Wild 1979: From Fishing and Hunting to Becoming a Literary Master

Chapter 113 Down-to-earth

"Section Chief Xiao, I understand these things, I won't go around spreading rumors..."

In Xiao Kai's view, Chen Tuo's words meant that he did not understand the Forestry Bureau's thinking.

Whether gossip spreads or not, the Forestry Bureau, which oversees the entire Songling area, is not afraid of such things.

The forestry bureau was afraid that Chen Tuo would write about the incident of accidentally injuring a wolf and almost causing the entire group to be wiped out in his novel.

If it were actually written down and spread throughout the country, wouldn't the higher-level forestry bureau come down to investigate?

"Chen, is there anything you're missing? You can rest assured about your affiliation with the educated youth settlement. If you're still worried, I'll issue you a certificate right now!"

While the two were talking, Zhang Taibao also came over.

Knowing this guy had a sharp tongue, Xiao Kai pointed to the sauna room behind the gatehouse, which was almost finished, and said:

"Second brother, take a look at the house and see if it's missing anything after the roof is finished. Bring some over for Chen Zhiqing later."

Apart from the foundation laid by Chen Tuo, Zhang Taibao did almost all the work on the sauna, so he naturally knew what was missing and what was lacking.

"We lack large pots, stew pots, pots and pans, stoves and braziers, a traditional Manchu kang (heated brick bed), sand, gravel, and cement..."

Zhang Taibao's words became increasingly outrageous, but Xiao Kai could only listen.

It seems that my second brother from my maternal uncle's side has been treating the Xiaoyangqi educated youth settlement as his own home, all for the sake of his wife.

"Okay, logistics are all taken care of. Just carry it this way and go check it out..."

After sending Zhang Taibao away, Xiao Kai gave a wry smile and looked at Chen Tuo.

"Section Chief Xiao, I know you don't want me to write what happened last night into my novel, but I really need the land use permit right now!"

For Chen Tuo, bullets, desks, hunting, and contracted forest land are not as important as houses.

For him, the homestead is his own house.

This is also an obsession he developed during his life as a cattle and horse driver: he wants a big house in a good location.

Having his own house is what truly makes him feel grounded and secure.

"That's easy, just get a certificate from the bureau and stamp it with their official seal!"

Xiao Kai thought Chen Tuo would bring up the matter of leasing forest land, but to his surprise, the Forestry Bureau overestimated his appetite.

The Xiaoyangqi educated youth settlement was a small area of ​​only a dozen acres, enclosed by wooden planks and poles.

In the villages at the foot of the mountain, the land would certainly be too large to be used as a homestead.

But in the Songling Forest Area, it's just average.

It's just that in Songling Town, some families have land right behind their houses; which family doesn't have a hectare or two of land?

"That's perfect! I'll write the whole wolf-hunting story into 'Blood Wolfhound' today. You can change it anytime you're not satisfied!"

For Chen Tuo, plagiarism writing was just a means of making a living; he had no principles or integrity to speak of.

If that's the case, he'll stop contacting Hong Ye.

Hong Ye is very goal-oriented and not a docile person.

Chen Tuo's ambiguous relationship with her was also for the sake of making a living.

He makes some books that are inconvenient to write popular, and Hong Ye seeks fame rather than profit, which broadens his sources of income.

With no food, no clothes, no money, and nowhere to stand, what ideals are we talking about, or what principles and integrity are we talking about?

Having a car, a house, money, and women is the essential need ingrained in his very being, like a beast of burden.

"Shall I admire a masterpiece by a great writer today?"

"Inappropriate wording! 'Mutual support and common progress'? My experience living in the forest area is still insufficient. Section Chief Xiao, could you please offer some advice?"

Chen Tuo's shrewdness and experience at this moment were somewhat unexpected by Xiao Kai.

According to what Secretary Wei said at last night's meeting, this guy should be a reckless young man who is good at head-butting.

"We'll do as you say. I'll go back and get you the land use certificate right away!"

Chen Tuo didn't mention the forest land contracting, and Xiao Kai didn't make any unnecessary moves.

Together with Zhang Taibao, Xiao Kai unloaded the heavy Russian-style writing desk into the gatehouse of the educated youth settlement, and then went straight back to the Forestry Bureau.

"Chen, don't be so polite with the Forestry Bureau. Most of the supplies in the forest area are surplus stock from the military's reserves. Use what you can't use!"

According to Zhang Taibao, the Songling Forest Area is different from the Great Northern Wilderness at the foot of the mountain.

This area is a high-altitude, cold-weather work zone and a military logistics reserve warehouse, which allocates sufficient survival supplies to the Songling Forestry Bureau every year.

Meanwhile, the forestry bureau will load the processed ash and amur cork tree timber onto the return train.

If you look closely, the military logistics department made a huge profit from this deal.

After all, the supplies allocated from the reserve warehouse are either reused or, as Zhang Taibao said, stockpiled old goods.

There are many instances where oak axe handles, shovel handles, and pickaxe handles produced by the Forestry Bureau's woodworking factory are stored in the reserve warehouse for ten or twenty years before being sent back.

"Brother Zhang, if that's the case, then I'll need more cooking pots, army tableware, water bottles, and tools, right?"

When it comes to the forestry bureau's winter supplies reserves, Zhang Taibao knows them like the back of his hand.

"Exactly! Besides these little trinkets, we should also get leather boots, overcoats, and sheepskin blankets!"

"The forestry bureau has plenty in their warehouse. If you don't want them, the mountain rats will destroy them if you store them for too long..."

Compared to his need for a homestead, Chen Tuo's need for daily necessities is actually not high.

All you can wear is your clothes, and all you can eat is three meals a day. As long as you're not cold or hungry, that's enough.

Considering the inconvenience of traveling, Chen Tuo didn't think about taking a taxi. Instead, he thought of the white dragon on the North Mountain who wanted to give him a horse.

"Brother Zhang, can I ask the Forestry Bureau for a horse?"

"Horses? I'm afraid I can't give them to you. The forestry bureau's horses are all bought from down in the mountains; they cost over a thousand yuan each!"

Chen Tuo wanted the forestry bureau's draft horses, but Zhang Taibao immediately shook his head.

Large livestock like cattle and horses are not cheap in forest areas.

Of the several thousand households in the area, including the town and the forest farm, only about a hundred or two might own horses.

The ownership of the other cattle and horses belongs to the Forestry Bureau.

However, cattle and horses are expensive in the forest area, but very cheap on the grassland. When Chen Tuo wanted a horse, Zhang Taibao gave him some advice.

"Chen Zhiqing, when Xiao Kai comes back in a bit, ask him for a few sets of Mongolian border guard robes and heavy winter boots. Those things can be traded for horses on the grasslands."

According to Zhang Taibao, there are different price systems on the mountain and at the foot of the mountain. Thinking about the price differences, Chen Tuo also became interested.

"How do I change it?"

"Why not trade with the herders? Don't the horses on the grasslands need the herders to raise them? Who can tell if a foal has one more or one less birth?"

Talking about the herdsmen on the grasslands opened up a floodgate of conversation for Zhang Taibao.

As a tractor driver, this guy has been to quite a few places.

According to Zhang Taibao, raising horses on the grasslands is similar to that of a production team.

However, the grasslands are too vast and there are too few people. On the western grasslands, a family is practically the main production entity.

The grasslands are so vast that herders raising horses, cattle, and sheep can easily hide a few horses, a few cattle, or dozens or even hundreds of sheep.

Cattle and horses are valuable outside the grasslands, but on the grasslands where they cannot be traded freely, they are merely means of transportation and food.

After listening to Zhang Taibao's account of the situation on the western grasslands, Chen Tuo also remembered what Su Dao had said about their trip to Eqi for trade.

If he could go along, he might be able to expand his sources of income...