Back to 1980: Please Love Me Again

Chapter 103 Winter Catch (Happy New Year's Eve!)

On the 24th of the twelfth lunar month, Shanqian Village.

The river flowing through Shanqian Village formed a small natural reservoir in the east of the village. In the era when people conquered the sky, the strength of 1.6 nearby villages was assembled, and it was expanded into a 400-kilometer-long reservoir by taking advantage of the terrain conditions. A large reservoir about [-] meters wide at its widest point.

Every year in the twelfth lunar month, the three villages surrounding the reservoir conduct winter fishing.

This has become a tradition.

This not only enriches the production activities of farmers, but also provides some meat for the New Year.

The winter fishing in Shanqian Village always casts nets on the morning of Xiaonian, and collects the nets at noon on the 24th of the twelfth lunar month.

Casting nets is a time-consuming and labor-intensive technical task.

Before casting the net, an experienced old man surveys the ice surface to confirm that it is strong enough.

This is the most important thing, if something happens, you don't have to celebrate the New Year!
After that, an old man designated the area for casting nets.

This also requires experience. How many fish can be received by casting a net is not just up to God.

Luck is important, but experience is also indispensable.

In previous years, this task was completed by Uncle Chen.

This year it was handed over to Uncle Chen and Zhao Wenmu.

A total of two nets will be cast in the village, and each of them will choose an area.

"Old Chen has experience, you are lucky, so it's decided!"

Zhao Xuelei patted Zhao Wenmu on the shoulder, not giving him a chance to refuse at all.

Zhao Wenmu was helpless.

What's the matter, and how can I be lucky, I can also eat by my ability, okay?
So, he simply decided to believe in luck.

Maybe there really is such a thing in the dark!

Zhao Wenmu casually folded a stick and threw it on the ice, and then drew a straight line not far from the shore in the direction indicated by the stick.

This is where the net is cast.

After that, a group of young and middle-aged men started working with long bamboo poles and foreign picks.

Use a long bamboo pole to measure along the direction of the line. Every time the bamboo pole is measured, a hole will be opened on the ice surface at the corresponding position with a pickaxe.

Then tie the net with a strong rope.

The other end of the rope is tied to a bamboo pole.

Insert the bamboo pole into the hole in the ice, let it walk under the ice in the direction of the line, and pull it out from the next hole.

Continue pulling until the net is in this position.

In this way, the fishing net of the first section of bamboo pole length is ready.

This process is repeated over and over again.

Until the whole fishing net is lowered.

Fishing nets for winter fishing use small floats.

What does that mean?

The fishing net of the small float will be in the state of touching the bottom of the water or suspended in the middle of the water in the water.

In short, the upper edge of the fishing net will not touch the water.

The reason is very simple. If the edge of the fishing net touches the water surface, it will be frozen by ice and cannot get out.

Finally, only two large floats are tied to the two ends of the fishing net, or a wooden stick is tied to make it easier for people to lift the net.

Off the net is also complete.

Then give it time.

After the happy sacrifice to the stove, the next morning, men, women and children of Shanqian Village gathered by the reservoir, waiting for the nets to be pulled up.

The principle of lifting the net is very simple, untie the floats at both ends of the fishing net, and then pull hard from one end until the whole fishing net is pulled out of the water.

It's like winter fishing in Chagan Lake, which is pulled by a winch.

Shanqian Village naturally didn't need such a big killer.

Bring two mules and wrap their feet with cotton cloth to prevent slipping on the ice.

Then start trawling.

Harvest time is always exciting!

Especially children, staring at the ice hole without blinking.

As long as a fish appears on the net, there will be a burst of cheers.

Uncle Chen's net came up first.

After a while, as the fishing net began to be pulled out of the water, a big fish shining white in the sun appeared!
"School of silver carp!"

Silver carp is bighead carp, and fish head cakes are usually made of bighead carp.

Silver carp can grow very large, and there are all types of silver carp in the reservoir ranging from small fry to twenty or thirty kilograms.

As the dense silver carp appeared in the fishing net, people couldn't help cheering.

It should be a group of silver carp caught in the net, and they are all big fish about ten catties!
Silver carp sometimes move in groups, but there are not many opportunities to encounter them.

"This year is really a good year!"

Zhao Xuelei thought happily in his heart.

The villagers can now afford fish, so catching a school of silver carp will not change the living conditions of the villagers.

But it's a good sign.

In the new year, what is the most pleasing is naturally a good sign!

Uncle Chen rolled a cigarette and smoked it beautifully.

As a veteran, the pressure in my heart is actually quite high.

What impressed him most was that three years ago, the harvest was very bad that year, and everyone suffered from hunger for a whole year.

As a result, less than 200 catties of fish were harvested at the end of the year.

Just enough for everyone to drink fish soup!
Although no one said anything, he couldn't forget everyone's disappointed and uncomfortable eyes.

The net was very heavy, and the mules struggled to pull it.

Mainly on the ice, it is not bad if the mule can exert 20% of its strength.

So a dozen boys ran to pull the rope.

After all the nets are pulled out, the oldest old man in the village will pick out the biggest silver carp.

One weighing, a full 27 catties and 6 taels!
This head fish is to be sacrificed to the river god to bless the coming year with good weather and plenty of fish.

Put the big silver carp and the prepared sacrifices, light the incense, burn some paper money, and set off a firecracker.

The ceremony is complete.

Sacrifice is naturally to be recycled.

The River God is not so stingy.

To be exact, none of the gods in traditional Chinese mythology is stingy.

The sacrifices can be enjoyed by the world again after the gods have finished enjoying them!

"Third brother, Uncle Chen's net is full of harvest, even if your net has no fish, it doesn't matter!"

Zhao Wenqiu grinned and ran to see the fish.

Zhao Wenmu felt that she was right.

When the fishing net is pulled up, the villagers will quickly pick the fish off and clean the net.

Others start to set up a second net.

To be honest, Zhao Wenmu was still a little apprehensive.

Although the number of fish caught does not affect everyone's good year.

But who doesn't want to be able to start the game wildly and beat the master to death with random punches!

However, the ideal is full.

Reality is always skinny.

Zhao Wenmu's net was quite satisfactory, and he caught a lot of fish, but it can't be called a lot.

Carp, silver carp, silver carp, grass carp, everything you should have.

Seeing this result, Zhao Wenmu also heaved a sigh of relief.

At least it won't be too bleak, otherwise there will always be a little shock.

He reached out and straightened the hat for the little girl so that only her eyes were exposed.Standing by the river in such a cold day, adults can't stand it, let alone little ones.

"Big fish!"

"Big fish!"

Suddenly, the crowd screamed.

Many people even rushed down.

Fortunately, Zhao Xuelei stopped him.

You can't let the crowd rush onto the ice, if the ice collapses, the consequences will be disastrous.

Zhao Wenmu squinted his eyes.

Under the midday sun, a golden shadow lay on the ice.

It turned out to be a big carp!

A large carp with a length of 1.5 meters.

It even has two long whiskers.

Is the golden scale a thing in the pool?When encountering a storm, it will transform into a dragon.

According to the old saying, this is a big carp about to turn into a dragon!

Of course, in the new era, there is no such thing as a carp that transforms into a dragon. No matter what you look like, you have to lie in the pot obediently.

"84 and a half catties!"

This number quickly spread throughout the audience.

And in the following time, it became a long-lasting story in Shanqian Village.

The rumors about this fish spread more and more, and the more they spread, the more outrageous they became.

In the end, Zhao Wenmu even jumped off the ice himself, fought fiercely for more than a hundred rounds, and captured the carp spirit who was about to transform into form.

People in Shanqian Village generally live 30 years longer after drinking the fish soup.

"You boy, you really have great luck!"

Zhao Xuelei said so.

　Happy New Year's Eve, I wish you all your wishes come true, and your journey will be smooth~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)