sjar Chapter 347 Taming the Eagle: No Biting or Eating Allowed
Chapter 347 Taming the Eagle: No Biting or Eating Allowed
A few days later, the two of them were ready.
Chen Xiangqian is quite capable; he brought in a fine horse.
This horse is chestnut red with a white stripe on its forehead. It is said to be named "Lightning" and was originally a horse left behind by the ranch production team for hauling goods.
Li Ju'an was worried that the mules were too slow to be effective at taming hawks. He called his hunting dogs, with two hawks perched on his right arm, and bid farewell to his mother and Lin Mei. He was going to the barley fields this time, a long journey through the mountains that would take about six or seven days round trip.
Lin Mei, filled with worry, stuffed all the dry rations she was holding into his basket. Inside were not only golden, soft cornbread buns, but also dried meat slices and several packets of precious dried fruit. These dried fruits were hard-won; they were obtained in exchange for the eggs laid by the three old hens she carefully raised in her backyard.
Whenever the hen clucks and lays an egg, Lin Mei takes these warm treasures to town with high hopes, exchanging them for these sweet dried fruits.
Li Ju'an was filled with boundless gratitude. He gently stroked Lin Mei's soft hair and held her slender waist tightly. The two snuggled together, enjoying this rare moment of tenderness.
Finally, he gently stroked Lin Mei's slightly protruding belly, his eyes filled with tenderness and determination: "Good wife, when I return, I will definitely bring you the unique flavors of that place."
When Li Xiao, the younger sister standing next to her, heard that there were local specialties, her eyes lit up immediately.
Li Xiao immediately perked up and shouted, "Brother, what local specialties do you have? Are they delicious?"
Chen Xiangqian laughed heartily and said, "Hey, find a rock for my little sister to play with. It's really beautiful, with a touch of red. The exposed rock has a unique charm, and the granite has a delicate texture, which is really beautiful."
Upon hearing that it was a stone, Li Xiao's interest vanished instantly, as if a cold wind had swept over him.
Seeing this, Li Ju'an smiled warmly and teased, "Look at his ability to make things up. There are no special stones in the barley fields, but the beef jerky there is absolutely delicious. I'll definitely bring you some next time I come back."
"Okay, bro!" Li Xiao's eyes lit up immediately when he heard there was beef jerky. His gloom vanished and replaced by a bright smile.
Li Ju'an's mother, Song Lanhua, carefully prepared a spice bag for him and repeatedly reminded him, "If anything goes wrong on the way, remember to have Hua'er come back and let me know."
Last time, Hua Er did a good job of relaying the message. He led Hua Gu Niang and Bai Danzi back to the self-built building overnight and handed the letter on the collar around their necks to their mother, Song Lan Hua.
Li Ju'an was very satisfied with Hua'er. As expected of an old dog, it knew the way and understood human nature, and wouldn't be distracted by wild animals on the road.
If this job were done by the younger Little Cannon, or Fa Cai, or Chicken Butt, let alone one night, it would probably take seven nights to deliver the goods. The three young wolfhounds would chase and bite countless wild boars along the way.
Li Ju'an responded with a "yes" and said goodbye to his family.
In October, the Xingan Mountains quietly donned the finery of autumn.
Li Ju'an, accompanied by his agile hunting dog and with a majestic eagle perched on his shoulder, walked side by side with Chen Xiangqian, leading their horses into the autumn-colored forest. In the woods, gold and deep red intertwined, and maple leaves blazed like fire, dotting the landscape.
As Chen Xiangqian strolled through the picturesque autumn scenery, a deep sense of emotion welled up within him: "The autumn in the Xing'an Mountains is so beautiful. I wish we could live in the mountains forever." His words revealed a profound longing for this tranquil and beautiful place.
Upon hearing this, Li Ju'an smiled slightly, secretly thinking to himself: He hadn't expected that his division commander's son's greatest wish was to be a mountain dweller. Children raised in the city truly live carefree lives.
He responded, "The mountains are nice, but the city is a bigger world with more things to see. Putting aside everything else, once the policies are relaxed, there's nothing you can't do in the city if you want to."
In a few years, when policies are fully liberalized and overseas trade is strongly supported, mountain products will be transported overseas via trade channels and cargo ships. As long as there are goods, price will not be an issue. Domestic prices are competitive, and the quality is good, so there will be no worry about selling them.
Sales will naturally follow, and there will be no shortage of customers.
Upon hearing this, Chen Xiangqian was slightly taken aback, then laughed and said, "Is it really that good outside? Li Pao, next time you go out to make your way in the world, you have to take me with you. I'll follow you."
Upon hearing this, Li Ju'an laughed heartily and joked, "You'd better get past your old man's first."
"Hey, Li Pao, don't underestimate me! I'm definitely bringing that APS submachine gun back next time, and I'll show you what I'm capable of! I'll plead and beg until I get it back, I can't let anyone look down on me. What I said last time still stands!" Chen Xiangqian said defiantly, his tone filled with stubbornness and pride.
Chen Xiangqian shouted loudly, only to find that Li Ju'an had already taken the reins from him, led the horse, and walked away.
The mountain road was bumpy and difficult to walk on. He was puzzled. He clearly took big strides, so how come Li Ju'an walked so steadily? He couldn't catch up with him, let alone take a few steps or even a dozen.
"Hey! Li Pao, Brother Li, wait for me! Damn, how come all these dogs are walking faster than me?"
Li Ju'an walked ahead, looking at the grasslands and canyons along the way, which seemed perfect for eagle training.
According to Zhao Pao from Yingtun, eagle training also requires the right time and place. In the future, eagles will be trained in the terrain where they are needed to hunt.
The mountains he often runs are mostly open terrains with mountains and valleys.
In the art of falconry, if the skill is superb, the falcon can become an extension of its master's commands, understanding every subtle instruction. A falcon can capture a cunning fox, blind a greedy wolf cub, and even build an invisible barrier around a flock of sheep, protecting their tranquility.
Zhao Pao often mentioned that his family had the blood of nomadic people flowing in their veins, and that their ancestors had inherited the ancient skill of taming golden eagles as hunting falcons. The most crucial part of this skill was how to make the proud golden eagle not only obey commands to attack, but also restrain its instincts after capturing its prey and not tear it apart easily.
For many prey animals, the most valuable part is their pelt.
For example, the best time to hunt foxes is after the second nine-day period following the winter solstice. The second nine-day period refers to the second nine-day period after the winter solstice.
Fox hunting can only be done after several snowfalls in winter, around the time of the "second nine-day period" (the coldest period of winter in China). This is because fox fur is at its best then, thick and not shedding.
If falconers finally wait until the 29th of the lunar month to gather for a hunt, only to have a falcon grab a fox with its sharp talons, snatch it up with its beak, tear the fox's skin open, and frantically rip it apart and devour it, the falconer would be furious.
For many prey, such as big pelts and foxes, the most valuable part is their pelt. If a falcon is not trained properly, it may tear the pelt and rip open the prey's body before eating it. In that case, it would be better if the falcon had never been trained at all.
In order to properly train the two eagles, Li Ju'an planned to find time to train them a few times along the road to the barley field.