pjbooks Chapter 24 Herding Sheep into the Shed
Chapter 24 Herding Sheep into the Shed
When the sheep pen was being repaired, Shan Yaowen was unable to go up the mountain to dig for medicinal herbs or hunt.
However, with the snares given by my brother-in-law, we were able to eat quite a lot of meat every day. Although we didn't make any money from selling them, it saved us some money on groceries. Moreover, with wine and meat to entertain the workers, the workers who came to help were happy, and the progress was much faster.
"Thank you for nature's gift!" Shan Yaowen exclaimed as he saw a pheasant caught in the lasso ahead.
It must be said that this era is indeed rich in resources, unlike later times when everything becomes a protected species.
Of course, it is precisely because of people like him that there are far fewer wild animals.
"When did you learn how to use a lasso?" Gou Dan followed behind Shan Yaowen, carrying his things.
He became curious after seeing Shan Yaowen run into the mountains after work and always bring back some prey.
How come I can't find a single hair when I hunt, but this guy has a harvest as soon as he goes into the mountains?
"I learned it from my brother-in-law." Shan Yaowen casually stuffed a pheasant into the sack.
"When are we going up the mountain to hunt the big guys? You haven't even fired that gun you picked up since you got it back. Aren't you worried about it?"
"What's the rush? We've been too busy lately. Let's talk about it after the sheep pen is repaired. Besides, we don't have any hunting dogs, what are we going to use to hunt?"
"Didn't you buy three puppies?"
"They're so small! If I take them hunting, I'm afraid I'll have to take care of them when we go up the mountain. Besides, they're sheepdogs; I bought them to guard the pasture and watch over the sheep."
"This is boring~"
The two chatted as they walked.
When he reached the last lasso, Shan Yaowen suddenly realized he had snagged something good.
"Is that a sable?"
Dog Egg saw that the little thing in the lasso was no longer moving, so he went forward and kicked it.
"You can even get something like this?" Shan Yaowen was also surprised.
He knew that his traps were usually set in the grass where small birds and beasts were most likely to appear, but he didn't expect to catch this thing.
Well, how should I put it? The meat isn't very tasty, but the fur is beautiful. If it's a complete, undamaged sable pelt, it could easily sell for sixty or seventy yuan.
Sable is one of the three treasures of Northeast China, and its fur is known as "the most precious of furs", with thick, lustrous fur like silk.
Moreover, as living standards have improved, many people are pursuing these things, which has led to the ever-increasing price of sable fur.
Due to their scarcity and slow reproduction, the number of pelts that could be legally obtained each year was extremely limited, eventually leading to their direct status as a protected animal.
Back in 1980, right after the reform and opening up, a sable pelt cost only a dozen yuan. But now, five years later, the price of a sable pelt has increased fivefold, and there is even an upward trend.
"Tsk, you're incredibly lucky." Gou Dan, clearly aware of the item's value, said sourly to Shan Yaowen, "With this little thing, you won't have to worry about funding for your sheep pen anymore."
"It's still not done." Shan Yaowen happily untied the sable and tied it with a rope, carrying it in his hand.
He was afraid the pheasants would peck at it and ruin it if he put it in a sack, so he simply carried it with him.
"Still short?" Gou Dan thought this kid didn't value money at all; there was still something to be short.
"I asked my brother-in-law to order ten tons of straw for me."
"Ten... tons?"
Dog Egg was convinced. This guy only had forty sheep in total, but the sheepfold was no good, so he insisted on building a sheep pen that covered an area of a hundred sheep. Now he buys ten tons of straw at a time, which should be enough to last until next winter.
He didn't know what Shan Yaowen was thinking. Was he buying so much to eat himself, or to make money?
After catching a sable, Shan Yaowen rearranged the other lassos before returning with Gou Dan.
As soon as I entered, everything, big and small, flying and running, rushed over.
"Erguo~"
"Gah~"
"Woof woof woof~"
After touching each one, Shan Yaowen finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Besides his little sister, the three puppies and that silly bird also spend all their free time circling around him.
The younger sister cares about her second brother, the three puppies wag their tails to welcome anyone who comes home, and the silly bird is only fed by Shan Yaowen.
Because Shan Yaowen plans to train the eagle to completely tame this silly bird, no one else in the family pays attention to it, and only Shan Yaowen is feeding it now.
However, because he has to work in the sheep pen during the day and needs to get a good rest at night, Shan Yaowen hasn't brewed it yet. Once he finishes his work and has nothing to do in the dead of winter, he will have plenty of time and methods to brew it.
The day after the meal, Shan Yaowen took some time to get up early and took the sable to Deng Jianguo to sell. To his surprise, the price had gone up again, to eighty-eight yuan.
This is the price Deng Jianguo offered.
And from then on, he would accept any good things brought to him.
The enormous profits tempted Shan Yaowen, who wondered if he could acquire another one.
Unfortunately, they didn't manage to snag another one.
Until the sheep pen was repaired, Shan Yaowen's days were very fulfilling. As soon as he opened his eyes in the morning, he would go to the sheep pen to work. After finishing his work, he would go up the mountain to check the lasso. After checking, he would go home to eat and sleep, and so on.
Persistence pays off, and the sheep pen was finally completed on the fifth day.
If it weren't for the snow delay, the progress could have been even faster.
After the sheep pen was built, Shan Yaowen led his men to the state-run ranch with a note; his sheep were still there.
Xinma Ranch.
This is one of the larger state-owned ranches in their county, and also the closest to their village.
Their village is even called Xinma Ranch Village. Most of the villagers used to work there. Shan Dashan used to be a member of the ranch, but now he is injured and has stepped down, and Shan Yaowu has taken his place.
"Um, Uncle, I'm here to take care of something." Shan Yaowen found a guard post at the entrance of the ranch and handed a pack of cigarettes to the old man guarding the post.
"Sure, what's the matter? Let me see the note." The old man took it without hesitation.
Shan Yaowen handed the old man his ranch registration certificate and the receipt from the town.
The old man looked it over before returning it to Shan Yaowen.
"Go in. Director Xu should be on the east side of the ranch. You can go directly to him."
Because the ranch was strictly managed, the gatekeeper gave Shan Yaowen some instructions, pointing out the way and telling him not to wander off.
After finding Director Xu, Shan Yaowen quickly completed the formalities with the slip of paper, and then, guided by the staff member "Shan Yaowu", he was finally able to collect his sheep.
"Don't worry, we've saved the biggest fat sheep for you." Shan Yaowu walked ahead and whispered to his younger brother, "Although it was said to be five yuan a sheep when we contracted it out, when it comes to dividing it up, it's up to us to decide."
Shan Yaowen never expected that his honest and simple older brother would say such things.
It seems that my older brother has changed since he started working.
After seeing the sheep inside, the other staff confirmed it and then led the two people in to choose a sheep.
Without Shan Yaowen lifting a finger, his older brother had already taken care of it.
Then, one by one, the fat sheep were led out.
"You didn't bring a horse-drawn cart? Are you planning to go straight back?" After selecting the sheep, the ranch staff looked at Shan Yaowen curiously.
"Yes, my ranch isn't far from here, it's right in the village, I can just head back."
"That's good. It's best if someone helps you, otherwise you might not be able to handle it all by yourself if the sheep run away."
"Yes, my friends are outside the ranch, they can't get in."
After he finished speaking, the ranch staff helped Shan Yaowen drive the sheep to the gate: "After you drive the sheep back, if there are any problems, come here to find someone. Don't try to treat them yourself."
"I know, thank you."
At this time, herders may encounter various problems when raising livestock on their own. In order to prevent herders from suffering significant losses, state-run ranches are responsible for providing relevant medical and technical services.
The after-sales service is excellent.
Lin Hao, Zhang Du, Shi Fang, Shan Ping, and the others at the door all stood up when they saw the sheep come out.
"Hey, this sheep is a good choice." Zhang Du smiled when he saw it. "It's plump and strong."
Shan Yaowen smiled and said, "It doesn't even matter who chose it."
His older sister and brother-in-law collected a lot of straw for him and delivered it today, just in time to help him herd the sheep.
On the way back to the sheep pen, the ewe had already prepared a meal. Since today was the first batch of sheep to enter the pen at Xinmuchang, she had invited many people to come and help.
Even the father, who was unable to move easily, insisted on lying in the carriage to come and take a look.
"Our family has its own pasture and sheep now." Shan Dashan was so excited that he almost sat up as he looked at the forty fat sheep entering the sheep pen.
For herders, this is their lifeline.