Fishing and Hunting 82, Starting with Three Sisters Who Overprotect Their Brothers

The squad leader stiffened his neck and was about to speak when the old secretary waved his hand to stop him.

"You mean, make a home for the toad?"

"You're brilliant, sir." Zhang Wenshan gave a thumbs up. "They have food and water in the toad pond, and they also have room to move around, so why would they run away?"

Besides, the outer layer is at least 30 centimeters thick, so there's no way to jump over it.

If you're really worried, planting a ring of brambles will do.

"Shanzi is right, I think it can work."

"Digging a pond is no easy task, and it's the busy farming season right now. Won't it delay the crops?"

"It doesn't say you can't keep them, but it doesn't say you can either, so it's best to be cautious."

"income……"

As he finished speaking, the three leaders of Chishongtun and the four squad leaders began to discuss.

Finally, the old Party Secretary spoke up: "Alright, everyone go back and think it over. We'll check the situation at the pond in a couple of days before making a decision."

The implication is that raising frogs means they've entered into the collective's coffers.

Zhang Wenshan had anticipated this and was not surprised.

Since the family couldn't dig the frog pond independently, this matter was more like a stepping stone to establish a connection with the production brigade and improve their reputation.

After the old Party Secretary adjourned the meeting, everyone left one after another.

Zhang Wenshan took a step and quietly moved closer to the brigade leader: "Uncle, please wait a moment."

The brigade leader's name was Wang Tieshan, and his wife and his mother were cousins.

Despite his outward appearance, coupled with the original owner's character and his father's personality, they had only managed to maintain a facade of civility over the years, never engaging in any private disputes.

"What's up?"

Seeing Zhang Wenshan approach, Wang Tieshan frowned and revealed the truth.

"I cannot set the specific regulations for Hama Pond; things are different now than in previous years."

Since the implementation of the household responsibility system, the power of production brigades and production teams has been greatly diminished, and they now mainly function as liaisons.

Because their home was in Chishongtun and they had a long-standing reputation, their words carried some weight, and people were used to asking them to handle things.

As for the village redevelopment, there is still no plan or procedure.

He's not sure what's going on right now, so naturally he doesn't dare to make promises blindly.

"Look at what you're saying, how could I be so inconsiderate?" Zhang Wenshan said with a smile. "I just wanted to ask you for a letter of introduction."

"What letter of introduction?"

"Look, Hama Pond has become a collective property. Now I'm doing the collective's bidding, going up the mountain and down the river to collect things. Is that too much to ask?"

"Don't do anything reckless. Have you forgotten how this happened back then?" Wang Tieshan was instinctively wary. "In the village, you can catch fish and shrimp, or even a pheasant or rabbit and nobody cares. Why would you need a letter of introduction?"

"You don't know, today Captain Li said that if I catch pheasants or fish again, I'll be punished."

"It's all because he doesn't have a son." Wang Tieshan, being well-informed, understood what was going on as soon as he heard it, and took out paper and pen.

"Please broaden the scope and list more types."

"Just catch a rabbit and a chicken, what else do you want to do?"

"What if we get lucky and run into a big shipment?" Zhang Wenshan said with a smile.

Regardless of whether it will be useful in the future, it's more reassuring to have the paperwork in hand first. Besides, there's that crackdown coming up next year, and we can't afford to be careless.

Wang Tieshan pondered for a moment and nodded.

It's not taboo, and besides, they're relatives. The young man has turned over a new leaf, so it's only right to give him some support.

"Could you please add my sister's name as well?" Zhang Wenshan said shamelessly.

"Why add her?" Wang Tieshan was taken aback, then his eyes widened. "You want to engage in speculation and profiteering, and then use her as a scapegoat if things go wrong?"

There's clearly a reason behind a family insisting on using two names.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Fengxia's eyes lit up.

Hey, this idea seems feasible.

"What are you thinking?" Zhang Wenshan said helplessly. "Now that we can get individual business licenses, I'm thinking of doing business. It's better than toiling in the fields for a living."

With daily intelligence as a backup, the number of prey he acquires is destined to be substantial.

Moreover, individual business licenses will become increasingly difficult to obtain.

"My signature alone won't suffice," Wang Tieshan said, frowning.

"Please help me out. I'll listen to you on how to manage Hama Pond from now on," Zhang Wenshan said without hesitation.

These days, getting a letter of introduction or a certificate involves risk, and if you really follow the procedures, it will take forever to get a result.

We still have to find a way out privately, which naturally requires social interactions.

"Even with a letter of introduction, you might not be able to get it done." Wang Tieshan's eyes lit up as he understood the implication and couldn't help but remind him.

In his mind, doing business is never that easy.

It would be far better to have a larger share in collective industries.

"We have to give it a try. With our family's situation, how can we expect to make a living by farming?" Zhang Wenshan said with a deliberately sigh.

"I'll open yours first, and Fengxia's will wait a couple of days." Wang Tieshan thought about it and realized it made sense.

Farming is ultimately a physically demanding job; the amount of food produced depends on the effort put in. Without enough labor, no amount of hard work will make a difference.

……

I came out of the team headquarters.

Zhang Wenshan squinted his eyes into slits, seemingly unaffected by the blazing sun, and walked with a light step.

"Little brother, when do we start?" Zhang Fengxia asked cautiously, glancing around to make sure no one was watching.

"What are you doing?"

"Speculation and profiteering? Don't worry, I'll take the blame if anything goes wrong."

Zhang Wenshan was speechless for a moment, and could only smile wryly and say, "Sister, I really intend to let you sell things in town."

"Then what procedures do we need to go through?" Zhang Fengxia said with a look of frustration. "I'll go talk to the brigade leader and tell him we're not going to do it."

"If you don't have proper paperwork, they'll arrest you, and they'll confiscate your belongings."

"What's there to be afraid of? You won't catch much from hunting and fishing once." Zhang Fengxia said, puzzled.

She's seen hunters before; she's lucky if she manages to get something every now and then.

That little thing isn't worth exchanging a share of the collective property for.

"Just listen to me, would I ever cheat you?"

Zhang Wenshan shook his head and smiled faintly.

You'll realize how valuable a business license is later.

The two returned home.

There was no room to stand inside the house; it was packed with people, both inside and out, all asking about raising toads.

Zhang Wenshan directly pushed the person to the brigade, told them to wait for notification, sent them away, and immediately began preparing tools.

Based on intelligence...

The underground river where the fine-scaled fish lived was three or four miles away from the village. Considering that the river water might be waist-deep, the net handle would need to be at least two meters long.

It's so long, carrying it along mountain paths is obviously impractical.

He found two birch stalks, each over a meter long, and whittled one end into a ten-centimeter-long slant, like sharpening a pencil.

Then put the two slanted pieces together, adjust them continuously, and use a machete to cut off the excess parts until they fit perfectly.

"Wrap it with hemp rope when you need it, and use it for one day."

Zhang Wenshan looked at the rudimentary tools in front of him and shook his head helplessly.

He wasn't incapable of making a better folding handle, but he lacked the necessary tools due to limited resources.

Nowadays, wire is also called small hardware, and it's a hot commodity. It takes some effort to get your hands on it, not to mention other tools and materials.

"Little brother, what do you think?"

At this moment, the eldest sister brought over the sewn cage cloth.

Zhang Wenshan immediately nodded: "You and your mother have excellent cooking skills."

He walked to the bucket, picked out a willow branch from the soaking twigs, threaded it through the cloth tube sewn along the edge of the cage, and bent it into a circle with force.

Next, cut a groove at the front end of the birch pole, insert the netting, and tie it tightly with hemp rope.

"It looks a bit shaky." Hsu Hsiu-lien looked at the net with some concern.

"Let's seal it with some yellow mud, that should be enough for this once," Zhang Wenshan said, already prepared. "We'll have to rely on the earthen cages later, I'll weave one later."

"Okay, you tell me how to do it."

My older sister and mother immediately prepared to help.

My little nephew came running over excitedly, saying, "Uncle, I can help too!"

Zhang Wenshan, who was used to being alone in his previous life, couldn't help but smile.

Don't say it.

1982 was also good.