Gasp! She's a Time Traveler Using Modern Tech to Improve Ancient Life-Chapter 517 - 516: Abundance Year After Year

Lin Wanwan blindly cast a net, and when she pulled it up, she found a few fish thrashing inside. One of them was particularly striking, not only because of its enormous size but also its long snout.

"Ah, it’s a migrating Chinese sturgeon!" Lin Wanwan cried out excitedly. This fish was on the brink of extinction in later generations, known as the king of the Yangtze River.

Born in freshwater rivers, they mature in the ocean.

Lin Mengbo and the others heard Lin Wanwan’s exclamation and looked over, becoming excited as well, "Wanwan, this sturgeon is valuable! It can be exchanged for a lot of silk and rice!"

To the people of the Lin Family Manor, fish from the river didn’t fetch much money, so it was not surprising. But the Chinese sturgeon was different; due to its fast swimming speed, delicious meat, and high nutritional value, it was very expensive.

The old family rule was that sturgeon smaller than a fisherman’s arm span must be released, and the nets and scoops had wide meshes to filter out young fish.

However, in later generations, this rule had gradually faded, and fewer people respected it.

To the sea people, this fish wasn’t even considered a river fish, often caught in the sea.

Lin Wanwan was as excited as if she had been injected with adrenaline. Money was nothing! This Chinese sturgeon in front of her was not only a condition for the evolution of spatial-temporal elements but also an important part of modern species!

The wild Chinese sturgeon is a modern first-class protected animal.

Later generations relied on artificial breeding technology to release Chinese sturgeon annually, but the results had yet to be significant.

Because Chinese sturgeon take about 15 years to mature, the released ones couldn’t be seen returning to the Yangtze River to spawn in the short term.

To save the wild Chinese sturgeon from extinction, there was a long and arduous path, requiring continuous artificial release.

Each year, the Chinese sturgeon returns from the sea to the Yangtze River to spawn between October and November, so in the autumn, mature Chinese sturgeon can be caught in various sections of the Yangtze River.

It’s only the end of January now, and Lin Wanwan unexpectedly caught a mature Chinese sturgeon. What amazing luck!

"How could a sturgeon appear in our river?" Lin Mengxing murmured.

Lin Mengbo responded, "This fish exists in both the sea and the Dajia River. It’s possible for it to appear here, probably because this small river connects to the Dajia River!"

The Dajia River is what later generations call the Yongjiang, and it’s a bit away from the Lin Family Manor, requiring a significant detour along the water routes. Going to Xiaoxi Town by water means passing through the Dajia River.

"Wanwan, such a big fish, do you plan to sell it or eat it yourself?"

Lin Wanwan happily replied, "I plan to take it to town to give it to someone."

Having caught this two-meter-long Chinese sturgeon, Lin Wanwan felt no urge to catch small fish or shrimp anymore. Lifting the net, she said, "My cousins, this fish is too big, inconvenient for me to carry. I’m heading back first.

The shrimp and crab cages that Kun Lun just set down, you guys can pull up. Whatever you catch is yours. When the time comes, just bring me some river shrimp and crabs, forget the river fish."

Lin Wanwan doesn’t like river fish; she only loves sea fish with fewer bones.

"Alright, don’t worry!"

After saying goodbye to the fishing team, Lin Wanwan handed the thrashing Chinese sturgeon net over to Kun Lun.

The latter effortlessly carried it on his shoulder, still holding a wooden bucket originally meant for shrimp and crabs.

It’s not that Lin Wanwan couldn’t carry the net; she was actually stronger than Kun Lun, but it wouldn’t be appropriate for her to do so—she had to feign delicacy.

Taking the gauze handed over by Hong Yan to wipe her hands clean, she donned her cloak and hand warmer, and the three of them headed home.

"Madam has such good luck, catching such a big fish on the first net on New Year’s Eve. This is the harbinger of plenty every year! Why not keep the fish and offer it to the Bodhisattva?" Hong Yan suggested excitedly.

The master’s good fortune naturally brought joy to the servants as well.

Lin Wanwan smiled and said, "Offering it as goodwill to someone is also good. Didn’t we just burn incense and offer to the Bodhisattva the day before yesterday? Every household has been offering, and she can’t eat it all."

The master and servant bantered joyfully as they headed back to the manor.

By now, the Lin Family Manor was gradually enveloped in cooking smoke, filled with the atmosphere of everyday life.

The sky had also brightened a bit, probably not long before sunrise.

As they passed by, the clan members busy at their doorsteps saw Kun Lun returning with such a big sturgeon, and they all gave Lin Wanwan heartfelt blessings.

Catching a mature sturgeon in the river during this season was seen as a special gift sent by the River God County Magistrate!

Fishermen deeply believed in these things, praising Lin Wanwan until her face glowed with pride.

Who doesn’t enjoy hearing good fortune words early in the morning! 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Even knowing many of them were deliberate flattery, Lin Wanwan liked listening to them!

Why did the same Lin clan members in modern times seem indifferent, while in the Great Tang, she was so fond of them?

Simple enough: the Lin clan of the Great Tang was both united and uncomplicated (those who died by their hands: Who are you calling uncomplicated?), being her old ancestors, treating her as a treasure, cherishing and protecting her—who wouldn’t like that!

The clan favorite naturally loves pampering her clan!

Especially with a Clan Leader like the Lin family’s who truly regarded Lin Wanwan as a beloved junior, letting her feel the warmth of her deceased grandfather.

Carrying the Chinese sturgeon to her doorstep, Lin Wanwan instructed Hong Yan to have someone bring the horse while she and Kun Lun waited outside.

Lin Wanwan didn’t want to waste a moment now and wanted to put the Chinese sturgeon into the modern Yongjiang!

The sturdy Dawan horse Xiao Chong gifted her was soon led over by Mo Xiang, and Lin Wanwan gracefully mounted it, while Kun Lun got on another regular strong horse.

In the Great Tang, it was rare for slaves to have the privilege of riding horses. For large Kunlun slaves like Kun Lun, it was out of the question to ride horses; they were mostly used as human horses by their masters!

Since Kunlun slaves did heavy and rough work, with insufficient nutrition, their lifespans were generally short.

Coming from modern times, Lin Wanwan couldn’t exploit so freely. When she went out, she rode a horse herself, so her servants rode horses too. If some couldn’t ride (like Hong Yan and Yun Shang), they would sit in a carriage.

Thus, all of Lin Wanwan’s servants were grateful to her, even willing to give their lives for her.

Finding a master who treated them with human respect was a heavenly blessing beyond desire.

A benevolent master like Xiao Chong didn’t care much about his servants either.

Only the personal guards who grew up with him were viewed as individuals, but not even as equals.

This was the constraint of the Great Tang nobility, ingrained by lifelong education, which no one could change.

Lin Wanwan and Kun Lun rode their horses towards the mountain that had been bestowed upon Lin Wanwan as her private property.

In fact, it wasn’t far at all, but Lin Wanwan had to make it look proper! Since she said she was going to town, she had to have the semblance of going to town!

Kun Lun’s inability to speak the Mao County dialect, coupled with his tight-lipped nature, made him Lin Wanwan’s absolute confidant, to her utmost satisfaction.