My 1995 Small Farm.

Chapter 562 Return to the world
After the lynx said that, despite being a little scared, everyone couldn't resist their curiosity and went to find a higher place to look towards the swamp and wetlands.

I want to see what exactly is XZ causing trouble in the swamp.

Unfortunately, all I could see was the wild boar thrashing and howling on the wetlands.

No monster was seen lurking in the murky water.

Chen Ling couldn't see what was inside, but after looking at the surrounding environment, he thought to himself, "Could it be an earth dragon?"

But looking around, this is a swamp deep in the southern mountains, quite far from the wetlands of the Qinling Mountains' miasma valleys on the northern side.

The two earth dragons made their home in the wetlands near the miasma valley.

And they have already built a nest and laid eggs.

Logically, they wouldn't leave easily.

"Besides, with the size of the earth dragon, it's fine for eating ducks and geese, but dragging down a wild boar would probably be a tough task."

Chen Ling thought about it, then shook his head secretly, feeling it was unlikely to be an earth dragon.

However, Ah Fu, Ah Shou, and the pack of dogs were all restless, circling around the wetland and barking incessantly.

Chen Ling walked over and fired several shots at the spot in the swamp where the wild boar had been dragged down.

Seeing this, Lynx and the others also came over and opened fire inside.

After a burst of dense gunfire.

The air was thick with the smell of gunpowder, and the swamp was silent.

Although everyone knew they hadn't hit anything inside, firing a few shots made them feel much better.

Today, I was first startled by a group of yellow-throated martens, and now that I'm about to go home, strange things from the swamp are coming out to scare me again. If I don't vent my frustration, I'll become suspicious and easily develop mental health issues.

"Alright, it's getting late. Let's gut the wild boar and head back."

When I get back, I'll go to Kinmen Village and ask about the mountain yaks. If Uncle Guangli doesn't know, I'll call an old professor who knows about this.

Chen Ling put everyone's minds at ease once again.

After processing their prey, each person carried or shouldered it, and led by tigers and dogs, they drove out of the mountains.

As for what's in the swamp.

None of them bothered to get to the bottom of things and insist on finding out the truth.

It's getting dark, so it's better to avoid trouble and go home early.

However, the mountains are much more lively this year.

As soon as the sun sets, birds return to the forest, wild animals emerge from their dens, and all sorts of wild creatures come out.

Often, a rustling sound would suddenly come from the woods on both sides, and foxes, lynxes, squirrels and other small animals would hop and skip away.

Sometimes, wild monkeys would squawk and chatter in the dim forest.

Afu and Ashou wanted to chase after him after seeing this.

After being scolded by Chen Ling a few times, he finally calmed down.

Of course, there are also many wild animals that spy on them, and wild animals that frolic on the high rocks.

In such situations, they would simply fire a few shots to scare them away and that would be the end of it.

Overall, the return trip went smoothly.

Even when carrying prey, they could leave the mountains faster than they entered.

We rushed back to the village before 7 p.m.

Eight deer were brought back in the morning, and about ten wild boars were brought back in the evening. The villagers all came out to watch.

Those who came to visit also came up behind the prey, touching it and praising it.

Seeing this, Chen Ling shouted again, "Chasing people down the mountain and into the water, everyone gets a share. Everyone spread out first, and there will be meat for everyone in a while."

This immediately drew thunderous cheers.

For these city dwellers, coming here to enjoy the scenery and delicious food is all they need.

They even managed to get a share of the prey when they encountered hunters.

It was both a pleasant surprise and a novel experience.

Many people never received awards while in school, but now they get meat without doing anything.

It was prey that someone else had just hunted.

This feeling is just amazing...

So they all got excited and chattered like children.

Even the middle-aged men were blushing with joy, offering cigarettes to Chen Ling and the others; the scene was incredibly lively.

They all said they would come back to visit whenever they had time.

This time, I spoke with genuine sincerity.

After all, apart from Chen Ling's farm, things in the village are quite cheap.

Affordable prices, comfortable accommodations, and fun activities—how could anyone not like it?

It doesn't matter if the road is a bit far.

That evening, the farm gate was brightly lit, and Chen Ling set up a table made of several large wooden planks as a meat cutting board to share the meat with everyone.

Most of the prey today was caught by two tigers.

And the tiger is now openly following him, being his pet.

So naturally, he'll be the 'head shooter' today, meaning he'll get the most prey and have the right to distribute it.

The villagers were very happy.

But they were not as excited as the city folks, who crowded around the meat stall, talking incessantly and pointing at the gutted wild boars and deer.

Many people have never seen a wild boar or a sika deer, let alone been so close to one, so they are very curious.

Some people couldn't even tell which part of the prey was the best. Seeing how big the wild boar's head was and how beautiful the deer's antlers were, they just wanted to have fun and asked Chen Ling to give them the heads.

Some of them had seen the Wild Boar King's tusks and asked Chen Ling why these boars didn't have tusks, as they wanted to collect them.

But no matter what.

They were happiest whenever Chen Ling distributed meat to them, like elementary school students lining up to receive an award.

The excitement was indescribable.

The group of people made a lot of noise and didn't disperse until after 9 p.m.

Some were alone, some were couples, and some were families. They all followed the villagers' example, tying the meat with straw stems, carrying it high, and happily going home.

Look how happy he is, he'd love to sleep with his baby in his arms at night.

However, after their initial joy, they still had to face reality, because they couldn't bring the meat back intact.

There was no other way but to eat it or leave the meat at the home of the villager where they lived.

Some were reluctant to part with their prey, feeling that it was their first time receiving a share of the game's meat, and that it held special sentimental value.

More people chose to eat it.

So the next morning, the village was filled with the aroma of meat, and every household was stewing meat in a large pot.

Chen Ling's single cut of meat saved these people a day's worth of food expenses.

When Chen Ling and his son rode back to the village from the county town, bringing two tigers with them.

Many people stopped him and told him to try the cooked venison and wild boar meat later.

To be honest, given Chen Ling's pickiness, apart from the half-grown wild boars, there wasn't much meat from these prey to eat; it was all for feeding the tigers.

Most of the sika deer are old.

Half of the wild boars are sows.

This means the prey's meat needs to be stewed for a long time, and it may not even be cooked until tender.

However, since the people were so hospitable, Chen Ling came down and chatted with them for a bit. They talked about this and that, about tigers, wild animals in the mountains, local rumors, and the strange and unusual things they had heard from the young people in the village about what they had encountered in the mountains the day before.

Like weasels hunting wild boars, or monsters dragging wild boars down into swamps to eat them, etc.

Everyone was very excited when this was mentioned, and no one was in a hurry to check if the meat was ready or when it was time to take it out of the pot.

Even the villagers who came back from patrolling the fields joined them, just like rushing to a meal.

As they were talking, a mother of a child asked Chen Ling a question in a curious way.

They said they could hunt so many animals in one trip into the mountains. Can the wild animals in the mountains withstand such hunting?

Chen Ling explained that they hunt here mainly after autumn, mostly during the autumn and winter seasons.

Moreover, it only started in the last two years when there was an increase in prey.

Hunting is prohibited in spring and summer.

That's the peak breeding season for wild animals.

In addition, even if hunting is not completely banned in the spring, there are still not many people who can go into the mountains to hunt.

At most, they'll set some traps and snares to catch a few small prey.

As for whether they will hunt all the wild animals in the mountains, there is really no need to worry. They don't go there every day, and even if there are tigers, they won't eat them all.

Besides, prey isn't without legs; once it reaches a certain point, it won't be so stupid as to not know how to run away.

Besides, with the autumn harvest approaching, many people still have important things to do at home.

Some even have to go back to work after the autumn harvest.

Hunting isn't something everyone is highly skilled at, and not everyone can guarantee a successful hunt in the mountains. It's nowhere near as profitable as working outside.

It's better to make a living outside than to stay in this remote mountain village.

“You city folks always think too much. We used to have so many wild things here. The commune would organize hunting trips, and individuals would go into the mountains to hunt and gather herbs. Those were all good things that, aside from the work points, could actually be put into our own hands. If we had a good harvest, we could not only fill our stomachs and eat meat, but also have some extra money. Everyone was more enthusiastic than the last.”

Back then, after only a few years of development, the resources in the mountains were indeed reduced.

You said they're all gone? No, they're not.

Many of them went deep into the Qinling Mountains, or headed south.

The wild creatures in the mountains are all clever; they won't wait for you to wipe them all out before they run away.

You'll understand once you see what the mountains look like in the last two years.

"The sika deer and muntjacs are all back, aren't they? The jackals and leopards are back too, and there are even plenty of leopards."

This is Chen Dazhi speaking. Someone offered him some good cigarettes, and he became very talkative, going on and on.

Zhao Yubao, leaning on a long sheep-herding whip, nodded in response, "Dazhi has a point. However, when I wasn't in your village earlier this year, Lao Han told me that the country has now completely banned guns and is confiscating all kinds of firearms."

Aside from the stated fear of causing major chaos, the main concern was the endless hunting.

They say many rare plants and animals are on the verge of extinction, but foreign countries have had laws on this for a long time, so we should be able to soon follow suit.

"I don't know. What you great writers and professors say is beyond the comprehension of ordinary people."

Chen Dazhi waved his hand and looked at Chen Ling: "Let Fugui say it. Doesn't Fugui have a hunting license? He can hunt anytime."

Chen Ling laughed and said, "What am I talking about? I don't know either. I have a license, but I don't just shoot randomly. I shoot when there are many people in the mountains, and I don't shoot when there are few."

His words sound like those of a scoundrel.

That's just how reality is.

Because in the country, such hunting or fishing bans are usually regional.

For example, the state has introduced a wildlife protection law, emphasizing that hunting or capturing wild animals will be a serious crime, and classifying them into different levels.

However, if a certain type of wild animal, such as a wild boar, becomes rampant in a particular area, it needs to be treated specially.

Even now, in the 2020s, many places have relaxed restrictions, shortening the annual hunting ban to three months, meaning hunting is prohibited for three months in the summer.

Play however you like in the remaining three seasons.

Of course, this is specifically designed to deal with wild boars. There are also hunting standards for other prey that cannot be hunted more than a certain number per year.

To put it more bluntly, wild animals are starting to proliferate in Chenwangzhuang. There are fewer wild animals in Fenglei Town, so people in Fenglei Town should behave themselves, abide by the law, and avoid hunting in the mountains. But things in Chenwangzhuang will continue as usual.

Because the wild animals here are harming crops and endangering the safety of the mountain people, we have to hunt them down.

When the fighting decreases, then we'll stop fighting altogether.

Just do it according to the actual situation, it's that simple.

Besides, Chen Ling also possesses the wondrous Sun and Moon Grotto-Heaven. As long as the hunting isn't excessive, it's practically as if he can do whatever he wants.

"Alright, you guys eat, I have things to do."

After chatting for a while, Chen Ling prepared to leave and said to Zhao Yubao, "I tried calling Uncle Han but couldn't get through. I have to go to Jinmen Village later to find out about the Yao people we were talking about."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yubao let out a long "Oh," and said, "I was wondering why Xiao Lin didn't go back last night and went to Lao Zhong's place. So you went back by yourself because you were asking about Lao Han."

"Then you go ahead, we'll go find your father-in-law to herd the sheep later."

"Alright, Rui Rui, stop playing, let's go."

Chen Ling led the horse to the roadside. At that moment, Rui Rui was playing with some of the village children around two tigers, making the tigers sit on the ground and placing their heads high up so that they could support their heads.

This made Afu and Ashou look aggrieved, and they didn't dare to move.

If you move these bones, they'll fall off, and you'll have to start all over again.

They dared not put up any resistance.

There was no way they could refuse when Chen Ling asked them to look after the baby.

Now that Chen Ling had spoken, she finally breathed a sigh of relief, ran to Chen Ling's side, and kept a good distance from Rui Rui.

Chen Ling picked him up and put him on the horse: "Look how dirty your hands are. Go back and wash them, then play with your grandpa. Don't follow me anymore."

Upon hearing this, he immediately turned around, looked at him with his big, clear eyes, and whined sweetly, "Mmm~ Mmm~ Daddy, Rui Rui is a good boy!"

She still wants to go out and play with him.

"You call yourself good? You scared Ah Fu and Ah Shou half to death! I bet you're the one who let those little badgers go."

Chen Ling flicked his little nose speechlessly.

Only Heiwa, Xiaojin, and Xiaobai Niu in the family are not afraid of him and let him do whatever he wants, and they are very patient with him.

Others just won't work, especially the later ones like Afu and Ashou. They've only just started to develop cognitive abilities and still have the mindset of children. When they encounter a mischievous little baby like Rui Rui, they're all children, and they're naturally incompatible when put together.

Chen Ling was really putting them through a lot by making them take care of the babies.

So they left Afu and Ashou at home, locking them in a guest room in the wooden building, and didn't let them out for the time being.

He then took Rui Rui on horseback and rode to Kinmen Village.

When we arrived at Kinmen Village, before we even reached Liu Guangli's house, we saw a group of people rowing boats on the Jinshui River with guns, going back and forth on the river and occasionally firing shots at the water birds on the riverbank.

"Wow, good heavens, even the gun gangs have made a comeback this year."

The so-called "gun gang" refers to those who hunt on the water. This hunting is not fishing, but rather specifically targeting water birds of all sizes.

For example, wild ducks, egrets, geese, etc.

Smaller ones, like magpies, water crickets, and even swallows by the water, can also be caught there.

People like Chen Ling's age have witnessed the grand spectacle of gun-wielding hunting when they were young.

After that, people like Liu Nier and others, or even those a little older, didn't know anything about them; they had never even heard of them.

They didn't even know what was so interesting about shooting these water birds.

It's because things are so different now than before.

In some years, the wild geese and ducks, just like the swallows of Chenwangzhuang Reservoir, would fly up and darken the sky, sometimes numbering in the thousands or tens of thousands.

Back then, the gun gangs were also called goose-hunting teams, much like wolf-hunting teams. They were organized by the commune, but some went on their own. They would travel along the river day and night by boat, looking for the resting places of these water birds, and then a group of people would start a grand hunt with guns.

At its peak, you could see wild ducks and geese falling from the sky onto the water from a great distance. Hundreds or even thousands of them could be caught in a day, which was even more exciting and thrilling than hunting in the mountains.

(End of this chapter)