My 1995 Small Farm.

Chapter 505 The Miao Family Hunting Adventure Part Two

The terms were agreed upon.

The Miao people of Ranjiazhai finally became much more friendly towards them.

Dinner was hosted by the old man's family.

He is the village chief of Ranjiazhai.

With county leaders accompanying them, and Chen Ling and his group showing a sincere attitude in apologizing, they even brought two hunting dogs as a gift.

So, to show hospitality, the dinner was quite sumptuous.

The dishes include cured pork and free-range chicken stewed in hanging pots, as well as distinctive hanging pot rice and braised fish with tree flower vegetables.

The so-called hanging pot is similar to the hanging cauldron.

It's just that the iron pot has been replaced with an iron can.

"Wow~"

Two Taihang dogs were barking at the little yellow dog and snatching chicken bones that people threw at them.

"These two hunting dogs are good hunting dogs."

The old man praised it.

Many people in the Miao village can speak Mandarin, and some of the older people can even write articles in Chinese characters.

"It seems Uncle knows about hunting dogs. I didn't explain it to you in detail before. This dog is a northern hunting dog, a mountain-chasing dog from the Taihang Mountains, called the Taihang Dog..."

The lynx beckoned the dog over and introduced it.

The size of these two Taihang dogs is roughly the same as that of a typical tiger-headed yellow dog.

It's only slightly larger than an average mongrel dog.

This is because of impure bloodline.

A true purebred Taihang dog has strong limbs and a tall, long body.

They are much larger than dog breeds south of the Qinling Mountains, giving them a very imposing presence.

"Taihang dog? I've never heard of that, but I can tell from its ears and muzzle that it's a northern dog. Its ears droop so badly and its muzzle is short and thick."

"Oh, Uncle, you have good insight."

Everyone gave a thumbs up.

The old man chuckled.

Few outsiders come here; when they do, it's usually packhorse or mule teams from the surrounding counties—nothing special.

So when he met Zhao Dahai and the others, he was very enthusiastic about talking.

He took the initiative to talk about the many mastiffs he had seen before the founding of the People's Republic of China.

It's quite interesting too.

The problem is that older people at this age tend to be a bit stubborn and have a lot of misunderstandings about people from certain places and in certain aspects.

This is related to the fact that I was scammed a lot at the time.

After all, they had been living in caves for refuge at that time, and they needed to exchange some necessary supplies with other people.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China, they were allocated farmland and then came out of the caves to choose a site to reclaim wasteland and settle down.

As we chatted, it got completely dark.

Surrounded by high mountains, on this dam that resembles a vast basin, once night falls completely, the darkness is as if it has been splashed with thick ink, so black that you can't see your hand in front of your face.

It's a bit chilly in the small Miao village at night, so you'll need to wear extra clothes.

It doesn't feel like the height of summer at all.

The old man and his family got along quite well with them, so they prepared a room and invited them to stay. They told them that they had come a long way and should get some rest for the night, and that the hunting and worship of the local deity could be completed before the end of the month's hunting season.

Chen Ling and the others naturally did not refuse this kind offer.

I also got to know the two Miao youths I had met during the day.

One was named Jinwa, and the other Muwa. They were brothers and also the village chief's nephews.

Once everyone left, Zhao Dahai lay back on the bed and sighed comfortably: "The girls in this Miao village aren't that pretty. I often read about Miao villages in my books, and martial arts novels describe them so erotically, that I thought there were beautiful girls everywhere. But most of them are just ordinary farm girls."

Chen Ling and the lynx glanced at him, not in the mood for jokes or banter. They simply said, "We have things to do at home, so we can only stay here for three days at most. Tomorrow morning, let's hurry up and find some prey, get it done as soon as possible, and go home early."

"Okay, it's a pity I didn't bring Heiwa and the others, otherwise we could have finished it tonight," said Lynx.

Chen Ling shook his head: "Even if we bring them, we can't be careless. We're unfamiliar with the area, so we shouldn't wander around in the mountains at night. This place is high up and the terrain is quite strange."

"Yes, there are coffins on the mountain. They are Miao village graves. Don't wander around at night if you don't have anything to do."

Wang Qingzhong responded.

Everyone was taken aback. Luckily, they hadn't wandered off. The Miao people's graves contained their ancestors, and there might be some taboos associated with them.

If someone accidentally wanders in and gets caught, it will be another troublesome situation.

"Alright, get some rest. We'll go hunting in the mountains tomorrow."

After a brief discussion, everyone realized that they had been under a lot of stress these past two days, hadn't slept well last night, and had traveled such a long distance, so they went back to their rooms to sleep early.

……

The next morning, I had breakfast at the village chief's house again.

Chen Ling and his companions then asked the old man to prepare some necessary hunting tools for them.

“You guys really don’t need to be in such a hurry. Although the last hunt was disrupted and we didn’t catch much prey, the wild boars were so scared that they haven’t come over for several days. These things roam all over the mountains, crossing mountains and valleys, and can go anywhere. If they don’t come out, it’s not easy for people to find them in the mountains.”

Unless we go up into the mountains and wipe out their stronghold.

"Uncle, you're talking nonsense again. We're not going to Dashan, so how can we let Brother Chen and the others go?"

"I haven't finished yet. The mountains are even more dangerous. All the poisonous insects and ferocious beasts in the Qinling Mountains are there."

The local Miao people refer to the mountain range that stretches across the distance of their village like a barrier as "big mountain".

Small hills or flat plains located between valleys are called flat hills.

"This summer is very strange. Wild boars have all come down from the mountains. There's nothing we can do but offer sacrifices to the local earth god for protection and hold hunting events, following the tracks left by the wild boars to hunt them in the mountains..."

The old man explained, "After wild boars run down from the mountains, they go wherever there is food and roam everywhere in the mountains. If there are no fresh footprints, it is very difficult to find them by searching for them dry."

in the past.

Every autumn to the following spring, wild boars that have survived the hot summer will migrate from the mountains to Pingshan to forage for food and seek shelter from the cold.

Wild boars are rampant this year.

They won't even be able to wait until autumn.

Starting in late spring, often just as night falls, wild boars will come down from the mountains and ridges and hide in the woods and grass near dry land and paddy fields.

At midnight, when all is quiet, they would sneak into these farmlands and wreak havoc.

Unable to endure it any longer, the villages joined together and formed hunting teams to take turns patrolling after nightfall.

When they saw wild boars, they would beat drums and gongs to drive them away.

Then, follow the tracks left by the wild boars and try to exterminate them all.

Otherwise, wild boars would fight like guerrillas, returning and darting around, making it impossible to keep an eye on them all, leaving one exhausted.

"We understand, Uncle Ran, but we still want to give it a try."

"Yes, village chief, you can rest. Don't worry about us. With such a grand hunt, we're itching to get involved too."

"That's fine."

The old man looked at the group of people, including Wang Jusheng and his brother-in-law, who were usually silent, and they were also full of fighting spirit.

He stood up and said he would go find them hunting rifles and crossbows.

"Uncle, if you don't have enough guns, you can use a steel fork or something. We can't use crossbows."

Chen Ling stopped the old man.

They all know how to use guns.

But as for crossbows, especially Miao crossbows, they were only used by him and the lynx.

Other people might play around with it, but their accuracy is not as good as using a slingshot.

"Don't worry, there are plenty of homemade guns in the village, enough to meet your needs. You know how to use homemade guns, right?"

"Yes, yes, I'll use any gun."

Zhao Dahai rubbed his hands together, his face flushed with excitement.

This fat man's long-awaited hunting dream is about to come true in the Miao village.

They all forgot they were carrying a gun too.

"Okay, I'll get it for you."

The old man nodded with a smile, then took his son out to prepare for them.

Homemade guns, also known as the common homemade guns.

Load it with gunpowder, fill it with iron shot, and fire it with a bang, and a large area is wiped out.

You don't need to be a good shot at all.

When common birds and rabbits are infected, their entire bodies are often riddled with holes.

Even a slight graze could pierce your eye with iron pellets, and if you were chased by a hunting dog, you'd be doomed.

"Hehe, just you wait, tonight I'm going to take down ten with one shot."

"Forget it, homemade guns can easily hurt people. You go guard the checkpoint later and don't fire randomly."

“Can’t I do without a homemade gun? Who said I use a homemade gun? I have a good gun in my bag.” “Come on, save the good guns for me and Fugui, we’ll be the main force.”

"No, I'm the main force..."

When Zhao Dahai and Shanmao were bickering.

The old man then led his men and brought over the homemade guns.

In addition to the gun, there was also a load of iron shot.

Actually, only Wang Jusheng, his brother-in-law, and Wang Qingzhong didn't have guns.

Three are enough.

However, the quality of homemade guns is inconsistent, and they are quite old, so you have to be selective.

They picked out guns and tested them.

Outside, there were people coming to see the spectacle, mostly women holding babies, who felt that these strangers from out of town were not commonly seen.

Some little kids who had never been down the mountain stared at them with wide eyes, looking them up and down.

Seeing this, the old man's two nephews closed the door.

He smiled and said, "Don't rush, I'll take you there later so you can get to know the hunting team. Otherwise, even if you can't go with the team, it'll be easier to exchange hand signals or communicate when you meet them on the mountain..."

This is a very thoughtful consideration.

Everyone patiently waited for the guns to be chosen.

The old man brought over some more tools: "These are a pitchfork and a hunting knife. When hunting large wild animals, you need to be well-prepared..."

Then he and his two nephews took turns talking about what to pay attention to when fighting the 'big beast'.

As he spoke, he packed his things and escorted Chen Ling and the others to the outside of the village to make contact with the hunting team.

The so-called "big wild animals" in the Miao villages here refer to wild boars, wild cattle, and wild deer. The wild cattle they are referring to are the Qinling wild cattle, also known as takins.

But most of the time they hunt wild boars.

Because over the years, many large mammals have become extinct.

Only wild boars could survive so tenaciously.

"Remember, don't hit a pig that comes straight at you."

"A pig that has been shot will run far away from anyone it sees. Such a pig is burning with rage and will turn red at the sight of people. If it can't get away in time, it will be gored to death."

……

The three of them tirelessly went on about issues that Chen Ling considered to be old news.

This was to prevent Chen Ling and the others from being unaware of these things and from being careless and underestimating them.

After all, they were a bit too young.

Even if they brought two northern hunting dogs as an apology, and they sounded like they knew about hunting dogs and hunting, there's no shortage of people with sharp tongues among outsiders.

What if all he can do is talk?

Things that need to be explained clearly still need to be explained clearly.

So I've said a bit more.

Chen Ling and the others listened patiently, showing no signs of impatience.

After that, we got to know the hunting team from the Miao village briefly.

I learned a few simple phrases in the Miao language.

I learned a little about their hunting methods and habits.

Many of our habits are similar to those in their area.

For example, guns aren't called guns, knives aren't called knives, and various kinds of prey also have euphemisms; all of these are euphemisms.

Wild boars are called 'Yada'.

Wild goats are called "ya dong"... and so on, along with various hand gestures.

Next came the 'plum tube' and the 'grass marker'.

In Miao villages, everyone who chases people up the mountain must carry a bamboo whistle called a "mei tong" for communication between each other.

A grass marker is made by tying a knot in several strands of grass and hanging it on trees, bamboo poles, intersections, or the middle of roads. It is a marker used by Miao villages to transmit information.

It is also frequently used during hunting.

"Is it useful to talk to them all this way?"

I can't tell which of these people knows how to hunt; that one is so fat...

How about we share some of the loot we get with them in the future?

Judging from their appearance and those two dogs, they don't seem like the kind of animals that can run freely in the mountains.

In their eyes, the short and agile lynx is more like a good hunter.

The others were either fat or tall and strong, and couldn't run around in the mountains.

"No, rules are rules. We can't be careless when we've paid homage to the local earth god... Hmm? You kid, are you after those fancy clothes outside?"

"No, no, hehe, I just saw that guy surnamed Chen with a camera yesterday."

"Huh? A camera? I don't see it."

"They probably stayed in the yard."

Several young men from the Miao village hunting team were whispering among themselves.

Although he coveted Chen Ling's camera and wanted to get closer to him and take some pictures, he still dared not break the rules and anger the gods.

They were talking about Chen Ling and others.

Chen Ling and his group had already left the dam and entered the mountains and forests outside.

This mountain range is called Leijialing.

The mountains are high and the valleys are deep, the trees are tall and the forests are dense, and there are many streams.

Many places are not only steep, but also separated by suddenly appearing valleys and deep ravines.

Searching for prey aimlessly like this is indeed difficult.

On a sunny day, the air is filled with birdsong and the fragrance of flowers, creating a very comfortable environment.

After walking along the ridge with the dog for a while, Zhao Dahai and the others felt quite lost.

"Weren't they saying wild boars were rampant? How come we haven't seen a single one all day?"

"Those who have never hunted should stop talking nonsense, okay? Observe more, learn more, and talk less."

The lynx gave him a sharp retort. This fat guy, who longed for hunting all day long, actually knew nothing about it and could annoy people with his questions.

Even if there are many wild boars.

They're not just mindlessly running around in the woods, waiting for you to catch them.

They'd run away at the slightest sound.

Besides, it's still morning.

Wild boars have already eaten their fill at night, so why would they be wandering around aimlessly?

"Go away, I didn't tell you. I asked Fugui where we should look for wild boars."

This is also what Wang Qingwen and his brother, as well as Wang Jusheng, wanted to ask.

Everyone looked towards Chen Ling.

Chen Ling pointed down: "First, go to the water's edge and look for wild boar droppings and footprints. Try these two Taihang dogs to see if they can do it. If they can't, then look for a mud pond in the mountains."

Additionally, if all goes well, set two traps along the wild boar's trail.

Pigs run to the pond, deer run to the ridge, and leopards run on the mountain rocks.

This saying applies everywhere as long as these wild creatures don't change their habits.

In previous years, the wild boars here would hide in the mountains to cool off and only come to Pingshan in the autumn. This year, they came down so early. In the sweltering summer, the wild boars will definitely have to roll around in the mud to cool off.

Or perhaps it's near the water's edge, wandering around along the river.

The lynx understood this as well, and gave Chen Ling one of its dogs: "Let's split up. I'll take Dahai and Jusheng to find the beast path."

"it is good."

Chen Ling then led the Wang Qingwen brothers down the ridge to the water's edge to search for wild boar tracks and droppings.

Various bird calls, as well as the cries of wild monkeys, echoed continuously through the forest.

Suddenly, the shadows of the trees in front of Chen Ling and the other two swayed.

A group of wild monkeys let out sharp, terrified cries, followed by violent shaking of the branches and leaves, and one monkey fell heavily from the top of the tree.

Bang.

"what!"

Chen Ling and his two companions were startled and quickly raised their guns.

But in the instant they raised their guns, a golden figure suddenly leaped out from the top of a large tree and gracefully jumped over their heads.

The sunlight momentarily dazzled my eyes as I looked up.

They could only vaguely see a pair of pale yellow pupils peeking out from the treetop, glancing at them with a cold and cruel gaze.

Then it suddenly disappeared.

"leopard?!"

(End of this chapter)