Harimu and the others' Pastoral Team belonged to the state-run Southern Mountain Pastureland. Later, when it was dissolved, the Pastoral Team broke apart as well, and its members were assigned to the various village production teams.
Every autumn and winter, the herders in Southern Mountain's Summer Pasture drove their cattle and sheep out of the deep mountains to the Winter Pastureland. If their herds were large and fodder was scarce, they would usually cull a batch of cattle and sheep and send them to the Livestock Market.
Of course, the state-run pastureland would also collect a batch of cattle and sheep at this time as reserve meat.
The herders had spent nearly half a year in the mountains and had used up most of their daily supplies. When they needed to replenish them, the money came from selling this batch of cattle and sheep.
Autumn and winter were therefore the herders' harvest season. The cattle and sheep they had raised for a year in the Summer Pasture could now be exchanged for money.
Of course, cattle and sheep were still very cheap at this time. Most mountain herders were comfortable having fun within their own tribes but rather shy around strangers once they ventured out, so they generally sold their livestock to the public authorities-the state-run pastureland.
There were, of course, a few quick-thinking people who saw the market's potential. They put up money to buy cattle and sheep from individual households, then drove them to the Livestock Market to sell.
The spontaneously formed Livestock Market Li Long knew about was on the West Bank of the Ma River, on land belonging to Stone City.
Later, the place sold not only livestock but also dogs, pigeons, and other animals.
This informal market lasted well into the 2010s. It remained spontaneous