My 1995 Small Farm.

"I heard that Brother Chen was the one who first came up with this idea?"

"That's not the case!"

The men immediately perked up: "Fugui is quick-witted, knowledgeable, and still cares about the villagers. If he hadn't brought it up and helped us run around, how could we have gotten this good opportunity?"

Su Xiaomei wrote down these simple yet sincere words one by one.

She realized that Chen Ling's prestige in this area came not only from his "legendary" feats of taming tigers and fighting wild beasts, but also from his genuine sincerity in serving the villagers.

After arranging the materials, Chen Ling checked the time; it was already past nine in the morning.

He walked back to Su Xiaomei's side: "Let's get ready to go. Ah Fu, Ah Shou!"

He shouted in the direction of the farm.

Before long, two tigers walked leisurely down the village road.

After a night's rest, they were full of energy, their fur glossy in the sunlight.

Wherever he went, the villagers who were working made way for him, but there was no fear in anyone's eyes. Instead, there was a sense of pride and closeness.

"With Afu and Ashou with us, we'll be much safer on this trip."

Chen Ling patted Afu's head, then mounted Xiaoqing and said, "Xiaomei, you guys ride behind us. We'll go to Jinmen Village first, then Taoshugou, Majia'ao, and finally Yangtougou."

Su Xiaomei and Xiao Li got into the TV station's off-road vehicle. Chen Ling rode in front, guarded by two tigers on the left and right. Heiwa and Xiao Jin followed automatically behind. Xiao Tiedan wanted to follow as well, but Wang Susu held him back.

Today is not for fun.

The team set off along the country dirt road, with their first stop being Kinmen Village.

Jinmen Village is about four or five miles away from Chenwangzhuang. The village is located on an open area on the banks of the Jinshui River. It got its name from the place where people panned for gold in the river in the early years.

The village is small, with only a few dozen households, but it has an important geographical location. In the old days, it was one of the main channels connecting Chenwangzhuang to the outside world.

When we were almost at Kinmen Village.

Voices could be heard from ahead.

After turning a corner, dozens of villagers were busily working on a section of the Jinshui River embankment.

The men, shirtless, used stone rammers to compact the newly filled earth.

The women carried stones, while the children handed them water and towels.

"It was a joint team from Taoshugou and Jinmen Village that repaired the dike."

Chen Ling turned to Su Xiaomei in the car and explained, "Now we basically work in groups of two villages, moving back and forth to ensure there are people coming and going on the mountain roads every day..."

Just then, someone on the riverbank spotted them.

"It's Fugui! Fugui is here!" A middle-aged man stood up and waved his hand as he shouted.

This shout caused everyone on the entire riverbank to stop what they were doing.

People turned around and smiled when they saw Chen Ling and the two tigers beside him.

"Fugui, you're going on patrol again today, right? How's the reservoir construction going over there?"

An elderly man with gray hair asked, leaning on a shovel.

"It's good, it's good, everything is going smoothly."

Chen Ling smiled and replied, "Uncle Jin, this is a reporter from the province. Let's all give him a warm welcome!"

Village Chief Jin quickly walked over, shook Su Xiaomei's hand, and said excitedly, "Reporters, you must report this well!"

Ever since Fugui brought the tiger around our village a few times and left its droppings at the village entrance, the wolves outside the village haven't been howling much these past few nights! Everyone feels much more at ease!

While taking notes, Su Xiaomei asked, "Were there often any noises at night before?"

"No!"

One villager chimed in, "A while ago, we kept hearing strange noises coming from the back mountain at night, like something howling. It was really creepy. The sheep and chickens we keep at home are also always restless."

Now everything's fine; after the tiger came, all the noise stopped!

Chen Ling instructed Afu and Ashou to re-leave scent markers at several key locations at the village entrance and also checked whether the tiger hairs they had buried earlier were still there.

After doing all this, he said to Village Chief Jin, "The tiger's scent can last for a while, but it's not a permanent solution. The village still needs to organize people to patrol at night; we can't rely on this completely."

"I know, I know!"

Village Chief Jin nodded repeatedly, "The militia has been organized. Two groups of people patrol every night, carrying gongs and flashlights."

Well…hehe, with tigers around, we're even braver!

The group continued onward and arrived at the section of the riverbank in Taoshugou.

Tao, the village chief of Taoshugou, had already come to greet him. Upon seeing Chen Ling, his first words were:

"Brother Fugui, I told everyone in the village about the canned peaches you mentioned last time, and they're all so happy! They all say they won't have to worry about selling the peaches this year!"

Chen Ling laughed and said, "That's a good thing. When the peaches are ripe, I'll have the cannery's trucks come directly to the village to pick them up. The price will definitely be higher than in previous years when you picked them out and sold them yourself."

"That's wonderful!" Village Chief Tao was beaming with joy.

Chen Ling then looked at Su Xiaomei, "Xiaomei, take more pictures of the peach orchards in Taoshugou. The scenery here is one of the best in our area."

Touched by his enthusiasm, Su Xiaomei smiled and agreed, "I'll definitely take pictures. It would be a shame not to capture such a beautiful view."

Taoshugou is indeed a scenic spot.

Although it is not as advantageous as Chenwangzhuang, which is surrounded by mountains on three sides and water on one side.

However, the hillsides surrounding Taoshugou are all planted with peach trees.

Although the season for peach blossoms to bloom has passed, the lush peach groves are still magnificent.

The green peaches hanging from the branches foreshadow a bountiful harvest this year.

As usual, Chen Ling had the tiger mark the area around the village, and also made a special trip to check several mountain gullies where wild animals were likely to appear.

Su Xiaomei followed Village Chief Tao to conduct interviews in the village, listening to the elders talk about the history of Taoshugou and the young people talk about their aspirations for the future.

Listening to these simple conversations, I quickly recorded and photographed them.

The camera lens panned across the bustling labor scene, across the people's tanned yet energetic faces.

Village Chief Tao, looking somewhat nervous but mostly proud, said to the camera:
"We country folk may not understand grand principles, but we know one thing: unity is strength!"
In the past, each village looked after its own interests. Everyone knew this section of the river embankment needed repair, but they just couldn't gather enough manpower or money.

Now things are great! With a capable person like Fugui taking the lead, everyone's happy to come whenever there's a need!

Chen Ling carefully examined the progress of the project, then squatted down to inspect several newly compacted sections of the embankment foundation, nodding: "It's compacted well, and the wooden piles are driven deep."

However, Village Chief Tao, the water flow is rapid around this corner; it would be best to drive in another row of stakes and pile up some large stones.

"Okay! I'll do as you say! I'll make arrangements tomorrow!"

Village Chief Tao agreed without hesitation.

After chatting for a few more minutes, Chen Ling prepared to take his leave.

The villagers took out boiled eggs and pancakes from their own food bags and stuffed them into Chen Ling and Su Xiaomei's hands.

"Have something to eat on the way!"

"Wealth and honor, come again often!"

"Comrade reporter, come and visit us more often, there are many great places here!"

Their enthusiasm was almost overwhelming.

After some polite refusals, Chen Ling had no choice but to accept the eggs, and Su Xiaomei also took a pancake wrapped in a clean cloth, thanking him repeatedly.

After leaving Taoshugou, we continued on to Majia'ao.

Majia'ao is famous for its horse breeding, and almost all the villagers share the surname Ma.

Chen Ling's little blue horse came from this village.

Village Chief Ma was a burly man in his forties with a muscular build. Whenever he saw Chen Ling, he would stare at the little blue horse.

"Fugui, your horse... I like it more and more the more I look at it!"

Village Chief Ma rubbed his hands together and said, "Look at those muscles, that energy! He's no less than the best stallion in our village!"

Chen Ling was both amused and exasperated: "Village Chief Ma, you've said this so many times already. I really won't sell this horse; it's like family to me."

"I know, I know, I'm just envious." Village Chief Ma laughed heartily, then looked at Afu and Ashou: "These two tigers are really well raised. I've raised horses all my life, and I've never seen tigers raised like this."

In Majia'ao, Chen Ling not only got the tiger to mark him, but was also specially invited to stay for dinner by the village chief.

Village Chief Ma said he would keep an eye on the activity in the surrounding mountains and forests.

Majia'ao has a large horse population, and the horses graze on the mountain at night, making them highly sensitive to the conditions in the forest.

Village Chief Ma patted his chest and said, "The young men in our village often go up the mountain to check on the horses at sunset. If there's anything unusual, they'll definitely notice it immediately and notify you right away!"

The last stop was the focus of this patrol... Yangtougou.

After walking for about four or five miles, the woods along the roadside gradually became denser.

This area, shaped like a winnowing basket, lies between Yangtougou and a small river outside the village. It is characterized by continuous mountain forests and relatively sparse population.

Afu suddenly stopped, sniffed hard at the woods on the left side of the road, and let out a low "woo" sound.

Ah Shou also turned in the same direction, his amber eyes slightly narrowed.

Chen Ling immediately raised his hand, signaling the team to stop.

He dismounted, walked to Afu's side, and looked in the direction it was gazing.

It was a relatively flat mixed forest at the foot of the hillside, where sunlight filtered through the branches and leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground.

"Afu, Ashou, go in and take a look," Chen Ling commanded in a low voice.

The two tigers roared excitedly and darted into the forest like arrows released from a bow.

Before long, an even fiercer tiger roar came from the forest, not as a warning, but more as an alarm that something had been discovered.

Chen Ling patted the little blue horse and carefully led it into the woods.

Su Xiaomei and Xiao Li exchanged a glance and followed quietly. The camera was already on.

The scene that unfolded in the clearing in the woods made everyone's hearts tighten.

A half-grown wild boar lay there.

The dried bloodstains attracted many flies, and a faint stench emanated from them.

They must have died here last night.

The fatal wound was to the neck, where sharp teeth precisely severed the throat and spine.

But what's disturbing isn't the way the wild boar died, but the way it was placed.

The body was dragged to the center of the forest clearing, and the surrounding bushes and weeds were visibly flattened.

It's as if something lingered here, examining its "work".

What's even more chilling is that one of the wild boar's hind legs was torn off at the root and its whereabouts are unknown.

The remaining part, apart from the fatal wound to the neck, showed almost no other signs of being eaten.

"This isn't about the food..."

Chen Ling squatted down, carefully examined the teeth marks on the wild boar's neck, and then measured the claw marks with his hand.

Similar to what I saw before outside Yangtougou, but deeper and clearer.

“It was a deliberate killing, dragged here, and then… shown to us.”

"This is provocation and a demonstration..."

"Brother Chen, you mean..."

Su Xiaomei, suppressing her discomfort, wrote down: "You mean, Huanghuang?"

"Ah."

Chen Ling stood up, his sharp gaze sweeping across the silent woods around him.

"And it may not have gone far; it may have stayed in this mountain all along."

Upon hearing this, Afu and Ashou immediately cooperated, lowering their bodies and letting out threatening growls towards their surroundings.

"Roar--"

The roars of tigers echoed through the mountains and forests.

It truly was a tiger's roar that shook the mountains and forests.

But such a powerful roar also dispelled the fear and discomfort in Su Xiaomei and Xiao Li's hearts.

"Alright, it seems that bringing Ah Fu and Ah Shou over every now and then to show their faces is the right thing to do."

Chen Ling gestured for Afu, Ashou, and the dogs to step back, and said in a deep voice, "This Yellow Croaker is very smart. Its actions are both a provocation and a test."

"Let's go, let's get out of here first."

Back on the road, the atmosphere became noticeably more somber.

The relaxed and lively atmosphere by the riverbank just now feels like a distant memory.

Looking at the footage of the wild boar carcass on the camera, Xiao Li's hands trembled slightly: "Brother Chen, this thing... is so arrogant?"

"Felines are territorial, and the Yellow Flycatcher is a prime example of this."

Chen Ling mounted his horse, his brow furrowed: "It may regard this whole area as its potential hunting ground."

The scent markings of Afu and Ashou, my frequent patrols, and the activities of the villagers are all shrinking its space.

This is its response, telling us it's not afraid, and even...wanting to warn us.

Su Xiaomei took a deep breath, trying to remain professional and calm: "So what do we do next?"

"Don't be afraid. The more it acts like this, the more it proves that we are doing the right thing. We must strike at the heart of the matter. I want to drive it away or force it out."

Chen Ling chuckled, showing no fear whatsoever: "If it runs off to other places and causes panic, this method of mobilizing the masses will still be effective. Now it just depends on whether it knows how to appreciate the favor."

“Let’s go to the riverbanks and tell the villagers that from now on, we’ll beat drums and gongs during the day and set off firecrackers and double-bangs at night, and light bonfires to keep vigil. We have plenty of ways to deal with this.”

Actually, there are no sound systems or square dancing these days. Otherwise, if the "Most Dazzling Ethnic Trend" were played, the villagers would have a blast every day, and even the wild yellow grass would be scared away.

……

The atmosphere under the old locust tree at the entrance of Yangtougou Village was much more somber than usual.

Chen Ling told the villagers who had gathered around him in detail about finding the wild boar carcass in the mixed forest.

A suppressed gasp rippled through the crowd. Several timid women turned pale and instinctively pulled their children closer to them.

"Fugui, that thing... really dares to be so arrogant?"

Yang Erbao's voice was a little dry, and his hand holding the pipe trembled slightly.

"Uncle Erbao, don't panic."

Chen Ling's voice was calm as he glanced at the tense faces: "The more it acts like this, the more it proves that our methods are effective... It's only when it's forced into a corner that it tries to scare people."

He paused, then raised his voice: "But can we be scared by it? Why do we build dikes? Why do we build schools? Isn't it all to improve our lives and give our children a stable future? Can a stalker of a wild beast really scare away so many of us?"

These words were like a shot in the arm, and the villagers' eyes gradually hardened.

"Fu Gui is right!"

A middle-aged man rolled up his sleeves: "There are so many of us, and we have guns, what are we afraid of!"

"Exactly! If it dares to come, we dare to fight!"

Chen Ling raised his hand to suppress the murmurs: "We can't just rely on brute force. These Yellow Weasels are cunning; we need to use clever tactics."

He cleared his throat and began to give instructions: "Starting today, each village will take turns sending people to beat drums and gongs at the main entrances to the mountains during the day, making as much noise as possible."

At night, the patrol team was increased to three groups, each equipped with a gong and two flashlights, which they would bang and shout every half hour.

"In addition, bonfires are lit at the entrance of each village at night, with some damp firewood piled up so that the smoke rises high. Wild animals are afraid of fire and smoke; this is a method passed down from our ancestors."

"besides……"

Chen Ling looked at Yang Erbao: "Uncle Erbao, ask the people in the village who know how to make firecrackers to hurry up and make more double-bang firecrackers and other firecrackers. If there are no people who know how to make them, go and buy some."

During night patrols, a few are released every now and then, especially in the latter half of the night.

Yang Erbao nodded repeatedly: "That's good! Old Ma from Majia'ao used to make firecrackers, his skills are still there, I'll have him prepare them right away!" (End of this chapter)