where the boiled meat was also sprinkled with a little salt
Aunt, I found this on the mountain today. I ate three jin myself and thought that my younger siblings didn't have any snacks, so I brought it over
Leaving this sentence behind, he hurriedly departed
The first requirement for hiring is a junior high school diploma
In this day and age, being able to recognize a few hundred characters is already considered quite impressive
After he went in another direction, he was pleasantly surprised; his keen sense of alertness came into play, and he heard a cry coming from a certain trap from a distance
The emergence of this high-quality potato variety without any apparent reason is indeed suspicious; it is more likely that someone will report it, suspecting theft of the superior seeds from the research institute
Just as the mountain mouse was about to escape, it was caught in his hand.
As a lethal weapon of a trap, the stone has already fallen to the ground, and the thatched grass rope has become tattered. There are also numerous signs of struggle near the trap
If I could enter a machinery factory, my skills would be able to reach their fullest potential