Chapter 58
“Stones, stones, pick up some more, quick!”
“What about the wood? The light wood the Lord Priest mentioned, split into small pieces.”
“Here, here, they’ve cut them and brought them back.”
…
As the morning sun rose and the bright sunlight shone on the ground, the damp meadow was bustling with people. The beastmen were cutting trees, picking up stones, and splitting wood, busy around a huge fishing net.
On the bare grass, the coir rope fishing net was spread out, almost covering the entire meadow. The coir ropes of uniform thickness were crisscrossed, and the sturdy and neat meshes were tightly connected. The fishing net had two layers, wide at the front and narrow at the back, in a triangular shape, with a long tail at the end.
The fishing net was born from Hua Shi’an’s idea, and Hua Shi’an’s idea came from a trawl net. He had originally wanted to weave a more portable hand-cast net, but hand-casting nets required skill. Hua Shi’an was worried that the beastmen wouldn’t be able to cast it properly, so in the end, he had the tribe members weave it into a trawl net.
Regardless of its shape and size, the double-layered coir net was basically a simple version of a trawl net. To be put into use, it still needed floats and sinkers. So after preparing the materials, Hua Shi’an and a group of beastmen squatted on the grass, continuing to add bricks and tiles to the great cause of fishing.
Lifting the drooping coir rope at the edge, Hua Shi’an’s fingers moved nimbly, tying pieces of polished pebbles to the end of the bottom net. Hong Yong, who was helping beside him, picked up some light fir wood, wrapped it with coir rope, and firmly fixed it to the top of the upper net.
Hua Shi’an’s words were like an imperial edict. The beastmen were obedient and did whatever he said. But they were extremely curious about what the stones and fir wood tied to the fishing net were for, yet no one knew.
Another piece of fir wood was tied to the fishing net. Hong Yong couldn’t help it anymore. He inconspicuously moved a few steps to the side and came to Hua Shi’an’s side. “Lord Priest, why are we tying stones and wood to the fishing net? These stones are so heavy. Won’t they sink the net to the bottom of the water?”
“They will. The stones are meant to sink the net to the bottom of the water.” Busy tying the stones, Hua Shi’an didn’t even lift his head.
After speaking, he noticed that the surroundings had suddenly become quiet. Hua Shi’an’s hand paused slightly. He looked up to find several beastmen and several pairs of eyes staring straight at him.
So curious? Hua Shi’an chuckled, tied the stone, and explained to the crowd, “The principle of a fishing net catching fish is actually the same as a fish trap. You put it in the water and drag the fishing net, scooping up the swimming fish and trapping them inside.”
“But a fishing net is soft and won’t spread out in the water. So we have to tie stones to the bottom net to let this bottom layer sink, while the top layer has to float on the surface. We tie light fir wood to increase its buoyancy. One up and one down, the large fishing net is like our mouth, filtering the river water and scooping up the fish and shrimp in the water.”
He had explained it very clearly, not only the use of the stones and light wood, but also the principle of trawl fishing. The crowd understood at once.
“So that’s how it is!” Hong Yunlang had a sudden realization. He looked at Hua Shi’an with unconcealed admiration, his eyes shining. “Lord Priest, you’re so smart. It’s a good thing it was you who met the stranger! If it were me, even if he taught me step by step, I wouldn’t be able to remember such a complicated thing.”
Yan Qiuyu nodded vigorously in agreement. “This fishing net is so dense. It gives me a headache just looking at it. I really don’t know how Uncle Qing and the others wove it, let alone how the Lord Priest remembered it.”
“Filter out the river water and leave the fish behind. Heavens, just thinking about it, you can catch a lot of fish. The Lord Priest is really amazing. I feel that this fishing net can change the tribe. We’ll never have to worry about fish to eat again.” Ju Ming rested his chin on his hand and imagined the future.
Their mouths were as if smeared with honey, each one more flattering than the last.
Hong Yong disdained to be in their company (mainly because he couldn’t think of the words). To make himself seem different, he deliberately asked, “Lord Priest, you said that the fishing net and the fish trap have similar functions. Then why do we have to weave a fishing net? Isn’t it better to weave a larger and sturdier fish trap with bamboo skin?”
Sure enough, as soon as he said this, it immediately caught Hua Shi’an’s attention.
Hua Shi’an glanced at him and said with a smile, “A fishing net is lighter, softer, and can be adjusted at any time. As for a fish trap, have you ever noticed when you use a back basket? Even a back basket with relatively large gaps will be very heavy if you dip it in the water and lift it up suddenly. A fish trap is woven even more precisely. A large and heavy fish trap in the water, can you drag it?”
“You’ve reminded me. I should indeed weave a large fish trap. If we weave it and block the confluence of the small river and the large river, we’ll probably be able to harvest a lot of fish and shrimp every day.”
Hearing the last sentence, Hong Yong smiled with satisfaction. Seeing that the others were also eager to ask him questions, Hong Yong coughed lightly. “Don’t just talk. Get moving. Do you still want to catch fish today?”
With Hong Yong’s roar, the grass instantly quieted down. The beastmen’s hands moved even faster, and they soon fixed the prepared stones and light wood to the fishing net.
The large and heavy fishing net was rolled up. It couldn’t even fit in one back basket. Two beastmen carried it, and Hua Shi’an and the other beastmen shouldered their back baskets and walked in a grand procession towards the upper reaches of the river.
Let’s go, let’s go fishing in the big river!
During the snow-melting season, the snow water from the forest continuously flowed into the river channel. The small river’s current was swift, not suitable for dragging a net. But the large river’s water was deep and relatively calm, and the river surface was wide, which was more conducive to the use of the fishing net.
And the size of the fishing net had been woven according to the width of the large river from the beginning.
The weather had not yet warmed up, and the river water was still bone-chillingly cold. But the high-spirited beastmen did not hesitate for a moment. They found a good spot, put down their back baskets, and jumped into the water with a “plop plop,” like dumplings.
The large river was very deep, at least three or four meters. Even the tall beastmen couldn’t touch the bottom. Fortunately, the previous fishing had not been in vain. They had learned to swim. One by one, they kicked their legs and paddled their arms, swimming freely in the water, even more agile than fish, just that their posture was not very good-looking.
The fishing net entered the water. The beastmen slowly straightened it out, pulling it from one bank to the other, across the river, just enough to cover the entire river surface. As Hua Shi’an had said, when the fishing net was opened and straightened, the bottom net with the stones automatically sank into the water, while the light wood carried the upper net to float on the surface.
Unable to swim, Hua Shi’an stood on the riverbank and directed. When the entire net was fully spread out and the upper net was floating on the surface as expected, he was visibly relieved. He cupped his hands to his mouth and shouted to the river, “It’s done! Everyone, come ashore. Just leave one person on each side to hold the net. Don’t let the water wash it away.”
Shouldn’t they be dragging the fish after setting the net? Why are they coming ashore again? The bewildered beastmen looked at each other, but in the end, they followed Hua Shi’an’s instructions. Everyone came ashore together, leaving two people to guard the net.
Their heads and bodies were covered in water. After wiping it off with their hands, Hong Yong immediately found Hua Shi’an. “What’s wrong, Lord Priest? Why did we suddenly come ashore? Are we not starting yet?”
It wasn’t so cold in the water. As soon as they came ashore and were blown by the wind, hiss, goosebumps instantly appeared.
He knew they were cold and anxious, but it wasn’t time to pull the net yet. Hua Shi’an looked at the slightly turbid river surface, his eyes narrowed into a slit. “Wait a little longer, wait for—”
“Wait? For what?” Hong Yong asked impatiently.
Hua Shi’an: “It’s our first time setting the net, so we’re not very skilled. The water is all stirred up. You have to be gentle when you’re catching fish, and you have to be unexpected. If you make too much noise, the fish will be scared away. We have to slow down, wait, and wait for the fish to let down their guard and swim back before we drag.”
It was their first time setting the net, so they were inevitably excited and had accidentally made too much noise. Hong Yong scratched his head in annoyance and let out a helpless sigh. “Next, next time we’ll be careful. But it’s not right to just wait. It’s cold just coming out of the water. Why don’t we go and find some wild vegetables nearby?”
That reminded him. Hua Shi’an’s eyes lit up, and he clapped his hands lightly. “Not wild vegetables, but wild grass. Let’s make a nest for our little fish.”
Leaving two beastmen to guard the fishing net, the others shouldered their back baskets and went into the mountain forest.
About an hour later, Hua Shi’an and a group of beastmen returned to the riverbank, each with a back basket filled with fresh and tender green grass.
At this time, the river surface had returned to calm, and the river water had become clearer. They rubbed the green grass and threw it into the river, in front of the string of floats, at the opening of the fishing net.
Before long, small ripples appeared on the calm water surface, as if raindrops were hitting the river, one circle after another.
There are quite a few fish. Hua Shi’an held his breath and said to Hong Yong in a deliberately low voice, “We can start now. You take half of the people and swim to the other side from behind. The rest of you will stay here with me. In groups of four, grab the fishing net and walk forward together. Be gentle, slow down, and switch when you’re tired.”
Hong Yong immediately nodded and led a few people towards the back, slowly sliding into the water.
The small team reached the other side of the river, and the dragging of the fish officially began. The beastmen didn’t even dare to breathe loudly. They grabbed the net rope reserved at the mouth of the net and dragged the fishing net along the bank, step by step.
Dragging a fish was hard work. The deeper the river and the larger the area, the more obvious the resistance of the water. There might also be sediment and stones at the bottom of the river. Once they got tangled in the bottom net, it would be even more difficult to drag.
They had just been saying it was cold. After dragging the fishing net for a short distance, the beastmen’s foreheads were covered with beads of sweat. The veins on their arms bulged, and the rough coir rope cut into their palms, their skin turning an abnormal red.
The floats moved quickly with the fishing net, and the ripples were stirred up. The school of fish was nibbling on the fresh and tender green grass, unaware of the impending danger. A large net quietly approached, surrounding them from all sides, scooping up the green grass and the school of fish that was eating it, catching them all in one go.
“Splash, splash, splash—”
The river surface was no longer calm, like a pot of boiling water. Silver scales flashed like broken jade, and the fish tails frantically slapped the water surface, splashing water everywhere. A fishy-smelling vapor filled the air.
Palm-sized crucian carp leaped out of the water, large and fat grass carp struggled desperately, and carp arched their backs and slammed against the net wall. The sound of “splash splash” filled their eardrums, and layers of white waves appeared on the river surface.
The net was getting heavier and heavier. The beastmen gritted their teeth but couldn’t even take a step. Just then, a loud shout exploded, “Pull the net, pull the net! The ones on the other side, get in the water, quick, pull the net back!”
With a series of “plops,” the beastmen entered the water one after another. The coir net, which had been stretched into a crescent shape, was pulled with all their might, gradually stretching into a full moon. The mouth of the net closed, and it was slowly dragged ashore. In an instant, the silver light was dazzling, and the live fish were piled up like a mountain.
