Reborn in 1984, fishing and hunting in Jiangnan

Chapter 17 County Magistrate

For the next two days, Chen Zheng and Zhang Jianguo went to the lake before dawn.

By alternating between using rapiers in East Bay and South Bay, the catch increased day by day.

The fish included crucian carp, bream, carp, snakehead, two mandarin fish, and a seven-pound grass carp, all of good quality.

The next afternoon, Chen Zheng squatted by the lake to check the fish basket, scooping out the fish one by one.

The fish has intact scales, bright red gills, and clear, lively eyes.

He carefully wrapped each lotus leaf and arranged them in a bamboo basket, with damp water plants at the bottom.

Cover it with another layer of lotus leaves, then cover it with a damp linen cloth, and place it in a shady place.

"Brother, will this fish survive until tomorrow?" Chen Rong asked, squatting down beside him.

Yes. Lotus leaves retain moisture, aquatic plants allow for breathability, and linen provides shade.

Fish are afraid of heat and light; if all three are taken care of, it should survive for a day or two without any problem.

Chen Zheng carefully placed the last mandarin fish on the table and covered it with a burlap sack. "This is the old way, my father taught me."

Chen Rong nodded and kept these words in mind.

Zhang Jianguo ran in from outside the courtyard gate, clutching a crumpled piece of paper in his hand: "Azheng! Got it!"

Tickets to the trade fair!

I asked Wang Laoliu to get them; his nephew works as a temporary worker at the county aquatic products company, and he got a few extra.

Chen Zheng took the slip of paper, which had several red characters printed on it: "Qingshui County Aquatic Products Fair Admission Ticket".

Below is the date and location: the county farmers' market, which opens at 6:00 AM.

"Jianguo, let's go tomorrow. Rongzi, you stay home and watch the fish basket, change the water frequently, and don't let the fish die."

Chen Rong nodded.

Chen Feng poked his head out of the house: "Brother, I want to go too!"

"What are you going there for? Selling fish isn't like going to a market."

"I'll help you carry the basket! I'm very strong!"

Chen Feng stretched out his arm, tensing his muscles.

The upper arm was so thin that there was only a layer of skin, and you couldn't see any muscles.

Zhang Jianguo laughed from the side, "Your arms are as thin as sticks, what are you going to do carrying baskets? They'll break in the wind."

Chen Feng retorted, "You're the one who's skinny! I chop firewood every day, my arms are strong!"

Chen Zheng patted his head: "Alright, I'll take you next time."

This time, I'll go scout things out first and see how things go. Later, when we raise our own fish, you can sell them every day.

Chen Feng pouted and nodded reluctantly.

Chen Zheng got up before dawn.

He moved the fish basket out of the shade, uncovered the burlap lining, and shone a flashlight on it.

The fish were all alive, their gill covers opening and closing, and occasionally their tails would flick, splashing out a few drops of water.

"Zhengwa, eat before you go." Zhang Cuihua brought out a bowl of hot porridge with a poached egg in it.

"Mom, I'm not hungry."

Chen Zheng carried the fish baskets onto the cart. Each basket weighed thirty or forty jin (about 25 kg), and the two baskets together weighed nearly eighty jin (about 40 kg).

"We have to eat, even if we're not hungry. How will we have the strength to sell fish when we get to town on an empty stomach?"

Zhang Cuihua handed him the bowl of porridge, then wrapped two flatbreads in a cloth and stuffed them into his pocket.

"Take this with you, eat it when you're hungry."

Chen Zheng finished the porridge in a few gulps, then swallowed the poached egg in a few bites, grimacing from the heat.

Zhang Cuihua watched from the side, saying "Slow down, slow down" but her eyes were full of smiles.

Zhang Jianguo was waiting at the gate of the courtyard, pushing a cart.

He was wearing a clean white cloth shirt, which he had borrowed from his brother. It was a bit too big, and the sleeves were rolled up twice.

Her hair was rinsed with water, combed neatly, and coated with osmanthus oil, smelling wonderful.

"Are you going to sell fish or go on a blind date?" Chen Zheng glanced at him.

"Hehe, first time in the city, shouldn't I dress nicely?" Zhang Jianguo grinned, revealing a set of white teeth.

The two men carried the fish basket onto the cart, tied it with rope, and covered it with a layer of wet burlap.

Chen Zheng pushed the cart, while Zhang Jianguo held the basket beside him, and the two of them made their way out of the village in the dark.

It's dozens of miles from Lutang Village to the county seat.

The dirt road was full of potholes, and the cart wheels had left two deep ruts in the mud.

There weren't many people on the road, just the two of them.

The sky was beginning to lighten with the first light of dawn, and the corn leaves rustled in the distant fields.

Dewdrops dripped from the leaves, feeling cool and refreshing on my face.

"Zheng, do you think we can sell these fish?" Zhang Jianguo asked.

"Yes. They're in good condition and the price is fair, so why aren't they selling?"

"What if we can't sell them all?"

"If we can't sell them all, we'll bring them back and sell them next time. Live fish are fine; they won't die if we keep them for a few days."

Zhang Jianguo thought for a moment, then asked, "Azheng, do you think we can really raise fish ourselves in the future?"

"I've looked at the materials Teacher Zhao gave me. The county provides support for aquaculture, including loans, technology, and sales channels."

We have the lake, the skills, and the people; what we lack is capital and connections.

"We'll save up the capital slowly, and find the right connections..."

"You have to make connections. Go to the county more often, interact with more people, and you'll find your way."

Zhang Jianguo nodded, pushed the cart for a while, and suddenly said:

"Ah Zheng, I feel like you're different from before."

"What's different?"

"I can't quite put my finger on it. It's just... you used to be quiet and kept everything bottled up inside."

Things are different now. He talks more, has more ideas, and acts like the head of the family.

Chen Zheng didn't reply and pushed the cart forward.

The wheel rolled over a stone.

Clang.

The fish basket wobbled, and Zhang Jianguo quickly steadied it.

When we arrived in the county town, it was just dawn.

The county farmers' market is located in the east of the city. It is a large courtyard with rows of sheds inside.

The shed was made of canvas, and it rustled loudly in the wind.

The ground was covered with gravel, which made a rustling sound when you stepped on it.

A large crowd had already gathered at the market entrance; they were all there for the trade fair.

They pushed handcarts, carried loads on shoulder poles, drove horse-drawn carriages, and even drove tractors.

The truck was loaded with fish, shrimp, crabs, and turtles, completely full.

Chen Zheng parked the cart at the entrance and showed the admission ticket to the people at the entrance.

The man glanced at it and waved his hand: "Go in, the third row from the left, there are empty seats."

The two men pushed the cart in, found an empty space, and carried the fish baskets down.

Uncover the burlap sack to reveal the fish neatly arranged inside.

The lotus leaves were a vibrant green, and the fish scales shimmered, looking incredibly fresh.

At the stall next to me was an old man, around fifty years old, dark-skinned and thin, wearing a gray cloth jacket.

He was selling crucian carp and common carp, which were placed in large wooden basins with slightly murky water.

The fish inside looked listless and barely moved.

"Young man, your fish looks quite good." The old man leaned over to take a look, clicked his tongue twice, and asked, "How did you raise it?"

"They were caught in the lake, not raised there."

Chen Zheng arranged the fish one by one, placing the larger ones in front and the smaller ones in the back, with the mandarin fish in the most conspicuous position.

"Beat it? This mandarin fish was also beaten?"

The old man's eyes widened. "This thing is hard to catch. It's very fierce. Even blackfish are afraid of it in the water."

"I was lucky to run into them."

The old man shook his head: "I've been fishing for decades and I've never caught a mandarin fish. You're good, young man."

At this time, the market gradually became more crowded.

Cadres in Zhongshan suits, vendors carrying handbags, and women with baskets.

There were also a few men in suits, probably from the provincial capital.

The place was noisy with people, and the sounds of bargaining rose and fell.

A middle-aged man wearing glasses, a gray jacket, and carrying a black leather bag walked over.

He squatted down, picked up the mandarin fish, looked at it, turned it over to examine its scales, and then pried open its gill covers to take a look.

"Young man, how much is this mandarin fish?"

"Two yuan and fifty cents a pound."

"It's too expensive. It only costs 2.2 yuan in the provincial capital."

"Comrade, look at this quality. Not a single scale is missing, and the gills are bright red. It was just caught this morning and is still very lively."

Two dollars and fifty cents, worth the price.

The middle-aged man smiled and asked, "Are you from Lutang Village?"

"right."

"Are there many fish where you live?"

"Many. Baiyang Lake, covering dozens of miles, is deep and full of fish."

Crucian carp, common carp, bream, snakehead, mandarin fish—you name it.

The middle-aged man nodded, put down the mandarin fish, and picked up a crucian carp to examine it:

"These crucian carp are good, just over a pound, which is just right. How much is it per pound?"

"Nine cents."

"Give me five."

Chen Zheng selected five crucian carp that were of uniform size, wrapped them in lotus leaves, tied them with straw rope, and handed them over.

The middle-aged man took out four yuan and fifty cents from his bag, counted it, and handed it over.

The first deal was made.

Zhang Jianguo watched from the side, his face flushed with excitement.

Chen Zheng put the money in his pocket and continued to serve the customers.

More and more people are coming to buy fish.

The old lady bought two bream, saying she would steam them for her grandson when she got home.

The young man in the suit bought a black carp, saying he was going to take it to the provincial capital.

The restaurant's purchasing agent bought ten crucian carp in one go, saying that the restaurant was out of stock and needed them urgently.

The most sought-after fish was the mandarin fish.

Several people came to look at it, but they all thought it was too expensive and left.

Finally, a fat man arrived, wearing a white shirt, with a gold chain around his neck and a briefcase in his hand.

He squatted down, picked up the mandarin fish, looked at it, and nodded.

"Young man, I'll take this mandarin fish. Two yuan and fifty cents it is. Hold it for me until this afternoon, I'll go back and get the money."

"Comrade, this fish is alive, but it will probably die if left until the afternoon. If it dies, it won't be worth the price."

The fat man thought for a moment and said, "Then you can save it for me. I'll be there in an hour."

"Okay. I'll save it for you, come early."

The fat man left. Zhang Jianguo leaned closer and whispered:

"Ah Zheng, are you really saving it for him? What if he doesn't come?"

"If you're not coming, we'll talk about it later. Business is about keeping your word; if you say you'll stay, you stay."

Less than an hour later, the fat man returned, clutching a wad of bills in his hand.

He counted out the money to Chen Zheng, picked up the mandarin fish, and left, turning back to say as he went:

"Young man, if you have any good fish next time, come find me again. I work at Dongfeng Restaurant, my surname is Qian."

"Okay, Master Qian."

Chen Zheng counted the money once, then counted it again, and stuffed it into his pocket.

His pockets were bulging, and he pressed them with his hand, feeling reassured.

Zhang Jianguo, watching from the side, stared wide-eyed: "Ah Zheng, we sold sixty-seven yuan worth this morning?"

"Um."

"Sixty-seven yuan! My dad couldn't earn that much even after fishing for a month!"

"This is the price at the trade fair; it's not usually this high. Besides, our fish are of good quality, and we were lucky too."

Zhang Jianguo rubbed his hands together and chuckled, "Ah Zheng, what do you say, how about we come here to sell fish every day from now on?"

"We can't come every day. The trade fair only lasts three days, and after that, the prices will come down. We need to think of another way."

"What method?"

Processing.

Processing fish into dried fish, fish balls, and canned fish allows for better storage, enables sales to distant places, and commands higher prices.

"Can you do it?"

"No, but you can learn. Aren't there training courses in the county?"

Teacher Zhao said it's run by an aquatic products company; they teach aquaculture and processing. I'll go ask about it later.

Zhang Jianguo nodded and kept those words in mind.

An old man selling fish nearby came over and offered Chen Zheng a cigarette.

"Young man, that's impressive! You've made over sixty yuan this morning. I've only made five yuan here."

Chen Zheng took the cigarette, but didn't smoke it. He tucked it behind his ear and said, "Grandpa, your fish looks pretty good, but the water is a bit murky."

The fish looked wilted in the water and didn't look fresh.

"If you change the water, the fish will become more lively."

The old man was taken aback: "Really?"

"You should try it. Fish are like people; they feel uncomfortable and listless when the water is murky."

"After changing the water, it became lively again."

The old man was skeptical, but he went to fetch a bucket of clean water and replaced the muddy water in the wooden basin.

The fish swam around in the clear water twice, its tail flicked, and its gill covers opened and closed more powerfully.

"Hey! It really is!" the old man laughed. "Young man, you know your stuff. Did you learn it from your father?"

"Yes, my dad fished his whole life."

"What's your dad's name?"

"Chen Changhe is from Lutang Village, and he is the third child in his family."

The old man thought for a moment: "Chen Changhe... isn't he the one who took those dozens of kilograms of mandarin fish?"

"Yes, that's him."

The old man slapped his thigh: "Incredible! The whole county has heard about what happened to your father back then!"

A mandarin fish weighing dozens of kilograms moves like a bull in the water!

I'm from Lijiawan next door, my name is Li Dashan.

Your dad was the top fisherman in this area back in the day!

Chen Zheng smiled but didn't reply.

Li Dashan sighed: "It's a pity, your father didn't go to the lake much after that."

I heard your mother isn't well, and he has to stay home to take care of her?

"Um."

"Alas, every family has its own troubles."

Li Dashan lit a cigarette, took a puff, and said, "Young man, you have your father's skills. Work hard, and you won't go wrong."

At that moment, a few people entered the market.

The leader was a middle-aged man in his forties, wearing a Zhongshan suit with a badge pinned to his chest.

Two people followed behind him, one carrying a notebook and the other a pen, like reporters.

"Comrades, this is Deputy County Head Xu from the county. He's here to visit you all!" the person holding the notebook shouted.

People in the market gathered around.

Deputy County Head Xu, in his fifties, had a square face, thick eyebrows, and large eyes. He spoke in a loud voice: "Comrades, you've worked hard!"

The county organized this trade fair to help everyone expand their sales channels and increase their income.

"If you have any difficulties or thoughts, please feel free to speak up!"

The fishmongers started talking all at once.

Some said the purchase price was too low, some said transportation was inconvenient, and some said they had too many fish to sell.

As he listened, Deputy County Head Xu nodded, then turned to the person next to him and said, "Write it down, write it all down."

Go back and look into it, see how to solve it.

He walked up to Chen Zheng's stall, stopped, and looked at the fish in the basket: "Young man, did you catch these fish?"

"right."

"Good quality. Is this from Lutang Village?"

"Yes. Fish from Baiyang Lake."

Deputy County Head Xu nodded: "The water in Baiyang Lake is good, and the fish are good too. Do you raise many fish there?"

"Not many. Most of them still rely on fishing."

"Why not raise one?"

"We lack capital, technology, and sales channels."

Deputy County Head Xu glanced at him and smiled: "What you said is true."

The county is trying to find solutions to these problems.

This year, the county launched an aquaculture support project, providing loans, technology, and fish fry.

If you're interested, you can ask at a seafood company.

"Thank you, Deputy County Head Xu. That's exactly what I was planning to do."

Deputy County Head Xu patted him on the shoulder: "Good, young man, you have drive."

"Work hard, and come to me if you encounter any difficulties."

After saying that, he left with his men.

Zhang Jianguo, trembling with excitement, exclaimed, "Ah Zheng! The deputy county head spoke to you!"

"Um."

"A deputy county head! That's a very high-ranking official!"

"Even the highest-ranking official is still human. He said to go to him if we have any problems. If we really do have problems, we'll go to him."

Looking at him, Zhang Jianguo felt that this brother who had grown up with him was becoming more and more like someone who would do great things.