Chapter 305: Chapter 205: Fisherman_1
Another January, colder days ensued.
On Wuzhe Lake, the bitter wind howled, yet countless boats still shuttled to and fro.
In a relatively secluded small bay, a tiny dark covered boat had made its sole berth.
Smoke curled up from inside the boat, where a boy lay prone on the edge, eyes fixed anxiously on the water beneath.
Suddenly, with a splash, a person emerged from the water, nimbly climbed onto the bow, and without a care for the biting wind, pulled a Green Fish from their pants and carefully placed it into the fish basket.
After completing these tasks, the tense nerves finally relaxed, and the body felt the cold soaking through from the lake and wind; skin that was once wheatish turned deathly pale from prolonged immersion, shivering uncontrollably as the north wind blew.
“Big sis, here!”
The boy hurried to her side, handing her a small gourd.
Qing, quivering, took the gourd and poured its contents into her mouth.
“Gurgle, gurgle!”
The liquor was already warm, and upon entry, it felt fiercely potent, like a heated blade slicing through her throat and stomach.
It was the strong drink most cherished by fisherfolk.
Fishermen toil hard, braving the wind and rain, suffering from dampness day and night, commonly plagued by illness once they reach middle age—a true torment.
The strong drink drove away cold and fortified the body, hence it was popular among fishermen, especially in winter, without which no one would dare to fish in winter, fearing a slip might dunk them into the lake.
Although Qing was a woman, girls from fishing families had to shoulder responsibilities early and she had mastered the art of drinking from a young age.
A few gulps of the strong brew and a warmth spread, reaching every limb and bone, reviving her once again.
But that still wasn’t enough, Qing sniffled, wiped herself carelessly, and then took the fish basket inside the cabin.
Inside the cabin, a stove had been lit, offering a modicum of warmth to fend off the biting cold.
Qing first set the fish basket down, then sat by the stove, wrapping her lean, flat body with a tattered cotton blanket, slowly regaining lost warmth.
The boy crouched beside her, full of concern yet not daring to speak until her ghostly white face regained some color, at which point he hesitantly asked, “Big sis, are you, aren’t you… okay?”
“I’m fine!”
Qing turned her head, saw his worried face, smiled gently, and ruffled his hair, “Big sis caught a Spirit Fish. Soon we’ll go collect the reward, a whole ten taels of Silver, enough for your medicine and treatment. Once you’re well, I’ll find you a wife so we can maintain the family lineage, that way we can honor our parents….”
The boy, upon hearing this, shook his head, hugging her arm and said, “I don’t want a wife, I just want big sis!”
Qing laughed and said no more, turning to pick up the fish basket. Looking at the little Green Fish within, she saw a future and hope. She approached the water vat and, with fish and basket, placed them into it.
“Big sis, this…?”
“This fish can’t die; dead, the reward is halved. It’s just a vat of water, what’s that compared to five taels of Silver?”
Qing shook her head and turned to put on her clothes.
Half an hour later, the two arrived at the fish market.
At the entrance to the market, on the gatehouse, hung several people, or rather… several corpses.
Battered and tormented beyond recognition.
“Isn’t that Third Master?”
“What happened to him?”
“You don’t know? This bastard relied on his gang connections and dared to intercept the Spirit Fish that others had caught.”
“The Flying Tiger Gang values Spirit Fish so highly, they couldn’t allow their subordinates to break the rules like that. They dragged him out that very night, along with several of his lackeys, and beat them to death right here at the entrance to the fish market.”
“Serves them right, those bloodsuckers and skinflints, they deserved to die a long time ago!”
“We owe it to Miss Li for standing up for us poor folk.”
“With Miss Li around, rules are rules, and no one can break them!”
“Just catch one Spirit Fish and you’re exempt from tax for three years, plus a reward of ten taels of Silver.”
“Easier said than done—with this bitter winter, even normal fish are hard to catch, let alone that damn Spirit Fish.”
“You know about Old Chu, right? The day before yesterday he took his son to catch a Spirit Fish. Next thing, both father and son were gone, and his wife’s cries were simply heartbreaking…”
“Ah, just bad luck. They didn’t find the Spirit Fish but instead ran into Black Night Fork.”
“I heard recently lots of people from the Martial World have been coming around, fighting fiercely on the lake, turning the world upside down, and capsizing several big boats.”
Along the way, they encountered a flurry of gossip and chatter.
Qing turned a deaf ear, carrying the fish basket on her back, pulling along her little brother, and headed straight for the Flying Tiger Gang’s stall.
“Hey, isn’t that Qing?”
“What, you caught a Spirit Fish too?”
Several fishermen at the stall saw her arrive and couldn’t help but tease.
Qing didn’t respond, stepping forward, she took the fish basket from her back, all the while clenching her fist, ready for any argument.
Although in the past month, the Flying Tiger Gang had shown their iron-fisted approach, making an example out of a few fishermen to prove their stance and determination, it still wasn’t a guarantee against the greedy overstepping their bounds.
That fish was the future and hope of her and her brother, and they couldn’t let anyone steal it away.
So…
“Indeed, it’s a Spirit Fish!”
“Where did you catch it?”
“Hand me your fishing license, let’s get it registered.”
“Here is your reward Silver, keep it safe.”
Staring at the chubby ingots in her hand, Qing felt dazed, unable to believe how easily destiny had shifted.
Compared to farming, the tax on fishing and hunting was heavier; after all, under the heavens, all land belongs to the king, and the rivers, mountains, lakes, and seas are all property of the court. Fishing and hunting the court’s resources, how could one not pay a hefty tax?