Chapter 10: Fishing

Shichahai, the water is actually quite deep; last year's dragnet didn't even reach the bottom, so there are plenty of fish that slipped through the net.

This is also why many fishing enthusiasts are attracted here.

However, after a winter of crowds fishing, the foolish fish have all been caught; those that weren't caught have become fish spirits, which is also why there aren't many people now.

When it's quiet, the fish grow bolder; plus they've been hungry all winter, so more take the bait.

Yang Qing and his wife hid behind the windbreak; from a distance, you couldn't spot them, so no one knew they were catching fish.

One, two, …

By evening, they had already caught over twenty fish.

Chen Hong's face was flushed with excitement.

"No more fish, let's go."

Yang Qing shook his head.

"With so many fish, we can't carry them all."

"Pigeon Market is too conspicuous in the daytime."

"You wait here, I'll go find someone."

Having said that, Yang Qing went ashore while no one was looking.

Half an hour later, Yang Qing returned to the fishing spot, accompanied by a middle-aged man who had come with him.

Yang Qing introduced him.

"This is Master Guan; Master Guan, this is my wife."

Master Guan nodded, said nothing more, just stared at Yang Qing's fish pit with eyes lighting up.

"Kid, you're impressive—others can't catch fish, but you can pull in several dozen jin; you've got skill."

Yang Qing clasped his fists humbly.

"Making a living is just luck; today I scattered over two jin of food bait—if there's no catch, I'll just go hungry."

Upon hearing that, Master Guan's ardent heart cooled considerably; nowadays food is extremely precious.

He nodded.

"I understand the rules; I won't take from you."

"These fish, sixty kuai, and I'll take them away."

Saying that, he counted out the money.

Yang Qing took the money without counting, and the two of them helped Master Guan load the fish into a sack, then carried it away.

All the way, Chen Hong didn't say a word.

After Master Guan rode off on his vehicle, she finally spoke.

"Won't he steal our business tomorrow?"

Yang Qing shook his head.

"He won't; these people care most about their image, but the others he knows might not."

Chen Hong said regretfully.

"You shouldn't have brought him."

Yang Qing took Chen Hong's hand.

"If we hadn't brought him, he'd still figure it out; better to be open than let others scheme behind our backs."

"Fishing isn't just for us; others also know the fish are easy to catch now, they're all quietly making a fortune—more or fewer doesn't matter much."

"The key is being willing to put down bait; we have a sweet‑potato wall, do they?"

Chen Hong heard that and chuckled; it turned out they were still waiting here for them.

Free of worry, she took Yang Qing's hand and ran.

"Come on, let's take our fish home to eat."

The couple returned to the fishing spot, dealt with the fish hole using lumps of snow to prevent it from freezing again, then wrapped the fish in oil paper, tucked it into their bosoms, and headed home.

The cold has its advantages; after Yang Qing sealed the room tight, he cooked fish soup, attracting no beasts' notice, and ate his meat in peace.

The fish scales and innards, meanwhile, Yang Qing made into bait, wrapped in oil paper.

Early the next morning, the couple, taking advantage of the emptiness, went back to the fishing spot.

After cleaning up, they began scattering bait and fishing again.

By dawn, a few people had gradually arrived around them, imitating Yang Qing's method, starting to pile up windbreaks for camouflage.

Chen Hong poked him: "They're here, they're here."

Yang Qing nodded, whispering: "Hide the caught fish in the snow, just leave a few out front."

"Don't flaunt wealth."

Chen Hong wondered.

"Then we're not selling to them?"

"We sell, but only a portion; the rest I'll find someone else for."

"There's no shortage of buyers now."

Upon hearing that, Chen Hong felt reassured.

At worst, we sell to the market; it's just a matter of earning more or less.

By noon, the few nearby people couldn't hold back any longer, slowly gathering; upon seeing seven or eight fish, they were furious.

"Brother, how do you fish? Any secret moves? I won't let you teach me for nothing—pay me, ten kuai, what do you think?"

Yang Qing waved his hand.

"No need, brother; this big lake has room enough for us."

No secret move, but there is one big move: scatter more bait.

I've already scattered over a catty of grain here.

Several people hearing this thought, "What the hell? What kind of secret move is this? How much grain would be wasted?"

Although it seems worthwhile, you can't buy grain now even if you have money.

Exchanging grain for fish isn't worth it; better to buy from Yang Qing—they're not short of money.

We can't be eating fish every meal, can we?

We can't afford to play, we can't afford to play; in two or three days we'll have thrown away our rations.

Several people went back to continue their impoverished fishing method, and managed to catch two or three fish, enough to eat.

These people are all well-off remnants of the old regime, not the kind of desperate lunatics; fish is fine, but grain is more important to them.

Don't think you can get grain at the pigeon market now; even if it's there, they can't snatch it.

Now is the most difficult time, between harvests, grain in short supply, has price but no market.

Haven't you seen that the Jia Zhangshi family, with the help of Yi Zhonghai and Sha Zhu, have all grown thin from hunger?

Unless you go to the black market at midnight, which is far more dangerous; the well-off remnants won't take the risk, and it's said that people die there every so often.

As evening fell again, those few people gathered.

"Brothers, let's sell the fish."

Yang Qing nodded.

"Sell."

Several people squatted down, looked at the fish, and said quietly.

"How about sixty for these fish?"

Yang Qing nodded.

"Take them."

One person swiftly produced money, while the other skillfully packed the fish into a sack.

After they left, Chen Hong exclaimed excitedly.

"We've made a fortune, we've made a fortune."

I didn't expect these people to still want their fish.

Yang Qing explained.

"Trading here is safest; just claim you caught them yourself."

"This business can last another two days."

Chen Hong pointed at the snow pile.

"What about the rest?"

Yang Qing looked around.

"Find another person."

Chen Hong worried.

"That's not someone else muscling in on our business, is it?"

Yang Qing reassured.

"You didn't see today—has the number of people fishing around here increased?"

"This news can't be kept secret; in a few days this place will be packed with people."

"Wait for me, I'll be back soon."

Another half hour passed.

Yang Qing again brought someone over, and from the snow pile pulled out more than twenty fish.

"Seventy!"

After looking, the newcomer spoke.

Yang Qing nodded.

Collecting the money, they packed the fish into a sack and left.

Once again seeing Yang Qing and his wife return only after dark, Jia Zhangshi's eyes darted about.

"Those two never see anyone all day; they must be up to something shady."

"Huai Ru, tomorrow you stay home and watch the child; I'll go tail them."

"If we can catch hold of their braid, our family will have a house."

Yan Fu Gui shared the same idea.

"Are you sure they didn't come back after going out in the morning, and haven't done odd jobs at the Jiedao office?"

San Da Ma said firmly.

"That's certain; I think they've run out of grain and gone to profiteer."

Yan Fu Gui adjusted his glasses.

"Like this, tomorrow you follow them, see what they're up to, and if you can snatch their little braid, our family will have a house."