Having bought what each person wanted, everyone went together to the meat stall to buy meat.
There were several meat stalls in the county town, both in the East Market and the West Market. Since they sold goods in the East Market, they bought meat there as well.
The best fat for rendering lard is pork back fat, the most sought‑after cut, but it was already gone when they arrived. So they had to buy meat with both fat and lean, then trim off the fat at home to render oil.
In ancient times pigs ate healthily, with little fat, so finding fattier cuts of meat was truly difficult.
Xu Zhichun didn’t mind much. She wasn’t sure if the harbor warehouse had lard, but there was plenty of vegetable oil. Later she would buy five pounds of soybean oil to take back, mix it with what was in the warehouse, and it wouldn’t matter if it turned into more than ten pounds in total.
Xu Zhichun bought a big marrow bone, two pounds of pork belly, and over three pounds of ribs. In the late‑March weather, the meat would keep for two days without issue. Once eaten, she would buy more.
Zeng Xiaoyan bought four pounds of front‑leg pork and two pounds of ribs.
Aunt Zhu counted the days—her husband was due home tomorrow. Besides buying meat, she also bought a big pig’s trotter to stew into soup for him.
Just after leaving the pork stall, Zeng Xiaoyan looked eagerly at Xu Zhichun and said: “Sister Zhichun, take these two pounds of ribs. Cook them, and the two of us will come to your house to eat, all right? We don’t like cooking ribs at home.”
Zeng Xiaoyan, after all, was born into a wealthy family. Even though she suffered much bullying from her stepmother, her food and clothing were still far better than those of farming folk. Ribs were delicious, and she loved them.
When farmers bought meat, who would want ribs like that? Of course they chose pure meat, preferably with more fat and less lean.
Zeng Xiaoyan had once bought ribs to take home, and Zhao gave her a long mocking lecture, saying she wasted money and didn’t know how to live properly: “Why buy such bones with little meat, all lean at that? They don’t even fill the teeth! You look like a spendthrift.” Zeng Xiaoyan grew angry and quarreled with her, leaving things very unpleasant.
If she bought ribs again to take home, Zhao’s sharp tongue would surely start another quarrel with her.
She didn’t want to spoil the good mood of making money, so she simply asked Xu Zhichun to cook it for her.
Sister Zhichun’s cooking was even tastier.
Xu Zhichun hesitated, and Liang Mingliang quickly laughed and said: “Sister Zhichun, our family really doesn’t like cooking ribs—especially my second sister‑in‑law. If she sees them, she’ll start nagging about wasting money and not knowing how to live properly. Why bother quarreling with her? Sorry to trouble you, Sister Zhichun.”
Xu Zhichun understood and laughed: “All right then, tell your family that you’ll come to my house for dinner. I’m about to buy soy sauce anyway, so I’ll just pick up half a pound of vinegar too. How about I make one dish of braised ribs and one of sweet‑and‑sour ribs?”
Zeng Xiaoyan’s eyes lit up, and she nodded repeatedly with joy: “All right, all right! Should we buy brown sugar? I’ll get another two pounds of it.”
Xu Zhichun laughed and said: “I still have what you gave me last time, so no need. Aunt Zhu, you should come to my house for dinner too—I’ve bought plenty of ribs myself.”
Auntie Zhu had eaten roasted ribs and stewed ribs, but she didn’t know what braised ribs tasted like, or how they were “red.” As for sweet‑and‑sour ribs, she had never even heard of them—sugar used to cook meat? How strange. Yet seeing Zeng Xiaoyan’s excitement, she thought it must be delicious, and her heart was moved.
“All right, I’ll come too. Tomorrow I’ll stew pig’s feet and bring you a bowl.”
"Sounds good!"
Passing the tofu stall, Xu Zhichun simply bought three blocks of fresh tofu. Fried until golden with braised pork, then sprinkled with chopped garlic shoots—it was delicious too.
After buying the good things, they stopped by the Lotus Restaurant on the way.
Shopkeeper Tang said with a cheerful smile: “This gray tofu and gray tofu strips sell quite well. From now on, whenever you come, take ten pounds of each. If the ice jelly works out, bring twenty pounds tomorrow. And if someday we need more, we’ll let you know in advance.”
He was essentially a regular customer now, with steady income—several hundred coins in hand. The four of them were all delighted, and Xu Zhichun quickly agreed.
Shopkeeper Tang did not demand that they refrain from selling to others. Ingredients, after all, each household has its own way of cooking—everything depends on the chef’s skill.
If the Lotus Restaurant wanted to monopolize these fresh ingredients, it would have to pay a hefty price—buying up all of Xu Zhichun’s goods. Even though their business was good, they could never sell so much gray tofu and gray tofu strips in a single day.
With everything settled, after eating a steaming bowl of meat‑soup noodles, on the way back they stopped by the blacksmith’s shop. Xu Zhichun said she wanted to order a large iron pot. She gestured—about seventy centimeters in diameter, twice the size of the one she used now.
The blacksmith’s shop had made such large pots before; wealthy households, brewers, and tofu makers all needed them.
It could be made, but it was expensive.
It cost a full tael of silver, and the payment had to be made in advance.
After all, even if a small pot was ordered but not purchased, it could still be sold. But if such a large pot were ordered and then rejected, who knows in what distant future it could ever be sold?
Goodness—Xu Zhichun truly hadn’t expected it to be so expensive!
Zeng Xiaoyan and the others were also taken aback.
Xu Zhichun had only brought five hundred coins. Fortunately, today’s business had earned quite a bit. After discussing with the others, she counted out five hundred coins to pay. Later, when they did the accounts, her share would be deducted. She received the contract for the agreed delivery.
Zeng Xiaoyan and Aunt Zhu both felt uneasy. What household in ordinary life would ever need such a huge pot? And besides, they too had a share in cooking the konjac tofu.
“How about we count this big iron pot as something the three of us buy together?”
“Yes, yes, that’s exactly what I said too.”
How could Xu Zhichun possibly ask them to chip in for the pot?
“No need, really no need. I truly want to buy a big pot—it’ll make boiling water easier, and for Dragon Boat Festival cookin rice dumplings, New Year’s pork dishes, and frying meatballs, it’ll be much more convenient. Truly.”
Zeng Xiaoyan and Aunt Zhu: “…”
What household would ever cook rice dumplings in such a huge pot, or fry meatballs in such a massive cauldron?
Back in the village, Liang Mingliang as usual drove the ox cart to Xu Zhichun’s house.
Passing the big locust tree in the village, many women, having eaten lunch and not yet gone to work, were gathered there chattering gossip. Seeing them return, they all turned to look in unison. Pairs of eyes examined the things on the ox cart.
All the things Xu Zhichun and her group bought were placed in buckets and large jars, tightly covered with lids, so that no one could see what was inside.
“Sister Zhu, did you really go up to the city to sell ghost taro? Can that stuff really sell? Don’t cause trouble and have people come after you.”
“My goodness, they’re so bold!”
“Everyone wants to earn money, but you can’t abandon the right path—harmful deeds must not be done.”
“Xiaoyan, Zhichun—did you really make money? How much did you earn?”
Zeng Xiaoyan grew angry when she heard it, wanted to retort, but held back and looked at Xu Zhichun. Aunt Zhu, afraid of saying the wrong thing, kept silent and only put on a silly smile to muddle through.
Xu Zhichun couldn’t avoid giving some kind of response. After all, their business was meant to last, and eventually people would find out. Saying they hadn’t made money at this moment would be inauspicious.
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