Driving down the road, Zhang Guoqing pondered over what his father-in-law might need. Besides wine, he should also ask Grandpa Wang, since he’s a martial man and would understand strengthening the body.
The car swiftly arrived at Mr. Wang’s doorstep. Zhang Guoqing parked the car and entered, calling out loudly, "Grandpa Wang, are you ho? It’s Xiao Wu. If you’re here, give a shout."
"You rascal, why are you here again? Hurry and co in. Why didn’t you go up the mountain today?" Mr. Wang’s booming voice ca from inside.
Zhang Guoqing entered the main room and comfortably settled on the kang bed. "I couldn’t make it to the village today, have to wait a few days. I was just thinking of you, old sir. These things are a token of my respect to you."
Mr. Wang chuckled and pointed a finger at him. "Talk. Giving such heavy gifts, you must have a big favor to ask. Say anything except the tiger skin."
"I really didn’t co to snatch your tiger skin. I ca to discuss sothing. You know my father-in-law, Zhou Xiaozheng, right? He’s been toiling outside for decades. I think his health must not be good. He’s coming back tomorrow; what should we prepare for him?"
Mr. Wang patted him vigorously on the shoulder, "Good boy, Grandpa Wang didn’t misjudge you, so filial. I’ll give you so more tiger bone wine. I have so good pelts at ho; take them back and have soone make a small under-armor to keep warm, nothing for the lower body though. As soldiers, too much clothing would hinder their movent." With that, the old man went inside.
Zhang Guoqing drank hot tea, his eyes bright. This tea must have been procured by the old man from the deep mountains.
After a while, Mr. Wang ca out with a bundle of pelts, a large bottle of badger oil, and a jar of wine, placing them on the kang. "Take these back and see how best to use them. There isn’t a lot of the wine left; once you’ve drunk it, it’s gone. Next ti you hear of soone hunting a big cat, rember to get a bone from them, and I’ll make you so tiger bone wine."
Zhang Guoqing hesitated to take everything, "Grandpa Wang, just a few strips of pelt will do, this much is too much. The wine and badger oil I’ll take without hesitation, and could you also spare so of your tea?"
"Don’t be so formal. Last ti, you were so shalessly persistent. Stitch these together; they might barely make two garnts. Take it all. The leftovers at ho are stuff you wouldn’t fancy."
Zhang Guoqing nodded, smiling broadly. He hadn’t seen Mr. Wang’s eldest son for a long ti, so he asked curiously, "Where’s Uncle? Has he gone up the mountain already? Did he go to the deep mountains this year?"
"I don’t trust him to go to the deep mountains alone. He’s been roaming around the periphery. In a few days, he’s set to go deep with so others from Tiger Gully. You still planning on climbing the mountains? You better stay around the periphery. To go deep, you’d need at least ten skilled people; you better not ss around." Mr. Wang admonished him, full of concern.
Zhang Guoqing nodded quickly, "I know. I don’t dare to go up the mountain alone; those wolf cubs would block the way in the deep mountains. These past two years, I haven’t been up there. Grandpa Wang, do you know of any way to drive the wolf packs deeper into the mountains? Now, I see wolf packs howling even on the mid-mountain, sotis leaving footprints. During heavy snow, the village below the mountain is quite at risk."
Mr. Wang sighed, "There was a wolf disaster when I was young. At the ti, a Daoist brought hundreds of people with earth guns up the mountain, but they could only drive them away. You couldn’t kill them; if you did, the wolves would seek revenge. If a wolf disaster were to happen today, you’d have to report it to the army for help. Back then, I killed a wolf and took two days to zigzag my way ho to hide the scent and prevent revenge. You should avoid them if you can. We hunters fear wolves most."
"Grandpa Wang, do you still take the old paths when going to the deep mountains? Are there any shortcuts besides the old routes?"
Mr. Wang shook his head vigorously, "The old path is still the safest. Other places have so many dangers just when surveying the roads. I estimate that the wolf pack in Daqing Mountain has at least a hundred wolves. Even my big yellow dog doesn’t dare go forward. Where do you run nowadays? If you really want to head up the mountains, go towards the neighboring county; besides wild boars, there aren’t big animals there."
"Ever since my son was born, I haven’t properly climbed the mountains. At most, I catch so wild chickens and rabbits around the periphery. The mid-mountain was still safe before, but now I find it quite risky. I’ll have to study the terrain, find so land to hunt. If I don’t go up the mountain, my hunting skills will rust; it’s getting unfamiliar. If my grandfather knew, he would haunt my dreams to scold ."
Mr. Wang laughed heartily, "When you get the chance, follow so experienced hunters up the mountain; they’re planning to go deep with so ginseng collectors. There’s safety in numbers. Alright, go back and take care of your father-in-law. Rember to tell him not to drink too much tiger bone wine at once, just a small cup after dinner every day. Use badger oil to fry potatoes to treat gastrointestinal problems."
Zhang Guoqing stood up, watching as Mr. Wang took out a jar, packing tea leaves in waste paper. His corner eye twitched; such a waste of good tea leaves. It was almost half a pound already. He quickly stopped him, "Grandpa Wang, take it easy, this is good tea; it can even serve as a al. Use it sparingly."
"No problem. I’ll go up the mountain again next Qingming Festival to pick so more for frying fresh tea. My craftsmanship is not that great. If you et soone knowledgeable, the fried result would be even better quality. That tea tree, wild and scraggly, looks crooked but the tea leaves are very fragrant, almost as good as the fine tea from Wang Baiwan’s family years ago. Every year during Qingming, you can pick over twenty pounds, just enough to last a year after frying. You must have seen that tea tree; you just didn’t notice. It’s not far from the back of the mountain here."
"Your technique is fine. Can we even find a master tea fryer here? Where did you learn your skills? In the South, tea frying is common, but it’s really hard to find one here in the North."
Mr. Wang handed over the wrapped tea leaves, "When I was young, I learned it while traveling on the road. Now in old age, I fry it for myself. Enjoy it, and if you like it, co over again after Qingming next year."
Zhang Guoqing took the tea leaves, picked up the pelts and wine jar, cradled them in his arms, and cheerfully bid farewell to Mr. Wang before getting into the car and heading towards the county seat.
He drove all the way to the alley seamstress shop in town. Seeing that there weren’t many custors, he walked in with the pelts.
Seeing Zhang Guoqing, the seamstress imdiately put down her work, "Why are you here so early? Your clothes will take another two days."
Zhang Guoqing smiled apologetically, "Don’t get wrong, ma’am. Today I’ve co looking for your help. Could you rush to finish sothing for with these pelts by tomorrow? Just two simple lined garnts to wear inside."
The seamstress thought for a mont and shook her head, "I really can’t finish by tomorrow. How about the day after? Tomorrow a family is having a wedding, and I just got the fabric this morning to rush the groom’s outfit. Can your wife sew? It’s really simple, just needs a bit of patchwork. If you don’t have a sewing machine, bring it here once you’ve stitched it together, and I’ll sew it for you, since it’s worn inside anyway."
Zhang Guoqing shook his head in disappointnt, "They’re leaving Northeast tomorrow. I’ll think of another way."
"See if anyone at ho can stitch it together. Once it’s pieced together, bring it here for to sew. Also, you’ll need to buy so fabric to take back. Go check at ho first. If there’s really no way, bring it over tonight, and I’ll rush one for you to take tomorrow."
Hearing this, Zhang Guoqing patted his head, picked up the pelts, "Alright, I’ll go check if there’s any fabric at ho. If not, even one finished piece will do for now."
Zhang Guoqing detoured to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy a packet of needles and a spool of black thread, then hurriedly drove ho. He decided it would be best to ask his wife, given Jiao Jiao’s excellent sewing skills would produce sothing delicate. If he weren’t worried about overworking her, he wouldn’t have sought out a seamstress.
After parking the car, Zhang Guoqing bundled everything together, checked to make sure there were no issues, and with the wine jar wrapped tightly inside, he quickly headed towards the main house.
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