ryethenovel Chapter 4 A Nest of Rabbits
Chapter 4 A Nest of Rabbits
On the morning of the third day, just as dawn was breaking, Chen Feng got up.
He put on his thickest cotton-padded jacket and trousers, tied his feet with slings, tucked a machete into his waistband, and carried a basket on his back containing dry rations, a water bottle, ropes, clips, salt, and fire starters.
Lin Xiu also got up early and stuffed the warmed pancakes and eggs into his arms: "Eat a couple of bites while they're hot before you go."
Chen Feng took it and started eating it heartily.
The pancake was still piping hot, but he ate it very quickly.
"Ta Xue, let's go." He called out.
The black dog wagged its tail excitedly and followed at his feet.
As Chen Feng reached the courtyard gate, he turned back.
Lin Xiu stood under the eaves, arms crossed, looking at him. Her figure appeared somewhat frail in the morning light.
"I will definitely be back before sunset," Chen Feng said again.
"Okay." Lin Xiu nodded. "I'll wait for you."
Chen Feng turned around, stepped through the snow, and headed towards the mountains and forests in the southeast.
The snow crunched underfoot as he ran happily ahead of her, leaving a trail of tiny footprints in the snow.
The further into the mountains you go, the denser the trees become.
The branches and leaves were covered with a thick layer of snow, and occasionally chunks of snow would fall with a soft patter.
Following the route he remembered, Chen Feng headed towards the old pine forest on the southeast slope.
The area is sheltered from the wind and sunny, with plenty of decaying wood, making it a perfect habitat for morel mushrooms.
He walked very carefully, stopping from time to time to observe his surroundings.
The mountains and forests were silent, with only the sound of the wind and footsteps on the snow.
After walking for about an hour, we finally arrived at the old pine forest.
The pine trees here are all very old, with thick trunks and canopies that can be spread out like a canopy.
There were many fallen, decaying logs in the forest, covered with snow.
Chen Feng put down his basket, took out a small shovel, and began to search carefully.
He remembered his father’s notes saying that morel mushrooms prefer cool, damp places, but also need some sunlight, and mostly grow in soft soil around decaying wood roots or in areas with a thick layer of fallen leaves.
It is yellowish-brown in color and has a honeycomb-like shape, making it easy to identify.
Ta Xue sniffed around in the woods and suddenly barked twice at a fallen pine tree.
Chen Feng walked over, squatted down, and gently brushed away the snow and fallen leaves at the base of the pine tree.
A brownish-yellow hue came into view.
His heart raced as he carefully dug away the surrounding soil.
One, two, three... a total of five morel mushrooms, huddled together, their honeycomb-shaped caps still covered with tiny ice crystals, shimmering subtly in the sunlight filtering through the trees.
Chen Feng took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement, and carefully dug out the mushroom along with a little soil with a shovel, placing it on the soft grass that had been laid out in his basket.
"Ta Xue, well done!" He patted Ta Xue's head.
Ta Xue wagged its tail proudly.
Next, Chen Feng searched even more carefully.
Having learned from his first experience, he quickly found three more under a piece of rotten wood, and four more under a thick pile of pine needles...
Before we knew it, the sun had risen directly overhead.
The basket already contained a small pile of morel mushrooms, roughly weighing about four or five pounds.
They all look great, with plump caps and bright colors.
Morel mushrooms are scarce in winter, and the ones he picked were of good quality; they're worth at least sixty or seventy yuan.
Chen Feng sat down on a fallen log to rest, took out some flatbread and a water bottle, and ate them with cold water.
Ta Xue also got half a pancake, which she ate with great relish.
After having a bite to eat, Chen Feng led Ta Xue on a continued journey through the mountains.
It's not easy to go into the mountains in winter, and he wanted to see more of the area.
He doesn't need large animals like bears or wild boars; he'd be content if he could just find one or two rabbits.
After all, he was still a novice who had been working his way up in the mountains, and he didn't have the money to buy a hunting rifle, so it was best to be cautious.
Chen Feng walked very lightly, his eyes constantly scanning his surroundings.
The snow is the best canvas; any living thing that passes by will leave a trace.
Ta Xue seemed to sense its master's intention. It stopped running around and instead stayed close to Chen Feng's trouser leg, its nose twitching as it observed him warily.
After walking for about 15 minutes, Chen Feng stopped behind a rock sheltered from the wind.
He crouched down and examined the footprints in the snow carefully—they were several small, plum blossom-like footprints, very fresh, with even the fine traces of toes and claws visible, pointing to a dense clump of thorny vines covered with icicles below the rock.
"rabbit."
Chen Feng lowered his voice, a hint of joy flashing in his eyes.
Judging from the density of the footprints, there is likely more than one.
He didn't rush to set up the lasso, but instead carefully examined the thicket of thorny vines.
They say a cunning rabbit has three burrows, so this one must have more than one.
Soon, he found a similar hole on the other side, with fresh claw marks and fallen feathers nearby.
He gestured for Ta Xue to be quiet, then gently unloaded his basket, took out a clip, a small bundle of mugwort, and a fire tumbler.
He selected the spot with the densest footprints on the front of the thorny vines, set up two traps, carefully disguised them with dry branches and snow, and fixed the short iron chain connecting the traps to a thick tree branch next to it.
He tiptoed around the thorny vines and placed the lit mugwort nearby.
Artemisia argyi is not easy to ignite, but it will produce thick and continuous smoke.
Chen fanned the smoke, letting it slowly seep into the depths of the thorny vines and into every corner of the cave.
Moments later, rapid rustling and soft scratching sounds came from inside, indicating panic and chaos.
coming!
A grayish-brown, furry hare cautiously peeked out from between the thorny vines, its long ears twitching alertly, its ruby-like eyes scanning the surroundings.
Perhaps feeling safe, it jumped out and ran towards the path where Chen Feng had set a trap.
Immediately afterwards, another rabbit, slightly smaller in size, followed.
Chen Feng held his breath.
The first rabbit nimbly jumped into the first lasso.
The second rabbit followed closely behind, its front legs suddenly ramming into the second noose loop!
With a soft "click," the lasso mechanism was triggered, and the wire loop tightened instantly, firmly binding the rabbit's front legs.
The frightened rabbit struggled and jumped, making rapid "cooing" sounds, but only made the snare tighten around it.
Chen Feng immediately got up and walked over quickly.
The trapped rabbit saw a human figure and struggled even more fiercely.
Chen Feng moved swiftly, stabilizing the rabbit with one hand and untying the lasso with the other, quickly binding the rabbit's front and hind legs with hemp rope.
The rabbit was warm and trembling in his hands. He weighed it in his hand; it was about three or four pounds. It wasn't particularly fat, but it was a rare treat in the winter.
enough.
Even when hunting, mountain people are careful to leave some room for the hunt.
The sun had already slipped behind the western ridge, and the light in the forest began to dim.
He had to get out of the mountains before dark.
He put the rabbit, which had stopped struggling, into the basket, covered it with soft grass, and carried it on his back again.
The basket became heavier, but Chen Feng's steps became much lighter.
He called out to Ta Xue and quickly walked back along the footprints he had come from.
The journey home seemed shorter than the journey there.
When he finally saw the outline of his own little courtyard in the distance, there was still a last wisp of dark red sunset glow on the horizon.
In the courtyard, wisps of smoke rose from the kitchen chimney, appearing especially warm in the cool twilight.
Pushing open the courtyard gate, Lin Xiu was coming out of the kitchen, carrying a basin of water in her hand.
Upon seeing him, her eyes lit up, and she quickly came to greet him: "You're back!"