Chapter 3

The rest of the work is much less labor-intensive: washing the grass roots and mashing them in a stone mortar.

After working for a long time, Wang Yuan was tired of back pain, so he collected a bucket of crushed grass root liquid.

Take a walk and take it to the Jing River.

Seeing a fish swimming at the bottom of the water, Wang Yuan sprinkled bean wheat noodles and water into it.

There was bait, and there were more and more fish, so Wang Yuan carefully poured the grass root liquid into it.

As the grass root juice spreads, the swimming fish turn their bellies and float up from the bottom of the water.

One piece!

Two of them!

......

After a while, Wang Yuan caught eight big fish and fifteen small fish.

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The big fish are more than five catties, and the small fish are also more than half a catty, and the smaller ones are released.

As the sun set, Wang Yuan returned with a full load.

Passing by four thatched huts, a cowshed, and a small courtyard made of fences at the east end of the village.

"Uncle Shaking Mountain!"

Wang Yuan shouted.

Three little dolls wearing cotton jackets and cotton pants with bare buttocks ran out of the house, looking at Wang Yuan in robes curiously and timidly.

"Wang Yuan, your uncle just went out, what's the matter?"

In the room, a woman with a withered yellow face walked out, her cloudy eyes wary.

"Aunt Hong, Uncle Shaoshan helped me in the afternoon and sent you a few fish to eat!"

Wang Yuan took out two big fish and six small fish and put them at the door and left.

"Ah, this is too much, too much, Wang Yuan, take it back!"

Aunt Hong's guarded eyes turned into shock.

In these years, there is a lack of food and clothing, and there is only a little miscellaneous grain to help relatives.

Who sent more than ten catties of fish at once.

Even the richest patriarch in the village is reluctant to buy so much fish during the Chinese New Year.

So many fish are taken out and sold, almost hundreds of Wen, this gift is too heavy.

She couldn't figure out why this loser wanted to send so many fish to her family!

"I still have it!"

Wang Yuan didn't look back and left.

"Fish, fish!"

Three little dolls began to drool around the eight fish.

Aunt Hong's eyes struggled, and she wanted to kill the fish and cook it for the child to eat, but she was reluctant to dare.

Not long after, Wang Shaoshan and his two sons returned.

Aunt Hong said anxiously: "Boss, Wang Yuan said that you helped him, just sent so many fish, what did you do for him, he sent you so many fish!"

"I helped him dig the grass roots for a while, where did he get so many fish?"

Wang Shaoshan looked at the eight fish with a suspicious expression: "You read it right, it was really sent by Wang Yuan?" ”

With so many fish, even an old fisherman who has been fishing for many years has to cast his net for several days.

Wang Yuan, who was powerless, how could he catch so many fish.

"I'm not blind, Wang Yuan can still admit his mistake."

Aunt Hong rolled her eyes and relaxed.

If the owner really helps Wang Yuan, the fish can stay, and the family can cook one and eat it.

The rest will be sold to buy some cotton, and make a new cotton jacket for the dolls during the Chinese New Year.

"No, you can't ask for it, no matter how he got the fish, he owes Master Liu so much money, he has to sell this fish to pay off the debt, we can't ask for it."

Wang Shaoshan stuffed the fish into the wooden barrel and walked out with it.

"Master!"

Aunt Hong prayed: "The big fish will be sent back to Wang Yuan to sell for money, and the small fish will be kept for the children to eat, you see how long they haven't eaten meat, and the small fish can't be sold for money."

Looking at the five saliva children, Wang Shaoshan left six small fish and left with two big fish.

"Uncle Shan, where did you catch two big fish, one must weigh five or six pounds!"

Wang Sihai, who was wandering around the village, surrounded him, and couldn't help but swallow his saliva when he looked at the two fish.

He hadn't touched meat for most of the year.

Wang Shaoshan said: "These two fish belong to Wang Yuan, I'll send them to him!" ”

"Wang Yuan's!"

Wang Sihai couldn't believe it.

The nerd was still digging grass roots to eat during the day, how did he get two big fish.

The body is too weak, and the fish is too heavy!

Before Wang Yuan got home, he was caught up by Wang Shaoshan and wanted to return the fish.

Wang Yuan didn't accept it: "Uncle, what is this for?" I said I gave it to you, but I sent it back. ”

"Wang Yuan, Uncle Xiaoyu keeps it, and you can sell the big fish for money, so that you can pay off the debt."

Wang Shaoshan pressed the fish into the bamboo basket.

"Uncle, these two fish can be sold for a few dollars, and they are not enough to pay off the debt."

Wang Yuan took out the fish again: "If you don't want to go, call the big tiger and the second tiger tomorrow to help me for a day, and I promise that you will have meat to eat every day in the future."

"Eat meat every day?"

Wang Shaoshan was startled.

is not an official master, who can eat meat every day, just eat beans and wheat rice.

However, seeing that Wang Yuan caught so many fish today, Wang Shaoshan was a little looking forward to it.

......

"Where did the husband go, why didn't he come back, did he run away from debts?"

At the gate of the small courtyard, Li Shihan tiptoed over, feeling uneasy.

When my heart was in turmoil, a figure came into view and slowly walked to the door!

Li Shihan rushed over, looked at the basket full of fish, and stretched out his hand in surprise: "Husband, where did you get so many fish?"

"Medicated!"

Wang Yuan turned around and avoided it: "It's too heavy, your strength is small, I'll just mention it!"

Li Shihan's body trembled:

Want it?

Who do you want?

Why do people give their husbands so many fish?

Wang Yuan said again: "I'll make you fish to eat tonight!" ”

Li Shihan forced a smile: "Husband, cook a small fish for you to eat, I'll just drink a little fish soup, and the other fish will be brought to the county seat to sell for money!"

Wang Yuan picked out two two-catty small fish: "I have a way to repay the debt, you eat more fish at night, and see that your little face is thin and sunken." ”

Li Shihan was nervous!

The husband has started to talk rhetoric again, these fish must be coming from the wrong way!

Wang Yuan killed the fish and broke the fish, and Li Shihan wanted to help and let him rush to the side.

After a moment's effort, the two fish were cleaned up, and Wang Yuan carried the fish into the kitchen.

It is said to be a kitchen, a thatched hut half full of firewood, half made of iron pots and earthen stoves.

There are two clay clay hangings in a wooden cabinet: a jar of white lard, a jar of yellowed salt, five clay bowls, and four porcelain plates.

There is a large water tank on the side, a water scoop on it, and a cutting board.

The simplicity made Wang Yuan stunned!

"Husband, gentleman is far away from cooking, you are a scholar, I'll cook!"

Li Shihan came in with an oil lamp, and the dim kitchen was a little brighter.

"I'm not a gentleman, I just want to eat meat now, hurry up and light the fire!"

Li Shihan heated the pot, and Wang Yuan dug up two large spoonfuls of lard and put it in.

"Husband, there is too much oil, and the oil will be eaten soon!"

Li Shihan felt distressed when she saw it, these two spoonfuls of lard could be eaten for half a month.

"You have to fry the fish with a lot of oil, otherwise what if it gets mushy!"

Wang Yuan put in two fish, fried fish in lard and fried sound, and the tempting fish fragrance wafted out.

Grunt!

Li Shihan swallowed his saliva.

The smell of fish wafted out of the courtyard.

"Fish, fried fish in lard, Wang Yuan's family is eating fish, it's better than eating it during the New Year!"

"It's so fragrant, there must be a lot of lard in it!"

"He owes so much debt, how dare he eat fish and put so much oil, what a loser!"

Some villagers passed by, smelling the smell of fish in the air, and they couldn't move their steps.

Syllable!

Wang Sihai, who was holding a clay bowl and wanted to go to the door to see Wang Yuan eating grass roots or eating fish, suddenly felt that the beans and wheat rice in the bowl were not fragrant, and saliva flowed out and dripped on the edge of the bowl.

"Gollum!"

After boiling for a quarter of an hour, Wang Yuan took out the salt shaker and scooped a spoonful of coarse salt to taste.

This is an unrefined granular salt, with a yellowish color and impurities.

The price is not expensive, about 50 wen per catty, and many people still can't afford it.

Remove the two fish from the pot and put them on a plate, sprinkle with wild vegetable foam, pour the fish soup and set them on the table.

A plate was pushed in front of Li Shihan, and Wang Yuan said: "Hurry up and eat, it's cold and fishy!" ”

Grunt!

The fish was fragrant, and Li Shihan secreted saliva quickly, but instead of chopsticks, she burst into tears: "Husband, tell me honestly, where did this fish come from?" ”