pdf-ebookys Chapter 341 Catching Forest Frogs
Chapter 341 Catching Forest Frogs
Feeling a little embarrassed by Li Xiangyang's intense gaze, Li Xiaoyun gently patted his hand.
Li Xiangyang picked up his chopsticks and began to enjoy the food in front of him.
A simple cornbread, a plate of stir-fried shredded potatoes, and a bowl of vegetable soup dotted with lard were better than delicacies to him.
"How have you been in Heping Village these past few days? Is the rat infestation in the village really that serious?" Li Xiaoyun asked, sitting opposite her and resting her chin on her hand.
Li Xiangyang swallowed his food and nodded: "That's impressive. There were rats everywhere, inside and outside the house. But they've got them all sorted out."
Li Xiangyang recounted the entire process in detail, from discovering the red-haired rat to tracking its relationship with the weasel, and finally the fierce battle, explaining everything in detail.
Just as the two were talking, footsteps came from outside the courtyard, followed by a knock on the door.
"Who is it?" Li Xiangyang asked, putting down his chopsticks.
“Brother Li, it’s us!” Zhang Ming’s voice came from outside the door.
Li Xiangyang got up and opened the door. Zhang Ming and Wang Yong stood at the door, carrying several bottles of wine and some meat.
"Brother Li, we heard you were back, so we came here specifically to retrieve the deer, and brought some wine and food as a thank you for your help," Zhang Ming said warmly.
Li Xiangyang smiled and stepped aside, saying, "Come in and have a seat."
The two entered the courtyard, and Wang Yong, seeing Li Xiaoyun inside the house, quickly and politely greeted her, "Hello, sister-in-law."
Li Xiaoyun nodded in return, then turned and went to the kitchen to fetch two sets of bowls and chopsticks: "Have you eaten? Would you like to eat together?"
"We've eaten, we've eaten. We came here to retrieve the deer and also to give Brother Li a small token of our gratitude." Zhang Ming quickly waved his hand and placed the wine and meat on the table.
Li Xiangyang invited the two to sit down, then turned and went into the storage room. He quickly brought out a processed deer with intact fur and delicious meat.
"This deer is truly excellent!" Wang Yong exclaimed, taking the deer with a beaming smile. "Brother Li's skills are indeed well-deserved!"
Zhang Ming pulled a cloth bag from his pocket and handed it to Li Xiangyang: "This is the rest of the money. Count it."
Li Xiangyang took the cloth bag, casually placed it on the table, and didn't count it: "No need to count it, I trust you."
Zhang Ming nodded gratefully, "Brother Li is very straightforward. By the way, we'll take this deer to the supervisor. If he's satisfied, we'll definitely remember you if there are any good opportunities in the future."
Li Xiangyang waved his hand: "It's nothing, you're too kind."
After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Zhang Ming and Wang Yong said goodbye and left, carrying the deer on their backs, their hearts filled with joy.
After seeing the two off, Li Xiangyang and Li Xiaoyun sat in the courtyard, chatting about everyday things and enjoying this rare moment of peace.
As the days went by, the leaves began to turn yellow, and the weather gradually turned cooler.
Li Xiaoyun still went to school every day, while Li Xiangyang was busy preparing tools to catch forest frogs.
Forest frogs prefer to inhabit meadows and streamsides. Late September and early October is the season when they begin to hibernate, and forest frogs caught at this time are at their richest in oil.
At dawn, just as the sky was beginning to lighten, Li Xiangyang set off with his tools on his back.
This time, he also brought Wang Ergou along, and the two of them went into the mountains to catch forest frogs.
"Xiangyang, do you think these forest frogs are really that valuable?" Wang Ergou asked as they walked.
Li Xiangyang nodded: "Of course, don't underestimate these frogs. The forest frog, along with 'flying dragon, bear paw, and monkey head,' is considered one of the four great delicacies of the mountains, and was a tribute item during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The most valuable part, frog oil, is known as 'soft gold,' and is said to have restorative, aphrodisiac, lung-nourishing, kidney-tonifying, and liver-benefiting properties; city dwellers are scrambling for it."
"How many can we catch today?" Wang Ergou asked excitedly.
Li Xiangyang smiled and said, "We'll see."
The two arrived at a meadow, squatted down, and began searching for forest frogs. Soon, Wang Ergou caught the first one.
"Look, I caught one!" Wang Ergou shouted excitedly, holding up a plump forest frog.
Li Xiangyang nodded: "Good, put them in the bamboo basket. Remember to handle them gently, don't hurt them."
In just one morning, the two of them caught two full bamboo baskets of forest frogs.
Around noon, they found a sheltered spot, sat down on the ground, and ate the dry rations they had brought.
"Xiangyang, how do you extract this frog oil?" Wang Ergou asked curiously while chewing his dry rations.
Li Xiangyang explained, "It's actually very simple. First, dry the frogs in the sun and clean them. Then, squeeze out the frog oil and put it in a clean container. But you have to be careful about hygiene, otherwise it will easily spoil."
Wang Ergou nodded: "Shall we go back and handle it ourselves, or find someone to buy whole forest frogs?"
“Make some for ourselves first, keep some for our own use, and don’t rush to sell the rest. Let’s see how it goes,” Li Xiangyang replied.
After lunch, the two continued their search.
By evening, they had caught four large bamboo baskets full of forest frogs, a very fruitful haul.
It was already dark when they returned to the village. Li Xiangyang and Wang Ergou went home separately, agreeing to continue the next day.
"How was the harvest?" Li Xiaoyun came up to her and asked curiously.
Li Xiangyang put down the bamboo basket, smiled and nodded: "Not bad, you caught quite a few."
Li Xiaoyun walked into the yard, lifted the bamboo basket and looked inside. The forest frogs were plump and full, some with brown spots on their backs and some with a pale yellow belly. They were crowded in the bamboo basket, and occasionally a few tried to jump up but couldn't get out.
"Wow, so much! Even the two of us can't finish it all, can we?" Li Xiaoyun looked at the full bamboo basket with some surprise.
Li Xiangyang took a large wooden basin filled with clean water from the house, placed it in the center of the yard, and poured some of the forest frogs into it.
"Yes. Let's try some first, and then we'll take the rest to the pond near the old house to keep them. They'll hibernate when the temperature drops further."
After sorting, Li Xiangyang selected a few male frogs, planning to make frog soup that night.
In the kitchen, Li Xiangyang skillfully processed the forest frogs, first peeling their skin, then removing their internal organs, washing away the blood, and finally cutting them into pieces.
After preparing the ingredients, he added water to the pot, along with ginger slices and a few scallions, and then put the frog meat into the pot to simmer.
A fragrant aroma soon wafted from the kitchen. Li Xiaoyun followed the scent and curiously approached the pot: "It smells so good! Even better than chicken soup!"
"Yes, it smells delicious. We're just lucky to be born in such a good time. In the past, it wouldn't be something ordinary people like us could afford."
Seeing that it was almost done, Li Xiangyang scooped a bowl with a spoon and handed it to his wife, looking at her expectantly, "Try it."
Li Xiaoyun carefully blew on the hot steam, scooped up a spoonful, and put it in her mouth.
The delicious flavor immediately burst on her tongue, far surpassing any meat she usually ate.
The meat of the forest frog is snow-white, tender, juicy, melts in your mouth, and leaves a lingering aftertaste.
Looking at the satisfied expression on his wife's face, Li Xiangyang felt a surge of relief.
He couldn't help but reach out and touch Li Xiaoyun's slightly protruding belly: "Eat more, it's good for you and the baby."