Chapter 129: Walking Upstream Along the River

The group chatted as they inched forward with the caravan. Han Li took the opportunity to observe the grain station, which was enclosed by high walls of brick and mud. (In the south, these are called grain management offices, in the north, grain stations, and in cities, grain supply stations.)

The walls were plastered with numerous slogans, such as: "Actively deliver patriotic grain; keep a red heart forever turned toward the Party," and "Fight heaven and earth to harvest more grain; deliver good grain, deliver more grain, and fulfill your grain delivery quotas perfectly," among others.

Just then, Han Li heard a villager in the line behind him speaking in an exceptionally loud voice, boasting to the educated youths from his village about the history of the station.

"Let me tell you, this station was built back in '57 when the government set up local collection points to make it easier for the folks to pay their grain taxes. These high walls outside are nothing—inside, there are several tall, round earthen granaries and row upon row of brick-and-tile houses. These round granaries have quite a story; they were invented in Ming-shui over in Heilongjiang. They save on materials, are airtight, easy to fumigate, well-ventilated, and resistant to moisture. Once invented, they were quickly adopted all over the country. Ever since the commune got this station, we don't have to haul our grain all the way to the county seat anymore. It saves us a lot of trouble."

By this time, the Shanghe Village caravan had reached the gate. The topic of conversation among the surrounding villagers had shifted to the station workers. In this era, working at a grain station was an enviable position; the benefits were good, the social status was high, and people wouldn't trade it for a minor leadership role.

The station staff carried themselves with great airs. In an age where grain was rationed, there were plenty of people looking to curry favor just to buy a little extra refined grain. This was especially true during the public grain delivery, where even the most formidable team leaders had to speak politely to them. The grain inspector, in particular, had the final say; if he said he’d accept your grain, he would, and if he didn't, he wouldn't. If he took a dislike to you, he’d make you haul it back to dry for another two or three days, which was the worst possible luck.

Fortunately, things were going smoothly for Shanghe Village. Village Chief Zhao had a good relationship with the station director, and as the two chatted, the subordinates naturally knew how to act accordingly.

However, when Han Li caught sight of the legendary grain inspector’s methods, he nearly choked on his own laughter. He couldn't laugh out loud, which made it a difficult struggle to suppress. Seeing his shoulders shaking, Yun Yingying asked, "Han Li, what's the matter with you?"

"Look," Han Li said, gently pointing at the inspector. The man was thrusting a triangular iron probe into a sack, pulling out a handful of grain, pinching a few kernels to examine them, then biting down on them before spitting them out to announce the grade and moisture content.

Even after Han Li pointed it out, Yun Yingying didn't see anything funny. "I don't see anything."

Han Li whispered, "Do you know why the inspector keeps clutching his jaw?"

"I don't."

"You know how hard dried grain is. The inspector has to work at least ten hours a day, constantly biting down on this grain. At that rate, let alone human teeth, even a squirrel wouldn't be able to handle it. The fact that he keeps clutching his jaw shows his teeth are reaching their limit. But he has to do it; otherwise, if he accepts substandard grain and it causes the entire granary to heat up and mold, he wouldn't be able to bear the responsibility."

As they spoke, it became Shanghe Village’s turn to weigh in. Once weighed, the grain had to be moved into the granaries. The villagers had to carry it in themselves; the station wouldn't help. Because of the design of the round granaries, the bottom doors were locked, so all the grain had to be poured in from the windows above. The station staff had set up a long wooden ramp, connecting the ground to the window. They placed a funnel-like wooden trough there, and everyone had to walk up the plank to pour the grain into it.

Since the plank was only about twenty centimeters wide, anyone with poor balance couldn't handle the task. Naturally, the women couldn't do it either; they stayed below, untying the bags and helping the men hoist them onto their shoulders.

Thanks to Village Chief Zhao's connections, Shanghe Village finished delivering their grain before noon. Afterward, people could either return with the caravan or stay in the commune to run errands if they cleared it with the team leader. Han Li and his group had been to the county seat just a few days prior and were drenched in sweat, so they decided to return with the main group.

The journey back was much more relaxed, with everyone chatting and laughing. Hao Hongmei and the others discussed going up the mountain later to gather firewood and wild fruit, hoping to find hazelnuts—which could serve as food. The Yun sisters intended to join them, but when Yun Yingying came to invite Han Li, he declined.

"I won't be going up the mountain with you today. Once I get back, I plan to head upstream along the small river by the village. The villagers say there’s a large pool there where ten-pound fish are common."

"But you don't have a fishing rod or a net. How will you catch them?"

"I’m just scouting the path today. If there really are fish, I'll take you fishing next time."

"Then come back early and be careful."

"Don't worry. I might be a little late if I have any luck, so don't wait up for me, and don't mention it to anyone."

"Is... is it dangerous?"

"What kind of danger could there be with my skills?"

They finished the ten-mile trek while talking, and once Han Li got home, he put his crossbow into his basket and set off.

A while after Han Li left, Hao Hongmei and the others headed toward the mountain with their baskets and ropes. Their group had grown by two: Jiang Xiaoli and the veteran educated youth Li Hongxia. Li Hongxia planned to visit her boyfriend after the grain distribution, so she wanted to collect more wild produce and nuts to bring along.

Li Hongxia became radiant and energized when she spoke of her boyfriend. He was also an educated youth, but he was one of the "rich and handsome" ones who earned a salary. Compared to them—who were sent to the countryside as "poor and lowly" laborers—his location had everything: a collective canteen, a supply and marketing cooperative, a clinic, a post office, and a power station. Even their farm work was done with large-scale machinery, and they got home leave every two years, long enough to stay home through the Lantern Festival.

However, she noted that the work there was heavy, and they wouldn't stop even after the autumn harvest. The authorities would organize everyone to fell trees or clear river channels until the year's end.

As Li Hongxia boasted, the others couldn't help but feel a bit bitter about the social hierarchy. Still, they comforted themselves with the thought that they could "hibernate" through the winter, and when they went home to visit next year, their time off would be even longer.

Jiang Xiaoli could have gone home too, but she chose to wait, hoping for news about the university enrollment quotas for workers, farmers, and soldiers. She wouldn't leave until she had definitive news.

It wasn't just them heading to the mountain; the village wives, aunts, and older children were all out. The adults' task was to find food, and the children's task was to gather firewood.

Han Li walked along the river; it was less of a hunting trip and more of an autumn stroll. Everything was covered in the golden hues of fallen leaves, and even the grasses by the river were turning yellow. Han Li walked seemingly at ease, but he was far from idle. He hadn't yet roasted the pine nuts he’d gathered last time, and they were a primary target today.

However, the pine trees were far too tall—well beyond his ten-meter range. Climb them? A tree thirty meters high wasn't easy to scale, and one wrong move could be fatal. Plus, climbing was hard on clothes, which was why locals rarely bothered with them. Even in later generations, harvesting pine nuts wasn't an easy task.

So, Han Li set his sights on squirrels—nature's expert hoarders. A three- or four-year-old squirrel could easily store over a hundred pounds of nuts. Along the way, he raided several tree hollows, securing over ten pounds of pine nuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, and chestnuts.

As he walked, he suddenly spotted a flock of ducks in the river ahead. Their heads and upper bodies were black, while their wings and lower bodies were white, making them look quite elegant. These were the famous goosanders. Despite their name, they were true migratory birds, just like wild geese. They would head south to winter at this time of year and return in April or May to breed. They were a species that had survived since the Tertiary glacial period, with a history of over ten million years. It was said that by 1989, their population in the entire country had dwindled to only twenty-eight.

Han Li looked at the beautiful birds and his distance from them, then thought of the meat already stored in his space, and decided to spare them.

After letting the goosanders be, Han Li continued upstream, collecting two decent-sized chaga mushrooms along the way. By the time the sky turned dark, he reached a large pool. He didn't know if this was the one the villagers had spoken of, but it didn't stop him from looking for big fish. He sat on a protruding rock by the water and pulled out his homemade fishing rod. Although simple, the barbs on the hook ensured that once something bit, it wouldn't get away.

PS: The next chapter will be a little late.
Thanks to Xiao Se Nei Wai for the 100-point tip.
(End of chapter)