Chapter 21: Candidates for the Falconry Team
"Dad, Mom! The steamed buns are delicious when they're fresh. You and Dad don't need to save them for me and my sister!"
Seeing that his parents only ate one each as a gesture, Yue Feng felt a pang in his heart.
Parents always save the best for their children. This kind of detail is reflected in every aspect of daily life.
In contrast, it might not be the same for children. There are filial children, but there are also those who, after starting their own families, neglect their parents.
For example, Yue Feng's Brother.
Meng Yulan didn't respond. She silently wrapped three of the steamed buns in oiled paper and placed them on the corner of the table: "You're going up the mountain later, aren't you? Take the buns to eat for lunch!"
Yue Feng didn't dwell on such small matters anymore. He nodded, then turned to his father and said, "Dad, there's something I want to discuss with you!"
It was rare for Yue Lei and his son to have such a formal conversation. Hearing his son's words, Yue Lei's expression also became serious.
"What is it?"
"I met a purchasing Master Niu from a coal mine's small cafeteria in the Ghost Market. He said he can buy all the mountain goods I catch in large quantities! Do you think we need to catch a few more Great Eagles, gather a few people, and earn money together?"
Yue Feng, having lived two lives, had a vision far beyond ordinary people. In fact, he already had the answer to this question in his heart. The reason he still discussed it seriously with his father was mainly to give his Dad a sense of participation, and incidentally, to hear his opinion.
Yue Lei didn't answer immediately after hearing his son's question. Instead, he slightly frowned and thought for a few seconds.
"We can find a few people, but their character must be trustworthy, and their mouths must be tight. Also, the technique of flying Great Eagles can be taught, but the core technique of Falconry must be kept secret!"
In this era, to truly learn something, many trades require formal apprenticeship. Although Falconry is just a minor skill, if you learn it, it's definitely better than honestly farming on your one-third of an acre at your doorstep in the village.
Yue Feng learned Falconry from his Grandpa, but his father Yue Lei was not interested in flying Great Eagles for small hunts before.
In Yue Lei's view, even if he was flying a Great Eagle (a female Northern Goshawk) that catches Rabbit instead of a Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Female), he could only catch small prey like pheasants and Rabbit. After a day's work, there wasn't much meat, which was far less satisfying than setting snares on the mountain or using traps or clamps to catch some mountain animals.
Of course, this understanding was based on the premise that small prey like pheasants, Rabbit, and Flying Dragon caught in small hunts couldn't be sold at high prices and could only be eaten at home.
If someone had told Yue Lei earlier that a live Flying Dragon could sell for over a yuan, he would have picked up the family's inherited Falconry skill long ago.
At this stage, the main source of income for ordinary villagers was the year-end dividend from the village production team. Those with slightly more flexible minds went into the mountains to collect wild vegetables and mountain treasures like wood ear mushrooms and monkey head mushrooms, or dried medicinal materials like schisandra berries to sell to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, where the prices were also extremely low.
It wasn't that there were no people who raised dogs and bought guns to hunt in the mountains, but the threshold was too high, and ordinary families simply couldn't afford it. Most farming households didn't even have enough food for themselves, let alone grain to feed dogs.
In comparison, taking advantage of the season when Great Eagles migrate in autumn, bringing out a few Great Eagles for small hunts to sell live wild game was a relatively cost-effective business model.
"How about I take some time to set nets and catch a few young Great Eagles, and you help me handle them?" Yue Feng said, climbing up the pole after getting his father's affirmation.
"Okay, I have nothing to do at home anyway. It's no problem to help you handle the Great Eagles for a few days! Have you thought about who to find to join?" Yue Lei nodded and accepted the task.
Yue Feng already had an answer in mind. He said, "How about I ask my neighbor Li Shu and his son? Plus Zhang Family's Brother Xiao Wen and Brother Xiao Wu?"
There's no need to mention Li Wentong and Li Mingtao, father and son. The two families were very close since Yue Lei was young. In his previous life, Yue Lei had an accident on the mountain, and before he died, he entrusted his son, daughter, and wife to his brother Li Wentong.
Since then, Li Wentong, this uncle with no blood relation, had been taking care of Yue Feng and his mother and sister. Li Wentong took Yue Feng hunting in the mountains to help, and no matter how much effort Yue Feng put in, the game was always split half and half between the families. When Yue Feng rebuilt his house and got married, Li Wentong was busy arranging everything, contributing both money and effort. He treated him like his own son, so naturally, Yue Feng wanted to include him in organizing people to fly Great Eagles and earn money.
Zhang Xiaowen and Zhang Xiaowu are only one year apart. These two brothers were Yue Feng's good brothers in his previous life. Their father, Zhang Deliang, used to be a mountain collector in the village. In autumn, he went to the mountain to collect mountain goods and was kicked by a Black Bear, leaving behind his underage brothers and his mother, who needed medicine year-round, to rely on each other.
These two brothers were famously filial in the village.
A few years ago, when the brothers were just thirteen or fourteen, someone in the village held a wedding banquet, and the brothers went to help. The host provided meals. After a day's work, they went home, and each brother brought home a piece of fried hairtail fish for their mother.
In this era, resources were extremely scarce. In occasions like wedding banquets, the main dishes were limited. For example, with this fried hairtail fish, getting one piece per person was already good, but these two brothers were reluctant to eat it themselves and brought it home to honor their mother.
Besides being filial, these two brothers were also extremely loyal. In his previous life, Yue Feng took the brothers to the mountain to kill a Bear Den. As a result, the Black Bear came out of the den. The gun misfired, and Yue Feng was almost crushed by the Black Bear's butt.
Neither of the brothers ran away. They held their spears and were ready to fight the Black Bear to the death. Later, after a fierce battle, they rescued Yue Feng. Both brothers were scratched on their chests and backs by the Black Bear and took over a month to recover.
This was a true life-saving kindness. In his previous life, Yue Feng didn't repay these two brothers. Living another life, he definitely had to repay the life-saving kindness.
It is now 1980. The brothers have just reached adulthood. Without their father, the pillar of the family, the brothers take care of their mother, who needs medicine year-round. Their daily lives are extremely difficult.
Yue Feng knew that these two brothers were loyal and righteous. Since he had a way to make money, he was naturally willing to help them. Even if he took a loss and let the brothers earn more money, Yue Feng didn't feel it was inappropriate.
"Your Li Shu's family is definitely okay. We can investigate Zhang Family's two boys, that's fine too!" Yue Lei nodded, quite approving of the partners Yue Feng mentioned.
Most people in this era valued their reputation extremely highly. Productivity was low, and many times villagers needed to band together to accomplish things. A good reputation meant good character, and everyone was willing to associate with such people.
Although Xiao Wen and Xiao Wu were not old, everyone in the village knew their reputation for being filial. Although their family conditions were not good, most people did not look down on them. Even more than one wealthy family from other villages found the matchmaker Wang Tiezui, wanting to recruit the elder brother Xiao Wen as a live-in son-in-law, but Xiao Wen didn't agree.
"Then, I'll make arrangements when I have time?" Yue Feng continued to ask.
"Rushing isn't a good business. You should..." Yue Lei waved his hand, called Yue Feng closer, and whispered many things in his ear.
"Okay, I'll listen to Dad!! Mom, put a few more steamed buns in my satchel!" Yue Feng nodded and agreed.
Three mediocre people are better than one Zhuge Liang. Although Yue Feng had figured out how to handle the matter, there were still some minor flaws in the details. With Dad Yue Lei's advice, the plan immediately became perfect.
Having made up his mind, Yue Feng tied his gaiters, slung his backpack over his shoulder, carried the Great Eagle, and went out.
Today, he didn't go directly up the mountain but came to his neighbor Li Shu's house.
"Xiao Tao! Are you busy today? If not, keep me company. I'll take you up the mountain to fly the Great Eagle and catch chickens?"
"Okay, Feng Ge, I'll tie my gaiters! Wait for me for a few minutes!"
The Li Family had also just finished breakfast. Xiao Tao agreed immediately when he heard Yue Feng wanted to call him to fly the Great Eagle.
Xiao Tao had followed Yue Feng around since he was little. Although he was a bit rash in doing things, his execution was definitely on point. He also belonged to the kind of life-or-death brother you could entrust your back to at any time.