Recaps

Li Long butchered the bear and wolf he had shot, then distributed bear meat and other gifts to relatives, friends, and officials while selling two bear paws. After resting on the road, he headed home, where he planned to recover before buying cattle and sheep as the pastoralists descended from the mountains.

• Li Long skinned and butchered the bear and wolf, packed the meat and organs, and brought the bear hide and gallbladder back to the Big Courtyard.
• Li Long gave bear meat to his eldest brother's family and other acquaintances, including Uncle Lao Luo, Chen Hongjun, and Zhong Guoqiang, who bought two bear paws for a hundred yuan.
• Li Long delivered bear meat to officials and friends in the County Seat, Stone City, and Beiting, and Section Chief Hu told him he could haul as much sugar residue as he wanted.
• Li Long became too sleepy to drive safely, pulled off the highway, and slept for two or three hours in the Jeep before continuing west.
• Li Long returned to his journey home and planned to take it easy for several days before buying cattle and sheep.

Li Long went to the West Bank of the Ma River Livestock Market to find cattle and sheep at a good price, rejecting sellers whose livestock or prices did not suit him. He bought a mixed flock of twenty-six sheep, arranged a truck to deliver them to Old Ma's Place, and planned to fatten them for sale before the New Year.

• Li Long drove to the Livestock Market and left after deciding the first seller had misrepresented the ages of his sheep.
• Li Long inspected livestock from several resellers but found their prices left little profit.
• Li Long agreed to buy a newcomer’s entire flock of twenty-six sheep for five hundred yuan after checking that they were healthy.
• Li Long hired Bai to transport the sheep by truck for fifteen yuan and followed him to Old Ma's Place.
• Li Long had Uncle Lao Luo, Yang Laoliu, and the other residents put the sheep in a pen and feed them for fattening.

Li Long bought livestock and supplies while preparing to fatten cattle and sheep for the New Year market, and his father-in-law predicted strong demand. When Li Long returned to the Winter Camp, Jade Mountain River and Talihaal gave him valuable animal hides as an advance deposit for repairing their camps next year.

• Li Long bought ten sheep and one brown cow from Harimu, paid Bolati for two sacks of codonopsis, and arranged to collect more livestock from the Winter Camp.
• Li Long bought winter goods, food, and poultry in the County Seat, then returned to the Big Courtyard, where Gu Boyuan had set up and tested the stoves.
• Gu Boyuan told Li Long that county residents were eager to buy beef and mutton and that Li Long could sell as many as a hundred sheep before New Year.
• Li Long drove to the Winter Camp and met Jade Mountain River and Talihaal, who offered him a bear hide and a snow leopard pelt.
• Li Long offered to pay for the hides, but Jade Mountain River and Talihaal called them advance deposits for repairing their winter camps next year.

Li Long finished his mountain trips as heavy snow arrived, then cleared snow around the Big Courtyard, the city streets, and his family’s village homes. A few days later, Jia Tianlong and his pregnant wife, Qiao Fengzhi, visited and worshipped the jade stone, convinced it had brought them good fortune.

• Li Long bought sheep and supplies from the pastoralists, then stopped traveling into the mountains when heavy snow arrived.
• Li Long cleared snow with Han Fang, drove Gu Xiaoxia and Han Fang to work and school, and later cleared the road outside the Big Courtyard.
• Li Long drove to the Fourth Team, helped Li Qingxia and Li Jianguo clear snow, and checked that the livestock at Old Ma's Place were safe.
• Jia Tianlong arrived with his pregnant wife, Qiao Fengzhi, and told Li Long he believed the jade stone had helped them conceive.
• Jia Tianlong and Qiao Fengzhi set out incense and offerings before the jade stone, then knelt and bowed to it.

Jia Tianlong visited Li Long with Qiao Fengzhi, bought medicinal goods and jade, and introduced the pregnant Qiao Fengzhi to Li Long’s twins. After they left, Li Long’s family discussed the jade’s supposed blessing, and Zhao Hui arrived at the Big Courtyard a few days later.

• Jia Tianlong failed to persuade Li Long to sell the large jade, then followed him to inspect a bear gallbladder and codonopsis.
• Jia Tianlong bought the bear gallbladder, codonopsis, and more than a dozen pieces of jade for ten thousand yuan, and asked Li Long to contact Lao Zhao about the hides.
• Qiao Fengzhi visited Mingming and Haohao, admired the twins, and gave them gold lock pendants.
• Li Long drove Jia Tianlong and Qiao Fengzhi to the county guesthouse, then freed Little Black and left the incense burner beside the jade.
• Li Long told Gu Xiaoxia, Gu Boyuan, and Sister Yang about Qiao Fengzhi’s pregnancy, and Sister Yang later considered whether the jade should receive incense offerings.
• Zhao Hui arrived at Li Long’s Big Courtyard a few days later.

Zhao Hui visited Li Long and bought his snow leopard, bear, and other pelts for 10,700 yuan, then left with plans to consider processing them. Later, as winter settled in, Li Long discussed hunting, militia training, and next year’s crops with the Fourth Team, and the chapter ended with him urging the villagers to use more chemical fertilizer for better yields.

• Zhao Hui brought gifts for Mingming and Haohao, then inspected Li Long’s pelts and bought them for 10,700 yuan.
• Li Long helped Zhao Hui load the pelts onto a bus, and Zhao Hui asked whether Li Long could supply similar quantities each year so he could open a processing workshop.
• Li Long went fishing with Li Qingxia, Tao Jianshe, Li Jianguo, and Tao Daqiang, and they caught enough fish for their own meals.
• Xu Chengjun told Li Long and the others that militia training would begin soon and asked whether Li Long would join; Li Long declined but agreed to go hunting in the western uninhabited area.
• Xu Chengjun agreed to obtain extra ammunition for Li Long, and the group discussed winter hunting and their plans for next year’s crops.
• Li Long advised the villagers to use enough chemical fertilizer to raise their crop yields.

Li Long urged the Fourth Team to adopt chemical fertilizer and warned villagers that seed-watermelon yields and prices could fall, while arranging for Professor Luo to study his saline-alkali land. In mid-November, Li Long drove into the mountains and found Harimu with Jade Mountain River and Talihaal.

• Li Long told Xu Chengjun, Tao Daqiang, and Xie Yundong that the team should use more chemical fertilizer and said he hoped to bring an Agricultural College professor to advise them.
• Li Long warned the villagers that seed watermelons depleted the soil and that next year's yields and prices could disappoint, prompting some growers to reconsider their plans.
• News spread that Professor Luo would bring students to study Li Long's saline-alkali land, giving his farming advice greater credibility among the villagers.
• Li Long asked Gu Boyuan to stock more common chemical fertilizers, and Gu said the research might attract the county leaders' attention.
• Li Long collected more ammunition from the Supply and Marketing Cooperative and drove into the mountains in mid-November, where he found Harimu slaughtering a sheep with Jade Mountain River and Talihaal present.

Li Long visited Harimu and the other herders, giving them ammunition and promising to find more saddles for their families. After failing to find saddles in Stone City and Beiting’s market, he located a tack shop in Beiting and asked to buy its stock, leaving the story at the start of their price discussion.

• Li Long gave Talihaal a bundle of ammunition and shared the remaining rounds with Jade Mountain River and Harimu.
• Harimu gave Li Long the ibex hide and asked him to speed up the saddle order so Nasen and Sasiken could be surprised when they came home.
• Li Long asked Ke Youmu about saddle shops in Stone City, then decided to search Beiting the next day.
• Li Long found a tack shop in Beiting with eight finished saddles and asked Old Grandfather how much they cost.

Li Long bought eight complete saddle sets and delivered them to Harimu, who discussed distributing them with Jade Mountain River. On his way out of the mountains, Li Long met a hungry treasure hunter searching for a mountain shaped like a steamed bun and sold him food and matches.

• Li Long bought eight saddle sets from Old Grandfather in Beiting and drove into the mountains to deliver them to Harimu.
• Harimu and his wife admired the saddles, and Li Long said he would try to provide a new saddle for everyone in the tribe.
• Harimu brought two saddles to Jade Mountain River, and they agreed to consider ways to help Li Long in return before discussing how to distribute the saddles.
• Li Long spotted a middle-aged stranger searching the snowy mountains for a mountain shaped like a steamed bun and offered him a ride.
• The treasure hunter declined the ride, bought food and matches from Li Long, and revealed a shotgun in his travel bag; Li Long drove away wondering whether the mountains held treasure.

Li Long inspected the livestock he was fattening and prepared to travel west after Li Xiangqian urged him to check the uninhabited area. He left for Stone City and Kuytun with supplies for his relatives, hoping to encounter Mongolian gazelles along the way.

• Li Long visited Old Ma's Place, where Yang Laoliu showed him the rapidly fattening cattle and sheep, and Yang Laoliu drove Ma Jinbao's sheep away from their feed pile.
• Li Xiangqian brought Li Long two hundred rounds of ammunition and asked him to head west to inspect the uninhabited area.
• Li Long bought rice and flour for Li Xia and Li Anguo, then prepared his gun and supplies for the trip.
• Gu Xiaoxia reminded Li Long to bring gifts for Li Anguo's children, so Li Long bought toys and snacks for them in Stone City.
• Li Long delivered food and gifts to Li Xia, then drove toward Kuytun, hoping to spot Mongolian gazelles.

Li Long’s livestock-fattening methods won over villagers who had mocked his plans, while he drove toward Kuytun and spotted hunters’ tracks and wildlife. He rescued an old red deer from wolves by shooting two of them, then brought the deer and wolves to Li Anguo’s home to process.

• Villagers saw Li Long’s cattle and sheep growing visibly fatter and began planning to raise sheep or buy his livestock.
• Li Long drove west and saw a herd of Mongolian gazelles flee into a red willow thicket.
• Near Shawan, Li Long found blood, hoofprints, and spent cartridges where hunters had recently killed animals.
• Near Kuytun, Li Long saw three wolves attacking an old red deer and shot one wolf and the deer, while the other wolves fled.
• Li Long dragged the deer and two wolves to his Jeep, then drove to Li Anguo’s home and began processing them with Li Anguo’s help.

Li Long visited Li Anguo in the city, helped him build a connection with Section Chief Ma, and offered to support Li Junshan’s wedding plans. On the drive home with Yang Yongqiang, Li Long spotted herds of game crossing the road and fired at a herd of Mongolian gazelles near Wulan Wusu.

• Li Long divided the butchered game with Li Anguo and took him to give red deer meat to Section Chief Ma.
• Li Anguo recognized that he needed to learn from Li Long about maintaining relationships with his superiors.
• Li Long gave toys to Xueqin and Xueping and proposed that Li Qingxia attend Li Junshan’s wedding in place of Li Junshan’s father.
• Li Junshan agreed to discuss a wedding date with his fiancée’s family and planned to buy a small courtyard house.
• Li Long drove Yang Yongqiang home and spotted a large herd of red deer crossing the road, but did not shoot.
• Near Wulan Wusu, Li Long stopped and fired several shots at a herd of Mongolian gazelles.

Li Long returned from Kuytun with two Mongolian gazelles and told his family about Li Junshan, while Yang Yongqiang reflected on leaving the Fourth Team for city work. The next day, Li Long explained to Li Xiangqian that a successful gazelle hunt would require an overnight trip and a difficult early-morning stakeout, leaving the decision to Director Qian.

• Li Long shot two Mongolian gazelles at night, brought Yang Yongqiang home, and advised him to stay in his city job despite his regrets.
• Li Long delivered a gazelle to Li Jianguo and told Li Qingxia about Li Junshan; Li Qingxia agreed to visit if Li Junshan consented.
• Li Long returned to the Big Courtyard before midnight to see Gu Xiaoxia and their sleeping children, then dressed a gazelle the next morning.
• Li Long visited Li Xiangqian with a gazelle leg and explained that the herds crossed the road mostly at night or near dawn.
• Li Long proposed several overnight hunting plans, and told Li Xiangqian to let Director Qian decide whether the effort was worthwhile.

Li Long took Li Xiangqian on a winter night hunt so Li Xiangqian could report firsthand to Director Qian, while the two waited in the snow for Mongolian gazelles. As the cold began to overwhelm Li Xiangqian, Li Long went to the Jeep’s trunk, leaving Li Xiangqian wondering if he was fetching something to warm him.

• Li Xiangqian asked Li Long to take him hunting so he could see the Mongolian gazelles himself and report back to Director Qian.
• Li Long cared for Mingming and Haohao, prepared the Jeep and his hunting gear, and picked Li Xiangqian up after work.
• Li Long and Li Xiangqian ate mixed noodles in Stone City, then drove toward Shawan and parked near a stretch of snowy Gobi wilderness with many hoofprints.
• The two took positions on opposite sides of red willow shrubs and waited for game without lighting a fire.
• After twenty or thirty minutes, Li Xiangqian began to feel cold, and Li Long stood up and opened the Jeep’s trunk.

Li Long and Li Xiangqian waited beside the highway for game, then encountered a herd of red deer. Li Long shot two deer as the herd fled, while Li Xiangqian failed to bring down the huge stag whose penis he wanted.

• Li Long prepared a wolf-pelt mat and liquor for Li Xiangqian, and the two men waited for animals to approach.
• Li Long spotted a large herd of red deer moving toward the highway and told Li Xiangqian to wait until they were close before shooting.
• Li Xiangqian aimed at the enormous lead stag, but the deer noticed movement and then crossed the highway beyond his clear line of fire.
• Li Long waited until the herd began crossing, then shot a young Red Deer Stag as Li Xiangqian sprang up and fired twice at the wapiti.
• Li Xiangqian urged Li Long to shoot the stag because he wanted its penis, but the herd escaped and two red deer lay beside the highway.

Li Long brought home two deer from a night hunt, delivered Li Xiangqian’s share, and arranged a nighttime hunting trip with Xu Chengjun’s militia. The team planned to go the day after tomorrow, while Li Jianguo collected and cleaned his gun and Lu Yingming decided to ask for one too.

• Li Long and Li Xiangqian returned from No-Man’s Land with a stag and a doe after the largest deer escaped their shots.
• Li Long dressed the deer the next morning, delivered Li Xiangqian’s portion, and heard that Director Qian could not join the hunt yet.
• Li Long met Xu Chengjun and arranged for the team to hunt at night the day after tomorrow, with Li Jianguo planning to go.
• Li Qingxia asked Li Long to bring his hunting shotgun for him, and Li Jianguo went to Xu Chengjun’s house to collect and clean his own gun.
• Lu Yingming heard about the planned hunt and said he would ask Xu Chengjun for a gun.

Li Long prepared for a team hunting trip with Gu Boyuan and joined Xu Chengjun’s group in ambushing game along the highway. After spotting a herd of more than a hundred gazelles, the hunters opened fire, and Li Jianguo brought down two.

• Li Long cleaned and prepared the shotgun and ammunition, while Gu Xiaoxia watched him play with their children.
• Li Long learned Director Qian had not called, then serviced the Jeep and drove Gu Boyuan to the Fourth Team with a borrowed Type 56 rifle.
• Li Long joined Xu Chengjun’s hunting party and found a new ambush site after meeting two hunters hauling gazelles from west of Shawan.
• Xu Chengjun arranged the hunters along the road, and Li Long told Li Qingxia to wait inside the Jeep.
• Li Long spotted a large herd approaching from the north and alerted the others to prepare.
• Xu Chengjun fired when the gazelles reached the ambush, the hunters unleashed a volley, and Li Jianguo shot two gazelles.

Li Long and the Fourth Team’s militia brought back more than thirty gazelles, distributed the meat, and processed their shares. After Li Long delivered gazelle meat to Supply and Marketing Cooperative officials, the story left him settling into winter as the team learned that militia training and village access to guns would soon be curtailed.

• Xu Chengjun and the militia loaded more than thirty gazelles, gave each militiaman a share, and reserved the rest for the Fourth Team.
• Li Long drove home with his group’s gazelles, and the hunters’ families processed their meat before Xu Chengjun organized a lottery to distribute the team’s remaining share.
• Li Jianguo delivered a gazelle to Liang Donglou’s family, while Li Long processed his four gazelles and delivered portions to Director Wei, Li Xiangqian, and Section Chief Hou.
• Li Long learned that Director Wei might become director of the Beiting City Supply and Marketing Cooperative, while Li Xiangqian’s chances of advancement remained uncertain.
• Xu Chengjun learned that militia training would move to the township and village weapons would no longer be issued, and Li Long heard that the change would make large team hunts difficult next year.

Li Long’s fattened livestock attracted the sugar factory’s interest as Section Chief Hu inspected the pens with Song Ming. The factory considered buying sheep and cattle for year-end benefits, and Hu also became interested in purchasing a red deer.

• Li Long offered to sell sheep to the sugar factory at wholesale prices after Song Ming suggested them for employee benefits.
• Song Ming told Section Chief Hu about the fat sheep, and Hu decided to visit Li Long’s farm with him.
• Uncle Lao Luo showed Hu the cattle and sheep, and Hu considered buying about fifty sheep and two cattle for the factory.
• Hu discovered that Li Long also raised wild boars, roe deer, and red deer, then asked whether the red deer were for sale.
• Uncle Lao Luo explained that deer were valuable, and Hu resolved to discuss buying one after asking Li Long about the price.

Section Chief Hu arranged to buy sheep, cattle, and two adult red deer from Li Long for the Sugar Factory’s year-end benefits. Li Long planned how to recruit mountain herders to help with the slaughter and went to Harimu’s winter camp to invite them, where Harimu’s wife revealed she could use a gun.

• Section Chief Hu offered to buy at least fifty sheep, two cattle, and two male red deer from Li Long at market prices for the Sugar Factory.
• Li Long and Gu Xiaoxia planned to hire Harimu and other herders to help slaughter the sheep, prepare the offal, and transport supplies to the mountains as payment.
• Li Long bought food and supplies, drove his Jeep to Harimu’s winter camp, and asked Harimu to help recruit other herders for the slaughter.
• Harimu agreed to help and said he would ask Jade Mountain River, Talihaal, and others to come.
• Harimu assured Li Long that the camp was safe during the day, and Harimu’s wife said she knew how to use a gun.

Li Long arranged for Harimu and several others to come to the Fourth Team and slaughter sheep, preparing supplies, cooking facilities, and help. He brought them first to his courtyard, where they met his children, then took them to the livestock pens, where the group admired the fattened sheep.

• Li Long left ammunition at the winter camp, and Harimu agreed to gather Jade Mountain River and others to help slaughter sheep the next day.
• Jade Mountain River recruited Harimu, Talihaal, Bek, and Amantai, while Alema and Tukebai also asked to join later.
• Li Long arranged for Uncle Lao Luo and the neighbors to prepare stoves, pots, and help with the offal at the Fourth Team.
• Li Long bought cooking supplies and picked up Harimu, Jade Mountain River, Talihaal, Bek, and Amantai, who brought hides and deer antlers as gifts.
• Li Long brought the visitors to his courtyard, introduced them to Sister Yang and his children, then stopped at the Nang Shop before driving to the Fourth Team.
• At the New Stable, Li Long introduced the visitors to the local helpers, and Jade Mountain River and Harimu praised the well-fattened sheep.

Li Long and the mountain herders slaughtered and processed sheep at the Stable, while the local workers watched the herders’ skill and shared a meal of mutton. After a productive day, Li Long took Jade Mountain River, Harimu, and the others to visit the County Seat, and they planned to bring their families down for a visit when spring arrived.

• Li Long assigned Harimu to cook the first sheep and organized Jade Mountain River, Talihaal, and the others to slaughter and skin the flock while the local workers handled the offal.
• Jade Mountain River and his companions slaughtered and skinned sheep with such speed and care that Yang Laoliu and the other workers were impressed by their expertise.
• Harimu boiled a large meal of mutton, and Li Long, the herders, and the workers ate together before returning to the job.
• Li Long offered to bring the herders’ families to visit the County Seat, but Harimu suggested waiting until spring because of the winter cold.
• Jade Mountain River and the others processed more sheep through the afternoon, then ate again and set out with Li Long to visit the County Seat.

Li Long took Jade Mountain River, Harimu, and the others to the market and Department Store, where they enjoyed shopping and buying gifts for home. On the drive back, he persuaded them to consider raising livestock and offered to pay them for finding deer fawns, leaving them eager to try earning money while planning more slaughtering the next day.

• Li Long showed Jade Mountain River and the others the market, where they bought whips and knives, then took them to the Department Store to buy food, drinks, batteries, and a radio.
• Jade Mountain River visited the bookstore and bought a book of Kazakh folk literature before the group headed back toward the mountains.
• Harimu asked how Li Long had fattened his sheep, and Li Long explained that he kept them penned and fed them grass and inexpensive sugar residue mixed with bran and cornmeal.
• Li Long suggested that they raise red deer and offered to pay for red deer and roe deer fawns; after he explained their potential value, the group agreed to look for them.
• Li Long dropped the group at the Winter Camp and returned to the Big Courtyard, where he planned to continue slaughtering livestock the next day.

Sister-in-Law Lu brought home mutton from Li Long’s Stable, and she and Lu Yingming agreed they could raise sheep next year. The fatty mutton drew buyers from the Fourth and Third Teams, and Li Long extended the slaughtering schedule while Ma Jinbao worried about losing his winter trade.

• Sister-in-Law Lu brought home mutton and sheep heads and hooves, then shared the meat with Lu Yingming, Tietou, and Nier.
• Sister-in-Law Lu and Lu Yingming discussed raising sheep next year and using their tractor to haul feed.
• Li Long began slaughtering sheep at the Stable, welcomed Harimu, Alema, Yersen, and Tukebai, and offered them a meal while they worked.
• Li Long sold sheep, cuts of meat, and inexpensive heads and hooves to eager buyers, including Xu Haijun, who bought a slaughtered sheep.
• Ma Jinbao learned that Li Long’s fatty mutton was drawing customers away from his flock and could think of no way to compete.
• After selling eighteen sheep from the forty-seven slaughtered, Li Long decided to spend two and a half days processing sheep before turning to the red deer and roe deer.

Li Long slaughtered sheep for the Sugar Factory and delivered the first fifty carcasses, earning a substantial profit from his fattened flock. After arranging to deliver the remaining meat and red deer, he promised Tao Daqiang they would break the ice and fish together the next afternoon.

• Tao Daqiang and others helped Li Long slaughter sheep, and the group divided the remaining heads, hooves, and cooked meat.
• Song Ming arrived with free sugar residue and ordered a hundred dressed sheep, two red deer, and a tonne of large fish for Section Chief Hu.
• Li Long agreed to Tao Daqiang's suggestion to go ice fishing after the slaughtering was finished and arranged to deliver the first batch of sheep to the Sugar Factory.
• Section Chief Hu received fifty sheep from Li Long, whose total weighed 1,433 kilograms and 800 grams and sold for 2,580 yuan and 84 fen.
• Harimu and the others slaughtered two red deer stags, while Li Long arranged to return the next day to finish the cattle.
• Li Long told Tao Daqiang they would break the ice the next afternoon and catch fish the day after.