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Chapter 6 - Collecting Seafood
"Why did she faint? What did the doctor say?" Old Yu had seen his second daughter-in-law taking care of his younger granddaughter without rest.
"Grandmother didn't let us call for a doctor. She said my mother will be fine after sleeping!" Yu Xiaocao found the perfect opportunity to tattle.
"Nonsense! When we finish eating, go ask Doctor You to come and check on Second Daughter-in-law. Don't let a minor illness turn into a major illness." Old Yu frowned as he forced himself to finish the bean paste soup and wiped his mouth.
Madam Zhang reluctantly muttered, "We'll have to spend money if we seek a doctor! Our third son needs to participate in the district examination soon. He'll need to travel to the prefectural city for the examination! If we waste all our money on Yu Hai's family and can't gather enough money for travel expenses, then he would definitely be resentful towards you..."
Old Yu frowned, slammed his chopsticks on the table, and said, "Our family isn't as poor as you're making us out to be! Every year, Yu Hai earns more than a dozen taels from just hunting, let alone his earnings from fishing daily! Our third son has been studying for so many years, but he hasn't even passed the county-level examination. I reckon he should stop studying. He should just save some money to buy a few acres of land to farm on."
With the Yu Family's circumstances, if they weren't funding for their third son's studies for more than a decade, they could live more comfortably. Even if they freely ate white rice and wheat flour on a daily basis, they would still have more than enough to eat. However, the payments for a private tutor and the cost of living in town were enough to wear down a middle-class farming family.
"What? Old Man! The fortune teller had said that someone in our family is fated to become a government official! I'm still counting on our third son to earn me a title of 'noble madam'! Even if I must give up everything, I'll still fund his studies!" Although Madam Zhang was slightly afraid of her husband, she decided to fight to the end for her son's future and her own glory.
Old Yu glared at his wife, but didn't continue on the topic. He threw the bowl in his hand and spoke in a muffled voice, "I'll go tidy our three acres of farmland! By the way, Xiaolian, go cook a bowl of noodles for your mother and add two fried eggs in it. She must have been exhausted from these past few days!"
"Alright! Thank you, Grandfather!" Yu Xiaocao rushed to answer in a loud voice and had a bright smile on her face.
"Xiaolian! Xiaolian, you wretch! Why are you still dawdling in the room? Can't you see that it's about to rain? Hurry up and go retrieve the clothes that are being dried!" Every day, Yu Xiaocao was woken up by her grandmother's shrill scolding.
Madam Liu, who was used to being oppressed by her mother-in-law, wanted to get up out of habit. However, Yu Hai stopped her, "You should rest some more! I'll go take a look!"
It was unsuitable to sail out to the sea because it was too windy today. Thus, Yu Hai was able to idle at home on this rare occasion.
After changing his clothes, he came in again and spoke to his sons, "Today is the second day of June and the tide is receding right now. I just went out to check. It's cloudy and the wind is blowing in the southwest direction. More marine goods could be found when the tide recedes quickly. Thus, it's the best weather to go gather food by the sea! Let's go! Father will take you guys to search for some oysters, crabs, fish, and shrimp. If we're lucky, we might even find abalone!"
"Collecting seafood by the sea? Father, I've never gathered food at the sea before! I want to go too. Bring me along!"
In her previous life, Lin Xiaowan's hometown was located in the inner regions. She had only seen the ocean once in the twenty-nine years that she had been alive. It was all thanks to that one time she had visited her younger sister, who was studying in a university beside the sea.
She had transmigrated to this fishing village for about five or six days. However, Madam Liu had kept her at home in order to recover from her injury. She never went out of the house, let alone go to the sea. When Yu Xiaocao heard that there was a chance to go gather food at the sea, she decided that she'll follow along even if she had to throw a fit. Well, wasn't she a child now? Thus, she had the right to be willful and mischievous.
Madam Liu had been frightened and quickly coaxed her daughter, "It's windy today and your injury hasn't completely healed yet. Wait a few more days and I'll let you go anywhere you want. I won't stop you."
Xiaocao refused to comply. She was about to become moldy from staying at home. Moreover, today was a rare opportunity for her. Her father, an excellent fisherman, was going to accompany them, so they would definitely catch a lot of seafood. How can she miss this perfect opportunity?
"Mother! Grandpa You had already said that my injury is fine and I'm also much healthier now. My health is really good now and I also have a great appetite! Grandpa You said that moving around more is good for my health. Please let me go with them!" As she spoke, Yu Xiaocao looked at her father, who was known for pampering his children endlessly, with a pleading gaze.
Yu Hai had never been able to refuse his youngest daughter, so he immediately surrendered, "Muyun, I'll look after Xiaocao, so don't worry! Rest at home with ease and wait for us to come back. We'll catch some abalones and make congee for you, to nourish your body!
As he spoke, he signaled his younger daughter with his eyes, telling her to quickly leave the room. Thus, Yu Xiaocao happily pushed the door open and left.
In the courtyard, Yu Hang had already prepared all the equipment needed for collecting seafood by the sea. With a bucket and shovel in their hands, Xiaolian and Shitou happily waited for their father to come out. In the children's hearts, there's nothing that their father wasn't capable of. They were already anticipating fruitful results before they had even left.
In June, the cloudy Dongshan Village was hot and humid. Xiaocao, who was only wearing a single thin garment, held a small bamboo basket as she tried to keep up with her father's footsteps.
Yu Hai, who was tall and burly, seemed to be over 1.8 meters tall . The eight year old Yu Xiaocao was chronically ill for a long period of time, so she about half a head shorter than Yu Xiaolian, who was just fifteen minutes older than her. She was already doing her best to move forward with her short legs, but she was still falling behind them.
Yu Hai was constantly paying attention to his children and noticed his younger daughter's situation. He chuckled, lifted her up with one arm, and carried her on his shoulder.
Yu Xiaocao was initially somewhat nervous and embarrassed. Mentally, she was almost the same as Yu Hai, but she was still being treated like a child. Even Shitou, who was five years old, didn't receive this kind of treatment. Thus, Xiaocao couldn't help blushing.
As the eldest brother, Yu Hang was also quietly observing his frail youngest sister. When he noticed that her face was flushed, he handed her a straw hat woven with bamboo strips. He spoke with concern, "Youngest Sister, although it's cloudy today, but you're rarely exposed to the sun. Thus, it's very easy for you to get sunburned. See, your face is already red."
During ancient times, time was calculated based on the lunar calendar and June was considered to be midsummer. Even though it was cloudy by the seashore, the intensity of the UV rays wasn't low. However, the redness on Yu Xiaocao's face wasn't due to the sun.
The lowest tide phase was a rare opportunity for the villagers of Dongshan Village to increase their incomes. Experienced old fishermen were already familiar with the time for the ebb tide. Today, the lowest tide period was around noon. The mudflat was already full of men and women of all ages who came to gather seafood.
Yu Hai's family had arrived late, so all the good spots were already taken. Shitou was slightly disappointed and muttered, "If it hadn't taken Eldest Aunt so long to prepare a meal, we could had gotten a good spot."
Yu Hai caressed his little head and said with a smile, "Don't be discouraged! Father knows a good spot. I can guarantee that no one else will be there."
The good spot that Yu Hai mentioned was a region of reefs beside a cliff. The location of these reefs was rather dangerous. It was usually covered by the sea and hit by high waves during high tide. The only time it emerged completely was when the tide completely recedes. Moreover, this place was far from the village and most people wouldn't think of coming this way.
The sea reefs in this area seemed dangerous, but it was actually just difficult to reach. It was hard to pass the cliff on the way to the reefs. However, this was a simple matter for Yu Hai. He helped the children pass the difficult paths one by one and bypass a cliff. Their eyes lit up when they finally reached their destination.
[1] Tael (两) - a form of currency used in ancient China (1 tael = ~1000 copper coins), also used as a unit of measurement
[2] 1.8 m = ~ 5'10
Chapter 7 - Rescuing a Little Beauty
A vast region of reefs appeared in front of the children. When Xiaolian and Shitou cheerfully ran over, a trail of waves followed them. Yu Hang was slightly more calm. However, when he saw the large amount of seafood on the reefs, he couldn't resist bending down to gather the food more quickly.
Yu Xiaocao quietly stood on top of the reef, while letting the cool sea breeze blow on her face. A vision of blue greeted her eyes as both the sky and sea were saturated with a pure azure color. It was such a transparent color. Even blue jade, of the best quality, couldn't compare to the clarity and brilliance of the sea and sky.
This was the sea! The sea without the slightest trace of pollution! Yu Xiaocao fell into a trance that she couldn't break away from, while being mesmerized by the scenery in front of her.
"Cao'er, come here! Put on these sharkskin boots. Your feet are different from your siblings. They're already used to running around the shoals on the beach. If you run around the reef like them, then the bottoms of your feet will be ripped to shreds." She didn't expect the stalwart Yu Hai to be so attentive. He had actually thought of the fact that his younger daughter's tender feet had no defense against the rough surface.
Yu Xiaocao, who was dazzled by the beautiful scene in front of her, woke up from her trance and put on the boots happily. Though the boots were slightly big, they could still be worn. She learned from the others and bent down to thoroughly search around the reefs.
Sure enough, this was an area that hadn't been discovered by others! Soon, Yu Xiaocao found a type of black shellfish. She carefully picked it up and presented it to Yu Hai, as if it was treasure. She said excitedly, "Father, I found a shellfish. Do you think it's edible?"
Yu Hai took a look and replied with a smile, "This is a mussel. The meat is delicious and also very nourishing. It's also known as 'eggs of the sea'. Pick up as much as you can. If we can get a lot of them, then we can dry them and sell them at a good price in town during the winter!"
'Eggs of the sea'? Doesn't that mean it's very nutritious? Our family does need to eat more nutritious meals! Alright, she should pick up a lot. We're not going to sell them. We'll just eat them ourselves! She could just imagine the delicious spicy stir-fried clams that she ate in her previous life! Xiaocao almost drooled as she thought about it.
I'm going to pick it up. I'm going to pick them up. I'm going to pick all of them up!
"Huh? Eldest Brother, why are you knocking on that? Is that also edible?" Xiaocao had suddenly arrived beside Yu Hang. When she went over for a closer look, she saw him striking something that was as hard as gray limestone with a shovel. Thus, she got curious and asked.
It was his youngest sister's first time coming to gather food at the sea, so Yu Hang was very patient as he explained to her, "This is called barnacle. Come look. Doesn't its shape look like the tooth of a horse? The barnacle doesn't look like anything special, but it's very tasty when the meat is stewed with just clear water."
Yu Xiaocao took the shovel that her eldest brother handed her and knocked hard on it. As expected, she found soft meat within the crushed shell. She happily picked it up and placed it into a small bamboo basket.
"Ah! Isn't this an oyster? It's very tasty when roasted!" Shortly afterwards, Xiaocao was surprised to find another type of seafood. She shouted in astonishment as she pried it out from the crack in the reef.
Little Shitou laughed at his sister's ignorance, "Second Sister, that's a hailizi! The town folks call them muli. After drying them, we can sell them to a pharmacy."
Muli was just another name for oysters, alright? It was just different names for the same thing. Yu Xiaocao glared at him resentfully, then continued her treasure hunting journey on the reefs.
Snails? It's a little small, but we can still eat it! I'm taking it!
Starfish? It looks quite pretty! Is it edible? Whatever, I'll just pick it up first!
Sea urchin? It looks like a hedgehog. Is it also edible? Pick it up, pick it up, pick it up!
Wow! Look at what she found?! There was a little octopus between the cracks of the rock. Hahaha! You can't escape!
......
Yu Xiaocao was very busy on the reef and had unknowingly filled up the bamboo bucket. However, she continued to pry and pick up seafood excitedly.
Yu Xiaocao was very enthusiastic about her first harvesting trip at the sea. Moreover, she was thrilled by her rewarding results. Without her knowledge, she had gradually moved farther and farther away from her father and siblings. She followed the reef and arrived at the edge of the cliff.
Huh? What's that in the water, a person? Yu Xiaocao was startled. Was it a corpse of someone who had drowned? So unlucky!
"Father! Father! Quick, come here!" Even the tone of Yu Xiaocao's voice has changed and carried an unconscious sense of tension and fear.
Yu Hai quickly followed her voice and went over, "What's wrong? What happened? Are you alright, Xiaocao?"
"Father, look over there. Is that a dead body?" Yu Xiaocao loudly shouted as she pointed towards the object floating nearby.
Yu Hai looked towards the direction that his daughter was pointing at. She's right! Did a fisherman from a nearby fishing village suffer a shipwreck? It began to be windy around noon and the waves were even stronger in the sea. So, it was quite possible that someone had encountered a shipwreck!
After promptly making a decision, he took off his upper garment and plunged into the sea. It seemed like the wind was even stronger now. A thundering roar sounded as the waves pounded against the cliff and reefs.
Yu Xiaocao nervously shouted at her father, "Father, be careful! There's a lot of rocks on the bottom, so be careful and don't hurt yourself!"
When Yu Hai emerged above the water, he was already several meters away from Xiaocao. He heard his daughter's concerned words and waved at her. After that, he continued to swim towards the person who was floating in the sea.
Yu Hang and his siblings didn't care about collecting seafood anymore. They all gathered together and watched as their father swam closer to the unconscious person.
Yu Hai swam against the waves and dragged the person, who had drowned, back to the reef. However, he was already exhausted by the time he returned. Yu Hang and Xiaolian helped their father pull that person onto the reef.
The young man, who was dressed in a completely black outfit, appeared to be around fifteen or sixteen years old. At this time, his face was pale and his eyes were tightly shut. His long eyelashes were like small fans that were stuck to the bottom of his eyes, while there wasn't even a trace of blood on his plump lips.
"It seems like... he's still breathing!" Yu Xiaocao placed her finger under the young man's tall nose and exclaimed in pleasant surprise.
Yu Hai, who was still exhausted, carried the young man on his shoulder with his head facing downwards. When he pushed the young man's stomach with the edge of his shoulder, a gush of seawater came out of the young man's mouth. Yu Hai jolted him a few more times, until the young man stopped throwing up seawater, before putting him down again.
"Father, can he still be saved?" Yu Xiaocao worriedly asked when she saw that the handsome young man was still unconscious.
Yu Hai examined the young man's limbs and affirmed, "He didn't drown for a very long time. If no accidents occur, he can still be saved. Did anyone bring water? Feed him some."
"Father, didn't he drown? Why are you feeding him water when his stomach was already full of water?!" Yu Xiaocao untied the leather bag, which was filled with mystic-stone water, from her waist and asked in confusion.
"I know, I know!" Little Shitou clapped his hands as he spoke, "The seawater is salty. If you drink too much salt, you'll definitely be thirsty. Of course, you'll drink water when you're thirsty."
Yu Xiaocao was amused by her younger brother's childish remark. She pinched his cheeks and laughed, "Well, it seems like you know a lot!"
Yu Hai, who sat on the reef wearily, looked at his children and chuckled, "Feeding water to a person who had drowned is to prevent him from dehydrating. Little Shitou is also correct. It's harmful for the body to consume too much seawater."
Yu Xiaocao asked Yu Hang to support the young man into a partially reclining position. She carefully parted the young man's purplish lips and fed the mystic-stone water into his mouth.
Chapter 8 - Extraordinary Background
That day the little divine stone had wanted to show off its abilities by healing her injury, but it used up all its powers to heal her wound. Thus, it was unable maintain its spiritual form and had disappeared for many days. Xiaocao bathed the rainbow stone in spring water every day, but she still didn't see the appearance of the divine stone's spiritual form.
It's so worrisome! However, after the little divine stone exhibited its mystical powers, Yu Xiaocao no longer doubted it. Xiaocao would boil the spring water, that the stone bathed in, for her family to drink. It does seem rather effective so far, at least for herself. Her health wasn't as shabby as when she had just transmigrated here.
"He's awake! He woke up!" Xiaolian's voice interrupted her thoughts.
She turned towards the sound. The young man's thick eyelashes lightly fluttered before he slowly opened his eyes. His eyes were dazzling and captivating, and seemed to be as deep as the sea and as bright as the stars.
"Were you...the ones who rescued me?" The young man's voice was very clear, with a slight sense of indifference and coldness. It was like the spring water from an ancient pond found inside a deep mountain, exceptionally cool.
Yu Xiaocao smiled faintly and softly said, "We were collecting seafood by the sea when we suddenly noticed you. My father is an excellent swimmer, so he went to save you. You... It's great that you're alright!"
Zhu Junyang's indifferent gaze focused on the young girl in front of him, who looked around five or six years old. (Author note: I'm eight years old! Eight years old!!) Her skin was even lighter and more flawless than the winter snow, while her hair looked slightly withered and yellow. Her lips were delicate and soft, like light pink-colored petals.
She was clearly just a thin and weak girl from a poor peasant's family. However, she gave him a calm and gentle feeling, like a spring breeze. This feeling was very different from those noble ladies, who were like mad dogs after a bone whenever they saw him. They obviously wanted to jump on him, but still acted disgustingly pretentious. At least, this peasant girl wasn't annoying!
"Thank you very much! Did you...happen to see anyone else?" Zhu Junyang deeply regretted not listening to the experienced captain's advice and chose a day with such weather for testing out the new ships. As a result,...
However, this also proved that this new batch of vessels from the shipyard were unsuitable for ocean voyages. It couldn't even withstand such a small storm. How could it travel to the foreign lands that royal uncle had mentioned?
"Other people? Do they count?" Yu Hai asked, with amazement and admiration, as he pointed towards a sturdy two-decker ship in the distance.
That was definitely a ship for ocean voyages! It was multiple times bigger than their family's new fishing ship. If he could also have such a... Ahem, he needed to stop daydreaming!
"Master, my little ancestor! Where are you?! Please be safe and well!" The head steward of Prince Jing's Estate, who was rescued after the shipwreck, really wanted to strangle himself with a rope right now. If he had known this would happen, then he would have risked his life to stop the young prince from boarding the ship!
After the ship was wrecked, nearly everyone was rescued except for Royal Prince Yang. This matter was about to be the cause of his death!
"Quickly go find him! Continue to search!" The head steward loudly ordered with a sharp voice.
The old captain, who had tried to stop the trial voyage earlier, noticed that they were getting closer and closer to the cliff. He hesitated and said, "Head Steward, there're a lot of submerged reefs ahead and the waves are also stronger. If we continue to move closer, our second ship will also be destroyed!"
"I don't care if our second ship is also destroyed. Even if another twenty or thirty ships are wrecked, we still need to find the young prince! Otherwise, everyone on this ship should prepare for death!" Since the head steward had given his command, they had to continue the search. Their lives were on the line for this matter!
"Then... Let's send out several lifeboats!" The old captain offered the most beneficial option.
On the faraway reef, Yu Xiaocao observed the young man's wet clothes. Ordinary people definitely wouldn't be able to afford the materials of his clothes. This handsome young man has an impressive background!
"They probably came to search for you! My father said that there are a lot of reefs under the sea in this area, so it's hard for ships to approach. If you still have strength, it's better for you to swim over!" Yu Xiaocao logically analyzed.
Zhu Junyang's entire body felt soft and powerless right now. He could hardly stand up, so how would he still have the energy to swim over?
"Huh? Second Sister quickly come and look. Numerous smalls boats came out of that big ship!" Shitou pointed at the distance and shouted.
After leaving the ship, around ten boats set off towards different directions in the stormy waves. One of the boats, which was led by the head steward and personally operated by the old captain, sailed towards their direction.
"Hey! Over here! The person who you're looking for is over here!" Yu Xiaocao picked up some kelps on the reef and shook it with her hands. The small boats seemed to have saw her action and accelerated their speed.
"Head Steward, we really can't go any further ahead. Otherwise, not only would we be unable to rescue the young prince, but we'll also be sacrificed along with the wrecked boat!" When everyone on the boat saw the small figure waving a long green strip on the reef, they quickly rowed over with anticipation. However, they were trapped by the reefs under the sea.
The head steward rubbed his hands anxiously and turned towards the sailors, "Who is the best swimmer here? Go and check if the young prince is over there. If he is, then bring him back with you."
The sailors looked at each other. If they went into the sea with such strong waves, would they even be able to survive? Moreover, they also had to bring another person along while swimming. The head steward asked several times and even offered a reward, but no one dared to go into the water.
Yu Hai, who was resting on the reef, had already recovered his energy. When he saw that the small boat had stopped, he immediately understood their situation, "The boat can't cross this part of the sea. Let me help you swim over!"
Yu Hai really deserved the reputation of being the best swimmer in Dongshan Village. He took the young man and swam through the stormy waves. He swiftly passed the rocky area and arrived near the lifeboat.
"Quick, it's the young prince! Hurry and go receive him!" When the head steward saw the figure in the sea, he cried with excitement. His head was finally saved after much difficulty!
When the sailors hastily pulled Royal Prince Yang onto the lifeboat, the head steward rushed over while sobbing, "My little master! This old servant had finally found you..." Then, he burst into another cry of loyalty.
Seeing the disordered situation on the boat, Yu Hai didn't greet the people on the boat. Instead, he swam back as he was worried about his children who were still on the rocky reef. By the time the young prince finally stopped the commotion caused by the head steward and remembered his savior, Yu Hai had already returned to the reef.
Zhu Junyang looked intently towards the direction of the reef. An image of a fragile and wan little face lingered within his mind...
After the brief episode, the Yu Family continued hunting for seafood on the reefs.
Oh? What's this? A big and translucent mushroom? Did mushrooms also grow on underwater shoals? How strange!
"Youngest Sister don't move!" Yu Hang was extremely relieved that he decided to look towards his youngest sister. He was so frightened that he was drenched in cold sweat right now.
Yu Hang quickly ran over and almost stumbled on the uneven reef. He pulled Xiaocao's skinny hand away, breathed a sigh of relief, and said, "This is a jellyfish, which is poisonous. If you got strung, it could be fatal. Wait for a moment. You can take it after I take care of it."
He used the sharp shovel in his hand to remove the jellyfish's tentacles and warned, "If you see this in the future, remember not to touch its tentacles. It's highly poisonous."
Chapter 9 - A Rewarding Trip
Yu Xiaocao rubbed her nose, embarrassed by her ignorance. She was a girl who lived in the inner regions of the mainland, so she didn't understand the dangers of the sea. It just looked like a milky-white and crystal-like 'mushroom', but it actually had the potential to be deadly. She really learned something new today!
'Slosh!'
The siblings heard the sound of slashing nearby and turned their heads towards the direction of the sound. They looked over and saw Yu Hai coming out of the water. He wasn't wearing an upper garment, exposing his lean and sturdy chest.
"Cao'er, look at what I found!" Yu Hai exclaimed with a grin and revealed a mouth full of white teeth, which made his complexion appear even darker. However, his tan skin made him look even more masculine!
Little Shitou immediately rushed over and shouted, "Abalone! It's an abalone! Father, you found abalones!"
Xiaocao was curious and hastily went over. She saw several dark greenish-brown colored shellfish within Yu Hai's big hands. Each one was around ten centimeters in length and looked rather unassuming. Was this the highly popular abalone?
"Such a large abalone would cost at least a few hundred copper coins if we sell it in town. Father got nine of them. If we sell them to a big restaurant, we should be able to get two or three taels!" Yu Xiaolian also came over and exclaimed in surprise.
Two or three taels? Based on Xiaocao's understanding of the current economy, two or three taels can buy three to four hundred catties of first-class white rice, one hundred catties of first-class pork, around seventy or eighty chubby live chickens... Two to three taels were enough to buy one year's worth of food for her entire family, which consisted of over ten people.
However, Yu Xiaocao knew an abalone's nutritional value. Her original plan of using the abalones to nourish her family's health was disrupted by the value of abalones.
Xiaocao had a basic grasp of her new grandmother's personality. With her grandmother's temperament, she would tear down whoever dared to suggest that they eat the abalones! If they take them home, then it would just be like throwing a meat bun at a dog——it will never return!
Yu Xiaocao's eyes darted about, then she acted like a spoiled child and asked, "Father, are these all for me?"
After hesitating for a moment, Yu Hai nodded and said, "I already mentioned it earlier, if we find abalones, we'll use it to cook nutritious foods for you and your mother. We were quite lucky today. If we can't finish them, then we can slowly eat them after they're dried."
Yu Hang and Yu Xiaolian casted a skeptical gaze at their father. They knew exactly what kind of person their father was. He was someone who would work wholeheartedly without any complaint. Even if Madam Zhang made unreasonable demands, he would never refute her.
Even Shitou, who was five years old, knew that if they brought the abalones back, then they wouldn't even be able to touch them, let alone slowly eat them!
Yu Hai felt uncomfortable by the way his children were staring at him. He pretended to cough and bent down to carefully put the abalones into the bucket.
Yu Xiaocao's eyes darted around and said, "Father! Let me handle the abalones."
Yu Hai stuffed the abalones, which were worth around three taels, into his daughter's hands without hesitation. He stood up, looked at the sky, and said, "It's getting late. We collected a lot of seafood today, so let's go back now!"
Yu Xiaocao poured all the seafood within her basket into her father's large barrel, and then carefully placed the abalones into inside her basket. She looked around and ran towards the cliff. She picked up some kelp and sea lettuce, and then used them to securely cover the abalones.
They really collected a lot of seafood today! The barrel that Yu Hai was carrying was as tall as Shitou and filled with their harvest. Yu Hang and Xiaolian were also holding small buckets that were full to the brim. Even Little Shitou's small basket was packed with seafood.
On the way back, villagers, who they were acquainted with, greeted them with admiration, "Dahai is seriously still the most skilled among us. He arrived later than us, but he also obtained so much more than all of us!"
"Brother Dahai, this mussel that you caught is at least twenty to thirty catties. When it's dried, it would still weight around five catties. Brother Dahai never fails whenever he makes a move! Do you have any tips? Teach me some!" The speaker was a young man in his mid-twenties. He had a short stature, upright face, and tanned complexion.
In order to prevent disputes when hunting at the sea, the villagers each have their own fixed spots. Thus, their results would depend on their own luck. However, it was different for Yu Hai. He didn't frequently gather seafood at the sea, but he returned with fruitful results every time.
Many of the villagers wanted to learn from him, but they couldn't bring themselves to ask. After all, it was his own know-how to make a living and feed his family. If they learned his skills, it would be the same as snatching food from his mouth. It was fortunate that Liu Shuanzhu was close friends with Yu Hai. If another person asked, they might end up having a fall out!
"Uncle Shuanzhu, there're a lot of reefs around the cliff that no one has been to. You can go check it out when the tide recedes!" Yu Hang knew Liu Shuanzhu was close friends with his father, so he didn't hide it from him. However, he didn't reveal his family's treasured hunting spot.
Liu Shuanzhu looked at the villagers who were eavesdropping on them and laughed loudly, "Xiaosha, do you think we can climb cliffs, hike up mountains, and enter the sea, just like your father? It's so dangerous over at the cliff. That was where Uncle Liu Si died! Your Uncle Shuanzhu still wants to live for a few more years!"
Yangfan's wife walked over with her daughter and asked, "Dahai, where's your wife?"
"She wasn't feeling very well today, so she stayed at home to rest! How's Brother Yangfan's leg?" Li Yangfan was another good friend of Yu Hai. He recently encountered a storm on his way back from the sea. His ship crashed into a reef and he injured his leg. Thus, he was recuperating at home right now.
Yangfan's wife asked about Liu Muyun's health with concern, then replied, "He's fine. The injury on his leg wasn't very serious. However, our family's ship was damaged quite badly. Dahai, when you're free, can you come over to check if it can be fixed?"
Everyone in the nearby fishing villages knew Yu Hai was a very capable person. When it came to fishing in the sea, even three to five ordinary people were incomparable to him. A recent example would be early spring this year. At that time, Old Yu's family caught a shark that weighed around three hundred catties. They had earned several taels with just the shark's fin. It's not that the villagers were looking down on Old Yu and his stepson, but without Yu Hai, they wouldn't even be enough to feed a shark, let alone to hunt for a shark.
In addition to his fishing and hunting skills, Yu Hai also learned how to repair ships without a teacher. He was capable of fixing most issues and defects of a normal fishing ship. Thus, although many villagers of Dongshan Village were envious of Yu Hai's skills, they would only gossip behind his back and wouldn't dare to offend him.
"Alright! Tomorrow, when I return from the mountains, I'll go over to take a look. Yangfan's wife, here's some barnacles' meats. Brother Yangfan really likes eating this. Take some back for him, so he can eat it when he drinks wine." Little Shitou's basket was filled with barnacles' meats and Yu Hai generously offered them without any hesitation.
Yangfan's wife smiled and shook her head. She looked at the quiet Xiaocao, who was standing beside them, and said, "Keep it for the children to eat! Xiaocao, how's your health? Does your head still hurt?"
Yu Xiaocao politely smiled at her and replied, "It doesn't hurt anymore. Grandpa You said I can take off the bandage in two days."
Yu Hai briefly chatted with them before taking the children home. When he entered the door, he saw his wife, who was supposed to be resting inside the room, serving dinner from the kitchen. Thus, his expression immediately turned grim.
"Oh! You guys caught quite a lot of good things at the sea today. We're going to have a feast tomorrow!" Madam Li's piercing voice sounded behind them.
Yu Xiaolian was so angry that she threw the bucket on the ground and shouted at her eldest aunt, who was halfway into her room, "Eldest Aunt, didn't Grandmother tell you to cook at home? You were wandering around the village and had just returned. You just want everyone to starve, right?"
Madam Li glanced at her, but she didn't actually care about that little brat. She sneered, "Someone can pretend to be sick, but I'm not allowed to go out for an errand? How dare you speak to me like that? You have no manners at all. If you're not careful, you won't be able to get married in the future!"
[1] Copper coin (文) - a form of currency used in ancient China (1 tael = ~1000 copper coins)
[2] Catty (斤) - 1 catty = 0.5 kg
Chapter 10 - Hidden Plan
Yu Xiaocao was infuriated, "Eldest Aunt, who are you accusing of pretending to be sick? Didn't you see my mother fainting yesterday? You're such a healthy person, yet you're ordering a sick person to work. Moreover, you still think you're in the right. If you want to know whether my mother was faking her illness, then just invite Grandpa You over!"
Madam Zhang, who was inside her room, finally couldn't sit still anymore when she heard Xiaocao's words, "Li Guihua, you lazy woman! You disappeared once it was time to cook and finally came back now! Why are you still chitchatting? Hurry up and go help in the kitchen!"
We'll have to spend money if we call for a doctor!
Madam Zhang walked to the entrance of the kitchen and jeered at Liu Muyun, who was working busily, "You should hurry up and go back to your room to rest. Your daughter's heart was aching for you."
"Are there any daughters who doesn't love their mothers? Mother, you sit down. I'll help you bring the dishes over!" Yu Caodie came out of her room. She and the third son, Yu Bo, were the only ones within the family who could calm the old lady down.
Madam Zhang turned her head and saw the seafood that Yu Hai and his children were holding. Her gloomy expression turned bright and she immediately smiled, "Give me the barrel! The seafood looks quite fresh. We can keep them overnight and let your eldest brother sell them to a restaurant in town tomorrow morning."
"Grandmother, let's keep some oysters and steam some to eat ourselves! I want know what it tastes like." Yu Xiaocao deliberately suggested.
Madam Zhang's expression instantly turned grim. She angrily said, "There are plenty of things that you haven't eaten before! If we sell them in town, one catty of oysters can be worth several copper coins. Won't you feel vexed for eating them?!"
If Yu Hai wasn't standing beside them, Madam Zhang would had made even harsher comments. She called for her daughter and didn't even spare the children's buckets. She wanted to take everything back to her room. As long as it was something that could be exchanged for money, she must grasp it within her own hands by all means.
She turned around and looked at the basket within Yu Xiaocao's hands. She signaled with her lips and said, "Bring the basket you're holding into my room, too."
Xiaocao pouted and replied resentfully, "Grandmother, you already took all the seafood. There are only kelp and sea lettuce in my basket, which aren't worth much money. We should just keep them and make cold dishes for grandfather to accompany his drinks in the evening."
Madam Zhang stretched out her head to take a look. When she saw that it was only glossy and green kelp, she spoke as if she was showing mercy, "Just this once! In the future, I have the final say in everything within the family. You're not allowed to act on your own!"
Yu Xiaocao agreed. She waited for Madam Zhang to enter the main room before winking at Xiaolian and taking the small basket into the west room.
Yu Xiaolian understood her meaning and got a worn-out earthenware jar from the corner of the kitchen. She filled it with some water and quietly followed her younger sister into the room.
It was impossible to sell them today, so the sisters carefully placed the abalones inside the ceramic jar and hid them under the kelp. Yu Xiaocao was still worried, so she added some mystic-stone water inside and hid the jar in a concealed place in the corner of the kang bed. After that, she came out of the room again with the rest of the kelp.
Yu Hai followed them inside and saw the sisters' actions. Xiaolian had always been a hot-tempered person. When she was angry, she had even dared to argue with Madam Zhang. Thus, she was frequently scolded and disciplined for her actions. Xiaocao's personality was also rather fierce now. However, she had more tricks up her sleeve and was also courageous. She decisively hid the expensive abalones.
In the kitchen, Madam Liu was almost done preparing dinner. Yu Xiaocao went in and swiftly made shredded kelp with crushed garlic and sea lettuce soup. Hence, dinner was much more lavish than in the past.
During the meal, the men and women in the Yu Family sat separately. On the women's side, each person had a dark-looking piece of pancake that was about the size of a palm. There were also poached vegetables that were seasoned with a small amount of salt and a bowl of bean paste soup.
The staple food for the men was an unlimited amount of triple-flour steamed buns, which were made with a mixture of wheat flour, millet flour, and potato flour. Their meal also consisted of vegetables that were cooked with lard, and they drank the same soup as the womenfolk. However, this had nothing to do with the idea of men being superior over women. It was just that the men did hard labor that required a lot of energy and strength, so they needed to eat a nice and filling meal.
Yu Xiaocao won unanimous praise for the two dishes that she personally prepared. The plate of shredded kelp with crushed garlic was savory and slightly spicy, while the sea lettuce soup tasted very fresh and full of flavors from the sea. Old Yu was especially fond of the shredded kelp with crushed garlic, and praised it endlessly.
Madam Zhang couldn't stand seeing the second branch being complimented. She stuffed mouthfuls of shredded kelp into her mouth and said, "Xiaocao is rather capable. She can gather for seafood at the sea and help prepare meals. Doctor You had already said that her health is fine, so I reckon we can stop preparing separate meals for her in the future."
Xiaocao was currently holding her savory congee and happily sharing with Little Shitou. However, her expression darkened when she heard her grandmother's remark. In the future, she would have to also eat the difficult to swallow coarse grain pancakes and disgusting bean paste soup. Urgh! It's going to be a painful torment! Luckily, those abalones weren't confiscated!
Madam Zhang was satisfied upon seeing Xiaocao's expression. She appeared to be enjoying the coarse grain pancake even more now. She also ate more than half of the bowl of shredded kelp.
Madam Li and her equally obese son were entirely focused on stuffing their mouths, so the rest of the shredded kelp and the sea lettuce soup were also devoured by them. When the plates were completely cleared, she pulled her son, who had wanted to continue eating at the men's table, back to their room stealthily.
Xiaocao knew that they had gone to secretly eat by themselves again.
Madam Li's maiden family had been poor at the time she married into the Yu Family. Otherwise, she wouldn't had married the equally poor stepson of the Yu Family. However, several years ago, her brothers earned some money through a small business and improved their family's circumstances. Madam Li was the youngest and only daughter in her family. Hence, every time she returned home, her parents, brothers, and sisters-in-law would provide her with some money and food to help her out. Otherwise, with the meals that the Yu Family eats, how were Madam Li and her son able to become so fat?
It was silent throughout the night after dinner!
On the second day, in the west room, Yu Hai's family had all woken up at the first glimmer of dawn.
Yu Hai and Hunter Zhao had agreed to go hunting in the mountains. Yu Hang and Yu Xiaolian had always gotten up at this time to collect fishworts and pick up firewood at the foot of the mountain. In the courtyard, Madam Liu was already cleaning the chicken and pig pens with a broom.
Yu Xiaocao's family was surprised to see her waking up so early. Yu Hai touched her little head and said with a smile, "Sleep some more. It's still pretty dark outside."
Yu Xiaocao was still concerned about an important matter within her heart, so she couldn't sleep anymore. She replied to her father with a smile, "Even Little Shitou is helping out with the chores. How can I be lazy when I'm his older sister? Father, you should hurry up. Don't make Uncle Zhao wait for a long time."
Yu Hai didn't delay any further and swiftly gathered his belongings. He took the paper bag with two triple-flour steamed buns wrapped up inside from Madam Liu and tied the water bag to his waist. After that, he got his homemade bow and hunting spear, and left.
Yu Xiaocao took out the earthenware jar that she hid under the kang bed yesterday. The abalones had become even more fresh after being nourished by the mystic-stone water.
Only a big restaurant can offer a good price for abalones of such good quality. However, she had just transmigrated here and hadn't even left the village before. So, how would she know the direction to town?
"Eldest Brother, is our village far from town?" While the main room and east room were still sleeping, Yu Xiaocao carried the ceramic pot and followed her older siblings out the door.
Yu Hang gave her a weird look and asked, "It's quite far. It would take over one shichen by foot. Why are you asking? You wouldn't be thinking of taking these to sell in town, right?" He pointed at the earthenware jar in her hand as he spoke.
Over one shichen? Doesn't that mean it would take at least two hours?! Yu Xiaocao looked down at her own short legs, sighed, and said, "Are there any horse carriages or ox carts traveling to town in our village?"