The little boat drew up to shore, where men from the village were already lending a hand.
Though they had been out of the water for some time, the fish in the Bamboo Basket were still flopping about with a loud clatter, clearly full of life.
"Uncle Yi, you've got distinguished guests! Hurry home-the County Magistrate is at your house!"
Someone called from a distance. Yi Yong'an was still aboard, and his foot nearly missed the stone step on the bank.
"What? The County Magistrate? His Honor?"
"Yes, yes! Hurry home!"
The people beside him quickly chimed in.
"I heard things were lively over your way. So the County Magistrate came?"
"Well, that's a rarity! In all these years, not a single County Magistrate has ever visited our village!"
"Then I'm going to have a look!" "Me too!"
Clearly, the news had not yet reached the whole village.
"Come on, help me carry the fish ashore first!"
Never mind the County Magistrate-even if the emperor himself had come, he could not leave this basket of fish behind!
Once ashore, Yi Yong'an pulled a fish straight from the basket and tossed it to the man who had brought the news.
"Catch!" "Ah, thank you, Uncle Yi!"
"Come on, help me carry this home! Uncle, hurry and keep up! We've got distinguished guests!"
As he spoke, Yi Yong'an and another man carried the large Bamboo Basket home. The others followed, some waiting for a share of the fish, others simply going to watch the excitement.
Yi Shuyuan put away his Folding Fan, tidied the things aboard, and climbed the steps with the oar and fishing gear.
The bank was much quieter now, the crowd having followed Yi Yong'an away. Only the man Yi Yong'an called Uncle Li remained. He was two years