RBCT Chapter 36
Chapter 36
The three-acre low-lying field has been completely transformed.
The weeds were cleared away cleanly, and the pond embankment, two meters wide and one and a half meters high, was tamped down firmly around the field.
The embankment was also covered with a layer of gravel, which Zhang Jianguo had carried from the lakeside; it made a rustling sound when you stepped on it.
The water inlet is located on the east side, with a square water inlet channel built of red bricks, the opening of which faces the direction of Baiyang Lake.
The outlet is located on the west side, with a section of cement pipe buried inside. A gate valve is installed at the pipe opening to control the drainage.
"How was it?" Zhang Jianguo rubbed his hands together and grinned.
Chen Zheng walked around the pond embankment.
We walked and looked around.
The embankment is high enough, wide enough, and compacted enough.
The inlet is in the right position, and the outlet gate is sturdy.
Zhang Jianguo is usually carefree, but he's surprisingly accurate when he's working.
"A screen needs to be installed at the water inlet."
Chen Zheng stopped and pointed to the water inlet tank, "Otherwise, when we release the water, wild fish will run in and compete with the fish fry for food."
"I've finished making the net."
Zhang Jianguo picked up a round bamboo mesh sieve from the edge of the pond. It was about the size of a washbasin, and the bamboo strips were woven very finely.
"What do you think, is it okay?"
Chen Zheng took it and looked at it.
The bamboo strips are woven evenly, and the mesh size is just right, which can catch small fish and shrimp without affecting the water flow.
He secured the mesh screen to the water inlet, making sure it fit perfectly.
"Alright. Jianguo, your skills are better than your father's."
Zhang Jianguo chuckled and scratched the back of his head: "My dad said I'm not doing my proper job."
He said that no matter how well a fishpond is dug, it's not as reliable as a boat.
"Your father is wrong. Fishing depends on the weather, while fish farming depends on people."
Unexpected events can happen at any time, but people have hands and feet. Being a good person is more important than anything else.
Zhang Jianguo nodded and kept those words in mind.
Chen Zheng squatted down by the pond embankment, grabbed a handful of soil, and kneaded it in his palm.
The soil was black, with good adhesion, and wouldn't easily leak if compacted. He stood up and patted the soil off his hands.
"Start using fertilizer tomorrow. Leave me two loads of manure from your pigsty."
"Okay. My mother said there's plenty of pig manure; you can carry as much as you want."
When Chen Zheng got home, it was already dark.
Zhang Cuihua brought the food to the table. Today's meal was multigrain noodles, hand-rolled and wide, topped with braised eggs and tomatoes.
Chen Feng ate with loud slurping, his cheeks puffed out.
"Brother, is the fishpond finished?" he asked vaguely.
"Dug up. We'll start fertilizing tomorrow."
What is fertilizer?
"It's like fattening up the water. The water in a newly dug fishpond is barren; there's nothing for the fish to eat."
We need to fertilize the water with manure to encourage the growth of plankton, so that the fish fry will have something to eat when they are released.
Chen Feng said "Oh," and then asked, "When will we release the fish fry?"
"Wait until the fertilizer is absorbed. About half a month."
"Half a month!" Chen Feng's eyes widened. "That long?"
"Fish farming is like farming; you can't rush it. If you release fish fry into the water before it's fertile, the fish will starve to death."
Chen Feng pursed his lips, stopped talking, and lowered his head to pick at the noodles in his bowl.
After dinner, Chen Zheng helped Zhang Cuihua clear the table. Zhang Cuihua washed the dishes by the stove, while he wiped them down beside her.
After wiping the bowls, I stacked them in the cupboard.
"Zhengwa, what are you planning to do with those land deeds?" Zhang Cuihua suddenly asked.
Chen Zheng paused while wiping the dishes: "Mom, how did you know?"
"Your dad told me."
Zhang Cuihua handed him the washed dishes, wiped her hands on her apron, and
"He said that in the iron box you fished out of the lake, besides silver ingots, there was also a land deed."
"Mother, don't worry about this. I know what I'm doing."
Zhang Cuihua looked at him, her lips moved, but in the end she only said one sentence:
"Be careful. That Wang Laoliu is not someone to be trifled with."
"Okay, Mother."
Chen Zheng left the kitchen and walked into the yard.
The moon rose, hanging in the eastern sky like a sickle.
The black cat squatted on the edge of the water tank, licking its paws.
Chen Rong sat on the threshold, sanding the thin bamboo pole with sandpaper.
The bamboo pole tip was already worn down to the point of a needle, but he was still grinding it.
"Rongzi, what are you dawdling about? The fishpond is already dug."
Chen Rong didn't even look up: "Next time, for use in the water."
Chen Zheng squatted down and watched him grind the bamboo pole.
rustle.
"Rongzi, you still want to go back into the water?"
"think."
Why?
Chen Rong remained silent for a moment. Moonlight shone on his face, illuminating his thin features and bright eyes.
"Brother, I want to be like you."
Chen Zheng was stunned for a moment.
"You know everything. You know about fishing, you know about raising fish, you know about swimming. I know nothing. I want to learn."
Chen Zheng handed the bamboo pole back to him and patted him on the shoulder: "Okay. Next time you go swimming, you'll come with me."
Chen Rong's lips curled up slightly as he took the bamboo pole and continued grinding.
The next morning, Chen Zheng pushed a manure cart to Zhang Jian's house.
Zhang Jianguo's pigsty was in the back of the yard, where he kept two pigs, one black and one spotted.
The pig manure was piled up in the manure pit next to the pigsty and fermented for more than half a month. It was dark, thick, and smelled terrible.
Zhang Jianguo covered his nose, used a manure scoop to scoop manure from the latrine, and poured it into Chen Zheng's manure cart, spoonful by spoonful.
The manure cart was made of wood, and the inside of the cart was lined with a layer of tarpaulin to prevent leaks.
After scooping out more than a dozen spoonfuls, the manure cart was full and heavy.
"That's enough." Chen Zheng covered the manure cart with an oilcloth and pushed it towards the east end of the village.
Zhang Jianguo followed behind, pushing another manure cart.
Two manure carts left deep ruts on the village road, and the stench wafted all the way.
The villagers passing by covered their noses and hid.
Old Wang was squatting under the old locust tree at the village entrance, smoking. Seeing them pushing their manure cart towards them, he shouted at the top of his lungs:
"Zhengwa, you haven't even stocked the fishpond with fish fry yet, and you're already adding manure?"
"Fertile water." Chen Zheng didn't even turn his head.
"What kind of waste is this? I think you're just messing around."
Raising fish isn't that easy. Even your dad couldn't raise them successfully back then, how could you?
Chen Zheng ignored him and continued pushing the manure cart.
Zhang Jianguo spat in the back and muttered, "What a chatterbox."
When they arrived at the fishpond, Chen Zheng stopped the manure cart. He uncovered the tarpaulin, scooped up a spoonful of manure, and poured it into the water.
thump.
The excrement spread out on the water's surface, a dark brown clump that slowly diffused.
He scooped up another spoonful and poured it down.
Another spoonful, another splash. After the whole truckload of manure was poured out, a layer of oily, slicked-back manure floated on the surface of the water.
He also threw Zhang Jianguo's cartload of manure on it.
After two truckloads of manure were dumped, the water in the fishpond began to turn pale yellow, with a thin layer of oily sheen floating on the surface.
"How many days will it take to soak it?" Zhang Jianguo asked.
"Three to five days. When the water turns light green or yellowish-brown and has a shiny, oily sheen on the surface, it's ready."
Zhang Jianguo nodded and pushed the manure cart back.
For the next three days, Chen Zheng poured manure twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening.
The water in the fishpond grew darker day by day.
It was pale yellow on the first day, turned yellowish-green on the second day, and turned pale green on the third day.
A layer of oily sheen floated on the water's surface, and when the sun shone on it, it shimmered with rainbow-colored patterns.
On the morning of the fourth day, Chen Zheng squatted by the pond embankment, scooped up a glass bottle, and held it up to the sunlight to look at it.
The water was pale green, and tiny plankton, no bigger than a pinhead, were swimming inside the bottle.
The water is too rich.
He put the bottle down, stood up, and dusted off his hands.
The surface of the fishpond was as calm as a mirror, reflecting the clouds in the sky.
A breeze blows, rippling the surface of the water with fine waves, breaking up the glossy sheen and then bringing it back together.
"Rongzi, go to Teacher Zhao's house and tell him the water is fertilized. Ask him when the fish fry will arrive."
Chen Rong responded and ran away.
Chen Zheng squatted on the edge of the pond, looking at the surface of the water.
The more than three acres of water surface shimmered with a pale green light under the sunlight.
Occasionally, a small bubble would rise to the surface of the water and pop with a "pop".
That's the manure fermenting at the bottom of the water, producing biogas that's rising up.
This water is alive now.
He remembered what Lin Xiaoyun's father had said: raising fish is like farming; experience is more important than books.
The book said that fertilizer should be applied for three to five days, but he applied it for four days and the color of the water was just right.
The book says the water should be light green or yellowish-brown, and his water was light green, exactly as described in the book.
But the book didn't mention that the water surface would have this oily sheen after it became fertile.
The manure fermenting at the bottom of the water will bubble.
When the water is fertile, a group of dragonflies gathers on the edge of the pond, their wings shimmering in the sunlight.
These things aren't mentioned in books, but they're in the water.
Just then, Chen Rong came running back. He was panting heavily, and his forehead was covered in sweat.
"Brother, Teacher Zhao said the fish fry will arrive the day after tomorrow."
The county aquatic products company's truck will deliver it to the town. We'll have to pick it up ourselves.
"Okay. We'll go to town to pick up the fish fry the day after tomorrow."
Chen Zheng stood up and took one last look at the fishpond.
On the water's surface, a swarm of dragonflies flew by, their wings shimmering with a blue-green light in the sunlight.
They touched the water's surface once, then flew up again; they touched the surface once more, then flew up again.
Dragonflies skimming the water.
When the water is too rich, insects will come.
When the insects come, the fish will have something to eat.
The fish fry will arrive the day after tomorrow.
On the day he received the fish fry, Chen Zheng woke up before dawn.
He pulled the old Shanghai watch out from under his pillow and looked at it; it was 4:30.
A sliver of dim light shone through the paper window, and there was already movement in the courtyard.
Zhang Cuihua was tending a fire in the kitchen, the firewood crackling loudly.
Chen Zheng got up, dressed, and pushed open the door.
Chen Rong was already waiting in the courtyard.
He leaned the thin bamboo pole against the wall, with two wooden buckets at his feet, lined with damp water plants.
Fish fry are delicate and must be kept moist during transportation; they cannot be allowed to dry out.
"Rongzi, you're up so early?"
"I can't sleep." Chen Rong squatted down next to the wooden tub and poked at the water plants at the bottom of the tub with his finger.
The water plants were wet, and my fingers were covered in water droplets.
Chen Zheng squatted down and inspected the wooden barrel.
The wooden bucket was used by his father, Chen Laosan, when he was young; it was specifically used to carry fish fry.
The bucket has a wide opening, a small bottom, thin walls, and is lightweight.
The bottom of the bucket was covered with a layer of wet aquatic plants, which were cut from the shore of Baiyang Lake and were a tender green.
The bucket lid is made of bamboo, which is breathable and prevents the fish fry from jumping out when it is closed.
"Two buckets, is that enough?" Chen Rong asked.
"That's enough. One bucket is for silver carp and bighead carp, and the other is for grass carp and black carp."
Teacher Zhao said there were 1,200 fish in total, which would be just right if divided into two buckets.
Zhang Cuihua brought out two bowls of cornmeal porridge from the kitchen and placed them on the stone table.
She took out a few more flatbreads from the kitchen, wrapped them in a cloth, and stuffed them into Chen Zheng's arms.
"Mother, you're up so early again."
"I'm getting old, I need less sleep." Zhang Cuihua wiped her hands on her apron, glanced at the wooden tub, then at Chen Zheng.
"Be careful on the road. The fish fry are delicate; don't expose them to direct sunlight or jostle them."
"Okay, Mother."
The two of them finished the porridge in a few bites.
Chen Zheng picked up the wooden bucket, the carrying pole pressing down on his shoulder.
The wooden bucket contained no water, only water plants, and was not heavy.
Once the fish fry are loaded and water is added, the weight increases.
Chen Rong carried the water bottle and dry rations, following behind. The two of them left the village.
As dawn broke, there were few people on the village road.
Dew dripped from the corn leaves and landed on my shoulders, feeling cool and refreshing.
In the distance, Baiyang Lake is shrouded in morning mist, where the water and sky blend seamlessly, making it impossible to distinguish where the lake ends and the sky begins.
When we arrived in town, the sun was just rising.
The shops in town were not open yet, only the breakfast stalls were steaming.
The fried dough sticks sizzled in the pan, and the aroma of soy milk wafted over.
Chen Zheng put the wooden bucket by the roadside, took out two cents, and bought two fried dough sticks and two bowls of soy milk.
The two people squatted by the roadside, eating fried dough sticks with soy milk.
After finishing his meal, Chen Zheng picked up the wooden bucket and headed towards the east end of the town.
There's a small square at the east end of town, which is usually a market area, but today it's being used to exchange fish fry.
The square was empty except for a Jiefang brand truck parked in the middle, with several large wooden barrels in its bed.
A middle-aged man wearing a straw hat squatted down next to the truck and smoked.
He was wearing a gray cloth jacket with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing a section of his dark forearm.
There was a notebook at my feet with a ballpoint pen clipped to it.
"Comrade, is this a vehicle from the county aquatic products company?" Chen Zheng walked over.
The middle-aged man looked up, glanced at him, and took the cigarette out of his mouth.
"Are you from Lutang Village? Did Zhao Deming introduce you?"
"Yes. My name is Chen Zheng."
The middle-aged man stood up, dusted himself off, picked up his notebook, and flipped through it:
"Chen Zheng... Lutang Village... Three acres of water surface, 1,200 fish."
Seventy percent silver carp and bighead carp, twoty percent grass carp, and onety percent black carp. Is that right?
"right."
"Okay. Come and see the fish fry."
The middle-aged man walked to the truck, stepped on the tires, and climbed into the truck bed.
Four large wooden barrels were placed side by side in the truck bed, filled with water, and tiny fish swam densely in the water.
The fish fry are only about an inch long, as thin as needles, darting around in the water with silvery-white bodies and bright black eyes.
"These four buckets, two are for silver carp, one for grass carp, and one for black carp."
A middle-aged man squatted beside the bucket, reached into the water and scooped up a few fish fry, placing them in his palm.
"Look at them. They're all in good condition, healthy and lively."
Chen Zheng leaned closer to take a look.
The fish fry thrashed about in the middle-aged man's palm, their silvery-white bodies twisting and turning, their tails swishing water droplets everywhere.
Its gill covers opened and closed, a bright red color. Its eyes were dark and shiny, and its body had no white spots, no injuries, and its fins were intact.
"The condition is good." Chen Zheng nodded.
"Of course. The fish fry of our county's aquatic products company are brought in from the fish breeding farm in the provincial capital; they are the best varieties."
The middle-aged man released the fish fry back into the water, clapped his hands,
"Take as much as you want. Count it out and I'll write it down for you."
Chen Zheng lifted the wooden buckets onto the truck bed.
He first used the water bottle he had brought to fill the truck's water tank and poured it into the wooden bucket. The water was about two inches deep, covering the water plants at the bottom of the bucket.
Then he picked up the small net bag handed to him by the middle-aged man and scooped the fish fry from the large wooden bucket.
Scooping out fish fry is a delicate task.
The net should not be filled too full, otherwise the fish fry will crowd together and easily get hurt.
You can't scoop out too little either, because if you scoop out too little and do it too often, the fish fry will suffer too much.
With one scoop, dozens of fish were scooped up, poured into a wooden bucket, and counted.
"Rongzi, you count them. One bucket of silver carp and bighead carp, one bucket of grass carp and black carp. Put them in separate containers."