Forty-eight years of Qianlong

Chapter 53 Mink and Salt

Cerdan looked at the people in front of them. They were all wearing black cotton robes of the same style, thick cotton trousers, and a pair of low-waisted leather boots.The style is exactly the same as what Yalha brought back before.

A short young man in the lead held a long knife in his hand, the outer scabbard was dark and shiny, which was very eye-catching; the other hand held a long knife with a red scabbard, which was also dazzling.Except for these two people, several others were holding a wooden spear as high as one person and leaning on the ground.

As for the big and tall man behind him, like a black bear, he walked past the father and son and walked into the camp gate.

Seldan saw the strong man gesture with the young man with the black scabbard in his hand, and the young man hurriedly took out a book-like thing from his arms.

The strong man immediately opened the "book" and picked up a pen to write something on it.

Is this guy actually a reader?Cerdan thought of this, and his gaze at the other party immediately became respectful.

When he used to go to Hunchun City to pay tribute to the Lord Xie Lian, he had passed by the official school.Seldan, who didn't understand at the time, asked Goshha, who led the way, what this place was for.Nagoshiha arrogantly introduced that this was a place to teach people to read and write, and they would all be officials after they came out.

Seldan thinks about this, it seems that this tall man is the official here?

Liu Sheng first wrote two words on Sheng Haizhou's booklet, "Change the salt", and then wrote "Yalha's friend? Be careful."

The very eye-catching question mark immediately caught the attention of Katsu Kaishu.This symbol Zhao Xin had taught him to express doubt.It seems that Master Liu is also unable to determine the identity of the other party.

Sheng Haizhou put away the booklet, moved lightly, walked to Huji's side, and whispered a few words in his ear.Hu Ji, who was quite relaxed at first, immediately focused his attention on the two people on the opposite side, ready to activate it at any time.

Liu Sheng confessed to Wansheng Haizhou, then walked to Lu Shoushan and said to Lu Shoushan, "Whatever I say, you can turn it over. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Mr. Liu." Lu Shoushan was very surprised, but it's not like I'll just interpret it as you say, could I say nonsense?

"How much salt do you want to change?" Liu Sheng looked at Seldan and his son and asked.

"I don't know how you changed it here. Yaerha didn't say it. But we brought animal skins." After listening to Lu Shoushan's words, Seldan thought for a while, and then said.He asked Elu to go to the sledge to take off the animal skin.

Liu Sheng looked at the dozens of animal skins of various colors in front of him, thinking how could I understand this.Then he looked at Lu Shoushan.

Lu Shoushan glanced at the cat's waist, then got up and said, "Master Liu, these skins are of good color. Most of them are deerskins, there are also fine-haired fox skins, and a few otter skins."

Liu Sheng said casually: "I heard that people in the Northeast like to wear a mink, do you have a mink?"

Lu Shoushan shook his head, then turned around and asked Serdan a few words.Seldan began to explain.After hearing this, Liu Sheng understood what was going on.

It turned out that the Qing court set up Karen near the pass of each Gongshan Mountain in the Guanwai area, and sent armored soldiers to guard it, and they were not allowed to enter the mountain for hunting without permission.

Even if a beast like Seldan and the others go into the mountains to hunt, they must stamp them at the checkpoint first, otherwise it will be a crime of stealing private goods.

Guanwai has always had a tradition of "digging ginseng in autumn to fight sable in winter", and the fur of sable is the thickest in winter.

When Cerdan and the others went into the mountains to hunt sable, they would use the traces left by the sable on the snow to track the sable's foothold.The colder the climate, the purer the coat color and the better the coat quality.In the black-brown fur of sable, if there are even fine white hairs hidden, it is called "Merry's hidden needle", which is very precious.

Every year it snows heavily and the river freezes, the mink hunters will drive horse-drawn sledges, dog-pulled sledges, load tents, food supplies, and bring a few hounds into the forest to hunt for minks. months or the following spring to return.

Hunting mink in winter, the whole hunting process is full of danger, this danger does not come from mink, but from other wild animals and various accidents in the forest, such as tigers and wild boars, as well as hibernating bears.

Every time before and after the hunting of the mink, the ceremony of offering sacrifices to the mink god and Xie mink god is held.The sacrifice to the Mink God is presided over by the "Mink Da" (the leader of the mink people).

When "Miao Da" worshipped the Sable God, he could neither tie a waist bell like a shaman, nor beat the god drum, nor could he hold a sable cover, mainly because the Sable God was timid and afraid of disturbing it.

They just sprinkled the ground with wine, then burned incense and worshipped it in front of the god of the mink god. When raising the incense, look at the direction of the cigarette. If the cigarette floats to the east, it means that there are minks in the east, and they can go east to hunt.If the cigarette drifts to the south, it indicates that there are minks in the south and can hunt in the south.

The Kulkaqi and the Feyaka people have a knack for catching mink, the so-called "beating mink to live, using nets without arrows".

(Yang Bin, who was exiled to Ningguta in the early Qing Dynasty, also recorded in "The Willow Script". Marten generally burrows in pine forests, or in soil caves, or in tree holes. Hunters first cover the hole with a hunting net, and then click Use wet firewood and smoke the thick smoke into the hole. When the mink can't stand the smoke, it will escape from the hole and throw itself into the net. In a more extreme way, the mink is directly smoked to death, and then the tree is cut down to take it out. mink.)
After the annual "Reward Wulin", the Dutong Yamen of the three surnames and Ningguta will register the qualified mink skins that have been received before, and then send armored soldiers to escort them to the capital. The general and the Heilongjiang general reported, detailing the amount and color of the tribute.

And the reason why the Qing court needed so many tribute minks was because of the distinction between superiors and inferiors.And mink clothing represents the social status at that time.Whether it is a mink coat, a mink coat, a pointed mink cap, or a mink group cap, only senior officials are qualified to wear anything related to mink fur.

After listening to Liu Sheng, he suddenly realized that it is not easy to get mink fur this year; it is not as good as the future, at least there are farms.

While the three of them were talking, Ping Tai ran over.When he got closer, the two of them didn't know each other at all; when he saw Liu Sheng and Lu Shoushan talking to each other, he didn't go forward, but stopped behind Sheng Haizhou and waited.

After a while, Liu Sheng turned around and came back to ask Sheng Haizhou how he used to change salt.

Sheng Haizhou replied that he had not changed it, and the last time he gave Yalha was a gift.

Although Liu Sheng's temper is sometimes too impatient, he is still a kind person after all.He estimated the leather that the other party brought, and asked Sheng Haizhou to go to Liji and bring a large bag of salt.

One hundred pounds!

Seldan and Elu looked at the big bag of salt in front of them, their eyes were straight, and they were sluggish.So much, all salt?

They usually go to Hunchun City to buy salt; or they secretly go to the fishing village by the sea to find Hengji for salt, although they can't change much each time.

In the middle and early Qing Dynasty, there were saltworks in the Northeast, and there are six branches in Yingkou today.However, they can't eat the salt seldan here, and they have to pay tribute to the palace every year (the annual tribute is 50 catties, which increased to [-] catties in the [-]th year of Qianlong).

The salt here in Hunchun is actually bought from North Korea.Every October, Ningguta sends people to Huitongfu in Korea to buy salt, cattle, sheep, horses and even cloth.The North Korean state specially dispatched an official to wait for the transaction in the consortium. (It has been recorded that the Huitong House is even more dilapidated than the Ning Ancient Pagoda.)
After the salt was transported back to Ninggu Pagoda, it was distributed to the Manchus in Ninggu Pagoda and Hunchun according to their household registration.After the people of Manchu got their salt, they sold it at a high price, and the common people could not afford it at all.

(Not to mention those Han people who have been sent to this point. They boiled the mustard greens and put them on the hot kang head, and waited for the vegetable soup to ferment naturally. After fermentation, they scraped the hoarfrost from the soup noodles, and then used the method of infusing the fire with water for many times. After preparation, it becomes a salty paste instead of salt.)
Seldan opened the bag and saw that it was full of pure white salt. He couldn't believe it.The son Elu dipped a little with his finger and put it in his mouth.

"Ama, the best refined salt! It's the same as what Uncle Yarha brought back last time!" Elu shouted to his father in surprise.

Seldan also dipped a little finger into his mouth, and then his face burst into a smile.

"Yariha. GUCU." Seeing that the transaction here was completed, Ping Tai leaned forward and asked Serdan with a gesture.

Seldan saw the man on the opposite side claiming to be Yalha's friend, and after a while, he said to Lu Shoushan: "Yalha is ill. It's frostbite. He was caught by officers and soldiers because he exchanged things with you, and he fled halfway. Come out. His family is dead too."

Lu Shoushan turned around and told Liu Sheng.Surprised Liu Sheng didn't know how to explain it to Ping Tai, so he had to write the word "sickness" on Sheng Haizhou's booklet.

Suddenly, Liu Sheng said to Lu Shoushan: "You tell them not to leave first, wait a minute, I'll go get something."

After speaking, he quickly ran back to the car.After entering the car, I found the medicine box, rummaged through it, found a box of Yunnan Baiyao capsules, and found a box of painkillers.

Before going out, Liu Sheng first took off the outer packaging of the two boxes of medicine, and then tore off the label on the medicine bottle.Then back to the camp gate.

The people waiting at the gate of the camp didn't know what he was coming and going, and they didn't know why.

Liu Sheng first handed the Baiyao capsule to Seldan, and then asked Lu Shoushan to translate the dosage on the manual to the other party. After Seldan said he remembered it, he did the same and gave the painkiller to the other party as well.

Seldan unscrewed the bottle cap suspiciously according to Liu Sheng's teaching, and saw that there were yellow pills inside, and there was a small red pill in the middle.

Before he took it to his nose, he smelled it, and there was a slightly cool special medicinal fragrance wafting into the nasal cavity; while the other, after opening it, was a white round flake, and after smelling it, there was no smell at all.

Lu Shoushan told him Liu Sheng's advice again. After returning, he must eat the small red pill (insurance) for Yalha as soon as possible. The medicine is life-saving.

After the transaction between the two parties was completed, the father and son, who had always remembered Yalha, hurried back to the village on the sledge.

After the two returned to the village, just as they were about to tie up the horse, Hengji, who heard the sound of the horse, ran out of the house in a hurry, and told Seldan to hurry to see Yalha.

"What's the matter?" Seldan asked his son casually to tie up his horse.

"After you left, he started to have a fever, his body was terribly hot, and he kept talking nonsense." Hengji said nervously.

Seldan entered the house and saw it, sure enough.Yalha had fallen into a coma lying on the kang, and kept shouting "kill you, kill you".

He looked at the other's forehead, and the tentacles were hot.This is troublesome!

Serdan was in a hurry and suddenly remembered the medicine in his arms.So he hurriedly asked Hengji to pour a bowl of hot water, and he carefully took out the medicine from his arms.It was too dark in the room, so he walked to the door. According to Lu Shoushan's instructions, he first took out the small red pill from the larger bottle and squeezed it in his hand.

After Hengji brought the hot water, Seldan stuffed the red pill into Yalha's mouth, and let Hengji help Yalha with a few mouthfuls of hot water to swallow.Then, according to the dosage that Lu Shoushan said, he also let Yalha take the two medicines.

"What is this?" Hengji asked curiously.

After Seldan helped Yalha to lie down, he said, "The medicine they gave is said to save lives."

"You mean those people on Bear Island?" Hengji was even more curious now.

Seldan nodded and said to Hengji: "Hengji, you have helped so much, I thank you for Brother Yalha."

Hengji waved his hand indifferently and said, "Yalha is also my friend, you shouldn't say that."

Seldan thought for a while, and said to Eru, who had just entered the room, "You take care of it first." Then he said to Hengji, "Come with me."

The two went out of the house to Cerdan's sledge.

"This is the salt exchanged from Bear Island, half of it is yours." Seldan pointed to the bag of salt on the sledge and said to Hengji
Hengji looked at Seldan in surprise, then stepped forward and picked up the salt bag.

Hengji gently carried it, and the salt bag just shook.He then said in surprise: "So much?"

"Well, it's [-] pounds. It's replaced with animal skins."

When Hengji heard that it weighed [-] pounds, he raised the salt bag with some skepticism, untied the rope, and opened it to take a look.The fine salt in it is like white snow, shining in the eyes.

Hengji, like the previous Seldan father and son, lightly dipped a little with his fingers and put it into his mouth.

Hiss~~ He has lived for more than 30 years, but he has never eaten such good salt.

"Brother Seldan, you, this is too expensive! I can pack two bowls." Hengji understood that the half bag of salt had already exceeded the value of the furs he lent to the other party.

"The salt they sell is cheaper, and it's better than the one sold in Hunchun. After you finish eating, you can change it." Seldan couldn't help but said, took an empty animal skin bag, and directly held it with his hands until It can't be filled any more.

After Hengji happily put away the salt, Seldan said to him again: "Brother Hengji, I have something to trouble you."

"Brother Seldan, don't worry. I will definitely do it!" Hengji patted his chest and said.

"I have to go home and have a look. E-niang is old, and there are only three women in the family. I am really worried. I will let Elu stay, and you will help him take care of Brother Yalha for a few days. Wait for the family to settle down. Alright, I'll come back soon."

"Brother, don't worry."

"Bring me some dried fish." Seldan thought about it and said to Hengji.

After a while, Hengji fetched a bag containing more than 20 dried fish.Seldan took it and put it on the sledge.

Then, Seldan called Eru outside the house, gave the medicine in his arms to his son, and relayed the dosage.

"Ama, I wrote it all down."

"You have to remember what I said next." Seldan paused, stared into his son's eyes, and said, "The people on Bear Island are generous in their business, and they don't seem to be bad, and they also There are guns..."

"Ama, what are you talking about?" Erlu asked suspiciously.

"You remember, if I don't come back within three days, you and Hengji will take Yalha to Bear Island to find those people and ask them to take them in."

"What?" Elu was very surprised, he didn't understand what Ama meant.

"I guess the officers and soldiers will come to the village to find someone in the next few days. In case they find out that your Uncle Yarha was rescued by me..."

"Ama, I want to go back with you!" Elu finally understood what his father meant.

"If anything happens, I will bring you Mama (Manchu, grandmother) and the others to come back to you." Seldan patted his son's shoulder and said slowly, "Son, don't worry, your Ama is not old yet. What. If you really dare to grab me, let them taste my arrows!"

(End of this chapter)