Chapter 364: Drilling Ice Holes

The remaining people were busy drilling ice holes. Each hole was spaced about 15 meters apart, and drilling them was no easy task. The ice on the water’s surface was over twenty centimeters thick—even with tools, it was still hard work.

The villagers of Zhoujiazhuang used manual ice augers, steadily chiseling away at the surface. Since each spot had already been marked, there was no worry about drilling in the wrong place—unless, of course, the person who made the marks had done so incorrectly.

Zhou Yimin wasn’t standing by idly either; he joined in as well. After all, how else could one truly experience the fun of winter fishing?

Like that, the preparations continued in an orderly and methodical fashion.

Zhou Xumin, holding a fish scooper, walked up to one of the already-finished ice holes and waited patiently. A moment later, he spotted a fish slowly swimming by. With quick reflexes, he scooped it out in one swift motion.

Everyone nearby was stunned. None of them had expected it would be that easy to catch a fish.

Although fish in winter didn’t swim as fast as they did in summer, it still wasn’t common for them to be scooped up so cleanly and easily. The sight made the usual empty-handed fishing enthusiasts feel more than a little envious.

“Amazing!”

“I wish I could be as skilled as Uncle Xumin.”

“Xumin, I remember you saying you had skills, but I thought you were just bragging. Didn’t think you were for real.”

Zhou Yimin gave a thumbs up in approval after witnessing the scene. It seemed Zhou Xumin really did have something to him—otherwise, the old Party Secretary wouldn’t have entrusted him with organizing this winter fishing operation.

Hearing the villagers’ praise, Zhou Xumin grew a little embarrassed.

“It’s nothing. If any of you want to learn, I’m sure you can do it too.”

Of course, he was just being polite.

At that moment, Zhou Daping wasn’t shy at all. “Uncle Xumin, can I take you as my master and learn this skill from you?”

“You just said anyone who wants to learn can do it—don’t tell me you were lying?”

Zhou Xumin hadn’t expected someone to take his polite words so seriously. Now that he was in a bit of a bind, he had no choice but to respond awkwardly, “No need for formal apprenticeship. If you want to learn, I can teach you.”

“And judging by how clever you are, you’ll probably pick it up faster than I did.”

Zhou Daping didn’t seem to notice Zhou Xumin’s polite deflection. He beamed and asked, “Then Uncle Xumin, how long did it take you to learn? Since you said I’m clever, how long do you think it’ll take me?”

Zhou Xumin hadn’t expected someone to be so direct. He dared not give a vague answer. “Honestly, I can’t say exactly how long it’ll take you to learn.”

Zhou Daping, a little uneasy, followed up with, “Uncle Xumin, if I don’t formally apprentice under you, are you going to hold something back when you teach me?”

The onlookers nearly spit out their water laughing. No one had expected Zhou Daping to be so clueless—asking such a thing outright! Of course anyone would say no!

Zhou Yimin was stunned. Was this what people were calling “social ox” these days? No fear at all, just boldly asking whatever came to mind. If it were him, he wouldn’t dare ask such a thing.

It was true what they said: the reckless fear the bold, and the bold fear the shameless.

“Daping, don’t worry. I promise to teach you everything I know without holding anything back,” Zhou Xumin assured him.

Holding back a little when teaching apprentices was something many masters did without saying it out loud. No one would ever admit to it publicly. Otherwise, who would still want to learn from you? Not to mention, your reputation would be ruined if word got out.

After more than an hour, all the preparations were finally complete.

The women of Zhoujiazhuang had carefully checked over the twenty-some fishing nets, repairing any holes to make sure there would be no fish escaping later.

The ice hole drilling was also done. With so many people, the work went fast—if it had just been a few, one hour wouldn’t have been nearly enough; they’d have needed double or even triple the time.

Once the old Party Secretary saw that everything was ready, he gave the command: “Onto the ice!”

Everyone participating in the winter fishing took action. Some pulled nets, while others carried bamboo poles with hooks on them.

Over a hundred people surged onto the ice, their calls and chatter livening up the previously silent landscape.

They reached the location Zhou Xumin had designated. This particular spot had been carefully chosen—referred to as the “net cradle,” it was selected based on the reservoir’s topography and water depth. The first ice hole was drilled here as the starting point for laying the net.

Zhou Yimin found the whole thing fascinating. He hadn’t expected winter fishing to involve so much know-how.

From that first ice hole, Zhou Xumin walked over two hundred steps in both directions to determine the flag marker positions. Then he counted several hundred steps straight ahead to place the circular flags, and from those two points, walked forward again to identify the final net opening, where he set the flag for the net’s exit point. These large flags outlined the entire “net cradle” on the ice.

The size, direction, and shape of the cradle, the angle at which to send in the fish lead, and the preparation work—Zhou Xumin had learned it all from his master and then refined it through repeated practice. It all looked simple on the surface, but there was real skill involved.

Then Zhou Xumin announced, “Lower the nets!”

Following the command, the villagers began lowering the nets. Since the twenty-some nets hadn’t been joined yet, they had to lower and connect them at the same time.

Zhou Xumin oversaw the entire process. Villagers used bamboo poles to hook the leading edge of the net and passed it along to others at the next ice hole. Just like that, all the nets were eventually lowered.

At the final ice hole, the net was pulled out and secured with a thick hemp rope to be used for hauling.

However, after being soaked in water, the nets were heavy and difficult to move. And with the freezing temperatures, hands turned red the moment they left pockets—no one could muster much strength.

Seeing this, Zhou Yimin asked, “Why not use oxen or donkeys to pull the nets?”

Relying solely on human strength would definitely take a lot more time.

Zhou Xumin froze at the suggestion. Why hadn’t such a simple idea occurred to him?

Using oxen would surely boost efficiency several times over!

Zhou Yimin figured this practice had probably been passed down from ancient times, which was why there hadn’t been any tradition of using livestock to help. Back in the day, cattle held incredibly high status.

In ancient China, oxen were vital, especially in farming, transport, and even warfare. They were not only the main force in agriculture but also played important roles in military use, rituals, and divination.

Their tireless labor and selflessness made them a symbol of endurance and nobility.

Even in the early years of the People’s Republic, oxen were the primary source of draft power, widely used in farming and transportation. Improvements in ox-drawn plowing greatly boosted productivity and crop quality.

(End of Chapter)